About the Book
Now away we must go with those barbarous creatures, with our bodieswounded and bleeding, and our hearts no less than our bodies. About amile we went that night, up upon a hill within sight of the town, wherethey intended to lodge. There was hard by a vacant house (deserted bythe English before, for fear of the Indians). I asked them whether Imight not lodge in the house that night, to which they answered, "What, will you love English men still?" This was the dolefulest night thatever my eyes saw. Oh the roaring, and singing and dancing, and yellingof those black creatures in the night, which made the place a livelyresemblance of hell. And as miserable was the waste that was there madeof horses, cattle, sheep, swine, calves, lambs, roasting pigs, and fowl(which they had plundered in the town), some roasting, some lying andburning, and some boiling to feed our merciless enemies; who were joyfulenough, though we were disconsolate. To add to the dolefulness of theformer day, and the dismalness of the present night, my thoughts ranupon my losses and sad bereaved condition. All was gone, my husbandgone (at least separated from me, he being in the Bay; and to add to mygrief, the Indians told me they would kill him as he came homeward), mychildren gone, my relations and friends gone, our house and home and allour comforts--within door and without--all was gone (except my life), and I knew not but the next moment that might go too. There remainednothing to me but one poor wounded babe, and it seemed at presentworse than death that it was in such a pitiful condition, bespeakingcompassion, and I had no refreshing for it, nor suitable things torevive it. Little do many think what is the savageness and brutishnessof this barbarous enemy, Ay, even those that seem to profess more thanothers among them, when the English have fallen into their hands.Those seven that were killed at Lancaster the summer before upon aSabbath day, and the one that was afterward killed upon a weekday, were slain and mangled in a barbarous manner, by one-eyed John, andMarlborough's Praying Indians, which Capt. Mosely brought to Boston, asthe Indians told me.THE SECOND REMOVEBut now, the next morning, I must turn my back upon the town, and travelwith 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, andbitterness of my spirit that I had at this departure: but God was withme 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 woundedbabe upon a horse; it went moaning all along, "I shall die, I shalldie." 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 mystrength failed, and I fell down with it. Then they set me upon a horsewith my wounded child in my lap, and there being no furniture upon thehorse's back, as we were going down a steep hill we both fell overthe horse's head, at which they, like inhumane creatures, laughed, andrejoiced to see it, though I thought we should there have ended ourdays, as overcome with so many difficulties. But the Lord renewed mystrength still, and carried me along, that I might see more of Hispower; yea, so much that I could never have thought of, had I notexperienced it.