History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

188 HISTOBY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
Clmrcli at Natike, baptized, and was sent by the
church to Asowamsick, in Plimoth Pattent to
p^ach the gospel." Among liis Taunton neigh-
bors he was esteemed a good Christian, and his
death was much bewailed.
A company of fifty-two soldiers was raised by
the Praying Indians. In July Oneco, sou of the
famou.s Uncas, came to Natick with fifty Mohegan
braves as allies of the English. After a successful
battle tile Mohegans went looting, while our Natick
men wanted to pursue the foe. They knew the
tactics of the wily savages better than the whites^
and did good service, and might have lielped much
more. But the colonists grew unwisely distrustful
of the Christian Indians. Says Eliot, " The pro-
phane Indians p've a sharp rod to the English, and
the Englisii a very sharp rod to the praying In-
dians."
To quiet the popular apprehension, the General
Court had ordered the Ciiristiau Indians to confine
their residence to five villages, — Natick was the
first, — nor roam more than a mile a.way from these ;
which order quite broke up their hunting and fisli-
ing. White superintendents were chosen, two
residing at Natick. These measures did not satisfy
the public.
Accordingly the General Courts " 1675, October
13j ordered that all the Natick Indians be forth-
with sent for, and disposed of to Deare IsLind
as the place appointed for their present abode."
Other praying Indians were also transported dowu
the harbor. Deer Island to-day is a place of ban-
ishment for the city's lawless boys, and the brick
House of Industry is a familiar sight to all who
come or go by water.
October -'50, Captain Thomas Prentice, with a
guard, came to bring away the villagers and their
goods to the Pines, near where is now tiie Watertown
Arsenal. Old Jetiiro and ten more escaped
into the woods, preferring the range of the forest
with his own race to the cold hospitality of the
M;iss:iclmscHs authorities.
were iiurried away to an Hand at half an hour's
warning, pore soules in terror y left tiieir go(n.ls,
books, bibles, only some few caryed y'' bibles."
From Natick they went afoot nine miles to the
Pines, near tiie base of Nonantum Hill. Here
Eliot, Gookin, and some others met flicm, ;ind
spent the iiiglit liours in prayer and exhurlution.
An eye-witness says " : 'T was affecting to see how
Christianly these poor soules carried it^ being in
fear they should never return, but be transported
out of the country." With the flood-tide at mid-
night the waiting boats dropped down stream.
Through the dreary winter they suffered, espe-
cially the aged and feeble. Some of their men had
leave of absence for duty as guides and scouts.
The Hassanamesit Indians were carried off by the
enemy, who off'ered them plenty to eat and good
treatment if they went with them. Job Katte-
nanit escaped, but his family were taken. It ap-
pears that these fared better among the heathen, as
the hostile savages were called, than their Natick
brethren with the Christian wliites.
In December James Quannopowit and the Job
just named were sent from Deer Island as spies, to
' learn the enemy's spirit and movements. They
took to tlie woods at Natick December 31st, and
soon were among the warlike Nipmucks, where
they represented themselves as. wronged by the
English. Here they found the Hassanamesit refugees.
James' relation to the General Court we
now follow. These Nipumcks sold beaver and
wampum to the Mohawks, in exchange for powder
obtained from the Dutch at Albany.
Some Indians mistrusted tiiese spies, but Jolmwitli-the-One-Eye
knew James, and said, "I know
thee that thou art a valiant man, therefore abide at
my wigwam and I will protect thee." But Job
stayed with his children. Tiiey abode thus some
days, and went forth to hunt deer. Early one morn-
ing James, having gotten a pint of nokake, or
pounded corn, went hunting with Job. Some Indi-
ans suspected and watched them, but at night they
were unobserved. About three o'clock before day
James said to Job, " Now let us escape away if we
can." But Job said, " I am not willing to goe now,
because my children arc here. I will stay longer, if
God please he can preserve my life, if not, I am willing
to die. I will use what policy I can to get away
my children ; if I live tlu-ee weekes hence I will come
Sillily ihr vest left their fish weirs and bridge, back to Natick. I shall if I live, by that time get
their iiicli;inls and gardens, their fort and meeting- more intelligence of afliiirs." Then James said
liousc. Mr. Eliot writes : " Wiien the Indians " I must now go away, for I am not like to have a
better opportunity ; but I am sorry for you, lest
tiiey kill you for my sake." So, having prayed,
James travelled homeward niglit and day on snow-
shoes, and reported his eighty miles' scouting to
Major Gookin.
February 9, Job arrived, confirming the tidings,
before bronccht, tlial Lancaster would be iittackcd,
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