USA > Virginia > Narratives of early Virginia, 1606-1625 > Part 3
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The sixt of August there died John Asbie of the bloudie Flixe.1 The ninth day died George Flowre of the swelling. The tenth day died William Bruster Gentleman, of a wound given by the Savages, and was buried the eleventh day.
The fourteenth day, Jerome Alikock, Ancient, died of a wound, the same day, Francis Midwinter, Edward Moris Cor- porall died suddenly.
1 Bloody flux or dysentery. Most of these names appear in the list of the first planters, printed in the first chapter of The Proceedings of the English Col- onie, post, or in the fuller list which Smith gives on folios 43, 44, of his Generall Historie. These, however, read Jeremy Alicock, Edward Morish, Thomas Gore, Dru Pickhouse, Kellam Throgmorton, William Rodes and Thomas Studley.
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OBSERVATIONS BY GEORGE PERCY
1607]
The fifteenth day, their died Edward Browne and Stephen Galthorpe. The sixteenth day, their died Thomas Gower Gentleman. The seventeenth day, their died Thomas Mounslic. The eighteenth day, there died Robert Pennington, and John Martine Gentleman. The nineteenth day, died Drue Piggase Gentleman. The two and twentieth day of August, there died Captaine Bartholomew Gosnold,1 one of our Councell: he was honourably buried, having all the Ordnance in the Fort shot off, with many vollies of small shot.
After Captaine Gosnols death, the Councell could hardly agree by the dissention of Captaine Kendall, which afterwards was committed about hainous matters which was proved against him.
The foure and twentieth day, died Edward Harington and George Walker, and were buried the same day. The six and twentieth day, died Kenelme Throgmortine. The seven and twentieth day died William Roods. The eight and twentieth day died Thomas Stoodie, Cape Merchant.2
The fourth day of September died Thomas Jacob Sergeant. The fift day, there died Benjamin Beast. Our men were de- stroyed with cruell diseases, as Swellings, Flixes, Burning Fevers, and by warres, and some departed suddenly, but for the most part they died of meere famine. There were never Englishmen left in a forreigne Countrey in such miserie as wee were in this new discovered Virginia. Wee watched every three nights, lying on the bare cold ground, what weather soever came, [and] warded all the next day, which brought our men to bee most feeble wretches. Our food was but a small Can of Barlie sod in water, to five men a day, our drinke cold water taken out of the River, which was at a floud verie
1 Captain Gosnold had exerted great influence in establishing the London Company. In 1602 he had made a voyage to New England, for an account of which see Brereton's Briefe and True Relation in the volume of this series entitled Early English and French Voyages.
2 Thomas Studley. The cape merchant was the company's general keeper of the stores.
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NARRATIVES OF EARLY VIRGINIA [1607
salt, at a low tide full of slime and filth, which was the destruc- tion of many of our men. Thus we lived for the space of five moneths in this miserable distresse, not having five able men to man our Bulwarkes upon any occasion. If it had not pleased God to have put a terrour in the Savages hearts, we had all perished by those vild and cruell Pagans, being in that weake estate as we were; our men night and day groaning in every corner of the Fort most pittifull to heare. If there were any conscience in men, it would make their harts to bleed to heare the pitifull murmurings and out-cries of our sick men without reliefe, every night and day, for the space of sixe weekes, some departing out of the World, many times three or foure in a night; in the morning, their bodies trailed out of their Cabines like Dogges to be buried. In this sort did I see the mortalitie of divers of our people.
It pleased God, after a while, to send those people which were our mortall enemies to releeve us with victuals, as Bread, Corne, Fish, and Flesh in great plentie, which was the setting up of our feeble men, otherwise wee had all perished. Also we were frequented by divers Kings in the Countrie, bringing us store of provision to our great comfort.
The eleventh day,1 there was certaine Articles laid against Master Wingfield 2 which was then President; thereupon he was not only displaced out of his President ship, but also from being of the Councell. Afterwards Captaine John Ratcliffe was chosen President.
The eighteenth day, died one Ellis Kinistone,3 which was starved to death with cold. The same day at night, died one Richard Simmons. The nineteenth day, there died one Thomas Mouton.
1 Of September, 1607.
2 Edward Maria Wingfield was born about 1560 and was a brave soldier, who served in Ireland and then in the Netherlands. He was elected May 14, 1607, first president of the first council in the first English colony in America. Suspected of being a Catholic, he lost his influence among the settlers and was deposed. See his Discourse of Virginia, mentioned in the introduction to this section.
3 Smith gives this name as Kingston.
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1607]
OBSERVATIONS BY GEORGE PERCY
William White (having lived with the Natives) reported to us of their customes. In the morning by breake of day, before they eate or drinke, both men, women, and children, that be above tenne yeares of age, runnes into the water, there washes themselves a good while till the Sunne riseth, then offer Sacrifice to it, strewing Tobacco on the water or Land, honouring the Sunne as their God. Likewise they doe at the setting of the Sunne.
A TRUE RELATION, BY CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH, 1608
INTRODUCTION
THIS tract contains a brief account of the Virginia colonists from the time of their leaving London, December 20, 1606, to the departure of the Phoenix for England, June 2, 1608. It was entered for publication at Stationers' Hall, August 13, 1608, and some of the copies purported to be written by "a Gentleman of the said Collony." Other copies ascribed the work to "Th. Watson Gent. one of the said Collony," but a final issue identified the author as "Captain Smith Coronell of the said Collony." The editor of the tract as last presented explained the use of Thomas Watson's name as "owing to the overrashnesse or mistaking of the workemen." The pamphlet itself bears internal evidence that it was from Captain John Smith's pen. He was the son of George and Alice Smith, tenants of Peregrine Bertie, Lord Willoughby, and was bap- tized at Willoughby, January 9, 1580. At fifteen years of age he was apprenticed to a merchant, but the love of excitement was strong in him, and the next nine years were passed on the continent of Europe in constant travel and adventure. He served in the French, Dutch, and Transylvanian armies, and encountered many dangers. He was robbed and beaten by outlaws, was thrown into the sea for a heretic, and was a slave to a Turkish pasha. He had many hairbreadth escapes, but the most notable incident of his early career was his three combats before the city of Regall with the three Turkish champions, whose heads he cut off one after another. As a reward he received from Sigismund Bathori, a prince of Tran- sylvania, a coat of arms with three Turks' heads in a shield.
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NARRATIVES OF EARLY VIRGINIA
Smith returned to England in 1604, and immediately became interested in the movement then on foot to establish a colony in Virginia. His reputation had preceded him, and he was picked out as one of the council to direct affairs in Virginia. He remained in this service till October, 1609, having been from September 20, 1608, to September 20, 1609, president of the colony. His wonderful talent for hairbreadth escapes did not desert him. He was charged on the way over with conspiracy and kept under arrest till three weeks after the settlers landed at Jamestown. In December, 1607, he was captured by the Indians and was saved from death by Poca- hontas. He returned to Jamestown only to run into a new danger. He was arrested by the council and condemned to death and escaped hanging by the timely return of Captain Christopher Newport, who interfered and saved his life. Cap- tain Smith left the colony at the end of his presidency, and for several years he was in the employment of the Plymouth Com- pany, giving the name to New England and making a valuable chart of the country. From 1615 to his death in 1631 he lived quietly in England, where he was known as a prolific writer. In 1612 he published his Map of Virginia, in 1624 The Generall Historie of Virginia, New England and the Summer Isles, and in 1630 The True Travels. The absence of any reference in the True Relation to his rescue by Pocahontas has led some to doubt the truth of his assertions; but it appears that Smith omitted any particular mention of several other prominent incidents since his departure from London, affecting him per- sonally. He has nothing to say of his arrest in the West Indies for mutiny, or the sentence of death imposed at James- town after his return from captivity. The timely arrival of Newport was in fact even more surprising than the kindly intervention of Pocahontas. Nor does he say in the True Relation anything of the fine of £200 imposed at Jamestown upon Wingfield for Smith's arrest in the West Indies. It is
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INTRODUCTION
not to be forgotten that the editor of the True Relation ex- pressly states that the published account does not include the entire manuscript as it came from Smith. Smith was often inaccurate in his estimates as to time and place and often very prejudiced in his judgments of others, but that is far from say- ing that he could mistake plain objects of sense or deliberately concoct a story having no foundation. The narrative below, in its essential features, is strongly supported by other con- temporaneous documents, though for the reasons stated not much weight is to be attached to his opinions of the motives of Wingfield and the rest.
The True Relation was reprinted in 1866 at Boston, in a small edition, with an introduction and notes by Dr. Charles Deane.
L. G. T.
A TRUE RELATION, BY CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH, 1608
A True Relation of such occurrences and accidents of noate as hath hapned in Virginia since the first planting of that Collony, which is now resident in the South part thereof, till the last returne from thence.
Written by Captain Smith, Coronell of the said Collony, to a worshipfull friend of his in England.
London : Printed for John Tappe, and are to bee solde at the Greyhound in Paules-Church-yard, by W. W. 1608.1
TO THE COURTEOUS READER
COURTEOUS, Kind, and indifferent Readers, whose willing- nesse to reade and heare this following discourse, doth explaine to the world your hearty affection, to the prosecuting and fur- therance of so worthy an action: so it is, that like to an un- skilfull actor, who having by misconstruction of his right Cue, over-slipt himselfe, in beginning of a contrary part, and fear- ing the hatefull hisse of the captious multitude, with a modest blush retires himself in private; as doubting the reprehension of his whole audience in publicke, and yet againe upon further deliberation, thinking it better to know their censures at the first, and upon submission to reape pardon, then by seeking to smother it, to incurre the danger of a secret scandall: Im- boldening himselfe upon the curteous kindnesse of the best, and not greatly respecting the worst, comes fourth againe, makes an Apollogie for himselfe, shewes the cause of his error, craves pardon for his rashness, and in fine, receives a generall
1 This italic heading is from the title page of one of the original copies.
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JOHN SMITH'S TRUE RELATION
applauditie of the whole assemblie : so I gentle Readers, hap- pening upon this relation by chance (as I take it, at the second or third hand) induced thereunto by divers well willers of the action, and none wishing better towards it then my selfe, so farre foorth as my poore abilitie can or may stretch to, I thought good to publish it: but the Author being absent from the presse, it cannot be doubted but that some faults have escaped in the printing, especially in the names of Coun- tries, Townes, and People, which are somewhat strange unto us ; but most of all, and which is the chiefe error (for want of knowledge of the Writer), some of the bookes were printed under the name of Thomas Watson, by whose occasion I know not, unlesse it were the over rashnesse, or mistaking of the workemen, but since having learned that the saide discourse was written by Captaine Smith, who is one of the Counsell there in Virginia : I thought good to make the like Apollogie, by shewing the true Author so farre as my selfe could learne, not doubting, but that the wise, noting it as an error of igno- rance, will passe it over with patience; and if worthy an ap- plauditie, to reserve it to the Author, whose paines in my judgement deserveth commendations; somewhat more was by him written, which being as I thought (fit to be private) I would not adventure to make it publicke. What more may be expected concerning the scituation of the Country, the nature of the clime, number of our people there resident, the manner of their government, and living, the commodities to be produced, and the end and effect it may come too, I can say nothing more then is here written : only what I have learned and gathered from the generall consent of all (that I have conversed withall) aswell marriners as others, which have had imployment that way, is that the Country is excellent and pleasant, the clime temperate and health full, the ground fertill and good, the commodities to be expected (if well fol- lowed) many, for our people, the worst being already past, these former having indured the heate of the day, whereby those that shall succeede, may at ease labour for their profit, in the most sweete, coole, and temperate shade: the action
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NARRATIVES OF EARLY VIRGINIA
[1608
most honorable, and the end to the high glory of God, to the erecting of true religion among Infidells, to the overthrow of superstition and idolatrie, to the winning of many thousands of wandring sheepe, unto Christs fold, who now, and till now, have strayed in the unknowne paths of Paganisme, Idolatrie, and superstition : yea, I say the Action being well followed, as by the grave Senators, and worthy adventurors, it hath beene worthily begunne: will tend to the everlasting renowne of our Nation, and to the exceeding good and benefit of our Weale publicke in generall: whose Counsells, labours, godly and industrious endeavours, I beseech the mighty Jehovah to blesse, prosper, and further, with his heavenly ayde, and holy assistance.
Farewell. I. H.
A True relation of such occurrences and accidents of note, as hath hapned at Virginia, since the first planting of that Collony, which is now resident in the South part thereof, till the last returne.
KINDE SIR, commendations remembred, &c. You shall un- derstand that after many crosses in the downes 1 by tempests, wee arrived safely uppon the Southwest part of the great Canaries : within foure or five daies after we set saile for Dominica, the 26. of Aprill : the first land we made, wee fell with Cape Henry, the verie mouth of the Bay of Chissiapiacke, which at that present we little expected, having by a cruell storme bene put to the Northward. Anchoring in this Bay twentie or thirtie went a shore with the Captain, and in comming aboard, they were as- salted with certaine Indians which charged them within Pistoll shot : in which conflict, Captaine Archer and Mathew Morton were shot : wherupon Captaine Newport seconding them, made a shot at them, which the Indians little respected, but having spent their arrowes retyred without harme. And in that place was the Box opened, wherin the Counsell for Virginia was nominated :
1 The Downs is the part of the North Sea immediately east of Kent, between its coast and the Goodwin Sands.
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JOHN SMITH'S TRUE RELATION
1607]
and arriving at the place where wee are now seated, the Coun- sel was sworn, and the President elected, which for that yeare was Maister Edm. Maria Wingfield, where was made choice for our scituation, a verie fit place for the erecting of a great cittie, about which some contention passed betwixt Captaine Wing- field and Captaine Gosnold: notwithstanding, all our provision was brought a shore, and with as much speede as might bee wee went about our fortification.
The two and twenty day of Aprill,1 Captain Newport and my selfe with divers others, to the number of twenty two per- sons, set forward to discover the River, some fiftie or sixtie miles, finding it in some places broader, and in some narrower, the Countrie (for the moste part) on each side plaine high ground, with many fresh Springes, the people in all places kindely intreating us, daunsing and feasting us with strawberries Mulberies, Bread, Fish, and other their Countrie provisions wherof we had plenty: for which Captaine Newport kindely requited their least favours with Bels, Pinnes, Needles, beades, or Glasses, which so contented them that his liberallitie made them follow us from place to place, and ever kindely to respect us. In the midway staying to refresh our selves in a little Ile foure or five savages came unto us which described unto us the course of the River, and after in our journey, they often met us, trading with us for such provision as wee had, and ariving at Arsatecke,2 hee whom we supposed to bee the chiefe King of all the rest, moste kindely entertained us, giving us in a guide to go with us up the River to Powhatan, of which place their great Emperor taketh his name, where he that they honored for King 3 used us kindely. But to finish this discoverie, we passed on further, where within an
1 This is an error; the landing took place on May 14, 1607, and the voy- age of exploration up the river began on May 21.
2 This word is generally written "Arrohateck," and according to William Wallace Tooker, the distinguished anthropologist, was cognate with the Natick ahahnetau, "he laughs at him." Hence the name given by the settlers " Arro- hatecks Joy." A farm, a little above Farrar's Island on the north side of the river, distant about twenty miles from Richmond, still retains the name Arro- hateck. 3 The chief at the Falls was Parahunt, son of Powhatan.
D
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NARRATIVES OF EARLY VIRGINIA
[1607
ile1 we were intercepted with great craggy stones in the midst of the river, where the water falleth so rudely, and with such a vio- lence, as not any boat can possibly passe, and so broad disperseth the streame, as there is not past five or sixe Foote at a low water, and to the shore scarce passage with a barge, the water floweth foure foote, and the freshes by reason of the Rockes have left markes of the inundations 8. or 9. foote: The South side is plaine low ground, and the north side is high mountaines the rockes being of a gravelly nature, interlaced with many vains of glistring spangles. That night we returned to Pow- hatan: the next day (being Whitsunday after dinner) we returned to the fals, leaving a mariner in pawn with the Indians for a guide of theirs; hee that they honoured for King fol- lowed us by the river. That afternoone we trifled in looking upon the Rockes and river (further he would not goe) so there we erected a crosse, and that night taking our man at Powhatan, Captaine Newport congratulated his kindenes with a Gown and a Hatchet: returning to Arseteche, and stayed there the next day to observe the height 2 therof, and so with many signes of love we departed. The next day the Queene of Agamatack 3 kindely intreated us, her people being no lesse contented then the rest, and from thence we went to another place (the name whereof I do not remember) where the people shewed us the manner of their diving for Mussels, in which they finde Pearles.
That night passing by Weanock 4 some twentie miles from
1 "Within an ile" is probably intended for "within a mile." In the more particular description of Gabriel Archer, A Relatyon of the Discovery of our River, the distance of the Indian town Powhatan from the Falls is put at three miles. It stood on a hill, and in the river in front was an island, which serves to identify the site of the town with Marin Hill or Tree Hill on the north side of James River. Above the Falls, where Richmond now stands, was the territory of the Manakins, who were enemies of the chief Powhatan.
2 They took the latitude of the place.
3 Appomattox. The site of the village of Queen Opussoquionuske was Bermuda Hundred, near the mouth of the Appomattox River.
4 The modern spelling of this name is Weyanoke. The chief town of this tribe was on the south side, at the head of Powell's Creek, though the country opposite on the north side was also subject to their sway. The name ad- heres to the north side instead of to the south.
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JOHN SMITH'S TRUE RELATION
1607]
our Fort, they according to their former churlish condition, seemed little to affect us, but as wee departed and lodged at the point of Weanocke, the people the next morning seemed kindely to content us, yet we might perceive many signes of a more Jealousie in them then before, and also the Hinde that the King of Arseteck had given us, altered his resolution in going to our Fort, and with many kinde circumstances left us there. This gave us some occasion to doubt some mischiefe at the Fort, yet Capt. Newport intended to have visited Pas- pahegh and Tappahanocke, but the instant change of the winde being faire for our return we repaired to the fort with all speed 1 where the first we heard was that 400. Indians the day before had assalted the fort, and supprised it, had not God (beyond al their expectations) by meanes of the shippes, at whom they shot with their Ordinances and Muskets, caused them to retire, they had entred the fort with our own men, which were then busied in setting Corne, their Armes beeing then in driefats 2 and few ready but certain Gentlemen of their own, in which conflict, most of the Counsel was hurt, a boy slaine in the Pinnas, and thirteene or fourteene more hurt. With all speede we pallisadoed our Fort: (each other day) for sixe or seaven daies we had alarums by ambuscadoes, and four or five cruelly wounded by being abroad: the Indians losse wee know not, but as they report three were slain and divers hurt.
Captaine Newport having set things in order, set saile for England the 22d of June, leaving provision for 13. or 14 weeks. The day before the Ships departure, the King of Pamaunke 3 sent the Indian that had met us before in our
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They reached the fort May 27.
2 Dry-vats, i.e., baskets or packing-cases.
3 The Pamunkey country lay between the Pamunkey and Mattapony rivers. At Uttamussick, the Indians had three long arbor-like wigwams, where the medicine-men performed their conjurations and incantations. The king of the Pamunkeys was the celebrated Opechancanough, the second brother and second successor of Powhatan. In 1616 he was chosen by the Chickahominies to be their king. He died, at nearly one hundred years of age, in 1646.
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NARRATIVES OF EARLY VIRGINIA
[1607
discoverie, to assure us peace; our fort being then palisadoed round, and all our men in good health and comfort, albeit, that thro[u]gh some discontented humors, it did not so long continue, for the President and Captaine Gosnold, with the rest of the Counsell, being for the moste part discontented with one another, in so much, that things were neither carried with that discretion nor any busines effected in such good sort as wisdome would, nor our owne good and safetie required, whereby, and through the hard dealing of our President, the rest of the counsell beeing diverslie affected through his audacious commaund; and for Captaine Martin, albeit verie honest, and wishing the best good, yet so sicke and weake; and my selfe so disgrac'd through others mallice: through which disorder God (being angrie with us) plagued us with such famin and sicknes, that the living were scarce able to bury the dead: our want of sufficient and good victualls, with continuall watching, foure or five each night at three Bulwarkes, being the chiefe cause: onely of Sturgion wee had great store, whereon our men would so greedily surfet, as it cost manye their lives: the Sack, Aquavitie,1 and other preservatives for our health, being kept onely in the Presidents hands, for his owne diet, and his few associates.2 Shortly after Captaine Gosnold fell sicke, and within three weekes died, Captaine Ratcliffe being then also verie sicke and weake, and my selfe having also tasted of the extremitie therof, but by Gods assist- ance being well recovered, Kendall about this time, for divers reasons deposed from being of the Councell : and shortly after it pleased God (in our extremity) to move the Indians to bring us Corne, ere it was halfe ripe, to refresh us, when we rather expected when they would destroy us: about the tenth of
1 Brandy.
2 Wingfield had charge of the common store, but he denied vigorously that he feasted in the way suggested by Smith, who hated him. He dis- pensed the oil, vinegar, sack (sherry) and aqua vitae (brandy) with great care, and when the quantity was much reduced had the rest sealed up to be kept for emergencies, but "Lord, how they then longed for to supp up that litle remnant, for they had nowe emptied all their owne bottles and all other that they could smell out." Wingfield, A Discourse of Virginia.
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