302

HOPCHOOD-DESTRUCTION OF CASCO.

[BOOK III

Casco. As Portneuf marched through the country of the Abenakis, many of the joined him, and he came into the neighborhood of Casco, according to the French account, on the 25 May. On the following night, he prepared an ambush, and towards morning an Englishman fell into it and was killed. The Indians then raised the war-whoop, and about noon 50 English marched out from the garrison to learn what was the occasion of it; they made no discovery until they were within a few paces of the ambush, when they were fired upon; and before they could resist were fallen upon by the French and Indians with their swords and tomahawks with great slaughter: but four escaped, and these were badly wounded.

The English seeing now they must stand a siege, abandoned four garrisons, and all retired into one, which was provided with cannon. Before these were abandoned, an attack was made upon one of them, in which the French were repulsed, with the loss of one Indian killed and one Frenchman wounded. Portneuf began now to doubt of his ability to take Casco, fearing the issue; for his commission only ordered him to lay waste the English settlements, and not to attempt fortified places; but in this dilemma Hertel and HOPEHOOD arrived.* It was now determined to press the siege. In the deserted forts they found all the necessary tools for carrying on the work, and they began a mine within 50 feet of the fort, under a steep bank, which entirely protected them from its guns. The English became discouraged, and on the 28+ May surrendered themselves prisoners of war. There were 70 men, and probably a much greater number of women and children. All of whom, except Captain Davis, who commanded the garrison, and three or four others, were given up to the Indians, who murdered most of them in their cruel manner; and if the accounts be true, Hopehood excelled all other savages in acts of cruelty. In the course of the same month, with a small party he fell upon Fox Point, in New Hampshire, killed about fourteen persons, and carried away six, after burning several houses. This was as easily done, says Cotton Mather, "as to have spoiled an ordinary hen-roost." Two companies of English soon collected and pursued them; came up with them, killed some, and recovered considerable plunder. In this action Hopehood was wounded, and lost his gun. §

Many were the horrid acts of barbarity inflicted on the prisoners taken at this time. Not long after this, Hopehood went to the westward, “with a design, says Mather, to bewitch another crew at Aquadocta into his assistance." The Indians of Canada and the Five Nations were then at war, and he being in their country, was met by some of the Canada Indians, who, taking him to be of the Iroquois nation, slew him and many of his companions. He had been once a captive to the English, and served a time in Boston as a slave. There appears to have been another Nerigwok chief of the same name, who treated with Governor Dudley at Casco, in 1703. ‡

We have, in narrating the events in the life of Madokawando, noticed the voyage of Major Waldron to the eastern coast of Maine, which was at the close of Philip's war. How much treachery was manifested at that time by the Indians, which caused the English to massacre many of them, we shall not take upon us to declare; yet this we should bear in mind, that we have only the account of those who performed the tragedy, and not that of those who suffered in it.

Captain Charles Frost, of Kittery, was with Waldron upon that expedition, and, next to him, a principal actor in it; and, like him, was killed by the Indians afterwards. | Mr. Hubbard gives this account of his taking a noted warrior as follows:-"Capt. Frost seized an Indian called Megunneway, a notorious rogue, that had been in arms at Connecticut last June, at the falls,

* Madokawando was also at the taking of Casco, as were the Doneys and the Higuers [Higgins] Captain Davis's Nar. in 3 Coll. Mas. Hist. Soc. 104, 5.-Hopehood had been taken prisoner, and held as a hostage, with about a dozen others, and was set at liberty by Andros some time before. Ibid.

This agrees with the English accounts, abating 10 days, as observed in a note on the last page. Magnalia Christ. Americana, b. vii. 73.

"An heathen Indian would rather part with his head than with his gun." Loskiel, ii. 214 At his native place, 4 July, 1697. MS. letter of John Farmer, Esq.

and saw that brave and resolute Capt. Turner, when he was slain about Green River; and helped to kill Thomas Bracket at Casco, [11th] August last, [1676.] And with the help of Lieut. Nutter, according to the major's order, carried him aboard" their vessel. "By this time," the same author continues, "some of the soldiers were got ashore, and instantly, according to their major's command, pursued the enemy towards their canoes. In the chase, several of the enemy were slain, whose bodies these [soldiers] found at their return, to the number of seven; amongst whom was Mattahando, the sagamore, with an old powow, to whom the Devil had revealed, as sometimes he did to Saul, that on the same day he should be with him; for he had a little before told the Indians, that within two days the English would come and kill them all, which was at the very same time verified upon himself." Here we must acknowledge, notwithstanding our great respect for this author, that his commentary upon that passage was rather gratuitous. He might have considered that Sauls among the English would not be wanting of whom parallels might be made. Indeed, the historian of Kankamagus might say the Devil was less deceitful with this powwow than he was afterwards in the case of Major Waldron.

The English took much plunder from the Indians at this time, among which were about 1000 lbs. of dried beef, and various other commodities. Megunneway, after having fallen into their hands as we have stated, was shot without ceremony.

10001

CHAPTER IX.

BOMAZEEN-Treachery of the whites towards him-Is imprisoned at Boston-Saves the life of a female captive-Captures Saco-Is killed-ARRUHAWIKWABEMT— His capture and death-EGEREMET-Seized at Pemmaquid-Barbarously murdered-Treachery of Chubb-Its requital-Captain Tom-Surprises HamptonDONY-His fort captured by Colonel Church-Events of Church's expedition-Captain SIMMO-Treats with the English at Casco-His speech-WATTANUMMON- -Captain SAMUEL-His fight at Damaris Cove-HEGAN-One of the name barbarously destroyed by the whites-MoGG-Westbrook burns Nerigwok-Some account of the Jesuit Rasle-Moulton's expedition to Nerigwok-Death of Mogg-Death of Father Rasle-Notice of Moulton-Charlevoix's account of this affair-PAUGUS-Bounty offered for indian scalps-Captain John Lovewell's first expedition-His second hunt for Indians-Falls in with PAUGUS-Fights him, and is slain-Particulars of the affair-Incidents--Songs composed on the event.

We will continue here our catalogue of eminent chiefs of the east, which, though a remote section, has no less claim than any other; and the first of them which we shall introduce was called, by the whites,

BOMAZEEN, who was a sachem of a tribe of the Canibas, or Kennebecks, whose residence was at an ancient seat of sagamores, upon a river bearing their name, at a place called Norridgewock. Whether Bomazeen were the leader in the attack upon Oyster River in New Hampshire, Groton in Massachusetts, and many other places, about the year 1694, we cannot determine, but Hutchinson says he was "a principal actor in the carnage upon the

*He was brother to Anthony, and was killed the 11 August, as we have mentioned in our account of Symon. These Indians, or some of their party [that captured Anthony Bracket] went over upon the neck, where they shot John Munjoy and Isaac Wakely. Three men, who were going to reap at Anthony Bracket's, having heard from Munjoy and Wakely of the transaction there, left them to return, when, hearing the guns, they turned towards Thomas Bracket's, who lived near Clark's Point, where they had left their canoe, having probably crossed over from Purpooduck. Here they saw Thomas Bracket shot down, and his wife and children taken; they then made their escape to Munjoy's garrison, at the lower end of the neck, which had become a place of refuge. Willis's Hist. Portland, i. 144.-This was an extensive depredation, 34 persons having been killed and carried into captivity.

Nerigwok is believed to be the most proper way of spelling the name of this place, as agreeing best with its orthoepy; at least, with that heard at and in the vicinity of it, at this day, as pronounced by the oldest inhabitants. It is a delightful place, and will be found else where described.

304

ARRUHAWIKWABEMT.-TAKEN AND KILLED. [BOOK III. English," after the treaty which he had made with Governor Phips, in 1693. In 1694, he came to the fort at Pemmaquid with a flag of truce, and was treacherously seized by those who commanded, and sent prisoner to Boston, where he remained some months, in a loathsome prison. In 1706, new barbarities were committed. Chelmsford, Sudbury, Groton, Exeter, Dover, and many other places, suffered more or less. Many captives were taken and carried to Canada, and many killed on the way. A poor woman, one Rebecca Taylor, who had arrived at the River St. Lawrence, was about to be hanged by her master, an "overgrown Indian,” named Sampson. The limb of the tree on which he was executing his purpose gave way, and, while he was making a second attempt, Bomazeen happened to be passing, and rescued her.

We hear of him just after the death of Arruhawikwabemt, in October, 1710, when he fell upon Saco with 60 or 70 men, and killed several people, and carried away some captives. He is mentioned as a "notorious fellow," and yet but few of his acts are upon record. Some time after the peace of 1701, it seemed to be confirmed by the appearance of Bomazeen, and another principal chief, who said the French friars were urging them to break their union with the English, "but that they had made no impression on them, for they were as firm as the mountains, and should continue so as long as the sun and moon endured." On peace being made known to the Indians, as having taken place between the French and English nations, they came into Casco, with a flag of truce, and soon after concluded a treaty at Portsmouth, N. H., dated 13 July, 1713. Bomazeen's name and mark are to this treaty.

When Captain Moulton was sent up to Nerigwok, in 1724, they fell in with Bomazeen about Taconnet, where they shot him as he was escaping through the river. Near the town of Nerigwok, his wife and daughter were, in a barbarous manner, fired upon, the daughter killed, and the mother taken.

We purposely omit Dr. C. Mather's account of Bomazeen's conversation with a minister of Boston, while a prisoner there, which amounts to little else than his recounting some of the extravagant notions which the French of Canada had made many Indians believe, to their great detriment, as he said; as that Jesus Christ was a French man, and the Virgin Mary a French woman; that the French gave them poison to drink, to inflame them against the English, which made them run mad. We hear of others, who, to excite them against the English, endeavored to make them believe, among other absurdities, that they put Jesus Christ to death in London.

ARRUHAWIKWABEMT, just mentioned, was a sachem of the same tribe, and was said to be of Norridgewock also. We can find but very few particulars of him, but, from the fate he met with, it is presumed he had been very instrumental in continuing or bringing about the eastern war of 1710. In that year, Colonel Walton made an expedition to the eastern coast of Maine with 170 men. As they were encamped upon an island, the smoke of their fires decoyed some of the Indians into their hands, among whom was Arruhawikwabemt. Penhallow says, he was "an active, bold fellow, and one of an undaunted spirit; for when they asked him several questions, he made them no reply, and when they threatened him with death, he laughed at it with contempt! At which they delivered him up unto our friendly Indians, who soon became his executioners. But when the squaw saw the destiny of her husband, she became more flexible, and freely discovered where each party of them encamped." The savage perpetrators of this act called themselves Christian warriors! and it must be acknowledged that civilization gains nothing in contrasting the conduct of the whites, under Walton, and that of Bomazeen towards a captive, just related.

EGEREMET, as we have seen, was chief sachem of Kennebeck in 1690, and his principal residence appears to have been at Machias. This chief, and HONQUID, with three or four others, having been invited to a conference at Pemmaquid, were treacherously murdered there, 16 February, 1696. Their seizure and murder could not have been outdone, by the greatest barbarians,

*Bomazeen was supposed to have led the party that attacked the south part of Oyster River, now Durham, in which 10 persons were killed. This was on 27 April.

for faithlessness; and we shall learn that its author paid for it in due time with his life. We are not disposed to add to transactions which are in themselves sufficiently horrible, but we will venture to give the account as we find it in Dr. C. Mather's decennium luctuosum :—

*

“Let us, before the year be quite gone, see some vengeance taken upon the heads in the house of the wicked. Know then, reader, that Capt. March petitioning to be dismissed from his command of the fort at Pemmaquid, one Chub succeeded him. This Chub found an opportunity, in a pretty chubbed manner, to kill the famous Edgeremet and Abenquid, a couple of principal sagamores, with one or two other Indians, on a Lord's day. Some that well enough liked the thing which was now done, did not altogether like the manner of doing it, because there was a pretence of treaty between Chub and the sagamores, whereof he took his advantage to lay violent hands

on them."

Thus the manner is seen in which this horrid and cold-blooded act is related!! Few are the instances that we meet with in history, where Indian treachery, as it is termed, can go before this. The reverend author adds, "If there were any unfair dealing (which I know not) in this action of Chub, there will be another February not far off, wherein the avengers of blood will take their satisfaction." By this innuendo, what befell Captain Chubb afterwards is understood, and of which we shall presently give an account.

The point of land called Trott's Neck, in Woolwich, in the state of Maine, was sold, in 1685, by Egeremet and several other sachems. In 1693, on the 11 August, with 12 other chiefs, he made a treaty † with Sir William Phips, at Pemmaquid, to which their names stood as follows, and without marks, in the printed account.

EDGEREMETT.

MADOCKAWANDO.

WASSAMBOMET of Noridgwock.
WENOBSON of Teconnot, in behalf
of Moxus.

KETTERRAMOGIS of Narridgwock.
AHANQUID of Penobscot.

BOMASEEN.

NITAMEMET.

WEBENES.

AWANSOMECK.

ROBIN DONEY.
MADAUMBIS.

PAQUAHARET, alias NATHANIEL.
John Hornybrook.

John Bagatawawongo, alias

Sheepscott John.

Phill. Dunsakis, Squaw, in

terpreters.

Before this, in 1691, "New England being quite out of breath," says Dr. C. Mather, a treaty, or truce, was entered into between the eastern sachems and Messrs. Hutchinson and Townsend, of Boston, and others of the eastern coast, at Sagadahock. Here ten captives were given up by them, and the English gave up eight captive Indians. One was a woman by the name of Hull, who had been of great service to them, having written letters on various occasions, such as their affairs required, and with whom they regretted much to part. Another was Nathaniel White, who had been bound and tortured in a wretched manner. His ears were cut off, and, instead of food, he was forced to eat them, after which, but for this time y_treaty, the sentence of burning would have been executed upon him. This truce stipulated that no hurt should be done the English until May, 1692, and that, on the first of that mouth, they would deliver, at Wells, all English captives in their hands, and, in the mean time, would inform of any plots that they might know of the French against the English. Egeremet being the chief sachem, and most forward in this business, Dr. Mather utters his contempt for him by saying, "To this instrument were set the paws of Egeremet, and five more of their sagamores and noblemen." ‡

This treaty may be seen at length in the Collections of the Mass. Hist. Soc., but is dated one year earlier than it is in the Magnalia. The fact that it was made upon the water, as Dr. C. Mather says, and as we have quoted in the life of Madokawando, appears from the last paragraph of that instrument,

* Magnalia, b. vii. 89.

It may be seen in the Magnalia, vii. 85.

Magnalia Christ. Americana, book vii. art. xxviii. p. 94.

306

EGEREMET.-KILLED AT PEMAQUID.

[BOOK III. which is in these words:-"Signed and sealed interchangeably, upon the water, in canoes, at Sackatehock, when the wind blew." It was headed, “At a treaty of peace with the eastward Indian enemy sagamores." The other five sachems, beside Egeremet, were Toquelmut, Watumbomt, Watombamet, Walumbe, [Worombos,] and John Hawkins, [or Kankamagus.] The places for which they stipulated are, according to the treaty," Pennecook, Winnepisseockeege, Ossepe, Pigwocket, Amoscongen, Pechepscut, Kennebeck River, and all other places adjacent, within the territory and dominions of the above-named sagamores." The witnesses were, Dewando, [the same called Adiwando, by Penhallow probably,] Ned Higon, John Alden, jr., and Nathaniel Alden.

The next year, Egeremet was with Madokawando, Morus, and a body of French under Labrocre, and made the notable attack upon the garrison at Wells, which will be found recorded in the last chapter.

We will now inform the reader of the wretched fate of Captain Pasco Chub. It was not long after he committed the bloody deed of killing the Indian sagamores, before he and the fort were taken by the French and Indians. He was exchanged, and returned to Boston, where he suffered much disgrace for his treachery with the Indians.* He lived at Andover in Massachusetts, where about 30 Indians made an attack in 1698, on 22 February, in which he, with others, was killed, and five were captivated. It was not thought that they expected to find him there; but when they found they had killed him it gave them as much joy, says Hutchinson, "as the destruction of a whole town, because they had taken their beloved vengeance of him for his perfidy and barbarity to their countrymen." They shot him through several times after he was dead.

In his characteristic style, Mr. Oldmixon speaks of this event. He says, "Nor must we forget Chub, the false wretch who surrendered Pemmaquid Fort. The governor kept him under examination some time at Boston, and then dismissed him. As he was going to his house, at Andover, the Indians surprised him and his wife, and massacred them; a just reward of his treason." The author, we think, should have added, according to the jurisprudence of savages.

The most favorable account given of the conduct of Chub, and indeed the only one, follows: "An Indian sagamore's son appeared with a flag of truce, and Capt. Chub went out to them without arms, man for man. An Indian asked for rum and tobacco: the captain said, 'No; it is Sabbath day.' They said, We will have rum, or we will have rum and you too.' Two Indians laid hold on the captain. Then he called to his men, to fall on, for God's sake. Then he made signs to his men, to come from the fort. One of the English had a hatchet under his coat, took it out and killed an Indian; and then ours killed two more Indians, and took another alive, and wounded another, supposed mortally. Then many of the enemy came near to the English, who retreated all safe to the fort."‡

There was another sagamore of the same name, noticed in the following wars with the eastern Indians, who was friendly to the whites; it was probably he who sometimes bore the name of Moxus.

* Harris's Voyages, ii. 305, (ed. 1764,) says Chub was arrested by Colonel Gedney, who was sent east with three ships of war, on hearing of the surrender of the fort, and that no French or Indians could be found; that after he strengthened the garrison, he returned home.

"Col. Gedney had been by land with 500 men, to secure the eastern frontiers. Finding the enemy gone, he strengthened the garrisons, which were not taken. He also arrested Pasco Chubb, for surrendering Pemaquid Fort, while under his command in July, and had him brought to Boston. Here Captain Chubb was confined, till it was decided that he should lose his commission, and not be eligible for any other. This unfortunate man, with his wife Hannah, and three others, were killed by the Indians at Andover, Feb. 22, 1698." Rev. Mr. Felt's Annals of Salem.

A naval force was sent at the same time; hence the accounts are not altogether irreconcilable. Three men-of-war were sent out in pursuit of the French, "but meeting with contrary winds, they could never get sight of them." Neal, His. N. Eng. ii. 551.

+ British Empire in America, i. 77, 78.

Manuscript letter in library Mass. Hist. Soc. written in the following month. As it was written at a great distance from the place, and from a report of the day, little reliance can be placed upon it. It may have been Chub's report of the case.