Boone was now formally adopted as a son in one of the Indian families.  “The forms of the ceremony of adoption,” says Mr. Peck,[36] “were often severe and ludicrous.  The hair of the head is plucked out by a painful and tedious operation, leaving a tuft, some three or four inches in diameter, on the crown, for the scalp-lock, which is cut and dressed up with ribbons and feathers.  The candidate is then taken into the river in a state of nudity, and there thoroughly washed and rubbed, ’to take all his white blood out.’  This ablution is usually performed by females.  He is then taken to the council-house, where the chief makes a speech, in which he expatiates upon the distinguished honors conferred on him.  His head and face are painted in the most approved and fashionable style, and the ceremony is concluded with a grand feast and smoking.”

After undergoing after this fashion what was not inaptly termed the Indian toilette, Boone was considered a regular member of the tribe, and by judiciously accommodating himself to his new condition, he rapidly won upon the regards of the Indians, and soon secured their confidence.  They challenged him to a trial of skill at their shooting-matches—­in which he took care not to excel them—­invited him to accompany them on their hunting excursions, bestowed particular notice upon him in various ways, and always treated him with much consideration.  As regarded merely his physical comfort, Boone’s situation was, at this time, rather enviable than otherwise; but he felt a depressing anxiety with regard to his wife and children, and doubted the safety and prosperity of the Station, without his own watchfulness and superintendence.  He therefore determined to escape from his captors at the earliest possible period, and very impatiently waited an opportunity for accomplishing this purpose.

Early in June, a party of Indians went to the Scioto Licks to make salt.  Boone was taken with them, but kept so constantly employed at the kettles, that he found no chance of escaping.  Having sufficiently supplied themselves with the desired article, the party returned; and at the Chillicothe town, Boone found four hundred and fifty Indian warriors, armed well and painted in a most frightful manner, ready to march against Boonesborough:  this was on the fifteenth or sixteenth of the month.

Boone now saw the absolute necessity of escaping at once, and determined to make the attempt without delay.  He rose at the usual time the next morning, and went out upon a hunt.  His object was to give his wary masters the slip, in such a manner as would be least likely to excite their suspicions, and be the longest in determining them upon a pursuit.