Page:Eventful life, and curious adventures of Peter Williamson.pdf/16

 The life of Peter Williamson.

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are very fond of the French and When they found no remains English oaths. of life in him, they put him inThe old people, who are by to a hole dug in the ground for age and infirmities rendered that purpose, in which he stood incapable of being serviceable to upright. Into his left hand they the community, they put out of put an old gun, and hung a the world in a barbarous and small powder-horn and shotextraordinary manner; an in- bag about his shoulders, and a stance of which 1 had, whilst a- string of wampum round his mong them, an opportunity of neck; and into his right hand a seeing practised on an old In- little silk purse, with a bit of dian. He being, through age, money in it; then filled the ^ feeble and weak, and his eyes hole round, and covered him failing him, so that he was un- over with earth. Tills I found able to get his living either by to be their usual manner of hunting or shooting, was sum- treating the old of both sexes; moned to appesr before the only that the women are killeading ones, who were to be led by young girls, and put inhis judges; before whom be- to tbe ground with nothing but ing come, and having nothing a ladle in one hand, and a woodto say for himself, (as how in- en dish in the other. They are very strict in pudeed could he prove himself to be young?) they very formal- nishing offenders, especially such ly, and with a seeming degree as commit crimes against any of compassion, passed sentence of the royal families. They on him to be put to death. This never hang any ; but those senwas soon after executed on hhn tenced to death are generally in the following manner: he bound to a stake, ami a great was tied naked to a tree, and fire made round them, hut not a hoy who was to be his exe- so near as to burn them imcutioner, stood ready with a mediately ; for they sometimes tomahawk in bis hands, to beat remain roasting in the middle his brains out; but when the of the flames for tw o or three young monster came to inflict days before they are dead. the sentence, he was so short At Alamingo was I kept near of stature, that he could not tW’O months, until the snow lift the tomahawk high enough ; was off the ground. A long upon which he was held up 'by time to he amongst such creasome others, a great concourse tures, naked as I almost was! being present; and then, though Whatever thoughts I might have the young devil laid on with of making my escape, to carry alibis strength, he was not for them into execution was imsome time able to fracture the practicable, being so far from old man’s skull, so that it was any plantations or white peopF near an hour before he was and the severe weather ren# dead—Thus are they in their dering my limbs in a manm youth inured to barbarity ! quite stiff and motionless; how