The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1882-08-24
KESToNs LEAGUE WITH TIE sUs.


noted of the early heroes of Kentucky,
man of much Intelligence, wonderful
courage and almost matchless muscular
capacfty. He died near Bellefontane,
Ohio In 1886, at the advanced age of
ejghty-one years. The annals of the
borders abound in accounts of his thrill
ing adventures; but one incident in his |
life l have never seen in print, and |
therefore will repeat it rs it has been
told to me by old hunters and Indian.
fighters, who knew him personally and
heard it from his own lips. In my tell
ing, however, it will lack much Of Ken
tons graphic way of putting things.
He was a great smoker, the most inl-
portant supplies, ncxt to his weapons,
being his pipe, pouch and tobacco.
Food and clothing he could capture
with his gun, but not so his to-
bacco; and hence his zeal to lay in a |
stock of his luxury before setting out |
on any expedition. But fire to light his |
pipe was not so readily obtainable, it |
being no little trouble to ignite tobacco |
by flint and steel 1t will be remem-
bered that friction matches were not
in common use until years after Ken
toms day.
At one time when prisoner in the
hands of the British at Detroit, he was
particularly admired by English officers
on account of his great strength and
courage. and the many remarkable ex-
ploits for which he was famous; and
one of these officers, observing his fond
ness for smoking and the difficulty in
hghting pipe, presented Kenton with
powerful pocket burning-glass or lens.
by which he could easily focus the rays
OF the sun on the tobacco and set it on
hre. This thing worked charminply.
ana Tor many years, wherever he went,
held Its place in the pouch with his pipe
and tobacco
1t is an incident in which the sum
glass acted significant part, which T
have resolved to relate.
A summer or two after he became
possessor of the glass, he was again
taken captive by party of Indians,
Who' recognizing him at once, resolved
10 torture him to death immediately. 40
as to rid themselves of so formidable an
enemy before he should have time or
chance to escape. A stake was driven
into the ground and quantity of dry
Leaves and wood piled about it, and
then the chief spoke, in broken Eng
white chief hungry; eat fire, he feel
better!' ' -''A
kenton replied by asking the privi-
1ege OF smoking his pipe before burning.
Now the Indians of certain tribes were
always singularly generous in response
10 such requests, especially as toward
pipe and tobacco they entertained q sort
of religious Difference. OF these tbav
never robbed prisoners nor despoiled
the bodies of the slain; and among the
1ew sacred objects buried with the dead.
pipes were always included. 1t was on
account OF this superstitious sanctitv
that the pipe bore such an important
part In the ceremonies of q council. and
was always smoked as a bond of siren oth
between tribes entering into treaty TO.
gether. They never denied captive's g
request for smoke, and therefore Ken
ton was immediately gratified bv q
grunt of assent.
Alter securing his feet more firmly
win leathern thongs-for they knew
TOO we'll his daring and prowess to give
ann any adVantage-they unbound his
hands that he might fill and lipht his
pipe and enjoy his last earthly smoke,
Deliberately he proceeded to crumble
up the tobacco and pack it into the pipe
boWl; This done, he placed the long
wooden stem in his mouth, and seemed
ready for flint, steel and tinder with
which to light the luxury. With an
other grunt red man passed him the
customary implements; but, to his GREAT
surprise, Kenton refused them.
Then, with a dramatic gesture, he
extended his right hand toward the SIM
IN mid-heaven, it being about noon
and holding it thus with the burnino.
glass clasped between the thumb and
fore-hnger. he dextrouslv brought it to
focus Oh the contents of his pipe, which
In this way was quickly ignited, and In
moment he was putting clouds Of
smoke from his lips.
This was beyond the wits of the
savages. The lens being of glass and
transparent, they had not observed #
and evidently believed that he had
lighted his pipe by simply letting the
sunlight pass through the circle formed
by his thumb and finger. All uncon-
cerned he puffed away, while they
gathered in an excited group a few
yards distant and discussed the wonder
in grunts and mutterings.
In a few minutes he had exhausted
the contents of the pipe-bowl and pro-
ceeded to refill it. AT this the red men
became silent, and watched him as if
ne were a supernatural being.
While crumbling the tobacco the
glass lay unseen at his side, and when
he was ready to light up again, with
another still more dramatic gesture. he
seized the lens and held it toward the
sun, and, with three or four cries of
mysterious and startling import to the
Indians, began whiting the blush
smoke as coolly as before.
by this time the superstition of the
savages was in full operation, and they
were ripe for almost any display OF
kenton' S supposed supern itural power.
Probably no people on the whole globe
were ever more sensitive to such infiu-
ences than the native tribes of North
America What they could not COM
prehend they dreaded with craven fear,
especially If 1t emanated from the sun
or clouds. Seeing his advantage, Ken
ton stretched forth his hand again, hold.
syans H..