Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1833-10-24
THE CAPTIVE BOY.

!
All who are conversant with the early
history Of our country, will recollect that
our frontier settlements were, many years
ago, before the power Of the aborigines
was broken and subdued, frequently laid
waste and desolate by the incursions of
the Indians, who, not content with pill
Laying and destroying whatever property
lay in their way, mark ed their footsteps
with blood, and made captives Of all
whom gluited vengeance or caprice in
duced them to spare.
1t happened in one ofthese incursions,
that young man by the name of Bird,
with his wife and child, an infant boy Of
about six months old, was made pris-
oner. The quantity Of plunder ia pos
session Of the savages, making the as
sistance Of the unfortunate father and
mother important, their lives were spared,
for the sole purpose of assisting in carry
ing it off. They were shown their bur-
dens and dire cted to follow. The mother,
knowing the fate which in these circum-
stances awaited her infant, should it be
discovered, contrived to conceal it from
her inhuman captors, and having wrap
ped it up in her burden, close to her
breast, journeyed by the side other hus-
band towards the wilderness, sorrowing
no doubt, but invoking the protection Of
Him, whose almighty arm can succor the
most unfortunate, and deliver in the
greatest peril.
After travelling from sunrise, until tate
at night, through long summers day,
the party arrived at an Indian village,
and the captives being secured, the.In-
dians threw themselves on the ground,
and were soon asleep; but it may well be
supposed that Bird and his wife, even
after so much fatigue, felt little disposi-
ton to close their eyes. How they might
escape, alone occupied their minds; they
matured their plan and put it into execu-
tion, but to avoid re-capture, required
even more vigilance and resolution than
il required ingenuitysand strength to
free themselves from the Cords that bound
them.
They however set out, and with their
helpless babe, which, as by miracle,
they had still succeeded in preserving
unnoticed, began at midnight to retrace
their steps; but before day, fatigue, anx-
iety, and the want of nourishment so
completely exhausted them both, that
they found the following dilemma placed
before them-the child must be left in
the wilderness, or they must remain and
perish with it. The morning was alrea-
dy streaking the East with grey, and
they knew that their flight must have
been already discovered; they knew, too,
the characters they had to deal with, ,and
that to escape there was not moments
time to be lost. Distracted with oppo-
sing resolutions, sense of duty to them
selves, finally prevailed over the parents
tondness; the mother for the last time
pressed her innocent offspring to hel
breast, bedewed its unconsciously smi
ling cheek with tears, and sat it down or
the green bank of little tinkling rill, tt
perish, where, as she cast last anguish
ing look, after she left it, she saw i
scrambling after the flowers, that grew
around it..
!. The father and mother escaped to tn,
settlements, and Mr. Bird speedily col
} lected large party Of his neighbors, ant
returned to the spot where the child hat
} been left-but it was gone; and in tn,
lapse Of years, blest with riches and
numerous progeny, the parents ceased t
weep over their lost boy.
II Fifteen summers had smiled upon tn,
harvests, when in a treaty with distan
tribe Of Indians, an article Of whicl
bound them to deliver up any captive
that might be in their possession, a DO,
J was put into the charge Of the commits
sioners on the part Of the whites, will
the declaration that he was white
found in infancy upon the very spot wher
young Bird had been lef. He was sen
to his parents, who Immediately recog
rized him by a remarkable scar on hi
} right hand, which he had received in hi
fathers house.
The measure Of the parents Joy wa
full-but the boy wandered through th,
rich possessions Of his father, without
smile. His bow and blanket was his on
ly joy. He despised alike, the dress
the habits and the luxuries that were pre-