Journal of Col. Croghan. 257 



impulse which practical geology once received in this country 

 from William Maclure had been continued. We look with con- 

 fidence to the future. 



THE JOURNAL OF COL. CROGHAN. 



ArTER the peace of 1763, Col. Croghan was sent by the British 

 government to explore the country adjacent to the Ohio river, 

 and to conciliate the Indian nations, who had hitherto acted with 

 the French. As the Editor possesses the original journal kept 

 during this interesting expedition, he has thought it would be 

 gratifying to his readers to transfer it to his pages. The present 

 inhabitants of that fertile territory, will no doubt be pleased with 

 this document, which describes so minutely, their now highly cul- 

 tivated and populous country, when it knew no dominion but 

 that of the Indians, and the fera natura of the forests, and waters. 

 The list of the tribes of Indians in the northern parts of North 

 America is both curious and valuable* Col. Croghan was, per- 

 haps, the first European, or even white man, who personally visit- 

 ed Big-bone Lick, now become an object of so much interest to 

 naturalists, and which is here noticed. 



The Editor will esteem himself much obliged to any of his 

 readers, who will favour him with documents of a similar cha- 

 racter, and which have not yet been published. Ed. 



May 15th, 1765. I set off from Fort Pitt with two batteaux, 

 and encamped at Chartier^s Island, in the Ohio, three miles be- 

 low Fort Pitt. 



16th. Being joined by the deputies of the Senecas, Shawnesse, 

 and Delawares, that were to accompany me, we set off at 7 o'clock 

 in the morning, and at 10 o'clock arrived at the Log's Town, 

 an old settlement of the Shawnesse, about seventeen miles 

 from Fort Pitt, where we put ashore, and viewed the remains of 

 that village, which was situated on a high bank, on the south 

 side of the Ohio river, a fine fertile country round it. At 11 

 o'clock we re-embarked and proceeded down the Ohio to the mouth 

 of Big Beaver Creek, about ten miles below the Log's Town : 

 this creek empties itself between two fine rich bottoms, a mile 

 wide on each side from the banks of the river to the highlands. 



Vol. I.— 33 



