"I had not been here but three quarters of an hour when I was obliged
to call for a bed. After being in bed two or three hours I was taken
with a stoppage in my breast, and made my resperation difficult, and
still being afraid to cough loud for fear of being heard. The good
lady of the house gave me some medicine of my own prescribing, which
soon gave me relief. Soon after a rumor spread about town among the
friends of America of my confinement, and expecting soon to be
retaken, they took measures to have me conveyed to Long Island, which
was accordingly done.
"Feb. 18th, 1778. The same day I was landed I walked nine miles, and
put up at a friend's house, during my walk I passed my Grandfather's
house, and dare not go in for fear he would deliver me up to the
British. Next morning I started on my journey again, and reached the
place I intended at 12 o'clock, and put up with two friends. The next
morning I and two companions started from our friends with four days
provisions, and shovels and axes to build us a hut in the woods. We
each of us had a musket, powder, and balls. After going two miles in
the woods we dug away the snow and made us a fire. After warming
ourselves we set to work to build ourselves a hut; and got one side of
it done the first day, and the next we finished it. It was tolerably
comfortable. We kept large fires, and cooked our meat on the
coals.
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