326 Doatmcnts 4 Guns 30 men whereof 10 were English men brought in here a Spanish prize of 16 Guns and a 100 men, which by the French-mens confession they had never taken, had it not been for the English, they have allready spent most of it and are providing to be gone againe. The 30th of July cam an Indian to our Governour and told him that 800 Spaniards were upon their march coming from St. Augustine (a place belonging to our Proprietors about 150 miles to the South of us, where the Spaniards are seated and have a pretty strong Town) to fall upon the English, upon which the Council met 3 times and ordered 20 great Guns that lay at a place where the town was first designed to be made, to be brought to Chads Town, and sent Scouts at a good distance (knowing which way they must come) to discover their strength and the truth of it, which if they had seen anything were to return with all speed, and 700 men were to have met them, which were to lay in Ambus- cade in a Cave, swam [j/c] where the Spaniards were to come, through a Marsh, that every step they would be up to- their middle. Our people were so far from being afraid that they mightily rejoy.ced at the news of it, wishing that they might have some just cause of War with the Spaniards, that they might grant Commissions to Privateers, and them- selves fall on them at St. Aug;ustine.' as we understand since this was the ground of the report. The Spaniards thinking themselves to be abused by a nation of Indians that lived betwixt them and us, marched out to cut of that Nation, to which this Indian belonged, which (as it is usual with the Indians) reported that they were 800, whereas some of the Privateers have been there, and say that they are not able to raise above 300 men. we have 100 Privateers here all shar like though not at the taking of the prize, which if our Governour would suffer them would fain fall on the Spaniards at St. Augustine ; it is not likely if the Spaniards were so strong as the Indian reported, that they would send out such strength against them, For when the English have any war with a Nation of the Indians tho at 150 miles distance they think 20 Eng- lish and 30 or 40 friendly Indians to be a sufficient party. The Indians are sent before to discover where the other Indians lay who if they sec but ^gap in MS-I of their enemyes they will returne with great speed and greater fear to the English reporting they saw 200. The 20th of August I saw a Comet in the North East about 2 hours before day, the 21 it was seen in the west." Sir of those goods you gave me of my Brothers, I have sold some, and most of them I bought in Lon- don, but I can not yet make any returne; for money here is but little and that Spanish which will not go for so much in England by 4 or 5 s in the f i. Our pay is what the Countrey affords, as Corn, Pork, Tar and Cedar, the 3 first are fit only for the Islands. I know not whether the last will pay charges to England it can't be afforded under 30 or 32 3 'These sentiments were vividly m.inifested when the Sp.miards actually did attack, in 1686. 'The celebrated " Halley's Comet."
