murdered some English traders, who resided amongst them. That town was
owned and had been occupied by Delaware Indians, who, when they left it,
buried their provision in the earth, in order to preserve it from their
enemies, or to have a supply for themselves if they should chance to
return. My brothers understood the customs of the Indians when they were
obliged to fly from their enemies; and suspecting that their corn at least
must have been hid, made diligent search, and at length found a large
quantity of it, together with beans, sugar and honey, so carefully buried
that it was completely dry and as good as when they left it. As our stock
of provision was scanty, we considered ourselves extremely fortunate in
finding so seasonable a supply, with so little trouble. Having caught two
or three horses, that we found there, and furnished ourselves with a good
store of food, we travelled on till we came to the mouth of French Creek,
where we hunted two days, and from thence came on to Conowongo Creek,
where we were obliged to stay seven or ten days, in consequence of our
horses having left us and straying into the woods. The horses, however,
were found, and we again prepared to resume our journey. During our stay
at that place the rain fell fast, and had raised the creek to such a
height that it was seemingly impossible for us to cross it. A number of
times we ventured in, but were compelled to return, barely escaping with
our lives. At length we succeeded in swimming our horses and reached the
opposite shore; though I but just escaped with my little boy from being
drowned. From Sandusky the path that we travelled was crooked and obscure;
but was tolerably well understood by my oldest brother, who had travelled
it a number of times, when going to and returning from the Cherokee wars.
The fall by this time was considerably advanced, and the rains, attended
with cold winds, continued daily to increase the difficulties of
travelling. From Conowongo we came to a place, called by the Indians
Che-ua-shung-gau-tau, and from that to U-na-waum-gwa, (which means an
eddy, not strong), where the early frosts had destroyed the corn so that