The Portland daily press., 1875-06-18

They drove the garrison, which was greatly
| diminished by sickness and death, out of the
| fort One man was killed. the others took
| refuge in a sort of citadel at some distance
| from the magazine. As the ignorant Indians
| were riotiDg through the captured fort, they
knocked open some barrels containing some
kind of grain. of small, dark kernels, such as
they had never seen before. 1t was not
corn; it was not wild wheat, nor rye. 1t
was powder. The grains were scattered
over the floor Accidentally they were lg-
nited. A terrific explosion of the whole
magazine ensued. 1t was a phenomenon of
thunder roar. and of volcanic ruin, which would
have appalled, any community. Timbers, can
mons, and the mangled bodies of the Indians,
were blown high into the air, but to fall back
into crater of devouring flame.
The ignorant and superstitous Indians were
appalled, beyond all conception by this carnage.
Had fiends come to the aid of their brethren
the white men? Was the Great Spirit angry
with the indians for their attack upon the col
ony? and had He, in consequence, sent this
terrible punishment upon them? They were
bewildered, terrified.
They had not been struck down by bullet or
arrow or club 1t was a supernatural, mirac-
uious power, which had assalled them. They
had conquered the white man; and then this
new, invisible, resistless ally had overwhelmed
them with destruction. They could not contend
against thunderbolts, and upheaving earth
quakes, anu bursting flames. 1t mattered not
to then whether these tremendous engines
were welded by bad spirits or good; their only
safety was in mediate flight. They took to
taeir canoes. and padded swiftly from the set
Element, with no desire to approach 1t again.
Such is the story which has descended to us.
1t may not be true in all its details. 1t I'M
questionably is true in its essentia! features.
We have found no historian who discredits it.
SIT is CERTAIN Williamson says, that it was
believed to be true by the ancient and we'll
informed inhabitants on Sagadahock River.
The colonists who had thus sown the wind,
were now, in the righteous judgment of God,
reaiing the whrlwind. There were, doubtless,
good men among them, men OF philanthropy
and pietv, who mourned and wept over these
caamities. But sin is far more potent agent
of action than holiness. A few drops of poison
will destroy the most vigorous frame. Inc Ire
which Gods love has gradually developed
through the long years OF infancy enlldnooa
and youth, to mature manhood, the Dagger OF
the assassin may destroy in an instant. The
city which the industry of a century as reared,
the torch of the incendary may lay IN asnes IN
few hours
colonlsts good men, But, were one third of
their number thoroughly bad they could have
thw arted all the measures of the good. They
could cheat the Indians, rob them, shoot them,
insult their wives and daughters and thus in
fIict an amour of injury which all the efforts
of the true Christians could net repair. One
kidnapping Weymouth can arouse an hostility
which many honest voyagers may valnly
endeavor to appease.
The cvlonists were now freezing, starving,
and quarrelIDg among themselves. In those
dreary log cabins there was no happiness.
Frowns were upon every brow, murmurs upon
all lips, gloom in every heart 1t is to be in
ferred from the brief narrative we have, that
the two vessels which had conveyed the colo
nists to the Sagadahock had returned TO Eng
land. These ships could have carried back only
the tdings OF the successful landing of the
COLONY The Plymouth Company promptly
fitted out another ship, with supplies: Early
in the spring this ship cast anchor before the
town of ST. George. The colonists, instead of
landing the supplies, rushed on board the ship
determined with one accord to return to Eng
land.
The Indians, bitterly hostile, could not be in
duced to venture into heir settlement with
any provisions. 1t was only at the imminent
peril of their lives that the English could
leave their rampant of logs to penetrate the
interior on foraging expeditions. Their store
house was burned. They had no articles left
would be compelled to grasp with rsbber
hands.
Thus influenced, they all abandoned the
colony. Their return to England excited the
surprise and the deep regret OF the Plymouth
Company. They carried back the most de-
piorable report of the character of the country,
its climate its soil, end especially of its inhabl-
tants ''The native IrdiaEs" they said, ARE
the outcasts of creation They have no re-
ligion, but are merely dabolicaL They are
the very ruins of mankind; the most sordid
and contemplate part of the human species
On the other hand, the French, who, Lot
MANY years after, established settlement
among the Indians of the upper Kennebec, and
who lived with them not only on terms of
peace, but of strong personal friendship, wrote
of them
'sThe Indians are docile and friendly. accessi.
BILE to the precepts of religion, strong in their
attachment TO their friends, and submissive to
the rites and ceremonies of the Cathlc faith.
The disastrous issue of this attempt to es-
tablish settlement in Maine checked the spr-
it of colonization for several years. There
were still many private expeditions to these
waters for the benefits of the fishery, and to
purchase furs of the natives along the coast:
Lord Popham, the most prominent member OF
the Plymouth Company, died; but bis son, Sir
Francis Popham, for several years sent ship
annually to the coast of Maine, for fishing and
traffic. 1t, however, was not successful, and
at length abandoned such operations. But it is
confidently asserted that other adventures
were frequently visiting the coast, though no
reoord WAS m ada of these nrivate VOYAGES