“when they will not give a doit to relieve a lame beggar, they will lay out ten to see a dead Indian.”
– William Shakespeare writes In The Tempest (Shakespeare would most likely have saw Epenow when he was kidnapped and put on display in London in 1612)
“First Thanksgiving at Plymouth” oil painting by Jennie A. Brownscombe, 1914
Thanksgiving’s Peace Pipe
Many have heard the story of the first Thanksgiving, few know it was the Peace Pipe that made it all possible!
After a brutal first 4 months in the New World, the Pilgrims would need a miracle to survive the coming winter. Little did they know that miracle would be the Peace Pipe!
On March 16, 1621 after months of since from the natives a lone native just strolled into the Pilgrim camp… Even more shocking to the settlers, the native spoke English!
The bold Natives request? Beer!
“Friday the 16th a fair warm day towards; this morning we determined to conclude of the military orders, which we had begun to consider of before but were interrupted by the savages, as we mentioned formerly; and whilst we were busied hereabout, we were interrupted again, for there presented himself a savage, which caused an alarm. He very boldly came all alone and along the houses straight to the rendezvous, where we intercepted him, not suffering him to go in, as undoubtedly he would, out of his boldness. He saluted us in English, and bade us welcome, for he had learned some broken English among the Englishmen that came to fish at Monchiggon, and knew by name the most of the captains, commanders, and masters that usually come. He was a man free in speech, so far as he could express his mind, and of a seemly carriage. We questioned him of many things; he was the first savage we could meet withal. He said he was not of these parts, but of Morattiggon, and one of the sagamores or lords thereof, and had been eight months in these parts, it lying hence a day’s sail with a great wind, and five days by land. He discoursed of the whole country, and of every province, and of their sagamores, and their number of men, and strength. The wind being to rise a little, we cast a horseman’s coat about him, for he was stark naked, only a leather about his waist, with a fringe about a span long, or little more; he had a bow and two arrows, the one headed, and the other unheaded. He was a tall straight man, the hair of his head black, long behind, only short before, none on his face at all; he asked some beer, but we gave him strong water and biscuit, and butter, and cheese, and pudding, and a piece of mallard, all which he liked well, and had been acquainted with such amongst the English. He told us the place where we now live is called Patuxet, and that about four years ago all the inhabitants died of an extraordinary plague, and there is neither man, woman, nor child remaining, as indeed we have found none, so as there is none to hinder our possession, or to lay claim unto it. All the afternoon we spent in communication with him; we would gladly have been rid of him at night, but he was not willing to go this night. Then we thought to carry him on shipboard, wherewith he was well content, and went into the shallop, but the wind was high and the water scant, that it could not return back. We lodged him that night at Stephen Hopkins’ house, and watched him.
The next day he went away back to the Massasoits, from whence he said he came, who are our next bordering neighbors. They are sixty strong, as he saith. The Nausets are as near southeast of them, and are a hundred strong, and those were they of whom our people were encountered, as before related. They are much incensed and provoked against the English, and about eight months ago slew three Englishmen, and two more hardly escaped by flight to Monchiggon; they were Sir Ferdinando Gorges his men, as this savage told us, as he did likewise of the huggery, that is, fight, that our discoverers had with the Nausets, and of our tools that were taken out of the woods, which we willed him should be brought again, otherwise, we would right ourselves. These people are ill affected towards the English, by reason of one Hunt, a master of a ship, who deceived the people, and got them under color of trucking with them, twenty out of this very place where we inhabit, and seven men from Nauset, and carried them away, and sold them for slaves like a wretched man (for twenty pound a man) that cares not what mischief he doth for his profit.
Saturday, in the morning we dismissed the savage, and gave him a knife, a bracelet, and a ring; he promised within a night or two to come again”
– Edward Winslow account of the first meeting with Samoset March 16 from ‘Mourt’s Relation’ in 1622
Samoset first visit with the Pilgrims 1621. Image from the book ‘Our pioneer heroes and their daring deeds’ in 1887
Not having any beer brewed, the settlers gave Samoset “hard water” or hard alcohol with food. Samoset was at ease with the pilgrims having had experience trading with the English hunters, fisherman and fur traders who had ventured up to Maine near his lands and who had taught him enough English to communicate.
On his first visit, Samoset briefly explained the local natives hesitation having been deceived just years earlier by a Captain Hunt kidnapping several tribesmen against their will.
After another successful solo visit by Samoset a couple days later, he would return with a local who had a past with the English.
At 11am on March 22 Samoset approached the Pilgrim village carrying furs and dried herring to attempt to trade with the villagers. This time he wasn’t alone.
Squanto was a local native who spoke English surprisingly well. Squanto was one of the natives who had been abducted by Captain Thomas Hunt in 1616 and basically kidnapped back to England to sell into slavery.
In 1619 he was taken aboard another voyage coming back home to the new world as a translator. Upon arriving, an earlier escapee from the Indian slave trade (taken by Capt. Edward Harlow who was commissioned by Sir Ferdinando Gorges to kidnap Indians in the new world for slaves in 1611) named Epenow attacked the ship from canoes. Rescuing Squanto, all but two were killed in freeing Squanto. He would later change his name and be known as ‘Tisquantum’.
The two English speaking natives told the Pilgrims that the local leader Sachem Massasoit was nearby with his brother Quadequina and wanted to meet with them.
An hour later Massasoit accompanied by 60 men appeared on the hill overlooking the village. Concerned with their safety, the Pilgrims sent Edward Winslow to serve as ambassador.
“We sent to the King a payre of Knives, and a Copper Chayne, with a jewell at it. To Quadequina we sent likewise a Knife and a Jewell to hang in his eare, and withall a Pot of strong water, a good quantity of Bisket, and some butter, which were all accepted: our Messenger [Winslow] made a speech unto him, that King James saluted him with words of love and Peace, and did accept him as his Friend and Alie, and that our Governour desired to see him and to trucke with him, and to confirme a Peace with him, and his next neighbour: he liked well of the speech and heard it attentively, though the Interpreters did not well expresse it; after he had eaten and drunke himselfe, and given the rest to his company, he looked upon his messengers sword and armour which he had on, with intimation of his desire to buy it, but on the other side, our messenger shewed his unwillingness to part with it: In the end he left him in the custodie of Quadequina his brother, and came over the brooke, and some twentie men following him, leaving all their Bowes and Arrowes behind them. We kept six or seaven as hostages for our messenger.”
– from Edward Winslow journal, 1621
After the brief meeting at the river, Massasoit and his brother Quadequina backed by 20 of the men followed Captain Standish and William Brewster to have a meeting with the leader of the Pilgrims Governor John Carver.
The meeting place was a house under construction by the colony. On the floor, the Pilgrims had placed a green rug and three or four cushions.
Edward Winslow described the scene with Massasoit and his men,
“…a very lustie [strong] man, in his best yeares, an able body, grave of countenance, and spare of speech: In his Attyre little or nothing differing from the rest of his followers, only a great Chaine of white bone Beades about his neck, and at it behind his necke, hangs a little bagg of Tobacco, which he dranke and gave us to drinke; his face was paynted with a sad [dark] red like murray, and oyled both head and face, that he looked greasily: All his followers were likewise, were in their faces, in part or in whole painted, some blacke, some red, some yellow, and some white, some with crosses and other Antick [antique] workes, some had skins on them, and some naked, all strong, tall, all men in appearance…”
– from Edward Winslow journal, 1621
Engraving of Massasoit and governor John Carver smoking peace pipe on March 22, 1621. Image from the book ‘A popular history of the United States of America, from the aboriginal times to the present day’ in 1881
After the Peace smoke, the Treaty was agreed upon by both groups. With the treaty, the trading of goods and more importantly for the pilgrims the trading of knowledge was started between the two. After losing nearly half of the 101 people that started the journey in only the first 4 months, they needed a miracle to survive.
The natives through Squanto, would teach the Pilgrims how to farm their native land. With the natives teachings the pilgrims had their first successful harvest season.
Squanto or Tisquantum teaching the Plymouth colonists to plant corn with fish. From ‘The Teaching of Agriculture in the High School’ in 1911
Having harvested all they would need for the coming winter, the colonist planed a impromptu harvest celebration. Sending men to hunt for birds to feed the harvest feast, the hunters came back with enough birds to feed the colony for weeks. In a post hunt celebration the men fired shots into the air.
Thinking their new allies were under attack, 90 of Massasoit’s men rushed to help. Realizing it was only a celebration, they stayed and partied for 3 days!
This harvest celebration would become known as the first Thanksgiving!
“our harvest being gotten in,our governour sent foure men on fowling, that so we might after a speciall manner rejoyce together, after we had gathered the fruits of our labours ; they foure in one day killed as much fowle, as with a little helpe beside, served the Company almost a weeke, at which time amongst other Recreations, we exercised our Armes, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and amongst the rest their greatest king Massasoyt, with some ninetie men, whom for three dayes we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five Deere, which they brought to the Plantation and bestowed on our Governour, and upon the Captaine and others. And although it be not always so plentifull, as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so farre from want, that we often wish you partakers of our plentie.”
– Edward Winslow account of the ‘first Thanksgiving’ from ‘Mourt’s Relation’ in 1622
On this Thanksgiving Day, remember not only the harvest meal shared but also the Peace Pipe that made it all possible.
Statue of Massasoit with peace pipe in Plymouth, Massachusetts