st. This,
together with other items meriting attention that happened to him or
occurred to his mind during the expedition, he carefully noted down in
a journal which he kept, to be laid, in the form of a report, before
Gov. Dinwiddie, upon his return. The following year, as a convincing
proof to his countrymen how entirely they might rely on his foresight
and judgment in such matters, French officers of skill and experience
chose this very spot to be the site of Fort Duquesne, afterwards so
famous in the border history of our country. Near the close of the
war, this post fell into the hands of the English, who changed its
name to that of Fort Pitt; which in time gave rise to the busy,
thriving, noisy, dingy, fine young town of Pittsburg, a smoky-looking
picture of which you may see any time you choose to consult your
geography.

Instead of pushing on directly to the Lakes, Major Washington turned a
little aside from his course, and went down the Ohio about twenty
miles, to an Indian village called Logstown. Here, as had been
previously arranged, he met a few sachems or chiefs of some of the
Western tribes, to kindle a council-fire and have a Big Talk. He was
received with much hospitality and courtesy by a stately old chief,
whose Indian name you would not care to hear, as it would give Master
Charlie's nut-crackers the jaw-ache to pronounce it. Among the
English, however, as he was the head of a league or union of several
tribes, he usually went by the name of the Half King. After the pipe
had passed with all due gravity from mouth to mouth, and every
warrior, chief, and white man present had taken a whiff or two, in
sign that all was good-will and peace between them, Washington arose,
and addressed the Half King in a short speech, somewhat after the
following manner:--

"Your brother, the Governor of Virginia, has sent me with a letter to
the big French captain, near Lake Erie. What is written therein deeply
concerns you and your people as well as us. It was his desire,
therefore, that you share with us the toils and dangers of this
expedition, by sending some of your young men along with us, to guide
us through the wilderness where there is no path, and be our safeguard
against the wiles of cunning and evil-minded men we may chance to meet
by the way. This he will look upon as a still further proof of the
love and friendship you bear your brothers, the English. As a pledge
of his faith in all this, and as a token