354 Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1692-1694.

Liber K.

of the Indians yesterday taken, and demands their opinion
whether it may not be necessary to acquaint and advise the
neighbouring Governments of New York and Virginia thereof
and that according to Information those Indians that did the

p. 41

mischief were the naked Indians and hired by the French so
to do but were resolved to return home again without offering
any further Injury and designed suddenly about Cohunk
time as they term it to come and make a League with the
English, but to that little Credit may be given, and taken only
for a Pretence and Blind to prevent the English from making
any Preparations of Defence
Resolved that Advice be accordingly given by Letter to the
severall Governments of New York and Virginia
Ordered also That the Militia of the Province in the most
open arid Obnoxious Places be in a readiness viz^t in Balte-
more, Ann Arundel!, Calvert and Charles County
To signify also to the said Neighbouring Governments that
there is here in Custody a frenchman Prisoner who hath
passed his Examination, but from thence we had rec'd but
little Satisfaction and small Credit was to be given to what he
reports, however it is thought fit to detain him still in Custody
till further advice
Ordered also that the Rangers appointed to watch and
guard the Frontiers of the Province be still continued and that
Captain Thomas Richardson with twelve Men under his Com-
mand be appointed to range on the Frontiers of Baltimore

County
Letter to New York and Virginia was writ and is as follows
Viz^t

S^r Maryland August 17^th 1692
Having lately rec'd some Alarm from the appearance of
some strange Indians upon the Frontiers of this Government
and some mischief done as is suspected by them, both here
and in Virginia and having also taken upon suspicion a french
Prisoner that stragled from those Indians in their habit I
thought fit to Conveene and consult their Majestys Council
thereupon, and upon Examination of the Prisoner can receive
little or no satisfaction, nor indeed any Certainty in his Report,
but from some of our own Indians that accidentally met with
a Party of them we are given to understand that they are a
sort of Indians to the Westward called the naked Indians, and
did commit the aforesaid Mischief being hired thereunto as
they said by the French at Cannada, whose King in Europe
had warr with the English as they informed the said Indians

p. 42

but those Indians seemed to be weary and recant their under-
takings, and said they wou'd return back to their own Forts