Peter Williamson, 'indian Peter' (A Ballad) Poem by Sheena Blackhall

Peter Williamson 'Indian Peter' (1730 to 1799)

Frae Hirnlay by Abyne there cam
A crofter's loon baith stoot an fair
Sent tae an aunt in Aiberdeen
Tae holiday an takk the air

His name wis Peter Williamson
An tae the harbour side he gaed
An there wis kidnapped bi a gang
Fa mony's the likely bairn waylaid

A piper drooned their skirlin oot
In Aedie's hoose the lee-lang nicht
Bit in The Planter's derksome hold
Young Peter wis kept ooto sicht

Noo Captain Ragg the maister wis
A cheil baith sleekit, coorse an hard
Aff tae Virginia he set sail
The clink o siller his reward

Eleven wikks the voyage tuik
A storm blew up, the ship wis wracked
Nearhaun New Jersey aff the shore
Bairns cooried as the mainsails cracked

The crew deserted them till dawn
Fin, seein that the ship bedd hale
They rowed oot tae The Planter's side
An freed the trappit loons for sale

Tae Philadelphia he wis taen
The kidnapped loon wis auctioned there
Hugh Wilson, a Scot like himsel
Bocht him, an treated Peter fair

Fin Wilson deed, Peter wis free
His maister left him aa his gear
At 21, a wadded man,
He settled on the Berks frontier

His wife wis veesitin her kin
Fin Indians frae Delaware
Attacked his cabin, captured him
He wis their slave, wi nane tae care

He saw the Cherokee, their wyes
Watched horrid torture, scalpit heid
Ae nicht he slipped aff in the derk
His hame wis brunt. His wife wis deid

He jyned the British airmy neist
Agin the French an Mohawk there
Catched!Tae prison sent awa
Sae Peter he wis jyled aince mair

Some time wore by, an he wis freed
An back tae Britain's shores he cam
In the French vessel Le Renomme
Neist year in York, he hatched his plan

He selt a pamphlet o his fate
Rigged like a Cherokee, rael mean
He daunced the rain daunce roon the toons
Tae traivel back tae Aiberdeen

O a the hunners kidnapped there
Bi merchant an bi magistrate
Wi press gangs, anely ane returned
Young Peter. Wid they compensate?

In Aiberdeen they brunt his buik
They fined him. Sae he quit theport
He left fur Embro, there wis telt
Tae takk his case tae Session Court

In Embro's court, Justice at last!
An Aiberdeen maun bear the cost
Provost, fower Bailies, Dean of Guild
Argyed, bit their defence wis lost

Noo Peter bocht a coffee shop
In Parliament Hoose he kept an inn
An hingin judges gaithered there
Tae spikk o judgements they hid gaen

He set up Embro's penny post
He screived a street directory
An aften wauked the cassies dressed
As Indian Peter, Cherokee

An fin he deed, this lad o pairts
Wis beeriet in his fey rigoot
Moccasins, leggins, feathers tae
A wondrous cheil wioot a doot