Washington's trip to the French camp

Washington, carrying the governor's letter to the French, took horses, tents, and camp supplies to a settlement in western Maryland. Here he met his party of seven, among whom was Christopher Gist, an experienced woodsman. In southern Pennsylvania he was later joined by three Indian chiefs.

For eleven days the men tramped through the mud and snowdrifts of Pennsylvania to Fort Le Boeuf, a French post, on a branch of the Ohio near the Lake Erie.

The French commandant received Washington politely and prepared an answer to the letters from the governor of Virginia. Meanwhile, Washington's men were finding out the number of canoes that would be used to carry the French down the Ohio River in spring. They counted one hundred and seventy pine canoes, fifty birch-bark canoes, and fifty-nine more to be made. Washington noted in his journal everything he saw.

When Washington and his men left the French camp, the snow was knee deep, and the cold was growing sharper every minute. Washington and Gist decided to take a short cut home through the woods. The rest with their horses could take their time returning.

Washington and Gist strapped their belongings on their backs and began their lonely journey. They fell in with some French Indians. One of the Indians fired at the two white men, who made him their prisoner. They held him until nine o'clock till night. Then Washington took his gun away from him and let him go. Gist thought that Washington should have killed him. In order to escape the Indians, the two men walked all night and all the next day.

They expected to see the Allegheny River frozen over and easy to cross. Instead, the ice was floating about in the river in great blocks. The two men built a raft with no tools but a poor hatchet. Half way across the river, their raft got jammed in the ice. Washington tried to free the raft with his pole, but the swift current banged the ice against the pole with so much force that Washington was jerked into the river. He saved himself by catching hold of the raft.

A bath in icy water and only a freezing wind to dry one's clothes cannot be called fun. Luckily there was an island in the river, where the men spent the night. The weather grew so bitter during the night that Gist's fingers and some of his toes were frozen. By morning the river was solid enough for the men to walk to shore. They obtained horses from a settler and began the last lap of their hard journey.

Notes:

tramped through the mud and snowdrifts — шагали по сля­коти и сугробам

a branch of the Ohio — приток реки Огайо

to be made — которые еще предстоит сделать

the cold was growing sharper every minute — холод ста­новился все пронзительнее с каждой минутой

to take a short cut home — сократить путь домой

to take one's time — не торопиться

to fall in — случайно встретиться

that Washington should have killed him — что Вашингто­ну следовало бы его убить

the ice was floating about in the river in great blocks — лед плыл по реке огромными глыбами

a poor hatchet — плохонький топор

Halfway across the river, their raft got jammed in the ice. — На середине реки их плот застрял между льдин

pole — шест

was jerked into the river — резким толчком был сброшен в реку

Не saved himself by catching hold of the raft. — Он спасся, ухватившись за плот

the last lap — последний этап

EXERCISES

1. Переведите на русский язык:

The governor's letter to the French, in western Maryland, an experienced woodsman, in southern Pennsylvania, three Indian chiefs, the number of, to carry the French down the Ohio River in spring.

2. Выпишите из текста предложения, содержащие следующие словосочетания и переведите их на русский язык:

Washington and his men left the French camp, Washington and Gist decided to, Washington and Gist strapped, the Allegheny River, the ice was floating.

3. Составьте предложения со следующими словами и словосочетаниями:

A poor hatchet,, on a branch of, to take a short cut home, an experienced woodsman, three Indian chiefs, the last lap of their hard journey.

4. Ответьте на следующие вопросы:

1. Where was Fort Le Boeuf situated?

2. What did Washington and his men do in the fort?

3. Try to guess what made Washington take a short cut home through the woods.

4. What happened to Washington on his way home?