Page:Early western travels, 1748-1846 (1907 Volume 4).djvu/184



Nicholasville—Assembly of birds—Shafts to salt spring—Millersburgh—Capt. Waller—State of the country at first settlement—Massacre of the American militia under Col. Todd by the Indians—Astonishing plenty of game—Mode of killing the buffaloe—Their extirpation—Canes—Paper mill—Johnston's—North branch of Elkhorn—General Russel.

Friday, twenty-first July, we arose early and proceeded on our journey. At about two miles from Blue Licks we passed a tavern, a double log gaol and a court house in a very solitary situation, dignified with the name of Nicholasville, it being the seat of the county courts of Nicholas county. In one spot on the road were two crows, two doves, four red-birds, and four partridges, assembled as if in council. They all took wing at our approach except the partridges, which in this country are wonderfully abundant, and very tame. They will walk quietly to the side of the road and look at the passing traveller with innocent confidence.

There were but one or two houses in the next six miles, which are through a stony defile between barren hills. The country then becomes better inhabited and the soil gradually improves to Millersburgh, a village of about thirty houses, thirteen miles from Blue Licks.[118] There is on the road an old shaft where an attempt was made to come at a salt spring {156} without success, but a little further they succeeded in finding a very strong one, which was rendered useless by some springs of fresh water flowing into the salt, at such a depth as to render the turning them away if not impracticable, at least too expensive.

We breakfasted at Capt. Waller's tavern, at Millers-*