many savages, the colour of whose faces was like that of
the stranger who is with us. They commenced talking to the Narragansetts
in a language which none of them understood, any more than they
understood the cry of the catamount. The Narragansetts were preparing to
use upon the strangers the bows and arrows which the Little Man had
given them, when one of them, laughing very loudly and sillily, held up
a strange-shaped thing, which had a long neck to it like the ugly bird
which cries in the brakes in the beginning of darkness. This he often
raised to his mouth, turning the top of the neck into it, and drinking
something from it, which he seemed to love very much. At last, down he
tumbled on the ground, singing very badly, and making very hideous
mouths, though the Indians could not tell what he laughed and mouthed
about. There he lay on his back, kicking as a frog swims, till the
Little Man went up to him, and took away the thing which held the
maddening draught. The Narragansetts demanded of the Little Man what he
had there.

"A bottle," he replied.

"What is there in it?" they asked.

"Good stuff! good rum(3)--very good rum," said he, shaking the bottle,
and winking with both eyes. "Here, taste and see," and he held out the
the bottle.

"T-a-s-t-e and s-e-e," cried the man who had fallen down, hiccuping.

The Narragansetts tasted of the rum, and liked it so well, that in a
little time they had drunk all there was in the bottle, and ask the
Little Man if he had any more. "Oh, great plenty," answered he, "the
White Men, like those who came in the canoe, let me have it dog-cheap.
I get almost all my worshippers by it; oh, I buy a great many
worshippers by it. Yes, plenty of good rum--Indians may have it almost
for nothing. The white men will bring me plenty of good rum."

"If you will let us have plenty of drink, like that in the bottle,
plenty of rum, you shall be our master," said the Indians. "It is a
great deal better than the Good Spirit's corn."

The bargain was soon made between the Evil Spirit and the Narragansetts.
The Evil Spirit agreed that his white men should let the Indians have as
much rum as the Narragansetts wanted, and they in return were to be his
servants. So, from that day to this, the Narragansetts have served the
Evil Spirit. They get from the Good Spirit the canoes which enable them
to cross rivers and catch fish, and the corn which fills their bellies,
but the bows and arrows which lead