Page:History of Barrington, Rhode Island (Bicknell).djvu/147

Rh Pequots, called "Pequins" in the account. Standish writes from Sowams to Governor Winthrop that Dutch vessels lay for trading with the Narragansetts and the men had communicated this important news as to the Indians on the other side of the bay. Winslow in his letter relative to his second journey (1623) to Sowams to visit Massassoit, tells of a Dutch trading vessel that had grounded in front of the chief's residence, but had sailed away before he reached the place. As the water of both branches of Barrington River is deep enough for vessels of the largest size for nearly a mile above Warren, it is clear that the Dutch coasters or trading vessels could have navigated the channel of these streams and quite reasonable that they might be stranded at low tide at almost any point between the mouth of the river at Rum stick and the heads of the two branches at Barneysville or Hundred Acre Cove. According to Tustin, the lower end of New Meadow Neck was at that time the most central point in the town (Swansea) and was then called the "Place of Trade."

XII. Mr. Fessenden's strongest argument in favor of Warren and Sowams is found in his statement that Mr. Edward Winslow, in going to Sowams twice, does not mention crossing a deep, wide, rapid and unfordable river. Why should he, when there was no necessity of crossing one. The old Indian trail from Mount Hope to Kickemuit is traced by King's Rock in a northerly direction towards Rehoboth, thence westerly over the fording place, or Myles Bridge, to Sowams. This was the natural approach from Plymouth and it is clearly seen from the map that a trail from the fording place on the Taunton River above Somerset to New Neadow NeckNew Meadow Neck [sic] was a shorter route than to Warren. Such a trail would cross the three rivers, Lee's, Cole's, and Kickemuit, at fordable passages, and lead directly to Myles bridge or the fording place that was used in crossing to Sowams. A map showing the old roads of Swansea, established in the main on the lines of the Indian trails, will convince one of the correctness of my position.