Deserted at his utmost need
By those his former bounty fed,
On the bare earth, exposed, he lies.
DRYDEN.
The colonists were exasperated at the breaking of the prison, justly
concluding that it was not entirely the work of Indians,
notwithstanding Bars, faithful to the impression made on him by the
gold pieces, stoutly maintained such to be the fact; and that Cowlson
was unable to contradict him. But it was, after all, only suspicion--a
suspicion, too, that pointed at various persons. While some, with a
lucky sagacity, ascribed the violence done their authority to the
Knight, as a leader; there were those who suspected others, of whom
they would gladly be rid. For, however desirous the great bulk of the
colonists were that only they of their own moral habits and modes of
thinking should be connected with their enterprise, it was impossible
completely to exclude the obnoxious. Some would creep in, and the
colony resembled a draught of fishes from the rivers in the spring,
when the schools are running; wherein, although the great majority are
shad or salmon, occasional intruders of other scales and stripes are
found. This little minority were watched with Argus eyes--every
transgression being visited with exemplary punishment--the hand of
Justice being made heavier by two considerations, viz: difference of
opinion, and a desire to drive away recusants, who were regarded as
vessels doomed to destruction, and whose presence was held to be
dangerous. That was no era of toleration, but of fierce, intractable
dogma. The breach betwixt Protestants then was almost, if not quite,
as wide as between Protestants and Catholics now. Opinion, bold,
enthusiastic opinion, calling itself by the gracious name of saving
faith, usurped the place and prerogative of reason; and, as from a
Papal chair, denounced, as damnable error, whatever harmonized not
with itself. In this strife of ignorances, the amenities and charities
of life were lost sight of and forgotten; and, if not quite trampled
out of existence, it was owing more to that celestial spark which,
with a dimmer or a brighter light, guides every man who comes into the
world than to the lessons of the teachers. Men were dismissed from the
colony, or otherwise punished, on bare suspicion of wrong-doing or
wrong-thinking. Nor is it unlikely that hostility in high places may
have availed itself of this laxity of law to gratify private
malignity.
Hence, let it not be wondered at, that, in consequence of the prison
breach, several innocent persons were arrested, whose modes of life or
principles of faith came not up to the orthodox standard. If their
apprehension answered no other purpose, it, at least, served to weaken
the desire of the suspected persons to remain where they were not
wanted.
Hitherto the magistrates had been foiled, but failure only increased
their vigilance and activity. Additional men were despatched to scour
the woods; word was sent to Salem and to Plymouth, and co-operation to
capture the fugitives asked for; rewards were offered for their
seizure; and, in fine, no means omitted which indomitable will and
ingenuity could devise. So hot, at length, became the chase, that,
familiar as they were with the woods, Sir Christopher and his
companions found it difficult to avoid capture. They had it, indeed,
in their power to place themselves in comparative safety, either by
following the steps of the Pequot chief, or seeking the
Taranteens--for to the west they dared not go, for fear of the tribes
in that direction, who were at feud with those on the Atlantic
border--but various considerations interfered to prevent. With neither
Sir Christopher nor the Indian was mere personal safety a ruling
motive. The former had not abandoned all hope of changing the strange
resolution of Sister Celestina, with whom he determined, on
accomplishing her release, to proceed with Neebin to the country of
the Pequots--in this way only transferring their labors to another
place--and with the latter, the charge wherewith he was entrusted was
too sacred for any cause to be neglected. Flying from their posts,
even though bands of enemies were after them, was therefore not to be
thought of. As for Philip, his wild, reckless nature took pleasure in
their adventurous mode of life; satisfied, besides, that were he even
made prisoner, no serious punishment could befall him, unless his
participation in the prison-breach became known, which, he confided
too much in the fidelity of his associates to believe was possible.
Seldom daring, therefore, to discharge their fire-locks, but depending
principally on the arrows of the Indian, and snares they set for
subsistence, occasionally aided by the friendly natives with whom the
Knight was a favorite, and constantly changing their places, the three
continued to elude the search, and the baffled soldiers were obliged
to return, digesting their disappointment as they might, and asserting
that those whom they sought had left the neighborhood. To make
assurance sure and to stimulate the Indians to exertions, which the
magistrates were certain had never been made, higher rewards were
offered for the capture of Sir Christopher in particular, which, it
was supposed, the cupidity of the natives would be unable to resist.
Among the Indians trusted by Sir Christopher, none had contrived to
secure a greater share of his confidence than Quecheco, the frequent
and favored companion of his hunts. The skill of the Indian in hunting
had, at first, recommended him to the Knight, and afterwards, the
interest of the latter in his protegé was increased by the attention
with which Quecheco listened to instruction and by the intelligence of
his questions. Hitherto he had always been found faithful, in
consequence whereof the haunts of the outlyers were not concealed from
him, and he was employed to procure information from the English
settlements, and depended on, generally, as a confederate. Quecheco
was not without affection; in proof whereof, he had withstood the
bribe at first offered for the capture of Sir Christopher, but his
feeble virtue finally succumbed. There was one temptation which he was
unable to withstand. He had frequently been a witness of the
effectiveness of the gun in the hands of the Knight, and, with a
hunter's love, conceived a longing to possess one. This was no easy
matter to be accomplished, furnishing guns to Indians being strictly
prohibited, and such weapons taken away whenever found in their
possession. Quecheco now thought he saw an opportunity of gratifying a
desire that had become a mania, and determined that a gun should be
the price of his friend's liberty.
With this view, at one of his visits to Plymouth, or Accomack, he
sought Governor Bradford, with whom he was acquainted, and proposed to
deliver the Knight into his hands, in consideration of the coveted gun
and a certain quantity of powder and ball. Much as was desired the
capture of Sir Christopher, Bradford hesitated, but finally promised
the bribe, stipulating for the life of the Knight, considering that
the rule might bear infringement in a single instance, for the sake of
the object to be attained; and from that moment Quecheco begun his
work of treachery.
In consequence of the activity of the search, the fugitives had been
obliged not only often to change their hiding-place, but sometimes to
remove to a considerable distance from Boston. One of their favorite
resorts was near Plymouth, both because they were less likely to be
suspected to lurk in a vicinity where the Knight had no acquaintances,
and also on account of a greater abundance of game. Here the two white
men often remained without Towanquattick, who, less liable to
discovery, hovered around the spot where was the sister of his
Sagamore.
Such being the state of things, Quecheco selected the neighborhood of
Plymouth (on account of the absence of Towanquattick, betwixt whom and
himself a feeling of mutual dislike existed, caused in his jealous
mind by the favor which the Knight had lately shown the Pequot, and
which he esteemed a derogation of his rights) as the theatre of his
plot, and here we find Sir Christopher at this moment.
"Our larder is exhausted, Philip," said the Knight one morning, "and
must be replenished. Shall we try our fortune together?"
"I am always ready," answered Philip. "It is two days since I
stretched my legs, and, by my halidome, I shall forget how to use
them, without more practice."
"Methinks," replied the Knight, smiling, "it is less than a week since
I saw legs much resembling thine moving with marvellous celerity."
"When this copper-hide here showed us Venn's band, within a hundred
yards of the old wigwam, right under Winthrop's nose, in the swamp.
Aye, it was high time to be moving; but it was unkind of Venn to burn
our quarters, seeing that I had been a sergeant in his company.
"Quecheco, my line fellow," said Sir Christopher, "thou didst us a
service on that day not to be forgotten, and now we must look to thee
for another. Where shall we hunt?"
"Let Soog-u-gest and Quecheco go a little towards Accomack, where I
saw yesterday some deer, and the sanop toward the setting sun,"
answered the Indian.
"Go thou with Philip, and I will take my chance alone," said the
Knight:
"The chief must not go alone," said the Indian. "Quecheco will go to
carry the deer which Soog-u-gest will shoot."
"A sensible Indian," said Philip. "Take him with you, Sir Christopher.
For my part, I do not want his copper skin gliding like a snake among
the bushes; and, Sir Christopher, look sharp, and see if I bring not
back as much game as you and your friend."
"I accept the challenge," said the Knight, good-humoredly, "and will
take him, since you prefer to go alone."
"I will none of him. He is thy valley-doo-doo--a murrain on mounseer
for his hard words; and why a waiting-man should be called a valley,
more than a mountain, or a river, doth pass my understanding."
"An interesting mystery. Yet is its solution unnecessary at the
present. Get thy bow and quiver, Quecheco, and we will see by evening
how Philip's boastings will turn out."
"And, hark ye, red-skin," cried the soldier, "take care that thou
bring back Soog-u-gest, as thou callest Sir Christopher, safe, and
with a good appetite to eat my game."
In spite of his habitual self-possession, the Indian started. A guilty
conscience began already to affright him, and for an instant he
fancied his purpose detected.
"What ails thee?" asked the Knight, regarding him with a quick, keen
glance.
"Quecheco hurt his foot," answered the Indian, with a limp, and
bending down to hide his face from the sharp eyes.
"Poor fellow, then, remain behind, and we will hunt for thee, who hast
done so often for us."
"Quah!" exclaimed the Indian, with a gesture of disdain, "It is
nothing. See, Quecheco can run like a deer," And with that he sprung
round with great agility, as if to make good his words.
"Enough," said the Knight; "reserve thy breath until it is wanted."
The course taken by the two was toward the south, as recommended by
the savage, in order to find the herd which he said he had seen the
day before.
"Why, then, brought you back no venison!" asked the Knight.
"The deer was quicker than the arrow of Quecheco," returned the
Indian; "but he will not escape," he added, looking with admiring eyes
at Sir Christopher's gun, "the round stone which Soog-u-gest will
throw at him."
"I have often seen thee," said the Knight, "gaze at my piece with such
eyes as the sight of thy squaw, after long absence, might kindle up.
Were it not sure to be thy ruin, I could find it in my heart to give
it thee."
The eyes of Quecheco flashed. "Give me the stick," he cried, "that
makes a loud noise, and Quecheco will do a great thing."
"I have done wrong," thought the Knight, "in raising his expectations.
Nay, Quecheco," he said, "it would be taken away from thee by the
white men, and who would sell thee powder and ball!"
"Nin-e-yi-u wa-wee," (it is well,) said the Indian. "Soog-u-gest flies
so high that he sees a great way, and Quecheco spoke like a pappoose.
What has he to do with guns?"
The gift of the gun would have diverted the savage from his purpose,
by awakening the affection which covetousness had put to sleep, and
probably altered the fate of Sir Christopher and himself; but the
answer of the Knight dispelled the hope that for a single instant
warmed the heart of Quecheco with better feeling, and he persisted in
his original design.
They had walked several miles without seeing any game of importance,
or such as was thought worthy of other attention than the arrows of
the Indian, before they reached the spot indicated by him as where he
had marked the deer the day previous. It was a falsehood invented by
Quecheco, and great was his astonishment, on approaching, to behold a
herd of a dozen of these timid creatures.
It was a sort of lawn, of six or seven acres in extent, with a few
trees scattered over it, where they were feeding. The shape of the
ground was an irregular oblong, in some places not more than a hundred
yards across, and in others of double the distance, being like a
basin, at a depression of twenty or thirty feet below where the Knight
stood, concealed by trees and bushes. At the bottom flowed a small,
rapid stream, perhaps three rods wide, interposing itself betwixt him
and the herd. Sir Christopher had visited the locality before, and was
familiar with its features; and expecting game, from the story of
Quecheco, had taken care to approach with the wind in his face, to
avoid the scent of his person being carried to the delicate nostrils
of the animals while he stepped noiselessly along. The Indian, in
order the better to carry out his meditated deceit, had been imitating
the Knight's conduct, and on the discovery of the deer, his hunter's
instinct induced him to continue what his hypocrisy had begun.
Selecting the finest buck from the herd, Sir Christopher levelled his
piece and fired. A single instant stood, with erected heads, the
beautiful creatures, as if stupefied with astonishment, and then all
but one vanished in the wood--all but the stricken buck, who made one
bound, and fell to the earth. The prodigious leap testified to the
extremity of his terror and his hurt; and vain struggles to rise from
his knees, to its fatal character. With eyes fixed upon the struggling
deer, the Knight reloaded his gun, and then bounded down the declivity
after him.
Arrived at the margin of the stream, he discovered a canoe drawn up a
little way on the bank, approaching which, to push it into the water,
he suddenly found himself surrounded by a number of Indians. They were
the confederates of Quecheco, who had been for some time lying in wait
in the thick bushes. Simultaneously rushing forward, they attempted to
seize him; but this was no easy matter. A resolute, athletic man, with
body and sinews hardened; by his hunter's life, and accustomed to
exercise command over the natives, Sir Christopher shook roughly off
the hands laid on him, and shouting, "ha, villains!--death to
traitors!" presented his gun, before the terror of whose fatal
lightning his assailants recoiled. Keeping the muzzle of the piece
directed at them, and threatening with it any one who made a motion to
draw near, the Knight succeeded in getting the canoe afloat, when,
jumping in, he pushed from the shore. With a pole found in the canoe,
he strove to urge it across the stream; but, embarrassed with watching
his enemies, and swept down by the current, the effort was attended
with great difficulty. Meanwhile, the savages, who had hitherto
forborne any act that might endanger life, bearing in mind their
instructions, became apprehensive of losing him, and excited by his
resistance, began to shoot arrows at him. One of the missiles took
effect in the right arm of the Knight, just above the elbow, and the
pole dropped from his hand. At the same instant the canoe struck
against a submerged rock and upset. Taking advantage of the accident,
the Indians sprung into the water, and succeeded in mastering his
person.
"Quecheco," said the Knight, reproachfully, as he stood upon the bank,
"is it thou, and thou, too, Negabamat, who treat me as an enemy? Why
this violence?"
"Soog-u-gest is wanted among his own people," said Quecheco, who had
possessed himself of the much coveted gun which had fallen into the
water. "Indians will not hurt him."
"Quecheco, thou art a villain," said the Knight; "but if not an
incarnate demon, outrage me not further than is necessary for thy base
purpose."
Thus spoke Sir Christopher, seeing that preparations were made to
confine his arms with withes. The Indians said something among
themselves, and at length Quecheco replied:
"Soog-u-gest always speaks the truth. Let him promise not to run away,
and his arms shall be free."
"I promise," said the Knight, who, in spite of his treatment, could
not but feel pleased at this evidence of the confidence in his truth
with which he had inspired the natives. "Take the powder horn and
bullets," he added, detaching them from his person. "I will attend
you."
At a sign from Quecheco the Indians released Sir Christopher, nor
seemed after that to trouble themselves much with watching him.
An Indian, who had crossed the stream, now returned bearing the slain
buck on his back, and threw it down on the grass, and his companions
with pleased faces gathered around it. Sir Christopher,
notwithstanding the unpleasantness of his situation, could not avoid
smiling.
"Nature's children!" he said to himself, "It would have pained me had
I unfortunately killed one of them. Blessed Jesu, I thank thee for
saving me from bloodshedding."
He threw himself on the ground, and watched their proceedings in
cooking the venison with some interest, for he was hungry, and, when
it was ready, partook of it with them as though they had been a party
of friendly hunters, nor would any one have suspected that he was a
prisoner. Having thus placed himself on terms as little disagreeable
as possible with his captors, Sir Christopher endeavored, while they
were under the influence of the welcome dinner, to dissuade them from
their purpose in regard to himself, but on this point he found
remonstrance useless. The Indians were not inclined to talk about it,
and either preserved a total silence, or simply said that the white
chief at Accomack had sent them. When they had eaten up the buck, they
started with the Knight in the direction of Plymouth.