boldly
before Boonesborough. Every man of them was armed with his gun, as well
as bow and arrows. Boone, however, was prepared for them, and gave them a
warm reception--so warm, that they soon gladly retreated. How many of
their men were killed it was impossible to tell, for they dragged away
their dead with them. In the fort one man was killed, and four were badly
wounded.

Their loss this time only served to make them more revengeful. In July
following they again came against Boonesborough, resolved upon vengeance.
They numbered this time more than two hundred. To prevent any of the
white settlements from sending aid to Boonesborough, they had sent off
small parties to molest them, and keep them busy. The savages now
commenced their attack, and for two days a constant firing was kept up.
At last, finding their efforts again idle, they raised a loud yell, and
returned to the forests. The whites could now count their slain and
wounded as they dragged them off: seven were killed, and numbers wounded,
while in the fort only one white man was slain. In spite of their numbers
and their cunning, they did but little harm: for Boone was never found
sleeping; he knew that Indians were his neighbors, and he was always
ready for them. After this, they learned to dread him more than ever. He
now went by the name of the "_Great Long Knife_."

Attacks of this kind were made from time to time openly against the
settlements, but especially against these two principal stations. They
all ended very much in the same way, and it would only weary you if I
should attempt to speak of them. It is enough for you to know that the
whites were always on the lookout, and that Boone was regarded as their
principal leader and protector. We will pass on, therefore, to something
more interesting.

I have already stated that the stations of these settlers were usually
built, for comfort's sake, in the neighborhood of salt licks or springs;
and near such a lick, as you will remember, Boonesborough stood. The
supply of salt, however, was not sufficient; new settlers were often
arriving, and it became necessary to seek a place which would afford more
of that article. Boone was the father of the settlement, and he undertook
to find it. Having selected thirty men as his companions, on the 1st of
January, 1778, he started for the Blue Licks, on Licking river--a stream,
as you know, emptying itself into the Ohio opposite where Cincinnati now
stands. Upon r