20th.—We took leave of each other, and went on our journey, and arrived the 22d at fort Augusta, in the afternoon, very weary and hungry; but greatly rejoiced of our return from this tedious journey.
There is not a prouder, or more high minded people, in themselves, than the Indians. They think themselves the wisest and prudentest men in the world; and that they can over-power both the French and English when they please. The white people are, in their eyes, nothing at all. They say, that through their conjuring craft they can do what they please, and nothing can withstand them. In their way of fighting they have this method, to see that they first shoot the officers and commanders; and then, they say, we shall be sure to have them. They also say, that if their conjurers run through the middle of our people, no bullet can hurt them. They say too, that when they have shot the commanders, the soldiers will all be confused, and will not know what to do. They say of themselves, that every one of them is like a king and captain, and fights for himself. By this way they imagine they can overthrow any body of men, that may come against them. They say, “The English people are fools; they hold their guns half man high, and then let them snap: we take sight and have them at a shot, and so do the French; they do not only shoot with a bullet, but big swan shot.” They say, the French load with a bullet and six swan-shot. They further say, “We take care to have the first shot at our enemies, and then they are half dead before they begin to fight.”
The Indians are a people full of jealousy, and will not easily trust any body; and they are very easily affronted, and brought into jealousy; then afterwards they will have nothing at all to do with those they suspect; and it is not brought so easy out of their minds; they keep it to their graves, and leave the seed of it in their children and grand children’s minds; so, if they can, they will revenge themselves for every imagined injury. They are a very distrustful people. Through their imagination and reason they think themselves a thousand times stronger than all other people. Fort du Quesne is said to be under-mined. The French have given out, that, if we over-power them, and they should die, we should certainly all die with them. When I came to the fort, the garrison, it was said, consisted of about one thousand four hundred men; and I am told they will now be full three thousand French and Indians. They are almost all Canadians, and will certainly meet the general before he comes to the fort, in an ambush. You may depend upon it the French will make no open field-battle, as in the old country, but lie in ambush. The Canadians are all hunters. The Indians have agreed to draw back; but how far we may give credit to their promises the Lord knows. It is the best way to be on our guard against them, as they really could with one thousand over-power eight thousand.
Thirty-two nights I lay in the woods; the heavens were my covering. The dew came so hard sometimes, that it pinched close to the skin. There was nothing that laid so heavy on my heart, as the man that went along with me. He thwarted me in every thing I said or did; not that he did it against me, but against the country, on whose business I was sent: I was afraid he would overthrow what I went about. When he was with the English he would speak against the French, and when with the French against the English. The Indians observed that he was a false fellow, and desired me, that I would not bring him any more, to transact any business between the English and them; and told me, it was through his means I could not have the liberty to talk with the prisoners.
Praise and glory be to the Lamb, that has been slain, and brought me through the country of dreadful jealousy and mistrust, where the prince of this world has his rule and government over the children of disobedience.
The Lord has preserved me through all the dangers and difficulties, that I have ever been under. He directed me according to his will, by his holy spirit. I had no one to converse with but him. He brought me under a thick, heavy, and dark cloud, into the open air; for which I adore, praise, and worship the Lord my God, that I know has grasped me in his hands, and has forgiven me for all sins, and sent and washed my heart with his most precious blood; that I now live not for myself, but for him that made me; and to do his holy will is my pleasure. I own that, in the children of light, there dwells another kind of spirit, than there does in the children of this world; therefore, these two spirits cannot rightly agree in fellowship.
Christian Frederick Post.
THE JOURNAL OF CHRISTIAN FREDERICK POST, ON A MESSAGE FROM THE GOVERNOR OF PENNSYLVANIA, TO THE INDIANS ON THE OHIO, IN THE LATTER PART OF THE SAME YEAR.
October 25th, 1758.—Having received the orders of the honourable Governor Denny,[65] I set out from Easton to Bethlehem, and arrived there about three o’clock in the afternoon; I was employed most of the night, in preparing myself with necessaries, &c. for the journey.