ships, the deep forests, the alternate excitement and tranquillity of the lodges, which wrought a spell over young persons. In the settlements, sparsely spread or formed into villages at that period, household life had much drudgery, very little abandon or amusement, a rigid domestic and religious discipline, under which the buoyancy of youth often fretted, longing for change or relief. Farm labor and home tasks, from early day till night, restraint upon youthful gayety, and cheerless views of the years to come showed strong contrasts to those of restless and adventurous spirits with the Indian's free range. Our records and literature, beginning with the first negotiations with the savages for the return of prisoners for a ransom down to quite recent years, are filled with illustrative instances of this fact. Some of the cases are very touching ones. Colden tells us how difficult it often was to persuade white prisoners in the hands of the French and Indians to accept a proffered restoration to their friends. Some of them, on hearing they were to be carried back to the settlements, would run off and hide in the woods till the peril was over. Here is a scene described by Colden, when some prisoners were brought in: —
“No argument, no entreaties, no tears of their friends and
relatives could persuade many of them to leave their new Indian friends
and acquaintances. Several of them that were, by the caressings of
their relatives, persuaded to come home, in a little time grew tired
of our manner of living, and ran away again to the Indians and
ended their days with them. On the other hand, Indian children
have been carefully educated among the English, clothed and taught,
yet not one, when come to age and at liberty, but what returned to
their race and mode of life again” (p. 203).
Take as an instance a story of profound interest here
nearly two hundred years ago. The town of Deerfield, Mass.,
was set upon and burned by the French and Indians in the
depth of winter, February, 1704. Of the inhabitants, forty-seven
were killed and about one hundred taken prisoners,
