The War in the Northwest 263 



was spread abroad, immigration began to flow to 

 Kentucky down the Ohio, and over the Wilderness 

 Road, in a flood of which the volume dwarfed all 

 former streams into rivulets. Indian hostilities con- 

 tinued at intervals throughout this year, 27 but they 

 were not of a serious nature. Most of the tribes 

 concluded at least a nominal peace, and liberated 

 over two hundred white prisoners, though they re- 

 tained nearly as many more. 28 Nevertheless in the 

 spring one man of note fell victim to the savages, 

 for John Floyd was waylaid and slain as he was 

 riding out with his brother. Thus within the space 

 of eight months, two of the three county lieutenants 

 had been killed, in battle or ambush. 



The inrush of new settlers was enormous, 29 and 

 Kentucky fairly entered on its second stage of 

 growth. The days of the first game hunters and 

 Indian fighters were over. By this year the herds 

 of the buffalo, of which the flesh and hides had 

 been so important to the earlier pioneers, were 

 nearly exterminated; though bands still lingered 

 in the remote recesses of the mountains, and they 

 were plentiful in Illinois. The land claims began 

 to clash, and interminable litigation followed. This 

 rendered very important the improvement in the 

 judiciary system which was begun in March by the 

 erection of the three counties into the "District of 

 Kentucky," with a court of common law and chan- 



27 Do., p. 522. Letter of Benjamin Logan, August n, 1783. 



28 "Pennsylvania Packet," No. 1,079. August 12, 1783. 



29 McAfee MSS. 



