Ten Days in Ohio. 253 



come the cautious cunning of the half reasoning Beaver ; never fail- 

 ing, when once in their neighborhood, of securing them in his traps. 

 His person had been formed after one of natures largest and most 

 perfect models ; being several inches over six feet in height, with 

 limbs of uncommon muscular size and strength. His face was broad 

 with high cheek bones, terminating in a projecting chin, indicative of 

 great firmness of purpose and natural bravery. A light hunters cap 

 covered his head, affording a slight protection to his small keen eyes, 

 which always shone with uncommon lustre at the approach of danger. 

 He could neither read nor write : but as his mental faculties had been 

 uncultivated, his outward senses became doubly acute and active. 

 His usual dress was in the true backwoods style ; consisting of raoca- 

 sins, buckskin leggins reaching above the knees, and fastened to a gar- 

 ment around the loins, a coarse woollen hunting shirt covered his arras 

 and body, the skirts reaching to the tops of the leggins, and fastened 

 around him by a broad leathern belt, to which was suspended a hun- 

 ting knife and tomahawk : while a capacious powder horn and bullet- 

 pouch, hung by a strap from the opposite shoulder. ' The rifle he was 

 accustomed to use was of the largest caliber ; and of such a thickness and 

 length that few men were able to raise it to the eye with a steady hand. 

 His four brothers were all of the same gigantic mould, one or two 

 of whom were employed as rangers, by the Ohio Company during 

 the Indian war. Two sisters were also more than six feet in height. 

 When the colonists from New England, took possession of the coun- 

 try about Marietta, Fleehart resided with his wife and family of 

 young children on an island in the Ohio river, near Belpre ; since 

 become classic ground as the scene of Aaron Burr's conspiracy, and 

 the abode of Blennerhasset, so touchingly described by the pathetic 

 eloquence of William Wirt. After the war broke out in 1791, he 

 removed them into " Farmer's Castle," a strong stockaded garrison 

 opposite to the island, and resided there himself; but in the most 

 dangerous times he would hunt fearlessly, and alone, in the adjoining 

 forests ; and whenever there was an alarm given by the rangers, 

 who constantly scoured the woods, and the other tenants of the " cas- 

 tle" were seen hurrying from their cornfields within its protecting 

 walls, Fleehart would almost invariably shoulder his rifle and take 

 to the adjacent woods, like honest Leatherstoeking in the " Last of 

 the Mohegans;" giving as a reason that he could do more service 

 there in case of an actual attack ; and also feeling himself more free 

 and courageous when behind a tree and fighting in the Indian manner, 

 depending on his own personal activity, than when cooped up in a 



