fficers toward us even more insulting.

As we were drawn up there in line, the orders for the camp were
published, the articles of war were read to us, and in the days that
followed there was great show of discipline. But it was only show, for
there was little real order, and even here on the edge of the
settlements, the food was so bad and so scarce that foraging parties were
sent to the neighboring plantations to seize what they could find, and a
general market established in the camp. To encourage the people to bring
in provisions, the price was raised a penny a pound, and any person who
ventured to interfere with one bringing provisions, or offered to buy of
him before he reached the public market, was to suffer death. These
regulations produced some supplies, though very little when compared to
our great needs.

A thing which encouraged me greatly to believe in the sagacity of our
commander was the pains he took to engage the good offices of the
Indians,--such of them, that is, as had not already been hopelessly
estranged by the outrages committed upon them by traders and
frontiersmen. Mr. Croghan, one of the best known of the traders, had
brought some fifty warriors to the camp, together with their women and
children, and on the morning of the twelfth, a congress was held at the
general's tent to receive them. All the officers were there, and when the
Indians were brought, the guard received them with firelocks rested.
There was great powwowing and smoking the pipe, and the general gave
them a belt of wampum and many presents, and urged them to take up the
hatchet against the French. This they agreed to do, and doubtless would
have done, but for the conduct of some of the officers of the line.

The Indian camp, with its bark wigwams and tall totem pole, had become a
great place of resort with certain of the officers. They had been
attracted first by the dancing and queer customs of the savages, and had
they come away when once their curiosity was satisfied, little harm had
been done. Unfortunately, after looking at the men they looked at the
women, and found some of them not unattractive. So, for want of something
better to do, they set about debauching them, and succeeded so well that
the warriors finally took their women away from the camp in disgust, and
never again came near it. Other Indians appeared from time to time, but
after begging all the rum and presents they could get, they left the camp
and we neve