Page:Eventful life, and curious adventures of Peter Williamson.pdf/8

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The Life of Peter Williamson.

lot. Distracted as I was in such deplorable circumstances, 1 chose to rely on the uncertainty of their fallacious promises, rather than meet with certain death by rejecting them; and accordingly went out of my house with my gun in my hand. Immediately on my approach, they rushed on me like so many tygers, and instantly disarmed me. Having me thus in their power, the merciless villains hound me to a tree near the door: they then went into the house, and plundered and destroyed every thing there was in it, carrying oif what moveables they could; the rest, together with the house, which they set fire to, was consumed before my eyes. The barbarians, not satisfied with this, set fire to my barn, stable, and out-houses, wherein were about 200 bushels of wheat, six cows, four horses, five sheep, which underwent the same fate, being all entirely consumed to ashes. During the conflagration, to describe tire thoughts, the fears and misery that I felt, is utterly impossible. Having thus finished the execrable business about which they came, one of the monsters came to me with a Tomahawk in his hand, threatening me with the worst of deaths, if I would not willingly go with them, and be contented with their way of living. This I seemingly agreed to, promising to do every tiring for them that lay in my power;

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trusting to Providence for the time when I might be delivered out of their hands. Upon this they untied me, and gave me a great load to carry on my back, under which I travelled all that night with them, full of the most terrible apprehensions, and oppressed witii tire greatest anxiety of mind, lest my unhappy wife should likewise have fallen a prey to these cruel monsters. At daybreak, my infernal masters ordered me to lay down my lead, when, tying my hands again; round a tree with a small cord, they forced the blood out of my finger-ends. They then kindled a fire near the tree where to I was bound, which filled me with the most dreadful agonies, concluding I wasgoing to be made a sacrifice to their barbarity. The fire being thus made, they for some time danced: round me after their manner, with various odd motions and antic gestures, whooping, hollooing, and crying in a frightful manner, as it is their custom. Having satisfied themselves in this sort of their mirth, they proceeded in a more tragical manner; taking the burning coals and sticks, flaming with fire at the ends, holding them near my face, head, hands, and feet, with a deal of monstrous pleasure and satisfaction; and, at the same time, threatening to burn me entirely, if I made thd least noise, or cried out. Thus tortured as I was, almost