Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Relation Of A Captivity Among The Indians Of North America.
Before sunset , as I was enjoying the society of the amiable Mademoiselle Cuillerie , lamenting together the hapless lot of many poor captives , and even contriving plans for the deliverance of some , a party of Indians suddenly entered our residence , all of them Otto was , and therefore strangers to me . Without saying a word to me or to any of the family , they seized me in a rough manner and drew me down stairs . Thenindeed situation wore loomy I
, , my a g appearance . was hurried away from that excellent family , without having time to say even farewell ., They , on their part , were as much amazed as myself . They dared not interfere in my behalf , or make any attempt to save me . The ladies burst into tears , and crossed themselves , praying , I doubt not fervently , for my deliverance . All that l \ l . Cuillerie could say to me was to keep up my heart , and trust in " le Bon Dieu . " As the party passed by the French people ' s houses , the inmates appeared all situation
pitying my , many of them saying what a sad thing it was to see so young a lad come to an untimel y end . Others again called out to me encouragingly to keep up my spirits , for that I still might have hopes . For my own part , I confess I was at first much shocked at being seized so rudely by the Indians , but became by degrees more resigned and collected , thinking seriously that my time was at last approaching its endand that all the dangerous I had already
, escapes made were as so many warnings for me to prepare for that change which we must all undergo sooner or later . They carried me away to Pondiac ' s hut , who was the chief of the Ottowa nation . There I was left by them for several hours in painful suspense as to my fate , till at length they brought a Frenchman to me ,
who was to act as interpreter of their intentions . This man told me that the reason why I was taken from M . Cuillerie was , because several Dutch merchants , who were prisoners , had prevailed on French residents to ransom or buy them , as I had done ; and that if this were suffered to go on there would soon be few or no captives left ; that Pondiac was resolved to detain every one captive , or have their scalps ; in prosecution of which resolve , he had ordered all who had been so bought off liberated to be taken from
or their purchasers ; and he ended with informing me that Pondiac had determined to appropriate me to himself . This explanation relieved me in some measure from the immediate fate which I apprehended , but I could not help wishing that I had been again restored to Peewash . I remained , therefore , this night with Pondiac . Next morning , however , the Chipwas , to which tribe I formerly belongedsent a party to demand me from the OttowasThis
, . Pondiac refused to agree to , having taken a liking to me , I believe , on account of my youth , as they are seldom fond of elderly persons , from a belief that the latter will never be reconciled to their modes of life . The consequence of Pondiac ' s refusal to give me up had well nigh been a war between the two nations . Ouasser , the chief of the Chipwas , however , prevented this by prevailing upon him to surrender me to himself . I was immediatelcarried bthe latter to his hutThe old
y y . chief was very good to me ; gave me abundance of food , and even condescended to tell me that as he had plenty of girls in his family to do all the work , I should never be required to labour , but live as he and his sons did . This of course was very agreeable to one in my forlorn situation ; and , indeed , the behaviour of the whole family towards me was such , that I had great reason to think myself fortunate in having fallen into such hands . Every one of this family ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Relation Of A Captivity Among The Indians Of North America.
Before sunset , as I was enjoying the society of the amiable Mademoiselle Cuillerie , lamenting together the hapless lot of many poor captives , and even contriving plans for the deliverance of some , a party of Indians suddenly entered our residence , all of them Otto was , and therefore strangers to me . Without saying a word to me or to any of the family , they seized me in a rough manner and drew me down stairs . Thenindeed situation wore loomy I
, , my a g appearance . was hurried away from that excellent family , without having time to say even farewell ., They , on their part , were as much amazed as myself . They dared not interfere in my behalf , or make any attempt to save me . The ladies burst into tears , and crossed themselves , praying , I doubt not fervently , for my deliverance . All that l \ l . Cuillerie could say to me was to keep up my heart , and trust in " le Bon Dieu . " As the party passed by the French people ' s houses , the inmates appeared all situation
pitying my , many of them saying what a sad thing it was to see so young a lad come to an untimel y end . Others again called out to me encouragingly to keep up my spirits , for that I still might have hopes . For my own part , I confess I was at first much shocked at being seized so rudely by the Indians , but became by degrees more resigned and collected , thinking seriously that my time was at last approaching its endand that all the dangerous I had already
, escapes made were as so many warnings for me to prepare for that change which we must all undergo sooner or later . They carried me away to Pondiac ' s hut , who was the chief of the Ottowa nation . There I was left by them for several hours in painful suspense as to my fate , till at length they brought a Frenchman to me ,
who was to act as interpreter of their intentions . This man told me that the reason why I was taken from M . Cuillerie was , because several Dutch merchants , who were prisoners , had prevailed on French residents to ransom or buy them , as I had done ; and that if this were suffered to go on there would soon be few or no captives left ; that Pondiac was resolved to detain every one captive , or have their scalps ; in prosecution of which resolve , he had ordered all who had been so bought off liberated to be taken from
or their purchasers ; and he ended with informing me that Pondiac had determined to appropriate me to himself . This explanation relieved me in some measure from the immediate fate which I apprehended , but I could not help wishing that I had been again restored to Peewash . I remained , therefore , this night with Pondiac . Next morning , however , the Chipwas , to which tribe I formerly belongedsent a party to demand me from the OttowasThis
, . Pondiac refused to agree to , having taken a liking to me , I believe , on account of my youth , as they are seldom fond of elderly persons , from a belief that the latter will never be reconciled to their modes of life . The consequence of Pondiac ' s refusal to give me up had well nigh been a war between the two nations . Ouasser , the chief of the Chipwas , however , prevented this by prevailing upon him to surrender me to himself . I was immediatelcarried bthe latter to his hutThe old
y y . chief was very good to me ; gave me abundance of food , and even condescended to tell me that as he had plenty of girls in his family to do all the work , I should never be required to labour , but live as he and his sons did . This of course was very agreeable to one in my forlorn situation ; and , indeed , the behaviour of the whole family towards me was such , that I had great reason to think myself fortunate in having fallen into such hands . Every one of this family ,