Thomas Wentworth Higginson, A book of American explorers

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[333] than working in common. The common house, in which, for the first, we made our rendezvous, being near finished, wanted only covering, it being about twenty foot square. Some should make mortar, and gather thatch; so that in four days half of it was thatched. Frost and foul weather hindered us much.¹ This time of the year, seldom could we work half the week.

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Vi.—‘welcome, Englishmen!’

And, whilst we were busied hereabout, we were interrupted again; for there presented himself a savage, which caused an alarm. He very boldly came all alone, and along the houses, straight to the rendezvous; where we intercepted him, not suffering him to go in, as undoubtedly he would out of² his boldness. He saluted us in English, and bade us ‘Welcome;’ for he had learned some broken English among the Englishmen that came to fish at Monhiggon,³ and knew by name the most of the captains, commanders, and masters that usually come. He was a man free in speech, so far as he could express his mind, and of a seemly carriage. We questioned him of many things. He was the first savage we could meet withal. He said he was not of these parts, but of Morattiggon, and one of the sagamores or lords thereof, and had been eight months in these parts, it lying hence a day's sail with a great wind, and five days by land. He discoursed of the