The Indian Wars, 1784-1787 95 



most widely renowned for its fertility; it was much 

 more accessible and more firmly held, and its gov 

 ernment was on a more permanent footing than 

 was the case in the Wabash, Illinois, and Cumber 

 land regions. In consequence the majority of the 

 men who went West to build homes fixed their eyes 

 on the vigorous young community which lay north 

 of the Ohio, and which already aspired to the hon 

 ors of Statehood. 



The immigrants came into Kentucky in two 

 streams, following two different routes the Ohio 

 River, and Boone's old Wilderness Trail. Those 

 who came overland, along the latter road, were 

 much fewer in number than those who came by 

 water; and yet they were so numerous that the trail 

 at times was almost thronged, and much care had 

 to be taken in order to find camping places where 

 there was enough feed for the horses. The people 

 who traveled this wilderness road went in the usual 

 backwoods manner, on horseback, with laden pack- 

 trains, and often with their herds and flocks. Young 

 men went out alone or in parties; and groups of 

 families from the same neighborhood often jour 

 neyed together. They struggled over the narrow, 

 ill-made roads which led from the different back 

 settlements, until they came to the last outposts 

 of civilization east of the Cumberland Mountains; 

 scattered block-houses, whose owners were by turns 

 farmers, tavern-keepers, hunters, and Indian fight 

 ers. Here they usually waited until a sufficient 

 number had gathered together to furnish a band 



