290 HISTORY OF 



English settlements; and that they would give the 

 earliest information they received of the enemy's designs j 

 and, in consideration of four hundred pounds, they 

 recognized the title of the king to the colony of Virginia, 

 as it was then, or should be, afterwards bounded. The 

 favor of the Indians was not obtained gratuitously. 

 Pennsylvania presented them with three hundred pounds 

 currency ; Maryland one hundred pounds ; and Virginia 

 two hundred pounds, with the addition of a promise to 

 recommend the Six Nations to the consideration of his 

 majesty. 



But this conference did not remove causes of future 

 disquiet. These lay in the encroachments of the settlers, 

 and in the conduct of the traders ; who, in defiance of 

 the law, carried spirituous liquors to the Indian wigwams ; 

 and, taking advantage of the inordinate passion of the 

 savage for this poison, cheated them of their skins, and 

 their wampum, and debauched their wives. " Is it not 

 to be wondered at then, said Governor Thomas, if when 

 the Indians recover from their drunken-fit, they should take 

 severe revenge. Or would it have been a matter of 

 surprise, had they charged on whites, in the aggregate, 

 the vices of individuals, and sought vengeance on the 

 natives whose citizens daily assumed their soil, and 

 destroyed the best of their people." 



The Indians about the town of Lancaster were also 

 committing depredations in a small way; some of them 

 found their cabins wanted roofs, and to secure the 

 shingles, they barked John Musser's Walnut trees, 

 which stood in town, to cover their cabins with. Musser 

 made complaint to the Governor, touching the barking 

 of his trees, demanding six poimds damage ; the Assem- 

 bly gave him three pounds.* 

 *Votes of Assembly, 1744. 



