Star.
London, England, 1828-11-13 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

Mama Ammo) THIS Dar.—Dublin I—Waterford I—Frahee 1.
The John Peddar. Wst.son, from Hull to Lisbon, was driven
nn shore near Calais on Tuesday night, but expected to be got off.
The Derwent, HARMON, from Whitebaven to Dublin, was
driven on shore neat Dundalk on the Bth instant, but expected to
be got off.
Arrived the Harmony, Youtto, from Dantzic ; Juno,
Lenity, from Meinel.
Deaf, 4ov. 12 —Wind N.W.—Passed from London the lII*.
bury, Coos, for Berbice; London, ARMAN, for Jamaica; Eliza,
Sorsa, for Grenada ; Eliza, Divot, for Bombay ; Maria, Sims,
for St. Helena; and Globe, JOHNSON. for San 131 as.
Poarsmooris, Nur. 12.—Calm.—Arrived the Glory, Gtu.ss,
from blemel.

DUBLIN, Nov.

A most important comminicatinn has been made to
the Moderator of the Srnod of Ulster, from Lord F.
Leveson Gower, respecting the annual Parliamentary
grant of 1,5001. to the Belfast Academical Institution.

It goes to say that, in future, those who are elected to
Professorships in the Institution, the duties of which in•
volve, in any degree, theological questions, must, in
order to entitle them to a share of the Glvernment an-
nuity, produce to the Lord Lieutenant, from the Ge-
neral and Seceding Synods, certificates, expressing a
belief that they are in all respects gnalified for dis-
charging such duties of their respective situ +dons as are
connected with the instroction and pNparation of
young men for the Ministiy of the Plesbytetian Church.
Tim Committee who mete appointed to take it into
consideration deemed themselves incompetent to enter
upon the discussion of the subject ; so a meeting of the
whole Synod is convened for the I9th inst. at Cooks.
to,st

LITERATURE.
T-
Letters from the West. By the 11,1 n Judge HALL&
One Vol —London: Cuquit&
This Is a lively, amusing bot.k„very well written. by
rrr who evidently htings to his task the first, second,
and third'iegnisitrisf a traveller—a thorough acquaint.
ante with the scenes he describes. He is at the same
time an American. in every sense of the Word, and
nothing can be more amusing than to find him, I.lamiog.
with the utmost severity, the vanity and
Englishmen, while exposing their mi-conceptions and
mis-staterbents, and exhibiting in every page the same
frailties that he is attacking in a much higher degsee,
yet with the most innocent unconsciousness .of having
passed the bounds of rigid impartiality. For our
parts we think that both countries have marry things
in their way of which they may, not improperly,
boast, and both have faults that the honest admirer
if either would wish to see removed. Though
their faults, from the different circumstances in which
the two nations are placed, may not be the same in kind
nor in degree, in all the better points of character they
so nearly agree, that it were mote meet they should
shake hands heartily because of their common virtues.
thAn fight with or scold each other becaus • of their dos-
-imilar failings. We have given an extract from the
history of the celibiated Daniel Boon, the first of the
Backwoodsmen, and the forefather of the Kentuckians,
rather because of its brevity than because of any stir-
passing merit. There ate many others ecpial!y interest.
ing scattered up and down the volume. The following
is the extract

" in the year 1769, Daniel Goon. a respectable farmer of North
Carotins, wasted by a restkss migratory spiriefesso the forests of
Kentucky, then an extensive wilderness, inhabited by numberless
savage tribes, and as yet unexplored by civilised man. Passing the
Allrgbany.ridge, whose hideous precipices alone might have re-
pelted a less determined hand—guided only by the stars—depending
on game fur subsistence, and on their own vigilance and prowess for
protection--Boat, with five adventerous companion', plunged inter
the &mindless contiguity of skik. and boldly cut the tie which bounl
them to society. The mariner, when he looks abroad upon the vast
interminable waste, may feel a depressing, yet awful and sublime,
sense of danger 'and solitude; but he has the consolation of know-
ing that, if the solitude of the ocean be hopeless, its daggers are few
and easily surmounted : they exist rather in idea that in reality.—
Boon and his companions could Nye had tad such animating re-
flections. In a country called the" Bloody Ground," from the estir.
minating character of its conflicts—among savage tribes. continually
at war with each other, and agreeing in nothing but their deadly
enmity to the whites—cut off from society—with scanty means of
defence, and no hope or retreat—we scarcely know whether to
extol the courage, or censure the rashers. of this gallant little
party. They continued in Kentucky until the year 1773. leading
' a wandering life, employed chiefly in exploring the country. and
frequently engaged in conflicts with the Indians. In 1775, Boon
erected' a fort at a "salt lick," on the Kentucky river. where the
town of Boonsborough now stands, which was called Fort Boons-
borough, and to which be removed his family in the seine
"My wife and daughters," says he, in his journal. "were the first '
white women that ever stood on the banks of the Kentucky river."
Here he wai joined by five families front Nuith Caro!inas and
forty men from Powell's Valley.' During 'the years 177564
Fort Boonsbdrough was frequently attacked by the Indians, and
several severe engagements took place, in which the savages were..
always repulsed.
Boon's settlement began now to ethibii something like a Fermat.
nent residence of civilized men. The forest was levelled round the
fort, fields were enclosed and cultivated, and rustic Labours were
mingled with the business of war, and the spurts of the chase. Their
numbers were now sufficient, in general, to prevent surprise; and,
in case•of danger, the fortress offered a secure retreat. Nevertheless
in January 1778, while Boon was engaged with a party of twenty.
seven men in making salt at the Blue Lick, they were surprised and
taken by a large body of Indians, who were on their way to attack
the fort, andcenveyed to Chilicotbe, on the Little Miami, then a
considerable Indian town. In the month of March fetilowingeliooct
was carried with ten of his Men to I)etroit,where the party war well
treated by the British Governor, IlatOilton, as indeed they bad
hitherto been by the Indians; agreeably to a stipulatieri made 'eche
time of their capture. The gallant bearing of Boon, and Ms. skill
in hunting, had by this time endeared him ter thetlndians, so that,
although the British Officers offered a'hundred pounds sterling for
him, with the intention of setting him at liberty, td. y would not sell
him, nor Would they allow him to remain a prisoner with his com.
Panions at Detroit, but tool him back with them to Chilicorie.
" Here," says his journal, " I was ael••pted into the family of a
Chief as a sun. which is their custom, and permitted to hunt and
spend my time as I pleased. In June following they took me to
Sciota salt springs, where we continued making salt for ten day.; on
our return to Old Chilicotbe, T was alarmed to gee foes, hundred and.
fifty Indians, the choicest of their warriors, painted and armed in a
fearful manner, and mule?, as I found, to match against Boonsbo.
rough. I now determined to make nay escape on the first upportu.
laity ; there was no time to be lost. On the 16th, before set.. i.e. I got
off in the most secret manner, and on the 20th arrived at Becansbo.
rough, a distance of 160 miles, while travelling which I had but one
meal. I found our fort in a state ; all hands were engaged ear.
nestly in repairing and fortifying it in the best manner possible tor
the impending blow of the enemy, whose atrival w-s expected
daily. Some time previous to my capture, a refnforcement of forty.
five men arrived from North Carolina, and Colonel Brown with
one hundred men from Virginia ; and, notwithstanding we had lost
some in killed and others emended, we considered ourselves pretty
strong, and determined to brave all dangers. We were in waiting
for the enemy, when we were informed that they had postponed
their march for two weeks, in consequence of my escape from
them. In the mean we-had several skirmishes with small par-
ties of the Indians. On the Bth of August, however, the ferocious
Indian army arrived, foot hundred and forty•four in number, under
the command of Captain Duquesne, eleven ether Frenchmen, and
some of their own Chiefs, and marched up within view of the fort
with British and French colours flying. They halted, and dispatched
a summon% to me, in his Britannic Majesty's name, to surrender
the fort. To this I returned for answer that I wanted two days to
consider of it, which was granted.
• es-It was now; critical time withrs. We were a small number
in the garrison ; a powerful, cruel, and savage army lay before our
stockaded fort, whose appearance proclaimed inevitable death. We
immediately began to collect what number of our horses and tattle
we could, and bring them through the posterns into the fort. On
ear evenitecof the 9th I returned answer, that we were determined
to defend our fort while a man was living. New." slid Ito
their Commanding Officer, who stood attentively hearing my sen-
timents," we laugh at all your formidable preparations, hut thank
you for giving 'us notice and time to prepare; your efforts will nut
prevail; our gates shall even 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 front Governor Hamilton to take us captives; but
if nine of us would come and treat with them, they would with.
draw their forces and return home peaceably. • The sound of this
preposition was grateful to our ears, and we agreed to the proposal.
" We held the treaty within sixty yards of the garrison, tearing
that treachery was at the bottom of this manoeuvre. 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 they
were determined to take us prisoners. They immediately grappled
with us ; and, although surrounded by hundreds of savages, we
extricated ourselves front them, and gut into the garrison all safe,
one man excepted, who was wounded. A furious attack was
now made on us front all sides, and a constant heavy fire continued
between us day and night for -nine days, during which they at.
tempted to undermine our fort. We began a countermine, which
;hey discovered, and in consequence they quitted this-project.—
'they now began to be convinced that neither their stratagems nor
superior force was likely to overcome me and en (be 101b0Aegust
they ratted the siege and departed."

row -

VERSES TO A BELOVED YOUNG FRFENP.