Here being left, I began to meditate on my escape; and though I knew the country round extremely well, having been often thereabouts with my companions, hunting deer, and other beasts, yet was I very cautious of giving the least suspicion of such my intention. However, the third day after the grand body left us, my companions or keepers thought proper to visit the mountains in search of game for their subsistence, leaving me bound in such a manner that I could not escape. At night, when they returned, having unbound me, we all sat down together to supper on two polecats, being what they had killed, and soon after (being greatly fatigued with their day's excursion) they composed themselves to rest as usual.

Observing them to be in that somniferous state, I tried various ways to see whether it was a scheme to prove my intensions or not; but after making a noise, and walking about, sometimes touching them with my feet, I found there was no fallacy. My heart then exulted with joy at seeing a time come that I might in all probability be delivered from my captivity, but the joy was soon damped by the dread of being discovered by them, or taken by any straggling parties. To prevent which I resolved, if possible, to get one of their guns, and if discovered, to die in my defence rather than be taken; for that purpose I made various efforts to get one from under their heads (where they usually secured them) but in vain.

Frustrated in this my first essay regarding my liberty, I dreaded the thoughts of carrying my new design into execution; yet after a little consideration, and trusting myself to the divine protection, I set forward naked and defenceless as I was. A rash and dangerous enterprise!

Such was my terror, however, that in going from them I halted and paused every four or five yards, looking fearfully towards the spot where I had left them, lest they should awake and miss me; but when I was about two hundred yards from them, I mended my pace, and made as much haste as I could to the foot of the mountains, when on a sudden I was struck with the greatest terror and amaze at hearing the wood-cry, as it is called, and may be expressed “Jo haul Jo haul” which the savages I had left were making, accompanied with the most hideous cries and howling they could utter. The bellowing of lions, the shrieks of hyenas, or the roarings of tygers, would have been music to my ears in comparison to the sounds that then saluted them. They having now missed their charge, I concluded that they would soon separate themselves, and come in quest of me. The more my terror increased, the faster did I push on; and scarce knowing where I trode, drove through the woods with the utmost precipitation, sometimes falling and bruising myself, cutting my feet and legs against the stones in a miserable manner: but though faint and maimed, I continued my flight until break of day, when, without having any thing to sustain nature but a little corn left, I crept into a hollow tree, in which I lay very snug, and returned my prayers and thanks to the Divine Being, that had thus far favoured my escape. But my re- repose was in a few hours destroyed at hearing the voices of savages near the place where I was hid, threatening and talking how they would use me if they got me again: that I was before too sensible of to have the least rest either in body or mind since I had left them. However, they at last left the spot where I had heard them, and I remained in my circular asylum all that day without further molestation.

At night I ventured forward again, frightened and trembling at every bush I past, thinking each twig that touched me to be a savage. The third day I concealed myself in the like manner, and at night I travelled on in the same deplorable condition, keeping off the main road used by the Indians as much as possible, which made my journey many miles longer, and more painful and irksome than I can express.

But how shall I describe the fear, terror, and shock that I felt on the fourth night, when, by the rustling I made among the leaves, a parley of Indians, that lay round a small fire, which I did not perceive, started from the ground, and seizing their arms, ran from the fire amongst the woods. Whether to move forward or to rest where I was I knew not, so distracted was my imagination. In this melancholy state, revolving in my thoughts the now inevitable fate I thought waited on me, to my great consternation and joy, I was relieved by a parcel of swine that made towards the place I guessed the savages to be; who, on seeing the hogs, conjectured that their alarm had been caused by them, and very merrily returned to the fire, and lay down to sleep as before.

As soon as I perceived my enemies so disposed of, with more cautious step and silent tread I pursued my course, sweating (though winter, and severely cold) with the fear I had just been relieved from. Bruised, cut, mangled, and terrified as I was, I still, through the divine assistance, was enabled to pursue my journey until break of day, when thinking myself far off from any of those miscreants I so much dreaded, I lay down under a great log, and slept undisturbed till about noon, when getting up,

I reached the summit of a great hill with some difficulty, and looking out if I could spy any inhabitants of white people, to my unutterable joy I saw some, which I guessed to be about ten miles distance.

This pleasure was in some measure abated by my not being able to get among them that night; therefore, when evening approached, I again recommended myself to the Almighty, and composed my weary mangled limbs to rest.