The Pilgrims of New England: A Tale of the Early American SettlersWebb, J. B., Mrs. (Annie)
History
The Pilgrims of New England: A Tale of the Early American Settlers
Webb, J. B., Mrs. (Annie)
Pilgrims (New Plymouth Colony) -- Fiction
One of the first acts of his administration, as Governor of New
Plymouth, was to send another embassy to Masasoyt, the Great Sagamore
of the whole Wampanoge tribe, in order to strengthen and confirm his
present amicable feelings towards the white men, by means of presents,
and other marks of friendship. Squanto, as usual, accompanied the
party as interpreter; and nothing could be more satisfactory than the
interview proved to all parties, especially to the Indian Chief, who
was made both proud and happy by the gift of a red military coat,
adorned with silver lace. This he immediately put on, over the paint
and other savage ornaments in which he was decorated for the state
occasion; and he greatly diverted the members of the embassy by the
increased air of dignity that he assumed, and the grandiloquous manner
in which he began to extol his own power and glory.
'Am I not,' he exclaimed, in a loud voice, 'Masasoyt, the great king?
Am I not lord of all the people of the Lowsons; and of such and such
places? And he enumerated nearly thirty uncouth Indian names of places
over which he claimed sovereignty, his wild subjects uttering a yell of
joy and exultation in answer to each word he uttered. The savage
monarch then proceeded to ratify and augment the agreement into which
he had already catered with Edward Winslow, and promised to guarantee
to the English settlers an exclusive trade with his tribe; at the same
time entreating them to prevent his powerful enemies, the
Narragansetts, from carrying on a commercial intercourse with the
French colonists.
Notwithstanding the boasted power of this 'Chief of chiefs,' the
scarcity of provisions was so great in his village of Packanokick at
the time of this embassy, that he was only able to offer his white
friends one meal during their visit to him, which lasted a day and two
nights; and this solitary display of regal hospitality consisted of two
large fishes just caught in a neighboring lake, and which were divided
amongst forty hungry persons. In spite of this temporary distress, he
pressed the deputation to remain longer with him; but the object of
their mission having been attained, they were glad to leave the
residence of the Sagamore, which possessed far less of comfort and
civilization than were to be found in the picturesque summer camp of
his son and inferior Sachem, Mooanam.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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