Shee Putts Her Hands
Uppon My Head & Combs It Downe With Her Fingers.
"My son," says shee, "be
chearfull.
It is my husband; he will not hurt thee; he loves me and knoweth
that I love thee, and have a mind to have thee to our dwelling." Then shee
rose and takes my shirt from her husband and brings it me. Shee gave me one
of her covers. "Sleepe," said shee. I wanted not many persuasions. So chuse
rather the fatall blow sleeping then awake, for I thought never to escape.
The next morning I finding meselfe freed, which made me hope for the
future. I have reason to remember that day for two contrary things; first,
for my spirits being very much perplexed, and the other for that the
weather was contrary though very lovely. That morning they rendered all my
things againe, & filled my bagge with victualls. We left this place, which
feared me most then hurt was done. Some laughed att me afterwards for my
feares wherein I was, which I more & more hoped for better intertainment.
The weather was fair all that day, but the next wee must make a waynage,
which [was] not very hard; but my comrade drew carelessly, and the boat
slipps from his hands, which turned with such force that it had me along if
I had not lett my hould goe, chusing [rather] that then venter my selfe in
danger. Soe that it [no] sooner gott downe then we gott it up againe; but
by fortune was not hurted, yett it runn'd aground among rocks. We must goe
downe the river. I was driven to swime to it, where I found it full of
watter, and a hole that 2 fists might goe through it, so that I could not
drive it to land without mending it. My compagnion must also in the water
like a watter dogg, comes and takes hould of the foure oares. All the wild
men swims like watter doggs, not as we swime. We mende the boat there
neatly, not without miscalling one another. They spoake to me a word that I
understood not because of the difference betweene the low Iroquoits and
their speech, and in the anger and heat we layde the blame uppon one
another to have lett the boat flippe purposely. I tooke no heed of what he
alleadged. He comes sudainly uppon me & there cuffed one another untill we
weare all in bloode. Being weary, att last, out of breath, we gave over
like 2 cocks over tyred with fighting. We could not fight longer, but must
find strength to draw up the boat against the streame and overtake the
other, which was a good way from us. It was impossible to overtake the day,
nor the next. So that we must lay 3 nights by our selves.
The third day we arrived to a vast place full of Isls, which are called the
Isles of Toniata, where we overtooke our compagnions, who stayd for us.
There they killed a great bigg and fatt beare.
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