SAMOSET.
Once more the freemen of the colony were convened in Council around the
well-scoured table in the principal room of the Common house, become for
the nonce a House of Commons, and Captain Standish was explaining the
scheme he had arranged for organizing his little army, when again the
solemnity of the meeting was invaded by shrill cries of alarm and anger,
this time, however, in a solo rather than chorus, for goodwife
Billington having taken the field, her more timid sisters were abashed
into silence.
"Thou foul beast, I say begone! Scat! Avaunt! Nay, grin not at me thou
devil straight from hell! Wait but till I fetch a bucket of boiling
water to throw over thee, thou Cheshire cat! I'll soon see how much of
thy nasty color is fast dye"--
"What means this unseemly brawling?" sternly demanded Elder Brewster as
Standish ceased speaking, and all eyes involuntarily turned toward the
door.
"Billington, the voice is that of thy wife. Go, and warn her that we
tolerate no common scolds in our midst, and that the cucking-stool and
the pillory"--
But the elder's threats and Billington's shamefaced obedience and the
wonder of all who had listened to the outbreak were cut short by a
startling apparition upon the threshold; the savages had really come at
last, or at least one of them, for here stood, tall and erect, the
splendid figure of a man, naked except for a waistband of buckskin
fringe, his skin of a bright copper color glistening in the morning sun,
and forming a rich background for the vari-colored paints with which it
was decorated; his coarse, black hair, cut square above the eyebrows,
fell upon his shoulders at the back, and was ornamented by three
eagle-feathers woven into its tresses; in his hand he carried a bow
nearly as tall as himself, and two arrows; a sharp little hatchet,
evidently of European make, was thrust into his girdle, but the keenness
of its edge was less than that of the glances with which he watched the
slightest movement of the armed men who started to their feet at his
approach.
The savage was the first to speak, and his utterance has become as
classic as Cæsar's "Veni,"--for it was,--
"Welcome!"
As he pronounced it, and looked about him with kindly, if wary eyes, the
Pilgrims drew a long breath, and the tense anxiety of the moment lapsed
into aspects various as the temperaments of the men.
"What! Do these men speak English, then!" exclaimed Allerton bewildered,
while Standish muttered,--
"Look to your side-arms, men. He may mean treachery," and noble Carver,
extending his hand, said,--
"Thanks for your courtesy, friend. How know you our language?"
"I am Samoset. I am friend of Englishmen. I come to say welcome."
"Truly 't is a marvel to hear him speak in our own tongue and so glibly
too. Mark you how he chooses his words as one of some dignity himself,"
said Bradford softly, but the quick ears of the savage caught the
substance of his words, and tapping his broad chest lightly with his
fingers he proudly replied,--
"Samoset, sachem of Monhegan. Samoset do well to many Englishmen in his
own country."
"And where is Monhegan, friend Samoset?" asked Carver pleasantly. "Might
it be this place?"
"This place Patuxet. Monhegan nearer to the sunrise," replied Samoset
pointing eastward.
"And how far?"
"Suppose walk, five days; big wind in ship, one day."
"And how camest thou, and when?"
"Ship. Three, four moons ago."
"Ah, then it is not an armed assault upon us," said Carver aside and in
a tone of relief.
"Nay, these salvages are more treacherous than a quicksand. Try him with
more questions," suggested Hopkins, the other men murmuring assent,
while the Indian glancing with his opaque, black eyes from one to
another showed not how much he understood of what went on about him.
"'In vino veritas,'" suggested Bradford with a smile. "Were it not well
to give him something by way of welcome?"
"Samoset like beer. Much talk make throat dry like brook in summer,"
remarked the guest, but whether in response or not no one could say.
"Thou 'rt right, man, and though thy skin's tawny, thy inside is very
like a white man's," exclaimed Standish with a laugh. "John Alden, thou
knowest the cupboards of this place passing well; find our friend
wherewith to fill yon dry brook-bed of a throat; that is with the
governor's permission."
"Surely, surely, Captain Standish," replied Carver with gentle alacrity.
"Your word is enough. And while Alden finds wherewithal to feed and
quench his thirst, John Howland shall bring a mantle or cloak from my
house to throw about him, for it is not seemly that our people should
see us entertaining a man stark as he was born."
"'T is well said, Master Carver. I had some such thought myself," said
Allerton rather primly, while Hopkins and Billington exchanged an
irreverent grin, and Standish stroked his moustache.
The cloak was brought, and gracefully accepted by Samoset, who evidently
regarded it as a ceremonial robe of state, designed to mark his
admittance as an honored guest at the white men's board, and draping it
toga-wise across his shoulder, he sat down to a plentiful repast of cold
duck, biscuit, butter, cheese, and a kind of sausage called black
pudding. To these solids was added a comfortable tankard of spirits and
water, from which Samoset at once imbibed a protracted draught.
"Englishman have better drink than poor Indian," remarked he placing the
tankard close beside his plate, and seizing a leg of the duck in his
hands.
"'T is sure enough that he has been much with white men,--yes, and
Englishmen, too, by the way he takes down his liquor," remarked Hopkins.
"Nay, methinks our Dutch brethren could take down a deep draught, too,
and this is their own liquor," said Bradford, while Winslow muttered in
Carver's ear,--
"Let not Alden leave the case-bottle within reach of the savage. Enough
will loosen his tongue, but a little more will bind it."
"True," assented the Governor, nodding to Alden, who quietly replaced
the bottle in the case whence he had taken it. Samoset followed it with
longing eyes, but his own dignity prevented remonstrance except by
finishing the flagon and ostentatiously turning it upside down.
After this, the meal was soon finished, and the conversation resumed,
partly by signs and inference, partly by Samoset's limited stock of
English. By one means and the other the Pilgrims presently learned that
Monhegan was a large island near to the mainland in a northeasterly
direction, and a great resort of fishing vessels, mostly English, with
whose masters Samoset, as sachem of the Indians in those parts, had both
traded and feasted, learning their language, their manners, and, what
was worse, their habits of strong drink and profanity, neither of which
however seemed to have taken any great hold upon him, being reserved
rather as accomplishments and proofs that he too had studied men and
manners.
The master of one of these fishing craft some few months previously had
invited the sachem to accompany him across the bay to Cape Cod, where
the sailor wished to traffic with the natives, and Samoset had since
remained in this part of the country visiting Massasoit, sachem of the
Wampanoags, who with a large party of his warriors was now lying in the
forest outside of the settlement, waiting apparently for the result of
Samoset's reconnoissance before he should determine on his own line of
action.
Farther inquiry elicited the fact that the former inhabitants of
Plymouth, or Patuxet, a people tributary to Massasoit, but living under
their own sachem, had been totally exterminated by a plague, perhaps
small-pox, which had swept over the country two or three years before
the landing of the Pilgrims, leaving, so far as Samoset could tell, only
one man alive; this man seeking refuge among the Nausets, the tribe to
the east of Patuxet, was one of the victims entrapped by Hunt, escaping
from whom, he lived a long time in England with a merchant of London
named Slaney, who finally sent him in a fishing vessel to Newfoundland,
whence he had made his way back to his friends on Cape Cod.
"And this man," demanded Winslow eagerly. "Where is he now? Do ye not
perceive, friends, that this is an instrument shaped and fitted to our
hands by the Providence of God, who hath also sent His plague to sweep
away the inhabitants of this spot whither He would lead His chosen
people?"
"Of a truth it seemeth so," replied Carver reverently, while Standish
muttered in his beard,--
"Pity but the salvages had known 't was Providence! 'T would have
converted them out of hand."
The elder who had his own opinion of the soldier's orthodoxy looked
askance at the half-heard murmuring, and suddenly demanded,--
"Where, then, is this man? How call you him?"
"Tisquantum he name. English trader across big water call him other fool
name. Red man not know it."
"Tisquantum is well enough for a name, but why did he not come hither
with you, Samoset?"
"Tisquantum much wise. He like see other fox put his paw in trap first
before he try it." And as he thus betrayed his comrade's diplomacy the
savage allowed a subtle smile to lighten his eyes, which, with the
instinct that in simple mental organizations is so much surer than
reason, he fixed upon Winslow, who laughed outright as he replied,--
"Wiser than thou, Samoset, me-seemeth. How is it thou wast so much more
daring than thy fellow?"
"Samoset poor fool. He not know enough to be afraid of anything. Not
wise like white man and Tisquantum." And the sachem with a superb smile
settled the tomahawk at his girdle, and threw off the folds of his
horseman's cloak. But the grim smile upon most of the faces around the
board showed that the jest had given no offense to men who knew their
own and each other's courage, and the conference presently broke up, the
visitor amusing himself by strolling around the village, discreetly
wrapped in his cloak, and taking a malicious delight in encountering
Helen Billington, who never failed to greet him with a fusillade of
suppressed wrath, to which he listened attentively, as if desirous of
storing up some of the objurgations for his own future use. As night
fell, and the guest showed no intention of departure, some of the more
cautious settlers suggested that he should be put on board the Mayflower
for safe keeping, a plan which met Samoset's ready approval, for as he
sententiously remarked,--
"Captain-man have much strong waters."
But then, as now, he who would navigate Plymouth Harbor must take both
wind and tide into account, and when Samoset with Cooke, Browne, and
Eaton to row him reached the shallop, they found her high and dry, with
a stiff east wind in her teeth. The next plan was to bestow the
dangerous guest safely on shore, and this was finally done in the loft
of Stephen Hopkins's house, the veteran host grimly promising that he
should not stir so much as a finger-nail but he would know it; and in
spite of goodwife Billington's assurance to her sisters that they should
one and all be murdered in their beds before morning, the sun arose upon
them in peace and safety, and soon after breakfast the Indian was
dismissed with some small gifts, and an agreement that he should come
again the next day, bringing Squanto, and such others as desired to
trade with the white men, and could offer skins of beaver, martin, or
other valuable fur.
"Could not they fetch a few ermine and miniver skins while they are at
it," suggested Priscilla. "Methinks in this wilderness we women might at
least solace ourselves with the show of royalty, sith we are too far
from the throne to have our right disputed."
"Who knows but that we may found a new kingdom here in the New World,"
replied John Alden playfully. "And where should we find a fitter
sovereign than Queen Priscilla?"
But Saturday passed over quietly, and it was not until Sunday morning
that the Pilgrims coming out of the Common house after the morning
service met Samoset stalking into the village followed by five other
tall fellows, powerful but unarmed, Standish having sternly warned
Samoset that neither he nor his companions must bring any weapon into
the white man's settlement without permission. Much to the relief of the
women who encountered these guests, it was at once seen that Samoset had
understood and communicated the hint involved in lending him a cloak to
wear during his previous visit, for all were fully dressed in deerskin
robes with leggings fastened to the girdle and disappearing at the ankle
within moccasons of a style very familiar to our eyes, although a great
marvel to those of the Pilgrims, who, however soon adopted and enjoyed
them highly. Samoset and another savage, who seemed to be his especial
associate, also carried each a finely dressed wild-cat skin as a sort of
shield upon the left arm, and all were profusely decorated with paint,
feathers, strings of shells, and one man with the tail of a fox
gracefully draped across his forehead. All wore the hair in the cavalier
style, long upon the shoulders and cut square across the brow, and all
were comely and dignified looking warriors.
The governor, elder, captain, with some other of the principal men,
stood still in the open space where the King's Highway crossed The
Street, and greeted, soberly as befitted the day, yet cordially as
befitted charity and hospitality, their guests, who watched with wary
eyes every movement of the hosts whom they hardly trusted, while
Samoset, stepping forward, unrolled a fine mat, or wrapping-rug, in his
arm, and ceremoniously laid two axes and a wedge at the feet of
Standish, saying briefly,--
"The white chief has his own again."
"Our tools. Yes, that is as it should be," replied the captain,
"although we may not use them to-day."
"Six hungry guests to divide the dinner with us!" exclaimed Priscilla in
dismay as she stood at Mistress Brewster's side, her glowing brunette
beauty shining out in contrast with the soft ashen tints of the older
woman's face.
"Ay 't will put us to our trumps to make ready enough hot victual for
all," replied the elder's wife.
"They shall have none of the marchpane thou didst make yestere'en,
Priscilla!" expostulated Desire Minter anxiously. "There is no more than
enow for us that be women."
"That will rest as our dear mother says," replied Priscilla smiling into
Dame Brewster's face.
"Nay, it needs not the marchpane thou madest so toilsomely to entertain
these salvages to whom our ship-biscuit are a treat," and the elder
woman smiled tenderly back into the glowing face so near her own.
So presently the table in the Common house was spread with what to the
red men was a feast of the gods, and they gravely ate enough for twelve
men, evidently carrying out the time-honored policy of Dugald Dalgetty
and of the camel, to lay in as there is opportunity provision not only
for the present, but the future. Dinner ended, both red and white men
assembled in the open space before mentioned, now in Plymouth called the
Town Square, and the Indians grouping themselves in the centre began
what may be called a dance, although from the gravity of their faces and
solemnity of their movements the elder was seized with a suspicion that
fairly turned him pale.
"Are the heathen creatures practicing their incantations and
warlock-work in our very midst, and on the Lord's Day?" demanded he.
"Stephen Hopkins, thou knowest their devices, how is it?"
"Nay, Elder," replied Hopkins chuckling in spite of his efforts at
Sunday sobriety. "It is a feast-dance, a manner of thanksgiving"--
"A sort of grace after meat," suggested Billington in an aside; but the
elder heard him, and turning the current of his wrath in that direction
exclaimed,--
"Peace, ribald! Thou art worse than the heathen in making sport of holy
things."
"I knew not yon antics were holy things, Elder," retorted the reckless
jester; but Standish ranging up alongside of him muttered,--
"One word more and thou 'lt deal with me, John Billington," and though
the reprobate affected to laugh contemptuously he remained silent.
To the solemn feast-dance succeeded a more lively measure accompanied
with barbarous sounds intended for singing, and the performance ended
with gestures and pantomime obviously suggesting a treaty of amity and
peace, as indeed Samoset presently interpreted it, closing the scene
with the offer of such skins as the men wore upon their arms, and
promises of more furs in the near future.
But the Sunday-keeping Pilgrims would not enter even into the semblance
of trade upon that day, and, although they could not explain the reason
to the Indians, made them understand that their dances, their singing,
and their gifts, which were of course to be repaid, were all impossible
for them to consider upon that day, and that, in fact, the sooner they
withdrew from the village the better their hosts would be pleased.
Adding however the wisdom of the serpent to the guilelessness of the
dove, they coupled with this dismissal a very earnest invitation for the
savages to return on the morrow and bring more skins, indeed all that
they could spare, the white men promising to purchase them at a fair
price.
The Indians listened gravely to so much of this harangue as Samoset
translated to them, and the five new-comers at once, and with no
ceremony of farewell, glided one after the other down the path leading
past the spring to Watson's Hill, and were no more seen; but Samoset
throwing himself upon the ground pressed his hands upon his stomach
moaning loudly and declaring himself in great agony.
"He has a colic from over-feeding. Give him a dose of strong waters and
capsicum," said the elder compassionately; and Standish with a grim
smile remarked, "Truly the man hath been an apt scholar in the ways of
civilization. He minds me of a varlet of mine own, whose colics I
effectually cured after a while by mingling a certain drug with the
strong waters he craved. 'T was better than a sea-voyage for clearing
his stomach."
"Nay, Captain, we'll not deal so harshly with the poor fellow at the
beginning, whatever may come at the end," said the Governor smiling.
"Howland, get the man his dram, and if he will not go, put him to sleep
in Hopkins's house and under his ward."