OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - Know your Ohio: George Washington's mission to the Ohio [3] *********************************************************************** OHGENWEB NOTICE: All distribution rights to this electronic data are reserved by the submitter. Reproduction or re-presentation of copyrighted material will require the permission of the copyright owner. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. *********************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Darlene E. Kelley http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00026.html#0006374 January 1, 2000 *********************************************************************** Historical Collections of Ohio Diaries of S. J. Kelly Plains Dealer Know Your Ohio by Darlene E. Kelley *********************************************************************** Continuation of George Washington's Journal-- Mission to the Ohio-- Pt 3. As printed in The Maryland Gazette-- March 21st and 28th. 1754. This is the General's Reply--- Now my Child. I have heard your Speech, you spoke first. but it is my Time to speak now. Where is my Wampum that you took away, with the Marks of Towns in it? This Wampum I do not know, which you have discharged me off the Land with; but you need not put yourself to the Trouble of Speaking, for I will not hear you; I am not afraid of Flies, or Mosquitos, for Indians are such as those; I tell you, down that River I will go, and will build upon it, according to my Command; if the River was backed up, I have Forces sufficient to burst it open, and tread under my Feet all that stand in Opposition, together with their Alliances; for my force is as the Sand upon the Sea Shore; Therefore, here is your Wampum, I flng it at you. Child, you talk foolish; you say this Land belongs to you, but there is not the Back of my Nail yours; I saw the Land sooner than you did, before the Shannoahs and you were at War; Lead was the Man that went down , and took Possession of that River; It is my Land, and I will have it, let who will stand up for, or say against it. I'll buy and sell with the Englaish (mocking). If People will be ruled by me, they expect Kindness, but not else. The Half King told me he enquired of the General after two Englishmen that were made Prisoners, and received this Answer. Child, You think it is a very great Hardship that I made Prisoners of those two People at Venango, don't concern yourself with it, we took and carried them to Canada, to get Intelligence of what the English were doing in Virginia. He informed me that they had built two Forts, one on Lake Erie, and another on French Creek, near a small Lake about 15 Miles asunder, and a large Wagogon Road Between; they are both built after the same Mode, but different in the Size; that on the Lake the Largest; he gave me a Plan of them, of his own drawing. The Indians enquired very particularly after their Brothers in Carolina Goal. They also asked what sort of a Boy it was that was taken from the South Branch; for they had, by some Indians, heard that a Party of French Indians had carried a white Boy by the Caseusea Town, Towards the Lakes. 26th. We met in Council at the Long-House about 9 o'Clock, where I spoke to them as fellows. Brothers, I have called you together in Council, by Order of your Brother the Governor of Virginia, to acquaint you that I am sent, with all possible Dispatch, to visit, and deliver a Letter to the French Commandant, of very great importance to your Brothers the English, and I dare say, to you their Friends and Allies. I was destined, brothers, by your brother, the governor, to call upon you, the sachems of the nations, to inform you of it, and to ask your advice and assistance to proceed the nearest and best road to the French. You see, brothers, I have gotten this far on my Journey. His Honor likewise desired me to apply to you for some of your young men to conduct and provide provisions for us on our way, and be a safeguard against those French Indians who have taken up the hatchet against us. I have spoken thus particularly to you, brothers, because his Homor, our governor, treats you as good friends and allies, and holds you in reat esteem. To confirm what I have said, I give you this string of Wampum. After they had considered for some time on the above discourse, the Half-King got up, and spoke; ' Now, my brother, in regard to what my brother, the governor, had desired of me. I return you this answer; ' I rely upn you as a brother ought to do, as you say we are brothers and one people. We shall put heart in hand and speak to our fathers, the French, concerning the speech they made to me, and you may depend that we will endeavor to be your guard. 'Brother, as you have asked my advice, I hope you will be ruled by it, and stay until I can provide a company to go with you. The French speech-belt is not here; I have to go for it to my Hunting-Cabin. Likewise, the people whom I have ordered in are not yet come, and cannot until the third night from this; until which time, brother, I beg you to stay. ' I intend to send a Guard of Mingoes, Shannoahs, and Delawares, that our brothers may see the love and loyalty we bear them.' As I had orders to make all possible Dispatch, and waiting here was very contrary to my inclination, I thanked him in the most suitable manner I could, and told him my business required the greatest expedition, and would not admit of that delay; He was not well pleased that I should offer to go before the Time he had appointed, and told me that he could not consent to our going without a Guard, for Fear some Accident shold befall us, and draw a Relexion upon him; besides, says he, this is a Matter of no small Moment, and must not be entered into without due Consideration; for now I intend to deliver up the French Speech-Belt, and make the Shannoahs and Delawares do the same; And accordingly he gave Orders to King Shingiss, who was present, to attend on Wednesday Night with the Wampum, and two Men of their Nation to be in Readiness to set out with next Morning. As I found it was impossible to get of without affronting them in the most egregious Manner, I consented to stay. I gave them back a String of Wampum that I met with at Frazier's, which they had sent with a Speech to his Honour the Governour, to inform him, that three Nations of French Indians, viz. Chippeways, Ottoways, and Orundacks, had taken up the Hatchet against the English, and desired them to repeat it over again, which they postponed doing till they met in full Council with the Shannoans and Delaware Chiefs. 27th. Runners were dispatched very early for the Shannoah Chiefs, the Half-King set out himself to fetch the French Speech-Belt from his Hunting-Cabbin. *********************************************** To be continued in part 4.