At some of the rocks one of the Indian chiefs, White Thunder, was hit and badly hurt. He also took a heavy cold because of the exposure and by the time Venango was gained was so ill he could not walk.
Washington hated to leave the Indians where they could again come under the influence of the wily Joncaire, but there was no help for it, and at Venango he left the sachems, but reminded them of the promises they had made.
“We shall not forget what we have promised,” said Tanacharisson. “The English are our brothers, and we know the French too well to be deceived by them.” Washington went away rather doubtful, but in the end the half-king proved as loyal as he had promised.
It was not James Morris’ intention to return to the east with Washington. Had all gone well he might have done so and purchased more goods, to take to his trading-post early in the Spring. But the rumors of war disturbed him and he thought it best to hold off before sinking more money in his venture.
“If war comes I may lose all I have on the Kinotah,” he said to one of the party. “And to take more goods out in the spring might only add to the loss. I will let matters rest and see how affairs turn.”
He journeyed with the party part of the way to Shannopins Town, a couple of miles above the fork of the Ohio, where they hoped to find an easy passage over the Alleghany. The way was extremely rough and the snow now lay deep in the hollows. Some days the party made hardly any progress, and once they missed the trail in a fierce snow storm.
On the way they fell in with a number of Indians who seemed to be waiting for them. They were from Venango and one of the red men was recognized as being in the employ of Joncaire.
“We want to beware of these redskins,” said Gist, the pioneer. “They are friends to the French and would murder us all for a keg of rum or a roll of tobacco,” and in this surmise he was more than half right. That night the entire party slept, as the saying is, “with one eye open.”
But an unbroken forest lay before them and nobody in the party was acquainted with the way, so at last Washington agreed to hire one of the Indians as a guide. This appeared to please the redskin, and he promised to take them through the forest by the most direct route. They started off leaving the other Indians behind.
James Morris had been watching the Indians closely and had seen a certain sign pass between them, and this sign had also been noticed by Gist. Now the two drew behind Washington and the others and held a consultation.