Great Events in the History of North and South AmericaGoodrich, Charles A. (Charles Augustus)
History
Great Events in the History of North and South America
Goodrich, Charles A. (Charles Augustus)
North America -- History; South America -- History; United States -- History
The only exception to his feelings of friendship for the new comers,
arose from the affair of Squanto, as has been already detailed.
Massasoit could not but feel aggrieved; but a sort of necessity seemed
to be laid upon them to secure the good offices of Squanto, and they
could not know, perhaps, how far he was implicated in wrong. Indeed,
it is stated that at one time they were about to deliver up Squanto to
Massasoit's men, but that the latter, in their impatience at the
delay, went off in a rage.
Sometime during the next summer, Massasoit was visited by several of the
English, among whom were Mr. Edward Winslow, Mr. Stephen Hopkins, and
Squanto, their interpreter. The object they had in view was to ascertain
his place of residence, in the event of having to call on him for
assistance, to cement and continue their begun friendship, and
particularly to induce him to restrain his men in regard to their visits
to the colony, as it was a time of scarcity, and they could not afford
to support such vagabonds. They took presents with them, in order to
render their visit agreeable to the sagamore, and such was the effect
produced. Massasoit was absent at the time, but, being immediately sent
for, he soon returned to meet his guests. The report of their guns, upon
hearing he was on the way, frightened the Indian women and children to
such a degree, that they all fled; but their salutation in the same
manner to Massasoit as he drew near, very greatly elated him. He
welcomed his guests with kindness, and took them into his house; but
they had sorry accommodations and scanty fare. Except tobacco for
smoking, their entertainment for the first night was only a supperless
bed, as he had no victuals to give them. Their bed, if it might be so
called, consisted only of planks, raised a foot from the ground, with a
thin mat upon them, with a mixed company to occupy it, so that they were
"worse weary of" their "lodgings, than of" their "journey." After
fasting two nights and one day, they partook of a scanty, but "timely"
meal of boiled fish. In the language of the times, it is related: "Very
importunate was he 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 the want of sleep--for what with bad lodging, the savages' barbarous
singing (for they used to sing themselves to sleep), lice, and fleas,
within doors, and musketoes 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
Friday morning, before the sun rising, we took our leave and departed,
Massasoit being both grieved and ashamed that he could no better
entertain us."
[Illustration: Governor Winslow's visit to Massasoit during his
sickness.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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