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Lorsv^ue le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul clich6, 11 est film6 d partir dft Tangle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'Images nicessalre. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m^thode. by errata led to ent une pelure, fagon d 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 *! /• I •' # V ■^, % n NARRATIVE OF T3iE EXTRAORDINARY SUFFERINGS OF MR. ROBERT FORBES, His wife, and FIVE CHILDREN. DURING w AN UNFORTUNATE JOURNEY THROUGH THE WILDERNESS— f ROM CjiNjiDA^ TO KEmEBECK RIVER, IN TJHE Wbi 1784 ; IN WHICH THREE OP THEIR CHILDREN WERE STARVED TO DEATH. TAKEN PARTLY FROM^THEIR OWN MOUTHS, AND PARTLY FROM AN IMPERFECT ^ JOURNAL ; AND COMPILED AT *f^. < THEIR REQUEST. •#«■ BY ARTHUR BRADMAN. PORTLAND: PRINTED AT THOMAS BAKER WAlT's ©FFICE. wpccxci. 11 Price n^nk pemcc. '•* ¥: «! V N 1 - » IJ 11. \ -«3^ NARRATIVE o¥ THE ^ EXTRAORDINARY SUFFERINGS OF MR. ROBERT FORBES, WITH HIS FAMILY, &c ♦ ♦ MR. ROBERT FORBES, not being a native of Canada, but having re« fided there feveral years, was defirous of being where he might have a more Ire* quent opportunity of aflbciating with hit own countrymen. He and his wife had premeditated a ro moval to the United States of America, when falling in company with three Dutch- men, by the names of Midftaff^ Pancake^ & Cbrijiianf were induced by their infinua* tion^ to undertake the journey by land ; the faid Midftaff engagmg, for a certain fum, that with the ailiftance of the other two he would condud; them, in twelve \ 6 Extraordinary Suffisrings of days' time, to the Settlements on Kenne- beck river. Mr. Forbes' neighbours endeavoured to diffuade him from the attempt, not only on account of the length and difficulty of the way, but b^aufe there was a poilibility of his being deferted by his guides in the midft of the wilderncfs. Neverthelefs, being determined on a re« snoval, and having paid to Midftaff a large Aipulated fum for that purpofe— On the feventeenth day of March, A»D. one thou« fand feven hundred and eighty-fo^ry they entered upon this unfortunate journey. From NouveUe Bois, on the river Cbadore, they took their departure. The men, and Mrs. Forbes (who was then pregnant) and Mr. Forbes* fon Jobn^ a lad about thirteen years old, on fnow ihoes« Their provifions and other effe£^s, to« gether with four young children— vi2s. — Mary about feven years, Feggy about five, Katharine about three, and i^^r^ about fifteen months old, they undertook to hall on Indian ileighs, or faandfleds* ., *«'^ Mr. Robert Forbes and Family. In this manner, b .t with great difficu!* ty, they purfued their way eight days ;— and on the ninth, being obliged to leave the river which they had followed hither- to, and whereon they had travelled fome part of the time, they found the country £o broken by large and deep gullies, and fo rough ^nd mountainous, that they con* eluded it next to impoflible to pfoceed any further with the ileighs. Here they were obliged to make a halt. And after a (hort confutation, having firft ereded a fmall camp, wherein to leave the woman and childreil, they cook the chief part of their provifions, and as much of the reft of their baggage as they were able to carry on their backs ; and leaving the woman and children, ^>ut ten o'clock in the morning, fet out j^[peft/)f Meconich Pond (otherwifc callOTLak^SHldore) ex« peding to return the next day. But meet« ing with much difficulty, they did not reach the Pond until the next day about 3 o'clock in the s^tlNioon. Here, being much fatigued, they left their baggage ; and MidftafF having had fome previous notice that there was an •\ 'I I '1; /^*. !■ ^ I ;:l Extraordinary Sufferings of Indian reiiding not far from thence, wtot in queft of him to the other fide of the Pond, where they found an old camp, but without inhabitants ; and there encamped that night. Tlienext morning, being Sunday the 27th day of March, they croffed the Fond back to where they had left their baggage. When, to the great aftonilhment of Mr. Forbes, his Pilot and the other two (tak« tpg Co thcmfelves the provifions and ^U his other effects of any confiderable conic* ^uence) frankly told him that they were determined not to return with him to his family ; and that they mud now leave him, and make the beft of their way thro' to Kennebeck. This may well Ixiiuppcfed to have been fhocking indeed to One who was already difcouraged and diflieartcned.—- ** This, faid hf , Oruck me to the heart, and filled my eyes* with tears—It confirmed what my neighbours had repeatedly mentioned among their fears 01 what might happen to myfelf and to my family/* Notwithiianding hie impsrtumties, his Am thi tin hif tw nat bac > the I Hefi pro day ada, IP^met "^ Jefa 1 the Fori not fean And • cr's I dead fever tvhei %>'% .* Mr. Robert Forbes and Family. 7ttit the but iped the ^ond Mr. tak- 11 his were his leave thro* been cady This, filled what ioned ppen his Aioft earneft intreaties aiid folicitstions, they would not be prevailed upon to con* tinue any longer with him ; but, leaving him only one poor axe, a fmall firelock, £ two fenal) loaves of bread, they departed* . With a heavy heart did this unfortu- nate man then make the bed of his way back CO his family ; where he arrived, with ) the forrowful tidings, that evening. Here were they left, in the wide wilder- Befs, ftrangers to the country, defiitute of provifions, and without a compafs — eight days' journey from the inhabitants in Can* ada, and how far from any other fettle* JK^mtht they knew not ; but probably not ^ leis tha& an hundred and fifty miles. The wife and fon had laboured under the mod terrible apprehenfions during 94 n Forbes* abfence, elpecially feeing he did not return at the time appointed. Their fears had driven them almoft to defpair.--* And the poor lad, a little before his fatb« • cr's return, had fatigued hin^felf almoft to deadi, having followed their tracks for feveral miles ; and had but juft got back when his father arrived. •4, 10 E^fraorcfiitary Suffmug fjf The next mo'^iiing t|ify ^ere in tbfr moll doubtful perplqfity v^^tlici- to gf^ backward or forward Sj|voukl they i^i^ di^rtake Co return ^o Cjia^jOa, ill might taJce thciu more |t%n ^f>^^ M^^ ji^g^h ol t|(^ in which they had got thus far, the river being then about breaking up ; and in that caie they muft ioevitabiy ftaryc- r * m^ While tliG bufbaod anti wife were ia tfait* pitiable fituation, gazing at eack other^' and tears gufhing Trom their v?yes,^thcir children were hangi&g drooad them, and crying bitterly fotn motkl of bread. ^ Upon the whole, as the beforeimatioofBd tWQ ipaycs of bread were in the W^sty to^ . wards Kennebeck, and ^ they might, P!^*'^''%| adventui^e, find the In4^^ ^ ^cqi^Mc)^ ^ Pond, they concluded, by the help of God, to proceed on their joarney. Accoo^dingly they kft the'inoft cumber^ rQnie,thougtinece&ry artklcs^ wkick they had now leotainiog, and the (^deddiugh'^ ter undertook to travel on foot wttb * er mother «^whik Mr« Forbes took two o£ tiie cbildcent and John oftc, upoit iledi i mi thu& th^y proceeded %'iiik a&ioic&cyrpatcli;. as was poffible.* rtvcr id in ^y to* . God, I they o^tiie I and JMr. Ib^f F^bes i^dFamiiy. 1 1 The way, however, was roug^, and they trairelled but a (hort dtftance duiiflg that day. At ni^ht they €iicamped» and the Best mortttog there came otk a violent -fiorm of rain, hail and fnow, /hich coq- tiotied till Wedaefday evemog. In the ttieaa while the children were pipched with hunger and with the cold, and their cf ies were fd bitterly diftfeffing* that, IeaY« ing the mother and children in cdmp, the father and fon pufhed forward with all fyeed Co the Pond; but it was ftilt fiormy, and the. traveUng £o dtfficttk,^ that they did not gee back with i^t two toave^ till Wedneiday eyemng. . llfpoii their retaro, they had not a drf thing about the«y nor any dry Qloatheito put on* And to add to their misfortune, the five #aa extingil^ed, and they were unable to rekiodk it for the whole night. The n^t morning, the ftorm heing ^ Cdnfiderably abated* they proceeidcd pii their journey ; but the tr^ and bufi^<^ being wet, they had an nnCort^jFortabfe time, and did not retch the Pond till Fri« d^ morAing abent ten o'ckid^ . . , * ; IcZ Mxtraerjinary Sufferings of V Soon after this, to their great conibla- tion, they met with the before mentiened Indian, who proved to be one ^^n Bap* ii/if and with whom they had had fome previous acquaintance in Canada. i.-.«-.He very hofpitably invited them to y» Camp, which was at a eoniiderable dtf« Cance from the Pond ; and there he kind* ly treated them with th|? beft of what his honte afforded. . This was a camp where he and his wife reOded, while he followed hunting. Here they tarried until the next Monday, And' the Indian having juft before their meet< ing killed a Mooie, at a few miles difiance» Mr. Forbes and his fon went with their fliRky amd affifted him m^ bringing it home. Xhe Indian gave them as ihueh Moofe mcH as they would undertake tio csurry y and agreed to pilot them to Kennebeck flirer.-— — This agreement he pundually ft^led ; and would have proceeded with ihtm to the fettiements, but his wife was fo unwell that he did not dare to be any longer abfeot from her. He therefore iftadked the way on a piece of b3rk» fepre^^ Mr» Rfibirt ForbtiandFamfy. i§ fenting the bebds, windings, hUh and c«r«^ rying places along the river.— —He then w^Sicd them well, and left them* On taking leave of the Indian, thef could not fofficiently exprefs their grati* tttde. His kindneis was beyond their ex^ pedation. Qitfore his d^arture^ ho^«^ ever, they gave him what tmngs they had kft behind, together with iome other arti* des of coniiderable value. And they had reafon afterwards to wifli Uiat they had prcfented him with more } for their loads proved lo much too heavy for them that they were obliged to leave by the way a large bag full of vahiaUe articles. They now met with almoft infurmoufit-' able difficulties $ for in purfiiing the river tJleir progrefs was obftruded by craggy windfalls, rocky ledges, k>fty Qumntaias aad hideous precipices. '" ■' ' ■ * . ^ 0» the 12th day of April, their pro- vtfions was again exhaufted ;--^nd Mrs. Forbes thought it moSt advifeable to have a camp ereSed, and for herfeif and the chtidrea to remain there, whije lier butr> \ til*"''" band' and obleft ton (bouid go imvm^ ig$ ke wfttther fcheyootiid find the inb^bi* taots — apin'ehendiiig Ihai they were mmsb nearer than they afterwards, proved to be* « A camp wail therefore ere^ed, and leav* iog lbs. Fvi .-'■•i :A Sitle tii^fi)l«e ]^^^ the ifeeond day, ttfy came to Fall% and could go no fur- ther on the ice. They went on Aore»and foon after came to a precipice where ther were obliged' taddcend twenty fieet^ aU moir perpendicularly, and at the xifque oJF bein^ daflied upon the focks.«— -^^Nigjte cooungron, they encamped *, and the next dihp,, fiodhijg^NHiMd rocky placein l^|i^« .A m Mn R^hH fotbet ami tamilfk ii er, they eroSi^ over to the other fide^ iit h^pes of finding bettef trateUing» and ai more coaveaient place to encaoip. Hero tJ^y w^^ obliged* by reaibn ot fiormvi weather, to encamp for the remaindo?. o» the day. ;j*he next dny they travdM on ; aiidf, perceiving the river to be ahtioft clear o| ic^, they coocluded to^ bi|ild a kifid of raft -^^ thtng with wluch they were altdgip^et^ unacquainted, and by niieans ot which (hq^ had both like to have loft their livest They got oa to the raft, and under way^ about tea c^'ckxk the oest morning. Tbt^ current, however, run £o fwilt^ that thcyi fooik found there was no poffibility of tuni4, iag it 10 the ibore. As they paffed dowft the river they ftruck again^ a tree» whidk they were obliged to cut away, io ordef to clear the raft. When they defeended over ripples, the water never failed of daihiAg over them, fq that they were VM cpntinuallyv About the middle of the day, the ra% moving with great rapidity,' flruckatUfgd «r? "^^m > dsa V i6 EMiraordinary Suferingt (f fock, parted one of its coroers, and fpread into A fiogle ftfthg of logs. At this time they loft their axe, and it became extreme* ly difficult to keep upon their broken ma- . They were from this time driven with ateuring rapidity, expe£^ing every moment would be their laft, until about 4 o'clock m the afternoon y when, falling into an cddv, they were brought op by a point of^ fcfnd, and both got fafe on more. > ' ■ ■• ■ They now travelled on bjr land till their ftreogch was almoft exhaufted. About the aoth of April they heard the report of a^gun. which feemed to give them new li^« They fired feveral times, but were vit anfw«'ed* Then, concluding that it might be nothing more than the falling of X tree, thdrfpirits again funk within them, xbd liiey moved on with heavy hearts* Sot on the evening of the lad, having biult a fmall fire upon an eminence, they were difcovered and kindly relieved by tflo hnotenH-^Jonathan Crolby and Luke Sawyer. C^ they by tuke . Mr. lUiiri%rih (iris Fmifyi t'f^ ' ft Wa^ no% the leth day jSifce tHey )ttt' Mrs. FbrtSiMr kiid the childreb. And duf. in'g ehts tliiie they had eaten' u|5 the t^ ^ or three cmnKbel of Moofe meat whidi thejp'^ had taken with them, and their mogga* fiiiid-^havio^ had nothing elfe to fUbbft upon. The hunters fuppjied thim with Alcli^ abides oiFnouriibaient as they had ii^li^ ^em ; and then conduced then^ >o tl^ Kttlemeiits at Seven Mile B^oak, (o catfedy a little abov6 Nbrridgewalk, where they arrived in a few hours ; but fo redueed^- tl£at they w^refcarcely abiet6ftandlQofte4^ Upon their arrival, Mr. Forbes proctirect Major Hale, and Meffieurs Wm. Hufioii. and Ebenezer Hilton, three of the moft fuitable men that could be foiiin'd^ to go with all (peed to the relief of his wife' and childr^. Theyfet out ifninediately, ^ild after havikig btch gotie thirteen days fe« tutned without having been able to find It was now twenty four days from th^ Hnie Mr/ Fdjrb^s iefif theniy with Mly one I 1 1? -f.g*~ i i fuS tiS mi ti tf. f>mm4m$ pound %b4 a luKof tiyUow fof tiMr ftlbfiftp cfci I il was ^ Hiftrl^eMl A)[^. fprkei! tni^idy wcmlA not permit him to reft fatisfied untU ^ bad procured two other perfons (Meff't Jamea McDoaiiUl aod |pii which rendered the paiB^g en* trflmcir diffictiitjt. For tbia reafon^ apd be* cis^t ^ey had, ho expeda^n. ojF fipdioff them alive, they could not be prevailed u^oa to fet c^ uniU the watera were a- baie4 9n^e twenty eigbUi day of Mfj^y they, (al^t.. Bia^il^g travelled one day, Mr^ lilbis fou^ himfelf, unable to keep up wb^ tibea; and upc^ tbekr telling himhia coiM beofn^ I 111 * iii'i'^ -^'^ifc<„ Mr. Rohtrt Forbn mid Family. jip IXm %:oii4 Avf o{ Jane arriitfidat the ||bce 4% bcitotqi^ciititfQpqd jjloofb^^ and ^ to^, N^ h9(}.t^Qr any Aw%df the mfide bark ot the Fir fr^. ^,, tAily}^^ addition to this, they had^ ^«en forty eigne days without fire. ^ To paint ^^^pH^ colours thia^Mn««€ mttS^ IS akemMr ibcyond ny po«mft of Mi%^^. IttiiWflb^kfilotUaa^ls. On the 38th day after the departure of m.M^^j^}iti^\^ jfoth- IMF^ed>6l th^^ef^tjday j ami Jpy/ir thai this 4^^ jb 'NIA ^^M^IN^K l^'^SS'^* I^jF?^^ IWithfr fepiOjljftntJwe W #, ▼our ker* .1 4 b.i2.hU .*Mi.o«»w«)i.MliM«l«M ai| fw »i aitfii >iii «b f\k uffifhii iiic# !#># *t»*^ liitoBd^ Wllh^#1hing Wif«^^^l#^1^ #1^ i^gchikL . ^- -^^'-m:^^ ffC \-^." *- ■i ^ ii .*^M i £ifiWi i »cJ2f fci ji '^ ii w iow ''■■;■■■■•-- *'^* ■"''-■ ^■-i i r"'-[iirii iiiiitiiiBi||j|]||| ^ " ■' .'^ j^"""' - . Mr. RffBifi Rrbis and Pamify. «t It jtift jic tht |r chiki \c de- i kept J barf he laft j;cd to CO th6 ftillre- i« who let'tnft b -and caode IHoi* erf die hmmt ■m ' On tMs occafion, well mi^ht he adopt the language of holy Davtd— in whoCjp words we ihall now clofe the Narrative v MT foul with grateful thoughts of love Intirely is pojQTeft, Becaufe th^ Lord was pleas'd to heav The voice of my requeft. Since he has now his ear inclined) I never will deipair ; But ftill in all the ftraits of life To him addrefs my prayer* With deadly forrows coropafs'd round, with painful fears oppreis'd ; When troubles fi^iz'(^y aking heart. And anguiihi ratk'd my breaft : On tjod's almighty nam^ 1 cali'd And thus to him f pray 'd— •• Lordt I Ife/eecb thee fave my Jbul^ •• Hdtbfonowi quite difmay dfi How jttft and merciful is God, How gracious b the Lord! Who laves die feeble» and to me Boes cimdy help afford.^ ^ 'i m i ♦ -;•: % I t9^ hfMurtBnarf Sijfirb^t ff ^ Tbea free from doubcAd carcf, iiqf fixil . R^ume thy wonted, rcif: ; For Qod has wondroofly to thee Hai bounteous love expreft. * TT^hen death ahnn'd ine, he remov'd My dangers and my fears : . My feet from f dUng he fectur^d^ And dry'd my eyes from tears. Therefore my life's rems^fiing y earSy Which God to me (hall lend. Will I in praifes to his name^ And in his fervice fpend. *ll^' %... 4&^mt 11 i' ** "% l.^^UtJi-J^*'-*^*"" " ''" —■ '' rTuM i llft ff flfe '-^^-^ - '';-^'^'* -'- fiNd I Jlr. mibiri Fotifs mid Familp 35 P o ^ T S ♦- C R I P T. AFTER the anii||^ of Mr. and Mrs. Forbes at Korndgewalk, a number of gentlemen gave them a writing from under their hands ; in which the relation of their unparalleled (ufferings was con^ ibtned, and by which they were warmly recommended to the notice and charitable affiftance of all chriftian people. This re« commendation was figned by feme of the firft Charaders in the county of Lincoln. Mr. Forbes and his wife, with their two lurviving children are now living in the town of Newgloucefler, about twenty five miles from Portland ; where, by their ia» duftry and economy they have fince been enabled to procure a very comfortable fubfiftence. Mrs. Forbes, from the emaciated flate in which we have bl^fpre difcribed her, has now become a large and corpulent wo- man. And the ^hild* of which flie was de« livered foon after her arrival at Noriridge* iK^alk, is a healthy and very promifiog Boy# ^ " THE END. ^^k ^ #1 f ■ i •W..JS*