slight resemblance to the terrific yells and whoops of Indian
warriors. Advancing a few paces farther, a sudden turn of the road
brought them in sight of two drunken soldiers, who were cursing and
swearing and hallooing in a manner quite outrageous and immoral; and
now and then, by way of adding a little spice to this part of their
entertainment, firing off their pistols into the tree-tops. And this
it was that had given rise to those wild rumors that had thrown the
whole country into such a terrible panic. To this imprudent waste of
breath and ammunition, the latter of which they had but little enough
to spare, Washington put a rather sudden stop by ordering the lively
young blades to be seized, and carried as prisoners to Winchester,
where he kept them in severe confinement for more than a week after
they had regained their sober senses. All this was ludicrous enough;
and you may be sure that Washington, although grave and dignified
beyond his years, had a hearty laugh over it the first time he found
himself alone with one or two of his brother-officers.

In addition to his other cares, the duties of his office required him
to visit, from time to time, the several forts along the frontier, to
see that those already finished were kept in fighting order, and give
directions for the proper construction of those still under way. Now,
the little garrison of forty men, that Col. Dunbar had left to hold
and defend Fort Cumberland against the combined armies of the French
and Indians, was commanded by a certain Dagworthy, who, pluming
himself upon the king's commission as captain, refused to own the
authority and render obedience to the orders of Washington, who held
only a governor's commission as colonel. It will be remembered, that
Washington had a similar misunderstanding with Capt. Mackay, eighteen
months before, at the Great Meadows, touching this same question of
rank between royal and provincial officers, which had caused him great
trouble and annoyance. Matters had now come to such a pass, that a
little upstart captain of forty men could set at naught the authority
of the commander-in-chief of the forces of a whole province, merely
because he could boast a bit of paper embellished with the king's
name. This was a degradation too grievous to be longer borne by a
manly, independent spirit. Though sorely vexed and annoyed, Washington
had too much self-respect and prudence to make a noise about the
matter; but he inwardl