“Spake, in the pride of his heart, Miles Standish, the captain of Plymouth: ‘Look at these arms,’ he said, ‘the warlike weapons that hang here, Burnished, and bright, and clean, as if for parade or inspection. This is the sword of Damascus I fought with in Flanders. This breastplate— Well I remember the day—once saved my life in a skirmish. There in front you can see the very dint of the bullet Fired point-blank at my heart by a Spanish Arcabucero. Had it not been of shear-steel, the forgotten bones of Miles Standish Would at this moment be mould in their grave in the Flemish morasses. Look! you can see from this window my brazen howitzer, planted High on the roof of the church—a preacher who speaks to the purpose, Steady, straight forward, and strong, with irresistible logic; Orthodox, flashing conviction right into the hearts of the heathen. Now we are ready, I think, for an assault of the Indians. Let them come, if they like, and the sooner they try it the better. Let them come, if they like, be it sagamore, sachem, or pow-wow, Aspinet, Samoset, Corbitant, Squanto, or Tokamahamon.’”[344] When, in the preceding summer, the Pilgrims had visited Massachusetts bay, they had promised the tribes in that vicinity to come again in the next spring and renew a trade with them. Now, in the latter part of March, Standish and his friends commenced preparations for this voyage. Rumors, constantly renewed, still foreboded an outbreak against the peace and safety of the little commonwealth; and though the winter had been spent without the yell of the war-whoop, Bradford’s fast friend, Habbamak, strongly advised against the expedition of Standish, since he feared that the northeastern tribes were in close league with the Narragansetts, and anxious to precipitate a war.[345] Finally the colonists concluded to undertake the expedition, but to do so with extreme caution.[346] Accordingly, Standish embarked. He had not sailed far, ere he was becalmed. Suddenly he heard a cannon-shot, the signal of danger. Instantly putting about, he bade his men row with their utmost strength and skill. Soon Plymouth was reached, and Standish learned that, just as he had sailed, an Indian, one of Squanto’s family, had brought word that the Narragansetts, with Corbitant and Massasoit, were marching on the settlement.[347] Habbamak was confident that, even if this tale were true, Massasoit was not on the war-path; so confident, that he sent his squaw, under pretence of some message, to spy out the facts in the great sagamore’s village.[348] Meantime watch was kept through the night, and the whole settlement rested on its arms.[349]