In the Current of the Revolution 39 



to expose his life; each lost sons or brothers at the 

 hands of the Indians, and each thinned the ranks 

 of the enemy with his own rifle. In such a primitive 

 state of society the man who led others was ex- 

 pected to show strength of body no less than 

 strength of mind and heart; he depended upon his 

 physical prowess almost as much as upon craft, 

 courage, and headwork. The founder and head 

 of each little community needed not only a shrewd 

 brain and commanding temper, but also the thews 

 and training to make him excel as woodsman and 

 hunter, and the heart and eye to enable him to stand 

 foremost in every Indian battle. 



Clark spent most of the year at Harrodstown, 

 taking part in the defence of Kentucky. All the 

 while he was revolving in his bold, ambitious heart 

 a scheme for the conquest of the Illinois country, 

 and he sent scouts thither to spy out the land and 

 report to him what they saw. The Indians lurked 

 round Harrodstown throughout the summer; and 

 Clark and his companions were engaged in constant 

 skirmishes with them. Once, warned by the uneasy 

 restlessness of the cattle (who were sure to betray 

 the presence of Indians if they got sight or smell of 

 them), they were able to surround a party of ten 

 or twelve, who were hidden in a tall clump of weeds. 

 The savages were intent on cutting off some whites 

 who were working in a turnip patch two hundred 

 yards from the fort; Clark's party killed three he 

 himself killing one, wounded another, and sold the 

 plunder they took, at auction, for seventy pounds. 



