ir former Happiness.-Baneful effects of Civilization, and the introduction of ardent Spirits amongst them, &c.-Journey up the River.-Murder of three Traders by the Shawnees.-Her Husband stops a

t that place.-Her Journey to Genishau,

o Wiishto, and soon after set out to go to Fort Pitt, to dispose of our fur and skins, tha

rom the time of my adoption. Our labor was not severe; and that of one year was exactly similar, in almost every respect, to that of the others, without that endless variety that is to be observed in the common labor of the white people. Notwithstanding the Indian women have all the fuel and bread to procure, and the cooking to perform, their task is probably not harder than that of white women, who have those articles provided for th

in the ashes, and in boiling or roasting our venison. As our cooking and eating utensils consisted of a hommany block and pestl

hing after a poor fashion; but the other domestic arts I have been wholly ignorant of the application of, since my captivity. In the season of hunting, it was our business, in addition to our cooking, to bring ho

vengeful battles between families and individuals, which have been common

ately produce their extermination. I have seen, in a number of instances, the effects of education upon some of our Indians, who were taken when young, from their families, and placed at school before they had had an opportunity to contract many Indian habits,

n infancy, I should have been contented in my situation. Notwithstanding all that has been said against the Indians, in consequence of their cruelties to their enemies-cruelties that I have witnessed, and had abundant pr

y been my friends-with those whom I had every reason to respect. On account of a part of our family living at Genisha

son and myself. We embarked in a canoe that was large enough to conta

time before, though they were then absent. We had passed the trading house but a short distance, when we met three white men floating down the river, with the appearance of having been recently murdered by the Indians, we supposed them to be the bodies of the

lting at his distress. They at first made him stand up, while they slowly pared his ears and split them into strings; they then made a number of slight incisions in his face; and then bound h

ase him. At length they attended to my intercessions, and set him at liberty. He was shockingly disfigured, bled profusely

ered their store. We, however, were not molested by them, and after a short stay at that place, moved up the creek about forty miles to a Shawnee town

gushshawga, we moved on up the creek to a place that wa

as situated on a river of the same name which is now called Genesee. The word Genishau signifies a shining, clear or open place. Those of us who lived on the Ohio, had frequently recei

and insisted so strenuously upon our going home (as he called it) wit

it best to set out immediately that we might have good travelling. Sheninjee consented to have me go with my brothers; but concluded to go down th

ed ourselves extremely fortunate in finding so seasonable a supply, with so little trouble. Having caught two or three horses, that we found there, and furnished ourselves with a good store of food, we travelled on till we came to the mouth of French Creek, where we hunted two days, and from thence came on to Conowongo Creek, where we were obliged to stay seven or ten days, in consequence of our horses having left us and straying into the woods. The horses, however, were found, and we again prepared to resume our journey. During our stay at that place the rain fell fast, and had raised the creek to such a height that it was seemingly impossible for us to cross it. A number of times we ventured in, but were compelled to return, barely escaping with our lives. At length we succeeded in swimming our horses and reached the opposite shore; though I but just escaped with my little boy from being drowned. From Sandusky the path that we travelled was crooked and obscure; but wa

t my wet blanket to cover me, I had to sleep on the naked ground, and generally without a shelter, save such as nature had provided. In addition to all that, I had to carry my child, then about nine months old, every step of the journey on my back, or in my arms, and provide for his comfort and prevent his suffering, as far as my poverty of means would ad

ve and friendship, and that they really felt what they expressed, I have never had the least reason to doubt. The warmth of their feelings, the kind reception which I met with, and the continued favors that