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
Early on the morning of the 24th a flock of mocking-birds and robins
hovered over us as we lay in our uncomfortable bed; and sang and said,
at least to my imagination, that I was to get up and go off. As soon as
day broke, one of the Indians went off again to watch the trail, as on
the preceding day, and he who was left to take care of me appeared to
be sleeping. When I perceived this I lay still and began to snore, as
though asleep, and he also fell asleep. Then I concluded it was time to
escape. I found it impossible to injure him for my child at the breast,
as I could not effect anything without putting the child down, and then
it would cry and give the alarm; so I contented myself with taking,
from a pillow-case of plunder stolen from our house, a short gown,
handkerchief, and child's frock, and so made my escape; the sun then
being about half an hour high.
I struck the Connoquenessing, and went down stream until about two
o'clock in the afternoon, over rocks, precipices, thorns, briers, etc.,
with my bare feet and legs. I then discovered I was on the wrong
course, and waited till the North Star appeared. Marking out the
direction for the next day, I collected a bed of leaves, laid down and
slept, though my feet, being full of thorns, began to be exceedingly
painful, and I had nothing for self or babe to eat. The next morning I
started early, nothing material occurring. Towards evening a gentle
rain came on, and I began to prepare my leaf bed, setting the child
down the while, who began to cry. Fearful of the consequences, I put
him to the breast and he became quiet. I then listened and distinctly
heard footsteps. The ground over which I had travelled was soft and my
foot traces had been followed.
Greatly alarmed, I looked about for a place of safety, and
providentially discovered a large tree which had fallen, into the top
of which I crept. The darkness greatly assisted me and prevented
detection. The savage who followed me had heard the cry of the child
and came to the very spot where it had cried, and there he halted, put
down his gun, and was at this time so near that I heard the wiping
stick strike against his gun distinctly. My getting in under the tree
and sheltering myself from the rain, and pressing my boy to my bosom,
got him warm, and, most providentially, he fell asleep, and lay very
still during that time of extreme danger. All was still and quiet; the
savage was listening to hear again the cry. My own heart was the only
thing I feared, and that beat so loud that I was apprehensive it would
betray me. It is almost impossible to conceive the wonderful effect my
situation produced upon my whole system.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account