house on First-day, I asked John if he could tell where we could have a meeting on sixth and seventh-day; and he said yes he could. And he appointed one about three miles off his house, and another six miles off; at which places we had good service; and then had a very large meeting at his house on First-day, which was, I hope, to pretty general satisfaction, to the religious part of the people. From thence we travelled to William Duff's, John, and another Friend going with us, and had a meeting at their meeting-house, and afterwards William went with us over Potomack river, as far as Piscataway, in Maryland. This river is computed to be near four miles over, and when about the middle, there was a large swell in the river, so that our horses could not stand, and the motion of the boat made them fall down, and the boat having much water in it, being very leaky, she was near oversetting; they in the boat were in some concern and consternation, saying, when we came to the shore, that they did not remember they were ever before in the like danger; and I apprehended we were in danger, and if the boat had overset, in all likelihood, we might all have been drowned; and I then thought I was in the service of Christ, my great Master; and I also knew I must die, and I thought I might as well die in his service as my own; so I gave up my life for Christ's sake, and he gave it to me again. Oh! may I, with all

those who sincerely love him, serve him truly all our days, is my desire!

From Piscataway we travelled to Patuxent, to the family of the Plummers, who were ten sons of one father and mother, who were convinced about the time I first had meetings in those parts, and, so far as I know, they were all sober men. After this meeting we went to Gerad Hopkins's, and from thence to Patapsco, had a large meeting, the house being full before the Friends came, so that they were hard set to get in; to me it was a good seasonable opportunity, as was our next in the Forest of Gunpowder River, where Friends have built a new meeting-house, which at this time, could not contain the people: from Gunpowder River we went to Bush, River, had a good open meeting, and one at Deer-Creek, and so over Susquehannah, to Elihu Hall's.

At West-Nottingham I parted with my companion, he having about a day's travel home. I had two meetings on First-day at the great meeting-house at West-Nottingham, which were very large, and Friends glad to see me once more: and after having meetings at Christine-bridge, Wilmington, Center, and Kennet, went to the quarterly-meeting of ministers at Concord, and was there First and second-day, and third-day at Derby, all which were very large meetings, and Friends were satisfied and comforted, and I was encouraged in the work and service of the gospel of Christ. From Derby I went home, having

been abroad about four months, and rode, by computation, about eleven hundred miles, and at about seventy meetings.

While I was on this journey, I had an account of the death of my dear and only brother, George Chalkley, a religious, prudent man; he died the 24th of the Ninth month, 1737, near the seventieth year of his age, and left behind him a mournful widow and four daughters, all virtuous

women.

When in Virginia, I wrote to those of our society at Opeckon, Shannadore, &c. (many of whom went out of our province, to settle in the government of Virginia,) to the following effect:

66 Virginia, at John Cheagle's, 21st of 5th mo. 1738.

"To Friends of the Monthly-meeting at Opeckon.

"Dear Friends who inhabit Shannadore and Opeckon.

"Having a concern for your welfare and prosperity, both now and hereafter, and also the prosperity of your children, I had a desire to see you; but being in years, and heavy, and much spent and fatigued with my long journeys in Virginia and Carolina, makes it seem too hard for me to perform a visit in person to you; wherefore I take this way of writing to discharge my mind of what lies weightily thereon: and,

"First, I desire that you be very careful, being

far and back inhabitants, to keep a friendly correspondence with the native Indians, giving them no occasion of offence: they being a cruel and merciless enemy, where they think they are wronged or defrauded of their right, as woful experience hath taught, in Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland, and especially in New-England, &c. and,

"Secondly, As nature hath given them, and their fore-fathers, the possession of this continent of America, or this wilderness, they have a natural right thereto in justice and equity; and no people, according to the law of nature and justice, and our own principle, which is according to the glorious gospel of our dear and holy Lord Jesus Christ, ought to take away or settle on, other men's lands or rights, without consent, or purchasing the same, by agreement of the parties concerned; which, I suppose, in your case is not yet done.

"Thirdly, Therefore my counsel and Christian advice to you is, my dear Friends, That the most reputable among you, do, with speed, endeavour to agree with and purchase your lands of the native Indians or inhabitants: take example of our worthy and honourable late Proprietor, William Penn; who, by his wise and religious care, in that relation, hath settled a lasting peace and commerce with the natives, and, through his prudent management therein, hath been instrumental to plant in peace, one of the most flourishing provinces in the world.

"Fourthly, And who would run the risk of the lives of their wives and children, for the sparing a little cost and pains? I am concerned to lay those things before you, under an uncommon exercise of mind, that your new and flourishing little settlement, might not be laid waste, and, if the Providence of the Almighty doth not intervene, some of the blood of yourselves, wives, or children, be shed and spilt on the ground.

"Fifthly, Consider you are in the province of Virginia, holding what rights you have under that government; and the Virginians have made an agreement with the natives, to go as far as the mountains, but no further; and you are over and beyond the mountains, therefore out of that agreement; by which you lie open to the insults and incursions of the southern Indians, who have dstroyed many of the inhabitants of Carolina and Virginia, and even now have destroyed more on the like occasion.*

"Sixthly, If you believe yourselves to be within the bounds of William Penn's patent from king Charles the second, which will be hard for you to prove, you being far to the southward of his line; yet, if done, that is of no consideration with the Indians, without a purchase of them; except you will go about to convince them by fire and sword, contrary to our principles; and if that

* The English going beyond the bounds of their agreement, eleven of them were killed by the Indians while we were travelling in Virginia.