Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, Vol. 22, November, 1878Various
History
Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, Vol. 22, November, 1878
Various
Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals; Science -- Periodicals
Soon we pass through the Hither Woods, and with them leave behind the
last remnant of the forest that formerly covered Montauk. All else, to
where Womponomon--the Indian name of the eastern point--juts out into
the sea, are hills and rolling downs which rise and fall like the sea
when the waves are running "mountains high." Here and there we pass a
pond, and often startle the cattle that graze over the greater part of
Montauk; and at length pause, spellbound by the view from the hills
looking down upon Fort Pond, or Kongonock. The road runs past its
southern extremity, where, until the embankment was built, the
ocean-surf frequently broke across; and after passing this plain, called
Fithian's, we find ourselves a very short distance south of the site of
the old Indian village. The hill about halfway between the two ends of
the pond on its eastern side was once occupied by an Indian fort, and
between it and us lies the valley where were clustered the wigwams of
Wyandanch and his tribe. He figures in history as the staunch and often
severely-tried ally of the whites, and was the lifelong friend of Lion
Gardiner. His warriors were, hyperbolically, "as many as the spires of
the grass" until reduced by sickness and battle. The Narragansetts
pursued him with an insatiate and vindictive hate, and this peaceful
valley was once the scene of a bloody tragedy from which the Montauketts
never recovered. Wyandanch had pursued a party of Narragansetts to Block
Island, and killed a great number of them. To retaliate, Ninicraft (or
Ninigret) invaded Montauk, and on the night of the nuptials of the
chief's daughter fell upon the village, burned, sacked and slew, and, in
spite of Wyandanch's bravery, totally defeated his followers. Among the
fallen was the bridegroom, and beside his dead body the invaders found
the bride in a stupor of grief. She was hurried away, an unresisting
captive, but was ultimately restored to her father by the exertions of
Lion Gardiner. In 1659, Wyandanch died from the effects of poison, and
with him went out the glory of his tribe. Piece after piece, the lands
he had held were ceded to the whites, and the royal line of Faro came to
an end. In 1819 "King" Stephen died, and was buried by subscription. His
distinctive badge consisted of a yellow ribbon round his hat. After him
others reigned, and although the royal family long ago became extinct,
the name of king or chief is still retained. The late holder of the
title was David Faro, and he reigned over two families, his own and the
Fowlers. He will probably be succeeded by his cousin Stephen, an
athletic gentleman and a full-blooded Indian, who is said to have walked
in one day from Brooklyn to Montauk, and who thinks little of stepping
from Montauk to Bridgehampton, thence to Sag Harbor for dinner, and so
on back to Montauk. The late chief left a widow and five children. The
eldest is a boy named Wyandanch, who occasionally visits the few houses
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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