The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1854-11-18
From the sixth volume Of ofBancroft's History
Daniel Boone.

Ddhhri hOOuts
Ia his peaceful habita;ion on the banks OF
the Yadkin river, in North Carolina Daniel
Boone, trader, so memorable as the pioneer,
described u tract Of land west of Virginia, as
the richest in North America, or in the
world. In May, 1869, leaving his wife and
offspring, having Finley as his pilot, and four
others as his companions the young man Of
about three-and-twenty wandered through
the wlidnesS of America, "in quest Of the
country Of Kentucky, known to the sayages
as "the Dark and Bloody Ground, the Mid.
die Ground, between the subjects Of the
Five Nations and the Cherokecs After a
long, tltiguing journey through mountain
ranges, the party found themselves, in June,
on the Red river, n tributary to the Ken
tucky, and from the top of an eminence sur.
veyed with delight the beautiful plain that
stretched TO TIC northwest. Here they
built their shelter, and began to reconnoitcr
and to hunt All the kinds of wild beasts
that were natural TO America-the stately
elk, the tmid deer, the antiercd stag, the
wildcat, the bear, the panther and the wolf
-crouchcd among the canes or roamcd over
the rich grasses which even beneath the
thickest shades sprang luXuriantly out of the
generous soil. The buiialoes cropped fear
l'sSly the herbage or browscd on the leaves
Of the reed and were more frequent than cat
TIC in the settlements Of Carolina herdSmcn.
Sometimes there were hundreds in drove,
and round the salt-licks their numbers were
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 Ek-horn
passed away in the occupations OF exploring
parties and the chase But, one by one,
Boonc's companions dropped oft, till he was
left alone with John Stuart. They Jointly
found unccasns delight in the wonders Of
the forest, till one evening, near Kentucky
river, they were taken prisoners by a band Oi
Indians wanderers like themselves. They
escaped and were joined by Booncs brother;
50 that when Ste art was soon after killed
by sayagcS, the first victim among the he.
catomb Of white men 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 1870, that brother re,
turned to the settlements for horses and sup.
plies Of ammunition, leaving the renowned
hunter "by himself, without bread, or salt
or sugar, or even horse or d g "ThC
idea Of a beloved wife" anxious for his safe
ty, tingcd his thoughts with sadness; bu,
otherwise the cheerful, medtative man, care
less Of wealth knowing the use of the rifle
not the pow. of a strong, robust frame, il
the vigorous health Of early manhood, ignor
ant olbooks, but verscd in the forest ant
forest life, ever fond Of tracking the deer OF
foot, away from men, yet in his disposition
humane, generous and gentle, was happy il
the uninterrupted succession ''ot sylvan
pleasures.
''ilc had unconscious intercourse witt
beauty
Old as creation.
One calm summers evening. as he climbed
commanding ridge, and looked out upor
the remote venerable mountains" y" and til,
dearcr ample plains, al d caught glimpse in
the distance OF the Ohio, which bounded tn,
land Of his affections with majestic gran
d-ur, his heart cxultcd in the region he hat
discovered. "All things were s,il." Not
breeze so much as shook leaf lie kndlct
fire near IA fountain Of sweet water ant
icasted on the lpin Of back. He was u,
more alone than bee among flowers bu
communed funilarly with the whole uni
verse Of life. Nature was his intimate, an,
as the rowing woodsman leaned coniidin!
on her bo3on she responded to his inte,li
ccncc.
! For him the rocks and the fountains, tn,
leaf and the blades OF grass, had life; tn,
cooling air, laden with the wild perfume
came To him as a friend the dcwy morning
wrapped him in its embrace the trees stool
up gloriouN'y round about him as so many
myriads Of companions All forms vor,
the character Of desire or peril. But how
could he be afraid: Trumphng over dan
ger he knew no fear The perpetual howl
ing ofthc wolves by night around his cot
tagc or his byouac in the brake was hi:
division; and by day he had 10y in sur
veying the various species of animals tha
surrounded him. He loved the solitud,
better than the lowered city or the hum o
business
Near the end Of July, 177O, his faithful
brother came back to meet him at the ole
camp. Shortly after they proceeded togcth
er TO Cumberland river, giving NAMES TO tn,
different waters; and he then returned to hi.
wife and children, fixed in his purpose, a
the risk of life and fortune TO bring them 4.
soon AS possible to live in Kentucky, which
he esteemed a second Paradise.