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diff --git a/27431.txt b/27431.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e51ddfd --- /dev/null +++ b/27431.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3901 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Adventures of Daniel Boone: the +Kentucky rifleman, by Uncle Philip + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Adventures of Daniel Boone: the Kentucky rifleman + +Author: Uncle Philip + +Release Date: December 7, 2008 [EBook #27431] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ADVENTURES OF DANIEL BOONE *** + + + + +Produced by David Edwards, Jen Haines and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by Florida's Publication of Archival, Library & Museum +Materials (PALMM)) + + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + +In the contents list for Chapter II, 'Daniel Doone is rejoiced' was +changed to 'Daniel Boone'. 'Boon' in the frontispiece illustration +caption has however been retained. + +Variations in use of hyphens have been standardised within the text. + +Less usual spelling of words such as rackoon and periogues have been +left as they appear in the original book. + +The spelling of Colonel Calloway/Calaway has been left as it appears +in the original. + + + + + THE + ADVENTURES + OF + DANIEL BOONE, + THE + KENTUCKY RIFLEMAN. + + + BY + THE AUTHOR OF "UNCLE PHILIP'S CONVERSATIONS." + + + "Too much crowded--too much crowded--I want more + elbow-room."--_Boone on his way to Missouri._ + + + NEW YORK: + D. APPLETON & CO., 200 BROADWAY. + PHILADELPHIA: + GEORGE S. APPLETON, 164 CHESNUT ST. + MDCCCL. + + + Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1843, + By D. APPLETON & CO., + in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, + for the Southern District of New York. + + + TO + HIS YOUNG COUNTRYMEN + THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, + AND ESPECIALLY + THE LADS OF KENTUCKY, + This Volume + IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED, + BY UNCLE PHILIP. + + + [Illustration: DANIEL BOON. + From the Basso Relievo in the Rotunda + of the Capitol at Washington] + + + + + CONTENTS. + + + CHAPTER I. + Page. + Daniel Boone is born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania--His + father removes to the Schuylkill--Boone's early passion + for hunting--Kills a panther--Wanderings in the woods--Is + sent to school--The school is broken up--Boone returns to + his sports--His father removes to the Yadkin river in + North Carolina--While the farm is improving Daniel is + hunting--The neighborhood begins to be settled--Daniel is + dissatisfied--Settlement of Mr. Bryan--Daniel Boone goes + out upon a fire hunt--Strange adventure--Marries Rebecca + Bryan--Makes a home for himself on the head waters of the + Yadkin--Men begin to crowd upon him--determines to move 13 + + CHAPTER II. + + Early visits to Kentucky--James McBride--Dr. Wacker and + others--John Finlay goes to Kentucky trading with the + Indians--Returns with glowing accounts of the + country--Visits Daniel Boone and spends the winter with + him--Boone is charmed with the stories--They determine in + the spring to go to Kentucky--Meeting at Boone's house in + May--With four companions they start for the + west--Adventures by the way--They reach Finlay's old + station on the Red river--Make their camp--Amuse + themselves in hunting and exploring the country--Beauty + of the country--Abundance of game--Boone and Stewart are + taken by the Indians--Make their escape--Return to their + camp--It is plundered and deserted--Arrival of Squire + Boone--Daniel Boone is rejoiced to hear from his family 26 + + CHAPTER III. + + Hunting party--Stewart is killed by the Indians--narrow + escape of Daniel Boone--The companion of Squire Boone + returns home--The two brothers alone in the + wilderness--Cheerfulness of Daniel Boone--Squire returns + to the Yadkin for ammunition--Daniel lives in the forest + alone--His pleasant wanderings--Singular escape from the + Indians--Encounter with a bear--Looks for the return of + his brother--Disappointment--Is very sad--Squire suddenly + arrives with ammunition and horses--Plans for the + future--Daniel Boone chooses a spot on the Kentucky + river--They return for his family--Sport by the way--They + reach the Yadkin--Try to beat up recruits for + Kentucky--Ridicule of the people--They start with five + families--Forty men join them--Disaster by the way--They + return to Clinch river--Various employments of Boone--He + returns to Kentucky--Builds a fort--Removes his family to + Boonesborough 42 + + CHAPTER IV. + + Comforts of Boonesborough--Arrival of Colonel Calaway and + his daughters--Capture of three girls by the + Indians--Boone and Calaway pursue--Are made + prisoners--Happy escape--New emigrants--County of + Kentucky--Indian warfare--Attacks upon Harrodsburgh and + Boonesborough--Expedition to the salt-licks on Licking + river--Courage of Boone--Overcomes two Indians--Is met by + a large Indian party--Made a prisoner--His long captivity + and escape 59 + + CHAPTER V. + + Indian customs noticed by Boone during his + captivity--Mode of hardening children--Changing + names--Marriages--Burials--War parties--Celebration of + victories--Torturing prisoners--Making treaties of peace 80 + + CHAPTER VI. + + Boone's disappointment upon not finding his + wife--Strengthening of Boonesborough--Indian + hostilities--Attack of Boonesborough--gallant + defence--Boone returns to North Carolina--Occurrences + during his absence--Boone returns--Goes to the Blue Licks + for salt--Death of the younger Boone--Daniel Boone + escapes--Kentucky divided into three counties--Hard + winter of 1781--Indian hostilities--Attack on Bryant's + station--Villany of Simon Girty 91 + + CHAPTER VII. + + Disastrous defeat at the Blue Licks--General Clarke's + campaign--Efforts to restore peace--Sullenness of the + Indians--They continue their massacres--Stratagems on the + Ohio--Bold defence of Captain Hubbil--Halmar's + campaign--St. Clair's defeat--Debate in Congress--General + Wayne takes command--Defeats the Indians--Lays waste + their country--Concludes a treaty of peace with the + savages in August, 1795 109 + + CHAPTER VIII. + + Happiness of the settlers--Boone roams through the + wilderness--Civilization sickens him--He loses his + lands--Moves to the Kanhawa--Disappointed in finding + game--Moves to Missouri--Purchase of Missouri from the + French--Anecdote related by Mr. Audubon--Boone loses his + wife--His sorrow--War with England--His old age--His + habits--He dies in 1818. 127 + + APPENDIX. + + The adventures of Colonel Daniel Boone, formerly a + hunter; containing a narrative of the wars of Kentucky, + as given by himself. 143 + + + + +THE ADVENTURES OF DANIEL BOONE. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + +Some men choose to live in crowded cities;--others are pleased with the +peaceful quiet of a country farm; while some love to roam through wild +forests, and make their homes in the wilderness. The man of whom I shall +now speak, was one of this last class. Perhaps you never heard of DANIEL +BOONE, the Kentucky rifleman. If not, then I have a strange and +interesting story to tell you. + +If, when a child was born, we knew that he was to become a remarkable +man, the time and place of his birth would, perhaps, be always +remembered. But as this can not be known, great mistakes are often made +on these points. As to the time when Daniel Boone was born, there is no +difficulty; but people have fallen into many blunders about the place. +Some have said that he was born in England, before his parents left that +country; others that he came into this world during the passage of his +parents across the Atlantic. One has told us that he was born in +Virginia; another in Maryland; while many have stated that he was a +native of North Carolina. These are all mistakes. Daniel Boone was born +in the year 1746, in Bucks county, in the state of Pennsylvania. + +From some cause or other, when the boy was but three years old, his +parents moved from this home, and settled upon the Schuylkill river, not +far from the town of Reading. Here they lived for ten years; and it was +during this time that their son Daniel began to show his passion for +hunting. He was scarcely able to carry a gun, when he was shooting all +the squirrels, rackoons, and even wild-cats (it is said), that he could +find in that region. As he grew older, his courage increased, and then +we find him amusing himself with higher game. Other lads in the +neighborhood were soon taught by him the use of the rifle, and were then +able to join him in his adventures. On one occasion, they all started +out for a hunt, and after amusing themselves till it was almost dark, +were returning homeward, when suddenly a wild cry was heard in the +woods. The boys screamed out, "A panther! a panther!" and ran off as +fast as they could. Boone stood firmly, looking around for the animal. +It was a panther indeed. His eye lighted upon him just in the act of +springing toward him: in an instant he levelled his rifle, and shot him +through the heart. + +But this sort of sport was not enough for him. He seemed resolved to go +away from men, and live in the forests with these animals. One morning +he started off as usual, with his rifle and dog. Night came on, but +Daniel did not return to his home. Another day and night passed away, +and still the boy did not make his appearance. His parents were now +greatly alarmed. The neighbors joined them in making search for the lad. +After wandering about a great while, they at length saw smoke rising +from a cabin in the distance. Upon reaching it, they found the boy. The +floor of the cabin was covered with the skins of such animals as he had +slain, and pieces of meat were roasting before the fire for his supper. +Here, at a distance of three miles from any settlement, he had built his +cabin of sods and branches, and sheltered himself in the wilderness. + +It was while his father was living on the head-waters of the Schuylkill, +that young Boone received, so far as we know, all his education. Short +indeed were his schoolboy days. It happened that an Irish schoolmaster +strolled into the settlement, and, by the advice of Mr. Boone and other +parents, opened a school in the neighborhood. It was not then as it is +now. Good schoolhouses were not scattered over the land; nor were +schoolmasters always able to teach their pupils. The schoolhouse where +the boys of this settlement went was a log cabin, built in the midst of +the woods. The schoolmaster was a strange man: sometimes good-humored, +and then indulging the lads; sometimes surly and ill-natured, and then +beating them severely. It was his usual custom, after hearing the first +lessons of the morning, to allow the children to be out for a half hour +at play, during which time he strolled off to refresh himself from his +labors. He always walked in the same direction, and the boys thought +that after his return, when they were called in, he was generally more +cruel than ever. They were whipped more severely, and, oftentimes +without any cause. They observed this, but did not know the meaning of +it. One morning young Boone asked that he might go out, and had scarcely +left the schoolroom, when he saw a squirrel running over the trunk of a +fallen tree. True to his nature, he instantly gave chase, until at last +the squirrel darted into a bower of vines and branches. Boone thrust his +hand in, and, to his surprise, laid of hold of a bottle of whiskey. This +was in the direction of his master's morning walks, and he thought now +that he understood the secret of much of his ill-nature. He returned to +the schoolroom; but when they were dismissed for that day, he told some +of the larger boys of his discovery. Their plan was soon arranged. Early +the next morning a bottle of whiskey, having tartar emetic in it, was +placed in the bower, and the other bottle thrown away. At the usual +hour, the lads were sent out to play, and the master started on his +walk. But their play was to come afterward: they longed for the master +to return. At length they were called in, and in a little time saw the +success of their experiment. The master began to look pale and sick, yet +still went on with his work. Several boys were called up, one after the +other, to recite lessons, and all whipped soundly, whether right or +wrong. At last young Boone was called out to answer questions in +arithmetic. He came forward with his slate and pencil, and the master +began: "If you subtract six from nine, what remains?" said he. "Three, +sir," said Boone. "Very good," said the master; "now let us come to +fractions. If you take three quarters from a whole number, what +remains?"--"The whole, sir," answered Boone. "You blockhead!" cried the +master, beating him, "you stupid little fool, how can you show +that?"--"If I take one bottle of whiskey," said Boone, "and put in its +place another in which I have mixed an emetic, the whole will remain, if +nobody drinks it!" The Irishman, dreadfully sick, was now doubly +enraged. He seized Boone, and commenced beating him: the children +shouted and roared; the scuffle continued, until Boone knocked the +master down upon the floor, and rushed out of the room. It was a day of +freedom now for the lads. The story soon ran through the neighborhood; +Boone was rebuked by his parents, but the schoolmaster was dismissed, +and thus ended the boy's education. + +Thus freed from school, he now returned more ardently than ever to his +favorite pursuit. His dog and rifle were his constant companions, and +day after day he started from home, only to roam through the forests. +Hunting seemed to be the only business of his life; and he was never so +happy as when at night he came home laden with game. He was an untiring +wanderer. + +I do not know but that this passion for roaming was in some degree +inherited by Daniel Boone. His father had already had three homes: one +in England, one in Bucks county, and another on the Schuylkill; and he +now thought of removing further. It is said that the passion of Daniel +for hunting was one cause which prompted his father to think of this. +Land was becoming scarce, the neighborhood a little crowded, and game +less abundant; and, to mend matters, he began to cast his eyes around +for a new home. He was not long in choosing one. He had heard of a rich +and beautiful country on the banks of the Yadkin river in North +Carolina, and he determined that this should be the next resting-place +for him and his household. + +All things were made ready as soon as possible, and the journey +commenced. It was a fine spring morning when the father started for his +new home, with his wife and children, his flocks and herds. Their +journey lay hundreds of miles through a trackless wilderness; yet with +cheerful and fearless hearts they pressed onward. When hungry, they +feasted upon venison and wild turkeys (for Daniel, with his rifle, was +in company); when thirsty, they found cool springs of water to refresh +them by the way; when wearied at night, they laid themselves down and +slept under the wide-spreading branches of the forest. At length they +reached the land they looked for, and the father found it to be all that +he expected. The woods in that region were unbroken; no man seemed yet +to have found them. Land was soon cleared, a cabin built, and the father +in a little time found himself once more happily settled with his +family. + +The old man with his other sons went busily to the work of making a +farm. As for Daniel, they knew it was idle to expect his help in such +employment, and therefore left him to roam about with his rifle. This +was a glorious country for the youth; wild woods were all around him, +and the game, having not yet learned to fear the crack of the rifle +wandered fearlessly through them. This he thought was, of all places, +the home for him. I hope you will not think that he was the idle and +useless boy of the family, for it was not so. While the farm was +improving, Daniel was supplying the family with provisions. The table at +home was always filled with game, and they had enough and to spare. +Their house became known as a warm-hearted and hospitable abode; for the +wayfaring wanderer, when lost in the woods, was sure to find here a +welcome, a shelter, and an abundance. Then, too, if money was wanted in +the family, the peltries of the animals shot by Daniel supplied it: so +that he was, in a large degree, the supporter of the household. In this +way years rolled onward--the farm still enlarging and improving, Daniel +still hunting, and the home one of constant peace, happiness, and +plenty. + +At length the story of the success and comfort of the family brought +neighbors around them. Different parts of the forests began to be +cleared; smoke was soon seen rising from new cabins; and the sharp crack +of other rifles than Daniel's was sometimes heard in the morning. This +grieved him sadly. Most people would have been pleased to find neighbors +in the loneliness of the woods; but what pleased others did not please +him. They were crowding upon him; they were driving away his game: this +was his trouble. But, after all, there was one good farmer who came into +the region and made his settlement; which settlement, as it turned out, +proved a happy thing for Daniel. This was a very worthy man named Bryan. +He cleared his land, built his cabin upon a sloping hill, not very far +from Mr. Boone's, and before a great while, by dint of industry, had a +good farm of more than a hundred acres. This farm was beautifully +situated. A pretty stream of water almost encircled it. On the banks of +the Schuylkill, Daniel Boone found all his education, such as it was; on +the banks of the Yadkin he found something far better. I must tell you +now of a very strange adventure. + +One evening, with another young friend, he started out upon what is +called a "_fire-hunt_." Perhaps you do not know what this means. I will +explain it to you. Two people are always necessary for a fire-hunt. One +goes before, carrying a blazing torch of pitch-pine wood (or lightwood, +as it is called in the southern country), while the other follows behind +with his rifle. In this way the two hunters move through the forests. +When an animal is startled, he will stand gazing at the light, and his +eyes may be seen shining distinctly: this is called "_shining the +eyes_." The hunter with the rifle, thus seeing him, while the other +_shines_ him, levels his gun with steady aim, and has a fair shot. This +mode of hunting is still practised in many parts of our country, and is +everywhere known as a _fire-hunt_. + +Boone, with his companion, started out upon such a hunt, and very soon +reached the woods skirting the lower end of Mr. Bryan's farm. It seems +they were on horseback, Boone being behind with the rifle. They had not +gone far, when his companion reined up his horse, and two eyes were seen +distinctly shining. Boone levelled his rifle, but something prevented +his firing. The animal darted off. Boone leaped from his horse, left his +companion, and instantly dashed after it. It was too dark to see +plainly, still he pursued; he was close upon its track, when a fence +coming in the way, the animal leaped it with a clear bound. Boone +climbed over as fast as he could with his rifle, but the game had got +ahead. Nothing daunted by this, he pushed on, until he found himself at +last not very far from Mr. Bryan's home. But the animal was gone. It was +a strange chase. He determined to go into Mr Bryan's house, and tell his +adventure. As he drew near, the dogs raised a loud barking, the master +came out, bade him welcome, and carried him into the house. Mr. Bryan +had scarcely introduced him to his family as "the son of his neighbor +Boone," when suddenly the door of the room was burst open, and in rushed +a little lad of seven, followed by a girl of sixteen years, crying out, +"O father! father! sister is frightened to death! She went down to the +river, and was chased by a panther!" The hunter and his game had met. +There stood Boone, leaning upon his rifle, and Rebecca Bryan before him, +gasping for breath. From that moment he continued to pursue it; Farmer +Bryan's house became a favorite resort for him; he loved it as well as +the woods. The business was now changed: Rebecca Bryan completely +_shined his eyes_; and after a time, to the great joy of themselves and +both families, Daniel Boone and Rebecca Bryan were married. It proved, +as you will see, a very happy marriage to both parties. + +Being now a married man, it became Daniel Boone's duty to seek a new +home for himself. In a little time, therefore, he left his wife, and +wandered into the unsettled parts of North Carolina in search of one. +After moving about for some time, he found, upon the head-waters of the +Yadkin, a rich soil, covered with a heavy and once more unbroken forest. +"Here," thought Daniel Boone, "is the resting-place for me; here Rebecca +Bryan and myself may be happy: this shall be our home." He returned to +his wife, and she, with a cheerful heart, joined in all his plans. With +tears in her eyes, she bade farewell to her friends; yet, with a light +spirit, she started off with her husband. A clearing in the woods was +soon made, a log cabin of his own soon built, and a portion of ground +planted. Boone seems now to have thought that he must do something more +than use his rifle. He was to make a home for his wife and busied +himself, accordingly, in enlarging his farm as fast as he could, and +industriously cultivating it. Still, on his busiest day, he would find a +leisure hour to saunter with his gun to the woods, and was sure never to +return without game. His own table was loaded with it, as when at his +father's, and his house, like his father's, soon became known as a warm +and kind shelter for the wandering traveller. In this industrious and +quiet way of farming and hunting, years were spent, and Daniel Boone was +contented and happy. Several little children were now added to his +group; and, with his wife, his children, and his rifle, for companions, +he felt that all was well. + +But his peace was at length disturbed once more. His old troubles +pursued him; men again began to come near. The crash of falling trees +was heard, as the new settlers levelled the forests; huts were seen +springing up all around him; other hunters were roaming through the +woods, and other dogs than his were heard barking. This was more than he +was willing to bear. Happy as he had made his home, he determined to +leave it, and find another in the wilderness, where he could have that +wilderness to himself. For some time he was at a loss to know where to +go; yet his heart was fixed in the determination to move. The +circumstances which pointed him to his new home, and where that new home +was made, you may learn in the next chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +My young friends all know where the state of Kentucky is situated. It is +hardly necessary for me to say, that at the time of which I am writing, +that region was an unbroken wilderness. + +It was in the year 1754 that a white man first visited the country of +Kentucky. This was James M'Bride. In company with several others during +that year, he was passing down the Ohio, when he discovered the mouth of +Kentucky river, and made a landing. Near the spot where he landed, he cut +upon a tree the first letters of his name; and these letters, it is said, +could be seen and distinctly read for many years afterward. With his +companions, he wandered through the wilderness; the country struck them +all as being remarkably beautiful. It is not wonderful, then, that when +they returned home, they were filled with fine stories about the new +region. They declared that it was "the best tract of land in North +America, and probably in the world." + +In spite of their pleasant stories, however, it was a long time before +any one was disposed to follow in their track. At length, Doctor Walker, +of Virginia, with a number of friends, started upon a western tour of +discovery. Some say that he was in search of the Ohio river particularly; +others that he went merely to collect strange plants and flowers. Be this +as it may, he with his party wandered through Powell's Valley, and passed +the mountains at what is called the Cumberland Gap. They then crossed the +Cumberland river, and roaming on through the forests, at length, after +much fatigue and suffering, reached the Big Sandy. The country was +beautiful, yet they were too much worn out to go further, and from this +point began to return homeward. They had suffered more than M'Bride, and +therefore their story was not so bright as his; yet they gave a very +pleasant account of the new country. + +No one yet, however, seemed ready to make his home in Kentucky; and +accident at last seems to have thrown one man into that country, whose +story, upon his return, made some anxious to go there. This was John +Finley, a backwoodsman of North Carolina. He was in the habit of roving +about and trading with the Indians. In the year 1767, he, with certain +companions as fearless as himself, led on from place to place by the +course of trade, wandered far into Kentucky. Here he remained for some +time. It was a very beautiful, yet, as he learned also, a very dangerous +country. No Indian tribe lived there, but all the tribes roamed over it +as a hunting-ground. Upon these hunts, the fierce and warlike people +would often meet and wage their bloody battles. These fights were so +frequent and so awful, that the region was known by the name of the "Dark +and Bloody Ground." In spite of danger, Finley lived there, until at last +the traders and the Indians began to quarrel, and, for safety's sake, he +was forced to run off. He returned to North Carolina, filled with +wonderful stories. Sights like those on the "Dark and Bloody Ground," +were nowhere to be seen. The land was rich, and covered with trees and +flowers; there were lofty mountains, beautiful valleys, and clear +streams, throughout it. Then he spoke of the strange caves in the +mountains; of curious salt springs; of the footprints of men to be seen +distinctly upon the solid rocks; of the strange figures of huge animals +on the sides of the high cliffs. Game of all sorts was abundant, from the +buffalo down to the partridge. There was no country (he declared) like +_Kain-tuck-kee_.[1] His tale was so wonderful, that people could not +well help listening to it. + + [1] This was the Indian name for the country. + +Whether John Finley was led there by a knowledge of the man's character, +or whether it was an accident, it so happened, that about a year after +his return, he wandered into the neighborhood of Daniel Boone's home. It +was not long before he fell in with Boone, and completely charmed him +with his stories. Boone had known some sport in the forests himself, but +the adventures of Finley were to him marvellous. He was so much pleased +with the man, that he invited him, as it was now winter, to come to his +house, and make his home there through the season. The invitation was +gladly accepted; and in the cabin of Boone, again and again was the wild +beauty of the "Dark and Bloody Ground" laid before him. There was no end +to Finley's stories of this region. The wind whistled without, but the +fire blazed cheerfully within; and here they sat, on many a night, almost +till dawn, Finley talking, and Boone listening. The end of all this was, +that they determined, when spring opened, to go to Kentucky. Boone knew +that there were hardships and perils in the way, and Finley had +practically felt them; but what were dangers or difficulties to these +fearless men? The first of May was agreed upon as the day for starting, +and Finley was then again to meet Boone at his house. + +It is not strange that other bold men, who heard Finley's stories, were +seized with the same desire for going west. Indeed, Boone helped to give +them that desire, knowing that a few brave spirits would be of great +service in the new country. He talked, therefore, warmly of the comforts +of a new home in the forest, where there was an abundance of game, and a +complete absence of towns and villages. Accordingly, on the first of May, +1769, when Finley repaired to Boone's house, he found four others ready +for the adventure: these were John Stewart, Joseph Holden, James Monay, +and William Cool. The people in the neighborhood, learning what was going +on, had likewise gathered to look with surprise upon these six men. What +could prompt men to leave the comforts of their quiet homes, and wander +off into the wilderness? They surely were crazy. Boone was much beloved +as a kind neighbor, and they mourned most over his madness. Nothing +daunted by all this, they were then ready for a start, and were now on +the point of leaving. We are told that, with tears in his eyes, Daniel +Boone kissed his wife and children; and if the story be true, I love him +the more for it. His spirit was beating for his new hunting-forests; he +could face all the dangers of the "Dark and Bloody Ground," but then it +was doubtful whether he was not parting with his wife and children for +ever. At all events, he was leaving them for months, perhaps for +years--he knew not how long--and who can wonder that tears stood in his +eyes? Each man shouldered his rifle, shot-bag, powder-horn, and knapsack, +and off they started--every neighbor straining his eyes after them as far +as he could see, as the men upon whom he was looking for the last time. + +For two or three days they saw nothing new, for they were passing over +their old hunting-grounds. After this, they came to a wild and trackless +region, and saw from time to time the lofty ridge of mountains which +separated them from the western country. In two days more, the provisions +with which they had started gave out, and the first thing to be done was +to find a fresh supply. Accordingly they halted, chose a suitable spot +for their camp, and part of them commenced building it of logs and +branches; the others went into the woods in search of game. It was +impossible for such men to starve in such a region; game was abundant. +The hunters returned toward night, with several deer and wild turkeys. +The camp was finished, a bright fire was burning, and in a little time +the venison was dressed, cooked, and eaten. The supper was scarcely +finished, when they saw dark clouds gathering, and presently they were +visited by a tremendous thunder-storm. The sharp lightning flashed +through the woods, and the rain poured down in torrents; yet, in their +camp they fearlessly sheltered themselves, the branches covering them +from the rain. A man can scarcely be placed during a thunder-storm in a +more dangerous place than a forest: every tree is a mark for the +lightning; yet these men were calm and self-possessed, and were +mercifully protected. + +The storm having passed over, they made their arrangements for the night. +For safety's sake, two men were to keep a constant watch, while the +others slept; and in this duty of watching, they were to take turns. +About midnight, while Boone and Holden were keeping the watch, a sharp +shrill cry was heard in the woods. They sprang to their feet. "What noise +is that?" said Holden. The sound was familiar to Boone. "Be still," said +he; "it is only a panther; come along with me." Moving cautiously from +the camp, they listened again for the cry. Once more they heard it. +Creeping through the woods in the direction of the sound, they at length +saw through the darkness the wild, glaring eyes of the animal. Boone +levelled his rifle with steady aim, and fired. With a wild yell the +panther fell to the ground, and began to retreat. Both were satisfied +that the ball had struck him, and returned again to the camp. The crack +of the rifle had waked their companions; the adventure was made known to +them, and they went quietly to sleep again, satisfied that for the rest +of the night at least that panther would not disturb them. + +The next day was a very busy one. Finding game so plenty in the +neighborhood, they determined to lay in a good supply. Part of them were +therefore out in the woods, hunting, while the rest were in the camp, +smoking, drying, and packing the venison for the journey. Fatigued with +these labors, when night came they gladly laid themselves down, and, like +wearied men, slept soundly. + +By the first ray of the morning's light the camp was stirring. +Shouldering their rifles and knapsacks, they started on their way. In a +little time they found a dead panther. Boone declared that this was his +panther; the animal was killed with one ball, and by comparing that ball +with those in his shot-bag, he found they were of the same size. In two +or three days they reached the foot of the mountains, and began to +ascend. Their journey was now rough and wearisome, and they made slow +progress. To any men but these, the mountains might have proved +impassable; but they were bent upon finding the new hunting-grounds of +Kentucky, and nothing could keep them back. After climbing the hills day +after day, they found once more that their provisions were gone, and were +again forced to halt. Their camp was built on the side of the mountain, +and their rifles easily supplied their wants. The journey was rigorously +renewed, and after many days of further struggling, they at length found +themselves on one of the tops of the Allegany ridge. Here they were, +upon Cumberland mountain. At this place they halted once more, to look +down upon the magnificent prospect which was spread out before them. This +was their first view of the new region, and they felt that it was all +that Finley had described it to be. It was indeed a glorious country. The +land was covered with trees and flowers; there were the rolling hills, +and the beautiful valleys, and the clear sparkling streams, of which he +had spoken. + +The prospect was too beautiful to allow them to tarry long: they panted +to be in that country. With more earnest desires than ever, they +commenced descending the mountains. This part of the journey was +comparatively easy. In a few days now they reached the western base of +the hills, and entered a lovely plain. Here, for the first time, the new +hunters saw the finest of western game--a herd of buffaloes. From the +skirt of the wood at the end of the plain, a countless troop of these +animals came rushing over it. The men were delighted; they had heard of +these noble beasts of the forest, but none of them, except Finley, had +ever seen one. As the mass came tramping toward them, they stood gazing +in astonishment. Finley, who knew that men were sometimes trampled to +death by these moving troops, kept his eye steadily upon the herd until +the foremost was within rifle-shot; he then levelled his gun, and the +leader fell dead. With a wild bellow the herd parted on each side of the +fallen animal, and went scampering through the plain. There seemed no end +to the number, as they still came rushing from the wood. The mass +appeared closing again in a solid body, when he seized Holden's rifle, +and shot another. Now they were completely routed; branching off on the +two sides of the plain, they went bellowing and tearing past them. "An +amazing country, this!" cried Boone; "who ever beheld such an abundance?" +The camp was once more soon built, a blazing fire made, and, for the +first time in their lives, five of these men sat down to a supper of +buffalo-meat. They talked of their new country, the quantity of game, and +how joyously they would roam through the huge forests, until the night +had worn far away. + +The next morning, after breakfast, they packed up such portions of the +animals as they could readily carry, and resumed their march. In a little +time they reached Red river. Here Finley began to feel more at home, for +on this river he had lived. Following the course of the stream, ere long +they came to the place which had been his trading-post with the Indians. +They had been more than a month reaching this point, and, naturally +enough, were wearied. Finley, too, could no longer guide them; and here, +for the present, they determined to halt again. It was now the seventh +day of June. + +As this was to be their headquarters for some time, they built at once a +substantial log cabin. They were now fairly in the wilds of Kentucky; and +remembering that the whole region was the fighting-ground of the +wandering Indians, the cabin was built not only to protect them from the +weather, but to answer as a sort of fort against the savages. This +shelter being provided, their whole time now was given to hunting and +exploring the country. Hunting was a pastime indeed, the game was so +abundant. They could look out upon herds of buffaloes scattered through +the canebrakes, browsing upon the leaves of the cane, or cropping the +tall grass; the deer bounded fearlessly by the very door of their hut, +and wild turkeys were to be found everywhere. Everything was in a state +of nature; the animals had not yet learned to be afraid of man. Of +course, they did not suffer with hunger: provisions of the finest kind +were ever in their cabin. But the buffaloes provided them with more than +food. From time to time, as they needed moccasins for their feet, his +skin supplied them; and when at night they felt the dampness of the +weather, his hide was the blanket in which they wrapped themselves and +slept soundly. + +The country, as they wandered through it, struck them as beautiful +indeed. There were the lofty trees of the forest, with no undergrowth +except the cane, the grass, and the flowers. They seemed to have been +planted by the hand of man at regular distances. Clear streams were seen +winding through lovely meadows, surrounded by the gently-sloping hills; +and the fearless buffalo and deer were their companions every hour. In +their wanderings they came several times to hard and well-tramped roads. +It was by following these that they discovered many of the salt springs +or licks where salt is made even now. The roads to these were worn thus +hard by the buffaloes and other animals that were in the habit of +visiting the springs. + +The place of Finley's old trading-post, where their cabin now stood, +seems to have been chosen by him not only as a central point for trade: +it was on the side of a finely-sloping hill, and commanded a good view of +the country below. The situation was beautiful. Perhaps he chose it when +he was a lonely white man in the wilderness, because thence he might +readily see the approach of Indians, and make his escape, or perhaps it +was the very beauty of the spot that charmed him. He had a love for the +beautiful. One day, he and Boone were standing by the door of the cabin. +The wind was sighing in the tops of the forest, and while they were +listening to the music, they were looking out upon the beautiful region +below; the grass was green, and the bright flowers turned up their +leaves to the sun. "Glorious country!" cried Finley; "this wilderness +does indeed blossom like the rose."--"Yes," replied Boone, "and who would +live amid the barren pine-hills of North Carolina, to hear the screaming +of the jay, and now and then shoot a deer too lean to be eaten? This is +the land for hunters. Here man and beast may grow to their full size." + +In this way, for more than six months, these men fearlessly hunted and +roamed through the woods. Contrary to their expectations, through the +whole summer they saw no Indians, nor did they meet with any remarkable +adventure. The precaution of a nightly watch was adopted, but they met +with no disturbance from man or beast. They had glorious sport by day, +and slept quietly at night. After this, as you will see, they began to +meet difficulties. + +On the 22d of December, Boone and Stewart started off, as they had often +done before, upon an exploring tour. After wandering several miles, they +pressed their way through a piece of thick woods, and came out upon a +boundless open forest. Here they found quantities of persimmon-trees, +loaded with ripe fruit, while clusters of wild grapes covered the vines +that were hanging from the lofty branches. Flowers were still in bloom, +and scented the air; herds of animals might be seen through the forest +in every direction: add to this that the day was beautiful, and you will +not be surprised to learn that they continued to wander--indeed, that +they wandered much further than they supposed. It was nearly dark when +they reached the Kentucky river, and stood looking upon its rippling +waters. Perceiving a hill close by, they climbed it, that they might take +a better view of the course of the stream. They were now descending, on +their way homeward, when suddenly they heard an Indian yell, and out +rushed from the canebrake a party of savages. They had no time for +resistance--indeed, time was nothing; they were overpowered by numbers. +The savages seized them, took away their rifles and ammunition, bound +them, and marched them off to their camp. The next morning they started +off with their prisoners, the poor fellows not knowing where they were +going, or what was to be done to them. They did not know one word of +their language, and could therefore learn nothing: this much, however, +they very well understood--that it would not do to show any signs of fear +to the Indians; and therefore they went on cheerfully. In a little time +they became better acquainted with their captors, and judged, from +certain signs, that the Indians themselves had not determined what was to +be done. Part seemed to be for sparing them, part for killing; still +their cheerfulness was the same. This apparent fearlessness deceived the +Indians; they supposed the prisoners were well pleased with their +condition, and did not watch them closely. On the seventh night of their +march, the savages, as usual, made their camp, and all laid down to +sleep. About midnight, Boone touched Stewart, and waked him: now or never +was their time. They rose, groped their way to the rifles, and stole from +the camp. They hardly dared to look behind them; every sound startled +them, even the snapping of the twigs under their feet. Fortunately, it +was dark, even if the Indians pursued. They wandered all that night and +the whole of the next day, when at last, without meeting a man, they +reached their own camp. But what was their surprise on finding the camp +plundered, and not one of their companions to be seen? What had become of +them? Perhaps they were prisoners; possibly they were murdered; or it +might be that they had started back for North Carolina. They were safe, +but where were their comrades? Wearied in body, and tormented with fears +for their friends, they commenced preparing for the night. A sound was +now heard. They seized their rifles, and stood ready, expecting the +Indians. Two men were seen indistinctly approaching. "Who comes there?" +cried Boone. "White men and friends," was the answer. Boone knew the +voice. In an instant more, his brother Squire Boone, with another man, +entered the cabin. These two men had set out from Carolina for the +purpose of reaching them, and had for days been wandering in search of +their camp. It was a joyous meeting--the more joyous, because unexpected. +Big tears were again in Daniel Boone's eyes when he heard, from his +brother, that his wife and children were well. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +When Squire Boone had told his brother all the news of home, it became +his turn to be a listener, while Daniel talked to him of all that +happened since they parted. After telling him of the beautiful country, +and their happy freedom as they wandered through it for six months, then +came the story of his captivity and escape. That escape was but just now +made, and with a full heart he dwelt upon this part of his story. It +would not have been strange if Squire had now felt alarmed; but his +disposition was much like his brother's: he loved the woods, and was +afraid of nothing. + +In a little time, the four were once more hunting freely through the +forests. Signs of Indians were to be seen around, however; possibly they +were the very Indians who had captured them. In their wanderings, +therefore, they kept together usually, for self-protection. One day, they +started out upon a buffalo-hunt. As they came upon a herd of these +animals, Stewart lodged his ball in one of them, without bringing him +down. The buffalo went tearing through the forest; and Daniel Boone, with +Stewart, forgetful of everything else, went chasing after him. Naturally +enough, like excited men, they had no idea how far they had travelled, +until their very weariness reminded them that it was time to turn back. +Tired as he was, a harder race was now before Boone. They had scarcely +started on their return, when a party of Indians rushed from the +canebrake, and let fly their arrows. Stewart fell dead on the spot. Boone +would have fired his rifle, but he felt it was useless: he could kill but +one man; his only chance of escape was in flight. With Indian yells and +arrows close behind him, he leaped forward, and, by tremendous exertions, +at last distanced his pursuers. When he reached the camp, he fell, +completely exhausted. + +The party, now cut down to three, was in a little time reduced to two. +From some cause or other, they could not tell what--possibly the sad +story of Stewart's death, and the fear of like troubles--the companion +who had come out with Squire Boone determined upon returning to North +Carolina. Very soon, therefore, he left them alone in the wilderness.[2] + + [2] It is said by some that this man did not thus leave + them. Their story is, that the three started out upon a + hunt; that this man was separated from the Boones, and + became entangled in a swamp. The Boones searched for him, + but could not find him. Afterward, they found fragments + of his clothes, which convinced them that the poor man + had been torn to pieces by wolves. + + Daniel Boone, however, tells a different story. He says + that the man left them, "and returned home by himself;" + and I have preferred his statement to any other. + +It is not strange that, being thus deserted, Squire Boone felt restless +and dissatisfied; the wonder is, that Daniel was not dissatisfied +likewise. But he was happy and contented, and often struggled to call up +the same feelings in his brother. "You see," he would often say, "how +little nature requires, to be satisfied. Happiness, the companion of +content, is rather found in our own breasts than in the enjoyment of +external things. I firmly believe it requires but a little philosophy to +make a man happy in whatsoever state he is. This consists in a full +resignation to the will of Providence; and a resigned soul finds pleasure +in a path strewed with briars and thorns." This was good counsel, my +young friends, and I hope you will bear it with you through life. It will +serve to comfort you as much as it did Squire Boone. + +To be idle, was to allow time for this melancholy, and Daniel Boone kept +his brother constantly busy. The Indians, they were certain, knew where +their present camp was, and therefore they resolved to make another. +After choosing their spot, they employed themselves industriously in +erecting another cabin, which might serve to shelter them through the +coming winter. This being finished, they went to their old sport, +wandering through the woods, admiring the country, and bringing down now +and then a buffalo or a deer with their rifles. At night, they would +return to their camp, raise a fire, cook their supper, and sit till long +after midnight, talking of their old home on the Yadkin. Squire forgot +his loneliness, and became quite satisfied. In this way time rolled off +until the winter had passed away, and spring appeared. Strangely enough, +they had been undisturbed; they had met not even with one Indian. + +They had learned in the wilderness to dispense well nigh with all +comforts; food and sleep were all they expected. But their powder and +shot were now beginning to run low, and without these they could not long +procure food. It was necessary, therefore, to make some arrangement +whereby they might obtain a fresh supply. Their plan was soon settled: +Squire Boone was to go back to North Carolina, and return with +ammunition. They supposed horses would be valuable, also, and he was +likewise to bring with him two of these. Perilous as the plan was, Squire +agreed to bear his part in it, and Daniel as cheerfully consented to his. +Accordingly, on the first day of May, Squire set off for the Yadkin; +and, as if nothing was to be wanting to leave Daniel in perfect +loneliness, their only dog followed Squire as he started. + +Here, then, Daniel Boone was left entirely alone. Here he was a sort of +Robinson Crusoe in the wilderness--with this difference, that Robinson +was shipwrecked, and had no choice; while Boone chose the wilderness as +his home. He was now completely the "man of the woods"--far away, +hundreds of miles from any white settlement. For the first time in his +life, according to his own confession, he felt lonely. His mind was +filled with the remembrance of his wife and children, and the thought +that he should never see them again. He knew, however, that sad thoughts, +when indulged in, will grow very rapidly, and therefore dismissed them. + +For safety's sake now, he changed his camp every night, that he might +avoid the Indians. Sometimes he slept in the canebrake; sometimes he laid +himself by the side of a stream; sometimes in the caves of the rocks. By +day he was surrounded by his old companions the buffaloes and deer, and +at night was not unfrequently disturbed by the howling of the wolves. He +roamed over many a beautiful tract of country. Now he would ascend a +hill, and look down upon the scene spread like a map before him; now he +would trace some stream to its source, or, following the well-tramped +roads of the buffaloes, would find some spring bubbling in the forest. In +this way he moved over a large part of the country. At one time, he +struck the Ohio river, and wandered for days on the banks of that noble +stream. It is said, that in his rambles, he one day stood upon the spot +where the city of Louisville now stands. He learned to love the woods +more than ever. Long after this, he used to declare, that "no crowded +city, with all its commerce and noble buildings, could give him as much +pleasure as the beauty of Kentucky at that time afforded him." + +Fortunately, he met no Indians. At one time he came in sight of a roving +party, but managed to escape from them. The mode in which he escaped will +show you his perfect self-possession. He had stopped one day to rest +under the shade of a tree, when suddenly he spied the party in the +distance. This was enough for him. He immediately commenced his course +through the forest, hoping that they had not seen him, and therefore +would not pursue. From time to time he would look back through the woods; +and at length became convinced, to his sorrow, that if they had not seen +him, they had marked his tracks, and were now on his trail. He pushed on +for more than two miles, trying in various ways to break the trail, and +thus put them out; still, as he looked back, he could see that they were +following him He was puzzled to know what to do. A happy thought now +struck him. He had just passed the brow of a small hill; the heavy +grape-vines were hanging from the trees all around him. He seized one of +these, and, bracing himself against the tree with his feet, threw himself +as far as he could. This broke the trail, and he now kept directly on +from the spot where he landed, in a different direction. The Indians came +up, tracking him as far as the tree: were then lost, and gave up the +chase. + +Another adventure is told of him during his lonely wanderings, more +perilous even than this. One day he heard a strange noise in the woods; +he could see nothing, but stood ready with his rifle. Presently an +immense she-bear was seen approaching him. Surrounded by her young cubs, +she was doubly fierce. As she came near, Boone levelled his rifle and +fired. Unfortunately, his steady eye failed this time; the ball did not +strike as he had aimed, and the animal pressed forward, the more enraged. +It was impossible to load again: the bear was upon him; he had only time +to draw his hunting-knife from his belt. The bear laid her paws on him, +and drew him toward her. The rifle in his left hand was a sort of guard, +while with his right he pointed the knife directly for the heart of the +animal. As she grasped him, the knife entered her body, and she fell +dead. + +As the time drew near for the return (as he thought) of his brother, +Boone went back to the old camp where they had lodged together, to meet +him. Here day after day he kept his lookout--day after day he was +disappointed. He began now to be very sad. He did not doubt his brother's +fidelity; he knew he would not desert him; but there were many dangers by +the way, and perhaps he had perished. Then he thought, too, of his wife +and little ones. If that brother had perished, he likewise must die +without seeing them. Without ammunition to procure food, or defend +himself, what could he do? He must die, there in the wilderness. His +brother had been absent now nearly three months: surely it was time for +his return. Another day of disappointment was now drawing to a close, as +Boone sat, sick at heart, by the door of his cabin. A sound broke on his +ear; he rose and stood listening, with his hand on the lock of his rifle. +It was the tread of horses. The next moment he saw his brother through +the forest leading two horses heavily laden. Here was abundance of +ammunition and other comfort. The evening of the 27th of July was long +after this remembered by Daniel Boone as one of the most joyous of his +life. + +A fire was soon made, their supper cooked, and long after midnight they +sat talking. Thousands of questions were asked and answered, until, +wearied out, at last they lay down to sleep. The sun was high in the +heavens when they waked in the morning. + +After breakfast, Daniel Boone proposed a new plan to his brother. Much as +he loved the woods, he felt that two men could hardly be safe in the +neighborhood of so many Indians. Moreover he longed to see his family: +the stories of Squire had called up fresh recollections in his heart. The +plan therefore was, to select a suitable spot for their home, then return +to Carolina and bring out his family. Squire readily assented to this; +and now they employed themselves for several days in hunting and laying +in a supply of provisions. This being done, they went to the Cumberland +river, and wandered for some time along the stream without finding a +place to please them. Roaming about now, they found many new streams, to +which, as the first discoverers, they gave names. Anxious as they were to +return to the Yadkin, they were in no such hurry as to neglect making a +full survey. The whole winter passed away before they pleased themselves. +At length they came upon the Kentucky river. Here the lands delighted +them. On the banks of this stream they determined to make their +settlement, and now (March, 1771) turned their faces homeward. As he left +the chosen spot, Boone says that "he felt it was a second paradise, and +was resolved, at the risk of his life and fortune, that his family +should have a home there." + +As they journeyed eastward from the Kentucky river, they occasionally +blazed their pathway (as huntsmen say) that they might find their way +back. It was necessary thus to leave some track through the forest +wilderness, that they might again reach their chosen spot.[3] Fortunately +they met with no Indians. + + [3] This mode of marking their track is often practised + by hunters in the woods. As they pass through the forest, + they mark the trees by cutting off a small piece of the + bark. This enables them again to find the same pathway, + and is commonly called "blazing the track." + +We hear of but one adventure on their way homeward. After travelling +quietly several days, they were one morning startled by a noise. +Presently a herd of buffaloes came rushing and tearing through the +forest; they seemed frantic. The cause of all this was soon seen. A +panther, seated upon the back of one of the buffaloes, had plunged his +claws and teeth into him. The blood was streaming down his sides, and the +poor animal, struggling to shake him off, rushed into the midst of the +herd. This frightened the rest, and they went bellowing and dashing +through the woods. Daniel Boone raised his rifle, and sent a ball through +the panther. He fell dead. Not far off they met a pack of wolves, +following as usual in the track of the buffaloes. For the fun of seeing +them scatter, Squire now fired his rifle, and away they went, scampering +in all directions. + +In due time they came to the mountains. After trying to ascend in various +places, at length they found a narrow and rugged gap, through which with +great difficulty they made their way. It was, however, the best pass they +could discover, and they blazed their track, that they might find it +again. In a little time now, Daniel Boone was again in his cabin on the +banks of the Yadkin. I need hardly say there was a joyous meeting; he was +once more happy in the bosom of his family. He had been absent nearly two +years. + +Amid the joys of home, however, he did not forget his chosen spot in +Kentucky; his heart was filled with the thought that his happy home might +be happier there. As this was to be his final move, it was necessary to +settle all his business on the Yadkin; and as he had tried the +wilderness, he felt that a few trusty companions would be invaluable in +that new region. He commenced, therefore, making what he thought proper +preparations for a return. To beat up such neighbors as they desired, he +and Squire gave glowing accounts of the new country; the rich lands, the +forests, the streams, the flowers, and the game, were all talked of. They +saw only, and consequently spoke only, of the bright side of the +picture. But there were numbers of people to talk of difficulties; these +spoke of the folly of the Boones, in thinking of making such a country +their home, and the madness of any man who should think of following +them; the country was wild, and all who settled there must suffer many +privations: then, too (according to their story), it was afflicted with +terrible diseases, and they might all expect to die there, or, if they +escaped the climate, they must fall into the hands of the fierce and +cruel Indians who roamed through those forests; the place they declared +was so dangerous that it was known, wherever it was known, as "the dark +and bloody ground." With these sad stories floating about continually, it +is not wonderful that the Boones found difficulty in beating up +companions, and that more than two years passed away before they were +ready for a start. At the end of that time they found that, while many +were opposed to them, and others wavering as to what they would do, there +were some, prompted by a spirit of bold adventure, ready to join them. +Five families were willing to go with them to Kentucky. + +Daniel Boone now sold his farm, and all things being made ready, on the +25th of September, 1773, the little company bade farewell to their +friends and started for the west, driving before them their flocks and +their herds. In their route, not a great way from the Yadkin, was the +settlement of Powel's valley. The story of their plan had spread through +the neighborhood, and when they reached this spot they were delighted to +find that the people were not so timid as those on the Yadkin: forty men +here joined the party. Now they travelled on in high spirits; the whole +body, old and young, numbering between seventy and eighty souls. + +In a little time they came to the mountains, and found the pathway blazed +by the Boones. In less than a fortnight they passed the first ridge of +the Alleganies, known as "Powel's range," and were now quietly descending +the second, known as "Walden's range," when sorrow overtook them. They +were in a dark and narrow gap, when the wild yell of Indians broke upon +their ears. The savages rushed into the gap behind them, and let fly +their arrows. Six of the party fell dead, a seventh was wounded. The men +rallied around the women and children; the first discharge of their +rifles scattered the savages. But the mischief was done; the sudden +attack of the Indians was like a flash of lightning; they were seen only +for an instant; yet, like the lightning, they had done their work: there +were the dead, and alas! among them was the oldest son of Daniel Boone. + +The party, a little time before so happy, was now in deep sorrow. What +was to be done? The Indians had not only killed their companions, but +their flocks and herds had all fled in fright, and could not be again +gathered together. In dismay, the greater part were for retreating +instantly to the nearest white settlement; this was upon the Clinch +river, forty miles behind them. The Boones begged them to keep on their +way--not to think of turning back; but it was all to no purpose; most of +them insisted on retreating, and they at length yielded to the general +desire. Accordingly, the dead were decently buried, and in great sadness +they all traced their way back to Clinch river. + +Here Daniel Boone remained with his family eight months. At the end of +that time he was requested by Governor Dunmore, of Virginia, to go to the +falls of the Ohio, to serve as a guide to a party of surveyors who had +been sent there some months before. The western country was now beginning +to attract attention, and the Indians were becoming very hostile to the +whites. Accordingly, on the 6th of June, 1774, he started (with one man, +Michael Stoner), and without any accident reached the point at which he +aimed--the spot where Louisville now stands. The service for the +surveyors was promptly performed, and they were enabled to complete their +work, while Boone was at liberty to return to his family. It is +remarkable that he made this journey on foot, a distance of eight hundred +miles, through a trackless wilderness, in the short period of sixty-two +days. + +He was not allowed to remain quiet long; soon after his return, the +Indians northwest of the Ohio, especially the Shawanese, made open war +upon the whites. Governor Dunmore felt bound to protect his countrymen, +and, among other acts for their defence, sent Daniel Boone, with the +title of captain, to take command of three garrisons. This service was +likewise well performed; matters were soon more quiet, the soldiers were +discharged, and Boone was relieved from his post. + +He had not been a wanderer in the woods in vain; his fame had gone +abroad, and his services were in the following spring sought again. A +company of gentlemen in North Carolina--the principal man of whom was +Colonel Richard Henderson--were attempting to purchase the lands on the +south side of the Kentucky river, from the Cherokee Indians.[4] They had +agreed to hold a treaty with the Indians, at Wataga, in March, 1775, to +settle the boundaries of their intended purchase, and they now desired +Boone to attend that treaty, and manage their business. In compliance +with their wish, he went to Wataga, and performed their service so well, +that they gave him further employment. He was now requested to mark out a +road from their settlement, through the wilderness, to Kentucky river. +This was a work of great labor. It was necessary to make many surveys to +find the best route, and when the best was found, it was, much of it, +over mountains and rugged regions. With a number of laborers, he +commenced the work. He met with two attacks from the Indians by the way, +in which four of his men were killed, and five wounded. Undaunted, he +pushed resolutely on, and, in the month of April, reached the Kentucky +river. To guard themselves from the savages, they immediately commenced +the building of a fort at a salt lick, about sixty yards from the south +bank of the stream. The Indians annoyed them from time to time, while +they were thus engaged, but fortunately killed but one man. On the 14th +day of June the fort was finished, and Boone started back for his family +on Clinch river. As an honor to him, the party gave to this first +settlement in the wilderness of Kentucky the name of Boonesborough. + + [4] It is said that it was by Daniel Boone's advice that + they first thought of making this purchase. + +He reached his family without accident, and, as rapidly as he could, +retraced his way with them through the forest. The fort consisted of +several cabins, surrounded by pickets ten feet high, planted firmly in +the ground. In one of these, Daniel Boone found a shelter for his +family. The long desire of his heart was at last gratified: he had a home +in Kentucky. He was the first settler of that region, and (as he proudly +said) his "wife and daughter the first white women that ever stood on the +banks of Kentucky river." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + +It was now the season of autumn; the trees had not yet shed their leaves, +and the forests were still beautiful. Mrs. Boone felt happy as she looked +upon her new home. Winter came, and glided rapidly and joyously away. +With their axes and rifles, the men in the settlement brought in constant +and ample supplies of fuel and game, and around the blazing hearth of +Daniel Boone there was not one in the family who sighed for the old home +on the Yadkin. Boone naturally supposed that a fear of the Indians would +be the principal trouble with his wife; and well she might dread them, +remembering the loss of her son formerly in the pass of the mountains. +Fortunately, however, she did not see an Indian through the season. But +one white man was killed by them during the winter, and he lost his life +by unfortunately wandering away from the fort unarmed. After this, the +other settlers were more prudent; they never went without the pickets for +fuel without taking their rifles. + +When spring opened, they were soon very busy. A small clearing without +the pickets was first made for a garden-spot. Mrs. Boone and her daughter +brought out their stock of garden-seeds, and commenced cultivating this, +while the men went on earnestly in the work of preparing for their +fields. They were calculating that they were making their homes for life. +Day after day the neighborhood resounded with the crash of falling trees, +as these hardy men levelled the forests. While they were thus engaged, +they were made happy by a new arrival. Colonel Calloway, an old companion +of Boone's, led by the desire of finding his old friend and a new +country, came out to the settlement this spring, and brought with him his +two young daughters. Here, then, were companions for Boone's daughter. +The fathers were happy, and the mother and girls delighted. + +Spring had not passed away, however, before they were in sorrow about +these children. When the wild flowers began to bloom in the woods, the +girls were in the habit of strolling around the fort and gathering them +to adorn their humble homes. This was an innocent and pleasant +occupation; it pleased the girls as well as their parents. They were +only cautioned not to wander far, for fear of the Indians. This caution, +it seems, was forgotten. Near the close of a beautiful day in July, they +were wandering, as usual, and the bright flowers tempted them to stroll +thoughtlessly onward. Indians were in ambush; they were suddenly +surrounded, seized, and hurried away, in spite of their screams for help. +They were carried by their captors to the main body of the Indian party, +some miles distant. Night came, and the girls did not return; search was +made for them, and they were nowhere to be found. The thought now flashed +upon Boone that the children were prisoners; the Indians had captured +them. The parents were well nigh frantic: possibly the girls were +murdered. Boone declared that he would recover his child, if alive, if he +lost his own life in the effort. The whole settlement was at once roused: +every man offered to start off with the two fathers in search of the +children. But Boone would not have them all; some must remain behind, to +protect the settlement. Of the whole number he chose seven; he and +Calloway headed them; and, in less time than I have been telling the +story, laden with their knapsacks and rifles, they were off in pursuit. + +Which way were they to go? It was a long time before they could find a +track of the party. The wily Indians, as usual, had used all their +cunning in hiding their footprints and breaking their trail. Covering +their tracks with leaves; walking at right angles occasionally from the +main path; crossing brooks by walking in them for some time, and leaving +them at a point far from where they entered: all this had been practised, +and I presume that the fathers never would have got on the track if the +girls had not been as cunning as their captors. After wandering about for +some time, they came at length to a brook, and waded along it for a great +while in search of footprints. They looked faithfully far up and down the +stream, for they knew the Indian stratagem. Presently Calloway leaped up +for joy. "God bless my child!" cried he; "they have gone this way." He +had picked up a little piece of riband which one of his daughters had +dropped, purposely to mark the trail. Now they were on the track. +Travelling on as rapidly as they could, from time to time they picked up +shreds of handkerchiefs, or fragments of their dresses, that the girls +had scattered by the way. Before the next day ended, they were still more +clearly on the track. They reached a soft, muddy piece of ground, and +found all the footprints of the party; they were now able to tell the +number of the Indians. The close of the next day brought them still +nearer to the objects of their search. Night had set in; they were still +wandering on, when, upon reaching a small hill, they saw a camp-fire in +the distance. They were now delighted; this surely was the party that had +captured the girls. Everything was left to the management of Boone. He +brought his men as near the fire as he dared approach, and sheltered them +from observation under the brow of a hill. Calloway and another man were +then selected from the group; the rest were told that they might go to +sleep: they were, however, to sleep on their arms, ready to start +instantly at a given signal. Calloway was to go with Boone; the other man +was stationed on the top of the hill, to give the alarm, if necessary. +The two parents now crept cautiously onward to a covert of bushes not far +from the fire. Looking through, they saw fifteen or twenty Indians fast +asleep in the camp; but where were the girls? Crawling to another spot, +they pushed the bushes cautiously aside, and, to their great joy, saw in +another camp the daughters sleeping in each other's arms. Two Indians +with their tomahawks guarded this camp. One seemed to be asleep. They +crept gently around in the rear of this. They were afraid to use their +rifles: the report would wake the other camp. Calloway was to stand ready +to shoot the sleeping Indian if he stirred, while Boone was to creep +behind the other, seize, and strangle him. They were then to hurry off +with the children. Unfortunately, they calculated wrong: the Indian whom +they supposed to be sleeping was wide awake, and, as Boone drew near, his +shadow was seen by this man. He sprang up, and the woods rang with his +yell. The other camp was roused; the Indians came rushing to this. +Boone's first impulse was to use his rifle, but Calloway's prudence +restrained him. Had he fired, it would have been certain destruction to +parents and children. They surrendered themselves prisoners, pleading +earnestly at the same time for their captive daughters. The Indians bound +them with cords, placed guards over them, and then retired to their camp. +The poor girls, roused by the tumult, now saw their parents in this +pitiable condition. Here they were, likewise made captives, for their +love of them. + +There was no more sleep in the Indian camp that night. Till the dawn of +the day they were talking of what should be done to the new prisoners: +some were for burning them at the stake; others objected to this. Boone +and Calloway were to be killed, but they were too brave to be killed in +this way. Some proposed making them run the gauntlet. At last it was +decided (in pity for the girls, it is said) that the parents should be +killed in a more decent and quiet way. They were to be tomahawked and +scalped, and the girls were still to be kept prisoners. With the +morning's light they started out to execute the sentence. That the poor +girls might not see their parents murdered the men were led off to the +woods, and there lashed to two trees. Two of the savages stood before +them with their tomahawks, while the rest were singing and dancing around +them. At length the tomahawks were lifted to strike them; at that instant +the crack of rifles was heard, and the two Indians fell dead. Another and +another report was heard: others fell, and the rest fled in dismay. +Boone's companions had saved them. All night long they had waited for the +signal: none had been given; they had heard the Indian yell; they feared +that they were taken. They had watched the camp with the greatest +anxiety, and now had delivered them. They were instantly untied; the +girls were quickly released, and in the arms of their parents; and they +all started joyously homeward. Mrs. Boone was delighted to see them. The +party had been so long gone, that she feared her husband and child were +alike lost to her for ever. + +It is not surprising that when men found out that a settlement had been +made in Kentucky, others were soon ready to start off for that fertile +region. Accordingly, we find many arriving this year, and settling +themselves in the country. Harrod, Logan, Ray, Wagin, Bowman, and many +other fearless spirits, now threw themselves, like Boone, into the heart +of the wilderness, and made their forts, or stations, as they were +called. These were just like the home of Boone--nothing more than a few +log cabins, surrounded by pickets. Indeed, the country began now to +assume so much importance in the eyes of men, that the Governor of +Virginia thought proper to take some notice of it. When the legislature +met, he recommended that the southwestern part of the county of +Fincastle--which meant all the large tract of country west of the +Alleganies now known as Kentucky--should be made into a separate county, +by the name of Kentucky. The legislature thought it well to follow his +advice. The new county was made, and had the privilege of sending two +members to the Virginia legislature. + +Nor is it surprising that the Indians began now to be more violent than +ever in their enmity. They had been unwilling before that a white man +should cross their path as they roamed over their hunting-grounds; but +now, when they saw clearings made, and houses built, they felt that the +whites meant to drive them for ever from that region. Their hatred +consequently increased now every hour. Another circumstance at this time +served to rouse them the more against the settlers. If you will think of +the period of which I am speaking (the year 1776), perhaps you may guess +what it was. The colonists of America in that year, you will remember, +declared themselves independent of Great Britain. In the war which +followed (known among us always as the Revolutionary War), England +struggled hard to subdue them; nor was she always choice as to the means +which she used for the purpose. She did not hesitate even to rouse the +red men of the forests, and give them arms to fight the colonists. They +were not only turned loose upon them with their own tomahawks and +scalping-knives, but were well supplied with British rifles and balls. +All the new settlements in the land were troubled with them, and Kentucky +had to bear her part of the sorrow. These Indians would scatter +themselves in small parties, and hang secretly for days and nights around +the infant stations. Until one is acquainted with Indian stratagems, he +can hardly tell how cunning these people are. By day they would hide +themselves in the grass, or behind the stumps of trees, near the pathways +to the fields or springs of water, and it was certain death to the white +man who travelled that way. At night they would creep up to the very +gateway of the pickets, and watch for hours for a white man. If any part +of his person was exposed, he was sure to catch a rifle-ball. It was +impossible to discover them, even when their mischief was done. They +would lie in the grass flat on their bellies for days, almost under the +very palisades. Sometimes an Indian yell would be heard near one point of +the fort, startling all the settlers--a yell raised only to draw them +all in one direction, while the Indians did their mischief in another. In +this sneaking mode of warfare, men, women, and children, were killed in +many places; and not unfrequently whole droves of cattle were cut off. + +At length, to the great joy of the settlers, the Indians began to show +themselves more boldly: for anything was better than these secret +ambushes of the savages; an open enemy is not so much to be dreaded as a +secret one. Boonesborough and Harrodsburgh (a settlement made by James +Harrod, a bold adventurer from the banks of the Monongahela) were now the +principal stations. Toward these, new emigrants were from time to time +moving, and against these stations, as being the strongest, the Indians +felt the greatest hatred, and directed their principal attacks. Early in +the spring of 1777, a party was moving toward Harrodsburgh: fortunately, +the Indians attacked them; for, though two whites were killed, the attack +probably saved the settlement. It was only four miles from the place, and +the Indians were now on their way there. One young man escaped in the +midst of the fight to give the alarm at Harrodsburgh. The station was +instantly put in a state of defence. Ere long, the Indians appeared. A +brisk firing at once commenced on both sides; the savages saw one of +their men fall, and finding that they were not likely to gain any +advantage, soon scattered for the woods. The whites lost one man also, +and three were slightly wounded. + +On the 15th of April, a party of one hundred savages appeared boldly +before Boonesborough. Every man of them was armed with his gun, as well +as bow and arrows. Boone, however, was prepared for them, and gave them a +warm reception--so warm, that they soon gladly retreated. How many of +their men were killed it was impossible to tell, for they dragged away +their dead with them. In the fort one man was killed, and four were badly +wounded. + +Their loss this time only served to make them more revengeful. In July +following they again came against Boonesborough, resolved upon vengeance. +They numbered this time more than two hundred. To prevent any of the +white settlements from sending aid to Boonesborough, they had sent off +small parties to molest them, and keep them busy. The savages now +commenced their attack, and for two days a constant firing was kept up. +At last, finding their efforts again idle, they raised a loud yell, and +returned to the forests. The whites could now count their slain and +wounded as they dragged them off: seven were killed, and numbers wounded, +while in the fort only one white man was slain. In spite of their numbers +and their cunning, they did but little harm: for Boone was never found +sleeping; he knew that Indians were his neighbors, and he was always +ready for them. After this, they learned to dread him more than ever. He +now went by the name of the "_Great Long Knife_." + +Attacks of this kind were made from time to time openly against the +settlements, but especially against these two principal stations. They +all ended very much in the same way, and it would only weary you if I +should attempt to speak of them. It is enough for you to know that the +whites were always on the lookout, and that Boone was regarded as their +principal leader and protector. We will pass on, therefore, to something +more interesting. + +I have already stated that the stations of these settlers were usually +built, for comfort's sake, in the neighborhood of salt licks or springs; +and near such a lick, as you will remember, Boonesborough stood. The +supply of salt, however, was not sufficient; new settlers were often +arriving, and it became necessary to seek a place which would afford more +of that article. Boone was the father of the settlement, and he undertook +to find it. Having selected thirty men as his companions, on the 1st of +January, 1778, he started for the Blue Licks, on Licking river--a stream, +as you know, emptying itself into the Ohio opposite where Cincinnati now +stands. Upon reaching this spot, the thirty men were soon very busy in +making salt. Boone, having no taste for the work, sauntered off to +employ himself in shooting game for the company. He had wandered some +distance from the river one day, when suddenly he came upon two Indians +armed with muskets. It was impossible for him to retreat, and the chances +were against him if he stood. His usual coolness did not forsake him; he +instantly jumped behind a tree. As the Indians came within gun-shot, he +exposed himself on the side of the tree: one savage immediately fired, +and Boone dodged the ball. One shot was thus thrown away, and this was +just what he desired. Exposing himself immediately in precisely the same +way, the other musket was discharged by the other Indian, to as little +purpose. He now stepped boldly out; the Indians were trying hard to load +again; he raised his rifle, and one savage fell dead. He was now on equal +terms with the other. Drawing his hunting-knife, he leaped forward and +placed his foot upon the body of the dead Indian; the other raised his +tomahawk to strike but Boone, with his rifle in his left hand, warded off +the blow, while with his right he plunged his knife into the heart of the +savage. His two foes lay dead before him. If you should ever visit +Washington city, you will see a memorial of this deed. The act is in +sculpture, over the southern door of the rotundo of the capitol. + +After this he continued his hunting excursions as usual, for the benefit +of his party; but he was not so fortunate the next time he met with +Indians. On the 7th of February, as he was roaming through the woods, he +saw a party of one hundred savages on their way to attack Boonesborough. +His only chance for escape now was to run. He instantly fled, but the +swiftest warriors gave chase, and before a great while he was overtaken +and made a prisoner. He was, of all men, the one whom they desired to +take; they could now gain, as they thought, some information about +Boonesborough. They now carried him back to the Blue Licks. As they drew +near, Boone, knowing that it was idle to resist, made signs to the +salt-makers to surrender themselves. This they did, and thus the savages +soon had in their possession twenty-eight captives. Fortunately for +themselves, three of the men had started homeward with a supply of salt, +and thus escaped. + +Now was the time for the savages to have attacked Boonesborough; for, +with the loss of so many men, and Boone their leader, we may readily +suppose that the station might have surrendered. Flushed, however, with +the capture of their prisoners, they seem not to have thought of it any +longer. + +The prisoners were marched immediately to Old Chilicothe, the principal +Indian town on the Little Miami, where they arrived on the 18th. There +was great rejoicing over them when they reached this old settlement of +the savages, though Boone says they were "treated as kindly as prisoners +could expect." Early in the next month Boone with ten of his men was +marched off to Detroit by forty Indians. Here Governor Hamilton, the +British commander of that post, treated them with much kindness. The ten +men were soon delivered up for a small ransom. But when the Governor +offered them one hundred pounds to give up Boone, that he might allow him +to return home, they refused to part with him; they looked upon him as +too dangerous an enemy to be allowed to go free upon any terms. Several +English gentlemen were moved with pity when they saw Boone thus a +helpless prisoner, and offered to supply his wants. He thanked them for +their feeling, but refused to receive any aid, stating that he never +expected to be able to return their kindness, and therefore was unwilling +to receive it. The truth was, he was not disposed to receive assistance +from the enemies of his country. + +With no other prisoner than Boone, the party now started again for Old +Chilicothe. As they drew near, after a very fatiguing march, Boone +thought he understood why they had refused to part with him. Before they +entered the village, they shaved his head, painted his face, and dressed +him like themselves; they then placed in his hands a long white staff, +ornamented with deers' tails. The chief of the party then raised a yell, +and all the warriors from the village answered it, and soon made their +appearance. Four young warriors commenced singing as they came toward +him. The two first, each bearing a calumet, took him by the arms and +marched him to a cabin in the village; here he was to remain until his +fate was made known to him. Of all strange customs of the Indians (and he +had seen many of them), this was the strangest to him. It is not +wonderful that he thought he was now to die. + +Yet this was a common custom (it is said) among the Shawanese, who +inhabited this village. Prisoners were often thus carried to some cabin, +and then the Indian living in the cabin decided what should be +done--whether the prisoner should die, or be adopted into the tribe. It +happened that in this cabin lived an old Indian woman, who had lately +lost a son in battle. She, of course, was to decide Boone's fate. She +looked at him earnestly, admired his noble bearing and cheerful face, and +at length declared that he should live. He should be her son, she said; +he should be to her the son whom she had lost. The young warriors +instantly announced to him his fate, and the fact was soon proclaimed +through the village. Food was brought out and set before him; and every +effort, which Indian love could think of, was used to make him happy. He +was fairly one of the tribe; and the old woman who was to be his mother +was especially delighted. + +He was now as free as the rest; his only sorrow was that he had to live +among them. He knew, too, that if he should be caught trying to make his +escape, it would be certain death to him. He pretended, therefore, to be +cheerful and happy; and fortunately his old habits enabled him to play +his part well. Like them, he was a man of the woods, and as fond of +hunting as any of them. They all soon became attached to him, and treated +him with the utmost confidence. + +Sometimes large parties would go out to try their skill at their sports +of racing and shooting at a mark. Boone was always with them; he knew, +however, that in trials of this kind the Indians were always jealous if +they were beaten, and therefore he had to act very prudently. At racing, +they could excel him; but at shooting, he was more than a match for any +of them. Still, when the target was set up, he was always certain to be +beaten. If he shot too well, they would be jealous and angry; if he shot +badly, they would hold him in contempt: and therefore he would manage to +make good shots, and yet never be the successful man. He knew too much of +Indians not to conduct himself properly. + +Sometimes they would start out upon hunting parties. Here Boone was at +home; there was no jealousy when he brought down a buffalo or a deer with +his rifle-ball. He might do his best; they were true hunters themselves, +and were delighted with every successful shot. Returning to the village, +Boone would always visit the Shawanese chief, and present him a portion +of his game. By this kindness and civility he completely won the heart of +the chief, and was not unfrequently consulted by him on important +matters. Thus he passed his time, joining in all their modes of living; +he was beloved by the old woman, the chief, and all the tribe: and none +suspected that he was not contented and happy. + +On the 1st of June, a large party was starting from the village for the +salt-licks on the Scioto, to make salt. Boone pretended to be indifferent +whether he went or not. The truth was, however, that he was very anxious +to go, for he thought it would afford a fine opportunity for him to +escape. He seemed so indifferent about the matter, that the party urged +him to accompany them, and off he started. For ten days most of them were +busy making salt, while Boone and two or three of the best marksmen +hunted for the benefit of the rest. He watched his chance for escape, but +none occurred; he was closely observed, it was impossible for him to +attempt it. To his great sorrow, he was forced to return home with the +salt-makers. + +They had scarcely got back, when the whole village was summoned to the +council-house, to attend a council of war. Boone, as belonging to one of +the principal families, went to this council. Here he met four hundred +and fifty armed Indians, all gayly painted. One of the oldest warriors +then struck a large drum, and marched with the war-standard three times +round the council-house: this was the sure signal that they were about to +make war upon some enemy. But who was the enemy? What was Boone's +surprise when it was announced that they meant to attack Boonesborough! +He resolved now that he would escape, even at every hazard, and alarm the +settlement. Still his prudence did not forsake him. + +The old warriors at once commenced gathering together a supply of parched +corn, and beating up more recruits for the expedition. All the new men +(Boone among the rest, for he was forced to join them) were then marched +off to the "winter-house" to drink the war-drink. This was a mixture of +water and bitter herbs and roots, and was to be drank steadily for three +days, during which time no man was to eat a morsel. Even if a deer or +buffalo passed by, no man was to kill it; the fast must be kept. In fact, +no man was allowed even to sit down, or rest himself by leaning against a +tree. This was done by the old men to purify the young warriors, as they +said, and to gain the favor of the Great Spirit. All this was a common +practice with the tribe before they went to battle; and the more strictly +the fast was kept, the greater (as they supposed) were the chances of +success. During these three days, Boone, like the rest, kept the fast, +drank the war-drink, and did not even leave the "medicine-ground." + +The fast being over, they fired their guns, yelled, danced, and sang; and +in the midst of this noise the march commenced. The leading war-chief, +bearing the medicine-bag, or budget (as it was called), went before; the +rest followed in single file. Nothing but shouting and yelling, and the +noise of guns, was heard, as they passed through the village. When they +reached the woods, all the noise ceased; they were fairly on their march, +and that march was to be made after the Indian fashion, in dead silence. +For several days this dead march was kept up, Boone looking every hour +for his chance of escape. At length, early one morning, a deer dashed by +the line. Boone leaped eagerly after him, and started in pursuit. No +sooner was he out of sight of the Indians, than he pressed for +Boonesborough. He knew they would give chase, and therefore he doubled +his track, waded in streams, and did everything that he could to throw +them off his trail. Every sound startled him; he thought the Indians were +behind him. With no food but roots and berries, and scarcely time to +devour these, he pushed through swamps and thickets for his old home. Now +or never was his chance for liberty, and as such he used it. At length, +after wandering nearly two hundred miles, on the fourth day he reached +Boonesborough in safety. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + +Before we go on, let me tell you of some of the curious customs which +Boone noticed among the Indians, during his captivity. He had a fine +opportunity for observation, and I think these strange customs will +interest you. + +It is not wonderful that Indian men and women are so hardy; they are +trained to it from their youth: and Boone tells us how they are trained. +When a child is only eight years old, this training commences; he is then +made to fast frequently half a day; when he is twelve, he is made to fast +a whole day. During the time of this fast, the child is left alone, and +his face is always blacked. This mode of hardening them is kept up with +girls until they are fourteen--with boys until they are eighteen. At +length, when a boy has reached the age of eighteen, his parents tell him +that his education is completed, and that he is old enough to be a man! +His face is now to be blacked for the last time. He is taken to a +solitary cabin far away from the village; his face is blacked, and then +his father makes to him a speech of this kind: "My son, the Great Spirit +has allowed you to live to see this day. We have all noticed your conduct +since I first began to black your face. All people will understand +whether you have followed your father's advice, and they will treat you +accordingly. You must now remain here until I come after you." The lad is +then left alone. His father then goes off hunting, as though nothing had +happened, and leaves his boy to bear his hunger as long it is possible +for him to starve and live. At length he prepares a great feast, gathers +his friends together, and then returns. The lad is then brought home, his +face is washed in cold water, his hair is shaved, leaving nothing but the +scalp-lock; they all commence eating, but the food of the lad is placed +before him in a separate dish. This being over, a looking-glass and a bag +of paint are then presented to him. Then they all praise him for his +firmness, and tell him that he is a man. Strange as it may seem, a boy is +hardly ever known to break his fast when he is blacked this way for the +last time. It is looked upon as something base, and they have a dread +that the Great Spirit will punish them if they are disobedient to their +parents. + +Another curious habit which surprised Boone was that of continually +changing names. A white man carries the same name from the cradle to the +grave, but among these people it was very different. Their principal +arms, as you know, are the tomahawk and scalping-knife, and he who can +take the greatest number of scalps is the greatest man. From time to +time, as warriors would return from an attack upon some enemy, these new +names would begin to be known. Each man would count the number of scalps +he had taken, and a certain number entitled him to a new name, in token +of his bravery. It is not wonderful that they were revengeful, when they +were stimulated by this sort of ambition. Besides this, they believed +that he who took the scalp of a brave man received at once all his +courage and other good qualities; and this made them more eager in their +thirst for scalps. In this way, names of warriors were sometimes changed +three or four times in a year. + +Marriages in this tribe were conducted very decently. When a young +warrior desired to marry, he assembled all his friends, and named the +woman whom he wished for his wife. His relations then received his +present, and took it to the parents of the young woman. If they were +pleased with the proposal, they would dress the young woman in her +gayest clothes, and take her, with bundles of presents, to the friends of +the warrior; then, if she pleased, she was to be married. There was no +compulsion in the matter. If she was not satisfied, she had only to +return his present to the young warrior, and this was considered a +refusal. + +Their mode of burying their dead was very much like that of all the +Indians. The dead body was sometimes placed in a pen made of sticks and +covered over with bark; sometimes it was placed in a grave, and covered +first with bark, and then with dirt; and sometimes, especially in the +case of the young, it was placed in a rude coffin, and suspended from the +top of a tree. This last was a common mode of infant burial, and the +mother of the child would often be found, long after, standing under the +tree, and singing songs to her babe. + +Boone witnessed, too, the mode in which war-parties start off for war. +The budget, or medicine-bag, is first made up. This bag contains +something belonging to each man of the party--something usually +representing some animal, such as the skin of a snake, the tail of a +buffalo, the horns of a buck, or the feathers of a bird. It is always +regarded as a very sacred thing. The leader of the party goes before with +this; the rest follow in single file. When they come to a stand, the +budget is laid down in front, and no man may pass it without permission. +To keep their thoughts upon the enterprise in which they are engaged, no +man is allowed to talk of women or his home. At night, when they encamp, +the heart of whatever animal has been killed during the day is cut into +small pieces and then burnt. During the burning no man is allowed to step +across the fire, but must always walk around it in the direction of the +sun. When they spy the enemy, and the attack is to be made, the +war-budget is opened. Each man takes out his budget, or _totem_, and +fastens it to his body. After the fight, each man again returns his +_totem_ to the leader. They are all again tied up, and given to the man +who has taken the first scalp. He then leads the party in triumph home. + +Boone had not long been a prisoner among them when a successful war-party +returned home and celebrated their victory. When the party came within a +day's march of the village, a messenger was sent in to tell of their +success. An order was instantly issued that every cabin should be swept +clean, and the women as quickly commenced the work. When they had +finished, the cabins were all inspected, to see if they were in proper +order. Next day the party approached the village. They were all +frightfully painted, and each man had a bunch of white feathers on his +head. They were marching in single file, the chief of the party leading +the way, bearing in one hand a branch of cedar, laden with the scalps +they had taken, and all chanting their war-song. As they entered the +village, the chief led the way to the war-pole which stood in front of +the council-house. In this house the council-fire was then burning. The +waiter, or _Etissu_ of the leader, then fixed two blocks of wood near the +war-pole, and placed upon them a kind of ark, which was regarded by them +as one of their most sacred things. The chief now ordered that all should +sit down. He then inquired whether his cabin was prepared, and everything +made ready, according to the custom of his fathers. They then rose up and +commenced the war-whoop, as they marched round the war-pole. The ark was +then taken and carried with great solemnity into the council-house, and +here the whole party remained three days and nights, separate from the +rest of the people. Their first business now was to wash themselves +clean, and sprinkle themselves with a mixture of bitter herbs. While they +were thus in the house, all their female relatives, after having bathed +and dressed themselves in their finest clothes, placed themselves in two +lines facing each other on each side of the door. Here they continued +singing a slow monotonous song all day and night; the song was kept up +steadily for one minute, with intervals of ten minutes of dead silence +between. About once in three hours the chief would march out at the head +of his warriors, raise the war-whoop, and pass around the war-pole, +bearing his branch of cedar. This was all that was done for the whole +three days and nights. At length the purification was ended, and upon +each of their cabins was placed a twig of the cedar with a fragment of +the scalps fastened to it, to satisfy the ghosts of their departed +friends. All were now quiet as usual, except the leader of the party and +his waiter, who kept up the purification three days and nights longer. +When he had finished, the budget was hung up before his door for thirty +or forty days, and from time to time Indians of the party would be seen +singing and dancing before it. When Boone asked the meaning of all this +strange ceremony, they answered him by a word which he says meant _holy_. + +As this party had brought in no prisoners, he did not now witness their +horrible mode of torture. Before he left them, however, he saw enough of +their awful cruelty in this way. Sometimes the poor prisoner would be +tied to a stake, a pile of green wood placed around him, fire applied, +and the poor wretch left to his horrible fate, while, amid shouts and +yells, the Indians departed. Sometimes he would be forced to run the +gauntlet between two rows of Indians, each one striking at him with a +club until he fell dead. Others would be fastened between two stakes, +their arms and legs stretched to each of them, and then quickly burnt by +a blazing fire. A common mode was to pinion the arms of the prisoner, and +then tie one end of a grape-vine around his neck, while the other was +fastened to the stake. A fire was then kindled, and the poor wretch would +walk the circle; this gave the savages the comfort of seeing the poor +creature literally roasting, while his agony was prolonged. Perhaps this +was the most popular mode, too, because all the women and children could +join in it. They were there, with their bundles of dry sticks, to keep +the fire blazing, and their long switches, to beat the prisoner. Fearful +that their victim might die too soon, and thus escape their cruelty, the +women would knead cakes of clay and put them on the skull of the poor +sufferer, that the fire might not reach his brain and instantly kill him. +As the poor frantic wretch would run round the circle, they would yell, +dance, and sing, and beat him with their switches, until he fell +exhausted. At other times, a poor prisoner would be tied, and then +scalding water would be poured upon him from time to time till he died. +It was amazing, too, to see how the warriors would sometimes bear these +tortures. Tied to the stake, they would chant their war-songs, threaten +their captors with the awful vengeance of their tribe, boast of how many +of their nation they had scalped and tell their tormentors how they +might increase their torture. In the midst of the fire they would stand +unflinching, and die without changing a muscle. It was their glory to die +in this way; they felt that they disappointed their enemies in their last +triumph. + +While Boone was with them, a noted warrior of one of the western tribes, +with which the Shawanese were at war, was brought in as a captive. He was +at once condemned, stripped, fastened to the stake, and the fire kindled. +After suffering without flinching for a long time, he laughed at his +captors, and told them they did not know how to make an enemy eat fire. +He called for a pipe and tobacco. Excited by his bravery, they gave it to +him. He sat down on the burning coals, and commenced smoking with the +utmost composure; not a muscle of his countenance moved. Seeing this, one +of his captors sprang forward and cried out that he was a true warrior. +Though he had murdered many of their tribe, yet he should live, if the +fire had not spoiled him. The fire had, however, well nigh done its work. +With that, he declared that he was too brave a man to suffer any longer. +He seized a tomahawk and raised it over the head of the prisoner: still a +muscle did not move. He did not even change his posture. The blow was +given, and the brave warrior fell dead. + +While among them, Boone also witnessed the mode in which, the Shawanese +make a treaty of peace. The warriors of both tribes between which the +treaty was to be made, met together first, ate and smoked in a friendly +way, and then pledged themselves in a sacred drink called _cussena_. The +Shawanese then waved large fans, made of eagles' tails, and danced. The +other party, after this, chose six of their finest young men, painted +them with white clay, and adorned their heads with swans' feathers; their +leader was then placed on what was called the "consecrated seat." After +this they all commenced dancing, and singing their song of peace. They +danced first in a bending posture; then stood upright, still dancing, and +bearing in their right hands their fans, while in their left they carried +a calabash, tied to a stick about a foot long, and with this continually +beat their breasts. During all this, some added to the noise by rattling +pebbles in a gourd. This being over, the peace was concluded. It was an +act of great solemnity, and no warrior was considered as well trained, +who did not know how to join in every part of it. + +Many other strange things were seen by Boone among these people, but +these are enough to show you that he was among a strange people, with +habits very unlike his own. It is not wonderful that he sighed to escape, +when he looked upon their horrid tortures. Independently of his love for +Boonesborough, he did not know but that such tortures might be his at any +moment, when they became excited. Fortunately, as we have seen, he did +escape, and we will now go on with his story. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + +When Boone reached Boonesborough, the object he most loved was not to be +found. His poor wife, wearied with waiting for him, and naturally +concluding that he was lost to her for ever, had returned to her friends +on the Yadkin. The settlers had begged her to remain, and offered her +every kindness; but her husband was gone: she was heart-sick, and longed +to return to her friends in Carolina. Disappointed as he was, however, he +had no time to waste in sorrow. The Indians were approaching, and +Boonesborough was well nigh defenceless. Just before his return, a Major +Smith had taken charge of the post, and been busy in strengthening it, +but much was still to be done. Boone's energies were now at work, and in +a little time the station was ready for an attack. A white man now came +into the settlement with news. He had escaped from the Indians. The +party from which Boone had escaped had postponed their attack for three +weeks, and gone back to strengthen themselves. They felt that Boone had +reached home--the alarm was given, the place fortified--and that it was +idle to attack it at this time. + +Boone determined at once to improve the mean season. With nineteen men, +he started off to surprise the Indians at Paint Creek Town, a small +village on the Scioto. When he came within four miles of the place, he +met a party of the savages on their way to join the large body marching +against Boonesborough. The fight instantly commenced: one Indian fell +dead, several were wounded, and the rest were forced to retreat; their +horses and all their baggage fell into the hands of Boone. Two men were +now sent to reconnoitre the town. They found no Indians there; they had +all left. After setting fire to the village, they returned, and Boone +immediately hurried homeward. + +He had scarcely entered the station, and closed the gates, when an army +of four hundred and forty-four Indians, led on by a Frenchman named +Duquesne, appeared before the settlement. They soon sent in a flag, +demanding, in the name of the King of Great Britain, that the station +should instantly surrender. A council was immediately held in the fort. +With such a force before them, Smith was in favor of meeting their +proposal; Boone opposed it; the settlers backed him in this opposition; +and he sent back for an answer to the Indians that the gates should never +be opened to them. Presently another flag of truce was sent in, with a +message that they had a letter for Colonel Boone from Governor Hamilton, +of Detroit. Upon hearing this, it was thought best that Boone and Smith +should go out and meet them, and hear what they had to say. + +Fifty yards from the fort they were met by three chiefs, who received +them very cordially, and led them to the spot where they were to hold the +parley. Here they were seated upon a panther's skin, while the Indians +held branches over their heads to protect them from the sun. The chiefs +then commenced talking in a friendly way, and some of their warriors now +came forward, grounded their arms, and shook hands with them. Then the +letter of General Hamilton was read; he invited them to surrender and +come at once to Detroit where they should be treated with all kindness. +Smith objected to this proposal, declaring that it was impossible for +them, at this time, to move their women and children; but the Indians had +an answer ready: they had brought forty horses with them, they said, +expressly to help them in removing. After a long and friendly talk, the +white men returned to the fort, for the purpose, as they said, of +considering the proposal. They now informed the settlers that the Indians +had no cannon, and advised them never to think of surrendering. Every man +thought the advice good. + +The Indians now sent in another flag, and asked what treaty the whites +were ready to make. Boone, who had suspected treachery all the time, at +once sent a reply, that if they wished to make a treaty, the place for +making it, must be within sixty yards of the fort. This displeased them +at first, but at last, they consented. He then stationed some of his men, +with their guns, in one angle of the fort, with orders to fire if it +became necessary, and, with Smith, started out to meet them. After a long +talk with thirty chiefs, terms were agreed upon, and the treaty was ready +to be signed; the chiefs now said that it was customary with them, on +such occasions, for the Indians to shake hands with every white man who +signed the treaty, as a token of the warmest friendship. Boone and Smith +agreed to this, and the shaking of hands commenced; presently, they found +themselves seized in the crowd--the Indians were dragging them off; a +fire from the fort now levelled the savages who grasped them; the rest +were in confusion, and, in the confusion, Boone and Smith escaped and +rushed into the fort. In the struggle Boone was wounded, though not +dangerously. It was a narrow escape for both of them. + +There was no more chance for deception now; the Indians were +disappointed, and the whites were provoked at their treachery. A brisk +firing now commenced on both sides; Duquesne harangued the Indians and +urged them on, while the whites shouted from the fort, upbraided them as +treacherous cowards, and defied them. The attack was furious, the firing +was kept up till dark, and many an Indian fell that day before +Boonesborough. The whites, sheltered by their pickets, made easy havoc +among them. + +When night came, the exasperated Indians crawled under the pickets and +began to throw burning materials into the fort, hoping to set all on +fire; but in this they were disappointed--there were ample supplies of +water inside, and the fire was put out as fast as it fell. + +The next day the firing was resumed, and day after day it continued, the +Indians failing to make any impression. They were too far from the +fort--the first day's work had taught them not to come near. At last they +formed a wiser plan for doing mischief. Boonesborough, as you will +remember, was only sixty yards from the river, and they determined, by +the advice of the Frenchman, to let the water in and force the settlers +out. In the night, they commenced the work of digging a trench under +ground, from the river. In the morning Boone looked out upon the river, +and perceiving that it was muddy, instantly guessed the cause. He +immediately set his men to the work of cutting a trench inside the fort, +to cross the subterranean passage of the Indians. The savages saw what +was doing, for Boone's men were constantly shovelling dirt over the +pickets, but they persevered earnestly in their design. At last, however, +they were forced to stop, for the dirt caved in as fast as they dug; +disappointed in this, they now summoned the station once more to a +treaty. But Boone laughed at them. "Do you suppose," said he, "we would +pretend to treat with such treacherous wretches? Fire on, you only waste +your powder; the gates shall never be opened to you while there is a man +of us living." Taking his advice, they commenced their firing again; at +last, on the ninth day of the siege, wearied with their fruitless labor, +they killed all the cattle they could find, raised a yell, and departed. +This was a terrible siege for the Indians; it is said that they lost two +hundred men; Boone counted thirty-seven chief warriors; while the whites, +defended by their pickets, had but two killed and four wounded. You may +judge, too, how industrious the savages had been, when I tell you that +the whites who wanted lead, commenced gathering their balls after they +left, and succeeded in picking out of the logs, and from the ground, one +hundred and twenty-five pounds. + +Boone having thus successfully defended his settlement, determined now to +go in search of his wife. Accustomed to travelling through the woods, he +soon made his lonely journey to the Yadkin. They were amazed as he +entered the house of Mr. Bryan, his wife's father. The appearance of one +risen from the grave could not have surprised them more than that of +Boone--the lost man was among them, and great was their rejoicing. He now +remained here with his family for some time, and here we will leave him +for a little while, to talk of what happened in Kentucky during his +absence. + +The Kentuckians, roused by the Indian hostility and treachery, determined +soon after he left to inflict punishment upon them; against the Shawanese +they were most provoked; it was among them that most of the plots against +the whites were formed, and the attack, therefore, was to be made upon +them. An army of one hundred and sixty men was soon collected, and the +command was given to a brave man named Colonel Bowman; they were to march +directly against old Chilicothe, the den of the savages. + +In July of this year (1779), they started and reached the home of the +Indians, without being discovered. At daylight, the fight commenced and +continued till ten o'clock. Bowman's men fought bravely, but the Indians +had every advantage. Knowing all the woods about their settlement, while +one party fought openly, the other, concealed behind the grass and trees, +poured in a deadly fire upon the whites. He was forced at last to retreat +as rapidly as possible to a distance of thirty miles; but the Indians +pursued him here, doing more mischief than before. The savages fought +desperately. His men were falling around him, and but for Colonel Harrod, +every man of them might have been killed. Seeing the slaughter that was +continually increasing, he mounted a body of horsemen and made a charge +upon the enemy; this broke their ranks, they were thrown into confusion, +and Bowman, with the remnant of his men, was enabled to retreat. + +This attack only exasperated the Indians. In the course of the next +summer (after doing much mischief in a smaller way in the meantime), they +gathered together to the number of six hundred, and led on by Colonel +Bird, a British officer, came down upon Riddle's and Martin's stations, +at the forks of Licking river. They had with them six cannons, and +managed their matters so secretly, that the first news of their approach +was given to the settlers by the roar of their guns. Of course it was of +no use to resist; the pickets could not defend them from cannon-balls; +the settlers were forced to surrender. The savages rushed into the +station and instantly killed one man and two women with their tomahawks; +all the others, many of whom were sick, were now loaded with baggage and +forced to march off with the Indians. It was certain death to any one, +old or young, male or female, who became, on the march, too weak and +exhausted to travel farther; they were instantly killed with the +tomahawk. + +Flushed with success, the Indians were now more troublesome than ever; it +was impossible for the whites to remain in the country if matters were to +go on in this way. The inhabitants at last threw themselves upon the +protection of Colonel Clarke, who commanded a regiment of United States +soldiers at the falls of the Ohio. At the head of his men and a large +number of volunteers, he marched against Pecaway, one of the principal +towns of the Shawanese; numbers of the savages were killed, and the town +was burnt to ashes. This was a triumph, but it was a triumph gained by +the loss of seventeen of his men. + +In 1780, Boone again returned to Boonesborough with his family, bringing +with him also a younger brother. The elder brother (who had been in +Kentucky before, as you will remember) now returned also, and made his +home at a spot not far from the place where the town of Shelbyville now +stands. The settlers were all delighted to see their old friend Daniel +Boone once more among them; they now felt that their leader was on the +ground. Mrs. Boone too felt happy. Though she was again on "_the dark and +bloody ground_," her husband was with her. + +In a little time his services were again especially needed. The want of +salt, their old trouble was upon them, and they looked to Boone to +procure it. Ever ready, he started off with his younger brother to the +Blue Licks, the place of his former trouble; here he was destined to meet +with trouble again. They had made as much salt as they could carry, and +were now returning to Boonesborough with their packs, when they were +suddenly overtaken by a party of savages; the Indians immediately fired, +and Boone's brother fell dead. Daniel Boone turned, levelled his rifle at +the foremost Indian, and brought him down; with a loud yell the party now +rushed toward him. He snatched his brother's rifle, levelled another, and +then ran. The Indians gave chase, but he managed to keep ahead, and even +found time to reload his rifle. He knew that his only chance for escape +was to distance them, and break his trail. He passed the brow of a hill, +jumped into a brook below, waded in it for some distance, and then struck +off at right angles from his old course. Upon looking back he found, to +his sorrow, that he had not succeeded--the Indians were still on his +track. Presently, he came to a grape-vine, and tried his old experiment +at breaking the trail. This was to no purpose, he found the savages still +following him. After travelling some distance farther, upon looking round +he saw the cause of his trouble; the Indians had a dog with them, and +this dog, scenting his track, kept them for ever on his course. His rifle +was loaded--the dog was far ahead of the party--and Boone sent a rifle +ball through him. He now pushed on, doubling his course from time to +time; the Indians lost track of him, and he reached Boonesborough in +safety. + +In spite of the continued annoyance of the Indians, the white settlements +had continued to grow, and there were now so many white men in the +country, that in the fall of this year (1780), Kentucky was divided into +the three counties of Jefferson, Fayette, and Lincoln. Our friend, Daniel +Boone, was appointed to command the militia in his county, and William +Pope, and Benjamin Logan, two brave men, were to have the command in +theirs. + +The winter of this year soon set in, and it proved a hard one. The +settlers, however, bore it cheerfully, for they were accustomed to +hardships. Hard as it was, too, it proved mild to the next that followed. +The winter of 1781 was long remembered as "the cold winter" in Kentucky. +To make it harder, the Indians, after doing much mischief through the +summer, had destroyed most of the crops the preceding fall, and the +settlers had small supplies of food. But the forest was around them; +Boone and Harrod were among them, and these two men found food enough. +Every day they went out in the winter's storms--every night they came in +laden with deer and buffaloes. The people learned to live on nothing but +meat. Boone and Harrod drove away all thoughts of starvation. They had, +however, this one comfort: the cold weather kept the Indians at home. +They had no disturbances throughout the winter from them. + +When spring opened, however, the savages showed themselves more furious, +if possible, than ever. Their plans of mischief were better laid; they +seemed to have been feeding their revenge fat. Open and secret war was +all around the settlers. It would be idle for me to attempt to give +details of the doings of the savages. Ashton's, Hoy's, M'Afee's, +Kincheloe's, and Boone's station, near Shelbyville, were all attacked. +Men were shot down in the open fields, or waylaid in every pathway. The +early annals of Kentucky are filled with stories of many a brave white +man at this time. There were Ashton, Holden, Lyn, Tipton, Chapman, White, +Boone, Floyd, Wells, the M'Afees, M'Gary, Randolph, Reynolds, and others, +some of whom were killed, and all of whom had their hard struggles. The +history of that spring is only a story of burnings, captures, and +murders, on the part of the savages. It was a dark period for the white +men; even Boone, with all his vigor and fearlessness, thought it the +darkest period he had known in that region. The savages seemed bent upon +a war of extermination. + +Not satisfied with such mischief as they had already done, in the early +part of the summer the savages held a grand council at Old Chilicothe, to +arrange their plans for further destruction. There were chiefs there from +the Cherokees, Wyandots, Tawas, Pottawattomies, and most of the tribes +bordering on the lakes. Two notorious white villains--whose names will +never be forgotten in Kentucky--were there also, to aid them with their +counsels. These were Girty and M'Kee, infamous men, who lived among the +Indians, and lived only by murdering their own countrymen. Their plan was +soon settled. Bryant's station, near Lexington, was known to be a strong +post, and this was to be attacked. This station had within it forty +cabins, and here it was thought they might make the greatest slaughter. +The warriors were to gather as rapidly as possible for the enterprise. + +In a little time, five hundred of them rallied at Girty's cabin, ready +for their departure. The white rascal then made a speech to them. He told +them that "Kentucky was a beautiful hunting-ground, filled with deer and +buffaloes, for their comfort; the white men had come to drive them away; +the ground was now red with the blood of the red men that had been slain. +But vengeance they would have--now, before the whites were yet fastened +in the country, they would strike a blow, and drive them off for ever." +Then he talked of the plan before them. He advised them to descend the +Miami in their canoes, cross the Ohio, ascend the Licking, and then they +might paddle their boats almost to the station. His speech was answered +by a loud yell from the Indians, and they all started off for their +boats--Simon Girty, with his ruffled shirt and soldier coat, marching at +their head. + +On the night of the 15th of August, they arrived before the station. In +the morning, as the gates were opened, the men were fired at by the +savages, and this was the first news to the whites of the approach of the +enemy. It was fortunate that they had shown themselves thus early: in two +hours more, most of the men were to have started off to aid a distant +feeble station. As soon as the whites found they were besieged, they +managed to send off the news to Lexington. + +The Indians now, as usual, commenced their stratagems. The large body +concealed themselves in the grass near the pathway to the spring, while +one hundred went round and attacked the southeast angle of the station. +Their hope was to draw the whites all to that quarter, while they forced +an entrance on the other side. But the white men understood this sort of +cunning; they had lived among the Indians too long to be caught by such +tricks: instead of noticing the attack, they went on quietly with the +work of repairing and strengthening their palisades. + +But water, one of the necessaries of life, was soon wanting. The whites, +as they looked at the tall grass and weeds near the spring, felt that +Indians were lurking there. The women now came forward and insisted upon +it that they would go and bring water. "What if they do shoot us?" they +said; "it is better to lose a woman than a man at such a time." With +that, they started out, and, strange to tell, went back and forth, +bringing supplies of water, without any difficulty. Some of the young men +now went out upon the same purpose. They had scarcely left the station, +when they were fired upon. Fortunately, the Indians were too far to do +any mischief; the men retreated rapidly within the palisades. The +Indians, finding their stratagem fruitless, now rushed forward, and +commenced a tremendous attack. The whites received them with a steady +fire, and many of them fell. Enraged the more, they now discharged their +burning arrows into the roofs of the houses; some of the cabins were +burnt, but an east wind was blowing at the time, and that saved the +station. + +The enemy now fell back into the grass. They had found out, in some way, +that help was expected from Lexington, and they were preparing to cut it +off. In a little time, all was still. Presently sixteen horsemen, +followed by thirty-one foot-soldiers, were seen coming; these were the +men from Lexington. Thinking only of the distress of their friends, they +were hurrying along, when the Indians opened a fire upon them. The +horsemen galloped off in a cloud of dust, and reached the station in +safety. The soldiers on foot, in their effort to escape, plunged into the +cornfields on either side of the road, only to meet the enemy. A +desperate fight commenced on both sides: two soldiers were killed; the +rest--four of them having dangerous wounds--reached the pickets. The +exasperated Indians, disappointed at the escape of this party, now +wreaked their vengeance by killing all the cattle they could find. + +Finding all their efforts to enter the station idle, Simon Girty now came +near enough to be heard, mounted a stump, and holding in his hand a flag +of truce, began to talk. "Surrender promptly," cried Simon; "if you +surrender promptly, no blood shall be shed; but if you will not +surrender, then know that our cannons and reinforcements are coming. We +will batter down your pickets as we did at Riddle's and Martin's; every +man of you shall be slain; two are dead already four are wounded; every +man shall die." This language was so insolent, that some of the settlers +cried out, "Shoot the rascal!" No man, however, lifted his rifle; the +flag of truce protected him. "I am under a flag of truce," cried Simon; +"do you know who it is that speaks to you?" + +Upon this, a young man named Reynolds leaped up and cried out, "Know +you! know you! yes, we know you well. Know Simon Girty! yes: he is the +renegado, cowardly villain, who loves to murder women and children, +especially those of his own people. Know Simon Girty! yes: his father +must have been a panther, and his mother a wolf. I have a worthless dog +that kills lambs: instead of shooting him, I have named him Simon Girty. +You expect reinforcements and cannon, do you? Cowardly wretches like you, +that make war upon women and children, would not dare to touch them off, +if you had them. We expect reinforcements, too, and in numbers to give a +short account of the murdering cowards that follow you. Even if you could +batter down our pickets, I, for one, hold your people in too much +contempt to shoot rifles at them. I would not waste powder and ball upon +you. Should you even enter our fort, I am ready for you; I have roasted a +number of hickory switches, with which we mean to whip you and your naked +cut-throats out of the country!" + +Simon was now furious; cursing and swearing, he went back to his friends, +amid the loud laughs and jeers of the whites. In a little time, the +firing was renewed; it was all to no purpose: no white man suffered, and +every Indian who came within gun-shot of the fort was sure to fall. In +the course of the night the whole party sneaked off, and their tracks +indicated that they had started for the Blue Licks. They left behind them +thirty of their number slain. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + +Colonel Todd, of Lexington, instantly despatched news of this attack on +Bryant's station, to Colonel Boone, at Boonesborough, and Colonel Trigg, +near Harrodsburgh. In a little time, one hundred and seventy-six men were +collected under these three officers, to march in pursuit. Majors M'Gary +and Harland now joined them, determined that they would have a part in +the punishment of the savages. It was known, too, that Colonel Logan was +collecting a force, and a council of officers was at once held, to +determine whether they should march on, or wait for him. They were all so +eager to be off, that it was thought best to march immediately. The march +was therefore commenced forthwith. + +Following on in the trail of the Indians, they had not gone far, when +Boone saw enough to convince him that the Indians would not only be +willing, but glad to meet them. No effort had been made to conceal their +trail; the trees were even marked on their pathway, that the whites +might follow on; and they had tried to conceal their numbers, by +treading in each other's footsteps. He called the attention of his +companions to this, but still they proceeded onward. + +They saw no Indians until they came to the Licking river, not far from +the Blue Licks. A party was now seen on the other side of the stream, +leisurely crossing a hill. A council was at once held, and the officers +all turned to Boone for advice. His advice was given frankly: he was for +waiting till Logan should arrive with his men. The Indian party, he felt +assured, was at the least from four to five hundred strong, and the +unconcerned mode in which the Indians crossed the hill showed that the +main body was near, and their design was to draw them over the river. +Moreover, he was acquainted with all that region of the country. After +they crossed the ford, they would come upon deep ravines not far from the +bank, where, no doubt, the Indians were in ambush. If, however, they were +determined not to wait for Logan, he advised that the country might at +least be reconnoitred before the attack was made. A part of the men, he +thought, might cross the stream, and move up cautiously on the other +side, while the remainder would stand where they were, ready to assist +them at the first alarm. Todd and Trigg thought the advice good, and were +disposed to heed it; but, just at this moment, Major M'Gary, more +hot-headed than wise, spurred his horse into the water, gave the Kentucky +war-whoop, and cried out, "All those that are not cowards will follow me; +I will show them where the Indians are." The men were roused by this show +of bravery, and they all crossed the ford. + +The banks were steep on the other side, and many of them now dismounted, +tied their horses, and commenced marching on foot. M'Gary and Harland led +the way. They had not proceeded far when they came to one of the ravines. +It was just as Boone had supposed; the savages were in ambush. A deadly +fire was now poured in upon the whites; the men staggered and fell in +every direction. The fire was returned, but to little purpose, for the +enemy was completely concealed; a retreat was all that was left. The +whites hurried back toward the river; the Indians pursued; and now +commenced the slaughter with the tomahawk. The ford was narrow, and +multitudes were slaughtered there. Some were trying to get to their +horses; others, more fortunate, were mounted and flying; and some were +plunging into the stream. In the midst of all this confusion, the +Indians were doing their work of destruction. + +A man by the name of Netherland (who had been laughed at for his +cowardice) had never dismounted his horse, and was the first to reach the +opposite shore. In a little time, some of his comrades were around him. +He now turned, and, looking back, saw the massacre that was going on. +This was more than he could bear. "Halt! fire on the Indians," cried he; +"protect the men in the river." With this, the men wheeled, fired, and +rescued several poor fellows in the stream, over whom the tomahawk was +lifted. + +Reynolds, the man who answered Girty's insolence, made a narrow escape. +Finding, in the retreat, one of the officers wounded, he gave him his +horse, and was soon after taken by three Indians. They were now over him, +ready to despatch him, when two retreating white men rushed by. Two of +the savages started in pursuit; the third stooped for an instant to tie +his moccasin, when Reynolds sprang away from him and escaped. + +This was a terrible battle for the white men. More than sixty of their +number were slain, and among them were most of their officers: Colonels +Todd and Trigg, Majors Harland and Bulger, Captains Gordon and M'Bride, +and a son of Colonel Boone, were all among the dead. + +Those who had regained the other shore, not having strength to rally, +started homeward in great sadness. On their way they met Colonel Logan. +He had gone to Bryant's station with his five hundred men, and was +greatly disappointed when he found they had all started without him; he +pushed on, however, as rapidly as he could, hoping to overtake them +before they made their attack on the savages. The sad story of the defeat +was soon told. All that remained to be done now was to go back, and, if +possible, bury the dead. Upon this sad business Logan continued his +march. Upon reaching the ground, the spectacle was awful: the dead bodies +were strewn over it just as they had fallen, the heat was intense, and +birds of prey were feeding upon the carcasses. The bodies were so mangled +and changed, that no man could be distinguished; friends could not +recognise their nearest relatives. The dead were buried as rapidly as +possible, and Logan left the scene in great sorrow. + +Nor was this all the carnage. The Indians, after the defeat, had +scattered, and it was soon found that on their way homeward they had +swept through several settlements, carrying destruction before them. +Emboldened by their triumph, no man could tell what they might next +attempt. + +It was no time for the whites to be idle. They soon rallied in large +numbers at Fort Washington, the present site of the city of Cincinnati. +General Clarke was at once made commander-in-chief, and Colonel Logan was +placed next under him in command. Clarke immediately started with a +thousand men to attack the Indian towns on the Miami. On his way he came +upon the cabin of Simon Girty; it was fortunate for Simon that a +straggling Indian spied Clarke's men coming, in time to let him escape. +The news was now spread everywhere that an army of white men was coming +from Kentucky. The consequence was, that as Clarke approached the towns, +he found them all deserted; the Indians had fled to the woods. His march, +however, was not made for nothing. The towns of Old and New Chilicothe, +Pecaway, and Wills' Town, were all reduced to ashes. One old Indian +warrior was surprised, and surrendered himself a prisoner. This man, to +the great sorrow of General Clarke, was afterward murdered by one of the +soldiers. + +Notwithstanding this punishment, Indian massacres still went on. Stories +of savage butchery were heard of everywhere; every station that they +dared approach felt their fury, and the poor settler who had built his +cabin away from any station was sure to be visited. + +General Clarke started out again, against the Indians on the Wabash. +Unfortunately, his expedition failed this time, for the want of +provisions for his men. Another expedition of Colonel Logan, against the +Shawanese Indians, was more successful. He surprised one of their towns, +killed many of their warriors, and took many prisoners. + +The war had now become so serious, that in the fall of 1785 the General +Government invited all the lake and Ohio tribes of Indians to meet at the +mouth of the Great Miami. It was hoped that in this way matters might be +settled peaceably. But many of the tribes were insolent and ill-natured; +they refused to come in, giving as an excuse that the Kentuckians were +for ever molesting them. Emboldened by the very invitation, they +continued the warfare more vigorously than ever. They not only assaulted +the settlements already made, but made an attempt to guard the Ohio +river, to prevent any further settlers from reaching the country in that +direction. Small parties placed themselves at different points on the +river, from Pittsburgh to Louisville, where they laid in ambush and fired +upon every boat that passed. Sometimes they would make false signals, +decoy the boat ashore, and murder the whole crew. They even went so far +at last as to arm and man the boats they had taken, and cruise up and +down the river. + +I must tell you of a very bold defence made on the Ohio about this time +by a Captain Hubbel, who was bringing a party of emigrants from Vermont +His party was in two boats, and consisted in all of twenty. As Hubbel +came down the river, he fell in with other boats, was told of the Indian +stratagems, and advised to be careful. Indeed, the inmates of some of the +boats begged that he would continue in their company, and thus they would +be able to meet the Indians better if they should be attacked; the +stronger the party, the better, in such a condition. But Hubbel refused +to do this, and proceeded onward. He had not gone far, when a man on the +shore began to make signs of distress, and begged that the boat might +come and take him off. Hubbel knew well enough that this was an Indian +disguised as a white man, and therefore took no notice of him. In a +little time, a party of savages pushed off in their boats, and attacked +him fiercely. The fight was hot on both sides. The savages tried to board +Hubbel's boat, but the fire was too hot for this. Hubbel received two +severe wounds, and had the lock of his gun shot off by an Indian; still +he fought, touching off his broken gun from time to time with a +firebrand. The Indians found the struggle too hard, and were glad to +paddle off. Presently they returned, and attacked the other boat; this +they seized almost without an effort, killed the captain and a boy, and +took all the women as prisoners to their own boats. Now they came once +more against Hubbel, and cunningly placed the women on the sides of +their boats as a sort of bulwark. But this did not stop Hubbel: he saw +that his balls must strike the women; but it was better that they should +be killed now, rather than suffer a death of torture from the savages, +and the fire was at once opened upon them again. They were soon driven +off once more. In the course of the action, however, Hubbel's boat +drifted near the shore, and five hundred savages renewed the fire upon +them. One of the emigrants, more imprudent than the rest, seeing a fine +chance for a shot, raised his head to take aim, and was instantly killed +by a ball. The boat drifted along, and at length reached deep water +again. It was then found, that of the nine men on board, two only had +escaped unhurt; two were killed, and two mortally wounded. A remarkable +lad on board showed great courage. He now asked his friends to extract a +ball that had lodged in the skin of his forehead; and when this was done, +he begged that they would take out a piece of bone that had been +fractured in his elbow by another ball. His poor frightened mother, +seeing his suffering, asked him why he had not complained before; to +which the little fellow replied that he had been too busy, and, besides +that, the captain had told them all to make no noise. + +It was idle to attempt now to settle matters peaceably. The general +government had tried that and the plan had failed. The war was now to be +carried on to a close, come what might. An expedition was accordingly +planned, against all the tribes northwest of the Ohio. The Indians were +to be brought out, if possible to a general fight; or, if that could not +be done, all their towns and cabins on the Scioto and Wabash, were to be +destroyed. General Harmar was appointed commander of the main expedition, +and Major Hamtranck was to aid him with a smaller party. + +In the fall of 1791, Harmar started from Fort Washington with three +hundred and twenty men. In a little time he was joined by the Kentucky +and Pennsylvania militia, so that his whole force now amounted to +fourteen hundred and fifty-three men. Colonel Hardin, who commanded the +Kentucky militia, was now sent ahead with six hundred men, principally +militia, to reconnoitre the country. Upon reaching the Indian +settlements, the savages set fire to their houses and fled; to overtake +them, he pushed on with two hundred of his men. A party of Indians met +and attacked them. The cowardly militia ran off, leaving their brave +companions to be slaughtered. It was a brave struggle, but almost all +were cut down; only seven managed to escape and join the main army. + +Harmar felt deeply mortified. He commenced forthwith his return to Fort +Washington, but determined that, on the way, he would wipe off this +disgrace from his army. Upon coming near Chilicothe he accordingly +halted, and in the night despatched Colonel Hardin once more ahead, with +orders to find the enemy and draw them into an engagement. About +daybreak, Hardin came upon them, and the battle commenced. It was a +desperate fight on both sides. Some of the militia acted badly again, but +the officers behaved nobly. The victory was claimed on both sides, but I +think the Indians had the best of it. Three gallant officers, Fontaine, +Willys, and Frothingham, were slain, together with fifty regulars and one +hundred militia. + +Harmar now moved on to Fort Washington. So much was said about his +miserable campaign, that he requested that he might be tried by a +court-martial. Accordingly he was tried and honorably acquitted. + +A new army was soon raised, and the command was now given to +Major-General Arthur St. Clair. His plan was to destroy the Indian +settlements between the Miamies, drive the savages from that region, and +establish a chain of military posts there, which should for ever keep +them out of the country. All having rallied at Fort Washington, he +started off in the direction of the Miami towns. It was a hard march, for +he was forced to cut his roads as he passed along. Upon arriving near the +Indian country, he built forts Hamilton and Jefferson and garrisoned +them. This left him nearly two thousand men to proceed with. In a little +time some of the worthless militia deserted. This was a bad example to +the rest, and St. Clair instantly sent Major Hamtranck, with a regiment, +in pursuit of them, while he continued his march. When he arrived within +fifteen miles of the Miami villages he halted and encamped; he was soon +after joined by Major Hamtranck, and St. Clair proposed now immediately +to march against the enemy. + +But the enemy had already got news of them, and had made ready. They were +determined to have the first blow themselves. At daybreak the next +morning, the savages attacked the militia and drove them back in +confusion. These broke through the regulars, forcing their way into the +camp, the Indians pressing hard on their heels. The officers tried to +restore order, but to no purpose: the fight now became general. This, +however, was only a small part of the Indian force--there were four +thousand of the party; they had nearly surrounded the camp, and sheltered +by the trees and grass as usual, were pouring in a deadly fire upon the +whites. St. Clair and all his officers behaved with great courage. +Finding his men falling fast around him, he ordered a charge to be made +with the bayonet. The men swept through the long grass driving the +Indians before them. The charge had no sooner ceased than the Indians +returned. Some forced their way into the camp, killed the artillerists, +wounded Colonel Butler, and seized the cannon. Wounded as he was, Butler +drove them back and recovered the guns. Fired with new ardor, they +returned again, once more entered the camp--once more had possession of +the cannon. All was now confusion among the whites--it was impossible to +restore order--the Indians brought them down in masses--a retreat was all +that remained. But they were so hemmed in, that this seemed impossible. +Colonel Darke was ordered to charge the savages behind them, while Major +Clarke with his battalion was commanded to cover the rear of the army. +These orders were instantly obeyed, and the disorderly retreat commenced. +The Indians pursued them four miles, keeping up a running fight. At last +their chief, a Mississago, who had been trained to war by the British, +cried out to them to stop as they had killed enough. They then returned +to plunder the camp and divide the spoils, while the routed troops +continued their flight to Fort Jefferson, throwing away their arms on the +roadside that they might run faster. The Indians found in the camp seven +pieces of cannon, two hundred oxen, and several horses, and had a great +rejoicing. Well might the Mississago chief tell his people they had +killed enough: thirty-eight commissioned officers were slain, and five +hundred and ninety-three non-commissioned officers and privates. Besides +this, twenty-one officers and two hundred and forty-two men were +wounded, some of whom soon died of their wounds. + +This was a most disastrous battle for the whites, the most disastrous +they had yet known. The triumphant Indians were so delighted that they +could not leave the field, but kept up their revels from day to day. +Their revels, however, were at length broken up sorrowfully for them. +General Scott, hearing of the disaster, pushed on for the field with one +thousand mounted volunteers from Kentucky. The Indians were dancing and +singing, and riding the horses and oxen in high glee. Scott instantly +attacked them; two hundred were killed, their plunder retaken, and the +whole body of savages driven from the ground. + +When Congress met soon after this, of course this wretched Indian war was +much talked of. It was proposed at once to raise three additional +regiments. Upon this a hot debate sprang up, the proposal was opposed +warmly; the opponents said that it would be necessary to lay a heavy tax +upon the people to raise them, that the war had been badly managed, and +should have been trusted to the militia in the west under their own +officers, and, moreover, that no success could be expected so long as the +British continued to hold posts in our own limits, and furnish the +Indians with arms, ammunition, and advice. + +On the other hand, it was declared that the war was a just and necessary +one. It was shown that in seven years (between 1783 and 1790), fifteen +hundred people in Kentucky had been murdered or taken captives by the +savages; while in Pennsylvania and Virginia matters had been well nigh as +bad; that everything had been done to settle matters peaceably but all to +no purpose. In 1790, when a treaty was proposed to the Indians of the +Miami, they asked for thirty days to deliberate--the request was +granted--during those thirty days one hundred and twenty persons had been +killed or captured, and at the end of the time the savages refused to +give any answer to the proposal. At last the vote was taken--the +resolution passed--the war was to be carried on--the regiments were to be +raised. + +General St. Clair now resigned the command of the army, and Major General +Anthony Wayne was appointed to succeed him. This appointment gave great +joy to the western people; the man was so well known among them for his +daring and bravery, that he commonly went by the name of "Mad Anthony." + +After much delay, the regiments were at last gathered together. Some +still opposed this war and in order to prove to them that the government +was willing to settle matters peaceably, if possible, two +officers--Colonel Hardin and Major Truman, were now sent off to the +Indians with proposals of peace. They were both seized and murdered by +the savages. + +Wayne now started out upon his expedition. In a little time he passed +Fort Jefferson, took possession of St. Clair's fatal field, and erected a +fort there which he called Fort Recovery. He now learned the truth of the +stories about the British. A number of British soldiers had come down +from Detroit, and fortified themselves on the Miami of the lakes. It was +rumored too, that in some of the Indian fights and massacres, the English +were seen among them, fighting and urging them on. + +The General continued his march, and early in August reached the +confluence of the Miami of the Lakes and the Au Glaize. This was one of +the finest countries of the Indians, it was about thirty miles from the +British post, and he discovered here, that two thousand warriors were +near that post ready to meet him. Wayne was glad to hear this; his army +was quite as strong, and he longed to meet the savages. As he drew near, +however, he determined once more to have peace if possible, without +shedding blood. A message was sent to the Indians, urging them not to +follow the advice of bad men, to lay down their arms, to learn to live +peaceably, and their lives and their homes should be protected by the +government. An insolent answer, was all that was received in reply. + +Wayne's army now marched on in columns--a select battalion, under Major +Price, moving in front to reconnoitre. After marching about five miles, +Price was driven back by the fire of the Indians. As usual, the cunning +enemy was concealed; they had hid themselves in a thick wood a little in +advance of the British post, and here Price had received their fire. + +Wayne had now found out precisely where they were, and gave his orders +accordingly. The cavalry under Captain Campbell were commanded to enter +the wood in the rear of the Indians, between them and the river, and +charge their left flank. General Scott, with eleven hundred mounted +Kentucky volunteers, was to make a circuit in the opposite direction, and +attack the right. The infantry were to advance with trailed arms, and +rouse the enemy from their hiding-places. All being ready, the infantry +commenced their march. The Indians were at once routed at the point of +the bayonet. The infantry had done the whole; Campbell and Scott had +hardly the chance of doing any of the fighting. In the course of an hour, +they had driven the savages back two miles; in fact, within gun-shot of +the British post. + +Wayne had now the possession of the whole ground, and here he remained +three days, burning their houses and cornfields above and below the fort. +One Englishman suffered, too, in this work of destruction. Colonel M'Kee +was known as a British trader, forever instigating the Indians against +the Americans, and Wayne did not scruple to burn all his houses and +stores likewise. Major Campbell, who commanded the British fort, +remonstrated at this, but Wayne gave him a bold and determined answer in +reply, and he had no more to say. A few words from him would only have +caused Wayne to drive him from the country. + +The army now returned to Au Glaize, destroying all the houses, villages, +and crops by the way. It was one complete work of destruction; within +fifty miles of the river everything was destroyed. In this campaign, +Wayne had lost one hundred and seven men, and among them were two brave +officers--Captain Campbell and Lieutenant Towles, but still he had gained +a glorious victory. In his track, too, he had not forgotten to build +forts, to guard against the savages in future. + +The story of the victory soon spread, and struck terror to the hearts of +the Indians north and south. They were restless and dissatisfied, but war +was sure destruction to them; they felt that it was idle to attempt it +further, and were ready to be quiet. In less than a year from this time, +Wayne concluded a treaty, in behalf of the United States with all the +Indian tribes northwest of the Ohio. The settlers at last had peace--a +blessing which they had long desired. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + +With the return of peace, the settlers were very happy. They could now go +out, fell the forests, and cultivate their fields in safety. There was no +longer any wily savage to lay in ambush, and keep them in perpetual +anxiety. No man among them was happier than Boone. He had been harassed +by constant struggles ever since he came to Kentucky, and these struggles +with the savages had made him a warrior rather than a hunter; but he +could now return to his darling passion. While others cultivated the +ground, he roamed through the wilderness with his rifle; he was now a +hunter indeed, spending weeks and months uninterruptedly in the forests +By day he moved where he pleased, and at night made his camp fearlessly +wherever the shades of night overtook him. His life was now happier than +ever. + +Ere long, however, a cloud came over this happiness. Men began again to +crowd too closely upon him. In spite of all the early struggles with the +savages in Kentucky, emigrants had continued to flow into that country. +As early as 1783, Kentucky had been laid off into three counties, and was +that year formed into one district, and called the District of Kentucky. +In 1785, a convention was called at Danville, and a memorial was +addressed to the legislature of Virginia, proposing that Kentucky should +be erected into an independent State. In 1786, the legislature of +Virginia took the necessary steps for making the new State, if Congress +would admit it into the Union. In 1792, Kentucky was admitted into the +Union as one of the United States of America. And now that peace had come +to aid the settlers, emigration flowed in more rapidly. Court-houses, +jails, judges, lawyers, sheriffs, and constables, began necessarily to be +seen. Kentucky was becoming every day a more settled and civilized +region, and Boone's heart grew sick. He had sought the wilderness, and +men were fast taking it away from him. He began to think of moving. + +Another sorrow now came over him, and soon fixed in him the determination +to seek a new home. Men began to dispute with him the title to his land. +The State of Kentucky had not been surveyed by the government, and laid +off into sections and townships, as the lands north of the Ohio river +have since been. The government of Virginia had issued certificates, +entitling the holder to locate where he pleased the number of acres +called for. To actual settlers, who should build a cabin, raise a crop, +&c., pre-emption rights to such lands as they might occupy were also +granted. Entries of these certificates were made in a way so loose, that +different men frequently located the same lands; one title would often +lap over upon another; and almost all the titles conferred in this way +became known as "the lapping, or shingle titles." Continued lawsuits +sprang out of this state of things; no man knew what belonged to him. +Boone had made these loose entries of his lands: his titles, of course, +were disputed. It was curious to see the old man in a court of law, which +he thoroughly despised, fighting for his rights. He was greatly provoked; +he had explored and redeemed the wilderness, as he said, borne every +hardship with his wife and children, only to be cheated at last. But the +law decided against him; he lost his lands, and would now no longer +remain in that region. + +Hearing that buffaloes and deer were still plenty about the Great Kanhawa +river, he started thither with his wife and children, and settled near +Point Pleasant. Here he remained several years. He was disappointed in +not finding game as he expected, and was more of a farmer here than ever +before; he turned his attention earnestly to agriculture, and was very +successful in raising good crops. Still he was dissatisfied; he longed +for the wilderness. Hunting and trapping were the constant thoughts of +his life. + +While living here, he met accidentally with a party of men who had been +out upon the upper waters of the Missouri. These men talked of the beauty +of that region: they had stories to tell of grizzly bears, buffaloes, +deer, beavers, and otters--in fact, the region was in their eyes "the +paradise for a hunter." Fired by these stories, Boone resolved to go +there. Accordingly, he gathered together all that he possessed, and with +his wife and family started for Missouri, driving his herds and cattle +before him. It was strange to see an old man thus vigorous in seeking a +new home. He was an object of surprise to every one. When he reached +Cincinnati, on his route, some one, marking his age, and surprised at his +adventure, asked him how, at his time of life, he could leave all the +comforts of home, for the wilderness. His answer shows his whole +character: "Too much crowded, too much crowded," said he; "I want more +elbow-room." Travelling on, he at length reached Missouri, and, +proceeding about fifty miles above St. Louis, settled in what is now St. +Charles county. + +Here everything pleased Boone. The country, as you know, was then in the +possession of the French and Spanish, and the old laws by which their +territories were governed were still in force there. They had no +constitution, no king, no legislature, no judges, lawyers, or sheriffs. +An officer called the commandant, and the priests, exercised all the +authority that was needed. The horses, cattle, flocks, and herds of these +people all grazed together upon the same commons; in fact, they were +living here almost in primitive simplicity. Boone's character for honesty +and courage soon became known among them, and he was appointed by the +Spanish commandant the commandant over the district of St. Charles. + +Boone now had the satisfaction of settling all his children comfortably +around him, and in the unbroken wilderness his hunting and trapping was +unmolested. In his office of commandant he gave great satisfaction to +every one, and continued to occupy it until Missouri was purchased by our +government from the French. When that purchase was made, American +enterprise soon came upon him again--he was once more crowded by his +fellow-men. His old office of commandant was soon merged in the new order +of things--his hunting-grounds were invaded by others. Nothing remained +for him now, but to submit to his fate; he was too old to move again, nor +indeed did he know where to go. He continued his old habits, as well he +might. He would start out with his rifle, now marked with a paper sight +to guide his dim eye, and be absent from his home for weeks. Nearly +eighty years had passed over him, yet he would lie in wait near the +salt-licks, and bring down his buffalo or his deer, and as bravely and +cheerily as in his younger days, would he cut down bee-trees. As the +light-hearted Frenchmen swept up the river in their fleets of periogues +on their hunting excursions, Boone would cheer them as they passed, and +sigh for his younger days that he might join their parties. He was a +complete Nimrod, now almost worn out. + +It was while he was living here, I think, that he was met by that very +interesting man, Mr. Audubon, the natural historian of our continent. He +was struck with the man, and has given the story of his interview with +Boone. It is so illustrative of the character of the hunter, that I give +it to you in Mr. Audubon's words. + +"Daniel Boone, or as he was usually called in the western country, +Colonel Boone, happened to spend a night under the same roof with me, +more than twenty years ago. We had returned from a shooting excursion, in +the course of which his extraordinary skill in the management of a rifle +had been fully displayed. On retiring to the room appropriated to that +remarkable individual and myself for the night, I felt anxious to know +more of his exploits and adventures than I did, and accordingly took the +liberty of proposing numerous questions to him. The stature and general +appearance of this wanderer of the western forests, approached the +gigantic. His chest was broad and prominent; his muscular powers +displayed themselves in every limb; his countenance gave indication of +his great courage, enterprise, and perseverance; and when he spoke, the +very motion of his lips brought the impression, that whatever he uttered +could not be otherwise than strictly true. I undressed, while he merely +took off his hunting shirt, and arranged a few folds of blankets on the +floor; choosing rather to lie there, as he observed, than on the softest +bed. When we had both disposed of ourselves, each after his own fashion, +he related to me the following account of his powers of memory, which I +lay before you, kind reader, in his own words, hoping that the simplicity +of his style may prove interesting to you. + +"I was once," said he, "on a hunting expedition on the banks of the Green +river, when the lower parts of this (Kentucky) were still in the hands of +nature, and none but the sons of the soil were looked upon as its lawful +proprietors. We Virginians had for some time been waging a war of +intrusion upon them, and I, among the rest, rambled through the woods, in +pursuit of their race, as I now would follow the tracks of any ravenous +animal. The Indians outwitted me one dark night, and I was as +unexpectedly as suddenly made a prisoner by them. The trick had been +managed with great skill; for no sooner had I extinguished the fire of my +camp, and laid me down to rest, in full security, as I thought, than I +felt myself seized by an indistinguishable number of hands, and was +immediately pinioned, as if about to be led to the scaffold for +execution. To have attempted to be refractory, would have proved useless +and dangerous to my life; and I suffered myself to be removed from my +camp to theirs, a few miles distant, without uttering even a word of +complaint. You are aware, I dare say, that to act in this manner, was the +best policy, as you understand that by so doing, I proved to the Indians +at once, that I was born and bred as fearless of death as any of +themselves. + +"When we reached the camp, great rejoicings were exhibited. Two squaws, +and a few papooses, appeared particularly delighted at the sight of me, +and I was assured, by very unequivocal gestures and words, that, on the +morrow, the mortal enemy of the red-skins would cease to live. I never +opened my lips, but was busy contriving some scheme which might enable me +to give the rascals the slip before dawn. The women immediately fell a +searching about my hunting-shirt for whatever they might think valuable, +and fortunately for me, soon found my flask, filled with _Monongahela_ +(that is, reader, strong whiskey). A terrific grin was exhibited on their +murderous countenances, while my heart throbbed with joy at the +anticipation of their intoxication. The crew immediately began to beat +their bellies and sing, as they passed the bottle from mouth to mouth. +How often did I wish the flask ten times its size, and filled with +aquafortis! I observed that the squaws drank more freely than the +warriors, and again my spirits were about to be depressed, when the +report of a gun was heard at a distance. The Indians all jumped on their +feet. The singing and drinking were both brought to a stand; and I saw +with inexpressible joy, the men walk off to some distance, and talk to +the squaws. I knew that they were consulting about me, and I foresaw, +that in a few moments the warriors would go to discover the cause of the +gun having been fired so near their camp. I expected the squaws would be +left to guard me. Well, sir, it was just so. They returned; the men took +up their guns and walked away. The squaws sat down again, and in less +than five minutes they had my bottle up to their dirty mouths, gurgling +down their throats the remains of the whiskey. + +"With what pleasure did I see them becoming more and more drunk, until +the liquor took such hold of them that it was quite impossible for these +women to be of any service. They tumbled down, rolled about, and began to +snore; when I, having no other chance of freeing myself from the cords +that fastened me, rolled over and over toward the fire, and after a short +time burned them asunder. I rose on my feet; stretched my stiffened +sinews; snatched up my rifle, and, for once in my life, spared that of +Indians. I now recollect how desirous I once or twice felt to lay open +the sculls of the wretches with my tomahawk; but when I again thought +upon killing beings unprepared and unable to defend themselves, it looked +like murder without need, and I gave up the idea. + +"But, sir, I felt determined to mark the spot, and walking to a thrifty +ash sapling, I cut out of it three large chips, and ran off. I soon +reached the river; soon crossed it, and threw myself deep into the +canebrakes, imitating the tracks of an Indian with my feet, so that no +chance might be left for those from whom I had escaped to overtake me. + +"It is now nearly twenty years since this happened, and more than five +since I left the whites' settlements, which I might probably never have +visited again, had I not been called on as a witness in a lawsuit that +was pending in Kentucky and which, I really believe, would never have +been settled, had I not come forward, and established the beginning of a +certain boundary line. This is the story, sir. + +"Mr. ---- moved from old Virginia into Kentucky, and having a large tract +granted to him in the new state, laid claim to a certain parcel of land +adjoining Green river, and as chance would have it, he took for one of +his corners the very ash tree on which I had made my mark, and finished +his survey of some thousands of acres, beginning, as it is expressed in +the deed, 'at an ash marked by three distinct notches of the tomahawk of +a white man.' + +"The tree had grown much, and the bark had covered the marks; but, some +how or other, Mr. ---- heard from some one all that I have already said to +you, and thinking that I might remember the spot alluded to in the deed, +but which was no longer discoverable, wrote for me to come and try at +least to find the place on the tree. His letter mentioned, that all my +expenses should be paid; and not caring much about once more going back +to Kentucky, I started and met Mr. ----. After some conversation, the +affair with the Indians came to my recollection. I considered for a +while, and began to think that after all, I could find the very spot, as +well as the tree, if it was yet standing. + +"Mr. ---- and I mounted our horses, and off we went to the Green river +bottoms. After some difficulties, for you must be aware, sir, that great +changes had taken place in these woods, I found at last the spot where I +had crossed the river, and waiting for the moon to rise, made for the +course in which I thought the ash tree grew. On approaching the place, I +felt as if the Indians were there still, and as if I was still a prisoner +among them. Mr. ---- and I camped near what I conceived the spot, and +waited till the return of day. + +"At the rising of the sun I was on foot, and after a good deal of musing, +thought that an ash tree then in sight must be the very one on which I +had made my mark. I felt as if there could be no doubt of it, and +mentioned my thought to Mr. ----. 'Well, Colonel Boone,' said he, 'if you +think so, I hope it may prove true, but we must have some witnesses; do +you stay hereabout, and I will go and bring some of the settlers whom I +know.' I agreed. Mr. ---- trotted off, and I, to pass the time, rambled +about to see if a deer was still living in the land. But ah! sir, what a +wonderful difference thirty years make in the country! Why, at the time +when I was caught by the Indians, you would not have walked out in any +direction for more than a mile without shooting a buck or a bear. There +were ten thousands of buffaloes on the hills in Kentucky; the land +looked as if it would never become poor; and to hunt in those days was a +pleasure indeed. But when I was left to myself on the banks of the Green +river, I dare say for the last time in my life, a few _signs_ only of +deer were to be seen, and as to a deer itself, I saw none. + +"Mr. ---- returned, accompanied by three gentlemen. They looked upon me as +if I had been Washington himself, and walked to the ash tree which I now +called my own, as if in quest of a long lost treasure. I took an axe from +one of them and cut a few chips off the bark. Still no signs were to be +seen. So I cut again, until I thought it time to be cautious, and I +scraped and worked away with my butcher knife, until I _did_ come to +where my tomahawk had left an impression in the wood. We now went +regularly to work, and scraped at the tree with care, until three hacks, +as plain as any three notches ever were, could be seen. Mr. ---- and the +other gentlemen were astonished, and, I must allow, I was as much +surprised as pleased, myself. I made affidavit of this remarkable +occurrence in the presence of these gentlemen. Mr. ---- gained his cause. +I left Green river, for ever, and came to where we now are; and, sir, I +wish you a good night." + +Here, too, it was that he resided, when Mr. Astor attempted to carry out +his magnificent design, of settling Astoria on the western coast of our +continent, and belting the earth with his commerce. When you are older, +you can read the beautiful history of that attempt, written by our +distinguished countryman Mr. Irving. As the party, bound for the far +west, moved up the Missouri, Boone stood upon the banks of the stream, +looking anxiously after them. It was just the adventure to please him. +There the old man stood, leaning upon his rifle, his dim eye lighted up +as he gazed upon them, and his heart heavy with sorrow, because he was +too old to press with them, beyond the mountains.[5] + + [5] See Irving's Astoria. + +Other sorrows than those of age, now crept upon him. His wife, who had +been to him all that was good, was now taken from him, and the old man +was left widowed. With a sad heart he now went to the home of his son, +Major Nathan Boone. + +The last war with England now broke out, too, and penetrated even the +wilds of Missouri. It was the worst of all warfare--the savages were let +loose upon them. Boone was too old to act the part of a soldier, but he +sent off many substitutes in his sons. + +When peace returned, the spirit of the old man rallied; his ruling +passion was still with him. The woods were again his home, his rifle his +companion; and thus he lived on, through a vigorous old age, with a +passion as strong as ever, a hunter almost to the very day of his death. +For when, in 1818, death came upon him, he had but little notice of its +approach. With no disease but old age, which had seemed comparatively +vigorous almost to the day of his departure, he died in his eighty-fourth +year. His mind was unclouded and he passed from this world calmly and +quietly. + +I have but one thing more to say. You remember Daniel Boone's schoolboy +days, of which I have spoken. He left school a perfectly ignorant lad. +Some say that he afterward learned to write, and produce as an evidence, +a little narrative of his wanderings in Kentucky, supposed to be written +by himself. I believe, however, that to the day of his death, he could +not write his name. The narrative spoken of, was, I think, dictated in +some degree by him, and written by another. At all events, the story is +interesting and curious, and, as such, I have placed it for your benefit, +as an appendix to this volume. + + + + +APPENDIX. + +THE ADVENTURES OF COLONEL DANIEL BOONE, + +FORMERLY A HUNTER; + +CONTAINING A NARRATIVE OF THE WARS OF KENTUCKY, AS GIVEN BY HIMSELF. + + +Curiosity is natural to the soul of man, and interesting objects have a +powerful influence on our affections. Let these influencing powers +actuate, by the permission or disposal of Providence, from selfish or +social views, yet in time the mysterious will of Heaven is unfolded, and +we behold our conduct, from whatsoever motives excited, operating to +answer the important designs of Heaven. Thus we behold Kentucky, lately a +howling wilderness, the habitation of savages and wild beasts, become a +fruitful field; this region, so favorably distinguished by nature, now +become the habitation of civilization, at a period unparalleled in +history, in the midst of a raging war, and under all the disadvantages of +emigration to a country so remote from the inhabited parts of the +continent. Here, where the hand of violence shed the blood of the +innocent; where the horrid yells of savages and the groans of the +distressed sounded in our ears, we now hear the praises and adorations of +our Creator; where wretched wigwams stood, the miserable abodes of +savages, we behold the foundations of cities laid, that, in all +probability, will equal the glory of the greatest upon earth. And we view +Kentucky, situated on the fertile banks of the great Ohio, rising from +obscurity to shine with splendor equal to any other of the stars of the +American hemisphere. + +The settling of this region well deserves a place in history. Most of the +memorable events I have myself been exercised in; and, for the +satisfaction of the public, will briefly relate the circumstances of my +adventures, and scenes of life, from my first movement to this country +until this day. + +It was on the first of May, in the year 1769, that I resigned my domestic +happiness for a time, and left my family and peaceable habitation on the +Yadkin river, in North Carolina, to wander through the wilderness of +America, in quest of the country of Kentucky, in company with John +Finley, John Stewart, Joseph Holden, James Monay, and William Cool. We +proceeded successfully, and after a long and fatiguing journey through a +mountainous wilderness, in a westward direction, on the 7th day of June +following we found ourselves on Red river, where John Finley had formerly +been trading with the Indians, and, from the top of an eminence, saw with +pleasure the beautiful level of Kentucky. Here let me observe that for +some time we had experienced the most uncomfortable weather, as a +prelibation of our future sufferings. At this place we encamped, and made +a shelter to defend us from the inclement season, and began to hunt and +reconnoitre the country. We found everywhere abundance of wild beasts of +all sorts, through this vast forest. The buffalo were more frequent than +I have seen cattle in the settlements, browsing on the leaves of the +cane, or cropping the herbage on those extensive plains, fearless, +because ignorant, of the violence of man. Sometimes we saw hundreds in a +drove, and the numbers about the salt springs were amazing. In this +forest, the habitation of beasts of every kind natural to America, we +practised hunting with great success until the 22d day of December +following. + +This day John Stewart and I had a pleasing ramble, but fortune changed +the scene in the close of it. We had passed through a great forest, on +which stood myriads of trees, some gay with blossoms, and others rich +with fruits. Nature was here a series of wonders, and a fund of delight. +Here she displayed her ingenuity and industry in a variety of flowers and +fruits, beautifully colored, elegantly shaped, and charmingly flavored; +and we were diverted with innumerable animals presenting themselves +perpetually to our view. In the decline of the day, near Kentucky river, +as we ascended the brow of a small hill, a number of Indians rushed out +of a thick canebrake upon us, and made us prisoners. The time of our +sorrow was now arrived, and the scene fully opened. The Indians plundered +us of what we had, and kept us in confinement seven days, treating us +with common savage usage. During this time we discovered no uneasiness or +desire to escape, which made them less suspicious of us; but in the dead +of night, as we lay in a thick canebrake by a large fire, when sleep had +locked up their senses, my situation not disposing me for rest, I touched +my companion, and gently awoke him. We improved this favorable +opportunity, and departed, leaving them to take their rest, and speedily +directed our course toward our old camp, but found it plundered, and the +company dispersed and gone home. About this time my brother, Squire +Boone, with another adventurer, who came to explore the country shortly +after us, was wandering through the forest, determined to find me if +possible, and accidentally found our camp. Notwithstanding the +unfortunate circumstances of our company, and our dangerous situation, as +surrounded with hostile savages, our meeting so fortunately in the +wilderness made us reciprocally sensible of the utmost satisfaction. So +much does friendship triumph over misfortune, that sorrows and sufferings +vanish at the meeting not only of real friends, but of the most distant +acquaintances, and substitute happiness in their room. + +Soon after this, my companion in captivity, John Stewart, was killed by +the savages, and the man that came with my brother returned home by +himself. We were then in a dangerous, helpless situation, exposed daily +to perils and death among savages and wild beasts--not a white man in the +country but ourselves. + +Thus situated, many hundred miles from our families in the howling +wilderness, I believe few would have equally enjoyed the happiness we +experienced. I often observed to my brother, "You see now how little +nature requires, to be satisfied. Felicity, the companion of content, is +rather found in our own breasts than in the enjoyment of external things; +and I firmly believe it requires but a little philosophy to make a man +happy in whatsoever state he is. This consists in a full resignation to +the will of Providence; and a resigned soul finds pleasure in a path +strewed with briers and thorns." + +We continued not in a state of indolence, but hunted every day, and +prepared a little cottage to defend us from the winter storms. We +remained there undisturbed during the winter; and on the 1st day of May, +1770, my brother returned home to the settlement by himself, for a new +recruit of horses and ammunition, leaving me by myself, without bread, +salt, or sugar, without company of my fellow-creatures, or even a horse +or dog. I confess I never before was under greater necessity of +exercising philosophy and fortitude. A few days I passed uncomfortably. +The idea of a beloved wife and family, and their anxiety upon the account +of my absence and exposed situation, made sensible impressions on my +heart. A thousand dreadful apprehensions presented themselves to my view, +and had undoubtedly disposed me to melancholy, if further indulged. + +One day I undertook a tour through the country, and the diversity and +beauties of nature I met with in this charming season, expelled every +gloomy and vexatious thought. Just at the close of day the gentle gales +retired, and left the place to the disposal of a profound calm. Not a +breeze shook the most tremulous leaf. I had gained the summit of a +commanding ridge, and, looking round with astonishing delight, beheld the +ample plains, the beauteous tracts below. On the other hand, I surveyed +the famous river Ohio that rolled in silent dignity, marking the western +boundary of Kentucky with inconceivable grandeur. At a vast distance I +beheld the mountains lift their venerable brows, and penetrate the +clouds. All things were still. I kindled a fire near a fountain of sweet +water, and feasted on the loin of a buck, which a few hours before I had +killed. The sullen shades of night soon overspread the whole hemisphere, +and the earth seemed to gasp after the hovering moisture. My roving +excursion this day had fatigued my body, and diverted my imagination. I +laid me down to sleep, and I awoke not until the sun had chased away the +night. I continued this tour, and in a few days explored a considerable +part of the country, each day equally pleased as the first. I returned +again to my old camp, which was not disturbed in my absence. I did not +confine my lodging to it, but often reposed in thick canebrakes, to avoid +the savages, who, I believe, often visited my camp, but, fortunately for +me, in my absence. In this situation I was constantly exposed to danger +and death. How unhappy such a situation for a man tormented with fear, +which is vain if no danger comes, and if it does, only augments the pain! +It was my happiness to be destitute of this afflicting passion, with +which I had the greatest reason to be affected. The prowling wolves +diverted my nocturnal hours with perpetual howlings; and the various +species of animals in this vast forest, in the daytime, were continually +in my view. + +Thus I was surrounded by plenty in the midst of want. I was happy in the +midst of dangers and inconveniences. In such a diversity, it was +impossible I should be disposed to melancholy. No populous city, with all +the varieties of commerce and stately structures, could afford so much +pleasure to my mind as the beauties of nature I found here. + +Thus, through an uninterrupted scene of sylvan pleasures, I spent the +time until the 27th day of July following, when my brother, to my great +felicity, met me, according to appointment, at our old camp. Shortly +after, we left this place, not thinking it safe to stay there longer, and +proceeded to Cumberland river, reconnoitring that part of the country +until March, 1771, and giving names to the different waters. + +Soon after, I returned home to my family, with a determination to bring +them as soon as possible to live in Kentucky, which I esteemed a second +paradise, at the risk of my life and fortune. + +I returned safe to my old habitation, and found my family in happy +circumstances. I sold my farm on the Yadkin, and what goods we could not +carry with us; and on the 25th day of September, 1773, bade a farewell +to our friends, and proceeded on our journey to Kentucky, in company with +five families more, and forty men that joined us in Powel's Valley, which +is one hundred and fifty miles from the now settled parts of Kentucky. +This promising beginning was soon overcast with a cloud of adversity; +for, upon the 10th day of October, the rear of our company was attacked +by a number of Indians, who killed six, and wounded one man. Of these, my +eldest son was one that fell in the action. Though we defended ourselves, +and repulsed the enemy, yet this unhappy affair scattered out cattle, +brought us into extreme difficulty, and so discouraged the whole company, +that we retreated forty miles, to the settlement on Clinch river. We had +passed over two mountains, viz., Powel's and Walden's, and were +approaching Cumberland mountain when this adverse fortune overtook us. +These mountains are in the wilderness, as we pass from the old +settlements in Virginia to Kentucky, are ranged in a southwest and +northeast direction, are of a great length and breadth, and not far +distant from each other. Over these, nature hath formed passes that are +less difficult than might be expected, from a view of such huge piles. +The aspect of these cliffs is so wild and horrid, that it is impossible +to behold them without terror. The spectator is apt to imagine that +nature had formerly suffered some violent convulsion, and that these are +the dismembered remains of the dreadful shock: the ruins, not of +Persepolis or Palmyra, but of the world! + +I remained with my family on Clinch until the 6th of June, 1774, when I +and one Michael Stoner were solicited by Governor Dunmore of Virginia to +go to the falls of the Ohio, to conduct into the settlement a number of +surveyors that had been sent thither by him some months before; this +country having about this time drawn the attention of many adventurers. +We immediately complied with the Governor's request, and conducted in the +surveyors--completing a tour of eight hundred miles, through many +difficulties, in sixty-two days. + +Soon after I returned home, I was ordered to take the command of three +garrisons during the campaign which Governor Dunmore carried on against +the Shawanese Indians; after the conclusion of which, the militia was +discharged from each garrison, and I, being relieved from my post, was +solicited by a number of North Carolina gentlemen, that were about +purchasing the lands lying on the south side of Kentucky river, from the +Cherokee Indians, to attend their treaty at Wataga in March, 1775, to +negotiate with them, and mention the boundaries of the purchase. This I +accepted; and, at the request of the same gentlemen, undertook to mark +out a road in the best passage from the settlement through the wilderness +to Kentucky, with such assistance as I thought necessary to employ for +such an important undertaking. + +I soon began this work, having collected a number of enterprising men, +well armed. We proceeded with all possible expedition until we came +within fifteen miles of where Boonesborough now stands, and where we were +fired upon by a party of Indians that killed two, and wounded two of our +number; yet, although surprised and taken at a disadvantage, we stood our +ground. This was on the 20th of March, 1775. Three days after, we were +fired upon again, and had two men killed, and three wounded. Afterward we +proceeded on to Kentucky river without opposition; and on the 1st day of +April began to erect the fort of Boonesborough at a salt lick, about +sixty yards from the river, on the south side. + +On the fourth day, the Indians killed one of our men. We were busily +employed in building this fort until the 14th day of June following, +without any further opposition from the Indians; and having finished the +works, I returned to my family, on Clinch. + +In a short time I proceeded to remove my family from Clinch to this +garrison, where we arrived safe, without any other difficulties than such +as are common to this passage; my wife and daughter being the first +white women that ever stood on the banks of Kentucky river. + +On the 24th day of December following, we had one man killed, and one +wounded, by the Indians, who seemed determined to persecute us for +erecting this fortification. + +On the 14th day of July, 1776, two of Colonel Calaway's daughters, and +one of mine, were taken prisoners near the fort. I immediately pursued +the Indians with only eight men, and on the 16th overtook them, killed +two of the party, and recovered the girls. The same day on which this +attempt was made, the Indians divided themselves into different parties, +and attacked several forts, which were shortly before this time erected, +doing a great deal of mischief. This was extremely distressing to the new +settlers. The innocent husbandman was shot down, while busy in +cultivating the soil for his family's supply. Most of the cattle around +the stations were destroyed. They continued their hostilities in this +manner until the 15th of April, 1777, when they attacked Boonesborough +with a party of above one hundred in number, killed one man, and wounded +four. Their loss in this attack was not certainly known to us. + +On the 4th day of July following, a party of about two hundred Indians +attacked Boonesborough, killed one man, and wounded two. They besieged +us forty-eight hours, during which time seven of them were killed, and, +at last, finding themselves not likely to prevail, they raised the siege, +and departed. + +The Indians had disposed their warriors in different parties at this +time, and attacked the different garrisons, to prevent their assisting +each other, and did much injury to the distressed inhabitants. + +On the 19th day of this month, Colonel Logan's fort was besieged by a +party of about two hundred Indians. During this dreadful siege they did a +great deal of mischief, distressed the garrison, in which were only +fifteen men, killed two, and wounded one. The enemy's loss was uncertain, +from the common practice which the Indians have of carrying off their +dead in time of battle. Colonel Harrod's fort was then defended by only +sixty-five men, and Boonesborough by twenty-two, there being no more +forts or white men in the country, except at the Falls, a considerable +distance from these: and all, taken collectively, were but a handful to +the numerous warriors that were everywhere dispersed through the country, +intent upon doing all the mischief that savage barbarity could invent. +Thus we passed through a scene of sufferings that exceeds description. + +On the 25th of this month, a reinforcement of forty-five men arrived +from North Carolina, and about the 20th of August following, Colonel +Bowman arrived with one hundred men from Virginia. Now we began to +strengthen; and hence, for the space of six weeks, we had skirmishes with +Indians, in one quarter or other, almost every day. + +The savages now learned the superiority of the Long Knife, as they call +the Virginians, by experience; being outgeneralled in almost every +battle. Our affairs began to wear a new aspect, and the enemy, not daring +to venture on open war, practised secret mischief at times. + +On the 1st day of January, 1778, I went with a party of thirty men to the +Blue Licks, on Licking river, to make salt for the different garrisons in +the country. + +On the 7th day of February, as I was hunting to procure meat for the +company, I met with a party of one hundred and two Indians, and two +Frenchmen, on their march against Boonesborough, that place being +particularly the object of the enemy. + +They pursued, and took me; and brought me on the 8th day to the Licks, +where twenty-seven of my party were, three of them having previously +returned home with the salt. I, knowing it was impossible for them to +escape, capitulated with the enemy, and, at a distance, in their view, +gave notice to my men of their situation, with orders not to resist, but +surrender themselves captives. + +The generous usage the Indians had promised before in my capitulation, +was afterward fully complied with, and we proceeded with them as +prisoners to Old Chilicothe, the principal Indian town on Little Miami, +where we arrived, after an uncomfortable journey in very severe weather, +on the 18th day of February, and received as good treatment as prisoners +could expect from savages. On the 10th day of March following, I and ten +of my men were conducted by forty Indians to Detroit, where we arrived +the 30th day, and were treated by Governor Hamilton, the British +commander at that post, with great humanity. + +During our travels, the Indians entertained me well, and their affection +for me was so great, that they utterly refused to leave me there with the +others, although the Governor offered them one hundred pounds sterling +for me, on purpose to give me a parole to go home. Several English +gentlemen there, being sensible of my adverse fortune, and touched with +human sympathy, generously offered a friendly supply for my wants, which +I refused, with many thanks for their kindness--adding, that I never +expected it would be in my power to recompense such unmerited +generosity. + +The Indians left my men in captivity with the British at Detroit, and on +the 10th day of April brought me toward Old Chilicothe, where we arrived +on the 25th day of the same month. This was a long and fatiguing march, +through an exceeding fertile country, remarkable for fine springs and +streams of water. At Chilicothe I spent my time as comfortably as I could +expect; was adopted, according to their custom, into a family, where I +became a son, and had a great share in the affection of my new parents, +brothers, sisters, and friends. I was exceedingly familiar and friendly +with them, always appearing as cheerful and satisfied as possible, and +they put great confidence in me. I often went a hunting with them, and +frequently gained their applause for my activity at our shooting-matches. +I was careful not to exceed many of them in shooting; for no people are +more envious than they in this sport. I could observe, in their +countenances and gestures, the greatest expressions of joy when they +exceeded me; and, when the reverse happened, of envy. The Shawanese king +took great notice of me, and treated me with profound respect and entire +friendship, often intrusting me to hunt at my liberty. I frequently +returned with the spoils of the woods, and as often presented some of +what I had taken to him, expressive of duty to my sovereign. My food and +lodging were in common with them; not so good, indeed, as I could +desire, but necessity made everything acceptable. + +I now began to meditate an escape, and carefully avoided their +suspicions, continuing with them at Old Chilicothe until the 1st day of +June following, and then was taken by them to the salt springs on Scioto, +and kept there making salt ten days. During this time I hunted some for +them, and found the land, for a great extent about this river, to exceed +the soil of Kentucky, if possible, and remarkably well watered. + +When I returned to Chilicothe, alarmed to see four hundred and fifty +Indians, of their choicest warriors, painted and armed in a fearful +manner, ready to march against Boonesborough, I determined to escape the +first opportunity. + +On the 16th, before sunrise, I departed in the most secret manner, and +arrived at Boonesborough on the 20th, after a journey of one hundred and +sixty miles, during which I had but one meal. + +I found our fortress in a bad state of defence; but we proceeded +immediately to repair our flanks, strengthen our gates and posterns, and +form double bastions, which we completed in ten days. In this time we +daily expected the arrival of the Indian army; and at length, one of my +fellow-prisoners, escaping from them, arrived, informing us that the +enemy had, on account of my departure, postponed their expedition three +weeks. The Indians had spies out viewing our movements, and were greatly +alarmed with our increase in number and fortifications. The grand +councils of the nations were held frequently, and with more deliberation +than usual. They evidently saw the approaching hour when the Long Knife +would dispossess them of their desirable habitations; and, anxiously +concerned for futurity, determined utterly to extirpate the whites out of +Kentucky. We were not intimidated by their movements, but frequently gave +them proofs of our courage. + +About the first of August, I made an incursion into the Indian country +with a party of nineteen men, in order to surprise a small town up +Scioto, called Paint Creek Town. We advanced within four miles thereof, +where we met a party of thirty Indians on their march against +Boonesborough, intending to join the others from Chilicothe. A smart +fight ensued between us for some time; at length the savages gave way and +fled. We had no loss on our side; the enemy had one killed, and two +wounded. We took from them three horses, and all their baggage; and being +informed, by two of our number that went to their town, that the Indians +had entirely evacuated it, we proceeded no further, and returned with all +possible expedition to assist our garrison against the other party. We +passed by them on the sixth day, and on the seventh we arrived safe at +Boonesborough. + +On the 8th, the Indian army arrived, being four hundred and forty-four in +number, commanded by Captain Duquesne, eleven other Frenchmen, and some +of their own chiefs, and marched up within view of our fort, with British +and French colors flying; and having sent a summons to me, in his +Britannic Majesty's name, to surrender the fort, I requested two days' +consideration, which was granted. + +It was now a critical period with us. We were a small number in the +garrison--a powerful army before our walls, whose appearance proclaimed +inevitable death, fearfully painted, and marking their footsteps with +desolation. Death was preferable to captivity; and if taken by storm, we +must inevitably be devoted to destruction. In this situation we concluded +to maintain our garrison, if possible. We immediately proceeded to +collect what we could of our horses and other cattle, and bring them +through the posterns into the fort; and in the evening of the 9th, I +returned answer that we were determined to defend our fort while a man +was living. "Now," said I to their commander, who stood attentively +hearing my sentiments, "we laugh at your formidable preparations; but +thank you for giving us notice and time to provide for our defence. Your +efforts will not prevail; for our gates shall for ever deny you +admittance." Whether this answer affected their courage or not I can not +tell; but, contrary to our expectations, they formed a scheme to deceive +us, declaring it was their orders, from Governor Hamilton, to take us +captives, and not to destroy us; but if nine of us would come out, and +treat with them, they would immediately withdraw their forces from our +walls, and return home peaceably. This sounded grateful in our ears; and +we agreed to the proposal. + +We held the treaty within sixty yards of the garrison, on purpose to +divert them from a breach of honor, as we could not avoid suspicions of +the savages. In this situation the articles were formally agreed to, and +signed; and the Indians told us it was customary with them on such +occasions for two Indians to shake hands with every white man in the +treaty, as an evidence of entire friendship. We agreed to this also, but +were soon convinced their policy was to take us prisoners. They +immediately grappled us; but, although surrounded by hundreds of savages, +we extricated ourselves from them, and escaped all safe into the +garrison, except one that was wounded, through a heavy fire from their +army. They immediately attacked us on every side, and a constant heavy +fire ensued between us, day and night, for the space of nine days. + +In this time the enemy began to undermine our fort, which was situated +sixty yards from Kentucky river. They began at the water-mark, and +proceeded in the bank some distance, which we understood, by their making +the water muddy with the clay; and we immediately proceeded to disappoint +their design, by cutting a trench across their subterranean passage. The +enemy, discovering our counter-mine, by the clay we threw out of the +fort, desisted from that stratagem: and experience now fully convincing +them that neither their power nor policy could effect their purpose, on +the 20th day of August they raised the siege and departed. + +During this siege, which threatened death in every form, we had two men +killed, and four wounded, besides a number of cattle. We killed of the +enemy thirty-seven, and wounded a great number. After they were gone, we +picked up one hundred and twenty-five pounds weight of bullets, besides +what stuck in the logs of our fort, which certainly is a great proof of +their industry. Soon after this, I went into the settlement, and nothing +worthy of a place in this account passed in my affairs for some time. + +During my absence from Kentucky, Colonel Bowman carried on an expedition +against the Shawanese, at Old Chilicothe, with one hundred and sixty men, +in July, 1779. Here they arrived undiscovered, and a battle ensued, +which lasted until ten o'clock, A.M., when Colonel Bowman, finding he +could not succeed at this time, retreated about thirty miles. The +Indians, in the mean time, collecting all their forces, pursued and +overtook him, when a smart fight continued near two hours, not to the +advantage of Colonel Bowman's party. + +Colonel Harrod proposed to mount a number of horse, and furiously to rush +upon the savages, who at this time fought with remarkable fury. This +desperate step had a happy effect, broke their line of battle, and the +savages fled on all sides. In these two battles we had nine killed, and +one wounded. The enemy's loss uncertain, only two scalps being taken. + +On the 22d day of June, 1780, a large party of Indians and Canadians, +about six hundred in number, commanded by Colonel Bird, attacked Riddle's +and Martin's stations, at the forks of Licking river, with six pieces of +artillery. They carried this expedition so secretly, that the unwary +inhabitants did not discover them until they fired upon the forts; and, +not being prepared to oppose them, were obliged to surrender themselves +miserable captives to barbarous savages, who immediately after tomahawked +one man and two women, and loaded all the others with heavy baggage, +forcing them along toward their towns, able or unable to march. Such as +were weak and faint by the way, they tomahawked. The tender women and +helpless children fell victims to their cruelty. This, and the savage +treatment they received afterward, is shocking to humanity, and too +barbarous to relate. + +The hostile disposition of the savages and their allies caused General +Clarke, the commandant at the Falls of the Ohio, immediately to begin an +expedition with his own regiment, and the armed force of the country, +against Pecaway, the principal town of the Shawanese, on a branch of +Great Miami, which he finished with great success, took seventeen scalps, +and burnt the town to ashes, with the loss of seventeen men. + +About this time I returned to Kentucky with my family; and here, to avoid +an inquiry into my conduct, the reader being before informed of my +bringing my family to Kentucky, I am under the necessity of informing him +that, during my captivity with the Indians, my wife, who despaired of +ever seeing me again--expecting the Indians had put a period to my life, +oppressed with the distresses of the country, and bereaved of me, her +only happiness--had, before I returned, transported my family and goods, +on horses, through the wilderness, amid a multitude of dangers, to her +father's house in North Carolina. + +Shortly after the troubles at Boonesborough, I went to them, and lived +peaceably there until this time. The history of my going home, and +returning with my family, forms a series of difficulties, an account of +which would swell a volume; and, being foreign to my purpose, I shall +purposely omit them. + +I settled my family in Boonesborough once more; and shortly after, on the +6th day of October, 1780, I went in company with my brother to the Blue +Licks; and, on our return home, we were fired upon by a party of Indians. +They shot him, and pursued me, by the scent of their dog, three miles; +but I killed the dog, and escaped. The winter soon came on, and was very +severe, which confined the Indians to their wigwams. + +The severity of this winter caused great difficulties in Kentucky. The +enemy had destroyed most of the corn the summer before. This necessary +article was scarce and dear, and the inhabitants lived chiefly on the +flesh of buffalo. The circumstances of many were very lamentable: +however, being a hardy race of people, and accustomed to difficulties and +necessities, they were wonderfully supported through all their +sufferings, until the ensuing autumn, when we received abundance from the +fertile soil. + +Toward spring we were frequently harassed by Indians; and in May, 1782, a +party assaulted Ashton's station, killed one man, and took a negro +prisoner. Captain Ashton, with twenty-five men, pursued and overtook the +savages, and a smart fight ensued, which lasted two hours; but they, +being superior in number, obliged Captain Ashton's party to retreat, with +the loss of eight killed, and four mortally wounded; their brave +commander himself being numbered among the dead. + +The Indians continued their hostilities; and, about the 10th of August +following, two boys were taken from Major Hoy's station. This party was +pursued by Captain Holder and seventeen men, who were also defeated, with +the loss of four men killed, and one wounded. Our affairs became more and +more alarming. Several stations which had lately been erected in the +country were continually infested with savages, stealing their horses and +killing the men at every opportunity. In a field, near Lexington, an +Indian shot a man, and running to scalp him, was himself shot from the +fort, and fell dead upon his enemy. + +Every day we experienced recent mischiefs. The barbarous savage nations +of Shawanese, Cherokees, Wyandots, Tawas, Delawares, and several others +near Detroit, united in a war against us, and assembled their choicest +warriors at Old Chilicothe, to go on the expedition, in order to destroy +us, and entirely depopulate the country. Their savage minds were inflamed +to mischief by two abandoned men, Captains M'Kee and Girty. These led +them to execute every diabolical scheme, and on the 15th day of August, +commanded a party of Indians and Canadians, of about five hundred in +number, against Bryant's station, five miles from Lexington. Without +demanding a surrender, they furiously assaulted the garrison, which was +happily prepared to oppose them; and, after they had expended much +ammunition in vain, and killed the cattle round the fort, not being +likely to make themselves masters of this place, they raised the siege, +and departed in the morning of the third day after they came, with the +loss of about thirty killed, and the number of wounded uncertain. Of the +garrison, four were killed, and three wounded. + +On the 18th day, Colonel Todd, Colonel Trigg, Major Harland, and myself, +speedily collected one hundred and seventy-six men, well armed, and +pursued the savages. They had marched beyond the Blue Licks, to a +remarkable bend of the main fork of Licking river, about forty-three +miles from Lexington, where we overtook them on the 19th day. The savages +observing us, gave way; and we, being ignorant of their numbers, passed +the river. When the enemy saw our proceedings, having greatly the +advantage of us in situation, they formed the line of battle, from one +bend of Licking to the other, about a mile from the Blue Licks. An +exceeding fierce battle immediately began, for about fifteen minutes, +when we, being overpowered by numbers, were obliged to retreat, with the +loss of sixty-seven men, seven of whom were taken prisoners. The brave +and much-lamented Colonels Todd and Trigg, Major Harland, and my second +son, were among the dead. We were informed that the Indians, numbering +their dead, found they had four killed more than we; and therefore four +of the prisoners they had taken were, by general consent, ordered to be +killed in a most barbarous manner by the young warriors, in order to +train them up to cruelty; and then they proceeded to their towns. + +On our retreat we were met by Colonel Logan, hastening to join us, with a +number of well-armed men. This powerful assistance we unfortunately +wanted in the battle; for, notwithstanding the enemy's superiority of +numbers, they acknowledged, that, if they had received one more fire from +us, they should undoubtedly have given way. So valiantly did our small +party fight, that, to the memory of those who unfortunately fell in the +battle, enough of honor can not be paid. Had Colonel Logan and his party +been with us, it is highly probable we should have given the savages a +total defeat. + +I can not reflect upon this dreadful scene, but sorrow fills my heart. A +zeal for the defence of their country led these heroes to the scene of +action, though with a few men to attack a powerful army of experienced +warriors. When we gave way, they pursued us with the utmost eagerness, +and in every quarter spread destruction. The river was difficult to +cross, and many were killed in the flight--some just entering the river, +some in the water, others after crossing, in ascending the cliffs. Some +escaped on horseback, a few on foot; and, being dispersed everywhere in a +few hours, brought the melancholy news of this unfortunate battle to +Lexington. Many widows were now made. The reader may guess what sorrow +filled the hearts of the inhabitants, exceeding anything that I am able +to describe. Being reinforced, we returned to bury the dead, and found +their bodies strewed everywhere, cut and mangled in a dreadful manner. +This mournful scene exhibited a horror almost unparalleled: some torn and +eaten by wild beasts; those in the river eaten by fishes; all in such a +putrefied condition, that no one could be distinguished from another. + +As soon as General Clarke, then at the Falls of the Ohio--who was ever +our ready friend, and merits the love and gratitude of all his +countrymen--understood the circumstances of this unfortunate action, he +ordered an expedition, with all possible haste, to pursue the savages, +which was so expeditiously effected, that we overtook them within two +miles of their towns: and probably might have obtained a great victory, +had not two of their number met us about two hundred poles before we came +up. These returned quick as lightning to their camp, with the alarming +news of a mighty army in view. The savages fled in the utmost disorder, +evacuated their towns, and reluctantly left their territory to our mercy. +We immediately took possession of Old Chilicothe without opposition, +being deserted by its inhabitants. We continued our pursuit through five +towns on the Miami rivers, Old Chilicothe, Pecaway, New Chilicothe, +Will's Towns, and Chilicothe--burnt them all to ashes, entirely destroyed +their corn, and other fruits, and everywhere spread a scene of desolation +in the country. In this expedition we took seven prisoners and five +scalps, with the loss of only four men, two of whom were accidentally +killed by our own army. + +This campaign in some measure damped the spirits of the Indians, and made +them sensible of our superiority. Their connexions were dissolved, their +armies scattered, and a future invasion put entirely out of their power; +yet they continued to practise mischief secretly upon the inhabitants, in +the exposed parts of the country. + +In October following, a party made an excursion into that district called +the Crab Orchard; and one of them, being advanced some distance before +the others, boldly entered the house of a poor defenceless family, in +which was only a negro man, a woman, and her children, terrified with the +apprehensions of immediate death. The savage, perceiving their +defenceless situation, without offering violence to the family, attempted +to capture the negro, who happily proved an overmatch for him, threw him +on the ground, and, in the struggle, the mother of the children drew an +axe from a corner of the cottage, and cut his head off, while her little +daughter shut the door. The savages instantly appeared, and applied their +tomahawks to the door. An old rusty gun-barrel, without a lock, lay in a +corner, which the mother put through a small crevice, and the savages, +perceiving it, fled. In the mean time, the alarm spread through the +neighborhood; the armed men collected immediately, and pursued the +ravagers into the wilderness. Thus Providence, by the means of this +negro, saved the whole of the poor family from destruction. From that +time until the happy return of peace between the United States and Great +Britain, the Indians did us no mischief. Finding the great king beyond +the water disappointed in his expectations, and conscious of the +importance of the Long Knife, and their own wretchedness, some of the +nations immediately desired peace; to which, at present [1784], they seem +universally disposed, and are sending ambassadors to General Clarke, at +the Falls of the Ohio, with the minutes of their councils. + +To conclude, I can now say that I have verified the saying of an old +Indian who signed Colonel Henderson's deed. Taking me by the hand, at the +delivery thereof--"Brother," said he, "we have given you a fine land, but +I believe you will have much trouble in settling it." My footsteps have +often been marked with blood, and therefore I can truly subscribe to its +original name. Two darling sons and a brother have I lost by savage +hands, which have also taken from me forty valuable horses, and abundance +of cattle. Many dark and sleepless nights have I been a companion for +owls, separated from the cheerful society of men, scorched by the +summer's sun, and pinched by the winter's cold--an instrument ordained to +settle the wilderness. But now the scene is changed: peace crowns the +sylvan shade. + +What thanks, what ardent and ceaseless thanks are due to that +all-superintending Providence which has turned a cruel war into peace, +brought order out of confusion, made the fierce savages placid, and +turned away their hostile weapons from our country! May the same Almighty +Goodness banish the accursed monster, war, from all lands, with her +hated associates, rapine and insatiable ambition! Let peace, descending +from her native heaven, bid her olives spring amid the joyful nations; +and plenty, in league with commerce, scatter blessings from her copious +hand! + +This account of my adventures will inform the reader of the most +remarkable events of this country. I now live in peace and safety, +enjoying the sweets of liberty, and the bounties of Providence, with my +once fellow-sufferers, in this delightful country, which I have seen +purchased with a vast expense of blood and treasure: delighting in the +prospect of its being, in a short time, one of the most opulent and +powerful states on the continent of North America; which, with the love +and gratitude of my countrymen, I esteem a sufficient reward for all my +toil and dangers. + + DANIEL BOONE. + _Fayette County_, KENTUCKY. + + + THE END. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Adventures of Daniel Boone: the +Kentucky rifleman, by Uncle Philip + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ADVENTURES OF DANIEL BOONE *** + +***** This file should be named 27431.txt or 27431.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/7/4/3/27431/ + +Produced by David Edwards, Jen Haines and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by Florida's Publication of Archival, Library & Museum +Materials (PALMM)) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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