thy aid against this thievish people newly 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 little 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 Plymouth to look upon the English as invincible, and was the reason that peace was maintained so long after."

When Boston was settled Chikataubut visited Governor Winthrop, and presented him with a hogshead of corn. Many of his sanops and squaws' came with him, but were most of them sent away after they had all dined, Chikataubut probably fearing they would be burdensome, although it thundered and rained and the Governor urged their stay. At this time he wore English clothes, and sat at the Governor's table, where he behaved himself soberly, &c. as an Englishman. "Not long after he called on Governor Winthrop and desired to buy of him a suit of clothes for himself, the governor informed him that "English Sagamores did not use to truck;' but he called his tailor and gave him orders to make him a suit of clothes; whereupon he gave the governor two large skins of coat beaver. The clothes being ready, 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.”

Awashonks. This personage was a female chief, or Squaw Sachem, of Sogkonate, situated at the northeast side of the Narraganset bay. She seems to have possessed considerable abilities and great influence over her own and neighboring tribes. In her territories Mr. B. Church, afterwards Captain Church took up a temporary residence and formed an acquaintance with this chief, by whom he was held in great respect. In July, 1671, Awashonks entered into articles of agreement with the Plymouth court, to which she subscribed her hand in presence of Samuel Barker and John Almy, and she was required to surrender her arms in ten days. In August following

she addressed a letter to Governor Prince as follows:

'August 11th, 1671. Honored Sir, I have received a very great favor from your Honor, in yours of the 7th instant, and as you are pleased to signify, that if I continue faithful to the agreement made with yourselves at Plymouth, I may expect all just favors from your Honor, I am fully resolved, while I live,

with all fidelity to stand to my engagement, and in a peaceable submission to your commands, according to the best of my poor ability. It is true, and I am very sensible thereof, that there are some Indians who do seek an advantage against me, for my submitting to his Majesty's authority in your jurisdiction, but being conscious to myself of my integrity and real intentions of peace, I doubt not but you will afford me all due encouragement and protection. I had resolved to send in all my guns, being six in number, according to the intimation of my letter; but two of them were so large, the messengers were not able to carry them. I since proffered to leave them with Mr., Barker, but he not having any order to receive them, told me he conceived I might do well to send them to Mr. Almy, who is a person concerned in the jurisdiction, which I resolved to do; but since then an Indian, known by the name of Broad-faced Will, stole one of them out of the wigwam in the night, and has run away with it to Mount Hope; the other I think to send to Mr. Almy. A list of those that are obedient to me, and, I hope and am persuaded, faithful to you, is here enclosed. Honored Sir, I shall not trouble you farther, but desiring your peace and prosperity, in which I look at my own to be included,

I remain, your unfeigned servant,

AWASUNCKS.' To this letter the Governor replied with some expressions of disapprobation, and closed with good advice and caution. In the spring of the year 1675, King Philip, preparing for war against the English, sent six messengers arrayed in warlike dress to negotiate with Awashonks, to unite her forces with his in the war. She immediately assembled her counsellors and ordered a great war dance. She complimented Mr. Church with an invitation to be present on this great occasion. He took with him a man who was acquainted with the Indian language and repaired to the place where he found a large number of people and Awashonks herself in a foaming sweat leading the dance; but on his arrival she stopped short and having seated herself she ordered her chiefs into her presence, and then informed Mr. Church that Philip had sent six of his men to urge her to join him in the war, pretending that the Plymouth people were raising a great army to invade his country, and she applied to him for the truth of it. Church assured her that there was no foundation for the report, and that he believed war was not thought of amongst the head men at Plymouth. She then ordered Philip's messengers into her presence, and informed them of what Church had said, at which they were much offended, and a warm talk ensued. Church was so unguarded as to ad

vise Awashonks to put to death the six messengers, and put herself under the protection of the English. She refused to adopt this rash advice, and a tumult was excited; one of her men, called Littte-Eyes, attempted to murder Church, but was prevented. The chief, however, thanked Church for his information and advice, and agreed to put herself under the protection of the English, and desired him to repair to Plymouth to make the necessary arrangements. But before this could be completed, the war was commenced by Philip, and the benevolent Awashonks was unhappily involved in it as her only alternative. This was a source of great grief to Capt. Church, as he was well aware that she entertained no partiality or attachment to Philip, and he resolved to avail himself of the first favorable opportunity to attempt to detach her from his interest. The war operations for a long time prevented his carrying his plan into execution. When at length he communicated to a few friends his determination to visit Awashonks, and applied to the government of Rhode Island for a permit, they were astonished at his presumption and refused to grant him permission, deeming it madness in him thus to throw away his valuable life. He wished to take with him a man who was versed in the Indian language, but the government utterly refused him that liberty. Firm in his daring resolution, he took his own man and two friendly Indians only, and providing himself with a bottle of rum and a roll of tobacco, departed for the camp of Awashonks at Sogkonate, now Woods-Hole. The chief had been apprised of his intention, and the few Indians which he first met gave him their hands in token of friendship; they pointed to a retired place to hold a consultation, which he had no sooner reached, than he found himself entirely encompassed by a body of armed savages, who rose up from the high grass and bushes where they had been placed. These warriors were in complete warlike array with their faces painted and hair trimmed. None but a heart of adamant, one would suppose, could withstand such an awful scene. But Church, with uncommon presence of mind and a stern countenance, addressed himself to Awashonks, saying that he understood she desired to see him about making peace with the English. She said, 'yes.' Church then desired that her men might lay aside their arms, as was customary while discoursing of peace. This was immediately complied with, but caused much murmuring in their ranks. Having set down together, Church produced his bottle of rum, and drank to the chief and passed it to her; but she desired him to drink again, and watched him narrowly to see whether he swallowed; he assured her that there was no poison in it, and she then partook freely of the contents

of the bottle, and passed it among her attendants. The tobacco being next distributed, all appeared to be happy, and to unite in social glee. But this was soon interrupted by a lusty fellow, who of a sudden approached and raised his war-club to beat out the brains of Mr. Church, but he was seized and his club wrested from him. His plea was, that his brother had been killed in battle, and that Church was the man who killed him, and he would have his blood; but Church explained and endeavored to pacify him. An agreement was now concluded, and Awashonks agreed to serve the English in whatever way she was able,' provided Plymouth would firmly engage to them, that they and all of them with their wives and children should have their lives spared, and none of them transported out of the country. The chief captain now came forward, and expressed the great respect which he had for Captain Church, and said, 'Sir, if you will please to accept of me and my men, and will head us, we will fight for you, and will help you to Philip's head before the Indian corn be ripe.' The result of these transactions was a lasting friendship between Awashonks and Captain Church and the English government.

Counbitant, or Corbitant. This distinguished Sachem resided at Mattapoyst, on a neck of land in the present town of Swansey, or Rochester. He was considered as inimical to the English settlers, viewing them as intruders and enemies to his race, and being well aware that should the English be permitted to obtain a permanent possession of the country, the natives must eventually abandon it or be altogether extirpated. It does not appear that this Sachem was in any way endowed with powerful means of warfare. In the first part of this volume will be found some account of this Sachem, as related by Governor Winslow, who visited him in his cabin.

The Nausets were a small tribe occupying Cape Cod. Their Sachem was Aspinet. He manifested his friendly disposition to the English settlers as early as July, 1621, when John Billington, a boy, was lost in the woods. See page 41.

Canonchet, was a head Sachem of the Narragansets, and a great warrior. He commanded a party of Indians in 1675, who killed Capt. Pierce, of Scituate, and most of his company. Soon after this exploit, he was captured by Capt. Denison, of Stonington. When a youthful soldier of the company came up to him and asked several questions,-"You too much child, no understand matters of war,' said the Sachem; let your captain come, him I will answer.' When informed that it was determined to put him to death, he said, 'He liked it well, that he should die before his heart was soft, or he had spoken any thing unworthy himself.'

There was one instance which occurred in about 1630, in which the Indians manifested extreme kindness of feeling towards the English. Richard Garrett, and several others, from Boston, were shipwrecked on Cape Cod. Some of them died of their hardships. The Indians buried the dead with much difficulty, the ground being hard frozen, and literally nursed the survivors back to life; and after curing and strengthening them, secured the remains of their dead companions against wild beasts, and then guided them fifty miles through the woods to Plymouth.'-(Baylies.)

Alexander, was the immediate successor of his father, Ousamequin, and inherited his dominions and his seat at Mount Hope; but he was devoid of his father's good qualities, and his career was short, and his end disastrous. All that is known of his life and character, is comprised in the following unfortunate transaction. It appears that in the year 1662, Alexander had given cause to suspect, not only that he was unfriendly, but that he was actually contriving mischief against the English; and, moreover, according to report, he had solicited the Narragansets to engage with him in his designed rebellion. Hereupon Captain Willet, who lived near to Mount Hope, was appointed to confer with him, and to desire him to attend the next court in Plymouth for their satisfaction, and his own vindication; he seemed to take the message in good part, professing that the Narragansets, who he said were his enemies, had put an abuse upon him, and he readily promised to attend at the next court. But when the day for his appearance arrived, he went over to the Narragansets, his pretended enemies. This circumstance could not but increase the suspicion of his unfaithfulness, and the Governor and Magistrates ordered Major Josiah Winslow to take a party of armed men and bring Alexander to Plymouth for examination. The Major accordingly took ten men from Marshfield, intending to add to his number in the towns nearer to Mount Hope. But when they were about midway between Plymouth and Bridgewater, at a hunting house, they found Alexander and many of his men, (Hubbard says eighty,) well armed, but their guns were outside of the house. Major Winslow, having possessed himself of the Indians' arms, entered the. house and accosted the Sachem, and made him acquainted with his instructions. He fell into a raging passion, and insisted that the Governor had no reason to credit rumors, and to send for him in that manner, nor would he go to Plymouth but when he saw cause. The Major replied, that his breach of word touching his appearance at Plymouth court, and at the same time going to the Narragansets, his pretended enemies, in