USA > Virginia > Narratives of early Virginia, 1606-1625 > Part 31
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1 I.e., handling.
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1622]
with what they could carry; so that the English did make no slaughter amongst them for revenge. Their Corne fields being newly gathered, they surprized all they found, burnt the houses remained unburnt, and so departed. Quartering about Kecoughtan, after the Watch was set, Samuell Collyer one of the most ancientest Planters, and very well acquainted with their language and habitation, humors and conditions, and Governor of a Towne, when the Watch was set, going the round, unfortunately by a Centinell that discharged his peece, was slaine.
Thence they sailed to Pamaunke, the chiefe seat of Opechan- kanough, the contriver of the massacre: the Salvages seemed exceeding fearefull, promising to bring them Sara,1 and the rest of the English yet living, with all the Armes, and what they had to restore, much desiring peace, and to give them any satisfaction they could. Many such devices they fained to procrastinate the time ten or twelve daies, till they had got away their Corne from all the other places up the River, but that where the English kept their quarter: at last, when they 2 saw all those promises were but delusions, they seised on all the Corne there was, set fire on their houses: and in following the Salvages that fled before them, some few of those naked Devils had that spirit, they lay in ambuscado, and as our men marched discharged some shot out of English peeces, and hurt some of them flying at their pleasures where they listed, burn- ing their empty houses before them as they went, to make themselves sport : so they escaped, and Sir George returned with Corne, where for our paines we had three bushels apeece, but we were enjoyned before we had it, to pay ten shillings the bushell for fraught and other charges. Thus by this meanes the Salvages are like as they report, to endure no small misery this Winter, and that some of our men are returned to their former Plantations.
What other passages or impediments hapned in their pro- ceedings, that they were not fully revenged of the Salvages
1 Sara Boys, who had been made a captive.
2 I.e., the English.
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before they returned, I know not ;1 nor could ever heare more, but that they supposed they slew two, and how it was impos- sible for any men to doe more then they did: yet worthy Ferdinando Courtus 2 had scarce three hundred Spaniards to conquer the great Citie of Mexico, where thousands of Sal- vages dwelled in strong houses. But because they were a civilised people, had wealth, and those meere Barbarians 3 as wilde as beasts have nothing; I intreat your patience to tell you my opinion : which if it be Gods pleasure I shall not live to put in practice, yet it may be hereafter usefull for some; but howsoever I hope not hurtfull to any, and this it is.
Had these three hundred men beene at my disposing, I would have sent first one hundred to Captaine Rawley Chro- shaw to Patawomek, with some small Ordnance for the Fort, the which but with daily exercising them, would have struck that love and admiration into the Patawomeks, and terror and amazement into his enemies, which are not farre off, and most seated upon the other side the River, they would willingly have beene friends, or have given any composition they could, before they would be tormented with such a visible feare.
Now though they be generally perfidious, yet necessity constraines those to a kinde of constancy because of their enemies, and neither my selfe that first found them, Captaine Argall, Chroshaw, nor Hamar, never found themselves in fifteene yeares trials: nor is it likely now they would have so hostaged their men, suffer the building of a Fort, and their women and children amongst them, had they intended any villany; but suppose they had, who would have desired a better advantage then such an advertisement, to have pre- pared the Fort for such an assault, and surely it must be a poore Fort they could hurt, much more take, if there were but five men in it durst discharge a peece: Therefore a man not well knowing their conditions, may be as wel too jealous as too carelesse. Such another Lope Skonce 4 would I have had at Onawmanient, and one hundred men more to have made
1 Again we have the marginal note, "The opinion of Captaine Smith."
2 Cortés. 3 I.e., the Indians of Virginia. 4 A fort.
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1622]
such another at Atquacke upon the River of Toppahanock,1 which is not past thirteene miles distant from Onawmanient :2 each of which twelve men would keepe, as well as twelve thousand, and spare all the rest to bee imploied as there should be occasion. And all this with these numbers might easily have beene done, if not by courtesie, yet by compulsion, especially at that time of September when all their fruits were ripe, their beasts fat, and infinite numbers of wilde Fowle began to repaire to every creeke, that men if they would doe any thing, could not want victuall. This done, there remained yet one hundred who should have done the like at Ozinieke,3 upon the River of Chickahamania, not past six miles from the chiefe habitations of Opechankanough. These small Forts had beene cause sufficient to cause all the Inhabitants of each of those Rivers to looke to themselves. Then having so many Ships, Barks, and Boats in Virginia as there was at that present, with what facility might you have landed two hundred and twentie men, if you had but onely five or six Boats in one night ; forty to range the branch of Mattapanyent, fortie more that of Youghtanund, and fortie more to keepe their randivous at Pamaunke it selfe. All which places lie so neere, they might heare from each other within foure or five houres; and not any of those small parties, if there were any valour, discretion, or industry in them, but as sufficient as foure thousand, to force them all to contribution, or take or spoile all they had. For having thus so many convenient randevous to releeve each other, though all the whole Countries had beene our enemies, where could they rest, but in the depth of Winter we might burne all the houses upon all those Rivers in two or three
1 Rappahannock.
2 An Indian district on the south side of the Potomac where the county of King George now is.
3 The Chickahominy River, after emerging from the swamps around Richmond, flows parallel to the James until it reaches a station on the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad, known as Lanexa, the site of the Indian village of Ozinies or Ozinieke, from which it flows at nearly right angles to its former course eight miles to the James River. From Lanexa to the York the distance is not more than six miles.
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daies ? Then without fires they could not live, which they could not so hide but wee should finde, and quickly so tire them with watching and warding, they would be so weary of their lives, as either fly all their Countries, or give all they had to be released of such an hourely misery. Now if but a small number of the Salvages would assist us, as there is no question but divers of them would; And to suppose they could not be drawne to such faction, were to beleeve they are more vertuous then many Christians, and the best governed people in the world, All the Pamaunkes might have beene dispatchd as well in a moneth as a yeare, and then to have dealt with any other enemies at our pleasure, and yet made all this toile and danger but a recreation.
If you think this strange or impossible, 12 men with my selfe I found sufficient, to goe where I would adaies,1 and sur- prise a house with the people, if not a whole towne, in a night, or incounter all the power they could make, as a whole Army, as formerly at large hath beene related: And it seemes by these small parties last amongst them, by Captaine Crashow, Hamar, and Madyson, they are not growne to that excellency in policy and courage but they might bee encountred, and their wives and children apprehended. I know I shall bee taxed for writing so much of my selfe: but I care not much, because the judiciall know there are few such Souldiers as are my examples, have writ their owne actions, nor know I who will or can tell my intents better then my selfe.
Some againe finde as much fault with the Company for medling with so many Plantations together, because they that have many Irons in the fire some must burne; but I thinke no if they have men enow know how to worke them, but howsoever, it were better some burne then have none at all. The King of Spaine regards but how many powerfull Kingdomes he keepes under his obedience, and for the Salvage Countries he hath subjected, they are more then enow for a good Cosmographer to nominate,2 and is three Mole-hills so much to us, and so many Empires so little for him? For my
1 Any day.
2 Enumerate.
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1623]
owne part, I cannot chuse but grieve, that the actions of an Englishman should be inferior to any, and that the command of England should not be as great as any Monarchy that ever was since the world began, I meane not as a Tyrant to torment all Christendome, but to suppresse her disturbers, and conquer her enemies.
For the great Romans got into their hand The whole worlds compasse, both by Sea and Land, Or any seas, or heaven, or earth extended, And yet that Nation could not be contented.
Much about this time, arrived a small Barke of Barnesta- ble, which had beene at the Summer Iles, and in her Captaine Nathaniel Butler,1 who having beene Governour there three yeares, and his Commission expired, he tooke the opportunity of this ship to see Virginia. At James Towne he was kindly entertained by Sir Francis Wyat the Governour. After he had rested there fourteene daies, he fell up with his ship to the River of Chickahamania, where meeting Captaine William Powell, joyning together such forces as they had to the num- ber of eighty, they set upon the Chickahamanians, that feare- fully fled, suffering the English to spoile all they had, not daring to resist them. Thus he returned to James towne, where hee staied a moneth, at Kecoughtan as much more, and so returned for England.2
But riding at Kecoughtan, Master John Argent, sonne to Doctor Argent, a young Gentleman that went with Captaine Butler from England to this place, Michael Fuller, William Gany, Cornelius May, and one other going ashore with some goods late in a faire evening, such a sudden gust did arise, that drive 3 them thwart the River, in that place at least three or foure miles in bredth, where the shore was so shallow at a low water, and the Boat beating upon the Sands, they left her,
1 His tract, The Unmasking of Virginia, was a cause of much trouble to the Virginia Company. See its Records, and the next piece in this volume.
2 February, 1623.
3 Drove.
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wading neere halfe a mile, and oft up to the chin. So well it hapned, Master Argent had put his Bandileir of powder in his hat, which next God was all their preservations: for it being February, and the ground so cold, their bodies be- came so benumbed, they were not able to strike fire with a steele and a stone hee had in his pocket; the stone they lost twice, and thus those poore soules groping in the darke, it was Master Argents chance to finde it, and with a few withered leaves, reeds, and brush, make a small fire, being upon the Chisapeaks shore, their mortall enemies, great was their feare to be discovered. The joyfull morning appearing, they found their Boat and goods drive ashore, not farre from them, but so split shee was unserviceable: but so much was the frost, their clothes did freeze upon their backs, for they durst not make any great fire to dry them, lest thereby the bloudy Sal- vages might discry them, so that one of them died the next day; and the next night, digging a grave in the Sands with their hands, buried him. In this bodily feare they lived and fasted two daies and nights, then two of them went into the Land to seeke fresh water; the others to the Boat to get some meale and oyle. Argent and his Comrado found a Canow, in which they resolved to adventure to their ship, but shee was a drift in the River before they returned. Thus frustrate of all hopes, Captaine Butler the third night ranging the shore in his Boat to seeke them, discharged his Muskets; but they supposing it some Salvages had got some English peeces, they grew more perplexed then ever: so he returned and lost his labour. The fourth day they unloaded their Boat, and stop- ping her leakes with their handkerchiefes, and other rags, two rowing, and two bailing out the water; but farre they went not ere the water grew upon them so fast, and they so tired, they thought themselves happy to be on shore againe, though they perceived the Indians were not farre off by their fires. Thus at the very period of despaire, Fuller undertooke to sit a stride upon a little peece of an old Canow ; so well it pleased God the wind and tide served, by padling with his hands and feet in the water, beyond all expectation God so guided him
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three or foure houres upon this boord, he arrived at their ship, where they no lesse amazed then he tired, they tooke him in. Presently as he had concluded with his Companions, he caused them discharge a peece of Ordnance if he escaped : which gave no lesse comfort to Master Argent and the rest, then terror to those Plantations that heard it, (being late) at such an unexpected alarum; but after with warme clothes and a little strong water they had a little recovered him, such was his courage and care of his distressed friends, he returned that night againe with Master Felgate to conduct him to them : and so giving thanks to God for so hopelesse a deliverance, it pleased his Divine power, both they and their provision came safely aboord, but Fuller they doubt will never recover his benumbed legs and thighes.
Now before Butlers arrivall in England, many hard speeches were rumored against him for so leaving his charge, before he received order from the Company. Divers againe of his Souldiers as highly commended him, for his good government, art, judgement and industry. But to make the misery of Virginia appeare that it might be reformed in time, how all those Cities, Townes, Corporations, Forts, Vineyards, Nurseries of Mulberies, Glasse-houses, Iron forges, Guest-houses, Silke- wormes, Colleges, the Companies great estate, and that plenty some doe speake of here, are rather things in words and paper then in effect, with divers reasons of the causes of those de- fects; if it were false, his blame nor shame could not be too much: but if there bee such defects in the government, and distresse in the Colony, it is thought by many it hath beene too long concealed, and requireth rather reformation then disputa- tion : but however, it were not amisse to provide for the worst, for the best will help it selfe. Notwithstanding, it was appre- hended so hardly, and examined with that passion, that the brute thereof was spread abroad with that expedition, it did more hurt then the massacre; and the fault of all now by the vulgar rumour, must be attributed to the unwholesomnesse of the ayre, and barrennesse of the Countrey: as though all England were naught, because the Fens and Marshes are un-
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healthy ; or barren, because some will lie under windowes and starve in Cheapside, rot in Goales, die in the street, high-waies, or any where, and use a thousand devices to maintaine them- selves in those miseries, rather then take any paines to live as they may by honest labour, and a great part of such like are the Planters of Virginia, and partly the occasion of those de- failements.
1
In the latter end of this last yeare, or the beginning of this,1 Captaine Henrie Spilman a Gentleman, that hath lived in those Countries thirteene or fourteene yeares, one of the best In- terpreters in the Land, being furnished with a Barke and six and twentie men, hee was sent to trucke in the River of Pata- womek, where he had lived a long time amongst the Salvages. Whether hee presumed too much upon his acquaintance amongst them, or they sought to be revenged of any for the slaughter made amongst them by the English so lately, or hee sought to betray them, or they him, are all several relations, but it seemes but imaginary : for they returned, report they left him ashore about Patawomek, but the name of the place they knew not, with one and twentie men, being but five in the Barke. The Salvages, ere they suspected any thing, boorded them with their Canowes, and entred so fast, the English were amazed, till a Sailer gave fire to a peece of Ord- nance onely at randome; at the report whereof, the Salvages leapt over-boord, so distracted with feare, they left their Canowes and swum a shore; and presently after they heard a great brute 2 amongst the Salvages a shore, and saw a mans head throwne downe the banke. Whereupon they weighed Anchor and returned home, but how he was surprised or slaine, is uncertaine.
Thus things proceed and vary not a jot, Whether we know them, or we know them not.
1 Marginal reading, "1623. The Earle of Southampton Treasurer." 2 Noise.
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1623]
A particular of such necessaries as either private families, or single persons, shall have cause to provide to goe to Virginia, whereby greater numbers may in part con- ceive the better how to provide for themselves.
Apparell.1
A Monmoth Cap. 1s. 10d.
3 falling bands. 1s. 3d.
3 shirts. 7s. 6d.
1 Waste-coat. 2s. 2d.
1 suit of Canvase. 7s. 6d.
1 suit of Frize.2 10s.
1 suit of Cloth. 15s.
3 paire of Irish stock- ings. 4s.
4 paire of shooes. 8s. 8d.
1 paire of garters. 10d.
1 dozen of points.3 3d.
1 paire of Canvas sheets. 8s.
7 ells of Canvas to make a bed and boulster, to be filled in Virginia, serving for two men. 8s.
5 ells of course Canvas to make a bed at Sea for two men. 5s.
1 course rug at sea for two men. 6s.
41.
Victuall for a whole yeare for a man, and so after the rate for more.
8 bushels of meale. 2l.
2 bushels of pease. 6s.
2 bushels of Otemeale. 9s. 1 gallon of Aquavitae. 2s. 6d.
1 gallon of oyle. 3s. 6d.
2 gallons of Vineger. 2s.
31. 3s.
Armes for a man; but if halfe your men be armed it is well, so all have swords and peeces.
1 Armor compleat, light. 17s.
1 long peece five foot and a halfe, neere Musket bore. 1l. 2s.
1 Sword. 5s.
1 Belt. 1s.
1 Bandilier.4 1s. 6d.
20 pound of powder. 18s.
60 pound of shot or
1 The margin explains, "Apparrell for one man, and so after the rate for more."
2 Frieze, a coarse woollen cloth.
3 Laces for fastening the clothing.
" Bandoleer, a broad leather belt formerly worn by soldiers over the left shoulder.
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Lead, Pistoll and
Goose shot. 5s.
3l. 9s. 6d.
Tooles for a family of six per- sons, and so after the rate for more.
5 broad howes at 2s.
a peece. 10s.
5 narrow howes at 16d. a peece. 6s. 8d.
2 broad axes at 3s. 8d. a peece. 7s. 4d.
5 felling axes at 18d. a peece. 7s. 6d.
2 steele handsawes at 16d. a piece. 2s. 8d.
2 two handsawes 1 at 5s. a peece. 10s.
1 whipsaw, set and filed; with box, file and wrest. 10s.
2 hammers 12d. a
peece. 2s.
3 shovels at 18d. a peece.
4s. 6d.
2 spades at 18d. a peece. 3s.
2 Augers at 6d. peece. 1s.
6 Chissels at 6d. a peece. 3s.
2 Percers stocked 4d. a peece.
8d.
3 Gimblets at 2d. a peece. 6d.
2 Hatchets at 21d. a peece. 3s. 6d.
2 frowes 2 to cleave pale 18d. each. 3s.
2 hand Bills 20d. a peece. 3s. 4d.
1 Grindstone. 4s.
Nailes of all sorts to the value of 21.
2 Pickaxes. 3s.
61. 2s. 8d.
Household implements for a family of six persons, and so for more or lesse after the rate.
1 Iron pot. 7s.
1 Kettell. 6s.
1 large Frying-pan. 2s. 6d.
1 Gridiron. 1s. 6d.
2 Skellets. 5s.
1 Spit. 2s.
Platters, dishes,
spoones of wood. 4s.
1l. 8s.
For Sugar, Spice, and Fruit, at Sea for six men. 12s. 6d. So the full charge after this rate for each person, will
1 I.e., two two-hand saws. 2 A wedge-shaped tool for splitting rails or staves.
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1607]
amount to about the summe of 12l. 10s. 10d. about halfe a tun, which
The passage of each man
is 1l. 10s. is 61. So the whole charge will amount to about 201.
Now if the number be great; Nets, Hooks, and Lines, but Cheese, Bacon, Kine and Goats must be added. And this is the usuall proportion the Virginia Company doe bestow upon their Tenents they send.
A briefe relation written by Captaine Smith to his Majesties Commissioners for the reformation of Virginia, con- cerning some aspersions against it.
Honourable Gentlemen, for so many faire and Navigable Rivers so neere adjoyning, and piercing thorow so faire a naturall Land, free from any inundations, or large Fenny un- wholsome Marshes, I have not seene, read, nor heard of : And for the building of Cities, Townes, and Wharfage, if they will use the meanes, where there is no more ebbe nor floud, Nature in few places affoords any so convenient. For salt Marshes or Quagmires, in this tract of James Towne River I know very few; some small Marshes and Swamps there are, but more profitable than hurtfull: and I thinke there is more low Marsh ground betwixt Eriffe and Chelsey,1 then Kecoughton and the Falls, which is about one hundred and eighty miles by the course of the River.
Being enjoyned by our Commission not to unplant nor wrong the Salvages, because the channell was so neere the shore, where now is James Towne, then a thick grove of trees; wee cut them downe, where the Salvages pretending as much kindnesse as could bee, they hurt and slew one and twenty of us in two houres. At this time our diet was for most part water and bran, and three ounces of little better stuffe in bread for five men a meale; and thus we lived neere three
1 Erith and Chelsea are on the Thames, the one below London, the other above.
The fraught of these pro-
visions for a man, will be
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moneths: our lodgings under boughes of trees, the Salvages being our enemies, whom we neither knew nor understood; occasions I thinke sufficient to make men sicke and die.
Necessity thus did inforce me with eight or nine, to try conclusions amongst the Salvages, that we got provision which recovered the rest being most sicke. Six weeks 1 I was led captive by those Barbarians, though some of my men were slaine, and the rest fled; yet it pleased God to make their great Kings daughter the means to returne me safe to James towne, and releeve our wants: and then 2 our Common-wealth was in all eight and thirty, the remainder of one hundred and five.
Being supplied with one hundred and twenty, with twelve men in a boat of three tuns, I spent fourteene weeks in those large waters; the contents of the way of my boat protracted by the skale of proportion, was about three thousand miles, besides the River we dwell upon: where no Christian knowne ever was, and our diet for the most part what we could finde, yet but one died.
The Salvages being acquainted, that by command from England we durst not hurt them, were much imboldned; that famine and their insolencies did force me to breake our Commission and instructions; cause Powhatan fly his Countrey, and take the King of Pamaunke Prisoner; and also to keepe the King of Paspahegh in shackels, and put his men to double taskes in chaines, till nine and thirty of their Kings paied us contribution, and the offending Sal- vages sent to James towne to punish at our owne discretions : in the two last yeares I staied there, I had not a man slaine.
All those conclusions being not able to prevent the bad events of pride and idlenesse, having received another supply of seventie, we were about two hundred in all, but not twentie work-men: In following the strict directions from England to doe that was impossible at that time; So it hapned, that neither wee nor they had any thing to eat but what the Coun- trey afforded naturally; yet of eightie who lived upon Oysters
1 Three weeks, rather, -from December 10, 1607, to January 2, 1608.
2 January 2, 1608. Brown, Genesis of the United States, I. 175.
1609]
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in June and July,1 with a pint of corne a week for a man lying under trees, and 120 for the most part living upon Sturgion, which was dried til we pounded it to powder for meale, yet in ten weeks but seven died.
It is true, we had of Tooles, Armes, and Munition sufficient, some Aquavitae, Vineger, Meale, Pease, and Otemeale, but in two yeares and a halfe not sufficient for six moneths; though by the bils of loading the proportions sent us, would well have contented us: notwithstanding we sent home ample proofes of Pitch, Tar, Sope Ashes, Wainskot, Clapboord, Silke grasse, Iron Ore, some Sturgion and Glasse, Saxefras, Cedar, Cypris, and blacke Walnut ; crowned Powhatan ; sought the Monacans Countrey, according to the instructions sent us, but they caused us neglect more necessary workes: they had better have given for Pitch and Sope ashes one hundred pound a tun in Denmarke: Wee also maintained five or six severall Planta- tions.2
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