found, they set out on their journey towards Pennsylvania, to
the number of nearly a hundred and fifty. Their wives and children were
left behind in the wigwams. My duty was to carry whatever they entrusted
to me; but they never gave me a gun. For several days we were almost
famished for want of proper provisions: I had nothing but a few stalks
of Indian corn, which I was glad to eat dry, and the Indians themselves
did not fare much better.

When we again reached the Blue Hills, a council of war was held, and we
agreed to divide into companies of about twenty men each, after which
every captain marched with his party where he thought proper. I still
belonged to my old masters, but was left behind on the mountains with
ten Indians, to stay till the rest returned, as they did not think it
safe to carry me nearer to the plantations.

Here being left, I began to meditate on my escape, for I knew the
country round very well, having often hunted there. The third day after
the great body of the Indians quitted us my keepers visited the
mountains in search of game, leaving me bound in such a way that I could
not get free. When they returned at night they unbound me, and we all
sat down to supper together, feasting on two polecats which they had
killed. Then, being greatly tired with their day's excursion, they lay
down to rest as usual.

Seeing them apparently fast asleep, I tried different ways of finding
out whether it was a pretence to see what I should do. But after making
a noise and walking about, sometimes touching them with my feet, I found
that they really slept. My heart exulted at the hope of freedom, but it
sank again when I thought how easily I might be recaptured. I resolved,
if possible, to get one of their guns, and if discovered to die in
self-defence rather than be taken; and I tried several times to take one
from under their heads, where they always secure them. But in vain; I
could not have done so without rousing them.

So, trusting myself to the divine protection, I set out defenceless.
Such was my terror, however, that at first I halted every four or five
yards, looking fearfully towards the spot where I had left the Indians,
lest they should wake and miss me. But when I was about two hundred
yards off I mended my pace, and made all the haste I could to the foot
of the mountains.

Suddenly I was struck with the greatest terror and dismay, hearing
behind me the fearful cries and howlings of the savag