256 JOHN BARTRAM TO [1763. 



keep to any treaty of peace. They all are, with their fathers, the 

 French, resolved to drive the English out of North America. And 

 although some tribes pretend to he neutral friends, it is only with 

 a design to supply the rest with ammunition to murder us. Per- 

 haps now, and only now, is the critical time offered to Britain to 

 secure not only her old possessions, but her so much boasted new 

 acquisitions, by sending us sufficient supplies to repel effectually 

 those barbarous savages. 



November 11th, 1763. 



Dear worthy Peter : 



I have received my dear friend's letter of August 23d, 1763. 



I think most of our people here look upon all our boasted ac- 

 quisitions in North America to be titular, and that only of short 

 duration, as the French still claim all one side of the Mississippi, 

 and part of our side. They will draw the chief of their fur trade 

 near them, and will always be setting the Indians against us, sup- 

 pose we do keep possession of the Lakes. But unless we bang the 

 Indians stoutly, and make them fear us, they will never love us, 

 nor keep peace long with us. They are now got so cunning, they 

 will not sell their land, and stand so to their bargain as to let the 

 people live quietly upon it. But when they want goods, it is but 

 rob the traders, steal horses, plunder and insult the back inhabi- 

 tants, and instead of us calling them to account for their mischief, 

 we sue to them for peace, and give them great presents to kill no 

 more white people for three or four years. By such proceedings, 

 they have us in the greatest contempt, believing they may do us 

 all the mischief they please, and we are ready at any time to buy 

 a peace with them for a few years, under great insults. 



The variety of plants and flowers in our southwestern continent, 

 is beyond expression. Is it not, dear Peter, the very palace 

 garden of old Madam Flora ? Oh ! if I could but spend six 

 months on the Ohio, Mississippi, and Florida, in health, I believe 

 I could find more curiosities than the English, French and Spa- 

 niards have done in six score of years. But the Indians, instigated 

 by the French, will not let us look at so much as a plant, or tree, 

 in this great British empire. 



