-^•^.^ x^^' > ^' saF ',,■<.!" \K 'i m. Pe -1^ //^i Wi 'ill g swillJ Copyright^ 1890, b\' WORTHINGTON CO. E n8 WORTHINGTONVS HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES. CHAPTER I. EARLY AMERICAN PEOPLE. Some two thousand or more years ago, there lived in North America a very cu- rious people known to us as the Mound Builders. They left no history by which we might learn of their customs and man- ners. Only the numerous half -obliterated mounds scattered over the central j)ortion of our country tell us that they once lived and occupied these sites. Whence they came or whither they went Ave have no means of learning, though different historians have certain ideas regai-ding these points. Some of our most learned men suppose they were descendants of people from Japan and HISTORY OF THE other islands of the Pacific who had been driven across the ocean by furious storms, and stranded upon our western coast ; while others tSink they came from North- ern Asia by way of Behring Strait. Oth- ers still there are who think they may have been descendants of the Shepherd Kings, who are recorded as Journeying from India to Egyj^t about the time that the Tower of Babel was being built. But whether any or all these suppositions are true or not, we know they once lived in our beautiful Ohio and Missis- sippi valleys, and built the strangely shaped mounds that at first were passed unnoticed by the early settlers of those j)arts. Even now we are not quite certain for what many of these mounds were intend- ed. That some were thrown up expressly for burial purposes has been proved by opening them. Great piles of human bones were found in several, so old and decayed that they immediately turned to dust when exposed to the air. Only a few kept their form, and these have been preserved in glass UNITED STATES. cases for us to study when we like. That some of these mounds are of much more recent date, is proved by the presence of NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN. articles belonging to European manufac- ture amono; the original bones. No doubt the j)eople known to us as Mound Builders lived for many centuries in our land, they in turn being preceded by a people less advanced than them 8 HISTORY OF THE selves. Certainly the discoveries of idols, toter* posts, strange masks, and other curiosities upon our northwestern coast point to an earlier civilization. A few years ago the various ruins in Yucatan, Mexico, Arizona, and New Mex- ico, as well as others in the southwest- em portion of the United States, were be- lieved to be those of vast cities of barba- ric splendor which flourished before Rome was founded or the Pyramids lifted their lofty heads by the banks of the Nile. But the investigations of a number of learned men during the last few years have de- molished all these romantic structures of the imao^ination — dreams of masrnificent grandeur and the despotic sway of abso- lute raonarchs. These wise men tell us they were all the work of our native Indians ; that the buried lodges found in some mounds, the palaces of Yucatan, and cave struc- tures of Arizona are only the remains of Pueblo towns, in whose great communal structures the entire people of the tribe dwelt, rich and poor, high and low, bc" UNITED STATES. 9 ing sheltered by the same vast walls. These investigations further go to ^:»rrve that our land has been the home^''of freedom from the very beginning. No ab- solute monarch has ever lived upon her soil. The rulers of the Aztecs in Mex- ico succeeded each other, the power de- scending from father to son, but they were subject in a certain degree to the will of the peojile ; while the rulers of the various Indian races of the more northern j)arts of America were chosen by the peo- ple or by direct descent, if worthy the title of chief. This subject of the origin and customs of the early races of America is an ex- tremely fascinating one, and we would be glad to know much more about it than we can at present learn. Perhaps sometime the key that will unlock its mysteries will be found, and many of its hidden characteristics revealed, for new discov- eries bearing upon the subject are con- stantly being made ; but at present it is at best only a matter of conjecture and guess-^v^ork. 10 HISTORY OF THE CHAPTER II. THE VIKINGS VISIT AMERICA. Far north of England, in the midst of a tumultuous sea, lies a small island, so cold and desolate that it has borne with justice the name of Iceland for many centuries. It received this appellation from the Vikings, a sturdy race who colonized the island and made it their home ; and it is with feelings of pleasure that we re- member the descendants of these brave sailors were the first white men who trod upon our American soil. They were in no manner kings or royal personages, as their name might lead one to suppose, but simply dwellers on a vih, or bay, in Scandinavia. But they were very brave, and made their power felt in almost eveiy part of Europe. Men of their race conquered England, and from them we derive our Saxon blood ; others con- quered France, and to them our Norman ancestry is traced. So we see these Vik- UNITED STATES. 11 ings were much more nearly related to the ancestors of the English-speaking colo- nists of America than Columbus, who was for many years supposed to be the first European visitor to this continent. The Norsemen, or Vikings, were naturally in- clined to be quarrelsome among themselves, and it required a clear head and strong arm to rule them. It v/as, in fact, a quarrel be- tween two friends, unimportant in itself, that led to the discovery of America. These people had a strange custom in locating their places of residence. Each man owned a j)air of tall wooden posts, ornamented at the top with carved heads, ^vhich they called setstolcka, or seat-posts, and when the Northmen were about to change their dwelling-places, they threw these posts into the sea as they appi'oached the coast ; and wherever they washed ashore, there they made their liome. Somewhere about the year 1000 there dwelt on the western shore of Iceland a wandering Norseman, known as Erik the Red, who owned a fine pair of these posts. In a generous moment he lent 12 HISTORY OF THE them to a frieud, and later could not get them back. A quarrel naturally ensued, and at last Erik was declared an outlaw. He did the thing most natural to. men of his day — went to sea — and in time dis- covered Greenland, which he frankly ad- mitted he intentionally called by this de- ceptive cognomen, " for,'' he said, " people will be attracted thither if the land has a good name." But the climate of Green- land was, without doubt, much milder in those days than at j)resent, and the few people accompanying him found it a pleas- ant enough place to live in. They sent a vessel back to Iceland for other friends, and several ship-loads came to the new land. The colony prospered and Green- land became permanently settled. Ruins of the old Norse churches and dwelling- houses are still to be seen. Among the party who accompanied Erik was a man called Herjulf Bardson. He had a son known as Biorni, or Bjorni Her- julfson, or Heriulf's son, of whom he was very fond. That the son shared this at- tachment may be inferred from his follow- UNITED STATES. 13 inc: the elder man across tliat iiukno\vn sea iu a vessel of liis own. He was a pirate, like many of liis race, and was away from A NORSE SEA-KING. home when his father left, but the wnnter months were always spent ^vith his par- ents. So in the fall he turned his vessel toward the west. After a long voyage, he 14 HISTORY OF THE came tlirougli dense fogs to a land covered with trees ; but he had been told that Greenland was mountainous and ice-bound, so he thought this could not be the land he was seeking and sailed away toward the north. In two days he saw another land, and here his men wished to stop for wood and water, but Bjorni would not listen to them. He kept on his course for a few days longer, and at last came to long- souglit-for Greenland. Here Bjorni found his father and felt, no doubt, doubly re- paid for all his troubles. But the sailors who came with him "were not so well satisfied. The roving spirit "which had led them all over Europe did not leave them now. They wished to learn more of the lands they liad passed. Finally a daring man named Leif, son of Erik the Red, bought Bjorni's vessel, and with twenty-five companions sailed south- ward to make further discoveries on this coast. First they came to the land last seen on Bjorni's voyage, a rocky, bleak place which they called Helluland, or " Flat-stone UNITED STATES. 15 Land." The next they called Marckland. or " Woodland." After that they went still south for two days and touched at an island, then sailing: throu^rh a bav which stretched between tliis island and the mainland, they finally passed up a river and landed. All hands at once set to work to build rude huts for shelter, as the nights were ah'eady quite cold. In fact it was near the middle of autumn, and they had decided upon landing, to spend the win- ter in the place. The wild grapes whicli grew luxuriantly all about them were ripe, so the Norsemen gave the name of Yin- land to the region. The \vaters \\ere full of fish, the climate mild and pleasant, and Leif and his companions passed a very pleasant mnter in this, to them, south- ern home. Early in the spring they load- ed their ship with wood and returned to Greenland, where the timber was mucli needed. But Leif found \\\)on landing that his father had died during his ab- sence, and the command of the Green- land colony now fell to liim. Though he could make no more vovajjces, lie was 16 HISTORY OF THE ever afterward knowa as "Leif tlie Lucky," from liis successes on this one. But Leif had a brother Thorvald, who took the ship and with thirty men went to Vinlaud, where he found the huts his friends had left. All through that and the following winter they lived in " Leif 's Booths," spending their time in hunting, fishing, and exploring the neighboring coasts. They had been in this land nearly two years before they saw any of the in- habitants. It Avas during their second summer, when they were engaged in re- pairing their ship, that they spied, not far distant, what at first looked like three small hillocks, or slight elevations on the sandy shore, but upon nearer view jjroved to be three overturned boats made of skin, each concealing three men beneath it. The Noraemen seized all but one man^ who succeeded in running away, and, in their usual savage way, killed them. Almost immediately, from a small bay hundreds of these skin-boats -were seen coming toward them, filled wdth angiy natives, whom they called " Skraelings," S UNITED STATES. 17 or dwarfs. When within telling distance, these strange people sent a shower of ar- rows at the Norsemen. The commander directed his men to protect themselves as well as they could with their battle-shields, but to fight against them as little as possible. One of the arrows killed the brave Thorvald, and he was buried upon the cape where he fell and a wooden cross erected to mark his grave. To the cape they gave the name of Krossaness, or "Cross Cape." Then the Norsemen went back to Green- land, taking with them a ship-load of grape- vines and grapes. They had been absent nearly three years. By this time Vinland was well known, and voyages Avere frequently made to it for the timber which was so scarce in Greenland. The children of Erik the Red were always ready to go to this beau- tiful land, and tradition says that one of his daughters, inheriting her father's bold and roving disposition, set out on one of these voyages. She was a cniel, aspiring woman, Frevdis ])v name, who durinc: the 18 HISTORY OF THE passage killed her husband's brothers and seized the ship. We are glad to further INDIAN WARRIOR. read that she was justly punished by Leif on her return. This woman was as brave as she was unprincipled, however, and at one time saved the colony, it is said. UNITED STATES. 19 The Norsemen had begun to trade with the Skraelings, giving them milk, butter, and the like in return for furs, skins, and game. This traffic was amicably carried on for some time ; then a Norseman killed a native. When the Skraelings next ap- peared they were aiTned with bows, ar- rows, and slings. Tlie Norsemen were not disconcerted by this display of weapons, but when the enemy raised upon a tall pole, a great blue ball and began whirling it in mid-air, such a fearful noise issued from it as to completely unnerve the white men, and they were upon the point of running away, when Freydis stopped them by her scornful words. "Why do ye run," she cried, " stout men as ye are, before these wretched creatures, whom I thought ye would knock down like cattle ? If I had weapons, methinks I could fight better than any of you." Then she caught up a sword which a dying companion had dropped, and fought with the men, who, inspired by her words and daring, soon drove the enemy aAvay. 20 HISTORY OF THE Another woman, quite unlike Freydis, also figures in these Norse leg-ends. This was Gudrid, a beautiful and lovable young creature and the 'wife of Thorstein, Enk's youngest son. Thorstein died while preparing for a voyage to Vinland. But some time later a rich, man fromXorway named Karlsefne, who h.ad dwelt some time with Leif, loved and mari'ied the beautiful Gudiid, and took her to Vinland to live. Here was born during the cold winter months their son, whom they called Snorri. Little Snorri, probably the first white child born in America, was taken Avhile still a babe to Iceland, where he lived and grew to manhood — and from him are believed to have descended several famous Scan- dina\aans, including Thorwaldsen, the great Danish sculptor. So it was that, nearly five hundred years before the other European powers dreamed of a land across the Atlantic, these brave Vikings were quite at home on much of our northern coast. Erik the Red, Leif the Lucky, Bjorni Herjulfson, Thorvald, UNITED STATES. 21 and Karlsefne not only lived in Greenland, but all, or some of them, had spent months upon Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Cape Cod, and possibly upon Rhode Island soil, where fair Mount Hope rises in gently rounded curves from the sparkling waters of the beautiful Narrasransett Bav. After they departed, to return no more, this land was left undisturbed by any white man for nearly five centuries. Gen- eration after generation of Indians lived and died within its limits, never dreaming of the time when an alien race would seize it for themselves, leaving for ihe rightful heirs only one small section of all this vast domain. 22 HISTORY OF THE CHAPTER III. CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. On the western coast of Italy, lying close to the waters of the Mediterranean, is the little city, of Genoa, made famous for all time because there was born with- in her limits, about the year 1450, the most renowned discoverer the world has ev^er known. The city is often spoken of as " The Superb," and justly deserves its title, for its fine palaces and churches, with their many-jjinnacled spires j)oint- ing heaven ^vard, and vine-clad, terraced gardens stretching up the mountain side, make it a very pleasing object to the eye of one approaching from the sea. But the child Columbus did not open his baby eyes upon palace walls. His was a much more humble home. A little jbouse, dark and bare within, down amc^ng the narrow, crooked streets, in the part of the city where the woi'kers in wool had their abodes, was honored by his birth. The UNITED STATES. 23 house still stands ; and the city authorities, seeing that educated men and visitors from abroad seemed to prize the place, have bought it and placed a Latin inscription on its front which reads : " No house is more honored ! Here, under his father's roof, Christopher Columbus spent his boyhood and youth." Some historians say his father was a weaver, while others affirm that he simply combed wool, thus preparing it for the spinners ; but Avhat- ever was his business, young Columbus spent his early years in assisting him. At that time Genoa was one of the chief Mediterranean ports, and vessels from all parts of the world lay at her wharves. Some of his relatives were sailors, and the boy, very naturally, spent much of his spare time down by the sea, listening to the tales of strange countries and wonder- ful adventures which none but seafaring men can so graphically describe. His whole mind, from very infancy, was filled with dreams of far-distant lands rich in gold and precious gems, and these visions may have incited him to the hard 24 HISTORY OF THE study which, in his few years at school, gave him the knowledge of Latin, drawing, and writing that served him so well in after-life. While still a boy, he had a very good idea of the geography of the world as it was then known, and the little maps and charts which he drew at that time were much sought after by the sailors. He was only fourteen years old when he made his first voyage in a vessel under the command of his grand-uncle Colombo, and for twenty years he followed the sea, touching at tlie islands along the western coast of Africa, and sailing far up to the north of England on some of his voyages. No doubt he went to Iceland at this time, and he may have heard of the Vikings and their visits to Greenland and Vinland. But these traditions evidently had very little influence upon his mind, for if they had impressed him at all deeply, he would certainly have used them in his arguments later in life when trying to convince people that his projects concerning a land to the west were feasible and worthy of notice. UNITED STATES. 25 He was much more impressed by a little book tLat somehow came into his posses- sion, aud which he never tired of poring over. This was the account of the voyages of a man called Marco Polo, a Venetian, who left his native city about two hundred years before and travelled with two of his kindred for many years through the far East. When they at last returned, dressed in strangely shaped, coarse garments, their friends failed to recognize them, and the poor travellers found, to their surj)rise and chagrin, that they had also forgotten nmch of their native language. It was not to be wondered at that the people considered them impostors and put little faith in their tales. Finally, the gentlemen hit upon a unique plan of convincing their friends of their identity aud of being heard as well. They gave a great banquet, after the style of those days, and made it exceed everything the peoj^le of Venice had ever witnessed in richness and grandeur. At its com- mencement the three Polos were decked out in robes befitting royalty, but as the 26 HISTORY OF THE feast went o\i they cliauged their dress many times, and on every occasion tore up the discarded garments and distributed the pieces of rich stuff among the guests At last they appeared in the same rough costumes they wore when they entered the city, when, upon ripping open certain seams, countless precious stones of price- less value rolled out and fell upon the floor. No doubt anything they told after this exhibition of their wealth was duti- fully believed by even the most incred- ulous Venetian. It was some time after this that Marco Polo wrote the account of his travels which so fascinated Columbus. Another circumstance had considerable influence upon the mind of the bold navi- gator. Just after the middle of the fif- teenth century there lived a bright prince, who was a learned man and who thought he could greatly benefit his kingdom by finding a way to India by sea. This was " Henry the Navigator," son of the King of Portui»:al. Merchants who traded iu India and UNITED STATES. 27 other parts of Asia had long and perilous journeys to make in going to and coming from tliat distant country, for both Avere overland, part of the way being travelled on horses and tlie remainder on camels. HISTORY OF THE The expense was also very great. But if the clangers had been even greater and the cost of the journey doubled, men would have gladly taken the risks for the sake of obtaining the rare and beautiful things brought from the East. Still, every one would have been glad to go by some quicker and less fatiguing route, and the secret hope of each navigator was to iind some shorter way by sea. Very little was known before Columbus' day concerning the shape of the earth, learned cosmographers differing consider- ably in their ideas on the subject. Nearly all, however, agreed that it was flat and round, like the top of a centre-table. They thought that the Atlantic was peopled by horrible monsters a few daj^s' distance from the shore, and that in it was an island of gold, with walls of crystal, which a giant called Mildum professed to have seen. Unfortunately, the giant never succeeded in again flnding this wonderful isle, and nobody else dared search very far for it. Somewhere out in this unknown sea was a tract of boiling UNITED STATES. 29 water, through which a ship could never sail with living crew, and few men were found bold enough to be willing to en- counter all these terrors. But Henry the Navigator thought deep- ly upon the subject, and decided that he might be able to reach India by water and still avoid the dangers. He had only to keep close to the coast of Africa and sail due south. Somewhere, he felt con- vinced, there was a strait through which he could gain access to the Indian Ocean. Columbus heard of all this while yet a boy ; and when he decided that he would try for himself and see if by sailing due west he could not make the shortest way yet to India, after appealing in vain to his own country, he naturally turned to Portugal for the help he would need in the enterprise. Prince Henry had then been dead for many years, and the king took no interest in the project when Colum- bus explained it to him. So from the court of Portugal he went to that of Spain. Here he tried for seven long years to get Ferdinand and Isabella to listen to his plans. 80 HISTORY OF THE At last, in 1491, weary and discouraged, he left the royal palace. He had his an- swer after all these years of patient wait- ing — a refusal to give him help. His money was gone, and hope nearly crushed, but he had his little boy still to comfort him. So taking the child by the hand he started for home. In the course of his journey, he stopped one noon at the convent of La Rabid a to beg a cup of water for the boy. Here he met the good prior of the convent, who at once became interested in his plans. This prior had some influence with Isabella, havino- once been her confessor, and beo:o:ed the travellers to stay with him until he could get a word to the queen. The result was that Isabella sent a mule and some new clothes to the navigator and ordered him to her j)resence once more. Even now the way was not quite smooth. Columbus demanded such a high reward for his services if he succeeded that the queen let him go again. Now he de- cided to tiy tlie King of France, and was on the eve of doing so, when a number of his friends petitioned to Isabella to let UNITED STATES. 31 liiiii liave his way and secure for Spain the lienor of liis discoveries. It was hard work to find sailors williu" to make this voyage across an unknown sea, and most of the men had to be forced into the service ; but after a long delay the shij^s were ready, and on August 3, 1492, the three ships, the Santa Maria, the- Nina, and the Plnta, left Palos to sail out into ''The Sea of Darkness," as this wilderness of water \vas then called. Before the crew embarked they went to church, where solemn mass was said, and, with Columbus, took the sacrament and bade a last farewell to their friends. AVith no enthusiasm and little hope these Portu- guese sailors left their native land and sailed away toward the region of darkness and death. In about a month they reached the Canary Islands, and spent Sunday, September 6, 1492, in this the farthest- known western land. After that the dreaded voyage really began. That night, when darkness fell and the last trace of the receding land was lost to view, the hearts of the poor sailors 32 HISTORY OF' THE failed them, and they wept with fear and begged their commander to tui'n back. In the morning they were somewhat reassui'ed, SANTA MARIA, VESSEL OF COLUMBUS. for the weather continued fine and no in- dications of any of the dreaded monsters they feared had as yet shown themselves. The wind was fair and the vessel skimmed along at a lively rate, but Columbus wisely kept two logs, one recording the exact dis- tance travelled and the other makins; it much less ; the latter he showed to the UNITED STATES. 33 meu. He also tried to cheer them witli the stories of all the wonderful riches of India aud Asia he had ever read or heard. But with all his efforts they became more and more dispiiited as the days went on, and more prone to be terrified by very simple things. At one time they conceived a plot to throw their commander overboard, but fortunately this was not carried out. They never ceased their grumbling, how- ever, and even def)lored the easterly winds which favored them all the way. "How can we get back," they would ask one another, " if the wind is always east ? " The one thing which caused them the greatest consternation was the deviation of the needle of the compass from the north star as they sailed westward. Co- lumbus was no doubt quite as much mys- tified by this as were his men, but he succeeded in hiding the fact from them, and treated the matter with as little ap- parent concern as would a sailor of the present day. 34 HISTORY OF THE CHAPTEE IV. COLUMBUS DISCOVERS AMERICA, One evening as the crew on the PinUi^ which was at the time slightly in advance of the other ships, were scanning the west- ern horizon, Martin Alonzo Pinzon, the commander, spied a dark, low mass some twenty-five leagues away, behind and above which the yellow glow of the set- ting sun still lingered. Believing it to be the long-looked-for India, Piuzon joy- fully raised the cry of " Land! '' As the welcome sound came across the water, Columbus fell on his knees to give thanks to God, while his sailors clambered up the rigging to get a better view. It was only a cloud, and that night the men were more discouraged than ever. Just a week before the actual land did appear, they were disheartened by another false alarm. Columbus had so often raised their hopes by pointing to floating sea-weed and UNITED STATES. 35 other sliglit indications as signs of land, that tlie men scarcely dared hope when they saw land-birds flying near them. But when, on the 11th of October, one of the sailors on the Nina found a branch of thorn-bush with red berries on it, and a carved stick was picked up by some one on the Pinta, they were forced to be- lieve they were near their journey's end. That night tlie sailors sang the " Salve Regina," or vesper hymn to the Virgin, as they had never sung it before ; and the Joyful music, wafted out over the waves of the Atlantic toward the new world be- yond, was the first Christian hymn ever sung on this side of the globe. After this Columbus addressed them all, promising them that they would surely see land in the morning. Then he ordered a double watch set for the night, though he knew quite well that no one would sleep on either ship. When the expedition left Castile the king and queen offered to him who should first make the discovery of land, not only ten thousand maravedis, but a new velvet 36 mSTORY OF THE jerkin. So all tlie men were anxious for this prize. Columbus had the sharpest eyes and the highest outlook. From his place on the forward platform, or forecastle, about ten o'clock he saw a faint light glimmering at one moment and entirely disappearing the next, as if some one was passing between it and himself. He scarcely dared trust his own eyes, so call- ing Roderigo Sanchez and Pedi'o Gutier- rez to him, he inquired of them if it was there. The latter saw it at once, but Sanchez could not make it out for some time. At last, however, all three were convinced that it was a real light, raised and lowered like a torch carried by some one on the shore. At two o'clock on the following morn- ing — Friday, October 12, 1492 — land was discovered from the Pinta by a sailor, Rodrigo de Triana, and the early morning light showed to all the vessels a beautiful little island close at hand. I must pause here for a moment to say that poor Triana never got the promised reward, not even the "velvet jerkin," in UNITED STATES. 37 38 HISTORY OF THE return for sighting a new world. And tradition furtlier tells us that his heart was so embittered by this failure of his king and queen to keep their promises that he straightway went to Africa and became a Mohammedan. As soon as it was light enough to land, Columbus, arrayed in scarlet, under which was his com|)lete sint of armor, caught tlie Spanish flag and jumped on shore. The Pinzon brothers, commanders and owners of the other ships, followed him, bearing each a banner, on which was a green cross and the letters F. and Y., for "Ferdinand" and "Ysabel." They all threw themselves upon the ground and kissed the laud ; then with due form Columbus unfurled the gorgeous Spanish standard, with its ominous colorings of gold and blood, and planted it on the shore, and di'awing his sword, took pos- session of the island in the name of the crown of Castile. It was the little island called by the natives Guanahani, though Columbus renamed it San Salvador. No one of the present day seems to be quite UNITED STATES. 39 certaiu which of the West India Islands it was. Upon a signal from their admiral all the men fell upon their knees and chanted with thankful hearts the " Te Deum," while the naked Indians gazed wonder- iugly upon the scene. The sailors, who had previous to this taken no trouble to hide their distrust for Columbus and his undertaking, ^vere now quite as ready to give him homage, many of them actually grovelling upon their knees before him, kissing his limbs and his hands. They were all charmed with this beautiful island, with its soft, sweet air and abun- dant fruit and flowers, and would have gladly remained here for a long time ; but Columbus, thinking himself off the coast of Asia, was in haste to find the golden temples and great cities described in his favorite book. So he soon left his first landing-place and sailed to other islands in the vicinity, in hopes of reaching the India of his dreams. Some of the natives wore ornaments of gold, which they told Columbus came 40 HISTORY OF THE from an island to tlie soiitli, and lie at once connected it in his mind with Ci- pango, Japan. Taking a number of In- dians he started foi' it, and discovered Cuba, which he thought might be the mainland of India. Once more he sailed onward, and this time was unfortunate enough to wreck his vessel, the Santa Mai'ia^ on an island that he thought might be Ophir, the land of Hebrew fame, from which the gold and precious stones for Solomon's Temple had been brouii^ht. Finding; the climate all that could be desired, he concluded to build a fort of the timbers of his wrecked vessel and leave a part of his men here, while he sailed back to Spain with the news of his discoveries. This was the island of Hayti, but he called it Hispan- iola, or Little Spain. The voyage back was much more tem- pestuous than the coming had been. Ter- rific storms followed the little vessel nearly all the way, and more than once her conuuander feared she would go to the bottom, taking with her all knowledge UNITED STATES. 41 of tlie wonderful discovery he liad just made. But at last, after much anxiety, she came proudly into port. This was in March, nearly eight mouths from the time the ex2:>edition had set out. Where can another half-year be found in which so much has been accomplished by the perse- verance and energy of a single man ? Soon after landino; at the AYest Indies Martin Pinzon took his vessel, the Pinta, and started south on discoveries of his own. In many accounts of this expedi- tion of Columbus the Pinzons receive scarcely their just amount of credit, and occasionally Martin Pinzon is censured for leaving Columbus as he did. But when it is remembered that the Pinzons were both wealthy men, who bought their vessels and fitted them out at their own expense, it seems quite natural that they should do with them what they chose. They accompanied Columbus across the sea, and accorded to him all tlie discoveries made, though it was from the deck of the Pinta that land was first sighted. There the agreement ended. As Martin Pinzon 42 mSTORY OF THE sailed away toward the soiitli in liis fleet, stauncli vessel lie little thought that to his name would be given the honor of being the first white man to set foot on South American soil. He discovered the mouth of the Amazon and landed on the main- land of America before Columbus and his men had visited any but islands. It was, no doubt, the happiest moment in all Columbus' life when he bore the news of his triumph to the Spanish king and queen. He made his entry into Barcelona in a great triumphant proces- sion, headed by the Indians he had brought back in his ship. These were magnificently attired in all the glory of their war-paint and well covered with oil to make their bodies shine in the bright sunlio^ht. Feathers and stuffed birds of gorgeous plumage ornamented their heads and golden trinkets hung from their necks and wrists. The Spaniards are very fond of romantic tales, and the one Columbus had to tell, proved by these living illustrations before them, far exceeded anything that even UNITED STATES. 43 tlieir inventive fancies could picture. In- deed, Ferdinand and Isabella were so de- lighted witli Lis successes that they al- lowed him to sit in their presence while he recounted his adventures. Though he had no difficulty in fitting out his next expedition, the remainder of his life was one of misfortunes. That fall, Septend)er, 1493, saw a fleet of seventeen shijis and fifteen hundred men sail oat of the harbor of Cadiz, under the command of Colund>us. When they reached Ilis- paniola the admiral found that the men whom he left here had at first quar- relled among themselves and then with the Indians, ^vho, in return for tlieir harsh treatment, fell upon them and killed every member of the colony. The tales of gold and spices, cotton and slaves, with ^vhich Columbus had thickly sprinkled his pic- tures of this new Avorld led many to follow him for these riches, and when they were not able to find the gold they sought they grew angry and quarrelsome, declaring that Columbus had deceived tliem. The brave navigator did not make a wise ruler, 44 HISTORY OF THE and matters went from bad to worse till word reached tlie Mug, and an officer sent from Spain to inquire into tlie aifair carried Columbus liome in chains. In 1502 he again started for America on his fourth and last voyage, hoping to find his way thi-ough South America to India. But he only reache*'r'"*r""""iiii AMERIGO VESPUCCI. 52 HISTORY OF THE to a friend in Florence, telling him of the land lie liad visited and the strange things he had seen. Later this letter was seen by a German geographer named Waldsee Miil- ler, who was much interested in his discov- eries. Vespucci had called the region he discovered " The Land of the Holy Cross," and, with the geographer, had no idea it was the same that Columbus had seen. It was at the suggestion of this Waldsee Mliller, made the year after the death of Columbus, that America received her name. In a collection of drawings by Leonardo da Vinci is a map, made about the years 1513- 14, on which the name of "America" ap- j^ears. This is believed to be the first in- stance in which it was so used. In no account do we learn that Vespucci sought for the distinction of giving his name to this land. Probably he did not know when it was first used. In the words of Mr. Higginson : "He was evidently one of those who have more greatness thrust upon them than they have ever claimed for themselves." There came to this country with Colum- UNITED STATES. 53 bus on his second voyage a wealthy Spanish gentleman who was a brave soldier and, like most of his j'ace, fond of adventure. He was pleased with the climate of this western world and de- cided to make it his home. Later he became governor of Porto liico. But, with all the honors conferred upon him, he w^as not happ}\ He felt old age was creeping on, and he did not like to thhik he must soon die. So it was \vith intense interest that he listened to certain tales of the natives concerning a wonderful spring on an island to the north, whose waters had the power of giving one back his youth. That was precisely what Ponce de Leon most wished for, so he fitted out a vessel and at once started in search of this magic spring. Having explored the Bahamas for some time in vain, he at last turned his course \vestward, and on Easter Sunday, March 27, 1512, siglited what he supposed was an- other island. Because of the profusion of beautiful liowers whicli covered the land 64 HISTORY OB' THE as far as eye could reach, Pouce de Leon called the place Florida. Though he could uot find the wonderful foLiutain, he realized he had discovered a new and surpassingly fair country, and a few years later, having received authority from his Idng, he brought some people here, hoping to colonize it. They found the natives savage and ready to dispute their laading, so the boat turned back toward Cuba. Ponce de Leon ^v^as hit \vitli a poisoned arrow, and lived but a short time after reaching home. Instead of the magic fountahi of youth, he had found death ou the beauti- ful Florida coast. By this time everybody in Europe was thinking and talking of the rich provinces across the sea. Spain felt that she had the best right to the lands ah'eady dis- covered, so in 1527 slie sent an armada, or armed fleet, to America to protect them. On one of the vessels sailed a certain Spaniard known as Cabeza de Vaca. Upon reaching Fh)ri(la this man, with a number UNITED STATES. 65 of followers, left tlie slii^^s and started for the interior. The tale of his sufferings and hardships is quite incredible, though his desci'iptions of the regions travelled are so true that the localities can be easily recognized. After a time, finding the natives extremely warlike and savage, they were obliged to return to the coast. Though they were unused to such labor, they at last succeeded in building three very lough boats, in which they sailed alono; the northern shore of the Gulf of Mexico. Cabeza de Vaca speaks of pass- ing one place where a mighty fresh-water river ran into the sea. This has in later times been thought to be the Mississippi. For eight weary years he continued his wanderings, journeying through the region now known as New Mexico, Colorado, and Arizona. He visited the Zuni settlement, in New Mexico, and reached the Pacific at Sonora with but three surviving com- panions. Fernando de Soto was also a brave Sj^aniard who came to this country hoping to get gold from lier hidden treasures. He 56 . HISTORY OF THE accompanied Pizarro to Peru and helped to conquer that country; then he went back to Spain and married a beautiful lady who had been long waiting for him to come. For two years he lived in Seville. Then the spirit of adventure possessed him again, and finding his money was getting low, he decided to replenish his fortunes and add fame to his already illustrious name by making discoveries in Florida and sacking the rich cities he was confident were scat- tered over North America quite as plenti- fully as Pizarro had found them in the South. As soon as it became known that De Soto intended fitting out an expedition for the purpose of seeking gold in America, he had no trouble in. finding men to accom- pany him. Many of the brightest noble- men of Spain offered to go, and a truly brilliant company of some six hundred souls sailed out of the harbor of St, Lucar in ten small ships, well j)rovided with arms, fetters for the Indians they expected to make slaves, and blood-hounds for cap- turing the runaways. Each man wore costly UNITED STATES, 57 armor and was magnificently equipped for the undertaking. They sailed from Havana, wliere De Soto left liis young bride, in May, 1539, for Florida. Here the romance of the expedi- tion ends. Fights Avith the Indians, long journeyings through unbroken forests after the gold that was always promised by the natives as a little further on, but was never found, and trials of every nature fell to their lot. For two long years De Soto bravely pushed his way westward, encour- aging his men and punishing or pacifying the natives he encountered, till at last he found, not the gold he was seeking, but the great river that has made his name immortal. This was the Mississipj^i, and the time 1541. He crossed the river and pushed onward toward the northwest, where he discovered the Ozark Mountains. After this he visited the Hot Springs and crossed both the Arkansas and Red rivers. All this long journey had lowered the vi- tality of the brave De Soto to such an ex- tent that when fever seized him he had no strength to fight it. Though he heard \vith grief that several tribes were uniting to 58 HISTORY OF THE fight his meu, he could do naught but com- mend them to the care of the merciful God into whose presence he realized he was about to enter. And so on May 21, 1542, near where Natchez now stands, and far away from sunny Spain and the beautiful young wife he dearly loved, Fernando de Soto died. Fearing to let the Indians know that their leader was gone, his companions cut down an evergreen oak, whose wood is extremely heavy, and hollowed out of the trunk a shal- low coffin. Into this the body of their beloved friend was placed, and at midnight buried under the waters of the mighty river he had discovered. After this his followers attempted to reach Mexico overland, but at last were forced to return to the Mississippi and build rafts, upon which they sailed down the river to the gulf. After much hard- ship they reached a little Spanish set- tlement on the river Panuco, Mexico, in September, 1543. Only three hundred aud eleven of the brilliant company that had left Cuba three years before remained to tell the tale of their journeyings. UNITED STATES. 59 CHAPTER VII. SOME FREISCII EXPLORERS. Iisr the year 1523 King Francis I. of France decided to try liis hick at seeking for a new way to India. He was very jealous of tlie fame Spain and England were enjoying because of their discoveries in the New World, and wished some of it for himself. A certain Florentine, Giovanni Verrazano by name, was at this time in France, and wished to command an explor- ing expedition across the Atlantic. This was a fine opportunity for the king, and he at once fitted out several vessels for the purpose. Soon after leaving France, how- ever, a heavy storm came up and all but one ship was forced to return. ' In this Verrazano continued on his way. He stopj)ed for a short time at the Madeiras, and then sailing nearly west, reached North Carolina in March, 1524. His voyage had been a stormy one, but he was now quite charmes sailed up the St. Lawrence, amid the most varied and beautiful scen- ery. On September 1 they came to the wonderful Saguenay, which was most graphically descri])ed when they reached home. The French made friends of the Indians on the river and decided to re- main there througli the winter, but the rigorous climate and liardslnps they Avero forced to undergo somewhat dampened the ardor of the explorers, and in the spring Cartier sailed back to France, tak- ing Donnacona, tlie so-called king of Canada, witli him. lie returned to the St. Lawrence in 154:1, but the Indians UNITED STATES. 63 were no longer friendly. He had not ke[>t bis promise and brought back their king. How could he ? Donnacona was dead. Amid varied difficulties, Cartier tried to JACQUES CARTIER. found a colony on this visit, but was forced to abandon it and I'eturn to his native land in 1542. He made yet another, and fourth, voyage the next spring, but little resulted from it. At this time a religious war began to 64 HISTORY OF THE rage in France. It was, in fact, the era of the Reformation there. Charles IX., the reigning monarch at that time, was a weak man, taking part with the Catholics (the stronger party), and persecuting the Huguenots, or French Protestants, who kej)t the faith of early Christianity. They had a powerful friend in Jasper Coligny, admiral of France, and through him were led to seek refuge in a home beyond the Atlantic. Having obtained a grant of the king, the little party sailed early in the year 1562, under the com- mand of John Ribault. They reached Florida, and landed for a short time on the site of St. Augustine ; then sailing north- ward, reached the mouth of the St. John River early in May, and named the river for that month. Proceeding still further up the coast they discovered Port Royal entrance, where they decided to make their home. Here they landed and built a small fort, which they called Carolina, in honor of the king. Twenty-six of the men were left to defend it, while the others sailed back to France for supplies. UNITED STATES. 65 But events follow each other quickly in time of war, and they now found that Co- ligny was powerless to help them. The little o-arrison on the other side of the x\tlautic watched in vain for the help that did not come, and at last, heartsick and discouraged, built foi* themselves a small vessel and set sail for France. They were shipwrecked and rescued by some English seamen, who took them to Eng- land. Thus ended the fii"st Carolina colony. In July, 1564, another party of Fi^ench landed on the banks of the St. John and built a new Fort Carolina. But there were many bad men who came with these, who were idle and careless and took no trouble to gather provisions for them- selves ; so it was not strange that food soon became scarce. In December these vicious men took one of the vessels, and pretending to return to France for stores, started to cruise the sea as pirates. Those left had a sad time of it, and were on the eve of leaving when Bibault came with moi'e men and abundant supplies. For a 66 HISTORY OF THE short time all went well witli the poor Huguenots. But when Philip II., King of Spain, heard that a settlement of French Protest- ants was iioui'ishing on his territory he was very angry, and offered to make Pedro Melendez, a brave but cruel man, governor of Florida if he would drive out the Huguenots and kill off the natives. He fitted out a large fleet, with three hundred soldiers and over two thousand men, women, and children for the new Spanish colony. Again a great storm arose, and only one-third the party reached the land. They touched the coast of Florida on September 17, 1565, where John Ribault's first party did, and at once began laying the foundations of a town, which he named St. Augustine. This city, still in existence, is the oldest in the United States. When Ribault heard a party of Spaniards had landed on the Florida coast, he took all his able-bodied men and started to drive them away. A tempest wrecked his ships and his men fell into the hands UNITED STATES, 67 of the Spaniards, who put them to death. Then Melendez started through the woods with a large force and attacked the de- fenceless little settlement. Here he mur- dered nine hundi'ed men, women, and children, and erected over their bleeding bodies a great cross to commemorate the deed as a glorious Christian achievement. An inscription on the cross announced that the deed was committed not because "they were French, ])ut Huguenots." 68 HISTORY OF THE CHAPTER VIII. SETTLEMENTS IIST VIRGINIA. In the latter part of the sixteenth century there lived in England a very wealthy and learned man who took great interest in the new land of America. This was Sir "Walter Raleigh. As early as 1584 Raleigh sent out an expedition for the purpose of forming a colony on the x\merican coast. The people landed on Wocoken Island, N. C, and took possession of the country in the name of the queen. At this time Elizabeth, sometimes called the Virgin Queen because she was never married, was ruling in England. So out of respect to her, and because the newly discovered land was fresh and very charming to Raleigh, he called it Virginia. These colonists found great difficulty in ol)taining food, and at last, discouraged by this and other hard- ships, set sail for England. During the next four years Raleigh sent as many more fleets to America, but fate seemed to be against UNITED STATES. 69 liijtL. The men who came were not fitted to found a colony. Many of them were lazy and improvident, making no efforts to lay up food for the winter, but only think- ing of the gold they were in hopes to find. Some spent their time in following up the livers toward the west,expecting they would lead to the Pacific Ocean, which Verrazano had seen, and so to India. They did not know then, as we do now, that thousands of miles stretch between the head waters of the Roanoke and the Pacific coast. Others were quarrelsome and ill-treated the Indians who kept them in food. When word reached England that these people were in distress, Kaleigh hastened to pro- \ide them "with aid and reinforcements, A large party now set out under John Wliite, who was appointed governor of Virginia. They reached Roanoke Island in July, 1 587, and found grass and young trees springing up in the untenanted houses, and the bones of the unburied men scat- tered over the ground. They learned later that the Indians, becoming disgusted with their overbearing ways and tired of feed- 70 HISTORY OF THE ing them, had massacred the whole col- ony. Governor White at once commenced to build log houses and make other provi- sions for the settlement, and here in one of these rude shelters, around which the wild animals of the forest roamed by night and Indians sneaked by day, a tiny baby girl was born. This was Virginia Dare, granddaughter of the governor. A short time after her birth John White was forced to go to England for provisions, and be- cause of the war waging over Europe at the time, he was kept away three years. When he returned to America every trace of the colony had vanished, and no one has ever been able to tell what became of little Virginia Dare, the first child of Eng- lish parents born in America. Queen Elizabeth died March 24, 1603, and James I. became King of England. Like all the other rulers of his day, he at once turned his attention to America as a land from which he hoped to reap vast riches in time. In 1606 he sent a company of one liundred and five men to found UNITED STATES. n another colony in Virginia. These men were no better equipped for tte purpose 'than Raleigli's had been, but happily for CAPT. JOHN SMITH. our country, one among them was perfectly fitted to rule. John Smith, tliougli bearing the most common of names, was a v^ery uncommon 72 HISTORY OF THE man. Tliougli c)nly twenty-seven years old when lie reached this country and sailed up the James River with the little colony v^ho at once commenced laying the foundation of the settlement of Jamestown, he had seen more of the world than most men of seventy. Like many poor boys in England, young Smith was apprenticed to learn a trade; but he ran away from his master after a few weeks of his distasteful work, and then his wanderings over the world began. When old enough he became a soldier, aud fought in many lands. Once he was taken as a slave and forced to work for a Turkish master who was extremely hard and cruel to him. He suffered shipwrecks and fam- ine, but at last gained renown in a war with the Turks, in which he encountei'ed three of the Mohammedans and cut off their heads. In all this varied life he had gained a vast knowledge of human nature that served him well when he ultimately became the chief of the Virginian colony. More than once the Jamestown settlement was in danger of being destroyed by the UNITED STATES. 73 Indians, but Smitli averted tlie calamity. AVlien the great fields of corn whicli tlie Indians had planted were ripe Smith bought all he could in exchange for beads, thimbles, and other bright trinkets, and so secured provisions for the winter. All this time, in the minds of the Eu- ropean rulers, America seemed of very lit- tle importance compared with the India of their dreams. So James I. was continually urging the colonists to seek for a passage through the narrow stretch of land that separated the Atlantic from the Pacific. At last, spurred on by these repeated requests, Capt. John Smith took two trusty men and set out in a small boat to exj^lore the Chickahominy River. Whether he really thought this little stream connected two mighty oceans, I cannot say. It would seem that a man with his clear mind would have known better. Perhaps he simply explored it in obedience to the orders of his kii>g. We are only certain he did not find the much-coveted way to India. When the river grew too narrow he left the boat in the care of his companions, 74 HISTORY OF THE who were both shortly killed, and ^\'o- ceeded overland on foot. He was followed and soon taken by the Indians, and would no doubt have suffered the fate of his friends had it not been for THE " HALF MOON " IN THE HUDSON. his coolness and tact in dealing with his captors. So he was only taken around as a kind of show from one Indian villao-e to another, and at last set free by Powhatan, the great chief of the tribe. This episode did not discourage Capt. John Smith. He saw that the Chesapeake Bay was a great deal larger than the UNITED STATES. 75 Cliickaliominy River, and consequently was much more likely to be the connect- ing link between the two oceans. So he explored this bay to its head, and made a very good map of the I'egion. In 1609 Lord de la Ware was ap- pointed governor of Virginia, and that game year Captain Smith sailed to Eng- land to be treated foi* a wound. He never came back to the settlement of Jamestown or the regions lie bad so bravely explored. In 1614 he voyaged along the New Eno;land coast, traded ^^dth the Indians, and made a fair map of the region. Later he tried to persuade England to found a colony here, but the king was indifferent to the project. Smith, however, did set sail with some eighteen or twenty men for this purpose, but a storm threatened to wreck the vessel, pirates chased her, and finally all hands were taken prisoners. When at last released, his men \vere so discouraged with this beginning that they had lost all interest in JVew England, and only wished to get back to the Old England of their birth. So ended the first attempt at makino- a settlement in New Eno-land, 76 HISTORY OF THE CHAPTER IX. HENKY HUDSON AND THE SETTLEMENT ON MANHATTAN ISLAND. For over one hundred years since the time that John Cabot sailed along our coast, England had never given up her hope of finding a nearer way to India. Henry Hudson, a brave navigator, had made several attempts to find the v^ay by sailing around the uoi'tbern coast of Eu- rope, but the ice stopped his progress eacli time. At last the company w^ho sent him becoming discouraged, gave up the project and turned their whole attention to catch- ing the whales he had found very abundant in those northern seas. The Dutch East India Company, how- ever, still had faith in the western passage, and learning of this brave English navi- gator, employed him to command an expe- dition for them. Somehow Hudson had heard that Capt. John Smith believed there was a passage UNITED STATES, 77 SIUTINY f>N HTDSON'S SHIP. 78 HISTORY OF THE not far north of Virginia, so lie decided to try liis luck at finding it. The vessel that the company provided was a tiny affair called the Half Moon, but its name was des- tined to be remembered with three otlieis, the Santa Maria, Mayflower, and Wel- come, in the annals of a nation then un- born. The little Half Moon with its handful of seamen sailed across the ocean, and after coasting along America for a short time, entered the bay of New York. Proceeding northward, Henry Hudson discovered the beautiful river that bears his name. This was in 1609, and only a short time after the settlement at Jamestown. As Hudson and his men sailed up the river by the bcciutiful Jersey coast, rising in softly swelling hills clothed in richest foliage, they thought they had never seen any scene half as beautiful. The Indians too were fiiendly, and frequently paddled out to the Half Moon in their tiny bark canoes to exchange corn, pumpkins, or furs for beads and other trifles. Onward through the highlands and by the dreamy Catskills UNITED STATES. 79 he lield liis courst^, and at last, Avlieii the river became too shallow for the little Half Mooii^ the explore]- took a small boat and proceeded some distance beyond Albany. Of course Hudson did not find the way to India. At last he turned and sailed down the river again, and across the Atlantic to Holland. Tlie next spring he sailed westward once more, hoping to find a way to the Pacific north of America. This time he com- manded an English ship, manned by a rough, mutinous crew. While on the voyage he discovered Hudson Bay, but his enemy of long ago — the ice — made his passage both dangerous and difficult. After a time food became scarce, and at last, in the spring of 1611, he was forced to divide with extreme care what little re- mained, that each man might get his Just portion. But Juet, the mate, had long been an enemy to the noble captain, and now found little difficulty in creating a mutiny among the half-famished crew. By his order they seized Hudson and his son, who was sailing with him, put them 80 HISTORY OF THE in a little boat, and set them adrift. Notbing more was ever heard of Henry riRST SKTTI,KMi:XT ON TIIK lllDSON. Hudson. It is supposed his frail boat was dashed in pieces by the floating ice and its inmates drowned. His vessel was at once turned toward England, but the cruel UNITED STATES. 81 mate died of starvation before it reached its destination. DnVH MANSION AX1> COTTAGK IN NKW AMSTF.UUAM. About five years after Hudson's visit to Manhattan the Dutch company sent a ves- sel to that place to trade with the Indians. By what proved afterward to be a stroke 6 82 HISTORY OF THE of good fortune, tliougli it was regarded in a very different light at the time, the ship caught fire just as tlie traders were about to sail for home, and burned up. So they were forced to remain all winter on the island. This was the commence- ment of the settlement which has grown to be the city of New Yoj'k. Very soon the Dutch company bought the whole island of the Indians, paying for it the munificent sum of one hundred and twenty -five dollars, and called it New Am- sterdam, after a city in Holland. For fifty years the colony prospered, do- ing a good business in furs and other mer- chandise with the Indians. But one morn- ing the people were surprised at seeing an English fleet anchor in their harl^or, and were not long in learning that Charles II., then King of England, claimed the land as his, because Cal)ot discovered it a great many years before. The old Dutch governor, Peter Stuyve- sant, got in a towering j)assion at this and stamped his wooden leg with rage, but it did no good. The fleet would not leave. UNITED STATES. 83 and the Dutcli after a while thought per- haps they would be better protected from PETKR STUYVESANT. the Indians if the English ruled. Poor Governor Stuyvesant was therefore forced 84 HISTORY OF THE to give up his comfoi'table city to the Eng- lish, who at once changed its picturesque name to New York, in honor of the Duke of York, who was brother to the king. OLD DUTCH CHURCH AT ALBANY, N. Y. This did not prevent the people speaking their own beloved language, however, and to this day certain Dutch customs are re- ligiously adhered to by many families de- scended from these first settlers. UNITED STATES. 85 CHAPTER X. THE SETTLEMENT OF MASSACHUSETTS. Though Capt. John Sraitli failed in his efforts to found a colony on the shores of New Engl an dy his dream was destined soon to be realized, in a manner quite un- like what he had planned, Alx>ut this time there were a great many people in England having very conscientious scruples j'egard- ing the Sabbatli and its observances. They believed the magnilicent cathedrals, with their grand music and stately service, were abominations in God's sight, and, consider- ing it a sin to worship in such places, left off attending church. They met, however^ each Sunday in some house, usually their minister's, and had prayer-meetings. As King James I. was the spiritual as well as temporal niler of England, he was quite angry with these people for setting up a religion of their own, and made a law that those who did not attend his church should be severely punished. After this the poor HISTORY OF THE n " Puritans," as ttey were afterward called, did not dare to openly disobey him, though they continued to meet secretly at night. It was not long, however, before James I. found this out, and then aifairs became so bad they were glad to leave England and make Holland their home. Here, for twelve years, they worshipped God in the way they chose ; then a new trouble arose. Though they had forsaken the land of their birth, they were still at heart Englishmen, very fond of England and English customs, and thought no language in the world quite as pleasant to the ear as their own. But to their sorrow they found their children were growing up to be more Dutch than English, and they foresaw that if they remained in Holland much longer their descendants would forget they had ever lived anywhere else. Word sometimes reached them from the Dutch settlement on Manhattan Island, and they at last decided to cross the ocean and found a settlement in Virginia, where their children would hear only English spoken, and so grow up English lads and lasses. UNITED STATES. 87 ".^?^J^^~*" H^^ PIMiRIM KATriKRS AROUND THK WATCH-FIRE. 8S HISTORY OF THE In all these years a great many Pilgrims had come over to Holland, so many, in fact. ■■■■-■ ;v1i!IIBP^^ BIBLE BROUGHT OVER IN "MAYFLOWER.' that it would be impossible for them all to go to America at once. So the young and strong were chosen to make the first voyage. UNITED STATES. 89 Two small ships that had seen much ser- vice were secured aud fitted up for the pur- pose. These wqvq called the Mayflower and the Speedwell., and ou a sunny morning in the month of July, 1620, they sailed out of the harbor of Delft Haven with one hundred men, ^^^omen, and children on board. Of these two ships, only the 2£ay- flowei' completed her voyage, the Speed- well^ after a few days out, putting back for repairs. The voyage was long and try- ing, and the weather grcAV very cold before they sighted land. The little vessel had become so leaky from the severe storms she encountered that at one time it was feared she would go to the bottom. So it was with thankful hearts that those on board first beheld the low, sandy point of Cape Cod. Though they had not intended stopping here, the captain persuaded them that it would be unsafe to proceed to the Hudson, which had been decided upon as their des- tination. So the Mayflower was anchored in Cape Cod Harbor, and a number of the 90 HISTORY OF THE men went on shore to select a place for a settlement. With the Pilgrims came a brave soldier, Capt. 3Iiles Standish by name. He did not belong to their church, but he had lived among them for some time, and had become very dear to them. W hen it was decided that they were to make themselves a home in Amenca, he offered to come with them, and soon proved himself to be a very valuable acquisition to the new colonw He it was who led the band of men along the bleat coast and through the woods in their search of a sidtable place for a home. For some time nothing seemed to quite please them ; but the captain of the Mayflower was in haste to get bact to Holland, and his provis- ions were fast using up, while his threats to put their household goods on the sandy beach and turn his vessel toward home grew daily more pronounced. Caj>tain Standish and his men were much surprised to find the country appar- ently quite destitute of inhabitants, and were at a loss to account for the fact. At one place they found the earth had been rXITED STATES. 91 recently disturbed, and Qp:>n digging a slight distance below the surface cov- ered a great basket of rashes lilled with com- The Pilgrims were very glad to add this to their scanty stores, so they took it, promising to pay a fair price to the owner if he should ever be fotmd. We are glad to know that they kept this promise. At last Stand ish decided upon a spot that Capt. John Smith had called Ply- mouth as the most pi*omising place for the settlement, and the Mayflower was brought into the harbor. Before the Pilgrims left the ship, however, they were careful to provide themselves with a government. They drew up and signed a d«x"ument, which was simply a code of laws framed for the general good, and promise of obedience to these laws. Then they chose John Cai'ver to be their governor. It was on the 21st of December, 1620, according to one way of reckoning, that they all went ashore, stepping fn>m the little boat ujx^n a great Ixnilder of granite, instead of the l^ebbly beach. This rock is still carefully 92 HISTORY OF THE preserved, and can be seen by any one visiting Plymouth. That was a cold, trying winter that first found the Pilgrims in their new home, and Death was a constant visitor in the infant colony. One after another of the less vigorous yielded to his sway, and had their graves dug in the frozen ground, until only fifty of the hopeful little band were left. Of these one was a baby-boy, born on ship- board while on the way across the ocean, and named Peregrine White. Governor Carver's wife and child, together with the wife of Capt. Miles Staudish, were among the first who died. But ^vitli the first warm days of early spring, ere the snow had entirely dis- appeared from the shady crevices of the hill-sides, fortune in the form of an Indian chief came to visit the colon}^ This was Massasoit, who proved a life-long friend of the Pilo:rims. AVhile Standish and his men were hunt- ing for a suitable spot to land, they were one day surprised by a shower of arrows which seemed to come from a little clump of UNITED STATES. 93 evergreens near by. Fortunately, no one was harmed, hut a moment later a cliorus of the most terrible yells, accompanied by Mn.Es standish's sword, pot, and flatter. a second shower of arrow?, told them that a band of hostile Indians was near at hand. Standish and his party returned this greet- ing with a volley from their guns that 94 HISTORY OF THE made the Indians take to their heels at once, and during the winter they kept at a respectful distance from the new-comers. The natives were not at all pleased with this intrusion into their domains, however, 5-^^"^^\^\%'iii|Wi(/*y''j ^^^r 'j^ TREATY BETWEEN tiOViCKXUR CARVER AND MASSASOIT. and at last concluded that, though not a safe people to approach too closely, they might be able to rid their land of the Pilgrims by means of witchcraft ; but the great "pow-wow" that they held for the purpose seemed to have no effect upon the white strangers, and they were devising other means for their extermina- UNITED STATES. 95 tion wlien Massasoit declared a friendship for the enemy. Some distance from Plymouth, on the shores of Narragansett Bay, this great chief had his home. A simple wigwam on the top of a grassy knoll sheltered him and his family from the piercing storms of winter, and fierce summer sun. From his doorway he could look out upon the sparkling waters of the bay, while at the foot of the hill bubbled up the crystal fountain of pure water that to this day bears his name. It was shaded by a great forest then, and long, tangled grasses and graceful ferns bent over it as it hurried merrily onward to mingle its sweetness with the bitter waters of the bay. Now, unshaded and unmarked, it flows slowly along its gravelly bed, so hidden and un- assuming that the passer-by would never dream of its historical importance if he had not been carefully directed to the spot. So it is that men are sometimes prone to forget the benefactors of their race. New England has raised monu- ments to many heroes far less deserving 96 HISTORY OF THE than the noble Massasoit, but no stone or mark whatever points out the site of his dwelling-place, or records one of his many unselfish deeds. When this great and good chief heard that the white men were settled not far from Sowamset, he started to make them a visit, accomj)anied by a number of his principal men. He sent word by an Indian of his tribe named Squanto that he was coming. Squanto could speak a few words in English, which he had learned from the (5rews of fishino:-smacks off the coast of Maine, so he became a very valuable interpreter to the whites. The Pilgrims received Massasoit with much pomp, and escorted him to the finest house in the colony. Then, amidst the flourish of trumpets and beating of drums, Governor Carver entered his pres- ence. Food and presents w-ere offered to the chief, who, after camping for a short time on a hill near by, went back to his home. Three days after this interview John Carver died, and William Bradford was made governor. Later the Pilgrims UNITED STATES. 97 sent Massasoit a bright-colored cotton coat, and copper chain, whicli greatly pleased the chief, and possibly helped to cement the firm friendship which always existed between him and the early settlers. But all tlie neighboring tribes were not subject to Massasoit, and one of these, the Narragansetts, which occupied the western shores of the bay, at one time thought to intimidate the whites by sending them a snake-skin filled with arrows, but Captain Standish simply removed the arrows, and filling the skin with bullets, sent it back to the Indians. Nothing more was heard from the Narragansetts — they had already had a taste of English bullets, and did not care to take another. That spring the white men planted com, and never again experienced such keen sufferings from hunger as they had felt the first winter. Many hardships awaited them in their new home. Even the precious hours of worship, for which they had braved so much, were not always undisturbed; and while good Elder Brewster preached his 98 HISTORY OF THE long sermon, the men sat with their guns at their sides, to guard against any sad- den surprise of the Indians. In November, 1621, thirty-five of those who started in the Speedwell joined the little colony, and during the following July a number of others came. These last were an idle, dissolute set, not at all fitted to plant a colony. They were sent by a wealthy man, named Weston, who was quite put out with the Plymouth Company, and so wished to found a rival settlement. These people remained at Plymouth for several weeks, living upon the Pilgrims' slender store of food, but at last settled at a place called by the Indians Wissagusset. They were lazy and shiftless, and soon found themselves without food ; then they commenced a system of begging and stealing fi'om the Indians, which soon exasperated them to such an alarming extent that the savages decided to destroy the settlement. Through the kindness of Massasoit the plot was revealed to his white friends at Plymouth, and Captain Standish, with eight men, hastened to the rescue. So UNITED STATES. 99 many Indians were killed in the fight that ensued that the neighboring tribes BREWSTER S CHAIR. were intimidated for some time to come. In 1625 Charles I. ascended the throne, but he hated those opposed to his Church 100 HISTORY OF THE quite as much as his father had done. These people, who were called Non-con- formists, were oppressed more severely as time went on, until John White, a Puritan minister of Dorchester, England, sent a small number of them across the sea to found a colony in America. For two years these j^eople lived upon the bleak and rocky Cape Ann, hoping to make a livelihood by fishing, but in 1626 they moved further south to Naumkeag, now called Salem. In 1028 John Endi- cott and a hundred followers came to the place, making it a permanent settlement and laying the foundations of the colony of Massachusetts Bay. John Endicott was chosen governor, and in the following year, March 14, 1629, Charles I. issued a charter incorporating the proprietors, under the name of "The Governor and Company of the Massachu- setts Bay in New England." This colony increased rapidly, and in July of that year two hundred settlers arrived, a part of whom removed to the north shore of Bos- ton Harbor and laid the foundations of UNITED STATFK 101 JOHN EXDICOTT. 102 HISTORY OF THE Charlestown, naming it for the king. Men now came gladly to New England, and the colony prospered. In July, 1630, John Winthrop, who had been appointed governor before leaving England, and some three hundred immigrants came, set- tling at Dorchester, Cambridge, Water- town, and Roxbury. Governor Winthrop intended making his home in Charlestown, but a prevailing illness there, occasioned, it was feared, by the unwholesome water, led him and several of his friends to change their location to a place called by the Indians Shawmut, where a fine spring of pure cold water gushed out from one of the three hills which formed the peninsula. Here the foundations of Boston were laid, and for many years the place was known as Tri-Mountain. Though hardships did not cease at once, the Massachusetts set- tlements prosjDered on the whole. As more men came, attention turned toward the education of the children. Mothers taught their little ones at first, but in a few years schools began to appear, and some man well qualified for the position UNITED STATES. 103 was entreated to become sclioolmaster. In 1638 Harvard College was founded, and so called in lionor of Jolin IIar\'ard, who left to It four thousand dollars and his books. Though these early settlers of New England were sometimes at a loss to know where they could obtain their next meal, they always had good books with them, John Endicott's library numbering two hundred and seventy-five volumes. In about a year after the founding of Har- vard College, a printing-press was set up at Cambridge. Thus it was that at that early date New England took an active interest in education, and laid the founda- tions of the excellent school system which has received a world-wide reputation. 104 HISTORY OF THE CHAPTER XL OTHER NEW EISTGLAjNTD COLONIES. As early as 1623 a number of trading posts were established in what is now New Hamj)shii'e, and from tbese several settle- ments sj^rung. The many fish in the rivers drew men to the region, and led them to brave the hardships of winter and dangers from Indians. But the colony was feeble and isolated, so in a few years it was, at its own request, received into the Massa- chusetts Bay Colony. For nearly half a century the two Avere united ; then these settlements Avere again formed into a sepa- rate province by Charles II., king of Great Britain, and called New Hampshire. In the little town of Salem there was a bright young preacher named Boger Wil- liams. Tliis man had left England for a land where he might worship God as he chose, but upon reaching it he found he had no more rights in tliis respect than in his native country. He was at liberty to believe and preacli the doctrine of the UNITED STATES. 105 KOGEK WILLIAMS ON HIS WAY TO KHODE ISLAND. 106 HISTORY OF THE Puritans, but it was considered heresy for liim to whisper a word of any other. He thought this all very wrong, and said so. The stern Puritan fathers would not coun- tenance such doctrines, and were about to send him back to Eno;land when he made his escape and hastened to the domain of Massasoit, of whom he bought a tract of land, which he at once called Providence. Here he said other free-thinkers like him- seK could hnd a home and worship God as they 2:)leased, and very soon a number of families followed him thither. This was in the year 1636, and proud indeed may the children of Rhode Island be of the noble man who laid the foundation of their State, for Poger Williams was the first man in this country or in Europe who dared and who did proclaim the full gospel of religious freedom. Now that the Puritan ministers had ban- ished Poger Williams, they hoped to have things their own way, but they were sadly disappointed. The brave young man had set others to thinking, and in spite of threats of banishment to any who dared to UNITED STATES. 107 depart from the doctrines they preached, the number of heretics, as they were called, grew larger every day. People talked of little else than religion or doctrines, and every sermon was reviewed and criticised as no sermon of the present day is dreamed of beino-. Think of listeninsr to a sermon for two long hours, remembering the whole of it, and making it the subject of conver- sation for most of the following week ! And the sermons of those days were very unlike those we listen to in our churches of to-day. Indeed, they were so very diy and dull I fear most of us would find it hard to keep our attention fixed upon one for even ten minutes at a time. There was a bright woman in the colony who thought gravely and expressed her opinions freely concerning the weighty matter of doctrines. At first the elders were shocked at her indifference to pro- priety. " Women should be seen but not heard," they said. Then they grew indig- nant and threatened to banish her if she did not desist in her efforts. But she paid little attention to these I'everend gentlemen. 108 HISTORY OF THE and continued holding meetings, at wliich . she spoke with great fervor of the impor- tance of religious freedom. At this time Sir Henry Vane, a young nobleman who had come from England in the ship with Mrs. Hutchinson, was governor of the col- on}, and he, with a large number of Boston people, favored her opinions. But at last the good ministers and their supporters could stand it no longer : so they called a meetino:, and after much serious debatino; Mrs. Hutchinson and her friends wei'e banished from Massachusetts because "they were unfit for the society of Christians." These exiles at once turned to the settlement Roger Williams had founded. In Narragansett Bay lies a beautiful island that the Indians called the Isle of Peace. At that time it belonged to Miantouomoh, a chief of the Narragan- setts, but lioger Williams had taken pains to make friends with all the Indians about him, and to him the chief sold this fair island for forty fathoms of white beads, and Mrs. Hutchinson and her foL UNITED STATES. 109 lowers at once settled there, and changed its name to Rhode Island. One fine mornino: in 1633 a little vessel sailed out of Plymouth Harbor, contain hig not only household goods, but the frame of the house that was to shelter them, and made its way slowly around Cape Cod and along the Sound, until it reached the Connecticut, or " long river," as the name means in the Indian language. Some time before this the Dutch, wish- ing to keep this pleasant land to them- selves, had built a fort where the city of Hartford now stands, aud on its top they had planted a cannon to frighten intruders away. John Holmes, the owner of the little vessel, was quite surprised when he came in sight of this little fort. He did not know there were any white men in the region. But he was still more surprised when the Dutch came out of the fort and ordered him to turn back, threatening to sink his vessel if he did not stop. But Holmes was a brave man, and kept on his course, pretending not to hear what they 110 HISTORY OF THE said. He saw tliem load their cannon and make ready to fire. Little he cared, how- ever; for the favoring breeze would soon take him beyond their reach, and he knew the Dutch could not hit him if they did their best, for they were no marksmen at all. So he only laughed at their efforts to scare him, which, no doubt, made them very angry. A short distance further up, at Windsor, he unloaded his boat, and put up his house. This was the first step to- ward the settlement of Connecticut. Reports of the beautiful Connecticut valley soon reached England, and a grant of the land was given to Lords Say-and- Seal and Brooke. Early in the year 1635 they sent young Winthro^^, son of the Governor of Massachusetts, to build a fort at the mouth of the Connecticut River to prevent further encroachments of the Dutch. This younger Winthrop was one of the noblest and brightest men in the colony, a worthy rival of his illustrious father. He hastened to the place and built a small fort, as commanded, nam- ing it Saybrook in honor of the two pro- n UNITED STATES. Ill CHARirs II 112 HISTORY OF THE prietors. In October of the same year sixty persons set out from Boston to make their home in this fair valley. They made the long journey on foot, and through woods where white men had never travelled before. Driving their cattle before them, and v^dtli their wives and little ones trudging alongside, they made slow progress. The winter set in early that year, and the cold was so in- tense that their cattle perished on the way, and many of their number sickened and died, while those who were left suf- fered dreadfully during the winter from want of food. But the next spring another and larger party from Boston joined them. These also travelled through the woods, but the warm spring weather made the journey very different from that of the fall be- fore. These people founded Hartford and Wethersfield. Maine was visited very early by fisher- men who came down from the great fishing banks near Newfoundland, but these made no permanent settlements. It was about UNITED STATES. 118 ON THE WAY TO CONNECTKUT. 114 HISTORY OF THE the year 1626 that the first actual settle- ment was made at the mouth of the Pema- quick River. Before we proceed with the distressing Indian wars that for years threatened to destroy this country, it might be Avell to give a slight sketch of the political history of the Massachusetts colony up to the eighteenth century. While Cromwell was Protector, the peo- ple of Massachusetts and other parts of New England enjoyed unrestrained liberty as to their political government, but upon the restoration of Charles IT. a change came. Commissioners appointed by the king were sent across the sea to examine tlie affairs of the English colonies in America, and to establisli tlie authority of the king. When James II. was made king, he united all New England under one gov- ernor. Sir Edmund Andros, who was haughty and severe, and far from loved by the colonists. So it was with joy that the people of Massachusetts heard of the overthrow of James II., for they hoped UNITED STATEiS. 115 SIR EDMUND ANDROS. 116 HISTORY OF THE now to be rid of tlieir tyrannic governor. Agents were sent to plead witli William and Mary, not only to remove Andros, but to restore the charter which Charles II. had taken away. Andros was called home and a new charter given in 1691 by which Massachusetts became a royal prov- ince. The Plymouth colony and Maine were made parts of Massachusetts at this time, and Sir William Phipps made gover- nor. UNITED STATES. 117 CUMMISSIONERS LANUINO AT BOSTON. 118 HISTORY OF THE CHAPTER XII. EARLY WARS WITH THE INDIANS. Connecticut was inhabited by a num- ber of large Indian tribes, among which the Peqiiods, living in the southeastern part of the State, were the most powerful. Their country was covered with trees and wild grasses, and in it lived the game upon which they depended for food. Now, as they saw the white men spreading their settlements over it, they began to be jeal- ous and alarmed. What would they do if the English drove away all the animals and game, or shot and ate it themselves ? At last they decided to exterminate the intruders. The chief of the Pequods was a great warrior called Sassacus, who in 1637 began what is known as the " Pequod War," the first of those horrible massacres the thoughts of which even now strike terror to the heart. One day a man Avas sailing along the coast near Block Island, with his two boys, when one of them observed a boat some UNITED STATES. 119 distance off filled witli Indians. He called the attention of tlie others to it, and upon nearer approach discovered it to be one they all knew, belonging to a settler named Oldham. The man, mistrusting something was wrong, made for the boat, which frightened the savages so much they jumped into the water and swam for the shore. When reached, it was found to contain the bleeding and lifeless body of Oldham hidden under a fishing-net on the bottom. Soon after this, in the winter of 1636-37, the Pequods killed a number of settlers, and in the April following nine persons were murdered at Wethersfield. These acts so incensed the whites that ninety men from Hartford, Wethersfield, and Windsor, under Capt. John Mason of Hartford, volunteered to punish them. The Pequods would no doubt have suc- ceeded in ridding the land of the white men if they could have persuaded the other tribes to join them. Massasoit was a friend of the English, but he lived across the bay, and so was of less importance to 120 HISTORY OF THE the cause than the Narragan setts, a v^ery large and powerful tribe. When the peo- ple of Boston learned what the Pequods were trying to do, they were greatly alarmed. Knowing that Roger Williams was greatly reverenced and loved by the Narragansetts, they sent to him, begging that he would dissuade their chief from this union of forces. Now the man whom they had driven from his home out into the unbroken forest, in the midst of winter, not caring whether he lived or died, had a good chance to repay them for the unjust deed. Would he do it ? Upon receiving their message this good man set out in his frail canoe, in a violent storm, from Providence, which he had founded only a month before, and paddled slowly down the bay. Every minute it seemed as if the little boat with its soli- tary occupant would go to the bottom, but at last, after the most exhausting- efforts, he reached the Narragansett village and hastened at once to the wigwam of the chief. The Pequod chiefs were already UNITED STATES. 121 there, but he pleaded so earnestly with Caaouicus and Miantonomoh to stand fast to their promises to the English that in three days he had the j)leasure of seeing the disappointed Pequods turn back to their home. Uncas, the chief of the Mohegans, a tribe occupying the country west of the Connecticut River, not only refused to join the hostile Indians, but furnished a party of seventy warriors to assist Captain Mason. Twenty soldiers were also sent fi'om Boston. These troops entered several small vessels and sailed down the river, and then eastward through the Sound. Just beyond the Thames were the two Pequod forts, the strongholds of their nation. AVhen the Indians saw the squad- ron pass without trying to land, they set up a series of most derisive shouts and yells, for they thought the hearts of the English had failed them, and that they were afraid to fight. Then they all joined in a most savage and uproarious jubilee. The vessels kept on their way until they cast anchor in the harbor of Wickford. Then 122 HISTORY OF THE the troops started on a line of march across country, trying in vain to persuade the Narragansetts to join them. But the wary chiefs, fearing the enterprise might not prove successful, would have nothing to do with it. The English reached the fort at nightfall on May 25, and hid in the s\vamp near by until the Indians slept, for they had not yet ceased their revelry over their supposed intimidation of their foes. Tavo hours after midnight the sol- diers crept from their hiding-jDlaces and rushed forward to the fort, the howling of a dog being the first warning the Indians had of approaching danger. A fearful battle ensued, in which the wig- wams and fort were set on fire, and six hundred men, women, and children per- ished in the flames. Only seven warriors, including Sassacus, escaped. This chief sought refuge mth the Mohegans, but was murdered. In the early morning the in- habitants of the other fort, numbering some three hundred, rushed out upon the scene of devastation. They had heard the up- roar and did not doubt but their friends UNITED STATES. 123 were victorious. The sight of the half- charrecl remains of their relatives and friends drove them nearly frantic with rage and horror. They took but one look, then rushed away into the woods. But they were hunted down and given to the Narragansetts and Mohegans for servants, a few being sold as slaves. Thus ended the first Indian war. For many years after this the New Eng- land colonists had no trouble with the Indians ; if any of them were tempted to revolt, they had only to be reminded of the fate of the powerful Pequods to make them the most docile of neighbors. But this state of things could not al- ways last. At first the Indians were very i-eady to sell their land for bright-colored beads and English guns, but after a while they awoke to the understanding that their hunting- grounds were becoming too small to sup- port them. About the year 1662, Mas- sasoit, the chief of the Wampanoags, died, and in less than a year his eldest son, whom the English called Alexander, followed him. 124 HISTORY OF THE Then the brave and able Philip became sachem of the tribe. Philip was a bright, thoughtful man, who would gladly have kept the peace, but he was surrounded by young, hot-headed warriors who longed to drive the white men from their land, and possess once more the freedom of their fathers' times. For some offence Alexander had been arrested by the colonists and sent to prison in Boston, and here he caught the fever that ended his life. The Indian who as- sisted in his conviction was soon afterward caught and murdered by his companions, and these in turn were seized by the Eng- lish, condemned, and hanged. The Indians are always revengeful, and this last act of the white men increased their anger to a white heat. Kiug Philip saw he could not lono;er restrain them, thous;!! he tried in vain to do so. His warriors were all as- sembled near his home on Mount Hope, now ill Bristol, R. I., and having sent the women and children across the bay to Can- onchet, the sachem of the Narragan setts, for protection, he let his young braves UNITED STATES. 125 have their way. It is said that the brave man wept, however, when he heard that English blood had been shed, for he clearly saw from the first what must be the inevi- table end of the struggle. On June 24, 1675, the village of Swanzey was attacked, and eight people killed. This was the commencement of a long, bloody war, known as king philip's war. 126 HISTORY OF THE CHAPTEK XIII. KING Philip's war. Troops from Boston and Plymouth hast- ened to the country of the Wampanoags, overtaking and killing a few Indians on the way, and compelling Philip to flee with his six hundred warriors across Mount Hope Bay to the Tiverton shores. Here they were again assailed, but from their position in a swamp they were able to drive off the enemy, who afterward sur- rounded the camp, hoping to starve the Indians out. But Philip and his men at last escaped, one dark night, and, crossing the bay, hastened to the country of the Nipmucks, in Massachusetts, along the Connecticut River and its tributaries. Then the seat of war was changed to this region, an