HENRY TUFTS on life with the Abenaki
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The following text is from the 1930 publication: "The Autobigraphy of a Crimal - Henry Tufts". The orginal book was published in 1807 as "A Narrative of the Life, Adventures, Travels, and Sufferings of Henry Tufts, now residing at Lemington, in the District of Maine, in substance, as compiled from his own mouth."
Henry was a very colorful character with a questionable moral code. He spent 3 years (1772-1775) living with the Abenaki People near present day Bethel, ME. Although he is well known as a cheat and liar, modern scholars believe that his description of people and daily life in these two chapters is reliable.
A personal thanks to Randy at the Bethel Historical Society for providing a photocopy of these chapters.
The previous chapter describes how Henry received a severe knife wound in his thigh that went clean to the bone. The wound was not healing properly. Capt. Josiah Miles recommended that Henry visit the Indains at Sudbury Canada (Bethel ME), who Miles affirmed "would cure me, if the thing were morally possible".
