set out with Washington and his party
in the morning. But Washington did not leave as he designed, because he
found that the sachems would be greatly offended if he did. His journal
says: "I found it was impossible to go off without offending them in the
most egregious manner."

The entry in his journal for the next day, Nov. 27, is:

"Runners were despatched very early for the Shannoah chiefs. The
half-king himself set out to fetch the French speech belt from his
hunting cabin."

On the following evening, Nov. 28, Tanacharisson returned with the
French speech belt, and came to Washington's tent in company with
Monacatoocha and two other sachems.

"An Indian from Venango," said Monacatoocha, "has brought news that the
French have called all the Mingoes, Delawares, and several other tribes
together, and told them that they intended to have been down the river
this fall, but the waters were growing cold, and the winter advancing,
which obliged them to go into quarters, but that they might assuredly
expect them in the spring with a far greater number, and requested them
to remain passive, and not inter-meddle unless they had a mind to draw
all their force upon them, for that they expected to fight the English
three years, in which time they should conquer; but that if they should
prove equally strong, the French and the English would join to cut them
all off and divide the land between them; that, though they had lost
their general and some few of their soldiers, yet there were men enough
to reinforce them, and make them masters of the Ohio."

Washington inquired concerning the reliability of this information, and
was told that "one Captain Joncaire, their interpreter-in-chief, living
at Venango, and a man of note in the army, delivered the speech to us."

On the next morning, the half-king and Monacatoocha appeared very early
at Washington's tent, and besought him to wait another day.

"We have used all diligence possible, but the Shannoah chiefs have not
brought the wampum ordered, but will be here to-night," the half-king
said. "If they should not come in to-night, we will not delay you
another day, but will send it after you as soon as it arrives."

Washington yielded to their request, giving the reason in his journal
thus:

"When I found them so pressing in their request, and knew that the
returning of wampum[C] was the abolishing of agreements, and giving
this up was shaking off all dependence upon the Fren