Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1753-1761. 197

Enemy Prisoners, but that it was expected that they should
deliver up the Prisoners and Scalps before they received the
additional present, such being the Custom here, and what was
required by the Laws of this Province, to this the Chief
replied with some Warmth that he thought it would suffice
to shew his Brother the Governor, or those that he had sent
to represent him the prisoners, and the Scalps of the Enemies
that they killed in Battle that it was the Indians Custom to
preserve as Trophies the Hair of the Enemies that they
killed in Battle, and to carry them home to their own People,
and in short that if they were not to have the Goods that had
been talked of unless they would purchase them with their
Prisoners or Scalps they would return home naked as they
came thence, and that they would think no more of going to
War if they were not allowed to keep what they set the high-
est Value on as it procured them most Honour among their
own people, as the Chief (for many of the others did not)
appeared to be much displeased with the proposal that had
been made or the Intimation that had been given him by
Captain Pearis we desired the Interpreter to drop the Affair
but as we were not at Liberty to give them a larger Present
than could be purchased with one hundred Pounds unless
they would deliver up the Scalps to be destroyed agreeable
to the Directions of the Act of Assembly and found that so
small a Present as one hundred Pounds would not be ac-
ceptable we desired M^r Pearis the Interpreter to talk to them
severally, and to endeavour by any Arguments that he should
think fit to urge to persuade them to give up some of the
Scalps, that we may be thereby enabled to make such an
Addition to the Present given by the Assembly as might
make it acceptable. In the Morning of the 2 I^st Instant he
assured us that he had used his utmost Endeavours to pro-
cure us either the Prisoners or some Scalps, but that Wa-
hachey the Chief continued obstinate, and had declared that
nothing should tempt him to part with the Prisoners, how-
ever that Yaughtaney the second in Reputation and who
was in fact much better affected than the other had prom-
ised him to send the Scalps as a Present to your Excellency
afterwards though he could not deliver them up to be de-
stroyed in such a manner as the Act directs lest he should be
charged by his own people with selling them. Upon this As-
surance we sent to Conegochieghe for two hundred pounds
worth of Goods more, and as soon as they were brought up
we advised the Indians thereof, and desired to know if they
would choose to receive them in the Afternoon, and to hear
your Excellency's Answer to the Message which they had
sent you by M^r Ross, our proposal being accepted, the Goods

Lib. J. R.

& U. S.

p. 168