“To get scalps in the Catawba and Cherokee country. When we were part way we found five Englishmen and two English women lying dead in some houses. The tracks were Ottawa tracks; but for fear the English would think we had done it and would attack us we turned back, to tell Fraser.”
Scarouady and his nineteen warriors left, up river to visit Queen Allaquippa’s town, three miles away. Wah! So the Ottawas of the French were raiding even far into the south! Washington had struck to the eastward none too rapidly.
Now the road to Assaragoa the Governor of Virginia was open, although still long. While John Fraser was trying to find horses, Washington wrote his travel story in his book.
Queen Allaquippa sent word that she was offended because Washington did not visit her. They went to see her, the next day, and he gave her his red blanket-coat, which pleased her.
“I heard you passed me by once, which was impolite,” said old Allaquippa, woman sachem of the Delawares, who was fat and wrinkled and smoked a pipe. “You probably were in a hurry. But now I think well of you. I am a lonely widow with two sons, and should have a husband to protect me from the French. Is Washington supplied with wives?”
“Hah! She wishes to marry you, major,” Gist chuckled.
Major Washington turned red, and soon left as if he were glad to get away.
“That is your fourth narrow escape,” Gist laughed again.
“Yes,” Washington replied soberly. “A wife with a tomahawk at her belt is scarce to my liking.”
Trader Fraser could find no horses. On this day called New Year’s Day, of January 1, 1754, they three set out once more, on foot, for Christopher Gist’s new place, southeast upon the way to Will’s Creek. There they got horses.