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

Lib. J. R.

& U. S.

Cap^t Cousins made a Purchase of several Slaves and that he
this Deponent believes & never heard to the Contrary but
that all the negroes brought in by Captain Cousins were
Slaves; unless a negroe who calls himself Cap^t Gray should
be Free whose particular Circumstances are as follows, he
Gray was a Servant to a Freeman upon the Coast of Guinea
& that he used to be employed by his Master to go in a
Cannoo to carry Slaves on Board of Trading Vessels and as
a Plavvrer [? Palaverer] that he carried some on board of
the Brigantine Edward whilst he was in that Vessell he stole
a Scarlet Jacket from Cap^t Cousins who never permitted him
(Gray) to go on Shore afterwards, but offered to return him
if he could get another Slave for him which was refused by
those to whom the Offer was made they said he was a Scan-
dal to his Country and they would not give a Slave of four
feet high for him, and this Deponent has heard that it was
usual to punish Thieves after than manner in that Country.
Sworn to this 25 Day of Septem^r 1760 before me
Geo: Steuart.

Advised by this Board that the Captain be Discharged
It being their Opinion that the Complaint is groundless.

Whereupon the said Cap^t Cousins attending was called in
& Discharged accordingly.

p. 254

At a Council held at the City of Annapolis on Tuesday
the seventh Day of October in the Tenth year of his Lord-
ships Dominion &c Annoque Domini 1760.

Present
His Excellency Horatio Sharpe Esq^r Governor

The
honourable

(Benjamin Tasker Esq^r
Col^o Cha^s Hammond
Sam^l Chamberlaine
Esq^r

Col^o Benjamin Tasker
Benedict Calvert Esq^r
Stephen Bordley Esq^r