dition, that I quite despair of success; nevertheless, I humbly beg it, as a particular favor, that your Honor will continue me in the post I now enjoy, the duty whereof I will most cheerfully execute as a volunteer, but by no means upon the present pay.

I hope what I have said will not be taken amiss; for I really believe, were it as much in your power, as it is your inclination, we should be treated as gentlemen and officers, and not have annexed to the most trifling pay, that ever was given to English officers, the glorious allowance of soldier's diet, a pound of pork, with bread in proportion, per day. Be the consequence what it will, I am determined not to leave the regiment, but to be amongst the last men that quit the Ohio, even if I serve as a private volunteer, which I greatly prefer to the establishment we are now upon. I am, &c.

TO GOVERNOR DINWIDDIE.

Youghiogany, 18 May, 1754.

SIR,

I received your Honor's favor by Mr. Ward, who arrived here last night, just as two Indians came to us from the Ohio.

These Indians contradict the report of the French having received reinforcements, though they agree that eight hundred men are very shortly expected. Those on the spot are busily employed in erecting the fort, which they have removed to the point I recommended for the country's use, whose walls they have now made two fathoms thick, and raised them breast high.

They are daily sending out scouts, some of whom about five days ago were seen within six or seven miles

of our camp; but as I did not receive timely notice of it, they may have escaped, unless they have fallen in with a party sent out about eight days ago to Red-stone Creek, to reconnoitre the country thereabouts, and to get intelligence of the motions of the French.

It is imagined that the Half-King will be here in two or three days, but to hurry him I have sent the Indian, that came up with Mr. Ward, with a short speech, acquainting him with my desire of his coming as expeditiously as possible, to receive the speech which your Honor sent by Mr. Ward, and which Colonel Fry wrote me I was to deliver. When he arrives I will endeavour to send him on to meet you at Winchester.

These Indians, and all the traders that I have been able to get any information from, of late, agree that it is almost impracticable to open a road, in which a wagon can pass from this to Red-stone Creek. But most of them assure me, that, except at one place, water carriage may be had down this river, which will be a most advantageous discovery if it proves true, as it will save forty miles' land carriage over almost impassable roads and mountains.

The water is now so high, that we cannot possibly cross over with our men, which likewise secures us from any immediate attacks of the enemy. I have therefore resolved to go down the river to the fall, which is at the Turkey Foot, to inform myself concerning the nature and difficulty attending this fall. I have provided a canoe, and shall, with an officer and five men, set out upon this discovery to-morrow morning.

Captain Trent's men, who by their refractory behaviour obliged me to separate them from the other soldiers, have now left the New Store and dispersed, contrary to my positive orders till they received your commands.

As I shall have frequent communications with the Indians, which are of no effect without wampum, I hope you will order some to be sent. Indeed, we ought to have shirts, and many other things of this sort, which are always expected by every Indian that brings a message, or good report. Also the chiefs, who visit and converse in council, look for the same. If it would not be thought too bold in me, I would recommend some of the treaty goods to be sent for that purpose with Colonel Fry, or after him. This is the method the French pursue, and a trifle judiciously bestowed, and in season, may turn to our advantage. If I find this river navigable, I am convinced it cannot but be agreeable to your Honor, that we should build canoes in order to convey our artillery down. As the road to this place is made as good as it can be, much time and great labor having been spent upon it, I believe a wagon may travel now with fifteen or eighteen hundred weight, by doubling the teams at one or two places only. I am, &c.

SIR,

TO COLONEL JOSHUA FRY.

23 May, 1754.

This day I returned from my discoveries down the Youghiogany, which, I am sorry to say, can never be made navigable. We traced the watercourse near thirty miles, with the full expectation of succeeding in the much desired aim; but, at length, we came to a fall, which continued rough, rocky, and scarcely passable, for two miles, and then fell, within the space of fifty yards, nearly forty feet perpendicular.*

* In his Journal, as published by the French government, Colonel Washington gives the following account of this tour of discovery.

"On the 20th of May I embarked in a canoe, with Lieutenant West,

As I apprehended there would be difficulty in these waters, I sent the soldiers forward upon the road, when I left the camp, which was as soon as they could cross; therefore, no time has been lost; but the roads are so exceedingly bad, that we proceed very slow.

By concurring intelligence, which we received from the Indians, the French are not above seven or eight hundred strong, and by a late account we are informed, that one half of them were detached in the night, without even the Indians' knowledge, on some secret expedition; but the truth of this, though it is affirmed by an Indian lately from their fort, I cannot yet vouch for, nor tell where they are bound.

three soldiers, and an Indian. Having followed the river for about half a mile we were obliged to go ashore, where we found a trader, who seemed to discourage my attempting to seek a passage by water, which caused me to change my intention of having canoes made. I ordered the troops to wade the river, as the waters had now sufficiently subsided. I continued to descend the river, but, finding our canoe too small for six persons, we stopped to construct a bark, with which and the canoe we reached Turkey Foot just as the night began. Eight or ten miles further onward we encountered several difficulties, which were of little consequence. At this point we stopped some time to examine the position, and found it well suited for a fort, being at the mouth of three branches or small rivers, and having a gravelly foundation.

"We went down about two miles to examine the course of the river, which is straight, with many currents, and full of rocks and rapids. We crossed it, though the water was high, which induced me to believe the canoes would easily pass, but this was not effected without difficulty. Besides these rapids we met with others, but, the water being more shallow and the current smoother, we passed them easily. We then found the water very deep, and mountains rising on both sides. After proceeding about ten miles, we came to a fall in the river, which arrested our progress, and compelled us to go ashore and desist from any further attempt." - Mémoire contenant le Précis des Faits, &c. p. 121.

The full title of the book, which is here quoted, is as follows;"MÉMOIRE contenant le Précis des Faits, avec leurs Pièces Justificatives, pour servir de Réponse aux OBSERVATIONS envoyées, par les Ministres d'Angleterre, dans les Cours de l'Europe. A Paris; de l'Imprimerie Royale. 1756." Four or five years had been consumed in unavailing attempts at a negotiation between England and France, with the ostensible

I would recommend, in the strongest terms possible, your writing to the Governor for some of the treaty goods, or any others suitable for the Indians. Nothing can be done without them. All the Indians that come expect presents. The French take this method, which proves very acceptable; besides, if you want one or more to conduct a party, to discover the country, to hunt, or for any particular service, they must be bought; their friendship is not so warm, as to prompt them to these services gratis; and that, I believe, every person, who is acquainted with the nature of Indians, knows. The Indian, that accompanied me down the river, would go no further than the Forks, about ten miles, till I promised him a ruffled shirt, which I must take from my own, and a watch-coat. He said the French always had Indians to show them the woods, because they paid well for so doing; and this may be laid down as a standing maxim amongst them. I think were the goods. sent out, and delivered occasionally, as you see cause, that four or five hundred pounds' worth would do more good, than as many thousands given at a treaty.

design on both sides to effect a reconciliation of difficulties, but neither party in reality was solicitous to avoid a war. At length hostilities were commenced in time of peace, and each nation charged the other with being the aggressor. Two French vessels on their way to Canada were taken by the British Admiral Boscawen, and, to justify this procedure, the "Observations" above mentioned were published, in which the position was maintained, that the French had actually begun the war, by their encroachments with a military force on the Ohio frontiers. To repel this charge, the French government circulated among the courts of Europe the Mémoire, whose title is here given, the object of which was to prove, that the British had been the first to transgress.

This Mémoire is curious, as containing many official and other documents relating to the question at issue, which are nowhere else to be found, and particularly selections from the manuscripts of General Braddock and of Washington, which the French had captured at the disastrous battle of the Monongahela. Among other things are Braddock's instructions, several of his letters to the ministry, and extracts purporting to be from a