Proceedings of George Croghan, Esquire, and Mr. Andrew Montour at Ohio, in the Execution of the Governor's Instructions to Deliver the
Provincial Present to the several Tribes of Indians settled there:[1]
May the 18th, 1751.—I arrived at the Log's Town on Ohio with the Provincial Present from the Province of Pennsylvania, where I was received by a great number of the Six Nations, Delawares, and Shawonese, in a very complaisant manner in their way, by firing Guns and Hoisting the English Colours. As soon as I came to the shore their Chiefs met me and took me by the Hand bidding me welcome to their Country.
May the 19th.—One of the Six Nation Kings from the Head of Ohio came to the Logstown to the Council, he immediately came to visit me, and told me he was glad to see a Messenger from his Brother Onas on the waters of the Ohio.
May the 20th.—Forty Warriors of the Six Nations
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- ↑ "This document is reprinted from Pennsylvania Colonial Records, v, pp. 530-536; a portion of it is also to be found in Craig, The Olden Time (Pittsburg, 1846), i, p. 136, and a reprint in Early History of Western Pennsylvania, app., pp. 26-34. As the result of Croghan's Western journey during the winter of 1750-51, and the desire of Pennsylvania to maintain its trade relations with the Ohio Indians, the Assembly voted £700 to be employed in presents; and the governor instructed Croghan and Montour to deliver the goods.—See Pennsylvania Colonial Records, v, Pp- 487, 518, 525, and Croghan's account, post. The adroitness with which Croghan outwitted the French officer and interpreter Joncaire, and his influence over the chiefs on the Ohio, as well as the susceptibility of the Indian nature to the influence of material goods, are all exemplified in this narrative. It did not result, however, as Croghan and the governor wished, in inducing the Pennsylvania authorities to construct a fort on the Ohio. The beginnings of that enterprise were left to the Virginians, but too late to secure the Forks of the Ohio from being seized by the French.—Ed.
