I am glad to hear that M^ Maturin has laid by the money you mention, and hope some opportunity may be found to send it up when the Sledding is good at present we have httle or no Snow hereabouts, I return you by this opportunity the Receipt signed agreeable to your directions: The French were doubtless at the bottom of the Affair in West Florida, as they are of all other disturbances on the Continent, by Letters I have Just received from Corny Hay at Detroit I find some fresh instances of it. he incloses me Copys of Letters by which I find that the french Traders about Wabache, and the Miamis are doing all they can to set up the Inds to resent our not permitting Traders amongst them-, that one Cavucin who has been very busy in Sending Messages to the Indians told Major Smallman he would trade where he pleased in defiance of any person or Government whatever and that there are now at Miamis, Lorrain, LaMotte, Potdevin, Capasin^ Bartholomi^ Bergen^ & Richarville all Traders without passes, that the Traders do as they please who have no parses, & leave Detroit in defiance of what is said to them. That Huron Andrew a very faihtfuU Indian well known has delivered up a belt (now in my Custody) from Rochblave a French Officer at Misore opposite the Kuskuskies to the Ind^ ab* Detroit with an Artfull Message one part of which was that he was glad to hear they were in peace and Quietness but concluded on the other half of the Belt with desiring them to remember " That the french have been their father a Long while and that in a Short time he believed they would Quarrel with the English." that the Shawanese had rec"* a Larger Belt on which more was said & that Babie was to receive and forward all belts and Messages that passed between him and the Indians