some 450 warriors assembled, painted, and equipped, and ready to embark on an expedition against Boonsborough. His anxiety became so great that he determined to effect his escape at any hazard. During the whole of this agitating period, however, he permitted no symptom of uneasiness to show itself; but continued to hunt and shoot with the Indians as usual, until the morning of the 16th of June, when, making an early start, he left Chillicothe to proceed on a hunting expedition for the day; but, after he had escaped beyond observation, he changed his course, and hurried onward towards Boonsborough. This journey occu pied four days, during which he only ate one meal; and the distance travelled from Chillicothe was at least 150 miles. During his imprisonment, Boone conducted himself in such a manner as to win the affections of the warriors of all the tribes. He was a hunter; and, by the exactness of his aim, he succeeded in procuring from the woods a vast amount of game, and thus shared in the labour to feed the enemies of his own race; but his success as a hunter, together with his mild and gentle manners, secured for him the protection of his life, and the freedom of the woods. On the 10th of March, with ten of his men, he accompanied about forty of his captors on a visit to Detroit, where they arrived on the 30th of that month. Governor Hamilton offered £100 for his Boone was received at the garrison with ransom, intending to make him a prisoner shouts of joy; and, at the same time, with of the British; but, so strong was the affec- feelings of profound sympathy. His family, tion of the Indians for their hunter, that and the whole of his friends, supposed they refused to part with him on any terms, that he had been killed; and his wife, or for any price. Several Englishmen taking with her the youngest children, hud sympathised with the pioneer, and offered returned to the Yadkin in North Carolina. to purchase him, so as to better his condi-The old pioneer observed that the fort had tion as a prisoner; but the warriors were been allowed to decay, and was in no contoo much attached to their "pale-faced" dition to resist an attack. The Indians prize; and, to the last, continued inexorable. had slackened in their invasions during the In order to lessen his sufferings, the British past year; and the whites had anticipated offered to Boone various articles for his own use; but he declined to be the recipient of favours from any one, preferring to submit to his fate until an opportune moment when he could regain his freedom. less interruption in the future. The intelligence brought by Boone impelled every man and woman to prepare for another attack. Information was sent to all the stations, that each might be prepared for In the latter part of April, the Indians and defence. The danger was imminent; and their prisoners returned to Old Chillicothe. the enemy was then hourly expected. The Shortly after his return from Detroit, gates were strengthened; the pickets reBlackfish," a distinguished chieftain of paired; provisions gathered from the fields; the Shawanee tribe, adopted Boone, accord-hay collected for the stock; water was ing to the Indian fashion, to supply the brought in to serve for a long siege; the place of a deceased son and warrior.* rifles were cleaned; and, in a word, nothing Early in the month of June, Boone accom- was left undone that was in the least calcupanied a party of Indians to the salt-springs lated to give strength to the fort. Families on the Scioto river, to assist in manufac- living in isolated places were invited into turing salt, by the very simple process of the stockades; and, in a few days, the boiling the salt water at the spot: the squaws did the work; and the warriors, as hunters, supplied the provisions. On Boone's return to Chillicothe, after an absence of only ten days, he observed whole population was collected together to unite in the general effort to defend themselves against the horrors of the tomahawk. They all worked night and day; and, by their indefatigable diligence, everything The forms of the ceremony of adoption were "to take all his white blood out." The ablution is often severe and ludicrous. The hair of the head usually performed by females. is plucked out by a tedious and painful operation, the council-house, where the chief makes a speech, leaving a tuft, some three or four inches in diame-in which he expatiates upon the distinguished ter, on the crown, for the scalp-lock, which is cut honours conferred on him. His head and face are and dressed up with ribbons and feathers. The painted in the most approved and fashionable style; candidate is then taken into the river in a state of and the ceremony is concluded with a grand feast nudity, and there thoroughly washed and rubbed, and smoking.-Sparke's American Biography. He is then taken to was made ready within ten days after the of his majesty the king of Great Britain, arrival of Boone, for the approach of the transmitted to Boone a summons to surarmy of warriors. When thus prepared, render. The garrison was unable to apprethe garrison received intelligence from ciate the merits of the demand; but Boone Chillicothe that the escape of Boone had was inclined to indulge the vain expectaproduced a delay in the departure of the tions of the enemy, and, to increase his invading army for three weeks. As the hopes, responded that he could not, withfort was in a condition to resist the out reflection, accede to the demand; and most formidable attack from the savages, to afford him time to consider so imBoone deemed it advisable to go with an portant an affair, requested that he might expedition across the Ohio, and attack the have two days to discuss the subject with enemy near their own villages. He selected his officers. The British commander thought nineteen men, and, accompanied by Simon that the delay requested was a mere matter Kenton, marched against the town on Paint of form desired by Boone, in order to enable Creek, a branch of the Scioto river, and him to frame excuses in justification for arrived within four miles of that Indian the unqualified surrender, then inevitable. village without being discovered. Near During this delay, Boone and the whole that place, while Kenton was proceeding garrison worked most energetically, and inin advance of the others, he was startled by creased the strength of the fort, gathered in hearing loud peals of laughter from a cane- their cattle and horses, and otherwise made brake just before him. He had scarcely time every possible preparation for a vigorous to tree, before two Indians, mounted upon resistance. At the end of the time stipua small pony-one facing the animal's head, lated, Boone, seemingly with regret, reand the other his tail-full of merriment, sponded that the demand to surrender not in the least suspecting danger-made could not be complied with, and that their appearance from the woods, almost im- the fort would be defended as long as there mediately in front of Kenton. The pioneer was a man left able to fire a rifle. The raised his rifle, and shot both of the Indians, British officer continued to entertain the and was hurrying to them with his knife opinion that the fort could be taken by to get their scalps, when, to his surprise, he strategy. He knew that in making the and the other Kentuckians were surrounded assault, many of the warriors would cerby about forty warriors, who were on their tainly be killed; and he was anxious to keep way to join the expedition against Boons- his force as large as possible, so that he borough. Boone gave orders for battle, could destroy every station in Kentucky, and, in a few moments, he succeeded in and then march back to his majesty's forces routing the Indians, without suffering any in Canada, a successful conqueror. These loss or injury. He managed to ascertain were but visions; and, much to his annoythe movements of the enemy; and finding ance, he soon learned that the Kentuckians that the main body had left Chillicothe, were greater in battle than his host of red and was then on its way to Boonsbo- men. He arranged his warriors in the rough, he immediately retraced his steps woods preparatory to an attack; and then, for that station with all possible expedition. under the impression that the formidable He passed the invading Indians on the sixth array might have some influence in effectday of their march: on the seventh he entered ing a surrender, he again issued to Boone the fort, and gave orders for immediate a proposition to treat, and requested him, preparations to resist an attack. On the with eight others of the garrison, to meet next day, the 7th of September, the savages, the British and Indian officers in the in great force, appeared before the fort, pre- " clearing" in front of the fort, for the pared to conquer it, and then, in rapid suc- purpose of discussing the stipulations of cession, they expected to take the other surrender. The parties met; and, after stations. The warriors were led by a Cana- spending considerable time in discussing dian officer, well skilled in the arts of the plan of treaty, the British manifested a modern warfare, though his mode of action disposition to compel the garrison to subwas of the civilised code. British flags mit to the terms proposed; but Boone and were displayed; and in the most formal his men saw at once that the enemy had manner, the commander, acting on behalf no intention of making any treaty what• Tree, in Indian warfare, means to stand behind ever, and that their assurances of a dea tree to fight, as practised by the savages. sire for peace were hypocritical. The Kentuckians began to move towards the fort; and, in an instant, they were seized by some Indians, who attempted to make them prisoners. This effort was frustrated by the vigilance and activity of the intended victims, who, springing out from the midst of the savages, ran into the fort under a heavy fire of rifles; and of the nine whites, only one was wounded. The British forces, or savages, began the attack instantly, and maintained a heavy fire against the picketing during the whole day, though with but little success; but, at the same time, the fire was returned with fatal accuracy by the garrison. The Indians then attempted to dig a subterranean entrance to the fort, by which they might suddenly appear inside the inclosure, and then speedily put an end to the whole garrison. In making the excavation, the dirt was thrown into the river, and the water was seen to be muddy by Boone, when the plan was fully understood. The women of the station went to work, and dug a trench at right angles to the subterranean passage being cut by the Indians, and a large quantity of logs, stones, and other things, were lodged in the trench inside of the fort, which prevented the further progress of the Indians, as they had no means of removing the logs and stones piled in the trench. From day to day the savages kept up a constant fire upon the garrison until the 17th of September, when they raised the siege, and returned to their homes north of the Ohio river. In this affair the savages saw that the fort could not be taken unless by assault; and without ladders such an attempt would be a failure. The commander of the attacking force did not prepare for an assault with scaling-ladders, because he knew that the Indians had no proclivity to fight battles except in the woodlands; as it was upon such an occasion that their skill as warriors was most effective. During the nine days' siege, the loss of the garrison was two men killed, and four wounded; and of the savages, twenty-seven were seen dead; but how many others were killed, or the number wounded, was never ascertained. This was the last siege sustained by Boonsborough. The country then increased so rapidly in numbers, and so many other One of the wounded was Jemima, eldest daughter of Boone; she received a contusion in her hip from a spent ball, while she was supplying her father with ammunition.-Sparke's Biography stations lay between Boonsborough and the Ohio, that the savages could not reach it without leaving enemies in the rear. Incidental to the battle of Paint Creek, near Chillicothe, and some other exploits that followed that event, we shall give a brief account of the eccentric and daring acts of Kenton; who declined to return with Boone to Kentucky, preferring to remain, in company with others, to kill a few Indians" on their own account." They lay within good rifle distance of the village for two days and a night, without seeing a single warrior; and such delay could not be continued; therefore, on the second night, they each mounted an Indian | horse, and returned to Kentucky, arriving at Boonsborough the day after the siege was raised. The Indians ascertained that Kenton had stolen their horses; and although they were the greatest plunderers of all races, yet they could not appreciate the propriety of others stealing Indian property; and they watched for an occasion to "square the account with the pale-faced Kenton." In September of 1778, Kenton, accompanied by two other Kentuckians, proceeded on an expedition against Chillicothe, and such Indians as they might chance to meet on their journey. When they were within the vicinity of the Indian village, they caught seven other horses; and finding that they were detected, they hurried off in the direction of Limestone (now Maysville), hotly pursued by the savages. Kenton and his men could not cross the river, and were ultimately taken prisoners; one of them, however, was killed. The Indians were greatly rejoiced on catching Kenton-he was a prize of great value to them; and the prisoner expected to be tortured to the utmost extent. They were very rough in handling him, and cared but little for his sufferings. He was secured for the night by being placed upon his back on the ground. The Indians then drew his legs as wide apart as they could be stretched, and each foot was tied to small saplings. A pole was then laid across his breast, and his hands tied to each end; his arms were lashed closely to the pole with grape-vines-one of the vines being brought round his body, and fastened to the pole to keep it in its place. After this was done, they tied a thong around his neck, and the other end was fastened to a small tree-the thong having been drawn taut, so as to choke him in 3rd. Taking off a party of men from Boonsborough in his expedition to the Scioto, and thus weakening the garrison, when he had reason to believe the Indians were about to invade the fort. 4th. That, at the siege of Boonsborough, he was willing to take the officers to the Indians' camp, on the invitation to make peace, and thus endanger the garrison. case he attempted to move. In this manner he passed the night, unable to sleep, and filled with the most gloomy forebodings of the future. In the morning, when released from his fetters, he smiled, and never admitted that he had endured the slightest suffering during the night; and he manifested a real zeal to go forward to the Indian village, where they arrived during the day. He continued a prisoner for some Captain Boone nobly defended his coneight months; and during that time, no duct, and stated that the surrender of the man ever suffered more than he did. He salt party was necessary in order to save was eight times compelled to run the Boonsborough and every station of the gauntlet; three times tied to a stake; once country. We are inclined to the opinion, brought to the brink of the grave by a however, that it was to save his own life, blow from a tomahawk; and, throughout and the lives of the salt-makers. The the whole time, subjected to minor cruel- conduct at Boonsborough, he declared, was ties. Once his old friend and companion, but a step of strategy, to gain time, in Simon Girty, the famous hater of his own order to complete some measures of defence. race, interposed, and saved him for a short Boone was acquitted by the complete court, time from the flames. He had been tied and was promoted to the rank of major for to the stake, and the faggots were piled his past services. around him, when Girty interceded, and procured a respite. On the next occasion, when he was lashed to the stake, Girty could not influence the savages to permit a further prolongation of his life; but the chieftain Logan-the celebrated Mingo, whose wrongs had not obliterated the nobility of his nature, though still panting with the spirit of revenge against the whites for the wholesale murder of his family-interceded for the life of Kenton, and, at the same time, prevailed upon a Canadian trader to purchase him as a prisoner of war. Kenton was then taken to Detroit, and delivered over to the British commander. In the summer of 1779 he made his escape, and returned to Kentucky. Boone had his enemies-a misfortune common to all men of worth; and these were not very moderate in assailing the integrity of the surrender at the Lower Blue Licks. Charges were alleged against him,† and Captain Boone was formally tried by a court-martial. The allegations were 1st. Surrendering the company of saltmakers when he was taken prisoner at the Blue Licks. 2nd. Manifesting friendly feelings towards the Indians while a prisoner, and offering to surrender Boonsborough, have the people removed to Detroit, and live under British protection and jurisdiction. Collins' History of Kentucky; McClung's Sketches: Butler's Kentucky, &c., &c. The facts respecting this trial of Boone was The Kentuckians were very anxious to reduce the Indian village of Chillicothe, and various attempts were made to organise companies to march against that place. In July of 1779, Colonel Joseph Bowman succeeded in raising a company of 160 men, all of whom were determined to destroy Chillicothe. Logan was the second in command; and the whole force was composed of brave and experienced hunters, all of whom volunteered to aid in the effort to exterminate the savages from that strong rendezvous. The details of this expedition has been furnished by McClung, a local historian of Kentucky. The well-prepared expedition commenced its march from Harrodstown in July, and proceeded through the forest, keeping in advance some of the most experienced "trailers," men who understood tracking Indians. The army arrived within a mile of Chillicothe without being seen by any of the enemy. Here the detachment halted at an early hour in the night; and Bowman then sent out spies in different directions, to ascertain the condition of the village, and to see if there were many warriors present, or within the vicinity of the place. Before midnight the spies returned, and reported that their presence was unknown; that the town was occupied by but few warriors, and that there were no other tribes within a distance near enough to afford relief to the town, in time to save communicated to us, many years since, by the indefatigable border historian, Lyman C. Draper, Esq. Sketches of Western Adventure, p. 113. stations lay between Boonsborough and the Ohio, that the savages could not reach it without leaving enemies in the rear. Kentuckians began to move towards the fort; and, in an instant, they were seized by some Indians, who attempted to make them prisoners. This effort was frustrated Incidental to the battle of Paint Creek, by the vigilance and activity of the in- near Chillicothe, and some other exploits tended victims, who, springing out from that followed that event, we shall give a the midst of the savages, ran into the fort brief account of the eccentric and daring under a heavy fire of rifles; and of the nine acts of Kenton; who declined to return whites, only one was wounded. The Bri- with Boone to Kentucky, preferring to tish forces, or savages, began the attack remain, in company with others, to kill instantly, and maintained a heavy fire a few Indians "on their own account." against the picketing during the whole They lay within good rifle distance of the day, though with but little success; but, at village for two days and a night, without the same time, the fire was returned with seeing a single warrior; and such delay fatal accuracy by the garrison. The In- could not be continued; therefore, on the dians then attempted to dig a subterranean second night, they each mounted an Indian entrance to the fort, by which they might horse, and returned to Kentucky, arsuddenly appear inside the inclosure, and riving at Boonsborough the day after the then speedily put an end to the whole gar- siege was raised. The Indians ascertained rison. In making the excavation, the dirt that Kenton had stolen their horses; and was thrown into the river, and the water although they were the greatest plunderers was seen to be muddy by Boone, when the of all races, yet they could not appreciate plan was fully understood. The women of the propriety of others stealing Indian prothe station went to work, and dug a trench|perty; and they watched for an occasion at right angles to the subterranean passage to "square the account with the pale-faced being cut by the Indians, and a large Kenton." In September of 1778, Kenton, quantity of logs, stones, and other things, accompanied by two other Kentuckians, were lodged in the trench inside of the fort, proceeded on an expedition against Chilliwhich prevented the further progress of cothe, and such Indians as they might the Indians, as they had no means of re- chance to meet on their journey. When moving the logs and stones piled in the they were within the vicinity of the Indian trench. From day to day the savages village, they caught seven other horses; kept up a constant fire upon the garrison and finding that they were detected, they until the 17th of September, when they hurried off in the direction of Limestone raised the siege, and returned to their (now Maysville), hotly pursued by the homes north of the Ohio river. In this savages. Kenton and his men could not affair the savages saw that the fort could cross the river, and were ultimately taken not be taken unless by assault; and without ladders such an attempt would be a failure. The commander of the attacking force did not prepare for an assault with scaling-ladders, because he knew that the Indians had no proclivity to fight battles except in the woodlands; as it was upon such an occasion that their skill as warriors was most effective. During the nine days' siege, the loss of the garrison was two men killed, and four wounded; and of the savages, twenty-seven were seen dead; but how many others were killed, or the number wounded, was never ascertained. This was the last siege sustained by Boonsborough. The country then increased so rapidly in numbers, and so many other One of the wounded was Jemima, eldest daughter of Boone; she received a contusion in her hip from a spent ball, while she was supplying her father with ammunition.-Sparke's Biography, The In prisoners; one of them, however, was |