and that unless he would bring
her back another son to replace the one she had lost, she could not
live, intimating that she should prefer a white son to a red one.

"The old man, whose name was Wamegon--at least that was the first part
of his name, for it was really much longer--had associated with himself
several younger men, who had promised to assist him in carrying out the
strange commands of his wife.

"They were on their way eastward for this purpose when they caught sight
of our canoe descending the river, and observing that I was in her,
resolved to take me prisoner. They had followed the canoe down the bank
till they saw us land, when they formed the resolution of attacking our
camp during the night, killing all who opposed them, and carrying me
off. Fortunately for my father and his companions, I had given the
Indians an opportunity of capturing me without executing the former part
of their intentions.

"They dragged me along in no very gentle way, threatening me with
instant death if I did not keep moving as fast as they wished to go. It
was getting rapidly dark, and I hoped that they would be compelled to
stop, for I was sure that my father would come after me.

"Had my hands been at liberty, I would have dropped all the articles I
had in my pocket to assist him in tracing me. As it was, all I could do
was to jerk off my hat; but one of the Indians immediately picked it up,
and replaced it on my head. Whenever we passed any soft ground I
stamped with my feet to leave a deeper impression; but my captors on
perceiving this took off my shoes, perhaps supposing that I could move
faster without them, and hurried on.

"Frightened as I was, I did not altogether lose heart, and resolved to
make every effort to escape. We must have gone several miles when two
of the Indians, without taking any supper, lay down, placing me between
them, with a blanket thrown over all three of us, while the other walked
about on the watch, to give timely notice should we be pursued.

"I was so tired that I soon fell asleep, and did not awaken till dawn
next morning, when the Indians, holding me tight as before, proceeded on
their journey. They stopped at last and gave me a little dried venison,
mixed with bear's fat, but I could scarcely eat it.

"Thus for four days we hurried on due west. Every night I hoped that I
might have an opportunity of escaping, but was night after night
completely overpowered by sleep. My bar