me to melancholy, if I had further indulged the thought. One day I undertook a tour through the country, when the diversity and beauties of nature I met with in this charming season, expelled every gloomy thought. Just at the close of the day, the gentle gales ceased; a profound calm ensued; not a breath shook the tremulous leaf. I had gained the summit of a commanding ridge, and looking round with astonishment and delight, beheld the ample plains and beauteous tracts below. On one hand the famous Ohio, rolling in silent dignity, and marking the western boundary of Kentucky with inconceivable grandeur. At a vast distance I beheld the mountains lift their venerable

de decline of the day, near the Kentucky River, as we descended the brow of a small hill, a number of Indians rushed out of a thick cane brake and made us prisoners. They plundered us, and kept us in confinement seven days. During this time, we discovered no uneasiness or desire to escape, which made them less suspicious; but in the dead of night, as we lay by a large fire in a thick cane brake, when sleep had locked up their senses, my situation not disposing me to rest, I gently awoke my companion. We seized this faFourable opportunity and departed, directing our course towards our old camp; but found it plundered and our companions dispersed or gone home. About this time, my brother, Squire Boone, with another adven-brows and penetrate the clouds. All turer, who came to explore the country shortly after us, was wandering through the forest, and accidentally found our camp. Notwithstanding our unfortunate circumstances, and our dangerous situation, surrounded by hostile savages, our meeting fortunately in the wilderness gave us the most sensible satisfaction. Soon after this, my companion in captivity, John Stuart, 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, many hundred miles from our families, in the howling wilderness, we did not continue in a state of indolence, but hunted every day, and prepared a little cottage to protect us from the winter storms. We met with no disturbance during the win-tures, could afford so much pleasure ter. On the first of May, 1770, my brother returned home by himself, for a new recruit of horses and ammunition, leaving me alone, without bread, salt, or sugar, or even a horse or dog. I passed a few days uncomfortably. The idea of a beloved wife and family, and their anxiety on my account, would have exposed

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 shades of night soon overspread the hemisphere, and the earth seemed to gasp after the hovering moisture. My excursion had fatigued my body and amused my mind. I laid me down to sleep, and awoke not until the sun had chased away the night. I continued this tour, and in a few days explored a great part of the country, each day equally pleased as the first; after which I returned to my old camp, which had not been disturbed in my absence. I did not confine my lodging to it, but often reposed in thick cane breakes, to avoid the savages, who, I believe, often visited my camp, but fortunately during my absence. No populous city, with all the varieties of commerce and stately struc

to my mind as the beauties of nature I found in this country. Until the 27th of July I spent the time in an uninterrupted scene of sylvan pleasures, when my brother, to my great felicity, met me, according to appointment, at our old camp. Soon after we left the place, and proceeded to Cumberland River, reconoi

tring that part of the country, and giving names to the different rivers. In March, 1771, I returned home to my family, being determined to bring them as soon as possible, at the risk of my life and fortune, to reside in Kentucky, which I esteemed a second paradise. On my return, I found my family in happy circumstances. I sold my farm at Yadkin, and what goods we could not carry with us; and on the 25th of September, 1773, we bade farewell to our friends, and proceeded on our journey to Kentucky, in company with five more families, and forty men that joined us in Powell's valley, which is one hundred and fifty miles from the now settled parts of Kentucky; but this promising beginning was soon overcast with a cloud of adversity. On the 10th 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 repulsed the enemy, yet this unhappy affair scattered our cattle, brought us into extreme difficulty, and so discouraged the whole company, that we retreated forty miles to Clench River. We had passed over two mountains, Powell's and Walden's, and were approaching Cumberland mountain, when this adverse fortune overtook us. These mountains are in the wilderness, in passing from the old settlements in Virginia to Kentucky, are ranged in a S.W. and N.E. direction, are of great length and breadth, and not far distant from each other. Over them, nature has formed passes, less difficult than might be expected from the view of such huge piles: The aspect of these cliffs is so wild and horrid, that it is impossible to behold them without terror. Until the 6th of June, 1774, I remained with my family on the Clench, when I and Michael Stoner were solicited by Governor Dunmore of Virginia, to conduct a number of surveyors to the falls of

Ohio. This was a tour of near eight hundred miles, and took us sixtytwo days. On my return, Governo Dunmore gave me the command of three garrisons, during the campaign against the Shawanese. In March, 1775, at the solicitation of a number of gentlemen of NorthCarolina, I attended their treaty at Wataga, with the Cherokee Indians, to purchase the lands on the south side of Kentucky River. After this I undertook to mark out a road in the best passage from the settlements, through the wilderness to Kentucky. Having collected a number of enterprising men, well armed, I soon began this work. We proceeded until we came within fifteen miles of where Boonsborough now stands, where the Indians attacked us, and killed two, and wounded two more. This was the 20th of March, 1775. Three days after they attacked us again; we had two killed and three wounded. After this we proceeded on to Kentucky River without opposition. On the first of April we began to erect the fort of Boonsborough, at a salt lick, sixty yards from the river, on the south side. On the 4th, they killed one of our men. On the 14th of June, having finished the fort, I returned to my family, on the Clench.

my family to this fort: we arrived Soon after, I removed safe; my wife and daughters being the first white women that stood on the banks of Kentucky River. December 24th the Indians killed ane man and wounded another, seeming determined to persecute us for erecting this fort. July 14th, 1776, two of Colonel Colway's daughters and one of mine, were taken prisoners near the fort: I immediately pursued the Indians with only eighteen men. On the 16th I overtook them, killed two of them, and recovered the girls. The Indians had divided themselves into several parties, and attacked, on the same day, all our settlements and forts, doing a great deal of mischief. The husbandman was shot

and lodging was in common with,
them; not so good, indeed, as I
could desire, but necessity made
every thing acceptable. I now be
gan to meditate an escape, but care-
fully avoided giving suspicion. Un-
til the 1st of June I continued at
Old Ghilicothe, and then was taken
to the salt springs on the Sciota, and
kept there ten days making salt.
During this time I hunted with them,
and found the land, for a great extent
about this river, to exceed the soil
of Kentucky, if possible, and re-
markably well watered. On my
return to Chilicothe, 450 of the
choicest Indian warriors were ready
to march against Boonsborough,
painted and armed in a dreadful
manner. This alarmed me, and I
determined to escape. On the 16th
of June, before sunrise, I went off
secretly, and reached Boonsborough
on the 20th, a journey of one hun-
dred and sixty miles, during which
I had only one meal. I found our
fortress in a bad state; but we im-
mediately repaired our flanks, gates,
posterns, and formed double bas-
tions, which we completed in ten
days. One of my fellow-prisoners,
escaping after me, brought advice,
that on account of my flight, the
Indians had put off the expedition
for three weeks. About August 1st,
I set out with nineteen men, to sur-
prise Point Creek Town on Sciota.
Within four miles we fell in with
thirty Indians going against Boons-
borough. We fought and the ene-
my gave way. We suffered no loss.
The enemy had one killed and two
wounded. We took three horses,
and all their baggage. The Indians
having evacuated their town, and
gone altogether against Boonsbo-
rough, we returned, passed them on
the 6th day, and on the 7th arrived
safe at Boonsborough. On the 8th, the
Indian army, 444 in number, com-
manded by Captain Dugnesne, and
eleven other Frenchmen, and their
own chiefs, came and summoned the
fort. I requested two days consi-
deration, which they granted. Du-

ring this, we brought in, through the
posterns, all the horses and other
cattle we could collect. On the 9th,
in the evening, I informed their
commander, that we were deter-
mined to defend the fort while a man
was living. They then proposed a
treaty, and said, if we sent out
nine men to conclude it, they would
withdraw. The treaty was held
within sixty yards of the fort, as we
suspected the savages. The articles
were agreed to and signed; when the
Indians told us, it was their custom
for two Indians to shake hands with
every white man, as an evidence of
friendship. We agreed to this also.
They immediately grappled us to
take us prisoners; but we cleared
ourselves of them, though surround-
ed by hundreds, and gained the fort
safely, except one that was wounded
by a heavy fire from their army.
On this they began to undermine the
fort, beginning at the water-mark of
Kentucky River, which is sixty yards
from the fort. We discovered this
by the water being made muddy with
the clay, and countermined them
by cutting a trench across their sub-
terranean passage. The enemy, dis-
covering this, by the clay we threw
out of the fort, desisted. On the
20th of August they raised the siege.
During this dreadful siege we had
two men killed and four wounded.
We lost a number of cattle. We
killed 37 of the enemy and wounded
a great number. We picked up 125
pounds of their bullets, besides what
stuck in the logs of the fort. Soon
after this I went into the settlement,
and nothing worthy of notice passed
for some time. In July, 1779, du-
ring my absence, Colonel Bowman,
with 160 men, went against the
Shawanese of Old Chilicothe.
arrived undiscovered; a battle en-
sued, which lasted till 10 in the
morning, when Colonel Bowman res
treated 30 miles. The Indians col-
lected all their strength and pursued
him, when another engagement en-
sued for two hours, not to Colonel
Bowman's advantage. Colonel

He