ontrary,
distinguished by a sense of humanity, and a just abhorrence of those
cruelties so frequently inflicted on the innocent and unoffending, as
well as upon those who were really obnoxious to savage enmity. Such
indeed were the acts of beneficence which characterized him, and so
great his partiality for the English, that the finger of his brethren
would point to his cabin as the residence of Logan, "the friend of
white men." "In the course of the French war, he remained at home,
idle and inactive;" opposed to the interference of his nation, "an
advocate for peace." When his family fell before the fury of
exasperated men, he felt himself impelled to avenge their deaths; and
exchanging the pipe of peace, for the tomahawk of war, became active
in seeking opportunities to glut his vengeance.[19] With this object
in view, at the head of the party which has been mentioned, he
traversed the county from the Ohio to the West Fork, before an
opportunity was presented him of achieving any mischief. Their
distance from what was supposed would be the theatre of war, had
rendered the inhabitants of that section of country, comparatively
inattentive to their safety. Relying on the expectation that the first
blow would be struck on the Ohio, and that they would have sufficient
notice of this to prepare for their own security, before danger could
reach them, many had continued to perform the ordinary business of
their farms.

On the 12th day of July, as William Robinson, Thomas Hellen and
Coleman Brown were pulling flax in a field opposite the mouth of
Simpson's creek, Logan and his party approached unperceived and fired
at them. Brown fell instantly; his body perforated by several balls;
and Hellen and Robinson [119] unscathed, sought safety in flight.
Hellen being then an old man, was soon overtaken and made captive; but
Robinson, with the elasticity of youth, ran a considerable distance
before he was taken; and but for an untoward accident might have
effected an escape. Believing that he was outstripping his pursuers,
and anxious to ascertain the fact, he looked over his shoulder, but
before he discovered the Indian giving chase, he ran with such
violence against a tree, that he fell, stunned by the shock and lay
powerless and insensible. In this situation he was secured with a
cord; and when he revived, was taken back to the place where the
Indians had Hellen in confinement, and where lay the lifeless body of
Brown. They then