Contents ▼▲
Front Matter At Boonesborough Beginning of the Story Boone on the Yadkin Boone Moves his Family Ready for the Journey What we Wore Driving Cattle and Sheep Camping at Nightfall The Long Halt Jimmy Boone Goes to Clinch Murder of Jimmy Boone A Time of Mourning The Faint-hearted Return A New Home Making Moccasins Tanning Leather Governor Dunmore Our Home on the Clinch Household Duties Attacked by a Wildcat Fighting the Wildcat Boone and Father Return The Wilderness Road Building the Forts Boonesborough Gathering Salt Boonesborough Precautions Our Home in the Fort Ready for Cooking Furnishing the House The Hominy Block The Supply of Water Sports Inside the Fort Wrestling and Running Religion of the Indians Indian Babies Colonel Callaway Arives News from Eastern Colonies Venturing Outside the Fort Dividing the Land Who Owned Kentucky? Ready to Build a Home Billy's Hard Lot Preparing Flax Spinning and Soap Making Broom Making More Indian Murders Indian "Signs" Woodcraft and Hunting Pelts Used as Money Petition of the Settlers Making Sugar Building Fences Capture of the Girls My Willful Thoughts Finding the Trail The Pursuit The Story Told by Jemima Elizabeth's Heroism Rescuing the Girls Alarm Among the Settlers Indians on the Warpath The First Wedding The Wedding Festivities The Brides Home The Housewarming Attacks by the Indians Besieged by the Savages In the Midst of the Fight The Assault by the Indians Failure of the Assault Watchfulness of the Indians The Sortie My Father Wounded Our Wounded

Hannah of Kentucky - James Otis




Indian "Signs"

It can well be supposed that this made our people more cautious about their own safety. Work on the land was stopped, and we women and children were forced to stay inside the stockade while the hunters ranged the woods near and far to learn what they might of the savages.

[Illustration] from Hannah of Kentucky by James Otis

Before this search had come to an end enough was found to prove that the Indians had been hovering close about us all the time we were feeling so safe. That they had not killed more of us during the time when every one wandered at will around the stockade, was thought by Colonel Boone to be because they intended soon to make an attack upon the fort and hoped to make us believe they had departed.

You may be certain that we were exceedingly cautious for a long time after this. The gates were kept closed and barred, the boys were carefully guarded as they brought water from the creek, and four men were constantly on duty in the watch-houses.

A large quantity of dry grass and cane had been gathered for the cattle and sheep, therefore we should not see them suffering for food, as when we first arrived.

Then came the snow. When the storm had cleared away, our hunters went out to make another search. After three days, they came back and delighted us with the report that it was positive the savages no longer remained about; but for how many days they might leave us in peace no one could say.

However, our people hunted as they pleased, and went to and fro from the stockade to the creek without a guard; finally, matters went on much as before poor Sam was murdered and Daniel carried away.

Father's work on the plantation was ended until warm weather came again, when he would plant the first crop, and then build our home. Consequently Billy, having made a good store of brooms, and having nothing to do but look after the horses, cattle, and sheep, went much into the woods with the men, and it pleased me to know the poor boy was finally having an opportunity of enjoying himself.