This is my line of Downings! At least, it is my husband's! Thank you, thank you. Lana Downing ---------- > From: James A Downing <james.a.downing@gte.net> > To: DOWNING-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: [DOWNING-L] The Adventures of Francis Downing - part 1 > Date: Friday, January 08, 1999 1:19 PM > > >From Jim Downing, > > Sorry the following is so long (two pages), but to shorten it would > sacrifice it's humor! > > Extracted from "McClung's Sketches of Western Adventure" > > In 1826 Dr. John T. Lewis married Letitia G. Downing, who was born in > Lexington, KY (1806) and died in the same place (1844). She was a daughter > of Francis Downing of Lexington, KY. > > The following adventure of Francis Downing, Sr., is but one of the many in > which he was engaged. Most of them were published in the Kentucky Gazette by > John Bradford, the first editor of the first paper published west of the > mountains, under the caption of Bradford's Notes on KY. > > In the month of August, 1786, Mr. Francis Downing, Sr., then a mere lad, was > living in a fort where, subsequently, some iron works were erected by Mr. > Jacob Myers, which are now known by the name of Slate Creek Works, and are > the property of Colonel Thomas Dye Owings. About the 16th, a young man > belonging to the fort called upon Downing and requested his assistance in > hunting for a horse which had strayed away on the preceding evening. Downing > readily complied, and the two friends traversed the woods in every direction > until at length, toward evening, they found themselves in a wild valley at > the distance of six or seven miles from the fort. > > Here Downing became alarmed and repeatedly assured his elder companion > (whose name was Yates) that he heard sticks cracking behind them and was > confident that indians were dogging them. Yates, being an experienced > hunter, and from habit grown indifferent to the dangers of the woods, > diverted himself freely at the expense of his young companion, often > inquiring at what price he rated his scalp, and offering to insure it for a > sixpence. Downing, however, was not so easily satisfied. He observed that in > whatever direction they turned the same ominous sounds continued to haunt > them, and as Yates still treated his fears with the most perfect > indifference Downing determined to take his measures upon his own > responsibility. > > Gradually slackening his pace, he permitted Yates to advance twenty or > thirty steps in front of him, and immediately after descending a gentle hill > he suddenly sprung aside and hid himself in a thick cluster of whortleberry > bushes. Yates, who at that time was performing some woodland ditty to the > full extent of his lungs, was too much pleased with his own voice to attend > either to Downing or the Indians and was quickly out of sight. Scarcely had > Yates disappeared when, to > his unspeakable terror, Downing beheld two savages who put aside the stalks > of a canebrake and looked out cautiously in the direction which Yates had > taken.Fearful that they had seen him step aside he determined to fire upon > them and trust to his heels for safety, but so unsteady was his hand that in > raising his gun to his shoulder it went off before he had taken aim. > > He lost no time in following its example, and after having run fifty yards > he met Yates, who, alarmed at the report, was hastily retracing his steps. > It was not necessary to inquire what was the matter. The enemy were in full > view, pressing forward with great rapidity, and "devil take the hindmost" > was the order of the day. Yates would not outstrip Downing, but ran by his > side, although in so doing he risked both of their lives. The Indians were > well acquainted with the country, and soon took a path that diverged from > the one which the whites followed at one point and rejoined it at another, > bearing the same relation to it that the string does to the bow. > > The two paths were, at no point, distant from each other more than one > hundred yards, so that Yates and Downing could easily see the enemy gaining > rapidly upon them. They reached the point of reunion first, however, and > quickly came to a deep gully which it was necessary to cross or retrace > their steps. Yates cleared it without difficulty, but Downing, being much > exhausted, fell short, and falling with his breast against the opposite > brink rebounded with violence and fell at full length on the bottom. > > The Indians crossed the ditch a few yards below him and, eager for the > capture of Yates, continued the pursuit without appearing to notice Downing. > The latter, who at first had given himself up for lost, quickly recovered > his strength and began to walk slowly along the ditch, fearing to leave it > lest the enemy should see him. As he advanced, however, the ditch became > more shallow until at length it ceased to protect him at all. Looking around > cautiously he saw one of the Indians returning apparently in quest of him. > > Unfortunately, he had neglected to reload his gun while in the ditch, and as > the Indian instantly advanced upon him he had no resource but flight. > Throwing away his gun, which was now useless, he plied his legs manfully in > ascending a long ridge which stretched before him, but the Indian gained > upon him so rapidly that he lost all hope of escape. Coming, at length to a > large poplar which had been blown up by the roots, he ran along the body of > the tree upon one side while the Indian followed it upon the other, > doubtless expecting to intercept him at the root. But here the supreme > dominion of fortune was manifested. > > It happened that a large she-bear was suckling her cubs in a bed which she > had made at the root of the tree, and as the Indian reached that point first > she instantly sprang upon him, and a prodigious uproar took place. The > Indian yelled and stabbed with his knife; the bear growled and saluted him > with one of her most endearing "hugs," while Downing, fervently wishing her > success, ran off through the woods without waiting to see the end of the > struggle. > > He reached the fort in safety and found Yates reposing, after a hot chase, > having eluded his pursuers and gained the fort two hours before him. On the > next morning they collected a party and returned to the poplar tree, but no > traces either of the Indian or bear were to be found. They both probably > escaped with their lives, although not without injury. > > For more on Francis Downing's Adventures see Part 2 ! > > > > ==== DOWNING Mailing List ==== > What Downing resources do you own? Tell us.