The writings of George Washington; being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes and illustrations. By Jared Sparks.

136 WASHINGTON'S WRITINGS.' [AET. 24.
earnest manner, that your Honor would send an express
to them immediately for this desirable end. I should
have done it myself, but was uncertain whether it might
prove agreeable or not. I also hope you will order
Major Lewis to secure his guides, as I understand he
attributes all his misfortunes to their misconduct. Such
offences should meet with adequate punishment, or else
we may ever be misled by designing villains. I am
your Honor's, &c.
P. S. Since writing the above, Mr. Paris, who commanded a party, is returned. He relates, that, upon the
North River, he fell in with a small body of Indians whom
he engaged, and, after a contest of half an hour, put
them to flight. Monsieur Donville, commander of the
party, was killed and scalped, and his instructions found
about him, which I enclose. We had one man killed,
and two wounded. Mr. Paris sent the scalp by Jenkins;
and I hope, although it is not an Indian's, they will meet
with an adequate reward. The whole party jointly
claim the reward, no person pretending solely to assume
the merit. "
* At this time there was no law in Virginia fixing the reward for scalps,
and it was probably left to the discretion of the governor. Shortly afterwards a reward of ten pounds was established by law, for every hostile
Indian taken prisoner or killed. This law was to remain in force during
the war. It applied only to Indians, and not to enemies of any other description. In Maryland at one time the bounty for each Indian prisoner,
or scalp, taken within the province, was as high as fifty pounds. But this
allowance was not made to soldiers in public pay. —Hening's Statutes at
Large, Vol. VI. p. 551.- -cts of the Maryland assembly, September, 1756.
From early times it had been customary to offer high bounties for service in Indian wars. The Commissioners of the United Colonies of Massachusetts, Plymouth, and Connecticut, in their instructions to Major
Church, September 18th, 1689, confirm, that the soldiers should have " the
benefit of the captives, and all lawful plunder, and the reward of eight
pounds per head for every fighting Indian man slain by them, over and
above their stated. wages." By the "benefit of the captives" is here