Upon the following day many petty sachems came to Sowams to pay their respects to their white allies. They entertained the strangers by playing various games, the stakes being skins and knives. The Englishmen challenged them to a shooting match for skins, but they “durst not” accept the challenge. They, however, desired one of the two to shoot at a mark, “who shooting with hail shot (bird shot) they wondered to see the mark so full of holes.” This “shooting at a mark” is the first instance of target practice by a white man within the limits of Rhode Island of which we have any record. On Friday morning Winslow and Hopkins took their departure from Sowams, carrying with them some seed corn which Massasoit had given them. The sachem earnestly entreated them to prolong their stay; but the Englishmen “desired to keep the Sabbath at home,” so declined the invitation. They reached Plymouth, on Saturday night, “wet, weary, and surbated,” indeed, yet with the satisfaction of feeling that the object of their mission had been attained. In March, 1623, “news came to Plymouth that Massasoit was like to die; and that, at the same time, there was a Dutch ship driven so high on the shore by stress of weather, right before his dwelling that, till the tides increased she could not be got off.” Upon receipt of this intelligence Governor Bradford deemed it expedient to dispatch a second expedition to Sowams for the two-fold purpose of expressing his friendship for the Wampanoag chief and obtaining “some conference with the Dutch.” Edward Winslow was again selected as the government’s messenger, having for a “consort” a certain Master John Hamden, “a gentleman of London” (supposed by some to be the famous parliamentarian of that name) and for a guide, the friendly native Hobbamock. The party followed the ancient Indian trail, and, upon nearing Mattapoiset, were informed that Massasoit was “dead and buried.” Hobbamock desired the Englishmen to “return with all speed” to Plymouth, but Winslow being anxious, if the king was indeed dead, to enter into friendly relations with his successor, decided to continue the journey. At Mattapoiset, the wife of Corbitant, sachem of the Pocassets, gave the travellers “friendly entertainment,” and, as no definite information regarding Massasoit’s condition was obtainable, Winslow dispatched a messenger to Pokanoket to ascertain the truth. The messenger returning in a few hours, brought the welcome intelligence that the chief was still living though critically ill. “Much revived” at these tidings, Winslow and his companions “set forward with all speed” and arrived at their destination “late within night.” They found Massasoit yet alive, though apparently very near his end. The Dutch ship, however, had departed “about two of the clock that afternoon,” so that, as regarded one of its intents, their “journey was frustrate.”