The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1901-1903, 1902-10-05
A NOTED FRONTIERSMAN
HISTORY OF SIMON KENYON. MOST
FAMOUS PIONEER OF HIS DAY.

The greatest novelty to the Indians,
those connoisseurs in scalps. has al
ways been q red-haired man. Red
haired Indians there are none, and
red-haired white man, when taken
prisoner, was always a subject Of Syo,
rious regard. They were often lM III
to dispatch such captive, pref9rring,
if possible, to keep him as novelty,
of which they would be envied the
possession by other tribes.
The fact that Simon Kenton, the
most noted frontiersRan Of his davA'
second only TO DarIel Boone. hadT
shock of red hair had no little I'll do
with the saving of his scalp. <njther
things are, Of course, TO be taIf2n into
account, such as a cool heq under
HE fiery laks. and a pair Eject feet
under hiS cool head
Kenbn, in the prime W life was
six eet one inch high in hitts moccaslns
ard straight as a ramreH He walked
with his toes directly 70 the front like
an Indian. Aelha5F a soft, tremulous
voice, sluDfng tbg letter ''r'' much as
the mouhtaM men of West Virginia
and Kentucky do to-day. lie had. say
those who knew him. laughing gray
eye, uEidimmed by reading fine print,
but admirably suited to fine sight along
a The barrel. He liked tiddliug and
ddncing. and was the hero and leader
at log-rollings. but best of all liked
hunting Indians through the thick for
ests OF Kentucky and Ohio. Some
times ne found the red men; at other
times they found him. He was Of fair
complexion. good humored. but when
IN anger ragged like a tornado His Gre
dulity was great, and be was only
shrewd when his wits were engaged
against the red men.
He was the hero of more remarkable
escapes from the Indians than any man
Of his time or any other. lie was eight
times exposed to running the gantlet.
and three times were the fag0ts piled
to roast him His escapes were at
tributed by the pioneers to 'kcnton's
luck, but Kenton's vivid thinking and
his ready selecting of the least chance
for escape should also he taken into
the reckoning.
Once, when a captive and leld at
Detroit, an English officer became in
terested in him as a fine specimen of
manhood and untuto ed son Of the
forest He saw that Kentin was fond
Of smoking a pipe. the bowl Of which
was probably made of a corncob and
gave him a burning glass. showing him
how he could light tobacco r. focusing
the suns rays upon it.
Kenton was delighted with this
gift. which amused him as toy
amuses a child When the sun shone.
he had no need Of flint, steel and finder
TO light his pipe.
Two or three years later lNenton was
again a prisoner ia the hands of the
red men. Bound hand and foot. he
was about to be burned at the stake.
AS a last request, he called for his
pipe. His hands were loosed. so that
he might use the flint, steel and finder
lie waved away the savage who was
bringing them Extending his hama
toward the sun, he made an incanta-
ton The glass, unseen by the saw
ages, was circled by his thumb and
forehnger. The tobacco in the bowl
began to burn. Great clouds OF smoke
We're soon rolling from Kenton's
mouth. The Indians were amazed.
Never had they seen pipe lighted
without fire.
Smoking, out the pipe The willy NEGRO
mancer again mysteriously lighted it.
One of the Indians. bolder than the
others, approached for the purpose of
making sure of the deer thongs that
tied the fleet footed kenton. As
he bent over the captive to do this the
burning glass was focused upon his
head. There was a smell of burning
hair and flesh. The Indian jumped to
his feet, rubbing his head Meanwhile.
aggin using the glass, Kenton set the
leaves at his side on fire He struggled
to his feet and beckoned to-an Indian
TO unbind his ankles Tho frightened
savage dared not refuse The request of
this wonderful medicine man.
hehton approached the heap of
~fagots prepared for his roasting. The
Indians quickly got out of his way.
They hid themselves. shuddcring. he
hind the trees to watch this worker of
magic.
Waving his arms above his head. he
picked up a powder horn that had been
dropped by one of The savagcs. He
trailed some Of the powder along the
ground. Again the burning glass 70
cused on the powder. there came an
explosion and the horn was blown TO
pieces.
This was TOO much for the red men.
Fearing that worse was coming. they
gave Wild shrek and fed. Keuton
did not tarry to see the course they
took. He ran through the bushes and
took his way unopposed to The white
settlements.
When the Indian wars We're over,
kenton, brave and generous back
woodsman that be was. experienced
much the same treatment at the hands
of his countrymen that U-os Siven 70