Chowan, Jan'y 171⅔.
Hond Sir
By yours of the 21st instant by Maj Gale I perceive your dissatisfaction at my not coming in. I really thought that Magor Gale and Mr Peterson might have easily offered such reasons for my stay as might have been satisfactory; as the supplying the army with provision of every kind to carry out with them; the fearing every hour of hearing of differences
and quarrels between our people and the Indians. For the Indians having destroyed all the stocks where they were ordered to be, begun to spread themselves further without orders, which put several people into such a ferment that they were more ready to Fall upon the South Carolina Indians, than march out against the enemy.And as for our agents they had such instructions as was thought necessary, and so far as could reasonbly be given, which I can easily make appear to your Honor, if—
As for your proposals which I had account of from Major Gale of your supplying your forces with provisions, on condition the Deputies, in behalf of the Lords Proprietors Mortgage all the lands on the north side of Moratock, which to the best of my knowledge, is not in our power to do, having no such power given us, neither by the Constitution, temporary laws, nor no instructions for the Lords Proprietors, that ever I see or heard of. And as for our laying up stores of provision at Meherrin, Weekacainie, and pawstantare (?) Rivers, before you can march out your forces. I believe there can be little said to that until we see how our provisions holds out howsoever, shall lay your proposals before the Council as soon as I can get them together, or have their Judgments therein, and shall send in their answer. As for your not desiring me to build projects entirely on the £1000; I am not conscious to myself of projecting anything thereanent unreasonable or impracticable. For you may see in a part of a paragraph of mine to you, Dec 28th having mentioned the £1000 I add, I thought it was a good reserve for the last cast, and it was not policy to venture all at one hazard, and In another part of a paragraph of the same letter—and as soon as the army is out, and we have a little propect how affairs are like to succeed, then to send a Deputy or two to give your Honor a true state of our condition, and to agree on such measures as you shall think most advantagaus for the peace of this government; and in my last to your Honor of Jan'y 15th after having laid down the scarcety of provision in this Country, I add, I believe it will be necessary, if your Honor send out forces to our assistance that provision be purchased out of the £1000, but if you do not send them in until provision is carried round then we shall be more capable of judging what we may want: by all which you may perceive I was not pressing for the present marching out of your forces; which was for these reasons following: First, I thought Col Moore had a sufficient number of men, and that it was not prudence to venture all at one hazard, but better to reserve; Secondly, I doubted our ability in finding provision for all; Thirdly, I had some fear that your forces joining Col
Moore, quarrels and differences might arise between them, to the endangering the overthrow of the design. These were all the projections that I laid concerning the £1000, or marching out of your forces, that I knew of, and if I have erred in my judgment, I shall willingly yield to comply to what is more reasonable and practible. In the first address to your Honor I was not concerned, and in this last, tis true I signed it, and wish I were capable of performing it. And they have not only baffled your Honor and me, but also themselves, so that a considerable number of the inhabitants here are totally ruin of the government. Since trivial miscarriages do not effect your Honor, I would intreat the favor to inform me if I have been guilty of any mismanagement in weight matters, thereby I might any way incur your displeasure, that if possible it may be rectified; for knowing your favor is of great consequence to preserve the peace and quietness of this government, have therefore endeavored all I could to procure and preserve it, I have not to my knowledge, spoke, write or done anything that may deserve contrary, and shall willingly grasp at any oppertunity to rectify that I am