None of the crew, save the young man already mentioned,
were hurt, although the Dutchman's seat of honor served as a target
for the space of an hour, and the continental captain was deeply
mortified at the sudden, and, as he said, "unaccountable" panic which
had seized him. Captain Ward himself was protected by a post, which
had been fastened to the gunnel, and behind which he sat while rowing.
Massy Herbeson and her Family
During the settlement of the interior of Pennsylvania, the Indians
were almost constantly hostile. Houses were burned, fields desolated,
and the poor, hard-working settlers were killed, or carried into a
dreadful captivity. The sufferings of some of these captives can
scarcely be described. The following narrative will give some idea of
savage nature.
On the 22nd of May, 1792, Massy Herbeson and her children were taken
from their house, within two hundred yards of Reed's blockhouse, and
about twenty-five miles from Pittsburg. Mr. Herbeson, being one of the
spies, was from home; two of the scouts lodged with her that night,
but had left her house about sunrise, in order to go to the
blockhouse, and had left the door standing wide open. Shortly after
the two scouts went away, a number of Indians came into the house, and
drew her out of bed by the feet; the two eldest children, who also lay
in another bed were drawn out in the same manner; a younger child,
about one year old slept with Mrs.
Pages:
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95