does that of the son, but is one of those cases more calculated to arouse the fiercer passions. The old chief fell into the hands of Captain Church, in one of his successful expeditions in the vicinity of Cape Cod. Church says, in his history, that he was "as noted a rogue as any among the enemy." Captain Church told him that the government would not permit him to grant him quarter," because of his inhuman murders and barbarities," and there fore ordered him to prepare for execution. "Barrow replied, that the sen tence of death against him was just, and that indeed he was ashamed to live any longer, and desired no more favor, than to smoke a whiff of tobacco before his execution. When he had taken a few whiffs, he said, 'I am ready;' upon which one of Captain Church's Indians sunk his hatchet into his brains."

TIASHQ* or TYASKS "was the next man to Philip," says Church; there were others also said to be "next to him,” and it may be all reconciled by supposing these chiefs as having the chief command over particular tribes. Mr. Hubbard says only this of the famous Tiashq: "In June last, [1676,] one Tiashq, a great captain of Philip's, his wife and child, or children, being taken, though he escaped himself at first, yet came since and surrendered himself." Dr. I. Mather, writing under date of 22 July, 1676, says it was "this week" that Captain Church and his Indian soldiers fell upon Tiashq and his company. It appears therefore that Mr. Hubbard is in error, as the account given by Church corroborates that of Mather, who speaks thus of his operations: "It having been his manner when he taketh any Indians by a promise of favor to them, in case they acquit themselves well, to set them an hunting after more of these wolves, whereby the worst of them sometimes do singular good service in finding out the rest of their bloody fellows. In one of these skirmishes, Tiashq, Philip's chief captain, ran away leaving his gun behind him, and his squaw, who was taken."§ These Indian soldiers, who performed this exploit, were forced upon it by Church. They had been seeking Indians about Aponaganset River, and discovered that a large company of them had just been gathering the apples at a deserted settlement on the east side of it. The English and Indians immediately pursued in their track. "Traveling three miles or more, they came into the country road, where the track parted: one parcel steered towards the west end of the great cedar swamp, and the other to the east end. The captain halted and told his Indian souldiers that they had heard as well as he what some men had said at Plymouth about them,¶ &c., that now was a good opportunity for each party to prove themselves. The track being divided, they should follow one, and the English the other, being equal in number. The Indians declined the motion, and were not willing to move any where without him: said they should not think themselves safe without him. But the captain insisting upon it, they submitted. He gave the Indians their choice to follow which track they pleased. They replied, They were light and able to travel, therefore if he pleased they would take the west track. And appointing the ruins of John Cook's house at Cushnet ** for the place to meet at, each company set out briskly to try their fortunes."†† When the parties met, “they very remarkably found that the number that each company had taken and slain was equal. The Indians had killed three of the enemy, and taken 63 prisoners, as the English had done before them." Both parties were much rejoiced at their successes, but the Indians, told Captain Church" that they had missed a brave opportunity by parting. They came upon a great town of the enemy, viz: Captain Tyasks' company. (Tyasks was the next man to

Narrative, 106. || Church, 33.

The detestation in which the Indians were held by "some men," in many other places as well as in Plimouth, will often appear in this work. Such people could know nothing of uman nature, and many would not have believed the Indians capable of good actions, though one from the dead had assured them they were.

**Abbreviated from Acushnet. See Douglass, Summary, i. 403, who writes it Accushnot. Thus many Indian names are changed. Instead of Aponaganset, we hear Ponaganset, and for Asonet, Sonet, &c. Cushnet is the river on which New Bedford and Fairhaven stand. tt Church, 34. ‡‡ Ibid. 36

248

#

MAGNUS.-HER SURPRISE AND DEATH.

[Воок ІІІ Philip.) They fired upon the enemy before they were discovered, and ran upon them with a shout. The men ran and left their wives and children and many of them their guns. They took Tyasks' wife and son, and thought that if their captain and the English company had been with them they might have taken some hundreds of them, and now they determined not to part any more." This transaction, in the opinion of Captain Church, was a "remarkable providence," inasmuch, perhaps, as the equality of their successes prevented either party from boasting, or claiming superiority over the other. Nevertheless, Church adds,-" But the Indians had the fortune to take more arms than the English." It would add not a little, perhaps, tc the gratification of the reader, could he know the name of the Indian captain in this far-famed exploit, or even that of one of his men; but at present they are hid alike from us and from him.

10000

CHAPTER IV.

Chief women conspicuous in Philip's war-MAGNUS-Her country and relationsHer capture and death-AWASHONKS-Is greatly annoyed in the events of 1671— Her men disarmed-Philip's endeavors to engage her against the English-Church prevents her-Is finally in the power of Philip-Reclaimed by Church—Some particulars of her family.

ALTHOUGH, before we had finished the life of Weetamoo, we deemed it proper to have deferred it to this chapter, but as we had been led rather imperceptibly into many particulars concerning her in that place, we could not break off our narrative without a greater impropriety than an omission here would have been, and shall therefore begin here with one of her contemporaries, the bare facts in whose life are sufficient to maintain a high interest, we believe, in the mind of every reader.

MAGNUS was squaw-sachem of some part of the extensive country of the Narragansets, and was known by several names at different and the same times; as Old Queen, Sunk Squaw, Quaiapen, and Matantuck. She married Mriksah, or Mexam, a son of Canonicus, and was sister to Ninigret. She had two sons, Scuttup and Quequaquenuct otherwise Quequegunent, called by the English Gideon, and a daughter named Quincmiquet. These two died young. Gideon was alive as late as 1661; Scuttup, and a sister also, in 1664. She was, in 1675, one "of the six present sachems of the whole Narraganset country."

In the beginning of Philip's war, the English army, to cause the Narragansets to fight for them, whom they had always abused and treated with contempt, since before the cutting off of Miantunnomoh's head, marched into their country, but could not meet with a single sachem of the nation. They fell in with a few of their people, who could not well secrete themselves, and who concluded a long treaty of mere verbosity, the import of which they could know but little, and doubtless cared less; for when the army left their country, they joined again in the war.

We hear no more of her until the next year, when herself and a large company of her men were discovered by Major Talcot, on the 2 July, in Narraganset. The English scouts discovered them from a hill, having pitched their tents in a valley in the vicinity of a swamp, as was usually their custom. About 300 of the English, mounted upon fleet horses, divided into two squadrons, and fell upon them before they were aware of their approach, and made a great slaughter of them. The Mohegans and Pequots came upon them in the centre, while the horsemen beset them on each side, and

* Church, 36.

+ Book iii. chap. 1.

Trumbull, i. 347. from Hubbard, I suppose, i. 51. Female chiefs were called saunks hy the Indians, which signified wife of the sachem; but writers, being ignorant of that fact thought it a proper name of a particular person, and hence the appellations of Snuke, Sunke. Snake, &c. applied to Magnus.

thus prevented many from escaping into the swamp. When all were killed and taken within the encampment, Captain Newbury, who commanded the horsemen, dismounted, and with his men rushed into the swamp, where, without resistance, they killed a hundred, and made many prisoners. In all, they killed and took 171* in this swamp fight, or rather massacre. Not an Englishman was hurt in the affair, and but one Mohegan killed, and one wounded, which we can hardly suppose was done by Magnus's people, as they made no resistance, but rather by themselves, in their fury mistaking one another. Ninety of the captives were put to death! among whom was Magnus. The swamp where this affair took place is near the present town of Warwick, in Rhode Island; and thus ends our short history of Magnus.

AWASHONKS, squaw-sachem of Sogkonate, was the wife of an Indian called TOLONY, but of him we learn very little. From her important standing among the Indians, few deserve a more particular attention; and we shall, therefore, go as minutely into her history as our documents will enable us.

The first notice we have of Awashonks is in 1671, when she entered into articles of agreement with the court of Plimouth as follows:-" In admitting that the court are in some measure satisfied with your voluntary coming in now at last, and submission of herself unto us; yet this we expect that she give some meet satisfaction for the charge and trouble she has put us upon by her too long standing out against the many tenders of peace we have made to her and her people. And that we yet see an intention to endeavor the reducement of such as have been the incendiaries of the trouble and disturbance of her people and ours. And as many of her people as shall give themselves and arms unto us, at the time appointed, shall receive no damage or hurt from us, which time appointed is ten days from the date hereof. Thus we may the better keep off such from her lands as may hereafter bring upon her and us the like trouble, and to regulate such as will not be governed by her, she having submitted her lands to the authority of the government. And that, if the lands and estates of such as we are necessitated to take arms against, will not defray the charge of the expedition, that she shall bear some due proportion of the charge. In witness whereof, and in testimony of the sachem, her agreement hereunto, she hath subscribed her hand in presence of Samuel Barker and John Almey.

Mark of the squaw-sachem AwASUNCKS; the mark of TOTATOMET, and SOMAGAONET.'

Witnessed at the same time by "TATTACOMMETT,

Plimouth, 24 July, 1671."

SAMPONCUT, and

TAMOUEESAM, alias JEFFERY.

The last-named witness appeared again, in the same capacity, 4 September following, when "between 40 and 50 Indians, living near or in the town of Dartmouth, made a like submission." Ashawanomuth, Noman, Marhorkum, James, and John, were other witnesses.

Awashonks was at Plimouth when the former articles were executed, from which it appears there was considerable alarm in Plimouth colony. There were about this time many other submissions of the Indians in different places. This step was taken to draw them from Philip, or at least to give a check to their joining with him, as he was now on the point of attacking the English settlements, under a pretence of injury done him in his planting lands.

Not only the chiefs of tribes or clans subscribed articles, but all their men, that could be prevailed with, did the same. The August following, 42 of Awashonks's men signed a paper, approving what she had done, and binding

*Trumbull. 200 says Cobbet's manuscript; 240, Hubbard.

Hubbard, Ind. Wars, i. 97, 98. I. Mather's Brief Hist. 39. Trumbull's Hist. Connecticut, i. 347.

The point of land below Pocasset, and now chiefly included in the town of Compton Rhode Island, and commonly called Seconet.

250

AWASHONKS.-HER CORRESPONDENCE.

[BOOK III

themselves in like manner. Out of 42, we can give names of three onlyTotatomet, Tunuokum and Sausaman. It appears from the following letter from Awashonks to Governor Prince, that those who submitted themselves, delivered up their arms to the English :

"August 11, 1671, Honored sir, I have received a very great favor from your honor, in yours of the 7th instant, and as you are pleased to signify, that if I continue faithful to the agreement made with yourselves at Plimouth, I may expect all just favors from your honor. I am fully resolved, while I live, with all fidelity to stand to my engagement, and in a peaceable submission to your commands, according to the best of my poor ability. It is true, and I am very sensible thereof, that there are some Indians who do seek an advantage against me, for my submitting to his majesty's authority in your jurisdiction, but being conscious to myself of my integrity and real intentions of peace, I doubt not but you will afford me all due encouragement and protection. I had resolved to send in all my guns, being six in number, according to the intimation of my letter; but two of them were so large, the messengers were not able to carry them. I since proffered to leave them with Mr. Barker, but he not having any order to receive them, told me he conceived I might do well to send them to Mr. Almy, who is a person concerned in the jurisdiction, which I resolved to do; but since then an Indian, known by the name of Broad-faced-will, stole one of them out of the wigwam in the night, and is run away with it to Mount Hope; the other I think to send to Mr. Almy. A list of those that are obedient to me, and, I hope, and am persuaded, faithful to you, is here enclosed. Honored sir, I shall not trouble you further, but desiring your peace and prosperity, in which I look at my own to be included, I remain, your unfeigned servant, X AWASUNCKS."

This letter was very probably written by Mr. Barker, named in it.

October 20, 1671, Governor Prince wrote to Awashonks, that he had received the list of names of her men and husband, that freely submitted themselves to his majesty's authority; and assured her that the English would befriend her on all just occasions; but intimates her disappointment and his own, that she had succeeded no better in procuring the submission of her subjects. “Though,” he continued, “I fault not you, with any failing to endeavor, only to notice your good persuasions of them outwent their deserts, for aught yet appeareth. I could have wished they had been wiser for themselves, especially your two sons, that may probably succeed you in your government, and your brother also, who is so nearly tied unto you by nature. Do they think themselves so great as to disregard and affront his inajesty's interest and authority here; and the amity of the English? Certainly, if they do, I think they did much disservice, and wish they would yet show themselves wiser, before it be too late." He closed by recommending her to send some of hers to the next court, to desire their arms, that her people might have the use of them in the approaching season. Desires her to let him hear from her and her husband.

On the 20 June, 1672, the following writing appears on record: Whereas Awashunckes, squa-sachem, stand indebted vnto Mr. John Almey the sume of £25 to be paid in porke att three pence a pound, or peage att 16 peney, and 20 pole of stone wall att £4, which stone wall, or £4, is to be vnderstood to be prte of the fine and twenty pound," therefore Awashonks, having failed to pay agreeably to her promise, agrees to set off land on the north side of "the Indian field," next Punkateesett, on the east line till it meets with "a great runing brooke," thence northerly to a fresh meadow, thence bounded to the river by a salt cove:-this "is morgaged vnto the court of Plymouth" for the payment of said debt, which debt is to be paid 10 of February, 1672, O. S. "The mark of AWASHUNKES."

To illustrate the connections and genealogy of the family of Awashonks we give from the Records of Plimouth the following exceedingly valuable farts:

July 14, 1673. "Whereas Mamaneway [a son of Awashonks] hath by full and clear testimony proved to this court, in behalf of himself and brethren, the sons of Toloney, and a kinsman of theirs called Anumpash, [commonly written Numposh,] son to Pokattawagg, that they are the chief proprietors and sachems of Saconett, or places commonly so called; and yet it being also probable that Tatuckamna Awashunckes and those of that kindred who are of the same stock, the more remote may have some right to lands there, as they are relations to the above said Mamaneway, &c. and have been long inhabitants of that place. This court adviseth that convenient proportions of land be settled on the above said Tatacamana Awashanks, &c. at Saconett aforesaid; concerning which, the above said Mamaneway and his brethren and kinsman who have proved their right to those lands do not or cannot agree, this court do appoint that some meet persons, by order of this court, shall repair to the place, and make settlement of the said lands by certain and known boundaries to intent that peace may be continued among the said Indians, and they may all be accommodated for their subsisting and payment of their debts in an orderly way."

The same year, we hear again of Tokamona, or, as he is then called, Totomonna, who, with his brother Squamatt, having endeavored to hinder the English from possessing some lands in Dartmouth, was, from some consideration, not named, induced to relinquish his right to them. And the next year, 1674, Mamanawachy, or, as his name was before written, Mamaneway, surrendered his right also. The rights of these Indians, it is said, had been sold by others.

war.

We hear no more of Awashonks until about the commencement of Philip's The year before this war, Mr. Benjamin Church, afterwards the famous and well-known Colonel Church † settled upon the peninsula of Sogkonate, in the midst of Awashonks's people. This peninsula is on the north-east side of Narraganset Bay, against the south-east end of the island of Rhode Island. Here he lived in the greatest friendship with these Indians, until the spring of the year 1675, when suddenly a war was talked of, and messengers were sent by Philip to Awashonks, to engage her in it. She so far listened to their persuasions, as to call her principal people together, and make a great dance; and because she respected Mr. Church, she sent privately for him also. Church took with him a man that well understood Indian, and went directly to the place appointed. Here they found hundreds of Indians gathered together from all parts of her dominions. Awashonks herself, in a foaming sweat, was leading the dance; but when it was announced that Mr. Church was come, she stopped short, and sat down; ordered her chiefs into her presence, and then invited Mr. Church. All being' seated, she informed him that Metacomet, that is, Philip, had sent six of his men to urge her to join with him in prosecuting a war against the English. She said these messengers informed her that the Umpames, that is, Plimouth men, were gathering a great army to invade his country, and wished to know of him if this were truly the case. He told her that it was entirely without foundation, for he had but just come from Plimouth, and no preparations of any kind were making, nor did he believe any thoughts of war were entertained by any of the head men there. "He asked her whether she thought he would have brought up his goods to settle in that place," if he in the least apprehended a war; at which she seemed somewhat convinced. Awashonks then ordered the six Pokanokets into their presence. These made an imposing appearance, having their faces painted, and their hair so cut as to represent a cock's comb; it being all shaved from each side of the head, left only a tuft upon the crown, which extended from the forehead to the occiput. They had powder-horns and shot-bags at their

Or Tokamona, killed by the Narragansets, not long after, probably in 1674. After an active life, spent chiefly in his country's service, he died suddenly at his residence in Compton, then called Little Compton, 17 Jan. 1718, in the 78 year of his age. He had become corpulent, and seemed impressed with the idea that he should not live .ong. The morning before his death, he rode 2 miles to visit an only sister. On leaving her, he bid her a last farewell." As he was returning home, his horse stumbled and threw him. In the fall A blood-vessel was ruptured, and he died in about 12 hours.

Umpame and Apaum were Indian names of Plimouth.