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144 CHAPTER T WO16 We made all needful preparations to leave the camp, but were disappointed .17 Immediately after our friends left us, there came up a most terrific thunder storm, seeming literally as if the whole heavens were on fire; and the whole earth was to be shaken from its foundation. One could but think that the superstitious savages would have quailed before their Gods, and felt that they were exceedingly angry with them, and were about to render a quick retribution for the terrible tragedy they had but just commenced. The rain descended in torrents, the lightning came flash after flash, the thunder kept pace; and indeed language fails to describe the scene. It seemed as if the whole artillery of Heaven was about to burst. The storm continued till about sunset, when as if to compete with the horror before, the sun came out in glorious splendor, clearing away every cloud, and giving a life picture to every tree and shrub. During the storm we were in an unfinished house without doors or windows; we kept partially dry by placing a hide over a small space where the chamber floor ought to have been.18 Here we were seated on the few goods we had saved from home, wishing, nay praying, that some way would be opened for our escape from such a miserable life. Place yourselves for a moment in imagination, in such a situation, not knowing but some enemy had crept into camp ready at the first opportunity to end your existence. Enos came from the island; the Missionaries had left.19 While he was returning, or when in sight of the camp, he met a Rebel Indian who questioned him minutely as to where he had been. He waived the answer, by telling him he had been looking for some cattle, at the same time showing his coat, how wet he had got it in the rain. It was the general opinion that the blood-thirsty savage was searching for the Missionaries. Having come from the Lower Agency, where he had doubtless “washed his hands in innocent blood,” two of our company thinking they might find our friends, believing they had secreted themselves somewhere else, they started in pursuit, creeping through bushes and grass some of the way, fearing they A Thrilling nArrATive of indiAn CApTiviTy 145 might be seen by some hidden foe. They were absent some time, and we were very anxious for their safety. It was now dark, and we were told that should we attempt to leave camp that night, the doom of death to some, and the misery of a long captivity to the rest, would be the consequences. Terrible accounts are constantly coming from the massacre, but we dare not vouch for the truth of them till the excitement subsides a little and our own nerves become stronger. But let us return to our Missionaries again, for too many pleasing associations of the past and anxiety for their present safety, will not permit us to be silent, and the Department people at Yellow Medicine; what has become of them? God only knows. We may hear from them.20 While our friends, fourteen in number, men, women and children, had remained on the island, they were without any shelter from the scorching sun, but the surrounding trees; not daring to build a fire, to cook a little food, or raise a smoke to keep off the mosquitoes, which in times of peace are almost intolerable, and would have been thought foe enough to contend with, and one a great hero that gained a victory over them by the aide of smoke, mosquito bars, &c. But in this instance they were merely “accidents attending greater evils;” had they made fire they might have called around them the savage warriors, thus ending all hopes of escape; the men being killed and worse than death to most of their families, for the young Braves had made their boast, they would have those beautiful girls for their captives.21 But they left during the storm, and were exposed to the descending rain, in addition to the fatigue incident to camping on the island. Here we leave our early pioneers and christians [sic], carrying their lives in their hands, for in all probability they will be overtaken by the band of warriors that have gone (or reported to have gone) to the Big Woods.22 “They know in whom they have trusted,” and He who has...

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