Lives of Famous Indian Chiefs: From Cofachiqui, the Indian Princess, and Powhatan; down to and including Chief Joseph and Geronimo. Also an answer, from the latest research, of the query, Whence came the Indian? Together with a number of thrillingly interesting Indian stories and anecdotes from historyWood, Norman B. (Norman Barton)
History
Lives of Famous Indian Chiefs: From Cofachiqui, the Indian Princess, and Powhatan; down to and including Chief Joseph and Geronimo. Also an answer, from the latest research, of the query, Whence came the Indian? Together with a number of thrillingly interesting Indian stories and anecdotes from history
Wood, Norman B. (Norman Barton)
Indians -- Origin; Indians of North America -- Anecdotes; Indians of North America -- Biography
twenty which Massasoit brought with him into the village, delicately
leaving twice as many with the arms of all behind him, as he afterward
exchanged six hostages for one. No wonder the colonists 'could not yet
conceive but that he was willing to have peace with them.'"
Massasoit was unique among Indian sachems, in the fact that he was ever a
lover of peace; nor is he known to have been once engaged in waging war
with the powerful and warlike tribes who environed his territory. All the
native tribes of New England but the Pokanoket confederation were involved
in dissensions and wars with each other and the white settlers; and all
shared sooner or later the fate which he avoided. This chief vied with
Canonicus and Miantonomoh, the Narragansett sachems, in giving a hearty
welcome to Roger Williams at the time of his banishment from Salem, when
he "fled from Christians to the savages, who knew and loved him, till at
last he reached the kind-hearted but stupid Indian heathen, Massasoit."
These three friends in his time of distress shouted their welcome
salutation of "Wha-cheer, wha-cheer?" and grasped his hand with cordial
sympathy as he stepped ashore.
The reason for this warm welcome accorded Roger Williams the Baptist, the
father of "soul liberty," is obvious when it is remembered that he took
great interest in the Indians, so mastering their dialects as to be able to
prepare "a key to the languages of America." Except Eliot, his coworker, he
was the most successful missionary among the Indians of this period. "My
soul's desire," he said, "was to do the natives good." And later he wrote.
"God was pleased to give me a painful patient spirit, to lodge with them in
their filthy, smoky holes to gain their tongue."
While at Plymouth he had written a pamphlet against the validity of the
colonial charter and submitted it to Governor Bradford. This he afterward
published while at Salem, and in it he said: "Why lay such stress upon your
patent from King James? Tis but idle parchment; James has no more right to
give away or sell Massasoit's lands, and cut and carve his country, than
Massasoit has to sell James' kingdom or to send his Indians to colonize
Warwickshire." Thus did he run a tilt against the established law and order
of his time; but while it endeared him to Massasoit, who became to him "a
friend in need and a friend in deed," it led to his banishment from Salem
"in winter snow and inclement weather"--without guide, without food,
without shelter, he suffered tortures. "Fourteen weeks," he wrote, "I Was
sorely tossed in a bitter season, not knowing what bread or bed did mean."
He must inevitably have perished in the frozen wilderness without giving to
the world his immortal idea, had he not found shelter and food with
Massasoit.
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