Page:Early western travels, 1748-1846 (Vol 1 1904).djvu/198

192 much of the Indians concerning the English, whether they knew of any party coming to attack them, of which they were apprehensive.

9th.—Heavy rains all night and day: we slept on swampy ground.

10th.—We imagined we were near Kushkushkee; and having travelled three miles, we met three Frenchmen, who appeared very shy of us, but said nothing more than to enquire, whether we knew of any English coming against fort Venango.

After we travelled two miles farther, we met with an Indian, and one that I took to be a runagade English Indian trader; he spoke good English, was very curious in examining every thing, particularly the silver medal about Pisquitumen's neck. He appeared by his countenance to be guilty. We enquired of them where we were, and found we were lost, and within twenty miles of fort Duquesne. We struck out of the road to the right, and slept between two mountains; and being destitute of food, two went to hunt, and others to seek a road, but to no purpose.

11th.—We went to the place where they had killed two deers, and Pisquetumen and I roasted the meat. Two went to hunt for the road, to know which way we should go: one came back, and found a road; the other lost himself.

12th.—The rest of us hunted for him, but in vain; so, as we could not find him, we concluded to set off, leaving such marks, that, if he returned, he might know which ————