He was then only nineteen, yet he fearlessly left his native state,
and sought, amid the uncultivated wilds of Kentucky, the stirring
enjoyment of a western hunter. After rendering valuable service to the
Virginia colony, as a spy and pioneer, he undertook a voyage of
discovery to the country north of the Ohio. It was while thus engaged
that he was taken prisoner by the Indians.

He was, no doubt, known to the Indians as an active and dangerous
enemy; and they now prepared to avenge themselves upon him. They
condemned him to the fiery torture, painted his body black, and
marched him toward Chilicothe. By way of amusement on the road, he was
manacled hand and foot, tied to an unbridled and unbroken horse, and
driven off amid the shouts and whoops of the savages; poor Butler thus
played the part of an American Ma zeppa. The horse, unable to shake
him off galloped with terrific speed toward the wood, jarring and
bruising the rider at every step; but at length, exhausted and
subdued, it returned to camp with its burden, amid the exulting shouts
of the savages. When within a mile of Chilicothe, they took Butler
from the horse, and tied him to a stake, where, for twenty-four hours,
he remained in one position. He was then untied to run the gauntlet.
Six hundred Indians, men, women, and children, armed with clubs and
switches, arranged themselves in two parallel lines, to strike him as
he passed. It was a mile to the council-house, which if he reached, he
was to be spared. A blow started him on this encouraging race; but he
soon broke through the files and had almost reached the council-house,
when he was brought to the ground by a club. In this position he was
severely beaten and again taken into custody.

These terrible sufferings, instead of satisfying the Indians, only
stimulated them to invent more ingenious tortures. Their cruelty was