622 INDIAN LAND CESSIONS IX THE UNITED STATES [kth.ans. 18 



Auil I doe hereby bind myself, my heires and successors, to maiutaine all and every 

 of tbeir peaceable enjoyment of the foresaid lands from any other clainie or bar- 

 gaine whatsoever. And I do hereby authorize Saimkussecit alias Tom of Wauohi- 



moqnt to marke trees and set the bounds of the land aforesaid in case that 



great meadow at or about Loqusqusitt fall not within the bounds aforesaid, yet it 

 shall be for them to enjoye the said medow forever.' 



Deed from the successorn of Caiioiiiciis and Mianlonomi, 1659. 



This be known to all that it may concerue, in all ages to come, that I Caujani- 

 quaunte, sachem of the Narragansetts, ratify and coutirme to the men of Providence, 

 and to the men of Pa\¥tuxcette, their laudes, and deed, that my brother Meantono- 

 iMiah made over and disposed to them, namely, all the landes, between Pawtuckette 

 river and Pawtuxcette river, up the streams without limit for their use of cattle. - 



This was ackuowledged and confirmed by tlie other .sachems inter- 

 ested. 



Deed to the Island of Aquednecl' (Rhode Island), March 24, 1637. 



Memorandum. That we Cannonuicus and Miantunnomu j" two chiefe Sachems of 

 the Nanhiggansitts, by vertue of our geuerall command of this Bay, as allso the 

 perticular subjectinge of the dead Sachims of Acijuednecke and Kitackamuckqutt, 

 themselves and land unto us, have sold unto Mr. Coddington and his friends united 

 unto him, the great Island of Acquednecke lyingefrom hence Eastward in this Bay, 

 as allso the marsh or grasse upon Quinunicutt and the rest of the Islands in the Bay 

 (exceptinge Chibachnwesa formerly sould unto Mr. Winthrop, the now Governour of 

 the Massachusetts and Mr. Williams of Providencel.^ 



January 12, 1642, Miantonomi sold to the inhabitants of Shawomot 

 (Warwick) : "Lands lyinge uppon the west syde of that part of the sea 

 called Sowbomes Bay, from Copassanatuxett, over against a little 

 i.sland in the sayd bay, being the north bounds, and the utmost point of 

 that neck of land called Shawhomett; being the South bounds ffrom the 

 sea shoare of each boundary uppou a straight lyne westward twentie 

 miles." 



As the same system of dealing with the Indians prevailed in the 

 Ehode Island as in the Providence settlement, and also in the colony 

 after the union of the two, the above examj)les will sufiflce to show the 

 practical methods adopted in carrying out their policy. This method 

 of obtaining the Indians' right was carried ou until practically all the 

 lands included in the state as at present bounded were obtained. 



It would seem from some laws which were passed at a comparatively 

 early date, that the vicious practice of individual purchases began to 

 make its appearance in the otherwise prudent and commendable policy. 

 These orders or laws were i>assed for the purpose of putting a stop to 

 this practice. 



The flr.st of the.se found on the record was passed in 1651, and is as 

 follows : 



Ordered ; That no purchase shall be made of any Laud of y» natives for a planta- 

 tion without the consent of this State, except it bee for the clearinge of the Indians 



^Khode Island Colonial Records, vol. i, pp.31-32. ''Ibid., p. 35. *Ibid., p.45. 



