CHAPTER XIII. Winslow's Four Narratives. - Expeditions to Sowams; Nauset; Middleborough, and Boston Harbor. WHE I. A VISIT TO MASSASOIT. HEN summer had come, the settlers thought it desirable to send an embassy to Massasoit, and the Governor detailed Edward Winslow and Stephen Hopkins, adding Tisquantum as guide and interpreter. A trooper's coat of red cotton was trimmed with lace for a present, an ornamental copper chain with a medal attached being added as a token, by bringing which, Massasoit's messengers might be known from pretenders. The ambassadors were to make close observations of the country. Bradford says the expedition started on July 12th (N. S.), which was Monday; Winslow records it as June 20th, which was Sunday. It appears from the account that the day actually was Tuesday, 13th. Probably Bradford's date is that on which the instructions were given and arrangements made, leaving the actual start for the next morning at nine o'clock. The first village reached was Namasket (Middleborough). The natives of this place had long annoyed the Pilgrims by thronging into Plymouth for entertainment, and this had led to the idea that Namasket must be very near. The tourists were surprised to find that it required a weary tramp of fifteen miles to reach it, occupying them until three P. M. The village was at the rapids, near the present Star Mills, or "Lower Factory." The inhabitants received them with joy, and gave them the best feast their larder would afford; it consisted of a corn-bread which the Indians The called “maizium," 1 boiled shad-roe, and musty acorns. first two were highly palatable; Winslow says the visitors partook heartily of the "shads," and that the natives provided wooden spoons to eat with. After dinner, the poor Indians complaining much of the ravages of the crows in their corn, Winslow shot one at a distance of eighty yards, — which much astonished the people. By sunset the travellers reached a camp of this tribe at a weir in the Taunton River, four to five miles beyond their dining-place, at or near the present village of Titicut, in northwest Middleborough. Being very cordially received, and treated to a supper of bass, of which the natives had caught a large amount, the Plymouth people in turn contributed liberally from their own haversacks, trusting to Massasoit for a new supply. There being no wigwams, they slept in the open air. The next morning the Pilgrims followed the left bank of the Taunton to a noted ford some three and a half miles from the present Taunton Green. Here they removed their nether garments and waded to the Raynham side, taking note that they were in tide-water. They had breakfasted at the weir, and now lunched, two brave old Indians with their families, the only population left by the plague, contributing such food as they had, receiving in return the gratifying present of a bracelet of beads. The two renewed their journey, still attended by several Namaskets, two of whom insisted on carrying the white men across all the brooks. One of these men, in return for little gifts, attached himself to Winslow, and the other, for a like reason, adhered to Hopkins. During the second afternoon the travellers entered the territory of the Wampanoags, the home-tribe of Massasoit; it comprised the present territory of Warren, Bristol, and Barrington in Rhode Island, and parts of Seekonk and Swansea in Massachusetts. Old writers and most recent ones often speak of this region as Pokanoket; but this term (as was seen in Chapter X.) pertained to 1 From "Maize," Indian corn. 1621.] SOWAMS. VISIT TO MASSASOIT. 165 Massasoit's whole dominions from Cape Cod to Narraganset Bay. The chief sachem had two seats, one at Montaup (modcrnized to "Mount Hope");1 the other and principal, Sowams, on Narraganset Bay, at the present Warren. A Wampanoag village was soon reached. A meal was prepared of fish and oysters, the latter not obtainable at Plymouth, the harbor of which, abounding in lobsters, muscles, crabs, and clams, is uncongenial to that princely bivalve which adds fame to the adjoining town of Warcham. Before night the pedestrians had arrived at Sowams. The great chief was absent, but was soon found by a messenger. Winslow and Hopkins saluted the sovereign with a discharge of their muskets, and were cordially welcomed by him. Received into his dwelling and seated beside him, with a large crowd of native spectators, they proceeded, by Tisquantum's help, to deliver their message, in substance as follows: As his subjects came often and without fear to the settlement, so the messengers showed like confidence by this visit. As a token of good-will, the Governor had sent him a coat. The Pilgrims desired the present amity to continue, not from fear, but from a desire to do justice to all, and to live in peace, especially with their next neighbors; but as his people thronged to Plymouth with their families, where they were welcome, the uncertainty of the crops made it necessary to husband resources, and would prevent the Pilgrims from continuing entertainment to all comers. Yet if Massasoit should at any time be pleased to visit them, or send any of his friends, a hearty welcome would be ready; so the Governor had sent him a chain, which he was asked to lend any one whom he desired to have received with hospitality, in order that they might be known as his friends. It was also requested that orders be given for such as had peltry for sale to take it in bulk to Plymouth, rather 1 Norse enthusiasts claim that the natives caught their name from a Norse appellation derived from Icelandic “Hópa," "to recede," supposed to have been given by the Norse explorers as the bay seemed to increase before them. (It was near here, in Fall River, that Leif is supposed to have built his huts ["booths"] and lingered some time.) than to waste time and labor by peddling it through the season. It was added that when the Pilgrims were exploring Cape Cod they took some corn found there, with the purpose of paying for it whenever an owner could be discovered. Massasoit was therefore requested to employ a messenger, at the expense of the Pilgrims, to find the owner and make known their desire of payment. He was also asked to exchange some of his Narraganset seed-corn for Cape corn, that both kinds might be tried at "Pawtuxet." The chieftain having cordially assented to all these requests, then arrayed himself in the gay coat; and placing the chain around his neck, sat in state with great self-admiration, while his men were not a little proud "to see their king so bravely attired." Massasoit next made a lengthy harangue to his people, who frequently interrupted him with assent or applause. The purport of the speech, as translated piecemeal, was: "Am not I the ruler of this country; is not Sowams mine; and shall not the people there carry their furs to Plymouth?" To this his dutiful subjects answered that they were his, and would be at peace with the Pilgrims and carry their furs to them. Like interrogatories were successively made concerning at least thirty other places, and the same answer returned; until, as Winslow says, "so that as it was delightful, it was tedious unto us." The chieftain then produced tobacco, and passed the evening smoking with his guests and making inquiries about England. He expressed much surprise that the King should remain single, his wife having died more than two years before. He also desired the French to be notified not to come up the Narraganset to Pokanoket, for it was now King James's country, and he was King James's man. Bedtime came, but nothing was said about supper. The chief had been absent so long that his house was bare of food, and he apparently had not authority or means to procure any from his people. When ready to retire, the visitors were taken to Massasoit's own bed. This consisted of a platform of rude 1621.] INDIAN MANNERS.-SCANTY FOOD. 167 planks raised on stakes about a foot above the ground, and only covered with a thin mat.1 The well-intending chieftain and his wife lay across one end, and the guests on the other. Soon, two of the chief men crowded themselves upon the royal couch, which was not adapted to so many occupants; and poor Winslow says, "We were worse weary of our lodging than of our journey." The next day (Thursday) several of Massasoit's sachems, with attendants, came to do honor to the visitors. The natives, being inveterate gamblers, devoted themselves to keenly striving for each other's furs and knives, which the Pilgrims had not yet learned to consider as sinful, for the ambassadors offered to shoot with them at a mark for skins. This offer was prudently declined; but the strangers were asked to shoot at the mark without a wager. This was done; and the natives were filled with amazement at the execution done by a charge of buckshot. No breakfast had been provided either for the guests or the royal household; but soon after noon Massasoit brought in two fish, which he had shot with arrows: they were probably bass. The fish having been boiled, at least forty persons gathered around to partake; and, strange to say, most of them obtained a share. This was the only meal the visitors had during their tarry of a day and two nights, in place of the five substantial repasts which they would have had at home. It illustrates the character of the natives that they chose to lie around gambling instead of procuring food either for themselves or their honored guests, and that their king had to go out and kill his own dinner. Thursday night brought an increase of discomfort. The 1 Gookin says: "In their wigwams they make a couch or mattress, firm and strong, raised a foot from the earth, first covered with boards split out of trees; and upon these they spread mats generally, and sometimes bear and deer skins. These are large enough for three or four persons to lodge upon; for their mattresses are six or eight feet broad." Morton has as additional information, that the "boards" rest on rails supported by forked sticks driven in the ground, and that the natives lie upon the mats, covering themselves warmly with the fur skins, which are well tanned. If the "boards" were thin, this combination would make no mean imitation of a modern spring-bed. |