Soon after this ship’s departure, the great Narragansett tribe, in a braving manner, sent a messenger to them with a bundle of arrows tied about with a great snake skin, which their interpreters told them was a threatening challenge. Upon which the Governor, with the advice of the others, sent them a round answer, that if they would rather have war than peace, they might begin when they would; they had done them no wrong, neither did they fear them, nor would they find them unprepared. They sent the snake skin back by another messenger with bullets in it; but they would not receive it, and returned it again. These things I need merely mention, because they are fully dealt with in print by Mr. Winslow, at the request of some friends. The reason was probably their own ambition, thinking, since the death of so many of the Indians, to domineer and lord it over the rest, and that the English would be a bar in their way, Massasoyt having taken shelter already under their wings.
But this made the settlers more careful to look to themselves. They agreed to enclose their dwellings in a good strong stockade and make flankers in convenient places, with gates to shut. These they locked every night, and a watch was kept, and when need required there were also outposts in the day-time. The colonists, at the Captain’s and Governor’s advice, were divided into four squadrons, and every one had his quarter appointed, to which to repair at any sudden alarm; and in case of fire, a company with muskets was appointed as a guard, to prevent Indian treachery, whilst the others quenched it. This was accomplished very cheerfully, and the town was enclosed by the beginning of March, every family having a pretty garden plot.
Herewith I shall end this year—except to recall one more incident, rather amusing than serious. On Christmas Day, the Governor called the people out to work as usual; but most of the new company excused themselves, and said it went against their consciences to work on that day. So the Governor told them, if they made it a matter of conscience, he would spare them till they were better informed. So he went with the rest, and left them; but on returning from work at noon he found them at play in the street, some pitching the bar, some at stool-ball, and such like sports. So he went to them and took away their games, and told them that it was against his conscience that they should play and others work. If they made the keeping of the day a matter of devotion, let them remain in their houses; but there should be no gaming and revelling in the streets. Since then, nothing has been attempted in that way, at least openly.
CHAPTER III
Weston abandons the Settlement—Dissensions among the Adventurers in England—Weston’s plan for a Colony, and arrival of Sixty Settlers for it—News from Captain Huddleston of massacre in Virginia—Fort built at New Plymouth—Death of Squanto—Weston’s Colony in difficulties: 1622.
They had arranged with the Massachusetts to go again and trade with them in the spring, and began to prepare for the voyage about the latter end of March. But Hobbamok, their Indian, told them that, from some rumours he had heard, he feared they had joined the Narragansetts and might betray them if they were not careful. He also intimated some suspicion of Squanto, from what he had observed of some private whisperings between him and other Indians. But they resolved to proceed, and sent out their shallop with ten of their chief men about the beginning of April, both Squanto and Hobbamok with them, considering the jealousy between them. But they had not been gone long from the settlement, before an Indian belonging to Squanto’s family came running in, apparently in great fear, and told them that many of the Narragansetts with Corbitant, and he thought also Massasoyt, were coming to attack them; and he got away to tell them, not without danger. And being examined by the Governor, he made as if the enemy were at hand, and kept looking back as if they were at his heels. At which the Governor ordered the settlers to take arms and stand on their guard; and believing the boat would be still within hearing, since it was calm, he caused a warning piece or two to be shot off, which they heard and returned. But no Indians appeared, and though watch was kept all night, nothing was seen. Hobbamok was confident of Massasoyt’s good faith and thought it was all false. But the Governor had him send his wife privately to see what she could observe, on pretence of other purposes, but nothing was found and all was quiet. So they proceeded on their voyage to the Massachusetts and had good trade, and returned in safety blessed be God!
But by what had passed they began to see that Squanto sought his own ends and played his own game, by frightening the Indians and getting gifts from them for himself, making them believe he could stir up war against them if he would, and make peace for whom he would. He even made them believe the English kept the plague buried in the ground, and could send it among them whenever they wished, which terrified the Indians and made them more dependent on him than on Massasoyt. This made him envied, and was likely to have cost him his life; for, after discovering this, Massasoyt sought it both privately and openly. This caused Squanto to stick close to the English, and he never dared leave them till he died. The colony also made good use of the emulation between Hobbamok and him, which made them behave more squarely, the Governor seeming to countenance the one and the Captain the other, by which they procured better intelligence and made them both more zealous in their service.
Now their provisions were practically all exhausted and they looked anxiously for supplies, but none came. About the latter end of May, however, they spied a boat at sea, which at first they thought was some Frenchman; but it proved to be a shallop which came from a ship which Mr. Weston and another man had sent out fishing at a place called Damariscove, 40 leagues to the eastward of them, where that year many ships had come to fish. This boat brought seven passengers and some letters, but no provisions and no hope of any. Part of this letter I will give.