on this River, for
if any or all of you are killed it is not our faults, for we give
you warning time enough to escape. Adieu for ever.

"Machias, August 11, 1778.

"Auque Pawhaque, August 18th, 1778.

Michael Francklin was able at this critical moment effectually to
check-mate the designs of John Allan. During the previous winter an
express messenger had been sent to Sir Guy Carleton at Quebec to get
permission for Father Bourg, the French missionary, to reside among
the Indians of the River St. John. In his reply, dated February 23rd,
1778, Governor Carleton wrote that the missionary had orders to repair
to Halifax in order to receive instructions for the establishment of
his mission.

Just as Francklin and the missionary were about to leave Halifax they
received information "that the Malecetes had plundered an English
vessel, taken and ransomed another, robbed and disarmed many of the
inhabitants and killed several cattle belonging to the King's Loyal
subjects on the River St. John, whom they had stiled Torys, and that
they had even proceeded the length to return to Fort Howe the King's
Flag, accompanied with a formal declaration of war in writing."

The services of James White at this time were invaluable. As early as
the 2nd of April and at various times during the summer he went among
the Indians to pacify them at great personal risk, always returning
unharmed. This was due to the confidence placed in him by the majority
of the savages, who had long known him in the capacity of an Indian
trader. Mr. White went up the river to meet the Indian war party. He
found among them many of the Penobscots and Passamaquoddies under
Nicholas Hawawes, a noted chief. They had been instructed by Allan to
return the colors sent the previous year by Major Studholme, to ravage
the country in the vicinity of Fort Howe, to take prisoners and
encourage the soldiers of the garrison to desert. Allan wrote the
Massachusetts congress, "I earnestly and sincerely wish I had a
hundred or two good troops at this juncture to go in boats along the
shore to act in concert with the Indians."

Our early historian, Moses H. Perley, says that James White, unarmed
and without any escort, met the war party at the head of "Long Reach"
as they were coming down the river in ninety canoes. He had a long
conference with the chiefs, of whom the majority were disposed to be
hostile; but Pierre Tomah, the head chief, said that before giving a