See quotation, 1832.
1812. The Squantum Celebration will be this day, at the old celebrated spot…. We understand that the antient celebrators of the Squantum Feast will be honored with the presence of their illustrious friends, Caleb Strong and William Phillips.—Boston-Gazette, Aug. 24.
1817. There is an annual festival observed in the neighbourhood of Boston, which is called the Feast of Squantum.—Mass. Spy, Aug. 6.
1822. Announcement that the Squantum Festival will be held at Long Pond, Aug. 28. “Ample provision will be made for guests, every one of whom is requested to furnish himself with a knife and fork.”—Id., Aug. 14.
1826. The annual Squantum Feast will take place on Friday, near the Floating Bridge at Long Pond.—Id., Sept. 6.
1832. The feast of Squantum is held annually on the shore to the E. of Neponset Bridge, at a rocky point projecting into Boston Bay, about 5 miles from the city. The observance of this festival is on the wane. Squantum was the name of the last Indian female who resided there; and, when the feast is held with the ancient ceremonies, a person comes forth dressed as Squantum herself, and harangues the people in the metaphorical manner of the Indians. During the late war, when political parties were violent, the feast of Squantum was attended by crowds, and in fact both parties had a distinct celebration. Some of the ceremonies consisted in brightening the chain of peace, and in burying the tomahawk in a place indicated by the representative of Squantum. A Sachem too, dressed in blanket and moccasins, would sometimes assume the direction of the feast. The Indian phraseology is affected, and the notification of the feast sets forth that the “wigwam will contain all the good things of the sea and sand,” and it is commonly dated at the new moon of the month of string-beans.
It is a ‘feast of shells,’ and the refreshments are lobsters, clams, oysters, quahogs and every fish that is covered with a shell, together with the fish soup called chowder. It is common to eat these only with clam shells instead of spoons, and it is not held to be proper to drink from anything but wood. This is the only observance that reminds the present proprietors of the soil of the simple race from which they wrested or received the possession.—S. G. Goodrich, ‘System of Universal Geography,’ p. 106 note (Boston).
