by hunting, and had no leisure for their murderous inroads upon the
settlements. This result was plainly seen on this occasion, for it does
not appear that the Indians attacked any of the settlements during the
remainder of this year.

An adventure which occurred in the spring, but was passed over for
the more important operations of the campaign, claims our attention,
presenting as it does a picture of the varieties of this mode of
warfare. We quote from McClung:

"Early in the spring of 1780 Mr. Alexander McConnel, of Lexington,
Kentucky, went into the woods on foot to hunt deer. He soon killed
a large buck, and returned home for a horse in order to bring it in.
During his absence a party of five Indians, on one of their usual
skulking expeditions, accidentally stumbled on the body of the deer,
and perceiving that it had been recently killed, they naturally supposed
that the hunter would speedily return to secure the flesh. Three of
them, therefore, took their stations within close rifle-shot of the
deer, while the other two followed the trail of the hunter, and waylaid
the path by which he was expected to return. McConnel, expecting no
danger, rode carelessly along the path, which the two scouts were
watching, until he had come within view of the deer, when he was fired
upon by the whole party, and his horse killed. While laboring to
extricate himself from the dying animal, he was seized by his enemies,
instantly overpowered, and borne off as a prisoner.

"His captors, however, seemed to be a merry, good-natured set of
fellows, and permitted him to accompany them unbound; and, what was
rather extraordinary, allowed him to retain his gun and hunting
accoutrements. He accompanied them with great apparent cheerfulness