Captivity and Restoration | Page 5

enemies;
who were joyful enough, though we were disconsolate. To add to the
dolefulness of the former day, and the dismalness of the present night,
my thoughts ran upon my losses and sad bereaved condition. All was
gone, my husband gone (at least separated from me, he being in the
Bay; and to add to my grief, the Indians told me they would kill him as
he came homeward), my children gone, my relations and friends gone,
our house and home and all our comforts--within door and without--all
was gone (except my life), and I knew not but the next moment that
might go too. There remained nothing to me but one poor wounded
babe, and it seemed at present worse than death that it was in such a
pitiful condition, bespeaking compassion, and I had no refreshing for it,
nor suitable things to revive it. Little do many think what is the
savageness and brutishness of this barbarous enemy, Ay, even those
that seem to profess more than others among them, when the English
have fallen into their hands.
Those seven that were killed at Lancaster the summer before upon a

Sabbath day, and the one that was afterward killed upon a weekday,
were slain and mangled in a barbarous manner, by one-eyed John, and
Marlborough's Praying Indians, which Capt. Mosely brought to Boston,
as the Indians told me.
The Second Remove
But now, the next morning, I must turn my back upon the town, and
travel with them into the vast and desolate wilderness, I knew not
whither. It is not my tongue, or pen, can express the sorrows of my
heart, and bitterness of my spirit that I had at this departure: but God
was with me in a wonderful manner, carrying me along, and bearing up
my spirit, that it did not quite fail. One of the Indians carried my poor
wounded babe upon a horse; it went moaning all along, "I shall die, I
shall die." I went on foot after it, with sorrow that cannot be expressed.
At length I took it off the horse, and carried it in my arms till my
strength failed, and I fell down with it. Then they set me upon a horse
with my wounded child in my lap, and there being no furniture upon
the horse's back, as we were going down a steep hill we both fell over
the horse's head, at which they, like inhumane creatures, laughed, and
rejoiced to see it, though I thought we should there have ended our days,
as overcome with so many difficulties. But the Lord renewed my
strength still, and carried me along, that I might see more of His power;
yea, so much that I could never have thought of, had I not experienced
it.
After this it quickly began to snow, and when night came on, they
stopped, and now down I must sit in the snow, by a little fire, and a few
boughs behind me, with my sick child in my lap; and calling much for
water, being now (through the wound) fallen into a violent fever. My
own wound also growing so stiff that I could scarce sit down or rise up;
yet so it must be, that I must sit all this cold winter night upon the cold
snowy ground, with my sick child in my arms, looking that every hour
would be the last of its life; and having no Christian friend near me,
either to comfort or help me. Oh, I may see the wonderful power of
God, that my Spirit did not utterly sink under my affliction: still the
Lord upheld me with His gracious and merciful spirit, and we were
both alive to see the light of the next morning.
The Third Remove
The morning being come, they prepared to go on their way. One of the

Indians got up upon a horse, and they set me up behind him, with my
poor sick babe in my lap. A very wearisome and tedious day I had of it;
what with my own wound, and my child's being so exceeding sick, and
in a lamentable condition with her wound. It may be easily judged what
a poor feeble condition we were in, there being not the least crumb of
refreshing that came within either of our mouths from Wednesday night
to Saturday night, except only a little cold water. This day in the
afternoon, about an hour by sun, we came to the place where they
intended, viz. an Indian town, called Wenimesset, northward of
Quabaug. When we were come, Oh the number of pagans (now
merciless enemies) that there came about me, that I may say as David,
"I had fainted, unless I had believed, etc" (Psalm 27.13). The next day