,\.

o

CANONICUS MEMORIAL..­"

rSUEU TII.~ Ar~PI(,E8 Ol" THE

•HHOI>E ISLAX]) IIISTOHICAL SOCIET\r".......

SEPTEMBER 21. 1883.

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PROVIDENCE:pnOYInE~CE PRESA CO)(PASl':, Pl:I~TI~HS.

1883.

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STATEMENT. . ..

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The erection of Boulder ){emorials' to distinguishedIndian Sachems, \vho have left an impress on Rhode Islundhistory, hus long heen a favorite ide~ with some of our, mostearnest Rhode Island historical \vriter's, hut thus far, it hash~en but rurely reulized. The interest' in Indian affai'rs,gro\ving out of the hlte forlllul dissolution of the Nnrrngnn­sett tribe of Indians, hus led to an additionnl renlization inthe erection and dedication of this memorial. A short tinlesince, SOIDe workmen in exca\i"uting f<u- a sewer on Sonthl\'Iain street, nearly opposite the Providence NN.tional Bank ..hrought to the surfuce from a depth of ahout eight feet, nsynlDletrica,lly shuped houlder of prhnitive gr~lnite, and of .ndequute dinlensions, "?hich, before civilization hud. filled upthe lnnd adjucent to t~e river, bad evideptly f;tood upon thehanks of the stream. This stone ffilling under the ohservtl­tion of the Rev. F. Denison, seenled to him especiallyudnpted to memorial purposes, and, through his efforts lURinl)",it ,vas placed iri its present position.

The und~rsjgned,huving been appointed a Committee ofthe Rhode Islnnd Historical Society to t~ render -public hon­ors to the memory of Canonieus," as ,viII appenr hy the lettershereinafter printed, fit once proceeded to arrange 'for the ded­ication of thh~ Boulder Memorial to that greut chieftain, inthe place known as ffthe glen," in the North Burinl Ground .

. We were met on every hand by. the most hearty greetingand co-operation. The programme of exercises was pub­lished gratuitously by the Providence Daily Journal,' the

4 ~TAT}~MENT.

_Evening Press, and the Evening Telegranl, each in additiongiving- short editorial notices culling attention to the pro­posed services. The Providence High School contributedt,vo hundred voices frOnl llmong its pupils to sing on theoccasion. The Union Railrond Compnny furnished freetransportution to the pupils of the High Scbool. The Cityof Providence provided the plutfornl, and seats for somethree hundred persons. The Commissioners of the NorthBurial Ground gnve the plat of ground. The Mnyor nndall the city officinl8, rendered llS fi'ee and effective aid. Ina w·ord, the free spirit of Cnnonicu8 seemed to have beencuught, as by in~piration, hy the people, and the result isseen in this ff free ,viII offering" to his melnory. Theservices were in all respects creditable to the Society hnv­ing them in charge, und most satisfactory to all present.The popnl:!l' mind Hnd heart '\\~ere inforllled nnd touched, nndu greatly R\vakened interest in all tbut relates to our Indianhistory hus resulted. Henceforth, ft Sachem's Glen," \vithnil the touching memopies that cluster nhont it, ,viII be heldas sacred ground by all the people of' this Stu,te and theirposterity.

ELISIIA DYER, ,

ISAAC H. SOUTH'VICK,

B. B. HAl!lIO:SD,

CIIARLES GORTON,

001nmittee.

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ORDER OF EXERCISES.

Ex-Gov.. ELISHA DYJt~R, PRESIIHNG.

READIXG OF LETTERS BY TilE SI£CRETAUY, B. B. HAMMOND, ESQ.

U~V(1~ILING THE MONUMENT, BY M. B. PROPHET, A" NARRAG ..\NSErrT

INDIAN.

SINGING BY Two HUNDuED PUPILS OF THE HIGH SCHOOL, UNDER THE

DIUECTU?N OF B. W. HOOD, ESQ.

IXVOCATION BY REV. T. EnwIN BRO\VN, D. D., PASTOR UF THE FIRST

BAPTIS1' CHURCH.

ADDRESS BY GE~. HORATIO ROGEUS.

l)ol~M BY REY. FREDERIC !)ENISON.

SINGI~G BY THE PUPILS OF THE HIGH SCHOOL.

PJutS'E~TATION OF fHE MElfOIUAL TO THE M.\YOR, BY B. B. HAMl\IOND,

ESQ.

RESPONSE BY HON. WILLIAM S. HAYWARD, MAYOR.

SINGl~G BY THE PUPILS OF THE HIGH SCHOOL.

REMAUKS BY HON; GEORGE CARMICHAEL, JR., OF THE INDIAN COMMIs.­

SION.

BENEDICTION BY THE REV. EDWIN M. STONE.

SINGING BY THE PUPILS OF T'JIE HIGH SCHOOL. I

OANOKIGUS MEMORIAL.

ItEMARKS,BY 'l'HE BON. ELISHA DYER.

FRIENDS AND FELLO'V CITIZEN~:

The appointed tilne for the dedicatory services of thisInemoriul has come. .In n.ssunling the duties assigned me, itbecoDles me first, to express the regret of all i)resent, at theunnvoidable absence of the accomplished Pre8iden~ af theI~hode Island Hiijtorical Society, who" \vonld mu<;h .Qloreappropriately have performed the duties of the hour. I am

. sure I do not arrogate uny authority for l\JIessrs. South,wick,Hanlmond, (iorton and myself, as the delegated representa­tives of the Society, ,vhen we unite in expressing the mostrevered and grateful homuge for the memory of .Canonicus,not only for the Society, but for the whole people of R~odeIsland. }Iy duty is not to make un address, but to directthe services of the occasiun, whereby "ye transfer ~o hisHonor the },Iayor, as the representative of the city of Prov­idence, the care and custody of this memorial rock, ,vhich,like hin1 whose memory it cOIllmemorate~, is, as both were,frOln Nature's God, ,vithout the illlpress of man's agency.'''''-hcn, in his ofliciu.l cnpacity, he u,ddresses our people, butrnore especially ~ur children, he ,viiI tell them how goodnn'd true ,vas (;anonicus to the Father of our State in his<It'eary solitu~ exile, and 81\Y to them, if there hadheen no Canonicus, the light of Rhode Island's hir,torythrough Roger ":illiallls, luight never have cast its bright andcheering rays upon a then half-enlightened age. In all th~t

}{.hode Island is, or nlOY be, the ke.r note \\"as, ~f"That cheer,Xetop, what cheer?"

" ..e ,viII now proceed \vith the programnle fOl~ the occa-·sion.

8 CANONICUS lIEMORIAIJ.

R~~ADING OF LETTEltS,BY D. n. IlA~()fOND, };KQ.

To TilE HOY. ELISHA DYER, AND MKS8IlS. Is.\AC H. SOUTHWICK, B. B.HAMl\fOND AND CIIAIU..Ii;S GOttro~:

GEN1LEMEN: - I learn \vith much plcasure that, at an enrly day in theprcAent month, a Cornlnenloratlve Stone Is to be set up with public exer­cises, in the North Burial Ground In this city In honor of Cauonicl1s, thedistinguished Indian Chief whose ntune t~ so lnthnatelyassoclated witbthat of Roger 'Vlllh),(lls III the carl.v history of H.hode Island....-\.s, by specialappointment, you have recently repreAented the Uhode Island IlistorlcniAoclety on a simllar occa~lon ot ~'Ol·t NIDigret. [ am sure that I only ex­press the wishes of the Society oDd perrurnl my duty as itH Pre8ident, \Vhell

I request yon to act again 8S It~ repl'esentatlves in rend~ring public honol·sto the memory of Canonicus. A special engngcnlcllt away fr,)01 to\~n willdeny me the pleasure of being present on the occa~lont 01" I \vould gladlyjoin with yon in expressing the intcre~t which the Historicall Society feelsin this and in every nlelDorill,l cl'ectell to the red men who once occllpi~t.l

the soli of n.hodc Island.I relnaiD, Gentlemen, with sincere regard,

Very respectfully yonrs,w. G.\M:\u~Lr.,

r.,'elli(ient of the Rho(le Island, IJistorical So(·ietv.!)JtOVIDESCE, September 5, 1883.

28 SOUTH COVltT STln:I':T,

l)nOVIDI~NCIt., U. I.. Sept. 8th, 1883.B. B. HA~I)IO.ND. E~q.

Secretary, Committee of ll. 1. IlistoriCl,l Society.

Df4:,Ut Silt :-Hu,\"iug finished Iny plea.~ant voluntcel' lahor of selcctiu~,

trllnSpO)'tlllg, locating nnd h~~cribing the CIlUOllict18 ~ICln()l·ial. I herebyformtllly and joyfully cOlnlnit the complet.ed \vork to the hunds of yOUl"

excellent comlnittee, appointed for th~"t pUl·pOSC, to be unveiled nnd dedi­cated at such time and in such Inlluner, as mny seem to yOll 8uit~lble. Ispeak of the coolpleted work, .becollse the inscriptions of the }tleIU01"inl,by Messrs. Toye & Ilolrnes, 2\nd the final grading alJd turfing of the plat,nIl paid for in n.dvallce, will be finished In a few tlays. Ilcrewith nlso lindlle\VSpnper articles I"l·onl lny pen rela,ti ve to the ol'igin and cOlnplction ofthe work. In conclu~i()n. tlS to any personal cOlnpellsatioll for lny ~ervi­

ces, beyonll what yourself and :\11 OU1· fello\v citizens feel in pnyiug thisdebt of gratitnde, I wnit till I may lneet Callonicns on the banks of thc

DEDICATORY SERVICES. 9

river beyond, when It he shallsaJute me with "What Cheer Netop? WhatCheer? " it will abundantly suftlce me.

I have the honor to remainVery respecttolly yours,

F. DENISON.

THE MEMORIAL UNVEILED.

The Chairman, Ex-Governor Dyer, then introduced MosesB. Prophet, of the Narragansett Tribe, who, he said, ffuniteswith us in behalf of his people in this tribute of love andhonor to the memory of this noble old chieftain." Thememorial was then unveiled by Mr. Prophet, revealing an

.oblong boulder of granite, five feet in height, and about twofeet square, on which had been cut the name U Canonicus," inlarge letters, and, beneath it, a rude bow and arrow.

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SINGING BY PUPILS OF THE HIGH SCHOOL, U OLD HUNDRED."

PRAYER,

BY BEV. T. EDWIN BROWN, D. D.

Eternal God, our Father and King I Help us DOW and alwaysrightly to reverence, love and obey Thee, and let Thy rich­est blessings be upon us in the exercises of this hoor. Thouhast made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell onthe face of the earth, and hast determined the times beforeappoin~ed, and the bounds of their habitation. Thy throneis built on righteousness and judgment. Thy true lightlighteth every man, and they who in every nation fear Theeand work righteousness, are accepted by Thee. Even thewrath of man is made to praise Thee. We thank Thee forthe first founders and builders of obr own commonwealth.We thank Thee that even out of persecution and intolerancethere was born a community to proclaim, defend and estab­lish for all the world the integrity and supremacy of each

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soul~s personal conscience, 81 responsible for its religiousjudgments only unto Thee. We thank Thee for the gener­ous hearts and the hospitable hands that welcomed our fathersto these shores. We thank Thee" for kindliness, truthful- .ness and high honor manifest among the sons of the forest.We thank Thee es~ecially for the heroic chief whose mem­ory we honor to day; that he kept his plighted troth in spiteof temptations to break it, and died with the wish in hisheart and on his lips that the red men and' the white menmight live in peace together. We thank Thee that his wishhas been 80 largely fulfilled, and that the policy of our com­monwealth has been a policy of fraternity and fair dealing.

o God, thou Ruler of the Nations, who hust appointedmagistrates.to bear the sword of just administration, blessThy servants, the Ma~yor of' our city, the Governor of ourcommonwealth, the President of the U~ited States, and allothers in authority.. Help them so to exercise themselves'in their .respo.n8ible trusts that health and temperance, honor,trustworthiness, high Christian morality and abundant tem­poral and spiritual prosperity may be promoted in all partsof our land. Bless the Rhode Island Historical Society, andgrant that their endeavors to keep alive the memory of thepast, and of the virtues and good report alike of our heathenand our ChristiuD fathers, may induce in \IS all, as we mayneed, the spirit and the action of greater reverence fromyouth to,vard age, from children toward parents, from pupiltoward teacher, from citizen toward government and law,from the thinkers of the present toward the thinkers of thepast, and from all men toward Thy ancient truth and Thyrevealed will, oh, Thou Holy One, who, from eternity toeternity, art God. Bless the teachers and pupils of ourpublic schools, and let wise training and fuithful learningresult in Christi~n character and good citizenship. Bless usin receiving the lessons and inspirations of this hour. Mu,yan impulse go forth from this place that shall tend to ,vipeoff from our nation the reproach of cruelty and bad faith in

DEDICATORY SERVICES. 11

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oar dealings with the wandering fragments of our aboriginalpeople. Teach us to love justice and charity, and to hateiniquity. Grant that our personal characters may be 80

moulded, and our work in life 80 done, ,that we may at lastbe part of the redeelned host gathered out of every nation."re ask these favors, .with the forgiv.,nos8 of our 'manifoldsins, for the sake of Hioi who taught us most clearly thyFatherhood and DIan's brotherhood, and that to fulfil allrighteousness was to love Thee with all our hearts, and ourneighbor as ourselves, ev~n for the sake of Jesus Christ,our Lord and Saviour. hEN.

ADDRESS,

BY GEN. HORATIO DOGE••

MR. CHAmMAN, LA.DIE8, AND GENTLEMEN:

Rude, rough and rugged, 8S .most appropriate for- a greatIndian chief, a memorial in the State of Rhode Island is at'last to be found, inecribed with the name of Canonicus. Ifthis commonwealth owes a debt of g~atitude to anyone be­sides its immediate founder, it is to him whom this rockcommemorates; for Roger Williams wrote, more than twocenturies ago, U I declare to posterity that were it not forthe favor God gave me with Canonicus, none of these parts,no, not Rhode Island, had been purchased or obtained, forI never got nnything out of Canonicus but by gift."

Nature, not art, fashioned this stone, as it did the charac­ter of him whose nanle it bears. We gaze with admirationupon the finely wrought marble, and the cut and polishedgranite, the skilful hand of the artisan has erected allaround, in memory of civilized man, but many 8 visitor tothese sacred ground~ will pass those elaborate designs byunheeded. and stop before this boulder, touched by its sim­plicity and the harmony of its surroundings. He cannotfail to be impressed by the landscape as be looks up the

r'j.t,

12 CANONICUS MEMORIAL.

,1I-,·tjtJ

hill and through the vale: his eyes will fall restfully on thegreensward· and the hillside: he will note the sturdy oldoaks, with their wide-spreading branches shading the sun;and, as he lingers here, his fancy will revert. through thelapse of years to the time ere the stealthy step of the savagehunter, the elastic tread of the Indian maiden, and the wildreverberation of the war whoop, gave place to the advanceof civilization, the bustle of business, and the din of indus­try. He will feel that this spot is dedicated by gratitude tothe red man, and that the descendants of the early settlers,by inscribing this stone, sought, in some measure, to acknowl­edge an obligation to 8 friendly hand. As he reads the bolddeep-cut letters, and scans the barbaric device beneath, ifunfamiliar with the history of the bearer of the name, hewill be impelled to inquire what cause of gratitude procuredthis picturesque spot to be dedicated, and this rude butpathetically appropriate memorial to be reared; -and these .\are the facts he will glean. .

More than two hundred and fifty yel\r~ a.go, while thepri~eval forest yet clad the land, and before the Pilgrims set­tled the New England coast, the Narragansetts were a pow­erful people, whose proper territory embraced that portionof our state lying west of Narragansett Bay, with the islandsin its waters, but whose sway extended from the Merrimackto the sound, including the eastern end of Long Island.Tashtassuck, a mighty chief, the father of two children, ason and a daughter, ruled over them. Tradition has 'it, thatdeeming no one worthy of alliance in marriage with his child­ren, he united them together, and Canonicus was the eldest oftheir offspring. The child grew to be a man, and succeededto the rule of his ancestors. When Roger Williams, an out­cast and a wanderer, sought these shores, Canonicns was anold man. Sage in council, but so far advanced in years asto prefer peace to war, he had associated his nephew, theyoung and warlike Miantinomi, with him in power; and per­fect harmony prevailed between the two chieftains. The

DEDICATORY SERVICES. 18

rule over the Narragansetts was thus characterized by theprowess of youth and the sagacity of age; and under it thAymultiplied in number and increased in power. In 1637,Rogel· Williams gave this homel)F touch to the difference inthe tastes of uncle and nephew. tt For any gratuities ortokens," he wrote, ff Canoniclls desires sugar, Miantinomipowder."

The early history of Rhode Island could almost as well bewritten without allusion to Roger Williams as Canonicus.Mention of the latter, likewise, necessitates reference to Mian­tinomi, one of the most splendid Indian characters that hascome down to us, for Miantinomi was the complement ofCanonicus, and neither can be separated from the other.Roger Williams, in speaking of them, says, ff Canonicus wasthe heir, and his youngest brother's son, }'Iiantinomi, (be­cause of his youth,) was his marshal and executioner, anddid nothing without his uncle's consent." But Miantinomi'vas by no means the mere rellection, or double, of his uncle.He had opinions of his own, and this fact is illustrated in aletter from Roger Williams to the Governor and Deputy­Governor of Massachusetts, written in 1637. ft At myfirst coming," he says, Cf Canonicus was very sour, andaccused the English and myself of sending the plagueamongst them, and threatening to kill him especially. • •I discerned cause of bestirring myself, and staid the longer,and at last (through the mercy of the Most High) I • •sweetened his spirit. • • Miantinomi kept his barbarous courtlately at my house, and with him I have far better deal­ing. He takes some pleasure to visit me, and sent me wordof his coming over again eight days hence." Roger Wil­liams, in one of his letters, speaks of "the old prince Canon­icus, who was most shy of the English to his last breath."The old prince, however, was not shy of the English with­out cause. Before the Pilgrims first trod Plymouth Rock, theWampanoags, a fierce tribe, dwindled by disease, had, intheir weakness, pas.sed under the sway of the Narragansetts.

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Q mequin, or after ards called, I it, theiracbem, JlDd Wamsutb and i\:[ comet or the latter i

bett-er known, Philip of Pokanoket or King Philip. werehi n. Tbe wily {as it, ooinO' the power of the

hite and the de tracti ene . of t eir capon gained anaUi nee with them, bereb be em ocipa ed hi people fromtheir dependence on the arraQ'ause ; and this example wfolio ed by other tribe much to the dis tisfa.CtlOD ofCanonic .

When Roger illiam, aD exile and a andel"er, ought thebank" of the Mo huck, he foaod the charity of the savagedenizen of the wilderne , who profe ed nothing, superiorto that of his white per ecotors, ho profe ed to fear God,thouO'h not practising His precept. - otwithstandina hi well­founded distrn t of the Engli h, anonicw received the ou~

cast with kiodoe ,supplied his wants, and tayed Iii' an­dering by con eying him land. Thenceforth Roger Wil­liam and Canonicn and Mi:Ultinomi, ere fillll and fastfrieod , and their fidelity and affection for each other neverwavered. Roger William interpo ition with the e kingly.red men was more than once invoked by the other colonies.e pecially in the Pequot war; and his influence with themnever failed. The quaiot language of Roger William in re­gard to their mutual relations, is as graphic as it i authori­tative. "I desire po tedty," he says, "to ee the gl'aciotlshand of the Mos High, (in whose hands are aU henrts) thatwhen the hearts of my countrymen and friends and brethrenfailed me, His infinite wi dom and merits stirred up thebarbarous heart of Canonicus to love me as his son to hislast gasp, by which means I had not only Miantinomj, andall the lowe t sachems my friends, but Ousumequin ~1:30 ; • •

and I never denied him or Miantinomi whatever they desiredof me as to goods or gifts, or use of my boats or pinnace,and the travels of my own person, day and night, which,though men know not, nor care to know, yet the all-seeing

DEDICATORY SERVICES. 15

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eye hath seen it, and His all-powerful hand hath helped me.Blessed be His holy na~e to eternity."

It should not be inferred that R~ger Williams' first ac­quaintance with Canonicus dated from his banishment.Long before that he had known Canonicus, Miantinomi andMassaaoit well, and these are his words as to his treatmentof them. tt I spared no cost t~wards them, and in giftsto Ousamequin and all his, &lld· to Canonicus and all his,tokens and presents, many years· before I CRlne in person tothe Narragansett ; ~nd therefore when I canie, I was welcometo Ousamequin and to' the old p.rince Canonicus." It shouldbe borne in mind that Roger Williams, after his banishment,first settled east of the Seekonk on land of Massasoit andthe Wampanoags, when, being warned that he was not be­yond the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts colony, he betookhimself further to the west into the country of the Narra-gansetts. .

The dealings of Canonicns with our illustrious founder. were characterized by·a no niggard hand. At his first comingCanonicus and Miantinomi sold him tf the lands and meadowsupon· the two fresh rivers, Moshassuck and Wanasqua­tucket"; and two years later, by deed, they establishedand confirmed n the bounds of these lands, from the riverand fields of Pawtucket, the' great hill of Notaquonca­not, on the northwest, and the town of Mashapaug, on thewest" ; and at the same time, U in consideration of tJ;1e manykindnesses and services he hath continually done for us", toquote the language of the deed further, they did U freelygive unto him all that land from those rivers reaching toPawtuxet river; as also the grass and meadows upon saidPawtuxet river."

Let not him who looks upon this stone, impute to theartisan aay lack of accuracy in cutting the bow and arrowthereon, as they are an exact, though enlarged, copy of thedevice, or sign manual, Canonicus affixed to the deed justreferred to.· The difference between the devices of Canon-

WJbe aocur&C)' of w. ItatemeDt hal been qu••Uone4. See Appenda.

icu!! and Miantinomi affixed to that deed, is very suggestiveto the imaginative mind, of the relations between the twomen. The device of Canonicu is a bow with an arrow atrest ere the bow is bent; while that of Miantinomi is sim­ply an arrow, after it had sped from the bow.

Tract after tract. fl'om time to time, wa conveyed to ourfounder and his associates and friends, so tbat the whole com­monwealth wa peaceably obtained by free and volllntarygl'antfrom anonicus, Miantinomi, and their people, uncontami­nated by fraud or violence. The founding of this littlestate, therefore, wa due to two utterly inc.ongruouB ele­ments, persecution and love ;-the persecution of a Christianby his fellow Christians, and the love of barbarous heathenfor the object of that persecution. II It was not price andmoney," says Roger illiams," that could have purchasedRhode Island, but it was obtained by love."

In 1643, Miantinomi was murdered through the wicked­ness of the four united colonies (in Massachusetts and Con­necticut), and the cruelty of Uncaa, a Mohegan chief.II This was the end of :Miantinomy," says tephen Hopkinsin his Account of Providence, "the most potent Indianprince the people of ew England ever had any concern with;and this was the reward he received for assisting them sevenyears before, in their war with the Pequots. Surely a RhodeIsland man may be permitted to mourn his unhappy fate,and drop a tear on the ashes of Miantinomy, who, with hisuncle Canonicu , were the best friends and greate t benefac­tors the colony ever had. They kindly received, fed andprotected the first settlers of it, when they were in distress,and were strangers and exiles, and all mankind else weretheir enemies j and by this kindness to them,drew upon them­selves the resentment of the neighboring colonics, and hast­ened the untimely end of the young king,"

Thi uohappyevent was a grievous blow to Canonicus.His few remaining years were sad and weary, for the soulof the old chief was filled with gloomy forebodings for the

16 C.A.NONICUS MEMORIAL.

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])EDICATORY SERVICES. 17

future of his race. He died June 4, 1647, his hair silveredwith the fro&ts of mor~ than eighty winter8.

Such is the story of C~),noniclls, and such the cause of.gratitude we owe him. Roger "Villiams calls hinl tf a wiseand peacet\ble prince," and it is certain he ,vas far in advanceof his people. He encouraged ~he pursuits of peace; andthe Narragansetts excelled their neighbors in agriculture,and in the mJinufacture of wampum, shell ornament~, stonevessels, and variou8 other articles Indians prized. He appre­ciated the danger to his people from the growing power ofthe \vhites, and he early learned the policy of cultivatingpeace with such powerful instruments of harm, so as not to,provoke their resentolent. These were once his words toRoger Williams :_f~ I have never suffered any wrong to beoffered to the English since they landed, nor neyer will: • •if the Englishman spenks true, if he mean truly~ then shallI go to my grave in peace, and hope that the English andmy posterity shall live in love Rnd peace togetber."

The conduct of Rhode Island has ever been characterizedby justice to the tribe of Canonicus. Some of the seed ofkindness and good-,vill that be sowed, ba.8 borne fruit to hisrace even in our day. Last summer, finis was written onthe chronicles of the Narragansetts: their lands passed tothe state, and their tribal existence ceased forever. Re­cently, at Fort Ninigret, the formal termination of that o~cepowerful tribe was enacted, and some of the members ofits feeble remnant there bore public testimony to the justiceand equity that marked the dealings of the state. Thelove. of their mighty chief had impressed the common­wealth.

Great spirit of Canonic\1s! Look down approvingly uponus this day, from thy happy hunting grounds. Beautiful asthis grove is, tenderly as this stone was reared, it is not themagnitude of the memorial, but the quality of heart thatdedicates it, that constitutes its worth. Though thy peoplehave passed away, thy memory is held in grateful remem-

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18 CANONICUS MEMORIAL.

brance. ~~ffection has inscribed this stone and dedicatedthis grove to thy memory. Long after thy posterity shall havadisappeared from among men, the descendants of the whiteman, and his associates, whom thou befriended, will hand downthy name to t,heir posterity with the same reverence they re­ceived it from their ~ncestors; and as it has come down to u~

through the two hundred and forty years that have passed,freighted with affection, so we will transmit it to comingages; and each succeeding generation will rise up and callthee blessed.

CANONICUS.

BY BEV. F. DENISON.

We reverent meet on hallowed ground to-day,Recalling times and scenes lon~ passed away,

When wild and tangled was this glen:When tameless beasts f'rom bow-armed hunters tied,And leaping rivers to the ocean Aped

Unchec;ked by cunning arts of meo.

Some then held Iron theologlc creeds,Endorsed, too oft, by steel-edged, piercing deeds,

Misrepre8entin~ truths of' God;And so these hills and valleys, prayerful f'ound,Elect for Christian freedom's planting groond,

By loneiy exl1~ feet were trod.

Veiled in the solemn grandeur of the woods,All nature breathed, io her uncultured moods,

Upon a wandering people rude,Who, thongh In Pagan darkness and unknown,Had native bosoms, kindred to our own,

With tender thoughts of love imbued.

Betore us comes an aged, tawny, fur-clad king,By the Great Spirit moved, rich gifts to bring­

A " What Cheer" to our houseles8 sires,And deed of lands to be henceforth their home,With liberty the wilderness to roam,

And share his cheering connell fires.·

DEDICATORY SERVICES.

'flat monarch, rultng o'er barbaric claDs,More kind and brotherly than Puritans,

.To suffering right a refuge gave.80 noble and far-reaching was his deed,That high historic honor Is decreed

To crown the land t~at holds !tIs grave.

As erst Elijah, In the wilderness,In days of trial, hunger and distress,

By ravens was ~uppUed with bread,So Williams, pushed by persecution keen,'" Not knowing what or bed or board did mean,"

By this klo'd-hearted king was fed.

Should men, amid- the haste an<t dust of Ufe,Merged in the smoke and clouds of party strife,

His name its proper place deny,Out of the hills whereon be scepter swayed,And trom the bank~ of rh"ers where he strayed,The loyal stones would surely cry.

Formed by the Almighty hand in ages past,By bergs on marge of the Moshassuck cast,

This speaking stone was haply found­Fit symbol of the native, soltd man,Whose -deed was in the providential plan

or freedom, born to be renowned.

On deep foundation by affection placed,Bright with his own love-writ sign-manual graced,

These friendly patriarch oaks beneath,It stands, and like an epic poe m reads,Reciting stormy, yet triumphant deeds

To wear henceforth historic wreath.

That signature-the arI:ow of the LordShot from a bow defensive of His Word,

When bigots bUnd made bl09dy boast­The arrow of rebuke from heathen hand,Awarding conscience freedom 1n our land,

'to bless, at last, our every coast.

There Is an Inborn eloquence of thou~ht­Ne'er yet III schools of learning fully ctlugbt­

In all the handIworks and ways'Of God, who plaos by goodness, as by po~er,

And gives to man, io the appropriate hour,·New 8ubjects freighted with his praise.

19

CANONICUS. MEMORIAL.

So let no dullard think to slight, or mock ·This Heaven-hewn stone. It now, like Horeb's rock,

Touched by the rod ot f~ith aQd art,Pours thought-historic waters pure and sweet­Memorial streams of qUick~ning truth to greet

And hnppy vivity the heart.

No honest party conscience would we shock,But still there was a ftaw in Plymouth Rock.

It stood inscribed to "Church and State:"While In Rhode Island's boundaries aloneWas set the ftawless, Heaven-conftgured stone

Now owned afar as pure and great.

While men rejoice in Uberty of soul,Allegiant gladly to dlvine control,

They jU&tly honor WllUams· claim;But let no generation e'er forgetTo thoughtful \veigh and thankful pay the debt

They owe to his protector's name.

A fable says, the founders of famed RomeWere nourished by a wolt. But neal·er home

We ftnd a tllct of sweeter sense:The great apostle ot his age drew strengthFrom swarthy pagan. gaining thus, at length,

The talne of tounding Providence.

So by b~nlgnant Heayen are we endued,The sweetest bloom of hearts Is gratitude.

Thus cherished, fragrant Uves with us,.As purest blossoln trom our native lea,Embalmed with all our love ot liberty

The royal name, Canonicos.

Not his the fate of lll-~tarredbloom to share­To "waste its sweetness on the desert air ,"

But, born to hall the Christian ll~bt,

Sent his aDd all earth's kingdoms to illume,He proved, and poured abroad, the pure pertame

Of friendship, brotherhood and right.

Not magnitude, but fluallty ot gemElects It to adorn a diadem.

So here, above all art, In tone,In crystal wealth, almost In form ot man,Composed an,d scolptured by our Father's plan,

Stands this memorial, song-lipped stoDe.

DEDICATORY SERVICES.

Ye a~ed, reverend, kingly, guardian oaks.Whose arms have braved a thousand battle strotes,

Tbis sacred, royal symbol own.Ye hallowed bIlls, shaped by the Hand Divine,Obedient to your Maker's wise design,

Forever watchful guard thIs stone.

Fair city, happy where once reigned this king,Here DOW, and evermore, your tribute briDg,

As mid yoor fathers' graves you tread,And. of the fragrant ftowers that bless your homes,With grateful bands, some choicest of your blooms

On this memorial kindly spread.

And may Rhode Island'a 8001 be moved to raiseYet other jOlt memorial stones'of praise

For princely Narragansett men.There let Mlantonomi's record stand:Cauonchet's here, unhewn by human hand,

OrdalnlDg this as SACHDI'S GI&N.

September 21, 188:1.

21

SINGING BY THE PUPILS OF THE HIGH SCHOOL, "AMERICA."

PRESENTATION ADDRESS,BY B. B. HAMMOND, ESQ.

MR. MA.YOR:

After listening to the rehearsal of the story of Canonicus,and his friendship to Roger Williams, the founder of ourstate, by the distinguished orator and poet of this occasion,it now remains to me, as one of the committee of the RhodeIsland Historical Society having this matter in charge, and inits name, to formally present this memorial to you, andthrough you to the city of Providence.

This beautiful, secluded place, these winding paths, thisromantic glen, these massive oaks that have withstood theblasts and storms of a century, now bending in graceful pro­tection o'er this rude, but most appropriate, memorial, allimpress us with the thought that God made this spot, withits IWToundings, a. fitting -memorial to the great chieftain

22 ANONICU MEMORlA.L.

aod friend, who e memory and deeds we are heTe to perpet­tUlte. Ware not group d in mourninO' around hi grave;for wh re re t all that wa mortal of him i not p itivelyknown' but ratb r ar we her to commemorate hi implefaith in tbe .. Gr at pirit,' hi true Dobili of nature, hisacra ity and bonor which through all hi dealings withRoger illiams and his as ociates were never tarnished, hiskindness and noble charity, and all the traits of his highestmanhood, which together, make his memory worthy of im­mortality. Canonicus, in these respects, is not dead; neither~n his memory die out of the hearts of the people, who, inthe Providence of God, he so unselfishly and nobly served.

Barbarian, you may call him, yet, under the light of that.. Great Spirit" in whom he trusted, he developed traits ofcharacter that were Christian. In the fullness of time, Godsent forth Roger Williams as His chosen servant, conductedhis weary feet to the rude wigwam of this noble old chief­tain, who, notwithstanding his natural distrust, extended hisright hand, received h,im with hospitality, and adopted himas a friend. Thus Paganism and Christianity clasped hands;and the proclamation of soul liberty, yea, of civil and relig­ious liberty, was made possible and effective. This friend­ship .and Christian kindness thus begun, ripened into deeds ofnoble charity, of mutual counsel, protection and helpfulness,and "in each, developed the highest manhood. Roger Wil­liams declares, .. my only desire was to do the natives good."Canonicus and Miantinomi, in their first deed of land to him,say, all this, .• in cOllsideration of· the many kindnesses andservices he hath continually done for us." Thus was thegreat Christian principle of self-sacrifice, and its legitimateoffspring and ennobling virtue, gratitude, illustrat~d.

Standing on a portion of the land thus coming to usthrough the gratitude of these Pagan kings, surrounded bythriving towns, villages and cities, with their hum of busyindustry, our Christian temples of worship,· seminaries andschools of learning, with our beautiful home-life, and all the

DEDICATOllY SERVICES. 28

blessings of a Christian civilization, how can we suppressemotions of gratitude to these noble chieftains, to RogerWilliams, and above all, to Him, who thus caused n the lightto spring out of darkness?" Who, in the presence of suchevidence, can doubt that in the unfolding of the higher fromthe lower, God is over all and. in all?

As a people professing to be Christian, we are summonedto a survey of our inheritance and the so~rces from which itsprang. To Canonicus and Miantinomi, Rhode Island owes~ore than to all others. They lived, and Rhode Island existsas a State to-day.

Faith in God, kindness, charity, honor, nobility, manhood,Christian character,-these can never die- 'Over and aboutthem are the silent, invisible, all-protecting forces of theInfinite. Heaven and earth may pass away, but these never.When we have learned the wonderful power of these vir­tues, especially those of kindness, charity, and honor, weshall have advanced far in the solution of the Indian ques­tion. As a people we have heen, and still are, not with­out guilt in ou~ treatment of th~8e U wards of the nation."'Ve have accustomed ourselves to the idea that might makesright, that the weakel must succumb to the stronger, that thedefenceless are the natural objects of plunder; but are notthese the motive forces that nerve the arm of the assassin,the highwayman and the savage? and shall we adopt them asours? Does history record an instance of a people thus con­quered, pillaged, robbed, who were peaceful and contented onthe same soil with the conquerer? Does not the sense ofwrong and injustice always ultimate in outbreak and retalia­tion, when occRsion offers? But of the chieftain we com­memorate to-day, it may be proudly said, ff his policy waspeace." He was termed. (f the sage and peaceful Canonicus,"

, and these traits in his character, with all they imply, shouldenshrine his memory in all our hearts.

Accept, sir, this memorial, and may it stand here as a rep­resentative of the principles we have set forth, and as asilent

•

BY BOB'. WILLLUII 8. JLl.TWABD, JU.YO..

RESPONSE,

rebuke to the grasping and avaricious·spirit of thi8 age. Pro­tect it, as it stands in its grand, silent majesty, proclaimingthe gratitude of the people to him whose memory it com­memorates.

CANO:NtOU8 HBMOBIAL24

MR. CHAIRMAN:

The occasion which brings us here to-day is' one to evokethe heartiest commendation of every citizen of this city,who loves his home and cherishes the memory of those whohave made it. ·The interest which has been evinced duringthe past few years, in perpetuating in bronze or stone thememory of the men and the events which have illuminatedthe pages of Rhode Island's history, should be hailed withthe deepest satisfaction, and I cannot refrain, at this time,from paying a just tribute of praise to the Historical Society,to whose efforts this is largely due. The statue of the greatfounder of our commonwealth in enduring bronze h~ onlyfor six years adorned the beautiful park that bears his name.It is eminently fitting that we, who have reaped the rewardsof his privations and toil, who enjoy the liberty for which hewrought, and are proud of the glory which he left as theheritage of our state, should thus have done him honor.The gratitude we bear to those, whose blood was shed thatour country might live, is voiced in bronze and stone. Theirnames, enrolled upon imperishable tablets, teach to us and ourchildren, as we gaze upon them, lessons of patriotism andself-sacrifice; and the day is near at hand when a monu­me~t to their gallant leader will be added to the number,even then too small, which adorn our city. The graves ofour French allies in the Revolution, neglected and well-nighforgotten, have been rescued from oblivion, and the stonewhich marks the spot, will quicken the memory of their

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DEDICATORY SERVICES.

deeds, and remind us of the· debt of gratitude we owe thefri~nd of our infant republic.

In accept~ng this, the latest addition to the public monu­ments of our city, as the servant and official representativeof her people, I extend to the donors in behalf of their fellow­citizens, hearty and well deserved thanks. As he, who plantsa tree, confers a benefit upon his fellows, so, in a highersense, those whose intelligent apprecifttion of worth leadsthem to hold it up in visible form, to inspire and instructtheir fellow-Dien, should he classed among our benefactor8~

This stone, with its simple inscription, will be a center aboutwhich may cluster historic associations most gratifying to

, tbe honest pride of every citizen of our State. Here we mayread that confidence and good faith were returned in kind;that our forefathers found in the red man a frie~d and not anenemy; that the title deeds to the lands where our fair citystands, were not written in blood and sealed with treachery;that we of Rhode Island have in our dealings with that race,which has faded away before the white loan like dew beforethe sun, nothing to regret, nothing we must defend. Wordsof mine a~e not needed to add to the eloquent measure ofpraise with which the sagacity, the fidelity and the timelyoffices of the noble forest chief, to whose memory we paythis afternoon, our simple tribute, have been recalled by theorators and poet of the day. It seems fitting tba~ this beau­tiful spot, within these sacred grounds where rest, it is said,the ashes of the great apostle of tf soul liberty," should bethe spot on which to raise this stone, a witness to the gratefulremembrance in which we hold the name of his faithfulfriend, the peaceful King Canonicus.

4:

•

"..GBO BY PUPIL8 OP TIm maH 8CHOOL

REMARKS,

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,.,

MR. (~HAIR)(AN:

Ever since the idea of setting up this stone has beenknown to me, I had promised myself the pleasure of beingpresent when these exercises took place; bot when I learnedtbat the committee having the ma~r .in charge, might callQpon me for remarks, and knowing my inability to say any­thing that would add interest to the occasion, it seemed thatI must either absent myself or appear discourteous in notcomplying with their request. Finally, sir, my desire to tes­tify by my presence the interest I felt in this effort to per­petuate in material fonn the fame of one so intimately con­nected with the early history of our state, overcame allother considerations. No man, not of our own' race, deserveskindlier memories than Canonicu8, the brave and humaneold Chief of the Narragansetts, savage though he was, andsurrounded as he was by the fierce and barbaric customsof his people. With thousands of followers ready andeager to obey any command, no matter how cruel, the oldwanior ref~ained from destroying the little band of an alienrace, who came seeking an asylum away from their own peo­ple. From what we know of this old Indian King, theredoes not appear a grander characte~ in our colo~ial history.The trnst and confidence'which· subsisted unbroken betweenCanonieus and Roger Williallls, is e'nnobling to human natureto contemplate. The promises of one to the other, were neverbroken. The one untutored and unlearned, the other theembodiment of the highest civilization of his day, no act oftreachery marks the' relation between the two men. Theirnames are inseparable, and as imperishable the one as theother. Without the aid of Canonicus, the experiment of, .

DEDICATORY SERVICES. 21

civil government founded on religious, as well as politicalfreedom, would have been postponed perhaps for generations.I commend to the young, as wellastothose of matureryears,a closer study of the character of the man whose name isengraved on this boulder. It was· the same generous spiritof hospitality extended by Canonicus to Williams' and hiscompatriots that led the Narragansetts to shelter King Philip,when being hunted to his death. Their refusal to surrenderhim incurred the enmity of a sister colony, whose soldiersinvaded their lands, de8troyed their homes and murderedtheir helpless women and children. The great point to con­sider in the intercourse between the red men and our fore­fathers, was not only the generous hospitality extended, but

. the almost perfect faith in which they fulfilled every promise.I do not now recall a more graceful act in recent years thanthe one you are engaged in to-day; and the gentleman whosuggested it, as well as those who have assisted him, deservegreat honor, not only now, but for all time.

When Mr. Carmichael had concluded, 1\.nnie A. Thomas,a little Narragansett Indian girl, stepped upon the platformand in behalf of the tribe, presented him with a bouquet offlowers.

BENEDICTION,BY BEV. EDWIN M. STONE.

SINGING BY PUPILS OF THE HIGH SCHOOL,

uSTA.R SPANGLED BANNER."

. ,

APPENDIX.

•A bow and arrow were cut upon the memorial stone for two reasons; first,

because they were 80 thoroughly symbolical of an Indian, and especially ofa Narragansett; and, secondly, because they were sometimes used by Canon­leus when making his mark, and It was supposed at the time, that the deedreferred to In the address was so signed. The particular bow and arrow cut onthe boulder, is an enlargement of the mark of Canonicus on a printed copy ofthe deed referred to In the address, to be found In Staples' Annals of Provi­dence, page 27. As that purported to be a fac-simile, it was unhesitatinglyadopted by the person having the preparation of the memorial in charge, andthe orator accepted that authority as worthy of credit. Some question hay·ingbeen raised whether the statement in the address was strictly accurate,has led to further Investigation.

In the Providence Registry of Deeds there Is a tattered fragment of whatis claimed to be the original deed of Canonicus and Miantinomi. Themark of Canonieus thereon is a very rude bow:-80 rude, however, withthe curve below and the string above, that some fancy it was Intended for acanoe. It was doubtless meant for a bow, and Prof. Knowles so designatesIt in his Memoir of Roger Williams, page 107. The record of this deed, for itwas "emoled Aprill ye 4th, 1662," shows that Thomas Olney, Jun., the thenTown Clerk, thought that Canonicus's mark was intended for a bow. SeeTown Records of Providence, the 3d book chronologically, page 460. Canon..leusllkewise aftlxed a bow to his and Miantinomi's"deed of "ye Iland calledchibachuwese," now Prudence, to Gov. John Winthrop and Roger Williams,dated "the 10th of ye 9th month in ye yeare ye Pcuts were subdued," asshown by the record made the 28th of the 5th month, 1682, contained in " TheBook of Land Evidence belonging to ye Town of Portsmouth, No.1," (really2 chronologically), page 191.

Canonicus did not confine himself to a bow exclusively, however, whenmaking his mark, as he apparently adopted any device that suited his fancyat the time. To a receipt dated Nov. 22, 1639, for divers articles for the In­dians inhabiting the Island of Aquidneck, he affixed a bow and arrow, &8

recorded in the "Records of the Island of Rhode Island, 1th March, 1638 to12th March, 1644," in the Secretary of State's office, page 68. According tothe printed Rhode Island Colonial Records, Vol. 1, page 46, he likewise useda bow and arrow, in signing the deed of the Island of Aquidneck to WilliamCoddington and others, March 24, 1631. To the submission of various Indiansachems to the government of England, dated April 19, 1644, Canonicus af­Ixed a mark composed of a vertical line extending upward from the middleof a horizontal line. See Gorton's Simplicities Defence, London edition of1646, page 84; Staples edition in Collections of the Rhode Island Historical.Society, Vol. 2, page 160; also Rhode Island Colonial Records, Vol. 1, page136. If the person signing a letter to the authorities of Massachusetts, May

30 CANONICUS MEMORIAL.

24, 1644, was the great Canonicus, he there used a hatchet or tomahawk;though Staples, in his edition of Simplicities Defence, page 162, gives hismark as a vertical llne rising upward from a horizontal line. See Simplici­ties Defence, London edition of 1646, page 86. Thus there seem to havebeen at least three several figures, and perhaps four, that Canonicus usedfor a sign manual, one of them being a bow and arrow.

An examination of the old town records of Providence, Warwick andPortsmouth, particularly of the two latter towns, discloses the fact that In-

. dians, in making their marks,seldom confined themselves to the same character.Miantlnoml not only used an arrow on more than one occasion, but in a deedto Benedict Arnold, Dec. 23, 1641, according to the record made in 1686, heused a mark like a large irregular W. See Warwick Town Records, the 3dbook chronologically, being th~ first regular Land Records, page 104. Again,to a deed to John Greene, dated Oct. 1, 1642, he made a triangle, with two ofthe sides projecting beyond the angle. See Warwick Town Records, theearliest book, not paged. Finally, to a deed to Randall Holden and others.Jan. 12, 1642, Mlantinoml affixed a bow and arrow. See" Rhode Island LandRecords, 1648 to 1696," in the Secretary of State's office, page 1lS8. Moosup,Mossup or Mau880PP, alias Sucquan, Susquanl, or Sucquan8h, alias Pesslcus.alias Conanicus, a brother of Mlantinoml, signed a bow and arrow June 16,1662; a square figure surmounted by a curved top May 27, 16lS9; (See WarwickTo,vn Records); and a rude figure, doubtless meant for a bow, the 27th of the6th month, 1645. See printed Records of Plymouth Colony, Vol. 9, page 48.

There seems to be some confusion which of Miantinoml's brothers wassometimes called Conanicu9 or Canonicus, for the spelling of this name, likethat of most other Indian names, ik very various. A deed dated May 1, 1676,in the "Rhode Island Land Records, 1648 to 1696," page 103, Is signed with the

, bow and arrow of "Connonlcus formerly called Maus80PP chief sachim ofthe Narragansett." According to the letter to the government of Massachu­setts by the sachems of the Narragansetts, dated May 24, 1644, already re­ferred to, there seems to have been a brother of Miantinomi, other than Pes­sicus or Maussup, calling himself Conanicus, unless the person there signingis Miantinomi's uncle, the great Canomcus, Instead of his brother; thoughthe letter speaks of him as Mlantinomi's brother.

This enumeration of Indian marks could be extended well nigh indefinitely;hence the reader Is referred to the records of the older towns for further illu~

. trations. A bow and arrow seemed to have been a very favorite mark withNarragansett Indians, as the early records show that a score or more sachemsused it at different times.

The names of some of the Indians were almost as various as their marks.Mlantlnoml was also Mecumeh; Ousamequin was Massasolt; Quananchit, orCanonchet, was Nanno, and Nannuntennew; Pesslcus, we have seen, hadseveral aliases; and Coginaquand or Cachinaquant, "chief sachem and com­ander of all the Indians of Narragansltt and Quononaqutt Island in Nana­gansitt Bay and other Islands neere adjacent to the said Quononaqutt andRhode Island in New England," in 1658, was likewise named Tasseconokuttor Tasoquanat; and also, according to Judge Potter's Early History of Narra­gansett, page 172, Tassarono. Illustrations of this looseness in the use ofnames, are nearly as numerous in the old town records, as the varieties ofmarks or sign manuals, and the reader, in addition to such records, is referredto Potter's Early History of Narragansett, pages 171 to 173.

A bow and arrow, It would therefoloe seem, would be a very proper symbolto be placed on a rough boulder memorial of Canonlcus, and particularly as

APPENDIX. 31

they can be readlly recognized; whereas many of the Indian representationsof bows and other figures are so very nlde that It is by no means easy to de­termine always what they were intended for. The bow and arrow used bySamuel Gorton, In his Simpllclties Defence, in 1646, was clearly not intendedfor a fac-simlle, as it is drawn with precision and regularity. The one, whichwe shall see was 80 often used by later Rhode Island historians, was evi­dently suggested by that used by Gorton; but it was made roughly and irregu­larly, and is well adapted to cause one to believe that It was meant for a fac-simile.. .

The particular bow and arrow cut on the memorial stone, seems to have beenadopted by various writers as the standard representative of a NarragansettIndian bow and arrow; for it has served many, through a term of years, forvarious Indians; and it is very certain it could not have been a fac-simile ofall their marks; perhaps, not of any. Thus it has served, turned differentways, Hon. William R. Staples, in his edition of Simplicities Defence, pub-

.lished in 1835, for Pessicus, page 160, and for Miantinomi, page 2M. TheHon. Elisha R. Potter has likewise used it for Pessicus, in his Early Historyof Narragansett, pa,ge 44, published also in 18M. Professor Romeo Elton inediting Callender's 'Discourse, printed in 1838, has thrice pressed it into ser­vice for Canonicus, thougll he has once twisted it about; pages 2Ol>, 215, 218.Judge Staples brought it into requisition again, In his Annals of Providence,in 1843, for Canonicus, Caujaniquaunte, Aiaquaomit, and Quequaganewet,pages 21,568 twice, 510. Finally, the Hon. John R. Bartlett, in Vol. 1, of theRhode Island Colonial Records, "published In 1856, has used it no less thansix times, viz.: once each for Canonicus, Caujaniquante, Aiquamit, and Que­quaganewit; and twice for Pessicus: pages 18, SiS, 36, 38, 136 and 138.

Surely, no other device than that inscribed on the Canonicus memorial,could have been selected, which has been so thoroughly endorsed by eminentRhode Island writers as fitly symbolical of a Narragansett sachem.

B .. B..