****** When I was at Albany I expected to have fixed the Palatines in their new Settlement which I liad obtained of the Indians for them at a very easy purchase, but I found them very much divided into Parties and the cunningest among them fomenting their Eivisions on purpose that the greatest number might leave the Province and then the great Tract of Land lately purchased would make so many considerable estates to tlie few Familys that should remain and witli tins view they told me that they found tlie Land was far short of what tlie Indians had represented it to them and tliat not above twenty Familys could subsist there which I shewed them was a mere pretence by naming a Tract where 130 Familys live and flourish, which by their own confession was less and no better soil than theirs how^ever since I found it was their humour to undervalue what had been done for them I tliought it best to wait till they should of tlicmselves be f >rward to settle this new Tract ratlier than to shew too mucli cainestness in pressing them to it. But as about sixty familys desired to be in a distinct Tract from the rest & were those who had all along been most hearty for the Government I have given them leave to purchase laxd from the Indians, between the present English settlements near Fort Hunter & part of Canada on a Creek called Canada Creek Vvhere they will be still more immediately a Barrier against tiie sudden incursions of the French, who made this tlieir Road when they last attacked & burned the Frontier Town called Sclionectady -- The other Palatines have since my return to New York, sent some of tlieii- bod} to desire a warrant of Survey for y^ New Tract already purchased, which convinces me that I had done right, in not being too ernest in that affair when I was at Albany And indeed in my dealings with those people I find very little gratitude for favors done them, & particularly that those who were best taken care of & settled on good Lands by ray Predecessor are the most apt to mirrepresent him and this is