Courtesy of Project Gutenberg.
At length they came and beset our own
house, and quickly it was the dolefulest day that ever mine eyes saw. The house
stood upon the edge of a hill; some of the Indians got behind the hill, others
into the barn, and others behind anything that could shelter them; from all
which places they shot against the house, so that the bullets seemed to fly
like hail; and quickly they wounded one man among us, then another, and then a
third. About two hours (according to my observation, in that amazing time) they
had been about the house before they prevailed to fire it (which they did with
flax and hemp, which they brought out of the barn, and there being no defense
about the house, only two flankers at two opposite corners and one of them not
finished); they fired it once and one ventured out and quenched it, but they
quickly fired it again, and that took. Now is the dreadful hour come, that I
have often heard of (in time of war, as it was the case of others), but now
mine eyes see it. Some in our house were fighting for their lives, others
wallowing in their blood, the house on fire over our heads, and the bloody
heathen ready to knock us on the head, if we stirred out. Now might we hear
mothers and children crying out for themselves, and one another, "Lord,
what shall we do?" Then I took my children (and one of my sisters', hers)
to go forth and leave the house: 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, though 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
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 (being before wounded,
in defending the house, in or near the throat) fell down dead, whereat the
Indians scornfully shouted, and hallowed, 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 sisters' children, named William, had then his leg broken,
which the Indians perceiving, they knocked him on [his] head. Thus were we
butchered by those merciless heathen, standing amazed, with the blood running
down to our heels. My eldest sister being yet in the house, and seeing those
woeful sights, the infidels hauling mothers one way, and children another, and
some wallowing in their blood: and her elder son telling her that her son
William was dead, and myself was wounded, she said, "And Lord, let me die
with them," which was no sooner said, but she was struck with a bullet,
and fell down dead over the threshold. I hope she is reaping the fruit of her
good labors, being faithful to the service of God in her place. In her younger
years she lay under much trouble upon spiritual accounts, till it pleased God
to make that precious scripture take hold of her heart, "And he said unto
me, my Grace is sufficient for thee" (2 Corinthians 12.9). More than
twenty years after, I have heard her tell how sweet and comfortable that place
was to her. But to return: the Indians laid hold of us, pulling me one 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 them,
they would not hurt me.
No comments:
Post a Comment