The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1932-05-05

charges of extravaganza, he explain
that "many of them were weake me
and not able to defend the fol-
against the Indians 800" At lengtl
the trials dragging on, Claiborne
deposition sets forth some of tn
troubles of a seventeenth centur
trader with the early Marylander
He apparently felt it necessary to e2
plain why he engaged the aid of avail
able Virginias.
1t had been impossible for the
said Claiborne with Jesse than 40
or 80 men at least to have man.
aged the said trade and planta-
con. That it was necessary in the
months of March, April, May,
and June for the said trade to
keep at least boats abroad well
manned at the least with 7, or
men in each of them with
gums, armes and ammunition
and other necessaryes which the
said Claiborne by the accompt
did every year. ......
That our trade with the In
dams is allwayes with danger to
our lives: And that we usually
trade in a shallop or small pin
mace being 6 or 7 Englishmen en-
comprised with two or hundred
Indians. And that it is as much
as we can doe to defend ourselves
by standing on guard with our
armes ready and our gunnes pre-
scented in our hands. Two or of
the men must locke to the trucke
that the Indians doe not steale it,
and a great deale of the trucke is
often stole by the Indians though
we look never so well to it. Also
a great parte of the trcuke is CIV
en- away to the King and great
men for presents. That the usual
manner of that trade is to shew
our truckle, which the Indians
will be very long and tedious in
viewing, and doe tumble it and
tosse it and mingle it hundred
times over, soc that it is impos-
sible to keepe several PARCELS
sunde. And if any trader will not
suffer the Indians soc to doe they
WILDE distasted with said Traders
and fall out with them and refuse
to have any trade.
The interruption of the Mary
landers and their taking the boate
& pinnaces of the said Plantation
with the trucke and goodies in the
same & their killing three men,
and the want of patent as afore-
said, was the greatest cause of
loose and damage.
There are many references to thes
marauding Marylanders other tina
the followers of Lord Baltimore, WI
was just then endeavoring to prov
Claiborne a pirate because of tt
famous naval exploits on the ba
Cloberry & Co. at the outset side
with their American agent in thu
dispute, eager to support his claim {
Kent Island. That out of the wa,
they sued him for misappropriatio
of their funds in the trading post /
had established.
In other words, Claiborne, for a
the dignity of offices held under til
Virginia government and for all til
vigor with which he had pursue
trade and colonization only @
the island but on the adjoining shore
and at the mouth of the Susquehann
had to defend himself alternatel
against the Western Shore Calvert
and against his own business ASST
ciates in London. 1t was a time whe
a querulous man might have been e1
pected to let the plantation work slid
Instead, the notations run on soberly
For our trade wee made many
voyages, did little good and had
many hindrances from the Mary
landers. Our principal employ
ments for our men were making
windmills. Wee planted
200 plants of tobacco.