The Ordway new era., 1913-06-20

be expected to embark with ardor. he
could feel that he took small risk in
selecting such an agent Knowing
him. too. thus through his family and
like friend. he did not hesitate in
writing to Governor Hamilton of Penn
sylvania. to speak of this youth Of
twenty-one ~ 20 person of distinc-
tion"
Washington performed his errand
as Dinwiddie must have expected he
would. He received his commission
and the governors letter to the French
commandant on the last day Of octo-
Der. and set out the same day for the
mountains. Jacob vanbraam. the
Dutch soldier of fortune who had been
his fencing master at Mount Vernon.
accompanied him as interpreter. and
Christopher Gist. the hardy, self-reli.
ant frontier trader. whom the Ohio
company had employed to make inter
est for them among the Indians of the
far region upon the western rivers
which he knew so we'll. was engaged
to act as his guide and counselor:
and with few servants and pack
horses he struck straight into the for
eats in the middle OF bleak November
Reaebss the French Fort.
It was the eleventh of December
before the 1aded party rode. In the
cold dusk, into the drenched and miry
clearing where the dreary little fort
stood that held the French command
er. Through two hundred and fifty
miles and more of forest they had
dragged themselves over swollen riv-
ers. amidst an almost ceaseless fall Of
rain or snow. with not always an In
dian trail. or the beaten track of the
bison. to open the forest growth for
their tagging horses. and on the watch
always against savage treachery.
1t had become plain enough before
they reached their destination what
answer they should get from the
French. Sixty miles nearer home than
these lonely headquarters OF the
French commander at Fort LIE Boeuf
they had come upon an outpost where
the French colors were to be seen ny.
ing from a house from which an Eng
ilsh trader had been driven out, and
the French officers there had uttered
brutally frank avowal of their pur-
pose in that wilderness as they sat at
wine with the alert and temperate
young virginian. ut was their abso-
lutte design" they said. ito take pos
session of the Ohio. and. by G..
they would do 1t. They were
sensible the English could raise two
men for their one. yet they knew their
motions were too slow and dilatory to
prevent any undertaking of theirs"
The commandant Courteous.
The commandant at Fort Ls Boeuf
received the wayworn ambassador
very courteously. and even graciously
"a thoughtful. elderly man, Washing
ton noted him. with much the air of
a soldier'-but would make no pro-
fession even that he would consider
the English summons to withdraw;
and the Wtle party OF Englishmen
presently turned back amid the win
ter's storms to carry through the
frozen wilderness a letter which boast
ed the French lawful masters Of all
the continent beyond the Alleghanies.
When Washington reached Will
liamsburg. in the middle of January,
1884. untouched by even the fearful
fatigues and anxieties OF that daring
journey. he had accomplished nothing
but the establishment of his own char.
acter In the eyes OF the men who were
to meet the crisis now at hand. He
had been at infinite pains, at every
stage OF the dreary adventure, to win
and hold the confidence of the Indi.
ans who were accounted friends Of the
English. and had displayed an older
mans patience. address and fortitude
in meeting all their subtle shifts; and
he had borne hardships that tried
even the doughty Gist.
When the horses gave out. he had
left them to come by easier stages,
while he made his way afoot, with
only single companion. across the
weary leagues that lay upon his home
ward way. Gist. his comrade in the
hazard. had been solicitously "unwil.
ling he should undertake such travel,
who had never been used to walking
before this time" but the imperative
young commander would not be
stayed. and the journey was made.
spite OF sore feet and frosts and ex.
hausting weariness. He at least knew
what the French were about. with
what strongholds and forces, and
could afford to wait orders what to
do next.
The Governor Had Been Busy.
Dinwiddie had not been Idle while
Washington went his perilous errand.
He had gotten the burgesses together
by the first of November. before
Washington had left the back settle
ments to cross the wilderness, and
would have gotten liberal grant OF
money from them had they not fallen
in their debates upon the question of
the new fee charged. since his coming.
for every grant out of the public lands
OF the colony, and insisted that It
should be done away with. Sub
iect9," they said very Btubbornly