What is the doleful sight of which Mary Rownlandson writes?

Mary Rowlandson, a 17th-century Massachusetts colonist, became entangled in King Philip's War, which was a war between Native Americans and British colonists. She, along with her children, was captured by Native Americans and held prisoner for ransom. Thankfully, her life was preserved; however, many of her family members and friends were killed. She documented the ordeal in what is considered one of the first great "captivity narratives."

Early in A Narrative of the Captivity and...

Mary Rowlandson, a 17th-century Massachusetts colonist, became entangled in King Philip's War, which was a war between Native Americans and British colonists. She, along with her children, was captured by Native Americans and held prisoner for ransom. Thankfully, her life was preserved; however, many of her family members and friends were killed. She documented the ordeal in what is considered one of the first great "captivity narratives."

Early in A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson, the author refers to a "doleful sight that now was to behold at this house!" The word "doleful" means "mournful," so by this she meant that her family's house was about to witness the tragic events depicted in her captivity narrative. As she relates:

Of thirty-seven persons who were in this one house, none escaped either present death, or a bitter captivity, save only one, who might say as he, "And I only am escaped alone to tell the News" (Job 1.15). 

She then describes the "doleful sight."

There were twelve killed, some shot, some stabbed with their spears, some knocked down with their hatchets....There was one who was chopped into the head with a hatchet, and stripped naked, and yet was crawling up and down. It is a solemn sight to see so many Christians lying in their blood[.]

This scene was indeed tragic! Nevertheless, Rowlandson found hope in this doleful situation, for:

[T]he Lord by His almighty power preserved a number of us from death, for there were twenty-four of us taken alive and carried captive.