As the boys were returning
with Russell's son, also a stripling, two of his slaves, and some
white laborers, they missed the path and went into camp for the
night. When dawn broke, disclosing the sleepers, a small war band
of Shawanoes, who had been spying on Boone and his party, fell
upon them and slaughtered them. Only one of Russell's slaves and
a laborer escaped. The tragedy seems augmented by the fact that
the point where the boys lost the trail and made their night
quarters was hardly three miles from the main camp--to which an
hour later came the two survivors with their gloomy tidings.
Terror now took hold of the little band of emigrants, and there
were loud outcries for turning back. The Bryans, who had arrived
meanwhile, also advised retreat, saying that the "signs" about
the scene of blood indicated an Indian uprising. Daniel carried
the scalped body of his son, the boy-comrade of his happy hunts,
to the camp and buried it there at the beginning of the trail.
His voice alone urged that they go on.
Fortunately indeed, as events turned out, Boone was overruled,
and the expedition was abandoned. The Bryan party and the others
from North Carolina went back to the Yadkin. Boone himself with
his family accompanied Russell to the Clinch settlement, where he
erected a temporary cabin on the farm of one of the settlers, and
then set out alone on the chase to earn provision for his wife
and children through the winter.
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