Smyrna times., 1931-10-28

could face the hostile French COM
mander, Washington had first to
Get through a wilderness teeming
with doubtful Indians in the dead
of winter. On October 80 he set
ont from Williamsburg, the Vir-
ginia capital in that day, journey
ing north to Fredericksburg, where
he picked up a French interpreter,
Jacob Van Braam. From there he
rode to Winchester, and thence to
Wills Creek, now the city of Cum
berland, Maryland. There he was
Joined by Christopher Gist, trad
er and scout, skilled in Indian ways
and familiar with the densely
wooded region. On November Is
Washington and Gist, together
with John Davidson, set out into
the wintry wilds, on day of rain
and snow. At Turtle Creek, a few
miles south of the present Pitts
burgh, they stopped at the shack
of John Frazier, another exper-
fenced trader. From there they
headed for Logstown, some IT
miles away In this Washington
was successful, and from these In
dams he gathered valuable infor-
I nation. Some 20 miles of danger
Gus and difficult country had still
to be covered, but on December 4
Washington set forth, accompan-
/ led by Half King and other In
dians. At length they reached
Venango, now Franklin, with their
objective LIE Boeuf still
further up French Creek near the
site of the present Waterford. Ar
irving at the fort, the youthful
Washington delivered his message
from the Governor to the French
commander, st. Pierre, and got his
first taste of international diplom-
acy. The F'renchman took two
DAYS to consider Governor Dinwid-
dies letter, and meanwhile did his
best to wean away Washington's
Indians with fair speeches and lib
eral portions of liquor. Even when
ST. Pierre's reply had been COM
posed, sealed, and presented to
Washington, the French made
every effort to detain his Indians,
with more liquor and presents.
Finally, on December 16. Washing
ton was able to break away and
got back to Venango on the 22d.
BY then his horses were done for,
and, donning Indian costume,
Washington set out on foot, his
companions likewise. Even so, his
baggage was an encumbrance, and
Washington left it in charge of
Van Braam, while he and Gist
pushed on by themselves. At
Numbering Town they fell in with
Indians Of more than doubtful
character, one of whom insisted on
accompanying Washington and
Gist, on the plea that the woods
were full of hostile Ottawas, and
that he was needed as protection.
A little way along on their route,
this self-appointed protector sud
denly shot at Washington or Gist,
but fortunately missed. BY a
stratagem, Washington and Gist
got rid of this fellow. Pretending
to camp for the night, they rushed
on, instead, through the night and
all the next day, and finally reach
ed the banks Of the Allegheny
River, hoping to find it sufficiently
frozen to cross. The stream, in
stead, was full of floating ice and
therefore dangerous. A raft had
to be built; and, with but one
hatchet, Washington and Gist con
sumed whole day in constructing
this craft. They got half way
across the river an this frail float
when it jammed in the ice, and
Washington was jerked into ten
feet Of icy water in attempting to
get the raft free. Only by luckily
grabbing log of the raft did he
save himself. At length they
drifted to an island in midstream,
and there passed a night SO cold
that Gist's hands and feet were
frozen. Next morning the river
had frozen, and they were able to
land on the southern shore and
reach the cabin of John Frazier on
Turtle Creek, along the Mononga-
hela. After a rest there, they
pushed on to the cabin of Gist,
where Washington was able to buy
a horse and hurry on home alone.
He got back to Williamsburg, on
January 16, delivered st. Pierre's
defiant refusal on the part of the
French to leave the Ohio region,
and wrote out his own report to
the Governor. Vastly to Washing
toms surprise, the Governor order
ed it printed, sand Washington
found himself suddenly famous.
He himself may not have known
then that here was the beginning
of his career, though we know it