ose who followed them. Nor did the evil consequences of their ill
conduct rest with themselves. They fell also on the peaceably-disposed
colony of Plymouth, and were the means of involving them in hostilities
with the natives, which had hitherto been warded off by the kind and
judicious management of the Governor and his assistants.

The general state of peace which had, up to this period, been
maintained with the Indians, was greatly to be attributed to the bold
and decisive measures that were always adopted by Miles Standish, the
military chief of the little community, and the leader of every warlike
expedition. He well knew how to impress the natives with a due respect,
for he never tolerated the slightest injury or insult, and yet he never
permitted his men to be guilty of any act of injustice or oppression
towards the red men.

Since the arrival of Weston's disorderly colony, Captain Standish had
shown himself even more decided in maintaining the rights and the
dignity of the Plymouthers, and had endeavored to show the natives that
they were not to identify the new comers with those whom they had
already learnt to know and to respect. But at length, in spite of all
these judicious measures, the Pilgrims were drawn into the quarrel that
subsisted between their countrymen of Wessagussett and the natives;
and, having drawn the sword, they certainly forgot the principles of
mercy and humanity that had hitherto guided them. Active measures
were, undoubtedly, called for; but cruelty and stratagem were unworthy
of these Christian warriors.

The continued marauding expeditions of the men of Wessagussett had
exasperated the neighboring tribes to the last degree; and the state of
weakness to which they were reduced by their own thoughtless and
improvident conduct, led the natives to suppose that they would fall an
easy prey to their combined force. They, therefore, again formed a
combination to attack and utterly destroy these oppressive intruders
into their country. Probably the council of Chiefs, who met in the
depths of the forest to arrange their plan of operations, would have
contented themselves with contriving the destruction of the new and
offending colony, which they might easily have effected had they
confined their projected operations to that object alone. But there was
one in the council who could not rest satisfied with such a partial
vengeance on the white strangers; and his fiery eloquence, and false
ass