Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-08-05
TEE STORY OF SIMON KEHroN's LEAGUE
WITH THR SUN,

WITH THE SUN.
Simon Kenton was one of the most noted
OF the early heroes OF Kentucky man
of much intelligence, wonderful courage
and almost matchiess muscular capacity.
He died near Bellefontaine, Ohio, in 1886,
at the advanced age of 81 years.
The annals OF the borders abound in &C.
counts of his thrilling adventures, but one
incident in his life | have never seen in
print, and therefore will repeat it as 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 telling,
however, it will lack much of Kenton a
graphic way of putting things.
4 he was great smoker, the most import.
ant supplies, next to his weapons, being
his pipe, pouch and tobacco. Food and
| clothing he could capture with his gun, but
not SO his tobacco and hence his zeal to
lay In 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 remembered that
friction matches were not IN common use
until years alter Kenton's day.
At one time when prisoner in the hands
OF the British at Detroit, he was particu-
larry admired by English officers on ac.
count of his great strength and courage,
and the many remarkable exploits for
which he was famous; and one of these Of
ticers, observing his fondness for smoking
and the difficulty in lighting a pipe, pre-.
sented ken.on with powerful pocket
burning-glass or lens, by which he could
easily focus the rays of the sun on the to.
bacco and set 1t on fire.
This thing worked charmingly, and for
| many years, wherever he went, held its
place in the pouch with his pipe and to.
bacco.
1t Is an incident in which the sun. glass
acted prominent part, which / have re.
solved to relate.
A summer or two after he became posses.
sor OF the glass, he was again taken cap.
tive by party of nine Indians, who, rec
! ognlzing him at once, resolved to torture
him TO death Immediately, so as to rid
themselves of go formidable an enemy be-
| fore he should have time or chance to es.
cape.
A stake was driven into the ground, and
a quantity of dry leaves and wood piled
about it, aud then the chief spoke in
broekn Euglish
White chief hungry eat fire. he feel
better!'
Kenton replied by asking the privilege
OF smoking his pipe before burning. Now
the Indians Of certain tribes were always
slngularly generous In response to such re.
quests, especially as toward pipe and to.
bscco they entertained sort Of religious
Difference. OF these they never robbed
prisoners nor despoiled the bodies of the
slain; and among the few sacred objects
buried with the dead, pipes we've always
included. 1t was on account of this su.
perstitlous sanctity that the pipe bore such
an important part In the ceremonies of
council, and was always smoked as a bond
OF strength between tribes entering into
treaty together. They never denied a cap
tlve's request for smoke, and therefore
henton was Immediately gratified by a
grunt of assent.
After securing his feet more firmly with
leathern thongs-for they knew too well
MS daring and proves to give him any ad.
vantage-they unbound his hands that he
might fill his pipe and enjoy his last earthly
smoke. Deliberately he proceeded to crum.
BILE up the tobacco and pack it in the pine
bowl. This done, he placed the long
wooden stem in his mouth, and seemed
ready for flint, steel and finder with which
TO light the luxury. With another eruut
red man passed him the customary i'm.
plements; but, to his surprise, Kenton re-
fused them.
Then, with dramatic gesture, he ex.
tended his hight hand toward the sun in
mId-heaven, 1t being about noon, and hold
ing 1t thus with the burning glass clasped
between the thumb and fore finger, he dex.
trously brought it to focus on the con-
tents of his pipe, which In this way was
quickly iguited. and in moment he was
putting clouds of smoke IRON his lips.
This was beyond the wits of the savages
The lens being of glass and Transparent.
they had not observed it, and evidently be-
lieved that he had lighted his pipe by
simply letting the sunlight pass through
the circle formed by his thumb and finger.
All unconcerned he pulled away, while
| they gathered in an excited group few
yards distant and discussed the wonder in
| grunts aud mutter1ngs
| In few minutes he had exhausted the
contents of the pipe-bowl and proceeded to
refill it.
At this the red men became silent, and
watched him as if he were 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 saw
ages was in full operation, and they we're
ripe for almost any display of Kenton's
supposed supernatural power. Probably
no people on the whole globe were ever
more sensitive to such influences than the
native tribes Of North America. What
they could not comprehend they dreaded
with craven fear, especially if it emanated
| from the sun or clouds. Seeing his ad.
vantage, Kenton stretched forth bis hand
again, holding the glass SO as to kindle the
leaves near him. Then with strange.
wild cry, he swung his arms above his
head, adroitly shifted the lens to his LETT
hand, and then quickly started smudge
in another place.
Next, struggling to his feet, tied though
they were, ne gave an almost superhuman
leap-jumping being Kenton's special forte
and brought himself to the heap of fsgots
that had been gathered for his particular
entertainment, and seating himself near
item, went through pantomime more
weird than before, whereupon flame
blazed up around the stake, as if the vic,
tina were already fastened to it, and ready
for torture.
His next performance was to beckon tC
the chief to come and unbind his ankles
The mystified Indian hesitated, but finally
| ventured cautiously forward, as If not dar
| ing 20 disobey such o man, and began with
nervous fingers to tumble at the deerski1
thong.
While thus engaged Kenton lifted ons