er and their minister, Elder
Brewster, cooked, washed, waited on the sick, and did everything that
kind hearts and willing hands could to help their suffering friends.
But the men who had begun to build houses had to stop that work to
dig graves. When these graves were filled, they were smoothed down
flat so that no prowling Indian should count them and see how few
white men there were left.

68. Samoset,[8] Squanto,[9] and Massasoit[10] visit the
Pilgrims.--One day in the spring the Pilgrims were startled at seeing
an Indian walk boldly into their little settlement. He cried out in
good English, "Welcome! Welcome!" This visitor was named Samoset;
he had met some sailors years before, and had learned a few English
words from them.

The next time Samoset came he brought with him another Indian, whose
name was Squanto. Squanto was the only one left of the tribe that
had once lived at Plymouth. All the rest had died of a dreadful
sickness, or plague. He had been stolen by some sailors and carried
to England; there he had learned the language. After his return he
had joined an Indian tribe that lived about thirty miles further west.
The chief of that tribe was named Massasoit, and Squanto said that
he was coming directly to visit the Pilgrims.

In about an hour Massasoit, with some sixty warriors, appeared on
a hill just outside the settlement. The Indians had painted their
faces in their very gayest style--black, red, and yellow. If paint
could make them handsome, they were determined to look their best.

[Footnote 8: Samoset (Sam'o-set).]

[Footnote 9: Squanto (Skwon'to).]

[Footnote 10: Massasoit (Mas'sa-soit').]

69. Massasoit and Governor Carver make a treaty of friendship; how
Thanksgiving was kept; what Squanto did for the Pilgrims.--Captain
Standish, attended by a guard of honor, went out and brought the chief
to Governor Carver. Then Massasoit and the governor made a solemn
promise or treaty, in which they agreed that the Indians of his tribe
and the Pilgrims should live like friends and brothers, doing all
they could to help each other. That promise was kept for more than
fifty years; it was never broken until long after the two men who
made it were in their graves.

[Illustration: CAPTAIN STANDISH AND MASSASOIT.]

When the Pilgrims had their first Thanksgiving, they invited
Massasoit and his men to come and share it. The Indians brought
venison and other good things; there were plenty of wild turk