The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1883-08-03
miscellaneous.
KentOn's League with the Sun.


Simon Krnton was one OF the most noted
of the early heroes of Kentucky, IL man of
much intelligence, wonderful courage and
almost ma,chlcss muscular capacity. He
died near Belleionlaine o., in 1896, at the
advanced age of cighly-one years.
The annals of the border abound in ac-
counts OF his thrilling adventures; but one
incident in his life have never seen in print,
and therefore will repeat it as il has been
told me hy old hunters and lndian-lightcrs
who knew him personally and heard it from
his own lips. In my telling, however, it
will lack much of Kenton's graphic way of
putting things.
He was Il great smoker, the most impor-
tant 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 II stock
of his luxury before setting ont ON an eXpe-
dition. But fire to light his pipe was not Sc
readily oblainabe, 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 after Kcnton's 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 exploits for which he was
famous, and one of these officers, observing
his londness for smoking and the difficulty
in lighting pipe, presented Kenton with II
powerful pocket burning glass or lens, by
which he could easily focus the rays of the
sun ON the tobacco anG set it ON fire. This
thing worked charmingly, and for many
years, wherever he went, held its place in
the pouch with his pipe and tobacco.
To- t,n..t i'll.
acted II significant parl, which have rcsolv-
cd to relate. A summer or two after he
became possessor of the glass he was again
taken captive by party Of nine Indians,
who, recognizing him at once, resolved to
torture him 10 death Immediately, so MS to
rid themselves of so formidable an enemy
before he should have time or chance To es-
cape
a stake was driven into the ground, and
Il quantity of dry leaves and wood piled
about it, and then the chief spoke in broken
English:
White chief hungry; eat fire he fell bet
terp
kenlon replied by asking the privilege of
smoking his pipe before burning. Now the
Indians of certain tribes were always singu-
larry generous in response to such requests,
especially as toward pipe and tobacco they
entertained II sort of religious Difference. OF
these they never robbed prisoners or despol-
ed the slain and among the few sacred OBJ
jecls buried with the dead, pipes were always
included. 1t was on account of this super
sIitious sanclity that the pipe bore such an
important part in the ceremonies of coun-
Gil and was always smoked as IA bond of
strength between them when entering into
treaty together They never denied Il cap
tivc's request for smoke, and therefore
Kenton was Immediately gratfied by a
grunt of assent
After securing his feet more firmly with
lcalhcrn thongs-tor they knew too well his
daring and proves to give him any advan.
iagc-they unbound his hands that he might
fill and light his pipe and enjoy his last
earthly smoke. Deliberately he proceeded
10 crumble up the tobacco and pack it into
the pipe bowl This done, he placed the
long wooden stem in his mouth, and 81 emed
ready for flint, steel and finder, with which
to light the luxury. With another grunt the
red man passed him the customary nipple
mcnls, but to his great surprise Kenton re-
fused them.
Then, with adlamalic gesture, he extend
ed his right hand toward the sun in mid
heaven. 1t being about noon, and holding
it thus with the burning-glass clasped be.
tween thumb and loretinger, he deXeirously
brought il To II focus on the contents of the
pipe, which in this way was quickly ignited
and in II mement he was putting clouds of
smoke from his lips.
This was beyond the wit 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 un.
conc, rned he pulled away, while they gath
cred in an excited group a few yards distant
and discussed the wonderin grunts and NUT
tcIings.
contents of the pipe bowl and proceeded to
refill it, AT this the red men became silent,
and watched him rs if he were supernalur-
al being. While crumbling the tobacco the
glass lay unseen ut his side, and when he was
ready To light up again, with another and
still more dramatic gesture, he seized the
lens and held it toward the sun, and with
three or four cries of mysterious and start
ling import to the Indians, began whiting
the blush smoke as cody MS before.
BY this time the superstition ofthe sayages
was in full operation, and they were 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 IMAM The naive tribes OF
| North America. What they could not com
prehend they dreaded with craven fear, es-
pecally if it emanated from the sun or
clouds Seeing his advantage, Kenton
stretched forth his hand again, holding the
glass so ms to kindle the leaves near him.
Then with strange, wild cry he swung his
arms above his head, adroilly shifted the lens
to his left hand, and then quickly started n
smudge in another place.
Next, struggling TO his feet, tied through
they were, he gave an almost superhuman
leap-iumping being Kenton's special forte
and brought himself TO the heap of fagots
that had been gathered for his particular en-
terlainment, and seating himself near them,
went through pantomine more weird than
lbefore, whereupon flame blazed up around