something; and yet
it was very hard to get down their filthy trash; but the third week,
though I could think how formerly my stomach would turn against this
or that, and I could starve and die before I could eat such things, yet
they were sweet and savory to my taste. I was at this time knitting a
pair of white cotton stockings for my mistress; and had not yet wrought
upon a Sabbath day. When the Sabbath came they bade me go to work. I
told them it was the Sabbath day, and desired them to let me rest, and
told them I would do as much more tomorrow; to which they answered
me they would break my face. And here I cannot but take notice of the
strange providence of God in preserving the heathen. They were many
hundreds, old and young, some sick, and some lame; many had papooses at
their backs. The greatest number at this time with us were squaws, and
they traveled with all they had, bag and baggage, and yet they got over
this river aforesaid; and on Monday they set their wigwams on fire, and
away they went. On that very day came the English army after them to
this river, and saw the smoke of their wigwams, and yet this river put a
stop to them. God did not give them courage or activity to go over after
us. We were not ready for so great a mercy as victory and deliverance.
If we had been God would have found out a way for the English to have
passed this river, as well as for the Indians with their squaws and
children, and all their luggage. "Oh that my people had hearkened to
me, and Israel had walked in my ways, I should soon have subdued their
enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries" (Psalm 81.13-14).

THE SIXTH REMOVE

On Monday (as I said) they set their wigwams on fire and went away. It
was a cold morning, and before us there was a great brook with ice on
it; some waded through it, up to the knees and higher, but others went
till they came to a beaver dam, and I amongst them, where through the
good providence of God, I did not wet my foot. I went along that day
mourning and lamenting, leaving farther my own country, and traveling
into a vast and howling wilderness, and I understood something of Lot's
wife's temptation, when she looked back. We came that day to a great
swamp, by the side of which we took up our lodging that night. When I
came to the brow of the hill, that looked toward the swamp, I thought we
had been come to a great Indian town (though there were none but our own
company). The Indi