Chapter 10 – Boonesborough
March 1776 – April 1777
Ethan looked out from the walls of Boonesborough watching a group of hunters returning from the day’s hunt. Once again he was amazed at how abundant this wilderness was. He counted four deer, a bear, three turkeys, and a brace of rabbits being dragged along on a travois. He was also reminded of how dangerous a place was this wilderness as he spied another travois bearing one of the hunters with an arrow sticking out of his leg. He fixed his gaze on the wounded man trying to determine who it was. His father, Daniel, and his uncle Henry were part of the hunting party. The man’s face finally came into view and to his relief it wasn’t either of them, it was one of the slaves. However, when he scanned the rest of the group, neither one was there. Then a musket shot rang out from the woods behind the returning group, and Ethan saw Daniel and Henry come racing out. Daniel was reloading on the run. Henry stopped long enough to fire his gun, causing the band of Shawnee to slow their pursuit. Out of the gate to the settlement a trio of armed men came out to cover the hunters. They were joined by two women, Deborah Mallory, and Liza Clarke, both wielding loaded muskets. The hunting party reached the gate; Daniel and Henry close behind when the Shawnee opened fire. Daniel felt one ball pass by his head. Henry was stunned for a second as two balls hit the ground just behind him, his legs stung by the scattering stones. As they passed them, the five defenders returned fire, wounding two warriors. The Shawnee gathered them up and retreated back to the woods.
“My God, Daniel,” said Henry after catching his breath, “if those Shawnee ever learn to shoot a moving target, we’ll be in a world of trouble.”
Mallory Saga 