The War in the Northwest 239 



round which were grouped the other four Bryan's 

 (which was the largest), McGee's, McConnell's, and 

 Boone's. Boone's Station, sometimes called Boone's 

 new station, where the tranquil, resolute old pioneer 

 at that time dwelt, must not be confounded with 

 his former fort of Boonesborough, from which it 

 was several miles distant, north of the Ken- 

 tucky. Since the destruction of Martin's and 

 Ruddle's stations on the Licking, Bryan's on the 

 south bank of the Elkhorn was left as the northern- 

 most outpost of the settlers. Its stout, loopholed 

 palisades inclosed some forty cabins, there were 

 strong block-houses at the corners, and it was gar- 

 risoned by fifty good riflemen. 



These five stations were held by backwoodsmen 

 of the usual Kentucky stamp, from the up-country 

 of Pennsylvania, Virginia, and North Carolina. 

 Generations of frontier life had made them with 

 their fellows the most distinctive and typical Ameri- 

 cans on the continent, utterly different from their 

 old-world kinsfolk. Yet they still showed strong 

 traces of the covenanting spirit, which they drew 

 from the Irish-Presbyterian, the master strain in 

 their mixed blood. For years they had not seen 

 the inside of a church; nevertheless, mingled with 

 men who were loose of tongue and life, there still re- 

 mained many Sabbath-keepers and Bible-readers, 

 who studied their catechisms on Sundays, and dis- 

 liked almost equally profane language and debauch- 

 ery. 6 



* McAfee MSS. 



