Demoine courier., 1854-09-28
olden apple of dispute between power.

his habits, his fresh and unbroken consti.
tuition, his great frame, endowed with
natural strength remarkable. every where
gave hin supremacy, evea over those
border sons of Anak, among whom he
seemed 10 move as peer.
Such were his habits Of incessant ac.
tivity. and so cool his self reliance, iha,
he never waited for companions, on the
longest and most dangerous of his expe.
dinons. He would often be gone Tor
weeks, and even months together, no one
knew whllher, or for what end, and the
tirst thing heard Of him would be his
sudden appearance, to put the settlement
on their guard against the approach OF
some Indian war party. During these
long absences, hls industry was un,ir-
ing; all the game lha, he could kill was
cured and stored, after the manner of the
Indians, beyond the reach of wild beasts
or even the sagacity of mis- teachers. 10
these stores he could resort at any time
OF scarcity, for supplies for the block
houses. His knowledge of Indian hie
and confidence were such, that he ire-
quenuy continued 10 hunt alone, when he
knew well, by the signs around him, that
Indians were hunting on the same ground
with him.. The proud hunter would nol
give way, bu, took The chances with his
red foe.
On one occasion he had perceived
several fine deer grouping and feeding in
small open glade in the forest, near the
Kentucky river. He had approached
them, with much precaution. for shot,
and, having gained the desired point, was
kneeling behind tree, and in the &C, of
raising his rifle to take aim, wheE the
buck of the herd lifted its head sudden.
ly, and uttered the peculiar shrill whistle
which indicates that they have either
seen or smelt danger. Harrod was too
prompt woodsman no, to perceive in
ssantly, from the direction in which the
deer turned It's head, tha, there was an :
other foe presen! than himself. He re
malned motlonless, holding his breath,
when, at the sharp crack Of rifle from
the opposite side OF the glade, The start.
led buck sprang into the air and fell dead
The report OF Harrod's rifle followed SO
instantly, that II seemed mere prolon
CATION OF the first sound; nober quarry
bl. the dust, the ball of The back oods-
man met the proud heart of a Shawnee
chief, who had leaned forward from his
covert to fire. Hairod had known for
several days that there was hunting par
,y OF Shawnees in the neighborhood.
AT another time his own wary game
was nearly played successfully upon him :
self. He was on great buffalo trail
leading 10 the Blue Licks. He had been
hunting for several days with great sue
cess, and this tins had seen no Indian
sign, and was not aware that any had
come down. He had wounded large
bull that had left the herd, and stood a,
bay several miles distant, IN very thick
wood. Harrod was obliged 10 approach
II with great precaution, for the animal
was now very dangerous. as is always
the case when it IS badly wounded. He
gained his position, and, when in the very
act OF firing, caight glimpse of warrior
taking aim at him from behind tree
lie fired, for 1t was too late to help that,
but IN The same instant dropped as #
killed. The warrior fired, of course,
and his ball made hole through the
wolf skin cap of Harrod as he fell. lie
lay perfectly still, while The Indian, after
stopping to load his rifle, as they always
do before leaving cover, now approached
him 10 get mis- scalp, bu, did so with char.
acterissic wariness, leaping from tree TO
Tree; he came near. and seeing that the
body lay perfectly still, sprang forward,
scalping knife IN hand, bu, as he stopped
to grasp the scalp-lock, quick as light
ming the long and powerful arms OF Har-
rod were clasped about his neck, and
with the sudden throe of waking pan
ther, the warrior was crushed in his her
culean hug, ard wrished helplessly on
the ground beneath him.
There is yet another anccdoie of his
individual prowess, with something of
the same character as those given above,
which, although household story in
Kentucky, is no. SO well known else.
where.
The Shawnees had made several al
.acks on Boone's station, agains. which
sss.lemen. they had always expressed
the bilterest animosisy, on account, no
doubt, OF its having been the frs, white
settlement. held in the country. Boone
was absent at the Licks, with a grea,
part OF the men of the station, making
salt; the prowling parties Of Indians had
killed their cattle, driven in their hun,ng
parties, and SO shortened their supplies
OF meat, that the little garrison was re-
Cuced to great s,rai,s. At this junctnre
Harrod n.ade his appearance unexpes,-
edly, on his return from one of his long
expeditions. Finding the condition OF
things, he frs. proposed to some of the
remaining men that they should accom-
pany him 70 one of the nearest of his
depo.s of meat The risk was very
great; and Harrod, perceiving from the
hesitation that the men were not willing
TO 60, left the station ,ha, night alone,
telling the women to be of good cheer,
lha. he would bring them back meat.
He found game very shy in the morn.
ing, and, as there was plenty Of Indian
! sion about he determined In have the