resolv’d together to send an Ambassador to _Cannonicus_, chief _Sachem_
of the _Naragansits_, endeavoring to prevent him from confederating with
the _Pequods_, who (as they had Intelligence) were about sending to him
to joyn with them: _Cannonicus_ being grown old, had resign’d the
Government to his Nephew _Mantinemo_, a stern Man, and of a cruel
Nature. The Ambassadors arriving at his Court, which was about eighty
Miles from _Boston_, the _Indian_ Prince assembled his chief
Councellors, and having Entertain’d the Ambassadors Magnificently, and
Feasted them Royally, gave them Audience in his State-house; where the
_Sachem_, to manifest his greater State, lay along upon the Ground, with
all his Nobility sitting about him, with their Legs doubled up, and
their Knees touching their Chin: The _English_ Interpreter having made
his Speech in the Name of the rest, both _Cannonicus_ and the young King
gave discreet Answers, signifying their Resolutions to keep a fair
Correspondence with the _English_, and yet not to fall out with the
_Pequods_: Who a little after making also their Addresses to the same
King, he disswaded them by many Reasons from making War with the
_English_, and to deliver into their hands those Persons that had
murther’d any of them. The _Pequods_ nevertheless, though they seem’d
inclinable to his Counsel, yet they acted as Enemies; for when the
_English_ sent a Company of Soldiers into their Countrey to treat with
them about delivering up the Murtherers, they made shew of willingness,
but spying their advantage, betook themselves to their Heels; and
whomsoever they took stragling by surprise, they revil’d and insulted
over in a most cruel manner, vilifying the _Christian_ Religion, and
uttering all the Blasphemies they could invent. Whereupon they rais’d
fresh Souldiers for the War, to the number of fourscore, out of the
several Towns in the _Mattachusets_, and with some _Indian_ Guides came
to their Fort, within which they had pitch’d their _Wigwams_, the
Entrance being on two sides, with intricate Meanders to enter; at which
were plac’d _Indian_ Bowe-men, who shot the foremost of the _English_;
yet they had little to boast of in the end, for the _English_ rushing in
through the winding Ways, and placing themselves round the _Wigwams_,
made a very prosperous Shot, by directing the Muzzles of their Musquets
against the _Indians_ which lay sleeping on the Ground: In the midst of
which rouzing terror and confusion they were defeated with little ado,
most of them being either wounded, kill’d, or taken. The _English_ thus
animated with the first Victory, send their Prisoners to the Pinnaces,
and prosecute the War in Hand, marching against the next Body of the
_Indians_, which lay Encamp’d on a Hill about two Miles distant, where
they gave them a second Overthrow, slaying many more than in the first
Engagement; the rest flying to a very thick inaccessible Swamp or Bog,
were there besieg’d by the _English_; and skulking up and down, as they
saw their opportunity they would Shoot at them with their Arrows, and
then suddenly fall flat along in the Water; at last the _English_
finding out a Passage into the Swamp, utterly defeated them, and put an
end to the War with the loss of few Mens Lives, and not many wounded.
In the Year 1640. there came over a fresh Supply of People into _New
England_, and finding no place to settle in within any of the former
erected Colonies, they repair’d to a place call’d _Long Island_, sever’d
from the Continent of _New-Haven_, about sixty Miles off the Sea.
The Year following the four Colonies, namely the _Massachusets_,
_Plymouth_, _Canectico_, and _New-Haven_, taking into consideration the
many Nations that were on all sides of them, as the _French_, _Dutch_,
_Jews_, and native _Indians_; as also how the three first went to lay
claim to Lands they never had any right to, and the last to be
continually quarrelling and contending, where they saw any hopes of
prevailing, by Commissioners chosen from the respective Colonies,
concluded a firm Confederation to assist each other in all just and
lawful Wars; upon which there came in certain _Indian Sachems_, as
_Pomham_, _Miantonemo_, _Soccanocoh_, and _Uncas_, who not onely
submitted to the _English_ Government, but also, if occasion were, in
matters of Controversie submitted to their Arbitration: But the Contest
between _Miantonemo_ and _Uncas_ was too hot to be appeas’d, (though the
_English_ were not wanting to interpose) unless by the Blood of one of
them, as will appear by the Consequence: _Uncas_ was a Prince of _For_,
whose Life _Miantonemo_, though a much more potent Prince, sought to
take away by treachery, hiring a young Man of the _Pequod_ Nation to
murther him, as the following Story renders suspected; for one dark
Evening this _Sachem_ passing from one _Wigwam_ to another, was Shot
through the Arm with an Arrow; but recovering the Palace, had the Arrow
pull’d out, and his Arm cur’d: the young Man that was suspected being
examin’d, how he came by that great store of _Wampompeage_ which was
found about him, and being able to give no good account, it increas’d
the suspicion, and induc’d _Uncas_ to complain to the _English_ at a
General Court held at _Boston_: Whereupon the young Man was Examin’d in
the presence of _Miantonemo_, who came thither with his Attendants; but
the young Man tutor’d, as suppos’d, by _Miantonemo_, pretended that
_Uncas_ had enjoyn’d him to feign that he was hir’d by _Miantonemo_ to
kill him: To which Tale of his little belief being given, it was
concluded upon farther Examination of him in private that he had done
the Fact: nevertheless they let him depart with _Miantonemo_, advising
him to send him home to _Uncas_; but he in stead of returning him cut
off his Head, and forthwith gather’d an Army of a thousand Men to fight
with _Uncas_; who met him with half the Men: the Battel being joyn’d,
the _Narragansets_, though the far greater multitude, were beaten by the
_Wawhiggins_, through the Valour of _Uncas_ their Prince; who perfected
his Victory by possessing himself of the Person of _Miantonemo_, whom,
having put his Life-guard to flight, he carried away with him in triumph
to the Town of _Hartford_, desiring to have the advice of the United
Colonies what to do with his Prisoner: Whereupon the Commissioners
having had sufficient proof of _Miantonemo_’s treachery towards this
Prince, advis’d _Uncas_ to put him to death, but not to exercise that
barbarous kind of cruelty which is usual amongst them in these Cases.
The _Sachem_, upon this advice, not long after pretended to remove him
to a safer place, but by the Way caus’d him to be Executed: His Subjects
and Kindred were troubled at his Death, but the little Princes his
Neighbors, over whom he had tyranniz’d, rather rejoyc’d.
In the Year 1645, the Sons of old _Canonnicus_, their Father being dead,
began to fall into hot Contentions with their Neighbors, and being
forbidden by the United Colonies, they did not stick to threaten Wars to
the _English_ also. Whereupon the Commissioners rais’d an Army of Horse
and Foot, and made Major General _Edward Gibbons_ Commander in Chief
over them. But the _Indians_ hearing of this Preparation, sent some of
their chief Nobility to the Commissioners of the United Colonies, who
were assembled at _Boston_, to Treat about Peace; to which the
Commissioners agreed, upon condition they should pay a part of the
Charges of the War; and that they should send four of their Sons for
Hostages till the Sum was paid; and the Hostages being sent back before
the _Wapom_ was all paid, the two Princes, _Pesicus_ and _Mexanimo_,
upon the sending a Company of Armed Men to demand it, sent the remainder
of the Money.
In the Year 1647. divers Persons of Quality ventur’d their Estates upon
an Iron Mill, which they began at _Braintree_, but it profited the
Owners little, rather wasting their Stock, the price of Labor in matters
of that nature, being double or treble to what it is in _England_.
These are the most material Transactions we find deliver’d by any one
which hapned from the first discovery till the Year before mention’d:
what hath hapned from that time to this, chiefly relates to the several
Revolutions that have been in _England_, and shall be therefore taken
notice of when we come to speak of the Government of these Plantations.
[Sidenote: The Commodities of this Countrey, together with the Trees and
other sorts of Plants.]
Though there are, who having remain’d some time, and been concern’d in
those Parts, affirm the Soil of _New England_ to be nothing so fruitful
as it is believ’d and commonly deliver’d to be, yet we think it not
improper to give a brief account of the Trees and other Plants; also the
Beasts, Birds, Fishes, and other Commodities which most Writers will
have to be the production of this Countrey, especially since we find
them compactly summ’d up by an unknown Writer in the Language of the
_Muses_. The recital of the Plants and Trees, which (excepting the
Cedar, _Sassafras_, and Dyers _Sumach_) are all of the same kind with
those that grow in _Europe_, onely differing in nature, according as the
Epithets of many of them declare, is as follows:
_Trees both in Hills and Plains in plenty be;
The long-liv’d Oak, and mournful Cypress Tree;
Skie-towring Pines, and Chesnuts coated rough;
The lasting Cedar, with the Walnut tough;
The Rozen-dropping Fir, for Mast in use;
The Boat-men seek for Oars light, neat grown Sprewse;
The brittle Ash, the ever-trembling Asps;
The broad-spread Elm, whose Concave harbors Wasps;
The Water-spungy Alder, good for nought;
Small Eldern by the_ Indian _Fletchers sought;
The knotty Maple, pallid Birch, Hawthorns;
The Horn-bound Tree, that to be cloven scorns;
Which from the tender Vine oft takes his Spouse,
Who twines embracing Arms about his Boughs.
Within this_ Indian _Orchard Fruits be some;
The ruddy Cherry, and the jetty Plumb;
Snake-murthering Hazle, with sweet Saxafrage,
Whose Leaves in Beer allay hot Feavers rage;
The Dyers Shumach, with more Trees there be,
That are both good to use, and rare to see_.
[Sidenote: Beasts.]
The Beasts peculiar to this Countrey are the _Moose_, the _Rackoon_, and
the _Musquash_; the two first Land-Animals, the last Amphibious, which
with others common to them with us, are thus versifi’d by the abovesaid
Author:
_The Kingly Lyon, and the strong-arm’d Bear;
The large limb’d Mooses, with the tripping Deer;
Quill-darting Porcupines, that Rackoons be
Castled ith’ hollow of an aged Tree;
The skipping Squirrel, Rabbet, purblind Hare,
Immured in the self-same Castle are,
Lest red-ey’d Ferrets, wily Foxes should,
Them undermine, if Ramper’d but with Mold;
The grim-fac’d Ounce, and rav’nous howling Wolf,
Whose meagre Paunch sucks like a swallowing Gulph;
Black glittering Otters, and rich Coated Beaver;
The Civet-scented Musquash smelling ever._
Of such of these as are altogether unknown to us, take these brief
Descriptions.
[Sidenote: The _Moose_.]
The Beast call’d a _Moose_, is not much unlike red Deer, and is as big
as an Ox, slow of Foot, Headed like a Buck, with a broad Beam, some
being two Yards wide in the Head, their flesh is as good as Beef, their
Hides good for Clothing; if these were kept tame, and accustom’d to the
Yoke, they would be a great Commodity: First, because they are so
fruitful, bringing forth three at a time being likewise very uberous:
Secondly, because they will live in Winter without any Fodder. There are
not many of these in the _Massachusets_ Bay, but forty Miles to the
North-East there are great store of them.
[Sidenote: The _Rackoon_.]
The _Rackoon_ is a deep Furr’d Beast, not much unlike a Badger, having a
Tail like a Fox, as good Meat as a Lamb: These Beasts in the day time
sleep in hollow Trees, in a Moon-shine night they go to feed on Clams at
a low Tide, by the Sea side, where the _English_ hunt them with their
Dogs.
[Sidenote: The _Musquash_.]
The _Musquash_ is much like a Beaver for shape, but nothing near so big;
the Male hath two Stones, which smell as sweet as Musk, and being kill’d
in Winter, never lose their sweet smell: These Skins are no bigger than
a Coney-skin, yet are sold for five Shillings apiece, being sent for
Tokens into _England_; one good Skin will perfume a whole house full of
Clothes, if it be right and good.
[Sidenote: Birds.]
The Birds both common and peculiar are thus recited.
_The Princely Eagle, and the soaring Hawk,
Whom in their unknown ways there’s none can chawk:
The Humbird for some Queens rich Cage more fit,
Than in the vacant Wilderness to sit.
The swift-wing’d Swallow sweeping to and fro,
As swift as Arrow from_ Tartarian _Bowe.
When as_ Aurora’s _Infant day new springs,
There th’morning mounting Lark her sweet lays sings.
The harmonious Thrush, swift Pigeon, Turtle-dove,
Who to her Mate doth ever constant prove:
The_ Turky-_Pheasant, Heath-cock, Partridge rare,
The Carrion-tearing Crow, and hurtful Stare,
The long-liv’d Raven, th’ominous Screech-Owl,
Who tells, as old Wives say, disasters foul.
The drowsie Madge that leaves her day-lov’d Nest,
And loves to rove, when Day-birds be at rest:
Th’Eel-murthering Hearn, and greedy Cormorant,
That near the Creeks in morish Marshes haunt.
The bellowing Bittern, with the long-leg’d Crane,
Presaging Winters hard, and dearth of Grain.
The Silver Swan that tunes her mournful breath,
To sing the Dirge of her approaching death.
The tattering Oldwives, and the cackling Geese,
The fearful Gull that shuns the murthering Peece.
The strong-wing’d Mallard, with the nimble Teal,
And ill-shape’t Loon, who his harsh Notes doth squeal.
There Widgins, Sheldrakes and Humilitees,
Snites, Doppers, Sea-Larks, in whole million flees._
Of these the _Humbird_, _Loon_, and _Humility_ are not to be pass’d by
without particular observation.
[Sidenote: The _Humbird_.]
The _Humbird_ is one of the wonders of the Countrey, being no bigger
than a Hornet, yet hath all the Dimensions of a Bird, as Bill, and Wings
with Quills, Spider-like Legs, small Claws: for Colour, she is as
glorious as the Rain-bow; as she flies, she makes a little humming noise
like a Humble-bee, wherefore she is call’d the _Humbird_.
[Sidenote: The _Loon_.]
[Sidenote: The _Humility_, or _Simplicity_.]
The _Loon_ is an ill-shap’d thing like a Cormorant, but that he can
neither go nor flie; he maketh a noise sometimes like Sowgelders Horn.
The _Humilities_ or _Simplicities_ (as we may rather call them) are of
two sorts, the biggest being as large as a green Plover; the other as
big as Birds we call _Knots_ in _England_. Such is the simplicity of the
smaller sorts of these Birds, that one may drive them on a heap like so
many Sheep, and seeing a fit time shoot them; the living seeing the
dead, settle themselves on the same place again, amongst which the
Fowler discharges again: These Birds are to be had upon Sandy Brakes, at
the latter end of Summer before the Geese come in.
[Sidenote: Fishes.]
No less Poetical a Bill of Fare is brought of the Fish on the
Sea-Coasts, and in the Rivers of _New England_ in these subsequent
Verses.
_The King of Waters, the Sea shouldering Whale,
The snuffing Grampus, with the Oily Seale,
The storm presaging Porpus, Herring-Hog,
Line-shearing Shark, the Catfish and Sea Dog,
The Scale-fenc’d Sturgeon, wry-mouth’d Hollibut,
The flounsing Salmon, Codfish, Greedigut:
Cole, Haddock, Hage, the Thornback, and the Scate,
Whose slimy outside makes him seld in date,
The stately Bass, old_ Neptune’s _fleeting Post,
That Tides it out and in from Sea to Coast.
Consorting Herrings, and the bonny Shad,
Big-belly’d Alewives, Mackrills richly clad
With Rainbow colours, Frostfish and the Smelt,
As good as ever Lady_ Gustus _felt.
The spotted Lamprons, Eels, the Lamperies,
That seek fresh Water-Brooks with_ Argus _Eyes,
These watery Villagers, with thousands more,
Do pass and repass near the Verdant Shore_.
Kinds of Shell-fish.
_The luscious Lobster, with the Crabfish raw,
The brinish Oyster, Muscle, Periwigge,
And Tortoise sought for by the_ Indian _Sqaw,
Which to the Flats dance many a Winters Jigge,
To dive for Cocles, and to dig for Clams,
Whereby her lazie Husbands guts she crams_.
[Sidenote: The _Seal_.]
To speak of the most unusual of these sorts of Fish; First the _Seal_,
which is call’d the _Sea-Calf_, his Skin is good for divers uses, his
Body being between Flesh and Fish, it is not very delectable to the
Palate, or congruent with the Stomack; his Oil is very good to burn in
Lamps, of which he affords a great deal.
[Sidenote: The _Shark_.]
The _Shark_ is a kind of Fish as big as a Man, some as big as a Horse,
with three rows of Teeth within his Mouth, with which he snaps asunder
the Fishermans Lines, if he be not very circumspect: This Fish will leap
at a Mans hand if it be over board, and with his Teeth snap off a Mans
Leg or Hand if he be Swimming; these are often taken, being good for
nothing but Manuring of Land.
[Sidenote: The _Hollibut_.]
The _Hollibut_ is not much unlike a Pleace or Turbut, some being two
yards long, and one wide, a Foot thick; the plenty of better Fish makes
these of little esteem, except the Head and Finns, which Stew’d or Bak’d
is very good; these _Hollibuts_ be little set by while _Basse_ is in
season.
[Sidenote: The _Basse_.]
The _Basse_ is one of the best Fishes in the Countrey, and though Men
are soon weary’d with other Fish, yet are they never with _Basse_; it is
a delicate, fine, fat, fast Fish, having a Bone in his Head which
contains a Sawcerful of Marrow, sweet and good, pleasant to the Palate,
and wholsom to the Stomack: When there be great store of them, we only
eat the Heads, and Salt up the Bodies for Winter, which exceeds Ling or
Haberdine: Of these Fishes some are three, and some four Foot long, some
bigger, some lesser; at some Tides a Man may catch a dozen or twenty of
these in three hours; the way to catch them is with Hook and Line: The
Fisherman taking a great Cod-line, to which he fasteneth a piece of
Lobster, throws it into the Sea, the Fish biting at it, he pulls her to
him, and knocks her on the head with a Stick.
[Sidenote: _Alewives._]
_Alewives_ are a kind of Fish which is much like a Herring, which in the
later end of _April_ come up to the fresh Rivers to Spawn, in such
multitudes as is almost incredible, pressing up in such shallow Waters
as will scarce permit them to Swim, having likewise such longing desire
after the fresh Water Ponds, that no beatings with Poles, or forcive
agitations by other devices, will cause them to return to the Sea, till
they have cast their Spawn.
[Sidenote: _Clamms_ or _Clamps_.]
_Clamms_ or _Clamps_, are a Shell-fish not much unlike a Cockle, they
lie under the Sand and have every one of them a round hole to take Air,
and receive Water at. When the Tide ebbs and flows, a Man running over
these _Clamm_ banks will presently be made all wet, by their spouting of
Water out of those small holes: These Fishes are in great plenty in most
places of the Countrey, which is a great Commodity for the feeding of
Swine, both in Winter and Summer; for being once us’d to those places,
they will repair to them as duly every Ebb, as if they were driven to
them by Keepers: In some places of the Countrey there be _Clamms_ as big
as a Peny white Loaf, which are great Dainties amongst the Natives, and
would be in great esteem amongst the _English_, were it not for better
Fish.
Other Commodities which this Countrey is said to yield, are, in
down-right Prose, Furrs, Flax, Linnen, Iron, Pitch, Masts, Cables, and
some quantity of Amber; so that if what many Authors have consented to
assert concerning _New England_ be not a meer Fiction, what e’re hath
been affirm’d of the unfruitfulness of the Country will demonstrably be
found invalid.
[Sidenote: Noxious Creatures.]
There are also to be found here some hurtful Creatures, of which, that
which is most injurious to the Person and Life of a Man is the
_Rattle-Snake_, which is generally a yard and a half long, as thick in
the middle as the small of a Mans Leg; she hath a yellow Belly, her Back
being spotted with black, russet, yellow, and green colours, plac’d like
Scales; at her Tail is a Rattle, with which she makes a noise when she
is molested, or when she seeth any approach near her; her Neck seems to
be no thicker than a Mans Thumb, yet she can swallow a Squirril, having
a great wide Mouth, with Teeth as sharp as Needles, wherewith she biteth
such as tread upon her, her Poyson lyeth in her Teeth, for she hath no
Sting. When any Man is bitten by any of these Creatures, the Poyson
spreads so suddenly through the Veins, and so runs to the Heart, that in
one hour it causeth Death, unless he hath the Antidote to expel the
Poyson, which is a Root call’d _Snake-weed_, which must be champ’d, the
Spittle swallow’d, and the Root apply’d to the Sore; this is present
Cure against that which would be present death without it: This Weed is
rank Poyson, if it be taken by any man that is not bitten; whosoever is
bitten by these Snakes, his flesh becomes as spotted as a Leopard, until
he be perfectly cur’d. It is reported, that if the Party live that is
bitten, the Snake will die, and if the Party die, the Snake will live.
This is a most Poysonous and dangerous Animal, yet nothing so bad as the
report goes of it in _England_; for whereas it is said to kill a Man
with its breath, and that it can flie, there is no such matter, for it
is naturally the most sleepy and unnimble Creature that lives, never
offering to leap or bite any Man, if it be not trodden on first; and it
is their desire in hot weather to lie in Paths, where the Sun may shine
on them, where they will sleep so soundly, that I have known four Men
stride over one of them, and never awake it; five or six Men have been
bitten by them, which by using of _Snake-weed_ were all cur’d, never any
yet losing his life by them. Cows have been bitten, but being cut in
divers places, and this Weed thrust into their flesh, were cur’d; A
small Switch will easily kill one of these Snakes. In many places of the
Country there be none of them, as at _Plymouth, New-town, Igowamme,
Nahant, &c._ In some places they will live on one side of the River, and
swimming but over the Water, as soon as they are come into the Woods,
they turn up their yellow Bellies and die. Up into the Countrey,
Westward from the Plantations, is a high Hill, which is call’d
_Rattle-Snake-Hill_, where there are great store of these Poysonous
Creatures.
There are likewise troublesome Flies.
First there is a wild Bee or Wasp, which commonly guards the Grape,
building by Cobweb habitation amongst the Leaves: Secondly a great green
Flie, not much unlike our Horse-Flies in _England_; they will nipp so
sore, that they will fetch Blood either of Man or Beast, and are most
troublesome where most Cattel are, which brings them from out of the
Woods to the Houses; this Flie continues but for the Moneth of _June_.
The third is _Gurnipper_, which is a small black Flie, no bigger than a
Flea; her biting causeth an itching upon the Hands or Face, which
provoketh scratching, which is troublesome to some; this Flie is busie
but in close Mornings or Evenings, and continues not above three Weeks;
the least Wind or heat expels them. The fourth is a _Musketor_, which is
not unlike to our Gnats in _England_; in places where there is no thick
Woods or _Swamps_, there are none or very few. In the new Plantations
they are troublesome for the first year, but the Wood decaying they
vanish: These Flies cannot endure Wind, heat or cold, so that these are
only troublesome in close thick Weather, and against Rain, many that are
bitten will fall a scratching, whereupon their Faces and Hands swell.
[Sidenote: The nature of the ancient Inhabitants.]
As touching the Nature of the ancient Inhabitants, they are to be
consider’d according to their several Shires or Divisions; those that
inhabit to the East and North-East bore the name of _Churchers_ and
_Tarrenteens_; those in the Southern parts were call’d _Pequods_, and
_Narragansets_; those Westward, _Connectacuts_ and _Mowhacks_; to the
North-West, of whom were the _Aberginians_.
[Sidenote: The nature of the _Mowhacks_.]