"The early settlers were obliged for defence, to live in forts made of logs and earth, which they called stations. Round these stations, the Indians constantly lurked, in order to surprise, and get a shot at the settlers, and, after killing a man, retreated into the woods where it was useless to follow them. Whenever therefore, those in one station wished to send a message to those in another, the messenger, upon arriving within a quarter of a mile of his destination, used to raise a whoop in order that his friends might know he was coming, and might open the gate immediately; for if he stopped, even but a moment, he was almost sure to receive the bullet of some lurking Indian. Now, in the neighbourhood of the fort where I was," continued the old man, 66 some of these uncivilized beings observed our practice, and accordingly stretched across the path, within a couple of hundred yards of the fort, a small vine, so as to come up to the breast of a man on horseback. In a short time, a messenger they knew we expected, came on, raising his whoop, and galloping for the open gate as hard as he could; but not seeing the vine, he was thrown from his horse, head over heels. Two Indians immediately rushed out to tomahawk him; but, amused with the success of their stratagem, and the ridiculous way in which the man was thrown, burst into such a fit of laughter, that they fell down, and thus gave the affrighted messenger time to get up, and run into the station."

Perhaps the reader may have thought this anecdote rather long, but I cannot resist the temptation of giving him another, although it must be preceded by some prefatory remarks.

The early settlers of Kentucky all wore the "hunting-shirt," which is still the common dress of the hunters and backwoodsmen. It is a kind of short loose doublet, reaching about half-way down the thighs, with an upright collar, and a small but 'full cape. It is kept together in front with two or three buttons or hooks; and is as loose as an English farmer's smock-frock, but is fastened round the waist by a broad leather belt, in which hang the tomahawk and hunting knife. Over the shoulder passes another belt, to which is suspended the powder-horn, and the fur-pouch for bullets and wadding. The hunting-shirt is made of coarse blue linen, or (as they call it) linsey-woolsey, and is bound round the collar, cape, cuffs, and edges, with a red fringe. This dress, which is very commodious and serviceable, is one of the most becoming and elegant I have ever seen. Having said thus much about the hunting-shirt, I proceed to the other anecdote.

"Old General Scott and two or three others," said my landlord, "were sitting one evening in a log-tavern, when in came a tolerably well-dressed stranger, from the New England States, and called for half a pint of whiskey. The landlord informed him, that he did not sell it in such small quanti

ties. The old General, who was very fond of whiskey, said, 'Stranger, I will join you and pay half; therefore, Landlord, give us a pint of your best.' The whiskey was brought, and the General, who was to drink first, began by saying to the stranger, Colonel, your good health.' I am no Colonel,' replied the stranger. Well then,' said the General, Major, your good health.' I am no Major,' said the New Englander.

6

Then your

6

I am

good health, Captain,' said the General. no Captain, sir,' said the stranger, and what is more, never held a commission in my life.' Well then, by heavens!' said the old General, you are the first man in Kentucky that ever wore a cloth coat, and was not a commissioned officer.""

Such were the sort of anecdotes with which Mr. Coles entertained me, and made the evening the most pleasant one I had spent since leaving Washington.

I continued my journey the next morning through a well cleared and fertile country; but I did not think the land so rich as on the other side of Lexington.

Franck fort is a small but neat town, beautifully situated on the Kentucky. Nothing is seen of it, until you come to the edge of a very steep hill, over which the road passes; and then you are almost startled at seeing the town immediately beneath your feet. It is at the bottom of a large natural basin which is intersected by the river.

The Kentucky is navigable during the high

waters 90 miles above Franckfort, or 150 from its junction with the Ohio, where it is 160 yards wide. In the Cumberland mountains where it rises, there is a great abundance of fine coal which is brought down during the freshets or high

waters.

At Franckfort there is a good wooden bridge, supported on very lofty stone piers. The rain, just before I arrived, had been so violent and incessant, that the river rose fifty-five feet, but owing to the fine high banks did not inundate any part of the town.

As the legislature of the State was in session when I arrived at Franckfort, I had an opportunity of seeing the manner in which public business is managed in the Western States.

There are two Houses; one of Representatives, the members of which are elected annually; and the other of the Senate, of which the members are elected for four years. The Senators are much fewer in number than the Representatives, and are persons of superior education and respectability. Each house has the power of rejecting a bill proposed by the other, and it must always pass through both before it can become a law.

The supreme executive power of the commonwealth is vested in a chief magistrate, who is styled "the Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky." He is elected for four years, and

I

exercises the same powers in this individual State, that the President of the United States does, over the whole Federal Republic.

The Legislature meets in a large Court House. The hall of the Representatives might be called a very handsome one, if the figures on the walls and ceiling were better executed. The members are quite unworthy of their fine carpet, for they continually spit and squirt tobaccojuice upon it—a loathsome habit, which they think nothing of.

I remained eight days at Franckfort to attend the sittings, and was quite astonished to see every thing carried on with so much order and regularity. I heard some tolerable speeches in both houses, chiefly upon the subject of the currency of the State. Kentucky had been very much embarrassed in its finances by a bad system of paper currency; and as the whole State had been nearly drained of specie, a law had been passed to enable the commonwealth to issue a more respectable circulating medium. This paper, when I was in the State, had suffered a depreciation of fifty per cent. The State was even in want of copper coin; and many private individuals had issued little promissory notes of two and a half, four, and ten cents value, which of course were only accepted by those, who were acquainted with the man who issued them.