USA > Virginia > The history of Virginia, from its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 4
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18
THE superior talents of Captain Smith had by this time made themselves so manifest, that in proportion to the esteem in which he was held by the generality of the people, he was hated by the malcontents whose evil designs he had so signally thwarted.
Even the governor and Captain Martin, finding their official station but lightly regarded, began to look upon their more vigorous associate with an evil eye. Being determined to rid themselves of his presence in the settlement as much as pos- sible, they taunted Smith with not having dis- covered the head of Chickahominy River, and charged him with dilatoriness. The fiery and impetuous soldier, who could but ill brook an accusation of this kind, immediately set sail on his voyage of exploration, although the season was so far advanced as to make the adventure both dangerous and uncertain.
56
HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. [1607.
Entering the river, he sailed toward its source, until its manifold obstructions prevented his barge from proceeding any farther. Leaving his little vessel at the distance of a bow-shot from the shore, after giving strict orders to his crew not to land, but to await his return, he entered a small canoe, and with two Englishmen and a couple of Indian guides, penetrated twenty miles higher, until he reached the marshes which were formed at the head of the river.
He was scarcely out of sight of the barge, be- fore the men, disobeying his commands, went ashore and were surprised by the Indians, who had been directed by Opechancanough, the brother of Powhattan, to watch their motions. One man, George Cassen, was captured, and after being interrogated as to the direction taken by Captain Smith, was put to death. The rest escaped with difficulty to the barge.
The Indians now started in pursuit of Smith, killed the two men he had left in charge of his canoe, and at length discovered the captain him- self. Although surrounded by two hundred sa- vages, Smith, unconscious of the fate which had befallen his companions, resolved to attempt a retreat towards his canoe. Binding the Indian guide to his arm as a shield against the arrows of his foes, he kept up a running fire upon them, killed three, and wounded many others. During this time, however, Smith himself had not escaped
57
SMITH CAPTURED.
1607.]
wholly unscathed. One arrow had already pierced his thigh, and several penetrated his clothes ; but his courage was so well appreciated, and the dread of his fire-arms was so great, that it is pro- bable he might even then have succeeded in making good his escape, if, while retiring with his face toward his foes, he had not fallen into a marshy creek. Notwithstanding he was thus most effectually disabled, the Indians were afraid to approach him until, being nearly dead with cold, he threw away his arms.
Drawing him from the creek; they led him toward his canoe, where the first sight that met his eyes was the dead bodies of his two men, shot full of arrows, and lying by the fire they had lighted ; the embers of which were still glow- ing.
After suffering the Indians to chafe his be- numbed limbs until the blood once more circulated freely, Smith demanded to be shown their chief.
As soon as Opechancanough presented himself, the young soldier drew from his pocket a round ivory double compass dial, and gave it to his captor. The savages immediately gathered round the singular piece of mechanism, and were greatly astonished at the incessant motion of the needle, which they could see so plainly, and yet not touch, because of the glass by which it was co- vered. But when Smith demonstrated, by means of that little instrument, the roundness of the
1
58
HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. [1607.
earth and skies, the spherical character of the. sun, moon, and stars, and many other suchlike mysteries, they were filled with awe and admira- tion.
If, however, the bold young soldier sought by this means to ingratiate himself with the savages and so win them over to his release, he was doomed to a bitter disappointment. Within an hour afterward they suddenly pinioned his arms, and tying him to a tree, as many as could stand about him bent their bows, and were in the act of despatching him, when Opechancanough, hold- ing up the compass in his hand, commanded them to desist.
He was then led in triumphant procession, under a strong guard, to the town of Orapakes. As he approached it, all the women and children came out to gaze at the great warrior, whose re- nown had already preceded him.
On entering the town the procession halted. The Indians, then forming a ring, danced wildly about their prisoner, accompanying their uncouth gestures with songs and ear-piercing yells.
All this while Smith and Opechancanough stood in the midst guarded. When the dances were ended, Opechancanough conducted his pri- soner to a long house, covered with mats, where he was placed under the protection of some thirty or forty warriors, every one with his head and shoulders painted of a bright scarlet colour, and
59
SMITH IMPRISONED.
1607.]
all of them bearing bows in their hands, a quiver of arrows and a club slung at their backs, and on the arm of each, by way of vambrace, a fox, or otter's skin.
Food was soon afterward set before him in quan- tities sufficient for twenty men, and at midnight another and equally abundant supply was brought in. What he did not eat was put into baskets and slung to the rafters above his head. No one was suffered to partake of the meal with him.
The next morning fresh provisions were brought, and in such profusion, that Smith con- jectured the design of the savages was to fatten, and then eat him. Even in this desperate strait, he met with an instance of gratitude which is well worthy of record.
Observing him to shiver with the cold, an Indian by the name of Macassater stript himself of his own robe and gave it to Smith, in requital for some beads and other toys which the latter had presented him on his first arrival in Virginia.
The second day of his imprisonment, an Indian, in revenge for the loss of his son, who then lay mortally wounded, attempted to murder Smith, but his purpose was prevented by the timely in- terposition of the guards.
It is an evidence of their credulous belief in the almost supernatural power of their prisoner, that they conducted him to the couch of the dying man, with the hope of his being yet able
60
HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. [1607.
to restore him to health. With that quickness of perception which so eminently marked the character of the man, Smith immediately profited by the opportunity. He told them, that at James- town he had a water that would do it, if they would permit him to go there for it; this, how- ever, they shrewdly declined. On the contrary, they made great preparations for an assault upon the settlement, and sought the advice of their prisoner. As an inducement to assist them, they offered him life, liberty, and land. The wily soldier neither accepted nor refused, but, tempo- rizing with them, obtained with great difficulty permission to send messengers to the fort, bear- ing his table-book, ostensibly for the purpose of obtaining certain things for his own use, but in reality with a view to inform the colonists of his situation, and place them on their guard against surprise.
Notwithstanding the way was long, and the weather bitter cold, the messengers performed their journey and returned to Orapakes within three days, wondering greatly by what strange conjurations it was that a sinall piece of white paper could be made to talk.
But if this, to them, singular faculty of convey- ing his thoughts to a distance by means of certain arbitrary characters, led them to regard their prisoner with increased awe, it did not prevent them from rejoicing still more heartily at the
61
INDIAN INCANTATIONS.
1607.]
knowledge that so dangerous a man was a cap- tive in their hands.
Triumphantly, and with songs and dances, they led him captive through the chief towns of the surrounding tribes, and thence back again to the king's habitation at Pamunkey.
At this place a consultation appears to have been held among the chief priests and medicine- men of the various tribes. The subject of their deliberations was one of great gravity and mo- ment. It was to ascertain whether the captive white warrior, whose marvellous doings chal- lenged alike the admiration and the fears of the savages, was possessed of evil intentions toward them.
It was a knotty problem, the solution of which could only be obtained by fearful conjurations, and the exercise of their best skill in art magic.
Accordingly, one morning, a great fire was made in one of the larger wigwams, and on op- posite sides of the fire mats were spread. Then Smith, with his hands firmly bound, was brought in by his guards, and after being seated upon a mat was left, for a short time, entirely alone. Presently a man, painted black, holding a gourd rattle in his hand, and covered above his head and shoulders with snakes and weasel's skins, bounded into the apartment, chanting an invo- cation ; with a loud voice and many passionate gestures, he encircled the fire with a broad ring
6
62
HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. [1607.
of Indian meal. When this was accomplished, three others came rushing in, painted parti- ยท coloured, in black, red, and white. After danc- ing and gesticulating for a while, these last were joined by three more, painted red about the eyes, and with their blackened faces relieved by streaks of white. These also danced about their prisoner in a savage and grotesque manner, and then they all sat down opposite to Smith, three on the one side of the chief medicine-man, and three on the other.
They now commenced a song. When it was ended, the chief medicine-man laid down five grains of corn. After working himself into such a passionate phrensy that his veins swelled out like cords, and the perspiration was visible in large drops, he began a short oration, at the con- clusion of which they all gave a groan. Many other brief orations followed, all of which were terminated by a groan, and the dropping of three additional grains, until the fire was twice en- circled by these little heaps of corn. Small bun- dles of sticks were now laid with similar ceremo- nies between each division of corn. When the approach of night put an end to the conjurations, which had been performed fasting, they all ate and drank heartily, and then retired. The con- clusion to which the priests arrived, after three days spent in this manner, may be reasonably inferred from what followed.
1
63
POCAHONTAS.
1607.]
All this time, Powhattan the emperor, stand- ing apparently upon his dignity, waited at We- rowocomoco until the captive should be brought before him. When Smith reached there, the pro- cession was increased at the entrance of the town by the addition of two hundred warriors. It now halted, till Powhattan, arrayed in his robes of dignity, gave permission for the captive to be admitted into his presence.
In his royal dwelling, upon a raised seat, sat King Powhattan, covered with a great robe made of raccoon-skins. On each side of him sat a young girl of sixteen or eighteen years; and, stretching along both walls of the house were two rows of men, and behind them, as many wo- men. Standing near the feet of Powhattan, was an Indian maiden, some thirteen years of age," clad in a succinct robe of the pliantest deer-skin, prettily fringed, and musical with tinkling orna- ments. Around her neck she wore several long necklaces of white beads, through which her left arm was looped, after the custom of the Indian girls in those days. It was Pocahontas, the favourite daughter of King Powhattan.
When the captain entered, all the people gave a great shout ; but Pocahontas, flinging back the jet black hair from her swarthy brow, gazed eagerly upon the bearded face of the wonderful white warrior, and uttered never a word.
Food was now brought and set before Smith
64
HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. [1607.
The queen of Appomattox attended him with water to wash his hands, while another stood by to hand him a bunch of feathers, instead of a towel, to dry them.
After he had eaten, a long consultation was held by Powhattan and his swarthy advisers in relation to the future disposal of their prisoner. The conclusion they came to had at least the merit of being summary.
Two great stones were brought in and placed upon the ground before Powhattan. At a signal from the latter, as many warriors as could grasp the prisoner sprang toward him, and dragged him, struggling fiercely, to where the stones were set. Upon these, some forced their captive to lay his head, while others stood behind, with their war- clubs upraised, ready to beat out his brains. -
During this scene of excitement and terror, the Princess Pocahontas stood near by, agitated be- yond measure at the impending fate of the brave young soldier. Seeing the warriors nerving them- selves to strike, she broke away from those who would have restrained her, and seizing the head of Smith in her arms, laid her own head upon his, saving, by this heroic act, the life of England's worthiest adventurer, and making her name im- mortal in the annals of the new world. Two days after this unexpected deliverance, Powhattan re- leased Smith from his imprisonment, and sent him under the conduct of twelve guides to Jamestown.
65
SMITH'S RETURN.
1607.]
-
Before the emperor took leave of his captive, he made him promise to bestow upon the guides two great guns and a grindstone, for the use of their master.
In two days "they reached the fort, and after the savages were refreshed, Smith, mindful of his promise, pointed out to the servant of Powhattan two small pieces of cannon and a mill-stone, and bade him instruct his companions to carry them to Werowocomoco; but, says the old chronicler with a grim smile, when they essayed to lift them they found them somewhat too heavy, and were fain to put up with toys and such like gew- gaws instead.
Most fortunate was it for the safety of the colony that Smith was returned there so unex- pectedly. Only forty men remained alive, while the malcontents, consisting of those who called themselves the better sort, were making their preparations once more to run away with the pinnace, intending to leave their preacher, Mr. Hunt, and twenty-seven others, to their fate. For the third time, at the hazard of his life, Smith forced the conspirators to abandon their enter- prise.
Finding their plans thus foiled, the wretched and malignant men, with Ratcliffe the governor at their head, turned upon Smith himself, and plotted to put him to death by the Levitical law for the loss of the two men who had been slain
6*
66
HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. [1608.
by the savages. They little knew with whom they had to deal. Before they could consummate their plans, they found themselves under arrest by the orders of Smith, who did not hesitate to imprison the principals until he could send them back to England.
CHAPTER V.
Arrival of the second supply-Newport opens a trade with Powhattan-Is outwitted by the emperor-Sagacity of Smith -Value of blue beads-Mania for gold-seeking in Virginia -Arrival of the Phoenix-Smith explores the Chesapeake -Returns to Jamestown-Sails, and completes his discoveries -Character of Smith-Elected governor of Virginia-Arri- val of the third supply-Coronation of Powhattan-His regal intractability-Affairs at Jamestown-Energetic conduct of Smith-Powhattan attemps to starve out the colony-Expe- dition of Smith to Werowocomoco.
THE return of Newport' from England with fresh though limited supplies, and one hundred and twenty immigrants, had the effect of abating for a little while the distracted condition of the colony. This happening shortly after the release of Smith, word was quickly sent to Powhattan that Newport had come back to Jamestown, and was preparing to pay him a visit. To make his reception gracious in advance, Newport sent Pow- hattan many presents, which he had brought over for him, and with the latter expressed himself much pleased.
Taking with him in the pinnace a quantity of
67
BARTER WITH THE INDIANS.
1608.]
goods adapted, as he supposed, to the peculiar tastes of the Indians, Newport, accompanied by Smith, set sail, and in due time reached Wero- wocomoco, where they were received by Powhat- tan in his usual barbarous state.
After having been duly feasted, and the cus- tomary songs and dances were over, Newport proposed to Powhattan to barter such commodi- ties as he had brought with him for corn, of which the colony stood in great need.
Vulgar trade, however, the wily emperor af- fected to despise. " Captain Newport," said he, " it is not agreeable to my greatness, to truck in this peddling manner for trifles. I am a great Werowance; and I esteem you as the same ; therefore, lay me down all your commodities to- gether : what I like I will take, and in return you shall have what I conceive to be their value."
Smith reminded Captain Newport of the hazard he would incur by accepting the proposition ; but Newport, being a vain man, and expecting to daz- zle Powhattan by his bounty, complied with his request, and it unluckily proved as Smith had predicted. "The corn," said the latter, " might as well have been purchased in old Spain; we received but four bushels, when we expected twenty hogsheads."
Smith next tried his hand, and relied for suc- cess, not upon the emperor's sagacity, but on his simplicity. He accordingly took some tcys, or
68
HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. [1608.
gewgaws, and by glancing them dexterously in the light, they showed to great advantage.
Powhattan soon fixed his observing eye upon a string of blue beads, and became anxious to obtain them. Smith, however, seemed only the more un- willing to part with them ; "they being," as he said, " composed of a most rare substance of the colour of the skies, and fit only to be worn by the greatest kings in the world." But the more reluctant Smith affected to be, the more eager Powhattan grew to become the owner of such precious jewels ; and a bargain was at length struck between the subtle captain and the empe- ror, to the entire satisfaction of both parties; by which Smith obtained, for a pound or two of blue beads, two or three hundred bushels of corn.
By the same coy method of traffic, he subse- quently obtained at an equally small cost another large supply of corn from his old enemy, Ope- chancanough, King of Pamunkey.
Blue beads, being thus elevated into imperial symbols of enormous value, afterward grew in such estimation among the Indians, that none but great Werowances, and their wives and daugh- ters, were permitted to wear them.
Newport, having brought over with him, besides the usual complement of poor gentlemen, sundry goldsmiths and refiners, the mania for searching vut mines of the precious metals spread through- out all classes of the colonists. Smith, with his
69
GOLD MANIA.
1608.]
strong common sense, endeavoured to turn their thoughts into a more practical channel ; but in vain. The refiners, with their golden promises, made all men their slaves. There was no talk now-no hope-no work; but dig gold-wash gold-refine gold-load gold, such a continual outcry about gold, that one mad fellow desired to be buried in the sands, lest they should by their art make gold of his bones.
And thus the weeks flew by, and the ships stayed, until the provisions which should have supported the colonists were eaten up in a vain search after that, which to the last was never found. 1
Smith never countenanced these golden schemes, but often told Captain Martin, that unless the re- finers could show him substantial proofs, he was not enamoured with their dirty skill. Nothing tormented him more than to see all necessary business thus neglected. He advised Newport to freight the ship with cedar, which could be done at once, rather than linger out his time, to the great detriment of the colony and the heavy cost of his employers. Newport, however, who, though a good seaman, was a self-opinionated man, pre- ferred to load his ship with spangled earth, and so he waited until the approach of spring, when he departed with his valueless burden.
He had not been long gone, when the Phoenix, commanded by Captain Nelson, arrived at James-
70
HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. [1608.
town, to the great joy of the colonists, who had given her up as lost.
The captain of the Phoenix, being a less vision- ary man than his predecessor, agreed to freight his ship with cedar, and this being speedily ac- complished, he set sail for England.
. As soon as the colonists were left once more to follow their appropriate labours, Smith fitted out an open barge of three tons burden, and quitted Jamestown, with a crew of fourteen men, to ex- plore the waters of the Chesapeake Bay.
When he first set sail, some of his men, who were newly arrived in Virginia, and had yet to learn the indomitable character of their leader, loudly expressed their fears that on the first alarm he would return to the settlement, leaving the object of his expedition unaccomplished ; but when they had been crowded in the small barge about two weeks, often tired at the oars, and with their bread so spoiled with wet that it had become partly rotten, they began to murmur at his obsti- nacy in still holding his resolution to proceed.
After enduring for some time their continual complaints and importunities, Smith addressed them in the following memorable words :
" Gentlemen, if you would remember the well- known history of Sir Ralph Lane, and how his company entreated him to proceed in the dis- covery of Moratico, alleging they had yet a dog remaining, which, being boiled with sassafras
71
1608.] SMITH'S DETERMINATION.
leaves, would richly feed them during their re- turn ; then what a shame it would be for you, who have been so suspicious of my timidity, to force me to put back, having so much provision, while scarcely able, as yet, to give any account of where we have been, and utterly ignorant of that which we were sent to seek.
" You cannot say I have not shared with you in the worst which is past; and for what is to come, either of lodging, diet, or whatsoever, I am contented to receive the worst part myself. As for your fears that I will lose myself in these large unknown waters, or be swallowed up in some stormy gust-abandon these childish fancies. Worse than has already been experienced is not likely to happen ; and there is already as much danger in returning as in going forward. Regain therefore your old spirits, for return I will not -if it please God-till I have seen the Massawo- macs, found the Potomac, or penetrated to the head of this water which you imagine to be end- less."
After this decided expression of his will, all hope of changing his determination vanished. He did proceed. He did discover the Potomac. He sailed up that noble river, and crossing the country by land, examined a mine, the earth of which, so Newport had assured them, had been assayed in England and pronounced to contair large quantities of silver.
72
HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. [1608.
For seven weeks Smith continued his explora- tions, examining and noting every creek, har- bour, and inlet, both on the eastern and western shores of the Chesapeake Bay. Many skirmishes and some sharp encounters he had with the na- tives ; but by his coolness, sagacity, and skill, not one of his little company received any serious injury. The exhaustion of his provisions, and his own painful condition-he having been poi- soned by a sea-nettle-compelled him at length to relinquish the further prosecution of his voy- age, and return to Jamestown.
Such however was his energy, that three days had scarcely elapsed, before his barge, refitted and manned with twelve of the same crew, was once more floating down the James River, for the purpose of completing the previous disco. veries.
This second exploration of the Chesapeake Bay ended with the most perfect results. Smith not only penetrated to the head of the bay, but also ascended its various tributaries as far as they were navigable. He held conferences with the Massawomacs, the Susquehannas, the Patuxents, and the Rappahannocks, fought with such as were hostile, and was friendly with all who met him in the same spirit ; navigated the waters for forty-four days, sailed in that time some three thousand miles, and made a chart of the whole region, with its rivers, creeks, islands, harbours,
73
1608.] CHARACTER OF SMITH.
and inlets, which has been valued for its correct- ness down to the present time.
And here, perhaps, is the most fitting place to exhibit one other bright phase in the character of this remarkable man.
Bred from his youth a soldier, he was yet singularly free from those vices which so fre- quently attach themselves to such as follow the profession of arms. He neither drank wine, swore oaths, nor gambled; but it was his daily custom to preface the duties of the morning by prayer and the singing of a psalm. This pious habit the keen-eyed savages soon remarked, and whenever afterward in their discourses to the whites they had occasion to speak of the Deity, they invariably referred to him as " the God of Captain Smith."
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.