On approaching it I was not a little
surprised and rejoiced by the sight of a Female Indian, who was
fishing at the brook. She had no other dress on than that which mother
nature affords impartially to all her children, except a small cloth
which she wore round her waist.
"I knew not how to address myself to her. I was afraid if I spoke she
would run, and therefore I made a small noise; upon which she looked
round, and seeing me, run across the brook, seemingly much frightened,
leaving her fishing line. I went up to her basket which contained five
or six fish which looked much like our trout. I took up the basket and
attempted to wade across where she had passed, but was too weak to
wade across in that place, and went further up the stream, where I
passed over, and then looking for the Indian woman I saw her at some
distance behind a large cocoa-nut tree. I walked towards her but dared
not keep my eyes steadily upon her lest she would run as she did
before. I called to her in English, and she answered in her own
tongue, which I could not understand. I then called to her in the
Malaysian, which I understood a little of; she answered me in a kind
of surprise and asked me in the name of Okrum Footee (the name of
their God) from whence I came, and where I was going. I answered her
as well as I could in the Melais, that I was from Fort Marlborough,
and going to Croy--that I was making my escape from the English, by
whom I had been taken in war.
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