Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 7.djvu/208

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��THE GRANITE MONTHLY,

��some of the incidents of Indian cap- tivity and cruelty, as instigated by the French.

He left one son, who was known as " Pial Sussiip;" Pial being the Indian of Phil, or Philip, and the writer is wondering if there is not some connection between this name and that attached to the last In- dian consignment of land located in the Coos country. This deed is dated June 8th, 1796, and conveys from "Philip, an Indian, a native of Amer- ica, now resident in Upper Coos and chief thereof," to "'Thomas Eames, of Northumberland, and his associates." "Beginning on the east side of the Connectteecook river, now called Con- necticut, at the mouth of the Ammon- oosuck River," etc. The territory in- cludes within its bounds all that section of New Hampshire lying north of the Ammonoosuc and Androscoggin, and a section of Maine, with the following reservations and conditions, namely : "That I reserve free liberty to hunt all sorts of game on any of the foregoing territories and taking fish in any of the waters thereof, for myself, my heirs and successors and all Indian tribes forever. Also liberty of planting four bushels of corn and beans, and this my trusty friend Thomas having given me secur- ity to furnish me and my squaw with provisions and suitable clothing, which I have accepted in full. I have for myself and in behalf of all Indians who hunted on or inhabited any of the foregoing lands or waters, forever quit- claimed and sold as aforesaid to them simple, and do covenant with them that myself and my ancient fathers, forever and at all times have been in possession of the above described premises ; and that I have a right to, and will warrant and defend the same to them, etc.
 * * * as a good estate in fee

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, seal and signature this twenty-eighth of June, ^ 796.

his

Philij) -(- Indian Chief.

iiiai k.

��Molley -\- Messell.

mark.

her

Mooseleck -\- Sussup."

mark.

Incidentally here let me mention what I have never seen allusion to in any historical sketches of Lancaster, but is preserved among the memories of "Ye ancient days" in "Lower Coos." During those times of Indian terror. Gen. Jacob Bailey, the leading military spirit of this section, had under his command a small scout both of whites and friendly Indians. Learning at one time that a party of the enemy were on their way from Canada with intent to burn Newbury, he dispatched a band of rangers under the leadership of Col. Barron to intercept them. But some- where along their route from Lake Champlain, the Indians were apprised of the intended ambuscade by a tory hunter.

" Thus foiled in their main purpose, they abandoned the destruction of Lower Coos, and turning north they burned the settlement at Lancaster."'

Should this notice of an event scarcely more than traditional meet the eye of any descendant of those intrepid pioneers who followed the lead of Paige and Nash and Stockwell, perhaps they will tell us more of that early Indian raid into this north coun- try, and who were the sufferers thereby.

Prior to the conquest of Canada, which closed what has passed into his- tory as the French and Indian war, in 1 761, the region north of a line drawn from Charlestown on the Connecticut, to the south end of Lake Winnepiseo- gee, which would represent New Hamp- shire's northern outposts of civilization, and onward to the Ri\-er St. Lawrence, was a vast wilderness, uninhabited ex- cept by the remnants of those scattered tribes who had fled north betore the irresistible advance of the white man into their native wilds.

This "terra incognita " was a broad, indefinable country, lying between the French possessions of Canada and British provinces of New England, but

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