This was done at the suggestion of Clark, who, having spent the winter in Virginia had returned to Kentucky in the spring.  He came out alone and on foot, and by his sudden appearance surprised the settlers not a little.  The first to meet him was a young lad,[22] who had gone a few miles out of Harrodstown to turn some horses on the range.  The boy had killed a teal duck that was feeding in a spring, and was roasting it nicely at a small fire, when he was startled by the approach of a fine soldierly man, who hailed him:  “How do you do my little fellow?  What is your name?  Ar’n’t you afraid of being in the woods by yourself?” The stranger was evidently hungry, for on being invited to eat he speedily finished the entire duck; and when the boy asked his name he answered that it was Clark, and that he had come out to see what the brave fellows in Kentucky were doing, and to help them if there was need.  He took up his temporary abode at Harrodstown—­visiting all the forts, however, and being much in the woods by himself,—­and his commanding mind and daring, adventurous temper speedily made him, what for ten critical years he remained, the leader among all the bold “hunters of Kentucky”—­as the early settlers loved to call themselves.

He had advised against delegates to the convention being chosen, thinking that instead the Kentuckians should send accredited agents to treat with the Virginian government.  If their terms were not agreed to, he declared that they ought to establish forthwith an independent state; an interesting example of how early the separatist spirit showed itself in Kentucky.  But the rest of the people were unwilling to go quite as far.  They elected two delegates, Clark of course being one.  With them they sent a petition for admission as a separate county.  They were primarily farmers, hunters, Indian fighters—­not scholars; and their petition was couched in English that was at times a little crooked; but the idea at any rate was perfectly straight, and could not be misunderstood.  They announced that if they were admitted they would cheerfully cooperate in every measure to secure the public peace and safety, and at the same time pointed out with marked emphasis “how impolitical it would be to suffer such a Respectable Body of Prime Riflemen to remain in a state of neutrality” during the then existing revolutionary struggle.[23]

Armed with this document and their credentials, Clark and his companion set off across the desolate and Indian-haunted mountains.  They travelled very fast, the season was extremely wet, and they did not dare to kindle fires for fear of the Indians; in consequence they suffered torments from cold, hunger, and especially from “scalded” feet.  Yet they hurried on, and presented their petition to the Governor[24] and Council—­the Legislature having adjourned.  Clark also asked for five hundred-weight of gunpowder, of which the Kentucky settlement stood in sore and pressing need.  This the Council at first refused