Kansas weekly herald., 1854-10-20
Daseiel Roo5ae.

s, Dass5el Boosse. -.
In his peaceful habitation on the banks
Of the Yadkin River in. North Carolina.
Daniel Boone, the illnstrious hunter, had
heard Finley, a trader, somemorable asthe |
pioneer, describe tract Of land west of
Virgins e the richesti IN North America or
in the world. In May, 1869, leaving his
wife and offspring, having Emily as his
pilot, and four others as his companions,
the young man Of about three and twenty
wandered forth through the wilderness of
America, sin quest of the country of Ken
lucky" known to the savages as "the Dark
and Bloody Ground" the 'sMiddle Ground
between the subjects of the Five Nations
and the Cherokees. After long and fa-
tiguing journey through mountain ranges,
the party found themselves in June on the
Red River, tributary to the Kentucky,
and from the top of an eminence surveyed
with delight the beautiful plain that stretch
ed to the northwest. Here they built shell
ter and began to reconnoitre and to hunt.
All the kinds of wild beasts that were nat
ural to America-the stately elk, the timid
deer, the antlered stag, the wildcat, the
bear, the panther and the wolf-couched
among the canes, or roamed over the rich
grasses which, even beneath the thickest
shades, sprang luxuriantly out of the gen.
erous soil. The butfaloes cropped fearless
ly the herbage or browsed on the leaves
of the reed, and were more frequent than
cattle In the settlements Of Carolina herds
men. Sometimes there were hundreds in
drove, and round the salt-licks their num-
Der was amazing.
The summer in which for the first time a
party Of white men enjoyed the brilliancy
of nature near and in the valley of the Elk
horn, passed away In the occupations of ex-
ploring parties and the chase. But one by
one, Boon's companions dropped off, till he
was left alone with John Stewart. They
Jointly found unceasing delight In the Won
ders of the forest, till one evening, near
Kentucky river, they were taken prisoners
by band of Indians, wanderers like them
selves. They escaped and were joined by
Boone's brother so that when Stewart was
soon after killed by savagcs, the first vic
tim among the hecatomb of whitemen slain
by them In their desperate battling for the
lovely hunting ground. Boone still had his
brother to share with him the dangers and
attractions of the wilderness, the building
and occupying the first cottage in Kentucky.
In the spring of 1770, that brother re-
turned to the settlements for horses and
supplies of ammunition, leaving the re-
nowned hunter ''by himself without bread,
or salt, or sugar, or even horse or dog
his safety, tinged his thoughts with sad
ness but otherwise the cheerful, medita-
tive man, careless of wealth, knowing the
use of the rifle, not the plough, of strong
robust frame, in the vigorous health of ear
ly manhood, ignorant of books, but versed
in the forest and forest life, ever fond of
tracking the deer ON foot, away from men,
yet in his disposition, humane, generous
and gentle, was happy in the uninterrup-
ted succession "of sylvan pleasure
One calm summers evening, as he climb
ed commanding ridge, and looked out up
On the remote venerable mountains" and
the nearer ample plains, and caught
glimpse in the distance of the Ohio, which
bounded the land of his affections with
majestic grandeur, his heart exulted in the
region he had discovered. Cali things
were still" Not breeze so much as
shook leaf. He kindled a fire near
fountain of sweet water, and feasted on the
loin of buck. He was no more alone
than bee among flowers, but communed
familiarly with the whole universe of life.
Nature was his intimate and as the rowing
woodsman leaned eonidingly on her bo-
som, she responded to his intelligence.
For him the rocks and the fountains, the
leaf and the blades of grass had life the
cooling air, laden with the wild perfume,
came to him as friend the dewy morn
ing wrapped him in its embrace the trees
stood up gloriously round about him as so
many myriads Of companions. All forms
wore the character of design or peril. But
how could he be afraid Triumphing over
danger, he knew no fear. The perpetual
bowling of the wolves by night round his
cottage or his biviouac in the brake, was his
diversion and by day he had Joy in sur
reying the various species of animals that
surrounded him. He loved the solitude bet
ter than the lowered city or the hum of
business.
Near the end of July, 177O, his faithful
brother came back to meet him at the old
camp. Shortly after he proceeded to Cum
berland river, giving names to the different
waters and he then returned to his wife
and children, fixed in his purpose at the
risk of life and fortune to bring them as
soon as possible to live in Kentucky, which
he esteemed a second paradise.