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.

APPENDIX.] EARLY PAPERS. 439
chiefs, which was giving up the belt the late commandant had asked
for, and repeating nearly the same speech he himself had done
before.
"He also delivered a string of wampum to this chief, which was
sent by King Shingiss, to be given to Kustalogo, with orders to repair to the French, and deliver up the wampum.
"He likewise gave a very large string of black and white wampum, which was to be sent up immediately to the Six Nations,
if the French refused to quit the land at this warning; which was
the third and last time, and was the right of this Jeskakake to
deliver.
"30th. Last night, the great men assembled at their council
house, to consult further about this journey, and who were to go;
the result of which was, that only three of their chiefs, with one of
their best hunters, should be our convoy. The reason they gave for
not sending more, after what had been proposed at council the 26th,
was, that a greater number might give the French suspicions of some
bad design, and cause them to be treated rudely; but I rather think
they could not get their hunters in.
"' We set out about nine o'clock with the Half-King, Jeskakake,
White Thunder, and the Hunter; and travelled on the road to Venango, where we arrived the 4th of December, without any thing
remarkable happening but a continued series of bad weather.
"This is an old Indian town, situated at the mouth of French
Creek, on the Ohio; and lies near north about sixty miles from
the Logstown, but more than seventy the way we were obliged to go.
"We found the French colors hoisted at a house from which they
had driven Mr. John Frazier, an English subject. I immediately repaired to it, to know where the commander resided. There were
three officers, one of whom, Captain Joncaire, informed me that he
had the command of the Ohio; but that there was a general officer
at the near fort, where he advised me to apply for an answer. He
invited us to sup with them, and treated us with the greatest complaisance.
"The wine, as they dosed themselves pretty plentifully with it,
soon banished the restraint which at first appeared in their conversation, and gave a license to their tongues to reveal their sentiments
more freely.
" They told me, that it was their absolute design to take possession
of the Ohio, and by G- they would do it; for that, although they
were sensible the English could raise two men for their one, yet they
knew their motions were too slow and dilatory to prevent any under