The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-02-10
Kenton's League with the Sun.

a man of much intelligence, wonder
full courage and almost matches
muscular capacity. He died neal
BelIefontaine, Ohio, in 1886, at thu
advanced age of eighty-one years
The annals of the borders abound il
accounts 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 mt
by old hunters and Indian-fighters
who knew him personally and hearC
it from his own lips. In my telling
however, it will lack much of Ken
toms graphic way of putting things
He is great smoker. the most i'm
portant supplies, next to his weapons
being his pipe, pouch and tobacco
Food and clothing, be be could ea.,sufs
with his gun, but not so his tobacco
and hence his zeal to lay in stock ol
his luxury before setting out on any
expedition. But fire to light his pipe
was not so readily obtainable, it be-
ing 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 the account of his great
strength and courage, and in many
remarkable exploits for which he was
famous and one of these officers, OBJ
serving his fondneSS for smoking and
the difficulty in lighting a pipe, pre-
sented Kenton with powerful pock-
ct burning glass or lens by which he
could easily focus the rays of the sun
on the tobacco and set it on fire. This
thing worked charmingly, and for
many wears. wherever he went, held
its place in the pouch with his pipe
and tobacco.
1t is an incident in which the sun
glass acted significant part, which
| 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 recognized him at once, resolved
to torture him to death Immediately,
so as to rid themselves of so formid-
able an enemy before he should have
time or chance to escape. A stake
was driven into the ground and a
quantity of dry leaves and wood piled
about it, and then the chief spake. in
broken English:
''White chief hungry eat fire, he
feel better !"
Kenton replied by asking the priv
ilege smoking his pipe before burn
ing. Now the Indians of certain
tribes were always singularly gener-
Gus in response to such requests, espe-
cially as toward pipe and tobacco
they entertained a sort of religious
deference. OF these they never rob-
bed prisoners nor despoiled the bodies
of the slain; and among the few
sacred objects burned with the dead.
pipes were always included. 1t was
on account of this superstitious sanct-
ity that the pipe bore such an impor-
tant part in ceremonies of council,
and was smoked as bond of strength
between tribes entering into treaty
together. They never denied cap
tive's request for smoke, and there
fore Kenton was Immediately graft
fed by grunt of assent.
After securing his feet more firmly
with leathern thongs-for they knew
two well his daring and prowess to
give him any advantage-they un.
bound his hands that he might fill
and light his pipe and enjoy his last
earthly smoke. Deliberately he pro-
ceeded 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 another grunt a
red man passed him the customary
implements; but to his great surprise,
Kenton refused them.
Then with dramatic gesture, he
extended his right hand toward the
sun in mid-heaven, it being about
noon, and holding it thus with the
burning-glass clasped between the
thumb and fore-finger. dextrously
brought it to focus on 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
sayages. The lens being of glass and
transparent, they had not observed
it, and evidently believed that he had
lighted his pipe by simply letting the
sunlight pass through the circle of his