were, could be seen.
Mr. ---- and the other gentlemen were astonished, and I must allow I was
as much surprised as pleased myself. I made affidavit of this remarkable
occurrence in presence of these gentlemen. Mr. ---- gained his cause.
I left Green River forever, and came to where we now are; and sir I wish
you a good-night.'"

[Footnote 55: Peck.]

[Footnote 56: Life of Boone.]

[Footnote 57: This would be about the year 1810.]

CHAPTER XXII.

Colonel Boone receives a large grant of land from the Spanish
Government of Upper Louisiana--He subsequently loses it by
neglecting to secure the formal title--His law suits in his
new home--Character of the people--Sketch of the history of
Missouri--Colonel Boone's hunting--He pays his debts by the
sale of furs--Hunting excursions continued--In danger from the
Indians--Taken sick in his hunting camp--His relatives settled in
his neighborhood--Colonel Boone applies to Congress to recover his
land--The Legislature of Kentucky supports his claim--Death of
Mrs. Boone--Results of the application to Congress--He receives
one-eleventh part of his just claim--He ceases to hunt--Occupations
of his declining years--Mr. Harding paints his portrait.

In consideration of his official services as Syndic, ten thousand
arpents[58] of excellent land were given to Colonel Boone by the
Government. Under the special law, in order to make his title good, he
should have obtained a confirmation of his grant from the immediate
representative of the Crown, then residing in New Orleans. But his
friend, the Commandant at St. Louis, undertook to dispense with his
residence on the land which was another condition to a sound title, and
Boone probably supposed that "all would be right" without attending to
any of the formalities, and neglected to take the necessary steps for
holding his land securely.

It is probable that he foresaw that Missouri would soon become a part of
the United States, and expected justice from that quarter. But in this
he was disappointed, for when that event took place, the commissioners
of the United States appointed to decide on confirmed claims felt
constrained by their instructions and rejected Colonel Boone's claims
for want of legal formalities.

Thus was the noble pioneer a second time deprived of the recompense
of his inestimable services by his inattention to the precautions
necessary for secu