On the contrary, in the month of March, three months only after their settlement, an Indian marched boldly into their little town of Plymouth, and astonished them by exclaiming, “Welcome, Englishmen! Welcome!” He was Samosit, chief of the tribe of Wampanoags, who inhabited the country at about five days’ journey from the coast, and who had learned a few words of English from English fishermen who frequented it; and now in the name of his nation he bade them welcome to the soil which there were no Indian occupants to claim. Samosit was hospitably treated, and again returned accompanied by Squanto the Indian, who, having in 1614 been kidnapped by Hunt, had escaped from Spain to England, where he lived some years. An amicable and easy intercourse was thus established with the Indians. From him they learned that Masassoit, the greatest of the Indian sachems or kings, was at that very time advancing with his brother and a great company to visit them.
Preparations were made to receive this great Indian chief, with such respect as the state of the colony permitted. Two knives, a copper chain, with a jewel in it, were presented to him; and to his brother a knife and a jewel, with a pot of strong water, some biscuit and butter. Speeches were mutually made, refreshments partaken of, and finally a league of amity formed, which was inviolably observed for above fifty years.
The first marriage in the colony was solemnised on the 12th of May.
Bradford, who on the death of Carver had been appointed governor of the colony, shortly after the visit of Masassoit, sent two of the colonists, Winslow and Hopkins, with Squanto as their guide, to explore the country and confirm the league of amity. They found the country still almost depopulated; they passed through fine old corn-fields and meadows, but there were neither cattle nor inhabitants; heaps of bones lay where had dwelt and died the former inhabitants. They were kindly received by Masassoit, at his residence at Pokanoket, forty miles from Plymouth.
The English having thus secured the friendship of Masassoit, other sachems sought their alliance also, and a powerful chief, who threatened them with hostilities, was compelled to sue for peace.
In 1622, a colony of sixty persons, the “unruly company” already mentioned, having finally settled at Weymouth, the first colony in Boston harbour, were soon reduced to great want; and having excited the Indians by their injustice and violence, a plot was formed utterly to destroy them. The execution of this was, however, prevented by Masassoit, who being ill, and as was reported at the point of death, recovered in consequence of medicines administered by Winslow, who had been sent from Plymouth to visit him. In gratitude for this kind service, he revealed the plot of the Massachusetts Indians against the Weymouth colony; and governor Bradford sent out Standish with eight men, to apprise them of their danger, and to aid them in opposing it. The colony, saved by the intrepidity of Standish, was, after this, soon dispersed, some joining the people of Plymouth, and the rest returning to London. The victory of Standish was very decisive, and inspired the Indians with great terror. As a peace-offering they afterwards despatched a small boat, laden with presents, to the governor of Plymouth, but it was wrecked and three of its crew drowned, which still further impressed the minds of the savages. They recalled the prediction of one of their older chiefs, and declared that the God of the English was angry with them, and that the destruction of their nation was at hand. When the good pastor Robinson heard of this slaughter of the Indians, he wrote to his friends in great sorrow: “Oh how happy a thing it would have been if you had converted some before you killed any.”
The settlement of Plymouth proving but a poor investment of capital to the London merchants, who had embarked in it as a mercantile speculation, was soon not only disregarded by them, but a trading vessel was sent out to their shore, the object of which was to compete with them in their trade with the Indians. On this, Winslow was sent over to London, to purchase for himself and seven others the entire shares of the London adventurers. The purchase was made, and six years’ monopoly of trade with the Indians freed the colony of its burdens.
Plymouth now began to flourish; the land was equitably divided; each man laboured for himself and his family, burdened neither by debt to foreign usurers, nor having to provide for “quarter-day.” Their government was a pure democracy; each male inhabitant had a vote, the governor had two. Admirable and loyal as was the conduct of the Plymouth colony, and deep root as it had immediately taken in the soil to which the Indians themselves had made them welcome, they found it impossible to obtain a charter from King James. They possessed, therefore, according to English law, no right to assume a separate jurisdiction. “It was,” says Bancroft, “the virtues of the colonists alone which gave them stability.”
The progress of population was slow, nevertheless their enterprise took a wide range. They were soon possessed of Cape Ann; they had an extensive domain on the Kennebec, and a settlement on the Connecticut. Numbers of their brethren followed them from Leyden; but their excellent pastor Robinson, like Moses himself, was not permitted to enter the land of promise. He died at Leyden in 1625, to the great grief of the Pilgrims, who had not appointed a minister for their church, Elder Brewster merely officiating until he should arrive and assume the ministry. His wife and children, with others, afterwards emigrated.
Ten years from its first establishment, New Plymouth was possessed of only 300 inhabitants. It had grown like the oak and the teak tree, slowly, but it was firm as iron to the very core. Religious liberty was the purpose of the first settlers, and they desired no increase but of men like-minded with themselves. “Out of small beginnings,” said Governor Bradford, “great things have been produced; and as one small candle may light a thousand, so the light here kindled hath shone to many, yea to our whole nation.”