Sam Barrow was a famous warrior in Philip’s war, and for a long time
dreaded as a ferocious enemy by the inhabitants. He was at length
captured by Captain Church at Cape Cod. Church, in his history, says,
that ‘he was as noted a rogue as any among the enemy’. Church told
him that the government would not permit him to grant him quarter,
because of his inhuman murders and barbarities, and therefore ordered
him to prepare for execution. Barrow replied, that the sentence of
death against him was just, and that indeed he was ashamed to live any
longer, and desired no more favor than to smoke a whiff of tobacco
before his execution. When he had taken a few whiffs, he said, ‘I am
ready,’ when one of Church’s Indians, being prepared, sunk his hatchet
into his brains.
[Illustration]