in turn cheered them in their severer labors. The Indians had forborne
any attacks upon the settlers so long, that, as is naturally the case,
they had ceased in a degree to dwell upon the danger always to be
apprehended from them. The men did not fail to take their rifles and
knives with them whenever they went abroad; but the women ventured
occasionally a short distance without the palisades during the day,
never, however, losing sight of the fort. This temerity was destined to
cost them dear.

Colonel Calloway, the intimate friend of Boone, had joined him in the
course of the spring, at the fort, which had received, by the consent of
all, the name of Boonesborough. He had two daughters. Captain Boone had
a daughter also, and the three were companions; and, if we may take the
portraits of the rustic time, patterns of youthful bloom and loveliness.
It cannot be doubted that they were inexpressibly dear to their
parents. These girls, at the close of a beautiful summer day, the 14th
of July, were tempted imprudently to wander into the woods at no great
distance from their habitations, to gather flowers with which to adorn
their rustic fire-places. They were suddenly surrounded by half a dozen
Indians. Their shrieks and efforts to flee were alike unavailing. They
were dragged rapidly beyond the power of making themselves heard. As
soon as they were deemed to be beyond the danger of rescue, they were
treated with the utmost indulgence and decorum.

This forbearance, of a race that we are accustomed to call savages, was
by no means accidental, or peculiar to this case. While in battle, they
are unsparing and unrelenting as tigers--while, after the fury of its
excitement is past, they will exult with frantic and demoniac joy in the
cries of their victims expiring at a slow fire--while they dash the
tomahawk with merciless indifference into the cloven skulls of mothers