The _Narragansets_, possessed the country about Narraganset Bay,
including Rhode Island, and other Islands in that vicinity, and a part
of Connecticut. _Canonicus_ was their great warrior Sachem. This tribe
is described by our early historians ‘as a great people,’ capable of
raising 4000 warriors. Canonicus lived to an advanced age, and died
according to Gov. Winthrop, June 4th, 1647. He discovered a generous mind
in receiving Rev. Roger Williams when in great distress, and affording
him a friendly protection. Mr. Williams mentioned his name with respect
and acknowledged his obligation to him thus in a manuscript letter to
the Governor of Massachusetts. After observing that many hundreds of the
English were witnesses to the friendly disposition of the Narragansets,
he says: ‘Their late long lived Canonicus so lived and died, in the same
most honorable manner and solemnity (in their way) as you laid to sleep
your prudent peace-maker Mr. Winthrop, did they honor this their prudent
and peaceable prince; yea, through all their towns and countries how
frequently do many and oft times of Englishmen travel alone with safety
and loving kindness?’ On one occasion Canonicus thus addressed Roger
Williams: ‘I have never suffered any wrong to be done to the English
since they landed, nor never will. If the English speak true, if he mean
truly, then shall I go to my grave in peace, and I hope that the English
and my posterity shall live in love and peace together.’ ‘His heart,’
says Mr. Williams, ‘was stirred up to love me as his son to the last
gasp.’ However partial Canonicus may have been to Rev. Mr. Williams,
he was not uniformly friendly to the settlers in general. It appears
in Gov. Winslow’s Good News from New England, that in February, 1622,
this chief sent into Plymouth, a bundle of arrows bound together with a
rattle-snake’s skin. This was received as it was intended, a challenge
for war. Gov. Bradford filled the rattle-snake skin with powder and shot
and returned it to _Canonicus_, with a message of defiance which produced
the desired effect. Canonicus was so frightened that he dared not touch
the article and soon returned it to Plymouth and became silent and
peaceable.
[Illustration: Acceptance of Canonicus’ Challenge.]