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32X

INDIAN CAPTIVITIES:

BE ma A

COLLECTION OF THE MOST' REMARKABLE NARRATIVES OF PERSONS
TAKEN CAPTIVE BY THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS; OR RELA-
TIONS OF THOSE WHO, BY STRATAGEM OR DESPERATE
VALOR, HAVE EFFECTED THE MOST SURPRISING
ESCAPES FROM THEIR CRUEL HANDS.

TOWIIICHAREADDED,
NOTES, HISTORICAL, BIOGRAPHICAL, &o.

BY SAMUEL G. DRAKE

Hdjipy t'.i'j natives of iliis distant clime,

Ere lilmope's sons wurts known or Europe's crimes.

Churchill.

'Ti.s ihoira to triumph, ours to die!
But mark me, Christian, ere I go,
Thou, too, shall liuve thy share of woe !

Frenbau.

BOSTON:
ANTIQUARIAN BOOKSTORE AND INSTITUTE,

56 C o r n h i 1 1.
1839.

Entered, according to act of Congress, in the year 1839,

BY SAMUEL G. DRAKE,

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachuseits.

STEREOTYPED BY
GEO. A. & J. CURTIS,

ftBW ENOLAND TYPE AND STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY, BOSTON,

READER-

This volume consists of entire Narratives ; that is to say, I have given
the orif^inals without the slightest abridt^ment ; nor have I taken any
libenies with the laiigua2;e of aay of them, which would in the remotest
degree chatige the sense of a single )iris>age, and the instances are few in
which I have ventured to correct peculiarities of expression ; yet I designed
that, with regard to grammatical accuracy, there sliould be as few faults
as the nature of such a performance would allow. All expressions of an
antiquated date are not altempled to be changed. Some redundancies
have been dropped, which could only have been retained at the expense
of perspicuity.

I am not unaware that there may be persons who •will doubt of the
propriety of laying before all classes of the community a work which
records so much that is shocking to humanity ; but the fashion of studying
the book of Natui , has now long obtained, and pervades all classes. I
have done no more than to exhibit a page of it in this collection. To
observe man in his uncivilized or natural state offers an approach to a
knowledge of his natural history, without which it is hardly obtained.

We find volumes upon volumes on the manners and customs of the
Indians, many of the writers of which would have us believe they have
exhausted the subject, and consequently we need inquire no further ;
but whoever has travelled among distant tribes, or read the accounts of
intelligent travellers, do not require to be told that the most endless variety
exists, and that the manners and customs of uncultivated nations are no
more stationary, nor so mnch so, as are those of a civilized people. The
current of time changes all thin;^.s. B U we have elsewhere observed*
that similar necessities, although in (iffcrent nations, h' ve produced
similar customs; such as will stand through ages wiih ' f' y lil'le, if any,
variation. Neither is it strange that simi.'ir articul-uions .should be found
m languages having no other aflinity, because imitations of natural
sounds must everywhere be the same. Hence it follows that customs
are as various as the face of nature itself.

A lecturer on the manners and customs of certain tribes of Indians may
assure us that no others observe certain liarbarous rites, and that, as they
by some sudden mortality have become extinct, the knowledge of those
rites is known to none others save himself, and that therefore he is the

*Book of the Indians, Book i., p. 10.
1#

PREFACE.

only person living who can inform us of thcin. But lie may be assurcfi
that captives anil othi-r travclk-rs have witnessed customs anil ceremonies,
which, top;elher with their pcrtoniu is. have passed away also. And there
is another view of the matter. Many a custom, as it existed fil'iy or a
hundred years n!;^(), has become (|uite a ditlievent ad'air now. From these
reflections it is easy to .see what an endless taslf it wouhl be to describe
all of the manners and customs of a single tribe of Indians, to say nothing
of the thousands which have been and still exist.

These observations have been thrown out for th(! consideration of such
as may l)e lodkin*;; for some great work upon Indian maimers and cnstoms,
to comprehend ail they have been tauglu to cxiiccl, from those who liavc,
perhaps, thought no deeper upon the subject than themselves. When the
reader shall have perused the following narratives, I doubt not he will be
convinced of the truth i.f what has here been delivered.

This is truly an age of essay writing, and v;e have them in abundance
upon every thing and nothing, instead of facts Avhicli should be remem-
bered. If a new work upon travels or histoiy appears, we shall doubtless
be delighted with descriptions of elegant scenery and splendid sketches
about general matters, but arise from its perusal about as ignorant of the
events of the history we desire as before. Compositions of this descrip-
tion form no part of these pages.

I have on other occasions stood out boldly in favor of the oppressed
Indian, and I know that a book of Indian Captivities is calculated to
exhibit their character in no very favorable ligh ; but the reader should
remember that, in the following narratives, it is not J who speak ; yet I
believe that, with very small allowances, these narratives art entirely
true. The errors, if any, will be found only errors of judgment, Avhich
affect not their veracity.

A people whose whole lives are spent in war, and who live by a con-
tinual slaughter of all kinds of animals, must necessarily cultivate ferocity.
From the nati'ire of their circumstances they are obliged always to be in
expectation of invasion ; living iu small communities, dispersed in small
parties of five or ten upon hunting expeditions, they are easily surprised
by an enemy of equal or even a lesser force. Indians, consequently, are
always speaking of strange Indians whom they know not, nor do they
know whether such are to appcur from one direction cr another. When
New England was first settled, the Indians about Massachusetts Bay
were in a miserable fright from fear of the Tarratines ; skulking from
copse to copse by day, and sleeping in loathsome fens by night, to avoid
them. And all the New England Indians were in constant expectation
of the Mohawks ; and scarce a tribe existed in any part of the country
who did not constantly expect to be attacked by some other. And such
was the policy of those people that no calculation could be made upon,
their operations or pretensions, inasmuch as the honor of an action de-

PREFACE.

VII

le upon
kion de-

pended on the manner in which it was excruted. No credit was obtained
by ojx'ii combat, but he that couhl ensnare and smile an unsuspecting
enemy was hitrhly to be commended.

It must have very often liappcned that tlic people surprised l<new
nothing' of any reason why they were so deaU with, and the injury for
which ilicy sull'ered may have been committed by their ancestors hmg
before tlu-y had existence ; and the only sure means a tribe had to avert
retaliaiioii was extermination! Hence the perpetual warfare of these
people.

As there are a few other collections o^" Indian Narratives of a similar
character to this, it may be necessary to advertise the reader that such are
similar in title only ; lor in those collections the compilers speak for their
captives, whereas, in bis, they speak for themselves. Those collectors
have not cmly taken upon themselves to s/xak fur their captives f)r heroes,
but have so abridged the majority of -ir narratives that the perusal
of them only gives dissatisfaction ev. .1 to the general reader. Mr.
McClung's " Sketcher of Western Adventure" is a work of thrilling
interest, but its value is entirely lost in particular instances from the
above considerations. Dr. Metcalf was earlier, and set out right, but
looked back with his hand to the plougn. I know of no others worthy of
notice.

As several prominent narratives may be looked for in this collection
without success, such as those of Hannah Duston, Rev. John Williams,
^c, it will be proper to apprize the reader that those, and many others,
are contained in the Book of the Indians.

I did not design to notice the works of others, in Indian history, in this
introduction ; but accidentally falling upon some acts of pre-eminent injus-
tice to my former labor^ , committed by several compilers, whose works,
from their peculiar point of emanation, or ostentatious external attractions,
arc calculated to fix in the minds of iheir readers wrong impressions in
respect lo the sources whence they have drawn their infonnation, I could
not, m justice to myself, let them pass without a notice. For an author
to spe i many of his best years in the most laborious investigations to
brill., oat ■! train of i'acts up(»n an important inquiry, which, in all proba-
bility, no other would ever have taken the pains to have done, from the
peculiar nature and dilliculty of the undertaking, or situation of the mate-
rials out of which he had brought them, and then to see them, no sooner
than produced, transferred to the pages of others without even a demand
for them upon their author, is matter of which I complain, and, to say the
least, is too barefav^ed a piracy even for this age of freebooting in matters
of literature. Had the author of the Book of the Indians been dead,
leaving but a single copy of his work behind, and that an unp abli.shed
manuscript, some of the compilers, to whom I allude, could scarcely have
been freer lU their use of it without the hope of detection. No charge is

Vlll

PREFACE.

here intended against such as have copied whole pages into their own
woFKs, where ihoy have even acknowledged their source of informatiou ;
but I would point the eyes of all such as may read this to their (>wn
pages, whirh have been transft'rred from that work, or so concocted out
of it as to induce the belief that it was the fruits of their own labor. Such
compilers, doubtless, presume only iheir own works will be read on the
subject of the Indians ; or that the obscure and humble author of the
Book of the Indians had no n^eans of exposing their piracies. And even
now, "after all said and done," perhaps Queen Victoria will never read
this preface, or compare the pages of the great folio " Biography and
History of the Indiaiis" with those of the Book of the Indians; yet there
may be those on this side of the Atlantic who may be benefited by this,
though indirect, information. Besides, I am too late now to send a book
to her majesty, with the slightest prospect of her ever reading it, for the
very reason that she has already several books by American authors on
hand ! And if she has read even one, is it to be presumed she would
ever read another? M(jreover, what would she care whether Col. Stone
gave me credit for a fact, or Mr. Thacher, or Henry Trumbull ?

9
CONTENTS.

The following Table contains the names of the captives, the lime of

tlicir being taken, ami tlie duration of their captivity, where the dales

could hv ascertained.

N.iinr of ('ii|iiivn. 1 VVIk'ii liikiiii. 1 VVIilto. | 'riiim ri'laiiiftl.

l'a^c

Joiili Ol't./

l.OL'H

Florida

Nine years

]\I;iry lluwlaiidson

lOFeb.KiVO

Lancaster, I\Iass.

Tol2 April,l()7f.

Quinlin Stockwell

19Sep.l()77

Deerfield, Ma.ss.

About one year

f.O

Sarah (Jcrish

28 June, '&'.»

Dover, N. H.

Six months

[•:ii/nbcih Heard

2HJune,'S<l

Dover, N. H.

R<Miiark'c escape

.lobii (iylcs

2 Aug. ItiN'.i

Peinuiaiiuid.iMe.

Six years

Ivobcrt Kogers

27 Mar. 'iiO

Salmon Falls, N.
|lliim|)shire.

Torlur'd to death

109

.Alchi'lable Goodwin

27 " WM)

Sal. Fall.N, N.H.

Five years

'riwniris 'roiig'""'

27 ''■ liV.iil

Sal. Falls, N.H.

Fortuiia!iM\scape

112

KlizjilH'th lliUisoii

27Jiin.i72l Dover, N. 11.

One yr. iV t')day>

u:;

Nchi'iiiiuh llow

1 1 Oct. 17 l.J

Great Meadows.
[Mass.

Died in captivity

127

Maiy Fowler

22Ap. l7in'lIopkimon,N.H.

Six months

lU)

.lohil Fitch

July, 17l() Asliby. Mass.

To close (d' war

139

isiibi'lia M'Coy

21 An. 1717

EpsoiM, N. H.

To close of war

113

Peter Williamson

2 Oct. 1751

Delaware Forks,
[Pa.

One year and .'!
[months.

117

Jemima ITowc

27 Jul. 17').'5

Hinsdale, N. H.

About five yeiis

lOl')

Frances Nol)le

About 17j5 Swan Island. 3Ie.

About 12 years

lf,5

Caj)t. Jona. Carver

9 Aug. 17.').') I'l. Win. Henrj-

?da(le his escape

172

Col. James Smith

3ray, 17.5') Bed lord, Pa.

vMioiit SIX years

I7M

Robert Eastburn

27 xMar. '5(i Williams' Ft. Pa.

2 yrs. i'^-; 8 mo'.s.

21 ■)5

A ]\rrs. Clendenin

Year 17('»:>; Green Brier, Va.

Escaped

2Hl

Alexander Henry

I Junc;17():?

3Iichiliinarkinac

About one year

28(3

Frederick Manheim

19 Oct. 1779

Near Johnston,
[N. Y.

333

Experience Bozarth

March, 1779

Dunkard'sCreek,
[Kentucky.

Great prowess

331

John Corbly

May, 1782

Muddy Crk. Ky.

Escape

335

Frances Scott

29Jun.l78r)

Wa,sh'n. Co., Va.

Escape

337

Capt. Wm. Hubbell

23 Mar. '91

Ohio river

Desp. encounter

342

Massy Herbeson

22 Ma. 1792

Escape

349

Serg. L. Munson

17 Oct. 1793

Near Fort JefTer-
[son, Ohio.

Escape, 8 mo's.

o52

Ransom Clark

28 Dec. 1835

Florida [House.

Escape

355

J. W.B.Thompson

23 Jul. 1836

Cape Florida Lt. Escape '

357

INDIAN CAPTIVITIES.

NARRATIVE

OF THE CAPTIVITY OF JOHN ORTIZ, A SPANIARD, W 40 WAS
ELEVEN YEARS A PRISONER AMONG THE INDIANS OF
FLORIDA.

In the year 1528 Paniphilo de Narvaez, with a commission,
constituting him frovernor of Florida, or " all the lands lying
from the river of Palms to the cape of Florida," sailed for that
country with 400 foot and 20 liorse, in five ships. W^iih this
expedition went a Spaniard, named John Ortiz, a native of
Seville, whose connections were among the nobility of Castile-
Although we have no account of what part Ortiz acted in
Narvaez's expedition, or liow he escaped its disastrous i<suc,
yet it may not be deemed out of place to notice briefly here
that issue.

This Narvaez had acquired some notoriety hy the manner in
which he had executed a commission against Cortez. He had
been ordered by the governor of Cuba to seize the destroyer
of Mexico, but was himself overthrown and de-erted by his
men. On falling into the hands of Cortez, his arrogance did
not forsake him, and he addressed him thus : " Esteem it good
fortune that you have taken me prisoner." " Nay," replied
Cortez, " it is the least of the things I have done in Mexico."
To return to the expedition of which we have promised to
speak.

Narvaez landed in Florida not very far from, or perhaps at
the bay of Apalachee, in the month of April, and marched
into the country with his men. They knew no other direction
but that pointed out by the Indians, whom they compelled to
act as guides. Their first disappointment was on their arrival

CAPTIVITY OF JOHN ORTIZ.

at the village of Apalachee, where, instead of a splendid town,
filled with immense treasure, as they had anticipated, they
found only about 40 Indian wigwams, When they visited
one Indian town its inhabitants would get rid of them by tell-
ing them of another, where their wants would be gratified.
Such was the manner in which Narvaez and his companions
rambled over SOO miles of country, in about six months' time, at
a vast expense of men and necessaries which they carried with
them ; for the Indians annoyed them at every pass, not only
cutting olT many of the men, but seizing on their baggage up-
on every occasion which offered. Being now arrived upon the
coast, in a wretched condition, they constructed some miserable
barks corresponding with their means, in which none but men
in such extremities would embark. In these they coasted toward
New Spain. When they came near the mouths of the Mis-
sissippi they were ca^t away in a storm, and all but 15 of their
number perisht u. Out of these 15, 4 only lived to reach
Mexico, and these after 8 years wholly spent in wanderings
from place to place, enduring incredible hardships and mise-
ries.

The next year after the end of Narvaez's expedition, the
intelligence of his disaster having reached his wife, whom he
left in Cuba, she fitted out a small company, consisting of 20
or 30 men, who sailed in a bri£,antine to search after him,
hoping some fortuitous circumstance might have prolonged his
existence upon the coast, and that he might be found. Of this
number was John Ortiz, the subject of this narrative.

On their arrival there, they sought an opportunity to have
an interview with the first Indians they should meet. Oppor-
tunity immediately offered, and as soon as Indians were dis-
covered, the Spaniards advanced towards them in their boats,
while the Indians came down to the sho^^ These wily peo-
ple practised a stratagem upon this occasion, which to this day
seems a mysterious one, and we have no means of explain-
'no- it.

Three oi four Indians came near the shore, and setting a
stick iii the ground, placed in a cleft in its top a letter, and
withdrawing a little distance, made signs to the Spaniards to
come and take it. All the company, except John Ortiz and one
more, refused to go out for the letter, rightly judging it to be
used only to ensnare them ; but Ortiz, presuming it was from
Narvaez, and containing some account of himself, would not
be persuaded from venturing on shore to bring it, although all
the rest but the one who accompanied him strenuously argued
against it.

Now there was an Indian village very near this place, and

CAPTIVITY OF JOHN ORTIZ.

endid tovvii,
ipated, they
hey visited
lem by tell-
e gratified,
companions
Lhs' time, at
:arried with
3S, not only
)aggage up-
3d upon the
le miserable
ne but men
sted toward
of the Mis-
15 of their
d to reach
wanderings
3 and mise-

edition, the
e, whom he
sting of 20
after him,
3longed his

Of this
e.
ity to have

Oppor-
s were dis-
heir boats,
J wily peo-
to this day
3f explain-

I setting a
letter, and
)aniards to
iz and one
ng it to be
was from
would not
hough all
;ly argued

)lace, and

no sooner had Ortiz and his companion advanced to the place
where the letter was displayed, than a multitudo carnc rnniiiiig
from it, and surrounding tlieni, seized cn<;etlv U])on them.
The number of the Indians was so great, that the Spaniards
ill the vessels did not dare to attempt to rescue them, and saw
them carried forcibly awav. In this first onset the man who
acconipnnieti Ortiz was K .led, he having made resistance when
he was seized.

Not far from the place where they were made prisoners, was
another Indian town, or village, consisting of aiiont 8 or 10
houses or wigwams. These houses were made of wood, and
covered with palm-leaves. At one end of this village there
was a building, which the caj)tive called a temple, but of what
dimensions it was he makes no mention. Over the door of
entrance into this temple there was placed the figure of a bird,
carved out in wood, and it was especially surprising that this
bird had gilded eyes. No attempt is made by Ortiz even to
conjecture how or by whom the art of gilding was practised,
in this wild and distant region, nor does he mention meeting
with any other specimen of that art durinfr bis captivity. At
the opposite extremity of this village stood the house of the
chief, or cazique, as he was often called, upon an eminence,
raised, as it was supposed, for a fortification. These things re-
mained the same ten years afterwards, and are mentioned by
the historian of Fernando De Soto's Invasion of Florida. The
name of the chief of this village was Ucita, bel'bre whom was
presented the captive, Ortiz, who was condemned to suffer im-
mediate death.

The manner of his death was by torture, w^hich was to be
effected in this wise. The executioners set four stakes in the
grotmd, and to these they fastened four poles ; the captive was
then taken, and with his arms and legs extended, was by them
bound to these poles, at such a distance from the ground, that
a fire, made directly under him, would be a long time in con-
suming him. Never did a poor victim look with greater cer-
tainty to death for relief, than did .lohn Ortiz at thi.- tiir.p.
The fire had already begun to rage, when a most remaikable
circumstance happened to save his life — a daughter ot the
stern Ucita arose and plead for him. Among other things she
said these to her father: "My kind father, why kill this poor
stranger? he can do you nor any of us any injury, seeing he
is but one and alone. It i:. better that you should keep him
confined ; for even in that condition he may sometime be of
great service to you." The chief was silent for a short time,
but finally ordered him to be released from his place of torture.
They had no sooner taken the thongs from his wrists and

CAPTIVITY OF JOHN ORTIZ.

ankles, than they proceeded to wash and dress his wounds, and
to do things to make him comfortable.

As soon as his wounds were healed, Ortiz was stationed at
the entrance of the temple, before mentioned, to i^uard it
against such as were not allowed to enter there ; Ijut espe-
cially to guard its being profaned by wild beasts ; for as it was
a place of sacrifices, wolves were its constant visitors. He had
not long been in this office, when an event occurred, which
threw him into great consternation. Human victims were
brought in as sacrifices and deposited here ; and not long after
Ortiz had been placed as sentinel, the body of a young Indian
was brought and laid upon a kind of sarcophagus, which,
from the multitudes that had from time to time been ofTei'd
there, was surrounded with blood and bones! a most rueful
sight, as ever any eye beheld ! — here an arm fresh torn from
its place, reeking with blood, another exhibiting but bone and
sinews from the mangling jaws of wild beasts ! Such was
the place he was ordered to guard, through day and night —
doomed to sit himself down among this horrible assemblage
of the dead. When left alone he reflected that his escape
from fire was not so fortunate for him as he had hoped ; for
now, his naturally superstitious mind was haunted by the pres-
ence of innumerable ghosts, who stalked in every place, and
which he had from his youth been taught to believe were capa-
ble of doing him all manner of injuries, even to the depriving
of life.

There was no reflection in those remote ages of the real
situation of all the living, in respect to the great valley of death
in which all beings are born and nursed, and which no length
of years is sufficient to carry them through. Let us for a mo-
ment cast our eyes around us. Where are we ? Not in the
same temple with Ortiz, but in one equally vast. We can see
nothing but death in every place. The very ground we walk
upon is composed of the decayed limbs of our own species, with
those of a hundred others. A succession of animals have been
rising and falling for many thousand years in all parts of the
world. They have died all around us — in our very places.
We do not distinctly behold the hands, the feet, or the bones of
them, because they have crumbled to dust beneath our feet.
And cannot the ghosts of these as well arise as of those slain
yesterday ? The affirmative cannot be denied.

As we have said, Ortiz found himself snatched from one
dreadful death, only, as he imagined, to be thrust into the jaws
of another, yet more terrible. Experience, however, soon
proved to him, that the dead, at least those with whom he was
forced to dwell, either could or would not send forth their

CAPTIVITY OF JOHN ORTIZ.

ounds, and

;ationed at
' guard it

but espe-
r as it was
s. He had
red, which
tims were
t long after
mg Indian
us, which,
3en ofTej.'d
lost rueful

torn from
: bone and
Such was
d night —
ssemblage
lis escape
loped ; for
y the pres-
place, and
^vere capa-

depriving

f the real

y of death

no length

for a mo-

•"fot in the

^e can see

we walk

cies, with

lave been

rts of the

y places.

bones of

our feet.

ose slain

from one
the jaws
v^er, soon
n he was
rth their

spirits in any other shape than such phantoms as his own mind
created, in dreams and reveries. Wc can accustom ourselves
to almost anything, and it was not long before our captive
contempla'i jd the dead bodies with v;hich he was surrounded,
with about the same indifference as he did the walls of the
temple that encompassed them.

How long after Ortiz had been placed to guard the temple
of sacrifices the following fearful midnight adventure hap-
pened, we have no means of stating with certainty, nor is it
very material ; it is, however, according to his own account, as
follows : A young Indian had been killed and his body placed
in this temple. Late one night, Ortiz found it closely invested
by wolves, which, in spite of all his efforts, entered the place,
and carried away the body of the Indian. The fright and the
darkness were so heavy upon Ortiz that he knew not that the
body was missing until morning. It appears, however, that he
recovered himself, S3ized a heavy cudgel, which he had pre-
pared at hand, and commenced a general attack upon the beasts
in the temple, and not only drove them out, but pursued them
a good way from the place. In the pursuit he came up with
one which he gave a mortal blow, although he did not know it
at the time. Having returned from this hazardous adventure
to the temple, he impatiently awaited the return of daylight.
When the day dawned, great was his distress at the discovery
of the loss of the body of the dead Indian, which was especially
aggravated, because it was the son of a great chief.

When the news of this afTair came to the ears of Ucita, he
at once resolved to have Ortiz put to death ; but before execut-
ing his purpose he sent out several Indians to pursue after the
wolves, to recover, if possible, the sacrifice. Contrary to all
expectation, the body was found, and not far from it the body of
a huge wolf also. When Ucita learned these facts, he coun-
termanded the order for his execution.

Three long years was Ortiz doomed to watch this wretched
temple of the dead. At the end of this time he was relieved
only by the overthrow of the power of Ucita. This was ef-
fected by a war between the two rival chiefs, Ucita and Mo-
coso.

The country over which Mocoso reigned was only two days'
journey from that of Ucita, and separated from it by a large
river or estuary. Mocoso came upon the village of Ucita in
the night with an army, and attacked his castle, and took
it, and also the rest of his town. Ucita and his people fled
from it with all speed, and the warriors of Mocoso burnt
it to the ground. Ucita had another village upon the coast,
not far from the former, to which he and his people fled, and

CAPTIVITY OF JOHN ORTIZ.

were not pursued by their enemies. Soon after he had esta-
blished himself in his new reisidcncc, he resolved upon making
a sacrifice of Ortiz. Here ac^ain he was wonderfully preserved,
by the same kind friend that had delivered him at the begin-
ning of his captivity. The daughter of the chief, knowing
her intreaties would avail nothing with her father, determined
to aid him to make an escape ; accordingly, she had prepared
the way for his reception with her father's enemy, Mocoso.
She found means to pilot him secretly out of her father's vil-
lage, and accompanied him a league or so on his way, and
then left him with directions how to proceed to the residence
of Mocoso. Having travelled all night as fast as he could,
Ortiz found himself next morning upon the borders of the river
which bounded the territories of the two rival chiefs. He was
now thrown into great trouble, for he could not proceed farther
without discovery, two of jNIocoso's men being then fishing in
the river ; and, although he came as a friend, yet he had no
way to make that known to them, i.ot understanding their lan-
guage, nor having means wherewith to discover his character
by a sign. At length he observed their arms, which they had
left at considerabi ,' distance from ihe place where they then
were. Therefore, as his only chance of succeeding in his en-
terprise, he crept slyly up and seized their arms to prevent
their injuring him. When they saw this they fled with all
speed towards their town. Ortiz followed them for some dis-
tance, trying by language as well as by signs to make them
understand that he only wished protection with them, but all
in vain, and he gave up the pursuit and waited quietly the
result. It was not long before a large party came running
armed towards him, and when they approached, he was obliged
to cover himself behind trees to avoid their arrows. Never-
theless his chance of being killed seemed certain, and that
very speedily ; but it providentially happened, that there was
an Indian among them who now surrounded him, who under-
stood the language in which he spoke, and thus he was again
rescued from another perilous situation.

Having now surrendered himself into the hands of the In-
dians, four of their number were dispatched to carry the tidings
to Mocoso, and to learn his pleasure in regard to the disposition
to be made of him ; but instead of sending any word of direc-
tion, Mocoso went himself out to meet Ortiz. When he came
to him, he expressed great joy at seeing him, and made every
profession that he would treat him well. Ortiz, however, had
seen enough of Indians to warn him against a too implicit
confidence in his pretensions ; and what added in iio small
degree to his doubts about his future destiny, was this very

■-^

CAPTIVITY OF JOHN ORTIZ.

! had c sta-
in making
preserved,
the bcgin-
, knowing
letermined
d prepared
y, Mocoso.
alher's vil-
s way, and
2 residence
s he could,
of the river
i. He was
•ecd farther
n fishing in
I he had no
CT their Ian-
is character
:h they had
6 they then
fr in his en-
5 to prevent
led with all
or some dis-
make them
lem, but all
quietly the
me running
was obliged
,vs. Never-
in, and that
it there was
who under-
le was again

Is of the In-
y the tidings
e disposition
ord of direc-
len he came
made every
owever, had
too implicit
in iio small
ras this very

extraordinary circumstance. Immediately after the preliminary
congratulations were over, the chief made him take an oath,
" after the manner of Christians," that he would not run away
from him to seek out another master ; to which he very readily
assented. At the same time Mocof^o, on his part, promised
Ortiz that he would not only treat him with due kindness, but,
that if ever an opportunity offered by which he could return to
his own people, he would do all in his power to assist him in
it ; and, to keep his word inviolate, he swore to what he had
promised, " after the manner of the Indians." Nevertheless,
our captive looked upon all this in no other light than as a
piece of cunning, resorted to by the chief, to make him only a
contented slave ; but we shall see by the sequel, that this In-
dian chief dealt not in European guile, and that he was actuated
only by benevolence of heart.

Three years more soon passed over the head of Ortiz, and
he experienced nothing but kindness and liberty. He spent
his time in wandering over the delightful savannahs of Florida,
and through the mazes of the palmetto, and beneath the re-
freshing shades of the wide-spreading magnolia — pursuing
the deer in the twilight of morning, and the scaly fry in the
silver lakes in the cool of the evening. In all this time we
hear of nothing remarkable that happened to Ortiz, or to the
chief or his people. When war or famine does not disturb the
quiet of Indians they enjoy themselves to the full extent of
their natures — perfectly at leisure, and ready to devote days
together to the entertainment of themselves, and any travel-
lers or friends that may sojourn with them.

About the close of the first three years of Ortiz's sojourning
with the tribe of Indians under Mocoso, there came startling
intelligence into their village, and alarm and anxiety sat im-
patiently upon the brow of all the inhabitants. This was
occasioned by the arrival of a runner, who gave information
that as some of Mocoso's men were in their canoes a great way
out at sea fishing, they had discovered ships of the white men
approaching their coast. Mocoso, after communing with him-
self a short time, went to Ortiz with the information, which,
when he had imparted it to him, caused peculiar sensatioi s in
his breast, and a brief struggle with conflicting feelings ; for
one cannot forget his country and kindred, nor can he forget
his savior and protector. In short, Mocoso urged him to ro to
the coast and see if he could make a discovery of the onips.
This proceeding on the part of the chief silenced the fears of
Ortiz, and he set out upon the discovery ; but when he had
spent several days of watchfulness and eager exp>iv:tation, with-
out seeing or gaining any other intelligence of ships, he was

CAPTIVITY OF JOHN ORTIZ.

ready to accuse the chief of practising deception upon him, to
try his iidelity ; he was soon strlisfied, however, that lii? sus-
picions were without foundation, although no other information
was ever gained of ships at that time.

At length, when six years more had elapsed, nev s of a less
doubtful character was brought to the village of Moeoso. It
was, that some white people had actually landed upon their
coast, and had possessed themselves of the village of Ucibta,
and driven out him and his men. Mocoso immediately im-
parted ihis information to Ortiz, who, presuming it was an idle
tale, as upon the former occasion, afTected to care nothing for
it, and told his chief that no wordly thing would induce him to
leave his present master ; but Mocoso persisted, and among
arguments advanced this, that he had done his duty, and that
if Ortiz would not go out and seek his white brethren, and
they should leave the country, and him behind, he could not
blame him, and withal seriously confirming the news. In the
end he concluded to go out once more, and after thanking his
chief for his great kindness, set off, with twelve of his best
men wh im Mocoso had appointed for his guides, to find the
white people.

When they had proceeded a considerable part of the way,
they came into a plain, and suddenly in sight of a party of 120
men, who proved to be some of those of whom they had heard.
When they discovered Ortiz and his men, they pressed towards
them in warlike array, and although they made every signal
of friendship in their power, yet these white men rushed upon
them, barbarously wounding two of them, and the others saved
themselves only by flight. Ortiz himself came near being
killed. A horseman rushed upon him, knocked him down,
and was prevented from dealing a deadly blow only by a
timely ejaculation in Spanish which he made. It was in these
words : " I am a Christian — do not kill me, nor these poor men
who have given me my life."

It was not until this moment that the soldiers discovered
their mistake, of friends for enemies, for Ortiz was, in all ap-
pearance, an Indian ; and now, with the aid of Ortiz, his attend-
ing Indians were collected, and they were all carried to the
camp of the white men, each riding behind a soldier upon his
horse.

Ortiz now found himself among an army of Spaniards,
commanded by one Fernando De Soto, who had come into that
country with a great armament of 1.00 men in 7 ships, in search
of riches ; an expedition undertaken with great ostentation,
raised by the expectation of what it was to afford, but it ended,
as all such undertakings should, in disgrace and mortification.

CAPTIVITY OF JOHN ORTIZ.

n him, to
L hi- sus-
ontmtion

of a less

)C()PO. It

ipon their
)f Uribta,
lately im-
as an idle
olhinj;' for
ice liirn to
nd among
', and that
ihren, and
! could not
s. In the
anking his
)f his best
to find the

f the way,
arty of 120
had heard,
d towards
ery signal
shed upon
lers saved
ear being
im down,
only by a
as in these
poor men

discovered
in all ap-
his attend-
ried to the
;r upon his

Spaniards,
■ne into that
s, in search
ostentation,
t it ended,
ortification.

Soto considered the acquisition of Ortiz of very great impor-
tance, for although he could not direct him to any mountains
of gold or silver, yet he was acquainted with the language of
tlie Indians, and he kept him with him during his memorable
expedition, to act in the capacity of interpreter.

It was in the spring of 1543, that the ferocious and savage
Soto fell a prey to his misguided ambition. Ortiz had died a
few months before, and with him fell the already disappointed
hopes of his leader. They had taken up winter quarters at a
place called Autiamque, upon the Washita, or periiaps Red
River, and it was here that difficulties began to thicken upon
them. When in the spring they would march from thence,
Soto was grieved, because he had lost so good an interpreter,
and readily felt that difficulties were clustering around in a
much more formidable array. Hitherto, when they were at a
loss for a knowledge of the country, all they had to do was to
lie in »vait and seize upon some Indian, and Ortiz always could
understand enough of the language to relieve them from all
perplexity about their course ; but now they had no other
interpreter but a young Indian cf Cutifachiqui, who understood
a little Spanish ; " yet it required sometimes a whole day for
him to explain what Ortiz would have done in four words."
At other times he was so entirely misunderstood, that after
they hav. followed his direction through a tedious march of a
whole day, they would find themselves obliged to return again
to the same place."

Such was the value of Ortiz in the expedition of Soto, as
that miserable man conceived ; but had not Soto fallen in with
him, how different would have been the fate of a multitude of
men, Spaniards and Indians. Upon the whole, it is hard to
say which was the predominant trait in the character of Soto
and his followers, avarice or cruelty.

At one time, because their guides had led them out of the
way, Moscoso, the successor of Soto, caused them to be hanged
upon a tree and there left. Another, in the early part of the
expedition, was saved from the fangs of dogs, at the interfer-
ence of Ortiz, because he was the only Indian through whom
Ortiz could get information. It is as difficult to decide which
was the more superstitious, the Indians or the self-styled
" Christian Spaniards ;" for when Soto died a chief came and
ofTered two young Indians to be killed, that they might accom-
pany and serve the white man to the world of spirits. An
Indian guide being violently seized with some malady, fell
senseless to the ground. To raise him, and drive away the
devil which they supposed was in him, they read a passage
over his body from the Bible, and he immediately recovered.

MRS. ROWLANDSON'S CAPTIVITY.

Thus we have given all ihc parliciihir." we ran flcrive from
authentic sources of the captivity and death of John Ortiz.
Of Soto's expedition, ahout which many writers of talents and
respectahility have enipU)yed their pens, it was not our inten-
tion particularly 'o speak, hut can refer those, whose curiosity
would lead ihein to pursue it, to a new edition of my Chuoni-
CLKs OF THE Lndians, shortly to be published ; but for a rapid
and splendid glance over that ground, 1 will refer the reader to
the first volume of Mr. Bancroft's History of the United States.
And yet if he would go into minute details, there is the work
of Mr. John T. Irving, which will leave little else to be looked
for.

NARRATIVE

OF THE CAPTIVITY OF MRS. MARY ROWLANDSON WIFE OF
THE REV. JOSEPH ROWLANDSON, WHO WAS TAKEN PRIS-
ONER WHEN LANCASTER WAS DESTROYED, IN THE YEAR
1676; WRITTEN BY HERSELF.

I print this edition of Mrs. Rowlantlson's Narrative from the second
Lancaster edition, with a selection of the notes to that edition, by Joseph
"Wn-LARD, Esq., which was printed in 1828. Mr. Willard calls his the
sixth edition. My own notes are, as in other parts of the work, signed
E. D.

On the 10th of February, 1676, came the Indians with gi-eat
numbers* upon Lancaster: their first coming was about sun-
rising. Hearing the noise of some guns, we looked out ; seve-
ral houses were burning, and the smoke ascendinj, to heaven.
There were five persons taken in one hou.se ; 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. An-
other 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

* Fifteen hundred was the number, according to the best authorities.
They were the Wamponoags, led by King Philip, accompanied by the
Narrhdgansetts, his allies, and also by the Nipmiicks and Nashaways,
whom his artful eloquence had persuaded to join with him.

Mils. ROWLANDSON'S CAPTIVITY.

derive from
John Ortiz.
■ talents and
)t our inton-
)se curiosity
my CiiKONi-
t for a rapid
he reader to
litcd Slates,
is the work
to be looked

»N WIFE OP

•AKEN PRIS-

THE YEAR

am the second

ion, by Joseph

calls his the

work, signed

with gi-eat
about sun-
out ; seve-
to heaven,
father and
e head, the
re were two
on, were set
aped. An-
d wounded,
ising them
cen to him,
naked, and
the Indians

;t authorities,
anied by the
Nashaways,

about his barn, ventured and went out, but was (|uiclvly shot
down. There were three others belonjTinjif to the same ij^arri-
son who were killed; the Indians gettinj^ up upon the roof of
the barn, had advantiige to shoot down upon them over their for-
tifi<^-i)'ion. Thus the.'^^ 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 ; t some of the Indians got behind the
hill, others into the barn, and others behind any thing that
would shelter them ; from all which places they shot against
the house, so that the bullets seemed to fly like hail, and ([uick-
ly they wounded one man among us, then another, ami then a
third. About tw<^ hours, according to my observation in that
amazing time, the) had been about the house before they pre-
vailed 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 ch'ldren, 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 vve were forced to give back.

* Mr. Willard, in his History of Lancaster, says he cannot ascertain
that attacks were made in more than two places previous to that upon
Mr. Rowlandson's house ; the first of which was Wheeler's garrison, at
Wataquodoc hill, now south-west part of Bolton. Here they killed Jonas
Fairbanks and Joi^hur his son, fifteen years of age, and Richard Wheeler.
Wheeler had been iii town about fifteen years. The second was Pres-
cott's garrison, near Poignand and Plant's coUon factory. Ephraim
Sawyer was killed here ; and Henry Farrar and a Mr. Ball and his wife
in other places.

t Mr. Rowlandson's house was on the brow of a small hill, on land now
owned oy Nathaniel Chandler, Esq., about a third of a mile south-west of
the meeting-house, on the road leading from the centre of the town to the
village called New-Boston, about two rods from the road, which at that
time ran near the house.

MRS. ROWLANDSOiN'S CAPTIVITY.

We had six stout docfs bolono'inij to our frarrison,'*'' but none of
thcMii would stir, thouf^h at anotlicr time it an Indian had come
to the door, thoy were ready l(» lly upon him and tear iiini
down. The Lo; erehy would make us the more to acknow-
ledge his liand, at. see that our lielp is always in iiim. IJut
out we must u^o, the ii, . inc-easinir, muj cominu'" tUon^- heiiind 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 t (being before wounded in
defending the house, in or near the throat) fell down dead,
whereat the Indians scornfully shouted and liollowed, and were
presently upon iiim, stripping olfhis clothes. The bullets Hy-
ing 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. My eldest sister t being yet in the house, and see-
ing those woful sights, the infidels hailing 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 vie die with t/ie?n:"
which was no sooner said but she was struck with a bullet,
and fell down dead over the threshold. I hope she is reaping
the fruit of her good labors, being faithful to the service of
God in her place. In her younger years she lay under much
trouble upon spiritual accounts, till it pleased God lo make that
precious scripture take hold of her heart, 2 Cor. 12 : 9, — *' A7id
he said unto //le, My grace is sufficient for thee.'''' More than
twenty years after, I have heard her tell how sweet and com-
fortable that place was to her. But to return : The Indians
laid hold of us, pulling me one way and the children another,
and said, " Come, go along with v«." I told them they would
kill me; they answered. If I ivere willing to go along with
them they would not hurt me.

Oh ! the doleful sight that now was to behold at this house!
Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he has
made in the earth. Of thirty-seven ^ persons who were in this

♦ Mr. Rowlandson's house was filled with soldiers and inhabitants, to
the number of forty-two.

f Thomas Rowlandson, brother to the clergyman.

% Mrs. Kerley, wife of Capt. Henry Kerley, to whom she was married
in 1654.
^ We have stated in a previous note that there were forty-two persons

MRS. ROWLANDSONS CAI'TIVITY.

11,=^ but none of
iidian had come

I mid tear hiui
iiore to acknow-
ys ill liim. But
alorii>; behind us
/ith llieir guns,

were we out of
ore wounded in
fell down dead,
lowed, and were

The hullels lly.

same, as would
(oor chiUl in my
ed William, had
ag, they knocked
y those merciless
unnin^ down to
; house, and sce-
inothers one way
their blood ; and

II was dead, and
die with them .•"

ck with a bullet,
pe i-:he is reaping
o the service of
ay under much
iod to make that
12: ^,—''And
cc." More than
sweet and com-
n : The Indians
hildrcn another,
them they would
n go a^nng with

>ld at this house!
esolations he has
who were in this

and inhabitants, to

m she was married
•e forty-two persons

one house, none escaped eitiier present (h-atli, or a l>itter cap-
tivity, save only one,''^ who might say as in .Init 1 : 15, — ''And
J oiilij ant isrnptd alone to tell the /leii's.'^ Tln-re were twelve
killed, some sJKjt, some stabbed with their spears, some knock-
ed down with their hatchets. When we are in prosperity, Oh
the little that we think of such dreadful sights, to see our dear
fiieiids and relations \\c bleeding out their hearts-blood upon
the ground. There was one who was chopt in the heail with
a hatchet, and slript naked, and yet was crawling up and down.
It was a solemn sight to see so many Christians lying in their
blood, some here and some there, lik(! a company of sheep
1 torn by wolves ; all of them stript naked by a company of
I hell-hounds, roaring, singing, ranting, and insulting, as if they
t would have torn our very hearts out ; yet the Lord, by his
almighty power, preserved a number of us from death, for tliere
were twenty-four of us taken alive and carried captive,

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 hap-
4 pened to me during that grievous captivity, I shall particularly
speak of the several Removes we had up and down the wil-
derness.

The First Remove. — Now away we m\ go with those
barbarous creatures, with our bodies wounc'jd and bleeding,
and our hearts no less than our bodies. About a mile we went
that night, up upon a hill,t within sight of the town, where
we intended to lodge. There was hard by a vacant house, de
sorted by the English before, for fear of the Indians ; I asked
them whether 1 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 resem-

in the house, in which number ait included five soldiers not reckoned by
Mrs. Rowlandsoii.

* Ephraim Roper, whose wife was killed in attempting to escape.

t George Hill, whirh has been so called for more than one hundred and
fiftj' years. It is said to have taken its name from an Indian whom the
English called Ger rge, and who had a wigwam upon it. The name in-
cludes the whole range of the feitile and delightful ridge on the west side
of the town, nearly two miles in extent. From tlie southern part, which
is almost a distinct hill, is a fine view of the town and surrounding coun-
try.

T \

fl '

MRS. ROWLANDSON'S CAPTIVITY.

bianco (tf lu'U. And iiiiscriihlc wiis the waste that was tfiore

inailt; of liorse

s, caulc, ^h(•»'j^ >\viii(', calvi's, lanih.s, roasiiiig

pigs, and fowl.x, (wliich they had |)liuidt'rr(| in ilic town,) sonic
roasling, some lying and hiirning, and xntw boiling, to feed our
morcilcss rneinics ; who were joylni enough, lliouLrh we were
di.s(-'on>()latt'. To add to ilu- dolcCnhicss of ihc lurnicr day,
and the dismalness of the present night, my thoughts ran n|)on
my losses and sad, bereaved condition. All was gone, my hus-
band i>()ne,* (at least separated from me, he heing in the IJay ;
and to add to my grief, the Indians t(dd me they would kill
liim as he oamo homeward,) my children gone, my relations
and friends gone,t 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 mi<rhl <ro too.

There remained nothing to me but one poor, wounded bube,
and it seemed at present worse than death, that it was in such
a pitiful condition, bespeaking compassion, and I had no re-
freshing for it, nor suitable things to revive it. Little do many
think what is the savageness and brutishness of this barltarous
enemy, those even that seem to profess nmre than others
among them, when the English have fallen into their hands.

Those seven tliat were killed at Lancaster the summer be-
fore upon a Sabbath day, and the one that was afterward killed
upon a week-day, were slain and mangled in a barbarous man-
ner, by One-eyed John and Marlborough's praying Indians,
which Capt. Mosely brought to Boston, as the Indians told
me.

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 bo expressed. At length I took it ofT
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

* Mr. Rowlaiulson, with Capt. Kerley and Mr. Drew, were at this time
in Boston, solicitiiif^ the governor and council for more .soldiers, for the
protection of the place.

f No less than .seventeen of Mr. Rowlandson's family were put to death
or taken prisoners.

tlirit wns there
nulls, roajsiin^y

(-• town,) SOMK'

ifi", to feed our
oiiirh wo were
' foriiicr (Iny,
ulit.s inn upon
L,'-oiK', my hus-
<^ ill the Bay ;
icy wonld Kill
, my relations
onr fomforts
ly life,) ami I

•

'oiMuicd babe,
I was in .such
I liad no re-
little do many
his barbarous
than others
heir hands.

summer be-

2rward killed

barous man-

ing Indians,

Indians told

ning) I must

lem into the

•r. It is not

y heart, and

re; but God

e along and

One of the

tse : it went

on foot after

I took it off

h failed and

rse with my

iiure on the

we both fell

e at this time
Idiers, for the

e put to death

-1

3ins. ROWLANDSON'.S I'Arnviiv

over the horse's iiead, at whiih they like itdiiiman creatures
laughed, and rfjoiccd to see il, thoui^li I ihought we sli.tiild
there have ended our days, ovep-ome with so many dilliculiies.
But ihe Lord renewed my slrenglh still, and carried me along,
that I might see more of his power, yea, so miu'h that I could
never have tliouglit of, had I not experienced it.

After tjii- it. (|uiclily I'eLTan to snow, and when nii^'ht came
on they slept. And now down 1 must sit in the yn(tw, by a lit-
tle (ire, and a few boughs behind me, with my sick child in my
lap, and calling much for water, being now, througli the wound,
fallen into a violent f<,'ver; my own wound also growing so
still', that I could scarce sit down or rise up, yet so it must be,
that I must sit all this cold, winter night upon the cold snowy
ground, with my sick child in my arms, looking that (!very
hour w(»uld be the last of its life, and having no Christian
friend near me, either to comfort or help me. Oh, I may sec
tlie Wfjudi'rlul power of CJod, that my s])irit did not utterly
sink under my uHiiction ; still the Lord upheld me with his
gracious and merciful spirit, and we were both alive to see the
light of the next morning.

TuH 'riiiiiu Rk.mov,. — The morning ])eing come, they pre-
pared to go on their way; one of the Indians got upon a horse,
and they sat me up behind him, with my ])oor sick babe in my
lap. A very wearisome ami tedious day I had of it; wiuit
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 ])oor, feeble condition we were in, there
being not tlit; least crumb of refreshing that came within either
of our mouths I'rom Wednesday night to Saturday night, except
only a little cold water. This day in the afternoon, ai)out an
hour by sun, we came to the place where they intended, viz.
an Indian town ("ailed Wenimesset, [New Hraintree] north-
ward of (-iuabauL!', [Brook held.] When we wen; come, Oh
the number of Pagans, now merciless enemies, that there came
about me, that I may say as David, Ps:d. 27 : 13, " I had faint-
ed unless I had /jc/if;red,^' <Scc. The next day was the Sabbath.
I then remembered how careless I had been of God's holy
time ; how numy Sabbaths I had lost and misspent, and how
evilly I had walked in God's sight ; which lay so close u])oii
my spirit, that it was easy for me to see how righteous it was
with God to cut off the thread of my life, and cast me out of
his presence for ever. Yet the Lord still showed mercy to me,
and helped me; and as he wounded me with one hand, so he
healed me with the other. This day there came to me one
Robert Pepper, a man belonging to Roxbury, who was taken
at Capt. Beers' tight, and had been now a considerable time
3

t ;

I ?

MRS. ROWLANDSON'S CAPTIVITY.

with thr Tndinns-, and up with tlicm almost as far as Alhany,
to see Kint^ Philip, as ho told ine, and was now very lately
come into lhe?^e parts. Hearing, I say, that I was in this In-
dian town, he ohtaincd leave to come and see me. He told me
he himself w%'is wounded in the lei^ at Capt. Beers' fi<^»-ht, and
was not able some time to go, bat 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 ; yet before the cure was wrought, I may say fis it is in
Psal. .'3S: 5, 6, " My ivounds stink and are corrupt. I am
troubled ; I am hoioed dowji greatly ; I go mourning all the
day long.'''' I sat much alone with my poor wounded child in
niy 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 comfort-
ers 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
Iamb departed this life, on Feb. IS, 1676, it being about six
years and five months old.^ It was nine days from the first
wounding in this miserable conditioii, without any refreshing
of one nature or another except a little cold water. 1 cannot
but take notice how at another time I could not bear to be in a
room where a dead person was, but now the case is changed ;
I must and could lie down with my dead babe all the night
after. I have thought since of the wonderful goodnes.=* of God
to me in preserving me so in the use of my reason and senses,
in that distressed time, that I did not use wicked and violent
means to end my own miserable life. 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 Ciutmnopin, who was a sagamore, and married
King Philip's wile's sister; not that he first took me, but I was
sold to him by a Narraganset Indian, who took me when I first

I went to take up my dead child

came out of the garrison

* This child's name was Sarah ; born Sept. 15, 1669.

MRS. IIOWLANDSONS CAPTIVITY.

r as Albnny,
vv very lately
IS ill this Jn-
He told me
rs' fio-ht, and
lim, and that

the hlessino-
I oak leaves

it cured me
ly as it is in
rupt. I am
'ii'ig all the
ded child in
ng- to revive
of that, one

master will
. and then a
hild on the

ble comfort-
knees, with

My child
hey bid me
they would
vent with a
of death in
babe like a
: about six
)m the first
refrcshino-

I cannot
' to be in a
^ chang-ed ;
1 the niq-ht
ess of God
^nd senses,
tnd violent
ling- when
me home
iling- must
d married
but I was
hen I first
lead child

in mv arms to carry it with me, but they bid me let it alone.
There was no rcsisling-, but go I must, and leave it. When 1
had ijeeu awhile at my master's wigwam, 1 took the first op-
portunity i could get 10 go look after my dead child. Wlien
1 came 1 asked them what they had done witli it. They told
me it was on tlu' hill.* Then th(>y went and showed mc
wluM'e it was, where I saw the ground was newly dig'ged, and
where ihey told mc they had buried it. There 1 left that child
in the wilderness, and must comniit it and myself also in this
A\il(lerness condition to Him who is above all. God having
taken away this dear fhild. I went to see my daughter Alary,
who was at the same Indian town, at a wigwam not very far
olf, though we had little liberty or opporinnity to see one
another; she was about ten years old, anil taken from the door
at first by a praying Indian, and afterwards soM for a gun.
"When I came in >ig;ht she would fall a weeping, at v.hiidi
they were provoked, and would not let me come near her, but
bid me be gone ; which was a heart-cutting word to me. I
liad one child dead, another in the wilderness, I knew not
where, the third they Avould not let me come near to; " .1/c
(as he said) have ije hrrcai-ed of my childroi ; Joseph is vol,
and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin also; all these
things arc against mc.''' 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 1 knew not ruled over the.n. Whereupon I earnestly
entreated the Lord that he would consider my low estate, and
show mc a token for good, and if it were his blessed will, some
sign and hope of some relief. And indeed quickly the Lord
answered in some measure my poor prayer ; foi' as I was going-
up and down mourning and lamenting mv condition, my son
[Joseph] came to me and asked me how I did. I had not seen
]jim before since the destructicm 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 tim(
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 In-

* This hill, in the town of New Braintree;, is now known as the burial
place of Mrs. Rowlaudson's child.

MRS. ROWLA^'DSON'S CAmVITY.

dians r^atherod out of our company, and some ulso from ihem,
amongst whom was my son's master, to go to assault and burn
Medfield. In this time of liis master's absence his dame
brouglit him to see me. I took this to 1)0 some gracious answer
to my earnest and unfeigned desire. The next day the Indians
returned from Medfiekl;* all the company, for those that
belonged to the other smaller company came through the town
that we now were at ; but before they came to us, Oh the out-
rageous roaring and whooping that there was ! they began
their din about a mile before they came to us. By their noise
and whooping they signified how many they had destroyed ;
which was at that time twenty-three. Those that were with
us at home wore gathered together as soon as they heard the
whooping, and every time that the other went over their num-
ber, these at home gave a shout, that iho very earth rang again.
And thus they continued till those that had been upon the
expedition were come up to the sagamore's wigwam ; and then
Oh the hideous insulting and triuniphinu- that there was over
some Engli-^hmen's scalps that they had taken, as their man-
ner is, and brought with them. I cannot but take notice of the
wonderful nKnry of God to me in those alHictions, in sending
me a Bible. One of the Indians that came from Medfield fight,
and had brought some plunder, came to me, and asked me if I
would have a Bible ; he had got one in his basket. I was glad
of it, and asked him if he thought the Indians would let me
read. He answered yes. So I took the Biblo, and in that
melancholy time it came into my mind to read first the twenty-
eighth chapter of De Ueronom}', wliich I did, and when I had
read it my dark heart wrought on this manner : that there was
no mercy for me, that the blessings were gone, and the curses
came in their room, and that I had lost my opportunity. But
the Lord helped me still to go on reading, till I came to chap.
30, the seven first verses ; where I found there was mercy
promised again, if we would return to him by repentance ; and
though we were scattered from one end of the earth to the
other, yet the Lord would gather us together, and turn all those
curses upon our enemies. I do not desire to live to forget this
scripture, and Avhat comfort it was to me.

Now the Indians began to talk of removing from this place,
some one way and some another. There were now 1 .'sides
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 deliver-

*Medfiekl was attacked Feb. 21, (O. S.)

MRS. ROWLANDSONS CAPTIVITY

1 from iliem,
lilt and burn
e liis daiTiG
"inus answer
■ the Indians
r those that
gh the town
Oh the oiit-

they beg-an
' their noise

destroyed ;
t were with
y heard the

their nuni-
rang- aqain.
^ npon the

; and then
•e was over

their man-
otioe of the

in sending
rUiekl fio-ht,
:ed me if I
I was o]ad
d let me
1 in that
•^ twenty-.

lien I had
Iiere was
10 en rses

ty. But
to chap.

as )nercy

nee ; and

th to the
ill tlioso

:>rget this

lis place,

1 'sides

children

take my

ither. I

deliver-

u
in

?ince. They told me they did as they were able, and it was
some comfort to me that the Lord stirrcul up children to look to
him. The woman, viz, cfoodwife Joslin,^ told me she should
never see me again, and that she could iind in her heart to run
away by any means, for we were near thirty miles from any
English town,'^" and she very big with child, having but one week
to reckon, and another child in her arms two years old ; and
bad rivers there were to go over, and we were feeble with our
poor and coarse entertainment. I had my l^ible with me. T
pulled it out, and asked her whether she would read. We
opened the Bible, and lighted on Psalm 27, in which Psalm
we especially took notice of that verse, " Wait on the Lord, be
of good courage, ajid he shall slre?tgthcn thine heart ; wait I
sofii on the Lord."

Thk Fourth Remove. — And now must I part with the little
company I had. Here I parted with my daughter Mary,t
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 afterward ; the Lord only knows the end
of them. Among them also was that poor woman before men-
tioned, who came to a sad end, as some of the company told
me in my travel. She having- much g-rief upon her spirits
about her miserable condition, being- so near her time, she
would be often asking- the Indians to let her g-o home. They
not being- willing to that, and yet vexed with her importunity,
gathered a great company together about her, and stript her
naked and set her in the midst of them ; and when they had
sung and danced about her in their hellish manner as long as
they pleased, they knocked her on the head, and the child in
her arms with her. When they had done that, they made a
fire and put them both into it, and told the other children that
were with them, that if they attempted to go home they would
serve them in like manner. The children said she did not
shed one tear, but prayed all the while. But to turn to my
own journey. 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.

* Abraham Joslin's wife.

t This was true at that time, as Brnokfieki, (Quaboag,) within a few
miles of Wenimesset, was destroyed by the Indians in August, 1075.
The nearest towns were those on Connecticut river.

tBorn August 12, 1665.
3=^

1 '

'5»^

MRS. ROWLANDSON'S CAPTIVITY.

Hcarl-achintr ilioughts hero I had about my poor children,
■who were scattered up and down ainoni^ tlie wild boasts of the
forest. My head was light and dizzy, either through hunger
or liad lodging, or trouble, or all together, my knees t'eei)le, my
body raw by silting double night and day, that I cannot ex-
press to man the affliction that lay upon my spirit, but the
Lord helped me at that time to express it. to himself. I open-
ed my Bible to read, and the Lord brought that precious scrip-
ture to me, Jer. 31 : 16, — " Thus satth the Lord, refrain thy
voice from icecping, and thiiie eyes from tears, for tJiy vork
shall he rewarded, and they shall come again from the land of
Jie enemy.'''' This was a sweet cordial to me when I was ready
to faint. Many and many a time have I sat down and wept
sweetly over this scripture. At this place we continued about
four days.

The Fifth Rebiove. — The occasion, as I thought, of their
removing at this time, was the English army's being near and
following thera ; for they went as if they had gone for their
lives for some considerable way ; and then they made a stop,
and chose out some of their stoutest men, and sent them back
to hold the English army in play whilst 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 Bacquag"^ river. Upon Friday, a little after noon, we
came to this river. When all the company Avas come up and
were gathered together, I thought to count the number of them,
but they were so many, and being somewhat in n;otion, it was
beyond my skill. In this travel, because of my wound, I was
somewhat favore 1 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
iihe 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 aavantage of soi ,ie 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 be-
fore acquainted with such kind of doings or dangers. " When

* Or Payqua^e. now MillTr's river. It empties into the Connecticut,
between Northfield and Montague.

Js.._^_.._

"^■m

MRS. KOWLANDSON'S CAPTIVITY.

poor children,
hcnsts of the
•Qiigh hunc^er
es leeblc, my
I cannot ox-
pirit, hut tho
5elf. I opcn-
recions scrip-
', refrain thy
for I In I vork
'/I the laJidof
n I was ready
vvri and wept
ainued about

ight, of their

ing- near and

one for their

made a stop,

nt them back

scaped ; and

their old and

some carried

^reat Indian

th him, they

on they took

time, till we

ter noon, we

ome up and

3er of them,

otion, it was

ound, I was

nv knittinof-

very faint, I

le meal, but

1 to cutting

r, and soon

sor.ie brush

not wet my

ere mid-leg

r of God to

was not be-

s. " When

Connecticut,

thou passeth tltroiigh the waters T ivifl he with thee, and ihrnugh
the rivers they shall not overflow thee.'" — Isa. 43 : 2. A certain
number of us got over the river that night, but it was the iiight
after the Sabbath before all the company was got ov^r. On
the Saturday they boiled an old horse's leg which they had
got, and so wc drank of the broth, as soon as they thought it
was ready, and when it was almost all gone they filled it up
again.

Tho first week of my being among them, I hardly eat any
thing; 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 knit-
ting a pair of ^vhite 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 tra-
velled with all they had, bag and baggage, and they got over
this river aforesaid ; and on Monday they sat 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. " O
that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked
in my ways ; I should soon have subdued their enemies, and
turned my hand against their adversaries.^^ — Psal. 81 : 13, 14.

The Sixth Removp:. — 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 amongst them, where, through
the good providence of God, I did not wet my foot, 1 went
along that day mourning and lamenting, leaving farther my
own country, and travelling farther into the vast and howling

MRS. ROWLANDSONS CAPTIVITY.

wilderness, and I understood sometliini:»- of Lot's wife's temp-
tation when she looked buck. We came that day to a f^reat
swamp, by the side of which we took up our lodniiii!^ that
night. When ^ve came to the brow of the hill that l()t)ked to-
ward the swamp, 1 thounht we had been come to a n-real Indian
town, though there were none but our own company; the In-
dians were us thick as the trees; it seemed as if there had
been a thousand liatchets troing at once. If one loolved before
one there was notiiinijf but Indians, and behind one nothintr but
Indians ; and so on either hand ; and I myself in the midst,
and no Christian soul near me, and yet how hath tlu^ Lord
preserved nie in safety ! Oh the experience that I have had
of the goodness of God to me and mine!

The Sevkntii Rkmove. — After a restless and Iningry night
there, we had a wearisome time of 't 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 through 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 com-
fort 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,"* where the Indians quickly spread
themselves over the deserted English fields, gleaning Avhat they
could find. Some picked up ears of wheat that were crickled
down, some found ears of Indian corn, some found ground-
nuts, 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. 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, i*" 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 motith, 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.

* Or Squakeag, now Northfield.

g..l

call

in^

thoi

an(|

tluj

ihM

hi-

MliS. ROWLAXDSON'S CArTIVITY.

s wife's tornp-
day to a f,'Teat

ItHlgiiijT that
hat looked to-
a o-reat Indian
pany; tlie In-

it' there had
looked before
le nothing but
in the midst,
lath the Lord
at I liave had

hungry night

ct day." The

dungeon, and

•e I got to the

11 would have

nd soreness of

; went along, I

at was a com-

L we came to

; I could there

le after noon,

lickly spread

ng wlial they

were crickled

una ground-

n together in

self got two

Jack, one of

me. There

et of horse-

at," says he,

i*" he would

the coals to

of it away

d eat it as it

savory bit it

was sweet.

ds of wheat

emainder of

at night we

The EifJimr Ivi:movi',. — On the morrow morning we must
o-o over Connecticut river, to meet with King I'hilip. Two
canoes full thev' had carried over ; the next turn myself was
to ,""0 ; hut as my foot was upon the canoe to step in, llu>re was
a sudden outcry anmng them, and I must step hack ; and
instead of going over the river, I must go four or live miles up
the river farther northward. Some of the Indians ran one way,
and some another. The cause of this rout was, as I thought,
their espying somo English scouts, who were thereabouts. In
this travel up the river, about noon the company nuule a stop,
and sal d((wn, some to eat and others to rest them. As 1 sat
amongst iliiMu. musing on things past, my son Joseph unex-
poctedlv came lo me. We asked of each other's welfare, be-
nK)aning our doleful condition, and tlu> change that had come
upon us. We had hu^iiand and lather, and children and sis-
ters, and friend-5 and relations, and house and home, and many
comforts of thifj life ; hut now we might say as i oh, '' Naked
came I out of my 'mother's loomb, and naked shall I return.
The Lord ^ave, and the Lord hath taken away ; blessed be the
name of the Lord.'' I asked him whether he would read. He
told me he earnestly desired it. I gave him my Bible, and he
liuhled upon that comfortable scripture, Psalm 118: 17, 18, —
'' 1 shall not die, but lice, and declare the ivorks of the Lord.
The Lord hath chastened uie sore, yet he hath not s^lven mc over to
death.''' " Look here, mother," says he, '• did you read this ?"
And here I may take occasion to mention one principal ground
of my setting forth these lines, even as the Psalmist says, to
declare the v/urks of the Lord, and his wonderful power in
carrying us along, preserving us in the wilderness while under
the enemy's hand, and returning of us in safety again ; and
his c^oodp.ess in bringing to my hand so many comfortable and
suiuibie scriptures in my distress.

But to return. We travelled on till night, and in the morn-
ing we must go over the river to Philip's crew. When I was
in the canoe, 1 could not Init 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 si'ting 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. Al-
though I had met with so much affliction, and my heart was
many times ready to break, yet could I not shed one tear in
their siglu, but rather had been all this while in a maze, and
like one astonished ; but now I may say as Psal. 137 : 1, —
^^ By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept,

r>'

':' !

I !

|fii

MRS. ROWLANDSON'S CAPTIVITY.

when we rcmcmhercd Z'kdi.

HT' ono

f tl

lern as

i<ca

why I vvcpi. 1 could hardly tell what to r^ay ; yet 1 answered,
they would kill me. " l\o," said he, 'none will hurt you."
Theu came one of them, and gave mc two spoonfuls of meal,
to comfort me, and another i;av(> me half a jiinl of ])eas, which

was wor

m many Inisliels at another inne

'J' hen I

went to see Kinjr Philip. He hade me come in and sit down,
and asked me whether I would smoke it — a usual compliment
no\/-a-days among the saints and siimers ; but tliis noway
suited me; for though I had formerly used tobacco, yet 1 iiad
left it ever since I was lirst taken. It srems to be a bail the

devil

ays to make men lose

their

precmus tune.

remember

with sliame how formerly, when I had taken two or three
pipes, I was presently ready lor another, sucli 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 stiidcing tobacco-pipe.

Now the Indians gathered their forces to go against North-
ampton. Over night one went about yelling and hooting to
give notice of the design. Whereupon they went to boning
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 wliich he gave me a shilling. I oflered
the money to my mistress, but she bid me keep it, and with it
I bought a piece of horse-flesh. Afterward 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 fin-
gers ; 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. An-
other 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 gos-
sip, 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 get-
ting 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

iiv

s(ni

lint
the

^ITY.

of llic'iii asl<cd me
i ; yet I answered,
lie will hurl you."
spoonl'iils of meal,
pint of pens, which
her time. Then I
lo in and sit down,

iisunl compliuKMit
but ill is noway

tobacco, yet 1 hail
s to be a bait the
iine. I remember
Iven two or three
ucli a bewilchiiiy
en me power over
er employed than

10 ao-ainst North-
g and hootinir to
jy went to boning
IS had it, for their
rent. During my
ike a shirt for his
lilling. I oflered
?ep it, and with it
lie asked me to
me to dinner. I
3 big as two fin-
en and fried in
easanter meat in
to make a shirt
ce of beef. An-
which she gave
ef together, and
the proud gos-
uld eat nothing,
nt of his knife,
went to see him,
ced him how he
not asleep, but
ot observe what
jer these things
le sun now get-
of the sun and
/e been blinded,
er. There was

MTIS ROWl.ANDSON'S CArilVrTY.

n.5

nno Alary Thurston, of INTrdlicld, who, seoing how it wr\s with
\\v\ lent me a hat to wear ; but as soon us I was gone, the
s(jnaw that owned that Mary Thurston came running after me,
and got it away again. II<m'(> was a s([uaw who gave mo a
-piHiiiriil of meal ; I put it in my pocket to keep it safe, yet
iiolwiilisi;ui(ling somebody stole it, but put five Indian corns in
I ho room of it ; which corns were the greatest provision 1 had
ill niv travel for one day.

Tin- Indians returning from Northampton * brought with
them some horses, and sheep, and other things which they had
taken. I desired them that they M'ould carry me to Albany
upon on(> of iho^e horses, and sell me for powder ; for so they
had sometimes discoursed. I was utterly helpless of getting
home on foot, the way that 1 came. I could hardly bear to
think of th(^ many weary steps I had taken to this place.

The Ninth Rkmovi: . — But instead of either going to Al-
bany or homew^avd, we must go five miles up tlie river, and then
go over it. Hero we abode a while. 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 callin'_r for my pay; at last he told me, A 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 1 had anything that they would accept of and
be pleased with. When we were at this place, my master's
maid came home : she had been gone three weeks into the
Narragansett country to fetch corn, where they had stored up
some in the ground. She brought home al)out a peck and a
half of corn. This was about the time that their great ca{)tain,
Nao/i(i/ifo,\ was killed in the Narragansett country.

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 quick-
ly lost myself, travelling over hills and through swamps, and
could not liml the way to him. And I cannot but admire at the
wonderful power and goodness of God to me, in that tho\igh 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 olfered the least imauinaljlo miscarriage
to me. 1 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

* Northampton was attacked March l-l, 1676.

tNanuntennoo. He was taken April 6lh. 1676. See Book of the In-
dians, Book iii 49, 50.— E. D.

■ i

MRS. ROWLANDSON'S CAPTIVITY.

trouliknl hitn. Wc bomoancd one nnolhor a while, as the Lord
helped us, and then I returned iiirain. When 1 \va.s returned,
I found niyistdf a.s lULsatisfied as I wa.s hefore. I went np and
down niourninir and lanH'nlin^^ and my spirit was r(>ady to sink
wiili the ihoULihis ol iny pour I'hiidi-en. My son was ill, and 1
could not but think of his mournful looks, havinu' no Christian
friend near him, to do any oflice of love to him. eitlier for soul or
l)o(ly. And my poor uirl, I knew not where she wa>. nor
whether she was siek or well, alive or dead. 1 repaired under
these thouuhts to my Bible, (my Lrreat comforter in that lime,)
and that scripture came to my hand, " Cast t/nj hurdrn upon

the Lord, and he shall sustain ihcc.

-Psal.

00: 122.

Hut I was fain to go look alter somethinc; to satisfy my
hunger; and g'oing among the wigwams, 1 w^ent into one, and
there found a scpiaw who showed herself very kind to me, and
gave me a jiiece of bear. 1 put it into my pocket and came
home ; but could not find an opportunity to broil it, for fear
they should get it iVom me. And there it lay all the day and
night in my stinking pocket. In the morning, 1 went again to
the same squaw, wlio had a kettle of ground-nuts boiling. I
asked }ier to let me boil my piece of bear in the kettle, which
she dill, and gave mc some ground-nuts to eat with it ; and 1
cannot but think how pleasant it was to me. I have sometimes
seen bear baked handstjinely amongst the English, and some
liked it, but the thoughts that it was bear nuide 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 scjuaw laiu a skin for me, and bid me sit down,
and gave me some ground-nuts, and bid nie come agr in, 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 Reimove. — That day a small part of the com-
pany removed about three quarters of a mile, intending farther
the next day. When they came to the place they intended to
lodi>'e, and had pitched their wigwams, being hungry, I went
again back to the place we were before at, to get L-^omelhing to
eat ; being encouraged by the squaw's kindness, who bid me
come again. When I Avas 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
wouUl not give me one bit of it. Sometimes 1 met with favor,
and sometimes with nothing but frowns.

The Eleventh Remove. — The next day in the morning,

ITV.

tvhilo, as the Lord
n I wa.s reliiriM'd.
'■ i Weill up and
was ready to .sirdc
sou was ill, and I
^iii*-' uo Chrisiiau
. either lor soul or
ro she was, uor
I repaired under
'ter iu that tiuie,)
hy harden vpon

ig" to satisfy my

L'Ut into one", and

Kind to uie, and

pocket and came

broil it, for fear

' all the day and

, I went ai^aiu to

•nuts boiling. I

he kettle, which

t with it ; and I

have sometimes

^•"lish, and some

do me tremble.

puld think was

MRS. ROWLANDSON'S rAPTIVlTY.

ffl

sit down before
do, but I went
tting round the
d me sit down,
nine aorin, and
And yet these

rt of the com-

eiulinu- farther

ley intended to

iniyry, I went

t something- to

s, who bid me

Indian to look

me all along.

light, but they

el with favor,

e morning,

they look their travel, intending a day's journey up the river;
I look my load at my i)ack, and quickly we came to wade over
a river, and passed over tiresome and wearisome hills. One
hill was so sleep, ihat I was fain to creep up Ujion my knees,
and to hold by the twigs and bushes to Keej) myself from falling
backward. Aly head also was so light that I usually reeled as
1 went. IJui I lu>pc all tlutse wearisome steps that I have
taken are but a forwarding of me to the heavenly rest. *' /
know, O Lord, lliat thy jud<r/nenfs are rip;ht, and that thou in
faithfidne^a hath aj/lirtcd ?ner—l\;\Un 119: 7.1.

Thk Twklftu Rkmovi:. — It was upon a Sabbath-day morn-
ing that they prepared for their travel. This morning I asked
my master whether he wf)ul(l sell me to my husband ; he an-
swered, 71UX ; which did much rejoice my spirits. My mistresi?,
before we went, was gone to the burial of a papoos, and return-
ing, 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 cautjht it up, and put il 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 complaine<| 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 wo 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 further, 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. ]\Iy spirit was upon this,
I confess, very im[)atient, and almost outrageous. I ihotight 1
could as well have died as went back. I cannot declare the
trouble that I was in about it ; back airain I must go. As soon
as I had an opportunity, I took my Bible to road, and that qui-
eting scripture came to my hand, Psalm 46: 10, — ^^ Be stii.,
and knoio that I am God ;^' which stilled my spirit for the
present; i)ut a sore time of trial I concluded I had to go through;
my master being gone, who seemed to me the best friend I had
of an Indian, both in cold and hunger, and quickly so it proved.
Down I sat, with my heart as full as it could hold, and yet .so
hungry that I could not sit neither. But poing out to see what
I could find, and walking among the trees, I found six acorns
and two chesnuts, which were some refreshment to me. To-

1 1

MRS. KOWLANDSON'S CAPTIVITY.

wards iii'_;lit I j/.'iihcrcil inc some Mii'ks lor iny '>^vn comfort,
llial I iiiiirlit noi liiM'old ; l»Mt wlicn we tain*' to lie down, ihcy
bid inc ijo out and lie ^oiiicu licro cdsc, for iIk^v liad coinpunvi
they .<«ai(i comc! in inori' than their own. I tohl tl'.eui 1 coiud
not trdl wliere to n-o ; ihcy l>id ine lm) !o(dv ; I told them il' I
went tt) anolhrr wiywam iht-y woiihl he aiijiry Juul "iend me
homo ai^ain. Then one of the company drew his sword and
told mc lie would run me throuiifh if 1 did not iro presently.
Then :vas I i'nin to ^toop to this ruile fellow, and iifo ont in the
iii'jht I knew not whillu-r. Mine eyes hath seen that fellow
afterwards walkini' up ami down in Boston, under the appear-
ance of a friendlv Indian, ami several others of the like cut. I

W(>nt to one wiywam, and they to!

(^y had no room.

Tlu-n I went to another, and ihey i-aid the same. At last, an
old Indian hid me come to him, and his sfpiaw pfave me some
jTround-imts ; she <rave mo also something'' to lay under my
head, and a cfood fire wo had ; thronirh the pood providence
of Crod, I had a romforlal)l(? lodirini,'' that niirht. In the morn-
ing, another Indian hid me come at nij^hl and he would give
mc six n-round-nuts, which I did. We were at this place and
time about two miles from Connecticut river. We went in the
mornint.^ to qather trround-nuts, to tlie river, and went back
nLmin at niirht. I went with a fifreat load at my back, for they
when they went, thouirh but a little way, would carry all their
trumpery with them. I told them the skin was off my back,
but I had no other comfortinif answer from them thuti this, that
it would hi' no matter if my head was off too.

TiiH Tuii!TKi:\TH lii:M()VK. — Instead of going towards the
bay, which was what 1 desired, I must go with them live or
six miles down the river, into a miglity thicket of brush ; where
wo abode almost a fortnight. Here ( ne asked me to malce a
shirt for her j)apoos, 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 enqui-
ry after him, and asked him when he saw him. He answered
me, that such a time his master roasted him, and that himself
did ea*. a piece of him as big as his two fmgers, and that he
was very good meat. But the Lord upheld my spirit under
this discouragement; ami I considered their horrible addicted-
ness to lying, and that there is not one of them that makes the
least conscience of ^'penking 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 an handful of ashes

in
m-|

'".'
rc'

si(i

v/k

f/ni

thi

bed

will

ani

qui

MnS. nOWLANDSON-S cAPTivrrv.

own com fori,
ic down, tliry
lia<l rordpiiiiy,

th.ciii 1 foiiid
:()l(l llu'in it' I
unci Si(Mi(l nie
lis ^s\vor{i !uul

iro prcsoiiily.

i,M out in the
L'n that fellow
it the nppciu-
o liko cut. I
lad no room.
. At last, an
fave me some
lay under my
n\ providence

In the morn-
ic would <^nve
his place and
e went in the
id went back
jack, for they
•arry all their

oil my back,
liau this, that

■ towards the
them live or
rush ; where

to make a
ess of broth,

k of a tree ;
a handful of
scon my son

nade enqui-
re answered
that himself

and that he

spirit under
jle addictcd-

t makes the

S I removed
ved it down
Iful of ashes

in my fy<'^ J I thouj;hl I should have been (juite bliiideil and
never have seen more ; Itut, lyimr <lown, the water ran otit of
my eyes, and carrii'd the dirt with it, that by the morniiiuf I
recov»'red my siijht au^ain. Vet upon this, and the like occa-
sions, I hope it is not too much to say with Jul), " llarc pihj
vpo/i /nf, harp pity iifxtn inr, O ijr nnj fric nils, for the hand of
the l.Olil) has touched me.'' And here, I cannot but remem-
lier how many time>, >ittiMi:; in thrir wii,''uams, and musiii'jf on
thini^s past, I should suddenly leap up and run out, as it I had
been at home, fori^i'tiint,' where I was, and what my roiulition
was; but when 1 was without, and saw nolhini; but wiKlorncss
and woods, and a company of barbarous heathen, my mind
quickly returned to me, which mad*' lue think of that spoken
coucernint,'' Saiiistui, who said, *' //'•/// i^n out and shnhe niijsrlf
as at othir lii/ivs, but he tviat not that the Lord was departed
front him."'

Al)()nt this tim(» I beffau to think' that nil my hopes of resto-
ration wonKl come to iioihintr. 1 thou<j^ht of the liiiL^Mish army,
and hoped for their comiiii,^, and beinir retaken by them, but
that failed. 1 boprd to be carried to Albany, as the Indians
had discoursed, but that failed also. I thouifbt of beinuc ^oW
to my husband, as my inastiM' spake ; but instead of that, my
master himself was i,rone, and 1 left behind, so that my spirit
was now ([uite ready to sink. 1 asked them to let me go out
and pick up some sticks, that I mii^ht f^et alone, and pour out
my heart unto the Lord. Then also I took my liible to ^ead,
but I fonnil no comfort here neither; yet, I can say in all my
sorrows and atilictions, God did not leave me to have any im-
patient work toward himself, as if his ways were unriohteous ;
but I knew that he laid upon me less than I deserved. After-
ward, before this doleful- time endeil with me, I was turnino;
the leaves of my liible, and the Lord brou<>ht to mo some
scripture which did a little revive me; as that, Isa. 5-5: 8, —
^'■For mij thoii<yhts arc not ijonr thon^jrJtts, neither are my irays
your H-nys, sailh the Lord.''' And also that, Psalm 37 : iy, —
'' Commit thy ways vato the Lord, trust also in him, and he
shall brins; it to pa,:s."

About this time, they came yelpinir from Hadley,^ havinir
there killed three Enolishmen, and brouq-ht 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 wheti I came, he was crying bitterly, supposing

* In the begrinnini? of April, a number of die inhabitants of Hadley,
having ventured out some distance from the guard, for the purpose of til
lage, were attacked by tiie Indians, and three of them killed.

MRS. ROWLANDSON'S CAPTIVITY.

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 hitn
about the welfare oi my husband ; he told me he saw hi-m 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 stilt said no ; the
maid told me if I would not give her a piece, she would tear
a piece ofT 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 stept 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 ibis 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 him-
self. I wondered at his speech, for I thought I had enough
upon my spirit, in reference to myself, to make mo mindless of
my husband and every one else, they being safe among their
friends. He told me also, that a while before, his master, to-
gether with other Indians, were going to the French for powder j
but by the way the Mohawks met with them, and killeil 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 woiije with hiin had he been sold to the
French, than it proved to be in his remaining with the Indians.

I went to see an English youth in this place, one John Gil-
bert, of Springfield. I found him laying without doors upon
the ground. I asked him how he did ; he told me he was very
sick of a ui:x v.-ith Cullng so much blood. They had turned
him out of the wigwam, and with him an Indian papoos,
almost dead, (whose parents had been killed,) in a bitter cold
day, without fire or clothes ; the young man himself had
nothing on but his shirt and waistcoat. This sight was enough
to melt a heart of (lint. There they lay quivering in the cold.

MRS. ROWLANDSON'S CARTIVITY.

cd one of them
tfercd me they
t, I asked h'nn
I saw him such
lancholy. By
il before, that
ivas vanity and
hey had killed
t the jTovernor
lould have his
lead. So like
3 liar from the

Philip's maid
; to g-ive her a
d her I would
\ said no ; the
he would tear
lat then : with
big- enough to
stept out, and
1. But while
ve her all my

I went to see

/• melancholy,
er as for him-
had enough
mindless of
among their
s master, to-
for powder r
illcil four of
; for which
Lord ; for it
sold to the
the Indians,
ic John Gil-
doors upon
he was very
had turned
ian papoos,
a bitter cold
limself had
was onoug-h
in the cold.

the youth round like a doof, the papoos stretched out, with his
eyes, nose, and mouth full of dirt, and yet alive, and groaning.
I advised John to go and get to some fire ; he told me lie could
not stand, but I persuaded him still, lest he should lie there
and (lie. And with much ado I got him to a fire, and went
myself home. As soon as I was got home, his master's daugh-
ter came after me, to know what I had done with the Engflish-
man ; I told her I had got him to a fire in such a place. Now
had I need to pray Paul's prayer, 2 Thess. 3 : 2, — ^' that we
may be delivered from vnreasonnhle and nucked men.''' For
her satisfaction I went along with her, and brought her to him ;
but before 1 got home again, it was noised about that I was
running away, and n-etting the English youth along with me ;
that as soon as I came in, they becran to rant and domineer,
asking me wh ;re I had been, and what I had been doing, and
saying they would knock me on the head. I told them I had
been seeing the English youth, and that I would not run away.
They told me I lied, and getting up a hatchet, they came to
me and said they would knock me down if I stirred out again ;
and so confined me to the wigwam. Now may I say with
David, 2 Sam. 24 : 14, — " / am in a great strait.''^ If I keep
in, I must die with hunger ; and if I go out, I must be knocked
on the head. This distressed condition held that day, and half
the next ; and then the Lord remembered me, whose mercies
are great. Then came an Indian to me with a pair of stock-
ings which were too big for him, and he would have me
ravel them out, and knit them fit for him. I showed myself
willing, and bid him ask my mistress if I might go along with
him a little way. She said yes, I might ; but I was not a little
refreshed with that news, that I had my liberty again. Then
I went along with him, and he gave me some roasted ground-
nuts, which did again revive my feeble stomach.

Being got out of her siirht, I had time and liberty again to
look into my Bibld which was iny guide by day, and my pil-
low by night. Now that comfortable scripture presented itself
to me, Isa. ^5: 7, — " For a small moment hare T forsaken thee,
hut with great mercies icill I gather thee.'' Tlius the Lord
carried mu along from one time to another, and made good to
me this precious promise and many others. Then my son
came to see me, and I asked his masti r to let him stay a while
with me, that I might comb his head and look over him, for he
was almost overcome with lice. Ho 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 alono*, and see if he
could get any thing among them ; which he did, and, it seems,

tarried a little too long, for his master was angry with him, and

1^1

MUS. nOWLANDSON'S CAPTIVITY.

beat him, and then sold him. Then he came running to tell
me he had a new master, and that he had g-iven 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 \vant.
So his master carried him away ; and I never saw him after-
ward, till I saw him at Piscataqua, in Portsmouth.

That night they bid me go out of the wigwam again ; my
mistress's papoos 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
papoos ; and afterward, both morning and evening, there came

company to mourn and howl with her ; though I confess I
could not much condole with them. Many sorrowful days I
had in this place ; often getting alone, " like a crane or a
swallow, so did I chatter ; I did mourn as a dove; mine eyes fail
with lookiyig vpivard. O Lord, I am oppressed, nndertalce for
iTie.^^ — Isa. 38 : 14. I could tell the Lord as Hezekiah, ver. 3,
■^ Reynember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, hoio I hare icalkcd be-
fore thee in trnih.^^ Now had I time to examine all my ways.
My conscience did not accuse me of unrighteousness towards
one or another ; yet I saw how in my walk with God I had been
a careless creature. As David said, '■''against thee only have 1
sinned." And I might say with the poor publican, " God be
merciful unto me a siwier." Upon the Sabbath days I could
look upon the sun, and think how people were going to the
house of Grod to have tlielr souls refreshed, and then home and
their bodies also ; but I was destitute of both, and might say
as the poor prodigal, " He icould fain have filled his belly wiih
the husks that the sii.ufie did eat, and no man gave vnto hiin.'^
Luke 15: 16. For I must s:iy with him, '-Father, I have sin-
7i€d against heaven and in thy sight.''' — Ver. 21. I remember
how on the night before and after the Sabbath, when my fam-
ily was about me, and relations and neighbors with us, we
could pray, and sing, and refresh our bodies with the good
creatures of God, and ihcn have a comfcrt-ible bed to lie down
on ; but instead of all this, I had only a little swill for the body,
and then, like a swine, must lie down on the ground. I cannot
express to man the sorrow that lay upon my spirit, the Lord
knows it. Yet that comfortable t^cripture would often come to
my mind, — " For a small moment have Iforsake7i thee, Intt icith
great mercies v;iU I gather thee.""

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

lining' lo tell
ren him some
im to hig new
uld not want,
iw him after-
1.

n again ; my

It ; and there

I went to a

! a skin to lie

which was a

y buried the

?, there came

1 I confess I

rowful days I

a crane or a

mine eyes fail

'in der take for

ekiah, ver. 3,

!i*c u-alkcdbC'

all my ways.

ness towards

3d I had been

e only have I

an, " God he

days I could

going to the

n home and

might say

2S belly wiik

imto him.''''

I have sin-

I remember

en my fam-

ith us, we

I the good

to lie down

"or the body,

I cannot

it, the Lord

n come to

•fc, hit iL'ith

up and be
Is the Bay
r but a few

MRS. ROWLANDSOX'S CAPTIVITY

crums of cake that an Indian gave my girl the same day we
were taken. She gave it mo, and 1 put it in my pocket.
There it lay, till it was so mouldy, for want of g-ood baking,
that one could not tell what it was made of; it fell all into
crums, and grow so dry and hard that it was like little flints;
and this refreshed me many times when 1 was ready to faint.
It was in my thoughts when I put it to my mouth, that if ever
I returned 1 would tell the world what a blessing the Lord
gave to su'.'h mean food. As we v.'ent 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 lender 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 ([uickly
got up a bark wigwam, where I lay dry that night. 1 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 merci-
fully 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 cat 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 di})pod 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 hav-
ing 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 mv buiihen more upon
my back than my spirit. We came to Baquaug river agaii>
that day, near which we abode a few days. Sometimes one
ofthoin 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 woliish ajipctite persons have in a starving con-
dition ; 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 ait=}r, and yet I should (juickly
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. And now could I see
that scripture verified, there being many si riptures Uiat we do
not take notice of or understand till we are afllicted, iAIic. 6 : 14,
— "-Thou shalt eat and not be satisfied.'^ Now mitrht I see more
than ever before the miseries that sin huih brought upon us.
Many times I should be ready to run out against the heathen,
but that scripture would quiet me again, Amos 2 : 0, — " Shall

3 f

' f

MRS. ROWLANDSO^''S CAPTIVITY.

there be evil in the city, and the Lord hath not done it ? " The
Lord lic'lj) me to make a riu^hl improvement of his word, that I
mi^-ht leiini that i,rreat k>sson, Alio. 0: 8, 9, — " He hath showed
thee, O man, leJiat is good ; and what doth the Lord require of
thee, but to do justly and love mercy, and ivalk numbly ivith thy
God? Hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.''

The SixTKicNTii Hk.move. — We beyan iJiitj remove with
wadiiiu^ over Bacjuauir river. The water was up to our knees,
and the stream very swil't, and so cold tliat I tliouL^ht it v>ould
liave cut me in sunder. I was so weak and feeble tliat I reeled
as I went alone, and thoufj-ht there I must end my days at last,
after my bearing and getting through so many dilHculties.
The Indians stood laughing to sec me staggering along, but in
my distress the Lord gave me experience of the truth and
goodness of that promise, Isa. 43: 2, — '^Whe/i thou jmssetk
through the water I will be ivith thee, and through the rivers,
they shall not overjloio thee^ Then I sat down to put on my
stockings and shoes, with the tears running dov/n my eyes,
and many sorrowful thoughts in my heart. But I got up to
go along with ihem. Quickly there came up to us an Indian
who inlbrined them that I must go to \Vachu^>et^ to my mas-
ter, for there was a letter come from the council to the saga-
mores 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 lieart ; yet it pleased them to go but one mile that
night, and there we staid two days. In that time came a com-
pany of Indians to us, near thirty, all on horseback. My heart
ski])ped 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 cam-^ near there
w^as a vast ditlerence 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 v, ill proved more

* Princeton. The mountain in this town still retains the name of Wa-
chuset, notwithstamlinj? a recent attempt to change it to Mount Adams.
[I venerate the name of Adams, but I must prolest a^Minst the heathen-
like practice of destroying the old names of places. The interior of New
York deserves to be chastised by an earthquake for such libellous con-
duct.— E.D.]

■'■k

MRS. RQWLANDSON'S CAPTIVITY.

it ? " The
word, that I
hath showed
I require of
hhj with thy

Miiovc with
I our knees,
'hi it would
hat I reeled
lays at last,
dilliculties.
long-, but in

truth and
'loit passeth
the rivers,
put on my
1 my eyes,
. got up to

an Indian

my mas-
> the sasfa-
3 would be
^ady. My
ik or go in
V streno-th
knees and

mile that

Tie a com-

My heart

len, at the

1 apparel,
»'aists, and
near there
Christians
mped my

>ve it was
:)ack and
ved more

me of Wa-
nt Adams,
e heathen-
or of New
;llous con-

than my strength ; having little or no refreshment, my strength
failed, and my spirits were almost quite gone. Now may I
say as David, Psiil. 109: 22, 23, 21, — "/«/« poor and needij,
and my heart is wounded within nie. I am gone lih-r ashadoiv
when it dcelineth. lam tossed up and down Hk< e locust.
My knees are iceak through fasting, and viy flesh failvth of fat-
nessy At night we canie to an Indian town, and the Indians
sat down by a wigwam discoursing, but I was uhiiost spent
and couhl 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 feel were
old and dried, and they had nothing else, they would cut off
the feet and use them. I asked him to yive me a little of his
broth, or water they were boiling it in. f^u look a dish and
gave me one spooiiful 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. He
gave me also a piece of the rufl'e, or ridding of the small guts,
and I broiled it on the coals ; and now I may say with Jona-
than, "See, I pray you, Jnw mine eyes are enlightened because
I tasted a little of this hoary. ^' — 1 Sam. 14: 20. Now is my
spirit revived airain. Though means be nevt^r so inconside-
rable, yet if ihe Lord bestow his blessing upon ihem, they shall
refresh both soul and body.

The Eighteenth Remove. — We took up our packs, and
along Avo went ; but a wearisome day I had of it. As we
w'ent alonof, I saw an Englishman stripped naked and lying
dead upon the nround, but knew not who he was. Then we
came to another Indian town, where we staid all night. In
this town there were four En<ilisli chiklreri captives, and one
of them my own sister's. I went to see hpw she did, and she
Avas well, consitli'riutif her captive condition. I would have
tarried that niirlit with her, hut they that owned her would not
suffer it. Then I went to another wi^-wam, where they were
boiling corn and beans, which was a lovcdy siirht to see, but I
could not get a taste thereof. Then I went into another wig-
wam, where there were two of the English chihlren. The
squaw was boilinof horses' feet. She cut me otl" a little piece,
and gave one of the Eni>lisli children a jjiece also. Being
very hungry, I had quickly eat up mine ; but the child could
not bite it, it was so touirh and sinewy, and lay sucking, gnaw-
ing, and slabbering of it in the mouih and hand; then I took
it of the child, and eat it myself, and savory it was to my taste:
that I may say as Jol), chap. 6 : 7, — " The things that my soul
refuseth to touch are as viy sorrowful meat.'' Thus the Lord
made that pleasant and refreshing which another time would

MRS. ROWLANDSOX S CAPTIVITY.

have boon an aboiniiiatioii. Thon I went hoir'^ to my mis-
tre.s.s' \viii,\vain, and they told me I dis<rrai'od r. : master witli
beg'iriiinr, and il 1 did so any more they won hi knock me on
the iiead. 1 told ihem they l)ad as good do that as starve mc
to death.

TiiK NiNKTKK.NTH TvKMnvK. — Tliey said wlien avo went ont
that we nuist travel to W'aehnset this day. lint a hitter weary
day I had of it, travelling now three days together, without
restin<r any day between. At last, after many weary steps, I
saw VV'acluiset hills, bnl many miles oil". Then we came to a
great swamp, through which we travelK'd u\) to our knees in
nnid and \vat(>r, which was heavy going to one tired before.
Being almost spent, I thought 1 should have sunk down at
last, and never got out; l)nt 1 nuiy say as in l^salm 91: 18, —
^^Wkc?i mi/ foot slipped, tkij inercij^ O Lord, held vie i/p.^*
Going along, liaviu'j; indeed my life, but little s])irit, Philip,
who was in the companv, came up, and look mo liy the hand,
and said, " Two weeks nmre and you shall be mistress again."
I asked him i^ he spoke true. He said, " Yes, aiul (piickly
you shall come to your master again ;" who hail been gone
from us three weeks. After many weary steps, we came to
Wachuset, Avhere he Avas, and glad Avas 1 to see him. He
asked me when I Avashed mo. 1 told him not this month.
Then he iV'tched me some water himself, and hid mo wash,
and gave me a glass to see how 1 looked, and bid hi.s sipiaw
give me something to eat. So she gave me a nu>ss of beans
and meat, and a little ground-nut caKo. I was wonderfully
revived Avilii this favor showed mo. Psalm 106: 4(5, — "i/e
7)iade f/ic/n also to he pitied of all those tliat carried them away
captive.''''

My master had throe squaAVS, living sometimes Avith one
and sometimes Avith another: Onux, this old scpiaw at whose
AA'igAvam 1 Avas, and Avilh Avhom my master had been those
three Avooks. Another was Wettimoro,^^ Avith Avhom I had
lived and served all this while. A severe and proud dame
she was, bestowini^- every day in dres'tsing herself near as nuu:li
time as any of the gentry of the land ; powdering her hair and
painting her face, going \\ ith her necklaces, with joAvols in her
ears, and bracelets u]-)on her hands. When she had dressed
herself, her work- was to make girdles of wampum and beads.
The third s(pia\v Avas a younger one, by whom he had two
papooses. By that time I was refreshed Ijy the old squaAV,
Wettimore's maid came to call me home, at Avhich I i'ell a

* She hnd boon tlic wife of Alexander, Philip's elder brother, See
Book of thi: Indians.

MRS. KOWLANDSOX'S CAPTIVtTV

3 iny mis-

iaj>ter ^vith

jck me on

starve mc

:> went out
itter weary
:'V, williout
iry steps, I
■ came to a
ir knees in
red before.
ik down at
1 91: 18 —
d VIC up."
irit, Piiilip,
y the hand,
•ess aii'ain."
nd (juickly
l)een g'one
\e came to
him. He
lis month.
[l me wash,
ii,s squaw
s of heans
onderl'ully
46,—" He
them away

with one
■ at whose
)een these
lom I had

ud dame
ir iis much
or hair and
wels in her
ul dressed
'A\n\ beads,
had two
nld squaw,
h 1 fell a

)rother, See

weepina". Tiien the old s(|naw told mf. to (Micnurna'e me, that
when 1 wanted vicHiiils I should come to her, and thai I should
lie in her wii^uani. Then 1 weiU with tlie maid, and (juickly
I came back and lodqcd there. The s(|u;i\v laid a mat under
me, and a yood rug over me ; the fust tinif th;it I had any siu'h
kindness showed me. I understood that W'ettimorc thounht,
that if she should let mo cjo and serve with the oM squaw, she
should he in danger to lose not only my service, but the re-
demption-pay also. And I was not a little glad to hear this ;
■ being i)y it raisi'd in my hopes that in (Jod's due time there
% would be an end of this sorrowful hour. Th(Mi came an Indian

and asked me to knit him three pair of stoclvinirs, for which I
had a hat and a silk hantlU(>rchief. Then another asked me
to make her a sb.ift, for \vhich she gave me an apron.

Then camo Tom and Peter with the second letter from the

council, about the captives. Though they were Indians, I gat

them by the haiul, and burst out into tears; my heart was so

full that 1 could not speak to them ; bnt recovering myself, I

asked them how my husband did, and all my friends and

acquaintance. They said they were well, but very melancholy.

... They brouLrht me two biscuits and a pound of tobacco. The

; tobacco I soon gave away. When it was all gone one asked

r me to give him a pipe of tobacco. I told him it was all gone.

I Then he began to rant and threaten. I told him when my

husband cam!> I would give hini some. " Hang him, rogue,"

says he ; " 1 will knoi-k out his i)rains if he comes here." And

f then again at the same breath they wonld say that if there

^ should come an hundred without guns they would do them no

I hurt ; so un-^ialjle and like madmen they were. So that fear-

I ing the worst, I durst imt send to my husband, though there

^ were some thoughts of his coming to redeem ami fetch me, not

I knowing what miu'ht follow; for there was little more trust to

them than to the master they served. AVhen the letter was

come, the sanamores met to consult about the captives, and

called me to them, to inquire how mui'h 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 mc

stand up, and said they were the general court. They bid me

speak what I thouirht he wouKl give. Now knowing that all

that wo 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

MRS. ROWLANDSON'S CAPTIVITY.

their letters fnr thorn.* There was anotlior prayincf Indian,
who tokl tne that he had a brother that won hi not cat horse,
his conscience was so tender and scrnpnions, tliou£'h as large
as hell for llie destruction of poor Christians. 'J'licn he said
he read tiiat scripture to him. 12 Kinrrs (> : 2-'), — " There ira.s a
famine in Samaria, and behold they besieged, it, until an ass's
head was sold for fourscore pieces of silrer, a /id tlie fovrth part
of a. hah of dove's diDii^ for fire pieces of silrer.^^ lie expound-
ed this phice to his hroilicr, and sjiowed iiini that it was lawful
to eat that in a famine which it is not at another lime. "And
now," says he, "he will eat horse with any Indian of them
all." There was another praying Indian,! who, when he had
done all the mischief that he could, betrayed his own father
into the English's hands, thereby to purchase his own life.
Another praying Indian was at Sudbury fight, though, as he
deserved, he was afterwards hanged for it. There was another
praying Indian so wicked and cruel as to wear a string about
his neck strung with Christian fingers. Another praying In-
dian, when they went to Sudbury fight, went wldi them, and
his squaw also with him, with her papoos at her back.t Be-
fore they went to that fight, they got a company together to
powow. The manner was as followeth.

There was one that kneeled upon a deer-skin, with the com-
pany around him in a ring, who kneeled, striking npon the
ground with tlieir hands and with sticks, and muttering or
humming with their mouths. Besides him who kneeled in
the ring there also stood one with a gun in his hand. Then
he on the deer-skin made a speech, and all manifested assent
to it ; and so they did many times together. Then they bid
him with a gun go out of the ring, which he did ; but when
he was out, they called him in again ; but he seemed to make
a stand. Then they called the more earnestly, till he turned
again. Then they all sang. Then they gave him two guns,
in each hand one. And so he on the d(^er-sl<iii began again;
and at the end of everj^ sentence in his spi^aking they all
assented, and humming or muttering with their mouths, and
striking npon the ground with their hands. Then they bid
him with the two guns go out of the ring again ; which he did

* They may be seen in the Book of the Indians.
t Peter Jethro. — Ihib.

JMcre

:j:*rhese remarks of ]\Trs. Rowlandson are no doubt just. The prayin
Indians, after all. take iliem as a class, made biU .sorry Christians. Moi
comfortable dweliinps, a few blankets every year, some small privileges,
and a little increase, lor the time, of personal consideration, were motives
Fuflicienlly strong to induce savages to change their religious faith, which
at best hung but very loosely about them.

MRS. ROWLAXDSOX'S rAPTIVITY.

yinc^ Indian,
ot cat horse,
ui'^li as large
lien he said
'liter e was a
nt'd an ass's
'fonrth part
[Ic oxpoimd-
t was lawful
iine. "And
ian of them
vhcn he had
s own father
is own life,
lough, as he
was another
strin": about
praying In-
h them, and
back. I Be-
' together to

ith the com-

ig upon the

[Hittcring OT

kneeled in

and. Then

bsted assent

on they bid

; but when

ed to make

1 lie turned

1 two guns,

gan again ;

ng they all

nouths, and

■n they bid

hich he did

The praying
^tians. More
all privileges,
were motives
s faith, which

n little way. Then they caik-d biiu again, but he made a stand,
so they called him with greater earm'>iii(':<s ; Imt he stood
reeling and wavrrjng, a- iC 1h> knew nut wlu-ihcr ho should
stand or full, or whidi way to go. Tiiou llioy called him wiili
exceeding great vohemency, nil of them, one and another.
After a little while ho iudkmI in. staggering as he went, with
his arms stroiclu>d out, in each hand u gun. As soon as he
came in, thoy all sang and ropuced exceedingly a while, and
then he upon the deer-sl<iu made another speech, imto which
they all assented in a rejoicing maniu-r; and so they ended
their business, and forthwith went to Sudbury tight.*

To my thinking, thov went without any scruple but that
they should prosper and gain the victory. And they went out
not so rejoicing, but they came home with as great a victory ;
for they said thoy killed two captains and almost an hundred
men. One Englishman they brought alive with them, and he
said it was too true, for they had made sad w^'-k at Sudbury ;
as indeed it proved. Yet they came home without that rejoic-
ing and triumphing over their victory which they were wont
to show at other times ; but rrviiier like dogs, as they say, wtiich
have lost their cars. Yet I could not perceive that it was for
their own loss of men ; they said they lost not above live or
six; and I missed none, except in one wigwam. When they
went they acted as if the devil had told them that they should
gain the victory, and now they acted as if the devil had told
them they should have a full. Whether it were so or no, I
cannot tell, but so it proved; for they ([uickly began to fall,
and so held on that summer, till they came to utter ruin. They
came home on a Sabbath day, and the pawaw that kneeled
upon the deer-skin came home, I may say without any abuse,
as black as the devil. When my master came home he came
to me and bid me make a shirt for his papoos, of a Holland
laced pillowbeer.

About tliat time there came an Indian to me, and bid me
come to liis wigwam at night, and he would give me some pork
and ground-nuts, which 1 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, and there lie the clothes
behind you." I loolccd Ijoliind me, and there I saw bloody
clothes, w^ith bullet-holes in them ; yet the Lord suOered not
this wretch to do me any hurt, yea, instead of ihat, 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

* Sudbury was attacked 21st April.
5

'!i

(• !

MRS. ROWLAXDSU.Nrf CAinVlTY.

straniTcrs tlu.t I never saw lu^forf. Another sipiiiw q;avG me a
piece (if rre>h p(»rlv. ami :\ linle salt wiili it, and lent nu; lier frying^
pan to iVy it I and I canntit tint renieniKerwhat a >\vei!l, i)le;j>iint
and dLdi^lilful r('i>h that bit luid to \m\ to this day. So little
do we prize coiiniion niereies, wlien W(; have them to the lull.

Till". TwKNTiiyrn IIi;;movh. — It v.as their O'-ual nianniT to
renuive when they had done any niischief, lest ihey should he
found out ; and so they did at this time. We went about
three e-r lour miles, arul tlunc they buili a great wiirwam, big
cnouirh to hold an hundred Indians, which they did in prepa-
ration (i(a,iri\>at day of daiicincr. They would now say among
tlienisidves that the g'overnor* would be so angry for his loss
at Sudbury that he W(juld send no more about the captives,
wiiich made mc grieve and tremble, I\Iy sislert being not fur
from this place, and heaiiuLr thai 1 was here, desired her mas-
ter to let her I'ome and see me, and he was willing to it, and
would come with her; but she, being ready (irst, told him she
would go before, and was come within a mile or two of the
place. Then he overtook her, and l)egan to rant as if he had
been mad, and made lier go back n<fain in the rain ; so that I
never saw Jier till I saw lier in Charlesiown. But the Lord
requited many of their ill doings, for this Indian, her master,
was hanged afterwards at Boston. t- They began now to come
from all (|uarters, against their merry dancing day. Amongst
some of ihein came one gooilwife Kettle. 1 told her my heart
was so heavy that it Avas ready to break. " So is mine too,"
said she, " but yet I hope we shall hear some good nevrs short-
ly." I could hear how earnestly my sister desired to see me,
and I enrnestly desired to see lier ; yet tieilher of us could get
an oppcu'tunily. ]\Iy daughter Avas now but a mile olf, and I
had nut seen her for nine or ten weeks, as I had not scon my
sister since our first taking. I desired them to let me go and
see them, yea I entreated, b{\gL'ed and persuaded tlunn to let
me see my daughter ; and yet so hard-hearted were they that
they would not sull'er it. They made use of their tyrannical
power whilst 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 jiermitting him,
and his own forward spirit inclining him,) together with the
two forementioned Intlians, Tom and Peter, with Uie thiid let-
ter from the council. When they came near, I Avas abroad.

* Leverelt. f Mrs. Drew.

:j: Mrs. Drew'.s master was probably Monoco. Several chiefs were
hanged at the same time, viz. 26lh Sept. 167(3.

~^i

rrnve me a

c litT frying

3i;t, jdi'ii^iiiit

:. So little

to the lull.

I nianiuT tfi

y should ho

went uhoul

iirwaui, hig

i(J ill prcpa-

■ say among

for his lods

iie caplivos,

K'iiinr iKit fur

cd her mas-

y to it, and

old him she

two of the

is if he had

1 ; so that I

Lit the Lord

her nias-ter,

low to come

Amongst

er my heart

mine too,"

iKMVs short-

l to !see me,

s could get

oir, and I

ot seen my

me go and

hem to let

e they that

tyrannical

wonderful

ligh in the
iiliuL'" him,
with the
le ihiid let-
as abroad.

chiefs were

MRS. KOWLANDSON'S CAmVlTV.

r,i

Thnv presently <'alled m" in. and lnl me sit down ..'e'l v.ol stir.
Thru tliev catched up their iruns and away they ran, as if an
onemv liad heeii at hand, and tho iru.is went oil" apiH'e. I
manifested some trrejit trouhle, and asked them wliai was the
matter. I told iheui I tliouLrht they had Kilh'il the l')ii<rli^h-
man, (for they had in the mean time told me iliai an Mnelish-
man was come;) they said no; they shot ')ver his horse;, and
under, and helore his horse, and they |iuslied him this way
and that way, at their pleasure, showing him what they could
do. Then they let iiiin come to their wigwams. 1 hcLrged of
them to let me see the Emrlishman, hui they would not ; hut
there was i fain to sit their pleasure. When they hud talked
their fill with him. tlu>y sulfered me to vo to him. We asked
each other of our welfare, and how my hushand did. and all
rnv friends. Me told me they were all well, mid would he vUxd
to'see me. Among ether things which my hushand sent me,
there came a pound of tobacco, which I sold for nine shillings
in money; tor many of them lor want of tobacco smoked
hemlock and ground-ivy. It was ji great mistake in any who
thought I sent for tobacco, for through the favor of (iod that
desire was overcome.

I now asked them whether J should l'^o home with A[r.
Hoar. They answered no, one and another of them, and it
being late, we lay down with that answer. In the morning
JMr. Hoar invit(>d the sagamores to dinner ; but when we went
to jjet it ready, we found th(>y had stolen the t^eatest part of
the provisions Mr. Hoar had broui'lit. And we may see the
wonderful power of God, in tlial one jiassoge, in that when
there was such a number of them together, and so y-reedy of
a little p;ood food, and no English tliere l)ut 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 abo
trading cloth, a part of tln^ twenty pounds agreed upon. P.ut
instead of doinof us any mischi' '", they seemed to be ashamed
of the flict, and said it was the nintchii^ Indians that did it.
Oh that we could believe that there was iiothino- too bard for
God. God showed Jiis power over the h(>athen in this, as he
did over the hungry lions when Daniel was cast inlf> the den.

JMr. Hoar called them botiine to tlinner, 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 tvro. He was dres-
sed in his Holland shirt, with great stockinirs, his garters bunir
round with shillings, aiKi had girdles of wampom upon liis

* Wicked.

MRS. UOWLANDSON'S CAPTIVITY.

hend find slioulflrrs. Sho lind ii kprsoy coat, rovcrod with Lnr-
(lies (il \viiiii|t(iiij iVoui the hiiiis upwnrd. Her {iriiis fioiii her

t'lhows to litT lumds wiTc cnvfrcd witli lir!ic('lcl>

KTl.' WITO

huiidl'iils «»r iii'ckliu'cs aiimit In r iK-ck, snid several sorts of
jewels ill her ears. She had line red ' inckinvs, and wliito
shoes, iier hair prtwdcred, and her laoe pninied red. thai vas
always heloro Mark. And all the dancers were alter the
same manner. There were two others sinL;inuf and kn(i(dvinfjf
on a licUtle lor their mnsic. They K(?pt hoppiiiL'^ up and down
one after another, with a kettle of water in the midst, stiind-
iiiy warm upon some einhers, to drink of when they were dry.
They held (III till almo. t iiiLfhl, tlirowin.',*- out their wampom to
tlie standei>-hy. At nijlil I asked them auain if I should '^o
home. They jill as one said no, except my hnshaiid would
come for me. When wv were lain down, u'V ina-ter went out
of llu' wiL5\\'am, and hy and hy sent in an ln<lian called Jmncs
ihc priutir^ who told i\Ir. Hear that mv master would let mo
afo homo to-morrow if he \\(iuld let him ha\e one pint of
li(pnn'. Then Mr. Hoar called his own Iii(li;ins, Tom and Pe-
ter, and l)id the in all jjo and see if li(> would jiromise it heforo
them three, and if he would he should have it ; which he did
and had it. Philip, smellinir the husiness, callev' me to him,
and asked ine wliat I would oive him to t(dl me some jTood
news, and to sjieak a i':ood word for ine, tluit I niirfht lio home
to-morrow. 1 told him 1 could not tell what to ijive him, I
\vould any thine;' I had, and asked him what he \\ould liavo.
He said two coats, and twenty shillincfs in money, liall' a hushol
of seed corn, and some tohacco. I ihanlccd him for his h)ve,
but I knew that (.'.ood news as \vcll as that crafty fox.

My master, after he had his drink, (juickly came ranting
into the wigwam again, and called for Mr. Hoar, drinking to
him and saying he was a good man, and then again lie would
say, "hang him, a rogue." In'ing almost drunk, he would
drink to him, and yet jireseiuly say he should be lianged.
Then he called for me. 1 trembled to hear liim, and yet I was
fain to go to him ; and he drank to me, show'ing no incivility.
He was the first Indian 1 saAV drunk, all the time I was among
them. At last his squaw ran out, mid he after her round the
wigwam, with his money jingling at his knees, but she es-
caped him ; but having and old squaw% he ran to lier, and so
through the Lord's mercy we were no more troubled with him
that niglit. Yet I liad not a comlbrtable night's rest ; lor I
think I can say I did not sleep for three nights together. The
night before the letter came from the council, I could not rest,
I was so full of fears and troubles; yea, at this time I could
not rest night nor day. The next night I was overjoyed, Mr.

MRS. noWLANOSONS CAPTIVITY

(1 with n-ir-
; IVoiii licr
Iktc were
il sorts of
iiiid wliiic

I. lllill \'ilS

;il'i<'r I Ik.'
kiiockiiin'

Jllul (IdWIl

(1st, stiiiid-

wt-rc dry.

■iiiiipotii to

should '•()

lul would

rwout oui

lied Jmncs

lid let irip

10 pint of

in iind I'c-

e it before

ich he did

no to jiini,

pnio jjood

t go homo

ve him, I

old havo.

I il hushoj

r hi.s hjve,

ranting;
rinkitii^- to

10 would
10 would

iiann-ed.
yot I was

icivility.
!is among
•ound the

she es-
r. and so
with him
St ; for I
■r. The

not rest,

I could
yed, Mr.

Hoar hcinp conio, and that with sindi i':o<hI iiilini;s, The third
n\<ii}\\ I was pvon swallowed up with ihr tliouijhis of i/oinir
home aijaiii, and that I must joavo my chihlr.n lnhind uic in
tho wildornoss ; so that sloop was now alnii>si doparU'd JKim
inino oyos.

On Tiiosday morniniT il'oy called thoir (Inifrnl Court, as
they .vtylod it, to consult and dctcnnino wlidhor 1 should 'jfo
homo or no. And they all sccniineiy oonsonliil that I should
go, oxi'cpt Philip, who would mil come aiuonsf thoni.

lint hefor*; 1 'jo any farther, I would taki; lotivo to inontion
a few remarkahlo jiassau^os of Providence, which I took spe-
cial notice of in my alllictod time.

1. Of tlu> fair oppiu'tunity lost in tho long inarcli, a little
alter tho fort lie"ht, when uitr English army was so numerous,
and in pursuit of the enemy, and so near as to overtake seve-
ral and destroy them ; and the enemy in such distress for
food that our men luitrhl Iraclc them hy tluMr rooting the
ground tor ground-nuts, whilst they wore fiyine- for their livi's :
i say, that then our army shouhl want provisions, and he
obliged to leave their pursuit, and turn hommvard, and the very
next wook the enemy came upon our town, like hours bereft of
thoir whelps, or so many ravenous wolves, rcMidiny" us and f)ur
lambs to death. Tut what shall I say i Cod soomod to
leave his people to themselves, and ordered all things for his
own holy ends. " Shall there he. evil in. the city and Ike Lord
hath not done it ? The if arc not ^rierrd for tho alJUct'ion of
Joseph, therefore they shall go captive trilh the first that go
captive. It is the Lord's doing, and it should be marvellous in
our eyes.''

2. I cannot hut remember liow tho Indians derided tho slow-
ness and the dulness of the Enulish army in its setting out ;
for afior the desolations at Lancaster and Medtield, as 1 wont
along with them, they asked me wheti I thought the English
army would come after tlioin. I told them I could not toll.
" It may be they will come in May," said lh(.'y. Thus they
did scotf at us, as if the English would be a quarter of a
year getting ready.

3. Which also I have hinted before, when the English army
with new supplies were sent forth to pursu(> after tlie enemy,
and they, understanding it, diul before them till they came to
Baquaug rivor, where they forthwith went over safely ; that
the river should be impassable to the English. I cannot but
admire to see the wonderful providence of (rod in preserving
the heathen for further adliction to our poor country. They
could go in great numbers over, but the English must stop.
God had an overruling hand in all those things.

' t

MRS. ROWLANDSON'S CAPTIVITY.

4. It was thoufj-hi, if their corn were cut down, they would
starA'o and die wilii huiii^er ; and all that could l)e I'oiuid was
destroyed, and they driven Iroui that little they had in store
into th(^ v/oods, in the midst of winter ; and yet how to admi-
ration did the Lord preserve them for his holy ends, and the
destruction of many still among" the English ! Strangely did
the Lord provide for them, that I did not see, all the tune I
was among them, one man, woman, or child die with hunger.
Though many times (hey would eat that that a hog would
hardly touch, ye* hy that God strengthened them to be a
scourge to his people.

Their chief and commonest food was ground-nuts ; they eat
also nuts and acorns, artichokes, lilly roots, ground heans, and
several ot?ier weeds and roots that 1 know not. They would
pick up old bones, and cut them in pieces at the joints, and if
they were full of worms and maggots they would scald them
over the fire, to make the vermin come out, and then boil
them, and drink up the liquor, and then beat the great ends of
them m a mortar, and so eat them. They would eat horses'
guts ar I ears, and all sorts of wild birds which they could
catch ; also bear, venison, beavers, tortoise, frogs, squirrels,
dogs, skuidvs, rattle-snakes, yea the very bark of trees ; be-
sides all sorts of creatures, and provisions which they plun-
d( red from the English. I can but stand in admiration to see
the wonderful power of God, in providing for such a vast
number of our enemies in the wilderness, where there was
nothing *o be seen but from hand to mouth. Many times in
the morning ihe generality of them would eat up all they had,
and y3t have some farther supply against they wanted. But
now our perves-.;: and evil carriages in the sight of the Lord
have so offended him, that instead of turning his hand against
them, the Lord feeds and nourishes them up to be a scourge
to the whole land.

5. Another thing that I would obser\e is, the strange provi-
dence of God in turning things about when the Indians were
at the highest and the English at the lowest. I was with the
enemy eleven weeks and five days,"^ and not one week passed
without their fury and some desolation by fire or sword upon
one place or other. Tiiey mourned for their own losses, yet
triumphed and rejoiced in their inhuman and devilish cruelty
to the English. They would boast much of thei' victories,
saying that in two hours' time they had destroyed .juch a cap-
tain and his company, in such a place ; and boast how many
towns they had destroyed, and then scoff and say they had done

* Viz. from Feb. 10 to May 2d or 3d.

y would
mul was

in store
to adiui-

aiid the
i^c'ly did
le time I

hunger.
>g would

to be a

they eat
?ans, and
ey would
ts, and if
aid them
then boil
it ends of
t horses'
ey could
squirrels,
rees ; be-
ley plun-
on to see
li a vast
lero was
times in
hey had,
^d. But
:he Lord
d against
?courge

ge provi-
ans were
with the
k passed
ord upon
tsses, yet
1 cruelty
victories,
h a cap-
)W many
lad done

MRS. ROWLANDSON'S CAPTIVITY.

them a good turn to send them to heaven so soon. Again they
woulil say this summer tliey woiikl knock all the rogues on
the head, or drive them into the sea, or make them tly the
country ; thinking surely, Agag-like, "T/^r hitlerncss of death
is passed.'" Now the heathen bcnin to think all is their own ;
and the poor Christians' hopes fail, (as to man,) and now their
eyes are more to God, and their hearts sigh heaven-ward, and
they say in good earnest, " Hflp, Lord, or we perish.'" When
the Lord had brought his people to this, that they saw no help
in any thing but himself, then he takes the quarrel into his
own hand ; and though they made a pit as deep as hell for
the Christians that summer, yet the Lord hurled themselves
into it. And the Lord had not so many ways before to pre-
serve them, but nov/ he hath as many to destroy them.

But to return again to my going home ; where we may see
a remarkable change of providence. At first they were all
against it, except my husband would come for me ; but after-
ward they assented to it, and seeming to rejoice in it ; some
asking me to send them some bread, others some tobacco, oth-
ers 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 ear-
nest 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. O 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 fearet 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 over olfered the least
abuse of unchasiity to me in word or action ; though some
are ready to say I speak it for my own cretlit ; but I spc^ik 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 th,-' fiery furnace. Especially that I should
come away in the midst of so many hundreds of enemies, und
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 tho lyiits 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 comfort-

Ill

MRS. HOWLANDSON'S CAPTIVITY.

able years anionj^ my relations ami lUMulihors, and now not
one C'lirisliaii to l)e seen, or one house lel't standiiiL'". Wo
went on to a farm-house that was yet standiiiL'", where we hiy
all night ; and a conilortahle lodying we had, thout^di iKjthing
but straw to lie on. Th(.' Lord preserved us in safety that nioht,
raised us up again in the inornitig, and carried us nlonc;, tliat
before noon we came to Concord. Now was I lull ol' joy, and
yet not without sorrow : joy to see such a lovely sight, so
many Christians tog"ether, and some ol" them my neiirhhors.
There I met with my brother and In'other-in-law,'^ who asked
me if I knew where his wife was. Poor heart ! he had helped
to bury her, and knew it not. She, being shot down by the
house, was partly burnt ; so that those who were at Boston at
the desolation of the town came back afterward and buried the
dead, but did not know her. Yet I was not without sorrow,
to thiidv how many were looking and longing, and my own
children among the rest, t^ enjoy that deliverance that I had
now received ; and I did not know whether ever 1 should see
them again.

Being recruited with food and raiment, we went to Boston
that day, where I met with my dear husbanci ; but the thoughts
of our dear children, one being dead, and tlie other we could
not tell where, abated our comfort in each o* ler. I was not
before so nmch hemmed in by the merciless and cruel heathen,
but imw as much with pitiful, tender-hearted, and compassion-
ate Christians. In that poor and beggarly condition, I was
received in, I was kindly entertained in several houses. So
much love I received from several, (many of whom I knew
not,) that I am not capable to declare it. But the Lord IvMiows
them -JA by name ; the Lord reward them sevenfold into th(,'ir
bosoms of his sj)irituals for their temporals. The twenty
pounds, the price of my redemption, was raised by some Bos-
ton gentlewomen, and Mr. Usher, [He/ekiah ?1 whose bounty
and charity I would not forget to make mention f>f. 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 Vv'e met with in that place. We were now in the
midst of love, yet not without much and fretpient heav;ness of
heart for our poor children and other relations who were still
in adliction.

The week following, after my coming in, the jjovernor and
council sent to the Indians again, anc' tluU not without success;
for they brought in my sister and goodwife Kettle. Their not

Capt. Kerley.

an
T

w
w

.so

low not

i,£r. Wg
' wo lay

MRS. ROWLANDSON'S CArXIVIT

knowing: where our children were was a sore trial to us still ;
and yet we were not without secret hopes of seeinsf them ac:ain.
That which was dead lay heavier upon my sj)irits than those
which were alive amono- the heathen ; thinkimjf liow it suH'cred
with its wounds, and I was not able to relieve it, and how
it was buried by the heathen in the wilderness from amonn' all
Christians. We were hurried up and down in our thoughts ;
sometime^ we should near a report that they were ^rone this
way and sometimes that, and that they were come in in this
place or that ; we kept inriuirinc;- and listening" to hear con-
cerninq- them, but no certain news as yet. About this
time the council had ordered a day of public thanksLnving-,
thouLfh I had still cause of mourning"; and being unsettled in
our minds, we thoui^'ht we would ride eastward, to see if .ve
could hear any thing concerning our children. As Ave were
ridiuLT aloniif beiween Ipswich and Rowley, we met with Wil-
liam Hubbard, who told us our son Joseph and my sister's son
were come into jMajor Waldren's. I asked him how he knew
it. He said the major himself told him so. So aloncf we
went till we came to Newbury ; and their minister being ab-
sent, they desired my husl)and 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, Avhich the good
people thereabouts were pleased to pay. The Lord reward the
major, and all the rest, though unknown to me, for their labor
of love. My sister's son was redeemed for four pounds, which
the council gave order for the payment of. Having now re-
ceived one of our children, we hastened toward the other.
GoinsT back through Newbury, my husband preached there on
the Sabbath day, for which they rewarded him manifold.

On Monday we came to Charlestown, Avhere Ave heard
that the governor of Rhode Island had sent over lor our daugh-
ter, to take care of her, being now Avithin his jurisdiction;
which should not pass Avithout our acknowledgrnents. But
she being nearer Rehoboth than Rhode Island, Mr. NeAvman
went over and took care of her, and brought her to his oaati
house. And tie goodness of God Avas admirable to us in our
Jow estate, in that he raised up compassionate friends on every

MRS. ROWLANDSON'S CAPTIVITY.

si Ic, whon we had notliinij to roconipnnse any for tlipir love.
The Indians wore now i^one that waV) thai it was apprehend-
ed dani^n'rons to o-o to lier ; hnt the carls wiiich earrietl provis-
ion to the En^rlish army, heinir C'narded, hronrrht her witii
them to Dorchester, whi're we received h(>r saTf. IJlessed he
the Lord for it. Her coniina" in \vas alter this manner: she
was travelling- one day with tlie Indians, with her hasket at
her hack ; the company of Indians were cfot hefore her, and
gone out of sight, ail except one p(pia\v. She followed the
scpiaw till night, and tlum hoth of them lay down, having
nothing over them hut the heavens, nor undcT them hut the
earth. Thus she travelled three days togetlu'r, having noth-
ing to eat or driidc hut water and green hirtl jerries. At last
they came into Providence, where she was knidlv ent(M"tained
hy several of that town. Tlie Indians ofu-n said that I should
never have her under twenty pounds, l)ut now the Lord hath
brought her in upon free cost, and given her to me the second
time. The Lord make us a hlessing indeed to each other.
Thus liaMi the Lortl brought me and mine out of the horrible
pit, and hath set us in the midst of lender-hearted and com-
passionate Christians. 'T is the desire of my soul that wc
may walk worthy of the mercies received and which we are

receiving.

Our family being now gathered together, the South church
in Boston hired a house for us. Then we removed from JNIr.
Shepard's (those cordial friends) and went to Boston, where
we continued about three quarters of a year.^ Still the Lord
went along with us, and provided graciously for us. I
thought it somewhat strange to set up housekeeping with bare
walls, but, as Solomon sn.y s, f?io?iey (Uiswcrs nil thi)tgs; and
this we had through the benevolence of Christian friends, some
in this town, and some in that, and oiiiers, and some from
Enc^land, that in a little time we mii^-htlook and see the house
furnished with love. The Lord hath l)een exceeding good to
us in our low estate, in that when we had neither house nor
home, nor other necessaries, the Lord so moved thi." hearts of
these and those towards us, that we wanted neither food nor
raiment for ourselves or ours. Prov. 18 : 24, " There is a
friend that sticketh closer than a hrnther.'" And how many
such friends have we found, and now living among us ! And
truly have we found him to be such a friend unto us in whose
house we lived, viz. Mr. James Whitcomb, a friend near hand
and far off.

I can remember the time when I used to sleep quietly, with-

* Till May, 1(377.

MRS. ROWLANDSON'S CAriFViTY.

Lord
s. I

h bare

; and

, some

from

out working in my thoughts, whole nights together ; but now
it is otherwise with me. When all are lust about me, and no
eye open, but His who ever awaketh, my thoughts are upon
things past, upon the awful dispensations of the Lord towards
us, upon his wonderful power and might in carrying of us
through so many dilliculties. in returning us in safely, and
Rullering none to hurt us. I remember in the night season
how the other day I was in the midst of thousands of enemies,
and nothing but death before me. It was then hard work lo per-
suade myself that ever 1 should be satisfied with bread again.
But now we are fed with the finest of the wheat, i.nd, as I
may say, with hou(}j out of the rock. Instead of the hifslcs we
liave \.\\ii fat calf. The thoughts of these things in the jiarlic-
ulars of them, and of the love and goodness of God towards
us, make it fue of me, what David said of himself, Psal. 0: 6,
— " / water /hi/ couch ivitk nuj tcars.'^ O the wonderful power
of God that mine e^es have seen, affording matter enough
for my i-. oughts lO rviu in, that when others are sleeping mine
eyes are weeping.

I. have seen the extreme vanity of this world. One hour I
have been in health, and wealth, wanting nothing, but the next
hour in sickness, and wounds, and death, having nothing but
sorrow and afiliction. Before 1 knew what aliliction meant I
was ready sometimes to wish for it. When I lived in pros-
perity, having the comforts of this world about me, my rela-
tions by me, and my heart cheerful, and taking little care for
any thing, and yet seeing many, whom I preferred before my-
self, under many trials and afliictions, in sickness, weakness,
poverty, losses, crosses, and cares of the world, I should be
sometimes jealous lest I should have my portion in this life.
But now 1 sec the Lord had his time lo srourue and chasten
me. The portion of some is to have their atHiclion by drops,
but the ivincof astonhhment, like a sicceping rain that leaceth
no food, ditl tlu; Lord prepare to be my portion. Aliliction I
wanted, and afHidion 1 had, full measure, pressed down and
running over. Yet I see when God calls persons to never so
many ditficullies, yet he is able to carry them through, and
make them say they have been gainers thereby ; and 1 hope I
can say, in some measure, as David, it is good for vie titat I
have been ajjlicled. TIkj Lord hath showed me the vanity of
these outward things, that they are the vanities of vanities and
vexation of spirit ; ihal they are but a shadow, a blast, a bubble,
and things of no continuance. If trouble from smaller matter
begin to rise in me, I have something at hand to check myself
with, and say, " Why am I troubled ?" It was but the other
day that if I had the world I would have given it for my free-

iif

i; i

STOCKWELL'S CAPTIVITY.

dom, or to have been a servant to a Christian. I have learned
to look beyond present and s/naller irouhles. and lo be quieted
under them, as Moses said, Exod. 11: I'J, — " Stand atill aJid
see Ike salvnUo/i of the Loi'd.'^

N A R R A T I \^ E

OF THE CAPTIVITY OF UUINTIN STOCK WELL, WHO WAS TA-
KEN AT DEEIIFIELD, IN MASSACHUSETTS, P.Y A 1'AIIT\' OF
INLAND INDIANS, IN THE YEAR 1077; COMMUNICATED IN
HIS OWN WORDS, AND ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED BY THE
EMINENT DR. INCREASE 3IATHER, IN THE YEAR lt.S4.

A particular account of the irruption in which Stockwell and others fell
into the hands of the Indians will be found in the Book of the Indians,
Book iii, p. i)7 and 98. Out of tn-tnty-JHur at that time kUlcd and taken,
we learn the names only of these ; (iuintin Stockwell, John Root, Serjeant
Plimpton, Benjamin Stebbins, his wife, Benjamin Waite, and Samuel Rus-
sell. Plimpton was burnt in their cruel manner, Root was killed, and
Stebbins escaped. Of the others I have learned nothing.

In the year 1677, September the 19th, between sunset and
dark, the Indians came upon us. I and another man, being
together, we ran away at the outcry the Indians made, shout-
ing and shooting at some others of the English that were hard
by. We took a swamp that was at hand for our refuge ; the
enemy espying us so near them, run after us, and shot many-
guns at us; three guns were discharged upon me, the enemy
being within three rotls of me, besides many others before that.
Being in this swamp, which was miry, I slumped in and fell
down, whereupon one of the enemy stepped to me, with his
hatchet lifted up to knock me on the head, supposing that I had
been wounded and so unfit for any other travel. I, as it hap-
pened, had a pistol by me, which, though uncharged, I presented
to the Indian, who presently stepped back, and told me if I
would yield I should have no hurt ; he said, which was not
true, that they had destroyed all Hatfield, and that the woods
were full of Indians, whereupon I yielded myself, and falling
into their hands, was by three of them led away unto the place
whence first I began to make my flight. Here two other In-
dians came running to us, and the one lifting up the butt end
of his gun, to knock me on the head, the other with his hand
put by the blow, and said I was his friend. I was now by my

ab(

fro

I (I

I i

tli(

no;

nov

br.

bro

het

see

pii

and

our

the

STOCKWELL'S CAPTIVITY.

lonrncd
till ami

k^AS TA-
IT\' OF
TED IN
5V THE

•4.

thcrs fell
Indians,
u'l taken,
Sergeant
luel Rus-
illed, and

iset and
being
shout-
re hard
the
many
enemy
re that,
nd fell
ith his
t I had
it hap-
sented
■no if I
vas not
woods
falling
e place
her In-
Litt end
s hand
by my

own house, which the Iiuliaiis burnt the last year, and I was
about to build up ng"ain ; and there I had some hopes to escape
from tliem. There was a horse just by, which they bid m'^ take.
I (lid so, but made no allompl to escape tlu^reby, because the
enemy was near, and the beast was slow and dull. Then was
I in hopes ihey would send me to take my own hnrse.s, which
they did ; but they were so frightened that I could not come
near to them, and so i'ell >-till inio the enemy's hamls. They
now took and bound me and led me away, and soon was 1
brought into the company of other captives, who were that day
brought away from llaUield, who were about a mile otf; and
here methought was matter of joy and sorrow both: joy to
see compnnv, and sorrow for our condition. Then were we
pinioned and led away in the night over the mountains, in dark
and hideous way^i about four miles further, before we took up
our place for rest, which was in a dismal place of wood, on
the east side of that mountain. We were kept bound all that
night. The Indians kept wakino-, and we had little mind to
sleep in this night's travel. The Indians dispersed, and as they
w'ent made strange noises, as of wolves and owls, and other
wild beasts, to the end that they might not lose one another,
and if followed they might not be discovered by the English.

About the break of day we marched again, ami got over that
great river at Pecomptuclc [Deerfield] river irmutli, und there
rested about two hours. Here the Indians marked out upon
trees the number of their captives and slain, as tlnur manner
is. Now was I again in great danger, a ([uarrel having arose
about me, whose captive I was ; for three took me. I thought
I must be killed to end the controversy, so when they put it to
mc, whose I was, I said three Indians took' me ; so they agreed
to have all a share in me. I had now three masters, and lie
was my chief master who laid hands on me lirst ; and thus
was I fallen into the hands of the wor>t of all the company, as
AsHPRLOx, the Indian captain, told me ; which captain was all
along very kind to me, and a great comfort to the English.
In this place they gave us some victuals, which they had brought
from the English. This morning also they sent ten men forth
to the town [of Deerfield] to bring away Avhat they could find.
Some provision, some corn out of the meadow, they brought to
us on horses, which they had there taken.

From hence we went up about the falls, where we crossed
that river again ; and whilst I was going, I fell right down lame
of my old womids, which I had in the war, and whilst I was
thinking I should therefore be killed by the Indians, and what
death I should die, my pain was smidenly gone, and I was
much encouraged again. We had about eleven horses in that

1,1

STOCKWELL'S CAPTIVITY.

f\ v

company, which the Indians n^cd to convey burthens, and to
tarry women. It was afternoon when we now crossed that
river. We traveUod up it till niglit, and then took up our
lodirinf,'' in a dismal phice, and were staked down, and spread
out on our backs ; and so we hiy all niii^ht, yea, so we lay
many nif.'-hts. They told me their law was that we should lie
so nine nights, and by that time it was thoui,''ht we should bo
out of our knowledge. The manner of staking down wa.s
thus: our arms and legs, stretched out, were staked fast down,
anrl a cord about our necks, so that we could stir noways.
The first night of staking down, being much tired, I slept as
comfortable as ever. The next day we went up the river, and
crossed it, and at night lay in Squakheag [Northtield] meadows.
Our provision was soon spent, and while we lay in those mea-
dows the Indians went a hunting, and the English army came
out after us. Then the Indians moved again, dividing them-
selves and the captives into many companies, that the English
mijrht not follow their tracks. At night, having crossed the
river, we met again at the place appointed. The next day we
crossed it again on Squakheag side, and there we took up our
quarters for a long time. I suppose this might be about thirty
miles above Squakheag; and here were the Indians quite out
of all fear of the English, but in great fear of the Mohawks.
Here they built a long wigwam, and had a great dance, as they
call it, and concluded to burn three of us, and had got bark to
do it with, and, as I understood afterwards, I was one that was
to be burnt, sergeant Plimpton another, and Benjamin Waite's
wife the third. Though I knew not which was to be burnt,
yet I perceived some were designed thereunto ; so much I un-
derstood of their language. That night I could not sleep for
fear of next day's work ; the Indians, being w^eary with the
dance, lay down to sleep, and slept soundly. The English
were all loose ; then I went out and brought in wood, and
mended the fire, and made a noise on purpose, but none awak-
ed. I thought if any of the English would awake, we might
kill them all sleeping. I removed out of the way all the guns
and hatchets, but my heart failing me, I put all things where
they wp J again. The next day, when we were to be burnt,
our master and some others spoke for us, and the evil was pre-
vented in this place. Hereabouts we lay three weeks together.
Here I had a shirt brought to me to make, and one Indian said
it should be made this way, a second another way, a third his
way. I told them I would make it that way my chief master
said ; whereupon one Indian struck me on the face with his
fist. I suddenly rose up in anger, ready to strike again ; upon
this happened a great hubbub, and the Indians and English

STOCKWELL'S CAI'TIVITY.

guns

►

came about mo. I was fain to humble myself to my master,
so that matter was put up. Before I came to this place, my
three masters were gone a hunting; I was left with another
Indian, all the company being upon a march ; I was k'l't with
this Indian, wlio fell sick, so that 1 was fain to carry his gun
and hatchet, and had opportunity, and had thought to have
dispatched liiin and run away ; but did not, for tbat the English
captives had promised the contrary to one another ; b(>cuuse, if
one should run away, that wou'd provoke the liulians, and
endanger the rest that could not run away.

Whilst we were here, Benjamin Siebbins, going with some
Indians to Wachuset Hills, made his escape IVom them, ar)d
\vhen the news of his escape came we v/ere all presently called
in and bouiul ; one of the Indians, a captain among tiiern,
and always our great friend, met me coming in, and told me
Stebbins was run away ; and the Indians spake of bnrning
us; some, of only burning and biting oil" our lingers, by and
by. He said there would be a court, and ;ill would speak their
minds, but he would speak last, and would say, that the Intlian
who let Stebbins run away was only in fault, and so no hurt
.should be done us, and added, " fear not ;'' so it proved accor-
dingly. Whilst we lingered hereabout, provision grew scnrce ;
one bear's foot must serve five of us a whole day. We began
to eat horse-flesh, and eat up seven in all ; three were left alive,
and not killed. After we had been b.cre, some of the Indians
had been down, and fallen upon Hadley, and were taken by
the English, agreed with and let go again. They were to meet
the English upon such a plain, there to make further terms.
AsiiPALON was much for it, but Wachuset sachems, when they
came, were much against it, and were for this : that we should
meet the English, indeed, but there fall upon them and fight
them, and take them. Then Asiipelon spake to us English,
not to speak a word more to further that matter, for mischief
would come of it. When those Indians came from Wachuset
there came with them squaws and children, about four-score,
who reported that the English had taken Uncas, and all his
men, and sent them beyond seas. They were much enraged
at this, and asked us if it were true ; we said no. Then was
AsHPALON angry, and said he would no more believe English-
men. They examined us everyone apart, and then they dealt
worse with us for a season than before. Still provision was
scarce. We came at length to a place called Squaw-Maug river ;
there we hoped for salmon ; but we came too late. This place
I account to be above two hundred miles above Deerfield. We
now parted into two companies ; some went one way, and some
went another way ; and we went over a mighty mountain, it

STOCKWELL'S CArTIVITY.

''i

■ It

IV T

takiriGf lis riq"ht days to frn over it, nnd travollod very hard too,
haviiiqf every day either snow or rain. We iiotiMl that on this
mountain all the water run noribw >d. Here also we wanted
provision ; hut at Icnijlh we met ngi '" on i\u) other side of" the
mountain, vi/. on the north siile, ai ' river that runs into the
lake; and We were; then iialf'a day's lournev ("ll' the lake.

We staid here a ijreat wliile, to make canoes to i;o over the
lake. Here 1 was frozen, and ayain we were like to starve.
All the Indians went a huntinjr, but could i^^et nothing-: divers
days they powwowed, and yet t^ot nothin^r; then they desired
the Entrlisli to pray, and conl'essetl th(>y could do nothiiiL'' ; they
would have us pray, and see what the Englishman's God could
do. I prayed, so did sergeant Plimpton, in another place.
Thvj Indians reverently attended, morniiijT and niij^ht. Next
day they l^ot hears ; then they would needs have us desire a
blessing, and return thaidvs at meals ; after a while they grew
weary of it, and the .sachem did forbid us. When I was fro-
zen, they were very cruel towards me, because I could not do
as at other times. When we came to the lake we were agnln
sadly put to it for provision. We were fain to eat touchwood
fried in bear's grease. At last we found a company of raccoons,
and then we made a feast; and the manner was that we must
eat all. I perceived there would be too much for one time, so
one Indian who sat next to me bid me slip away some to him
under his coat, and he would hide it for me till another time.
This Indian, as soon as he had got my meat, stood np and
made a speech to the rest, and discovered mo ; so that the In-
dians were very angry and cut me another piece, and gave me
raccoon grease to driid\, which made me sick and vomit. I
fold them I had enough ; so ever after that they would give
me none, but still teil me I had raccoon enough. So I suffer-
ed much, and being frozen, was full of pain, and could sleep
but a little, yet must do my work. When they went upon the
lake, and as they came to it, they lit of a moose and killed it,
and staid there till they had eaten it all np.

After entering npon the lake, ♦here arose a great storm, and
we thought we should all be cast away, but at last we got to
an island, and there they went to powwowing. The powwow
said that Benjamin Waite and another man was coming, and
that storm was raised to cast them away. This afterward ap-
peared to be true, though then I believed them not. Upon this
island we lay still several days, and then set out again, oUt a
storm took us, so that we lay to and frn, upon certain islands,
about three weeks. We had no provision but raccoons, so that
the Indians themselves thought they should be starved. They
gave me nothing, so that I was sundry days without any pro-

STOCKWELLS CAPTIVITY.

p and

:ie lu-

vo me

it. I

i ffivc

ultbr-

sleep

on the

ed it,

vision. Wc went on upon the hike, upon that isle, nhout a
day's journey. We had a little sled upon which we drew our
load. Hulore noon, I tired, and jui^l ilion the Indians met with
some Fr(Miohnien ; then one of the Indians that tdok me caiTio
to me and called me all manner of had lunnes, and threw mc
down upon my hack. I told him 1 could not ilo any more ; then
ho said he mui<t kill mc. I thought he was about to do it,
for ho pulled out his knife atid cut out my pockets, and wrap-
ped theiii al)out my lace, helped me up, and UuAi my sled and
went away, giving me a bit of biscuit, as big as a walnut,
which he had of the Frenchman, anil told mo he would give
me a pipe of tobacco. When my sled was gone, I could run
after him, but at last I could not run, but went a foot-pace.
The Indians were soon out of sight. 1 followed as well as I
could, and had many falls upon the ice.

At last, I was so spent, I had not strength enough to rise
again, but I crept to a tree that lay along, and got upon it,
and there I lay. It was now night, and very sharp weather :
I counted no other but that I must die here. Whilst I was
thinking of death, an Indian hallooed, and I answered him ;
he came to me, and called me bad names, and told me if I
could not go he must knock me on the head. I told him he
must then do so ; he saw how I had wallowed in the snow,
but could not rise ; then he took his coat and wrapt me in it,
and went back and sent two Indians with a sled. One said
he must knock me on the head, the other said no, they would
carry me away and burn me. Then they bid me stir my in-
step, to see if that were frozen ; I did so. When they saw
that, they said that was Wukregen.*^ There was a chirur-
gcon among the French, they said, that could cure me ; then
they took me upon a sled, and carried me to the fire, and made
much of me ; pulled oft' my wet and wrapped me in dry
clothes, and made me a good bed. They had killed an otter,
and gave me some of the broth made of it, and a bit of the
flesh. Here I slept till towards day, and then was able to gel
up and put on my clothes. One of the Indians awaked, and
seeing me walk, shouted, as rejoicing at it. As soon as it was
light, I and Samuel Russell went before on the ice, upon a river.
They said I must go where I could on foot, else I should
freeze. Samuel Russell slipt into the river with one foot ; the
Indians called him back, and dried his stockings, and then sent
us away, and an Indian with us to pilot us. We went four or
five miles before they overtook us. I was then pretty well
spent. Samuel Russell vvas, he said, faint, and wondered how I

* See Book of the Indians, B. ii. 85.
6*

1 1

STOCKVVKLL'S CAPTIVITY.

could livo, for }ii! hud, he said, trii mcnls to my one. Thru
I was laid ow tin- sled, and they ran away with me on the ice;
the rest and Saninid Kn.-sdl canio softly after. Samuel K'n-xdl
] never saw more, nor know 1 what heeame of him. They
got but half way, and we ufol throuL'h lo Shand)Ie<! al)out mid-
night. Six miles olF SInunhlec, (a Fremdi town,) the river was
0{)en, and when 1 ( ame to travel in that part of the ice, I soon
tired; and two Indians ran away to town, and one only was
left; he would carry me a few rods, and then I would ^-o
as many, and then a trade wc drove, and so wore lon'^"- in
p^oinijf the six miles. This Indian was now Kind, and fold uk!
that if lie did m)t carry me 1 would die, and so I should have
done, sure enou£,d» ; and he said I must tell the Imil'^HsIi how
he helped me. When we came to the Jirst house, there was
no itdiahitant. Tin? Indian was also s))enl,an(l both were dis-
coura<^ed ; he said we must now die toi^ether. At last lie left
me alone, and pfot to atiolher house, and thence came some
French and Indians, and brought me in. The French were
kind, and put my hands and leet in cold water, arul ji^ave me
a dram of brandy, and a little hasty pudding- and milk- ; when
I lasted victuals I was hunc^ry, ami could not have forborne it,
but I could not get it. Now and then they would give me a
little, as they thought best for me. 1 laid by the fire with the
Indian that night, hui could not sleep for pain. Next morn-
ing the Indians and French fell out about me, because the
French, as the Indians said, loved the English better than the
Indians. The French presently turned the Indians out of
doors, and kept me.

They were very kind and careful, and gave me a little
something now aiul then. While I was here all the men in
that town came to see me. At this house I was three or four
days, and then invited to another, and after that to another.
In this place I was about thirteen days, and received miich
civility from a young man, a bachelor, who invited me to his
house, with whom I was for the most part of the time. He
was so kind as to lodge me in the bed with himself, gave me a
shirt, and would have bought me, but could not, as the Indians
asked one hundred pounds for me. We were then to go to a
place called Sorel, and that young man would go with me, be-
cause the Indians should not hurt me. This man carried me
on the ice one day's journey, for I could not now go at all. and
there was so much water on the ice we could co no further.
So the Frenchman left me, and provision for me. Here we
staid two nights, and then travelled again, for now the ice was
strongj and in two days more we came to Sorel. When we
got to the first house, it was late in the night ; and here again

^v--"

STOCKWKLL'S CAPTIVITV.

little
en in
- four
other,
tnurli
to his
He
me a
(lians
o to a
e, be-
■ed mo
I. and
rther.
re we
e was
n we
again

the people were Kind. Nrxl day. heinLT in niiicli p.iin, I nskcd
the Indians to carry nie to the idiiruriji'eons, as tlii'v li.id |)roniised,
nt whifh ill y wt-ri' urotli, and one oC tin in look iiji his crntj
to lvno<"k rni', hut the l"'renrlun:nj would not suIIJt it, hut set
upon him aiul kiidved him out (d doors. Then we went tiway
from ilicncc, to a place two or three miles oil", where the
Indian.- hud wiifwams. Wln'ti I onme lo these wiufwanis some
of \\\i' Indians knew me, and seemed to pity me.

W'liilc I was here, which w.is three or four dnys, the French
came to see me ; and ii heinu'" Chri>tmas time, they hrou;^ht
cakes and other provisions with them and c^ave tt) me, so that
I had no want. The Indians trieil to cure me, hut could iH)t.
Then I asked for the (diiruri^n'on, at which one of tin- Indians
in ant^n-r strut k nu; on the face with his list. A FreiKdnnan
beiiiLT hy, spoke to him, but I knew not what he said, and then
went his way. By and by came the captain of the place into
th(! wiu:wain, with about twfdve armed men, and asked where
th(^ Indian was that struck the l^iejlishman. They look him
and tolil hiia he should go to the liilhoes, and theti be hanged.
The Indians were much terrified at this, as appeared by their
countenances and trembling. I would have gone too, but the
Fr(ni(diinan bid mo not fear ; tliat the Indians durst not hurt me.
WluMi that Indian was gone, I had two masters still. 1 asked
them to carry mo to that captain, that I might speak for the
Indian. They answered, " Y^oii are a fool. Do you thirdc the
French are like the English, to say one thing and do another?
They are men of their words." I prevailed with them, how-
ever, to help me thither, and I spoke to the captain by an
interpreter, and told him I desired hiin to set the Indian free,
and told him what he hail done for me. H(> told mo he was a
rogue, arid should be hanged. Then I spoke more privately,
alleging this reason, that because all the English captives
were not come in, if he were hanged, it might fare the worse
with them. The captain said " that was to be considered."
Then he set him at liberty upon this condition, that he should
never strike me more, and every day bring me to h.is house to
eat victmils. I perceived that the common people did not like
what the Indians had done and did to the English. When
ihe Indian was set free, he came to me, and took me about the
middle, and said I was his brother; that I had saved his life
once, and he had saved mine thrice. Then he called for
brandy and made me drink, and had me away to the wigwams
again. Wi^en I catne there, the Indians came to me one by
one, to shake hands with me, saying AVltrregen Netop,* and

* Friend, it is well. — Ed.

f it

SARAH GERISH'S CAPTIVITY.

[ ^

were very kind, thinking no other but that I had saved the
Indi.'ir's life.

The ric>:« day he carried me to that captain's house, and
set me down,^ 'J'hey gave me my victuals and wine, and
being left there a while by the Indians, I showed the captain
my fingers, which when he and his wife saw they ran away
from the sight, and bid me lap it up again, and sent for the
chirurgeon ; who, when he cam'', "-nid he could cure me, and
took it in hand, and dressed it. The Indians towards night
came for me ; I told them I could not go with them. They
were displeased, called me rogue, and went away. That
night I was full of pain ; the French feared that I would die ;
fi/e men did watch with me, and strove to keep me cheerly,
for I was sometimes ready to faint. Oftentimes they gave me
a little brandy. The next day the chirurgeon came again,
and dressed me ; and so he did all the while I was among the
French. I came in at Christmas, and went thence May 2d.

Being thus in the captain's house, I was kept there till
Benjamin Waite came ; and now my Indian master, being in
want of money, pawned me to the captain for fourteen bea-
vers' skins, or the worth of them, at such a day ; if he did not
pay he must lose his pawn, or else sell me for tw^'iiy-one bea-
vers, but he could not get beaver, and so I was sold. By being
thus sold, adds Dr. Mather, he was in lod's good time set at
liberty, and returned to his friends in Mew England again.

NARRATIVE

OP THE CAI'TTVITY AND SUFFERINGS OF MISS SARAH GER-
ISH, WHO WAS TAKEN AT THE SACKING OF DOVER, IN
THE YEAR 1689, BY THE INDIANS; AS COMMUNICATED TO
THE REVEREND DR. COTTON MATHER, BY THE REV 'REND
JOHN PIKE, MINISTER OP DOVER.

Sarah Gerish, daughter of Capt. John Gerish, of Quo-
checho or Cocheco, was a very beautiful and ingenious damsel,
about seven years of age, and happened to be lodging at the
garrison of Major Waldron, her afToctiouD.e grandfather, when
the Indians brought that horrible destr) .ction upon it, un the

* His feet were so badly frozen that he bjid not walked for a conside-
rable lime. — Ed.

SARAH GERISH'S CAPTIVITY.

the

iside*

night of the 27ih of Juno, IGSJ). She wa>; always very fear-
ful of ihe Indians ; but, fear may we tliiiik now surprised her,
when they liercely bid iier <jo into a cerlain I'hainljer and call
the p' 'ij)lt> out I She obeyed, but findinLT only a little child in
bed in th»' room, she cot into the bed with it, and bid herself
in the clothes as well as slio could. 'J'he f(dl savages quickly
pulled lior out, and made her dress tor a march, but Jed her
away with no more than one siociviu'^' upon her, on a terrible
march throu<jh the thick woods, and a thousand other miseiies,
till they canic to the Norway I'ianes.* From thence tbey
made her >jo to the end of Winn i pis ionec Ialv(>, thence east-
ward, through horrid swamps, where sometimes they were
obliLjed to scramble over hutre trees fallen l>y stcu'ni or ai!C, for
a vast way lo'j^elher, and sometimes they must climb up long,
.steep, tiresome, atid almost inaccessible mountains.

Her first master was an Indian namiul Sebundowit, a dull
sort of fellow, and not s\u'h a devil as many of them were,
but he sold her to a fellow who Avas a more harsh and mad
sort of a dragon. He carried her away to Canada.

A long and sad journey now ensued, throuL'h the midst of a
hideous desert, in the depth of a dreadful winter; and who
can enumerate the frii^hts she endured before the end of her
journey ? Once her master commanded he' to loosen some of
her upper garments, and stand against a tree while he charged
liis liun ; whereat the poor child shrieked out, " He is going to
kill me !" God knows what he vas going to do ; but the villian
having charged his gun, he called her from the tree and for-
bore doing her any damage. Upon another time her master
ord(>red her to run alom;- the shore witli some Indian girls,
while he paddled u\) the river in his canoe. As the girls were
passing a precipice, a tawny wench violently pushed her head-
long into the river, but so it fell out that in this very place of
her fall the bushes from the shore hung over the water, so
that she was enabled to o-oi hold of them, and thus saved her-
self. The Indians asked her how she became so wet, but she
did not dare to tell them, from fear of the resentment of her
that had so nearly deprived her of life already. Ami here it
may b" remarked, that it is almost universally true, that young
Indians, both male and female, are as much to be dreaded by
captives as those of maturer years, and in many cases much
more so; for, uidike cultivated people, they have no restraints
npon their mischievous and savage propensities, which they
imlulge in ciMeltif,- surpassing any examples here related.
They often vie with each other in attempting excessive acts of
torture,

* These planes are in tho present town of Rochester, IV. H. — tuitor.

SARAH GERISH'S CAPTIVITY.

Once, being spent with travelling all day, and lying down
wet and exhausted at night, she fell into so ])rof()und a sleep
that in the morning she waked not. Her barbarous captors
decamped from the place of their night's rest, leaving this little
captive girl asleep and covered with a snow that in the night
had fallen ; but, at length awaking, what agonies may you
imagine she was in, on findinq- herself left a pre. for bears and
wolves, and without any sustenance, in a howling wilJcrness,
many scores of leagues from any plantation ! In this dismal
situation, how^cver, she had fortitude sullicient to attempt to
follow them. And here again, the snow which had been lier
covering upon the cold ground, to her great discomfort, was
now her only hope, for she could just discern by it the trace
of the Indians ! How long it was before she overtook them
is not told us, but she joined them and contiinied her captivity.

Now the young Indians began to terrify her by constantly
reminding lier that she was shortly to be roasted to death.
One evening much fuel was prepared l)etwecn two logs, which
they told her Avas for her torture. A mighty fire being made,
her master called her to him, and told her that she should
presently be burnt alive. At first she stood amazed ; then
burst into tears ; and then she liung about her tiger of a master,
begging of him, with an inexpressible anguish, to save her
from the fire. Hereupon the monster so far relented as to tell
her " that if she would be a good girl she should not be burnt."

At last they arrived at Canada, and she was carried into
the Lord Intendant's house, where many persons of qv.ality
took much notice of her. It Avas a week after this that she
remained in the Indian's hands before the price of her ransom
could be agreed upon. But then the lady intendant sent her
to the rmnnery, where she was comfortal)ly provided for ; and
it was the design, as was said, for to have brought her up in
the Romish religion, and then to have married her unto the
son of the Lord Intendant.

She was kindly used there until Sir William Phips, lying
before Quebec, did, upon exchange of prisoners, obtain her lib-
erty. After sixteen months' captivity she was restored unto
her friends, who had the consolation of having this their desir-
able dauirhter again with them, returned as it were from the
dead. But this dear child was not to cheer her parents' path
for a long period; for on arriving at her sixteenth year, July,
1697, death carried her oil' by a malignant fever.

th(

ELIZABETH HEARD'S CAPTIVITY.

NARRATIVE

i- lib-
unto
nlesi I'-
ll the
[ path
luly,

OF THE RF.:\IARKAP.T.E ESCAPE OF WIDOW ELIZABETH HEARD.
ALSO TAKJ:\ at THI: destruction of I\iA.JOR WALDRON'S
GARRISON IN DOVER, AS COMMUNICATED TO DOCTOR COT-
TON MATHER, I3V THE REV. JOHN PIKE, MLNISTER OF THE
PLACE.

Mrs. Elizabeth Heard was a widow of pfood estate, a mother
of many chiklreti, and a daughter of Mr. Hull, a reverend
minister formerly living at Pascala([ua, but at this time lived
at Quochecho, tiie Indian name of Dover. Happening to be
at Portsmouth on the day before Quochecho was cut off, she
returned thither in the night with one daughter and three sons,
all masters of families. When they came near Quochecho
they were astonished with a prodigious noise of Indians, howl-
ing, shooting, shouting, and roaring, according to their manner
in making an assault.

Their distress for their families carried them still further
up th'_ river, till they secretly and silently passed by some
immbers of the raging savages. They landed about an hun-
dred rods from Major Waldron's garrison, and running up
the hill, they saw many lights in the windows of the garrison,
which they concluded the English within had set up for the
direction of those who might seek a refuge there. Coming
to the gate, they desired entrance, which not being readily
granted, they called earnestly, bounced, knocked, and cried
out to those within of their unkindness, that they would not
open the gate to them in tliis extremity.

No answer being yet made, they began to doubt whether all
was well. One of the young men then clindjing up the wall,
saw a horrible tawny in the entry, with a gun in his hand. A
grievous consternation seized now upon tiK'm,and j\Irs. Heard,
sitting down without the gate, through despair and faintness,
was unable to stir any further: but had strength only to
charge her children to shift for themselves, which she did in
broken accents ; adding also that she must unavoidably there
end her days.

Her children, finding it impossible to carry her with them,
Avith heavy hearts forsook her. Immediately after, however,
she beginning to recover from her fright, was able to fly, and
hide herself in a bunch of barberry bushes, in the garden ; and

ELTZj\BETH IIEA'^D'S CAniVITY.

fro

bcc

thon liastorii

she slu'llcred herscH', tlioiifrh seen liy l^V() ol' the Indians, in a
tliii'ket of other bu^-hcs, ahovit tliiriy rods tVoni the iioiise.
She had not been h)ni,>- here before an Indian came Inwards
her, with a pistol in liis hand. The fellow canio np to her
and stared her in tlu' fai'", bnt s;iid noihin'::^ to Iwr, nor she to
him. He went a little way back-, and came aL''ain, and stared
upon her as befor<', but said nothing; wherenpoii ^he asked
him what lie wonld have. He still said nothing:", but went
away to the house, whoopimr, and returned unto her no more.

Being thus unaccountably pr<>servod, she niadt' several
essays to pass the river, but found herself unalde to do it, and
finding all places on thai side of th(> river filled with blood
and fire, and hideous outcries, she thereupon returned to her
old bush, and there poured out her ardeiil prayers to God for
help in tliis distress.

She continued in this bush until the garrison was burnt,
and the enemy had gone, and then she stole along by the river
side, until she came to a boom, on wiiich she passed over.
Many sad effects of cruelty she saw left by the Indians in her
way. She soon after safely arrived at Captain Gerish's gar-
rison, where she found a refuge from The storm. Here she
also had the satisfaction to understand that her own garrison,
though one of the first that was assaulted, had been bravely
vicfended, and successfully maintained against the adversary.

This gentlewoman's garrison was on the most extreme fron-
tier of the province, and more obnoxious than any other, and
therefore more incapable of being reli-'ved. Nevertheless, by
her presence and courage, it held out all the war, even for ten
years together ; and the persons in it have enjoyed very emi-
nent preservations. It would have been deserted, if she liad
accepted oilers that were made her by her friends, to ahandon
it, and retire to Porlsmouth among them, which would have
been a damage to the town and land; but by h(>r enconrage-
ment this post was thus kept U(\ and she is yet [1702] living
in much esteem amomi' her neighbors.

Note 1. — IMus, ITeakd was ihe wIiIdw of a INIr. Jolni Heard. Slie had
fi\c sons. ]}enjainni. Jolm, Josepli, Samnol and Tristrnni, and an equal
lunnlier of daujzliters. Tlie lasl-named son was waylaid and killed bj'
the Indiana in the year ITJ!). — IMS. Ciuio.nu i.ks or tui; I.ndians.

NoTF, 2. — It will doubtless seem surprisiuii; to the reader that Mrs. Heard
should be sull'ered to escape captivity, when she was d.,>eovered by a
f^rim warrior, who, without doubt, was seekinj? for some white inhab-
itant, on whom to wreak his ven^'eance. The facts seem to be tliese ;
Thirteen years before, namely, in lt')7fi, when the four hnndred Indians
were surprised in Dover, (in a manner not at all doubtful as it respects

ranccd,
IS, in a
iioiiso.
owards-
) to her
■ .'^lie to
I stared
e asked
It went

more,
several

1 it, and
1 blood
1 to her
God for

^ burnt,
he river
d over.
s in her
h's gar-
ere she
Tirrison,
bravely
rsary.
le fron-
er, and
ess, by
lor ten
y enii-
le l)ad
an don

I r)t

have

oiirai^e-
living'

Sl)o had
an cqiinl
<ilk'(i by
\s.

s. Hoard

M'i'd by a

iiihab-

le those :

[iidians

rospects

CAPTIVITY OF JOHN GYLES.

the character of their captors.) this sanio ^Irs Hoard soorotod a young
Indian in hor hmiso, by wiiicli moans be osoapod that calaniiliins day.
The reador of Indian liislory will not, now, 1 prosunio. harluir surprise
at the conduct of the warrior. Vnr the pariiiuiars of iho event oou-
nected with this narrative, see The: Book of THii Inpia.ns, Book in.
Chap, viii — Ed.

M E M O I R S

OF ODD ADVENTURES, STR.\NGE DEETVERANCES, ETC.. IN THE
CAPTIVITY OF JOHN UVEE*, ESQ., COMMANDER OF THE
GARRISON ON ST. GEORGE RIVEU, IN THF, DISTRICT OF
MAINE WRITTEN BV HLMSIXF. ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED
AT BOSTON, 1736.

Introduction. — These ^livate memoirs were collected from
my minutes, at the earnest request of my second consort, for
the use of our family, that we might have a memento ever
ready at hand, to excite in ourselves gratitude and thankfulness
to God; and in our offspring a due sense of their dependence
on the Sovereign of the universe, from the precariousness attd
vicissitudes of all sublunary enjoyments. In this state, and for
this end, they have laid by me for some years. They at length
falling into .'.e hands of some, for whose jtidgment 1 had a
value, I was pressed fur a copy for the public. Others, desir-
ing of me to e.vtract particulars from them, which the iimlli-
plicity and urgency of my aflairs wouKl not admit, I have now
determined to suli'er their publication. I have not made scarce
any addition to this manual, except in the chapter oi creatures,
which I was urged to make much laro'er. I iniirht havr* great-
ly enlarged it, but I feared it would grow beyond its proportion.
I have been likewise advised to give a particular account of
my father, which I am not very fond of, havino- no dependence
on the virtiu:'s or honors of my ancestors to recommend me to
the favor of God or men ; nevertheless, because some think it
is a respect due to the memory of my parents, whose name I
was obliged to mention in the following story, and a satisfaction
which their posterity tuight justly expect from me, I shall give
some account of him, thoutj^h as brief as possible.

The flourishing state of New England, before the unhappy
eastern wars, dr^w my father hither, whose first settlement was
onKennebeck river, at a place called Merrymeeting Bay, where
he dwelt for some years ; until, on the death of my grand pa-

CAPTIVITY OF JOHN GYLES.

rents, he, with his family, returned to Eni^laiid, to settle his
affairs. This done, he came over with the design to have re-
turned to his fiirni ; but on his arrival at Boston, the eastern
Indians had begun their hostilities. He tlierefore begun a
settlement on Long Island. The air of that place not so well
agreeing with his constitution, and the Indians having become
peaceable, he again proposed to resettle his lands in Merrymeet-
ing Bay; but finding that place deserted, and that plantations
were going on at Pemmaquid, he purchased several tracts of
land of the inhabitants there. Upon his highness the duke of
York resuming a claim to those parts, my father took out patents
under that claim ; and when Pemmaquid was set off by the
name of the county of Cornwall, in the province of New York,
he was commissioned chief justice of the same by Gov. Duncan
[Dongan.] * He was a strict Sabbatarian, and met with con-
siderable difficulty in the discharge of his office, from the
immoralities of a people who had long lived lawless. He laid
out no inconsiderable income, which he had annually from
England, on the place, and at last lost his life there, as will
hereafter be related.

I am not insensible of the truth of an assertion of Sir Roger
L'Estrange, that " Books and dishes have this common fate :
no one of either ever pleased all tastes." And I am fully of
his opinion in this : " It is as little to be wished for as ex-
pected ; for a universal applause is, at least, two thirds of a
scandal." To conclude with Sir Roger, " Though I made this
composition principally for my family, yet, if any man has a
mind to take part with me, he has free leave, and is welcome ;"
but let him carry this consideration along with him, " that he
is a very unmannerly guest who forces himself upon another
man's table, and then quarrels with his dinner."

Chapter I. — Containing the occurrences of the first year.
On the second day of August, 1689, in the morning, my hon-
ored father, Thomas Gyles, Esq., went with some laborers, my
two elder brothers and myself, to one of his farms, which laid
upon the river about three miles above fort Charles,! adjoining
Pemmaquid falls, there to gather in his English harvest, and
we labored securely till noon. After we had dined, our people

* He had been appointed governor of New York 30 Sept. 1682. — Ed.

j Fort Charles stood on the spot where fort Frederick was, not long
since, founded by Colonel Dunbar. The township adjoining thereto was
called Jamestown, in honor to the duke of York. In ihis town, within a
quarter of a mile of the fort, was my father's dwelling-house, from which
he went out that unhappy morning.

(

^"^

CAPTIVITY OF JOHN GYLES.

went to their labor, some in one fieUl to their English hay, the
others to another lioKi of English corn. My father, the yonng-
est of my two brother.s, and myself, tarried near the farm-iiouse
in which we had dined till about one of the clock ; at which
time we heard tlie report of several great guns at the fort.
Upon which my father said he hoped it was a signal of good
news, and that the great council had sent back the soldiers, to
cover the inhabitants ; (for on report of the revolution they had
deserted.) But to our great surprise, about thirty or forty In-
dians,"^ at that n)omcnt, discharged a volley of shot at ns, from
behind a rising ground, near our barn. The yelling of the
Indians,! the whistling of their shot, and the voice of my father,
whom I heard cry out, " What now ! what now ! " so terrified
me, (though ho seemed to be handling a gun,) that I endeavor-
ed to make my escape. My brother ran one way and I another,
and looking over my shoulder, I saw a stout fellow, painted,
pursuing me with a gun, and a cutlass glittering in his hand,
which I expected every moment in my brains. I soon fell
down, and the Indian seized me by the left hand. He offered
me no abuse, but tied my arms, then lifted me up, and pointed
to the place where the people were at work about the hay, and
led mo that way. As we went, we crossed where my father
was, who looked very pale and bloody, and walked very slowly.
When we came to the place, I saw two men shot down on the
flats, and one or two more knocked on their heads with hatch-
ets, crying out, " O Lord," &c. There the Indians brought
two captives, one a man, and my brother James, who, with me,
had endeavored to escape by running from the house, when we
were first attacked. This brother was about fourteen years of
age. My oldest brother, whose name was Thomas, wonder-
fully escaped by land to the Barbican, a point of land on the
west side of the river, opposite the fort, where several fishing
vessels lay. He got on board one of them and sailed that
night.

After doing what mischief they could, they sat down, and
made us sit with them. After some time we arose, and the
Indians pointed for us to go eastward. We marched about a
quarter of a mile, and then made a halt. Here they brought
my father to us. They made proposals to him, by old Moxus,
who told him that those were strange Indians who shot him,

* The whole company of Indians, according to Charlevoix, was one
hundred. — Ed.

fThe Indians have a custom of uttering a most horrid howl when they
discharge guns, designing thereby to terrify those whom they fight
against.

^'^•^

III

C/PTIVITY OF JOHN GYLES.

and that he was sorry for it. My father ropliod that he was

a (Ivinir man, and wan

itf'd

no lavor ol

icin

but I

()

tis (

hil

'Iron.

IKS hlMllir UTUIl

ted 1

uni, lie roeonnnen(

pray
led

ns to

the protection and blessiiin- of Gud Ahnijjhty ; then p-ave us
the 'jcst advice, and took his leave for this life, hopiiitf in God
that we should meet in a better. He parted with a cheerful
voice, but looked very pal", by reason of his n-rcal loss of blood,

hid

I in)W yusliec

out of his shoes. The Indians led him
aside I — I heard the blows of the hatchet, but neither shriek
nor ^Toan I I afterwards heard that he had live or seven shot-
holes through his waistcoat or jacket, and that he was covered

some bouyhs

The Indiat b 'ed us, their captives, on the east side of the
river, to' "-s the fort, and when we came within a mile and
a half Oi ..i 1 . and town, and could see the fort, we saw
tiring and .r.oke ii: all sides. Here we made a short stop,
and then moved wiu.iU or near ilie distance of three quarters
of a mile from the fort, into a thick swamp. There I saw my
mother and my two little sisters, and many other captives who
were taken from the town. ^ly mother asked me about my
father. I toUl iior he was killed, but could say no more for
grief. vShe burst into tears, and the Iiidians moved me a littlo
farther ofl', and seized me with cords to a tree.

The Indians came to New Harbor, and sent spies several
days to observe how and where the people were employed,
&c., who found the men were generally at work at noon, and
left about their houses only women and children. Therefore
the Indians divided themselves into several parties, some am-
bushing the way between the fort and the houses, as likewise
between them and the distant fields; and then alarming the
farthest ofT first, they killed and toolc the people, as they
moved towards the town ajul fort, at tlieir pleasure, and very
few escaped to it. INIr. Pateshall was taken and killed, as he
lay with his sloop near the Barbican.

On the first stir about the fort, my youngest brother was at
play near it, and running in, was by God's goodness thus pre-
served. Captain Weems, with great courage and resolution,
defended the weak old fort'^ two days ; when, being much
wounded, and the best of his men killed, he beat for a parley,
which eventuated in these conditions :

1. That they, the Indians, should give him Mr. Pateshall's
sloop. 2. That they should not molest him in carrying off the

* I presume Charlevoix was misinformed about the strength of this place.
He says, '' lis [the Engli.>li] y avoteiit fait an fort bel ctablissement, de-
f6ndu par an fort, ciui n'etoit a la veriie que de pieux, mais assez regulierc-
mcnt construit, avec vingt canons morttes."

JOHN GYLES' CAPTIVITY.

Kill's

the

ilace.
It, de-
liierc-

few people that had ^ot into the fort, and throo captives that
tlipy had taken. 3. That the Kni^lish should carry off in their
hands what they could from the fort.

On these conditions the fort was surrendered, and Captain
Weems went oil"; and soon after, the Indians set on lire the
fort and houses, which made a terrible blast, and was a melan-
choly sit^ht to us poor capt,ves, who were sad sptM'tator.^ !

After the Indians hiid thus laid waste Pemmacjuid, they
moved us to New Harbor, about two miles east of Femmaiiuid,
a cove much frequented by fishermen. At this place, there
were, before the war, about twelve houses. Those the inhab-
itants deserted as soon as the rumor of war reached the place.
When we turned our backs on the town, my heart was ready
to break ! I saw my mother. She spoke to me, biit I could
not answer her. That nig-ht we tarried at New Harbor, and
the next day went in their canoes for P nobscot. About
noon, the canoe in which my mother was, ad hat in which I
was, came side by side ; whether accident;^, y or by my
mother's desire I cannot say. She askea me how I did. I
think I said " pretty well," but my heart was so full of grief I
scarcely knew whether audible to her. T .en she said, " O,
my child ! how joyful and pleasant ii would be, if we were
j[Toing to old Eni^land, to see your un a Chalker, and other
friends there ! Poor babe, we are going into the wilderness,
the Lord knows where !" Then bursting into tears, the canoes

f)arted. That night following, the Indians w^ith their captives
edged on an island.

A few days after, we arrived at Penobscot fort, where I
again saw my mother, my brother and sisters, and many other
captives. I think \ve tarried here eight days. In that time,
the Jesuit of the place had a great mind to buy me. My
Indian master made a visit to the Jesuit, and carried me with
him. And here I will note, that the Indian who takes a cap-
tive is accounted his master, and has a perfect right to him,
until he gives or sells him to another. I saw the Jesuit show
my master pieces of gold, and understood afterwards that he
was tendering them for my ransom. He gave me a biscuit,
which I put into my pocket, and not daring to eat it, buried it
under a log, fearing he had put something into it to make me
love him. Being very young, and having heard much of the
Papists torturing the Protestants, caused me to act thus ; and
I hated the sight of a Jesuit.* When my mother heard the

* It is not to be wondered at that antipathy should be so plainly
exhibited at this time, considering what had been going on in England up
to the latest dates ; but that children should have been taught, that
Catholics had the power of winning over heretics by any mysterious pow
7*

it )

JOHN GYLES' CAPTIVITY.

talk of my boiuiif sold to a Ji-snit, she said to mo, " Oh, my
dear rliild, it' it wore God's will. 1 had rather follow yo\i to
your 'jrave, or never see yo>i mop' in this world, than you
shoiihl he sold to aJesuil ; for a. Jesuit will ruin you. hody and
soul !"* It pleased God to ^rant her recpiest, for she never
saw me mor(> ! Yet she and my two little sisters were, after
several years' captivity, red»'eined,hut she died he fore 1 returned.
My hrother who was taken with me, was, alter several years'
captivity, most harharously tortured to death hy the Indians.

My Indian master carried me up Penohscot river, to a vii-
lai^e called J^ladawainhee, which stands on a point of land
between tiie main river and a branch which heads to the
east of it. At home I had ever seen strauL'^ers treated with
the utmost civility, and ijeincr u ^^tranfrer, I expected some kind
treatment here ; but I soon found myself deceived, for I pres-
ently saw a nund)er of squaws, who had jrot toL'"ether in a
circle, dancinrr and yellinp^. An old (rrim-lookin<j one took
me by the hand, and leading me into the rinij, some seized
me by my hair, and others hy my hands and feet, like so many
furies ; but my master presently laying down a pledg'e, they
released me.

A captive among the Indians is exposed to all manner of
abuses, and to the extremest tortures, utdess their master, or
some of their master's relations, lay down a ransom ; such as
a bag of corn, a blanket, or the like, which redeems them from
their cruelty for that dance. The next day we went uj) that
eastern branch of Penobscot river many leagues ; carried
over land to a large pond, and from one pond to another, till,
in a few days, we went down a river, called Medocktack,
v/hich vents itself into St. John's river. liut before we came
to the mouth of this river, we passed over a long carrying
place, to Medocktack fort, which stands on a bank of St.

ders, or other arts, furnished them by his satanic majesty, is a matter, to
say the least, of no little admiration. — Ed.

* It may not be improper to hear how the Jesuits themselves viewed
these matters. The settlement here was, accordin^^ to the French account,
in their dominions, and the English settlers '' incommoited extremely from
thence all the Indians in the adjacent country, who were the avowed friends
of the French, and causetl the government of Acadia no less inquietude,
who feared with reason theeilect of their intri;iues in detiuhing the Indians
from their alliance. The Indians, who underlook to break up the post
atPemmaquid, were Penobscots, among whom a Jesuit, named M. Thury,
a good laborer in the faith, had a numerous mission. The first atten-
tion before setting out of these brave Christians was to secure aid of the
God of battles, by confessions and the sacrament : and they took care
that their wives and children performed tlie same rites, and raised their
pure hands to heaven, while their fathers and mothers went oui lo battle
against the heretics." See Charlevoix. — Ed.

JOHN GVLES" CAPTIVITY

John's rivf'i'. I\Ty innstrr wont V 'fore tuul left mo with nn
ohi liuliaii, and two or ihit o <([ua\vs. 'Jlic ohi man often said,
(wliirh was all tho Eni:lisli he cnnM ,sj>oak.) "Hy and hy coino
to a <i; oat town and fort." 1 now i oniforlod niy«<olf in think-
inu how liiudv I shonid ho rofri'>^ho(l when 1 canio to this ureal
town.

Aftor sonio milos' travol wo canio in .-iirht of a lar<;e corn-

1 wo

fi(dd, and soon after (d' the fort, to my ^"^roat surprise
or throo scpiaws n>ot us, took oil" my pacdv. and lod me to a
lartro hilt or wiufwam, whoro thirlv or fortv Indians wor(> dan-
cinui' and yidliiiir round live or six poor captives, who had heon
taken some months hoforo from Cimxdioch, at the time Major
Waldron was so harharously hiitcdiorod hy them. And hofore
procoedini'' with my narrative I will irive a short account of
that action.

Major Waldron's pfarrison was taken on tiie ni<rht of the
27th of Juno, 1(J89.* 1 have heard the liulians say at a feast
that as there wa.-^ a truce for some days, they contrived to send
in two sfpiaws to take rmtice of li.e nnmhors, lodjrini^s and
other circumstances of the peoph^ in his ir:irrison, and if they
could ohtain leave to lodire there, to open the pates and whistle.
(They said the irates had no locks, but were fastened with
pins, and that they kept tio watch.) The squaws had a favor-
able season to prosecute their projection, for it was dull
weather when they came to hen' leave to lodge in the garrison.
They told the major that a great number of Indians were not
far from thence, with a considerable cjuantity of beaver, who
would be there to trade with him tho next day. Some of the
people were very much aijainst their lodging in the garrison,
but the major said, " Let the poor creatures lodge by the fire."
The scpiaws went into every apartmcmt, and observing the
numbers in each, when all the people were asleep, arose and
opened the gates, gav<> the signal, and the other Indians came
to them ; and having received an account of the state of the
garrison, they divid(>d accordiiig to the number of people in
each apartment, and soon took and killed them all. The
major lodged within an iimer room, and when the Indians
broke in upon him, he cried out, " What now ! what now !"
and juniping out of bed with only his shirt on, seized 1 is sword
and drove them before him through two or three doors ; but for

* The date stands in the old narrative, " in the beginning of April on
the nij^ht alter a Sabbath," which tjeins; an error, I have corrected it.
What time in the ni<^ht of the 'JTth thi' place was attacked, is not mentioned,
but the accounts of it are chiefly dated the day following, viz. the 28th,
when the tragedy was finished. The squaws had taken up their lodging
there on the night of the 27th, and if the attack begun before midnight,
which it probably did, the date in the text is the true one. — Ed.

JOHN GYLES' CAPTIVITY.

|r«

some ".ason, turninp nl)oui towards the npnrlmcnl ho hnd just
left, an Indian caiiK! np hehind him, Knoi'k(>(l him on the head
with his h'lchet, which stnuned him, and he W'W. 'I'hey now
seized upon him, diajt'^'ed liim out, and sellini,^ him uj)on a
ioiuf tahh; in his hall, hid him "judge Indians njj^ain." Tlieii
tliey cut and slalfhcd him, and he cried out, " O, Lord ! O,
Lord !" 'i'liey hid him orch'r his hooU of accounts to h(»
hrought, and to cross out all the Indians' dehls,* (he havinjj;
traded much with them.) After they iuul tortured him to
death, they hurned the garrison and drew off. This narration
I had from their own mouths, at a general meeting, and have
reason to think it truc.t But to return to my narrative.

I was whirled in aiiu)ng this circle (d Indians, ami we pris-
oners looked on each other with a sorrowful countenance.
Presently one of them was seized hy each hand and foot, hy
four Indians, who, swinging him up, let his i)ack fall on the
ground with full force. This they repeated, till they had
danced, as they called it, round the whole wigwam, which was
thirty or forty feet in length. But when they torture a hoy
they take him up between two. This is one of tlieir customs
of torturing captives. Another is to take up a person by the
middle, with his head downwards, and jolt him round till one
would think his bowels would shake out of his mouth. Some-
times they will take a captive by the hair of the head, and
stooping him forward, strike him on the hack and shoulder,
till the blood gushes out of his mouth and nose. Sometimes
an old shrivelled squaw will take up a shovel of hot embers
and throw them into a captive's bosom. If he cry out, the
Indians will laugh and shout, and say, " What a brave action
our old grandmother has done." Sometimes they torture them
with whips, &c.

The Indians looked on me with a fierce countenance, as
much as to say, it will be your turn next. They champed
cornstalks, which they threw into my hat, as 1 held it in my
hand. I smiled on them, though my heart ached. I looked
on one, and another, but could not perceive that any eye pitied
me. Presently came a squaw and a little girl, and laid down
a bag of corn in the ring. The little girl took me by the hand,
making signs for me to go out of the circle with them. Not
knowing their custom, 1 supposed they designed to kill me,

* When they gashed his naked breast, they said in derision, " / cross
out my account.^* — Ed

f In a previous note, to another narrative, I have referred the reader to
my large work, (The Book of the Indians,) where all the ckcumstances
of this shocking affair are detailed. — Ed.

JOHN GYLES' CAPTIVITY.

•e, as
mped
1 my
)oked

)itied
Idown

land,

Not

|1 me,

cross

ler to
lances

and rofusod to pfo. TIkmi a cfmvc Iti(li;\M mino and iravo mo a
short pip''. !»ii(l Miiil in l'iiiirli>li, " Smi»kc it ;" iIk'M lie took mo
by till' liiuid ami IimI iiu' out. My li'-iut :iiIhmI, tliiiilviiii; my*
soil" m'itr my <mi'1. Hut h*' carriod me nt a KnMich hut, alxmt
a niih' iVom the liuliaM Tort. 'I'I'.c {''ranchman was not at
hom»', hilt his wile, who was a scjuaw, hml some di-conrsf with
my Indian iViontl, which 1 did not undcr^^tand. We tarried
about two hours, then rcturni'd to the Iiulian villaijo, wIuti^
llicv ffavc mo somo victuals. Not loni,'' after this 1 ssiw one of
my fellow-captives, who uravo mo a melanch(dy account of
their sutrerini,'"s after I left them.

After some wee|<s had j)a>sed, \yo jell this vilhiL'e and went
up St. .If)hn's river about ten miles, to a branch called Mrtlnrk-
scrnecfisis, where there was one wii'wam. .At our arrival an
old scpiaw saluteil nie with a yell, taKinir uie by the hair and
one hand, but 1 was so r'ide as to break her hold and free
myself. Slu^ u^ave me ii lililiy trrin. and the Indians set up a
lantrh, and so it ])a>sed over. Here we lived upon (ish, wild
grajx's. roots, ice, which was hard livi;ic to me.

When tin? winter came on wo went up the river, till the
ice came down, ruiminuf thick' in the river, when, according
to the Indian custom, we laid up our canoes till sprincf. Then
we travelled sometimes on the ice, and sometimes on the land,
till we came to a river that was open, but not fordable, where
wo made a raft, and passed over, Im'j; and baij:^aij(\ I met
with no abuse from them in this winter's hunting, thoutrh I was
put to great hardships in carrying burdens and for want of food.
But they underwent the same diniculty, and w(nild often
encourage me, saying, in broken English, "}iy and hy ^nat
deal //loose.'" Yet they could not answer any question I asked
them. And knowing little of their customs and way of life, I
thousrht it tedious to be constantly moving from place to place,
though it might be in some respects an advantaire ; for it ran
still in my minrl that we wer(> travelling to some settlement;
and when my burden was over-heavy, and the Indians left
me behind, and the still oviMiing coming on, 1 fancied I could
see thronc^h the bushes, and hear the people of some great
town ; which hope, though some supjiort to me in the day,
yi I found not the town at night.

Thus we were huntinir three hundred miles^ from the sea,
and knew no man within fifty or sixty miles of us. We were
eight or ten in number, and had but two guns, on which we

*A p.ardonahle error, perlinps. considerinp: tlie author's ij^norance of Ihr
geo<,'raphy of tlic country. He could hardly have ijot thrco huudrc
miles Iroin the mouth of the Penobscot, in a northerly direction, withoia
crossins; the St. Lawrence.— Ed.

!■

JOHN GYLES' CAPTIVITY.

wholly depended for food. If any disaster had happened, we
must all have perished. Sometinios we had no nmiincr of sus-
tenance for three or four days ; hut God wonderfully provides
for all creatures. In one of these fasts, God's providence
was remarkahle. Our two hulian men, who had iruns, in
huntini^ started a moose, but there being' a shallow crusted
snow on the ground, and the niooso disc^^eriniL'- thcin, ran with
great force into a swamp. The Indians went round the swamp,
and finding no track, returned at night to the wigwam, a"d
told wuat had happened. The next morning they followed
him on the track, and soon found him lying on the snow. He
had, in crossing the roots of a large tree, that had been blown
down, broken through the ice made over the water in the hole
occasioned by the roots of the trc>e taking up the L'"round, and
hitched one of his hind legs among the roots, so fast that by
striving to get it out he pulled his thigh bone out of its socket
at the hip ; and thus extraordinarily were we provided for in
our great strait. Sometimes they would take a bear, which
go into dens in the fall of the year, without any sort of
food, and lie there four or five months without food, njver
going out till spring; in which time they neither lose nor
gain in flesh. If they went into their dens fat they came out
so, and if they went in lean they came out lean. 1 liave seen
some which have come out with four whelps, and both very
fat, and then we feasted. An old sijuavv and a captive, if any
present, must stand without the wigwam, shaking their hands
and bodies as in a dance, and singing, " Weoagk oh nelo
won," which in English is, " Fat is my eating." This is to
signify their thankfulness in feasting times. When one supply
was spent we fasted till further success.

The way they preserve meat is by taking the flesh from the
bones and drying it in smoke, by which it is kept sound
months or years without salt. We moved still further up
the country after moose when our store was out, so that by
the spring we had got to the northward of the Lady mour.-
tains."^ When the spring came and the rivers broke up, we
moved back to the head of St. John's river, and there made
canoes of moose hides, sewing three or four together and
pitching the seams with balsam mixed with charcoal. Then
we went down the river to a place called Madawescook.l There
an old man lived and kept a sort of triuling house, w^here

* If these arc the same tlie French call."!! I^Tonts Xofre D/tmr, our cap-
tive was now on the borders of the St. Lawrence, to ihe north of the head
of the bay of Chalctus. — Ed.

I Probably the now well-known Mndawasca, of •• disputed territory"'
memory.

ot
(U
(li
A
ca

ned, we
• of sus-
)rovi(les
ividence
nuns, in

crustod
an witli
swamp,
am, a"d
lollowed
w. He
n blown
the liolo
ind, and
thai by
[s socket
d for in
r, whicb

sort of
d, never
lose nor
a me out
ivo seen
)th very

, if any

r hands

)II IS'ELO

lis is to
supply

rom the

t sound

ther up

that by

niov.-

up, we

> made

er and

Then

There

where

on I eap-
ihe head

erritory '

JOHN GYLES' CAPTIVITY.

we tarried several days; then went fartlif-r down the river till
we canif to the irreatest falls in these parts, called Checanolce-
pearr, where vve carried a little way over the land, and puitinir
otf our canoers we went down-stream still. And as we passed
down by tlie mouths of any larin* branches, we saw In-
dians ; but when any dance was proposed, I was boui^ht ofT.
At length we arrived at the place where we left our birch
canoes in the fall, and pitttinir our baggage into them, went
down to the fort.

There we planted corn, and after planting went a fishing,
and to look for and dig roots, till the corn was fit to weed.
After weeding we took a second lour on th(^ same errand, then
returned to hi our corn. After hilling we went some dis-
tance from the fort and field, up the river, to take salmon and
other fish, which we dried for food, where we continued till
corn was filled with milk; some of it we dried then, the other
as it ripened. To dry corn when in the milk, they gather it
in large kettles and boil it on the ears, till it is pretty hard,
then . 11 it from the cob with clam-shells, and dry it on bark
in the ^an. When it is thoroughly dry, a kernel is no bigger
than u pea, and would keep ve^rs, and when it is boiled again
it swells as large as when on the ear, and tastes incomparably
sweeter than other corn. When we had gathered our corn
and dried it in the way already desrribed, we put some into
Indian barns, that is, into holes in the ground, lined and cov-
ered with bark, and then with dirt. The rest we carried up
the river upon our next wintf 's hunting. Thus God wonder-
fully favored me, and carri l me through the first year of my
captivity.

Chapter II. — Of the abusive and barbarous treatmeyit which
severa'i captives met with from the Indians. Wh(m any great
number of Indians met, or when any captives had been lately
taken, or when any captives desert and are retaken, they have
a dance, and torture the Muhappy people who have fallen into
their hands. My unfortunate brother, who was taken with
me, after about three years' captivity, deserted with another
Englishman, who had been taken from Casco Bay, and was
retaken Ijy the Indians at New Harbor, and carried back to
Penobscot fort. Here they were both tortured at a stake by
fire, for some time ; then their noses and cars were cut ofF,
and they made to eat them. After this they wore burnt to
death at the stake ; the Indians at the same time declaring
that they would serve all deserters in the same manner. Thus
they divert themselves in their dances.

On the second spring of my captivity, my Indian master and

JOHN GYLES' CAPTIVITY.

his pqiifiw wont to Canada, l)Ut sent nic dnwn the river with
sevoral Indians to the iorl, to plant corn. The dav hefore we
came to the j)lanlin'j^ i^i-onnd, we met two yt'inur Indian men,
who seemed to be in irvcat haste. After they had pa;^sed us,
1 understood they were i^oing will an express to Canada, and
that there was an Enf^lish vc^ssel at the monlh of the river. I
not l)eint;' perfect m their lan<Tiiag-e, nor knowin": that Enf^'-lish
vessels traded with them in time of war, snj)posed a j)eace was
conchided on, and that the captives would be released ; I was
so transported with this fancy, that I slept but little if any that
night. Ji^arly tin* next morning we came to the village, where
my ecstacy ended ; for 1 had no sooner landed, but three or
four Indians dragged me to the great wigwam, where they
were yelling and dancing round James Alexander, a Jersey
man, who was taken from Falmouth, in Casco Bay. This
was occasioned by two families of Cape Sable Indians, who,
having lost some friends by a number of English fishermen,
came some hundreds of miles to revenge themselves on poor
captives. They soon came to me, and tossed me about till I
was almost l)rcathless, and then threw me into the ring to my
fellow-captive ; and taking him out, repeated their barbarities
on him. Then I was hauled out again by three Indians, who
seized me by the hair of the head ; and bending me down by
my hair, one beat me on tht^ back and shoulders so long that
my breath was almost beat out of my body. Then others put
a tomhake^ [tomahawk] into my hands, and ordered me to get
up and sing and dance Indian, which I performed with the
greatest reluctance, and while in the act, seemed determined
to j)urchasr my death, by killing two or three of thn.-e monsters
of cruelty, thiidcing it impossible to survive their bloody treat-
ment; hut it was impressed on my mind that it was not in
their power to take away my life, so I desisted.

Then those Cape Sable Indians came to me airain like bears
bereaved of their whelps, saying, •' Shall W(\ who have lost
relations by the English, suffer an Enulish voice to be heard
among us?" (Sec Then they beat me again with the axe.

* The (nmhake is a wnrliko rlul\ the shape of which in;iy he seen ia cuts
o^ Etowoukoam. one of the four Iridiau cliiefs, which cuts are cornrnoa
aniontrst us. [INTr. Gyles refers to the lour Iroquois chiefs, who visited
Ent(huid in the rcisrn of Queen Anne. About those chiefs 1 liave collect-
ed and pnbhshed the particulars in the Book of the ludiinis. And I will
here remark llial the couipilers of the jionderous I/idia/i l^inaidii/ii/ and
Histnri/, now in course of publication, under the names of .lames Hall
and T. L. INriveiuiv. have horrnn-id mv labors with no sparine^; ii uid — they
have not even owneil it ; having no iaith. probably, that by so dome; ihey
might pay half the debt. " He who steals my purse steals trash," but he
who robs mc of my labors — Ed. J

er with
fore wc
111 men,
-sod us,
(lii, and
vor. 1
[ilni^lish
ace was
; 1 was
my that
, where
ihrec or
re they
, Jersey
. This
lis, who,
hermen,
on poor
out till I
ig to my
rbarities
ms, who
down by
onij that
liors put
le 10 f^et
tith the
mined,
lonstcrs
V treat-
not in

ce bears
ave lost
heard
IK' axe.

Ml in cuts
cuinrnoa
lo visited
■(• t'oUect-
iiui 1 will
;7?/»//y and
Ill's Hnll
ml— ilu'y
nine; ihey
' but he

JOHN GYLES' CAPTTVFTY.

Now 1 repented that I had not sent two or tlireo of tliem out
of the world before me, for I thonirht I had innrh rather die
than siifTcr anv h)n'j't'r. They left nie thf' second time, and the
othor Indimis put the toiiihake into niv linnds a'jfain, and com-
pelled me to s{u<^. Then I secined more resolute than lieforc
to destroy soim^ of thcin ; but a strang^e and stroiii^ imj)ulse
that I should return to my own place and people siijipressed
it, as often as such a motion rose in my breast. Not one of
them showed the least compassion, but I saw the tears run
down phintifully on the cluM'ks of a Frenchman who sat b(diind,
thouLifh it did not alleviate the tortures that po(n' James and I
were forced to endure for the most part of this ti'dious day;
for they were continued till the evenincr, and wore the most
severe that ever I met with in the whole six years that 1 was
a captive with the Indians.

After they had thus inhumaidy ahused us, two Indians took
us up and threw us out of the wicfwam. and we crawled away
on our hands and feet, and were scarce able to walk for several
days. Some time after they ao^ain concluded on a merry
dance, when I was at some distance from t' >> wigwam dressing
leather, and an Indian was so kind as to tell me that they had
got James Alexander, and were in search for me. I\Iy Indian
master and his squaw bid me run for my life into a swamp and
hide, and not to discover myself unless they both came to me;
for then I miufht be assured the dance was over. I was now
master of their lana■uag(^ and a word or a wink was enough
to excite me to take care of one. I ran to the swamp, and hid
in the thickest place I could find. I heard hallooing and
whoopincf all around me; sometimes some passed very near
me, and I could henr some threaten and others flattc'r me, but
I was not disposed to dance. If they had come upon me, I
had resolved to show them a pair of beds, aii'l tlnn' must have
had good luck to have catched me. I heard no more of them
till about evening, for I think I slept, when they came again,
callimr, "Chon! Chon!" bui John would not trust them.
After they were gone, my master and his stpiaw came where
they told me to hide, but could not find me ; and, when I h(»ard
theni say, with some concern, they believed tln^ otln^r Indians
had friirhtened m.e into the woods, and thai I was lost, I came
out, and they seemed well pleased. They told me James had
had a had day of it ; that as soon as he was released he ran
away into the woods, and they believed he was gone to the
Mohawks, James soon returned, and gave a melancholy ac-
count of his sufferings, and the Indians's fright concerning the
Mohawks passed over. They often had terrilile apprehensions
of the incursions of those Indians. They are called also Ma-
8

JOHN GYLES' CAPTIViTV

I \

quasy ii most ambitions, liaunlity aiul blood -thirsty people, from
whom the other Indians take their iiieasuifs and iii.i.uiLrs, and
the'r modes and (liant^i's oi' dress, (Scr. U;:l wry hut scson,
a "Teat nund)er ij^alL'ercd toirother at the vilhisre, and bemi^ a
very ch'on(j;-hty [ihirstyj prniple, they kept James -iWii '.nysclf
ni^'ln and (hiy letcdiinir water from a cohl sprinu, that ran out
of a roi'ky liill about tliree qnarters of a mile from tiie fort, in
goini^' thither, we crossed a larc^e interval cornfield, and then a
descent to a lower interval, before we ascended the hill to the
sj)rini!-. James beinn' almost dead, as well as I, with this con-
tinual fatiLHie, contrived to frii,''ht(>n the Indians. He told me of
his plan, bnt conjured me to secrecy, yet said he knew i ccnild
keep counsel ! The next dark ni<,dit, James, going- for water,
set Ills kettle down on the descent to the lowest interval, and
running; back to the fort, pufUng and blowing' as though in the
utmost surj)rise, told his master that he saw sometiiing near
the spring that looked lilce Mohawks, (which were only stun)ps.)
His master, being a most courageous warrior, went with liim
to make discovery. AVhen they canie to the lirow of the hill,
James pointed to the stumps, and withal touching bis kettle
with his toe, irave it motion down the hill ; at cverv turn its
bail clattered, which caused James and his master to see a
Mohawk in every stump, and they lost no time in " turning-
tall to," and he was the best fellow who could ruri the fastest.
This alarmed all the Indians in the village. They were about
thirty or forty in number, and they packed off, bag and
baggage, some up the river and others down, and did not
return under lifteen days ; and then the heat of (he weather
being finally over, our hard service was abated for this season.
I never heard that the Indians understood the occasion of their
fright ; but James and I had many a private laugh about it.

But my most intimate ..nu dear companion was one John
Evans, a young n'an takei' 'ivn Quochecho. We, as often as
wo could, met tog-ether, and made known our grievances to
each other, which seemed to ease our minds; but, as soon as
it was known by the Indians, v.e were strictly examined apart,
and falsely accused of contrivint: to desert. We were too far
from tlie sea to have any thought of that, and findihg our sto-
ries agreed, did not punish us. Aji English captive girl about
this tiine, who was taken by ]\Iedocawando, wo.dd often false-
ly accuse us of plotting to desert ; but we made the truth so
plainly appear, tliat she was checked and wo were released.
But the third winter of my ci.ptivity, John Evans went into
the country, and the Indians imposed a heavy burden on him,
v/hile he was extremely weak from long fasting ; and as he
was going oflf the upland over a place of ice, which was very

•"-■^'^''-'i

^i',;^^-'

i\o, from
ilTS, ;ind
. ho.'.^on,
i bi'iui^ a
I Myself
L ran out
fort. In
(1 llicii a
ill lo I lie
this con-
Id (lie of
' i could
)r wafer,
"val, and
^h in the
ingf near
stumps.)
\itli him

the hill,
is kettle

turn its

to see a
'' turn i no-
3 fastest,
re about

a^- and
lid not
weather

season.

of their

ut it.

le John
often as

nces to

soon as

I ajiart,
too far

)ur sto-
rl about

II false-
ruth so
leased.

?nt into
:)n him,
as he
as very

lOIlN GYLES' CAPTIVITY.

hollow, he broke thronirh, fell ('own, and cut his knee very
much. Notwith-tandini!:, he tra'. (,''K'd tor some time, nut tin.
wind and i-old were so forcibh', that they soon overcame him,
and he :at or fell down, and all the Indians passed by him.
Soim^ of ihem went iiack the next day aft<M' him, or his pack,
and found him, with a tloo- in his arms, both froztni to death.
Thus all oi my fellow-captives were dispc'rsed and dead, but
through inrmitf and unmerited i>'oodiiess I was supported un-
der and carried throuL,di all dilliculties.

CuAi'Ti-.u 111. — Of fiirlhrr (I'/lJir 1(1 tics and. deliver a aces. One
winter, as we u'ere movintj" from place to placi', our bunteis
killed some moose. One lyini>" some miles from our wig-
wams, a voune- Indian and myself wer(^ ordered to letch part
of it. We set out in the morniii'X, when the weather was
promising, but it proved a very cold, cloudy day. It was late
in the evening- before we arrived at the place where the inooso
lay, so tlial we had no time to provide' materials for fire or
•^belter. At the same time came on a storm of snow, very
thick, which continued until the next morninL,^ We made a
small lire with what little rubbish we could find around \\n.
The lire, with the warmth of our bodies, melted the snow upon
us as fast as it fell ; and so our clotlies were fillcMl with water.
However, early in the mornini]- we took our loads of moose
flesh, and set out to return to our wiij^wams. We had not
travelled far before iny moose-skin coat (which was the only
;CiCarmeiit I had on my back, and the hair chiefly worn olf) was
frozen siiii' romid my knees, like a hoop, as were my snow-
shoes and shoe-clouts to my feel. Tims I marched the wh 'g
day without lire or food. At first I was in n-reat pain, th' w
my flesh became numb, and at times I felt extremely sick'. .1
thoui^dil I could not travel one foot farther; but I wonderi.ilv
revived again.

After long trav(dling I felt very drowsy, and had thoughts of
sitting down, which had I done, without doubt I had lal' w
on my final sleep, as my dear companion, Evans, had done
before. My Indian companion, being belter clothed, had left
me long before. Aijain my spirits revived as much as if I
haii received the richest cordial. Some hours after sunset I
reached the wigwam, and crawling in with my snow-shoes on,
the Indians cried out, " The captive i-- frozen to death !" They
took off my pack, and the place where that lay against my
back was the only one that was not frozen. They cut off my
shoes, and stripped off the clout.s from my feet, which were as
void of feeling as any frozen flesh could be. I had not sat
long by the fire before the blood began to circulate, and my

JOiJN GVLES' CAPTIVITY.

'V.

feet to my Jinkles lunied black, and swclk'd with bloody blis-
ters, and were inexpressibly paiiil'iil. The Indians said one
to anoibcr, '' His feel will roi, and he will die." Yel i slept
well al ni<^hl. Soon after, the skin t-anie off my leet from my
kle.>, whole, like a >hoe, leavini? my toes naked, without a

ail

nail, aiK.

1 tl

le end

t my irreat toe bones bare, winch, m a little
lime, turned black, so that 1 was obliged t(» cut the lirst joint
uU'with my knii'e. The Indians gave me rai^s to bind up my
leet, and advised me to apply fir balsam, but withal added that
they believed it was not worth while to use means, lor I should
certainly die. But, by the use of my elbows, and a stick in
each hand, 1 shoved myself along as I sat upon the irround
over the snow from one tree to another, till 1 i^ol some balsam.

This I b

<hell till it

lis 1 i)urnea m a ciam-stieii till it was ot a consistence in
salve, which I applied to my feet and ankles, and, by the di-
vine blessing, within a week 1 could go al)out uj)on my heels
with my stair. And, through God's goodness, we had pro-
visions enough, so that we did not remove under ten or fifteen
days. Then the Iiuiiaiis made two little hoops, something in
the form ot a snow-shoe, and sewing them to my feet, I was
able to follow them in their tracks, on my heels, from place to
place, though sometimes half leg deep in snow and water,
whit h gave me the most acute pain imaginable ; but I must
walk or die. Yet within a year my feet were entirely well;
and the nails came on my great toes, so that a very critical eye
could scarcely perceive any part missing, or that they had been
frozen at all.

Ifi a time of great scarcity of provisions, the Indians chased
a large moose into the river, and killed him. They brought
the llcish to the village, and raised it on a scaflbld, in a Inrge
wigwam, in o'der to make a feast. I was very ollicious in
supplying them with wood and water, which pleased them so
well th: t thi'y now and then gave me a piece of flesh half
boiled or roasted, which 1 ate with eagerness, and I doubt not
without due thankfulness to the divine Being who so extra-
ordinarily fed me. At length the scallold bearing the moose
meat broke, and I being under it, a large piece fell, and knock-
ed me on the head.'*^ The Indians said 1 lay stunned a con-
siderabli time. The first I was sensible of was a murmuring
noise in my ears, then my sight gradually returned, with an
extreme paj.* in my hand, which was very much bruised ; and
it was leog before I recover»>d, the weather being verv hot.

I vas once fishing with an Indian for sturgeon, and the
Indian darting one, his feet slipped, and he turned the canoe

iinber of the scaflbld, o

struck by

quantity

the meat or. it, we are M\ to conjecture, and it is not very mnterial. — Ed

\\|

JOHN GYLES' CAPTIVITY.

based
•rouoht
Inrge
ions in
cm so
half
3t not
extra-
inoose
Mock-
a con-
niring
th an
and
>t.

d the
"anoe

iity of
—Ed.

bottom upward, with me imder it. I iicld fast to tlie cross-bar,
as I could not swiiri. with mv lacn to the bottom of tlir canoo ;
hut iiiniiiiu' mv^<^df, 1 brouohl my brt^isl to Itcar on the cross-
bar, expoctiniT every minute the Indian to low mo to the liank.
Bni *' he had other fish to fry." Thus I continued a (]U;irt(>r
ol an hour, [tboutrhl wiiho\it want of breath, till the cu'-rent
drove me on a rocky point where I could reach bottom.
Tlure 1 stopped, and turned up my canoe. On looking about
for tin- Indinii, 1 saw him hiilf a mile off up the river. On
fi-oing to !iim, I a; k-.d him why lie had not towed me to the
bank, seein<x he knew I could not swim. He said he knew I
was under the canoe, for there were no bubbles any where to
be seen, and that 1 should dilve oii the point. So while he was
takinir care of his tine sturgeon, which was eight or ten feet in
length, I was left to sink or swim.

Once, as we were fishing for salmon at a fall of about fifteen
feet of water, 1 came near being drownded in a deep hole at
the foot of the fa!l. The Indians went into the water tf> wash
themselves, and asked me to go with them. I told them I
could not swim, but they insisted, and so I went in. They
ordered me to dive across the deepest place, and if I fell short
of the other side they said they would help me. But, instead
of diving across the narrowest part, I was crawling on the bot-
tom into the deepest place. They )iot seeing mo rise, and
knowing whereabouts I was by the bubbling of the water, a
young girl dived down, and brought me up by the hair, other-
wise I had perished in the water. Though the Indians, both
male and female, go into the water together, they have each
of them such covering on that not the least indecency can be
observed, and neither chastity nor modesty is violated.

While at the Indian village, I had been cti'ting wood and
binding it up with an Indian lope. in order to carry it to the
wigwam; a stout, ill-natured young fellow, abotit twenty years
of age, threw me backward, sat on my breast, pulled out his
knife, and said he would kill me, for he had never yet killed
one of the English. I told him he might go to war, ami that
would be more maidy than to kill a poor captive who was do-
ing their drudgery for them. Notwithstanding all I rould say,
be began to cut « id slab me on my breast. I seized him by
the hair, and tomhling lurn oif of me, followed him with my
fists and knee with such application that he soon cried
"enough." But when I saw the blood run from my bosom, and*
felt the smart of the wounds he had given me, I at him again,
and bid him get up, and not lie there like a dog; told him of
his fornv :■ abuses offered to me, and other poor captives, and
that if ever he oflered the like to me again, I would pay him
8*

JOHN GYLES' CArilVITY.

\\^

i I

double. I sei»t him brfore me, and Ijtkiiijr up my burden of
wood, cauie to the ludiuu-s, und told ihctn the whole truth,
and lliey conunemled nie. And I (b» not rt'nuMubcr tluU evir
he otiered Mie the b'ii-t aliu^e al'lerwards, though he was big
enough to have des])ati-hed two ol' me.

CuAi'TER IV. — Of rcinnrknhlc events of rror'idmce in the
deaths of several iurharous hulinns. The priest of this river
ler (if Si. Francis, a <reull<'man of a hunuiiie,

was o

f tl

le ore

generous disposUion

in h

lis sernu)n.s lie most severely repre

bended the Indians for their barbarities to capt' -es. Me uoukl
often t(dl tiiem tha^ exceplinir their erroi.s in rehirion, the Enfjf-
lisb were a better people than ihernselves, and that (Jod would

d had

remarUahly punish .'sucli cruel wretches, ana nau ne^niri to exe-
cute his vengeance upon suc'i already I He gave an account
of the retaliations of i'rovidence upon those murderous Cape
Sable Indians above mentioned ; one of whom got a splinter
into his fool, v, inch festered and rotted liis flesh till it killed
him. Anuther run a fish-bone into her hand or arm, and she
rotted to death, notwithstanding all means that were nsed to
prevent it. In some sucii manner tliey all died, so that not
one of those two families lived to return hoine.* Were it not
for these remarks of the priest, I had not, perhaps, have noticed
these providences.

There was an old squaw who ever endeavored to outdo all
others in cruelty to captives. Wherever she came into a wig-
wam, wl.'ere any poor, naked, starved captives were sitting
near the fire, if they were grown persons, she would stealthily
take up a sho.el of hot coals, iind throw them into their bo-
soms. If they were young persons, she would seize them by
the hand or leg, dragf them through the fire, &c. The Indians
with whom she lived, according to their custom, left their vil-
lage in the fall of the year, and dispersed themselves fnr hunt-
ing. After the first or second removal, they all strangely forgot
that old squaw and her grandstui, about twelve years of age.
They were found dead in the place where they were left some
months afterwards, and no farther notice was taken of ilicm
by their friends. Of this the priest made special remark, for-
asmuch as it IS a thing very uncommon for them to neglect
either their old or young people.

In the latter part of summer, or beginning of autumn, the
Indians were frequently frightened by the appearance of

* RefererK'e is probably had to those Indians, oi' whom the author has
before .; iken, as haviri<^ coiiie to the fort of those with whom he was
among, to be reven^'ed on any whites for the loss of some of their friends
•who had been killed by white' fishermen.— Ed.

JOHN GYLES" CArilVITV.

If Eiijjf-

slranffe Indian'^, pnssiup" up and down this river in ranoos,
ami aboul that liiiu' the next yoar (lii'(I more thiui on*' luui-
(Ired persons, old and yoiiiit,'' ; all, or most of those who siiw
those slraiifj^e Indians ! The priest said it was ji sort of planfue.
A f)erson seeming" in perfect health wonld bleed at the month
and nose, turn blue in spots, and die in two or three hours.*
It was very tedious to me to remove from plare to place this
colli season. The Indians applied red ochre to my sores,
[which had been occasioned by the alliay Ixl'ore mentioned,]
which by Uod's blessincf cured me. This sickness beinq- at
the worst as winter came on, the Indians all scattered ; and the
blow was so nreat to them, that they did not settle or j)lant at
their villai^'^e while I was on the river, [St. Johns,] anil I know
not whether they have to this day, Before they thus deserted
the vi liaise, when they catnc in from bun tiuLT, they would be drunk
and light for several days and nights together, till they had spent
most of their skins in wine and brandy, which was brought to
the village by a Frenchman called Monsieur Sigcnioncovr.

Ithily
ir bo-
em by
dians
ir vil-
hunt-
brgot
age.
some
I hem

if.

Chapti:r V. — Of their familiarity ivith and frights from
the derii, &c. The Indians are very often sur{)rised with the
appearance of ghosts and demons. Sometimes they are en-
couraged by the devil, for they go to him for success in hunt-
inL^ &c. 1 was once hunting with Indians who were not
broug^hl over to the Romish faith, and after several days they
proposed to inquire, according" to their custom, what success
they should have. They accordingly })repared many hot
stones, and laying them in a heap, made a small hut covered
with skins and mats ; then in a dark night two of the powwows
went into this hot house with a large vessel of water, which
<it times they poured on those hot rocks, which raised a thick
steam, so that a third Indian was obliffed to stand without, and
lift up a mat, to give it vent when they were almost sulfocated.
There was an old squaw who was kind to captives, and never
joiiii'd with them in their powwowing, to whom I manifested
an earnest desire to see their management. She told me that
if they knew of my being there they would kill me, and that
when she was a girl she had known young persons to be
taken away by a hairy man, and therefore she would not advise
me to go, lest the hairy man should carry me away. I told

♦ Calamitous mortalities are often mentioned as happcnins: amcnf;; the
Indians, hut that the appearance of strange Indians had any things to do
with It, will only excite admiration to the enlightened of this age. It v.'as
liy a mortality something similar that the country about the coast of
]\lassachusetis was nearly depopulated two or three years before the settle-
meni of Plymouth. — Ed.

JOHN

GYLES'

CAPTIVITY.

her

T was

not afpjiid of tlie hairy

man, nor cou

Id he

hurt

me if M

shf

\V()U1(

I not discover

mo to tl

If powwows.

lemri

h she ^

proMiisfil

me she woiih

not, but

char^'cd me

to h(>

Cilie

fill of 1

sole.

I went within

three or

four feet of t

lie hi)1

houi'

M', lor ■

it was very dark, and heard strantife noises and yelliii<,rs, such
as I never Jieard heforo. At tiuMfs the Indian who tended
without would lilt up the mat, and a steam would issue whiidi
looked like lire. 1 lay there two or three hours, hut saw none
of their Imiry men, or demons. And when I found they had
fmished their cereuiony, I went to the wiirwam, and told ;he
s'luavv what had passed. She was fjlad J had escap< <l vvilhtau
hurt, and never discovered what I liad done. After some time
incpiiry was made of the powwows wliat success we were
likely to have in our huntin"'. They said they had very
likely siij^ns of success, but no real ones as at other times. A
few days after we moved up the river, and had pretty jLjood
luck.

One afternoon as I was in a canoe with one of the pow-
wows the dog barked, and j)resently a moose passed Iv within
a few rods of us, so that the waves he made by wadin*;!: rolled
our canoe. The Indian shot at him, but the moose took very
little notice of it, and went into l!ie woods to the southward.
The fellow said, " I will vry if I can't fetch you back for all
your haste." The eveniui]^ following, we built our two wig-
wams on a sandy point on the upper end of an island in the
river, north-west of the ])!ace where the moose went into the
woods ; and here the Indian powwowed the greatest part of
the night following. In the morning we had a fair track of a
moose round our wigwams, though we did not see or taste of
it. I am of opinion that the devil was permitted to humor
those unhappy wretches sometimes, in some things.*

That it may appear Ikav much they were diduded, or under
the influence of satan, read the two stories which were related
and believed by the Indians. The first, of a boy who was car-
ried away by a large bird called a Giillmta, who buildeth her
nest on a high rock or mountain. A boy was huniuig with
his bow and arrow at the foot of a rocky mountain, when the
gulloua came diving through the air, grasped the boy in her
talons, and although he was eight or ten years of age, she
soared aloft and hiid him in her nest, food for her yoiing.

* Whatever the Indians might have believed about the devil, one thing
is pretty clear, that our captive had great I'aitli in his abilities. Qaue as
easy a way to have accounted lor moose tracks about their wif^wam,
would have been to suppase that that animal might have been attracted
by the uncouth tioise ot" the powAvow to approach iheiii ror the object of
discovery. It is very common lor wild animals to do so. — Ed.

JOHN GYM-:S' CAPTIVITY.

The boy lay still on lii:. face, l)ui obxTvcd iwo of the yoiinjr
birds iti the lu'sl wiili liiiii, luiv'iii<( im. Ii li>li and flc^h to Iced
upon. Tlic old niK- >f'('in^'' they \V(uild imi cai ihi> hoy, took
him up ill her claws and rctunu'd liiiu to the place I'roiu whoiioe
she took hitii. I have pas>ed near the iiiouiitiiiii in a raiior\
and the Indians have •■^aiil, " Th'Te is ihe nesioi'the ureal hied
that carri(^d away the boy." Indeed there seemed to he a u'ri'at
number of sti(dvs |)ut touellier like a nest on the toj) of the
mountain. At iuiother time they said, " 'riierr is the hird, hut
lie is now as a hoy to a iriant U) what he was in f(M'iin'r days."
The hird wliieh we saw was a larjje and .■^petdJcd one, like an
eagle, though somewhat larger.*

When iVoii) ihc iiKiiiiitiiiii tops, with ludcdiis cry

Aixl clatlcriiiir uintrs, the lHni;.'iv liarpics lly,

They snatdiiMl * * » *

* * And whether i^'oils or l>iiil> (ihsccno ihry wore,

Our vows tor jjanloii anil (dv pcacf jjiclrr.

Da\ hen's Vuhjil.

The other notion is, tliat a younu" Indian in his huntinLr was
belated, and Josiiilt his way, was on a sudden introduced to
a large wigwam full of dried e<ds, wiiitdi proved to be a bea-
ver's house, in which he lived till the spring of the year, when
he WRs turned out of the house, and being set upon a beaver's
dam, went home and related the atiiiir to his friends at large.

under

elated

s car-

) her

with

n the

n her

■, sne

)ung.

thnig

|ite as

(Wiim,

Iracted

3Ct of

Chapter VI. — A description of several creatures com-
7nonlij taken l>y the Indians on St. John's rirrr.

I. Of the Beavkk. — The heaver has a very thick, strong
neck ; his fore teeth, which are two in the upper and two in
the under jaw, are ct)iicave and sluirp like a carpenter's gouLTo.
Their side teeth are like a sheep's, for thi'y chew the cud.
Their legs are short, the claws something loiiyer tlian in
other creatures. The nails on the toes of their hind feet
are Hat like an ape's, but joined together by a membrane, as
those of the water-fowl, their tails broad and Ihtt like the broad
end of a paddle. Near their tails ihey have four bottles, two
of which contain oil, the others gum ; the necks of these meet
in one common oriHc(\ The latter of these bottles contain the
proper caslorurn, and not the testicles, as sonu; have fancied,
for they are distinct and separate from them, m the males only ;

* Not exactly n fish xtonj, but it is certainly a/y/V^/s/^;;-//. and alth()U<:^h Mr.
Gyles has fortified himself behiiul ■• believed liy llic Indians." yet. I fear
liis reputation fur credulity will be somewhat enhanced m the mind of
the reader. I think, however, it should not derogate from his character
for veracity.

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JOHN GYLES' CAPTIVITY.

wheroas the castoriun and oil bottles are oominon to male and
female. With this cil and p'utii they preen themselves, so
that when thf-y come out of th(> water it runs oil' of iliem, as
it does from a (owl. 'I'hey liave four teats, which are on their
breasts, so that they hiiLT up their yonnf;" and suckle them, as
women do their infants. They have irenerally two, and some-
times four in a litter. I have seen seven or five in the matriX;
but the Indians think it a strans/e thinii; to (ind so many in a
litter ; and they assert that wlu^n it so ha|)p(»iis the dam kills
all hot four. They are tln^ most htborious creatures that 1
have met with. I have known them to build dams across a
river, thirty or forty j)erclics widi', with wood and mnd, so as
to tlow mai.v acres of land. In the deepest part of a pond so
raised, they build their houses, round, in the ti<,nire of an Indian
wiiTwam, eitrht or ten feet hiirh, and six or eiL'til in diameter
on the (h)or, which is made descend ini;- to the water, the parts
near the centre about four, and near the circumference between
ten and twenty iiudies above the water. These lloors ar(^ cov-
ered with stri|)})in:i:s of wood, like shavinu's. On these lliey
slee]) with their tails in the water ;* and if the; freshets rise, they
have the advantaije of rising on their floor to the highest part.
They feed on the leaves and bark of trees, and pond lily
roots. In the fall of the year they lay in their provision for
the ajiproaching winter ; cutting down trees great and small.
With one end in their months they drag their branches near to
their house, and sink many cords of it. (They will cut [gnaw]
down trees of a fathom in circun)fercnce.) They hav(> doors
to go down to the wood mider the ice. And in case the fresh-
ets rise, break down and carry olf their store of wood, they
ofl(Mi starve. They have a note for conversing, calling and
Avarning each other wIumi at work or feedinii ; find while they
are at labor they kc(>p out a guard, w'm upon the lirst approach
oi an enemy so strikes the water with his tail that he may
be 1 e- rd half a mile. This so alarms the rest that they are
all silent, (juit their labor, and are to be seen no more for that
time. If the male or female die, the survivor seeks a mate,
and conducts liim or her to their honse, and carry on atliiirs as
above. '

II. Of TiTi^, Woi,vi:r]:m:. \ GuIo Li/sc7/s oi^h.] The wol-
verene is a very lierce and mischievous creature, about tiie
bigness of a middling dog ; having short legs, broad feet and

* I rccullccl to liiivc ,-cca a similar sinlcmcnt 1>y that sin<riilnr cjonius,
Thomas Morton, of ."Marc Mount, ia liis more siiit!;ular hook, .\':w Eng-
lish Canaan, aboal beavers keeping their tails in the water. Morton,
however, tells us llie reason ihev do so. viz. "■nfiitii 'hi' rvmdd overheat and
rot oJf."—Eii.

*--„.

JOHN GYLES' CAPTIVITY.

very sharp clnws. and in my opinion may ln^ rcrlvonod a spo-
cw:< ol cat. Tlicv will cliinl» trrcs w.ui wail for nmosc ami
other animals wliich iVcd lH'h)\v, and when opportunity pre-
sents, jump upon and strike- their (•lau> in tiiem so last that
thev will hanL,^ on them till they havt' ijnawetl the main nerve
in llif'ir neok asunder, whiidi causes their death. I have
known manv moose killed thus. J was once travelliuL'' a little
way Indiiiiil several Indians, and hearinir them huiLih merrily,
when 1 came up I asked them the cause of their laiis^diter.
Thi'v 'showed me the traidc of a moose, and how a W(dverene
hud elimhed a tree, and where he had jumjied of[" upon a
moose. It so hapiit'iied, that after the moose )iad taken seve-
ral larii'i' I'aps, it came und(>r the hranch of a tree, which strik-
irif,'' the wolverene, hroke his hold and tore him otl"; and hy
his tracks in the snow it aj)peared he went oil' another way,
with short steps, as if he had heen stunned hy the hlow that
had hroken his hold. The Indians imputed the accident to
the cunnin<T of the moose, and were wonderfully pleased that
it had thus outwitted the mischievous wolverene.

These wolverenes po into wiirwams which have heen left
for a time, scatter the things ahroad, and most hlthily jiolluto
them with ordure. 1 have heard the Indians say that this ani-
mal has ;vometimes pulled their guns from under their heads
while they were asleep, and ie.'i, them so deliled. An Indian
told me that having left his wigwam with sundry things on
the scalTold, among which was a birchen dask containing seve-
ral pounds of powder, he found at his return, much to his sur-
prise ami grief, that a wolverene had visited it, mounted the
scalfold, hove down bag and hairgage. The powder flask hap-
pening to fall into the lire, exj)loded, blowing up the wolverene,
and scattering the wigwam in all directions. At length he
fountl the creature, blind from the blast, wanderini; backward
and forward, and he liad the satisfaction of kicking and beat-
ing him about I This in a great measure made up their loss,
and then they could contentedly pick up their utensils and rig
out their wigwam.

111. ()[■ Till-; FJedgeiiog, [Hislrix Dor.sata,] or Urchin,
[Ursofi?] Our hedgehog or urchin is about the bigness of a
hog of six months old. His back, sides and tail are full of
sharj) quills, so that if any creature approach him, IuMvill con-
tract jiimseli" into a glr)bular form, and when touched hy his
enemy, his quills are so sharp and loose in the skin they hx in
the mouth of the adversary. They will strike with great force
with their tails, so that whatever falls under the lash of them
are certaiidy tilled with their prickles ; but that they shoot
their quills, as some assert they do, is a great mistake, as re-

JOHN GYLES' CAPTIVITY.

spccts the Amcricnii liflirt'liorr, atul 1 Ik-Ucvo as to the Afri-
can l)(Mli;('l)(iLr or pdrcupiiic, also. As to the former, I hrtve
taken lliciii at all seasons of iho year.

IV^ Of Tin; 'I'ctirroisii. It is needh'ss to descriho tlie fresh-
water tortoi-c, whdse form is sn well known in ail parts ; fut

le'T mann(.'r ol propa<jalin<.r their species is not so universally

mown.

1 I

lave o

hserved that sort of tortoise whose shell is

)out fourteen or sixteen inches wide.

may

d h

learM hall a mile, maUmq' a noise iiKe a woman wasn

In tl
lik

leir coition they

in;^ her linen with a hatting stall". They lay their efjcs in the
sand, near some deep, still water, ahout a foot heneath the sur-
face of the sand, with which they sire very curious in covering
them ; so that there is not the least mixture of it amongst
them, nor the least rising of sand on the heach where they are
deposited. I have often searched for them with the Indians,
by thrusting a stick into the sand at random, and hrought up
some part of an egg clinging to it ; when, uncovering the place,
we have found near one hundred and fifty in one nest. Both
tlieir eggs and llesh are good eating when hoiled. I have
observed a difference as to the length of time in which they
are hatching, which is between twenty and thirty days; some
sooner than others. Whether this ditlerence ought to be im-
puted to the various cpiality or site of the sand in which they
are laid, (as to the degree of cold or heat,) I leave to the con-
jecture of tlie virtuosi. As soon as tliey are hatched, the
young tortoise breaks through the sand and betake themselves
to the water, and, as far as I could discover, without any fur-
ther care or help of the old ones.

Chapter VII. — Of their feasting. 1. Before they go to
loar. When the Indians determine on war, or are entering
upon a particular expedition, they kill a mimber of their dogs,
burn off their hair and cut them to pieces, leaving only one
dog's head whole. The rest of the flesh they l)oil, and make
a fine feast of it. Then the dog's head that was left whole is
scorched, till the nose and lips liave shrunk from the teeth,
leaving them bare and grinning. This done, they fasten it on
a stick, and the Indian who is proposed to be chief in the expe-
dition takes the head into his hand, and sings a warlike song,
in which he mentions the town they design to attack, and the
principal man in it; threatening that fU a few days he will
carry that man's head and scalp in his hand, in the same man-
ner. W^hen the chief has finished singing, he so places the
dog's liead as to grin at him who he supposes will go his
second, who, if he accepts, lakes the head in his hand and
sings ; but if he refuses to go, he turns the teeth to another;

JOHN GYLES' CAPTIVITY.

to the Afri-

niier, I luive

be tlio frosh-

t parts ; l.nt

) uiiiv('rsal!v
lose shell is

''.'

coition tiiey

otniui wash-

enos j,i tlie
'atii the sur-

in covering
it amongst

ere they are

the Indians,
brought up
ng the place,
nest. Both
:(l. I have
which they
days ; some
U to l)e im-
which they

to the con-
atclied, the

themselves
ut any fur-

Y^/fj/ go to

}e enterinsf

[then- dog!^,

" ordy one

and make

|ft whole is

the teeth,

listen it on

the expe-

tlike song,

Tiv', and the

's he will

ime man-

[laces the

III go his

(land and

another ;

and thus from one to another till they have enli.stcd their com-
pany.

The Indians imagine that doir's flesh makes them bold and
courageous. 1 have seen an Indian split a dog's head with a
hatchet, take out the brains hot, and eat them raw with the
blood running down his jaws I

2. lV//r» a rchit'io)! d/rs. In a still eveninLT, a squaw
will walk on tlir hiLfhest land near Ix-r abode, and with a
loud and mournlul voice will e.M-laim, " Oh hairr, aa/re, /laii-e,^^
with a lonir, mournlul trme to each /inire, iur a huie" time
toLTether. After the mourning sei.son is ovi'r. the relations of
the deceased make a fenst to wipe off tears, and the bereaved
may marry fre(dy. If the deceased was a sipiaw, the relations
consult together, and choose a s(|uaw, (doubtless a widow.) and
send her to the widower, and if he liUes her he takes her
to be his wife, if not, he sends lier back, and the relations
choose and send till they find one that he approves of.

If a young fellow determines to marry, his relations and the
Jesuit advise him to a girl. He goes into the wigwam where
she is, and looks on her. If he likes her appearance, he tosses
a chip or sti(di into her lap, which she takes, and with a
reserved, side look, views the ]M>rson who sent it; yet handles
the chip with admiration, as thouuh she wondered from whence
it came. If she likes him she throws the chip to him with a
modest smile, and then nothing is wanting but a ceremony with
the Jesuit to consummate the marriage. But if she dislikes
her suitor, she, with a surly countenance, throws the chip aside,
and he comes no more there.

If parei • have a davighter marriageable they seek a hus-
band for her who is a cfood hunter. If she has been educated
to make inonooiiah, (Indian batr^*,) birch dishes, to lace snow-
shoes, make Indian shoes, string wampum belts, sew birch
canoes, and boil the kettle, she is esteemed a lady of fine
accomplishments. If the man souirht out for her husband
have a irun and ammunition, a canoe, spear, and hatchet, a
monoodah, a crooked knife, lookimr-uiass and paint, a pipe,
tobacco, an.'- knot-bowl to toss a kind of dice in, he is accounted
a gentleman of a plentiful fortune. Whatever the new-married
man procures the first year belongs to his wife's parents. If
the young pair Iiave a child within a year and nine months,
they are thought to be very forward and libitlinous persons.

By their play w'ith dice they lose much time, playinq- whole
days and nights together ; sometimes staking their whole
effects; though this is accounted a great vice ])y the old men.

A digression. — There is an old story told among the Indians
of a family who had a daughter that was accounted a finished
9

JOHN GYLES' CAPTIVITY.

! I

iK'aiity, havinu^ been adorned with tlie prerioiis jewel, an Indian
(.'(lui.'ation I She was so rornicd by iiatnrt', and polisbcd by art,
tlial tbcy could iiol (ind for her a suilnlile consort. At lenu'th,
while this laniily were once residini,'" upon the head of Penob-
scot river, under the While hills, called Trddofi, thi.s line crea-
ture was niissinir, and her parents could learn no tidings of her.
Alter much time and pains >penl, and tears showeretl in (piest
of her, they saw lier diverting hers(df with a beautiful youth,
whose hair, lik'e her own, flowed down below his waist, .swini-
uiini,'-, wasliin«,s &c., in the water; but they vanished upon
their approach. This beautiful person, whoin they imagined
to be one of those kind spirits who inliabit the Teddon, they
looked upon as their son-in-law ; and, according to their
custom, they called upon him for moose, bear, or whatever
creature they desired, and if they did but go to the water-s'ide
and signify their desire, the animal would come swimming to
them ! I have heard an Indian say that he li .ed by the river,
at the foot of the Teddon, the top of which he could see through
the hole of his wigwam left for the smoke to pass out. He
was tempted to travel to it, and accordingly set out on a sum-
mer morning, and labored hard in ascending the hill all day,
and the top seemed as distant from the place where he lodged
at night as from his wigwam, where he began his journey. He
now concluded the spirits were there, and never dared to make
a second attempt.

I have been credibly informed that several others have failed
in like attempts. Once three young men climbed towards its
summit three days and a half, at the end of which time they
became strangely disordered with delirium, &c., and when
their imagination was clear, and they could recollect where
they wer*.', they found themselves returned one day's journey.
How they came to be thus transported they could not conjec-
ture, urdess the genii of the place had conveyed them. These
White hills, at the head of Penobscot river, are, by the Indians,
said to be much higher than those called Agiockochook, above
Saco."^

But to return to an Indian feast, of which you may request a
bill of fare before you go. If you dislike it, stay at liome. The
ingredients are hsh, flesh, or Indian corn, and beans boiled
together ; sometimes hasty pudding made of pounded corn,
whenever and as often as these are plenty. An Indian boils
four or five large kettles full, and sends a messenger to each
wigwam door, who exclaims, " Kuh menscoorebah .'" that if
*' I come to conduct you to a feast." The man within demands

* Some additions to these traditions will be found in the Book of the In-
dians, iii. 131. — Ed.

JOHN GYLES' CAPTIVITY.

, an Indian
h('(l by iirtj
Al Ifiiotli,
I of IV'Uob-
s tine croa-
in^s of her.
'd in c[ucst
liful youth,
aif^l, swini-
ished upon
y inmgiiied
,'ddon, ihey
ig to their
r whatever
I water-side
vininHn;;^ to

y the river,
see through
5s out. He
[ on a sum-
lill all day,
e he lodged
urney. He
red to make

have failed
towards its
time they
and when
ocl where
"s journey,
not conjec-
m. These
le Indians,
look, above

y request a
lome. The
>ans boiled
mded corn,
lulian boils
ofer to each
i/" that if
in demands

'ooh of the In-

whether ho must take a spoon or a knife in his dish, whic! he

always carries with hi

icy appfunt two or three youn

men to mess it out, to each niiui his jiortion, accordinij- to the
numlter of his family at home. This is done with the utmost
exactness. When th^y hav(^ done eating, a young fellow stands
without th(> (h>or, and crifs aloud, " ]\[cnsrrofnfuook,'' " come and
fetch!" Imincdiately each s(|uaw goes to her husband niid
takes what he h;LS left, which she carries home and eats with
her children. For neither married woukmi. nor any youth
under twenty, are allowed to be present ; but old widow
squaws ;iiid captive men may sit by the door. The Indian
men coDtinue in tlx^ wiL''wnm; some relatinrr their warlike
exjiloits, others something comical, others narrating their
hunting exploits. The seniors give maxims of prudence and
grave counsel to the youmr nn'ii ; and thoui,''h every one's
speech be agreeable to the run of his own fancy, yet they con-
fine themselves to rule, and but one sjiealcs at a tim(\ After
every man has told his story, one rises up, sings a feast song,
and others succeed alternately as the company sees lit.

Necessity is the mother of invention. If an Indian loses his
fire, he can presently take two sticks, one harder than the
other, (the drier the better,) and in the softest oue make a hol-
low, or socket, in which one end of the hardest stick being
inserted, then holding the softest piece firm between his knees,
whirls it round like a drill, and fire will kindle in a few
minutes.

If they have lost or left their kettle, it is but putting their
victuals into a birch dish, leaving a vacancy in the middle,
filling it with water, and putting in hot stones alternately;
they will thus thoroughly boil the toughest neck of beef.

Chapter VIII. — Of my three years raptirity with the
French. — When aljout six years of my doleful captivitv had
passed, my second Indian master died, whose squaw and my
first Indian master disputed whose slave I should be. Some
malicious persons advised them to end the quarrel by putting
a period to my life ; but honest father Simon, the priest of the
river, told them that it would be a heinous crime, and advised
them to sell me to the French. There came annually one or
two men of war to supply the fort, which was on the river
about 34 leagues from the sea. The Indians having advice of
the arrival of a man of war at the motith of the riv»}r, they,
about thirty or forty in number, went on ijoard ; for the gentle-
men from France made a present to 'hem every year, and set
forth the riches and victories of their monarch, &c. At this
time they presented the Indians with a bag or two of flour with

i' ('H

100

JOHN GYLES' CAPTIVITY.

somo prunes, as iiifrrodipnts for a feast. I, wlio wa^ dressed
up ill iin old mrt'iisy blanket, wiilioiit I'ap, hat, or shirt, (lor I
had had no shirl for the six years, except the one 1 had on at
the time I was made prisoner,) was invit.'d into the i>Teat cai)in,
where many well-riLrtred irentlcmeii were sitliiii/, who would
fain have had a full view of me-. 1 endeavored to hide mysc.'lf
behind tin* haiu,finL''s, for I was muidi ashamed; tliinkinir liow
I had once worn clothes, aiul of my iivimr with people who
could rit,f as well as the iiesl of them. My master asked me
wlietlu r I chose to he sold to the people of the man of war, or
to the inlialtilants of the country. 1 replied, with tears, that
I should he irlad if he would sell me to the ICni^lish iVom whom
I was taken ; hut that if I nuist he sold to the French, I wislied
to 1)0 sold to 'he lowest inhahitants on the river, or those near-
est to the sea, who were abctut twenty-live leagues from tlie
mouth of the river; for I thought that, if I were sold to the
gentlemen in the ship, I should never return to the Enpljsh.
This was tiie lirst linu' I had siM'ii the sea during my captivity,
atul the lirst time 1 had tasted salt or bread.

My luaster presently went on shore, and a few days aftev all
the Indians went up the river. AViien we came to a liouse
which I had spoken to my master about, lie went on shore
with me, and tarried all nitiht. The master of the house spoke
kindly to me in Indian, for I could not then speak one word of
Fr-^iich. Machim also looked pleasant on me, and ^ave me
some bread. The next day I was sent six leagues further up
the river to another French house. My master and the friar
tarried with Monsieur DechoufTour, the i^entleman who had
entertained us the night before. Not long after, father Simon
came and said, " Now you are one of us, for you are sold to
that gentleman by whom you were entertained the other night.
I replied, " Sold ! — to a Frenchman !" 1 could say no more,
went into the woods alone, and wept till I could scarce see or
stand ! The word sold, and that to a people of that persua-
sion which my dear mother so much detested, and in her last
words manifested so irreat fears of my falling into ! These
thoughts almost broke my heart.

When I had thus given vent to my grief I wiped my eyes,
endeavoring to co.iceal its effects, but father Simon, perceiving
my eyes were swollen, called me aside, and bidding me not to
grieve, for the gentleman, he said, to whom I was sold, was of
a good humor; that he had formerly bought two captives,
both of whom had been sent to Boston. This, in some mea-
sure, revived me ; but he added he did not suppose I would
ever wish to go to the English, for the French religion was so
much better. He said, also, he should pass that way in about

)- i;

JOHN GYLES' CAPTIVITY

101

I'ns dressed
siiirl, (for I
I li;i(l oil ut
iirciit ciihiii,
who would
'u\v myself

illl\iM!Jf iiow

people wlio
r asked lae
I ot war, or
tears, that
t'rom whom
li, I wished
tlioso iicur-
es from the
sold to the
le Ennlish.
y ca})livity,

lys after all
to a house
t on shore
lOUse spoke
ine word of
d pave me

urther up

:1 the friar
who had

ler Simon
lire sold to
ither night,
y no more,

r(!0 see or
It persua-

n licr last
! These

I my eyes,
lerceiving
me not to
Id, Avas of
captives,
Korne mea-
le I would
on was so
y in about

ten days, and if T did imt like to live with the French l^ottcr
than with t!ie Indians he W(>uld buy m<' asjain. On the day
followiu'j. lather Simon and my Indian ma-^ter went up the
river, six atid thirty leaL''ue-«. to their chief villas''', and 1 wi'nt
down the river six loaLTue^ with two Frenchmen to mv ii''W
master. He kiiidlv re<'eived me. and in a few days maijam
made me an osnaburt; shirt and French cap ai\d a coat out of
on<! of my master's old coals. Then I threw away my <jr<'asy
blanket and Indian (lap, and lookeil as smart as — . And [
never tnore saw the f)ld friar, tho Indian villaiie. or my Indian
ma<ter, till about fourteen y 'ars alter. whr>n I saw my old
liulian master at I'ort J'.oyal, whither 1 had been sesil by the
government with a flag •)f truce for tlu" exchanL''e of prisoners ;
and aLTain. abi. it twenty-four years since, he came to St. .lohn's,
to fort CjeorLre, to see me, wh'Te I made him V(^ry W( Icome.

My French master held great trade with the Indians,
which suited me very well, 1 neing thorough in the languages
of ;he tribes at Cape Sable and St. Johns.

I had not lived long with this gont'eman before he commit-
ted to me the keys of his store, tScc, and my whole employment
was trading and hunting, in which I acted faithfully for my
master, and never, knowingly, wronged him to the value of one
farthing.

They spoke to me so much in Indian that it was some time
before I was perfect in the Frencli tongue. Monsieur gene-
rally had his goods from the men-of-war which came there
annually from France.

In th(! year 1696, two men-of-war came to the mouth of the
river. In their way they had captured the Newport, Captain
Payson, and brought him with them. They made the Indians
some presents, and invited them to join in an expedition to
Pemmafpiid. They accepted it, and soon after arrived there.
Capu Chubb, who commanded that post, delivered it u[) with-
out much dispute to Monsieur D'lberville, as I heard the gen-
tleman say, with whom I lived, who was there present.^

Early in the spring I was sent with three Frenchmen to the
mouth of the river, for provision, which came from Port Royal.
We carried over land from the river to a large bay, where we
were driven on an island by a north-east storm, where we were
kept seven days, without any sustenance, for we expected a
quick passage, and carried nothing with us. The wirul con-

* The reverend Dr. Mather says, wittily, as he says everythin<^. "This
Chubb fbuml opportunity, in a pretty Chiilhish manner, tu kill the famous
Edj^eremet and Ahenquid. a couple of principal Indians, on a Lord's day,
the Itith of February, Ib'.lo. If there is any unfair dealmg in this actioa

102

JOirX GVLES' CAniVITY.

tinuinc; boistorons, wn rnuld not return back, and the ico pro-

Vfdtod our iioiii''

i'orw

ird

Aft

cr seven driys tfip i'"(

l.rol,

<" III

and we went loruMrd, tli<»iii^'lj we were so wrnk that we ("oiild
scarce hoar each other .speak. The people at the mouth of the
river were surprised to see us ulive, and :idvised u^; to he cau-
liou;; and ah>teniioiis in eatinij. liy this time F knew iis much
of lastinij as tliey, and dieted on hrolh, and recovred very well,
as did one of the r)thers ; hut the other two would tmt fie
advised, and I never saw any persons in preatt-r distress, till
at leiiLTth they had action of the howds, when they recovered,

A friar, who lived iti the family, invited me to confession,
hut I excused myself as well as I could at that tiuie. One
evening he took me into his apartment in the dark and advised
me to confess to him what sins 1 had committed. I told him I
could not remember a thousandth part of them, they were so
numerous. Then he bid me rememh{>r and relate as many as
I could, and he would pardon thetn; siirnifyinir he had a ba"^
to put them in. I told him I did not believe it was in the
power of any but God to pardon sin. He asked me whether I
had read the Bible. 1 told him I had, when 1 was a little boy,
but it was so long- ago I had forgotten most of it. Then he
told me he did not pardon my sins, but when he knew them he
praved to God to pardon them ; when, perhaps, I was at my
sports and j)Iays. He wished me well ami hoped I should be
better advised, and said he should call for me in a little time.
Thus he dismissed me, nor did he ever call me to confession
afterwards.

The gentleman with whom I lived had a fine field of wheat,
in which great numbers of blaclc-birds continually collected and
made great havoc in it. The French said a Jesuit would come
and banish them. He did at length come, and having all
things prepared, he took a basin of holy water, a staff' with a
little brush, and having on his white robe, went into the field
of wheat. I asked several prisoners who had lately been taken
by privateers, and brought in there, viz. Mr. Woodbury, Cocks
[Cox ?] and Morgan, whether they would go and see the cere-
mony. Mr. Woodbury asked me whether I designed to go,

of Chubb, there will be another February, not far off, wherein the avenger
of blood will take satisfaction.'' — Hist. N. E. [Ma^iialia] B. vii. 79.

Mr. Mather adds, " On the 4th or .^th of Aufrust, Chubb, with an un-
common baseness, did surrender the biave fort of Penimat}uid into their
hands." [For an accoiuit of the wretched fate of Cliubb as well as that
of the whole transaction, see Book of the Indians, B. iii. 121, 122.J

Unthinkmg men no sort of scruples make.
And some are bad only for mischief's sake,
But ev'n the best are guilty by mistake.

JOHN gvm:s' captivity.

103

ho Wo pro-
(' liroko up
it wv roil Id
oiitli of flio
. to lif caw-
\v as 111 II eh
I vrry woll,
iild tint lie
li>tr<'ss, till

rfcovorrd,
confession,
iiiip. Otio
iiid advised

told liiiii I
ley were so
as niJiny fvs

had a ba^

was in tho

; whether I

a little hoy,

Then he

3VV them he

was at my
I should he

little time.

confession

of wheat,

lected and

ould come

having all

taff with a

to the field

:)een taken

ury, Cocks

e the cere-

led to go,

the avenger
■u. 79.

with an un-
lid into their

well as that
, 122.J

and ^ told liim yes. H<' then said F was a.s had as a papist,
and a d — d fool. I told him I licdirvcd a> little of it as he did,
hut that I \\a-< iiicliiu'il to see the ceremony, that I iniL^ht tell
it to my fri'Mids.

Willi alioiit thirty following in procession, the Jesuit inandied
throiiLrh tho lifld of wlu-at, a youiiLT hid going liefore liiin hear-
ing the holy water. TIumi ilif Jrsiiit, dip|)ing his hnisli into
the holy water, sprinkled ihc licld on each side (»f him ; a little
hell jin-jliiiy- at the same time, ami all sinuniii: the words Ora
])ro nohis. At t!ie end of the lirM they wheeled fo the left
about, and returned. 'rini< they pi'sscd and repassed the Htdd
of wheal, the blark-birds all the while risiiie' before them only
to liirht behind. At their return 1 told a I-'reiich lad that the
friar had done lui service, and recommenfled them to shoot tho
hirds. The lad left me, as I tliouudit, to see what the Jesuit
would sav t(» mv ob^crvaiicui. wliieh tiiriiiMJ out to be tin* case,
for he (old the lad that the sins of the people were so trreal that
he could not jirevail aa"ainst those hirds. The same friar as
vainly attempted to banish the muskeloes from Signecto, but
the sins of the people there were also too great for him to pre-
vail, but, on the other hand, it seemed that more came, which
caused the people to suspect that some had come for the sins
of the Jesuit also.

Some time after. Col. Hawthorn<» attempted the taking of
the French fort up tliis river. We li<'ard of him some time
before he came up, by the guard which Governor Villebon had
stationed at the river's mouth. IVIonsi(>ur, my master, had gone
to France, and madam, his wife, advised with me. She desir-
ed me to nail a paper on the door of her house, which paper
read as follows :

" I entreat the ceneral of the Enjilish not to hum my house
or barn, nor destroy my cattle. I don't suppose that such an
army comes here to destroy a few inhabitjints, but to take the
fort above us. I have shown kindness to the English captives,
as we were capacitated, and have bought two, of the Indians,
and sent them to Boston. We have one now with us, and he
shall go also when a convenient opportunity presents, and he
desires it."

When I had done this, madam said to me, " Little English,"
[which was the familiar name she used to call me by,] "we
have shown you kindness, and now it lies in your power to
serve or disserve us, as you know where our goods arir hid in
the woods, and that monsieur is not at home. I could have
sent you to the fort and put yon under confinement, but my
respect to you and your assurance of love to us have disposed
me to confide in you ; persuaded you will not hurt us or our

f .;

101

JOHN OYl.ES' CAPriVITV

afHiirs. And, now, if you will not rnii nwny to tho FiMiili.sh,
who iiro coiijiiii^r up tlif timt, but mtvo our iiitf'r<'st, I will uc-
(juniul niotisicur of it on liis rfiurn from Frau'-r, which will hn
very ph'iisinir to hini ; iiml I now ^'ivt' iny word, y'>'> ^h-'ill hnvo
lilt'Tly to i^o to Bo>loii on th<' Hrsl opportunity, if you dcsiri' it,
or any other favor in iny power >liall not he duniccl you." I
rc|)lit'd :

" Aladam, it is contrary to tho nature* of the. English to re-
quite evil for ^(uh\. I shall endeavor tf) serve* you and your
interest. I NJiall not run to the IviLHish, hut if I am taken hy
them I shall vvillinj'ly ufo with thciu, and yei endeavor not to
disserve you either in your person or <,M)ods."

The place where we lived was called Hai,nmsack, twenty-five
lenijues fronj th<^ river's mouth, as I have hefore stated.

We now emliarlced und went in a lari^e hoat and canoe two
or tliree miles up an eastern hranch of the river that comes
from a larjj^e pond, and on the followiiii^ eveninc^ sent down four
hands t) make di-!Covery. And while they were sitting in the
hou>:e the Eni^Hish surrounded it and took' one of the four.
The otiier three made their escape in the dark and through
the Encj^lish soldiers, and cominrr to us, gave a surprisincf ac-
count of affairs. Upon this news madam said to me, " Little
English, now you can go from us, hut I hope you will remem-
ber your word." 1 said, " Madam, be not concerned. I will
not leave you in this strait." She said, " I know not what to
do with my two poor little babes!" I said, " Mada)n, the
sooner we embark and go over the great pond the better."
Accordingly we embarked and went over the pond. The next
day we spoke with Indians, who were in a canoe, and they
gave us an account that Signecto town was taken and burnt.
Soon after we heard the great guns at Gov. Villebon's fort,
which the English engaged several days. They killed one
man, then drew olTdown the river ; fearing to continue longer,
for fear of being frozen in for the winter, which in truth they
would have been.

Hearing no report of cannon for several days, I, with two
others, went down to our house to make discovery. We found
our young lad who was taken by the English when they went
up the river. The general had shown himself so honorable,
that on reading the note on our door, he ordered it not to be
burnt, nor the barn. Our cattle and other things he preserved,
except one or two and the poultry for their use. At their
return they ordered the young lad to be put on shore. Find-
ing things in this posture, we returned and gave madam an
account of it.

She acknowledged the many favors which the English had

JOHN (JVLES' CAI'IIVITV.

lori

t. I Will !IC-

liicli will be

II >ll!lll lliJVO

MU desire ii,
(•(I you." I

iii^lish to re-
Du and your
iin taken by
ettVDr not to

, twenty-five
a ted.

(1 CllMOC two

r that comes

lit down four

<iilin^ in the •

of tbf four.

and til rough

urprisiiiir ac-

I me, " Little

will remein-

ne;l. I will

not what to
Madam, the

the better."
The next
x\ and they
n and burnt.

llebon's fort,
y killed one
tinue longer,

n truth they

, I, with two
We found
en they went
so honorable,
d it not to be
le preserved,
L". At their
lore. Fiud-
re madam an

«howed her. with uriiitudf, and iri;ii(>d mu- with great civility.
The next spriiiir monsieur arrived iVom Krancc in thf miiii-of-
war. He tliankfd me for my fan- of hi- atliiir. and -;iid he
would t iidcavo:' to fullil whai ni.id:im had pnuni-i ,1 inc.

At't'ordiii'jiv. ill tin- yar ll>!>*^. |>cai<' briiu' pnudaiiiH'd, a
.sloop laiiic I.I ilii' iijiMitli (it the ri\t'r with ransom for one Mi-
chael tJooiii-i. I pill iiioiisiciir in mind of his word, telling
him there wa> now an ripportiiiiity tor me to go and see ihe
ICiigli-h. He advisrd me to coiitiijiie wi'li him ; said he Wdiild
do for me a- tor lii- own. cVe. I tliunked him Inr Iii< kindness,
but rather chose to -jo te Jio-ton. hopiiiL' to lind some of my
relitioii^ yet alive. Then In- advised me to ;;o up to the fort
aiitl take my leave ot' liie LToveriioi'. whii'li 1 did, Mild hi' >poktj
very kindly to mi-. Some days a'i<'r I took mv Nave of ma-
dam, ami monsieur went down to tin' nidutli of the river with
me. to see me salejv on beard. Hi- a>k('d the master, Mr.
Slarkee, a Scotchman, wlctlicr I miHt pay for my pass;ige,
and if so, he would pay it liiinselt rather than 1 should have it
to pay at my arrival in Mostoii. Imi he eave me not a jienny.
The master told him there was miiliiiig to pay, and that if the
owner .should make any demand lie would jiay it himstdf,
rather than a poor prisoner should sutler; for he was glad to
sec any I'^ntflish person come out ot Captivity.

On the l.'illi (»f June, 1 took my leave of monsieur, and the
sloop came to sail for IJoston, where we arrived on the liUh of
the same, at night, in the morniiiLT after my arrival, a youth
came on board and asked many <piestions relating to my caj)-
livily, and at length gave me to understand that li<> was my
little brother, who was .at play with some other cliildren at
Pemmaiiuid when I was taken captive, and who escajied into
the fort at that p(^rilous time, fie told me mv elder brother,
who made his escape from the farm, when it was taken, and
our two little sisters, were alive, Imt thai our mother had been
dead some years. Then we went on shore and saw our elder
brother.

On the 2d of August, Ki'^f), I was taken, and on the 19lh of
June, 1(>;)8, I arrived at lioston ; so that I was absen* eight
years, ten months, and seventeen days. In all which time,
though I underwent extreme diflicii'lties, yet I saw much of
God's goodness. And may the mo-t powerful and beneficent
Being accept of this public testimony of it, and ble<.s my expe-
riences to excite others to confide in his all-sufliciency, through
the infinite merits of Jesus Christ.

111

''If

English bad ^ ^

106

1 1 I

t I

APPENDIX, containing minutes of the eviployments, jniblic
stations, etc., of John Gvlks, Esq., connnandcr of the s^arri-

son on St. George'' s river

After my return out of captivitVi Juno 28th, 1698, I applied
myself to the jsrovernment for their fiivor. Soon after 1 was
ernpioycd by old father Mitchel, of Maiden, to go as his inter-

.'ter on Iradinij: arconnt to St. John's river.

October 14th, 1G98, I was employed by the trovernment,
Lieutenant Governor Stontrhton commander-in-chief, to "-o as

)nt(

nan
rpretc

at three j)()unds per month, with Major Converse
and old Capt. Alden to Penobscot to fetch captives. At our

ret

to Boston 1

'd ; but with

th(

nrn to noston l was uismissea ; but witnm a lew days tno
governor sent for me to interpret a conference with Bomma-
zecn, and other Indian^ then in jail.

Some time aft(M' I was again put in pay in order to go inter-
preter with Col. IMiillips and Capt. Southack, in the province
galley, to Casco bay, to exchange said Indians [Bommazeen
and others] for English captives. In December, 1698, we
returned to Boston with several captives ■«vhich we had libe-
rated, and I was dismissed the service, and desired to attend it
in the spring. I pleaded to be kept in pay that I might have
wherewith to support myself at school. I went into the conn-
try, to Rowley, where bv.arding was cheajt, to practise what
little I had attained at school.

March, 1699. With the little of my wages that I could
reserve, I paid for my schooling and board, and attended the
service upon request, and was again put into pay, and went
with Col. Phillips and Maj. Converse in a large brigantine up
Kennebeck river for captives, and at our return to Boston the
province galley being arrivf^d from New York with my lord
Bellemont, and the province true] nut on board, I w^as ordered
on board the galley. We cruised on the eastern shore ; and
in Novend)er, 1699, I wns put out of pay, though I pleaded to
be conlinued in it, seeing I must attend the service in the
spring, and be at considerable expense in the winter for my
schooling.

In the spring of 1700, 1 attended the service, and was under
pay again. On August 97th, a fort was ordered to be built at
Casco bay, which was finislied on the 6th of October following,
and the province truck landed, and I was oidered to reside
there as interpreter, wnth a captain, &c. Not long after, Goa\
Dudley se./i me a lieutenant's commission, with a memoran-
dum on its back, " No further pay but as mterpreter at three
pounds per month."

APPENDIX.

107

oymcnfs, public
'■r of the s^arri-

1698, I applied
'"11 after 1 was
go as his iiitei-

10 irovornmenl,
■ch\ot\ to o-o as
l.'ijor Converse
)lives. At our
I few (lays the
■ with Bomma-

icr to go inter-
1 the province
* [Bomniazeen
bor, 1698, we
1 we had libe-
rcd to attend it
t I might have
into the conn-
practise what

« that I could
I attended the
"•ay, and went
brigantine up
to Boston the
with my lord
I was ordered
1 siiore ; and
1 I pleaded to
ervice in the
vinter for my

nd was under
to be built at
'or following,
I'od to reside
g after, Gov.
n memoran-
eter at three

August 10th, 1703. The French and Indians besieged our
fort tor six days. (Major !\Iarch was our coinniander.) On the
16th of the same month, Capt. Southack arrived in the prov-
ince L'"alley, an<l in the niirht fnllowintj the enemy withdrew.

May Hiili, 1701. I received a few lines from liis cxc ellency
directing me to leave ,iy post, and accom])any Col. Church on
an expedition round lae bay ^.f Fundy."^ September following
I returned to my post, without any further wages or encourage-
ment for that service than the beforementioned pay at the
garrison.

April, 1706. There was a chatige of the chief officer at our
garrisoji. 1 chos" to be dismissed with my old officer, which
was granted. The same year his excellency Gov. Dudley
presented me with a captain's commission, and ordered Colonel
Saltonsiall to d.'tach fifty effective men to be delivered to me
in order for a march. In May, 1707, I entered on an expedi-
tion under Col. j\Iarch, for Port Royal, at the termination of
which I was dismissed.

May IStli, 1708, I received orders from his excellency to go
to Port Royal with a flag of truce to exchange prisoners, and
brought off all. At my return I was dismissed the service.

In 1709, I received a commission, and Colonel Noyes had
orders to detach forty men, whom ho put under me, with orders
to join tl;e forces for Canada. At Hull, August 1st, 1709, I
received orders from his excellency to leave my company with
my lieutenants, and go to Port Royal with a flag of truce to
exchange prisoners. I went in the sloop Hannah and Ruth,
Thomas Waters, master. T had nine French prisoners, Avhich
were all that were in our governor's hands. These he ordered
me to deliver to Gov. Supercass, " and to let him know that he
[Gov. Dudley] expected him to deliver all the English prison-
ers within his power, within six days, which 1 was ordered to
demand and insist upon, agreeably to his promise last year."
I was ordered to ol)serve to him that Governor Dudley highly
resented his breach of promise in Jiot sending them errly this
spring, acconling to his parole of honor, by myself, wiien we
had returned him upwards of forty of his people, and had
made provision for bringing home ours ; and to make par-
ticular inquiry after Capt. Myles, and to demand his and his
company's release also.

Accordingly, arriving at Port Royal, I was kindly entertained
by Gov. Supcrcass; brought ofl!' above one hundred prisoners.
Soon after my return our forces were dismissed, and I received

* A full account of this expedition under Col. Church will be found in
Church's Histery of King Philip's War, &cc. ed. 12mo., Boston, 1827, by
the editor of this.

i- "

' I

108

APPENDIX.

no other considcralioii lor my service than pay as captain of
my company.

August, illC). I was desired, and had "-rcat promises made
me l)y the proprietors, and received orders from his excellency
to build a fort at I'ejepscoi, [now Brunswick, Me. | Soon after
our arrival there tlu- Indians came in the ni;:rhl, Jtnd forbid our
layinsj;' one stone upon another. I told them 1 came with
orders from Governor DutUey to bnild a fort, and if they dis-
liked it they might ac((uaint him with it; and that if they
came forcibly upon us. they or I should fall on the spot. After
such like Jiot words they left us, and we went on with our
building, and finished it, November 25lh, 1715, and our car-
penters and masons left us. My wages were very small, yet
the gentlemen proprietors ordered me only live pounds for my
good services, &;c.

July 12th, 1722, a number of Indians engaged fort George
about tw^o hours, killing one person, and then drew off to kill-
ing cattle, &c.

April, 1725, I received orders from his honor Lieut. Gov.
Dummer to go ten days' march up Vmmiscoggin river, and in
my absence the Indians killed two men at our fort. I received
no further pay for said service, only the pay of the garrison.

December i2th, 1725, I was dismissed from fort George,
and Capt. V/oodside received a commission for the command
of that place.

December 13th, 1725, I was commissioned for the garrison
at St. George river.

September, 1726. I was detained some months from my
post, by order of Gov. Dummer, to interpret for the Cape Sable
Indians, Avho were brought in and found guilty.^ There was
no other person in the province that had their language. His
honor and the hoimrable council presented me with ten pounds
for this service, which I gratefully received.

Nov. 2Sth, 172S, I was commissioned for the peace.
' I have had the honor to serve this province under eight
commanders in chief, governors, and lieutenant governors, from
the year 1698 to the year 1736 ; and how much longer my
services may continue I submit to the Governor of the world,
■who overrules every circumstance of life, which relates to
our happiness and usefulness, as in infinite wisdom he sees
meet.

* There were five of them belon^inp; to the St. Francis tribe. They
had seized on a vessel at Nowt'oundhmd belonging to Plymouth. The
act being considered piracy, they were all executed zi Boston. — (Ed.)
MS. Chronicles of the Indians.

BURNING OF ROBERT ROGERS

109

.IS captain of

romisos made

lis oxocllcticy

. I Soon after

iiid forbid our

I came with

d if they dis!;-

1 that if they

e spot. After

on with our

and our car-

?ry small, yet

lounds for my

d fort George
?w olF to kill-

r Lieut. Gov.
L river, and in
t. I received
le p;arrison.

fort George,
;he command

the garrison

ths from my
e Cape Sable
There was
iguage. His
h ten pounds

eace.

under eight
Ivernors, from
|i longer my
pf the world,

h relates to
Idom he sees

Is tribe. They
K'mouth. The
ioston. — (Ed.)

Be calm, my Deli lis, and serene,

However t'drtuiie cluint^c the scene.

In tliy nu)^l dejected stale.

Sink iu)l iindc'iiicath the weicjhl ;

Psiir yet wtn'ii liai>py day^' lu'<^iii.

And the I'tiU title comes rolimg in,

Let not a fierce unruly joy

Till' settled (jiiiL"t of thy mind deslroy.

Ilouever lorliiiic cliaii;^'e ihe scene.

Be cahn, my Dehus, ami serene. — Horace.

THREE NARRATIVES

OF EXCESSIVE DTSTRESS OF PERSONS TAKEN AT THE DE-
STRUCTION OF SALMON FALLS, IN THE STATE OF NEW
HAMPSHIRE, ON THE TWENTY-SEVENTH OF MARCH, 1C90;
VIZ., THE CRUEL TORTURE OF ROBERT ROGERS, THE FIVE
YEARS' CAPTIVITY OF MEHETAHLE GOODWIN, AND THE
FORTUNATE ESCAPE OF THOMAS TOOGOOD. FROM THE
MAGNALIA CHRISTI AMERICANA, OF DOCTOR COTTON
MATHER.

When the news of the destruction of Schenectady reached
New England, it spread great alarm over the whole country.
The wise men gave particular caution to all the frontier posts,
urging them to keep strict watch, and to make strong their
fortifications ; but the people in the east did not their duty,
and Salmon Falls, a fine settlement upon a branch of Pascat-
aqua river, fell into the hands of an infuriated and cruel enemy ;
the particulars Avhereof are at large set forth in the work enti-
tled TiiF. Book of the Indians, to which we have before re-
ferred.

But, as has been observed, notwithstanding these warnings
the people dreamed, that while the deep snow of the winter
continued, they were safe enough, which proved as vain as a
dream of a dry summer. Near thirty persons were slain, and
more than fifty were led into what the reader will by and by
call the worst captivity in the world. It would be a long story
to tell what a particular share in this calamity fell to the lot of
the family of one Clement Short. This honest man with his
pious wife and three children were killed, and six or seven
others of their children were made prisoners. The most of
these arrived safe at Canada, through a thousand hardships,
and the most of these were with more than a thousand mer-

BL'RMNG OF ROBERT ROGERS.

cms aflcruards redecmccl from Canada, and returned unto
tln-ir [Mii^lish friends again. Hut as we cannot take notice of
all ilie indi\idu;>ls, we will pass to the notice of those named
at the cornnienrciTient of this narrative.

Among' the prisoners was one Kohert Rogers, with whom as
the Indians journeyed they came to a hill, wliere this man,
(bi'ini,'' ilirDUgh his corpulency called Rnh'ni Pork) lioing under
such an intolerable and unsupportablo burden of Indian lug-
ga<je, was not so able to travel as the rest ; he therefore,
watching for an opportunity, made his escape. The wretches
missing him, immediately went in pursuit of him, and it was
not long before they found his burden cast in the way, and the
tracks of his feet going out of the way. This they followed,
and found him hid in a hollow tree. They dragged him out,
stripped him, heat and pricked him, pushed him forward with
the points of their swords, until they got back to the hill from
whence he had escaped. It being almost night, they fastened
him to a tree, with his hands behind him, then made them-
selves a supper, singing and dancing around him, roaring, and
uttering gr(>at and many signs of joy, but with joy little enough
to the poor creature who foresaw what all this tended to.

The Indians next cut a parcel of wood, and bringing it into a
plain place, they cut oft' the top of a small red-oak tree, leaving
the trunk for a stake, whcrcunto they bound their sacrifice.
They first made a great fire near this tree of dcatJi, and
bringing Rogers unto it, bid him take his leave of his friends,
which he did in a doleful manner, such as no pen, though
made of a harpy's quill, were able to describe the dolor of it.
They then allowed him a little time to make his prayers unto
heaven, which ho did with an extreme fervency and agony;
whereupon they bound him to the stake, and brought the rest of
the prisoners, with their arms tied each to the other, and seat-
ed them round the lire. This being done, they went behind
the fire, and thrust it forwards upon the man with much laugh-
ter and shouting ; and when the fire had burnt some time upon
him, even till he was almost suffocated, they pulled av/ay from
him, to prolong his existence. They now resumed their dan-
cing around him, and at every turn they did with their knives
cut collops of his flesh out of his naked limbs, and throw them
with his blood into his face. In this manner Avas their work
continued until he expired.

Being now dead, they set his body down upon the glowing
coals of fire, and thus left him tied with his back to the stake,
where he was found by some English forces scoii after, who
were in pursuit of these Indians.

MEHETABLE GOODWIN.

Ill

turned unto
ike notice of
those named

ith whom as

■e this man,

being under

Indian lug-

le therefore,

!'he wretches

, and it was

*vay, and the

ley followed,

led him out,

orward with

tlie hill from

hey fastened

made them-

roaring, and

little enough

ded to.

iging it into a

tree, leaving

eir sacrifice.

r dcalh, and

his friends,

pen, though

! dolor of it.

prayers unto

and agony ;

It the rest of

er, and seat-

^vent behind

much laugh-

le time upon

I away from

d their dan-

their knives

I throw them
s their work

the glowing
lo the stake,

II after, who

up to he

it was exhaust(Hl ami
days preserved the \\
travel with his own

Mehetable Goodwin, another of the captives of this hand
of Indians, who, it will be proper to notice, wer-,- led by tlm re-
nowned Indian chief Ilopehood, had a child with ln-r iiliiiut live
months old. Thi.<, thrcn^li hunger and hardship, ^jie being
unable to nourish from her l)reasi, occasioned it to make griev-
ous and distressing ejaculations. Her Indian master idid her
that if the child were not (inict he would soon dispose of it,
which caused her to use all possible means that his Ntlop-
ship*^ might not be olfended ; and sometimes she w(tuld carry
it from the (ire out of his hearing-, when she would sit ditwu
waist in the snow, fur several hours together, until
hilled to sI(M'p. !*^be thus fu- several
fe of her babe, until he saw cause to
cubs farther atield ; and then, lesi he
should be retarded in his travel, he violently snatched the
babe out of its mother's arms, and befi're her face knocked
out its brains ; and having stri})))ed it of its few rags it had
hitherto enjoyed, ordered the mother to go and wash them of
the blood wherewith they w^ere stained ! Returning from this
sad and melancholv task, she found the infant hanuinii' bv 'he
neclc in a forked bough of a tree. She requested liberty to
lay it in the eartli, hut the savage said, " It is better as it is,
for now the wild beasts cannot come at it;" fl am sure they
had been at it ;]t "and you may have the comfort of seeing it
again, if ever you come that way."

The journey now before them was like to be very long, as
far as Canada, where Mrs. Goodwin's master's purpose was to
make merchandise of her, and glad was she to hear such
happy tidings. But the desperate length of the way, and
want of food, and grief of mind, wherewith slie was runv en-
counteretl, caused her within a few days to faint under her
didiculties ; when, at kngth, she sat down for some repose,
with many prayers and tears unto God for the salvation (/f her
soul, she found herself unable to rise, until she saw her furi-
ous executioner coming towards her v.ith tire in his eyes,
the devil in his heart, and his haichet in his hand, r(>ady to
bestow a mercy-stroke of death upon her. Then it was that
this poor captive woman, in this extreme misery, got upon her
knees, and with weeping and wailing and all expri'ssi.jus of
agony and entreaty, prevailed on him to spare her '"fe a little
longer, and she did not question but God would enable her to

•* One of Dr. Mather's miserable misapplications of words. Netop,
among the Indians, signified /m«^/. — Ed.

'Hi

^^1

(

f )

1 1 need not remind the reader that this is no interpretation of mine. —

112

THOMAS TOOGOOD.

walk a little faster. The merciless tyrant wns prevailed with
to spare her this time; nevertlieh-ss her forini r 'veakness
]uickly returning upon lier, he wa,> just j,'"oinc^ to rrnrdev her,
when a couple of Indians, just at this moment c^-mino- in,
called suddeidy upon him to hoUl his hand. At lliis such a
horror sur])rised his fjnihy soul, mat he ran away from her;
but hearing them call his name, he returned, and then permit-
ted these his friends to ransom his prisoner.

After theae events, as we were seated by the side of a river,
we heard several j^uns <^o oiV on the opposite side, *vliich the
Indians concluded was occasioned by a parly of Albany Indians,
who were their enemies. Whereupon this bold blade I her old
master] would needs go in a canoe to discover what they were.
They iired upon and shot him through, together with several
of his friends, before the discovery could be made. Some
days after this, divers of his friends gathered a party to re-
venge his death on their supposed enemies. With these they
soon joined battle, and alter several hours' hard (ighting were
tlieinselves put to the rout. Among the captives which they
leA in their flight was this poor ^''oman, who was overjoyed,
supposing herself now at liberty ; but her joy did not last long,
for these Indians were of the same sort as the others, and had
been by their own friends, thus through a strange mistake, set
upon.

However, this crew proved more favorable to her than the
former, and went away silently with their booty ; being loath
to have any noise made of their foul mistake. And yet a few
days after, such another mistake happened ; for meeting with
another party of Indians, which they imagined were in the
English interest, they also furiously engaged each other, and
many were killed and wounded on both sides ; but the con-
querors proved to be a party of French Indians this time, who
took this poor Mrs. Goodwin and presented her to the French
captain of the party, by whom she was carried to Canada,
where she continued five years. After which she was brought
safely back to New England.

Thomas Toogood's short nai'ralive is iniroduced tc relieve
the reader from the contemplation of blood and misery. At
the same time the other captives were taken, three Indians
hotly pursued this man, and one of them overtaking him, while
the rest perceiving it, staid behind the hill, having seen him
quietly yield himself a prisoner. While the Indian was get-
ting out his strings to bind his prisoner, he held his gun under
his arm, which Toogood observing, suddenly sprang and
wrested it from him j and momentarily presenting it at the

}

ELIZABZTH II ANSON'S CAPTIVITY.

113

■vailed with

r 'veakncss

mirdor her,

Ci.Miiriir in,

llli^ siioh a
y^ from her ;
hen perrnit-

3 of a river,
H'liich the
my Indians,
uie I her old
they were.
I'ith several
de. Some
larty to re-
these they
diting were
vhich they
I overjoyed,
?t last long,
rs, and had
nistake, set

r than the
)eing loath
yet a few
eting- with
re in the
other, and
the con-
time, who
le French
3 Canada,
IS hrought

tc relieve
sery. At
e Indians
im, while
t^een him
was get-
:un under
ang and
it at the

Indian, protested he would shoot him down if JHMnndiMho least
noise. Am\ so away he ran with it unto (.iiidihci-lio. If my
reader he now inclined to smile, wIkmi ho thinks how simply
poor hgrim looked, retnrnim( to liis inai<\-< hrli'iid llie hill,
without either gun or prey, or any thing- hut -'rings, to ret^i•^l
him of his own deserts, 1 am sure his brethren felt not lt's> so,
for they de~ided him with ridicule at his misadventure. The
Indians are singv«larly exfossive in the ))rai"tice of sporting
at the misfortunes of one anotiifr in any case they arr- outwit-
ted, or have be^n guilty of committing any blunder.

Mary Plaisted was another of the unfortunate captives at
that time and place, but only a few particulars of extrcMne suf-
ferings are related. She had been out of her bed of f:^mily
sickness but three weeks wh(>n she was taken, and like others
she was obliged to wade through swamps and snow, when at
length she was relieved of the burthen of her inbmtson by her
cruel master, who, after dashing out its bruins, threw it into a
river J

GOD'S MERCY SURMOUNTING MAN'S

CRUELTY,

EXEMPLIFIED IN THE CAPTIVITY AND SURPRISING DELIVE-
RANCE OK ELIZABETH HANSON, WIFE OK JOHN HANSON,
OF KNOXMARSH, AT KECHEACHV, 1\ DOVER TOWNSHIP,
WHO WAS TAKEN CAPTIVE WITH HER CHILDREN AND
MAID-SERVANT, BY THE INDIANS IN NEW ENGLAND, IN
THE YEAR 17-21.— Tlie substance of which wns taken from her own
mouth, and now piil)lisl\eil for ijeneral service. The third •■'dition.— Phila-
delphia: reprinted; Danvers, near Salein : reprinted and sold hy E. Russell,
next the Bell Tavern, MDCCLXXX. At the same place may he had a
number of new Books, &,c., some of which are on the times. — Cash paid for
Rags.

[C7° This edition of Mrs. Hanson's nnrr.itive is copied from thnt print -d
at Dover, N. H., in 1821. Tin* above is ii copy of the title pa<,^' of that
of 1780. These editions correspcmd, and I have di.soovered no disn^ree-
ments in them. From a MS. extract, in tlu hand-wriiinij of ;\Ir. John
Farmer, upon the cover of a copy of the Dcver edition, it s(v>ins thcri' was
some doubt in his mind about the e.xnct date of the capture ot the Ilan-
scm family; for in that memorandum pbove mentioned, purportinf< to
have been taken from the IJoston Ntnvs- Letter of 1722. it is stated to have
happened on the 27th of Auj^ust of thai year. T have not been able to
refer to the News-Letter, but I iind the event noticed in Pembertou's MS
Chronolo^ a.s happening on the 7th of September, 1724. I have no

iii

lit

114

ELIZAHETH HANSON'S CAPTIVITY.

doubt of tlie corrcctiif'ss of the dn\o in the narrative, myself, but mention
the Ihct, thiU some bmlher aiiti(iu:iry may have the pleasure which may
acerue from a i investisalion. — Kd.

RemarkjULLE and many arc the providences of God toward"
his pe()j)le for their d(;liveranc€; in a time of tronlji(>, hy which
we may behold, as in lively characters, the truth of that staying,
" That he is a God near at liand, and always ready to help and
assist those that fear him and put their confidence in lum."

The sacred writings give us instances of the truth hereof in
days of old, as in the cases of the Israelites, Job, David, Dan-
iel, Paul, Silas, and many others. Besides which, our mode-n
histories have plentifully abounded with instances of God's
fatherly care over h's people, in their sharpest trials, deepest
distresses, and sorest exercises, by which we may ii'now he is
a God that changeth not, but is the same yesterday, to-day and
I'orever.

Among the many modern instances, I think I have not met
with a more singular one of the mercy and preserving hand of
God, than in the case of Elizabeth Hanson, wife of John
Hanson, of Knoxmarsh,* in Kecheachy, [Cochecho] in Dover
township, in New England, who was taken into captivity the
tv/enty-seventh day of the sixth month, called June, 1724, and
carried away (with four children and a servant) by the Indians;
which relation, as it was taken from her own mouth, by a friend,
is as follows:

As soon as the Indians discovered themselves, ('laving, as we
afterwards understood, been skulking in the fields some days,
watching their opportunity, when my dear husband, with the
rest of our men, were gone out of the way,) two of them came
in upon us, and then eleven more, all naked, .vith their gims
and tomahawks, and in a great fury killed one child immedi-
ately, as soon as they entered the door, thinking thereby to
strike in us the greater terror, and to make us more fearful of
them. After which, in like fury, the captain came up to me ;
but at my request he gave me quarter. There were with me
our servant and six of our children ; two of iho little ones being
at play about the orchard, and my youngest child, but fourteen
days old, whether in cradle or arms, I now remember not.
Being in this condition, I was very unfi'. for the hardships I
after met with, which I shall endeavor briefly to relate.

They went to rifling the house in a great hurry, (fearing, as
I suppose, a surprise from our people, it being late in the after-
noon,) and packed up some linen, woollen and what other

* A name, the use of which was long since disconunued. — Ed.

ELIZAr.RTH ffAXSO.WS CAI'TIVITY.

\ but mention
e which may

rod toward"
s, by which
hat flaying,
to help and
n him."
;h hereof in
)avid, Dan-
our mode-n
IS of God's
tiJs, deepest
know he is
, to-day and

ive not met
ng^ hand of
fe of John
)] in Dover
iptivity the
, 1724, and
le Indians;
by a friend,

vinf^, as we

Konic days,

d, with the

them came

their guns

d immedi-

thereby to

fearful of

up to me ;

re with me

ones being

It fourteen

mber not.

mrdships I

te.

fearing-, as
1 the after-
i^hat other

— Ed.

things pleased them best, iiml when they hid done what they
would, they turned out d the iiouse immediiitf^ly ; and while
they were at the door, two of my yo'iiiLT'^r chiblrfn. ouf six,
and the other four years old, came in sit-'ht, and being under
i» great surprise, cried aloud, upon winch one of the Indians
rinming to thftn, took them utider th-, arms, aiul brouirht th<>m
to us. My maid prevailed with the biirgest to be quiet and
still; but the other could by no means f)e prevailed with, but
continued shrieking and crying very much, and the Indians, to
ease themselves of the noise, and to prevent the danger of a
discovery that might arise from it, immediately, b(>fore my face,
knocked his brains out. I bore this as well as I could, not
daring to appear disturbed or to show nnich uneasiness, lest
they should d.. the same to the others ; but should have been
exceeding glad if they had kept out of sight until we had gone
from the house.

Now having killed two of my children, they scalped them,
(a practice common with these people, which is, whenever they
kill any enemies, they cut the skin off from the crown of their
heads, and carry it with them for a testimony and evidence
that they have killed so many, receiving sometimes a reward
for every scalp,) and then ptit forward to leave t'ne house in
great haste, without doing any other spoil than taking what
they had packed together, with myself and little babe, fourteen
days old, the boy six years, and two daughters, the one about
fourteen and the other about sixteen years, with my servant

It must be considered, that I having lain in but fourteen days,
and being but very tender and weakly, and removed now out
of a good room, well accommodated with fire, bedding, and
other things suiting a person in my condition, it made these
hardships to me greater than if I had been in a strong and
healthy frame ; yet, for all this, I must go or die. There was
no resistance.

In this condition aforesaid we left the house, each Indian
having something ; and I with my babe and three children that
could go of t'^emselves. The captain, though he had as great
a load as he could well carry, and was helped up with it, did,
for all that, carry my babe for me in his arms, which I took to
be a favor from him. Thus we went through several swamps
and some brooks, they carefully avoiding all paths of any track
like a road, lest by our footsteps we should be followed.

We got that night, I suppose, not quite ten miles from our
house in a direct line ; then taking up their quarters, lighted a
fire, some of them lying down, while others kept watch. I

j.ii

116

ELIZAHF/ni HANSON'S CAPTIVITY.

I > ti

( '^

bointr both wot and wfiiry, nnd lyinc,' on llm rold irrnund in iho.
opi-n woods, took hut little rest.

Ho\vrv(^r, (Mirly in tlio morning, wo must p*n just as tho day
appcnrt'd, travcll' <■ very hard all that day ihrouirh -sundry
rivf-rs, hrooKs an» -nnps, they, as hcforc i-art'(nlly avoidinjr
all paths lor the ro. already assitrncd. At niirlit, I was both
wot and tirtMJ oxooodiuf^Hy ; havinir the sninr- lodLMnif on the
cold j,'round, in the oj)en woods. Thus, for twenty-si\ days,
day by day we travelled very hard, sometimes n \\\\\v by water,
over lakes and ,)onds ; and in this journey we wrMil up some
h\<^\\ mountains, so steep that I was I'orcod to creep up on my
hands and knees; under which (Ii(]u'ulty, iho Indian, my mas-
tor, would mostly carry my l)abo Cor nie, wliich I took as a
n-reat favor of (iod, that his heart was so tenderly inclined to
assist me, tiiouLfh he had, as it is said, a very heavy burden
of his own ; nay, he would sonietimc^s take my very })lankot,
so tliat I had nothing to do but to take my little boy })y the
hand for bis Indp, and assist liim as well as I could, takitii,'' him
up in my arms a little at timers, because so small ; and when
we came to very bad pla('es, be would lend trio his hand, or
comiufi^ behind, would push me before him ; in all which, he
showetl some humanity and civility, more than I could have
expected : for which privileije I was secretly thankful to God,
as the movin*:^ cause thereof.

Next to this we had some very great runs of water and
brooks to wade ihrough, in which at times we met with much
difiiculty, wadinjT often to our middles, and sometime? our girls
were up to their shoulders and chins, the Indians carrying my
boy on their shoulders. At the side of one of these runs or
rivers, the Indians would have my eldest daughter, Sarah, to
sing them a song. Then was brought into her remembrance
that passage in the 137th Psalm, " By the rivers of Babylon,"
[&c.] When my poor child had given me this account, it was
very aflecting, and my heart was very full of trouble, yet on
my child's account I was glad that she had so good an incli-
nation, which she yet further manifested in longing for a Bible,
that \ve might have the comfort of reading the holy text at
vacant times, for our spiritual comfort under our present afflic-
tion.

Next to the difficulties of the rivers, v/ere the prodigious
swamps and thickets, very difTicult to pass through, in which
places my master would sometimes lead me by the hand, a
great way together, and give me what help he was capable of,
under the straits wo went through ; and we, passing, one
after another, the first made it pretty passable for the hindmost.

But the greatest difficulty, that deserves the first to be named,

ELIZABF/ni HANSONS CAPTIVITY.

117

unci in tho

as tho day
r\\ sundry
y avoiding'
I was })f)tli
■in<: on iIk;
y-si\ days,
' hy watpr,
It lip some
lip on my
1, my mas-
took as a
inclined to
ivy liurdon
ry blanket,
hoy hy the
takirif^ him
and when
is hand, or
which, he
con Id have
"nl to God,

water and

with much

's our girls

rryinn- my

se runs or

Sarah, to

nemhrance

Babylon,"

unt, it was

le, yet on

d an incli-

or a Bible,

oly text at

sent afflic-

prodigious
, in which
hand, a
capable of,
=;ping, one
hindmost,
be named,

was want of food, havinuf at times notliirjc to cat but pieces of
old b<Mivt;r-skin maifh-i-oats. whiih the Indian^ havinir hid. (for
tlicy canu* nakfi! as is >aid b('tor(\) uliich in ihcir iroiiii; back
again ihcy look with iliom, and they wert» used u\nrr for food
than raiment. Hcinir cut into b)nuf narrow >iraps. they gave
Us liltb» |)it'ccs, which by the Indians' exaniplt! we biid on the
fire until the hair was sing(^d away, and then we ale them as
a sweet morsel, experiincntally knowing "that to the hungry
soul every bitter thing is sweet."

It is to be considi'red further, that of this poor diet we had
but very scanty alLtwaiice ; so that we were in no dau'^er of
being overcharged. But that which added to my trouble, was
the complaints of my poor children, especially the little boy.
Sonu'times the Indians woiild catch a siiuirrtd or beaver, and
at other times we nn^t with nuts, berries, and roots which they
diirired out of th«> i/round, witii the bark of somk; trees ; but we
had no corn for a great while together, though some of the
younger Indians went back and brought some i-orn from the
English inhabitants, (the harvest not being gatlu^ed,) of which
we had a little allowed us. Hut when they caught a beaver,
we lived high while it lasted ; they allowed me the guts and
garbage for myself and children ; but not allowing \is to clean
and wash them, as they ought, made the food very irksome to
us to feed upon, and nothing besides pinching hunger could
have made it any way tolerable to be borne.

The next difficulty was no less ho "1 to me ; for my daily
travel and hard living made my milk .ry almost quite up, and
how to preserve my poor babe's life was no small care on my
mind ; having no other su.slenance for her, many times, but
cold water, which I took in my mouth, and let it fall on my
breast, when I gave her the teat to suck in, with what it could
gel from tlu} breast ; and when I had any of the broth of the
beaver's guts, or otfier units, I fed my babe with it, and as well
as I could I preserved her life until 1 got to Canada, and then
I had some other food, of which, more in its place.

Having by this time got considerably on the way, the Indians
parted, and v/e were divided amongst them. This was a sore
grief to us all ; but we must submit, and no way to help our-
selves. My eldest daughter was first taken away, and carried
to another part of the country, far distant from us, where for
the present we must take leave of her, though with a heavy
heart.

We di 1 not travel far after this, before they divided again,
taking my second daughter and servant maid from me, into
another part of the country. So, I having now only my babe
at my breast, and little boy six years old, we ramained with

IIR

KLIZABETII HANSON'S CAPTIVITY.

the I'Jiptaiii slill. Jiul my diUHilitcr iiml Mrviint uiKlcrwonl
prcul h!ir(hliips nftt-r they wen' parted from mr-, inivclliii!.'' throe
(lays witlioiii any food, takiiit'^ notliin^ lor Mipport Imt cold
WiilfT ; and llio third day, what with the cidd, the wtl, and
hnn'jcr, thr servant fell down a*^ th'ad in a >wu(in, hcini.' hoih
very fohl imd wet, at whi'di the Indian^, with u hum tht-y wore,
wiTO surprised, showing'" some kind ol len(h'rncss, bcinpf iinwil-
linc^ then to htsc them hy (h'ath. havin;^' yot them so near homo ;
hoping-, if they lived, hy their ransom to make (•(msi(lerai>le
prolit of theni.

In a few days after this, ihoy cfot rioar iheir i<»urney's end,
wln-re they had more plenty of Cdrn, and other fond. Hot
flesh olten f(dl V(M'y short, liavitiL!' no other wav lo depend on
for it hilt hwntiiii]^; and when that failed, they had very short
commons. It was not loni; ere my daughter and .s(<rvant were
likewise parted, and my dane'hicr's master heinjj sick, was not
ahle lo hunt for flesh ; neither had they iuiy corn in that place,
hut were lorced to eat hark (d trees for a whole week'.

lieing almost famished in this distress, Providence so order-
ed that some other Indians, hearinir of their misery, came to
visit them, (these people being very kind and helpful to one
another, which is very commendahle,) and hroiiirhi to ihem the
puts and liver of a heaver, which allorded them a ffood repast,
being- but four in number, the Indian, his wife and daughter, and
my daughter.

By this time my master and our company got to our jour-
ney's end, where we were; hotter fed at times, having some
corn and venison, and wild fowl, or what they could catch by
hiniting in the woods ; and my master having a large family,
fifteen in mimher, we had at times very short connnons, more
especially when game was scarce.

But here our lodging was still on the cold ground, in a poor
wigwam, (which is a kind of little shelter made with the rind
of trees, and mats for. a covering, something like a t(mt.) These
are so easily set up and taken down, that they often remove
them from one place to another. Our shoes and stockings,
and our other clothes, beitig worn out in this long journey
through the bushes and swamps, and the weather coming in
very hard, we were poorly defended from the cold, for want
of necessaries ; which caused one of my feet, one of the little
babe's, and both of the little boy's, to freeze ; and this was no
small exercise, yet, through mercy, we all did well.

Now, though we got to our journey's end, we were never
long in one place, but very often removed from one place to
another, carrying our wigwams with us, which we could do
without much difiiculty. This, being for the convenience Oi

lAAZAinVVU HANSONS CAPTIVITY.

119

it nndiTwont
ivclliiiii- ilirt'e
)nri, liiit colfl
tlio uci, (iiid
I. Ijciiiii' both
Ml ilit'v wcro,
Ih'iiii.^ tiiiuil-
ii('!ir home ;
consitlerable

"nicy's end,

• ood. But

» dt'|)cii(| Oil

d \<'ry sliori

i<'|-VilMt Wt'l'C

iriv, wns not
II iliiit place,
•ok.

<"c so ordcr-
^ry, ranic to
l]>(ul to one
to them the
Cnod repast,
High ter, and

o onr jour-
iivijiiT some
Id catch by
ru;v family,
mons, more

1, in a poor
th the rind
■nt.) These
en remove

stockings,
ig journey

coming- in
I, for want
)f the little
his was no

ivere never
le place to
' could do
enience o[

hiniliiitr, miidi- our nccomniodalions ninch mnrc iinpIfMsniit,
than if we had contimuMl in oik place, by reason tlw coldness
and ilatiipiit'ss cd' tlir ground, wIktc our wigwams were pitch-
ed, made it very iiiiwhob'^ome, and unpleasant Idiltring.

Having now L-ot to the Indian I'ort. many «»f the Indians
came lo visit u?<, and in their way welcomed my master home,
and Ik Id a '/rent rejoicin-r. with daiiciii'j, tiriiii,' of u'Hiis, beating
on li(dli)\v trees, instead id (Iriims ; shuuiiiej', drinkiiii.', ;ind feast-
ing after their tnanner, in miicli excess, for several days together,
whiih I snpposi>, in their thoughts, was a kind of thanks to
Crod, put up for their safe return and gooil siicce^^s, IJut whiN;
they were in their jollity and mirili, my mind was greatly »'x-
ercised towards the Lord, that I, with my dear children, sepa-
rated from me, might be preserved from repining against Ciod
under our adliction on the one hand, and on the other we
might have our dependence on him, who rules the hearts of
men, and can do what he pleases in the kimrd(»ms ni' the earth,
knnwing that Jii.s care is over them who put their trust in him ;
but I found it very hard to keep my mind tis I ought, in the
resignation wliich is pr(»per it should be, under >[\r\\ alilictions
and s(U'e trials as at that time 1 sutji'red in heing under varioUK
feors and doubts concerning my children, that wore Si.'paraled
from me, which helj)ed to add to and L-reatly increase my
troubles. And here I may truly say, iriy atiliclions are not to
be set fcu'th in words to the extent of them.

We had not been long at home ere my master went a hunt-
ing, and was al)scnt about a week, he ordering me in his
absences to gel in wood, irather nuts, &:c. I was very diligent
cutting the wood and j)uttiiig it in order, not having very far
to carry it. l]ut when he returned, havinu' got no prey, he
was very much out of humor, and the disapi)oiiifm(Mjt was so
great that he could not forl)ear revenginir it on us poor cap-
tives. However, he allowed me a little b!)iled corn for myself
and child, but \viih a very angry look threw a stick or corn col)
at me Avitli such violence as did bespeak he grudged our eat-
ing. At this his squaw and daughter brolce out into a great
crying. This made me fear mischief was hatchiiigagainst us.
I im!nediat(dy \\eiit out of his presemce into another wig-
wam; upon which he came after me, and in a great fury tore
my blanket ofl' my back, and took my little boy fr<iin me,
and struck him down as he went along before him ; but the
poor child not being hurt, only friLditeiied in tlH> fall, start-
ed up and ran away wi'.houi crying. Then the Indian, my
master, left me ; but his wife's mother came; and sat down by
me, and told me I must sleep there that night. She then going
from me a little time, came back with a small skin to cover my

11 i

120

ELIZABETH HANSON'S CAPTIVITY.

(

!l ■

feet withal, informing me that my master intended now to kill us,
and I, beintj desirous to know the reason, expostulated, that in
his absence I had been diliirent to do as I was ordered by him.
Thus as well as I could I made her sensible how unreason-
able he was. Now, though she could not understand me, nor
I her, but by sij^ns, we reasoned as v/ell as we could. She
therefore made sig-ns that I must die, advisinof me, by point-
m\r up with her /inij^^rs, in her way, to pray to God, endeavor-
ing by her signs and tears to instruct me in that which was
most needful, viz. to prepare for death, which now threatened
me : the poor old squaw was so very kind and tender, that she
would not leave me all the night, but laid herself down at my
feet, designing what she could to assuage her son-in-law's
wrath, who had conceived evil against me, chiefly, as I under-
stood, because the want of victuals urged him to it. My rest
was little this night, my poor babe sleeping sweetly by me.

I dreaded the tragical design of my master, looking every
hour for his coming to execute his bloody will upon us ; but
he being weary with hunting and travel in the woods, having
toiled for nothing, went to rest and forgot it. Next morning
he applied himself again to hunting in the woods, but I dread-
ed his returning empty, and prayed secretly in my heart that
he might catch some food to satisfy his hunger, and cool his
ill humor. He had not been gone but a little time, when he
returned with booty, having shot some wild ducks ; and now
he appeared in a better temper, ordered the fowls to be dressed
with speed ; for these kind of people, when they have plenty,
spend it as freely as they get it, using with gluttony and
drunkenness, in two days' time, as much as with prudent man-
agement might serve a week. Thus do they live for the most
part, either in excess of gluttony and drunkenness, or under
great straits of want of necessaries. However, in this plenti-
ful time, I felt the comfort of it in part with the family ; hav-
ing a portion sent for me and my little ones, which was very
acceptable. Now, I thinking the bitterness of death was over
for this time, my spirits were a little easier.

Not long after this he got into the like ill humor again,
threatening to take away my life. But I always observed
whenever he was in such a temper, he wanted food, and was
pinched with hunger. But when he had success in hunting,
to take either bears, bucks, or fowls, on which he could fill his
belly, he was better humored, though he was naturally of a
very hot and passionate temper, throwing sticks, stones, or
whatever lay in his way, on every slight occasion. This made
me in continual danger of my life ; but God, whose provi-
dence is over all his works, so preserved me that I never

ELIZABETH HANSON'S CAPTIVITY.

121

)w to kill us,
itcd, that, in
red by him.
V unreason-
irul me, nor
ould. She

0, by poinl-

1, cndeavor-
wliich was

r threatened

ler, that slie

down at my

son-in-law's

as I under-

t. My rest

f' by me.

jking every

on us ; but

)cds, having

ext morning

but I dread-

r heart that

nd cool his

16, when he

and now

3 be dressed

lave plenty,

ittony and

ndent man-

for the most

s, or under

this plcnti-

mily ; hav-

1 was very

h was over

mor again,
's observed
)d, and was
n hunting,
ould fill his
urally of a
stones, or
This made
hose provi-
at I never

deceived any daniafre from him, that was of any great conse-
c|ucn("e to me ; for which I vvor dcsin- to be thankl'ul in my
Maker.

When flesh was scart^e v»'o had only th(> iruts ai'd garbage
allowed to our part; and not being permitted to cleanse the
guts any other \vi>e than einptyin<j Mie dung [out], wilhdut >o
much as washiuL'' them, as bf^fure is noted ; in that lihhy pi. 'Me
we must bf»ii them and eat tluin, which was very unjileasant.
But hunger made nj) that diliiculty, so that this lbo<l, Avliich
was very often our lot, becam(> ])relty tolerabk' to a shat-p ap-
petite, which otlierwise ccnild not have been dispensed with.
Thus 1 considered, none luiows what they can undergo until
they are tried; for wiiat 1 liad tliouirht in my own family not
fit for food, would here have been a dainty disli and sweet
morsel.

By this time, what with fatigue of spirits, hard labor, mean
diet, and often want of natural rest, I was brought so low, that
my milk was dried up, my babe very poor and weak, just skin
and bones ; for I could perceive all her joints from one end of
the back to the other, and how^ to get what would suit her
weak appetite, I was at a ioss ; on which one of the Indian
squaws, perceiving my uneasiness about my child, began some
discourse with me, in which she advised me to take the ker-
nels of walnuts, clean them and beat them with a little water,
whicli I did, and w'len I had so done the water looked like
milk ; then she advised me to add to this water a little of the
finest of Indian corn meal, and boil it a little together. I did
so, and it became palatabh', and was very nourishing to the
babe, so that she began to thrive and look well, who was before
more like to die than live. I found that with thi.-i kind of diet
the Indians did often nurse their infants. This was no snuill
comfort to me; but this comfort w, s soon mixed with bitter-
ness and trouble, which thus liapptMir'd : my master taking
notice of my dear babe's thriving condition, would often look
upon her and say when slie was fat enough she would be
killed, and he would eat her ; and pursuant to his pretence, at a
certain time, he made me fetch him a stick that he had pre-
pared for a spit to roast the child upon, as he said, which when
I had done he made me sit down by him and undress the
infant. When the child was naked he felt her arms, legs, u.id
thighs, and told me she was not fat enough yet ; I must dress
lier again until she was better in case.

Now, though he thus acted, I could not persuade myself that
he intended to do as he pretended, but only to aggravate and
afflict me ; neither ever could I think but our lives would be
preserved from his ])arbarous hands, by the overruling power

11 ' ^

tlL

122

ELIZABETH HANSON'S CAPTIVITY.

1 i

I,'

of Him in whose providenre 1 put iny trust l)oth day and
ni<fjit.

A little time after this, my master Idl sirk, and in his sick-
ness, as he lay in his wij^wam, he ordered liis own son to heat
my son; l)iit the old s(piaw, the Indian hoy's r.randniotlicr,
would noi sulfer him to do it : then his lather, heinjT provoked,
caui^ht up a slick, very sharp at one end, and with £,n-(.at vio-
lence threw it from him at my son, and hit him on the hreast,
with which my child was much hruised, and the pain with the
surprise made him turn as pale as death ; I entreating him not
to cry, and the hoy, though but six years old, bore it with won-
derful patience, not so much as in the least complaining, so that
the child's patience assuaged the barbarity of his heart : who,
no doubt, would have carried his passion and resentment much
higher, had the child cried, as always complaining did aggra-
vate his passion, and his anger grew hotter upon it. Some
little time after, on the same day, he got upon his feet, but far
from being well. However, though he was sick, his wife and
daughter Jet me know he intended to kill us, and I was under
a fear, ur less providence now interposed, hoAV it would end.
I therefore put down my child, and going out of his presence,
went to cu; wood for the lire as I used to do, hoping that would
in part all ly his passion ; but withal, ere I came to the wig-
w'am again. 1 ex'pected my child would be killed in this mad
fit, having no other way but to cast my care upon God, who
had hitherto helped and cared for me and mine.

Under this great feud, the old scpiaw, my master's moth-
er-in-law, left i:im, but my mistress and her daughter abode
in the wigwam with my master, and when I came with my
wood, the daughter came to me, whom I asked if her father
had killed my child, and she made me a sign, no, with a counte-
nance that seemed pleased it was so ; for instead of his further
venting his passion on me and my children, the Lord in whom
I trusted did seasonably interpose, and I took it as a merciful
deliverance from him, and the Indian was under some sense of
the same, as himself did confess to them about him after-
wards.

Thus it was, a little after he got upon his feet, the Lord
struck him with great sickness, and a violent pain, as appeared
by the complaint he made in a doleful and hi'' -ous manner;
which when I understood, not having yet seen him, I went to
another scpiaw, that was come to see my master, which could
both speak and understand English, and in(|uired of her if
my mistress (for so 1 always called her, and him master)
thought that master w-ould die. She answered yes, it was very
likely he would, being worse and worse. Then I told her he

ELIZABETH HANSON'S CAPTIVITY.

123

day and

1 his sick-
on to beat
ndniother,
provoked,
ij^Toat vio-
he breast,
1 with the
IT him not
with won-
ng, so that
art : who,
lent much
:lid airfrra-
it. Some
et, but far
3 wife and
kvas under
ould end.
presence,
hat would

the wig"-
this mad
God, who

?r's moth-
Uer abode

with my
her father

a counte-
lis further

1 in whom
a, merciful
e sense of
lim after-

, the Lord
5 appeared
i manner ;

I went to
lich could

of her if
n master)

was very
)ld her he

'««'

struck my boy a dreadful blow without any provocation at
all, and had threatened to kill us all in his fury and passion ;
upon which the s(piaw told me my master had confessed the
above abuse he oii'ered my clii-ld, and that the mischief he had
done was th(> cause why God afflicted him with that sickness
and pain, and he had promised never to abuse us in such swrt
more : and after tiiis he soon recovered, but was not so pas-
sionate ; nor do I remember he ever after struck (jither mo or
my children, so as to hurt us, or with that mischievous intent
as before he used to do. This I took as the Lord's doing, and
it was marvellous in my eyes.

Some few weeks after this, my master made aimlher re-
move, having as before made several ; but this was the longest
ever he made, it being two days' journey, and mostly upon ice.
The first day's journey the ice was bare, hut the next day, some
snow falling, made it very troublesome, tedious, and ditlicult
travelling; and I took much damage in often fallinir ; having
the care of my babe, that added not a little to my uneasiness.
And the last night when we came to encamp, it being in the
night, i was ordered to fetch water; but having sat awliile on
the cold ground, I could neither go nor stand ; but crawling
on my hands and knees, a young Indian squaw came to see
our peopl<.% being of another family, in compassion took the
kettle, and knowing where to go, which I did not, fetched the
water for me. This I took as a great kindness and favor, that
her heart was inclined to do me this service.

I now saw the design of this journey. My master being, as
I suppose, weary to keep us, was willing to make what he
could of our ransom ; therefore, he went further towards the
French, and left his family in this place, where they had a
great dance, sundry other Indians coming to our people. This
held some time, and while they were in it, I L''ot out of their
way in a corner of the wiixwam as well [as] I couhl ; hut every
time they came by me in their dancing, they would bow my
head towards the ground, and frequently kick me with as great
fury as they could bear, being sundry of them barefoot, and
others having Indian mockosons. This dance held some time,
and they made, in their maimer, great rejoicings and noise.

It was not many days ere my master returned from the
French; but he was in such a humor when he came bpck, he
would not suffer me in his presence. Therefore I ha(. \ little
shelter made with some boughs, they having digged through
the snow to the ground, it being pretty deep. In this hole I
and my poor children were put to lodge; the weather being
very sharp, with hard frost, in the month called January, made
it more tedious to me and my children. Our stay was not

^Jii

f\ i

111

124

ELIZABETH HANSON'S CAPTiVITY.

L I

i !^

11^
,1

lonof in this place before he took 'Tie to the French, in order
for a chapnuiii. When we came among them I was exposed
for sale, and he asked for me 800 livres. But his chapman
not C()mi)lyin<^ with his demand, put him in a irreat raire,
onerinir hiiu hut 000; lie said, in a irreal passion, if ho couKl
not have his demand, he would make a f,n-eat lire and burn mo
and ihe habe, in the view of the town, which was named Fori
Royal. The Frenchman bid the Indian make his lire, " and
I will," says he, " help you, if you think thai will do you more
good than 600 livres," calling my master tool, and speaking
roughly to him, bid him be gone. But at the same time the
Frenchman was ci^il to me ; and, for my encouragement, bid
me be of good cheer, for 1 should be redeemed, and not go
back wMth them again.

Retiring now with my master for this night, the next day 1
was redeemed for six hundred livres ; and in treating with my
master, the Frenchman cpieried why he asked so much for the
child's ransom ; urging, when she had lier belly f\ill, she
would die. My masi(>r said, " No, she would not die, havieg
already lived tweuly-six days on nothing but water, believing
the child to be a devil." The Frenchman told him, " No, the
child is ordered for longer life ; and it has pleased God to
preserve her to admiration." My master said no, she was a
devil, and he believed she would not die, unless they took a
hatchet and beat her brains out. Thus ended their discourse,
and I was, as aforesaid, with my babe, ransomed for six hun-
dred livres; my little boy, likewise, at th(^ same time, for an
additional sum of livres, was redeemed also.

I now having changed my landlord, my table and diet, as
well as my lodging, the French were civil beyond what I could
either desire or expect. But the next day after I was re-
deemed, the Romish priest took my babe from me, and accord-
ing to their custom, they baptized her, urging if she died
before that sne would he damned, like some of our modern
pretended reformed priests, and they gave her a name as
pleased them ))est, which was Mary Ann Frossways, telling
me my child, if she now died, would be saved, being baptized ;
and my landlord speaking to the priest that baptised her, said,
" It would be well, now Frossways was baptized, for her to
die, being now in a slate to be saved," but the priest said, " No,
the child having been so miraculously preserved through so
many hardships, she may be designed by God for some great
work, and by hoi life being still continued, may much more
glorify God than if she should now die." A very sensible
remark, and I wish it may prove true.

I having been about live months amongst the Indians, in

h, in order
as exposed
s chapman
ircaf. rnso,
f he could
id burn me
amod Fort
fire, " and
) you more
1 speaking
e lime the
oinent, bid
nd not go

next day I
g with my
ich for the
i full, she
lie, havii^of
, believing
, '• No, the
?d God to
she was a
ley took a
discourse,
■ix hun-
me, for an

d diet, as
lat I coukl
was re-
k1 accord-
she died
r modern
name as
s, telling
baptized ;
her, said,
or her to
^id, " No,
rough so
>me great
icJi more
sensible

idians, in

ELIZABETH HANSOXS CAPTIVITY.

]*>5

HDout one month after 1 got amongst the French, my dear
husband, to my unspeakable comftut and jov. inme to me,
who was now himself concerned to redeem his childr(;n, two
of our daughters beitiL'" still captives, and only myself and two
little ones redeemed ; and, through great diilicuhy and trouble,
he recovered the younger daULthter. iJul the eldest we could
by no means v)btain from their hands, for the s(|uaw, to whom
she was given, had a son whom she intetuied my daughter
should in time be prevailed with to marry. The Imlians are
very civil towards their captive women, not ofl'ering any in-
civility by any indecent carriage, (unless they be much over-
come in licpior,) which is commendable in them, so far.

However, the atlections they had for my daughter made
them refuse all ofiers and terms of ransom; so that, after my
poor husband had waited, and made what attempts and en-
deavors he could to obtain his child, and all to no purpose,
we were forced to make homeward, leaving our daughter, to
our great grief, behind us, amongst the Indians, and set for-
ward over the lake, with three of our children, and the ser-
vant maid, in company with sundry others, and, by the kind
ness of Providence, we got well home on the 1st day of the
7th month, 1725. From which it appears I had been from
home, amongst the Indians and French, about twelve months
and six days.

In the series of which time, the many deliverances and won-
derful providences of God unto us, and over us, hath been,
and I hope will so remain to be, as a continued obligation on
my mind, ever to live in that fear, love, and obedience to God,
duly regarding, by his grace, with meekness and wisdom, to
approve myself by 1 is spirit, in all holiness of life and godli-
ness of conversation, to the praise of him that hath called me
who is God blessed forever.

But my dear husband, poor man ! could not cnjf)y himself
in quiet with us, for want of his dear daughter Siirah, that
was left behind ; and not willing to omit anything for her
redemption which lay in his power, he could not be easy with-
out making a second attempt ; in order to which, he took hi?
journey about the 19t!i day of the second month, 1727, in compa-
ny with a kinsman and his wife, who went to redeem some of
their children, and were so happy as to obtain what they went
about. But my dear husband being taken sick on the way,
grew worse and worse, as we were informed, and was sensible
he should not get over it; telling my kinsman that if it was
the Lord's will he must die in the wilderness, he was freely
given up to it. He was under a good composure of mind,

and sensible to his last moment, and died, as near as we can
11*

I i

126

ELIZABETH HANSONS CAPTIVITY.

Hi '
1)

h,i

1 <

judge, in about the half way Ij^'twcon Albany and Canada, in
my kinsman's arms, and is at rest, I hope, in liie Lord : and
thoiitjh my own children's loss is very fjreat, yet I doubt not
but his gain is nnicli more; I therefore desire and jtrny, that
the Lord will enable me patiently to .submit to his will in all
things he is pleased to sufTer to be my lot, while here, ear-
nestly supplicating the God and father of all our mercie.-j to
be a father to my fatherless children, and give unto them that
blessing, which makctli truly rich, and adds no sorrow with
it ; that as they grow in years they may grow in grace, and
experience the joy of salvation, which is come by Jesus
Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Now, though my husband died, by reason of which h.s la-
bor was ended, yet my kinsman prosecuted the thing, and left
no stone unturned, that he thought, or could be advised, was
proper to the obtaining my daughter's freedom ; but could by
no means prevail ; for, as is before said, she being in another
part of the country distant from where I was, and given to an
old squaw, who intended to marry her in time to her son, using
what persuasion she could to effect her end, sometimes by fair
means, and sometimes by severe.

In the mean time a Frenchman interposed, and they by per-
suasions enticing my child to marry, in order to obtain her
freedom, by reason that those captives married by the French
are, by that marriage, made free among them, the Indians
having then no pretence longer to keep them as captives ; she
therefore was prevailed upon, for the reasons afore assigned,
to marry, and she was accordingly married to the said French-
man.

Thus, as well, and as near as I can from my memory, (not
being capable of keeping a journal,) 1 have given a short but a
true account of some of the remarkable trials and wonderful
deliverances which I never purposed to expose ; but that I
hope thereby the merciful kindness and goodness of God may
be magnified, and the reader hereof provoked 'vith more care
and fear to serve him in righteousness and humility, and then
my designed end and purpose will be answered.

E. H.

127

Caimdii, in
Lord : and
[ doubt not
I i)riiy, that
1 will in all

liore, ear-
mcrcie.s to
) tliem that
orrow with

p^race, and
I by Jesus

lich h iS la-
ne:, and left
dvisod, was
lit could by
;• in another
given to an
r son, using
mes by fair

hey by per-

obtain her

the French

the Indians

ptives ; she

e assigned,

id French-

jmory, (not

short but a

wonderful

but that I

)f God may

more care

>■, and then

E. H.

A NARRATIVE

OF THE CAPTIVITY OF Ni^IIEMIAH HOW, WHO WAS TAKEN
BY THL: INDIANS AT TIIK (JULIAT MEADOW FORT AHOVE
FORT DUMMER, WHERE HE WAS AN INHABITANT, OCTO-
BER llTH, 171". fining au accoiml nl' what ho inel with in his travelling
to Canada, and while he was in prison there. Together with an aceunnt of
Mk. How's death at Canada. — Psalm cxxxvii : I , -2, .'!, and 4. — Boston : N.
E. Printed and sold opposite to the Prison in Queen Street, 1746.

At the Great Meadow's fort, fourteen miles above fort Dum-
mer, October 11th, 1745, where I was an inhabitant, I went out
from the fort about fifty rods to cut wood ; and when I had
done, I walked towards the fort, but in my way heard the crack-
ling of fences behind me, and turning about, saw twelve or
thirteen Indians, with red painted heads, running after me ; on
which I cried to God for help, and ran, and hallooed as I ran,
to alarm the fort. But by the time I had run ten rods, the
Indians came up with me and took hold of me. At the same
time the men at the fort shot at the Indians, and killed one on
the spot, wounded another, who died fourteen days after he
got home, and likevv^ise shot a bullet through the powder-horn
of one that had hold of me. They then led me into the swamp
and pinioned me. I then committed my case to God, and
prayed that, since it was his will to deliver me into the hands
of those cruel men, I might find favor in their eyes ; which
requesc God in his infinite mercy was pleased to grant ; for
they were generally kind to me while I was with them. Some
of the Indians at that time took charge of me, others ran into
the field to kill cattle. They led me about half a mile, where
we staid in open sight of the fort, till the Indians who were
killing cattle came to us, laden with beef. Then they went a
little further to a house, where they staid to cut the meat from
the bones, and cut the helve oflT of my axe, and stuck it into
the ground, pointing the way we went.

T!>en we travelled along the river side, and when we had
got about three miles, I espied a canoe coming down on the
further side of the river, with David Rugg and Robert Baker,
belonging to our fort. I made as much noise as I could, by
hammering, &c., that they might see us before the Indians saw
them, and so get ashore and escape. But the Indians saw
them, and shot across the river, twenty or thirty guns at them,
by which the first-mentioned man was killed, but the other,
Robert Baker, got r.shore and escaped. Then some of the
Indians swam across the river and brought the canoe to us ;

1 *l

128

NEHEMIATI HOWS CAPTIVITY.

haviniT stripperl and scalped tho dead man, and thon wc wont
about a miio lurtlier, when we came to another house, where
we stopped. While there wc heard men runninc: hy the bank
ot the river, whom I knew to be Jonathan Thiiycr, Snmuel
Nultint^ and my son Caleb I[ow. Five ol' the Indians ran to
head them. My heart asked for them, and prayed to God to
save them from tiic liands of the enemy. I suppose they hid
under the bank of the river, for the Indians were i^onc some
time, but came back without them, blessed be God.

We went about a mile further, where '.ve lodfT(>d that night,
and roasted the meat they had got. The next day we travel-
led very slow, by reason of the wounded Indian, which was a
great favor to me. We lodged the second night against Num-
ber Four [since Charlestown, N. H.] The third day we like-
wise travelled slowly, and stopped often to rest, and get along
the wounded man. We lodged that night by the second small
river that runs into the great river against Number Four.

The fourth day morning the Indians held a piece of bark,
and bid me write my name, and how many days we had tra-
velled ; " for," said they " may be Englishmen will come here."
That was a hard day to me, as it was wet and we went over
prodigious mountains, so that I became weak and faint; for I
had not eaten the value of one meal from the time I was taken,
and that being beef almost raw without bread or salt. When
I came first to the foot of those hills, I thought it was impossi-
ble for me to ascend them, without immediate help from God ;
therefore my constant recourse was to him for strength, which
he was graciously pleased to grant me, and for which I desire
to praise him.

We got that day a little before night to a place where they
had a hunting house, a kettle, some beer, Indian corn, and
salt. They boiled a good mess of it. I drank of the broth,
eat of the meat and corn, and was wonderfully refreshed, so
that I felt like another man. The next morning we got up
early, and after we had eaten, my master said to me, " You
must quick walk to day, or I kill you." I told him I would go
as fast as I could, and no faster, if he did ifill me. At which
an old Indian, who was the best friend I had, took care of me.
We travelled that day very hard, and over steep hills, but it
being a cool, windy day, I performed it with more ease than
before ; yet I was much tired before night, but dare not com-
plain.

The next day the Indians gave me a pair of their shoes, so
that I travelled with abundant more ease than when I wore my
own shoes. I ate but very little, as our victuals were almost
spent. When the sun was about two hours high, the Ir-iians

NEHEMIAH HOWS CAPTIVITY.

129

1 wc wont
ISO, whore
,' iho bank
r, Siimnel
aiKs ran to
to Ciod to

ihoy hid
nfone some

that nic[lit,
wo travel-
lich was a
inst Niim-
y we like-

1 got alono-
cond small
Four.

ce of bark,
:e had tra-
ome here."
went over
'aint ; for I
was taken,
It. When
IS impossi-
from God ;
rrih, which
ch I desire

vhere they
corn, and
the broth,
freshed, so
we got up
me, " You
would go
At which
are of me.
lills, but it
ease than
3 not com-

shoes, so
I wore my
•re almost

e Ir-iians

scattered to hunt, iind thoy soon Killod a fawn, and throo small
bears, so that wo had again moat onoufjh ; some of whi«li wo
boilod and oat heartily of, by whicli 1 ftdt strnnir.

The next day wo Iravollod vory hard, and porformod it with
ease, insomuch th;it oiio of tlio Indians told mo 1 was a very
strong man. About thnn.' o'clock wo camo to tho lako, whoro
thoy had live canoes, pork, Indian <'orn, and tobacco. Wo got
into tho canoes, and tho [ndians stuck up a poI(> about eiL''ht
foot lon'_r with iho scalp of David Kugg on tlu^ top of it painted
ted, with tho likeness of eyes and mouth on it. Wo sailed
about ton inilos, and then wont on shore, and after wo had
made a (ire, wo boiled a good supper, and oat heartily.

'I'ho next day w(^ sot sail for Crown I'oint, l)ut when we were
within a milo of tho place, thoy went on shore, whoro wore
eight or ten French and Indians, two of whom, before I got on
shore, camo running into tho water, knee deep, and pulled mo
out of the canoo. There thoy sunir and danced around mo a
wJiilo, when one of thom bid me sit down, which I did. T'-.on
thoy pulled oil' my shoos and buckles, and took them from me.
Soon after we went along to Crown Point. When wo got there,
the people, both French and Indians, were vory thick by the
water-side. Two of the Indians took mo o^it of the canoe, and
leading me, bid me run, which I did, about twenty rods to the
fort. The fort is large, built with stone and lime. They led
me up to the third loft, where was the captain's chamber. A
chair was brought that I might sit by the fire and warm me.
Soon after, the Indians that I belonged to, and others that were
there, came into the chamber, among whom was one I knew,
named Pealtomy. He camo and spoke to me, and shook hands
with me, and I was glad to see him. He wont out, but soon
returned and brouijht to mo another Indian, named Amrusus,
husband to her who was Eunice Williams, dauL''hter of the late
Rev. John Williams, of Doorliold ; ho was glad to see mo, aiul
I to see him. Ho asked me about his wife's relations, and
showed a great deal of respect to mo.

A while after this, the Iiulians sat in a ring in the chambev,
and Pealtomy came to me, and told mo I must go and sing and
dance before the Indians. I told him 1 could not. Ho told me
over some Indian words, and bid me sing them. I told him I
could not. With that the rest of the fort who could speak
some English, came to mc, and bid me sing it in English, which
was, " I don't know where I go," which I did, dancing round
that ring three times, I then sat down by the fire. The priest
came to me, and gave me a dram of rum, and afterwards the
captain brought me part of a loaf of bread and a plate of butter,
and asked me to eat, which I did heartily, for I had not eaten

t I

; 'ii

130

NEIIEMIAH HOWS CAPTIVITY

any bread from the time I \V!is Inkcn lill tlion. The Frcnrh
priest, iiiid all llie oliiccrs showed me a ryreat deal of resnert.
The caplaiii f^ave me a pair of Lfond l)iu k-skin shoes, and the
priest lived tln'in on my lei.'t. We staid there that iiiirht, ruui
I slept with the |)riesi, captain and lieutenant. The lifutemint's
name was JJallock ; he had hecn a prisoner at I'oston, and had
been at Northampton and the towns thereabonls. This day,
which was the Sabbath, I was well Irented by the French olii-
cers, with victuals and drink. \Ve tarrieil there till noon, then
went ofl' about a mile, and put on shore, where they st.iid the
most of the day ; and havini,^ mm with them, most of thetn
were much liriuored. F'eallomy and his scpiaw, and another
Indian family, went with us, and liy lIuMii I fnund ftut that Wil-
liam I'hips killed an Indian, besiiles him we wounded before
he was killed; for an Indian who was with us asked me if
there was one killed near our fort last summer. 1 told him 1
did not know. lie said he had a brother who went out then,
and he had not .seen him since, and had heard he wns killed at
our fort, and wanted to know if it was true, IJnt I did not
think it best to tell him any such thinfr was suspected.

The Indians now j^ot into a frolic, and quarrelled al)Out me,
and made me sit in the canoe by the water-side. I was afraid
they would liurt if not kill me. They attempted to come to
me, but the sober Indians hindered them that were in liipior.
Pealtomy seeing the rout, went to the fort, and soon after, Lieut.
Ballock, with some soldiers, came to ns, and wlien the Indians
were made- easy, they went away. We lodged there that night,
and the next day was a stormy day of wind, snow and rain, so
that we were forced to tarry there that day and the next night.
In this time the Indians continued fetching rum from the fort,
and kept half drunk. Here I underwent some hardship by
staying there so long in a storm without shel er or blanket.
They had a great dance that night, and hungup David Kugg's
scalp on a pole, dancing round it. After they had done, they
lay down to sleep.

The next nmrning, which was the tenth day from the time
of my being taken, we went otF in the canoe, and the night
after we arrived at the wide lake, and there we staid that night.
Some of the Indians went a hunting, and killed a fat deer, so
that we had victuals plenty, for Ave had a full supply of bread
given us at the fort at Crown Point.

The next morning the wind being calm, we set out about
two hours before day, and soon after came to a schooner lying
at anchor. We went on board her, and the French treated us
very civilly. They gave each of us a dram of rum, and vict-
uals to eat. As soon as it was day we left the schooner, and

NKHEMIAII HOW'S CArilVITY.

131

Tlip Frrnrh
Icnl of rcspcrt.
shoes, iiiid iho
tlmt iii'jht, and
'lio lifutcnjim's
lostoii, !UhI had
Is. This dny,
lie French olli-

till noon, thou

thoy st;iid the
, most of thom
^v, fuid another
(1 out that Wil-
vonnded lieforo
s asked nie if
. 1 told him [
went out then,
10 was killed at

But I did not
pected.

elled til)0ut me,
1 was afraid
ited to come to
were in licinor.
on after, Lieut,
en the Indians
lero that night,
iw and rain, so

ho next night.
I from the fort,

hardship by

or or blanket.

David K nog's
lad done, they

IVom the time
antl the night
aid that night,
a fat deer, so
pply of bread

set out about
chooner lying
iich treated us
rum, and vict-
schooner, and

two liours bi'fore sunset got over the hike, nnd next day <nme
to Shiindiiilh'e [Chiiniblce,**' 1 where we nu-t three hundred
French and l\V(» hundred Indians, who did the iniscliief iibout
Mr. Lydin's fort. I 1 was taken out o[' the canoo by two
Frenchmen, and IIimI to u housf jibout ten rods oil' as fast us I
could run, the Indians lliniiini; uow-balls at me. As soon as
I got lo the iioii^o, the Indian^ sidixl round mo very thick, and
bid me sing and dance, which 1 did with them, in their way;
then they gave a shout, and left oil". Two of thorn cume to
me, one of win "u smoie me uii one chetdc, the other on the
olhor, which maile the blooil nm plentifully. Then they bid
me sing anil ilance again, which 1 did with tluun, and they with
me, shouting as before. Then two Frenchmen took me under
each arm, and ran so fast that the Indians could not keep up
with us lo hurl me. We ran about forty r(Mls to another house,
whore a chair was brought for mo to sil down. The house
was soon full of French and Indians, and others surrounded it,
and some were looking in to the window-. A French* gentle-
man came to mo, look me by the hand, and led me into a small
room, where none came in but such as ho admitted. Ho gave
me victuals and drink. Several French gentlemen and Indians
came in and were civil to me. The Indians who came in
could speak iMiLrlish, shook hands with me, and called me
brother. Thoy l(»ld me they were all .soldiers, and were going
to New England. They said they should go to my town,
which was a great damp to my spirits, till I heard of their re-
turn, whore thoy had boon, and wlial they had done. A while
after this, ihe Indians whom I bcdongod to came to me and
told mo wo must go. I went with thom. After going down
the river about two miles, wo came to the thickest of the town,
whore was a large fort built with stone and lime, and very
lariTo and lino houses in it. Here was the general of the army
I s})oke oi iiol'oro. lie asked mo what news from London and
Boston. I told him such stories as I thought convenioni, and
omitted the rest, and then . -ent down to the canoes. Some of
the Indians went and got a plenty of bread and beef, which
they put into the canoes, and then we went into a French house,
where we had a good supper. There came in severa I^rench
gentlemen lo see me, who were civil. One of thom gave mc
a crown, sterling. We lodged there till about two hours before
day, when we arose, and went down the river. I suppose we

*A t\)rt on a fine river of the same name, about fifteen miles south-west
of Montreal.— Ed.

fNov. Iti, 171.5, Sarato!?a, a Dutch villat^e of thirty families, is destroy-
ed by the Indians and French. They burnt a fort, killed many, and car
lied away others of the inhabitants. — MS. Chrmides of the hidiaris.

132

NEHEMIAH HOW'S CAPTIVITY.

! J

wont a liiiii(lr«Hl miles iluit i\ny, wliii-li hroiii^lit ns into a ^^ront
river, liillcil liiiilicf. \Vr lodgtxl lliul niglil in u French house,
nnd \ver(! eivilly treated.

le next dav wv went down \\\r nvi r. and I was earricf

I I

Itclnre the governor there, which was the Sahhath, and the lOlli
day after my heini'' taken. We >\;\'u\ Uh re ahont three hours,
nnd were well treai'd hy the I''reni'h. The Indian^ were then
ordered to carry me down to (.^iiehec, which was ninei\ miles
furiher. We \vent down the river ahout thre.' miles that
niidit tlu'ii going on shore, indued the remainder of the night.

The next nutrning we set otf, and the second (hiy, which
was the Iblh from the time I was taken, we arrived at (.^ue-
bf.'C. Tlie hind is iidiabited on hoth siih's of the river from the
lake to Cinehec, which is at k'ast two hundred miles, especially
below Chamhiee, very thick, so that the houses are within sight
of one anotlier all the way.

But to return: After wo arrived at Quebec, I was carried
\\\) into a large cliand)er, which was full of Indians, wlio were
civil to me. Many of the French came in to see me, and
were also very kind. I st;iid there about two hours, when a
French gentleman, who could speak good English, came in
and told me I must go with liim to tlie governor, which 1 did ;
and after answering a great many f|uestions, and being treated
Mith as much hread and wine as I desired, I was sent with an
ollicer to the guard-house, and led into a small room, where
was an Englislnnan named William Stroud, a kinsman of the
Hon. Judge Lynd,* in New England. He belonged to South
Carolina, and had been at Quebec six years. 'J'he governor
kepi him conhnod i'or fear he shnuld leave him and no to New
England, and discover their strenuih. Mr. Stroud and I were
kept in the guard-house one Wdk, with a sulbciency of food
and drink. The French gentlemen kept coining in to see me,
and I was very civilly tr(>al(d by thcni. I had the better op-
portunity of discoursing with them, as JNIr. Stroud was a good
interpvelev.

After this we were sent to prison, where 1 found one James
Kinlade, who was ;aken fourteen days before I was, at Shecp-
scct, at the eastward, in New England. I was much pleased

* Jii(l^t> Lynd was connected ])y marriage to the celebrated Gov. Hutch-
inson. He j^resided ;u tlie trial of Cajn. Treston. r DinniaiKlei' df the Bvi-
tish soldiers in Bttston, in 1770, who fired upon nnd killed several citizens.
I have a volume ofUiitchinMin's History oflNIassaclmsetts. Miiicli belont^ed
to Judije Lynd with the name of the •rovenior in it. in his own hand.
In it are minierous notes and corrections throii^diout, and twenty-lour MS.

{>ages of additions at the end, in the jndire's hand-writrng. It seems to
lave been presented for this purpose by the governor. Judge Lynd died
a lew years after the revolution.

w|
\N

rol

i'l
till

tir

NKIIK.MIAII innV'S CAITIVITV.

133

IIS into a i^rcnt
Frciicli hoiKsu,

I I was rarriofl
I. t\U(\ the lOlli
<i tliiTc.' Iiuiiry,
iiris \vrr<' then
■^ iiiiiciv iiiilt'S
«' ' iiiik'.s thai
r of the ni^ht.
kI <liiy, which
rivrtl lit Qiic-
rivor f'loiii (h«?
les, especially
e within sight

I was carried

ns, wlio were

see me, and

lours, when a

lish, came in

which I (lid ;

heini,'- treated

jsent wiiii an

room, where

nsniaii of the

LTf^d to South

te i,'-overnor

d tro to New
I and I were
'ticy of food
n to see me,
ic better op-
A\ as a p-Qod

one James
s, at Slieep-
iich pleased

1 Gov. Hutch-
:t of the Bri-
■cral citizens.

licll iK'lolltrgjJ

s (i\Mi hand.
Mity-(uur MS.
It seems to
je Lyud died

with his coiiver>^atifMi. esfefminir liiiii a man of Irne piiMv.
We were k<'|it in pri-im eitrhi days, wiili IiImtiv to Keep in the
roMm with tli«' prison-Kcfpcr. \Ve weri' daily visited hy yen-
tlenien anil ladif>, who showed us j^reat kindness in yivinir us
mon(!y and ntlicr lliinirs, and their h havinr tnuariN iin was
plea>ant, Hlfssed he (Jod therefor, for I doirc to ascrihc till
till" favors I have been the partaker of, t»ver since my captivity,
to the abundant Lifrace and t^oodness of a bountiful (Jod, as the
first cause.

After this Mr. Ivinlailc and I were sent to another prison,
wliere were twenty-two sctunen bclonLMOi,'' to ,>everal parts of
our kini^'s dominions; three of them captains of ves.«((ds, viz.
James Souiherland of Cape Cod, Williain Chipmtiii of Mar-
blehead, William Pole of Casco Hay. This p.ison was a lar'^e
liouse, built with sione and lime, two fen thick, and about
one huiulred and twenty feel loni;. We bad two larije stoves
in it, and wood enouL,di, so that we couUl ke(>p ourselves warm
in th(^ coldest weather We had provision sullicient, vi/. two
pounds of good wheat bread, one jjonnd of beef, and peas
answerable, to each man, reaily dressed every day.

VV^hen I had been there a few days, the captives desired me
to lead them in carryiuij^ on mornin',!' and eveninif devotion,
which I was willing' to do. We had a I3ible, psalm-bocdc, and
some other n;ood books. Our consiant practice was w read a
chapter in the Bible, and sing part of a p^^alm, and to pray,
niirbt and morning.

When I was at the first prison, I was strippc'd of all my old
and lousy clothes, and had oilier clothing givi-n me from head
to fool, and had many kindnesses shown me by llutse that
lived thereabouts ; nu)re es|)eci,illy by oim Mr. Corby and bis
wife, who gave me monev iber , and brouL^it me manv good
things at the oilier jirison. Hin here I was taken ill, as was
also most of the other prisoners, with a llu.x, which lasted
near a month, so that I was grown very weak. After thai I
was healthy, Uirough divine L'oodness. Ble-sed be (Jod i'or it.

I was much concerned for my country, especially for the
place I was taken from, by reason that I met an army going
thither, as they told me. The U7th day of November we had
news come to the prison that this army bad returned to Cham-
blee, and had taken upwards of a hundred captives, which
increased my concern ; for I expected our fr»rt, and other.s
thereabouts, were destroyed. This news put me upon earnest
prayer to God that he would give me grace to submit to his
will ; after which I was easy in ny mind.

About a fortnight after, a Dutchman was brought to prison,
who was one of the captives the said array had taken. He
12

i i

131

NEHEMIAII HOW'S CAPTIVITY

'' -J

lold mo tlioy had ])iiriil Mr. I-ydin's fort, and all the houses Jil
thai new township, Uilled Capt. Schiiyli'r and live or six more,
and had brono-ht (ifty whites and about sixty iiecfroos to Mont-
real. I was sorry to hear of so murh misi'hief done, but
rejoiced they had nf)t been uj)(in our river, and the towns
thereabouts, for whicdi I i»'ave thanks to God for his great good-
ness in preserving them, and particularly my family.

When Christmas came, the governor sent us twenty-four
livres, and the lord-intcndant came into the prison and gave
us twenty-four more, which was about two guineas. He; told
us he hoped we should be sent home in a little time. He was
a pleasant gentleman, and very K'ind to captives. Some timc^
after, Mr. Shearsy, a gentleman of (juality, came to us, and
gave to the three sea ca])tains twenty-four livers, and to me
twelve, and the next day sent me a bottle of claret wine.
About ten days after he sent me twelve livres more; in all
eight pounds, old tenor.

January 20th, 17-K), eighteen captives were brought from
Montreal to the prison at Quebec, which is ISO miles.

February 22d, seven captives more, who were taken at
Albany, were brouo'ht to the prison to us, viz. six men and one
old woman seventy years old, who had been so infirm for
seven years past that she had not been able to walk the streets,
yet performed this tedious journey with ease.

March lf5th, one of the captives taken at Albany, after four-
teen or fifteen days' sickness, died in the lK)spital at (Quebec,
— a man of a sober, jiious conversaiion. His name was Law-
rence Plafier, a German born.

May *3d, three captives taken at No. Four, sixteen miles
above where I was talcen, viz. Capt. Jolm Spallbrd, Isaac Par-
ker, and Stephen Farnsworlh, were brought to prison to us.
They informed me my family was well, a few days before they
were taken, whicli rejoiced me much. I was sorry for the
misfortune of these my friends, ])ut was glad ftf their company,
and of tlieir being well used by those who took them.

]\Iay 14th, two captives were brought into prison, Jacob
Read and Edward Cloutman, taken at a new township called
Gorhamtown, near Casco Bay. They informed us that one
man and four children of on(> of them were killed, and his wife
taken at the same time with them, and was in the hands of
the Indians.^

May 16th, two lads, James and Samuel Anderson, brothers,
taken at Sheepscot, were brought to prison. On the 17th,

* Gorhamlowni was attacked in the inoriiins: ot' the 19th April, 1746,
by a party of about ten Indians. — 3IS. Chronicles of the India.is.

NEHEMIAH HOW'S CAPTIVITY.

135

lie lloilscs id
or six more,

)cs to Aloiit-

f clone, but

I llio towns

great goocl-

twoiUy-four
m and gave
IS. He told
e. He was

Some time
' to us, and
I and to me

arcl wine,
no re ; in all

ought from
les.

e taken at
len and one
infirm for
: the streets,

■, after four-

at (iueliec,

e was Law-

x'leen miles
, Isaac Par-
prison to lis.
before they
•rry for the
ir company,
m.

i.'^on, Jacob
isliip called
IS that one
nd his wife
e hands of

n, brotliers,
1 the 17th,

April, 1746,

Samuel Burbank and David Woodwell, who were taken at
New Hopkinlon, tiear Rumford, [Concord, N. H.] were brought
to prison, and inforuu'd us lliere were taken with them two
sons of liic said IJurbank, and the wife, two sons iind a
dauu-ht<T of the said Woodwell, whom they left in the hands
o{' the Indians.

.May 2-lili, Thomas Jones, of Holli>ion, who was a soldier
at Contoocook, was brouirhi to prison, and told us tiiat one
Elisha (yoolc, and a negni Ix-longing to the Kev. Mr. Stevens,
were killed when he was taken.

June 1st, William Aikings, taken at Pleasant Point, near
fort George, was broUL'hi to prison. Juiif 'Jd, Mr. Shearly
bron-jht scver;i| li'tltM's ot' deaidn Timothy lirown, of Lower
Asluu'lot, and mmiey, and delivered them to me, which made
mo think he was killed or taken. A fi'w days after, Mr.
Shei.rly told m»' ho was taken. I was glad to hear he was
alive.

June (hh, Timothy Cuinmings, aged 00, was brouiiht to
prison, who informed us he v.-as at work with live other men,
about forty rods from the block-house, Cieorge's [fort,] when
five Indians sIkH at them, but hurt none. The men ran away,
and left him and their guns to the Indiatis. He told ns that
the ensign was killed as be stood on the top of the fort, and
that the English killed five Indians at the sam(> time.

June 13th, Mr. Shearly brought to the captives some let-
ters which were sent from Al])any, and among them one from
Lieut. Gov. Phij)s, of the ^Massachusetts Bay, to the governor
of Canada, for the exchange of prisoners, which gave us great
hopes of a speedy release.

Juuj 22d, eight men were brought to prison, amonir whom
Avcre deacon Brown and Robert ^lorse, who informed me that
there were six or eight Indians killed, a little before they were
taken, at Upper Ashnelot, and that they learnt, by the Indians
who took them, there were six more of the Eni^dish killed at
other places near Connecticut river, and several more much
wounded; these last wore supposed to be the wife and chil-
dren of the aforesaid Burbaidc ami Woodwell.

July 5th, we sent a petition to the chief governor that we
might be exchanged, and the 7th, IVIr. Shearly told us we
should be exchanged for other captives in a little time, which
caused great joy among u- . The same day, at night, John
Berran, of Northfield, was brought to prison, who told us that
an expedition against Canada was on foot, which mueh
rejoiced us. He also told us of the three fights in No. Four,
and who were killed and taken, ami of the mischir-f done in
other places near Connecticut river, and that my brother Dan-

136

NEHEMIAH HOW'S CAPTIVITY.

•*!

iel How's son Daniel was taken with him, and was in the
hands of the Indians, who desii,'-ncd to keep hitn.

July 20th, John Jones, a seaman, was hroui^ht into prison,
who told us lie was ^'■oinir from Cape Breton to Newfound-
land with one Englishman and four Frenchmen, who had
sworn allei^iance to King- George, and in tiie passage they
killed the other Englishman, but carried him to the bay of
Arb, where there was an army of French and Inrlians, to
■whom tiiey delivered him, and by them was sent to Quebec.

July 21st, John Richards and a boy of nine or ten years of
age, who belonged to Rochester, in New Hampshire, were
brought to prison. They told us there were four Englishmen
killed when they were taken.

August loth, seven captives, who with eiglit more taken
at St. John's Island, were brought to prison. They told us
tliat several were killed after quarters were given, among
whom was James Owen, late o{' Brook" field, in New England.
On the Hnh, Thomas Jones, late of Sherburne, in New Eng-
land, after seven or eight days' sickness, died. He gave good
satisfaction as to his future state. On the 2'5th Ave had a
squall of snow.

September 12lh, Robert Downing, who had been a soldier
at Cape Breton, and was taken at St. Johns, and who was
with the Indians two months, and suffered great abuse from
them, was brought to prison.

On the 15th, twenty-three of the captives taken at Hoosuck
fort were brought to prison, among whom was the Rev. ]\Ir.
John Norton. They informed us that after fighting twenty-
five hours, with eight hundred French and Indians, they sur-
rendered themselves, on capitulation, prisoners of war; that
Thomas Nalton and Josiah Read were killed when they were
taken. The names of those now brought in are the Rev. Mr.
Norton, John Hawks, John Smcad, his wife and six children,
John Perry and his wife, Moses Scott, his wife and two children,
San\uel Goodman, Jonathan Bridgmnn, Nathan Eames, Jo-
seph Scott, Amos Pratt, Benjamin Sinconds, Samuel Lovet,
David Warren, and Phinehas Furbush. The two last of these
informed me that my brotlu^r Dnniel How's son w-as talven
from the Indians, and now Ha.'s with a French gentleman at
Montreal. There were four captives more taken at Albany,
the last summer, who were l)rought to prison the same day.

On the 26th (Sept.) 7i men and two women, taken at sea,
were brought to prison. October 1st, Jacob Shepard, of
Westborough, taken at Hoosuck, was broug-lit to prison. On
the 3d, Jonathan Bathericdc was brought in, and on the 5th,
seventeen other men, three of whom were taken with Mr.

NEHEMIAH HCWS CAPTIVITY.

137

vas in the

into prison,
Newfoiind-
, who had
ssRL'-o tlioy
tlu' bay of
Iiitlians, to
Quebec.
'11 years of
biro, were
iiiylishmen

aoro taken
ey told us
3n, among
' Enqland.
New Enir.
gave nrood
we had a

n a sohlier

who was

buse from

t Hoosuck
Rev. JMr.
g" twenty-
tbey .sur-
vvar; that
ley were
Rev. Mr.
chihlren,
chiblren,
ames, Jo-
el Lovet,
t of tliese
IS talven
Icman at
Albany,
' day.
II at sea,
pard, of
on. On
the 5th,
villi Mr.

Norton and others, viz. Nathaniel Hitrhcook, John AM rick,
and Stephen Scott. Richard Subs, who was taken at New
Casco, .^ay.s one man was killed at the same time. Also Rile*.
Gooden, taken at Saco, was brought to prison. He says he
had a brother killed at the same time. On the lt2th, twenty-
four seamen are i)rouirht in, and on the 19th, six more. On
the 20tli, Jacob Read died. On the 23(1, Edward Cloutman
and Robert Dunbar broke prison and escaped for New Eng-
land. The 27lli, a man was brought into prison, who said the
Indians took live more [besides himselfj, and brought ten scalps
to Montreal.

November 1st, John Read died. The 9th. Jolui Davis,
taken with 3Ir. Norman, died. Th»> 17th, Nathan Eames, of
Marlborough, died. On the 19th, Mr. Adams, taken at Sherp-
■scot, is broun-ht to prison. He says that James Anderson's
father was killed, and his un(de taken at the same time. The
20ih, Leonard Lydle and the widow Sarah Briant were mar-
ried in Canada, by the Rev. Mr. Norton. On the 22d, the
abovesaid Anderson'.s uncle was brought to prison. Two
days after, (24th) John Bradshaw died. He had not been well
for most of the time he h:ul been a prisoner. It is a very
melancholy time with us. There are now thirty sick, and
deaths among us daily. Died on the 2Sth, Jonathan Dunham,
and on the 29th, died also Capt. Bailey of Amesbury.

December 1st, an Albany man died, and on the (3th, Pike
Gooden, who, we have reason to believe, made a happy change.
On the 7th, a girl of ten years died. The 11th, Moses Scott's
wife died, and on the loth, one of Captain Robt^rtson's lieuten-
ants. Daniel Woodwell's wife died on the 18ih, a pious wo-
man. John Perry's wife died the 23d. On the 26th, William
Dayly, of New York, died.

January 3d, 1747, Jonathan Harthan died. On the 12th,
Phinehas Andrews, of Capo Ann, died. He was one of the
twenty captives, who, the same nigiit, had been removed to
another prison, hoping thereby to get rid of the infection.
Jacob Bailey, brother to Capt. Bailey, died the 15th, and the
17th, Giat Braban, Captain Chapmtm's carpenter, died. On
the 23d, Samuel Lovet, son of Major Lovet, of Mendon, in
New England, died.

February 10th, William Garwafs died, also the youngest
child of Moses Scott. The 15th, my nephew, Daniel How, and
six more were brought down from Montreal to Quebec, viz.
John Sunderland, John Smith, Richard Smith, William Scott,
Philip Scoffil, and Benjamin Tainter, son to Lieutenant Tainter
of Westborough in New England. The 23d, Richard Bennet
died, and the 25th, Michael Dugon.

12*

?;:■

t| I'-!

138

neiie:\iiaii hows captivity.

! •(

t! I

S •

( ,

i!^

It I'

March 18lh, James Margra died, and on the 22d, Capt. John
Fort and Samucd Goodman ; llic 2Slh, the wife of John Sniead
died, and left six children, the youni^fest of whom was born the
second nii^ht after the mother was takfn.

April 7th, Philip Scallield, [Scofiel<l ?] and next day John
Saneld, the next day Capt. James Jordan and one of his men,
died. On the 12th, Amos Pratt, of Siirewsbury, and on the
14lh, Timothy Cnmmini^s, the 17th, John Dill, oY Hull in New
Eni^land, the ISth, Samuel Venhon, of Plymoutli. died. On
the 26th, Capt. Jonathan Williamson was brought to prison.
He was taken at the new town on Sheepscot river. The
same day came in, also, three men who were taken at Albany,
three weeks before, and tell us that thirteen were killed, Capt.
Trent being one. They were all soldiers for the expedition to
Canada. On the 27th, Joseph Denox, and the 2Sth, Samuel
Evans, died. The same night the prison took fire, and was
burnt, but the things therein were mostly saved. We were
kept that night under a guard.

May 7th, Sarah Lydle, whose name was Braint when she
was taken, and married while a captive, died, and the 13th, Mr.
Smead's son Daniel died, and Christian Tether the 14th. The
same day died also Hezekiah Huntington, a hopeful youth, of
a liberal education. He was a son of Colonel Huntington of
Connecticut, in New England. On the 15th, Joseph Grey,
and on the 19th Samuel Burbank, died. At the same time
died two children who were put out to the French to nurse.

At this time I received a letter from Major Willard, dated
March 17th, 1747, wherein he informs me my family were
well, which was joyful news to me. May 19th, Abraham
Fort died.

[Here ends the journal of Mr. How, exceedingly valuable
for the many items of exact intelligence therein recorded, rela-
tive to so many of the present inhabitani-s of New England,
through those friends who endured the hardships of captivity
in the mountain deserts and the damps of loathsome prisons.
Had the author lived to have returned, and published his nar-
rative himself, he doubtless would have made it far more valu-
able, but he was cut off while a prisoner, by the prison fever,
in the fifty-fifth year of his age, afte^ a captivity of one year,
seven months, and fifteen days. He died May 25th, 1747, in
the hospital at Quebec, after a sickness of about ten days.
He was a husband and father, and greatly beloved by all who
knew him. — Ed.]

139

Cnpt. John
olin Sinoad
i\.s bom tlie

i (lay John
)f his men,
lul on the
nil in New

died. On
t to prison,
iver. The

at Albany,
illed, Capt.
:pedition to
ih, Samuel
■e, and was
We v/ero

, when she
e 13th, Mr.
14th. The
1 youth, of
nting-ton of
seph Grey,
same time
o nurse,
lard, dated
mily were
Abraham

y valuable

)rded, rela-

England,

captivity

le prisons.

d his nar-

niore valu-

son fever,

one year,

, 1747, in

ton days,

)y all who

PARTICULARS RELATING TO THh: CAPTIVITY

C)F<^ JOH.N KITCH, OK ASHHV, MASS. RllLATiil) BV MR. ENOS
.TONES, OF ASHIiUKMIAM.

The town of Liiiionburir, in Alassacliusotts, was incorpo-
rated Au<j|"usi 1, 17:*^, and received its name in compliment
to Georjjre U., who. ih(^ jirecedint,'' y<'av, came to the British
throne, and was styled Duke of Luiienbiir£i', haviuL^ in his
German dominions a town of that name. On the 3d of Feb-
ruary, 17G4, a part of Lunenbur<j^ was detached and incorpo-
rated as a distinct town by the name of Fiichburn-. In 17G7,
a part of Fitchi)urL!;- was disannexed to aid in forminir the town
of Ashby. Mr. John Fitch lived on the frontiers of the county,
in the tract now included iu Ashby. After the commencement
of the French and Indian war of 174''), Fitch proposed to the
g"overnment to keep a garrison, with the aid of three soldiers,
who were immediaiely despatched to liim. Mr. Fitch was a
gentleman of n>.ich enterprise, and had liad considerable deal-
ings with the Indians in peltries, furs, &c., and was generally
well known among them. Soon after the breaking out of the
war, they determined to make him a prisoner; and in July,
1740-7, they came into the vicinity to the nutnber of about
eighty. The inhabitants of the garrison were Fitch, his wife,
five children, and the three soldiers. One of these last left
the garrison early in the morning of the disaster, on furlough,
to visit a house at the distance of three or four miles.
Another we-nt out in qm'st of game. H" had not proceeded
far when ho discovered the Indians crawlin-r in the hiirh cfrass
betw^jen him and tlie garrison. He attempted to return, but
was instantly shot down. One soldier only remained with
Filch and his family; and they determined to defend them-
selves to the be^t of their power. The soldier, whose name
was Jeimings, (ired several times, when an Indian shot him
through the neck, and he f(dl. Mrs. Fitch regularly loaded
the guns for her husband, and they contiinuv] to defend them-
selves for some time; when the Indians informed them that if
they would surrender they should have (luarter, but if they
refused they should ])erish in the ilames of the garrison.
After some cjou.mi It-it ion with his wife, Fitch concluded to sur-
render. The Indians then burned the o-arrison ; and after
committing various mischiefs in the neighborhood, they took
the captive family to Canada. Immediately aftvT the garrison
•was burnt, Perkins, the soldier on furlough, espied the smoke,
and on ascending a hill in the vicinity he could see the ruins.

J fl

•:i

140

MARY FOWLER'S CAPTIVITY.

.■ i

I i

He immoiliaU'ly o-avo the alarm, and in th' vcniiif; nearly an
hundred had assendjkMl in arms for the p.jsuit of the enemy.
It being dark, however, they conchidecl to wait till the fol-
lowing morning, and ere day broke they set out. After pro-
ceeding a short distance in the track of the Indians they saw
a piece of paper ti(>d to a limb of a tree, which, on exam-
ining, they found to be in the hand-writing of Fitch, request-
ing them by no means to pursue him, as the Indians had
assured him of sal'ety if they were not pursued; but would
destroy him if his friends should attempt his rescue. Upon
this the party returned to their homes. At the close of the
war Fitch and his family were liberated ; and were crossing
the Connecticut on their return home, when Mrs. Fitch took
cold and died. The rest of the family returned, and Fitch
was afterwards married again. Jennings, who was killed in
the garrison, was burnt in the flames. The name of the sol-
dier killed without the garrison was Blodget. The third sol-
dier, whose name was Perkins, escaped.

CAPTIVITY OF MARY FOWLER, OF HOPKINTON.

Mary Foavler, formerly Mary Woodwell, now living in
Canterbury in this state, was born in the town of Hopkinton,
in Massachusetts, May 11, 1730. Her parents moved to Hop-
kinton in this state when she was about twelve years of age,
and settled on the westerly side of what is called Putney's
Hill.

On the 22d day of April, in the year 1746, while in the
garrison at her father's house, six Indians, armed with mus-
kets, tomahawks, knives, &:c. broke into the garrison and took
eight persons while in their beds, viz. the said Mary, her
parents, two of her brothers, Benjamin and Thomas, Samuel
Burbank, an aged man, and his two sons, Caleb and Jonathan.
They carried them through the wilderness to St. Francis in
Canada. Here Mary and Jonathan Burbank were detained
for the term of three years, (though not in one family,) and
the other six were carried prisoners to Quebec, where Bur-
bank, the aged, and Mary's mother died of the yellow fever in
prison. The other four were afterwards exchanged.

The circumstances relative to their being taken were as
follows : Ten persons, viz. the eight above mentioned, Samuel
Burbank's wife and a soldier, were secluded in the garrison
for fear of being attacked by the Indians, who had been fre-

nearly an
e oiiomy.
1 the tol-
^ftcr prn-
thcy saw
311 exam-
, rccpiest-
liaiis had
)ut Would
?. Upon
)sc of the
' crossino;'
'itch took
md Fitch
killed in
f the sol-
third sol-

INTON.

living- in
opkinton,
1 to Hop-
s of age,
Putney's

e in the
ilh mus-
and took
ary, her
Samuel
onathan.
rancis in
detained
ily,) and
?re Bur-
fever in

were as

Samuel

garrison

seen fre-

MARY FOWLER'S CAPTIVITY.

141

(piontly scouting ihro\iL'-li Hopkuitou a;id ihc othi'r adjacent
towns. Early on the moniing of tlu'ir captivity, Sainiicl Bur-
bank left the garri>5on and went to the barn in order to feed
the cattle heforo the rest were up, liMving the door unfastened.
The Indians, who lay near in ambush, immediately sallied
forth and look him. From this alii'iubi<'il caj)tive they got
information that the garrison wa weak, whereupon they
rushed in, and took them all, excej)l the soldier who escaped,
and B'.irbank's w'fe, who x^creied herself in the cellar, du-
ring this attack Mary's mother, being closely embrac'd by a
sturdy Indian, wrested fn)m his side a louir knife, with which
she was in the act of runnin'.;' him throu'^h, when her hu.-<band
j)revail<'(l with her to desist, fearing the fatal conse(|uences.
llowever, she secured the deadly weai)i)n, and before they
commenced their m.irch threw it into ihe welb from whence it
was taken after the captives returned. Another Indian pre-
sented a musket to .Mary's breast, intending to blow her
throuirh, when a chief by the name of Pernios, who ha.d pre-
viously received numerous kimlnesses from her father's family,
instantly interfered, and kept him from his cruel design, taking
her for his own captive.

After having arrived at St. Francis, Penims sold Mary to a
squaw of another fatnilv. while J. Burb.iidc contiimed in some
remote part of the neighborhood under his own master. Ma-
ry's father and brothers, after they were exchanged, solicited a
contribution for her redemption, which was at last obtained
with great dilliculty for one hundred livres, through the strata-
gem of a French do^'tor ; all previous elU^rts made by her
father and brothm's liaving failed. This tender parent, though
reduced to poverty by the savages, and having no pecuniary
assistance except what ho received through the hand of charity
from his distant friends, had fre<piemly visited St. Francis in
order to have an interview with his only daunhler, and to
compromise with her mistress, ofiering her a large sum for
Mary's redemption, but all to no ellect. She refused to let her
go short of her weight in silver. iMoreover, Mary had pre-
viously been told by her mistress that if she intimated a word
to her father that she wanted to go home with him, she should
never see his face again ; therefore, when interrogated by him
on this subject, she remained silent, tliroiiLrh fear of worse
treatment; yet she could not conceal her grief, for her internal
agitation and distress of mind caused the tears to flow pro-
fusely from her eyes. Her father, at length, worn out with
grief and toil, retired to ■Montreal, where he contracted with a
Frenchmaii as an agent to etlect, if possible, the purchase of
his daughter. This agent, after having attempted a compro-

( '>!

} i

142

MARY FOWLER'S CAPTIVITV.

mise several times in vain, cniployod a Frencli physirian, who
was in iiigli reputation anioni,'' ilic Indians, to assist him. The
doctor, under a cloak of friendship, secretly advised Mary to
feig-n herself sick, as the oidy aUernalive, and gave her medi-
cine for the purpose. This doctor was soon called upon for
medical aid; and altliough Ik.- appeared to exert the utmost
of his skill, yet his patient continued to grow worse. After
making several visits to no ell'ect, he at length gave her over
as heing j)ast recovery, advising her mistress, as a real friend,
to sell her the first opj)ortunity for what she could get, even if
it were but a small sum; otherwise, said he, she will die on
your hands, and you must lose her. The squaw, alarmed at
the doctor's ceremony, and the dangerous ap[)earance of her
captive, immediately contracted with the French agent for one
hundred livres ; whereupon ]\Iary soon began to amend ; and
was shortly after conveyed to Montreal, where she continued
six months longer among the French waiting for a passport.

Thus after having been compelled to three years' hard labor
in planting and hoeing' corn, chopping and carrying wood,
pounding samp, gathering cranberries and other wild I'm it for
the market, &;c., this young woman was at length redeemed
from the merciless hands and cruel servitude of the savages,
who had not only wrested her from her home, but also from
the tender embraces of her parents, and from all social inter-
course with her friends.

Jonathan Burbank was redeemed about the same time — be-
came an officer, and was aliei .. .irds killed by the Indians in
the French w^ar. These sons of the forest supposing him to
have been Rogers, their avowed enemy, rushed upon him and
slew him without ceremony, after he had given himself up as
a prisoner of war.

After six months' detention among the French at Montreal,
Mary was conveyed (mostly by water) to Albany by the Dutch,
who had proceeded to Canada in order to redeem their black-
slaves, whom the Indians had previously taken and carried
thither ; from thence she was conducted to the place of her
nativity, where she continued about five years, and was mar-
ried to one Jesse Corbett, by whom she had two sons. From
thence they moved to Hopkinton in this state, to the place
where Mary had been taken by the Indians. Corbett, her
husband, w\as drowned in Almsbury river, (now Warner river,)
in Hopkinton, in the year 1709, in attempting to swim across
the river — was carried down into the Contoocook, thence into
the Merrimack, and was finally taken up in Dunstable with
his clothes tied fast to his head. Mary was afterwards married
to a Jeremiah Fowler, by whom she had five children. She

ician, who
liin. The
1 JMary to
her iiindi-
i upidi lor
he utmost
ic. After
p licr over
eal Irieiid,
3t, even if
vill die on
ihirined at
ice of her
•nt for one
lend ; and
continued
assport.
hard hibor
ini^" 'vvood,
I I'm it for
redeemed
e savages,
al?^o from
cial inter-
time — be-
ndians in
ng him to
1 him and
elf up as

Montreal,
10 Dutch,
leir black
id carried
ice of her
was niar-
?. From
the place
rbett, her
ler river,)
im across
lence into
able with
s married
en. She

MRS. MCOYS CAPTIVITY.

113

is now livinc in Cantfrlmry, in th<^ enjnyment of gooil health
and rcuiarUablc pouer.-^ of mind, bcinir in the uinety-ibird year
of her aire. Tbe foregoing narrative was written a few weeks
since as she related it.

•N|

NARRATIVE

OF THE CAPTIVITY OF :\IIIS. ISAI?I^M,A MCOY, WHO WAS TA-
KKN CAPTiVi: AT Hi'SOM, X. H., INTIIK ^'HAll irir. COL-
LHCTEDFROM Till'. UKCOLLKCTIONS OF AdED PKOPLK WHO
KNFW IIKK, i;V TlIK KKV. JONATHAN CURTIS, A MINISTER
OF THAT TOWN, AROUT SKVFNTKFN YFARS AOO, AND HY
HIM COMMUNICATED TO THE PUIUTSHERS OF THE NEW
HAMPSHIRE HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS.

Thk Indians were first attracted to the new settlements in
the town of Epsom, N. H,, by discovering M'Coy at Suncook.
now Pembroke. Tliis, as nearly as can be ascertained, was in
the yoar 1747. Reports were spread of the depredations of
the Indians in various places ; and M'Coy had heard that they
had been seen lurkincf al)out the woods at Peiiacook, now Con-
cord. He went as far as Pembroke ; ascertainetl that they
were in the vicinity ; was somewhere discovered by them, and
followed home. They told his wife, whom they afterwards
made prisoner, that they looked through cracks around the
liouse, and saw what they had for supp(>r tiiat niiibt. They
however did not discover themselves till the second day after.
They probably wished to take a little lime to learn the strenirth
and jireparation of the inhabitants. Tbe next day, Mrs.
]\rCoy, attended by tlieir two don's, wont tiown to see if any of
the other families liad returned from the garrison. Sbe found
no one. On her return, as she was passing the block-house,
which stood near the ])resent site of the meeting-house, the
dogs, which had passed round it, came running back growling
and very' much excited. Their appearance induced her to
make the best of her way home. The Indians afterwards told
her that they then lay concealed there, and saw the dogs, when
they came round.

M'Coy, being now strongly suspicious that the Indians were
actually in the town, determined to set off the next day with
his family for the garrison at Nottingham. His family now
consisted of himself, his wife, and son John. The younger
children were still at the garrison. They accordingly secured
their house as well as they could, and all set off next morning ;

■ f 11

v*"^

fvi'

«)

'11

144

I\IRS. M'COY'S C.\PTIV1TV

— M'Cny <'iii(l liis son with ilicir i^niii^, ilioiiuli wit'ioui runiiiU'
nitidii, hiiviiio^ liivd iiway what llicy broii {lil wiili iliciii in
llUl»till^^

As ilicy wore travcllini; a little di.-iniicc oast of tlio place
\vlioro iho I'lootiiiL'-liniiso now staiKJs, Mrs. M'Coy I'l II a liltle
ill llio roarc itlio others. This (•ircunistaiico i;ave iho Iiuliaiis
a favorable opportunity for soparatiii'.;- Ixr I'roin her hnsh:iiicl
and son. The Indians, three men and a boy, lay in andnish
near the foot of Mardi'n's hill, not far from the junction of the
mountain road with tiie main road. Here ilicy .>ull('re(i M'Coy
and his son to j)ass ; but, as his wife was passinir them, they
reached from the busiies, and took hold of her, chari,''in<*- be-
to mak'e no noise, and coverinu: her mouth with their hands, as
she cried to her husband for assistance. Her iiusband, hcarinj^
her cries, turned, and was at)oul cominir to her relief. But he
no sooner began to advance, than the Indians, expectinnf proba-
bly that he would (ire upon them, betran to raise their jiieccs,
which she pushed one side, and motioned to her friends to
make their escajjo, knowing' that their y;uns were not loaded,
and that they would doubtless be killed, if they approached.
They accordim^dy ran into the woods and made their escape to
the garrison. This look place Auoiist iil, 1717.

The Indians then collected together what booiy they could
obtain, which consisted of an iron trammel, from Mr. George
Wallace's, the apples of the oidy tree which bore in town,
wrhicli was in the orchard now owned by Mr. David CrilRn,
and some other trillinir articles, and j>re[)ared to set oil" with
their prisoner for Canada.

Before they took their departure, they conveyed Mrs. ]\rCoy
to a place near the little Suncook river, where they left her in
the care of the yonng Indian, while the three men, whose
names were afterwards ascertained to be PIai;.-awa,'^ Sabatis,
and Christi, went away, and were for sometime absent. Dur-
ing their absence, Mrs. M'Coy thought of attempting to make
her escape. She saw opportunities, wiiei. slu'. thouohi she
might dispatch the young Indian with ihe trammel, which,
with other things, was left wnth thein. and thus perhajis avoid
some strange and barbarous death, or a long and distressing
ca])iivily. But, on the other hand, she knew not at what dis-
tance tlic others were. If she attempted to kill her young
keeper, she might fail. If she effected her jxirpose in this, she
might be pursued and overtaken by a cruel and revengeful foe,
and then some dreadful death would be her certain portion.

* These were of the Arosagnntacook or St. Francis tribe,
knap's Hist. N. H. vol. ii. p. 278.

See Bel-

loin ninnm-
ih tlu'iii ill

)!' th(.' place
■ r. II a liitlo
llic Indians
cr liiislKind

ill ainlMi^h
ction of tliu
:rv(\ M'Cny

iIh'Iu, iht-y
liaririnv;' hor
ir hands, as
nd, hearing
A. Ihn he
:tinfr pixiha-
heir pieces,
•r friends to

not l(»a(led,
ipproached.
ir escape to

they could
Mr. George
e in town,
vid Griilin,
et otr witii

lis. ]\rCoy

eft her in
nen, whose
,^ Sahatis,
ent. Dur-
in- 10 make
louoht she
nel, which,
ha])s avoid

I {stressing
t what dis-
her young
in this, she

igeful foe,
111 portion.

e. See Bel-

MRS. MCOY'S CAPTIVITY

145

On the whole, she thouirht best to ondeavoi to prcpar.- her
mind to hear what ini'^ht he no uiore than a pt^riod of >a\aLre
captivity. Soon, however, the Indians retnrieij. and put an
end for the pa'senl to all thonirhts of escape. From the direc-
tion in which they went and returned, and from iheir mihiiIv
app(>arance, she suspei-ied what their llu^ine^s had heen. >!he
told them she ^niessed they had heen liurnimr her liou-e.
Plausavv'a, who could speak some broken English, informed
her they liad.*

They now commenced their long and tedious journey to
Canada, in which the poor captive miirht wtdl expect iliat «.;real
and c()mplicale(l .siiirerin^-s would b(> her lot. She did indeed
lind the journey faliyuin'jf, and her fare scanty and precarious.
But, in her ireatinent from the Indians, she experienced a very
agreeable disa|)pointment. The Uindness she rec(Mved iVom
them was far <reater than she had expected from those who
were so often distinguished for their cruelties. The apples
they had irathered they saved for her, giving her one every
day. In this way, they lasted her as far on the way as lake
Champlain. They gave her the lust, as they were crossing
that lake in their canoos. This circumstance gave to the tree,
on which the apples grew, the name of " IsaheWs tree,'" her
name beimi^ Isabella. In many ways did they appear desirou.s
of mitigating the distresses of their prisoner wliile on their
tedious journey. When night came on, and lh(>y halted to
repose themselves in the dark wilderness, Plausawa, the head
man, would make a little couch in the leaves a little way from
theirs, cover her up with his own l)laiiket ; and there she was
suli'ered to sleep undisturbed till inorninnf. When they came
to a river, which must be forded, one of them would carry her
over on his back. Nothinir like insult or indecency did tliey
ever offer her duriiiLr the whole time she was with them. They
carried her to Canada, and sold her as a servant to a French
family, whence, at the close of that war, she returned home.
But so comfortable was her condition there, and her husband
being a man of rather a rouG:h and violent temper, she deidared
she never should have thought of atteinpling the journey liome,
were it not for the sake of her children.

After the capture of Mrs. M'Coy, the Indians frequently
visited the towm, but never committed any very irreat depreda-
tions. The greatest damage they ever did to the property ol
the inhabitants Avas the spoiling of all the ox-teams in tovva.
At the time referred to, there were but four yoke of oxen in

♦ The writer luis a piece ot the iron-ware, which was melted down m
the burning of the house.

Mti

MRS. M'COV'S CAPTIVITV'.

=?i

iho pinco, viz. M'Coy's, C'apt. M'C'Iiiry's, Ooori'o WiillacoV,
and liiciit. Hl.ikf's. It \v!i> ;i time nf iijiprclini-ioii liom tlie
liidiiiiis ; mill the iiilialiiliiiits had llifiTlon- all lli'd to ilir Lrnr-
risoii at Notliii'jiiaiii. They h-fi ilicir oxen i<> i,M-a/o alioiii the
woods, with a h»dl upon om- <»t' them. 'i'li<' liidinns round tlu-in,
shot otic out of eaidi y(di;(', look' out their toni,nics. made n
pri/c of the h(dl, and k'lt thcin.

The ft>rocity and crutdty of the savnyes were donhtlcss very
much averted l>y a friendly, font'iliatini^ i-oiirso of conduct in
the iiihahitants towards them. This was pariicularly the case
iti the course pursued hy seru"eanl HIalve. IJeiiiir himself a
curious marksman and an expert hunter, traits of character in
their view of the hi<,''hest order, he soon secured tl.eir respect;
and, by a course of kind treatmcmt, he secured their friendship
to such a deii^ree, that, thouL'h they had ftpportunilies, they
would not injure him even in time of war.

The first he ever saw of them was a company of them mak-
ing^ towards his housi*, throu<j^h the openini,'' Irom the top of
Sanborn's hill. He (led to the woods, and there lay concealed,
till they had made a tliort)UL,''h search aliout his house and en-
closures, and had gone oil'. The next Mme his visitors came,
he was constrained to become more ac(pi.iinted with them, and
to treat them with more attention. As he was busily enn-ai^ed
towards the close of the day in compleiiny a yard for his cow,
the declining sun suddenly threw aloni,'' several enormous slia-
dows on the ground before him. He had no sooner turned to
see the cause, than he I'ound liimseM' in the company of a
number of stately Indians. SeeiiiLT his perturbation, they pat-
ted him on the head, and told him not to lie afrtiid, for they
would not hurt him. They then went with him into his
house ; and their first business was to search all his bottles to
see if he had any "■ or rupee,'" rum. They then told him they
were very huuL'Ty, and wanted something to eat. He hap])ene(l
to have a (piarter of a bear, which he gave tJKMn. 'I'bey took
it and threw it whole upon the fire, and very soon began to
cut and eat from it half raw. While they wc^e eating, he
employed himself in cutting pieces from it, and broiling upon
a stick for them, which pleased them very much. After their
repast, they v.ished for the privilege of lying by his fire through
the night, which he granted. The next morning, they pro-
posed trying skill with him in firing at a mark. To this he
acceded. But in this, finding themselves outdone, they were
much astonished and chagrined ; nevertheless they highly
commended him for his skill, patting liim on the head, and
telling him if he loould go off ivith them they ivouid make him

CAPTIVITY or PETKR WILLIAMSON.

147

W'iillai'o's,

II liniii ilir;

to I III' L''ar-

nlioiii lUc
uiiimI iIu-iii,

C'S, IIIMlIc !l

i!)tlr>.s vory
c'oikIik t in
riy tln' case
r himsclt' a
jliaracicr iti
eir H'spect ;
r friuiulsliip
niiics, they

' th«Mn mak-
i the top of
/ coriccakwl,
use and en-
siiors camo,

1 thcni, and
ily en<;;airt'd
(or liis cow,
MMuoiis sha-
•r turned to
iipany of a
IK iIk'V pat-
lid, lor tliey
ni into his
is bottles to
Id liini they

(■ happened
They to(dc
)n hcLjan lo
eatintr, he
(jiliiiL>' upon
Al'icr their
lire through
L!'. they pro-
To this lie
, I hey were
hey hii,rhly
head, and
1 viake him

ifirir hi i* rapt (I ill. They iised oftrn lo call upon him, and his
kindness to theni they never forgot even in lime (tf war.

I'laii>awa had a pei-iiliar maimer of doid)liii'jf his lip, and
produciniif a very shrill pii'n'iti'jf whi>tle. whieh miirht he heard
a irreal distance. At a time, when I'oiisiderahle ilan<rer was
api)reh.'nded from the Indians, HlaUe went oil' into the woods
alone, thouirli considered ha/ardou^, to hxdi for his cow, that
was mis-«inLr. As he was pas>iiii,f aloiii,'' hy Sinclair's hroolv,
an unfrei|ii('nted place, northerly from .\l "Coy's nmunlain, a
very loud >liarp whistle, which he knew to he I'laiisawa's,
Slid lenly |ta->ed ihrotiL^h his head, like the rejiort of a pistol.
'i'he Midden alarm alinosi raised him from the irround ; and,
with a very liu'ht stej), he soon reaidied home without his cow.
In more |)eafe;ih|e times, Plansawa a>keii him if he did not
reinemher the lime, and laie/hed very mueh to think how he
ran at the iVi'^ht, and told him the rea-;oii for his whi~.ilin^,
" Yoinii! fjifl/fi//,^^ said he, " put up i^ini tn shoot hliiijUshiiian.
Mr hiiork it (li)irii. dad irhistlc to start you off.'" So lastinii^ is
their friendship, when treated well. At the close of the wars,
the Indians huih several wiufwams near the conlluence f)f Wal-
lace's hrook with the i,^reat Suncook. On a little island in this
river, near the place called " short falls," one of them lived
for a coh i(leral)le time. IMausawa and Sahatis were finally
both killed in time of peaei; hy one of ihe whiles, after a ilriink-
en quarrel, and buried near a certain brook in lioscawen.

A FAITHFUL NARRATIVE

OF THE SUFFI'.RIXGS OF PETF.R WILLIAMSON, WHO SFTTLED
i\KAU TIIH FOilKS OI^ TlIK DF-LAWAKF IN PENNSYLVANIA.
IIAVIN(J HF.KX TAKI:N HV TilK INDIANS IN HIS OWN
HOUSE, OCTOI5ER -'.!, 17.-.1.- WRri'TEN BV HIMSELF.

I WAS born within ten miles of the town of Aberdeen, in the
north of Scotland, of reputable parents. At cifrht years of aij^e,
beiiiL^ a sturdy boy, I was taken notice of by two fellows bc-
loninng to a vessel, employed (as the trade then was) by some
of the worthy merchants of Aberdeen in that villanous and
execrable praetii-e of stealing youni^ children from their parents,
and sellin^r them as slaves in the plantations abroad, and on
board the ship I was easily cajoled by them, where 1 was con-
ducted between decks, to some others they had kidnapped in
the same manner, and in about a month's time set .sail for
America. When arrived at Philadelphia, the captain sold us

\t il

■ r

148

CAPTIVITY OF PETER WILLIAMSON.

at about sixteen pounds per head. What bocamc of my un-
happy companions I never knew; but it was my lot to be sold
for seven years, to one of my i'ountrym<!i, who had in his
youth been kidnapped like myself, but from another town.

Having" no children of his own, and commiseratinpr my con-
dition, he look care of me, indulg-ed me in fj^oinij to school,
where I went every winter for five years, and made a tolerable
proficiency. With this good master 1 continued till he dii^d,
and. as a reward for my faithful service, he left me two hun-
dred pounds currency, which was then about an hundred and
twenty pounds Uerlin^-, his best horse, saddle, and all his
wearini; apparel.

Beinc^ now seventeen years old, and my own master, having
money in my pocket, and all other necessaries, I employed
myself in jobbing for near seven years ; when I resolved to
settle, and married the daughter of a substantial planter. My
fa'her-in-law made me a deed of gift of a tract of laiul that lay
(ur)happily for nu-, as it has since proved) on the frontiers of
the province of J'ennsylvania, near the forks of Delaware,
containing about two hundred acres, thirty of which were well
cleared and fit for immediate use, on which were a good house
and barn. The j)lace pleasing me well, I settled on it. My
money I expended in buying stock, household furniture, and
implements for out-of-door work ; and being happy in a good
wile, my felicity was complete : but in 1754, the Indians, who
had for a long time before ravaged and destroyed other parts
of Ajiiorica unmolested, began now to be very troublesome on
tlie ironti'M's of our province, where they generally appeared in
small skulking parties, committing great devastations.

Ttrrsbie and shocking to human nature were the barbarities
daily committed by these savages ! Scarce did a day pass but
some unhappy family or other fell victims to savage cruelty.
Terribie, indeed, it proved to me, as well as to many others, I,
that was now happy in an easy state of life, blessed with an
afi'ectionate and tender wife, became on a sudden one of the
most iinliappy of mankind : scarce can I sustain the shock
which forever recurs on recollecting the fatal second of Octo-
ber, 1754. My wife that day went from home, to visit some
of her relations; as I staid up later than usual, expecting her
return, none being in the house besides myself, how great was
my surprise and terror, when, about eleve ' o'clock at night, I
heard tlie dismal war-whoop of the savages, and found that my
house w^as beset by them. I fle\v to my chamber window, and
perceived them to be twelve in number. Having my gun
loaded, I threatened them with death, if they did not retire.
But. how vain and fruitless are the efrorls of one man against

ic of my un-
ot to be sold
1 hud in his
or town.
tin<T my con-
njT to school,
lo a tolerable

till he (lied,
mo two hun-
hundrod and

and all his

istcr, havin<^
I employed
I resolved to
ilanter. My
land that lay
^ frontiers of
f Delaware,
oh were w^ell
1 f];-ood house
d on it. My
iirniture, and
py in a good
Indians, who
d other parts
)ublesome on
appeared in
ons.

no barbarities
day pass but
aire cruelty,
ly others. I,
-sod with an
1 one of the
n the shock
and of Octo-
o visit some
xpccting her
w great was
k at night, I
und that my
window, and
ng my gun
i not retire,
man against

CAPTIVITY OF PETER WILLIAMSON.

149

the united force of so ma?iy blood-thirsty monster? ! Otie of
them that could sjjoak English tbrcaloncd n\v in return, "that
if 1 tlid not come out they would burn me aliv(^" adding, how-
ever, " that if I would come out and surrender myself prisoner
they would not kill me." In >urh deplorable cinuunsiaiu'es, I
chose to rely on their promises, rather than meet death by
rejecting them ; and accordingly went out of the house, with
my gun in my hand, not kiu)\ving that I had it. Immediately
on my approach they rushed on me like liufers, and instantly
disarmed me. Having me thus in their power, they bound me
to a tree, went into the house. plundertMl it of every thing they
could carry otf, and then set fire to it, and consumed what was
left before my eyes. Not satisfied with this, they set fire to
my barn, stable, and out-houses, wherein were about two hun-
dred bushels of wheat, six cows, four horses, and live sheep, all
which were consumed to ashes.

Having thus finished the execrable business about which
they came, one of the monsters came to me with a tomahawk
and threatened me with the worst of deaths if I would not go
with them. This I agreed to, and then they untied me, and
gave me a load to carry, under which I travelled all that night,
full of the most terrible apprehensions, lost my unhappy wife
should likewise have fallen into their ^ruel power. At day-
break my inferiial masters ordered me to lay down my load,
when, tying my hands again round a tree, they forced the blood
out at my fingers' ends. And then kindling a fire near the
tree to which I was bound, the most dreadful agonies seized
me, concluding I was going to be made a sacrifice to their
barbarity. The fire being made, they for some time danced
round me after their manner, whooping, hollowing and sliriek-
ing in a frightful manner. Being satisfied with this sort of
mirth, they proceeded in another manner: taking the burning
coals, and sticks fiaming with fire at the ends, holding them to
my face liead, hands, and feet, and at the same time threaten-
ing to burn me entirely if I cried out. Thus tortured as I was,
almost lo death, I suiiered their brutalities, witlujut being al-
lowed to vent my anguish otherwise than by shedding silent
tears ; am! these being observed, they took fresh coals and
applied thera near my eyes, telling me my face was wet, and
that they would dry it for me, which indeed they cruelly did.
How I underwent th(>se tortures has been matter of wonder to
me, but God enabled me to wait with more than common
patience for the deliverance I daily prayed for.

At length they sat down round the fire, and roasted the meat,
cf which they had robbed my dwelling. When they had sup-
ped, they otTered some to me ; though it may easily be imagined
13*

I I]

>lt

^l!

150

CAPTIVITY OF PETER WILLIAMSON".

h '

•i < i

I imd but little appetite to eat, after the tortvircs and miseries I
had suffered, yet was I forced to seem pleased with what they
oflered me, lest by ref\ising it they should rcassuine their hel-
lish practices. What I could not eat 1 contrived to hide, they
haviiiijf unbound me till they inla^•ined I had eat iiil ; Inil then
tiiey bound me as before ; in which deplorable condition I was
forced to continue the whole day. When the sun was set, they
put out the (ire, and covered the ashes with leaves, as is their
usual custom, that the white people might not discover any
traces of their having been there.

Going from thence along the Susquehanna, for the space of
six miles, loaded as I was before, we arrived at a spot near the
Apalachian mountains, or Blue hills, where they hid their
plunder under logs of wood. From thence they proceeded to
a neighboring house, occupied by one Jacob Snider and his
unhappy family, consisting of his wife, five children, and a
young man his servant. They soon got admittance into the
unfortunate man's house, where they immediately, without the
least remorse, scalped both parents and children ; nor could the
tears, the shrieks, or cries of poor innocent children prevent
their horrid massacre. Having ilius scalped them, and plun-
dered the house of every thing that was movable, they set fire
to it, and left the distressed victims amidst the flames.

Thinking the young man belonging to this unhappy family
would be of service to them in carrying part of their plunder,
they spared his life, and loaded him and myself with what they
had here got, and again marched to the Blue hills, where they
stowed their goods as before. My fellow-sufferer could not
support the cruel treatment which we were obliged to suffer,
and complaining bitterly to me of his being unable to proceed
any farther, I endeavored to animate him, but all in vain, for
he still continued his moans and tears, which one of the sava-
ges perceiving, as we travelled along, came up to us, and with
his tomahawk gave him a blow on the head, which frlled the
unhappy youth to the ground, whom they immediately scalped
and left. The suddenness of this murder shocked me to that
degree, that I was in a manner motionless, expecting my fate
would soon be the same : however, recovering my distracted
thoughts, I dissembled my anguish as well c s I could from the
barbarians ; but still, such was my terror, that for some time I
scarce knew the days of the week, or what I did.

They still kept on their course near the mountains, where
they lay skulking four or five days, rejoicing at the plunder
they had got. When provisions became scarce, they made
their way towards Sus(piehanna, and passing near another
house, inhabited by an old man, whose name was John Adams,

CAPTIVITY OF PETER WLLIAMSON.

151

miseries I
viiai llicy
llu'ir hol-
lidc, they
hut then
ion I was
s set, they
as is their
cover any

e space of
t near the

hid their
Dceeded to
:>r and his
en, and a
ze into the
without the
r could the
;n nrevent

and plun-
ley set fire

ppy family

ir phinder,

what they

vliere they

couUl not
d to suffer,
to proceed
n vain, for
f the sava-
s and with

frlled the
?ly scalped
me to that
ng rny fate
r distracted
d from the
ome time I

lins, where
le plunder
Lhcy made
w another
hri Adams,

with his wife and four small childrfMi, and me(>tinfj with no
resistance?, they iinniediatdy scalpi'd the mother ;ind her chil-
dren hefore the oKl nnin's eye^. Inhuman and horrid as this
was, it did W)\ siitist'y iheni ; for wIkmi thi>y liad nuird'T'Ml the
poor woinui, they acted with Iut in sui-h a hrutal manner as
decency will not permit me to mention. The nnhajipy \\n<-
band, not li.'iirj ahl> to avoid the siirht, entreiited tlu-m to put
an end lo his lui.-crahlc hein^; Imt they were as doa( to the
tears and entreaties of this venerahh^ sulii'rer as they had been
to those of the olIuM's, and proceeded to hurn and destroy his
house, barn, corn, luiy, cattle, and cn-ery thinir the poor man a
few hours lielVire was master of. Havinir saved what they
thouirht proper from the flames, they cfave the old man, feeble,
weak, and in the miserable condition he then was, as well as
myself, burdens to carry, and loading themselves likewise^ with
bread and meat, p\irsued their journey towards the Great
swamp. Here they lay for eii^ht or nine days, diverting tliem-
selves, at limes, in barbarous cruelties on the old man : some-
times they would strip him naked, and paint him all over with
various sorts of colors; at other times they would pluck the
white hairs from his head, and tauntinirly tell him he was a
fool for living so long, and that they should show him kindness
in putting him out of the world. In vain were all his tears,
for daily did they tire themselves with the various means they
tried to torment him ; sometimes tying him to a tree, and
whippinir him ; at other times, scorching his furrowed cheek
with red-hot coals, and burning his legs quite to the knees.
One night, after he had been thus tormented, whilst he and I
were condoling each other at the miseries we daily suffered,
twenty-live other Indians arrived, bringing with them twenty
scalps and three prisoners, who had unhappily fallen into their
hands in Cotmrrocheacue, a small town nenr the river Susque-
hanna, chiefly inhabited by the Irish. These prisoners gave
us some shocking accounts of the nmrders and devastations
committed in their parts ; a few instances of which will en-
able the reader to guess at the treatment the provincials have
suffered for years past. This party, who now joined us, had
it not, I found, in their power to begin their violences so soon
as those who visited my habitation ; the first of their tragedies
being on the 2'5th of October, 1754, when John Lewis, with
his wife and tliree small children, were inhumanly scalped and
murdered, and his house, barn, and every thing he possessed
burnt and destroyed. On the 28th, Jacob Miller, with his wife
and six of his family, with every thing on his plantations,
shared the same fate. The 30th, the hotise, mill, barn, twenty
head of cattle, two teams of horses, and every thing belonging

. 1^

■ i

\'\

» 'S

■ < r I

\i I

' s

152

CAPTTVITY OF PETER WILLIAMSON.

to GcorTC Folkc, met with thf like treatment, himself, wife,
and all his miserable family, consisting of nine in number, bein^-
scalped, then cut in pieces and g'iven to tlic swine. One of
the substantial traders, belonirinu: to the province, liavinnf busi-
ness that called him some miles up the country, fell into the
hands of these rudians, who not only scalped him, but imme-
diately roasted him before he was dead; then, like carniil>als,
for want of other food, eat his wliole hody, and of his head
made, what they called, an Indian puddincf.

From these few instances of sa\ai,'-e cruelty, the deplorable
situation of the defenceh^ss inhabitants, and what they hourly
suffered in that part of the globe, must strike the utmost hor-
ror, and cause in every breast the itmost detestation, not only
against the authors, but against those who, through inatten-
tion, or pusillanimous or erroneous principles, sullered these
savages at first, unrepelled, or even unmolested, to commit
such outrages, depredations, and murders.

The three prisoners that were brought with these additional
forces, constantly repining at their lot, and almost dead with
their excessive hard treatment, contrived at last to make their
escape ; but being far from their own settlements, and not
knowing the country, were soon after met by some others of
the tribes or nations at war with us, and brought back. The
poor creatures, almost famished for want of sustenance, having
had none during the time of their escape, were no sooner in
the power of the barbarians than two of them were tied to a
tree, and a great fire made round them, where they remained
till they were terribly scorched and burnt; when one of the
villains with his scalping-knife ripped open their bellies, took
out their entrails, and burned them before their eyes, whilst
the others were cutting, piercing, and tearing the llesh from
their breasts, hands, arms, and legs, with red-hot irons, till
they were dead. The third unhappy victim was reserved a
few hours longer, to be, if possible, sacrificed in a more cruel
manner : his arms were tied close to his body, and a hole
being dug deep enough for him to stand uprialit. he was put
into it, and earth rammed and beat in all round his body up
to his neck, so that his head only appeared above ground ;
they then scalped him, and there let him remain for three or
four hours in the greatest agonies ; after which they made a
small fire near his head, causing him to suffer the most excru-
ciating torments ; whilst the poor creature could only cry for
mercy by killing him immediately, for his brains were l)oiIing
in his head. Inexorable to all he said, they contimied the fire
till his eyes gushed out of their sockets. Such agoni;;ing tor-
ments did this unhappy creature suffer for near two hours

CAPTIVITY OF PETER WILLlAxMSON.

153

nself, wife,
ihcr, being
One of
iviiig busi-
•11 into tlie
hnl iinmc-
canniljiils,
f his head

deplorable
bey hourly
jlniost hor-
n, not only
jh inalten-
ered these

to commit

I additioml
dead with
make their
ts, and not
e others of
lack. The
ce, having
sooner in
e tied to a
y remained
one of the
)ellies, took
yes, whilst
llesli from
irons, till
reserved a
more cruel
md a hole
he was put
lis body up
^e ground ;
or three or
ley made a
nost excru-
(uly cry for
ere boiling
led the fire
)ni;:ing tor-
two hours

before he was quite dead. They then cut ofl' his hen.l, and
buried it with tlic other bodies; iny task beiutr K' <lig the
graves ; which, f('('l)l(' and terrified as I was, the dread of suf-
fering the same fate cnabhMl me to do.

A great snow nf»\v falling, the barbarians were fearful lest
the while penpic slntujil, bv their tracks, lind out their skulk-
ing retreats, which (»i»liiT(Ml theni to make tlu^ best of their way
to their wint(>r-(|narters, about two hundred miles farther from
any plantations or inhabitants. After a Ioul'" and jiainful jour-
ney, bfMni>' almost starved, I iirriveil with this infernal crew at
Alamin^'o. 'JMhto I found a number of wii,'' vatiis full of their
wf)ineii and children. DanciuLT^ siniiinir. and shoutinu: were
their ireniM'al aiiiiiseinent^. A;i(| iti all their festivals and
dances they relate what successes they have lind, and what
damatres thev liave sustained in their I'xpeditions ; in which I
now i'ntiap])i'y became a part of tlu-ir theme. Th(> s(n-erity
of the cold in,'re:isiiiL>-, they strijiped me of in\' clothes for their
. wn use, and gave me such as they usually wore themselves,
being a piece of blanket, and a pair of moccasons. or shoes,
with a yard of coarse cloth, to put round me instead of
breeches.

At Alamingo I remained near two months, till the snow was
off the ground. Whatever thou^rhts I might have of making
my escape, to carry them into execution was impracticable,
being so far from any plantations or white people, and the
severe weather rendering my limbs in a manner cpiite stitFand
motionless ; however, I contrived to defend myself against the
inclemency of the weather as well as I could, by making my-
self a little wi<T\vani with the bark of the trees, covering it
with earth, which made it resemble a cave ; and, to prevent
the ill effects of the cold, I kept a good tire always near the
door. My lit)eriy of q-oing about was, indeed, more than I
could hav(^ expected, but they well knew the impracticability
of my escapiiur Irom them. Seeing me outwardly easy and
submissiv'e, they would sometimes give me a little meat, hut
my chief food was Indian corn. At length the time came
when they were jirejiaring themselves for another expedition
against the planters and white people ; but before they set out,
they were joined by many other Indians.

As soon as the snow was ([uite gone, they set forth on their
journey towards the back parts of the province of Pennsyl-
vania ; all leaving their wives and children behind in their
wigwams. They w-qvo now a formidable body, amounting to
near one hundred and (ifty. My business was to carry what
they 1110^,411 proper to load me with, but they never intrusted
me with a gun. We marched on several days without any

! ;

: n

U:li

V -^

i (!!

154

CAPTIVITY OF PETER WILLIAMSON.

thino- particular occnrriiifr, almost fnmisliod for want of provis-
ions ; for my part, I iiad nothiny' l)Ul a few stalks of Indian
corn, which I was <,rhul to cat dry ; nor did the Indians them-
selves fare much better, for as we drew near the plantations
they were afraid to kill any trame, lest the noise of their guns
should alarm the irdiahii.ints.

When we ai:;tin arrived at the Blue hills, al>out thirty miles
from the Irish settlements l)efore mentioned, we encamped for
three days, ihouLrh God knows we had neither tents nor any
thing- else to defend us from the inclemency of the air, having-
nothing" to lie on by night biit the grass ; their usual method
of lodgiuiT, pitching, or encamping, by night, being in parcels of
ten or twelve men to a fire, where they lie u])on the grass or
brush wra|)])ed up in a blanket, with their feet to the lire.

During our stay })ere, a sort of council of war was held,
when it was ag^reed to divide themselves into companies of
about twenty men each ; after which every captain marched
with his ]iarty where he thought pio[)er. I siill belonged to
my old masters, but was left behind on the mountains with ten
Indians, to stay till the rest should return ; not thiidiing it
proper to carry me nearer to Conogocheague, or the other
plantations.

Here I began to meditate an escape, and though I knew the
country round extremely well, yet I was very cautious of g-iv-
ing the least suspicion of any such intention. However, the
third day after the grand body left, my companions thought
proper to traverse the mountains in search of game for their
subsistence, leaving me bound in such a manner that I could
not escape. At night, when they returned, havinj^ unbound me,
we all sat down together to supper on what they had killed,
and soon after (being greatly fatigued with their day's excursion)
they composed themselves to rest, as usual. I now^ tried vari-
ous ways to try whether it was a scheme to prove my intentions
or not ; but after making a noise and walking about, sometimes
touching them with my feet, I found there was no fallacy.
Then I resolved, if possible, to get one of their guns, and, if
discovered, to die in my defence, rather than be taken. For
that purpose I made various efforts to get one from under their
heads, (where they always secured them,) hut in vain. Disap-
pointed in this, I began to despair of carrying my design into
execution ; yet, after a little recollection, and trusting myself
to the divine protection, I set forwards, naked and defenceless
as I was. Such was my terror, however, that in going from
them I halted, and paused every four or five yards, looking
fearfully towards the spot where 1 had left them, lest they
should awake and miss me ; but when 1 was two hundred

CAPTIVITY OF PETEIl WILLIAMSON,

155

I of provis-

ot' Indian

iiuis lliern-

))l;uitalion.s

iheir guns

liirly miles
cauipecl for
Its nor any
air, having-
lal method

I parcels of
he grass or
e lire.

• was held.
HI panics of

II marched
belonsfed to
lis with ten
thinking it
r tile other

I knew the
ous of giv-
owcver, the
ns thought
le for their
;hat I could
nbound mc,
had killed,
excursion)
tried vari-
;' intentions
sometime?
no fallacy,
uns, and, if
aken. For
under their
in. Disap-
dcsign into
ling myself
defenceless
going from
ds, looking
1, lest they
vo hundred

' i

yards from them, I mended my pace, and made as much haste
as 1 possibly could to the foot of the mountains; when, on a
sudden, 1 was .struck with the greatest terror at hearing the
wood cry, as it is called, which the s.ivages 1 had left were
making upon missing their charge. The more my terror in-
creased the faster I pushed on, and, scarce knowing where I
trod, drove throuL^h the woods wiih the utmost precipitation,
sometimes falling and bruising myself, cuttim^- my feet and legs
against the stones in a miserable manner. lint iaint and
maimed as I was, I continued my lliglit till daybreak', when,
without having any thinir to sustain nature but a little corn
left, I crept into a liolbjw tree, where I lay very snug, aiul
returned my prayers and thanks to the tlivinu Being that had
thus far favored my escape. But my repose was in a few
liours destroyetl at hearing the voice's of the savaufes near the
place where I was hiil, threatening and talking how they
would use me if they got me again. However, they at last
left the spot where I heard them, and I remained in my apart-
ment all that day without further molestation.

At night I ventured forwards again, frightened; thinking
each twig that touched mc a savage. The third day 1 con-
cealed myself in like manner as before, and at night travelled,
keeping ofl^ tiie main road as much as possible, which length-
ened my journey many miles. But how shall I describe the
terror I felt on the fourth nii^ht, when, by the rustling I made
among the leaves, a party of Indians, that lay round a small
fire, which I did not perceive, started from the ground, and,
seizing their arms, ran from the fire amongst the wood^
Whether to move forward or rest where I v,as, I knew not,
when, to my great surprise and joy, I was relieved by a parcel
of swine that made towards thi^ j)lace where I guessed the sav-
ages to be ; who, on seeing them, imagined they had caused
the alarm, very merrily returned to the lire, and lay again
down to sleep. Bruised, crip[)led, and territied as I was, I pur-
sued my journey till break of day, when, thinking myself safe,
I lay down under a great log, and slept till about noon. Be-
fore evening I reached the summit of a great hill, and looking
out if I could spy any habitations of white people, to my inex-
pressible joy I saw some, which I guessed to be about ten
miles' distance.

In the morning I contintied my journey towards the nearest
cleared lands I had seen the day before, and, about four o'clock
in the afternoon, arrived at the house of John Bell, an old ac-
quaintance, where knocking at the door, his wife, who opened
it, seeing me in such a frightful condition, flew from me,
screaming, into the house. This alarmed the whole family,

156

MRS. JEMIMA HOWES CAPTIVITY.

who iinnruMliiUcly fled to tlioir arms, nivl I wns snon accosted
by tli(! iiiasicr wiili hi^. oim in his hainl. ]h\\ on niaKiti[r iny-
.scll" Ivhowii, (tor lie Ix'forc look uif to lie an Indiiin,) lie iiiuno-
dialely cart'sscd mo, a> did all his Ihtnily. with (Xtraordi'
nary iViondship, tlic report of inv hoinu' inurcU'red by the
sava^fc^s havinj,'' roacdicd thcni sonio inonihs h(d"oro. For
two days and ni^diis they very alieclionatcly supplied me
.with all necessaries, and carel'iilly attended me till my spirits
and limbs were pretty well recovered, and I thoue-ht myself
able to ride, wlien I borrowed of" these ii()o<\ people (whose
kindness merits my most gratelnl returns) a horse and some
clothes, and set forward for my I'aiher-in-law's house in Ches-
ter county, about one hundred and forty miles from thence,
where I arrived on the 4th of January, 17.5'3, (but scarce one
of the family could credit their eyes, believinir, with the peo-
ple I had lately left, that I had fallen a prey to the Indians,)
where 1 was received and embraced by the whole family with
great afTection. Upon inquirincr for my dear wife, I found she
had been dead two months ! This fatal news greatly lessened
the joy I otherwise should have felt at my deliverance from
the dreadful state and company I had been in.

A PARTICULAR ACCOUNT OF THE CAPTIVITY

AND REDEMPTION OF MRS. JEMIMA HOWE, WHO WAS
TAKEN PRISONER BV THE I.NDIANS AT HINSDALE, NEW
HAMPSHIRE, ON THE TWI<:NTV-SEVENTH OF JULY, 1755,
AS COMMUNICATED TO DR. BELKNAP BV THE REV. BUN-
KER GAY.

As Messrs. Caleb Howe, Hillciah Grout, and Benjamin
Gafficld, who had been hoeing corn in the meadow, west of
the river, were returning home, a little before sunset, to a
place called Bridgman's fort, they were fired upon by twelve
Indians, wlio had and)ushed their ]i;uh. Howe was on liorse-
back, with two youny lads, his children, behind him. A ball,
which broke his thigh, Itrought him to the i>round. His horse
ran a few rods and fell likewise, and both the lads were taken.
The Indians, in their savage mamicr coming np to Howe,
pierced his body Avith a spear, tore off his scalp, stuck a hatchet
in his head, and left him in this forlorn condition. He was
found alive the morning after, by a party of men from fort
Hindsdale ; and being asked by one of the parly whether he
knew him, he answered, " Yes, I know you all." These were
his last words, though he did not expire until after his friends

n;
n:

MRS. JEMDIA HOWE'S CArilVITY.

167

n nccosted
akirifr iny-
lie iniinc-
f'Xtraordi-
Dcl by tliR
ore. For
pplied me
my spirits
(111 myst'lt'
pie (\vho!>c
niid some
:e ill Clios-
im thence,
scarce one
h iho peo-
[? Indians,)
imily with
I found she
ly lessened
ranee from

PTIVITY

^vIIo WAS

)AI.E, NEW
JULY, 1755,
REV. BUN-

Hcnjamin

\v, west of

inset, to a

l)y twelve

on horse-

. A ball,

His horse

voro taken.

to Howe,

k a hatchet

He was

n from fort

vhether he

^hese were

his friends

had arrived with him ai fort Hiiid-d.ili'. (Irout was so fortu-
nate :»> to f'scapc inihini. Hut (laliidd. in attempMn-j' to wade
throufrh the riv.'r, at a certain place which was indeed i'orda-
ble at that time, was unrorlnn.ifeiy drouind. Flushed with
the success they had met with here, the sava<j:e> went diiectly
to BridL^man's fort. There was no man in it. and oulv ihree
women and some children, viz. Air^. .lemima Howe, Mrs.
SuI'mil (Jrout, and Mrs. J'^nnicc* fJallield. 'I'heir hu>haMds I
need not mention attain, and their feelinfrs at this juncture
I will not attempt to describe. They had heard the eiiemyV'
fruns, l)ut knew not what had iiappi-ned to their iViend^. Kx-
tremelv anxious for their s;iletv, thev >lood lonirinir to embrace
them, until at length, concludinL'" from the noise they Inward
without thai some of them wi're come, they unbarred the f^jite
in a hurry to receive them; when, io I to their inexpressible
disappointment and surprise, inst(\ul of their husbands, ii\
rusheil a numl)er of hideous Indians, to whom they and tlunr
tender ofispring becami.' an easy prey, and from whom they
had nothing to expect but either an immediate death or a long
and doleful captivity. The latter of these, by the favor of
Providence, turned out to be the lot of these unhappy women
and their still mon.' unhappy, because more helpless, children.
]\Irs. Gadield had but one, Mrs. Grout had three, and Mrs.
Howe seven. The eldest of Mrs. Howe's was eleven years
old, and the youngest hut six months. The two elde>t w(>re
daughters, which she had by her tirst husband, Mr. William
Phipps, who was also slain hy the Indians, ol' which I doubt
not but you have ^cen an account in Mr. Doolittle's history.
It was from the mouth of this woman that I latelv receiveil the
fbregointj account. She also gave me, I doubt not, a true,
though, to be sure, a verv brief and imperfect history ol' her
captivity, wliich I here insert for your perusal. It may jier-
haps all'ord you some amusement, and can do im harm, if,
after it has undergone" your critical iiispc^ction, you should not
think it (or an abbreviation of it) worthy to be preserved among
the records you are about to puidish.

The Indians (she savs) having plundered and put fire to
the fort, we nnirched, as near as I could iudn'e. a mile and a
half into the woods, where we encamped that niiiht. When
the morning came, and we had advanced as much farther, six
Indians were sent back to the place of our late abode, who c(d-
lected a little more plunder, and ch^stroyed some other elfects
that had been left behind ; but they did iml return until the
day was s^o far spent, that it was judi'-ed best to continue where
we were through the night. Early the next nmrning we set
off for Canada, and continued our march eight days succea-

15&

MRS. JEMIMA IIOWE.S CAPTIVITY.

sivcly. until wi- luirl roai'li'Ml ilic jjlaco wlif-rc! lln' Iii'iian.-* iiad
left tlii'ir (.•aiiof.-, mImhiI lilliMn mill's I'loiii Crown I'dint, Tliis
was a \<n\g and icdioiis march; but tlir captivt's, I'V diuac
assi>lnnee, were cnaMcd *' cniluix' it willi Ic.-s irdulilc and
diliiciiliy than ihcy had rv. ,a to expert. From >uv\\ sava<jc
masters, in siiidi indi'jent (•hi'um>lances, we could not ration-
allv hope for Kinih-r ircatmcni than \vc received. Some of tis,
it i*s true, had a iiarder h)t than others ; and, anionic the chil-
dren, I ihonLdit my son S(piir(> had the hardest of any. lie
wa.s then oidy four years old, and when we slopped to rest our
weary limhs, and he sal (h)wn on his master's j)ack, the savarro
monster would often knock hini oil'; and sometimes, too, with
the handle of his hatchet. Several ugly marks, indented in
his head l>y the cruel Indians, at that tender ajje, are siill
plainly to be seen.

At lenijili we arrived at ('rown Point, and took up our
quarters there for the space of near a week. In ihe tnean
time some of the Indians went to Montreal, and took several
of the weary captives alonti^ u ith them, with a view of selling
ihem to the French. They did not succeed, however, iti find-
ing a market for any of them. They gave my youngest
daughter, Submit Pliipps, to the governor, do Vaudreuil, had
a druidcen frolic, and returned again to Crown Point with
the rest of their prisoners. From hence we set off for St.
Johns, in four or live canoes, just as night was coming on,
and were soon surrounded with darkness. A heavy siorrn
hung over us. The soutid of the rolling thunder was very
terrible upon the waters, which, at every flash of expansive
lightning, seemed to be all in a blaze. Yet to this we were
indebted for all the light we enjoyed. No object could wc
discern any lonuer than the flashes lasted. In this posture
we sailed in our open, tottering canoes almost the whole of
that dreary night. The morning, indeed, had not yet begun
to dawn, when we all went ashore ; and having coU'.'cted a
heap of sand and gravel for a pillow, I laid myself down, with
my tender infant by my side, not knowing where any of my
other children were, or what a miserable condition they mioht
be in. The next day, however, ujider the wing of that ever-
present and all-powerful Providence, which had preserved us
through the darkness and imminent dangers of the preceding
night, we all arrived in safely at St. Johns.

Our next movement was to St. Francois, tV • metropolis, if
I may so call il, to which the Indians, who led us captive,
belonged. Soon after our arrival at their wretched capital, a
council, consisting of the chief sachem and some principal
warriors of the St. Francois tribe, was convened ; and after

i<lian."* iiad

int. This

\>y (lisiiic

I'diilili' alicl

irh siiv;iL;'e

iiol raiioii-

ioiiK' of lis,

1^ tlic cliil-

jiiiy. lie

to roi otir

the suvajre

s too, with

luk'iitcd ill

e, arc slill

ok up our

the mean

)olc several

: of selling

er, in find-

! yoiinfTcst

(Ireiiil, had

Point with

off for St.

'oiiiini^' on,

'a\ V siorrn

r was very

expansive

s we were

could wc

lis posture

whole of

yet heg\in

roU-'oted a

)wn, with

liny of my

hey might

that ever-

e.^erved us

preceding'

tropolis, if
IS captive,

capital, a
principal

and after

MRS JEMIMA TIOWK'S CAPTIVITY.

l/)9

ihc ceremnnios usual on such occasions were over, I was con-
ducted and deliveri'd to an ohl scpiaw, whom thf Indians told
nil' 1 must Cidl mv mother; mv infant still continuing to be
the property of it-; ori'jinal Indian fiwiiers. I was neviTlho-
less permitted to keep it with me ji while longer, for the sake
of siiviiiL,' them llii» trouhle of lookiiis^'' after it, and of main-
laininu it with mv milk. When the weather henran to prow
cold, shudderitiL,'' at the |>rospect of upproachini,' winter. I
ai'ipiainted my new moilwi- that I ditl not think it would ho
possihie for mi' to endure it, if 1 must spend it with her, and
Ian' as the Imliaiis diil. Listenin'jf to my repeated and earnest
solicitations, that 1 mi-jht !>'• disposed of amoti!'" some of the
French iiih'ihitants of Caiiaila, she, at lenL'th, set otl' with ine
i.iid my iiilaiit, aiieiided hy some male Indians, u|>on a jdurney
to .\l(»iitreal, in hopes of rindiiUY a market lor me there. I'ut
tlif attempt proved unsuccessful, and the journey tedious
indeed. Our [n'ovi-^ions were so scanty, as well as insipid and
unsavory, the weather was so cold, and the travellintf so very
bad, that it often seemed as if I must have perished on the
way. The lips of my poor cliild were sometimes so benumbed,
that when I put it to my breast it could not, till it t^rew warm,
imbibe the nourishment requisite for its support. While
we were at Montreal, we went into the house of a certain
French gentleman, whose lady, being sent for, and coming
into the room where I was, to examine me, seeing I had an
infant, exclaimed suddenly in this manner, " Datnn it, I will
not buy a woman that has a child to look after." There was
a swill-pail standing near me, in which I observed some crusts
and crumbs of bread swimming on thr; surface of the greasy
licpior it contained ; sorelv pinched with hunger, I skimmed
them oil' with my hands and eat them; and this was all the
refreshment which the house alforded me. Somewhere, in
the course of this visit to Montreal, my Indian mother was so
unfortunate as to catch the small-pox, of which distemper she
died, soon after our return, which was by water, to St. Francois.
And now came on the season when the Indians began to
prepare for a winter's hunt. I was ordered to return my j)oor
child to those of them who still claimed it as their property.
This was a severe trial. The babe clung to my bosom with
all its might; but I was obliged to pluck it thence, and deliver
it, shrieking and screaming, enough to penetrate a heart of
stone, into the hands of those unfeeling wretches, whose tender
merci?'S may be te.-med rruel. It was soon carried off by a
liunting party of thosi; Indians to a place called Messiskow, at
the lower end of lake Cliamj)lain, whither, in about a month
after, it Was my fortune to follow them. I had preserved my

ino

MRS JEMIMA HOWES CAPTIVITY,

■ j

I !
1 ,

milk in hopps of spoin? my beloved diild niriii'i- And hero I
fourui it, it is true, Imt in :i cnndition tliat iid'orded nio no n'rcnt
snti^^;l(•li()n, ii liciiii; <jrf;itlv •'inininted, nnd iilnm^t stiirved. I
look it in my arms, pni its (ace to niin.*. imd it in.staiitly bit mr
with sncli \ iolfiico that it seemed us if I must liave parted with
a piece (»( my rheelv. I was permitted to lodLTo with it that
and the two Inllowini,' niL'hls; hut every mnrnine' that inter-
vened, the Indians, I Mipp(»sf> on pnr|)f>se to torment me, sent
ine awav to another wiiiwani which stood at a little distance,
thou'/h not so far from th" ouf in which my distres.^ed infant
was conlined hut that 1 conld plainly hear its ittcessanl cries
and heart-reiidinir lamentations. In this deplorahle condition
I was oliliir,.(l to take my |ea\e r»f it, on the im)rnin!j^ of the
third day alter my arrival at the place. We moved down the
lak(^ several miles the same day; and the nie-jit lollowinLT was
remarkable on ucconnt of the i^rint turllKpidki''*^ which terri-
bly shook that howlin'j; wilderness. Amon-:^ the islands here-
abonts we spent the winter season, often shiltinq- onr (piarters,
and rovinir about from one place to another; our family eon-
sistiiiir of three persons only, besides mysfdf, viz. my late
mother's dane;litor, whom therefore I called my sister, iicr
SHidiop, and a pa|)poose. They once left me alone two dismal
niufhts ; and when they returned to me airain, perceivinn- thcin
smile at each other, I asked, What is the matter? They re-
plied that two of my childreti were no more ; one of which,
they said, died a natural death, and the other was knocked on
the head. 1 did not utter many words, but my heart was
sorely pained within me, and my mind cxceedine-ly troubled
with stranire and awful ideas. I often imaQ-ined, for instance,
that I plainly siiw the naked carca.sses of my deceased children
hanijinij: upon the limbs of the trees, as the Indians are wont to
hang- the raw hides of those beasts which they take in hunting".
It w^as not Ion"-, however, before it was so ordered by kind
Providence, that 1 should bo reliev«Ml in a ffood measure from
those horrid ima<>inations ; for as I was walking one day upon
the ice, observinsf a smoke at some distance upon the land, it
must proceed, thouirht I, from the fire of some Indian hut, and
who knows but some one (»f my poor children may be there?
My curiosity, thus excited, KmI me to the place, and there I
found my son Caleb, a little boy between two and three years
old, whom I had lately buried, in setxtiment at least, or rather
imagined to have been deprived of life, and perhaps also denied
a decent grave. I found him likewise in tolerable health
and circumstances, under the protection of a fond Indian
mother; and moreover had the happiness of lodging with him

* November 18, 1755.

MRS. JEMIMA HOWE"? CAPTIVITV.

161

11(1 licro I
f) no •i^rciU
tarvfd. I
itly J>it iiip
:»rt('(l with
illi it thai
that inter-
t nio, sj'Ht
' (lisiaiH'c,
.<('(! infant
sanl crif's
condition
injT of tlio
(h)\vn the
iwiiiL'" was
hich tcrri-
:\n(ls hero-
r (jiiartcrs,
uiiily fon-
. my late
sister, her
wo dismal
vinir them
They ro-
of which,
nocked on
heart was
y tronhled
instance,
I cliildren
(^ wont to
1 hunting.
I hy kind
lire from
(hiy upon
land, it
lilt, and
he there?
1 there I
ree years
or rather
so denied
(> health
I Indian
with him

in my arms one joyful niirht. Aijain we shifted our unarters,
nnd when Wf had travelled eifht or t»'n tnihs upon the snow
and ii'c, caiiK' to a plai'<> wIhtc thr Indians inannfa<"tured sii<rar.
which they extractrd Iroin tln' maplf trees. Mere an Indian
came to visit us, whom I knew, ami could speak ICnijIish. lie
a'^ked me why 1 did not l'"o to sec my son Si|iiire. I replnd
that I had lately \ivou informed that he was dead. He assured
me that lie was yet alive, and hiil two or three rniles oil', on
th( opposite sidi' of the lake. At my re(|iiest he nave me
tli(> l)e>i directions he could to the place of his ahode. I
res(dved to (Mid)race the first opportunity that otlired of endea-
voriiicr to seareli it out. While I w;is hiisy in coiiti'inplatini!^
this atfair, the Indians ohtained a little hread, of which they
gave me a small share. 1 did not taste a morsel of it myself,
but saved it all for my poor child, if 1 should he so lucky us to
find him. Ai lenirih, haviniy ohlain(>d of my keepers leave to
be absent for one day, I set f)!!' early in the moriiiny;, and sleer-
inir, as well as I could, accordin*]^ to the directions which the
frendly Indian had given me, I (piickly found the place which
he had so accurately marked out. I beheld, as 1 drew ni^/h,
my little son without the camp; but he look(>d, thoug'ht I, like a
starv(>d and manii^y pnppy, that had b(>en wallowincr in the ashes.
I took him in my arms, and he spoke to mo these words, in
the Indian tonrrue : " Mother, are you come ?" I took him into
the w iL''wam with me, and observinij a number of Iidian chil-
dren in it, I distributed all the bread which I had reserved for
my own child, among them all, otherwise I should have given
great oflence. My little boy appeared to be very fond of his
ru'w mother, kept as near me as possible while I staid, and
when 1 told him I must go, he fell as though he had f^een
knocked down with a club. But having leconmiended him to
the care of Him that made him, when the day was far spent,
and the time would permit me to stav no longer, I departed,
y )u may w dl suppose with a heavy load at my heart. The
ti Hni^^s 1 hnd received of the death of my youngest child had,
a little before, been confirmed to me beyond a doubt, but I
could not mourn so heartily for the deceased as for the living
child.

When the winter broke up, we removed to St. Johns ; and
through the ensuing summer, our principal residence was at
no great distance from the fort at that place. In the mean
time, how^ever, my sister's husband, having been out with a
scouting party to some of the Knglij'i settlements, had a
drun.'<en frolic at the fort, when he returned. His wife, who
never got drunk, but had often exp^'rieuc*. 1 the ill eti'ects of her
husbai.d's intemperance, fearing what the consequence might

14*

i . :l

r=sr

\\
in

I I

I ■ I''

' ,

162

MRS. JEMIMA HOWE'S CAPTIVITY.

prove if he should romo home m a morose and mrbulent hu-
mor, to avoid lii^ insolcncp. projioscd tliat we should both retire,
and keep out of the reai-h of it uuld t!'r .sionn abated. We ab-
.<5conde(i ac(V)rdiiii;ly, but so it happened that I nHurned and ven-
tured into his presence, before iiis wife had presumed to come
nifrh liim. I found him in his wii^waTn, and in a surly mood ;
and not beiniT al»le to revensjfe upon bis wife, because she was
not at home, he laid hi'ld of me, and hurried me to the fort,
and, for a triflinfr consideration, sold me to a French irentleman
whose name was Saccapee. 'Tis an ill wind certainly that
blows nobody any jjood. I h:ul been with the Indians a yea.
hickingr fourteen days; and, if not for my sister, yet for me,
'twas a lucky circumstance indeed, which thus at last, in an
unexpected moment, snatched me out of their cruel hands, and
placed me beyond the reach of their insolent power.

After my Indian master had disposed of me in the manner
related above, and the moment of sober reflection had arrived,
pGrceiving that the man who boufrhl me had taken the advanta^'^e
of him in an unc^uarded hour, his resentments bei^an to kindle,
and his indig-nation rose so hii^h, that he 'hreatened to kill me
if he should meet me alone, or if he coulc not revenge himself
thus that he would set fire to the fort. 1 <as therefore secreted
in an upper chamber, and the fort careiuily guarded, until his
wrath had time to cool. M service in the family to which I
was now advanced, was perfei i freedom in comparison of what
it had been among the barbarous Indians. M) new master
and mi.slre!=^s were both as kind and generous towards me as I
could airyways ex])ect. I seldom asked a favor of eitlier of
them but it was readily granted ; in conse([uence of which I
had it in my power, in mar;y instances, to administer aid and
refreshment to the poor prisoners of my own nation, who were
brought into St. Johns during my abode in the family of the
above-mentio.;ed bonevolent and hospitable Saccapee. Yet
even in this family such trials awaited me as I had little reason
to expect, but stood in need of a large stock of prudence, to
enable me to encounter them. Must I tell you then, that even
the good old man himself, who considered tr as his property,
and likewise a warm and resolute son of his, at that same time,
and under the same roof, became both excessively fond of my
company; so that be'ween these two rivals, the father and the
son, I found myself in ?i very critical situation indeed, and was
greatly embarrassed and perplexed, hardly kno^ving many
times how to behave in such a manner as at once to secure
my own virtue, and the good esteem of the family in which I
resided, and upon which 1 was wholly dependent for my daily
support. At length, however, through the tender compassion

^ - '

MRS. JEMIIMA HOWE'S CAl'TIVITY.

163

)ulont hu-
oth rciirc,
\Vc ilb-
l and vcn-
d to come
rly mood ;
^ she wns
) the fort,
jeMtlemaii
a inly that
ms a yea.'
et for me,
hist, in an
ands, and

ic manner

d arrived,

advanta^^e

to kindle,

to kill me

^c himself

re secreted

1, until his

to which I

)n of what

?\y master

Is me as I

either of

f which I

er aid and

who were

ily of the

lee. Yet

tie reason

udence, to

that even

property,

^ame time,

md of my

3r and the

1, and was

n<^ many

to secure

n which I

• my daily

ompassion

of a certain Enfrlish gentleman,* the Governor de Vaudreuil
being made accjnainted with the cnndiiion I had fallen into,
immediately ordered the young and amorous Sii«'i;:ipee, tlum
an otiicer in tlie French army, from the tield of V^enus to the
field of Mars, and at the same time also wrote a letter to his
father, enjoining it upon iiim by no means to suffer mo to be
abused, but to make my situation and service in his family as
easy and delighlfi 1 as possible. I was moreover uniler un-
speakable obligations to the governor upon anollur account.
I had received iiuelligencc from my daughter INIary, the pur-
port of which WHS, that there was a prospect of her being
shortly married to a young Indian of the tribe of St. Francois.,
with which tribe she had continued from the beginninir of her
captivity. These were heavy tidings, and added greatly to
the poignancy of my other afflictions-. However, jmt long
after I had heard this melancholy news, an opportunity pre-
sented of acquainting that humane and generous gentleman,
the commander-in-chief, and my illustrious benefactor, with
this affair also, who, in compassion for my sufferings, and to
mitigate my sorrows, issued his orders in good time, and had
my daughter taken away from the Indians, and conveyed to
the same nunnery where her sister was then lodged, with his
express injunction that they should both of them together he
well looked after, and carefully educa d, as his adopted chil-
dren. In this school of superstition and bigotry they contin-
ued while the war in those days between France and Great
Britain lasted. At the conclusion of which war, the governor
went home to France, took my oldest daughter along with him,
and married her then to a French gentleman, whose name is
Cron Lewis. Ho was at Boston with the fleet under Count
de Estaing, [1778] and one of his clerks. My other daugh-
ter still continuing in the nunnery, a considerable time had
elapsed after my return from captivity, when I made a journey
to Canada, resolving to use my best endeavors not to return
without her. I arrived just in time to prevent her being
sent to France. She was to have gone in the next vessel that
sailed for that place. And I found i* extremely diflicult to
prevail with her to quit the nuimery and go home with mc ;
yea, she absohitely refused, and all the persuasions and argu-
ments I could use with her were to no eflect, until after I had
been to the governor, and obtained a letter from him to the
superintenderU of the nuns, in which he threatened, if my
daughter shouUl not be immediately delivered into my hands,
or could not be prevailed with to submit to my paternal aulhor-

* Col. Peter Schuyler, then a prisoner.

ifl

164

MRS. JEMIMA HOWES CAPTIVITY.

ity, that ho wonhl send a hand of .-soldiers to assist mc in
brintriiig her away. Upon hearinir this slie made no farther
rcsi^^tan'•^. But so extri iiKdy Mt^oicd was she to the customs
and religion of the jilacc, that, after all, she left it with the
greatest reluctance, and the most bitter lamenlaliotis, which
she contiiMied as we passed the streets, and wholly refused to
be comforted. My good friend. Major .Mnall- whom AVe met
with on the way, tried all he could to console Jier ; and was so
very kind and fthliging as to bear us company, and carry my
daughter behind him on horseback.

But I have run on a little before my story, for I have not
yet informed you of the means and marnier of my own re-
deinption, to the accomplishing of which, the recovery of my
daughter just mentioned, and tlu; ransoming of se ae of my
other children, several gentlemen <'( note contributed not a
little ; to whose goodness therefore I am greatly indebted, and
sincerely hope I shall never be so ungrateful as to forget. Col.
Schuyler in particular was so very kind and generous as to
advance 2700 livrcs to procure a ransom for myself and three
of my children. He accompanied and conducted lis from
Montreal to Albany, and entertained us in the most friendly
and hospitable manner a considerable time, at his own house,
and I believe entirely at his own expense.

I have spun out the above narrative to a much greater length
than I at first intended, and shall conclude it with referring
you, for a more ample and brilliant accotmt of the captive
heroine who is the subject of it, to Col. Humphrey's History
of the Lit'e of Gen, Israel Putnam, together with some remarks
upon a few clauses in it. I never indeinl had the pleasure of
perusing the whole of said history, but remember to have seen
some time ago an extract from it in one of the Boston news-
papers, in which the colonel has extolled the beauty and good
sense, and rare accomplishments of Mrs. Howe, the person
whom he endeavors to paint in the most lively and engaging
colors, perhaps a little too highly, and in a style that may ap-
pear to those who are acquainted with her to this day romantic
and extravagant. And the colonel must needs have been mis-
informed with respect to some particulars that he has men-
tioned in her history. Indeed, when I read the extract from
his history to Mrs. Tute, (which name she has derived from a
third husband, whose widow she now remains,) she seemed to
be well pleased, and said at first it was all true, but soon after
contradicted the circumstance of her lover's being so bereft of
his senses, when he saw her moving off in a boat at some dis-
tance from the shore, as to plunge mto the water after her, in
consequence of which he was seen no more. It i" true, she

CAPTIVITY OF FRANCES NOBLE.

165

3t me in

10 farther

customs

with the

IS, which

Dliised to

Ave met

1(1 was so

:arry my

have not
T own rc-
ry of my
lie of my
ed not a
hted, and
ret. Col.
3US as to
md three
lis from
friendly
vn house,

said, that as she was reluming from ]\Iontreal to Alhany. she
met with younir Sacrupec on the way ; tliat she was in a
hoat with Cohniel Schuyler ; that the French ofhccr came on
hoard the boat, niatle her soino handsome presents, tooU his
final leave of her, and departed, to outward appearance in tole-
rable trood humor.

She moreover says, that when she went to Canada for her
dauLdiler, she met with him aL''ain, tbal he showed her a lock
of h.er hair, and her name likewise, printed ^vith vermillion on
his arm. As to her luMHtr chosen ai'tMit to l!"o to I'liirope, in
behalf of the people of lliii-^dale, when Colonel Howard ob-
tained I'rom the L;ovenmient f)f Xew York a jiateiu ol their
lands oil the west >i(|i> of Connecticut river, it was never once
thought of by Hinsdale people nnlil the aliove-menlioned ex-
tract arrived amoMU' tluMu, in which llu' auilior has inserted it
as a matter of undoubted laci.

NARRATIVE

er length

referring

B captive

History

remarks
(?asure of
lave seen
on news-
and good
e person
engaging

may ap-

romantic
)een mis-
las men-
■act from

d from a
eemed to
;oon after

bereft of
some dis-

r her, in

true, she

OF THE CAPTIVITY OF MIANCFS NOHl.F, WHO WAS, AMONG
OTHERS, TAKEN BY THE INDIANS ITIOM SWAN I.SLAND. IN
MAINE, ABOUT THE YEAR 17.35; COMPILED BY JOHN KELLY,
ESa. OF CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE, FROM THE MINUTES
AND MEMORANDA OF PHINEHAS IMERRILI. E.-su. OF STRAT-
HAM, IN THE SAME STATE; AND BY THE FORMER (GEN-
TLEMAN COMMUNICATED FOR PUBLICATION TO THE EDI-
TORS OF THE HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS OF NEW HAMP-
SHIRE.

James Whidden, the maternal grandfather of Mrs, Shute,
was a captain in the army at the taking of Cape Breton in
174o. He owned a tract of land on Swan Isla ul, in the river
Kennebec, where he lived with his family. One of his daugh-
ters married Lazarus Noble, of Portsmouth, who lived on the
island with h(>r father. The Indians had l)een accustomed to
visit Capt. Whidden for the purposes of trade. There was a
garrison on the island to secure the inhabitants from the attacks
of the enemy in time of war.

One morning, a little after daybreak, two boys went out of
the garrison and left the gate open. The Indians were on the
watch, and availing themselves of the opportunity, about ninety
entered the garrison. The iidiabitants immediately discovered

\ \

166

CAPTIVITY OF FRANCES NOBLE.

that the enemy was upon them ; but there was no escape.
Caplfiin Whiddeii and his \vir<> retreated to the cellar, and con-
cealed tliciiisclves. Nohle and lii> iiired man met the Indians
at the head of the stairs, and fired upon iheni, wou'idiiiL'^ one
of them in the arm. The Indians ilid not return the tire. l»ui
took Nohh', jiis wife, and seven childnMi, with Timothy AVhid-
den and iMary Holnu^s, prisoners. The hired man and the
two boys escaped. The cai)tives were carried to tlu^ water\s
side and bound ; exce])linfT such as could not run away. The
Indians then returned to the i2arrisoii, burnt the barn and phm-
dered the house, cut open tbi! feather beds, strewed the leath-
ers in the lield, and carried oil" all the silver aiul ifold they
could fmd, and as uundi of the provisions as they chf*se. It
was supposed they omitted to burn the house from the suspi-
cion that the captain and his ^vife, from whom they had, in
limes of petice, received )nany favors, were concealed in it.
Capt. Whidden, after the destruction of bis property on the
island, returncMl to Greenland, in this state, wliich is supposed
to have been his native place, and theri^ died.

The Indians also tf)olc in a wood on the island an old man
by the name of Pomeroy, who was employed in makintr sliin-
Cfles. Having collected their captives and plunder, they imme-
diately left the island, and commenc(>d their return to Canada to
dispose of their prey. Pomeroy was old and feeble, and unable
to endure the fatigue of the march, witlnuU more assistance than
the savages thought fit to render him, and they killed him on
the journey. They were more attentive to the children, as for
them they undoubtedly expected a higher price or a greater
ransom. Abit,^ail, one of the children, died ainngthe Indian.s.
The other captives arrived safe in Canada, and were variously
disposed of. Mr. Noble was sold to a baker in Quebec, and
his wife to a lady of the same place as a chambermaid. They
were allowed to visit each otlu^r aiul to sleep together. Four
of the children were also sold in Ciucbec, as were Timothy
Whidden and Mary Ilolmc^s. The captives in that city were
exchanged within a yeai, and returned to their homes. Mr.
Whidden and Miss Holmes were afterwards united in mar-

riage.

Fanny Nonr>E, the principal subject of this memoir, at the
time of h.T cajitivity, was al)()Ui thirteen months old. She
was carried by a parly of Iiulians to Montreal. In their at-
tempts to dispose of her, they took her one day to the liouse
of Monsieur Louis St. Auge Charlee, an eminent merchant of
that place, who was at that time oji a journey to Quebec. His
lady was called into the kitchen by one of her maids to see a

CAPTIVITY OF FUAXCKS NOBLE.

167

» escape.
iiiid con-
' Iiidiiiiis
liiiipj one

liro, bat
ly Wliid-

and the
e waler'is
ly. 'J'he
uid plun-
\\v Iralh-
!()ld iliey
hose. It
lIic siispi-
■y had, in
led ill it.
y Oil the
supposed

1 old man
diiir shiu-
ley imme-
Canada to
nd unable
lance than
d liirn on
ren, as for
a cTf^ater
e Indians,
variously
eljec, and
d. They
er. Four
Timothy
city were
nes^ Mr.
in mar-

nir, at the
old. She
their at-
the house
erchant of
'bee. His
Is to see a

poor infant crawlintif on ihi> tile lloor in din atid rairs, picking-
apple peelings out (d the cracks. She I'anie in, and on Ivindly
noticiuir the child, Fanny inune(liaLt,dy cau'jlu ludd of the
hidy's oowii, wrappeil it over her head, and lMir>t into tears.
The laily could not easily resist this appeal to her compassion
She l()o!c up ilu' child, who cluni,'' ahout her n<fk and repeat-
edly embract-d her. The Indians oHeretl to sell her their little
captive, but she declined buyinir, not choosinij' prn'nably in the
aljseiice of her husliand to venture on such a j)urcliase. Tlie
Indians lel'i the house, and slept that nii'dil on the pavements
bf^fore the dour. Fanny, wiio had airain heard the voice of
kindness, to which . he had no' been ai'custonicd from her sav-
age masters, could not be (pii''t, but disiurbed the slund)ers and
touched the heart of the French lady by her incessant cries.
This lady had then lately lost a child by death, aiul was per-
liaps more (juick to feel for the suHerinp-s of children, and
more disposed to lovt 'diem, than she woukl otherwise have
been. Early the next mornini^ the Indians were called into
the house; Faimy was purchased, put into a tub ol' water, and
having been thoroughly washed, was dressed in the clothes of
the deceased child, and put to bed. She awoke smiling, and
seemed desirous of repaying her mistress' kindness by her in-
fantile prattle aiul fond caresses. Fanny could never learn
for what j)rice she was bought of the Indians, as her French
mother c'"clined answ;'rin<r her ([iu\stif)ns up(ui that subjtTt,
telling her to be a good girl, and be thankful that she was not
still in their power.

Mons. and J\Iad. St. Auge took a lively interest in their little
captiv(>, and treated her with imich tenderness aiul atlection.
She fo!t for them a lilial attachment. When her parents were
exchanged, her mother, on her return liome, called upon Fanny,
and look the child in her arms, but no ii;>liiut taught her to
rejoice in the maternal embrace, and she fled for protection to
her Fremdi mamma. Mrs. \oble received many presents
from the French lady, and hail the satisfaction to see that her
little daughter was left in affectionate hands.

Fanny was tauuht to call and consider Mons. and Mad. St.
Auge as her parents. They had her baptized by the name of
Eleanor, and educated her in the ixonian Caiholic religion.
She learned her Pater Nosters and Ave Marins, went to mass,
crossed herself with holy water, and told her beads with great
devotion.

When four or five years old, she was enticed away from her
French parents by Wheelwright, who luul been employed by
the government of Massachusetts to seek for captives in Can-
ada. He carried her to the Three Rivers, where he had sev-

168

CAPTIVITY OF FRANCES NOBLE.

eral ntlirr captive--, mid left lior. as he ])i'('t(ii(]f'il, with a rola-
tioti of her Fri'iich fatlnT's (or a few davs. wlicii .-lie cNpecled
to return in Montreal. But .'-he had not heeii to the Three
Kivers nioro than tweutv-four hours, when the old squaw
who had sold her to iMa(l. St. Auc^c came alonL-" in a sUigfi,
accompanied by a younp- sanop, seizetl upon l'\inny. and car-
ried her to St. Francois, wIk -e they kept her aliout a lortnii^ht.
She had now attained an an;e when slie would he .sensihie of
her inisforiunes, and hitterly himented her separation from her
French parents. The Indians endeavored to pacify and please
her by drawintr on her coat or frock the figures oi deers, wolves,
bears, fishes, ice. ; and once, probably to make her look as
handsomely as themselves, they painted her che(d<s in the
Indian fashion, which very much distressed her, and the old
squaw made them wipe off the paint. At one time she got
away frgm the savages, and sought refuge in the best-look-
ing house in the village, which belonged to a French priest,
who kissed her, asked her many ([uestions, and treated her
kindly, but gave her up to the claim of her Indian masters.
While at St, Francois, her brother, Joseph Noble, who had
not been sold to the French, but still lived with the Indians,
came to see her, but she had a great aversion to him. He was
in his Indian dress, and she would not believe him to be a rela-
tion, or speak to him if she could avoid it. She was at last
turned back by the Indians to Montreal, and to her great satis-
faction was delivered to her F^rench father, who rewarded the
Indians for returning her. It was doubtless the expectation of
much reward which induced the old s([uaw to seize her at the
Three Rivers, as the Indians not unfrecpiontly stole back cap-
tives, in order to extort ])rcsents for their return from the
French ij:entlemen to whom the same captives had before been
sold. Before this time she had been hastily carried from Mont-
real, hurried over mountains and across w'aters, and concealed
among (lags, while those who accom])anied her were evidently
■pursued, and in gr(>at apprehension of being overtaken ; but
the occasion of this (light or its incidents she was too young to
understand or distinctly to remember, and she was unable after-
wards to satisfy herself whether her French father conveyed
her away to keep her out el" the reach of her natural friends,
or whether she was taken by those friends, and afterwards re-
taken as at the Three Rivers and returned to Montreal. The
French parents cautiously avoided informing her upon this
subject, or upon any other which should remind her of her cap-
tivity, her country, her pariMits or her iriends, lest she should
become discontented with her situation, and desirous of leav-
ing those who had adopted her. They kept her secreted from

h i\ rfla-
cx peeled
(' Three
il sfiuavv

ami car-
ortiiii^ht.
iisible of
iVoin her
id {)lease
;, wolves,
look as
5 in llie
the old
■ she got
aest-look-
•h i)riest,
■atod her
masters.
who had
Indians,
He was
he a rela-
.s at last
real satis-
iirded the
■tution of
ler ai the
jack cap-
rom the
'ore been
m ^lont-
oncealcd
evidently
en ; bnt
vounfT to
lileafter-
ouveyed
friends,
^vards re-
. The
ipon this
her cap-
2 shonld
; of leav-
;ted from

CAPTIVITY OF FRANCES NOBLE.

109

htM' natnral friends, who w(^r(^ in search ot Ix-r, and evaded
every question which iniirht had \n her disi-overy. One day.
when Mens. St. An<]fe and most of his family were at mass,
she was sent with another eaj>ti\e to the third storv of the
house, and the dome<tics v.'ere re(iiiired strifily to watch the-n
as it was known that some of her relations were then in the
phiee endeavorin<T to tind li'-r. ()f this circtiin-tanc(^ she was
if^norant, hut she was disj)leased with her continement. and
with her litllf^ companion found means to escape from their
room and went bcdow. While raisim,'- a rnp of water to her
month, she .saw a man looking ill her ihrouL'h the window, and
stretchin<T out his arm towards her, at the same time speakinfj
a laii'T'uaq'e which she could not nnd(>rstand. She was very
much alarmed, threw down her water, and ran with all [)ossi-
ble speed to her room. Little did she snppo.se that it was her
own father, from whom she was flying in sutdi fear and horror.
He had returned to Canada to seek those of liis children who
remaitied there. He could hear nothing' of his Faimy ; but
watchintif the house, he perceived her, as was just stated, arid
joyfully sfotching his arms towards her, exclaimed, " There's
my dauijrhtcr ! O! that 's my daughter ! " But she retreated,
and he could not gain admittance, for the house was guarded
and no stranger permitted to ent' r. How long he continued
hovering- about her is now unknown, but he left Canada with-
out embracing her or seeing her again.

Her French parents put her to a boarding school attached to
a nunnery in Montreal, where she remained several years, and
was taught all branches of needle-work, with Geography,
)nusic, painting, &cc. In the same school were two Mioses
Johnsons, who were ca[)tured at Charlestown, (\o. 4) in 17f'34,
and t\vo Misses l'liipj)s, the daughters of ^Irs. Howe, who
were taken at Hinsdale in 17oo. Fatmy was in sclnxd when
Mrs. Howe came for her daughters, and long remembered the
grief and lamentations of the young captives when obliged
to leave their school and mates to return to a strange, though
their native country, and to relatives whom they had long for-
gotten.

While at school at Montreal, her brother Joseph again vis-
ited her. He still belono'ed to the St. Francois tribe of Indians,
and was dressed remarkably hue, havine- forty or fifty broaches
in his shirt, clasps on his arm, and a great variety of knots and
bells about his clothing. He brought his little sister Ellen, as
she was then called, and who was then not far from seven
years old, a yonnii: fawn, a basket of cranberries, and a lump
of sap sugar. The little girl was much pleased with the fawn,
and had no great aversion to cranberries and sugar, but she

krvM

^,^^:.-^^n

< 1

170

CAPTIVn \" OF FRANCES NOPLE.

wiis irmcli friL''lit(MH'(l liy the ;i|)p(';iriincc of .Tnsfpli. ;iiiil would
rof^rive iiothiiiii" fVtMii his hiiiids till, at tlif .-iiu'-cfolion of lier
friend'-, lie liad wa.-licd the paint iVoni his (ace and niado i-onio
alteration in his dress when she ventured to aceept iiis olier-
iiurs, and iniiiiedial(dy ran Croin his preseneo. 'Vhn next day,
Josepli returiied with lh(^ Indians to St. Franeois. Imt somo
time afterwards .Mons. St. Auufe purehased him of the sava-
p-es, and dressed hini in the Fretirh style; 1iut he never ap-
peared so hold ruul majestic, so spirited and vivacious, as when
arrayed in !iis Indian hahit and associatincf with his Indian
frieruis. He however hecamc much attached to St. Au£jc, who
put hiie to s diool ; and when his sister parted with liim upon
le "ing Canada, he f^avc her a strict charge not to let it be
k-.i: V a •, 'k re he was, le^t he too should l)e oblioed to leave
hii- ^ 'lend: and return to (he place of his birtli.

When be' • en eleven and twelve years of ace, Fanny was
sent to the school of Ursidine nuns in Qu(.'hec,to complete her
education. Here the discipline was much more strict and sol-
emn than in the scdiool at Montreal, in both places the teach-
ers were called half ninis, who, not beincf professed, were allow-
ed to po in and out at plea.sure ; but at Quebec the pupils were
in a f^reat measure secluded from the world, Ix'inu' ])ermitted
to walk only in a small c^arden by day, and confnied by bolts
and bars in their cells at night. This restraint was irksome to
Fanny. She grew discontented ; and at the close of the year
was permitted to return to her French })arents at IMontreal, tmd
again enter the school in that city.

While Farniy was in the nunnery, being then in h(T four-
teenth year, she was one day ecpially surprised and alarmed
by the eiUrance of a stranger, who demanded her of tli" nuns
as a redeemed captive. Her father had employed this man.
Arnold, to seek out his daughter and obtain her from tln^
French, who had hitherto succeeded in detaining her. Arnold
was well calculated for this employment. He was secret, sub-
tle, resolute and persevermg. He had been some time in the
city without exciting a suspicion of liis business. He had
ascertained where the captive was to be found — he bad pro-
cured the necessary powers to secure her, and in his approach
to the nunnery was accompanied by a sergeant and a tile of
men. The nuns were unwilling to deliver up their pupil, and
required to know by what right he demanckul her. Arnold
convinced them that his authority was derived from the gov-
ernor, and they durst not disobey. 'J'hey, however, ])rolonged
the time as nuich as possible, and sent word to Mons. St. Auge,
hoping that he would be able in some way or other to detain
his adopted daughter. Arnold however was not to be delayed

CAPTIVITV OF FRANCES NOBLE

171

I would

of her
lo sonic
s ollor-
xt (lay,
il soirip
sava-
vor ap-
is whon

Indian

xoQ, who

im upon

hi it be

to leave

nny was
plete her

and sol-
\v teach-
rc allow-
|)ils were
icrniitted

hy bolts
ksonie to

the year
ireal, and

u^r four-
nl armed
th" nuns
\\:- man.
r<tin tho

Arnold
■ret, snb-
nc in the
lie had
had pro-
ajtltroach
I tile of
ujiil, and

Arnold
the gov-
)r(»lonfred
St. Auge,
to detain
! delayed

ifled with. H(

dv d(

(led th(

bv thf

or trilled with. He sternly demandecl the captive by the name
of Noble in the governor's name, and the luins were awed
into submission. FMiiriy, weeping and tremblintr, was deliv-
ered up by those who wept and treml»led too. She accom-
panied Arnold to tiie gate of the lunnierv. but the idcii of
leaving forever those whom she loved and gointr with a com
pany of armed men slu' Icnew not whither, was too overwliehn-
in'_r. nnd >he sutdv ujioii the trround. Her cries iind lamenta-
tions drew the peoj)le around luu', and >he exclaimed biit"rly
against the crufdty of forcinir her away, declaring thnt she could
not and would not go nny further as a prisoner with tlio-c friL'ht-
ful soldiers. At this time ;ui Knulish ollicer ;ippe;ired in the
cr.wd ; he reasoned with her, soothed her, liiid persuinled her
to wallv with him, assuring her the guard should be disnii-sed
and no injurv befall her. As they passed bv the door of
Mons. St. Auire, on their way to the inn, her grief and excla-
mations were renewed, and it v.'as w' • in'eat ditliculty that
she fould be persuaded to proceed. B»;t V guard had merely
fallen bade, and were too near to pre mt ■■'- i(>scue, had an at-
tempt been nnide. Capt. M'Clure, the Enirlish oflicer, promised
her that she should be ))ermitte(l to visit her French parents
the next day. She found tluMii in tr. u's, but they could not
detain her. Mons. St. Auge gav( her a handful of money,
and embraced her, blessed her, anu rushed out of the roonu
His lady supplied her with clothes, and their partimr was most
affectionate and atlecting. She lived to a considerably ad-
vanced age, })ut she could never speak of this scene without
visible and deep emotion.

She was carried down the river to Quebec, where she tar-
ried a few days, and then sailed with Captain Wilson for Hos-
ton. She arrived at that port in July, oiie month before she
was fourteen years of aLjc. She was joylully rtH'eived by
Iter friends, but her fallnu" did not long survive her r(>turn.
After his death she re>ide(l in the family of Capt. Wilson, at
Boston, until she had ac(juired the English lantruage. of which
before she was almost entirely ignorant. She then went to
Newbury, atid lived in the himily of a relative of her father,
where she found a home, and that peace to which she had long
been a stranirer. Her education had fjualified her for the
instructi^m of youth, and she partially dev(tted herself to that
employment. She was engaL^'ed in a school at Hampton,
where she formed an aci]uaintance with Mr. Jonathan Tilton,
a gentleman of good propertv in Kensinirton, whom she mar-
ried about the year I77(j. He died in 179S. In 1801, she
married Mr. John Shute, of New-Market, and lived in the vil-
lage of Newfields in that town till her death, in September,

■ ii

172

CAPTAIN CARVERS XARRATIVE.

1819. She wns much rpspcrtfil and rstoomofl in life, and her
death was, as hvr life had been, that nl a Christian.

CAPTAIN JON A T H A N C A. R Y E ir S

NARRATIVF, OF lirs CAPTURK, AND SUI5SF.arENT ESCAPE
FROM THE INDIANS, AT THE P.T.UODV MASSACRE COMMIT-
TED IJY TIIEM, WHEN FORI' WILLIAM IIENRV FELL L\TO
TEIE HANDS OF THE FRENCH, UNDER GEN. MONTCALM, IN
THE YEAR 1757. WRITTEN RV HIMSELF.

Gen. Wf.bb, who comnaarulcd tho English army in North
America, wliich was then encamped at fort Edward, having
intelligence that the French troops under Alonsieur Montcalm
were making some movemeiits towards fort William Henry, he
detached a corps of about fifteen hundred lu' .. consisting of
English and piovincials, to strengthen the ; irrison. In this
party I went as a volunteer among the latter

The apprehensions of the En'jlish general were not without
foundation ; for the day after our arrival we saw lake Ceoro-c,
(formerly lake Sacrament) to which it lies contiguous, covered
with an immense number of boats ; and in a few hours we
found our lines attacked by the French general, wlio had just
landed with eleven thousand reirulars and Canadituis, and two
thousand Indians. C(donel Monro, a brave officer, commanded
in the fort, and had no more than two thousand three liundred
nien with him, our detachment included.

CAPTAIN r.MlVnU'S NAIinATIVK.

173

and her

EsrvpE
'()\nnT-

I,L I.\TO
'ALM, IN

n North
, having
loiitcalm
[cnry. ho
istinn- of
In this

t without
George,
, covered
lonrs we
had just
and two
unanded
hundred

With those he mkuIp m giillani defence, and prehahly wouM
have lieoji jil»|e at l,i<t to preserve the fort, had he heeii properly
supported, and perrnitifd to continue hi>^ f'H'orts. ( )j) every
suniiMons In surrender .ent hy the l-'rench L'cn<ral. who nlli-reil
the most hon(»rahle feruis, his answer repeaierlly wa>«, that he
yet found himself in a condition to rep<'i tiie most viL'orons
atta(d\s hi> hesie<jers were ahh- to make; and if he ihonirht his
present force in>n(iicif'nt. he c(»uM soon he suj))>lie(| with a
greater nmnher fntm the aiijacent army.

lint till- colonel havini;- ac(pniint(>d (leneral VVehh with his
situation, and desired he would s<Mid him some fresh troojis,
the general dispatched a ntessenufor to him with a letter, where-
in he informed him that it was not in his power to assist him,
and therefore; y-ave him orders to surrender up the fort on the
hest terms ho could pro<'ure. This packet fell into the hands
of the French general, who immediately sent a fla'j of truce,
desiring a ccmference with the irovernor.

They accordinuly met, attended only hy a snaall gmird, in
the centre hetwcen tlie lines; when Monsieur Montcalm told
the rolonel, that he was come in person to demand possession
of the fort, as i» Indotiged tf» the king his master. The colonel
replied, that he knew not how that cojild he, nor should he
surrender it uj) whilst it was in his power to defend it.

The French general rejoined at the same time delivering
the packet into the colonel's hand, " By this authority do I
make the requisition." The hrave governor liad no sooner
read the contents of it, and was convinced that such were the
orders of the commander-in-chief, and not to he disoheyed,
than he hunc;- his head in silence, and reluctantly entered into
a negotiation.

In consideration of the gallant defence the garrison had made,
they were to he permitted to mandi out witli all the honors of
war, to he allowed covered waLTons to transport their han-'jfage
to fort E I ward, and a guard to protect them from the iury of
the savages.

The morning after tiie capitulation was sicrnefl. as soon as
day hroke, the whole garrison, now consisting of ahout two
thousand men, hesides women and children, were drawn up
within the lines, and on the point of marching olf, when great
numlx'rs of the Imlians trathered ahout. arid hegan te plunder.
We were at first in hopes that this was tiieir only view, and
sufTered ttiem to proceed without opposition. Indeefl it was
not in our |>ower to make any, had we heen so inclined ; for
though we were permitted to carry ofT our arms, yet \\r were
not allowed a single round of ammunition. In these hopes
however we were disappointed ; for presently some of them
\5*

I'fl

}

174

CAPTAIN fyVUVKirS NARRATIVE

Mil

bcirnn to nttiick llm sick and Wdinxlcil, wlwn such ns worn not
al)l<' In criiwl into ilic liinlis. iiotwiilistJindint,' they "'ndcnvonMl
to Jivcri tlu' lury of ilnir ciHMnir.s Ky tlx'ir -liricks or LToans,
were soo.l (lis]);ttcll<'d.

Hen; w'c were I'lilly in oxppciiition that tho disinrhjiiico wouhl
hfivf conchi(h'd ; ixnd our liiilf iirniy hciraii to move: hut in a
short time we saw tho front division driven hack, and discfiv-
ered ihal wo worr" entirely encirch'd hy ihr- viiva'jes. Wo
exiK'cied every moment that the j.Miard, ^wfiicli the l''r< nch, hy
the articles (»f capitnhitioii, had acfreed to allow n>, v/onid liavo
arrivcMl, and pnt an end to onr appr<du'nsions ; hut none ap-
peared. The Indians now heiran to strip every one wilhoiil
exc.epiion of their arms and clothes, and those who m;ule the
least resistance I'elt the weii^ht of their tomahawks,

I happened to be in the rear division, hut it was not lonjr
before 1 shared the fate of my companions. Thice or four of
the savages laid hold of me, and whilst some held their wea-
pons over my head, the others soon disrobed me oj my coat,
waistcoat, hat and buckles, omittiiur not to take from me what
money I had in my pocket. As this was transacted close by
the passage that led from the lines on to the plain, near which
a French sentinel was posted, I ran to him and claimed his
protection; but he only called iTie an English dog, and thrust
me with violence back again into the midst of the Indians.

I now endeavored to join a ))ody of onr troops that were
crowded together at some distance; hut immmerahle v.ere the
blows that were made at me with ditlerent wetipons as I passed
on; luckily however the savages were so close together that
they could not strike at me without endangering each other.
Notwithstanding which one of them found means to mak'e a
thrust at me with a spear, which grazed my side, and from
another I received a wound, with the same kind of weapon, in
my ankle. At length I gained the spot where my countrymen
stood, and forced myself into the midst of them. But before
1 got thus far out of the hantis of the Indians, the collar and
wristbands of my shirt were all that remained of it, and my
flesh was scratched and torn in tnany places by their savage
gripes.

By this time the war-whoop was given, and the 'ndians
began to murder those that were nearest to them without dis-
tinction. It is not in the power of words to give any tolerable
idea of the horrid scene that now ensued ; men, women, and
children were dispatched in the most wanton and cruel man-
ner, and immediately scalped. Many of these savages drank
the blood of their victims, as it flowed warm from the fatal
wound.

c'APTAIN CARVER'S NARRATIVE.

175

rrc not

'■> wfiiild
[lilt in :i

s. \Vr

licit, I'V
lid liavc
uiiic np-

willunit
ladc ihc

not \onrr
p four of
cir woa-
iiiy roat,
ine what
close by
ir which
imed his
id thrust
i;\ns.
hat were
v.cro the
1 passed
icr that
1 other,
nalce a
id from
apon, in
itrymen
I before
liar and
and my
savage

'ndians
out dis-
olerable
len, and
ud man-
l's drank
the fatal

We now prTCfivcd. ihoML'"h loo late to avail us, tliat wc were
to expert no lelirf fidiii I In- French ; and that, contrjtry '•> the
agreenii'iii ili"'y had so lat(dy si'^iied to allow us a sullici.'nt
fort'(» to |trott'ct us from thoc in>ulis, ilicy tacitly pmniurd
iheui ; l»u' I could |)laiiily prrceivr the French oljictrs uallun<4
nboiii III soiuf distance, discoursiuir toq'ether with apparent
unconcern. For the honor <d" human n.ainre j uniild hope that
this llauTant breach of <'very sacred law proceeded ratli'r from
the savau'e di>p{»iiion of the Indians, whiidi I acKn(i\v|edi:e it
is soiiietiiiies almost impossible to control, and which inii^ht
now unexpectedly have arriviMJ to a j)itcli not easily to be
restrained, than to any premeditated design in the l''rench
cominaiider. An unpre)udice(l (»bserver would, however, be
apt to conclude, that a body of ten thoii>and christian troops,
most christian troops, had it in their power to prevent the mas-
sacri! from bccomintj so general. Hut whatever was the cause
from which it arose, the conseipiences of it were dreadful, and
not t') be paralleled in modern history.

As the cir(de in which I stood imdosed by this time was nmch
thiiUH'd, aiul death seemed to be approaching with hasty strides,
it was proposed by some of the most resolute; to make one
vic^oroiis etibrt, ami endeavor to force our way throujLjh the
savages, the only probable method of preserving our lives that
now remained. This, however desperate, was resolved on,
and about twenty of us sprung at once into the midst of them.

In a nmment we were all separated, and what was the fate
of my companions I could not learn till some months after,
when I found that only six or seven of them efTected their
design. Intent only on my own hazardous situation, I endea-
vored to make my way through my savage enemies in the best
maimer possible. And I have often been astonished since,
when 1 liave recollected with what composure I took, as I did,
every necessary step for my preservation. Some I overturned,
being at that time young and athletic, and other; I passed by,
dexterously avoiding their weapons ; till at last two very stout
chiefs, of the most savage tribes, as I could distinguish by their
dress, whose strength I could not resist, laid hold of me by
each arm, and began to force me through the crowd.

I now resifjned myself to my fate, not doubtincf but that they
intended to dispatch me, and then to satiate their vengeance
with my blood, as I found they were hurrying me towards a
retired swamp that lay at some distance. But before we had
got many yards, an English gentleman of some distinction, as
I could discover by his breeches, the only covering he had on,
which were of fine scarlet velvet, rushed close by us. O' of
the Indians instantly relinquished his hold, and springi on

176

CAPTAIN CARVER'S NARRATIVE.

! ri

this new object, endeavored to seize him ns his prey; hut the
genthHTmn beint^ Firoiu^, tlirew him on the ltouikI, and \vf)uld
prohahly have ii'oi n.wav, had not he whe held my other arm
(jiiiued m<' to assist his l)roth< r. 1 seized \\w opportunity, and
haslenrd away to join another party of EnL'"lish froojis that
were yet uid)roken, and stood in a body at some distance. Kiit
before I l:ad taken many steps. I liaslily ca-t m\- (>ye towards
the gentleman, and saw the Indian's tomahawk' jjasli into his
back, and heard him nUer his hist u^roan. This a(hled boih to
iny speed and desperation.

1 had l<'ft this shockin*^ scene but a few yards, when a fine
boy about twelve years of ai^e, that had hitfierto e.- raped, came
up to me, and beirt^ed tht;t i would let him lay hold of me, so
that he mi<j;'iit stand some chance of ,i,^ettini^ out of the hands
of the savai^es. I told him that 1 would irive him evc^-y assis-
tance in my power, and to this purpose bid him lay hold ; but
in a few moments he was torn from my side, and by his shrieks
1 judfj;e was soon demi)lished. I could not help for^.'-etting my
own cares for a minute, to lament the fate of so younjj' a suf-
ferer; but it was utterly impossible for me to take any methods
to prevent it.

1 now ^ot once more into the midst of friends, but we were
unable to ifTord each other any succor. As this was the divi-
sion that had advanced the furthest from the fort, I thouirht
there mis'ht be a possibility (thoufjh but a bare one) of my
forcing my way throufrh the outer ranks of the Indians, and
getting to a neighboring wood, which I perceived at some dis-
tance. I was still encouraged to hope by the almost miraculous
preservation I had already experienced.

Nor were my hopes in vain, or the efforts I made ineflectual.
Suffice to say, that I reached the wood ; but by the time I had
penetrated a little way into it, my breath was so exhausted
that I throw myself into a break, and lay for some minutes
apparently at the last tasp. At length I recovered the power
of respiration ; but my apprehensions returned with all their
former force, when 1 saw several savages pass by, probably in
pursuit of me, at no very great distance. In this situation I
knew not .vhether it was better to proceed, or endeavor to con-
ceal myself where I Jay till night came o)i ; fearing, however,
that they would return the same way, I thought it most prudent
to get further from the dread ul scene of my distresses. Ac-
cordingly, striking into another part of the wood, I hastened
on as fast as the briers and the loss of one of my shoes would
permit me ; and after a slow protrress of some hours, gained a
hill that overlooked the plain which 1 had just left, from whence

CAPTAIN CARVER'S NARRATIVE.

177

; hilt the
rul would
ihcr arm
mity, and
-)ops that
ICC. But
• towards
1 into his
'd boih to

ion a fine
"xmI, came
of mo, so
ho hands
pry assis-
lold ; i)nt
^; shrieks
?tting my
inj,' a suf-
' methods

we were
the divi-
I thouirht
o) ot" my
lians, and
some dis-
liraculous

leflectual.
me I had
exhausted

minutes
he power

all their
obably in
ituation I
or to con-
however,
>t prudent
ses. Ac-
hastened
)es would

grained a
n whence

I could discern that the bloody storm still rauod with unabated
fury.

13\t not to tiro my readers, I shall only add, that at'ier pass-
ing ihreo days without subsistence, and endurinuf the severity
of the cold dews for three niirhts, I at len<,nh reached (ort Ed-
ward ; whero with proper care my body soon recovered its
v.'onled strength, and my mind, as far as the r(>C(dlei"tion of the
late melancholy events would permit, its usual composure.

It was computed that fifteen Innulred persons W(>re killed or
madi' prisoiiiT.N by the>o srivairos diiriu'^' this fatal day. Many
ot tile latter were earried oil" by ihom and never roiurned. A
few, throuLrh favorable aecidcnts, fDuml their way baidi to ihoir
native iMiuntry, after having experienced a long ami severe
caj)tivily.

The brave Col. ^lonro had hastened away, soon aft(^r the
confu>ion bofjan, to the French camp, to endeavor to procure
the guard aLrreed by the stij)ul:uion ; but his application prov-
ing inet](}ctual, he remaineil tlicre till General Webl) sent a
party of troojis to demand and protect hiin baidv to fort Edward.
b ,. these unhappy concurrences, whi(di would probably have
be.ii prevented had \h) becMi let"t to pursue his own plans,
together with the loss of so many brave fellows, murdered in
cold blood, to whose vaior he had ])ecn so lately a witness,
made such an impres;-ion on his mind that he did not long
survive. He died in about three months of a broken heart, and
with truth might it be said that he was au honor to his coun-

I mean not to point <'(it the following circumstance as the
immediate judgment ol heaven, and intended as an atonement
for this slaughter; but I cannot omit that very few of those
different tribes of Indians that shared in it ever lived to return
home. The small-pox, by m(>ans of their coinmunication with
tlie Euro])eans, found its way anuuig them, and made an e(pial
havoc to what they tiiemselves had done. The methods they
pursued on the first attack of that maliLniani lisorder, to abate
the fever attending it, rendered it fatal. Whilst their blood
was in a state of fernientation, and nature was striving to throw
out the peccant matter, they checked her ojieratioi.s by plung-
ing into the wattu- ; the conserpience was that tlu'y died by
hundreds. The few that survived were transformed by it into
hideous objot'ts, and bori' with tluMu to the grave deep indented
marks of this much droiided ;lis(>ase.

Monsieur .Montcalm fell soon after on the j)Iains of Quebec.

That the unprovoked cruelty of this commander ,vas jiot
approved t>\' by the geiu>rality of his countrymen, I have since
be .n convinced of by many proofs. One only, however, which

(.1

178

COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTIVITY.

I received from a person who was witness to it, shall I at pre-
sent L'"iv(>. A Canadian merchant, of some consideration,
having heard of the surrender of the Entjlish fort, celebrated
the fortunate event with ^n-eat rejoicings and hospitality, ac-
cordinf; to the custom of that country ; hut no sooner did the
news of the massacre which ensued reach his cars, than he
put an iinmed.'.itf stop to the festivity, and exclaimed in the
severest terms a^niinst the inhuman permission ; declarintr at
the same time that those who had cttnnived at it had therchy
drawn down on that part of their kinG;''s dominions the ven-
geance of Heaven. To this he added, that ho much feared the
total loss of them would deservedly he the C()nse(picnce. How
truly this prediction has heen verilied we well know.

A \ A C: C O U N T

OK TfTR uemaiuvAULl: occurrhnces in the life a\d

TRAVE[-S OF C()I,()M:T, .IA:\IES smith, (LATE A CITI/.I'.X OF
BOl'RIUJN COITNTV, KENTUCKY.) DCRIXG HIS CAPTIVITY
WITH THE I.XDIAXS, I\ THE YEARS 17:.,-,, '.mn '57, '.-)S, AND '59.
Ill whicli tho Customs, Maiiiiprs, Traditions, Theological Seiitirneiits, Modo
of Wnrfari>, Military Tactics, Disci|)liui' and Encampments, Treatment of
Prisont^rs, &c. arelietter explained, and more minntciy related, than iias lieen
heretofore done hy any antlior on tiiat snlijcct. Toijether with a descrij.ion
of the Soil, Tiinher and Waters, where he travelled with the Indians durina;
his captivity. — To which is added a hrief account of some very uncommon
occurrences which transpired after his return from captivity ; as well as of
the ditferent cam])aii,nis ciirried on a!:,^^inst the Indians to the westward of
fort Pitt, since the year 1755, to the present date, 1799.— Written by liimself.

Pkefaci^ — I was stronnlv nr^red to piddish the followliur
work' immediately after my return from captivity, whit-h was
nearly forty years a^-o ; hot. as at that time the Americans
were so little acqnaitited with Indian aflairs, I apprehended a
great part of it would h(> viewed as fahle or romance.

As tl'ie Imliai's never attempted to prevent me either frotn
readintr or writiuL'", I kept a journal, which I revised shortly
after tnv return from captivity, ttnd which I have Icept ever
since; and as I havc^ had hut a moderate Emdish education,
have been ad\ispd to employ some person of liberal education
to transcribe and endiellish it — but bejievino- that nature always
outshines art, iiave thoug-ht, that occurrences truly and plainly

COLONEL SMITH'S CArTIVITY

179

at pre-
eralion,
ebrated
lily, ac-
di(l the
ban he
1 ill the
ii-in!]f at
ihcTchy
lie V(M1-
ireil the
. How

FE AND

izi:x OK

[•TIVITV
AND '59.
Ills, Modo
iitmoiit of
1 iias liocu
U'scrij.iiou
ans iliiriiic;
.iiu'oiinnoii
well iis of
St ward of
ly hiinstdf.

ollnwill"'
1 it'll was
uorioatis
uMidcd a

ler from
shortly
('[It over
ucation,
(liu'atioii
(• always

plainly

stau'tl. as thf y happonoil, would make tlio host hi>tory, bo bet-
tor understood, and most cnlcrtainiiiu'".

In ih" difll'r'Mii Indian speech"-^ ((iitied into this work, I bare
not only iniiiatod tboir own style, ur lutKle or>i)eakinL:. bni have
also preserved the ideas meant to be conununicatcd in those
speeches, hi conimon ('(Uivcrsation I hav(> \i>r>\ niy own style,
bnt preserved thoif ideas. The principal advantau"o that I
expect will result to the j)ublic, from the publication of tlie fol-
lowini^ sheets, is the obarr vat ions on (he Indian inoilr of n-arfarc.
E.vjierience has tauijht ttn' Americans ihe necessity of adopting
tlndr mode ; and the more perfect we are in that mode, the
better we shall be able to defend ourstdvcs airainsl them, when
defence is necessary.

JAMES SMITH.

Bonrbou County, Ju?ie 1st, 1799.

iNTRonrcTinN. — IMfire than thirtj" years hnvp clnpscd sinrc tlm jniblica-
tioii of Col. Smith's journal. The only filitKni ever ])icscntcd to the |)ub-
lic was printed in Le.\ini(ton. Kentucky, by John Bradford, in 17'.''.'. That
edition l)ein>: in uninjihlpt (nrin, it is presumed Ih.it tiiere is n"t n.»\v a
dozen eiitu'e eo|)ies remaininir- A new lieiierttioii has sprini;; ap- audit is
believed the time has now arrived, when a s» 'Hid eduion, in a more dura-
ble form, will be well received by the |niblic. The charaeter of Colonel
Smith is well known in the western country, especially amontjsl the vete-
ran pioneers of Kentiii-ky and Tennessee. Ifc was a patriot in the su ietesl
sense of the word. His whole life was devotetl to the servK'e of his coun-
try. Raised, as it were, in the wilderness, he received but n limited edu-
cation ; yet nature had endowed him with a vitroroiis constitution, and a
strong ami sensible mind ; and whether in the camp or the lrill> ot' legis-
lation, he <j;avi' ample proof's of being, by practice as well as profession, a
soldier and a siatesimoi.

Durinu' the war ni 1^1 I and 1'..*. i ejnu' tin n lno uj.l tn be serviceable in
the fie'id, he iiiatle a lender of h's e.Kpcrieiico. ;ind |iublished a iieatise on
the Indian mode ot' warfare, with wIik h >ad e.xper'encc had made lum so
v.'ell acipiainted. He dit'd shortly alterward^. ;it the hmisc m|' a luuther-
in-l'iw, ill Washiimidii couiiiy, Iv'tilucky. He wa^ e>ieemed bv all who
knew him as an e.>cemplary Christi in, and a consistent and unwavering
pai.iot.

By his first marriaiie, he had several children ; ainl two of his sotis,
William and .lames, it is believed, are now livinu;. The name of his fwst
wil'e is not recollected.

in the year 17^."). lie intermarried with .Mr^. Mar/arci Irvin, the widow
of Mr. Abraham Irvin. Mrs. Irvm was a lady <if a highly cultivated
mind; and had she lived in more auspicious times, and possessed the
advaniaires of many of her se.x, she would li;>ve made no ordinary fiii^ure
as a writer, both in prnse and verse. And it may imt be iii.iiiicresiiiii; lu
the friends of Col. Smith to a'lvv a short sketidi of her lili'. Her maiden
name was RotU>ers. She was born in the year 171 1, in Hanover cdunty,
Vifi-'inia. . Slu.' was of a respectable family; her father ami the liev. Dr.
Rod;j;ers. of New York, we-'e brothers' children. Her mother wa . sister
to the Rev. James Caldwell, uho wa.s killed by the British and tines at
Elizabeth Point, Xew Jersey. Her father removed, when she was a child,

>. 1

180

COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTTVITy.

to \vl)nt wnsthni rnllcd LntiPnhnr:^, now Chnrlou-' roi'itv. Vi'^^iii^- She
nrviT uciit lu - •iiMdl lull ihicc uKuitlis. and ihul nt M.o iif oi li'.L- vars.
,\! 'Ill' rxjiiiatidii -if ili;ii iciiii the mIkioI censed, nil! • Lu had ii.> opportu*
iiitv to aticiiil line ai'iTwai'ds. Her iimiiIht, I'.cwevvr. h. 'mu aii .Mi'lliircnt
vviiiiian. and an cxcclk'nt srholar. uavc her Ii'.-sotv at homo. On iIr- .ith
of iNoVLTiibor, ITiil, nIu- was niivnicil u> 3lr. Irvin, a iv^spttlnMi' man,
thoui^h ill niudciatf inviiinsianit's. In llu- year 1777, when cvf ry true
IVicnd III' his connlry Idl it his duty to rendtT some jiersonal s' r\ i c ho
and a nri^'hlior. by ihi- name of Wiliiain Handy, atrn'ed that they wnild
enlist for the term of thn-e years, and eaeh tn servo oii^hieen months ;
Irvin to serve the first half, and ifandy the second. 31r. Irvu. entered
upon duty, in eoinpany with many others from tliat section ol' the <ountry.
Wiieii they had iiianiied lo DiimlVies. Va.. before ttiey joim •! ilie main
army, they were ordered to halt, and inoculate for the smar.|Mi... Irvm
neglected to inoculate, under tlie impression he had had tiie disease during
infaiuy. Tlie conseiiuenie was, he took tiie small-pox in the natural way.
and diiMl, leaving 3Irs. Irvin. and five small children, lour sons and a
daughter.

In the fall of 1782, Mrs. Irvin removed, in company with a number of
enter[)risinLr Virginians, to the wilds of K'-ntrnky ; and three years after-
wards mtermanied with Col. Smith, by wliom she had no is.^ue. She died
about the year IHUO, in Bourbon county, Kentucky, in the Stith year of
her age. She was a member of the Presbyterian church, and sustained
through life an unlilemi>lied reputation. In early lite she wrote but lillle,
most of her productions being the fruits of her maturer vears, and while
she was the wife of Col. Snath. But little of )ier conii'osiiion lias ever
been put It) press ; but her genius and taste were always acknowledged by
those who had access lo the productions of her pen. She had a happy
talent for pastoral jioetry, and many fuguive pieces ascribed to lier will
long be cherished and admired by the children of sung.

Narrative. — In May, 17.3-5, the province of Ponnsylvania
agreed to send out three hundred nvni, it. ordi r l(j cut a wa^ron
road from fort Loudon, to join Braddock's road, near the Tur-
key Foot, or three forks of Yohooania. My brother-in-law,
William Smith, Esq. ot Conococdieague, was appointed coni-
missiouer, to iiave tin vcrsiglit of these road-cutter.s.

Though I was at thi' n.nc only eighteen years of age, 1 had
fallen violently in love v;itli a younir lady, whom 1 apprehended
was possessed of a large share of both beauty and virtue ; hut
being born between Venus and Mtirs. I concltuled 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
thai some time in the C(utrse of this summer I should again
return to the arms of my bidoved.

We went on »viih the road, without interruption, until near
the Alleglianv mountain ; when 1 was sent back, in order to
hurry up some provision-wagons that were on tlu> way after
U3. i proceeded down the road as far as the crossings of Ju-
niata, where, finding tlie wagons were coining on as fast as
possible, I returned up the road again towards the Alleghany

COLONEL SMITHS CAPTIVITi^

IBl

a. She
f vf'ai;>.
iiyjjiortU'
1«'lli<;jent
I I lie .'nh
Ic limn,
cry line
rvi'c, he

•V w illld

iiiHUtlis :
I'lili'it'd
fouiitry.
I lie iiKiin
.. Irvm
.e (luring
ual way.
IS and n

imber of

ars al'ler-

She ilied

year of

sii si allied

but liille,

iiid while

has ever

knbed by

I a happy

» her will

\vao"on

10 tur-
n-lixw.

'd oom-

. J had
hciided
uc ; but
list also
if road-
jKM-ting

1 1 again

nil near
order to
ay after
s of Ju-
fast as
e.irhany

mountain, in eoinpaiiy with one ArnoM \'i'.>-oras. Ahotii four
or live Miihs ahm-e Hedt'nd, t|»n'? Ji.di.ni' hail innd" .i hji. 'i ni"
bushes, siuriv ill ihe ground, a.s thougli llu v g^'-'W naturally,
where 'h.y ooncealed ihoniselvo'^, about (ifteen yards from the
road. When we came opposite to them, .hey lirinl iij)om us, at
this short distance, and killed my fellow-traveller, yet ttmir
])ullets f'id not toueh me: liut my horse making a violent start,
threw me, and the Indians immediately ran np and tool: me
prisoner. The one that laid hold on me was a Canasaiaiiga,
tlio other two were D(dawares. One of them could sjieak
English, and asked me if there wer(> any more wiiite men
coming affr. I told them not any near that I knew of. Two
of these Indian. >tood hv me, whilst the other sealped my
comrade ; they tlien set oil' and ran at a smart rale through the
woods, for about (iftceii miles, and that night wc slept on the
Alleghany mountain, without lire.

The next jnorning they divided the last of their provision
which they had brought from fort Du Que.sne, and gave nic an
C'jual share, which was about two or three ounces of mouldv
biscuit ; this and a youuir Lrround-hog, about as lar<ro as a rab-
bit, roasted, and also eijually 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 exceed-
ing rocky laur'd thitdiets, without any path. When we came
to the west siile of Laurel hill, th(>y gave the st^ilp halloo, na
usual, which is a long yell or halloo for every scalp or prisoner
they have in possession ; the last of these scalp halloos were
follow(nl with (|nick" and suddiMi shrill shouts of joy and t.'i-
umph. On thfir [I'rforming this, we were answered I / the
firing of a number of guns on the Loyal Hamian, OO'. i^lor
another, (|uick''r th.ui one could count, by another pa of
Indians, who were encamped near where Ligone(>r now ;tids.
As we advanced near this partv, they increased with reji tted
shouts of joy and triumpli ; hut 1 did not share with them in
their exce-siv(> mirth. Wdien we came to this camp, we found
they had plenty of turkeys and other ni* ,it there; and though
I never bef(>re eat venison without bread or salt, yet as I was
huuirry it relished very widl. There we lay that night, and
the next mornin<j the whole of us marched on our way for fort
Du Qui's'ie. '''he ni'jht after we join"d another camp of In-
dians, with nearly the same ceremony, attr'nded with .'/r-'at
noise, atid app:ireiit joy, among all except one. The next
niorninir we continued our marcdi, and in the afternoor we carne
in full view of the fort, which stood on the point, near wdiere
fort Pitt now stands. We then made a halt on the bank of the
Alleghany, and repeated the scalp halloo, wdiich was answered

:*M

182

COLONEL SMlTrrS CArTlVITY.

•

by tho firinq- of nil iho (irclnr ks in tho liniuis of both Tiulians
ami French \vh(» ucrf in aiul ii!i(»ut i}k< furl, in the afitrcsaid
miinni-r. iind uIm) the ureal i;iins, wliicli were follinvt-d hy the
contiinicd shimts and yells uf ihe dillerent savag-c irihes who
were then i-ollecled tiiero.

As 1 was iit this time unacquainted with this mode of firing
and yellinir cd' tiu^ savaLre^, 1 coiiiduded that there were thou-
sands of Indians there n^ady to receive General iJraddock ; hut
what added to my surprise, I saw numbers rniniin'^ towards
me, stripped naked, exrepiiiiir breech-clouts, and painted in the
most hideous manner, of various colors, thouLdi the principal
color was Vermillion, or a briirlit red ; yet there was annexed to
this black, brown, blue, &.c. As they approatdied, the\ formed
themselves into two lonii- ranks, about two or three rods apart.
1 was told by an Indian that could speak Eni^lish, that I must
run betwixt these ranks, and that they would dog nie all the
way as I ran ; and if 1 ran ipiick, it would be so much tho
better, as they wi-uld quit when I got to the end of tho ranks.
Ther*.' appeared to bo a general rejoicini>- around me, yet I
could find nothing like joy in my Ijreast ; but I started to the
race with all the resolution and vigor I was caj)able of exerting,
. nd found that it was as I had been told, for I was floiro-ed the
whole way. When 1 had got near the end of the lines, I was
struck with something that appeared to me to be a slick, or tho
handle of a tomahawk, which caused me to fall to the ground.
On my recovering my : uses, I endeavored to ri'new 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. 'J'hev contimied
beating me most intolerably, until I was at l(Migth insensible;
but before I lost niy senses, 1 remember my wishitiL'" them to
strike tht^ fatal l)low, for I thought they intended killing me,
biit a)>prehended they were too long altout it.

The lirst thins,'' I remend)or was mv being in the fort amidst
the French and Indians, and a FrtMich doctor standinir by me,
who had opened a vein in my left arm : after whifh the inter-
preter asked me how I did ; I told him S felt much pain. The
doctor then washed u\y wa)unds, and the })ruised places of my
bi Jy, with French brandy. .As I fell faint, and the brandy
sni.."!t well, 1 asked for some inwardly, but the doctor told me,
by iho interpreter, that it did not suit my case.

When they found I could speak, a number of Indians came
ftrouutl me, and examined me, with threats of crucd death if I
did not tidl the truth. The lirst cpiestion they asked me was
how mntiy nien were there in the party that were cominL*- from
Pennsylvania to join Hraddock ? I told them the truth, that
there were three hundred. The next question was, were they

COLONEL SMITH'S CAP'IIVITY.

183

[iidians

orcsiiid

hy the

»(js who

if firing
•(■ thou-
•Iv ; but
townrd.s
1 ill the
riiu'ipal
lexffl to

funned
s apart.
. I nmst
• all the
mh the
[' ranks,
e, yet I
d to the
■xertinfT,
rired the
'.s, I was
V, or the
q;rouiid.
ly rare ;

blinded

ntinned
ensihle ;

tlieni to
ling me,

t arnidst

r liy nje,

If inler-

n. The

fs of my

brandy

told me,

ns came
•ath if I
nu' was
II L"" from
ith, that
ere they

well armed ? I told iheni they were all wi'll ari^ied, (meaning
the arm of llesh,) lor lliey had only abont thirty gnns among
the whole of them ; which if the Indians had known, thry
wnnhl certainly have yone and ciil them all oil'; ihorcfore, J,
could not in conscience let them know the defenceless situation
of these road-i'Utters. I was then sent to tin' hospital, and
carefnlly attended by the doctors, and recovered (piicker than
what I expected.

Some time after 1 vvas there, 1 was visited by tiie Delaware
Indian already nieniioned, who was -it the takinu" of me, ami
could speak' some J*)nL;lish. 'I'hoiigh he spoke hot bad Knulisli,
yet I fiMiiid him to b(> a man ot considerable nnderstaniliiig.
1 asked him if 1 had done any thing that had otii ikIimI the In-
dians which cansed iIumu to tri'at me so nnmercifidly. He
said no ; it was only an old custom the Indians had, and it was
like how do you do ; aft(n' that, he said, 1 would be well used.
I a.-ked him if I should be admitted to remain with the French.
He said no ; and told me that, as soon as I r(N'i>vered, I must
not only go with the Indians, but must b(> madi* an Indian my-
.self. I asked him what news from IJraddock's army. He
said ihe Indians spied them every day. and he showed me, by
makincf marks on the ground with a stick, that Hraddock's
army was advancing in very close order, and that the Iiulians
would surround them, take trees, and (as he expressed it) .s/ioof
iiin do/c/i all one pigeon.

Shortly after this, on the 9th day of July, IT.^fj, in the
morning, I heard a great stir in the fort. As I could then
walk with a stafi' in my hand, 1 went (uit of the door, which
was just by the wall of the fort, and stood upon the wall, and
viewed ihe Indians in a hudille before the gale, where were
barrels of powder, bullets, flints. &c., and every one taking
what suited. I saw the Indians also march olFin rank entire;
likewise the Frtnich Canadians, ruid some rej^ulars. After
viewiuir tin; Indians and French in different {»r)sitions, I com-
puted them to be ai)oui four hundred, and wondere<I that they
attempted to go out against Hraddock with so small a parly.
I was then in high hopes that I would soon see them fly liefore
the British troops, and that General Rraddock would take the
fort and rescue me,

I remained anxious to kimw the event of this day; and, in
the afternoon, I again observed a great noise and commotion
in the fort, and ihoutrh at lh;it time I could not muierstand
French, yet I found il at it was ihe voice of joy and triumph,
and feared that they had recei/ed what I called bad news.

I had observed seine of the old coenlry soldiers speak
Dutch : as I spoke Dutch, I went to one of them, and asked

184

COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTIVITy.

him what was the news, lie told ino lliut a nninor liad jii>t
arrived, who said that l)ra(hl()<k wouhl certainly I'e defeated ;
ihat the hulians and Frencli liad surroundr-d liirn, ami were
concealed Itehind trees and in irullies, and Kept a constant lire
upon the Enirjish, and that iliey saw the I'^nnlisli tallini,'- in
heaps, and if they did not take the river, v.liich v.as the only
gap, and make their escape, there won Id not he one man left
alive hefore sundown. S(jnie time after this I heard a nnndier
of -scalp halloos, and saw a company of Indians and FrtMu h
cominif in. 1 ohserved they had a jjfreat many hloody scalps,
grenadiers' ca{)s, IJrilish canteens, itayonets, cVc with them.
Tliey hroiiyht the iieus that liraddock was defeated. After
thai another company came in, which appeared to he ahoni one
hundred, and chielly Indians, and it seemed lo me that almost
every one of this company was carrying scalps ; afl(>r this
came another company with a numher of waL''on horses, and
also a <^rea» lOany scalps. Those that wt>re cominLT '"■ !i'"^
those that had arrived, kept a constant firing of small arms,
and also the great guns in the fort, which were accompanied
with the njost hideous siiouts and yells from all (piarters ; so
lliat it appeared to me as if the infernal regions had broke
loose.

About sundown I beheld a small party coming in with
about a dozen prisoners, stripped naked, with their hands tied
behind their backs, and their faces and part of their bo lies
blacked ; these prisoners they burned to death on the bank of
Alleghany river, opposite lo the fort. I stood on the fort wall
until I beheld them begin to burn one oi' these men ; they
had him tied to a stake, and kept touching him with firebrands,
red-hot irons, &c., and he screamed in a jnost d(deful manner;
the Indians, in the mean time, yelling like infernal spirits.

As this scene appeared too shocking for me to behold, I
retired to my lodgings both sore and sorry.

When I came into my lodgings I saw Russcl's Seven Ser-
mons, which they had brought from the field of battle, which a
Frenchman made a present to me. From the best information
I could receive, there were only seven Indians and four French
killed in this battle, and five humlred British lay dead in the
field, besides what were killed in the river on their retreat.

The morning after the battle 1 saw Braddock's artillery
brovjght into the fort ; the same day I also saw several Indians
in British ofTicers' dress, with sash, half moon, laced hats, Ace,
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 In-

COLONEL SMITHS CAPTIVITY.

1R5

dian town, that was on ihn north side of th»^ river, iil)out forty
Tnik's nhovp fort Dii (.iucsii(\ Here I rcinaincd alioiit throo
works, ami was then taken to an Indian town on ihc west
)»ranch of MiiskniLniin, ahont twenty miles above the I'orks,
which was called 'I'nilihas, inhahited hy Delawares, ('an<j'hne-
waijas, and Mohicans. On our ronte hetwixt tln^ afon^said
towns the country was chieliy hlaclc oak and white oak land,
which appeared n-,.||(M-ally to he irood wheat land, chieliy second
and third rate, intermixed with some rich hottoms.

Tho day after my arrival at the aforesaiil town, a innnh(^r
of Indians co1U'c|(m1 ahont me, and one of them het>an to ])ull
the hair ont of mv head. He hail some ashes on a piece; of
hark, in which he treipiently dippe(l his hn^^ers, in order to
take the hrmer hold, ami so he went on, as if he had heen
plnckinc^ a turkey, until ho had all tlie hair clean ont of my
head, except a sniall spot at»ont three or four inches sipiare on
niy crown; this thev cut oil" with a pair of scisscirs, oxceptinir
three locks, which they dressed up in their own mode. Two
of these they wrapped round with a narrow headed partc^r
mad<' hy themscdves for that purpose, and the other they plaited
at full leny-th, and then .>iuck it full of silver hrooches. After
this they bored my nose and ears, and (ixed me otf with ear-
rincTs 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, a)id body, in various colors. They put
a larL""!' l)eit ol" wampum on iny ueck, and silver bands on my
hands and right arm ; and so an old chief \vd me out in the
street, and iifave the alarm halloo, coo-imn^h, sevt^ral times
repeated quick ; and on this, all that wer«^ in the town came
runninir and stood round the old chief, who held me by the
hand in the midst. /\s I at that time knew nothinjr of their
mode of adoption, and had seen them put to death all they hud
taken, and as I never could find that they saved a man alive
at Braddock's defeat, I made no doubt but they w(,'re about
putting me to death in some cruel manner. The old chief,
holdinii^ me by the hand, made a long spc'ech, very loud, and
when he had done, he hancb^l me to three young squaws,
who led me by the hand down the bank, itito the river, until
the water was up to our middle. The sipiaws then made sigiiis
to me lO 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 v'ere to be the
executioners. They all three laid violent hold of me, and I
for some time opposed them with all my might, which occa-
sioned loud laughter by the multitude that were on the bank
of the river. At length one of the squaws made out to speak

lb*

186

COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTIVITY.

{ji

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a little Euufli^^li, (for I Itdii'vc ilicy Ix-lmh l<> l»o afraid of pic,)
uiid said no hurt yitv. On iliis I iravc riiy^'U up lo ilicir laily-
ships, who Wire as f/ood us ihcir word ; lor thoiu'l'. llicy
j)lmii,MMl iMf iiiuh-r walor, ami u ashed and rnhhed me severely.
yet 1 could not stiy llu'y hurl ine niuch.

These younuf woinen then led me up to the council house,
wliere some of the trihe were ready with new clotheh lor me.
They i^ave me a riciw rulfled shirt, whii-h I put on, also a pair
of le^uins don(> olT with rihhons and heads, likewise a j)air of
moccasins, and garters dressetl with head.>, porcupine (|uills,
and ri'd hair — al>o a tinsel la<"( il cappo. They a^^am pai ited
my head and face with various colors, and tied a hunch oT 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 hearskni, and ijfave me a pipe, tomahawk, and polecat-
skin pouch, which had heen skiniaul pocket fa>hion, and con-
tained lohacco, kiUei^enico, or dry sumach lcave>, which they
mix with their tohacco ; also spunk, flint, and steel. When I
was thus si-ated, the Indians came in dressed and i)ainted in
their <frandest manner. As they came in they took their seats,
and for a considerahle time there was a profound silence —
every one was stnokinijf; hut not a word wa.s spoken among
them. At lenq'th one of the chiefs made a speech, which was
delivered to me hy an inter|)reter, and was as folio weth : " My
son, you are now flesh of our (lesli, and hone of our hone. By
the ceremony which was performed this day every drop of
white blood was washed out of your veins ; you are taken into
the Cauij^hnewaco nation, and initiated into a warlike trihe;
you are adojited into a <rreal family, and now received with I'reat
seriousness and solemnity in the room and place of a ereat
man. After what lias pa>sed this day, you are now one of us
by an old slronjjf law and custom. My son, you have now
nothini^ to f( ar — we are now under the same obliiration: 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 {\rn\ speech,
especially that of the while hlood heinfi: washed cut of me ; but
since that time I have fouml 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
wooden spoon, which I carried with me to the place, where

COLONEL SMITH S CAPTIVITY.

187

iherc! was a number of l;ir<4«' lirass lo-tilfs full of Ixdli-.l \rui-
«(»u atid yn'cii t"t>rii ; every (»iii' ii.lvaineil wiili liis li.»wl aiul
spixdi. and hiid his >liare iriveii liim. Alter this, fan- of iho
chiefs Miade a short speech, and then we heLfan lo eat.

Tile name ol one of the I'hiel's in this town wa.s Tei'anyate-
riLrhio, alias I'liifLfy. ;ind the oiher A.sallci'oa. alias .Mohauli
Sidomoii, As I'ln-ji^'y and hi> party were to start the ne\l day
lo war, to the Irontier.s of V'irL'inia, the nc.vl thini,' to he per-
formeil was th<.' war-dance, and their war-sonijs. At their war-
dance they had h(»ih voimI and inslruniental mtisic ; they had
a .short hollow ,!.,nim, closed at one end, with water in it, and
parchment stret'-hed over the open end thereof, which they heat
witli one sii(di, <ind made a sound in arly like a mutil'd drinn.
All those who were sj^oitii^ on tiiis expedition collected to<;etln}r
and formed. An old Indian then heyan losini^, and limed the
mnsic hy heatinij on this dram, as the ancients formerly tMiied
their music hy IjLiatin^r the tabor. On this the warrior.s l)tjjari
to advance, or move forward in concert, like well-discipli' ril
troops would march to the fife and drum. Kach warrior had
a tomahawk, spear, or war-mallet in hi.s hand, and they ail
HJoved retrularly towards the east, or the way they intc.'iided to
go lo war. At lenL,nh they all stretched their tomahawks
towards the Potomac, and giving a hideous shout or y(dl, they
wlieeled (juick about, and danced in the same manner l)ack.
The next was the war-soni;'. In performing ih's, only one
sung at a time, in a moving posture, with a tomahawk in his
hand, while ail tlie other warriors were engaged in cidling
aioud ho-uh, he-u/i, wliich they constantly repeated wliile the
war-song was going on. When the warrior tiial was singing
hud ended his song, he struck a w.ir-j)r)st with his tomaliawlf,
and with a loud voice told what warlike e.vpinits he had done,
and what he now intended to do, which were answered by the
other warrior. > with loud sliouts of applause. Some who had
not belore intended to go to war, at ihi.^ lime, were so animated
by this performance, that lh«'y look up the tomahawk and sung
the war-song, which was answered with shouts of joy, as tliey
were then initialed into the present marcliinir company. The
next morning this company all collected at one place, with their
heads and faces paitiied with various colors, and packs upon
their bacl^s j they marched off, all silent, except the command-
er, who, in the front, sung the travelling song, which began in
this manner : koo caiii^htauife hecgana. Just as tlie rear pass-
ed thf» end of the town, 'hey began to fire in their slow man-
ner, from the front to the rear, which was accompanied with
shouts and yells from all quarters.

This evening I was invited to another sort of dance, which

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23 WEST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580

(716) 872-4503

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188

COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTIVITY.

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wa.s a kind of promisruons dance. The young men stood in
one rank, and the yovuirr women \n another, about one rod apart,
facing each other. The one that raised the tune, or started
the song, held a snnall gourd or dry shell of a squash in his
hand, which contained beads or small stones, which rattled.
When he began to ^ing, he timed the tune witli his rattle ; both
men and women danced and sung together, advancing towards
each other, stooping until their heads would be toucliing to-
gether, and then ceased from dancing, with loud shouts, and
retreated and formed again, and so repeated the same thing
over and over, for three or four hours, without intermission.
This exercise appeared to me at first irrational and insipid ;
but I found that in singing their tunes they used ya ne no hoo
wa ne, &c., like our fa sol la, and though they have no such
thing as jingling verse, yet they can intermix sentences with
their notes, and say what they please to each other, and carry
on the tune in concert. I found that this was a kind of wooing
or courting dance, and as they advanced stooping with their
heads together, they could say what they pleased in each oth-
er's ear, without disconcerting their rough music, and the others,
or those near, not hear what they said.

Shortly after this I went out to himt, in company with Mo-
hawk Solomon, some of the Caughnewagas, and a Delaware
Indian, that was married to a Caughnewaga squaw. We tra-
velled 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 meai, and asked me, what meat you
think that is ? I said I supposed it was bear meat ; he laugh-
ed, and said, ho, all one fool yoii, heal now elly pool, and point-
ing to the other side of the camp, he said, look at that skin,
you think that heal 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, yoit fool again, you know nothing, you think
buffalo that colo'f I acknowledged I did not know much about
these things, and told him I never saw a bufTalo, and that I
had not heard what color they were. He xq^\\g\, by aiidby
you shall see gleat many buffalo ; he noio go to gleat lick.
That skin no buffalo skin, that skin buck-elk skin. They went

COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTIVITY.

189

stood in
'od apart,
)r started
>\\ ill his
1 rattled,
tie ; both
;• 'owards
ctnug to-
nuts, and
me thing
rmission.

insipid ;
>ie no hoo

no such
ices with
ind carry
)f wooing
vith their
each oth-
he others,

with Mo-
Delaware
We tra-
^ve killed
isted and
It twelve
nt down
squaws
ty. On
leat ; the
rved me
meut you
e laugh-
nd point-
hal skin,
n, which
\ou think
lide ; he
mi think
ch about
nd that I
y and. by
leat lick.
ley went

V
i

out with horses, and broiip-lit in the remainder of thi>' buck-elk,
which was the faltest crcaiure I over saw of the tallow kinrl.

We remained at this camp about oiirlil or ten days, and kill-
ed a number of deer, Thoui^h we had neither bread nor salt
at this lime, yet we had bdih roast and boileil meal in uK^at
plenty, and they were frequently inviting m(.' to eat when 1 had
no appetite.

We ilien moved to the bufliilo lick, where we Icilled several
budiilo, and in ihcir 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
]\Iuskiniium, Ohio, and Sciota. About the lick was clear,
open woods, and thin white oak land, and at that time there
were large roads leadini:: to the liclc, lilce wat^on roads. We
moved from this lick about six or seven miles, and encamped
on a creek.

Though the Indians had given me a gim, I had not yet been
admitted to go out from the camp to hunt. At this place Mo-
hawk Solomon asked me to go out with him to hunt, which I
readily aii'roed to. After some time we came upon some fresh
bufliilo tracks. I had observed before this that the Indians
were upon their guard, and afraid of an enemy ; for, until now,
they and the southern nations had been at war. As we were
following the butllilo ut'cks. Solomon seemed to be upon his
guard, went very slow, and would frequently stand and listen,
and appeared to be in suspense. We came to where the tracks
were very plain in the sand, and I said it is surely buffalo
tracks; he said, ////.f/i, yon know noth'im:^ , maybe buffalo tracks,
may be Cataicba. He went very cautious until we found some
fresh buffalo dung; he then smiled, and said, Catawba cannot
make so. He ihen stopped, and told me an odd story about
the Catawbas. He said that formerly the Caiawbas came near
one of their huiitiuL'" camps, and at some distance from the
camp lay in ambush ; and in order to decoy them out, s(Mit two
or tlu'ee Catawbas in the night past their camp, with buffalo
hoofs fixed on their feet, so as to make artificial tracks. In the
morning, those in ihe camp followed after these tracks, thinking
they were buffalo, uniil they were fired on by the Catawbas,
and several of them killed. The others fled, colh^cted a party
and pursued the Catawbas ; but they, in their subiilly, brought
with them rattlesnake poison, which they had collected from
the bladder that lielh at llie root of the snake's teeth ; this they
had corked up in a short piece of a cane-stalk. They had also
brought with them small cane or reed, about the size of a rye-
straw, which they made sharp at the end like a pen, and dip-
ped them in this poison, and stuck them in the ground among

1 1'

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M ''H

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190

COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTIVITY

tlie grass, aloncr ihoir own tracks, in such a position that tliey
mi<,fh'i, sli(!k into the legs of thf.' pursuers, which answ^rod the
desit,ni ; and as the Catawbas had runners behind to watch the
motion of the pursuers, when they found that a number of tiiem
"v/ere lauic, being' artificially snake iiil, and that lliey were all
turning bade, the Catawbas turned upon the pursuers, aiul dc-
feat(Ml tbein, and killed and scalped all those that W( re lame.
When Sobjnion had lini>hed ibis story, and htuiul that I un-
derstood him, he concluded by saying, yon don't /nioic, Calawha
vdbj had Indian, Calaicbu alt one dcril Catau-ha.

Some time after this, I was tou] to take the dogs with me,
and go down the creek, perhaps I might kill a tuikey ; it being
in the afternoon, 1 was also told not to go far from the creek,
and to come up the creek again to the camp, and io t;ike care
not to get lost. When I bad gone >o\x\v di>tancc down the
creek, I came upon fresh bullalo tracks, and as I bad a number
of dogs with nie to sto]) the buiialo, I coiududed I Wftiild follow
after and kill one ; and as the grass and weeds were rank, I
could readily follow the track. A little before sundown I des-
paired of coming uj) with them. 1 was then tiiiidcinii' how T
might get to carnp before night. I concluded, as the butltilo 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 lind neither creek nor camp.
When night came on I fired my gim several times, and hal-
looed, 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 prass 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, vo, no, yov. i^o too much cloohcd.
On my return to camp they took my gun from me, and for this
rash step 1 was reduced to a bow and arrows, for near two
years. W'e were out on this tour for about six weeks.

This country is generally hilly, though intermixed with
considerable quantities of rich upland, aiul 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 EnglisJi 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 remame

d in this town until some time in October, when

COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTIVITY.

191

hat they
'ered the
•atch the
' of them

were all
, aiul ile-

re lame,
hal 1 \ni-

Cataiciia

with me,

il bein<:(

\\v ereeU',

lake care

Inwn the

I iniiuber

ikl Ibllow

'c rank, I

kvn I des-

iti' how I

idalo had

! creek it

I thought

the creek

ler, and I

or camp.

and hal-

nij early,

ten or a

d readily

appeared

houoht I

rlooked.

lor this

near two

feed with
bottoms,
arty had
of scalps
ac ; they
y inave to
on Id not
was very

er, when

my adopted brother, called 'r()ntileanL''o, \\\\o hud married a
Wvandol s([na\v, toolc iiic with liiiii to hike \\Ui\ We pro-
ceeded np the wi.'st branch of MnskinLTnm, ;ind Ibr some dis-
tan'^e up the river the land wns hilly, l)tU. intermixed withlarcfo
bodies of toleralile rich upland, and excellent bntlnms. We
proceediil nii to the head waters of the west branch of Musk-
inti'um. ( bi til" he;id waters of this branch, and from thence
to the waters of Canesadooharie, there is a larLTe bodv of rich,
well lyinuf land ; the tindjcr is ash, walnut, suL'ar-tree, buckeye,
honey-locust, and cherry, intermixed with some oak, hickory,
(Sec. This tour v\as at the time that the black htiws were ripe,
and we were seldom out of sin-ht of them ; they were connnori
here both in the bottoms and upland.

On this route we had no horses with us, and when we start-
ed from the town all the pack I carried was a pouch containing
my books, a little dried venison, and my blaid<et. I iiad then
no gnn, but Tontileauo-o, who was a first-rate hiniter, 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 imtil 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 np and carried them with us
the next day.

As Tontileaugo could not speak Encflish, I had to make use
of all the Caughnewaira I had learned, even to talk very im-
perfectly with him ; but I foimd I learned to talk Indian faster
this way than when I had those with me who could speak
En '=sh.

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 eiijht 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 eveninof 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. Wc 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, frerpiently resting ourselves, as we
were heavily hiden. I saw on the sand a ntimber of largo fish,
that had been left in fiat or hollow places ; as the wind fell and
the waves abated, they were left without water, or only a small
quantity; and nund)ers of l)ald and grey eagles, &c., were
along the shore devouring them.

Some time in the afternoon we came to a large camp of

' !A

i 'I

? '■•:

192

COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTTVITY.

^■-i
'*l|

I •

V/yariflols, at the inoutli (if CaiiPsadoobn'Mc, wliorc Tontile.iu-
g-o's wife was. [Icrc xv were Kiii<lly ri'fcix cd ; thry irave us
a kiiiil (if roiiuh, hrown potautcs, wliicli n-icw spoiitaiKonsly,
and were,' calli-d 1)V tlio (.\iii'^''hiic\va'ja.-! (^fnirnnla. TIu'sp pf)-
lalocs peeled iiiid dipjx'd in rarcooii's (at taste nearly lil<i' our
SAVoet potatoes;. They also jrave us what they call rnnchranfa,
which is a kind of iioinony, made oC i^^reen onrn. dried, and
beans, mixed to^fther.

From the head waters of Canesadonharie to this place, the
land is jrenerally good ; chiefly first or second rale, and, com-
paratively, little or no third rate. The only refuse is pomo
swamps that appear to he tr o wet for use, y^t I apprehend that
a numher of them, if drained, would make excfdlent meadows.
The timber is black oak, walnut, hi(d<ory, cherry, black ash,
white ash, water ash, buckeye, black-locust, honey-locust,
sugar-tree, and elm. There is also some land, though com-
paratively but small, where the timber is chiefly white oak, or
beech ; this may be called third rate. In the bottoms, and also
many places in the upland, there is a large quantity of wild
apple, plum, and red and black haw trees. It appeared to be
well watered, and a pl(Mity of meadow ground, intermixed with
upland, but no large jirairif^s or glades that I saw or heard of.
In this route deer, bear, turkeys, and raccoons appeared plen-
ty, but no buffalo, and very little sign of elks.

Wp 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 lame birch bark canoe. This
vessel was about four feet wide, and three feet deep, and about
five and thirty feet long ; and tho\tn-h 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 mv great surprise they carried
the vessel we all came in up the liatik, and inverted it or turn-
ed the bottom up, and converted it to a dwelling-house, and
knidled a fire before us to warm ourselves by and cook. Witli
our baggage and ourselves in this house we were very much
crowded, yet our little house turned off the rain very Avell.

We kept moving and hunting up this river until we came
to the falls ; here we remained some weeks, and killed a num-
ber of deer, several bears, and a great many raccoons. From
the mouth of this river to the falls is about five and twenty
miles. On our passage up I was not much out from the river,
but what I saw was good land, and not hilly.

1 1

COLONEL SMITH'S CAniVlTV.

193

Tontilenu-
Ty (jrivc us
itjuu oiisly,

Those po-
ly lil<<' our
•anchvanta,

dried, and

« place, the
, and, com-
se is pornc
rebend that
t meadows.
, black ash,
Diiey -locust,
bough com-
hite oak, or
[71S, and also
itily of wild
pcarod to be
■rmixed with
or heard of.
peared plen-

lesadooharie
(Tvuat many
rrre and tat.
anoe. This
I, and about
rry a heavy
d, that four
n<]f place to
aters of the
miles, find
hey carried
I it or turn-
<r-bouse. and
"•ook. With
very much
XX well,
nil we came
illed a num-
)ons. From
and twenty
om the river,

About the falls is thin chesinil laud, which is a'mo.st the
only chesiiui tinibcr 1 v\v\- >\\\\ in ibis cciuntrv.

While we reuiiiined here 1 left my pouch with my books in
camp, wr:!))! up in my blaukt't. aud wei.. out to bunt chestiuts.
On my rcluru to caui[) my books wrre missiiiL'". I in([uired
after them, r.iul ask<'(l tlio Indians ii' th"V knew wIumv ihey
were ; they tolil me that ilu^v supposed the puppirs hud carried
them oil'. I did not believe them, but thou'ihl tlicv W(>re dis-
ph'ased at my porinof over my books, and couclu led that they
had destroyed them, or put them out of my way.

After this I was again out alter 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 fif-
teen feet apart. They had cut thoe saplings at the forks, and
laid a strong pole across, which appeared in the forui of a gal-
lows, and the poles they liad shaved v(>ry smooth, and painted
in ))laces with vermillion. 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 iheni by reading my books, and
that they were about putting me to death. The next morning
I observed them briniring their skins all to this place, and
hang ig 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 on*^ 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 Cayahaga. Here they made
their winter i-abin in the following form : they cut logs about
fifteen feet lonu", and laid these logs upon each other, and drove
posts in the ground at each end to keep them together ; the
posts they tied toirether at the top with baric, and by this means
raised a wall lifieen feet long, and about four feet high, and in
the same manner they raised armther 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 even in the winter season.

As every tree will not run, they examine the tree first, by
trying it near the ground, and 'vhen they find it will do they
fell the tree, and raise the bark with the tomahawk, near the
top of the tree, about five or six inches broad, then put the

194

COLONEL SMITHS CAPTTVITY.

tomahawk hajidlo under this hark, am! pull it alonr^ down to
the butl (if till' troc ; so thai soinctimos oik; picrc of hark will
be thirty fcc-t lono-. This hark tln-y rut at suitable lengths in
order to cover the hut.

At the end of those walls they set up split timber, so that
they had timber all round, cxoeplino- a door at each end. At
the fop, in place of a chimney, they left nn open plai'o, and for
beddinsjc they laid down the aioresaid kitid of bark, on which
they spread bear-skins. From end to end of this hut along
the middle there were fires, which the scpiaws madf of dry
split wood, and the holes or opf;n places thr.t appeared the
squaws stopped with moss, which they collected from old logs;
and at the door they hung a bear-skin ; and notwiihstanding-
the winters arc hard here, our lodging was much bettor than
what I expected.

It was some time in December when wo finished this win-
ter cabin ; but when we had got into this comparatively fine
lodging, another dilHculty 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 raccoon?, I then
thought it was hard living without bread or salt ; but now I
began to conclude, that if I had any thing that would banish
pinching hunger, and keep soul and body together, I would be
content.

While the hunters were all ou*, exerting themselves to the
utmost of their ability, the squaws and beys (in vvhich 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 liad tolerable
success in scratching up hickory nuts from under a light snow,
which we carried with us lest the hunters should not succeed.
After our return the hunters came in, who had killed only two
small turkey?, 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 thrse bears.

One of the bears was very large and remarkably fat. The
hunters carried in meat sufficient to give us all a hearty sup-
per 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 exceeding weary, and told them my load
was too heavy, I must leave part cf it and come for it again.

COLONEL SMITH'S CArTIVJTY.

195

y down io
' bnrk will
leiigtlis ill

IT, so that

ciul. Ai

L'c, i\iul for

oil which

h'.il i\\ou<r

ide of dry

poared the

n old \orrH ;

idistanding

letter than

1 this win-
it ivcly fine
■at. While
mentioned,
)oiis, I then
hut now I
»uld banish
I would be

vof to the
lich class I

red haws,
n the year,
id tolerable

iL'ht snow,
lot succeed.
m1 only two
untcrs and
ere divided

their equal

killed one

r fat. The
hearty sup-
to bring in
nd my load
to carrying*
m my load
)r it again.

They made a lialt and only laughed at me, and took part of
my load and added it to a young' scjuaw's, who had as much
before as I carried.

This kind of reproof had a greater tcMulciicy to ext ite me to
exert myself in carrying wiilutul c(>mplaiiiiiig than if ilicy had
whipped me for laziness. After this the hunters held a coun-
cil, and concluded that they must have horses to carry their
loads; and that they w(jul(l go to war even in this inclement
season, in ortler to bring in horses.

Tontileaiigo wished to be one of those who should go to war ;
but the votes went agiiinst him, as he was one of our best hun-
ters ; it was thou","iit necessary to leave him at this winter
camp to )i'()vide f(U' the s([uaws and children. It was airreed
upon that Tontileaugo and three others shoulil stay and hunt,
and the other four go to war.

They then began t^ o through their comuion ceremony.
They sung their war-songs, danced their war-dances, &c.
And when they were equipi)ed they went olf singing tlnur
marching song, and tiring their guns. Our camp ajipeared to
be rejoicing ; but I was grieved to think that some innocent
persons would be murdered, not thinking of danger.

Alter 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 con-
siderable success, and we had meat brought into camp sulTi-
cient 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 s(iuaws and children, and
that we could shift for ourselves. We steered about a soutli
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 longing 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 west-
ern 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,

196

COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTIVITY.

i'l

r i

while ToMtileanijro stood reiuly with liis friin and how. VVc
w<Mil on m this iikhiih'I' until cvrniiij/, without sticcess. At
ioiij^lh wo found ii larifc elm scriiti-hcd, and a Indc in it ahoiit
forty A'ct up; hut no tree ni^h, suilahlc to lod^c ai^ainsl llic
liolc. Tontilcaui^o j,n)t a lonu' |i<i|t' and sonic dry rolltii wood,
which he ti"(l in Ijuia'hcs, with hark ; and as there was u tree
ll»at frrew near the elm, and extended u[i near the lude, hut
leaned the wroni,' wav, so that we could not hxh-'e it to advan-
liij.'e, lo n'uiedy this inconvenieiiee, ho (•liiuhed up this tr<'e and
carried with hint his rotten wo(t(l, (ire and j)ole. 'J'lie rotten
wood he tied to his Ixdl, and to one end id the pole lie lied a
liook' and a piece ol rotten wood, which he set Ww. to, as it
would retain lire almost like s-pinik, and reached this hook
from limh to limh as he went u|). When he 'j^ol up with his
pole lit! put dry wo(m1 on lire into the hole ; after he put in
the fire he heard the hear snuir, and he came sjieedily down,
took his i>un in his h;nid, and waiieil tuitil the hear would
come out; hut it was some time hefore it ajtpeared, and when
it did appear he attempted takin;^- sig'ht with his riHe ; hut it
bein<,'- then too dark to see the sights, lie set it down by a tree,
and instantly hont his how, took hold of an arrow, and shot
tjie bear a little behind the shoulder. 1 was pre})aring also lo
shoot an arrow, but he called to nic to stop, there was no
occasion ; and with that the bear fell to the ground.

Being very hunory, we kindled a fire, opened the bear, took
out the liver, and \\ rapped some of the caul fat round, and put
it on a wooden spit, which we stuck in the ground by the tire
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 sntjg little shelter, facing the south-east, with a large
log betwixt us and the north-west; we' made a good fire before
us, and scafTolded up our meat at one side. When we had fin-
ished 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.

The next day we turned out to hunt, and near the camp we
found a tree well scratched ; but the hole was above forty feet
high, and no tree that we could lodge against the hole; but
finding that it was very hollow, we concluded that we could
cut down the tree with our tomahawks, which kept us work-
ing a considerable part of the day. When the tree fell we

L il

COLONEL SMITHS CAl'TIVITV.

197

how. \Vc
(•(•f"*s. At
ill il iilxxit
uuiiiisi tlio
)il<'n wood,
wiis a ircc
■ hole, liMl
I to ;i(lviill-
i> tree and

'I'llO roll CM

ho lied a
re to, !is il

tliis lioolv
ip wiili his

he put in
'dily down,
jear would
, and when
illc ; but it
i\ by a tree,
\\, and sliot
rinc: also to
're was no

e bear, took
11(1, and put

by the tire
le, and had
eat, w'hii'h
lly salisfied

, come, eat

•d bark and
,'ith a larcfe
(ire before
we had lin-
vo trees for
ittle in ihe
led wiih us

e camp we
e forty feet
hole ; but
t we could
t us work-
ree fell we

ran up, Tontiloauj^o with his (r\u\ and l)ow, and I wiili tny how
ready bent. Tontib ■uil'"o shot the bear ihrouLrh with ins rifle,
a lilile behind the shoulders ; I also shot, but too far baclv ; and
not beinijf then nuich acfustomed to the busiiios, niv arrow
penetrated only a few inches throuyh the skin. Haviiii,'' killed
an old she bear and three cubs, we hauled her on the snow to
the camp, and oidy had time afterwards to get wood, make a
lire, cook, Ace, befon^ diirlc.

Early the next morniiif];' wc went to business, searched seve-
ral trees, but found no bears. On our way Innne we took
three raccoons out of a hollow elm, n(»t far from the i^^round.

We remained here about two wecdvs, ami in ibis time killed
four bears, three deer, several turkeys and a number of rac-
coons. We packed up as much meat as we could carry, and
returned to our winter cabin. On our arrival there was great
joy, as they were all in a starving condition, the tbrt'(! hunt-
ers that we had left having killed but very little. All that
could carry a pack, repaired to our camp to bring in meat.

Some time in February the four warriors returned, who had
taken two scalps and six horses from the frontiers of Pennsyl-
vania. Th? hunters could then scatter out a considerable dis-
tance from the winter cabin and encamp, kill meat, and bri.ig
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 car-
rying 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.

17*

198

COLONEL SMITH'S CAt'TIVITV.

V s

i ;

The way wc cominoiily \\>v(\ our sn'j:iir while e(ifarii|)( d wan
by pullintj; it in bcar'^ tai until lln- I'iii was nlino-l a^s >uri'i us
the •«ii;.'-ar ilscH', and in iliis we dijtped our loa.sled \cni>c)n.
Ahout this titno .some ol' ihe Indian ladx rind inysell' were i-ni-
ph)yed in nialvini; and attending traps for catching ruccimn.'s,
foxes, wildcals, cVc.

As llie raccoon is ii kind of water uniinal, that frei|uents the
runs, or .small water courses, ahnost the whole niy:ht, we made
our traps on the runs, hy laying one small sapling on anoiher,
and driving in posts to keep them from rolling. The under
saj)ling we raised ahoul eighteen iiu'hes, and set so that on
the raccoon's t(tuching a string, or a small piece of hark, the
feaj)ling would fall and kill it; and lest the raiioon should puss
by, we laid brush on both sides of the run, oidy leaving the
channel open.

The fox traps we made nearly in the same manner, ai the
end of a hollow log, or opposite to a hole at the root of a hol-
low tree, and put venison on a slick for bail ; we had it so set
that when the fox took hold of the irieal the trap fell. While
the squaws were employed in making sugar, the boys and men
were engaged in huntii.g and trapping.

About the latter end of March, we began to prepare for
moving into town, in order to plant corn. The scpjaws were
then frying the last of their bear's fat, and nuiking vessels to
hold it: the vessels were made of deer-skins, which were
skinned by pulling the skin off the neck, without rippitig.
After they had taken off the hair, they gathered it in small
plaits round tlie neck and with a siring drew it together like a
purse; in the centre a j)in was put, below \vliich they tied a
String, and v/hile it was wet they blew it up like a bladder,
and let it remain in this manner until it was dry, when it ap-
peared nearly in the shape of a sugar loaf, but more rouiiding
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. In this route the land is chiefly first and
second rate ; but too much meadow ground, in proportion to
the upland. The timber is white ash, elm, black oak, cherry,
buckeye, sugar tree, lynn, mulberry, beech, white oak, hick-
ory, wild apple tree, red haw, black haw, and spicewood bushes.
There is in some places spots of beech limber, which spots
may be called third rate land. Buckeye, sugar tree and spice-
wood are common in the woods here. There is in some
places large swamps too wet for any use.

On our arrival at the falls, (as we had brought with us on

[)( (1 was

svvt'cl as

\('iM>on.

raccouii.'s,

iciits the

\v>' iiiiule

aiKitlior,

ilO UluliT

) that oil
hark, the
ouKI pass
iivin<; the

.T, a I I ho

ol a hol-

. it !«») set

. While

ami men

ejiare for

ivvs wore

vessels to

ich w(^re

, rip)Hi)g.

in Mimll

tr like a

;y tied a

bladder,

ell it ap-

•oiihding

)()ut lour

leir bear's

e falls of
(lr^t and

)ortit)ii to
, cherry,
ak. hick-

d bushes.

ich spots

11 id spice-
in some

ith us on

COL(».\KL SMITH'S CArTIVI'lV.

199

horseback about two huiidrrd uiml'Iii of >u«jar, a larcie (piaii-
tity of bear's oil, skiii>. \t".,) the t-aiioc wo had buri»'d is
not .sudiciciil to carry iiH ; lh>T<'f(»rt' wo were obli-^'-cd to make
anolhiT oiif of clin bark. While Wf lay lure, a young Wy-
andot faiiiiil my bunks. ()ii ilii- they ctdlcctt'd lo'jether; I was
a little way from tlio camp, and saw the collfclion, but did not
know what it mraiit. Tliry calli-d iru' liy uiy Indian name,
which was Scoouwa, r<'pcatf(||y. I ran to soo what was ihr>
matter; thi'y showed nif my books, ami >aid tiny v.i'rr (.rjjKJ
they had brcn found, for they km-w I was grieved at the los.s
of them, and that they now rejoiced with me becaii-^e they
Were found. As 1 cotild ilii'M speak some Indian, especially
Caiiehin'waga, (for both that and the Wyandot tongue were
spoken in this camp,) I told them that 1 thanked them lor 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 mindi. They then showed how they lay, which was
in the best manner to turn rill' the water. In a deer-skin pouch
they lay all winter. The print was not nuudi injured, though
the binding was. This was the first time that I felt my heart
warm towards tlu; Indians. Thoni;li ihey had Ijeeii exceed-
ingly kind to me, I still before detested them, on account of
the barbarity I beheld after liraddock's defeat. NeitluT had I
ever before preleiuled kindness, or expressed mys(df in a
friendly manner; but I began now to excuse the Indians on
account of their want of information.

When we were ready to embark, Tontileaugo would not go
to town, but go up the river, and take a hunt. He asked me
if I choosed to go with him. I told him I did. We then got
SOUK! sugar, bear's oil bottled ii|) in a bear's gut, jind some dry
venison, Avhich we paidced iij), and w>rit up C'anevadoohario,
ahoul thirty miles, and encamped. At this lime I did not
know either the day of the week or the month ; but I sup-
posed it to he about the lirsi of April. We had considerable
success in our business. We also found some stray horses, or
a horse, mare, and a young coll; and thouirh they had run in
the woods all winter, they were in exceeding good order.
There is plenty of grass here all winter, under the snow, and
horses accustomed to the woods can work it out. These horses
had run in the woods until they were very wild.

Tontileaugo one night coiududed that we must run them
down. I told him I thouehi we could not accomplish it. He
.said he had run down bears, buffaloes, and elks ; and in the
great plains, with only a small snow on the grotind, he had run
down a deer ; and he thought that in one whole day he could
tire or nin down any four-footed animal except a wolf. I told

»i m

200

COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTIVITY.

him that though a deer was the swiftest animal to ran a short
distance, yet it would tire sooner than a horse. lie said he
would at all events try the experiment. He had hefrd the
VVyandots say that I could run well, and now he would see
whether I could or not. .1 told him that I never had run all
day, and of course was not accustoined to that way of miming'.
1 never had run with the Wyandoto more than seven or eight
miles at one time. Ke said that was nothing, we must either
catch these horses or run all day.

In the morning early we left camp, and about sunrise we
started after them, stripped naked excepting breech-clouts and
moccasins. About ten o'clock I lost sight of both Tontileaugo
and the horses, and did not see them again until about three
o'clock in the afternoon. As the horses run all day in about
three or four miles sc^uare, at length they passed where I was,
and I fell In close after them. As I then had a long rest, I
endeav^ored to ivoep ahead of Tontileaugo, and after some time
I could hear him after me calling chakoh, chakoanaiigh, which
signifies, pull away or do your best. We pursued on, and after
some lime Tontileaugo passed me, and about an hour before
sundown we despaired of catching these horses, and returned
to camp, where we had left our clothes.

I reminded Tontileaugo of what I had told him; he replied
he did not know what horses could do. They are wonderful
strong to run ; but withal we made them very tired. Tonti-
leaugo tiien concluded he would do as the Indians did Avith
wild horses when out at war : which is to shoot them through
the neck under the mane, and above the bone, which will
cause them to fall and lie until they can halter them, and then
they recover again. This he attempted to do ; but as the
mare was very wild, he could not get sufficiently nigh to shoot
her in the proper place ; howf ^er, he shot, the ball passed too
low, and killed her. As the horse and colt stayed at this
place, we caught the horse, and took him and the colt with us
to camp.

We stayed at this camp about iwo weeks, and killed a num-
ber 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; whilst 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.

The river is very rapid for some distance above the falls,
which are about twelve or fifteen feet, nearly perpendicular.
This river, called Canesadooharie, interlocks with the West
Branch of Muskingum, runs nearly a north course, and emp-

■1^

m a short
Ic said he
ho?rd the
vould see
id run all
r running,
n or eight
mst eilher

sunrise we
clouts and
ontilcaugo
ibout three
,y in about
lere I was,
.ong rest, I
some time
igh, which
1, and after
lour before
id returned

he replied

wonderful
d. Tonti-
;is did with
!m through
which will
1, and then
but as the
ofli to shoot

passed too
/cd at this

olt with us

ed a num-
de a canoe
arrived at,
ick, with a
and to the
carried our

the falls,
pendicular.

the West
J, and einp-

COLONEL SMITHS CAPTIVITY.

201

ties into the south side of lake Erie, about eight miles east
from Sandusky, or betwixt Sandusky and Cayabaga.

On this last route the land is nearly tbe same as that last
described, only there is not >(> much swainpy or wet o-rouiid.

We again proceeded loward:5 \\\v lake, 1 on borsel)ack, and
Tontilear.LTO , water. Here the land is generally good, but
I found some ditiicu.(y in getting round swamps and ponds.
Wheu we came to tbe lake, 1 proceeded ixUnv^ ibe strand, and
Tonlileaugo near ibe sbore, somelimes piuklling, ;uui some-
times poleing bis canoe aUjug.

After some lime tbe wind arose, and be went into ibe moiilb
of a small ''reek and encamped. Mere we slaid several days
on accomil of bigb wind, wbicb raised tbe lake in great bil-
lows. Willie we were here, Tonlileaugo went out to bunl,
and wben be was gone a Wyandot came to our camp; 1 gave
bim a sboulder of venison wbicb 1 bad by tbe lire well roasted,
and be received it giadly, told me be was hungry, and tbaidced
me bn- my kindness. W'ben Tonlileaugo came borne, 1 told
him that a Wyandot bad been at camp, and ibat I gave him a
shoulder of roasted venison ; be 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 1 did not ; as tbe sugar and bear's oil
was down in tbe canoe I iliil not go for it. He replied, you
have bebaved just bkc a Dutchman.^ Do you not know that
wben strangers come to our can\p we ought always to give
them tbe best ibat we have? I acknowledged tbat 1 was wrong.
He said tbat be could excuse tins, as 1 was but young; but I
nmst learn to bebave like a warrior, and do great tilings, and
never be found in any such little actions.

The lake being again calni,t we proceeded, and arrived safe
at Sunyendeand, wbicb was a Wyandot town tbat lay upon a
small creek wbicb eniplies into tbe lillle lake below tbe mouth
of Sandusky.

Tbe town was about eighty rood above tbe moutb of the
creek, on the south siile of a larii:e plain, o.' wbicb lindjcr
grew, and notbing more but grass or nellies. In some places
there were large flats wberc notbing but grass grew, about
tbree feet high when grown, and in otber places nothing but

nettles, very rank, where the soil is extremely ric.i and loose;
here they planted corn. In ibis town there Avere also French

trad(

and 1

ur, a

we a

11 "Ot

new

ers, who purcliased our skms
clothes, paint, tobacco, &;c.

* Tho Dutch ho called Skoharchtuigo, which look its derivation Irom a
Dutch seUlcineiit c-allod Skoha'.ey.

t The lake, when calm, appears to be of a sky-blue color ; though when
lified in a vessel it is like other clear water.

i i

Pi i-
!!

202

COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTIVITY.

After I had got my new clothes, and my head done off like
a red-headed woodpecker, 1, in company with a number of
youniif Indians, went down to the corn-field to see the sqnaAVS
at work. When we came there they asked me to take a hoe,
which I did, and hoed for some time. The scjuaws applauded
me as a good hand at the business ; but when 1 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 inust
not hoe corn like a squaw. They never had occasion to
reprov^e me for any thing 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 winuT hunt bring
in witji them large quantities of bear's oil, sugar, dried veni-
son, &c,, 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 sup])er ; 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 thi best ; and with them it is bad
manners to refuse to eat when it is ottered. 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 invited
them.

At this time homony, 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 homony by itself, without bread,
salt, or any thing else; yet still they invite every one that
comes in to eat whilst they have any thing to give. It is
thought a shame not to invite people to eat while they have
any thing; but if they can in truth only say we have got
nothing to cat, 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 resem-
bling 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, cnWluii:, kits, hits,
hits, honesty, honescy, rago, I'ago ; 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 beat-
ing tlieir 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

COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTIVITY.

203

Dne off like
number of
the squaAVS
take a hoe,
s applauded
returned to
hid nie, and
1, and must
occasion to
never was
eir orders.
■ hunt bring-
dried veni-
spare eating
on as quick
fular meals,
Ml the town
in one day,
em it is bad
liey will not
, or that the
who invited

jar's oil and
at they offer
and so they
re all rrone,
ihout bread,
ry one that
fjive. It is
e they have
,'e have got
)ology. All
It six weeks
•, g'oing' from
^ame resem-
plum-stones
nd the other
ig, hits, hits,
s calling for
cy then turn
e were beat-
employed in
; and others
me was also
e chiefs, and

as many others as chose, attended ; and nl niirht they were
frequently (Muployed in sitiging and dancing. Towards the
last of this time, which was in June, 17-3(5, they were all en-
gaged in preparing to go to war against the frontiers of Vir-
ginia. When they were equipped, they went through their
ceremonies, siuig their war-songs, &c. They ;ill marched off,
from fifteen to sixty years of age ; and some boys, only twelve
years old, were e([uipped with their l»ows and arrows, and
went to war; so that none were left in town but s(iuaws an.d
children, except myself, one very old man, and another, about
fifty years of age, who was lame.

The Indians w'ere then in great hopes that they would drive
all the Virginians over the lake, which is all the name they
know for the sea. Tliey had some cause for this hope, be-
cause, at this time, the Americans were altogether unac-
quainted with war of any kind, and conse(iuently very unfit to
stand their hand with such subtle enemit's as the Indians were.
The two old Indians asked me if I did not thirds that the
Indians and French would subdue all America, except New-
England, which they said they had tried in old times. I told
them 1 thought not. They said they had already drove them
all out of the mountains, and had chiefly laid waste the great
valley betwixt the North and South mountain, from Potomac
to James river, which is a considerable part of the best land
in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, and that the white
peo[)ie appeared to them like fools ; they could neither guard
against surjirise, run, nor fight. These, they said, were their
reasons for saying that they would subdue the whites. They
asked me to otter my reasons for my opinion, and told me to
speak my mind freely. I told them that the white people to
the east were very numerous, like the trees, and though they
appeared to them to be fools, as they were not ac([uainted with
their way of war, yet they were not fools ; therefore, after some
time, they will learn your mode of war, and turn upon you, or
at least defenil themselves. I found that the old men them-
selves did not believe they could conquer America, yet they
were wilting to propagate the idea in order to encourage the
young men to go to war.

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 homony ; this they
boiled in water, which appeared like well thickened soup,
without salt or any thing else. For some time we had plenty
of this kind of homony ; at length we were brought to very
short allowance, and as the warriors did not return as soon as
they expected, we were in a starving condition, and but one

Ill

204

COLONEL SMITH'S CAniVITY.

gun in the town, and vpry little ammunition. The old lame
Wyandot conchided tiiat lie would vo a liuntint^ in a canoe,
and take ine with hiu), and try to kill dfcr in the water, as it
was then waterinti: time. We went up Sandu.-k'y a few miles,
then turned up a creek and mcanipfd. \V^.> had liyhts pre-
pared, as we were to huiU in the nii;ht. an*! also a piece of
bark and sonu; l)ushes set up in the canoe, in order to conceal
ours(dves from the deer. A little boy that was with us held
the liijht; I worked the canoe, and the old man, who had his
gun loaded with lar^e 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 war-
riors had come in, and brought with them on horseback a
quail ity of meat. These warriors had divided into different
parties, and all struck at dilferent places in Augusta county.
They brought in with them a considerable number of scalps,
prisoners, Jiorses, and other plunder. One of the parties
brought in with them one Artlmr Campbell, that is now Colo-
nel Cam])bell, who lives on Holston river, near the Royal
Oak. As the Wyandots at Sunyendeand and those at JDe-
troit were connected, i\lr. Cam{)bell was taken to Detroit;
but he remained some time with me in this town. His com-
pany was very agreeable, and I was sorry when he left me.
During his stay at Sunyendeaiul 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 man that he
bear the yoke in his youth." He said we ought to be re-
signed 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.

, There was a number of prisoners bronglit in by these
parties, and when they were to run the gauntlet I went and
told them how they were to act. One John Savage was
brought in, a middle-aged man, or about forty years old. He
was to run the gauntlet. I told him what he had to do; and
after this I fell into one of the ranks with the Indians shouting
and yelling like them; and as they were not very severe on
him, as he passed me, I hit him with a piece of pumpkin,
which pleased the Indians much, but hurt my feelings.

About the lime that these warriors came in, the green corn

COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTIVITY.

205

"he old lame
in u canoe,
water, as it
a fow miles,
1 \\<j\\\< pre-
^o a \)iece of
tr to conceal
,vitli us held
who had his
ie deer, fired,
^ night. We
r returned to
I.

\g bitterly on
;e had taken,
L was divided
mediately set
rt of thd war-
horseback a
into diderent
pusia county,
ber of scalps,
the parties
IS now Colo-
IV the Royal •
those at De-
1 to Detroit;
n. His com-
1 he left me.
ny Bible, and
read. One
man that he
n-ht to be re-
now bearing
d to be then

in by these
et I went and
Savage was
oars old. He
lul to do ; and
ians shouting
ery severe on
? of pumpkin,
elings.
he green corn

was beginning to be of use, so that we had either green corn
or venison, and sometiines both, whioh was, comparatively,
high living. Wiien we couhl iiave pk'uty of ufreen corn, or
roasting ears, the hunters became lazy, and spent their time,
as already mentioned, in singing and dancing, cVc, They ap-
peared to be fnllilling the scriptures beyond tho^e who juofess
to believe them, in that of taking no thought of to-morrow ;
and also in living in love, peace, and friendshij) together,
without disputes. In this respect they shame those who pro-
fess Christianity.

In this manner we lived until October; then the geese,
swans, ducks, cranes, ice, came from the north, ajid alighted
on this little lake, without number, or innumerable. Sunyen-
deand is a remarkable place for hsh in the spring, and fowl
both in the fall and spring.

As our hunters were uow 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 homony 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 homony 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 Cayahaga. 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 con-
sider of this. Ho 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 broi'ier Tecaugh-
retanego (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 pleaserV and if I staid
he would use me as he had done. I told hnu 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 i

h i

206

COLOXEL SMFTirS CAPTIVITY

I then u'ciit with Tfi-auL^lirotaiioiro to ilip inouth of tlie
little laki', where he met with the company he mteiuled pning
wiih, wliich was composfd of Cai:<jhnr\va<4;is and Ottawas.
Here 1 was iiitroihiced to a Caiii^hmnvar^a si>t,er, and others
I had never hefore :^eeii. My .sister's name vrab Mary, which
they pronou!iccd Ma?'////. J aslced Tecaun'liretaiien'o how it
caine that slie had an Eiiuli>li name. He said tliat he did not
know that it Avas an English name ; but it was th(.' name the
priest gave her when she Avas baptized, which he said was
the name of the motlier of Jesus. He said there were a gvnai
manv of the Cann^hncwajras and Wvandots that were a kind
of half Roman Catholics; but as for himself, he said, that
the priest and him could not agree, as they held notions ihat
contradicted both sense and reason, and had the assurance to
tell him that the book of God taug-ht them these foolish ab-
surdities : but he conld not believe the great and good S]niit
ever taught them any such nonsense ; and therefore he con-
cluded that the Indians' old religion was better than this new
way of worshipping God.

The Ottawas have a very useful kind of tents Avhich they
carry with them, made of flags, plaited and stitched together
in a very artful mann-^r, so as to turn rain or wind well — each
mat is made fifteen feet long, and about five feet broad. In
order to erect this kind of tent, they cut a number of long
straight poles, which they drive in the ground, in form of a
circle, leaning inwards ; then they spread the mats on these
poles, beginning at the bottom and extending up, leaving
only a hole in the top uncovered, and this hole answers the
place of a chimney. They make a fire of dry split wood in
the middle, and spread down bark mats and skins for bedding,
on which they sleep in a crooked posture all round the fire,
as the length of their beds will not admit of stretching them-
selves. In place of a door they lift up one end of a mat and
creep in, and let the mat fall down behind them.

These tents are w\arm and dry, and tolerably clear of smoke.
Their lumber they keep under birch-bark canoes, which they
carry out and turn up for a shelter, where they keep every
thing from the rain. Nothing is in the tenis but themselves
and their bedding.

This company had four birch canoes and four tents. We
were kindly received, and they gave us plenty of homony,
and wild fowl boilet and roasted. As the geese, ducks,
swano, &c., here are well grain-fed, they were remarkably
fat, especially the green-necked ducks.

The wild fowl here feed upon a kind of wild rice that

nuth of the

liiltMl L^ninrj-

id Olliiwas.

and others

lary, which

KV'^o how it

I lir (lid not

ic name the

le siiid Avas

verc a qroai

were a kind

said, that

notions ihat

ssu ranee to

3 foolish ab-

good Sp.iit

"ore he con-

an this new

Avhich they
ed together

well — each

broad. In
iber of long
n form of a
Its on these

up, leaving
answers the
plit wood in
for bedding,
md the hre,
ching them-
f a mat and

ir of smoke,
which they
keep every

, themselves

tents. "We

of homony,

;ese, ducks,

remarkably

COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTIVITY.

207

nee

that

grows spontaneously in the shallow water, or wet places along
thj sides or in the corners of the lakes.

As the wind was hiirh and we could not proceed on our
voyage, we remained here several days, and killed abundance
of wild fowl, and a numh(M' of raccoons.

When a company of Indians are moving together on the
lak. , a'^ it is at this f'me of the year often dangerous sailing,
the old n'len hold a council ; and when they agree to emi»ark,
every one is eniraged immediately in making ready, without
offering one word against the measure, though the lake may
be boisterous and horrid. One morning, tlioun:h the wind ap-
peared to me to be as high as in days ]>ast, and the billows
rajTing, yet the call was given yoholi-ijoJiok^ which was ([uickly
answered by all — ooh-onh, which signifies agreed. We were
all instantly engaged in preparing to start, and had considera-
ble diilicultif's in embarking.

As soon as we got into our canoes we fell to paddling with
till our mi^fht, 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, v/e 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 accom-
plished 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 UP to land, though the wind was high and the lake rough,
yet, as it w^as 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 an-
swered the purpose very well,) and went on for some lime
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 con-
siderably 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 wc
were nearer the rock, we were obliged to lower our sails, and

208

COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTIVITY.

paddle with all our uiii^Iil. With much diHunilty we cleared
nurse, ves of the rock, and landed. As the ollu-r canoes had
landed before us, there were immediately runners sent off to
see if we were all .safely landed.

This niiiht the wind ftdl, and the next morninir tuo lake
was tolerably calm, and we eiidjarUed without dilliculty, and
paddled alon<^ near the shore, until we came to the mouth of
Cayaha;[>-a, which empties into lake Erie on the south side,
betwi.xt Canesadooharic! and Presq' Isle.

We turned up Cayalian^a and encamped, where we staid
and liunted for several days; and so we kept moving and
hunting until we came to the forks of Cayahaga.

This is a very gentle river, and but few ripples, or swift
running places, from the mouth to the forks. Deer hero were
tolerably plenty, laroe and fat ; but bear and other game
scarce. The upland is hilly, and principally second and third
rate land ; the timber chiefly black oak, white oak, hickory,
dogwood, &c. The bottoms are rich and large, and the tim-
ber is walnut, locust, mulberry, sugar-tree, red haw, black haw,
wild apple-trees, &c. The West Branch of this river interlocks
with the East Branch of Muskingum, and the East Branch
with the Big Beaver creek, that empties into the Ohio about
thirty miles below Pittsburgh.

From the forks of Cayahaga to the East Branch of Musk-
ingum there is a carrying place, where the Indians carry
their canoes, &c., from the waters of lake Erie into the wa-
ters of the Ohio.

From tne forks I went over with some hunter.^ to the East
Branch of Muskingum, where they killed several deer, a num-
ber of beavers, and returned heavy laden with skins and meat,
which we carried on our backs, as we iiad no horses.

The land here is chiefly second and third rate, and the tim-
ber chiefly oak and hickory. A little above the forks, on the
East Branch of Cayahaga, are considerable rapids, very rocky
for some distance, but no perpendicular falls.

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 lar<,e rolls
that extended up above their heads, and though a great bulk,
yet not heavy. We steered about a south-east course, and
could not march over ten miles per day. At night we lodged
in our flag tents, which, Avhen 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 win-

COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTIVITY.

209

>ve cleared
anocs luul
sent oil' to

T tiiC lake
iciilly, utul
; uioulh of
50Utli side,

3 we staid
lovinrr and

IS, or swift
hero were
ither i^ame
I and third
k, hickory,
lid the tim-
hh)ck liaw,
r interhicks
ast Branch
Ohio about

1 of Musk-
ians carry
to the wa-

to the East
er, a nurn-

i and meat,
s.

nd the tim-

irks, on the
very rocky

eparing for
usual hung
^'he squaws

lar«,e rolls
great bulk,
course, and

we lodged
arly in the
etor at the

3, and wiii-

tered in these tents, on the waters of Beaver creek, near a little
lake or large poiu', which is about two miles long and out
broad, and a remarkable place for beaver.

It is a received opinion among the Indians that the geese
turn to beavers, and the snakes to raccoons; and though Te-
caughretanego, who was a wisv- man, was not fully persuaded
that this was true, yet he seemed in some; measure to be car-
ried away with this whimsical notion. He said that this pond
had been always a great plac<; for l)eaver. Though he said
he knew them to be frecpieiuiy all killed, (as he thought,) yet
the next winter they would l)e as plenty as ever. Ami as the
beaver was an animal that did not travel by Innd, and there
being no water communication to or from this pond, how
could s'; di 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.

I said, that though there was no water communication in or
out of this pond, yet it appeared that it was fed by springs, as
it was always clear, and never stagnated ; and as a very large
spring rose about a mile below this pond, it was likely that
tliis spring came from this pond. In the fall, when this spring
is comparatively low, there would be air under ground sufTi-
cient for the beavers to breathe in, with their heads above
water, for they cannot live long under water, and so they
might have a subterraneous passage by water into this pond.
Tecaup-'.iretanego granted that it might be so.

About the sides of this pond there grew great abundance of
cranberries, which the Indians gathered up on the ice when
the pond was frozen over. These berries were about as large
as rifle bullets, of a bright red color, an agreeable sour,
though rather too sour of themselves, but when mixed with
sugar had a very agreeable taste.

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 oi 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 ap-
pearance of fish ; I afterwards made an experiment on a pet
beaver which we had, and found that it would neither eat fish

18*

:>r-

QIO

COLONEL SMITHS CAPTIVITY.

nor flesh ; therefore I arknowlcdgccl thai the book 1 had road
was wron;,^,

I asked ' 'm if ilic beaver was an amphibious animal, or if it.
couhl live 'er water. He said that the beaver was a kind
of sublerrai. s water aninml thaf, lives in or near the water ;
but they were no more amj)inl)ious than the ducks and cfeese
were, which was constantly proven to be tlie case, as all the
beavers that are cauj^ht in steel traps arc drowned, provided
the trap he heavy cnoutrh to keep them under water. As the
beaver does not eat fish, I iufjuired of Tecau^-hretaneo;o why
the beaver made such large dams. He said ihey were of use
to them in various respects — both for their safety and food.
For their safety, as by raising the water over the niouths of
their holes, or subterraneous lodging places, ihey could not be
easily found ; and as the beaver feeds chiefly on the bark of
trees, by raising the water over the banks ihey can cut down
saplings for bark to feed upon without going out much upon
the land ; and when they are obliged to go out on land for
this food they frequently are caught by the wolves. As the
beaver can run upon land but little faster than a water tortoise,
and is no fighting animal, if they are any distance from the
water they become an easy prey to their enemies.

I asked Tecaughretanego what was the use of the beavers'
stones, or glands, to them ; as the she beaver has two pair,
which is commonly called the oil stones, and the bark stones.
He said that as the beavers are the dumbest of all animals,
and scarcely ever make any noise, and as they were working
creatures, they made use of this smell in order to work in
concert. If an old beaver was to come on the bank and rub
his breech upon the ground, and raise a perfume, the others
will collect from different places and go to work : this is also
of use to them in travelling, that they may thereby search out
and find their company. Cunning hunters, finding this out,
have made use of it against the beavers, in order to catch
them. What is the bait which you see them make use of but
a compound of the oil and bark stones ? By this perfume,
which is only a false signal, they decoy them to the trap.

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
malls and handspikes, and break all the hollow ice, to prevent
them from getting their heads above the water under it. Then

COLONEL SMITH'S CATTIVITV.

211

k I had reud

liiiial, or if it
r was a kind
ir the water ;
ks and gccse
!(', as all the
icd, provided
iter. As the
etanego wliy

were of use
ety and food,
le mouths of

could not l)c
I the bark of
:an cut down
I much upon
I on land for
ves. As the
vater tortoise,
ince from the

the beavers'
las two pair,
! bark stones.
' all animals,
were working
r to work in
bank and rub
ne, the others
: this is also
by search out
ding this out,
)rder to catch
ike use of but
this perfume,
the trap.
I. Before the
)den and steel
le ice. Some
ve in ; and in
in the banks,
ice of hunting
3, we go with
ice, to prevent
ider it. Then

we break a \\o\r in the house, atid llicy make lln-ir esrapo into
the water; hut as they cannot live loni^r uiidiT water, they are
ohliued to go to some of those broken places to breathe, and
the Indi.ins tonuuonly put in tlieir hands, catch them by the
hind leLT, haul iheni on the ice, and lonialiawk tiiem. Some-
times 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
nuirh of a bitinir creiilure ; yet if they would catch them by
the fore foot they would bite.

I wtmt 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,
thouLrh there was now. a crust upon it; we all n)ade 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 bov^ arrows, and tomahawk with
me, and no way to strike fire, . 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 dr
place, and the hollow about three feet diameter, and hig
enough for me to stand in. f found that there was also a
considerable quantity of soft, dry rotten wood around this hol-
low ; 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 oflf my blanket, (which was all the clothes that I had,
excepting a Lrt ech-clout, leggins and moccasins,) and with
my tomahawk .ell 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, except-
ing a hole I had left to creep in at. I had a block prepared that
I ould haul after me to stop this hole ; and before I went
in I put in a number of small sticks that I might more efTec-
tually stop it on the inside. When I went in, I took my toma-
hawk and cut down all the dry rotten wood I could get, and

212

COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTIVITY.

bent if strmll. With it I uv.uU' ii IxmI like a ^'ooso-nost or hog-
bod, iuid willi ihr Miiiill stiiks stopped I'vry holf, until iny
houso was iih)U)«l (hirk. I stripped oil' my moccasins, and
duncod in thi' ct'iure of my bed, lor jihoul hall' iin hour, in
order to warm myself. In this time my feel and whole body
were atrreeably warmeil. The snow, in the meijii while, had
Stopped all the hoh'.s, so thai ujy house was as dark as a duji-
goon, tliough 1 knew it could not yet be dark out of doors. I
then coiled mys(df up in my blanket, lay down in my little
round bed, and had a tolerable night'n lodfjinvf. When I
awoke all was dark — not the least glimmcrin<r of lij^rjit was to
be seen. Immediately I recollected that I was not to expect
liglit in this new habitation, us there was neither door nor
window in it. As I could hear the storm raging, and did not
sulfer much cold as I was then situated, 1 concluded 1 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 moccasins, which I had laid under my head to keep from
freezing. I then endeavored to lind 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 quan-
tity 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 a while, and then
prayed to Almighty God to direct and protect me as ho 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
sno^ had fallen, above what I had ever seen in one night. 1
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 north-west 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

COLONEL SMITH'S CArTIVITY.

213

nost or hog-
i|i>, until my
'casiiis, ami
at) hour, ill
whole l)u(ly
\ wliili', had
k as a (luti-
of doors. I
ill my little
r. When 1
lig-ht was to
lot lo expect
er door nor
ami did not
(led 1 would
When I had
• and put on
lo keep from
id had to do
e time. At
. larc^e quan-
npt I did not
dships I had
hus deprived
attending it,
ain, wrapped
le, and then
e as he had
ve away the
nine inches,
from above,
a very great
ne night. I
k, and I was
3r difficulties
ind returned
It of heaven,
y tomahawk,

he snow had
t was on the
d in order to
3SS generally
! straight. I
ibout twelve
to night, for

it was yet iloiidy) I cam*' upon the creek that our camp was
on, ahoiil hall a mile helow the camp ; and when I came in
sight of the camp, I found that there was great joy, hy the
shouts and yelliiiL' of the hoys, Hic.

When I arrived, they all came round me, :iml received mo
gladly ; hut at this lime no rpu^slions w(^re askr-d, and 1 was
taken iuio a lent, where? they L'ave me pleiitv <»f till heaveT
meat, and then asked m<; to smoke. When [ had done, Te-
cauLriireianeno desired me to walk out to a lire they had made.
I wi'Ml out, and they all colltvied round me, hoth men, woiihmi,
and hoys. Tei'au'^hn'ianeeo asked me to uive them a particu-
lar accoinit of what Inid happened from the time they left mc
yesterday iintil now. 1 told them the whoh; of the story, and
they never interru|)te(| me ; hut when I made a stop, the inter-
vals were lilled wiih loud acclaniaiions of joy. As I could not
at this time talk Ottawa or Jihewa well, (which is nearly the
same,) I (Udivered my story in Cauu:hnewaL'"a. As my sister
Molly's hiishand was a Jihewa, and couM unihTstand Caugh-
newaga, he acted as interpreter, and delivered my story to the
Jihewas and Ottawas, which they received with pleasure.
When all this was done, Tecaughretanego made a speech to
me ill the following manner :

" Urofhrr, — You see we have prepared snow-shoes to go
after you, and were almost ready to go when you appeared;
yet, as you had not been accustomed lo hardships in your coun-
try, lo the east, we never expected to sec you alive. Now we
are glad to s(>e you in various respects : we are glad to see
you on your own account; and we are fj^lad to see the prospect
of your lilling the place of a great man, in whose room you
were adopted. We do not blame you for what has happened,
we blame ourselves; because we did not think of this driving
snow filling up the tracks, until after we caino to camp.

^^ Brother, — Your conduct on this occasion hath pleased us
much ; you have given us an evidence of your fortitude, skill,
and resolution ; and we hope you will always go on to do
great actions, as it is only great actions that can make a great
man."

I told my brother Tecaughretanego that I thanked them for
their care of me, and for the kindness I always received. I
told him that I always wished to do great actions, and hoped I
never would do any thing to dishonor anv of those with whom
I was connected. 1 likewise told my Jibewa brother-in-law to
tell his people that I also thanked them for their care and
kindness.

The next morning some of the hunters went out on snow-
shoes, killed several deer, and hauled some of them into camp

'Hi

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\ '

iffi

it :

1 1

214

COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTIVITY.

upon the snow. They fixed their carryinijf strings (which arc
broad in the middle and small at each end) in the fore feel
and nose of the deer, and laid the broad part of it on their
heads or about their shoulders, and pulled it along; and when
it is moving, will not sink in the snow much deeper than a
snow-shoe ; and when taken with the grain of the hair, slips
along very easily.

The snow-shoes are made like a hoop-net, and wrought with
buckskin thongs. Each shoe is about two feet and a half long,
and about eighteen inches broad before, and small behind, with
cross-bars, in order to fix or tie them to their feet. After the
snow had lain a few days, the Indians tomahawked the deer,
by pursuing them in this maimer.

About two weeks after this there came a warm rain, and
took away the chief part of the snow, and broke up the ice ;
then we engaged in making wooden traps to catch beavers, as
we had but few steel traps. These traps arc made nearly in
the same manner as the raccoon traps already described.

One day, as I was looking after my traps, I got benighted,
by beaver ponds intercepting my way to rnmp; nnd ns 1 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 thpt 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 v/hen
the sun shined. By being bewildered on the waters of Musk-
ingum, 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 scafTolded up our fur and skins,

est

li ^

COLONEL SMITH'S CArTIVITY,

215

,'1

s (which arc
1 the fore feel
of it on their
(T ; and when
ieoper than a
the hair, slips

wrouo"ht with
d a half lono-,
1 behind, with
ct. After the
vkcd the deer,

arm rain, and
ce up the ice ;
tch beavers, as
nade nearly in
escribed,
got benighted,
; nnd ns T had

weather very
refore, the only
1 frcezino: was
jht with all my
oug-h I suffered
ay out, yet the
^ thought I had
t was, they did
kTere frequently
"ere one above
1 hard to find a
itude, and said,
vould purchase

there the next
n dark weather,

to camp v/hen
vaters of Musk-
bow and arrow,
y credit,
n, and then, as
gh beaver meat,
this winter, yet
d with my diet,
e had lived the

r fur and skins,

and moved about ten miles in qu(!St of a sugar camp, or a suit-
able place to make sugar, and encamped in a large boiiom on
the head waters of Big Beaver creek. We had some diffi-
culty in moving, as we had a blind Caughnewaga boy, about
fifteen years of age, to lead ; and as this country is very
brusliy, we frequently had him to carry. We had also my
Jibewa broiher-in-law's father wiili us, who was thought by
the Indians to be a great conjuror; his name was ]\Ianetohcoa.
This old man was so decrepit that we had to carry him this
route ujion a bier, and all our baggage to pack on our backs.

Shortly after we came to this place, the squaws began to
make sugar. We had no large kettles with us this year, and
they made the frost, in some measure, supply the place of fire,
in making sugar. Their large bark vessels, for holding the
stock water, they made broad and shallow ; and as the weather
is very cold here, it frequently freezes at night in sugar time ;
and the ice they break and cast out of the vessels. I asked
them if they w^ere not throwing away the sugar. They said
no ; it was water they were casting away; sugar did not freeze,
and there was scarcely any in that ice. They said I might
try the experiment, and boil some of it, and see what I w^ould
get. I never did try it ; but I observed that, after several times
freezing, the water that remained in the vessel changed its
color, and became brown and very sweet.

About the time we were d iie making sugar the snow went
off the ground ; and one night a squaw raised an alarm. She
said she saw two men with guns in their hands, upon the bank
on the other side of the creek, spying our tents; they were
supposed to be Johnston's Mohawks. On this the squaw's were
ordered to slip quietly out some distance into the bushes, and
all who had either guns or bows were to squat in the bushes
near the tents; and if the enemy rushed up, we wx-re to give
them the first fire, and let the squaws have an opportunity of
escaping. I got down beside T(>caughrctanego, and he whis-
pered to me not to be afraid, for he woub! speak to the Mo-
hawks, and as they spoke the same tongue that we did they
would not hurt the Caughnewagas or me ; but they would kill
all the Jibewas and Ottawas that they could, and take us along
with them. This news pleased me well, and I heartily wished
for the approach of the Mohawks.

Before we withdrew from the tents they had carrieu Mane-
tohcoa to the fire, and gave him his conjuring tools, which were
dyed feathers, the bone of the shoulder-blade of a wildcat, to-
bacco, &c. And while we were in the bushes, Manetohcoa
was in a tent at the fire, conjuring away to the utmost of his
ability. At length he called aloud for us all to come in, which

; it

< :

I «■

I :^

216

COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTIVITY.

was quickly obeyed. When wc came in ho loltl us that after
he had gone through the whole of his ceremony, and expected
to see a numb.-r of Mohawks on the flat bone when it was
warmed at the iire, the pictures of two wolves only appeared.
He said, though there were no Mohawks about, we must not
be angry with the squaw for giving a false alarm ; as she had
occasion to go out and happened to see the wolves, though it
was moonlight, yet she got afraid, and she conceited it was
Indians with guns in their hands. So he said we might all go
to sleep, for there was no danger ; and accordingly we did.

The next morning we went to the place, and found wolf
tracks, and where they had scratched with their feet like dogs ;
but there was no sign of moccasin tracks. If there is any such
thing as a wizard, 1 think Manetohcoa was as likely to be one
as any man, as he was a professed worshipper of the devil.
But let him be a conjuror or not, I am persuaded that the In-
dians believed what he told them upon this occasion, as well
as if it had come from an infallible oracle ; or they would not,
after such an alarm as this, go all to sleep in an unconcerned
manner. This appeared to me the most like witchcraft of any
thing I beheld while I was with them. Though I scrutinized
their proceedings in business of this kind, yet I generally found
that their pretended witchcraft was either art or mistaken no-
tions, whereby they deceived themselves. Before a battle they
spy the enemy's motions carefully, and when they find that
they can have considerable advantage, and the greatest prospect
of success, then the old men pretend to conjure, or to tell what
the evv^nt will be ; and this they do in a figurative manner,
which will bear something of a uiflerent interpretation, which
generally comes to pass nearly as they foretold. Therefore the
young warriors generally believed ihese old conjurors, which
had a tendency to animate and excite them to push on with
vigor.

Some time in March, 1757, we began to move back to the
forks of Cayahaga, which was about forty or fifty miles. And
as we had no horses, we had all our batrgage and several hun-
dred weight of beaver skins, and some deer and bear slcins, 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 ab' 3 to carry, about five
miles, and encamp, and then run back for more. We com-
monly 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.

While we remained here, I w^ent in company with a young
Caughnewaga, who was about sixteen or seventeen years of

COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTIVITY.

217

us that after
ind expected
when it was
ly appeared,
we must not
; as ?lie had
es, though it
!eited it was
miyht all go
y we did.
I found wolf
(et like dogs ;
'e is any such
ely to be one
of the devil.
I that the In-
ision, as well
By would not,

unconcerned
:hcraft of any

I scrutinized
iuerally found
mistaken no-

a battle they
ley find that
atest prospect
to tell Avhat
ive manner,

ation, which
herefore the

uvors, which

lush on with

back to the
miles. And

several hun-
)ear slcins, all

omplish this

lis: we would

ry, about five

We com-

we came to

5elves, and to

vith a young
een years of

age, Chinnohcto by ikimip, in order to gatlier cranborrlos. As
he was gathering Ix.-rrios at some distance from me, three Jib-
ewa squaws crept up undiscovered, and madf> at him speedily,
but he nimbly escaped, and came to me apparently terrified.
I asked him what he was afraid of. He ri^plied, did y u not
see those squaws ? I told him I did, ami they appeared to be
in a very good humor. I asked him wherefore then he was
afraid of them. He said the Jihewa scpuuvs were very bad
women, aiul iiad a very ugly custom among them. I asked
him what that custom was. He said that when two or three
of them could catch a young lad, that was betwixt a man and
a boy, out by himself, if they could overpower him, they would
strip him by force, in order to see whether lie was coming on
to be a man or not. He said that was what they intended
when they crawled up and ran so violently at him ; biU, said
he, I am very glad that I so narrowly escaped. I then agreed
with Chinnohete in condemning this as a bad custom, and an
exceedingly immodest action for young women to be ouiUy of.

From our sugar camp on the head waters of Big Beaver
creek to this place is not hilly. In some j)laces the woods are
tolerably clear, but in most places exceedingly brushy. The
land here is chiefly second and third rate. The timber on the
upland is white oak, black oak, hickory, and chesnut. There
is also in some places walnut upland, and plenty of good water.
The bottoms here are generally large and good.

We again proceeded on from the pond to the forks of Caya-
haga, at the rate of about five miles per day.

The land on this route is not very hilly; it is well watered,
and in many places ill limbered, generally brushy, and chiefly
second and third rate land, intermixed with good bottoms.

When wo came to the forks, wo found that tlie skins we had
scaflblded were all safe. Tlmugh this was a public place, and
Indians fre([uontly passing, and our skins hanging up in viow.
yet there were none stolen. And it is seldoni that Itidians do
steal any thing from one another. And they say they never
did, until the white people came amonc them, and learned
some of thorn to lie, cheat, and steal ; but be that as it may,
they never did curse or swear until the whites learned them.
Some think their language will not admit of it, but T am not
of that opinion. If I was so disposed, I could find -"nguage
to curse or swear in the Indian tf)ngue.

I remember that Tecaughretanego, when something displeas-
ed him, said, God damn it. I asked him if he knew what he
then said. He said he did, and mentioned one of their degrad-
ing expressions, which he supposed to be the meaning or
something like the meaning of what he had said. I told him
19

I'll

I ii

'ii

218

COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTIVITY.

tlirit, it (lid liol boar the Ica^^t resemblance Ut it ; tbat what ho
had said was calliii<r nj)()ii the CI real Sjiirit to punish tlie object
he was displeased with. lie stood for some time amazetl, and
then said, if this be the meaning- of these words, what sort of
people are tlic whites ? When the traders were amouir us,
these words seemed to be intern)ixed with all their discourse.
He told me to reconsider what 1 had said, for he thouyht 1
must be mistaken in my definition. If I was not mistaken, he
said, the traders apj)lied these words not only wickedly, but
oftentimes Very foolishly and contrary to sense or reason. He
said he remembered once of a trader's accidentally breaking
his gun-lock, and on that occasion callijig out aloud, God damn
it ; surely, said he, the gun-lock was not an object wonhy of
punishment for Owaneeyo, or the Great Spirit. He also ob- V

served the traders often used this expression when they were in '

a good humor, and not displeased with any thing. 1 acknow-
ledged that the traders used this expression very often, in a
most irrational, inconsisUmt, and impious manner ; yet I still
asserted that I had given the true meaning of these w^ords.
He replied, if so, the traders are as bad as Oonasahroona, or
the under ground inhabitants, which is the name they give the
deA ils, as they entertain a notion that their place of residence
is under the earth.

We took up our birch-bark canoes which we had buried, and
found that they were not damaged by the ninter ; but they
not being sufHcient to carry all that we now had, we made a
large chesnut-bark canoe, as elm bark was not to be found at
this place.

We all embarked, and had a very agreeable passage down
the Cayahaga, and along the south side of lake Erie, until
v;e passed the mouth of Sandusky ; then the wind arose, and
we fut 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, Ave again embarked, hoisted
up sails, and arrived safe at the W^yandot town, nearly oppo-
site to fort Detroit, on the north side of the river. Here we
found a number of French traders, every one very willing to i

deal with us for our beaver. *

We bojghl ourselves fine clothes, ammunition, paint, tobacco,
&c.,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 pur-
chased 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, il

but I refused the proposal ; then they told me that 1 must be

til

COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTIVITY.

219

lit what he
1 the object
luizod, and
liat ;^()rt of
anioiiir us,

di::^course.
' tliought 1
istakcn, he
ckedly, but
}ason. He
ly breaking
, God damn
t worthy of
^e also ob-
tiey were in

1 acknow-
r often, in a
; yet I still
hcse words.
?ahroona, or
ley give the
jf residence

1 buried, and

r ; but they

we made a

be found at

issage down
Erie, until
id arose, and
ke, at Cedar
ed a number
I being fair,
rked, hoisted
nearly oppo-
r. Here we
ry willing to

laint, tobacco,
? a new gun;
our beaver,
idy ; we pur-
o was to get
to get drunk,
at 1 must be

one of those who were to take care of the drunken people. I
(lid 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. Scvrral times
we hazarded our own lives, and got ourselves hurt, in prevent-
ing them from slaying each other. Before they had tlnished
this keg, near ona third of the town was introduced to this
drinking club; they could not pay their part, as they had
already disposed of nil their skins ; but that made no odds — all
Averc welcome to drink.

When they were done with this keg, they applied to the tra-
ders, and procured a kettle full of brandy at a time, which
they divided out witli a large wooden spoon ; and so they
went on, and never (|uit while they had a single lieavcr skin.

When the trader had got all our beaver, he moved otFto the
Ottawa town, about a mile above the Wyandot town.

When the brandy was gone, and the drinking club soVt,
they appeared much dejected. Some of them were crinj^i 1,
others badly wounded, a number of their fine new shirt tore,
and several blankets were burned. A number of squaws were
also in this club, and neglected their corn-planting.

We could nc'\/ hear the effects of the brandy in the Ottawa
town. They were singing and yelling in the most hideou"
manner, both night and day ; but their frolic ended worse than
ours : fiv^e 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 n.>?. The principal arguments they used were,
its being a very great ornament, and also the common fash-
ion. The former 1 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 w\as done they wrapt 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 diameter.

Many of the young men were now exercising themselves in
a game resembling foot-ball., though they commonly struck
the ball \\\\\\ a crooked stick made for that purpose ; also a
game something like this, wherein they used a wooden ball,
about three inches diameter, and the instrument they moved it

^ \\

[/ I ■t;

220

COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTIVITY.

with was a strong staff, about five feet lon^, with a hoop net on
the end of it large enough to contain the b;ill. Before they
begin the play, they lay off about half a mile distance in a
clear plain, and ihe opposite parlies all attend at the centre,
where a disinterested person casts up the ball, then the oppo-
site parties all contend for it. If any one gets it into his net,
he runs with it the way he ^\■ishes it to go, and they all pursue
him. If one of the (ipposiie 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 op])osite party, and can
carry it rpiite out. or over the line at the end, the game is won ;
but this seldom hiippens. When any one is running away
with the ball, and i« likely to l)e 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 Jinie, 1757, the warriors were preparing to
go to war, in the Wyandot, Potlowatomy, 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, &c.

On the north side of the river St. Lawrence, opposite to
fort Detroit, there is an island, which the Indians call the
Long Island, and which they say is above one thousand miles
long, and in some places above one hundred miles broad.
They further say that the great river that comes down by Can-
esatauga, and that empties into the main branch of St. Law-
rence, above Montreal, originates from one source with the St.
Lawrence, and forms this island.

Opposite to Detroit, and below it, was originally a prairie,
and laid off in lots about sixty rods broad, and a great length ;
each lot is divided into two fields, which they cultivate year
about. The princi])al grain that the French raised in these
fields was spring wheat and peas.

They built all their houses on the front of these lots on the
river-side ; and as the banks of the river are very low, some
of the houses are not above three or four feet above the sur-
face of the water; yet they are in no danger of being disturb-
ed by fresheis, as the river seldom rises above eighteen inches;

COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTIVITY.

221

>op net on
'fore they
niice in a
le centre,
the oppo-
to his net,
all pursue
rson with
the hall to
r it, and if
', and can
lie is won ;
uug away
commonly
y or sixty
2 one end,
party may
1 they will
an get the

reparing to
iva towns ;
)per lakes ;
ough their
rentiers of
\[ manner,

opposite to
IS call the
sand miles
iles broad-
vn by Can -
f St. Law-
v'ith the St.

y a prairie,
eat length ;
tivate year
ed in these

lots on the
/ low, some
)ve the sur-
ing disturb-
een inches;

because it is the communication of the river St. Lawrence,
from one lake to another.

\s dwelling-houses, barns and stables are all built on the
front of these lOts, at a distance it appears like a continued row
of houses in a town, on each side of the river, for a long way.
Those villages, the town, the river and the plams, being all in
view at once, afford a most delightful prospect.

The inhabitants here chiefly drink the river water ; and as
it cor.es from the northward, it is very wholesome.

The land here is principally second rate, and, comparatively
speaking, a small part is first or third rate ; though about four
or five miles south of Detroit there is a small portion that is
worse than what I would call third rate, which produces abun-
dance of whortleberries.

There is plenty of good meadow ground here, and a great
many mar^hes that are overspread with water. The timber is
elm, sugar-tree, black ash, white ash, abundance of water ash,
oak, hickory, and some walnut.

About the middle of June, the Indians were almost all gone
to war, from sixteen to sixty ; yet Tecatighretanego 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 acquaint-
ed 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 pro-
vision ; and though we did not commonly steal from one
another, yet we stole during this time any thing 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 the 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 inhabit-
ants.

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, r.nd a council was held, whether we should

19*

222

COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTIVITY.

.!l 1

i \'

cross throuirh by the ihreo islands, or coast it round the lake.
These islands lie in a line arross tlu^ lake, and are just in siirht
of each other. Some of the Wyandots, or Oitawas, fre(iuent-
ly make their winter hunt on these ishuuls ; though, except-
ing wiUl fowl and fish, there is scarcely any ganie here hut
raccoons, which are amazingly pl(?iity, and exceedingly large
and fat, as they feed upon tlie wild rice, which grows in
ahundance 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 raccoons every fall, and raccoons snakes every
spring. This notion is founded on observations made on the
snakes and raccoons in this island.

As the raccoons here lodge in rocks, the trappers make their
wooden traps at the mouth of the holes ; and as they go daily
to look at their traps, in the winter season, they commonly find
tliem filled with raccoons ; but in the spring, or when the frost
is out of the ground, they say, they then find their traps filled
with large rattlesnakes ; and therefore conclude that the rac-
coons are transformed. They also say that the reason why
they are so remarkably plenty in the winter, is, every fall the
snakes turn raccoons again.

I told them that though I had never landed on any of ihese
islands, yet, from the unanimous accounts I had received, I
believed that both snakes and raccoons were plenty there ; but
no doubt they all remained there both summer and winter,
Qnly the snakes were not to be seen in the latter ; yet I did
not believe that they were transmigratory.

These islands are but seldom visited; because early in the
spring, and late in the fall, it is dangerous sailing in their bark
canoes ; and in the summer they are so infested with various
kinds of serpents, (but chiefly rattlesnakes,) that it is danger-
ous landing.

I shall now quit this digression, and return to the result of
the council at the mouth of the river. 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 con-
cluded we would take a driving hunt in concert and in part-
nership.

The river in this place is about a mile broad, and as it and
the lake forms 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

■■

the lake.

>;t in si<j;ht

i're(iue!it-

1, oxcppl-

here but
igly lar<;''e
grows in

said that
raccoons,
he snakes
any of the
kes every
ide on the

make their
\y go daily
monly find
m the frost
traps filled
lat the rac-
reason why
ery fall the

ny of these
received, 1
there; but

md winter,
yet I did

early in the
n their bark
;ith various
is danger-

le result of
ded to coast
le mouth of
t, where we
1, and con-
md in part-

d as it and

a point, all

river, and

When we

)ther, but as

COLONEL S3IlTirS CArTIVITY.

223

we all raised the yell, we could move rpQ"ularly toofether 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 scat-
tered up the river and along the lake, to prevent the deer from
making their escape by v/ater. As we advanced near the point
the guns began to crack slowly, and after some time the fir-
ing was like a little engagement. The sfjuaws 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.

We had now great feasting and rejoicing, as we had plenty
of homony, venison and wild fowl. The geese at this time
appeared to be preparing to move southward. It might be
asked what is meant by the geese preparing to move. The
Indians represent them as holding a great council at this time
concerning the weather, in order to conclude upon a day, that
they may all at or near one time leave the northern lakes, and
wing their way to the southern bays. When matters are
brought to a conclusion, and the time appointed that they are
to take wing, then they say a great number of expresses are
sent ofT, in order to let the differeni ribes know the result of
this council, that they may be all in readiness to move at the
time appointed. As there is a great commotion among the
geese at this time, it would appear by their actions that such
a council had been held. Certain it is that they are led by
instinct to act in concert, and to move off regulai.y after their
leaders.

Here our company separated. The chief part of them went
up the Miami river, which empties into lake Erie at Cedar
Point, whilst we proceeded on our journey in company with
Tecaughretanego, Tontileaugo, and two families of the Wyan-
dots.

As cold weather was now approaching, we began to feel
the doleful eflects 6f 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 ; scarce-
ly 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

fif

•;

224

COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTIVITY.

we came to the i^rcat meadows or prairie?, tliat lie between
Sandusky and Soiola.

Wlien \vc came to this place, we met with some Ottawa
hunters, and ai^recd with them to take what they call a rini''
hunt, in partnership. We waited until we e.xpected rain was
near rallin<T to cxtin(,niish tlie fire, and then we kindled a l;ir<j;'e
circle in the prairie. At this time, or before the bucks i)ec:an
to run, a ji^reat number of deer lay concealed in the i^rass, in
the day, and moved about in the nig-ht ; 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 opporttmity, which was very fre-
quent, 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.

This place is in the plains, betwixt a creek that empties into
Sandusky and one that runs into Sciota. And at the time of
high water, or in the spring season, there is but about one half
mile of portage, and that very level, and clear of rocks, timber,
or stones ; so that with a little digging there may be water
carriage the whole way from Sciota to lake Erie.

From the mouth of Sandusky to the falls is chiefly first rate
land, lying flat or level, intermixed with large lodies of clear
meadows, where the grass is exceedingly rank, and in many
places three or four feet high. The timber is oak, hickory,
walnut, cherry, black ash, elm, sugar-tree, buckeye, locust and
beech. In some places there is wet timber land — the timber
in these places is chiefly water ash, sycamore, or button-wood.

From the falls to the prairies, the land lies well to the sun ;
it is neither too flat nor too hilly, and is chiefly first rate ; the
timber nearly the same as below the falls, excepting the water
ash. There is also here some plats of beech land, that appears
to be second rate, as it frequently produces spice-wood. The
prairie appears to be a tolerably fertile soil, though in many
places too wet for cultivation ; yet I apprehend it would pro-
duce timber, were it only kept from fire.

The Indians are of the opinion that the squirrels plant all
the timber, as they bury a number of nuts for food, and only

COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTIVITY.

225

a riiitj;'

ono at a piaco. Whon a s([iiirn>I is killod, the various kinds
of nuts thus l)iiri(Ml will i^row.

I liavp ohsiTvcd that when thosp prairies have oiilv rsrapod
fire lor one year, near where a siiiLrle tree stodd ihrr*' was a
younif ^■rowtli of tiinher npposcd to he planted hy th«' scpiir-
rels. IJiit when th«' prairies were aijain hurned, all this young-
P^rowtli was immediately consumed ; as the fire raises in the
fi^rass to sufli a pilch, that numhers of raccoons are therehy
burned to death.

On the west side of the prairie, or hetwixt tliat and Sciota,
there is a larire ])ody of first rate land — the limher, walnut, lo-
cust, suLfar-tree, huckeye, cherry. ash, elm, mulherry. plum-trees,
spice-wood, hiack haw, ri'd haw, oak, ami hickory.

Ahout the lime the bucks (pi it runninpf. Ton ti lean cjo, hi.s wife
and children, TecauuhretaneLTo, his son Nuni^aney ami myself,
left the VV^yandot camps at the carrvintj place, and crossed the
Sciota river at the south viid of tli ■ e-|ades, and proceeded on
about a south-west course to a lartre creek called Ollentanjify,
which I believe interlocks with tin waters of the Miami, and
empties into Sciota on the west side thereof. From the soutli
end of the prairie to Ollcutaniry there is a larufe quantity of
beech land, intermixed with first rate land. Here Ave made
our winter hut, and had considerable success in liuntinq-.

After some time, one of Tontileauu;o's step-sons (a lad about
cif^ht years of age) offended him, and he gave the boy a mode-
rate 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
liorses, 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 l^er, were it not that he was afraid that she would get
bewildered, and that his children that she had i,Ji<en with her
might suffer. Tontileaugo went after his wife, and wlven they
met they made up the quarrel ; and he never returned, but left
Tecauirhretanego 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-raie warrior, statesman
and hunter, and though he was now near sixty years of age,
was yet equal to the common run of liunlers, but subject to
the rheumatism, which deprived him of the use of his legs.

)■ if

I! J

226

COLONEL SMITHS CAPTIVITY.

Shortly after Toiitilpaniro left iis, Tf'cauc-hretnnp^n bprntr.e
lame, and could sr-arccly ualU out of our liiit ior two months.
I had considciiihlc success in hunliuu- and Irappiuir. ThouLdi
TocauL''hr«'tanoiro ciiduird much pain and misery. y«'t h<' liorc
it all with \vo>)d(iful paiieuci', and would olien endeavor to
entertain me with cheer 'ul conversation. Sometimes he would
appliiud me lor my diligence, skill and activity ; and at other
time.s he would take u^reat cam in tjivinjr inc in.struction.s con-
cerning th(! huntint'f and trajipinii^ business. He would also
tell m(! that it I laih'd of >uccess we would sufler very much,
as we were ahout forty miles from any one livin*:, that we knew
of; yet he would not intimate that he aj)pr(dn'nde(l we wore in
any danger, hut still supposed that I was fully adequate to the
task.

Tontileauoo loft us a little before (/hristmas, and from that
until some time in February we had always plenty of bear
meat, venison, &c. During this time 1 killed much more than
wo could use, but having no horses to carry in what I killed, I
left part of it in the woods. In February, there cam(> 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 day.s without eating any thing, and had very short
allowance for some days before, I returned late in the evening,
faint and weary. When I came into our hut, Tecaui,'hretane-
go asked what success. I told him not any. He asked me if
I was not very hungry. I replied that the keen appetite seem-
ed to be in some measure removed, but I wn? both faint and
weary. He connnanded 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 rel-
ish, 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. 1 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 v/as
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

1 liprnn;c
inoMths.
'I'liuiiifh
t lu' bore
Icavor In
lu' wdiild
I Ml oilier
ioiis con-
)nld also
ry much,
we knew
e were in
ate lo the

from lluu
; ol' bear
More than
I killed, I
e n snow,
injcf on it,
aver were
ter I Imd
I'cry short
^ evening,
ojiretane-
ked me if
tile seem-
j'aint and
bring" me
)me bones
3 violently
,^eable rel-
lay about
d picked ;
news that
y finished
my sweet
I him that
nd pouch,
id he had
composed
hear him.
now v/as
talk when
illy fretful
' calmness

COLONIAL SMITH'S CAI'TIVITV.

827

and serenity of mind, I will now coinmnnicalo to you the
ihoiii^bts of my heart, and ihox* lhin'.r> thai 1 know to be true.

" lirof/ui\ — As y«)U have lived with the while people, you
have not had the same advanlair); of knowincf that the ij:rent
Bi'imj above f-eds his p.-ople. and i^'ivcs them tbrir im-at in duo
season, as we liulians have, who arc tr('(|ii('iitly out nt provi-
sions, and yet are wnnileiTully >upplit(l, and that so Irecpiently,
that it is evidently the hand of the i^-reat ( )\vaneryo* thai doth
this. Wherc.'as the while people have commonly lari^M* stocks
of t.ime cattle, that they can kill when they please, and also
their barns and cribs tilled wiib y:rain, and thcrclbre have not
the same opportunity of sceinir and knowing that they are
supporleil by the Uuler of heaven and earth.

" lirofkrr, — 1 know ibal you are now afraid that we will all
perish wiih buMLrer, Iml you have no just reason to fear this.

" Brother, — I have been young, but m\\ now old ; I have
been frequently under the like ciroiinstances that we now are,
and that some time or other in ainmst every year of my life;
yet 1 have hitherto been suj)ported, and my wants supplied in
time of need.

" Brother, — Owaneeyo sometimes suffers us lo be in want,
in order to teach us our dependence upon hitn, and to let us
know that we arc 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 contimie diligent
in the use of means, do to sleep, and rise early in the mim-
ing and go a iiunling ; be strong, and exert yourself like a man,
and the Great Spirit will direct your way."

The next morning 1 went out, and steered about an east
courst». I proceeded on slowly for about five miles, and saw
deer frecpiently ; 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 1 be-
came intolerably hungry. It was now that I concluded I would
run off to Pennsylvania, my native c(,untry. As the snow was
0!i the ground, and Indian liunters 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 fiist as I could walk, and when I got

* This is the name of God, in their tongue, and signifies the owner and
rulor of all things.

,» l!

* I

If-**

228

COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTIVITY.

ill

about ten or tvvclvo miles from our hut, I came upon fresh
budiilo tracks; I pnrsuf'd after, and in a short time came in
sii^iii of them as they were passiui,'- ihronirh a small f;iade.
I ran willi all my mii^ht and hea(h.>d tlieni, where I lay in am-
bush, and killed a very large cow. 1 immediately kindled a
fire and heiran to roast meat, but could not wait till it was done;
I ate it almost raw. When hunger was abated. I ben-an to bo
tenderly concerne«d 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 w'hile 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 venera-
ble old man and little boy to perish with hunger. I also coii-
sidered 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 disposi-
tions of hungry people, which was the only excuse T 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 comm.anded 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 ihe kettle with some wa-
ter, and cut the beef in thin slices, and jiut them in. When it
had boiled a while, 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
connnand he reluctantly obeyed.

When we were all refreshed, Tecaughretanego delivered a
speech upon the necessity and pleasure of receiving the neces-
snry snnpoiis of life willi thankfulness, knowing that Owanee-
yo is the great giver. Such speeches from an Indian may be
thought by those who are unac(|uainted 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 j and when we

COLONEL SxMITH'S CAPTIVITY.

229

upon fresh
Tie camp in
mall o'lade.

lay ill am-
y kindled a
t was done ;
be can to be
\v little boy
and packed
the wolves,

•bile I was
was much
hcartedness
the venera-
I also con-
een verified
Jght also of
ous disposi-
ie T had for
in the most

d found the

me for my

be fatigued,

3ok. 1 told

mo meat on

nost raw, as

h some wa-

Whcn it

but the old

: said in as

not wanted

?at no more

told him to

broth ; this

delivered a
^ the neces-
at Owanee-
ian may be
altogether
ar, we may
upid sort of
ies. When
id when we

sent armies into their country, they outircneralled and beat us
with inferior I'oive. Let us also take into consideration that
Tecaughretanego was no common person, but was amoun- the
Indians as Socrates in the ancient heathen world ; and ii 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 bufialo 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 thein 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, 175S. At this
time Tecaugretanego 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 Tecaughretan-
ego 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 blanlcets 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. H(! 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

i '.

i' Tt

230

COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTIVITY.

immc'diato or pres(?nt temporal blessings. He began his ad-
dress 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, &c. without feeling exquisite pain and misery.
I know that thou art a hearer and a helper, and therefore I will
call upon thee.
" Ok, 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 1 did last fall.
" Oh, ho, ho, ho,

" Grant that on this voyage we may frequently kill bears, as
they may be crossing the Sciota 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 throe feet, that we may cross in safety down to Sciota,
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, 1 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 ser-
vant, 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 com-
posed until he came to the burning of the tobacco ; and as 1
knew that he was a great lover of it, and saw him cast the last
of it into the lire, 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, 1 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

COLONEL SMITHS CAPTIVITY.

231

in his ad-

inod the
[iboul and
1 misery,
ore 1 will

well, and
to jump

1 bears, as

the banks,

ng-y about
to Sciota,
he rocks,
ers stand;
though I
present of
herefore I
I, thy ser-

riftS."

hretanego,
lity, I was
duly com-
; and as I
.St the last
ment, and
laughing,
•ess me in

hope you
ilts. You
m I would
hen i was

you look
r yourself.
)f praying-
struct me,

>d 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 'vith an
offended God, as revealed in my Bible, wlii'di I had then in
possession. Ho said that he likinl 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 coiuinue
to worship God in the way that he had been taught, ajid tiiat
if salvation or future happiness was to be had in his way of
worship, he expected he would obtain it, and if it was incon-
sistent 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 oiher
way, though he might now be ignorant of the channel through
Avhich favor or mercy might be conveyed. He said that he
believed that Owaneeyo would hear and help every one that
sincerely waited upon him.

Here we may see how far the light of nature could go; per-
haps we see it here almost in its highest extent. Notwith-
standing the just views that this great man entertained of
Providence, yet we now see him (though he acknowledged his
guilt) expecting to appease the Deity, and procure his favor,
by burning a little tobacco. We may observe that all heathen
nations, as far as we can find out either by tradition or the
light of nature, agree with revelation in this, that sacrifice is
necessary, or that some kind of atonement is to be made in
order to remove guilt and reconcile them to God. This,
accompanied with numberless other witnesses, is sufficient
evidence of the rationality of the truth of the Scriptures.

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 Sciota, and proceeded up to the carrying place. Let us
now describe the land on this route from our winter hut, and
down Ollentangy to the Sciota, and up it lo the carrying place.

About our win;er cabin is chiefly first and second rate land.
A considerable way up Ollentanufy, on the south-west side
thereof, or betwixt it and the Miami, there is a very large
prairie, and from this prairie down Ollentangy to Sciota is
generally first rate land. The timber is walnut, sugar-tree,
ash, buckeye, locust, wild cherry, and spice-wood, intermixed
with some oak aiul beech. From the mouth of Ollentangy,
on the east side of Sciota, up to the carrying place, there is a
large body of first and second rate land, and tolerably well
watered. The timber is ash, sugar-tree, walnut, locust, oak,
and beech. Up near the carrying place the land is a little

232

COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTIVITY.

f li

f; f!

hilly, but the soil good. Wc proceeded from this place down
Sandusky, and in our passage we killed four bears and a
number of turkeys. Tccaughrctanego 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 Ave 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 wiih 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 was 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 ]\Ir. Thompson that if he was cer-
tain 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. Thomp-
son shut it up, to prevent them from passing down, in order to
let the Indians have some diverrion 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, &c.,
and were the chief part of that day engaged in killing rock
fish, insomuch that we had more than we could use or pre-
serve. As we had no salt, or any way to keep them, they lay

ce down
s and a
)\v fully
and who

I n (In sky,
2, called
days by
h is also
J in the
•s. The
creek to
mselves.
present

place by

Virginia,

the fish

)le town

was cer-

vvith the

d to the

anxious

rginian)

ne other

k ; they

takes at

leaving

ivith his

lip, and

t would

at this

left the

not go

riiomp-

order to

aylight.

ians all

ish, and

ley saw

ove the

a short

V'S, &c.,

n^ rock

or pre-

bey lay

COLONEL SMITHS CAPTIVITY.

233

(

upon the banks, and after some time great numbers of turkey-
buzzards and eagles collected together and devoured them.

Shortly after this we left Sunycndeand, and in three days
arrived at Detroit, where we remained this summer.

Some time in May we heard th't General Forbes, with
seven thousand men, was preparini; 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 ruimers were sent ofT 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, Potowato-
mies, 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. Tiiey espied them frequently from the mountains
ever afte'* vhey left fort Loudon. Notwithstanding their vigi-
lance. 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 Alleghany and Monongahela for some distance, and then
sallied out from the banks of the I'ivers, 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 h id
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 High-
landers were killed or taken prisoners.

After this defeat the Indians held a council, but were divided
in their opinions. Soine 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 squav/s 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

near fort Ligoneer, and attacked

' i 11

ill

They

20=»«=

army

• 1

it la

t I

234

COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTIVIIY.

them, but were frustrated in their (' -gn. They said that
Forbes's men were beginning to learn ihe art of war, and that
there were a great number of Amorican riflemen along with
the red-coats, 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 red-coats they had to do with, they
could soon subdue them, but they could not withstand Asha-
lecoa, 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 Teciughretanego had heard the particulars of Grant's
defeat, he said that he could not well account for his contra-
dictory 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 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 Sciota, 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 Nungany and
myself, went from Detroit (in an elm-bark canoe) to Caughne-
waga, 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 ex-
change 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.

aid that
and that
iuv; with
^rc good
:omplish
returned
ided that
ivored to
Indians
ith, they
nd Asha-
gave the
ling, and
)es came
te in the

f Grant's
IS contra-
rt of war
, and in
Grant, in
'arrior in
^covered ;
ere lying
lleghany
)on them
yed upon
onsistent
made too
I became

Mota, and
t hunting
,0 Detroit

gany and

3aughne-

es above

July. I

English

and ex-
;, and got

river St.

where I
! were all

2d.

COLONEL SMITH'S ADVENTURES.

235

Early in the year 1700, 1 came home to Conococheague, and
found that my people could never asccrlain whclhcr I was
killed or taken until my return. They received me with gr(>at
joy, but were surprised to see me so mucii like an Indian both
in my gait and gesture.

Upon in([uiry, 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 v/ho 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.

Now there was peace with the Indians, which lasted until
the year 1763. Some time in May, this year, I married, and
about that time the Indians again commenced hostilities, and
were busily engaged in killing and scalping the frontier inha-
bitants in various parts of Pennsylvania. The whole Cono-
cocheague valley, from the North to the South Mountain, had
been almost entirely evacuated during Braddock's war. This
state was then a Quaker government, and at the first of this
war the frontiers received no assistance from the state. As
the people were now beginning to live at home again, they
thought it hard to be drove away a second time, and were
determined, if possible, to make a stand ; therefore they raised
as much money by collections and subscriptions as would pay
a company of riflemen for several months. The subscribers
met, and elected a committee to manage the business. The
committee appointed me captain of this company of rangers,
and gave me the appointment of my subalterns. I chose two
of the most active young men that I could find, who had also
been long in captivity with the Indians. As we enlisted our
men, we dressed them uniformly in the Indian manner, with
breech-clouts, leggins, moccasins, and green shrouds, which
we wore in the same manner that the Indians do, and nearly
as the Highlanders wear their plaids. In place of hats we
wore red handkerchiefs, and painted our faces red and black
like Indian warriors. I taught them the Indian discipline, as
I knew of no other at that time, which would answer the
purpose much better than British. We succeeded beyond
expectation in defending the frontiers, and were extolled by
our employers. Near the conclusion of this expedition I
accepted of an ensign's commission in the regular service,
under King George, in what was then called the Pennsylvania
line. Upon my resignation, my lieutenant succeeded me in
command the rest of the time they were to serve. In the
fall (the same year) I went on the Susquehanna campaign
against the Indians, under the command of General Armstrong.
In this route we burnt the Delaware and Monsey towns, on

I i

236

COLONEL SMITH'S ADVENTURES.

the west branch of the Susquehanna, and dostroyeel all their

corn.

In the year 1764 I received a lieutenant'.s commission, and
went out on General Boucjuot's campaig-n ai^niinst the Indians
on the Muskinijum. Here we brought them to terms, and
promised to be at peace with them, upon condition that they
would ^ive up all our people that they had then in captivity
among them. They then delivered unto us three hundred of
the prisoners, and said that they could not collect them all at
this time, as it was now late in the year, and they were far
scattered; but they promised that they would bring them all
into fort Pitt early next spring, and as security that they
would do this, they delivered to us six of their chiefs as hci-
tages. Upon this we settled a cessation of arms for six months,
and promised, upon their fulfilling the aforesaid condition, to
make with them a permanent peace.

A little below fort Pitt the hostages all made their escape.
Shortly after this the Indians stole horses and killed some peo-
ple on the frontiers. The king's proclamation was then circu-
lating and set up in various public places, prohibiting any per-
son from trading with the Indians until further orders.

Notwithstanding all this, about the first of March, 1765, a
number of wagons, loaded with Indian goods and warlike
stores, were sent from Philadelphia to Henry Pollens, Cono-
cocheague, and from thence seventy pack horses were loaded
with these goods, in ord'^'' ir carry them to fort Pitt. This
alarmed the country, and Mr. William Duffield raised about
fifty armed men, and met the pack horses at the place where
Mercersburg now stands. Mr. DufReld desired the employers to
store up their goods, and not proceed until further orders. They
made light of this, and went over the North Mountain, where
they lodged in a small valley called the Great Cove. Mr. Duf-
field and his party followed after, and came to their lodging, and
again urged them to store up their goods ; he reasoned with them
on the impropriety of the proceedings, and the great danger
the frontier inhabitants would be exposed to, if the Indians should
now get a supply : he said, as it was well known that they
had scarcely any ammunition, and were almost naked, to supply
them now would be a kind of murder, and would be illegally
trading at the expense of the blood and treasure of the fron-
tiers. Notwithstanding his powerful reasoning, these traders
made game of what he said, and would only answer him by
ludicrous burlesque.

When I beheld this, and found that Mr. Duffield would not
compel them to store up their goods, I collected ten of my old
warriors, that I had formerly disciplined in the Indian way, went

COLONEL SMITH'S ADVENTURES.

237

off privately after niirht, and encamped in t!;e woods. The
next day, as usual, we hhicked and painted, and waylaid them
near Sideloni'' Hill. I scattered my men ai)Out t'or'y rod along
the side of the road, and ordered every two to take a tree, and
about eight or ten rod between each cou])le, with orders to
keep a reserve fire, one not to fire until his comrade had loaded
liis gun ; by this means we kept up a constant. slo\\ fire upon
them, from Iront to rear. We then heard nothing of these tra-
ders' merriment or burlestjue. When they saw their pack-
horses falling close by them, they called out, jyrmi, f^c)itl<:fne7i,
what wouJd you have us to do ? The reply was, colUrt all your
loads to the front, and unload them in one place ; take your
private property, and immediately retire. When they were
gone, we burnt what they left, which consisted of blankets,
shirts, Vermillion, lead beads, wampum, tomahawks, scalping-
knives, &c.

The traders went back to .'ort Loudon, and applied to the
commanding officer there, and got a party of Highland soldiers,
and went with them in quest of the robbers, as they called us;
and without applying to a magistrate or obtaining any civil
authority, but barely upon suspicion, they took a number of
creditable persons prisoners, (who were chiefly not any way
concerned in this action,) and confined them in the guard-
house in fort Loudon. I then raised three hundred riflemen,
marched to fort Loudon, and encamped on a hill in sight of
the fort. We were not long there, until we had more than
double as many of the British troops prisoners in our camp
as they had of our people in the guard-house. Captain Grant,
a Highland officer, who commanded fort Loudon, then sent a
flag of truce to our camp, where we settled a cartel, and gave
them above two for one, which enabled us to redeem all our
men from the guard-house, without further difficulty.

After this, Captain Grant kept a number of rifle guns which
the Highlanders had taken from the country people, and refused
to give them up. As he was riding out one day, we took him
prisoner, and detained him until he delivered up the arms ;
we also destroyed a large quantity of gunpowder that the tra-
ders had stored up, lest it might be conveyed privately to the
Indians. The king's troops and our party had now got entirely
out of the channel of the civil law, and many unjustifiable
things were done by both parties. This convinced me more
than ever I had been before of the absolute necessity of the
civil law in order to govern mankind.

About this time the following song was composed by Mr.
George Campbell, (an Irish gentleman, who had been edu-

COLONEL SMITHS ADVENTURES.

catod in Dublin,) and was freijiicnlly sun<j to the tune of the
Black Joke.

Yi! patriot souls, who hive to sitif,'.
Who serve your country and your king,

In wcailh, pcai'i' and royal estate :
Attenlion Ljive whilst I rehearse
A modern laet in jinulini; verse,
How party intfrf>t strove what it could
To profit ilseli'liy puhlir Mood,

But justly met its merited fate.

Let all those Indian traders claim
Their just reward, inudoiious lame,

For vile, base and treacherous ends.
To Pollens, in the sprinfr, they setit
Much warlike stores, with an intent
To carry theiii to our barbarous foes,
Expecting; that nolxtdy dare oppose,

A present to tlieir Indian friends.

Astonish'd at the wild desig;n,
Frontier inhabitants condiiu'd

With brave souls to stop their career ,
Although some men aposlatiz'd,
Who first the grand attempt advis'd,
The bold frontiers they bravely stocd,
To act for their king and their country's good.

In joint league, and strangers to fear.

On March the fifth, in sixty-five,
The Indian presents did arrive.

In long pomp and cavalcade.
Near Sidelong Hill, where in disguise
Some patriots did their train .surprise,
And quick as lightning tumbled their loads,
And kindled tliem bonfires in the woods.

And mostly burnt their whole brigade.

At Loudon when they heard the news,
They scarcely knew which way to choose,

For blind rage and discontent ;
At length some soldiers they sent out,
With guides I'or to conduct the route,
And seized some inen that Avere trav'ling there,
And hurried them into Loudon, where

They laid them fast with one consent.

But men of resolution thought

Too much to see their neighbors caught

For no crime but false surmise ;
Forthwith they join'd a warlike band.
And march'd to Loudon out of hand.
And kept the jailers pns'ners there,
Until our friends enlarged were,

Without fraud or any disguise.

COLONEL SMITH'S ADVENTURES,

239

of the

Let maiiKiiid ••riisiiiv or r()imi.''ni'.
Tlii> rii>li |»TruniKiii(f 111 ilu- »'ii(l.

Tlicii hotli siilos will find tlu.ir accoum.
"Ti^ true 111) l;i\v ci^n iii>tily
Ti» hum <nir iii-i'-'litidr's property.
Bui when tills property is dcsit'ird
To serve ilie eiu'iiiieN ot' miiiikiiid,

It's lii^'li tieiiMiii 111 the iunouiil.

After this, wv kept up a iruard of men on tlio frotiliors, for
several inoiilhs, to prevent supjilies licino- sent to t' e Indians,
until it was procUiuned that Sir William Johnson had made
peace with them, and then wc let the traders pass umnolested.

In the year 17()(), I heard that Sir William Johnson, the
king's agent for settling aliixirs with the Indians, had purchased
from them all the land west of the Appalaehian Mountains that
lay be .ween the Ohio and Cherokee river ; and as I knew by
conversing with the Indians in their own tongue that there
was a large body of rich land there, I concluded I would take
a tour westward and exphire that country.

I set out about the hist of June, 1766, and went in the first
place to Holstein river, and from thence I travelled westward
in com)>any with Joshua Horton, Uriaii Stone, William IJaker
and James Smith, who came from near Carlisle. There were
only four white men of us, and a mulatto slave about eigh-
teen years of age, that Mr. Horton had with him. We ex-
plored the country south of Kentucky, and there w^as no more
sign of white men there then than there is now west of the
head waters of the Missouri. We also explored Cumberland
and Tennessee rivers," from Stone's^ river down to the Oliio.

When we came to the mouth of Termessee, my fellow-
travellers concluded that they would jiroceed on to the Illinois,
and see some more of the land to the west ; this I would not
agree to. As I liad already been longer from home than what
I expected, I thouglit my wife would be distressed, and think I
was killed by t.'ie Indians ; therefore I concluded that I would
return home, I sent my horse wiili my fellow-travellers to
the Illinois, as it was difficult to take a horse through the
mountains. iMy comrades gave me the greatest part of the
aminunitiop they then had, which amounted only to half a pound
of powder, and lead e([uivalent. Mr. Horton also lent me his
mulatto boy, and I then set off through the wilderness for Caro-
lina.

* Stone's river is a south branch of Cumberland, and empties into it
above Nashville. We first ^ave it this name in our journal, in May, 1767,
after one of my fellow-travellers. Mr. Uriah Stone, and I am tuld that it
rctams the same name unto this day.

r ■

!• 7

•t

■ r

\'f I

240

COLONEL SMITH'S ADVKNTUHES.

About cicfht (lays after T left my cntniiaiiy at the month of
'rciiiK'sscc, on my ionnicy ca.'^lward, 1 jjot a I'aiu' stalt in my
foot, wlucli occasioiu'cl my Ic^ to svvi'll, and I siilltTfil iiuicli
pain. I was now in a (Inlcfiil situation ; far from any of the
human species, excepline" Mack Jamie, or thesava^^es, and I knew
not when I niiLfht meet with them. My case ap|)eare(l despe-
rate, and I thoii^Mit sonuithinu^ must l)e (h>ne. All tin- sur^ni'al
instruments I had was a knife, a moccasin awl, and a pair of
bullet-moulds; with thes(> I determined to draw the sna<,' from
my foot, if possible. I stuck the awl in the skin, and with
the knife I cut the flesh away Irom around the cane, and then
I commanded the mulatto fellow to catch it with the bullet-
moulds, and pull it out, which he did. »Vhen I .^aw it, it
seemed a shockini^ thinir to be in any person's fool ; it will there-
fore bo supposed that I was very ^dad to have it out. The
black fellow attended upon me, aiul obeyed my directions faith-
fully. I ordered him to search for Indian medicine, and told
him to get me n rpiantity of bark from the root of a lynn tree,
which I made hiin beat on a stone, with a tomahawk, and
boil it in a kettle, and with the ooze I bathed my foot and leg;
what remained when I had finisl "d bathing 1 boiled to a jelly
and made poultices thereof. As 1 had no rags, I made use of
the green moss that grows upon logs, and wrapped it round with
elm bark ; by this means, (simple as it may seem,) the swell-
ing and inflammation in a great im>asuro aliated. As stormy
weather appeared, I ordered Jamie to make us a shelter, which
he did by erecting forks and poles, and covering them over
with cane tops, like a fodder house. It was about one hun-
dred yards from a large buflalo road. As we were almost out
of provision, I commanded Jamie to take my gun, and I went
along as well as I could, concealed myself near the road, and
killed a buflalo. When this was done, we jerked"^ the lean,
and fried the tallow out of the fat meat, which we kept to stew
with our jerk as we needed it.

While I lay at this place, all the books I had to read was a
psalm-book and Watts upon Prayer. Whilst in thjs situation,
I composed the following verses, which I then frequently sung.

Six weeks I've in this desert been,

With one mulatto Ind :
ExccjUinj^ this poor stupid slave,

No company I had.

* Jerk is a name well known by the hunters and frontier inhabitants
for meat cut in small pieces and laid on a scaflbld, over a slow fire,
whereby it is roasted until it is thoroughly dry.

■ mouth of
ic'ili iti my
•rt'd much
Miiy of the
iuid I Knew
in-d drspc-
he .-^ur^^iciil
1 :i i-air of
^M;l<,'• from
I, and willi
, and then
tho hulk'l-
saw it, it
will there-
out. The
tions faith-
e, atui told
lynn tree,
hawk, and
)t and le^^ ;
to a jelly
ado use of
"ound with
the swell-
As stormy
Iter, which
them over
one hun-
almost out
md I went
road, and
■ the lean,
'pt to stew

?ad was a

situation,

ntly sung.

inhabitants
. slow fire,

COLONKL SMITH'S ADYKNTITRES. 241

In scliuiili* I h<'i«' pMiiiiiti,

A iri|i|>li! Vfiy sop',
No Irii'inl or iifiu'lilior In W I'uiitid,

My rasf tor to di-jilort'.

I'm (lir from liom<', fur from ih<' wife

Willi li III my lioMiin l;iy,
Far IVoiii ilif cliildn'ii iloar, \vhn'h used

Arotiinl iiic I'oi i<i jiliiy.

This (l((Ic('iil <ii<'umsi!inrt' cannot

iVTy h:i|i|Min'ss pn-vciit.
While [iciicc of coiiMiciH'c 1 enjoy,

Great comfort and cotilt-nt.

I continued in this place until I could walk slowly, withotit
crutches. As I now lay near a c^reat hulfalo road, I wa»
afraid that the Indians inioht he passing' that way, and discover
my fire-place, therefore I moved off some distance, where I
remained until 1 killed an (dk. As my foot was yet soro, I
conchided that I would stay here until it was healed, lest by
travelling too soon it might again he inflamed.

In a few weeks after I proceeded on, and in October I
arrived in Carolina. I had now been eleven months in the
wilderness, and during this time I neither saw bread, money,
women, nor spirituous liquors ; and three months of which I
saw none of the human species, except Jamie.

When I came into the settlement, my clothes were almost
worn out, and the boy had nothing on him that ever was spun.
He had buckskin legtrius, moccasins, and breech-clout; a bear-
skin dressed with the hiiir on, which he belted about him, and
a raccoon-skin cap. I had not travelled far after I came in
before I was strictly examined by the inhabitants. I told ihcrn
the truth, and where I came from, <Scc.; but my story app(;ared
so strange to them that they did noi believe me. They said
that they had never heard of any one coming tlirou'^di the
mountains from the mouih of Tennessee, and if anyone would
undertalco such a journey, surely no man would lend him his
slave. They said that they thotiirhl that all 1 had told them
were lies, and on suspicion they look me into custody, and set
a guard ovci me.

While I was confined liere, I met with a reputable old
acquaintance, who voluntarily became my voucher, and also
told me of a number of my acquaintances that now lived near
this place, who had moved from Pennsylvania ; on this
being made public I was liberated. I went to a magistrate and
obtained a pass, and one of my old ac(iuainlances made me a
present of a shirt. I then cast away my old rags ; and all the

242

COLONEL SMITH'S ADVENTURES.

clothes I now liad was an old bcavor hat, huckskin letrcins, moc-
casins, and a new sh'rt ; also an old blanket, whitli 1 com-
niordy carried on my back in good weather. Beinir thng
equipped, I marched on with my white shirt loose, and Jamie
with his bear-skin about him ; myself appearing while, and
Jamie very black, alarmed the dof^s wherever we came, so that
they barked violently. The people frccpiently came out and
asked me where we came from, &c. I told them the truth, but
they for the most part suspected my story, and I generally
ha'' to show them my pass. In this way I came on to fort
Chissel, wliere 1 left Jamie at Mr. Horton's negro rpiarter,
according to promise. I went from thence to Mr. George
Adams's, on Keed Creek, where I had lodged, and where I
had left my clothes as I was going out from home. When I
dressed myself in good clothes, and mounted on horseback, no
man ever asked me for a pass ; therefore I concluded that a
horse-thief, or even a robber, might pass without interruption,
provided he was only well dressed, whereas the shabby villian
would be immediately detected.

I returned home to Conococheague in the fall of 1767.
When I arrived, I found that my wife and friends had despair-
ed of ever seeing me again, as they had heard that I was killed
by the Indians, and my horse brought into one of the Chero-
kee towns.

In the year 1769, the Indians again made incursions on the
frontiers ; yet the traders continued carrying goods and ^^ arlike
!?lores to them. The frontiers took the alarm, and a number
of persons collected, destroyed and plundered a (piantity of
their powder, lead, &c., in Bedford county. Shortly after this,
some of these persons, with others, were apprehended and laid
in irons \n the guard-house in fort Bedford, on .'suspicion of
being the perpetrators of this crime.

Though I did not altogether approve of the conduct of this
new club of black boys, yet I concluded that they should not
lie in irons in the guard-house, or remain in confinement, by
arbitrary or military power. I resolved, therefore, if jiosfible,
to release them, if they even should be tried by the civil law
afterwards. I collected eighteen of my old blaclc boys, that I
had seen tried in the Indian war, &c. I did not desire a largo
party, lest they should be too much alarmed at Bedford, and
accordintrly ])repared for us. We marched along the public
road in daylight, and made no secvit of our design. We told
those whom we met that we were going to take fort Bedford,
which appeared to them a very unlikely story. Before this, I
made it known to one William Thompson, a man whom I
could trust, and who lived there. Him I employed as a spy,

COLONEL SMITH'S ADVENTURES.

243

pins, moc-
fli I com-
tMn<r ihns
and Jamie
while, and
lie, so that
e out and
I truth, but
generally
on to fort
•o quarter,
Ir. George
id where I
When I
rschack, no
dcd that a
iterruplion,
bby villian

1 of 1767.
ad despair-
[ was killed
the Chero-

ions on the
ind V arlike
1 a number
uantity of
after this,
ed and laid
iis;picion of

net of this

should not

nenient, by

if possible,

e civil law

)oys, that I

sire a large

edford, and

the public

We told

rt Bedford,

iffore this, I

n whom I

id as a spy,

tind sent him along on horseback before, with orders to meet
me at a certain idace near Bedford, one hour before day. The
next day a little !»efore sunset, we encamped near the crossings
of Juniata, about fourteen miles from Bedford, and erected
tents, as though we intended staying all night, and not a man
in my company Icnew to the contrary, save myself. Knowing
that they would hear this in Bedford, and wishing it to be the
case, I thought to sur[)rise them by stealing a march.

As the moon rose about ehn-en o'clock, 1 ordered my boys
to march ; and we went on at the rate of five miles an hour,
until we met Thompson at the place appointed. He told \is
tliai the commanding otllcer had fnMjuently heard of us by tra-
vellers, and had ordered thirty men upon guard. He sairl they
knew our number, and only made game of the notion of eigh-
teen men coming to rescue the prisoners, but they did not
expect us until towards the middle of the day. I aslced him
if the gate was open. He said it was then shut, but he ex-
pected they w'ould open it as usual at daylight, as they appre-
hended no danger. I then moved my men privately up under
the banks of Juniata, where we lay concealed about one him-
dred yards from the fort gate. I had ordered the men to keep
a profound silence until we got into it. I then sent off Thomp-
son again to spy. At daylichi he returned, and told us thai
the gate was open, and three sentinels were standing on the
wall ; that the guards were taking a morning dram, and the
arms standing together in one place. I then concluded to rush
into the fort, and told Thompson to run before me to the arms.
We ran with all our might, and as it was a misty morning, the
sentinels scarcely saw us until we were within the gate, and
took possession of the arms. Just as we were entering, i,wo of
them discha;-2^ed their guns, though I do not believe they aimed
at us. We then raised a shout, which surprised the town,
though some of them were well j)k'ased with the news. We
ampelled a blacksmith to take the irons olf the prisoners, and
then we left the place. This, I believe, was the first British
fort in America that was taken by what they called American
rebels.

Some time after this I took a journey westward, in order to
survey some located land I had on and near th(> Youhogany.
As I passed near Bedford, while I was walking and leading
my horse, I was overtaken by some men on horseback, like
travellers. One of them asked my name, and on telling it,
they immediately pulled out thjir pistols, and presented tb.nn
at me, calling upon me to deliver myself, or I was a dead man.
I stepped back, presented my rifle, and told them to stand ofT.
One of them snapped a pistol at me, and another was prepar-

. 1

•\ !l

1 ii

244

COLONEL SMITHS ADVENTURES.

ing to shoot, when I fired my piece. One of them also fired
near the same time, and one of my fellow-travellers fell. The
assailants then rushed up, and as' my gun was empty, they took
and tied me. I charged them with killing my fellow-traveller,
and told them he was a man that I had accidentally met with
on the road, that had nothing to do with the public quarrel.
They asserted that 1 had killed him. I told them that my gun
blowed, or made a slow fire ; that I had her from my face be-
fore she went off, or I would not have missed my mark ; and
from the position my piece was in when it went off, it was not
likely that my gun killed this man, yei I acknowledged I was
not certain that it was not so. They then carried me to Bed-
ford, laid me in irons in the guard-house, summoned a jury of
the opposite party, and held an inquest. The jury brought me
in guilty of wilful murder. As they were afraid to keep me
long in Bedford, for fear of a rescue, they sent me privately
through the wilderness to Carlisle, where I was laid in heavy
irons.

Shortly after I came here, we heard that a number of my old
black boys wxM'e coming to tear down the jail. I told the she-
riff that I would not be rescued, as I knew that the indictment
was wrong ; therefore I wished to stand my trial. As I had
found the black boys to be always under good command, I
expected I could prevail on them to return, and therefore wish-
ed to write to them ; to this the sheriff readily agreed. I wrote
a letter to them, with irons on my hands, which was immedi-
ately sent ; but as they had heard that I was in irons, they
would come on. When we heard they were near the town, I
told the sheriff I would speak to them out of the window, and
if the irons were off I made no doubt but I could prevail on
them to desist. The sheriff ordered them to be taken off, and
just as they were taking off my bands the black boys came
running up to the jail. I went to the window^ and called to
them, and they gave attention. I tcld them, as my indictment
was for wilful murder, to adr.iit of being rescued would appear
dishonorable. I thanked them for their kind intentions, and
told them the greatest favor they could confer upon me would
be to grant me this one request, to ivithdriiv from the jail and
return in peace ; to this they complieu, and withdrew. While
I was speaking, the irons were taken off my feet, and never
again put on.

Before this party arrived at Conococheague, they met about
three hundred more on the way, coming to their assistance, and
were resolved to take me out ; they then turned, and all came
together to Carlisle. The reason they gave for coming again
was, because they thought that government was so enraged at

COLONEL SMITL S ADVENTURES.

245

also fired

ell. The

they look

-traveller,

met with
c quarrel.
It iny gun
y face be-
lark ; and
it was not
ged I was
le to Bed-

a jury of
rought nie
I keep me
? privately
1 in heavy

• of my old
Id the she-
indictment

As 1 had

ummand, I

fore wish-

. I wrote

IS immedi-

rons, they

he town, I

ndow, and

prevail on

en ofT, and

boys came

I called to

indictment

uld appear

iitions, and

me would
he jail and
w. While
and never

met about
stance, and
id all came
Tiing again
enraged at

me, that I would not get a fair trial. But my friends and
myself together again prevailed on thcni to nnurn in peace.

At this lime the public papers were partly iillcd with these
occurrences. The following is an extract from the Pennsylva-
nia Gazette, No. 2132, Nov. 2d, 17G9.

^'Conococheagiie, October 16M, 1769.

" Messrs. Hall & Sellers,

" Please to give the following narrative a place in your Ga-
zette, and you will much oblige

" Your humble servant,

"William SiMitii."

"Whereas, in this Gazette of September 2Sth, 1769, there
appeared an extract of a letter from Bedford, September 12th,
1769, relative to James Smith, as being apprehended on sus-
picion of being a black boy, then killing his companion, &:c., I
took upon myself, as bound by all the obligations of trnth, jus-
tice to character, and to the world, to set that matter in a true
light ; by which I hope the impartial world will be enabled to
obtain a more just opinion of the present scheme of acting in
this end of the country, as also to form a true idea of the truth,
candor, and ingenuity of the author of the said extract, in
stating that matter in so partial a light. The state of the case
(which can be made appear by undeniable evidence) was this.
James Smith, (who is styled the principal ringleader of the
black boys, by the said author,) together with his younger
brother and brother-in-law, were going out in order to survey
and improve their land on the waters of Youghoghany, and as
the time of their return was long, they took with them their
arms, and horses loaded with the necessaries of life ; and as
one of Smith's brothers-in-law was an artist in surveying, he
had also with him the instruments for that business. Travel-
ling on the way, within about nine miles of Bedford, they
overtook and joined company with one Johnson and Moorhoad,
who likewise had horses loaded, part of which loading was
liquor, and part seed wheat, their intentions being to make
improvements on their lands. When they arrived at the part-
ing of the road on this side Bedford, the company separated.
One part going through the town, in order to gpl a horse shod,
were apprehended, and put under confinement, but for what
crime they knew not, and treated in a manner utterly incon-
sistent with the laws of their country and the liberties of
Englishmen ; whilst the other part, viz. James Smith, John-
son, and Moorhead, taking along the other road, were met by

21*

f I

V^h

246

COLONEL SMITH'S ADVENTURES.

John Holmes, Esq., lo whom James Smith spoke in a friendly
manner, but received no answer. Mr. Holmes hasted, and
gave an alarm in Bedford, from whence a party of men were
sent in pursuit of them ; but Smith and his companions not
having the least thought of any such measures being taken,
(why should they ?) travelled slowly on. After they had gain-
ed the place where the roads joined, they delayed until the
other part of their company should come up. At this time a
number of men came riding, like men travelling; they asked
Smith his name, which he told them ; on which they imme-
diately assaulted him as a highwayman, and with presented
pistols commanded him to su ender or he was a dead man ;
upon which Smith stepped Luck, asked them if they were
highwaymen, charging them at the same time to stand ofT,
when immediately Robert George (one of the assailants)
snapped a pistol at Smith's head, and that before Smith offered
to shoot, (which said George himself acknowledged upon oath ;)
whereupon Snvith presented his gun at another of the assail-
ants, who was preparing to shoot him with his pistol. The
said assailant having a hold of Johnson by the arm, two shots
were fired, one by Smith's gun, the other i>om a pistol, so
quick as just to be distinguishable, and Johnson fell. After
which. Smith was taken and carried into Bedford, where John
Holmes, Esq., the informer, held an inquest on the corpse, one
of the assailants being as an evidence, (nor was there any other
troubled about the matter.) Smith was brought in guilty of
wilful murder, and so committed to prison. But a jealousy
arising in the breasts of many, that the inquest, either through
inadvertency, ignorance, or some other default, was not so fair
as it ought to be, William Deny, coroner of the county, upon
requisition made, thought proper to re-examine the matter, and
summoninga jury of unexceptionable men out of three townships
— men whose candor, probity, and honesty, is unquestionable
with all who are acquainted with them, and having raised the
corpse, held an inquest in a solemn manner during three days.
In the course of their scrutiny they found Johnson's shirt
blacked about the bullet-hole by the powder of the charge by
which he was killed, whereupon they examined into the dis-
tance Smith stood from Johnson when he shot, and one of the
assailants, being admitted to oath, swore to the respective spots
of ground they both stood on at that time, which the jury mea-
sured, and found to be twenty-three feet nearly ; then, trying
the experiment of shooting at the same shirt, both with and
against the wind, and at the same distance, found no eflfects,
nor the least stain from the powder on the shirt. And let any
person that pleases make the experiment, and I will venture to

friendly
led, and
en were
lions not
g taken,
ad gain-
intil the
IS time a
By asked
ly imme-
)resented
ad man ;
ey were
stand off,
=sailants)
th offered
on oath ;)
he assail-
ol. The
two shots
pistol, so
11. After
lere John
)rpse, one
any other
guilty of
jealousy
r through
lot so fair
nty, upon
latter, and
townships
estionable
raised the
iree days,
on's shirt
charge by
[o the dis-
one of the
ctive spots
jury mea-
len, trying
with and
no effects,
nd let any
venture to

COLONEL S3IITh'S ADVENTURES.

247

afRrm he shall find that powder will not stain at half the dis-
tance above mentioned, if shot out of a rille gun, which S nilh's
was. Upon the whole, the jury, after the most accurate exa-
mination and mature deliberation, brought in iheir verdict that
some one of the assailants themselves must necessarily have
been the perpetrators of the murder.

" I have now represented the matter in its true and genuine
colors, and which I will abide by. I only beg liberty to make
a few remarks and reflections on the above-mentioned extract.
The author says, ' James Smith, with two others in company,
passed round the town, without touchi.iix?' by which it is plain
he would iusitmate, and make the public believe, that Smith,
and that part of the company, had taken some by-road, which
is utterly false, for it was the king's highway, and the straighl-
est, that through Bedford being sotnething to the one side ; nor
would the other part of the company have gone through the
tvown but for the reason already given. Again, the author says
that ' four men were sent in pursuit of Smith and his com-
panions, who overtook them about five miles from Bedford, and
commanded them to surrender, on which Smith presented hie
gun at one of the men, who was struggling with his companion,
fired it at him, and shot his companion through the back.'
Here I would just remark, again, the unfair and partial account
given of this matter by the author. Not a word mentioned of
George snapping his pistol before Smith offered to shout, or of
another of the assailants actually firing his pistol, though he
confessed himself afterwards he had done so ; not the least
mention of the company's baggage, which, to men in the least
open to a fair in([uiry, would have been sufficient proof of the
innocence of their intentions. Must not an effusive blush
overspread the face of the partial representor of facts, when he
find? the veil he had thrown over truth thus pulled aside, and
she exposed to naked view? Suppose it should be granted that
Smith shot the man, (which is not, and I presume never can
be proved to be the case,) I would only ask, was he not on his
own defence ? Was he not publicly assaulted ? Was he not
charged, at the peril of his life, to surrender, without knowing
for what? no warrant being shown him, or any declaration
made of their authority. And seeing these things are so, would
any judicious man, any person in the least acquainted with the
laws of the land, or morality, judge him guilty of wilful mur-
der ? But I humbly presume every one who has an oppor-
tunity of seeing this will, by this time, be convinced that the
proceedings against Smith were truly unlawful and tyrannical,
perhaps unparalleled by any instance in a civilized nation ; —
for to endeavor to kill a man in the apprehending of him, in

II.

)' '

9! '

24S

COLONEL SMITH'S ADVENTURES.

order to bring liitn to trial for a fact, and that too on a suppos-
ed one, is undoubtedly beyond all bounds of law or govern-
ment.

" If the author of the extract thinks 1 have treated him un-
fair, or that I have advanced any thing he can controvert, let
him come forward, as a fair antagonist, and make his defence,
and I will, if called upon, vindicate all that I have advanced
against him or his abettors.

" William Smith."

I remained in prison four months, and during this time I
often thought of those that were confined in the time of the
persecution, who declared their prison was converted into a pal-
ace. I now learned what this meant, as I never since or before
experienced feu months of equal happiness.

When the supreme court sat, I w:as severely prosecuted.
At the commencement of my trial the judges, in a very unjust
and arbitrary manner, rejected several of my evidences ; yet,
as Robert George (one of those who was in the affray when I
was taken) swore in court that he snapped a pistol at me
before I shot, and a concurrence of corroborating circumstan-
ces amounted to strong presumptive evidence that it could
not possibly be my gun that killed Johnson, the jury, without
hesitation, brought in their verdict, not guilty. One of the
judges then declared that not one of this jury should ever hold
an office above a constable. Notwithstanding this proud, ill-
natured declaration, some of these jurymen afterwards filled
honorable places, and I myself was elected the next year, and
sat on the board"* in Bedford county, and afterwards I served
in the board three years in Westmoreland county.

In the year 1774, another Indian war commenced, though
at this time the white people were the aggressors. The pros-
pect of this terrified the frontier inhabitants, insomuch that
the great part on the Ohio waters cither fled over the moun-
tains eastward or collected into forts. As the state of Penn-
sylvania apprehended great danger, they at this time appoint-
ed me captain over v^^hat was then called the Pennsylvania
line. As they knew I could raise men that would answer
their purpose, they seemed to lay aside their former inveteracy.

In the year 1776, I was appointed a major in the Pennsyl-
vania association. When American independence was de-
clared, 1 was elected a member of the convention in West-
moreland county, state of Pennsylvania, and of the Assembly,
as long as I proposed to serve.

* A board of commissioners was annually elected in Pennsylvania to
regulate taxes and lay llio county levy.

COLONEL SMITH'S ADVENTURES.

249

a suppos-
or govern-

d him un-
trovert, let
is defence,
I advanced

Smith."

his time I
me of the
into a pal-
e or before

)rosecuted.
t'ery unjust
;nccs ; yet,
*ay when I
stol at me
ircumstan-
it it could
[■y, without
)ne of the
d ever hold
proud, ill-
rards filled
; year, and
Is I served

;ed, though
The pros-
»much that
the moun-
e of Penn-
^e appoint-
mnsyjvania
jld answer
inveteracy,
le Pennsyl-
e was de-
n in West-
Assembly,

insylvania to

While I attended the Assembly in Philadelphia, in the year
1777, I saw in the street some of my old hoys, on their way to
the Jerseys*, against the Briti.sh, and they desired me to go
with them ; I petitioned the house for leave of absence, in
order to head a scouting party, which was granted me. We
marched into the Jerseys, and went before General Washing-
ton's army, waylaid the road at Kocky Hill, attacked about
two hundred of the British, and with thirty-six men drove them
out of the woods, into a large open Held. After this, we at-
tacked a party that were guarding the officers' baggage, and
took the wagon and twenty-two Hessians ; and also retook
some of our continental soldiers, which they had with them.
In a few days we killed and took more of the British than was
of our party. At this time I took the camp fever, and was
carried in a stage wagon to Burlington, where I lay until I
recovered. When I took sick, my companion. Major James
M'Common, took the command of the party, and had greater
success than I had. If every officer, and his party, that lifted
arms against the English, had fought with the same success
that Major M'Common did, we would have made short work
of the British war.

When T returned to Philadelphia, I applied to the Assembly
for leave to raise a battalion of riflemen, which they appeared
very willing to grant, but said thev could not do it, as the
power of raising men and commissioning officers were at that
time committed to General Washington ; therefore they ad-
vised me to apply to his excellency. The following is a true
copy of a letter of recommendation which I received at this
time from the council of safety :

"IN COUNCIL OF SAFETY.

" FhiJadtlphin, Fehruary lOth, 1777.
" Sir — Application has been made to us by James Smith, Esq., of West-
moreland, a gentleman well acquainted with the Indian cnstoms and
their manner of carrying on war, for leave to raise a battalion of marks-
men, expert in the use of rifles, and such as are acquainted witli the
Indian method of fighting, to be dressed entirely in their fashion, for the
purpose of annoying and harassing the enemy in their marches and en-
campments. We think two or three hundred men in that way might be
very useful. Should your excellency be of the same opinion, and direct
such a corps to be formed, we will lake proper measures for raising the
men on the frontiers of this state, and follow .such other directions as
your excellency shall give in this matter.

" To his ExceUcncy, Ge7ieral Waslnngton.^^

" The foregoing is a copy of a letter to his excellency, General Wash-
ington, from the council of safety.

"Jacob S. Howell, Secretary V

After this I received another letter of recommendation, which
is as follows : —

u ■

lf -

2e'50

COLONEL SMITH'S ADVENTURES.

" Wf, whose naiiips are iinderwritton, do rertify that .Tamos Smith,
(now of ilic comity ol Wrslniorclaiiil,) was taken jaisoiuT l>y the Imliaiis
in an c.xpoi'.ition l)t.'l'or(^ Cn-niTul Uraiidnck's dclcal, in tlie year \'i.')5, and
remaiht'il with lliem until llic year 17(iO ; and also that he served as
cnsii^n, in the year ITii:^, under tlie \r.\y of the |)rovineo of Pennsylvania,
and as lieutenant in the year 17i'il. and as raiilain in tlie year 171 1 ; and
as a military ollicer he has siislained a ;/(iod ciiaracler ; and we do reeoni-
mend iiiin as a person well acciuainted with the Indians' method of li^dil-
ing, and, in our hunilde opinion, exeeedin^ly fit for the eoiiimand of a
ran^iiii,' or scouting' party, which we are also humlilyof opinion he could,
(if Icf^ally authorized.) soon raise. Given under our hands at I'hiladel-
phia, this lotli day of March, 1777.

TnoMAs Paxton, Capt.
William DiniiKLi), E.sq.
David Ronn, Esc^.

JOII.V PlTKU, Col.

William M'Comb,
William Peitkr, Lt. Col.
James M'Lane, Esq.
John Puocrui!, Col.

Jonatiia.v ITonoK, Esq.
William PAUKr^u, Capt.
RonEUT Elliot,
Josr.i'ii AnMSTUoNo, Col.
Roiii'.KT Pki;isli:s, l^t. Col.
Samuel Patton, Capt.
William Lvo.\, Esq."

With tlipso and .'^omo olhor letters of rerominonclation,
which I liavc not now in my pos.'^ession, I went to hi.s excel-
lency, who lay at Morristown. Though General Washington
did not fall in with the scheme of white men turning Indian.'^;,
yel he i)ropos(>d giving me a major's place in a battalion of
riflemen already raised. I thanked the general for his proposal,
but as I entertained no high opinion of the colonel I was to
serve under, and with whom I had no prospect of getting my
old boys again, I thought 1 would be of more use in the cause
we were tlien struggling to support to remain with them as a
militia officer ; therefore I did not accept this offer.

In the year 1778, I received a colonel's commission, and
after my return to Westmoreland the Indians made an attack
upon our frontiers. I then raised men and pursued thorn, and
the second day we overtook and defeated them. We likcvvise
took four scalps, and recovered the horses and plunder which
they were carryitig off At the time of this attack, Captain
John Hinkston pursued an Indian, both their guns being empty,
and after the fray was over he was missing. While we were
inquiring about him, he came walking up, seemingly uncon-
cerned, AVLth a bloody scalp in his hand ; he had pursued the
Indian about a quarter of a mile, and tomahawked him.

Not long after this, I was called upon to command four
hundred riflemen on an expedition against the Indian town on
French Creek. It was some time in November before I
received orders from General M'Intosh to march, and then we
were poorly equipped and scarce of provision. We marched
in 'hree columns, forty rod from each other. There were also

COLONEL SMITHS ADVENTUUF.S.

251

les Smith,
ic Iiuliixiis
\',, ').'•), mill
sL'ivfd as
iisylvania,
177 I ; and

do ItHOIIl-

(l of iif,'lit-
iiaiid ol' a
1 lie ronld,
I rhiladel-

icndation,

liis cxcel-

ashinglon

J Indians,

ttalion of

proposal,

1 was to

}lting my

the cause

hem as a

ssion, and
•\n attack
icm, and

likewise

er which

, Captain

ns; empty,

we were
ly uncon-
rsucd the

land four
1 town on

before I
I then we
; marched
were also

« 1

flankers on the outside of each column, ihnt marc!icd abreast
in the rear, in scattered order; and even in the cohimns the
men were one rod apart ; and in tiu? front the vohintec^rs
marched abreast in the same manner of the Hankers, scoiiriofr
the woods. In case of an attack, the oflicers were? immedi-
ately to ordfM- the men to face out and take trees; in this posi-
tion, the Indiiuis coiiht not avail themselvc^s by snrrouiidinir us,
or have an o[)p()ri unity of shoolinir a man from either side
of the tree. If aliacked, the centre colinnn was to reinforce
whatever part appeared to re([iiire it nmst. Wlu'ii we en-
camped, our encampment formed a hollow s(piaro, including
about thirty or forty acres ; on the outside of the scpiare, there
were sentinels placed, whose business it was to watch for the
enemy, ami sec that neither horses nor bullocks went out ; and
when encamped, if any attacks wer(! made by an enemy, each
officer was imiuediately to order the men to face out and take
trees, as before mentioned ; and in this form, they could not
take the advantag^e by surrounding- us, as they commonly had
done when they foug-ht the whites.

The following is a copy of general orders, given at this time,
which I have found among my journals :

" AT CAMP— OPPOSITE FORT PITT.

" November 29tk, 1778.

'•' yENEIlAI- ORDF.RS.

" A copy thereof is to be given to eacli Captain and Subaltern, and to be read

to each Company.

" You are to marcli in three rolunuis, witn flankers on the front nnd
rear, and to keep a profound sik'ncf. and not to fire a i;un, except at the
enemy, without pnriieular orders lor that purpos(^ ; and in case of an attack,
let it he so ordered that every other man only is to shoot at once, excepting
on extraordinary occasions ; the one half of the men to keep a reserve
tire until their conuades load ; and let everyone lie particularly careful
not to (ire at any time without a view of tlie enemy, and that not at too
great a distance. I earnestly urge the above caution, as 1 have known
very remarkable and grievous errors of this Kind. Vou !iir> to encamp
on the holl<jw stjuare. except the volunteers, who, accordiiii^ to their
own reijuest, are to encamp on the front of the septate. A siitfi-
cient number of sentinels arc to be ke])l routid the stjuare at a jjroper
distance. Every man is to be under arms at the break of day, and
to parade opposite to their ftre-plaei^s. i'acini:; out, atid when the ofhcers
examine their arms, an<l (iiid tliem in j^ood order, and ^'ive necessary
directions, they are to be dismissed, with orders to have iheir arms near
them, and be always in readiness.

" Given by

" James Smitu, Colonel.''''

In this manner, we proceeded on to French Creek, where

252

COLONEL S.MITirS ADVENTURES.

we found the Indian town evacnaled. I then went on further
than my orders cii'lcd lor, in (\\\v>l of Indians ; Iml our pro-
vision being near'' exhausted, wc were ohliL-'cd to return.
On our way hack ,e met with considerable didicukioH, on
account of iiiyii wuiers and scarcity of j)rovision ; yet we
never lost one horse, excepting some that gave «)ut.

After p(>ace was made with the Indians, I met with some of
them in r'ttsl)urg, and iiujuired of thcin in their own tongue
concerning tliis expedition, not Irtiing them know 1 was there.
They told me that they watched the movements of this army
ever after they had left fort Pitt, and as they pass(Ml through
the glades or barrens they had a full view of them frf)m the
adjacent hills, and computed their number to be about one
thousand. They said they also examined their camps, both
before and after they were gone, and found they could not
make an advantageous attack, and therefore moved ofl' from
their town and hunting grouiul before we arrived.

In the year 17S8, 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 mendjer of the General Assembly, except
two years that I was left a few votes behind.

COLONKL SMITH'S ADVK.nTURES.

2o3

on further
II our pro-

lo return.
iculticH, on
1 ; yet we

ilh some of
.wii ton<,nie
was there,
f this army
:ed through
m from the
p about one
ramps, both
y could not
ved off from

f, Kentucky,
as elected a
confer about
[n that year
ity cither in
mbly, except

ON THE MAXNEKS AND CUSTOMS OF THE INUIANS,

"^^"M

The Indians iire a slovenly peopl" in liuir dre>

Th(

seldom ever wash rlicir >hirt<, and in ic'^ard to molvcry th(>y
are eM'ccdJntrly lillliy. When ilicy Ivili a hulliilo \\u'\ will
sonu'tinies lash the paunch ol it roinnl a sapjini,', and ca: f it
itito the ki'tlle, boil it, and .-up ilic liruiji ; though they r-oni-
nionly shake it al)mil in cold water, ihcn boil and eat it. Nol-
wiihstandini,'' all this, ihey are very polite in iheir own way,
and they retain amoni,^ them the essentials of j^ood manners;
thouirh they have few coinplimi'nts, yet they are coinj)laisant
to one another, and when accompanietl with ireod humor and
discretion, they entertain hitrauLTers in the best manner their
circumstances will admit. They use but few titles of honor.
In till' military line the titles of irreal men are oidy captains
or leaders of parties. In the civil line, ihe titles are oidy
counsellors, chiefs, or the old wise men. These titles arc
never made use of in addressini^ any of their great men.
The laniruaije commonly made use of in addressin'j;' them is
frrandlather, father, or uncle. They have no such thing in
use amon<,'' ihein as Sir, Mr., ^ladain, or Mistress. The com-
mon mode of address is, my friend, brother, cousin, or
mother, sister, &c. They pay Ljreat respect to age, or to the
aged fathers and mothers among them of every rank. No
one can arrive at any place of honor amoiig them but by merit.
Either some exploit in war must be pi'rfonned before any one
can bo advanced in the military line, or become eminent for
wisdom before they can obtain a seal in council. It would
apjiear to the Indians a most ridiculous thing to see a man
lead on a company of warriors, as an olTicer, who had himself
never been in a bcitle in his life. Even in case of merit they
are slow in advancing any one, until they arrive at or near
middle ago.

They invite every one that comes to their house or camp to
eat, while they have any thing to give ; and it is accounted
bad manners to refuse eating when invited. They are very
tenacious of their old mode of dressing and painting, and do
not change their fashions as we do. They are very fond of
tobacco, and the men almost all smoke it mixed with sumach
leaves or red willow bark, pulverized, though they seldom use
it in any other way. They make use of the pipe also as a
token of love and friendship.

In courtship they also differ from us. It is a common thing
among them for a young woman, if in love, to make suit to a
young man ; though the first address may be by the man, yet

2ryi

COLON r:L .SMITH'S adventures.

the other is ilic most rotmiion. TIk^ ?(|iir\^vs nrc irciicrally
very iinmudcst in ilu'ir words mid actions, and will (dten put \\\v
yoiiiiLf iiuTi to tli<' hhish. TIh- incn coininonly appear to lie

fjosse^sed of much more modesty than the women ; yet i liavi;
)eeii acqnaitjted with some yoimij^ stpiaws that appeared really
jnodest : ua-niiine it must Ite, as tliey were under very little
restraint in the channel of education or ciislotn.

When the Indians meet one anollier, instead of sayinpf how
do you do, they cf)nimonly salute in tlie followinn- manner:
you arc my friend — the reply is, truly friend, lam your Iriend;
or, cousin, you yet exist — the reply is, certainly 1 do. They
hav(Mheir chihlren under tolerahle command; seldom ever
wliip them, and their common mode of cliaslisinjj^ is hy duck-
in^^ them in cold water; therefore their children are more
ol)edient in the winter season than they are in the summer,
though they are then not so often ducked. They are a peaceahic
people, and scarcely ever wrant^le or scold, when soher ; hut
they are very much addicted to drinkinij;', and men and women
will hccome hasely intoxicated, if tliey can hy any means procure
or ohtain spirituous liquor, and then they are commonly cither
extremely merry and kind, or very turbulent, ill-humored and
disorderly.

ON THEIR TRADITIONS AND RELIGIOUS SENTIMENTS.

As the family that I was adopted into was intermarried with
the Wyandots and Ottawas, three toncfues were commonly
spoken, viz. : Caughnewaqa, or what the French call Iroque,
also the Wyandot and Ottawa. By this means I had an oppor-
tunity of learninij these three tongues ; and I found that these
nations varied in their traditions and opinions concerning reli-
gion ; and even numbers of the same nation dillered widely in
their religious sentiments. Their traditions are vague, whim-
sical, romantic, and many of them scarce Avorth relating, and
not any of them reach back to the creation of the world. The
W^yandots come the nearest to this. They tell of a squaw
that was found when an infant in the water, in a canoe, made
of bulrushes. This squaw became a great prophetess, and did
many wonderful things : she turned water into dry land, and at
length made this continent, w^hich was at that time only a very
small island, and but a few Indians in it. Though they were
then but few, they had not sufficient room to hunt ; therefore
this squaw went to the water-side, and prayed that this little
island might be enlarged. The Great Being then heard her
prayer, and sent great numbers of water tortoises and musk-
rats, which brought with them mud and other materials for

INDIAN CUSTOMS.

255

re ^-fMicrally
iftrii jiiil llie
ppcar lo III'
; yet I Imvu
en red really
r very liitle

sayiiip: linw
!"■ inanuer :
your iViciul;

do. They
seldom ever
is by diiok-
n are inore
he isiirnmcr,
! a peaceable

sober ; but

and women

fans procure

nonly either

umored and

lENTS.

narried with
! commonly
call Iroque,
ad an oppor-
1(1 that these
:crning reli-
ed widely in
iguc, whim-
elating, and
vorld. The
of a squaw
:anoe, made
ess, and did
land, and at
only a very
h they were
t ; therefore
t this little
1 heard her
and musk-
laterials for

onlnririncf this island, and by this means, ihcy say, it was

d to tl

iiicreaseii to ilic si/e that it now retnanis ; Uir'retorc, they say,
that the white people ought not to encroach upon them, or take
their land from thcin, because their great grandmother made
it. They say that about this time the angels or heavenly
inhabiiants, as they call them, lVe(|uently visited them and
talked with their forefathers, and gave directions how to pray,
and how to appease the Great Heing when he was odendeu.
They told them they were to otl« r sacrilice, liurn tobacco, buf-
falo and dmr bones ; but they were not to burn bear's or
raccoon's bones in sacritice.

The Ullawas say that there are two (Jreat Heings that
govern and rule the univiu'se, who are at war with each (fther;
the one they call Mdmlo, and the other Mntr/u/na/Hfn. Tln^y
say that Alaneto is all kindness and love, and that Matcho-
maneto is an evil spirit, that delights in doing mischief; and
some of them think that they ar«; erpial in power, and there-
fore worship the evil spirit out of a i)rincipl(; of fear. Other.s
<loubt which of the two may be the most powerful, and there-
fore endeavor to keep in favor with both, by giving each of
them some kind of worship. Others say that Maneto is the
first great cause, and therefore must be all powerful and su-
preme, and ought to be adored and worshipped, whereas
Matchemaneto ouy-ht to be rejected and despised.

Those of the Ottawas that worship the evil spirit pretend
to be great conjurors. I think if there is any such thing now
in the world as witchcraft it is among these people. I have
been told wonderful stories concerning their proceedings, but
never was eye-witness to any thing that appeared evidently
s\ipernatural.

Some of the Wyandots and Caughnewagas profess to be
Roman Catholics ; but even these retain many of the notions
of their ancestors. Those of them who reject the Roman
Catholic religion hold that there is one great first cause, whom
they call Oaianceyn, that riiles and governs the universe, and
takes care of all his creatures, ratie.nal and irrational, and gives
them their food in due season, and hears the prayers of all
those that call upon him ; therefore it is but just and reasona-
ble to pray, and offer sacrifice to this Groat Being, and to do
those things that are pleasing in his sight; but they difler
widely in what is pleasing or displeasing to this Great Being.
Some hold that following nature or their own propensities is
the way to happiness, and cannot be displeasing to the Deity,
because ho delights in the happiness of his creatures, and does
noihing in vain, but gave these dispositions with a design to
lead to happiness, and therefore they ought to be followed.

256

COLONEL SMITH'S ADVENTURES.

Others reject this opinion alloG;cthor, an 1 say liiat following
their own propensities in this irianner is neither the means of
happmess nor the way to ])lease the Deity.

'J'ecaufrhretanci^o was of opinion that foliowinj^ nature in a
limited sense was reasonable and riti;"ht. He said t'lat most
of the irrational animals, hy followini^ their natural propen-
sities, were led to the greatest pitch of hap|)iness thiit their
natures and the world they lived in would admit of. He said
that mankind and the rattlesnakes had evil ilispositioi.s, that
led them to injure themselves and others. He gave i'lstances
of this. He saiil he had a p'i])py that he did not int^'id to
raise, and in order to try an experiment he lied this puppy on
a pole, and held it to a rattlesnake, which hit it several limes;
that he observed the snake shortly after rolling about appar-
ently in great misery, so that it ap)ieared to have poisoned
itself as well as the pnppy. The otlier instance he gave was
concerning himself. He said thai when he was a young man
he was very foml of the women, and at length got the venereal
disease, so that, by following this propensity, he was led to
injure himself and others. He stdd our liappiness depends on
our using our reason, in order t > suppress these evil disposi-
tions ; but when our propensi:icS neither lead us to injure
ourscives nor others we might with safety indulge them, or
even pursue them as he means of happiness.

The Indians, generally, are of opinion that there are great
numbers (,f inferior deities, which they call Carrcyagaroona,
which signifies the heavenly inhabitants. These beings they
suppose are employed as assistants in managing the afl'airs of
the universe, and in inspecting the actions of men ; and that
even the irrational animals are engaged in viewing their
actions, and bearing intelligence to the gods. The eagle, for
this purpose, with her keen eye, is soaring about in the day,
and the owl, with her nightly eye, perched on the trees around
their camp in the night ; therefore, when they observe the
eagle or the owl near they immediately oiler sacrifice, or burn
tobacco, that they may have a- good »- port to carry to the gods.
They say that there are also great mimbers of evil spirits,
which they call Onasahroona, which signifies the inhabitants
of the lower region. These, they say, are employed in dis-
turbing the world, and the good spirits are always going after
them, and setting things ritrht, so that 'hey are constantly
working in opposition to each other. Some talk of a future
state, but not with any certainty ; at best their notions are
vague and unsettled. Others deny a future state altogether,
and say that, after death, they neither think nor live.

As the Caughnewagas and the Six Nations speak nearly

INDIAN CUSTOMS.

257

lat following
ho nieany of

; nature in a
lid I'lat most
iiral projKMi-
ss thi'.l their
of. lie said
ositioi.s, that
ivo i'lstanccs
not intend to
his puppy on
:^vf'ral limes ;

about appar-
ave poisoned

he i^ave was
a youni]C man
, the venereal
e was led to
IS depends on

evil disposi-

us to iiijure
ilij^e them, or

ere are great

rryngarooiia,

' beings they

the aiiiiirs of

en ; and that

iewing their

^'he eagle, for

It in the day,

trees around

observe the

itice, or burn

y to the gods.

evil spirits,

e inhabitants

loyed in dis-

going after
re constantly

of a future
notions are

altogether,
ive.
speak nearly

(

the same language, their theology is also nearly alikf. When
I met with the Shawanees, or Delawares, as I couUl not speak
their tongue, I spoke Ottawa to them, and as it bore some
resembhmce to their language, we understood each other in
some common aflairs ; bui, as I could only converse with them
very imperfectly, I cannot from my own knowledge, with cer-
tainty, give any account of their theological opinions.

ON THEIR POLICE, OR CIVIL noVERirMENT.

I have often heard of Indian kings, but never .aw any.
How any term used by the Indians in their own tongue, for
the chief man of a nation, could be rendered king, 1 know not.
The chief of a nation is neither a supreme ruler, monarch, or
potentate ; he can neither make war or peace, leagues or
treaties ; he cannot impress soldiers, or dispose of magazines ;
he cannot adjourn, prorogue, or dissolve a general assembly,
nor can he refuse his assent to their conclusions, or in any
manner control them. With them there is no such thing as
hereditary succession, title of nobility, or royal blood, even
talked ot. The chief of a nation, even with the consent of his
assembly, or council, cann-jt raise one shilling of tax off the
citizens, but only receive wha they please to give as free and
voluntary donations. The chief of a nation has to hunt for
his living as any other citizen. How then can they, with any
propriety, be called kings ? I apprehend that the white people
were formerly so fond of the name of kings, and so ignorant of
their power, that they concluded the chief man of a nation
must be a king.

As they are illiterate, they consequently have no written
code of laws. What they execute as laws are either old cus-
toms, or the immediate result of new councils. Some of their
ancient laws or customs are very pernicious, and disturb the
public weal. Their vague law of marriage is a glaring in-
stance of this, as the man and his wife are under no legal
obligation to live together if they are both willing to part.
They have little form or ceremony among them in matrimony,
but do like the Israelites of old ; the man goes in unto the
woman, and she becomes his wife. The years of puberty, and
the age of consent, is about fourteei\ for the women, and
eighteen for the men. Before I was taken by the Indians, I
had often heard that in the ceremony of marriage the man
gave the woman a deer's leg, and she gave him a red ear of
corn, signifying that she was to keep him in bread, and he was
to keep her in meat. I in(piired of them concerning the truth
of this, and they said they knew nothing of it, further than

22*

if •

258

COLONEL SMITH'S ADVENTURES.

that they bad heard it was the ancient custom amonfr soine
nation^;. Their fre([uent changing of partners prevoits propa-
gation, creates disturbances, and often occasions murder and
bloodshed, though tliis is commonly connnittcd under the pre-
tence of being drunk. Their impunity to crimes committed
when intoxicated with spirituous liquors, or their admitting
one crime as an excuse for anothei, is u very unjust law or
custom.

The extremes they run into in dividing the necessaries of
life are hurtful to the public weal ; though their dividing meat
when hunting may answer a valuable purpose, as one family-
may have success one day, and the other the next ; but their
carrying this custom to the town, or to agriculture, is striking
at the root of industry, as industrious persons ought to be
rewarded, and the lazy suffer for their indolence.

They have scarcely any penal laws ; the principal punish-
ment is degrading; even murder is not punished by any for-
mal law, only the friends of the murdered are at liberty to slay
the murderer if some atonement is not made. Their not an-
nexing penalties to their laws is perhaps not as great a crime,
or as unjust and cruel, as the bloody laws of England, which
we have so long shamefully practised, and which are to be in
force in this state until our penitentiary* house is finished,
which is now building, and then they are to be repealed.

Let us also take a view of the advantages attending Indian
police : They are not oppressed or perplexed with expensive
litigation; they are not injured by legal robbery; they have
no splendid villains that make themselves grand and great
upon other people's labor; they have neither church nor state
erected as money-making machines.

:i i

ON THEIR DISCIPLINE AND METHOD OF WAR.

I have often heard the British officers call the Indians the
undisciplined savages, which is a capital mistake, as they have
all the essentials of discipline. They are under good com-
mand, and punctual in obeying orders ; they can act in con-
cert, and when their officers lay a plan and give ord<.is, they
will cheerfully unite in putting all their directions into imme-
diate execution ; and by each man observing the motion or
movement of his right-hand companion, they can communicate
the motion from right to left, and march abreast in concert, and
in scattered order, though the line may be more than a mile
long, and continue, if occasion requires, for a considerable
distance, without disorder or confusion. They can perform
various necessary manoeuvres, either slowly, or as fast as they

INDIAN CUST03IS.

259

inonj^ soffie
'(Mils propa-
rimrdtT and
lKt the pre-
conimittcd
r admitting
just law or

cessaries of
vidincf meat
; one family
t ; but their
, is striking
ought to be

ipal punish-
by any for-
serty to slay
heir not an-
eat a crime,
land, which
are to be in
is finished,
)ealed.
ding Indian
h expensive
they have
i and great
ch nor state

Indians the
IS they have

good com-

act in con-
orueis, they

into imme-
e motion or
ommunicate
concert, and

than a mile
considerable
:an perform

fast as they

can run ; they can form a circle or ^cmioirclo. The circle
they make use of in onlcr to surround their enemy, and the
semicircle if the encniy has a river on out side of them.
They can also form a hirge hollow sfpuire, fiice out and take
trees; this they do if their enemies are aloi-.t sMrroi.i^'Ung
them, to prevent, being shot from either side of the tree. VVlit.u
they go into batth; they are not loaded ftr encumbered with
many clothes, as they commonly lif/ht naked, sav-> only breech-
clout, leggins, and moccasins. There is no such thing as cor-
poreal punishment used in order to bring ihem uii'ier such
good discipline; degrading is the only cba^lisLinent, anil they
are so unanimous in this that it eliectually answers the j)ur-
pose. Their otiicers plan, order, and conduct matters until
they are brought into action, and then each man is to fight as
though he was to gain the battle bin self. Geneial orders are
commonly given in time of battle either to advance or retreat,
and is done by a ^hout or yell, which is well understood, and
then they retreat or advance in concert. Tliev are generally
well equipped, and exceedingly expert and active in the iist; of
arms. Could it be supposed that undisciplined troops could
defeat Generals Braddock, Grant, Ace. ? It may be said by
some that the French were also engaged in this war. True,
they were; yet I know it was thu Indians that laid the plan,
and with small assistance put it into execution. The Indians
had no aid from the French, or any other power, when they
besieged fort Pitt in the year 1763, and cut oil' the communi-
cation for a considerable time between that post and fort
Loudon, and would have defeated General Boutpiet's army
(who were on the way to raise the siege) had it not been for
the assistance of the V'^irginia volunteers. They had no Brit-
ish troops with them vviien they defeated Colonel Crawford,
near the Sandusky, in the time of the American war with
Great Britain ; or when they defeated Colonel LouL''hrie, on the
Ohio, near the Aliaini, on his way to meet General Clarke :
this was also in the time of the British war. It was the In-
dians alone that defeated Colonel Todd, in Kentucky, near the
Blue Licks, in the year 17S2 ; and Colonel Harmer, betwixt
the Ohio and lake Erie, in the year 1790, and General St.
Clair, in the year 1791 ; and it is said that there were more of
our men killed at this defeat than there were in any one battle
during our contest with Great Britain. They had no aid
when they fought even the Virginia ridemen, almost a whole
day, at the Great Kenhawa, in the year 1774 ; and when they
found they could not prevail asjainsl the Virginians they mnde
a most artful reireat. Notwithstanding they had the Ohio to
cross, some continued firing whilst others were crossing the

.;*■

li r

260

OLONEL SMITH'S ADVENTURES.

river; in this manner they prorcMclod, luitil they all got over,
before the Virginians knew that tiiey had retreated, and in this
retreat they carried off all their \V(juiuled. In the most of the
feregoing defeats they fought with an inferior numher, though
in this, I believe, it was not the case.

Nothing can be more unjustly represented than the different
accounts we have had of their number, from time to time, both
by their own computations, and that of the British. While I
was among them I saw the account of the number that they,
in those parts, gave to the French, and kept it by me. When
they, in their own council-house, were taking an account of
their number, with a piece of bark, newly stripped, and a small
stick, which answered the end of a slate and pencil, I took an
account of the different nations and tribes, which I added to-
gether, and found there were not half the number which they
had given the French ; and though they were then their allies,
and lived among them, it was not easy finding out the decep-
tion, as they were a wandering set, and some of them almost
always in the woods hunting. I asked one of the chiefs what
was their reason for making such dilferent returns. He said
it was for political reasons, in order to obtain greater presents
from the French, by telling them they could not divide such
and such quantities of goods among so many.

In the year of General Bouquet's last campaign, 1764, I
saw the official return made by the British officers of the num-
ber of Indians that were in arms against us that year, which
amounted to thirty thousand. As I was then a lieutenant in
the British service, I -old them I was of opinion that there
was not above one thousand in arms against us, as they were
divided by Broadstreet's army, being then at lake Erie. The
British officers hooted at me, and said they could not make
England sensible of the difficulties they labored under in
fighting them, as England expected that their troops could
fight the undisciplined savages in America five to one, as they
did the East Indians, and therefore my report would not an-
swer their purpose, as they could not give an honorable account
of the war but by augmenting their number. I am of opinion
that from Braddock's war until the present time ihere never
were more than three thousand Indians, at any time, in arms
against us west of fort Pitt, and frequently not half that num-
ber. According to the Indians' own accounts, during the
whole of Braddock's war, or from 1755 till 1758, they killed
or took fifty of our people for one that they lost. In the war
that commenced in the year 1763 they killed comparatively
few of our people, and lost more of theirs, as the frontiers
(especially the Virginians) had learned some thing of their

INDIAN CUSTOMS.

261

all got over,
1, and in this
^ most of the
nhcr, though

the (lifTcrent
to time, both
h. While I
or that they,

me. When
1 account of
, and a small
"il, I look an
h I added to-
r which they
n their allies,
U the dccep-
thern almost
3 chiefs what
ns. He said
ater presents

divide such

lign, 1764, I

of the num-

year, which

lieutenant in

n that there

as they were

Erie. The

Id not make

d under in

troops could

one, as they

ould not an-

able account

m of opinion

there never

ime, in arms

f that num-

during the

i, they killed

In the war

imparatively

the frontiers

ing of their

method of war ; yet they, in this war, a<'i'(irdiiig to their own
accounts, (which 1 believe to be true,) kilb'd or took trn of our
people for one they lost.

Let us now take a view of the blood and treasure that was
spent ill opposing comparatively a few liidiau warriors, with
only some assistance from the French, the lirst four years of
the war. Additional to the amazinir destruction and slaughter
that the frontiers sustai'Uid from James river to Sus(Hieliaium,
and about thirty uiiles broad, the following" campaigns were
also carried on ngainst the Indians : (Ictieral Braddock's, in
the year I7oo ; Colonel Armstrong's, ai^ainst the (';uianyan
town on the Alleghany, 1767 ; Gon. Forbes's, in 176'^; (Um.
Stanwick's, in 17-59; General Moidcton's, in 17(50-, Colomd
Bouquet's, in 17(U ami 17H.']. when he fought the buttle of
Brushy Run, and lost above one iiuntlred men, but, by the
assistance of the Virginia volunteers, drove the Indians; Col.
Armstrong's, up the west brunch of Sus(|neh;inna, in 17(53;
General Broadstreet's, uj) lak'e Ev'w, in 17(j 1 ; Gen. Bouquet's
against the Indians at Muskinirum, 17(54; Lord Dunmore's, in
1774; Gen. M'Intosh's, in 177S ; Colonel Crawford's, shortly
after his; Gen. Clarke's, in 177*=!, 17S0 ; Colonel Bowman's,
in 1779; General Clarke's, in 17S2, against the Wabash in
1786; Gen. Logan's, against the Shawanees, in 1786; Gen.

Wilkinson's, in ; Colonel Harmer's, in 1790 ; and Gen.

St. Clair's, in 1791 ; which, in all, are twenty-two mmpaigns,
besides smaller expeditions; such as the French Crec^k e.xpe-
dition, Colonel Edwards's, Loughrio's, &c. All these were
exclusive of the number of men that were internally employed
as scouting parties, and in erecting forts, guarding stations, &c
When we take the foregoi;.g occurren^'es into consideration,
may we not reasonably conclude, that they are the best disci-
plined troops in the known world ? Is it not the best discipline
that has the greatest tendency to annoy tin; eiu'iny and save
their own men ? I apprehend that the Ir- lian discipline is as
well calculated to answ<>r the purpose in the woods of America,
as the British discipline in Flanders ; and British discipline in
the woods is the way to have men slaughtered, with scarcely
any chance of defendinp; themselves.

Let us take a view of the benefits W(> have received by what
little we have learned of their art of war, which cost us dear,
and the loss we have sustained for want of it, and th'Mi see if
it will not be well worth our while to retain what we hav(>, and
also to endeavor to improve in this necessary branch of busi-
ness. Though we have made considerable proiiciency in this
line, and in some respects outdo them. vix. as marksmen, and
in cutting our rides, and keeping them in good order; yet I

262

COLONEL SMITH'S ADVENTURES.

apprehend we are far bohiml in tlieir inano'iivres, or in being
able to fturpri^^e, or j)rcvent a surprise. May we not conclude,
that the proj^i-ress we had made in their art of war contributed
considerably towards our success, in various respects, when
contcndiniT with Great Brit.-iin for liberty ? Had the British
kinn;' attempted to enslave us before Braddock's war, in all pro-
bability he might readily have done it, because, exce[)t the New
Enn-landers, who had Ibrmerly been engag"ed in war with the
Indians, we were unacquainted with any kind of war. But
after lighting such a subtle and barbarous enemy as the In-
dians, we were not terrified at the a])proach of British red-coals.
Was not Burgoyne's defeat accomplished, in some measure, by
the Indian mode of fighting? And did not General Morgan's
riflemen, and many others, fight with greater success in con-
sequence of what they had h'arned of their art of war ? Ken-
tucky would not have been settled at the time it was, had the
Virginians been altogether ignorant of this method of war.

In Braddock's war the frontiers were laid waste for above
three hundred miles long, and generally about thirty broad,
excepting some tliat were living in forts, and many hundreds,
or perhaps thousands, killed or made captives, and horses, and
all kinds of property carried off. But, in the next Indian war,
though we had the same Indians to cope with, the frontiers
almost all stood their ground, because the\^ were by this time,
in some measure, acquainted with their mancKUvres; and the
want of this in the first war was the cause of the loss of many
hundreds of our citizens, and much treasure.

Though large volumes have been written on morality, yet it
may be all summed up in saying, do as you would wish to be
done by. So the Indians sum up the art of war in the follow-

ing manner.

The business of the private warriors is to be under command,
or punctually to obey orders ; to learn to march abreast in
scattered order, so as to lie in readiness to surround the enemy,
or to prevent being surrounded ; to be good marksmen, and
active in the use of arms; to practise running; to learn to
endure hunger or hardships with patience and fortitude ; to tell
the truth at all times to their officers, but more especially when
sent out to spy the enemy.

Concernijig Officers. — They say that it would be absurd to
appoint a man an officer whose skill and courage had never
been tried ; that all officers should be advanced only according
to merit; that no one man should have the absolute command
of an army ; that a council of officers are to determine when
and how an attack is to be made ; that it is the business of the
officers to lay plans to take every advantage of the enemy ; to

INDIAN CUSTOMS.

263

, or in Dcing
ot conclude,
• contributed
pects, wlicn
I tlie British
T, in all pro-
cpt llie New
A'ar with the
f war. But
ly as the In-
sh red-coats,
measure, by
ral Morgan's
;cess in con-
war ? Ken-
was, had the
d of war.
ite for above
thirty broad,
iiy hundreds,
\ horses, and
t Indian war,
the frontiers
by this time,
res ; and the
loss of many

)rality, yet it
d wish to be
n the follow-
er command,
1 abreast in
d the enemy,
irksmen, and
; to learn to
tude ; to tell
)ecially when

be absurd to
70 had never
ily according-
ite command
ermine when
isiness of the
c enemy ; to

ambush and surprise them, and to prevent being ambushed and
surprised themselves. It is the duty of oHii-crs lo prepare and
deliv(?r speeches lo ih<^ men, in onh'r to animate and encourage
them ; and on the march, to prevent the n)en, at any time, I'rom
getting into a huddle, because if the enen)y shou' I surround
them in this position they would be exposed to the en'Mny's
fire. It is likewise their hiisim^ss ;il all times to endeavf)r to
annoy their eniMuy, and save their own men, and thfM'eforo
ought never to bring on an altaclc without considerable advan-
tage, or witlioul what ap])eared to them the sure prospect of
victory, and that with the loss of few men ; and if at any time
they should be mistaken in this, and are like to lose many men
by gaining the victory, it is their duty to retreat, and wait lor
a better opportunity of defeating their enemy, without the dan-
ger of losing so many men. Their conduct proves that they
act upon these principles ; therefore it is that, from Braddock's
war to the preseut time, they have seldom ever made an un-
successful attack. The battle at the mouth of the Great Ken-
hawa is the greatest instance of this ; and even then, though
the Indians killed about three for one they lost, yet they re-
treated. The loss of the Virginians in this action was seventy
killed, and the same number wounded. The Indians lost
twenty killed on the field, and eight who died afterwards of
their wounds. This was the greatest loss of men that 1 ever
knew the Indians to sustain in any one battle. They will
commonly retreat if their men are falling fast; they will not
stand cutting like the Hiirhlanders or other British troops ; but
this proceeds from a compliance with their rules of war rather
than cowardice. If they are surrounded they will fight while
there is a man of them alive, rather than surnm'ler. When
Colonel John Armstrong surrounded the Catianynn town, on
the Alleghany river, Captain Jacobs, a Delaware chi 'f, with
some warriors, took possession of a house, defended lluMTiselves
for some time, and killed a numlter of our men. As Jacobs
could speak English, our people called on him to surrender.
He said that he and his men were warriors, and they would
all fight while life remained. He was again told that they
should be well used if they would only surrend(T ; and if not,
the house should be burned down over their heads. Jacobs
replied, he could eat fire ; and when the house was in a fiame,
he, and they that w^re with hitn, came out in a fighting posi-
tion, and were all killed. As they are a sharp, active kind of
people, and war is their principal study, in this they have
arrived at considerable perfection. We may learn of the In-
dians what is useful and laudable, and at the same time lay
aside their barbarous proceedings. It is much to be lamented,

261

COLONEL SMITHS ADVENTURES.

that some of our frontier rinomon are too prone to imitate tliem
in llicir iiilunnaiiiiy. During li)e IJritisli war, a coiisidcraLle
nunihcr of men from bt'low fort I'itt orossf^l the Olii^; and
marrlu'd into a town ol friendly Indians, cliirlly Delawares,
wlio prolt'^sc'ti tlie Moravian rcliiiion. As the Indians appre-
hended no (lani,a'r, they neither lifted arms nor (led. After
these riliemen were some time in the town, and the Indians
ahoiretlier in tiieir power, in cool lihjod lliey massacred the
whole town, without distinction of age or sex. This was an
act of harbarity beyond any thing 1 ever knew to be committed
by the savages themselves.

Why have we not made greater proficiency in the Indian art
of war i \^ i; because we are too proud to imitate them, (nen
though it should be a means of preserving the lives of many
v-i our citizens ? No ! We are not above borrowing language
from them, such as homony, pone, tomahawk, &C., which is of
little or no use to us. 1 apprehend, lluit the reasons why we
have not improved more in this respect are as follow : no
important accpiisition is to be obtained but by attention and
diligence ; and as it is easier to learn to nmve and act in con-
cert in close order in the open plain, than to act in concert in
scattered order in the woods, so it is easier to learn our disci-
pline than the Indian manffiuvres. They train up their boys
in the art of war from the time they are twelve or fourteen
years of age ; whereas, the principal chance o\ir people had of
learning was by observing their mananivres when in action
against us. I have been long astonished that no one has writ-
ten upon this important subject, as their art of war would not
only be of use to us in case of aimther rupture with them ; but
were only part of our men taught this art, accompanied with
our continental discipline, I thiidc no European power, after
trial, would venture to show its head in the American woods.

If what I have written should meet the approbation of my
countrymen, perhaps I may publish more upon this subject in
a future edition.

i I

265

rnitate thorn
considfrable
3 0\\\^; and

Dcia wares,
(liaiis appre-
flcMJ. Aiu-r

iho Indians
issarrtMl tho
Til is was an
)e cnnnnittcd

10 Indian art
[.' tlicm, oven
ivcs of many
in^r lanfj^uago
, which is of
pons why we

follow : no
ittention and
id act in con-
in concert in
irn our disci-
up their boys
e or fourteen
leople had of
)cn in action
one has writ-
ar woukl not
th them ; but
npanied with

power, after
rican woods,
jbation of my
his subject in

A FAITHFUL NARRATIVE

OF THE MANV DANGERS AND SUFFERINGS, AS WELL AS
WONDERFUL AND SURPi iL\G DELIVERANCP^S, OF ROBERT
EASTRURN, DURING HIS LATE CAPTIVITY AMONG THE
INDIANS. WRITTEN BY HIMSELF. Pul.lislied at ih.; earnest
request of many persons, fur (ho henefit of the Public. With a recommen-
datory Preface hy the Rev. Gilbert Tcnnent.— Psalms 24, C, 7, and 193, 2, 4.
Pliiladelpliia : Printed. Boston : Reprinted and sold hy Green & Russell, oppo-
site the Probate Office in Queen street, 175S.

Preface. — Candid Reader : The author (and subject) of
the ensuin<T narrative (^vho is a deacon of our church, and has
been so for many years) is of surh an e.-^iablished i^ood char-
acter, that he needs no rocommemlation of others where lie is
known ; a proof of which was the general joy of the inhab-
itants of tliis city, occasioned by his return from a miserable
captivity; toi^'-eiher with the readiness of divers persons to con-
tribute to the relief of himself and necessitous family, without
any request of his, or the least motion of that tendency. But
seeing the following sheets are like to spread into many places
where ho is not Known, permit me to say that, upon long
acquaintance, ] have tbuml him to be a person of candor,
integrity, and sincere piety, whose testimony may with safety
be depended upon ; which give his narrative the greater
weight, and may induce to read it with the greater pleusure.
The design of it is evidently pious ; the matters contained in

< 'If

2GG

Ronr'RT KASTBURN'S CAI'TIVITV,

it, 1111(1 iiinuMfr of haiulliii.'r lliciii, will, 1 li()|)<', be pstprrnrd
by till' im|i:irti;il to l»r ('iilcrtiuiiiiiir and improN iii^r. 1 wish it
may, by tlic diviiM- bcncdiiMion. be ol j.'ri';ii and (birabbj ser-
vice. I am iby sinct-rc hcrviinl in the L'"»-|i«d ol Jrviis (Uirist.

UiLiu;itT Tj:nni^m.
rbilad.'Ipbia, January lOlb. \7r,f<.

[CiND Ki'ADf.iis : On my rdnin from my ra|tti'viiy I bad no
ihouv.bts of |)ubli^^bi^i;■ any oIim ivations </| mini' to thf world
ill ibis manner. As I bad mt ojiporlunily to K( tj) a Journal,
Hud my memory bein<; broken and capacity .^mall, I was
disinclineij to undertake it. Ibu a number cd' friends uere
pressino- in fbeir persuasions that I sliould do it ; witb ubosi!
motions 1 complied, from a sincere ree'ard to (jod, my kitii; and
country, so far as I know my own beart. 'I'lw lollnwin^r
|)ai;('s contain, as far as 1 can remember, tbe most material
j;!^>afjces tbal liapp(>r»ed witbiii tlu^ com[)ass of my observation
wbile a prisoner in Canada. Tlu' lads tberein related are
certainly true, but tbe way of representint>- some lliin«fs espe-
cially, is not .so reiTular, (dear and stronir as I could wish ; but
I trust it will lie some apoloL'^y, tbfit I am not so mucb ac(juainl-
v(\ with performances of ibis kind as many others, who may
be hereby excited to give belter representatifms of thiriffs, far
beyond my knowledg-e. I remain your uid'eigned well-wisher
and humble servant,

RoUEHT EasTBUKN.

Pliiludelphia, January 19, 1758.

A Fattttfui, Narrative, &;c. — About tliirty tradesmen and
mys(df arrived at Captain AVilliams' fort, at tbe carryinc^
pla<e, in our way to Oswe'jo, the liCJib of March, 1756.
Ca[tlain Williams informed me tbal be was lik(^ to be cum-
bered in the fort, and therefore advised \is to take the Indian
bouse for our l()di_'in<x. About ten o'clock next day, a neL'roman
came runnii\i»' down the road and rc^jiorled thai our slaymen
were all taken by the enemy. Cajilain Williams, on bearinj''
tbi>,sent a sen,n'anland about twtdve men lo see if it werelr\ie.
I being at the Indian house, and not thinkino- myself safe there,
in case of an attack, and being also sincerely willing to serve
my king and country, in the best manner I could in my pres-
ent circumstances, asked liirn if he would take company. He
re])lied, with all his heart I hereupon 1 fell into the rear with
my arms, and marched after th(>m. When we bad advanced
about a quarter of a mile, we lieard a sboi, followed, with dole-

noHEllT EASTBURN'S CAI'TIVITY. 207

, be pstccnifMJ

ii^r. 1 wisli il

I (luriilil'i ser-

Jt-iis I'Jirist.

Tknni.nt.

ffvily 1 liiitl no

• to tlir WOllil
«'p !l j(Uiril!ll,

Miiall, I \\:is
rricnils utrc!
L ; with \\ln).><('
I, my Kini; iiiid
riic t(tlli)uiii«^'-
most iiwilcrial
ny obscrviilioii
in rcliitfil iirc
lo t!iin«,'s «'>pe-
uld wish ; Imt
nuch accjUiUMl-
luTs, wlio may
i of t}rui^>, far
ed well-wisher

Eastcurn.

tradcsinrn and

the carrviiip

March, me.

ko to be ciim-

ke the Indian

y, a neoro iuari

I (tiir shiyineii

IS, (HI hearing

if it were true.

r t'lf safe there,

illiiur to serve

(I in my pres-

oiiipany-

lit

ihe rear with
had nilvanced
ed with dole-

fill cries of a dyin'/ tnaii, which excited me to advaiin

rder to disc()ver tlie enemy

ho I

■OOIl

perceived weri; pre

jiared to receive us. In this diOiciiIt situation, seeiiiir a largo
j)ine free near, I repaired to it for shelter ; and while the enemy

d' Killi

were viewitiL,'' our party, I, liavmi!; i« •j'ooil chance dt ulllm^
two at a shot, ipiickly dischari^cd at ihem, hut could not cer-
(ainly Know what execution was dour' till s((in»> time al'ier.
Our company likewise discharged nod retreated. S<eiiii^
mv>-''lf ill daiej^er of heiii'^r siirrounded. I was ohIiMcd to relreal
a dilli'reiil course, and to my ernit smprix' I'ell into a deep
n)irc, which the enemy hy folli.wini,' my trai'k in a li'/lit snow
Moon discovered, and ohliL'^ed me to surr'^ider, to )ire\ciit a cruel
dealh ; they slandin'j;' ready to drive their darts inlr» my hodv,
in case I refused to deliver up my arms. Presently after I was
taken, I was surrounded hy a Ln-eat numher, who stripjied mc
of my clotllin^^ hat and neckcloth, so that I had notliine- h.fi
hut a (laiinel vest without sleeves, put a rope on my iie(dv,
bound my arms fast ludiind me, put a louf,^ band routul my
body, aiul a lar<re j)a(d< on my hack, struck me a severe blow
on the head, and drove me throufrh the woods before them. It
is not easy to conceive how distressinrr such n condition is.
In the mean time I endeavored with all my liitle remaining^
streriiith to lift up my eyes to (Jod, from whom alone 1 could
with reason expect relitif.

Seventeen or eitrhteen prisoners were soon added to our
number, one of whom informed me that the Indians were
nn^n-y with me, reported to some of their chiefs that I had (irc^d
on them, wounded one and killed another ; for wliic h he
doubted not they would kill me.

I had not as yet learned what number the enemy's parties
consislcnl of; there bein<j only about one hundred Indians who
hiul lain in and)ush on the road to kill or take into c riptivity
all thai passed between the two forts. }Iere an interpreter
came to me to iiKjuire what strenir'li Captain Williams had to
defend his fort. After a short j)ause I jjavc such a discour-
acini^ answer, (yet consistent with truth.)* as prevented ilieir
attack iiii^ it, and of consecpience the elFusion of much blood.
Hereby it evidently appeared that I was suffered to fall into
the hands of the enemy to promote the good of my country-
men, to better purpose than I could by continuing with them.

In the mean time the enemy determined to destroy Bull's

* It is a groat pity that o ir modern managers of Indian affairs hnd not
indule;od in such scrupuk)ns veracity. They would prol)ahly s;iy our
captive was ''more nice than wise."' But perhaps he was like an old
acquaintance of mine, who used to say sometimes that " he al-most laid a
Uc,^' though tiot quitt. — Ed

268

ROBERT EASTHLMIN'S CAPTIVITY.

fort, (at the head of Wood Crcok,) whii h they ^ooii vflt'cted ;
all heiiifj put to the sword, cxfept live persons, the fort hurnt,
the provisions and powdt-r dt•^lr()yod, (saving- only m little for
ilicir own use.) Then they retired to the woods nnd joined their
main body, inflndinif which, consisted of loiir hundred FriMich
and three hundred Indians, coininanded hy one of the principal
gentlemen of Cinehec. y\.s Mnnx as they got together, (liaving a
prie.-t with them,) they fell on their knees and retnrned thiinks
for their victory. An example this, worthy of imitation I an
example ^v■hich may make profane", ])retended }*rot(>stants
hlu.sh, if they arc not lo.^t to all sense of shame,'**' wlm, instead
of atdcnowledging a God, or providence, in their military
undertakings, are rontitunilly re])roachin!r him with oaths and
curses. Is it any wonder the attempts of such are blasted
with disappointment and disgrace?

The enemy had several wounded men, both French and
Indians, among them, whom they carried on their ba(d\s ;
besides these, about hfleen of their nundier were killed, and
of us about forty. It being hy this time near dark, and some
Indians drunk, they only marched about four miles and
encamped. The Indians untied my arms, cut hendock lionghs
and strewed round the fire, tied my band to two trees, with my
back on the green boughs, (by the fire,) covered me vvitfi an
old hlanket, and lay down across my band, on each side, to
prevent my escape while they slept.

Sunday the i2Sth, we rose early ; the commander ordered a
hasty retreat towards Canada, for fear of General Johnson.
In the mean time, one of our men said he understood the
French and Indians designed to join a strong part 3% and fall
on Oswego, before our forces at that place could get any j)ro-
vision or succor; having, as they thought, put a stop to our
relieving them for a time. When encamped in the evening,
the commanding officer ordered the Indians to bring me to his
tent, and aslced me ])y an interpreter if I thought General
Johnson would follow them. I told him I judged not,])ut rather
thought he would proceed to Oswego, (which was indeed my
sentiment, grounded upon prior information, and then exprc&^sed
to prevent the execution of their design.) He further inquired
what my trade was. I told him, that of a smith. He then
persuaded me, when I got to Canada, to send for my wife,
" for," said he, " you can get a rich living there." But when
he saw that he could not prevail, he asked me no more ques-

* What would Captain Gyles have said to such praise of Catholics and
their velif^jion ? and by a Protestant too. He vould no doubt have said
that the devil had helped them, inasmuch as no good spirit would have
heard the prayers of '• wicked papists." — Ed

nOBEUT EASTBURN'S CAPTIVITY.

269

jw ofTcctcd ;
fort liiirnt,

; n littU- for
joiju'il tlieir
(Ircd Froiich
ihc piiiuipiil
cr, (liiiv iii^- a
init'd tliaiiKs
nitatiiiM I iiii

Protostiuils
who, i1l^tf'ml
icir militiiry
ih oaths and

iU" Masted

Fronch and
thoir hacks ;
(■ Killed, and
U, and soino
r miles and
nh)ck houghs
roes, with my
mc with an
ach side, to

r ordered a
il Johnson,
erstood the
rty, and fall
Cfet any pro-
stop to our
le eveninn;',
LT me to his
:lit General
1, ])nl rather
indeed my
en expressed
er inquired
. He then
or my wife,
But when
more ques-

Catholics and
ubt ha.ve said
it would have

lions, but commanded me lo my Indian master. Havinir tliis
opportunity of conversation, 1 inl'ormed the jroncral that his
Indian warriors had stripped nu' of my rlothiiii,saiid \v<hiM he
glad if he wtmid he i,'oo(l enou'/h to order me some rep -f ; to
which he replied, " 1 should e;et clothes when i cannr to Can-
ada," whii'.h was cold comfort to one almost fro/en. On my
return, the Indians, perceivinic I was unwell and could not eat
their coarse food, (U'dered mhuh chocolijte, whicli th»>y hiid
broui;hi from the carrying- place, to he hoi led for me, and -see-
ing me eat that appean-d pleased. A strong <ruard was
kept every night. One of our men heitig weakened hy his
wounds, and rendered unal>le to ke(>p pace with them, was
killed and scalped on the road ! 1 was all this time almost
naked, travelling through deep snow, and wading through riv-
ers, cold as ice !

After seven days' marcli, we arrived at lake Ontario, vhere
I eat some hors(! flesh, which tasted very airreeahly, for to a
hungry man, as Solonmn observes, every hitter thing is sweet.
On the Friday before we arrived at the lake, the Indians killed
a porcupine. The Indians threw it on a large fire, hiirnt off
the hair and quills, roasted and eat of it, with whom I had a
part.

The French carried several of their wounded men all the
way upon their backs ; many of whom wore no breeches in
their travels in this cold season, being strong hardy men.
The Indians had three of their party wounded, which they
likewise carried on their hacks. I wish there was more of
this hardiness, so necessary for war, in our nation, which would
open a more encouraging scene than appears at present. The
prisoners were so divided, that but few could converse together
on the march, and what was still more disagreeable and dis-
tressing, an Indian who had a large bunch of green scalps,
taken otfour men's heads, marched l)efore me, and another with
a sharp spear behind, to drive mc after him, hy which means the
scalps were often close to my face. And as we marched, they
frequently every day gave the dead shout, which was repeated
as many times as there were caj)tives and scalps taken.

I may with justice and truth observe, that our enemies leave
no stone unturned to compass our ruin. They pray, work,
and travel to bring it about, and are unwearied in the pursuit,
while many among us sleep in a storm which has laid a good
part of our country desolate, and threatens the whole with
destruction.

April 4th, several French batteaux met us, and brought a
large supply of provision, the sight of which ca sed great joy,
for we were in great want. Then a place was on erected to

23*

270

ROBEx^T EASTBURN'S CAPTIVITY.

:■; (

ccle^iratc mass in, which being ended, we all went over the
mouth of a river, where it empties itself into the east end of
lake Ontario. A yreat part of our company set off on foot
towards Oswegatchy. while the rest were ordered into hatteaux
and carried towards the extreme of St. Lawrence, (where that
river takes its beginning-,) but by reason of bad weather, wind,
rain, and snow, wtiereby the waters of the hike were troubled,
we were obliged to lie by, and haul our hatteaux on shore.
Here I lay on the cold shore two days. Tuesday set off, and
entered the head of St. Lawrence in the afternoon ; came too
late at night, mndc fires, but did not lie down to sleep. Em-
barking long before day, and after some miles' progress down
the river, saw many fires on our right hand, which were made
by the men who loft us and went by land. With them we staid
till day, then again embarked in our hatteaux. The weather
was very bad, (it snowed fast all day ;) near night we arrived
at Osw^egatchy. I was almost starved to death, but hoj)ed to
stay in th.is Indian town till warm weather ; slept in an Indian
wigwam, rose early in the morning, (being Thursday,) and
soon to my grief discovered my disappointment. Several of
the prisoners had leave to tarry here, but I must go two hun-
dred miles further doT. .1 stream, to another Indian town. The
moving being extremely cold, I applied to a French merchant
or trader for some old rags of clothing, for I was almost naked,
but to no purpose.

About ten o'clock, I was ordered into a boat, to go down the
river, with eight or nine Indians, one of whom was the man
wounded in the skirmish before mentioned."^ At night we
went on shore ; the snow being much deeper than before, we
cleared it away and made a large fire. Here, when the wound-
ed Indian cast his eyes upon me, his old grudge revived ; he
took my blanket from me and commanded me to dance round
the fire barefoot, and sing the prisoner's song, which I utterly
refused. This surprised one of my fellow-prisoners, who told
me they would put me to death, for he understood what they
said. He therefore tried to persuade me to comply, but I de-
sired him to let me alone, and was through great mercy enabled
to reject his importunity with abhorrence. This Indian also
continued urging, saying, you shall dance and si,ig ; but ap-
prehending my compliance sinful, I determined to persist in
declining it r?t all adventures, and leave the issue to the divine
disposal. The ndian, perceiving his orders disobeyed, was
fired with indignation, and endeavored to push me into the fire,
which I leaped over, and he, being weak with his wounds, and

* The auihor probably refers tc die time he was taken. — Ed

nit over the
cast end of
oir on foot
into lintteaux
, (whrn,' ihat
■atlicr, wind,
ere ti(<nbled,
jx on slu)re.
J set ofl', and
»n ; came too
sleep. Eni-
•Qo^ress down
h were made
hem we staid
The weather
ht we arrived
but hoj>ed to
in an Indian
mrsday,) and
Several of
go two hun-
1 town. The
ich merchant
almost naked,

I ofo down the
was the man
At night we
an before, we
n the wonnd-
revived ; he
dance round
ich I utterly
Ts, who told
od what they
ily, but I de-
nercy enabled
s Indian also
si,ig ; but ap-
to persist in
to the divine
sobeyed, was
into the fire,
wounds, and

en.— Ed

ROBERT EASTBURNS CAPTTVITY.

271

not being assisted by any of bis brethren, was ol)lio"<Ml to desist.
For this gracious interposun^ of ProvidtMu-c, in prcs<i\ inn- me
both from sin and danger, I desire to bless (io(l while I live.

Friday nu)rninL'' I was alnio>t perished with cold. Saturday
we proi'eedod on our way, and soon came in sight of the upper
part of ilic inliabitants of Canada. Here I was in <.rr<'at hojM^s
Oi .M)ni(; reliof, not knowing the manner of the Indians, who
do not malcc many stops among the Frenrli in their return
from war till they get home. However, when they came near
some rapid falls of water, one of my fellow-prisoners and several
Indians, together willi myself, were ]iui on shore to travel by
land, which pleased me well ; it beini;- much warmer running
on the snow than to lie still in the balteau. We passed by
"everal French houses, but stopped at none ; the vessel going
uown a rapid stream, it required haste to keep pace with her,
and we crossed over a point of land and found the batteau
waiting for us, as near the shore a^ the ice would jiermit.
Here we left the St. Lawrence and turned up Conasadauga
river, but it being frozen up, we hauled our batteau on shore,
and each of us took our share of her loading on our backs, and
marched towards Conasadauga, an Indian town, which was
our designed port, but could not reacli it that night. We came
to a French house, cold, weary, and hungry. Here my old
friend, the wounded Indian, again appearerl, and related to the
Frenchman the affair of my refusing to dance, who immedi-
ately assisted him to strip me of my llannel vest, which was
my all. Now they wrre resolved to compel me to dance and
sing. The French nan was as violent as the Indian in pro-
moting this imposition ; but the woman belonging to the house
seeing the rough usage I had, toolc pity on nu' and rescued me
out of their hands, till their lu^at was over, and jirevailed with
the Indian to excuse me from dancing, but he insisted that I
must be shaved, and then he would let me alone. (I had at
that time a long beard, which the Indians hate.) With this
motion I readily complied, and then th(>y seemed contented.

Sunday. April 11th, we set oft" towards Conasadauga, and
travelled about two hours, when we saw the town over a great
river, which was still frozen. The Irulians stopped, and we
were soon joined with a number of cir own company, which
we had not seen for several days. The prisoners, in niimber
eight, were ordered to lay down their packs, and be painted.
The wounded Indian paiiUed me, and put a belt of wampum
round my neck, instead of the rope I had worn four hundred
miles. Then we set off' for the town on the ice, which was
four miles over. Our heads were not allowed to be covered,
lest our fine paint should be hid, the weather in the mean time

272

ROBERT EASTBURN'S CAPTIVITY.

very t'old, like to freeze our ear?;. After we had advanced
nearer to tlie town, the Indian women came out to meei us, and
reliev'd their hushands of their packs.

As .soon as we landc^d at Conasadaun-a a lar<je body of In-
dians came and encompassed us round, and ordered the prison-
ers to dance and sing- the prisoner's song, (which I was still
enahhjd to decline.) At the conclusion they gave a shout, and
optned the ring to let us run, and then fell on us with their
fists, and knocked several down. In the m(\'\n time, one ran
before to direct us to an Indian house which was open, and as
soi.a as we got in we were safe from beating. My head was
sore with bruises, and pained me several days. The squaws
were kind to us, gave us boiled corn and beans to eat, and fire
to warm us, which was a great mercy, for I was both cold and
hungry. This town lies about thirty miles north-west of Mont-
real. I staid here till the ice was gone, which was about ten
days, and then was sent to Cohnewago, in company with some
Indians, who, when they came within hearing, gave notice by
their way of shouting that they had a prisoner, on which the
whole town rose to welcome me, which was the more distress-
ing as there was no other prisoner in their hands. When we
came near shore, a stout Indian took hold of me, and hauled
me into the water, which was knee deep, and very cold. As
soon as I got ashore the Indians gathered round me, ordered
me to dance and sing, although I was stiff with cold and wet,
and lying long in the canoe. I only stamped to prepare for
my race, and was encompassed with about five hundred Indians,
who danced and sung, and at last gave a shout and opened the
circle. About one hundred and fifty Indian lads made ready
to pelt me with dirt and gravel-stones, and on my starting off
gave me a smart volley, but from which I did not sufler much
hurt. An Indian seeing me running, met me, seized and held
me fast, till the boys had stored themselves again with small
stones, and then let me go. Now I fared much worse than
before, for a small stone among the mud hit my right eye, and
my head and face were so covered with the dirt that I could
scarce see my way ; but discovering the door of an Indian
house standing open, I ran in. From this retreat I was soon
dragged to be pelted more, but the Indian women, being more
merciful, interposed, took me into a house, brought m:^ water
to wash, and gave me boiled corn and beans to eat. The next
day I was brought to the centre of the town and cried accord-
ing to the Indian custom, in order to be sent to a family of
Indians two hundred miles up stream, at Oswegatchy, and
there to l)e adopted and abused no more. To this end I was
delivered to tliree young men, who said I was their brother,

ROBERT EASTBURN'S CArXIVITY.

273

id advanced
neet us, and

body of In-
1 the prison-
li I was still
a sliout, and
IS with their
nic, one ran
open, and as
ly head was
The squaws
eal, and fire
olh cold and
,'est of Mont-
ras about ten
ly with some
iv(^ notice by
)n which the
lore distress-
When we
', and hauled
ry cold. As
me, ordered
:old and wet,
D prepare for
red Indians,
opened the
nade ready
starting off
suffer much
zed and held
n with small
worse than
<jhl eye, and
that 1 could
of an Indian
t I was soon
being more
It m3 water
The next
ried accord-
a family of
gatchy, and
is end I was
leir brother,

and set forward on our way to the aforesaid town with a])out
twenty nior(\ but by reason of bad weather we vrrro obliged
to encamp on a cold, stony shore three days, and then proceed-
ed on. We called a' ('oiiiisa(lau!.'a. staid there about a week,
in which lime I went and vicwi'd four houses at a distance
from the town, about a (juartcr of a mile from each other, in
which are represented in large paintings the suirerinirs of our
Savior, desiufued to draw tlie Indians to the papist's reliirion.
The work is curiously done. A liltl(> fiirtlier statu! three
houses near tou'etlu.'r, on a high hill, which they call mount
Calvary, with three laru'e crosses before them, which completes
the \v hole ri'presentation. To all these houses the papist-^ and
Indians re[)air, in performin'j tluur grand processions, which
takes u|) much tinu-.

The pains the papists take to propatratc such a bloody reli-
gion is truly surprisinu- ; and the zeal they eir ploy to propagate
superstition and idolatry should make Protestants ashamed of
their lukewarinness. A priest asked me " if I was a Catho-
lic." I answered him, "no;" to which he replied, "no bon."
When I told a fellow-captive of this, he said by my answer
the priest uiulerstood that I w ;s not a Christian. Shortly after
another asked me the same (jiu\-<tion, aiul I answered, " yes,
but not a Roman Catholic ;" but he too said " no bon ! no
bon ! "

We next set ofT on our journey for Oswegatchy, against a
rapid stream, and being long in it, and our provisions growing
short, the Indians put to shore a little before night. My lot
was to get wood, others were ordered to get fires, and some to
hunt. Our kettle was put over the fire with some pounded
Indian corn, and after it i;;ul boiled about two hours my oldest
Indiati brother returned with a she, beaver, big with young,
which he sooii cut to pieces and threw into the kettle, together
with the guts, and toolc \\\o four young beavers whole as they
were found in embryo, and put them likewise into the kettle,
and when all was well boiled, o-ave each of us a large dish full
of the broth, of which W(.' eal freely, and then part of the old
beaver ; the tail of which was divided er^ually among us, there
being eisiht at our fire. The four young beavers were cut in
the middle, and each of us e-ot half a beaver. I watched for
an opportunity to hide my sh.>re, (having satisfied my; elf be-
fore that tender dish came to hand,) which if they Imc^ seen
would have much displeased them.=^ The other Indians catch-

* The reader will observe here a parallel eustorn tu that in practice a
humlrei! years bel'ure amon^ the Itidiatis who carried oil' Stockwell. They
compelled hirn to drink rnci-oon '.'at ltefaiis«> he wished to save soineof the
flesh ul'oae lor another tunc. See StocUwell'!) Narrative. — Ed.

. I

274

ROBERT EASTBURN'S CAPTlViTY.

ed younjT inuskrats, thrust -^ sliclv I'^ronfh their ho(lir>. uixi
roasted it without sliiiining ur (lros>iht;, and ^o eat tii •".. Next
morriiiii,'- we hastened on our jourijty, whirh continued several
days, till we came near Osweintchy, wiie-e we laniled iil^out
three miles from the tow.i un the cont-ary side of the river.
Here I was to he adopted. My father and nioihcr, whom I
bad n(>ver seen hefore, were waitini^, and ordcretl nic into an
Indian house, where we were directed to sit down sih-nt for a
considerahlc time. The Indians appearen very sad, and my
mother hegan to cry, and continued to cry aloud for some time,
and then dried up her tea/s and received me for her son, and
took me over the river to the Indian town. The next day I
was ordered to go to mass with them, hut I refused once and
again ; yet they continued their importunities several days.
Seeing they could not prevail with me, they seemed nnudi dis-
pleased with their new son. I was then sent over the river to
be employed in hard hibor, as a puuislnnent i'or iiot going to
mass, and not allowed a sight of or any conversation witii my
fellow-prisoners. The old Indian man with whom 1 was
ordered to work had a wife ae.d children. He took me
into the woods with him, and made signs for me to chop, arid
he soon saw that I could handle the axe. Here I tried to rec-
oncile myself to this employ, that they might havo no occasion
against me, except concerning the law of my God. The old
man began to appear kind, and his wife gave me milk and
bread when we came home, and when she got lish, gave me
the gills to eat, out of real kindness ; but perceiving 1 did not
like them, gave me my own choice, and behaved lovingly.
When we had finished our fence, wluch had employed us about
a week, 1 showed the old s([uaw^ my shirt, (having worn it from
the time I v/as first tajjen prisoner, which was about seven
weeks,) uW m rags, dirt and lice. She said it was not good,
and broug'.i ine a )iew one with ruflled sleeves, saying "that
is good." which I thankfully accepted. The next day they
carried me back to the Indian town, and permitted me to con-
verse with my fellow-prisoners. They told me we were all to
be sent to Montreal, which accordingly came to pass.

On our arrival at Montreal we had our lodgings first in the
Jesuits' convent, where I saw a great number of priests and
people who came to confession. After some stay we were
ordered to attend with the Indians in a grand council, held
before the head general, Vaudreuil. We prisoners sat in our
rank, (surrounded with our fathers and brethren.) but were
asked no (piestions. The general had a. number of officers to
attend him in council, where a noted priest, called Picket, sat
at his right hand, who understands the Indian tongue well.

ROBERT EASTBURN? CAPTIVITY.

275

ir l)od(>. '..ii'i
tl. •■•,. iNext
limied several
landed about
L' of the river.
)tlicr, wliom I
[mI mc into an
,vn silent for a
sad, and my
for some time,
r her son, and
I'he next day I
'used once and
several days.
med much dis-
•er the river to
:)r not ^'oing- to
lation with my
wliom 1 was
He took mc
le to chop, arid
J I tried to rcc-
iX'3 no occasion
:^od. The old
! mc milk and
lish, !zavc me
ivinu" 1 did not
aved lovingly,
ijoycd us about
(T worn it from
s about seven
was not good,
s, saying " that
next' day they
ited me to con-
we were all to
pass.

ngs first in the
of priests and
stay wc were
I cou'icil, held
ncrs sat in our
ren,) but were
M' of olFicci's to
lied Picket, sat
n tongue well.

and dops niore hurt to the Engli>h than any other of his ord^r
in Canada. His dwelling i.s at f>swe'_;aii'liv . I', c 1 ^vns in-
foriuod tliat some measures wore concci'ed to destriy ()>\\'cg-j,
which had been long in atri'ation. We mft on our jo>M-Mey
many b;iti(>aux going up stream, .villi provision and i.ieii "or n.r.
attack on our frontiers, which contirrned the repon TI..J
couiiril ailiouru''d to anotlu^r day, and tlicn brokf! i'; '\Iy
luiliaa falser and mother took me with them to several ■ :'.. ir
old acipiaiMianct\<, who were French, lo show them their iately
adopte.l siiii. These jicrsons had been concerned wiili my
father ami niher Indians in destroyiiiL'" many Eni:li>h families
in their younger days, and, (as one stimding by who under-
stood ;'. ir hmguage said,) were boristine- ol' their former nmr-
ders ! Aft(>r som(> days the council was again called, licfore
which sr-vcral of the Oneida chiefs appeared and olfered some
conjplaints against the French's attadiing our carryiuLV place,
it being their land. But the general laborcnl to malce them
easy, and gave them sundry presents of value, which they
accepted. The French are exceedingly careful to prevent
spirituous liquors being sold among the Indians, and if any
i!ihabitant is proved guilty of it, their temporal iiUerest is (juitc
broken, and corporal punishment is inflicted on such offenders.
Herein the French are vastly superior to us. The Indians do
not fear our numbers, (which tliey deride,) because of (uir un-
happy divisions, in consequence of which they expect 'o con-
([\icr us eiuirely.

Knowing these Oneidas were acquainted with Capt. Wil-
liams, at the carrying place, I sent a letter by them to let my
family and friends know that I was yet alive, ' nd led : d for
redemption ; but it never came to hand. Th. treaty being
entled, the ifiMieral sent about ten gallons of r wi ;. to the
Indians, which they divifled anumg us. AHe.-.ards canu> the
presents, consisting of coats, blankets, shirts, skins, {in jnake
Indian ^hoes,) cloth, (for siockinirs,) powder, lead-shut, am', lo
each a bag of paint for their own use, &c.

After ue j)risoners had our slmrt^ my mother came to me
with at! int'Tpreter, and told me 1 might stay in tht.- town at a
place she h;ul found for me, if I pleased. Thi^ proposal I
almost a_ •■d to, but one of my fellow-j^risoners, with whom I
iiad had b.-fore some discourse about makmg our escape, op-
posed the motion, and said, " Pray do not stay, for. if you do,
we shall not he able to form a plan for our deliverance " So
I told \\or I diose to rro home with her, and soon set (.'fT by
land, in our way thirli.-r, to Laschene, distant from Montreal
about nine miles. Here we left our canoes, and proceeded
without delay on our journey, in which 1 saw, to my sorrow,

276

ROBERT EASTBURN'S CArilVITY.

flTcal nurnhors of soldiers find nuicli provisions in motion
towiirds liike Ontario. After ii painful and distrvssinii" jour-
ney, wo arrived at ()>\ve^';iic|iy, wliere \\i lilceuise .-aw many
balleaux, \vi;li provisions and soldiers, daily passinir by in iheii-
way lo Fronltniac, uliicli liiealU' di-lri'sseil nie i'or Osweiro.
Hence 1 resolved, if possiMe, to eive our people notice ot' their
danijcr. To this end, I tijld two of niy fello\v-j)risoners that
it was not a time \n sleep, and asked them if they would i;o
with me, to which they heartily aereed. I)ut we had no pro-
vision, and W(>re clos(dy eyed by the enemy, so that we could noi
lay uj) a stock out of our allowan(!e. However, at thi^• 'ime,
Mr. Piidvet had concluded to diix a larye irencdi round the
town. I therefore went to a neuro, the principal mauaL-'er of
this work, (who imjuUI speak Enirlish, FnMudi, and Indian
well,) and ask(Hl him if he could iret emph»v for two others
anil mys(df, which he soon did. For this service we were
to have meat, [hoard,] and wattes. Her(> v.e had a prospect
of procuring provision for our IliLjht. 'J'his, after some time, I
obtainetl for myself, and then aski>d my l)rfHhren if they were
ready. They said " they were not yet, but that Ann Bow-
man (our fellow-prisoner) had hrouiiht one hundred and thirty
dollars from Bull's fort, [wiien it was destroyed, as has been
related,] and would inve them all they m^Mled." I told them
it was not safe to discdose such a secret to her, bat they blamed
me for enteriainin;,^ such fears, and applied to her for i)rovi-
sions, leitini,'- her know our intention. She immediately in-
formed the prie.st of it I We were forthwith apprehended, the
Imlians informed of it, and a court called. Four of ns were
ordered by this court to be conlined in a room, under a strong
guard, within the fort, for several days. From hence, another
and myself were sent to ColnK.'waL'o. nndi r a slrone- guard of
sixty Indians, to jirevent my plotting any more against the
French, and to banish all hope of my escape !

When we arrived at this place, it pleased God to incline the
captain of the guard to show me gr(>at kindness in giving me
liberty to walk or work where I pleased, within any small dis-
tance. 1 went to work' with a French smith for six livres and
live sous per week. This sum the captain let me have to my-
self, and further favored me with the privilege of lodging at
his mother's house, (an English woman named [Mary Harris,
taken captive when a tdiild from Deerlield. in New England,)
who told me she was my ^grandmother, and was kind; but
the wages being small, and not sulliciiait to procure such cloth-
ing as I was in want of, I proceeded no farther with the smith,
but went to my uncle Peter, and lold him I wanted clothes,
and tluit it would be better to let me go to Montreal, and work

I !^ I

..■:. a:

ROBERT EASTBURN'S CAPTIVITY.

277

; ill motion
?ssiny" jtiur-
ij ^a\v 111 nil y
r by in their
or l)>\\t"ro.
(lice ot tlicir
•i^on<'r> iluU
:.'y would go

Imil no pro-
'.ve could not
al thi> 'ijue,
1 round llie

niana'j"''r ol"

Mild Indiiui
r iwo others
ice we were
d a prospect
.><oine lime, I
if they were
t Ann Bow-
ed and thirty

as has been

I t(dd them

, they blamed

er for provi-

ned lately i'l-
lii'iided, the
of US were
der a strong
ic(>, another
lo- n-uard of
ai:;'ainst the

1 iiudine llie
n Lriviu'^ mo
IV small dis-
i\ livre< and
lave 10 my-
od'jiniX at
Mary Harris,
w Finuland.)
ind ; hut
f such cloth-
th tlie smith,
iited clothes,
al, and work

(>:

there, where I could clothe myself better than by stayino; with
him. He after some reasoniii'j;' consented.

I set offon my journey to Montreal, and on my entcriiej: the
city met an Enirlish smith, who took me to worU with him.
After some time wo si'itled to work in a 'hop opposite the
general's door, where we had an opportunity of seoinu'' a o;real
part of the forces of Canada, both French and Indians, who
were commonly brouii^ht there before their iioini: out to war,
and likewise all prisonors. Hy this moans we <j,n[ intelliijencc
how our people were prepariiiij^ for defence; but no i^ood news
from Oswe;xo, which made mo fear, knowinuf that (rrcat num-
bers of French had i^one out against it, and hearing there were
but few to defend it.

Prayer? were put np in all the churches of Canada, and
gr<'at processions made, in order to procure success to their
arms against poor Oswego; but our people knew little of their
danger till it was too late. For, to my surprise, the dismal
news came that the French had taken one of the Oswej^o forts.
In a few hours, in confirmation of this news, I saw the Eng-
lish standards, the melancholy^ trophies of victory, and the
French rejoicing at our downfall, and mocking us, poor pri-
soners, in our exile and extremity, which was no great argu-
ment either of humanity or true greatness of mind. Great
joy appeared in all their faces, which they expressed in loud
shouts, firing of cannon, and returning thanks in their churches.
But our faces were covered with shame, and our hearts filled
with grief I"*

Soon after, I saw several of the officers brought in prisoner;?
in small parties, and soldiers in the same manner, who were
confined within the walls [of the fort] in a starving condition,
in order to malv(> them work, whii-h some complied with, while
others bravrly refused ; and last of all came the tradesmen,
amonuf whom was my son, who, looking round, saw me, to his
great surprise, for he had su|)posed I was dead. This joyful
sight sf) afi'ecte(l him that he wept ; nor could I refrain from
the expression of a father's tenderness, in the same kind, upon
so extraordinary an occasion ; it was far more than I can dis-
close in writing, and therefore must cover it with a veil of
silence. But he, with all my Philaihdphia friends, being
guarded by soldiers, with fixed bayonets, we could not come
near each other. They were sent to the common pournl, but
I hastened to the interpreter to try to iret my son set at liberty,
which was soon efiected. When we had \\\o happiness of an
interview, he gave me some information of the slate of our

♦Osweoro was taken July 15th, 175(), and 1400 English were made
prisoaers.— Ed.

> i

278

ROBERT EASTBURN'S CAPTIVITY.

family, and told me lluil, as soon as the news n-acli'Mi iiomc
tlial 1 was kilk'd or l.'iKcn, his niollnM' was not allowiii any
fiirilicr waycs of mine, which j^rieved nic mui-li, and aildid lo
rny oihor aillii'lions.

Jn the mean linn' it n'avo me some pleasure in this situation
to see an expression of eipial aliei-tion and prudence in my
son's con(hict, wh(^ thou^di younq- in years, (ahout seventeen,)
ihiil he, in such a confused state of tliin<i|-s, had taken ciire to
brin!^', with much hibor and faiii^ue, u hirye bundle, of consi-
deralile value to me, of clothing-, &cc., of which I was in tJireat
need. He likewise saved a quantity of vvan)pnm which we
broufrht from New York, and afterwards sold it liert" lor one
iumdred and fifty livres. He travelled with me part of the
journey towards Oswego, but not being so far on his way as
I was when taken, did not fall into the enemy's hands until
that place was taken. At that time he was delivered in a
remarkable manner from a wretched captivity among distant
Indians. His escape was in this Uianner : fifteen young white
prisoners were selected out to be delivered into their power,
who, from a well-known custom among the Indians, there was
no doubt, were to supply the places of those they had lost in
tlie war. Of this number was my son. The French artfully
concealed their destination, and pretended they Averc designed
to labor in the batteaux. JNIy son, seeing that most of the
selection were small lads, doubted their pretensions, for they
were not ecpial to such performance. Watching his opportu-
nity, he slipped from his place in the ranks unnoticed, and lay
concealed until his place was filled by another. The other
unhappy youths were delivered up a sacrifice to the Indian
enemy, to be instructed in popish principles, and be emjjioyed
in murdering their countrymen, yea, j)erhaps, their own fa-
thers, mothers, and lirethren ! O horrible ! O lamentable !

The insatiable thirst of the French for empire^ is height-
ened, doubll(>ss, from the pardons they receive from the pope
and tlit'ir priests, [as will appear from the following fjicts :]
On a Sabbath day I went to see what was the occasion of a
great concourse of people at a chapel. 1 found a kind of lair,
at whicli were sold cakes, wine, brandy, tVc. Numbers of
peoj)le were going in and out of the chapel, over the door of
which was a board hanging, and on it was written, in large
capital letters, " Indulgence plenary, or full pardon." To return
to my narrative.

* The author wished probably to convey the idea that the French might
commit any crimes in tlie ac(iuisition of empire, witliont fear of future
punishment, so long as they availed themselves of absolution, which it
appears, from his next paragraph, was very promnienily held forth.

ROBERT EASTBURN'S CAPTIVITY.

279

';U'll''il liiilUi'
allou'il any
mid luldfil lo

,liis situation
(Ifiice ii; riiy
t scvcntciMi,)
lakcMi cari^ to
He, of ('oiisi-
was ill i,Tc'at
111 whii'li we
here ior one
■ part of the
1 his way ay
; hands until
elivered in a
inoiiL!^ distant
youii<>' white
their power,
IS, there was
y had h)st in
encli arifully
ere designed
most of the
ons, for they

lis opportu-
iccd, and lay
Tlie other
|o the Indian

)e ein})l()yed
icir own fa-

ni(

■ninl

)ie

* is lu-i^-ht-
iin the ])ope
winii: facts ;j
ccasion of a
\iud of lair,
Nninhers of
' the (h)or of
en, in larije
" To return

French might

I'l'iir (»f I'uture
lit Kill, which it
Id forth.

When the people taken at Oswego were setting out on their
way to tiu(d)ec, I made application for lihcrty to ^0 with thcMU,
hut the interpreter said I was an Indian prisoner, and the
fjeneral wonhl not sutler it till the Indians weri' satisfied; and
as iliev lived two huiidri'd iiiile.s from Montreal, it could not
hi' done at that time. Findini,^ that all arijuinents on that
head would not avail, because I was not inchulcd in the capiiii-
lalioii, I told the interpreter my son must ixv, and leave ni(\
to he ready at Qiielx-c to ijo lionic when the Oswejo people
went, which prohahly would he soon. He replied, "It would
he better to keep him with me, lor it mi^'hl be a mean to <j;vt
nie clear imiidi sooner."

Till' ollii'cr- helonL''inL'' to Osweiro would irladly have had
me with them, but found it iiiij)racticabl<'. This was an in-
stance (d Kindness and condescension for whiidi I was (^'really
oblii>-e(l. Capl. Bradley <.r;ive me a tjood c(jat, vest, and shirt,
and a younn ^I'litlemaii, who Ibrmerly lived in I'liiladidphia,
(by name James Stoiu', doctor at Osweijo,) ^ave inc four pis-
toles. These eApressions ol" kindness 1 remember with grati-
tude, and, if ever in my jiower, will re([uit(\ This money,
with what my -^on brouniit ine, 1 was in hojies would ^-"o far
towards procuring tny ndeasc from my Indian masters. ]Jnt
seeinsT a number of prisoners ii sore distress, ainong whom
were Capt. Grant and Capt. Shepherd, and about seven more
in company, I thought it my duiy to relieve them, and commit
my release lo tlic disposal of Proviiience, nor was this sutlercd
to turn to my disadvantage in the issue, for my deliverance
was brouiifhl about in due time, in another and unexpected
way. This company informed me of their intention to escajio ;
accordingly I gave them all tlu! help in my jiower, saw them
clear of the town on a Saturday evening, before the sentries
wi're set at the gates, and advised them not to part from each
other, and delivered to Capt. Sln^plierd two pocket compasses ;
hut, contrary to this counsel, they parieil, and saw each other
no more. By their separating, Captain Grant and Sergeant
Newel were deprived of the henefit of a compass ; the ethers got
safe to fort William Henry, as I was informed hy Serrreani Hen-
ry, who was brought in prisoner, being taken in a battle, when
the gallant and indefatigable Capl. Rogers made a brave stand
against more than twice his number.* But I have not heard

* About the Ulst of .Ma}', 17.5(5, Capt. Rof^ers, with :)iily eleven irirn, am-
bushed the carryinj? place between lakes George and Champlaiii fired on
a party ot" twenty-two Frenclmien. and killed six. He had let another
party oi' US iin-ii pass mily "a lew iniiuitcs before. " who iiniMeiuately
returned and rescued the otliers, and obliged the Englisli to lly. Rogers
says nothing about having any ol' Ids men taken, but took one himsell'. —
Mogers' Ji/umal. — Ed.

280

ROBERT E7\STBURN'S CAPTIVITY.

any account of Capt. Grant. I was onahlcMl, throujrh ithjcIi
mercy, to contimu' comimuncaliDUf rcliel to oilier prisoners out
of the waj^es I received lor my labors, which was forty livrcs
per month.

In the latter part of winter, coal and iron wore so scarce
that it was dillicult to i;('^ work. I then offered to work for
my hoard, ratln^r than to he thrust into a stink inii^ dungeon, or
sent amont( »he Indians. The interpreter look some pains,
which I ihardil'uUy acknowled'a', without success, in my behall".
However, as I oti'ered lo woric without wag'cs, a Frenchman
took me and my son in upon these terms. Here we staid one
week, and hearini; of no oilier (diance, our employer olKered as
thirty livres a month lo lilow the Ixdlows and strike, which 1
did for ab(Mit Iwo months, and then was discharged, and
travelled about, from jilace to place, bavin'/ no fixed ahod(\
In this dilemma 1 was (ibli<red to spend mv little earninL''s for
food to live upon, and my lodLrini: was the hay-loll. 1 then
made my case known to the kind interpreter, and refjuested
hini to consider of some means for my relief. He said he
would.

Meanwhile, as I was taking a walk in the city, I met an
Indian prisoner [a prisoner ainouG^ them] that helouij^ed lo the
town where my father lived. He reported that a ^reat part of
the Ituli;ins thcr(> had just arrived with the resolution to carry
me back with them ; and knowinjjf him to be !i very honest
fellow, I believed him, and fled from the town, and concealed
myself from the Indians. Schemes were now formed for an
escape, and well prosecuted to a fortunate issue. General
Vaudreuil gave me and my son libi^rly (under his hand) to go
to Quebec, and to work there at our pleasure, without confine-
ment, as prisoners of war. By this means I was freed frou»
paying a ransom.

The coinmissary, IMonsienr Portwee, [?] biiucr about to set
ofl' for Quebec, my son informed me I must come to town in
the evening, a passage being- provided for us. I w%aited till near
dark, and then entered the; town with great caution, to escape
the Indians, who kept watch for nn , and had done so for some
time, which made it very difficult and dangerous to move ; but
as they had no knowledge of my son, ho could walch their
motions without suspicion. In the morning, upon seeing an
Indian set to watch for me over agains-t the house I was in, I
quickly made my esrape through the back part of the house,
over some high pickets, and so out of the city to the river-side,
and fled. A friend, knowing my scheme for deliverance,
kindly assisted me to conceal myself. The commissary had
now got ready for his voyage, of which m'y son gave me no-

ROBERT EASTBURN'S CAPTIVITY.

281

>j|

uijh miu'li
isojHTs out
forty livres

p so scarce
o work for
hmt^con, or
oino pains,
my bt'half.
Frcncluiiaii
•e ^lai<l one
r oflcroil lis
Uc, which I
lurLicd, aiul

ixi.'(l iil)()(l<'.

.•aniintrs for
oft. I then
(I r(>qtiostt'il
lie said \\v

y, I mot an

nvj^cd to the

Treat part of

ion to carry

verv honest

d concealed

ncd for an

General

land) to go

ut confine-

fff'cd fron>

bout to set
to town in
ted till near
n, to escape
so for some
move ; but
walch their
seeinpf an
I was in, I
the house,
e river-side,
deliverance,
nissary had
ave me no-

ticc. With no lini^erincf motion I repaired to the boat, was
received on board, L^ot otl" undiscovered, and saw the Indians
no more ! A very narrow and sur|)'"i>ini.r escape from a violent
death I for they had ihlmniii'd to Idil me if ever 1 ait(in|)led
to leave them.

I arrived at t^uebec May 1st. The honorable Col, Vo[cr
iS/huyler, hearinsr of my cominvj- there, Kindly sent for me, and
after in(piiries about my welfare generously told me 1 shmild
b<! suppli('(|, ;ind i»(<,'(| not trouble myself ibr sup|,(»rt. This
publi'"-spirited gentlen)an, who is indeed an hoi)or to his coun-
try, did in like manner nobly relieve many other poor prisoners
at Quebec. Here I had full liberty to walk' where i plei^ed
to vitnv the city, which is well siluatcnl for sirengih, but far
from being impri'srnable.

Here, 1 hope, it will not be iud!.red improper to give a short
hint of the Freneh e-overnor's eomluct. Even in t'"ine of peace
he gives the Indians great encouragement to murder and cap-
tivate the poor inhabitants on our frontiers.* Aii h iri-st good
mail, named William Ross, was taken prisoner twice i ', time
of peace. When he was first taken he learned a little of the
French language, was afterwards redeemed, and got to his
place of abode. Some yiNirs after, he, with two sons, was again
taken, and brought to (Quebec. The governor seeing the poor
man was lame, and that one of his legs was smaller than the
other, reproved the Indians for not killing him, asking them
" what they brought n lame man there for who could do
nothing but eat! You should have brought his scalp!"
However, another of his countrymen, more merciful than his
excellency, knowing the poor prisoner to be a quiet, hard-
working man, redeemed him from the Indians, and two ether
Frenchmen bought his two sons. Here they had been slaves
more than three years when I first arrived at Quebec. This
account I had from Mr. Ross himself, who further added, that
the governor gave the Indians presents to encourage them to
proceinl in that kind of work, which is a scandal to any civil-
ized nation, and what many pagans would abhor. Here, also,
I saw one ]\Ir. Johnson, who was taken in a time of peace,
with his wife and three small children. A fourth was born on
the way, whom Mrs. Johnson named Captive. t All of these
had been pr oners between three and four years. Several

* The author cfrfainly discovers ffrvni rare for veracity in the course
of his n;iinitivc, but lie may have erred here. Wc hope he has. — Ed.

f On Mrs. .Johnson's return out of captivity she had pubhshed a very
full and excellent account of it, which has ^'one throu;^h at least four
editions siuce 1796. The last (Lowell, 1834) is quite imperfect. — Ed.

24*

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23 WEST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580

(716) 872-4503

\'-

282

ROBERT EASTBURN'S CAPTIVITY,

id Mr. Join

ife'

ister,

>rc likewise

young men,

tak(-!» with ihcin, and ma(!'^> slaves.

Our cartel beincf ready, 1 obtained liberty to go to Enirland
in her. We set sail the 23d of July, 17.'5'7, in the inoruino;,
and discharged our pilot about four o'clock in the afternoon.
After that we neither cast anchor nor lead till we got clear of
the great river St. Lawrence ; from which I conclude the navi-
gation to be much saf(>r than the French have reported. In
28 days we arrived at Plymouth, which occasioned great joy
[to us], for we wcm-o ran"gefl, lousy, sick, and in a manner
starved ; and many of the prisoners, (who were in all about
three hundred,) were sick of the small-pox. IMyself and son
having each a blanket coat, (which we bought in Canada to
keep us warm,) and now expecting relief, gave them to poor
sick men, almost naked. We were not allowed to go on
shore, but were removed to a kirn^'s ship, and sent to Forts-
mouth, where we were still contlned on board near two weeks,
and then removed to the Mermaid, to be sent to Boston. We
now repented our well-meant though rash charity in giving
our coats away, as wc were not to get any more ; all applica-
tions to the captain for any kind of covering being in vain.
Our joy was turned into sorrow at the prospect of corning on a
cold coast, in the beginning of winter, almost naked, which was
not a little increased by a near view of our mother country ;
the soil and comforts of which we were not sufTered to touch
or taste.*

September the 6th we sailed for Boston, with a fleet in con-
voy, at which we arrived on the 7th of November, in the
evening. It being dark, and we strangers and poor, it was dif-
ficult to get a lodging. I had no shoes, and but pieces of
stockings, and the weather very cold. We were indeed
directed to a tavern, but found cold enteiiainment there ; the
master of the house, seeing a ragged and lousy company,
turned i s ^ut to wander in the dark. He was suspicious of
us, and feared we came from Halifax, where the small-pox
then was, and told us he was ordered not to receive such as
came from thence. We soon met a young man who said he
could find lodgings for us, but still detained us by asking
many questions. I told him we were in no condition to
answer them till we came to a more comfortable place, which

* Such barbarous treatment of poor prisoners, by a government like
that of England, who had hazarded Iheir lives in its cause, is almost
incredible. Thus brutes might treat men, but 7nen will not deal so with
men. A mi.serable old cartel hulk may contain germs destined to shake
the thrones of tyrants. — Ed.

nc likewise

to England
:• morn inn-,
' aftfTuoon,
i;ot clfar of
c the iiuvi-
^orlcd. In
1 irroat joy

a niatnier
1 all about
'If and son
Canada to
m to poor
1 to sro on
: to Ports-
two weeks,
ston. We
' in giving^
ill applica-
g in vain.
Dming on a

which was
r country ;
d to touch

eet in con-

)er, in the

it was dif-

pieces of
;re indeed
there ; the

company,
ipicious of

small-pox
e such as
10 said he
by asking
ndition to
tee, which

rnment like
e, is almost
eal so With
icd to shake

ROBERT EASTEURXS CArTIVITY.

283

he quickly found, where we were used well ; but as wc were
lou>y, we could not exj)ect IhmIs.

The next morning we made appliratiou for clothing. Mr.
Erving, son-in-law to the late General Shirley, gave us relief,
not only in respect of apparel, but also three dollars per man,
to bear our charges to Newport. When I put on fresh cloihes
1 was seized with a cold til, which was followed by a high
fever, and in that condition obliged to travel on foot as far as
Providence, in our way to Rhode I^laud. In this journey I
was exceedingly distressed. Our comforts in this life are often
embittered with miseries, which are doubtless great mercies
when they are suitably improved. At Newport we met with
Captain Gibbs, and agreed with him for our pa=sage to New
York, where w'e arrived, November 21st, and met with many
friends, who expressed much satisfaction at our r 'turn, and
treated us kindly, particularly Mr. Livingston and Mr. Wal-
dron.

November the 26th, 1757, I arrived at Philadelphia, to the
great joy of all my friends, and particularly of my poor afflicted
wife and family, who thought they should never see me again,
till we met beyond the grave. Being returned, sick and weak
in body, and empty-handed, not having any thing for my fam-
ily's and my own support, several hufuane and generous per-
sons, of different denominations, in this ci;.y, without any appli-
cation of mine, have freely given seasonable relief. For
which may God grant them blessings in this world, and in the
world to come everlasting life, for Christ's sake !

But to hasten to the conclusion, suffer me with humility
and sorrow to observe that our enemies seem to make a better
use of a bad religion than we do of a good one. They rise
up long before day in winter and go through the snov in
the coldest seasons to perform their devotions in the churciies.
When these are over they return, to be ready for their work
as soon as daylight appears. The Indians are as zealous in
religion as the French. They oblige their children to pray
morning and evening, particularly at Canasadauga.

Our case appears to me indeed gloomy, notwithstanding our
enemies are inconsiderable in numbers, compared with us ; yet
they are united as one man, while we may justly be compared
to a house divided against itself, and therefore cannot stand
long in our present situation. May Almighty God graciously
incline us to look to him for deliverance, to repent of our sins,
reform our lives, and unite in the vigorous and manly use of
all proper means to this end. Amen.

284

NARRATIVE

OF THE DESTRUCTION OF' THE SETTLEMENT OP GREEN-
BRIER, VIRGINIA, TOGETHER WITH THE CAPTURE AND
SURPRISING CONDUCT OF MRS. CLENDENIN, WHO WAS
AMONG THOSE WHO ESCAPED THE TOMAHAWK OF THE
INDIANS AT THAT MASSACRE.

[Whether the following narrative was ever in print, except as it stands
in Mr. Martin's Gazetteer of Virj^inin, I have never learned. It would seem
from the following; note accompanying it in that work, "that it was
extracted from memoirs of Indian wars on the western frontiers of Vir-
ginia, communicated to the Philosophical Society of Virginia, by Charles
A. Stuart, Esq., of Augusta Co.-' — Ed.]

After peace was confirmed between England and France in
the year 1761, the Indians commenced hostilities in 1763,*
when all the inhabitants in Grcenbvier were totally cut off by
a party of Indians, headed by the chief warrior Cornstalk. t
The principal settlements were on Muddy Creek. These
Indians, in number about sixty, introduced themselves into the
people's houses under the mask of friendship, where every
civility was offered them by the people, providing them with

* Hostilities had not ceased between the whites and the Indians, as will
be seen by a reference to the Chronicles of the Indians for this and the
preceding years. — Ed.

f The life and barbarous death of this great chief are given at length
in the Book of the Indians, v. 42, 44. — Ed.

MRS. CLENDENINS CAPTIVITY.

285

i'.-i I

^ GREEN -
TIRE AND
VHO WAS
: OF THE

as it stands
would .seem
th;it it was
iers of Vir-
by Charles

France in
in 1763 *
cnt off by
iornstalk.t
. These
s into the
ere every
hern with

ans, as will
;his and the

n at length

victuals and other iiccoinmodations for thtMr (Mitertaunnent,
when, on a siuhlen, they fall upon and k"ill tlic men, and make
prisoners of the women and children. From thence they
passed over into thc> Levels, where some families were collected
at the Innisc of Archihald Clendenin, where the Honorable
Balard Smith now lives. There were between fifty and one
hundred persons, n)en, women and children. There the
Indians were eiut'rtained, as at Muddy Creek, in the most hos-
j)itabl(' manner. I\Ir. Clendenin had just arrived from a hunt,
with three I'ai elks, upon which they were feasted in a boun-
tiful miwuier.

In the mean time an old woman, with a sore leijf, was show-
ing her distress to an Indian, and in(|uiring if he could admin-
ister to her any relief. He said he thought he could, and
drawing his tomahawk, instantly lulled her, and all the men,
almost, that were in the house. One, named Conrad Yolkoin,
oidy escaped. He, being at some distance from the house, was
alarmed by the cries and shrieks of the women and children,
fled with all his mit^'hl to Jackson's river, and alarmed the peo-
ple there. They however were loath to believe his tale until
they saw the Indians ajiproaching. All fled before them ; and
they pursued on to Carr's Creek, in Rockbridge county, where
many families were killed and taken by them. At Clendenin's
a scene of much cruelty was performed, not only by the Indians,
but some such as the terrors of their approach influenced thereto.
In this I refer to an act committed by a negro woman, who in
escaping from the Indians killed her own child, whose cries
she had reason to fear would lead to her capture !

Mrs. Clenden. did not fail to abuse the Indians with her
tongi.e, with the most reproachful epithets she could coimnand,
although the tomahawk was brandishing at the same moment
overhead ; but instead of bringing it down upon her, the less
eflectual means of silencing her clamors was resorted to,
namely, lashing her in the face and eyes with the bleeding
scalp of her dead husband !

The provisioi's were all taken over to Muddy Creek, and a
party of Indians retained them there till the return of the oth-
ers from Carr's Creek, when the whole were inarched off to-
gether. On the day they started from the foot of Kenney's
Knob, going over the mountain, ]\Irs. Clendenin gave her
infant child to another female prisoner, to carry, to relieve
her for a few paces, and in a few moments after, a favorable
opportunity offering for escape, she improved it with such
alacrity into a dense thicket which they were at the time pass-
ing, that not an Indian saw her or could tell which way she
went. The opportunity was rendered more favorable by the

286

ALEXANDER HENRY'S CAPTIVITY.

manner in whicli the Indian^s at the time were niarcliinff

They had phioed the prisoners in the centic, and dividin_
themselves into two companies, one marched Ix'I'ore them and
th
th

e oliier loliowed in their rear, having' eacii flank open, and
is gave her the desired chance of escape,

It was not nntil all had left the place that the cries of Mrs.
Clendeiiin's child caused the Jndijuis to inquire for its mother.
When they found she jiad made her escape, a monster Indian
ol^served " he would l^riiiL;- the cow to her calf," and takiuL*- the
infant hy the heels, dashed out its hrains ni,'-ainst a tree ! and
as thou<»'h this was not enou^-h, the miscreant throwing it down
into the van, the whole company inarch^nl over it, the hoofs of
tlie horses tearing- out its howels, and the feet of the Indians
tracked the ground as they went with its hlood I

Mrs. Clendenin returned that night to her own house, a dis-
tance of more than ten miles. Here she found her hushand's
dead hody, which she covered with rails. Slu; founu him as
he had been killed, with one (»f his children in his arms. He
was shot down as he was making his escape over a fence.
She now returned to her friends ; and thus ends the remark-
able, though short captivity of a woman, more to be admired
for her courag-e than some other qualities not less desirable in
the female character.

NARRATIVE

■■ i

( i

i ii

OF TvIE CAPTIVITY OF ALEXANDER HENRY, ESQ., WHO, IN
THE TDIE OF PONTIAK'S WAR, FELL INTO THE HANDS OF
THE HURON JNDIANS. DETAILING A FAITHFUL ACCOUNT
OF THE CAPTURE OF THE GARRISON OF MICHILIMACKI-
NAC, AND THE MASSACRE OF ABOUT NINETY PEOPLE.—
WRITTEN BY HIMSELF.

[Mr. Henry wns an Indian trader in Amcrirn. for a1)out si.>cleen years.
He came io Canncla with the army of Genei'al Amhtrstj and pre-
vious to his beinfj; made prisoner hy tlie Indians experienced a variety of
fortime. His narrative, as will l)e seen, is uritten with preat cnndor as
well as abil'lv. and to the discriminatinf; reader needs no oieoiniimi.
Ho was liviiii,' in IMotitreal in Jso'.l. as appears IVom the date of his pre-
face to his Travels, which he imhlished in New York that year, w ith a dedi-
cation to Sir Joseph Banks. — Ed]

When I reached Michil'mackinac I found several other
traders, who had arrived before me, froiTi different parts of the
country, and who, in general, declared the dispositions of the
i> dinns to be hostile to the English, and even apprehended

j^^'--'

ALEXANDER HENRYS CAPTIVITV.

2S7

inarching
1 dividing
tliein and

open,

and

cs of Mrs.
its mother,
•iter Indian
talvinn- I lie
tree I and
ng it down
10 lioofs of
10 Indians

luse, a dis-
hushand's
ui him as
irms. He
r a fence,
le remark-
e admired
esirable in

WHO, IN

BANDS OF

ACCOUNT

ILIMACKI-

PEOPLE.-

ctoen j'ears.
>t; and pre-
a variety of
I (.'inidor as

eiiroinium.

ol' his pre-
uilh a dedi-

eral other
irts of the
ons of the
prehended

some attack. M, Laurent Dncharme distincilv informed
ATajor J'itherington that a plan was ahsolutdy conceived
for (h^stroying iiim, his garrison and all the lOrii;!' h in the
upper country ; hut the commanchtnt hcjieving this and oilior
reports to be without foinuhition, proceeding oidy from idle or
ill-disposed pf'i'sons, and of a tendency to do mischief, express-
ed mticli displeasure at'"ain^t M. Ducharnie. and threatened to
send the next person who should bring a story of the same
kind, a prisoner, to Detroit,

The garrison, at tliis time, consisted of ninety privates, two
subalterns and the commandant ; and the English merchants
at the fort were four in number. Thus strong, few entertained
anxiety concerning the Indians, who had no weapons but small
arms.

Meanwhile, the Indians, from every quarter, were daily
assembling, in unusual numbers, but with every appearance of
friendship, fre(juenting the fort, and disposing of their peltries,
in such a manner as to dissipate almost every one's fears. For
myself, on one occasion, I took the liberty of observing to
Major Etherington that, in my judgment, no confidence ought
to be placed in ih m, and that I was informed no less than four
liundrcd lay around the fort.

In return the major oidy rallied inc on my timidity ; and it
is to be confessed that if this ollicer neglected admoiution, on
his part, so did I on mine. Shortly after my first arrival at
Michiliinackinac, in the preceding year, a Chippeway, named
Wawatam, began to come often to my house, betraying in his
demeanor strong marks of personal regard. After this had
continued some time, he came on a certain day, bringing with
him his whole family, and at the same time a large present,
consisting of skins, sugar and dried tneat. Haviny laid these
in a heap, ho commenced a speech, in which he informed me
that some years before he had observed a fast, devotine" him-
self, accordiiig to the custom of his nation, to solitude, and to
the mortification of his body, in the hope to obtain, from the
Great Spirit, protection through all his dnys ; that on this
occasion he had dreamed of adoj)'ing an Englishman as his
son, brother and friend; that from the moment in which he
first beheld me he had recognised me as the person whom the
Great Spirit had been pleased to point out to him for a f)rother;
that he hoped that I would not refuse his present; and that he
should forever regard me as one of his family.

I could do no otherwise than accept the present, and declare
my willingness to have so good a man as this ap])earetl to be for
my friend and brother. I offered a present in return for (hat
which I had received, which Wawatam accepted, and then,

f'l

288

ALEXANDER TIRNRY S CAPTIVITY.

thpnkinjx nio for llie favor which lie y.ud that I had rnulcred
hiiii, he U'f'l nic, iuul soon after sot out on his winter's hunt.

Twelve months hiid now elapsed >ince the occnrrt'iire ol this
incident, and 1 had ahnost forgotten the jxTson of my I'rolhcr,
when, on the second day <>f Jiiiu', Wawatam came a^ain to
my house, iti a temj)er of mind visibly melancholy and
thoucrhtfni. He told me that he Iuul just returned Irom his
wi/itf'ri//,i( ifroirnd, and I asked alter his healili ; hut witlumt
answering my (jnestion, he went on to say, that he was sorry
to find me returned from tin; Sault ; that he intended to trn to
that phice himself, immediately after his arrival at Michili-
mackinac ; and that he wished me to i^^o there alony^ witii him
and his family the next niornin<:(. To all this he joined ar.i
in(juiry, whether or not the connnandant had heard had news,
addiriL'' that during the winter he had himself been frecjuemly
disturbed with the noise of evil birds ; and further sutrircsting
that there were numerous Indians near the fort, many of whom
had never shown themselves within it. Wawatam was about
forty-five years of age, of an excellent character among his
nation, and a chief.

Referring much of what I heard to the peculiarities of the
Indian character, I did not pay all the attention which they
will be found to have deserved to the entreaties and remarks of
my visitor. 1 answered that I could not think of going to the
Sault so soon as the next morning, but would follow him
there after the arrival of my clerks. Finding himself uiuible
to prevail with me, he withdre^\ for that day ; but early the
next morning he came again, bringing with him his wife,
and a present of dried meat. At this interview, after stating
that he had several packs of beaver, for which he intended to
deal with me, he expressed a second time his apprehensions,
from the numerous Indians who were round the fori, and ear-
nestly pressed me to consent »o an immedia'.e departure for the
Sault. As a reason for this partiv'ular request, he assured me
that all the Indians proposed to come in a body, that day, to
the fort, to demand lio^uor of the commandant, and tliat he
wished me to be gone before they should grow intoxicated.

I had made, at the period to which I am now referring, so
much progress in the language in which Wawatam addressed
me, as to be able to hold an ordinary conversation in it ; but
the Indian manner of sp-ech is so extravagantly figurative that it
is only for a perfect master to follow and comprehend it entirely.
Had I been further advanced in this respect, I think that I
should have gathered so much information, from this my
friendly monitor, as would have nut me into possession of the
design of the enem;y, and enabled me to sav^: as well others as

ALEXANDER HENRY'S CAPTIVITV.

i?99

lad rrndcred
it-r's liitiit.
rcAK'v of this

my '•ruthrr^
iiic a<!;iiiii to
iiiclutly juul
0(1 frotn liis

liut witlioul
he was sorry
uled to i^o to
I at iMichili-
mrr with him
ho joined an
rd had news,
LU frequently
r sn<riresting
any oi whom
ini was about
r amonfT his

arities of the
1 which they
id remarks of

going to the
1 folk)vv him
rruclf unable
l/Ut early the
im iiis wife,
after stating
e intended to
:iprehensions,
fori, and ear-
arture for the
e assured me
, that day, to

and tliat he
toxicated.

referring, so
im addressed
in in it ; but
urr.tive that it
nd it entirely.

think that I
om this my
ession of the
veil others as

myself; as it was. it unfortunately happened tlnil I turned
a deaf ear to ''very ihin:/. Iravni;-- W'awatain and lii< witc,
after Ioul'' and paticnl, bin inelli'itu'il dforis, to ilfpari alone,
with dejected count'.'nances, and not before tliry bad rai'b b't
fall some (ear>.

In ibe cours(,' ut' the same day. I obscrveil ihiU the Indians
came in great numbers into the fort, [iiircbasin!.' loniahawK--',
(small axes of one pound weight.) and IriMjucnily dcsirinLr lo
see silver arm-bands, and other v.ibiable ornaments, of which
I had a larire ([uaniiiy for sale. The ornaments, howover,
they in no instance iiurchascd, b\it, after turning' ibem over,
left them, saying that they would call again the next day. Their
motive, as it afterward appeared, was no other than the very
artful one of discovering, by r(^'piesti))n- to see them, the par-
ticular places of their deposit, so t' t. they might lay tlieir
hands on them in the mouicnt of pib e with the greater cer-
tainty and dispatch.

At night, I turned in my mind the visits of Wawatam ; but,
though they were calculated to excite uneasiness, nothing in-
duced me to believe that serious mischief was at hand. The
next day, being the fourth of June, was the king's birth-day.

The morning was sultry. A Chip]ieway came lo tell me
that his nation was goini:: lo play at ha^irat'nrny, with the
Sacs or Saakies, another Indian nation, for a high wager. He
invited me to witness the sport, aciding that the conmtandant
was to be there, and would bet on the side of the Chippeways.
\\\ consequence of ihi,-; information, 1 went to th(> commandunt,
and expo.->tulated with Mm a liiile, representing that flit- Indians
might possibly have soine sinister end in vicv ; but the com-
mandant only smiled at my suspicions.

71'/ gg^'/ ///•'///, called by the Canadians le jcu de la crosse, is
played with a bat and l)all. The bat is about four feet in
length, curved, and terminating- in a sort of racket. Tw^o posts
are planted in the ground, at a considerable distanro from each
ether, as a ntile or more. Each parly has its post, and the
game consists in throwing the ball up to the post of tho adver-
sary. The ball at the begiiming is placed in tlu> middle of
the course, and each party endeavors as well to throw the ball
out of the direction of its own post, as itito that of the adver-
sary's.

I did not go mvself to see the match which was now to be
played without the fort, because, there being a canoe prepared to
depart, on the following day, for Montreal, I employed myself
in writing letters to my friends ; and even when a fellow-tra-
der, Mr. T"acy, happened to call upon me, saying that another
canoe had just arrived from Detroit, and proposing that I
"2^

200

ALFA'ANDKR HENRYS CAFriVITV.

; I

slioiiM ;.',<> wiili liiiii to Uic hcai'li, tu iiKHiirc tin' m-w.^, it so
hiippt'iK'd ilijii I >till remuiiicd, tit Iml^h my lelttT.s ; proiiiisiiij^
to lollow Mr. Tiiicy ii' f'x' course oC a few iniiiiitcs. Mr.
'I'riicy had not iroiic more tliiiii twenty |tacf's from tln> door,
whnii I heard an Indian war-cry, and a noir^e ol gfjicral con-
fuf^ion.

(loinq- instantly to my window, I saw a crowd of Indians,
within th(j fort, furiously ciitiini,'' (h)wn and scalpinLj' ovory
Enulisiiman they found. In particular, I witiu'sscd llio fate of
Licntonanl Jeinette.

I had in the room in which I was a fowlinuf-piere, loaded
with swan-siiot. This I immedial(dy seiz<'d, and held it for a
few inimites, waitinir to hear the drum beat to arms. In this
dreadful interval 1 saw several of my countrymen fall, and
more than one strufri,ding between the Knees of an Indian, who,
holdinij: him in this manner, scalped him while yei living.

At length, disappointed in the hope of seeing n^sistance made
to the enenjy, and sensible of course that no eilbrl of my own
unassisted arm could avail against four hundred Imlians, I
thought only of seeking shelter. Amid the slaugliter Avhich
was raging, I observed many of the Canadian inhai)itanls of
the fort calmly looking on, neither opposing the Indians nor
suffering injury; and from this circmnstancc I conceived a
hope of linding security in their houses.

Between the yard-door of my own house and that of M.
Langlade, my next neighbor, there was only a low fence, over
which I easily clindx'd. At my entrance I Ibuiul the whole
family at the windows, gazing at the scene of blood before
them. I addressed myself immediately to M. Langlade, beg-
ging that he would put me into some place of safety, until the
heat of the affair should be over; an act of charity by which
he might perhaps preserve me from the general massacre ; but
while I uttered my petition, M. Langlade, who had looked for
a moment ot me, turned again to the window, shrugging his
shoulders, and intimating that he could do nothing for me : —
" Que voiidi'iez'vous rpie j'cnfcraisV

This was a moment for despair; but the next, a Pani wo-
man,=^ a slave of M. Langlade's, beckoned to me to follow her.
She brought me to a door, which she opened, desiring me to
enter, and telling me that it led to the garret, where I must go
and conceal myself. I joyfully obeyed her directions; and
she, having followed me up to the garret-door, locked it after
me, and wnth great presence of mind took away the key.

This shelter obtained, if shelter I could hope to find it, I was

* The Panics are an Indian nation of the south.

' news, It so
> ; proiiiisiiis^
liiititfs, Mr.
Din ihi,' (Idor,

il of Indians,
•nlpiny ovcry
c'd the lUte of

•picre, loaded
1 held il for ix
rnis, [\i this
nen full, and

Indian, who,
ci living-,
sistance made
•rt of my own
ed Indians, I
uolitcr Avhich
iiihal)itants of
! Indians nor

conceived a

id that of M.
w fence, over
nd the whole
blood before
anii-lade, beg-
I'ety, until the
rity by which
lassacre ; but
ad looked for
hrncfo-incf liis
ig for me : —

t, a Pani wo-
to follow her.
esiring- me to
^re I must go
'ections ; and
ocked it after
he key.
find it, I was

th.

ALEXANDKU IIKNRY'.S CAPTIVITY.

'2d\

naturally an\i0iis to know whai mi<j^lu ^lill be passing without.
Tiiroiigh an apfrtiiro, which allordfMl mh- a \ i^w of the ai-ea of
the fort, 1 beheld, in >hapes the foiilt-st and most terrible, the
ferocious triumphs (tf barbarian coiKpicror^. 'V\\v dead were
scalp''d and manirletl ; the dyinu' were wrilhiuL! !iiid >lin('kiiig
under the urisa'iated knilc and tomahawk; ;ind from the boilii-s
of SOUK', ripped (»prn, ihi'ir !)Utchers were drinkinLr the blood,
scoopeil up in tlic hollow of joined hands, and ([u.illed amid
shouts of rage and vidory. I was shaken not only with Innror.
but with fear. Tlu; sutli'rini^s whirji I wi'nessed, I seemed oii
the point of experiencing. No louir time elapsed before, every
one being destroyed wlut could be found, there was a general
I'ry of "All is linishedl" At the same instant 1 heard some
of tliL' Indians enter the house in wlii<'h 1 was.

The garret was se[)arated from the room below only by a
layer of single boards, at onr-e the floorinij: of the one and ihe
ceiling of the other. I could therefore bear every thmi,'- that
passed ; and the Indians no sooner came in than they iiKpiired
whether or not any I'^nirlisliman were in the house. M. Lane-
lade rt'plied that "he could not say; lie did not know of any;"
answers in which he dii. not exceed the truth ; for the Pani
woman had not only hidden me by stealth, but kept my secret
and her own. ^I. Langlade was therefore, as I presume, as
far from a wish to destroy me as he was careless about saving
nie, when he added to these answers, that " they might exa-
mine f(jr themselves, and would soon bn satisfied as lo the
object of their question." Saying this, he brought them to the
garret-door.

The state of my mind will be imagined. Arrived at the
door, some delay was occasioned by t!ie absence of the key,
and a few moments were thus allowed me in which to look
around for a hiding-pla<:e. In one corner of the garret was a
heap of those vessels of birch-bark used in maple-sugar making,
as I have recently described.

The door was unlocked and openinir, and the Indians ascend-
ing the stairs, before I had completely crept into a small onen-
ing which presented itself at one end of the heap. An instant
after, four Indians entered the room, all armed with tomahawks,
and all besmeared with blood upon every part of their bodies.
The die appeared to be cast. I could scarcely breathe ; but
I thought that the throbbing of my heart occasioned a n )ise
loud enough to betray me. The Indians walked in every
direction about the cifarret, and one of them approached me so
closely that at a particular moment, had he put forth his hand,
he must have touched me. Still I remained undiscovered; a
circumstance to which the dark color of my clothes, and the

292

ALEXANDER HENRY'S CAPTIVITY.

*• ri
iijj'

if !

want of li^Wit ill n room whidi \\'m\ no window, nml in the
corner in wliich I was, nui.st have contrihulcil. In a word, alter
laKint,'' sevpral turns in tin- room, dnrinir which thfy told M.
Lani^lad'' how numy tlicy l»ad Uilli'd, and how many scalps
tlicy h:id taken, they retnrned down .-lairs, and 1, with sensii-
lions not to he expre.Nscd, iicard the door, wiiich was ihc harrier
hctween me and my fate, loidtcd for the i^econd time.

There wa:i u feiithor-hed on the floor ; and on this, exhausted
as I was hy the ai^Mtation of my mind, I threw myself down
and fell aslee'p. In this state 1 remained till the dii>lv of the
c-vening, wlten I was awakened hy a second opi/nini,'' of the
door. The person that now entered was .M. Lantdade's wife,
who was nni'di Mirprised ai lindimr nie, hut advised me not to
he uneasy, ohservinir that the Indians had K'illed most of the
Rn^'li-h, hut that she hopL'd 1 niiehl niy^edf escape. A shower
of rain liavini:; heeam to .'all, she had come to stop a hole in the
r(»of. Oii her uoini.': away. 1 hegged her to send me a little
water to drinlf ; which she did.

As night was now advancimi", I continued to lie on the hed,
ruminating on my condition, hut unahle to discover a resource
from whicli I could hope for life. A fliglil to Detroit had no
proh;ihlo chance of success. Tlie distance from j\ri(diilinuicki-
nac was four hundred miles ; 1 was without provisions ; and
the whole length of tin; road lay through Indian countries,
countries of an enemy in arms, where the lirst man whom I
.should meet would kill niu. To stay where I was thr(>atened
nearly the same issue. As before, fatigue of mind, and not
tratujuillity, suspended my cares, and procured me furtlier
sleep.

The gaiTie of baggatiway, as from the description above Avill
have been perceived, is necessarily attended witli much vio-
lence and noise. In the ardor of contest, the ball, as has been
suggested, if it cannot be thrown to the goal desired, is struck
in any direction by which it can be diverted from that designed
by the adversary'. At sntli a moment, therefore, nothing could
be less liable to excite premature alarm, than that the ball
should be tossed over the pickets of the fort, nor that, having
fallen there, it should be followed on the instant by all engaged
in the game, as well the one party as the other, all eager, all
struggling, all shouting, all in the unrestrained pursuit of a
rude athletic exercise. Nothing could be less litted to excite
premature alarm; nothing, therefore, could be more happily
devised, under the circumstances, than a stratagem like this ;
and this was, in fact, the stratagem which the Indians had em-
ployed, by which they had obtained possession of the fort, and
by which they had been enabled to slaughter and subdue its

ALEXANDER IIEXIIYS CAPTIVITV.

y<)3

, nntl ill tho
M word, after
ili.'y \M M.
tiiaiiy i^i'alps
, with scn.sa-
is tile barrier

MO.

is, exhausted
iiV"^''!!* down

dii>K- of th«.'
I'liiiii,'- of ilie
^"•lade's wife,
L'd me not to

most of the

A shower

I hole in the

tl me a little

; on the hed,
r a resource
troit had no
ichiliniacki-
isions ; and
n countries,
nan Avhom I
3 threatened
nd, and not
me further

n above will

I much vio-
as has been
Dd, is struck
lat designed
Jthino- could
hat the ball
that, having
all engaged

II eager, all
)ursuit of a
ed to excite
:)re happily
1 like this;
ns had em-
he fort, and

subdue its

)[^arrisnn, and such of its other inluildtants as they pleased. To
be still more certain of sii(!cess, liny had prevailed upon as
many us they could, by a pretext the loast liable to suspici(»n,
to come voluntarily witlnmt ihc pickets ; and particularly the
commandant and trarrison iliemsclver;.

The respite whiidi sleep alit)riled m(>, durinir the niuht, was
put an end to by the return of morning. I was aiiain on the
rack of apprehension. At sunrise, i heard the family stirring;
and i)reseiilly after Indian voices, informing' M. Laiii;liide that
tlu'y had not found my hapless self amom^- the dead, and that
they supposed me to be somewhere conci\iled. M. LaiiLfladi!
appeared, from what i'ollowed, to be by this lime accpiainted
with the place of my retreat, of wliich, no doubt, he had been
inform<.'d by his wife. The poor woman, as soon as the In-
dians mentioned me, de<-lared to her husband, in the French
tonirue, that ho should no longer keep me in his house, but
deliver me up to my pursuers ; giving as a reason for this
measure, that, should the Indians discover his instrumentality
in my concealment, they might revenge it on her children, and
that it was belter that I should die than they. M. Langlade
resisted at first this sentence of his wife's, nut soon suiiered
her to prevail, informing the Indians that he had been told I
was in his house, that I had come there without his knowledge,
and that he would put mo into their hands. This was no
sooner expressed than he began to ascend the stairs, the In-
dians following upon his heels.

I now resigned myself to the fate with which I was menaced ;
and regarding every attempt at concealment as vain, I arose
from the bed, and presented myself full in view to the Indians
who were entering the room. They were all in a state of
intoxication, and entirely naked, except about the middle. One
of them, named Wenniway, whom I had previously knowai,
and who was upward of six feet in height, had his entire face
and body covered with charcoal and grease, only that a white
spot, of two inches in dianicter, encircled either eye. This
man, walking up to me, seized me with one hand by the collar
of the coat, while in the other he held a large carving knife,
as if to plunge it into my breast ; his eyes meanwhile were
fixed steadfastly on mine. At length, after some seconds of the
most anxious suspense, he dropped his arm, saying, " I won't
kill you ! " To this he added, that he had been frerjuently
engaged in wars against the English, and had brought away
many scalps ; that on a certain occasion he had lost a brother,
whose name was Musinigon, and that I should be called after
him.

A reprieve upon any terms placed me among the living, and
25*

1 1

'41

■ il

! il

294

ALEXANDER HENRY'S CAPTIVITY.

gave me back the sustain iiii,^ voice of hope ; but Wenniway
orderetl mo down stairs, and there inforiniufi" me that I was to
be taken to his cabin, where, and indeed everywhere else, the
Indians were all mad with li(|Uor, death again was threatened,
and not as possible only, but as certain. I mentioned my fears
on thii; subj'^ct to M. Laniiflade, bei^ging" hini to repiesent the
danger to my master. M. Langlade, in this instance, did not
withhold his compassion, and Weimiway immediately consented
iliat 1 should remain wJieve I was, until he found another op-
portunity to take me away.

Thus far secure, I re-ascended my gariet-stairs, in ortier to
phice myself ihe furthest possible out of the reach of insult
from drunken Indians ; but 1 had not remained there more than
an hour, when I was called to the room below, in which was
an Indian, who said th^^t 1 must go with him out of the fort,
Wenniway bavin 7 sent him to fetch me. This man, as well
as Wenniway himself, I had seen before. In the preceding
year, I had allowed him to tiilre goods on credit, for which he
was still in my debt ; and some short time previous to the sur-
prise of the fort he had said, upon my upbraiding him with
want of honesty, that " he would pay me before long ! " This
speech now came fresh into my memory, and led me to suspect
that the fellow had formed a design against my life. I com-
municated the suspicion to M. Jbanglade ; but he gave for
answer that " I was not now my own master, and must do as
I was ordered."

The Indian, on his part, directed that before I left the house
I should undress myself, declaring that my coat and shirt would
become him better than they did me. His pleasure in this
respect being complied with, no other alternative was left me
than either to go out naked, or to put on the clothes of the In-
dian, which he freely gave me in exchar '^. His motive for
thus stripping me of my own apparel was no other, as f after-
ward learned, than this, that it might not b(- stained with blood
Wi.^n he should kill me.

I was now told to proceed ; and my driver followed me close,
until i had passed the gate of the Ibrt, when I turned toward
the spot where I knew the Indians to be encamped. This,
however, did not suit the purpose of my enemy, who seized
me by the arm, and drew mc violently in the opposite direction,
to the distance of fifty yards above the fort. Here, finding that
I was approaching the bushes and sand-hills, I determined to
proceed no further, but told the Indian that I believed he meant
to murder me, and that if so he might as well strike where I
was as at any greater distance. He replied, with coolness, that
my suspicions were just, and that he meant to pay me in this

ALEXANDER HENRYS CArXIVITY.

295

t Wenniway
that I was to
lere eJ.so, the
5 threatened,
led my fears
epie.sent, the
nice, did not
ly consented
another <>p-

, in order to
ach of insult
e more than
1 which was
of the fort,
nan, as well
le preceding
or which he
s to the sur-
ff him with

ixg

? "

This
le to suspect

fe. I com-
le g-ave for

must do as

ft the house
shirt would
sure in this
was K ft me
s of the In-
i motive for
■, as I after-
l with blood

id me close,
ned toward
^ed. This,
who seized
e direction,
findinir that
termined to
d he meant
ke where I
olness, that
me ill this

manner for my goods. At the same time he produced a knife,
and held me in a position to receive the intended bK)w. Hoth
this and that which followed were necessarily the allair of a
moment. By some ellbrt, too sudden and too little dependent
on thouirht to be explained or remembered, I was enabled to
arrest his ;irm, and Q;'ive h' . a sudden ])ush, by which 1 turned
him from me, and released myseii from his g'rasp. This was
no sooner done than I ran toward the fort, with all the swift-
ness in my power, the Indian following me, and I expecting
every moment to feel his knife. I succeeded in my flight ;
and, on entering the fort, I saw Wenniway standing in the
mitlst of the area, and to bun 1 hastened tor protection. Wen-
niway desired the Indian to desist; but the latter pursued me
round him, making several strokes at me with his knife, and
foaming at the mouth v/iih rage at the repeated faihire of his
purpose. At length Wenniway drew near to M. Langlade's
house ; and the door being opea, I ran into it. The Indian
followed me ; but on my entering the house, he voluntuiily
abandoned the pursuit.

Preserved so often, and so unexpectedly, as it had now been
my lot to be, I returned to my garret, with a strong inclina-
tion to believe that, through the will of an overruling power,
no Indian enemy could do me hurt ; but new trials, as I believed,
were at hand, when, at ten o'clock in the evening, I was roused
from sleep, and once more desired to descend the stairs. Not
less, however, to my satisfaction than surprise, 1 was sum-
moned only to meet Major Etherington, Mr. Bostwick and
Lieutenant Lesslie, who were in the room below.

These gentlemen had been taken prisoners, while looking
at the game, without the fort, and immediately stripped of all
their clothes. They were now sent into the fort, under the
charge of Canadians, because, the Indians having resolved on
getting drunk, the chiefs were apprehensive that they would
be murdered if they continued in the caiiip. Lieutenant
Jemette and seventy soldiers had been killed ; and but twenty
Englishmen, including soldiers, were still alive. These were
all within the fort, together with nearly three hundred Cana-
dians belonging to the canoes, &c.

These being our numbers, myself and others proposed to Maj.
Etherington to make an effort for regaining possession of the fort,
and maintaining it against the Indians. The Jesuit missionary
was consulted on the project ; but he dis>'ouraged us, by his rep-
resentations, not only of the merciless treatment which we must
expect from the Indians, should they regain their superiority,
but of the little dependence which was to be placed upon our
Canadian auxiliaries. Thus the fort and prisoners remained

1:''!^

296

ALEXANDER HENRY'S CAPTIVITY.

in the hands of the Indians, thonq-h, throuj^h the wholo night,
the prisoners and wliiles were iri actual possession, and they
were without the <T^atcs.

That whole night, or the greater part of it, was jiassed in
mutual (-ondolence ; and my i'elJow-prisoners shared my garret.
In the morning, being again called down, I found my master
Wermiway, and wjis desired to follow him. He led me to a small
house, within the fort, where, in a narrow room, and almost
dark, I found Mr.Ezekiel Solomons, an Englishman from Detroit,
and a soldier, all prisoners. With these, I rcnmined in pain-
ful suspense, as to the scene that was next to ])resent itself, till
ten o'clock in the forenoon, when an Indian arrived, and pres-
ently marched us to the lake-side, where a canoe appeared
ready for departure, and in which we found that we were to
emba"k.

Our voyage, full of doubt as it was, would have commenced
immediately, but that one of the Indians, who was to be of
the party, was absent. His arrival was to be waited for ; and
this occasioned a very long delay, durin »• which we were
exposed to a keen north-east wind. An old shirt, was all that
covered me ; I suffered much from the cold ; and in this
extremity, M. Langlade coming down to the beach, I asked
him for a blanket, pvumising if I lived to pay him for it, at any
price he pleased ; but the answer I received was this, that he
could let me have no blanket unless there were some one to
be security for the payment. For myself, he observed, I had
no longer any property in that country. I had no more to say
to M. Langlade ; but presently seeing another Canadian,
named John Cuchoise, I addressed to him a similar request, and
was not refused. Naked as I was and rigorous as was the
weather, but for the blanket I must have perished. At noon,
our party was all collected, the prisoners all embarked, and we
steered for the Isles du Castor, [Beaver Island,] in lake Michigan.
The soldier who was our companion in misfortune was made
fast to a bar of the canoe, by a rope tied round his neck, as
is the manner of the Indians in transporting their prisoners.
The rest were left unconfined ; but a paddle was put into each
of our hands, and we were made to use it. The Indians in
the canoe were seven in number, the prisoners four. I had
left, as it will be recollected. Major Etherington, Lieutenant
Lesslie and Mr. Bostwick, at M. Langlade's, and was now
joined in misery with Mr. Ezekiel Solomons, the soldier, and
the Englishman who had newly arrived from Detroit. This
was on the sixth day of June. The fort was taken on the
fourth ; I surrendered myself to Wenniway on the fifth; and
this v\^as the third day of our distress.

ALEXANDER HENRYS CAPTIVITY.

297

whole night,
on, jiiid t.hey

IS pnssed in
'il iny ffarret.
1 my master
me to a small
, an'l almost
from Detroit,
ncd in pain-
ent itself, till
id, ajid pres-
loe appeared
; we were to

! commenced

ivas to be of

ted for ; and

ch we were

was all that

and in this

ach, I asked

for it, at any

this, that he

some one to

srved, I had

more to say

r Canadian,

request, and

as was the
. At noon,
rked, and we
ce Michigan,
le was made
his neck, as
ir prisoners.
)ui into each
e Indians in
four. I had

Lieutenant
id was now
soldier, and
troit. This
akci) on the
9 fifth; and

We were bound, as I have said, for the Isles du Castor,
which lie in the mouth of lake Michigan ; and we should
have crossed 'he lake, but that a thirk fog came on, on account
of which the Indians deemed it safer to keep the shore* close
under their lee. We therefore approaclied the lands of the
Ottawas, ntid their village of L'Arbre Croche, already m<M\-
tioucd as lyiuL"" about twenty miles to the westward of Alichili-
nuickiuac, on the o})posite side of the tongue of land on which
the fort is built.

Every half hour, the Indians gave their war-whoops, one
for every prisoner in their canoe. This is a !i»'ncral custom,
by the aid of wliicli all other Indians, witliin hearing, are
apprized (jf the number of prisoners they are carrying.

In this manner, w(? reached Wagoshense, Fox-point, a long
point, stretcliiug westward into the lake, and which tlie Oitawus
make a carrying place, to avoid i^oing round it. It is distant
eighteen miles from Michilimackinac. After the Indians had
made their war-whoop, as before, an Ottawa appeared upon the
beach, who made signs that we should land. In consoipicnce,
we approached. The Ottawa asked the news, and kept the
Chippcways in further conversation, till we were w'lthin a few
yards of the land, and in shallow water. At this moment, a
hundred men rushed upon us, from among the bushes, and
dragged all the prisoners out of the canoes, amid a terrifying
shout.

We now believed that our last sufferings were approaching;
but no sooner were we fairly on shore, and on our legs, than
the chiefs of the party advanced, and gave each of us their
hands, telling us that they were our friends, and Ottawas,
whom the Chippeways had insulted, by destroying the English
without consulting with them on the affair. They added that
Avhat they had done was for the purpose of saving our lives, the
Chippeways having been carrying us to the Isles du Castor
only to kill and devour us.

The reader's imagination is here distracted by the variety of
our fortunes, and he may well paint to himself the state of mind
of those who sustained them, who were the sport or the vic-
tims of a series of events, more like dreams than realities,
more like fiction than truth ! It was not long before we were
embarked again, in the canoes of the Ottawas, who, th(> same
evening, relanded us at ^Michilimackinac, where they marched
us into the fort, in view of the Chippeways, confounded at
beholding the Ottawas espouse a side opposite to their own.

The Ottawas, who had accompanied us in sufTicient num-
bers, took possession of the fort. We, who had changed mas-

,■1

i- li

-a

298

ALEXANDER IIEXRrS CAPTIVITY.

ters, but were still prisoners, were lodged in the house of the
commandant, and strictly guarded.

Early the next morning, a general council was held, in
which the Chippeways coni])Iained much of the conduct of
the Oltawas in robbing them of their prisoners ; alleging that
all the Indians, the Otlawas alone excepted, were at war with
the English ; that Pontiac had taken Detroit; that the king
of France had awoke, and repossessed himself of Ciuehec and
Montreal ; and tliat the English were meeting destruction,
not only at Michiliniackinac, but in every other part of the
world. From all this they inferred that it became the Ottawas
to restore the prisoners, and to join in t!ie war ; and the speech
was followed by large presents, being part ol' the plunder of
the fort, and which was ])reviously heaped in the centre of
the room. The Indians rarely nialvc their answers till the day
after they have heard the arguments ofi'ered. They did not
depart from their custom on this necasion ; and the council
therefore adjourned.

We, the ])rJsoners, whose fate was thus in controversy, were
unacquainted at the time with this transaction ; and therefore
enjoyed a night oi tolerable tranquillity, not in the least sus-
pecting the reverse which Avas preparing for us. Which of
the arguments of the Chippeways, or whether or not all
were deemed valid by the Ottawas, I cannot say ; but the
council was resumed at an early hour in the morning, and,
aft^r several speeches had been made in it, the prisoners were
sent for, and returned to the Chippeways.

The Ottawas, who now gave us into the hands of the
Chippeways, had themselves declared that the latter designed
no other than to kill us, and viake brnth of ns. The Chippe-
ways, as soon as we were restored to them, marched us to a
village of their own, situate on the ])oint which is below the
fort, and put us into a lodge, already the prison of fourteen
soldiers, tied two and two, with each a rope about his neck, and
made fast to a pole which might be called the supporter of the
building.

I was left untied ; but I passed a night sleepless and full of
wretchedness. My bed was the bare ground, and I was
again reduced to an old shirt, as my entire apparel ; the
blanket which I had received, through the generosity of M.
Cuchoise, having been taken from me among the Ottawas,
when they seized upon myself and the others, at Wagoshense.
I was, besides, in want of food, having for two days eaten noth-
ing.

I confess that in the canoe with the Chippeways I was
ofTered bread ; but, bread, with what accompaniment! They

ALEXANDER IIEXRVS CAPTIVITY.

299

)use of the

IS held, in
•onduct of
ei!:iti^r that
I war uiih
; the king-
Quebec and
estruclion,
•art of the
le Ottawas
tlie speech
ilunder of
centre of
lill the day
ey did not
he council

ersy, were
I therefore
least sus-
Which of
or not all
r ; but the
:ning, and,
jners were

nds of the
r designed
le Chippe-
d us to a
below the
)f fourteen
3 neck, and
rter of the

md full of
md I was
parel ; the
sity of M.
' Ottawas,
agoshense.
'aten noth-

had a loaf, which they cut with the same Icnives that they had
employed in the massacre — knives siill covered with blood.
The bh)od they moistened witii spittle, and rubbing it on
the bread, otlered tliis for food to their prisoners, telling them
to cat the blood of their countrymen.

Such was my situation on the mornin£r of the seventh of
June, in the year one thousand seven hundred and sixty-three;
but a few hours produced an event which gave still a new-
color to my lot.

Toward noon, when the great war-chief, in company with
Wenniway was seated at the opposite end of the lodge, my
friend and brother, Wawatam, suddenly came in. During
the four days preceding, I had often wondered what had
become of him. In passing by he gave me his hand, but
went immediately toward the great chief, by the side of whom
and Wenniway, he sat himself down. The most uninterrupted
silence prevailed ; each smoked his pipe ; and this done,
Wawatam arose, and left the lodge, saying to me, as he passed,
" Take courage !"

An hour elapsed, during Avhich several chiefs entered, and
preparations appeared to be making for a council. At length,
Wawatam re-entered the lodge, followed by his wife, and both
loaded with merchandise, which they carried up to the chiefs,
and laid in a heap before them. Some moments of silence
foUow^ed, at the end of which Wawatam pronounced a speech,
every word of which, to me, was of extraordinary interest :

" Friends and relations," he began, " what is it that 1 shall

say

? You know what I feel. You all have friends and

■lys
It!

I was
They

brothers and children, whom as yourselves you love ; and you,
what would you experience, did you, like me, behold your
dearest friend — your brother — in the condition of a slave;
a slave, exposed every moment to insult, and to menaces of
death ? This case, as you all know, is mine. See there
{pointing to myself) my friend and brother among slaves, him-
self a slave !

" You all well know that long before the war began I
adopted him as my brother. From that moment he becauie
one of my family, so that no change of circumstances could
break the cord wdiich fastened us together.

" He is my brother; and, because I am your relation, h'- is
therefore your relation too : — and how, being your relation, can
he be your slave ?

" On the day on which the war began, you were fearful,
lest on this very account I should reveal your secret.
You requested, therefore, that I would leave the fort, and
even cross the lake. I did so, but did it with reluctance.

■^1

\ if

I- 1

f il

300

ALEXANDER HENRY'S CAPTIVITY.

!?,

If '

I did it with reluctance, notwithstanding that you, Meneh-
wchna, who had the conunaiid in this enlcTprisi-, i^ave mo
your promise that you wouhl protect my friend, delivjring iiim
from all dani^'cr, and givinir him safely to me.

'' The performance of this promise I imw claim. I come
not with emp/iy hands to ask it. You, Monehwehna, best
know whether or not, as it respects yourself, you have kept
your word, Imt i bring these goods, to buy oif every claim
which any man among you all may have on my brotiier, a:; his
prisoner."

Wawatain having ceased, the pipes were again filled ; and
after they were finished, a further })eriod of silence followed.
At the end of this, Menehwehna arose, and gave liis reply :

" My relation and brother," said he, " wliat you have spoken
is the truth. We were acquainted with the friendship which
subsisted between yourself and the Englishman, in whose
behalf you have now addressed us. We knew the danger of
having our secret discovered, and the consequences which
mu.-t i\ (low ; and you say truly that we requested you to leave
the fort. This we did out of regard for you and your family ;
for, if a discovery of our design had been made, you would
have been blamed, whether guilty or not ; and you would thus
have been involved in difficulties from which you could not
have extricated yourself.

" It is also true that I promised you to take care of your
friend ; and this promise I performed, by desiring my son,
at the moment of assault, to seek him out, and bring him
to my lodge. He went accordingly, but could not find him.
The day after I sent him to Langlade's, when he was informed
that your friend was safe ; and had ii not been that the Indians
were then drinking the rum which had been found in the fort,
he would have brought him home with him, according to my
orders.

'* I am very glad to find that your friend has escaped. We
accept your present ; and you may tal:e him home with
you."

Wawatam thanked the assembled chiefs, and taking me by
the hand, led me to his lodge, which was at the distance of a
few yards only from the prison-lodge. My entrance appeared
to give joy to the whole family; food was immediately pre-
pared for me ; and I now ate the first hearty meal which 1 had
made since my capture. I found myself one of the lainily ;
and but that t had still my fears, as to the other Indians, I felt
as happy as the situation could allow\

In the course of the next morning, I was alarmed by a noise
in the prison-iudge ; and locking through the openings of the

ALEXANDER HENRYS CAPTIVITY.

301

on, Moneh-
L, giive iTic
liv'jring him

m. I come
wehna, best
I have kept
every claim
•other, as his

filled ; unci
ICC followed,
his reply :
have spoken
dship which
n, in whose
le danger of
cnces which

you to leave
your family ;
;, you would
u would thus
ou could not

care of your
ing my son,
d bring him
lot fnid him.
was informed
It the Indians
id in the fort,
ording to my

scaped. We
I home with

taking me hy
distance of a
inre a]>poared
ncdiately pre-
which 1 had
if the family ;
Indians, I felt

lied by a noise
lenings of the

lodgo in which I was, I saw seven diad bodies of white men
draufged forth. Upon my incpiiry into the oc.vision, I was
informedth.it a certain chief, called bv ibe Canadians Le (Jrand
Sable, had not long before arrived from his winter's hum ; and
that he, having b(!on absent wben tbe war begini, and being
now desirous of manifestinn;- to the Indians at large his In arty
concurrence in w.iat they had done, had gone into the prison-
lodge, and there with his knife put the seven men whose bodies
I had seen to death.

Shortly after, two of the Indians took one of the dead bodies,
which they chose as being the fattest, cut otf tlie head, and
divided the whole into five parts, one of which was put into
each of five kettles, hung over as many fires kindled for this
purpose, at the door of the prison-lodge. Soon after things
were so far prepared, a message came to our lodge, with an
invitation to Wawatam to assist at the feast.

An invitation to a feast is given by him who is the master
of it. Small cuttings of cedar wood, of about four inches in
length, supply tli^ niace of cards ; and the bearer by word of
mouth states the plwticulars.

Wawatam obeyed the summons, taking with him, as is usual,
to the place of entertainment, his dish and spoon.

After m absence of about half an hour, he returned, bringing
in his dish a human liand, and a large piece of flesh. H(! did
not appear to relish the repast, but told me that it war- then,
and always had been the custom among all the Indian nations,
when returning from \var, or on overcoming their enemies, to
make a war-feast from among the slain. This he said insj)ir-
ed the warrior with courage in attack, and bred him to meet
death with fearlessness.

In the evening of the same day, a large canoe, such as those
which came from Montreal, was seen advancing to the fort.
It was full of men, and I distinguished several passemrers.
The Indian cry was made in the village ; a general muster
ordered ; and to the number of two hundred they marched up
to the fort, where the canoe was expected to land. The canoe,
suspecting nothing, came boldly to the fort, where the passen-
gers, as being English traders, were seized, dragged through
the water, beat, reviled, marched to the prison-lodge, and there
stripped of their clothes and confmed.

Of the Enoflish traders that fell into the hands of the Indians
at the capture of the fort, Mr. Tracy was the only one who
lost his life. Mr. Ezekiel Solomons and Mr. Henry Bostwick
were taken by the Ottawas, and after the j)eace carried down
to Montreal, and there ransomed. Of ninety troops, about
seventy were killed ; the rest, together with those of the posts

'<Ji'

■I !'

302

ALEXANDER HENRY'S CAPTIVITY.

^i,M

in the Biiy dcs P-iiuUs, and at the river Saint Jn>«'ph, wore
also Ki'pt ill safety hy lln' Ollawastill tin' pencf, and ihcii cither
I'lecdy re>lor','d, or raiisoniod at iMonlrcal. The Ottauas never
overcame thfdr diooust at the ner^lecl wilii wiiich tliey had
been treated, in the bes^iiining of the war, by those who after-
ward desired their assistance as allies.

In the morning of the ninth of June, a general conncil was
held, at wliich it was agreed to reniove to the island of Michi-
limackinac as a more defensible situation in the event of an
attacl: by the English. The Indians had hegun to entertain
apprehensions of want of strength. No news had reached
them i'rotn ihe Potawatamies, in the Bay des Puants ; and they
were uncertain whether or not the Monomins* won hi join them.
They even feared that the Sioux would take the Englisii side.

This resolution fixed, they prepared for a speedy retreat.
At noon the camp was broken up, and we emharked, taking
with us the prisoners that were still undisposed of. On our
passage we encountered a gale of wind, and there were some
appearances of danger. To aA'ert it, a do^, i)f Avhich the legs
were previously tied together, was thrownP into the lake ; an
ofl^'ring designed to soothe the angry passions of some otiended
Manito.

As we approached the island, two women in the canoe in
which I was began to utter melancholy and hideous cries.
Precarious as my condition still remained, I experienced some
sensations of alarm from these dismal sounds, of which I could
not then discover the occasion. Subse([uently, I learned that
it is customary for the women, on passing near the burial places
of relations, never to omit the practice of which 1 was now a
witness, and by which they intend to denote their frief.

By the approach of evening avo reached the island in safety,
and the women were not lon.^ in electing our cabins. In the
morning, there was a muster of the Indians, at which there
were found three hundred r.nd fifty fighting men.

In the course of the day there arrived a canoe from Detroit,
with ambassadors, who endeavored to prevail on the Indians
to repair thither to the assistance of Pontiac ; but fear was now
the prevailing passion. A guard was kept during the da}% and
a watch by night, and alarms Avere very frequently spread.
Had an enemy appeared, all the prisoners Avould haAo been put
to death ; and I suspected that, as an Englishman, I should
share their fate.

* Manomines, or Malominos. In the first syllable, the substitution of I
for n, and n for /, marks one of the difTerences in the Chippeway and Al-
gonquin dialects. Tn the moulh of an Algonquin, it is Michilimacf:inac ;
in that of a ChippcAvay, Michinimachinac.

ALEXANDER HENRYS CAPTIVITY.

303

o-rpli, were
tlicii cither
taw as 11 over
•h they had
e who aftcr-

coimcil was
i(t (if xMichi-
evoiit of an
lo oiitcrtain
uul reached
s ; and they
join t}u!m.
CnuHsii side,
edy retreat,
rked, takini^
of. On our
c were some
lich the legs
he lake ; an
jine offended

the canoe in
ideous cries,
rieuced some
ihich I could

learned that
burial places
I was now a

"■rief,
iml in safety,
bins. In the

which there

from Detroit,
1 the Indians
fear was now
• the day, and
3ntly spread.
ia\e been put
an, I should

;ubstitntion of Z
)ppway and Al-
lichilimackinac ;

Several days had now passed, when one morninir a contin-
ued ahirm prevailed, and I sa v the liulians runriin<( in a con-
fused maniH^r toward the beach. In a short time I learned
that tw(» larire canoes from ^Montreal were in sitrht.

Aii ihi' liidiati canoes wen; iintiie(!iately manueil, and those
from Alontrt'il were siirroiiiidcd and sei/.-il, as tliey liirned a
point hi'hiii'l which the Hotilhi had been concealed. The goods
were consiiriicl to a Mr. Levy, and woiihl have been saved if
the canoe men had called them French property ; but they were
terrilied and disgnised nothing.

In the canoes was a large proportion of liquor, a dangerous
accpiisition, and which threatened disturbance among the In-
dians, even to the loss of their dearest friends. Wawalam,
always waichi'ul o mv sal'etv, no sooner heard the noise of
drunkenness, which in the evening did not fail to bet;in, than
he represented to me the danger of remaining in the village,
and owned that he could not himself resist the temptation of
joining his comrades in the debauch. That 1 miijfht escape all
.mischief, he therefore reiiuested that ' would accompany him
to the mountain, where I was to romuin hidden till the liquor
should be drank.

We ascended the mountain accordingly. It is this mountain
which constitutes that high land in the middle of the island,
of which I have spoken before, as of a figure considered as
resembling a turtle, and therefore called Mic/tili/nackinac. It
is thickly covered with wood, and very rocky toward the top.
After walking more than lialf a mile, we came to a large rock,
at the base of w^'-jji was an opening, dark within, and appear-
ing to be the entrance of a cave.

Here, VVawatam recommended that I should take up my
lodging, and by all rneans remain till he returned.

On going into the cave, of which the entrance w'as nearly
ten feet wide, I found the further end to be rounded in its shape,
like that of an oven, but with a further aperture, too small,
how^ever, to be explored.

After thus looking around me, I broke small branches from
the trees, and sp. ^ad them for a bed ; then wrapped myself in
my blanket, and slept till daybreak.

On awaking I felt myself incommoded by some object upon
which I lay ; and removing it, found it to be a bone. This I
supposed to be that of a deer, or some other animal, and wdiat
might very naturally be looked for in the place in which it was ;
but, when daylight visited my chamber, I discovered, with some
feelings of horror, that I was lying on nothing less than a heap
of human bones and skulls, which covered all the floor !

The day passed without the return of Wawatam, and with-

1 1

304

ALF:XANDnil IIENRV'S CAPTIVITY

out fond. As nin-lit n|)j)roiiclK«(l, I found myself luiiiltN' to mot't
its darkness in tlie clmrm'MHMisc!, which, nevertheless, 1 had
viewed free from nnc siness (hirinir (he day. 1 chose, there-
for(!, an adjacent husL this niLdit's hidi'ln^'", and sicjtt under
it as hef(»re ; hut in li ornini,', 1 awoke liunifry and dispir-
ited, and ahnost envyino- tuc dry hones, to llie view (d' which I
returned. At h'uyth th(; sound of a fitot reached inc, and my
Iiulian friend appeared, makiuL'' many apoloL'ies for his lony"
ahsi lice, tile cause of winch was an urdurtunale excess in llie
enjoyment o( his licpior.

'J'his point heiuL^ exphiined, I mentioned tlie extraordinary
si^-ht that had pre^seiiled iisrlf in the cave to wliicji he had
coinmench'd my shmdiers. He had never lu>ard of its exi>l(,'nce
before; and, upon exaniiniun 'he cave loi^clher, we saw reason
to ix.'lieve that it liad heen anciently filled with human hodios.

On returninir to the lodye, 1 experienced a cin'dial reception
from the family, which consisted of the wife of my friend, his
two sons, (d" wiiom the eldest was married, and whose wile,
and a dauLfhter of thirt(>en years of ac^e, completed the li'^t;

vv awatanl Veiated to the oilier Indians the adventure of the
boiu's. All of them expressed surprise at hearint; it, aiul de-
clared that they had never lu'en aware of the contents of this
cave before. After visitincf it, wiiich they immediat(d\ did,
ahnost every one offered a dillerent opinion as to its history.

Some advanced, that at a period when the waters overflowed
the land, (an event wlii(di makes a distineuished lii^urt^ in the
history of the'ir wculd,) the inhal)itanls of this island had fled
into the cave, and been there ilrowned ; others, that those same
iidiabitants, when the ITurons made war upon them, (as tradi-
tion says they did,) hid themselves in the cave, and being
discovered, were there massacred. For myself", I am disposed
to belii've that this cave was an ancient receptacle of the bones
of prisoners, sacrificed and devoured at war-feasts. I have
always observed that the Indians pay particular attention to
the bones of sacrifices, preservings them unbroken, and deposit-
ing them in some place kept exclusively for that purpose.

A few days after the occurrence of the incidents recorded
above, Menehwehna, whom I now found to be the great chief
of the village of Michilimackinac, came to the lodge of my
friend ; and when the usual ceremony of smoking was finish-
ed, he observed that Indians were now daily arriving from
Detroit, some of whom had lost relations or friends in the war,
and who would certainly retaliate on any Englishman they
found ; upon which account, his errand was to advise that I
should be dressed like an Indian, an expedient whence I migh«
hope to escape all future insult.

ALKXANDER IIKNIIY'S rAPTIVITY

n()5

lilc to ni'H't
less, I Imd

lO.SC, lIuTO-

If'pt iiiulcr
;iri(l (lisj)ir-
ol' w liicli I
1", iuid tny
r Ills lont,'
:i'ss ill llic

rnf)r(linary
I'll Ih' liiid
< ('xi.^leriro
!iu' reason
MM iiodios,

rf'ccption
Iriciid, his
lutsc wife,
w list,
tiro of the
it, and de-
lls of this
ati'lv did,
history,
verilowed
iiro ill tho
I had fled
lose same

(as tradi-
.11(1 hein<>"
I disposed
the bones
I have
:ention to
il deposit-
pose.

recorded
reat chief
?e of my
as finish-
ing- from
I the war,
nan they
se that I
e I migh*

I could not hut consent to the pntposnl, and the chief was so
kind as to assi-i my frii'nd and his f;iinily in rlii'i'tirif^ that very
diiy the desired iiiclniiiorpliosis. Aly hair was cut oil", and my
lu'ad shaved, with the i.'xct'ption oi a >p'it on tin- crown, of
nhoiit twice the diameter of a crown-jiiccc. My face was
painled with three (ir four dilli-reiil colors; some parts of it
red, and oiIhts black'. A shirt was provided for me, painted
with vennilioi), mixed with irrease, A lart'^e roljar of w:impiim
was put round my nerk, and another suspended on my brea>t.
IJoth my arms were decorated with larj^tj bands of silver above
the elbow, besides several smaller ones on the wrists; and my
]o(ry. were cover(!(i with mitasrs, a Iciiid of hose, made, as is the
favorite fashion, of scarlet cloth. Over all, I was to wear a
scarlet blanket or mantle, and on my head a lart^e bunch of
feathers. I parted, not without some rei^ret, with tlie hn\rr hair
which was natural to it, and which I fancied to be ornamental ;
but the ladies of the family, and of th(! villat^e in <,'-eneral, ap-
jicared to think my person improved, and now condescended to
call mc handsome, even among Indians.

Protected, in a great measnre, by this disguise, I fcdt myself
more at liberty than before ; and the season being arrived in
which my clerks, from the interior, were to he expected, and
some part of my property, as I had a right to hope, recovered,
I begged the favor of VVawatam that he would enable mv. to
pay a short visit to jMichilimackinac. He 'id not fail to com-
ply, and I succeeded in finding my clerks : but, either through
the disturbed state of the country, as they represented to be
the case, or through their misconduct, as I had reason to think,
I obtained nothing; and nothing, or almost nothing, I now
began to think would be all that 1 should need during the rest
of my life. To lish and to hunt, to collect a kw skins, and
exchange them for necessaries, was all that I seemed destined
to do, and to accjuire, for the future.

I returned to the Indian village, where at this time much
scarcity of food prevailed. We were often for twenty-four
hours without eating; r.iA when in the morning- we had no
victuals for the day befoio us, the custom was to black our
faces with grease and ch.ircoal, and exhihit, through resigna-
tion, a temper as cheerful as if in the midst of plenty.

A repetition of the evil, however, soon induced us to leave
the island in search of food ; and accordingly we departed for
the Bay of Boutchiiaouy, distant eight leagues, and where
we found plenty of wild-fowl and fish.

While in the bay, my guardian's daughter-in-law was taken
in labor of her first cliild. She was immediately removed out
of the common lodge ; and a small one, for her separate accom-

I I

306

ALEXAN'DKR HENRY'S CAPTIVITY.

inodatioM, was begun and ftnisihcd by ihe women in less thun
imlC iui huur.

The next niornin<( wv heard that she was very ill, and the
family In'oan to be much alarni('(l on her account ; the inoro
8o, no doubt, U'causo ,. ast-.s of dillicuU labor arc vrry raro
anion;r Indian women. In this distress. VV^awalam reiiucsttd
ine to accoMipany hirn into the wood>!i ; and on our way in-
formed me that if he could lind a ^nake, he should soon secure
relief to his dauj^rhler-in-luw.

On reachini^ some wet f^routid, we speedily obtained th(?
object of our search, in a small snake, of tlie kind called ih'j
parter-snake. VVawatam seized it by the neck, and, holding
it fast, while it coiled itself round his arm, he cut off its head,
catching the blood in a cup that lie had brouirht with him.
This done, he threw away the snake, and carried home the
blood, which be mixed with a cpiantity of water. Of this
mixture he administered tirst oiu; table-spoonful, and shortly
after a secontl. Within an hour the patient was safely deli-
vered of a fme child ; and Wawatam subsecjuently declared
that the remedy, to which he had resorted, was one that never
failed.

On the next day, we left the Bay of Boutchitaouy ; and the
young mother, in high spirits, assisted in loading the canoe,
barefooted, and knee-deep in the water.

The medical information, the diseases and the remedies of
the Indians, often engaged my curiosity during the period
through which I was familiar with these nations ; and 1 shall
take this occasion to introduce a few particulars connected
with their history.

The Indians are in general free from disorders ; and an
instance of their being subject to dropsy, gout, or stone, never
came within my knowledge. Inflammations of the lungs are
among their most ordinary complaints, and rheumatism still
more so, especially with the aged. Their mode of life, in
which they are so much exposed to the wet and cold, sleeping
on the ground, and inhaling the night air, sufficiently accounts
for their liability to these diseases. The remedies on which
they most rely are emetics, cathartics, and the lancet ; but
especially the last. Bleeding is so favorite an operation among
the women that they never lose an occasion of enjoying it,
whether sick or well. I have sometimes bled a dozen women
in a morning as they sat in a row, along a fallen tree, begin-
ning with the first, opening the vein, then proceeding to the
second, and so on, having three or four individuals bleeding at
the same time.

In most villages, and particularly in those of the Chippe-

ALEXANDKR HKXRV'S CAl'TIVITV.

no7

less thun

II, niid the

ilu.' more*

vrry rare

rc(iu('ste(l

ir way iii-

oon secure

taiiu'il iho

called llio
i<l, lioldiii^
r its liciul,

witli liiiii.

lioiiio the
. Of this
iiid .shortly
<iifely deli-
y declared

that never

! ; and the
the canoe,

emedles of

the period

and 1 shall

connected

s ; and an
tone, never

lungs are

latism still

of life, in

d, sleeping

ly accounts

on which
ancet ; but
lion among
"joying it,
'.en women
ree, begin-
ing to the
bleeding at

tie Chippe-

way^*. this service was r«M|uirt'd of mio ; and no p<'rsua>i()n of
mine could ever induce a woman to di>pt'Mst> with it.

in all parts of the country, and anioni,' all the nations ihat I
have seen, paiticular individuals arroi,Mte to themselves the
art of hfaliiii,'. hut priiii'ipally by means of pretended sorcery ;
and operations of tliis sort are aluay> ps'id lor by a |ire-(>nt
made befori' they are begun. Indeed, whatever, as an impost(»r,
may be the demerits of the operator, his reward may generally
be said to be fairly earned by dial of corporal labor.

1 was once pres(>nt at a performance of this Uiud, in which
the patient was a female child of abotU twelve years uf age.
Several of the elder chiefs were invited to the scene ; and the
same compliment was paid to myself, on account of the medi-
cal sUill for which it was pleased lo give nu; credit.

The physician (so to call him) seated himself on the ground ;
and before him, on a new stroud blanket, was placcul a basin
of water, in which were three bones, the larger ones, as it
appeared to me, of a swan's wing. In his hand he had his
shLsk/f/uci, or rattle, with which he beat time to his nutdirine-
song. The sick t'.ild lay on a blanket, near the physician.
She appeared to have much fever, and a severe oppression of
the lungs, breathing with difiiculty, and betraying symptoms
of the last stage of consumption.

After singing for some time, the physician took one of the
bones out of the basin : the bone was hollow ; and one end
being appli(Ml to the breast of the patient, he put the other into
his mo\ith, in order to remove the disorder by suction. Having
persevered in this as long as he thought proper, he suddenly
seemed to force the bone into his mouth, and swallow it. He
now acted the part of one sufFering severe pain ; but, presently,
findinir relief, he made a long speech, and after this returned
to singing, and to tlie accompaniment of his rattle. Willi the
latter, during his song, he struck his head, breast, sides, and
backs at the same time straining, as if to vomit forth the bone.

Relinquishing this attempt, he applied himself to suction a
second time, and with the second of the three bones ; and this
also he soon seemed to swallow.

Upon its disappearance, he began to distort himself in the
most frightful manner, using every gesture which could convey
the idea of pain ; at length he succeeded, or pretended to suc-
ceed, in throwing up one of the bones. This was lianded
about to the spectators, and strictly examined; but nothing
remarkable could be discovered. Upon this, he went back to
his song and rattle ; and after some lime threw up the second
of the two bones. In the groove of this, the physician, upon
examination, found, and displayed to all present, a small white

I ,

t ;

}

»^

308

ALEXANDER HENRYS CAPTIVITY.

substance, resemblinfr'a piece of the quill of a feather, It was
passed round the rompany from one to the other ; and declared,
by the physician, to be the thing causing the disorder of his
patient.

The multitude believe that these physicians, whom the
French i-nW jo n^lmrs, or jugglers, can inflict as well as remove
disorders. Tiiey believt? that by drawing the figure of any
person in sand or ashes, or on clay, or by considering any
object as the figure of a person, and then pricking it with a
sharp stick, or other substance, or doing, in any other manner,
that which done to a living body would cause pain or injury,
t^e individual represented, or supposed to be represented, will
suffer accordingly. On the other hand, the mischi-^'f being
done, another physician, of eipial pretensions, can by suction
remove it. Unfortunately, however, the operations which I
have described were not successful in the instance referred to;
for, on the day after they had taken place, the girl died.

With regard to flesh-wounds, the Indians certainly effect
astonishing cures. Here, as above, much that is fantastic
occurs ; but the success of their practice evinces something
solid.

At the Sault de Sainte-Marie I knew a man who, in the
result of a quarrel, received the stroke of an axe in his side.
The blow was so violent, and the axe driven so deep, that the
wretch who held it could not withdraw it, but left it in the
wound, and fled. Shortly after, the man was found, and
brought into the fort, where several other Indians came to his
assistance. Among these, one, who was a physician, imme-
diately withdrew, in order to fetch his pencgusa?i, or medicine-
bag, with which he soon returned. The eyes of the sufferer
were fixed, his teeth closed, and his case apparently desperate.

The physician took from his bag a small portion of a very
white substance, resembling that of a bone ; this lie scraped
into a little water, and forcing open the jaws of the patient
with a stick, he poured the mixture down his throat. What
followed was, that in a very short space of time the wounded
man moved his eyes ; and beginning to vomit, threw up a
small lump of clotted blond.

The physician now, and not before, examined the wound,
from which I could see the breath escape, and from which a
part of the omentum depended. This the physician did not
set about to restore to its place, but, cutting it away, minced
it into small pieces, and made his patient swallow it.

The man was then carried to his lodge, where I visited him
daily. By the sixth day he was able to walk about ; and
within a month he grew quite well, except that he was troubled

ALEXANDER HENRVS CAPTIVITY.

309

r, It was
[1 dct^lared,
■tier of his

kvhom the
as remove
re of any
eriiiiT any
■ it, with a
r mandor,
or injury,
Hitccl, will
li^'f being
by suction
i which I
ferred to;
ied.

nly effect
I fantastic
5omethinff

tio, in the
I his side.
►, that the
it in the
und, and
me to his
n, imme-
nedicine-
9 sufferer
esperate.
of a very
scraped
e patient
What
wounded
2VV up a

wound,

which a

did not

, minced

ited him
ut ; and
troubled

with a cough. Twenty years after his misfortune he was still
alive.

Another man, being on his wintering-uronnd, and from
home, hunting beaver, was crossiiiLT a b\ke, covered with
smoolli ice, with two beavers on iiis back, when his fool slipped,
and he fell. At his side, in his b(>h, wa'< his axe, tli(> blade of
which came upon the joint of his wrist; and, the weight of
his body coming upon the blade, his hand was comi)letely
separated from his arm, with the exception of a small piecc^ of
the skin. He had to walk three miles to his lodge, which was
thus far away. The skin, which alone retained his hand to
his arm, he cut through, wiih the same axe which had done
the rest; and fortunately havinu: <"' !i shirt, he took it off, tore
it uj), and made a stronu; ligature al)ovt> the wrist, so as in
some measure to avoid the loss of blond. On reaching his
lodge, he cured the wound himself, by the mere use of simples.
I was a witness to its perfect healing.

I have said that these physicians, ju^-glers, or practitioners
of pretended sorcery, are supposed to be capable of inflicting
diseases; and I may add, that they are sometimes themselves
sufferers on this account. In one instance I saw one of them
killed, by a man who charged him with having brought his
brother to death by maletic arts. The accuser, in liis rage,
thrust his knife into the belly of the accused, and ripped it
open. The latter caught his boweis in his arms, and thus
walked toward his lodge, gathering them up, from time to
time, as they escaped his hold. His lodge was at no con-
siderable distance, and he reached it alive, and died in it.

Our next encampment was on the island of Saint-Martin,
off Cape Saint-Ignace, so called from the Jesuit mission of
Saint Ignatius to the Hurons, formerly established there. Our
object was to tish for sturgeon, which we did with great suc-
cess ; and here, in the enjoyment of a plentiful and excellent
supply of food, we remained until the twentieth day of Au-
gust. At this time, the autumn being at hand, and a sure
prospect of increased security from hostile Indians afforded,
Wawatam proposed going to his intended wintering-ground.
The removal was a subject of the greatest joy to myself, on
account of the frequent insults, to which I had still to submit,
from the Indians of our band or village, and to esr^ape from
which I would freely have gone almost anywhere. At our
wintering-ground we were to be alone ; for the Indian families,
in the countries of which I write, separate in the winter
season, for the convenience as well of subsistence as of the
chase, and re-associate in the spring and summer.

In preparation, our first business was to sail for Michili-

I
I

t 7

310

ALEXANDER HENRY'S CAPTIVITY.

mackiiiac, where, being arrived, we procured from a Canadian
trader, on credit, some triflinjr articles, together with ammuni-
tion, and two bushels of maize. This done, we steered di-
rectly for lake Michigan. At L'Arbre Croche we stopped one
day on a visit to the Ottawas, where all the people, and par-
ticularly Okiiiochumaki, the chief, the same who took me from
the Chippeways, behaved with great civility and kindness.
The chief presented me with a bag of maize. It is the
Ottawas, it will be remembered, wlio raise this grain for the
market of Michilimackinac.

Leaving L'Arbre Croclie, we proceeded direct to the mouth
of the river Aux Sables, on the south side of the lake, and
distant about a hundred and fifty miles from fort Michili-
mackinac. On our voyage, we passed several deep })ays and
riv(M's, and I found the banks of the lake to consist in mere
sands, without any appearance of verdure ; the sand drifting
from one hill to another, like snow in winter. Hence, all the
rivers, which here entered the lake, are as much entitled to
the epithet of satuly as that (o which we were bound. They
are also distinguished by another particularity, always observa-
ble in similar situations. The current of the stream being
met, when the wind is contrary, by the waves of the lake, it is
driven back, and the sands of the shore are at the same time
washed into its mouth. In consequence, the river is able to
force a ])assage into the lake, broad only in proportion to its
utmost strength ; while it hollows for itself, behind the sand-
banks, a basin of one, two, or three miles across. In these
rivers we killed many wild-fowl and beaver.

To kill beaver, we used to go several miles up the rivers,
before the approach of night, and after the dusk came on suffer
the canoe to drift gently down the current, without noise. The
beaver in this part of the evening come abroad to procure
food, or materials for repairing their habitations; and as they
are not alarmed by the canoe, they often pass it within gun-
shot.

While we thus hunted along our way, I enjoyed a personal
freedom of which I had been long deprived, and became as
expert in the Indian pursuits as the Indians themselves.

On entering the river Aux Sables, Wawatam took a dog,
tied its feet together, and threw it into the strern, uttering,
at the same time, a long prayer, which he addressed to the
Great Spirit, supplicating his blessing on the chase, and his
aid in the support of the family, through the dangers of a long
winter. Our lodge was fifteen miles above the mouth of the
stream. The principal animals which the country afforded

ALEXANDER HENRY'S CAPTIVITY.

311

a Canadian
,h ainnnmi-
slecred di-
■;topped one
le, and par-
ok ine iVorn
1 kindness.
ll is the
rain lor the

) the mouth
e lake, and
»rt INlichili-
:>p bavs and
;ist in mere
\ud drifting
jnce, all the
1 entitled to
ind. They
ays observa-
tream being"
le lake, it is
e same time
-r is able to
)ortion to its
id the sand-
In these

) the rivers,
me on sufTer
noise. The
to procure
md as they
within gun-

l a personal
I became as
^Ives.

took a dog,
•n, uttering,
ssed to the
ise, and his
rs of a long
outh of the
try afforded

were the stag or red deer, the connnon American doer, the
bear, raccoon, Imavcr and marten.

The l)paver feeds in preference on yoinig wood of the birch,
aspen and poplar tree, (popiilus ni^ra, called by the Canadians
Hard,) but in defect of these on any other tree, those of the
pine and Hr kinds excepted. These latter it einj)loys only for
building its dams and houses. In wide meadows, when- no
wood is to be Ibund, it resorts, for all its purposes, to the roots
of the rush and water lily. It consumes great quantities of
food, wdiether of roots or wood ; and hence often reduces
itself to the necessity of removintr into a new tpiartin*. Its
house has an arched dome-like roof, of an ellii)tical tigure,and
rises from three to four feet above the surface of the water.
It is always entirely surrounded by water; but, in the baidis
adjacent, the animal provides holes or washes, of which the
entrance is below the surface, and to which it retreats on the
first alarm.

The female beaver usually produces two yoimg at a time,
but not unfrerpiently more. During the first year the young
reinain with their parents. In the second they occupy an
adjoining apartment, and assist in building, and in prociiring
food. At two years old, they part, and build houses of their
own ; but often rove about for a considerable time, before they
fix upon a spot. There are beavers, called by the Indians old
bachelors, wiio live by themselves, build no houses, aiul work
at no dams, but shelter themselves in holes. The usual
method of taking these is by traps, formed of iron, or logs, and
baited with brandies of poplar.

According to the Indians, the beaver is much given to jealousy.
If a strange male approaches the cabin, a battle immediately
ensues. Of this the female remains an unconcerned sj)ectator,
careless to which party the law of conrpiest may assiq-n her.
Among the beaver which we killed, those who were with me
pretended to show demonstrations of this fact ; some of the
skins of the males, and almost all of the older ones, hearing
marks of violence, while none were ever to be seen on the
skins of the females.

The Indians add, that the male is as constant as he is jeal-
ous, never attaching himself to more than one female ; while
the female, on her side, is always fond of strangers.

The most common way of talviiiLT the beaver is that of
breaking up its house, which is done with trenching-tools, dur-
ing the winter, when the ice is strong enough to allow of
approaching them ; and when, also, the fur is in its most valu-
able state.

Breaking up the house, however, is only a preparatory step.

ijr

•i,

312

ALEXANDER HENRY'S CAPTTVITV.

h '

i; ( ?

During this operation, the family make their escape to one or
more of their ii^as/ns. These are to be discovered by striking
the ice ak)ng' the bank, and where tlie hoU^s are a hollow
sound is returned. AlU r discoverinc;' and searciiing many of
these in vain, we often found the whole family totrether, in the
same wash. I was tauij'ht occasionally to distinguisji a full
wash from an empty one, l)y the motion of the water above its
entrance, occasioned by the breathing of the animals concealed
in it. From the Avashes they must be taken out with the
hands ; and in doing this, the hutUer sometimes receives
severe wounds from their teeth. While a hunter, I thought,
with the Indians, that the beaver flesh was very good ; but
after that of the ox was again within my reach, I could not
relish it. The tail is accounted a luxurious morsel.

Beavers, say the Indians, M'ere formerly a people endowed
with speech, not less than with the other noble faculties they
possess ; but the TJreat Spirit has taken this away from theni,
lest they should grow su])erior in understanding to mankind.

The raccoon was another object of our chase. It was my
practice to go cut in the evening, with dogs, accompanied by
the youngest son of my guardian, to hunt this animal. The
raccoon never leaves its hiding-place till after sunset.

As soon as a dog falls on a fresh track of the raccoon, he
gives notice by a cry, and immediately pirsues. His barking
enables the hunter to follow. The raccoon, which travels
slowly, and is soon overtaken, makes for a tree, on which he
remains till shot.

After the falling of the snow, nothing more is necessary, for
taking the raccoon, than to follow the track of his feet. In
this season, he seldom leaves his habitation ; and he never
lays up any food. I have found six at a time, in the hollow
of one tree, lying upon each other, and nearly in a torpid state.
In more than one instance, I have ascertained that they have
lived six weeks without food. The mouse is their principal
prey.

Raccoon hunting was my more particular and daily employ.
I usually went out at the first dawn of day, and seldom returned
till sunset, or til! I had laden myself with as many animals as
I could carry. By degrees I became familiarized with this
kind of life ; and had it not been for the idea, of which I could
not divest my mind, that I was living among savages, and for
the whispers of a liiigering hope, that I should one day be
released from it — or if I could have forgotten that I had ever
been otherwise than as I th*^>n was — I could have enjoyed as
much happiness in this as in any other situation.

One evening, on my return from hunting, I found the fire

fori

rani

grc

prol
skif

ALEXANDER HENRY'S CAPTIVITY.

313

to one or
,y striking

a hollow
r many ot
icr, in the
lisU a full
r above its

concealed
, with the
s receives

I thought,
good ; bill

could not

e endowed
ulties they
from them,
mankind.
It was my
Bpanied by
imal. The

et.

raccoon, he
His barking
nich travels

n which he

ecessary, for
is feet. In
(1 he never

II the hollow
torpid state.

xt they have
eir principal

;uly employ.
h)ni returned
^ animals as
ed with this
vhich I conld
iges, and for
one day be
at 1 had ever
ve enjoyed as

[oiind the fire

The

Still

put out, and the opening in the top of the Iddge covered over
with skins; liy this means excluding, as nui'dv as possible,
external light. 1 ftiriher ubsorvod that tlu« ashes were letnnv-
ed from the (Ire-placr, mid that dry saiid was spread wIkto
they had been. Sonn after, a (ire was made williouisiib* the
cabin, in the open air, and a kettle hung over it to hoil.

I now supjiosed that a feast was in pr^'jiaration. Isupjiosed
so only, for it woukl have been indecorous to inquire into
the meaning of what I saw. No person, among the Indians
themselves, would use this freedom. Good breeding requires
that the spectator should patiently wail the result.

As soon as the darkness of night had arrived, the family,
including myself, were invited into the lodge. I was now
requested not to speak, as a feast was about to be given to the
dead, whose spirits delight in uninterrupted silence.

As we entered, each was presented with liis wooden dish
and spoon, after receiving which we seated ourselves,
door was next shut, and we remained in perfect darkness

The master of the family was the master of the feast.
in the dark, he asked ev(>ry one, by turn, for his dish, and put
into eacli two boiled ears of maize. The whole being served,
he began to speak. In his discourse, wliich lasted half an
hour, h(! called upon the manes of his deceased relations and
friends, beseeching them to be present, to assist him in the
chase, and to partake of the food which he had prepared for
them. When he had ended, we proceeded to eat our maize,
which we did without other noise than what was occasioned
by our teeth. The maize was not half boiled, and it took me
an hour to consume my share. I was lec] nested imt to break
the splices, [rob,] as this would bo displeasing to the departed
spirits of their friends.

When all was ea'en, Wawatam made another speech, with
which the ceremony ended. A new fire was kindled, with
fresh sparks, froni flint and steel ; and the pipes being smoked,
the spikes \vere carefully buried, in a hole made in the ground
for that purpose, within the lodge. This done, the whole
i^arnily l)egan a dance, Wa^vatam singimr, and l)eating a drum.
The dance continued the greater part of the night, to the
great pleasure of the lodge. Tlie night of the feast was that
of the first day of November.

On the twentieth of December, we took an account of the
produce of our hunt, and found that we had a hundred beaver
skins, as many raccoons, and a large quantity of dried veni-
son ; all which was secured from the wolves, by being placed
upon a scaffold.

A hunting excursion, into the interior of the country, was

\i\

211

ALF.XANDKR IIHXRY'S CAniVITY

rpsnlv<>(l on ; and early l-'io next iiioniiiiLT tlio l)Uii(llcs wrrf
Iliad'' u|) b\ llie woiiicii lor each person to carry. 1 remarked
lliat ilu! bmidle irivcii to inc Avas the lie'hlcst, and those carried
l)y ill" women the lar;n'st and heaviest of the whole.

On the lirst day ol our mandi, we advanced ahout twenty
miles, and iIkmi '.'ncaniped. Beiny^ fcomewhal I'ulii^ued, 1 could
not himt ; but Wawatani killed a stat^, not far I'rom our eii-
campinenl. The nt.'Xt niornin;,'' wo moved our lodue to the
carcass. At this station we remained two days, employed in
dryinuf the meat. The method was to cut it into slices, of the
thickness of a steak, and then hanir it over the fire in the
.smoke. On the third day we removed, and marched till two
o'clock in the afternoon.

AVhile the women were busy in ercctincf and preparing the
lodtres, 1 took my ii;un and strolled away, telling- Wawatani
that 1 intended to look out for some fresh meat for .supper. He
answered, that l\e would do the same ; and on this we both
left the encampment, in different directions.

The sun being visible, I entertained no fear of losing my
way ; but in following several tracks of animals, in moment-
ary expectation of falling in with the game, I proceeded to a
considerable distance, and it "•'as not till near stmset that I
thonght of returning. The skj,too, had become overcast, and
I was therefore left without the sun for my guide. In this situ-
ation, I walked as fast as I could, ahvays supposing myself to
be approaching our encampment, till at length it became so
dark that 1 ran against the trees.

I became convinced that I was lost ; and I was alarmed by
the reflection that 1 was in a country entirely strange to me,
and in danger from strange Indians. With the flint of my
gun I made a lire, and tb.en laid me down to bleep. In the
night, it rained hard. 1 awoke cold and wet ; and as soon as
light appeared, I recommenced my journey, sometimes walk-
ing and sometimes running, unknowing wdiere to go, bewil-
dered, and like a madman.

Toward evening, I readied the border of a large lake, of
which I could scarcely discern the opposite shore. I had
never heard of a lake in this part of the country, and there-
fore felt myself removed further than ever from the object of
my pursuit. To tread back my steps appeared to be the most
likely means of delivering myself; and 1 accordingly deter-
mined to turn my face directly from the lake, and keep this
direction as nearly as I could.

A heavy snow began to descend, and night soon afterward
came on. On this, 1 stoj)ped and made a Hre ; and stripping
a tree of its sheet of bark, lay down under it to shelter me from

lullcs wn-r
1 remarked
losc curried
le.

houl twenty
lied, 1 could
•((111 our eu-
odjjce to the
L'luployed ill
lices, of llic
lire ill the
[led till two

cparinfT the
g Wawataiu
supper. He
his we both

f losirig my
in moment-
ocecded to a
unset that I
;)vcrcast, and
In this situ-
ng myself to
t became so

alarmed by
anire to me,

flint of my
eep. In the
d as soon as
stimes walk-
to go, bewil-

arge lake, of
lore. I had
w and there-
the oiiject of
• lie the most
liiigly deter-
md keep this

3on afterward

nd stripping

elter me from

ALEXANDER IIEMIVS CAPTIVITV.

315

the snow. A.I1 night, at small distances, tlie wolves howled
around, and to iiie seemed to be ac(pj!iiiited with my mislor-
luiie.

Amid thoughts the nmsi distracted, 1 was abU; at Icugih to
fall iisleep ; but it was not long before 1 awoke, refreshed, and
wondi-ring at the terror to whicii I had yielded myself. That
I could really have wanted the means of recovering my way,
ap[)eared to me almost incredible, and the recollection ol it
like a dream, or as a circumstance which must Inive proceeded
from the loss of my senses. Had this not happened, 1 could
never, as I now thought, have sutlered so lon-.r, without calling
to mind the lessons whiidi I had received from mv Indian
friend, for the very purjiose of beinii' u>rful to me in diliicnl-
ties of this kind. Thcoo were, that, generally speaking, the
lops of pine trees lean ti^ward the rising of the sun ; that moss
grows toward, the roots of trees on the side which faec s the
north ; and that the limbs of trees arc most numerous, and larg-
est, on that whicli faces the south.

Determined to direct my feet by these marks, and persuaded
that I should thus, sooner or later, reach lake Aliehigan, which
i reckoned to bo distant about sixty miles, I began my march
at break of day. I had not taken, nor wished to take, any
nourishment since I left the encamiiment ; I had with me uiy
gun and ammunition, and was therefore under no anxiety in
regard to food. The snow lay about half a foot in depth.

My eyes were now employed upon the trees. When their
tops leaned (lifTerent ways, I looked to the moss, or to the
branches; and by connecting one with another, I (oiind the
means of travelling with some degree of conlideiice. At four
o'clock in the afternoon, the sun, to my inexpressible joy, broke
from the clouds, and I had now no fui'ther need of examining
the trees.

In going down th(^ side of a lofty hill, I saw a herd of red
deer approaching. Desirous of killing one of them for food,
I hid myself in the bushes, and on a large one coming near,
presented my piece, which missed fire, on account of the jirim-
ing having been wetted. The animals v.-alke(l along, without
taking the least alarm ; and, having reloade(l my gun, I fol-
lowed them, and presented a second time. But now a disaster
of the heaviest kind had liefallen me; for, on attempting to
fire, I found that I had lost the cock. I had previously lost
the screw by whicli it was fastened to the lock ; and to prevent
this from being lost also, I had tied it in its placi', with a lea-
ther string. The lock, to prevent its catching in the boughs,
I had carried under my inolton coat.

Of all the sullerings which I had experienced, this seemed

I i!

310

ALEXANDER HENRY'S CArTlVITY

il ^^^

to mc the most mhitc. I was in a straiiL^i' countrVi fin'l know
not how far 1 had to <jco. I h;i(l hc-'ii three clays without iood;
I was now without the means nl' prucuriiii,'' niy>'ell either food
or fire. Despair had ahnost ovei powered uie ; hut I soon rc-
.sifTued myself into the liands of that Providence, whose ana
liad so often saved me, and returned on my traek, in seartdi of
what I had lost. My search was in vain, and 1 resumed my
course, wet, cold and hunLcry, and almost without cloth inn^.

The sun was settinuf last, when 1 descended a hill, at llic
bottom of which was a small lake, entirely froz'ii over. On
drawinir near, 1 saw a heaver loduc in the middle, oU'erinij^
some faint prospect of food ; hut 1 found it already broken up.
While I looiced at it, it suddenly occurred to me that I had
seen it befor(' ; and turninij my eyes round the place, 1 dis-
covered a snudl tree which I had mytelf cut down, in the
autumn, when, in comj)any with my friends, I had taken the
beaver. 1 was no longer at a loss, hut knew both the distance
and the route to the encampment. The latter was only to fol-
low the course of a small stream ef water, u'hich ran from the
encampment to the lake on which 1 stood. An hour before, I
had thought myself the most miserable of men ; and now I
leaped for joy, and called myself the happiest.

The whole of the niyht, and throuirh all the succeeding- day,
I walked up the rivulet, and at sutiset reached the encampment,
where I was received witli the warmest expressions of pleasure
by the family, by whom I had been given up for lost, after a
long and vain searcb for me in the woods.

Some days elapsed, durmg whicb I rested myself, and re-
cruited my strength ; after this, I resumed the chase, secure
that, as the snow had now fallen, I could always return by the
way I went.

In the course of the month of January, I hai)pened to ob-
serve that the trunk of a very large pine tree was much torn
by the claws of a bear, n>ade both in going up and down. On
further examination, I saw that there was a large opening in
the upper part, near which the smaller i^ranches were broken.
From these marks, and from the additional circumstance that
there were no tracks on the snow, there Avas reason to believe
that a bear lay concealed in the tree.

On returning to the lodge, I communicated my discovery;
and it was agreed that all the family should go together in the
morning, to assist in cutting down the tree, the girth of which
was not less than three fathom. The women at first opposed
the undertaking, because our axes, being only of a pound and
a half weight, were not well adapted to so heavy a labor ; but
the hope of finding a large bear, and obtaining from its ^ a

Yi'

ALKXANDEll IIENRVS ("ATTIVITY.

317

, an'l know
iihoui food;

riilicr food
t I soon rc-

wliose aria
II sciiiTh of
osuiiK'd my
lotliiiiij.

liill, ill the
1 over. On
Ik', olibring

broken up.

lliiil I liad
ilacc, 1 dis-
)\vn, ill the
1 taken the
the distance

only to lol-
an from the
)ur before, I

and now I

eedino- day,

ncampment,

of pleasure

lost, after a

elf, and re-
use, secure
turn by the

lened to ob-
much torn
down. On
opening in
ere broken,
stance that
n to believe

discovery ;

ther in the
th of which
rst opposed

pound and

labor ; but
cm its ^ a

great quantity of oil, an article at the time much wanted, ;il
length prevailed.

Accordingly, in the morniiiL^", we Mirroiinded the tree, botji
men and women, as many at a time as could convenieoily woilc
at it ; and her(> we toiled like bvaver till the Min went down.
This day's work carried us about half way through the trunk :
and the next morning we renewed the attack, continuini;- it till
about two o'clock in the afternoon, when the tree fdi to the
ground. For a few minutes, everything r(.'mained (|uiet, and 1
feared that all our expeciaii<uis were disappointed; but as I
advanced to the opening, there cani(> out, to the great satisfac-
tion of all our party, a bivir of extraordinary size, which, before
she had proceeded many yards, I shot.

The bear bcinu: dead, all my assistants ajiproached. and all,
but more particularly my old mother, (as 1 was wont to call
her,) took his head in their hands, stroking and kissing it seve-
ral times ; begging a thousand pardons for taking away her
life; calling her their relation and grandmother; and re(juest-
ing her not to lay the fault upon them, since it was truly an
Englishman that had put her to death.

This ceremony was not of long duration and if it was I
that killed their grandmother, they were not themselves behind-
hand in what remained to be performed. The skin being taken
ofT, we fornd the fat in several places six inches deep. This,
being divided into two parts, loaded two persons ; and the flesh
parts were as much as four persons could carry. In all, the
carcass must have exceeded five hundred weight.

As soon as we reached the lodge, the bear's head was adorn-
ed with all the trinkets in the possession of the family, such
as silver arm-bands and wrist-bands, and belts of wampum,
and then laid upon a scaflbld, set up for its reception, within
the lodge. Near the nose was placed a large quantity of to-
bacco.

The next morning no sooner appeared than preparations
were made for a feast to the manes. The lodge was cleaned
and swept ; and the head of the bear lifted up, and a new stroud
blanket, which had never been used before, spread under it.
The pipes were now lit ; and Wawatam blew tobacco smoke
into the nostrils of the bear, telling me to do the same, and
thus appease the anger of the bear, on account of my having
killed her. I endeavored to persuade my bciiefacior and
friendly adviser that she no longer had any life, and assured
him that I was under no apprehension tioni her displeasure ;
but the first proposition obtained no credit, and the second gave
but little satisfaction.

At length, the feast being ready, Wawatam commenced a
27*

■lit

318

ALi:xAN[)i:u iil;m:v\s cai'tivitv

I i

speech, rcsciuhlinir in niuiiy lluii<^s liis iuldri'ss to tlic maiios
of his relations ami d'^piuMcl coinpuniniis ; l»i;t liavini^^ this
peculiarity, that hu here ck-ploriHl the nuceasilv under which

ly unci
lie re I

men hihorcd thus to destroy tiieir fricinls. He represciuod,
however, that the misfortune was unavoidahh', sim-c without
doint( so they could hy no means subsist. The speech ended,
we all ate heartily of the bear's flesh ; and oven the head itself,
after remaining three days on the scallold, was put into the
kettle.

It is only the female bear that nuikes her winter lodi^Mng in
the iip{)er parts of trees, a practice by which her youn<j are
secured from the attacks of wolves and other animals. She
brings forth in the winter season ; and remains in her lodge
till the cubs have gained some strength.

The male always lodges in the ground, under the roots of
trees. He takes to this habitation as soon as the snow falls,
and remains there till it has disaj)peared. The Indians remark
that the bear comes out in the spring with the same fat which
he carried in in the autumn, but after exercise of only a few
days becomes lean. Excepting for a short part of the season,
the male lives constantly alone.

The fat of our bear was melted down, and the oil filled six
porcupine skins. A part of the meat was cut into strips and
fire-dried, after which it was put into the vessels containing the
oil, where it remained in perfect preservation until the middle
of summer.

February, in the country and by the peoi)le where and among
whom I was, is called the Moon of Hard or Crusted Snow;
for now the snow can bear a man, or at least dogs, in pursuit
of animals of the chase. At this season, the stag is very suc-
cessfully hunted, his feet breaking through at every :tep, and
the crust upon the snow cutting liis kgs with its sharp edges
to the very bone. He is consecpiently, in this distress, an easy
prey; and it frequently happened that we killed twelve in the
short space of two hours. By this means we were soon put
into possession of four thousand weight of dried venison, which
was to be carried on our backs, along with all the rest of our
wealth, for seventy miles, the distance of our encampment
from that part of the lake shore at which in the autumn we
left our canoes. This journey it was our nt;xt business to per-
form.

Our venison and furs and peltries were to be disposed of at
Michilimackinac, and it was now the season for carrying them
to market. The women therefore prepared our loads ; and
the morning of departure being come, we set off at daybreak,
and continued our march till two o'clock in the afternoon.

ALEXANDEU IIENRV S CAPTIVITY.

310

) thi> mniics
Kiviiiif ibis
luler which
•I'pri'sciUod,
lice wiihoui
L'ci'h I'lided,
! head itself,
)ut into the

r lo(lf(ing in
r youii<i: are
lUiiLs. She
in her lodge

ihe roots of
; snow falls,
ians remark
le fat which
' only a few
the season,

oil filled six

strips and
titaining the

1 the middle

; and among
sted Snow ;
I, in pursuit
is very suc-
ry f tep, and
sharp edges
•CSS, an easy
ivelve in the
re soon put
lison, which
! rest of our
jncanjpment
autumn we
mess to per-

sposed of at

rrying them

loads ; and

at daybreak,

afternoon.

When; We stoppeil we crtH'tcd a si-ad'old. on \vhich Wf depo-
sited the bundles we liitd broii^^ht, and rctiiriifd to our rin-anip-
ment, which wo reached in th«' evening, in the morning, we
carried fresh loads, which beint: deposited with the rest, wo
returned a sci'ond time in the e\ ning. This we repeated, till
all was forv.'ardt'd one stai^n'. Then, removing our Iodide to
the place of deposit, wo carried our iroods, with the same patient
toil, a second stage ; and so on, till wc were at no great dis-
tance from the shores of the lake.

Arrived here, we turned our attention to sugar-makinL":, the
management of which, as 1 have before related, belonu:s to the
women, the men cutting wood for the fires, and huniint.' and
fishing. In the midst of this, we were joined by several lodges
of Indians, most of whom were of the family to which I be-
longed, and had wintered near us. The lands belonged to this
family, and it had thiM'efore the exclusive rijjht to bunt on
them. This is accordinu; to the custom of the peopb- ; for
each family has its own lands. I was treated very civilly by
all the lodges.

Our society had been a short time enlarged by this arrival
of our friends, when an accident occurred which filled all the
village with anxiety and sorrow. A little child, beloniring to
one of our neighbors, fell into a kettle of boiling syrup. It
was instantly snatched out, but with little hope of its recovery.

So long, however, as it lived, a continual feast was observed ;
and this was made to the Great Spirit and Master of Life, that
he might be pleased to save and heal the child. At this feast
I was a constant guest ; and often foutid diificulty in eating
the large quantity of food which, on such occasions as these,
is put upon each man's dish. The Indians accustom them-
selves both to eat much and to fast much with facility.

Several sacrifices were also oflcred ; among which were
dogs, killed and hung upon the tops of poles, with the addition
of Stroud blankets and other articles. These also were tjiven
to the Great Spirit, in hunn)le hope that he would give elhcacy
to the medicines employed.

The child died. To preserve the body from the wolves, it
was placed upon a scatlbld, where it rcinained till wl .vent to
the lake, on the border of which was the burial-ground of the
family.

On our arrival there, which happened in the beginning of
April, I did not fail to attend the funeral. The grave was
made of a large size, and the whole of the inside lined with
birch bark. On the bark was laid the body of the child, ac-
companied with an axe, a pair of snow-shoes, a small kettle,
several pairs of common shoes, its own strings of beads, and,

^i!

I'M

320

ALEXANDEIl HENRY'S CAPTIVITY.

' '

bccuiiso it wn.s ii i,Mrl, :i carryiiiui'-k'li. ami a puddK'. TIk- ket-
tle was (illi'il wiilj inc'iit.

All ilii.s was aifaiii covcrt'il wiili hark ; and al al)oiit two fret
iicaifi' ilic siirtari', Iol'^s witc laid jnrn^s, and tlirx- aL*".'!!!! cov-
orcd wiili bai'U, x) llial llic carili iniulit l)y no means fall ii[)()i)
the ct»r|)se.

T\\v last act licfori' the liurial performed liy 'li" metlier,
cryinir ovt.-r the dead liudy (»f Iier child, was tluit »d' l.'dvinpf
from it a locli itf hair lor a memorial. While she did this J
eiulenvorod to consolo her, hy olit'rinir the nsnal arirun.cnts ;
that the fljild was happy in heiiig ndeased from the miseries of
this present life, and that she should forliear to erjcve, hecaisc
it woiilil be restored to her in anotlu'r world, h;ippy and ever-
iastini(. She answered that she knew it, and that hy thf> lock
of hair she should discover her daui^diter, for she would take
it with her. in this she alluded to the tlay when some pious
liaiid would place in iier own er;ive, aloni,'' with the carry iufjf-
belt and paddle, this liilli; reli(', hallowed by maternal t 'ars.

I have freipieiitly iiupiired into the ideas and opituons of
the Indians in reirard to futurity, and always found tha' they
were somewhat dillerent in dill'erenl individuals.

Some suppose their souls to remain in thi.s world, althouL^h
invisible to iiuman eye.s ; and capable, themselves, oi seeing
and heariuijf tiieir friends, and also of assisting them, in mo-
ments of distress and danger.

Others dismiss from tlie mortal scene the unembodied spirit,
and send it to a distant world or country, in which it receives
reward or punishment, according to the life which it has led
in its prior state. Those who have lived virtuously are tranrs-
ported into a pli;ce abounding with c .cry luxury, with deer
and all other animals of the woods and water, and where the
earth produces, in their greatest perf(!Ction, all its sweetest
fruits. While, on the other hand, those who have violated or
neglected the duties of this life, are removed to a barren soil,
where they wander up and down, among rocks and morasses,
and are stung by gnats a- large as pigeons.

While we romai)ied on the border of the lake a watch was
kept evvry night, in the appreliension of a speedy atlacl: from
the English, who were expected to avenge the massacre of
Michiliinackinac. The immediate grounds of this apprehen-
sion were the constant dreams, to this effect, of the more aged
women. I endeavored to persuade them that nothing of the
kind would take place ; but their feurs were not to b(; subdued.

Amid these alarms, there came a report concerning a real
though less formidable enemy discovered in our neighborhood.
This was a panther, wuicli one of our young men Jiad seen,

ALKXANDER HENRY'S CAPTIVITY.

321

'I'lic kct-

• III two foot
iin-jiiii cov-
s I'm 1 1 upon

111' iiiollior,
• •I i.-'lvinpf
■ (Ik! iliis J
PU'Mii.ciii.s :
tiiiscrii's of
ve, Ix.'Cix.isc

■ !UI(I CVfT-

jy ili(* lock
•vould lake
ioiiK' pious
' ciirryiiii^-
iil t 'ars.
pillions of
ttia' ihoy

, nlthouirh
ol' soc'iiig
in. in nio-

licd spirit,
il rei'oives
it has led
are trans-
wit Ii deer
where the
sweetest
iohited or
arreii soil,
morasses,

vatch was
lac!: from
issacrc of
apprehcn-
nore aged
no of the
subdued,
inii- a real
hborhood.
had seen,

and wliicdi animal soiricliines attacks and carries away th(>
Indian children. Our camp was immediately on thi- ah-ri, and
we set od' into tlm woods, alxtut twenty in niimhrr. We hiid
not proceeded more than a mile hcfore the do^s found the pan-
ther, and pursued him to a tree, on which he was >iiot. He
was of a larei; >i/e.

On th(! iwenty-lilih of April we emharked for Alichilimacki-
nac. At La Clrande Traverse wo met a larire parly (»f Indians,
who appc;ire(l to lahnr, like onr>elves. under coii>ider;ihle
alarm; and who diire(l proceed no furiiier, le-t they should he
destroyed hy the Eniijish. Frecpietil couiit'ils of the united
bands were held; and interroiraiions were conti-nnally [ml to
mysidf as to whetlier or not I knew ol any (ie>in-ii to attack
them. 1 found that they believtHJ il possible for me to have a
foreknowlotlLTe of events, and to be iuturmed by dr(\'ims of all
thiti'.ys doinif al a distance.

J*rotesi;iiions of my ii>norance were received witli but iillle
salisfaciion, and incurnM the suspicion of a desiirn to concc'al
my knowledufe. On this account, therefore, or because I saw
them t(M"mented with fears which had iioiliing but imae-inatioti
to rest upon, I toid them, at Icntith, that 1 knew there was no
enemy to insult ihem : and tfiat thoy loii^'ht proceed to Michili-
mackinac without danger from the English. I further, and
with more cot)fidence, declared that if ever my countrymen
returned to Michilimackinac I would recommcrul th mu to their
favor, on account of the good treatment which I had received
from them. Thus encouraged, they end)arked at an early hour
the next morning. In crossing the bay we experienced a storm
of thunder and lightning.

Our port was the village of L'Arbre Crochc, which we
reached in safety, and where we staid till the following day.
At this village we found several persons who had been lately
at Micliilimackinac, and from them we had the satisfaction of
learning that all was ((uiet there. The remainder of our voy-
age was therefore j)erl'ormed with contidence.

In the evening of the twenly-sevenlh we landed at the fort,
vv^liich now cont;iined only two French traders. The Indians
who had arrived before us were very few in number ; and by
all, who were of our party, I was used very kindly. I had
the entire freedom both of the fort and camp.

Wawatam and myself settled our stock, and paid our debts ;
and this done, I found that my share of what was left consisted
in a hundred beaver-skins, sixty raccoon-skins, and six oiler,
of the total value of about one nundred and sixty dollars.
With these earnings of my winter's toil I proposed to purchase
"lothes, of which I was much in need, having been six months

• M

322

ALEXANDER HENRYS CAniVITY.

n •< <

! ;

\\ h-

without a shirt; but, on iticjuirinn- into the prices of o-oods, I
round that all my funds would iHjt t^o far, 1 was; able, how-
ever, t' buy iwo ishirts, at ton pounds of beaver eacli ; a pair
of l('i(iJfiHs, or pnntaloons, of scarlet cloth, which, with the
ribbon to yavnish thcni fashloaa/jhj, cost nic fifteen })ounds of
beaver ; a blanket, at twenty j)oands ,)f beaver ; and some other
articles, at proportionable rates. In this manner my wealth
was soon reduced ; but not before I had Laid in a good stock of
ammunition and tobacco. To tJie use of the latter I had be-
come much attached durin^- the winter. It was my principal
recreation aft(>r relurninir from the chase; for my companions
in the lod<>"e were unaccustomed to pass the time in coiivcrsa-
tion. Anions^ the Indians the topics of conversation are but
few, and limited, for the most ]iart, to the transactions of the
day, the number of animals which they have killed, and of
those whicli have escaped their pursuit, and other incidents of
the chase. Indeed, the causes of taciluvnily amonu- the Indians
may be easily understood, if we consider how masiy occasions
of speech, which present themselves to us, arc utterly unknown
to them: the records of history, the pursuits of science, the
disquisitions of phihisophy, the systems of politic>, the ])usi-
ness and the amufcmoats of the day, and the transactions of
the fotir corners of the world.

Eiirht days had passed in tranquillity, when there arrived a
band of Indians from the Bay of iSaguenaum. They had
assisted at the siege of Detroit, and came to muster as many
recruits for that service as they could. For my own part, I
was soon informed that, as I was the only Englishman in the
place, they proposed to kill me, in order to give their friends
a mess of Enuiish broth to raise their courage.

This intelligence was not of the most agreeable kind ; and
in consequence of receiving it, I requested my friend to carry
me to the Sault de Saintc-Marie, at whiN^h place I knew the
Indians to l)e peaceably inclined, and that M. Cadotte enjoyed
a powerful influence over their conduct. They considered M.
Cadotte as their chief; and he was not only my friend, but a
friend to the English. It was by him that the Chi[)peways of
lake Superior were prevented from joining Pontiac.

Wawatam was not slow to exert himself for my preserva-
tion, br,t, leaving Michilimackinac in the night, tr.insported
myself and all his lodge to Point Saint-Ignacc, on the opposite
side of the strait. Here we remained till daylight, and then
went into the Bay of Boulchitaouy, in which we spent thiee
days in fishing and hunting, and where we found plenty of
wild-fowl. Leaving the bay, we made for the Isle aux Ou-
tardes, where we were obliged to put in, on account of the

ALEXANDER IIEXRYS CArTiVITV.

323

■; of goods, I
s able, liow-
-iicli ; ii pair
li, ^\•ith ihe
■u })oiiiids of
d some other
r my wealth
;ood stock of
tcr I had he-
niy ])riucipal
roinjiaiiions
ill coiiversa-
ition arc j)ut
nioiis of the
illed, and of
■ iticidcMils of
X the Indians
nv oc( asions
rly iird<no\vn
science, the
ics, the husi-
ansactions of

ore arrived a
'riiey had
5ter as many
y own part, I
-hnian in the
their friends

e kind ; and

vm\ to carry

I knew the

(lotto enjoyed

onsidered M.

Iriend, hut a

lippeways of

my preserva-
:, transported
I the opporitc
Tht, and then
' spent thiee
nd j)!enty of
Isle aux Ou-
:count of the

wind's cominc;' ahead. We proposed >riilinL!' for the Sank the

next nionuny".

But when the tnorniinz came, Wawatam's wife complained
that she was sick, addinir, that she hail had had dreams, and
knew that if we went to the Sanlt we should all l)e destroyed.
To have araiied, at this time, aq'ainst the infiiUihility of dreams,
would have been extremely unadvisable, >ince 1 should have
apjieared to be Liuilty not only of an odious want of faith, but
also of a still jnore odious want of sensibility to the possible
calamities of a family whiidi had done so mui-h for the alle-
viation of mine. 1 was silent ; but the disapj)ointment seemed
to seal my fate. No prosj)ect opened to console me. To
return to Miciiilimackinac could only ensure my destruction;
and to remain at the islan(] was to brave almost e(|ual danirer,
since it l;y in the direct route betw^^eu the fort and the Mis-
sisaki, alonn- which the Indians from Detroit were liourly
expected to pass on the business of their mission. J doubted
not but, takintr advantaL'e of the solitary situation of th(> family,
they would carry into execution their desiiiii of killiiii^r me.

Unable therefore to take any part in the direction of our
course, but a prey at the same time to the most anxious
thouGrhts as to my own condition, I passed all the day on the
highest part to which I could climlt of a tall tree, and whence
llie lake, on both sides of the island, lay open to my view.
Here 1 misjht hope to learn, at the earliest possible, the ap-
proach of canoes, and by this means be warned in time to con-
ceal myself.

On the second morniuL!; I returned, as soon as it was light,
to mv watch-tower, on which I had not been long before I
discovered a sail coming from Michilimackinac.

The sail was a white one, and much larL^'r than those
usually employed by the Northern Indians. I therefore in-
dulii'ed a hope that it might be a Canadian canoe, on its voyage
to Montreal • and that 1 might he ahle to prevail uj)on the
crc'v to take me with them, and thus release mi' lVr)m all my
troubles.

j\l\' hopes continued to gain ground : for I soon [lersuaded
ray.-dfthat the manner in which the paddles \vere used, on
board the canoe, was Canadian, and not Indian. M \' -i)irils
Avere elaU-d ; b\)t disappoinlmeet had hecome so usual with
ine that I could iu)t sutler myself to look to the event wiMi any
strenu'th of confidence.

Enough, however. ap])eared at lenL'"th to demousirate itself
to induce me to descend the tree, and repair 'o the lodge, wiih
my iidinc!'s and schemes of libertv. The family congratulated
me on the approach of so fair an opportunity of esca])e ; and

il:M

I ;

I ',

f '

324

ALEXANDER HENRY'S CAPTIVITY.

my father and lirotlur (for lio wa.s alternately cacli of these)
lit his pipe, and presciiU'd il to mn, f;ayini-''i '' ^Iv .son, this
may be the last liiu(> that ever you and 1 shall snioK't> out of
the same pipe ! I am sorry to part with you. You know the
aflcction which I have al\v;iy,s borne you, and the dangers to
which I have exposed niyselC and family, to preserve you from
your enemies; and I am hnpjtv to (ind that my eflorts promise
not to have been in vain." At this time a boy catne into the
lodge, informing us that the canoe had come from INIichili-
mack'inac, and was bound to the Sault de Sainte-Marie. It
was manned by three Canadians, and was carryinir Imme
Madame Cadotte, the wife of M. Cadotte, already mentioned.

My hopes of p'oing- to Montreal bein^^ now dissipated, I
resolved on accompanying Madame Cadotte, with her permis-
sion, to the Sault. On communicatimr my wishes to Madame
Cadotte, she cheerfully acceded to them. Madame Cadotte,
as I have already mentioned, was an Indian woman of the
Chippeway nation, and she was very generally respected.

j\ly departure fixed upon, I returned to the lodge, where I
packed up my wardrobe, consisting of my two shirts, pair of
leggins, and blanket. Besides these, I took a gun and am-
munition, presenting what remained further to my host. I also
returned the silver arm-bands with which the family had
decorated me the year before.

We now exchanged farewells with an enmtion entirely
reciprocal. I did imt quit the lodge without the most grateful
sense of the many acts of goodness which I had experienced
in it, nor without the sincerest respect for the virtues which I
had witnessed among its members. All the family accom-
panied me to the beach ; and the canoe had no sooner put off
than Wawfitam commenced an address to the Kichi ]\fanito,
beseeching him to take care of me, his brother, till we should
next meet. Tliis he had told me would not be long, as he
intemh'd to return to Michiliniackinac for a short time only,
and would then follow me to the Sault. We had proceeded
to too t^Tcat a distance to allow of our hearing his voice before
Wa .vaiani had ceased to oiler up his prayers.

Being novv- no longer in the society of the Inrlians, I laid
aside the dress, putting on that of a Canadian : a mollon or
blanket coat, ov{>r my shirt ; and a handk(,'rchief about my
head, hats being very little worn in this country.

At daybrealv, on the second morning of our voyag(>, we
embarked, and presently perceived several canoes behind us.
As t!iey approached, Wf asce;lained them to be the fleet,
bound for the ^lissisaki, of which 1 had been so long in dread.
It amounted to twenty sail.

ch of these)
dy son, this
molce out of
ni Iviiow the
e (lancfers to
ve you from
brts promise
line into the
oni INIichili-
e-Marie, It
•ryino" home
mentioned.
dis!:;ipated, I

her permis-
; to Madame
me Cadotte,
Oman of the
spected.
d,oe, where I
hirts, pair of
nn and am-
host. I also

family had

tion entirely
nost grateful
experienced
•tues which I
unilv accom-
ioner put off
•iii jNfanito,
I we should
loni,'', as he
rt time only,
ad proceeded
voice before

idians, I laid

a mohon or

I'f about my

voyajTe, we
s Ijchind us.
be the fleet,
jug in dread.

ALEXANDER HENRi S CAPTIVITY

•JD

On coming up with us, and surrounding our canoe, and
amid general inquiries concerning the news, an Indian chal-
lenged nn? for an iMiglishman. and his companions support-
ed iiim, by declaring that I looked very like one : but 1
affected not to understand any of the qm^slions which iliny
asked me, and Madame Cadotle assured tiitMU that I was a
Canadian, whom sho had brouLThl on his tirst voyage from
Montreal.

The following day saw ns f^afely landed at the Sault, where
I experienced a generous welcome from M. Cadotte. There
were thirty warriors at this place, restrained from joining in
the war only by M. Cadotte's influence.

Here, for five days, I was once more in possession of tran-
quillity ; but on the sixth a young Indian came into M.
Cadotte's, saying that a canoe full of warriors had just arrived
from Michilimackinac ; that they had inquired for me ; and that
he believed their intentions to be bad. Nearly at the same time,
a message came from the good chief of the village, desiring me
to conceal myself until he should discover the views and tem-
per of the strangers.

A garret was the second time my place of refuge ; and it
was not long before the Indians came to M. Cadotte's. My
friend immediately informed Mutchikiwish, their chief, who
was related to his wife, of the design imputed to them,
of mischief against myself. Mutchikiwish frankly acknow-
ledged that they had had such a design ; but added that if
displeasing to M. Cadotte, it should be abandoned. He then
further stated, that their errand was to raise a party of war-
riors to return with them to Detroit; and that it had been their
intention 1.0 take me with thorn

In regard to the principal of the two objects iJius disclosed,
M. Cadotte proceeded to assemble all the chiefs and warriors
of the village ; and these, aft(T delibin'atinu- for some time
among themselves, sent for the slrantrors, to whom both M.
Cadotte and the chief of the village addressed a speech. In
these speeches, after recurring to the designs confessed to have
been entertained against myself, who was now declared to be
under the immediate protection of all liie chiefs, by whom any
insult I might sustain would be avenged, the and^assadors
were peremptorily told that they might go back as they catne,
none of the young men of this village being ^oolish enough
to join them.

A nmment after, a report was brought, that a canoe had just
arrived from Niagara. As this was a place from which every
one was anxious to hear news, a m(>ssage was sent to these
fresh strangers, requesting them to come to the council.

326

ALEXANDER HENRYS CAPTIVITY.

I <

< I

The stranpfcrs ciimc accorilinprlVi find beinir seuted, a long'
sik'iico ensued. Al leiiylh, one of them, lakiiii: up a bi'It of
waiiipuiii, addressed himscdt' thus to ihe asseuiMy : " My
friends and brothers, 1 am euiue, with thi.s beU, troni our
great father, Sir William Johnson, lie desired me to conic
to you as his ainhassador, and tell you that he is making a
great feast al fort Niagara ; that his kettles are all ready, and
his tires lit. lie inxites you to partake of the feast, in com-
mon with your friends, the Six Nations, which have all made
peace with tiie English. He advises you to seize this oppor-
tunity of (hiing the same, as you cannot otherwise fail of being
destroyed; for the English arc on their march, with a great
army, which will he joined by different nations of Indians.
In a word, before the fall of the leaf, they will be al Michili-
mackinac, and the Six Nations with them."

The tenor of this speech greatly alarmed the Indians of the
Sauk, who, after a very short consultation, agreed to send twenty
deputies to Sir William Johnson, at Niagara. This was a
project highly interesting to me, since it offered me the means
of leaving the country. I intimated this to the chief of the
village, and received his promise that I should accompany the
deputation.

Very little time Avas proposed to be lost, in selling forward
on the voyage ; but the occasion Avas of too much magnitude
not to call for more than human knowledge and discretion ;
and preparations were accordingly made for solenuily invoking
and consulting the Great Turtle.

For invoking and consulting the Great Turtle, the first thing
to be done was the building of a large house or wigwam,
within which was placed a species of tent, for the use of the
priest and reception of the spirit. The lent was formed of
moose-skins, liuny- over a frame-work of wood. Five p dcs, or
rather pillars, of five different species of limber, about ten feet
in height, and eiyht inches in diameter, were set in a circle
of about four feet in diameter. The holes made to re-
ceive them were about two feet deep ; and the j)illars being
set, the holes were filled up airain, with the earth w'hic.h had
been dug out. At lop the pillars were bound together by a
circular hoop, or girder. Over the wdiole of this edifice were
spread the moose-skins, covering it a', top and round the sides,
and made fast with thongs of the same ; except that on one side
a part was left unfastened, to admit of the entrance of the priest.

The ceremonies did not commence but with the approach of
night. To give light within the house, several fires were kin-
dled round the tent. Nearly the whole village assembled in
the house, and myself among the rest. Ii was not long before

ALEXANDEU HENRY'S CAPTIVITY.

327

atetl, a long
uj) a bell of
nl.ly : - ^^y
It, I'roiu our
me lo come
is making a
11 really, and
'ast, ill com-
ive all made
; this oppor-
? fail of beinjT
^vith a i^reat
s of Indians.
JO at Michili-

nclians of the
send twenty
This was a
:ae the means
3 chief of the
ccoinpany the

tting forward
ch magnitude
d discretion ;
unly invoking

the first thing
or wigwam,
le use of the
as formed of
Five p des, or
about ten feel
set in a circle
made to re-
pillars being
ih which had
together by a
s editice w'ere
und the sides,
hat on one side
of the priest,
le approach of
fires were kin-
; assembled in
not long before

the priest appeared, almost in a state of nakodn'^s. As he
approached the tent the skins were lifted up, as much as was
necessary to allow of iiis creeping under them, on his hands
and knees. His head was scarcely withiiisid'-, when the
edilicc, massy as it has been described, l)i'i!an shake ; and
ihe skins were no sooner let fall, than the sounds of numerous
voices were heard beneath them, some yelling, sonu^ barking
as dogs, some howling like wolves, and in this horrible (on-
cerl were mingled screams and solts, as of despair, aiiL'tiish
and the sharpest pain. Articulate speech was also uttered, as
if frf»in human lips, but in a tongue unlcnown to any of tin;
audience.

Alter some time, these confused ami iVightt'ul noises were
succeeded b\' a perfect silence ; and ..ow a voice, not heard
before, seemed to niauiiesi the Jirrival (d" a new character in
the tent. This wa> a low and feeble V(jice, resemblim:- the
cry of a young pup|)y. The sound was no sooner distin-
guished, than all the Indians clapped their hands for joy, (Ex-
claiming, that this was tlie Chief Spirit, the Turtle, the spirit
that ncn'cr lied ! Oilier voices, which they had discriminated
from time to time, they had previously hissed, as recognising
ihem to belong to evil and lying spirits, which deceive man-
kind.

New sounds came from the tent. During the space of half
an hour, a succession of songs were heard, in which a diver-
sity of voices met the ear. From his first entrance, till these
songs were finished, we heard nothing in the proper voice of
the priest; but now, he addressed the multitude, declaring the
presence of the Giieat Tukti.i:, and the spirit's readiness to
answer such questions as should be proposed.

The questions were to come from the chief of the village,
who was silent, however, till after he had put a large quantity
of tobacco into the tent, introducing it at the aperture. This
was a sacritice otiered to the s})irit ; for spirits are supposed
by the Indians to be as fond of tobacco as themselves. The
tobacco accepted, he desired the priest to inquire whether or
not the English were preparing to nuiko war upon the Indians ;
and whether or not there were at fort Niagara a larue tium-
ber of English troops.

These questions having been put by the priest, the tent
instantly shook- ; and for some seconds after it contimuMl to
rock so violently that I expected to see it levelled with the
ground. All this was a prelude, as I supposed, to the answers
to be given ; but a terrific cry announced, with sufficient
intelligibility, the departure of the Turtle.

A quarter of an hour elapsed in silence, and I waited impa-

328

ALEXANDER HENRY'S CAPTIVITY.

tiently to discover what was to be the nej ..icident in this
scene of imposture. It consisted in the return of the spirit,
wiiose voice was ay'ain heard, and who now delivered a con-
tinned sj)eech. The lanj^niaLje of the Gup:at Turtle, like
tliat which we had heard before, was wholly nnintellij^nhle to
every ear, that of liis priest excepted ; and it v.as, therifore,
not till the latter gave us an intf'r|)retaiion, wliich did not
commence before the spirit had linishnl, that we h'arned the
purport of this extraordinary commimication.

The spirit, as we were now inff)rmed by the priest, had,
vhirinLj" his short absence, crossed lake Huron, and even pro-
ceeded as far as fort Xiauara. which is at the head of lake
Ontario, and thence to ^Inntreal. At fort Niao'iira, he had
seen no great nundier of soldiers ; hui on descendino- the St.
Lawreni'e, as hnv as ^rnntreal. lie had iniiiul the river covered
with boats, and the hoats Idled with soldii'rs, in nnnjber like
the leaves of the trees. He had met them on their way up
the river, coming to make war upon the Imlians.

Tile chief liad a third question to propose, and the spirit,
without a fresh journey to fort Niagara, was able to give an
instant and most favorable answer. " If," said the chief, " the
Indians visit Sir William Johnson, will they be received as
friends ?"

" Sir William Johnson," said the spirit, (and after the spirit
the priest,) " Sir William Johnson will fill their canoes with
presents, with blankets, kettles, guns, gunpowder and shot, and
large barrels of rum, such as the stoutest of the Indians will
not be able to lift; and every man will return in safety to his
family."

At this, the transport was universal ; and, amid the clap-
ping of hands, a hundred voices exclaimed,. " I will go, too !
I will go too !"

The questions of public interest being resolved, individuals
were now permitted to seize the opportunity of inquiring into
the condition of their absent friends, and the fate of such as
Avere sick. I observed that the answers, given to these ques-
tions, allowed of much latitude of interpretation.

Amid this general inquisitiveness, I yielded to the solicita-
tions of my own anxiety for the future ; and having first, like
the rest, made my offering of tobacco, I inquired whether or
not I should ever revisit my native country. The question
being put by the priest, the tent shook as usual ; after which
1 received this answer : " That I should take courage, and fear
no danger, for that nothing would happen to hurt me ; and that
I should, in the end, reach my friends and country in safety."

ALEXANDER IIENUVS CAPTIVFTY.

329

nl in this

the spirit,

retl !i coii-

riTKK, like

_'lli<^nblc to

therefore,

h (lid not

earned tho

riest, had,
even pro-
ul of hike
rn, he had
no- Uie St.
• r covered
iinlier like
ir way np

the spirit,
to Cfive an
chief, " the
•eceived as

: the spirit

moes with

1 shot, and

'ians will

■ety to his

the clap-
1 go, too !

ndividuals
irinij: into
•f such as
lese ques-

le solicita-
first, like
.vhether or
question
ler which
e, and fear
and that
in safety."

These assurances wrought so strorifjly on my gratitude, that I
presented an additional and extra otiiTing of tohacro.

The Great Turtle coiuiiuied to he con^iiltt'd till near »nid-
night, when all the crowd dispcr.-^ed to their respi.'ctive lodges.
I was on the watch, thro\igh the scene 1 have descrilied, to
detect tho particular contrivances hv which the fraud was
carried on ; hut such was the skill di-playeil in the porforin-
ance, or such my di^ficiency of penetration, that I wmlo
no discoveries, hut came away as I weiu, with no more than
those general surmises which will naturally he entertained hy
every rcmder."*^

On the 10th of June, I embarked with the Indian deputa-
tion, ( omposed of sixteen men. Twcu'.y had b'Mui the num-
ber originally designed ; and upward of fit'ty actually engai^'ed
themselves to the council for the undertaking; to say nothing
of the general enthusiasm, at the moment of hearing the
Great Turtle's promise^;. Hnt exclusively of the decree of
timidity which still prevaiied, we are to take into account the
various domestic calls, which might supersede all others, and
detain many with their families.

In the evening of the second day of our voyage, we reached
the mouth of the Missisaki, where we found about forty
Indians, hy whom w'e were received with abundant kitulness,
and at night regaled at a great feast, held on account of our
arrival. The viand was a preparation of the roe of the stur-
geon, beat up, and boiled, and of the consistence of porridge.

After eating, several speeches were made to ns, of which
the general topic was a request that we should recommend the
village to Sir William Johnson. This request was also spe-
cially addressed to me, and I promised to comply with it.

On the 14th of June, we passed the village of La Cloche,
of which the greater part of the inhabitants were absent, being
already on a visit to Sir William Johnson. This circumstance
greatly encouraged the companions of my voyage, who now
saw that they were not the first to run into danger.

The next day, about noon, the wind blowing very hard, we
were obliged to put ashore at Point aux Grondines, a place of

* M. (le Ciiamplaiii has left an account ot' an exhibition of 'he nature
here described, wliich may be seen in Charlevoix's Histoire el Description
Generate de hi, Xiiuvelle France, li vie IV. This took j)hic(! in the year
1&)S), and was performed amono' a jiarty of warriors, composed of Ai^on-
quins, Montai^nez and Hnrons. Carver witnessed another, ainoiiir the
Christinaux. In each ca.se. the details are somewhat (litl(2rent, biu the
outline is the same. IM. de Chaniplain mentions that h<> saw the jmiokur
shake the stakes or pillars of the lent. I was not so foruinate ; inn this
is the obvious explanation of that part of the mystery to which it refers.
Captain Carver leaves the whole m darkness.

L>8^

330

ALEXANDER HENRY'S CAPTIVITY.

which some description has heen given above. Whil" the In-
di'ins erected a hut, 1 employed iny^^elf in niakiiiL'' a lire. As
1 was L'^atheriiiL'" wood, an iiiuHal sound tixed my attention for
n moment; hut, as it presently ceased, and as 1 saw nothing-
iVom which I coukl suppose it to proceed, I continuetl my em-
ployment, till, advanciuir further, 1 was alarmed hy a repetition.
I imagined that it came from ahove my head ; hut after look-
ini,'' that way in vain, I cast my eyes on the Ln'ound, and th(!re
discovered a rattlesnake, at not more than two feet from my
naked legs. The reptile was coiled, and its head raised con-
siderably above its body. Had I advanced another step before
my discovery, I must have trodden upon it.

I no sooner saw the sriake than I hastened to the canoe, in
order to procure my gun ; but the Indians, observing what I
was doing, inquired the occasion, and being informed, begged
me to desist. At the same time they followed me to the spot,
with their pipes and tobacco-pouches in their hand^;. On re-
turning, I found the snake still coiled.

The Indians, on their part, surrounded it. all addressing it
by turns and calling it their grandfather ; but. yet keeping at
.some distance. During this part of the ceremony they filled
their pipes ; and now each blew the smoke toward the snake,
who, as it appeared to me, really received it with pleasure. In
a word, after remaining coiled, and receiving incense, for the
space of half an hour, it stretched itself along the ground in
visible good humor. Its length wan between four and five feel.
Having remained outstretched for some time, at last it moved
slowly away, the Indians following it, and still addressing it by
the title of grandfather, beseeching it to tak(! care of their
families during their absence, and to be pleased to oyen the
heart of Sir William Johnson, so that he might show them
charity, and fill their canoe with rum.

One of the chiefs added a petition that the snake would take
no notice of the insult which had been offered him by the
Englishman, who would even have put him to death but for
the interference of the Indians, to whom it was hoped he would
impute no part of the ofTence. They further requested that he
would remain and inhabit their country, and not return among
the English, that is, go eastward.

After the rattlesnake was gone, I learned that this was the
first time that an individual of the species had been seen so far
to the northward and westward of the river Des Fran(jais ; a
circumstance, moreover, from which my companions were dis-
posed to infer that this vianitn had come or been sent on pur-
pose to meet them; that his errand had been iio other than to
stop them on their way ; and that consequently it would be

ALEXANDER HENRYS CAPTIVITY.

331

" the [ii-

lirc. As

■iiti(»n for

nnihiiig'

my tMu-

epclitioM.

tk'r look-

uiil there

iVoin my

lised con-

;ep before

canoe, in

\<r what I

(1, beirgf'd

I the ^pot,

On re-

Iressing it
keeping at
ihcy filled
the tsnake,
isure. In
se, for the
nfround in

live feel.

it moved
sintr it by
of their

oyen the
shoic thevi

ould take
in by the
ith but for

he would
Led that he

irn among

is was the
een so far
ran(^ais ; a
? were dis-
nt on pur-
ler than to
: would be

most advisable to return to the point of departure. I was so
fortunate, however, as to prevail with them to embark ; and at
six o'clock in the evenimr we attain encanijKMl. Yrrv little
was spoken of throuirh the eveiiinir, the raltlcMiaue (>\cepted.

Early the ntwt moriiinof we proceeded. Wf had a sercm;
sky aiKi vevy little wind, and the Indians therefore determined
on sti'eriiiir across the lake to an island which just appeared in
the horizon ; savinL*", by this course, a distance of thirty miles,
which would be lost in keeping the shore. At nine o'clock, A.
M. we had a light breeze astern, to enjoy the benefit of which
wo hoisted sail. Soon after the wind increased, ami the In-
dians, beginning to be alarmed, frc(|uently calleil on the rattle-
snake to come to their assistance. By degrees the waves grew
high ; and at eleven o'clock it blew a hurricane, and we ex-
pected every moment to be swallowed up. From prayers the
Indians now proceeded to sacrifices, both alike offered to the
god rattlesnake, or inanito kinihic. One of the chiefs took a
dog, and after tying its fore legs together threw it overboard,
at the same time calling oa the snake to preserve us from being
drowned, and desiring him to satisfy his himger with the car-
cass of the dog. Tlie snake was unpropitious, and the wind
increased. Another chief sacrificed another dog, with the
addition of some tobacco. In the prayer which accompanied
these gifts, he besought the snake, as before, not to avenge upon
the Indians the insult which he had received from myself, in
the conception of a design to put him to death. He assured
the snakc! that I was absolutely an Englishman, and of kin
neither to him nor to them.

At the conclusion of this speech, an Indian who sat near me
observ(Hl. that if we were drowned it would be ^or my fault
alone, and that I ought myself to be sacrificed, to appease the
angry manito ; nor was I without apprehensions that in case
of extremity this would be my fate ; but, happily for me, the
storm at length abated, and we reached the island safely.

The next day was calm, and we arrived at the entrance"^ of
the navigation which leads to lake Aux Claies.t We present-
ly passed two short carrying-places, at each of which were
several lodges of Indians,!: containing only women and children,
the men being gone to the council at Niagara. From this, as
from a former instance, my companions derived new courage.

* This is the bay of Matchedash, or Matchitashk.

f This lake, which is now called lake Simcoe, lies between lakes Hu-
ron and Ontario.

:j: The:-e Indians are Chippevvays, of the particular de.scription called
Missisakies ; and from their residence at Matchedash, or Matchitaiihk,
also called Matchedash or Matchitashk Indians.

332

ALEXANDER HENRY'S CAI'TIVITY.

On the IStli of JiirH*, wo crossed lake Anx Claios, which
appear('(l to he upward of twenty inih'.s in leiiL'-ll». At its fur-
ther end wo came to the carryin^ir-place of T<ii'anto."^ Hero
the Indians ohliqed me to carry a hurden of more than a hun-
dred |)ounds w<'iiyht. The (hiy was very hot, and the woods
and marshes ah)un(h'd with mos(|uitoes ; hut the Indians
walked at a fjiiick pace, and I couhl hy no means sec myself
left heliind. Tlie whole country was a thick forest, throusrh
which our only roati was a foot-path, or such as, in America, is
exclusively ternied an Indian pnlh.

Next mornin;^ at ten o'clock we reached the shore of lake
Ontario. Hero we were employed two days in makino- canoes
out of the hark of the elm tree, in which we were to transport
ourselves to Niagara. For this purpose the Indians first cut
down a tree ; then stripped olF the hark in one entire sheet of
about eighteen feet in length, the incision heing lengthwise.
The canoe was now complete as to its top, bottom, and sides.
Its ends were next closed by sewing the bark together ; and a
few ribs and bars being introduced, the architecture was finish-
ed. In this manner we inade two canoes, of which one car-
ried eight men and the other nine.

On the 21st, we embarked at Toranto, and encamped in the
evening four miles short of fort Niagara, which the Indians
would rmt approach till morning.

At dawn, the Indians were awake, and presently assembled
in council, still doubtful as to the fate they were to encounter.
I assured them of the most friendly welcome ; and at length,
after painting themselves with the most lively colors, in token
of their own peaceable views, and after singing the song which
is in vjsG among them on going into danger, they embarked,
and made for point Missisaki, which is on the north side of
the mouth of the river or strait of Niagara, as the fort is on
the south. A few minutes after 1 crossed over to the fort ; and
here I was received by Sir William Johnson, in a manner for
which I have ever been gratefully attached to his person and
memory.

Thus was completed my escape from the sufferings and
dangers which the capture of fort Michilimackinac brought
upon me ; but the property which I had carried into the upper
country was left behind. The reader will therefore be far
from attributing to me any idle or unaccountable motive, when
he finds me returning to the scene of my misfortunes.

* Toranto, or Toronto, is the name of a French tradins:-hoiise on lake
Ontario, built near the site of the present town of York, the capital of the
province of Upper Canada. [It is one of the most important places in
that province at this time. — Ed.]

333

OS, which
At its fur-
.'* Hero
!ui ii hiin-
'.he woods
(' Iiidiatis
I'c iiiy^»'lf
1, throiii^^h
.merica, is

ro of lake
iiio' canoes
) transport
IS first cut
■o sheet of
nitrlhwiso.
and sides.
ler ; and a
was finish-
h one car-

iped in the
".n Indians

assembled

encounter.

at length,

, in token

onc^ Avhich

embarked,

th side of

fort is on

fort ; and

nanner for

)erson and

rincjs and
,0 brought

the upper
)re be far

ive, when

>iise on lake
ipital of the
at places in

N A K K A T I V !■:

OF THE CA!>TIVITV OF I'llEDKRICK MAMIKIM.

Frrdkrick Manukim, an industrious German, with his lam-
ilv, consisting of his wife, a daughter of eiiihtccn years oi age,
and Maria and (Christina, his younL''ost children, (twins,) about
sixteen, resided near the river Mohawk, (Mght miles west of
Johnsion. On the 19ih of October, 1779, the father being at
work at some distance from his habitation, and the mother and
eldest dauLfhter on a visit at a neighl)or's, two hostile Cana-
sadaga Indians rushed in and captured the twin sisters.

The party to which these savages belonged consisted of fifty-
warriors, who, after securing twenty-three of the inhabitants
of that neigiiborhood, (am')ng whom was the unfortunate Fre-
derick ]\Ianheim,) and firing their houses, retired for four days
with the nlmosi precipitancy, till they were quite safe from
pursuit. The place where they halted on the evening of the
day of rest was a thi.'k pine swamp, which rendered the dark-
ness of an nncommoidy gloomy night still more dreadful.
Tlie Indians kindled a fire, which they had not done before,
and ordered their prisoners, whom they kept together, to
refresh themselves with such provisions as they had. The
Indians eat by themselves. After supper the appalled captives
observed their enernies, instead of retiring to rest, busied in
operations which boded nothing good. Two saplings were
pruned clear of branches up to the very top, and all the brush
cleared away for several rods around them. While this was

•tKm

3JJ4

MRS. MOZAIITIIS EXPLOIT.

doinj];, othrrs wrrn splittiniT pilcli-pinc l)illf'ts Ititn small ^plintors
iiliout live iiichfs ill Icii'j'li. 1111(1 as small as one's littU- liiiocr,
sliarjuiiiiiijf one cud, und dippiiij^r llif ulht-r in laclled lurpon-
tiiif.

At l('n<,''lh, with fninitcnaiicfs distorted hy infonial fury, inui
hideous yll.^, the two -ava-jcs who had captiirod the ha|ilt ss
Maria and Christina leaped into the midst of the cirile ot pri-
RontTs, and drau",£,'i'd those ill-fated tnaidens, shriekiiiir, from the
cnd)races of their companions. These warriors had disn^'"reed
ahont whose property the uirls should he, as ihey had jointly
seized ihem ; and, to ierminat(! ihe dispute! airreeahly to the
nhominahle nistf)m of the savae'cs, it was determined hy tlu^
cliiefs of the party tliat the prismiers who had jjfivcn ris' to the
contention should he destroyed, and that, their captfyrs should
be the principal a'jents in the execrahle lMi>iiies.-. These fin'ies,
assisted hy iheir comrades, slrippe(l the forlorn ifirls, convulsed
with apprehensions, and tied each to a sapliiiL!", with their hands
as hi^h extended ahovMi tiieir heads as possible ; and then
pitched them from their Knees to their shoulders, with upwards
of six hundred of the sharpened splinters above described,
which, al every puncture, were attended wi.'h screams of dis-
tress, that echoed thronirh the wilderness, ^.nd then, to com-
plete the infernal traL'"edy, the splinters, all standiiif^ erect on
the bleedini!;' victims, were set on fire, and exhibited a scene of
extrenu> misery, beyond the power of speech to describe, or
even the imanination to conceive. It was not until near three
hours had elapsed from the commencement of their torments,
and that they had lost almost every resemblance of the Inunan
form, that these helpless virgins sunk down in the arms of their
deliverer, death.

SIGNAL PROWESS OF A WOMAN, IN A COMBAT

WITH SOMR IXDIANS. IN A LETTKIl TO A LADY OF PHIL-
ADELPHIA.

IVcstmnrcland, Aj)ril 26, 1779.

Madam, — I have written an account of a very particular
affair between a white man and two Indians. ^'^ I am now to
give you a relation iti which you will see how a person of
your sex accpiilted herself in defence of her own life, and that
of her husband and children.

* Relcreni'c is probably made to the desperate encounter of one Mor-
gan and two Indians. — Ed.

KEV. JOHN CtUiniA'S NAKKATIVE.

335

splintorH
:!(• linger,
(1 turix'n-

i'urvi and
ic lmi>l«'SH
c\r of pri-
f, IVoiu iIm'

iul jointly
l.ly to ill"
ii.{( l.y tlio
ris' to till'
ors shoulil
K'sc tiirif's,

coiivulst'd
heir luinds

tiiid tlit'u
ill upwards

described,
mis of di*^-
cn, to com-
ng erect on

a, scene of
ilescribe, or

near three
torments,

he human

ns of their

COMBAT

r OF PHIL-

26, 1779.

particular
am now to
a person of
e, and that

• of one Mor-

The lady who i- ilu' hiirlheii of this .-tory is uaiiii'd lOxpe-
rionci' IJozarili. She lives on a creeU callr.l Dimlvard creek,
in til*' south-we.'l corner <)f tiiis county. Alnnit tlic miildli- of
March la^t, two or three familifs, who wore afraid to stay al
hoin", tjathercd to her Iidiisc atid ilirre stayed ; looKino- on
themselves to he >afer than when all scattered aliout ut their
own hon<e^.

On a certain day some of the children thns co|](M'teil came
ruiniinij^ in from play in nreat haste, sayin;:,' there were ui^ly
red men. One of the men in the house steppod to the door,
where he received a hall in ilio side of his hrcast, whii'h caused
him to fall hack into the house. The Indian was innnediately
in over him, and eni^arrod with another man who was in the
house. The man tossed the Indian on a hed, and called lor a
knife to kill him. (Ohserve these were all the n>en that were
in llu^ house.) Now Mrs. Bozarth appears the oidy defettce,
who, not linding a knife at hand, took up an axe that lay by,
and with one hlow cut out the brains of the Indian. At that
instant, (for all was instantaneous,) a second Indian entered the
door, and shot the man dead who was en^aLifed with the Indian
on the beil. Mrs. Bozarth turned to this second Indian, and
with her axe j^ave him several large cuts, some of which let
his entrails at j)ear. Ho bawled out, murder, nuirder. On this
sundry other Indians (who Inid hitherto been fully employed,
killiiiLT some children out of doors) cami; rushini,^ to his relief;
one of whose heads Mrs. Bo/arth clove in two with her axe, as
he stuck it in at the door, which laid him (hit upon the soil.
Another snatche(l hold of the wounded heliowiiiu^ fellow, and
pulleil him out of doors, and Mrs. Bozarth, with the assistance
of the man who was lirst shot in the door, and by this time a
little recovered, shut the door after ihein. and made ji fast,
where they kept •.''arrison for several days, the dead while man
and dead Indian both in the house with tliem, and the Indians
about the house l)esiei>-inu: them. At length they were relieved
hy a party sent for that purpose.

This whole affair, to shutting the door, was not perhaps more
than three mimites in actincf.

REV. JOHN CORBLY'S NARRATIVE.

Ti", after perusing the annexed melancholy narrative, you
deem it worthy a place in your publication, it is at your service.
Such communications, founch'd on fact, have a tendency on one
hand to make us feel for the persons afflicted, and on the other

i i

1 . t«

1: ! ■ •■

336

REV. JOHN COJIBLY'S NARRATIVE.

to impress our honrts with qratitude to the Sovereicrn Di.sposer
of all event.s for that t'lnaiicipation which the United States
have experienced from the haughty chaiuih; of Britain — a pow-
er, at that time, so 1()>1 to every human afleciion, that, rather
than not suhdue and make us skives, tliey hasely chose to
encourage, patronize and reward, as their most faitliful and
beloved allies, the savages of the wilderness ; who, without
discrimination, barbarously massacred the industrious husband-
man, the supplicating female, the prattling child and tender
infant, vainly sheltered within the encircling arms of maternal
fondness. Such transactions, as they come to our knowledge
well authenticated, ought to be recorded, that our posterity may
not be ignorant of what their ancestors underwent at the try-
ing period of our national exertions for American independence.
The following account was, at my request, drawn up by the
unfortunate suiferer. Respecting the author, suffice it to saV;
that he is an ordained minister of tlie Baptist faith and order,
and i:eld in high estimation by all our associated churches.

I am, sir, yours, &c.,

William Rogers.

Muddy Creek, Washiyigton County, July 8, 1785.

Dear Sir, — The following is a just and true account of the
tragical scene of my family's falling by the savages, which I
related when at your house in Philadelphia, and you re(|uested
me to forward in writing.

On ihe second Sabbath in ]\iay, in the year 1782, being my
appointment at one of my meeting-houses about a mile from
my dwell liig-house, I set out with my dear wife and five chil-
dren, for pui)lic worship. Not suspecting any danger, I walked
behind two luuidred yards, with my Bible in my hand, medi-
tating: as 1 was thus employed, all on a sudden I was greatly
alarmed with the frightful shrieks of my dear family before me.
I immediately ran with all the speed I could, vainly htmting a
club as I ran, till 1 got within forty yards of them. Mv poor
wife, seeing me, cried to me to make my escape ; an Indian
ran up to shoot me. I had to strip, and by so doing outran
him. My dear wife had a siu'king child in her arms ; this
little inl'ant {\\ox killed and scalped. They th(Mi struck my
wife at sundry limes, but not getting her down, the Indian who
had aimed to shoot me ran to lu'r, shot he tnrough the body,
and scalped her. My little boy, an only son, about six years
old, they sunk the hatchet into his brains, and thus dispatched
him. A daughter, besides the infan', they also killed and
scalped. My eldest daughter, who is yet alive, was hid in a

REV. JOHN COHELY'S NARRATIVE.

337

[n Dispof?er
lilcd States
in — a pow-
ihai, rather
[y chose to
fiii ill fill and
lio, without
us husband-
and tender
of maternal
knowledge
Dsterity may
t at the try-
dependence.
,^n up by the
ice it to sav
h and order,
;hurches.

I Rogers.

y 8, 1785.

tcount of the
ges, which I
ou re(iuested

^2, being my
a mile from
md five chil-
trer, I walked
hand, mcdi-
was greatly
x'fore me.
y hunting a
n. Mv poor
an Indian
loing outran
arms ; this
struck my
3 Indian who
rh the body,
)ut six years
js dispatched
o kiUed and
was hid in a

tree about twenty yards from the place whore the rest were
killed, and saw the whole proceedings. She, seeing the In-
dians all go o(i'. as she ihoiiiiht, got up and deliberately crept
out from the hollow trunk ; but one oi' them espying iier, ran
hastily up. knocked her down and scalped her; also her only
surviving sister, on whose head they did not leave more than
one inch round, either of flesh or skin, besides taking a piece
out of her skull. She and the before-mentioned one are still
miraculously preserved, though, as you must think, I have had,
and still have, a great deal of trouble and expense with tliem,
besides anxiety about them, insomuch that I am, as to worldly
circumstances, almost ruined. 1 am yet in hopes of seeing
them cured; they still, blessed be God, retain their senses, not-
withstanding the painful operations they have already antl must
yet pass tiirough. At the time I ran round to see what was
become of my family, and found my dear and allectionate wife
w'ith five children all scalped in less than ten minutes from the
first outset. No one, my dear brother, can conceive how I felt ;
this you may well suppose was killing to me. I instantly
fainted away, and was borne oU' by a frientl, who by this time
had found us out. When I recovered, oh the anguish of my
soul ! I cried, would to God I had died for them I would to
God I had died with them ! O how dark and mysterious did
this trying providence then appear to me ! but —

' Why should I grieve, when, grieving, I must bear ?"

This, dear sir, is a faithful, though short narrative of that
fatal catastrophe; and my life amidst it all, for wluit purpose
Jehovah only knows, redeenu'd from surrounding death. Oh,
may 1 spend it to the praise and glory of hi- grace, who work-
eth all things after the council of his own will. The govern-
ment of the world and of the church is in his hands. INIay it
be taught the important lesson of acquiescing in all his dispen-
sations. I >.uncludo wilh wishing you every blessing, and
subscribe myself your affectionate, though alUicted friend and
unworthy brother in the gospel ministry,

JOHN COKBLY.

^IL'JJIi., .JUiJi

I I

338

A TRUE AM) WOMjF.UFUL NARRATIVF^ OF THF, SURPRISING
CAPTIVITV AM) RFMARKAliLK DELIVERA,\CB OF MRS.
FRANCIS SCOTT, AN 1NHAI5ITANT OF WASHINGTON COUN-
TV, VIRGINIA, WHO WAS TAKEN HV THE INDIANS OIV THE
E\ ENING OF THE 2'Jlh OF JUNE, 17^5.

0.\ Wednesday, the 29lh day of June, 1785, Jate in the
evening, a lari^e company of armed men passed the house on
tlieir way to Kentucky, some part of \vh>om encamped \v'ithin
two miles. ]\Ir. Scott's living" on a frontier part generally made
the family watchful; but on this calamitous day, after so large
a body of men had passed, ho lay down in his bed, and im-
prudently left one of the doors of his house open ; the children
were also in bed and asleep. Mrs. Scott was nearly undressed,
when, to her unutterable astonishment and horror, she saw
rushing in through the door, that was left open, painted sa-
vages, with their arms presented at the same lime, raising a
hiiieous shriek. ]\Ir. Scott, being awake, instantly jumped
from his bed, and was immediately iired at. He forced his
way through the midst of the enemy, and got out of the house,
but fell a few paces from the door. An Indian seized Mrs.
Scott, and oidercd her to a particular place, charging her not to
move. Others stabbed and cut the throats of the three young-
est children in their bed, and afterwards lifted them up, and
dashed them on the fioor near their mother. Tiie eldest, a
beautiful girl, eight years of age, awoke, and jumping out of
bed, ran to her mother, and with the most plaintive accents
cried, " O mamma ! mamma ! save me ! " The mother, in the
deepest anguish of sjiirit, ana with a flood of tears, entreated
the Indians to spare her life; but, with that awfully revolting
brutality, they tomahawked and stabbed her in htr mother's
arms ! !

Adjacent to Mr. Scott's dwelling-house another family lived
of the name of Ball. The Indians also attacked them at the
same time, but the door being shut, they fired into the house
through an opening between the logs which composed its
walls, and killed a lad, and then essayed to force open the
door ; but a brother of the lad which had been shot down fired
at the Indians through the door, and they relinquished the
attack. In the mean time the remaining part of the family ran
out of the house antl escaped.

In the house of Mr. Scott were four good rifles, well loaded,
belonging to ])eoplo that had left them as they were going to
Kentucky. The Indians, thirteen in number, seized these, and

MRS. SCOTT'S CAPTIVI ^.

339

SURPRISING
E OF MRS.
TON COUN-
NS ON THE

lato in the
le house on
npcfl within
orally made
iter so large
led, and im-
the children
y undressed,
or, she saw
painted sa-
le, raisini^ a
itly jumped
e forced his
if the house,
seized Mrs.
if^ her not to
hree young-
lem up, and
he eldest, a
iping out of
itive accents
other, in the
rs, entreated
lly rovoltinfT
lOr mother's

family lived
them at the
to the house
ompnscd its
•ce open the
)t down fired
iquished the
ic family ran

well loaded,
'ere going to
?d these, and

all the plunder they could l;iy their luuids on besides, and
hastily began a retreat into the wilderness. It was now late
in the evening, anl they travelled all the following night.
The next morning, June the .'}Oih. the duel' of the i)arty
allotted to each of his followers his share of the ])lunU('r :.ud
prisoners, at the ^ame lime detaching nine of his jiarty tu go
on a horse-stealing exj)e(lition on Clinch river.

Th(> eleventh day after Airs. Scott's caj)tivily, four Indians
that had her in charge stopped at a place lixi'd on fo" reinlez-
vous, and to hunt, being now in great warn of provisions.
Three of these four set out on the hunting expedition, h'uxing
their chief, an old man, to take care of the {)riscmer, who now
had, to all ap[)L'aranc('s, beconu' reconciled to her situation,
and expressed a willingni.'ss to ])r()cei.'d to the indiin towns,
which seemed to liave the desired ellect of lesseninir her
keeper's watchfulness. In the daytinie, while the old man
was graining a deer-skin, Mrs. Scolt, jionderini;' on her situa-
tion, began anxiously to look for an o[)portunity to make an
escape. At length, having matured hor re-oluiion in her own
mind for the accomplishment ol' this object, the first opportunity
she goes to the old chief with i^reat confidence, and in the most
disinterested manner asked hitn for liberty to go to a small
t?tream, a little distance olf, to wash the l)lood from her apron,
that had remaint'd upon it since the fatal niL'ht, caused by the
murder of her child in her arms, before related. He replied,
in the English tongue, "go along." She then passed by him,
his Hice being in a contrary direction from that she was going,
and he very busy in dressing his skin, passed on, seemingly
unnoticed by him.

After arriving at the water, inslerul of stopping to wash her
apron, as she pretended, she proceeded on without a moment's
delay. She laid her course lor a high barren nu)untaiii which
was in sight, and travelled until lau* at night, when she came
down into the valley in search of the track she had been taken
along in by the Indians a few days liefore, hoping thereby to
find the way back' to the settlement without the imminent peril,
which now surrounded her, of being lost and perishing with
hunger in this unknown reiiion.

On coming across the valley to the side of a river wliich
skirted it, supjjosed to be the easterly liranch of Kentucky
river, she observed in the sand tracks of two men that had
gone up the river, and had just returned. She concluded
these to have been her pursuers, which excited in her breast
emotions of gratitude and thankfulness to divine Providence
for so timely a deliverance. Being without any provisions,
having no kind oJ ^veapon or tool to assist her in getting any,

340

MRS. SCOTT'S CAPTIVITY.

i I '
I

f:i

\*'\

h I

and almost desliliUt' of clolhinci'; al^o knowintr that a vast
tract of rugged high inouiilaiiis intervened l)el\vcen where she
was and the inhabitants easterly, and siie almost as ignorant
as a child of the method of steering through the woods, excited
painful sensations. But certain death, cither by hunirer or
wild beasts, seemed to be better than to be in the power of
beings who excited in her mind such horror. She addressed
Heaven, and taking courage, proceeded onward.

After travelling three days, she had nearly met with the
Indians, as she supposed, that had l)eeu sent to Clinch river to
steal horses, but providentially hearing their approach, con-
cealed herself among the cane until they had passed by her.
This giving her a fresh alarm, and In mind being fdb^d with
consternation, she got lost, proceeded ijackwards and forwards
for several days. At length she came to a river that seemed
to come from the east. Concluding it was Sandy river, she
accordingly resolved to trace it to its source, which is adjacent
to the Clinch settlement. After proceeding up the same
several days she came to the point where it runs through the
great Laurel mountain, where there is a prodigious waterfall
and high craggy cliils along the water's edge ; that way seemed
imprissable, tiie mountain steep and ditlicult; however, our
mournful traveller concluded the latter way was best. She
therefore ascended for some time, but coming to a lofty range
of iuaccessible rocks, she turned her course towards the foot
of the mountain and the river-side. After getting into a deep
gully, and passing over several high steep rocks, she reached
the river-side, where, to her inexpressible alHiction, she found
that a perpendicular rock, or rather one that hung over, to
the height of fifteen or twenty feet, formed the bank. Here a
solemn pause ensued. She essayed to return, but the height
of the steeps and rocks she had descended over prevented her.
She then returned to the edge of the precipice, and viewing
the bottom of it as the certain .<pot to end all her troubles, or
remain on the top to pine away with hunger, or be devoured
by wild beasts.

After serious meditation and devout exercises, she deter-
mined on leaping from the height, and accordingly jumped
off. Now, although the place she had to alight upon was
covered with uneven rocks, not a bone was broken, but being
exceedingly stunned by the fall, she remained unable to pro-
ceed for some time.

The dry season had caused the river to ho shallow. She
travelled in it, and, where she could, by its edge, until she got
through the mountain, which she thought Avas several miles.
After this, as she was travelling along the bank of the river, a

MRS. SCOTT'S CAriivriY.

341

lat a vast
where she
;< ignorant
(Is, excited
huuiifcr or
jiower of
addres^icd

, with the
"h river to
oacli, con-
ed by her.
lillcd with
I forwards
at seemed
river, she
s adjacent
the same
irouo-li the
s waterfall
ay seemed
rover, our
est. She
Dfty rani^e
Is the foot
ito a deep
e reached
she found
t;- over, to
Here a
he height
LMited her.
viewing
oubles, or
devoured

he deter-
y jumped
upon was
but being-
e to pro-

rw. She

she got

al miles,
c river, a

venomous snake hit her on the ankle. She had strciejlh to
kill it, and knowin ; its kind, concluded death nni.<i mh>u over-
take her.

By this time Mrs. Scott was redui-ed to a iiiero skeleton
with fatigue, hunger, and grief. I'robahly this reduced ^late
of her system saved iier from the eliecls of the poison I'anus of
the snake ; be that as it may, so it was, licit very little jiain
succeeded the bite, and what little swelling there was fell into
her feet.

Our wanderer now left the river, and after proceeding a
good distance she came to where the valley ])arted into two,
each leading a ditierent course. Here a painful suspense took
place again. How truly forlorn was now the case of this poor
woman! almost ready to sink down from exhaustion, who
had nov\' the only prospect left that, either in the right or
Avrong uireciion, her remaining ^treni^th could not carry her
long, i>or but very little way, and she beuran to despair — and
;ho wotild not — of ever again beholding the face of any human
creature. But the most awful and seemingly certain dangers
are sometimes providentially averted.

While her mind was thus agitated, a beautiful bird passed
close by her, fluttering slowly along near the ground, and very
remarkably took its course onward in one of the valleys before
spoken of. This drew her attention, and, while pondering
upon what it might mean, another bird like the first, in the
same manner, passed by her, and followed the same valley.
She now took it for granted that this was her course also;
and, wonderful to relate, in two days after she had wandered
in sight of the settlement on Clinch river, called New (Jarden.
Thus, in the third month of her captivity, she was unexpect-
edly though joyfully relieved from the dreadful imperuling death
by {limine. But had she taken the other valley, she never
could have returned. The day of lier arrival at New Garden
was August 11th.

Mrs. Scott relates that the Indians told her that the pa/ty
with whom she was a captive was composed of ibur diflereiU
nations; two of whom, she thinks, were Delawares and Min-
goes. She further relates that, durinu' a full month of her
wanderings, viz. from July 10th to Auirust 11th, she had no
other food to subsist u))on but what she derived from chewing
and swallowing the juice of yountj' cane stalks, sassafras leaves,
and some other plants of which she ktu'w not the names; that
on her journey she saw buffaloes, elks, deers, arul IriMpiently
bears and wolves, iu)t one of which, although some passed very
near her, olTeTed her the least harm. One day a bear came
near her with a yountr fawn in his mouth, and on discovering

29*

342

CAPT. HUBBELL'S NARRATIVE.

her h(i dropped, his prey and ran off. Prompted \>y the keen
l)angs of huni^er, she advanced to seize upijn it, but fearinjr the
bear mi<rht return, she turned away in despair, and pursued
her course; thus 5-j)arinfr li^r leelinii's, naturally averse to raw
flesh, at the expense of increasing Jiunger.

Mrs. Scott continues* in a low state of health, and remains
unconsoiable for the loss of her family, particularly bewailing
the cruel death of her little daughter.

A NARRATIVE

OP THE DESPERATE ENCOUNTER AND ESCAPE OF CAPT. WM.
HUBBELL EROjM THE INDIANS WHILE DESCENDING THE
OHIO RIVER IN A BOAT WITH OTHERS, IN THE VEAR 1791.
Ori^iiiiiUy set fi>nh in tiic Western Review, and afterwf rds republished by
Dr. Metcalf, in liis "Narratives of Indian Warfare in the West."

In the y(^ar 1791, while the Indians were yet troublesome,
especially on the banks of the Ohio, Capt. William Hubbell,
who had previously emiirrated to Kentucky from the state of
Vermont, and who, after having fixed his family in the neigh-

*At the time the original narrative was written. It was printed in
1786.— Ed. ^

CAPT. HUBBELLS NARilATIVE.

343

he keen
riiis,^ the
pursued
i to raw

remains
availing

PT. WM.
XG THE

:AR 1791.
blished by

blesome,

Hubbell,

state of

e neigh-

)rinted in

borhood of Frankfort, then a frontier settlement, had been com-
pelled to go to the eastward on bu^sill(_■r;s, was now a second
time on liis way to this country. On one of the lrii)uiary
streams of the iMonongahela, he procured a llat-botloiued boat,
and embarked in company with Mr. Daniel Light and Mr.
Wm. Plascut and his family, consisting of a wile and eii>:ht
children, destined for Limestone, Kentucky.

On their passage down the river, and soon after passiuo-
Pittsburgh, they saw evident traces of Indians along the banks,
and there is every reason to believe that a boat which they
overtook, and which, through carelessness, was suffered to run
aground on an island, became a prey to these merciless sa-
vages. Though Capt. Hubbell and his parly stopped some
time for it in a lower part of the river, it did not arrive, and it
has never, to their knowledge, been heard of.

Before they reached the mouth of the great Kenhawa they
had, by several successive additions, increased their number to
twenty persons, consisting of nine men, three women, and
eight children. The men, besides those mentioned above,
were one John Storer, an Irishman and a Dutchman whose
names are not recollected, Messrs. Ray and Tucker, and a Mr.
Kilpatrick, whose two daughters also were of the party. In-
formation received at Galliopolis coniirmed the expectation,
which appearances had previously raised, of a serious cojiHict
with a large body of Indians ; and as Capt. Hubbell had been
regularly appointed commander of the boat, every possible
preparation was made for a formidable and successful resist-
ance of the anticipated attack. The nine men were divitled
into three watches for the night, wliich were alternately to
continue awake, and be on the lookout for two hours at a lime.

The arms on board, which consisted principally of old mus-
kets much out of order, were collected, put in the best possible
condition for service, and loaded. At about sunset on that
day, the 23d of March, 1791, our party overtook a fleet of six
boats descending the river in company, and intended to have
continued with them ; but as their passengers seemed to be
more disposed to dancing than fighting, and as, soon after
dark, notwithstanding the remonstrances of Capt. Hubbell,
the}'' commenced fiddling and drinking, instead of preparing
their arms and takin"- the necessary rest preparatory to battle,
it was wisely considered, by Capt. Hubbell and his company,
far more hazardous to have such companions than to proceed
alone. Hence it was determined to press rapidly forward by
aid of the oars, and to leave those thoughtless fellow-travellers
behind. One of the boats, however, belonging to the fleet,
commanded by a Capt. Greathouse, adopted the same plan,

344

CAPT. IiaBliELL'S NAUlJATiVE.

and for a while kfpt up with Capt. Huhboll, but all its crew at
leiip^tli lUlliiii; asltM'p, iliiit boat also ct'ascil lo be propfllecl by
tlie oars, and Capl. Hubbell and his party proc(M'd('(l slc-adily
forward ahnie. Early in the nitiht a ciinoe was dimly seen
floating' down the river, in which were probably Indians recon-
noiterini';, and other evident indications were observed of the
neighltorhood and hostile intentions of a formidable jxirty of
savages.

It was now agreed that should the attack, as was probable,
be deferred till morning, every man should be up before the
dawn, in order to make as great a show as possible of nnnd)crs
and of strength; and that, whenever the action should take
place, the women and children should lie down on the cabin
floor, and be protected as well as they could by the trunks and
other baggage, wliich might be placed around them. In this
perilous situation they continued during the niglit, and the cap-
lain, who liad not slept more than one hour since he left Pitts-
burgh, was too deeply impressed with the imminent ilanger
which surrounded them to obtain any rest at that time.

Just as daylight began to appear in the east, and Ixdore the
men were up and at their posts agreeably to arrangement, a voice,
at some distance below them, in a plaintive tone, repeatedly
solicited them to come on shore, as there were some white
persons who wished to obtain a passage in their boat. This
the captain very naturally and correctly concluded to be an
Indian artifice, and its only effect was to rouse the men, and
place every one on his guard. The voice of entreaty was soon
changed into the language of indignation and insult, and the
sound of distant paddles announced the savage foe. At length
three Indian canoes were seen through the mist of the
morning, rapidly advancing. With the utmost coolness the
captain and his companions prepared to receive them. The
chairs, tables, and other incumbrances were thrown into the
river, in order to clear the deck for action. Every man took
his position, and was ordered not to fire till the savages had
approached so near that, (to use the words of Capt. Hubbell,)
" the flash from the guns might singe their eyebrows ;" and a
(Special caution was given that the men should fire successively,
so that there might be no interval.

On the arrival of the canoes, they were fo\md to contain
about twenty-five or thirty Indians each. As soon as they had
approached Avithin the reach of musket-shot, a general fire was
given from one of them, which wounded Mr. Tucker through
the hip so severely that his leg hung only by the fle-h, and
shot Mr. Light just below his ribs. The three canoes placed
themselves at the bow, stern, and on the right side of the boat,

CAPT. HUBBELLS NAIIKATIVE.

345

Is new at
opf'lled by
(1 steadily
limly seen
aiis recon-
vod of the
-■ i)iirty of

3 probable,
before the
»f immbcrs
lould take

the rabin
runks and
1. Ill this
1(1 th"' ("iip-
" IcH Pitts-
'iif tianger
iTie.

before the
Mit,n voice,
repeatedly
ome white
3at. This

to be an

men, and
V was soon
It, and the

At length
ist of the
olness the
em. The
n into the

man took
Lvages had

Hubbell,)
rs ;" and a
ccessively,

to contain
s they had
al fire was
er through

fle.-h, and
oes placed
if the boat,

so that they had an opportunity of rakini'- in every direction.
The lire now coniinem'ed from the boat, and liiid a powerful
ellect in che(dvinir the conlideiice and fury of tln^ liidiaii>. The
captain, after liring his own gun, took up that of one of the
wounded men, raised it to his shoulder, and was aboiii to dis-
charge it, when a biill came and took away the lock of it. He
coolly tnnipd around. seiz(>d a brand of (ire from tbe kettle
M'liicli had serveil for ;i cai)oose, and applyiniz it to the pan,
discharged the piev.e with elFect. A very reunilar and constant
firi; was now kept up on both sidf.-s. Tiie captain was just in
the act of raising his gun a third lime, when a ball passed
through his ritrht arm, atul for a nutmeiit (li>ahl('(j him.
Scarcely had he recovered from the shock, and re-acipiiri'd the
use of his hand, which liiul Ihmmi suddenly dr;iwii up h\- the
wound, wIkmi he observed the Indians in one of the canoes just
about to hoard the boat in the i)ow, where the horses were
placed beloiiLring to the company. So near bad they :ip-
proacheil, that some of them had actually seized witli their
hands the side of the boat. Severely wounded as he was,
be caught up a pair of horseman's pistols and rushed t'orward
to repel the attempt at boarding. On his approach the Indians
fell bock, and he discharged one of the pistols with ellect at
the foremost man. After liring the second pistol, h(^ found
himself with usrjess arms, and was compelled to retreat ; but
stepjiing back upon a pile of small wood which had been pre-
pared for burning in the kettle, the thought struck him that it
might be made use of in repelling the foe, and he continued
for some time to strike with it so Ibrcibly and actively that
they were unable to enter the boat, and at length he wounded
one of them so severely that with a yell they suddenly gave
way.

All the canoes instantly discontinued the contest, and di-
rected their course to Capt. Great!) ouse's boat, which was tlien
in sioht. Hert! a strikiiiij contrast was exhii)ited to the lirm-
ness and intrepidity which had just been displayed. Instead
of resisting the attack, the people on board of that boat retired
to the cabin in dismay. The Indians entered it without oppo-
sition, and rowed it to the shore, where they instantly killed
the captain and a lad of about fourteen years of age. The
women they placed in the centre of their canoes, and manning
them with fresh hands, again pursued Capt. Hubbell. A
melancholy alternative now presented itself to these brave but
almost desponding men, either to fall a prey to the savages
themselves, or to run the risk of shooting the women who had
been placed in the canoes in the hope of deriving protection
from their presence. But " self-preservation is the first law of

346

CAPT. IIUBBELLS NAUllATIVE.

nature," and ihu captiiin very justly riMiiiirkcd " tliat there
would not bo much huuiauiiy in prcsorviuL,'' ihfir lives at such
a sacritice, nuToly that th'-y 'nii^rlii |«L-couie victhus of savage
cruelly at some subs('(|uent p )d.''

There were now hut four i, <. left on board of Caj)!. Hub-
bell's boat capable of defeudimr it, anti the captain hinr-elf
was severely wounded in two places. The second attack,
nevertheless, was resir^ted with almost incrediblo lirmness and
viiror. Whenever the Indians would rise to lire, their oppo-
nents would coumionly cfive them the first shot, which, in
almost every instance, would prove fatal. No!\villl^lalHlinf(
the disparity of luaubors, and the exhausted con<liii()n ol' the
defenders of the boat, the Indians at len^^h appeared to des-
|)air of success, and the canoes successively returned fo the
shore. Just as the last one was departiuir, (^apt. Iliil)bell
called to the Indian who was standinq" in the stern, and, on his
lurnin<j^ ro\ind, discharii^ed his j)iece at iiim. \\ iien the smoke,
which for a moment obscured their vision, was dissipated, he
was seen lying on his back, and a})per.ied to be severely
wounded, jierhaps mortally.

Unfcirtimately, the boat now drifted near to the siiore, where
the Indians had collected, and a large concourse, probably
between four and five hundred, were seen running down on
the baidc. Ray and Plascut, the only men remaininir uidmrt,
were j)laced at the oars ; and as the boat was not more than
twenty yards from the shore, it was deemed prudent for all to
lie down in as safe a position as possible, and attemi)t to push
forward with the utmost practicable rajiidity. ^V'^llile they
continued in this situation, nine balls were shot into one oar,
and ten into another, without wounding the rowers, who were
hid from view and protected by the side of the boat and blank-
ets in the stern. During this dreadful exposure to the (ire of
the savai^es, which continued about twenty minutes, Mr. Kil-
patrick observed a particular Indian, whom he thought a
favorable mark for his rifle, and, notwithstanding the solemn
warning of Capt. Hubbell, rose up to shoot him. He imme-
diately received a ball in his mouth, whi(di passed out at the
back part of his head, and was also, almost at the same instant,
shot through the heart. He fell down among the horses that
were about the same time shot down likewise ; and thus was
presented to his afflicted daughters and fellow-travellers, who
were witnesses of the awful occurrence, a spec* 'cle of horror
which we need not further attempt to describe.

The boat was now providentially and suddenly carried out
into the middle of the stream, and taken by the current be-
yond the reach of the enemy's balls. Our little band, reduced

CAPT. IIUnnEIJ/S XARKATIVE.

317

iluu tlicrc
,'L's ai such

,>>iivuge

'api. Hub-
ill llilU:-(-'lf
uid allaok,
iimcss and
llicir (t|ipu-
uliifh, ill
iili.slaiHliiii,''
lion ul' tlie
reil to <les-
llt'tl U) tlio

)t. Hul.lK.'ll
uul, (111 his
the Miioke,
sipatcd, he
)c severely

lore, where
;, prcthably
g ch)\vii on
iiiu- unhurt,

more ilian
lit lor all to
11 pi to push
Vliile they
ito one oar,
, who were
and blank-

the fire of
!s, Mr. Kil-

thoui>ht a
the solemn

He iinme-
1 out at the
me instant,
horses that
id thus was
ellers, who
e of horror

carried out
current be-
nd, reduced

as they were in number?!, wonndod. atlliftfd, and almost ex-
hausted by fatii,Mie, were still iinsubdiifd in spirit, and bidiiy
asseiiiblt'd in all th(?ir slrriiLMli, inrn, w<nnen, and children,
with an appearance; of triumph, Lrave tlufe hearty cheers,
callne^r the Indians to come on again if they were fond of
spori.

Thus ended this awful conflict, in wliirli, out of nine men,
two only escaped unhurt. Tucker and Kiljiatric were killed
on the spot, Slorer was mortally wounded, and died on his
arrival at Limestone, and all the rest, excepting iiixy and I'las-
cut, were severely wounded. The women and children were
all uninjured, except a little son of Air. I'lascnt, who, after the
battle was over, came to the captain, and with great coolness
recjuested him to take a hall out of his head. On examination
it appeared that a bullet, which had passed throuijh the side
of the boat, had penetrated th(> forehead of this little hero,
and remained under the skin. The captain took it out, and sup-
posing this was all, as in good reason he might, was about to
bestow his attention on some other momentous atiiiir, when the
little boy observed, " That is not n//, captain," and raising his
arm, exhibited a piece of bone at the point rd" his elbow, which
had been shot off, and hung only by the skin. His mother, to
whom the whole affair seems before to have been unknown,
but being now present, ex(daimed, " Why did you not tell me
of this?" "Because," replied the son, " the captain ordered
us to be silent during the light, and I thought you would make
a noise if I told you of it."

The boat made the best of its way down the river, and the
object was to reach Limestone that niu'ht. The captain's arm
had bled profusely, and he was comprdled to close the sleeve
of his coat in order to retain the blood and stop its effusion.

In this situation, tormented by (wcruciating pain, and faint
throu<Th loss of blood, he was under the nect^ssity of steering
the boat with his left arm till about ten o'clock that niefht,
when he was relieved by Mr. Wm. Brooks, who resided on
the bank of the river, and who was induced by the calls of the
sullering party to come out to their assistance. By his aid,
and that of some other persons Avho were in the same manner
brought to their relief, they were enabled to reach Limestone
about twelve o'clock that night.

Immediately on the arrival of Mr. Brooks, Capt. Hub])ell,
relieved from labor and responsibility, sunk under the weiyht
of pain and fatigue, and become for a while totally insensible.
When the boat reached Limestone, he found himself unable to
walk, and was obliged to be carried up to the tavern. Here

II r

M I

348

CAPT. IIUBBELL'S NABBATIVK.

he bnrl his wnund drossod, nnd roiitinno(l several day;?, until
he a<'(|uinnl sullicifMit sireni^lli to procHM-d liomowiirds.

On the iirriviil of our parly iit liijiirstotic, ilicy lound n eon-
sidfialilc (ori'o ol armed iim-ii altniii to march aL'ain>i the .■^ame
liiiiiaiis, Irom whose altaclcs lliey had ^o scveridy sullered.
They now learned that, the Sunday ijreccdini:, th<' same party
of saviij^es had iiit (dfa deijudiment of men ascendinijf the Ohio
from fort Washington, at the month of Lick'in<^ river, ;uid had
killed with their tomahawks, without lirin<f a ijiui, Iweiily-uiio
out of twenty-two men, of which the detaohment consisted.

Crowih of people, as mii,dit be expected, came to witness
the boat which had been the scene of so much heroism, snfli'r-
inir, and horrid carnai^c, and to visit the resolute little band by
whom it had h(!en so gallantly and successfully defended. On
examination it was found tlint the sides of the boat were lite-
rally hlled with bullets and with bullet-holes. There was
scarcely a space o( two feet S(pi;ire, in the part above water,
which had not either a ball remainini^ in it or a hole ihrouirh
which a ball had passed. Some persons, who had the curi-
osity to count the number of holes in the blankets which
were hung up as curtains in the stern of the l)oat, aflirmed
that in the space of five feet stpiare there were one hundred
and twenty-two. Four horses out of hvc were killed, and the
escape of the fifth amidst such a shower of balls appears almost
miraculous.

The day a.^'ler the arrival of Capt. Hubbell and his com-
panions, the live remainincc boats, which they had passed on
the niu:lit preccdiny" the battle, reached Limestone. Those on
board remarked that durinir the action they distinctly saw the
flashes, but could not hear the reports of the guns. The In-
dians, it appears, had met with too formidable a resistance
from a single boat to attack a fleet, and sufl'ereil them to pass
unmolested : and since that time it is believed that no boat
has been assailed by Indians on the Ohio.

The force which marched out to disperse this formidable
body ol savages discovered several Indians dead on the shore
neai* the scene of action. They also found the bodies of Capt.
Greathouse and several others, men, women, and children,
who had been on board of his boat. Most of them a])peared
to have been whipped to death, as they were lound stripped,
tied to trees, and marked with the appearance of lashes, and
large rods which seemed to have been worn with use were
observed lying near them.

Such is the plain narrative of a transaction that may serve
as a specimen of the difficulties and dangers to which, but a
few years since, the inhabitants of this now flourishing and
beautiful country were constantly exposed.

• Ifivs until

3U»

iiiid !i con-
■i ilic >atTii'
y Miir»'rrd.
same i)iirty
!'.( tlif Ohio
■r, !iM(l hiul
t\v<Mily-nnc
Iisislrd.

to witness
iMii, suIHt-
tli; liMMil l)y

luled. On
t wvTc lite-
T I If TO was
Itove wuicr,
)le thronirh
(I ilu' curi-
vcts which
It, aliirincd
ie huiulred
ed, and tho
)ears ahnost

d his com-
l passed on
Th.ose on
•tly saw tho
^. The In-
i resistance
lein to pass
hat no boat

formidable
n the shore
ies of Capt.
id chihlren,
m appeared
id stripped,

lashes, and
h use were

t may serve
ihich, but a
rishing and

AN A C C O U i\ T

OF THE SUFFERINGS OK INIASSV HKlinESON, AND HKK FAMILY,
WHO VVKIIE TAKEN PIIISONEKS HV A PARTY OF r.NDI.WS.
GIVEN ON OATH I'.EFOKE JOHN WILKINS, ESU , ONE OF
THE .IUSTICi:s OF THE IM'.ACE FOR THE COMMONWEALTH
OF PENNSYLVANIA.

Pittsburgh, May L^, 1792.

Massy ITi:t;hf.son, on her oatli, acrnrdinir to law, bein<i
taken before John Wilkius, iv-:(i., one of tho tominonwealt'rs
justices of tho peace in and for the county of Allecrhany. de-
poseth and saith, ihiil on th<' t22d day of this instant she was
taken from Iht own house, within twf) hundred yard- of [Jeed's
block-house, which is called twenty-five miles fVoin Piits!)urL!h ;
her husband, beinq; one of the spies, was from home; two of
the scouts had Iixlu^cd with her that nlLfht, inii had lel't her
iiouse about sunrise, in order to go to the block-hoiis(>, and had
left the door standing' wide open. Shortly after the two scouts
Avent away, a number of Indians ciime iruo the house and drew
her out of bed l)y tin' feet; the two eldest (diildr"n, who also
lay in another bed, were drawn out in the same maniu'r ; a
young.or child, about one year old, slept with the deponent.

i !

• I

s r:

350

HERBESON, 1792.

The Indians ihen scrambled about the articles in the house ;
v/hcn they were at this work, the deponent went out of the
house, and hoUowed to the people in the block-house ; one of
the indiiins then ran up and stopped iicr mouth, another ran
up with h's tomahawk drawn, and a third ran and seized the
tomahawk and called her his squaw ; this last Indian ilaimed
her as his, and continued by her. About lifteen of the Indians
then ran down towards the block-house, and fired their ntms
at the block and store houM-, in consequence of which one sol-
dier was killed, and another wounded, one having been at the
spring, and the other in coming or looking out of the store-
house. This deponent then told the Indians there were about
forty men in the block-house, and each man had two guns; the
Indians then went to them that were firing at the block-house.
and brought them back, They then began to drive the depo-
nent and her children away ; but a boy about three years old,
being unwilling to leave the house, they took by the heels, and
dashed it against the house, then stabbed and scalped it.
They then took the deponent and the two other children to the
top of the hill, where they stopped until thf y tied up the plun-
der they had got. While they were bus} about this, the de-
ponent counted them, and the number am mted to thirty-two,
including two white men that were witl*i them, painted like
the Indians.

That several of the Indians >:ould speak English, and that
she knew three or four of them very well, having o^ten seen
them go up and down the Alleghany river; two of them she
knew to be Senecas, and two Munsees, who had got their gu'^s
mended by her husband about two yeaio ago. That they sent
two Indians with her, and the others took their course towards
Puckty. That she, the children, and the two Indians had not
gone above two hundred yards, when the Indians caught two
of her uncle's horses, put her and the youngest child on one,
ana one of the Indians and the other (diild on the other. That
the two Indians then took her and tlie children to the Allen-ha-
ny river, and took them over in bark canoe::, as they could not
get the horses to swim the river. After the had crossed the
river, the oldest child, a boy of about five years of aire, began
to mourn for his brother ; one of the liulians then tomahawked
and scalped him. That they travelled all day very hard, and
that night arrived at a large camp covered with baric, which,
by appearance, might hold fifty men ; that the camp appeared
to have been occupied some tim(\ it was very much beaten, and
large beaten paths went out in diflerent directions from it ; that
night they took her about three hundred yards from the camp,
into a large dark bottom, bound her arms, gave her some bed

I-

HERBESON, 17'.)2.

351

he house ;
out of the
^e ; one of
notlicr ran

cized tho
111 I'laiined
iie Imlians
tlioir ouns
h one sol-
ice n at the

the store-
vere about

guns; the
ocli-house,
' th(.' depo-

years okl,
heels, and
scalped it.
Iren to the
) the plun-
li.s, the de-
thirty-two,
linted like

1, and that
o^teti seen
' them she
their gu"s
t they sent
se towards
ns had not
■aunht two
ild on one,
ler. That
e Allcgha-
' could not
•rosscd the
ig(\ began
maliawked

hard, and
rK, which,
') appeared
)eal(M), and
111 it ; that

the camp,
■ some bed

clothes, and lay down one on each side of her. That the next
morning they took her into a thickt>t on the hill-.-ide, and one
remained with her till the middle of the day, while the other
went to watch the path, lest some white people should follow
them. They then exchanged places during the remainder of
the day. Slie got a piece of dry venison, about the bulk of an
egg, that day, and a piece about the same size the- day they
were marching. Tiial evening, (Wednosday, tlu 2'M.) they
moved her to a new place, and secured her as the nigiu before.
During the day of the 23d, she made several altemp s to g(>t
the Indian's gun or lomaliawk, that was guanling her, and,
could she have got either, she would have put him to death.
She was nearly detected in trying to get the ton)ahawk from
his belt.

The next m(jrning (Thursday) one (»f the Indians went out
as on the day before to watch the path. The other lay down
and fell asleep. When she found he was sleeping, she stole
her short gown, handkerchief and a child's frock, and then made
her escape. The sun was then about half an hour high.. That
she took her course from the Alleghany, in order to deceive the
Indians, as iliey would naturally pursue her that way ; that
day she travelled along Conequenessing creek. The next day
she altered her course, and, as she belie- "S, fell upon tlie waters
of Pine creek, which empties into the .^.lleghany. Thinking
this not her best course, look over some dividing ridges, fell
in on the heads of Squaw run, she lay on a dividing ridge on
Friday niglu, and on Saturday came to Scpiaw run, continued
down the run until an India.!, or some other person, shot at a
deer ; she saw the person about one hundred and (ifty yards
from her, the deer running and the dog pursuing it, which, from
the appearance, she supposed to be an Indian dog.

She then altered her course, but again came to the same run,
and continucMl down il until she got so tired that she was
obliged to lie down, it !iaving rained on her all that day and
the night before. She lay there that night ; it rained constantly.
On Sunday nmrnintr she proceeded down the run until she
came to the Alleghany river, and continued down the river till
she came opposite to Carter's house, on the inhabited side,
where she made a noise, and James Closier brought her over
the river to Carter's house.

This deponent furtluT say? that, in conversing with one of
the Indians, that could talk English very well, which she sus-
pects to be George .lelloway, he asked her if ^-he knew the
prisoner that was taken by Jeffers and his Senecas, and in jail
in Pittsburgli. She answered no ; he said, you lie. She again
said she knew nothing'- about him : he said she did, that he was

- ,**•'

352

SERGEANT MUNSON'S CArTIVITV

I ■ k

Ii '' M

a spy, and a Cfreat captain ; lliat ho took Butler's scalp, and
that they would have him or twenty scalps; he ai^ain said that
they would exchani(c for him ; that he and two more were sent
out to see what the Americans were doing- ; that they came
round from Detroit to Venani^o. The Indian tof)k paper, and
showed her that he, at fort Pitt, could write and draw on it;
he also asked her if a campaign was going out ngainsl the In-
dians this summer ; she said no. He called lier a liar, and
said they were going out, and that the Indians would serve
them as thoy did last year ; lie also said the Eiitrlish had guns,
ammunition, ice. to give ihem to go to war, and that they had
given them ))lenty lat^t year; this deponent also says that she
saw one of the Indians have Capt. Crih's sword, which she
well knew. That one of the Indians asked her if she knew
Thomas (jJirly; she said she did ; he tlien said that Girly lived
near fort Pitt ; that he was a good man, init not as good as his
hrother at Detroit; liut that his wife was a bad woman; she
tells lies on the Indians, and is a friend to Am(?rica. Sworn
before me the day and year first above written.

JOHN WILKINS.

NARRATIVE

OF THE CAPTIVITY AND ESCAPE OF SERGEANT LENT MUN-
SON, WHO FELL INTO THE HANDS OF THE WESTERN IN-
DIANS AT THE TIME OF LIEUT. LOWRY'S DEFEAT.

As Lieut. Lowry and ensign Boyd, with about one hundred
men, were escorting two hundred and hfty pack' horses with
provisions from fort Sf. Clair to General Wayne's camp, (six
miles in advance of fort Jeflbrson,) they were furiously assailed
by about half their number of concealed Indians, and totally
defeated. They had encamped four miles on their journey on
the night of the 16th of Ocutbcr, 1793, and were sulliciently
warned during the whole night of what they had to undergo at
early dawn. However, no attack was made until the detach-
ment was about ready to march on the morning of the 17th.
At this juncture the Indians rushed upon them with great fury,
and after a short but bloody eiigagement the whites were dis-
persed in every direction. In this onset Lieut. Lowry and
ensign Boyd both fell mortally wounded, and about twenty of
their men were among the slain. The rest of this unfortunate
escort, excepting eleven, who were taken prisoners, got oack to

SERGEANT MUNSONS CAniVlTY.

353

?calp, and
: said that
were sent
hey came
lapcr, and
aw on it ;
St the In-
i liar, and
)uld serve
had guns,
tht^y had
s that she
.'hich she
she knew
irty lived
)otl as his
nan ; sho
Swo] n

KINS.

NT MUN-
^ERN IN-

hundred
rses with
amp, (six
^ assailed
id totally
urney on
diciently
iiderofo at
e detach-
the 17th.
eat fnry,
vere dis-
)wry and
wenty of
fortunate
t uack to

fort St. Clair. To the smallness of the number of the Indians
is to be attributed the escape of any.

Sergeant Munson was one of the eleven prisoners, and was
hurried off with his companions towards the country of the
Ottawas, to which nation of Indians tiiis party helonged. They
had not proceeded far when one of the prisoners, being but a
boy, and weakly, was murdered and left on the way. The
remaining ten were then distributed among their captors.
These all had their heads shaved, which u.Dong the Ottawas
denoted they were lo serve as slaves.

The residence of these Indians was upon the river then called
the Maumee,, since, the Miami of the lakes, about thirty n)ilcs
from its mouth at lake Erie. Here Mr. Munson was kept
until the next June, performing the drudgery of the Indians,
without anything very remarkable, for eight months, at the end
of which time he made his escape in the following manner : —
He had learned so much of their language that he could un-
derstand much of their conversation, and he now learned tliat
they were highly elated at the prospect of meeting and cutting
off the army of Gen. Wayne, as they had that of Harmer and
St. Clair before. They boasted that " they were fifteen hun-
dred strong, and that they would soon cut Wayne's army to
pieces." They talked with the utmost contempt of the whites;
said they lied about their numbers, and that " their armies were
made up of cowards and boys."

The warriors were now preparing to march to the Au Glaize,
to make a stand against Gen. Wayne, and Mr. Munson anx-
iously awaited their departure, hoping by their absence he might
take advantage and escape. His wishes were soon gratified;
for on the 12th of June, 1794, the warriors left the village, and
he took every precaution for flight. Accordingly, '(w^i days
after, having prepared a canoe several miles below the village,
on the river, under pretence of a hunting expedition he escaped
to it, and in the night made all the exertions he v/as master of
to reach the lake, which he did in two nights ; not daring to
sail during the day, for fear of discovery, but slyly drawing up
his canoe at the approach of morning, patiently waited until
the next night. And thus he found his way to Niagara, and
thence to his friends in Connecticut, without material accident,
where he arrived towards the end of July, 1794, after eight
months' captivity.

30=»«=

r;r,i

U 6 ii O L A

355

NARRATIVE

OF THE ESCAPE OF RANSOM CLARK, (OF LIVINCSTOX COUN-
TY, NEW ^()RK,) FROM THE MASSACRE IN WHICH MAJOR
DADE AND HIS COMMAND WERE Cl'T OFF iiV THE SEMI-
NOLE INDIANS, IN FLORIDA, on llio 2M\i Dec. r^r, ; ns coiniiiuni-
catcd by himself, while on a visit to Boston in the snnimer of 1SJ7, to the
editor of t!ie Morning Post.

[A lull ami particular history of the Florida War will he found in my
Book of the Indians, tot;ether with other Indian afl'airs. — Etl.)

Our detachment, coiisistino^ of one hnntlretl iind .^ievonteen
men, under connnand (»f Major Dade, started from fort Brooke,
Tampa Bay, on the 23d of December, and arrived at the scene
of action about eio-ht 'clock on the tnorninG; of tlie 2Sih. It
was on the edge of a pond, three miles from the spot where we
had bivouacked on the night previous. The pond was sur-
rounded by tall grass, brush and small trees. A moment be-
fore we were surprised, Major Dade said to us, " We have now
got through all danger ; keep up good heart, and when we get
to fort King, I '11 give you three days for Christmas."

At this time we were in a path or trail on the border of the
pond, an' the first notice that we received of the presence of
the enemy was the discharge of a rifle by their chief, as a sig-
nal to commence the attack. The pond was on our right, and
the Indians were scattered round, in a semicircle, on our left,
in the rear and in advance, reaching at the two latter points
to the edge of the pond; but leaving an opening for our en-
trance tm the path, and a similar opening on the other extrem-
ity for the egress of our advance guard, v.hich was permitted
to pass through without being fired on, and of course uncon-
scious of the ambuscade through which they had marched.
At tlie time of the attack this guard was a quarter of a mile in
advance, the main body following in column two deep. The
chief's rifle was followed by ageneial discharge from his men,
and Major Dade, Captain Frazier and Lieut. Mudge, together
with several non-commissioned ofiicers and privates, were
brought down by the lirst volley. Our rear guard had a six-
pounder, which, as soon as possible, Avas hauled up, and brought
to bear upon the ground occupied by ihe uiiseen enemy, se-
creted among the grass, brush, and trees. The discharge of
the cannon checked and made them fall back for about half an
hour. About twelve of us advanced and brought in our dead.
Among the wounded was Lieut. Mudge, who was speechless.

i!^

f'H.

^;^^i

ji'i

356

ESCAPE OF RANSOM CLARK.

We set him up against a tree, and he was found there two
months after, when Gen. Gaines sent a detachment to bury the
bodies of our soldiers. All hands then commenced throwing
up a small triangular breastwork of logs ; but, just as we had
raised it about two feet, the Indians returned and renewed the
engagement. A part of our troops fought within the breast-
work, and a part outside. I remained outside till I received a
ball in my right arm, and another near my right temple, which
came out at the top of my head. I next received a shot in my
thigh, which brought me down on my side, and I then got into
the breastwork. We gave them forty-nine discharges from the
cannon ; and while loading for the fiftieth, and the last shot we
had, our match went out. The Indians chiefly levelled at the
men who worked the cannon. In the mean time the main body
of our troops kept up a general fire with musketry.

The loss of the enemy must have been very great, because
we never fired until we fixed on our men ; but the cannon was
necessarily fired at random, as only two or three Indians ap-
peared together. When the firing commenced, the van-guard
wheeled, and, in returning to the main body, were entirely cut
up. The battle lasted till about four in the afternoon, and I
was about the last man who handled a gun, while lying on my
side. At the close I received a shot in mv right shoulder,
which passed into my lungs ; the blood gushed out of my
mouth in a stream, and, dropping my musket, I rolled over on
my face. The Indians then entered the breastwork, but found
not one man standing to defend it. They secured the arms,
ammunition, and the cannon, and despatched such of our fallen
soldiers as they supposed still to be alive. Their negroes then
came in to strip the dead. I had by this time somewhat reviv-
ed, and a negro, observing that I was not dead, took up a mus-
ket, and shot me in the top of the shoulder, and the ball came
out at my back. After firing, he said, " Dere, d — n you, take
dat." He then stripped me of every thing but my shirt.

The enemy then disappeared to the left of the pond, and,
through weakness and apprehension, I remained still, till about
nine o'clock at night. I then commenced crawling on my
knees and left hand. As I was crawling over the dead, I put
my hand on one man who felt different from the rest; he was
warm and limber. I roused him up, and found it was De
Courcy, an Englishman, and the son of a British officer, resi-
dent in Canada. I told him that it was best for us to attempt
to travel, as the danger appeared to be over, and we might fall
in with assistance.

As he was only wounded in the side and arm, he could walk
a little. We got along as well as we could that night, contin-

THOMPSON'S ESCAPE.

357

lere two
bury the
hrowing
I we had
?wed the
3 breast-
ccivod a
e, which
ot in my
got into
from the
t shot we
ed at the
lain body

, because
in on was
ilians ap-
nn-guard
tirely cut
on, and I
\g on my
shoulder,
It of my
1 over on
3ut found
he arms,
)ur fallen
roes then
lat reviv-
p a mus-
3all came
y'ou, take
irt.

ond, and,
till about
on my
ad, I put
he was
was De
cer, resi-
attempt
night fall

uld walk
t, contin-

ued on till next noon, when, on a rising ground, we observed
an Indian ahead, on horseback, loading his ride. Wo agreed
that he should go on one side of the road and I on the oilier.
The Indian look at'ler De Couroy, and I hoard ihe dixharge
of his ride. This gave me time to crawl into a hammock and
hide away. The Indian soon returned with his arms and k'gs
covered with blood, having, no doubt, according to cuslom, cut
De Coiircy to pieces after bringiiiij: hiui down with his ride.
The Indian came riding through the brush in i)ur>uil of n.e,
and ai)proached within ten feel, but gave up tlie search. I
then resumed my route back to fort Brooke, crawled and limped
throuL;li ihe nights and forenoons, and >lept in the brush (lur-
ing llie middle of the day, with no oilier nourisluneut than cold
wai(?r. I gol lo fort Brooke on the evening of the til'ili diiy ;
and ill live months afterwards was discharged as a pensioner,
at eight dollars jier month. The doctor attributes my not dy-
ing of my wounils to the circumstance that I blt>d a ijfood deal,
and did not jiartake of any solid food during'' the live first days.
Two other soldiers, by the names of Thomas and Sprague,
also came in afterwards. Although badly wounded, they as-
cended a tree, and thus escaped the enemy, on the evening of
the battle. They joined another expedition, two months after,
but before their wounds were healed, and they soon died of
them.

THE FOLLOWING

NARRATIVE OF ONE OF THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY ES-
CAPES FROM A DREADFUL DEATH, ANYWHERE RECORDED,
IS CONTAINED IN A LETTER WRITTEN BY THE SUFFERER
TO THE EDITOR OF THE CHARLESTON (S. C.) COURIER,
IMMEDIATELY AFTER IT HAPPENED. IT TOOK PLACE AT
CAPE FLORIDA LIGHTHOUSE, IN is;if..

On the 23d of July last, about four P. M., as I was going
from the kitchen to the dwelling-house, I discovered a large
body of Indians within twenty yards of mc, back of the kitch-
en. I ran for the lighthouse, and calit d out to the old negro
man that was with me to run, for the Itidians were near; at
that moment they discharged a volley of ride balls, which cut
my clothes and hat, and perforated the door in many places.
We got in, and as I was turning the key the savages had hold
of the door. I stationed the negro at the door, with orders to
let me know if they attempted to break in ; I then took my
three muskets, which were loaded with ball and buck-shot, and
went to the second window. Seeing a large body of them op-

358

ESCAPE OF

posite the dwelling-house, I discharc^ed my muskets in succes-
sion amonii' them, which put them in some confusion ; they
then, for the second time, hoiran their horrid yells, and in a
rT,inut(! no sash or j^lass was left al tlie window, for they vented
their rai^e al that spot. I fired at them from some of the other
windows, nnd from the top of the house ; in fact, I lired wlien-
ever I could get an Indian for a mark". I kept them from the
house until dark.

They then poured in a heavy fin- at all the windows ami
lantern ; that was the lime they set fire to the door and window
even with the ground. The window was hoarded up with plank
and filled mo with stone inside ; but the (lames s))rea(l fast,
hcMU'" ^ed. wnh yellow pine wood. 'J'heir balls had ])erforated
the 1 ;?il , of oil, consisliii!!' of two hundred and twenty-live
gallon tny -edding, clolhirg, and in fact every thing I had,
was soaived in v 1 stoppet at the door until driven away by
the flames. I then took a kcLi; of i^ninpowder, iny balls, and
one musket to the top of the house, then went below, and be-
gan to cut away the stairs about half way up from the bottom.
I had difficulty in getting the old negro up the space I had
already cut ; but the flames now drove me from my labor, and
I retreated to the top of the house. I covered over the scuttle
that leads to the lantern, which kept the fire from me for some
time; at last the awful moment arrived, the crackling flames
burnt around me, the savages at the same time began their
hellish yells. My poor old negro looked to me with tears in
his eyes, but could not speak ; we went out of the lantern, and
lay down on the edge of the platform, two feet wide ; the lan-
tern now was full of flame, the lamps and glasses bursting and
flying in all directions, my clothes on fire, and to move from
the place where I was would be instant death from their rifles.
My flesh was roasting, and to put an end to my horrible suf-
fering, I got up, threw the keg of gunpowder down the scuttle
— instantly it exploded, and shook the tower from the top to
the bottom. It had not the desired effect of blowing me into
eternity, but it threw down the stairs and all the wooden work
near the top of the house ; it damped the fire for a moment,
but it soon blazed as fierce as ever ; the negro man said he was
wounded, which was the last word he spoke.

By this time I had received some wounds myself; and find-
ing no chance for my life, for I was roasting alive, I took the
determination to jump off. I got up, went outside the iron
railing, recommending my soul to God, and was on the point
of going head foremost on the rocks below, when something
dictated to me to return and lie down again. I did so, and in
two minutes the fire fell to the bottom of the house. It is a

JOHN W. B. THOMPSON.

359

siirccs-
n ; ihey
uul ill a
; vented
lie other
fl wlieii-
Voin the

ows !uul
window
ih j)lauk
ead fast,
^rfomted
LMity-live
ir I had,
away hy
all.'^, and
and bc-
! bottom,
ce I had
ibor, and
e scuttle
for some
g flames
an their
tears in
em, and
the lan-
tin£T and
)ve from
ir rifles,
bio snf-
e scuttle
le top to
me into
on work
noment,
he was

ind find-
took the
the iron
he point
mething
I, an('

1 in

It i^

s a

remarkable cirtMunstance, tlial not one ball struck me when I
stood up outside the railin£,^ althouirh they were flyini:: all
around me like hail-stones. I found tli(> old ncjio luati dead,
beinu" shot in several places, and litrrally roa-'i'd. A few
ininules after the fire fcdl, a still' brec/r sprung;' up from the south-
ward, which was a i.i^reai blessing' to me. 1 had to lie where I
was, for 1 couKl n<»t wa'lc, havinir rci'eivcd six rille ball>. three
in each foot. Th" Indians, thinkimr me dead, led th<' liirht-
house, ami set lire to the dwellinuf-housc, Kiirlu-u and other
out-hoiises, and befjan to carry tlndr jihindor to the beach ; they
took all the empty barrels, the drawers of the bnreaus, ami in
fact every thinir that would act as a vessel to hold any. thing';
my provisions were in the lighthouse, except a barrel of flour,
which tlu'y took oil'. The next morninir they hanled out of
th'" liL:"hlhouse, by means of a pole, the tin that composed the
oil tank.-, no doubt to make grates to manufacture the coonly
root into what we call arrow root. A ^r loadinir mv little
sloo]), about ten or twelve went into hei ; ,e rest took to the
beach to meet at the other end of the lan('. This happened,
as 1 judge, about ten, A. M. My eyes being much atlected,
prevented me from knowiiiir their actual force, but 1 judge there
were from forty to fifty, perhaps more. I v/as now almost as
bad off' as before ; a burning fever oi ne, my feet shot to pieces,
no clothes to cover me, nothing to eat or drink, a hot sun over-
head, a dead man by my side, no friend near or any to expect,
and placed between seventy and eighty feet from the earth, and
no chance of getting down, my situation was truly horrible.
About twelve o'clock, I thought I could perceive a vessel not far
off'; I took a piece of the old negro's trowsers that had escaped
the flames by being wet with blood, and made a signal.

Some time in the afternoon, I saw two boats with my sloop
in tow coming to the landing. I had no doubt but they were
Indians, having seen my signal, and had returned to finish
their murderous design ; but it proved to be boats of the United
Stales schooner blotto, Capt. Armstronof, with a detachment
of seamen and marines, under the command of Lieut. Lloyd,
of the sloop-of-war Concord. They had retaken my sloop,
after the Indians had stripped her of her sails and rigging, and
every thing of conserpience belonL'"ing to her; thev informed
me they heard my explosion twelve miles oil', and ran down to
my assistance, but did not expect to find nie alive. Those
gentlemen did all in their power to relieve me, but, night com-
ing on, they r<'furned on board the Motto, after assuring me of
their assistance in the morning.

Next morning, ^londay, July -j, three boats landed, among
them Capt. Cole, of the schooner Pee Dee, from New York.

360

THOMPSONS ESCAPE.

They liiul injide !i kil»3 iluriiii,' tlu- iiii^-lil, to L''Pt a line to me,
but without flll'cl; they then lircd tuint^ I'rotri tlu-ir unisK-fts,
iiiiuh: liisl to a riirni'otl, which I rcccive'il, iuiil haulcil up a lail-
block and iuM(h' fast round an iron rtaufhion, rovf the twine
thr<»uu'h iho hlnck. and tli^y bi-low, by that means, nivi' a two-
inch rope, and hoi-^trd up two lucn, who xion hindcd inf on
terra firnia. 1 must statu lierc, that the Indians had niadi' a
ladder, by hishinuf i)i('«i's of wood across liif li<rhtniiii( rod, n( ar
forty feet from the ^TiHind, as it' to have jny scalp, nolens vo-
lens. This happened on the Iburtii. After 1 L'ot on hoard llie
Motto, every man, (rom the ca])tain to the cooic, tri(>d to alle-
viate jiiy suirerinijs. On the seventh, 1 was received in the
military hospital, throutrh the politeness of Lieut. Alvord, of
the fourth reLnment of United Stales Infantry. He has done
every thin^ to make iny situation as comfortalije as possible.

I must not omit here to return my thanks to the citizens of
Key West, jLjenerally, for their symj)athy and kind offers of any
thinij I would wish, that it was in tlndr power to bestow. Be-
fore 1 b'ft Key West, two balls were extracted, and one remains
in my right le^; but, since I am under the care of Dr. Ram-
sey, who has paid every attention to me, he will know best
whetlier to extract it or not.

These lines are written to let my friends know that 1 am
still in the land of the living, and am now in Charleston, S. C,
where every attention is paid me. Although a cripple, I can
eat my allowance, and walk about without the use of a cane.
Kespectfully yours,

JOHN W. B. THOMPSON.

[II

n f

, line to me,
\r iiniskf'tf,
(1 up ;i tail-
•f the twine
rov ii two-
lulcd luc on
iuiJ iiiiulo a
ng rod, IK ar

I, Uoli'llS vo-

)M hoard the
riod to alle-
dvod in the
Alvord, of
k" has done
; possible.
3 citizens of
Dlfcrs of any
c'stovv. Be-
one remains
if Dr. Ram-
[ know best

w that 1 am

L'ston, S. C,

ripple, I can

of a cane.

MPSON.