hero tales from american history-第4章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
skilfully as other frontiersmen。 His main business was that of surveyor； for his knowledge of the country； and his ability to travel through it； in spite of the danger from Indians； created much demand for his services among people who wished to lay off tracts of wild land for their own future use。 But whatever he did； and wherever he went； he had to be sleeplessly on the lookout for his Indian foes。 When he and his fellows tilled the stump…dotted fields of corn； one or more of the party were always on guard； with weapon at the ready； for fear of lurking savages。 When he went to the House of Burgesses he carried his long rifle； and traversed roads not a mile of which was free from the danger of Indian attack。 The settlements in the early years depended exclusively upon game for their meat； and Boone was the mightiest of all the hunters； so that upon him devolved the task of keeping his people supplied。 He killed many buffaloes； and pickled the buffalo beef for use in winter。 He killed great numbers of black bear； and made bacon of them； precisely as if they had been hogs。 The common game were deer and elk。 At that time none of the hunters of Kentucky would waste a shot on anything so small as a prairie…chicken or wild duck； but they sometimes killed geese and swans when they came south in winter and lit on the rivers。
But whenever Boone went into the woods after game； he had perpetually to keep watch lest he himself might be hunted in turn。 He never lay in wait at a game…lick； save with ears strained to hear the approach of some crawling red foe。 He never crept up to a turkey he heard calling； without exercising the utmost care to see that it was not an Indian； for one of the favorite devices of the Indians was to imitate the turkey call； and thus allure within range some inexperienced hunter。
Besides this warfare； which went on in the midst of his usual vocations； Boone frequently took the field on set expeditions against the savages。 Once when he and a party of other men were making salt at a lick； they were surprised and carried off by the Indians。 The old hunter was a prisoner with them for some months； but finally made his escape and came home through the trackless woods as straight as the wild pigeon flies。 He was ever on the watch to ward off the Indian inroads； and to follow the warparties； and try to rescue the prisoners。 Once his own daughter； and two other girls who were with her； were carried off by a band of Indians。 Boone raised some friends and followed the trail steadily for two days and a night； then they came to where the Indians had killed a buffalo calf and were camped around it。 Firing from a little distance； the whites shot two of the Indians； and； rushing in； rescued the girls。 On another occasion； when Boone had gone to visit a salt…lick with his brother； the Indians ambushed them and shot the latter。 Boone himself escaped； but the Indians followed him for three miles by the aid of a tracking dog； until Boone turned； shot the dog； and then eluded his pursuers。 In company with Simon Kenton and many other noted hunters and wilderness warriors； he once and again took part in expeditions into the Indian country； where they killed the braves and drove off the horses。 Twice bands of Indians； accompanied by French； Tory； and British partizans from Detroit； bearing the flag of Great Britain； attacked Boonesboroug。 In each case Boone and his fellowsettlers beat them off with loss。 At the fatal battle of the Blue Licks； in which two hundred of the best riflemen of Kentucky were beaten with terrible slaughter by a great force of Indians from the lakes； Boone commanded the left wing。 Leading his men； rifle in hand； he pushed back and overthrew the force against him； but meanwhile the Indians destroyed the right wing and center； and got round in his rear； so that there was nothing left for Boone's men except to flee with all possible speed。
As Kentucky became settled； Boone grew restless and ill at ease。 He loved the wilderness； he loved the great forests and the great prairielike glades； and the life in the little lonely cabin； where from the door he could see the deer come out into the clearing at nightfall。 The neighborhood of his own kind made him feel cramped and ill at ease。 So he moved ever westward with the frontier； and as Kentucky filled up he crossed the Mississippi and settled on the borders of the prairie country of Missouri； where the Spaniards； who ruled the territory； made him an alcalde； or judge。 He lived to a great age； and died out on the border； a backwoods hunter to the last。
GEORGE ROGERS CLARK AND THE CONQUEST OF THE NORTHWEST
Have the elder races halted？ Do they droop and end their lesson； wearied over there beyond the seas ？ We take up the task eternal； and the burden and the lesson； Pioneers！ O Pioneers！ All the past we leave behind； We debouch upon a newer； mightier world； varied world；
Fresh and strong the world we seize； world of labor and the march； Pioneers！ O Pioneers！ We detachments steady throwing； Down the edges； through the passes； up the mountains steep； Conquering； holding； daring； venturing； as we go the unknown ways； Pioneers！ O Pioneers！
* * * * * * *
The sachem blowing the smoke first towards the sun and then towards the earth； The drama of the scalp dance enacted with painted faces and guttural exclamations； The setting out of the war…party； the long and stealthy march； The single file； the swinging hatchets； the surprise and slaughter of enemies。 Whitman。
GEORGE ROGERS CLARK AND THE CONQUEST OF THE NORTHWEST
In 1776； when independence was declared； the United States included only the thirteen original States on the seaboard。 With the exception of a few hunters there were no white men west of the Alleghany Mountains； and there was not even an American hunter in the great country out of which we have since made the States of Illinois； Indiana； Ohio； Michigan； and Wisconsin。 All this region north of the Ohio River then formed apart of the Province of Quebec。 It was a wilderness of forests and prairies； teeming with game； and inhabited by many warlike tribes of Indians。
Here and there through it were dotted quaint little towns of French Creoles； the most important being Detroit； Vincennes on the Wabash； and Kaskaskia and Kahokia on the Illinois。 These French villages were ruled by British officers comanding small bodies of regular soldiers or Tory rangers and Creole partizans。 The towns were completely in the power of the British government； none of the American States had actual possession of a foot of property in the Northwestern Territory。
The Northwest was acquired in the midst of the Revolution only by armed conquest； and if it had not been so acquired； it would have remained a part of the British Dominion of Canada。
The man to whom this conquest was clue was a famous backwoods leader； a mighty hunter； a noted Indian…fighter； George Rogers Clark。 He was a very strong man； with light hair and blue eyes。 He was of good Virginian family。 Early in his youth； he embarked on the adventurous career of a backwoods surveyor； exactly as Washington and so many other young Virginians of spirit did at that period。 He traveled out to Kentucky soon after it was founded by Boone； and lived there for a year； either at the stations or camping by him self in the woods； surveying； hunting； and making war against the Indians like any other settler； but all the time his mind was bent on vaster schemes than were dreamed of by the men around him。 He had his spies out in the Northwestern Territory； and became convinced that with a small force of resolute backwoodsmen he could conquer it for the United States。 When he went back to Virginia； Governor Patrick Henry entered heartily into Clark's schemes and gave him authority to fit out a force for his purpose。
In 1778； after encountering endless difficulties and delays； he finally raised a hundred and fifty backwoods riflemen。 In May they started down the Ohio in flatboats to undertake the allotted task。 They drifted and rowed downstream to the Falls of the Ohio； where Clark founded a log hamlet； which has since become the great city of Louisville。
Here he halted
