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The Governor communicates to Mr. Speaker the following Mes-
sage; viz.
Gentlemen of the Lower House of Assembly,
The inclosed Letter to me from Col. Cresap, relating to the Be-
haviour of the Indians, I have thought proper to lay before your
House, for your Consideration.
Sam. Ogle.
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L. H. J.
Liber No. 47
May 22
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To his Excellency Samuel Ogle, Esq; Maryland.
May it please your Excellency,
I Have just now received Advice by a Man of Credit from the
Ohio, that the Indian Chiefs, who intended to have waited on your
Excellency last Fall, were all ready to set out on their intended
Journey; but the Pennsylvania Traders industriously set on them,
and told them, that they would be put in Prison and hanged, for the
Man of Mr. Parker 's that was killed by the Indians; and many other
frightful Stories; which deterred them from their intended Journey.
I have had sundry Companies of Indian Warriors passing and re-
passing, some of which have been very insolent and saucy; in par-
ticular, a Company of about 44, who had three Women and two
Boys Prisoners with them, taken from the Catawbees, while the Men
were out hunting. The Men coming home at Night from their Hunt,
to their great Surprize, found their Wives and Children, some killed
and some taken away; they pursued the Enemy, and in some Days
came up with them, and fought them for a considerable Time; but
being overpower'd by a superior Number, they drew off for a Time,
and then came up again, and attacked them twice more; and by what
I can learn from them, would have overcome them, if a Company
of 25 Warriors of the Six Nations had not met the others who had
the Prisoners; who say they killed three of the eight Catawbees, and
the rest made their Escape: They say they were 6o in Number of the
Five Nations; but whether it was with the 25 or no, I am not sure ;
but if it was without, they must have left 40 odd Men at least These
Indians stayed at my House four Days, and complained of Hunger;
I gave them at their first coming two Bushels of Meal, and one
Bushel of Corn; and as it was bad Weather, I took the three Cap-
tains in my House to lodge; they being very naked for Cloaths, com-
plained that they had lost their Cloaths and Guns almost all in Fight ;
and one of the Captains told me, that he was Conasadago's Brother,
who was the Speaker at the Treaty of Lancaster. They held several
Councils here, and told me that I was their Brother, and that they
had given me this Land, and that they had no Powder or Lead to
carry them home; but that I must give them Powder and Lead and
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p. 50
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