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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m^thode. by errata led to Bnt jne pelure, apon S 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 0^ 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# VI 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- 4^ \ 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 lwn 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 11 ]\I;iry lluwlaiidson lOFeb.KiVO Lancaster, I\Iass. Tol2 April,l()7f. 2U Quinlin Stockwell 19Sep.l()77 Deerfield, Ma.ss. About one year f.O Sarah (Jcrish 28 June, '&'.» Dover, N. H. Six months 70 [•:ii/nbcih Heard 2HJune,'S 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 I 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 iiv:tation, with- out seeing or gaining any other intelligence of ships, he was 2* 18 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. I .| CAPTIVITY OF JOHN ORTIZ. 19 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. Ll 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. 20 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. *. !^ I Mils. ROWLANDSON'S CAPTIVITY. 81 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, I 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. 82 MRS. ROWLANDSOiN'S CAPTIVITY. V 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 i I Y. MRS. ROWLANDSONS CAI'TIVITY. 83 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 ' I I 21 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 miy 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. 28 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.) i MRS. ROWLANDSONS CAPTIVITY 29 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»^ ! 30 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. a W tl Js.._^_.._ "^■m MRS. KOWLANDSON'S CAPTIVITY. 31 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 32 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 to a in^ thoi an(| tluj ihM hi- MliS. ROWLAXDSON'S CArTIVITY. 33 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 ':' ! I ! |fii 34 MRS. ROWLANDSON'S CAPTIVITY. when we rcmcmhercd Z'kdi. Tl HT' ono f tl lern as i me half a jiinl of ])eas, which was wor th more th 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. 1 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 am lint the in ^ITY. of llic'iii asl 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. J » i ■ i I I 36 MRS. ROWLANDSON'S CAPTIVITY. 1 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, vU 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, th 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^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! me ih (^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 , >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 thouht to mo some scripture which did a little revive me; as that, Isa. 5-5: 8, — ^'■For mij thoii 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 J 3 f ' f t 1 \ 44 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 i i. MRS. RQWLANDSON'S CAPTIVITY. 45 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- I % 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 Enlisli 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 f 46 MRS. ROWLANDSOX S CAPTIVITY. w have boon an aboiniiiatioii. Thon I went hoir'^ to my mis- tre.s.s' \viii,\vain, and they told me I disr, 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 47 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 4S 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-sliii(': 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-slh 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 ny 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. Il 52 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> 11 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 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. a MRS. noWLANOSONS CAPTIVITY 53 (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. 1 i Hoar hcinp conio, and that with sindi i':osi 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. 5* i ' t |1 54 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. If 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. 55 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 i If hi m :l 56 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. kr an T w w it CI .so WJ low not i,£r. Wg ' wo lay MRS. ROWLANDSON'S CArXIVIT 57 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 58 MRS. ROWLANDSON'S CAPTIVITY. 'U I 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. 59 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- N iif i; i 60 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 ow ab( fro I (I em I i tli( no; nov br. bro het see pii and our the STOCKWELL'S CAPTIVITY. 61 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 je 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 1,1 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. 63 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 64 STOCKWELL'S CArTIVITY. i b ''i hj ■ It n 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. 65 p and :ie lu- vo me it. I i ffivc ultbr- sleep on the ed it, I 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 1 1 66 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)Ietmas 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 68 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. 69 the iside* f 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 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 throujo 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. 70 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. I i OH th( ELIZABETH HEARD'S CAPTIVITY. 71 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 72 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 O ^ 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 sh I r)t have oiirai^e- living' Sl)o had an cqiinl 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. 77 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 ) Jf 78 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-lookinoak.) "Hy and hy coino to a ^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 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. 80 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. I JOHN GYLES' CAPTIVITY. 81 •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 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. !■ 82 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. i f w w pf 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. 83 t \ 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 84 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> 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 86 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 fr •"-■^'^''-'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 I lOIlN GYLES' CAPTIVITY. a? 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'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 88 JOiJN GVLES' CAPTIVITY. i 'V. ?1 i^ 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 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 al b Tl b! \\| u JOHN GYLES' CAPTIVITY. 89 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 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* 90 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 Cilie fill of 1 my 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< 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 ey 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. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET {MT-3) // fe 1.0 I.I 1.25 i;^|28 ■ 50 ™^^ 2.5 2.2 1.8 1-4 IIIIII.6 V] «^ /i ^;. 'a ■^a ^'^^ O 7 /A Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 V :\ ,v \ ^<-*^^ "% N^ ^\ WrS ». ^ V^ <^ ^ -^ &• . 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 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 cunninrson 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 nl 98 JOHN GYLES' CAPTIVITY. I ! 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 i * Some additions to these traditions will be found in the Book of the In- dians, iii. 131. — Ed. JOHN GYLES' CAPTIVITY. 99 , 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 m. Tl icy appfunt two or three youn (T i 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. t 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; 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 « I 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 onn 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 I I II 1^ i 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. I 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 fl 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 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 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 i i I ''If English bad ^ ^ u 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 pr )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 d; 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 r 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, anpy 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- 10 m no 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- gaat 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. f 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 ( 1' f ) Ed 1 1 need not remind the reader that this is no interpretation of mine. — 4 .y % r 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 t 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 I 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. [' :l ELIZAr.RTH ffAXSO.WS CAI'TIVITY. Ui \ 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 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, i 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 baid 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 i IIR KLIZABETII HANSON'S CAPTIVITY. I 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((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 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 ■ \\ J 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 i* 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 einptyino 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 ])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 ' ^ m tlL 122 ELIZABETH HANSON'S CAPTIVITY. 1 i I,' of Him in whose providenre 1 put iny trust l)oth day and ni2 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 '««' I 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 i f\ i 111 I 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 i 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 i i i 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* 11 I i 126 ELIZABETH HANSONS CAPTIVITY. i! Hi ' 1) h,i 1 < ;i il 1 ! :i 1 ii 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. I 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 ; m 1 *l 128 NEHEMIATI HOWS CAPTIVITY. i. 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 1 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 T 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 \;\'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 th ml i'l till to tir ! NKIIK.MIAII innV'S CAITIVITV. 133 IIS into a i^rcnt Frciicli hoiKsu, I I was rarriofl I. t\U(\ the lOlli ^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 vi i i 131 NEHEMIAII HOW'S CAPTIVITY : 1^ '' -J i L 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. f 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-htion, 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. •*! li 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. P. i 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. i I 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* ?;:■ '1 I t| I'-! 138 neiie:\iiaii hows captivity. ! •( t! I S • ( , h 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.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 s 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.-! 1 } i it 142 MARY FOWLER'S CAPTIVITV. I 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 '; 1 v*"^ fvi' «) i M IS '11 i 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 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. 13 Mti MRS. M'COV'S CAPTIVITV'. \h ly h rl =?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.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 f 1 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 ilaniiii,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 i| 1 w i \t il ■ r (I 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'ountrymurh 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* 1 I I] If >lt ^l! 150 CAPTIVITY OF PETER WILLIAMSON". i h ' w •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, r 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 u . 1^ ■ i \'\ » 'S li \. ■ < r I \i I ' s i 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 ki 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' 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 wiout 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, It :i I i 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 II \ 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 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- 14 11 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 \lnnee, were cnaMcd *' cniluix' it willi Ic.-s irdulilc and diliiciiliy than ihcy had rv. ,a to expert. From >uv\\ savalances, 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 iy (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 i\ 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; 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. '5 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 c 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 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.'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 \ \ If 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, 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- if i 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(dat 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 domerstand. 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 15 i< 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. rhe 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. If 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. P 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^ f'H'orts. ( )j) every suniiMons In surrender .ent hy the l-'rench L'cn«, that he yet found himself in a condition to rep<'i tiie most viL'orons atta(d\s hi> hesien(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 sower 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 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 u '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 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. i! I ! ri 1 ¥ 4. 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 mit 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 I 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. WK 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 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 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 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 i 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 lary 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- 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 wonderet arrived, who said that l)ra(hl()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, ('anan 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* I 186 COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTIVITY. {ji !|^ 1/ '^ 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 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 By \ 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, 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 4 'ii ';€^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) % I I.U I" ™— i^ I.I M 2.2 2.0 1.8 1.25 1.4 1 ''^ -^ 6" — ► V] .-^^ ^;i /^ ¥^^i o^. Photographic Sciences Corporation i\ S .V ^ ^ «n )( 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 1 V i a: 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' ! ' :■»!'! M ''H :ij 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 J I 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 J u 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\\\\ 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 17 i 194 COLONEL SMITHS CAPTTVITY. ^1 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. i : 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\\oumplaiiiiiig 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. Hi i'l r i while ToMtileanijro stood reiuly with liis friin and how. VVc wun 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 iM 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* ^V p 198 COLONEL SMITH'S CAt'TIVITV. V s Ul 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 »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- A ■1^ i 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 nd 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. rt i i M Pi i- !! i? 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 \ a! 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 I % 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 II Ill t 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 \\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- H 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 I n I 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, 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 1 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 1 4\ i! '! II iii Kl ji (' '■< '! I ,1 in \ ' ^B 1 uM f iffi s 1 it : 1 1 1 D 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 Kk ; it < : I' 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 i! 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 Mi 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?. 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; W 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 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 siI 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)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. I ,» l! * I If-** 228 COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTIVITY. ill U' 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 20 \n 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 1 m 232 COLONEL SMITH'S CAPTIVITY. i i- 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 ir ' i 11 n ill They 20=»«= army • 1 li 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 rl 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 1 " COLONEL SMITH'S ADVENTURES. 237 1 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- i i COLONEL SMITHS ADVENTURES. catod in Dublin,) and was freijiicnlly sunt 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 le 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 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 Hi •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 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 I 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* ti 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. hi )' ' 9! ' I I 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 ■ i 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 m. 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 holll 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. \ t 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, 1 "^^"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 22 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 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* i] 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. \ 1 :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 1 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 f 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 ii m 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 ensuinafjces 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. J> A Fattttfui, Narrative, &;c. — About tliirty tradesmen and mys(df arrived at Captain AVilliams' fort, at tbe carryinc^ pla,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 ^v ihe rear with had nilvanced ed with dole- W fill cries of a dyin'/ tnaii, which excited me to advaiin in or rder to disc()ver tlie enemy w 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-''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 larstants 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 I) 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 ih \ 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 \vy hiid broui;hi from the carrying- place, to he hoi led for me, and -see- ing me eat that appean-d pleased. A strong 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(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"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 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\-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, 41 276 ROBERT EASTBURN'S CArilVITY. I 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 Hi 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 .>, 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 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. 24 > i 278 ROBERT EASTBURN'S CAPTIVITY. Ml 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 tliinss, 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. I 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 -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. m » 280 ROBERT E7\STBURN'S CAPTIVITY. I 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 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 ^laiqtiostt'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> 'e).

>v ^^kN ^^:v^ O" .A %<^f4> #.#^" 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 r O (I \ \'- 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. 4 \i 4 284 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. I 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 .1 286 ALEXANDER HENRY'S CAPTIVITY. manner in whicli the Indian^s at the time were niarcliinff I 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 li ■■ i ( i J' \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. 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^ I 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 mihapes 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 il 292 ALEXANDER HENRY'S CAPTIVITY. *• ri iijj' I 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 m i' ■ il ll IH ! 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 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 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 26 ' 1i ^i,M I' 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- i I 1 1 i^ 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 li 306 ALEXAN'DKR HENRY'S CAPTIVITY. II 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- I 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 ii()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 t! I , 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- 1 I I t 7 li 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 r r 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 i fori rani Th grc of prol skif ALEXANDER HENRY'S CAPTIVITY. 313 n 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 27 \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 '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 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* 4 ■lit 318 ALi:xAN[)i:u iil;m:v\s cai'tivitv I i li 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 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 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 1 I n •< < ! ; 1^ II \\ 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 iirdriilinL!' 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 32 •JD I 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. 28 326 ALEXANDER HENRYS CAPTIVITY. t 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. Hi 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 I 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 \\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 Tiise 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 honen 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 :l i i 1 . t« 1: ! ■ •■ H 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 y 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. 29 ^IL'JJIi., .JUiJi I 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 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 .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* if 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 minh 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, V 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, I \ I 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 i^ h 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>iivuge 'api. Hub- ill llilU:-(-'lf uid allaok, iimcss and llicir (t|ipu- uliifh, ill iili.slaiHliiii,'' lion ul' tlie reil to 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 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 throui 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 lirinatTii' y Miir»'rrd. same i)iirty !'.( tlif Ohio ■r, !iM(l hiul t\v, 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. 30 i ! ll t I • 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- p 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 S h h U 6 ii O L A 355 NARRATIVE il I » 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 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- I 1 k 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- i^ 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 lid 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. I [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.