1638]

CONQUEST OF NEW NETHERLANDS.

51

gave it the name of New Sweden. They erected several forts, and were soon joined by more of their countrymen.

5. Several years before the Swedes arrived, a party of Dutch from New Netherlands had settled in this region. They had been cut off by the Indians; yet now, when the Dutch saw strangers taking possession, they claimed the country on the ground that they had been the first to occupy it. A quarrel thus arose, which resulted (in 1655) in the conquest of New Sweden by the Dutch. The name was afterwards changed to Delaware.

6. The Dutch of New Netherlands had gone on trading and prospering, though for a time they suffered much from a war with the Indians, provoked by the cruelty of one of their governors. Soon after this, Stuyvesant [st-ve-sant], a gallant old soldier who had lost a leg in the wars, became governor. was under him that New Sweden was conquered.

It

7. While Stuyvesant was governor, the King of England granted the whole tract occupied by the Dutch to his brother, the Duke of York. Of course it was not his to grant, but he did not mind that. A powerful fleet was sent out to take possession. When the English arrived off New Amsterdam, they summoned Stuyvesant to surrender. But he boldly tore their letter to pieces, and, taking his station on the battery, prepared to fire on them as they approached.

8. Upon this, the people of New Amsterdam told Stuyvesant that if he fought the English he would have to do it alone. He had kept them down too much. So now they thought they would be just as well off under the English as they had ever been, and they refused to stand by their old governor. Brave as he was, therefore, he had to surrender. All the Dutch pos

call it? What did they erect?-5. Who disputed the right of the Swedes to this region? On what ground? What was the result? To what was the name of New Sweden changed?-6. From what did the Dutch of New Netherlands suffer for a time? Under whom was New Sweden conquered ?-7. While Stuyvesant was governor, what grant was made by the King of England? What was the consequence? When the English fleet arrived, what did Stuyvesant do?-8. How did the people of New Amsterdam feel on the subject? Why was

sessions, including what had been New Sweden, thus passed without the firing of a shot into the hands of the English.

9. This took place in 1664. The English were now masters of the whole Atlantic coast from Maine to Florida. In honor of the Duke of York, both the settlement of New Amsterdam and the whole colony of New Netherlands, after their conquest by the English, were called NEW YORK.

10. NEW JERSEY.-We have already seen that some of the Dutch traders had spread out west of the Hudson, and founded several villages. When the Duke of York gained possession of his grant, he gave this part of it to two of his friends, who called it New Jersey. They promised an unusual degree of freedom to all who would settle there, and the consequence was that New Jersey became rapidly peopled.

LESSON XVII.

KING PHILIP'S WAR.

1. For some years after the Pequod War, the New England colonies had no trouble with the Indians. But in 1675 King Philip's War broke out, which at first threatened to sweep off every white settler in Massachusetts. Philip was the son of Massasoit, who had been the friend of the English. He was the chief of the Wampa-no'-ags, who lived in what is now the state of Rhode Island, east of Narragansett Bay. Find their country on the map on page 43. The Narragansetts, you will see, lived on the opposite side of the bay.

2. The whites had now spread out very much. The Indians, seeing what had once been their hunting-grounds covered with thriving villages, feared that they would be driven out altogether

this? What followed ?-9. When did the English make this conquest? What now belonged to them? To what did they change the names of New Amsterdam and New Netherlands ?-10. What was the origin of New Jersey? What caused it to become rapidly peopled ?

1. What war broke out in 1675? Who was Philip? Of what tribe was he chief? Where did the Wampanoags live? Where did the Narragansetts live?—

"

1675]

KING PHILIP'S WAR.

53

from the land of their fathers. So they prepared to defend themselves; and, when a friendly Indian revealed their plans to the people of Plymouth, they murdered him. Three of the Wampanoags were tried for this crime by the Puritans, found guilty, and hanged.

3. Philip knew the power of the English, and had tried to avoid war; but he could now restrain his followers no longer. Dividing into parties of twenty or thirty, they fell upon the frontier villages and farm-houses of Massachusetts, burned them to the ground, killed their occupants, and were off to the forest before any aid could arrive. Lying in ambush for the parties sent out against them, they cut off the flower of the settlements, and spread terror everywhere.

4. A few days after the war commenced, Captain Church with thirty-six men was attacked on the sea-shore by three hundred Indians. They took their posts behind some rocks, and defended themselves for six hours. At last, as night was setting in, their ammunition gave out. It would have fared badly with the bold Puritans, if a sloop had not just at this time come up and taken them off. Captain Church escaped, though a bullet passed through his hair.

5. Meanwhile Philip, who threw himself into the war with all his powers, had gone among the neighboring tribes, and persuaded them to join him. In a few months he found himself at the head of three thousand men. With these, when cold weather set in, he repaired to a large swamp in the country of his allies, the Narragansetts, and, building a fort, prepared to winter there. Now was the time for the English. A thousand men were sent in December against King Philip. They found the Indian fort

on an island in the swamp. The only way to reach it was by crossing a tree which at one point had been thrown across the deep stagnant water.

2. What was the cause of King Philip's war?-3. How was the war commenced by the savages ?-4. Give an account of Captain Church's encounter with the Indians.-5. In a few months, how many men did King Philip raise? Where did he get them? What did he do when cold weather set in? What measures were now taken by the English? What was the only way of reaching Philip's

6. Several times the English tried to get across, but were driven back with loss. At last they succeeded in entering the

fort. It contained five hundred wigwams, which were soon in flames. The Indians, though they fought bravely, were totally defeated. Numbers of them were killed; but Philip and Canon'-chet, the Narragansett chief, got away in safety. Hard indeed was the lot of those who escaped. Without shelter and almost without food, they were exposed to the fierce storms of a severe winter.

7. Three or four months after "the Swamp Fight," Canonchet was captured. Still he was as proud as ever. When a young soldier asked him some questions, he replied, "Child, you do not understand war. Let your chief come; I will answer him." They offered him his life, if he would persuade the Indians to make peace; but he refused with scorn. He was then sentenced to be shot.

fort?-6. Describe the swamp fight. How did it result? Who got away in safety? What was the lot of those who escaped ?-7. What became of Canonchet? How did he answer a young soldier who asked him some questions?

1676]

FALL OF KING PHILIP.

55

8. Philip, meanwhile, rested not, burning towns, and torturing his prisoners. His men, however, suffered much from hunger, sometimes having nothing to eat but the clams on the sea-shore, which they had to go miles to obtain. Many of them now fell off, and others were killed or captured by Captain Church, who had taken the field. Among those made prisoners were the wife and son of Philip. This broke Philip's heart. Deserted by all but a few faithful followers, hunted down by the English, he could only die like an Indian warrior.

9. With his few remaining men, Philip now took refuge in a swamp near the head of Narragansett Bay. (See map, p. 43.) Here Captain Church surrounded him. A party of English, penetrating the swamp, reached the Indian camp at sunrise. In trying to escape, Philip approached a tree behind which an Englishman and an Indian deserter were stationed. The Englishman aimed at him, but the dew had wet his powder, and his gun missed fire. The Indian deserter then shot his former chief through the heart.

10. Thus perished this great chief, and with his fall the war ceased. Six hundred of the best men of New England had been slain; six hundred houses had been burned by the savages. The Indians had suffered still more. Two whole tribes were destroyed. For some years after this, New England enjoyed peace.

LESSON XVIII.

VIRGINIA.-INDIAN TROUBLES.-BACON'S REBELLION.

1. We must now return to Virginia. When Powhatan died, his brother succeeded him. He soon became an enemy to the

8. Meanwhile, what was Philip engaged in doing? From what did his men suffer? What became of many of them? What broke Philip's heart? What now alone was left him ?-9. Where did Philip at last take refuge? By whom was he surrounded? Give an account of Philip's death.-10. What did King Philip's war cost New England? What were its consequences to the Indians? After this, what was the state of things in New England?

1. By whom was Powhatan succeeded in Virginia? What made Powha