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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.