338

The Wilderness Trail

The whole bore away into the River de Roches [Rocky River]   the wind at NE.   seven miles one-half from the last encampment.

"21st. At six o'clock this morning orders were given for the whole to proceed. Arrived at La Riviere de la Culiere, twenty-one miles, and there halted. At two o'clock this afternoon continued to the Riviere de Vermillion, thirteen miles further; thirty-four miles this day."

The detachment of troops accompanied by Lieutenant Montresor to Detroit left there to return to Sandusky on September 14th. On the 18th of that month the army left Sandusky for Niagara. Montresor writes: "This morning, at half-past eight o'clock, the whole decamped and embarked for Niagara, consisting of 1400 men, besides 150 Indians    59 long boats, one barge, and nine birch canoes. . . . Continued this whole day on Lake Erie. Passed by the Rivers Huron, Vermillion, and Culiere, and encamped on a sandy beach to the westward, one mile off the Riviere au Roche. . . . 19th. . . . Offered my services this morning to Colonel Bradstreet to command and conduct a party to Fort Pitt, as provisions was so scarce   the route by the portage from the River de Seguein. . . . 21st. ... At twelve o'clock opened the dam and all the boats proceeded, being thirty-six in number, and arrived at the River de Seguein at two o'clock. . . . 22d. At seven o'clock a detachment of three hundred and eighty men, with two days' provisions marched off for the River au Biche [Deer or Elk River], and if they should not find our boats there, to continue their route to Grande River, as per written instructions. At eight o'clock this morning continued our route (the same number of boats). . . . Attempted to disembark on a sandy beach, but found it not practicable, being in danger every instant of filling by a prodigious surf. Could not enter into the River au Biche, so were obliged to keep the sea and push for Grande River, which we reached about two o'clock. . . . 23d. . . . I went up the Grand Riviere, or Cayahage Creek to discover how far it was navigable; found it so for five miles for a barge at a place called le petit rapide. Arrived, the party that marched from the River de Sequein."

These extracts from the Journals of Montresor thus afford absolute proof of the identity of the White River (on which Saguin's Trading House stood in 1742) with the Cuyahoga River of to-day.

The last reference to this White River contained in the records of the English colonies appears to be that found in a letter from one Smith, transmitted by Governor William Shirley, of Massachusetts, to the Governor of Pennsylvania in March, 1754. Smith's letter to Governor Shirley was written from Cape Cod, December 24, 1753. He had left Quebec on the 18th of the preceding August.   Mr. Smith writes: "September the