THE CURSE OF GREED
In Hartford, where the expedition arrived safe and well after a week of
steadfast traveling, Mr. Bradley encountered much that surprised him.
Sometimes we judge the world by our own standards, thinking that
everybody moves as rapidly or slowly as we ourselves; suddenly we are
brought face to face with the real situation, and we find ourselves
outwitted and outrun.
It so happened to Mr. Bradley, who up to this time had made no efforts
to extend his trade as far as the Connecticut River. When finally he
arrived on the scene, he discovered that competitors had established
themselves long ago in this paradise of the huntsman and the trapper.
The Englishmen from Massachusetts Colony, who had come here in the
previous year, had erected themselves sturdy log huts with a strong fort
in the midst, to protect them against a possible attack of the Indians,
and all along the river traders were plying their craft.
However, others had been there even before them. From the South, Dutch
trappers had come from New York, and these had gained the good will of
the Indians, from whom they purchased their furs. The Dutch were very
cunning, and while they did not always treat the Indians fairly, they
nevertheless maintained their friendship and cooperation.
The land along the Connecticut River was very fertile, and the Pequot
Indians, who sided with the Dutch, had driven away the original tribes
which had dwelled there. These expelled tribes were friendly to the
Puritans, and when the Puritan settlers seized the land, they brought
back the Indians whom the Pequots had just driven away. At this the
Pequots were enraged, and they now took revenge by killing English
traders where they had opportunity. The English at once punished the
Indians by hanging a few of their representative men, and they
threatened them with war, should they engage in other punitive
measures.
The Dutch, however, whom the invading Englishmen crowded out, incited
the Indians to rebellion war against the Puritans, and thus there was
sown the seed of hatred and war which in time brought forth vicious
fruits.
When Mr. Bradley arrived at Hartford, he at once met several friends
who encouraged him not to turn back, but to establish a trading post
up the river, near enough to the fort to enjoy its protection.
This he did, and the venture gave the children no little pleasure.
Indian help was readily obtained, and in addition several skilled
carpenters, who urged the Indians to work hard and rapidly, so that
within a month a large and strong log house was completed. It stood on
the west bank of the river, about ten miles from the fort, which could
easily be reached by the boat. As hostilities might be expected, it
was built much like a small fort, the second story jutting out over the
first so that it could the more easily be defended. The log house had
no windows, but there were a number of small, narrow apertures through
which the inmates could shoot in case of attack.
The furs and stores were provided for in the first story, while in the
second there were three rooms in which the traders might live and sleep.
No sooner was the trading post established when Mr. Bradley left with
his wife to return to Boston, where important business negotiations had
to be attended to by himself. He promised to send John Rawlins, and put
Fred and Matthew in charge of the log house.
Agnes was to return to the Boston Colony, but she begged her parents to
permit her to remain, and this permission was finally granted. So after
a last service, Mr. and Mrs. Bradley left, and the three children
remained in the wilderness alone, amply supplied with provisions and
articles of trade.
For their traffic Mr. Bradley had purchased a fine, strong boat, in
which they could easily reach Hartford whenever they cared to go there.
In the barn which was built to the house, stood three horses, accustomed
to traveling in the woods, and altogether faithful and reliable.
Fred, who till the arrival of John Rawlins was in charge of everything,
at once made preparations to become acquainted with the Indians and to
gain their friendship, for on them he depended for furs.
He secured a Pequot Indian boy, from whom he could learn the native
language, and he won his confidence and good will by little gifts which
he gave him.
The task of learning the language of the Indians was the most important
one, and each morning several hours were set aside for that purpose.
The work proved itself a very delightful one, for the method was simple.
Each of the three white children had a little notebook into which they
would write the words which the Indian boy mentioned to them, and
although many mistakes occurred at first which caused a good deal of
laughter, they progressed very fast so that in a short time they knew
the Indian words for the most important articles.
But also on their expeditions the Indian boy had to serve as teacher,
and so he was troubled with perpetual questions which his inquisitive
friends asked him. As the Pequot Indians had long associated with the
Dutch, not a few Dutch words were added to their vocabulary, though
strangely changed by the lips of the Indians.
The visits to the Indians, whether made by boat or on horseback, also
proved themselves a source of pleasure. It is true, they did not find
them in the same friendly mood as the Mohicans, but since open
hostilities had not been declared, there was still a chance to win them
over.
And how could the Indians resist the three children, who came to them so
boldly, and yet so innocently and kindly! Not a village they left
without having enriched it with treasures which the Indians prized very
much. Wherever they went, they spread the spirit of peace and good will.
Agnes was of great help to the two boys, for by her fine singing and her
alluring playing on her faithful lute, she endeared herself to the
Indian women, who gave to her the name "little bird of the woods."
When the Indians came to the trading post, they were received kindly,
and when they brought furs, they were paid the highest prices possible.
In addition, Fred doled out to them little sacks of tobacco, while Agnes
usually won over the women and children by some sweets of sugar or
fruit.
Thus it happened that when winter came, the trading post became a center
of much activity. Furs came in aplenty, which were stored away first in
the log house, and then were taken to Hartford, where they were secured
in the fort, in which they were safe against a possible attack by the
Indians.
That winter John Rawlins did not come, for no sooner had Mr. Bradley
returned when he took sick, and was confined to his bed for many months
with a lingering illness.
The children heard of this through messengers at Hartford, which, in
view of impending troubles, kept in close contact with the stronger
colonies in Massachusetts. Though they longed to see their
foster-father, yet they realized that their presence in Connecticut was
absolutely necessary, and they knew that they could serve his interest
best by staying where they were and doing their duty.
However, they did more. One evening when the work was done and they
were gathered around the table, Agnes said, "We have forgotten one
important duty."
"And what is that?" asked Fred who in all things was most conscientious.
"We have not included Mr. Bradley in our prayers," the girl replied.
"Let us do so right away."
This they did at once, and from that time on they never omitted the holy
work of praying for their foster-parents, whom they loved dearly and to
whom they were sincerely grateful, as they had bestowed upon them so
many and great kindnesses.
Of course, not a day passed on which they did not study the Bible. In
those early times attention was not drawn away from the spiritual values
by all kinds of worldly interests. There were no daily papers, no trashy
books, and at the trading post, where the three children lived, they did
not come in contact with men whose influence was bad. The work was
hard; traps had to be set and examined; the furs had to be cured and
prepared for trade; the Indian trappers who were in the employment of
the post, had to be superintended; supplies had to be bought at the
fort, and so the children were kept incessantly busy. When the
evenings came, the children were glad to be alone, and to find comfort
and strength for their daily tasks in that book, which was found in
almost every settler's home,---the Holy Bible.
However, as the winter continued, and the snow depended, shutting them
off from the outside world, and at times interrupting their work, they
sought new activities in which they could exercise themselves
profitably.
The thought was really suggested by Matthew, who was keenly interested
in spiritual things, and who chafed under the monotony of the dreary
Sundays which the children spent alone in the wilderness.
While the river was still open, they had worshiped at Hartford, but now
heavy snow covered the ice that they could reach that settlement
neither by boat nor on their skates.
"Well, what do you suggest that we should do?" Fred asked.
"My idea is that we gather the Indian children on Sundays and instruct
them in the Bible and psalmody."
"That's a fine thought!" Agnes exclaimed; "and I know that we shall
always get enough children to attend."
That same week they invited a number of children through Tom, the
Indian boy, who always stayed with them, and on the following Sunday
several Indian children gathered in the house. Several of them had
brought their mothers, who were glad to have an occasion to hear Agnes
sing and play, and at once the Sunday school was opened. The children
were instructed in Bible stories, Agnes sang many of her fine hymns
which she had crudely translated into the Indian language, and
afterwards the children were treated to such dainties as they had in
the house. The venture proved so successful that after that several
classes were arranged for, which kept the little teachers so busy all
day that they no longer complained of monotony.
The new venture, however, also cemented the friendship with the adult
Indians, and during the whole winter the furs came in from everywhere
so that the supply in the fort increased from week to week.
When finally spring came and the trapping ceased, the children found
themselves richly repaid by their work, and when at last Mr. Rawlins
arrived with a number of pack horses to convey the furs to the Boston
Colony, there were so many of them that more pack horses had to be
secured.
So with grateful hearts Fred locked the door of the trading house,
turned the key over to an old, friendly trapper, who spent his summers
in Hartford, and returned to Massachusetts.
The children as well as John Rawlins were in high spirits, and had it
not been for the heavily loaded pack horses, they would have galloped
all the way to Massachusetts.
But they had to be patient, while day after day they covered small
distances through the thick woods.
They were dressed oddly enough, and looked more like Indians than like
white people. Agnes was dressed like the boys, with a fur cap on her
head, fur coats and trousers on her body, and her feet covered with
moccasins. Yet no one took notice of that, for many of the settlers
were clothed in this way, since it was hard to obtain woolen cloth from
the old country.
When they returned to Massachusetts, they were greeted with great joy,
not only by their foster parents, but also by the other villagers, who
marveled that children so young had undertaken so serious a venture.
Yet we must not judge the children of that time by standards of our own
day. Their life was lived largely outdoors where they grew up like the
trees of the ever present forest. Their daily experiences made them
alert and self confident, and while they were behind the children of our
time in school learning, they knew a thousand arts which the children of
our later times have never heard of.
Life was hard, and the struggle for existence made them strong, hardy,
and enterprising. Had those early pioneers been of a weaker fiber, the
history of our country would never have been written in glory. But let
us not forget that the pioneers were mostly men of deep piety, whose
rugged strength was rooted in true faith and the fear of God. Let
those who scoff at religion, remember that without it our country would
never have become what it is today. The fear of God is not only the
beginning of wisdom, but also the keynote to prosperity and a nation's
success.