usetts represented an Indian with the label in his
mouth, "Come over and help us." A few conversions had taken place, but
rather owing to the interest in the White men's worship taken by
individual Indians, than to any efforts on the part of the settlers.

Sixteen years, however, passed without overt aggression, though already
was beginning the sad story that is repeated wherever civilized man
extends his frontiers. The savage finds his hunting-ground broken up,
the White man's farm is ruined by the game or the chase, the luxuries of
civilization excite the natives' desires, mistrust leads to injury,
retaliation follows, and then war.

In 1634, only two years after Eliot's arrival, two gentlemen, with their
boat's crew, were killed on the Connecticut river, and some of the
barbarities took place that we shall too often have to notice--attacks by
the natives on solitary dwellings or lonely travellers, and increasing
anger on the part of the colonists, until they ceased to regard their
enemies as fellow-creatures.

However, the Pequots were likewise at war with the Dutch and with the
Narragansets, or river Indians, and they sent a deputation to endeavour
to make peace with the English, and secure their assistance against these
enemies. They were appointed to return for their answer in a month's
time; and after consultation with the clergy, Mr. Dudley and Mr. Ludlow,
the Governor and Deputy-Governor, decided on making a treaty with them,
on condition of their delivering up the murderers of the Englishmen, and
paying down forty beaver and thirty otter skins, besides 400 fathoms of
wampum, _i.e._ strings of the small whelks and Venus-shells that served
as current coin, a fathom being worth about five shillings.

It surprises us that Eliot's name first appears in connection with the
Indians as an objector to this treaty, and in a sermon too, at Roxbury;
not on any grounds of injustice to the Indians, but because it had been
conducted by the magistrates without reference to the people, which was
an offence to his views of the republican rights to be exercised in the
colony. So serious was his objection deemed, that a deputation was
appointed to explain the principles on which Government had acted, and
thus convince Mr. Eliot, which they did so effectually that he retracted
his censure in his next sermon.

Probably this was what first awakened John Eliot's interest in the Red-
skins; but for the next few years, in spite