18

NEW ENGLAND INDIANS.

Cн. п. in our history. The first known, were the Pokanokets or Wanpanoags, which produced the two most remarkable savage chiefs of New England, the good Massasoit, The first and his valiant son, King Philip. Their residence was tribe at Montaup or Mount Hope, near Bristol, in Rhode known to Island.

N. E.

English.

8. The government of the sachem extended over the southern part of Massachusetts, and the eastern of Rhode Island. A number of tribes of different names were his subjects; among others the Nausets of Cape Cod. In 1614, Capt. Hunt, an English ship-master, 1614. who accompanied Capt. Smith in exploring the coast, Ill wickedly seized and carried off twenty-seven of these unoffending natives, and sold them in Europe as slaves. the En- One of them, named Tisquantum, found his way to glish. England, where he learned the English language, was kindly treated, and sent back to his country. He was afterwards of great service to the first English settlers, as interpreter.

usage of

the na

tives by

Indians

Merri

9. The PAWTUCKETS made their principal seat upon of the the Merrimack, near its mouth, and extended themmack. selves south, until they met the territories of the Massachusetts. The MASSACHUSETTS were scattered about the bay, which bears their name. Their territories extended to the Pawtuckets on the north, and the Pokanokets on the south. The authority of their chief sachem was acknowledged by several minor tribes, Of Mas- some of whom resided as far west as Deerfield. The sachusett principal person of this confederacy, as found by the English, was the squaw sachem, or "Massachusetts Queen." Her residence was beautifully located on a hill at Milton, eight miles south of Boston.

Bay.

10. The NARRAGANSETTS held their chief seat and the residence of their grand sachem on the island of

7. Learn from the Map what are the principal tribes of New England, and more particularly from the book, the location of the Pokanokets. What noted chiefs were there of this tribe? —. What wicked act did an English captain do? To what Indians? Did any one taken away return? -9. What can you say of the Pawtuckets? Of the Massachusetts? Their principal person? Her residence?

FATAL EPIDEMIC.

19

CH. II.

Canonicut, in the bay which still bears their name.Westerly they extended to within four or five miles of the Paucatuck river, where their territories met those of the Pequods. On the east they joined the Pokanokets. Their grand chief, Canonicus, was, when the Indians English arrived, an aged man; and he had associated with him in his government, his nephew, Miantonomoh. The commodious and pleasant location of the Narragansetts, appears in their case, to have abated the natural ferocity of the savage character.

of Narragansett

Bay.

ern Con

11. The more barbarous PEQUODS occupied the eastern portion of Connecticut, their lands meeting those of the Narragansetts. The residence of their great sachem, Sassacus, was on the heights of Groton, near the river then called the Pequod, since, the Thames. Of eastThe Mohegans, under Uncas, whose seat was where necticut. Norwich now stands, were subject to the haughty chief of the Pequods; but they bore his yoke with impatience, and when he made war upon the whites, Uncas took part against him. The Indians of northern New England had the general appellation of Taranteens or Abenakis.

rigines.

12. The New England tribes had, a short time previous to the settlement of the English, suffered a plague Plague of unexampled mortality. It was probably the yellow among fever; for we are told that its victims, both before and the abo after death, "were of the color of a yellow garment." Not less than nine-tenths of the inhabitants seem, in some parts of the country, to have been destroyed. Thus Divine Providence prepared the way for another and more civilized race.

13. The IROQUOIS, Mengwe or Mingoes, were found by the earliest settlers in Canada, inhabiting the shores of the St. Lawrence. At first they appear to have been

10. Give an account of the location of the Narragansetts ?Their grand chief? His associate? The effects of their position on their character?-11. Describe the position of the Pequods. Their sachem's name and place of residence. That of the Mohegan sachem. - 12. What remarkable visitation of Providence occurred among the natives a short time before the English came? How great a proportion were destroyed? 13. How were the Iroquois found by the discoverers of Canada?

20

IROQUOIS AND MOBILIANS.

CH. II. less warlike, than the Hurons or Wyandots, by whom they were attacked. The Iroquois were driven by them, from the banks of the St. Lawrence; and dividing The into five tribes, the Senecas, Cayugas, Onondagas, Nations Oneidas and Mohawks, they spread themselves by deern New grees, east of Lake Erie, and south of Ontario, along York. the romantic waters of northern New York, to which

Five

in west

of

they have left their bold and harmonious names. The place of their grand general council, or congress chiefs, was at Onondaga.

14. Here they made a stand, and became the most fearless, subtle, and powerful of savages. They conquered the Hurons, fought the Delawares, and put in Become fear all the surrounding tribes. Finally, in the conpowerful tests between France and England, they were courted

very

Powerful

by both parties as allies, and dreaded by both as foes. Of the FIVE NATIONS, the Mohawks were the most warlike. Their chief seat was at Johnstown, on the beautiful river, which still bears their name.

15. Of the Mobilians, the most extensive and powerful confederacies were the CREEKS, situated mostly southern in Georgia; the CHEROKEES in the mountainous region confede- north and west; and the CHOCTAWS and CHICKASAWS, racies. nearer to the Mississippi.

16. The NATCHEZ have excited much interest on account of the difference of their language from that of the surrounding tribes. Natchez, on the Mississippi, marks their location. The SHAWANESE, the native tribe of Tecumseh, once resided on the banks of the Suwaney river in Florida. From thence they migrated northward, first to Pennsylvania, and afterwards to Ohio.

13. To what place did they change their location? What were the names of each of the Five Nations? Where was their general council held?-14. What character did they now assume? What nations contend with? By what nations was their alliance courted? Which tribe was the most warlike?Where was its principal seat? Learn from the map the location of the Mobilian tribes.-15. Which were the most extensive and powerful? Which are the most northerly? Which are partly in Georgia? 16. Which near the Mississippi? Where are the Shawanese? Which tribe has a language by itself?

PT. I.

P'D. I.

Former

1. THOUSANDS of years had elapsed since the creation of the world, and the inhabitants of the eastern hemisphere were yet ignorant, that, on the face of the CH. 1. planet, which they inhabited, was another continent of nearly equal extent. Nor did they become acquainted with this fact by any fortunate accident; but they owed its proof, to the penetration and persevering efforts of a man, as extraordinary as the discovery which he made.

1. What did the people of the eastern hemisphere know about this continent three hundred and fifty years ago? Did they learn its existence by accident?

21

ages ig

norant of

geogra

phy.

22

P'T.I.

P'D. I.

CH. I.

COLUMBUS.

2. This was CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, a native of Genoa, born in 1447. He possessed all those energetic impulses of the soul which lead to high achievement; and, with these he combined judgment the most Birth grave and solid, prudence and patience the most steady and rare and unoffending, piety the most devout, and, above Colum- all, the most untiring perseverance ever manifested by

1447

talents of

bus. man.

Circum

stan

3. Columbus had married the daughter of one of the Portuguese discoverers, then deceased; whose widow, finding how eagerly her son-in-law sought such sources of information, gave to him all the maps and charts which had belonged to her husband. Marco Polo, a Venetian, had travelled to the east, and returned with wonderful accounts of the riches of Cathay and the island of Cipango, called, generally, the East Indies, and now known to be China and Japan.

4. The idea that the earth was round, was ridiculed ces fa- by most persons at that time, but it was fully believed vorable by Columbus, on the evidence of its figure, exhibited

to his ge

nius.

Offers his ser

in eclipses of the moon. Hence, he believed, that those rich countries described by Marco Polo might be found by sailing west; and he formed the design to lead the way, through unknown oceans.

5. Columbus believed that great advantages would vices to accrue to the nation who should patronize his underreigning taking; and, with filial respect, he first offered his serreigns. vices to his native state, but had the mortification to

sove

find them rejected. He then applied to John II. of Portugal; to Henry VII. of England; and to Ferdinand and Isabella, king and queen of Spain. But these monarchs could not comprehend his schemes, and would not encourage them.

-3.

2. Who was the discoverer? What was his character? What woman gave him sources of information? What traveller had excited his mind about distant countries? What countries ? 4. In what opinion was Columbus in advance of his contemporaries? Why did he believe in the true figure of the earth? How did he suppose he could reach those rich countries called the East Indies?-5. To whom did Columbus first offer his services? With what success? Whose patronage did he next solicit? What sovereign of England? What sovereigns of Spain?