A LIVING HISTORY BLOG.

18TH CENTURY LIVING HISTORY IN AUSTRALIA.

Tuesday 21 September 2010

Kentucky.

"Daniel Boone seems to have been the only one of these hunters to whom the wilderness especially appealed. Consequently, for many years he made frequent trips into the territory, staying as long as two years on one occasion, and winning the title of The Long Hunter. Boone was alone on many of these trips, never seeing the face of a white man, but frequently meeting roving bands of Indians. From a cave in the side of Pilot Knob in Powell County, he could catch glimpses of the joyous sports of the Shawnee boys at Indian Fields; and from the projecting rocks he feasted his eyes on the herds of buffalo winding across the prairie".
This was written in 1913. Is this where the term Long Hunter came from? And if so, can it be applied to anyone as it is so often done today?
"the common name of the country, known to all, was Kan-tuckee (kane-tooch-ee), so called by the Indians because of the abundance of a peculiar reed growing along the river, now known as pipe-stem cane".
," Boone easily persuaded a company of men to come with him to the wilderness and to bring their families. The journey was tedious. Those on foot went ahead and blazed a trail for the few wagons, pack horses and domestic animals, and killed game to furnish meat when the next camp should be struck at nightfall. It was a courageous, jolly party that thus marched through Cumberland Gap, and blazed a way which has since been known as Boone’s Trail. Hostile Indians had to be  fought along the way, and several of the party were slain, among them being Boone’s son. An Englishman, also, was killed, and his young son was adopted by Boone and thereafter known as his own son".
"The party passed the present site of Richmond in Madison County, and reached a point on the Kentucky River, in 1775, where Boonesborough was built. The site selected was a broad, level stretch of land, with the river to the north, and high hills to the south. This particular spot was selected because of a fine spring of water, and high hills that could be used for sentinel towers, inclosing fine level ground for cultivation. The settlers cut trees and constructed a stockade in the form of a hollow square. It was from this fort that Rebecca Boone and the Calloway girls were stolen by Indians while boating on the Kentucky River".




The Story of Kentucky


By R. S. Eubank, A. B.


F. A. OWEN PUBLISHING COMPANY,


DANSVILLE, N. Y.


Copyright 1913, by F. A. Owen Publishing Co.

Taken from the Gutenberg Files. 





2 comments:

Gorges Smythe said...

Actually, Boone was a bit of a late-comer to Kentucky, he just made a bigger impression on folks than most previous longhunters. Perhaps his stories made the difference.

Keith said...

Good point Gorges, more food for thought.
Thanks.