Page:History of Barrington, Rhode Island (Bicknell).djvu/131

Rh examine testimony that is clear and positive as to its real location.

In the deed of Massassoit and Philip dated March 20, 1653, the Indians united in a transfer of lands, entitled "" to Thomas Prince, Thomas Willett, Miles Standish, Josiah Winslow and their associates for the consideration of thirty-five pounds, and described as follows: "All those several parcells and Necks of upland, Swamps and meadows, Lying and being on the South Syde of Sinkhunck els Rehoboth Bounds and is bounded from a little brook of water called by the Indians Mosskituash westerly and so Ranging by a dead swamp eastward and so by markt trees as Osamequin and Wamsitta directed unto the great River with all the Creeks and Brooks that are in or upon any of the said meadows, as also all the marsh meadows lying and Being without the Bounds before mentioned, in or about the neck called by the Indians Chachacust. Also all the meadows lyeing and being in or about Popasquash Neck, as also all the meadow Lyeing from Kickomuet on both sides or any way joyning to it on the bay on each side." This was the Sowams Purchase.

To understand the limits of this territory called Sowams, it may be stated that "Mosskituash" was the name of the brook near Riverside in East Providence, that flows into Bullock's Cove; "the dead swamp" was the woodland east and north of the old Willett estate, now owned by Gov. Elisha Dyer; "the great river" (Sowams) with both branches was Palmers and Barrington Rivers, uniting at the south end of New Meadow Neck; Chachacust was New Meadow Neck; Popasquash was the name of the neck of land in Bristol, west of Bristol Harbor. This Indian deed is vital testimony in that it fixes Sowams as the territory on the south side of Seekonk and between the Sowamsett or Great River on the east and Patuckquett River on the west. "The parts adjacent," which are not bounded, are the salt and fresh meadows on Poppasquash Neck and on both sides of the Kickemuit River. It was not until after Philip's War that