204 Judge Davis’ attempt to explain the inscription on Dighton rock, 
suppose intended to give more permanency to the chronicle, than 
could be given by Aoles in the ground. Other marks of more wregu- 
lar form I conceive to be merely the marks or signatures, appertaining 
to particular tribes, families, or distinguished individuals. Professor 
Pallas, in his travels into the north eastern provinces of Russia, men- 
tions a monument not dissimilar, which he noticed on the bank of a 
river, emptying into the Jenesei. He conceives it to be a sepulchral 
monument, and mentions the bones found in the vicinity. The in 
scription he supposes to represent the signatures of the persons bu- 
ried near the spot. In the collections of the Historical Society we 
find copies of engagements made by Awasuncks and her Indians with 
the governor of Plymouth in i671, and another from the Dartmouth 
Indians. The originals were once in my hands, and I well recollect, 
that many of the signatures exhibited rude resemblances of birds, 
beasts, fishes, and other objects. One delineated a tortoise with 
considerable exactness. After the arrival of our ancestors and an in- 
tercourse with them, many of the Indians were fond of taking En- 
glish names. Masassoit named his two sons Alexander and Philip. 
Those, who were able, would be proud to employ their English name, 
or at least the initial, when called upon to affix their signature. J have 
a deed given by Wanasittas, alias Alexander, in which he signs by af- 
fixing the letter 4 to the seal. This may help us to account for the 
Roman capitals, that appear on the rock, particularly in Mr. Kendal’s 
copy- On the whole, I cannot but think it highly probable that 
general Washington’s opinion of this inscription, given when he saw 
a copy of it in the college museum, is correct, and that it was the work 
of the native Indians of our country. — It appears to me to have beet 
designed to represent and commemorate exploits of hunting ; and 
that the characteristic signatures of some of the principal actors wer 
added. ts application to hunting is inferred principally from what 
