(seq. 161)

April 5th.
Had a very fatiguing march, our guides lost themselves and mislead us
One of our hunters killed a she bear about 3 years old, very fat, which
was a great resourse as we had not a morsel of flesh among us all at
setting out - This Creature must have just quitted her winter habitation
for tho so fat, she had nothing in her stomach, or intestines -
We got 30 miles this day -

6th. We fell into the path of the Shawanese warriors, which they use
to go against the Cherakees - The country pleasant, the verdure
very luxuriant, passed some log houses which appeared to have been
lately deserted, the enclosures being in good repair - A great relief to
us was the frequency of plentyfull springs of fine water breaking thro
a limestone - Two horses were sent from Harrodsburgh to assist in
carrying the baggage - We reached that place about dark having
marched 25 miles - It is called a fort and consists of about 20 houses,
forming an irregular square with a very copius spring within its inclosure -

At the time of our arrival, they were in hourly apprehension of attacks
from the Savages, and no doubt these poor inhabitants are worthy of pity -

Their cattle were brought into the fort every night horses as well as cows -
They dared not go for firewood or to plow without their arms, yet in
spight of this state of constant alarm a considerable quantity of land had
been cleared, and as their numbers are increasing fast, they will soon set
the savages at defiance, being good marksmen and well practiced in
the woods - A Water mill had been built on a branch of Salt river
which runs by the fort, but the frequent inroads of the Indians had
renderd it useless, and they subsisted by the use of 2 handmills -

On my taking a survey of this place, I recollected perfectly the plan,
of it given me by a savage who had been there with a party and had
been on the point of being taken by a well laid plan of the Officer at
this post who knowing where the savages were, sent out two or three men
with scythes as if to mow, who drew the attention of the savages, while a