Captain James Smith relates, that he was taken prisoner by the Indians
in the year 1755, and lived several years among them. At one time,
he lived with an old man named Tecaughretanego, and his little son,
Nunganny; they were quite alone, and there were not any inhabitants for
many miles around. The old man was too lame to go out hunting; it was
winter; they had no victuals; the snow was on the ground, and so frozen
as to make a great noise when walked on, which frightened away the
deer, and the captain could not shoot anything for some time.
He says: "After I had hunted two days without eating anything, and
had very short allowance for some days before, I returned late in the
evening, faint and weary. When I came into our hut, the old man asked
what success. I told him not any. He asked me if I was not very hungry.
I replied that the keen appetite seemed in some measure abated, but I
was both faint and weary.
"He commanded his little son to bring me something to eat; and he
brought me a kettle with some bones and broth. After eating a few
mouthfuls my appetite violently returned, and I thought the victuals
had a most agreeable relish, though it was only fox and wildcat bones,
which lay about the ground, which the ravens and turkey-buzzards had
picked; these Nunganny had collected, and boiled until the sinews that
remained on them would strip off. I speedily finished my allowance, and
when I had ended my _sweet_ repast the old man asked me how I felt. I
told him I was much refreshed.
"He then handed me his pipe and pouch, and told me to take a good
smoke. I did so. He then said he had something of importance to tell
me, if I was now composed and ready to hear it. I told him I was ready
to hear him. He said, 'The reason why I deferred my speech till now
is because few men are in a right humor to hear good talk when they
are very hungry, as they are then generally fretful and discomposed;
but as you now appear to enjoy calmness and serenity of mind, I will
communicate to you the thoughts of my heart, and those things I know to
be true.
"'Brother, as you have lived with the white people, you have not had
the same advantage of knowing that the great Being above feeds His
people, and gives them their meat in due season, as we Indians have,
who are frequently out of provisions, and yet are wonderfully supplied,
and that so frequently that it is evidently the hand of the Great
Spirit that does this; whereas, the white people have commonly large
stocks of tame cattle, that they can kill when they please; and they
also have barns and cribs, filled with grain, and therefore have not
the same opportunity of seeing that they are supported by the Ruler of
heaven and earth.
"'Brother, I know you are now afraid that we will all perish with
hunger, but you have no just reason to fear this. I have been young,
but I am now old. I have been frequently under the like circumstances
that we now are, and some time or another in almost every year of my
life; yet I have hitherto been supported, and my wants supplied in time
of need.
"'Brother, the Good Spirit sometimes suffers us to be in want, in order
to teach us our dependence on Him, and to let us know that we are to
love and serve Him; likewise to know the worth of the favors that we
receive, and also to make us thankful.
"'Brother, be assured that you will be supplied with food, and that
just in the right time: but you must continue diligent in the use of
means: go to sleep, and rise early in the morning, and go a hunting--be
strong, and exert yourself, like a man, and the Great Spirit will
direct your way.'"
The captain was thus encouraged to try again the next morning, though
much disheartened and extremely hungry. He went a great distance before
he could shoot anything; but at length he shot a buffalo cow; thus
finding, as the good old Indian had said, that the Great Spirit had
enabled him to provide for them just at the time of their distress.