Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-09-17
SIMON KENTON.

SIMON KENTON.
He Was One of the Most Noted PiOn-
GERS Of His Day.
The greatest novelty to the Indians.
those connoisseurs in scalps has al
ways been a red-haired man. Red
haired Indians there are none, and
red-haired white man, when taken
prisoner, was always a subject Of Curl
GUS regard. They were often loath to
dispatch such captive, preferring, II
possible, to keep him as novelty, OF
which they would be envied the possess
sion by other tribes.
The fact that Simon Kenton, the
most noted frontiersman of his day,
second only to Daniel Boone, had
shock of red hair, had no little to do
with the saving Of his scalp. other
things are, Of course, to be taken into
account, such as a cool head under his
fiery locks, and a pair of fleet feet un-
der his cool head.
Kenton, in the prime of life, was six
feet one inch high in his moccasins,
and straight AS a ramrod. He walked
with his toes directly to the front like
an Indian. He had soft, tremulous
voice, slurring the letter "r" much as
the mountain men Of West Virginia
and Kentucky do today. He had, say
those who knew him, laughing gray
eye, undimmed by reading fine print,
but admirably suited to fine sight,
along a rifle barrel. He liked f1ddling
and dancing, and was the hero and
leader at log-rollings, but best of all
liked hunting Indians through the
thick forests of Kentucky and Ohio.
Sometimes he found the red men; at
other times they found him. He was
of fair complexion, good humored, but
when in anger ragged like tornado.
His credulity was great, and he was
only shrewd when his wits were en-
gagged against the red men.
He was the hero Of more remarkable
escapes from the Indians than any man
of his time or any other. He was eight
times exposed to running the gauntlet,
and three times were the fagots piled
to roast him. His escapes were attrib-
uted by the pioneers to "Kenton's
luck" but Kenton's vivid thinking and
his ready selecting of the least chance
for escape should also be taken into
the reckoning.
Once, when a captive and held at De-
troit, an English officer became inter-
ested in him as fine specimen OF man.
hood and untutored son of the forest.
He saw that Kenton was fond OF
smoking a pipe, the bowl of which was
probably made of corncob, and gave
him a burning-glass, showing him how
he could light tobacco by forcing the
suns ray upon it.
Kenton was delighted with this gift.
which amused him as toy amuses
child. When the sun shone. with this
glass he had no need Of flint, steel, and
tinder to light his pipe.
Two or three years later Kenton was
again a prisoner in the hands or the
red men. Bound hand and foot, he was
about to be burned at the stake. AS
last request he called for his pipe. His
hands were loosed, so that he might
use the flint, steel, and tinder. he
waved away the savage who was
bringing them. Extending his hand
toward the sun, he made an incanta-
ton. The glass, unseen by the savages'
was circled by his thumb and forenn-
ger. The tobacco in the bowl began to
burn. Great clouds Of smoke were soon
rolling from Kenton's mouth. The IN
dams were amazed. Never had they
seen a pipe lighted without fire.
Smoking out the pipe, the Willy nee
romancer 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 heet-footed Kenton. AS ne
hent over the captive to do this the
burning glass was focused upon MS
head. There was a smell OF burning
hair and flesh. The Indian jumped to
his feet, rubbing his head. Meanwhile
again 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. The frightened
savage could not refuse the request OF
II
Kenton approached the heap OF rag
OTIS prepared for his roasting. The In
dams quickly got out of his way. They
hid themselves, shuddering, behind the
trees to watch this worker of magic.
Waving his arms above his head ne
picked up a powder horn that had oeeh
dropped by one of the savages. he
trailed some of the powder along the
Ground. Again the burning glass was
to work a wonder. Focused on the
nowder, there came an explosion ana
the horn was blown to pieces.
This was too much for the red men.
Fearing that worse was coming, they
gave wild shrek and fled. kenton
did not tarry to see the course they
took He ran through the bushes ana
took his way unopposed to the white
settlements.
When the Indians wars were over
Kenton, brave and generous BACK
woodsman that he was. experiehceu
much the same treatment at the hands
of his countrymen that was given 10
Daniel Boone. After the Indians were
gone a rapacious set Of land-grappers
and spectators came in. Lands Wnich
1,..a.a l.ni honnht were lost to nlnl