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.