256

PAPERS RELATING TO THE SIX NATIONS.

PASS TO MESSRS DANFORTH & WILLARD,

OF CAMBRIDGE TO OBSERVE THE TRANSIT OF VENUS.

By His Excellency The Honorable Thomas Gage, General and Commander in Chiefof all His Majesty’s Forces in North America , &ca, &ca, &ca,

To the officers Commanding at Fort Ontario, Niagara, Fort Erie, Detroit IfMissilimakinalc.

Whereas, Mess rs Danforth and Willard, Professors of the Mathematicks, are going to observe thetransit of Venus in Lake Superior ; The officers commanding as abovemen tioned at and on theCommunication to Missilimakinak, are required to treat them with all such Convenience as theirrespective Posts will afford, and to give all such aid and assistance, as may be in their Power toforward the abovementioned Gentlemen , their Attendance &ca with Dispatch from Post to Postto the Place of their Destination: And should any of the Vessels be out or not in readiness toproceed, upon their arrival at any of the Posts, they are immediately to be accommodated with Boats and proper Crews to row them across the Lake where this shall happen.

The officer Commanding at Missilimakinak, is further required to acquaint the Indians, with thedesign of these Gentlemen proceeding to Lake Superior , to reconcile them to their Intentions and toprevent any Jealousy that might be conceived by them, either from their Errand, or the use of theInstruments they carry along with them : He is likewise to Endeavor, to engage some of the IndiansInhabiting Lake Superior to attend them, and protect them from any Insults that may be offeredthem, by any straggling Indians they may meet with on the Lake for whi'ch service the above Gentle-men will make the Indians who attend them a reasonable Present.

Given under my Hand and Seal

at Head Quarters in New York , |'l. s. ]

this 17 th Day of March, 1769

By his Excellency’s Command Thos. Gage.

G. Maturin Jr.

*.* Great preparations were made to observe the above Transit, (which was to take place on 3d June 1769,) as anotherwould not occur until 1874. It was observed on this continent, by Samuel Holland, Esq. at Quebec; by T. Wright, at Isleau Coudre; by Prof. Jno. Winthrop, at Cambridge, Mass.; by Joseph Brown, at Providence, R. I. ; by Rev. Dr. Smith, atPhiladelphia; by Messrs. Biddle and Bailey at Lewiston, Del.; by John Leeds, at Annapolis, Md. ; by Messrs. Wales andDymond, on the N. W. coast of Hudson’s Bay; and by AbbS Chappe at California. Dr. Harris of Cambridge informs me,that Thomas Danfokth, mentioned above, was probably the son of Hon. Judge Samuel Danforth, of Cambridge , (Sami, wasson of Rev. John, of Dorchester, and Rev. John was son of Rev. Sami, of Roxbury—all distinguished for mathematicalattainments,)—graduated at Harvard College, 1762, was Tutor there from 1765 to 1768, settled as a lawyer in Charlestown,Mass., and died in 1820. Joseph Willard graduated at Harvard College , 1765, was Tutor 1766 to 1772, and afterwardsPresident of the College. He died in 1804. It is not known whether these gentlemen went to Michilimakinac; I can findnothing of their Journey thither in print.— Ed.

JOHN RAND TO REV. DR. AUCHMUTY.

Reverend Sir Receiving Information that last Week you being in Company with several Rev dGentlemen : some one taking Occasion to speak of my being in the Province & of my Design withrespect to A Living, there appeared in yourself & others, A willingness to countenance me in myundertakings. Verily S r there are no Favours which I so gratefully notice as those of this Kind.