<p><SPAN name="link2H_4_0008" id="link2H_4_0008"></SPAN></p>
<h2> THE EIGHTH REMOVE </h2>
<p>On the morrow morning we must go over the river, i.e. Connecticut, to meet
with King Philip. Two canoes full they had carried over; the next turn I
myself was to go. But as my foot was upon the canoe to step in there was a
sudden outcry among them, and I must step back, and instead of going over
the river, I must go four or five miles up the river farther northward.
Some of the Indians ran one way, and some another. The cause of this rout
was, as I thought, their espying some English scouts, who were thereabout.
In this travel up the river about noon the company made a stop, and sat
down; some to eat, and others to rest them. As I sat amongst them, musing
of things past, my son Joseph unexpectedly came to me. We asked of each
other's welfare, bemoaning our doleful condition, and the change that had
come upon us. We had husband and father, and children, and sisters, and
friends, and relations, and house, and home, and many comforts of this
life: but now we may say, as Job, "Naked came I out of my mother's womb,
and naked shall I return: the Lord gave, the Lord hath taken away, blessed
be the name of the Lord." I asked him whether he would read. He told me he
earnestly desired it, I gave him my Bible, and he lighted upon that
comfortable Scripture "I shall not die but live, and declare the works of
the Lord: the Lord hath chastened me sore yet he hath not given me over to
death" (Psalm 118.17-18). "Look here, mother," says he, "did you read
this?" And here I may take occasion to mention one principal ground of my
setting forth these lines: even as the psalmist says, to declare the works
of the Lord, and His wonderful power in carrying us along, preserving us
in the wilderness, while under the enemy's hand, and returning of us in
safety again. And His goodness in bringing to my hand so many comfortable
and suitable scriptures in my distress. But to return, we traveled on till
night; and in the morning, we must go over the river to Philip's crew.
When I was in the canoe I could not but be amazed at the numerous crew of
pagans that were on the bank on the other side. When I came ashore, they
gathered all about me, I sitting alone in the midst. I observed they asked
one another questions, and laughed, and rejoiced over their gains and
victories. Then my heart began to fail: and I fell aweeping, which was the
first time to my remembrance, that I wept before them. Although I had met
with so much affliction, and my heart was many times ready to break, yet
could I not shed one tear in their sight; but rather had been all this
while in a maze, and like one astonished. But now I may say as Psalm
137.1, "By the Rivers of Babylon, there we sate down: yea, we wept when we
remembered Zion." There one of them asked me why I wept. I could hardly
tell what to say: Yet I answered, they would kill me. "No," said he, "none
will hurt you." Then came one of them and gave me two spoonfuls of meal to
comfort me, and another gave me half a pint of peas; which was more worth
than many bushels at another time. Then I went to see King Philip. He bade
me come in and sit down, and asked me whether I would smoke it (a usual
compliment nowadays amongst saints and sinners) but this no way 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 lie sucking a stinking
tobacco-pipe.</p>
<p>Now the Indians gather their forces to go against Northampton. Over night
one went about yelling and hooting to give notice of the design. Whereupon
they fell to boiling of ground nuts, and parching of 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 master,
but he bade 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 bear. Another asked me to knit a pair of stockings, for which she gave
me a quart of peas. I boiled my peas and bear 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 upon the ground. I asked him how he
could sleep so? He answered me that he was not asleep, but at prayer; and
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 the smoke
of the wigwams, I thought I should have been blind. I could scarce discern
one wigwam from another. There was here 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 (who owned that Mary Thurston) came running after me, and
got it away again. Here was the squaw that gave me one 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 provisions I had in my travel for one day.</p>
<p>The Indians returning from Northampton, brought with them some horses, and
sheep, and other things which they had taken; I desired them that they
would carry me to Albany upon one of those horses, and sell me for powder:
for so they had sometimes discoursed. I was utterly hopeless of getting
home on foot, the way that I came. I could hardly bear to think of the
many weary steps I had taken, to come to this place.</p>
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<h2> THE NINTH REMOVE </h2>
<p>But instead of going either to Albany or homeward, we must go five miles
up the river, and then go over it. Here we abode a while. Here lived a
sorry Indian, who spoke to me to make him a shirt. When I had done it, he
would pay me nothing. But he living by the riverside, where I often went
to fetch water, I would often be putting of him in mind, and calling for
my pay: At last he told me if I would make another shirt, for a papoose
not yet born, he would give me a knife, which he did when I had done it. I
carried the knife in, and my master asked me to give it him, and I was not
a little glad that I had anything that they would accept of, and be
pleased with. When we were at this place, my master's maid came home; she
had been gone three weeks into the Narragansett country to fetch corn,
where they had stored up some in the ground. She brought home about a peck
and half of corn. This was about the time that their great captain,
Naananto, was killed in the Narragansett country. My son being now about a
mile from me, I asked liberty to go and see him; they bade me go, and away
I went; but quickly lost myself, traveling over hills and through swamps,
and could not find the way to him. And I cannot but admire at the
wonderful power and goodness of God to me, in that, though I was gone from
home, and met with all sorts of Indians, and those I had no knowledge of,
and there being no Christian soul near me; yet not one of them offered the
least imaginable miscarriage to me. I turned homeward again, and met with
my master. He showed me the way to my son. When I came to him I found him
not well: and withall he had a boil on his side, which much troubled him.
We bemoaned one another a while, as the Lord helped us, and then I
returned again. When I was returned, I found myself as unsatisfied as I
was before. I went up and down mourning and lamenting; and my spirit was
ready to sink with the thoughts of my poor children. My son was ill, and I
could not but think of his mournful looks, and no Christian friend was
near him, to do any office of love for him, either for soul or body. And
my poor girl, I knew not where she was, nor whether she was sick, or well,
or alive, or dead. I repaired under these thoughts to my Bible (my great
comfort in that time) and that Scripture came to my hand, "Cast thy burden
upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee" (Psalm 55.22).</p>
<p>But I was fain to go and look after something to satisfy my hunger, and
going among the wigwams, I went into one and there found a squaw who
showed herself very kind to me, and gave me a piece of bear. I put it into
my pocket, and came home, but could not find an opportunity to broil it,
for fear they would get it from me, and there it lay all that day and
night in my stinking pocket. In the morning I went to the same squaw, who
had a kettle of ground nuts boiling. I asked her to let me boil my piece
of bear in her kettle, which she did, and gave me some ground nuts to eat
with it: and I cannot but think how pleasant it was to me. I have sometime
seen bear baked very handsomely among the English, and some like it, but
the thought that it was bear made me tremble. But now that was savory to
me that one would think was enough to turn the stomach of a brute
creature.</p>
<p>One bitter cold day I could find no room to sit down before the fire. I
went out, and could not tell what to do, but I went in to another wigwam,
where they were also sitting round the fire, but the squaw laid a skin for
me, and bid me sit down, and gave me some ground nuts, and bade me come
again; and told me they would buy me, if they were able, and yet these
were strangers to me that I never saw before.</p>
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<h2> THE TENTH REMOVE </h2>
<p>That day a small part of the company removed about three-quarters of a
mile, intending further the next day. When they came to the place where
they intended to lodge, and had pitched their wigwams, being hungry, I
went again back to the place we were before at, to get something to eat,
being encouraged by the squaw's kindness, who bade me come again. When I
was there, there came an Indian to look after me, who when he had found
me, kicked me all along. I went home and found venison roasting that
night, but they would not give me one bit of it. Sometimes I met with
favor, and sometimes with nothing but frowns.</p>
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<h2> THE ELEVENTH REMOVE </h2>
<p>The next day in the morning they took their travel, intending a day's
journey up the river. I took my load at my back, and quickly we came to
wade over the river; and passed over tiresome and wearisome hills. One
hill was so steep that I was fain to creep up upon my knees, and to hold
by the twigs and bushes to keep myself from falling backward. My head also
was so light that I usually reeled as I went; but I hope all these
wearisome steps that I have taken, are but a forewarning to me of the
heavenly rest: "I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that
thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me" (Psalm 119.75).</p>
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<h2> THE TWELFTH REMOVE </h2>
<p>It was upon a Sabbath-day-morning, that they prepared for their travel.
This morning I asked my master whether he would sell me to my husband. He
answered me "Nux," which did much rejoice my spirit. My mistress, before
we went, was gone to the burial of a papoose, and returning, she found me
sitting and reading in my Bible; she snatched it hastily out of my hand,
and threw it out of doors. I ran out and catched it up, and put it into my
pocket, and never let her see it afterward. Then they packed up their
things to be gone, and gave me my load. I complained it was too heavy,
whereupon she gave me a slap in the face, and bade me go; I lifted up my
heart to God, hoping the redemption was not far off; and the rather
because their insolency grew worse and worse.</p>
<p>But the thoughts of my going homeward (for so we bent our course) much
cheered my spirit, and made my burden seem light, and almost nothing at
all. But (to my amazement and great perplexity) the scale was soon turned;
for when we had gone a little way, on a sudden my mistress gives out; she
would go no further, but turn back again, and said I must go back again
with her, and she called her sannup, and would have had him gone back
also, but he would not, but said he would go on, and come to us again in
three days. My spirit was, upon this, I confess, very impatient, and
almost outrageous. I thought I could as well have died as went back; I
cannot declare the trouble that I was in about it; but yet back again I
must go. As soon as I had the opportunity, I took my Bible to read, and
that quieting Scripture came to my hand, "Be still, and know that I am
God" (Psalm 46.10). Which stilled my spirit for the present. But a sore
time of trial, I concluded, I had to go through, my master being gone, who
seemed to me the best friend that I had of an Indian, both in cold and
hunger, and quickly so it proved. Down I sat, with my heart as full as it
could hold, and yet so hungry that I could not sit neither; but going out
to see what I could find, and walking among the trees, I found six acorns,
and two chestnuts, which were some refreshment to me. Towards night I
gathered some sticks for my own comfort, that I might not lie a-cold; but
when we came to lie down they bade me to go out, and lie somewhere else,
for they had company (they said) come in more than their own. I told them,
I could not tell where to go, they bade me go look; I told them, if I went
to another wigwam they would be angry, and send me home again. Then one of
the company drew his sword, and told me he would run me through if I did
not go presently. Then was I fain to stoop to this rude fellow, and to go
out in the night, I knew not whither. Mine eyes have seen that fellow
afterwards walking up and down Boston, under the appearance of a Friend
Indian, and several others of the like cut. I went to one wigwam, and they
told me they had no room. Then I went to another, and they said the same;
at last an old Indian bade me to come to him, and his squaw gave me some
ground nuts; she gave me also something to lay under my head, and a good
fire we had; and through the good providence of God, I had a comfortable
lodging that night. In the morning, another Indian bade me come at night,
and he would give me six ground nuts, which I did. We were at this place
and time about two miles from [the] Connecticut river. We went in the
morning to gather ground nuts, to the river, and went back again that
night. I went with a good load at my back (for they when they went, though
but a little way, would carry all their trumpery with them). I told them
the skin was off my back, but I had no other comforting answer from them
than this: that it would be no matter if my head were off too.</p>
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<h2> THE THIRTEENTH REMOVE </h2>
<p>Instead of going toward the Bay, which was that I desired, I must go with
them five or six miles down the river into a mighty thicket of brush;
where we abode almost a fortnight. Here one asked me to make a shirt for
her papoose, for which she gave me a mess of broth, which was thickened
with meal made of the bark of a tree, and to make it the better, she had
put into it about a handful of peas, and a few roasted ground nuts. I had
not seen my son a pretty while, and here was an Indian of whom I made
inquiry after him, and asked him when he saw him. He answered me that such
a time his master roasted him, and that himself did eat a piece of him, as
big as his two fingers, and that he was very good meat. But the Lord
upheld my Spirit, under this discouragement; and I considered their
horrible addictedness to lying, and that there is not one of them that
makes the least conscience of speaking of truth. In this place, on a cold
night, as I lay by the fire, I removed a stick that kept the heat from me.
A squaw moved it down again, at which I looked up, and she threw a handful
of ashes in mine eyes. I thought I should have been quite blinded, and
have never seen more, but lying down, the water run out of my eyes, and
carried the dirt with it, that by the morning I recovered my sight again.
Yet upon this, and the like occasions, I hope it is not too much to say
with Job, "Have pity upon me, O ye my Friends, for the Hand of the Lord
has touched me." And here I cannot but remember how many times sitting in
their wigwams, and musing on things past, I should suddenly leap up and
run out, as if I had been at home, forgetting where I was, and what my
condition was; but when I was without, and saw nothing but wilderness, and
woods, and a company of barbarous heathens, my mind quickly returned to
me, which made me think of that, spoken concerning Sampson, who said, "I
will go out and shake myself as at other times, but he wist not that the
Lord was departed from him." About this time I began to think that all my
hopes of restoration would come to nothing. I thought of the English army,
and hoped for their coming, and being taken by them, but that failed. I
hoped to be carried to Albany, as the Indians had discoursed before, but
that failed also. I thought of being sold to my husband, as my master
spake, but instead of that, my master himself was gone, and I left behind,
so that my spirit was now quite ready to sink. I asked them to let me go
out and pick up some sticks, that I might get alone, and pour out my heart
unto the Lord. Then also I took my Bible to read, but I found no comfort
here neither, which many times I was wont to find. So easy a thing it is
with God to dry up the streams of Scripture comfort from us. Yet I can
say, that in all my sorrows and afflictions, God did not leave me to have
my impatience work towards Himself, as if His ways were unrighteous. But I
knew that He laid upon me less than I deserved. Afterward, before this
doleful time ended with me, I was turning the leaves of my Bible, and the
Lord brought to me some Scriptures, which did a little revive me, as that
[in] Isaiah 55.8: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your
ways my ways, saith the Lord." And also that [in] Psalm 37.5: "Commit thy
way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass."
About this time they came yelping from Hadley, where they had killed three
Englishmen, and brought one captive with them, viz. Thomas Read. They all
gathered about the poor man, asking him many questions. I desired also to
go and see him; and when I came, he was crying bitterly, supposing they
would quickly kill him. Whereupon I asked one of them, whether they
intended to kill him; he answered me, they would not. He being a little
cheered with that, I asked him about the welfare of my husband. He told me
he saw him such a time in the Bay, and he was well, but very melancholy.
By which I certainly understood (though I suspected it before) that
whatsoever the Indians told me respecting him was vanity and lies. Some of
them told me he was dead, and they had killed him; some said he was
married again, and that the Governor wished him to marry; and told him he
should have his choice, and that all persuaded I was dead. So like were
these barbarous creatures to him who was a liar from the beginning.</p>
<p>As I was sitting once in the wigwam here, Philip's maid came in with the
child in her arms, and asked me to give her a piece of my apron, to make a
flap for it. I told her I would not. Then my mistress bade me give it, but
still I said no. The maid told me if I would not give her a piece, she
would tear a piece off it. I told her I would tear her coat then. With
that my mistress rises up, and take up a stick big enough to have killed
me, and struck at me with it. But I stepped out, and she struck the stick
into the mat of the wigwam. But while she was pulling of it out I ran to
the maid and gave her all my apron, and so that storm went over.</p>
<p>Hearing that my son was come to this place, I went to see him, and told
him his father was well, but melancholy. He told me he was as much grieved
for his father as for himself. I wondered at his speech, for I thought I
had enough upon my spirit in reference to myself, to make me mindless of
my husband and everyone else; they being safe among their friends. He told
me also, that awhile before, his master (together with other Indians) were
going to the French for powder; but by the way the Mohawks met with them,
and killed four of their company, which made the rest turn back again, for
it might have been worse with him, had he been sold to the French, than it
proved to be in his remaining with the Indians.</p>
<p>I went to see an English youth in this place, one John Gilbert of
Springfield. I found him lying without doors, upon the ground. I asked him
how he did? He told me he was very sick of a flux, with eating so much
blood. They had turned him out of the wigwam, and with him an Indian
papoose, almost dead (whose parents had been killed), in a bitter cold
day, without fire or clothes. The young man himself had nothing on but his
shirt and waistcoat. This sight was enough to melt a heart of flint. There
they lay quivering in the cold, the youth round like a dog, the papoose
stretched out with his eyes and nose and mouth full of dirt, and yet
alive, and groaning. I advised John to go and get to some fire. He told me
he could not stand, but I persuaded him still, lest he should lie there
and die. And with much ado I got him to a fire, and went myself home. As
soon as I was got home his master's daughter came after me, to know what I
had done with the Englishman. I told her I had got him to a fire in such a
place. Now had I need to pray Paul's Prayer "That we may be delivered from
unreasonable and wicked men" (2 Thessalonians 3.2). For her satisfaction I
went along with her, and brought her to him; but before I got home again
it was noised about that I was running away and getting the English youth,
along with me; that as soon as I came in they began to rant and domineer,
asking me where I had been, and what I had been doing? and saying they
would knock him on the head. I told them I had been seeing the English
youth, and that I would not run away. They told me I lied, and taking up a
hatchet, they came to me, and said they would knock me down if I stirred
out again, and so confined me to the wigwam. Now may I say with David, "I
am in a great strait" (2 Samuel 24.14). If I keep in, I must die with
hunger, and if I go out, I must be knocked in head. This distressed
condition held that day, and half the next. And then the Lord remembered
me, whose mercies are great. Then came an Indian to me with a pair of
stockings that were too big for him, and he would have me ravel them out,
and knit them fit for him. I showed myself willing, and bid him ask my
mistress if I might go along with him a little way; she said yes, I might,
but I was not a little refreshed with that news, that I had my liberty
again. Then I went along with him, and he gave me some roasted ground
nuts, which did again revive my feeble stomach.</p>
<p>Being got out of her sight, I had time and liberty again to look into my
Bible; which was my guide by day, and my pillow by night. Now that
comfortable Scripture presented itself to me, "For a small moment have I
forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee" (Isaiah 54.7).
Thus the Lord carried me along from one time to another, and made good to
me this precious promise, and many others. Then my son came to see me, and
I asked his master to let him stay awhile with me, that I might comb his
head, and look over him, for he was almost overcome with lice. He told me,
when I had done, that he was very hungry, but I had nothing to relieve
him, but bid him go into the wigwams as he went along, and see if he could
get any thing among them. Which he did, and it seems tarried a little too
long; for his master was angry with him, and beat him, and then sold him.
Then he came running to tell me he had a new master, and that he had given
him some ground nuts already. Then I went along with him to his new master
who told me he loved him, and he should not want. So his master carried
him away, and I never saw him afterward, till I saw him at Piscataqua in
Portsmouth.</p>
<p>That night they bade me go out of the wigwam again. My mistress's papoose
was sick, and it died that night, and there was one benefit in it—that
there was more room. I went to a wigwam, and they bade me come in, and
gave me a skin to lie upon, and a mess of venison and ground nuts, which
was a choice dish among them. On the morrow they buried the papoose, and
afterward, both morning and evening, there came a company to mourn and
howl with her; though I confess I could not much condole with them. Many
sorrowful days I had in this place, often getting alone. "Like a crane, or
a swallow, so did I chatter; I did mourn as a dove, mine eyes ail with
looking upward. Oh, Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me" (Isaiah
38.14). I could tell the Lord, as Hezekiah, "Remember now O Lord, I
beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth." Now had I time to
examine all my ways: my conscience did not accuse me of unrighteousness
toward one or other; yet I saw how in my walk with God, I had been a
careless creature. As David said, "Against thee, thee only have I sinned":
and I might say with the poor publican, "God be merciful unto me a
sinner." On the Sabbath days, I could look upon the sun and think how
people were going to the house of God, to have their souls refreshed; and
then home, and their bodies also; but I was destitute of both; and might
say as the poor prodigal, "He would fain have filled his belly with the
husks that the swine did eat, and no man gave unto him" (Luke 15.16). For
I must say with him, "Father, I have sinned against Heaven and in thy
sight." I remembered how on the night before and after the Sabbath, when
my family was about me, and relations and neighbors with us, we could pray
and sing, and then refresh our bodies with the good creatures of God; and
then have a comfortable bed to lie down on; but instead of all this, I had
only a little swill for the body and then, like a swine, must lie down on
the ground. I cannot express to man the sorrow that lay upon my spirit;
the Lord knows it. Yet that comfortable Scripture would often come to
mind, "For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies
will I gather thee."</p>
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<h2> THE FOURTEENTH REMOVE </h2>
<p>Now must we pack up and be gone from this thicket, bending our course
toward the Baytowns; I having nothing to eat by the way this day, but a
few crumbs of cake, that an Indian gave my girl the same day we were
taken. She gave it me, and I put it in my pocket; there it lay, till it
was so moldy (for want of good baking) that one could not tell what it was
made of; it fell all to crumbs, and grew so dry and hard, that it was like
little flints; and this refreshed me many times, when I was ready to
faint. It was in my thoughts when I put it into my mouth, that if ever I
returned, I would tell the world what a blessing the Lord gave to such
mean food. As we went along they killed a deer, with a young one in her,
they gave me a piece of the fawn, and it was so young and tender, that one
might eat the bones as well as the flesh, and yet I thought it very good.
When night came on we sat down; it rained, but they quickly got up a bark
wigwam, where I lay dry that night. I looked out in the morning, and many
of them had lain in the rain all night, I saw by their reeking. Thus the
Lord dealt mercifully with me many times, and I fared better than many of
them. In the morning they took the blood of the deer, and put it into the
paunch, and so boiled it. I could eat nothing of that, though they ate it
sweetly. And yet they were so nice in other things, that when I had
fetched water, and had put the dish I dipped the water with into the
kettle of water which I brought, they would say they would knock me down;
for they said, it was a sluttish trick.</p>
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<h2> THE FIFTEENTH REMOVE </h2>
<p>We went on our travel. I having got one handful of ground nuts, for my
support that day, they gave me my load, and I went on cheerfully (with the
thoughts of going homeward), having my burden more on my back than my
spirit. We came to Banquang river again that day, near which we abode a
few days. Sometimes one of them would give me a pipe, another a little
tobacco, another a little salt: which I would change for a little
victuals. I cannot but think what a wolvish appetite persons have in a
starving condition; for many times when they gave me that which was hot, I
was so greedy, that I should burn my mouth, that it would trouble me hours
after, and yet I should quickly do the same again. And after I was
thoroughly hungry, I was never again satisfied. For though sometimes it
fell out, that I got enough, and did eat till I could eat no more, yet I
was as unsatisfied as I was when I began. And now could I see that
Scripture verified (there being many Scriptures which we do not take
notice of, or understand till we are afflicted) "Thou shalt eat and not be
satisfied" (Micah 6.14). Now might I see more than ever before, the
miseries that sin hath brought upon us. Many times I should be ready to
run against the heathen, but the Scripture would quiet me again, "Shall
there be evil in a City and the Lord hath not done it?" (Amos 3.6). The
Lord help me to make a right improvement of His word, and that I might
learn that great lesson: "He hath showed thee (Oh Man) what is good, and
what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and love mercy, and
walk humbly with thy God? Hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it"
(Micah 6.8-9).</p>
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<h2> THE SIXTEENTH REMOVAL </h2>
<p>We began this remove with wading over Banquang river: the water was up to
the knees, and the stream very swift, and so cold that I thought it would
have cut me in sunder. I was so weak and feeble, that I reeled as I went
along, and thought there I must end my days at last, after my bearing and
getting through so many difficulties. The Indians stood laughing to see me
staggering along; but in my distress the Lord gave me experience of the
truth, and goodness of that promise, "When thou passest through the
waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not
overflow thee" (Isaiah 43.2). Then I sat down to put on my stockings and
shoes, with the tears running down mine eyes, and sorrowful thoughts in my
heart, but I got up to go along with them. Quickly there came up to us an
Indian, who informed them that I must go to Wachusett to my master, for
there was a letter come from the council to the Sagamores, about redeeming
the captives, and that there would be another in fourteen days, and that I
must be there ready. My heart was so heavy before that I could scarce
speak or go in the path; and yet now so light, that I could run. My
strength seemed to come again, and recruit my feeble knees, and aching
heart. Yet it pleased them to go but one mile that night, and there we
stayed two days. In that time came a company of Indians to us, near
thirty, all on horseback. My heart skipped within me, thinking they had
been Englishmen at the first sight of them, for they were dressed in
English apparel, with hats, white neckcloths, and sashes about their
waists; and ribbons upon their shoulders; but when they came near, there
was a vast difference between the lovely faces of Christians, and foul
looks of those heathens, which much damped my spirit again.</p>
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<h2> THE SEVENTEENTH REMOVE </h2>
<p>A comfortable remove it was to me, because of my hopes. They gave me a
pack, and along we went cheerfully; but quickly my will proved more than
my strength; having little or no refreshing, my strength failed me, and my
spirits were almost quite gone. Now may I say with David "I am poor and
needy, and my heart is wounded within me. I am gone like the shadow when
it declineth: I am tossed up and down like the locust; my knees are weak
through fasting, and my flesh faileth of fatness" (Psalm 119.22-24). At
night we came to an Indian town, and the Indians sat down by a wigwam
discoursing, but I was almost spent, and could scarce speak. I laid down
my load, and went into the wigwam, and there sat an Indian boiling of
horses feet (they being wont to eat the flesh first, and when the feet
were old and dried, and they had nothing else, they would cut off the feet
and use them). I asked him to give me a little of his broth, or water they
were boiling in; he took a dish, and gave me one spoonful of samp, and bid
me take as much of the broth as I would. Then I put some of the hot water
to the samp, and drank it up, and my spirit came again. He gave me also a
piece of the ruff or ridding of the small guts, and I broiled it on the
coals; and now may I say with Jonathan, "See, I pray you, how mine eyes
have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey" (1 Samuel
14.29). Now is my spirit revived again; though means be never so
inconsiderable, yet if the Lord bestow His blessing upon them, they shall
refresh both soul and body.</p>
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<h2> THE EIGHTEENTH REMOVE </h2>
<p>We took up our packs and along we went, but a wearisome day I had of it.
As we went along I saw an Englishman stripped naked, and lying dead upon
the ground, but knew not who it was. Then we came to another Indian town,
where we stayed all night. In this town there were four English children,
captives; and one of them my own sister's. I went to see how she did, and
she was well, considering her captive condition. I would have tarried that
night with her, but they that owned her would not suffer it. Then I went
into another wigwam, where they were boiling corn and beans, which was a
lovely sight to see, but I could not get a taste thereof. Then I went to
another wigwam, where there were two of the English children; the squaw
was boiling horses feet; then she cut me off a little piece, and gave one
of the English children a piece also. Being very hungry I had quickly eat
up mine, but the child could not bite it, it was so tough and sinewy, but
lay sucking, gnawing, chewing and slabbering of it in the mouth and hand.
Then I took it of the child, and eat it myself, and savory it was to my
taste. Then I may say as Job 6.7, "The things that my soul refused to
touch are as my sorrowful meat." Thus the Lord made that pleasant
refreshing, which another time would have been an abomination. Then I went
home to my mistress's wigwam; and they told me I disgraced my master with
begging, and if I did so any more, they would knock me in the head. I told
them, they had as good knock me in head as starve me to death.</p>
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