tow y sloop up ye River. And the next day a little after noon there came up to us Two of the Three Indians yt were on board our sloop y evening before, according as they said yt They would, and They brought with them a squaw, and a Pappoose, and then we had a great deal of Discourse with them. Capt Westbrook shewed them the Letter yt was sent to our Governour by the Jesuit, and told them y' He wrote in ye names of all ye Indians, and how insultingly He wrote, and threatened to burn yo Englishmen's Houses, &c.: whereupon they said yt Patrahans, i. e. the Jesuit Lied, and he was very wicked, &c. and y' They desired always to live in friendship and Brotherhood with the English. : That afternoon we went up to ye Mill by water and viewed That, and as we were going up we went on shoar on ye other side of y River, and viewed ye land there, where we found extraordinary good land, and when we had viewed ye mill which we found in a good forwardness we returned to ye Block-house by Land, and saw a great deal of Good land. Wednesday Aug: 16th, was foul weather but not raining very hard, we went up ye River in a Boat as far as ye Falls and as we went and returned we went ashoar in some places and saw good land, and a Body of Pine timber, and a great many pieces of good marsh. Thursday Aug: 17th, it continued foul weather, and was more Tempestuous then the Day before yt we could not stir abroad. Friday Aug: 18th, The storm continued and encreased, it was more rainy, and Tempestous then the Day before y' we could not stir abroad. Saturday August ye 19th. The storm continued, but not so bad as the Day before: so y' some thing was done towards finishing yo Blockhouse down by the River. Sabbath Day August 20th. The storm was over tho something showery. The forenoon we met together in ye Lower Block house, to attend on the worship of God, and in ye Afternoon we met in yo upper Block-house. Monday Aug: 21st, was a fine Pleasant Day, and all Hands went briskly to work, to finish y log-work in ye Lower Block-house, to dig y Trenches between ye Two Houses and to get stockado's to wall in y yard, and to get ye shop in a readiness to defend ourselves against ye Indians if they should assault us. Tuesday Aug: 224, was a fair Pleasant Day and the men went on briskly with their work, endeavouring to finish y yard between y° Block-Houses, and fit ye sloop, &c. : Wednesday August 234, was a fine pleasant day, and all hands were employed to get up ye fortification between ye Block-Houses, &c. Thursday Aug: 24th, was cloudy, and like to rain: but yet it rained very little so y' all hands were briskly employed in getting up yo fortification between ye Block-houses, &c. On this Day about noon we heard some guns over towards Wesseweshheag* at some distance, which made us conclude y' there were Indians coming near us: but because they gave us such warning of their coming by firing at a distance, we concluded y' they were coming in a friendly manner, and so all hands kept to their work, unless a few yt were upon ye look out round about to observe how things were every way. Towards night • The Wessaweskeag River is in the southerly part of South Thomaston. there appeared some Indians at ye carrying place over against y Block-house towards Wesseweshheag who fired several Guns, and set up a white flag, whereupon Capt" Westbrook ordered a Great Gun to be fired, and a white flag to be set up, and soon after there came a canoo to ye sloop in which was nimquid, and another Indian who were courteously received, and entertained by Capt" Westbrook, and they carried themselves very friendly, saying yt they desired to live in love and friendship with ye English, and they said yt Perixus, and Hundra y Saggamores and divers other Indians were on y other side of y Bay, at ye carrying-place. After a while these Two went away to the Rest, and Capt Westbrook went wth Them to ye Saggamores who received him very courteously firing several Guns when He came to them, and also w" he left them. There were at that place fifteen Indians, and one French-man. Friday August 25th, in ye morning came nimquid, and 2 more Indians aboard ye sloop, and informed yt ye Indian Saggamores would come by and by, and in a little time went away. After a while came Perixus, and Hundra on board with nine Indians more, and a Frenchman. After ye usual greeting of them they sate down. And Capt Westbrook informed them y' He had acquainted Governour Shute with y conferences He had with them in July, and the Governour was well pleased with their good behaviour. And the Captain delivered them a Letter yt was sent by the Governour. They asked whether it was written in French or in English. They said yt they had sent to ye Governour to desire yt when He wrote to them He would write in French bec: They had none among them yt understood English. Capt Westbrook told them yt perhaps the Letter was written before the Governour had received that message from them. Then They opened the Governours Letter, and desired y' it might be read to them. And accordingly it was read, and interpreted to them, and they seemed to be well pleased with it. Then Capt Westbrook showed them a copy of the Letter y' was sent by ye Indians to Governour Shute, wherein They threatened y they would plunder and burn ye Englishmans Houses if they did not move off their lands, &c. and some of the most Threatening expressions in it were read and interpreted to them. The Indians said the Penobscot men are good men, and would not hurt the English. Then they were shewed yt Penobscot Indians as well as others had signed that Letter. The Indians said They had come away from Manashoak while the Letter was writing and could not tell what was in it. They were asked if none of them signed that Letter. They said they did not know that any of them did. They were asked if They desired to Live in love, and peace with ye English. To this They did not readily answer, but desired time to consider it. And about an hour after desired to speak again. And then They said It is now seven years since we have lived in peace with ye English, and we desire to do so always. The King of England, and the King of France are brothers, and we desire y' the English and Indians may live as Brothers, and we will never hurt them if They do not break the Peace first. And after a while They went away in a friendly manner. On Saturday Aug: 26th, nimquid with Two other Indians came on board ye sloop, and said yt the Indians were going down the River to catch fowl. And accordingly we saw them moving down the River in the forenoon. On Sabbath Day Aug: 27th, we met together in ye Lower BlockHouse to attend ye worship of God. Monday Aug: 28th, was a fine, pleasant day, and all hands followed business briskly to get ye fortification between ye Block-Houses done and get wood into ye sloop. This day 2 Ind: came to us with foul? Tuesday Aug: 29th, was a fine, pleasant Day, and all hands were at work again to drive on business. Wednesday Aug: 30th, we set sail for Arrowsick but the wind being against us we got no farther that day then the Harbour at George's Islands, and there we anchored that night. Thursday Aug: 31st, we had very calm weather a great part of y Day and some times sudden squalls, and we got but little a head, being in sight of Pemaquid Point all Day, and that night we kept out. Friday Sept: 1st, we arrived at Arrowsick about ye middle of y Afternoon. On Saturday Sept: 2d, we sailed up to Capt" Wainwrights Fort at Richmond. And There we kept Sabbath, Sept. 3a. On Monday Sept. 4th, we went to Topsham and there lodged. On Friday Sept: 8th, I went on Bord Mr. Parkers sloop, who was bound for Boston. That Day we went down ye River, and at night Anchored at Saggadehock. Saturday Sept: 9th, having not a good wind we sailed but a little way. Sabbath day Sept: 10th, we were becalmed and could not get any farther then cape Porpoise, and in that Harbour* we anchored that night. Monday Sept: 11th, was very calm, and we sailed but a little way, and that night stood out to sea, and towards day the wind sprang up very fresh and fair, and then we came along very briskly, and arrived at Boston about one or Two a clock on Tuesday Sept: 12th. [Celera desunt.-ED.] The above journal is written in a little book bound in parchment, in a plain and legible hand. The journal occupies 27 pages, and the rest of the book contains sundry accounts inserted from time to time by persons into whose hands the book has fallen. On the first page is written the name of John Mason, Bangor. In the last part of the book, in the hand writing of Mr. Baxter, is a brief vocabulary of the Indian language, which we give entire. I. Nea. How do you. Conhechau-Pum Mâttâm. I do not care. Hegriodarrke. I forgot. Plamene. Nogawed honze. You. Kea. He. Egqumoh. We. Messeue. "Secure from all winds, whether you have anchor or not."-MORSE. 1 Pesegu. 3 Nosj. 4 Yau. 5 Perens. 6 Nunguittuns. 8 Sensuk. 9 Norsel. 10 Madarra. 11 Hequedunquou. 16 Nunquittunskejunkou. 19 Noruekesunkou. 40 Yauenskeh. 50 Nonenskeh. 60 Nunghittunskesenskeh. COPY OF A ROYALIST HANDBILL DISTRIBUTED AMONG THE BRITISH SOLDIERS AT BOSTON, SEPTEMBER, 1774.-" To the Officers and Soldiers of his Majesty's Troops in Boston." It being more than probable that the King's Standard will soon be erected, from rebellion breaking out in this province, its proper that you soldiers, should be acquainted with the authors thereof, and of all the misfortunes brought upon the province, the following is a list of them, viz. :-Mess. Samuel Adams, James Bowdoin, Dr. Thomas Young, Dr. Benjamin Church, Capt. John Bradford, Josiah Quincy, Major Nathaniel Barber, William Molleneux, John Hancock, William Cooper, Dr. Chauncy, Dr. Cooper, Thomas Cushing, Joseph Greenleaf, and William Denning. friends of your King and Country, and of America, hope and expect it from you soldiers, the instant rebellion happens, that you will put the above persons immediately to the sword, destroy their houses and plunder their effects; it is just they should be the first victims to the mischiefs they have brought upon us. The A Friend to Great Britain and America. AXTELL. From a pocket memorandum Book and Almanac published in 1691, which is well preserved and now in the hands of Joshua E. Crane, Esq., of Bridgewater, was taken the following record of the death of Henry Axtell as recorded by his son, Daniel Axtell. My Father Henry Axtell was Slayne' by the Indians the 19th day of April, in the year 1676," between Marlboro' and Sudbury." In Hudson's Hist. of Marlborough, page 310, the date is given, April 20th. PAGE.-Petition of Richard Hutchins, Timothy Corlis, James, Mary, Jonathan, Nathaniel, Elizabeth and David Hutchins, all of Haverhill, grandchild" of John Page, late of Haverhill, decs, to be allowd to sell abt 15 acres of land in ye heart of ye town, wh was given them by y's grandfather. Elizabeth H. was a minor. Granted. Iour. H. Reps. 7 sec. 1738. THE PEIRCE FAMILY. [Communicated by EBENEZER W. PEIRCE, of Freetown, Member of Old Colony, Historical, Pilgrim, and the New England Historic-Genealogical Societies.] PEIRCE, or Pierce as the name is now more commonly spelled, is probably derived from the French name PIERRE or Piers. Thus we find Piers de Gaveston the favorite of EDWARD II. beheaded in 1313, and Peter Peirse who lived in the reign of EDWARD IV., and Richard III., who being attached to the house of York, fought at the battle of Bosworth field (in 1485) as standard bearer to Richard III. ; and also John Peirce, Bishop of York. The first patent of the Plymouth Colony was granted to John Peirce, a citizen of London, June 1st, 1621, who is thought to have been the owner of the ship commanded by William Peirce wherein were brought over many of the early emigrants. In 1630, Capt. William Peirce commanded the LION of Bristol, which ship was riding at anchor at Salem when Governor Winthrop arrived in the month of June of that year. He resided awhile in Boston, and made an Almanac for New England for the year 1639, and being entrusted with the command of an expedition against the Bahamas, fell in battle at the island of Providence in 1641. His Almanac is said to have been the first made in New England. Michael Peirce, of Hingham, and afterwards of Scituate (said to have been a brother of Capt. William) was Ensign of the company under Capt. Miles Standish, promoted to Captain in 1669, participated in the great battle at Narraganset, Dec., 1675, and escaped with his life to receive further promotion, assume a higher command, and perish in a more terrible conflict. Being entrusted with a separate command, he, early in the spring of 1676, commenced the pursuit of the Indian enemy towards Rhode Island, leading the entire force of Plymouth Colony then operating in the field. He proceeded without encounter near Pautucket (in that part called the Attleboro' Gore), when Indians were discovered, but not suspecting that Conanchet was there with all the collected force of the Narragansetts, he ventured to cross the river and commence the attack, but soon found himself in the presence of an overwhelming force. To fly was impossible, and to retreat in order before such an enemy equally desperate. His only recourse was to fall back to the river's bank, in order to avoid being surrounded, and make the sacrifice of himself and his men as costly as possible to the foe. Here, said an early historian, "they fought until nearly every man fell, and with a bravery like that at Thermopylæ and deserving of as great success." But the colonists had the satisfaction to learn that this brave band had slain thrice their own number of the enemy. This was the greatest calamity that befel the Plymouth Colony during King Philip's war. The will of Michael Peirce was made in 1675, and the preamble is in these impressive words-" Being, by the appointment of God, going out to war against the Indians, I do ordain this my last will and Testament; and first I commit my ways to the Eternal God.” VOL. XXI. 6 |