The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1870-06-29
Captain John Mason. =,
BY JAMES PARTON.

l.
of the pioneers of New England, was
sailing from Connecticut to Long Is
land in a twenty ton vessel, having ON
board, besides himself, one man and
two small boys. Off Block Island, he
saw in the distance a decked pinnance,
managed so awkwardly as to excite
his suspicious that something was
wrong. There were not many craft
then sailing in those waters-for Bos-
ton had been founded but six, years,
and Hartford but one year. and he
soon recognized the pinnance as one
belonging to friend of his named
John Oldham, who he knew had gone
upon al trading expedition m that
direction f.is lHt a'-sf -i-'''i j.!
/ 81 On nearing the pinnance, his suspi-
cions were confirmed. The deck was
covered with Indians; and. what was
still more decisive, canoe, manned
by Indians and filled with goods, had
tjust put of from her. Captain Gal
lop hailed. No answer. Upon count
ing the Indians, he found they were
fourteen in number, and he saw that
they wero armed with swords, guns
and pixies. Undismayedn by the dis
parity eflforce, this hero determined
itO attack; hoping, at least, to rescue
the property OF his friend from the
plunAerers. The first volley which he
fired drove the cowardly savagesI all
below in a huddle upon seeing which,
he ran into the pinnance,- striking her
with such force as nearly to upset her.
J. Tba oh ool, fbrauy-4ba I,J;one -, 20 c,,ol,
aipanic, that six of them jumped over
board; and as tho two vessels were
swept along by the breeze; they were
lett alone in the sea and were drowned
There were eight Indians left, all
covering under matches. Hauling off
again Captain Gallop bore down upon
the pinnance second tame, and gave
her another blow, so violent that four
more Of the Indians sprang into the
sea and were drowned. ..ax. ieer
| AS there were but four left, he now
made fast, and boarded. No sooner
had he reached the deck of the pin
mace, than two of the Ind ians came up
surrendered and these he tied and
put into the cabin of his own vessel
But remembering, a moment after,
how sziful Indians are in untying one
another with their teeth, he went
down again into his cabin, pulled one
of his prisoners out, and threw him
EoVerboard. The other two Indians,
concealed in the forward part of the
pinnace, he could neither reach nor
get near, because they were armed
In the after cabin OF the pinnace he
found the body of the owner, John
Oldham, still warm, the skull cleft by
a tomahawk, and the hands and feet
cut Off. ail rii b.. .l8-s
After removing the cargo of the
pinnace to his own vessel, he took
her in tow; butt as the night was COM
ing on, and the wind increased, he was
Obliged to cut her adraft, and she went
ashore, and so the two prisoners es-
capped. Captain Gallop reported the
transaction to the Governor of Massa-
chusetts and this it was which dccid-
ed the colonies of Massachusetts,, Ply
mouth and Connecticut, to unite in a
war against the-Pequots. i }fii
For twenty-five years the white men
and the red men had lived in peace
upon that coast, trading with one an
other, and exchanging visits of friend
shi peach viewing the possessions
and exploits of the other with much
interest The old writers tell us that
the Indians took the greatest pleasure
in watching the white mems operations
and contrivances. -
"They do much extol and wonder
at the English" says one, 'tfor their
strange Inventions; especially for a
Windmill, which in their esteem was
little less than the worlds wonder for
the strangeness of his whisking mo-
ton, and the sharp teeth biting the
corn Gas they term it) into such little
pieces they were loath- at first to come
near to his long arms, or to abide in
so tottering a tabernacle. The first
1ploughman was counted little better
than a iugglar. The Indians. seeing
the plough tear up more ground in 4
day than their clam-shells could scrape
up in a month, desired to see the
workmanship of it, and, viewing well
the Golfer and share, perceiving it to
be iron, told the ploughman he was al
|
the devil. They ifrequent often Eng
llish churches, where they sit soberly,
though they understand not such hid
den mysteries. "
! Besides this, curiosity, they had an
| insatiate desire for the trinkets, gar
ments and utensils of the English; and
so long as the colonists were only a
| feeble band, here upon the coast, the
Indians had no fear Of being disposses-
sed of their hunting grounds by the
newcomers. But when, in 1885, a
company of English made their way
through the woods, and began settle
ment upon the site of Hartford, in the
midst of a, swarming population of red
men, then it was that the more intelli-
gent chiefs began to fear for their an
| Gent possessions, and Il state of feel
ing arose which led az length to out
rages and murders like the one related
above. The colonists were forbearlng
and cautious. They resorted to arms
only after, having exhausted every 9th
| er expedient for restoring peace, The
cruel death of Oldham and the plum
der of his vessel decided them to unite
their forces, march into the heart of
the Pequot country, and attack the
tribe in its strongholds. 1t was plain
enough that either the Indians must
be subdued, or the settlements aban-
doned.. ,o., t-, -,s..r .,Gt g,.
The men for the expedition were
raised Just as. the troops We're raised
forthe late war, each colony contribut-
ing its quota. Massachusetts was to