We Carryed Our Boat And Equippage
Into The Wood Above A Hundred Paces From The Watter Side, Where We Stayed
Most Sadly All That Day Tormented By The Maringoines; [Footnote:
Musquetos.] We Tourned Our Boat Upside Downe, We Putt Us Under It From
The Raine.
The night coming, which was the fitest time to leave that place,
we goe without any noise for our safty.
Wee travelled 14 nights in that
maner in great feare, hearing boats passing by. When we have perceaved any
fire, left off rowing, and went by with as litle noise as could [be]
possible. Att last with many tournings by lande and by watter, wee came to
the lake of St. Peeter's.
We landed about 4 of the clock, leaving our skiff in among rushes farr out
of the way from those that passed that way and doe us injury. We retired
into the wood, where we made a fire some 200 paces from the river. There we
roasted some meat and boyled meale; after, we rested ourselves a while from
the many labours of the former night. So, having slept, my companion awaks
first, and stirrs me, saying it was high time that we might by day come to
our dweling, of which councel I did not approve. [I] tould him the Ennemys
commonly weare lurking about the river side, and we should doe very well
[to] stay in that place till sunnsett. Then, said he, lett us begon, we
[are] passed all feare. Let us shake off the yoake of a company of whelps
that killed so many french and black-coats, and so many of my nation. Nay,
saith he, Brother, if you come not, I will leave you, and will go through
the woods till I shall be over against the french quarters. There I will
make a fire for a signe that they may fetch me. I will tell to the Governor
that you stayed behind. Take courage, man, says he. With this he tooke his
peece and things. Att this I considered how if [I] weare taken att the
doore by meere rashnesse; the next, the impossibility I saw to go by
myselfe if my comrad would leave me, and perhaps the wind might rise, that
I could [only] come to the end of my journey in a long time, and that I
should be accounted a coward for not daring to hazard myselfe with him that
so much ventured for mee. I resolved to go along through the woods; but the
litle constancy that is to be expected in wild men made me feare he should
[take] to his heels, which approved his unfortunate advice; ffor he hath
lost his life by it, and I in great danger have escaped by the helpe of the
Almighty. I consent to goe by watter with him.
In a short time wee came to the lake. The watter very calme and cleare. No
liklyhood of any storme. We hazarded to the other side of the lake,
thinking ffor more security. After we passed the third part of the lake, I
being the foremost, have perceaved as if it weare a black shaddow, which
proved a real thing. He at this rises and tells mee that it was a company
of buzards, a kinde of geese in that country. We went on, where wee soone
perceaved our owne fatall blindnesse, ffor they weare ennemys. We went back
againe towards the lande with all speed to escape the evident danger, but
it was too late; ffor before we could come to the russhes that weare within
halfe a league of the waterside we weare tired. Seeing them approaching
nigher and nigher, we threw the 3 heads in the watter. They meet with these
3 heads, which makes them to row harder after us, thinking that we had runn
away from their country. We weare so neere the lande that we saw the bottom
of the watter, but yett too deepe to step in. When those cruel inhumans
came within a musquett shott of us, and fearing least the booty should gett
a way from them, shott severall times att us, and deadly wounding my
comrade, [who] fell dead. I expected such another shott. The litle skiff
was pierced in severall places with their shooting, [so] that watter ran in
a pace. I defended me selfe with the 2 arms. Att last they environed me
with their boats, that tooke me just as I was a sinking. They held up the
wild man and threw him into one of their boats and me they brought with all
diligence to land. I thought to die without mercy.
They made a great fire and tooke my comrade's heart out, and choped off his
head, which they put on an end of a stick and carryed it to one of their
boats. They cutt off some of the flesh of that miserable, broyled it and
eat it. If he had not ben so desperately wounded they had don their best to
keepe him alive to make him suffer the more by bourning him with small
fires; but being wounded in the chin, and [a] bullet gon through the troat,
and another in the shoulder that broake his arme, making him incurable,
they burned some parte of his body, and the rest they left there. That was
the miserable end of that wretch.
Lett us come now to the beginning of my miseries and calamities that I was
to undergo. Whilst they weare bussie about my companion's head, the others
tyed me safe and fast in a strang maner; having striped me naked, they tyed
me above the elbows behind my back, and then they putt a collar about me,
not of porcelaine as before, but a rope wrought about my midle. So [they]
brought me in that pickle to the boat. As I was imbarqued they asked mee
severall questions. I being not able to answer, gave me great blowes with
their fists.
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