Farewell Address.-Murder of her Family.-Preparation of

read in a book that was about half as large as a Bible; and in the Bible I had read a little. I had also learned the Catechism, which I used frequently to

onary war, I remembered the names of some of the letters when I saw them; but have never read a word since I was taken prisoner. It is but a few years since a Missionary kindly gave me a Bible, which I am very

ldren, one son and two daughters. I soon learned that they had come there to live a short time; but for what purpose I cannot say. The woman's husband, however, was a

chance to see any.-Our family, as usual, was busily employed about their common business. Father was shaving an axe-helve at the side of the house; mother was making p

near. Mother and the women before mentioned, almost fainted at the report, and every one trembled with f

ey shot him as I have related. They first secured my father, and then rushed into the house, and without the least resistance m

Virginia, where my grandfather Erwin then lived, as I was informed by a

never the little children cried for water, the Indians would make them drink urine or go thirsty. At night they encamped in the woods without fire and without shelter, where we were watched with the greatest vigilance. Extremely fatigued, and very hungry, we were compelled to lie upon the ground supperless and without a drop of water to satisfy the cravings of our appetites. As in the day time, so the little ones were made to drink urine in the night if they cried for water. Fatigue alone brought us a little sleep for the refreshment of our weary limbs; and at the dawn of day we were again started on our march in the same order th

peak from the time we were taken till we

red with small hemlocks, or some other evergreen, and other bushes, into which we w

together with the uncertainty under which we all labored, as to our future dest

ation seemed to make the distance and time shorter, and the way more smooth. But father lost all his ambition in the beginning of our trouble, and continued appar

casins on my feet, which my mother observed; and believing that they would spare my life, even if th

f your being rescued? O that death had snatched you from my embraces in your infancy; the pain of parting then would have been pleasing to what it now is; and I should have seen the end of your troubles!-Alas, my dear! my heart bleeds at the thoughts of what awaits you; but, if you leave us, remember my child your own name, and the name of your father and mother.

and put moccasins on his feet, as they had done before on mine. I was crying. An Indian took the little boy and myself by the hand, t

d from my eyes. A number of times in the night the little boy begged of me earnestly to run away with him and get clear of the Indians; but remembering the advice I had so lately received, and knowing th

he swamp to be devoured by wild beasts! But what could I do? A poor little defenceless girl; without the power or means of escaping; without a home to go to, even if I could be liberated; without a knowledge of the direction or distance to my former place of residence; and without a living friend to whom to fly for protection, I

left them they were killed and scalped, together with Robert, Matthew, Betsey

each weed was so nicely placed in its natural position that no one would have suspected that we had passed that way. It is the custom of Indians when scouting, or on private expeditions, to step carefully and where no impression of their feet can be left-shunning wet or muddy ground. They seldom

g them over small hoops which they prepared for that purpose, and then drying and scraping them by the fire. Having put the scalps, yet wet and bloody, upon the hoops, and stretched them to their full extent, they held them to the fire till they were partly dried and then with their knives commenced scraping off the flesh; and in that way they continued to work, alternately drying and scraping them, till they were dry

nderstand that they should not have killed t

, and to deliver us if possible: but that their efforts were unavailing. They however pursued us to the dark swamp, where they found my father, his family and companions, stripped and mangled in the most inhuman manner:

setting up the weeds as on the day before. At night we encam

n the two former days, though the weather was extremely u

shelter of boughs, and a fire, where we rested tole

wet and cold, that I expected that I must fail and die before I could get warm and comfortable. The fire, howeve

of six Indians who had been to the frontier settlements, came to where we were, and brought with

as mine, and that he could afford me no kind of assistance. In the afternoon the Indians killed a deer, which they dressed, and then roas

orning the whole company, consisting of twelve Indians, four Frenchmen, the young man, the little

s called Fort Du Quesne. It stood at the junction of the Monongahela, which is said to signify, in some of the Indian languages, the Falling-in-Banks, [Footnote: Navigator.] and the Alleghany [Footnote: The word Alleghenny, was derived from an

then painted our faces and hair red, in the finest Indian style. We were then conducted into the for