Next day Captain Standish and Master Allerton went to call upon
Massasoit, and I was so frightened that I trembled when they marched
away, for it seemed to me as if some harm would be done them in the
savage village.
[Illustration]
They came back at nightfall, none the worse for having been so
venturesome, and what do you think they brought as a present from the
chief? A few handfuls of nuts such as grow in the ground, and many
leaves of a plant called tobacco, which these savages burn in a queer
little stone vessel at the end of a long, hollow reed, by putting the
reed in their mouths, and sucking the smoke through to keep the herb
alight.
This ended our round of pleasure, the first we had had for many a long
day, and once more we trembled before the sickness which was destroying
so many of our people.