The First White Man of the West

Field, stream and valley spread, Far as the eye could gaze, With summer's beauty o'er them shed, And sunlight's brightest rays.

Flowers of the fairest dyes, Trees clothed in richest green; And brightly smiled the deep-blue skies, O'er this enchanting scene.

Such was Kentucky then, With wild luxuriance blest; Where no invading hand had been, The garden of the West."

THE FIRST WHITE MAN OF THE WEST,

OR THE

LIFE AND EXPLOITS OF COL. DAN'L. BOONE, THE FIRST SETTLER OF KENTUCKY;

INTERSPERSED WITH INCIDENTS IN THE EARLY ANNALS OF THE COUNTRY.

BY TIMOTHY FLINT.

1856.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I.

Birth of Daniel Boone--His early propensities--His pranks at school--His first hunting expedition--And his encounter with a panther.--Removal of the family to North Carolina--Boone becomes a hunter--Description of fire hunting, in which he was near committing a sad mistake--Its fortunate result--and his marriage.

CHAPTER II.

Boone removes to the head waters of the Yadkin river--He meets with Finley, who had crossed the mountains into Tennessee--They agree to explore the wilderness west of the Alleghanies together.

CHAPTER III.

Boone, with Finley and others, start on their exploring expedition--Boone kills a panther in the night--Their progress over the mountains--They descend into the great valley--Description of the new country--Herds of buffaloes--Their wanderings in the wilderness.

CHAPTER IV.

The exploring party divide into different routes--Boone and Stewart taken prisoners by the Indians, and their escape--Boone meets with his elder brother and another white man in the woods--Stewart killed by the Indians, and the companion of the elder Boone destroyed by wolves--The elder brother returns to North Carolina, leaving Boone alone in the wilderness.

CHAPTER V.

Boone is pursued by the Indians, and eludes their pursuit--He encounters and kills a bear--The return of his brother with ammunition--They explore the country--Boone kills a panther on the back of a buffalo--They return to North Carolina.

CHAPTER VI.

Boone starts with his family to Kentucky--Their return to Clinch river--He conducts a party of surveyors to the Falls of Ohio--He helps build Boonesborough, and removes his family to the fort--His daughter and two of Col. Calloway's daughters taken prisoners by the Indians--They pursue the Indians and rescue the captives.

CHAPTER VII.

Settlement of Harrodsburgh--Indian mode of besieging and warfare--Fortitude and privation of the Pioneers--The Indians attack Harrodsburgh and Boonesborough--Description of a Station--Attack of Bryant's Station.

CHAPTER VIII.

Boone being attacked by two Indians near the Blue Licks, kills them both--Is afterwards taken prisoner and marched to Old Chillicothe--Is adopted by the Indians--Indian ceremonies.

CHAPTER IX.

Boone becomes a favorite among the Indians--Anecdotes relating to his captivity--Their mode of tormenting and burning prisoners--Their fortitude under the infliction of torture--Concerted attack on Boonesborough--Boone escapes.

CHAPTER X.

Six hundred Indians attack Boonesborough--Boone and Captain Smith go out to treat with the enemy under a flag of truce, and are extricated from a treacherous attempt to detain them as prisoners--Defence of the fort--The Indians defeated--Boone goes to North Carolina to bring back his family.

CHAPTER XI.

A sketch of the character and adventures of several other pioneers--Harrod, Kenton, Logan, Ray, McAffee, and others.

CHAPTER XII.