"But to return to our Quakers, the Chief of them told the General that he feared greatly for the Safety of the Army; that the Woods, the farther we went, would be the more dangerous, and the _French_ were a subtle and daring Enemy, and would not neglect any Opportunity of surprising us; that the further we went the more difficult it would be to supply us with Provisions, and that the Country was not worth keeping, much less conquering. The _French_ not yet knowing our Force were in Terror, and if he sent would perhaps come into a Treaty; that Peace was a heavenly Thing; and as for the Country in Dispute it was misrepresented by those Projectors, who had some private Advantage; for it was fit for none but _Indians_, the Soil bad, far from the Sea, and Navigation; therefore he thought if the _French_ would abandon and destroy their Forts, and we do the same, and leave the Lands to their rightful Owners the _Indians_, on Condition that that Nation should pay some Furrs and Deer Skins, by Way of Tribute, to our most gracious King _George_, a Pacification might be established till the Matter was made up before his Majesty. That General _Oglethorp_ had in that Manner settled all Differences with the _Spaniards_ on the Southern Frontiers, towards _Florida_, and the Accord lasted to this Day; on the other Hand, he said, that if the _French_ refused, then the _Indians_, who are a free and warlike Nation, and much too powerful to be despised, would probably take our Side; if we would pull down the _French_ Forts, and our own also, they would be the guard of our Colonies with very small Expense to _England_.