e Monongahela, which the rains had swollen to a
flood.

"No crossing here except by swimming the horses."

"And that will be hardly advisable," rejoined Frazier, "since you can
take your baggage down to the fork of the Ohio in a canoe."

"A good suggestion," said Washington. "Can you provide me with a canoe?"

"Fortunately I can, and shall be glad to render you any other assistance
possible. It is ten miles to the fork, and you will reach there with the
horses before the canoe with the baggage."

Washington engaged the canoe, loaded the baggage upon it, and sent
Currin and Steward down the river with it, while he went with the horses
and the rest of the party by land. He arrived at the fort in advance of
the canoe, and improved the time to visit Shingiss, King of the
Delawares, a warrior who had been a terror to the English on the
frontier, though he was now their friend.

Shingiss received Washington in a friendly manner, though with manifest
reserve. When he learned what was the object of his mission, and that an
Indian Council was proposed at Logstown, his friendliness grew into
cordiality, and he promised not only to be present at the Council, but
to accompany Washington and his party thither.

They arrived at Logstown on the evening of Nov. 24. Washington inquired
for Tanacharisson, the half-king, and found that he was out at his
hunting cabin on Little Beaver Creek, fifteen miles away. Tanacharisson
was called half-king because his authority was subject to that of the
Five Nations.

As the half-king was absent, he repaired to Monacatoocha, with John
Davidson, his Indian interpreter, and informed him that he was sent a
messenger to the French general, and was ordered to call upon the
sachems of the Six Nations to acquaint them with it.

"I gave him a string of wampum and a twist of tobacco," says Washington
in his journal, "and desired him to send for the half-king, which he
promised to do by a 'runner' in the morning, and for other sachems. I
invited him and the other great men present to my tent, where they
stayed about an hour, and returned."

At this place Washington met four Frenchmen who had deserted from a
company at Kuskuskas, an Indian town on Big Beaver Creek, Pennsylvania.
Through Van Braam, he inquired:

"Where do you hail from now?"

"From New Orleans. We were sent with a hundred men and eight canoe loads
of provisions to this place, where we expected to meet as many more men
from the fo