“The French came, claiming the land,” they said. “We shot bullets through their flag. We threatened Captain Joncaire with fire. We would not give up the English traders to them, for the English traders furnish us with plenty of powder. Were it not for the English we would be poor. You may stay among us, and in the spring we will go with you to the big council at Logstown.”
But the Miamis were yet to be visited. Their principal town was two hundred miles northward; and they had sent friendship belts to Onas the Governor of Pennsylvania.
The Shawnees pointed out the way, and George Croghan led into the unknown.
The season was early spring. The country was fresh and beautiful, rich with deer and buffalo and turkeys, and grass and noble trees.
After a time they came to the upper Miami River, and they saw upon the west side the great town Pickawillanee of the Miami nation, where today is Piqua, Ohio.
So they made a raft of logs and branches, and loaded it with the presents and the saddles, and drove their horses into the river. The white men and Captain Montour crossed on the raft, but Robert the Hunter swam with the horses, to keep them going.
The Miamis came out with the peace pipe to meet George Croghan and Christopher Gist. Then under the flag of the English they entered the town, while the warriors fired salutes.
The flag was hoisted over the chief’s house. A powerful people, were these Twightwees or Miamis, forming a league as strong as the league of the Iroquois, and ruling all this country clear to the Mississippi. They were haughty, but polite, and swift of foot.
Pickawillanee contained four hundred houses, and many English traders, who had built a fort against the French. The chief was Old Britain of the Piankashaw tribe. The French of Captain Céleron had been here; and as answer to his threats Old Britain had asked the traders to build that fort.