Trials of Indian strength and skill are among their most common amusements.  Boone was soon challenged to competition in these trials.  In these rencounters of loud laughter and boisterous merriment, where all that was done seemed to pass into oblivion as fast as it transpired, Boone had too much tact and keen observation not to perceive that jealousy, envy, and the origin of hatred often lay hid under the apparent recklessness of indifference.  He was not sorry that some of the Indians could really beat him in the race, though extremely light of foot; and that in the game of ball, at which they had been practised all their lives, he was decidedly inferior.  But there was another sport—­that of shooting at a mark—­a new custom to the Indians but recently habituated to the use of fire arms; a practice which they had learned from the whites, and they were excessively jealous of reputation of great skill in this exercise, so important in hunting and war.  Boone was challenged to shoot with them at a mark.  It placed him in a most perplexing dilemma.  If he shot his best, he could easily and far excel their most practised marksmen.  But he was aware, that to display his superiority would never be forgiven him.  On the other hand, to fall far short of them in an exercise which had been hitherto peculiar to the whites, would forfeit their respect.  In this predicament, he judiciously allowed himself sometimes to be beaten; and when it became prudent to put forth all his skill, a well dissembled humility and carelessness subdued the mortification and envy of the defeated competitor.

He was often permitted to accompany them in their hunting parties; and here their habits and his circumstances alike invoked him to do his best.  They applauded his skill and success as a hunter, with no mixture of envy or ill will.  He was particularly fortunate in conciliating the good will of the Shawnee chief.  To attain this result, Boone not only often presented him with a share of his game, but adopted the more winning deportment of always affecting to treat his opinions and counsels with deference.  The chief, on his part, often took occasion to speak of Boone as a most consummate proficient in hunting, and a warrior of great bravery.  Not long after his residence among them, he had occasion to witness their manner of celebrating their victories, by being an eye witness to one which commemorated the successful return of a war party with some scalps.

Within a day’s march of the village, the party dispatched a runner with the joyful intelligence of their success, achieved without loss.  Every cabin in the village was immediately ordered to be swept perfectly clean, with the religious intention to banish every source of pollution that might mar the ceremony.  The women, exceedingly fearful of contributing in any way to this pollution, commenced an inveterate sweeping, gathering up the collected dirt, and carefully placing it in a heap behind the door.  There it remained until the medicine man, or priest, who presides over the powow, ordered them to remove it, and at the same time every savage implement and utensil upon which the women had laid their hands during the absence of the expedition.