1684.]

GOVERNOR CRANFIELD AND THE INDIANS.

443

services out of the money raised by the tax, increased his unpopularity. The friendly Indians became alarmed, for it was understood that the Mohawks made no distinction among New England Indians: they were all traditional enemies. In the summer of 1685 the Penacook and Saco Indians, after gathering their corn, began to remove their families from the English neighborhood, under the impression that the Mohawks were about to invade them. The English in their turn became alarmed at the movement; but inquiries led to a good understanding, and a treaty of mutual defence and reparation of injuries was made, which lasted about four years.

Aren: Shamy amon

Signature of Champernoon.

The chief of the Penacooks at that time was Kancamagus, a nephew of Wonnalauset, who went by the English name of Hogkins or Hawkins He wrote to and visited the Governor, but there was a want of that personal attention so grateful to an Indian, and a disregard of the appeals made by him and his people. The chief was converted into an implacable foe, and is supposed to have planned the subsequent attack upon Dover.1

1 Hogkins wrote the following curious letter to Cranfield : Honour Governor my friend, you my friend I desire your worship and your power Because I hope you can do som great matters this once I am poor and naked and I have no men at my place because I afraid allways mohogs he will kill me every day and night if your worship when please pray help me you no let mohogs kill me at my place at Malamaki [Merrimac] River called Panukkog and Nattukkog I will submit your worship and your power and now I want powder and such allminish shott and guns because I have forth at my hom and I plant theare.

Another Indian outbreak.

In 1688, the Eastern Indians were again in motion, at the instigation of Castin, whose house had been plundered by Andros. A few raids in Maine during the summer were only preliminary to the outbreak of 1689 which so seriously affected New Hampshire. Major Waldron's mock training bore mortal consequences after thirteen years of brooding vengeance. Some of the natives who were sent to Boston and sold into slavery escaped, and found their way back. They easily inflamed numbers of Philip's men who were still harbored by the Penacook and Fryburg Indians ; and the resentment spread to the tribes who were nominally friendly. Castin's agents were also at work to effect a hostile combination against the English.

The Indians at Dover

There were five garrison-houses in Dover to which the inhabitants retired at night. They were strongly built, surrounded by tall palisades, and capable of making an effective defence. Anxiety concerning the Indians had subsided. Waldron himself felt entirely secure. The watch at these garrison-houses was carelessly kept, and the Indians went freely to and fro among the inhabitants. Some of the settlers fancying that the natives were observing the situation more closely than usual, became alarmed. There was renewed dread of coming trouble, but Waldron told the people to mind their pumpkin-planting. Though the town was fuller of Indians than usual, Waldron professed to divine instinctively their disposition, and lightly rallied the concern of the people.

On the 27th of June, toward evening, two squaws applied at each garrison-house for permission to pass the night, as they had frequently done before. They were admitted to all but one of them. A chief accompanied the two squaws who went to Major Waldron's house. They were received with hospitality. Said the squaws to the Major, many Indians will come to trade to-morrow. Said the chief, "Brother Waldron, what would you do if the strange Indians should come? "If I lift my finger I can summon a hundred men," said the Major. So profound was the confidence in their perfect safety which Waldron had inspired in his people that when the gates were secured, the squaws were instructed how to undo the fastenWaldron ings, on their intimation that they might wish to go out during the night. At a signal from their confederates outside the squaws unbolted the gate, the Indians entered and found their way to an inner room where Waldron slept. The old man of eighty seized his sword and drove the savages out from room to room, but a blow from a hatchet stunned him and he fell.

The attack.
Murder of

Now came the hour of triumph. It was not for a sham-fight that they picked up the old man and set him in a chair upon a table, cry

1689.]

DOVER ATTACKED.

445

ing "Now judge Indians." Then they deliberately helped themselves to food, compelling the other inmates of the house to serve them. After the meal they gathered round the Major and each one slitting some part of his body with a knife, said, "That's my account — I cross it out." One savage cut off his nose, another his ears; another, calling for the scales used in barter to weigh beaver skins, cut off his right hand and threw it in, saying, "We'll see if it does weigh a pound," for there was a saying among the Indians that in selling beaver a white man's hand weighs a pound. To their terror and astonishment it weighed a pound exactly. Then the old man sinking from the loss of blood, they held his sword so that he might fall upon it and be transfixed.

The house was pillaged and set on fire. Another was served in the same way after the men had been killed and the women set Incidents of aside for captivity. The barking of a dog saved another just the attack. as the Indians were entering. A man cast himself on the ground to avoid the bullets which the savages began to fire through the door and held it with his feet till the inmates were aroused. One house belonging to a man against whom the Indians bore no grudge escaped with pillaging; they made him throw his coin among them while they scrambled for it. He was the father of the man who had refused admittance to the squaws. They took him to the house and threatened to kill him if the son would not surrender. These two families were reserved for captivity, but in the confusion managed to escape.

.

Elizabeth Heard, with three sons and a daughter, belonged to the house which was saved by the dog. She was coming with them up the river from Portsmouth that night, and hearing the noise she suspected trouble, and the party landed and went to Waldron's house. Not procuring admission, a young man scaled the palisade, and saw an Indian with a gun waiting at the inner door. The woman was so overcome by the news that she sunk to the ground, and only begged her children to leave her and escape. Toward morning an Indian came toward her with a pistol, looked at her and walked away. He returned, and she spoke to him. He recognized the voice and ran away with loud exclamations. He was one of the Indians who escaped from Major Waldron's stratagem in 1676, took refuge in her house, and was harbored by her. He promised then that he would never do harm to her and her family. Thus one act of gratitude relieved the horrors of that night.

Twenty-three persons were killed and twenty-nine were taken to Canada, and sold to the French, who brought the children up as Roman Catholics. Several houses and mills were burned.

1 The Saco starts in Crawford's Notch.