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Page 20
So marching towards their houses, they might see great heapes of
corne: much adoe he had to restraine his hungry souldiers from present
taking of it, expecting as it hapned that the Salvages would assault
them, as not long after they did with a most hydeous noyse. Sixtie or
seaventie of them, some blacke, some red, some white, some
party-coloured, came in a square order, singing and dauncing out of
the woods, with their Okee (which was an Idoll made of skinnes,
stuffed with mosse, all painted and hung with chaines and copper)
borne before them: and in this manner, being well armed with Clubs,
Targets, Bowes and Arrowes, they charged the English, that so kindly
receiued them with their muskets loaden with Pistoll shot, that downe
fell their God, and divers lay sprauling on the ground; the rest fled
againe to the woods, and ere long sent one of their Quiyoughkasoucks
to offer peace, and redeeme their Okee.
Smith told them, if onely six of them would come vnarmed and loade his
boat, he would not only be their friend, but restore them their Okee,
and gins them Beads, Copper, and Hatchets besides: which on both sides
was to their contents performed: and then they brought him Venison,
Turkies, wild foule, bread, and what they had; singing and dauncing in
signs of friendship till they departed.
In his returns he discovered the Towne and Country of Warraskoyack.
Thus God vnboundlesse by his power,
Made them thus kind, would vs deuour.
Smith perceiving (notwithstanding their late miserie) not any regarded
but from hand to mouth: (the company being well recovered) caused the
Pinnace to be provided with things fitting to get provision for the
years following; but in the interim he made 3, or 4, iournies and
discovered the people of Chickahamania: yet what he carefully provided
the rest carelesly spent.
Wingfield and Kendall liuing in disgrace, seeing all things at randome
in the absence of Smith, the companies dislike of their Presidents
weaknes, and their small loue to Martins never mending sicknes,
strengthened themselues with the sailers and other confederates, to
regaine their former credit and authority, or at least such meanes
abord the Pinnace, (being fitted to saile as Smith had appointed for
trade) to alter her course and to goe for England.
Smith vnexpectedly returning had the plot discovered to him, much
trouble he had to prevent it, till with store of sakre and musket shot
he forced them stay or sinke in the riuer: which action cost the life
of captaine Kendall.
These brawles are so disgustful, as some will say they were better
forgotten, yet all men of good iudgement will conclude it were better
their basenes should be manifest to the world, then the busines beare
the scorne and shame of their excused disorders.
The President and captaine Archer not long after intended also to haue
abandoned the country, which project also was curbed, and suppressed
by Smith. The Spaniard never more greedily desired gold than he
victuall; nor his souldiers more to abandon the Country, then he to
keepe it. But finding plentis of Corns in the riuer of Chickahamania,
where hundreds of Salvages in diuers places stood with baskets
expecting his comming.
And now the winter approaching, the rivers became so covered with
swans, geese, duckes, and cranes, that we daily feasted with good
bread. Virginia pease, pumpions, and putchamins, fish, fowls, and
diverse sorts of wild beasts as fat as we could eate them: so that
none of our Tuftaffaty humorists desired to goe for England.
But our Comoedies never endured long without a Tragedie; some idle
exceptions being muttered against Captaine Smith, for not discovering
the head of Chickahamania river, and taxed by the Councell, to be slow
in so worthy an attempt. The next voyage hee proceeded so farre that
with much labour by cutting of trees insunder he made his passage; but
when his Barge could passe no farther, he left her in a broad bay out
of danger of shot, commanding none should goe a shore till his
returne; himselfe with two English and two Salvages went vp higher in
a Canowe; but hee was not long absent, but his men went a shore, whose
want of government gaue both occasion and opportunity to the Salvages
to surprise one George Cassen, whom they slew, and much failed not to
have cut of the boat and all the rest.
Smith, little dreaming of that accident, being got to the marshes at
the rivers head, twentie myles in the desert, had his two men slaine
(as is supposed) sleping by the Canowe, whilst himselfe by fowling
sought them victuall: who finding he was beset with 200 Salvages, two
of them hee slew still defending himselfe with the ayd of a Salvage
his guid, whom he bound to his arme with his garters, and vsed him as
a buckler, yet he was shot in his thikh a little, and had many arrowes
that stucke in his cloathes but no great hurt, till at last they tooke
him prisoner.
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