-George Percy, 1607

At Alamingo was I kept near two months, until the snow was off the ground. A long time to be amongst such creatures, and naked as I almost was! Whatever thoughts I might have of making my escape, to carry them into execution was impracticable, being so far from any plantations or white people, and the severe weather rendering my limbs in a manner quite stiff and motionless: however. I contrived to defend myself against the inclemency of the weather as well as I could, by making myself a little wigwam, with the bark of the trees, covering the same with earth, which made it resemble a cave; and to prevent the ill effects of the cold which penetrated into it, I was forced to keep a good fire always near the door.

Thus did I for near two months endure such hardships of cold and hunger as had hitherto been unknown to me. My liberty of going about was indeed more than I could have expected, but they well knew the impracticability of my eloping from them. Seeing me outwardly easy and submissive, they would sometimes give me a little meat, but my chief food was Indian corn, dressed as I have above described. Notwithstanding such their civility, the time passed so tedious on, that I almost began to despair of ever regaining my liberty, or seeing my few relations again; which, with the anxiety and pain I suffered, on account of my dear wife, often gave me inexpressible concern.

At length the time arrived, when they were preparing themselves for another expedition against the planters and white people; but before they set out, they were joined by many other Indians from Fort Du Quesne, well stored with powder and ball they had received from the French.

As soon as the snow was quite gone, and no traces of their vile footsteps could be perceived, they set forward on their journey toward the back parts of the province of Pennsylvania, leaving their wives and children behind in their wigwams. They were now a terrible and formidable body, amounting nearly to 150. My duty was to carry what they thought proper to load me with, but they never entrusted me with a gun. We marched on several days without any thing particular occurring, almost famished for want of provisions; for my part I had nothing but a few stalks of Indian corn, which I was glad to eat dry; nor did the Indians themselves fare much better, for as we drew near the plantations, they were afraid to kill any game, lest the noise of their guns should alarm the inhabitants.

When we again arrived at the Blue Hills, about thirty miles from Cannocojigge, the Irish settlement before mentioned, we encamped for three days, though, God knows, we had neither tents, nor any thing else to defend us from the inclemency of the air, having nothing to lie on by night but the grass. Their usual method of lodging, pitching, or camping by night, being in parcels of ten or twelve men to a fire, where they lie upon the grass or bushes, wrapt up in a blanket, with their feet to the fire.

During our stay here, a sort of council of war was held, when it was agreed to divide themselves into companies of about twenty men each; after which, every captain marched with his party where he thought proper. I still belonged to my old masters, but was left behind on the mountains with ten Indians, to stay until the rest should return; not thinking it proper to carry me nearer Cannocojigge, or the other plantations.