English Seamen Drown Squando's Son
Item
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Title
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English Seamen Drown Squando's Son
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Date
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Summer
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1675
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Description
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In the summer of 1675, the wife and infant daughter of Squando (sachem of the Saco Wabanakis) were traveling by canoe when they were accosted by several English fishermen. The Englishmen seized the infant and threw her in the water, apparently to test the popular (and racist) belief that Indian children naturally knew how to swim like baby animals. While Squando’s wife immediately dove into the river and retrieved her, the infant died a few days later. Outraged by the incident, Squando led the Saco Indians into war with the English.
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Transcription
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[234] Some little Colour or Pretence of Injury was alledged before those Eastern Indians began [235] their Outrage both in the former, as well as in the present Year. The chief Actor or rather the Beginner of all the aforesaid Mischiefs Eastward, is one Squando, the Sagamore of Saco Indians, whose Squaw, as is said was abused by a rude and indiscreet Act: of some English Seamen in the last Summer, 1675, who either overset the Canoe wherein the said Squaw with her Child were swimming in a River thereabouts, or else to try whether the Children of the Indians as they had heard, could swim as naturally as any other Creatures, wittingly cast her Child in the Water; but the Squaw immediately diving into the Water after it, fetcht it up from the Bottom of the River: yet it so falling out that within a While after the said Child dyed (which it might have done if no such Affront had been offered) the said Squando Father of the Child hath been so provoked thereat that he hath ever since set himself to do all the Mischief he can to the English in those Parts, and was never as yet since that Time truly willing to be reconciled: Although he is said to have sent Home some that were taken Captive the last Year. Surely if their Hearts had not been secretly filled with Malice and Revenge before, they might have obtained Satisfaction for the Wrong done at [236] an easier Rate. More probable it is, that this was only an Occasion to vent the Mischief they formerly had conceived in their Hearts.
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Century
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17th Century
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Decade material covers
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1670s
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Subject
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Squando (Saco Sachem)
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Squando's wife [name unknown]
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Squando's daugher [name unknown] English settlers
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Saco Wabanakis
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Type
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Letter
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War
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King Philip's War
