ious, that could further a desired object, especially if that
object was so undoubtedly good in itself as that which now engrossed
his thoughts and wishes. He did not know that it is sin to 'do evil
that good may come'; and therefore we must judge him by his generous
motives, and not by his heathen practice.

Having thus freed himself from those on whose discretion and fidelity
he could not fully rely, he changed his course, and traveled straight
towards New Plymouth. There was no beaten track through the tangled
woods in that direction; but the position of the sun, and the
appearance of the trees, were sufficient guides for the sagacious
Indian Chief, and, in spite of his advanced age, he pursued his way
with vigor and activity. Frequently his path was obstructed by the
luxuriant growth of underwood, or by the cable-like creepers that hung
in every direction, crossing each other like the rigging of a ship, and
presenting obstacles that nothing but the tomahawks that hung from the
girdles of the natives enabled them to overcome. With these weapons--
ever ready, in the hand of an Indian, either to cut his way through the
forest, to fell the timbers for his wigwam or his canoe, to slay the
game that his arrows have brought to the ground, or to cleave the skull
of his enemy--did old Masasoyt and his devoted followers divide the
large tough climbing plants that obstructed their passage. Sometimes,
also, when the sun was totally obscured and the necessary windings in
their course would hive rendered them uncertain whether they were
following the right direction, these useful tomahawks enabled them to
consult the Indian compass.

The manner in which these children of the wilderness supply to
themselves the want of that invaluable instrument is both curious and
ingenious, and it proved of essential use to the Wampanoge Chief on
this occasion. Whenever he found himself at fault from the absence of
the sun, or any other direct indication of the proper course, he raised
his battle-axe, and struck a heavy blow at some neighboring pine or
birch tree, on each side of which he cut a deep notch, and then, by
examining the grain of the wood, he could tell which was the north, and
which the south side--the former being easily ascertained by the
greater closeness of the concentric rings, and consequent hardness of
the fiber. The sap being more drawn to the south side by the action of
the sun, causes the rings on that side to swell more