under Sir William Pepperel, aided by the British fleet under Sir Peter Warren.

In May, 1746, Governor Thomas communicated to the legislature his intention to resign, on account of ill health. During the latter years of his term of office he had obtained the, confidence of the legislature and the esteem of the people, having learned at last how to deal with the men he had to govern.

CHAPTER XII.

Exposed condition of the Delaware River—Arrival of Governor Hamilton-The "Indian walk"-Penn's method of measuring land by pacing it-Movements of speculators-Exasperation of Indians-Production of old treaties-Speculative mode of pacing boundaries-The Indians remonstrate-Compelled to submit by more powerful tribes-Evil resultsFrench intrigues-Disputes between the governor and the legislature-Franklin a member of the House-George Washington-Expedition against Fort Duquesne-Capitulation of the Virginians to the French-Governor Hamilton appeals to the assembly for supplies-Evasion of his request -Governor Hamilton superseded by Governor MorrisConference with the Six Nations at Albany-Indian opinions of the English and French-Unfortunate purchase by the Pennsylvania commissioners-Franklin's plan of union between the provinces-His account of Governor MorrisThe Pennsylvania Hospital--James Logan-Reform of Calendar-Restrictions on manufactures--Navigation Acts -Illiberal policy of the Board of Trade-Philadelphia ship building-Norh-West passage.

THE executive branch of the government devolved upon the council by Governor Thomas's

1749.]

"THE INDIAN WALK."

193

The

resignation; but as the council possessed no legislative powers, no laws could be enacted and Anthony Palmer, president of the council, and acting governor, made vain appeals to the legislature to adopt defensive measures against the enemy. Privateers ascended the river, took many vessels, and landed and plundered the inhabitants, menacing even the city itself. assembly declined to fit out a sloop-of-war; and when the council would have done it, their credit was not sufficient to borrow the requisite money. This anomalous position of affairs was in some degree relieved in 1749, in the autumn of which year James Hamilton arrived from London, bearing the commission of lieutenant-governor.

Indian difficulties began now to be a serious source of trouble to the government and to the people. After the decease of William Penn there was no one to keep up the wise, humane, and politic course which he had pursued with the aborigines. Complaints grew frequent, and a feeling that they had been wronged increased among the Indians, fostered and aggravated no doubt by the acts of enemies. Nor were these complaints without foundation. There was one transaction in particular, which holds its place in tradition as "The Indian Walk," and is sufficiently curious in its details and important in its consequences to claim a place in history.

In 1686, by a treaty made with the Delaware

Indians, William Penn purchased a tract of land on the Delaware, one of the boundaries of which was described thus, as far as a man could walk in three days." Tradition says that William Penn himself and a number of his friends began to walk out the boundary, and in a day and a half walked about thirty miles, taking the journey leisurely, and occasionally sitting down to refresh themselves with a luncheon and a bottle of wine. Having thus traced out as much as he desired for his present purpose, and established the landmarks, Penn suffered the remainder to rest unsurveyed, leaving one day and a half to be walked at some future period. In 1718 a treaty was made with the Indians on which these vague boundaries were set aside, and the Lehigh Hills were made the extreme boundary of the white settlement. In 1733 some gentlemen, speculators in lands, purchased of William Penn, the grandson of the founder, ten thousand acres of land which had been devised to him by his grandfather. A portion of this land the purchasers chose should be taken up in "The Forks of the Delaware," as the tract was called which lies between the Delaware and Lehigh Rivers, south of the Blue Mountain.

The Indian title to this land had never been extinguished; but the speculators who had purchased of the proprietor's heir, commenced immediately to sell in smaller tracts to those who

1749.] OLD TREATIES PRODUCED.

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would immediately settle their purchases. And at the same time the proprietors issued proposals for the sale of one hundred thousand acres by a lottery, the fortunate holders of tickets having the privilege of settling anywhere, except on lands already settled or purchased by whites. The tract above mentioned, "The Forks of the Delaware," being good land, many tracts were taken up there and settled.

The Indians were exasperated, as they naturally might be, by these proceedings. These grounds, including one or more Indian towns, were sold from under them, notwithstanding the the treaty of 1718, already mentioned, which defined the boundaries of the white settlements. To stay their murmurs, Thomas Penn purchased of the Indians the tract now included in Berks county, though these lands might have been claimed by him, under a treaty granting to Penn as much land as could be crossed "in two days upon a horse." But the parties interested in the lands on the Delaware were determined to have them without a repurchase or it might be more properly said without a fair extinguishment of the Indian titles. The Delaware chiefs were summoned; the old deed, or a copy, was produced, in which the tract was described, and as one of its boundaries the "three days' walk" was mentioned. This old bargain was reaffirmed "with full and free consent," and all right to the tract

relinquished by the Indians through their sachems.

The proprietors immediately advertised that the remainder of the walk, "a day and a half" was to be made, and offered five hundred acres of land, and five pounds in money, to the person who should attend and walk the farthest in the given time. By previous agreement the governor was to select three persons, and the Indians a like number. But the Indians soon discovered that they were no longer dealing with William Penn. The walkers were accompanied by horsemen, with liquors and other refreshments, and, the road having been previously travelled, food was placed at different points along the road. On the first day one of the whites was tired out and fell, and the Indians before sunset left and refused to countenance the proceeding further. They said the walkers would pass all the good land, and they did not care where or how far they went. There was no stopping to rest. On the second day, at noon, one of the walkers reached a point about sixty-five or seventy miles from the starting-place-at least twice as far as a fair walk would have carried him. The Indians declared they were cheated: "No sit down to smoke-no shoot a squirrel,

lun all day long!"

but lun,

They were overreached, and refused to abide by their bargain-a bargain which had been