down to the shore with a message, and there saw Colonel Gage crossing the shallow ford to some open meadow-lands on the farther side. He was to secure the two fords by which the whole force following him was to cross and then recross, so as to be again on the same side of the river as Fort Duquesne. After him, about four o'clock, came Sir John St. Clair, with carpenters—or, as we should say, axemen—and engineers, some three hundred in all.
I lingered a few moments and saw the last of the advance, as they marched up from the farther bank of the river and their red coats disappeared into the forest beyond the ford, which was, I thought, well chosen and shallow.
Before I went back, Gist, the trader, and Captain Croghan came to speak to me. I remarked that we had done well to come so far without more trouble from the Indians. Gist laughed and said: "They have never left us since we dropped you at the Youghiogheny." Then Croghan cried out, "There they are," and there was a sound of musketry beyond the river. It proved to be a small body of savages, easily dispersed by Gage. It being then about six
