Page:History of Barrington, Rhode Island (Bicknell).djvu/128

92 a territory and the other the residence of Massassoit, which was at Mount Hope, Bristol, R. I."

In Hubbard's History of New England it is stated that "Massassoit—they brought down to the English at Plymouth, though his place was at forty miles distance, called Sowams, his country called Pokanoket." In Winslow's account of his second journey to Sowams, 1623, he says "News came to Plymouth, that Massasowat was like to die, and that at the same time there was a Dutch ship driven so high on the shore by stress of weather, right before his dwelling, that till the tides increased, she could not be got off." When he reached Sowams the Dutch ship had gone, and he found Massassoit sick.

A note in Belknap's Am. Biog. Vol. 11, p. 221, referring to the name "Puckanokick" states that "this was a general name for the Northern shore of Narragansett Bay, between Providence and Taunton, comprehending the present territory of Bristol, Warren and Barrington, R. I., and Swansea in Massachusetts. Its northern extent is unknown. The principal seats of Massassoit were at Sowams and Kickemuit. The former, Sowams, is a neck of land formed by the confluence of the Barrington and Palmer's Rivers. The latter, Kickemuit, is Mount Hope."

In Winthrop's Journal, page 72, it appears that the Governor received letters from Plymouth, "signifying that fhere had been a broil between their men at Sowamset and the Narraganset Indians, who set upon the English house there to have taken -Ousamequin the sagamore of Packanocott, who was fled thither to relieve the three English which were in the house, had sent home with all haste for more men and other provisions, upon intelligence that Canonicus with a great army, was coming against them."

"Powder was wanted and Winthrop sent twenty-seven pounds; the messenger returned with a letter from the Governor (of Plymouth) that the Indians were retired from Sowams to fight with the Pequins (Pequots), which was probable."