town sin-. It crossed Holston « ithin a mile of Fort Robinson.
According to Hutchins (Topographical Descripti f America, p. 24, 1778), tin-
road which went through Cumberland gap was the one taken by the northern
[ndians in their incursions into the "< iuttawa" country, and went from Sandusky,
on Lake Erie, by a direct path to the mouth of Scioto (where Portsmouth now is i
and thence across Kentucky to the gap.
(20) Peace downs ind towns oi refcoe (p. 51): Towns of refuge existed among
the Cherokee, the Creeks, and probably other Italian tribes, as well as among the
ancient Hebrews, the institution being a merciful provision for softening the harsh-
ness of tin 1 primitive law, which required a life lor a life. We learn from Deuteron-
omy that Moses appointed three cities on tin-although extremely degen-
erate in other things, still observed the law so strictly in this regard that even a
wilful murderer who might succeed in making his escape to that town was safe so
long as he remained there, although, unless the matter was compounded in the
meantime, the friends of the slain person would seldom allow him to reach home
alive after leaving it. He tells how a trader who had killed an Indian to protect his
own property took refuge in Echota, and after having been there for some months
prepared to return to his trading store, which was hut a short distance away, hut was
assured by the chiefs that he would he killed if he ventured outside the town. He
was accordingly obliged to stay a longer time until the tears of the