The three prisoners that were brought with these additional forces, constantly repining at their lot, and almost dead with their excessive hard treatment, contrived at last to make their escape; but being far from their own settlements, and not knowing the country, were soon after met by some others of the tribes or nations at war with us, and brought back to their diabolical masters, who greatly rejoiced at having them again in their infernal power.
The poor creatures, almost famished for want of sustenance, having had none during the time of their development, were no sooner in the clutches of the barbarians, than two of them were tied to a tree, and a great fire made round them, where they remained till they were terribly scorched and burnt; when one of the villains, with his scalping knife, ript open their bellies, took out their entrails, and burnt them before their eyes, whilst the others were cutting, piercing, and tearing the flesh from their breasts, hands, arms, and legs, with red hot irons, till they were dead. The third unhappy victim was reserved a few hours longer, to be, if possible, sacrificed in a more cruel manner; his arms were tied close to his body, and a hole being dug deep enough for him to stand upright, he was put therein, and earth rammed and beat in all round his body, up to the neck, so that his head only appeared above the ground: they then scalped him, and there let him remain for three or four hours in the greatest agonies; after which they made a small fire near his head, causing him to suffer the most excruciating torments imaginable, whilst the poor creature could only cry for mercy in killing him immediately, for his brains were boiling in his head: inexorable to all his plaints, they continued the fire, whilst, shocking to behold, his eyes gushed cut of their sockets; and such agonizing torments did the unhappy creature suffer for near two hours, till he was quite dead! They then cut off his head and buried it with the other bodies; my task being to dig the graves, while, feeble and terrified as I was, the dread of suffering the same fate enabled me to do.
I shall not here take up the reader's time, in vainly attempting to describe what I felt on such an occasion, but continue my narrative as more equal to my abilities.
A great snow now falling, the barbarians were a little fearful lest the white people should, by their traces, find out their skulking retreats, which obliged them to make the best of their way to their winter quarters, about two hundred miles farther from any plantations or inhabitants; where, after a long and tedious journey, being almost starved, I arrived with this infernal crew. The place where we were to rest, in their tongue, is called Alamingo.
There were found a number of wigwams* full of their women and children. Dancing, shooting, and shouting were their general amusements; and in all their festivals and dances they relate what successes they have had, and what damages they have sustained in their expeditions; in which I became part of their theme. The severity of the cold increasing, they stript me of my clothes for their own use, and gave me such as they usually wore themselves, being a piece of blanket, a pair of moccasins or shoes, with a yard of coarse cloth to put round me instead of breeches.
To describe their dress and manner of living may not be altogether unacceptable to some of my readers; but as the size of this book will not permit me to be so particular as I might otherwise be. I shall just observe, that they in general wear a white blanket, which, in war time, they paint with various figures, but particularly the leaves of trees, in order to deceive their enemies when in the woods. Their moccasins are made of deer-skins, and the best sort have them bound round the edges with little beads and ribbands.
On their legs they wear pieces of blue cloth for stockings, some like our soldiers spatterdashes; they reach higher than then the knees, but not lower than their ankles. They esteem them easy to run in. Breeches they never wear, but instead thereof two pieces of linen, one before and another behind. The better sort have shirts of the finest linen they can get, and to these some wear ruffles; but these they never put on till they have painted them of various colours which they get from the Pecone root and bark of trees, and never pull them off to wash, but wear them till they fall to pieces. They are very proud, and take great delight in wearing trinkets; such as silver plates round their wrists and necks, with several strings of wampum (which is made of cotton, interwoven with pebbles, cockle-shells, etc.), down to their breasts; and from their ears and noses they have rings or beads which hang dangling an inch or two.
The men have no beards, to prevent which they use certain instruments and tricks as soon as it begins to grow. The hair of their heads is managed differently, some pluck out and destroy all, except a lock hanging from the crown of the head, which they interweave with wampum and feathers of various colours.
The women wear it very long twisted down their backs, with beads, feathers, and wampum; and on their heads most of them wear little coronets of brass or copper; round their middle they wear a blanket instead of a petticoat. The females are very chaste, and constant to their husbands; and if any young maiden should happen to have a child before marriage, she is never esteemed afterwards.
As for their food they get it chiefly by hunting and shooting, and boil or roast all the meat they eat. Their standing dish consists of Indian corn soaked, then bruised and boiled over a gentle fire for ten or twelve hours. Their bread is likewise made of wild oats, or sun-flower seeds. Set meals they never regard, but eat when they are hungry.
* Wigwams are the names they give their houses, which are no more than little huts, [raised] with three or four forked stakes drove into the ground, and covered with deer or other skins; or, for want of them, with large leaves mid earth.
