went two miles further. Then the Major said he would stay at the next water, and we desired the Indian to stop at the next water; but before we came to water, we came to a clear meadow. It was very light, and snow was on the ground. The Indian made a stop, and turned about. The Major saw him point his gun towards us, and he fired. Said the Major, 'Are you shot?' 'No,' said I; upon which the Indian ran forward to a big standing white oak, and began loading his gun, but we were soon with him. I would have killed him, but the Major would not suffer me. We let him charge his gun. We found he put in a ball; then we took care of him. Either the Major or I always stood by the guns. We made him make a fire for us by a little run, as if we intended to sleep there. I said to the Major, 'As you will not have him killed, we must get him away, and then we must travel all night'; upon which I said to the Indian, 'I suppose you were lost, and fired your gun.' He said he knew the way to his cabin, and it was but a little way. Well,' said I, 'do you go home; and, as we are tired, we will follow your track in the morning, and here is a cake of bread for you, and you must give us meat in the morning.' He was glad to get away. I followed him, and listened, until he was fairly out of the way; and then we went about half a mile, when we made a fire, set our compass, fixed our course, and travelled all night. In the morning we were on the head of Piny Creek."

Whether it was the intention of the Indian to kill either of them can only be conjectured. The circumstances were extremely suspicious. Major Washington hints at this incident in his journal. "We fell in with a party of French Indians," says he, "who had lain in wait for us. One of them fired at Mr.

Gist or me, not fifteen steps off, but fortunately missed. We took the fellow in custody, and kept him till nine o'clock at night; then let him go, and walked all the remaining part of the night without making any stop, that we might get the start so far as to be out of the reach of their pursuit the next day, since we were well assured they would follow our track as soon as it was light." No more was seen or heard of them. The next night, at dusk, the travellers came to the Allegany River, a little above Shannopins, where they expected to cross over on the ice; but in this they were disappointed, the river being frozen only a few yards on each side, and a great body of broken ice driving rapidly down the current.

Weary and exhausted they were compelled to pass the night on the bank of the river, exposed to the rigor of the weather, making their beds on the snow, with no other covering than their blankets. When the morning came, their invention was the only resource for providing the means of gaining the oppo

site shore.

"There was no way of getting over," says Major Washington, "but on a raft; which we set about with but one poor hatchet, and finished just after sunsetting. This was a whole day's work. We next got it launched, and went on board of it; then set off. But before we were half way over, we were jammed in the ice in such a manner, that we expected every moment our raft would sink, and ourselves perish. I put out my setting-pole to try to stop the raft, that the ice might pass by; when the rapidity of the stream threw it with so much violence against the pole, that it jerked me out into ten feet water. But I fortunately saved myself by catching hold of one of the raft logs. Notwithstanding all our efforts we could

not get the raft to either shore, but were obliged, as we were near an island, to quit our raft, and make to it."

This providential escape from most imminent danger was not the end of their calamities. They were thrown upon a desert island; the weather was intensely cold; Mr. Gist's hands and feet were frozen; and their sufferings through the night were extreme. A gleam of hope appeared with the dawn of morning. Between the island and the eastern bank of the river, the ice had congealed so hard as to bear their weight. They crossed over without accident, and the same day reached a trading-post recently established by Mr. Frazier, near the spot where eighteen months afterwards was fought the memorable battle of the Monongahela.

Here they rested two or three days, both to recruit themselves and to procure horses. Meantime Major Washington paid a complimentary visit to Queen Aliquippa, an Indian princess, who resided at the confluence of the Monongahela and Youghiogany Rivers. She had expressed dissatisfaction, that he had neglected this mark of respect on his way out. An apology, seconded by the more substantial token of a present, soothed her wounded dignity, and secured a gracious reception.

Nothing was heard of Vanbraam and his party. Anxious to hasten back, and report to the governor the result of his mission, Major Washington did not wait for them. With Mr. Gist he recrossed the Alleganies to Will's Creek, and thence proceeded with despatch to Williamsburg, where he arrived on the 16th of January, having been absent eleven weeks.

The intentions and movements of the French being now understood, Governor Dinwiddie thought the

occasion demanded prompt and energetic action. He called his Council together, and laid before them Major Washington's journal, and the letter of the French commandant. It was agreed, that the instructions heretofore received from the ministry imposed it as a duty, in case of an invasion of the King's dominions, to repel it by a resort to arms. There was no longer any doubt, that the state of things, anticipated by the ministers, had actually come to pass. It was now time to prepare for the exigency. At the last meeting of the House of Burgesses, the governor had failed in his endeavours to rouse the representatives of the people to a sense of danger, and no funds had been provided for establishing a military force.

Without waiting for the burgesses to convene, the Council advised the immediate enlistment of two hundred men, with directions to march to the Ohio, and build one or two forts there, before the French should be able to descend the river in the spring, as they had threatened to do. An order was issued for raising two companies, of one hundred men each, in the northern counties by voluntary enlistments, or, if that method should prove impracticable, by drafts from the militia. The conduct of Major Washington had hitherto been marked with so much prudence, resolution, and capacity, that he was appointed to the chief command of these troops, apparently by the unanimous voice of the Council.

To make an impression on the minds of the people, and if possible to work them up to some degree of enthusiasm, and excite their indignation against the invaders, Governor Dinwiddie caused Major Washington's journal to be published. It was copied into nearly all the newspapers of the other colonies. In London it was reprinted, under the auspices of the gov

ernment, and accounted a document of much importance, as unfolding the views of the French, and announcing the first positive proof of their hostile acts in the disputed territory.

Nothing more was expected from the small military preparations set on foot by the governor and Council, than to take a position on the Ohio before the French should come down the river, and unite with the parties from New Orleans. The command of one of the two companies was given to Captain Trent, who, being acquainted with the frontiers, was sent forward to enlist his men among the traders and back settlers, and ordered to commence with all speed the building of a fort at the Fork of the Ohio, in conformity with the recommendation of Major Washington, who had examined that place, as we have seen, with a view to its military advantages.

At the same time, Major Washington was stationed at Alexandria, as a convenient situation for the rendezvous of his men, and for superintending the transportation of supplies and the cannon intended to be mounted in the fort. Lord Fairfax, holding the office of county-lieutenant, which gave him authority over the militia in his neighbourhood, was active in procuring enlistments and rendering other services to his young friend. The governor's instructions to the officers bore a warlike aspect. They were, to drive away, kill, and destroy, or seize as prisoners, all persons not the subjects of the King of Great Britain, who should attempt to settle or take possession of the lands on the Ohio River or any of its tributaries.

These arrangements being made, Governor Dinwiddie summoned the legislature to meet at an early day, in order to take into consideration the critical state of affairs, and provide for the safety of the Dominion, as

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