EA

CHAPTER XVII.

ANNOYANCES FROM THE INDIANS.

ARLY in 1622 many rumors arose of hostile intentions on the part of the Narragansets. That tribe, thinking that if the Pilgrim support should cease they might subjugate the Pokanoket and allied nations, felt inspired to attempt the destruction of the white settlement.

Soon Tockamahamon conducted to Plymouth a Narraganset messenger who asked for Tisquantum, but seemed relieved to find that he was away from home; and leaving for him a sheaf of new arrows tied around with a rattlesnake's skin, attempted to depart; but being required to remain for that night, was led to admit, with much reluctance, that the messenger whom Canonicus, his king, sent the previous year to treat of peace, had on his return rather persuaded him to war, and to provoke him thereto, embezzled most of the presents sent by the Governor, and then dwelt upon the meanness of the gift as compared with what he had carried to Plymouth. It was desired to detain the man until Tisquantum should be present to question him minutely; but the precise Standish insisting that by the "law of arms" a messenger must not be subjected to forcible restraint, the envoy was sent back with a high-sounding message from Bradford. The Governor expressed his desire for peace; but if Canonicus was determined otherwise, he was dared to put in an appearance with his host. Indeed, but for want of shipping, the Colonists would save him that trouble and seek him on his own ground. The messenger at once departed, though the weather was stormy and he was urgently invited to remain.

1622.] DEFYING CANONICUS.—MARTIAL PREPARATIONS. 199

On Tisquantum's return he pronounced the arrows and snake-skin to be a challenge to war. Bradford, then filling the skin with powder and bullets, sent it back to Canonicus with a message still more defiant than the former. The bellicose chief was alarmed, and refused to receive the mysterious missive into his house. The messenger who brought the skin would not take it back; so it was given to another, who in dread passed it along; and after posting a long time from place to place, it finally came again unbroken to Plymouth, having answered its purpose in overawing Canonicus.

But as lofty language was a poor reliance, the Colonists proceeded to empale their village. A line of palisades was carried from the shore along the north side of the hamlet, and thence around the upper part of Fort Hill to Town Brook, a length of half a mile. This great task was accomplished in five weeks, although it was winter. In the line were four flanking bastions, from which the whole outside could be raked with musketry. In three of these bastions or "jetties" were gates, which were locked at night and constantly warded.

Standish next proceeded to arrange those able to bear arms, in four companies, the captains of which, in their order, were to command the whole body if he should be absent or disabled. He then held "a general muster or training," at which each company, with a discharge of musketry, took possession of its proper station in the line of defence. Standish was too good a soldier not to know the value of those little military forms and ceremonies which are too generally considered frivolous; and consequently, at the close of this first of New England "musters," each company escorted its captain to his house, and fired a salute on leaving him. The little captain-in-chief's new battalion, some fifty strong, with his tactics and discipline, was a garrison which Canonicus might well hesitate to assail.1

As there was fear lest the savages should contrive to set

1 Here practically began the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia.

fire to the houses, in order to make an attack during the confusion, Standish trained one company, in case of fire, to at once form a square around the endangered building and face outward, on the alert for an enemy.

Standish's remarkable force of character was shown by his inspiring such a heterogeneous body with the spirit of military obedience and even enthusiasm. His sharp words of command, his patronizing approval, and his prompt censure must have sounded strangely at first to the Governor, the Assistant, the Elder, the Deacon, and other leading spirits, and have created a desire to resist on the part of Billington, Lister, and the less zealous of the new-comers; but Standish at the head of his command, was, for the time being, the greatest man in the Colony, and though most obedient in civil matters, he was not a captain who would waive one particle of his authority when under arms. By the couch of the sick his eye was of more than feminine gentleness; but when on military duty was such that no delinquent cared a second time to face it, and before it the murderous savage and the frenzied planter with levelled gun were known to quail.

In March it was decided to make a second trip to Boston Harbor; but the final arrangements were disturbed by Hobomok's suspicions of Tisquantum. There had been at first some fear that these two would connive to benefit themselves at the expense of the Colonists; and the latter, therefore, had not been sorry to find some little jealousy between the two. To insure accurate intelligence, Bradford more especially patronized Tisquantum, and Standish Hobomok. Hobomok now advised against the proposed expedition, expressing a fear that the Massachusetts were in league with the Narragansets and would contrive to destroy the party, or that otherwise Canonicus would attack the settlement during the absence of Standish and his comrades. He alleged that he had seen many consultations between strange visitors and Tisquantum, which were always broken off if he drew near; and he had no doubt that Tisquantum was leagued with the enemy to lead the expedition to ruin.

1622.]

TISQUANTUM'S INDIAN ALARM.

201

The leaders, after long deliberation, decided that they must. search for food, and that a timid abandonment of the voyage would give confidence to their enemies. They therefore sent the shallop, with Standish and ten men, accompanied by both Tisquantum and Hobomok. While the boat was on her way, one of Tisquantum's family came running to a party that had gone back of the settlement, and shouted to them to hasten home, for the Narragansets, with Massasoit and Corbitant, were advancing from Namasket to destroy the plantation in Standish's absence. He showed a fresh cut on his face, saying that he received that for speaking in favor of the English, and had a narrow escape from worse usage. He frequently looked over his shoulder, and seemed to be in great fear that the enemy were following close behind. On being taken into Plymouth he repeated his story to the Governor.

Standish, from lack of wind, was still off the Gurnet.1 Hearing three alarm-guns from the battery, he returned as fast as he could. As he approached the village, he saw that every man there was under arms, prepared to repel an immediate assault.

On hearing the story, Hobomok said flatly that it was false, and he most stoutly upheld the good faith of Massasoit, declaring that the chief would not undertake any such matter without obtaining the approval of his pincses, or "men of valor," of whom he, Hobomok, was one. The Governor said that he should lament a war with any of the natives, but especially with Massasoit, for whom his love " more exceeded" than to others. The honest Hobomok bluntly replied that as there was no cause for distrust, the Governor would do well to continue his affection. Finally, Hobomok's wife was sent to Sowams to observe matters. Finding everything as usual, she told Massasoit, what had happened at Plymouth; upon which the king was much provoked. He sent to le Governor, thanking him for his kind feelings, and

1 This point is here mentioned for the first time by the name "Gurnet," by Winslow, in his Relation. He styles it "the point. . . called the Gurnet's Nose." This would imply that the name was in general use.

assuring him that, according to their treaty, notice would be given of any hostile indications.

The truth is that Hobomok and Massasoit were to some extent superior to their nature and education. Poor Tisquantum was only equal to his, and had hoped to become the most important of the savages through his influence with the whites. He had before this, sent private word to several Indians that the whites meant to kill them; and after receiving satisfactory presents, would pretend to have secured a pardon for the intended victim. In time he so far imposed on his countrymen that even sachems sought his protection, and paid court to him rather than to Massasoit. Still, the grand-sachem stood first in the confidence of the Colonists; and therefore, as Winslow supposes, Tisquantum had devised this false alarm, hoping that the first result would be an invasion of Massasoit's country, and such overt acts as should alienate that chief from the Colony. Then Tisquantum might stand first in the regards of both races, and reap no small dignity and profit.

One of the interpreter's tricks was to tell the natives that the white men kept the plague buried in the store-house, from which it might at pleasure be sent forth to any people whom his friends, the whites, might wish to destroy. One day Tisquantum came to the store-house just as the ground had been opened where some barrels of gunpowder were kept buried without his knowledge. Hobomok privately asked him what those barrels were; upon which the ready story-teller replied that this was the place where the plague was kept, as he had often intimated; but Hobomok inquiring of a white friend as to the matter, the plotter was exposed, and fell into yet greater disfavor with both races.

This alarm over, the trip to the Massachusetts was resumed. Nothing more is said of it than that the party "had a good store of trade," and were put in great danger by a storm as they re-entered Plymouth Harbor, where they found Massasoit waiting to vindicate himself, and much enraged at Tisquantum. He at length went home somewhat pacified; but