Tisquantum

Tisquantum, nicknamed "Squanto" by the English, was a native of Patuxet, living at present-day Plymouth; the Patuxet belonged to the Wampanoag confederation of tribes. Nothing is really known about Squanto's early life. His history picks up in 1614, when Captain John Smith and some of other ships under his command arrive to map Cape Cod and vicinity. John Smith is perhaps better known for having been rescued by Pocahontas at the Jamestown Colony several years earlier. After Smith completed his exploration and mapping of the harbors, he departed, leaving behind an associate, Captain Thomas Hunt, to trade with the Indians. John Smith had hopes of founding a plantation in New England, and so wanted to engage the Indians in trade. Thomas Hunt, however, had other plans. Offering to trade beaver, Hunt lured 24 Nauset and Patuxet Indians onboard his ship and took them captive. John Smith would later write that Master Hunt "most dishonestly, and inhumanely, for their kind usage of me and all our men, carried them with him to Malaga, and there for a little private gain sold those silly salvages for rials of eight". Sir Ferdinando Gorges, head of the Council for New England, remembered it similarly: "one Hunt (a worthless fellow of our nation) set out by certain merchants for love of gain; who (not content with the commodity he had by the fish, and peaceable trade he found among the savages) after he had made his dispatch, and was ready to set sail, (more savage-like than they) seized upon the poor innocent creatures, that in confidence of his honesty had put themselves into his hands." Hunt stored the Indians below the hatches, and sailed them to the Straits of Gibraltar, and on to the city of Malaga, Spain, where he sold as many of them as he could. But when some local Friars in Malaga discovered that they had been brought from America, they took custody of the remaining Indians, and instructed them in the Christian faith. As Sir Ferdinando Gorges states, the Friars "so disappointed this unworthy fellow of the hopes of gain he conceived to make by this new and devilish project."

The Nauset and Patuxet tribes were outraged by the kidnappings, and became extremely hostile. English and French ships visiting Plymouth and Cape Cod were no longer welcomed with profitable beaver trade, as an unwitting French captain and crew would discover in 1617, when their ship was burned and almost everyone killed (a few were enslaved) by the Nauset. But outrage against Europeans would soon become a low priority amongst the Nauset and Patuxet. In 1618 and 1619, a devastating plague, described variously in historical sources as either tuberculosis or smallpox (and perhaps a combination of both), wiped out the entire village at Patuxet, and many surrounding areas were heavily hit. One Patuxet did survive, however: Tisquantum. He had somehow found himself passage from Malaga, Spain into England, where he began living with John Slaney in Cornhill, London, and began picking up the English language. John Slaney was the treasurer of the Newfoundland Company which had managed to place a colony at Cupper's Cove (Cupids), Newfoundland in 1610; he employed Tisquantum, presumably as an interpreter and as an expert on North American natural resources. He was sent to Newfoundland, and worked there with Captain John Mason, governor of the Newfoundland Colony. While in Newfoundland, Tisquantum encountered a ship's captain by the name of Thomas Dermer, who had worked with Captain John Smith, perhaps even on the 1614 mapping expedition in which Squanto had been originally taken. Dermer was employed by the New England Company, headed by Sir Ferdinando Gorges; they still had hopes to profit from beaver trade with the Indians of Massachusetts: but this would not be possible as long as hostilities remained. Thomas Dermer recognized that Tisquantum, who had now been living with Englishmen for a number of years, could act as an interpreter and peacemaker between the English and the still-enraged Indians of Patuxet and Nauset. He sent a letter off to Sir Ferdinando Gorges expressing the good use Tisquantum could be put to, and Gorges had them come back to England to discuss their plans.

In 1619, Captain Dermer and Tisquantum set off for New England, to attempt to make peace and re-establish trade with the Indians, and to map out the natural resources that could be exploited by the Company. But upon arriving, they discovered Tisquantum's town, all the Patuxet, were dead from the plague. Squanto did make contact with Massasoit, and his brother Quadequina, the heads of the Wampanoag Confederation, and in the absence of his own people he took up residence with them. Their plan to make peace foiled by the fact Tisquantum's tribe had been wiped out, Dermer continued on to see if he could make peace with the Nauset. He was attacked and taken captive. Tisquantum, hearing about the incident, came to Dermer's rescue and negotiated his release. Dermer would continue on south without Tisquantum, where he was attacked again at Martha's Vineyards: he would die of the wounds after reaching Jamestown, Virginia. Tisquantum's return home in 1619 was just in time for the Mayflower Pilgrims, who pulled into Provincetown Harbor in November 1620. The Pilgrims sent out their own exploration parties, and during their third expedition they were attacked in camp early one morning by the Nauset. Shots were fired and arrows flew heavily, but in the end nobody was injured and the Nauset fled back into the woods. The Pilgrims continued their expedition around Cape Cod, eventually ending up in the abandoned Patuxet territory, where they decided to settle (the area had been named Plymouth by John Smith on his 1614 mapping expedition).

The Pilgrims lived out of the Mayflower, and ferried back and forth to land to build their storehouses and living houses: they labored all through the winter months of December, January, February, and didn't start moving entirely to shore until March. And during that entire time, they saw almost no signs of any Indians, aside from a few fires burning in the far distance. On March 16, they got a surprise: an Indian named Samoset walked right into the Colony and welcomed them in broken English. Samoset was from an Indian group in Maine, and had picked up a few English words from the fisherman that came into the harbors there. He informed them there was an Indian, Tisquantum, who had been to England and could speak better English than he could. Tisquantum made his first appearance on March 22, at which time he brought Massasoit and Quadequina. The Pilgrims used the opportunity to negotiate a peace treaty and to establish trading relations.

Tisquantum would soon become an integral member of the Plymouth Colony, translating and negotiating between Plymouth's governors (John Carver, and later William Bradford) and tribal leaders including Massasoit. Peace was made with the Nauset, with whom they had their initial conflict on Cape Cod, and peace was negotiated with a number of other Indian leaders within the Wampanoag Confederation. Tisquantum was a guide, taking the Pilgrim ambassadors to various locations, and helping them establish trading relations. He also taught the Pilgrims how to better utilize the natural resources: how to catch eels, and how to plant corn using fish caught from the town brook as fertilizer.

But Squanto's new-found power soon began to corrupt him. He realized that the Indians had a significant fear of the English, especially their guns and technology. He leveraged this fear for his own private benefit, exacting tributes to put in a good word for someone, or by threatening to have the English release the plague against them. Squanto even went so far as trying to trick the Pilgrims into a show of military action, by claiming certain Indian groups were in conspiracy together to fight the English: but he went too far, and his treachery was discovered by both the Pilgrims and the Indians. When Massasoit learned that Squanto was abusing his power and deceiving for personal gain, he ordered the Pilgrims to turn over Squanto for punishment (death). The Pilgrims were obligated to do so, by the peace treaty they had signed: but at the same time they realized that the survival of their Colony depended on communication with the Indians. But Massasoit had called their hand, and William Bradford was minutes away from turning Squanto over for execution, when a ship came onto the horizon. Not knowing whether it was friend or foe, and even suspecting that perhaps the Indians were in conspiracy with the French, Bradford refused to turn over Squanto until the identity of the ship was discovered. The ship turned out to be the Fortune, and for Squanto it was very good fortune it arrived.

The new settlers, the shortage of food, and the oncoming winter distracted from other events. Then as spring came, new settlers showed up to found another colony just to the north, at Wessagussett: and they had all kinds of problems with the Indians that required Squanto's interpreting skills. Massasoit, though clearly disappointed and frustrated, didn't bother asking for Squanto's life again. But Squanto's life was not to last long anyway. On one trip to trade for some corn seed for the subsequent growing season, he went with Governor Bradford south on the ocean-side of Cape Cod, and they pulled into Manamoyick Bay because of dangerous weather conditions. There, in November 1622, Squanto's nose began to bleed. He told Governor Bradford it was a sign among the Indians of death. He asked Bradford to pray for him so that he could go to the Englishman's God in Heaven when he died, and asked Bradford to give various things as gifts to his English friends back at Plymouth. Within a few days, he was dead.

Massasoit

Massasoit was the leader of the Wampanoag when the Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth in 1620.  Though he is not mentioned by name in any English accounts prior to 1621, he and his brother Quadequina are undoubtedly the "two Kings, attended with a guard of fiftie armed men" that met Captain Thomas Dermer at Pokanoket in May 1619, when he was returning Tisquantum ("Squanto") to his homeland.

On March 22, 1620/1, Massasoit decided to pay his first visit to the Plymouth Plantation at the invitation of Tisquantum, who had first visited with the Pilgrims shortly before.  In an almost identical scenario as that of Thomas Dermer a year earlier, he and his brother along with 60 armed men came and stood at the top of the hill overlooking the Colony.  Edward Winslow was sent to him with some knives and a copper jewel chain as gifts--and Massasoit was told that the Pilgrims only desired peace and trading.  Massasoit was told that King James of England saluted him with love and peace, and accepted him as a friend and ally.  Massasoit liked what he heard; the English would make powerful allies against his enemies in the region.  The Pilgrims wanted a peace treaty, and so he willingly undertook the negotiations.

At the peace negotiation, he was met at the river by Captain Myles Standish and Elder William Brewster.  They saluted one another and he was taken to William Bradford's house for the negotiations with Governor John Carver.  Massasoit was given some liquor, fresh meat, and some biscuits.  Massasoit and the Pilgrims agreed to a treaty which said that none of Massasoit's men would harm the Pilgrims--and if they did, he would send them to the Pilgrims for punishment.  And if anyone did unjust war against Massasoit, the Pilgrims would come to his aid.  They also agreed that when trading, the Indians would not bring their bows and arrows, and the Pilgrims would not bring their guns.

Mayflower passenger Edward Winslow described Massasoit as follows:  

In his person he is a very lusty man, in his best years, an able body, grave of countenance, and spare of speech.  In his attire little or nothing differing from the rest of his followers, only in a great chain of white bone beads about his neck, and at it behind his neck hangs a little bag of tobacco, which he drank and gave us to drink; his face was painted with a sad red like murry, and oiled both head and face, that he looked greasily.  All his followers likewise, were in their faces, in part or in whole painted, some black, some red, some yellow, and some white, some with crosses, and other antic works; some had skins on them, and some naked, all strong, tall, all men of appearance . . . [he] had in his bosom hanging in a string, a great long knife; he marveled much at our trumpet, and some of his men would sound it as well as they could.

In September 1623, Emmanuel Altham described Massasoit in a letter:  

And now to speak somewhat of Massasoit's stature.  He is as proper a man as ever was seen in this country, and very courageous.  He is very subtle for a savage, and he goes like the rest of his men, all naked but only a black wolf skin he wears upon his shoulder.  And about the breadth of a span he wears beads about his middle.

After meeting in the Pilgrim village, Massasoit then invited a Pilgrim delegation to meet him at their place.  Myles Standish and Isaac Allerton volunteered for the adventure.  Massasoit gave to them ground nuts and tobacco as gifts when they arrived, and Standish and Allerton presented him with a kettle of peas.  

A second trip to Pokanoket, where Massasoit lived, was made by the Pilgrims, so that they could learn more about their neighbors and to make some additions to their treaty.  This time, Edward Winslow and Stephen Hopkins were chosen to make the trip. Massasoit came out to see them when they arrived at the end of their several-days journey.  They reaffirmed their peace with one another, and Massasoit agreed to tell his Indians to stop making random visits to Plymouth looking for food and entertainment; and he also agreed to send a messenger to contact the Indians of which the Pilgrims took corn from upon their first arrival--since they had thus far not been able to repay them.

In March 1623, Massasoit became extremely ill, and when word came to Plymouth, Edward Winslow made a trip to Pokanoket to visit him, guided by Hobomok.  When they arrived in Nemasket, they were informed that Massasoit had already died.  They proceeded to Corbitant's house, and there sent a messenger to Pokanoket who returned saying Massasoit was not dead yet, so they continued on.  They found Massasoit in his house, full of many visitors.  Massasoit was now blind, but could still understand--when they told him the English had come to visit him, he asked "Keen Winslow?" which means "Are you Winslow?"  Then he said, "Matta neen wonckanet namen, Winslow!", which means "O Winslow, I shall never see you again."  Winslow gave him a little bit of medicine, and scraped out the inside of his mouth which had swollen up preventing him from eating or drinking anything.  Then he gave Massasoit some water and more medicine.  In about half an hour, Massasoit had regained his eye sight and was getting better.  Winslow made a chicken broth soup for Massasoit, and within a couple days Massasoit had his appetite back, and eventually recovered. Massasoit then revealed to the Pilgrims a conspiracy plot by the Massachusetts Indians to attack them and the Wessagusett Colony, and the Pilgrims led by Myles Standish, with the help of some of Massasoit's men, defeated the plot before it could materialize.

By 1632, Massasoit is almost always referred to by the name of Ousemequin (sometimes spelled Woosamequen).  Massasoit lived a long life, and remained a close friend and ally of the Plymouth Colony until his death around 1656.  This son Mooanam, later called Wamsutta (and by the English known by the nickname "Alexander") became leader of the Wampanoag, and was succeeded in turn by his son Metacom (known to the English by the nickname "Phillip"). 

Hobomok

After the Pilgrims made peace with Massasoit, another Wampanoag named Hobomok, who could speak some English, came to live just outside of the walls of Plymouth, on neighboring Watson Hill.  William Bradford described Hobomok as follows:

And there was another Indian called Hobomok, a proper lusty man, and a man of account for his valor and parts amongst the Indians, and continued very faithfully and constant to the English till he died.

Emmanuel Althem in 1623 wrote:

Only without our pales dwells one Hobomok, his wives and his household (above ten persons), who is our friend and interpreter, and one whom we have found faithful and trusty.

In a pamphlet entitled New England's First Fruits, published in London in 1643 (of unknown authorship), Hobomok's affections toward Christianity are described:

As he increased in knowledge, so in affection, and also in his practice, reforming and conforming himself accordingly; and though he was much tempted by incitement, scoffs and scorns, from the Indians, yet could he never be gotten from the English, nor from seeking after their God, but died amongst them, leaving some good hopes, in their hearts, that his soul went to rest.

Hobomok assisted Myles Standish for the most part, whereas Tisquantum assisted William Bradford. Both were used as translators, but Hobomok generally gets much less credit for his work, despite the fact that unlike Tisquantum, he never betrays the Pilgrims. Hobomok also served the Plymouth Colony for a much longer time period than did Tisquantum, who died in November 1622. In April 1622 the Pilgrims decide to revisit the Massachusetts Indians.  But Tisquantum said the Massachusetts had made a secret alliance with the Narragansett and are now enemies preparing to sack Plymouth once the Pilgrims left it unguarded. Tisquantum claimed that Massasoit was secretly plotting against them with Corbitant and the Massachusetts. It was Hobomok that stood up for Massasoit's honesty, and Hobomok soon exposed Tisquantum, who was gaining personal power and prestige among the Indians by threatening to turn the Pilgrims against them.  Hobomok's wife was sent on a spying mission to determine whether or not Massasoit was still faithful, or whether he was plotting against the Pilgrims as Tisquantum claimed. She found Massasoit still faithful and friendly to the Pilgrims. After Tisquantum's death, Hobomok became the primary translator and guide for the Pilgrims, and did his job faithfully. He guided and translated for the Pilgrims on their trips to visit Massasoit, and to the Massachusetts and Nauset among others.  Hobomok died sometime before 1643.

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