Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1843-03-24

ming, breathless with terror, into the house,
and crying out "Mother mother the IN
dams are coming | see them coming down
the hill in the edge of the woods, and they
are coming right this way !"
In all his fright he still held the mug ofI
beer in his hands, which he now placed or
shelf in the back part of the room.
ooh, mother, let us fasten the doors,
said Samuel, cor they'll come in and kill us. -
"No, child" said his mother, eff we fast
en- the doors so they can't open them, they'll
set fire to the house, and burn us up in it.
The only way is, TO let them come in, and
take our chance"
In moment more dozen stout sava-
ges we're at the door, and came grImly
stalking into the house with their weapons
of war in their hands. After reaching the
house, and helping themselves to such things
as they liked, and emptying a couple Of
feather beds and taking the ticks for bags to-
carry away their booty, they demanded of
the woman where her husband was. She re-
! fused to inform them. They then told her,
they would kill her and the boy at once
but if she would tell them where her hus-
band was they would not hurt any Of them
This induced her to tell where her husband
and other son were at work in the field
The Indians took Mrs Seaman and Sam
uel with them, and started for the field
which had been pointed out to them. Here
they succeeded also in making prisoners of
Mr.. Humphrey Seaman and his son
James. Another party of Indians at this
time came up, and the whole proceeded up,
the river, intending to capture all the whites
they could find, and carry them prisoners TO
Canada, where they would receive a reward
I from the French-France at that time be-
ing at war with England.
They would probably have succeeded in
taking many more prisoners than they did,
and perhaps would have taken the fort itself,
had not a fortunate circumstance given rea-
sonable alarm at the falls. A boy was
passing with team near the marsh where
Mr. Seaman was captured, and discovered
the Indians in time to make his escape
He mounted the horse that was attached to
his team, taking his carriers for bride, and
rode with full speed up the river till he came
to Grays point little below the present
village, and swan his horse across TO Cow
Island. Here he left his horse, plunged
into the river and swan the remaining
, channel himself flew to the fort as fast as
possible, and Immediately fred the alarm
gun.
f Most of the men of the settlement were
away in the fields at work, and many Of
them at a considerable distance The wo-
men and children with the feeble old men
fled into the fort as fast as they could
t where they had waited but a short time
4 l. al. Il.
on the opposite side of the river, and seemed
to be prepared TO come across and attach
5 the fort. In this emergency the women ar
rayed themselves in mems clothing, put OF
F.; mems hats, and with muskets in their hand
4 paraded themselves about in different part
4 of the fort where they could best be seer
' by the enemy. The Indians, deceived b.
e this formidable array of forces, concluded
: the men of the settlement were all in tn,
fort and well armed, aud that it would b.
j useless TO attempt an attack. They &c
, cordingly in a short time retired, carryin,
with them the family of Mr.. Seaman, an,
s a few other prisoners they had taken anon!
9 the scattering settlements.
1t isn't worth while TO stop to tell now
; how much the prisoners suffered in thei
d long and tedious journey through the wood
to Canada; how the slept on the groun
It at night with hemlock bougbs for their bed,
n and often travelled all day on foot withou
mouthful of food.
it A year passed away, and nothing ha
+ been heard of Humphrey Seaman or hi
t family; and the people on the Saco ha
given them up for dead. The Indians oc
t. casionaly continued their hostile invasion
II through the year, so the inhabitants on tn
= river dare not venture far from the fort, an
d when they found it necessary to labor i
o the field they kept loaded arms by thei
e sides. But this year on account of peac
is taking place between France and EnglanC
many of the prisoners in Canada, who ha
d been captured in the English colonies b
d the Indians, obtained their liberty and n
d turned home. And one day the people 0
: the Saco were greatly surprised and rejoice
IT at seeing Mr.. Seaman and his family, wit
e several others who had been supposed to
d lost, make their appearance among them
,r after stopping at the fort long enough I
IS partake of refreshments, and relate in
a hurried manner the principal events of ii
" year, Mr. Seaman was in haste to 90 an
Of ascertain the condition of his homestead
re- None of the inhabitants could give hi
re much information respecting it, for nor
Or had visited il since the capture of the family
lie a fact showing in striking manner no
r. closely they had been confined to certai
r, limits through fear of the Indians. One
lie the neighbors indeed told him that he h5
IS been down the river about month befor
In so far that he could see the house, and tn
lie it was still standing, and looked very muC
d. as it used to- Even this amount of info
e. nation was received by the returning far
H. ily with great Joy, and with eager haste the