MARTIN'S STATION-DAY 2

Friday the 9th/
A wet and dismal night: rain and the snoring of the company conspired to keep me up all night. I awoke to chores in the morn, chopping firewood for the squaw for the breakfast fire. Sgt. McKaye cut his hand near the thumb deeply while borrowing my axe, but required no stitches. A tight bandage about his hand served to stop the bleeding, but the Capt. fears that he won't be able to shoot should battle with the Indians erupt.

I finished cutting the wood and making a pile near the cook fire, then I was sent to fetch water for the company. I loaded up with all the canteens, then piled on my shooting bag and powder horn along with Lt. Maddox's brown bess and left camp to amble toward the spring house out behind the station.

Once fully loaded with water, it suddenly occurred to me that if I should be set upon by hostiles in my current state, I was uncertain how I would defend myself. I was barely able to lift my arms to handle the bess.

At Breakfast, the men found the diminutive size of my trencher amusing. Each man present carried large bowls and such to eat out of, the Capt. France himself had one large enough to cook a meal in.

After the first scouting party reported back from their search for Indians, they reported in and Ridley recorded their findings on paper. Once it was approved by Capt. France, I placed it in my pocket and ran it straight away to Capt. Titus. Once found I handed it to him, but he had a difficult time reading Ridley's small handwriting, so he had me read it to him. It was informing him that 11 Indians total had been espied in the Indian camp located to the west of the station.

Many visitors to the camp during the day, children mostly. We demonstrated and showed them various aspects of life in our company. Later, Capt. France allowed me to go to Trader's Row and purchase a new silk headscarf and a pair of brown stockings. My boots have rubbed holes in the heels of my old pair and my feet are sore.

Later, after a morning of assisting Agee (Gaile) with the washing of the company's midday dishes and fetching more water, the Capt. presented me with a brass compass with a sundial built into it. He told me that he was pleased that I had done so well and stuck with the group.

(to be continued...)