Daniel Boone

CHAPTER I.

The Discovery and early Settlement of America. PAGE

Discovery of the New World.--Of Florida.--Conquest and cruelties of De Soto.--The Wigwam.--Colony at St. Mary.--Sir Walter Raleigh and his Colonies.--Grant of King James.--Settlements in the Virginia.--Adventures of John Smith.--Arrival of Lord Delaware.--Terrible massacres.--Pressures of Colonists to the West.--Doherty Trade with Indians.--Attempted Colony on the Tennessee.--Daniel Boone. 9

CHAPTER II.. _daniel Boone, His Parentage, and Early Adventures._

Daniel Boone, his Parentage, and early Adventures.

Trials of the Colonists.--George Boone and his home.--Squire Boone.--Birth and character of Daniel Boone.--His limited education.--A pioneer's camp.--A log house and furnishings.--Annoyance of Boone on the arrival of Scotch emigrants.--His longings for adventure.--Camp meetings.--Frontier life.--Sports.--Squirrel hunting.--Snuffing the candle. 36

CHAPTER III.. _louisiana, Its Discovery and Vicissitudes._

Louisiana, its Discovery and Vicissitudes.

Louisiana, and its eventful history.--The expedition of De Soto.--The Missionary Marquette.--His voyage on the Upper Mississippi.--The Expedition of La Salle.--Michilimackinac.--Its History.--Fate of the "Griffin."--Grief of La Salle.--His voyage of Discovery.--Sale of Louisiana to the United States.--Remarks of Napoleon. 74

CHAPTER IV.. _camp Life Beyond the Alleghanies._

Camp Life Beyond the Alleghanies.

John Finley and his adventures.--Aspect of the Country.--Boone's Private Character.--His Love for the Wilderness.--First view of Kentucky.--Emigrants' Dress.--Hunter's Home.--Capture of Boone and Stewart by the Indians.--Their Escape.--Singular Incident. 89

CHAPTER V.. _indian Warfare._

Indian Warfare.

Alleghany Ridges.--Voyage in a canoe.--Speech of Logan.--Battle at the Kanawha.--Narrative of Francis Marion.--Important commission of Boone.--Council at Circleville.--Treaty of Peace.--Imlay's description of Kentucky.--Settlement right.--Richard Henderson.--Boone's letter.--Fort at Boonesborough. 109

CHAPTER VI.. _sufferings of the Pioneers._

Sufferings of the Pioneers.

Emigration to Boonesborough.--New Perils.--Transylvania Company.--Beneficence of its Laws--Interesting incident.--Infamous conduct of Great Britain.--Attack on the Fort.--Reinforcements.--Simon Kenton and his Sufferings.--Mrs. Harvey. 129

CHAPTER VII.. _life in the Wilderness._

Life in the Wilderness.

Stewart killed by the Indians.--Squire Boone returns to the Settlements.--Solitary Life of Daniel Boone.--Return of Squire Boone.--Extended and Romantic Explorations.--Charms and Perils of the Wilderness.--The Emigrant Party.--The Fatal Ambuscade.--Retreat of the Emigrants.--Solitude of the Wilderness.--Expedition of Lewis and Clarke.--Extraordinary Adventures of Cotter. 151

CHAPTER VIII.. _captivity and Flight._

Captivity and Flight.

Heroism of Thomas Higgins and of Mrs. Pursley.--Affairs at Boonesborough.--Continued Alarms.--Need of Salt.--Its Manufacture.--Indian Schemes.--Capture of Boone and twenty-seven men.--Dilemma of the British at Detroit.--Blackfish adopts Colonel Boone.--Adoption Ceremony.--Indian Designs.--Escape of Boone.--Attacks the Savages.--The Fort Threatened. 182

CHAPTER IX.. _victories and Defeats._

Victories and Defeats.

Situation of the Fort.--Indian Treachery.--Bombardment.--Boone goes to North Carolina.--New Trials.--Boone Robbed.--He returns to Kentucky.--Massacre of Colonel Rogers.--Adventure of Col. Bowman.--New Attack by the British and Indians.--Retaliatory Measures.--Wonderful Exploit. 209

CHAPTER X.. _british Allies._

British Allies.

Death of Squire Boone.--Indian Outrages.--Gerty and McGee.--Battle of Blue Lick.--Death of Isaac Boone.--Colonel Boone's Narrow Escape.--Letter of Daniel Boone.--Determination of General Clarke.--Discouragement of the Savages.--Amusing Anecdote of Daniel Boone. 230

CHAPTER XI.. _kentucky Organized As a State._

Kentucky organized as a State.

Peace with England.--Order of a Kentucky Court.--Anecdotes.--Speech of Mr. Dalton.--Reply of Piankashaw.--Renewed Indications of Indian Hostility.--Conventions at Danville.--Kentucky formed into a State.--New Trials for Boone. 249

CHAPTER XII.. _adventures Romantic and Perilous._

Adventures Romantic and Perilous.

The Search for the Horse.--Navigating the Ohio.--Heroism of Mrs. Rowan.--Lawless Gangs.--Exchange of Prisoners.--Boone Revisits the Home of his Childhood.--The Realms beyond the Mississippi.--Habits of the Hunters.--Corn.--Boone's Journey to the West. 271

CHAPTER XIII.. _a New Home._

A New Home.

Colonel Boone welcomed by the Spanish Authorities.--Boone's Narrative to Audubon.--The Midnight Attack.--Pursuit of the Savages.--Sickness in the Wilderness.--Honesty of Colonel Boone.--Payment of his Debts.--Loss of all his Property. 292

CHAPTER XIV.. _conclusion._

Conclusion.

Colonel Boone Appeals to Congress.--Complimentary Resolutions of the Legislature of Kentucky.--Death of Mrs. Boone.--Catholic Liberality.--Itinerant Preachers.--Grant by Congress to Colonel Boone.--The Evening of his Days.--Personal Appearance.--Death and Burial.--Transference of the Remains of Mr. and Mrs. Boone to Frankfort, Kentucky. 320

CHAPTER I.. _the Discovery and Early Settlement of America._

The Discovery and early Settlement of America.

Discovery of the New World.--Of Florida.--Conquest and cruelties of De Soto.--The wigwam.--Colony at St. Mary.--Sir Walter Raleigh and his Colonies.--Grant of King James.--Settlements in the Virginia.--Adventures of John Smith.--Arrival of Lord Delaware.--Terrible massacres.--Pressures of Colonists to the West.--Doherty Trade with Indians.--Attempted Colony on the Tennessee.--Daniel Boone.

The little fleet of three small vessels, with which Columbus left Palos in Spain, in search of a new world, had been sixty-seven days at sea. They had traversed nearly three thousand miles of ocean, and yet there was nothing but a wide expanse of waters spread out before them. The despairing crew were loud in their murmurs, demanding that the expedition should be abandoned and that the ships should return to Spain. The morning of the 11th of October, 1492, had come. During the day Columbus, whose heart had been very heavily oppressed with anxiety, had been cheered by some indications that they were approaching land. Fresh seaweed was occasionally seen and a branch of a shrub with leaves and berries upon it, and a piece of wood curiously carved had been picked up.

The devout commander was so animated by these indications, that he gathered his crew around him and returned heartfelt thanks to God, for this prospect that their voyage would prove successful. It was a beautiful night, the moon shone brilliantly and a delicious tropical breeze swept the ocean. At ten o'clock Columbus stood upon the bows of his ship earnestly gazing upon the western horizon, hoping that the long-looked-for land would rise before him. Suddenly he was startled by the distinct gleam of a torch far off in the distance. For a moment it beamed forth with a clear and indisputable flame and then disappeared. The agitation of Columbus no words can describe. Was it a meteor? Was it an optical illusion? Was it light from the land?

Suddenly the torch, like a star, again shone forth with distinct though faint gleam. Columbus called some of his companions to his side and they also saw the light clearly. But again it disappeared. At two o'clock in the morning a sailor at the look out on the mast head shouted, "Land! land! land!" In a few moments all beheld, but a few miles distant from them, the distinct outline of towering mountains piercing the skies. A new world was discovered. Cautiously the vessels hove to and waited for the light of the morning. The dawn of day presented to the eyes of Columbus and his companions a spectacle of beauty which the garden of Eden could hardly have rivalled. It was a morning of the tropics, calm, serene and lovely. But two miles before them there emerged from the sea an island of mountains and valleys, luxuriant with every variety of tropical vegetation. The voyagers, weary of gazing for many weeks on the wide waste of waters, were so enchanted with the fairy scene which then met the eye, that they seemed really to believe that they had reached the realms of the blest.

The boats were lowered, and, as they were rowed towards the shore, the scene every moment grew more beautiful. Gigantic trees draped in luxuriance of foliage hitherto unimagined, rose in the soft valleys and upon the towering hills. In the sheltered groves, screened from the sun, the picturesque dwellings of the natives were thickly clustered. Flowers of every variety of tint bloomed in marvellous profusion. The trees seemed laden with fruits of every kind, and in inexhaustible abundance. Thousands of natives crowded the shore, whose graceful forms and exquisitely moulded limbs indicated the innocence and simplicity of Eden before the fall.

Columbus, richly attired in a scarlet dress, fell upon his knees as he reached the beach, and, with clasped hands and uplifted eyes, gave utterance to the devout feelings which ever inspired him, in thanksgiving to God. In recognition of the divine protection he gave the island the name of San Salvador, or Holy Savior. Though the new world thus discovered was one of the smallest islands of the Caribbean Sea, no conception was then formed of the vast continents of North and South America, stretching out in both directions, for many leagues almost to the Arctic and Antarctic poles.

Omitting a description of the wonderful adventures which ensued, we can only mention that two years after this, the southern extremity of the North American continent was discovered by Sebastian Cabot. It was in the spring of the year and the whole surface of the soil seemed carpeted with the most brilliant flowers. The country consequently received the beautiful name of Florida. It, of course, had no boundaries, for no one knew with certainty whether it were an island or a continent, or how far its limits might extend.

The years rolled on and gradually exploring excursions crept along the coast towards the north, various provinces were mapped out with pretty distinct boundaries upon the Atlantic coast, extending indefinitely into the vast and unknown interior. Expeditions from France had entered the St. Lawrence and established settlements in Canada. For a time the whole Atlantic coast, from its extreme southern point to Canada, was called Florida. In the year 1539, Ferdinand De Soto, an unprincipled Spanish warrior, who had obtained renown by the conquest of Peru in South America, fitted out by permission of the king of Spain, an expedition of nearly a thousand men to conquer and take possession of that vast and indefinite realm called Florida.

We have no space here to enter upon a description of the fiendlike cruelties practiced by these Spaniards. They robbed and enslaved without mercy. In pursuit of gold they wandered as far north as the present boundary of South Carolina. Then turning to the west, they traversed the vast region to the Mississippi river. The forests were full of game. The granaries of the simple-hearted natives were well stored with corn; vast prairies spreading in all directions around them, waving with grass and blooming with flowers, presented ample forage for the three hundred horses which accompanied the expedition. They were also provided with fierce bloodhounds to hunt down the terrified natives. Thus invincible and armed with the "thunder and lightning" of their guns, they swept the country, perpetrating every conceivable outrage upon the helpless natives.

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