fire that " it was the sweetest meat he ever ate; it made his heart strong!" The Mohegans buried MIANTINOMÉ at the place of his execution, and erected upon his grave a pillar of stones-this memorable event gave the place the name of "Sachem's Plains"-they are situated in an eastern corner of Norwich

The Narragansets became now greatly enraged at the death of their sachem, and sought means to destroy UNCUS, whose country they in small parties frequently invaded, and by laying ambushed cut off a number of bis most valuable warriors. As UNCUS was the avowed friend of the English, and had in many instances signalized himself as such, they conceived it their duty to af ford him all the protection possible-they dispatched messengers to acquaint the Narragansetts with their de termination, should they continue to molest and disturb the repose of the Mohegans.-The messengers of the English met with quite an unfavorable reception, to whom one of the Narraganset sachems declared that "he would kill every Englishman and Mohegan that came within his reach that whoever began the war he would continue it, and that nothing should satisfy him but the head of UNCUS !"

The English, irritated at the provoking language of the Narragansetts, now determined not only to protect UNCUS, but to envade their country with an army of 300 men; first to propose a peace on their own terms, but if rejected, to attack and destroy them-for this purpose Massachusetts was to furnish 190 and Plymouth and Connecticut colonies 55 men each.

The Narragansets learning that an army was about to enter the heart of their country, and fearful of the issue, dispatched several of their principal men to sue for peace, on such terms as the English should be pleased to grant. The Governor and Council demanded tha

they should restore to Uncus all the captives and canoca which they had taken from him, and pledge themselves to maintain perpetual peace with the English and their allies, and to the former pay an annual tribue of 2000 fathom of white wampum !-these indeed were hard terms, against which the Narragansets, strongly remon strated, but aware that the English had already a considerable force collected for that express purpose of enva ding their country, they at length thought it most pru dent to acquiesce.

During the war between the Narragansets and UNCUS, the former once besieged the fort of the latter until his provisions were nearly exhausted, and he found that his men must soon perish either by famine or the tomahawk unless speedily relieved-in this crisis he found means of communicating an account of his situation to the Eng lish scouts, who had been dispatched from the fort in Saybrook to reconnoitre the enemy-UNcus represent ed the dangers to which the English would be exposed if the Narragansets should succeed in destroying the Mohegans. It was at this critical juncture, that the greatest part of the English troops in Connecticut were employed on an expedition abroad; a Mг. THOMAS LEFFINGWELL, however, a bold and enterprizing man, on learning the situation of UNCUS, loaded a canoe with provision, and under cover of the night paddled from Saybrook into the river Thames, and had the address to get the whole into the fort-the enemy soon after discovering that UNCUs had received supplies, raised the siege ;-for this piece of service UNCUS presented said LEFFINGWELL with a deed of a very large tract of land, now comprising the whole town of Norwich.

The English in New-England now enjoyed a peace un til the year 1671, when they again took up arms to revenge the death of one of their countrymen, who had

been inhumanly murdered by an Indian belonging to the Nipnet tribe, of which the celebrated PHILIP, of Mount-Hope (now Bristol, R. I.) was Sachem.-It was throught the most prudent step by the Governor and Council, first to send for PHILIP, and acquaint him with the cause of their resentment, and the course which they were determined to pursue in case he refused to deliver into their hands the murderer-PHILIP being accordingly sent for, and appearing before the court, ap peared much dissatisfied with the conduct of the accused, ássuring them that no pains should be spared to bring him to justice; and more fully to confirm his friendship for the English, expressed a wish that the declaration which he was about publicly to make, might be committed to paper, that he and his Council, might thereunto affix their signatures. The Governor and Council, in compliance with the request of PHILIP, drew up the fol lowing, which after being signed by PHILIP and his chief men, was presented to the Governor by PHILIP in confirmation of his friendly assurances :➡

"Whereas my father, my brother, and myself, havé. uniformly submitted to the good and wholesome laws of his majesty, the king of England, and have ever respect ed his faitful subjects, the English, as our friends and brothers, and being still anxious to brighten the chain of friendship between us, we do now embrace this opportu. nity to pledge ourselves, that we will spare no pains in seeking out and bringing to justice, such of our tribe as shall hereafter commit any outrage against them; and to remove all suspicion, we voluntarily agree to deliver up to them, all the fire arms, which they have heretofore kindly presented us with, until such time as they can safely repose confidence in us-and for the true perform

F

ance of these our sacred promises, we have hereunto see

Notwithstanding the fair promises of PHILIP, it was soon discovered by the English, that he was playing a deep game, that he was artfully enticing his red breth ren throughout the whole of New-England, to rise, en masse, against them, and drive them out of the country ; the Narragansets, for this purpose, had engaged to raise 4000 fighting men-the spring of 1672, was the time agreed upon on which the grand blow was to be given:-The evil intentions of PHILIP, was first discovered and communicated to the English, by a friendly Indian, of the Narraganset tribe; fortunately for them, this Indianhad been taken into favour by the Rev. Mr. ELLIOT, by whom he had been taught to read and write, and became much attached to the English.-The Governor upon receiving the important information relative to the hostile views of PHILIP, ordered a military watch to be kept up in all the English settlements within the three colonies by some of whom it was soon discovered that the report of their Indian friend was too well founded, as the Indians of different tribes were daily seen flocking in great numbers to the head quarters of PHILIP; previously sending their wives and children to the Narraganset country, which they had ever done previous to the commencement of hostilities.

The inhabitants of Swanzey (a small settlement ads

joining Mount Hope, the head-quarters of PHILIP) were the first who felt the effects of this war.-PHILIP, encouragged by the numbers who were daily enlisting under his banners, and despairing of discovering cause that could justify him in the commencement of hostilities against his "friends and brothers," as he had termed them, resolved to provoke them to war by killing their cattle, firing their barns, &c.this plan had its desired effect, as the inhabitants, determined to save their property or perish in the attempt, fired upon the Indians, which was deemed cause sufficient by the latter to commence their bloody work-the war whoop was immediately thereupon sounded, when the Indians commenced an indiscriminate murder of the defenceless inhabitants of Swanzey, sparing not the tender infant at the breast ;— but three, of seventy-eight persons which the town contained, made their escape:-Messengers were dispatched with the melancholy tidings of this bloody affair, to the Governor, who by and with the advice and consent of the Council, dispatched a company of militia with all possible speed to the relief of the distressed inhabitants residing near the head-quarters of PHILIP ;-as soon as they could be raised, three companies more were despatched under the command of Captains HENCHMAN, PRENTICE, and CHURCH, who arrived in the neighborhood of Swanzey, on the 28th June, where they were joined by four more companies from Plymouth colony-it was found that the Indians had pillaged and set fire to the village, and with their booty had retired to Mount Hope--a company of cavalry were sent under the command of Capt. PRENTICE, to reconnoiter them; but before they arrived at a convenient place for this purpose, they were ambushed and fired upon by the enemy, who killed six of their number and wounded ten-the report of their guns alarm. ⚫ing the remaining companies of the English, they has