98 COLLISION OF THE RIVAL COLONIES. [1754. 



ney up the banks of the Alleghany until the fourth 

 of December. On that day he reached Venango, 

 an Indian town on the Alleghany, at the mouth of 

 French Creek. Here was the advanced post of the 

 French ; and here, among the Indian log-cabins and 

 huts of bark, he saw their flag flying above the 

 house of an English trader, whom the military 

 intruders had unceremoniously ejected. They gave 

 the young envoy a hospitable reception,^ and referred 

 him to the commanding officer, whose headquarters 

 were at Le Bceuf, a fort which they had just built 

 on French Creek, some distance above Venango. 

 Thither Washington repaired, and on his arrival 

 was received with stately courtesy by the officer, 

 Legardeur de St. Pierre, whom he describes as an 

 elderly gentleman of very soldier-like appearance. 

 To the message of Dinwiddle, St. Pierre replied 

 that he would forward it to the governor general 

 of Canada ; but that, in the mean time, his orders 

 were to hold possession of the country, and this he 

 should do to the best of his ability. With this 

 answer Washington, through all the rigors of the 



1 " He invited us to sup with them, and treated us with the greatest 

 complaisance. The wine, as they dosed themselves pretty plentifully 

 with it, soon banished the restraint which at first appeared in their con- 

 versation, and gave a license to their tongues to reveal their sentiments 

 more treely. They told me that it was their absolute design to take pos- 

 session of the Ohio, and by G — d they would do it ; for that, although 

 they were sensible the Enghsh could raise two men for their one, yet they 

 knew their motions were too slow and dilatory to prevent any under- 

 taking of theirs. They pretend to have an undoubted right to the river 

 from a discovery made by one La Salle, sixty years ago ; and the rise of 

 this expedition is, to prevent our settling on the river or waters of it, as 

 they heard of some families moving out in order thereto." — Washington, 

 Journal. 



