frantic extravagance or
drunken oblivion.

All that day and the next was the party kept at Venango by the
stratagems of Joncaire and his emissaries to detain and seduce the
sachems. It was not until twelve o'clock on the 7th of December, that
Washington was able to extricate them out of their clutches and
commence his journey. A French commissary by the name of La Force, and
three soldiers, set off in company with him. La Force went as if on
ordinary business, but he proved one of the most active, daring, and
mischief-making of those anomalous agents employed by the French among
the Indian tribes. It is probable that he was at the bottom of many of
the perplexities experienced by Washington at Venango, and now
travelled with him for the prosecution of his wiles. He will be found,
hereafter, acting a more prominent part, and ultimately reaping the
fruit of his evil doings.

After four days of weary travel the party reached the fort. It was
situated on a kind of island on the west fork of French Creek, about
fifteen miles south of Lake Erie. On the death of the late general,
the fort had remained in charge of one Captain Reparti until within a
week past, when the Chevalier Legardeur de St. Pierre had arrived, and
taken command.

The reception of Washington at the fort was very different from the
unceremonious one experienced at the outpost of Joncaire and his
convivial messmates. When he presented himself at the gate,
accompanied by his interpreter, Van Braam, he was met by the officer
second in command and conducted in due military form to his
superior--an ancient and silver-haired chevalier of the military order
of St. Louis, courteous but ceremonious, mingling the polish of the
French gentleman of the old school with the precision of the soldier.
Having announced his errand, Washington offered his credentials and
the letter of Governor Dinwiddie, and was disposed to proceed at once
to business with the prompt frankness of a young man unhackneyed in
diplomacy. The chevalier, however, politely requested him to retain
the documents in his possession until his predecessor, Captain
Reparti, should arrive, who was hourly expected from the next post.

At two o'clock the captain arrived. The letter and its accompanying
documents were then offered again, and received in due form, and the
chevalier and his officers retired with them into a private apartment.
In this letter Dinwiddie complained of the intrusion of French fo