The Redeemed Captive Returning to Zion, Title page 1 – Dedication

The Redeemed Captive Returning to Zion · Title page 1 – Dedication

THE REDEEMED CAPTIVE RETURNING TO ZION. OR A FAITHFUL HISTORY OF REMARKABLE OCCURRENCES IN THE CAPTIVITY AND DELIVERANCE OF MR. JOHN WILLIAMS MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL IN DEERFIELD WHO, IN THE DESOLATION WHICH BEFEL THAT PLANTATION, BY AN INCURSION OF THE FRENCH AND INDIANS, WAS BY THEM CARRIED AWAY, WITH HIS FAMILY AND HIS NEIGHBOURHOOD, INTO CANADA. DRAWN UP BY HIMSELF.

ANNEXED TO WHICH IS

A SERMON PREACHED BY HIM ON HIS RETURN.

AN APPENDIX, BY THE REV. MR. WILLIAMS, OF SPRINGFIELD.

AN APPENDIX, BY THE REV. MR. TAYLOR, OF DEERFIELD.

SOME OBSERVATIONS, BY THE REV. MR. PRINCE, OF BOSTON.

SUBJOINED TO THIS IS, A SERMON, DELIVERED IN THE FIRST PARISH IN SPRINGFIELD, ON THE 16TH OF OCTOBER, 1775. JUST ONE HUNDRED YEARS FROM THE BURNING OF THE TOWN BY THE INDIANS.

BY ROBERT BRECK, A. M. PASTOR OF THE CHURCH THERE.

The Sixth Edition, with Additions.

PRINTED AND SOLD AT GREENFIELD, MASS. BY THOMAS DICKMAN. MDCCC.

DEDICATION. TO HIS EXCELLENCY JOSEPH DUDLEY, ESQ. Captain General and Governor in Chief, in and over her Majeſty's Province of the MASSACHUSETTS BAY, in NEW-ENGLAND, &c.

SIR,

IT was a ſatyrical anſwer, and deeply reproachful to mankind, which the philoſopher gave to that queſtion, What ſooneſt grows old? Replied, Thanks. The reproach of it would not be ſo ſenſible, were there not ſenſible demonſtrations of the truth of it, in thoſe that wear the character of the ingenious. Such as are at firſt ſurpriſed at, and ſeem to have no common reliſh of divine goodneſs; yet too ſoon loſe the impreſſion: They ſang God's praiſe, but ſoon forgat his works. That it ſhould be thus with reſpect to our benefactors on earth, is contrary to the … of human nature: But that our grateful remembrance of the ſignal favours of heaven, ſhould ſoon be worn off by time, is to the laſt degree criminal and unpardonable.

It would be unaccountable ſtupidity in me, not to maintain the moſt lively, and awful ſenſe of divine rebukes, which the holy GOD has ſeen meet in ſpotleſs ſovereignty to diſpenſe to me, my family and people, in delivering us into the hands of them that hated us; who led us into a ſtrange land: My ſoul hath theſe ſtill in remembrance, and is humbled in me: However, GOD has given us plentiful … p. 4to ſing of mercy, as well as judgment. The wonders of divine mercy, which we have ſeen in the land of our captivity, and deliverance therefrom, cannot be forgotten without incurring the guilt of the blackeſt Ingratitude.

To preſerve the memory of theſe, it has been thought adviſeable to publiſh a ſhort account of ſome of thoſe ſignal appearances of divine power and goodneſs for us; hoping it may ſerve to excite the praiſe, faith and hope of all that love GOD; and may peculiarly ſerve to cheriſh a grateful ſpirit, and to render the Impreſſions of GOD's mighty works indeliable on my heart, and on thoſe who with me, have ſeen the wonders of the Lord, and taſted of his Salvation: That we may not fall under that heavy charge made againſt Iſrael of Old, Pſal. 78. 11, 42. They forget his works, and the wonders he ſhewed them: They remembered not his hand, nor the day that he delivered them from the enemy.

And I cannot, Sir, but think it moſt agreeable to my duty to GOD, our ſupreme redeemer, to mention your excellency's name with honor; ſince heaven has honored you as the prime inſtrument in returning our captivity. Sure I am, the laws of juſtice and gratitude, (which are the laws of God) do challenge from us, the moſt public acknowledgments of your uncommon ſympathy with us your children, in our bonds, expreſſed in all endearing methods of parental care and tenderneſs. All your people are cheriſhed under your wings, happy in your government: And are obliged to bleſs God for you: And among your people, thoſe who are immediately expoſed to the outrages of the enemy, have peculiarly felt refreſhment from the benign influences of your wiſe and tender conduct; and are under the moſt ſenſible engagements to acknowledge your excellency, under GOD, as the breath of their noſtrils.

p. 5Your uncommon ſagacity and prudence in contriving to looſe the bonds of your captivated children; your unwearied vigour and application, in purſuing them, to work our deliverance, can never be enough praiſed. It is moſt notorious that nothing was thought too difficult by you to effect this deſign; in that you readily ſent your own ſon, Mr. William Dudley, to undergo the hazards and hardſhips of a tedious voyage, that this affair might be tranſacted with ſucceſs; which muſt not be forgotten, as an expreſſion of your great ſolicitude and zeal to recover us from the tyranny and oppreſſion of our captivity.

I doubt not but that the GOD, whom herein you have ſerved, will remember, and gloriouſly reward you; and may heaven long preſerve you at our helm, a bleſſing ſo neceſſary for the tranquility of this province, in this dark and tempeſtuous ſeaſon; may the beſt of bleſſings from the father of lights, be ſhowered down upon your perſon, family and government; which ſhall be the prayer of

Your Excellency's moſt humble, obedient, and dutiful ſervant, JOHN WILLIAMS. March 3^d, 1706-7.

THE REDEEMED CAPTIVE RETURNING TO ZION.

THE hiſtory I am going to write, proves, That days of faſting and prayer, without reformation, will not avail, to turn away the anger of GOD from a profeſſing people; and yet witneſſeth how very advantageous gracious ſupplications are, to prepare particular chriſtians patiently to ſuffer the will of GOD, in very trying public calamities. For ſome of us moved with fear, ſet apart a day of prayer, to aſk of GOD either to ſpare, and ſave us from the hands of our enemies, or to prepare us to ſanctify and honor him, in what way ſoever he ſhould come forth towards us. The places of ſcripture from whence we were entertained in the forenoon, were Gen. xxxii. 10, 11: I am not worthy of the leaſt of all the mercies, and of all the truth which thou haſt ſhewed unto thy ſervant:— p. 8Deliver me, I pray thee, front the hand of my brother, from the hand of Eſau; for I fear him, leſt he will come and ſmite me, and the mother with the children. And in the afternoon, Gen. xxxii. 26, And he ſaid, Let me go, for the day breaketh: And he ſaid, I will not let thee go, except thou bleſs me. —From which we were called upon to ſpread the cauſes of fear, relating to our own ſelves, or families before GOD; as alſo how it becomes us with an undeniable importunity to be following GOD, with earneſt prayers for his bleſſing, in every condition. And it is very obſervable, how GOD ordered our prayers in a peculiar manner, to be going up to him; to prepare us with a right chriſtian ſpirit, to undergo, and endure ſuffering trials.

Not long after, the holy and righteous▪ GOD brought us under great trials, as to our perſons and families, which put us under a neceſſity of ſpreading before him in a wilderneſs, the diſtreſſing dangers and calamities of our relations, yea, that called on us notwithſtanding ſeeming preſent frowns, to reſolve by his grace, not to be ſent away without a bleſſing. Jacob in wreſtling has the hollow of his thigh put out of joint, and it is ſaid to him, Let me p. 9go: Yet he is rather animated to a heroical chriſtian reſolution to continue earneſt for the bleſſing, than diſcouraged from aſking.

ON Tueſday the 29th of February, 1703-4, not long before break of day, the enemy came in like a flood upon us; our watch being unfaithful: An evil, the awful effects of which, in the ſurpriſal of our fort, ſhould beſpeak all watchmen to avoid, as they would not bring the charge of blood upon themſelves. They came to my houſe in the beginning of the onſet, and by their violent endeavours to break open doors and windows, with axes and hatchets, awaked me out of ſleep; on which I leaped out of bed, and running towards the door, perceived the enemy making their entrance into the houſe; I called to awaken two ſoldiers in the chamber, and returning toward my bed-ſide for my arm, the enemy immediately broke into the room, I judge, to the number of twenty, with painted faces, and hideous acclamations. I reached up my hands to the bed teſter for my piſtol, uttering a ſhort petition to GOD, for everlaſting mercies for me and mine, on the account of the p. 10merits of our glorified Redeemer; expecting a preſent paſſage through the velley of the ſhadow of death; ſaving in myſelf, as Iſai. xxxviii. 10, 11. I ſaid, in the cutting off my days, I ſhall go to the gates of the grave: I am deprived of the reſidue of my years. I ſaid, I ſhall not ſee the Lord, even the Lord, in the land of the living; I ſhall behold man no more, with the inhabitants of the world. Taking down my piſtol, I cocked it, and put it to the breaſt of the firſt Indian that came up; but my piſtol miſſing fire, I was ſeized by three Indians, who diſarmed me, and bound me naked, as I was in my ſhirt, and ſo I ſtood for near the ſpace of an hour: Binding me, they told me they would carry me to Quebeck. My Piſtol miſſing fire, was an occaſion of my life's being preſerved; ſince which I have alſo found it profitable to be croſſed in my own will. The judgment of GOD did not long ſlumber againſt one of the three which took me, who was a captain, for by ſun riſing he received a mortal ſhot from my next neighbor's houſe; who oppoſed ſo great a number of French and Indians as three hundred, and yet were no more than ſeven men in an ungarriſoned houſe.

p. 11I cannot relate the diſtreſſing care I had for my dear wife, who had lain in but a few weeks before; and for my poor children, family, and chriſtian neighbours. The enemy fell to rifling the houſe, and entered in great numbers into every room of the houſe. I begged of GOD, to remember mercy in the midſt of judgment, That he would ſo far reſtrain their wrath, as to prevent their murdering of us: That we might have grace to glorify his name, whether in life or death; and as I was able, committed our ſtate to GOD. The enemies who entered the houſe, were all of them Indians and Macquas, inſulted over me awhile, holding up hatchets over my head, threatening to burn all I had; but yet GOD beyond expectation, made us in a great meaſure to be pitied; for tho' ſome were ſo cruel and barbarous as to take and carry to the door, two of my children and murder them, as alſo a negro woman; yet they gave me liberty to put on my clothes, keeping me bound with a cord on one arm, till I put on my clothes to the other; and then changing my cord, they let me dreſs myſelf, and then pinioned me again. Gave liberty to my dear wife to dreſs herſelf, and our children. About p. 12ſun an hour high, we were all carried out of the houſe, for a march, and ſaw many of the houſes of my neighbors in flames, perceiving the whole fort, one houſe excepted, to be taken. Who can tell what ſorrows pierced our ſouls, when we ſaw ourſelves carried away from GOD'S ſanctuary, to go into a ſtrange land, expoſed to ſo many trials; the journey being at leaſt three hundred miles we were to travel; the ſnow up to the knees, and we never inured to ſuch hardſhips and fatigues; the place we were to be carried to, a Popiſh country. Upon my parting from the town, they fired my houſe and barn. We were carried over the river, to the foot of the mountain, about a mile from my houſe, where we found a great number of our chriſtian neighbors, men, women, and children, to the number of an hundred, nineteen of which were afterward murdered by the way, and two ſtarved to death, near Cowaſs, in a time of great ſcarcity or famine, the ſavages underwent there. When we came to the foot of the mountain, they took away our ſhoes, and gave us in the room of them, Indian ſhoes, to prepare us for our travel. Whilſt we were there, the Engliſh beat out a company p. 13that remained in the town, and purſued them to the river, killing and wounding many of them; but the body of the army being alarmed, they repulſed thoſe few Engliſh that purſued them.

I am not able to give you an account of the number of the enemy, ſlain, but I obſerved after this fight, no great inſulting mirth, as I expected; and ſaw many wounded perſons, and for ſeveral days together, they buried of their party, and one of chief note among the Macquas. The governor of Canada told me, his army had that ſucceſs with the loſs of but eleven men; three Frenchmen, one of which was the lieutenant of the army, five Macquas and three Indians: But after my arrival at Quebeck, I ſpake with an Engliſhman, who was taken in the laſt war, and married there, and of their religion; who told me, they loſt above forty, and that many were wounded: I replied, the governor of Canada ſaid, they loſt but eleven men: He anſwered, 'tis true, that there were but eleven killed outright at the taking of the fort, but that many others were wounded, among whom was the enſign of the French; but ſaid he, they had a ſight in the meadow, and that in both engagements, they p. 14loſt more than forty. Some of the ſoldiers, both French and Indians, then preſent, told me ſo, (ſaid he,) adding, that the French always endeavour to conceal the number of their ſlain.

After this, we went up the mountain, and ſaw the ſmoke of the fires in the town, and beheld the awful deſolations of Deerfield: And before we marched any farther, they killed a ſucking child of the Engliſh. There were ſlain by the enemy of the inhabitants of Deerfield, to the number of thirty eight, beſides nine of the neighboring towns. We travelled not far the firſt day; God made the heathen ſo to pity our children, that though they had ſeveral wounded perſons of their own to carry upon their ſhoulders, for thirty miles, before they came to the river, yet they carried our children, incapable of travelling, in their arms, and upon their ſhoulders. When we came to our lodging place, the firſt night, they dug away the ſnow, and made ſome wigwams, cut down ſome ſmall branches of the ſpruce tree to lie down on, and gave the priſoners ſomewhat to eat; but we had but little appetite. I was pinioned, and bound down that night, and ſo I was every night whilſt p. 15I was with the army. Some of the enemy who brought drink with them from the town, fell to drinking, and in their drunken fit, they killed my negro man, the only dead perſon I either ſaw at the town, or in the way.

In the night an Engliſhman made his eſcape; in the morning [March I,] I was called for, and ordered by the general to tell the Engliſh, that if any more made their eſcape, they would burn the reſt of the priſoners. He that took me, was unwilling to let me ſpeak with any of the priſoners, as we marched; but on the morning of the ſecond day, he being appointed to guard the rear, I was put into the hands of my other maſter, who permitted me to ſpeak to my wife, when I overtook her, and to walk with her to help her in her journey. On the way, we diſcourſed of the happineſs of thoſe who had a right to an houſe not made with bands, eternal in the heavens; and God for a father, and friend; as alſo, that it was our reaſonable duty, quietly to ſubmit to the will of GOD, and to ſay, the will of the Lord be done. My wife told me her ſtrength of body began to fail, and that I muſt expect to part with her; ſaying, ſhe p. 16hoped God would preſerve my life, and the life of ſome, if not of all our children, with us; and commended to me, under God, the care of them. She never ſpake any diſcontented word as to what had befallen us, but with ſuitable expreſſions juſtified God in what had happened. We ſoon made a halt, in which time my chief ſurviving maſter came up, upon which I was put upon marching with the foremoſt, and ſo made to take my laſt farewell of my dear wife, the deſire of my eyes, and companion in many mercies and afflictions. Upon our ſeparation from each other, we aſked for each other, grace ſufficient, for what God ſhould call us to: After our being parted from one another, ſhe ſpent the few remaining minutes of her ſtay, in reading the holy ſcriptures; which ſhe was wont perſonally every day to delight her ſoul in reading, praying, meditating on, and over, by herſelf, in her cloſet, over and above what ſhe heard out of them in our family worſhip. I was made to wade over a ſmall river, and ſo were all the Engliſh, the water above knee deep, the ſtream very ſwift; and after that to travel up a ſmall mountain; my ſtrength was almoſt ſpent, before I p. 17came to the top of it: No ſooner had I overcome the difficulty of that aſcent, but I was permitted to ſit down, and be unburthened of my pack; I ſat pitying thoſe who were behind, and intreated my maſter to let me go down and help my wife; but he refuſed and would not let me ſtir from him. I aſked each of the priſoners (as they paſſed by me) after her, and heard that paſſing through the aboveſaid river, ſhe fell down, and was plunged over head and ears in the water; after which ſhe travelled not far, for at the foot of that mountain, the cruel and bloodthirſty ſavage who took her, ſlew her with his hatchet at one ſtroke, the tidings of which were very awful: And yet ſuch was the hard-heartedneſs of the adverſary, that my tears were reckoned to me as a reproach. My loſs, and the loſs of my children was great, our hearts were ſo filled with ſorrow, that nothing but the comfortable hopes of her being taken away in mercy, to herſelf, from the evils we were to ſee, feel, and ſuffer under, (and joined to the aſſembly of the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect, to reſt in peace, and joy unſpeakable and full of glory; and the good pleaſure of God thus to exerciſe us) could have kept us p. 18from ſinking under, at that time. That ſcripture, Job i. 21. Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked ſhall I return thither: The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, bleſſed be the name of the Lord, was brought to my mind, and from it, that an afflicting God was to be glorified; with ſome other places of ſcripture, to perſuade to a patient bearing my afflictions.

We were again called upon to march, with a far heavier burden on my ſpirits, than on my back. I begged of God to overrule in his providence, that the corpſe of one ſo dear to me, and of one whoſe ſpirit he had taken to dwell with him in glory, might meet with a chriſtian burial, and not be left for meat to the fowls of the air, and beaſts of the earth: A mercy that God graciouſly vouchſafed to grant. For God put it into the hearts of my neighbors, to come out as far as ſhe lay, to take up her corpſe, carry it to the town, and decently to bury it ſoon after. In our march they killed a ſucking infant of one of my neighbors; and before night a girl of about eleven years of age. I was made to mourn, at the conſideration of my flock's being ſo far a flock of ſlaughter p. 19many being ſlain in the town, and ſo many murdered in ſo few miles from the town; and from fears what we muſt yet expect, from ſuch who delightfully imbrued their hands in the blood of ſo many of his people. When we came to our lodging place, an Indian captain from the eaſtward, ſpake to my maſter about killing me, and taking off my ſcalp. I lifted up my heart to God, to implore his grace and mercy in ſuch a time of need; and afterwards I told my maſter, if he intended to kill me, I deſired he would let me know of it; aſſuring him that my death, after a promiſe of quarter, would bring the guilt of blood upon him. He told me he would not kill me: We laid down and ſlept, for God ſuſtained and kept us.

In the morning [March 2.] we were all called before the chief Sachems of the Macquas and Indians, that a more equal diſtribution might be made of the priſoners, among them: At my going from the wigwam, my beſt cloathing was taken from me. As I came nigh the place appointed, ſome of the captives met me, and told me, they thought the enemies were going to burn ſome of us, for they p. 20had peeled off the bark from ſeveral trees, and acted very ſtrangely. To whom I replied, They could act nothing againſt us, but as they were permitted of God, and I was perſuaded he would prevent ſuch ſeverities. When we came to the wigwam appointed, ſeveral of the captives were taken from their former maſters, and put into the hands of others; but I was ſent again to my two maſters who brought me from my houſe.

In our fourth day's march, [Friday, March 3,] the enemy killed another of my neighbors, who being near the time of travail, was wearied with her journey. When we came to the great river, the enemy took ſleighs to draw their wounded, ſeveral of our children, and their packs, and marched a great pace. I travelled many hours in water up to the ankles: Near night I was very lame, having before my travel wrenched my ankle bone and ſinews: I thought, and ſo did others, that I ſhould not be able to hold out to travel far. I lifted up my heart to God, my only refuge, to remove my lameneſs, and carry me through, with my children and neighbors if he judged it beſt; however, I deſired God would be with me in p. 21my great change, if he called me by ſuch a death to glorify him; and that he would take care of my children, and neighbors, and bleſs them; and within a little ſpace of time I was well of my lameneſs, to the joy of my friends, who ſaw ſo great an alteration in my travelling.

On Saturday, [March 4,] the journey was long and tedious; we travelled with ſuch ſpeed that four women were tired, and then ſlain by them who led them captive.

On the Sabbath day, [March 5,] we reſted, and I was permitted to pray, and preach to the captives. The place of ſcripture ſpoken from, was Lam. i. 18. The Lord is righteous, for I have rebelled againſt his commandment: Hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my ſorrow: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity. The enemy who ſaid to us, Sing us one of Zion's ſongs, were ready, ſome of them, to upbraid us, becauſe our ſinging was not ſo loud as theirs. When the Macquas and Indians were chief in power, we had this revival in our bondage, to join together in the worſhip of God, and encourage one another to a patient bearing the indignation of the Lord, till he ſhould plead p. 22our cauſe. When we arrived at New France, we were forbidden praying one with another, or joining together in the ſervice of God.

The next day, [Monday, March 6,] ſoon after we marched, we had an alarm; on which many of the Engliſh were bound: I was then near the front, and my maſter not with me, ſo I was not bound. This alarm was occaſioned by ſome Indians ſhooting at geeſe that flew over them, which put them into a conſiderable conſternation and fright: But after they came to underſtand that they were not purſued by the Engliſh, they boaſted, That they would not come out after them, as they had boaſted before we began our journey in the morning. They killed this day two women, who were ſo ſaint they could not travel.

The next day, [Tueſday, March 7,] in the morning, before we travelled, one Mary Brooks, a pious young woman, came to the wigwam where I was, and told me, ſhe deſired to bleſs God, who had inclined the heart of her maſter, to let her come and take her farewel of me. Said ſhe, by my falls on the ice yeſterday, I injured myſelf, cauſing a miſcarriage this night, p. 23ſo that I am not able to travel far; I know they will kill me to day: But (ſays ſhe) God has (praiſed be his name) by his ſpirit with his word, ſtrengthened me to my laſt encounter with death; and ſo mentioned to me ſome places of ſcripture ſeaſonably ſent in for her ſupport. And (ſays ſhe) I am not afraid of death: I can, through the grace of God, chearfully ſubmit to his will. Pray for me (ſaid ſhe) at parting, that God would take me to himſelf. Accordingly ſhe was killed that day. I mention it to the end, I may ſtir up all in their young days, to improve the death of Chriſt by faith, to a giving them an holy boldneſs in the day of death.

The next day, [Wedneſday, March 8,] we were made to ſcatter one from another into ſmaller companies; and one of my children was carried away with Indians belonging to the eaſtern parts. At night my maſter came to me, with my piſtol in his hand, and put it to my breaſt, and ſaid, now I will kill you, for (he ſaid) you would have killed me with it if you could. But by the grace of God, I was not much daunted, and whatever his intention might be God prevented my death.

p. 24The next day, [Thurſday, March 9,] I was again permitted to pray with that company of captives with me, and we were allowed to ſing a pſalm together. After which, I was taken from all the company of the Engliſh, excepting two children of my neighbors, one of which a girl of four years of age, was killed by her Macqua maſter the next morning, [Friday, March 10,] the ſnow being ſo deep when we left the river, that he could not carry the child and his pack too.

When the Sabbath came, [March 12,] one Indian ſtaid with me, and a little boy, nine years old, while the reſt went a hunting. And when I was here, I thought with myſelf, that God had now ſeparated me from the congregation of his people, who were now in his ſanctuary, where he commandeth the bleſſing, even life forever: And made to bewail my unfruitfulneſs under, and unthankfulneſs for ſuch a mercy. When my ſpirit was almoſt overwhelmed within me, at the conſideration of what had paſſed over me, and what was to be expected; I was almoſt ready to ſink under it: But God ſpake thoſe words with a greater efficacy than man could ſpeak them, for my ſtrengthening and ſupport. p. 25Pſal. exviii. 17. I ſhall not die, but live; and declare the works of the Lord. Pſal. xlii. 11. Why art thou caſt down, O my ſoul? and why art thou diſquieted within me? hope thou in God; for I ſhall yet praiſe him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. Nehem. i. 8, 9. Remember, I beſeech thee, the word that thou commandeſt thy ſervant Moſes, ſaying, if ye tranſgreſs, I will ſcatter you abroad among the nations: But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you caſt out unto the uttermoſt part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have choſen, to ſet my name there. Theſe three places of ſcripture, one after another, by the grace of God, ſtrengthened my hopes, that God would ſo far reſtrain the wrath of the adverſary, that the greateſt number of us left alive, ſhould be carried through ſo tedious a journey: That though my children had no father to take care of them, that word quieted me to a patient waiting to ſee the end the Lord would make. Jer. xlix. 11. Leave thy fatherleſs children, I will preſerve them alive, and let thy widows truſt in me. Accordingly God carried them wonderfully through great difficulties and dangers p. 26My youngeſt daughter, aged ſeven years, was carried all the journey, and looked after with a great deal of tenderneſs. My youngeſt ſon, aged four years, was wonderfully preſerved from death; for though they that carried him, or drawed him on ſleighs, were tired with their journeys, yet their ſavage cruel tempers, were ſo overruled by God, that they did not kill him, but in their pity he was ſpared, and others would take care of him; ſo that four times on the journey he was thus preſerved; till at laſt he arrived at Montreal, where a French gentlewoman pitying the child, redeemed it out of the hands of the heathen. My ſon Samuel, and my eldeſt daughter were pitied, ſo as to be drawn on ſleighs, when unable to travel. And though they ſuffered very much through ſcarcity of food, and tedious journeys, they were carried through to Montreal. And my ſon Stephen about eleven years of age, wonderfully preſerved from death, in the famine whereof three Engliſh perſons died, and after eight months brought into Shamblee.

My maſter returned on the evening of the ſabbath, [March 12,] and told me, he had killed five Mooſe. The next day, [Monday p. 27March 13,] we were removed to the place where he killed them. We tarried there three days till we had roaſted and dried the meat. My maſter made me a pair of ſnowſhoes for (ſaid he) you cannot poſſibly travel without; the ſnow being knee deep. We parted from thence heavy laden; I travelled with a burden on my back, with ſnowſhoes, twenty five miles the firſt day of wearing them; and again the next day till afternoon; and then we came to the French river. My maſter at this place took away my pack, and drew the whole load on the ice; but my bones ſeemed to be miſplaced, and I unable to travel with any ſpeed. My feet were very ſore, and each night I wrung blood out of my ſtockings, when I pulled them off. My ſhins alſo were very ſore, being cut with cruſty ſnow, in time of my travelling without ſnowſhoes. But finding ſome dry oak leaves, by the river banks, I put them to my ſhins, and in once applying them, they were healed. And here my maſter was very kind to me, would always give me the beſt he had to eat; and by the goodneſs of God, I never wanted a meal's meat during my captivity; though ſome of my children and neighbors, p. 28were greatly wounded, (as I may ſay) with the arrows of famine and pinching want; having for many days nothing but roots to live upon, and not much of them neither. My maſter gave me a peace of a bible; never diſturbed me in reading the ſcriptures, or in praying to God. Many of my neighbors alſo, found that mercy in their journey, to have bibles, pſalm books, catechiſms, and good books, put into their hands, with liberty to uſe them; and yet after their arrival at Canada, all poſſible endeavors were uſed, to deprive them of them. Some of them ſay, their bibles were demanded by the French prieſts, and never redelivered to them, to their great grief and ſorrow.

My march on the French river was very ſore, for rearing a thaw, we travelled a very great pace; my feet were ſo bruiſed, and my joints ſo diſtorted by my travelling in ſnowſhoes, that I thought it impoſſible to hold out. One morning a little before break of day, my maſter came and awaked me out of ſleep, ſaying, ariſe, pray to God, and eat your breakfaſt, for we muſt go a great way to day. After prayer, I aroſe from my knees, but my feet were ſo tender, ſwoln, bruiſed, and full of pain, that I p. 29could ſcarce ſtand upon them, without holding by the wigwam. And when the Indians ſaid, you muſt run today, I anſwered, I could not run; my maſter pointed out his hatchet, ſaid to me, then I muſt daſh out your brains, and take off your ſcalp. I ſaid, I ſuppoſe then you will do ſo, for I am not able to travel with ſpeed. He ſent me away alone, on the ice. About ſun half an hour high, he overtook me, for I had gone very ſlowly, not thinking it poſſible to travel five miles. When he came up, he called me to run; I told him I could go no faſter; he paſſed by without ſaying one word more: So that ſometimes I ſcarce ſaw any thing of him for an hour together. I travelled from about break of day, till dark, never ſo much as ſat down at noon to eat warm victuals; eating frozen meat, which I had in my coat pocket, as I travelled. We went that day two of their days journey, as they came down. I judge we went forty or forty five miles that day. God wonderfully ſupported me, and ſo far renewed my ſtrength, that in the afternoon I was ſtronger to travel than in the forenoon. My ſtrength was reſtored and renewed to admiration. We ſhould never diſtruſt the p. 30care and compaſſion of God, who can give ſtrength to them who have no might, and power to them who are ready to faint.

When we entered on the lake, the ice was rough, and uneven, which was very grievous to my feet, that could ſcarce bear to be ſet down on the ſmooth ice, on the river; I lifted up my cry to God in ejaculatory requeſts, that he would take notice of my ſtate, and ſome way or other relieve me. I had not marched above half a mile, before there fell a moiſt ſnow, about an inch and an half deep, that made it very ſoft for my feet to paſs over the lake, to the place where my maſter's family was. Wonderful favors in the midſt of trying afflictions! We went a day's journey from the lake, to a ſmall company of Indians, who were a hunting; they were, after their manner, kind to me, and gave me the beſt they had, which was Mooſe fleſh, ground nuts, and cramberries, but no bread: For three weeks together I eat no bread. After our ſtay there, and undergoing difficulties in cutting wood, and ſuffering by louſineſs, having louſy old clothes of ſoldiers put upon me when they ſtript me of mine, to ſell to the French ſoldiers in the army, we again began a march for Shamblee; we p. 31ſtayed at a branch of the lake, and feaſted two or three days on geeſe we killed there. After another day's travel, we came to a river where the ice was thawed, we made a canoe of elm bark, in one day; and arrived on a Saturday ††Suppoſe March 25.near noon at Shamblee, a ſmall village, where is a garriſon and fort of French ſoldiers.