Add files from ibiblio as of 2025-03-03 17:32:53HEADmain

1 files changed, 3866 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/44934-0.txt b/44934-0.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e088d23
--- /dev/null
+++ b/44934-0.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3866 @@
+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44934 ***
+
+Transcriber's Note: Minor typographical errors have been corrected
+without note. Irregularities and inconsistencies in the text have
+been retained as printed. Words printed in italics are noted with
+underscores: _italics_.
+
+The cover of this ebook was created by the transcriber and is hereby
+placed in the public domain.
+
+
+
+
+OUTING ADVENTURE LIBRARY
+
+
+CAPTIVES AMONG THE INDIANS
+
+First-hand Narratives of Indian Wars, Customs,
+Tortures, and Habits of Life in Colonial Times
+
+
+EDITED BY
+
+HORACE KEPHART
+
+
+NUMBER 3
+
+
+NEW YORK
+OUTING PUBLISHING COMPANY
+MCMXV
+
+COPYRIGHT, 1915, BY
+OUTING PUBLISHING COMPANY
+
+All rights reserved
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS
+
+
+  I COLONEL JAMES SMITH'S LIFE AMONG THE DELAWARES, 1755-1759       9
+
+ II FATHER BRESSANI'S CAPTIVITY AMONG THE IROQUOIS, 1644          117
+
+III CAPTIVITY OF MRS. MARY ROWLANDSON AMONG THE INDIANS OF
+    MASSACHUSETTS, 1676                                           143
+
+ IV CAPTURE AND ESCAPE OF MERCY HARBISON, 1792                    210
+
+
+
+
+CAPTIVES AMONG THE INDIANS
+
+
+
+
+I
+
+COL. JAMES SMITH'S LIFE AMONG THE DELAWARES, 1755-1759
+
+
+    James Smith, pioneer, was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, in
+    1737. When he was eighteen years of age he was captured by the
+    Indians, was adopted into one of their tribes, and lived with them
+    as one of themselves until his escape in 1759.
+
+    He became a lieutenant under General Bouquet during the expedition
+    against the Ohio Indians in 1764, and was captain of a company of
+    rangers in Lord Dunmore's War. In 1775 he was promoted to major of
+    militia. He served in the Pennsylvania convention in 1776, and in
+    the assembly in 1776-77. In the latter year he was commissioned
+    colonel in command on the frontiers, and performed distinguished
+    services.
+
+    Smith moved to Kentucky in 1788. He was a member of the Danville
+    convention, and represented Bourbon county for many years in the
+    legislature. He died in Washington county, Kentucky, in 1812.
+
+    The following narrative of his experience as member of an Indian
+    tribe is from his own book entitled "Remarkable Adventures in the
+    Life and Travels of Colonel James Smith," printed at Lexington,
+    Kentucky, in 1799. It affords a striking contrast to the terrible
+    experiences of the other captives whose stories are republished in
+    this book; for he was well treated, and stayed so long with his red
+    captors that he acquired expert knowledge of their arts and
+    customs, and deep insight into their character. (_Editor._)
+
+
+In May, 1755, the province of Pennsylvania agreed to send out three
+hundred men, in order to cut a wagon-road from Fort Loudon, to join
+Braddock's road, near the Turkey Foot, or three forks of Youghiogheny.
+My brother-in-law, William Smith, Esq., of Conococheague, was appointed
+commissioner, to have the oversight of these road-cutters.
+
+Though I was at that time only eighteen years of age, I had fallen
+violently in love with a young lady, whom I apprehended was possessed
+of a large share of both beauty and virtue; but being born between
+Venus and Mars, I concluded I must also leave my dear fair one, and go
+out with this company of road-cutters to see the event of this
+campaign; but still expecting that some time in the course of this
+summer I should again return to the arms of my beloved.
+
+We went on with the road, without interruption, until near the
+Alleghany mountain; when I was sent back in order to hurry up some
+provision-wagons that were on the way after us. I proceeded down the
+road as far as the crossings of Juniata, where, finding the wagons were
+coming on as fast as possible, I returned up the road again towards the
+Alleghany mountain, in company with one Arnold Vigoras. About four or
+five miles above Bedford, three Indians had made a blind of bushes,
+stuck in the ground as though they grew naturally, where they concealed
+themselves, about fifteen yards from the road. When we came opposite to
+them they fired upon us, at this short distance, and killed my
+fellow-traveller, yet their bullets did not touch me; but my horse,
+making a violent start, threw me, and the Indians immediately ran up
+and took me prisoner. The one who laid hold on me was a Canasatauga,
+the other two were Delawares. One of them could speak English, and
+asked me if there were any more white men coming after. I told them not
+any near that I knew of. Two of these Indians stood by me, while the
+other scalped my comrade; they then set off and ran at a smart rate
+through the woods, for about fifteen miles, and that night we slept on
+the Alleghany mountain without fire.
+
+The next morning they divided the last of their provisions which they
+had brought from Fort Du Quesne, and gave me an equal share, which was
+about two or three ounces of mouldy biscuit; this and a young
+ground-hog, about as large as a rabbit, roasted, and also equally
+divided, was all the provision we had until we came to the Loyal
+Hannan, which was about fifty miles; and a great part of the way we
+came through exceeding rocky laurel-thickets without any path. When we
+came to the west side of Laurel hill, they gave the scalp halloo, as
+usual, which is a long yell or halloo for every scalp or prisoner they
+have in possession; the last of these scalp halloos were followed with
+quick and sudden shrill shouts of joy and triumph. On their performing
+this, we were answered by the firing of a number of guns on the Loyal
+Hannan, one after another, quicker than one could count, by another
+party of Indians who were encamped near where Ligonier now stands. As
+we advanced near this party, they increased with repeated shouts of joy
+and triumph; but I did not share with them in their excessive mirth.
+When we came to this camp we found they had plenty of turkeys and other
+meat there; and though I never before ate venison without bread or
+salt, yet as I was hungry it relished very well. There we lay that
+night, and the next morning the whole of us marched on our way for Fort
+Du Quesne. The night after we joined another camp of Indians, with
+nearly the same ceremony, attended with great noise, and apparent joy,
+among all except one. The next morning we continued our march, and in
+the afternoon we came in full view of the fort, which stood on the
+point, near where Fort Pitt[1] now stands. We then made a halt on the
+bank of the Alleghany, and repeated the scalp halloo, which was
+answered by the firing of all the firelocks in the hands of both
+Indians and French who were in and about the fort, in the aforesaid
+manner, and also the great guns, which were followed by the continued
+shouts and yells of the different savage tribes who were then collected
+there.
+
+          [1] Pittsburgh.
+
+As I was at this time unacquainted with this mode of firing and yelling
+of the savages, I concluded that there were thousands of Indians there
+ready to receive General Braddock; but what added to my surprise, I saw
+numbers running towards me, stripped naked, excepting breech-clouts,
+and painted in the most hideous manner, of various colors, though the
+principal color was vermilion, or a bright red; yet there was annexed
+to this black, brown, blue, etc. As they approached, they formed
+themselves into two long ranks, about two or three rods apart. I was
+told by an Indian that could speak English that I must run betwixt
+these ranks, and that they would flog me all the way as I ran; and if I
+ran quick, it would be so much the better, as they would quit when I
+got to the end of the ranks. There appeared to be a general rejoicing
+around me, yet I could find nothing like joy in my breast; but I
+started to the race with all the resolution and vigor I was capable of
+exerting, and found that it was as I had been told, for I was flogged
+the whole way. When I had got near the end of the lines I was struck
+with something that appeared to me to be a stick, or the handle of a
+tomahawk, which caused me to fall to the ground. On my recovering my
+senses I endeavored to renew my race; but, as I arose, some one cast
+sand in my eyes, which blinded me so that I could not see where to run.
+They continued beating me most intolerably, until I was at length
+insensible; but before I lost my senses I remember my wishing them to
+strike the fatal blow, for I thought they intended killing me, but
+apprehended they were too long about it.
+
+The first thing I remember was my being in the fort amidst the French
+and Indians, and a French doctor standing by me, who had opened a vein
+in my left arm: after which the interpreter asked me how I did. I told
+him I felt much pain. The doctor then washed my wounds, and the bruised
+places of my body with French brandy. As I felt faint, and the brandy
+smelt well, I asked for some inwardly, but the doctor told me, by the
+interpreter, that it did not suit my case.
+
+When they found I could speak, a number of Indians came around me, and
+examined me, with threats of cruel death if I did not tell the truth.
+The first question they asked me was how many men were there in the
+party that were coming from Pennsylvania to join Braddock? I told them
+the truth, that there were three hundred. The next question was, were
+they well armed? I told them they were all well armed (meaning the arm
+of flesh), for they had only about thirty guns among the whole of them;
+which if the Indians had known they would certainly have gone and cut
+them all off; therefore I could not in conscience let them know the
+defenceless situation of these road-cutters. I was then sent to the
+hospital, and carefully attended by the doctors, and recovered quicker
+than what I expected.
+
+Some time after I was there, I was visited by the Delaware Indian
+already mentioned, who was at the taking of me, and could speak some
+English. Though he spoke but bad English, yet I found him to be a man
+of considerable understanding. I asked him if I had done anything that
+had offended the Indians which caused them to treat me so unmercifully.
+He said no; it was only an old custom the Indians had, and it was like
+"how do you do"; after that, he said, I would be well used. I asked him
+if I should be admitted to remain with the French. He said no; and told
+me that as soon as I recovered, I must not only go with the Indians,
+but must be made an Indian myself. I asked him what news from
+Braddock's army. He said the Indians spied them every day, and he
+showed me, by making marks on the ground with a stick, that Braddock's
+army was advancing in very close order, and that the Indians would
+surround them, take trees, and (as he expressed it) _shoot um down
+all one pigeon_.
+
+Shortly after this, on the 9th day of July, 1755, in the morning, I
+heard a great stir in the fort. As I could then walk with a staff in my
+hand, I went out of the door, which was just by the wall of the fort,
+and stood upon the wall, and viewed the Indians in a huddle before the
+gate, where were barrels of powder, bullets, flints, etc., and every
+one taking what suited. I saw the Indians also march off in rank
+entire; likewise the French Canadians, and some regulars. After viewing
+the Indians and French in different positions, I computed them to be
+about four hundred, and wondered that they attempted to go out against
+Braddock with so small a party. I was then in high hopes that I would
+soon see them fly before the British troops, and that General Braddock
+would take the fort and rescue me.
+
+I remained anxious to know the event of this day; and, in the
+afternoon, I again observed a great noise and commotion in the fort,
+and though at that time I could not understand French, yet I found that
+it was the voice of joy and triumph, and feared that they had received
+what I called bad news.
+
+I had observed some of the old-country soldiers speak Dutch: as I spoke
+Dutch, I went to one of them, and asked him what was the news. He told
+me that a runner had just arrived, who said that Braddock would
+certainly be defeated; that the Indians and French had surrounded him,
+and were concealed behind trees and in gullies, and kept a constant
+fire upon the English, and that they saw the English falling in heaps,
+and if they did not take the river, which was the only gap, and make
+their escape, there would not be one man left alive before sundown. The
+morning after the battle I saw Braddock's artillery brought into the
+fort; the same day I also saw several Indians in British officers'
+dress, with sash, half-moon, laced hats, etc., which the British then
+wore.
+
+A few days after this the Indians demanded me, and I was obliged to go
+with them. I was not yet well able to march, but they took me in a
+canoe up the Alleghany River to an Indian town that was on the north
+side of the river, about forty miles above Fort Du Quesne. Here I
+remained about three weeks, and was then taken to an Indian town on the
+west branch of Muskingum, about twenty miles above the forks, which was
+called Tullihas, inhabited by Delawares, Caughnewagas, and Mohicans.
+
+The day after my arrival at the aforesaid town a number of Indians
+collected about me, and one of them began to pull the hair out of my
+head. He had some ashes on a piece of bark, in which he frequently
+dipped his fingers in order to take the firmer hold, and so he went on,
+as if he had been plucking a turkey, until he had all the hair clean
+out of my head except a small spot about three or four inches square on
+my crown; this they cut off with a pair of scissors, excepting three
+locks, which they dressed up in their own mode. Two of these they
+wrapped round with a narrow beaded garter made by themselves for that
+purpose, and the other they plaited at full length, and then stuck it
+full of silver brooches. After this they bored my nose and ears, and
+fixed me off with earrings and nose jewels; then they ordered me to
+strip off my clothes and put on a breech-clout, which I did; they then
+painted my head, face, and body in various colors. They put a large
+belt of wampum on my neck, and silver bands on my hands and right arm;
+and so an old chief led me out in the street, and gave the alarm
+halloo, _coo-wigh_, several times repeated quick; and on this, all
+that were in the town came running and stood round the old chief, who
+held me by the hand in the midst. As I at that time knew nothing of
+their mode of adoption, and had seen them put to death all they had
+taken, and as I never could find that they saved a man alive at
+Braddock's defeat, I made no doubt but they were about putting me to
+death in some cruel manner. The old chief, holding me by the hand, made
+a long speech, very loud, and when he had done, he handed me to three
+young squaws, who led me by the hand down the bank, into the river,
+until the water was up to our middle. The squaws then made signs to me
+to plunge myself into the water, but I did not understand them; I
+thought that the result of the council was that I should be drowned,
+and that these young ladies were to be the executioners. They all three
+laid violent hold of me, and I for some time opposed them with all my
+might, which occasioned loud laughter by the multitude that were on the
+bank of the river. At length one of the squaws made out to speak a
+little English (for I believe they began to be afraid of me), and said
+_no hurt you_. On this I gave myself up to their ladyships, who were as
+good as their word; for though they plunged me under water, and washed
+and rubbed me severely, yet I could not say they hurt me much.
+
+These young women then led me up to the council-house, where some of
+the tribe were ready with new clothes for me. They gave me a new
+ruffled shirt, which I put on, also a pair of leggings done off with
+ribbons and beads, likewise a pair of moccasons and garters dressed
+with beads, porcupine quills, and red hair--also a tinsel-laced cappo.
+They again painted my head and face with various colors, and tied a
+bunch of red feathers to one of those locks they had left on the crown
+of my head, which stood up five or six inches. They seated me on a
+bearskin, and gave me a pipe, tomahawk, and pole-cat skin pouch, which
+had been skinned pocket fashion, and contained tobacco, killegenico, or
+dry sumach leaves, which they mix with their tobacco; also spunk,
+flint, and steel. When I was thus seated, the Indians came in dressed
+and painted in their grandest manner. As they came in they took their
+seats, and for a considerable time there was a profound silence--every
+one was smoking; but not a word was spoken among them. At length one of
+the chiefs made a speech, which was delivered to me by an interpreter,
+and was as followeth: "My son, you are now flesh of our flesh, and bone
+of our bone. By the ceremony which was performed this day every drop of
+white blood was washed out of your veins; you are taken into the
+Caughnewaga nation, and initiated into a warlike tribe; you are adopted
+into a great family, and now received with great seriousness and
+solemnity in the room and place of a great man. After what has passed
+this day, you are now one of us by an old strong law and custom. My
+son, you have now nothing to fear--we are now under the same
+obligations to love, support, and defend you that we are to love and to
+defend one another; therefore, you are to consider yourself as one of
+our people." At this time I did not believe this fine speech,
+especially that of the white blood being washed out of me; but since
+that time I have found out that there was much sincerity in said
+speech; for, from that day, I never knew them to make any distinction
+between me and themselves in any respect whatever until I left them. If
+they had plenty of clothing, I had plenty; if we were scarce, we all
+shared one fate.
+
+After this ceremony was over I was introduced to my new kin, and told
+that I was to attend a feast that evening, which I did. And as the
+custom was, they gave me also a bowl and a wooden spoon, which I
+carried with me to the place where there was a number of large brass
+kettles full of boiled venison and green corn; every one advanced with
+his bowl and spoon, and had his share given him. After this, one of the
+chiefs made a short speech, and then we began to eat.
+
+Shortly after this I went out to hunt in company with Mohawk Solomon,
+some of the Caughnewagas, and a Delaware Indian that was married to a
+Caughnewaga squaw. We travelled about south from this town, and the
+first night we killed nothing, but we had with us green corn, which we
+roasted and ate that night. The next day we encamped about twelve
+o'clock, and the hunters turned out to hunt, and I went down the run
+that we encamped on, in company with some squaws and boys, to hunt
+plums, which we found in great plenty. On my return to camp I observed
+a large piece of fat meat; the Delaware Indian, that could talk some
+English, observed me looking earnestly at this meat, and asked me,
+"What meat you think that is?" I said I supposed it was bear meat; he
+laughed, and said, "Ho, all one fool you, beal now elly pool," and
+pointing to the other side of the camp, he said, "Look at that skin,
+you think that beal skin?" I went and lifted the skin, which appeared
+like an ox-hide; he then said, "What skin you think that?" I replied,
+that I thought it was a buffalo-hide; he laughed, and said, "You fool
+again, you know nothing, you think buffalo that colo'?" I acknowledged
+I did not know much about these things, and told him I never saw a
+buffalo, and that I had not heard what color they were. He replied, "By
+and by you shall see gleat many buffalo; he now go to gleat lick. That
+skin no buffalo-skin, that skin buck-elk-skin." They went out with
+horses, and brought in the remainder of this buck-elk, which was the
+fattest creature I ever saw of the tallow kind.
+
+We remained at this camp about eight or ten days, and killed a number
+of deer. Though we had neither bread nor salt at this time, yet we had
+both roast and boiled meat in great plenty, and they were frequently
+inviting me to eat when I had no appetite.
+
+We then moved to the buffalo lick, where we killed several buffalo, and
+in their small brass kettles they made about half a bushel of salt. I
+suppose this lick was about thirty or forty miles from the aforesaid
+town, and somewhere between the Muskingum, Ohio, and Sciota. About the
+lick was clear, open woods, and thin white-oak land, and at that time
+there were large roads leading to the lick, like wagon-roads. We moved
+from this lick about six or seven miles, and encamped on a creek.
+
+Some time after this, I was told to take the dogs with me, and go down
+the creek, perhaps I might kill a turkey; it being in the afternoon, I
+was also told not to go far from the creek, and to come up the creek
+again to the camp, and to take care not to get lost. When I had gone
+some distance down the creek, I came upon fresh buffalo tracks, and as
+I had a number of dogs with me to stop the buffalo, I concluded I would
+follow after and kill one; and as the grass and weeds were rank, I
+could readily follow the track. A little before sundown I despaired of
+coming up with them. I was then thinking how I might get to camp before
+night. I concluded, as the buffalo had made several turns, if I took
+the track back to the creek it would be dark before I could get to
+camp; therefore I thought I would take a near way through the hills,
+and strike the creek a little below the camp; but as it was cloudy
+weather, and I a very young woodsman, I could find neither creek nor
+camp. When night came on I fired my gun several times, and hallooed,
+but could have no answer. The next morning, early, the Indians were out
+after me, and as I had with me ten or a dozen dogs, and the grass and
+weeds rank, they could readily follow my track. When they came up with
+me they appeared to be in very good-humor. I asked Solomon if he
+thought I was running away; he said, "No, no, you go too much clooked."
+On my return to camp they took my gun from me, and for this rash step I
+was reduced to a bow and arrows for near two years. We were out on this
+tour for about six weeks.
+
+This country is generally hilly, though intermixed with considerable
+quantities of rich upland and some good bottoms.
+
+When we returned to the town, Pluggy and his party had arrived, and
+brought with them a considerable number of scalps and prisoners from
+the south branch of the Potomac; they also brought with them an English
+Bible, which they gave to a Dutch woman who was a prisoner; but as she
+could not read English, she made a present of it to me, which was very
+acceptable.
+
+I remained in this town until some time in October, when my adopted
+brother, called Tontileaugo, who had married a Wyandot squaw, took me
+with him to Lake Erie. On this route we had no horses with us, and when
+we started from the town all the pack I carried was a pouch containing
+my books, a little dried venison, and my blanket. I had then no gun,
+but Tontileaugo, who was a first-rate hunter, carried a rifle gun, and
+every day killed deer, raccoons, or bears. We left the meat, excepting
+a little for present use, and carried the skins with us until we
+encamped, and then stretched them with elm bark, in a frame made with
+poles stuck in the ground, and tied together with lynn or elm bark; and
+when the skins were dried by the fire, we packed them up and carried
+them with us the next day.
+
+As Tontileaugo could not speak English, I had to make use of all the
+Caughnewaga I had learned, even to talk very imperfectly with him; but
+I found I learned to talk Indian faster this way than when I had those
+with me who could speak English.
+
+As we proceeded down the Canesadooharie waters, our packs increased by
+the skins that were daily killed, and became so very heavy that we
+could not march more than eight or ten miles per day. We came to Lake
+Erie about six miles west of the mouth of Canesadooharie. As the wind
+was very high the evening we came to the lake, I was surprised to hear
+the roaring of the water, and see the high waves that dashed against
+the shore, like the ocean. We encamped on a run near the lake, and, as
+the wind fell that night, the next morning the lake was only in a
+moderate motion, and we marched on the sand along the side of the
+water, frequently resting ourselves, as we were heavily laden. I saw on
+the sand a number of large fish, that had been left in flat or hollow
+places; as the wind fell and the waves abated they were left without
+water, or only a small quantity; and numbers of bald and gray eagles,
+etc., were along the shore devouring them.
+
+Some time in the afternoon we came to a large camp of Wyandots, at the
+mouth of Canesadooharie, where Tontileaugo's wife was. Here we were
+kindly received; they gave us a kind of rough, brown potatoes, which
+grew spontaneously, and were called by the Caughnewagas _ohnenata_.
+These potatoes, peeled and dipped in raccoon's fat, taste nearly like
+our sweet potatoes. They also gave us what they call _canaheanta_,
+which is a kind of hominy, made of green corn, dried, and beans, mixed
+together.
+
+We continued our camp at the mouth of Canesadooharie for some time,
+where we killed some deer and a great many raccoons; the raccoons here
+were remarkably large and fat. At length we all embarked in a large
+birch-bark canoe. This vessel was about four feet wide and three feet
+deep, and about five-and-thirty feet long; and though it could carry a
+heavy burden, it was so artfully and curiously constructed that four
+men could carry it several miles, or from one landing-place to another,
+or from the waters of the lake to the waters of the Ohio. We proceeded
+up Canesadooharie a few miles, and went on shore to hunt; but, to my
+great surprise, they carried the vessel we all came in up the bank, and
+inverted it, or turned the bottom up, and converted it to a
+dwelling-house, and kindled a fire before us to warm ourselves by and
+cook. With our baggage and ourselves in this house we were very much
+crowded, yet our little house turned off the rain very well.
+
+While we remained here I left my pouch with my books in camp, wrapped
+up in my blanket, and went out to hunt chestnuts. On my return to camp
+my books were missing. I inquired after them, and asked the Indians if
+they knew where they were; they told me that they supposed the puppies
+had carried them off. I did not believe them, but thought they were
+displeased at my poring over my books, and concluded that they had
+destroyed them, or put them out of my way.
+
+After this I was again out after nuts, and on my return beheld a new
+erection, composed of two white-oak saplings, that were forked about
+twelve feet high, and stood about fifteen feet apart. They had cut
+these saplings at the forks, and laid a strong pole across, which
+appeared in the form of a gallows; and the poles they had shaved very
+smooth, and painted in places with vermilion. I could not conceive the
+use of this piece of work, and at length concluded it was a gallows. I
+thought that I had displeased them by reading my books, and that they
+were about putting me to death. The next morning I observed them
+bringing their skins all to this place, and hanging them over this
+pole, so as to preserve them from being injured by the weather. This
+removed my fears. They also buried their large canoe in the ground,
+which is the way they took to preserve this sort of a canoe in the
+winter season.
+
+As we had at this time no horse, every one got a pack on his back, and
+we steered an east course about twelve miles and encamped. The next
+morning we proceeded on the same course about ten miles to a large
+creek that empties into Lake Erie, betwixt Canesadooharie and Cayahoga.
+Here they made their winter cabin in the following form: they cut logs
+about fifteen feet long, and laid these logs upon each other, and drove
+posts in the ground at each end to keep them together; the posts they
+tied together at the top with bark, and by this means raised a wall
+fifteen feet long and about four feet high, and in the same manner they
+raised another wall opposite to this, at about twelve feet distance;
+then they drove forks in the ground in the centre of each end, and laid
+a strong pole from end to end on these forks; and from these walls to
+the poles they set up poles instead of rafters, and on these they tied
+small poles in place of laths; and a cover was made of lynn-bark, which
+will run[2] even in the winter season.
+
+          [2] Peel.
+
+It was some time in December when we finished this winter-cabin; but
+when we had got into this comparatively fine lodging another difficulty
+arose--we had nothing to eat. While I was travelling with Tontileaugo,
+as was before mentioned, and had plenty of fat venison, bear's meat,
+and raccoons, I then thought it was hard living without bread or salt;
+but now I began to conclude that, if I had anything that would banish
+pinching hunger, and keep soul and body together, I would be content.
+
+While the hunters were all out, exerting themselves to the utmost of
+their ability, the squaws and boys (in which class I was) were
+scattered out in the bottoms, hunting red haws, black haws, and hickory
+nuts. As it was too late in the year we did not succeed in gathering
+haws, but we had tolerable success in scratching up hickory-nuts from
+under a light snow, and these we carried with us lest the hunters
+should not succeed. After our return the hunters came in, who had
+killed only two small turkeys, which were but little among eight
+hunters and thirteen squaws, boys, and children; but they were divided
+with the greatest equity and justice; every one got their equal share.
+
+The next day the hunters turned out again, and killed one deer and
+three bears. One of the bears was very large and remarkably fat. The
+hunters carried in meat sufficient to give us all a hearty supper and
+breakfast. The squaws and all that could carry turned out to bring in
+meat; every one had their share assigned them, and my load was among
+the least; yet, not being accustomed to carrying in this way, I got
+exceedingly weary, and told them my load was too heavy; I must leave
+part of it and come for it again. They made a halt, and only laughed at
+me, and took part of my load, and added it to a young squaw's, who had
+as much before as I carried.
+
+This kind of reproof had a greater tendency to excite me to exert
+myself in carrying without complaining than if they had whipped me for
+laziness. After this the hunters held a council, and concluded that
+they must have horses to carry their loads; and that they would go to
+war, even in this inclement season, in order to bring in horses.
+
+Tontileaugo wished to be one of those who should go to war; but the
+votes went against him, as he was one of our best hunters; it was
+thought necessary to leave him at this winter-camp to provide for the
+squaws and children. It was agreed upon that Tontileaugo and three
+others should stay and hunt, and the other four go to war.
+
+They then began to go through their common ceremony. They sung their
+war-songs, danced their war-dances, etc. And when they were equipped
+they went off singing their marching-song and firing their guns. Our
+camp appeared to be rejoicing; but I was grieved to think that some
+innocent persons would be murdered, not thinking of danger.
+
+After the departure of these warriors we had hard times; and though we
+were not altogether out of provisions, we were brought to short
+allowance. At length Tontileaugo had considerable success, and we had
+meat brought into camp sufficient to last ten days. Tontileaugo then
+took me with him in order to encamp some distance from this
+winter-cabin, to try his luck there. We carried no provisions with us;
+he said he would leave what was there for the squaws and children, and
+that we could shift for ourselves. We steered about a south course up
+the waters of this creek, and encamped about ten or twelve miles from
+the winter-cabin. As it was still cold weather, and a crust upon the
+snow, which made a noise as we walked, and alarmed the deer, we could
+kill nothing, and consequently went to sleep without supper. The only
+chance we had, under these circumstances, was to hunt bear-holes; as
+the bears, about Christmas, search out a winter lodging-place, where
+they lie about three or four months without eating or drinking. This
+may appear to some incredible, but it is well known to be the case by
+those who live in the remote western parts of North America.
+
+The next morning early we proceeded on, and when we found a tree
+scratched by the bears climbing up, and the hole in the tree
+sufficiently large for the reception of the bear, we then felled a
+sapling or small tree against or near the hole, and it was my business
+to climb up and drive out the bear, while Tontileaugo stood ready with
+his gun and bow. We went on in this manner until evening without
+success. At length we found a large elm scratched, and a hole in it
+about forty feet up, but no tree nigh suitable to lodge against the
+hole. Tontileaugo got a long pole and some dry rotten wood, which he
+tied in bunches with bark; and as there was a tree that grew near the
+elm, and extended up near the hole, but leaned the wrong way, so that
+we could not lodge it to advantage, to remedy this inconvenience he
+climbed up this tree and carried with him his rotten wood, fire, and
+pole. The rotten wood he tied to his belt, and to one end of the pole
+he tied a hook and a piece of rotten wood, which he set fire to, as it
+would retain fire almost like punk, and reached this hook from limb to
+limb as he went up. When he got up with his pole he put dry wood on
+fire into the hole; after he put in the fire he heard the bear snuff,
+and he came speedily down, took his gun in his hand, and waited until
+the bear would come out; but it was some time before it appeared, and
+when it did appear he attempted taking sight with his rifle; but it
+being then too dark to see the sights, he set it down by a tree, and
+instantly bent his bow, took hold of an arrow, and shot the bear a
+little behind the shoulder. I was preparing also to shoot an arrow, but
+he called to me to stop, there was no occasion; and with that the bear
+fell to the ground.
+
+Being very hungry, we kindled a fire, opened the bear, took out the
+liver, and wrapped some of the caul-fat round, and put it on a wooden
+spit, which we stuck in the ground by the fire to roast; then we
+skinned the bear, got on our kettle, and had both roast and boiled, and
+also sauce to our meat, which appeared to me to be delicate fare. After
+I was fully satisfied I went to sleep; Tontileaugo awoke me, saying,
+"Come, eat hearty, we have got meat plenty now."
+
+The next morning we cut down a lynn-tree, peeled bark and made a snug
+little shelter, facing the southeast, with a large log betwixt us and
+the northwest; we made a good fire before us, and scaffolded up our
+meat at one side. When we had finished our camp we went out to hunt;
+searched two trees for bears, but to no purpose. As the snow thawed a
+little in the afternoon, Tontileaugo killed a deer, which we carried
+with us to camp.
+
+Some time in February the four warriors returned, who had taken two
+scalps and six horses from the frontiers of Pennsylvania. The hunters
+could then scatter out a considerable distance from the winter-cabin
+and encamp, kill meat, and bring it in upon horses; so that we
+commonly, after this, had plenty of provision.
+
+In this month we began to make sugar. As some of the elm-bark will
+strip at this season, the squaws, after finding a tree that would do,
+cut it down, and with a crooked stick, broad and sharp at the end, took
+the bark off the tree, and of this bark made vessels, in a curious
+manner, that would hold about two gallons each; they made above one
+hundred of these kind of vessels. In the sugar-tree they cut a notch,
+sloping down, and at the end of the notch stuck in a tomahawk; in the
+place where they stuck the tomahawk they drove a long chip, in order to
+carry the water out from the tree, and under this they set their vessel
+to receive it. As sugar-trees were plenty and large here, they seldom
+or never notched a tree that was not two or three feet over. They also
+made bark vessels for carrying the water that would hold about four
+gallons each. They had two brass kettles that held about fifteen
+gallons each, and other smaller kettles in which they boiled the water.
+But as they could not at times boil away the water as fast as it was
+collected, they made vessels of bark that would hold about one hundred
+gallons each for retaining the water; and though the sugar-trees did
+not run every day, they had always a sufficient quantity of water to
+keep them boiling during the whole sugar-season.
+
+About the latter end of March we began to prepare for moving into town
+in order to plant corn. The squaws were then frying the last of their
+bear's fat and making vessels to hold it; the vessels were made of
+deer-skins, which were skinned by pulling the skin off the neck without
+ripping. After they had taken off the hair they gathered it in small
+plaits round the neck, and, with a string, drew it together like a
+purse; in the centre a pin was put, below which they tied a string, and
+while it was wet they blew it up like a bladder, and let it remain in
+this manner until it was dry, when it appeared nearly in the shape of a
+sugar-loaf, but more rounding at the lower end. One of these vessels
+would hold about four or five gallons. In these vessels it was they
+carried their bear's oil.
+
+When all things were ready we moved back to the falls of
+Canesadooharie. On our arrival at the falls (as we had brought with us
+on horseback about two hundred weight of sugar, a large quantity of
+bear's oil, skins, etc.) the canoe we had buried was not sufficient to
+carry all; therefore we were obliged to make another one of elm-bark.
+While we lay here a young Wyandot found my books. On this they
+collected together. I was a little way from the camp, and saw the
+collection, but did not know what it meant. They called me by my Indian
+name, which was Scoouwa, repeatedly. I ran to see what was the matter;
+they showed me my books, and said they were glad they had been found,
+for they knew I was grieved at the loss of them, and that they now
+rejoiced with me because they were found. As I could then speak some
+Indian, especially Caughnewaga (for both that and the Wyandot tongue
+were spoken in this camp), I told them that I thanked them for the
+kindness they had always shown to me, and also for finding my books.
+They asked if the books were damaged. I told them not much. They then
+showed how they lay, which was in the best manner to turn off the
+water. In a deer-skin pouch they lay all winter. The print was not much
+injured, though the binding was. This was the first time that I felt my
+heart warm towards the Indians. Though they had been exceedingly kind
+to me, I still before detested them on account of the barbarity I
+beheld after Braddock's defeat. Neither had I ever before pretended
+kindness, or expressed myself in a friendly manner; but I began now to
+excuse the Indians on account of their want of information.
+
+We staid at this camp about two weeks, and killed a number of bears,
+raccoons, and some beavers. We made a canoe of elm-bark, and
+Tontileaugo embarked in it. He arrived at the falls that night; while
+I, mounted on horseback, with a bear-skin saddle and bark stirrups,
+proceeded by land to the falls. I came there the next morning, and we
+carried our canoe and loading past the falls.
+
+We again proceeded towards the lakes; I on horseback and Tontileaugo by
+water. Here the land is generally good, but I found some difficulty in
+getting round swamps and ponds. When we came to the lake I proceeded
+along the strand and Tontileaugo near the shore, sometimes paddling and
+sometimes poling his canoe along.
+
+After some time the wind arose, and he went into the mouth of a small
+creek and encamped. Here we staid several days on account of high wind,
+which raised the lake in great billows. While we were here Tontileaugo
+went out to hunt, and when he was gone a Wyandot came to our camp. I
+gave him a shoulder of venison which I had by the fire well roasted,
+and he received it gladly; told me he was hungry, and thanked me for my
+kindness. When Tontileaugo came home I told him that a Wyandot had been
+at camp, and that I gave him a shoulder of roasted venison. He said
+that was very well, "and I suppose you gave him also sugar and bear's
+oil to eat with his venison." I told him I did not, as the sugar and
+bear's oil were down in the canoe, I did not go for it. He replied,
+"You have behaved just like a Dutchman.[3] Do you not know that when
+strangers come to our camp we ought always to give them the best that
+we have?" I acknowledged that I was wrong. He said that he could excuse
+this, as I was but young; but I must learn to behave like a warrior,
+and do great things, and never be found in any such little actions.
+
+          [3] The Dutch he called Skoharehaugo, which took its
+          derivation from a Dutch settlement called Skoharey.
+
+The lake being again calm, we proceeded, and arrived safe at
+Sunyendeand, which was a Wyandot town that lay upon a small creek which
+empties into the little lake below the mouth of Sandusky.
+
+The town was about eighty rood above the mouth of the creek, on the
+south side of a large plain, on which timber grew, and nothing more but
+grass or nettles. In some places there were large flats where nothing
+but grass grew, about three feet high when grown, and in other places
+nothing but nettles, very rank, where the soil is extremely rich and
+loose; here they planted corn. In this town there were also French
+traders, who purchased our skins and fur, and we all got new clothes,
+paint, tobacco, etc.
+
+After I had got my new clothes, and my head done off like a red-headed
+woodpecker, I, in company with a number of young Indians, went down to
+the corn-field to see the squaws at work. When we came there they asked
+me to take a hoe, which I did, and hoed for some time. The squaws
+applauded me as a good hand at the business; but when I returned to the
+town the old men, hearing of what I had done, chid me, and said that I
+was adopted in the place of a great man, and must not hoe corn like a
+squaw. They never had occasion to reprove me for anything like this
+again; as I never was extremely fond of work, I readily complied with
+their orders.
+
+As the Indians, on their return from their winter hunt, bring in with
+them large quantities of bear's oil, sugar, dried venison, etc., at
+this time they have plenty, and do not spare eating or giving; thus
+they make way with their provision as quick as possible. They have no
+such thing as regular meals, breakfast, dinner, or supper; but if any
+one, even the town-folks, would go to the same house several times in
+one day, he would be invited to eat of the best; and with them it is
+bad manners to refuse to eat when it is offered. If they will not eat
+it is interpreted as a symptom of displeasure, or that the persons
+refusing to eat were angry with those who had invited them.
+
+At this time hominy, plentifully mixed with bear's oil and sugar, or
+dried venison, bear's oil, and sugar, is what they offer to every one
+who comes in any time of the day; and so they go on until their sugar,
+bear's oil, and venison are all gone, and then they have to eat hominy
+by itself, without bread, salt, or anything else; yet still they invite
+every one that comes in to eat while they have anything to give. It is
+thought a shame not to invite people to eat while they have anything;
+but if they can in truth only say we have got nothing to eat, this is
+accepted as an honorable apology. All the hunters and warriors
+continued in town about six weeks after we came in; they spent this
+time in painting, going from house to house, eating, smoking, and
+playing at a game resembling dice, or hustle-cap. They put a number of
+plum-stones in a small bowl; one side of each stone is black, and the
+other white; they then shake or hustle the bowl, calling, "_Hits,
+hits, hits, honesey, honesey, rago, rago_;" which signifies calling
+for white or black, or what they wish to turn up; they then turn the
+bowl, and count the whites and blacks. Some were beating their kind of
+drum and singing; others were employed in playing on a sort of flute
+made of hollow cane; and others playing on the jew's-harp. Some part of
+this time was also taken up in attending the council-house, where the
+chiefs, and as many others as chose, attended; and at night they were
+frequently employed in singing and dancing. Towards the last of this
+time, which was in June, 1756, they were all engaged in preparing to go
+to war against the frontiers of Virginia. When they were equipped they
+went through their ceremonies, sung their war-songs, etc. They all
+marched off, from fifteen to sixty years of age; and some boys, only
+twelve years of age, were equipped with their bows and arrows, and went
+to war; so that none were left in town but squaws and children, except
+myself, one very old man, and another, about fifty years of age, who
+was lame.
+
+The Indians were then in great hopes that they would drive all the
+Virginians over the lake, which is all the name they know for the sea.
+When the warriors left this town we had neither meat, sugar, or bear's
+oil left. All that we had then to live on was corn pounded into coarse
+meal or small hominy; this they boiled in water, which appeared like
+well-thickened soup, without salt or anything else. For some time we
+had plenty of this kind of hominy; at length we were brought to very
+short allowance, and as the warriors did not return as soon as they
+expected, we were soon in a starving condition, and but one gun in the
+town, and very little ammunition. The old lame Wyandot concluded that
+he would go a-hunting in a canoe, and take me with him, and try to kill
+deer in the water, as it was then watering time. We went up Sandusky a
+few miles, then turned up a creek and encamped. We had lights prepared,
+as we were to hunt in the night, and also a piece of bark and some
+bushes set up in the canoe, in order to conceal ourselves from the
+deer. A little boy that was with us held the light; I worked the canoe,
+and the old man, who had his gun loaded with large shot, when we came
+near the deer, fired, and in this manner killed three deer in part of
+one night. We went to our fire, ate heartily, and in the morning
+returned to town in order to relieve the hungry and distressed.
+
+When we came to town the children were crying bitterly on account of
+pinching hunger. We delivered what we had taken, and though it was but
+little among so many, it was divided according to the strictest rules
+of justice. We immediately set out for another hunt, but before we
+returned a part of the warriors had come in, and brought with them on
+horseback a quantity of meat. These warriors had divided into different
+parties, and all struck at different places in Augusta County. They
+brought in with them a considerable number of scalps, prisoners,
+horses, and other plunder. One of the parties brought in with them one
+Arthur Campbell, that is now Colonel Campbell, who lives on Holston
+River, near the Royal Oak. As the Wyandots at Sunyendeand and those at
+Detroit were connected, Mr. Campbell was taken to Detroit; but he
+remained some time with me in this town. His company was very
+agreeable, and I was sorry when he left me. During his stay at
+Sunyendeand he borrowed my Bible, and made some pertinent remarks on
+what he had read. One passage was where it is said, "It is good for a
+man that he bear the yoke in his youth." He said we ought to be
+resigned to the will of Providence, as we were now bearing the yoke in
+our youth. Mr. Campbell appeared to be then about sixteen or seventeen
+years of age.
+
+About the time that these warriors came in the green corn was beginning
+to be of use, so that we had either green corn or venison, and
+sometimes both, which was, comparatively, high living. When we could
+have plenty of green corn, or roasting ears, the hunters became lazy,
+and spent their time, as already mentioned, in singing and dancing,
+etc. They appeared to be fulfilling the Scriptures beyond those who
+profess to believe in them, in that of taking no thought of to-morrow;
+and also in living in love, peace, and friendship together, without
+disputes. In this respect they shame those who profess Christianity.
+
+In this manner we lived until October; then the geese, swans, ducks,
+cranes, etc., came from the north, and alighted on this little lake,
+without number, or innumerable. Sunyendeand is a remarkable place for
+fish in the spring, and fowl both in the fall and spring.
+
+As our hunters were now tired with indolence, and fond of their own
+kind of exercise, they all turned out to fowling, and in this could
+scarce miss of success; so that we had now plenty of hominy and the
+best of fowls; and sometimes, as a rarity, we had a little bread, which
+was made of Indian-corn meal, pounded in a hominy block, mixed with
+boiled beans, and baked in cakes under the ashes.
+
+This with us was called good living, though not equal to our fat,
+roasted, and boiled venison, when we went to the woods in the fall; or
+bear's meat and beaver in the winter; or sugar, bear's oil, and dry
+venison in the spring.
+
+Some time in October, another adopted brother, older than Tontileaugo
+came to pay us a visit at Sunyendeand, and he asked me to take a hunt
+with him on Cayahoga. As they always used me as a free man, and gave me
+the liberty of choosing, I told him that I was attached to Tontileaugo,
+had never seen him before, and therefore asked some time to consider of
+this. He told me that the party he was going with would not be along,
+or at the mouth of this little lake, in less than six days, and I could
+in this time be acquainted with him, and judge for myself. I consulted
+with Tontileaugo on this occasion, and he told me that our old brother
+Tecaughretanego (which was his name) was a chief, and a better man than
+he was, and if I went with him I might expect to be well used; but he
+said I might do as I pleased, and if I staid he would use me as he had
+done. I told him that he had acted in every respect as a brother to me;
+yet I was much pleased with my old brother's conduct and conversation;
+and as he was going to a part of the country I had never been in, I
+wished to go with him. He said that he was perfectly willing.
+
+I then went with Tecaughretanego to the mouth of the little lake, where
+he met with the company he intended going with, which was composed of
+Caughnewagas and Ottawas. As the wind was high and we could not proceed
+on our voyage, we remained here several days, and killed abundance of
+wild fowl, and a number of raccoons.
+
+When a company of Indians are moving together on the lake, as it is at
+this time of the year often dangerous sailing, the old men hold a
+council; and when they agree to embark, every one is engaged
+immediately in making ready, without offering one word against the
+measure, though the lake may be boisterous and horrid. One morning,
+though the wind appeared to me to be as high as in days past, and the
+billows raging, yet the call was given "_yohoh-yohoh_," which was
+quickly answered by all--"_ooh-ooh_," which signifies agreed. We were
+all instantly engaged in preparing to start, and had considerable
+difficulties in embarking.
+
+As soon as we got into our canoes we fell to paddling with all our
+might, making out from the shore. Though these sort of canoes ride
+waves beyond what could be expected, yet the water several times dashed
+into them. When we got out about half a mile from shore we hoisted
+sail, and as it was nearly a west wind, we then seemed to ride the
+waves with ease, and went on at a rapid rate. We then all laid down our
+paddles, excepting one that steered, and there was no water dashed into
+our canoes until we came near the shore again. We sailed about sixty
+miles that day, and encamped some time before night.
+
+The next day we again embarked, and went on very well for some time;
+but the lake being boisterous, and the wind not fair, we were obliged
+to make to shore, which we accomplished with hard work and some
+difficulty in landing. The next morning a council was held by the old
+men.
+
+As we had this day to pass by a long precipice of rocks on the shore,
+about nine miles, which rendered it impossible for us to land, though
+the wind was high and the lake rough, yet, as it was fair, we were all
+ordered to embark. We wrought ourselves out from the shore and hoisted
+sail (what we used in place of sail-cloth were our tent-mats, which
+answered the purpose very well), and went on for some time with a fair
+wind, until we were opposite to the precipice, and then it turned
+towards the shore, and we began to fear we should be cast upon the
+rocks. Two of the canoes were considerably farther out from the rocks
+than the canoe I was in. Those who were farthest out in the lake did
+not let down their sails until they had passed the precipice; but as we
+were nearer the rock, we were obliged to lower our sails, and paddle
+with all our might. With much difficulty we cleared ourselves of the
+rock, and landed. As the other canoes had landed before us, there were
+immediately runners sent off to see if we were all safely landed.
+
+About the first of December, 1756, we were preparing for leaving the
+river: we buried our canoes, and as usual hung up our skins, and every
+one had a pack to carry. The squaws also packed up their tents, which
+they carried in large rolls that extended up above their heads, and
+though a great bulk, yet not heavy. We steered about a southeast
+course, and could not march over ten miles per day. At night we lodged
+in our flag tents, which, when erected, were nearly in the shape of a
+sugar-loaf, and about fifteen feet diameter at the ground.
+
+In this manner we proceeded about forty miles, and wintered in these
+tents, on the waters of Beaver Creek, near a little lake or large pond,
+which is about two miles long and one broad, and a remarkable place for
+beaver.
+
+It is a received opinion among Indians that the geese turn to beavers,
+and the snakes to raccoons; and though Tecaughretanego, who was a wise
+man, was not fully persuaded that this was true, yet he seemed in some
+measure to be carried away with this whimsical notion. He said that
+this pond had been always a great place for beaver. Though he said he
+knew them to be frequently all killed (as he thought), yet the next
+winter they would be as plenty as ever. And as the beaver was an animal
+that did not travel by land, and there being no water communication to
+or from this pond, how could such a number of beavers get there year
+after year? But as this pond was also a considerable place for geese,
+when they came in the fall from the north, and alighted in this pond,
+they turned beavers, all but the feet, which remained nearly the same.
+
+In conversation with Tecaughretanego I happened to be talking of the
+beavers catching fish. He asked me why I thought that the beaver caught
+fish. I told him that I had read of the beaver making dams for the
+conveniency of fishing. He laughed, and made game of me and my book. He
+said the man that wrote that book knew nothing about the beaver. The
+beaver never did eat flesh of any kind, but lived on the bark of trees,
+roots, and other vegetables.
+
+In order to know certainly how this was, when we killed a beaver I
+carefully examined the intestines, but found no appearance of fish; I
+afterwards made an experiment on a pet beaver which we had, and found
+that it would neither eat fish nor flesh; therefore I acknowledged that
+the book I had read was wrong.
+
+Near this pond beaver was the principal game. Before the water froze up
+we caught a great many with wooden and steel traps; but after that we
+hunted the beaver on the ice. Some places here the beavers build large
+houses to live in; and in other places they have subterraneous lodgings
+in the banks. Where they lodge in the ground we have no chance of
+hunting them on the ice; but where they have houses, we go with mauls
+and handspikes, and break all the hollow ice, to prevent them from
+getting their heads above the water under it. Then we break a hole in
+the house, and they make their escape into the water; but as they
+cannot live long under water, they are obliged to go to some of those
+broken places to breathe, and the Indians commonly put in their hands,
+catch them by the hind-leg, haul them on the ice, and tomahawk them.
+Sometimes they shoot them in the head when they raise it above the
+water. I asked the Indians if they were not afraid to catch the beavers
+with their hands. They said no: they were not much of a biting
+creature; yet if they would catch them by the fore-foot they would
+bite.
+
+I went out with Tecaughretanego and some others a beaver hunting; but
+we did not succeed, and on our return we saw where several raccoons had
+passed while the snow was soft, though there was now a crust upon it;
+we all made a halt, looking at the raccoon tracks. As they saw a tree
+with a hole in it, they told me to go and see if they had gone in
+thereat; and if they had to halloo, and they would come and take them
+out. When I went to that tree, I found they had gone past; but I saw
+another the way they had gone, and proceeded to examine that, and found
+they had gone up it. I then began to halloo, but could have no answer.
+
+As it began to snow and blow most violently, I returned and proceeded
+after my company, and for some time could see their tracks; but the old
+snow being only about three inches deep, and a crust upon it, the
+present driving snow soon filled up the tracks. As I had only a bow,
+arrows, and tomahawk with me, and no way to strike fire, I appeared to
+be in a dismal situation; and as the air was dark with snow, I had
+little more prospect of steering my course than I would in the night.
+At length I came to a hollow tree, with a hole at one side that I could
+go in at. I went in, and found that it was a dry place, and the hollow
+about three feet diameter, and high enough for me to stand in. I found
+that there was also a considerable quantity of soft, dry rotten wood
+around this hollow; I therefore concluded that I would lodge here, and
+that I would go to work, and stop up the door of my house. I stripped
+off my blanket (which was all the clothes that I had, excepting a
+breech-clout, leggings, and moccasons), and with my tomahawk fell to
+chopping at the top of a fallen tree that lay near, and carried wood,
+and set it up on end against the door, until I had it three or four
+feet thick all around, excepting a hole I had left to creep in at. I
+had a block prepared that I could haul after me to stop this hole; and
+before I went in I put in a number of small sticks that I might more
+effectually stop it on the inside. When I went in, I took my tomahawk
+and cut down all the dry rotten wood I could get, and beat it small.
+With it I made a bed like a goose-nest or hog-bed, and with the small
+sticks stopped every hole, until my house was almost dark. I stripped
+off my moccasons, and danced in the centre of my bed, for half an hour,
+in order to warm myself. In this time my feet and whole body were
+agreeably warmed. The snow, in the meanwhile, had stopped all the
+holes, so that my house was as dark as a dungeon, though I knew it
+could not yet be dark out of doors. I then coiled myself up in my
+blanket, lay down in my little round bed, and had a tolerable night's
+lodging. When I awoke all was dark--not the least glimmering of light
+was to be seen. Immediately I recollected that I was not to expect
+light in this new habitation, as there was neither door nor window in
+it. As I could hear the storm raging, and did not suffer much cold as I
+was then situated, I concluded I would stay in my nest until I was
+certain it was day. When I had reason to conclude that it surely was
+day, I arose and put on my moccasons, which I had laid under my head to
+keep from freezing. I then endeavored to find the door, and had to do
+all by the sense of feeling, which took me some time. At length I found
+the block, but it being heavy, and a large quantity of snow having
+fallen on it, at the first attempt I did not move it. I then felt
+terrified--among all the hardships I had sustained, I never knew before
+what it was to be thus deprived of light. This, with the other
+circumstances attending it, appeared grievous. I went straightway to
+bed again, wrapped my blanket round me, and lay and mused awhile, and
+then prayed to Almighty God to direct and protect me as he had done
+heretofore. I once again attempted to move away the block, which proved
+successful; it moved about nine inches. With this a considerable
+quantity of snow fell in from above, and I immediately received light;
+so that I found a very great snow had fallen, above what I had ever
+seen in one night. I then knew why I could not easily move the block,
+and I was so rejoiced at obtaining the light that all my other
+difficulties seemed to vanish. I then turned into my cell, and returned
+God thanks for having once more received the light of heaven. At length
+I belted my blanket about me, got my tomahawk, bow and arrows, and went
+out of my den.
+
+I was now in tolerable high spirits, though the snow had fallen above
+three feet deep, in addition to what was on the ground before; and the
+only imperfect guide I had in order to steer my course to camp was the
+trees, as the moss generally grows on the northwest side of them, if
+they are straight. I proceeded on, wading through the snow, and about
+twelve o'clock (as it appeared afterwards, from that time to night, for
+it was yet cloudy) I came upon the creek that our camp was on, about
+half a mile below the camp; and when I came in sight of the camp I
+found that there was great joy, by the shouts and yelling of the boys,
+etc.
+
+When I arrived they all came round me, and received me gladly; but at
+this time no questions were asked, and I was taken into a tent, where
+they gave me plenty of fat beaver meat, and then asked me to smoke.
+When I had done, Tecaughretanego desired me to walk out to a fire they
+had made. I went out, and they all collected round me, both men, women,
+and boys. Tecaughretanego asked me to give them a particular account of
+what had happened from the time they left me yesterday until now. I
+told them the whole of the story, and they never interrupted me; but
+when I made a stop, the intervals were filled with loud exclamations of
+joy. As I could not at this time talk Ottawa or Jibewa well (which is
+nearly the same), I delivered my story in Caughnewaga. As my sister
+Molly's husband was a Jibewa, and could understand Caughnewaga, he
+acted as interpreter, and delivered my story to the Jibewas and
+Ottawas, which they received with pleasure.
+
+One day, as I was looking after my traps, I got benighted, by beaver
+ponds intercepting my way to camp; and as I had neglected to take
+fireworks with me, and the weather very cold, I could find no suitable
+lodging-place; therefore the only expedient I could think of to keep
+myself from freezing was exercise. I danced and hallooed the whole
+night with all my might, and the next day came to camp. Though I
+suffered much more this time than the other night I lay out, yet the
+Indians were not so much concerned, as they thought I had fireworks
+with me; but when they knew how it was, they did not blame me. They
+said that old hunters were frequently involved in this place, as the
+beaver dams were one above another on every creek and run, so that it
+is hard to find a fording-place. They applauded me for my fortitude,
+and said, as they had now plenty of beaver skins, they would purchase
+me a new gun at Detroit, as we were to go there the next spring; and
+then if I should chance to be lost in dark weather, I could make a
+fire, kill provision, and return to camp when the sun shone. By being
+bewildered on the waters of Muskingum, I lost repute, and was reduced
+to the bow and arrow, and by lying out two nights here I regained my
+credit.
+
+After some time the waters all froze again, and then, as formerly, we
+hunted beavers on the ice. Though beaver meat, without salt or bread,
+was the chief of our food this winter, yet we had always plenty, and I
+was well contented with my diet, as it appeared delicious fare after
+the way we had lived the winter before.
+
+Some time in February we scaffolded up our fur and skins, and moved
+about ten miles in quest of a sugar-camp, or a suitable place to make
+sugar, and encamped in a large bottom on the head-waters of Big Beaver
+Creek. We had some difficulty in moving, as we had a blind Caughnewaga
+boy, about fifteen years of age, to lead; and as this country is very
+brushy, we frequently had him to carry. We had also my Jibewa
+brother-in-law's father with us, who was thought by the Indians to be a
+great conjuror; his name was Manetohcoa. This old man was so decrepit
+that we had to carry him this route upon a bier, and all our baggage to
+pack on our backs.
+
+Some time in March, 1757, we began to move back to the forks of
+Cayahoga, which was about forty or fifty miles. And as we had no
+horses, we had all our baggage and several hundred weight of beaver
+skins, and some deer and bear skins, all to pack on our backs. The
+method we took to accomplish this was by making short days' journeys.
+In the morning we would move on with as much as we were able to carry,
+about five miles, and encamp, and then run back for more. We commonly
+made three such trips in the day. When we came to the great pond, we
+staid there one day to rest ourselves, and to kill ducks and geese.
+
+When we came to the forks, we found that the skins we had scaffolded
+were all safe. Though this was a public place, and Indians frequently
+passing, and our skins hanging up in view, yet there were none stolen.
+And it is seldom that Indians do steal anything from one another. And
+they say they never did, until the white people came among them, and
+taught some of them to lie, cheat, and steal; but be that as it may,
+they never did curse or swear until the whites taught them. Some think
+their language will not admit of it, but I am not of that opinion. If I
+was so disposed, I could find language to curse or swear in the Indian
+tongue.
+
+We took up our birch-bark canoes which we had buried, and found that
+they were not damaged by the winter; but they not being sufficient to
+carry all that we now had, we made a large chestnut-bark canoe, as
+elm-bark was not to be found at this place.
+
+We all embarked, and had a very agreeable passage down the Cayahoga,
+and along the south side of Lake Erie, until we passed the mouth of
+Sandusky; then the wind arose, and we put in at the mouth of the Miami
+of the Lake, at Cedar Point, where we remained several days, and killed
+a number of turkeys, geese, ducks, and swans. The wind being fair, and
+the lake not extremely rough, we again embarked, hoisted up sails, and
+arrived safe at the Wyandot town, nearly opposite to Fort Detroit, on
+the north side of the river. Here we found a number of French traders,
+every one very willing to deal with us for our beaver.
+
+We bought ourselves fine clothes, ammunition, paint, tobacco, etc.,
+and, according to promise, they purchased me a new gun; yet we had
+parted with only about one third of our beaver. At length a trader came
+to town with French brandy; we purchased a keg of it, and held a
+council about who was to get drunk and who was to keep sober. I was
+invited to get drunk, but I refused the proposal; then they told me
+that I must be one of those who were to take care of the drunken
+people. I did not like this; but of two evils I chose that which I
+thought was the least--and fell in with those who were to conceal the
+arms, and keep every dangerous weapon we could out of their way, and
+endeavor, if possible, to keep the drinking-club from killing each
+other, which was a very hard task. Several times we hazarded our own
+lives, and got ourselves hurt in preventing them from slaying each
+other. Before they had finished this keg, near one third of the town
+was introduced to this drinking-club; they could not pay their part, as
+they had already disposed of all their skins; but that made no
+odds--all were welcome to drink. When they were done with this keg,
+they applied to the traders, and procured a kettle full of brandy at a
+time, which they divided out with a large wooden spoon; and so they
+went on, and never quit while they had a single beaver skin. When the
+trader had got all our beaver, he moved off to the Ottawa town, about a
+mile above the Wyandot town.
+
+When the brandy was gone, and the drinking-club sober, they appeared
+much dejected. Some of them were crippled, others badly wounded, a
+number of their fine new shirts torn, and several blankets were burned.
+A number of squaws were also in this club, and neglected their
+corn-planting. We could now hear the effects of the brandy in the
+Ottawa town. They were singing and yelling in the most hideous manner,
+both night and day; but their frolic ended worse than ours: five
+Ottawas were killed and a great many wounded.
+
+After this a number of young Indians were getting their ears cut, and
+they urged me to have mine cut likewise, but they did not attempt to
+compel me, though they endeavored to persuade me. The principal
+arguments they used were, its being a very great ornament, and also the
+common fashion. The former I did not believe, and the latter I could
+not deny. The way they performed this operation was by cutting the
+fleshy part of the circle of the ear, close to the gristle, quite
+through. When this was done they wrapped rags round this fleshy part
+until it was entirely healed; they then hung lead to it, and stretched
+it to a wonderful length: when it was sufficiently stretched, they
+wrapped the fleshy part round with brass wire, which formed it into a
+semicircle about four inches in diameter.
+
+Many of the young men were now exercising themselves in a game
+resembling football, though they commonly struck the ball with a
+crooked stick made for that purpose; also a game something like this,
+wherein they used a wooden ball, about three inches in diameter, and
+the instrument they moved it with was a strong staff, about five feet
+long, with a hoop net on the end of it large enough to contain the
+ball. Before they begin the play, they lay off about half a mile
+distance in a clear plain, and the opposite parties all attend at the
+centre, where a disinterested person casts up the ball, then the
+opposite parties all contend for it. If any one gets it into his net,
+he runs with it the way he wishes it to go, and they all pursue him. If
+one of the opposite party overtakes the person with the ball, he gives
+the staff a stroke, which causes the ball to fly out of the net; then
+they have another debate for it, and if the one that gets it can outrun
+all the opposite party, and can carry it quite out, or over the line at
+the end, the game is won; but this seldom happens. When any one is
+running away with the ball, and is likely to be overtaken, he commonly
+throws it, and with this instrument can cast it fifty or sixty yards.
+Sometimes when the ball is almost at the one end, matters will take a
+sudden turn, and the opposite party may quickly carry it out at the
+other end. Oftentimes they will work a long while back and forward
+before they can get the ball over the line, or win the game.
+
+About the 1st of June, 1757, the warriors were preparing to go to war,
+in the Wyandot, Pottowatomy, and Ottawa towns; also a great many
+Jibewas came down from the upper lakes; and after singing their
+war-songs and going through their common ceremonies, they marched off
+against the frontiers of Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, in their
+usual manner, singing the travelling song, slow firing, etc.
+
+About the middle of June the Indians were almost all gone to war, from
+sixteen to sixty; yet Tecaughretanego remained in town with me. Though
+he had formerly, when they were at war with the southern nations, been
+a great warrior and an eminent counsellor, and I think as clear and
+able a reasoner upon any subject that he had an opportunity of being
+acquainted with as I ever knew, yet he had all along been against this
+war, and had strenuously opposed it in council. He said, if the English
+and French had a quarrel, let them fight their own battles themselves;
+it is not our business to intermeddle therewith.
+
+Before the warriors returned we were very scarce of provision; and
+though we did not commonly steal from one another, yet we stole during
+this time anything that we could eat from the French, under the notion
+that it was just for us to do so, because they supported their
+soldiers; and our squaws, old men, and children were suffering on
+account of the war, as our hunters were all gone.
+
+Some time in August the warriors returned, and brought in with them a
+great many scalps, prisoners, horses, and plunder; and the common
+report among the young warriors was that they would entirely subdue
+Tulhasaga, that is the English, or it might be literally rendered the
+Morning Light Inhabitants.
+
+About the first of November a number of families were preparing to go
+on their winter hunt, and all agreed to cross the lake together. We
+encamped at the mouth of the river the first night, and a council was
+held, whether we should cross through by the three islands, or coast it
+round the lake. These islands lie in a line across the lake, and are
+just in sight of each other. Some of the Wyandots, or Ottawas,
+frequently make their winter hunt on these islands; though, excepting
+wild fowl and fish, there is scarcely any game here but raccoons, which
+are amazingly plenty, and exceedingly large and fat, as they feed upon
+the wild rice, which grows in abundance in wet places round these
+islands. It is said that each hunter, in one winter, will catch one
+thousand raccoons.
+
+It is a received opinion among the Indians that the snakes and raccoons
+are transmigratory, and that a great many of the snakes turn into
+raccoons every fall, and raccoons into snakes every spring. This notion
+is founded on observations made on the snakes and raccoons in this
+island.
+
+We concluded to coast it round the lake, and in two days we came to the
+mouth of the Miami of the Lake, and landed on Cedar Point, where we
+remained several days. Here we held a council, and concluded we would
+take a driving hunt in concert and in partnership.
+
+The river in this place is about a mile broad, and as it and the lake
+form a kind of neck, which terminates in a point, all the hunters
+(which were fifty-three) went up the river, and we scattered ourselves
+from the river to the lake. When we first began to move we were not in
+sight of each other, but as we all raised the yell, we could move
+regularly together by the noise. At length we came in sight of each
+other, and appeared to be marching in good order; before we came to the
+point, both the squaws and boys in the canoes were scattered up the
+river and along the lake, to prevent the deer from making their escape
+by water. As we advanced near the point the guns began to crack slowly,
+and after some time the firing was like a little engagement. The squaws
+and boys were busy tomahawking the deer in the water, and we shooting
+them down on the land. We killed in all about thirty deer, though a
+great many made their escape by water.
+
+Here our company separated. The chief part of them went up the Miami
+River,[4] which empties into Lake Erie at Cedar Point, while we
+proceeded on our journey in company with Tecaughretanego, Tontileaugo,
+and two families of the Wyandots.
+
+          [4] The Miami of the Lakes, now called Maumee.
+
+As cold weather was now approaching, we began to feel the doleful
+effects of extravagantly and foolishly spending the large quantity of
+beaver we had taken in our last winter's hunt. We were all nearly in
+the same circumstances; scarcely one had a shirt to his back; but each
+of us had an old blanket which we belted round us in the day, and slept
+in at night, with a deer or bear skin under us for our bed.
+
+When we came to the Falls of Sandusky we buried our birch-bark canoes,
+as usual, at a large burying-place for that purpose, a little below the
+falls. At this place the river falls about eight feet over a rock, but
+not perpendicularly. With much difficulty we pushed up our wooden
+canoes; some of us went up the river, and the rest by land with the
+horses, until we came to the great meadows or prairies that lie between
+Sandusky and Sciota.
+
+When we came to this place, we met with some Ottawa hunters, and agreed
+with them to take what they call a ring hunt, in partnership. We waited
+until we expected rain was near falling to extinguish the fire, and
+then we kindled a large circle in the prairie. At this time, or before
+the bucks began to run, a great number of deer lay concealed in the
+grass in the day, and moved about in the night; but as the fire burned
+in towards the centre of the circle, the deer fled before the fire; the
+Indians were scattered also at some distance before the fire, and shot
+them down every opportunity, which was very frequent, especially as the
+circle became small. When we came to divide the deer, there were about
+ten to each hunter, which were all killed in a few hours. The rain did
+not come on that night to put out the outside circle of the fire, and
+as the wind arose, it extended through the whole prairie, which was
+about fifty miles in length, and in some places nearly twenty in
+breadth. This put an end to our ring hunting this season, and was in
+other respects an injury to us in the hunting business; so that upon
+the whole we received more harm than benefit by our rapid hunting
+frolic. We then moved from the north end of the glades, and encamped at
+the carrying-place.
+
+About the time the bucks quit running, Tontileaugo, his wife and
+children, Tecaughretanego, his son Nunganey, and myself, left the
+Wyandot camps at the carrying-place, and crossed the Sciota River at
+the south end of the glades, and proceeded on about a southwest course
+to a large creek called Ollentangy, which I believe interlocks with the
+waters of the Miami, and empties into Sciota on the west side thereof.
+From the south end of the prairie to Ollentangy there is a large
+quantity of beech land, intermixed with first-rate land. Here we made
+our winter hut, and had considerable success in hunting.
+
+After some time one of Tontileaugo's stepsons (a lad about eight years
+of age) offended him, and he gave the boy a moderate whipping, which
+much displeased his Wyandot wife. She acknowledged that the boy was
+guilty of a fault, but thought that he ought to have been ducked, which
+is their usual mode of chastisement. She said she could not bear to
+have her son whipped like a servant or slave; and she was so
+displeased, that when Tontileaugo went out to hunt, she got her two
+horses, and all her effects (as in this country the husband and wife
+have separate interests), and moved back to the Wyandot camp that we
+had left.
+
+When Tontileaugo returned he was much disturbed on hearing of his
+wife's elopement, and said that he would never go after her, were it
+not that he was afraid that she would get bewildered, and that his
+children that she had taken with her might suffer. Tontileaugo went
+after his wife, and when they met they made up the quarrel; and he
+never returned, but left Tecaughretanego and his son (a boy about ten
+years of age), and myself, who remained here in our hut all winter.
+
+Tecaughretanego had been a first-rate warrior, statesman, and hunter,
+and though he was now near sixty years of age, was yet equal to the
+common run of hunters, but subject to the rheumatism, which deprived
+him of the use of his legs.
+
+Shortly after Tontileaugo left us, Tecaughretanego became lame, and
+could scarcely walk out of our hut for two months. I had considerable
+success in hunting and trapping. Though Tecaughretanego endured much
+pain and misery, yet he bore it all with wonderful patience, and would
+often endeavor to entertain me with cheerful conversation. Sometimes he
+would applaud me for my diligence, skill, and activity; and at other
+times he would take great care in giving me instructions concerning the
+hunting and trapping business. He would also tell me that if I failed
+of success we would suffer very much, as we were about forty miles from
+any one living, that we knew of; yet he would not intimate that he
+apprehended we were in any danger, but still supposed that I was fully
+adequate to the task.
+
+Tontileaugo left us a little before Christmas, and from that until some
+time in February we had always plenty of bear meat, venison, etc.
+During this time I killed much more than we could use; but having no
+horses to carry in what I killed, I left part of it in the woods. In
+February there came a snow, with a crust, which made a great noise when
+walking on it, and frightened away the deer; and as bear and beaver
+were scarce here, we got entirely out of provision. After I had hunted
+two days without eating anything, and had very short allowance for some
+days before, I returned late in the evening, faint and weary. When I
+came into our hut, Tecaughretanego asked what success. I told him not
+any. He asked me if I was not very hungry. I replied that the keen
+appetite seemed to be in some measure removed, but I was both faint and
+weary. He commanded Nunganey, his little son, to bring me something to
+eat, and he brought me a kettle with some bones and broth. After eating
+a few mouthfuls, my appetite violently returned, and I thought the
+victuals had a most agreeable relish, though it was only fox and
+wildcat bones, which lay about the camp, which the ravens and
+turkey-buzzards had picked; these Nunganey had collected and boiled,
+until the sinews that remained on the bones would strip off. I speedily
+finished my allowance, such as it was, and when I had ended my _sweet_
+repast, Tecaughretanego asked me how I felt. I told him that I was much
+refreshed. He then handed me his pipe and pouch, and told me to take a
+smoke. I did so. He then said he had something of importance to tell
+me, if I was now composed and ready to hear it. I told him that I was
+ready to hear him. He said the reason why he deferred his speech till
+now was because few men are in a right humor to hear good talk when
+they are extremely hungry, as they are then generally fretful and
+discomposed; "But as you appear now to enjoy calmness and serenity of
+mind, I will now communicate to you the thoughts of my heart, and those
+things that I know to be true.
+
+"_Brother_,--As you have lived with the white people, you have not
+had the same advantage of knowing that the great Being above feeds his
+people, and gives them their meat in due season, as we Indians have,
+who are frequently out of provisions, and yet are wonderfully supplied,
+and that so frequently, that it is evidently the hand of the great
+Owaneeyo[5] that doth this. Whereas the white people have commonly
+large stocks of tame cattle, that they can kill when they please, and
+also their barns and cribs filled with grain, and therefore have not
+the same opportunity of seeing and knowing that they are supported by
+the Ruler of heaven and earth.
+
+          [5] This is the name of God, in their tongue, and signifies
+          the owner and ruler of all things.
+
+"_Brother_,--I know that you are now afraid that we will all perish
+with hunger, but you have no just reason to fear this.
+
+"_Brother_,--I have been young, but now am old; I have been frequently
+under the like circumstances that we now are, and that some time or
+other in almost every year of my life; yet I have hitherto been
+supported, and my wants supplied in time of need.
+
+"_Brother_,--Owaneeyo sometimes suffers us to be in want, in order to
+teach us our dependence upon him, and to let us know that we are to
+love and serve him; and likewise to know the worth of the favors that
+we receive, and to make us more thankful.
+
+"_Brother_,--Be assured that you will be supplied with food, and that
+just in the right time; but you must continue diligent in the use of
+means. Go to sleep, and rise early in the morning and go a-hunting; be
+strong, and exert yourself like a man, and the Great Spirit will direct
+your way."
+
+The next morning I went out, and steered about an east course. I
+proceeded on slowly for about five miles, and saw deer frequently; but
+as the crust on the snow made a great noise, they were always running
+before I spied them, so that I could not get a shot. A violent appetite
+returned, and I became intolerably hungry. It was now that I concluded
+I would run off to Pennsylvania, my native country. As the snow was on
+the ground, and Indian hunters almost the whole of the way before me, I
+had but a poor prospect of making my escape, but my case appeared
+desperate. If I staid here, I thought I would perish with hunger, and
+if I met with Indians they could but kill me.
+
+I then proceeded on as fast as I could walk, and when I got about ten
+or twelve miles from our hut I came upon fresh buffalo tracks; I
+pursued after, and in a short time came in sight of them as they were
+passing through a small glade. I ran with all my might and headed them,
+where I lay in ambush, and killed a very large cow. I immediately
+kindled a fire and began to roast meat, but could not wait till it was
+done; I ate it almost raw. When hunger was abated I began to be
+tenderly concerned for my old Indian brother and the little boy I had
+left in a perishing condition. I made haste and packed up what meat I
+could carry, secured what I left from the wolves, and returned
+homewards.
+
+I scarcely thought on the old man's speech while I was almost
+distracted with hunger, but on my return was much affected with it,
+reflected on myself for my hard-heartedness and ingratitude, in
+attempting to run off and leave the venerable old man and little boy to
+perish with hunger. I also considered how remarkably the old man's
+speech had been verified in our providentially obtaining a supply. I
+thought also of that part of his speech which treated of the fractious
+dispositions of hungry people, which was the only excuse I had for my
+base inhumanity, in attempting to leave them in the most deplorable
+situation.
+
+As it was moonlight, I got home to our hut, and found the old man in
+his usual good-humor. He thanked me for my exertion, and bid me sit
+down, as I must certainly be fatigued, and he commanded Nunganey to
+make haste and cook. I told him I would cook for him, and let the boy
+lay some meat on the coals for himself; which he did, but ate it almost
+raw, as I had done. I immediately hung on the kettle with some water,
+and cut the beef in thin slices, and put them in. When it had boiled
+awhile, I proposed taking it off the fire, but the old man replied,
+"Let it be done enough." This he said in as patient and unconcerned a
+manner as if he had not wanted one single meal. He commanded Nunganey
+to eat no more beef at that time, lest he might hurt himself, but told
+him to sit down, and after some time he might sup some broth; this
+command he reluctantly obeyed.
+
+When we were all refreshed, Tecaughretanego delivered a speech upon the
+necessity and pleasure of receiving the necessary supports of life with
+thankfulness, knowing that Owaneeyo is the great giver. Such speeches
+from an Indian may be thought by those who are unacquainted with them
+altogether incredible; but when we reflect on the Indian war, we may
+readily conclude that they are not an ignorant or stupid sort of
+people, or they would not have been such fatal enemies. When they came
+into our country they outwitted us; and when we sent armies into their
+country, they outgeneralled and beat us with inferior force. Let us
+also take into consideration that Tecaughretanego was no common person,
+but was among the Indians as Socrates in the ancient heathen world;
+and, it may be, equal to him, if not in wisdom and in learning, yet
+perhaps in patience and fortitude. Notwithstanding Tecaughretanego's
+uncommon natural abilities, yet in the sequel of this history you will
+see the deficiency of the light of nature, unaided by revelation, in
+this truly great man.
+
+The next morning Tecaughretanego desired me to go back and bring
+another load of buffalo beef. As I proceeded to do so, about five miles
+from our hut I found a bear tree. As a sapling grew near the tree, and
+reached near the hole that the bear went in at, I got dry dozed or
+rotten wood, that would catch and hold fire almost as well as spunk.
+This wood I tied up in bunches, fixed them on my back, and then climbed
+up the sapling, and with a pole I put them, touched with fire, into the
+hole, and then came down and took my gun in my hand. After some time
+the bear came out, and I killed and skinned it, packed up a load of the
+meat (after securing the remainder from the wolves), and returned home
+before night. On my return my old brother and his son were much
+rejoiced at my success. After this we had plenty of provisions.
+
+We remained here until some time in April, 1758. At this time
+Tecaughretanego had recovered so that he could walk about. We made a
+bark canoe, embarked, and went down Ollentangy some distance, but, the
+water being low, we were in danger of splitting our canoe upon the
+rocks; therefore Tecaughretanego concluded we would encamp on shore,
+and pray for rain.
+
+When we encamped Tecaughretanego made himself a sweat-house, which he
+did by sticking a number of hoops in the ground, each hoop forming a
+semicircle; this he covered all round with blankets and skins. He then
+prepared hot stones, which he rolled into this hut, and then went into
+it himself with a little kettle of water in his hand, mixed with a
+variety of herbs, which he had formerly cured, and had now with him in
+his pack; they afforded an odoriferous perfume. When he was in, he told
+me to pull down the blankets behind him, and cover all up close, which
+I did, and then he began to pour water upon the hot stones, and to sing
+aloud. He continued in this vehement hot place about fifteen minutes.
+All this he did in order to purify himself before he would address
+the Supreme Being. When he came out of his sweat-house he began to
+burn tobacco and pray. He began each petition with "_Oh, ho, ho, ho_"
+which is a kind of aspiration, and signifies an ardent wish. I observed
+that all his petitions were only for immediate or present temporal
+blessings. He began his address by thanksgiving in the following
+manner:
+
+"O Great Being! I thank thee that I have obtained the use of my legs
+again; that I am now able to walk about and kill turkeys, etc., without
+feeling exquisite pain and misery. I know that thou art a hearer and a
+helper, and therefore I will call upon thee.
+
+"_Oh, ho, ho, ho,_
+
+"Grant that my knees and ankles may be right well, and that I may be
+able, not only to walk, but to run and to jump logs, as I did last
+fall.
+
+"_Oh, ho, ho, ho,_
+
+"Grant that on this voyage we may frequently kill bears, as they may be
+crossing the Scioto and Sandusky.
+
+"_Oh, ho, ho, ho,_
+
+"Grant that we may kill plenty of turkeys along the banks, to stew with
+our fat bear meat.
+
+"_Oh, ho, ho, ho,_
+
+"Grant that rain may come to raise the Ollentangy about two or three
+feet, that we may cross in safety down to Scioto, without danger of our
+canoe being wrecked on the rocks. And now, O Great Being, thou knowest
+how matters stand; thou knowest that I am a great lover of tobacco, and
+though I know not when I may get any more, I now make a present of the
+last I have unto thee, as a free burnt-offering; therefore I expect
+thou wilt hear and grant these requests, and I, thy servant, will
+return thee thanks and love thee for thy gifts."
+
+During the whole of this scene I sat by Tecaughretanego, and as he went
+through it with the greatest solemnity I was seriously affected with
+his prayers. I remained duly composed until he came to the burning of
+the tobacco; and as I knew he was a great lover of it, and saw him cast
+the last of it into the fire, it excited in me a kind of merriment, and
+I insensibly smiled. Tecaughretanego observed me laughing, which
+displeased him, and occasioned him to address me in the following
+manner.
+
+"_Brother_,--I have somewhat to say to you, and I hope you will not be
+offended when I tell you of your faults. You know that when you were
+reading your books in town I would not let the boys or any one disturb
+you; but now, when I was praying, I saw you laughing. I do not think
+that you look upon praying as a foolish thing; I believe you pray
+yourself. But perhaps you may think my mode or manner of praying
+foolish; if so, you ought in a friendly manner to instruct me, and not
+make sport of sacred things."
+
+I acknowledged my error, and on this he handed me his pipe to smoke, in
+token of friendship and reconciliation, though at this time he had
+nothing to smoke but red-willow bark. I told him something of the
+method of reconciliation with an offended God, as revealed in my Bible,
+which I had then in possession. He said that he liked my story better
+than that of the French priests, but he thought that he was now too old
+to begin to learn a new religion, therefore he should continue to
+worship God in the way that he had been taught, and that if salvation
+or future happiness was to be had in his way of worship, he expected he
+would obtain it, and if it was inconsistent with the honor of the Great
+Spirit to accept of him in his own way of worship, he hoped that
+Owaneeyo would accept of him in the way I had mentioned, or in some
+other way, though he might now be ignorant of the channel through which
+favor or mercy might be conveyed. He said that he believed that
+Owaneeyo would hear and help every one that sincerely waited upon him.
+
+A few days after Tecaughretanego had gone through his ceremonies and
+finished his prayers, the rain came and raised the creek a sufficient
+height, so that we passed in safety down to Scioto, and proceeded up to
+the carrying-place. We proceeded from this place down Sandusky, and in
+our passage we killed four bears and a number of turkeys.
+Tecaughretanego appeared now fully persuaded that all this came in
+answer to his prayers, and who can say with any degree of certainty
+that it was not so?
+
+When we came to the little lake at the mouth of Sandusky, we called at
+a Wyandot town that was then there, called Sunyendeand. Here we
+diverted ourselves several days by catching rock-fish in a small creek,
+the name of which is also Sunyendeand, which signifies rock-fish. They
+fished in the night with lights, and struck the fish with gigs or
+spears. The rock-fish here, when they begin first to run up the creek
+to spawn, are exceedingly fat, sufficiently so to fry themselves. The
+first night we scarcely caught fish enough for present use for all that
+were in the town.
+
+The next morning I met with a prisoner at this place by the name of
+Thompson, who had been taken from Virginia. He told me, if the Indians
+would only omit disturbing the fish for one night, he could catch more
+fish than the whole town could make use of. I told Mr. Thompson that if
+he was certain he could do this, that I would use my influence with the
+Indians to let the fish alone for one night. I applied to the chiefs,
+who agreed to my proposal, and said they were anxious to see what the
+Great Knife (as they called the Virginian) could do. Mr. Thompson, with
+the assistance of some other prisoners, set to work, and made a
+hoop-net of elm-bark; they then cut down a tree across the creek, and
+stuck in stakes at the lower side of it to prevent the fish from
+passing up, leaving only a gap at the one side of the creek; here he
+sat with his net, and when he felt the fish touch the net he drew it
+up, and frequently would haul out two or three rock-fish that would
+weigh about five or six pounds each. He continued at this until he had
+hauled out about a wagon-load, and then left the gap open in order to
+let them pass up, for they could not go far on account of the shallow
+water. Before day Mr. Thompson shut it up, to prevent them from passing
+down, in order to let the Indians have some diversion in killing them
+in daylight.
+
+When the news of the fish came to town the Indians all collected, and
+with surprise beheld the large heap of fish, and applauded the
+ingenuity of the Virginian. When they saw the number of them that were
+confined in the water above the tree, the young Indians ran back to the
+town, and in a short time returned with their spears, gigs, bows and
+arrows, etc., and were the chief part of that day engaged in killing
+rock-fish, insomuch that we had more than we could use or preserve. As
+we had no salt, or any way to keep them, they lay upon the banks, and
+after some time great numbers of turkey-buzzards and eagles collected
+together and devoured them.
+
+Shortly after this we left Sunyendeand, and in three days arrived at
+Detroit, where we remained this summer.
+
+Some time in May we heard that General Forbes, with seven thousand men,
+was preparing to carry on a campaign against Fort Du Quesne, which then
+stood near where Fort Pitt was afterwards erected. Upon receiving this
+news, a number of runners were sent off by the French commander at
+Detroit to urge the different tribes of Indian warriors to repair to
+Fort Du Quesne.
+
+Some time in July, 1758, the Ottawas, Jibewas, Potowatomies, and
+Wyandots rendezvoused at Detroit, and marched off to Fort Du Quesne, to
+prepare for the encounter of General Forbes. The common report was that
+they would serve him as they did General Braddock, and obtain much
+plunder. From this time until fall we had frequent accounts of Forbes's
+army, by Indian runners that were sent out to watch their motion. They
+espied them frequently from the mountains even after they left Fort
+Loudon. Notwithstanding their vigilance, Colonel Grant, with his
+Highlanders, stole a march upon them, and in the night took possession
+of a hill about eighty rods from Fort Du Quesne; this hill is on that
+account called Grant's Hill to this day. The French and Indians knew
+not that Grant and his men were there, until they beat the drum and
+played upon the bagpipes just at daylight. They then flew to arms, and
+the Indians ran up under cover of the banks of the Alleghany and
+Monongahela for some distance, and then sallied out from the banks of
+the rivers, and took possession of the hill above Grant; and as he was
+on the point of it, in sight of the fort, they immediately surrounded
+him; and as he had his Highlanders in ranks, and in very close order,
+and the Indians scattered and concealed behind trees, they defeated him
+with the loss only of a few warriors; most of the Highlanders were
+killed or taken prisoners.
+
+After this defeat the Indians held a council, but were divided in their
+opinions. Some said that General Forbes would now turn back, and go
+home the way that he came, as Dunbar had done when General Braddock was
+defeated; others supposed he would come on. The French urged the
+Indians to stay and see the event; but as it was hard for the Indians
+to be absent from their squaws and children at this season of the year,
+a great many of them returned home to their hunting. After this the
+remainder of the Indians, some French regulars, and a number of
+Canadians, marched off in quest of General Forbes. They met his army
+near Fort Ligonier, and attacked them, but were frustrated in their
+design. They said that Forbes's men were beginning to learn the art of
+war, and that there were a great number of American riflemen along with
+the redcoats, who scattered out, took trees, and were good marksmen;
+therefore they found they could not accomplish their design, and were
+obliged to retreat. When they returned from the battle to Fort Du
+Quesne, the Indians concluded that they would go to their hunting. The
+French endeavored to persuade them to stay and try another battle. The
+Indians said if it was only the redcoats they had to do with they could
+soon subdue them, but they could not withstand _Ashalecoa_, or the
+Great Knife, which was the name they gave the Virginians. They then
+returned home to their hunting, and the French evacuated the fort,
+which General Forbes came and took possession of, without further
+opposition, late in the year 1758, and at this time began to build Fort
+Pitt.
+
+When Tecaughretanego had heard the particulars of Grant's defeat he
+said that he could not well account for his contradictory and
+inconsistent conduct. He said, as the art of war consists in ambushing
+and surprising our enemies, and in preventing them from ambushing and
+surprising us, Grant, in the first place, acted like a wise and
+experienced warrior in artfully approaching in the night without being
+discovered; but when he came to the place, and the Indians were lying
+asleep outside of the fort, between him and the Alleghany River, in
+place of slipping up quietly, and falling upon them with their
+broadswords, they beat the drums and played upon the bagpipes. He said
+he could account for this inconsistent conduct in no other way than by
+supposing that he had made too free with spirituous liquors during the
+night, and became intoxicated about daylight. But to return.
+
+This year we hunted up Sandusky and down Scioto, and took nearly the
+same route that we had done the last hunting season. We had
+considerable success, and returned to Detroit some time in April, 1759.
+
+Shortly after this Tecaughretanego, his son Nunganey, and myself went
+from Detroit (in an elm-bark canoe) to Caughnewaga, a very ancient
+Indian town, about nine miles above Montreal, where I remained until
+about the first of July. I then heard of a French ship at Montreal that
+had English prisoners on board, in order to carry them over sea and
+exchange them. I went privately off from the Indians, and got also on
+board; but as General Wolfe had stopped the river St. Lawrence, we were
+all sent to prison in Montreal, where I remained four months. Some time
+in November we were all sent off from this place to Crown Point, and
+exchanged.
+
+Early in the year 1760 I came home to Conococheague, and found that my
+people could never ascertain whether I was killed or taken until my
+return. They received me with great joy, but were surprised to see me
+so much like an Indian, both in my gait and gesture.
+
+Upon inquiry, I found that my sweetheart was married a few days before
+I arrived. My feelings I must leave, on this occasion, for those of my
+readers to judge who have felt the pangs of disappointed love, as it is
+impossible now for me to describe the emotion of soul I felt at that
+time.
+
+In the year 1788 I settled in Bourbon County, Kentucky, seven miles
+above Paris, and in the same year was elected a member of the
+convention that sat at Danville to confer about a separation from the
+State of Virginia; and from that year until the year 1799 I represented
+Bourbon County either in convention or as a member of the General
+Assembly, except two years that I was left a few votes behind.
+
+
+
+
+II
+
+THE NARRATIVE OF FRANCESCO GIUSEPPE BRESSANI, S.J., RELATING HIS
+CAPTIVITY AMONG THE IROQUOIS, IN 1644
+
+
+    The Italian Jesuit missionary Father Bressani was born in Rome, 6
+    May, 1612. At the age of fourteen he entered the novitiate of the
+    Society of Jesus. Becoming zealous to serve as missionary among the
+    American Indians, he went to Quebec in the summer of 1642, and the
+    following year he was sent among the Algonquins at Three Rivers.
+
+    In April, 1644, while on his way to the Huron country, where a
+    mission had been established, he was captured by the Iroquois, who
+    at that time were an exceedingly fierce and even cannibal nation,
+    perpetually at war with nearly the whole known continent. By them
+    he was subjected to tortures, but finally was made over to an old
+    squaw to take the place of a deceased relative. From her he was
+    ransomed by the Dutch at Fort Orange (the modern Albany), and by
+    them he was sent to France, where he arrived in November, 1644.
+
+    Despite his terrible experiences among the savages, and his maimed
+    condition, the indomitable missionary returned to Canada the next
+    spring, and labored with the Hurons until their mission was
+    destroyed by the Iroquois four years later.
+
+    In November, 1650, Bressani, in broken health, went back to his
+    native land. Here he spent many years as a preacher and home
+    missionary. He died at Florence, 9 September, 1672.
+
+    The following account of Father Bressani's sufferings among the
+    Indians is translated from two of his own letters in his book
+    _Breve Relatione d'alcune Missioni nella Nuova Francia_, published
+    at Macerata in 1653. (_Editor._)
+
+
+FIRST LETTER,
+
+Dated "From the Iroquois, the 15th of July, 1644."
+
+OUR MOST REVEREND FATHER IN CHRIST:
+
+_PAX CHRISTI_--I know not whether Your Paternity will recognize the
+handwriting of a poor cripple, who formerly, when in perfect health,
+was well known to you. The letter is badly written, and quite soiled,
+because, among other inconveniences, the writer has but one whole
+finger on his right hand, and can scarcely prevent the paper's being
+stained by the blood which flows from his yet unhealed wounds. His ink
+is arquebuse powder [gunpowder rubbed up with water], and his table the
+bare earth. He writes to you from the land of the Iroquois, where he is
+now a captive, and would briefly relate what Divine Providence has at
+last ordained for him.
+
+I set out from Three Rivers, by order of the Superior, the 27th of last
+April, in company with six Christian Indians and a young Frenchman,
+with three canoes, to go to the country of the Hurons.
+
+On the evening of the first day, the Huron who steered our canoe, when
+firing at an eagle, upset us into Lake St. Pierre. I did not know how
+to swim, but two Hurons caught me and drew me to the shore, where we
+spent the night, all drenched. The Hurons took this accident for an
+ill-omen, and advised me to return to our starting point, which was
+only eight or ten miles off. "Certainly," they cried, "this voyage will
+not prove fortunate." As I feared that there might be some superstition
+in this discourse, I preferred to push on to another French fort
+[Richelieu], thirty miles higher up, where we might recruit a little.
+They obeyed me, and we started quite early the next morning, but the
+snow and bad weather greatly retarded our speed, and compelled us to
+stop at midday.
+
+On the third day, when twenty-two or twenty-four miles from Three
+Rivers, and seven or eight from Fort Richelieu, we fell into an
+ambuscade of twenty-seven Iroquois, who killed one of our Indians, and
+took the rest and myself prisoners. We might have fled, or killed some
+Iroquois; but I, for my part, seeing my companions taken, judged it
+better to remain with them, accepting it as a sign of the will of
+God....
+
+Those who had captured us made horrible cries, and after profuse thanks
+to the Sun for having in their hands, among the others, a "Black Robe,"
+as they call the Jesuits, they changed the canoes. Then they took from
+us everything; that is, provisions for all of ours residing among the
+Hurons, who were in extreme want, inasmuch as they had for several
+years received no aid from Europe.
+
+Having commanded us to sing, they led us to a little river hard by,
+where they divided the booty, and scalped the Huron whom they had
+killed. The scalp was to be carried in triumph on a pole. They also cut
+off the feet, hands, and most fleshy parts of the body to eat, as well
+as the heart.
+
+Then they made us cross the lake to pass the night in a retired but
+very damp spot. We there began to take our sleep bound and in the open
+air, as we continued to do during the rest of the voyage....
+
+The following day we embarked on a river, and after some miles they
+ordered me to throw overboard my papers, which they had left me till
+then. They superstitiously imagined that these had caused the wreck of
+our canoe. They were surprised to see me grieve at this loss, who had
+never shown any regret for all else. We were two days in ascending this
+river to the rapids [of Chambly], which compelled us to land, and we
+marched six days in the woods.
+
+The next day, which was Friday, the sixth of May, we met other Iroquois
+going out to war. They added some blows to the many threats they had
+made; and having related to us the death of one of their party, killed
+by a Frenchman, was the cause of their commencing to treat me with
+greater cruelty than before.
+
+At the moment of our capture the Iroquois were dying of hunger; so
+that, in two or three days, they consumed all our provisions, and we
+had no food during the rest of the way but from hunting, fishing, or
+some wild roots, if any were found. Their want was so great that they
+picked up on the shore a dead beaver already putrefying. They gave it
+to me in the evening to wash in the river; but, its stench leading me
+to believe that they did not want it, I threw it into the water. I was
+paid for that by a severe penance.
+
+I will not here relate all I had to suffer in that voyage. It is enough
+to say that we had to carry our loads in the woods where there were no
+roads, but only stones, shoots, holes, water, and snow, which had not
+yet everywhere melted. We were barefooted, and were left fasting
+sometimes till three or four o'clock in the afternoon, and often during
+the whole day, exposed to the rain, and drenched with the waters of the
+torrents and rivers which we had to cross.
+
+When evening was come I was ordered to go for wood, to bring water, and
+to cook when they had any provisions. When I did not succeed, or
+misunderstood the orders which I received, blows were not spared; still
+less when we met other barbarians going to fish or hunt. It was not
+easy for me to rest at night, because they tied me to a tree, leaving
+me exposed to the keen night air, which was still quite cold.
+
+We at last arrived at their lake [Champlain]. We had to make other
+canoes, in which I too had to do my part. After five or six days'
+sailing we landed, and marched for three more.
+
+The fourth day, which was the fifteenth of May, we arrived about the
+twentieth hour [3 P.M.], and before having as yet taken any food, at a
+river where some four hundred barbarians were gathered fishing. Hearing
+of our approach, they came out to meet us. When about two hundred paces
+from their cabins, they stripped off all my clothes, and made me march
+ahead. The young men formed a line on each side, armed with sticks,
+except the first one, who held a knife in his hand.
+
+When I began my march this one stopped my passage, and, seizing my left
+hand, cleft it open with his knife between the little finger and the
+ring finger, with such force and violence that I thought he would lay
+open my whole hand. The others then began to load me with blows till I
+reached the stage which they had erected for our torture. Then I had to
+mount on great pieces of bark, raised about nine palms high so as to
+give the crowd an opportunity to see and insult us. I was all drenched
+and covered with blood that streamed from every part of my body, and
+exposed to a very cold wind that made it congeal immediately on my
+skin. But I consoled myself, seeing that God granted me the favor of
+suffering in this world some pain in place of what I was under
+obligation, on account of my sins, to pay in the other with torments
+incomparably greater.
+
+The warriors came next, and were received by the people with great
+ceremony, and regaled with the best of all that their fishing supplied.
+They bade us sing. Judge whether we could do so, fasting, worn down by
+marching, broken by their blows, and shivering from head to foot with
+cold.
+
+Shortly after, a Huron slave brought me a little Indian corn, and a
+captain, who saw me all trembling with cold, at last, at my entreaty,
+gave me back the half of an old summer cassock, all in tatters, which
+served to cover rather than warm me.
+
+We had to sing till the warriors went away, and were then left at the
+mercy of the youths, who made us come down from the scaffold, where we
+had been about two hours, to make us dance in their fashion; and,
+because I did not succeed, nor indeed knew how, they beat me, pricked
+me, plucked out my hair, my beard, etc.
+
+They kept us five or six days in this place for their pastime, leaving
+us at the discretion or indiscretion of every one. We were obliged to
+obey even the children, and that in things unreasonable, and often
+contradictory. "Sing!" cries one. "Hold your tongue!" says another. If
+I obeyed the first, the latter tormented me. "Stretch out your hand; I
+want to burn it." Another burned it because I did not extend it to
+_him_. They commanded me to take fire between the fingers to put
+in their pipes, full of tobacco, and then let it fall on the ground
+purposely four or five times, one after another, to make me burn myself
+picking it up each time.
+
+These scenes usually took place at night. Towards evening the captains
+cried in fearful voices around the cabins, "Gather, ye young men; come
+and caress our prisoners!"
+
+On this they flocked together, and assembled in some large cabin. There
+the remnant of dress which had been given me was torn off, leaving me
+naked. Then some goaded me with pointed sticks; some burned me with
+firebrands or red-hot stones, while others used burning ashes or hot
+coals. They made me walk around the fire on hot ashes, under which they
+had stuck sharp sticks in the ground. Some plucked out my hair, others
+my beard.
+
+Every night, after making me sing, and tormenting me as above, they
+spent eight or ten minutes in burning one of my nails or a finger. Of
+the ten that I had I have now but one left whole, and even of that they
+have torn out the nail with their teeth. One evening they burned a
+nail; the next day the first joint; the day after, the second. By the
+sixth time they burned almost six. To the hands they applied fire and
+iron more than eighteen times; and during this torment I was obliged to
+sing. They ceased torturing me only at one or two o'clock at night.
+Then they usually left me tied to the ground in some spot exposed to
+the rain, with no bed or blanket, but a small skin which did not cover
+half my body, and often even without any covering; for they had already
+torn up the piece of a cassock which had been given me. Yet, out of
+compassion, they left me enough to cover what decency, even among them,
+requires to be concealed. They kept the rest.
+
+For a whole month I had to undergo these cruelties, and greater still,
+but we remained only eight days in the first place. I never would have
+believed that man could endure so hard a life.
+
+One night that they were as usual torturing me, a Huron, taken prisoner
+with me, seeing one of his companions escape torments by siding against
+me, suddenly cried out, in the middle of the assembled throng, that I
+was a person of rank, and a captain among the French. This they heard
+with great attention; then, raising a loud shout in sign of joy, they
+resolved to treat me still worse, and the next morning I was condemned
+to be burnt alive, and to be eaten. They then began to guard me more
+narrowly. The men and children never left me alone, even in the
+necessities of nature, but came tormenting me to force me to return to
+the cabin with all speed, fearing that I might take flight.
+
+We left there the 26th of May, and four days after reached the first
+village of this nation. In this march on foot, what with rain and other
+hardships, I suffered more than I had yet done. The barbarian then my
+keeper was more cruel than the first. I was wounded, weak, ill-fed,
+half naked, and slept in the open air, bound to a stake or a tree,
+shivering all night with cold and from the pain caused by my bonds.
+
+At difficult places in the road my weakness called for help, but it was
+refused; and even when I fell, renewing my wounds, they showered blows
+on me again, to force me to march; for they believed that I did it
+purposely to lag behind, and so escape.
+
+One time, among others, I fell into a river, and was like to have
+drowned. However, I got out, I know not how, and in this plight had to
+march nearly six miles more till evening, with a very heavy burden on
+my shoulders. They jeered at me and at my awkwardness in falling into
+the water, and they did not omit, at night, to burn off one of my
+nails.
+
+We at last reached the first village of this nation, and here our
+reception resembled the first, but was still more cruel. Besides blows
+from their fists, and other blows, which I received in the most
+sensitive parts of my body, they a second time slit open my left hand,
+between the middle finger and the fore finger, and the bastinade was
+such that I fell half dead on the ground. I thought I would lose my
+right eye forever. As I did not rise, because I was unable to do so,
+they continued to beat me, especially on the breast and head. I should
+surely have expired beneath their blows had not a captain caused me to
+be dragged by main strength upon a stage made, like the former one, of
+bark. There they soon after cut off the thumb and mangled the fore
+finger of my left hand. Meanwhile a great rain came, with thunder and
+lightning, and they went away, leaving us exposed naked to the storm,
+till some one, I know not who, took pity on us, and in the evening took
+us into his cabin.
+
+Here we were tormented with more cruelty and impudence than ever,
+without leaving a moment's rest. They forced me to eat filth, and
+burned some of my fingers and the rest of my nails. They dislocated my
+toes, and ran a firebrand through one of them. I know not what they did
+not do to me another time, when I pretended to faint, so as to seem not
+to see an indecent action.
+
+After glutting their cruelty here, they sent us into another village,
+nine or ten miles further. Here they added to the torments of which I
+have spoken that of hanging me up by my feet, either with cords or with
+chains, which they had taken from the Dutch. By night I lay stretched
+on the ground, naked and bound, according to their custom, to several
+stakes, by the feet, hands, and neck. The torments which I had to
+suffer in this state, for six or seven nights, were in such places, and
+of such nature, that it is not lawful to describe them, nor could they
+be read without blushing. I seldom closed my eyes those nights, which,
+though the shortest of the year, seemed to me most long. "My God, what
+will purgatory be?" This thought lightened my pains not a little.
+
+In this way of living I had become so fetid and horrible that every one
+drove me away like a thing of carrion, and they never came near me save
+to torment me. Scarcely anyone would feed me, although I had not the
+use of my hands, as they were extraordinarily swollen and putrid. Thus
+I was still further tormented by hunger, which led me to eat Indian
+corn raw, not without concern for my health, and made me find a relish
+in chewing clay, although I could not easily swallow it.
+
+I was covered with loathsome vermin, and could neither get rid of them
+nor defend myself from them. In my wounds worms were born; more than
+four fell out of one finger in one day....
+
+I had an abscess in the right thigh, caused by blows and frequent
+falls, which hindered me from all repose, and especially as I had only
+skin and bone, and the earth, for bed. Several times the barbarians had
+tried, but failed, to open it with sharp stones--not without great pain
+to me. I was forced to employ as surgeon the renegade Huron who had
+been taken with us. He, on what was supposed to be the eve of my death,
+opened it for me with four knife-thrusts, and caused blood and matter
+to issue from it in so great abundance, and with such stench, that all
+the barbarians of the cabin were constrained to abandon it.
+
+I desired and was awaiting death, though not without some horror of the
+fire. Still I was preparing for it as best I could, and was commending
+myself to the Mother of Mercy, who was, after God, the sole refuge of a
+poor sinner forsaken by all creatures in a strange land, without a
+language to make himself understood, without friends to console him,
+without sacraments to strengthen him, and without any human remedy to
+sweeten his ills.
+
+The Huron and Algonquin prisoners (these are our barbarians), instead
+of consoling me, were the first to torment me, in order to please the
+Iroquois.
+
+I did not see the good Guillaume [Cousture], except afterward, when my
+life was spared me, and the boy who had been taken in my company was no
+more with me. They had noticed that I had him say his prayers, and that
+they did not favor. But they did not let him escape torments, for,
+although he was no more than twelve or thirteen years old, they tore
+out five of his nails with their teeth; and, on his arrival in the
+country, they bound his wrists tightly with thongs, causing him the
+severest pain--and all before me, to afflict me the more....
+
+My days being thus filled up with sufferings, and my nights being spent
+without repose, I counted in the month five days more than there were;
+but, seeing the moon one night, I corrected my error. I was ignorant
+why the savages so long deferred my death. They told me that it was to
+fatten me before eating me; though they took no means to do so.
+
+One day, at last, they assembled to despatch me. It was the nineteenth
+of June, which I deemed the last of my life, and I begged a captain to
+put me to death, if possible, otherwise than by fire; but another man
+exhorted him to stand firm in the resolution already taken. The first
+then told me that I was to die neither by fire nor by any other death.
+I could not believe it, nor do I know whether he spoke in earnest; yet
+finally it was as he said, because such was the will of God and of the
+Virgin Mother....
+
+The barbarians themselves marveled at this result, so contrary was it
+to their intentions, as the Dutch have written to me. I was therefore
+given, with all the usual ceremonies, to an old woman, to replace her
+grandfather, formerly killed by the Hurons, but instead of having me
+burned, as all desired, and had already resolved, she redeemed me from
+their hands at the expense of some beads, which the French call
+"porcelain" [wampum].
+
+I live here in the midst of the shadows of death, hearing nothing
+spoken of but murder and assassination. They have recently murdered one
+of their own countrymen in his cabin, as useless and unworthy to live.
+
+I have still something to suffer; my wounds are yet open, and many of
+the barbarians look upon me with no kindly eye. But we cannot live
+without crosses, and this is like sugar in comparison with the past.
+
+The Dutch gave me hopes of my ransom, and that of the boy taken
+prisoner with me. God's will be done in time and in eternity! My hope
+will be still more confirmed, if you grant me a share in your holy
+sacrifices and prayers, and those of our fathers and brethren,
+especially of those who knew me in other days.
+
+
+SECOND LETTER,
+
+Dated "From New Amsterdam, the 31st of August, 1644."
+
+I have found no one to carry the enclosed, so that you will receive it
+at the same time as the present one, which will give you the news of my
+deliverance from the hands of the barbarians, whose captive I was. I am
+indebted for it to the Dutch, and they obtained it with no great
+difficulty, for a moderate ransom, on account of the little value which
+the Indians attached to me, from my unhandiness at everything, and
+because they believed that I would never get well of my ailments.
+
+I have been twice sold: first to the old woman who was to have me
+burned, and next to the Dutch, dear enough, that is, for about fifteen
+or twenty doppias [sixty to eighty dollars in gold].
+
+I chanted my "exodus from Egypt" the nineteenth of August, a day that
+is in the octave of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, who was my
+deliverer.
+
+I was a prisoner among the Iroquois for four months; but small is that
+compared to what my sins deserve. I was unable, during my captivity, to
+render to any of those wretched beings, in return for the evil they did
+me, the good which was the object of my desires; that is, impart to
+them a knowledge of the true God. Not knowing the language, I tried to
+instruct, through a captive interpreter, an old man who was dying; but
+he was too proud to listen to me, answering that a man of his age and
+standing should teach, and not be taught. I asked him if he knew
+whither he would go after death. He answered me: "To the Sunset." Then
+he began to relate their fables and delusions, which those wretched
+people, blinded by the Demon, esteem as the most solid truths.
+
+I baptized none but a Huron. They had brought him where I was, to burn
+him, and those who guarded me told me to go and see him. I did so with
+reluctance; for they had told me falsely that he was not one of our
+Indians, and that I could not understand him. I advanced towards the
+crowd, which opened and let me approach this man, even then all
+disfigured by the tortures. He was stretched upon the bare ground, with
+nothing to rest his head upon. Seeing a stone near me, I pushed it with
+my foot towards his head, to serve him as a pillow. He then looked up
+at me, and either some wisp of beard that I had left, or some other
+mark, made him suppose I was a foreigner.
+
+"Is not this man," said he to his keeper, "the European whom you hold
+captive?"
+
+Being answered "Yes," he again cast towards me a piteous look. "Sit
+down, my brother, by me," said he; "I would speak with thee."
+
+I sat down, though not without horror, such was the stench that exhaled
+from his already half-roasted body. Happy to be able to understand him
+a little, because he spoke Huron, I asked him what he desired, hoping
+to be able to profit by the occasion to instruct and baptize him. To my
+great consolation I was anticipated by the answer:
+
+"What do I ask?" he said; "I ask but one thing, baptism. Make haste,
+for the time is short."
+
+I wished to question him as to the faith, so as not to administer a
+sacrament with precipitation; but I found him perfectly instructed,
+having been already received among the catechumens in the Huron
+country. I therefore baptized him, to his and my own great
+satisfaction. Though I had done so by a kind of stratagem, using the
+water which I had brought for him to drink, the Iroquois nevertheless
+perceived it. The captains were at once informed, and, with angry
+threats, drove me from the hut, and then began to torture him as
+before.
+
+The following morning they roasted him alive. Then, because I had
+baptized him, they brought all his members, one by one, into the cabin
+where I was. Before my eyes they skinned and ate the feet and hands.
+The husband of the mistress of the lodge threw at my feet the dead
+man's head, and left it there a long while, reproaching me with what I
+had done, alluding to the baptism and prayers which I had offered with
+him, and saying: "And what indeed have thy enchantments helped him?
+Have they perhaps delivered him from death?"
+
+
+
+
+III
+
+NARRATIVE OF MRS. MARY ROWLANDSON
+
+WHO WAS TAKEN CAPTIVE BY THE WAMPONOAGS UNDER KING PHILIP, IN 1676.
+
+WRITTEN BY HERSELF.
+
+
+    Mary Rowlandson was the wife of the Reverend Joseph Rowlandson, the
+    first minister of Lancaster, Massachusetts. On the tenth of
+    February, 1676, during King Philip's War, the Indians destroyed
+    Lancaster, and took her captive. She was treated with gross
+    cruelty, and was sold by her Narragansett captor to a sagamore
+    named Quannopin. After nearly three months of starving and
+    wretchedness she was ransomed for about eighty dollars which was
+    contributed by some women of Boston.
+
+    Her own account of her captivity, originally published in 1682, is
+    here given with the omission of nothing but certain reflections
+    that are not essential to the narrative. (_Editor._)
+
+
+On the 10th of February, 1676, came the Indians with great numbers[6]
+upon Lancaster. Their first coming was about sun-rising. Hearing the
+noise of some guns, we looked out; several houses were burning, and the
+smoke ascending to heaven.
+
+          [6] Fifteen hundred Wamponoags, led by King Philip, and
+          accompanied by the Narragansetts, his allies, and by the
+          Nipmucks and Nashaways.
+
+There were five persons taken in one house. The father and mother, and
+a sucking child, they knocked on the head; the other two they took and
+carried away alive. There were two others, who, being out of their
+garrison upon occasion, were set upon; one was knocked on the head, the
+other escaped. Another there was, who, running along, was shot and
+wounded, and fell down; he begged of them his life, promising them
+money, as they told me, but they would not hearken to him, but knocked
+him on the head, stripped him naked, and split open his bowels.
+Another, seeing many of the Indians about his barn, ventured and went
+out, but was quickly shot down. There were three others belonging to
+the same garrison who were killed. The Indians getting up on the roof
+of the barn, had advantage to shoot down upon them over their
+fortification. Thus these murderous wretches went on burning and
+destroying all before them.
+
+At length they came and beset our house, and quickly it was the
+dolefulest day that ever mine eyes saw. The house stood upon the edge
+of a hill; some of the Indians got behind the hill, others into the
+barn, and others behind anything that would shelter them; from all
+which places they shot against the house, so that the bullets seemed to
+fly like hail, and quickly they wounded one man among us, then another,
+and then a third.
+
+About two hours, according to my observation in that amazing time, they
+had been about the house before they prevailed to fire it, which they
+did with flax and hemp which they brought out of the barn, and there
+being no defence about the house, only two flankers at two opposite
+corners, and one of them not finished; they fired it once, and one
+ventured out and quenched it, but they quickly fired it again, and that
+took.
+
+Now is the dreadful hour come that I have often heard of in time of the
+war, as it was the case of others, but now mine eyes see it. Some in
+our house were fighting for their lives, others wallowing in blood, the
+house on fire over our heads, and the bloody heathen ready to knock us
+on the head if we stirred out. Now might we hear mothers and children
+crying out for themselves and one another, "Lord, what shall we do?"
+Then I took my children, and one of my sisters (Mrs. Drew), hers to go
+forth and leave the house, but as soon as we came to the door and
+appeared, the Indians shot so thick that the bullets rattled against
+the house as if one had taken a handful of stones and threw them, so
+that we were forced to give back. We had six stout dogs belonging to
+our garrison, but none of them would stir, though at another time if an
+Indian had come to the door, they were ready to fly upon him and tear
+him down. The Lord hereby would make us the more to acknowledge his
+hand, and to see that our help is always in him. But out we must go,
+the fire increasing, and coming along behind us roaring, and the
+Indians gaping before us with their guns, spears and hatchets, to
+devour us.
+
+No sooner were we out of the house, but my brother-in-law[7] (being
+before wounded in defending the house, in or near the throat) fell down
+dead, whereat the Indians scornfully shouted and hallooed, and were
+presently upon him, stripping off his clothes. The bullets flying
+thick, one went through my side, and the same, as would seem, through
+the bowels and hand of my poor child in my arms. One of my elder
+sister's children, named William, had then his leg broke, which the
+Indians perceiving, they knocked him on the head. Thus were we
+butchered by those merciless heathens, standing amazed, with the blood
+running down to our heels.
+
+          [7] Thomas Rowlandson, brother to the clergyman.
+
+My eldest sister being yet in the house, and seeing those woful sights,
+the infidels hauling mothers one way and children another, and some
+wallowing in their blood; and her eldest son telling her that her son
+William was dead, and myself was wounded, she said, "Lord, let me die
+with them:" which was no sooner said but she was struck with a bullet,
+and fell down dead over the threshold. The Indians laid hold of us,
+pulling me one way and the children another, and said, "Come, go along
+with us." I told them they would kill me; they answered, if I were
+willing to go along with them they would not hurt me....
+
+There were twelve killed, some shot, some stabbed with their spears,
+some knocked down with their hatchets. When we are in prosperity, oh,
+the little that we think of such dreadful sights, to see our dear
+friends and relations lie bleeding out their heart's-blood upon the
+ground. There was one who was chopped in the head with a hatchet, and
+stripped naked, and yet was crawling up and down.
+
+I had often before this said, that if the Indians should come, I should
+choose rather to be killed by them than taken alive, but when it came
+to the trial my mind changed; their glittering weapons so daunted my
+spirit that I chose rather to go along with those (as I may say)
+ravenous bears, than that moment to end my days. And that I may the
+better declare what happened to me during that grievous captivity, I
+shall particularly speak of the several removes we had up and down the
+wilderness.
+
+THE FIRST REMOVE.--Now away we must go with those barbarous creatures,
+with our bodies wounded and bleeding, and our hearts no less than our
+bodies. About a mile we went that night, up on a hill within sight of
+the town where we intended to lodge. There was hard by a vacant house,
+deserted by the English before, for fear of the Indians. I asked them
+whether I might not lodge in the house that night; to which they
+answered, "What, will you love Englishmen still?" This was the
+dolefulest night that ever my eyes saw. Oh, the roaring and singing and
+dancing and yelling of those black creatures in the night, which made
+the place a lively resemblance of hell! And miserable was the waste
+that was there made of horses, cattle, sheep, swine, calves, lambs,
+roasting pigs, and fowls (which they had plundered in the town), some
+roasting, some lying and burning, and some boiling, to feed our
+merciless enemies; who were joyful enough, though we were disconsolate.
+
+To add to the dolefulness of the former day, and the dismalness of the
+present night, my thoughts ran upon my losses and sad, bereaved
+condition. All was gone, my husband gone (at least separated from me,
+he being in the Bay;[8] and, to add to my grief, the Indians told me
+they would kill him as he came homeward); my children gone, my
+relations and friends gone,[9] our house and home, and all our comforts
+within door and without--all was gone except my life, and I knew not
+but the next moment that might go too.
+
+          [8] Boston.
+
+          [9] Seventeen of her family were put to death or captured.
+
+There remained nothing to me but one poor, wounded babe; and it seemed
+at present worse than death, that it was in such a pitiful condition,
+bespeaking compassion, and I had no refreshing for it, nor suitable
+things to revive it. Little do many think what is the savageness and
+brutishness of this barbarous enemy, those even that seem to profess
+more than others among them, when the English have fallen into their
+hands.
+
+THE SECOND REMOVE.--But now (the next morning) I must turn my back upon
+the town, and travel with them into the vast and desolate wilderness, I
+know not whither. It is not my tongue or pen can express the sorrows of
+my heart, and bitterness of my spirit, that I had at this departure;
+but God was with me in a wonderful manner, carrying me along and
+bearing up my spirit, that it did not quite fail. One of the Indians
+carried my poor wounded babe upon a horse. It went moaning all along,
+"I shall die, I shall die!" I went on foot after it with sorrow that
+cannot be expressed. At length I took it off the horse, and carried it
+in my arms, till my strength failed and I fell down with it. Then they
+set me upon a horse with my wounded child in my lap, and there being no
+furniture on the horse's back, as we were going down a steep hill we
+both fell over the horse's head, at which they, like inhuman creatures,
+laughed, and rejoiced to see it, though I thought we should there have
+ended our days, overcome with so many difficulties....
+
+After this it quickly began to snow, and when night came on they
+stopped. And now down I must sit in the snow, by a little fire, and a
+few boughs behind me, with my sick child in my lap, and calling much
+for water, being now, through the wound, fallen into a violent fever;
+my own wound also growing so stiff that I could scarce sit down or rise
+up.
+
+THE THIRD REMOVE.--The morning being come, they prepared to go on their
+way. One of the Indians got upon a horse, and they sat me up behind
+him, with my poor sick babe in my lap. A very wearisome and tedious day
+I had of it; what with my own wound, and my child being so exceeding
+sick, and in a lamentable condition with her wound, it may easily be
+judged what a poor, feeble condition we were in, there being not the
+least crumb of refreshing that came within either of our mouths from
+Wednesday night to Saturday night, except only a little cold water.
+This day in the afternoon, about an hour by sun, we came to the place
+where they intended, viz., an Indian town called Wenimesset (New
+Braintree), northward of Quabaug (Brookfield).
+
+This day there came to me one Robert Pepper, a man belonging to
+Roxbury, who was taken at Captain Beers's fight, and had been now a
+considerable time with the Indians, and up with them almost as far as
+Albany, to see King Philip, as he told me, and was now very lately come
+into these parts. Hearing, I say, that I was in this Indian town, he
+obtained leave to come and see me. He told me he himself was wounded in
+the leg at Captain Beers's fight, and was not able some time to go, but
+as they carried him, and that he took oak leaves and laid to his wound,
+and by the blessing of God he was able to travel again. Then took I oak
+leaves and laid to my side, and with the blessing of God it cured me
+also.
+
+I sat much alone with my poor wounded child in my lap, which moaned
+night and day, having nothing to revive the body or cheer the spirits
+of her; but instead of that, one Indian would come and tell me one
+hour, "Your master will knock your child on the head," and then a
+second, and then a third, "Your master will quickly knock your child on
+the head."
+
+This was the comfort I had from them; miserable comforters were they
+all. Thus nine days I sat upon my knees, with my babe in my lap, till
+my flesh was raw again. My child being even ready to depart this
+sorrowful world, they bid me carry it out to another wigwam, I suppose
+because they would not be troubled with such spectacles; whither I went
+with a very heavy heart, and down I sat with the picture of death in my
+lap. About two hours in the night, my sweet babe, like a lamb, departed
+this life, on Feb. 18, 1676, it being about six years and five months
+old.
+
+In the morning when they understood that my child was dead, they sent
+me home to my master's wigwam. By my master in this writing must be
+understood Quannopin, who was a sagamore, and married King Philip's
+wife's sister; not that he first took me, but I was sold to him by a
+Narragansett Indian, who took me when I first came out of the garrison.
+
+I went to take up my dead child in my arms to carry it with me, but
+they bid me let it alone. There was no resisting, but go I must, and
+leave it. When I had been a while at my master's wigwam, I took the
+first opportunity I could get to look after my dead child. When I came
+I asked them what they had done with it. They told me it was on the
+hill. Then they went and showed me where it was, where I saw the ground
+was newly digged, and where they told me they had buried it. There I
+left that child in the wilderness, and must commit it and myself also
+in this wilderness condition to Him who is above all.
+
+God having taken away this dear child, I went to see my daughter Mary,
+who was at the same Indian town, at a wigwam not very far off, though
+we had little liberty or opportunity to see one another. She was about
+ten years old, and taken from the door at first by a praying Indian,[10]
+and afterwards sold for a gun. When I came in sight she would fall
+a-weeping, at which they were provoked, and would not let me come near
+her, but bid me begone, which was a heart-cutting word to me. I could
+not sit still in this condition, but kept walking from one place to
+another; and as I was going along, my heart was even overwhelmed with
+the thoughts of my condition, and that I should have children, and a
+nation that I knew not ruled over them. Whereupon I earnestly entreated
+the Lord that he would consider my low estate, and show me a token for
+good, and if it were his blessed will, some sign and hope of some
+relief.
+
+          [10] Convert to Christianity.
+
+And, indeed, quickly the Lord answered in some measure my poor prayer;
+for as I was going up and down mourning and lamenting my condition, my
+son (Joseph) came to me and asked me how I did. I had not seen him
+before since the destruction of the town; and I knew not where he was,
+till I was informed by himself that he was among a smaller parcel of
+Indians, whose place was about six miles off. With tears in his eyes he
+asked me whether his sister Sarah was dead, and told me he had seen his
+sister Mary, and prayed me that I would not be troubled in reference to
+himself. The occasion of his coming to see me at this time was this:
+there was, as I said, about six miles from us, a small plantation of
+Indians, where it seems he had been during his captivity; and at this
+time there were some forces of the Indians gathered out of our company,
+and some also from them, among whom was my son's master, to go to
+assault and burn Medfield. In this time of his master's absence his
+dame brought him to see me.
+
+Now the Indians began to talk of removing from this place, some one way
+and some another. There were now, besides myself, nine English captives
+in this place, all of them children except one woman. I got an
+opportunity to go and take my leave of them, they being to go one way
+and I another. I asked them whether they were earnest with God for
+deliverance. They told me they did as they were able, and it was some
+comfort to me that the Lord stirred up children to look to Him. The
+woman, viz., good-wife Joslin, told me she should never see me again,
+and that she could not find it in her heart to run away by any means,
+for we were near thirty miles from any English town, and she with a
+child two years old; and bad rivers there were to go over, and we were
+feeble with our poor and coarse entertainment....
+
+THE FOURTH REMOVE.--And now must I part with the little company I had.
+Here I parted with my daughter Mary, whom I never saw again till I saw
+her in Dorchester, returned from captivity; and from four little
+cousins and neighbors, some of which I never saw afterwards; the Lord
+only knows the end of them. We travelled about a half a day or a little
+more, and came to a desolate place in the wilderness, where there were
+no wigwams or inhabitants before. We came about the middle of the
+afternoon to this place, cold, wet, and snowy, and hungry and weary,
+and no refreshing for man, but the cold ground to sit on, and our poor
+Indian cheer.
+
+THE FIFTH REMOVE.--The occasion, as I thought, of their removing at
+this time was the English army's being near and following them; for
+they went as if they had gone for their lives for some considerable
+way. Then they made a stop, and chose out some of their stoutest men,
+and sent them back to hold the English army in play while the rest
+escaped; and then, like Jehu, they marched on furiously with their old
+and young. Some carried their old, decrepit mothers; some carried one,
+and some another. Four of them carried a great Indian upon a bier; but,
+going through a thick wood with him, they were hindered, and could make
+no haste; whereupon they took him upon their backs, and carried him,
+one at a time, till we came to Baquaug River.
+
+Upon Friday, a little after noon, we came to this river. When all the
+company was come up and were gathered together I thought to count the
+number of them, but they were so many, and being somewhat in motion, it
+was beyond my skill. In this travel, because of my wound, I was
+somewhat favored in my load. I carried only my knitting-work and two
+quarts of parched meal. Being very faint, I asked my mistress to give
+me one spoonful of the meal, but she would not give me a taste. They
+quickly fell to cutting dry trees to make rafts to carry them over the
+river, and soon my turn came to go over. By the advantage of some brush
+which they had laid upon the raft to sit on, I did not wet my foot,
+while many of themselves, at the other end, were mid-leg deep, which
+cannot but be acknowledged as a favor of God to my weakened body, it
+being a very cold time. I was not before acquainted with such kind of
+doings or dangers. A certain number of us got over the river that
+night, but it was the night after the Sabbath before all the company
+was got over. On the Saturday they boiled an old horse's leg which they
+had got, and so we drank of the broth as soon as they thought it was
+ready, and when it was almost all gone they filled it up again.
+
+The first week of my being among them I hardly eat anything; the second
+week I found my stomach grow very faint for want of something, and yet
+it was very hard to get down their filthy trash; but the third week,
+though I could think how formerly my stomach would turn against this or
+that, and I could starve and die before I could eat such things, yet
+they were pleasant and savory to my taste.
+
+I was at this time knitting a pair of cotton stockings for my mistress,
+and I had not yet wrought upon the Sabbath day. When the Sabbath came
+they bid me go to work. I told them it was Sabbath day, and desired
+them to let me rest, and told them I would do as much more work
+to-morrow; to which they answered me they would break my face.
+
+And here I cannot but take notice of the strange providence of God in
+preserving the heathen. They were many hundreds, old and young, some
+sick, and some lame; many had papooses at their backs; the greatest
+number at this time with us were squaws, and yet they travelled with
+all they had, bag and baggage, and they got over this river aforesaid;
+and on Monday they set their wigwams on fire, and away they went. On
+that very day came the English army after them to this river, and saw
+the smoke of their wigwams, and yet this river put a stop to them. God
+did not give them courage or activity to go over after us. We were not
+ready for so great a mercy as victory and deliverance; if we had been,
+God would have found out a way for the English to have passed this
+river as well as for the Indians, with their squaws and children and
+all their luggage.
+
+THE SIXTH REMOVE.--On Monday, as I said, they set their wigwams on fire
+and went away. It was a cold morning, and before us there was a great
+brook with ice on it. Some waded through it up to the knees and higher,
+but others went till they came to a beaver-dam, and I among them,
+where, through the good providence of God, I did not wet my foot. I
+went along that day mourning and lamenting, leaving farther my own
+country, and travelling farther into the vast and howling wilderness,
+and I understood something of Lot's wife's temptation when she looked
+back. We came that day to a great swamp, by the side of which we took
+up our lodging that night. When we came to the brow of the hill that
+looked towards the swamp I thought we had been come to a great Indian
+town, though there were none but our own company; the Indians were as
+thick as the trees; it seemed as if there had been a thousand hatchets
+going at once.
+
+THE SEVENTH REMOVE.--After a restless and hungry night there we had a
+wearisome time of it the next day. The swamp by which we lay was, as it
+were, a deep dungeon, and an exceeding high and steep hill before it.
+Before I got to the top of the hill I thought my heart and legs and all
+would have broken and failed me. What with faintness and soreness of
+body, it was a grievous day of travel to me. As we went along, I saw a
+place where English cattle had been. That was a comfort to me, such as
+it was. Quickly after that we came to an English path, which so took me
+that I thought I could there have freely lain down and died.
+
+That day, a little after noon, we came to Squaheag,[11] where the
+Indians quickly spread themselves over the deserted English fields,
+gleaning what they could find. Some picked up ears of wheat that
+were crickled down, some found ears of Indian corn, some found
+ground-nuts,[12] and others sheaves of wheat that were frozen together
+in the shock, and went to threshing of them out. Myself got two ears of
+Indian corn, and, whilst I did but turn my back, one of them was stole
+from me, which much troubled me.
+
+          [11] Or Squakeag, now Northfield.
+
+          [12] _Apios tuberosa._ The Pilgrims, during their first
+          winter, lived chiefly on these roots. The tubers vary from
+          the size of a cherry to that of a hen's egg, and grow in
+          strings of perhaps forty together.
+
+There came an Indian to them at that time with a basket of horse-liver.
+I asked him to give me a piece. "What," says he, "can you eat
+horse-liver?" I told him I would try, if he would give me a piece,
+which he did; and I laid it on the coals to roast; but, before it was
+half ready, they got half of it away from me; so that I was forced to
+take the rest and eat it as it was, with the blood about my mouth, and
+yet a savory bit it was to me; for to the hungry soul every bitter
+thing was sweet. A solemn sight methought it was to see whole fields of
+wheat and Indian corn forsaken and spoiled, and the remainder of them
+to be food for our merciless enemies. That night we had a mess of wheat
+for our supper.
+
+THE EIGHTH REMOVE.--On the morrow morning we must go over Connecticut
+River to meet with King Philip. Two canoes full they had carried over.
+The next turn myself was to go; but, as my foot was upon the canoe to
+step in, there was a sudden outcry among them, and I must step back;
+and instead of going over the river, I must go four or five miles up
+the river farther northward. Some of the Indians ran one way, and some
+another. The cause of this route was, as I thought, their espying some
+English scouts, who were thereabouts. In this travel up the river,
+about noon the company made a stop and sat down, some to eat and others
+to rest them. As I sat amongst them, musing on things past, my son
+Joseph unexpectedly came to me....
+
+We travelled on till night, and in the morning we must go over the
+river to Philip's crew. When I was in the canoe I could not but be
+amazed at the numerous crew of pagans that were on the bank on the
+other side. When I came ashore they gathered all about me, I sitting
+alone in the midst. I observed they asked one another questions, and
+laughed, and rejoiced over their gains and victories.
+
+Then my heart began to fail, and I fell a-weeping; which was the first
+time, to my remembrance, that I wept before them. There one of them
+asked me why I wept. I could hardly tell what to say; yet I answered,
+they would kill me. "No," said he, "none will hurt you." Then came one
+of them and gave me two spoonfuls of meal to comfort me, and another
+gave me half a pint of peas, which was worth more than many bushels at
+another time.
+
+Then I went to see King Philip. He bade me come in and sit down, and
+asked me whether I would smoke--a usual compliment nowadays among the
+saints and sinners; but this noway suited me; for though I had formerly
+used tobacco, yet I had left it ever since I was first taken. It seems
+to be a bait the devil lays to make men lose their precious time. I
+remember with shame how, formerly, when I had taken two or three pipes,
+I was presently ready for another, such a bewitching thing it is; but I
+thank God He has now given me power over it. Surely there are many who
+may be better employed than to sit sucking a stinking tobacco pipe.
+
+Now the Indians gathered their forces to go against Northampton. Over
+night one went about yelling and hooting to give notice of the design.
+Whereupon they went to boiling of ground-nuts and parching corn--as
+many as had it--for their provision; and in the morning away they went.
+During my abode in this place Philip spake to me to make a shirt for
+his boy, which I did; for which he gave me a shilling. I offered the
+money to my mistress, but she bid me keep it, and with it I bought a
+piece of horse-flesh.
+
+Afterwards he asked me to make a cap for his boy, for which he invited
+me to dinner. I went, and he gave me a pancake about as big as two
+fingers; it was made of parched wheat, beaten and fried in bear's
+grease, but I thought I never tasted pleasanter meat in my life. There
+was a squaw who spake to me to make a shirt for her sannup; for which
+she gave me a piece of beef. Another asked me to knit a pair of
+stockings, for which she gave me a quart of peas. I boiled my peas and
+beef together, and invited my master and mistress to dinner; but the
+proud gossip, because I served them both in one dish, would eat
+nothing, except one bit that he gave her upon the point of his knife.
+
+Hearing that my son was come to this place, I went to see him, and
+found him lying flat on the ground. I asked him how he could sleep so.
+He answered me that he was not asleep, but at prayer, and that he lay
+so that they might not observe what he was doing. I pray God he may
+remember these things now he is returned in safety.
+
+At this place, the sun now getting higher, what with the beams and heat
+of the sun and smoke of the wigwams, I thought I should have been
+blinded. I could scarce discern one wigwam from another. There was one
+Mary Thurston, of Medfield, who, seeing how it was with me, lent me a
+hat to wear; but as soon as I was gone the squaw that owned that Mary
+Thurston came running after me and got it away again. Here was a squaw
+who gave me a spoonful of meal; I put it in my pocket to keep it safe,
+yet notwithstanding somebody stole it, but put five Indian corns in the
+room of it; which corns were the greatest provision I had in my travel
+for one day.
+
+The Indians, returning from Northampton,[13] brought with them some
+horses and sheep and other things which they had taken. I desired them
+that they would carry me to Albany upon one of those horses, and sell
+me for powder; for so they had sometimes discoursed. I was utterly
+helpless of getting home on foot, the way that I came. I could hardly
+bear to think of the many weary steps I had taken to this place.
+
+          [13] Northampton was attacked March 14, 1676.
+
+THE NINTH REMOVE.--But, instead of either going to Albany or homeward,
+we must go five miles up the river, and then go over it. Here we abode
+awhile. Here lived a sorry Indian, who spake to me to make him a shirt.
+When I had done it he would pay me nothing for it. But he, living by
+the river-side, where I often went to fetch water, I would often be
+putting him in mind, and calling for my pay; at last he told me if I
+would make another shirt for a papoose not yet born he would give me a
+knife, which he did when I had done it. I carried the knife in, and my
+master asked me to give it him, and I was not a little glad that I had
+anything that they would accept of and be pleased with.
+
+My son being now about a mile from me, I asked liberty to go and see
+him. They bid me go, and away I went; but quickly lost myself,
+travelling over hills and through swamps, and could not find the way to
+him. And I cannot but admire at the wonderful power and goodness of God
+to me, in that though I was gone from home and met with all sorts of
+Indians, and those I had no knowledge of, and there being no Christian
+soul near me, yet not one of them offered the least imaginable
+miscarriage to me. I turned homeward again, and met with my master, and
+he showed me the way to my son. When I came to him I found him not
+well; and withal he had a boil on his side, which much troubled him. We
+bemoaned one another awhile, as the Lord helped us, and then I returned
+again. When I was returned I found myself as unsatisfied as I was
+before.
+
+But I was fain to go look after something to satisfy my hunger; and,
+going among the wigwams, I went into one, and there found a squaw who
+showed herself very kind to me, and gave me a piece of bear. I put it
+into my pocket, and came home, but could not find an opportunity to
+broil it for fear they should get it from me. And there it lay all the
+day and night in my pocket. In the morning I went again to the same
+squaw, who had a kettle of ground-nuts boiling. I asked her to let me
+boil my piece of bear in the kettle, which she did, and gave me some
+ground-nuts to eat with it; and I cannot but think how pleasant it was
+to me. I have sometimes seen bear baked handsomely amongst the English,
+and some liked it, but the thoughts that it was bear made me tremble.
+But now that was savory to me that one would think was enough to turn
+the stomach of a brute creature.
+
+One bitter cold day I could find no room to sit down before the fire. I
+went out, and could not tell what to do, but I went into another
+wigwam, where they were also sitting round the fire; but the squaw laid
+a skin for me, and bid me sit down, and gave me some ground-nuts, and
+bid me come again, and told me they would buy me if they were able. And
+yet these were strangers to me that I never knew before.
+
+THE TENTH REMOVE.--That day a small part of the company removed about
+three quarters of a mile, intending farther the next day. When they
+came to the place they intended to lodge, and had pitched their
+wigwams, being hungry, I went again back to the place we were before at
+to get something to eat; being encouraged by the squaw's kindness, who
+bid me come again. When I was there, there came an Indian to look after
+me; who, when he had found me, kicked me all along. I went home and
+found venison roasting that night, but they would not give me one bit
+of it. Sometimes I met with favor, and sometimes with nothing but
+frowns.
+
+THE ELEVENTH REMOVE.--The next day, in the morning, they took their
+travel, intending a day's journey up the river; I took my load at
+my back, and quickly we came to wade over a river, and passed over
+tiresome and wearisome hills. One hill was so steep that I was fain to
+creep up upon my knees, and to hold by the twigs and bushes to keep
+myself from falling backwards. My head, also, was so light that I
+usually reeled as I went.
+
+THE TWELFTH REMOVE.--It was upon a Sabbath-day morning that they
+prepared for their travel. This morning I asked my master whether he
+would sell me to my husband; he answered, _nux_; which did much
+rejoice my spirits. My mistress, before we went, was gone to the burial
+of a papoose, and returning she found me sitting and reading in my
+Bible. She snatched it hastily out of my hand and threw it out of
+doors. I ran out and caught it up, and put it in my pocket, and never
+let her see it afterwards. Then they packed up their things to be gone,
+and gave me my load; I complained it was too heavy, whereupon she gave
+me a slap on the face and bid me be gone. I lifted up my heart to God,
+hoping that redemption was not far off; and the rather because their
+insolence grew worse and worse.
+
+But thoughts of my going homeward, for so we bent our course, much
+cheered my spirit, and made my burden seem light, and almost nothing at
+all. But, to my amazement and great perplexity, the scale was soon
+turned; for when we had got a little way, on a sudden my mistress gave
+out she would go no farther, but turn back again, and said I must go
+back again with her; and she called her sannup, and would have had him
+go back also, but he would not, but said he would go on, and come to us
+again in three days. My spirit was upon this, I confess, very
+impatient, and almost outrageous. I thought I could as well have died
+as went back. Down I sat, with my heart as full as it could hold, and
+yet so hungry that I could not sit neither. But going out to see what I
+could find, and walking among the trees, I found six acorns and two
+chestnuts, which were some refreshment to me.
+
+Towards night I gathered me some sticks for my own comfort, that I
+might not lie cold; but when we came to lie down, they bid me go out
+and lie somewhere else, for they had company they said come in more
+than their own. I told them I could not tell where to go; they bid me
+go look; I told them if I went to another wigwam they would be angry
+and send me home again. Then one of the company drew his sword and told
+me he would run me through if I did not go presently. Then was I fain
+to stoop to this rude fellow, and go out in the night I knew not
+whither. Mine eyes hath seen that fellow afterwards walking up and down
+in Boston, under the appearance of a friendly Indian, and several
+others of the like cut.
+
+I went to one wigwam, and they told me they had no room. Then I went to
+another, and they said the same. At last, an old Indian bid me come to
+him, and his squaw gave me some ground-nuts; she gave me also something
+to lay under my head, and a good fire we had. Through the good
+providence of God, I had a comfortable lodging that night. In the
+morning, another Indian bid me come at night and he would give me six
+ground-nuts, which I did. We were at this place and time about two
+miles from Connecticut River.
+
+THE THIRTEENTH REMOVE.--Instead of going towards the Bay, which was
+what I desired, I must go with them five or six miles down the river,
+into a mighty thicket of brush, where we abode almost a fortnight. Here
+one asked me to make a shirt for her papoose, for which she gave me a
+mess of broth which was thickened with meal made of the bark of a tree;
+and to make it better she had put into it about a handful of peas and a
+few roasted ground-nuts.
+
+I had not seen my son a pretty while, and here was an Indian of whom I
+made inquiry after him, and asked him when he saw him. He answered me,
+that such a time his master roasted him, and that himself did eat a
+piece of him as big as his two fingers, and that he was very good meat.
+But the Lord upheld my spirit under this discouragement; and I
+considered their horrible addictedness to lying, and that there is not
+one of them that makes the least conscience of speaking the truth.
+
+In this place, one cold night, as I lay by the fire, I removed a stick
+which kept the heat from me; a squaw moved it down again, at which I
+looked up, and she threw a handful of ashes in my eyes. I thought I
+should have been quite blinded and never have seen more; but, lying
+down, the water ran out of my eyes, and carried the dirt with it, that
+by the morning I recovered my sight again.
+
+About this time they came yelping from Hadley, having there killed
+three Englishmen, and brought one captive with them, viz., Thomas Reed.
+They all gathered about the poor man, asking him many questions. I
+desired also to go and see him; and when I came, he was crying
+bitterly, supposing they would quickly kill him. Whereupon I asked one
+of them whether they intended to kill him; he answered me they would
+not. He being a little cheered with that, I asked him about the welfare
+of my husband; he told me he saw him such a time in the Bay, and he was
+well, but very melancholy. By which I certainly understood, though I
+suspected it before, that whatsoever the Indians told me respecting him
+was vanity and lies. Some of them told me he was dead, and they had
+killed him; some said he was married again, and that the governor
+wished him to marry, and told him that he should have his choice; and
+that all persuaded him that I was dead. So like were these barbarous
+creatures to him who was a liar from the beginning.
+
+As I was sitting once in the wigwam here, Philip's maid came with the
+child in her arms, and asked me to give her a piece of my apron to make
+a flap for it. I told her I would not; then my mistress bid me give it,
+but I still said no. The maid told me if I would not give her a piece,
+she would tear a piece off it. I told her I would tear her coat then.
+With that my mistress rises up, and takes up a stick big enough to have
+killed me, and struck at me with it, but I stepped out, and she struck
+the stick into the mat of the wigwam. But while she was pulling it out,
+I ran to the maid, and gave her all my apron, and so that storm went
+over.
+
+Hearing that my son was come to this place, I went to see him, and told
+him his father was well, but very melancholy. He told me he was as much
+grieved for his father as for himself. I wondered at his speech, for I
+thought I had enough upon my spirit, in reference to myself, to make me
+mindless of my husband and every one else, they being safe among their
+friends. He told me also, that a while before, his master, together
+with other Indians, were going to the French for powder; but by the way
+the Mohawks met with them, and killed four of their company, which made
+the rest turn back again. For which I desire that myself and he may
+ever bless the Lord; for it might have been worse with him had he been
+sold to the French, than it proved to be in his remaining with the
+Indians.
+
+I asked his master to let him stay awhile with me, that I might comb
+his head and look over him, for he was almost overcome with lice. He
+told me when I had done that he was very hungry, but I had nothing to
+relieve him, but bid him go into the wigwams as he went along, and see
+if he could get anything among them; which he did, and, it seems,
+tarried a little too long, for his master was angry with him, and beat
+him, and then sold him. Then he came running to tell me he had a new
+master, and that he had given him some ground-nuts already. Then I went
+along with him to his new master, who told me he loved him, and he
+should not want. So his master carried him away, and I never saw him
+afterwards till I saw him at Piscataqua, in Portsmouth.
+
+That night they bid me go out of the wigwam again; my mistress's
+papoose was sick, and it died that night; and there was one benefit in
+it, that there was more room. I went to a wigwam and they bid me come
+in, and gave me a skin to lie upon, and a mess of venison and
+ground-nuts, which was a choice dish among them. On the morrow they
+buried the papoose; and afterwards, both morning and evening, there
+came a company to mourn and howl with her; though I confess I could not
+much condole with them.
+
+THE FOURTEENTH REMOVE.--Now must we pack up and be gone from this
+thicket, bending our course towards the Bay towns; I having nothing to
+eat by the way this day but a few crumbs of cake that an Indian gave my
+girl the same day we were taken. She gave it me, and I put it in my
+pocket. There it lay till it was so mouldy, for want of good baking,
+that one could not tell what it was made of. It fell all into crumbs,
+and grew so dry and hard that it was like little flints; and this
+refreshed me many times when I was ready to faint. It was in my
+thoughts when I put it to my mouth that, if ever I returned, I would
+tell the world what a blessing the Lord gave to such mean food.
+
+As we went along, they killed a deer, with a young one in her. They
+gave me a piece of the fawn, and it was so young and tender that one
+might eat the bones as well as the flesh, and yet I thought it very
+good. When night came on we sat down. It rained, but they quickly got
+up a bark wigwam, where I lay dry that night. I looked out in the
+morning, and many of them had lain in the rain all night, I knew by
+their reeking. Thus the Lord dealt mercifully with me many times, and I
+fared better than many of them.
+
+In the morning they took the blood of the deer, and put it into the
+paunch, and so boiled it. I could eat nothing of that, though they eat
+it sweetly. And yet they were so nice in other things, that when I had
+fetched water, and had put the dish I dipped the water with into the
+kettle of water which I brought, they would say they would knock me
+down, for they said it was a sluttish trick.
+
+THE FIFTEENTH REMOVE.--We went on our travel. I having got a handful of
+ground-nuts for my support that day, they gave me my load, and I went
+on cheerfully, with the thoughts of going homeward, having my burthen
+more upon my back than my spirit. We came to Baquaug River again that
+day, near which we abode a few days. Sometimes one of them would give
+me a pipe, another a little tobacco, another a little salt, which I
+would change for victuals. I cannot but think what a wolfish appetite
+persons have in a starving condition; for many times, when they gave me
+that which was hot, I was so greedy, that I should burn my mouth, that
+it would trouble me many hours after, and yet I should quickly do the
+like again. And after I was thoroughly hungry, I was never again
+satisfied; for though it sometimes fell out that I had got enough, and
+did eat till I could eat no more, yet I was as unsatisfied as I was
+when I began.
+
+THE SIXTEENTH REMOVE.--We began this remove with wading over Baquaug
+River. The water was up to our knees, and the stream very swift, and
+so cold that I thought it would have cut me in sunder. I was so weak
+and feeble that I reeled as I went along, and thought there I must
+end my days at last, after my bearing and getting through so many
+difficulties. The Indians stood laughing to see me staggering along,
+but in my distress the Lord gave me experience of the truth and
+goodness of that promise, Isa. xliii., 2--"When thou passeth through
+the waters I will be with thee, and through the rivers, they shall not
+overflow thee." Then I sat down to put on my stockings and shoes, with
+the tears running down my eyes, and many sorrowful thoughts in my
+heart. But I got up to go along with them.
+
+Quickly there came up to us an Indian who informed them that I must go
+to Wachusett[14] to my master, for there was a letter come from the
+council to the sagamores about redeeming the captives, and that there
+would be another in fourteen days, and that I must be there ready. My
+heart was so heavy before that I could scarce speak or go in the path,
+and yet now so light that I could run. My strength seemed to come
+again, and to recruit my feeble knees and aching heart; yet it pleased
+them to go but one mile that night, and there we staid two days.
+
+          [14] Princeton. The mountain in this town still retains the
+          name of Wachusett.
+
+In that time came a company of Indians to us, near thirty, all on
+horseback. My heart skipped within me, thinking they had been
+Englishmen, at the first sight of them; for they were dressed in
+English apparel, with hats, white neckcloths, and sashes about their
+waists, and ribbons upon their shoulders. But when they came near there
+was a vast difference between the lovely faces of Christians and the
+foul looks of those heathen, which much damped my spirits again.
+
+THE SEVENTEENTH REMOVE.--A comfortable remove it was to me, because
+of my hopes. They gave me my pack and along we went cheerfully. But
+quickly my will proved more than my strength; having little or no
+refreshment my strength failed, and my spirits were almost quite gone.
+At night we came to an Indian town, and the Indians sat down by a
+wigwam discoursing, but I was almost spent and could scarce speak. I
+laid down my load and went into the wigwam, and there sat an Indian
+boiling of horse-feet, they being wont to eat the flesh first, and when
+the feet were old and dried, and they had nothing else, they would cut
+off the feet and use them. I asked him to give me a little of his
+broth, or water they were boiling it in. He took a dish and gave me one
+spoonful of samp, and bid me take as much of the broth as I would. Then
+I put some of the hot water to the samp, and drank it up, and my
+spirits came again.
+
+THE EIGHTEENTH REMOVE.--We took up our packs, and along we went; but
+a wearisome day I had of it. As we went along I saw an Englishman
+stripped naked and lying dead upon the ground, but knew not who he was.
+Then we came to another Indian town where we staid all night. In this
+town there were four English children captives, and one of them my own
+sister's. I went to see how she did, and she was well, considering her
+captive condition. I would have tarried that night with her, but they
+that owned her would not suffer it. Then I went to another wigwam,
+where they were boiling corn and beans, which was a lovely sight to
+see, but I could not get a taste thereof. Then I went home to my
+mistress's wigwam, and they told me I disgraced my master with begging,
+and if I did so any more they would knock me on the head. I told them
+they had as good do that as starve me to death.
+
+THE NINETEENTH REMOVE.--They said when we went out that we must travel
+to Wachusett this day. But a bitter weary day I had of it, travelling
+now three days together, without resting any day between. Going along,
+having indeed my life, but little spirit, Philip, who was in the
+company, came up, and took me by the hand, and said, "Two weeks more
+and you shall be mistress again." I asked him if he spoke true. He
+said, "Yes, and quickly you shall come to your master again;" who had
+been gone from us three weeks.
+
+My master had three squaws, living sometimes with one and sometimes
+with another: Onux, this old squaw at whose wigwam I was, and with whom
+my master had been these three weeks. Another was Wettimore, with whom
+I had lived and served all this while. A severe and proud dame she was,
+bestowing every day in dressing herself near as much time as any of the
+gentry of the land; powdering her hair and painting her face, going
+with her necklaces, with jewels in her ears, and bracelets upon her
+hands. When she had dressed herself, her work was to make girdles of
+wampum and beads. The third squaw was a younger one, by whom he had two
+papooses.
+
+By that time I was refreshed by the old squaw, Wettimore's maid came to
+call me home, at which I fell a-weeping. Then the old squaw told me, to
+encourage me, that when I wanted victuals I should come to her, and
+that I should lie in her wigwam. Then I went with the maid, and quickly
+I came back and lodged there. The squaw laid a mat under me, and a good
+rug over me; the first time that I had any such kindness showed me. I
+understood that Wettimore thought that if she should let me go and
+serve with the old squaw she should be in danger to lose not only my
+service, but the redemption-pay also. And I was not a little glad to
+hear this; being by it raised in my hopes that in God's due time there
+would be an end of this sorrowful hour. Then came an Indian and asked
+me to knit him three pair of stockings, for which I had a hat and a
+silk handkerchief. Then another asked me to make her a shift, for which
+she gave me an apron.
+
+Then came Tom and Peter with the second letter from the council, about
+the captives. Though they were Indians, I gat them by the hand, and
+burst out into tears; my heart was so full that I could not speak to
+them; but recovering myself, I asked them how my husband did, and all
+my friends and acquaintance. They said they were well, but very
+melancholy. They brought me two biscuits and a pound of tobacco. The
+tobacco I soon gave away. When it was all gone one asked me to give him
+a pipe of tobacco. I told him it was all gone. Then he began to rant
+and threaten. I told him when my husband came I would give him some.
+"Hang him, rogue," says he; "I will knock out his brains if he comes
+here." And then again at the same breath they would say that if there
+should come an hundred without guns they would do them no hurt; so
+unstable and like madmen they were. So that, fearing the worst, I durst
+not send to my husband, though there were some thoughts of his coming
+to redeem and fetch me, not knowing what might follow; for there was
+little more trust to them than to the master they served.
+
+When the letter was come, the sagamores met to consult about the
+captives, and called me to them to inquire how much my husband would
+give to redeem me. When I came I sat down among them, as I was wont to
+do, as their manner is. Then they bid me stand up, and said they were
+the general court. They bid me speak what I thought he would give. Now
+knowing that all we had was destroyed by the Indians, I was in a great
+strait. I thought if I should speak of but a little, it would be
+slighted and hinder the matter; if of a great sum, I knew not where it
+would be procured. Yet at a venture I said twenty pounds, yet desired
+them to take less; but they would not hear of that, but sent the
+message to Boston, that for twenty pounds I should be redeemed. It was
+a praying Indian that wrote their letters for them.
+
+About that time there came an Indian to me, and bid me come to his
+wigwam at night, and he would give me some pork and groundnuts, which I
+did; and as I was eating, another Indian said to me, "He seems to be
+your good friend, but he killed two Englishmen at Sudbury,[15] and there
+lie the clothes behind you." I looked behind me, and there I saw bloody
+clothes, with bullet-holes in them. Yet the Lord suffered not this
+wretch to do me any hurt; yea, instead of that, he many times refreshed
+me: five or six times did he and his squaw refresh my feeble carcass.
+If I went to their wigwam at any time they would always give me
+something, and yet they were strangers that I never saw before. Another
+squaw gave me a piece of fresh pork, and a little salt with it, and
+lent me her frying-pan to fry it; and I cannot but remember what a
+sweet, pleasant, and delightful relish that bit had to me, to this day.
+So little do we prize common mercies when we have them to the full.
+
+          [15] Sudbury was attacked 21st April.
+
+THE TWENTIETH REMOVE.--It was their usual manner to remove when they
+had done any mischief, lest they should be found out; and so they did
+at this time. We went about three or four miles, and there they built
+a great wigwam, big enough to hold an hundred Indians, which they did
+in preparation to a great day of dancing. They would now say among
+themselves that the governor would be so angry for his loss at Sudbury
+that he would send no more about the captives, which made me grieve and
+tremble.
+
+My sister being not far from this place, and hearing that I was here,
+desired her master to let her come and see me, and he was willing to
+it, and would come with her, but she, being ready first, told him she
+would go before, and was come within a mile or two of the place. Then
+he overtook her, and began to rant as if he had been mad, and made her
+go back again in the rain; so that I never saw her till I saw her in
+Charlestown. But the Lord requited many of their ill doings, for this
+Indian, her master, was hanged afterwards at Boston.
+
+They began now to come from all quarters, against their merry dancing
+day. Among some of them came one good-wife Kettle. I told her my heart
+was so heavy that it was ready to break. "So is mine too," said she,
+"but yet I hope we shall hear some good news shortly." I could hear how
+earnestly my sister desired to see me, and I earnestly desired to see
+her; yet neither of us could get an opportunity. My daughter was now
+but a mile off, and I had not seen her for nine or ten weeks, as I had
+not seen my sister since our first taking. I desired them to let me go
+and see them; yea, I entreated, begged, and persuaded them to let me
+see my daughter, and yet so hard-hearted were they that they would not
+suffer it. They made use of their tyrannical power while they had it,
+but through the Lord's wonderful mercy their time was now but short.
+
+On a Sabbath day, the sun being about an hour high in the afternoon,
+came Mr. John Hoar (the council permitting him, and his own forward
+spirit inclining him), together with the two forementioned Indians, Tom
+and Peter, with the third letter from the council. When they came near
+I was abroad. They presently called me in, and bid me sit down and not
+stir. Then they catched up their guns and away they ran as if an enemy
+had been at hand, and the guns went off apace. I manifested some great
+trouble, and asked them what was the matter. I told them I thought they
+had killed the Englishman (for they had in the meantime told me that an
+Englishman was come). They said no; they shot over his horse, and
+under, and before his horse, and they pushed him this way and that way,
+at their pleasure, showing him what they could do. Then they let him
+come to their wigwams.
+
+I begged of them to let me see the Englishman, but they would not; but
+there was I fain to sit their pleasure. When they had talked their fill
+with him, they suffered me to go to him. We asked each other of our
+welfare, and how my husband did, and all my friends. He told me they
+were all well, and would be glad to see me. Among other things which my
+husband sent me, there came a pound of tobacco, which I sold for nine
+shillings in money; for many of them for want of tobacco smoked hemlock
+and ground-ivy. It was a great mistake in any who thought I sent for
+tobacco, for through the favor of God that desire was overcome.
+
+I now asked them whether I should go home with Mr. Hoar. They answered
+no, one and another of them, and it being late, we lay down with that
+answer. In the morning Mr. Hoar invited the sagamores to dinner; but
+when we went to get it ready, we found they had stolen the greatest
+part of the provisions Mr. Hoar had brought. And we may see the
+wonderful power of God in that one passage, in that when there was such
+a number of them together, and so greedy of a little good food, and no
+English there but Mr. Hoar and myself, that there they did not knock us
+on the head and take what we had; there being not only some provision,
+but also trading cloth, a part of the twenty pounds agreed upon. But
+instead of doing us any mischief, they seemed to be ashamed of the
+fact, and said it was the _matchit_[16] Indians that did it. Oh,
+that we could believe that there was nothing too hard for God. God
+showed His power over the heathen in this, as He did over the hungry
+lions when Daniel was cast into the den.
+
+          [16] Wicked.
+
+Mr. Hoar called them betime to dinner, but they ate but little, they
+being so busy in dressing themselves and getting ready for their dance,
+which was carried on by eight of them, four men and four squaws, my
+master and mistress being two. He was dressed in his Holland shirt,
+with great stockings, his garters hung round with shillings, and had
+girdles of wampom upon his head and shoulders. She had a kersey coat,
+covered with girdles of wampom from the loins upward. Her arms from her
+elbows to her hands were covered with bracelets; there were handfuls of
+necklaces about her neck, and several sorts of jewels in her ears. She
+had fine red stockings, and white shoes, her hair powdered, and her
+face painted red, that was always before black. And all the dancers
+were after the same manner.
+
+There were two others singing and knocking on a kettle for their music.
+They kept hopping up and down one after another, with a kettle of water
+in the midst, standing warm upon some embers, to drink of when they
+were dry. They held on till almost night, throwing out their wampom to
+the standers-by. At night I asked them again if I should go home. They
+all as one said no, except my husband would come for me. When we were
+lain down, my master went out of the wigwam, and by and by sent in an
+Indian called James the printer, who told Mr. Hoar that my master would
+let me go home to-morrow if he would let him have one pint of liquor.
+Then Mr. Hoar called his own Indians, Tom and Peter, and bid them all
+go and see if he would promise it before them three, and if he would he
+should have it; which he did and had it.
+
+Philip, smelling the business, called me to him, and asked me what I
+would give him to tell me some good news, and to speak a good word for
+me, that I might go home to-morrow. I told him I could not tell what to
+give him, I would anything I had, and asked him what he would have. He
+said two coats, and twenty shillings in money, half a bushel of seed
+corn, and some tobacco. I thanked him for his love, but I knew that
+good news as well as that crafty fox.
+
+On Tuesday morning they called their General Court, as they styled it,
+to consult and determine whether I should go home or no. And they all
+seemingly consented that I should go, except Philip, who would not come
+among them.
+
+At first they were all against it, except my husband would come for me;
+but afterwards they assented to it, and seeming to rejoice in it; some
+asking me to send them some bread, others some tobacco, others shaking
+me by the hand, offering me a hood and scarf to ride in; not one moving
+hand or tongue against it. Thus hath the Lord answered my poor desires,
+and the many earnest requests of others put up unto God for me.
+
+In my travels an Indian came to me and told me, if I were willing, he
+and his squaw would run away, and go home along with me. I told them
+no, I was not willing to run away, but desired to wait God's time, that
+I might go home quietly and without fear. And now God hath granted me
+my desire. Oh, the wonderful power of God that I have seen, and the
+experiences that I have had! I have been in the midst of those roaring
+lions and savage bears that feared neither God nor man nor the devil,
+by night and day, alone and in company, sleeping all sorts together,
+and yet not one of them ever offered the least abuse of unchastity to
+me in word or action; though some are ready to say I speak it for my
+own credit; but I speak it in the presence of God, and to His glory.
+God's power is as great now as it was to save Daniel in the lions' den
+or the three children in the fiery furnace. Especially that I should
+come away in the midst of so many hundreds of enemies, and not a dog
+move his tongue.
+
+So I took my leave of them, and in coming along my heart melted into
+tears more than all the while I was with them, and I was almost
+swallowed up with the thoughts that ever I should go home again. About
+the sun's going down Mr. Hoar, myself, and the two Indians came to
+Lancaster; and a solemn sight it was to me. There had I lived many
+comfortable years among my relations and neighbors, and now not one
+Christian to be seen, or one house left standing. We went on to a
+farmhouse that was yet standing, where we lay all night; and a
+comfortable lodging we had, though nothing but straw to lie on. The
+Lord preserved us in safety that night, raised us up again in the
+morning, and carried us along, that before noon we came to Concord. Now
+was I full of joy, and yet not without sorrow; joy to see such a lovely
+sight, so many Christians together, and some of them my neighbors.
+
+Being recruited with food and raiment, we went to Boston that day,
+where I met with my dear husband; but the thoughts of our dear
+children--one being dead and the other we could not tell where--abated
+our comfort in each other. I was not before so much hemmed in by the
+merciless and cruel heathen, but now as much with pitiful,
+tender-hearted, and compassionate Christians. In that poor and beggarly
+condition I was received in I was kindly entertained in several
+houses.... The twenty pounds, the price of my redemption, was raised by
+some Boston gentlewomen, and Mr. Usher, whose bounty and charity I
+would not forget to make mention of. Then Mr. Thomas Shepard, of
+Charlestown, received us into his house, where we continued eleven
+weeks; and a father and mother they were unto us. And many more
+tender-hearted friends we met with in that place. We were now in the
+midst of love, yet not without much and frequent heaviness of heart for
+our poor children and other relations who were still in affliction.
+
+The week following, after my coming in, the governor and council sent
+to the Indians again, and that not without success; for they brought in
+my sister and good-wife Kettle. About this time the council had ordered
+a day of public thanksgiving, though I had still cause of mourning; and
+being unsettled in our minds, we thought we would ride eastward, to see
+if we could hear anything concerning our children. As we were riding
+along between Ipswich and Rowley we met with William Hubbard, who told
+us our son Joseph and my sister's son were come into Major Waldren's. I
+asked him how he knew it. He said the major himself told him so. So
+along we went till we came to Newbury; and their minister being absent,
+they desired my husband to preach the thanksgiving for them; but he was
+not willing to stay there that night, but he would go over to Salisbury
+to hear farther, and come again in the morning, which he did, and
+preached there that day.
+
+At night, when he had done, one came and told him that his daughter was
+come into Providence. Here was mercy on both hands. Now we were between
+them, the one on the east, and the other on the west. Our son being
+nearest, we went to him first, to Portsmouth, where we met with him,
+and with the major also, who told us he had done what he could, but
+could not redeem him under seven pounds, which the good people
+thereabouts were pleased to pay. On Monday we came to Charlestown,
+where we heard that the Governor of Rhode Island had sent over for our
+daughter, to take care of her, being now within his jurisdiction; which
+should not pass without our acknowledgments. But she being nearer
+Rehoboth than Rhode Island, Mr. Newman went over and took care of her,
+and brought her to his own house. And the goodness of God was admirable
+to us in our low estate, in that he raised up compassionate friends on
+every side, when we had nothing to recompense any for their love. Our
+family being now gathered together, the South Church in Boston hired a
+house for us. Then we removed from Mr. Shepard's (those cordial
+friends) and went to Boston, where we continued about three quarters of
+a year....
+
+
+
+
+IV
+
+CAPTURE AND ESCAPE OF MERCY HARBISON, 1792
+
+
+    On the 4th of November, 1791, a force of Americans under General
+    Arthur St. Clair was attacked, near the present Ohio-Indiana
+    boundary line, by about the same number of Indians led by Blue
+    Jacket, Little Turtle, and the white renegade Simon Girty. Their
+    defeat was the most disastrous that ever has been suffered by our
+    arms when engaged against a savage foe on anything like even terms.
+    Out of 86 officers and about 1400 regular and militia soldiers, St.
+    Clair lost 70 officers killed or wounded, and 845 men killed,
+    wounded, or missing. The survivors fled in panic, throwing away
+    their weapons and accoutrements. Such was "St. Clair's defeat."
+
+    The utter incompetency of the officers commanding this expedition
+    may be judged from the single fact that a great number of women
+    were allowed to accompany the troops into a wilderness known to be
+    infested with the worst kind of savages. There were about 250 of
+    these women with the "army" on the day of the battle. Of these, 56
+    were killed on the spot, many being pinned to the earth by stakes
+    driven through their bodies. Few of the others escaped captivity.
+
+    After this unprecedented victory, the Indians became more
+    troublesome than ever along the frontier. No settler's home was
+    safe, and many were destroyed in the year of terror that followed.
+    The awful fate of one of those households is told in the following
+    touching narrative of Mercy Harbison, wife of one of the survivors
+    of St. Clair's defeat. How two of her little children were
+    slaughtered before her eyes, how she was dragged through the
+    wilderness with a babe at her breast, how cruelly maltreated, and
+    how she finally escaped, barefooted and carrying her infant through
+    days and nights of almost superhuman exertion, she has left record
+    in a deposition before the magistrates at Pittsburgh and in the
+    statement here reprinted. (_Editor._)
+
+
+On the return of my husband from General St. Clair's defeat, and on his
+recovery from the wound he received in the battle, he was made a spy,
+and ordered to the woods on duty, about the 23d of March, 1792. The
+appointment of spies to watch the movements of the savages was so
+consonant with the desires and interests of the inhabitants that the
+frontiers now resumed the appearance of quiet and confidence. Those who
+had for nearly a year been huddled together in the blockhouses were
+scattered to their own habitations, and began the cultivation of their
+farms. The spies saw nothing to alarm them, or to induce them to
+apprehend danger, until the fatal morning of my captivity. They
+repeatedly came to our house to receive refreshments and to lodge.
+
+On the 15th of May my husband, with Captain Guthrie and other spies,
+came home about dark and wanted supper; to procure which I requested
+one of the spies to accompany me to the spring and spring-house, and
+William Maxwell complied with my request. While at the spring and
+spring-house we both distinctly heard a sound like the bleating of a
+lamb or fawn. This greatly alarmed us and induced us to make a hasty
+retreat into the house. Whether this was an Indian decoy, or a warning
+of what I was to pass through, I am unable to determine. But from this
+time and circumstance I became considerably alarmed, and entreated my
+husband to remove me to some place more secure from Indian cruelties.
+But Providence had designed that I should become a victim to their
+rage, and that mercy should be made manifest in my deliverance.
+
+On the night of the 21st of May two of the spies, Mr. James Davis and
+Mr. Sutton, came to lodge at our house, and on the morning of the 22d,
+at daybreak, when the horn blew at the blockhouse, which was within
+sight of our house and distant about two hundred yards, the two men got
+up and went out. I was also awake, and saw the door open, and thought,
+after I was taken prisoner, that the scouts had left it open. I
+intended to rise immediately, but having a child at the breast, and it
+being awakened, I lay with it at the breast to get it to sleep again,
+and accidentally fell asleep myself. The spies have since informed me
+that they returned to the house again, and found that I was sleeping;
+that they softly fastened the door and went immediately to the
+blockhouse, and those who examined the house after the scene was over
+say that both doors had the appearance of being broken open.
+
+The first thing I knew from falling asleep was the Indians pulling me
+out of bed by my feet. I then looked up and saw the house full of
+Indians, every one having his gun in his left hand and tomahawk in his
+right. Beholding the danger in which I was, I immediately jumped to the
+floor on my feet, with the young child in my arms. I then took a
+petticoat to put on, having on only the one in which I slept; but the
+Indians took it from me, and as many as I attempted to put on they
+succeeded in taking from me, so that I had to go just as I had been in
+bed. While I was struggling with some of the savages for clothing,
+others of them went and took the children out of another bed, and
+immediately took the two feather beds to the door and emptied them.
+
+The savages immediately began their work of plunder and devastation.
+What they were unable to carry with them they destroyed. While they
+were at their work, I made to the door, and succeeded in getting out
+with one child in my arms and another by my side; but the other little
+boy was so much displeased by being so early disturbed in the morning
+that he would not come to the door.
+
+When I got out I saw Mr. Wolf, one of the soldiers, going to the spring
+for water, and beheld two or three of the savages attempting to get
+between him and the blockhouse; but Mr. Wolf was unconscious of his
+danger, for the savages had not yet been discovered. I then gave a
+terrific scream, by which means Mr. Wolf discovered his danger and
+started to run for the blockhouse. Seven or eight of the Indians fired
+at him, but the only injury he received was a bullet in his arm, which
+broke it. He succeeded in making his escape to the blockhouse. When I
+raised the alarm, one of the Indians came up to me with his tomahawk as
+though about to take my life; a second came and placed his hand before
+my mouth and told me to hush, when a third came with a lifted tomahawk
+and attempted to give me a blow; but the first that came raised his
+tomahawk and averted the blow, and claimed me as his squaw.
+
+The commissary, with his waiter, slept in the storehouse near the
+blockhouse; and, upon hearing the report of the guns, came to the door
+to see what was the matter; and, beholding the danger he was in, made
+his escape to the blockhouse; but not without being discovered by the
+Indians, several of whom fired at him, and one of the bullets went
+through his handkerchief, which was tied about his head, and took off
+some of his hair. The handkerchief, with several bullet-holes in it, he
+afterwards gave to me.
+
+The waiter, on coming to the door, was met by the Indians, who fired
+upon him, and he received two bullets through the body and fell dead by
+the door. The savages then set up one of their tremendous and
+terrifying yells, and pushed forward and attempted to scalp the man
+they had killed; but they were prevented from executing their
+diabolical purpose by the heavy fire which was kept up through the
+portholes from the blockhouse.
+
+In this scene of horror and alarm I began to meditate an escape, and
+for that purpose I attempted to direct the attention of the Indians
+from me and to fix it on the blockhouse, and thought if I could succeed
+in this I would retreat to a subterranean cave with which I was
+acquainted, which was in the run near where we were. For this purpose I
+began to converse with some of those who were near me respecting the
+strength of the blockhouse, the number of men in it, etc., and being
+informed that there were forty men there, and that they were excellent
+marksmen, the savages immediately came to the determination to retreat,
+and for this purpose they ran to those who were besieging the
+blockhouse and brought them away.
+
+They then began to flog me with their wiping sticks, and to order me
+along. Thus what I intended as the means of my escape was the means of
+accelerating my departure in the hands of the savages. But it was no
+doubt ordered by a kind Providence for the preservation of the fort and
+the inhabitants in it; for when the savages gave up the attack and
+retreated, some of the men in the fort had the last load of ammunition
+in their guns, and there was no possibility of procuring more, for it
+was all fastened up in the storehouse, which was inaccessible.
+
+The Indians, when they had flogged me away with them, took my oldest
+boy, a lad about five years of age, along with them, for he was still
+at the door by my side. My middle little boy, who was about three years
+of age, had by this time obtained a situation by the fire in the house,
+and was crying bitterly to me not to go, and making sore complaints of
+the depredations of the savages. But these monsters were not willing to
+let the child remain behind them; they took him by the hand to drag him
+along with them, but he was so very unwilling to go, and made such a
+noise by crying, that they took him up by his feet and dashed his
+brains out against the threshold of the door. They then scalped and
+stabbed him, and left him for dead. When I witnessed this inhuman
+butchery of my own child I gave a most indescribable and terrific
+scream, and felt a dimness come over my eyes, next to blindness, and my
+senses were nearly gone. The savages then gave me a blow across my head
+and face and brought me to my sight and recollection again. During the
+whole of this agonizing scene I kept my infant in my arms.
+
+As soon as the murder was effected they marched me along to the top of
+the bank, about forty or sixty rods, and there they stopped and divided
+the plunder which they had taken from our house, and here I counted
+their number and found them to be thirty-two, two of whom were white
+men painted as Indians. Several of the Indians could speak English
+well. I knew several of them well, having seen them going up and down
+the Alleghany River. I knew two of them to be from the Seneca tribe of
+Indians, and two of them Munsees; for they had called at the shop to
+get their guns repaired, and I saw them there.
+
+We went from this place about forty rods, and they then caught my uncle
+John Currie's horses, and two of them, into whose custody I was put,
+started with me on the horses towards the mouth of the Kiskiminetas,
+and the rest of them went off towards Puckety. When they came to the
+bank that descended towards the Alleghany it was so very steep, and
+there appeared so much danger in descending it on horseback that I
+threw myself off the horse, in opposition to the will and command of
+the savages.
+
+My horse descended without falling, but the one on which the Indian
+rode who had my little boy, in descending, fell and rolled over
+repeatedly; and my little boy fell back over the horse, but was not
+materially injured; he was taken up by one of the Indians, and we got
+to the bank of the river, where they had secreted some bark canoes
+under the rocks, opposite the island that lies between the Kiskiminetas
+and Buffalo. They attempted, in vain, to make the horses take the
+river, and had to leave the horses behind them, and took us in one of
+the canoes to the point of the island, and there left the canoe.
+
+Here I beheld another hard scene, for as soon as we landed, my little
+boy, who was still mourning and lamenting about his little brother, and
+who complained that he was injured by the fall in descending the bank,
+_was murdered_. One of the Indians ordered me along, probably that
+I should not see the horrid deed about to be perpetrated. The other
+then took his tomahawk from his side, and with this instrument of death
+killed and scalped him. When I beheld this second scene of inhuman
+butchery I fell to the ground senseless, with my infant in my arms, it
+being under and its little hands in the hair of my head. How long I
+remained in this state of insensibility I know not.
+
+The first thing I remember was my raising my head from the ground and
+feeling myself exceedingly overcome with sleep. I cast my eyes around
+and saw the scalp of my dear little boy, fresh bleeding from his head,
+in the hand of one of the savages, and sank down to the earth again
+upon my infant child. The first thing I remember, after witnessing this
+spectacle of woe, was the severe blows I was receiving from the hands
+of the savages, though at that time I was unconscious of the injury I
+was sustaining. After a severe castigation, they assisted me in getting
+up, and supported me when up. The scalp of my little boy was hid from
+my view, and in order to bring me to my senses again they took me back
+to the river and led me in knee-deep; this had its intended effect.
+But, "the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel."
+
+We now proceeded on our journey by crossing the island, and coming to a
+shallow place where we could wade out, and so arrive at the Indian side
+of the country. Here they pushed me in the river before them, and had
+to conduct me through it. The water was up to my breast, but I
+suspended my child above the water, and, with the assistance of the
+savages, got safely out. Thence we rapidly proceeded forward, and came
+to Big Buffalo; here the stream was very rapid and the Indians had
+again to assist me. When we had crossed this creek, we made a straight
+course to the Connoquenessing Creek, the very place where Butler, Pa.,
+now stands; and thence we travelled five or six miles to Little
+Buffalo, which we crossed.
+
+I now felt weary of my life, and had a full determination to make the
+savages kill me, thinking that death would be exceedingly welcome when
+compared to the fatigue, cruelties, and miseries I had the prospect of
+enduring. To have my purpose effected I stood still, one of the savages
+being before me, and the other walking behind me, and I took from off
+my shoulder a large powder-horn they made me carry, in addition to my
+child, who was one year and four days old. I threw the horn on the
+ground, closed my eyes, and expected every moment to feel the deadly
+tomahawk. But to my surprise the Indian took it up, cursed me bitterly,
+and put it on my shoulder again. I took it off the second time, and
+threw it on the ground, and again closed my eyes, with the assurance I
+should meet death; but instead of this, the Indian again took up the
+horn, and with an indignant, frightful countenance, came and placed it
+on again. I took it off the third time, and was determined to effect
+it, and, therefore, threw it as far as I was able from me, over the
+rocks. The savage immediately went after it, while the one who had
+claimed me as his squaw, and who had stood and witnessed the
+transaction, came up to me and said: "Well done; you did right and are
+a good squaw, and the other is a lazy son-of-a-gun; he may carry it
+himself."
+
+The savages now changed their position, and the one who claimed me as
+his squaw went behind. This movement, I believe, was to prevent the
+other from doing me any injury; and we went on till we struck the
+Connoquenessing at the Salt Lick, about two miles above Butler, where
+was an Indian camp, where we arrived a little before dark, having no
+refreshment during the day. The camp was made of stakes driven into the
+ground, sloping, and covered with chestnut bark, and appeared
+sufficiently long for fifty men. The camp appeared to have been
+occupied for some time; it was very much trodden, and large beaten
+paths went out from it in different directions.
+
+That night they took me about three hundred yards from the camp, up a
+run, into a large, dark bottom, where they cut the brush in a thicket
+and placed a blanket on the ground and permitted me to sit down with my
+child. They then pinioned my arms back, only with a little liberty, so
+that it was with difficulty that I managed my child. Here, in this
+dreary situation, without fire or refreshment, having an infant to take
+care of, and my arms bound behind me, and having a savage on each side
+of me who had killed two of my dear children that day, I had to pass
+the first night of my captivity.
+
+But the trials and tribulations of the day I had passed had so
+completely exhausted nature that, notwithstanding my unpleasant
+situation, and my determination to escape, if possible, I insensibly
+fell asleep, and repeatedly dreamed of my escape and safe arrival in
+Pittsburgh, and several things relating to the town, of which I knew
+nothing at the time, but found to be true when I arrived there. The
+first night passed away and I found no means of escape, for the savages
+kept watch the whole of the night without any sleep.
+
+In the morning one of them left us to watch the trail we had come, to
+see if any white people were pursuing us. During the absence of the
+Indian, the one that claimed and remained with me, and who was the
+murderer of my last boy, took from his bosom his scalp, and prepared a
+hoop and stretched the scalp upon it. Those mothers who have not seen
+the like done to one of the scalps of their own children will be able
+to form but faint ideas of the feelings which then harrowed up my soul.
+I meditated revenge! While he was in the very act I attempted to take
+his tomahawk, which hung by his side and rested on the ground, and had
+nearly succeeded, and was, as I thought, about to give the fatal blow,
+when, alas! I was detected.
+
+The savage felt at his tomahawk handle, turned upon me, cursed me and
+told me I was a Yankee; thus insinuating he understood my intention,
+and to prevent me from doing so again, faced me. My excuse to him for
+handling his tomahawk was, that my child wanted to play with the handle
+of it. The savage who went upon the lookout in the morning came back
+about twelve o'clock, and had discovered no pursuers. Then the one who
+had been guarding me went out on the same errand. The savage who was
+now my guard began to examine me about the white people, the strength
+of the armies going against the Indians, etc., and boasted largely of
+their achievements in the preceding fall, at the defeat of General St.
+Clair.
+
+He then examined the plunder which he had brought from our house the
+day before. He found my pocket-book and money among his plunder. There
+were ten dollars in silver and a half-guinea in gold in the book.
+During this day they gave me a piece of dried venison, about the bulk
+of an egg, and a piece about the same size the day we were marching,
+for my support and that of my child; but, owing to the blows I had
+received from them on the jaws, I was unable to eat a bit of it. I
+broke it up and gave it to the child.
+
+The savage on the lookout returned about dark. This evening (Monday,
+the 23d) they moved me to another station in the same valley, and
+secured me as they did the preceding night. Thus I found myself the
+second night between two Indians, without fire and refreshment. During
+this night I was frequently asleep, notwithstanding my unpleasant
+situation, and as often dreamed of my arrival in Pittsburgh.
+
+Early on the morning of the 24th a flock of mocking-birds and robins
+hovered over us as we lay in our uncomfortable bed; and sang and said,
+at least to my imagination, that I was to get up and go off. As soon as
+day broke, one of the Indians went off again to watch the trail, as on
+the preceding day, and he who was left to take care of me appeared to
+be sleeping. When I perceived this I lay still and began to snore, as
+though asleep, and he also fell asleep. Then I concluded it was time to
+escape. I found it impossible to injure him for my child at the breast,
+as I could not effect anything without putting the child down, and then
+it would cry and give the alarm; so I contented myself with taking,
+from a pillow-case of plunder stolen from our house, a short gown,
+handkerchief, and child's frock, and so made my escape; the sun then
+being about half an hour high.
+
+I struck the Connoquenessing, and went down stream until about two
+o'clock in the afternoon, over rocks, precipices, thorns, briers, etc.,
+with my bare feet and legs. I then discovered I was on the wrong
+course, and waited till the North Star appeared. Marking out the
+direction for the next day, I collected a bed of leaves, laid down and
+slept, though my feet, being full of thorns, began to be exceedingly
+painful, and I had nothing for self or babe to eat. The next morning I
+started early, nothing material occurring. Towards evening a gentle
+rain came on, and I began to prepare my leaf bed, setting the child
+down the while, who began to cry. Fearful of the consequences, I put
+him to the breast and he became quiet. I then listened and distinctly
+heard footsteps. The ground over which I had travelled was soft and my
+foot traces had been followed.
+
+Greatly alarmed, I looked about for a place of safety, and
+providentially discovered a large tree which had fallen, into the top
+of which I crept. The darkness greatly assisted me and prevented
+detection. The savage who followed me had heard the cry of the child
+and came to the very spot where it had cried, and there he halted, put
+down his gun, and was at this time so near that I heard the wiping
+stick strike against his gun distinctly. My getting in under the tree
+and sheltering myself from the rain, and pressing my boy to my bosom,
+got him warm, and, most providentially, he fell asleep, and lay very
+still during that time of extreme danger. All was still and quiet; the
+savage was listening to hear again the cry. My own heart was the only
+thing I feared, and that beat so loud that I was apprehensive it would
+betray me. It is almost impossible to conceive the wonderful effect my
+situation produced upon my whole system.
+
+After the savage had stood and listened with nearly the stillness of
+death for two hours, the sound of a bell and a cry like that of a night
+owl, signals which were given to him by his companions, induced him to
+answer, and after he had given a most horrid yell, which was calculated
+to harrow up my soul, he started and went off to join them. After his
+retreat, I concluded it unsafe to remain there till morning.
+
+But by this time nature was so nearly exhausted that I found some
+difficulty in moving; yet, compelled by necessity, I threw my coat
+about my child and placed the end between my teeth, and with one arm
+and my teeth I carried him, and with the other groped my way between
+the trees and travelled on, as I supposed, a mile or two, and there sat
+down at the root of a tree till morning. The night was cold and wet,
+and thus terminated the fourth day-and-night's difficulties, trials,
+and dangers!
+
+The fifth day, wet, exhausted, hungry, and wretched, I started from my
+resting-place as soon as I could see my way, and on that morning struck
+the head-waters of Pine Creek, which falls into the Alleghany about
+four miles above Pittsburgh; though I knew not then what waters they
+were; I crossed them, and on the opposite bank I found a path, and on
+it two moccason tracks, fresh indented. This alarmed me; but as they
+were before me, and travelling in the same direction as I was, I
+concluded I could see them as soon as they could see me, and,
+therefore, I pressed on in that path for about three miles, when I came
+to where another branch emptied into the creek, where was a hunter's
+camp, where the two men, whose tracks I had before discovered and
+followed, had breakfasted and left the fire burning.
+
+I became more alarmed, and determined to leave the path. I then crossed
+a ridge towards Squaw Run, and came upon a trail. Here I stopped and
+meditated what to do; and while I was thus musing I saw three deer
+coming towards me at full speed; they turned to look at their pursuers;
+I looked too, with all attention, and saw the flash and heard the
+report of a gun. I saw some dogs start after them, and began to look
+about for shelter, and immediately made for a large log to hide myself.
+Providentially I did not go clear to the log; for as I put my hand to
+the ground, to raise myself so that I might see who and where the
+hunters were, I saw a large heap of rattlesnakes, the top one being
+very large, and coiled up very near my face, and quite ready to bite
+me.
+
+I again left my course, bearing to the left, and came upon the
+head-waters of Squaw Run, and kept down the run the remainder of that
+day. It rained, and I was in a very deplorable situation; so cold and
+shivering were my limbs, that frequently, in opposition to all my
+struggles, I gave an involuntary groan. I suffered intensely from
+hunger, though my jaws were so far recovered that, wherever I could, I
+procured grape-vines, and chewed them for a little sustenance. In the
+evening I came within one mile of the Alleghany River, though I was
+ignorant of it at the time; and there, at the root of a tree, through a
+most tremendous rain, I took up my fifth night's lodgings. In order to
+shelter my infant as much as possible, I placed him in my lap, and then
+leaned my head against the tree, and thus let the rain fall upon me.
+
+On the sixth (that was the Sabbath) morning from my captivity, I found
+myself unable, for a very considerable time, to raise myself from the
+ground; and when I had once more, by hard struggling, got myself upon
+my feet and started, nature was so nearly exhausted and my spirits were
+so completely depressed that my progress was amazingly slow and
+discouraging. In this almost helpless condition I had not gone far
+before I came to a path where there had been cattle travelling; I took
+it, under the impression that it would lead me to the abode of some
+white people, and in about a mile I came to an uninhabited cabin, and
+though I was in a river bottom, yet I knew not where I was nor yet on
+what river bank I had come.
+
+Here I was seized with feelings of despair, went to the threshold of
+the cabin and concluded that I would enter and lie down and die, since
+death would have been an angel of mercy to me in such a miserable
+situation. Had it not been for the sufferings which my infant, who
+would survive me some time, must endure, I would have carried my
+determination into execution. Here I heard the sound of a cow-bell,
+which imparted a gleam of hope to my desponding mind. I followed the
+sound till I came opposite the fort at the Six Mile Island, where I saw
+three men on the opposite bank of the river.
+
+My feelings then can be better imagined than described. I called to
+them, but they seemed unwilling to risk the danger of coming after me,
+and asked who I was. I told them, and they requested me to walk up the
+bank awhile that they might see if Indians were making a decoy of me;
+but I replied my feet were so sore I could not walk. Then one of them,
+James Closier, got into a canoe to fetch me over, while the other two
+stood with cocked rifles ready to fire on the Indians, provided they
+were using me as a decoy. When Mr. Closier came near and saw my haggard
+and dejected appearance, he exclaimed, "Who in the name of God are
+you?" This man was one of my nearest neighbors, yet in six days I was
+so much altered that he did not know me, either by my voice or
+countenance.
+
+When I landed on the inhabited side of the river the people from the
+fort came running out to see me. They took the child from me, and now
+that I felt safe from all danger, I found myself unable to move or to
+assist myself in any degree, whereupon the people took me and carried
+me out of the boat to the house of Mr. Cortus.
+
+Now that I felt secure from the cruelties of the barbarians, for the
+first time since my captivity, my feelings returned in all their
+poignancy and the tears flowed freely, imparting a happiness beyond
+what I ever experienced. When I was taken into the house the heat of
+the fire and the smell of victuals, of both of which I had so long been
+deprived, caused me to faint. Some of the people attempted to restore
+me and some to put clothes on me, but their kindness would have killed
+me had it not been for the arrival of Major McCully, who then commanded
+along the river. When he understood my situation, and saw the
+provisions they were preparing for me, he was greatly alarmed; ordered
+me out of the house, away from the heat and smell; prohibited me from
+taking anything but a very little whey of buttermilk, which he
+administered with his own hands. Through this judicious management I
+was mercifully restored to my senses and gradually to health and
+strength.
+
+Two of the females, Sarah Carter and Mary Ann Crozier, then began to
+take out the thorns from my feet and legs, which Mr. Felix Negley stood
+by and counted to the number of one hundred and fifty, though they were
+not all extracted at that time, for the next evening, at Pittsburgh,
+there were many more taken out. The flesh was mangled dreadfully, and
+the skin and flesh were hanging in pieces on my feet and legs. The
+wounds were not healed for a considerable time. Some of the thorns went
+through my feet and came out at the top. For two weeks I was unable to
+put my feet to the ground to walk. The next morning a young man
+employed by the magistrates of Pittsburgh came for me to go immediately
+to town to give in my deposition, that it might be published to the
+American people. Some of the men carried me into a canoe, and when I
+arrived I gave my deposition. As the intelligence spread, Pittsburgh,
+and the country for twenty miles around, was all in a state of
+commotion. The same evening my husband came to see me, and soon after I
+was taken back to Coe's Station. In the evening I gave an account of
+the murder of my boy on the island, and the next morning a scout went
+out and found the body and buried it, nine days after the murder.
+
+
+THE END
+
+
+
+
+OUTING ADVENTURE LIBRARY
+
+_Edited by Horace Kephart_
+
+
+¶ Here are brought together for the first time the great stories of
+adventure of all ages and countries. These are the personal records of
+the men who climbed the mountains and penetrated the jungles; who
+explored the seas and crossed the deserts; who knew the chances and
+took them, and lived to write their own tales of hardship and endurance
+and achievement. The series will consist of an indeterminate number of
+volumes--for the stories are myriad. The whole will be edited by Horace
+Kephart. Each volume answers the test of these two questions: Is it
+true? Is it interesting?
+
+¶ The entire series is uniform in style and binding. Among the titles
+now ready or in preparation are those described on the following pages.
+
+    PRICE $1.00 EACH, NET. POSTAGE 10 CENTS EXTRA
+
+    THE NUMBERS MAKE ORDERING CONVENIENT
+
+1. IN THE OLD WEST, by George Frederick Ruxton. The men who blazed the
+trail across the Rockies to the Pacific were the independent trappers
+and hunters in the days before the Mexican war. They left no records of
+their adventures and most of them linger now only as shadowy names. But
+a young Englishman lived among them for a time, saw life from their
+point of view, trapped with them and fought with them against the
+Indians. That was George Frederick Ruxton. His story is our only
+complete picture of the Old West in the days of the real Pioneers, of
+Kit Carson, Jim Bridger, Bill Williams, the Sublettes, and all the rest
+of that glorious company of the forgotten who opened the West.
+
+
+2. CASTAWAYS AND CRUSOES. Since the beginnings of navigation men have
+faced the dangers of shipwreck and starvation. Scattered through the
+annals of the sea are the stories of those to whom disaster came and
+the personal records of the way they met it. Some of them are given in
+this volume, narratives of men who lived by their hands among savages
+and on forlorn coasts, or drifted helpless in open boats. They range
+from the South Seas to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, from the iron coast of
+Patagonia to the shores of Cuba. They are echoes from the days when the
+best that could be hoped by the man who went to sea was hardship and
+man's-sized work.
+
+
+3. CAPTIVES AMONG THE INDIANS. First of all is the story of Captain
+James Smith, who was captured by the Delawares at the time of
+Braddock's defeat, was adopted into the tribe, and for four years lived
+as an Indian, hunting with them, studying their habits, and learning
+their point of view. Then there is the story of Father Bressani who
+felt the tortures of the Iroquois, of Mary Rowlandson who was among the
+human spoils of King Philip's war, and of Mercy Harbison who suffered
+in the red flood that followed St. Clair's defeat. All are personal
+records made by the actors themselves in those days when the Indian was
+constantly at our forefathers's doors.
+
+
+4. FIRST THROUGH THE GRAND CANYON, by Major John Wesley Powell. Major
+Powell was an officer in the Union Army who lost an arm at Shiloh. In
+spite of this four years after the war he organized an expedition which
+explored the Grand Canyon of the Colorado in boats--the first to make
+this journey. His story has been lost for years in the oblivion of a
+scientific report. It is here rescued and presented as a record of one
+of the great personal exploring feats, fitted to rank with the exploits
+of Pike, Lewis and Clark, and Mackenzie.
+
+
+5. ADRIFT IN THE ARCTIC ICE-PACK, By Elisha Kent Kane, M.D. Out of the
+many expeditions that went north in search of Sir John Franklin over
+fifty years ago, it fell to the lot of one, financed by a New York
+merchant, to spend an Arctic winter drifting aimlessly in the grip of
+the Polar ice in Lancaster Sound. The surgeon of the expedition kept a
+careful diary and out of that record told the first complete story of a
+Far Northern winter. That story is here presented, shorn of the purely
+scientific data and stripped to the personal exploits and adventures of
+the author and the other members of the crew.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Captives Among the Indians, by 
+James Smith and Francesco Giuseppe Bressani and Mary White Rowlandson and Mercy Harbison
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44934 ***