1671.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 95 



that then one should he hired to knock them in the head."^ Two 

 days previous to this meeting, Governor Lovelace had notified 

 the Governor of New Jersey, that the Indians accused of the 

 murder were within his jurisdiction, at a ])lace called Suscunk, 

 four miles east of Matiniconk Island, where the murder was 

 committed. - 



The officers on the Delaware had hccome very apprehensive 

 that an Indian war was about to break out, and had communi- 

 cated their views to the Governor and council. In reply, orders 

 were issued for placing the settlement in the best possible posi- 

 tion for such a contingency. Orders that had already been 

 given by the local authorities for the people to retire into towns 

 for their better security, were approved. Every person " that 

 could bear arms, from sixteen to sixty years of age, was to be 

 always provided with a convenient proportion of powder and 

 bullets ;" no powder or ammunition was to be sold to the In- 

 dians ; no corn or provisions to be transported out of the river, 

 and the Susquehanna Indians or others were to be induced, by 

 appropriate rewards, "to join against the murderers and such as 

 should harbour them."^ 



The Governor of New Jersey, after receiving notice, was in a 

 very short time, " prepared with a handsome party ready to have 

 stepped into the work to bring the murderers to condign punish- 

 ment." But the backwardness of the people of the Delaware, 

 "put a stop to the forwardness of those of New Jersey." This 

 was in the month of November; and although, one month earlier, 

 Carr had been instructed by the Governor, that the season of the 

 year was unfit for the commencement of an Indian war, his excel- 

 lency made the fact of the New Jersey preparations the occa- 

 sion to administer to that officer a severe rebuke for his tardi- 

 ness and neglect of duty. 



But the masterly inactivity of Commander Carr, proved to be 

 the wisest policy., and still preserved the country of the Delaware 

 in its peculiar exemption from hostilities between the Indians 

 and whites. In eleven days after xllrick's return from New 

 York, a conference was held at Peter Rambo's house with the 

 Indian sachems, which resulted in a promise by them to bring 

 in the murderers within six days, dead or alive. One of the 

 criminals made his escape, while the other — the more courageous 

 of the two, allowed himself to be surprised. One of the two 

 Indians in pursuit, being his friend, was unwilling to shoot him, 

 but finding that the sachems had said he must die, and that his 

 brothers were of the same opinion, he was shot at his own request. 



' Sec. State's Office, Albany — " Council Book," ii. 71. 



- See. State's Office — " General Entries," ir. .35. This island is nearly opposite 

 Burlington. 



3 Haz. Ann. 31*2. 



