To have witnessed the industry and perseverance of these emigrants must at once have proved the origin of their minds.Regardless of the fatigue attending every movement which they made，they pushed through an unexplored region of dark and tangled forests，guiding themselves by the sun alone，and reposing at night on the bare ground.They had to cross numberless streams on rafts with their wives and children，their cattle，and their luggage；often drifting to considerable distances before they could effect a landing on the opposite shores.Their cattle would often stray amid the rich pasturage of these shores，and occasion a delay of several days.To these troubles add the constantly impending danger of being murdered，while asleep in their encampments，by the prowling and ruthless Indians.To encounter difficulties like these must have required energies of no ordinary kind，and the reward which these veteran settlers enjoyed was doubtless well merited.
Some removed from the Atlantic shores to those of the Ohio in more comfort and security.They had their wagons，their negroes，andtheir families；their way was cut through the woods by their axmen the day before their advance；and，when night overtook them，the hunters attached to the party came to the place pitched upon for encamping，loaded with the dainties of which the forest yielded an abundant supply；the blazing light of a huge fire guiding their steps as they approached，and the sounds of merriment that saluted their ears assuring them that all was well.The flesh of the buffalo，the bear，and the deer soon hung in large and delicious steaks in front of the embers；the cakes，already prepared，were deposited in their proper places，and，under the rich drip of the juicy roasts，were quickly baked.The wagons contained the bedding；and，while the horses which had drawn them were turned loose to feed on the luxuriant undergrowth of the woods，some perhaps hoppled，but the greater number merely with a bell hung to their neck，to guide their owners in the morning to the spot where they may have rambled，the party were enjoying themselves after the fatigues of the day.
In anticipation，all is pleasure；and these migrating bands feasted in joyous sociality，unapprehensive of any greater difficulties than those to be encountered in forcing their way through the pathless woods to the land of abundance；and although it took months to accomplish the journey，and a skirmish now and then took place between them and the Indians，who sometimes crept unperceived into their very camp，still did the Virginians cheerfully proceed toward the western horizon，until the various groups all reached the Ohio；when，struck with the beauty of that magnificent stream，they at once commenced the task of clearing land for the purpose of establishing a permanent residence.
Others，perhaps encumbered with too much luggage，preferred descending the stream.They prepared arks pierced with putholes，and glided on the gentle current；more annoyed，however，than those who marched by land，by the attack of Indians，who watched their motions.
Many travelers have described these boats，formerly called arks ，but now named flatboats；but have they told you that in those times a boat thirty or forty feet in length，by ten or twelve in breadth，was considered a stupendous fabric？that this boat contained men，women，and children，huddled together with horses，cattle，hogs，and poultry fortheir companions，while the remaining portion was crammed with vegetables and packages of seeds？The roof or deck of the boat was not unlike a farmyard，being covered with hay，plows，carts，wagons，and various agricultural implements，together with numerous others，among which the spinningwheels of the matrons were conspicuous.Even the sides of the floating mass were loaded with the wheels of the different vehicles，which themselves lay on the roof.
Have they told you that these boats contained the little all of each family of venturous emigrants，who，fearful of being discovered by the Indians，moved about in darkness when night came on，groping their way from one part to another of these floating habitations，and denying themselves the comfort of fire or light，lest the foe that watched them from the shore would rush upon them and destroy them？Have they told you that this boat was used，after the tedious voyage was ended，as the first dwelling of these new settlers？
I shall not describe the many massacres which took place among the different parties of white and red men，as the former moved down the Ohio，because I have never been very fond of battles，and，indeed，have always wished that the world were more peaceably inclined than it is；and I shall merely add that，in one way or another，Kentucky was wrested from the original owners of the soil.