“’Tis not the peäg,” said the sagamore, “Nor knives, nor guns, nor garments red as blood, That buy the lands I hold dominion o’er-- Lands that were fashioned by the red man’s God; But to my friend I give, and take no more Than to his generous bosom seemeth good; But still we pass the belt, and for the lands, He strengthens mine, and I make strong his hands.” XXIII. “Weak is my hand, brave chief,” our Sire replied; “Aid do I need, but none can I bestow; Yet on the vacant plain, by Seekonk’s tide, I fain would build, and peaceful neighbors know; But if my brother has that plain denied, Far tow’rds the setting sun will Williams go, And on the lands of other chiefs abide, Whose blankets are with ampler room supplied.” XXIV. As thus our Founder spake, this murmur low Circled that savage group of warriors round, “The stranger will to Narraganset go!” “A hungry wolf shall in his path be found!” Rejoined stern Corbitant, whose eyes did glow With kindling wrath;--then from his belt unbound His hatchet and beneath his blanket hid;-- Warrior to warrior glanced, as this he did. XXV. Again Haup’s Sachem broke the fearful pause: “Brother, be wise; I gave thy brethren lands; They smoked my pipe, and they espoused my cause; They made me strong; and all the neighboring bands Forsook the Narraganset Sachem’s laws[14] And mine obeyed.--We weakened hostile hands; All dropt their arms and looked, but looked in vain, For my white friends to measure back the main. [14] See notes to Canto Fourth. XXVI. “This leaf, which budded of their hope, now dies; The Narraganset warriors crest their hair; Their hatchets keen from troubled slumber rise And through Coweset make their edges glare; Chiefs strike the war-post,--blood is in their cries, And fierce their yells cleave Pokanoket’s air; They count already with revengeful eyes The future scalps of vanquished enemies;-- XXVII. “And all for Wampanoag’s life-blood crave. On Seekonk’s marge the storm of war will burst; Lands might I give thee there but that the wave Will there run red with human slaughter first. And yet my brother and his friends are brave; His bulwarks there with guardian thunders pierced, Might frown on harm;--for surely he would fight Both for his own and for the giver’s right. XXVIII. “And when the Narragansets by our arms Are from the Seekonk driven far away, No more molested by the wild alarms Of scalping knife and tomahawk’s affray, We may together sit, secure from harms, And smoke the calumet from day to day; And our descendants, all the years to come, Have but one fire--one undivided home.” XXIX.