The concensus of modern scientific opinion favors the belief that the
so-called American-Indian race represents the autochthonous people or
aborigines of the great American Continent. Referring to the origin
of the American Indians, Professor Pritchard says: “The era of their
existence as a distinct and insulated race must probably be dated as
far back as that time which separated into nations the inhabitants
of the Old World, and gave to each branch of the human family its
primitive language and individuality.” The origin of the Amerinds of
America has still to be sought amid the sources of the various races of
mankind from primeval times.
The Indian tribes of New England belonged to the great Algonquian
Confederacy—the most widely extended of all the North American
Indians—their territory stretching along the Atlantic coast from
Labrador to Pamlico sound, and westward, from Newfoundland to the Rocky
Mountains.
The three principal Massachusetts tribes were the Massachusetts or
Naticks, the Nipmucks, and the Wampanoags, the latter under the
dominance of Massasoit when the Pilgrims arrived, and, at that time,
the third greatest nation in New England.
With regard to the primeval discovery of the island of Nantucket by the
Indians the following legend is interesting, (as all legends are), and
it was related by the aborigines to the early English settlers, soon
after their arrival.
In former times, a good many moons ago, a bird, extraordinary for its
size, used often to visit the south shore of Cape Cod, and carry from
thence in its talons a vast number of small children. Maushope, who
was an Indian giant, as fame reports, resided in these parts. Enraged
at the havoc among the children, he, on a certain time, waded into the
sea in pursuit of the bird, till he had crossed the sound, and reached
Nantucket. Before Maushope forded the sound, the island was unknown to
the red men. Maushope found the bones of the children in a heap under a
large tree. He, then, wishing to smoke his pipe, ransacked the island
for tobacco; but finding none, he filled his pipe with poke—a weed
which the Indians sometimes used as a substitute.
“Ever since this memorable event, fogs have been frequent on the Cape.
In allusion to this tradition, when the aborigines observed a fog
rising, they would say, ‘There comes old Maushope’s smoke.’”[1] (Here
the legend unfortunately ends.)
[1] Col. Mass. Hist. Soc. Vol. V. First Series, page 57.
The island of Nantucket, when first settled by the whites, was occupied
by two tribes whose names have not been preserved. One occupied the
west end of the island, and was supposed to have come from the mainland
by way of Martha’s Vineyard. The other lived at the east end, and
is said to have come direct from the mainland. The two tribes were
independent and were, at a time, hostile to each other. The tribe which
came from Martha’s Vineyard was subject to the Wampanoags.[2]
[2] “Hand-Book of American Indians,” Vol. II, p. 26.
When the original discovery of the island of Nantucket was made by
foreigners is still a moot point, many writers alleging that two hardy
Norsemen, Bjorne Herjulfson, in A. D. 986, and Leif Ericsson, in A. D.
1000, during their respective voyages, had both sighted the New England
coast, and that Leif had visited Nantucket, and bestowed upon it the
name of Nauticon. If this is probable, it is equally probable that the
name Nauticon was merely a Norse approximation to the original Indian
name of the island, viz: =Natocket=[3]. It is now generally believed,
however, that neither of these navigators got nearer to the New England
coast than Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, although there is much to be
said on both sides of the question.
[3] H. B. Worth: Nantucket Hist. Asso., Vol. 11, Bull. 6, p. 290.
With regard to “Vinland”, which Leif Ericsson is said to have visited
on his way to Greenland, a circumstantial account of his voyaging is
given in the Norse saga—the =Flateyarbok and the Hauksbok=. These
accounts were subsequently confirmed by Adam of Bremen, in his =History
of the Bremen Church, etc.=, and in the MSS. of numerous historians,
from the eleventh to the fifteenth century; but the conjecture is not
adequately substantiated by facts to warrant a conclusion, and it seems
impossible in this age to divest the ancient story from the cloud of
myth and mystery which surrounds it.
It seems strange, nevertheless, that the name Nautican is that applied
to Nantucket island by Sir Ferdinand Gorges (=circa= 1630), and
Nantican in Hough’s book, under the date 1641.
John Cabot, the navigator—of Italian birth—settled in Bristol, England,
in the time of Henry VII., and he obtained a patent from the King “for
the purpose of discovering unknown lands in the eastern, western and
northern seas.” His son Sebastian accompanied him, and in 1497–1498,
they cruised along the coast of America from Florida to Labrador. =The
claim of the English Government to Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard and the
Elizabeth Islands was based upon these voyages of the Cabots.=
Nantucket, however, looms out of mythland and into genuine history,
when, in June or July, 1602, Bartholomew Gosnold, an English mariner,
landed upon its shore at Sankaty Head, when he, and some thirty
sailors, were =en route= for Virginia, seeking a new plantation.
In May, 1605, Captain Weymouth is said to have “become entangled among
the Nantucket Shoals”[4], and in 1620 Captain Dermer certainly visited
the island.
[4] Drake’s =Nooks and Corners of New England=, p. 324.
In approaching the consideration of the =Nantucket= Indians, the
following beautiful legend[5] cannot be passed over in silence, as it
reveals the fact that self-sacrifice and the tender passion are not
limited in their influence to any race or color, but are the hallowed
heritage of mankind. Such a record deserves a foremost place in any
associated local history. The incident referred to is supposed to have
occurred about 1630, or, as Dr. Ewer suggested, about thirty years
before the arrival of the white men.
[5] A worthy poetic setting of this legend was published by “The
Inquirer and Mirror” nearly forty years ago, from the pen of Miss
Charlotte P. Baxter. It was republished in the “Inquirer” of January
21st, 1911, and the poetic quotations in this preface have been taken
from it.
Wauwinet was the sage and beloved Sachem of the Northeastern section of
the Island. He had one daughter, Wonoma,—
“The loveliest and the gentlest,”
and they were devoted to each other.
“Well she knew the art of healing;
Skilled was she in all the uses
Of the herbs that grew around them.
And whenever from the waters
Spoke the voice of the Great Spirit,
She could tell unto her people
What the words were, and the meaning.”
Fever had broken out among the natives of the south-western section of
the island, which was under the dominance of the Chief Autopscot, and
he feared that his people would be swept away by the rapid spread of
the pestilence. In his extremity he thought of the fair and graceful
Wonoma, Wauwinet’s daughter, and knowing she possessed the knowledge of
a great medicine-man, he despatched one of his maidens, named Wosoka,
to speed to Wonoma,—
“Praying her to come and save them,
From the cruel, blasting Fever.”
Wonoma, always delighting to do good, accompanied the little maid back
to her stricken people, and, in a little time, the plague was stayed,
and she healed and comforted those who would have died but for her
skilful and kindly help. By her skill, her winsomeness and her sympathy
she won the hearts of all the natives, and, when the time of her
departure came, they begged her to remain with them, so that they might
show their gratitude.
“For the boon of Life She gave them.”
Then the brave Autopscot pleaded, not only for his people, but for
himself, that she should not go from them, and he ended by eloquently
and fervently declaring his love for her; and Wonoma, deeply touched,
smilingly replied:—
“That because She loved his people
But more truly loved their leader,
She would come again among them,—
Come again to go not from them.”
Later, the friendly and fraternal feeling which had long existed
between the tribes of Wauwinet and Autopscot gradually changed to
feelings of anger and hatred in consequence of some petty differences
as to the dividing line between their respective territories. A feud
was generated and bloodshed was threatened between the contending
parties. Wauwinet and his braves, in solemn council, had agreed upon a
subtle plan for overcoming their enemies; but Wonoma had overheard the
deliberations of the war-council, and resolved to save her lover at
all hazards. When her people were asleep she stole out of her wigwam,
and, securing a canoe, rowed through the darkness, with a prayer in
her heart to the Father of all mercies that she might be enabled to
save him who was now dearer to her than even her own people. Over sea
and land she hurried on, her feet bleeding and weary, and when she
arrived at her destination, she was completely exhausted. When she had
found him whom her heart desired, she told him what she had heard, and
leaving her in charge of some of the maidens to rest, Autopscot called
his people together, and bade them to be prepared to receive the enemy
on the morrow.
When, next day, Wauwinet and his braves proceeded to attack the enemy
unawares, and found them armed and ready to receive them, instead of
unprepared as he had expected, he simply turned around, and, with his
warriors retraced his footsteps to his own possessions.
On the following evening, as Wauwinet stood in deep thought at the
door of his wigwam, an oncoming footstep aroused him, and, bending
courteously, Autopscot stood before him, and thus addressed the father
of his love:
Oh, my father! Oh, most noble!
Dark have been the days about us,
And still darker have the nights been;—
In our hearts the darkest hatred;
Hear me speak, Oh mighty father!
For the love I bear Wonoma,—
For the sake of both our people,
May there not be peace between us?
Wauwinet’s brow was clouded with anger as Autopscot spoke, but
gradually the frown relaxed, and when the brave young chief had
finished, the elder was silent for a time, and thus replied in tones of
friendly feeling:—
********“Oh, my son, Autopscot,
Great has been the lesson taught me,
That I, myself, am not almighty,—
That there is a power beyond me,
Unto which I have to yield me.
Great the love I bear Wonoma,
And if she so truly loves you,
There should only be between us
Words and thoughts that are most friendly.”
When Wauwinet had thus spoken, the two chiefs grasped each other by
the hand in mutual affection, and, before they parted, they amicably
arranged between them the land which had caused their dispute, and
while pledging themselves to enduring peace, Wauwinet gladly sanctioned
the union of Wonoma and Autopscot. From that day to this Peace has
reigned over and blest the island of Nantucket.