His next
object W&B to cause the fire of the Second musket to be thrown away in
the same manner. He again exposed a part of his person. The eager Indian
instantly fired, and Boone evaded the shot as before. Both the Indians,
having thrown away their fire, were eagerly striving, but with trembling
hands, to reload. Trepidation and too much haste retarded their object.
Boone drew his rifle and one of them fell dead. The two antagonists, now
on equal grounds, the one unsheathing his knife, and the other poising
his tomahawk, rushed toward the dead body of the fallen Indian. Boone,
placing his foot on the dead body, dexterously received the well aimed
tomahawk of his powerful enemy on the barrel of his rifle, thus
preventing his skull from being cloven by it. In the very attitude of
firing the Indian had exposed his body to the knife of Boone, who
plunged it in his body to the hilt. This is the achievement commemorated
in sculpture over the southern door of the Rotunda in the Capitol at
Washington.
This adventure did not deter him from exposing himself in a similar way
again. He was once more hunting for the salt makers, when, on the
seventh day of February following, he came in view of a body of one
hundred and two Indians, evidently on their march to the assault of
Boonesborough--that being a particular mark for Indian revenge. They
were in want of a prisoner, from whom to obtain intelligence, and Boone
was the person of all others whom they desired.
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