A Narrative of the Captivity, Sufferings, and Removes of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson/18 The eighteenth Remove


The eighteenth Remove.

WE took up our packs, and along we went. But a wearisome day I had of it. As we went along, I saw an Englishman stripped naked, and lying dead upon the ground, but knew not who he was. Then we came to another Indian town, where we stayed all night. In this town there were four English children captives, and one of them my own sister's. I went to see how she did, and she was well, considering her captive condition. I would have tarried that night with her, but they that owned her would not suffer. Then I went to another wigwam, where they were boiling corn and beans, which was a lovely sight to see, but I could not get a taste thereof. Then I went into another wigwam, where there were two of the English children: The Squaw was boiling horses feet, she cut me off a little piece, and gave one of the English children a piece also. Being very hungry, I had quickly eat up mine; but the child could not bite it, it was so tough and sinewy, but lay sucking, gnawing and slabbering of it in the mouth and hand, then I took it of the child, and eat it myself, and savory it was to my taste. That I may say as Job, Chap. 6. 7. The things that my soul refuseth to touch, are as my sorrowful meat. Thus the Lord made that pleasant and refreshing, which another time would have been an abomination. Then I went home to my mistress's wigwam, and they told me I disgraced my master with begging, and if I did so any more, they would knock me on the head: I told them they had as good do that, as starve me to death.