Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1696/7-98. 191

        Their Company's in moving Seldom above two or Lib. H. D.

     three with their ffamilies.

       3dIy Their passing was peaceable modestly asking and

     paying for such Necessarys as they had Occasion of.

       4thly Their time of moving to their hunting Quarters was

     in June from whence they Return'd not till September & then

     in companys as they went laden with their pelt.

           on the Contrary

     ffirst there has past within this three months last past

     between ffifty & sixty men all well Arm'd noe women nor

     children:

        Their Companies ten or a dozen more or less.

       3dIy They are all Arm'd painted & by Violence take what

     ever they have Occasion for without making any Satisfaction.

       4thly They are now Continually passing by & frequently

     returning but seldom above one or two and they without any

     pelt their pretensions being that they Cannot kill any Deer.

       By wch it seems all their Actions run Retrograde to their

     fformer accustom'd practices & though at present the worst of

     our Evill consists in a Panick ifear it is much to be doubted

     the sequell will terminate in blood the Inhabitants being

     already so Exasperated as that sevrall of the more resolute are

     Resolved noe longer to Endure the Abuse but upon the ffirst

     Occasion given are Resolved to Revenge the Injuries sus

     tain'd upon their prsofls the Redress of wch growing Mischiefs

     I shall humbly Referr to yor Exncy & Subscribe my self as I

     am and ever shall be.

       Q uare if not reasonable tht the Yor Exncys most hum-

     Rangers on some other prsons by ble most Obedient Ser

     OrdT from the Military Officers vant Edwd Boothby

     should once or twice a Week vissit

     the ifrontier Plantations.

                 Port of Annapolis, August the 20th 1697. p.

       Mr Boothby

                 Sr

     Henry Dentons  Lre to Yors of Yesterdays date to his Exncy (by the

            Express) was this day read in Councill, I being

     Answr to his Order'd to give you the following Answer thereto,

     abt Indians Vizt in the ffirst place, yor Care in this matter is

     well accepted & you are directed to give Notice to the parties

     that have made those complaints (mention'd in yor Letter)

     agt the Indians, as also to any other persons that have Com

     plaints (of like Nature) to make, for to appear at the next

     County Court to be held for yor County, where his Exncy

     intends (God willing) to meet them; hoping no Mischief may