the adventures-第3章

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possible；　and　remarkably　well　watered。

When　I　returned　to　Chelicothe；　alarmed　to　see　four　hundred　and

fifty　Indians；　of　their　choicest　warriors；　painted　and　armed　in　a

fearful　manner；　ready　to　march　against　Boonsborough；　I　determined

to　escape　the　first　opportunity。



On　the　sixteenth；　before　sun…rise；　I　departed　in　the　most　secret

manner；　and　arrived　at　Boonsborough　on　the　twentieth；　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　compleated　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　an　account　of　my

departure；　and　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　disposess　them　of　their　desirable　habitations；　and　anxiously

concerned　for　futurity；　determined　utterly　to　extirpate　the　whites

out　of　Kentucke。　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　Sciotha；　called　Paint…Creek…Town。　We　advanced　within　four

miles　thereof；　where　we　met　a　party　of　thirty　Indians；　on　their

march　against　Boonsborough；　intending　to　join　the　others

from　Chelicothe。　A　smart　fight　ensued　betwixt　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　Boonsborough。



On　the　eighth；　the　Indian　army　arrived；　being　four　hundred　and

forty…four　in　number；　commanded　by　Capt。　Duquesne；　eleven　other

Frenchmen；　and　some　of　their　own　chiefs；　and　marched　up　within　view

of　our　fort；　with　British　and　French　colours　flying；　and　having

sent　a　summons　to　me；　in　his　Britannick　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　ninth；　I　returned　answer；　that　we

were　determined　to　defend　our　fort　while　a　man　was　livingNow；

said　I　to　their　commander；　who　stood　attentively　hearing　my

sentiments；　We　laugh　at　all　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

cannot　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　immediatly

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　honour；　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　Kentucke　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　twentieth　day　of

August　they　raised　the　siege；　and　departed。



During　this　dreadful　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　Kentucke；　Col。　Bowman　carried　on　an

expedition　against　the　Shawanese；　at　Old　Chelicothe；　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　Col。　Bowman；　finding　he　could　not　succeed　at　this　time；

retreated　about　thirty　miles。　The　Indians；　in　the　meantime；

collecting　all　their　forces；　pursued　and　overtook　him；　when　a　smart

fight　continued　near　two　hours；　not　to　the　advantage　of　Col。

Bowman's　party。



Col。　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　twenty…second　day　of　June；　1780；　a　large　party　of　Indians

and　Canadians；　about　six　hundred　in　number；　commanded　by　Col。　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　afterwards；　is　shocking　to　humanity；

and　too　barbarous　to　relate。



The　hostile　disposition　of　the　savages；　and　their　allies；　caused

General　Clark；　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　Kentucke　with　my　family；　and　here；

to　avoid　an　enquiry　into　my　conduct；　the　reader　being　before

informed　of　my　bringing　my　family　to　Kentucke；　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；　amidst　a　multitude　of　dangers；　to　her

father's　house；　in　North…Carolina。



Shortly　after　the　troubles　at　Boonsborough；　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　Boonsborough　once　more；　and　shortly　after；

on　the　sixth　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

Kentucke。　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　buffaloes。　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　Fall；　when　we　received　abundance　from　the　fertile　soil。



Towards　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。　Capt。　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　tenth　of

August　following；　two　boys　were　taken　from　Major　Hoy's

station。　This　party　was　pursued　by　Capt。　Holder　and　seventeen　men；

who　were　also　defeated；　with　the　loss　of　four　men　killed；　and　one

wounded。　Our