HughWaddellandhisrangers，besidesservingwithdistinctionintheIndianwar，hadtakenpartinthecaptureofFortDuquesne。
Thisfeathadbeenaccomplishedin1758byanexpeditionunderGeneralForbes。Thetroopsmadeaterriblemarchoveranewroute，cuttingaroadastheywent。ItwasNovemberwhentheyapproachedtheirobjective。ThewastesofsnowandtheirdiminishedsuppliescausedsuchdepressionamongthementhattheofficerscalledahalttodiscusswhetherornottoproceedtowardFortDuquesne，wheretheybelievedtheFrenchtobeconcentratedinforce。ExtravagantsumsinguineaswerenamedassuitablerewardforanymanwhowouldstalkandcatchaFrenchIndianandlearnfromhimtherealconditionsinsidethefort。
Thehonor，ifnottheguineas，felltoJohnRogers，oneofWaddell’srangers。FromtheIndianitwaslearnedthattheFrenchhadalreadygone，leavingbehindonlyafewoftheirnumber。AstheEnglishdrewnear，theyfoundthatthegarrisonhadblownupthemagazine，setfiretothefort，andmadeoff。
Thus，whileNewFrancewasalreadytottering，butnearlytwoyearsbeforethefinalcapitulationatMontreal，theEnglishagainbecamemastersoftheOhioCompany’sland——mastersoftheForksoftheOhio。Thistimetheyweretheretostay。WherethewallsofFortDuquesnehadcrumbledinthefireFortPittwastorise，proudlybearingthenameofEngland’sGreatCommonerwhohaddirectedEnglisharmstovictoryonthreecontinents。
WithFranceexpelledandtheIndiansdeprivedoftheirwhiteallies，thewestwardpathlayopentothepioneers，eventhoughtheredmanhimselfwouldriseagainandagaininvainendeavortobartheway。Soanewerabegins，theeraofexplorationfordefinitepurpose，theeraofcommonwealthbuilding。Inenteringonit，wepartwiththeearliestpioneer——thetrader，whofirstopenedtheroadforboththelonehomeseekerandthegreatlandcompany。Hedwindlesnowtothemerebartererandso——saveforafewchanceglimpses——slipsoutofsight，forhisbravedaysasImperialScoutaredone。