‘Surely he was wounded, and has sunk, never to rise again!’ exclaimed Henrich.  ‘His doom has followed him!’

‘Mahneto be praised!’ cried Tisquantum; ’but I would I had seen him writhing in those flames!’ And he turned and left the spot.

Coubitant gained the western shore of the river; and he smiled a strange and ominous smile, as he looked across the waters, and saw the forms of his enemies by the light of that fire which had been intended to consume his quivering flesh, and dismiss from earth his undaunted and cruel spirit.

‘I will have vengeance yet!’ ha muttered:  and then he turned his steps towards the south, and paused not until he had traveled many miles down the river, when he lay down on its margin, and slept as soundly as if no guilt lay on his soul.

CHAPTER XVIII

’Out of small beginnings great things have arisen,...and as one small candle may light a thousand.  So the light here kindled hath shone on many.’  GOVERNOR BRADFORD’S JOURNAL.

Once more we must leave our Indian friends, and return to New Plymouth, and to comparatively civilized life, with all its cares and anxieties, from so many of which the wild tenants of the woods are free.

Cares and anxieties had, indeed, continued to be the portion of the Pilgrim Fathers and their families, though mingled with many blessings.  Their numbers had considerably increased during the years that elapsed since last we took a view of their condition; and their town bad assumed a much more comfortable and imposing appearance.  Many trading vessels had also visited the rising colony from the mother-country, and had brought out to the settlers useful supplies of clothing, and other articles of great value.  Among these, none were more acceptable to the emigrants than the first specimens of horned cattle, consisting of three cows and a bull, that reached the settlement about the third year after its establishment.  They were hailed with universal joy by all the inhabitants of New Plymouth, who seemed to feel as if the presence of such old accustomed objects, brought back to them a something of home that they had never felt before in the land of their exile.  These precious cattle were a common possession of the whole colony, and were not divided until the year 1627, when their numbers had greatly increased, and when a regular division of the houses and lands also took place.

The trade of the colony had, likewise, been considerably augmented, both with the Indians and with the English, whose fishing vessels frequented the coast, and were the means of their carrying on a constant intercourse and traffic with their friends at home.  One of these vessels brought out to the emigrants the sad intelligence of the death of their beloved pastor, John Robinson—­he who had been honored and respected by every Puritan community, whether in Europe or America, and for whose arrival the Pilgrims had