, LIFE AND REMARKABLE ADVENTURES OF & (A NATIVE OP CRANSTON, RHODE-ISLAND.) WHO WAS A SOLDIER IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, And took a distinguished part in the Battle of Bunker Hill (in Which he received three wounds,) after which he was taken Prisoner by the British, convey- ed to England, where for 30 years he obtained a livelihood for himself and family, by crying " Old Chairs to Mend" through the Streets of London.* In May last, by the assistance of the American Con sul, he succeeded (in the 79th year of his age) ia obtaining a passage to his native country, after an absence of 48 years. PROVIDEXCE: Printed by HENRY TRUMBULL 1824. (Price 28 Cents.) DISTRICT OF RH^DE ISLAND TO WIT: BE IT REMEMBtRfcD Tnat on the thirtieth day of January one Thouband eight hundred and twenty four and in the forty eighth year of the Independence of the United States of America, HENRY TRUM- BULL, of said District, deposited in tins office the title of a bock, ihe right whereof he claims as author, in the following woids, to wit : Life and Remarka- ble Adventures, of Israel R Potter, a native ol Crans- ton Rhode Island who was a soldier in the American Revolution, and took a distinguished part in the battle of Bunker Hill (in which he received three wounds) after which he was taken Prisoner by the British, and conveyed to England where for thirty years he attain- cd a livelihood for himself and family by crying '* old Chairs to mend" through the Streets of London In May last by the assUtance of the American Consul he succeeded in (the 79th year of his age) in obtain- ing a passage to his uaiive Country after an absence of 48 years." In conformity to an Act of Congress entillec! " An Act for the encouragement of learning, by secuii g the copies of maps, charts, and books to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the time there in mentioned" and also to an act entitled ** An Act for the encouragement of learning by securing the co- pies of maps charts, and book, to the authors and pro- prietors ot such copies during the time therein men. tioned, and extending the benefit thereof to the Art of designing, engraving, and etching, historical, and other prints." Witness, BENJAMIN CCWELL, Clerk of the Rhode Island District. TO THE PUBLIC. IN the foregoing pages we have attempted a simple narrative of the lite and extraordinary ad- ventures of one of the few survivors who fought and bled for American Independence. There is not probably another now living who took an equally ac- tive part in the Revolutionary war, whose life has been marked with more extraordinary events, and who has drank deeper of the cup of adversity, than Ihe aged veteran with whose History we now beg liberty to present the American public. Doomed by the fate of War to be early seperated from kindred and friends, and to be conveyed by a foreign Le u prisoner of war from his native land, to a iar distant country, where after having for 48 yeais expeiien- ced almost every hardship and deprivation of which adverse fortune is productive, providence appears at length to have so far interfered in his behalf, as to provide means whereby he has been enabled at an advanced age once move to visit and inhale the pure air of his native land. At the age of Seventy-Nine, an age in which it cannot be expected tha.t the lamp of human life can long remain unextinguished, he has arrived among us, in a state of penury and want, to seek in common with his countrymen the enjoy- ment cf a few ti" the blessings produced by Amcr- lean valour, in her memorable conflict with the mother country, and in which he took a distinguish- cd part* As it yet remains doubtful whether (in consquence of his long absence) he will be so fortunate as to be included in that number to whom Government has granted pensions for their Revolutionary services, it is to obtain if possible a humble pittance as a remu- neration, in part, for the unprecedented privations and sufferings of which he has been the unfortunate subject, that he is now induced to present the pub- lic with the following concise and simple narration tf the most extraordinary incidents of his life. < LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF ISRAEL R. POTTER, I WAS born of reputable parents in the town of Cranston, State of Rhode Island, August 1st, 1744, 1 continued with my parents there in the full en- joyment of parental affection and indulgence, un- til I arrived at the age of 18, when, having formed an acquaintance with the daughter of a Mr. Richard Gardner, a near neighbour, for whom (in the opin- ion of my friends) entertaining too great a degree of partiality, I was repremanded and threatened by them with more severe punishment, if my visits were not discontinued. Disappointed in my inten- tions of forming an union (when of suitable age) with one whom I really loved, 1 deemed the con- duct of my parents in this respect unreasonable and 6 LIFE AND ADVENTURES oppressive, and formed the determination to leave then), for the .purpose of seeking another home and other friends. '*'<- It was on Sunday^ while the family were at meet- .ingvthajt i,patfeed'up as many Articles of my cloadi- ingrai could be contained in a ' pocket handkerchief, which, with a small quantity of provision, I convey- ed to and secreted in a piece of woods in the rear of my father's house ; I then returned and continu- ed in the house until about 9 in the evening, when with the pretence of retiring to bed, I passed into a back room and frem thence out of a back door and hastened to the spot where I had deposited my cloathes, &c. it was a warm summer's night, and that I might be enabled to travel with the more fa- cility the succeeding day, I lay down at the foot of a tree and reposed myself until about 4 in the morning when 1 arose and commenced my journey, travelling westward, with an intention of reaching if possible the new countries, which 1 had heard highly spoken of as affording excellent prospects for industrious and enterprizing young men to evade the pursuit of my friends, by whom I knew 1 should be early missed and diligently sought for, I confined my trav- el to ihe woods and shunned the public roads, until I had reached the distance cf about 12 miles from my father's house. At noon the succeeding day 1 reached Hartford, in Connecticut, and applied to a farmer in that town for work| and for whom I agreed to labour for one OF ISRAEL R. POTTER. / wonth for *he sum of six dollars Having comple- ted my month's work to the satisfaction of my em plover 1 received my money and started from Hart- ford for Otter Creek; but, when I reached Spring- field, I met with a man hound to the Cahos country, and who offered me four do lars to accompany him, of which offer I accepted and the next morning we left Springfield and in a canoe ascended Connecticut river, and in about two weeks after much hard labor in paddling and pol ; ng the boat against , the currenti we reached Lebanon, (N. H.) the place of our des- tination. Ir was with som e difficulty and not until I had procured a writ, oy the assistance of a respecta- ble innkeeper in Lebanon, by the name of Hill, that I obtained from my last employer the four dollars which he had agreed to pay me for my services. From Lebanon I crossed the river to New-Hart- ford (then N. Y.) where I bargained with a Mr, Brink of that town for 200 acres of new land, lying in New Hampshire, and for which L was to labour for him four months. As this may appear to some a small consideration f.,r so g-eat a number of acres of land, it may be well here to acquaint the reader with the situation of the country in that quarter, at that early period of its settlement which was an almost impenetrable wilderness, containing but few* civilized inhabitants, far distantly situated from each other and from any considerable settlement j and whose temporary habitations with a few exceptions were constructed of logs in their natural state the 8 LIFE AND ADVENTURES woods abounded with wild beasts of almost description peculiar to this country, nor were the few inhabitants at that time free from serious appre- hension of being at some unguarded moment sud- denly attacked and destroyed, or conveyed .nto cap- tivity by the savages, who from the commencement of the F ench war, had improved every favourable opportunity to cut oft' the defenceless inhabitants of the frontier towns. Alter the expiration of my four months labour the person who had promised me a deed of 200 acres of land thrrefor, having refused to fulfill his engage* nnents.I was obliged to engage with a party of h.s Ma* jesty's Surveyors at fifteen shillings per month as an assistant chain bearer, to survey the wild unse'tkd lands bordering on the Connecticut river, to its source. It was in the winter season, and the snow so deep that it was impossible to travel without snow shoes at the close of each day we enkind- led a fire, cooked our victuals and erected with the branches of hemlock a temporary hut, which serv- ed us tor a shelter for the night. The Surveyors having completed their business returned to Leba- non, after an absence of about two months. Receiv- ing my wages I purchased a fowling-piece and ma- munition therewith, and for the four succeeding months devoted my time in hunting Deer, Beavers, &c, in which 1 was very successful, as in the four mon hs I obtained as many skins of these animals as produced me forty dollars * with my money I pu-r- OF ISRAEL R. POTTER* 9 chased of a Mr John Marsh, 100 acres of new land lying on Water Qutchy River, (so called) a- bout five miles from Hartford, (N Y.) on this land | went immediately to work, erected a small log hut thereon* and in two summers without any assis- tance, cleared up thirty acres fit for sowing in the winter seasons I employed my time in hunting and entrtping such animals whose hides and furs were esteemed of the most value. I remained in pos- session of my land two years, and then disposed oif it to the same person of whom I purchased it, at the advanced price of 200 dollars, and then convey- ed my skins and furs which I had collected the tvK>* preceding winters, to NO. 4, (now Charlestowa,) where I exchanged them tor Indian blankets, wan*- peag, and such other articles as I could convenient* ly convey on a hand sied, and with which I started for Canada, to barter with the Indians for furs. This proved a very profitable trip, as I very soon disposed of every article at aft advance of more- than two hundred per cent, and received payment iu furs at a reduced price, and lur which I received i,i NO. 4, SCO dollars, cash. With this rncney, togeth- er mth what I was befoie in possession of, I now set out for home, once more to visit my parents at- ter an absence of two years and nine months, ir* which time my friends had not been enabled to re- ceive any correct information of me. On my arriv* al, so greatly effected were my parents at the pre- sence of a sen \vhur.; they had considered daad, ihui. 1* '10 LIFE AND ADVENTURES It was sometime before either could become suffi- ciently composed to listen to or to request me to furnish them with an account of my travels. Soon after my return, as some atonement for the anxiety which I had caused my parents, 1 presented them with most of the money that I had earned in my absence, and formed the determination that I would remain with them contented at home, in con- sequence of a conclusion from the welcome recep- tion that I met with, that they had repented of their opposition* and had become reconciled to my in- tended union but, in this, I soon found that I was mistaken ; for. although overjoyed to see me alive } whom they had supposed really dead, no sooner did they find that my long absence had rather increased than diminished my attachment for their neighbor's daughter, than their resentment and opposition ap- peared to increase in proportion in consequence of which I formed the determination again to quit them, aud try my fortune at sea, as I had now arrived at an age in which I had an unquestionable right to think and act for myself. After remaining at home one month, I applied for and procured a birth at Providence, on board the Sloop , Capt. Fuller, bound to Grenada hav- ing completed her loading (which consisted of stone lime, hoops, staves, 8tc.) we set sail with a favora- ble wind, and nothing worthy of note occurred until the 15th day from that on which we left Providence, when the sloop was discovered to be on fire, bj a. OF ISRAEL vR. POTTER. li smoke issuing from her hold the hatches were inn. mediately raised, but as it was discovered that the fire was caused by water communicating with the lime, it was deemed useless to make any attempts to extinguish it orders were immediately there- upon given by the captain to hoist out the long boat, which was found in such a leaky condition as to require constant bailing to keep her afloat : we had only time to put on board a small quantity of bread, a firkin of butter and a ten gallon keg of wa- ter, when we embarked, eight in number to trust ourselves to the mercy of the waves, in a leaky boat and many leagues from land. As our provi- sion was but small in quantity, and it being uncer- tain how long we might remain in our perilous sit- uation, it was proposed by the capiain soon after leaving the sloop, that we should put ourselves on an allowance of one buiscuit and halt a pint of water per day, for each man, which was readily agreed to by all on boaid in ten minutes after leaving the sloop she was in a complete blaze, and presented an awful spectacle. With a piece of the fi> ing-jib, which had been lortunately thrown into the boat, we made shift to erect a sail, and proceeded in a south west ditection in hopes to rct.cn the Spanish maine, if not so fortunate as to fall in with some vessel in our course which, by the interposition of kind prov- idence in our favour, actually took place the second day after leaving the sloop- we were discovered und picked up by a Dutch ship bound from Eusta- 12 LIFE AND ADVENTURES tia to Holland, and from the captain and crew met with a humane reception, and were supplied with every necessary that the ship afforded we continu- ed on board one week when we fell in with an A- jnerican sloop bound from Piscataqua to Antigua, which received us all on board and conveyed us in safety to the port of her destination. At Antigua I got a birth on board an American brig bound to Porto Rico, and from thence to Eusta'ia. At Eustatia I received my discharge and entered on board a Ship belonging to Nantucket, and bound on a whaling voyage, which proved an uncommonly short and successful one we returned to Nantucket full of oil after an absence of the ship irom that port of only 16 months. After my discharge I continued about one month on the island, and then took pas- sage for Providence, and from thence went to Cran- ston, once more to visit my friends, with whom I continued three weeks, and then returned to Nan- tucket. From Nantucket I made another whaling voyage to the Scuih Seas and after an absence of three years, (in which time I experienced almost all the hardbhips and deprivations peculiar to Whale- men in long voyages) I succeeded by the blessings of providence in reaching once more my native home, perfectly sick of the sea, and willing to re- turn to the bush and exchange a mariner's life for one less hazardous and fatiguing, I remained with my friends at Cranston a few weeks, and then hired myself to a Mr. James W<> *Y ISRAEL R. HOTTER- 13 terman, of Coventry, for 12 months, to work at farming. This was in the year i774> and I contin- ued with him about six months, when the difficul- ties which had for some time prevailed beiween the Americans and Britons, had now arrived at that crisis, as to render it certain that hostilities would soon commence in good earnest between the two na- tions ; in consequence of which, the Americans at this period began 'to prepare themselves for the e- vent companies were formed in several of the towns in New England, who received the appella- tion of " minute men," and who were to hold them- selves in readiness to obey the first summons of their officers, to march at a moment's notice j a company of this kind was formed in Coventry, into which I enlisted, and to the command of which Edmund Johnson, of said Coventry, was appoint- ed. It was on a Sabbath morning that news was re- ceived of the destruction of the provincial stores at Cone rd, and of the massacre of our countrymen at Lexington, by a detached party of the British troops from Boston : and 1 immediately thereupon re- ceived a summons from the captain, 'to be prepared to march with the company early the morning ensu- ing and ? although I felt not less willing to obey the call of my country at a minute's notice, and 4 to -face htr foes, than did the gallant Putnam, yet, the nature of the summons did not render it necessary &r me, like him, to quit my plough in the field \ as 3 44 LIFE AND ADVENTURES having the day previous commenced the ploughing ' of a field often or twelve acres, that I might not leave my work half done, I improved the sabbath to com- plete it. 3y the break of day Monday morning I swung fny knapsack, shouldered my musket, and with the company commenced my march with a quick step for Charlestown, where we arrived about sunset, and remained encamped in the vicinity until about noon of the 16th June; when, having been previously joined by the remainder of the regiment from Rhode Island, to which our company was attached, we received orders to proceed and join a detachment of about 1000 American troops, which had that morning taken possession of Bunker-Hill} and which we had orders inn mediately to fortify, in the best manner that circumstances would admit of. We laboured all night without cessation and with very Kttle refreshment, and by the dawn of day succeed- ed in throwing up a redoubt of eight or nine rods square. As soon as our works were discovered by the British in the morning, they commenced a heavy fire upon us^ which was supported by a fort on Copp's hill ; we however (under the command of the intrepid Putnam) continued to labour like be- vers until our breast-work was completed* About noon, a number of the enemy's boats and barges, filled with troops, landed at Charlestown, and commenced a deliberate march to attack us we were now harangued by Gen. Putnariy who re- 07 ISRAEL R. POTTER, ? minded us, that exhausted as we were, by our in- cessant labour through the preceding night, the most important part of our duty was yet to be performed* and that much would be expected from so great a number of excellent marksmen he charged us to be cool, and to reserve our fire until the enemy ap- proached so near as to enable us to see the white of their eyes when within about ten rods of our works we gave them the contents of our muskets, and which were aimed with so good effect, as soon to cause them to turn their backs and to retreat with a much quicker step than with what they approach- ed us. We were now again harangued by old General Put," as he was termed, and requested by him to aim at the officers, should the enemy renew the attack which they did in a few moments, with a reinforcement their approach was with a slow step, which gave us an excellent opportunity to obey the commands of our General in bringing down their officers, 1 feel but little disposed to boast of my own performances on this occasion, and will only say, that alter devoting- so many months in hunting the wild animals of the wilder- ness, while an inhabitant of New. Hampshire, the reader will not suppose me a bad or unexperien- ced marksman, and that such were the fare shots which the epuletted red coats presented in the two attacks, that every shot which they received from xne, 1 am confident on another occasion would have., produced me a deer skin. 16 LlIE ANB ADVENTURES So warm was the reception that the enemy met with in their second attack) that they again found it necessary to retreat, but soon after receiving a fresh reinforcement, a third assault was made, in which, in consequence of our ammunition Jailing, they too Well succeeded a close and bloody engagement now ensued to fight our way through a very con- siderable body of the enemy, with clubbed muskets {for there were not one in twenty of us provided with .bayonets) were now the only means left us to es- cape ; - the conflict, which was a sharp and severe one, is still fresh in my memory) and cannot be for- gotten by me while the scars of the wounds which 1 then received, remain to remind me of it ! fortu. Iiately for me, at this critical moment, 1 was armed with a cutlass, which although without an edge, and much rust-eaten. 1 found of infinite more service to me than my musket in one instance I am certain it was the means of saving my lite a blow with a cut- lass was aimed at my head by a British officer, which I parried and received only a slight cut with the point on my right arm near the elbow, which 1 was then unconscious of, but this slight wound cost my antagonist at the moment a much more serious one, which effectually disarmed him, for with one well directed stroke I deprived him of the power of very soon again measuring swords with a " yankee rebel I'* We finally however should have been mostly cut cff> and compelled to yield to a superiour and belter e- quipped force, had net a body of three or four hurr OF ISRAEL R POTTED IT dred Connecticut men formed a temporary breast work, with rails 8cc and by which means held the enemy at bay until our main body had time to as- cend the heights, and retreat across the neck ; in this retreat I was less fortunate than many of my comrads I received two musket ball wounds, one in my hip and the other near the ancle of my left leg I succeeded however without any assistance in reaching Prospect Hill, where the main body of the Americans had made a stand and commenced fortify- ing >fro:n thence I was soon after conveyed to the Hospital in Cambridge, where my wounds were dressed and the bullet extracted from my hip by one of the Surgeons ; the house was nearly filled wkh the poor fellows who like myself had received wounds in the late engagement, and presented a melAnchoily spectacle. Bunker-Hill fight proved a sore thing for the Brit- ish, and will I doubt not bi long remembered by them; while in London I heard it frequently spoken of by many who had taken an active part therein ? some of whom were pensioners* asid bore indelible proofs of American bravery by them the Yankees by whom they were opposed, were not unfrequently . represented as a set ot infuriated beings, whom noth- ing could daunt or intimidate : and who, after their ammunhion failed, disputed the ground, inch by inch, for a full hour with clubbed muskets, rusty swords, pitchforks and billets of wood, against the British bayonets. 2* 19 LIFE AND ADVENTUxl&S I suffered much pain from the wound which I re- ceived in my ?ncle, the bone was fcadly fractured and several pieces were extracted by the surgeon, and it was six weeks before I was sufficiently recovered to be able to join my regiment quartered on Prospect- Hifll) where they had thrown up entrenchments with- in the distance of little more than a mile of the ene- my's camp, which was full in view, they having en trenched themselves on Bunker-hill after the engage. ment. On the 3d July, to the great satisfaction of the A- mericans, General WASHINGTON arrived from the south to take command I was then confined in the Hospital, but as far as my observations could extend* he met with a joyful reception, and his arrival was welcomed by every one throughout the camp the troops had been long waiting with impatience for his arrival as being nearly deslitute of ammunition and tbe British receiving reinforcements daily, their pros- pects began to wear a gloomy aspect. The British quartered in Boston began soon to suf- fer much from the scarcity of provisions, and Gener- al Washington took every precaution to prevent their gaining a supply from the country ail supplies could be easily cutoff, and to prevent their receiving any from Tories, and other disaffected persons by water, the General found it necessary to equip two or thiee armed vessels to intercept themamong these was the brigantine Washington of [0 guns, commanded by capt. Martindale, -as seamen a; this. OF ISRAEL R. POTTKB. i time could not easily be obtained, as most of them had enlisted in the land service, permission was giv- en to any of the soldiers who should be pleased lo ac- cept of the offer, to man these vessels consequently myself with several others of the same regiment went on board of the Washington, then lying at Plymouth, and in complete order for a cruize. We set sail about the 8th December, but had, been out but three days when we were captured by the enemy's ship Foy. of 20 guns, who took us all out and put a prize crew on board the Washington the Foy .proceeded with us immediately to Boston bay where v?e was put on board the British frigate Tartar and orders given to convey us to England.- VV hen two or three days out I projected a scheme (with the as- sistance of my fellow prisoners, 72 in number) to take the ship, in which we should undoubtedly have suc- ceeded, as we bad a number of resolute fellows on board, had it not been for the treachery of a renegado Englishman, who betrayed us as i was pointed out by this fellow as the principal in the plot, I was or- dered in irons by the Officers of the Tartar, and in which situaiion 1 remained until the arrival of the ship at Portsmouth (Eng ) when I was brought on deck and closely examined, but protesting my inno- cence, and what was very fortunate for me in the course of the examination, the person by whom 1 had been betrayed, having been proved a British deserter, his story was discredited .and I was relieved of my i* rons* 39 LIFE AND ADVENTUSES The prisoners were now all thoroughly cleansed" and conveyed to the marine hospital on shore, where many of us took the small-pox the na.ural way, by some whom we found in the hospital effected wiih that disease, and which proved fatal to nearly one half our number. From ihe hospital those of us who survived were conveyed to Spitheid, and put on board a Guard Ship, and where I had been confined with my fellow prisoners about one month, when I was ordered into the boat, to assist the bargemen (in consequence of the absence of one of their gang) in rowing the lieutenant on shore. As soon as we reached the shore and the officer landed, it was pro- posed by some of the boat's crew to resort tor a few moments to an ale -house, in the vicinity, to treat themselves to a few pots of beer ; which being agreed to by all, I thought this a favourable opportunity and the only one that might present > to escape from my Floating Prison, and felt determined not to let it past unimproved ; accordingly, as the boat's crew were a* bout to enter the house, 1 expressed a necessity of my seperating from them a few moments, to which ihey (not suspecting any design,) readily assented. As soon as 1 saw them all snugly in and the door clos- ed. I gave speed to my legs, and ran, as 1 then con- eluded, about four miles whhout once halting 1 steered rny course toward London, as when there by mingling with the crowds 1 thought it probable that 1 should be least suspected. Wften I had reached the distance of about teh OF ISRAEL R, POTTER. 31 miles from where I quit the bargemen and begin- ning to think myself in little danger of apprehen- sion, should any of them be sent by the lieutenant in pursuit of me, as ! was leisurely passing a public house, 1 was noticed and hailed by a naval officer at the door with " ahoi, what ship ?"- l no ship." was my reply, on which he ordered me to stop, but or which I took no-other notice than to observe to him that if he would attend to his own busiuess I would proceed quietly about mifie---this rather increasing than diminishing his suspicions that I was a deser- ter, garbed as I was, he gave chase finding my- self closely persued and unwilling again to be made a prisoner of, if it was possible to escape, 1 had once more to trust to my legs, and should have a- gain succeeded had not ihe officer, on finding him- self likely vo be distanced, set up a cry of "stop thief!" ihis brought numbers out of their houses and work- shops, who. joining in the pursuit, suc- ceeded after a chace of nearly a mile in overhaul- ing me Finding myself once more in their power and a perfect stranger to the country, I deemed it vain to attempt to deceive them with a lie, and therefore made a voluntary confession to the officer that I was prisoner of war, and related to him in what man- ner I had that morning made my escape. By the officer I was conveyed back to the Inn, and left in custody of two soldiers the former (previous to re- tiring) observing to the landlord that believing me 12 L1IE AND ADVENTURES to be a true blooded yankee, requested him to sup* ply me at his expence with as much liquor as I should call for. The house was thronged early in the evening by- many of the " good and faithful subjects of King George," who had assembled to take a peep at the " yankee rebel," (as they termed me) who had so recently taken an active part in the rebellious war, then raging in his Majesty's American provinces- while others came apparently to gratify a curiosity in viewing, for the first time, an u American Yan- kee !" whom they had been taught to believe a kind of non descripts beings of much less refinement than the ancient Britains, and possessing Iktle more humanity than the Buccaniers. As for myself I thought it best not to be reserved, but to reply readily to all their inquiries ; for while my mind Was wholly employed in devising a plan to escape from the custody of my keepers, so far from manifesting a disposition to resent any of the insuUs offered me, or my country, to prevent any suspicions of my designs, I feigned myseit not a little pleased with their observations, and in no way dissatisfied vith my situation. As the officer had left orders with the landlord to supply me with as much liquor as I should be pleased to call for, I felt determined to make my keepers merry at his expence, if possi- ble, as the best means that I could adopt to effect my escape. The loyal group having attempted in vain to irri- t>f ISRAEL R. POTTER, ^3 late me, by their mean and ungenerous reflections) by one (who observed that he had frequently heard it mentioned that the yankees were extraordinary dancers,) it was proposed that I should -entertain the company with a jig ! to which 1 expressed a willingness to assent with much feigned satisfaction, if a fiddler could be procured fortunately for them, there was one residing in the neighborhood, who was soon introduced, when 1 was obliged (although much against my owt inclination) to lake the floor with the full determination) however that if John Bull was to be thus diverted at the expence of an unfortunate prisoner of war, uncle Jo,, athan should come in for his part of the sport before morning) by show-ing them a few Tankee steps which they then Httle dreamed of. By my performances they were soon satisfied tliat in this kind of exercise, I should suffer but Httle in competition with the most nimble footed Britain among them : nor would they release me cntil I had danced myself into a state of perfect perspiration ; which, however, so far from being any disadvantage to me, I considered all in favour of my projected plan to escape tor while I was pleas- ed lo see the flowing bowl passing merrily about; and not unfrequently brought in contact with the lips of my two keepers, the state of perspiration that I was in, prevented its producing on me any intoxicating effects. The evening having become now for spent and 24 LIFE AND ADVENTURES the company mostly retiring my keepers (who, to use a sailor's phrase 1 was happy to discover " half st as over") having much to my dissatisfaction fun ished me with a pair ot handcuffs spread a blank- et by the side of their bed on which i was to re- pose for the night, I feigned myself very grate- ful to them for having huiiiaueiy fin nibbed me with so comfortable a bed, and on which 1 stretched my- self with much apparent unconcern* and remained quiet about one hour, when I *vas sure that the family had ail retired to bed The important mo- ment had now arrived in which 1 was resolved to carry my premeditated plan into execution, or die in the attempt for certain I was that it I let this opportunity pass unimproved, I might have cause to regret it when it was too late -that I should most assuredly be conveyed early in the morning back to the floating prison from which I had so re- cently escaped, and where 1 might possibly re- main confined until America should obtain her in- dependence, or the differences between Great-Britain and her American provinces were adjusted. Yet should I in my attempt to escape meet with more opposition (u;m rt-y keepers, than what 1 had cal- culated from their apparent state of inebriaty, the contest I well knew would be very unequal they were two full grown stout men, with whom (if they were assisted by no others) J should have to contend, handcuffed! but, after mature delibera* tion, I resolved that however hazaidous the attempt; it should be made, and that immediately. ISRAEL R. POTTER. 25 After remaining quiet, as Ibetore observed, until I thought it probable ihat all had retired to bed in the house, I intimated to my keepers that I was un- der the necessity of requesting permission to retire for a few moments to the back yard ; when both in- stantly arose and reeling towatd me seiz.d each an arm, and proceeded to conduct me through a long and narrow entry to the backdoor, which was no sooner unbolted and opr ned by one of them, than I tripped up the heels of boih and laid them sprawling, and in a moment was at the garden wall seeking a passage whereby I might gain the public road a: new and unexpected obstacle now presented, for I found the whole garden enclosed with a smooth brick- tn wall, of the heighth of twelve feet at least, and was prevented by the darkness of the night from, discovering an avenue leading therefrom in this predicament, niy only alternative was cither to scale this wall handcuffed as> I was, and without a moment's hesitation s or to suffer myself to be made a captive of again by my keepers, who had already recovered their feet and were bellowing like bullocks for assis- lance had it not been a very dark night, Tmust cer* tainly have been discovered and re-taken by them ; fortunately before they had succeeded in rallying the family, in groping about I met with a fruit tre sit- untc-.d within ten or twelve feet of the wall, which I ascended as expeditiously as possible, and by an ex- traordinary leap from the branches reached the top of the wall> and was in an instant on the opposit side. 26 LIFB AN ADVENTURES The coast being now clear, I ran to the distance of two or three miles, with as much speed as my situa- tion would admit of ; my next object now was to rid myself of my handcuffs, which fortunately proving none of the stoutest, 1 succeeded in doing after much painful labour. It was npw as I judged about 13 o'clock* and 1 had succeeded in reaching a considerable distance from the Inn from which 1 had made my escape, without hearing or seeing any thing of my keepers, whom I had left staggering about in the garden in search of their " Yankee captive !" it was indeed to their in- toxicated state, and the extreme darkness of the -night! that I imputed my success in evading their pursuit. I saw no one until about the break of day, when I met an old man, tottering beneath the weight of his pick-ax, hoe and shovel, clad in tattered garments) and otherwise the picture of poverty and distress ; he had just left his humble dwelling, and was proceed- ing thus early to his daily labour j and as 1 was now satisfied that it would be very difficult for me to travel in the day time garbed as 1 was, in a sailor's habit, without txciting the suspicions of his Royal Majesty's pimps, who (1 had been iiiformed) were constantly on the look-out for deserters, I applyed to the old man, miserable as he appeared, for-a change ofcloathing, offering those which I then wore for a suit of inferior quality and less value this I was in- duced to do at that moment, as 1 thought that the proposal could be made with per feet safety, for what- 07 ISRAEL R, POTTER. 2/ over might hare been his suspicions as to my mo- tives in wishing to exchange my dress I doubted not, that with an object of so much apparent distress, self* interest would prevent hit communicating them. The old man however appeared a little surprised at my offer, and after a short examination of my pea- jacket) trowsers, &c expressed a doubt whether i would be willing to exchange them for his " Church suit," which he represented as something worse for wear, and not worth half so much as those I then, were taking courage however from my assurances that a change of dresi was my only object, he depot sited his tools by the side of a hedge, and inviteu* me to accompany him to his house, which we soon reached and entered, when a scene of poverty and wretchedness presented, which exceeded every thing f the kind that 1 had ever before witnessed the internal appearance of the miserable hovel, I am confident would suffer in a comparison with any of the meanest stableg of our American farmers there was but one room* in one corner of which was a bed of straw covered with a coarse sheet, and on which reposed his wife and five small children. I had heard much of the impoverished and distressed sit uatien of the poor in England, but the present pre- sented an instance of which 1 had formed no concep- tion liule indeed did I then think that it would be my lot, before I should meet with an opportunity to return to my native country, to be placed in an infi- nitely worse situation ! but, alas, such was my bar! fortune t 28 LIFE AN ADVENTURES The first garment presented by the poor old man, of his best, or " church suit," as he termed it, was a coat of very coarse cloth, and cootaining a number of patches of almost every colour but that of the cloth f which it wa originally made the next was a waistcoat and a pair of small cloathes, which appear- ed each to have received a bountiful supply of patch- es to correspond with the coat the coat 1 put on without much difficulty, but the two other garments proved much too small for me, and when I had suc- ceeded with considerable difficulty in putting them on, they set so taught as to cause me some apprehen- sion that they might even stop the circulation of blood I my next exchange was my buff-cap for an old rusty large brimmed hat. The old man appeared very much pleased with his bargain, and represented to his wife that he could now accomp&erp her to chutch nuch more decently clad he immediately tried on the pea-jacket and trowsers, and seemed to give himself very little con- cern about their size, although 1 am confident that one leg of the trowsers was sufficiently large to admit his whole body but, however ludicrous his appear- ance, in his new suit, I am confident that it could not have been more so than mine, garbed as I was, like an oilman of seventy 1 From my old friend I learn- ed the course that I must steer to reach London, the towns and villages that I should have to pass through, and the distance thereto, which was between 70 and 80 miles, He likewise repiesemed to me that the 03T- ISRAEL Fw POTTER i $- country was filled with soldiers, who were, on the constant look-out for deserters from the navy and ar- ray, for the apprehension of which they received a stipulated reward. After enjoining it on the old man not to give any* information of me, should he meet on the road an-y one who should enquire for such a person, I took -my leave of him, and again set out with a determination lo reach London, thus disguised, if possible ; I tra- velled about 30 miles that day, and -at night enVeretb a barn in hopes to find some straw or hay on which to repose for the night, for I had not money sufficient to pay for a night's lodging ai a public house, hscl f thought it prudent to app.ty for one in nvy expecta- tion to find either hay or straw in the barn I-was sad- ly disappointed, for I soon found that it contained not a lock of either, and sfier groping about in the dark in search of something ihat might serve fop a s-ubsti.- tute, I .found nothing better than an undressed sheep. skin wi'.h no other bed on which to repose-my woa ried limbs ! spent a sleepless night; cold, hungry and- weary, and impatient for Use arrival of the mortiing'a- dawn, that 1 might be enabled to pursue mv journey* By break of day I -again set out and soon found my- self within the suburbs of a considerable village, in passing which I was fearful there would be some risk of detection, but to guard myself as much as possible against suspicion, I furnished myself with a crutch, and feigning myself a cupple, hobled through the- town without meeting with any interruption In two 3,9 LIFE AND ADVENTURES hours after, I arrived in the vicinity of another still more considerable village, but fortunately for me, at the moment* I was overtaken by an empty baggage waggon, bound to London again feigning myself very lame, 1 begged of the driver to grant a poor ripple the indulgence to ride a few miles, to which he assenting, I concealed myself by lying prostrate on the bottom of the waggon, until we had passed quite through the village ; when, finding the waggoner dis- posed to drive much slower than what I wished to travel, after thanking him for the kind disposition which he had manifested to oblige me, I quite the waggon, threw away my crutch and travelled with a speed, calculated to surprise the driver with so sud- den a recovery of the use of my legs the reader will perceive that I had now become almost an adept at deception, which I would not however have so fre- quently practiced, had not self preservation demand- ed it. As I thought there would be in my journey to London, infinitely more danger of detection in pas- sing through large towns or villages, than in con- fining myself to the country, I avoided them as much as possible ; and as I found myself once more on the borders of one, apparently of much larger size than any that I had yet passed, I thought it most expedient to take a circuitous route to avoid it; in attempting which, I met with an almost in- surmountable obstacle, that I little dreamed of when nearly abreast of the iown ; 1 found my route OF ISRAEL R. POTTER. 31 obstructed by a ditch, of upwards of I* feet in breadth, and of what depth I could not determine^ as there was now no other alternative left me, but to leap this ditch, or to retrace my steps and pass through the town, after a moment's reflection I de- termined to attempt the former, although it would be attempting a fete of activity, that I supposed my- self incapable of performing ; yet, however incred- ible it may appear, I assure my readers that I did effect it, and reached the opposite side with dry feet! 1 had now arrived within about 16 miles of Lon- don, when night approaching, I again sought lodg- ings in a barn ; which containing a small quantity of hay, I succeeded in obtaining a tolerable com* fortable night's rest. By the dawn of day I arose somewhat refreshed, and reasumed my journey with the pleasing prospect of reaching London be- fore night but, while encouraged and cheered by these pleasing anticipations, an unexpected occur- rence blasted my fair prospects I had succeeded in reaching in safety a distance so great from the place where I had been last held a prisoner, and within so short a distance of London, the place of my destination, that J began to think myself so far out of danger, as to cause me to relax in a meas- ure, in the precautionary means which I had made use of to avoid detection ; as I was passing through the town ot Staincs, (within a few miles of London) about 1 1 o'clock in the forenoon, I was met by $' 5LIF2 AND ADVENTURES three or four British soHic rs, whose notice I at- tracted, and who unfortunately for me, discovered by the collar (which i had not taken the precaution to conceal) that I wore a shirt which exactly cor- responded with those uniformly worn by his Majes- ty's seamen not being able to give a satisfactory account of myself, I was made a prisoner of, on suspicion of being a deserter from hi* Majesty's service, and was immediately committed to the the Round House ; a prison so called, appropriated to the confinement of runaways, and those convic- ted of small offences 1 was committed in the even- ing: and to secure me the more effectually, I was handcuffed, and left supperless by my unfeeling jail- or, to pass the night in wretchedness. I had now been three days without food (with the exception of a single two- penny loaf) and felt myself unable much longer to resist the cravings of nature my spirits, which until now had armed . me with fortitude began to forsake meindeed I. was at this moment on the eve of despair ! when, easing to mind that gri f would only aggravate my calamity, 1 endeavoured to arm my soul with patience ; and habiiuate myself as well as I could, to woe. -Accordingly 1 roused my spirits ; and ban- isimi^ for a few moments, these gloomy ideas, I began to reflect semusiy. on the methods how to.- extricat* mys; ;f irom this labyrinth of horror* My first object was to rid myseif of my hand- Guffs, whicn ^succeeded in doing after two hours OF ISRAEL R. POTTER. 33 Hard labour, by sawing them across the grating of the window ; having my hands now at liberty) tho next thing to be do^e was to force the door of my apartment, which was secured on the outside by a hasp and padlock ; 1 devised many schemes but for the want of tools to work with, was unable to carry them into execution---! however at length succeed* cd, with the assistance of no other instrument than the bolt of my handcuffs ; with which, thirsting my arm through a small window or aperture in the door, I forced the padlock* and as there was novr no other barrier to preveot my escape, after an imprisonment of about five hours, I was once more at large. It was now as I judged about midnight, and al- though enfeebled and tormented with excessive hunger and fatigue, I set out with the determina* tion of reaching London if possible, early the en- suing morning. By break of day I reached and pas- sed through Brintford, a town of considerable note and within six miles of the Capital but so great was my hunger at this moment, that I was under serious apprehension of falling a victim to absolute starvation, if not so fortunate soon to obtain some- thing to appease it. I recollected of haying read in my youth, accounts of the dreadful effects of hung* er which had led men to the commission of the most horrible excesses, but did not then think that fate would ever thereafter doom me to an almost similar situation. 34 LIFE AND ADVENTURES When I made my escape from the Prison ship six English penny s was all the money that I possessed with two I had purchased a two penny loaf the day af. ter I had escaped from my keepers at the inn, and the other four still remained in my possession, not having Diet with a favourable opportunity since the purchase of the first loaf to purchase food of any kind. When 1 had arrived at the distance of one and an half miles from Biiniford, I met with a labourer employed in building H pale fence, to whom my deplorable situa- tion induced me to rpply for work ; 01 for i^f->t na- tion of any one in th& neighborhood, that might be in want of a band to work av farming or gardening. He informed me that he did not v/kh himself to hire, but that Sir John Millet, whose seat he represented but a short distant?, was in the habit of employing many hand*, at thai season of the year (which was in the spring of 1776) and he doubled not but lhal I might there meet with employment. With my spiruf a iulle revived., at even a distant pjrospect of obtaining something to alleviate my suf- ferings, I started- in quest or the seat of Su John, & greeable to the directions which 1 had received; in attempting to. reach which, I. mistook my way, and proceeded up a gia.vellcd and beautifully omumemed walk, which unconsciously led me dheciiy to the garden of the Brincess Amelia I* had approached within view of the Royal Mansion when a glimse of ft number of "red coats" who thronged t ho yard, sat. me of my mistake, and caused me to make aa-, V ISRAEL H. POTTER, tj instantaneous and precipitate retreat, being determin- ed, not to afford any more of their mess an opportu- nity of boasting of the capture of a '* Yankee Rebel," indeed, a wolf or bear, of the American wilder- ness, could not be more terrified or panic-struck at the sight of a firebrand, than I then was at that of a British red coat I Having succeeded in making good my retreat from the garden of her highness, without being dis covered I took another path which led me to where a number of labourers were employed in shovelling gravel, and to whom I repeated my enquiry if they could inform me of any in want of help, &c * why in troth friend (answered one in a dialect peculiar tc the labouring class of people of that part of the coumiy) me master, Sir John, hires a goodly many, and as we've a deal of work n,p*y, may-be he'll hire you; 'spose he btop a little with us 'until work is done, he may then gaqg along, and we'll question Sir John, whither him be wanting another like us or noi" Although I was sensible that an application of this kind, might lead to a discovery of my situation, whereby 1 might be again deprived or my liberty, and immured in a loathsome prison ; yet, as there was now no other alternative left me but to se^k in this way, something to satisfy the cravings of hung- er, or to yield a victim to starvation, with all Us attending horrors: of the the two evils 1 preferred the least, and concluded as the honest labourer had 36 LIFE AVD ADVENTURES proposed, to await until they hnd completed their work, and then to accompany them home to ascer- tain the will of Sir John. As I had heaid much of the tyrannical and domi- neering disposition of the rich and purse-proud of England, and who were generally the loids of the manor, and the paiticular favourites* of the crown ; it was not without feeling a very considerable de- gree of diffidence, that 1 introduced my sell into the presence of one whom 1 strongly suspected to he of thai class but, what was peculiarly fortunate for me, a shoit acquaintance was sufficient to satis* fy me that as regarded this gentleman, my appre- hensions were without cause. 1 found him walking in his front yard in company with several gentleman, . and en being made acquainted with my business, his first enquiry was whether I had a hoe, or money to purchace one t and on being answered in the negative, he requested me to call early the ensu- ing morning} and he would endeavour to furnish me with one. It is impossible for me to express the satisfaction that I felt at this prospect of a deliverance from my wretched situation. 1 was now by so long fast- ing reduced to such a state of weakness, that my legs were hardly able to support me, and it was with extreme difficulty that I succeeded in reach- ing a baker's shop in the neighborhood, where with my four remaining pennys, which I had reserved for a last resource> 1 purchased two two-penny leaves. Of ISRAEL R. POTTER* 3f After four days of intolerable hunger, the reader may judge how great must have been my joy, to find myself in possession of even a morsel to ap- pease it well might I have exclaimed at this mo. ment with the unfortunate Trenck " O nature I what delight hast thou combined with the gratifica^ tion of thy wants ! remember this ye who rack in. vention to excite appetite, and which yet you can- not procure ; remember how simple are the means that will give a crust of mouldy bread a flavour more exquisite than ail the spiees : of the east, or all the profusion of land or sea ; remember this, grow hungry, and indulge your sensuality." Although five times the quantity of the '" staff of life" would have been insufficient to have satisfied my appetite, yet, as I thought it improbable that I should be indulged \vith a mouthful of any thing to eat in the morning, I concluded to eat then but one loaf, and 10 reserve the other for another meal ; but having eaten one, so far from satisfying, it seem* cd rather to increase my appetite for the other the temptation was irresistabie the cravings of hunger predominated, and would not be satisfied until I had devoured the remaining one. The day was now far spent and I was compelled to resort wiih reluctance to a carriage house, to spend another night in misery j 1 found nothing therein on which to repose my wearied limbs but U,e bare floor, which was sufficient to deprive me of sleep, however much exhausted nature required 4 38 LIFE AND AB VENTURES it ; my spirits were however buoyed up by the pleas- ing consolation that the succeeding day would bring relief ; as soon as day light appeared. I hastened to await the commands of one, whom, since my first introduction! I could not but flatter myself would prove my benefactor, and afford me that relief which iny pitiful situation so much required it was an Jiour much earlier than that at which even the domes- tics were in the habit of arising, and I had been a considerable time walking back and fourth in the barn yard, before any made their appearance. It was now about 4 o'clock, and by the person of whom I made the enquiry, I was informed that 8 o'clock was the usual hour \n which the labourers commen- ced their day's work permission was granted me by this perso (who had the care of the stable) to repose myself on some straw beneath the manger, until they should be in readiness to depart to com- mence their day's work in the four hours I had a more comfortable nap than any that I had enjoyed the four preceding nights. At 8 o'clock precisely all hands were called, and preparations made for a commencement of the labours of the day I was furnished with a large iron fork and a hoe, and or* dered by my employer to accompany them, and al- though my strength at this moment was hardly suf- ficient to enable me to bear even so light a bur- then, yet was unwilling to expose my weakness, so long as it could be avoidedbut, the time had now arrived in which it was impossible for me any long* OF ISRAEL R POTTER. $>' r to conceal it, and had to confess the cause to my fellow. labourers, so far as to declare to them, that such had been my state of poverty, that (with tha exception of the four small loaves of bread) I had not tasted food for four days ! I was not I must confess displeased nor a little disappointed to witness the evident emotions of pity and commiseration, which this woeful declaration appeared to excite in their minds : as I had supposed them too much ac- customed to witness scenes of misery and distress, to have their feelings much effected by a brief reci- tal of my suffering and deprivations but in justice to them I must aay, that although a very illiterate, 1 found them (with a few exceptions) a human* and benevolent people. About 11 o'clock we were visited by our employ* er, Sir John : who, noticing me particularly, and perceiving the little progress I made in my labour, observed, that although 1 had the appearance of be- ing a stout hearty man ; yet 1 either feigned myself or really was a very weak one ! on which it was immediately observed by one of my friendly fellow labourers, that it was not surprising that I lacked strength, as I had eaten nothing of consequence for four days J Mr. Millet, who appeared at first lit- tle disposed to credit the fact, on being assured by me that it was really so, put a shilling into my hand, and bid me go immediately and purchase to that amount in bread and meat a request which the reader may suppose 1 did not hesitate to comply with. 4 LI?E AND ADV3NTUBES Having made a tolerable meal, and feeling some- what refreshed thereby, I was on my return when I was met by my fellow labourers on their return home four o'clock being the hour in which they usually quit work. As soon as we arrived, some victuals was ordered for me by Sir John, when the maid pre- senting a much smaller quantity, than what her be- nevolent master supposed sufficient to satisfy the ap- petite of one who had been four days fasting, she was ordered to return and bring out the platter and the whole of its contents and of which I was requested to eat my fill, but of which T eat sparingly to prevent the dangerous consequences which might have re- sulted from my voracity in the debilitated state to Which my stomach was reduced. My light repast being over, one of the men were ordered by my hospitable friend to provide for me a tfomfortabie bed in the barn, where 1 spent the night on a couch of clean straw, more sweetly than ever I had done in the days of my better fortune. 1 arose early much refreshed, and was preparing after break- fast to accompany the labourers to their work, which was no sooner discovered by Sir John, than smiling, he bid me return to my couch and there remain un- til 1 was in a better state to resume my labours ; in- ; deed the generous compassion and benevolence of this gentleman was unbounded* After having on that day partook of an excellent dinner, which had been provided expressly for me, and the domestics having been ordered to retire, 1 was not a little sur- OF ISRAEL R. POTTEft. 41 prised to hear myself thus addressed by him" my honest friend, 1 perceive that you are a sea-faring man, and your history probably is a secret which you may not wish to divulge; but, whatever circumstan- ces may have attended you, you may make them- known to me with the greatest safety, for I pledge my honour I will never betray you," Having experienced so many proofs of the friend- ly disposition of Mr Millet, I could not hesitate a moment to comply witb his request, and without at- tempting to conceal a single fact made him acquain- ted with every circumstance that had attended me since my first enlistment as a soldier after expres- sing his regret that there should be any of his coun- trymen found so void of the principles of humanity, as to treat thus an unfortunate prisoner of war, he as- sured me that so long as I remained in his employ he would guarantee my safety adding, that notwith- standing (in consequence ot the unhappy differences which then prevailed between Great Britain and her American colonies) the inhabitants of the latter were denominated Rebels, yet they were not without their friends in England, who wished well to their cause, and would cheerfully aid them whenever an oppor- tunity should present he represented the soldiers (whom it had been reported to me, were constantly on the look out for deserters) as a set of mean and contemptible wretches, little better than a lawless banditti, who, to obtain the fee awarded by govern- ment, for the apprehension of a deserter, would be- u* their best friends, 42 tlFE ANB ADVENTURES Having been generously supplyed with a new suit ofcloathes and other necessaries by Mr. M. I con- tracted with him for six months, to superintend his strawbury garden, in the course of which so far from being molested, 1 was not suspected by even his own domestics of being an American at the expiration of the six months, by the recommendation of my hos- pitable friend, I got a birth in the garden of the Prin- ces, Amelia, where although among my fellow la- bourers the American Rebellion was not unfrequent- Jy the topic of their conversation, and the " d d Yankee Rebels" (as they termed them) frequently the subjects of their vilest abuse, 1 was little suspec- ted of being one of that class whom they were pleas- ed thus to denominate -1 must confess that it was not without some difficulty; that I was enabled to sur press the indignant feelings occasioned by hearing my countrymen spoken so disrespectfully of, but as a single word in their favour might have betrayed me, 1 could obtain no other satisfaction than by secretly indulging the hope that I might before the conclusion of the war, have an opportunity to repay them, in their own coin> with interest. 1 remained in the employ of the Princess shout three months, and then in consequence of a misun- derstanding with the overseer, I hired my self to a far- mer in a small village adjoining Brintford, where I had not been three weeks employed before rumour was afloat that I was a Yankee Prisoner of war ! trom whence the report arose, or by what occcasioned> i OF ISRAEL R. POTTER. 4 never could learn it no sooner reached the ears of the soldiers, than ihey were on the alert, seeking an opportunity to seize my person fortunately I was apprised of their intentions before they had time to carry them into effect; I was however hard pushed) and sought for by them with that diligence and per- severance that certainly deserved a better cause I had many hair breadth escapes, and most assuredly should have been taken, had it not been for the friend- ship of those whom I suspect felf not less friendly to the cause of my country, but dare not publicly avow it I was at one time traced by the soldiers in pursuit of me to the house of one of this description, in whose garret I was concealed, and was at that moment in bed ; they entered and enquired for me, and on be- ing told that 1 was not in the house, they insisted on searching, and were in the act of ascending the cham- ber stairs for that purpose, when seizing ray cloathes, 1 passed up through the scuttle, and reached the root' of the house, and from thence half naked passed to those of the adjoining ones to the number of ten or twelve, and succeeded in making my escape without being discovered. Being continually harrassed by night and day by the soldiers, and driven 1'rona place to place, without an opportunity to pertorm a day's work, I was ad- vised by one whose sincjrfty 1 could not doubt, to apply for a birth as a wbourer in a garden of his Royal Majesty, situated in the village o' Quew, a few miles from -filiation) j where, under the pro* 44 LIFE AND AIM'ENTURSS tection of his Majesty, it was represented to me that I should be perfectly safe, as the soldiers dare not approach the royal premises, to molest any one. therein employedhe was indeed so friendly as to introduce me personally to the overseer v as an ac- quaintance who possessed a perfect knowledge of gardening, but from whom he carefully concealed the fact of my being an American born, and of the suspicion entertained by some of my being a pris- oner of war, who had escaped the vigilance of ray- keepers. The overseer concluded to receive me on trial ; it was here that I had not only frequent oppor- tunities to see his Royal Majesty in person, in his frequent resorts to this, one of his country retreats, but once had the honour of being addressed by him. The fact was, that I hud not been one week em* ployed in the garden, before the suspicion of my, being either a prisoner of war, or a Spy, in the employ of the American Rebels, was communica- ted, not only to the overseer and other persons em- ployed in the garden, but even to the King him- self ! As I was one day busily engaged with three ethers in gravelling a walk, I was unexpectedly ac. costed by his Majesty : who, with much apparent good nature, enquired of me of what country I was '* an American born, may it please your ma- jesty/' was my reply (taking off my hat, which he requested me instantly to replace on my head,)- '( ah 1 (continued he with a smile) an American, a- OF ISRAEL R, FOTTSR. 45 stubborn, a very stubborn people indeed i and what brought you to tbis country, and how long have you been here?" M the fate of war, your Majesty- I was brought to this country a prisoner about eleven months since," and thinking this a favourable op* portunity to acquaint him with a few of my griev- ances, I briefly Mated to him how much I had been harassed by the soldiers " while here employed they will not trouble you," was the only reply he made, and passed on. The familiar manner in which I had been interrogated by his majesty, had I must confess a tendency in some degree to pre- possess me in his favour I at least suspected iiim to possess a disposition less tyrannical, and ca- pable of better views than what had been imputed to him ; and as I had frequently heard it repre- sented in America, that uninfluenced by such of his ministers, as unwisely disregarded the reiterated complaints of the American people, he would have been foremost to have redressed their grievance^ of which they so justly complained. I continued in the service of his Majesty's gardner at Qeuw, about.four months, when ihe'season having Thrived in which the work of tne garden required less labourers I with three others was discharged ; and the day after engaged myself for a few months, to a farmer in the town and neighborhood where 1 had been last employed but, not one week had expired before the old story of my being an American priso- ner of war &c, was revived and industriously circle 46 LIFE AMD ADVENTUR2* Jated, and the soldiers (eager to obtain the proffered bounty) like a pack of blood-hounds were again on the track seeking an opportunity to surprise me the house wherein I had taken up my abode, was se- veral times thoroughly searched by them, but 1 was always so fortunate as to discover their approach in season to make good my escape by the assistance of a friend- to so much inconvenience however did this continual apprehension and fear subject me, that 1 was finally half resolved to surrender myself a pri- soner to some of his Majesty's officers; and submit to my fate, whatever it might be, when by an unexpec- ted occurrence . and ihe seasonable interposition of providence in my favour, I. was induced to change my resolution. I had been strongly of the opinion by what I had myself experienced, that America was not without her friends in England, and those who were her well wishers in the important cause in which she was at that moment engaged ; an opinion which i think no one will disagree with me in saying, was somewhat confirmed, by a circumstance of that importance^ as entitles it to a conspicuous place in my narrative* At a moment when driven almost to a state of des- pondency by continual alarms and fears of falling in- tojthe hands of a set of desperadoes, who for a very small reward would willingly have undertaken the commission of almost any crime; I received a mes- sage from a gentleman of respectability of Brintford (J, Woodcock EsqO requesting me to repair imnie- tF ISRAEL R. POTTER. 47 diately to his house the invitation 1 was disposed to pay but little attention to t as I viewed it nothing more than a plan of my pursuers to decoy and entrap me but, on learning from my confidential friend that the gentleman by whom the message had been sent, was one whose loyalty had been doubted, I was in- duced to comply with the request* I reached the house of 'Squire Woodcock about 8 e'clock in the evening, and after receiving from him at the door assurances that I might enter without fear or apprehension of any design on his pan against me, I suffered myself to be introduced into a private chamber, where were seated two other gentlemen, who appeared to be persons of no mean rank, and proved to be no other than Home Touke and James Bridges Esquires -as all three of these gentlemen tiave long since paid the debt of nature, and are pla- ced beyond the reach of such as might be disposed to persecute or reproach them for their disloyally, I can now with perfect safety disclose their names- names which ought to be dear to every tiue Ameri- can. After having (by their particular request) furnHi. -ed these gentlemen with a brief account of the most important incidents of my life, I underwent a very strict examination, as they seemed determined to sat- isfy themselves, before they made any important ad- vances or disclosures, that I was a person in whom they could repose implicit confidencet Finding me Firmly attached to the interests of my country, so 48 LIFE AN ADVENTURES much so as to be willing to sacrifice even my life if necessary in her behalf,they began to address me with less reserve ; and after bestowing the highest encom- iums on my countrymen, for the bravery which they had displayed in their recent engagements with the British troops, as well as for their patriotism in pub* licly manifesting their abhorrence and detestation of the ministerial party in England, who to alienate their affections and to enslave them, had endeavoured to subvert the British constitution ; they enquired of me if (to promote the interests of my country) I should have any objection to take a trip to Paris, on an important mission, if my passage ar.d other expert ces were paid, and a generous compensation ai- lowed me for my trouble ; and which in all prob- ability would lead to the means whertby I might be enabled to return to rny country 10 which I replied that I should have none. After having en- joined upon me to keep every thing which they had communicated, a piofound secret, they pre- sented me with a guinea, and a letter for a gen- tleman in White Waltam (a country town about SO miles from B;intibrcl) which they requested me to reach as soon as possible, and there remain until they should send lor me, and by no means to fail to arrive at the precise hour that they should ap- point. After partaking of a little refreshment I set out at 12 o'clock at night, and reached White Wat- tarn at half past 11 the succeeding day, and imiwe* OT ISRAEL R. POTTER; 49 dlately waited on and presented the letter to the gentleman to whom it was directed, and who gave me a very cordial reception, and whom I soon found was as real airiend 10 America** cause as the three gentlemen in whose company I had last been- It was from him that 1 received the first info' maiion of the evacuation of Boston by the Biitish troops, and of the declaration of IKDEPEMOENCL, by the Ameri- can Congress he indeed appeared to possess a knowledge of almost every important transaction ire America, since the memorable battle of Banker-Hill^ and it was to him thai 1 was indebted for many par- ticulars, not a little interesting to myself, and which I might otherwise have remained ignorant of, as I have always found it a principle of the Britains, to conceal every thing calculated to diminish or tarnish their fame, as a " great and powerful nation 1" 1 remained in the family of this gentleman about a fortnight, when I received a letter from "Squire Woodcock, requesting me to be at his house with* out fail precisely at 2 o'clock the morning ensuing- in compliance of which I packed up and started im- mediately for Brintford, and reached the house of 'Squire Woodcock at the appointed hourI found there in company with the latter, the two gentlemen whose names, I have before mentioned, and by whom the object of my mission to Paris was now made known to me which was to convey in the most se- cret manner possible a letter to Dr. FRANKLIN ; eve- ry thing was in readiness, and a chaise ready harness- 5 53 LIFE AND ADVENTURES ed which was to convey me to Charing Cross, wait- ing at the door I was presented with a pair of boots., made expressly for me, and for the safe conveyance of the letter of which 1 was to be the bearer, one of them contained a false heel, in which the Utter was deposited, and was to be thus conveyed to the Doc- tor. After again repeating my former declarations, 4hat whatever might be my fate, they should never be exposed, I departed, and was conveyed in quick time to Charing Cross, where ] took the post coach for Dover, and from thence was immediately convey- ed in a packet to Calais, and in fifteen minutes after landiag, started for Paris ; which 1 reached in safety, and delivered to Dr. Franklin the letter of which I was the bearer. What were the contents of this letter! was never informed and never knew, but had but little doubt but that it contained important information relative to the views of the British cabinet, as regarded the af fairs of America ; and although I well knew that a discovery (while within the British dominions) would have proved equally fatal to me as to the gentlemen by whom I was employed, yet, 1 most solemnly de- clare, that to be. serviceable to my country at that im- portant period, was much more of an object with me, than the reward which 1 had been promised, howev- er considerable it might be. My interview with Dr Franklin was a pleasing one for nearly an hour he cu^ersed with me in the ir.ost agreeable and instruc- tive xnanr.er, and Jistf ned to the tale of my sufferings OJf ISRAEL R. POTTER. i with much apparent interest, and seemed disposed to encourage me with the assurance that if the Ameri- cans should succeed in their grand object, and firm* ly establish their Independence, they would not fail to remunerate their soldiers for their services but, alas ! as regards myself, these assurances have not as yet been verified ! I am confident, however, that had it been a possible thing for that great and good znan (whose humanity and generosity have been the theme of infinitely abler pens than mine) to have liv- ed to this day, I should not have petitioned my coun- try in vain for a momentary enjoyment of that provi- sion, which has been extended to so great a portion of my fellow soldiers ; and whose hardships and de- privations, in the cause of their country, could not I am sure have been half so grear as mine ! After remaining two days in Paris, letters were de- livered to me by the Doctor, to convey to the gentle- men by whom I had been employed, and which for their better security as well as my own, I deposited as the other, in the heel of my boot, and with which to the great satisfaction of my friends 1 reached Brint- ford, in safety, and without exciting the suspicion of any one as to the important, (although somewhat dan- gerous) mission that I had been engaged in. JB re- mained secreied in the house of 'Squire Woodcock a few clays, and then by his and the two other gentle- mei.'s request, made a second trip to Paris, and in reaching which and in delivering my letters, was e* qually as fortunate as in my first. If I should sue- 52 LIFE AND ADVENTURES eed in returning in safety to Brintford this trip, i Was (agreeable to the generous proposal of Doctor Franklin) to return immediately to France, from Whence he was to procure me a passage to America ? but, although in my return I met with no difficul- ty} yet, as if fate had selected me as a victim to en- dure the miseries and privations which alterward at- tended me, but three hours before 1 reached Dover to engage a passage for the third and last time to Ca. Jaist all intercourse between the two countries was prohibited ! My flattering expectations of being enabled soon to return to my native country, and once more to meet and enjoy the society of my friends, (after an absence of more than twelve months) being thus by an unforeseen circumstance completely destroyed, I returned immediately to the gentlemen by whom I had been last employed to advise with them what it Would be best for me to do, in my then unpleasant situation for indeed, as all prospects were now at an end, of meeting with an opportunity very soon to re- turn to America, I could not bear the idet of remain- ing any longer in a neighborhood where I was so strongly suspected of being a fugitive from justice and under continual apprehension ot being retaken, and immured Hke a felon in a dungeon, By these gentlemen 1 was advised to repair imme- diately to London, where employed as a labourer, if I did not imprudently betray myself they thought there was little probability of my being suspected ot being OF ISRAEL a, POTTER. 53 an American. This advice 1 readily accepted as the plan was such a one as exactly accorded with my o- pinion, for from the very moment that I first escaped from the clutches of my captors, I thought that i i the city of London I should not be so liable to be sus- pected and harrassed by the soldiers, as I should to remain in the country. These gentlemen supplied me with money sufficient to defray ray expence* and would have willingly furnished me with a recom- mendation had they not been tearful that if 1 should be so unfortunate as to be recognised by any one ac- quainted with the circumstance of my capture and es cape, those recommendations (as there loyalty was already doubted) might operate much against them } in as much as they might furnish a clue to the dis- covery of some transactions which they then felt un- willing to have exposed. I ought here to state that before 1 set out for London, I was entrusted by these gentlemen with Five Guineas, which I was request- ed to convey and distribute among 1 a number of A- mericans, then confined as prisoners of war, in one of the city prisons I reached London late in the evening and the next day engaged board at Five Shillings per week, .-t a public house in Lombard Street, where under. a ficti- cious name I passed for a farmei from Lincolnshire my next object was to find my way to the prison where were confined as prisoners of war a number of my countrymen, and among whom I was directed to dis- tribute the 5 guineas with which 1 had been entrust- > 5* ' 54 L1IE AND ADVENTURES cd for that purpose by their fi lends at Brintfcrd. found the prison without much difficulty, but it was with very considerable difficulty that 1 gained admit- tance, and not until I had presented the turnkey with a considerable lee would he consent to indulge me, The reader will suppose that I must have been very much surprised, when, as soon as the door of the pri- soner's apartment was opened, and 1 had passed the threshold* to hear one of them exclaim with much apparent astonishment, u Potter 1 is that you J how in the name of heaven came you here !'* an exclama- tion like this by one of a number to whom 1 suppos- ed myself a perfect stranger, caused me much un- easiness for a few moments, as I expected nothing less than to recognize in this man, some one of my old shipmates, who had undoubtedly a knowledge oi the fact of my being a prisoner of war, and having been confined as such on boaid the guard ship at spit- head but| in this I soon found to my satisfaction that I was mistaken, for after viewing for a moment the person by whom I had been thus addressed, I discovered him to be no other than my old friend seargent Singles, with whom 1 had been intimately acquainted in America as the exclamation was in presence of the turnkey, least I should have the key turned upon me, and be considered as lawful a pri- soner as any of the rest, 1 hinted to my iriend that lie certainly mistook me (a Lincolnshire farmer) for another person, and by a wink which he received from me at the same moment gave him to understand that OF ISRAEL R, POTTER. 55 a renewal of our acquaintance or an exchange of ci- vilities would be more agreeable to me at any other time. I now as 1 hail been requested divided the mo- ney as equally as possible among tnem, and to pre- vent the suspicions of the keeper, I represented to them in a feigned dialect peculiar to the labouring people of the Shire-towns, that," me master was ow- ing a little trifle or so to a rebel trader of one of his Majesty's American provinces, and was quested by him to pay the ballance and so, to his brother yankee rebels here imprisoned ." 1 found the poor fellows (fifteen in number) con- fined in a dark filthy apartment of about 18 feet square; and which I could not perceive contained any thing but a rough piank bench of about IO feet in length, and a heap of straw with one or two tatter, ed, filthy looking blankets spread thereon, which was probably the only bedding allowed them although their situation was such as could not fail to excite my pity, yet I could do no more than lament that it was not in my power to relieve them hew long they re- mained thus confined or when exchanged, I could ne- ver learn, as I never to my knowledge saw one of them afterwards. For four or five days, after I reached London, I did very little more than walk about the city, viewing such cuiiosities as met my eye ; when, reflecting that remaining thus idle, I should not only be very soon out of funds, but should run the risk of being suspected and apprehended as one belonging to one 5 LIFE AND ADVENTURES of the numerous gangs of pick pockets Sec. which in- fest the streets of the city; I applied to an Iivelli- gence Office for a coachman's birth, which I was so fortunate, as to procure, at '5 shillings per week-- my employer (J. Hyslop, Esq) although rigid in his exactions; was punctual in his payments, and by my strict prudence and abstinence from the numer- ous diversions of the city, I #as enabled in the six months which I served him, to lay up more cash than what I had earned the twelve months prece- ding. The next business in which I engaged was that of brick making, and which together with that of gardening, I pursued in the summer seasons al most exclusively for five years ; in all which time I was not once suspected of being an American, yet, I must confess that my feelings were not un- frequently most powerfully wrought upon, by hear- ing my countrymen dubbed with cowardice, and by those too who had been thrice flogged or frighten* ed by them when attempting to ascend the heights of Bunker Hill ! and to De obliged to brook these insults with impunity, as to have resented them would have caused me to have been suspected di- rectly of being attached to the American cause, which might have been attended with serious con* sequences. I should now pass over the five years that I was employed as above mentioned, as cnecquered by few incidents worth ielating ; was it not for one or two circumstances of some little importance that. OF ISRAEL R, PATTER. &7 citherattcnded me, or came within my own person- al knowledge. The reader has undoubtedly heard that the city of London and its suburbs, is always more or less infested with gangs of nefarious wretch- es, who come under the denomination of Robbers, Pickpockets, Shoplifters, Swindlers, Beggars, &c. who are constantly prowling the streets in disguise, seeking opportuniiies to surprise and depredate on the weak and unguarded of these the former class form no inconsiderable portion, who contrive to e- lude and set at defiance the utmost vigilance of government they are a class who in the day time disperse each to his avocation, as the better to blind the scrutinizing eye of justice, they make it a prin- ciple to follow some laborious profession, and at night assemble to proceed on their nocturnal rounds, in quest of those whose well stored pockets promise them a reward, equal to the risk which they run in obtaining it. As I was one evening passing through Hyde Park, with five guineas and a few pennys in my pockets, 1 was stopped by six of these lawless footpads ; who, presenting pistols to my breast, de- manded my money .fortunately for me I had pre- \iously deposited the guineas in a private pocket of my pantaloons, for their better security ; thirsting their hands into my other pockets and finding me in possession of but a few English pennys, they took them and decamped. I hastened to Bow Street and lodged information of the robbery with the officers, and who U my no little surprise informed me that LIFE AND ADVENTURES mine was the fifth instance, of information of simi- lar robberies by the same gang, which had been lodged with them that evening ! runners had been sent in every direction in pursuit of inerty but with what success I could never learn. Despairing of meeting with a favourable oppor- tunity to return to America, until the conclusion of peace, and the prospects of a continuation of the war being as great then (by what I could learn) as at any period from its commencement, I became liiore reconciled to my situation, and contracted an intimacy with a young irouaan whose parents were poor but respectable, and who I soon after married, J took a small ready furnished chamber, in Red Cross street, where with the fruit* of my hard earnings, I was enabled to live tolerable comforta- ble for three or fomr yearswhen, by sickness and other unavoidable circumstances, 1 was doomed to endure miseries uncommon to human nature. In the winter of 1781, ne\vs was received in Lon- don of the surrender of the army of Lord Corn* wallis, to the French and American forces ! the receipt of news of an event so unexpected operated on the Biitish ministers and members of Parlia- ment, like a tremendous clap of thunder deep sor- row was evidently depicted in the countenances of those who had been the most strenuous advocates for the war i, ever was there a time in which I longed more to exult, and to declare myself a true blooded yankee and what was still more pleasing OS 1 ISRAEL R. POTTER. 59 to me, was to find myself even surpassed in expres- sions of joy and satisfaction, by my wife, in conse* quence of the receipt of news, which, while it went to establish the military fame of my country men^ was so calculated to humble the pride of her own ! greater proofs of her regard for me and my country I could not require, The ministerlpparty in Parliament who had been the instigators of the war* and who believed that even a view of the bright glistening muskets and bay ones of John Bull, would frighten the leather apron Yankees to a speedy submission, began now to harbour a more favourable opinion of the courage of the latter. Mis Majesty repaired immediately to the house of peers, and opened the sessions of parliament warm debates look place, on account of the ruinous manner in which the American war was continued ; but Lord North and his party ap- peared yet unwilling to give up the contest. The capitulation of Cornwallis had however one good effect, as it produced the immediate release of Mr. juaurens from the Tower, and although it did not put an immediate end to the war, yet all hopes of conquering America from that moment appeared to be given up by all except North and his adher* There was no one engaged in the cause of Ameri- ca> that did more to establish herfa:.ns m Enghnd, and to satisfy the high boasting Britains of the bravery and unconquerable resolutions of the "an- 60 LIFE AKD ADVENTURES kees, than that bold adventurer capt. Paul Jones ; who, lor ten or eleven months kept all the western coast of the island in alarm he boldly landed at Whitehaven, where he burnt a ship in the harbour, and even attempted to burn the town ; nor was this to my knowledge the only instance in which the Britains were threatened Mritjwa very serious conflagration, by the instigation SPtheir enemies abroad a daring attempt was made by one James Aitkin, commonly known in London by the name of John the Painter, to set fire to the royal dock ar;d shipping at Portsmouth, and would probably Jiave succeeded, had he not imprudently communi- cated his intentions to one, who, lor the sake of a few guineas, shamefully betrayed him poor Aiikin was immediately seized, tried, Condemned, execu- ted and hung in chains -every means was used to extort from him a confession by whom he had been employed, but without any success it was however strongly suspected that he had been employed by the FreRch, as it was about the time that they open- ly declared themselves in favour of the Americans. With regard to Mr. Laurens, I ought to have mentioned that as soon as I heard of his capture on his passage to Holland, and of his confinement in the Tower, 1 applied for and obtained permission to visit him in his apartment, and ;with some dis- tant hopes that he might point out some way in which I might be enabled to return to America) I itated to him every particular as regarded my situ* OF ISRAEL H. POTTER. 6) ation. He seemed not only to lament very much my hard fortune, but (to use his own words) " that America should be deprived of the services of such men, at the important period too when she most re- quired them.*' He informed me that he was him- self held a prisoner, and. knew not when or on what conditions he would be liberated, but should he thereafter be in a situation to assist me in obtaining a passage to America, he should consider it a duty which he owed his country to do it. Although I succeeded in obtaining by my indus- try, a tolerable living for myself and family, yet, so far from becoming reconciled to my situation, I was impatient for the return of Peace, when (as 1 then flattered-myself) I should once more have an oppor- tunity to return to my native country. I became eve- ry dsy less attached to a country where i could not meet with any thing (with the exception of my little family) that could compensate me fur the loss of the pleasing society of my kindred and friends in Amer- ica born among a moral and humane people, and having in my early days contracted their habits, and a considerable number of their prejudices, it would be unnatural to suppose that I should not prefer their society, to either that of rogues, thieves, pimps and vagabonds, or of a more honest but an exceedingly oppressed and forlorn people. 1 found London as it haci been represented to me, a large and magnificent city, filled with inhniiu it* fcf almost every description and occupation and 6 LIFE AND ADVENTURES an one indeed as might be pleasing to an English- man, delighting in tumult and confusion, and accus. tomed to witness scenes of riot and dissapation, as well as those of human infliction ; and for the sake of variety, would be willing to imprison himself wiihin the walls of a Bedlam, where continual noise would deafen him, where the unwholesomenesa of the air would effect his lungs, and where the closeness of the surrounding buildings would not permit him to enjoy the enlivening influence of the sun ! There is not perhaps another city of its size in the whole world, the streets of which display a greater contrast in the wealth and misery, the honesty and knavery, of its inhabitants, than the city of London, The eyes of the passing stranger (unaccustomed to witness such scenes) is at one moment dazzled by the ap- pearance of pompous wealth, wilh its splendid equip- page at the next he is solicited by one apparently of the most wretched of human beings, to impait a single penny for the relief of his starving family ! Among the latter class, there are many ; however, \viio so far from being the real objects of charity that they represent themselves to be, actially possess more wealth than those who sometimes benevolently bestow it these vile imposters, by every species of deception that was ever devised or practiced by man, aim to excite the pity and compassion, and to exiort chaiity from those unacquainted with their easy cir- cum| lances they possess the faculty of assuming a- tiy character that may best suit their purpose -some- OJ ISRAEL R POTTI5B. 63 times hobbling with a crutch and exhibiting a wood- en leg at other times an honourable scar of a wound, received in Egypt, at Waterloo or at Trafal- gar, fighting for their most gracious sovereign and master King George I" Independent of these there is another species of beggars (the gypsies) who form a distinct clan, and will associate with none but those of their own tribe they are notorious thieves as well as beggars, and constantly infest the streets of London to the great annoyance of strangers and those who have the ap- pearance of being wealthy they have no particular home or abiding place, but encamp about in open fields or under hedges, as occasion recpjires they are generally of a yellow complexion, an 1 cnnvc-sc in a dialect peculiar only to themselves their thiev- ing propensities does not unfrequently lead them to kidnap little children, whenever an opportunity pre- sents ; having first by a dye changed their complex- ion to one that corresponds with their o vn, they re- present them as their own offspring, and carry them about hali naked on their backs to excite the pity and compassion of those of whom they beg chanty. An instance of this species of theft by a party of these unprincipled vagabonds, occurred once in my neigh borhood while an inhabitant of London the little girl kidnapped was the daughter of a Capt. Kellem of Coventry Street being sent abroad on some busi- ness ior her parents, she was mst by a gang of Gyp- sies, consisting of five men and six women, who seiz- 4 LIFE AND ADVENTURES ed her, and forcibly carried her away to their camp, In the country, at a considerable distance, having 1 first stripped her of hero wn cloathes, and in exchange dressed her in some of their rags thus garbed she travelled about the country with them for nearly 7 months, and was treated as the most abject tlave v and her life threatened if she should endeavour to escape or divulged her slory ; she stated that during the time she was with them they entrapped a little boy about her own age, whom they also stripped and c^p- lied with them, but took particular care he should never converse with her, treating him in the like sa- vage manner ; she said that they generally travelled by cross roads and private ways, ever keeping a watchful eye that she might not escape, and thai no opportunity offered until when, by some accident, they were obliged to send her from iheir camp to a neighboring farm house, in order to procure a lig-t, which she took advantage of ; and scrambling over hedges and ditches ; as she Supposed for the distance of 8 or 9 miles, reached London worn out with fa- tigue and hunger, her suppoit with then, b-.ing al- ways scanty, and of the worst sort ; to which was ad- ded the misery of sleeping under hedgys, and expo., sure to the inclemency of the weather it was the in- tention of the gypsies she said to have coloured her and the boy when the walnut season approached. The streets of London and its suburbs are also in- fested with another and a still more dreadful species of rogues, denominated Fcotpads, and who often mur- OF ISRAEL R. POTTER* 65 der in the most inhuman manner, for the sake of on- ly a few shillings, any unfortunate people who hap- pen to fall in their way of this I was made acquain- ted with enumerable instances, while an inhabitant of London ; I shall however mention but two that 1 have now recollection of: A Mr Wylde while passing through Marlborough Street, in a chahe, was stopped by a footpad, who, on demanding his money, received a few shillings. but being dissatisfied with the little booty he ob'ained, slill kept a pistol at Mr. Wylde's head, and on the latter's attempting gently to turn it aside, the villain fired, and lodged seven slugs in his head and breast, which caused instant death Mr. W. expired hi the arms of his son and grandson without a groan. A few days after as a Mr. Gre.enhill was passing through York-Street in a single horse chaise, lie was met and stopped by three footpads s armed with pistols owe of them seized and held the horse's head, while ihe o- ther two most inhumanely dragged Mr. G. over the back of his chaise, and alter robbing him of his notes, watch and hat gave him two severe cuts on his head and left him in that deplorable state in the road. The above are but two instances of hundreds of a similar nature^ which yearly occur in the most public streets* of the city of London* The city is infested with a slill higher order of rogues, denominated pick* pockets or cmpurses, who to carry on their nefarious practices, garb themselves like gentlemen, and inirc- ' ce themselves into the most fashionable circles j 6* 66 LIFK AND ADVENTURES many of them indeed are persons who once sustain- ed respectable characters, but who, by extravagance and excesses, have reduced themselves to want) and find themselves obliged at last to have recourse to pilfering and thieving. Thus have I endeavoured to furnish the leader with the particulars of a few of the vices peculiar to a large portion of the inhabitants of the city of London to these might be added a thousand other misde. meanors of a less criminal nature, daily practiced by striplings from the age of six, to the hoary headed of ninety Ithis 1 assure my readers is a picture cor- rectly deliniated and not too highly wrought of a ci- ty famous for its magnificence,and where 1 was doom- ed to spend more than 40 years of my life, and in which time pen, ink, and paper would fail, were I to attempt to record the various instances of misery and want that attended me and my poor devoted family. In September 1783, the glorious news of a defin- itive treaty of Peace having been signed between the United States and Great-Britain, vas publicly an- nounced in London while on i he minds of those who had been made rich by the war, the unwelcom- cd news operand apparently like a paralytic stroke^ a host of those whose views had been inimical to the cause of America, and had sought refuge in England, attempted to disguise their disappointment and cejec tion under a veil of assumed cheerfulness. As re- garded myself, 1 can only say, that had an event so long and ardently vusl.cu lor by me taken place but OF IS.RAEL R POTTER. 67 a few months before, I should have hailed it as the'e- poch of my deliverance from a state ?of oppression and privation that I had already too long endured. An opportunity indeed now presented for me to return once more to my native country, after so ong an absence, had I possessed the means ; but .'uch was the high price demanded for a passage, and such had been my low wages, and the expences attending the support of even a small family in Lon- don, that I found myself at this time in possession of funds hardly sufficient to defray the expsnce of my own passage, and much less that of my wife and child hence the only choice left me was either to desert them, and thereby subject them (far sepera- ted from me) to the frowns of an uncharitable peo- ple, or to content myself to remain with them and partake of a portion of that wretchedness which e- ven my presence could not avert. When the af- fairs of the American Government had become so far regulated as to support a Consul at the British court, I murht indeed have availed myself individ- ually of t ie opportunity which presented of pro- uring a passage home at the Government's ex ence ; but as this was a priviledge that could not >e extended to my wife and child, my regard for hem. prevented my embracing the only means pro- vided by my country for the return of her captured soldiers and seamen. To make the best of my hard fortune, 1 became as resigned and reconciled to my situation as cir- 68 LIFE AND ADVENTURES cumstances would admit of; flattering myself that fortune might at some unexpected moment so far decide in my favour, as to enable me to accomplish my wishes I indeed bore my afflictions with a de- gree of fortitude which I couid hardly have believ- ed myself possessed of I had become an expert workman at brick making, at which business and at gardening, I continued to work for very small wages, for three or four years after the Peacebut still found my prospects of a speedy return to my country, by no ways flattering. The peace had thrown thousands who had taken an active part in the war, out of employ ; London was thronged with them who, in preference to starving, required no other consideration for their labour than a humble living, which had a lamentable effect in reducing the wages of the labouring class of people ; who, previous to this event were many of them so ex- tremely poor, as to be scarcely able to procure the necessaries of life for their impoverished families among this class I must rank myself, and from this period ought I to date the commencement of my greatest miseries, which never failed-, to attend me in a greater or less degree until that happy mo- ment, when favoured by providence, I was per- mitted once more 10 visit the peaceful shores of the land of my naiivity. When I first entered the city of London, I was almost stunned, while my curiosity was n-.-t a liuie excited bv what is termed the t: - cries oi London" Or ISRAEL R. POTf JR. 69 the streets were thronged by persona of both sex- es and of every age, crying each tho various articles which they were exposing for sale, or for jobs of work at their various occupations ; I ht'Je thea thought that this was a mode which I ahiulcl be o- bliged myself lo adapt to obtain a scanty pittance for my needy family but, such indeed proved to be the case. The great increase of labourers produ- ced by the cessation of hostilities, had S3 great an effect in the reduction oi wages, that the trifliag consideration now allowed me by my employers for my services, in the line of business in which I had been several years engaged, was no longer an ob- ject, being insufficient to enable me to procure a humble sustenance. Having in vain sought for more profitable business, i was induced to apply ta an acquaintance for instruction in the art of chair bottoming, and which 1 partially obtained from him for a trifling consideration. It was now (which was in the year 1789) thai I assumed a line of business very different from that in which 1 had ever before been engage J fortun- ately for nie, I possessed strong lungs, which I found very necessasy in an employment the success of which depended, in a great measure, in being enabled to drown the voices of others (engaged hi the same occupation) by my own " Oid Chairs to Mend," became r.0w niy constant cry trough the streets of London, from morning tonight; and al- though 1 found my business not so profitable as I 70 LITE AND ADVENTURES could have wished, yet it yielded a tolerable support for my family some lime, and probably would have continued so to have done, had not the almost con- stant illness of my children, rendered the expences of my family much greater than they otherwise would have been thus afflicted by additional cares and expence, (although I did every thing in my power to avoid it) I was obliged, to alleviate the sufferings of my family, to contract some trifling debts which it was not in my power to discharge. I now became the victim of additional miseries I was visited by a biliff employed by a creditor, who seizing me with the claws of a tyger, dragged me from my poor afflicted family and inhumanly thurst me into prison I indeed no misery thai I ever be- fore endured equalled this seperated from those dependent on me for the necessaries of lii'e, and placed in a situation in which it was impossible tor me to afford them any relief ! fortunately for me at this melaricholly moment, my vile ebjoyed good health, and it was to her praiseworthy exertions that her poor helpless children, as well as myself, owed our preservation from a slate of starvation ! this good woman had become acquiinted with many who had been my customers, whom she made ac- quainted with my situation, and the sufferings of my family> and who had the humanity to furnish me with work ,4ft ring my co^firienisru-- -the chairs were conveyed to and from the prison by my wife--. in this way I was enabled to support myself and to ISRAEL R. POTTER. 71 contribute something to the relief of my afflicted family. I had in vain represented to my unfeeling creditor my inability to satisfy his demands, and in vain represented to him the suffering condition of those wholly dependent on me ; unfortunately for me, he proved to be one of those human beasts* who, having no soul, take pleasure in tormenting that of others, who never feel but in their own misfortunes, and never rejoice but in the afflictions of others-. .of such beings, so disgraceful to hu- man nature, I assure the reader London contains not an inconsiderable number. After having for four months languished in a horrid prison, I was liberated therefrom a mere skeleton; the mind afllicted had tortured the body; so much is the one in subjection to the otherI returned sorrowful and dejected to my afflicted fam ily, whom I found in very little better condition. We now from necessity took up our abode in an obscure situation near Moorfields ; where, by my constant application to business, I succeeded in earning daily a humble pittance for my family, bearly sufficient however to satisfy the cravings of nature ; and to add to my afflictions, some one of my family were almost constantly indisposed, However wretched my situation there were many others at this period, with whom I was particularly acquainted, whose sufferings were greater if possible than my own; and whom want and misery drove to this commission of crimes, that in any other situation thpv wr LIFE AND ADVENTURES they would probably not have been guilty of. Such was the case of the unfortunate Bellamy, who was capitally convicted and executed for a crime which distresses in his family, almost unexampled, had in a moment of despair, compelled him to commit. He was one who had seen better days, was once a com* missioned t fficer in the army, but being unfortunate he was obliged to quit the service to avoid the hor- rors cf a prison, and was thrown on the world, with- out a single penny or a single friend. The distress- es of his family were such that they were obliged to live for a considerable time deprived of all susten- ance except what they could deiive from scanty and piecarious meals ot potatoes and n ilk- -in this situ- ation his unfortunate wife was confined in child bed --Itdgirg in an obscure ganet, she was destitute of every species of these tcnvtniexcc* almost indekpen- sable with feu, ales in her cor c'hion, being herself withe ut clothes, and to procure a covering for her new born infant, el) iheir resources were exhausted. In this situation his wife and children must inevita- bly have starved, were it not for the lean < f five shill- ings which he walked frcm London to Blackheaih to borrow. At his trial lie made a solemn appeal to heaven, as to the truth of every particular as a. bove stated- -and that so far from wishing to ex- aggerate a single fact, he had suppressed many n;cie instances of calamity scarcely to be parral- leled that after the disgrace brought upon him- self by this single transaction, life could not be a OF ISRAEL R. POTTftB. 73 boon he would be anxious to solicit, but that nature pleaded in his breast for a deserving wife and help- less child all however was ineffectual, he was con- demned and executed pursuant to his sentence. I have yet one or two more raelancholly instances of the effects of famine to record, the first of which hap* pened within a mile ot my then miserable habitation a poor widow woman, who had been left destitute with five small children, and who had been driven to th? most awful extremities by hunger, overpower- ed at length by the pitiful cries of her wretched off- spring, for a morsel of bread, in a fit of despair, rush- ed into the *hop of a baker in the neighborhood, antf seizing a loaf of bread bore it off to the relief of her starving family, and while in the act of dividing it a- mong them, the baker (who had pursued her) enter- ed arc! charged her with the theft the charge she' did not deny, but plead the starving condition of her wretched family in palliation of the crime I the ba- ker noticing a platter on the table containing a quan- tiiy of roasted meat, he pointed to it as a proof that she could not have been driven to such an extremity by hunger but, his surprize may be better imagin- ed than described, when being requested by the half distracted mother to approach and inspect more closely the contents of tire phtter, to frid it to con- sist of !he remains of a roasted (tog ! and which she i. (termed him had been her only food, and lhat of her poor children, for the three preceding days ! the baker struck with so shocking a proof of the poverty LIFE AND ADVENTURES and distress of the wretched ianiily, humanely contri- buted to their relief until they were admitted into the hospital* 1 was not personally acquainted with the family, but I well knew one who was, and who communica* lid to me the following melancholly particulars of its wretched situation ; and with which I now present my readers, as another proof of the deplorable situa- tion of the peer in England, after the close of the A- merican war : The minister of a parish was sent for to attend the funeral of a deceased person in his neighborhood, being conducted to the apartment which contained the corpse (ar.d which was the only one improved by the wretched family) he found it so low as to be unable to stand upright in it in dark corner of the room stocd a three legged stool, which supported a coffin of rough boards, and which con- tained the body of the wretched mother, who- had the day previous expired in labour for the want of assis- tance. The father was sitting on a little stool over a lew coals of fire, and endeavouring to keep the in- fant warm in his bosom ; five of his seven childien, half naked, were asking their father for a piece of bread, while another about three years old was stand- ing over the corpse of his motherland crying, as Ue was wont to do, "take me, take me, mammy !" Mammy is asleep,*' said one of his sisters with tears in her eyes, " mammy is asleep, Johnny, don't cr y, the good nurse has gone to beg you some bread and will soon return I" In a few minutes after, an Of ISRAEL R. POTTER. ?5 old woman, crooked with age, and clothed in tatters came hobbling into the room, with a two-penny loaf in her hand, and after heaving a sigh, calmly set down, and divided the loaf as far as it would go n- mong the poor half famished children ? and which she observed was the only food they had tasted for the last 24 hours I By the kind interposition of the worthy divine, a contribution was immediately raised for the relief of this wretched family. I might add many mbre melancholly instances of the extreme poverty and distress of the wretched poor of London, and with which 1 was personally ac- quainted ; but the foregoing it is presumed will be sufficient to satisfy the poorest class of inhabitants of America, that, if deprived of the superfluities, so Ion;* as they can obtain the necessaries of life, they ought not to murmer, but have reason to thank the Almigh- ty that they were born Americans. That one half the world knows not how the other haif lives, is a com- mon and just observation; complaints and murmers are frequent I find among those of the inhabitants of this highly favoured country j who are not only bles- sed with the liberty and means of procuring for them- selves and their families, the necessaries and com. forts, but even many of the luxuries of life !-~they complain of poverty, and yet never knew what it was to be really poor ! having never either experienced or witnessed such scenes of distress and woe as I have described, they even suppose their imaginary wants and privations equal to those of almost any of the human race ! LIFE AND ADVKJJTURE9 Let theae of my countrymen wh/o thus i themselves ijniaerraUle amid plenty, -cwws fthe atlamic and visit the misei^bte habitation* of seal ewJ jupaf- fected woe-* if their hearts ane not destitute ofjfeiel- g, they will return satisfied to their own peaceful *nd happy shores, and pour fourth the ejaculations I gratitude to that universal parent, who has given Ibem abundance and exempted them from ihe thous- and ills, under the pressure of which a great portion of his children drag the load of life. Permit ,rae to enquire ot such unreasonable murmerers. have you compared your situation and circumsiance&of which you so much complain, with that of those of your fellow creatures, who are unable to earn by their hard labour even a scanty pittance for their starving fam- ilies ? have you compared your situation and circum- stances with that of those who have hardly ever seen the sun, but live confined in lead mines, stone quar- ries, and coal pits ? before you call yourselves wretched, take a survey of the goals hi Europe, jin which wretched beings who have been driven to the commission of crimes by starvation, or unfortunate and honest debtors (who have been torn trom their impoverished families) are doomed to pine. So far from uttering unreasonable complaints, tjie hearts of my highly favoured countrymen ought ra- ther to be filled with gratitude to that Being, by whose assistance they have been enabled to avert so jmany of the miseries of life, so peculiar to a portion tf the oi Europe at the present day and OF ISRAEL B. POTTER. 77 after groaning themselves for some time under the yoke of foreign tyranny, succeeded in emancipating themselves from slavery and are now blessed with the sweets of iibtrtv and the undisturbed enjoyment of their natural rights Britain, imperious Britain? who once boasted the freedom of her government and the invincible power of her arras- now finds herself reduced to the humiliating necessity of receiving les- sons of liberty from those whom till late she dispis- ed as slaves ! while our own country on ihe other hand, like a phenix rom her ashes, having emerged from a long, an expensive and bloody war, and es- tablished a constitution upon the broad and immova- ble basis of national equality, now promises to be- come the permanent residence of peace, liberty, sci- ence, and national ftlicity. But, to return to the tale of my own sufferings- While hundreds were daily becoming the wretch- ed victims of hunger and slarvaiior , I was enabled by my industry to obtain a morsel each day for my fam- ily ; although [hit morsel, which was to b* divided a- nii>ng four, would ma.iy times have proved insuffici* ent to have satisfied the hunger of one I seldom e- ver failed from morning to night to cry ** old chairs to mer.d," through thu principal streets of the city, but many times with very little success -if f obtained four chairs to rebottum in the course of one day, I considered myself loi tunaie indeed, but instances of such good luck were very rare ; it was more fre- quent that I did not obtain a single one, and after cry- 7* 78 LIFE AND ADVENTUBR3 ing the whole day until 1 made myself hoarse, I was obliged to return to nay poor family at night empty handed. So many at one time engaged in the same business, that had 1 not resorted to other means my family must inevitably have starved while crying " old chairs to mend," I collected all the old rags, bits of paper, nails and broken glass which I could find in the streets, and which I deposited in a bag, which I carried with me for that purpose these produced me a trifle, and that trifle when other resoarces failed, procured me a morsel of bread, or a few pounds of potatoes, lor xny poor wife and children yet I murmeicd nut at the dispensation of the supreme Arbiter of allot- ments, which had assigned to me so humbled a line of duty; although I could not have believed once, that 1 should ever have been brought to such a state of humiliating distress, as would have required such means to alleviate it. In February 1793, War was declared by Great Britain against the republic of France and although War is a calamity that ought always to be regretted by friends of humanity, as thousands are undoubted ly thereby involved hi misery ; yet, no event could have happened at that time productive of so much benefit to me. as this it was the means of draining the country of those who had been once soldiers, and Vho, thrown out of employ by the peace, demanded a sum so trifling for their services, as to cause a re- duction in the wages of the poor labouring class of OF ISRAEL R- POTTER. 7 people, to a sum insufficient to procure the necessa- ries of life for their families ; this evil was now re- moved the old soldiers preferred an employment more in character of themselves, to doing the drud- gery of the city great inducements were held out to them to enlist, and the army was not long retard- ed in its operations for the want of recruits My prospects in being enabled to earn something to sat- isfy the calls of nature, became now more flattering ; the great number that had been employed during -the Peace in a business similar to mv own, were now reduced to one half, which enabled me to obtain such an extra number of jobs at chair mending, that I no longer found it necessary to collect the scrapings of the streets as I had been obliged to do for the many months past I was now enabled to purchase for my family two or th-iee pounds of fresh meat each week, an article to which (with one or two exceptions) we had been strangers for more than a year having subsisted principally on potatoes, oat meal bread, and salt fish, and sometimes, but rarely however, were enabled to treat ourselves to a little skim milk. Had not other afflictions attend? d me, I should not have had murh cause to complain of very ex .^or- dinary hardships or privations from this period, un- til the conclusion of the war in 1817 ; my family had increased, and to increase my cares there was scarcely a week passed but that some one of them was seriously indisposed of ten children of which I was the faiher, 1 had the misfortune to bury seven LIFR AKD ADVENTURES under five years of age. and two more after fhev hacl arrived to the age of twenty mv last and only child now living, it pleased the Almiirhtv to spare to me, to administer help and comfort to his poor affl cted parent, and without whose assistance I should (to far from having been enabled ot ct more to visit the land of my nativity) 'ere this have paid the debt of nature in a fore gn land, and that too by a death nt less horrible than that of starvation 1 As my life wa unattended with any very extraor- dinary circumstance (except the one just mentioned) from lh; commencemen* of the war, until the re-es tablishment of monarchy ii, France- and ihe cessation of hostilities on the part of G the scene of human misery which they had been an eye witness to whereupon an or- der was issued to have my wife conveyed to the Hospital, which was immediately clone and where she was comfortably provided for but, alas, the re- lift which her situation had so much required had been too long deferred her deprivation and suffer- ings had been too great to admit of her being nojF . : , 07 ISRAEL R. POTTER. #9 restored to her former state of health, or relieved by ary thitis: thai. couJ be administered after her re- moval to the H > pita), she lingered a few days i a staie of perfect insensibility, and then closed her eyes forever on a world, where for many years, she had been the unhappy subject of almost constant afflio tion. I felt very sensibly the irreparable loss of one who had been my companion in adversity, as well as in prosperity ; and when blessed with health, had affor- ded m by her industry that assistance, without which, the sufferings of our poor chi dren would have been greater if possible than what they were. My situation was now truly a lonely one, bereaved of my wife, and all my children except one ; who', al- though but little more than seven years of age, was a child of that sprig hliness and activity, as to possess himself with a pe; feet knowledge of >be chair bottom- ing business, and by which he earned not only enough (when work could be obtained) to furnish himself with food, but contributed much to the relief oi his surviving parent, when confined by illness and infir- mity. We continued to improve the apartment from which my wife had been removed, until I was so for* tunate as to be able to rem a ready furnished apart* ment (as it was termed) at four shillings and sixpence per week. Apartments of this kind are not uncom- mon in London, and are intended to accommodate poor families, situated as we were, who had been so S* 90 LIFE AND AD VENT USES tinfortunate as to be stripped of every thing but the cloathes on their backs by their unfeeling landlords. The.se ready furnished rooms" were nothing but miserable apartments in garrets, and contain but few more conveniences than what many of our common prisons in America afford a bunk of straw, with two or three old blankets, a couple of chairs, and a rough table about three feet square, with an article or two of iron ware in which to cook our victuals (if we should be so fortunate as to obtain any) was the . contents of the " ready furnished apartment" that we was now about to occupy but even with these few conveniences, it was comparatively a palace to the one we had lor several weeks past improved. When my health would permit, 1 seldom failed to visit daily the most public streets of the city, and from morning to night cry for old chairs to mend accompanied by my son Thomas, with a bundle of flags, as represented in the Plate annexed to this vol- ume If we was so fortunate as to obtain a job of work more than we could complete in the day, with the permission of the owner, I would convey the chairs* on my back to my humble dweLirig, and witrr the assi lance of my little son, improve the evening to complete the work, which would produce us a few half prnnys to purchase something for our breakfast the next morning l>ut it was very seldom that in stances of this kind occurred, as it was more fre- quently the ease that after crjing for old chairs to mend, the whole day, we were obliged to return^ ISRAEL It. POTTER 9 1 hungry and weary, and without a tingle half penny in our pockets, to our humble dwelling, where we were obliged to fast until the succeeding day ; and indeed there were some instances in which we were compelled to fast two or three days successively) without being able to procure a single job of wjrk The rent I had obligated myself to pay every night, and freqaently when our hunger was such as hardly to be endured, I was obliged to reserve the few pen- nys that 1 was possessed of to apply to this purpose. In our most starving condition when every o f her plan failed, my little son would adopt the expedient of sweeping the public cause- ways (leading from one walk to the other) where he would labour the whole day, with the expectation of receiving no other re- ward than what the generosity of gentlemen, who had occasion to cross, would induce them to bestow in chuity, and which seldom amounted to more than a few pennys sometime the poor boy would toil in thi way the whole day, without being so fortunate as to receive a single half penny it was then he would return home sorrowful and dejected, and while he attempted to conceal his own hu ger. with tears in his eyes, would lament his hard fortune in not be- ing able to obtain something to appease mine. - While he was thus employed i remained at home, bat not idle, being as busily engaged in making matches, with which ('.vhen he returned home emp- ty handed j we were obliged as fatigued jt* we were, to visit the markets to expose for sale, and where we JS LIFE AND ADVENTURES were obliged sometimes to tarry until eleven o'clock at night, before we could meet with a single purcha- er Having one stormy night of a Saturday, visited the market with my son for this purpose, and after expos- ing ourselves to the chilling rain until pastjlO o'clock; without being able either of us to sell a single match) 1 advised the youth (being thinly clad to return home feeling disposed to tarry myself a while longer, in hopes that better success might attend me, a* having already fasted one day and r,irht> it was indispensa- bly necessary that 1 should ob am something to ap- pease our hunger the succeeding day (Sunday) or what seemed almost impossible, to endure longer its torments ! 1 remained until the clock struck eleven, the hour at which the market closed, and yet had met with no better success ! It is impossible to de- scribe the sensation of despondency which over- wlie;med me at this moment I 1 now considered it as certain that I must return home wiih nothing wherewith to satisty our craving appetites and with my mind filled with the most heart rending reflec- tions, I was about, to return, when. Heaven seemed pleased to interpose in my behalf, and to send relkf when I little expected it ; -passing a beef stall I at- tracted the notice of the butcher who viewing me, probably as I was, a miserable object of i;'y, emaci- ated i)> L-ng iastings, and cla i in tattered garments,, fro n wuica the water wa^ frst drippling, and judg- ing uo doubt b) my appearance lhat on no one could Or ISRAEL . POTTER. 9& charity be more properly bestowed, he threw into my basket a beeve's heart, with the request that 1 would depart with it immediately . for my home, if any I had ! I will not attempt to describe the joy that 1 felt on this occasion, in so unexpectedly meeting with that relief, which my situation somuch required, I hastened home with a much lighter heart than what 3 had anticipated ; and when I arrived; the sensations of joy exhibited by my little son on \iewing the prize that I bore, produced effects aa various as extraordi- nary ; he wept, then laughed and danced with trans- port. The reader must suppose that while I found it so extremely difficult to earn enough to preserve us from starvation, I had little to spare for cloathing and other necessaries ; and that this was really my situ* ation, i thiiik no one will doubt, when 1 positively declare that to such extremeties was i driven, that being unable to pay a bavber for shaving me I was obliged to adopt the expedient ior more than two years, of clipping my beard as close as possible with a pair of scissors, wfcich 1 kept expressly ior that pur- pose ' as strange and laughable as the circumstance may appear to some, I assure the reader that I state facts, and exaggerate nothing. As regarded our cloathes, 1 can say no more than that they were the best that we could procure, and were such as persons in cur situation! were obliged to wear they served to conceal our nakedness, but would have proved in* ftufficiem to have protected our bodies, from .the if* ;94 L1IE AND ADVENTURES clemency ef the weather of a colder climate. Such indeed was sometimes our miserable appearance, t lad in tattered garments, that while engaged in our employment in crying for old chairs to mend, we not nly attracted the notice of many, but there were in- stances in which a few half pennys unsolicited weie bestowed on us in charity an instance of this kind happenetione day as I was passing through thread- needle street ; a gentleman perceiving by the appear- ance of the shoes that 1 wore, that they were about to quit me, pat a half crown in my hand, and bid me go and cry " old i hoes to meed !' In long and gloomy winter evenings, when unable to furnish myself with any other light than that emit- ted by a little fire of se -coal, I vrould attempt to drive away mcbncholly by amusing my son with an account of my native country, and of the many bles- ings there enjoyed by even the poorest classof peo- ple of their fair fields producing a regular supply of bread their convenient houses, to which they could Repair after the toils of the day, to partake of the fruits of their labour, safe^ from the storms and the cold, and where they could lay down their heads lo rest without any to molest them or to make them afraid. Nothing could have been better calculated to excite animation in the rr.ind of the poor child, than an account so flattering of a country which had giv- en birth to his father, and to which he had received my repeated assurances he should accompany me as soon as an opportunity should present after expres- OF ISRAEL ft. POTTER* 95 sing his fears that the happy day was yet far distant* with a deep sigh he wouid exclaim " would to God it was to morrow \" About a year after the decease of my wife, T was taken extremely ill insomuch that at one time my life was 'desparred of, and had it not been for the ' friendless and lonely situation in which such an event would have placed my son, I should have welcomed the hour of my dessolution and viewed it as a con* summation rather to be wished than dreaded ; for so great had been my sufferings of mind and body, and the miseries to which I was still exposed, that life ' had reaily become a burthen to meindeed I think it would have been difficult to have found on the face of the earth a being- more wretched than I had been for the three years past. During my illness my only friend on earth waa my son Thomas, who did every thing to alleviate my wants within the power of his age to dosometimes by crying for old chairs to mend (for he had become as expert a workman at this busmen as his father) and sometimes by sweeping the cause-ways, and by making and selling matches, he succeeded in earn* ing each day a trifle sufficent to procure for me and himself a humble sustenance. When 1 had 'so far recovered as to be able to creep abroad, and the youth had been so fortunate as to obuin a good job, ! wouid accompany him, although/very feeble, and assist him in conveying the chairs home -h wai> on such occa- sions that my dear child would manifest .-bis tender- tfi LIFE AND ADTBNTUH13 ness and affection for me, by insisting (if there were four chairs) that I should carry but one, and he wouid carry the remaining three, or in that proportion rfa greater or less '-umber. From the moment that I had 'informed him of the many blessings njoved by my countrymen of every class I \vas almost constantly urged by my son toap. ply to the A nerican Consul tor a passage it *as in vain that I it presented to him that if such an appli- cation was aitended wiih success, and the opportuni- ty should be improved by me, 'it must rause our se- peration, pefhaps forever ; as he would not be per- miued to accompany me at the expence oi govern- ment "never mind me (he would repl> ) do noi lather suffer any more on my account \ if you can only suc- ceed in obtaining a passage to a country where you can enj< y .he blessings that you have described to me, 1 mav hereafter 'be so fortunate as to meet with an opportunity to join you- -and it not, it will be a consolation to me, whatever my afflictions may be, to think that yours have ceased!" My ardent wish to return to America, was not less than that of my son, but could not bear the thoughts ot a seperation \ of lea- ving him behind exposed to all the miseries peculiar to the friendless poor of that country ;---he was a child of my old age, and from whom I had received too many proofs of his love and regard lor me, not to feel that parental aff'Ction for him to which able disposition entitled him. i was indeed unacquainted with the place of T ISRAEL R. POTTES. $? dence of the American Consul I had made frequent enquiries, but found no one that could inform me eorrectly where he might be found ; but so anxitus was my son that I should spend the remnant of my days in that country where I should receive (if noth- ing more) a Christian burial at my decease, and bid adieu forever to a l&nd where I had spent so great a portion of my life in sorrow, and many years had en- dured the lingering tortures of protracted famine that he ceased not to enquire of every one with whom he was acquainted, until he obtained the wished for information. Having learned the place of residence of the American Consul, and fearful of the conse- quences of delay, he would give me no peace until 1 promised that I would accompany him there th* succeeding day, if my strength would admit Of it ; for although ! had partially recovered from a severe Tit of sickness, yet I was still so weak and feeble as to be scarcely able to walk. My son did not forget to remind me early the next morning oi my promise, and to gratify him more than with an expectation of meeting; with much success* I set out with him, feeble as I was, for the Consul's. The distance was about two miles, and before I had succeeded in reaching half the way, I had wished myself a dozen times safe home again and had it not been for the strong persuasions of my son to the con* trary, 1 certainly should have returned.-*! was never before so sensible of the effects of my long suffer- ingswhich had produced thatrdegree of bodily 91 fclFR AND ADTBNTUBE& weakness and debility, as to leave me scarcely strength sufficient to move without the assistance of my son ; who, when he feund me reeling or halting through weakness, would support me until 1 had gained sufficient strength to proceed. Although the distance was but two miles, yet such was the state of my weakness, that although we star- ted early in the morning* it was half past 3 o'clock P. M. when we reached the Consul's office, when I was so much exhausted as to be obliged to ascend the steps on my hands and knees. Fortunately we found the Consul in, and on my addressing him and acquainting him with the object of my visit, he seem- ed at first unwilling to credit the fact that 1 was an American born but after interrogating me some- time, as to the place of my nativity, the cause which first brought me to England, 8cc, he seemed to be more satisfied ; he however observed (on being in- formed that the lad who accompanied me was my son) that he could procure a passage for me, hut not for him, as being born in England, the American gov- ernment would consider him a British subject, and under no obligation to defray the expence of his pas- sage -and as regarded myself, he observed, that he had his doubts, so aged and infirm as I appeared to be, whether I should live to reach America, if I should attempt it. I cannot say that I was much surprised at the ob- servations of the Consul, as they exactly agreed with what I had anticipated and as anxious as I then felt OF ISRAEL R. POTTER. $9 to Tiiit once more my native country, I felt deter- mined not to attempt it, unless 1 could be accompa- nied by my son, and expressed myself to this effect to the Consul the poor lad appeared nearly over- come with grief when he saw me preparing to return without being able to effect my object ; indeed so greatly was he affected, and such the sorrow that hs exhibited, that he attracted the notice (and I believe 1 may add the pity) of the Consul who, after mak- ing some few enquiries as regarded his disposition, age, &c. observed that he could furnish the lad with a passage at his* own expence, which he should have no objection to do if I would consent to his living with a connexion of his (the Consul,) on his arrival in America ."but (continued he,) in such a case you must be a while sepe rated, for it would be imprudent for you to attempt the passage until you have gained more strength 1 will pay your board, where by bet- ter living than you have been latterly accustomed to, you may have a chance to recruit but your son must take passage on board the London Packet* which sails for Boston the day after to-morrow." Although but a few moments previous, my son would have thought no sacrifice too great, that would have enabled us to effect our object in obtaining pas- sages to America ; yet, when hs found that instead of himself, I was to be left for a while behind, he ap- peared at some loss how to determine but on being fissured by the Consul that if my life was spared I should soon join him, he consented ; and being fur- lOO LIVE AND niched by the Consul with a few necessary articles c? eloathing, I the next day accompanied him on board the packet which was to convey him (o America and after giving him the best advice that I was cap- able of as regarded his behaviour and deportment while on his passage, and en his arrival in America, 1 took ray leave of him and saw him no! again uniij ] met him on the wharf on my arrival at Boston. When I parted with the Consul he presented me with half a crown, and directions where to apply for board -it was at a public Inn where I found many American seamen, who, like myself, were boarded there at the Consul's expence, until passages could be obtained for them to America i was treated by them with much civility, and by hearing tht-sn daily recount their various and remarkable adventures, as well as by relating my own, 1 passed my time more agreeably than what I probably should have done in other society. In eight weeks I was so far recruited by good liv- ing, as in the opinion of the Consul, to be able to en dure the fatigues of a passage to my native country, and which was procured for me on board the ship Carterian, bound to New- York. We set sail on the 3th April, t 823, and after a passage of 42 days, arriv- ed saie at our port of destmaticn. Afttr having expe- rienced in a foreign land so much ill treatment from those from whom I eouid expect no mercy, and for no oiher fault than that of being an American, I could not but flatter myself that when I bid adieu to tha$ V ISRAEL 1 country, I should no ^longer ije tjiq .subject <$; .uajutt persecution, or nave occasion W complain af' ill ir eat* ment from those whose duty it was to afford me pro- tection. But the sad reverse which 1 experienced while on board the Carterian, convinced me of the incorrectness of my conclusions. For my country's sake, I am happy that I have it in my power to s-y that the crew of this ship> was not composed alto- gether of Americans there was a mixture of all natiens ; and among them some so vile, and destiiu^ of every humane principle, as to delight in nothing so much as to sport with the infirmities of one, who*c grey lock* ought at least to have protected him. By those unfeeling wretches (who deserve not the name of sailors) 1 was not only most shamefully ilUused on the passage, but was robbed of some necessary articles of cloathing, which had been chaiitably be- stowed on me by the American Consul. We arrived in the harbour of New-York about midnight, and such were the pleasing sensations pro*> duced by the reflection that on the morrow I should be indulged with the priviledge of walking once more on American ground after an absence of almost 50 years, and that but a short distance now separated me from my dear son, that it was in vain that 1 attempt- ed to close rny eyes to sleep. Never was the morn* ing'* dawn so cheerfully welcomed by me. I solici- ted and obtained the permission of the captain to be early set on shore, and on reaching which, I did not forget to offer up my unfeigned thanks to that Al 9* 102 > whtf had toot or-iy sustained me ing tny Wavy afflicii and obtained lodgings at a public Inn Hi High- Street. It may not be improper here to acquaint my ** LIFE AND ADVENTURES ders that as 1 had left my father possessed of very considerable preperly, and of which at his decease I thought myself entitled to a portion equal to that of the other children, which (as my father was very e- eonomical in the management of his affairs) 1 knew could not amount to a very inconsiderable sum ; it Tras to obtain thU if possible, that I becawe extreme- ly anxious to visit immediately the place of my na- tivityaccordingly the day after 1 arrived in Provi- iclence. I hastened to Cranston, to seek my connex- ions if any were to be found ; and if aot to seek among the most aged of the inhabitants, some one who had not forgotten me, and who might be able to furnish me with the sought for information. But, alas, loo oon were blasted ray hopeful expectations of finding something m reserve far me, that might have affor- ded me a humble support, the few remaining years of my life. It was by a distant connexion that I was informed that my brothers had many years since re- moved to a distant part of the country that having credited a rumour in circulation of my death, at the decease of my father had disposed of the real estate of which he died possessed, and had divided the pro- ceeds equally among themselves ! This was anoth- er instance of adverse tortune that I had not antici- pated! it was indeed a circumstance so foreign Ironi my mind that 1 felt myself for the first lime, tinhappy, since my return to my native country, and even believed myself now doomed to endure, among y own counirymen ' v for whose liberties 1 had foughlt G* ISRAEL R. POTTER. 105 and bled) miseries ilmilar to those that had attended me for many years in Europe. With these gloomy forebodings I returned to Providene, and contract- ed for board with the gentleman at whose house I had lodged the Hist night of my arrival in town, and to whom for the kind treatment that 1 have recei?ed from him and his family, 1 shall feel till death under the deepest obligations that gratitude can dictate ; for I can truly say of him, that 1 was a stranger and he took me in, I was hungry and naked) and he fed and cloathed me. As I had never received any remuneration for ser vices rendered, and hardships endured in the cause of my country, I was now obliged, as my last resort> to petition Congress to be included in that number of the few surviving soldiers of the Revolution, for whose services they had been pleased to grant pen- sionsand I would to God that I could add, for the honour of my country, that the application met with iis deserving success but. although accompanied by the deposition of a respectable gentleman (which de- position I have thought proper to annex to my nar- lative) satisfactorily confirming every iact as therein stated -yet on no other principle, than that / was ab- sent from the country it/hen the pension law fiassfdmy Petition was REJECTED ! ! I Reader, I have bee n for 30 years (as you will perceive by what I have sta- ted in the foregoing pages) subject, in *. foreign coun- try; to almost all the miseries with which poor hu- man nature IB capable of being inflicted yet) in DO. 106 LIFE AND ADVENTURES one instance did I ever feel so great degree of a dev pression of spirits, as when the fate of ray Petition was announced to me! 1 love too well the country vhich gave me birth, and entertain too high a respect for those employed in its government, to reproach them with ingratitude ; yet, it is my sincere prayer that this strange and unprecedented circumstance) of withholding fiom me that reward which they have so generally bestowed on others, may never be told in Europe, or published in the streets of London, least it reach the ears of some who had the effrontery to declare to me personally, that for the active part that I had taken in the rebellious war" misery and star- vation would ultimately be my reward I To conclvde*althcugh I may be again unfortun- ate in a renewal of my application to govenment, for that reward to tviich my services so justly entitle me yet 1 feel thankful that I am priviledged (after nduring so much) to spend the remainder of my days, among those who I am confident are posses- sed of too much humanity, to see me suffer ; and which I am sensible I owe to the divine goodness* which graciously condescended to support me un dei my numerous afflictions, and finally enabled me to return to my native country in the 79th year of my age for this 1 return unfeigned thanks to the Almighty ; and hope to give during che remainder of my life, convincing testimenies of the strong im- pression which those afflictions made on my mind, fcy devoting myself sincerely to the dunes of religion. 01? ISRAEL A. FOTTE&. JOf DEPOSITION OF JOHN VTAL. f JOHN VIAL of North Providence, in the county of Providence, in the State of Rhode Island, on oath certify and say, that sometime in the latter part of November or the beginning of December A.D. 1775--- 1 entered as gunner's mate on board the Washington, a public armed vessel in the service of the United States, and under the command of S. Martindale, Esq said vessel was sent out by order of Gtneral WASHINGTON, from Plymouth (Mass.) to cruize in Boston harbour to intercept supplies going to Boston, ther* in the possession of the British troops. Alter we had been out a short time, we were captured by a British 20 gun ship, called the " Foy " and weie carried to Bcstor, wher* we remained about a week and were then put on board the frigate Tartar, and sen* to England as prisoners'and 1 the sa