Page:Surprising life and sufferings of Peter Williamson.pdf/19

 with earth, which made it resemble a cave and, to prevent the ill effects of the cold, which penetrated into it, I was obliged to keep a good fire always near the door. Thus did I, for near two months endure such hardships of cold and hunger, as had hitherto been unknown to me.

At length the time arrived for preparing another expedition against the Planters, and white people; but before they set out they were joined by many other Indians from Fort Du Quesne, well stored with powder and ball, which they had received from the French.

As soon as the snow was quite gone, and no traces of their vile foot steps could be perceived, they set out on their journey towards the back parts of the Provinces of Pensylvania, leaving their wives and children behind in their wigwams. They were now a formidable and terrible body, amounting to near 150. I was made to carry what they thought proper to load me with, but they never entrusted me with a gun.

When we came again to the Blue Hills, about 30 miles from Cannocujigge, the Irish settlement before mentioned, we encamped for three days, though we had neither tents, nor any thing else to defend us from the inclemency of the air, having nothing to lie on by night but the grass.

During our stay here, a sort of Council of War was held, when it was agreed to divide themselves into companies of about twenty men each. I still belonged to my old