Among the young men, none were more entitled-to distinction, and to praise, for active and meritorious services, than James Ray. Who ready upon all occasions of alarm-prompt in the pursuit of the enemy and brave in the field of battle, hardly ever missed a skirmish in the neighbourhood, or an expedition into the Indian country: while his more humble services as a hunter, and spy, no less exposed him to danger, than they endeared him to the feelings, and remembrance of his cotemporaries.

Compelled to limit notices which affect individuals only; it is nevertheless thought that no apology is necessary, for the following details, respecting the family of McAfee,

As early as 1773, James, and Robert, McAfee, left their residence in the county of Botetourt, Virginia, to seek a future home in the wilds of Kentucky. They arrived in the country that year; explored it extensively, and fixed on lands adjoining to Salt river, five or six miles from Harrodsburgh, as their choice of the whole. A permanent settlement was their object: and with this view they, after returning to Botetourt, came again to Kentucky in 1774; revisited their former selections of land; and made some improvements--as were usual among the early adventurers-deemed by them sufficient evidence of right, to exclude others, and authorize their own future possession.

They however, did not remain on the ground-but the next year, returned to it and added something to their former improvements. Their brothers, William, and George, were now their companions.

In this year, they found both Harrodsburgh, and Boonesborough, settled: and some of the brothers were persuaded by Colonel Henderson, to join him; who assured them they might take up as much land as they wanted, by entry in his officethat he was proprietor, and could give a better title than Virginia. But James McAfee, confiding in the Virginia righ resisted these alluring offers; while the others, seduced by them raised a crop of corn at Boonesborough; and made sundry entries for land in the office of the company. The fate of Hens

derson's title is already known-their entries fell with it.Nevertheless, they had by raising the corn, entitled themselves to claim settlement and pre-emptions in the country; as will be hereafter explained; and this enterprising family further traced.

This history, has already disclosed the fact, that the third establishment in the country, was effected under the auspices of Benjamin Logan. To whom, as one of the founders of the commonwealth, it is now proposed to pay particular attention.

A tall, athletic, contemplative, well balanced, and dignified, figure-distinguished his person, and appearance. He was taciturn--the statesman's eye, was crowned in him, with the warrior's brow; while a countenance, which evinced an unyielding fortitude, and an impenetrable guard—invited to a confidence, which was never betrayed. In 1775, a private citizen, aiming at no distinction, even without party, Logan came to Kentucky. His intention was to settle in the country. As his character unfolded itself, he was successively appointed a magistrate, elected a legislator, commissioned a colonel, and promoted to the rank and title, of general.

The parents of Benjamin Logan, were born in Ireland, and when young, removed to Pennsylvania, where they intermarried; and shortly afterwards, sought, and found, a permanent settlement in the county of Augusta, and colony of Virginia. There, Benjamin became their first born; and there, by the practice of industry, and the observance of œconomy, as cultivators of the soil, in which they had acquired the feesimple estate; they became independent livers, with a growing offspring. At the age of fourteen years, Benjamin, lost his father, by untimely death; and found himself prematurely burthened with a numerous fraternal family-under the superintendence, and aid, however, of a prudent mother, to whom, he was a most affectionate and dutiful son.

Neither the circumstances of the country, then newly settled, nor the pecuniary resources of the father, had been favourable to the education of the son; nor is it to be supposed that the widowed mother, had it more in her power, whatever her in

clination might be, to reward his faithful services, with literary endowments--an imperfect education was all he acquired, The truth is, that in this respect, his mind was not only unadorned by science, but almost unaided by letters. His domestic lessons, which consisted of precepts, and practics of sound morality, and christian piety-commenced under the care of a father, were continued by his mother; with whom he continued to reside, until of full age, an example of filial obedience, and useful services. In his progress through life, he rather studied men, than books.

The father of Benjamin, died intestate, and as a consequence of the laws then in force, his lands descended to him by right of primogeniture, to the exclusion of his brothers, and sisters. So far from availing himself of this circumstance, Logan, with a noble disinterestedness of temper, a provident view to the future welfare of the family, and with his mother's consent, sold the land, not susceptible of division, and distributed the price with those, whom the law had disinherited. To provide for his mother, an equally comfortable residence, he united his funds to those of one of his brothers, and with the joint stock purchased another tract of land on a fork of James river; which was secured to the parent during her life, if so long she should choose to reside on it, with remainder to the brother, in feesimple. Nor had the attention of Benjamin Logan been all this time confined to the circle of his own family; but the heart thus partaking of the finer feelings of filial, and fraternal affection, was equally open to the impressions of public duty. At the age of twenty-one, he had accompanied Col. Beauquette, in his expedition against the Indians of the north, in the capacity of sergeant. Having seen his mother, and family, comfortably settled on. James river; he determined next to provide for him self, a home-and purchased land on the waters of Holston, near where Abbington now stands. There, he improved a farm, took to himself a wife, and enlarged his property.

In 1774, he was on Dunmore's expedition, to the north-west of Ohio, to which allusion has been made.

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Early in the ensuing year, he resolved to push his fortune in Kentucky; and set out, two or three slaves only with him, to see the lands, and make a settlement. In Powell's valley, Logan, met with E'oone, Henderson, and others, on a similar adventure, already noticed--and with them, he travelled through the barren parts of the wilderness; but not approving of the foundation,, on which they were building, he parted from them, on their arrival in Kentucky-and turning westwardly, a few day $ journey, pitched his camp, where he afterwards built his fort; and where he, and William Galaspy, raised a small crop of Indian corn, in the same year. Delighted with the country around him, and ever attentive to the interest of his connexions, he selected places for them; which he marked --and in the latter end of June, returned, without a companion, to his family on Holston.

In the fall of the year, he removed his cattle, and the residue of his slaves, to his camp; and leaving them, in the care of Galaspy, returned to his home, alone, in order to remove his family. These journeys, attended with considerable peril, and privation, evince the enterprise and hardihood of his mind, as well as his bodily vigour, and activity. His subsequent transactions will be mingled with the general history.

Perhaps, nothing contributes more to the perspicuity of history, than a due regard to the order of events: certainly, there is nothing more conducive to its utility. After the details already given in relation to the interior establishments, and the particular persons, by whose means they were principally effected, it next occurs, in order, to treat of those events. which transpired on the Ohio frontier.

It has already been related, that as early as 1773, several surveyors descended that river to the falls, or rapids, where they landed. Indeed, an obstruction in its navigation so great as these rapids—an object, it may be said, so sublime in itself— so singular and so momentous--could but attract the attention, and arrest the progress of those who voyaged on its surface. The approach to this object from above was probably the most affecting, by the appearance of danger which it pre

sented; no less than by the novelty of the scene which was exhibited. The successive repercussions of the water in extended perspective, produced by a current deep and broad, running at the rate of ten milas an hour, on a declivity of twelve feet in a mile, against the 10cks, arranged in different ledges at considerable intervals across the bed of the channel, throw back on the spectator's eye, billows capped with white curling foam, and assail his ear, with the uproar of chaotic strife. Stout must be the heart of that navigator, which is not appalled at his first approach to this spectacle, rendered still more perplexing and alarming, by the irregularity of the schutes, and the splits in the currents, occasioned by the inequalities of the rocks, and the several islands fixed in the bottom of the river. But if, on the one hand, the scene was distressing to navigating spectators, on the other, was held out to them, the consoling prospect of relief and security. If the front aspect of the Ohio presented the falls, where the impetuous torrent of mighty waters, was met and broken, by inflexible obstacles on the Kentucky side of the river, was to be seen the mouth of Bear Grass, opening a safe and commodious harbour for the labouring barge. A point of land on the opposite shore projecting into the river, turned the current in that direction; the reaction of the waters at the head of the fills produced an eddy; the fine, regular bank which limited Kentucky, in full view; all combined to engage the attention, and to speed the navigator to that landing.

It was there that Captain Thomas Bullett, and his party', made a port-not before explored by their countrym en. He came to Kentucky with the particular design of surveying land! —and of making a permanent settlement. For the first object: Captain Bullett had a special commission from the college of William and Mary, in Virginia; in the professors, or masters,, of which, was vested the right, of conferring such diplomas-• the second, was the effect of his own will. At this place Bu· lett proceeded to make a camp, in order to protect himself an d his men from the vicissitudes of the weather; and a place of deposite for the few stores he had with him. After this