Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1753-1761. 271

Fort du Quesne to discover the Strength of the Enemy, and
doubt not but we shall be able to take a French Prisoner and
bring him in to you.
I hope to see the great Man you mentioned to me, and when
he comes to Fort Frederick we will go out to War with him,
and will behave like true Friends and Brothers to the English
we don't know how many Cherokees will be upon the Fron-
tiers this Spring.
Brother. I have heard M^r Atkins is appointed by King
George to distribute the Presents given to the Indians, we
thank you for the Presents given to us, and hope M^r Atkins
will be wrote to, to give us proper Presents.
The Governor tells Utossite he approves of his Resolution
to send out some of his young Men, wishes him a good
Journey, and hopes to see him with King George's great Man
at Fort Frederick.

At a Council held at the City of Annapolis on Friday
the 31^st Day of March in the seventh year of his Lordship's
Dominion Annoque Domini 1758..

Present
His Excellency Horatio Sharpe Esq. Governor

Lib. J. R.

& U. S.

The
honourable

Benjamin Tasker Esq.
Col: Charles Hammond
Samuel Chamberlaine
Esq.

Col: Benjⁿ Tasker
Benedict Calvert Esq.

Read the following Petition.

To his Excellency Horatio Sharpe Esq^r Governor of Mary-
land, and the honourable his Lordship's Council.
The Petition of John Eccleston humbly sheweth, that on or
about the 17^th of March last that your Petitioner on Chester
River had fully laden the Schooner Defiance, Andrew Mills
Master with 19: Hogsheads of Tobacco, which was intended
to be put on Board the Ship New Cunliffe Samuel Matthews
Master lying at Oxford, but in the Vessels Voyage from
Chester River was met with in the Bay on the 20^th of March
last and brought to Annapolis, the Tobacco landed, and the
Vessel obliged to take in his Majesty's Soldiers, and the
same deliver at George Town in Kent County, such was the
Consequence of the Delay that before the Vessel could take
the Tobacco in again and carry on Board the Ship New
Cunliffe, the said Ship was cleared out, and soon after an
Embargo was laid. Your petitioner humbly prays he may

p. 233