272 Assembly Proceedings, October 6-November 6, 1725.

U. H. J.

Injurys by Englishmens horses &c Induced the Choptank
Indians to retire to A place Called Locust neck upon the
Choptank tract
It appears also to this Committee that the facts alledged
by Captⁿ Rider as to his taking Possession of and building

p. 104

a Small Clapboard house in the Chicacoan town and the
Indians leaving the place after the burning of William
Asquash's Cabbin and Corn field fence are true but it is very
untruly represented that those Indians themselves had De-
stroyed their Cabbins or burnt their fences as a token of
deserting and leaving the place or that the small Improve-
ments made by Captain Rider were any Inducem^t to those
Indians in the repossessing the place for they returned
again of themselves in the fall of the same year and some
time after as Captain Rider himself did Suppose burnt down
his Improvements but Complained in the mean time to the
Comissioners appointed by Act of Assembly for determin-
ing Indian differences, that the English had burnt William
Asquash's house and part of his Corn field fence with de-
sign to drive them away from the said Town which doth not
seem Improbable seeing that the fact was done about the
time of Planting Corn and the damage Irreparable for that
Season, but W^m Asquash who did not remove twenty Miles
higher up the River as it is alledged remained amongst the
English during the Summer for his Subsistance and returned
again to the town with other Indians and Erected new Cab-
bins which have been inhabited until this time Edward
Wright their Tenant having as they say held possession for
them all the while
By which it appears Evidently to this Comittee that the
Legislature ought not to have been Charged with Unjustice
in preventing Capt" Rider from Disturbing the Indians in
their possession seeing that if the first takers up of the Land
Claimed have not already received an Equivalent from his
Lordship as in the case of Edmondsons Guiny plantation
upon the Choptank Indian tract, yet his Estate in those Lands
cannot by the rules of Law Comence untill after a desertion
or leaving the place by the Indians within the Intention of the
Act of 1698 which we are humbly of opinion they have not

p. 105

yet done for Captain Rider bought those Lands with no
other Views nor gave he any other Consideration as it is said
for them than as for an Estate in reversion after the In-
dians should leave and totally Desert the place according to
the true Intent and meaning of the proviso in the Act above
mentioned marked C. C. which Intention hath been fre-
quently Explained by the Legislature and a hearing between