resenting the violence done their allies, assembled to the number of five or six hundred, and scoured the woods till they found three French traders, whom they sent to Pennsylvania. The French, however, determined to persist; and proceeded to build a second fort, about fifteen miles south of the former, upon one of the branches of the Ohio. They also erected a fort at the conflux of the _Ohio_ and _Wabache_; and thus completed their designed communication between the mouth of the _Missisippi_ and the river _St. Lawrence_. Nothing was done by the Pennsylvania government, so that the French continued to strengthen themselves without interruption; and encouraged by the little notice taken of their violence, began to seize and plunder every British trader they found on any part of the Ohio. Repeated complaints were made to lieutenant governor _Dinwiddie_, of Virginia; and as the Ohio company, whose existence depended upon stopping the French encroachments and pretensions on that river, had great influence there, that colony was prevailed upon to act with some vigor. The lieutenant governor having informed the house of burgesses, on the first of November, that the French had erected a fort on the Ohio, it was resolved to send some body to Mr. _St. Pierre_, the French commandant, to demand the reason of his hostile proceedings, and to require him at the same time to withdraw his forces. Major _Washington_, who was of age only on the eleventh of the preceding February, offered his service on this important occasion. The distance he had to go was more than four hundred miles; two hundred of which lay through a trackless desert, inhabited by Indians; and the season was uncommonly severe. Notwithstanding these discouraging circumstances, the major, attended by one companion only, set out upon this hazardous enterprise. He travelled from Winchester on foot, carrying his provisions on his back. Upon his arrival at the place of destination and delivering his message, the French commandant refused to comply, denied the charge of hostilities, and said that the country belonged to the king of France; that no Englishman had a right to trade upon any of its rivers; and that, therefore, he would seize, according to orders, and send prisoners to Canada, every Englishman that should attempt to trade upon the Ohio or any of its branches. Before major _Washington_ had got back, or the Virginians had heard of the French commandant’s answer, they sent out proper people, provided with materials for erecting a fort at the conflux of the Ohio and Monongahela, whom he met on his return. After excessive hardships, and many providential escapes, during his long and tedious undertaking, he arrived safe at Williamsburgh, and gave an account of his negociation to the house of burgesses the 14th of February following.