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His successful encounter with

that he "saw by the captain's eyes, that he was angry in his heart." This induced Pecksuot, a chief of courage, to tell Hobbumock, Standish's Indian guide and interpreter, that he "understood the captain was come to kill him, and the rest of the savages there, but tell him," said he, "weknow it, but fear him not; neither will we shun him, let him begin when he dare, he shall not take us at unawares." Others whet their knives before him, using insulting gestures and speeches. A. mong the rest, Wittuwamat, a daring son of war, whose head the government had ordered Standish to bring to Plymouth, boasted of the excellence of his knife, on the handle of which was a woman's face. "But," said he, "I have another at home, with which I have killed both French and English; that has a man's face; by and by these two must be married." Further said he of his knife. "By and by it shall see, by and by it shall eat, but not speak."

Pecksuot, being a man of great stature, said to Standish, though you are a great captain, yet you are but a little man, and though I be no sachem, yet I am a man of great strength and courage." The captain had formed his plan, and was therefore silent. The next day, seeing he could get no more of them together, Pecksuot, and Wittuwamat, and his brother, a young man of eighteen, and one Indian more being together, and having about

Pecksuot and Wittuwamat.

245

as many of his own men in the room; he gave the word, the door was fast; he seized Pecksuot, snatched his knife from him, and killed him with it; the rest killed Wittuwamat, and the other Indian. The youth they took and hanged. Dreadful was the scene; incredible the number of wounds they bore; without any noise, catching at the weapons, struggling and striving till death. At another place he and his men killed one more. Captain Standish then returned to Plymouth, carrying the head of Wittuwamat, which was set up on the fort. The news of this exploit spread terror through the surrounding tribes; amazed and terrified, they fled to swamps and desert places, which brought on diseases and death to many. One of the sachems said, "The God of the English was offended with them, and would destroy them in his anger."

Some reflected on captain Standish, as being more of a hero, than a christian in this affair; but if there were any fault, it certainly rested with the good magistrates of Plymouth; Standish only obeyed their orders; they deliberately, and coolly sanctioned the most bloody part of his conduct, by setting up the head of Wittuwamat as a public spectacle. All military exploits are dreadful.

In 1625, he was sent an agent for the company to England. The plague was raging in London, and he met with difficulty in accomplishing his

246

Cuts down the first Liberty Pole.

business; but the next year he returned with: goods for the colony, bringing the melancholy news, that Mr. Cushman and Mr. Robinson were numbered with the dead.

A company of the baser sort had set down at Quincy; under one Morton, they had deposed their commander, sold arms to the natives, and invited fugitives. from other places. Captain Endicott, from Salem, gave them a small check, and cut down their liberty pole. Captain Standish subdued them. Being sent for the purpose, and finding reasoning vain, he took them prisoners and carried them to Plymouth; thence they were sent to England. Previous to this, in 1624, the people of Plymouth had erc&ed fishing flakes at Cape Ann. A company from the west of England, the next year, took possession of them. Captain Standish was sent to obtain justice. His threats were serious, and the people of Cape Ann assured the company they were dead men, unless they satisfied the captain, for he was always punctual to his word. The company then built another stage or flake, in a more advantageous situation, which the Plymouth people accepted: thus harmony was restored.

A tradition in the family says, that a friendly native once came and told the captain, that a particular Indian intended to kill him; that the next time he visited the wigwam, he would give him

Another remarkable Escape.

247

some water, and while he should be drinking, the Indian would kill him with his knife. The next time the Captain had occasion to go to the place, he remembered his trusty sword. He found a number of savages together, and soon had reason. to believe the information, which had been given him. It was not long before the suspected Indian brought him some drink; the captain receiving it, kept his eye fixed on him while drinking. The Indian was taking his knife to make the deadly stab, when Standish instantly drew his sword and cut off his head at one stroke ; amazed and terrified the savages fled, and left our warrior alone.

After the year 1628, we hear no more of the military exploits of this valorous commander. Whether a constant series, of vigorous exertions for so many years, had impaired his health, and rendered him unfit for active service, as it is said he was afflicted with the stone and strangury in his advanced years; or whether he became tired of such dreary,, dangerous excursions, it is perhaps impossible now to ascertain. Certain it is, he did not in the least degree lose the confidence of the people. During his. whole life, which was prolonged almost thirty years after this, he was constantly elected one of the principal officers of the growing Commonwealth; he was one of the magistrates or judges of the superior court of the colony as long as he lived. When, "in regard of

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Appointed Commander in Chief.

many appearances of danger towards the country,” a council of war was appointed in 1652, vested with full power "to issue warrants to press men, and to give commissions to chief officers," the venerable Standish was among "the first three." In 1653, we find him acting in this council; and once more we may see him clothed in his coat of mail. In 1654, Cromwell called on New England for troops to subdue the Dutch of New York. Massachusetts ordered 500 to be furnished. Capt. . Standish received the command of those raised in Plymouth colony. A part of his commission, probably his last, was in these words: "We having raised some forces over which we do constitute our well beloved friend, captain Miles Standish, their leader and COMMANDER INN CHIEF; of whose approved fidelity and ability we have had long experience."

He was now probably seventy years of age. He had been engaged in the wars in the Netherlands, which ended about 1609. It is not probable that : he left his native country before he was twenty, one; how long he continued in the army we know not, but probably he was twenty five when he joined Mr. Robinson's congregation after the peace; it is not probable that a younger man would have been made military commander in 1620; this will make him just seventy. He lived two years after this, dying in 1656, at Duxbury,