INDIAN MASSACRE. 119 



are now embroiled with the Canadians. They, 

 too, passed measures of retaliation, not paper 

 measures, like those of Congress, but measures 

 of powder and ball, such as our down-East 

 smack owners would like to have the nation 

 pass on their account against Canada. The re- 

 sult of the fight in 1644 was very satisfactory. 

 One hundred and thirty troops, most of them 

 Dutch, under Capt. John Underhill, exter- 

 minated 700 " savages," first setting their vil- 

 lage on fire and then driving men, women, and 

 children back into the flames. It is mentioned 

 by the historian as a proof of the incorrigible 

 obstinacy of these people that they perished 

 without uttering a single cry. But, like the 

 Israelites of old, the Dutch considered that 

 God was present on the occasion to help them, 

 for *' the Lord collected most of our enemies 

 there to celebrate some peculiar festival." 



There is now a Quaker meeting-house hard 

 by the spot of that inhuman massacre. This 

 peaceful sect came here too late for the poor 

 Indians. There was no William Penn among 

 those cruel Dutch to stay their hand, and to 

 inculcate the policy of peace by which he ob- 

 tained his conquests, and which gave to Penn- 

 sylvania the true title-deeds for her lands, 



