LANCASTER COUNTY. 41 



possible, to avoid war, for peace was most desirable, and 

 war must be only for defence. '^ 



*^That we are also informed some of the Maryland 

 Indians, then among them, had differed with the 

 English there, and were afraid to return, or come among 

 the English of that government. If so, they might 

 then continue among us, till matters were fully settled, 

 that our Governor would treat with the Governor of 

 Maryland in their favor ; but they must not quarrel with 

 any of the subjects of England, for we are all under one 

 crown, and are as one people." 



In the same year (1705,) Thomas Chalkley, an emi- 

 nent preacher among the Quakers, as he was visiting some 

 of his brethren at Nottingham, in the province of Maryland 

 had a concern, says he, on my mind to visit the Indians 

 living near Susquehannagh, at Conestogoe, and I laid it 

 before the elders at Nottingham meeting, with which 

 they expressed their amity, and promoted my visiting 

 them. We got an interpreter, and thirteen or fourteen 

 of us travelled through the woods about fifty miles, car- 

 rying our provisions with us, and on the journey set 

 down by a river, and spread our food on the grass and 

 refreshed ourselves and horses, and then went on cheer- 

 fully and with good will, and much love to the poor 

 Indians, and when we came they received us kindly, 

 treating civilly in their way. We treated about havmg 

 a meeting with them in a religious way; upon which 

 they called a council, in which they were very grave, and 

 spoke, one after another, without any heat or jarring — 

 and some of the most esteemed of their women speak in 

 their councils. I asked our interpreter, why they suf- 

 fered or permitted the women to speak in their councils ? 

 His answer was, "that some women were wiser than 

 some men.'' 



