Page:Barbour--Metipoms Hostage.djvu/227

Rh the number more than half bore muskets of ancient pattern. With them went Sequanawah and two other captains.

During the day several parties of from six to a dozen or more warriors left the village  in different directions, and at intervals  scouts returned and made report to the sachem.

Woosonametipom was now living in less state, his lodge being small and unadorned. Most of the time he sat in front of it, smoking or dozing when no affairs demanded attention. It was evident to David that the present village, while designed to be occupied  for some time, was not intended to be permanent. This was shown by the makeshift manner of erecting the lodges and by the fact  that the squaws had not unpacked certain  of their bundles brought from the Wachoosett country. Probably, he thought, it was Metipom’s intention to join Philip and follow that sagamore’s wanderings. The site had doubtless been chosen with a view to  secretness and safety from sudden surprise. The place was like a pocket, with the opening toward the wooded valley that ran north and south. On three sides of the pocket the hills arose sufficiently to hide it, and, being