USA > Pennsylvania > Dauphin County > Middletown > The chronicles of Middletown : containing a compilation of facts, biographical sketches, reminiscences, anecdotes, &c., connected with the history of one of the oldest towns in Pennsylvania > Part 3
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CHRONICLES OF MIDDLETOWN.
From 1740 to 1750 the Reformed Lutherans and Catholics com- menced to gather in the unsettled portions of Lancaster county, and their names begin to appear among the inhabitants of Middletown about the opening of the Revolution.
"These men," says James Logan (writing in 1725 and 1727), "come in crowds-bold, indigent strangers from Germany, where many of them have been soldiers. All go to the best vacant tracts, and seize upon them as places of common spoil. They rarely approach me on their arrival to propose to purchase; when they are sought out and challenged for their right to occupancy, they allege it was published in Europe that we wanted and solicited for colonists and had a superabun- dance of land, and therefore they had come without the means to pay .- Many of them are Papists, the men well armed, and as a body, a war- like, morose race." These emigrations, he hopes "may be prevented in future by an act of Parliament, else the Colonies will in time be lost to the Crown." A prophecy which, half a century later, was fulfilled.
It is difficult for us in these days of toleration to understand the an- tagonisms existing between people of different nationalities, who had similarly come to this country as a haven of refuge, where they would be free to exercise the dogmas of their respective creeds without mo- lestation. The English proprietors, supercilious and arrogant, refused to bear their proportion of the taxes-required the Germans to change their names before being naturalized-drove the Scotch-Irish on to the frontiers, and refused them land in the then eastern counties-and would not allow a Catholic to hold office. The Scotch-Irish-added to an insular contempt for all other nationalities-despised Quakers and Mennonists alike for their non-resistance doctrines. A feeling, which the traffic in redemptioners intensified to such an extent, that when those of their young people, who did not share their prejudices, wished to intermarry with the Germans, they strenuously objected. The Ger- mans thus antagonized, opposed to the arrogance of the English, and bullying of the Scotch-Irish, a phlegmatic tenacity of purpose, which eventually overbore their assumptions, if not their egotism.
The Revolution cemented these uncongenial elements into a united resistance to arbitrary power ; and at its close found them fused into the homogeneous mass which has made Pennsylvania the mother of states- men, as well as the Keystone of the Federal arch.
VI.
The following is a literal transcript of one of the deeds (in possession of Hon. Robert J. Fisher, of York, Pa.), relating to the ground Middletown now stands on. Attached unto the deed is a large seal bearing upon it what I presume are the arms of the Penns, but which, not being versed in heraldry, I am unable to de- scribe .- C. H. H.
Thomas Penn and Richard Penn, Efquires, true and absolute Proprie- taries and Governors in Chief of the Province of Pennsylvania and
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CHRONICLES OF MIDDLETOWN.
counties of Newcaftle, Kent, and Suffex on Delaware. To all unto whom these presents shall come, Greeting: Whereas by virtue of a war- rant under the feal of our Land Office bearing date the twenty first day of March, 1742, there was furveyed and laid out unto one Jacob Job, a certain Tract of Land Situate in Pextang Townfhip in the county of Lancafter; And Whereas by virtue of one other warrant under the feal of our Land Office bearing date the Ninth day of January, 1743, a Sur- vey was made unto one Thomas Cooper on a certain Tract of Land Situate in Pextang Townfhip, adjoining the above mentioned Tract within the faid county, Under Certain Conditions in the faid Warrant refpectively mentioned, which conditions not having been complied with by the faid Jacob Job and Thomas Cooper, nor either of them, the faid Warrants and furveys made in purfuance thereof, are becoming utterly void, as in and by the fame Warrants remaining in our Surveyor Gen- eral's office, relation thereunto refpectively had, does manifeftly appear, And Whereaf afterwards in any by two feveral Warrants, bearing date the Nineteenth day of this inftant February. Upon application made to Us by John Fifher of the City of Philadelphia, Merchant, our Surveyor General was required to accept and receive into his Office the Surveys of the faid two Tracts of land fo made as aforfaid, and to make Re- turns thereof into our Secretary's Office for the ufe and behoof of the faid John Fisher, which Surveys being accordingly accepted by our Surveyor General and the faid two Tracts of Land (lying contiguous to each other) were by him duly returned into our Secretary's Office circumfcribed in one Tract, are included within the lines, Bounds and Limits, following (that is to say) Beginning at the mouth of Swataro creek and on the east side of the River Susquehanna and from thence extending up the said creek on the several courses thereof six hundred and eighty two perches to a post, thence by Samuel Kirkpatrick's Land south seventy degrees west one hundred and twenty two perches to a marked hickory and north twenty degrees west sixty four perches to a marked white oak, thence by the same and William Kirkpatrich's Land south seventy degrees west one hundred and seventy one perches to a marked white oak, thence by the said William Kirkpatrick's north sev- enty degrees west fifty perches to a marked hickory, thence by a line of marked trees west ninety six perches to a marked black oak, thence along a line of marked trees and by Samuel Mean's Land south twenty degrees west three hundred and forty nine perches to a white hickory marked by the side of the Susquehanna River, thence down the same river on the several courses thereof one hundred and eighty four perches to the place of beginning containing in the whole six hundred and ninety one acres and fifty three perches and the allowance of six acres per cent for roads and highways.
Now at the inftance and requeft of the faid John Fifher, that we would be pleafed to grant him a confirmation of the fame. Know ye that in Confideration of the Sum of One. Hundred and seven Pounds two shillings lawful money of Pennfylvania, to our ufe, paid by the faid
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CHRONICLES OF MIDDLETOWN.
John Fifher, (the receipt whereof we hereby acknowledge and thereof do acquit and forever difcharge the said John Fifher, his Heirs and Affigns by thefe Presents) and of the yearly quit rent thereinafter men- tioned We have given, granted, released and confirmed, And by these George the Second, over Great Britain, &c. And the Thirtieth year of Presents for Us, our Heirs and Succeffors, Do give, grant, releafe and confirm unto the faid John Fifher, His Heirs and Affignees forever, Six Hundred and ninety one acres and fifty three perches of land as the same we now set forth and describe as aforefaid With all Mines, Min- erals, Quarries, Meadows, Marfhes, Savannahs, Swamps, Cripples, Woods, Under-woods, Timber and Trees, Ways, Waters, Water- courfes, Liberties, Profits, Commodities, Advantages, Hereditaments, and Appurtenances whatever thereunto belonging or in any wife apper- taining and lying within the Bounds and Limits aforefaid [Three full and clear fifth Parts of all Royal Mines, free from all Deductions and Reprifals for digging and refining the fame; and alfo One-fifth Part of the Ore of all other Mines, delivered at the Pit's Mouth only accepted, and hereby reserved] and alfo free Leave, Right, and Liberty to and for the faid John Fifher his Heirs and Affigns, to hawk, hunt, fifh fowl, in and upon the hereby granted Land and Premifes, or upon any Part thereof: TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the faid Tract of Land and Premifes hereby granted (except as before excepted) with their Ap- purtenances unto the faid John Fifher, his Heirs and Affigns, to the only Ufe Behoof of the faid John Fifher his Heirs and Affigns forever TO BE HOLDEN of us, our Heirs and Succeffors, Proprietaries of Pennfylvania, as of our Manor of Conestoga in the County of Lancafter aforefaid, in free and common Soccage by Fealty only, in lieu of all other services, YIELDING AND PAYING therefore yearly unto us, our Heirs and Succeffors, at the Town of Lancafter in the faid County, at or upon the firft Day of March in every Year, from the firft Day of March next One Half-penny Sterling for every Acre of the fame, or Value thereof in Coin-Current, according as the Exchange fhall then be between our faid Province and the City of London, to fuch Perfon or Perfons as fhall, from Time to Time, be appointed to receive the fame. AND in Cafe of Non-Payment thereof, within ninety Days next after the fame fhall become due, that then it fhall and may be lawful for us, our Heirs and Succeffors, our and their Receiver or Receivers, into and upon the hereby granted Land and Premises to re-enter, and the fame to hold and poffefs, until the faid Quit-rent, and all the Arrears thereof, together with the Charges accruing by Means of fuch Non-Payment Re-entry be fully paid and difcharged. WITNESS the faid AN- THONY PALMER, ESQUIRE. President of the Council of the faid Province.
Who as well in his own Right as by Virtue of certain powers and Authorities to him for this purpose, mutually granted by the faid Pro- prietaries Hath hereunto fet his Hand and caufed the Great Seal of the said Province to be hereunto affixed, at Philadelphia the twenty fourth
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CHRONICLES OF MIDDLETOWN.
day of February in the year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hun- dred and Forty-seven. The Twenty-Fifth Year of the Reign of King George the Second, over Great Britain, &. And the Thirtieth year of the faid Proprietaries Government. Anthony Palmer .* [On the back of this document is endorsed:] Patent to John Fisher of 691:53 in Lancaster County. Dated Feb. 24th, 1747: Consideration £107,2,0. Recorded at Philadelphia in Pat. Book A Vol 13, Page 364, April 5th, 1748.
Certificate of C. Brock Dep. Rec. Dr.
and seal "Office of Pennsylvania Inrollment."
(There are several other endorsements as follows :)
Phila. Feb. 28th, 1757. Received of John Fisher twelve pounds nine- teen shillings and two pence half penny sterling in full for nine years quit rent due on the within mentioned 691 A's 53 ps. of land to the IIth day of next month £12.19.2} Stg. E. PHYSICK.
Recd. October Ist, 1759, of Jno. Fisher two Pounds seventeen shil- lings and seven Pence Sterling in money of Pennsylvania in full for two years quit rent on the within mentioned Land the Ist of March last. £2.17.7 Stg. RICH FOCKLEY, R. C.
Rec. Philad., 14th May, 1760, of John Fisher, one pound eight shill- ings and 9} Sterlg in money of Pennsylvania in full for one year quit rent due on the within mentioned Land to the Ist day of last March. $£2,3.10 Curr cr. E. PHYSICK
Recd. 4th March, 1761, of John Fisher, One pounds 8 9} Sterlg. for one year's quit rent due on the within mentioned Land on the Ist instant.
£1.8.9} Stg.
E. PHYSICK
Recd. 4th March, 1762, of John Fisher, I. 8 9} Sterlg. for one year's quit rent due on the within mentioned land to the Ist instant. £1.8.92 E. PHYSICK.
Recd. 7th May, 1765, of John Fisher, f1.8.9} pence Sterlg. in full for one year's quit rent on the within mentioned Land. £1.8.9} Stg. E. PHYSICK
VII.
In connection with the deed, I give the following from the Family Record of the Fisher family (compiled by John Adams Fisher, Esq.) :
John Fisher (abavus) came from England to Pennsylvania with Wil- liam Penn on the first voyage of the ship Welcome in 1682. He had married Margaret and had six children, Sarah, Alice, Anne, James, John and Thomas. The first four died without issue. Thomas married Margery Maud, in 1692, and had seven children.
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CHRONICLES OF MIDDLETOWN.
His son John (proavus) married Catherine and had four children, John, James, William and Anne. He died at Shippen street, Philadelphia, before the Revolution. James settled west of Harrisburg. Anne married Enoch Cummins.
His son John (avus) married Ist Elizabeth Light, and 2nd, Grace Lloyd. Had three children, John, William and George; his son John became a merchant in Jamaica, and had a son and daughter. William died without issue.
His youngest son George (pater) married Hannah Chamberlain, and settled at the mouth of the Swatara, in 1752, laid out the town of Mid- dletown in 1755, and died in 1776. He left three children, George, John and Hannah. Hannah married J. Richardson. John left three children, John, George and Juliana.
George Fisher (2nd) married, first, Elizabeth Minshall, and second, Ann Shippen Jones. By his first wife he had four children, Hannah Wickersham, John Adams, George Washington and Elizabeth Minshall. By his second wife he had four children, Robert J., Edward H., Ann J., and Catherine. This is the George Fisher who founded Portsmouth, now an integral part of Middletown.
Of George Fisher, the founder of Middletown, we have scant data. He was a tall, handsome man, who chafed under the strict rule of the Friends or Quakers, and yearned after the pomps and vanities of the worldlings. Consequently he was at variance with his family, and to remove him from temptation, his father decided to send him to the tract of wild land, which he had purchased some five years previous, on what was then the sparsely settled frontier.
George, perforce, accepted the situation and with a train of three (Conestoga) wagons, drawn each by six horses, and loaded with the necessary supplies of provisions, farming and building implements, set out on his toilsome journey. There were no turnpikes in those days and but few settlers. It took him five days to reach his destination. The roads when it rained were deep in mud, and obstructed with nu- merous stumps some portions of the route, through marshy places, had been roughly corduroyed and as there were few bridges, most of the streams had to be forded; that part of the way west of Lancaster was particularly bad. It was difficult at one or two places to find pas- sage between the huge boulders. Being Friends, the teamsters could not relieve their feelings by the customary objurgations.
At length, through much tribulation and weariness of flesh, they reached the Swatara, at Pineford, forded it and camped on the high ground on its western bank one evening in April, 1752.
Early the next morning, having selected a site, Fisher commenced preparations for the erection of his house. The whole tract was heavily timbered with fine oak, hickory, walnut, chestnut, locust, poplar and laurel trees, and in this locality was a dense growth of pine. In time the trees were cut down, fitted, and a log cabin rose, 18 by 18 feet square, and one and one-half stories high. Soon afterwards he built a log
St. Peter's Church, (erected 1767) Middletown, Pa.
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CHRONICLES OF MIDDLETOWN.
house, immediately in front, thirty by fifty feet, two stories high, and with a twelve foot wide porch on the south and east sides .*
A few Quaker families soon followed Fisher, and later, some Scotch and Irish traders came. The settlement began to grow, and so, with the approval of his father, he laid out a town, a short distance west of his residence. There were three streets, High, Main and Water running from east to west, and five, Union, Pine, Spruce, Race and Vine, from north to south.
It was difficult to secure a surveyor's chain and so a marked rope was used, which when dragged over the wet grass and then dried, made a variation in the size of the lots.
This was the site of an ancient Indian village of the Susquehanna nation. Some lodges of the Conoy or Ganawese were at the time located on the ground in the neighborhood of the square bounded by Pine, Spruce, Main and High streets.
These Indians quickly established friendly relations with the Quaker settlers, for they had heard of Penn and his honorable treatment of their forefathers. Fisher was also on good terms with the Mennonite settlers to the eastward.
In 1759 his parents conveyed the tract to him, as appears from (a synopsis of) the original parchment, which I copy verbatim, et literatim, et punctuatim.
On March 27th, 1759, "John Fisher and Grace, his wife, for and in Consideration of the Natural Love and Affection which they have and bear for the said George Fisher and for and in Consideration of the Sum of Four Shillings lawful money of Pennsylvania unto them the said John Fisher and Grace, his Wife, in hand well and truly paid by the said George Fisher at the sealing and delivery thereof the Receipt whereof is hereby Acknowledged and for divers other good Causes and Considerations them the said John Fisher and Grace his wife specially Moving HAVE given." (Here follows the wording of the original deed.) "together with all the Reversions and Remainders Rents Issues and Profits thereof and also all the Household Goods Utensils or Imple- ments of Husbandry Horses Cows Sheep and Hogs of the said John Fisher or belonging to the said Plantation or Tract of Land or there- with used or occupied and also all the Estate Right Title Interest Use Possession Property Claim and Demand whatsoever."
Signed John Fisher Grace Fisher
Sealed and Delivered in the presence of John Cooper, Paul Isaac Voto.
On the 26th day of February one thousand seven hundred and sixty
*This latter dwelling was torn down in 1859, having stood 106 years. The wing. or first cabin, was destroyed in 1875.
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CHRONICLES OF MIDDLETOWN.
three before me William Coleman one of the Justices of ye Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Came the above named John Fisher and Grace his wife and Acknowledged the above written Indenture to be their Deed and desired the same may be Recorded as their Deed the said Grace thereunto Voluntarily Consenting. She being of full age secretly and apart examined and the contents of the said Indenture made known unto her Witness my Hand and Seal the day and year aforesaid.
"WILLIAM COLEMAN." (Seal)
"Entered in the Office for recording of Deeds for the County of Lan- caster in Book L Page 226 etc. the 14th Day of July Anno Domini 1766 Witness my Hand and Seal of my said office.
"EDWARD SHIPPEN Recorder.".
(Endorsed on back of deed:) "Deed of Gift John Fisher and Wife to George Fisher."
The town grew rapidly and its trade soon exceeded any other town on the river. The emigration westward was large and continuous, and all passed through the town, Main street being a part of the great high- way between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh (the latter place being then a town of about 500 inhabitants).
Fisher occupied himself in clearing his new land and took part in the Indian wars which soon supervened. In 1776 some individuals of a party of travelers became suddenly violently ill, were taken into his house and cared for, but soon died. The record does not state the cause of their sickness but it was evidently contagious, for Fisher and his wife both contracted it, and died within a few hours of each other. They were buried on the farm, but no monument marks the place of their interment, and the location thereof will doubtless soon be for- gotten.
(The following was given me by Mr. Boyd Hamilton :)
As early as 1750, certainly, and for some years previously, popula- tion grew apace in the immediate vicinity of the mouth of the Swatara creek. The locality was known to the provincial rulers as the "South End of Paxtang township, Lancaster county." A copy of what is said to be from the original assessment of taxables for the year 1749-50, has been placed in my hands. I have never seen the original, but presume this to be correct, and as such give it a place in this memoranda. It will be observed that all the names except Shultz, Sheets and Stern are Scotch-Irish.
Brown, Alexander,
Cannon, Kennedy, Dickey, Moses, Dickey, William,
Dugan, Thomas, Herning, Peter, Galbraith, Samuel, Gorden, Charles,
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CHRONICLES OF MIDDLETOWN.
Gray, John,
Montgomery, John,
Hanna, Andrew,
McKnight, James, Shields, David,
Houston, Andrew,
Steel, William,
Johnson, John,
Shultz, Martin,
Johnson, Francis,
Stern, Valentine,
Kirkpatrick, Will
Sellers, Henry,
Kinney, Patrick,
Sheetz, George,
King, John, Lusk, James,
Shaw, Timothy,
Morrow, John,
Shields, John,
Means, Thomas,
Tyler, Robert,
McKinney, Henry,
White, Alexander,
McClure, Richard,
Wood, Samuel,
Means, John,
Wiley, Oliver,
McKnight, Timothy,
Wilson, John,
McElroy, H.,
Wilson, James,
Welsh, John.
The above roll contains 45 names. Estimated population 200 persons.
VIII.
After Braddock's defeat in July, 1775, the whole frontier was left comparatively defenceless, and the Indians scattered through the coun- try committing depredations. It is impossible in these papers to go into detail; suffice it to say that much property was destroyed and hundreds of people killed and scalped in this county and those imme- diately surrounding it. The Proprietaries refused to allow their lands to be taxed to raise funds for the common protection, and the pacific principles of the Quakers, Dunkards, Mennonites, and Schwenckfeld- ers, further complicated matters. The Quakers, in fact, having a ma- jority of the Assembly, refused all aid. The people on the frontier, exasperated at their heartlessness, sent some of the mangled bodies of these victims of savage barbarity to Philadelphia, where they were car- ried through the streets placarded as some of the martyrs to the Quaker policy of non-resistance. A mob surrounded the house of Assembly, and placing the dead bodies in the door-way demanded immediate relief for the inhabitants of the border, without, however, moving the mem- bers. In 1756 and 1757 the Proprietaries and Assembly, forced by popular pressure, raised £135,000 for the defence of the province.
April 9th, 1756, the Governor was authorized to offer rewards for scalps. On the 14th of the same month he issued a proclamation offer- ing the following bounties :
Harris, William, Jordon, Mathew,
Stuart, Hugh,
Sharp, William,
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CHRONICLES OF MIDDLETOWN.
"For every male Indian aged over twelve delivered at a government fort or jail, $150.
"For every female prisoner or male prisoner under twelve, $130.
"For the scalp of every male Indian, $130.
"For every English Subject rescued from the Indians, and delivered at Philadelphia to the Governor, $150.
"For the scalp of every female Indian, $50.
"To every officer or soldier who shall rescue any English captives, or take Indian prisoners or scalps, one half of the said bounties."
To guard against Indian devastations a chain of forts and block- houses were erected, at an expense of £85,000, along the Kitochtiny hills, from the river Delaware to the Maryland line. Of these the principal ones in Dauphin county were Forts Halifax, Hunter, McKee, Manady, Henry and Swatara.
In 1763 came the Pontiac war. It was in this war that the "Paxton Boys" became known, not only to the Province, but also to the country at large. The Indians, as any student of history knows, under the leadership of Pontiac, rose almost simultaneously. The whole frontier was ablaze; and Paxtang was truly the frontier, for west of the Susque- hanna there was scarcely an inhabitant.
Authorized by the Governor, the Rev. John Elder, the pastor of Pax- tang and Derry Presbyterian churches, organized his Rangers. As the Scotch-Irish, who then formed the population of Middletown attended these two churches alternately, many of them joined the Rangers.
The Quaker Assembly maintained its usual policy of do-nothingness, sympathizing with the Indians, and refusing aid to the settlers; one of their number characterizing these latter as "A parcel of Scotch-Irish who, if they were all killed, could well enough be spared."
(Extracts from old letters, &c., of 1763 :)
"Imagination cannot conceive the perils with which the settlement at Paxton was surrounded from 1754 to 1765 .- To portray each scene of horror would be impossible-the heart shrinks from the attempt. The settlers were goaded to desperation; murder followed murder."
"Rifles were loaded, horses were in readiness. They mounted ; they called on their pastor to lead them. He was then in the 57th year of his age. Had you seen him you would have beheld a superior being-" "No man unless he were living in Paxton at the time could have an idea of the sufferings and anxieties of the people-" "Did we not brave the summer's heat and the winter's cold, and the savage tomahawk-were we tamely to look on and see our brethren murdered, and our fairest prospects blasted, while the inhabitants of Philadelphia, Philadelphia county, Bucks and Chester slept, and reaped their gain in safety ?- The blood of a thousand of our fellow-creatures called for vengeance-What remains is to leave our cause with God and our guns."
(Extract from an address of the "Paxton Volunteers," in 1764, "to the candid and impartial world":)
"The Indians set fire to houses, barns, corn, hay, in short to every-
Residence of George Frey, Founder Emaus Orphan Home, Middletown, Pa.
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CHRONICLES OF MIDDLETOWN.
thing that was combustible; so that ye whole country seemed to be in one general blaze, and involved in one common ruin. Great numbers of ye Back Settlers were murdered, scalped and butchered in the most shocking manner, and their dead bodies inhumanly mangled, some hav- ing their ribs divided from ye chine with the tomahawk, others left expiring in ye most exquisite tortures, with their legs and arms broken, their skulls fractured, and ye brains scattered on the ground. Many children were either spitted alive, and roasted, or covered under the ashes of a large fire before their helpless parents' eyes. Ye hearts of some were taken out and eaten reeking hot, while they were yet beating between their teeth, and others, where time and opportunity would admit of it, were skinned, boiled and eaten. Hundreds carried into ye most miserable captivity, and daily tortured to death in every method of cruelty which Indian barbarity can suggest .- The husband butchered in the presence of his helpless wife while ye children are clinging around his knees ;- Ye widowed mother reserved to be a spectator of ye inhu- man massacre of her tender family, before she receives ye friendly hatchet that closes her eyes on ye shocking scene .- Those that are with child ripped open and mangled in ye most indecent manner .- Hundreds of miserable refugees flying to ye nearest frontier town with a part of their families leaving the remainder of them in the hands of ye enemy, or wandering till they perish in ye woods .- Hundreds re- duced from plentiful and independent circumstances, to a state of beg- gary and despair, taking shelter in the hovels and stables to secure their helpless families from ye inclemency of ye night or ye season; while others cannot even obtain this, but are obliged to make fires in ye woods and live worse than the savages themselves .- None but those who have been spectators or eye-witnesses of these shocking scenes can possibly have an adequate idea of our suffering."
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