Mrs. Mary Rowlandson- Truly Savage
...times, which she called ‘Removes’, in what is now the Massachusetts area. At first, Rowlandson suffered from a gunshot wound to the side and couldn’t move along very well. These Indians would travel and then camp for a few days in an area, then pack up a leave again. The moving was constant. Rowlandson and her children weren’t traveling with the same tribe of Indians, so while they were camped, she had the freedom to go and visit since they traveled and camped near one another. Her youngest child of six died a week into the capture because she too had a gunshot wound. The Indians didn’t even have the decency to let her grieve over her child; they took it up and buried it when Rowlandson was in her Masters Wigwam. I would be extremely scared and upset because I wasn’t there to see it buried, and I didn’t give them my consent. They could have done anything to the lifeless body before they buried it. Throughout the three months of being held captive, Rowlandson stayed in near starving conditions. They gave her little to eat, and when they did feed her, she would be so hungry it would make only a dent in her hunger. Rowlandson said, I cannot but think what a Wolvish appetite persons have in starving condition; for many times, when they gave me that which was hot, I was so greedy, that I should burn my mouth, that it would trouble me hours after; and yet I should quickly do the same again. And after I was thoroughly hungry, I was never again satisfied; for though sometimes it fell out that I got enough, and did eat till I could eat no more, yet I was as unsatisfied as I was when I began (445). There was another time, during the 18 remove, that she couldn’t find anyone to give her food, they kept sending her to another Wigwam. She finally found where a Squaw was boiling horses feet and gave her a bit. There were two other English children in the Wigwam and one was not able to bite into it, so Rowlandson snatched it from the child and ate it herself. If the Indians went to the trouble of capturing all of these innocent people, the least they could do is treat them decent. This isn’t the way I imagined any Indian acting. Rowlandson tried to stay out of the Indian’s way and do what they told her, but she did get abused a few times. One Indian, Wattimore, mistreated Rowlandson pretty much the entire time. She was a Squaw to Rowlandson’s Master, so she was like maid to this Indian. She refers to Wattimore as her Mistress. On one occasion, As I was sitting once in the Wigwam here, Phillips Maid came in with the Child in her arms, and asked me to give her a piece of my Apron, to make a flap for it, I told her I would not: then my Mistress bad me give it, but still I said no: the maid told me if I would not give her a piece, she would tear a piece off it: I told her I would tear her Coat then, with that my Mistress rises up, and takes up a stick big enough to have killed me, and stuck at me with it, but I stept out, and she struck the stick into the Mat of the Wigwam. But while she was pulling of it out, I ran to the Maid and gave her all my apron, and so that storm went over (442). There are many instances where Wattimore threatens Rowlandson and just gives her a hard time. I think this might be because they have the same Master and he is nice to Rowlandson...