THE STORY OF THE PILGRIMS.

ors, but from it shall come a revolution in
government—an empire in which the king
is the subject and every subject a king—
There
are only fifty souls in this little state, yet

for here all men shall be equal.

they assemble and make their own laws.
Eyen John Billington finds this state has
power to enforce its laws, for he speaks
disrespectfully of the new governor and
the people say “tie him neck and heels
and feed him on bread and water until he
It is done, and John Bill-
ington learns that which we all should

asks pardon.”

heed, the law must be obeyed.
But what of the Indians?

back. On January 31st, two Indians are

seen, but they escape. On March 16th

an Indian marches boldly into camp and

We must go

astonishes them by saying ‘Welcome
Englishmen.” His name is Samoset. He
has mingled with the English fishers on
the coast of Maine and has learned a little
English. The Pilgrims treat him kindly,
for they want to be at peace with their
dusky neighbors. He goes away, but
returns with an Indian named Squanto
who was one of twenty seized by a cruel
sailor named Hunt and carried to Spain
Squanto has been in
Three

other Indians accompany them and offer

some years before.
London and can speak English.
furs for sale. Squanto tells them that
their big chief, Massasoit, is close at hand
and, while they are talking, the chief, with

 

197

 

sixty Indians, comes in sight on top of
the hill.
returns saying Massasoit wants to treat
with them. Mr, Edward Winslow is sent
to meet them and say that the governor

Squanto goes to meet them and

will see them. Then the chief leaves
Mr. Winslow with his followers and with
twenty Indians enters the colony but, to
disarm suspicion, they leave their bows
and arrows behind them. Captain Stan-
dish with six soldiers go out to meet them,
conduct them to a house and seat them
on a green rug and several cushions.
The governor enters attended with drum,
trumpet and soldiers. They kissed each
other’s hands and then all sat and, after
some refreshments, concluded an agree-
ment of friendship. This agreement was
never broken.

Afterward, Governor Bradford remem-
bered that the Indians had never been
paid for the corn the Pilgrims had taken.
So he sent two men, with Squanto for a
guide, to the home of Massasoit with a
red coat trimmed with lace and a copper
chain for his neck. This pleased Massasoit
greatly and he rewewed his agreement of
friendship by smoking the pipe of peace
and giving the men some corn to plant.
The men were glad to leave the home of
Massasoit for he lived in a wigwam or hut
of bark, alive with fleas, and had ver
little to eat.

Squanto showed the Pilgrims how to