What I thought was a flower, is only a weed, and is

worthless; Out of my heart will I pluck it, and throw it away, and henceforward

740 Be but a fighter of battles, a lover and wooer of dan

gers." Thus he revolved in his mind his sorry defeat and dis

comfort, While he was marching by day or lying at night in

the forest, Looking up at the trees and the constellations beyond

them.

After a three days' march he came to an Indian encampment

745 Pitched on the edge of a meadow, between the sea and

the forest; Women at work by the tents, and warriors, horrid

with war-paint, Seated about a fire, and smoking and talking to

gether; Who, when they saw from afar the sudden approach Saw the flash of the sun on breastplate and sabre and musket,

750 Straightway leaped to their feet, and two, from among

them advancing, Came to parley with Standish, and offer him furs as

a present : Friendship was in their looks, but in their hearts there

was hatred. Braves of the tribe were these, and brothers, gigantic

in stature, Huge as Goliath of Gath, or the terrible Og, king of Bashan;

755 One was Pecksuot named, and the other was called Round their necks were suspended their knives in

- scabbards of wampum, Two-edged, trenchant knives, with points as sharp as

a needle. Other arms had they none, for they were cunning and

crafty. “Welcome, English !” they said, — these words they had learned from the traders

760 Touching at times on the coast, to barter and chaffer

for peltries. Then in their native tongue they began to parley with

Standish, Through his guide and interpreter, Hobomok, friend

of the white man, Begging for blankets and knives, but mostly for mus

kets and powder, Kept by the white man, they said, concealed, with the plague, in his cellars,

765 Ready to be let loose, and destroy his brother the red But when Standish refused, and said he would give

them the Bible, Suddenly changing their tone, they began to boast and

to bluster. Then Wattawamat advanced with a stride in front of

the other, And, with a lofty demeanor, thus vauntingly spake to the Captain :

770 “ Now Wattawamat can see, by the fiery eyes of the

Captain, Angry is he in his heart; but the heart of the brave

Wattawamat Is not afraid at the sight. He was not born of a

woman, But on a mountain, at night, from an oak-tree riven

by lightning, Forth he sprang at a bound, with all his

weapons about him,

775 Shouting, · Who is there here to fight with the brave

Wattawamat?'' Then he unsheathed his knife, and, whetting the blade

on his left hand, Held it aloft and displayed a woman's face on the

handle, Saying, with bitter expression and look of sinister

meaning :

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“I have another at home, with the face of a man on the handle ;

780 By and by they shall marry; and there will be plenty

of children!”

Then stood Pecksuot forth, self-vaunting, insulting

Miles Standish;
While with his fingers he patted the knife that hung

at his bosom,
Drawing it half from its sheath, and plunging it back,

as he muttered, “By and by it shall see; it shall eat; ah, ha! but shall speak not!

785 This is the mighty Captain the white men have sent

to destroy us! He is a little man; let him go and work with the

women!”

Meanwhile Standish had noted the faces and figures