One witness examined by the Commons described the vicious circle of rum, chicane and debt, which was in a fair way to ruin the trade. 61 [Note 61: JCHA, October 12, 1710] 'It was a general thing among the traders there,' he said, referring to the Yamasee, 'to meet the Indians at a great distance off their Towns when they come from Warr, and ... by giving rum and making them Drunk get their Slaves or Skinns for little or nothing, to the great dissatisfaction of the Indians when they are Sober, and that by their Selling such great quantities of rum, hath occasioned them to be very much in Debt, which if not timely prevented will Occasion Murther to be Committed amongst them.' Complaints of ill conduct filled the agents' letters, the minutes of the board, and the debates on frontier affairs in the Commons House. 62 [Note 62: See below, pp. 165-7, for the causes of the Yamasee War.