History of the War with Indian Savages, Article 4
ARTICLE. IV. A Flame Spreading, upon the best Endeavours to Quench it.
IT was hop'd, the War would now come to an Immediate End; but the Great God, who Creates that Evil, had further Intentions to Chaſtiſe a Sinful People, by thoſe who are not a People. The Government ſent Capt. Greenleaf, to treat with the Indians at Penacook, who anſwered him with fair pretences and Promiſes of Amity. They procured an Interview, with ſome of the more Eaſtern Sagamores, who not only promiſed Friendſhip themſelves, but alſo undertook to make our Enemies become our Friends. They ſent unto the Souldiers, yet remaining at Pemmaquid, for to keep their Poſt, Engaging to them that they ſhould not want their Pay. But all this care, was defeated by Methods of Miſchiefs, too deep for our preſent penetration. The Salvages, began to Renew their Hoſtilities, at Saco Falls, in the Beginning of April, on a Lords day morning, ſome while before the Revolution. The Penacook Indians, were all this while peaceably Converſant at Quochecho; and ſo long as that Converſation continued, the Inhabitants were very Secure, of any Danger, not only from thoſe Cut-throats, but alſo from their Brethren. Happy had it been for thoſe Honeſt People, if their Fear, had made ſo much Haſt, as my Pen ha's done, to call 'em Cut throats! For, the Penacookian joining with the Saconian Indians, hovered about Quochecho, where one Meſandowit, a Sagamore, being that Night kindly Entertained by Major Richard Waldein, horribly betray'd his kind Hoſt, with the Neighbours into the hands of Murderers. Above an Hundred, ſome ſay Five Hundred of the Indians, about break of Day, having Surprized the Secure and Silent Engliſh, they particularly ruſhed into the Garriſon of the Generous Major, which was by Sinon Meſandowit (for, beſtowing a Heathen Name upon him, we'l now call him ſo,) opened for them, and having firſt barbarouſly Murdered the Old Gentleman, who was Aequivalent unto Two and Twenty, they then Murdered Two and Twenty more, and Captived Nine and Twenty of the People; burn't four or five of the beſt Houſes, took much Plunder, and ſo drew off: but kill'd Mr. John Broughton in their drawing off: while Mr. John Emmerſon, a worthy Preacher at Barwick, by declining to lodge at the Hoſpitable Majors, that Night, when ſtrongly Invited, received a remarkable Deliverance. Hereupon, Forces were diſpatch'd for the Relief of what Remained in Quochecho; Capt. Noyes alſo with more Forces, viſited Penacook, where though the Men eſcaped him, he deſtroy'd the Corn of our New Enemies: but the Skulking Enemies, at the ſame Time Slew ſeveral Perſons at an out-farm, on the North-ſide of Merrimack River. A party of men, were ſoon after ſent out of Piſcataqua, under the Command of Capt. Wincal, who went up to Winnopiſſeag ponds, (upon Advice of one John Church, who ran from them, that the Indians were there:) where they kill'd One or Two of the Monsters they Hunted for, and cut down their Corn. Four young men of Saco, deſirous to joyn with them, went into the woods to Seek their Horſes, and Found their Deaths, by an Ambuſh of Indians. Twenty Four Armed men, going forth from Saco Falls, to bury the Slain, had a brisk Encounter with the Indians, whom they purſued into a Vaſt Swamp, until a Greater Number of Indians pouring in upon them, obliged 'em with the loſs of about Five or Six more, to Retire from any further Action. But before the Dog dayes were out, there was more Bleeding ſtill, that prov'd fatal to us. On Aug. 2. One Starky, going early in the Morning, from the Fort at Pemmaquid, unto New Harbour, fell into the Hands of the Indians, who to obtain his own Liberty, informed Them, That the Fort had at that Inſtant, but Few men in it: and that one Mr. Giles, with Fourteen men, was gone up to his Farm, and the reſt Scattered abroad, about their Occaſions The Indians hereupon divided their Army; Part going up to the Falls, kill'd Mr. Giles, and others; Part, upon the Advantage of the Tide, Snapt the reſt, before they could Recover the Fort. From a Rock near the Fort, which inconveniently over look'd it, the Aſſailants now over look'd it, as over Lincoln, and grievouſly galled the Defendents. Capt. Weems, had but few with him, that were able to Fight; and his own Face, was in the Fight by an Accident, horribly Scorched with Gun Powder. Wherefore, the day following, they Surrendred the Fort, upon Capitulations for Life and Liberty; which yet the Indians broke, by Butchering and Captiving many of them. Capt. Skynner & Capt. Farnham, repairing to the Fort, from an Iſland about half a Mile diſtant from it, were both Slain, as they Landed on the Rocks; and Mr. Patiſhal, as he lay with his Sloop in the Barbican, was alſo taken and Slain. This, together with more Spoil done by the Indians on the Engliſh, at Sheepſcote, and Kennebeck, and other places Eaſt-ward, cauſed the Inhabitants to draw off unto Falmouth as faſt as they could: and, Well if they could have made Good their Standing there!
MANTISSA.
THE Foregoing Article of our Tragaedies, hath Related the Taking of Quochecho! The Condition of Two perſons, under and after the Fate of Quochecho, may have in it, an Entertainment Aceeptable for ſome ſort of Readers. It ſhall be in this place Reported, from the Communications of Mr. John Pike, the worthy Miniſter of Dover; to whom I have been beholden, for Communicating to me, many other paſſages alſo, which occur in this our Hiſtory.
I. Mrs. Elizabeth Heard, a Widow of a Good Eſtate, a Mother of many Children, and a Daughter of Mr. Hull, a Reverend Miniſter formerly Living at Piſcataqua, now Lived at Quochecho. Happening to be at Portſmouth, on the Day before Quochecho was cut off, She Returned thither in the Night, with one Daughter, and Three Sons all maſters of Families. When they came near Quochecho, they were aſtoniſhed, with a prodigious Noiſe of Indians, Howling, Shooting, Shouting, and Roaring, according to their manner in making an Aſſault. Their Diſtreſs for their Families carried them ſtill further up the River, till they Secretly and Silently paſſed by ſome Numbers of the Raging Salvages. They Landed about an Hundred Rods from Major Walderns Garriſon; and running up the Hill, they ſaw many Lights in the Windows of the Garriſon, which they concluded, the Engliſh within had ſet up, for the Direction of thoſe who might ſeek a Refuge there. Coming to the Gate, they deſired entrance; which not being readily granted, they called Earneſtly and bounced, and knocked, and cryed out of their unkindneſs within, that they would not open to them in this Extremity. No Anſwer being yet made, they began to doubt, whether all was well; and one of the young men then climbing up the Wall, ſaw a horrible Tawny in the Entry, with a Gun in his Hand. A grievous Conſternation Siez'd now upon them; and Mrs. Heard, ſitting down without the Gate, through Diſpair and Faintneſs, unable to Stir any further, charg'd her Children to Shift for themſelves, for She muſt unavoidably There End her Dayes. They finding it impoſſible to carry her with them, with heavy hearts forſook her; but then coming better to her ſelf, ſhe fled and hid among the Barberry-Buſhes in the Garden: and then haſtning from thence, becauſe the Day-Light advanced, She ſheltned her ſelf (though ſeen by Two of the Indians,) in a Thicket of other Buſhes, about Thirty Rods from the Houſe. Here ſhe had not been long, before an Indian came towards her, with a Piſtol in his Hand: The Fellow came up to her, and Stared her in the Face, but ſaid nothing to her, nor ſhe to him. He went a little way back, and came again, and Stared upon her as before, but ſaid nothing; whereupon ſhe asked him, What he would have? He ſtill ſaid nothing, but went away to the Houſe, Co hooping, and Returned unto her no more. Being thus unaccountably preſerved, She made ſeveral Eſſays to paſs the River; but ſound her ſelf unable to do it; and finding all places on that ſide the River, fill'd with Blood and Fire, and hideous Out cryes, thereupon ſhe Returned to her old Buſh, and there poured out her ardent Prayers to God, for help in this Diſtreſs. She continued in the Buſh, until the Garriſon was Burnt, and the Enemy was gone; and then ſhe Stole along by the River ſide, until ſhe came to a Boom, where ſhe paſſed over. Many ſad Effects of Cruelty, ſhe Saw left by the Indians, in her way; until arriving at Captain Gerriſhes Garriſon, ſhe there found a Refuge from the Storm; and here ſhe ſoon had the Satisfaction, to underſtand, that her own Garriſon, though one of the firſt that was aſſaulted, had been bravely Defended and mentained, againſt the Adverſary. This Gentlewomans Garriſon, was the moſt Etxreme Frontier of the Province, and more Obnoxious than any other, and more uncapable of Relief; nevertheleſs, by her preſence and courage, it held out all the War, even for Ten Years together; and the Perſons in it, have Enjoy'd very Eminent preſervations. The Garriſon had been deſerted, if She had accepted Offers that were made her b… her Friends, or Living in more ſafety at Portſmouth; which would have been a Damage to the Town and Land: but by her Encouragement this Poſt was thus kept; and She is yet Living in much Eſteem among her Neighbours.
II. Mrs. Sarah Geriſh, Daughter to Captain John Geriſh of Quochecho, a very Beautiful and Ingenious Damſel about Seven years of Age, lodg'd at the Garriſon of her affectionate Grand-father, Major Waldern, when the Indians brought an horrible Deſtruction upon it. She was alwayes very Fearful of the Indians; but what Fear may we think now Surpriſed her, when they fiercely bid her go into ſuch a Chamber, and call the People out? Finding only a little Child in the Chamber, ſhe got into the Bed unto the Child, and hid her ſelf in the Cloathes, as well as ſhe could. The Fell Salvages quickly pull'd her out, and made her Dreſs for a March, but led her away with no more than one Stockin upon her, a terrible March, through the Thick Woods, and a thouſand other Miſeries, till they came to the Norway Plains. From thence they made her go to the end of Winnopiſſeag Lake, and from thence to the Eaſtward, through horrid Swamps, where ſometimes they muſt Scramble over huge Trees fallen by Storm or Age, for a vaſt way together, and ſome times they muſt Climb up long, ſteep, tireſome, and almoſt Inacceſſible Mountains. Her Firſt Maſter was one Sebundowit, a Dull ſort of a Fellow, and not ſuch a Devil as many of 'em were; but he Sold her, to a Fellow that was a more harſh, and mad, ſort of a Dragon; and he carried her away to Canada.
A long and a ſad Journey ſhe had of it, thro' the midſt of an hideous Deſart, in the midſt of a dreadful Winter: And who can enumerate the Frights, that ſhe endured, before the End of her Journey? Once her Maſter commanded her to looſen ſome of her upper-Garments, and ſtand againſt a Tree, while he charged his Gun; whereat the poor Child Shrieked out, He's going to kill me! God knows what he was going to do; but the Villian having charged his Gun, he call'd her from the Tree, and forbore doing her any Damage. Another Time, her Maſter ordered her to run along the Shore with ſome Indian Girls, while he paddled up the River in his Canoo. As they were upon a praecipice, a Tawny Wench violently puſh'd her Head long into the River: But it ſo fell out, that in that very place, the Buſhes hung over the Water; ſo that getting Hold of them, ſhe Recovered her ſelf. The Indians ask'd her. How ſhe became ſo wet? but ſhe durſt not ſay, How; through Dread of the young Indians, who were alwayes very Abuſive to her, when they had her alone. Moreover, once being ſpent with Travelling all Day, and lying down Spent and Wet at Night, She fell into into ſo profound a Sleep, that in the Morning ſhe waked not. The Barbarous Indians left her Aſleep, and covered with Snow; but at length waking, what Agonies may you imagine ſhe was in, to find her ſelf left a prey for Bears and Wolves, and without any Suſtenance, in an howling Wilderneſs many Scores of Leagues, from any Plantation? She Ran crying after them; and Providence having ordered a Snow to fall, by means thereof, ſhe Track'd them until ſhe overtook them. Now the young Indians began to Terrify her, with daily Intimations, That ſhe was quickly to be Roaſted unto Death; and one Evening, much Fuel was prepared, between Two Logs, which they told her, was for her. A mighty Fire being made, her Maſter call'd her to him, and told her, that ſhe ſhould preſently be Burnt alive. At firſt, ſhe ſtood Amazed; afterwards ſhe burſt into Tears; and then ſhe hung about the Tygre, and begg'd of him, with an inexpreſſible Anguiſh, that he would Save her from the Fire. Hereupon the Monſter ſo Relented, as to tell her, That if ſhe would be a Good Girl, ſhe ſhould not be Burnt.
At laſt, they arrived at Canada, and ſhe was carried unto the Lord Intendants Houſe, where many Perſons of Quality took much notice of her. It was a Week after this, that ſhe remained in the Indian Hands, before the price of her Ranſome could be agreed on. But then the Lady Intendant ſent her to the Nunnery, where ſhe was comfortably provided for; and it was the Deſign, as was ſaid, for to have brought her up, in the Romiſh Religion, and then have Married her unto the Son of the Lord Intendant. She was kindly uſed there, until Sir William Phipps lying before Quebeck, did upon Exchange of Priſoners, obtain her Liberty. After Sixteen Months Captivity, ſhe was Reſtored unto her Friends; who had the Conſolation of having this their Deſireable Daughter again with them, Returned from the Dead; But coming to be Sixteen years old, in the Month of July 1697. Death, by a malignant Feavour, more Irrecoverably took her from them.