the boy captives-第1节

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The　Boy　Captives

An　Incident　of　the　Indian　War　of　1695



by　John　Greenleaf　Whittier












THE　township　of　Haverhill；　even　as　late　as　the　close　of　the

seventeenth　century；　was　a　frontier　settlement；　occupying　an

advanced　position　in　the　great　wilderness；　which；　unbroken　by　the

clearing　of　a　white　man；　extended　from　the　Merrimac　River　to　the

French　villages　on　the　St。　Francois。　　A　tract　of　twelve　miles　on　the

river　and　three　or　four　northwardly　was　occupied　by　scattered

settlers；　while　in　the　centre　of　the　town　a　compact　village　had

grown　up。　　In　the　immediate　vicinity　there　were　but　few　Indians；

and　these　generally　peaceful　and　inoffensive。　　On　the　breaking　out

of　the　Narragansett　War；（1）　the　inhabitants　had　erected

fortifications；　and　taken　other　measures　for　defence；　but；　with　the

possible　exception　of　one　man　who　was　found　slain　in　the　woods　in

1676；　none　of　the　inhabitants　were　molested；　and　it　was　not　until

about　the　year　1689　that　the　safety　of　the　settlement　was　seriously

threatened。　　Three　persons　were　killed　in　that　year。　　In　1690　six

garrisons　were　established　in　different　parts　of　the　town；　with　a

small　company　of　soldiers　attached　to　each。　　Two　of　these　houses

are　still　standing。　　They　were　built　of　brick；　two　stories　high；　with　a

single　outside　door；　so　small　and　narrow　that　but　one　person　could

enter　at　a　time；　the　windows　few；　and　only　about　two　and　a　half　feet

long　by　eighteen　inches　wide；　with　thick　diamond　glass　secured

with　lead；　and　crossed　inside　with　bars　of　iron。　　The　basement　had

but　two　rooms；　and　the　chamber　was　entered　by　a　ladder　instead　of

stairs；　so　that　the　inmates；　if　driven　thither；　could　cut　off

communication　with　the　rooms　below。　　Many　private　houses　were

strengthened　and　fortified。　　We　remember　one　familiar　to　our

boyhood；a　venerable　old　building　of　wood；　with　brick　between

the　weather…boards　and　ceiling；　with　a　massive　balustrade　over　the

door；　constructed　of　oak　timber　and　plank；　with　holes　through　the

latter　for　firing　upon　assailants。　　The　door　opened　upon　a　stone…

paved　hall；　or　entry；　leading　into　the　huge　single　room　of　the

basement；　which　was　lighted　by　two　small　windows；　the　ceiling

black　with　the　smoke　of　a　century　and　a　half；　a　huge　fireplace；

calculated　for　eight…feet　wood；　occupying　one　entire　side；　while；

overhead；　suspended　from　the　timbers；　or　on　shelves　fastened　to

them；　were　household　stores；　farming　utensils；　fishing…rods；　guns；

bunches　of　herbs　gathered　perhaps　a　century　ago；　strings　of　dried

apples　and　pumpkins；　links　of　mottled　sausages；　spare…ribs；　and

flitches　of　bacon；　the　fire…light　of　an　evening　dimly　revealing　the

checked　woollen　coverlet　of　the　bed　in　one　far…off　corner；　while　in

another



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃The　pewter　plates　on　the　dresser

Caught　and　reflected　the　flame　as　shields　of　armies　the

sunshine。〃（2）



（1）　The　〃Narragansett　War〃　was　a　name　applied　to　that　part　of

King　Philip's　War　which　resulted　from　the　defection　of　the　powerful

tribe　of　Narragansetts；　formerly　allies　of　the　English；　to　the　standard

of　the　Indian　chief。

（2）　Longfellow's　*Evangeline；*　lines　205；　206。





Tradition　has　preserved　many　incidents　of　life　in　the　garrisons。　　In

times　of　unusual　peril　the　settlers　generally　resorted　at　night　to　the

fortified　houses；　taking　thither　their　flocks　and　herds　and　such

household　valuables　as　were　most　likely　to　strike　the　fancy　or

minister　to　the　comfort　or　vanity　of　the　heathen　marauders。　　False

alarms　were　frequent。　　The　smoke　of　a　distant　fire；　the　bark　of　a

dog　in　the　deep　woods；　a　stump　or　bush；　taking　in　the　uncertain

light　of　stars　and　moon　the　appearance　of　a　man；　were　sufficient　to

spread　alarm　through　the　entire　settlement　and　to　cause　the　armed

men　of　the　garrison　to　pass　whole　nights　in　sleepless　watching。　　It　is

said　that　at　Haselton's　garrison…house　the　sentinel　on　duty　saw；　as

he　thought；　an　Indian　inside　of　the　paling　which　surrounded　the

building；　and　apparently　seeking　to　gain　an　entrance。　　He　promptly

raised　his　musket　and　fired　at　the　intruder；　alarming　thereby　the

entire　garrison。　　The　women　and　children　left　their　beds；　and　the

men　seized　their　guns　and　commenced　firing　on　the　suspicious

object；　but　it　seemed　to　bear　a　charmed　life；　and　remained

unharmed。　　As　the　morning　dawned；　however；　the　mystery　was

solved　by　the　discovery　of　a　black　quilted　petticoat　hanging　on　the

clothes…line　completely　riddled　with　balls。



As　a　matter　of　course；　under　circumstances　of　perpetual　alarm

and　frequent　peril；　the　duty　of　cultivating　their　fields；　and　gathering

their　harvests；　and　working　at　their　mechanical　avocations；　was

dangerous　and　difficult　to　the　settlers。　　One　instance　will　serve　as　an

illustration。　　At　the　garrison…house　of　Thomas　Dustin；　the　husband

of　the　far…famed　Mary　Dustin　（who；　while　a　captive　of　the　Indians；

and　maddened　by　the　murder　of　her　infant　child；　killed　and　scalped；

wit　the　assistance　of　a　young　boy；　the　entire　band　of　her　captors；

ten　in　number）；　the　business　of　brick…making　was　carried　on。　　The

pits　where　the　clay　was　found　were　only　a　few　rods　from　the　house；

yet　no　man　ventured　to　bring　the　clay　to　the　yard　within　the

inclosure；　without　the　attendance　of　a　file　of　soldiers。　　An　anecdote

relating　to　this　garrison　has　been　handed　down　to　the　present　time。　

Among　its　inmates　were　two　young　cousins；　Joseph　and　Mary

Whittaker；　the　latter　a　merry；　handsome　girl；　relieving　the　tedium　of

garrison…duty　with　her　light…hearted　mirthfulness　and



　　　　　　　〃Making　a　sunshine　in　that　shady　place。〃（1）



（1）　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Her　angel's　face

As　the　great　eye　of　heaven　shyned　bright

And　made　a　sunshine　in　the　shadie　place；

Did　never　mortal　eye　behold　such　heavenly　grace。〃



Spenser：　*The　Faerie　Queene；*　bk。　I。　canto　iii。　st。　4。



　

Joseph；　in　the　intervals　of　his　labors　in　the　double　capacity　of

brick…maker　and　man…at…arms；　was　assiduous　in　his　attentions　to　his

fair　cousin；　who　was　not　inclined　to　encourage　him。　　Growing

desperate；　he　threatened　one　evening　to　throw　himself　into　the

garrison　well。　　His　threat　only　called　forth　the　laughter　of　his

mistress；　and；　bidding　her　farewell；　he　proceeded　to　put　it　in

execution。　　On　reaching　the　well　he　stumbled　over　a　log；

whereupon；　animated　by　a　happy　idea；　he　dropped　the　wood　into

the　water　instead　of　himself；　and；　hiding　behind　the　curb；　awaited

the　result。　　Mary；　who　had　been　listening　at　the　door；　and　who　had

not　believed　her　lover　capable　of　so　rash　an　act；　heard　the　sudden

plunge　of　the　wooden　Joseph。　　She　ran　to　the　well；　and；　leaning

over　the　curb　and　peering　down　the　dark　opening；　cried　out；　in

tones　of　anguish　and　remorse；　〃O　Joseph；　if　you're　in　the　land　of　the

living；　I　'll　have　you！〃　　〃I　'll　take　ye　at　your　word；〃　answered

Joseph；　springing　up　from　his　hiding…place　and　avenging　himself　for

her　coyness　and　coldness　by　a　hearty　embrace。



Our　own　paternal　ancestor；　owing　to　religious　scruples　in　the

matter　of　taking　arms　even　for　defence　of　life　and　property；　refused

to　leave　his　undefended　house　and　enter　the　garrison。　　The　Indians

frequently　came　to　his　house；　and　the　family　more　than　once　in　the

night　heard　them　whispering　under　the　windows；　and　saw　them　put

their　copper　faces　to　the　glass　to　take　a　view　of　the　apartments。　

Strange　as　it　may　seem；　they　never　offered　any　injury　or　insult　to

the　inmates。



In　1695　the　township　was　many　times　molested　by　Indians；　and

several　persons　were　killed　and　wounded。　　Early　in　the　fall　a　small

party　made　their　appearance　in　the　northerly　part　of　the　town；

where；　finding　two　boys　at　work　in　an　open　field；　they　managed　to

surprise　and　capture　them；　and；　without　committing　further

violence；　retreated　through　the　woods　to　their　homes　on　the　shore

of　Lake　Winnipiseogee。　　Isaac　Bradley；　aged　fifteen；　was　a　small

but　active　and　vigorous　boy；　his　companion　in　captivity；　Joseph

Whittaker；　was　only　eleven；　yet　quite　as　large　in　size；　and　heavier　in

his　movements。　　After　a　hard　and　painful　journey　they　arrived　at　the

lake；　and　were　placed　in　an　Indian　family；　consisting　of　a　man　and

squaw　and　two　or　three　children。　　Here　they　soon　acquired　a

sufficient　knowledge　of　the　Indian　tongue　to　enable　them　to　learn

from　the　conversation　carried　on　in　their　presence　that　it　was

designed　to　take　them　to　Canada　in　the　spring。　　This　discovery　was

a　painful　one。　　Canada；　the　land　of　Papist　priests　and　bloody

Indians；　was　the　especial　terror　of　the　New　England　settlers；　and

the　anathema　maranatha（1）　of　Puritan　pulpits。　　Thither　the　Indians

usually　hurried　their　captives；　where　they　compelled　them　to　work

in　their　villages　or　sold　them　to　the　French　planters。　　Escape　from

thence　through　a　deep　wilderness；　and　across　lakes；　and　mountains；

and　almost　impassable　rivers；　without　food　or　guide；　is　regarded　as

an　impossibility。　　The　poor　boys；　terrified　by　the　prospect　of　being

carried　still　farther　from　their