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

            P. R. O. Mr Edward Boothby one of the Burgesses for Baltimore

          Maryland, 9. County who was appointed to goe to the Government of

                 Pensilvania about the Indians, hath not yet made a Returne.

                 I have an account that he is and hath been some time very

                 ill, which I suppose is the reason that he hath not done it.

                   The Foreign Indians which are mentioned in a certaine

                 Message sent from the House of Burgesses to my self, and

                 his Majesty's Council, some of them are of the five Nations,

                 which are under his Majesty's Government of New York, and

                 are those who passe from the Northward to Virginia and other

                 Southerne Plantations, what their strength is we know not, nor

                 exactly what point of the Compass they lie from us: but sup

                 pos'd it is to the Westward of the North. Those Indians

                 which come from the Southward are suppos'd to inhabit upon

                 the River Oheo or Spirito Santo which runs into the Bay of

                 Mexico: and upon which tis reported that the French have

                 two or three settlements. The names which we know the

                 Indians by are the Wittowees, Twiftwees, and naked Indians

                 (but the Indians of one Nation are called by diverse Names

                 both by the English and other Indians). The exact point of

                 the Compass which their Country lyes from us is not yet

                 known, but it's supposed to be the Westward of the South:

                 Sometimes they come down to the falls of Potomoke, and Sus

                 quahanah Rivers, between which places the Ranging is kept

                 by our two parties of Rangers consisting of a Captain, Lieu

                 tenant and eight private troopers; and annexed to No 2 are

                 the Copies of some Orders concerning them.

                   The reasons as I conceive which induce the Inhabitants of

                 this Province to leave it, are the incouragement which they

                 have from the Carolina's and the Jerseys, but particularly from

                 Pensilvania, which being so very nigh they easily remove

                 thither, and their Handicraft Tradesmen have encourage

                 ment where they endeavour to sett up the Woollen and

                 Linnen Manufactures. And there is great incouragement for

                 illegall Traders, for privateers, or rather pyrats; which two

                 things cause a great many Seamen to run from his Majesty's

                 Ships in these parts, especially from the Virginia and Mary

                 land Convoys, as also from the Merchant ships, which is one

                 reason that they do not get soon loaded, especially this year:

                 for by what Accounts I have, above one hundred seamen

                 have left this Fleet. And if your Lordships please Capt

                 Charles Wager the Commadore but especially Capt Iosiah

                 Daniel Commander of his Majesty's hired ship the Prince of

                 Orange, and his two Lieutenants Mr William Ockman, and

                 Mr Isaac Young can informe Your Lordships about a

                 privateer, and the run away seamen. And the Commanders

                 of the Merchant Ships in their petition to the Commadore for