Legends, Traditions, and Laws of the Iroquois, or Six Nations | Page 5

of them," until finally a
small but gallant band took refuge in a swamp. Burning with
indignation, and made sullen by dispair, with hearts bursting with grief

at the destruction of their nation, and spirits galled and sore at the
fancied ignominy of their defeat, they refused to ask life at the hands of
an insulting foe, and preferred death to submission. As the night drew
on, they were surrounded in their dismal retreat, volleys of musketry
poured into their midst, until nearly all were killed or buried in the mire.
In the darkness of a thick fog which preceded the dawn of day, a few
broke through the ranks of the beseigers and escaped to the woods.
Again, the same historian tells us that the few that remained, "stood like
sullen dogs to be killed rather than to implore mercy, and the soldiers
on entering the swamp, found many sitting together in groups, when
they approached, and resting their guns on the boughs of trees, within a
few yards of them, literally filled their bodies with bullets." But they
were Indians, and it was pronounnced a pious work. But when the
Gauls invaded Italy, and the Roman Senators, in their purple robes and
chairs of State, sat unmoved in the presence of barbarian conquerors,
disdaining to flee, and equally disdaining to supplicate for mercy, it is
applauded as noble, as dying like statesmen and philosophers. But the
Indians with far more to lose and infinitely greater provocation, sits
upon his mother earth upon the green mound, beneath the canopy of
Heaven, and refuses to ask mercy of civilized fiends, he is stigmatized
as dogs, spiritless, and sullen. What a different name has greatness,
clothed in the garb of christian princes and sitting beneath spacious
domes, gorgeous with men's device, and the greatness, in the simple
garb of nature, destitute and alone in the wilderness.
There is nothing in the character of Alexander of Macedon who
"conquered the world, and wept that he had no more to conquer," to
compare with the noble qualities of king Philip of Mt. Hope, and
among his warriors are a long list of brave men unrivalled in deeds of
heroism, by any of ancient or modern story. But in what country, and
by whom were they hunted, tortured, and slain, and who was it that met
together to rejoice and give thanks at every species of cruelty inflicted
upon those who were fighting for their wives, their children, their
homes, their altars and their God. When it is recorded that "men,
women and children, indiscriminately, were hewn down and lay in
heaps upon the snow," it is spoken of as doing God's service, because
they were nominally heathen. "Before the fight was finished, the
wigwams were set on fire, and into those, hundreds of innocent women

and children had crowded themselves, and perished in the general
conflagration." And for those thanksgivings were sent up to heaven, the
head of Philip is strung upon a pole, and exposed to the public. But this
was not done by savage warriors, and the crowd that huzzaed at the
revolting spectacle, assembled on the Sabbath day, in a Puritan church,
to listen to the Gospel that proclaims peace and love to all men. His
body was literally cut in slices to be distributed among the conquerors,
and a christian city rings with acclamation.
In speaking of this bloody contest, one who is most eminent among the
fathers, says: "Nor could they cease praying unto the Lord against
Philip, until they had prayed the bullet through his heart." "Two and
twenty Indian captives were slain, and brought down to hell in one
day." "A bullet took him in the head, and sent his cursed soul in a
moment amongst the devils and blasphemers in hell forever."
Masasoit, the father of Philip, was the true friend to the English, and
when he was about to die, took his two sons, Alexander and Philip, and
fondly commended them to the kindness of the new settlers, praying
them the same peace and good will might be between them, that had
existed between him and his white friends. Upon mere suspicion only a
short time afterwards, the elder, who succeeded his father as ruler,
among his people, was hunted in his forest home, and dragged before
the court, the nature and object of which he could not understand. But
the indignity which was offered him, and the treachery of those who
insulted him, so chafed his proud spirit that a fever was the
consequence, of which he died. And that is not all. The son and wife of
Philip were sold into slavery, (as were also about eight hundred persons
of the Tuscaroras, and also many others of the Indians that were taken
captive during