will recollect that if the Great Spirit was
offended with the Aberginians, and breathed a hot breath upon them and
so they died, he smiles upon the Taranteens and increases their
number, and makes sharp the points of their arrows, and directs their
tomahawks, and subdues all the tribes around unto them. These two
belts preserve my words.

"As for trade, the Taranteens enjoy already a good trade with their
friends and allies the French; but if they have anything which their
brothers Owanux want, they will not refuse to exchange with them. This
one belt preserve my words."

Having thus spoken, and been greeted from time to time with an
ejaculation from his companions, the old warrior resumed his seat,
amid a shower of "ughs."

He was replied to, at the request of Winthrop, by Eliot himself, who
gladly seized the opportunity to disabuse the Indians of any
prejudices that might have tainted their minds, and to open them for
the reception of that Christianity which he had so much at heart.

"It was on account of the wickedness of the Aberginians," he said,
"that they were swept off from the face of the land, and it was not
merely for the purpose of trade that Owanux or the English had been
sent by the Great Spirit to take their places. If the English became
wicked, they, also, would be destroyed in like manner, and so would
all who should imitate them. But the English were sent to the Indians
with a message which was not painted on bark or handed down with
pieces of wam-pom-peag, but put into a book whence it spoke always the
same words, and they were those which the Great Spirit himself had
spoken with his own voice. The message was to make them better and
happier; and, he hoped, that they would allow him, at another time, to
tell it to them. He heard with great pleasure, and so did the
Governor, how much they loved peace. The English loved peace too, and
would water the young tree they should plant that day, and fence it
round, so that no bear or other wild animal should trample upon it
while it was small. The Great Spirit said in the wise book which He
had given to the English, that He loved peace; and contained many
things, besides, which it would be useful and pleasant for the Indians
to know. The book was called Good Tidings; and he hoped that it would
rejoice the hearts of his Indian friends."

When Eliot had ended, another Indian arose, and said: "That their
friends, the long robes, among the French, had also