formerly suffered some violent convulsion; and
that these are the dismembered remains of the dreadful shock; the ruins,
not of Persepolis or Palmyra, but of the world!

I remained with my family on Clench until the sixth of June, 1774,
when I and one Michael Stoner were solicited by Governor Dunmore, of
Virginia, to go to the Falls of the Ohio, to conduct into the settlement
a number of surveyors that had been sent thither by him some months
before; this country having about this time drawn the attention of many
adventurers. We immediately complied with the Governor's request, and
conducted in the surveyors, compleating a tour of eight hundred miles,
through many difficulties, in sixty-two days.

Soon after I returned home, I was ordered to take the command of three
garrisons during the campaign, which Governor Dunmore carried on against
the Shawanese Indians: After the conclusion of which, the Militia was
discharged from each garrrison, and I being relieved from my post,
was solicited by a number of North-Carolina gentlemen, that were about
purchasing the lands lying on the S. side of Kentucke River, from the
Cherokee Indians, to attend their treaty at Wataga, in March, 1775, to
negotiate with them, and, mention the boundaries of the purchase. This
I accepted, and at the request of the same gentlemen, undertook to
mark out a road in the best passage from the settlement through the
wilderness to Kentucke, with such assistance as I thought necessary to
employ for such an important undertaking.

I soon began this work, having collected a number of enterprising men,
well armed. We proceeded with all possible expedition until we came
within fifteen miles of where Boonsborough now stands, and where we were
fired upon by a party of Indians that killed two, and wounded two of our
number; yet, although surprised and taken at a disadvantage, we stood
our ground. This was on the twentieth of March, 1775. Three days after,
we were fired upon again, and had two men killed, and three wounded.
Afterwards we proceeded on to Kentucke river without opposition; and on
the first day of April began to erect the fort of Boonsborough at a salt
lick, about sixty yards from the river, on the S. side.

On the fourth day, the Indians killed one of our men.--We were busily
employed in building this fort, until the fourteenth day of June
following, without any farther opposition from the Indians; and having
finished the works, I returned to my