WAMPANOAG INDIANS OF MASSACHUSETTS. 891 



in the colony 905 Indiana of every age, 223 of whom were in the county 

 of Plymouth, 515 in the county of Barnstable, and 167 in the county of 

 Bristol. Since that period their numbers are much lessened. There is 

 at present [1792] no Indian church in the counties of Plymouth or 

 Bristol, and Mashpee only, in the county of Barnstable. Of 134 Indians 

 in Dartmouth and Freetown in 1764 there are now [1792] about 33 left. 

 (Information of Rev. Mr. Backus.) 



In the other towns of Bristol they are probably extinct. There are 

 four or five families of Indians in Middleborough, two or three in Pem- 

 broke, five or six persons in Bridgewater, and probably a few scattered 

 about in other parts of the county of Plymouth. (Inf. of Rev. Mr. B.) 

 In the county of Barnstable a few Indians remain at Potanumaquut, a 

 few in the town of Barnstable, and a few at Herring Pond, between 

 Sandwich and Plymouth. But the great budy of them reside at Mash- 

 pee, where there are about 80 families, consisting principally of a mixed 

 race, not more than 40 or 50 persons being pure Indians. (MS. Let. of 

 Eev. Mr. Mellen.) 



In September 14, 1674, Mr. Cotton writes as follows of the Indian 

 towns upon Martha's Vineyard: "When I lived at the Vineyard the 

 praying towns were Chappaquidgick [an island east of Martha's Vine- 

 yard, separated from it by a strait about a quarter of a mile wide. It 

 is within the limits of Edgartown], Kashamoiess [the south part of 

 Edgartowu], Seugekoutakit [also spelled Sanckecantacket, the north 

 part of Edgartown], Toikiming [Taacame or Takame,Tisbury], ]Nask- 

 uakemmink [Xashonohkamack, Chilmark], Talhamo [probably part of 

 Chilmark], one church there gathered long before, but no officers. Since 

 I lived here [Sandwich] I went over with Mr. Eliot thither [in the year 

 1670], and Hiacoomes was ordained pastor; John Tokinosh, teacher; 

 John Nonoso and Joshua Mummeecheeg, ruling elders." 



In the year 1692 the number of Indians on Martha's Vineyard was 

 much lessened. The church, however, at that time consisted of more 

 than 100 persons. (Mat. Mayhew's 2far., p. 28.) 



In the year 1720 there were on the Vineyard six small villages, con- 

 taining about 155 families and about 800 souls. Each of these villages 

 was supplied with an Indian preacher. There was also a small assembly 

 at Wintkrop's Island; another, consisting of twelve or fourteen families, 

 at Tucker's Island and ^Nashaun, which lie near together. There were 

 a few Indians left at No Man's Land. Beside these Indian assemblies 

 there was a small congregation of Baptists at Gay Head. [Exp. May- 

 hew's Nar. of Ind. on Mar. Vin., p. 2.] For the state of the Indian Bap- 

 tists on Martha's Vineyard in the year 1774, see Backus's Hist., vol I, 

 p. 439. In the year 1764 there were remaining in Duke's County 313 

 Indians, 86 of whom were in Edgartown, 39 in Tisbury, and 188 in Chil- 

 mark. About that period they begau to intermarry with negroes, in 

 consequence of which the mixed race has increased in numbers and im- 

 proved in temperance and industry. At present [about 1792] there arc 



