626 INDIAN LAND CESSIONS IX THE UNITED STATES [eth. A^-^■. 18 



It must be confessed that the orthography and language have a 

 rather modern hjok, indicating, if genuine, tliat it is given in sub- 

 stance rather than as an exact copy. There is, however, an additional 

 item of evidence tending to confirm the correctness of this record. It 

 appears from the same record book that one Catchmang or Catchmany, 

 having received a grant from the governor of Virginia, including this 

 tract, conceded Duraut's right thereto and transferred to him all claim 

 derived from the governor's patent. 



It appears from the refei'euce in Durant's deed to a previous sale 

 that a former grant had been obtained from the Indians, though no 

 record of it has been preserved. 



These appear, however, to be only the first of a series of like indi- 

 vidual purchases. As early as 1662 purchases made directly from the 

 Indians had become such an evil in the sight of the government that 

 it was resolved to recognize them no longer. The "instructions" to 

 Sir William Berkeley (1663), relating to the settlement of "The Prov- 

 ince of Carolina,'' contains the following passage: 



If those men Avhicli have purchased shall for the better motldelling aud secureing 

 the plantations parte with there Interest bought of the Indians which they must 

 doe the nest possessor ought to pay him what he leyed out with some small advan- 

 tage for his disburse, and if the party in possession have cleaned and planted (or 

 either) more than his proportion of Grownd in bredth he ought to be comijounded 

 with for his charge of which the Governor and Councill to be Judge.' 



The following statement occurs in a letter to the same person, dated 

 September S, 1663: 



By our instructions and proposealls yon will see what projiortions of lande we 

 intend for each master and sarvant and in what manner to be allotted, but we 

 understand that the people that are there have bought great tracts of land from 

 the Indians, which if they shall injoye will weaken the plantation. - 



The Lords Proprietors more than once recognized the fact that lands 

 had been purchased from the Indians before the date of their charter. 



The settlements made on lower Cape Fear river were based on pur- 

 chases. It is expressly stated that the New Englanders, who were the 

 first to attempt a settlement here, "purchased of the Indian chiefs a 

 title to the soil." 



The Barbadoes colony, which, encouraged and directed by Sir John 

 Yeamans, began a settlement a few years later (1665) near the locality 

 the New Englanders had abandoned, did so upon lauds first purchased 

 from the Indians. The planters who wished to remove thither, first 

 dispatched an agent to find a suitable locality. This was found on 

 Cape Fear river, not far from the locality the New England settlers 

 had occupied, and a purchase of 32 miles square made, or, as the agent 

 reported, "We made a purchase of the river and land of Cape Fair of 

 Watcoosa and such other Indians as appeared to us to be the chief of 

 those parts." 



Although none of the Carolina charters refer to the rights of the 



' Colonial Records, vol. I, p. 51 . ^Hjjj^^ p, 53^ 



