Tahattawan was the Sagamore or "Great Chief" of the local indigenous people comprising the Nashoba band, part of the Massachusetts tribe that formed a part of the larger Algonquin speaking nation. Tahattawan "dwelt at Nashawtec" in the area of Musketaquid, part of what now is Concord, MA.The Reverend John Eliot of Concord, MA, a noble man, felt it incumbent on himself to protect the welfare of the local "Indians". Mr. Eliot proselytized and preached the word of God and Christianity to all the area tribes.
One day Tahattawan and some of his people went to "Nonantum" (part of Newton, MA) and heard Mr. Eliot preach. It was thought that Tahattawan was not all that taken by religious impressions, but was "smitten with a desire to rise above the wild course of savage life". Although faced with much cynicism among his tribe, Tahattawan did draw 29 to his way of thinking to initiate English habits for the betterment of the tribe.Mr. Eliot petitioned for the establishment of Indian "towns" May 3, 1654. "First, therefore the inhabitants of Nashoba living 7 or 8 miles west of Concord, desire to have liberty to make a town in y' place, with due accomadations thereunto. And though Concord have some conditional grants of lands y' way, yet I understand that we shall have a loving and Christian agreement betwixt them and the Indians". Land was granted in the current area of Littleton for Tahattawan's Nashobah tribe. Other such "towns" were established including current areas of Marlborough and Grafton.
These towns were collectively called "Praying Towns" where Mr. Eliot would visit to further civilize and Christianize the Indians. "Nashobah (or Nashobah Plantation), lying near two ponds as now bounded (Nashoba is an Algonkian term meaning "at or between the ponds", accordingly became an Indian town; and here a part of the Praying Indians in Concord, with others in the vicinity, gathered and adopted civil and religious order, and had a Ruler and other municipal officers, though no church was formed. Such as were entitled to Christian ordinances probably went to Natick to celebrate the communion after a church was organized there in 1660". "The tract was in extent 3760 acres". Recall from See History of Littleton - 1 the town of Concord, MA spanned what today is Littleton. MA.The Praying Towns continued to thrive and prosper until the start of the King Phillip Wars. But, aah, that's a story for another cache! However, sadly Tahattawan died during that time of causes unknown. Mr. Eliot characterized Tahattawan as a "Sachem of the Blood, a faithful and zealous Christian, a strict yet gentle Ruler".
To find the cache, you must do a little further research and identify the two "ponds" lying in Littleton that served to border the Nashobah Praying Town where Tahattawan lived his Christian life. Once identified, the larger of the two lakes will provide the "key" to "decoding" the puzzle text below. NOTE: Do not include the word "lake or pond" with the identified name. Good Luck
Potuxntazggiub! Ebu cwry fobj ghk qgphk oz aoxhn soaf zjo zvxre ubk coobz bnk tuhr ysbrn, csyg zkfu febst bnk hcb eoung puwtg fuix fid hneek. Dgekobm vs bsxl loaogej vkee. Cvka az UF, gaqs tbtk cl ghk fund ywma. NUHK: Ghk qgphk wy n moqxb atr TBT ob gay yhuae cory!
5/28/2013
Update: Previous solutions as of today will have to be re-solved as the hide location has been changed slightly for a more secure location. Please re-hide as found.