Squanto also served as an intermediary between the Pilgrims andMassasoit, the Grand sachem of the Wampanoag (actual nameWoosamaquin or "Yellow Feather"). For the Wampanoag, the tenyears previous to the arrival of the Pilgrims had been the worstof times beyond all imagination. Micmac war parties had sweptdown from the north after they had defeated the Penobscot duringthe Tarrateen War (1607-15), while at the same time the Pequothad invaded southern New England from the northwest and occupiedeastern Connecticut. By far the worst event had been the threeepidemics which killed 75% of the Wampanoag. In the aftermath ofthis disaster, the Narragansett, who had suffered relativelylittle because of their isolated villages on the islands ofNarragansett Bay, had emerged as the most powerful tribe in thearea and forced the weakened Wampanoag to pay them tribute.Massasoit, therefore, had good reason to hope the English couldbenefit his people and help them end Narragansett domination. InMarch (1621) Massasoit, accompanied by Samoset, visited Plymouthand signed a treaty of friendship with the English giving thempermission of occupy the approximately 12,000 acres of what wasto become the Plymouth plantation. However, it is very doubtfulMassasoit fully understood the distinction between the Europeanconcept of owning land versus the native idea of sharing it. Forthe moment, this was unimportant since so many of his people haddied during the epidemics that New England was half-deserted.Besides, it must have been difficult for the Wampanoag toimagine how any people so inept could ever be a danger to them.The friendship and cooperation continued, and the Pilgrims weregrateful enough that fall to invite Massasoit to celebrate theirfirst harvest with them (The First Thanksgiving). Massasoit and90 of his men brought five deer, and the feasting lasted forthree days. The celebration was a little premature. During thewinter of 1622, a second ship arrived unexpectedly from England,and with 40 new mouths to feed, the Pilgrims were once againstarving. Forgiving the unfortunate incident in the graveyardthe previous year, the Nauset sachem Aspinet brought food toPlymouth.