I Took The Chief Of Thes Indians By The
Haire, Who Had Adopted Me For His Sonn, & I Demanded Of Him Who Hee Was.
Hee Answered, "Thy Father." "Well," Said I, "If Thou Art My Father & Dost
Love Me, & If Thou Art The Chief, Speak For Me.
Thou art master of my
Goods; this Dogg that spoke but now, what doth hee heare?
Let him begon to
his brethren, the English in the Bay; but I mistake, hee need not goe so
farr, hee may see them in the Island," intimating unto them that I had
overcom the English. "I know very well," said I, continueing my discours to
my Indian father, "what woods are, & what 'tis to leave one's wife & run
the danger of dying with hunger or to bee kill'd by one's Ennemys. You
avoide all these dangers in coming unto us. So that I see plainly 'tis
better for you to trade with us than with the others; yet I will have pitty
on this wretch, & will spare his life, though hee has a desire to goe unto
our Ennemys." I caused a sword-blade to bee brought me, & I said unto him
that spake, "Heere, take this, & begon to your brethren, the English; tell
them my name, & that I will goe take them." There was a necessity I should
speak after this rate in this juncture, or else our trade had ben ruin'd
for ever. Submit once unto the Salvages, & they are never to bee recalled.
Having said what I had a mind to say unto the Indian, I went to withdraw
with my Brother-in-Law; but wee were both stop't by the chief of the
Indians, who incouraged us, saying, Wee are men; wee force nobody; every
one was free, & that hee & his Nation would hold true unto us; that hee
would goe perswade the Nations to come unto us, as hee had alredy don, by
the presents wee had sent them by him; desiring wee would accept of his, &
that wee would trade at our own discretion. Therupon the Indian that spake,
unto whom I had presented the sword, being highly displeas'd, said hee
would kill the Assempoits if they came downe unto us. I answer'd him I
would march into his country & eate Sagamite in the head of the head of his
grandmother, which is a great threat amongst the Salvages, & the greatest
distast can bee given them. At the same instant I caus'd the presents to be
taken up & distributed, 3 fathom of black tobacco, among the Salvages that
were content to bee our friends; saying, by way of disgrace to him that
appear'd opposit to us, that hee should goe smoak in the country of the
tame woolfe women's tobacco. I invited the others to a feast; after which
the salvages traded with us for their Beavors, & wee dismissed them all
very well sattisfy'd.
Having ended my business with the Indians, I imbark'd without delay to goe
back, & I found the new England shipp at anchor over against Mr. Bridgar's
House, as I had order'd. I went into the House & caus'd an Inventory to be
taken of all that was there.
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