to take possession of the Illinois, and desire you may acquaint all your people of it on your return home; and likewise desire you to stop your ears against the whistling of bad birds, (meaning the French,) and mind nothing but your hunting, to support your families, that your women and children may enjoy the blessings of peace.

"26th. I left Detroit and arrived, October 3d, at Niagara. Here I met some Senecas with whom I had a meeting, and informed them of my transactions with the several nations; and desired them to inform their people of it on their return home, which they promised me they would.

"October 11th. Set off from Niagara, and arrived the 17th at Ontario, where I met the Bunt and several sachems of the Onondagas, with whom I had a meeting, and informed them what had passed between me and the western nations.

"19th. I set off from Ontario, and arrived at Fort Stanwix the 21st."

At the close of the journal is annexed the report of his proceedings, and his views of the ultimate results of the connection just formed between the Indians and their new fathers, the English.

"Sir-Having now returned from the services I was sent upon by his Excellency General Gage, namely, the obtaining the Indians' consent to our possessing the important posts at the Illinois, I present your honor with a journal of my transactions with the several nations and tribes in that country, for your perusal.

"In the situation I was placed at Weotonan, with great numbers of Indians about me, and no necessaries, such as paper and ink, I had it not in my power to take down all the speeches made by the Indian nations, nor what I said to them, in so particular a manner as I could wish; but hope

the heads of them, as I have taken them down, will meet your approbation.

"In the course of this tour through the Indian country, I made it my study to converse in private with Pondiac and several of the chiefs of the several nations, as often as opportunity served, in order to find out their sentiments of the French and English. Pondiac is a shrewd, sensible Indian, of few words, and commands more respect among his own nation than any Indian I ever saw, could do among his own tribe. He and all the principal men of those nations seem at present to be convinced that the French had a view of interest in stirring up, the late difference between his majesty's subjects and them, and call it a beaver war; for neither Pondiac, nor any of the Indians I met with, ever pretended to deny that the French were at the bottom of the whole, and constantly supplied them with every necessary they wanted, as far as in their power. And notwithstanding they are at present convinced that it was for their own interest, yet it has not changed the Indians' affection for them. They have been bred up together like children in that country, and the French have always adopted the Indian customs and manners, treated them civilly, and supplied their necessities, generally, by which means they gained the hearts of the Indians, and commanded their services, and enjoyed the benefits of a very advantageous fur trade. They well know if they had not taken these measures they could not enjoy these advantages.

"The French have in a manner taught the Indians in that country to hate the English, by representing them in the worst light they could, on all occasions; in particular they have made the Indians there believe, lately, that the English would take their country from them, and bring the Cherokees there to settle and enslave them; which report they easily gave credit to, as the southern Indians had lately commenced a war against them. I had great difficulty in removing this suspicion, and convincing them of the falsity

of the report, which I flatter myself I have done in a great

measure.

"It will require some time, and a very even conduct in those that are to reside in their country, before we can expect to rival the French in their affections. All Indians ́are jealous, and from their high notions of liberty, hate power. Those nations are jealous and prejudiced against us, so that the greatest care will be necessary to convince them of our honest intentions by our actions.

"The French sold them goods much dearer than the English traders do at present. In that point we have the advantage over the French, but they made that up in large presents to them, for their services, which they wanted, to support their interest in the country; and although we want none of their services, yet they will expect favors, and if refused, take it in a bad light, and very likely think it done to distress them, for some particular advantage we want to gain over them. They are by no means so sensible a people as the Six Nations, or other tribes this way; and the French, for their own advantage, have learned them a bad custom; for, by all I could learn, they seldom made them any general present, but as it were fed them with necessaries just as they wanted, tribe by tribe, and never sent them away empty, which will make it difficult and troublesome to the gentlemen that are to command in their country, for some time, to please them and preserve peace, as they are a rash, inconsiderate people, and do not look on themselves as under any obligation to us, but rather think we are obliged to them for letting us reside in their country.

"As far as I can judge of their sentiments, by the several conversations I have had with them, they will expect some satisfaction made them by us, for any posts that may be established in their country for trade. But you will be informed better by themselves next spring, as Pondiac and some chiefs of every nation in that country, intend to pay you a visit.

"The several nations on the Ouabache and towards the Illinois, St. Josephs, Chicago, La Baye, Saginaw, and other places, have applied for traders to be sent to their settlements. As it was not in the power of any officer to permit traders to go from Detroit, or Michillimackinac, either English or French, I am of opinion the Indians will be supplied chiefly this year from the Illinois, which is all French property; and if trading posts are not established at proper places in that country soon, the French must carry the best part of the trade over the Mississippi. This they are determined to do, if they can; for I have been informed that they are preparing to build a strong trading fort, on the other side of the Mississippi, about sixty miles above Fort Chartres, and have this summer, in a private manner, tranported twenty-six pieces of small cannon up the river for that purpose.

"I am with great esteem and regard, your honor's most obedient, and most humble servant,

"GEO. CROGHAN. "To the Honorable Sir William Johnson, General, his Majesty's sole agent for Indian affairs."

This letter has no date, but was probably written soon after Colonel Croghan's arrival at Fort Stanwix, which was 'October 21st, 1765; as it is attached to his Journal of transactions.

N. B. The above journal is copied from an original manuscript, among Colonel Morgan's papers, and not from Butler's History of Kentucky, which had not been seen by the writer at that time.

were

CHAPTER V.

Period of settlements on the Monongahela and at Wheeling, Virginia.- Trade with the Indians.- Hostile attitude of the whites.- Indian depredations.Expedition planned, for invading the Indian country, called "Dunmore's war."- Battle at the mouth of Kenawha.- Dunmore lands at Big Hockhocking. Marches to the Indian towns. They sue for peace.-Eloquence of Cornstalk, the Indian chief.- Dunmore returns to Fort Pitt.- Arrives in Williamsburgh.-Congratulatory addresses.-The people oppose his measures. Leaves the colony and goes to Florida.

AFTER the treaty with the Indians, in 1765, the country on the Monongahela and on the Ohio rivers, some distance below, began to be settled, as it enjoyed comparative security from Indian depredations. In the year 1767, a settlement at Red Stone, Old Fort, was begun. In 1770, Wheeling was settled by a number of men from the south branch of the Potomac, among whom was Ebenezer, Silas and Jonathan Zane, with Colonel Shepherd, all prominent men in the colonization and establishment of that place. Soon after which, locations were made on Buffalo and Short Creek, above Wheeling, where thet own of Wellsburgh now stands, then called "Buffalo," and afterwards Charleston.

This state of quiet continued, with little or no interruption on the part of the Indians, until the year 1774. A free and social intercourse was kept up between the red men and the white-the former often visiting their settlements, and numerous traders of the latter frequenting the Indian towns with goods, in exchange for peltries. This friendly feeling would have probably continued for some time longer, but for the depredations committed by the whites on the Indians; it being the opinion of nearly all the writers of early western history that the Indians were not the first aggressors, but