Final answer:
The 'needle dogs' refers to defensive traps set by indigenous people against European settlers as a response to colonization. The term likely metaphorically describes sharpened stakes used as traps, related to the broader context of violence and mistrust during the period of European colonization.
Step-by-step explanation:
The needle dogs' attacks on the colonists likely refer to defensive measures taken by indigenous people against European settlers, which often involved setting traps, such as sharpened stakes (sometimes referred to as 'needle dogs'), to protect their land and communities. These measures were a direct response to the violence and dispossession brought by European colonization, which for Indigenous people involved defending their homes, families, and way of life against invading forces. In the case of the Secotan attack on White's colony, it was a reaction to previous negative interactions with Lane's group. The needle traps mentioned might have been seen by colonists as 'demon dogs' due to their lethal and almost invisible nature in the landscape, creating a metaphorical image of an attacking creature. European colonization carried with it many forms of aggression, including the trading of indigenous captive people, which contributed to an environment of mistrust and violence, as reflected in the precautions taken by indigenous communities described in historical accounts.