betty zane-第1部分

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Betty　Zane

by　Zane　Grey






TO　THE　BETTY　ZANE　CHAPTER　OF　THE　DAUGHTERS　OF　THE　REVOLUTION　THIS　BOOK　IS　RESPECTFULLY　DEDICATED　BY　THE　AUTHOR



NOTE


In　a　quiet　corner　of　the　stately　little　city　of　Wheeling；　West　Va。；　stands　a　monument　on　which　is　inscribed：

〃By　authority　of　the　State　of　West　Virginia　to　commemorate　the　siege　of　Fort　Henry；　Sept　11；　1782；　the　last　battle　of　the　American　Revolution；　this　tablet　is　here　placed。〃

Had　it　not　been　for　the　heroism　of　a　girl　the　foregoing　inscription　would　never　have　been　written；　and　the　city　of　Wheeling　would　never　have　existed。　From　time　to　time　I　have　read　short　stories　and　magazine　articles　which　have　been　published　about　Elizabeth　Zane　and　her　famous　exploit；　but　they　are　unreliable　in　some　particulars；　which　is　owing；　no　doubt；　to　the　singularly　meagre　details　available　in　histories　of　our　western　border。

For　a　hundred　years　the　stories　of　Betty　and　Isaac　Zane　have　been　familiar；　oft…repeated　tales　in　my　familytales　told　with　that　pardonable　ancestral　pride　which　seems　inherent　in　every　one。　My　grandmother　loved　to　cluster　the　children　round　her　and　tell　them　that　when　she　was　a　little　girl　she　had　knelt　at　the　feet　of　Betty　Zane；　and　listened　to　the　old　lady　as　she　told　of　her　brother's　capture　by　the　Indian　Princess；　of　the　burning　of　the　Fort；　and　of　her　own　race　for　life。　I　knew　these　stories　by　heart　when　a　child。

Two　years　ago　my　mother　came　to　me　with　an　old　note　book　which　had　been　discovered　in　some　rubbish　that　had　been　placed　in　the　yard　to　burn。　The　book　had　probably　been　hidden　in　an　old　picture　frame　for　many　years。　It　belonged　to　my　great…grandfather；　Col。　Ebenezer　Zane。　From　its　faded　and　time…worn　pages　I　have　taken　the　main　facts　of　my　story。　My　regret　is　that　a　worthier　pen　than　mine　has　not　had　this　wealth　of　material。

In　this　busy　progressive　age　there　are　no　heroes　of　the　kind　so　dear　to　all　lovers　of　chivalry　and　romance。　There　are　heroes；　perhaps；　but　they　are　the　patient　sad…faced　kind；　of　whom　few　take　cognizance　as　they　hurry　onward。　But　cannot　we　all　remember　some　one　who　suffered　greatly；　who　accomplished　great　deeds；　who　died　on　the　battlefieldsome　one　around　whose　name　lingers　a　halo　of　glory？　Few　of　us　are　so　unfortunate　that　we　cannot　look　backward　on　kith　or　kin　and　thrill　with　love　and　reverence　as　we　dream　of　an　act　of　heroism　or　martyrdom　which　rings　down　the　annals　of　time　like　the　melody　of　the　huntsman's　horn；　as　it　peals　out　on　a　frosty　October　morn　purer　and　sweeter　with　each　succeeding　note。

If　to　any　of　those　who　have　such　remembrances；　as　well　as　those　who　have　not；　my　story　gives　an　hour　of　pleasure　I　shall　be　rewarded。



PROLOGUE


On　June　16；　1716；　Alexander　Spotswood；　Governor　of　the　Colony　of　Virginia；　and　a　gallant　soldier　who　had　served　under　Marlborough　in　the　English　wars；　rode；　at　the　head　of　a　dauntless　band　of　cavaliers；　down　the　quiet　street　of　quaint　old　Williamsburg。

The　adventurous　spirits　of　this　party　of　men　urged　them　toward　the　land　of　the　setting　sun；　that　unknown　west　far　beyond　the　blue　crested　mountains　rising　so　grandly　before　them。

Months　afterward　they　stood　on　the　western　range　of　the　Great　North　mountains　towering　above　the　picturesque　Shenendoah　Valley；　and　from　the　summit　of　one　of　the　loftiest　peaks；　where；　until　then；　the　foot　of　a　white　man　had　never　trod；　they　viewed　the　vast　expanse　of　plain　and　forest　with　glistening　eyes。　Returning　to　Williamsburg　they　told　of　the　wonderful　richness　of　the　newly　discovered　country　and　thus　opened　the　way　for　the　venturesome　pioneer　who　was　destined　to　overcome　all　difficulties　and　make　a　home　in　the　western　world。

But　fifty　years　and　more　passed　before　a　white　man　penetrated　far　beyond　the　purple　spires　of　those　majestic　mountains。

One　bright　morning　in　June；　1769；　the　figure　of　a　stalwart；　broad　shouldered　man　could　have　been　seen　standing　on　the　wild　and　rugged　promontory　which　rears　its　rocky　bluff　high　above　the　Ohio　river；　at　a　point　near　the　mouth　of　Wheeling　Creek。　He　was　alone　save　for　the　companionship　of　a　deerhound　that　crouched　at　his　feet。　As　he　leaned　on　a　long　rifle；　contemplating　the　glorious　scene　that　stretched　before　km；　a　smile　flashed　across　his　bronzed　cheek；　and　his　heart　bounded　as　he　forecast　the　future　of　that　spot。　In　the　river　below　him　lay　an　island　so　round　and　green　that　it　resembled　a　huge　lily　pad　floating　placidly　on　the　water。　The　fresh　green　foliage　of　the　trees　sparkled　with　glittering　dewdrops。　Back　of　him　rose　the　high　ridges；　and；　in　front；　as　far　as　eye　could　reach；　extended　an　unbroken　forest。

Beneath　him　to　the　left　and　across　a　deep　ravine　he　saw　a　wide　level　clearing。　The　few　scattered　and　blackened　tree　stumps　showed　the　ravages　made　by　a　forest　fire　in　the　years　gone　by。　The　field　was　now　overgrown　with　hazel　and　laurel　bushes；　and　intermingling　with　them　w　ere　the　trailing　arbutus；　the　honeysuckle；　and　the　wild　rose。　A　fragrant　perfume　was　wafted　upward　to　him。　A　rushing　creek　bordered　one　edge　of　the　clearing。　After　a　long　quiet　reach　of　water；　which　could　be　seen　winding　back　in　the　hills；　the　stream　tumbled　madly　over　a　rocky　ledge；　and　white　with　foam；　it　hurried　onward　as　if　impatient　of　long　restraint；　and　lost　its　individuality　in　the　broad　Ohio。

This　solitary　hunter　was　Colonel　Ebenezer　Zane。　He　was　one　of　those　daring　men；　who；　as　the　tide　of　emigration　started　westward；　had　left　his　friends　and　family　and　had　struck　out　alone　into　the　wilderness。　Departing　from　his　home　in　Eastern　Virginia　he　had　plunged　into　the　woods；　and　after　many　days　of　hunting　and　exploring；　he　reached　the　then　far　Western　Ohio　valley。

The　scene　so　impressed　Colonel　Zane　that　he　concluded　to　found　a　settlement　there。　Taking　〃tomahawk　possession〃　of　the　locality　（which　consisted　of　blazing　a　few　trees　with　his　tomahawk）；　he　built　himself　a　rude　shack　and　remained　that　summer　on　the　Ohio。

In　the　autumn　he　set　out　for　Berkeley　County；　Virginia；　to　tell　his　people　of　the　magnificent　country　he　had　discovered。　The　following　spring　he　persuaded　a　number　of　settlers；　of　a　like　spirit　with　himself；　to　accompany　him　to　the　wilderness。　Believing　it　unsafe　to　take　their　families　with　them　at　once；　they　left　them　at　Red　Stone　on　the　Monongahela　river；　while　the　men；　including　Colonel　Zane；　his　brothers　Silas；　Andrew；　Jonathan　and　Isaac；　the　Wetzels；　McCollochs；　Bennets；　Metzars　and　others；　pushed　on　ahead。

The　country　through　which　they　passed　was　one　tangled；　most　impenetrable　forest；　the　axe　of　the　pioneer　had　never　sounded　in　this　region；　where　every　rod　of　the　way　might　harbor　some　unknown　danger。

These　reckless　bordermen　knew　not　the　meaning　of　fear；　to　all；　daring　adventure　was　welcome；　and　the　screech　of　a　redskin　and　the　ping　of　a　bullet　were　familiar　sounds；　to　the　Wetzels；　McCollochs　and　Jonathan　Zane　the　hunting　of　Indians　was　the　most　thrilling　passion　of　their　lives；　indeed；　the　Wetzels；　particularly；　knew　no　other　occupation。　They　had　attained　a　wonderful　skill　with　the　rifle；　long　practice　had　rendered　their　senses　as　acute　as　those　of　the　fox。　Skilled　in　every　variety　of　woodcraft；　with　lynx　eyes　ever　on　the　alert　for　detecting　a　trail；　or　the　curling　smoke　of　some　camp　fire；　or　the　minutest　sign　of　an　enemy；　these　men　stole　onward　through　the　forest　with　the　cautious　but　dogged　and　persistent　determination　that　was　characteristic　of　the　settler。

They　at　length　climbed　the　commanding　bluff　overlooking　the　majestic　river；　and　as　they　gazed　out　on　the　undulating　and　uninterrupted　area　of　green；　their　hearts　beat　high　with　hope。

The　keen　axe；　wielded　by　strong　arms；　soon　opened　the　clearing　and　reared　stout　log　cabins　on　the　river　bluff。　Then　Ebenezer　Zane　and　his　followers　moved　their　families　and　soon　the　settlement　began　to　grow　and　flourish。　As　the　little　village　commenced　to　prosper　the　redmen　became　troublesome。　Settlers　were　shot　while　plowing　the　fields　or　gathering　the　harvests。　Bands　of　hostile　Indians　prowled　around　and　made　it　dangerous　for　anyone　to　leave　the　clearing。　Frequently　the　first　person　to　appear　in　the　early　morning　would　be　shot　at　by　an　Indian　concealed　in　the　woods。

General　George　Rodgers　Clark；　commandant　of　the　Western　Military　Department；　arrived　at　the　village　in　1774。　As　an　attack　from　the　savages　was　apprehended　during　the　year　the　settlers　determined　to　erect　a　fort　as　a　defense　for　the　infant　settlement。　It　was　planned　by　General　Clark　and　built　by　the　people　themselves。　At　first　they　called　it　Fort　Fincastle；　in　honor　of　Lord　Dunmore；　who；　at　the　time　of　its　erection；　was　Governor　of　the　Colony　of　Virginia。　In　1776　its　name　was　changed　to　Fort。　Henry；　in　honor　of　Patrick　Henry。

For　many　years　it　remained　the　most　famous　fort　on　the　frontier；　having　withstood　numberless　Indian　attacks　and　two　memorable　sieges；　one　in　1777；　which　year　is　called　the　year　of　the　〃Bloody　Sevens；〃　and　again　in　1782。　In　this　last　siege　the　British　Rangers　under　Hamilton　took　part　with　the　Indians；　making　the　attack　practically　the　last　battle　of　the　Revolution。



BETTY　ZANE

CHAPTER　I。

The　Zane　family　was　a　remarkable　one　in　early　days；　and　most　of　its　members　are　historical　characters。

The　first　Zane　of　whom　any　trace　can　be　found