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Travels in Some Parts of North America, in the Years 1804, 1805, & 1806, by Robert Sutcliff

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place. It has always been observed that Indians, settled in the neighborhood of white people, con- tinually diminish; and this tribe had dwindled away till there remained in the village no more than seven men, five women, and eight children. Of these, Shebeas, who was a very old man, had assisted at the treaty with William Penn in the year 1701, had ever since continued a faithful friend of the English, and bore the character of an exceedingly good man; for, considering his extraction, he was naturally of a most kind and benevolent temper. This little remnant of Indians were in the constant practice of addressing every new Governor of the Province, and they ac- cordingly presented an address to John Penn, a new Governor, on his arrival; assuring him of their fidelity, and praying for a continuance of that favour and protection they had hitherto experienced. This address was scarcely presented, when the horrible catastrophe occurred, which I am about to relate. In the townships of Paxton and Done- gal, in the county of Lancaster, a number of peo- ple, actuated by the wildest religious enthusiasm, in which they were encouraged by some furious zealots amongst their preachers, conceived the notion that they ought to extirpate the heathen from the earth, as Joshua did some nations of old; that they themselves, as Saints, might possess the land. Fired with this dreadful kind of zeal, on