ard
his fame rode from far and near to greet and godspeed him on his way.
Sometimes he paused for a day with them. Once at least--this, was in
Cincinnati where he was taking on supplies--some one asked him why, at
his age, he was leaving the settled country to dare the frontier once
more.

"Too crowded," he answered; "I want more elbow-room!"

Boone settled at the Femme Osage Creek on the Missouri River,
twenty-five miles above St. Charles, where the Missouri flows into the
Mississippi. There were four other Kentucky families at La Charette,
as the French inhabitants called the post, but these were the only
Americans. The Spanish authorities granted Boone 840 acres of land, and
here Daniel built the last cabin home he was to erect for himself and
his Rebecca.

The region pleased him immensely. The governmental system, for instance,
was wholly to his mind. Taxes were infinitesimal. There were no
elections, assemblies, or the like. A single magistrate, or Syndic,
decided all disputes and made the few regulations and enforced them.
There were no land speculators, no dry-mouthed sons of the commercial
Tantalus, athirst for profits. Boone used to say that his first years in
Missouri were the happiest of his life, with the exception of his first
long hunt in Kentucky.

In 1800 he was appointed Syndic of the district of Femme Osage, which
office he filled for four years, until Louisiana became American
territory. He was held in high esteem as a magistrate because of his
just and wise treatment of his flock, who brought him all their small
bickerings to settle. He had no use for legal procedure, would not
listen to any nice subtleties, saying that he did not care anything
at all about the EVIDENCE, what he wanted was the TRUTH. His favorite
penalty for offenders was the hickory rod "well laid on." Often he
decided that both parties in a suit were equally to blame and chastised
them both alike. When in March, 1804, the American Commissioner received
Louisiana for the United States, Delassus, Lieutenant Governor of Upper
Louisiana, reporting on the various officials in the territory, wrote
of the Femme Osage Syndic: "Mr. Boone, a respectable old man, just
and impartial, he has already, since I appointed him, offered his
resignation owing to his infirmities. Believing I know his probity,
I have induced him to remain, in view of my confidence in him for the
public good." *

* Thwaites, "Daniel Boone." To this and othe