But a number of gentlemen in Kentucky have informed me that old pioneers whom they knew in their youth had told them that they had themselves seen the incident, and that, as written down, it was substantially true.

So with Reynold's speech to Girty.

Of course, his exact words, as given by McClung, are incorrect; but Mr.L.
C.Draper informs me that, in his youth, he knew several old men who had been in Bryan's Station, and had themselves heard the speech.

If it were not for this I should reject it, for the British accounts do not even mention that Girty was along, and do not hint at the incident.

It was probably an unauthorized ruse of Girty's.