CHAPTER XVI.

EARLY CONFLICTS.

105. Indians and White Men. On the first arrival of the white men the Indians were inclined to regard them as of supernatural origin. They treated them with hospitality, veneration, and confidence, but they soon discovered that the Europeans were mortal as well as themselves; and when the Spaniards, at an early date, and, later, the English kidnapped the Indians and sold them into slavery, used them as captive guides for explorations, and murdered them on slight provocation, sentiments of distrust and hatred naturally succeeded their feelings of awe and veneration. The Indians soon felt justified in wreaking their vengeance on the white race whenever they failed to find individual offenders.

Indian Shell Axe.

106. Modes of Warfare. - Under these circumstances the Indians became exceedingly cruel. Their mode of warfare was skulking; and when aroused to vengeance they appeared to enjoy nothing better than to pillage and burn the homes of the whites, and to murder with special cruelty the women and children. Hence the whites began to fear and to loathe the savage, and they often added greatly to the bitterness of the struggle by retaliation in kind. The white people themselves were too frequently brutal, reckless, and lawless, and under such conditions clashing between the white settlers and the Indians was inevitable.

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107. Difficulties between the Races. - - At the very first the white men were received by the Indians with friendship. Difficulties, however, would naturally arise; and as the colonies increased in number and pushed farther and farther into the country, the Indians saw that they were losing the land over which they had hitherto freely roamed, and upon which they had lived unmolested. Even the English settlers showed but little wisdom in their treatment of the Indians. A few men here and there treated them kindly, and some sought to make Christians of them. The Rev. John Eliot, of

Boston, spent his life in earnest efforts to Christianize them. He translated the Bible into their language. This was the first Bible printed in America. It was published in Cambridge in 1663.

108. Pequot War. The first severe war that occurred between the English settlers and the Indians was in 1636, and is known as the Pequot War. The Pequots were a savage tribe of Indians living mostly in Connecticut (T 64). In June, 1634, the Indians. treacherously murdered

two white men who had long been in the habit of visiting them to trade. In August, 1635, they inhumanly murdered a whole

Indian War Club.

family, and soon afterwards the wife and children of another family near Hartford. These unprovoked acts of barbarity kindled the resentment of the English, and they began making preparations to exterminate the cruel tribe of Pequots. The Indians then sent messengers with gifts to the governor. Their attempts to conciliate the English, however, were in vain.

109. Treaty soon broken. Again they sent messengers with a large quantity of wampum as a present to the governor and council. A treaty of peace was concluded, to which the Pequots readily agreed. It was not long, however, before the treacherous Indians commenced again their brutal murders. A severe war now ensued. The Pequots, in June, 1636, attacked Fort Saybrook, in which were about twenty men. The attacking party numbered one hundred and fifty. The firing of a cannon from the fort produced such deadly execution among the Indians, huddled together as they were, that they soon retreated, leaving their dead. and wounded, about twenty in number, behind them. In this attack the English sustained no loss.

110. War general. Soon after this, Captain Endicott proceeded against Block Island, which was inhabited by Pequots, killed many Indians, destroyed their wigwams and supplies, and then sailed away to the Connecticut coast. The Indians on the mainland at once made cruel war upon the English. The Connecticut Colony suffered most. Troops were sent from Massachusetts to aid in the contest. Roger Williams, of Rhode Island, performed heroic service.

at this critical juncture. Alone and unarmed, he travelled more than twenty miles through the wilderness to the Narragansetts, and at the risk of his life entreated them not to join the Pequots in their war against the English. He succeeded in persuading them to keep the peace.

111. War continued. The English now showed no mercy. The war continued through 1636 and the spring and early summer of 1637. The report of the unprovoked cruelties and savage barbarities of the Pequots roused the other colonies to the most spirited exertions. Massachusetts determined to send two hundred men, and Plymouth Colony forty more, to assist in prosecuting the war. A severe engagement took place in May, near Fort Saybrook, on the Connecticut. Several engagements followed, with terrible results to the Indians. A severe battle took place in the latter part of May, 1637, near Groton. The Indians were encamped in a thick swamp, but they were surrounded by the English and their Indian allies, and after a severe engagement the wigwams were set on fire, and but few Indians escaped. Eighty wigwams were burned and upwards of eight hundred Indians destroyed. The loss of the English was comparatively small, not exceeding twenty-five killed and wounded.

Indian Snow Shoes.

112. Results. The war had been a terrible one. It was characterized by much personal bravery. A large proportion of the several colonies were put to great and immediate danger; but they were so resolute that although greatly outnumbered by the Indians, they were entirely successful, and the Indians were utterly vanquished. By the bravery and unconquerable resolution of less than one hundred men, Connecticut was saved and the most warlike tribe of Indians in New England completely exterminated. A league called the United Colonies of New England was formed in 1643 (¶ 189).

CHAPTER XVII.

PHILIP OF POKANOKET.

113. The Pokanokets. — In the early history of New England the Wampanoags, or Pokanokets, were a strong and numerous tribe of Indians, occupying considerable territory in the southeastern part of Massachusetts, and in Rhode Island, bordering upon Narragansett Bay. For forty years after the settlement of Plymouth the chief or king of this tribe was the good Massasoit. His home was at Sowams, which is the site of the present town of Warren, Rhode Island. The whole region was called Pokanoket. Massasoit was always friendly to the whites, and gave shelter to Roger Williams during those fourteen weeks of winter weather (¶ 66).

The settlers of Plymouth were very fortunate in that the Indians did not disturb them during the terrors of the first winter. In fact, they saw nothing of them, and it was not until the next spring that they were terrified by the sight of an Indian approaching the village. The fear was partially relieved by the first words which he uttered: "Welcome, Englishmen." This Indian was Samoset, who had learned to speak a little English from some fishermen along the coast of Maine. Samoset proved a true friend indeed to the colonists, and was in the habit of mingling freely with them. He brought the chief of the Indians of the vicinity, named Massasoit, to visit the village, and Governor Bradford was able to make a treaty with him. This treaty was kept by both parties; and in spite of a few hostile threats, the Indians did not attack Plymouth for about fifty years.

114. King Philip. Philip, the son of Massasoit, became the sachem of his tribe about 1661. From that time, for fourteen years he was constantly engaged in plotting against the whites. Again and again was he charged with conspiracy against them, which he invariably denied. He frequently made treaties and affected friendship with the whites, only to break his promises and renew his plottings. Philip made strenuous efforts to secure the aid of the Narragansett tribe, living in Rhode Island. He determined upon the annihilation of the English at all hazards. He was a man of great courage, strong will, and invincible determination.

115. The War begun. -The first blow fell upon the people of Swansea, on Thursday, June 24, 1675. For more than a year the savages carried on their aggressive warfare, skulking here and there, pouncing upon unarmed citizens, burning towns, and killing

with merciless cruelty men, women, and children alike. The towns destroyed and injured were scattered over Massachusetts and Rhode Island, extending from Taunton, Swansea, and Rehoboth on the one side, to Springfield, Northampton, and Deerfield on the other.

116. The Great Swamp Fight - The Narragansetts finally joined Philip, and fortified themselves in a great fort situated within a

swamp in Rhode Island. Here, in December, 1675, the Indians were attacked by a large body of troops from the several New England colonies. The contest was long and bloody, but the

Indians were completely destroyed. Their wigwams, numbering at least five hundred, were burned. Their corn, stores, and

utensils, with many of their men, women, and children perished in

the flames. More than a thousand Indians were killed. It was the greatest defeat the Indians had ever sustained.

117. The Final Struggle. Philip was now hunted from place to place. His followers had either been overcome in battle or had deserted him, until he was left with but a handful of his former