to the chiefs, telling them, through the interpreter, that it
was to show his affection.

The Indians, after their usual custom, deferred their answer to the next
day, when the council again met, and the Norridgewock chief, Wiwurna,
addressed the governor as spokesman for his people. In defiance of every
Indian idea of propriety, Shute soon began to interrupt him with
questions and remarks. Wiwurna remonstrated civilly; but Shute continued
his interruptions, and the speech turned to a dialogue, which may be
abridged thus, Shute always addressing himself, not to the Indian
orator, but to the interpreter.

The orator expressed satisfaction at the arrival of the governor, and
hoped that peace and friendship would now prevail.

GOVERNOR (_to the interpreter_). Tell them that if they behave
themselves, I shall use them kindly.

ORATOR (_as rendered by the interpreter_). Your Excellency was pleased
to say that we must obey King George. We will if we like his way of
treating us.

GOVERNOR. They must obey him.

ORATOR. We will if we are not disturbed on our lands.

GOVERNOR. Nor must they disturb the English on theirs.

ORATOR. We are pleased that your Excellency is ready to hear our
complaints when wrong is done us.

GOVERNOR. They must not pretend to lands that belong to the English.

ORATOR. We beg leave to go on in order with our answer.

GOVERNOR. Tell him to go on.

ORATOR. If there should be any quarrel and bloodshed, we will not avenge
ourselves, but apply to your Excellency. We will embrace in our bosoms
the English that have come to settle on our land.

GOVERNOR. They must not call it their land, for the English have bought
it of them and their ancestors.

ORATOR. We pray leave to proceed with our answer, and talk about the
land afterwards.

Wiwurna, then, with much civility, begged to be excused from receiving
the Bible and the minister, and ended by wishing the governor good wind
and weather for his homeward voyage.

There was another meeting in the afternoon, in which the orator declared
that his people were willing that the English should settle on the west
side of the Kennebec as far up the river as a certain mill; on which the
governor said to the interpreter: "Tell them we want nothing but our
own, and that that we will have;" and he ordered an old deed of sale,
signed by six of their chiefs, to be shown and explained to them.
Wiwurna returned that though his tribe were uneasy about their la