The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-05-11
CHAPTER Continued

ter, directing him to start belts to the
lake tribes. He stands next to WI.
liam Johnson In cOmprehending In
dian nature and influence over them
If any man can bring In the Della
wares, the Shawnees Wyandots.
Twightwees. tAIiami)). and the Plan
kashaws, 1t is Croghan."
'sWhen l last talked with Mr.. Wash.
ington he Informed me there were
three hundred Iroquois, who left the
Ohio last winter. and who are now
ready to march with as" said Brad.
dock. his face losing some of Its dour
expression.
| glanced at Governor Morris and
fancied detected symptoms OF IN
easiness. He knew what | was think.
ing. and. while he much dlsliked al
that time to dash any of Braddock's
hopes, he announced:
Il regret, sir, that the Iroqunis you
mention are no longer under our con-
troll. Pennsylvania fed them frdm the
latter part OF last year until this
spring. Ny last advice from Phila-
delphia is that the assembly has voted
to go to no further expense 10 their
behalf and that the Indians have re-
turned to the French"
1t was disheartening news for the
leader to hear. do not know that ]
would have impaired It had Governor
Morris kept silent. And yet It w0uld
have been deadly wrong to have
blinded the general to the truth OF
the situation. could have told him
II was too late to send belts to the
lake tribes; hut as that was my be-
lief and not an established fact my
conscience permitted me to keep my
mouth shut.
After aIi. sir" soothed MFR. Frank.
lin. "Fort Duquesne will fall to Gen.
eraI Bradd0ck's veterans and not be.
cause of the wavering allegiance Of
the natives. The tribes are with US
today and accept presents from
France tomorrow. And on another
day they will come hack TO Us. The
truth of the matter is. sir. the Indians
favor neither English nor French, and
kfould heartily rejoice If the two races
would cut each others threats until
not white man was, left In North
America
This speech made an impression.
and Braddock agreed:
"Aye. There's sound sense In that.
We must depend upon the army,
Thank God, the Guards have never
failed England and his majestyi"
will say now that there were but
two men in all the colonies Of whom
General Braddock unQualifledIy ap-
pr0ved-young Mr.. Washington whom
had known In happier days, and MIR.
Franklin. Mr.. Washington. despite
his y0uth-twenty-three years Of age
had been requested to serve on
BraddOck'S staff. He was very bold
In opposing the generals plans when
he perceived they were based on
strategy learned on the battlefieIds OF
Europe. but not at all suited to our
wild forests and mountains. Mr..
Franklin was a magician at expedi,
ents, and without, any show of bius-
ter could blaze trail around what
appeared to be impossible obstacles.
General Braddock remembered l
was still In the room and said some
thing to Governor De Lancey. His
excellency asked me:
DO you believe you could visit Du.
Ua9ncna aOoin and nocc coureoif ~sp -,
q Canadian?"
believe that I could. and said so,
Then his excellency proceeded to
question me closely as to the physical
conditions of the fort. Stepping to
the table and using my finger and a
pool of spilled wine | indicated the
structures and was marking out the
tweive-fO0t stockade on the riverside
when the general CURLY interrupted:
1--WE understand enough Of that.
We shall learn all the details after
we have taken over the fort. You
win proceed to the fort and learn il
the French have received any rein.
f0rcements. AS you will travel much
faster than the army, you are TO Sc.
cure enlistments among the provin.
ciais while travelling to and from the
fort"
He dismissed me with fiirt Of his
thick hand.
Governor Morris motioned for me
to follow him down the hall. and ex-
planned ] was TO wait while he wrote
Letter for me TO give to George Gro
ham He smiled YEARLY and muir
keredA
''None OF US will rest easy until the
rmy Is under way. :'It's too bad
lung Mr.. Washington isn't here to
he things clear to the general
But you have Evans map?"
Aye. We have the map" grumbled
excelleney.
There are men of high station with
whom ! feel free to talk, but there
was something chilling ana repelling