Once Upon A Time In Connecticut | Page 9

the hills caught sight of
the Narragansetts as they came out of the woods by the fords of the
Shetucket River,--above the present city of Norwich. Uncas had a fort
five miles below on the Pequot River, which was his headquarters, and
the old story says:--
"Being warned by his spies of the approach of the Narragansetts toward
his seat, Uncas called his warriors together, stout, hard men, light of

foot and skilled in the use of bow and arrow, and upon a conference he
told them that it would not do to let the Narragansetts come to their
town, but that they must go and meet them. Accordingly they marched
about three miles, and on a large plain the armies met, and both halted
within bowshot. A parley was sounded, and Uncas proposed a
conference with the Narragansett sachem, who agreed. And being met,
Uncas saith to his enemy words to this effect:--
"'You have a number of brave men and so have I. It is a pity that such
brave men should be killed for a quarrel between you and me. Only
come like a man, as you pretend to be, and we will fight it out. If you
kill me, my men shall be yours, but if I kill you, your men shall be
mine.'
"Upon which the Narragansett sachem replied,
"'My men came to fight and they shall fight.'"
Now, Uncas knew well that his army, being much smaller, had no
chance against the army of the Narragansetts in a fair fight, and before
he met the Narragansett sachem he had planned a stratagem with his
own men.
As soon as Miantonomo had spoken Uncas threw himself face down on
the ground and his men drew their bows and shot their arrows over his
head and rushed "like lions" upon their astonished enemies. The
Narragansetts broke in terror and confusion. They did not stop to fight,
but turned and fled panic-stricken, through woods and swamps and
over rocks and hills, by the way they had come, back to the river fords.
The Mohegans pursued them, killing a number of them and wounding
more. They drove them headlong, like sheep, before them, and the
pursuit lasted for five or six miles. Some of the Narragansetts lost their
way and came upon the Yantic River near its falls and were driven over
the steep rocks on the banks and drowned in the water. Others were
taken prisoners. "Long afterwards, some old Mohegans were heard to
boast of having found a poor Narragansett struggling and panting in a
thicket that bordered the river, and so frantic with fear and excitement
as to suppose himself in the water and actually attempting to swim

among the bushes."
Miantonomo was strong and a swift runner, but that day he wore for
protection a coat of mail which an Englishman had given him and the
heavy garment impeded his flight. The Mohegans recognized him by it
and followed him eagerly. He kept his distance until he had nearly
reached the river, but there, "the foremost of Uncas's men got ahead of
him." They threw themselves against him and prevented his escape.
They did not kill him or try to take him prisoner, but they ran beside
him until Uncas came up, when they dropped back and gave their
chieftain the "opportunity to take him."
"At a place since called 'Sachem's Plain,' Uncas took him by the
shoulder and Miantonomo sat down, knowing Uncas. Uncas then gave
a whoop and his men returned to him." But Miantonomo sat silent.
At last Uncas spoke to him and said, "If you had taken me I would have
besought you for my life."
Now it was against the Indian's code of honor to ask for mercy. An
Indian brave must never complain, no matter how hard his fate. If he
were put to torture, if he were even burned at the stake, he must let no
sound of pain escape him. He might boast of his own exploits and tell
how many of his enemies he had killed, but he must never admit defeat.
Courage and endurance were the great Indian virtues. Therefore
Miantonomo made no reply to the taunts of Uncas and his men; he kept
silence, as befitted a great sachem and a brave warrior, "choosing rather
to die than to make supplication for his life."
Uncas had the right, according to Indian custom, to put his prisoner to
death at once, but he had agreed to consult the English in all important
matters, so he carried him to Hartford. This was late in the summer of
1643. In September the commissioners of the United Colonies met in
Boston and the case of Miantonomo came before them. The
commissioners were afraid to take the responsibility of setting