pioneers of the old southwest-第12部分

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hemaccording　to　the　Indian　code　in　time　of　peace。

Boone's　party　explored　Florida　from　St。　Augustine　to　Pensacola；　and　Daniel　became　sufficiently　enamored　of　the　tropical　south　to　purchase　there　land　and　a　house。　His　wife；　however；　was　unwilling　to　go　to　Florida；　and　she　was　not　long　in　convincing　the　hunter　that　he　would　soon　tire　of　a　gameless　country。　A　gameless　country！　Perhaps　this　was　the　very　thought　which　turned　the　wanderer's　desires　again　towards　the　land　of　Kentucky。*　The　silencing　of　the　enemy's　whisper　in　the　Cherokee　camps　had　opened　the　border　forests　once　more　to　the　nomadic　rifleman。　Boone　was　not　alone　in　the　desire　to　seek　out　what　lay　beyond。　His　brother…in…law；　John　Stewart；　and　a　nephew　by　marriage；　Benjamin　Cutbirth；　or　Cutbird；　with　two　other　young　men；　John　Baker　and　James　Ward；　in　1766　crossed　the　Appalachian　Mountains；　probably　by　stumbling　upon　the　Indian　trail　winding　from　base　to　summit　and　from　peak　to　base　again　over　this　part　of　the　great　hill　barrier。　They　eventually　reached　the　Mississippi　River　and；　having　taken　a　good　quantity　of　peltry　on　the　way；　they　launched　upon　the　stream　and　came　in　time　to　New　Orleans；　where　they　made　a　satisfactory　trade　of　their　furs。

*　Kentucky；　from　Ken…ta…ke；　an　Iroquois　word　meaning　〃the　place　of　old　fields。〃　Adair　calls　the　territory　〃the　old　fields。〃　The　Indians　apparently　used　the　word　〃old；〃　as　we　do　in　a　sense　of　endearment　and　possession　as　well　as　relative　to　age。


Boone　was　fired　anew　by　descriptions　of　this　successful　feat；　in　which　two　of　his　kinsmen　had　participated。　He　could　no　longer　be　held　back。　He　must　find　the　magic　door　that　led　through　the　vast　mountain　wall　into　KentuckyKentucky；　with　its　green　prairies　where　the　buffalo　and　deer　were　as　〃ten　thousand　thousand　cattle　feeding〃　in　the　wilds；　and　where　the　balmy　air　vibrated　with　the　music　of　innumerable　wings。

Accordingly；　in　the　autumn　of　1767；　Boone　began　his　quest　of　the　delectable　country　in　the　company　of　his　friend；　William　Hill；　who　had　been　with　him　in　Florida。　Autumn　was　the　season　of　departure　on　all　forest　excursions；　because　by　that　time　the　summer　crops　had　been　gathered　in　and　the　day　of　the　deer　had　come。　By　hunting；　the　explorers　must　feed　themselves　on　their　travels　and　with　deerskins　and　furs　they　must　on　their　return　recompense　those　who　had　supplied　their　outfit。　Boone；　the　incessant　but　not　always　lucky　wanderer；　was　in　these　years　ever　in　debt　for　an　outfit。

Boone　and　Hill　made　their　way　over　the　Blue　Ridge　and　the　Alleghanies　and　crossed　the　Holston　and　Clinch　rivers。　Then　they　came　upon　the　west　fork　of　the　Big　Sandy　and；　believing　that　it　would　lead　them　to　the　Ohio；　they　continued　for　at　least　a　hundred　miles　to　the　westward。　Here　they　found　a　buffalo　trace；　one　of　the　many　beaten　out　by　the　herds　in　their　passage　to　the　salt　springs；　and　they　followed　it　into　what　is　now　Floyd　County　in　eastern　Kentucky。　But　this　was　not　the　prairie　land　described　by　Findlay；　it　was　rough　and　hilly　and　so　overgrown　with　laurel　as　to　be　almost　impenetrable。　They　therefore　wended　their　way　back　towards　the　river；　doubtless　erected　the　usual　hunter's　camp　of　skins　or　blankets　and　branches；　and　spent　the　winter　in　hunting　and　trapping。　Spring　found　them　returning　to　their　homes　on　the　Yadkin　with　a　fair　winter's　haul。

Such　urgent　desire　as　Boone's；　however；　was　not　to　be　defeated。　The　next　year　brought　him　his　great　opportunity。　John　Findlay　came　to　the　Yadkin　with　a　horse　pack　of　needles　and　linen　and　peddler's　wares　to　tempt　the　slim　purses　of　the　Back　Country　folk。　The　two　erstwhile　comrades　in　arms　were　overjoyed　to　encounter　each　other　again；　and　Findlay　spent　the　winter　of　1768…69　in　Boone's　cabin。　While　the　snow　lay　deep　outside　and　good…smelling　logs　crackled　on　the　hearth；　they　planned　an　expedition　into　Kentucky　through　the　Gap　where　Virginia；　Tennessee；　and　Kentucky　touch　one　another；　which　Findlay　felt　confident　he　could　find。　Findlay　had　learned　of　this　route　from　cross…mountain　traders　in　1753；　when　he　had　descended　the　Ohio　to　the　site　of　Louisville；　whence　he　had　gone　with　some　Shawanoes　as　a　prisoner　to　their　town　of　Es…kip…pa…ki…thi…ki　or　Blue　Licks。*

*　Hanna；　〃The　Wilderness　Trail；〃　vol。　II；　pp。　215…16。

On　the　first　day　of　May；　1769；　Boone　and　Findlay；　accompanied　by　John　Stewart　and　three　other　venturesome　spirits；　Joseph　Holden；　James　Mooney；　and　William　Cooley；　took　horse　for　the　fabled　land。　Passing　through　the　Cumberland　Gap；　they　built　their　first　camp　in　Kentucky　on　the　Red　Lick　fork　of　Station　Camp　Creek。

This　camp　was　their　base　of　operations。　From　it；　usually　in　couples；　we　infer；　the　explorers　branched　out　to　hunt　and　to　take　their　observations　of　the　country。　Here　also　they　prepared　the　deer　and　buffalo　meat　for　the　winter；　dried　or　smoked　the　geese　they　shot　in　superabundance；　made　the　tallow　and　oil　needed　to　keep　their　weapons　in　trim；　their　leather　soft；　and　their　kits　waterproof。　Their　first　ill　luck　befell　them　in　December　when　Boone　and　Stewart　were　captured　by　a　band　of　Shawanoes　who　were　returning　from　their　autumn　hunt　on　Green　River。　The　Indians　compelled　the　two　white　men　to　show　them　the　location　of　their　camp；　took　possession　of　all　it　contained　in　skins　and　furs　and　also　helped　themselves　to　the　horses。　They　left　the　explorers　with　just　enough　meat　and　ammunition　to　provide　for　their　journey　homeward；　and　told　them　to　depart　and　not　to　intrude　again　on　the　red　men's　hunting　grounds。　Having　given　this　pointed　warning；　the　Shawanoes　rode　on　northward　towards　their　towns　beyond　the　Ohio。　On　foot；　swiftly　and　craftily；　Boone　and　his　brother…in…law　trailed　the　band　for　two　days。　They　came　upon　the　camp　in　dead　of　night；　recaptured　their　horses；　and　fled。　But　this　was　a　game　in　which　the　Indians　themselves　excelled；　and　at　this　date　the　Shawanoes　had　an　advantage　over　Boone　in　their　thorough　knowledge　of　the　territory；　so　that　within　fortyeight　hours　the　white　men　were　once　more　prisoners。　After　they　had　amused　themselves　by　making　Boone　caper　about　with　a　horse　bell　on　his　neck；　while　they　jeered　at　him　in　broken　English；　〃Steal　horse；　eh？〃　the　Shawanoes　turned　north　again；　this　time　taking　the　two　unfortunate　hunters　with　them。　Boone　and　Stewart　escaped；　one　day　on　the　march；　by　a　plunge　into　the　thick　tall　canebrake。　Though　the　Indians　did　not　attempt　to　follow　them　through　the　mazes　of　the　cane；　the　situation　of　the　two　hunters；　without　weapons　or　food；　was　serious　enough。　When　they　found　Station　Camp　deserted　and　realized　that　their　four　companions　had　given　them　up　for　dead　or　lost　and　had　set　off　on　the　trail　for　home；　even　such　intrepid　souls　as　theirs　may　have　felt　fear。　They　raced　on　in　pursuit　and　fortunately　fell　in　not　only　with　their　party　but　with　Squire　Boone；　Daniel's　brother；　and　Alexander　Neely；　who　had　brought　in　fresh　supplies　of　rifles；　ammunition；　flour；　and　horses。

After　this　lucky　encounter　the　group　separated。　Findlay　was　ill；　and　Holden；　Mooney；　and　Cooley　had　had　their　fill　of　Kentucky；　but　Squire；　Neely；　Stewart；　and　Daniel　were　ready　for　more　adventures。　Daniel；　too；　felt　under　the　positive　necessity　of　putting　in　another　year　at　hunting　and　trapping　in　order　to　discharge　his　debts　and　provide　for　his　family。　Near　the　mouth　of　Red　River　the　new　party　built　their　station　camp。　Here；　in　idle　hours；　Neely　read　aloud　from　a　copy　of　〃Gulliver's　Travels〃　to　entertain　the　hunters　while　they　dressed　their　deerskins　or　tinkered　their　weapons。　In　honor　of　the　〃Lorbrulgrud〃　of　the　book；　though　with　a　pronunciation　all　their　own；　they　christened　the　nearest　creek；　and　as　〃Lulbegrud　Creek〃　it　is　still　known。

Before　the　end　of　the　winter　the　two　Boones　were　alone　in　the　wilderness。　Their　brother…in…law；　Stewart；　had　disappeared；　and　Neely；　discouraged　by　this　tragic　event；　had　returned　to　the　Yadkin。　In　May；　Squire　Boone　fared　forth；　taking　with　him　the　season's　catch　of　beaver；　otter；　and　deerskins　to　exchange　in　the　North　Carolinian　trading　houses　for　more　supplies；　and　Daniel　was　left　solitary　in　Kentucky。

Now　followed　those　lonely　explorations　which　gave　Daniel　Boone　his　special　fame　above　all　Kentucky's　pioneers。　He　was　by　no　means　the　first　white　man　to　enter　Kentucky；　and　when　he　did　enter；　it　was　as　one　of　a　party；　under　another　man's　guidanceif　we　except　his　former　disappointing　journey　into　the　laurel　thickets　of　Floyd　County。　But　these　others；　barring　Stewart；　who　fell　there；　turned　back　when　they　met　with　loss　and　hardship　and　measured　the　certain　risks　against　the　possible　gains。　Boone；　the　man　of　imagination；　turned　to　wild　earth　as　to　his　kin。　His　genius　lay　in　the　sense　of　oneness　he　felt　with　his　wilderness　environment。　An　instinct　he　had　which　these　other　men；　as　courageous　perhaps　as　he；　did　not　possess。

Never　in　all　the　times　when　he　was　alone　in　the　woods　and　had　no　other　man's　safety　or　counsel　to　consider；　did　he　suffer　ill　fortune。　The　nearest　approach　to　trouble　that　befell　him　when　alone　occurred　one　day　during　this　summer　when　some　Indians　emerged　from　their　green　shelter　and　found　him；　off　guard　for　the　moment；　standing　on　a　cliff　gazing　with　rapture　over　the　vast　rolling　stretches　of　Kentucky。　He　was　apparently　cut　off　from　escape；　for　the　savages　were　on　three　sides；　advancing　without　haste　to　take　him；　meanwhile　greeting　him　with　mock　amity。　Over　the　cliff　leaped　Boone　and　into　the　outspread　arms　of　a　friendly　maple；　whose　top　bloomed　green　about　sixty　feet　below　the　cliff's　rim；　and　left　his　would…be　captors　on　the　height　above；　grunting　their　amazement。

During　this　summer　Boone　journeyed　through　the　valleys　of　the　Kentucky　and　the　Licking。　He　followed　the　buffalo　traces　to　the　two　Blue　Licks　and　saw　the　enormous　herds　licking　up　the　salt　earth；　a　darkly　ruddy　moving　mass　of　beasts　whose　numbers　could　not　be　counted。　For　many　miles　he　wound　along　the　Ohio；　as　far　as　the　Falls。　He　also　found　the　Big　Bone　Lick　with　its　mammoth　fossils。

In　July；　1770；　Daniel　returned　to　the　Red　River　camp　and　there　met　Squire　Boone　with　another　pack　of　supplies。　The　two　brothers　continued　their　hunting　and　exploration　together　for　some　months；　chiefly　in　Jessamine　County；　where　two　caves　still　bear　Boone's　name。　In　that　winter　they　even　braved　the　Green　River　ground；　whence　had　come　the　hunt