Black & Blue: Hearts and Minds: An Artist's Book, 1991
LISTEN TO THE WORDS OF MY ANCESTORS: They often said things like this:
"We have found the Indians very faithful in their covenants of peace with us, very loving and ready to pleasure us. We often go to them and they come to us: some of us have been fifty miles . . . in country with them . . . We entertain them familiarly in our houses and they as friendly bestowing their venison on us. They are a people without any religion or knowledge of any God, yet very trusty, quick of apprehension, ripe witted, just."
Edward Winslow of Plymouth Plantation
December 11,1621
But they also said things like this:
"Some will say, what right have I to go live in the heathen's country? . . . Now it seemeth unto me that we ought . . . to endeavor . . . to convert them . . . This then is a sufficient reason to prove our going thither to live lawful: their land is spacious and void, and there are few and do but run over the grass, as do all the foxes and wild beasts. They are not industrious, neither have art, science, skill or faculty to use either the land or the commodities of it, but all spoils, rots, and is marred for want of manuring, gathering, ordering, etc . . ."
Robert Cushman of Plymouth Plantation
c. 1622