on　and　many　other　noted　hunters　and　wilderness　warriors；　he　once　and　again　took　part　in　expeditions　into　the　Indian　country；　where　they　killed　the　braves　and　drove　off　the　horses。　Twice　bands　of　Indians；　accompanied　by　French；　Tory；　and　British　partizans　from　Detroit；　bearing　the　flag　of　Great　Britain；　attacked　Boonesboroug。　In　each　case　Boone　and　his　fellowsettlers　beat　them　off　with　loss。　At　the　fatal　battle　of　the　Blue　Licks；　in　which　two　hundred　of　the　best　riflemen　of　Kentucky　were　beaten　with　terrible　slaughter　by　a　great　force　of　Indians　from　the　lakes；　Boone　commanded　the　left　wing。　Leading　his　men；　rifle　in　hand；　he　pushed　back　and　overthrew　the　force　against　him；　but　meanwhile　the　Indians　destroyed　the　right　wing　and　center；　and　got　round　in　his　rear；　so　that　there　was　nothing　left　for　Boone's　men　except　to　flee　with　all　possible　speed。
  As　Kentucky　became　settled；　Boone　grew　restless　and　ill　at　ease。　He　loved　the　wilderness；　he　loved　the　great　forests　and　the　great　prairielike　glades；　and　the　life　in　the　little　lonely　cabin；　where　from　the　door　he　could　see　the　deer　come　out　into　the　clearing　at　nightfall。　The　neighborhood　of　his　own　kind　made　him　feel　cramped　and　ill　at　ease。　So　he　moved　ever　westward　with　the　frontier；　and　as　Kentucky　filled　up　he　crossed　the　Mississippi　and　settled　on　the　borders　of　the　prairie　country　of　Missouri；　where　the　Spaniards；　who　ruled　the　territory；　made　him　an　alcalde；　or　judge。　He　lived　to　a　great　age；　and　died　out　on　the　border；　a　backwoods　hunter　to　the　last。
  GEORGE　ROGERS　CLARK　AND　THE　CONQUEST　OF　THE　NORTHWEST
  Have　the　elder　races　halted？　Do　they　droop　and　end　their　lesson；　wearied　over　there　beyond　the　seas　？　We　take　up　the　task　eternal；　and　the　burden　and　the　lesson；　　Pioneers！　O　Pioneers！　　All　the　past　we　leave　behind；　We　debouch　upon　a　newer；　mightier　world；　varied　world；
  Fresh　and　strong　the　world　we　seize；　world　of　labor　and　the　march；　　Pioneers！　O　Pioneers！　We　detachments　steady　throwing；　Down　the　edges；　through　the　passes；　up　the　mountains　steep；　Conquering；　holding；　daring；　venturing；　as　we　go　the　unknown　ways；　　Pioneers！　O　Pioneers！
  *　*　*　*　*　*　*
  The　sachem　blowing　the　smoke　first　towards　the　sun　and　then　towards　the　earth；　The　drama　of　the　scalp　dance　enacted　with　painted　faces　and　guttural　exclamations；　The　setting　out　of　the　war…party；　the　long　and　stealthy　march；　The　single　file；　the　swinging　hatchets；　the　surprise　and　slaughter　of　enemies。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Whitman。
  GEORGE　ROGERS　CLARK　AND　THE　CONQUEST　OF　THE　NORTHWEST
  In　1776；　when　independence　was　declared；　the　United　States　included　only　the　thirteen　original　States　on　the　seaboard。　With　the　exception　of　a　few　hunters　there　were　no　white　men　west　of　the　Alleghany　Mountains；　and　there　was　not　even　an　American　hunter　in　the　great　country　out　of　which　we　have　since　made　the　States　of　Illinois；　Indiana；　Ohio；　Michigan；　and　Wisconsin。　All　this　region　north　of　the　Ohio　River　then　formed　apart　of　the　Province　of　Quebec。　It　was　a　wilderness　of　forests　and　prairies；　teeming　with　game；　and　inhabited　by　many　warlike　tribes　of　Indians。
  Here　and　there　through　it　were　dotted　quaint　little　towns　of　French　Creoles；　the　most　important　being　Detroit；　Vincennes　on　the　Wabash；　and　Kaskaskia　and　Kahokia　on　the　Illinois。　These　French　villages　were　ruled　by　British　officers　comanding　small　bodies　of　regular　soldiers　or　Tory　rangers　and　Creole　partizans。　The　towns　were　completely　in　the　power　of　the　British　government；　none　of　the　American　States　had　actual　possession　of　a　foot　of　property　in　the　Northwestern　Territory。
  The　Northwest　was　acquired　in　the　midst　of　the　Revolution　only　by　armed　conquest；　and　if　it　had　not　been　so　acquired；　it　would　have　remained　a　part　of　the　British　Dominion　of　Canada。
  The　man　to　whom　this　conquest　was　clue　was　a　famous　backwoods　leader；　a　mighty　hunter；　a　noted　Indian…fighter；　George　Rogers　Clark。　He　was　a　very　strong　man；　with　light　hair　and　blue　eyes。　He　was　of　good　Virginian　family。　Early　in　his　youth；　he　embarked　on　the　adventurous　career　of　a　backwoods　surveyor；　exactly　as　Washington　and　so　many　other　young　Virginians　of　spirit　did　at　that　period。　He　traveled　out　to　Kentucky　soon　after　it　was　founded　by　Boone；　and　lived　there　for　a　year；　either　at　the　stations　or　camping　by　him　self　in　the　woods；　surveying；　hunting；　and　making　war　against　the　Indians　like　any　other　settler；　but　all　the　time　his　mind　was　bent　on　vaster　schemes　than　were　dreamed　of　by　the　men　around　him。　He　had　his　spies　out　in　the　Northwestern　Territory；　and　became　convinced　that　with　a　small　force　of　resolute　backwoodsmen　he　could　conquer　it　for　the　United　States。　When　he　went　back　to　Virginia；　Governor　Patrick　Henry　entered　heartily　into　Clark's　schemes　and　gave　him　authority　to　fit　out　a　force　for　his　purpose。
  In　1778；　after　encountering　endless　difficulties　and　delays；　he　finally　raised　a　hundred　and　fifty　backwoods　riflemen。　In　May　they　started　down　the　Ohio　in　flatboats　to　undertake　the　allotted　task。　They　drifted　and　rowed　downstream　to　the　Falls　of　the　Ohio；　where　Clark　founded　a　log　hamlet；　which　has　since　become　the　great　city　of　Louisville。
  Here　he　halted　for　some　days　and　was　joined　by　fifty　or　sixty　volunteers；　but　a　number　of　the　men　deserted；　and　when；　after　an　eclipse　of　the　sun；　Clark　again　pushed　off　to　go　down　with　the　current；　his　force　was　but　about　one　hundred　and　sixty　riflemen。　All；　however；　were　men　on　whom　he　could　dependmen　well　used　to　frontier　warfare。　They　were　tall；　stalwart　backwoodsmen；　clad　in　the　hunting…shirt　and　leggings　that　formed　the　national　dress　of　their　kind；　and　armed　with　the　distinctive　weapon　of　the　backwoods；　the　long…barreled；　small…bore　rifle。
  Before　reaching　the　Mississippi　the　little　flotilla　landed；　and　Clark　led　his　men　northward　against　the　Illinois　towns。　In　one　of　them；　Kaskaskia；　dwelt　the　British　commander　of　the　entire　district　up　to　Detroit。　The　small　garrison　and　the　Creole　militia　taken　together　outnumbered　Clark's　force；　and　they　were　in　close　alliance　with　the　Indians　roundabout。　Clark　was　anxious　to　take　the　town　by　surprise　and　avoid　bloodshed；　as　he　believed　he　could　win　over　the　Creoles　to　the　American　side。　Marching　cautiously　by　night　and　generally　hiding　by　day；　he　came　to　the　outskirts　of　the　little　village　on　the　evening　of　July　4；　and　lay　in　the　woods　near　by　until　after　nightfall。
  Fortune　favored　him。　That　evening　the　officers　of　the　garrison　had　given　a　great　ball　to　the　mirth…loving　Creoles；　and　almost　the　entire　population　of　the　village　had　gathered　in　the　fort；　where　the　dance　was　held。　While　the　revelry　was　at　its　height；　Clark　and　his　tall　backwoodsmen；　treading　silently　through　the　darkness；　came　into　the　town；　surprised　the　sentries；　and　surrounded　the　fort　without　causing　any　alarm。
  All　the　British　and　French　capable　of　bearing　arms　were　gathered　in　the　fort　to　take　part　in　or　look　on　at　the　merrymaking。　When　his　men　were　posted　Clark　walked　boldly　forward　through　the　open　door；　and；　leaning　against　the　wall；　looked　at　the　dancers　as　they　whirled　around　in　the　light　of　the　flaring　torches。　For　some　moments　no　one　noticed　him。　Then　an　Indian　who　had　been　lying　with　his　chin　on　his　hand；　looking　carefully　over　the　gaunt　figure　of　the　stranger；　sprang　to　his　feet；　and　uttered　the　wild　war…whoop。　Immediately　the　dancing　ceased　and　the　men　ran　to　and　fro　in　confusion；　but　Clark；　stepping　forward；　bade　them　be　at　their　ease；　but　to　remember　that　henceforth　they　danced　under　the　flag　of　the　United　States；　and　not　under　that　of　Great　Britain。
  The　surprise　was　complete；　and　no　resistance　was　attempted。　For　twenty…four　hours　the　Creoles　were　in　abject　terror。　Then　Clark　summoned　their　chief　men　together　and　explained　that　he　came　as　their　ally；　and　not　as　their　foe；　and　that　if　they　would　join　with　him　they　should　be　citizens　of　the　American　republic；　and　treated　in　all　respects　on　an　equality　with　their　comrades。　The　Creoles；　caring　little　for　the　British；　and　rather　fickle　of　nature；　accepted　the　proposition　with　joy；　and　with　the　most　enthusiastic　loyalty　toward　Clark。　Not　only　that；　but　sending　messengers　to　their　kinsmen　on　the　Wabash；　they　persuaded　the　people　of　Vincennes　likewise　to　cast　off　their　allegiance　to　the　British　king；　and　to　hoist　the　American　flag。
  So　far；　Clark　had　conquered　with　greater　ease　than　he　had　dared　to　hope。　But　when　the　news　reached　the　British　governor；　Hamilton；　at　Detroit；　he　at　once　prepared　to　reconquer　the　land。　He　had　much　greater　forces　at　his　command　than　Clark　had；　and　in　the　fall　of　that　year　he　came　down　to　Vincennes　by　stream　and　portage；　in　a　great　fleet　of　canoes　bearing　five　hundred　fighting　men…British　regulars；　French　partizans；　and　Indians。　The　Vincennes　Creoles　refused　to　fight　against　the　British；　and　the　American　officer　who　had　been　sent　thither　by　Clark　had　no　alternative　but　to　surrender。
  If　Hamilton　had　then　pushed　on　and　struck　Clark　in　Illinois；　having　more　than　treble　Clark's　force；　he　could　hardly　have　failed　to　win　the　victory；　but　the　season　was　late　and　the　journey　so　difficult　that　he　did　not　believe　it　could　be　taken。　Accordingly　he　disbanded　the　Indians　and　sent　some　of　his　troops　back　to　Detroit；　announcing　that　when　spr