tier, and acted, as he
thought, the part of a spy. He had been at Gist's new settlement
beyond Laurel Hill, and was prowling about the country with four
soldiers at his heels on a pretended hunt after deserters. Washington
suspected him to be on a reconnoitering expedition. It was reported,
moreover, that the French were lavishing presents on the Indians about
the lower part of the river, to draw them to their standard. Among all
these flying reports and alarms Washington was gratified to learn that
the half-king was on his way to meet him at the head of fifty
warriors.

After infinite toil through swamps and forests, and over rugged
mountains, the detachment arrived at the Youghiogeny River, where they
were detained some days constructing a bridge to cross it. This gave
Washington leisure to correspond with Governor Dinwiddie concerning
matters which had deeply annoyed him. By an ill-judged economy of the
Virginia government at this critical juncture, its provincial officers
received less pay than that allowed in the regular army. It is true,
the regular officers were obliged to furnish their own table, but
their superior pay enabled them to do it luxuriously; whereas the
provincials were obliged to do hard duty on salt provisions and water.
The provincial officers resented this inferiority of pay as an
indignity, and declared that nothing prevented them from throwing up
their commissions but unwillingness to recede from approaching danger.

Other instances of false economy were pointed out by Washington,
forming so many drags upon the expedition that he quite despaired of
success. "Be the consequence what it will, however," adds he, "I am
determined not to leave the regiment, but to be among the last men
that leave the Ohio; even if I serve as a private volunteer, which I
greatly prefer to the establishment we are upon.... I have a
constitution hardy enough to encounter and undergo the most severe
trials, and I flatter myself resolution to face what any man dares, as
shall be proved when it comes to the test."

While the bridge over the Youghiogeny was in the course of
construction, the Indians assured Washington he would never be able to
open a wagon-road across the mountain to Redstone Creek; he embarked
therefore in a canoe with a lieutenant, three soldiers, and an Indian
guide, to try whether it was possible to descend the river. The river
was bordered by mountains and obstructed by rocks and rapids. Indians
m