Chapter I: Preface

The story here presented not only grasps those terrible vicissitudes in which the frontier life of our forefathers was so prolific, but at the same time conveys many useful lessons and incentives to manly effort, and much curious information in relation to a period in the history of Pennsylvania, when her soil was occupied by a population comprising many different races and religious sects, having little in common, and held together by the fearful pressure of an Indian war.

Here we behold the strange spectacle of the Quaker tilling his land, and pursuing his ordinary duties, while his more belligerent neighbor sleeps with the rifle within reach of his hand, sits in the house of God with the weapon between his knees, goes armed in the funeral procession, which is often attacked, the mourners killed, scalped, and flung into the grave of the corpse they were about to inter.

The noble response of the Delawares to the appeal of the Quakers evinces that the red man is no less sensitive to kindness, than implacable in revenge; capable of appreciating and manifesting the most tender and generous sentiments.

Our breasts throb with sympathetic emotions, as, after having noted with interest the progress of the strife, we see this determined band emerge in triumph, with thinned ranks but courage undiminished, from the terrible ordeal.

CONTENTS.

PAGE
CHAPTER I.

THE BREWING OF THE STORM 11

CHAPTER II.

THUNDER FROM AFAR 22

CHAPTER III.

FOREWARNED 30

CHAPTER IV.

PREPARING FOR THE WORST 43

CHAPTER V.

THE STORM BURSTS 56

CHAPTER VI.

GATHERING COURAGE FROM DESPAIR 73

CHAPTER VII.

A CONTRAST 83

CHAPTER VIII.

TREADING OUT THE GRAIN 91

CHAPTER IX.

A LITTLE SUNSHINE 102

CHAPTER X.

LIBERTY IS SWEET 115

CHAPTER XI.

THE RAFT 129

CHAPTER XII.

A DAY OF UNALLOYED PLEASURE 143

CHAPTER XIII.

CANNOT GIVE IT UP 156

CHAPTER XIV.

THE BEAN-POT 167

CHAPTER XV.

THE SURPRISE 177

CHAPTER XVI.

THE DAWN OF A LIFE-PURPOSE 193

CHAPTER XVII.

SELF-RELIANCE 209

CHAPTER XVIII.

FRUITS OF PATIENCE AND PERSEVERANCE 226

CHAPTER XIX.

TRIUMPH OF THOUGHT AND INGENUITY 246

CHAPTER XX.

UNCLE SETH'S SURPRISE 264

CHAPTER XXI.

NED RANGELY 273

CHAPTER XXII.

CARRYING THE WAR INTO AFRICA 294

CHAPTER XXIII.

THE QUAKER'S APPEAL TO THE DELAWARES 309

CHAPTER XXIV.

THE RETURN OF THE CAPTIVE 323

FOREST GLEN;

OR,

THE MOHAWK'S FRIENDSHIP.