Bristol County, Massachusetts - Chapter 34, 1883

Chapter 34

Rehoboth in the War - Garrison-Houses - Burning of the Town - Pierce's Fight - Philip Slain at Mount Hope - Capture of Anuawan - Annawan's Rock - Col. Benjamin Church - His Account of Anuawan's Capture.

Indian War. - In 1675 commenced the bloody and destructive Indian war known by the name of " Philip's war." Of the miseries of this war Rehoboth, from its proximity to Mount Hope, the residence of Philip, or Pometacom, the prime mover of the war, was destined to suffer its full share. The first blood was spilled within the original jurisdiction of Rehoboth, and the last of Philip's generals, the stern and intrepid old warrior and counselor Annawan, was captured within the present limits of the same town. During this war, which lasted nearly two years, the inhabitants of Rehoboth were kept in almost constant alarm ; a number of them were at different times slain, and the whole town, the garrison-houses excepted, was at one time laid in ashes. This town was also the scene of Pierce's fight, one of the most disastrous battles to the English that occurred during the whole war.

The " three houses" into which " the inhabitants of both towns" (Rehoboth and Swansea) were gathered, and where they rendezvoused during the war, were called garrison-houses. They were fortified and continually guarded in time of danger, and were some-

2 See Chapter II., where will be found the Indian history of the county. AIbo, see history of Attleborough for Indian history of this section.

times so strong as to enable a few men to sustain a long siege against a large body of savages. The three principal garrison-houses maintained in Rehoboth and Swansea during Philip's war, and which were probably meant by the writer last quoted, were one in Rehoboth North Purchase (now Attleborough), called " Woodcock's Garrison," another on the south end of Seekonk Plain (now Seekonk Common), and the third near Miles' Bridge, in the northern part of Swansea ; this last was called " Miles' Garrison," from the Rev. John Miles, the minister of Swansea, whose house was garrisoned. It stood a short distance west of Miles' Bridge,3 probably near the site of the tavern of Mason Barney, Esq.4 Woodcock's Garrison was named from John Woodcock, who built the house and occupied it before the war and after it during his life for a public tavern. The following is the record of the license granted him for this purpose by the court of Plymouth : " July 5, 1670. John Woodcock is allowed by the Court to keep an Ordinary at the ten-mile river (so called), which is in the way from Rehoboth to the Bay ; and likewise eDj'oined to keep good order, that no unruliness nor ribaldry be permitted there." (Plymouth Colony Record.)

Several other houses were occupied temporarily as garrisons, but the three described were the strongest, and were always resorted to in times of the greatest danger.

Church mentions a Maj. Brown's Garrison, where a part of the Plymouth forces on their arrival at Swansea were posted. Where this garrison stood it is impossible now to determine, though I have the impression, from the fact that Mr. Brown's father owned land very largely at Wannamoiset, which had now descended to his son, that it was in the same part of Swansea with Miles' Garrison.

Mr. Baylies, in his " Memoir of Plymouth Colony," vol. ii., pt. 3, p. 33, mentions a garrison at the house of one Bourn, at Mattapoisett, twelve miles distant from Swansea. Though in this he follows Hubbard (133), yet this distance, " twelve miles," is undoubtedly an error. Hubbard in another place calls Mattapoisett " a small neck of land in the bottom of Taunton Bay, in the midway between Mount Hope and Pocasset Neck," and mentions it as being twelve miles from Rehoboth? This would make the distance be-

4 In the year 1833, in digging or enlarging a cellar on this spot, a large number of cannon-balls were dug out of the ground, which leads me to suppose that this was the site of the garrison. It is not mentioned by any historian that cannon were used by the English at Swansea at the time of Philip's war. But I know of no other purpose for which these balls could have been deposited there. The place where they were found I conjecture to have been the spot of Mr. Miles' cellar.

Rehoboth

tween Miles' Garrison and Mattapoisett six miles, the former being six miles distant from Rehoboth, and in the direction of the latter. Mattapoisett Neck is the same as is now called Gardner's Neck, in Swansea, which runs into Mount Hope Bay, early called Taunton Bay.

March the 28th, 1676, two days after Pierce's fight,1 a party of the Indians, crossing the river, laid the town in ashes, burning forty houses and thirty barns.2 These houses were around the " Ring of the Town," now called " Seekonk Common." Only two houses were left standing, the garrison house, which stood on the spot where the house of Phanuel Bishop now stands, and another house on the south end of the common, which was preserved by black sticks having been arranged around it, so as to give it at a distance the appearance of being strongly guarded. The houses were set on fire, as tradition informs us, early in the evening, and when the sun arose the next morning it beheld only a line of smoking ruins.

The town records give the name of only one person slain by the Indians at this time : " Robert Beers, slain ye 28 March, 1676." He was an Irishman, and a brick-maker by trade. It is said that he was a religious but eccentric and superstitious man, and that on the approach of the Indians he refused to go into the garrison house, but sat down in his own house with his Bible in his hand, believing that while he continued reading it nothing could harm him. He was shot through the window, and fell with his Bible in his hand.

The following mention of the burning of the town by the Indians on the 28th of March is made in a letter written at that time by the council of war at Plymouth to Governor Leverett, of Massachusetts Colony. The copy, found among the Winslow papers, has no date, but from the contents it is inferred that it was written on the 31st of March, 1676 : " Another messenger with sad tidings, at the heels of the other, from Rehoboth ; that town in flames, 28 instant, soon after daylight, the enemy having fech't away sundry cattle the day before, and lay all night in their hearing, burnt sixty houses and barns, appeared very numerous, and continued lurking thereabout after it."

The next notice of the Indians relative .to Rehoboth found in history is that "in the road to Rehoboth (in their march from Wrentham) they assaulted one Woodcock's house, killed one man and one of his sons, wounded another, and burned his son's house."

The Indian war in this quarter was now fast drawing to a close. Philip, the prime mover of the war, was slain on Saturday morning, Aug. 12, 1676, at Mount Hope, and Annawan, the last and bravest of his generals, was taken captive on Monday evening of the 28th, in Rehoboth. The rock where he was taken is still known to all the country round by the name of " Annawan's rock." This rock lies in the southeasterly part of Rehoboth, near the confines of Dighton, a few rods south of the new turnpike from Taunton to Providence, about eight miles from the former and ten miles from the latter place. It is on the northern border of a great swamp called Squannakonk, by which it is rendered inaccessible except on the northern side. This side can be seen from the turnpike, and is easily ascended, sloping gradually away from its summit to its base, at an angle of about 35°. The whole rock extends northeast and southwest seventy or eighty feet, and its height is twentyfive or thirty feet. It is composed of sand and pebbles. A part of its southeast side projects a little over its base, while on the northeast it seems at no very distant period to have tumbled down in large clefts. Near its southeast extremity is an opening of an angular form, resembling the corner of a room, with sides nearly perpendicular. In this, it is said, Annawan and his men had encamped. In one of the perpendicular sides of this opening is an excavation or fissure, narrow at the bottom, and widening gradually upwards, and commencing so near the ground as to make a very convenient seat. This is called " Annawan's chair," for it is said that in this Annawan used to sit. Within the large angular opening or corner, some years since, stood a large tree, covered for several feet from the ground with the names of many who had visited the rock, and whose passion for immortality had prompted them "to give in trust their names" to this reverend sentinel of the place. But the " September gale" of 1815 prostrated this ancient chronicler of the rock, and an uprooted stump now marks the place where it stood. It is probable that this tree grew since the days of Annawan, as it occupied a large share of the angle. Small bushes still grow from the seams on the top and in the steep side of the rock, as in the days of Church. Till lately a thin scattering wood grew around it, and near to the east and south was a thick forest, which seemed to make it even then a fitting abode for savages. But these have within a year or two all yielded to " the woodman's axe," and the retreat of Annawan now looks lonely and desolate. It is frequently visited by the curious and the gay, and the rock where the rude Indian once trod is now often pressed by the soft foot of the American fair. The nearest inhabitant to this rock is Deacon Asahel Bliss. (Bliss in 1838.)

Annawan was of the tribe of the Wampanoags, and had been greatly distinguished as a warrior and counselor under Massasoit, and was " Philip's great captain" in this war. He is first mentioned in the annals of Philip's war by Church, in describing the skirmish in which Philip was slain : " One of the enemy, who seemed to be a great surly old fellow, hallooed with a loud voice, and often called out, "lootash, Iootash /" Capt. Church called to his Indian, Peter, and asked him who that was called so. He answered that it was old Annawan, Philip's great captain, calling to his soldiers to stand to it, and fight stoutly." The hest authority for the circumstances of the capture of Annawan is found in the account written under the direction of the old warrior,1 to whose valor the glory of the achievement belongs.

" Capt. Church," says the narrative, " had been but a little while at Plimouth (after the death of Philip) before a post from Rehoboth came to inform the Governour that old Annawan, Philip's chief captain, was with his company ranging about their woods, and was very offensive and pernicious to Rehoboth and Swanzey. Capt. Church was immediately sent for again, and treated with to engage in one expedition more. He told them their encouragement was so poor he feared his soldiers would be dull about going again. But being a hearty friend to the cause, he rallied again, goes to Mr. Jabez Howland, his old lieutenant, and some of his soldiers that used to go out with him, told them how the case was circumstanced, and that he had intelligence of old An Hawaii's walk and haunt, and wanted hands to hunt him. They did not want much entreating, but told him they would go with him as long as there was one Indian left in the woods. He moved and ranged through the woods to Pocasset.

" It being the latter end of the week, he proposed to go on to Rhode Island and rest until Monday ; but on the Lord's day morning'2 there came a post to inform the captain that early the same morning a canoe with several Indians in it passed from Prudence Island3 to Poppasquash4 Neck. Capt. Church thought if he could possibly surprise them he might probably gain some intelligence of more game, therefore he made all possible speed after them. The ferryboat being out of the way he made use of canoes. But by that time they had made two freights and had got over about fifteen or sixteen of his Indians the wind sprung up with such violence that canoes could no more pass. The captain seeing it was impossible for any more of his soldiers to come to him, he told his Indians if they were willing to go with him he would go to Poppasquash and see if they could catch some of the enemy Indians. They were willing to go but were sorry they had no English soldiers.5 So they marched through the thickets that they might

1 Col. Benjamin Church was born at Duxbury, Mass., in 1639, and died Jan. 17, 1717, in the seventy-eighth year of his age, at Little Compton, R. I. He married Miss Alice Southworth, and had five sons and a daughter. His daring and intrepidity can scarce find an equal in our annals. He was particularly distinguished in Philip's war, and was afterwards sent on an expedition against the Eastern Indians. (Church's Hist, of Philip's war.) William Church, Esq., of Providence, R. I., and Church Gray, Esq., of Seekonk, are lineal descendants of this hero, the former by the father's and the latter by the mother's side.

not be discovered, until they came unto the salt meadow to the northward of Bristol town, that now is, then they heard a gun ; the captain looked about, not knowing but it might be some of his own company in the rear. So halting till they all came up, he found it was none of his company that fired.

" Now, though he had but a few men, he was minded to send some of them out on a scout. He moved it to Capt. Lightfoot to go with three more on a scout; he said he was willing, provided the captain's man, Nathaniel (which was an Indian they had lately taken), might be one of them, because he was well acquainted with the Neck, and coming lately from among them knew how to call them.

" The captain bid him choose his three companions and go, and if they came across any of the enemy not to kill if they could possibly be taken alive, that they might gain intelligence concerning Annawan. The captain with the rest of his company moved but a little way further toward Poppasquash before they heard another gun, which seemed to be the same way with the other, but farther off; but they made no halt until they came unto the narrow of Poppasquash Neck, where Capt. Church left three men more to watch if any should come out of the Neck and to inform the scout when they returned which way he was gone.

"He posted the remainder of his company, half on one side of the Neck, and the other with himself went on the other side, until they met, and, meeting with neither Indians nor canoes, returned with big expectations of tidings by their scout. But when they came back to the three men at the narrow of the Neck, they told their captain the scout was not returned and had heard nor seen anything of them ; this filled them with thoughts of what should become of them. By that time they had sat and waited an hour longer ; it was very dark and they despaired of their returning to them.

" Some of the Indians told their captain they feared his new man, Nathaniel, had met with his old Mount Hope friends and was turned rogue. They concluded to make no fires that night (and indeed they had no great need of any), for they had no victuals to cook, not so much as a morsel of bread with them.

" They took up their lodgings scattering, that if possibly their scout should come in the night and whistle (which was their sign) some or other of them might hear them. They had a very solitary, hungry night, and as soon as the day broke6 they drew off through the brush to a hill without the Neck, and looking about them they espied one Indian man come running somewhat towards them. The captain ordered one man to step out and show himself. Upon this the Indian ran right to him. And who should it be but Capt. Lightfoot, to their great joy. Capt. Church asked him what news ? He answered, ' Good news' ; they were all well, and had catched ten Indians ; and that they guarded them all night in one of the flankers of the old English garrison j1 that their prisoners were a part of Annawan's company, and that they had left their families in a swamp above Metapoiset Neck,'2 and as they were marching towards the old garrison Lightfoot gave Capt. Church a particular account of their exploit, viz. : that presently after they left him they heard another gun, which seemed towards the Indian burying-place, and moving that way they discovered two of the enemy flaying of a horse. The scout clapping into the brush, Nathaniel bid them sit down, and he would presently call all the Indians thereabout him. They hid, and he went a little distance back from them and set up his note and howled like a wolf. One of the two immediately left his horse and came running to see who was there ; but Nathaniel, howling lower and lower, drew him in between those that lay in wait for him, who seized him. Nathaniel continuing the same note, the other left the horse also, following his mate, and met with the same. When they caught these two they examined them apart and found them to agree in their story, - that there were eight more of them come down into the Neck to get provisions, and had agreed to meet at the burying-place that evening. These two being some of Nathaniel's old acquaintance, he had great influence upon them, and with his enticing story (telling what a brave captain he had, how bravely he lived since he had been with him, and how much they might better their condition by turning to him, etc.), persuaded and engaged them to be on his side, which, indeed, now began to be the better side of the hedge. They waited but a little while before they espied the rest of theirs coming up to the buryingplace; and Nathaniel soon howled them in, as he had done their mates before.

" When Capt. Church came to the garrison he met his lieutenant3 and the rest of his company. And then making up good fires they fell to roasting their horse beef, enough to last them a whole day, but had not a morsel of bread, but though salt they had (which they always carried in their pockets, which at this time was very acceptable to them).

" Their next motion was towards the place where the prisoners told them they had left their women and children, and surprised them all and some others that were newly come to them. And upon examination they held to one story, that it was hard to tell where to find Annawan, for he never roosted twice in a place.

1 This fort was built in June, 1675, by the Boston and Plymouth troops, who were sent to the defense of Swansea on the first breaking out of the war.

3 Mr. Jabez Howland. From this it appears that Church had at least one Englishman with him in this expedition, and we shall presently see that he had another.

might have liberty to go and fetch his father, who, he said, was about four miles from that place in a swamp, with no other than a young squaw. Capt. Church inclined to go with him, thinking it might be in his way to gain some intelligence of Annawan, and so taking one Englishman and a few Indians with him, leaving the rest there, he went with his new soldier to look after his father.

" When he came to the swamp he bid the Indian go to see if he could find his father. He was no sooner gone but Church discovered a track coming down out of the woods, upon which he and his little company lay close, some on one side of the track and some on the other. They heai'd the Indian soldier making a howling for his father, and at length somebody answered him ; but while they were listening they thought they heard somebody coming towards them ; presently they saw an old man coming up with a gun on his shoulder and a young woman following in the track in which they lay by. They let them come up between them, and then started up and laid hold of them both. Capt. Church immediately examined them apart, telling them what they must trust to if they told false stories. He asked the young woman what company they came from last? She said, 'From Capt. Annawan's.' He asked her how many there were in company with him when she left him ? She said, ' Fifty or sixty.' He asked her how many miles it was to the place where she left him ? She said she did not understand miles, but that he was up in Squaunaconk Swamp.4

" The old man, who had been one of Philip's Council, upon examination, gave exactly the same account. Capt. Church asked him if they could get there that night? He said if they went presently and traveled stoutly they might get there by sunset. He asked whither he was going? He answered that Annawan had sent him down to look for some Indians that were gone down into Mount Hope Neck to kill provisions. Capt. Church let him know that these Indians were all his prisoners.

" By this time came the Indian soldier and brought his father and one Indian more. The captain was now in a great strait of mind what to do next; he had a mind to give Annawan a visit now he knew where to find him. But his company was very small, but half a dozen men beside himself, and was under a necessity to send somebody back to acquaint his lieutenant and company with his proceedings. However, he asked his small company that were with him whether they would willingly go with him and give Annawan a visit? They told him they were always ready to obey his commands, etc., but, withal, told him that they knew this Capt. Annawan was a great soldier, that he had been a valiant captain under Asuhmequin,5 Philip's father, and that he had been

* This is a large swamp in the southeasterly part of Rehoboth. 5 His name has been variously written as Asuhmequin, Ossamequin or Osamequin, Oosamequen, Osamekin, Owsaniequin, Ousamequine, Us-

Philip's chieftan all this war. A very subtile man, of great resolution, and had often said that he would never be taken alive by the English. And, moreover, they knew that the men that were with him were resolute fellows, some of Philip's chief soldiers, and therefore feared whether it was practicable to make an attempt upon him with so small a handful of assailants as were now with him. Told him further that it would be a pity that, after all the great things he had done, he should throw away his life at last. Upon which he replied that he doubted not Annawan was a subtile and valiant man ; that he had a long time, but in vain, sought for him, and never till now could find his quarters, and he was very loth to miss of the opportunity; and doubted not but that if they would cheerfully go with him the same Almighty Providence that had hitherto protected and befriended them would do so still, etc.

" Upon this with one consent they said they would go. Capt. Church then turned to one Cook, of Plymouth (the only Englishman then with him), and asked him what he thought of it. He replied, 'Sir, I am never afraid of going anywhere when you are with me.' Then Capt. Church asked the old Indian if he could carry his horse with him. (For he conveyed a horse thus far with him.) He replied that it was impossible for a horse to pass the swamps. Therefore he sent away his new Indian soldier with his father and the captain's horse to his lieutenant, and orders for him to move to Taunton with the prisoners, to secure them there, and to come out in the Rehoboth road, in which he might expect to meet him if he were alive and had success.

"The captain then asked the old fellow if he would pilot him unto Annawan. He answered that he having given him his life, he was obliged to serve him. He bid him move on, and they followed. The old man would out-travel them so far sometimes that they were almost out of sight. Looking over his shoulder and seeing them behind he would halt.

" Just as the sun was setting the old man made a full stop and sat down.' The company coming up also sat down, being all weary. Capt. Church asked, ' What news ?' He answered, that about that time in the evening Capt. Annawan sent out his scouts to see if the coast were clear, and as soon as it began to grow dark the scouts returned, ' and then,' said he, ' we may move securely.' When it began to grow dark the old man stood up again, and Capt. Church asked him if he would take a gun and fight for him. He bowed very low, and prayed him not to impose such a thing upon him as to fight against Capt. Annawan, his old friend. ' But,' says he, 'I will go along with you and be helpful to you, and will lay hands on any man that shall offer to hurt you.' " eamequen, Wassamegin, etc. But the name by which he is most commonly known in history is Massassoit or Massasoit. For an account of the life of this " good old chief," see Drake's " Book of the Indians."

It being now pretty dark, they moved close together. Anon they heard a noise. The captain stayed the old man with his hand and asked his own men what noise they thought it might be? They concluded it to be the pounding of a mortar. The old man had given Capt. Church a description of the place where Annawan now lay, and of the difficulty of getting at him. Being sensible that they were pretty near them, with two of his Indians he creeps to the edge of the rocks, from whence he could see their camps. He saw three companies of Indians at a little distance from each other, being easy to be discovered by the light of their fires. He saw also the great Annawan and his company, who had formed his camp or kenneling-place by felling a tree under the side of the great cliffs of rocks and setting a row of birch-bushes up against it, where he himself, his son, and some of his chiefs had taken up lodgings, and made great fires without them, and had their pots and kettles boiling and spits roasting. Their arms also he discovered, all set together in a place fitted for the purpose, standing up on end against a stick lodged in two crotches, and a mat placed over them to keep them from the wet or dew. The old Annawan's feet and his son's head were so near the arms as almost to touch them.

" The rocks were so steep that it was impossible to get down, only as they lowered themselves by the boughs and the bushes that grew in the cracks of the rocks. Capt. Church, creeping back again to the old man, asked him if there were no possibility of getting at them some other way. He answered, ' No.' That he and all that belonged to Annawan were ordered to come that way, and none could come any other way without difficulty or danger of being shot.

" Capt. Church then ordered the old man and his daughter to go down foremost with their baskets at their backs, that when Annawan saw them with their baskets he should not mistrust the intrigue. Capt. Church and his handful of soldiers crept down also under the shadow of those two and their baskets. The captain himself crept close behind the old man, with his hatchet in his hand, and stepped over the young man's head to the arms. The young Annawan discovering of him, whipped his blanket over his head and shrunk up in a heap. The old Capt. Annawan started up and cried out ' Howoh !' l And despairing of escape, threw himself back again and lay silent until Capt. Church had secured all the arms, etc. And having secured that company, he sent his Indian soldiers to the other fires and companies, giving them instructions what to do and say. Accordingly they went into the midst of them. When they discovered themselves who they were, they told them that their Capt. Annawan was taken, and it would be best for them quietly and peaceably to sur-

1 This word signified welcome. Among the tribes of the West the same word is now used to signify approbation. Thus when a speech is made which pleases them, at the end of each paragraph they exclaim, " Hoah ! Hoah !" - Weld's Travels in America.

render themselves, which would procure good quarters for them. Otherwise, if they should pretend to resist or make their escape, it would be in vain, and they could expect no other but that Capt. Church, with his great army, who had now entrapped them, would cut them to pieces. Told them also if they would submit themselves and deliver up all their arms unto them and keep every man in his place until it was day, they would assure them that their Capt. Church, who had been so kind to themselves when they surrendered to him, should be as kind to them. Now they being old acquaintance, and many of them relatione, did much the readier give heed to what they said, complied and surrendered up their arms unto them, both their guns and hatchets, etc., and were forthwith carried to Capt. Church.

'' Things being so far settled, Capt. Church asked Annawan 'what he had for supper? For,' said he, ' I am come to sup with you.' ' Tanbut', ] said Annawan, with a big voice, and looking about upon his women bid them hasten and get Capt. Church and his company some supper. He then turned to Capt. Church and asked him whether he would eat cow beef or horse beef. The captain told him cow beef would be the most acceptable. It was soon got ready, and pulling his little bag of salt out of his pocket, which was all the provision he had brought with him, this seasoned his cow beef. So that with it and the dried corn, which the old squaw was pounding in the mortar while they Avere sliding down the rocks, he made a very hearty supper. And this pounding in the mortar proved lucky for Capt. Church's getting down the rocks, for when the old squaw pounded they moved, and when she ceased to turn the corn they ceased creeping. The noise of the mortar prevented the enemy's hearing their creeping, and the corn being now dressed, supplied the want of bread and gave a fine relish with the cow beef.

" Supper being over, Capt. Church sent two of his men to inform the other companies that he had killed Philip and taken their friends in Mount Hope Neck, but had spared their lives, and that he had subdued now all the enemy (he supposed) except this company of Annawan, and now if they would be orderly and keep their places until morning they should have good quarter, and that he would carry them to Taunton, where they might see their friends again, etc.

" Capt. Church thought it was now time for him to take a nap, having had no sleep in two days and one night before. So he told his men that if they would let him sleep two hours they should sleep all the rest of the night. He laid himself down and endeavored to sleep, but all disposition to sleep departed from him.

see how his watch managed, but found them all fast asleep. Now Capt. Church had told Capt. Annawan's company, as he had ordered his Indians to tell the others, that their lives should all be spared excepting Capt. Annawan's, and it was not in his power to promise him his life, but he must carry him to his masters at Plymouth and he would entreat them for his life.

" Now when Capt. Church found not only his own men, but all the Indians fast asleep, Annawan only excepted, who, he perceived, was broad awake as himself, and so they lay looking one upon the other perhaps an hour.

" At length Annawan raised himself up, cast off his blanket, and with no more clothes than his small breeches walked a little way back from the company." . . . " By and by he was gone out of sight and hearing, and then Capt. Church began to suspect some ill design in him, and got all the guns close to him and crowded himself close under young Annawan, that if he should anywhere get a gun he should not make a shot at him without endangering his son. Lying very still awhile, waiting for the event, at length he heard somebody coming the same way that Annawan went. The moon now shining bright, he saw him at a distance coming with something in his hands ; and coming up to Capt. Church he fell upon his knees before him and offered him what he had brought, and, speaking in plain English, said, 'Great Captain, you have killed Philip and conquered his country, for I believe that I and my company are the last that war against the English, so suppose the war is ended by your means, and therefore these things belong to you.' Then opening his pack, he pulled out Philip's belt, curiously wrought with wampum, being nine inches broad, wrought with black and white wampum, in various figures and flowers and pictures of many birds and beasts. This, when hanged upon Capt. Church's shoulders, reached his ankles; and another belt of wampum he presented him with, wrought after the former manner, which Philip was wont to put upon his head. It had two flags on the back part, which hung down on his back, and another small belt with a star upon the end of it which he used to hang on his breast, and they were all edged with red hair, which Annawan said he got in the Mohog's (Mohawk's) country. Then he pulled out two horns of glazed powder and a red cloth blanket. He told Capt. Church these were Philip's royalties, which he was wont to adorn himself with when he sat in state ; that he thought himself happy that he had an opportunity to present them to Capt. Church, who had won them, etc. They spent the remainder of the night in discourse, and Capt. Annawan gave an account of what mighty success he had formerly in wars against many nations of Indians when he served Asumhequin, Philip's father, etc.

country towards Taunton. He met his lieutenant and company about four miles out of town, who expressed a great deal of joy to see him again, and said it was more than ever they expected. They went into Taunton, were civilly and kindly treated by the inhabitants. Here they refreshed and rested themselves that night.

" Early next morning the captain took old Annawan and half a dozen of his Indian soldiers and his own man and went to Rhode Island, sending the rest of his company and his prisoners by his lieutenant to Plymouth. Tarrying two or three days upon the island, he then went to Plymouth, and carried his wife and his two children with him."

Thus was the most daring enterprise successfully achieved by the prowess of a single man. Annawan, being unable to deny but that he had tortured English captives, found no mercy with the English, and in spite of the intercessions of Church, he was beheaded. This was done while Church was absent from Plymouth. Tispaquin, or Tuspaquin, a noble chief of the Narragansett tribe, whose capture by Church immediately succeeded that of Annawan, was beheaded with him. The grief and chagrin of Church were great on finding all his prayers and entreaties for the life of Annawan utterly disregarded, and the faith of the government pledged by him to Tispaquin that his life should be spared thus shamefully and barbarously trampled upon. " When Capt. Church," says his historian, "returned from Boston he found to his great grief the heads of Annawan, Tispaquin, etc., cut off, which were the last of Philip's friends."

After the death of Annawan but little worthy of note occurred in this quarter relating to the Indians. Nearly all the hostile Indians had been either captured or killed, or had submitted themselves to the English, and expeditions against them were considered rather as hunting excursions than dangerous enterprises. A few Indians lurking around Rehoboth and Seekonk were all that were heard of in Plymouth colony.