CONFERENCE WITH MASSASOIT. 209 XI. we stayed, he being sent for. When news was brought CHAP. of his coming, our guide Tisquantum requested that at our meeting we would discharge our pieces. But one 1621. July of us going about to charge his piece, the women 4. and children, through fear to see him take up his piece, ran away, and could not be pacified till he laid it down again; who afterward were better informed by our interpreter. Massasoyt being come, we discharged our pieces and saluted him; who, after their manner, kindly welcomed us, and took us into his house, and set us down by him; where, having delivered our foresaid message and presents, and having put the coat on his back and the chain about his neck, he was not a little proud to behold himself, and his men also to see their king so bravely attired. For answer to our message, he told us we were welcome, and he would gladly continue that peace and friendship which was between him and us; and, for his men, they should no more pester us as they had done; also, that he would send to Paomet, and would help us with corn for seed, according to our request. This being done, his men gathered near to him, to whom he turned himself and made a great speech; they sometimes interposing, and, as it were, confirming and applauding him in that he said. The meaning whereof was, as far as we could learn, thus: Was not he, Massasoyt, commander of the country about them? Was not such a town his, and the people of it? And should they not bring their skins unto us? To which they answered, they were his, and would be at peace with us, and bring their skins to us. After this manner he named at least thirty places, and their answer 210 A NIGHT AT POKANOKET. CHAP. was as aforesaid to every one; so that as it was delightful, it was tedious unto us. XI. 1621. July 5. This being ended, he lighted tobacco for us, and fell to discoursing of England and of the King's Majesty, marvelling that he would live without a wife.1 Also he talked of the Frenchmen, bidding us not to suffer them to come to Narrohigganset, for it was King James's country, and he also was King James's man. Late it grew, but victuals he offered none; for indeed he had not any, being he came so newly home. So we desired to go to rest. He laid us on the bed with himself and his wife, they at the one end and we at the other, it being only planks laid a foot from the ground and a thin mat upon them.2 Two more of his chief men, for want of room, pressed by and upon us; so that we were worse weary of our lodging than of our journey. The next day, being Thursday, many of their sachims, or petty governors, came to see us, and many of their men also. There they went to their manner of games for skins and knives. There we challenged them to shoot with them for skins, but they durst not; only they desired to see one of us shoot at a mark, who Anne of Denmark, the wife of James I. of England, died on the 2d of March, 1619, aged 45. 2 "In their wigwams," says Gookin, they make a kind of couch or mattress, firm and strong, raised about a foot high from the earth; first covered with boards that they split out of trees, and upon the boards they spread mats generally, and sometimes bear skins and deer skins. These are large enough for three or four persons to lodge upon; for their mattresses are 6 or 8 feet broad." Morton says, "Their lodging is made in three places of the house about the fire. They lie upon planks, commonly about a foot or eighteen inches above the ground, raised upon rails that are borne up upon forks. They lay mats under them, and coats of deer's skins, otters', beavers', racoons', and of bears' hides, all which they have dressed and converted into good leather, with the hair on, for their coverings; and in this manner they lie as warm as they desire." See Mass. Hist. Coll. i. 150, and New English Canaan, b. i. ch. 4. WANT OF FOOD. 211 shooting with hail-shot, they wondered to see the CHAP. mark so full of holes. XI. About one o'clock Massasoyt brought two fishes that 1621. he had shot; they were like bream, but three times so 1 big, and better meat. These being boiled, there were at least forty looked for share in them; the most eat of them. This meal only we had in two nights and a day; and had not one of us bought a partridge, we had taken our journey fasting. Very importunate he was to have us stay with them longer. But we desired to keep the Sabbath at home; and feared we should either be light-headed for want of sleep, for what with bad lodging, the savages' barbarous singing, (for they use to sing themselves asleep,) lice and fleas within doors, and mosquitoes without, we could hardly sleep all the time of our being there; we much fearing that if we should stay any longer, we should not be able to recover home for want of strength. So that on the Friday July morning, before sunrising, we took our leave and departed, Massasoyt being both grieved and ashamed that he could no better entertain us; and retaining Tisquantum to send from place to place to procure truck for us, and appointing another, called Tokamahamon, in his place, whom we had found faithful before and after upon all occasions. 2 At this town of Massasoyt's, where we before eat, we were again refreshed with a little fish, and bought about a handful of meal of their parched corn, which was very precious at that time of the year, and a small string of dried shell-fish, as big as oysters.3 The latter we gave to the six savages that accompanied us, keep 1 Probably the fish called tataug. Belknap's Am. Biog. ii. 288. 3 2 See note on page 187. 6. 212 A NIGHT AT TITICUT. CHAP. ing the meal for ourselves. When we drank, we eat XI. each a spoonful of it with a pipe of tobacco, instead of 1621. other victuals; and of this also we could not but give July them so long as it lasted. Five miles they led us to a house out of the way in hope of victuals; but we found nobody there, and so were but worse able to return home. That night we reached to the wear where we lay before; but the Namascheucks were returned, so that we had no hope of any thing there. One of the savages had shot a shad in the water, and a small squirrel, as big as a rat, called a neuxis; the one half of either he gave us, and after went to the wear to fish. From hence we wrote to Plymouth, and sent Tokamahamon before to Namasket, willing him from thence to send another, that he might meet us with food at Namasket. Two men now only remained with us; and it pleased God to give them good store of fish, so that we were well refreshed. After supper we went to rest, and they to fishing again. More they gat, and fell to eating afresh, and retained sufficient ready roast for all our breakfasts. About two o'clock in the morning, arose a great 7. storm of wind, rain, lightning, and thunder, in such violent manner that we could not keep in our fire; and had the savages not roasted fish when we were asleep, we had set forward fasting; for the rain still continued with great violence, even the whole day through, till we came within two miles of home. Being wet and weary, at length we came to Namaschet. There we refreshed ourselves, giving gifts to all such as had showed us any kindness. Amongst others, one of the six that came with us from Packanokick, having before this on the way unkindly forsaken us, marvelled we THE MESSENGERS REACH HOME. 213 XI. gave him nothing, and told us what he had done for CHAP. us. We also told him of some discourtesies he offered us, whereby he deserved nothing. Yet we gave him 1621. July a small trifle; whereupon he offered us tobacco. But 7. the house being full of people, we told them he stole some by the way, and if it were of that, we would not take it; for we would not receive that which was stolen, upon any terms; if we did, our God would be angry with us, and destroy us. This abashed him, But, at our depart and gave the rest great content. Undoubtedly the writer himself, Winslow. * Surbated, bruised, wearied. They had been absent five days. They started Tuesday morning, and reached Pokanoket on Wed- |