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
Some time after I was there, I was visited by the Delaware Indian
already mentioned, who was at the taking of me, and could speak some
English. Though he spoke but bad English, yet I found him to be a man
of considerable understanding. I asked him if I had done anything that
had offended the Indians which caused them to treat me so unmercifully.
He said no; it was only an old custom the Indians had, and it was like
"how do you do"; after that, he said, I would be well used. I asked him
if I should be admitted to remain with the French. He said no; and told
me that as soon as I recovered, I must not only go with the Indians,
but must be made an Indian myself. I asked him what news from
Braddock's army. He said the Indians spied them every day, and he
showed me, by making marks on the ground with a stick, that Braddock's
army was advancing in very close order, and that the Indians would
surround them, take trees, and (as he expressed it) _shoot um down
all one pigeon_.
Shortly after this, on the 9th day of July, 1755, in the morning, I
heard a great stir in the fort. As I could then walk with a staff in my
hand, I went out of the door, which was just by the wall of the fort,
and stood upon the wall, and viewed the Indians in a huddle before the
gate, where were barrels of powder, bullets, flints, etc., and every
one taking what suited. I saw the Indians also march off in rank
entire; likewise the French Canadians, and some regulars. After viewing
the Indians and French in different positions, I computed them to be
about four hundred, and wondered that they attempted to go out against
Braddock with so small a party. I was then in high hopes that I would
soon see them fly before the British troops, and that General Braddock
would take the fort and rescue me.
I remained anxious to know the event of this day; and, in the
afternoon, I again observed a great noise and commotion in the fort,
and though at that time I could not understand French, yet I found that
it was the voice of joy and triumph, and feared that they had received
what I called bad news.
I had observed some of the old-country soldiers speak Dutch: as I spoke
Dutch, I went to one of them, and asked him what was the news. He told
me that a runner had just arrived, who said that Braddock would
certainly be defeated; that the Indians and French had surrounded him,
and were concealed behind trees and in gullies, and kept a constant
fire upon the English, and that they saw the English falling in heaps,
and if they did not take the river, which was the only gap, and make
their escape, there would not be one man left alive before sundown. The
morning after the battle I saw Braddock's artillery brought into the
fort; the same day I also saw several Indians in British officers'
dress, with sash, half-moon, laced hats, etc., which the British then
wore.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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