a minute, crossed the Licking, and ran up a cow-path on the opposite side, which the cows from one of those forts had beat down in their visits for water.  As soon as I had gained the bank I shouted to assure my friends of my safety, and to discourage the enemy.  In less than an hour I was back, with a relief of ten horsemen, well armed, and driving in full chase after the Indians.  But they had decamped immediately upon hearing my signal, well knowing what it meant, and it was deemed imprudent to pursue them with so weak a party—­the whole force in Higgins’ block-house hardly sufficing to guard the women and children there.  McFall, from whom the bullet could not be extracted, lingered two days and nights in great pain, when he died, as did McCombs, on the ninth day, mortification then taking place.’

“While these depredations were going on, most of the Northwestern tribes were ostensibly at peace with the country, treaties having recently been made.  But the Kentuckians, exasperated by the repeated outrages, determined to have resort to their favorite expedient of invading the Indian country.  How far they were justified in holding the tribes responsible for the actions of these roving plunderers, the reader must judge for himself.  We may remark, however, that it does not seem distinctly proved that the Indians engaged in these attacks belonged to any of the tribes against whom the attack was to be made.  But the backwoodsmen were never very scrupulous in such matters.  They generally regarded the Indian race as a unit:  an offense committed by one warrior might be lawfully punished on another.  We often, in reading the history of the West, read of persons who, having lost relations by Indians of one tribe, made a practice of killing all whom they met, whether in peace or war.  It is evident, as Marshall says, that no authority but that of Congress could render an expedition of this kind lawful.  The Governor of Virginia had given instructions to the commanders of the counties to take the necessary means for defense; and the Kentuckians, giving a free interpretation to these instructions, decided that the expedition was necessary and resolved to undertake it.

“General Clark was selected to command it, and to the standard of this favorite officer volunteers eagerly thronged.  A thousand men were collected at the Falls of the Ohio, from whence the troops marched by land to St. Vincennes, while the provisions and other supplies were conveyed by water.  The troops soon became discouraged.  When the provisions reached Vincennes, after a delay of several days on account of the low water, it was found that a large proportion of them were spoiled.  In consequence of this, the men were placed upon short allowance, with which, of course, they were not well pleased.  In the delay in waiting for the boats, much of the enthusiasm of the men had evaporated; and it is said by some that General Clark dispatched a messenger to the towns, in advance of the troops, to offer them the choice of peace or war, which greatly lessened the chances of the success of the expedition.  Though this measure would be only complying with the requirements of good faith, it is very doubtful if it was adopted, so utterly at variance would it be with the usual manner of conducting these expeditions.