16 AUDUBON THE NATURALIST. 
This luxuriance contrasts picturesquely with 
the northern portions of the country. These, 
dreary and wild, present only hills of sand, or 
lines of rugged cliff, amidst which here and there 
a torrent dashes with menacing roar, and far 
winding gorges, dark and deep, are suddenly 
disclosed by the juttings of the crag, to the dis- 
may of the travellers. Savage wildernesses, — 
too, terrible as Dante’s solitude, are there, which, 
abounding in legendary interest, are renowned 
in Kentuckian story, and form not the least attri- 
bute of these strange romantic regions. There 
it was that the Indians, driven from their origi- 
nal territories, or hunting grounds, took up a 
position to wage a relentless war with their ag- 
gressors, whose strength’ was tested in many a 
fierce encounter with the swarthy Shawnees. 
Still to these memorable tracts does many a 
“sporting party” resort, where the remains of 
rough built tents tell of the invincible hunter- 
warriors, who once held them as their own, 
Dauntless heroes of a different race existed, how- 
ever, ready to dispute the possession of every 
inch of Kentucky land with the tawny settlers, 
Warrod and Boone were distinguished among 
them, but even they were surpassed in bravery, 
by one whose matchless skill in contest, whose 
ruthless ferocity and indomitable daring were 
so remarkable, as to be regarded by the savages 
