to open the Communication from Pittsburgh to Presqu'Isle and establish a Post there, and desire that you and your Brethren here may be assisting to any Troops that may at any time, be passing by your Settlements, that way, and he assures all Nations of Indians by their Belt of Wampum, that they will have his Majesty's Protection as long as they behave well to us, and you may be assured that the General will render any of your People any Services in his Power for the Establishing a lasting Peace and Friendship with all Nations.

BRETHREN,

A BELT.

By this Belt I have the Generals Orders to Invite all Nations of Indians to come to Pittsburgh to the intended Conference to renew and brighten the Chain of Friendship, and Receive a Present sent him by the King of Great Britain for all Nations of Indians to the Sun setting.

The Indians made the following Answer.

BRETHREN,

A BELT.

We have heard the Messages you have delivered us from the General, and you may Assure him that we will acquaint all Nations of it, and meet him at Pittsburgh to renew our Ancient Friendship, and render you all the services we can, in keeping the Road safe for our Brethren to Travel through our Country.

A STRING.

Then I delivered the Goods sent by the General to Clothe the Women and Children at that Place, which was equally distributed, and when all was Clothed, they came and Returned thanks in a Formal manner.

Immediately after the Conference, Colonel Mercer came there, when I Joined him and Marched Two Miles to a Six Nation Village where we Encamped.

The 16th Decamped early and passed by another Six Na

tion Village and from thence through a tolerable good Country, Seventeen Miles, to where we crossed French Creek.

The 17th Decamped early and Marched through a Swampy Country and a Bad Road, to Le Beauf, Thirteen Miles.

The 18th Decamped early and at Ten o'clock arrived at Presque Isle, being fourteen Miles, most of the way is a Chesnut Swamp part of which is laid with Loggs, but much out of Repair.

The 19th early in the morning I sent two Indians out to Reconnoitre the Adjacent Woods and about seven o'clock one of them Returned, and told me that he had seen four Indians and spoke to them, (two Wyandotts and two Chepeways) they told him there were Twenty of their Party, that they were employed by the French at Detroit to come there as Spys and to bring an English Prisoner with them, but that their Nations had determined not to Commit any Hostilities against the English, and desired he might assure me, that they would Return without doing any Mischief. I sent him back to invite them into Camp, but when he had got to where their Canoes were, part of them were set off, so the Rest did not chuse to come without the whole Party. They told this Indian, that they would not have come at the desire of the French, but that their own Nations were afraid that we were going to Destroy Detroit without giving them Notice.

The 20th Returned from Presqu' Isle to a Mingoe House three Miles from Le Beauf.

The 21st Marched to some Mingoe Cabins two Miles from Custologa's Town.

The 22nd Received the following Intelligence from the Twightwee Country by two Indians, viz.

That they set off from their Town 19 Days ago, the day before they left home Twenty Eight Battoes with Provisions passed by up the Creek to a Carrying place on their way to Detroit; with those Battoes there were no Soldiers, but

about One Hundred Country People. They told the Indians there that 300 Men with 70 Battoes and Twelve Pieces of Cannon were coming after them, and would be there soon, and after them One Hundred Men with a great Number of Battoes, all from New Orleans, that when they got to Detroit they were to go to Niagara to meet an Army from Montreal to take that place, and then to come back and drive the English from Pittsburgh over the great Mountain. The Indians did not believe what they told them but made them this answer, Father be Strong, we have made Peace with our Brethren the English, and you must fight your own Battles.

Those two Indians were sent by an Indian Spy, who I have had in that Twightwee Town all this Spring, he told them that he would stay there a month longer, to see if any more French passed by that way, as they could go no other way to Detroit, and then set off for this place. The 25th arrived at Fort Pitt.

The 29th A Six Nation Indian came here and says he was sent from their Country, to acquaint the General, and Indians here, that none of the Six Nation Deputies would be at the intended Conference to be held here as was expected, but they intend to send here in about three Months. The Reason of their not coming was occasioned by some Deputies of the Wyandotts who came to their Country from over the Lakes, with Ten Calomets of Peace, and several Belts of Wampum, from Ten different Tribes of Indians, to Renew their Ancient Friendship with the Six Nations, which they did, and says that the Six Nations delivered a large Belt to them, desiring all Nations to the Westward to Cultivate a lasting Friendship with their Brethren the English, and deliver up all the English Prisoners as soon as possible, as that was demanded of them, and without they did it, they were well satisfied, the English would not be pleased.

The 30th an Indian arrived here from the Salt Licks, and informed me, that the Twightwees (i.e. Miamis) Otta

ways, and Putowatomey's sent the Delawares the Tomahawk, that they had sent them to strike the English with, the Beginning of the War with this Message.

COUSINS,

We have made use of the Hatchet you sent us, we now Return it to you, to make what use you please of it, for we are determined never to use it against our Brethren the English any more.

The 31st Just now Returned here after delivering the Belt of Invitation sent from Custologas Town, to the Beaver, and says that the Principal Men and Warriors of all the Towns they Past by said they would prepare themselves to come to the Conference, That Teadeyuscung had called a Meeting at the Salt Lick Town, that they were going there, but that they would do nothing until they met here.

GEO: CROGHAN

Deputy Agent.

SIR,

ARTHUR DOBBS TO GEN1 AMHERST.

BRUNSWICK 2 August 1760.

Your favors of the 27 and 28th of April did not come to my hands untill yesterday, along with a letter from Brig Monckton of the 23a May. This delay of his Majesty's and your dispatches, in the Northern post office, of which I complained before, ought to be rectified, and I think ought to be forwarded by Express from the several offices, and let them charge the expense at home to the General Post Office, otherwise all necessary intelligence is at an end, as no advices can be sent in time, since you are at such a distance. I have wrote largely to Brig Monckton the situation we are in to the Southward, and to require a supply upon the apprehensions of a general southern Indian war

which if so Georgia must be lost, and South Carolina be in danger. As I hope before the date of this, you will be in possession of Montreal and all Canada, I hope you will be able to spare troops not only to end our Indian War, but also to attack Mobille and Mississipi, if your instructions will support you in it, as it will be necessary to drive the French from this Continent, to have future peace with them.

God grant you equal success to that which you have had already, and that you may be the Scipio of America; for Delenda est Carthago - at least on this Continent.

I refer you to General Monckton's letter, and am with great respect

Sir,

Your Excellency's most obedient

General AMHERST.

and most humble Servant

ARTHUR DOBBS.

SIR,

GEN AMHERST TO MONCKTON

CAMP AT OSWEGO 2 August

Major Gladwin with the late garrison of Niagara, arrived here on the 31st and by him I was favored with your letter of the 9th. At the same time I received one from Major Walters, acquainting me that he should report to you his passage to and arrival at Niagara, so that I will not trouble you with a repetition of it. Enclosed in the Major's came a copy of one wrote him by Col Bouquet, demanding a number of engineers, stores, and tools, which he cannot be all supplied with; however Col Eyre ordered the engineer to send him all that could be spared from that post; the rest I am apt to think may be well done without as Lt Colonel Eyre assures me it may.