In the Current of the Revolution 65 



including Kenton, and by the only Holston company 

 that had yet arrived. He now disclosed to his men 

 the real object of his expedition. The Kentuckians, 

 and those who had come down the river with him, 

 hailed the adventure with eager enthusiasm, pledged 

 him their hearty support, and followed him with 

 stanch and unflinching loyalty. But the Holston re- 

 cruits, who had not come under the spell of his 

 personal influence, murmured against him. They 

 had not reckoned on an expedition so long and so 

 dangerous, and in the night most of them left the 

 camp and fled into the woods. The Kentuckians, 

 who had horses, pursued the deserters, with orders 

 to kill any who resisted; but all save six or eight 

 escaped. 



Yet they suffered greatly for their crime, and 

 endured every degree of hardship and fatigue, 

 for the Kentuckians spurned them from the gates 

 of the wooden forts, and would not for a long time 

 suffer them to enter, hounding them back to the 

 homes they had dishonored. They came from among 

 a bold and adventurous people, and their action was 

 due rather to wayward and sullen disregard of au- 

 thority than to cowardice. 



When the pursuing horsemen came back a day of 

 mirth and rejoicing was spent between the troops 

 who were to stay behind to guard Kentucky and 

 those who were to go onward to conquer Illinois. 

 On the 24th of June Clark's boats put out from 

 shore, and shot the falls at the very moment that 

 there was a great eclipse of the sun, at which the 



