40 ' HISTORr OF 



of the government in case the disorders should be 

 continued.* 



"The subject; mentioned in the letter, was considered 

 in council, March 22d; and it was resolved that mes- 

 sengers be forthwith despatched to Conestogoe, by way 

 of New Castle, to know the truth of the information, the 

 relation, as it appeared, being somewhat suspicious."" 



So repeatedly were vague reports of Indian disturb- 

 ances from this quarter, and Indian conferences, held at 

 Philadelphia, that the Governor was induced to send the 

 Secretary of the council, in October, 1705, to Conestogo. 

 The Secretary, in company with the Sheriff, and Cleric 

 of Chester county, and the Sheriff of New Castle, and 

 Hercules Coutts, Ilermanus Alricks, Edmimd Shippen^ 

 Jr., and others, being ten in number, went to Conestogo,. 

 as the chief place, telling the Indians that he was come 

 from the Governor of Pennsylvania, who had always 



been a friend of all the Indians within the bounds of it. 



Among otliers, he would mention things of great im- 

 portance at the present time, and which he must lay- 

 before them: 



" First, That they should take great care of giving ear 

 to malicious reports, spread and carried by ili men, for 

 that we heard they had been alarmed at the christians 

 putting themselves in arms in all these parts and muster- 

 ing; the reason of this, was the war with the French, 

 and was designed rather to help than hurt them; but, as 

 they and their brethren each must be assistant to the 

 other, and therefore the English took up arms to defend 

 themselves, and the Indians, also, against both their ene- 

 mies. That notwithstanding they ought all, as far as 



•Col. Record II. 123.— (^This winter was remarkable, in 

 Pennsylvania, for a great snow, in general about one yard 

 doo^.— Proud. 



