Thomas's Massachusetts spy, or, Worcester gazette. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1811-1821, 1821-05-02

selves, faised these unhappy women to such
degree Of figouF, that, notwithstanding their
fatigue, their exposure to cold, their suferance
Of hunger, aud their sleeping on damp ground
under an Indictment sky, they finished an expe-
dition Of about one hundred and fifty miles,
without losing THEN spirits or injuring their
health.
The wigwam to which they were conducted,
and which belonged to the savage who had
claimed them as his property, was inhabited
by twelve persons. In the month of April
this family set out with their captives for a
settlement still more remote; and informed
them that, when they arrived at the settle
ment, they must be stripped, scourged, and
run the gauntlet, naked, between two files of
Indians, containing the whole number found
in the settlement; for such they declared was
the standing custom Of their nation. This in
formation, you will believe, made deep inn
preston on the minds of the captive women.
and led them, irresistibly, to devise all the
possible means of escape. On the 3lst of the
same month, very early in the morning, Mrs.
Dustan, while the Indians were asleep, hav-
ing awaked her nurse, and fellow prisoner,
Ga youth, taken some time before, from Wor-
cester,) dispatched, with the assistance of her
companions, ten of the twelve Indians. The
|
savages they returned through the wilderness !:
and having arrived safely at Haverhill, and,
afterwards, at Boston, received a handsome re.
ward for their intrepid conduct from the Leg
islature.
Whether all their sufferings, and all the dam
ger of suffering anew, justified the slaughter,
may probably be questioned by you, or some
other exact moralist. Precedents innumera-
bic, and of high authority, may indeed be
urged in behalf of these captives; but the
moralist viii equally question the rectitude of
these. Few persons, however, agonizing as
Mrs. Dustan did, under the evils she had al
ready suffered, and in the full apprehension of
those which she was destined to suffer, would
have been able to act the part of nice casu-
lists; and fewer still, perhaps, would have
exercised her intrepidity. That she herself
approved of the conduct, which was applaud
ed by the magistrates and diyines of the day.
in the cool hours of deliberation, cannot be
doubted. The truth is, the season of Indian
invasion, burning, butchering, captivity, threat
enlng and torture, is an unfortunate time for
nice investigation, and critical moralizing. A
vie, who has just seen her house burned. her
infant dashed against tree, and her compan-
ions coldly murdered, one by one-who sup
posed her husband and her remaining children
to have shared the same fate-who was threat
ened with torture, and indecency more painful
than torture-and who did not entertain a
doubt that the threatening would be full
hlled-would probably feel no necessity, when
she found 1t IN her power, to dispatch the au-
thors OF her sufierlngs, of asking questions
concerning any thing but the success of the
enterprise.
But, whatever may be thought Of the rec
titude OF her conduct, that of her husband is
IN every view honorable. finer succession
of scenes for the pencil was hardly ever pre-
sented to the eye, than was furnished by the
efforts of this gallant man, with their interest
ing appendages. The artist must be destitute
indeed of talents, who could not ensross eve
ny heart, as well as every eye, by exhibitions
OF this husband and father, flying to rescue his
wife, her infant, and her nurse, from the ap-
preaching horde of sayages attempting, on
his horse, to select from his flying family the
child which be wins the least able to spare,
and unable to make the selection; facing, in
their rear, the horde of hell-hounds al
ternately and sternly retreating behind his in
estimable charge, and fronting the enemy a.
gam; receiving, and returning their fire, and
presenting himself, equally as barrier against
muTderers, and shelter to the fight of inno-
cence and anguish. In the back ground of
some or other of these pictures, might be ex-
hiblted, with powerful impression, the kindled
dwelling the sickly mother the terrified
nurse, with the newborn infant in her arms
and the furious natives, surrounding them,
driving them forward, and displaying the troph-
les of savage victory, aud the insolence of
savage triumph