an account of this affair from the chief, who was witness to it; however bad the consequence may prove, they can have none but themselves to blame. The disappointment to me is great, as I am informed that the person recommended by Governour Tonyn, and charged with my despatches, which were delivered to him the 15th ultimate, had not set out from his own house, some miles from hence, the 4th current. I have sent another person to take and proceed with my letters, and, lest any accident befal him also, I shall immediately send off a third.

Two Cherokee chiefs arrived in the Creek Nation in the beginning of June last; they had a meeting with the chiefs the 8th of same month, where they declared that their business was to renew ancient friendship. They produced fifteen belts and strings of beads, as credentials; this they thought proper on the death of the Mortar, who was their protector in that nation. The Creek chiefs admonished them to make up all differences, if they had any, with the whole people; to attach themselves to the King’s interest, and depend upon his protection; they returned thanks for the advice, which they declared to be exactly corresponding with their intentions.

I am sorry to be informed, by a late letter from Lord William Campbell, that about forty Catawbas are at Charlestown, and in the service of the new Governours. This ungrateful little tribe has for several years been greatly upon the decline. I have, however, never neglected them, but, on the contrary, upon all occasions, I have protected and obtained justice for them. Their annual presents and provisions amounted to a considerable sum; but as they are domiciliated and dispersed through the settlements of North and South-Carolina, it is no wonder that they should be practised upon and seduced by the inhabitants with whom they live, as by their ignorance they are fit tools to be worked upon and receive any impression; it will, however, have a good effect if Mr. Johnson can get a proper message sent to them by the Six Nations. I shall not fail to let them hear from the Creeks and Cherokees.

As the competition for the friendship of the Indian Nations in this district will be great, I must strengthen the hands of all my officers, that, in point of presents, they may be upon a footing with the emissaries of the malecontents; for which purpose I have purchased presents and provisions, and directed them to furnish themselves with several articles from Augusta and West-Florida. As I can have no access to the quantity purchased for the ordinary service of the department for the current year, now in store in Charlestown, which I was obliged to leave there, and as I have invited the principal Creek chiefs to come here, they must return well satisfied, which lays me under the necessity of drawing upon your Excellency for two thousand six hundred and twenty-five Pounds, York currency, equal to fifteen hundred Pounds sterling, payable to Mr. Richard Yates, of New-York, by way of impressed, to be accounted for. I am obliged to draw for this sum at once, as no money can be raised here, or in any of the southern Provinces, upon bills drawn by the servants of Government upon your Excellency. I must therefore order this sum to be remitted to London, and be at my disposal, to answer such bills as I may find necessary to draw upon it, for discharging the unavoidable extra expense which will necessarily be incurred this year.

I think it proper to acquaint your Excellency that hitherto I have not received one shilling of the money due by the new-ceded lands in Georgia, for expenses incurred in conducting the negotiation; and, as affairs are situated, I think it not probable that any part of it will be paid soon. I therefore hope your Excellency will be pleased to grant the impressed abovementioned.

I have the honour of being, with the utmost respect, Sir, your Excellency’s most obedient and humble servant,

JOHN STUART.

To his Excellency the Honourable Thomas Gage, Commander-in-Chief.

P. S. This letter I intrust to the care of Mr. Cameron, who is desirous of joining the Army, as a volunteer. From what I know of him, I doubt not but he will do his duty faithfully.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM CHARLESTOWN, SOUTH-CAROLINA, DATED SEPTEMBER 15, 1775.

Our people have taken possession of Fort Johnson, where there are now between five and six hundred of our Provincials, who are in daily expectation of an attack from the man-of-war, one armed vessel, and two packets armed, ond now in the Road. I hope they may never do it, as aur fort is in a very defenceless situation, and not able at present to make any resistance.

JAMES STEWART TO THE PEOPLE OF VIRGINIA.

Williamsburgh, September 15, 1775.

The subscriber, who is an inhabitant of Virginia, and just returned from England (where he has been for these eighteen months past, on purpose to make himself acquainted with the culture and preparation of several dyes) has brought in with him the seeds and roots of madder, woad, and welde, (commonly called dyer’s weed,) which are the fundamental dyes of all colours, either in the linen, cotton, or woollen manufactures, with a view to propagate them, and makes no doubt of being able to afford them full as cheap as they are sold in England. He has likewise brought in the seeds and roots of the aranatto, which dyes yellow and pompadour colours; also, the genuine rhubarb and licorice plants, with some thriving olive trees, &c., &c. But as the cultivation of them all is too much for him to undertake, he offers to supply any gentleman, or company of gentlemen, in Virginia, with seeds and roots, and to instruct them how to prepare them for the manufacturers; and as the utensils for preparing the different articles for market are to be had in the Country, at a small expense, nothing else is required but the labour of one hand for every five acres. Madder sells in England, according to the quality, from ten pence to two shillings and five shillings per pound; woad from eighteen pounds to twenty pounds a ton, four or five crops of which may be made yearly in Virginia; and welde is worth five shillings a sheaf, but, for the convenience of exportation, it is intended to manufacture it as they do indigo.

He also offers to instruct one or two ingenious spinning wheel makers, that may be appointed by any County Committee, to make a machine, or wheel, for spinning cotton, with which one hand may spin from fifteen to thirty threads at a time; and he expects no further recompense than as the merit of the machine may appear to deserve.

All persons who intend applying to him must be expeditious, as the land for the cultivation of the above articles ought to be prepared this fall. He may be spoke with at Mrs. Vobe’s, for these eight or ten days; afterwards at Winchester, in Frederick County; and all letters for him may be left at the constitutional post-office in this City, directed to the care of Mr. Alexander Wodrow, merchant in Falmouth.

JAMES STEWART.

PETITION OF THE INHABITANTS OF YONKERS, NEW-YORK.

Lower Yonkers, September 15, 1775.

To the Honourable the Provincial Congress for the Province of NEW-YORK, in the City of NEW-YORK convened, or, in their recess, to the Honourable the Committee of Safety.

The humble Petition of the Inhabitants of the Precinct of the LOWER YONKERS, in the County of WESTCHESTER, humbly sheweth:

That your honourable house had made a Resolve, and published the same, recommending to the inhabitants of every Town, Manor, Precinct, and District, within the Province aforesaid, to meet, nominate and appoint Captains and other officers, to form themselves as Companies of Militia. And whereas the inhabitants of this Precinct did meet, agreeable to your said Resolve, on the 24th day of August last, under the inspection of the Committee of that District, and by a very great majority, as by the list will appear, did nominate and appoint Mr. John Cock, of the said Precinct, for his known skill and ability in military discipline, and for other good causes, Captain of the said Company, for the District aforesaid: And whereas we are informed that a complaint hath been made to the Committee, by a few of the inhabitants, against the said Mr. John