Stories of Old KentuckyPurcell, Martha C. Grassham, Mrs.
History
Stories of Old Kentucky
Purcell, Martha C. Grassham, Mrs.
Kentucky -- History
After spending a few weeks at the mouth of the Scioto, a number of the
savages proceeded to Big Bone Lick, over a hundred miles away. With them
they took Mrs. Inglis and an old Dutch lady who had been in captivity
for a long while. Not being daunted by fear or distance from home, these
pioneer women planned and effected an escape. On the pretext of
gathering grapes they started from camp one afternoon with only a
blanket, knife, and tomahawk.
With eager feet they reached the Ohio, and followed its windings, until
after five days' journeying they found themselves opposite the mouth of
the Scioto. Fortune favored them, for a horse was grazing there and also
some corn was close at hand. Although near Indian villages, they loaded
the horse with corn and pressed on to the mouth of the Big Sandy, but
were compelled to go farther up that stream to effect a crossing. After
going some distance, the women crossed on driftwood, but the horse,
falling among the logs, was finally abandoned, and with only a scanty
store of corn they pursued their dangerous journey.
[Illustration: They crossed the river on driftwood.]
Had it not been for walnuts, grapes, and pawpaws, hunger would have
stayed their steps. Even with these the Dutch woman was not long
satisfied and, driven to desperation, she threatened and attempted the
life of Mrs. Inglis. But the latter succeeded in escaping from her
frantic companion and, finding a canoe, took a broad splinter for a
paddle and reached the Ohio shore. When morning dawned and the Dutch
woman saw Mrs. Inglis on the other bank, she pleaded with her to return
to her rescue. But fearing a repetition of her late fury, Mrs. Inglis
turned a deaf ear to entreaties and hastened, as fast as her exhausted
condition permitted, towards home. At last, after more than forty days
of dire suffering and destitution, she reached a cabin where careful
attention soon restored her to health and from there she was taken to a
near-by fort and restored to her husband. A party went in search of the
Dutch woman and brought her safely to the settlement. One of the little
sons died soon after being separated from his mother, while thirteen
years elapsed before the father found and rescued the other.
WHEN THE WOMEN BROUGHT THE WATER
The women of Kentucky have never been known to falter whatever demand
duty might make upon them; yet at no period in the history of our
commonwealth has there been any more severe test of the courage of her
daughters than occurred on the morning of August 15, 1782, at a point
about five miles northeast of Lexington on the present road from that
city to Maysville.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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