about noon
There were five or six women , and perhaps twice as many children , who all came out to see us . They brought us some dried meat , as hard nigh upon as chips of wood , and which , although hungry , I could feel no stomach for ; but I bought of one of the squaws two great cakes of sugar , made from the sap of the maples which abound there , very pure and sweet , and which served me instead of their unsavory meat and cakes of pounded corn , of which Mr. Easton and his sister did not scruple to partake . Leaving them , we had a long and hard ride to a place called Winnicinnit , where , to my great joy , we found a comfortable house and Christian people , with whom we tarried . The next day we got to the Plantations ; and about noon , from the top of a hill , Mr. Easton pointed out the settlement where my brother dwelt , -- a fair , pleasant valley , through which ran a small river , with the houses of the planters on either side . Shortly after , we came to a new frame house , with a great oak-tree left standing on each side of the gate , and a broad meadow before it , stretching down to the water . Here Mr. Easton stopped ; and now , who should come hastening down to us but my new sister , Margaret , in her plain but comely dress , kindly welcoming me ; and soon my brother came up from the meadow , where he was busy with his men . It was indeed a joyful meeting .