Captives among the Indians : $b first-hand narratives of Indian wars, customs, tortures, and habits of life in colonial timesRowlandson, Mary White
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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
Then I went to see King Philip. He bade me come in and sit down, and
asked me whether I would smoke--a usual compliment nowadays among the
saints and sinners; but this noway suited me; 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 sit sucking a stinking tobacco pipe.
Now the Indians gathered their forces to go against Northampton. Over
night one went about yelling and hooting to give notice of the design.
Whereupon they went to boiling of ground-nuts and parching corn--as
many as had it--for their provision; 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 mistress, but she bid me keep it, and with it I bought a
piece of horse-flesh.
Afterwards he asked me to make a cap for his boy, for which he invited
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; for which
she gave me a piece of beef. Another asked me to knit a pair of
stockings, for which she gave me a quart of peas. I boiled my peas and
beef 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 on the ground. I asked him how he could sleep so.
He answered me that he was not asleep, but at prayer, and that he 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 smoke of the wigwams, I thought I should have been
blinded. I could scarce discern one wigwam from another. There was 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 that owned that Mary
Thurston came running after me and got it away again. Here was a squaw
who gave me a 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 provision I had in my travel
for one day.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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