It would be very easy to extend this brief sketch of some of the more conspicuous pioneers of Kentucky.  Their heroic and disinterested services, their lavish prodigality of their blood and property, gave them that popularity which is universally felt to be a high and priceless acquisition.  Loved, and trusted, and honored as fathers of their country; while they lived, they had the persuasion of such generous minds as theirs, that their names would descend with blessings to their grateful posterity.

CHAPTER XII.

Boone’s brother killed, and Boone himself narrowly escapes from the Indians—­Assault upon Ashton’s station—­and upon the station near Shelbyville—­Attack upon McAffee’s station.

We have already spoken of the elder brother of Col.  Boone and his second return to the Yadkin.  A fondness for the western valleys seems to have been as deeply engraven in his affections, as in the heart of his brother.  He subsequently returned once more with his family to Kentucky.  In 1780 we find a younger brother of Daniel Boone resident with him.  The two brothers set out on the sixth of October of that year, to revisit the blue Licks.  It may well strike us as a singular fact, that Colonel Boone should have felt any disposition to revisit a place that was connected with so many former disasters.  But, as a place convenient for the manufacture of salt, it was a point of importance to the rapidly growing settlement.  They had manufactured as much salt as they could pack, and were returning to Boonesborough, when they were overtaken by a party of Indians.  By the first fire Colonel Boone’s brother fell dead by his side.  Daniel Boone faced the enemy, and aimed at the foremost Indian, who appeared to have been the slayer of his brother.  That Indian fell.  By this time he discovered a host advancing upon him.  Taking the still loaded rifle of his fallen brother, he prostrated another foe, and while flying from his enemy found time to reload his rifle.  The bullets of a dozen muskets whistled about his head; but the distance of the foe rendered them harmless.  No scalp would have been of so much value to his pursuers as that of the well known Daniel Boone; and they pursued him with the utmost eagerness.  His object was so far to outstrip them, as to be able to conceal his trail, and put them to fault in regard to his course.  He made for a little hill, behind which was a stream of water.  He sprang into the water and waded up its current for some distance, and then emerged and struck off at right angles to his former course.  Darting onward at the height of his speed, he hoped that he had distanced them, and thrown them off his trail.  To his infinite mortification, he discovered that his foe, either accidentally, or from their natural sagacity, had rendered all his caution fruitless, and were fiercely pursuing him still.  His next expedient was that of a swing by the aid of a grape-vine, which had so well served