[1] He sent a bundle of arrows in a leather wrap tied with a snake skin to Plymouth governor William Bradford,[1] so Bradford filled the wrap with gunpowder and lead round shot and returned it to Canonicus.

[1] This first exposure to explosive powder and metal was met with "superstitious awe," in the words of Lossing:

[1] Roger Williams was driven from Massachusetts Bay Colony and sought refuge with the Narragansett tribe, and Canonicus made him welcome.

In 1637, Canonicus was largely responsible for the Narragansetts' decision to side with the colonists during the Pequot War.

The influence of his counsels lasted for many years after his death, and the Narragansett tribe maintained peaceful relations with the colonists until King Philip's War in 1675.