The year after the peace, a grant of 600,000 acres of the finest American land in the neighbourhood of the _Ohio_, was made out to certain noblemen, merchants, and others, of _Westminster_, _London_, and _Virginia_, who associated under the title of the _Ohio Company_. The governor of Canada obtained early intelligence of it; and was alarmed with the apprehension that a scheme was in agitation, which would forever deprive the French of the advantage arising from the trade with the _Twightwees_, and cut off the communication so beneficial to the colonies of _Louisiana_ and _Canada_. He wrote therefore to the governors of _New-York_ and _Pennsylvania_, acquainting them that the English traders had encroached on the French territories, by trading with their Indians; and that if they did not desist, he should be obliged to seize them wherever they were found. This was the first time that either French or British had pretended to any exclusive trade with any Indians, or even the declared friends and allies of either; for it was expressly stipulated at the treaty of _Utrecht_, that, on both sides, the two nations should enjoy full liberty of going and coming among the Indians of either side, on account of trade; and that the natives of the Indian countries should, with the same liberty, resort as they pleased, to the British or French colonies, for the purpose of trade, without any molestation from either the British or French subjects. The British Indian trade had been carried on mostly with _Pennsylvania_ by the river _Susquehanna_; a great part of it was now to be diverted into another channel by the _Ohio company_; who by opening a waggon road through the country, and building a truck-house at _Will’s-creek_, were providing for its being carried into _Virginia_ by the _Patomack_. The Pennsylvania traders, jealous of the Ohio company, were upon the watch to injure them, which soon offered, when Mr. _Gist_ was employed by the company, in surveying the lands upon the _Ohio_, in order to their procuring 600,000 acres of the best and most convenient for the Indian trade. He carefully concealed his design from the Indians, who were no less suspicious and inquisitive; and being jealous that he meant to settle their lands, made use of threats. They were not pacified till there was delivered to them a pretended message from the king of Great-Britain. The Pennsylvania traders, actuated by revenge, informed both French and Indians, what was the service on which he was employed; and while he was on his progress in the spring of 1771, some French parties, with their Indians, put the governor of Canada’s menace into execution, and [1753.] seized the British traders who were trading among the _Twightwees_, and carried them to a fort they were building on the south side of lake _Erie_. The British, alarmed at the capture of their brethren, retired to the Indian towns for shelter, and the _Twightwees_,