r by the
more primitive methods of wading or swimming,--expedients
none too agreeable in freezing weather. But youth and a
lofty spirit halt not for obstacles. Washington pushed on.

At Will's Creek he added to his party. Here he was joined by
Mr. Gist, an experienced frontiersman, who knew well the
ways of the wilderness, and by four other persons, two of
them Indian traders. On November 14 the journey was resumed.
Hardships now surrounded the little party of adventurers.
Miles of rough mountain had to be climbed; streams, swollen
to their limits, to be crossed; unbroken and interminable
forests to be traversed. Day after day they pressed onward,
through difficulties that would have deterred all but the
hardiest and most vigorous of men. In ten days they had
accomplished an important section of their journey, and
reached those forks of the Ohio which were afterwards to
attain such celebrity both in war and peace,--as the site of
Fort Duquesne and of the subsequent city of Pittsburgh.

Twenty miles farther on the Indian settlement of Logstown
was reached. Here Washington called the Indian chiefs
together in conference. The leading chief was known as
Tanacharison (Half-King), an Indian patriot, who had been
much disturbed by the French and English incursions. He had
been to the French forts. What he had said to their
commanders is curious, and worthy of being quoted:

"Fathers, I am come to tell you your own speeches; what your
own mouths have declared. Fathers, you in former days set a
silver basin before us, wherein was the leg of a beaver, and
desired all the nations to come and eat of it,--to eat in
peace and plenty, and not to be churlish to one another; and
that, if any person should be found to be a disturber, I
here lay down by the edge of the dish a rod, which you must
scourge them with; and if your father should get foolish in
my old days, I desire you may use it upon me as well as
others. Now, fathers, it is you who are the disturbers in
this land, by coming and building your towns, and taking it
away unknown to us, and by force....

"Fathers, I desire you may hear me in civilness; if not, we
must handle that rod which was laid down for the use of the
obstreperous.... Fathers, both you and the English are
white; we live in a country between; therefore, the land
belongs to neither one nor the other. The Great Being above
allowed it to be a place of residence for us; so, fathers, I
desire you to withdr