138 RIOTERS MARCH ON PHILADELPHIA. [1764, Jan. 



public defence ; but unwilling to place on record 

 such a testimony of inconsistency, they had granted 

 the money, not for the avowed purpose of raising 

 and arming soldiers, but under the title of a gift to 

 the crown.^ They were now to be deprived of 

 even this poor subterfuge, and subjected to the 

 dilemma of offering their friends to be slain and 

 themselves to be plundered, or openly appealing 

 to arms. 



Their embarrassment was increased by the exag- 

 gerated ideas which prevailed among the ignorant 

 and timorous respecting the size and strength of 

 the borderers, their ferocity of temper, and their 

 wonderful skill as marksmen. Quiet citizens, 

 whose knowledge was confined to the narrow 

 limits of their firesides and shops, listened hor- 

 ror-stricken to these reports ; the prevalence of 

 which is somewhat surprising, when it is consid- 

 ered that, at the present day, the district whence 

 the dreaded rioters came may be reached from 

 Philadelphia within a few hours. 



Tidings of the massacre in Lancaster jail had 

 arrived at Philadelphia on the twenty-ninth of De- 

 cember, and with them came the rumor that numer- 

 ous armed mobs were already on their march to the 

 city. Terror and confusion were universal; and, 

 as the place was defenceless, no other expedient 

 suggested itself than the pitiful one of removing 

 the objects of popular resentment beyond reach of 

 danger. Boats were sent to Province Island, and 

 the Indians ordered to embark and proceed with 



1 See Gordon, Hist. Penn. Cliaps. XII.-XVIIL 



