USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester county; a narrative history, Volume I > Part 10
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"About two hours (according to my observation at that amazing time) they had been about the house before they prevailed to fire it, which they did with flax and hemp which they brought from the barn, and there being no defense about the house, only two flankers at opposite corners and one of them not finished, they fired it once and one ventured out and quenched it, but they quickly fired it again, and that took."
(There followed the killing of the men and the capture of women and children as they were forced to leave the blazing buildings.)
Her Captivity Begins-"Now is the dreadful hour come, that I have often heard of (in time of war), but now mine eyes see it. Some in our house were fighting for their lives, others wallowing in their blood, the house on fire over our heads, and the bloody heathen ready to knock us on the head if we stirred out. Now might we hear mothers and children crying out, 'Lord, what shall we do?' Then I took my children and one of my sister's, to go forth and leave the house. But as soon as we came to the door and appeared, the Indians shot so thick that the bullets rattled against the house, as if one had taken a handful of stones and threw them, so that we were fain to give back. We had six stout dogs belonging to our garrison, but none of them would stir, though another time, if any Indian had come to the door, they were ready to fly upon him and tear him down.
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"The Lord hereby would make the more to acknowledge his hand and to see that our help is always in him. But out we must go, the fire increasing and coming along behind us, roaring, and the Indians gaping before us with their guns, spears and hatchets to devour us. No sooner were we out of the house but my brother-in-law, being before wounded in defending the house, in or near the throat, fell down dead, whereat the Indians scornfully shouted, and halloed, and were presently upon him, stripping off his clothes. The bul- lets flying thick, one went through my side, and the same, as would seem, through the bowels and hand of my dear child in my arms. The Indians laid hold of us, pulling me one way and the children another, and said, 'Come go along with us.' I told them they would kill me. They answered if I were willing to go along with them, they would not hurt me.
"Oh, the doleful sight that now was to behold! 'Come, behold, the works of the Lord, what dissolutions he has made in the Earth.' Of thirty-seven persons who were in this one house, none escaped either present death, or a bitter captivity, save only one, who might say as he, Job 1, 15, 'And only I am escaped alone to tell the news.' There were twelve killed. Hell-hounds roar- ing, singing, ranting and insulting, as if they would have torn our hearts out. Yet the Lord by his Almighty power preserved a number of us from death, for there were twenty-four of us taken alive and carried captive.
"I had often before this said, that if the Indians should come, I should rather to be killed by them than taken alive, but when it came to the trial my mind changed. Their glittering weapons so daunted my spirit that I chose rather to go along with these, as I may say, ravenous beasts, than that moment to end my days.
The First Remove-"Now away we must go with those Barbarous Creatures, with our bodies wounded and bleeding, and our hearts no less than our bodies. About a mile we went that night, up upon a hill (George Hill) within sight of the town, where they intended to lodge. There was hard by a vacant house (deserted by the English before, for fear of the Indians). I asked them whither I might not lodge in the house that night to which they answered, 'What, will you love English men still?' This was the dolefulest night that ever my eyes saw. Oh, the roaring and singing, and dancing, and yelling of those black creatures in the night, which made the place a lively resemblance of hell. And as miserable was the waste that was there made, of horses, cattle, sheep, swine, calves, lambs, roasting pigs, and fowl (which they had plundered in the town), some roasting, some lying and burning, and some boiling to feed our merciless enemies, who were joyful enough though we were disconsolate.
"To add to the dolefulness of the former day, and the dismalness of the present night, my thoughts ran upon my losses and sad bereaved condition. All was gone, my husband gone (at least separated from me, he being in the
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Bay, and to add to my grief, the Indians told me they would kill him as he came homeward), my children gone, my relations and friends gone, our house and home and all our comforts within door and without, all was gone (except my life) and I knew not but the next moment that might go too. There remained nothing to me but one poor wounded babe.
"But now, the next morning, I must turn my back upon the town, and travel with them into the vast and desolate wilderness, I knew not whither. It is not my tongue or pen can express the sorrows of my heart, and bitterness of my spirit, that I had at this departure. But God was with me, in a won- derful manner, carrying me along and bearing up my spirit, that it did not quite fail. One of the Indians carried my poor wounded babe upon a horse. It went moaning all along, 'I shall die, I shall die.' I went on foot after it, with sorrow that cannot be expressed. At length I took it off the horse, and carried it in my arms till my strength failed, and I fell down with it.
Savage Brutality-"Then they set me upon a horse with my wounded child in my lap, and there being no furniture upon the horse's back, as we were going down a steep hill, we both fell over the horse's head, at which they like inhuman creatures laughed, and rejoiced to see it, though I thought we should there have ended our days, as overcome with so many difficulties. But the Lord renewed my strength still and carried me along, that I might see more of his power; yea, so much that I could never have thought of, had I not experienced it.
"After this it quickly began to snow, and when night came on, they stopped (in Princeton, south of Mt. Wachusett). And now down I must sit in the snow, by a little fire, and a few boughs behind me, with my sick child in my lap, and calling much for water, being now (through the wound) fallen into a violent fever. My own was also growing so stiff, that I could scarce sit down or rise up, yet so it must be, that I must sit all this cold winter night upon the cold snowy ground, with my sick child in my arms, looking that every hour would be the last of its life; and having no Christian friend near me, either to comfort or help me. Oh, I may see the wonderful power of God, that my spirit did not utterly sink under my affliction. Still, the Lord upheld me with his gracious and merciful spirit, and we were both alive to see the light of the next morning.
"The next day was the Sabbath. This day there came to me one Robert Pepper, a man belonging in Roxbury, who was taken in Captain Beers' fight and had now been a considerable time with the Indians, and up with them almost as far as Albany, to see King Philip, as he told me, and was now very lately come into these parts. Hearing it said that I was in this Indian town, he obtained leave to come and see me. He told me he himself was wounded in the leg in Captain Beers' fight, and was not able some time to go.
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But as they carried him, he took oaken leaves and laid to his wound, and through the blessing of God he was able to travel again. Then I took oaken leaves and laid to my side, and with the blessing of God it cured me also.
"I sat much alone with a poor wounded child in my lap, which moaned all night and day, having nothing to revive the body, or cheer the spirits of her. But instead of that, sometimes one Indian would come and tell me one hour that 'your Master will knock your child in the head,' and then a second, and then a third, 'your Master will quickly knock your child in the head.'
"This was the comfort I had from them, miserable comforters are ye all, as he said. Thus nine days I sat upon my knees, with my babe in my lap, till my flesh was raw again. My child being even ready to depart this sorrowful world, they bade me carry it out to another wigwam (I suppose because they would not be troubled with such spectacles). Whither I went with a very heavy heart, and down I sat with the picture of death in my lap. About two hours in the night (at Wenimessit, Oakham) my sweet babe like a lamb departed this life, on February 18, 1675. It being about six years and five months old.
"God having taken away this dear child, I went to see my daughter Mary, who was at this same Indian town, at a wigwam not very far off, though we had little liberty or opportunity to see one another. She was about ten years old, and taken from the door at first by a praying Indian and afterward sold for a gun. When I came in sight, she would fall a weeping, at which they were provoked, and would not let me come near her, but made me begone, which was a heart-cutting word to me. I had one child dead, another in the wilderness, I knew not where, the third they would not let me come near to.
"I was going up and down mourning and lamenting my condition, when my son came to me, and asked me how I did. I had not seen him before since the destruction of the town, and I knew not where he was, till I was informed by himself that he was amongst a smaller percel of Indians, whose place was about six miles off. With tears in his eyes, he asked me whether his sister Sarah was dead, and told me he had seen his sister Mary, and prayed me that I would not be troubled in reference to himself. The occasion of his coming to see me at this time was this: There was, as I said, about six miles from us, a small plantation of Indians, where it seems he had been during his captivity, and at this time, there were some forces of the Indians gathered out of our company, and some also from them (among whom was my son's mas- ter) to go to assault and burn Medfield. In this time of the absence of his master, his dame brought him to see me.
Scalp-hunter Gives Her Bible-"The next day, the Indians returned from Medfield. But before they came to us, Oh! the outrageous roaring and whooping that there was! By their noise and whooping they signified how
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many they had destroyed, which was at that time twenty-three. Those that were with us at home were gathered together as soon as they heard the whoop- ing, and every time that the other went over their number, these at home gave a shout, that the very earth rang again. And thus they continued till those that had been upon the expedition were come up to the sagamore's wigwam. And then, Oh, the hideous insulting and triumphing that there was over some Englishmen's scalps that they had taken, as their manner is, and brought with them.
"I cannot but take notice of the wonderful mercy of God to me in those afflictions, in sending me a Bible. One of the Indians that came from Medfield fight had brought some plunder, came to me and asked me if I would have a Bible. He had got one in a basket. I was glad of it, and asked him whether he thought the Indians would let me read? He answered yes. So I took the Bible, and in that melancholy time it came into my mind to read first the 28 Chap. of Deut., which I did, and when I had read it my dark heart wrought on in this manner, that there was no mercy for me, that the blessings were gone, and the curses come in their room, and that I had lost my opportunity. But the Lord helped me still to go on reading till I came to Chap. 30, the seven first verses, where I found there was mercy promised again if we would return to him for repentence. And though we were scattered from one end of the earth to the other, yet the Lord would gather us together, and turn all those curses upon our enemies. I do not desire to live to forget this scripture and what comfort it was to me.
"Now the Indians began to talk of removing from this place (Oakham) some one way, and some another. There were now besides myself nine Eng- lish captives in this place, all of them children except one woman. I got an opportunity to go and take my leave of them, they being to go one way and I another.
"And now (at Nichewaug, Petersham) I must part with that little com- pany I had. Here I parted from my daughter Mary (whom I never saw again till I saw her in Dorchester, returned from captivity), and from four little cousins and neighbors, some of which I never saw afterward. The Lord only knows the end of them.
"The occasion (as I thought) of their moving at this time (to Nichewaug in Petersham) was the English Army (Massachusetts and Connecticut forces under Captain Thomas Savage), it being near and following them. For they went as if they had gone for their lives, for some considerable way, and then they made a stop, and chose some of their stoutest men, and sent them back to hold the English Army in play whilst the rest escaped. And then, like Jehu, they marched on furiously, with their old and with their young. Some carried their old decrepit mothers, some carried one, and some another. Four of them carried a great Indian upon a bier, but going through a thick
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wood with him, they were hindered, and could make no haste. Whereupon they took him upon their backs, and carried him, one at a time, till they came to Baquaug (Miller's) River. (At Orange) upon a Friday, a little after noon, we came to this river. When all the company was come up, and were gathered together, I thought to count the number of them, but they were so many, and being somewhat in motion, it was beyond my skill.
"In this travel, because of my wound, I was somewhat favoured in my load. I carried only my knitting work and two quarts of parched meal. Being very faint I asked my mistress to give me one spoonful of the meal, but she would not give me a taste. They quickly fell to cutting dry trees to make rafts to carry them over the river, and soon my turn came to go over. By the advantage of some brush which they had laid upon the raft to sit upon, I did not wet my foot (which many of themselves at the other end were mid-leg deep), which cannot but be acknowledged as a favor of God to my weakened body, it being a very cold time.
"The first week of my being among them I hardly ate anything. The second week I found my stomach grow very faint for want of something, yet it was very hard to get down their filthy trash. But the third week, though I could think how formerly my stomach would turn against this or that, and I could starve and die before I could eat such things, yet they were sweet and savory to my taste. I was at this time knitting a pair of white cotton stockings for my mistress, Weetamoo, and had not yet wrought upon a Sabbath day, and desired them to let me rest, and told them I would do as much more tomorrow. To which they answered me they would break my face.
"And here I cannot but take notice of the strange providence of God in preserving the heathen. There were many hundreds, old and young, some sick and some lame; many had papooses at their backs, the greatest number at this time with us were squaws and they traveled with all they had, bag and baggage, and yet they got over this river. And on Monday they set their wigwams on fire, and away they went.
"On that very day came the English Army after them to this river, and saw the smoke of their wigwams, and yet this river put a stop to them. God did not give them courage or activity to go over after us. We were not ready for so great a mercy as victory and deliverance. If we had been, God would have found out a way for the English to have passed this river, as well as for the Indians with their squaws and children and all their luggage.
"It was a cold morning and before us there was a great brook with ice on it. Some waded through it up to the knees and higher, but others went till they came to a beaver-dam, and I amongst them, where through the good providence of God, I did not wet my foot. I went along that day mourning, leaving farther my own country, and traveling in the vast and howling wilder-
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ness, and I understood something of Lot's wife's temptation, when she looked back.
"We came that day to a great swamp (in Northfield), by the side of which we took up our lodgings for the night. When I came to the brow of the hill that looked toward the swamp, I thought that we had been come to a great Indian town, though there were none but our own company. The Indians were as thick as the trees. It seemed as if there had been a thousand hatchets going at once. If one looked before one there was nothing but Indians, and behind one, nothing but Indians, and so on either hand. I myself in the midst, and no Christian soul near me, and yet how hath the Lord preserved me in safety? Oh, the experience I have had of the goodness of God, to me and mine !
"We travelled (from Northfield) on till night, and in the morning, we must go over the river to Philip's crew. (Connecticut River at South Ver- non, Vermont.) When I was in the canoe, I could not but be amazed at the numerous crew of pagans that were on the bank on the other side. When I came ashore they gathered all about me, I sitting alone in the midst. I observed they asked one another questions, and laughed, and rejoiced over their gains and victories. Then my heart began to fail, and I. fell a weeping, which was the first time to my remembrance that I wept before them. Although I had met with so much affliction, and my heart was many times ready to break, yet could I not shed one tear in their sight, but rather had been all this while in a maze, and like one astonished. But now I may say as Psal. 137, I: 'By the Rivers of Babylon, there we sate down: yea, we wept when we remembered Zion.'
"There one of them asked me why I wept. I could hardly tell what to say. Yet I answered they would kill me. 'No,' said he, 'none will hurt you.' Then came one of them and gave me two spoonfuls of meal to comfort me, and another gave me half a pint of peas, which was more worth than many bushels at another time. Then I went to see King Philip, he bade me come in and sit down, and asked me whether I would smoke it (a usual compliment nowadays amongst saints and sinners), but this no way suited me.
She Swears Off Smoking-"For though I had formerly used tobacco, yet I had left it ever since I was first taken. It seems to be a bait the devil lays to make men lose their precious time. I remember with shame, how formerly, when I had taken two or three pipes, I was presently ready for another, such a bewitching thing it is. But I thank God, he has now given me power over it. Surely there are many who may be better employed than to lie sucking a stinking tobacco pipe.
"Now the Indians gather their forces to go against Northampton. Over- night one went about yelling and hooting to give notice of the design. Where-
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upon they fell to boiling their provisions, and in the morning away they went. During my abode in this place, Philip spake to me to make a shirt for his boy, which I did, for which he gave me a shilling. I offered the money to my master, but he bade me keep it, and with it I bought a piece of horse flesh. Afterwards he asked me to dinner. I went, and he gave me a pancake, about as big as two fingers; it was made of parched wheat, beaten, and fried in bear's grease, but I thought I never tasted pleasanter meat in my life.
"There was a squaw who spake to me to make a shirt for her Sannup" (husband), "for which she gave me a piece of bear. Another asked me to knit a pair of stockings, for which she gave me a quart of peas. I boiled my peas and bear together, and invited my master and mistress to dinner, but the proud gossip, because I served them both in one dish, would eat nothing, except one bit that he gave her upon the point of his knife.
"Hearing that my son was come to this place, I went to see him, and found him lying flat upon the ground. I asked him how he could sleep so? He answered me that he was not asleep, but at prayer, and lay so, that they might not observe what he was doing. I pray God he may remember these things now he is returned in safety. At this place (the sun now getting higher) what with the beams and heat of the sun, and the smoke of the wigwams, I thought I should have been blind. I could scarce discern one wigwam from another. There was here one Mary Thurston, of Medfield, who seeing how it was with me lent me a hat to wear. But as soon as I was gone, the squaw who owned that Mary Thurston came running after me, and got it away again. Here was the squaw that gave me one spoonful of meal. I put it in my pocket to keep it safe. Yet notwithstanding somebody stole it, but put five Indian corns in the room of it, which corns were the greatest provisions I had in my travel for one day.
"Instead of going to Albany or homeward. (from South Vernon). We must go five miles up the river, and then over it. (To the Ashuelot Valley in New Hampshire.) "Here we abode awhile. Here lived a sorry Indian, who spoke to me to make him a shirt. When I had done it, he would pay me nothing. But he living by the river side, where I often went to fetch water, I would often be putting of him in mind, and calling for my pay. At last he told me if I would make him another shirt, for a papoose not yet born, he would give me a knife, which he did when I had done it.
"I carried the knife in, and my master asked me to give it to him, and I was not a little glad that I had anything they would accept of, and be pleased with.
"When we were at this place, my master's maid came home. She had gone three weeks into the Narragansett Country to fetch corn, where they had stored up some in the ground. She brought home about a peck and a half of
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corn. This was about the time that their great captain, Naananto (Canan- chet, chief of the Narragansetts) was killed in the Narragansett Country. "My son being now about a mile from me, I asked liberty to go and see him. They bade me go, and away I went, but quickly lost myself, traveling over hills and through swamps, and could not find the way to him. And I cannot but admire the wonderful power and goodness of God to me, in that, though I was gone from home, and met with all sort of Indians, and those I had no knowledge of, and there being no Christian soul near me, yet no one of them offered the least imaginable miscarriage to me.
"I turned homeward again, and met with my master. He showed me the way, to my son. When I came to him I found him not well, and withal he had a boil on his side which much troubled him-and my poor girl, I knew not where she was, nor whither she was sick, or well, or alive, or dead.
"But I was fain to go and look after something to satisfy my hunger, and going among the wigwams (in Ashuelot Valley in New Hampshire) I went into one, and there found a squaw who showed herself very kind to me, and gave me a piece of bear. I put it into my pocket, and came home, but could not find an opportunity to broil it, for fear they would get it from me, and there it lay all that day and night in my pocket. In the morning I went to the same squaw, who had a kettle of ground nuts boiling. I asked her to let me boil my piece of bear in her kettle, which she did, and gave me some ground nuts to eat with it, and I cannot but think how pleasant it was to me. I have sometimes seen bear baked very handsomely among the English, and some like it, but the thoughts that it was bear made me tremble. But now that was savoury to me that one would think was enough to turn the stomach of a brute creature.
"One bitter cold day, I could find no room to sit down before the fire. I went out, and could not tell what to do, but I went into another wigwam, where they were also sitting round the fire, but the squaw laid a skin for me, and bid me sit down, and gave me some ground nuts, and bade me come again, and told me they would buy me, if they were able, and yet these were strangers to me that I never saw before."
CHAPTER X.
Mary Rowlandson's Narrative (Continued)
"It was upon a Sabbath day morning, that they prepared for their travel. (From Chesterfield, New Hampshire, in Ashuelot Valley.) This morning I asked my master whither he would sell me to my husband. He answered me yes, which did much rejoice my, spirit. My mistress, before we went, was gone to the burial of a papoose, and returning, she found me sitting and read- ing in my Bible; she snatched it hastily out of my hand, and threw it out of doors. I ran out and catched it up, and put it into my pocket, and never let her see it afterward. Then they packed up their things to be gone, and gave me my load. I complained it was too heavy, whereupon she gave me a slap in the face, and bade me go. I lifted up my heart to God, hoping the Redemption was not far off, and the rather because their insolency grew worse and worse.
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