ry in a
peculiar tone, which he declared boded death or captivity to themselves,
if they continued their expedition--and announced his intention of
returning without delay to the river. Both of his sons vehemently opposed
this resolution, and at length prevailed upon the old man to disregard the
owl's warning, and conduct them, as he had promised, against the frontiers
of Kentucky. The party then composed themselves to sleep, but were quickly
awakened by the father, who had again been warned in a dream that death
awaited them in Kentucky, and again besought his children to release him
from his promise and lose no time in returning home. Again they prevailed
upon him to disregard the warning, and persevere in the march. He
consented to gratify them, but declared he would not remain a moment
longer in the camp which they now occupied, and accordingly they left it
immediately, and marched on through the night, directing their course
towards Bourbon county. In the evening they approached a house, that which
he hailed and in which he was now speaking. Suddenly the desire of
rejoining his people occupied his mind so strongly as to exclude every
other idea, and seizing the first favorable opportunity, he had concealed
himself in the bushes, and neglected to reply to all the signals which had
been concerted for the purpose of collecting their party when scattered.
This account appeared so extraordinary, and the young man's appearance was
so wild and suspicious, that many of the neighbors suspected him of
treachery, and thought that he should be arrested as a spy. Others opposed
this resolution and gave full credit to his narrative. In order to satisfy
themselves, however, they insisted upon his immediately conducting them to
the spot where the canoe had been buried. To this the young man objected
most vehemently, declaring that although he had deserted his father and
brother, yet he would not betray them. These feelings were too delicate to
meet with much sympathy from the rude borderers who surrounded him, and he
was given to understand that nothing short of conducting them to the point
of embarkation, would be accepted as an evidence of his sincerity.--With
obvious reluctance he at length complied. From twenty to thirty men were
quickly assembled, mounted upon good horses, and under the guidance of the
deserter, they moved rapidly towards the mouth of Licking. On the road the
young man informed them that he would first conduct t