The narrative of Ms. Mary Rowlandfon Flashcards
Rowlandson begins by stating that the Native American raid and her subsequent captivity were God’s will. She states, “The sovereignty and goodness of GOD, together with the faithfulness of his promises displayed, being a narrative of the captivity and restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson, commended by her, to all that desires to know the Lord’s doings to, and dealings with her.” She describes the attack on her village by the Native Americans and how horror-struck the colonists were. She also describes how 24 people were taken captive and another 12 killed in one house alone. Rowlandson notes how her family members were brutalized, including how her sister-in-law was shot and killed and her daughter Sarah Rowlandson (1669–75) was wounded in the stomach and the hand.
First Remove
Rowlandson describes how the Native Americans moved into the wilderness after their victory over her village. She notes how the Native Americans decided to stay in the woods rather than in an abandoned house. Rowlandson is very sad over all that she has lost, including her sister in law, her house and all of her possessions. She was wounded along with her daughter Sarah and did not know the fate of her other children at this point. After moving into the wilderness, the Native Americans threw a large victory celebration.
Second Remove
Rowlandson traveled with her captors the next day and carried her child Sarah with her. Even though Rowlandson was despairing she still felt that God was with her. She notes how the Native Americans allowed her to ride a horse and keep her child with her. She describes how difficult her travels were. She had to sleep on the ground, had very little food, and her wound had become stiff.
Third Remove
Rowlandson comments on how little she had to eat during her travels with the Native Americans. She also discusses how she was travelling on the Sabbath when she normally would have been in church. Here she comments on how many of the Sabbaths prior to her captivity she had misspent and not been holy enough. Rowlandson tells how she was able to get an herbal cure for some of her wounds from another captured colonist, but nothing helped her daughter Sarah Rowlandson (1669–75). Sarah died from her injuries and the Native Americans buried her in the wilderness. Rowlandson writes, “I sat with the picture of death in my lap. About two hours in the night, my sweet babe like a lamb departed this life.” She comments on how she was not awake when Sarah died and feels some grief over it. She does visit her other daughter Mary Rowlandson when her captors and her daughter’s captors are in the same area. Rowlandson obtains a Bible and reads parts of it.
Fourth Remove
Rowlandson notes how she went off with the small band of Native Americans who had captured her. Another band of Native Americans took other captives off in a different direction. Rowlandson discusses how the Native Americans killed another captive by burning her alive. The group moved into the middle of the forest and stayed a short time. Rowlandson comforted herself by reading her Bible.
Fifth Remove
Rowlandson recalls traveling with the Native Americans while the colonial forces pursued them and nearly rescued her. Rowlandson doesn’t have much to eat, nor does anyone else. Rowlandson comments on how she generally came to eat whatever was offered even if it was something she would not have eaten before, since there was not much to eat. She notes how she was lucky in some ways as she did not get wet crossing a river but also unlucky in that she was not fed often.
Sixth Remove
She comments on how many Native Americans were gathered at one place. She states how reluctant she was to leave and go forward and credits her preservation to the work of God.
Seventh Remove
Rowlandson notes how her group, including her captors, traveled near a deserted colonial village. She discusses how the Native Americans gleaned what Indian corn and other corn they could from the fields. Rowlandson collected corn and had some stolen by a Native American. She had a dinner that night of horse liver.
Eighth Remove
Rowlandson remains a captive and is forced to travel to see Metacom/King Philip (c. 1638–76). Along the way she encounters her son Joseph Rowlandson Jr. who is also a prisoner. She notes that the Native Americans fed her, writing “There one of them asked me why I wept. I could hardly tell what to say: Yet I answered, they would kill me. ‘No,’ said he, ‘none will hurt you.’ Then came one of them and gave me two spoonfuls of meal to comfort me, and another gave me half a pint of peas; which was more worth than many bushels at another time.”
Ninth Remove
Rowlandson began to do work for the Native Americans such as making them shirts. Some of them pay her. She also visits her son Joseph Rowlandson. Her owners allow her to visit her son as they are both in the same area and the Native Americans apparently do not fear her running away.
Tenth Remove
Rowlandson notes that she was badly treated, got nothing to eat on that day. She also tells of a Native American who forced her to move along on the journey. She writes, “Sometimes I met with favor, and sometimes with nothing but frowns.”
Eleventh Remove
Rowlandson notes how hungry she was and how it impacted her ability to function. She writes,”One hill was so steep that I was fain to creep up upon my knees, and to hold by the twigs and bushes to keep myself from falling backward. My head also was so light that I usually reeled as I went.” Again she is given very little to eat.
Twelfth Remove
Rowlandson discusses the difficulties in changing her daily routines to suit Native American life. One example is that she wanted time to read the Bible and did not have it. She also notes how her diet changed to eat whatever the Native Americans offered and that God was still protecting her by providing food. She tells how some Native Americans were kinder to her than others. She particularly complains about the woman who owned her for not feeding her enough.
Thirteenth Remove
Despair started to set in. She had hoped to go to Albany to be redeemed. When she was not taken there her positive spirits from the most recent part of her journey started to wane. She continued to do work for Native Americans. For example, she made one a shirt and was rewarded with some broth and peas. She read her Bible to give her hope and compares herself to several biblical figures including Samson. She also visits her son and describes how poorly he was doing. She helped out some other prisoners as best she could.
Fifteenth Remove
Rowlandson expresses very negative emotions towards Native Americans. She again rues not having enough to eat and notes how the Bible shows despair.
