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more than two hundred men； at least ten in each canoe； together
with the necessary impedimenta for a long journey。 There were
twenty soldiers in uniform； a hundred and eighty Canadians
skilled in paddling and in carrying canoes and freight over the
portages； a band of Indians； and fourteen officers with Celoron
de Blainville at their head。
The acting Governor of Canada at this time was a dwarf in
physique； but a giant in intellect； the brilliant naval officer；
the Marquis de la Galissoniere； destined later to inflict upon
the English in the Mediterranean the naval defeat which caused
the execution of Admiral Byng as a coward。 This remarkable
manplanning； like his predecessor Frontenac； on a scale suited
to world politicssaw that the peace of 1748 settled nothing；
that in the balance now was the whole future of North America；
and that victory would be to the alert and the strong。 He chose
Celoron； the most capable of the hardy young Canadian noblesse
whom he had at hand； a man accustomed to the life of the forest；
and sent with him this large party to assert against the English
the right of France to the valley of the Ohio。 The English were
now to be shut out definitely from advancing westward and to be
confined to the strip of territory lying between the Atlantic
coast and the Alleghany Mountains； a little more than that strip
fifty miles wide talked about in Quebec as the maximum concession
of France； but still not very much according to the ideas of the
English； and even this not secure if France should ever grow
strong enough to crowd them out。
At no time do we find more vivid the contrast in type between the
two nations。 Before a concrete fact the British take action。 When
they gave up Louisbourg they built Halifax。 Their traders had
pressed into the Ohio country； not directed under any grandiose
idea of empire； but simply as individuals； to trade and reap for
themselves what profit they could。 When they were checked and
menaced by the French； they saw that something must be done。 How
they did it we shall see presently。 It was the weakness of the
English colonies that they could not unite to work out a great
plan。 If Virginia took steps to advance westward； Pennsylvania
was jealous lest lands which she desired should go to a rival
colony。 France； on the other hand； had complete unity of design。
Celoron spoke in the name of the King of France and he spoke in
terms uncompromising enough。 〃The Ohio；〃 said the King of France
through his agent； 〃belongs to me。〃 It is a French river。 The
lands bordering upon it are 〃my lands。〃 The English intruders are
foreign robbers and not one of them is to be left in the western
country： 〃I wilt not endure the English on my land。〃 The Indians；
dwelling in that region； are 〃my children。〃
Scattered over the vast region about the Great Lakes were a good
many French。 At the lower end of Lake Ontario stood Fort
Frontenac； a menace to the colony of New York； as the dwellers in
the British post of Oswego on the opposite shore of the lake well
knew。 We have already seen that the French held a fort at Niagara
guarding the route leading farther west to Lake Erie and to
regions beyond Lake Erie； by way of the Ohio or the upper lakes；
to the Mississippi。 Near the mouth of the Mississippi； New
Orleans was now becoming a considerable town with a governor
independent of the governor at Quebec。 Along the Mississippi at
strategic points stretching northward beyond the mouth of the
Missouri were a few French settlements； ragged enough and with a
shiftless population of fur traders and farmers； but adequate to
assert France's possession of that mighty highway。 The weak point
in France's position was in her connection of the Mississippi
with the St。 Lawrence by way of the Ohio。 This was the place of
danger； for here English rivalry was strongest； and it was to
cure this weakness that Celoron was now sent forth。
Celoron moved toilsomely over the portage which led past the
great cataract of Niagara and launched his canoes on Lake Erie。
》From its south shore； during seven days of heart…breaking labor；
the party dragged the canoes and supplies through dense forest
and over steep hills until they reached Chautauqua Lake； the
waters of which flow into the Allegheny River and by it to the
Ohio。 For many weary days they went with the current； stopping at
Indian villages； treating with the savages； who were sometimes
awed and sometimes menacing。 They warned the Indians to have no
dealings with the scheming English who would 〃infallibly prove to
be robbers；〃 and asserted as boldly as Celoron dared the lordship
of the King of France and his love for his forest children。
Celoron realized that he was on an historic mission。 At several
points on the Ohio； with great ceremony； he buried leaden plates；
as La Verendrye had done a few years earlier in the far West；
bearing an inscription declaring that； in the name of the King of
France； he took possession of the country。 On trees over these
memorials of lead he nailed the arms of France； stamped on sheets
of tin。 Since that day at least three of the plates have been
found。
Celoron's expedition went well enough。 He advanced as far west on
the Ohio as the mouth of the Great Miami River； then up that
river； and by difficult portages back to Lake Erie。 It was a
remarkable journey； but in the late autumn he was back again in
Montreal； not sure that he had achieved much。 The natives of the
country were； he thought； hostile to France and devoted to the
English who had long traded with them。 This opinion was in truth
erroneous； for； when the time of testing came； the Indians of the
West fought on the side of France。 Montcalm had many hundreds of
them under his banner。 The expedition meant the definite and
final throwing down of the gauntlet by France。 With all due
ceremony she had declared that the Ohio country was hers and that
there she would allow no English to dwell。
Legardeur de Saint…Pierre could hardly have known； when he left
the hard region of the Saskatchewan in 1752； that a year later he
would be sent to protect another set of outposts of France in the
West。 In 1753 we find him in command of the French forces in the
Ohio country。 Celoron had been sent to Detroit。 If Saint…Pierre
had played his part feebly on the Saskatchewan； he was now made
for a brief period one of the central figures in the opening act
of a world drama。 It is with a touch of emotion that we see on
the stage； as the opponent of this not great Frenchman； the
momentous figure of George Washington。
The fight for North America was now rapidly approaching its final
phase in the struggle which we know as the Seven Years' War。
During forty years； commissioners of the two nations had been
trying to reach some agreement as to boundaries。 Each side；
however； made impossible demands。 France claimed all the lands
drained by the St。 Lawrence and the Great Lakes and