The First Remove
Now away we must go with those barbarous creatures, with our bodies
wounded and bleeding, and our hearts no less than our bodies. About a
mile we went that night, up upon a hill within sight of the town, where
they intended to lodge. There was hard by a vacant house (deserted by the
English before, for fear of the Indians). I asked them whether I might not
lodge in the house that night, to which they answered, "What, will you
love English men still?" This was the dolefulest night that ever my eyes
saw. Oh the roaring, and singing and dancing, and yelling of those black
creatures in the night, which made the place a lively resemblance of hell.
And as miserable was the waste that was there made of horses, cattle,
sheep, swine, calves, lambs, roasting pigs, and fowl (which they had
plundered in the town), some roasting, some lying and burning, and some
boiling to feed our merciless enemies; who were joyful enough, though we
were disconsolate. To add to the dolefulness of the former day, and the
dismalness of the present night, my thoughts ran upon my losses and sad
bereaved condition. All was gone, my husband gone (at least separated
from me, he being in the Bay; and to add to my grief, the Indians told me
they would kill him as he came homeward), my children gone, my
relations and friends gone, our house and home and all our comforts--
within door and without--all was gone (except my life), and I knew not but
the next moment that might go too. There remained nothing to me but one
poor wounded babe, and it seemed at present worse than death that it was
in such a pitiful condition, bespeaking compassion, and I had no
refreshing for it, nor suitable things to revive it. Little do many think what
is the savageness and brutishness of this barbarous enemy, Ay, even those
that seem to profess more than others among them, when the English have
fallen into their hands.