The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-06
THE CURSE OF cupPAcoMMoCx.
AZ Oia Peauot Tradition OF the Biooay.Heartea
Rhododendrous.

Rhododendrons.
STONY CREEK, Conn.,, Feb. 5.-Among the
| papers OF Miss Polly Stoddard of tho Mast
Swamp country, a venerable and precise spinster
who died recently, was found a manuscript re-
lating the tradition Of the famous bloody.
| hearted rhododendrons of that locality. This
superb flower is profusely abundant and covers
many square miles OF the historic and extensive
swamp in eastern Connecticut, which, since the
white mans time and up to and including the
last war furnished the masts for most OF the seq
going vessels built in Connecticut. The Mast
Swamp rhododendron is n tall, scraggy laurel,
with leathery tropical foliage. and which differs
from tho ordinary rhododendron in that its
magnificent pink and purple blossoms have q
dark crimson heart that seems to drip with
blood. so rich is it's coloring. instead OF being
centred with the bright splashes of gold usually
seen. The Mast Swamp flower is accordingly
widely sought after during it's season Of bios.
sominR, which is in the carly part Of the sum.
mer. The treacherous morasses Of tho swamp
are at that time visited by hundreds OF daring
rhododendron hunters.
/ Tho swamp, while in the height Of its floral
| glory, is commonly called "Ledyard's Flower
Garden" from the rugged township in which 1t
lies.
result OF many conversations held by herself on
its subject with remnants OF the Pequot tribe
Of Indians on the lndiantown reservation in
tradition Of tho bloody hearted laurels was ono
of the very few that came down with the last
OF the Peauots to anything like tho present
time. Miss Stoddard's paper is entitled Tho
Curse OF Cuppscommock,"' and It shows that
man invading this territory. early in tho soven-
SSSSS sm1 IRs,1ns. or Thu H. I a6TIs ssis' The han place 5ss
great number of owls which took shelter In its
dark recesses, and also Cuppacommock. or The
Vtltrr IN ~ frnrN "a a~4 t~N-
feasibility. Until the white man came, tho
PeQuot who was fortunate enough to reach the
shelter of Cuppacommock always succeeded in
eluding his pnrsuers in its mazes, and very
likely managed to sluy his would be destroyer.
The curse Of Cuppacommock was the direct
the Pequots by Major Mason in, tho early colo.
NAL days; A ragged remnant Of this aboriginal
after being pursued for some time. took refuge
within .C~uppacommock's borders, entering tho
swamp by means Of a serpentine. path. which
was then unknown to the whites. but which is
still in existence. There. late in June, 1857.
their glorious clusters of flowers. the Pequots
were surrounde ed by 100 soldiers from the Mas
sachusctts colony under Capt. Stoughton and
his band. The miserable and enfeebled f~ugitives
were told they need expect no quarter. and that
they would be eNterminatcd sooner or later.
whether they surrendered or not. with the
true Indian spirit they held out. however. until
from from Starvation Momsn ana T fheiaf they ye sTed nf for me Seaa
More than 100 prisoners were, taken. or these
nearly eighty women and children were placed
in bondage under the whites, and the men,
thirty in number, were bound and placed on a
sloop commanded by one Gallup. carried down
the Thames River to the mouth of New London
harbor. where they were made to walk a plank
overheard. one after the other. and left to drown.
Miss Stoddard's story says that the life of Put
taquaponk had been temporarily spared by
Stoughton, on his promise TO aid the whites in
unearthing some OF the other enemies of the in
vadinR Englishmen, but when the Pequot
learned Of the fate of his little band of warriors
he refused to act further with the whites. ard
was himself shot. The shooting took place in
Cuppacommock, where Puttaquaponk. held as a
prisoner. was lying on his back bound with
rhododcndrons. Before he was slain. the tradi-
ton says, he gave utterance to q curse
upon Cuppacommock for compelling him to
surrender because OF starvation, and upon
the white men for 50 blood.thirStily taking
the lives OF the warriors of his band.
He declared that the golden hearts of the Cup
rhododendrons would turn TO
blood as n perpetual reproach TO the invading
Englishmen for the mcrcilessncss of Stoughton
pacommock laurels. until then flecked with yell
low. have blossomed with hearts of blood. The
PeQuots ms a nation were quickly subdued. and
their few remaining descendants have long ago
passed away. But the Cuppacomuock laurels
by their red.hearted blossoms every succeeding
year keep alive the memory of the curse.
II Is supposed that some property Of the soil
of Cuppacommock gives these flowers their pc
culiar coloring. for the Indians OF the Indian
town reservation, to the last one. always de-
clared thatawhcn n root of the laurel was trans
lily revert to the golden-hearted beauty OF tho
former QayH.