s, and
dullness of the English army, in its setting out. For after the
desolations at Lancaster and Medfield, as I went along with them, they
asked me when I thought the English army would come after them? I told
them I could not tell. "It may be they will come in May," said they.
Thus did they scoff at us, as if the English would be a quarter of a
year getting ready.

3. Which also I have hinted before, when the English army with
new supplies were sent forth to pursue after the enemy, and they
understanding it, fled before them till they came to Banquang river,
where they forthwith went over safely; that that river should be
impassable to the English. I can but admire to see the wonderful
providence of God in preserving the heathen for further affliction to
our poor country. They could go in great numbers over, but the English
must stop. God had an over-ruling hand in all those things.

4. It was thought, if their corn were cut down, they would starve and
die with hunger, and all their corn that could be found, was destroyed,
and they driven from that little they had in store, into the woods in
the midst of winter; and yet how to admiration did the Lord preserve
them for His holy ends, and the destruction of many still amongst the
English! strangely did the Lord provide for them; that I did not see
(all the time I was among them) one man, woman, or child, die with
hunger.

Though many times they would eat that, that a hog or a dog would hardly
touch; yet by that God strengthened them to be a scourge to His people.

The chief and commonest food was ground nuts. They eat also nuts and
acorns, artichokes, lilly roots, ground beans, and several other weeds
and roots, that I know not.

They would pick up old bones, and cut them to pieces at the joints, and
if they were full of worms and maggots, they would scald them over the
fire to make the vermine come out, and then boil them, and drink up the
liquor, and then beat the great ends of them in a mortar, and so eat
them. They would eat horse's guts, and ears, and all sorts of wild birds
which they could catch; also bear, venison, beaver, tortoise, frogs,
squirrels, dogs, skunks, rattlesnakes; yea, the very bark of trees;
besides all sorts of creatures, and provision which they plundered from
the English. I can but stand in admiration to see the wonderful power
of God in providing for such a vast number of our enemies in the
wilderness, where there was nothing to be see