Page:Archæologia Americana—volume 2, 1836.djvu/503

 the Christian Indians.  town, and others, this Shattock was heard to say words to this effect. “ I hear the Marlborough Indians in prison in Boston, and upon trial for their lives, are like to be cleared by the court; for my part, said he, I have been lately abroad in the country's service, and have ventured my life for them, and escaped very narrowly ; but if they clear those Indians, they shall hang me up by the neck before I ever serve them again. ” Within a quarter of an hour after these words were spoken, this man was drowned passing the ferry between Charlestown and Boston ; the ferry-boat being loaded with horses, and the wind high, the boat sunk ; and though there were several other men in the boat and several horses, yet all escaped with life, but this man only. I might here mention several other things of remark, that happened to other persons that were filled with displeasure and animosity against the poor Christian Indians, but shall forbear lest any be offended. About ten days before this, a party of men, about one hundred, under command of one Capt. Gorham, of Plymouth Colony, and Lieut. Upham of Massachusetts, being sent into the Nipmuck country, to destroy the enemies' cornfields that they had deserted, and to hinder their relief thereby in winter ; these soldiers being cautioned by their instructions not to spoil any thing belonging to the poor Christian Indians, that lived among us, and had deserted their plantations of Hassanamset, Manchauge, and Chobonakonkon, three villages that lay next the English, in the Nipmuck country. But this prohibition notwithstanding, at their return, which was about the 4th of October, and as I was certainly informed that all they did in this enterprise, was to destroy much of the corn, and burn the wigwams, and mats, and other things that they found in those three villages, that belonged to our praying Indians ; but the other places of Pakachooge, Wabaage, and others where there was abundance of corn, they left untouched, which after, in the winter, afforded relief to the enemy. But the praying Indians had theirs destroyed, and were the sufferers in this affair. About the middle of October, 1675, the General Court then