14 The Winning of the West 



town early in June, 1776. During five days an 

 election was held, and two delegates were chosen to 

 go to Williamsburg, then the seat of government. 



This was done at the suggestion of Clark, who, 

 having spent the winter in Virginia, had returned 

 to Kentucky in the spring. He came out alone and 

 on foot, and by his sudden appearance surprised the 

 settlers not a little. The first to meet him was a 

 young lad, 22 who had gone a few miles out of Har- 

 rodstown to turn some horses on the range. The 

 boy had killed a teal duck that was feeding in a 

 spring, and was roasting it nicely at a small fire, 

 when he was startled by the approach of a fine sol- 

 dierly man, who hailed him : "How do you do, my 

 little fellow? What is your name? Ar'n't you 

 afraid of being in the woods by yourself?" The 

 stranger was evidently hungry, for on being invited 

 to eat he speedily finished the entire duck ; and when 

 the boy asked his name he answered that it was 

 Clark, and that he had come out to see what the 

 brave fellows in Kentucky were doing, and to help 

 them if there was need. He took up his temporary 

 abode at Harrodstown visiting all the forts, how- 

 ever, and being much in the woods by himself, and 

 his commanding mind and daring, adventurous tem- 

 per speedily made him, what for ten critical years 

 he remained, the leader among all the bold "hunters 

 of Kentucky "^-as the early settlers loved to call 

 themselves. 



He had advised against delegates to the conven- 



22 Afterward General William Ray. Butler, p. 37. 



