miles to the harbor, is not liable to the many fluctuations incident to most of our streams. It has, from time immemorial, been of great importance to our citizens, and might with skilful improvements, increase the productive power of our manufactures to a very large extent.

In this comparatively sequestered region, the eagle still maintains his ancient dominion, majestically soaring above his native hills, the abode of many generations. Here the beautiful wood duck still roams, though with diminished chances of success, in quest of a secluded retreat and the bounding deer, sportively ranging through forest and glade, finds refreshment on the margin of its pure waters; or, when heated in the chase from some perilous onset of the reckless hunter, with hurried flight venturously braves the welcome flood, his only chance of security from unrelenting pursuit.

SAMOSET, THE INDIAN SAGAMORE.
His Interview with the Pilgrims.

The path through which Samoset came,
And boldly welcomed them by name,
Whose practiced skill and counsel sage,
Inscribed appear on history's page,
That tells his worth and friendship true,
And yields the praise so justly due-
His comely form and features stand,
Portrayed by Sargent's tasteful hand,
Beside the groupe of exiled name,

Who pressed the Rock of endless fame.

The interview of Samoset with the Pilgrims, was an important event in their early history, and the reader

will doubtless desire an account of it. The following description of this novel scene, by one present on the interesting occasion, is therefore offered:

'Friday, the 16th, a fair, warm day towards. This morning we determined to conclude of the military orders, which we had begun to consider of before, but were interrupted by the savages, as we mentioned formerly. And whilst we were busied hereabout, we were interrupted again; for there presented himself a savage, which caused an alarm. He very boldly came all alone, and along the houses, straight to the rendezvous; where we intercepted him, not suffering him to go in, as undoubtedly he would out of his boldness. He saluted us in English, and bade us 'Welcome ;' for he had learned some broken English among the Englishmen that came to fish at Monhiggon, and knew by name most of the captains, commanders, and masters that usually come. He was a man free in speech so far as he could express his mind, and of a seemly carriage. We questioned him of many things, he was the first savage we could meet withal. He said he was not of these parts, but of Morattiggon,* and one of the sagamores or lords thereof; and had been eight months in these parts, it lying hence a day's sail with a great wind, and five days by land. He discoursed of the whole country, and of every province, and their sagamores, and their number of men and strength. The wind beginning to rise a little, we cast a horseman's coat about him; for he was stark naked, only a

*Probably Monniggon, in the State of Maine.

leather about his waist, with a fringe about a span long or little more. He had a bow and two arrows; the one headed, and the other unheaded. He was a tall, straight man, the hair of his head black, long behind, only short before, none on his face at all. He asked some beer, but we gave him strong water, and biscuit, and butter, and cheese, and pudding, and a piece of mallard; all which he liked well, and had been acquainted with such amongst the English. He told us the place where we now lived is called Patuxet, and that about four years ago all the inhabitants died of an extraordinary plague, and there is neither man, woman, nor child remaining, as indeed we have found none; so as there is none to hinder our possession, or to lay claim unto it. All the afternoon we spent in communication with him. We would gladly have been rid of him at night, but he was not willing to go this night. Then we thought to carry him on shipboard, wherewith he was well content, and went into the shallop; but the wind was high and the water scant, that it could not return back. We lodged him that night at Stephen Hopkins's* house, and watched him.

The uncertainty of the Indians as to the numbers and strength of the Pilgrims, and the dread inspired by the use of fire arms, probably induced them to preserve a cautious reserve for more than three months. During this time the Pilgrims were struggling through every variety of difficulty and suffering, to provide a shelter for themselves and their families, and might have be

* Probably the house, corner of Main and Leyden Street.

come an easy prey to any hostile effort against them. Before their habitations had been sufficiently secured against the inclemency of winter, many from previous exposure were seized with sickness and died. In their feeble state, ignorant of the power, fearful of renewed hostility from the Indians, who shall attempt to describe their hour of agony?

At this moment of painful suspense and apprehension of thick coming dangers, with what indescribable emotions of joy, did the Pilgrim, as he walked forth in the morning of that day, to resume the labor of defensive preparation, hear the first sounds of friendly salutation, when Samoset boldly approaching the humble dwellings, called aloud, 'Welcome! welcome Englishmen!'

It little mattered that Indian proficiency had mastered only some broken fragments of the English tongue; the tones of welcome were those of rapture, and needed no medium of polished phrase to reach the heart. The interview was full of interest, and its consequences proved highly beneficial.

Samoset is not mentioned in history after the interview with Massasoit, which occurred a few days after the occurrences above narrated. It is therefore probable, that he soon returned to his native home in the eastern country, from whence it is generally supposed he came, and that no opportunity was afterwards presented to renew the friendly salutations with which he first met the Pilgrims.

WATSON'S HILL.

Massasoit.

The rising Hill, upon whose brow
Was first exchanged the solemn vow,
Where Massasoit, the Indian Chief,
So freely tendered kind relief,
And by whose early proffered aid
A lasting peace was firmly made,
While Carver, Winslow, Bradford stand,
Time honored Fathers of our land,
This chieftain too shall homage claim
Of praise far more than princely fame;
True hearted, gentle, kind and brave,
Unfading honors crown his grave.

This hill* rises to an elevated height on the south side of Town Brook, and was called Strawberry Hill by the first planters. It was early owned by George Watson, an ancient and valuable settler. Its Indian name was Cantauganteest; the signification of which has not been ascertained, though diligent inquiry has been made for that purpose. Since the days of Eliot, Mayo, Cotton, and Treat, the language and the race of Indians seem to have shared one common fate. It might become an interesting subject of speculation to consider what effect would be produced on the minds of those devoted missionaries, were they permitted to visit the earth and witness the desolation which has spared hardly a solitary descendant of the numerous converts they once gathered into the fold of Christian hope.

* Indicated by the wind-mill now on its summit.