would not meet me at this place, and the Norridgwalk and Arssegunticook Indians had shew'd such signs of their making a sudden Stroke upon our most expos'd Eastern Settlements, that the Settlers upon Kennebeck River had betaken themselves to their Garrisons, and those upon St. George's were preparing to do the same.

However, contrary to my expectations I found upon my arrival at this place, that several of the Norridgwalks had been assembled here some days to meet me; which was principally owing to the accident of their Priest's having left them about 20 days before to go to Canada, and the miscarriage of a letter from the Penobscot Priest to their Priest, which the Commander of St. George's fort had found means to intercept and send me.

As to the Arssegunticook Indians, who have their head quarters near the Southern Bank of the River Canada, and are generally reckon'd among the French Indians the Commander of fort Richmond and the Norridgwalks themselves inform'd me that a part of them now lurking in the Neighbourhood of Fort Richmond had declar'd in Answer to my letter of Notifica- [sic] to them to meet me, that they would have no Interview with the English until they had (to speak in Indian Phrase) wip'd away the Blood of two Indians belonging to their Tribe, who had been unfortunately kill'd within the Government of New Hampshire above a Year ago; and the New Hampshire Commissioners acquainted me, that some of that Tribe had about three weeks before carry'd off a whole Family Captive, and Pillag'd and burnt two houses within that Province; so that there was not the least Expectation of their sending any of their Tribe to the Interview.

As to the Penobscot Indians I was inform'd by a letter, which I found at my Arrival here, that they had receiv'd messages inviting them to join with the French Indians in taking up the Hatchet against the English; which matter they had under consideration; and by another letter which I found here from the Commanding Officer of Fort St. George, that they were soon to hold a Grand Council upon what I had

order'd him to tell them in answer to their letter of refusal to meet me here, but that he was almost sure they would persist in their former Resolution.

In this Letter Sir, I found inclos'd the beforementioned letter from the Penobscot missionary to the Jesuit of the Norridgwalks a Copy of which I send you at full length as I think it may give a just notion of the Principles and Intrigues of the Jesuit Missionaries here, what lengths they will go for the sake of saving one of their missions which is in danger of being lost to them, even such as would embroil all Parties in War and which they are affraid should be discover'd by the Indians, or even the French Government.

As the Penobscots are esteem'd the most powerfull of the Eastern Indians, and have ever appear'd the best affected of those Tribes towards the English, I determin'd to use my utmost efforts to draw them hither from their Priest, and have a conference with them. Accordingly I dispatch'd a Vessell to St. George's River to bring them to Falmouth, with a letter acquainting them that upon their own request made to me in the last Winter that I would have an Interview and Conference with them in person this Summer, I was come so far to brighten the Covenant Chain with them, and was surpriz'd at not finding them here upon my Arrival as I did the Norridgwalks.

That I expected them to attend me at Falmouth without delay and should look upon their refusal as a renouncing of all amity with the English.

At the same time, as the Norridgwalk Indians were the Original Proprietors of the Lands upon Kennebeck River, and the only Indians now Interested in them, and I had reason to expect that the presence of the Penobscots would embarrass our Conference concerning the intended march, fort, and further settlements up the river, I determin'd to have a separate Conference with the Norridgwalks, and dispatch them from hence before the arrival of the Penobscot Indians here.

I shall not trouble, You, Sir, with the particulars of my Conference with the Norridgwalk Indians, but mention only

so much, as will shew what were the principal points and result of it.

Upon acquainting them with our intended proceedings and the true motive of them, which I told them was to secure the River Kennebeck against the French who had of late built several forts within his Majestys territories upon this Continent, and not with the least view of incroaching upon their Lands, They at first told me in a peremptory manner, that they would not Consent to it, that they lik'd well the Treaty which Lt. Govr. Dummer had made with them and the other Eastern Tribes in 1725 and 1726, and they would stand by it: they acknowledg'd that Richmond fort was King George's, and said, all below it belonged to the English but all above it to them.

In answer to this I told them I did not ask their Consent to the building the new fort, or extending the English Settlements upon the River Kennebeck, but only appriz'd them of our intentions, that they might not conceive false Alarm at our proceedings; That all Princes had a right to build forts for the protection of their Subjects within their own Territories as they pleas'd; they well knew the French King did so; that the building of this fort would not affect their properties in any lands upon the River; That by Govr. Dummer's Treaty, which they just now express'd their satisfaction in they had acknowledg'd their "Subjection to King George, Submitted to be Governed by his Laws, and desir'd to have the advantage of them" whereby, the English and they were become Brethren, and King George their Common father, and that he had no other view in building this fort than the protection of his children, Indians as well as English against the French; and they might have the Benefit of it as well as we, if they pleas'd. I reminded them of the Calamities, which going to War with the English had brought upon them. That in the Year 1724 the English broke up their Settlement at Norridgwalk destroy'd near half their Tribe, and drove them intirely off the River Kennebeck, whereby according to the Rules of War, receivd and practic'd by all Indians the English gain'd from them by

right of Conquest all their Lands upon the River; and that it was wholly owing to their Kindness for them that they were suffer'd afterwards by Govr. Dummer's Treaty to return to their Possessions there.

I shew'd them that above 100 Years ago the English had purchas'd all the Lands of their forefathers as high up that River as a branch called Wesserunskik, being near 100 miles, by Deeds which themselves had at the Treaty last Year acknowledg'd to be genuine, and that by Virtue of those purchases the English had made Settlements at Cushenoc1 and Taconnett, being about forty miles above Richmond, the Ruins of which were still visible and particularly at Taconnett they had built a Truck house above 100 Years ago where a greater Trade was carried on by them with the Indians for Beaver and Furrs than is now at all the Truckhouses in this Province, as themselves well knew by Tradition from their Forefathers and have likewise acknowledg'd; and I shew'd them that by Lt. Govr. Dummer's Treaty, under which they hold all their Lands upon the River, it was Stipulated by the Indians that the English should quietly enter upon and hold all their former Possessions and Lands, which they had purchas'd of the Indians without any molestation from them; so that the English had full as good right to extend their Settlements as far as their ancient possessions and purchases reach'd, as the Indians had to hold the Lands, which were upon that River beyond them; and I demanded of them, if they would now ratify Lt. Govr. Dummers Treaty, which they had just before told me they would stand by, and the Treaty of Peace concluded between them and the English in 1749; To this they readily answer'd me, that they were willing and desirous; whereupon I acquainted them at our meeting the next morning, that the Instruments of Ratification were prepar'd, but advis'd them to consider well before we proceeded to execute them whether they were absolutely determin'd to observe them; That they had

1 This settlement is elsewhere spelled Cussenac. It was a small town about forty miles from the mouth of the Kennebec River where Fort Richmond was located.

better not sign them than do it, and break faith with us; For if after concluding this Treaty they should be guilty of another breach of their faith, we should never trust them again: I told them we had now fully open'd our hearts to them, and hop'd they would hide nothing which was in theirs from us; and if their hearts were as right towards us as ours were towards them, we would interchangeably sign the ratifications.

Their Speaker then stood up and declar'd in the Name of them all, that the English should be welcome to build their intended forts upon the River Kennebeck and to extend Settlements there as far as their ancient possessions and purchases reach'd and only desir'd, I wou'd let them know how high up the River I design'd to erect the fort; which I told them they made professions in the most solemn manner, that what they had last said was spoke in the Sincerity of their hearts; and let me know that the Arssegunticooks had sent messages to the Penobscots, inviting them to join them in taking the Hatchet up against the English.

We then sign'd the Ratifications; after which I let them know that as a Testimony of the good Disposition of the English towards them, if they would send any of their Children to Boston to be instructed in the English Language, the Government there would be at the Expence of maintaining and Educating them in a proper manner, and would send them back to their Parents whenever it should be requir'd and that I propos'd this to them as the means of cementing still a closer Friendship and perpetuating Peace between them and the English.

Upon this proposal three of their young men of about 16 years of age immediately offer'd themselves to me in the presence of the rest to go to Boston; and one of their noted Captains, who had before accepted a Commission from the French, desir'd leave to send two of his sons to be educated in Boston which I readily promised, and sent the three young men there two days after the day following I dispatch'd all the Norridgwalk Indians back to Kennebeck River and caus'd the forces to embark and proceed upon the intended