The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1928-12-28
ERE is his narrative exactly
as Quintin Stockwell set it


down-spelling and all:
In the year 1877, September 10,
between Sunset and dark, the In
dams came upon us; and another
Man, being together, we ran away
at the cutlery the Indians made, shout
ing and shooting at some other of the
English that were hard by. We took
a Swamp that was at hand for our
refuge, the Enemy espying us so near
them ran after us and shot many
Guns at US, three Guns were dis
charged upon me the Enemy being
within three Rod of me, besides many
other before that. Being in this
Swamp that was miry, l slumpt in
and fell down, whereupon one of the
Enemy slept TO me with his Ratchet
lift up to knock me on the head. sup
posing that | had been wounded and
so unfit for any other travel.
A Terrifying Midnight Journey.
(as it hapned) had Pistol by me
which though unchanged l presented
10 the Indian, who presently slept
back; and told me if / would yield
l should have no hurt, he said (Which
was not true) that they had destroyed
all Hatfield, and that the woods were
full of Indians, whereupon | yielded
myself and so fell into the Enemies
hands, and by three of them was led
away unto the place whence first i
began to make my fight, where two
other Indians came running to US, and
the one lifting up the Butt end of his
Gun to knock me on the head the
other with his hand put by the blow
and said | was his Friend. l was
now by my own House which the In
dams burnt last year and / was about
10 build up again, and there l had
some hopes TO escape from them;
there was an Horse just by, which
they bid me take, | did so but made
no attempt to escape thereby, because
the Enemy was near and the Beast
was slow and dull, then was l in
hopes they would send me to take my
own Horses, which they did, but they
were so frightened that / could not
come near TO them, and so fell still
into the Enemies hands, who now took
me and bound me and led me away,
and soon was | brought into the Com
pany of Captives that were that day
p brought away from Hatfield, which
were about a mile off; and here me-
thoughts was matter of joy and sOr-
row both to see the Company; some
Company in this condition being some
refreshing; though little help any
waves; then were we pinioned and
led away in the night over the Noun
tains, in dark and hideous wages,
about four miles further, before we
took up cur place for rest, which was
in dismal place of Wood on the
East side of that Mountain. We were
kept bound all that night.
The Indians kept waking and we
had little mind to sleep in this nights
travel, the Indians dispersed, and as
they went made strange noises, as of
Wolves and Owles, and other Wild
Beasts, to the end that they might
not lose one another; and if followed
they might not be discovered by the
English.
The Dance of Death.
About the break of Day we
marched again and got over the great
River at Pecomptuck River mouth,
and there rested about two hours.
There the Indians marked out upon
Trays the number of their Captives
and Slain as their manner is. Here
was | again in great danger; A quar-
rel arose about me, whose Captive /
was, for three took me. | thought |
must be killed to end the controversial.
so when they put ii to me, whose |
was, / said three Indians took me so
they agreed to have all a share in
me: and | had now three Masters,
and he was my chief Master who laid
hands on me first, and thus was l
fallen into the hands of the very
worst of all the Company; as Ash
pelon, the Indian Captain told me;
which Captain was all along very kind
to me, and great comfort to the
English.
From hence we went up about the
Falls, where we crost that River
again; and whilst | was going, | fell
right down lame of my old Wounds
that ] had in the War. and WHILST
] was thinking should therefore be