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instance unharmed. Mr. White had acquired great influence over them by fair treatment and kindly intercourse as an Indian trader. Shortly before Francklin's arrival, he went up the river to meet the large party of Indians, who at the instigation of Allan, had taken the war path. This band of savage warriors included some of the Passamaquoddies and Penobscots under command of Nicholas Hawawes. Allan had instructed them to return the English colors sent the previous summer by Major Studholme; also to ravage the country in the vicinity of Fort Howe, to take prisoners and encourage desertions from the garrison. In his letter to the Massachusetts government he adds, "I earnestly and sincerely wish I had a hundred or two good troops at this juncture to go in boats along the shore to act in concert with the Indians."

According to the account of Moses Perley, James White met the war party, himself unarmed, at the head of Long Reach as they were coming down the river in ninety canoes. He had a long conference with the chiefs, who were all disposed to be hostile, with the exception of Pierre Tomah, the head chief on the St. John river, who said that he could not give a final answer until he had consulted the Divine Being, and throwing himself upon his face on the sand, he lay there motionless for nearly an hour. He then informed the other chiefs that he had been counselled by the Great Spirit to keep peace with King George and his people. This decision was very unpopular with some of the chiefs. James White was still engaged in his negotiations when, on the 13th September, Colonel Francklin arrived at St. John from Annapolis in the "Scarborough", and immediately sent Lewis Mitchell and one of his own men up the river with a message desiring Mr. White to invite Pierre Tomah and two or three other Indian chiefs to come down to Fort Howe,