Under such circumstances the treaties of course came to naught.  After interminable delays the Indians either refused to treat at all, or else the acts of those who did were promptly repudiated by those who did not.  In consequence throughout this period even the treaties that were made were quite worthless, for they bound nobody.  Moreover, there were the usual clashes between the National and State authorities.  While Harmar was trying to treat, the Kentuckians were organizing retaliatory inroads; and while the United States Commissioners were trying to hold big peace councils on the Ohio, the New York and Massachusetts Commissioners were conducting independent negotiations at what is now Buffalo, to determine the western boundary of New York. [Footnote:  Do., Wilson and Rinkin to St. Clair, July 29, 1788.  These treaties made at the Ohio forts are quite unworthy of preservation, save for mere curiosity; they really settled nothing whatever and conferred no rights that were not taken with the strong hand; yet they are solemnly quoted in some books as if they were the real sources of title to parts of the Northwest.]

    Continued Ravages.

All the while the ravages grew steadily more severe.  The Federal officers at the little widely scattered forts were at their wits’ ends in trying to protect the outlying settlers and retaliate on the Indians; and as the latter grew bolder they menaced the forts themselves and harried the troops who convoyed provisions to them.  Of the innumerable tragedies which occurred, the record of a few has by chance been preserved.  One may be worth giving merely as a sample of many others.  On the Virginian side of the Ohio lived a pioneer farmer of some note, named Van Swearingen. [Footnote:  State Dept.  MSS., No. 150, vol. ii., Van Swearingen to William Butler, Washington County, Sept. 29, 1787.] One day his son crossed the river to hunt with a party of strangers.  Near a “waste cabbin,” the deserted log hut of some reckless adventurer, an Indian war-band came on them unawares, slew three, and carried off the young man.  His father did not know whether they had killed him or not.  He could find no trace of him, and he wrote to the commander of the nearest fort, begging him to try to get news from the Indian villages as to whether his son were alive or dead, and to employ for the purpose any friendly Indian or white scout, at whatever price was set—­he would pay it “to the utmost farthing.”  He could give no clue to the Indians who had done the deed; all he could say was that a few days before, one of these war parties, while driving off a number of horses, was overtaken by the riflemen of the neighborhood and scattered, after a fight in which one white man and two red men were killed.