CHAPTER VII.
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XPEDITION OF 8TANDISH TO WEYMOUTH. — DARING POLICY.— SLAUGHTER OF THE CONSPIRING INDIANS. — THE COL-ONY OF WESTON BROKEN UP. PRIVATIONS AND SUF-FERINGS AT PLYMOUTH: DROUGHT: SEASONABLESUPPLY OF RAIN. ADDITIONAL ARRIVAL. THE information given by Massasoit being confirmed by fartherevidence, it was resolved, with extraordinary boldness, to take theoffensive, and strike a deadly blow at the heads of the conspiracy.Captain Standish, with only eight companions, set forth for Wessa-gusset, to protect the people there, and especially to get the head ofone of the chief conspirators — " Wittawamut, a notable insultingvillain, who had formerly imbued his hands in the blood of Frenchand English, and had oft boasted of his own valor and derided theirweakness, especially because, as he said, they died crying, making sourfaces, more like children than men." The captain, on arriving there,warned the settlers of their danger, and collected them within thetown. An Indian spy, who presently entered, under pretence oftrading in furs, reported to his people that, though he spokesmoothly, "he saw by his eyes that he was angry in his heart."Seeing their plot discovered, the conspiring chiefs made no attemptto conceal their enmity. " One Pecksuot, who was a paniese, being aman of notable spirit," told Hobbamock, who had come with theparty, that they had heard that Standish was come to kill them—"tell him," he said, "we know it, but fear him not, neither will weelmn him; but let him begin when he dare, he shall not take us atunawares." One or two at a time, the savages would present themselves, whet-ting their knives before the captain's face, and making other men-
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