 | The doomed chief, or, Two hundred years ago |  |
CONTENTS.
PAGE
CHAPTER I.
Opening scene at Plymouth on the Meeting House Green, where a crowd
were assembled in anticipation of the trial of three Indians for murder
—A match of skill at target shooting between Vane Willis, a bold
young fellow from the country, and Sniffkin, a young court lackey—
Sparring and discussion between them, relative to policy of the Court
of Plymouth toward the Indians, in which Dick Swain, the tool of
the latter, takes a part—The coming of the Court announced by the
ringing of the bell, and beating of drums at Head quarters—Sketch
of the Indian tribes, and their position towards the colonists 9CHAPTER II.
The Shadow, a church zealot, arrives with a secret message from
Deacon Mudgridge, the chief instigator and manager of the prosecution
against the Indians—The arrival of the procession—The introduction
of Roger Williams for the defence of the prisoners—The trial
and sentence of death 25CHAPTER III.
The execution of the Indian prisoners in the jail yard—The appearance
of Metacom, or King Philip, and Queen Wetamoo, on a roof overlooking
the crowd in the jail-yard—their prophetic denunciations
of the deed, and their virtual declaration of war in consequence 52CHAPTER IV.
Moonlight scene in the street after the cxecution—The excitement and
alarm of the people at the signs and omens seen in the heavens—
Altercation among Sniffkin, the Shadow, Dick Swain, and Vane Willis
—The ruse of the latter, to get rid of Dick, who was ordered to play
the spy on his movements—Scene at Deacon Mudgridge's house—
Confidential dialogue between him and the Shadow 726
CHAPTER V.
The scene at the house of Madian Southworth—The love passage between
her and Vane Willis, which closes by his announcing his resolution
of raising a company of his woodsmen comrades to defend the
settlement against the Indians, in the coming war—She gives him
her father's sword and bids him God speed—History of the family
of Colonel Southworth, who was the leader of Cromwell's noted regiment,
and subsequently outlawed, self-banished, and lost in the
forests 88CHAPTER VI.
The Deacon's plot to get Madian into the church—His persecuting
attempts, with the aid of the Shadow, to force her to marry Sniffkin
—Her sudden and mysterious disapearance, no one knew how, or
whither 105CHAPTER VII.
Scene at the Pines on Charles river—The meeting of Captain Mosely
and Willis—The arrival of the Praying Indians driven by Captain
Prentiss and his troop from Natic to be taken in boats to Deer Island
—Their sad interview with their pastor, the apostle Elliot—The parting—and
Elliot is left alone, sorrowing in the grove 125CHAPTER VIII.
Metacom suddenly appears—His interview with Elliot and a Massachusetts
commisioner, who also arrives—A war council, in a neighboring
forest, and the forming of Metacom's first alliance with the
Nipmucks—His day vision on the top of Wachusett mountain and
the subsequent war dance 140CHAPTER IX.
Willis distracted at the flight of Madian, raises his company, for the
double purpose of fighting the Indians, and recovering her whom he
supposes to have been taken by them 164CHAPTER X
The breaking out of the war at Swanzey—The rallying of military forces,
and their march—Captain Willis detained and sought to be arrested
at Plymouth, for a heretic, by Deacon Mudgridge 1767
CHAPTER XI.
The first skirmish between Metacom's warriors and Captains Mosely
and Willis' volunteer companies 192CHAPTER XII.
The bold expedition of Captain Willis against the Pocasset Indians—
Ventures in disguise into Metacom's camp, and witnesses his meeting
with the Pocassets, led into his camp by their queen, Wetamoo—
Willis detected, pursued, and with his company retreats to find a
defensible position on the shore of the bay 212CHAPTER XIII.
The arrival of the company at the shore—The furious assault of the
savages, and the long and remarkable fight that ensued, with the
escape of the company on board a ship providentially arriving 246CHAPTER XIV.
Night, and terrific thunder storm on the bay—A dismasted vessel on
which a female form is seen in a flash of lightning, crosses their path
—a fruitless attempt to reach her as she is thrown on the rocky
shore 256CHAPTER XV.
A mysterious stranger partly in Indian garb makes his appearance at
the old “Forge” of James Leonard, in Taunton, and holds a private
conference with the latter, recounting his escape from shipwreck—
Metacom enters in disguise—The stranger and Metacom waylaid by
a band of kidnappers, but escape into the woods 275CHAPTER XVI.
Singular scene at a deserted house, a mile or two from Leonard's, between
Deacon Mudgridge and the Shadow, while anxiously awaiting
their party—The party at length arrive with alarming reports of a
contest with evil spirits and Indians, and all flee for Plymouth 296CHAPTER XVII.
Metacom's visit with the stranger to the secret cave of the Panisees or
Powahs to learn the fortunes of the war—The mysterious ceremonies
—The prophetic vision of Passaconaway, the aged seer, showing the
destiny of the red men, and then that of their white conquerers to
come 3248
CHAPTER XVIII.
A rapid sketch of the fall campaign, followed by a description of the
Great Swamp fight at the strong hold of the Narragansets—The conflagration,
massacre, and disastrous retreat—Captain Willis wounded,
and carried off into the woods by the mysterious stranger, who suddenly
appears at the close of the battle 342CHAPTER XIX.
The sickness of Willis in the wintry forest—Bold counsels of Nanuntenoo—He
is elected chief of the Narragansets—Willis removed to
the island of Aquidneck by the stranger 373CHAPTER XX.
Willis's long insensible condition at the house of a Quakeress—Her sad
story—Willis's recovery—Visit of Captain Mosely—Gloomy news 391CHAPTER XXI.
Scene at a house in Providence, of which the mysterious stranger and
the lost Madian appear to be the occupants—Willis, Captain Mosely
and Roger Williams arrive, and joyous developments transpire 412CHAPTER XXII.
A scene at the Southworth Mansion—The fears and bodings of Deacon
Mudgridge—The startling developments before the Court of Plymouth—And
the awful fate of Deacon Mudgridge 436THE CONCLUSION.
Brief sketch of the melancholy situation of the doomed red men—Their
last stand over the graves of their fathers at Mount Hope—the closing
scenes of the deaths of Metacom and Wetamoo 460
| The doomed chief, or, Two hundred years ago | |