History.

The Founding of Virginia and Massachuseirs Ba}' Colonies 3 9

but as soon as we came to the door and appeared, the Indians shot so thick that the bullets rattled against the house as if one had taken an handful of stones and threw them so that we were fain to give back. We had six stout dogs belonging to our garrison, but none of them would stir although another time, if any Indian had come to the door, they were ready to fly upon him and tear him down . The Lord hereby would make us the more to acknowledge His hand and to see that our help is always in Him . But out we must go, the fire increasing and coming along behind us roaring, and the Indians gaping before us with their guns, spears, and hatchets to devour us. No sooner were we out of the house, but my brother-in- law [John Divoll] (being before wounded, in defend- ing the house, in or near the throat) fell down dead; whereat the Indians scornfully shouted, halloed, and were presently upon him, stripping off his clothes. The bullets flying thick, one went through my side, and the same (as would seem) through the bowels and hand of my dear child in my arms . One of my elder sister's children, named William [Kerley], had then his leg broken, which the Indians perceivi ng, they knocked him on the head. Thus were we butch- ered by those merciless heathen, standing amazed, with the blood running down to our h ee ls .

and stripped naked , and yet was crawling up and down . It is a solemn sight to see so many Christians lying in their blood , some h e re and some the re, like a company of sheep torn by wolves, all of them stripped naked by a company of hellhounds, roar- ing, singing, ranting and insulting, as ifthey would have torn our very hearts out. Yet the Lord by his al- mighty power preserved a number of us from death, for there were twenty-four of us taken alive and car- ried captive.

. . . The Indians laid hold of us, pulling me on e way and the children another, and said, "Come go along with us." I told them they would kill me . They answered, if I were willing to go along with the m they would not hurt me.

Oh, the doleful sight that now was to behold at this house! "Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolation He has made in the earth." Of thirty-seven persons who were in this one house none escaped either present death or a bitter cap- tivity save only one, who might say as he, Job 1:15, "And I only am escap ed alone to te ll the news ." There were twelve killed , some shot, some stabbed with their spears, some knocked down with the ir hatchets. Whe n we a re in prosperity, oh , the littl e th at we think of such dreadful sights, and to see our dear fri e nd s and re l ations lie bl eeding out the ir hea rt-blood upon the ground! There was o n e who was c hopp ed into th e head with a hatch e t

I had often before this said that if the Indians should come I should choose rather to be killed by them than taken alive, but when it came to the trial, my mind changed; their glittering weapons so daunted my spirit that I chose rather to go along with those (as I may say) ravenous beasts than that moment to end my days.

Thus nine days I sat upon my knees with my babe in my lap till my flesh was raw again; m y child being even ready to depart this sorrowful world, they bade me carry it out to another wigwam (I sup- pose becau se they would not be troubled with such spectacles), whither I went with a heavy heart, and down I sat with the picture of death in my lap. About two ho urs in the night my sweet babe like a lamb departed this life on Feb . 18, 1675, it being about six years a nd five months old . It was nine days from the first wounding in this miserable condition without any refreshing o f o n e nature or other except a little cold water. I cannot but take notice how at another time I could not b ear to b e in the room where any dead p erson was, but now the case is changed; I must a nd could lie down by my d ead babe side by side a ll the night after. I h ave thought since of the wonderful goodness of God to m e in preserving m e in the use of my reason a nd senses in that distresse d time that I did not use wicked and violent m ea ns to e nd my own mise rable life . . ..

In my trave ls a n Indian came to m e a nd told m e if I were willing, h e a nd hi s squaw would run away a nd go h ome along with m e . I told him n o . I was not willing to run away but desired to wait God 's tim e that I mig ht go home qui etl y and without fear. And now God hath gra nt ed me my d es ire . 0 , th e wonderful power of Go d th a t I have see n a nd th e