Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1855-07-05
HENRY W. HYATT, Editor and Proprietor

|
his Nausgansett bride lived and died.
And near this spot was the wigwam of
James Chaugam, the Narragansett warrior
who settled here in 1873: and here he lived
and died, and left numerous progeny and
stories are still told about the Narragansett
warrior, that filled the mind with reverence
for his noble race.
The descendants of James Chaugam live
about half mile below the spot where the
Light House once stood, in little wigwam
village half buried in grove Of hemlock.
The musical Turks is lisping lullaby,
almost at the doors Of the wigwams, and
the peaks of the mountains on the north and
east rise abruptly to dizzy height. This
is truly the widest and most picturesque
spot in Connecticut. No idea can be form.
ed of the sublimi,y and beauty of the scene
ry without visiting the rnins OF Barkhamsied
| Light House and the wigwam village near
| by, occupied by the "ast of the Narragan-
sets" When we arrived at the Indian Will
| age it was about eight o'clock in the morn
inu, and wishing to see the descendants of
| the tribe. we knocked upon the door Of one
Of the wigwams. Instantly the door flew
open, and huge bull dog accompanied by
two Indian hounds, jumped upon us, with
| the frrociiy Of a Bengal tiger We yelled
4" Get OUT and attempted TO run, but they
seized us where the Paddy did the hen. and
we did not dare to move. The big bulldog
caught me by the calf of the leg and vora-
ciousIy began TO try the quality of my flesh.
| At this moment hoarse voice from within
| the hut cried :" Get out" and children Of all
ages. sizes and coIors began to pour out of
the door. like bees out of hive. | seized
a billet of wood and struck at the dog,
hut unfortunately knocked down young
papoose, and verify thought had killed
aim. The father now came out Of the hut
| and fercely said,
"What did you knock down my young
one for, Ell -
After explaining the matter to him and
showing him bloody calf where we got
! bite he allowed us to depart
We passed two or three wigwams and
finally came to a rude hut where lives Polly
ElweiI, the last survivor of the Narragansett
Indians. She is sixty-seven years old,
hut appears much younger. Her dusky
features and straight black hair is evidence
Of her Narragansett blood.
As we entered the hut she stared at us for
|
uan,s Of chair and block Of wood in the
corner. upon which we were seated.
! We entered into conversation with her
ard she talked freely about her ancestry
She said she was the granddaughter OF the
| original James Chaugam, and she married
paIe-face named EIwel. She said that
she was the mother of ii childreh-=all Of
whom were considered quite respectable, as
none Of them were ever sent 10 Jail or 10
Congress. Having served her country to
The best Of her ability, she was now prepar-
TO die and go to the "white mans heaven.
Her daughter, who was also blessed with
about II children, all. | should Judge. UNI
| der IA years of age. lived in the hut with
her, and she and her husband elped support
| Narrayanseu Polly. The children appear
ed to be happy little creatures. Their dress
was of very singular fabric. 1t consisted
Of coat, hat, waistcoat, all made from the
same kind of cloth. This kind of cloth was
manufactured before any now in use among
mankind, as it was known 10 be worn be-
fore garments were made Of fig leaves -
The hirsnte covering of the head looked sus.
picious, and suggested inhabitveness. The
Youngest OF the group was Tying in its mo.
Nther's arms, and began to urge an immediA
ate supply of the tactical secretion. Having
been denied this favor, it began to manifest
evident signs Of dsapprobation pugnis Ct
calribus. Or
We brushed off the flies, gnats, children,
etc. that had perched upon us during our
brief stay in the wigwam, and took our de-
par:ure. The aged Polly followed us in the
little garden near bv. and told us she would
like to show us the Narragans-tt graveyard.
We followed her into hemlock thicket,
and she showed me the grave of James
Chaugam, and those of his numerous de.
scendants. Nothing but rude stones mark
the graves of those noble warriors and
when the last survivor of that noble race,
who pointed It's out the graves of her sires,
has gone to rest, their graves will soon be
forgotten. and the plough Of the white man
will disinter the remains of these Indian pa
triots.
While Narraganseu Polly stood gazing
upon the graves Of her noble sires, she rails
ed her head quickly, and calculated with
great vehemence-
"There is but one foreigner buried here
"Was he German or an lrshman ~
"Ne,heT." said she, betraying consid.
"Then who was hel" said, pursuing
the inquiry.
"He was foreigner-likey ou," said she
with daring leer Of the eye.
But you are mistaken, madam" | re.
piled. 4" am not foreigner. but was borr
in old Massachusetts, and have got the rea
Puritan, Plymouth Rock, double-and-twist
ed Bunker Hill blood in my veins, and car
trace my ancestry back to the days Of Sa'
lem wi,chcraft" said Indignantly.
Il ave were Americans when you foreign
ers came here" said she in broken English
! The Narragansett dialect contained TOT
much truth on the subject Of - Native Anne
e ricanism," and was Obliged to "cave in.
j. and own tina, she belonged to race tina
- was truly "Nalives" of America.
!. She quietly listened to our conversatio,
tor few moments longer. and then sal,
a with look Of despair, i" We Narraganse,t
: once great, now poor. Pale faces got on
corn and hunting gronnds-killed US witt
f bad liquor. and Great Spirit taken Us t
/, white mans heaven. Nar:aganset,s al
n gone-me last one"