1715.
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much benefit from them, their children may "be brought to our Constitution." As there are well-meaning people among them we can always guard ourselves from injury. Since coming here C. has always observed their willingness "to Serve Us, when Occasion offered." Some English laborers, tar and pitch makers, carpenters, and smiths sent over would be a great advantage. If the :French leave, we shall never be able to protect our English families from the insults of the Indians, "ye Worst of Enemyes." From their stocks of cattle, with due encouragement, the colony could be in a short time self- supporting.
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The Penobscot, St John's and Cape Sables Indians trade chiefly along their several coasts with fur and feathers, but never come here except when driven by necessity, alleging as their reason that there are no king's magazines here, as in the time of the French and as there is now at Cape Breton. Believes it would be of great advantage to establish such a magazine not only for the sake of trade, but as a means of winning the IndÎians to the British interest "by kindly using of them, on wch formation their friendship is wholy founded." Encloses copy of letter from the Penobscot Indians, written by their priest and translated into English, and C.'s answer to it.
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Cape Breton: "its soil is no way valuable being intirely a Rock covered over with Moss": little or no timber of any manner of use, spruce and low pine being the chief growths. C. informed by several of the inhabitants of Annapolis who went to C. B. during Nicholson's administration, that the land is not improved or capable of improvement. Last year their fishery was good; but this year a failure; of 70 or 80 sail, only 8 or 10 got their freight. Reported that there is no advance towards raising a fortification, and not one cannon mounted: "One Costabell" is governor, and has about 300 regulars. Two points N. W. of the Cape, which they intend to fortify strongly, "Called St: Anns and Peters" points most advantageous for them and dangerous for us: in case of war, we shall not be able to protect our vessels, "St Anns, and Peters, being ye Keys to our Eastern Coast" Placentia cannot help us
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