The poor thing's lips
were black and parched with pain and thirst; she turned her eyes piteously
from my face to the water jar as if to implore a draught. This I gave her,
and then having cooled the festering wound, and cut the thongs that bound
her, I wondered that she still kept the same immoveable attitude, and
thinking she was stiff and cramped with remaining so long bound in one
position, I took her two hands and tried to induce her to move. I then for
the first time noticed that she was tied by the hair of her head to the
tree against which her back was placed; I was obliged to cut the hair with
my knife, and this I did not do without giving her pain, as she moaned
impatiently. She sunk her head on her breast, and large tears fell over my
hands, as I bathed her face and neck with the water from the jar; she then
seated herself on the ground, and remained silent and still for the space
of an hour, nor could I prevail upon her to speak, or quit the seat she had
taken. Fearing that the Indians might return, I watched in all directions,
and at last I began to think it would be best to carry her in my arms; but
this I found no easy task, for she seemed greatly distressed at any attempt
I made to lift her, and by her gestures I fancy she thought I was going to
kill her.
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