*

At a COUNCIL held _July_ 9. 1742.

PRESENT,

The Hon'ble GEORGE THOMAS Esq; Lieut. Governor.

_James Logan_, _Samuel Preston_, }
_Clement Plumsted_, _Ralph Asheton_, } Esqrs;
_Samuel Hasell_, _Thomas Lawrence_, }
_Robert Strettell_, }

And Mr. _Peters_.

The Governor informed the Board, that the _Indian_ Chiefs dining with
him Yesterday, after Dinner delivered their Answer to two Affairs of
Consequence:

The first related to the violent Battery committed on _William Webb_, in
the Forks of _Delaware_, whereby his Jaw-bone was broke, and his Life
greatly endangered, by an unknown _Indian_. _Canassateego_ repeating the
Message delivered to the _Six Nations_ by _Shickalamy_, in the Year
1740, with a String of _Wampum_, said in Answer: 'The _Six Nations_ had
made diligent Enquiry into the Affair, and had found out the _Indian_
who had committed the Fact; he lived near _Asopus_, and had been
examined and severely reproved: And they hoped as _William Webb_ was
recovered, the Governor would not expect any further Punishment; and
therefore they returned the String of _Wampum_ received from their
Brethren, by the Hand of _Shickalamy_, in Token that they had fully
Comply'd with their Request.'

I thank'd them for their Care; but reminded them, that tho' the Man did
not die, yet he lay a long Time in extreme Misery, and would never
recover the free Use of his Speech, and was rendred less able to get his
Livelyhood, and in such Cases the _English_ Laws obliged the Assailant
to make good all Damages, besides paying, for the Pain endured.--But as
the _Indian_ was, in all Probability, Poor and unable to make
Satisfaction, I told them, that for their Sake I would forgive him;
adding, had _Webb_ died I make no Doubt but you would have put the
_Indian_ to Death, just as we did two of our People who had killed an
_Indian_; we caused them to be hung on a Gallows, in the Presence of
many Hundreds of our People, to deter all others from doing the like.
_Canassateego_ made me this Reply: 'The _Indians_ know no Punishment but
Death; they have no such Thing as pecuniary Mulcts; if a Man be guilty
of a Crime, he is either put to Death, or the Fault is overlook'd. We
have often heard of your Hanging-up those two Persons; but as none of
our _Indians_ saw the Men die, many believe they were not hanged, but
transported to some other Colony: And it would be satisfactory to the
_Indians_, if,