lead, and a bottle of rum corked and leaded, on the highest part. We descended the mountain with cautious steps, until we came among the low spruces, and the next day at noon we reached our canoes. It is difficult by any orthography, precisely to express the name of this mountain, and convey the nasal sound which the natives give. No-tar-dn or Ca-ta-din is as near perhaps as the powers of the letters will admit. The Indians bave a superstition respecting this mountain, that an evil spirit, whom they call Pamola, inhabits it, at least in the winter, and flies off in the spring with tremendous rumbling noises. They have a tradition, that no person, i. e. native, who has attempted to ascend it, has lived to return. They allege, that many moons ago, seven Indians resolutely ascended the mountain, and that they were never heard of afterwards, having been undoubtedly killed by Pamola in the mountain. The two Indians, whom we hired to pilot and assist us in ascending the mountain, cautioned us not to proceed if we should hear any uncommon noise; and when we came to the cold part of the mountain, they refused to proceed ahead -however, when they found that we were determined to proceed, even without them, they again went forward courageously, and seemed ambitious to be first on the summit. On our return to Indian Old Town, it was with difficulty that we could convince the natives that we had been upon the top of Mount Catardin, nor should we have been able to satisfy them of the fact, so superstitious were they, had it not been for the Indians who had accompanied us. A LETTER FROM MATTHEW CRADDOCK, TO CAPTAIN JOHN [APRIL 17, 1629-a letter to Captain John Endicott, of Salem, from the 1 WORTHY sir and my lovinge freynd, all due com mendations premised to yourselfe and second selfe, with harty well wishes from my selfe and many others wellwillers and adventurers in this our plantation to yourself and the rest of your good company, of whose safe arrivall being now thoroughlie informed, by your letters bearing date the 13th September last, which came to my hands the 13th this instant February, we doe not a little rejoyce; and to hear that my good cozen, your wyfe, were perfectly recovered of her health would be acceptable newes to us all, which God grant in his good tyme that we may. Meanwhile I am in the behalfe of our whole company (which are much enlarged since your departure out of England) to give you harty thanks for your lardge advice contained in this your letter, which I have fully imparted unto them, and further to give proof that they intende not to be wanting by all good means to forward the plantation, to which purpose, God willing, you shall heare more at another time, and that speedilye, there beinge one shipp bought for the company of 200 tunns, and 2 others hyred of about 200 tunns each of them, 1 of 19 and 1 of 10 peeces of ordnance, besides not unlike but one other vessell shall come in companie with those; in all which ships for the general stock and property of the adventuers, there is likely to be sent thither twixt 2 and 300 persons wee hope to reside there, and about 100 head of cattell, wherefore as I wrote you in full, and sent by Mr. Allerton of New Plymouth in November last, soe the desire of them, is that you would endeavour to gett convenient housings fitt to lodge as many as you can against they doe come, and withall what bever or other commodities or fishe, if the means to preserve it can be gotten readie, to return in the foresaid shipps; and likewise wood, if no better ladinge be to be had-That you would endeavour to gett in a readiness what you can whereby our shipps, whereof twoe are to return back directlye heather, may not come wholly emptye. There hath not bine a better tyme for sale of tymber theise twoe seven years than at present and therefore pittie these shipps should come backe emptye, if it might be made readie that they neede not stope 1 daye for it; otherwise mens wages and victuals, together with the shipps will quicklie rise too high if to be reladen with wood, and that the same be not readie to put a board as soon as the shipps are discharged of their outward ladinge. I wishe alsoe that there be some sassafras and sarsaparilla sent us, as alsoe good store of shoomacke, if there to be had, as we are informed there is; the like do I wishe for, and a tun weight, at least, of silke grasse and of ought else that may be useful for dyinge or in phisicke, to have some of each sent, and advise given withall what store of each to be had there if vent may be found here for it, and alsoe I hope you will have some good sturgeon in a readinesse to send us, and if it be well cured 2 or 300 firkins thereof would helpe well towards our charge. We are very confident of your best endeavours for the general good, and we doubt not but God will in mercye give a blessinge upon our labours, and we trust you will not be unmindful of the mayne end of our plantation by endeavouringe to bringe the Indians to the knowledge of the gospell, which that it may be the speedier and better effected, the earnest desire of our whole company is that you have a diligent and watchful eye over our owne people that they live unblamable and without reproach, and demeane themselves justlye and corteous towards the Indians, thereby to draw them to affect our persons and consequently our religion; as alsoe to endeavour to gett some of their children to trayne up to reading and consequentlie to religion while they are yonge; herein to younge or olde to omit no good opportunitye that may tend to bringe them out of that woeful state and condition they now are in; in which case our predecessors in this our land sometymes were, and but for the mercye and goodness of our good God might have continued to this day. But God whoe out of the boundless ocean of his mercye hath shewed pittie and compassion to our land, he is all sufficient and can bringe this to pass which we now desire in that countrye likewise. Onlie let us not be wanting on our parts, now wee are called to this work of the Lord; neither, having put our handes to the plowe, let us look back, but goe on cheerfullye) and depend upon God for a blessing upon our labours, whoe by weake instruments is able (if he see it good) to bringe glorious thinges to passe. Be of good courage, goe on and do worthilye, and the Lord prosper your endeavour. It is fullie resolved, by God's assistance, to send over two ministers, at the least, with the shipps now intended to be sent thether. But for Mr. Peters, he is now in Holland, from whence his return hether I hold to be uncertain. Those wee send shall be by the approbation of Mr. White of Dorchester and Mr. Davenport. For whatsoever else you have given advise, care shall be taken, God willinge, to performe the needful as neere as we can and the tymes will permit, whereof alsoe you maye expect more ample advertisement, in their generall letter, when God shall send our shipps thether. The course you have taken, in givinge our countrymen theire content in the point of plantinge tobacco there for the present (theire necesssitie considered) is not disallowed; but wee trust in God other means will be found to employe theire tyme more comfortable and profitable alsoe in the end. And wee cannot but generally approve and commend theire good resolution to desist from the plantinge thereof when as they shall discerne howe to imploye their laboures otherwise, which we hope they will be speedilye induced unto by such precepts and examples as we shall give them. And now mindinge to conclude this, I maye not omit to put you in mynde, however you seeme to feare noe enimies there, yet that you have a watchful eye for your owne safetye, and the safetye of all those of our nation with you; and not to be too confident of the fidelitie of the Salvages. It is an old proverb yet as true, the burnt childe dreades the fyre. Our countrymen have suffered by theire too much confidence in Virginia. Let us by theire harmes learne to beware, and as wee are commanded to be innocent as doves, soe withall wee are enjoined to be wise as serpents. The God of heaven and earth preserve and keepe you from all forayne and inland enimies, and blesse and prosper this plantation to the en largement of the kingdom of Jesus Christ; to whose merciful protection I recommend you and all your assotiates there knowne or unknowne. And so tyll my next, which shall be, God willinge, by our shipps, whoe I make account will be readie to sett sayle from hence about the 20th of this next moneth of Marche, I end and rest, Your assured loving friende and Cussen MATTHEW CRADDOCK. From my house in Swithens Lane neare London stone this 16th February 1628-9 Stilo Angliæ. A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE PEQUOT WAR: Especially of the memorable Taking of their Fort at Mistick in Connecticut in 1637. Written by Major John Mason, a principal Actor therein, as then chief Captain and Commander of Connecticut Forces. With an Introduction and some Explanatory Notes by the Reverend Mr. Thomas Prince. PSAL. XLIV. 1-3. We have heard with our Ears, O God, our Fathers have told us, what Work Thou didst in their Days, in the times of old; How Thou didst drive out the Heathen with thy Hand, and plantedst Them: how Thou did afflict the People and cast them out. For they got not the Land in Possession by their own Sword, neither did their own Arm save them: but thy right Hand, and thine Arm, and the Light of thy Countenance, because Thou hadst a Favour unto them. PSAL. CII. 18. This shall be written for the Generation to come: and the People which shall be Created, shall praise the Lord. BOSTON Printed and Sold by S. Kneeland and T. Green in Queen Street, 1736. Introduction. IN my Contemplations of the Divine Providence towards the People of New-England, I have often tho't what a special Favour it was, that there came over with the first |