Captives among the Indians : $b first-hand narratives of Indian wars, customs, tortures, and habits of life in colonial times — John Shaqi
Captives among the Indians : $b first-hand narratives of Indian wars, customs, tortures, and habits of life in colonial timesRowlandson, Mary White
History
Captives among the Indians : $b first-hand narratives of Indian wars, customs, tortures, and habits of life in colonial times
Rowlandson, Mary White
Indian captivities -- Northeastern States
About the latter end of March we began to prepare for moving into town
in order to plant corn. The squaws were then frying the last of their
bear's fat and making vessels to hold it; the vessels were made of
deer-skins, which were skinned by pulling the skin off the neck without
ripping. After they had taken off the hair they gathered it in small
plaits round the neck, and, with a string, drew it together like a
purse; in the centre a pin was put, below which they tied a string, and
while it was wet they blew it up like a bladder, and let it remain in
this manner until it was dry, when it appeared nearly in the shape of a
sugar-loaf, but more rounding at the lower end. One of these vessels
would hold about four or five gallons. In these vessels it was they
carried their bear's oil.
When all things were ready we moved back to the falls of
Canesadooharie. On our arrival at the falls (as we had brought with us
on horseback about two hundred weight of sugar, a large quantity of
bear's oil, skins, etc.) the canoe we had buried was not sufficient to
carry all; therefore we were obliged to make another one of elm-bark.
While we lay here a young Wyandot found my books. On this they
collected together. I was a little way from the camp, and saw the
collection, but did not know what it meant. They called me by my Indian
name, which was Scoouwa, repeatedly. I ran to see what was the matter;
they showed me my books, and said they were glad they had been found,
for they knew I was grieved at the loss of them, and that they now
rejoiced with me because they were found. As I could then speak some
Indian, especially Caughnewaga (for both that and the Wyandot tongue
were spoken in this camp), I told them that I thanked them for the
kindness they had always shown to me, and also for finding my books.
They asked if the books were damaged. I told them not much. They then
showed how they lay, which was in the best manner to turn off the
water. In a deer-skin pouch they lay all winter. The print was not much
injured, though the binding was. This was the first time that I felt my
heart warm towards the Indians. Though they had been exceedingly kind
to me, I still before detested them on account of the barbarity I
beheld after Braddock's defeat. Neither had I ever before pretended
kindness, or expressed myself in a friendly manner; but I began now to
excuse the Indians on account of their want of information.
We staid at this camp about two weeks, and killed a number of bears,
raccoons, and some beavers. We made a canoe of elm-bark, and
Tontileaugo embarked in it. He arrived at the falls that night; while
I, mounted on horseback, with a bear-skin saddle and bark stirrups,
proceeded by land to the falls. I came there the next morning, and we
carried our canoe and loading past the falls.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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