190 DEATH OF KING PHILIP. [1676. the country in small parties, seeking food and exposed to destruction; and numbers of them soon began to come in to the settlements, and ask for that mercy which the colonists were glad to grant them. Major Talcott was despatched to Westfield, whence he made a hasty march in pursuit of a large body of Indians, on their flight to the westward, no doubt to join the Mohawks, fifty-five of whom were soon killed and taken. Among the former was the sachem of Winnimisset or Brookfield, in Massachusetts. One of the most active and successful of the officers of that period was Captain Church; and the reader of Church's Narrative of Philip's War, written by his son, will find in it many interesting particulars, chiefly relating to the expeditions in the Narraganset country. Philip, still showing himself to be utterly opposed to peace, although deserted by most of his forces, had returned to Pocanoket (a place near Bristol, Rhode Island) to procure seed-corn, was pursued thither, and closely pressed by Captain Church, and several times but barely escaped capture. He was at length traced to a swamp at the foot of Mount Hope or Montaup, his former residence, and there surrounded and ambushed through the night. In the gray of the morning, while attempting to steal away through a mist, he was shot by a soldier, and killed on the spot. His surviving chief captains were soon after taken prisoners or killed by Church and his men, and were all pardoned except a few of the most obnoxious; and thus the war was brought to a conclusion. The Assembly of Connecticut offered to the Indians life, liberty, protection, and ground to cultivate (the terms which they had given to the Pequods), excepting only the chief instigators. Many of them, however, chose to reject them, and left the country. The immediate result of their emigration was the deliverance of the colonies from numerous enemies: but it probably increased the evils of invasion which they suffered many years afterward. Several large tribes fled to Canada, and joined the Indians there, thus placing themselves under the protection of the French, who were long the most implacable enemies of the English colonies. This was done by the Nipmucks from Brookfield and its vicinity, the Nashawas, the Pocomtocks from Windsor, the Hadley and Springfield Indians. Thus the people of New-England were for a time delivered from the fear of their savage and terrible enemies, and were at liberty to rebuild their ruined habitations and cultivate their neglected fields. But they had a sad reckoning to make of their losses and sufferings. About 600 men of the flower of the colonies had been slain in war; twelve or thirteen towns in Massachusetts, Ply. mouth, and Rhode Island had been partly or wholly destroyed; many cattle had been killed; and the country was burdened with a debt of immense amount compared with its resources. The war with the Eastern Indians we shall not stop to speak of particularly, as it did not immediately affect Connecticut. It cost Massachusetts a great deal; and, although it began about the same time, was not closed until 1678. Most of the eastern and northern settlements of that colo 192 CLOSE OF THE WAR. [1676. ny, extending into the present states of Maine and New-Hampshire, were broken up; about twenty fishing vessels, with their crews, were captured; and numerous lives were lost. An account of that war may be found in "Hubbard's Indian Wars." Although Connecticut had not suffered in Philip's war as severely as her neighbours, her taxes had been for three years as high as eleven pence on the pound on the grand list, besides town and par ish taxes, and yet a considerable debt remained unpaid. The people were greatly favoured by Providence, by having few but friendly Indians in their territory, and not a single party of men cut off by surprise in their numerous enterprises in aid of their neighbours. In this, as in many other cases of difficulty and danger, they had reason to confide and rejoice in the protection of that Almighty Being, to whom they paid such becoming regard in their public acts, as well as in their social institutions; and who had given them so much reason for inscribing on the arms of the colony that noble motto: "Qui transtulit sustinet." [He who brought over sustains.] The population of the country, checked by war and many untoward circumstances, was still but small. Trumbull estimates the inhabitants of New. England in 1675 at only 35,750 persons, in 7150 families. If the same rule be applied to Connecticut, it will give an amount of population only a little exceeding that of Hartford or New-Haven at the present day. The Assembly met in October, laid a tax of eight pence on the pound upon the whole list for two years, gave permission to the Mohegans, Pequods, and Ninigrate's Narragansets to hunt on the conquered territory, and kill any remaining enemies, and appointed a committee to hear their complaints, and to settle them all in peace. In 1677, Captain John Mason having died of the wounds received at the Narraganset fort, Mr. Andrew Leet was chosen a magistrate in his place. A committee was appointed to arrange affairs about the Narraganset country, and to report places fit for settlements: for Rhode Island had done nothing there in the war. Colonel Nichol's proceedings, they considered, had nullified the act of his majesty's commissioners making it the King's Colony; while the agreement with Mr. Clark was of no force, on several considerations. The Assembly granted protection to Elisha Hutchinson, William Hudson, and others, in resettling a large tract of land in the Pequod and Narraganset country. While the Assembly were in session in October, they were requested, by the upper towns in Connecticut River, to send Major Treat to confer with a large number of Indians in that region, who seem. ed desirous of peace. He was despatched accord. ingly, to offer them the usual terms, and with directions to ransom all the captives if possible. In the latter part of his duty he was in part successful but very few of the Indians were willing to remain in the country. R 194 RHODE ISLAND RENEWS HER CLAIM. [1678. CHAPTER XXIV. 1678. Edward Randolph misrepresents the Colonies to the King.Death of Governor Leet.-His History and Character.Claims of the Duke of York and Duke of Hamilton.-Sickness in the Colony.-Colonel Dugan Governor of New-York. -Accession of King James II.-Randolph arrives from England to examine the Charters of the Colonies.-Sir Edmund Andross made Governor of New-England. He marches to Hartford with a Body-guard, and demands the Charter of Connecticut. It is concealed in the Charter Oak, and preserved. IN 1678 the colonies suffered some of the ill ef fects of a bad government in England. James the Second, being an enemy to liberty, civil and religious, and, of course, being inimical to the principles of New-England, was ready to listen to their defamers; and Edward Randolph became very of. ficious in spying out their liberty, in order to deprive them of it. He made an annual visit to Boston from 1676, and usually returned in autumn to England, to make complaints and undermine the interests of the country at court, particularly by representing them as unreasonably opposed to the acts of trade and navigation. The commissioners, well knowing to whom men should always apply in times of difficulty and danger, recommended a general fast, with humble prayer to God for the preservation of their rights. This was complied with, as usual, by the Assembly of Connecticut, as well as the other confederates. Rhode Island began again to claim jurisdiction |