hurrying me towards a retired I judge, was soon demolished. swamp that lay at some small | I could not help forgetting my distance; but before we had own cares for a minute to lament gone many yards, an English the fate of so young a sufferer, gentleman of some distinction, but it was utterly impossible for as I could discover by his me to take any methods to prebreeches, the only covering he vent it. had on, which were of fine scarlet velvet, rushed close by us. One of the Indians instantly relinquished his hold, and springing on this new object, endeavoured to seize him as his prey; but the gentleman being strong, threw him on the ground, and would probably have got away, had not he who held my other arm quitted me to assist his brother. I seized the opportunity, and hastened away to join another party of English troops that were yet unbroken, and stood in a body at some distance. But before I had taken many steps, I hastily cast my eyes towards the gentleman, and saw the Indian's tomahawk gash into his back, and heard him utter his last groan: this added both to my speed and desperation. I had left this shocking scene but a few yards, when a fine boy about twelve years of age, that had hitherto escaped, came up to me, and begged that I would let him lay hold of me, that he might stand some chance of getting out of the hands of the savages. I told him that I would give him every assistance in my power, and to this purpose bade him lay hold; but in a few moments he was torn from my side, and by his shrieks, 'I had now got once more into the circle of friends, but we were unable to afford each other any succour. As this was the division that had advanced the farthest from the fort, I thought there might be a possibility (though a bare one) of my forcing my way through the outer ranks of Indians, and getting to a neighbouring wood, which I perceived at some distance. I was still encouraged to hope by the almost miraculous preservation I had already experienced. Nor were my hopes in vain, or the efforts I made ineffectual. Suffice it to say that I reached the wood; but by the time I had penetrated a little way into it, my breath was so exhausted that I threw myself into a brake, and lay for some time apparently at the last gasp. At length I recovered the power of respiration; but my apprehensions returned with all their former force when I saw several savages pass by, probably in pursuit of me, at no very great distance. In this situation I knew not whether it was better to proceed, or endeavour to conceal myself where I lay till night came on. Fearing, however, that they would return the same way, I thought it was most prudent to get farther from the dreadful scene. Accordingly, striking into another part of the wood, I hastened on as fast as the briars and the loss of one of my shoes would permit me; and after a slow progress of some hours, gained a hill that overlooked the plain which I had just left, from whence I could discern that the bloody storm still raged with unabated fury. "After passing three days without subsistence, and enduring the severity of the cold dews for three nights, I at length reached Fort Edward, where with proper care my body soon recovered its wonted strength, and my mind, as far as the recollection of the late melancholy events would permit, its usual composure. 'It has been computed that fifteen hundred persons were killed or made prisoners by the savages on this fatal day. Many of the latter were carried off by them and never returned. A few, through favourable accidents, found their way back to their native country, after having experienced a long and severe captivity. The brave Colonel Munro fell a victim to his misfortune, and died of a broken heart about three months after his defeat.' CHAPTER IV. PETER WILLIAMSON'S CAPTURE BY INDIANS, SCENES HE WITNESSED, AND THE MANNER IN WHICH HE MADE HIS ESCAPE. 'I was born within ten miles of the town of Aberdeen, in the north of Scotland, of reputable parents. At eight years of age, being a sturdy boy, I was taken notice of by two fellows belonging to a vessel, employed by some of the worthy merchants of Aberdeen, in that villanous and execrable practice of stealing young children from their parents, and selling them as slaves in the plantations abroad; and on board the ship I was easily cajoled by them, where I was conducted between the decks to some others they had kidnapped in the same manner, and in about a month's time set sail for America. 'When arrived at Philadelphia, the captain sold us at about sixteen pounds per head. What became of my unhappy companions I never knew; but it was my lot to be sold for seven years to one of my countrymen, who had in his youth been kidnapped like myself, but from another town. Having no children of his own, and commiserating my condition, he took care of me, indulged me in going to school, where I went every winter for five years, and made tolerable proficiency. With this good master I continued till he died, and, as a reward for my faithful service, he left me £200 currency, which was then about £120 sterling, his best horse, saddle, and all his wearing apparel. these savages! Scarce did a day pass but some unhappy family or other fell victims to savage cruelty. Terrible indeed it proved to me as well as to many others. I, who was now happy in an easy state of life, blessed with an affectionate and tender wife, became on a sudden one of the most unhappy of mankind. Scarce can I sustain the shock which for ever recurs on recollecting the fatal 2d of October 1754. My wife that 'Being now seventeen years old, and my own master, having money in my pocket, and all other necessaries, I employed myself in jobbing for near seven years, when I resolved to settle, and married the daughter of a substantial planter. My father-day went from home to visit in-law made me a deed of gift some of her relations. As I of a tract of land that lay, un- stayed up later than usual, exhappily for me, as it has since pecting her return, none being proved, on the frontiers of in the house besides myself, how the province of Pennsylvania, great was my surprise and terror, near the Forks of Delaware, when, about eleven o'clock at containing about two hundred night, I heard the dismal waracres, thirty of which were whoop of the savages, and found well cleared and fit for imme- that my house was beset by them. diate use, on which were a good I flew to my chamber window, house and barn. The place and perceived them to be twelve pleasing me well, I settled on in number. Having my gun it. My money I expended in loaded, I threatened them with buying stock, household furni- death if they did not retire. ture, and implements for out-of- But how vain and fruitless are door work; and being happy the efforts of one man against in a good wife, my felicity was the united force of so many complete. But in 1754, the bloodthirsty monsters. One of Indians, who had for a long them, who could speak English, time before ravaged and de-threatened me in return, that "if stroyed other parts of America I did not come out, they would unmolested, began now to be burn me alive," adding, howvery troublesome on the fron- ever, that "if I would come tiers of our province, where they out and surrender myself prigenerally appeared in small soner, they would not kill me." skulking parties, committing In such deplorable circumgreat devastations. stances, I chose to rely on their promises rather than meet death by rejecting them, and accordingly went out of the house with 'Terrible, and shocking to human nature, were the barbarities daily committed by my gun in my hand, not knowing that I had it. Immediately on my approach they rushed on me like tigers, and instantly disarmed me. Having me thus in their power, they bound me to a tree, went into the house, plundered it of everything they could carry off, and then set fire to it and consumed what was left before my eyes. Not satisfied with this, they set fire to my barn, stable, and outhouses, wherein were about two hundred bushels of wheat, six cows, four horses, and five sheep, all of which were consumed to ashes. 'Having thus finished the execrable business about which they came, one of the monsters came to me with a tomahawk, and threatened me with the worst of deaths if I would not go with them. This I agreed to, and then they untied me, gave me a load to carry, under which I travelled all that night, full of the most terrible apprehensions lest my unhappy wife should likewise have fallen into their cruel power. At daybreak, my infernal masters ordered me to lay down my load; then, tying my hands again round a tree, -forcing the blood out at my fingers' ends, they kindled a fire near the tree to which I was bound; the most dreadful agonies seized me, for I concluded I was to be made a sacrifice to their barbarity. The fire being made, they for some time danced round me after their manner, whooping, hallooing, and shrieking in a frightful manner. Being satisfied with this sort of mirth, they proceeded in another manner; taking the burning coals, and sticks flaming with fire at the ends, holding them to my face, head, hands, and feet, and at the same time threatening to burn me entirely if I cried out. Thus, tortured as I was almost to death, I suffered their brutalities, without being able to vent my anguish otherwise than by shedding silent tears; and these being observed, they took fresh coals and applied them near my eyes, telling me my face was wet, and that they would dry it for me, which indeed they cruelly did. How I underwent these tortures has been matter of wonder to me, but God enabled me to wait with more than common patience for the deliverance I daily prayed. 'At length they sat down round the fire, and roasted the meat of which they had robbed my dwelling. When they had supped, they offered some to me. Though it may easily be imagined I had but little appetite to eat, after the tortures and miseries I had suffered, yet was I forced to seem pleased with what they offered me, lest by refusing it they should resume their hellish practices. What I could not eat I contrived to hide, they having unbound me till they imagined I had eaten all; but then they bound me as before, in which deplorable condition I was obliged to continue the whole day. When the sun was set, they put out the fire, and covered the ashes with leaves, as is their custom, that the white people might not discover any traces of their having been there. of his being unable to proceed any farther, I endeavoured to animate him, but all in vain, for he still continued his moans and tears; which one of the savages perceiving as we travelled along, came up to us, and with his tomahawk gave him a blow on the head, which felled the unhappy youth to the ground, whom they immediately scalped and left. The suddenness of this murder shocked me to that degree, that I was in a manner motionless, expecting that my fate would soon be the same. However, recovering my distracted thoughts, I dissembled my anguish as well as I could from the barbarians; but still, such was my terror, that for some time I scarce knew the days of the week or what I did. 'Going from thence along the Susquehannah for the space of six miles, loaded as I was before, we arrived at a spot near the Apalachian mountains, or Blue Hills, where they hid their plunder under logs of wood. From thence they proceeded to a neighbouring house, occupied by one Jacob Snider and his unhappy family, consisting of his wife, five children, and a young man, his servant. They soon got admittance into the unfortunate man's house, where they immediately, without the least remorse, scalped both parents and children; nor could the tears, the shrieks, or cries of poor innocent children prevent their horrible massacre. Having thus scalped them, and plundered the house of every-plunder they had got. thing that was moveable, they set fire to it, and left the distressed victims amidst the flames. Thinking the young man belonging to this unhappy family would be of service to them in carrying part of their plunder, they spared his life, and loaded him and myself with what they had here got, and again marched to the Blue Hills, where they stowed their goods as before. My fellow-sufferer could not support the cruel treatment which we were obliged to suffer, and complaining bitterly to me They still kept on their course near the mountains, where they lay skulking for four or five days, rejoicing at the When provisions became scarce, they made their way toward Susquehannah, and passing another house, inhabited by an old man, whose name was John Adams, with his wife and four small children, and meeting with no resistance, they immediately scalped the mother and her children before the old man's eyes. Inhuman and horrid as this was, it did not satisfy them; for when they had murdered the poor woman and her children, they proceeded to mutilate the bodies in a most brutal manner. The unhappy Adams, |