The Cherokees came and told them, the English had killed about thirty of their people, for taking some horses, which they resented much; and told our Indians they had better go home, than go any farther with us, lest they should meet with the same. On hearing this, I told them how I had heard it happened; upon which our Indians said, they had behaved like fools, and brought the mischief on themselves.
Pesquitomen, before we went from hence, made it up with Jenny Frazer, and they parted good friends; and though it rained hard, we set out at 10 o’clock, and got to the foot of the Alleghenny, and lodged at the first run of water.
6th.—One of our horses went back; we hunted a good while for him. Then we set off, and found one of the worst roads that ever was travelled until Stoney creek.[82] Upon the road we overtook a great number of pack horses; whereon Pesquitomen said, “Brother, now you see, if you had not come to us before, this road would not be so safe as it is; now you see, we could have destroyed all this people on the road, and great mischief would have been done, if you had not stopt, and drawn our people back.”—We were informed that the general was not yet gone to fort Duquesne, wherefore Pesquitomen said, he was glad, and expressed, “If I can come to our towns before the general begins the attack, I know our people will draw back, and leave the French.”—We lodged this night at Stoney creek.
7th.—We arose early, and made all the haste we could on our journey; we crossed the large creek, Rekempalin; near Lawrel hill. Upon this hill we overtook the artillery, and came, before sun set, to Loyal Hanning.[83] We were gladly received in the camp by the general, and most of the people. We made our fire near the other Indian camps; which pleased our people. Soon after some of the officers came, and spoke very rashly to our Indians, in respect to their conduct to our people; at which they were much displeased, and answered as rashly, and said, “they did not understand such usage; for they were come upon a message of peace; if we had a mind to war, they knew how to help themselves; and they were not afraid of us.”
8th.—At eleven o’clock the general called the Indians together, the Cherokees and Catawbas being present; he spake to them in a kind and loving manner, and bid them heartily welcome to his camp, and expressed his joy to see them, and desired them to give his compliments to all their kings and captains:—He desired them that had any love for the English nation, to withdraw from the French; for if he should find them among the French, he must treat them as enemies, as he should advance with a large army very soon, and cannot wait longer on account of the winter season. After that he drank the king’s health, and all that wish well to the English nation; then he drank king Beaver’s, Shingas; and all the warrior’s healths, and recommended us (the messengers) to their care; and desired them to give credit to what we should say. After that we went to another house with the general alone; and he shewed them the belt, and said, he would furnish them with a writing, for both the belt and string; and after a little discourse more, our Indians parted in love, and well satisfied. And we made all necessary preparations for our journey.
9th.—Some of the colonels and chief commanders wondered how I came through so many difficulties, and how I could rule and bring these people to reason, making no use of gun or sword. I told them, it is done by no other means than by faith. Then they asked me, if I had faith to venture myself to come safe through with my companions. I told them, it was in my heart to pray for them, “you know that the Lord has given many promises to his servants, and what he promises, you may depend upon, he will perform.”—Then they wished us good success. We waited till almost noon for the writing of the general. We were escorted by an hundred men, rank and file, commanded by captain Haselet;[84] we passed through a tract of good land, about six miles on the old trading path, and came to the creek again, where there is a large fine bottom, well timbered; from thence we came upon a hill, to an advanced breast work, about ten miles from the camp, well situated for strength, facing a small branch of the aforesaid creek; the hill is steep down, perpendicular about twenty feet, on the south side; which is a great defence; and on the west side the breast-work about seven feet high, where we encamped that night:[85] our Indian companions heard that we were to part in the morning, and that twelve men were to be sent with us, and the others, part of the company, to go towards fort Duquesne. Our Indians desired that the captain would send twenty men, instead of twelve; that if any accident should happen, they could be more able to defend themselves in returning back; “for we know, say they, the enemy will follow the smallest party.” It began to rain. Within five miles from the breast-work we departed from captain Haselet; he kept the old trading path to the Ohio. Lieutenant Hays[86] was ordered to accompany us to the Alleghenny river[87] with fourteen men. We went the path that leads along the Loyal Hanning creek, where there is a rich fine bottom, land well timbered, good springs and small creeks. At four o’clock we were alarmed by three men, in Indian dress; and preparation was made on both sides for defence. Isaac Still shewed a white token, and Pesquitomen gave an Indian halloo; after which they threw down their bundles, and ran away as fast as they could. We afterwards took up their bundles, and found that it was a small party of our men, that had been long out. We were sorry that we had scared them; for they lost their bundles with all their food. Then, I held a conference with our Indians, and asked them, if it would not be good, to send one of our Indians to Logstown and fort Duquesne, and call the Indians from thence, before we arrive at Kushkushking. They all agreed it would not be good, as they were but messengers; it must be done by their chief men. The wolves made a terrible music this night.
11th.—We started early, and came to the old Shawanese town, called Keckkeknepolin,[88] grown up thick with weeds, briars and bushes, that we scarcely could get through. Pesquitomen led us upon a steep hill, that our horses could hardly get up; and Thomas Hickman’s horse stumbled, and rolled down the hill like a wheel; on which he grew angry, and would go no further with us, and said, he would go by himself: It happened we found a path on the top of the hill. At three o’clock we came to Kiskemeneco, an old Indian town, a rich bottom, well timbered, good fine English grass, well watered, and lays waste since the war began.[89] We let our horses feed here, and agreed that lieutenant Hays might go back with his party; and as they were short of provisions, we, therefore, gave them a little of ours, which they took very kind of us. Thomas Hickman could find no other road, and came to us again a little ashamed; we were glad to see him; and we went about three miles farther, where we made a large fire. Here the Indians looked over their presents, and grumbled at me; they thought, if they had gone the other way by Shamokin, they would have got more. Captain Bull spoke in their favour against me. Then I said to them, “I am ashamed to see you grumble about presents; I thought you were sent to establish a peace.” Though I confess I was not pleased that the Indians were so slightly fitted out from Easton, as the general had nothing to give them, in the critical circumstances he was in, fit for their purpose.
12th.—Early in the morning, I spoke to the Indians of my company, “Brethren, you have now passed through the heart of the country back and forward, likewise through the midst of the army, without any difficulty or danger; you have seen and heard a great deal. When I was among you, at Alleghenny, you told me, I should not regard what the common people would say, but only hearken to the chiefs; I should take no bad stories along. I did accordingly; and when I left Alleghenny I dropt all evil reports, and only carried the agreeable news, which was pleasing to all that heard it. Now, brethren, I beg of you to do the same, and to drop all evil reports, which you may have heard of bad people, and only to observe and keep what you have heard of our rulers, and the wise people, so that all your young men, women and children, may rejoice at our coming to them, and may have the benefit of it.”
They took it very kindly. After awhile they spoke in the following manner to us, and said, “Brethren, when you come to Kushkushking, you must not mind the prisoners, and have nothing to do with them. Mr. Post, when he was first there, listened too much to the prisoners; the Indians were almost mad with him for it, and would have confined him for it; for, they said, he had wrote something of them.”
As we were hunting for our horses, we found Thomas Hickman’s horse dead, which rolled yesterday down the hill. At one o’clock we came to the Alleghenny, to an old Shawano town, situated under a high hill on the east, opposite an island of about one hundred acres, very rich land, well timbered.[90] We looked for a place to cross the river, but in vain; we then went smartly to work, and made a raft; we cut the wood, and carried it to the water side. The wolves and owls made a great noise in the night.