dence, Warren, Bristol, and, indeed, the whole surrounding country, is very beautiful.

This eminence was known among the Narragansets by the name Pokanoket, which signified in their language the wood or land on the other side of the water, and to the Wampanoags by the name Sowwams. And it is worthy remark here, that Kuequenáku was the name of the place where Philadelphia now stands. Mr. Heckewelder says, it signified the grove of the long pine trees. There was a place in Middleborough, and another in Raynham, where he spent some part of particular seasons, perhaps the summer. The place in Raynham was near Fowling Pond, and he no doubt had many others.

Sir Francis Drake is the first, of whom we have any account, that set foot upon the shores of New England. This was in 1586, about seven years after he had taken possession, and named the same country New England, or New Albion, upon the western side of the continent. It is an error of long standing, that Prince Charles named the country New England, and it even now so stands upon the pages of history. But it is very clear that Sir Francis is justly entitled to the credit of it. American historians seem to have looked no further than Prince and Robertson, and hence assert that Capt. Smith named the country New England. We will now hear Smith* on this matter. "New England is that part of America, in the Ocean sea, opposite to Noua Albion, in the South Sea, discovered by the most memorable Sir Francis Drake, in his voyage about the world, in regard whereof, this is stiled New England."

Capt. Smith, in 1614, made a survey of the coast of what is now New England, and because the country was already named New England, or, which is the same, New Albion, upon its western coast, he thought it most proper to stamp it anew upon the eastern. Therefore Capt. Smith neither takes to himself the honor of naming New England, as some writers of authority assert, nor does he give it to King Charles, as Dr. Robertson and many others, copying him, have done.

The noble and generous minded Smith, unlike Americus, would not permit or suffer his respected friend and cotemporary to be deprived of any honor due to him in his day; and to which we may attribute the revival of the name New England in 1614.

It was upon some part of Cape Cod that the great circumnavigator landed. He was visited by the "king of the country," who submitted his territories to him, as Hioh had done on the western coast. After several days of mutual trade, and exchange of kindnesses, during which time the natives became greatly attached to Sir Francis, he departed for England. Whether the "king of the country" here mentioned were Massasoit, we have not the means of knowing, as our accounts do not give any name; but it was upon his dominions that this first landing was made, and we have therefore thought it proper to be thus particular, and which, we venture to predict, will not be unacceptable to our readers.

Smith landed in many places upon the shores of Massasoit, one of which places he named Plimouth, which happened to be the same which now bears that name.

Our accounts make Capt. Bartholomew Gosnold the next visitor to the shores of Massasoit, after Sir Francis Drake. His voyage was in 1602, and he was the first who came in a direct course from Old to New England. He landed in the same place where Sir Francis did 16 years before.

* See his "Description of N. England," and the error may henceforth be dispensed

with.

The route had hitherto been by the Canaries and West India Islands, and a voyage to and from New England took up nearly a year's time.

We can know nothing of the early times of Massasoit. Our next visitor to his country, that we shall here notice, was Capt. Thomas Dermer: This was in May, 1619. He sailed for Monhigon; thence, in that month, for Virginia, in an open pinnace; consequently was obliged to keep close in shore. He found places which had been inhabited, but at that time contained none; and farther onward nearly all were dead, of a great sickness, which was then prevailing, but nearly abated. When he came to Plimouth, all were dead. From thence he traveled a day's journey into the country westward, to Namasket, now Middleborough. From this place he sent a messenger to visit Massasoit. In this expedition, he redeemed two Frenchmen from Massasoit's people, who had been cast away three years before.

But to be more particular with Capt. Dermer, we will hear him in his own manner, which is by a letter he wrote to Samuel Purchase, the compiler of the Pilgrimage, dated 27th Dec. 1619.

"When I arrived at my savage's [Squanto's] native country, (finding all dead,) I travelled alongst a day's journey, to a place called Nummastaquyt, where finding inhabitants, I despatched a messenger, a day's journey farther west, to Pocanokit, which bordereth on the sea; whence came to see me two kings, attended with a guard of 50 armed men, who being well satisfied with that my savage and I discoursed unto them, (being desirous of novelty,) gave me content in whatsoever I demanded; where I found that former relations were true. Here I redeemed a Frenchman, and afterwards another at Masstachusit, who three years since escaped shipwreck at the north-east of Cape Cod."*

We have mentioned his interview with Massasoit, which we supposed was one of the kings mentioned in the letter. Quadequina was no doubt the other.

In another letter, Mr. Dermer says the Indians would have killed him at Namasket, had not Squanto entreated hard for him. "Their desire of revenge (he adds) was occasioned by an Englishman, who, having many of them on board, made great slaughter of them with their murderers and small shot, when (as they say) they offered no injury on their parts." Mr. Thomas Morton, the author who made himself so merry at the expense of the pilgrims of Plimouth, has the following passage concerning these Frenchmen :-"It fortuned some few yeares before the English came to inhabit at new Plimmouth in New England, that, upon some distast given in the Massachussets Bay, by Frenchmen, then trading there with the natives for beaver, they set upon the men, at such advantage, that they killed manie of them, burned their shipp, then riding at anchor by an island there, now called Peddock's Island, in memory of Leonard Peddock that landed there, (where many wilde anckies‡ haunted that time, which hee thought had bin tame,) distributing them unto five sachems which were lords of the severall territories adjoyning, they did keep them so long as they lived, only to sport themselves at them, and made these five Frenchmen fetch them wood and water, which is the generall worke they require of a servant. One of these five men outliving the rest, had learned so much of their language, as to rebuke them for their bloudy deede saying that God would be angry with them for it; and that he would in his displeasure destroy them; but the salvages (it seems, boasting of their strength) replyed, and said, that they were so many that God could not kill them." This seems to be the same story, only differently told from that related above from Smith.

*This extract is in Davis's notes to Morton.

In his "New Canaan," 22, 23.

+ Modern naturalists do not seem to have been acquainted with this animal!

Dec. 11, O. S. 1620. The pilgrims arrived at Plimouth, and possessed themselves of a portion of Massasoit's country. With the nature of their proceedings, he was at first unacquainted, and sent occasionally some of his men to observe their strange motions. Very few of these, however, were seen by the pilgrims. At length he sent one of his men, who had been some time with the English fishing vessels about the country of the Kennebeck, and had learned a little of their language, to observe more strictly what was progressing among the intruders at his place of Patuxet, which was now called Plimouth. This was in March, 1621, as before related.

We have, in speaking of Samoset and Squanto, observed that it was through the agency of the former that a knowledge was gained of Massasoit. It was upon 22 March, 1621, that they brought the welcome news to Plimouth, that their chief was near at hand;* "and they brought with them (say the pilgrims) some few skins to truck, and some red herrings, newly taken and dried, but not salted; and signified unto us, that their great sagamore, Massasoit, was hard by, with Quadequina, his brother. They could not well express in English what they would; but after an hour the king came to the top of an hill [supposed to be that now called Watson's, on the south side of Town-brook] over against us, and had in his train 60 men, that we could well behold them, and they us. We were not willing to send our governor to them, and they unwilling to come to us: so Squanto went again unto him, who brought word that we should send one to parley with him, which we did, which was Edward Winslow, to know his mind, and to signify the mind and will of our governor, which was to have trading and peace with him. We sent to the king a pair of knives, and a copper chain, with a jewel in it. To Quadequina we sent likewise a knife, and a jewel to hang in his ear, and withal a pot of strong water, a good quantity of biscuit, and some butter, which were all willingly accepted."

The Englishman then made a speech to him, about his king's love and goodness to him and his people, and that he accepted of him as his friend and ally. "He liked well of the speech, (say the English,) and heard it attentively, though the interpreters did not well express it. After he had eaten and drunk himself, and given the rest to his company, he looked

* Mourt's narrative is here continued from the last extract in p. 10, without any omission.

upon our messenger's sword and armor which he had on, with intimation of his desire to buy it; but, on the other side, our messenger showed his unwillingness to part with it. In the end he left him in the custody of Quadequina, his brother, and came over the brook, and some 20 men following him. We kept six or seven as hostages for our messenger."

As Massasoit proceeded to meet the English, they met him with six soldiers, who saluted each other. Several of his men were with him, but all left their bows and arrows behind. They were conducted to a new house which was partly finished, and a green rug was spread upon the floor, and several cushions for Massasoit and his chiefs to sit down upon. Then came the English governor, followed by a drummer and trumpeter and a few soldiers, and after kissing one another, all sat down. Some strong water being brought, the governor drank to Massasoit, who in his turn "drank a great draught, that made him sweat all the while after."

They now proceeded to make a treaty, which stipulated, that neither Massasoit nor any of his people should do hurt to the English, and that if they did they should be given up to be punished by them; and that if the English did any harm to him or any of his people, they, the English, would do the like to them. That if any did unjustly war against him, the English were to aid him, and he was to do the same in his turn, and by so doing King James would esteem him his friend and ally.

"All which (they say) the king seemed to like well, and it was applauded of his followers." And they add, "All the while he sat by the governor, he trembled for fear."

At this time he is described as "a very lusty man, in his best years, an able body, grave of countenance, and spare of speech; in his attire little or nothing differing from the rest of his followers, only in a great chain of white bone beads about his neck; and at it, behind his neck, hangs a little bag of tobacco, which he drank, and gave us to drink.* His face was painted with a sad red like murrey, and oiled both head and face, that he looked greasily. All his followers likewise were, in their faces, in part or in whole, painted, some black, some red, some yellow, and some white; some with crosses and other antic works; some had skins on them, and some naked; all strong, tall men in appearance. The king had in his bosom, hanging in a string, a great long knife. He marvelled much at our trumpet, and some of his men would sound it as well as they could. Samoset and Squanto stayed all night with us." Massasoit retired into the woods, about half a mile from the English, and there encamped at night with his men, women and children. Thus ended March 22d, 1621.

During his first visit to the English, he expressed great signs of fear, and during the treaty could not refrain from trembling. Thus it is easy to see how much hand he had in making it, but would that there had never been worse ones made.

It was agreed that some of his people should come and plant near by, in a few days, and live there all summer. "That night we kept good watch, but there was no appearance of danger. The next morning divers of their people came over to us, hoping to get some victuals, as we imagined. Some of them told us the king would have some of us

*We have been asked what this drinking of tobacco means. We are confident it means smoking.

In the year 1646, we find this entry in the Plimouth records:" Anthony Thacher and George Pole were chosen a comittee to draw vp an order concerneing disorderly drinkeing of tobacco." Rev. Roger Williams says, in his Key," Generally all the men throughout the country have a tobacco-bag, with a pipe in it, hanging at their back."

† And, with this fact before him, the author of " Tales of the Indians" says, the treaty was made with deliberation and cheerfulness on the part of Massasoit!

*

come to see him. Capt. Standish and Isaac Alderton went venterously, who were welcomed of him after their manner. He gave them three or four ground nuts and some tobacco. We cannot yet conceive, (they continue,) but that he is willing to have peace with us; for they have seen our people sometimes alone two or three in the woods at work and fowling, when as they offered them no harm, as they might easily have done; and especially because he hath a potent adversary, the Narrohigansets, that are at war with him, against whom he thinks we may be some strength to him; for our pieces are terrible unto them. This morning they stayed till 10 or 11 of the clock; and our governor bid them send the king's kettle, and filled it with peas, which pleased them well; and so they went their way." Thus ended the first visit of Massasoit to the pilgrims. We should here note that he ever after treated the English with kindness, and the peace now concluded was undisturbed for nearly 40 years. Not that any writing or articles of a treaty, of which he never had any adequate idea, was the cause of his friendly behavior, but it was the natural goodness of his heart.

The pilgrims report, that at this time he was at war with the Narragansets. But if this were the case, it could have been nothing more than some small skirmishing.

Meanwhile Squanto and Samoset remained with the English, instructing them how to live in their country; equal in all respects to Robinson Crusoe's man Friday, and had De Foe lived in that age he might have made as good a story from their history as he did from that of Alexander Selkirk." Squanto went to fish [a day or two after Massasoit left] for eels. At night he came home with as many as he could lift in one hand, which our people were glad of. They were fat and sweet. He trod them out with his feet, and so caught them with his hands, without any other instrument."

This Squanto became afterwards an important personage in Indian politics, and some of his manœuvres remind us of some managing politicians of our own times. In 1622, he forfeited his life by plotting to destroy that of Massasoit, as will be found related in the life of Hobomok. On that occasion, Massasoit went himself to Plimouth, "being much offended and enraged against Tisquantum;" but the governor succeeded in allaying his wrath for that time. Soon after, he sent a messenger to entreat the governor to consent to his death; the governor said he deserved death, but as he knew not how to get along without him in his intercourse with the Indians, he would spare him.

Determined in his purpose, Massasoit soon sent the same messenger again, accompanied by many others, who offered many beaver skins if Tisquantum might be given up to them. They demanded him in the name of Massasoit, as being one of his subjects, whom, (says Winslow,) by our first articles of peace, we could not retain. But out of respect to the English, they would not seize him without their consent. Massasoit had

*Few Indian names have been spelt more ways than this. From the nature of the Indian language, it is evident that nor should be used in it.-Nahigonsik and Nantigansick, R. Williams.-Nechegansitt, Gookin.-Nantyggansiks, Callender.-Nanohigganset, Winslow's Good News from N. Eng. Nanhyganset, Judge Johnson's Life of Gen. Greene. These are but few of the permutations without the r, and those with it are still more numerous.

"One

The meaning of the name is still uncertain. Madam Knight, in her Journal, 22 and 23, says, at a place where she happened to put up for a night in that country, she heard some of the "town topers" disputing about the origin of the word Narraganset. said it was so named by Indians, because there grew a brier there of a prodigious height and bigness, who quoted an Indian of so barbarous a name for his author that she could not write it." Another said it meant a celebrated spring, which was very cold in summer, and "as hot as could be imagined in the winter."