was ignorant of the cause of their stay; though I soon found it out.
He had promised them a present of guns, &c. if they would wait until
the morning. As I was very much pressed by the Indians to wait this
day for them, I consented, on a promise that nothing should hinder
them in the morning.

16th. The French were not slack in their inventions to keep the
Indians this day also. But as they were obliged, according to promise,
to give the present, they then endeavoured to try the power of liquor,
which I doubt not would have prevailed at any other time than this:
but I urged and insisted with the king so closely upon his word, that
he refrained, and set off with us as he had engaged.

We had a tedious and very fatiguing passage down the creek. Several
times we had like to have been staved against rocks; and many times
were obliged all hands to get out and remain in the water half an hour
or more, getting over the shoals. At one place, the ice had lodged,
and made it impassable by water; we were, therefore, obliged to carry
our canoe across the neck of land, a quarter of a mile over. We did
not reach Venango until the 22d, where we met with our horses.

This creek is extremely crooked. I dare say the distance between the
fort and Venango, can not be less than one hundred and thirty miles to
follow the meanders.

23d. When I got things ready to set off, I sent for the half king, to
know whether he intended to go with us, or by water. He told me that
White Thunder had hurt himself much, and was sick, and unable to walk;
therefore he was obliged to carry him down in a canoe. As I found he
intended to stay here a day or two, and knew that Monsieur Joncaire