very little to do, in good policy or otherwise. By Letters I have this day received from Capt Claus I find that farther drafts on me have been shown to him at Montreal to the amount of £1100, and I hear the whole Exceeds £5000. In short from the several accts I have received I am induced to think there must be some particular motives for this Expense, and indeed the method practiced in conducting Affairs there tends to strengthen that opinion, The Traders have been vastly indulged to procure their Esteem, but are nevertheless very importunate for their Money and I am at a loss what to say to them upon it, for Expences seem to have been made & Inds called purely to shew authority and gain reputat1 the business was given into the hands of the Commissy with a bad grace, and much has been done to draw the latter into large Expenses, which however he is sufficiently armed against by his Instructions, as was also the Major upon the whole I have reason to apprehend some thing more than common is in View (which may not be mattter of surprise to you) & I should have Given the Secy of State a Hint of it so that he might at least be sent some where else, but that I would not do it with your knowledge & approbation—I cannot help having more than ordinary apprehensions at present on the score of the Indians, from some Intelligences I have lately received particularly from a few Indian Chiefs with whom I have been well acquainted near 30 Years, whose interest it is to be faithful, and who never once deceived me in that long period. These men have I am pretty certain given me a candid accot of the sentiments and purposes of the Warriors throughout the whole Confederacys, who are brought to such a pitch from their not being redressed on the score of Lands, Trade, and Insults on the frontiers that they are about some associations of a Mischievous nature, and Indeed this accot is greatly strengthened by Letters from persons in Sundry Quarters, who have the best opportunity of discovering their secret Views & designs. The Government are I believe at a Loss what to do about the Department from the representations of Traders &c perhaps you have received by the pacquet some advices on these heads-I have said enough on these Subjects to explain fully the Conduct of the Inhabitants, Traders &c with their effects upon the Indians, which sufficiently point out the means whereby we can live in any security from the Latter, and if after all this nothing can be done to strengthen the Hands of the Officers of the Crown, I cannot think of risquing my own Character, when it is not left in my power to Serve his Majesty and the publick, as my Duty and inclination requires—

GEN GAGE TO SIR WM. JOHNSON.

New-York Sept 21st: 1767.

DEAR SIR,

I am favored with your two Letters of the 6th and 11th Inst: and am glad that you have received Benefit from the Waters, and perhaps a little gentle exercise would contribute to your perfect Recovery. Mr. Croghan set out yesterday for Philadelphia in his way to the Detroit, and I have been for some Hours busy in writing Letters for him to carry there. The officer Commanding will give him every assistance in his Power to compleat the Commissions with which he is charged, and if it shall be found necessary, the better to authenticate any examinations or enquirys Mr Croghan is directed to take, a Court of officers will sit for that end.

With respect to the Commander of Missilimakinak, I could devise no better means to stop his Proceedings, and put an immediate End to all the Mischiefs he may create, than to remove him immediately from his Command. I have therefore done this, and ordered him to meet Mr Croghan at Detroit; at which Place my Letter to superseed him in the Command of Missilimakinak will be delivered to him The Bills which he has thought proper to draw to so great an amount, pretended to have been incurred on a trifling affair, undertaken soly by his own Authority, the expence of it by the same Powers only, contrary to the orders and Instructions given him by you as well as by me, must be pro

tested; and I acquaint him that they are protested, and will not be paid. I have sent orders that he shall return no more to Missilimakinak, or be permitted to hold any Conferences publick or private with any of Indian Nations, and to watch his motions very narrowly. Of all this you will take no Notice for some time to come. I have wrote very fully to Lieut Roberts to send the fullest Information upon every part of his Conduct. and given Orders to the officers to assist him in his enquirys.

I am sorry that you find the Indians in the Disposition you mention, what Complaints they have concerning their Trade I have never heared, by all accts lately transmitted, they have never had for many years so plentifull or so cheap a Trade, as this year. I am as ignorant of their Complaints about their Lands, unless it is the old affair of Kayadorossoras and the encroachments of the Virginians at Redstone and cheat Rivers. They know of the Removal of the Virginians by force from those encroachments, as many of their Chiefs were present with the Detachment. The Insults they have received on the Frontiers should no doubt be redressed, and every method has been taken to do it, But in some of the Quarrells which have happened, the Indians were in fault, and the first aggressors, as far as I have been able to learn.

I have received no advices from the Government on the subject of your Department these many Packets; am inclined to think with you that they may be in doubts what orders to send, from the different Representations made them.

I am at present so hurryed that I can only add, I am with great Regard,

I have had the pleasure of your favor of the 7th Inst, a few days ago. I hope Lt Gallard will as he becomes better acquainted with the Indians be more reconciled to their behavior, which I shall to the utmost of my power prevent from going to any extremity. The Indians are much more dissatisfied at the appearance of Settlers than even at a Garrison, as the former increases and overspreads the Country, these people having no Legall title where they are, are with all very imprudent, and so oft as the Indians buy rum from them they will be troublesome.

The Character of Capt Sinclairs Servant is certainly no Justification of the murder, but the particulars in Mitigation of the offence, as fully shewn to me, are sev1. such as his constant ill treatment of the Indians, and that he received but one blow from an instrument which it was not probable would have produced such effects; as the affair is now to be settled and according to the Instructions delivered to Mr Croghan I expect that it will appear we have taken the Wisest Step, without neglecting a due regard to the honor of the nation.

I believe that the Indians have sense enough to see that the French have often imposed upon them, but we are to consider that these French are their particular favorites, who can easily accot for their having been hitherto disappointed in a manner which the Indns. cannot possibly disprove.—The Indians are in fact at Bottom much discontented & as fond of the French as ever, and whatsoever they ardently Wish for it is natural for them to expect even after several disappointments. Indeed the Discontent now amongst them is the more dangerous as it is carried on under disguise and their conferences

secret. The want of settling the Boundary Line & the Neglect of establishing many other points of the Plan, as well as redressing Grievances of which agreable to my orders I gave them assurances long since, appears to me to be the principal cause of their jealousy, I have often spoke to them to remove the French family's and Mr Croghan shall have farther directions on that head, as they do us much harm.

Mr Croghan has full directions Concerning the Trade and is to make enquiry into the complaints Exhibited agst Lt Hay, The traders there as also at ye other Posts are I believe only quiet because the most of those that chose it have gone out without Liberty on this and many other subjects I have now wrote Ld Shelburne and offered my thoughts as he desired towards such a remedy as I judge might be applied without much Clamour In my last from his Lordship he writes me that he has sent positive orders to the Gov" of N. York concerning Lands, and to you, to cooperate & give yr assistance in removing the South Intrusions &c the difficulty attending which from the unwillingness of the Cols. to call for military aid I have observed to him.

This moment I have received advice of the death of the chief all the Senecas, the Messengers dispatched on that occasion being not yet arrived, I know no particulars but I expect that it will occasion some considerable change for the worse amst these suspicious troublesome people. From the many particulars I have heard I intend imediately to go towards the Onondaga Country, as if for change of air, where I hope I shall have an opportunity of making some farther necessary discoverys, and Lt Johnson at Guypark will forward your Letters or receive your Commands, during my absence. wch will be as short as possible.

Endorsed

Septr 22a, 1767

To Gen1 Gage.

JOURNAL OF INDN TRANSACTIONS AT NIAGARA, IN THE YEAR 1767. FROM 2D JULY TO THE 24TH SEPTEMBER.

July 3a. A Drunkin quarral happened on the Carrying place betwene some Sinecas and a Messesagas, the latter got much wounded was brought to this Post & was under Cure till the 18th, one of the Sinecas got wounded in the shoulder, by all accounts. The Messesaga began the riot by wounding one of

the Sinecas first.

July 5th. Nane bo jou a Chief of the Messesagas formerly a Chippewa came in seemingly discontented at the bad usage his Country Man met with. He made a long Speech: the perport of which was, that he was much dissatisfide at the behavour of the Sinecas: that he was very glad to see me: tha he was very hungry, and beged I wold give him some provisions, rum, powder and Shott: Then gave four Strings of wampom: he again spoke much to the Same purpose with this addition that he was going to Toronto to Consult with Wabacommegat what was best to be done on the Occasion repeated his displeasure at the behaviour of the Senecas, and desired as sone as their Chief should come in that the Heads of the Messesagas should be sent for that whatever dispute should hapen betwen or had already hapened betwen them might be settled. and gave me ten strings of wampom which was to be shown to the Sinecas Chief's and with it to demand their intentions and their reasons for behaving so badly towards the Messesagas. I promised them some provision and Rum a little powder and Shott told them it was only a drunken quarel and ought not to be taken further Notice of, espetially as the Messesaga was the agresser, and I desired that nothing Should be done in the affair without first Consult ing me. gave them five Strings Wampom, They promised nothing should be done without my being first Acquainted with it.