ed
Croghan at his abode on the Alleghany River, where he found several of
the chiefs of the Six Nations assembled. One of them, the White Mingo
by name, made him a speech, accompanied, as usual, by a belt of
wampum.

At Pittsburg the travellers left their horses, and embarked in a large
canoe, to make a voyage down the Ohio as far as the Great Kanawha.
Colonel Croghan engaged two Indians for their service, and an
interpreter named John Nicholson. The colonel and some of the officers
of the garrison accompanied them as far as Logstown, the scene of
Washington's early diplomacy, and his first interview with the
half-king. Here they breakfasted together; after which they separated,
the colonel and his companions cheering the voyagers from the shore,
as the canoe was borne off by the current of the beautiful Ohio.

Washington's propensities as a sportsman had here full play. Deer were
continually to be seen coming down to the water's edge to drink, or
browsing along the shore; there were innumerable flocks of wild
turkeys, and streaming flights of ducks and geese; so that as the
voyagers floated along, they were enabled to load their canoe with
game. At night they encamped on the river bank, lit their fire and
made a sumptuous hunter's repast. About seventy-five miles below
Pittsburg the voyagers landed at a Mingo town, which they found in a
stir of warlike preparation--sixty of the warriors being about to set
off on a foray into the Cherokee country against the Catawbas.

On the 24th, about three o'clock in the afternoon, they arrived at
Captema Creek, and two days more of voyaging brought them to an Indian
hunting camp, near the mouth of the Muskingum. Here it was necessary
to land and make a ceremonious visit, for the chief of the hunting
party was Kiashuta, a Seneca sachem, the head of the river tribes. He
was noted to have been among the first to raise the hatchet in
Pontiac's conspiracy, and almost equally vindictive with that potent
warrior. As Washington approached the chieftain, he recognized him for
one of the Indians who had accompanied him on his mission to the
French in 1753. Kiashuta retained a perfect recollection of the
youthful ambassador, though seventeen years had matured him into
thoughtful manhood. With hunter's hospitality he gave him a quarter of
a fine buffalo just slain, but insisted that they should encamp
together for the night.

At the mouth of the Great Kanawha the voyagers encamped for a d