11th.—We started early, and came to the old _Shawanese_ town, called _Keckkeknepolin_,[88] grown up thick with weeds, briars and bushes, that we scarcely could get through. _Pesquitomen_ led us upon a steep hill, that our horses could hardly get up; and _Thomas Hickman’s_ horse stumbled, and rolled down the hill like a wheel; on which he grew angry, and would go no further with us, and said, he would go by himself: It happened we found a path on the top of the hill. At three o’clock we came to _Kiskemeneco_, an old _Indian_ town, a rich bottom, well timbered, good fine _English_ grass, well watered, and lays waste since the war began.[89] We let our horses feed here, and agreed that lieutenant _Hays_ might go back with his party; and as they were short of provisions, we, therefore, gave them a little of ours, which they took very kind of us. _Thomas Hickman_ could find no other road, and came to us again a little ashamed; we were glad to see him; and we went about three miles farther, where we made a large fire. Here the _Indians_ looked over their presents, and grumbled at me; they thought, if they had gone the other way by _Shamokin_, they would have got more. Captain Bull spoke in their favour against me. Then I said to them, “I am ashamed to see you grumble about presents; I thought you were sent to establish a peace.” Though I confess I was not pleased that the _Indians_ were so slightly fitted out from _Easton_, as the general had nothing to give them, in the critical circumstances he was in, fit for their purpose. 12th.—Early in the morning, I spoke to the _Indians_ of my company, “Brethren, you have now passed through the heart of the country back and forward, likewise through the midst of the army, without any difficulty or danger; you have seen and heard a great deal. When I was among you, at _Alleghenny_, you told me, I should not regard what the common people would say, but only hearken to the chiefs; I should take no bad stories along. I did accordingly; and when I left _Alleghenny_ I dropt all evil reports, and only carried the agreeable news, which was pleasing to all that heard it. Now, brethren, I beg of you to do the same, and to drop all evil reports, which you may have heard of bad people, and only to observe and keep what you have heard of our rulers, and the wise people, so that all your young men, women and children, may rejoice at our coming to them, and may have the benefit of it.” They took it very kindly. After awhile they spoke in the following manner to us, and said, “Brethren, when you come to _Kushkushking_, you must not mind the prisoners, and have nothing to do with them. Mr. _Post_, when he was first there, listened too much to the prisoners; the _Indians_ were almost mad with him for it, and would have confined him for it; for, they said, he had wrote something of them.”