A Journal of the Pilgrims at Plymouth; Mourt's Relation: A Relation or Journal of the English Plantation settled at Plymouth in New England, by Certain English adventurers both merchants and others
History
A Journal of the Pilgrims at Plymouth; Mourt's Relation: A Relation or Journal of the English Plantation settled at Plymouth in New England, by Certain English adventurers both merchants and others
Massachusetts -- History -- New Plymouth, 1620-1691; Pilgrims (New Plymouth Colony) -- Early works to 1800
Friday, the 16th, a fair warm day towards; this morning we determined to
conclude of the military orders, which we had begun to consider of
before but were interrupted by the savages, as we mentioned formerly.
And whilst we were busied hereabout, we were interrupted again, for
there presented himself a savage, which caused an alarm. He very boldly
came all alone and along the houses straight to the rendezvous, where we
intercepted him,[72] not suffering him to go in, as undoubtedly he
would, out of his boldness. He saluted us in English, and bade us
welcome, for he had learned some broken English among the Englishmen
that came to fish at Monchiggon,[73] and knew by name the most of the
captains, commanders, and masters that usually come. He was a man free
in speech, so far as he could express his mind, and of a seemly
carriage. We questioned him of many things; he was the first savage we
could meet withal. He said he was not of these parts, but of
Morattiggon,[73] and one of the sagamores or lords thereof, and had been
eight months in these parts, it lying hence a day’s sail with a great
wind, and five days by land. He discoursed of the whole country, and of
every province, and of their sagamores, and their number of men, and
strength. The wind beginning to rise a little, we cast a horseman’s coat
about him, for he was stark naked, only a leather about his waist, with
a fringe about a span[74] long, or little more; he had a bow and two
arrows, the one headed, and the other unheaded. He was a tall straight
man, the hair of his head black, long behind, only short before, none on
his face at all; he asked some beer, but we gave him strong water[75]
and biscuit, and butter, and cheese, and pudding, and a piece of
mallard, all which he liked well, and had been acquainted with such
amongst the English. He told us the place where we now live is called
Patuxet, and that about four years ago all the inhabitants died of an
extraordinary plague,[76] and there is neither man, woman, nor child
remaining, as indeed we have found none, so as there is none to hinder
our possession, or to lay claim unto it. All the afternoon we spent in
communication with him; we would gladly have been rid of him at night,
but he was not willing to go this night. Then we thought to carry him on
shipboard, wherewith he was well content, and went into the shallop, but
the wind was high and the water scant, that it could not return back. We
lodged him that night at Stephen Hopkin’s house, and watched him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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