Page:History of Barrington, Rhode Island (Bicknell).djvu/127

Rh and the Dutch trading post, I regard it of chief importance that the matter should be fairly understood and decided correctly. My claim is that the ancient records show that the Sowams territory was practically identical with that of the town of Barrington, and that Massassoit had his residence either on the south end of New Meadow Neck, or on the west bank of the Sowams River opposite Warren on what was known by the Indians as Peebees Neck.

In the original patent granted the Plymouth settlers by Charles I., Sowams, Sowamset, or Sawamsett is another term for Pokanoket. The patent included all lands from Cohasset River on the north, the Atlantic Ocean on the east and south, and "extending up into the mainland towards the west from the mouth of the said River called Narragansett River to the utmost limit and bound of a countrey or place in New England, commonly called Pokenacutt, als. Puckanokick, als. Sawaamset (Sowams) westward"

In the deed of Shawomet (Warwick) to Randall Holden, John Green and others the eastern boundary is "Sowhomes (Sowams) Bay or Narragansett Bay." This name of the Bay given it by Miantonomi, chief of the Narragansetts, indicates the title by which it was known to the people of that tribe, derived as is probable from the country of the tribe dwelling on its eastern border.

In Morton's New England Memorial the writer states that after Massassoit had concluded the terms of the league with the Plymouth settlers in March, 1621, "he returned to his place called Sowams, about forty miles distant from Plymouth." A foot note to this statement adds, "Massassoit resided at Sowams or Sowamsett, at the confluence of two rivers in Rehoboth, or Swansea, though occasionally at Mont Haup or Mount Hope, the principal residence of his son, Philip." In "Winslow's Relations" the word is spelled Sawaams, and it is stated that the place was more commonly known by the name of Pokanoket. "One of these words indicated