no provision seems to have been made for him after her death, if he outlived her. At all events, we may conclude, without hazard we think, that if breeches had been in fashion among Indians, the wife of Webcowit would have been accountable for the article in this case.

In 1643, Massachusetts covenanted with "Wassamequin, Nashoonon, Kutchamaquin, Massaconomet and Squaw-Sachem,"* to the end that mutual benefit might accrue to each party. The sachems put themselves under the government of the English, agreeing to observe their laws, in as far as they should be made to understand them. For this confidence and concession of their persons and lands into their hands, the English on their part agreed to extend the same protection to them and their people as to their English subjects.†

What had become of Webcowet at this time does not appear; perhaps he was off powwowing, or at home, doing the ordinary labor of the household. We hear of him, however, four years after, (1647,) "taking an active part" in the endeavors made by the English to Christianize his countrymen. "He asked the English why some of them had been 27 years in the land, and never taught them to know God till then. Had you done it sooner, (said he,) we might have known much of God by this time, and much sin might have been prevented, but now some of us are grown [too] old in sin." The English said they repented of their neglect; but recollecting themselves answered, "You were not willing to heare till now," and that God had not turned their hearts till then.‡

Of the sachems who made the covenant above named, the first we suppose to have been Massasoit, on the part of the Wampanoags, who at this time was, perhaps, among the Nipmuks; Nashoonon, a Nipmuk chief, with whom Massasoit now resided. His residence was near what was since Magus Hill in Worcester county. He was probably at Plimouth 13 Sept., 1621, where he signed a treaty with eight others, as we have set down in the life of Caunbitant. His name is there spelt Nattawahunt. In Winthrop's Journal, it is Nashacowam, and we suppose he was father of Nassowanno, mentioned by Whitney.§ Kutchamaquin was sachem of Dorchester and vicinity, and Massaconomet was Mascononomo.

10001

CHAPTER III.

Some account of the Massachusetts-Geography of their country—CHIKATAUBUT-WAMPATUCK-his war with the Mohawks-MASCONONOMOCANONICUS Geography of the Narraganset country-Account of that Nation-Roger Williams-MONTOWAMPATE-Small-pox distresses the Indians-WONOHAQUAHAM-WINNEPURKIT-) -MANATAHQUA-SCITTERY

GUSSET-NATTAHATTAWANTS-WAHGUMACUT--JACK-STRAW--JAMES.

Not long before the settlement of Plimouth, the Massachusetts had been a great people, but were greatly reduced at this time; partly from the great plague, of which we have already spoken, and subsequently from their wars with the Tarratines. Of this war none but the scanty records of the first settlers are to be had, and in them few particulars are preserved;

*In the History of the Narraganset Country, these names are written Wassamegun, Nashawanon, Cutshamacke, Massanomell, and Squa-Sachem. See 3 Col. Mass. Hist. Soc. i. 212.

+ See Gookin's MS. Hist. Praying Indians,

Hist. Worcester Co. 174.

t Hist. Concord, 25.

of this, too, we have written in a previous chapter.* Therefore it will not be expected that ever a complete account of the territories and power of the Massachusetts can be given; broken down as they were at the time they became known to the Europeans; for we have seen that their sachems, when first visited by the Plimouth people, were shifting for their lives not daring to lodge a second night in the same place, from their fear of the Tarratines. Hence, if these Indians had existed as an independent tribe, their history was long since swept away “in gloomy tempests," and obscured in "a night of clouds," and nothing but a meagre tradition remained. For some time after the country was settled, they would fly for protection from the Tarratines to the houses of the English.

It is said by Mr. Gookin, that "their chief sachem held dominion over many other petty governors; as those of Weechagaskas, Neponsitt, Punkapaog, Nonantum, Nashaway, some of the Nipmuck people, as far as Pokomtakuke, as the old men of Massachusetts affirmed. This people could, in former times, arm for war about 3000 men, as the old Indians declare. They were in hostility very often with the Narragansitts; but held amity, for the most part, with the Pawkunnawkutts." Near the mouth of Charles River "used to be the general rendezvous of all the Indians, both on the south and north side of the country." Hutchinson§ says, "That circle which now makes the harbors of Boston and Charlestown, round by Malden, Chelsea, Nantasket, Hingham, Weymouth, Braintree, and Dorchester, was the capital of a great sachem,|| much revered by all the plantations round about. The tradition is, that this sachem had his principal seat upon a small hill, or rising upland, in the midst of a body of salt marsh in the township of Dorchester, near to a place called Squantum." Hence it will be observed, that among the accounts of the earli est writers, the dominions of the different sachems were considered as comprehended within very different limits; a kind of general idea, therefore, can only be had of the extent of their possessions. It is evident that the Massachusetts were either subject to the Narragansetts, or in alliance with them; for when the latter were at war with the Pequots, Chikataubut and Sagamore John both went with many men to aid Canonicus, who had sent for them. This war began in 1632, and ended in 1635, to the advantage of the Pequots.

We shall now proceed to speak of the chiefs agreeably to our plan.

Chikataubut, or Chikkatabak, in English,—a house-a-fire, was a sachem of considerable note, and generally supposed to have had dominion over the Massachusetts Indians. Thomas Morton mentions him in his NEW CANAAN, as sachem of Passonagesit, (about Weymouth,) and says his mother was buried there. I need make no comments upon the authority, or warn the reader concerning the stories of Morton, as this is done in almost every book, early and late, about New England; but shall relate the following from him.

In the first settling of Plimouth, some of the company, in wandering about upon discovery, came upon an Indian grave, which was that of the mother of Chikataubut. Over the body a stake was set in the ground, and two huge bear-skins, sewed together, spread over it; these the English

* This war was caused, says Mr. Hubbard, "upon the account of some treachery" on the part of the western tribes, i, e. the tribes west of the Merrimack. Hist. New Eng. 30. +1 Col. Mass. Hist. Soc. i. 148. Hist. N. Eng. 32.

From Neal's Hist. N. Eng., probably, which see.

It will be a good while before the present possessors of the country can boast of such a capital.

¶ Hist. Mass. i. 460. And here it was, I suppose, that the Plimouth people landed in their voyage to Massachusetts before spoken of, and from Squanto who was with them it received its name.

11

took away. When this came to the knowledge of Chikataubut, he complained to his people, and demanded immediate vengeance. When they were assembled, he thus harangued them: "When last the glorious light of all the sky was underneath this globe, and birds grew silent, I began to settle, as my custom is, to take repose. Before mine eyes were fast closed, me tho't I saw a vision, at which my spirit was much troubled, and trembling at that doleful sight, a spirit cried aloud, 'Behold! my son, whom I have cherished; see the paps that gave thee suck, the hands that clasped thee warm, and fed thee oft; canst thou forget to take revenge of those wild people, that hath my monument defaced in a despiteful manner; disdaining our ancient antiquities, and honorable customs. See now the sachem's grave lies like unto the common people, of ignoble race defaced. Thy mother doth complain, implores thy aid against this thievish people new come hither; if this be suffered, I shall not rest in quiet within my everlasting habitation.' "*

Battle was the unanimous resolve, and the English were watched, and followed from place to place, until at length, as some were going ashore in a boat, they fell upon them, but gained no advantage. After maintaining the fight for some time, and being driven from tree to tree, the chief captain was wounded in the arm, and the whole took to flight. This action caused the natives about Plimouth to look upon the English as invincible, and this was the reason why peace was so long maintained between

them.

Mourt's Relation goes far to establish the main facts in the above account. It says, “We brought sundry of the prettiest things away with us, and covered the corpse up again," and, "there was variety of opinions amongst us about the embalmed person," but no mention of the bear-skins. From the agreement of the different accounts, there is but little doubt, that the English were attacked at Namskekit, in consequence of their depredations upon the graves, corn, &c. of the Indians.

In 1621, Chikataubut, with eight other sachems, acknowledged, by a written instrument, themselves the subjects of King James. About ten years after this, when Boston was settled, he visited Governor Winthrop, and presented him with a hogshead of corn. Many of "his sannops and squaws" came with him, but were most of them sent away, "after they had all dined," although it thundered and rained, and the governor urged their stay; Chikataubut probably feared they would be burdensome. At this time he wore English clothes, and sat at the governor's table," where he behaved himself as soberly, &c. as an Englishman." Not long after, he called on Governor Winthrop, and desired to buy clothes for himself; the governor informed him that "English sagamores did not use to truck; but he called his tailor, and gave him order to make him a suit of clothes; whereupon he gave the governor two large skins of coat beaver." In a few days his clothes were ready, and the governor "put him into a very good new suit from head to foot, and after, he set meat before them; but he would not eat till the governor had given thanks, and after meat he desired him to do the like, and so departed."

June 14, 1631, at a court, Chikataubut was ordered to pay a small skin of beaver, to satisfy for one of his men's having killed a pig, which he complied with. A man by the name of Plastowe, and some others, having stolen corn from him, the same year, the court, Sept. 27, ordered that Plastowe should restore "two-fold," and lose his title of gentleman, and

* If this be fiction, a modern compiler has deceived some of his readers. The article in the Analectic Magazine may have been his source of information, but the original may be seen in Morton's New Canaan, 106 and 107.

However true this might have been of the governor, at least, we think, he should not have used the plural.

pay £5. This I suppose they deemed equivalent to four-fold. His accomplices were whipped, to the same amount. The next year we find him engaged with other sachems in an expedition against the Pequots. The same year two of his men were convicted of assaulting some persons of Dorchester in their houses. "They were put in the bilboes," and himself required to beat them, which he did.*

The small-pox was very prevalent among the Indians in 1633, in which year, some time in November, Chikataubut died.

The residence of the family of Chikataubut was at Tehticut, now included in Middleborough. He was in obedience to Massasoit, and, like other chiefs, had various places of resort, to suit the different seasons of the year; sometimes at Wessaguscusset, sometimes at Neponset, and especially upon that part of Namaskett called Tehticut. This was truly a river of sagamores. Its abundant stores of fish, in the spring, drew them from all parts of the realm of the chief sachem.

In deeds, given by the Indians, the place of their residence is generally mentioned, and from what we shall recite in the progress of this article, it will be seen that the same chief has different residences assigned to him. August 5, 1665, Quincy, then Braintree, was deeded by a son of Chikataubut, in these terms:

"To all Indian people to whom these presents shall come; Wampatuck, alias Josiah Sagamore, of Massathusetts, in Newengland, the son of Chickatabut deceased, sendeth greeting. Know yoo that the said Wampatuck, being of full age and power, according to the order and custom of the natives, hath, with the consent of his wise men, viz. Squamog, his brother Daniel, and Old Hahatun, and William Mananiomott, Job Nassott, Manuntago, William Nahanton§" "For divers goods and valuable reasons therunto; and in special for” £21 10s. in hand. It was subscribed and witnessed thus:

In presence of

JOSIAH, alias WAMPATUCK, his 10 marke
DANIEL SQUAmog, and a mark.

OLD NAHATUN, and a mark.

WILLIAM MANUNION, and a mark.
JOB NOISTENNS.

ROBERT, alias MAMUNTAGO, and a mark.
WILLIAM HAHATUN.

THOMAS KEYAHGUNSSON, and a mark ✪
JOSEPH MANUNION, his — mark.
THOMAS WEYMOUS, his mark.

There is a quit-claim deed from "Charles Josias, alias Josias Wampatuck, grandson of Chikataubut, dated in 1695, of Boston and the adjacent country, and the islands in the harbor, to the "proprietated inhabitants of the town of Boston," to be seen among the Suffolk records. Wampatuck says, or some one for him, "Forasmuch as I am informed, and well assured from several ancient Indians, as well those of my council as others, that, upon the first coming of the English to sit down and settle in those

*"The most usual custom amongst them in exercising punishments, is for the sachem either to beat, or whip, or put to death with his own hand, to which the common sort most quietly submit." Williams.

Namauasuck signified in their language fishes, and some early wrote Namascheuck. History of Quincy by Rev. Mr. Whitney, taken from the original in the possession of the Hon. J. Q. Adams.

Nahaton, or Ahaton, and the same sometimes written Nehoiden. See Worthington's Hist. Dedham, 21. He sold lands upon Charles River in 1680. ib.

Printed at length in Snow's Hist. Boston, 389, et cet.

parts of New England, my above-named grandfather, Chikataubut, by and with the advice of his council, for encouragement thereof moving, did give, grant, sell, alienate, and confirm unto the English planters," the lands above named.

Josias, or Josiah Wampatuck, was sachem of Mattakeesett,* and, from the deeds which he gave, must have been the owner of much of the lands southward of Boston. In 1653, he sold to Timothy Hatherly, James Cudworth, Joseph Tilden, Humphrey Turner, William Hatch, John Hoare, and James Torrey, a large tract of land in the vicinity of Accord Pond and North River.

In 1662, he sold Pachage Neck, [now called Ptchade,] "lying between Namassakett riuer and a brook falling into Teticutt riuer, viz. the most westerly of the three small brookes that do fall into the said riuer;" likewise all the meadow upon said three brooks, for £21. Also, another tract bounded by Plimouth and Duxbury on one side, and Bridgewater on the other, extending to the great pond Mattakeeset; provided it included not the 1000 acres given to his son and George Wampey, about those ponds. This deed was witnessed by George Wampey and John Wampowes.

After the death of his father, Josias was often called Josias Chikataubut. In the PLIMOUTH RECORDS we find this notice, but without date: "Memorandum, that Josias Chickabutt and his wife doe owne the whole necke of Punkateesett to beloing vnto Plymouth men," &c.

In 1668, "Josias Chickatabutt, sachem of Namassakeesett," sold to Robert Studson of Scituate, a tract of land called Nanumackeuitt, for a "valuable consideration," as the deed expresses it. This tract was bounded on the east by Scituate.

Josias had a son Jeremy; and "Charles Josiah, son of Jeremy, was the last of the race."+ Of Josiah, Mr. Gookin gives us important information. In the year 1669, "the war having now continued between the Maquas and our Indians, about six years, divers Indians, our neighbors, united their forces together, and made an army of about 6 or 700 men, and marched into the Maquas' country, to take revenge of them. This enterprise was contrived and undertaken without the privity, and contrary to the advice of their English friends. Mr. Eliot and myself, in particular, dissuaded them, and gave them several reasons against it, but they would not hear us." Five of the Christian Indians went out with them, and but one only returned alive. "The chiefest general in this expedition was the principal sachem of Massachusetts, named Josiah, alias Chekatabutt, a wise and stout man, of middle age, but a very vicious person. He had considerable knowledge in the Christian religion; and sometime, when he was younger, seemed to profess it for a time; for he was bred up by his uncle, Kuchamakin, who was the first sachem and his people to whom Mr. Eliot preached."+

This army arrived at the Mohawk fort after a journey of about 200 miles; when, upon besieging it some time, and having some of their men killed in sallies, and sundry others sick, they gave up the siege and retreated. Meanwhile the Mohawks pursued them, got in their front, and, from an ambush, attacked them in a defile, and a great fight ensued. Finally the Mohawks were put to flight by the extraordinary bravery and prowess of Chikataubut and his captains. But what was most calamitous in this disastrous expedition, was, the loss of the great chief Chikataubut, who, after performing prodigies of valor, was killed in repelling the Mohawks in their last attack, with almost all his captains. This was a severe

*Deane's Hist. Scituate, 144.

+ Ibid. Squamaug was a brother of Josiah, and ruled "as sachem during the minority" of Jeremy. Dr. Harris, Hist. Dorchester, 16, 17. +1 Col. Mass. Hist. Soc. i. 166. § Ibid. 167.