The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-10-05

talking she was shaking her head.
There was number OF women along
with the train, but how many never
could learn as their names were not
on the rolls She would have the COM
pany of her sex, yet was much de-
pressed, and not little provoked, at
her stubbornness. We left her in young
Morgan's wagon and went up the line.
The wagon train was alarmed by
rifie-fire in the woods; then CrOmit ap-
peared, trailing his long rifle. He had
been mistaken for French scout and
had barely escaped the bullets of some
of our flankers. He was sbut little
worse for his hasty travel and grinned
broadly on bebolding us. and more
broadly when the Onondaga refused to
shake hands with him.
"Allaquippas Injuns are hiding in
the woods, scared of the French" he
told me. There's going to he vast
" severe wiring before we finish this
business"
"We march by the head of Turtle
creek. The Indians will refuse to at
tack. The French can do nothing
alone" | Informed him.
There's going to be IA mighty tough
wiring" he insisted. 1--WE dreamed
again OF the witch-girl."
''She's back in one of the wagons.
She'll put spell on the French"
He was much interested in my news
and prophecies, and by his glances
toward the rear | surmised he was
wishing himself back beside the girls
wagon. Yet he maintained that to
dream of her instead of ''tOther one"
meant bad luck. He philosophically
decided 1t was an III omen for him
personally and perhaps did not con-
Germ the general welfare of the army.
We passed a covered wagon in
which Colonel Washington. very sick
man, was travelling. He had over.
taken the rear of the army two days
before, July fourth. | have no dOub;
he would have wished to question me.
but knew he must indeed be iii when
lie could not ride horse. and thought
it hest not to make my presence
known. ~
Before we caught up with the staff
we learned that some of our rangers
had fired on several of bur Indian
scouts. installing them for French In.
dams. and killed Scarouady's son.
ScarOuady, an Oneida chief, was
known among the Delawares as Mon.
actuatha, but had been called the
Half-King by the English since the
death of Half-King Scruniyatha in the
preceding year.
The Staying OF his son was ter.
rible error as it might have resulted
in the complete alienation of our few
Indians. But Scarouady was above
the average Indian in intelligence and
was as devoted to the colonies as he
was hostile to the French.
They had buried the youth with
suitable ceremonies the day before we
reached the army and had covered his
bones with the gift of an elaborate
red coat to the bereaved father. Yet
the tragedy had a lasting effect on the
Indians. Round Paw told me that the
Delaware scouts were asking one an,
other:
"If the English shoot US what won't
the French do?"
A shadow seemed to hang over the
entire length of the slowly moving
army. The militia were outspoken in
their pessimism because they were not
turned loose to fight in the only way
they had been accustomed. The reg
ulars were facing their task with grim
visages, wondering what chance they
could have in this strange wild land
when the woodsmen were so down
cast.
We reached the staff just as a halt
was made for the officers to eat their
poor rations. General Braddock sat
apart from the others, and we were
not allowed to approach him. He ap.
peared TO me to be dspirited over the
condition and sluggishness of the
army, and disgruntled with several of
his officers. How much the last con-
clusion was due to my observation,
and how much to the report Cromit
had brought me after Beauvais es-
capped from the road-buiders' camp !
cannot say. Undoubtedly Cromit's talk
Influenced my decision. as | saw him
there within seventy-twO hours of his
bloody death.
ITO BE CONTINUED)