m Natural and civil 



no other advantage resulted from their labors 

 and controversies, tlian a well written account 

 of their conferences, containing much historical 

 and geographical information. 



1753. In the mean time the settlers in the 

 English and French colonies, were making 

 nearer approaches to each other ; and their ru- 

 lers were anxious on both sides to seize the 

 most favorable situations and passes for new 

 forts and trading houses. These interferences 

 of the colonists took place the most in the pro- 

 vinces of Nova- Scotia, New- York, and Virgi- 

 nia. In these encroachments the French arener- 

 ally discovered the most foresight, vigilance, 

 and activity. They surprised Logstown, which 

 the Virginians had built upon the Ohio ; made 

 themselves masters of the block-house, and 

 truck-house, with the stores of twentv thousand 

 pounds value, and destroyed the British traders ; 

 An officer, with a large force came down the 

 Ohio, and reduced a fort, which the Virginians 

 had built on the forks of the Monongehala. 

 The marquis Du Quesne was at that time in- 

 Vested with the chief command in New-France. 

 I Of an active and enterprising genius^ in the 

 year 1753, he began a fort and settlement on 

 the banks of the Ohio, at the place from whence 

 he had driven the English, now called Pitts- 

 burgh ; designed to secure a station on that 

 beautiful and extensive river, which should en- 

 gross the trade, and command the Indians in the 

 adjacent parts of the country. The governor 

 of Virginia, Mr. Dinwiddie, was alarmed at so 

 near approach of the French to the settlements 

 In that province. On October the thirty first 



