I have last Night with much Difficulty agreed with three Men, to build the two Forts at the Mohawk Castles ; As wood fltt for that Purpose is very scarse thereabouts, I could hardly get them to undertake the Work for y^ Sum. The Interpreter tells, and Stoddert : who comes down with the Six Nations : writes me there are by far a greater Number of Indians coming down on my Summons, then ever was known to come before on any Occasion : besides a great Body of Indians I expect from the Southward, which must make it very expensive maintaining them &c^. I am

Sir with the Utmost Respect Your Honours

Most Obedient &

Most Humble Serv*. Goyf. Delancey. Wm. Johnson

MR. BANYAR TO SIR Wm. JOHNSON.

New York 16 June 1755. Sir

I wrote you yesterday by Brasier the Express Sent by M'" Alexander, and at the Bottom of my Letter I added by the Governors Directions, that if you thought the carriage for transporting the Cannon which was made at Albany for the last expedition was proper, and could be made as well and as soon at Albany as at this place, that you should then employ workman to make them there, and that the Governor would See them paid for. This was on a presumption that the Albany Carriage was merely for transporting

SIR WILLIAM JOHNSON. 661

the Cannon, but I now find by Col Roberts's information that the carriages made there exactly answers the Description of those I mcniioned in a former Letter to you & they were to have had as many of them as they had Guns to carry. This being the case, and as they can be made sooner and its imagined better here, than at Albany the Governor orders me to acquaint you that he will have the ten carriages for the heavy cannon made here as soon as possible, and desires you will not proceed to get them made in consequence of my Letter of yesterday.