OF LANCASTER COUNTY. 107 



their children with this league and firm chain of friendship made between 

 them, and that it should always be made stronger and stronger and be 

 kept bright and clean, without rust or spot between our children and 

 children's children, while the creeks and rivers run, and while the sun, 

 moon and stars endure. 



"And for a confirmation on our parts of all these several articles, we 

 bind them with these several parcels of goods, viz : 



"20 Strowd Matchcoats, 20 Dufl:ells, 20 Blankets, 20 Shirts, 1 cwt. of 

 Gunpowder, 2 cwt. of Lead, 500 Flints, 50 Knives." 



After Avhich the Governor proceeded and said : 



"My Brethrex: I have now spoke to the league and chain of friend- 

 ship, first made by your father, AVilliam Penn, with your fathers, which 

 is confirmed. I am now to acquaint you with an unhappy accident that 

 has afflicted me and all good people amongst us, and we lament and mourn 

 with you on the heavy misfortune. 



"About forty days ago we heard that the Twechtweys were coming as 

 enemies against this country. I believe it is false, for we never hurt the 

 Twechtweys ; and about eighteen days since I received an express from 

 the Iron works at Mahanatawny, acquainting me that eleven foreign In- 

 dians, painted for war, and armed with guns, pistols and swords, were 

 come amongst our inhabitants, plundering them and taking away their 

 provisions by force, whereupon some of our people, to the number of 

 twenty men, with arms, went to speak to them civilly, but the Indians 

 fired upon them and wounded some of them ; our men likewise fired on 

 the Indians and wounded some of them also; but the Indians fired first. 

 It was very ill done to fire. 



"As soon as I had this account I took horse and went to Mahanatawny, 

 with several gentlemen of Philadelphia, but the Indians were gone off". 

 I found our people believed there were more coming, and therefore some 

 hundreds met together with their arms to defend themselves in case the 

 Indians should attack them. 



"As I was returning home I heard news that grieved me exceedingly. 

 I was told that two or three furious men amongst us had killed three or 

 four Indian friends and hurt two girls. I went back mourning, and sent out 

 men to take the murderers, who were accordingly taken, and "^re now in 

 irons in a dungeon to be tried by the laws of the great King of all the 

 English, as if they had killed so many of his own subjects. I have like- 

 wise caused search to be made for the dead bodies, and two women were 

 found murdered, who b}'^ my order were laid in a grave and covered with 

 shirts and strowds. I hear likewise that the dead body of an Indian man 

 has been found and is buried. 



"You know there are wicked people among all nations; there are ill 

 people amongst you, and you are sometimes forced to put them to death. 



