Page:History of Barrington, Rhode Island (Bicknell).djvu/132

96 the whites attempted to occupy or come into the ownership of the Indian possessions at Mount Hope or on the west bank of the Kickemuit. In this deed, reference is made to "the neck called by the Indians Chachacust," which was deeded conditionally to the whites, as it is stated "that whensoever the Indians shall remove from the Neck, that then and thenceforth the aforesaid Thomas Prince and others shall enter upon the same by the same graunt, as their proper rights and interest to them and their haiers forever." In other words, New Meadow Neck or Chachacust was then the residence of a portion of the tribe, while another portion had a village at Kickemuit on the north end of Bristol Neck.

In 1653, the year of the purchase of Sowams by Willett, Prince and others, the town of Rehoboth agreed to build "a sufficient fence to keepe horses and cattle from Rangeing into the Neck of land called the New Meadow Neck and maintaine the same." With the Indian settlement on New Meadow Neck, it was very important for the peace of both whites and Indians that a sufficient fence should be built between their lands.

Another piece of evidence fits the case at this point. Rehoboth wanted certain salt meadows in the upper part of Barrington River and applied to Plymouth Court for the same. The Court voted Dec. 7, 1647:

"Whereas the inhabitants of Rehoboth desire liberty to make use of a quantity of marsh lying on the west side of Sowames River wh they call the New Meadows, containing about one hundred accars, untell there should bee a plantation at Sowames, leave was granted unto them so to make use of it, but no further ppriety to belong unto them, but untell a plantation should be settled at Sowams and for the avoyding of all differences or contentions amongst them about the same, it is left unto the discretion of Mr. Browne for him to dispose of amongst them, as hee should see them stand in need."

"And for such pieces of marsh lying within the fence upon