HAVING returned from the West­ward—I now sit down, agreeable to your request, to give you an account of my journey—

TWO days after you left my house, Mr. Camber and myself, after providing ourselves with provisions, began our journey, deter­mining to penetrate the Western Wilderness as far as prudence and safety would permit. We travelled for thirteen days in a westerly direction, without meeting any thing uncom­mon or worthy description, except a very great variety of birds and wild beasts, which would frequently start before us—and, as we had our muskets, contributed not a little to our amusement and support. The land we found exceedingly rich and fertile, every where well watered, and the variety of berries, nuts, ground-nuts, &c. afforded a very comfortable living.

ON the 14th day of our travels, while we were observing a high hill, at the foot of which, ran a beautiful stream, which passing into a small plain, after a few windings, lost [Page 3] itself in a thicket—and observing the agreea­ble picturesque prospect, which presented itself on all sides, we were surprised at the sound of a voice, which seemed at no great distance.

AT first we were uncertain whether the voice was an human one, or that of some bird; as many extraordinary ones inhabited these wilds. After listening some time, the voice ceased and we then determined to proceed up the hill, from whence, we judged, the sound to come; that we might, if possible, discover what voice it was that so much astonished us. Accordingly, crossing the brook, we proceeded up the hill; and having arrived near the sum­mit, we again distinctly heard a voice singing in our own language, a mournful song. When the voice ceased, we observed a small foot path, which we followed; and arriving at the top of the hill, passing round a large rock, then thro a thicket of bushes, at the end of which, was a large opening: Upon our arrival here, to our inexpressible amazement, we beheld a beautiful young Lady! sitting near the mouth of a cave!—She, not observing us, began a­gain to sing. We now attempted to approach her; when a dog, which we had not before observed, sprung up and began to bark at us; at which she started up, and seeing us, gave a scream and swooned away. We ran to her assistance, and having lifted her up, she soon recovered; and looking wild at us, exclaim­ [...]— Heavens! Where am I?—And who, and [...]m whence are you?—We desired her to be under no uneasiness—told her we were travel­lers [Page 4] —that we came only to view the country; but that in all our travels, we had not met with any thing that had surprised us so much, as her extraordinary appearance, in a place which we imagined totally unfrequented.

AFTER a little conversation, having con­vinced her of our peaceable dispositions, and that we intended her no injury, she invited us into the cave, when she refreshed us with some ground-nuts, a kind of apples, some Indian cake, and excellent water.—We found her to be an agreeable, sensible Lady; and after some conversation, we requested to know who she was, and how she came to this place. She very readily complied with this request, and began her story as follows:—

"STRANGERS, your appearance and con­versation, entitle you to my confidence; and, tho my story cannot be very interesting or en­tertaining—yet it may possibly excite your pity, while it gratifies your curiosity.

"I WAS born near Albany, in the year 1760▪—My father was a man of some conse­quence, and of considerable estate in the place where he lived.—I was his only child, and had I continued with him, possibly, I might have been happy. In the fifteenth year of my age, my father received into his family a young Gentleman of education, as his clerk: This young man, by his easy politeness—his good sense, and agreeable manners, soon gained the esteem of all the family.—He had not been long with us, before he conceived an unfortu­nate passion for me; and, as he had frequent: [Page 5] opportunities of conversing with me—his in­sinuating address, added to a sensible, enga­ging conversation, soon found way to my heart: He quickly perceived that I was not indifferent to him—and took occasion to de­clare his passion; which he did with so much ardour, and yet, with so much modesty, that I readily acknowledged a mutual attachment.

AFTER this, we spent together many happy evenings, vowing mutual love, and fondly an­ticipating future happiness. We were how­ever obliged to conceal our attachment from my father; who, as he was excessively eager in pursuit of riches, we had no reason to sup­pose he would countenance our loves, or con­sent to my marriage with a man destitute of fortune.

IT happened, one evening, as we were dis­coursing by ourselves in a little garden, ad­joining our house, that we were overheard by my father; who, either suspected our at­tachment to each other, or from some other motives, had purposely concealed himself in this place, where he knew we usually walked. Next morning, my father, with an angry countenance, upbraided my lover with treach­erously engaging his daughter's affections— and after calling him many hard names, dis­missed him, with peremptory order never a­gain to enter his house. It was in vain to re­monstrate; he insisted on being obeyed—and ordered me to my chamber, where he confin­ed me. My lover then wrote to my father, stating to him our situation—requested leave [Page 6] to address me, and informed him of our mutual engagements, with the reason for not sooner consulting him. To this, my father ordered the young Gentleman to trouble him no fur­ther with his impertinence, nor ever to think of any further connection with me. By means, however, of an old servant, long attached to my lover, we found means to carry on a correspondence—and, in about a month after, we contrived matters, that I had an interview with my lover: I then agreed to quit my fath­er's house, and retire into the country, to see whether my absence would not soften his heart —and induce him to consent to my happiness. I therefore packed up some clothes, and other things, and left my father's house in the even­ing of the tenth of May, 1777, and retired se­veral miles into the country, to a little hut, where my lover left me, and went in disguise, to see what effect my absence had upon my father. In five days he returned, and inform­ed me, that, my father, enraged at my elope­ment, had hired several men to search the country, in pursuit of us; and that he threat­ened vengeance to us both—and declared, that he would be the death of the man who car­ried off his daughter. Thunder-struck at this account, I knew not what to do—to attempt a reconciliation with my father was vain— or if possible to be effected, my lover must be sacrificed to it, which would make me insup­portably unhappy. In order to elude the search of those who were in pursuit of us, we proposed to move further into the country, [Page 7] and there to wait till time should calm my fa­ther's rage, or effectually cool his resentment.

WE accordingly left the hut, and travelled at an easy rate, for four days, determining to avoid being taken.—But, O! how shall I re­late the horrid scene that followed?—To­wards the evening of the fourth day, we were surrounded and made prisoners, by a party of Indians!—who led us about two miles, and then barbarously murdered my lover! cutting and mangling him in the most inhuman man­ner! then, after tying him to a stake, they kindled a fire round him! and, while he burnt, they ran round, singing and dancing! rejoic­ing in their brutal cruelty!! I was at a few rods distance during this transaction! and this scene had well nigh deprived me of life. I fainted away, and lay some time motionless on the ground:—When I recovered my senses▪ I perceived that my guard had joined his com­panions, some of whom were seated round in rings, and others continued singing and danc­ing. Seeing them all engaged, I withdrew by degrees, into the bushes, and being out of sight, I got up and stood for about an hour:— I then sat down by the side of a tree, and be­ing overcome by fatigue, and the sight I had seen, I either fainted or fell asleep, and knew nothing till the next morning, about seven o'clock. 'Tis impossible for me to describe my feelings—or for you to conceive a situati­on more wretched than mine, at this time.— Surrounded, as I supposed, on all sides with danger, I knew not what to do, without a [Page 8] guide to direct, or friend to protect me. Of­ten I was upon the point of returning, and endeavouring to find, and deliver myself a pri­soner to those Indians, to whose cruelty I had so lately been a witness; and, had I then seen them, I certainly should have delivered myself into there power. At length I got up, and after walking some time, I resolved to seek some place of shelter, where I might be secure from storms by day, and from beasts by night; where I might dwell till a period should be put to my miserable existence.

WITH this view, I wandered about for fourteen days, without knowing whither I went. By day, the spontaneous produce of the earth supplied me with food—by night the ground was my couch, and the canopy of hea­ven my only covering. In the afternoon of the fifteenth day I was surprised at seeing a man, of a gigantic figure, walking towards me—to run I knew would be vain, and no less vain to attempt to hide. He soon came up with me, and accosted me in a language I did not understand, and after surveying me for some time, he took me by the hand, and led me to his cave; having entered, pointed to a stone seat on which I sat down; he then gave me to eat some nuts and some Indian cake, af­ter which, he stretched himself out on a long stone, covered with skins, which he used as a bed, and several times motioned to me to lay myself beside him. I declined his offer, and at length he rose in a passion, and went into another apartment of the cave, and brought [Page 9] forth a sword and hatchet. He then motion­ed to me, that I must either accept of his bed, or expect death for my obstinacy. I still de­clined his offer, and was resolved to die rather than comply with his desire. He then brought a walnut bark, and having bound me, pointing towards the east, intimating that he left me till morning, to consider his proposal; he then re­turned to his bed, and, happily for me, he soon fell asleep. Having the liberty of my teeth, I soon made out to bite the bark in two, with which he had bound me, by which I found means to liberate myself while he continued sleeping. As I considered this as the only op­portunity I should have of freeing my self from him—as I expected that he would use violence when he waked, to make me partake of his bed, and, as I knew I could not escape him by flight, I did not long deliberate—but took up the hatchet he had brought, and summoning resolution, I, with three blows, effectually put an end to his existence.

I THEN cut off his head, and next day, hav­ing cut him in quarters, drew him out of the cave, about half a mile distance; when after covering him with leaves and bushes, returned to this place. I now found myself alone, in the possession of this cave, in which are several apartments. I here found a kind of Indian corn, which I planted, and have yearly raised a small quantity. I here contented myself as well as my wretched situation would permit— here have I existed for nine long years, in all which time this faithful Dog, which I found in the cave, has been my only companion, and [Page 10] you are the only human beings, who ever heard me tell my tale."

HERE she finished her narration, and, after shedding a plentiful shower of tears, and a little conversation, she requested us to take rest, which request we willingly complied with.

NEXT morning she conducted us thro' the cave, in which were four apartments, one of which appeared pretty deep in the earth, in which was a spring of excellent water—in the other three were nothing very remarkable, except four skulls, which we supposed were or persons murdered by the owner of the cave, or of his former companions. We found also three hatchets, four bows, and several arrows, one large tinder box, one sword, one old gun, and a number of skins of dead beasts, and a few clothes. The bows, some arrows, the sword, and one hatchet, we brought, away, which are now in my possession.

AFTER continuing in the cave five days, we proposed returning home, and requested the Lady to accompany us. At first she re­fused to quit her cave; but after some persua­sion, she consented.

"GENTLEMEN, said she, I trust myself to your protection—I have no reason to question your good intentions, and willingly believe, from my small acquaintance with you, that you will not seek to heap affliction upon a weak woman, already borne down with mis­ery and sorrow."

WE together left the cave, on the morning of the sixth day after our arrival in it, and tra­velling [Page 11] the way we went, arrived at my house in seventeen days. After resting about a week, we accompanied the Lady, agreeable to her desire, to her father's house— The old man did not at first recognize his daughter, but being told who she was, he looked at her for some time, and them tenderly embraced her, crying, "0 ! my child, my long lost child! I do once more sold thee in my arms!" He then fainted away. We with difficulty brought him to life; but the scene had overcome him; he opened his eyes, and being a little recov­ered, requested to know where she had lived so long, and what had happened to her, since her leaving his house. We desired him to wait till he should be better recovered, but he beg­ged to be satisfied immediately, observing that he had but a few moments to live. She then briefly related what had happened to her, and the tragical death of her lover.— He seemed much affected, and when she had finished, he took her by the hand, and affec­tionately squeezed it, acknowledging he had been unjustly cruel to her, and asked her for­giveness, and attempted to say something more —but immediately fainted; all our endeavors to recover him were in vain, he lay about seven hours, and then expired.

HE left a handsome fortune to his daughter, who, notwithstanding his cruelty, was deeply affected at his sudden and unexpected death. [Page 12] This adventure, the most singular and extra­ordinary of my life, I have communicated, agreeable to your desire, as it really happen­ed, without addition or diminution; and am Sir, your's, &c.