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About Google Book Search Google's mission is to organize the world's information and to make it universally accessible and useful. Google Book Search helps readers discover the world's books while helping authors and publishers reach new audiences. You can search through the full text of this book on the web atjhttp : //books . qooqle . com/ THE HISTORY OF VIRGINIA IN FOUR PARTS. I. The History op the first settlement of Virginia, and the gov- ernment THEREOF, TO THE YEAR 1706. II. The natural productions and conveniences of the country, suited to trade and improvement. III. The native Indians, their religion, laws and customs, in war and peace. IV* The present state of the country, as to the polity of the gov- ernment, AND THE IMPROVEMENTS OF THE LAND THE 10TH OF JuNE 1720. BY ROBERT BEVERLEY, A native and inhabitant of the place. BEPRINTED FROM THE AUTHOR'S SECOND REVISED EDITION, LONDON, 1722. WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY CHAELES CAMPBELL, Author of the Colonial History of Virginia. J. W. RANDOLPH, 121 MAIN STREET, RICHMOND, VIRGINIA. 1855. Hosted by Google Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1855, by J. W. RANDOLPH, la ttxe Clerk's Office of the District Court in and for the Eastern District of Virginia- H. K. ELLYSON'S STEAM PRESSES, RICHMOND, VA. Hosted by Google THE TABLE BOOK I, CHAPTER I. History of the first attempts to settle Virginia, before the discovery of Chesapeake bay, PAGE. $1. Sir Walter Raleigh obtains letters paimt, for making discoveries in America, ... ; ... 8 2. Two ships, set out on the discovery, and arrive at Roanoke inlet> . 9 Their account of the country, . * . . < 9 + Their account of the natives, . ^ i . .9 8. Q,ueen Elizabeth names the country of Virginia, . . .10 4. Sir Richard Greenvile's voyage, . . _ * .10 . He plans the first colony, under command or Mr. Ralph Lane, . 1 1 5. The discoveries and accidents of the first colony, . • .11 6. Their distress by want of provisions, . . . .12 Sir Francis Drake visits them, . . . • • 12 He gives them a ship and necessaries, . * . .12 He takes them away with him, . . . . .12 7. Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Richard Green vile, their voyages, . 13 The second settlement made, . . . . .13 8. Mr. John White's expedition, . . . . .13 The first Indian made a Christian there, . . . .14 The first child born there of Christian parentage, . . .14 Third settlement, incorporated by the name of the city of Raleigh, in Virginia, . . . . . . .14 Mr. White, their governor, sent home to solicit for supplies, . 14 9. John White's second voyage ; last attempts to carry them recruits, 14 His disappointment, . . . . . .15 10. Capt. Gosnell's voyage to the coast of Cape Cod, * .15 11. The Bristol voyages, . . . . . .16 12. A London voyage, which discovered New York, . * .16 CHAPTER II. Discovery of Chesapeake bay by the corporation of London adventurers j their colony at Jamestown, and proceedings during the government by an elective president and council. 513. The companies of London and Plymouth obtain charters, . 18 14. Captain Smith first discovers the capes of Virginia, . .19 15. He plants his first colony at Jamestown, . . . .20 An account of Jamestown island, . . > .20 16. He sends the ships home^ retaining one hundred and eight men to keep possession, , , t , , .20 Hosted by Google IV THE TABLE, 17. That colony's mismanagement, . . . . .21 Their misfortunes upon discovery of a supposed gold mine, . 21 18. Their first supplies after settlement, . . . .22 Their discoveries, and experiments in English grain, . ,22 An attempt of some to desert the colony, . . . .22 19. The first Christian marriage in that colony, . . .23 They make three plantations more, . . . .23 CHAPTER III. History of the colony after the change of their government, from an elective president to a commissionated governor, until the dissolution of the com- pany, §20. The company get a new grant, and the nomination of the gover- nors in themselves, • . . . • 24 They send three governors in equal degree, . . 24 All three going in one ship, are shipwrecked at Bermudas, . 24 They build there two smaUcedar vessels, . . .24 21 . Captain Smith's return to England, . . • .25 Mismanagements ruin the colony, . . . .25 The first massacre and starving time, . . . .25 The first occasion of the ill character of Virginia, . .26 The five hundred men left by Captain Smith reduced to sixty in six months time. . . . . . • 26 22. The three governors sail from Bermudas, and arrive at Virginia, 26 23. They take off the Christians that remained there, and design, by way of Newfoundland, to return to England, . . . 27 Lord Delaware arrives and turns them back, . . .27 24. Sir Thomas Dale arrives governor, with supplies, . • 27 25. Sir Thomas Gates arrives governor, . . . .28 He plants out a new plantation, . . . • .28 26. Pocahontas made prisoner, and married to Mr. Rolfe, . . 28 27. Peace with the Indians, . . . . . .28 28. Pocahontas brought to England by Sir Thomas Dale, • . 29 29. Captain Smitn's petition to the queen in her behalf, . . 29 30. His visit to Pocahontas, . . . . • .32 An Indian's account of the people of England, . . .32 31. Pocahontas' reception at court, and death, . . .33 32. Captain Yardley's government, . . . • .34 33. Governor Argall's good administration, . . . .34 34. Powhatan's death, and successors, . . . .34 Peace renewed by the successors, . . . .34 35. Captain Argall's voyage from Virginia to New England, . 35 36. He defeats the French northward of New England, ; . 35 37. An account of those French, . . . . . 36 38. He also defeats the French in Acadia, . . . .36 39. His return to England, . . . . . -36 Sir George Yardley, governor, . . . . .36 40. He resettles the deserted plantation, and held the first assembly, . 36 The method of that assembly, . . • . .37 41. The first negroes carried to Virginia, . . . .37 42. Land apportioned to adventurers, . . . .37 43. A salt work and iron work in Virginia, . . . .38 44. Sir Francis Wyat made governor, . . • .38 King James, his instructions in care of tobacco, . . 38 Captain Newport's plantation < t . * .38 Hosted by Google THE TABLE. V 45. Inferior courts in each plantation, . . . . .39 Too much familiarity with the Indians, . . . .39 46. The massacre by the Indians, anno 1622, . . .39 47. The discovery and prevention of it at Jamestown, . . 40 48. The occasion of the massacre, . . . . .41 49. A plot to destroy the Indians, . . . . .42 50. The discouraging effects of the massacre, . . . 43 51. The corporation in England are the chief cause of misfortunes in Virginia, . . • . . . .43 52. The company dissolved, and the colony taken into the king's hands, ........ 44 CHAPTER IV. History of the government, from the dissolution of the company to the year 1707. 353. King Charles First establishes the constitution of government, in the methods appointed by the first assembly, . . .45 54. The ground of the ill settlement of Virginia, . . .45 55. Lord Baltimore in Virginia, . . . . . 46 56. Lord Baltimore, proprietor of Maryland, . . .46 Maryland named from the queen, . . - .46 57. Young Lord Baltimore seats Maryland, . . . .46 Misfortune to Virginia, by making Maryland a distinct govern- ment, . . . . . . .47 58. Great grants and defalcations from Virginia, . . .47 59. Governor Harvey sent prisoner to England, and by the king re- manded back governor again, . . . . .47 60. The last Indian massacre, . . . . .48 61 . A character and account of Oppechaneanough, the Indian em- peror, . . , . . . .48 62. Sir William Berkeley made governor, . . .49 63. He takes Oppechaneanough prisoner, . . . .49 Oppechancanough's death, . . . . .50 64. A new peace with the Indians, but the country disturbed by the troubles in England, . . . . . -50 65. Virginia subdued by the protector, Cromwell, . . .50 66. He binds the plantations by an act of navigation, . . 51 67. His jealousy and change of governors in Virginia, . .51 68. Upon the death of Matthews, the protector's governor, Sir Wil- liam Berkeley is chosen by the people, . . .52 69. He proclaims King Charles II before he was proclaimed in England, . . . . . • .52 70. King Charles II renews Sir William Berkeley's commission, . 52 71. Sir William Berkeley makes Colonel Morrison deputy governor, and goes to England, . * . • . .53 The king renews the act concerning the plantation, . . 53 72. The laws revised, . . . . . .53 The church of England established by law, . * . 53. 73. Clergy provided for by law, . . . . .53 74. The public charge of the government sustained by law, . 53 75. Encouragement of particular manufactures by law, . . 54 76. The instruction for all ships to enter at Jamestown, used by law, 54 77. Indian affairs settled by law, . . . . * 54 78. Jamestown encouraged by law, . , • . ,54 79. Restraints upon sectaries in religion^ . « . . 55 Hosted by Google VI THE TABL E . 80. A plot to subvert the government, . . * .55 81. The defeat of the plot, . . . . . . 55 82. An anniversary feast upon that occasion, . . • 56 83. The king commands the building a fort at Jamestown, . 56 84. A new restraint on the plantations by act of parliament, . 56 85. Endeavors for a stint in planting tobacco, . . .56 S6. Another endeavor at a stint defeated, . . . .57 87. The king sent instructions to build forts, and confine the trade to certain ports, , . . . . . .57 88. The disappointment of those ports, . . . .58 89. Encouragement of manufactures enlarged, . . .58 90. An attempt to discovery the country backward, . . 59 Captain Batt's relation of that discovery, . . .59 91. Sir William Berkeley intends to procecute that discovery in person, 60 92. The grounds of Bacon's rebellion, . . . .60 Four ingredients thereto, . . . . .61 93. First, the low price of tobacco, . . . . .61 Second, splitting the country into proprieties, . . .61 The country send agents, to complain of the propriety grants, . 61 94. Third, new duties by act in England on the plantations, . 62 95. Fourth, disturbances on the land frontiers by the Indians, . 62 First, by the Indians on the head of the bay, . . .62 Second,, by the Indians on their own frontiers, . . ., 63 96. The people rise against the Indians, . . . .63 They choose Nathan Bacon, jr., for their leader, ._ .63 97. He heads them, and sends to the governor for a commission, . 64 98. He begins his march without a commission, . . . 64 The governor sends for him, . . . . .65 99. Bacon goes down in a sloop with forty of his men to the governor, 65 100. Goes away in a huff, is pursued and brought back by governor, 65 101. Bacon steals privately out of town, and marches down to the as- sembly with six hundred of his volunteers, . .65 102. The governor, by advice of assembly, signs a commission to Mr. Bacon to be general, . . . . . .66 103. Bacon being marched away with his men is proclaimed rebel, . 66 104. Bacon returns with his forces to Jamestown, . . .66 105. The governor flies to Accomac, . . . . .66 The people there begin to make ierms with him, . .67 106. Bacon holds a convention of gentlemen, . . .67 They propose to take an oath to him, . . . .67 107. The forms of the oath, 67 108. The governor makes head against him, . . . .69 General Bacon's death, . . . . .69 109. Bacon's followers surrender upon articles, . . .69 110. The agents compound with the proprietors, . . .69 111. A new charter to Virginia, . . . . .70 112. Soldiers arrive from England, . . . . .70 113. The dissolution by Bacon's rebellion, . • . .70 114. Commissioners arrive in Virginia, and Sir William Berkeley re- turns to England, . . . . . .71 115. Herbert Jeffreys, esq., governor, concludes peace with Indians, 71 116. Sir Henry Chicheley, deputy governor, builds forts against Indians, 71 The assembly prohibited the importation of tobacco, . . 72 117. Lord Colepepper, governor, . . . . ,72 118. Lord Colepepper's first assembly, . . , .72 He passes several obliging acts to the country, . . ,72 Hosted by Google THE TABLE* VII 119. He doubles the governor's salary, . . . .72 120. He imposes the perquisite of ship money, . . # .73 121. He, by proclamation, raises the value of Spanish coins, and lowers it again, . . . . . .73 122. Sir Henry Chicheley, deputy governor, - . . .74 The plant cutting, . . . . . .74 123. Lord Colepepper's second assembly, . . . . 75 He takes away appeals to the assembly, . . .75 124. His advantage thereby in the propriety of the Northern Neck, . 76 1 25. He retrenches the new methods of court proceedings, . . 77 126. He dismantled the forts on the heads of rivers, and appointed , rangers in their stead, . . . . . .77 1 27. Secretary Spencer, president, . , . • 77 128. Lord Effingham, governor, . . . . .77 Some of his extraordinary methods of getting money, . . 77 Complaints against him, . . . . .78 129. Duty on liquors first raised, . . . * .78 130. Court of Chancery by Lord Effingham, . . .78 131. Colonel Bacon, president, . . . . . 79 The college designed, . . . . . .79 132. Francis Nicholson, lieutenant governor, . . . .79 He studies popularity, . . . , . ,79 The college proposed to him, . . . . .79 He refuses to call an assembly, . . . . .79 133. He grants a brief to the college, . . . .79 134. The assembly address King William and Q,ueen Mary for a col- lege charter, . . . . . . .80 The education intended by this college, . . . .80 The assembly present the lieutenant governor, . . .80 His method of securing this present, . . . .80 135. Their majesties grant the charter, . . • m . 80 They grant liberally towards the building and endowing of it, . 80 136. The lieutenant governor encourages towns and manufactures, . 80 Gentlemen of the council complain of him and are misused, . 81 He falls off from the encouragement of the towns and trade, . 81 137. Edmund Andros, governor, . . . . .81 The town law suspended, . . . . .81 138. The project of a post office, . . . .81 139. The college charter arrived, . . . . .81 The college further endowed, and the foundation laid, . .82 140. Sir Edmund Andros encourages manufactures, and regulates the secretary's office, . . . . . .82 141. A child born in the old age of the parents, . . .83 142. Francis Nicholson, governor, . . . . .83 His and Colonel (iuarrey's memorials against plantations, . 84 143. His zeal for the church and college, . . . .84 144. He removes the general court from Jamestown, . . .84 145. The takiDg of the pirate, . . . . .84 146. The sham bills of nine hundred pounds for New York, . . 86 147. Colonel Q,uarrey3s unjust memorials, . . . .87 148. Governor Nott arrived, . . . . . .88 149. Revisal of the law finished, . . . . .88 150. Ports and towns again set on foot, . . . .88 151. Slaves a real estate, , . . . . .88 152. A house built for the governor, . . . . .88 Governor dies, and the college burnt, . . . .88 Hosted by Google VIII THE TABLE, 153. Ed mond Jennings, esq., president, 154. Alexander Spotswood, lieutenant governor, BOOK II. 89 Natural Productions and Conveniences of Virginia in its unimproved state, before the English went thither. CHAPTER I. Bounds and Coast of Virginia. §1. Present bounds of Virginia1, . . . . .90 2. Chesapeake bay, and the sea coast of Virginia, . . .91 3* What is meant by the word Virginia in this book, . . 91 CHAPTER II. Of the Waters. §4. Conveniency of the bay and rivers, . . . .93 5. Springs and fountains descending to the rivers, . . .93 6. Damage to vessels by the worm, , . . . .94 Ways of avoiding that damage, . . . . .94 CHAPTER III. Earths, and Soils, §7. The soil in general, . . . . .96 River lands — lower, middle and upper, . . . .96 8. Earths and clays, . . . . . . .98 Coal, slate and stone, and why not used, . . . .98 9. Minerals therein, and iron mine formerly wrought upon, . 98 Supposed gold mines lately discovered, . . . .99 That this gold mine was the supreme seat of the Indian temples formerly, . . . . . . .99 That their chief altar was there also, . . . .99 Mr. Whitaker's account of ,a silver mine, . . .99 10. Hills in Virginia, 100 Springs in the high lands, . . . . .101 CHAPTER IV. Wild Fruits. §11. Spontaneous fruits in general, . . . . .102 12. Stoned fruits, viz : cherries, plums and persimmons, . .102 13. Berries, viz : mulberries, currants, hurts, cranberries, raspberries and strawberries, . . . . . .103 14. Of nuts, . • . ■ 104 15. Of grapes, . . . . . . 105 The report of some French vignerons formerly sent in thither, . 107 16. Honey, and the sugar trees, . . . . .107 17. Myrtle tree, and myrtle wax, . . . . .108 Hops growing wild, . , . . . .109 18. Great variety of seeds, plants and flowers, . . .109 Two snake roots, . . . . . .109 Jamestown weed, . . . . . .110 Some curious flowers, . . . . . .111 Hosted by Google THE TABL E . IX 19. Creeping vines bearing fruits, viz : melons, pompions, macocks, gourds, maracocks, and cushaws, . . . .112 20. Other fruits, roots and plants of ^the Indians, . . .114 Several sorts of Indian corn, . . . . .114 Of potatoes, . . . . . .115 Tobacco, as it was ordered by the Indians, . . .116 CHAPTER V. Fish. ^21. Great plenty and variety of fish, . . . • 117 Vast shoals of herrings, shad, &,c, . . . .117 22. Continuality of the fishery, . . . . .118 The names of some of the best edible fish, . . .118 The names of some that are not eaten, . . . .118 23. Indian children catching fish, . . ♦ . .118 Several inventions of the Indians to take fish, . . .119 24. Fishing hawks and bald eagles, . . . . .121 Fish dropped in the orchard, . . . . .121 CHAPTER VI. Wild Fowl and Hunted Game. §25. Wild Water Fowl, • 123 26. Game in the marshes and watery grounds, . . .123 27. Game in the highlands and frontiers, . . . .123 Of the Opossum, . . . . . .124 28. Some Indian ways of hunting, . . . . .124 Fire hunting, . . . . . . .124 Their hunting quarters, . . . . . ,125 29. Conclusion, . . . . . . .126 BOOK III. Indians, their Religion, Laws and Customs, in War and Peace. CHAPTER I. Persons of the Indians, and their Dress. . 127 §1. Persons of the Indians, their color and shape, 2. The cut of their hair, and ornament of their head, 3. Of their vesture, . 4. Garb peculiar to their priests and conjurors, 5. Of the women's dress, .... CHAPTER II. Matrimony of the Indians, and Management of their Children. §6. Conditions of their marriage, .... 7. Maidens, and the story of their prostitution. 8. Management of the young children, CHAPTER III. Towns, Building and Fortification of the Indians. §9. Towns and kingdoms of the Indians, 128 128 130 131 133 133 134 10. Manner of their building, 11. Their fuel, or fire wood, 135 135 136 Hosted by Google THE TABLE. 1 2. Their seats and lodging, 13. Their fortifications, CHAPTER IV. Cookery and Food of the Indians. §14. Their cookery, . 15. Their several sorts of food, 16. Their tirrjes of eating, 17. Their drink, 18. Their ways of dining, CHAPTER V. Traveling, Reception and entertainment of the Indians. §19. Manner of their traveling, and provision they make for it, Their way of concealing their course, 20. Manner of their reception of strangers, The pipe of peace, .... 21. Their entertainment of honorable friends, CHAPTER VI. Learning and Languages of the Indians. §22. That they are without letters, Their descriptions by hieroglyphics, Heraldry and arms of the Indians, 23. That they have different languages, Their general language, . CHAPTER VII. War and Peace of the Indians. §24. Their consultations and war dances, , 25. Their barbarity upon a victory, ..... 26. Descent of the crown, 27. Their triumphs for victory, . . , . 28. Their treaties of peace, and ceremonies upon conclusion of peace, CHAPTER VIII. Religion, Worship anql Superstitious Customs of the Indians. §29. Their quioccassan and idol of worship, 30. Their notions of God, and worshiping the evil spirit, 31. Their pawwawing or conjurations, 32. Their huskanawing, 33. Reasons of this custom, . 34. Their offerings and sacrifice, 35. Their set feasts, * 36. Their account of time, . 37. Their superstition and zealotry, 38. Their regard to the priests and magicians, 39. Places of their worship and sacrifice, Their pawcorances or altar stones, 40. Their care of the bodies of their princes after death, 136 136 138 139 140 140 141 142 142 143 143 145 147 140 147 148 148 149 149 150 150 151 152 155 157 160 164 165 165 165 166 167 168 168 169 Hosted by Google THE TABLE, XI CHAPTER IX. Diseases and Cures of the Indians. 641. Their diseases in general, and burning for cure, Their sucking, scarifying and blistering, Priests' secrecy in the virtues of plants, . Words wisoccan, wighsacan and woghsacan, Their physic, and the method of it, 42. Their bagnios or baths, Their oiling after sweating, CHAPTER X. Sports and Pastimes of the Indians, 643. Their sports and pastimes in general, Their singing, .... Their dancing, .... A mask used among them, Their musical instruments, CHAPTER XI. Laws, and Authorities of the Indians among one another. 544. Their laws in general, Their severity and ill manners, . Their implacable resentments, . 45. Their honors, preferments and authorities, Authority of the priests and conjurers, Servants or black boys, . CHAPTER XII. Treasure or Riches of the Indians. 646. Indian money and goods, CHAPTER XIII. Handicrafts of the Indians. §47. Their lesser crafts, as making bows and arrows, 48. Their making canoes, .... Their clearing woodland ground, 49. Account of the tributary Indians, BOOK IY. Present State of Virginia. PART I. Polity and Government. CHAPTER I, Constitution of Government in Virginia. §1. Constitution of government in general, % Governor, his authority and salary, 171 171 171 172 172 172 173 175 175 175 176 177 178 178 179 179 179 179 180 182 182 183 185 186 188 Hosted by Google XII THE TABLE. S. Council and their authority, 4. House of burgesses, 189 190 CHAPTER II. Sub-Divisions of Virginia, §5. Division of the country, . . . 6. Division of the country by necks of land, counties and parishes, 7. Division of the country by districts for trade by navigation, CHAPTER III. Public Offices of Government. §8. General officers as are immediately commissionated from the throne, 196 192 192 194 Auditor, Receiver General and Secretary, Salaries of those officers, . 9. Other general officers, Ecclesiastical commissary and country's treasurer, 10. Other public officers by commission, Escheators, Naval officers and collectors, Clerks and sheriffs, Surveyors of land and coroners, . 11. Other officers without commission, CHAPTER IV. Standing Revenues or Public Funds. 196 197 197 197 197 198 198 198 199 199 200 200 201 §12. Public funds in general, ..... 13. duit rent fund, . . 14. Funds for maintenance of the government, 15. Funds for extraordinary occasions, under the disposition of the as- sembly, . . . . . . .201 16. Revenue granted by the act of assembly to the college, . . 202 17. Revenue raised by act of parliament in England from the trade there, CHAPTER V. Levies for Payment of the Public, County and Parish Debts. 202 ^18. Several ways of raising money, . . 203 Titheables, ..... . 203 19. Public levy, ..... . 203 20. County levy, . 204 21. Parish levy, ..... . 204 CHAPTER VI. Courts of Law in Virginia, §22. Constitution of their courts, 23. Several sorts of courts among them, 24. General court in particular, and its jurisdiction, . 205 206 206 Hosted by Google THE TABLE. XIII 25. Times of holding a general court, ...» 206 26. Officers attending this court, . . . • . 206 27. Trials by juries and empannelling grand juries, . . . 207 28. Trial of criminals, . . . ' . .. . 207 29. Time of suits, 208 30. Lawyers and pleadings, . . „ . . . 208 31. County courts, ,. . . . .208 32. Orphans' courts, 209 CHAPTER VII. Church and Church Affairst §33. Parishes, . . . . . . .210 34. Churches and chapels in each parish, . . . .210 35. Religion of the country, . . . . . .210 36. Benefices of . the clergy, . . . . .210 37. Disposition of parochial affairs, . . . . .211 38. Probates, administrations, and marriage licenses, . .212 39. Induction of ministers, and precariousness of their livings, . 213 CHAPTER VIII. Concerning the College* $40. College endowments, . . . . . .214 41. The college a corporation, . . . .214 42. Governors and visitors of the college in perpetual succession, . 215 43. College buildings, . . . . . .215 44. Boys and schooling, . . . . . 215 CHAPTER IX. Military Strength in Virginia, §45. Forts and fortifications, . . . . . .217 46. Listed militia, . . . . . . -217 47. Number of the militia, ...... 217 48. Service of the militia, . . . . . .218 49. Other particulars of the troops and companies, . . .218 CHAPTER X. Servants and Slaves, $50. Distinction between a servant and a slave, . . .219 51. Work of their servants and slaves, . . . .219 52. Laws in favor of servants, ..... 220 CHAPTER XL Provision for the Poor, and other Public Charitable Works. §53. Legacy to the poor, . . . . . . 223 54. Parish methods in maintaining their poor, . . . 223 55. Free schools, and schooling of children, .... 224 CHAPTER XII. Tenure of Lands and Grants. 656. Tenure and patents of their lands, .... 225 57. Several ways of acquiring grants of land, • . . 225 Hosted by Google XIV THE TABL] 58. Rights to land, . . . 59. Patents upon survey, 60. Grants of lapsed land, ..... 61. Grants of escheat land, ..... CHAPTER XIII. Liberties and Naturalization of Aliens. 662. Naturalizations, . . . 63. French refugees at the Manican town, . CHAPTER XIV. Currency and Valuation of Coins. $64. Coins current among them, what rates, and why carried from among them to the neighboring plantations, PART II. Husbandry and Improvements. CHAPTER XV. People, Inhabitants of Virginia. §65. First peopling of Virginia, . 66. First accession of wives to Virginia, 67. Other ways by which the country was increased in people, CHAPTER XVI. 225 225 226 227 228 228 230 §68. Public buildings, 69. Private buildings, Buildings in Virginia. CHAPTER XVII. Edibles, Potables and Fuel. 231 231 232 234 235 §70. Cookery, ...... . 236 71. Flesh and fish, ...... . 236 72. Bread, ... , 237 73. Their kitchen gardens, . . 237 74. Their drinks, ...... . 238 75. Their fuel, . . - 238 CHAPTER XVIII. Clothing in Virginia. §76. Clothing, Slothfulness in handicrafts, .... CHAPTER XIX. Temperature of the Climate, and the Inconveniences attending it. ill. Natural temper and mixture of the air, . 78. Climate and happy situation of the latitude, . . 239 239 240' 240 Hosted by Google THE TABLE. XV 79. Occasions of its ill character, . . 241 Rural pleasures, ..... . 241 80. Annoyances, or occasions of uneasiness, . 243 Thunders, . . . . . . 243 Heat, . . . . . 243 Troublesome insects, .... . 243 81. Winters, . . . . . 250 Sudden changes of the weather, . 251 CHAPTER XX. Diseases incident to the Country. §82. 83. 84. 85. Diseases in general, Seasoning, Cachexia and yaws, Gripes, CHAPTER XXI. Recreations and Pastimes in Virginia. 252 253 253 253 $86. Diversions in general, . 254 87. Deer-hunting, . 254 88. Hare-hunting, . . 254 89. Vermin-hunting, . 255 90. Taking wild turkies, . 256 91. Fishing, . . 256 92. Small game,* . 256 93. Beaver, . 256 94. Horse-hunting, . . 257 95. Hospitality, . 258 CHAPTER XXII. Natural Product of Virginia, and the Advantages of Husbandry. §96. Fruits, ...... . 259 97. Grain, . 261 98. Linen, silk and cotton, . 261 99. Bees and cattle, . . . . . . 262 100. Usefulness of the woods, .... . 263 101. Indolence of the inhabitants, . . . - . . 263 Hosted by Google Hosted by Google THE PREFACE. My first business in the world being among the public records of my country, the active thoughts of my youth put me upon taking notes of the general administration of the government; but with no other design, than the gratification of my own inquisitive mind; these lay by me for many years afterwards, obscure and secret, and would forever have done so, had not the following accident produced them : In the year 1703, my* affairs calling me to England, I was soon after my arrival, complimented by my bookseller with an intimation, that there was prepared for printing a general account of all her ma- jesty's plantations in America, and his desire, that I would overlook it before it was put to the press; I agreed to overlook that part of it which related to Virginia. Soon after this he brings me about six sheets of paper written, which contained the account of Virginia and Carolina. This it seems was to have answered a part of Mr. Oldmixion's British Empire in America. I very innocently, (when I began to read,) placed pen and paper by me, and made my observations upon the first page, but found it in the sequel so very faulty, and an abridgement only of some accounts that had been printed sixty or seventy years ago; in which also he had chosen the most strange and untrue parts, and left out the more sincere and faithful, so that I laid aside all thoughts of further observations, and gave it only a reading; and my bookseller for answer, that the account was too faulty and too imperfect to be mended ; withal telling him, that seeing I had in my junior days taken some notes of the government, which I then had with me in Eng- land, I would make him an account of my own country, if I could find time, while I staid in London. And this I should the rather undertake in justice to so fine a country, because it has been so misrepresented to the common people of England, as to make them believe that the ser- vants in Virginia are made to draw in cart and plow as horses and oxen do in England, and that the country turns all people black who go to live there, with other such prodigious phantasms. Accordingly, before I left London, I gave him a short history of the country, from the first settlement, with an account of its then state; but I would not let him mingle it with Oldmixion's other account of the plantations, because I took them to be all of a piece with those I had seen of Virginia and Carolina, but desired mine to be printed C Hosted by Google XVIII PREFACE. by itself. And this I take to be the only reason of that gentleman's re- flecting so severely upon me in his book, for I never saw him in my life that I know of. But concerning that work of his, I may with great truth say, that (notwithstanding his boast of having the assistance of many original papers and memorials that I had not the opportunity of) he nowhere varies from the account that I gave, nor advances anything new of his own, but he commits so many errors, and imposes so many falsities upon the world, To instance some few out of the many: Page 210, he says that they were near spent with cold, which is impossible in that hot country. Page 220, he says that Captain Weymouth, in 1605, entered Pow- hatan river southward of the bay of Chesapeake; whereas Powhatan river is now called James river, and lies within the mouth of Chesapeake bay some miles, on the west side of it; and Captain Weymouth's voyage was pnly to Hudson's river, which is in New York, much northward of the capes of Virginia. Page 236, he jumbles the Potomac and eastern shore Indians as if they lived together, and never quarrelled with the English; whereas the last lived on the east side the great bay of Chesapeake, and the other on the west. The eastern shore Indians never had any quarrel with the English, but the Potomacs used many treacheries and enmities towards us, and joined in the intended general massacre, but by a timely discovery were prevented doing anything. Page 245, he says that Morrison held an assembly, and procured that body of laws to be made; whereas Morrison only made an abridg- ment of the laws then in being, and compiled them into a regular body; and this he did by direction of Sir William Berkeley, who, upon his going to England, left Morrison his deputy governor. Page 248, he says (viz: in Sir William Berkeley's time) the English could send seven thousand men into the field, and have twice as many at home; whereas at this day they cannot do that, and yet have three times as many people in the country as they had then. By page 251, he seems altogether ignorant of the situation of Vir- ginia, the head of the bay and New York, for he there says : "When the Indians at the head of the bay traveled to New York, they past, going and coming, by the frontiers of Virginia, and traded with the Virginians, &c,;" whereas the head of the bay is in the common route of the Indians traveling from New York to Virginia, and much about halfway. Page 255, he says Sir William Berkeley withdrew himself from his government; whereas he went not out of it, for the counties of Acco- mac and Northampton, to which he retired, when the rebels rose. Hosted by Google PREFACE. XIX were two counties of his government, and only divided from the rest by the bay of Chesapeake. Page 266, he says, Dr. Thomas Bray went over to be president of the college in Virginia; whereas he was sent to Maryland, as the bishop's commissary there. And Mr. Blair, in the charter to the college, was made president during life, and is still alive. He also says, that all that was subscribed for the college came to nothing; whereas all the subscriptions were in a short time paid in, and expended upon the college, of which two or three stood suit, and were cast. Page 269, he tells of camels brought by some Guina ships to Vir- ginia, but had not then heard how they throve with us. I don't know how he should, for there never was any such thing done. Then his geography of the country is most absurd, notwithstanding the wonderful care he pretends to have of the maps, and his expert knowledge of the new surveys, (page 278) making almost as many faults as descriptions. For instance; Page 272, Prince George county, which lies all on the southside of James river, he places on the north, and says that part of James City county, and four of the parishes of it, lie on the southside of James river ; whereas not one inch of it has so done these sixty years. Page 273, his account of Williamsburg is most romantic and untrue; and so is his account of the college, page 302, 303. Page 274, he makes Elizabeth and Warwick counties to lie upon York river; whereas both of them lie upon James river, and neither of them comes near York river. Page 275, he places King William county above New Kent, and on both sides Pamunkey river; whereas it lies side by side with New Kent, and all on the north side Pamunkey river. He places King and Q,ueen county upon the south of New Kent, at the head of Chick- ahominy river, which he says rises in it; whereas that county lies north of New Kent from head to foot, and two large rivers and two entire counties are between the head of Chickahominy and King & Q,ueen. Essex, Richmond and Stafford counties, are as much wrong placed. He says that York and Rappahannock rivers issue out of low marshes, and not from the mountains as the other rivers, which note he has taken from some old maps ; but is a false account from my own view, for I was with our present governor at the head spring of both those rivers, and their fountains are in the highest ridge of mountains. Page 276, he says that the neck of land between Niccocomoco river and the bay, is what goes by the name of the northern neck; whereas it is not above the twentieth part of the northern neck, for that con- tains all that track of land which is between Rappahannock and Po- tomac rivers, Hosted by Google XX PREFACE, How unfaithful and frontless must such an historian be, who can upon guess work introduce such falsities for ' truth, and bottom them upon such bold assertions'? It would make a book larger than his own to expose his errors, for even the most general offices of the government he misrecites. Page 298, he says the general court is called the quarter court, and is held every quarter of a year; wheYeas it never was held but three times a year, tho9 it was called a quarter court. When he wrote, it was held but twice a year, as I had wrote in my book, and has not been called a quarter court these seventy -nine years. The county courts were never limited in their jurisdiction to any summons, neither was the sheriff ever a judge in them, as he would have it, but always a ministerial officer to execute their process, &c. The account that I have given in the following sheets is plain and true, and if it be not written with so much judgment, or in so good a method and style as I could wish, yet in the truth of it I rest fully satisfied. In this edition I have also retrenched such particulars as related only to private transactions, and characters in the historical part, as being too diminutive to be transmitted to posterity, and set down the succession of the governors, with the more general incidents of their government, without reflection upon the private conduct of any person. Hosted by Google INTRODUCTION. The name of Beverley has long been a familiar one in Vir« ginia. It is said that the family may be traced among the re- cords of the town of Beverley in England, as far back as to the time of King John. During the reign of Henry VIII, one of the Beverleys was appointed by the Crown a commis- sioner for enquiring into the state and condition of the north- ern monasteries. The family received some grants of church property, and one branch of them settled at Shelby, the other at Beverley, in Yorkshire. In the time of Charles I, John Beverley of Beverley adhered to the cause of royalty, and at the restoration his name appears in the list of those upon whom it was intended to confer the order of the Boyal Oak. Robert Beverley of Beverley, the representative of the family, having sold his possessions in that town, removed with a con- siderable fortune to Virginia, where he purchased extensive -tracts of land. He took up his residence in the county of Middlesex. Elected clerk of the House of Burgesses, "he con- tinued to hold that office until 1676, the year of Bacon's re- bellion, in suppressing which he rendered important services, and by his loyal gallantry won the marked favor of the Go- vernor, Sir William Berkley. In 1682 the discontents of Vir- ginia arose again almost to the pitch of rebellion. Two ses- sions of the Assembly having been spent in angry and fruitless disputes, between Lord Culpepper, the Governor, and the House of Burgesses, in May of that year, the malecontents in the counties of Gloucester, New Kent and Middlesex, proceeded riotously to cut up the tobacco plants in the beds, especially Hosted by Google /S INTRODUCTION. the sweet-scented, which was produced nowhere else. Culpep- per, the Governor, prevented further waste by patrols of horse. The ringleaders were arrested, and some of them hanged upon a charge of treason. A riot-act was also passed, making plant- cutting high treason, the necessity of which act evinces the illegality of the execution of these unfortunate plant-cutters. The vengeance of the government fell heavily upon Major Ro- bert Beverley, clerk of the House of Burgesses, as the prin- cipal instigator of these disturbances. He had before incurred the displeasure of the governor and council, by refusing to deliver up to them copies of the legislative journal, without permission of the Assembly. Thus by a firm adherence to his duty, he drew down upon himself an unrelenting persecution. In May, 1682, he was committed a prisoner on board the ship, the Duke of York, lying in the Rappahannock river. Ralph Wormley, Matthew Kemp, and Christopher Wormley, were directed to seize the records in Beverley's possession, and to^ break open doors if necessary. Beverley was after- wards transferred from the Duke of York to the ship Con- cord, and a guard was set over him. Contriving however to escape from Jbhe custody of the sheriff at York, the fugitive was retaken at his own house in Middlesex county, and transported over to the county of Northampton, on the Eastern Shore. Some months afterwards he applied by his attorney, William Fitzhugh, for a writ of habeas corpus, which however was re- fused. In a short time being again found at large, he was again arrested, k and remanded to Northampton. In 1683 new charges were brought against him : 1st. That he had broken open letters addressed to the Secretary's office ; 2d. That he had made up the journal, and inserted his Majesty's letter therein, notwithstanding it had been first presented at the time of the prorogation ; 3d. That in 1682 he had refused to deliver copies of the journal to the governor and council, saying "he might not do it without leave of his masters." In May, 1684, Major Robert Beverley was found guilty of high misdemeanors, but judgment being respited, and the prisoner asking pardon on his bended knees, was released upon giving security! for his good behavior in the penalty of «£2,000. The abject terms in which he now sued for pardon, Hosted by Google INTRODUCTION. 3 form a singular contrast to the constancy of his former re- sistance, and the once gallant and loyal Beverley, the stren- uous partizan of Berkley, thus became the victim of that tyranny which he had once so resolutely defended. He had not however lost the esteem of his countrymen, for in 1685 he was again elected clerk of the Assembly. This body strenuously resisted the negative power claimed by the governor, and passed resolutions complaining strongly of his tyranny. He negatived them, and prorogued the Assembly. James II, in- dignant at these democratical proceedings, ordered their disso- lution, and attributing these disorders mainly to Robert Bever- ly, their clerk, commanded that he should be incapable of holding any office, and that he should be prosecuted, and that in future the appointment of their clerk should be made by the governor. In the spring of 1687 Robert Beverley died, the persecu- ted victim of an oppressive government. Long a distinguished loyalist, he lived to become a sort of patriot martyr. It is thus that in the circle of life extremes meet. He married Catherine Hone of James City, and their children were four sons : Peter, William, Harry, and Robert, (the historian,) and three daughters, who married respectively, William Randolph, eldest son of William Randolph of Turkey Island; Sir John Randolph, his brother, of Williamsburg ; and John Robinson. Peter Beverley was appointed clerk of the Assembly in 1691. In the preface to the first edition of his History of Vir- ginia, published at London 1705, Robert Beverley says of himself : " I am an Indian, and don't pretend to be exact in my language." This intimation may perhaps have been merely playful, but the full and minute account that he has given of the Indians, shows that he took a peculiar interest in that race. In the preface to the second edition of his history, now republished, he remarks : " My first business in this world being among the public records of my country, the active thoughts of my youth put me upon taking notes of the general ad- ministration of the government." He was probably a deputy in his father's office, and perhaps also in that of Ibis brother Peter Beverley. This Peter Beverley was in 1714 promoted Hosted by Google 4 INTRODUCTION. to the place of speaker of the House of Burgesses, and he was subsequently treasurer of the colony. Robert Beverley, the historian, was born in Virginia, and educated in England. He married Ursula, daughter of William Byrd of Westover, on the James river. She lies buried at Jamestown. John Fontaine, son of a Huguenot refugee, having come over from England to Virginia, visited Kobert Beverley, the author of this work, in the year 1715, at his residence, near the head of the Mattapony. Here he cultivated several varieties of the grape, native and French, in a vineyard of about three acres, situated upon the side of a hill, from which he made in that year four hundred gallons of wine. He went to very consider- able expense in this enterprise, having constructed vaults of a wine press. But Fontaine comparing his method with that used in Spain, deemed it erroneous, and that his vineyard was not rightly managed. The home-made wine Fontaine drank heartily of, and found it good, but he was satisfied by the flavor of it that Beverley did not understand how to make it properly. Beverley lived comfortably, yet although wealthy, had nothing in or about his house but what was actually necessary. He had good beds, but no curtains, and instead of cane chairs used wooden stools. He lived mainly within himself upon the products of his land. He had laid a sort of wager with some of the neighboring planters, he giving them one guinea in hand, and they promising to pay him each ten guineas, if in seven years he should cultivate a vineyard that would yield at one vintage seven hundred gallons of wine. Beverley there- upon paid them down one hundred pounds, and Fontaine en- tertained no doubt but that in the next year he would win the thousand guineas. Beverley owned a large tract of land at the place of his residence. On Sunday Fontaine accompanied him to his parish church, seven miles distant, where they heard a good sermon from the Rev. M. De Latane, a French- man. A son of Beverley accompanied Fontaine in some of his excursions in that neighborhood. On the banks of the Rappahannock, about five miles below the falls, (Fredericks- burg,) Fontaine came upon a tract of three thousand acres of land, which Beverley offered him at £7 10s. per hundred acres, and Fontaine would have purchased ifc, had not Beverley some- Hosted by Google INTRODUCTION. O what singularly insisted upon making a title for nine hundred and ninety-nine years, instead of an absolute fee simple. On the 20th of August, 1716, Alexander Spotswood, Gover- nor of Virginia, accompanied by John Fontaine, started from Williamsburg on his expedition over the Appalachian mountains, as they were then called. Having crossed the York river at the Brick House, they lodged that night at Chelsea, the seat of Austin Moore, on the Mattapony river, in the county of King William. On the following night they were hospitably enter- tained by Robert Beverley at his residence. The governor left his chaise there, and mounted his horse for the rest of the journey. Beverley accompanied Spotswood in this exploration. On the 26th of August Spotswood was joined by several gen- tlemen, two small companies of rangers, and four Meherrin In- dians. The gentlemen of the party appear to have been Spots- wood, Fontaine, Beverley, Austin Smith, Todd, Dr. Robinson, Taylor, Mason, Brooke, and Captains Clouder and Smith. The whole number of the party, including gentlemen, rangers, pion- eers, Indians and servants, was probably about fifty. They had with them a large number of riding and pack-horses, an abundant supply of provisions, and an extraordinary variety of liquors. The camps were named respectively after the gentlemen of the expedition, and the first one being that of the 29th of August, was named in honor of our historian, Robert Bever- ley. Here " they made," as Fontaine records in his diary, " great fires* supped and drank good punch." In the preface to this edition of the work, (1722,) Beverley says in reference to this Tramontane expedition, "I was with the present Go- vernor (Spotswood) at the head spring of both those rivers, (the York and the Rappahannock,) and their fountains are in the highest range of mountains." Thus k appears that the historian was one of the celebrated knights of the golden horse- shoe. An Abridgement of the Laws of Virginia, published at Lon- don in 1722 is ascribed to Robert Beverley. Filial indignation will naturally account for the acrimony which in his history he exhibits towards Lord Culpepper and Lord Howard of Ef- fingham, who had so persecuted his father, the clerk of the Hosted by Google b INTRODUCTION. Assembly, and against Nicholson, who was Effingham's deputy. In his second edition, when time had mitigated his animosities, Beverley omitted some of his accusations against those governors. The first edition of Beverley's History of Virginia appeared at London in 1705. It was republished in French at Paris in 1707, and in the same year an edition was issued at Amster- dam. The second English edition was published in 1722 at London. The work is dedicated to the Right Honorable Ro- bert Harley, so celebrated both as a statesman and as the patron of letters. In the title page appear only the initials of the author's name, thus : " R. B. Gent.," whence the blundering historian, Oldmixon, supposed his name to be "Bullock," and in some German catalogues he received the appellation of " Bird." Warden, an American writer, has repeated this last misnomer. Beverley's work is divided into four parts, styled Books, and the fourth book is again divided into two parts. Of the history, Mr. Jefferson in his " Notes on Virginia" has remarked, that it is " as concise and unsatisfactory as Stith* is prolix and tedious." This criticism, however, is only applicable to Beverley's first book, which includes the civil history of the colony ; the other three books on " the present state of Virginia" being sufficiently full and satisfactory. Brief as is the summary of history comprised in book first, it was probably quite ample enough for the taste of the readers of Beverley's day. His style of writing is easy, unsophisticated and pleasing, his sim- plicity of remark sometimes amusing, and the whole work breathes an earnest, downright, hearty, old-fashioned Virginia spirit. His account of the internal affairs of the colony is faithful, and in the main correct, but in regard to events occurring beyond the precincts of Virginia, he is less reliable. The se- cond book treats of the boundary of Virginia, waters, earth and soil, natural products, fish, wild fowl and hunted game. Book third gives a full and minute description of the manners and customs of the Indians, illustrated by Gribelin's engravings. The contents are the persons and dress of the Indians, mar- riage and management of children, towns, buildings and fortifi- cations, cookery and food, travelling, reception and entertain- ments, language* war and peace, religion, diseases and remedies, Hosted by Google INTRODUCTION. i sports and pastimes, laws and government, money, goods and handicrafts. The fourth book relates to the government of the colony, its sub-divisions, public offices, revenues, taxes, courts, the church, the college of William and Mary, militia, servants and slaves, poor laws, free schools, tenure and conveyance of lands, naturalization and currency, the people, buildings, eatables, drinkables and fuel, climate, diseases, recreations, natural produc- tions, and the advantages of improved husbandry. The closing paragraph is as follows : " Thus they depend upon the libe- rality of Nature, without endeavoring to improve its gifts by art or industry. They sponge upon the blessings of a warm sun and. a fruitful soil, and almost grudge the pains of gathering in the bounties of the earth. I should be ashamed to publish this slothful indolence of my countrymen, but that I hope it will rouse them out of their lethargy, and excite them to make the most of all those happy advantages which Nature has given them, and if it does this, I am sure they will have the goodness to forgive me." Happily, at the pre- sent day, Virginia has been aroused from her lethargy, and with energetic efforts is developing her rich resources. It may be hoped tha£ with these material improvements a wider inte- rest in the history of the past may be diffused. Petersburg, May 30*A, 1854. Hosted by Google HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. BOOK I. CHAPTEE I. SHEWING WHAT HAPPENED IN THE FIRST ATTEMPTS TO SETTLE VIRGINIA; BEFORE THE DISCOVERY OF CHESA- PEAKE BAY. The learned and valiant Sir Walter Raleigh, having en- tertained some deeper and more serious considerations upon the state of the earth than most other men of his time, as may sufficiently appear by his incomparable book, the History of the World, and having laid together the many stories then in Europe concerning America, the native beauty, riches, and value of that part of the world, and the immense profits the Spaniards drew from a small settlement or two thereon made, resolved upon an adventure for farther discoveries. According to this purpose, in the year of our Lord 1583, he got several men of great value and estate to join in an expedition of this nature, and for their encouragement obtained letters patents from Queen Elizabeth, bearing date the 25th of March, 1584, for turning their discoveries to their own advantage. Hosted by Google FIRST ATTEMPTS TO SETTLE. 9 §2. In April following they set out two small vessels under the command of Capt. Philip Amidas and Capt. Arthur Bar- low, who after a prosperous voyage, anchored at the inlet by Roanoke, at present under the government of North Car- olina. They made good profit of the Indian truck, which they bought for things of much inferior value, and return- ed. Being overpleased with their profits, and finding all things there, entirely new and surprising, they gave a very advantageous account of matters, by representing the country so delightful and desirable, so pleasant and plentiful ; the climate and air so temperate, sweet, and wholesome ; the woods and soil so charming and fruitful ; and all other things so agreeable, that paradise itself seemed to be there in its first native lustre. They gave particular accounts of the variety of good fruits, and some whereof they had never seen the like before ; espe- cially, that there were grapes in such abundance as was never known in the world. ' Stately tall large oaks, and; other timber,- red cedar, cypress, pines, and other ever- greens and sweet woods, for tallness and largeness, exceed- ing all they had ever heard of; wild fowl, fish, deer, and other game in such plenty and variety, that no epicure could desire more than this new world did seem naturally to afford. And to make it yet more desiiable, they reported the native Indians (which were then the only inhabitants) so affable, kind, and good-natured ; so uncultivated in learn- ing, trades, and fashions; so innocent and ignorant of all manner of politics, tricks, and cunning; and so desirous of the company of the English, that they seemed rather to be like soft wax, ready to take an impression, than any- ways likely to oppose the settling of the English near them. They represented it as a scene laid open for the good and gracious Queen Elizabeth to propagate the gospel in and extend her dominions over ; as if purposely reserved for her majesty by a peculiar direction of providence, that had brought all former adventures in this affair to nothing; and to give a further taste of their discovery, they took with 2 Hosted by Google 10 FIRST ATTEMPTS TO SETTLE. them in iheir return for England, two men of the native Indians, named Wanchese and Manteo. § 3. Her majesty accordingly took the hint, and espoused the project as far as her present engagements in war with Spain would let her ; being so well pleased with the ac- count given, that as the greatest mark of honor she could do the discoverer, she called the country by the name of Virginia, as well for that it was first discovered in her reign, a virgin queen, as it did still seem to retain the virgin purity and plenty of the first creation, and the peo- ple their primitive innocence ; for they seemed not debauch- ed nor corrupted wkh those pomps and vanities which had depraved and enslaved the rest of mankind ; neither were their hands hardened by labor, nor their minds corrupted by the desire of hoarding up treasure. They were with- out boundaries to their land, without property in cattle, and seem to have escaped, or rather not to have been concerned in the first curse, of getting their bread by the sweat of their brows, for by their pleasure alone they supplied all their necessities,, namely , by fishing, fowling, and hunting 5 skins being their only clothing, and these, too, five-sixths of the year thrown by; living without labor, and only gathering the fruits of the earth when ripe or fit for use ; neither fearing present want, nor solicitous for the future, but daily finding sufficient afresh for their sub- sistence. § 4. This report was backed, nay> much advanced by the vast riches and treasure mentioned in several merchants5 letters from Mexico and Peru, to their correspondents in Spain, which letters were taken with their ships and treas- ure, by some of ours in her majesty's service, in prosecu- tion of the Spanish wars. This was encouragement enough for a new adventure, and set people's invention at work till they had satisfied themselves, and made sufficient essays for the farther discovery of the country. Pursuant where- unto, Sir Richard Green vile, the chief of Sir Walter Ra- leigh's associates, having obtained seven sail of ships, well laden with provision, arms, ammunition, and spare men to Hosted by Google FIRST ATTEMPTS TO SETTLE. il make a settlement, set out in person with them early in the spring of the succeeding year to make farther discove- ries, taking back the two Indians with him, and accord- ing to his wish, in the latter end of May, arrived at the same place where the English had been the year before ; there he made a settlement, sowed beans and peas, which he saw come up and grow to admiration while he staid, which was about two months, and having made some little discoveries more in the sound to the southward,, and got some treasure in skins, furs, pearl, and other rarities in the country, for things of inconsiderable value, he returned for England, leaving one hundred and eight men upon Roan- oke island, under the -command of Mr. Ralph Lane, to keep possession. § 5. As soon as Sir Richard Greenvile was gone, they, according to-order and their own inclination, set themselves earnestly about discovering the country, and ranged about a little too indiscreetly up the rivers, and into the land backward from the rivers, which gave the Indians a jealousy of their meaning ; for they cut off several stragglers of them, and had laid designs to destroy the rest, but were happily prevented. This put the English upon the precaution of keeping more within bounds, and not venturing themselves too defenceless abroad, who till then had depended too much upon the na- tives simplicity and innocence. After the Indians had done this mischief, they never ob- served any real faith towards those English ; for being na- turally suspicious and revengeful themselves, they never thought the English could forgive them ; and so by this jea- lousy, caused by the cowardice of their nature, they were continually doing mischief. The English, notwithstanding all this, continued, their dis- coveries, but more carefully than they had done before, and kept the Indians in some awe, by threatening them with the return of their companions again with a greater supply of men and goods ; and before the cold of the winter became uneasy, they had extended their discoveries near an hundred miles along the seacoast to the northward ; but not reaching Hosted by Google 12 FIRST ATTEMPTS TO SETTLE. the southern cape of Cheaspeake bay in Virginia, they had as yet found no good harbor. § 6. In this condition they maintained their settlement all ihe winter, and till August following; but were much dis- tressed for want of provisions, not having learned to gather food, as the Indians did, nor having conveniences like them of taking fish and fowl ; besides, being now fallen out with the Indians, they feared to expose themselves to their contempt and cruelty; because they had not received the supply they talked of, and which had been expected in the spring. All they could do under these distresses, and the despair of the recruits promised them this year, was only to keep a good looking out to seaward, if, perchance, they might find any means of escape, or recruit. And to their great joy and satis- faction in August aforesaid, they happened to espy and make themselves be seen to Sir Francis Drake's fleet, consisting of twenty -three sail, who being sent by her majesty upon the coast of America, in search of the Spanish treasures, had orders from her majesty to take a view of this plantation, and see what assistance and encouragement it wanted : Their first petition to him was to grant them a fresh supply of men and provisions, with a small vessel, and boats to attend them ; that so if they should be put to distress for want of relief, they might embark for England. This was as rea- dily granted by Sir Francis Drake, as asked by them ; and a ship was appointed them, which ship they began imme- diately to fit up, and supply plentifully with all manner of stores for a long stay; but while they were adoing this, a great storm arose, and drove that very ship (with some others) from her anchor to sea, and so she was lost for that occasion. Sir Francis would have given them another ship, but this accident coming on the back of so many hardships which they had undergone, daunted them, and put them upon im- agining that Providence was averse to their designs ; and now having given over for that year the expectation of their promised supply from England, they consulted together, and agreed to desire Sir Francis Drake to take them along with him, which he did. Hosted by Google FIRST ATTEMPTS TO SETTLE. 13 Thus (heir first intention of settlement fell, after discovering many things of the natural growth of the country, useful for the life of man, and beneficial to trade, they having observed a vast variety of fish, fowl and beasts ; fruits, seeds, plants, roots,- timber-trees, sweet- woods and gums : They had like- wise attained some little knowledge in the language of the Indians, their religion, manners, and ways of correspond- ence one with another, and been made sensible of their cun- ning and treachery towards themselves. §7. While these things were thus acting in America, the adventurers in England were providing, though too tediously, to send them recruits. And though it was late before they could dispatch them (for they met with several disappoint- ments, and had many squabbles among themselves) ; how- ever, at last they provided four good ships, with all manner of recruits suitable for the colony, and Sir Walter Raleigh designed to go in person with them. Sir Walter got his ship ready first, and fearing the ill con- sequence of a delay, and the discouragement it might be to those that were left to make a settlement, he set sail by himself. And a fortnight after him Sir Richard Greenvile sailed with the three other ships. Sir Walter fell in with the land at Cape Hatteras, a little to the southward of the place, where the one hundred and eight men had been settled, and after search not finding them, he returned : However Sir Richard, with his ships, found the place where he had left the men, but entirely deserted, which was at first a great disheartening to him, thinking them all destroyed, because he knew not that Sir Francis Drake had been there and taken them off; but he was a little better satisfied by Manteo's report, that they were not cut off by the Indians, though he could give no good account what was become of them. However, notwith- standing this seeming discouragement, he again left fifty men in the same island of Roanoke, built them houses ne- cessary, gave them two years provision, and returned. § 8. The next summer, being Anno 1587, three ships more were sent, under the command of Mr. John White, Hosted by Google 14 FIRST ATTEMPTS TO SETTLE. who himself was to settle there as governor with more men, and some women, carrying also plentiful recruits of pro- visions. In the latter end of July they arrived at Roanoke afore- said, where they again encountered the uncomfortable news of the loss of these men also ; who (as they were in- formed by Manteo) were secretly set upon by the Indians, some cut off, and the others fled, and not to be heard of, and their place of habitation now all grown up with weeds. However, they repaired the houses on Roanoke, and sat down there again. The 13th of August they christened Manteo, and styled him Lord of Dassamonpeak, an Indian nation so called, in reward of the fidelity he had shewn to the English from the beginning, who being the first Indian that was made a Christian in that part of the world, I thought it not amiss to remember him. On the same occasion also may be mentioned the first child there born of Christian parentage, viz: a daughter of Mr. Ananias Dare. She was born the 18th of the same August, upon Roanoke, and, after the name of the country, was christened Virginia. This seemed to be a settlement prosperously made, being carried on with much zeal and unanimity among them- selves. The form of government consisted of a governor and twelve counselors, incorporated by the name of gover- nor and assistants, of the city of Raleigh, in Virginia. Many nations of the Indians renewed their peace, and made firm leagues with the corporation. The chief men of the English also were so far from being disheartened at the former disappointments, that they disputed for the liberty of remaining on the spot; and by mere constraint compel- led Mr. White, their governor, to return for England to negotiate the business of their recruits and supply, as a man the most capable to manage that affair, leaving at his departure one hundred and fifteen in the corporation. § 9. It was above two years before Mr. White could obtain any grant of supplies, and then in the latter end of Hosted by Google FIRST ATTEMPTS TO SETTLE. 15 the year 1589, he set out from Plymouth with three ships, and sailed round by the Western and Caribbee islands, they having hitherto not found any nearer way : for though they were skilled in navigation, and understood the use of the globes, yet did example so much prevail upon them, that they chose to sail a thousand leagues about, rather than attempt a more direct passage. Towards the middle of August, 1590, they arrived upon the coast, at C#pe Hatteras, and went to search upon Roan- oke for the people ; but found, by letters on the trees, that they were removed to Croatan, one of the islands forming the sound, and southward of Roanoke about twenty leagues, but no sign of distress. Thither they designed to sail to them in their ships ; but a storm arising in the meanwhile, lay so hard upon them that their cables broke ; they lost three of their anchors, were forced to sea, and so returned home, without ever going near those poor peo- ple again for sixteen years following. And it is supposed that the Indians, seeing them forsaken by their country, and unfurnished of their expected supplies, cut them off, for to this day they were never more heard of. Thus, after all this vast expense and trouble, and the hazard and loss of so many lives, Sir Walter Raleigh, the great projector and furtherer of these discoveries and settle- ments, being under trouble, all thoughts of farther prosecu- ting these designs lay dead for about twelve years follow- ing. § 10. And then, in the year 1602, Captain Gosnell, who had made one in the former adventures, furnished out a small bark from Dartmouth, and set sail in her himself with thirty odd men, designing a more direct course, and not to stand so far to the southward, nor pass by the Caribbee Islands, as all former adventurers had done. He attained his ends in that, but touched upon the coast of Amer- ica, much to the northward of any of the places where the former adventurers had landed, for he fell first among the islands forming the northern side of Massachusetts bay in New England ; but not finding the conveniences that Hosted by Google 16 FIRST ATTExMPTS TO SETTLE. harbor affords, set sail again southward, and, as he thought, clear of land into the sea, but fell upon the Byte of Cape Cod. Upon thi3 coast, and a little to the southward, he spent some time in trade with the Indians, and gave names to the islands of Martha's Vineyard and Elizabeth's Isle, which retain the same to this day. Upon Elizabeth's Isle he made an experiment of English grain, and found it spring up and grow to admiration as it had^done at Roan- oke. Here also his men built huts to shelter them in the night and bad weather, and made good profit by their In- dian traffic of furs, skins, &c. And as their pleasure in- vited them, would visit the main, set receivers, and save the gums and juices distilling from sweet woods, and try and examine the lesser vegetables. After a month's stay here, they returned for England, as well pleased with the natural beauty and richness of the place they had viewed, as they were with the treasure they had gathered in it: neither had they a head, nor a finger that ached among them all the time. §11. The noise of this short and most profitable of all the former voyages, set the Bristol merchants to work also ; who, early in the year 1603, sent two vessels in search of the same place and trade — which vessels fell luckily in with the same land* They followed the same methods Captain Gosnell had done, and having got a rich lading they returned. § 12. In the year 1605^ a voyage was made from Lon- don in a single ship, with which they designed to fall in with the land about the latitude 39°, but the winds put her a little farther northward, and she fell upon the eastern parts of Long Island, (as it is now called, but all went then under the name of Virginia.) Here they trafficked with the Indians, as the others had done before them ; made short trials of the soil by English grain, and found the Indians, as in all other places, veiy fair and courteous at first, till they got more knowledge of the English, and perhaps thought themselves overreached because one bought better pennyworths than another, upon which, afterwards^ Hosted by Google FIRST ATTEMPTS TO SETTLE. 17 they never failed to take revenge as they found their oppor- tunity or advantage. So this company also returned with the ship, having ranged forty miles up Connecticut river, and called the harbor where they rid Penticost harbor, be- cause of their arrival there on Whitsunday. In all these latter voyages, they never so much as en- deavored to come near the place where the first settlement was attempted at Cape Hatteras ; neither had they any pity on those poor hundred and fifteen souls settled there in 1587, of whom there had never since been any account, no relief sent to them, nor so much as any enquiry made after them, whether they were dead or alive, till about three years after this, when Chesapeake bay in Vir- ginia was settled, which hitherto had never been seen by any Englishman. So strong was the desire of riches, and so eager the pursuit of a rich trade, that all concern for the lives of their fellow-christians, kindred, neighbors and countrymen, weighed nothing in the comparison, though an enquiry might have been easily made when they were so near them. Hosted by Google OHAPTEE II. CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OP THE FIRST SETTLEMENT OP CHESAPEAKE BAY, IN VIRGINIA, BY THE CORPORATION OF LONDON ADVENTURERS, AND THEIR PROCEEDINGS DURING THEIR GOVERNMENT BY A PRESIDENT AND COUNCIL ELECTIVE. § 13. The merchants of London, Bristol, Exeter, and Plymouth soon perceived what great gains might be made of a trade this way, if it were well managed and colonies could be rightly settled, which was sufficiently evinced by the great profits some ships had made, which had not met with ill accidents. Encouraged by this prospect, they joined together in a petition to King James the First, shewing forth that it would be too much for any single person to attempt the settling of colonies, and to carry on so considerable a trade; they therefore prayed his majesty to incorporate them, and enable them to raise a joint stock for that purpose, and to countenance their undertaking. His majesty did accordingly grant their petition, and by letters patents, bearing date the 10th of April, 1606, did in one patent incorporate them into two distinct colonies, to make two separate companies, viz : " Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George Summers, knights ; Mr. Richard Hackluit, clerk, prebend of Westminster, and Edward Maria Wingfield, esq., adventurers of the city of London, and such others as should be joined unto them of that colony, which should be called the first colony, with liberty to begin their first plantation and seat, at any place upon the coast of Vir- Hosted by Google CAPT. JOHN SMITH. 19 ginia where they should think fit and convenient, between the degrees of thirty-four and forty-one of northern latitude. And that they should extend their bounds from the said first seat of their plantation and habitation fifty English miles along the seacoast each way, and include all the lands within an hundred miles directly over against the same seacoast, and also back into the main land one hun- dred miles from the seacoast 5 and that no other should be permitted or suffered to plant or inhabit behind or on the back of them towards the main land, without the express license of the council of that colony, thereunto in writing first had and obtained. And for the second colony, Thomas Hanham, Rawleigh Gilbert, William Parker, and George Popham, esquires, of the town of Plymouth, and all others who should be joined to them of that colony, with liberty to begin their first plantation and seat at any place upon the coast of Virginia where they should think fit, between the degrees of thirty-eight and forty five of northern latitude^ with the like liberties and bounds as the first colony; provided they did not seat within an hundred miles of them." § 14. By virtue of this patent, Capt. John Smith was sent by the London company, in December, 1606, on his voyage with three small ships, and a commission was given to him, and to several other gentlemen, to establish a colo- ny, and to govern by a president, to be chosen annually, and council, who should be invested with sufficient authori- ties and powers. And now all things seemed to promise a plantation in good earnest. Providence seemed likewise very favorable to them, for though they designed only for that part of Viiginia where the hundred and fifteen were left, and where there is no security of harbor, yet, after a tedious voyage of passing the old way again, between the Caribbee islands and the main, he, with two of his vessels, luckily fell in with Virginia itself, that part of the continent now so called, anchoring in the mouth of the bay of Chesapeake ; and the first place they landed upon was the southern cape of that bay ; this they named Cape Hosted by Google 20 SETTLEMENT OF JAMESTOWN. Henry, and the northern Cape Charles, in honor of the king's two eldest sons ; and the first great river they searched, whose Indian name was Powhatan, they called James river, after the king's own name. § 15. Before they would make any settlement here, they made a full search of James river, and then by an unani- mous consent pitched upon a peninsula about fifty miles up the river, which, besides the goodness of the soil, was esteemed as most fit, and capable to be made a place both of trade and security, two-thirds thereof being environed by the main river, which affords good anchorage all along, and the other third by a small narrow river, capable of receiving many vessels of an hundred ton, quite up as high as till it meets within thirty yards of the main river again, and where generally in spring tides it overflows into the main river, by which means the land they chose to pitch their town upon has obtained the name of an island. In this back river ships and small vessels may ride lashed to one another, and moored ashore secure from all wind and weather whatsoever. The town, as well as the river, had the honor to be called by King James' name. The whole island thus en- closed contains about two thousand acres of high land, and several thousands of very good and firm marsh, and is an extraordinary good pasture as any in that country. By means of the narrow passage, this place was of great security to them from the Indian enemy; and if they had then known of the biting of the worm in the salts, they would have valued this place upon that account also, as being free from that mischief. § 16. They were no sooner settled in all this happiness and security, but they fell into jars and dissensions among themselves, by a greedy grasping at the Indian treasure, envying and overreaching one another in that trade. After five weeks stay before this town, the ships returned home again, leaving one hundred and eight men settled in the form of government before spoken of. After the ships were gone, the same sort of feuds and Hosted by Google SUPPOSED DISCOVERY OF GOLD. 21 disorders happened continually among them, to the unspeak- able damage of the plantation. The Indians were the same there as in all other places, at first very fair and friendly, though afterwards they gave great proofs of their deceitfulness. However, by the help of the Indian provisions, the English chiefly subsisted till the return of the ships the next year, when two vessels were sent thither full freighted with men and provisions for supply of the plantation, one of which only arrived directly, and the other being beat off to the Caribbee islands, did not arrive till the former was sailed again for England. § 17. In the interval of these ships returning from Eng- land, the English had a very advantageous trade with the Indians, and might have made much greater gains of it, and managed it both to the greater satisfaction of the In- dians, and the greater ease and security of themselves, if they had been under any rule, or subject to any method in trade, and not left at liberty to outvie or outbid one another, by which they not only cut short their own profit, but created jealousies and disturbances among the Indians, by letting one have a better bargain than another ; for they being unac- customed to barter, such of them as had been hardest dealt by in their commodities, thought themselves cheated and abused ; and so conceived a grudge against the English in general, making it a national quarrel ; and this seems to be the original cause of most of their subsequent misfortunes by the Indians. What also gave a greater interruption to this trade, was an object that drew all their eyes and thoughts aside, even fiom taking the necessary care for their preservation, and for the support of their lives, which was this : They found in a neck of land, on the back of Jamestown island, a fresh stream of water springing out of a small bank, which washed down with it a yellow sort of dust isinglass, which being cleansed by the fresh streaming of the water, lay shining in the bottom of that limpid element, and stirred up in them an unseasonable and inordinate desire after riches ; for they taking all to be gold that glittered, run into the utmost dis- Hosted by Google 22 EFFECT OF THE GOLD MANIA. traction, neglecting both the necessary defence of their lives from the Indians, and the support of their bodies by securing of provisions; absolutely relying, like Midas, upon the al- mighty power of gold, thinking that where this was in plenty, nothing could be wanting; but they soon. grew sen- sible of their error, and found that if this gilded dirt had been real gold, it could have been of no advantage to them. For, by their negligence, they were reduced to an exceeding scar- city of provisions, and that little they had was lost by the burning of their town, while all hands were employed upon this imaginary golden treasure ; so that they were forced to live for some time upon the wild fruits of the earth, and upon crabs, muscles, and such like, not having a day's pro- vision before-hand ; as some of the laziest Indians, who have no pleasure in exercise, and wont be at the pains to fish and hunt : And, indeed, not so well as they neither ;.. for by this careless neglecting of their defence against the In- diana, many of them were destroyed by that cruel people, and the rest durst not venture abroad, but were forced to be content with what fell just into their mouths. § 18. In this condition they were, when the first ship of the two before mentioned came to their assistance, but their golden dreams overcame all difficulties ; they spoke not, nor thought of anything but gold, and that was all the lading that most of them were willing to take care for ; accordingly they put into this ship all the yellow dirt they had gathered, and what skins and furs they had trucked for, and filling her up with cedar, sent her away. After she was gone, the other ship arrived, which they stowed likewise with this supposed gold dust, designing never to be poor again ; filling her up with cedar and clap-board. Those two ships being thus dispatched, they made seve- ral discoveries in James river and up Chesapeake bay, by the undertaking and management of Captain John Smith ; and the year 1608 was the first year in which they gathered In- dian corn of their own planting. While these discoveries were making by Captain Smith, matters run again into confusion in Jamestown, and several Hosted by Google FIRST CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE. 23 uneasy people, taking advantage of his absence, attempted to desert the settlement, and run away with the small vessel that was left to attend upon it; for Captain Smith was the only man among them that could manage the discoveries with success, and he was the only man, too, that could keep the settlement in order. Thus the English continued to give themselves as much perplexity by their own distraction as the Indians did by their watchfulness and resentments. § 19. Anno 1609, John Laydon and Anna Burrows were married together, the first Christian marriage in that part of the world ; and the year following the plantation was in- creased to near five hundred men. This year Jamestown sent out people, and made two other settlements ; one at Nansemond in James river, above thirty miles below Jamestown, and the other at Powhatan, six miles below the falls of James river, (which last was bought of Pow- hatan for a certain quantity of copper,) each settlement con- sisting of about a hundred and twenty men. Some small time after another was made at Kiquotan by the mouth of James river. Hosted by Google CHAPTER III. SHEWING WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE ALTERATION OP THE GOVERNMENT FROM AN ELECTIVE PRESIDENT TO A COMMISSIONATED GOVERNOR/ UNTIL THE DISSOLUTION OF THE COMPANY. § 20. In the meanwhile the treasurer, council and com- pany of Virginia adventurers in London, not finding that return and profit from the adventurers they expected, and rightly judging that this disappointment, as well as the idle quarrels in the colony, proceeded from a mismanage of go- vernment, petitioned his majesty, and got a new patent with leave to appoint a governor. Upon this new grant they sent out nine ships, and plentiful supplies of men and provisions, and made three joint com- missioners or governors in equal power, viz : Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George Summers, and Captain Newport. They agreed to go all together in one ship. This ship, on board of which the three governors had em- barked, being separated from the rest, was put to great dis- tress in a severe storm ; and after three days and nights con- stant bailing and pumping, was at last cast ashore at Bermu- das, and there staved, but by good providence the company was preserved. Notwithstanding this shipwreck, and extremity they were put to, yet could not this common misfortune make them agree. The best of it was, they found plenty of provi- sions in that island, and no Indians to annoy them. But still they quarrelled amongst themselves, and none more than the two Knights 5 who made their parties, built each of them a cedar vessel, one called the Patience, the other the Deliverance, and used what they gathered of Hosted by Google RETURN OP CAPT. SMITH. 25 the furniture of the old ship for rigging ; and fish-oil, and hog's-grease, mixed with lime and ashes, instead of pitch and tar : for they found great plenty of Spanish hogs in this island, which are supposed to have swam ashore from some wrecks, and there afterwards increased. §. 21. While these things were acting in Bermuda, Capt. Smith being very much burnt by the accidental fi- ring of some gun-powder, as he was upon a discovery in his boat, was forced for his cure sake, and the benefit of a surgeon, to take his passage for England, in a ship that was then upon the point of sailing. Several of the nine ships that came out with the three governors arrived , with many of the passengers ; some of which; in their humors, would not submit to the govern ment there, pretending the new commission destroyed the old one ; that governors were appointed instead of a presi- dent, and that they themselves were to be of the council, and so would assume an independent power, inspiring the people with disobedience ; by which means they became frequently exposed in great parties to the cruelly of the In- dians ; all sorts of discipline wTas laid aside, and their ne- cessary defence neglected ; so that the Indians taking ad- vantage of those divisions, formed a stratagem to destroy them root and branch ; and, indeed, they did cut many of them off, by massacreing whole companies at a time ; so that all the out-settlements were deserted, and the people that were not destroyed, took refuge in Jamestown, except the small settlement at Kiquotan, where they had built themselves a little fort, and called it Algernoon fort. And yet, for all this, they continued their disorders, wasting their old provi- sions, and neglecting to gather others ; so that they who re- mained alive, were all near famished, having brought them- selves to that pass, that they durst not stir from their own doors to gather the fruits of the earth, or the crabs and mus- cles from the water-side : much less to hunt or catch wild beasts, fish or fowl, which were found in great abundance there. They continued in these scanty circumstances, till they were at last reduced to such extremity, as to eat the 4 Hosted by Google 26 SUFFERING OF COLONISTS. very hides of their horses, and the bodies of the Indians they had killed ; and sometimes also upon a pinch they would not disdain to dig them up again , to make a homely meal, after they had been buried. Thus, a few months indiscreet management brought such an infamy upon the country, that to this day it cannot be wiped away. And the sicknesses occasioned by this bad diet, or rather want of diet, are unjustly remembered to the disadvantage of the country, as a fault in the climate ; which was only the foolishness and indiscretion of those who assumed the power of governing. I call it assumed, because the new commission mentioned, by which they pretended to be of the council, was not in all this time arrived, but remained in Bermuda with the new govern- ors. Here, I cannot but admire the care, labor, courage and understanding, that Capt. John Smith showed in the time of his administiation ; who not only founded, but also preserved all these ' settlements in good order, while he was amongst them ; and, without him, they had cer- tainly all been destroyed, either by famine, or the enemy long before ; though the country naturally afforded sub- sistence enough, even without any other labor than that of gathering and preserving its spontaneous provisions. For the first three years that Capt. Smith was with them, they never had in that whole time, above six months English provisions. But as soon as he had left them to themselves, all went to ruin ; for the Indians had no longer any fear for themselves, or friendship for the English* And six months after this gentleman's departure, the 500 men that he had left were reduced to threescore ; and they, too, must of necessity, have starved, if their relief had been delayed a week longer at sea. §. 22. In the mean time, the three governors put to sea from Burmuda, in their two small vessels, with their company* to the number of one hundred and fifty, and in fourteen days, viz. : the 25th of May, 1610, they ar- rived both together in Virginia, and went with their ves- Hosted by Google ARRIVAL OP RELIEF. 27 sels up to Jamestown, where they found the small re- mainder of the five hundred men, in that melancholy way I just now hinted. §. 23. Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George Summers, and Cap- tain Newport, the governors, were very compassionate of their condition, and called a council, wherein they inform- ed them, that they had but sixteen days provision aboard ; and therefore desired to know their opinion, whether they would venture to sea under such a scarcity ; or, if they resolved to continue in the settlement, and take their for- tunes, they would stay likewise, and share the provisions among them ; but desired that their determination might be speedy. They soon came to the conclusion of return- ing for England ; but because their provisions were short, they resolved to go by the banks of Newfoundland, in hopes of meeting with some of the fishermen, (this being now the season,) and dividing themselves among their ships, for the greater certainty of provision, and for their better accommodation. According to this resolution, they all went aboard, and fell down to Hog Island, the 9th of June, at night, and the next morning to Mulberry Island Point, which is eighteen miles below Jamestown, and thirty above the mouth of the river ; and there they spied a long boat, which the Lord Delawarr (who was just arrived with three ships,) had sent before him up the river sounding the chan- nel. His lordship was made sole governor, and was accom- panied by several gentlemen of condition. He caused all the men to return again to Jamestown ; re-settled them with satisfaction, and staid with them till March follow- ing ; and then being very sick, he returned for England, leaving about two hundred in the colony. §. 24. On the 10th of May, 1611, Sir Thomas Dale being then made governor, arrived with three ships, which brought supplies of men, cattle and hogs. He found them growing again into the like disorders as before, taking no care to plant corn, and wholly relying upon their store, which then had but three months provision in it. He therefore set Hosted by Google 28 POCAHONTAS TAKEN PRISONER. them to work about corn, and though it was the middle of May before they began to prepare the ground, yet they had an indifferent good crop. §.25. In August, the same year, Sir Thomas Gates ar- rived at Jamestown with six ships more, and with a plenti- ful supply of hogs, cattle, fowls, &c, with a good quan- tity of ammunition, and all other things necessary for a new colony, and besides this, a reinforcement of three hundred and fifty chosen men. In the beginning of September he settled a new town at Arrabattuck, about fifty miles above Jamestown, paling in the neck above two miles from the point, from one reach of the river -to the other. Here he built forts and sentry-boxes, and in honor of Henry Prince of Wales, called it Henrico. And also run a pali- sado on the other side of the river, at Coxendale, to se- cure their hogs. §.26. Anno 1612, twTo ships more arrived with supplies; anc}, Capt. Argall, who commanded one of them, being sent in her to Patowmeck to buy corn, he there met with Pocahontas, the excellent daughter of Powhatan ; and hav- ing prevailed with her to come aboard to a treat, he de- tained her prisoner, and carried her to Jamestown, design- ing to make peace with her father by her release ; but on the contrary, that prince resented the affront very high- ly ; and although he loved his daughter with all imagi- nable tenderness, yet he would not be brought to terms by that unhandsome treachery ; till about two years after a marriage being proposed between Mr. John Rolfe, an English gentleman, and this lady ; which Powhatan taking to be a sincere token of friendship, he vouchsafed to con- sent to it, and to conclude a peace, though he would not come to the wedding. §. 27. Pocahontas being thus married in the year 1613, a firm peace was concluded with her father. Both the English and Indians thought themselves entirely secure and quiet. This brought in the Chickahominy Indians also, though not out of any kindness or respect to the English, but out of fear of being, by their assistance, brought un- Hosted by Google POCAHONTAS IN ENGLAND. 29 der Powhatan's absolute subjection, who used now and then to threaten and tyrannize over them. §. 28. Sir Thomas Dale returning for England, Anno 1616; took with him Mr. Rolfe and his wife Pocahontas, who, upon the marriage, was christened, and called Re- becca. He left Capt. George Yardly deputy -governor dur- ing his absence, the country being then entirely at peace ; and arrived at Plymouth the 12th of June. Capt. John Smith was at that time in England, and hearing of the arrival of Pocahontas at Portsmouth, used all the means he could to express his gratitude to her, as having formerly preserved his life by the hazard of her own ; for, w7hen by the command of her father, Capt. Smith's head was upon the block to have his brains knocked out, she saved his head by laying hers close upon it. He was at that time suddenly to embark for New England, and fearing he should sail before she got to London, he made an humble petition to the Queen in her behalf, which I here choose to give you in his own woids, because it will save me the story at large. §. 29. Capt. Smith's petition to her Majesty, in behalf of Pocahontas, daughter to the Indian Emperor, Powhatan. To the most high and virtuous princess, Queen Anne, of Great Britain : Most admired madam — The love I bear my God, my king, and country, hath so often emboldened me in the worst of extreme dangers, that now honestly doth constrain me to presume thus far beyond myself, to present your majesty this short discourse. If ingratitude be a deadly poison to all honest virtues, I must be guilty of that crime, if I should omit any means to be thankful. So it was, That about ten years ago, being in Virginia, and taken Hosted by Google 30 PETITION OP CAPT. SMITH. prisoner by the power of Powhatan, their chief king, I received from this great savage exceeding great courtesy, especially from his son, Nantaquaus ; the manliest, comeli- est, boldest spirit I ever saw in a savage ; and his sister Pocahontas, the king's most dear and well-beloved daugh- ter, being but a child of twelve or thirteen years of age, whose compassionate pitiful heart of my desperate estate gave me much cause to respect her. I being the first Christian this proud king and his grim attendants ever saw, and thus enthralled in their barbarous power ; I can- not say I felt the least occasion of want, that was in the power of those my mortal foes to prevent, notwithstanding all their threats. After some six weeks fatting amongst those savage courtiers, at the minute of my execution, she haz- arded the beating out of her own brains to save mine, and not only that, but so prevailed with her father, that I was safely conducted to Jamestown, where I found about eight and thirty miserable, poor and sick creatures, to keep pos- session for all those large territories of Virginia. Such was the weakness of this poor commonwealth, as had not the savages fed us, we directly had starved. And this relief, most gracious queen, was commonly brought us by this lady Pocahontas, notwithstanding all these passages, when unconstant fortune turned our peace to war, this tender virgin would still not spare to dare to visit us; and by her our jars have been oft appeased, and our wants still supplied. Were it the policy of her fa- ther thus to employ her, or the ordinance of God thus to make her his instrument, or her extraordinary affection to our nation, I know not : but of this I am sure, when her father, with the utmost of his policy and power, sought to surprise me, having but eighteen with me, the dark night could not affright her from coming through the irksome woods, and, with watered eyes, give me intelligence, with her best advice to escape his fury , which had he known, he had surely slain her. Jamestown, with her wild train, she as freely frequented as her father's habitation ; and during the time of two or Hosted by Google PETITION OF CAPT. SMITH. 31 three years, she, next under God, was still the instrument (o preserve this colony from death, famine, and utter confu- sion, which if, in those times, had once been dissolved, Virginia might have lain, as it was at our first arrival, till this day. Since then, this business having been turned and varied by many accidents from what I left it, it is most certain, after a long and troublesome war, since my departure, betwixt her father and our colony, all which time she was not heard of, about two years after she herself was taken prisoner, being so detained near two years longer, the colony by that means was relieved, peace concluded, and at last, rejecting her barbarous condition, she was mai- rjed to an English gentleman, with whom at this present she is in England. The first Christian ever of that na- tion 5 the first Virginian ever spake English, or had a child in marriage by an Englishman — a matter surely, if my meaning be truly considered and well understood, wor- thy a prince's information. Thus, most gracious lady, I have related to your ma- jesty, what at your best leisure, our approved histories will recount to you at large, as done in the time of your majesty's life ; and however this might be presented you from a more worthy pen, it cannot from a more honest heart. As yet, I never begged anything of the State ; and it is my want of ability, and her exceeding desert; your birth, means, and authority ; her birth, virtue, want and simplicity, dotli make me thus bold, humbly to beseech your majesty to take this knowledge of her, though it be from one so unworthy to be the reporter as myself ; her husband's estate not being able to make her fit to attend your majesty. The most and least I can do, is to tell you this, and the rather because of her being of so great a spirit, how- ever her stature. If she should not befwell received, see- ing this kingdom may rightly have a kingdom by her means ; her present love to us and Christianity, might turn to such scorn and fury, as to divert all this good to the Hosted by Google 32 MEETING OF SMITH AND POCAHONTAS. worst of evil. Where finding that so great a queen should do her more honor than she can imagine, for having been kind to her subjects and servants, 'twould so ravish her with content, as to endear her dearest blood, to effect that your majesty and all the king's honest subjects most ear- nestly desire. And so I humbly kiss your gracious hands, &c. (Signed) JOHN SMITH. Dated June, 1616. §. 30. This account was presented to her majesty, and graciously received. But before Capt. Smith sailed ftfr New England, the Indian princess arrived at London, and her husband took lodgings for her at Branford, to be a little out of the smoke of the city, wrhither Capt. Smith, with some of his friends, went to see her and congratu- late her arrival, letting her know the address he had made to the queen in her favor. Till this lady arrived in England, she had all along been informed that Captain Smith was dead, because he had jDeen diverted from that colony by making settlements in the second plantation, now called New England ; for which reason, when she saw him, she seemed to think her- self much affronted, for that they had dared to impose so gross an untruth upon her, and at first sight of him turn- ed away. It cost him a great deal of intreaty, and some hours attendance, before she would do him the honor to speak to him; but at last she was reconciled, and talked freely to him. She put him in mind of her former kind- nesses, and then upbraided him for his forgetfulness of her, showing by her reproaches, that even a state of nature teaches to abhor ingratitude. She had in her retinue a Werowance, or great man of her own nation, whose name was Uttamaccomack. This man had orders from Powhatan, to count the people in England, and give him an account of their number. Now Hosted by Google DEATH OF POCAHONTAS. 33 the Indians having no letters among them, he at his going ashore, provided a stick, in which he was to make a notch for every man he saw ; but this accomptant soon grew wea- ry of that tedious exercise, and threw his stick away : and at his return, being asked by his king, How many peo- ple there were? He desired him to count the stars in the sky, the leaves upon the trees, and the sand on the sea- shore, for so many people (he said) were in England. §. 31. Pocahontas had many honors done her by the queen upon account of Captain Smith's story ; and being introduced by the Lady Delawarr, she was frequently admit- ted to wait on her majesty, and was publicly treated as a prince's daughter ; she was carried to many plays, balls, and other public entertainments, and very respectfully re- ceived by all the ladies about the court. Upon all which occasions, she behaved herself with so much decency, and showed so much grandeur in her deportment, that she made good the brightest part of the character Capt. Smith had given of her. In the meanwhile, she gained the good opinion of everybody so much, that the poor gentle- man, her husband, had like to have been called to an account, for presuming to marry a princess royal without the king's consent ; because it had been suggested" that he had taken advantage of her, being a prisoner, and forced her to marry him. But upon a more perfect re- presentation of the matter, his majesty was pleased at last to declare himself satisfied. But had the^'r true condition here been known, that pother had been saved. Everybody paid this young lady all imaginable respect ; and it is supposed, she would have sufficiently acknow- ledged those favors, had she lived to return to her own country, by bringing the Indians to have a kinder dispo- sition towards the English. But upon her return she was unfortunately taken ill at Gravesend, and died in a few days after, giving great testimony all. the time she lay sick, of her being a very good Christian. She left issue one son, named Thomas Rolfe, whose posterity is at this 5 Hosted by Google 34 DEATH OP POWHATAN. day in good repute in Virginia, and now hold lands by descent from her. §. 32. Captain Yardly made but a very ill governor, he let the buildings and forts go to ruin ; not regarding the security of the people against the Indians, neglecting the corn, and applying all hands to plant tobacco, which pro- mised the most immediate gain. In this condition they were when Capt. Samuel Argali was sent thither gover- nor, Anno 1617, who found the number of people re- duced to little more than four hundred, of which not above half were fit for labor. In the meanwhile the In- dians mixing among them, got experience daily in fire arms, and some of them were instructed therein by the English themselves, and employed to hunt and kill wild fowl for them. So great was their security upon this marriage ; but governor Argali not liking those methods, regulated them on his arrival, and Capt. Yardly returned to England. §.33. Governor Argali made the colony flourish and in- crease wonderfully, and kept them in great plenty and quiet. The next year, viz. : Anno 1618, the Lord Dela- warr was sent over again with two hundred men more for the settlement, with other necessaries suitable : but sailing by the Western Islands, they met with contrary winds, and great sickness; so that about thirty of them died, among which the Lord Delawarr was one. By which means the government there still continued in the hands of Capt. Argali. §. 34. Powhatan died in April the same year, leaving his second brother Itopatin in possession of his empire, a prince far short of the parts of Oppechancanough, who by some was said to be his elder brother, and then king of Chickahomony ; but he having debauched them from the allegiance of Powhatan, was disinherited by him. This Oppechancanough was a cunning and a brave prince, and soon grasped all the empire to himself. But at first they jointly renewed the peace with the English, upon the accession of Itopatin to the crown. Hosted by Google GOV. augall's exploits. 35 §. 35. Governor Argall flourishing thus under the bles- sings of peace and plenty, and having no occasion of fear or disturbance from the Indians, sought new occasions of encouraging the plantation. To that end, he intended a coasting voyage to the northward, to view the places where the English ships had so often laded ; and if he missed them, to reach the fisheries on the banks of New- foundland, and so settle a trade and correspondence either with the one or the other* In accomplishing whereof, as he touched at Cape Cod, he was informed by the Indians, that some white people like him were come to inhabit to the northward of them, upon the coast of their neighbor- ing nations* Capt. Argall not having heard of any Eng- lish plantation that way, was jealous that it might be (as it proved,) the people of some other nation* And being very zealous for the honor and benefit of England, he re- solved to make search according to the information he had received, and see who they were% Accordingly he found the settlement, and a ship riding before it. This belonged to some Frenchmen, who had fortified themselves upon a small mount on the north of New England. §. 36. His unexpected arrival so confounded the French, that they could make no preparation for resistance on board their ship ; which Captain Argall drew- so close to, that with his small arms he beat all the men from the deck, so that they could not use their guns, their ship having only a single deck. Among others, there were two Jesuits on board, one of which being more bold than wise, with all that disadvantage, endeavored to fire one of their cannon, and was shot dead for his pains. Captain Argall having taken the ship, landed and went before the fort, summoning it ' to surrender. The gar- rison asked time to advise $ but that being denied them, they stole privately away, and fled into the woods. Upon this, Captajn Argall entered the fort, and lodged there that night 5 and the next day the French came to him, and sur- rendered themselves. It seems the king of France had Hosted by Google 36 GOV. akgall's exploits. granted them a patent for this settlement, but they gave it up to Captain Argali to be cancelled. He used them very well, and suffered such as had a mind to return to France, to seek their passage among the ships of the fish- ery ; but obliged them to desert this settlement. And those that were willing to go to Virginia, he took with him. §.37. These people were under the conduct of two Je- suits, who upon taking a pique against their governor in Acadia, named Biencourt, had lately separated from a French settlement at Port Royal, lying in the bay, upon the south-west part of Acadia. §. 38. As Governor Argali was about to return to Virgi- nia, father Biard, the surviving Jesuit (out of malice to Biencourt,) told him of this French settlement at Port Royal, and offered to pilot him to it; which Governor Ar- gali readily accepted of. With the same ease, he took that settlement also ; * where the French had sowed and reaped, built barns, mills, and other conveniences, which Captain Argali did no damage to ; but unsettled them, and obliged them to make a desertion from thence. He gave these the same leave he had done the others, to dispose of themselves ; some whereof returned to France, and others went to settle up the river of Canada. After this Gover- nor Aigall returned satisfied with the provision and plunder he had got in those two settlements. §. 39.1 The report of these exploits soon reached England; and whether they were approved or no, being acted with- out particular direction, I have not learned ; but certain it is, that in April following there arrived a small vessel, which did not stay for anything, but took on board Go- vernor Argali, and returned for England. _j He left Capt. Nathaniel Powel deputy ; and soon after Capt. Yardly be- ing knighted, was sent governor thither again. §.40. Very great supplies of cattle and other provisions were sent there that year, and likewise 1000 or^ 1200 men. They resettled all their old plantations that had been de- serted, made additions to the number of the council, and Hosted by Google FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY. 6i called an assembly of Burgesses from all parts of the country, which were to be elected by the people in their several plantations. These burgesses met the governor and council at James- town in May, 1620, and sat in consultation in the same house with them, as the method of the Scots Parliament is, debating matters for the improvement and good govern- ment of the country. This was the first general assembly that was ever held there. I heartily wish though they did not unite their houses again, they would, however, unite their endeavors and affections for the good of the country. §.41. In August following, a Dutch man-of-war landed twenty negroes for sale ; which were the first of that kind that were carried into the country. §. 42. This year they bounded the corporations, (as they called them :) But there does not remain among the re- cords any one grant of these corporations. There is en- tered a testimony of Governor Argall, concerning the bounds of the corporation of James City, declaring* his knowledge thereof; and this is one of the new transcribed books of record. But there is not to be found one word of the charter or patent itself of this corporation. Then also, they apportioned and laid our lands in se- veral allotments, viz. : to the company in several places, to the governor, to a college, to glebes, and to several particular persons ; many new settlements were made in James and York rivers. The people knew their own property, and having the encouragement of working for their own advantage, many became very industrious, and began to vie one with another, in planting, building, and other improvements. Two gentlemen went over as depu- ties to the company, for the management of their lands, and those of the college. All thoughts of danger from the Indians were laid aside. Several great gifts were made to the church and college, and for the bringing up young Indians at school. Forms were made, and rules appoint- Hosted by Google 38 SALT — IRON ORE — TOBACCO. ed for granting patents for land, upon the condition of importing goods and persons to supply and increase the colony. And all there then began think themselves the happiest people in the world. §. 43. Thus Virginia continued to flourish and increase, great supplies continually arriving, and new settlements being made all over the country. A salt work was set up at Cape Charles, on the Eastern Shore ; and an iron work at Falling Creek, in James river, where they made proof of good iron ore, and brought the whole work so near a perfection, that they writ word to the company in London, that they did not doubt but to finish the work, and have plentiful provision of iron for them by the next Easter. At that time the fame of the plenty and riches, in which the English lived there, was very great. And Sir George Yardly now had all the appearance of making amends for the errors of his former government. Never- theless he let them run into the same sleepiness and se- curity as before, neglecting all thoughts of a necessary defence, which laid the foundatian of the following ca- lamities. §. 44. But the time of his government being near ex- pired, Sir Francis Wyat, then a young man, had a com- mission to succeed him. The people began to grow nu- merous, thirteen hundred settling there that year ; which was the occasion of making so much tobacco, as to over- stock the market. Wherefore his majesty, out of pity to the country, sent his commands, that they should not suf- fer their planters to make above one hundred pounds of tobacco per man ; for the market was so low, that he could not afford to give them above three shillings the pound for it. He advised them rather to turn their spare time towards providing corn and stock, and towards the making of potash, or other manufactures. It was October, 1621, that Sir Francis Wyat arrived governor-) and in November, Captain Newport arrived with fifty men, imported at his own charge, besides passengers ; and made a plantation on Newport's News, naming it Hosted by Google FIRST COUNTY COURTS. 39 after himself. The governor made a review of all the settlements, and suffered new ones to be made, even as far as Potomac river. This ought to be observed of the Eastern Shore Indians, that they never gave the English any trouble, but courted and befriended them from first to last. Perhaps the English, by the time they came to settle those parts, had considered how to rectify their form- er mismanagement, and learned better methods of regula- ting their trade with the Indians, and of treating them more kindly than at first. §. 45. Anno 162!2, inferior courts were first appointed by the general assembly, under the name of county courts, for trial of minute causes ; the governor and council still remaining judges of the supreme court of the colony. In the meantime, by the great increase of people, and the long quiet they had enjoyed among the Indians, since the marriage of • Pocahontas, and the accession of Oppechan- canough to the imperial crown, all men were lulled into a fatal security, and became everywhere familiar with the Indians, eating, drinking, and sleeping amongst them ; by which means they became perfectly acquainted with all our English strength, and the use of our arms — knowing at all times, when and where to find our people ; wheth- er at home, or in the woods ; in bodies, or disperst j in condition of defence, or indefensible. This exposing of their weakness gave them occasion to think more contempti- bly of them, than otherwise, perhaps, they would have done ; for which reason they became more peevish, and more hardy to attempt anything against them. §. 46. Thus upon the loss of one of their leading men, (a war captain, as they call him,) who was likewise sup- posed to be justly killed, Oppechancanough took affront, and in revenge laid the plot of a general massacre of the English, to be executed on the 22d of March, 1622, a little before noon, at a time when our men were all at work abroad in their plantations, disperst and unarmed This hellish contrivance was to take effect upon all the Hosted by Google 40 MASSACRE OP THE COLONISTS. several settlements at one and the same instant, except on the Eastern Shore, whither this plot did not reach. The Indians had been made so familiar with the English, as to borrow their boats and canoes to cross the river in, when they went to consult with their neighboring Indians upon this execrable conspiracy. And to color their design the better, they brought presents of deer, turkies, fish and fruits to the English the evening before. The very morning of the massacre, they came freely and unarmed among them, eating with them, and behaving themselves with the same freedom and friendship as formerly, till the very minute they were to put their plot in execution. Then they fell to work all at once everywhere, knocking the English un- awares on the head, some with their hatchets, which they call tomahawks, others with the hoes and axes of the English themselves, shooting at those who escaped the reach of their hands ; sparing neither age nor sex, but destroy- ing man, woman, and child, according to their cruel way of leaving none behind to bear resentment. But whatev- er was not done by surprise that day, was left undone, and many that made early resistance escaped. By the account taken of the Christians murdered that morning, they were found to be three hundred and forty- seven, most of them falling by their own instruments, and working tools. §.47. The massacre had been much more general, had not this plot been providentially discovered to the English some hours before the execution. It happened thus : Two Indians that used to be employed by the English to hunt for them, happened to lie together, the night before the massacre, in an Englishmen's house, where one of them was employed. The Indian that was the guest fell to persuading the other to rise and kill his master, telling him, that he would do the same by his own the next day. Whereupon he discovered the whole plot that was design- ed to be executed on the morrow. But the other, instead of entering into the plot, and murdering his master, got Hosted by Google CAUSE OF THE MASSACRE. 41 up (under pretence of going to execute his comrade's ad- vice,) went into his master's chamber, and revealed to him the whole story that he had been told. The master here- upon arose, secured his own house, and before day got to Jamestown, which, together with such plantations as could receive notice time enough, were saved by this means ; the rest, as they happened to be watchful in their de- fence, also escaped; but such as were surprised, were mas- sacred.* Captain Croshaw in his vessel at Potomac, had notice also given him by a young Indian, by which means he came off untouched. §.48. The occasion upon which Oppechancanough took affront was this. The war captain mentioned, before to have been killed, was called Nemattanow. He was an active Indian, a great warrior, and in much esteem among them ; so much, that they believed him to be invulnerable, and immortal, because he had been in very many conflicts, and escaped untouched from them all. He was also a very cunning fellow, and took great pride in preserving and increasing this their superstition concerning him, af- fecting everything that was odd and prodigious, to work upon their admiration. For which purpose he would often dress himself up with feathers after a fantastic man- ner, and by much use of that ornament, obtained among the English the nickname of Jack of the feather. This Nemattanow coming to a private settlement of one Morgan, who had several toys which he had a mind to, persuaded him to go to Pamunky to dispose of them. He gave him hopes what mighty bargains he might meet with there, and kindly offered him his assistance. At last Mor- gan yielded to his persuasion ; but was no more heard of; and it is believed, that Nemattanow killed him by the way, and took away his treasure. For within a few days this Nemattanow returned to the same house with Mor- gan's cap upon his head ; where he found two sturdy boys, who asked for their master. He very frankly told them he was dead. But they, knowing the cap again, sus- Hosted by Google 42 DEATH OP NEMATTANOW. pected the villain had killed their master, and would have had him before a justice of peace, but he refused to go, and very insolently abused them. Whereupon they shot him down, and as they were carrying him to the governor, he died. As he was dying, he earnestly pressed the boys to pro- mise him two things. First, that they would not tell how he was killed ; and, secondly, that they would bury him among the English. So great was the pride of this vain heathen, that he had no other thoughts at his death, but the ambition of being esteemed aftei he was dead, as he had endeavored to make them believe of him while he was alive, viz., that he was invulnerable and immortal, though his increasing faintness convinced himself of the falsity of both. He imagined* that being buried among the English perhaps might conceal his death from his own nation, who might think him translated to some happier country. Thus he pleased himself to the last gasp with the boys' promises to carry on the delusion. This was reckoned all the pro- vocation given to that haughty and revengeful man Oppe- chancanough, to act this bloody tragedy, and to take inde- fatigable pains to engage in so horrid villainy all the kings and nations bordering^ upon the English settlements, on the western shore of Chesapeake. § 49. This gave the English a fair pretence of endeavor- ing the total extirpation of the Indians, but more especially of Oppechancanough and his nation. Accordingly, they set themselves about it, making use of the Roman maxim, (faith is not to be kept with heretics) to obtain their ends. For, after some months fruitless pursuit of them, who could too dexterously hide themselves in the wToods, the English pretended articles of peace, giving them all manner of fair words and promises of oblivion. They designed thereby (as their own letters now on record, and their own actions thereupon prove) to draw the Indians back, and entice them to plant their corn on their habitations nearest adjoin- ing to the English, and then to cut it up, when the summer Hosted by Google MASSACRE OF THE INDIANS. 43 should be too far spent to leave them hopes of another crop that year, by which means they proposed to bring them to want necessaries and starve. And the English did so far accomplish their ends, as to bring the Indians to plant their corn at their usual habitations, whereby they gained an op- portunity of repaying them some part of the debt in their own coin, for they fell suddenly upon them, cut to pieces such of them as could not make their escape, and after- wards totally destroyed their corn. §50. Another effect of the massacre of the English, was the reducing all their settlements again to six or seven in number, for their better defence. Besides, it was such a dis- heartening to some good projects, then just advancing, that to this day they have never been put in execution, namely, the glasshouses in Jamestown, and the iron work at Palling Creek, which has been already mentioned. The massacre fell so hard upon this last place, that no soul was saved but a boy and a girl, who with great difficulty hid themselves. The superintendent of this iron work had also discovered a vein of lead ore, which he kept private, and made use of it to furnish all the neighbors with bullets and shot. But he be'ng cut off with the rest, and the secret not having been communicated, this lead mine could never after be found, till Colonel Byrd, some few years ago, prevailed with an Indian, under pretence of hunting, to give him a sign by dropping his tomahawk at the place, (he not daring publicly to discover it, for fear of being murdered.) The sign was accordingly given, and the company at that time found several pieces of good lead ore upon the surface of the ground, and marked the trees thereabouts. Notwith- standing which, I know not by what witchcraft it happens, but no mortal to this day could ever find that place again, though it be upon part of the Colonel's own possessions. And so it rests, till time and thicker settlements discover it. §51. Thus, the company of adventurers having, by those frequent acts of mismanagement, met with vast losses and misfortunes, many grew sick of it and parted with their Hosted by Google 44 MALADMINISTRATION OF THE COMPANY. shares, and others came into their places, and promoted the sending in fresh recruits of men and goods. But the chief design of all parties concerned, was to fetch away the trea- sure from thence, aiming more at sudden gain, than to form any regular colony, or establish a settlement in such a man- ner as to make it a lasting happiness to the country. Several gentlemen went over upon their particular stocks, separate from that of the company, with their own servants and goods, each designing to obtain land from the goverri- ment, as Captain Newport had done, or at least to obtain patents, according to the regulations for granting lands to adventurers. Others sought their grants of the company in London, and obtained authorities and jurisdictions, as well as land, distinct from the authority of the government, which was the foundation of great disorder, and the occa- sion of their following misfortunes. Among others, one Captain Martin, having made very considerable preparations towards a settlement, obtained a suitable grant of* land, and was made of the council there. But he, grasping still at more, hankered after dominion, as well as possession, and caused so many differences, that at last he put all things into distraction, insomuch that the Indians, still seeking re- venge, took advantage of these dissensions, and fell foul again on the English, gratifying their vengeance with new bloodshed. §52. The fatal consequences of the company's malad- ministration cried so loud, that king Charles the first, com- ing to the crown of England, had a tender concern for the poor people that had been betrayed thither and lost. Upon which consideration he dissolved the company in the year 1626, reducing the country and government into his own immediate direction, 'appointing the governor and council himself, and ordering all patents and processes to issue in his own name, reserving to himself a quit-rent of two shil- lings for every hundred acres of land, and so pro rata. Hosted by Google CHAPTEE IV. CONTAINING THE HISTORY OF THE GOVERNMENT FROM THE DISSOLUTION OF THE COMPANY TO THE YEAR SEVENTEEN HUNDRED AND SEVEN. § 53. The country being thus taken into the king's hands, his majesty was pleased to establish the constitution to be by a governor, council and assembly, and to confirm the former methods and jurisdictions of the several courts, as they had been appointed in the year 1620, and placed the last resort in the assembly. He likewise confirmed the rules and orders made by the first assembly for apportioning the land, and granting patents to particular adventurers. § 54. This was a constitution according to their hearts desire, and things seemed now to go on in a happy course for encouragement of the colony. People flocked over thither apace ; every one took up land by patent to his liking ; and, not minding anything but to be masters of great tracts of land, they planted themselves separately on their several plantations. Nor did they fear the Indians, but kept them at a greater distance than formerly. And they for their part, seeing the English so sensibly increase in number, were glad to keep their distance and be peaceable. This liberty of taking up land, and the ambition each man had of being lord of a vast, though unimproved terri- tory, together with the advantage of the many rivers, which afford a commodious road for shipping at every man's door, has made the country fall into such an unhappy ; settlement and course of trade, that to this day they have not any one place of cohabitation among them, that may reasonably bear the name of a town. Hosted by Google 46 THE MARYLAND GRANT. §55. The constitution being thus firmly established, and continuing its course regularly for some time, people began to lay aside all fears of any future misfortunes. Several gentlemen of condition went over with their whole families — some for bettering their estates — others for religion, and other reasons best known to themselves. Among those, the noble Ceecilius Calvert, Lord Baltimore, a Roman Catholic, thought, for the more quiet exercise of his religion, to retire, with his family, into that new world. For this pur- pose he went to Virginia, to try how he liked the place. But the people there looked upon him with an evil eye on account of his religion, for which alone he sought this re- treat, and by their ill treatment discouraged him from set- tling in that country. § 56. Upon that provocation, his lordship resolved upon a farther adventure. And finding land enough up the bay of Chesapeake, which was likewise blessed with many brave rivers, and as yet altogether uninhabited by the English, he began to think of making a new plantation of his own. And for his more certain direction in obtaining* a grant of it, he undertook a journey northwaid, to discover the land up the bay, and observe what might most conveniently square with his intent. His lordship finding all things in this discovery according to his wish, returned to England. And because the Virginia settlements at that time reached no farther than the south side of Potomac river, his lordship got a grant of the propriety of Maryland, bounding it to the south by Poto- mac river, on the western shore ; and by an east line from Point Lookout, on the eastern shore ; but died himself be- fore he could embark for the promised land. Maryland had the honor to receive its name from queen Mary, royal consort to king Charles the first. §57. The old Lord Baltimore being thus taken off, and leaving his designs unfinished, his son and heir, in the year 1633, obtained a confirmation of the patent to himself, and went over in person to plant his new colony. Hosted by Google SIR JOHN HARVEY, GOVERNOR. 47 By this unhappy accidentia country which nature had so well contrived for one, became two separate governments. This produced a most unhappy inconvenience to both ; for, these two being the only countries under the dominion of England that plant tobacco in any quantity, the ill conse- quences to both is, that when one colony goes about to prohibit the trash, or mend the staple of that commodity, to help the market, then the other, to take advantage of that market, pours into England all they can make, both good and bad, without distinction. This is very injurious to the other colony, which had voluntarily suffered so great a diminution in the quantity, to mend the quality ; and this is notoriously manifested from that incomparable Virginia law, appointing sworn agents to examine their tobacco. § 58. Neither was this all the mischief that happened to Virginia upon this grant ; for the example of it had dread- ful consequences, and was in the end one of the occasions of another massacre by the Indians. For this precedent of my Lord Baltimore's grant, which entrenched upon the charters and bounds of Virginia, was hint enough for other courtiers, (who never intended a settlement as my lord did) to find out something of the same kind to make money of. This was the occasion of several very large defalcations from Virginia within a few years afterwards, which was forwarded and assisted by the contrivance of the Governor, Sir John Harvey, insomuch that not only the land itself, quit- rents and all, but the authorities and jurisdictions that belonged to that colony were given away — nay, sometimes in those grants he included the very settlements that had been before made. §59. As this gentleman was irregular in this, so he was very unjust and arbitrary in his other methods of govern- ment. He exacted with rigor the fines and penalties, which the unwary assemblies of those times had given chiefly to himself, and was so haughty and furious to the council, and the best gentlemen of the country, that his tyranny grew at last insupportable ; so that in the year 1639, the Hosted by Google 48 SIR WILLIAM BERKELEY APPOINTED GOVERNOR. council sent him a prisoner to London, and with him two of their number, to maintain the articles against him. This news being brought to king Charles the first, his majesty was very much displeased ; and, without hearing anything, caused him to return governor again. But by the next shipping he was graciously pleased to change him, and so made amends for this man's maladministration, by sending the good and just Sir William Berkeley to succeed him. § 60. While these things were transacting, there was so general a dissatisfaction, occasioned by the oppressions of Sir John Harvey, and the difficulties in getting him out, that the whole colony was in confusion. The subtle Indians, who took all advantages, resented the incroachments upon them by his grants. They saw the English uneasy and dis- united among themselves, and by the direction of Qppechan- canough, their king, laid the ground work of another mas- sacre, wherein, by surprise, they cut off near five hundred Christians more. But this execution did not take so general effect as formerly, because the Indians were not so fre- quently suffered to come among the inner habitations of the English ; and, therefore, the massacre fell severest on the south side of James river, and on the heads of the other rivers, but chiefly of York river, where this Oppechanca- nough kept the seat of his government. § 61. Oppechancanough was a man of large stature, noble presence, and extraordinary parts. Though he had no advantage of literature, (that being nowhere to be found among the American Indians) yet he was perfectly skilled in the art of governing his rude countrymen. He caused all the Indians far and near to dread his name, and had them all entirely in subjection. This king in Smith's history ^s called brother to Powha- tan, but by the Indians he was not so esteemed. For they say he was a prince of a foreign nation, and came to them a great way from the south west. And by their accounts, we suppose him to have come from the Spanish Indians, somewhere near Mexico, or the mines of Saint Barbe y but, Hosted by Google CAPTURE OF OPPECITANCANOUGH. 49 be that matter how it will, from that time till his captivity, there never was the least truce between them and the English. § 62. Sir William Berkeley, upon his arrival, showed such an opposition to the unjust grants made by Sir John Harvey, that very few of them took effect ; and such as did, were subjected to the settled conditions of the other parts of the government, and made liable to the payment of the full quit-rents. He encouraged the country in several essays of potash, soap, salt, flax, hemp, silk and cotton. But the Indian war, ensuing upon this last massacre, was a great obstruction to these good designs, by requiring all the spare men to be employed in defence of the country. § 63. Oppechancanough, by his great age, and the fatigues of war, (in which Sir William Berkeley followed him close) was now grown so decrepid, that he was not able to walk alone, but was carried about by his men wherever he had a mind to move. His flesh was all macerated, his sinews slackened, and his eyelids became so heavy, that he could not see, but as they were lifted up by his servants. In this low condition he was, when Sir William Berkeley, hearing that he was at some distance from his usual habi- tation, resolved at all adventures to seize his person, which he happily effected. For with a party of horse he made a speedy march, surprised him in his quarters, and brought him prisoner to Jamestown, where, by the governor's com- mand, he was treated with all the respect and tenderness imaginable. Sir William had a mind to send him to Eng- land, hoping to get reputation by presenting his majesty with a royal captive, who at his pleasure, could call into the field ten times more Indians, than Sir William Berkeley had English in his whole government. Besides, he thought this ancient prince would be an instance of the healthiness and long life of the natives of that country. However, he could not preserve his life above a fortnight. For one of the soldiers, resenting the calamities the colony had suf- Hosted by Google 50 NEW PEACE WITH THE INDIANS. fered by this prince's means, basely shot him through the back, after he was made prisoner ; of which wound he died. He continued brave to the last moment of his life, and showed not the least dejection at his captivity. He heard one day a great noise of the treading of people about him ; upon which he caused his eyelids to be lifted up, and find- ing that a crowd of people were let in to see him, he called in high indignation for the governor, who being come, Oppe- chancanough scornfully told him, that had it been his for- tune to take Sir William Berkeley prisoner, he should not meanly have exposed him as a show to the people. § 64. After this, Sir William Berkeley made a new peace with the Indians., which continued for a long time unviola- ted, insomuch that all the thoughts of future injury from them were laid aside. But he himself did not long enjoy the benefit of this profound peace ; for the unhappy troubles of king Charles the first increasing in England, proved a great disturbance to him and to all the people. They, to prevent the infection from reaching that country, made severe laws against the Puritans, though there were as yet none among them. But all correspondence with England was interrupted, supplies lessened, and trade obstructed. In a word, all people were impatient to know what would be the event of so 'much confusion. §65. At last the king was traitorously beheaded in Eng- land, and Oliver installed Protector. However his author- ity was not acknowledged in Virginia for several years after, till they were forced to it by the last necessity. For in the year 1651, by Cromwell's command, Captain Dennis, with a squadron of men of war, arrived there from the Carribbee islands, where they had been subduing Bardoes. The country at first held out vigorously against him, and Sir William Berkeley, by the assistance of such Dutch vessels as were then there, made a brave resistance. But at last Dennis contrived a stratagem, which betrayed the country. He had got a considerable parcel of goods aboard, which Hosted by Google SUBJECTION OP THE COLONY TO CROMWELL. 51 belonged to two of the Council, and found a method of in- forming them of it. By this means they were reduced to the dilemma, ei,ther of submitting or losing their goods. This occasioned factions among them ; so that at last, after the surrender of all the other English plantations, Sir Wm. was forced to submit to the usurper on the terms of a gen- eral pardon. However, it ought (o be remembered, to his praise, and to the immortal honor of that colony, that it was the last of all the king's dominions that submitted to the usurpation ; and afterwards the first that cast it off, and he never took any post or office under the usurper. §66. Oliver had no sooner subdued the plantations, but he began to contrive how to keep them under, that so they might never be able for the time to come to give him farther trouble. To this end, he thought it necessary to break off their correspondence with all other nations, thereby to prevent their being furnished with arms, ammunition, and other warlike provisions. According to this design, he con- trived a severe act of' Parliament, whereby he prohibited the plantations from receiving or exporting any European com- modities, but what should be carried to them by English- men, and in English built ships. They were absolutely forbid corresponding with any nation or colony not subject to the crown of England. Neither was any alien suffered to manage a trade or factory in any of them. In all which things the plantations had been till then indulged, for their encouragement. § 67. Notwithstanding this act of navigation, the Protector never thought the plantations enough secured, but frequently changed their governors, to prevent their intriguing with the people. So that, during the time of the usurpation, they had no less than three governors there, namely, Diggs, Ben- net and Mathews. § 68. The strange arbitrary curbs he put upon the plan- tations, exceedingly afflicted the people. He had the inhu- manity to forbid them all manner of trade and correspon- dence with other nations, at a time when England itself Hosted by Google 52 SIR WILLIAM BERKELEY CHOSEN GOVERNOR AGAIN. was in distraction ; and could neither take off their com- modities, nor supply them sufficiently with its own. Neither had they ever been used to supply them with half the commodities they expended, or to take off above half the tobacco they made. Such violent proceedings made the peo- ple desperate, and inspired them with a desire to use the last remedy, to relieve themselves from this lawless usurpa- tion. In a short time afterwards a fair opportunity happened ; for Governor Mathews died, and no person was substituted to succeed him in the government. Whereupon the people applied themselves to Sir William Berkeley, (who had con- tinued all this time upon his own plantation in a private capacity,) and unanimously chose him their governor again. §69. Sir William Berkeley had all along retained an un- shaken loyalty for the royal family, and therefore generously told the people, that he could not approve of the Protector's rule, and was resolved never to serve anybody but the law- ful heir to the crown ; and that if he accepted the govern- ment, it should be upon their solemn promise, after his example, to venture their lives and fortunes for the king, who was then in France. This was no great obstacle to them, and therefore with an unanimous voice they told him that they were ready to hazard all for the king. Now this was actually before the king's return for England, and proceeded from a brave prin- ciple of loyalty, for which they had no example. Sir William Berkeley embraced their choice, and forthwith proclaimed Charles the second king of England, Scotland, France, Ireland and Virginia, and caused all process to be issued in his name. Thus his majesty was actually king in Vir- ginia, before he was so in England. But it pleased God to restore him soon after to the throne of his ancestors ; and so that country escaped being chastised for throwing off the usurpation. §70. Upon the king's restoration, he sent Sir William Berkeley a new commission, with leave to return to Eng- land, and power to appoint a deputy in his absence. For Hosted by Google Berkeley's visit to the king. 53 his majesty in his exile had received intelligence of this gentleman's loyalty, and during that time had renewed his commission. §71. Upon this, Sir William Berkeley appointed Colonel Francis Morrison Deputy Governor, and went for England to wait on his majesty, by whom he was kindly received. At his return he carried his majesty's pressing instructions for, encouraging the people in husbandry and manufactures, but more especially to promote silk and vineyards. There is a tradition, that the king, in compliment to that colony, wore at his coronation a robe made of the silk that was sent from thence. But this was all the reward the country had for their loyalty ; for the parliament was pleased to renew the act contrived by the usurper for discouraging the plantations, with severer restraints and prohibitions by bonds, securities, &c. §72. During the time of Sir William Berkeley's absence, Colonel Morrison had, according to his directions, revised the laws, and compiled them into one body, ready to be confirmed by the assembly at his return. By these laws, the church of England was confirmed the established religion, the charge of the government sustained, trade and manu- factures were encouraged, a town projected, and all the Indian affairs settled. §73. The parishes were likewise regulated, competent allowances were made to the ministers, to the value of about fourscore pounds a year, besides glebes and perqui- sites, and the method of their preferment was settled. Con- venient churches and glebes were provided, and all necessary parish officers instituted. Some steps were made also towards a free school and college, and the poor were effectually provided for. §74. For support of the government, the duty of two shillings per hogshead on all tobaccos, and that of one shilling per ton port duty on shipping, were made per- petual ) and the collectors were obliged to account for the same to the general assembly, Hosted by Google 54 PROSPERITY OF THE COLONY. § 75. For encouragement of manufactures, prizes were ap- pointed for the makers of the best pieces of linen cloth, and a reward of fifty pounds of tobacco was given for each pound of silk. All persons were enjoined to plant mul- berry trees, for the food of the silk worm, according to the number of acres of land they held. Tan houses were set up in each county, at the county charge ; and public en- couragement was given to a salt work on the eastern shore. A reward was appointed in proportion to the tonnage of all sea vessels built there, and an exemption allowed from all fees and duties payable by such shipping. §76. The king had commanded, that all ships trading to Virginia should go to Jamestown, and there enter before they broke bulk. But the assembly, from the impractica- bleness of that command, excused all, except the James river ships, from that order, and left the others in the rivers they were bound to, to ride dispersed, as the commanders pleased ; by whose example the James river ships were no sooner entered with the officer at Jamestown, but they also dispersed themselves to unload, and trade all over the river. By this means the design of towns was totally balked, and this oider proved only an ease to the officer of James river., and a means of creating a good place to him. §77. Peace and commerce with the Indians was settled by law, and their boundaries prescribed. Several other acts were made suiting the necessity of the government : so that nothing then seemed to remain, but the improvement of the country, and encouragement of those manufactures the king had been pleased to recommend, together with such others as should be found beneficial. § 78. Sir William Berkeley at his return gave sanction to this body of laws, and being then again in full possession of his government, and at perfect peace with the Indians, set all hands industriously to work in making country im- provements. He passed a new act for encouragement of Jamestown, whereby several houses were built therein, at the charge of several counties. However, the main ingre- Hosted by Google PERSECUTION OF THE SECTARIES. 55 client for the advancement of towns was still wanting, namely, the confinement of all shipping and trade to them only, by defect of which all the other expedients availed nothing, for most of the buildings were soon converted into houses of entertainment. § 79. Anno 1663, divers sectaries in religion beginning to spread themselves there, great restraints were laid upon them, under severe penalties, to prevent their increase. This made many of them fly to other colonies, and pre- vented abundance of others from going over to seat them- selves among them. And as the former ill treatment of my Lord Baltimore kept many people away, and drove others to Maryland, so the present severities towards the noncon- formists kept off many more, who went to the neighbor- ing colonies. § 80. The . rigorous circumscription of their trade, the persecutions of the sectaries, and the little demand of tobacco, had like to have had very fatal consequences. For, the poor people becoming thereby very uneasy, their niurmurings were watched and fed* by several mutinous and rebellious Oliverian soldiers that were sent thither as servants. These, depending upon the discontented people of all sorts, formed a villainous plot to destroy their masters, and afterwards to set up for themselves. This plot was brought so near to perfection, that it was the very night before the designed execution ere it was discovered ; and then it came out by the relenting of one of their accomplices, whose name was Birkenhead. This man was servant to Mr. Smith of Purton, in Gloucester county, near which place, viz. at Poplar Spring, the mis- creants were to meet the night following, and put in exe- cution their horrid conspiracy. § 81. Upon this discovery by Birkenhead, notice was im- mediately sent to the governor at Green Spring. And the method he took to prevent it was by private orders, that some of the militia should meet before the time at the place where the conspirators were to rendezvous, and seize them Hosted by Google 56 NEW ACT OF PARLIAMENT. as they came singly up to it. Which orders being happily executed, their devilish plot was defeated. However, there were but a few taken ; because several of them making their escape, turned back such of their fellows as they met on the road, and prevented most of them from coming up, or from being discovered. Four of these rogues were hanged. But Birkenhead was gratified with his freedom, and a reward of two hundred pounds sterling. § 82. For the discovery and happy disappointment of this plot, an anniversary thanksgiving was appointed on the 13th of September, the day it was to have been put in execution. And it is great pity some other days are not commemorated as well as that. §83. The news of this plot being transmitted to king Charles the second, his majesty sent his royal commands to build a fort at Jamestown, for security of the governor, and to be a curb upon all such traitorous attempts for the future. But the country, thinking the danger over, only raised a battery of some small pieces of carlnon. §84. Another misfortune happened to the plantations this year* which was a new act of parliament in England, laying a severer restraint upon their supplies than formerly* By this act they could have no foreign goods, which were not first landed in England, and carried directly from thence to the plantations, the former restraint of importing them only by Englishmen, in English built shipping* not being thought sufficient. This was a misfortune that cut with a double edge ; for, first, it reduced their staple tobacco to a very low price ; and, secondly, it raised the value of European goods to what the merchants pleased to put upon them. §85. For this their assembly could think of no remedy, but to be even with the merchants, and make their tobacco scarce by prohibiting the planting of it for one year ; and during that idle year to invite the people to enter upon manufacturing flax arid hemp. But Maryland not concur- Hosted by Google EFFECTS OF THE NEW ACT OF PARLIAMENT. 0( ring in this project, they were obliged in their own defence to repeal the act of assembly again, and return to their old drudgery of planting tobacco without profiting by it. §86. The country thus missed of their remedy in the stint of tobacco, which on the contrary multiplied exceed- ingly by the- great increase of servants. This, together with the above mentioned curbs on trade, exasperated the people, because now they found themselves under a necessity of exchanging their commodities with the merchants of England at their own terms. The assembly therefore again attempted the stint of tobacco, and passed another act against planting it for one year. And Carolina and Maryland both agreed to it. But some accident hindering the agent of Carolina from giving notice thereof to Maryland by the day appointed, the governor of that province proclaimed the act void, al- though every body there knew that Carolina had fully agreed to all things required of them. But he took advantage of this nice punctilio, because of the loss such a diminution would have been to his annual income, and so all people relapsed again into the disease of planting tobacco. Virginia was more nettled at this ill usage ftom Maryland, than at her former absolute denial ; but were forced to take all patiently, and by fair means get relief, if they could. They therefore appointed agents to reassume the treaty, and submitted so low as to send them to Saint Mary's, then the residence of the governor of Maryland, and the place where the assemblies met. Yet all this condescension could not hold them to their bargain. The governor said he had observed his part of the agreement, and would not call an assembly any more upon that subject. § 87. In this manner two whole years were spent, and nothing could be accomplished for their relief. In the mean while England was studious to prevent their receiving sup- plies from any other country. To do that more effectually, it was thought expedient to confine the trade of that colony to one place. But that not being found practicable, because of the many great rivers that divide their habitations, and 8 Hosted by Google 58 PLAGUE AND FIRE IN LONDON, 1665-6. the extraordinary conveniences of each, his majesty sent directions to build forts in the several rivers, and enjoined all the ships to ride under those forts ; and farther ordered, that those places only should be the ports of trade. § 88. This instruction was punctually observed for a year, and preparations were made for ports, by casting up breast- works in such places as the assembly appointed, and the shipping did for that time ride at those places. But the great fire and plague happening in London immediately upon it, made their supplies that year very uncertain, and the terror the people were in, lest the plague should be brought over with the ships from London, prevented them from residing at those ports, for fear of being all swept away at once. And so every body was left at liberty again. ^ 89. Still no favor could be obtained for the tobacco trade, and the English merchants afforded but a bare sup- port of clothing for their crops. The assembly were full enough of resentment, but overlooked their right way of re- dress. All they could do was to cause looms and work- houses to be set up in the several counties, at the county charge. They renewed the rewards of silk, and put great penalties upon every neglect of making flax and hemp. About this time they sustained some damage by the Dutch war ; for which reason they ordered the forts to be rebuilt of brick. But having yet no true notion of the advantage of towns, they did not oblige the ships to ride under them. Which thing alone, well executed, would have answered all their desires. § 90. Sir William Berkeley, who was always contriving and industrious for the good of the country, was not contented to set a useful example at home, by the essays he made of potash,, flax, hemp, silk, &c, but was also resolved to make new discoveries abroad amongst the Indians. For this end he employed a small company of about fourteen English, and as many Indians, under the com- mand of Captain Henry Batt, to go upon such an adventure. They set out together from Appomattox, and in seven days' Hosted by Google UAPTAIN BATT'S EXPEDITION. 59 march reached the foot of the mountains. The mountains they first arrived at, were not extraordinary high or steep ; but, after they had passed the first ridge, they encountered others that seemed to reach the clouds, and were so perpen- dicular and full of precipices, that sometimes in a whole day's march, they could not travel three miles in a direct line. In other places they found large level plains and fine savannas, three or four miles wide, in which were an infinite quantity of turkies, deer, elks and buffaloes, so gen- tle and undisturbed that they had no fear at the appearance of the men, but would suffer them to come almost within reach of their hands. There they also found grapes so pro- digiously large, that they seemed more like bullace than grapes. When they traversed these mountains, they came to a fine level country again, and discovered a rivulet that descended backwards. Down that stream they travelled sev- eral days) till they came to old fields and cabins, where the Indians had lately been, but were supposed to have fled at the approach of Batt and his company. However, the cap- tain followed the old rule of leaving some toys in their cabins for them to find at their return, by which they might know they were friends. Near to these cabins were great marshes, where the Indians which Captain Batt had with him made a halt, and would positively proceed no farther. They said, that not far off from that place lived a nation of Indians, that made salt, and sold it to their neighbors. That this was a great and powerful people, which never suffered any strangers to return that had once discovered their towns. Captain Batt used all the arguments he could to get them forward, but in vain. And so, to please those tim- orous Indians, the hopes of this discovery were frustrated, and the detachment was forced to return. In this journey it is supposed that Batt never crossed the great ridge of mountains, but kept up tinder it to the southward. For of late years the Indian traders have discovered b on this side the mountains, about five hundred miles to the southward, a river they call Oukfuskie* full of broad sunken grounds Hosted by Google 60 bacon's rebellion, 1676. and marshes, but falling into the bay or great gulf between cape Florida and the mouth of the Mississippi, which I suppose to be the river where Batt saw the Indian cabins and marshes, but is gone to from Virginia without ever pierc- ing the high mountains, and only encountering the point of an elbow, which they make a little to the southward of Virginia. §91. Upon Captain Batt's report to Sir William Berke- ley, he resolved to make a journey himself, that so theie might be no hinderance for want of sufficient authority, as had been in the aforesaid expedition. To this end he con- certed matters for it, and had pitched upon his deputy gov- ernor. The assembly also made an act to encourage it. But all these preparations came to nothing, by the - confusion which happened there soon after by Bacon's rebellion. And since that, there has never been any such discovery attempted from Virginia, when Governor Spotswood found a passage over the great ridge of mountains, and went over them himself. §92. The occasion of this rebellion is not, easy to be discovered : but 'tis certain there were many things that concurred towards it. For it cannot be imagined, that upon the instigation of two or three traders only, who aimed at a monopoly of the Indian trade, as some pretend to say, the whole country would have fallen into so much distrac- tion ; in which people did not only hazard their necks by rebellion, but endeavored to ruin a governor, whom they all entirely loved, and had unanimously chosen ; a gentle- man who had devoted his whole life and estate to the ser- vice of the country, and against whom in thirty-five years experience there had never been one single complaint. Neither can it be supposed, that upon so slight grounds, they would make choice of a leader they hardly knew, to oppose a gentleman that had been so long and so deserv- edly the darling of the people. So that in all probability there was something else in the wind, without which the body of the country had never been engaged in that insur- rection, Hosted by Google 61 Pour things may be reckoned to have been the main in- gredients towards this intestine commotion, viz., First, The extreme low price of tobacco, and the ill usage of the plan- ters in the exchange of goods for it, which the country, with all their earnest endeavors, could not remedy. Se- condly, The splitting the colony into proprieties, contrary to the original charters ; and the extravagant taxes they were forced to undergo, to relieve themselves from those grants. Thirdly, The heavy restraints and burdens laid upon their trade by act of Parliament in England. Fourth- ly, The disturbance given by the Indians. Of all which in their order. §93. First, Of the low price of tobacco, and the disap- pointment of all sort of remedy, I have spoken sufficiently before. Secondly, Of splitting the country into proprieties. King Charles the Second, to gratify some nobles about him, made two great grants out of that country. These grants were not of the uncultivated wood land only, but also of plantations, which for many years had been seated and improved, under the encouragement of several charters granted by his royal ancestors to that colony. Those grants were distinguished by the names of the Northern and South- ern grants of Virginia, and the same men were concerned in both. They were kept dormant some years after they were made, and in the year 1674 begun to be put in exe- cution. As soon as ever the country came to know this, they remonstrated against them ; and the assembly drew up an humble address to his majesty, complaining of the said grants, as derogatory to the previous charters and privi- leges granted to that colony, by his majesty and his royal progenitors. They sent to England Mr. Secretary Ludwell and Colonel Park, as their agents to address the king, to vacate those grants. And the better to defray that charge, they laid a tax of fifty pounds of tobacco per poll, for two years together, over and above all other taxes, which was an excessive burden. They likewise laid amercements of seventy, fifty, or thirty pounds of tobacco, as the cause was Hosted by Google 62 CAUSE OF BACONS REBELLION. on every law case tried throughout the country. Besides ail this, they applied the balance, remaining due upon account of the two shilling per hogshead, and fort duties, to this use. Which taxes and amercements fell heaviest on the poor people, the effect of whose labor would not clothe their wives and children. This made them desperately un- easy, especially when, after a whole year's patience under all these pressures, they had no encouragement from their agents in England, to hope for remedy ; nor any certainty when they should be eased of those heavy impositions. §94. Thirdly, Upon the back of all these misfortunes came out the act of 25 Car. II. for better securing the plantation trade. By this act several duties were laid on the trade from one plantation to another. This was a new hardship, and the rather, because the revenue arising by this act was not applied to the use of the plantations wherein it was raised : but given clear away ; nay, in that country it seemed to be of no other use, but to burden the trade, or create a good income to the officers ; for the col- lector had half, the comptroller a quarter, and the remain- ing quarter was subdivided into salaries, till it was lost. By the same act also very great duties were laid on the fisheries of the plantations, if manufactured by the English inhabitants there ; while the people of England were abso- lutely free from all customs. Nay, though the oil, blubber and whale bone, which were made by the inhabitants of the plantations, were carried to England by Englishmen, and in English built ships, yet it was held to a considera- ble duty, more than the inhabitants of England paid. §95. These were the afflictions that country labored un- der when the fourth accident happened, viz., the distur- bance offered by the Indians to the frontiers. This was occasioned, first, by the Indians on the head of the bay. Secondly, by the Indians on their own frontiers. First. The Indians at the head of the bay drove a con- stant trade with the Dutch in Monadas, now called New York ; and to carry on this, they used to come every year Hosted by Google CAUSE OF BACONS REBELLION. 63 by the frontiers of Virginia, to hunt and purchase skins and furs of the Indians to the southward. This trade was car- ried on peaceably while the Dutch held Monadas ; and the Indians used to call on the English in Virginia on their re- turn, to whom they would sell part of their furs, and with the rest go on to Monadas. But after the English came to possess that place, and understood the advantages the Vir- ginians made by the tiade of their Indians, they inspired them with such a hatred to the inhabitants of Virginia that, instead of coming peaceably to trade with them, as they had done for several years before, they afterwards never came, but only to commit robberies and murders upon the people. Secondly. The Indians upon their own frontiers were likewise inspired with ill thoughts of them. For their In- dian merchants had lost a considerable branch of their trade they knewT not how ,• and apprehended the consequences of Sir William Berkeley's intended discoveries, (espoused by the assembly,) might take away the remaining part of their profit. This made them very troublesome to the neighbor Indians ; who on their part, observing an unusual uneasiness in the English, and being terrified by their rough usage, immediately suspected some wicked design against their lives, and so fled to their remoter habitations. This confirmed the English in the belief, that they had been the murderers, till at last they provoked them to be so in earnest. § 96. This addition of mischief to minds already full of discontent, made people ready to vent all their resentment against the poor Indians. There was nothing to be got by tobacco ; neither could they turn any other manufacture to advantage ; so that most of the poorer sort were willing to quit their unprofitable employments, and go volunteers against the Indians. At first they flocked together tumultuously, running in troops from one plantation to another without a head, till at last the seditious humor of Colonel Nath. Bacon led him to be of the party. This gentleman had been brought up Hosted by Google 64 BACON TAKES COMMAND. at one of the Inns of court in England, and had a mode- rate fortune. He was young, bold, active, of an., inviting aspect, and powerful elocution. In a word, he was every way qualified to head a giddy and unthinking multitude Before he had been three years in the country, he was, for his extraordinary qualifications, made one of the council, and in great honor and esteem among the people. For this reason he no sooner gave countenance to this riotous mob, but they all presently fixed their eyes upon him for their general, and accordingly made their addresses to him. As soon as he found this, he harangued them pub- licly. He aggravated the Indian mischiefs, complaining that they were occasioned for want of a due regulation of their trade. He recounted particularly the other grie- vances and pressures they lay under, and pretended that he accepted of their command with no other intention but to do them and the country .service, in which he was willing to encounter the greatest difficulties and dangers. He farther assured them he would never lay down his arms till he had revenged their sufferings upon the In- dians, and redressed all their other grievances. §97. By these insinuations he wrought his men into so perfect an unanimity, that they were one and all at his de- votion. He took care to exasperate them to the utmost, by representing all their misfortunes. After he had begun to muster them, he dispatched a messenger to the governor, by whom he aggravated the mischiefs done by the Indians, and desired a commission of general to go out against them. This gentleman was in so great esteem at that time with the council, thgt the governor did not think fit to give him a flat refusal ; but sent him word he would con- sult the council, and return him a farther answer. § 98. In the mean time Bacon was expeditious in his preparations, and having all things in readiness, began his march, depending on the authority the people had given him. He would not lose so much time as to stay for his commission ; but dispatched several messengers to the go- Hosted by Google BACON IS SUSPENDED FROM THE COUNCIL. 65 vernor to hasten it. On the other hand, the governor, instead of a commission, sent positive orders to him to dis- perse his men and come down in person to him, upon pain of being declared a rebel. § 99. This unexpected order was a great surprise to Bacon, and not a little trouble to his men. However, he was resolved to prosecute his first intentions, depending upon his strength and interest with the people. Nevertheless, he intended to wait upon the governor, but not altogether de- fenceless. Pursuant to this resolution, he took about forty of his men down with him in a sloop to Jamestown, where the governor was with his council. §100. Matters did not succeed there to Mr. Bacon's sat- isfaction, wherefore he expressed himself a little too freely. For which, being suspended from the council, he went away again in a huff with his sloop and followers. The governor filled a long boat with men, and pursued the sloop so close, that Colonel Bacon moved into his boat to make more haste. But the governor had sent up by land to the ships at Sandy Point, where he was stopped and sent down again. Upon his return he was kindly received by the governor, who, knowing he had gone a, step beyond his instructions in having suspended him, was glad to admit him again of the council ; after which he hoped all things might be pacified. §101. Notwithstanding this, Colonel Bacon still insisted upon a commission to be general of the volunteers, and to go out against the Indians ; from which the governor en- deavored to dissuade him, but to no purpose, because he had some secret project in view. He had the luck to be countenanced in his importunities, by the news of fresh murder and robberies committed by the Indians. However, not being able to accomplish his ends by fair means, he stole privately out of town ; and having put himself at the head of six hundred volunteers, marched directly to James- town, where the assembly was then sitting. He presented himself before the assembly, and drew up his men in battalia Hosted by Google 66 BACON OBTAINS A COMMISSION. before the house wherein they sat. He urged to them his preparations ; and alledged that if the commission Bad not been delayed so long, the war against the Indians might have been finished. §102. The governor resented this insolent usage worst of all, and now obstinately refused to grant him anything, offering his naked breast againt the presented arms of his followers. But the assembly, fearing the fatal consequences of provoking a discontented multitude ready armed, who had the governor, council and assembly entirely in their power, addressed the governor to grant Bacon his request. They prepared themselves the commission, constituting him general of the forces of Virginia, and brought it to the governor to be signed. With much reluctancy the governor signed it, and thereby put the power of war and peace into Bacon's hands. Upon this he marched away immediately, having gained his end, which was in effect a power to secure a monopoly of the Indian trade to himself and his friends. §103. As soon as General Bacon had marched to such a convenient distance from Jamestown that the assembly thought they* might deliberate with safety, the governor, by their advice, issued a proclamation of rebellion against him, commanding,, his followers to surrender him, and forth- with disperse themselves, giving orders at the same time for raising the militia of the country against him. §104. The people being much exasperated, and Gen- eral Bacon by his address and eloquence having gained an absolute dominion over their hearts, they unanimously resolved that not a hair of his head should be touched, much less that they should surrender him as a rebel. There- fore they kept to their arms, and instead of proceeding against the Indians they marched back to Jamestown, di- recting their fury against such of their friends and country- men as should dare to oppose them. §105. The governor seeing this, fled over the bay to Accomac, whither he hoped the infection of Bacon's con- Hosted by Google DECLARATION OF BACON'S CONVENTION. 67 spiracy had not reached. But there, instead of that peo- ple's receiving him with open arms, in remembrance of the former services he had done them, they began to make terms with him for redress of their grievances, and for the ease and liberty of trade against the acts of parliament. Thus Sir William, who had been almost; the idol of the people, was, by reason of their calamity and jealousy, aban- doned by all, except some few, who went over to him from the western shore in sloops and boats, among which one Major Robert Beverley was the most active and successful commander ; so that it was sometime before he could make head against Bacon, but left him to range through the country at discretion. §106. General Bacon at first held a convention, of such of the chief gentlemen of the country as would come to him, especially of those about Middle Plantation, who were near at hand. At this convention they made a declaration to justify his unlawful proceedings, and obliged people to take an oath of obedience to him as their general. Then, by their advice, on pretence of the governor's abdication, he called an assembly, by writs signed by himself and four others of the council. The oath was word for word as follows : •" Whereas the country hath raised an army against our common enemy the Indians, and the same under the com- mand of General Bacon, being upon the point to march forth against the said common enemy, hath been diverted and necessitated to move to the suppressing of forces, by evil disposed persons raised against the said General Bacon, purposely to foment and stir up civil wrar among us, to the ruin of this his majesty's country. And whereas it is notoriously manifest, that Sir William Berkeley, knight, governor of the country, assisted, counselled and abetted by those evil disposed persons aforesaid, hath not only commanded, fomented and stirred up the people to the said civil war, but failing therein, hath withdrawn himself, to the great , astonishment of the people, and the Hosted by Google 68 DECLARATION CONTINUED. unsettlement of the country. And whereas the said army, raised by the country for the causes aforesaid, remain full of dissatisfaction in the middle of the country, expecting attempts from the said governor and the evil counselors aforesaid. And since no proper means have been found out for the settlement of the distractions, and preventing the horrid outrages and murders daily committed in many places of the country by the barbarous enemy, it hath been thought fit by the said general, to call unto him all such sober and discreet gentlemen as the present circumstances of the country will admit, to the Middle Plantation, to consult and advise of re-establishing the peace of the country. So we, the said gentlemen, being this third of August, 1676, accordingly met, do advise, resolve, declare and conclude, and for ourselves do swear in manner follow- ing : 1st. That we will at all times join with the said general Bacon and his army, against the common enemy in all points whatsoever. 2nd. That whereas certain persons have lately contrived and designed the raising forces against the said general, and the army under his command, thereby to beget a civil war, we will endeavor the discovery and apprehending of all and every o£ those evil disposed persons, and them secure, until farther order from the general. 3rd. And whereas it is credibly reported, that the gov- ernor hath informed the king's majesty that, the said general, and the people of the country in arms under his command, their aiders and abettors, are rebellious, and removed from their allegiance ; and that upon such like information, he, the said governor, hath advised and petitioned the king to send forces to reduce them, we do farther declare and be- lieve in our consciences, that it consists with the welfare of this country, and with our allegiance to his most sacred majesty, that we, the inhabitants of Virginia, to the utmost of our power, do oppose and suppress all forces whatsoever of that nature, until such time as the king be fully informed Hosted by Google DEATH OP GENERAL BACON- 69 of the state of the case, by such person or persons as shall be sent from the said Nathaniel Bacon, in the behalf of the people, and the determination thereof be remitted hither. And we do swear, that we will him, the said general, and the army under his command, aid and assist accordingly. §108. By this time the governor had got together a small party to side with him. These he furnished with sloops, arms and ammunition, under command of Major Robert Beverley, in order to cross the bay and oppose the malcontents. By this means there happened some skir- mishes, in which several were killed, and others taken prisoners. Thus they were going on by a civil war to des- troy one another, and lay waste their infant country, when it pleased God, after some months' confusion, to put an epd to their misfortunes, as well as to Bacon's designs, by his natural death. He died at Dr. Green's in Gloucester county. But where he was buried was never yet discovered, though afterward there was great inquiry made, with design to expose his bones to public infamy. §109. In the meanwhile those disorders occasioned a general neglect of husbandry, and a great destruction of the stocks of cattle, so that people had a dreadful prospect of want and famine. But the malcontents being thus disuni- ted by the loss of their general, in whom they all confided, they began to squabble among themselves, and every man's business was, how to make the best terms he could for himself. Lieutenant General Ingram, (whose true name was John- son) and Major General Walklate, surrendered, on condition of pardon for themselves and their followers, though they were both forced to submit to an incapacity of bearing office in that country for the future. Peace being thus restored, Sir William Berkeley returned to his former seat of government, and every man to his several habitation. §110. While this intestine war was fomenting there, the agents of the country in. England could not succeed in their Hosted by Google 70 JAMESTOWN BURNT. remonstrance against the propriety grants, though they were told that those grants should be revoked. But the news of their civil war reaching England about the same time, the king would then proceed no farther in that matter. So the agents thought it their best way to compound with the pro- prietors. Accordingly they agreed with them for four hun- dred pounds a man, which was paid. And so all the clamor against those grants ended ; neither was any more heard from them there till above a dozen years afterwards. §111. But all those agents could obtain after their com- position with the lords, was merely the name of a new charter, granting only sp much of their former constitution as mentioned a residence of the governor or deputy ; a granting of escheat lands for two pounds of tobacco per acre, composition ; and that the lands should be held of the crown in the same tenure as East Greenwich, that is, free and common soccage, and have their immediate de- pendence on the crown. §112. When this storm, occasioned by Bacon, was blown over, and all things quiet again, Sir William Berkeley called an assembly, for settling the affairs of the country, and for making reparation to such as had been oppressed. After which a regiment of soldiers arrived from England, which were sept to suppress the insurrection ; but they, coming after the busiqess was over, had no occasion to exercise their courage. However, they were kept on foot there about three years after, and in the Lord Colepepper's time, paid off and disbanded. §113. The confusion occasioned by the civil war, and the advantage the Indians made of it in butcheriug the English upon all their frontiers, caused such a desolation, and put the country so far back, that to the year 1704 they hac} seated very little beyond the boundaries that were then inhabited. At that time Jamestown was again burnt down to the ground by Richard Laurence, one of Bacon's cap- tains, who, when his own men, that abhorred such barbar- ity, refused to pfrey his command, he himself became the Hosted by Google DEATH OF BERKELEY. 71 executioner, and fired the houses with his own hands. This unhappy town did never after arrive to the perfec- tion it then had : and now it is almost deserted by remo- ving in Governor Nicholson's time the assembly and general court from thence to Williamsburg, an inland place about seven miles from it. §114. With the regiment above mentioned arrived com- missioners, to enquire into the occasion and authors of this rebellion \ and Sir William Berkeley came to England : where from the time of his arrival, his sickness obliged him to keep his chamber till he died ; so that he had no oppor- tunity of kissing the king's hand. But his majesty declared himself well satisfied with his conduct in Virginia, and was very kind to him during his sickness* often enquiring after his health, and commanding him not to hazard it by too early an endeavor to come to court. §115. Upon Sir William Berkeley's voyage to England, Herbert Jeffreys, Esq., was appointed governor. He made formal articles of peace with the Indians, and held an as-* sembly »at Middle Plantation, wherein they settled and al- lowed a free trade with the Indians \ but restrained it to certain marts, to which the Indians should bring their com- modities : and this also to be under such certain rules as were by that assembly directed. But this method was not agreeable to the Indians, who had never before been under any regulation. They thought, that if all former usages were not restored, the peace was not perfect ; and therefore did not much rely upon it, which made those new restric- tions useless. Governor Jeffreys his time was very short there, he being taken off by death the year following. §116. After him Sir Henry Chicheley was made deputy governor, in the latter end of the year 1678. In his time the assembly, for the greater terror of the Indians, built magazines at the heads of the four great rivers, and fur- nished them with arms, ammunition and men in constant service. Hosted by Google 72 GOVERNOR COLEPEPPER. This assembly also prohibited the importation of tobacco, which Carolina, and sometimes Maryland, were wont to send thither, in order to its being shipped off for England. But in that, I think, Virginia mistook her interest. For, had they permitted this custom to become habitual, and thus engrossed the shipping, as would soon have happened, they could easily have regulated the trade of tobacco at any time, without the concurrence of those other colonies, and without submitting to their perverse humors as formerly. §117. The spring following, Thomas Lord Colepepper arrived there governor, and carried with him some laws, which had been drawn up in England, to be enacted in their assembly. And coming with the advantage of restor- ing peace to a troubled nation, it was not difficult for him to obtain whatever he pleased from the people. His influ- ence too was the greater by the power he had of pardoning those who had a hand in the disorders committed in the late rebellion. § 1 1 8. In his first assembly he passed several acts very obliging to the country, viz., First, an act of naturalization, whereby the power of naturalizing foreigners was placed in the governor. Secondly, an act for cohabitation and encour- agement of trade and manufactures ; whereby a certain place in each county was appointed for a town, in which all goods imported and exported were to be landed and shipped off, bought and sold. Which act was kindly brought to nothing by the opposition of the tobacco merchants of Eng- land. Thirdly, an act of general pardon and oblivion, whereby all the transgressions and outrages committed in the tirne of the late rebellion were entirely remitted ; and repa- ration allowed to people that should be evil spoken of on that account. §119. By passing some laws that obliged the country, the Lord Colepepper carried one that was very pleasing to him- self, viz., the act for raising a public revenue for the better support of the government. By this he got the duties con- tained therein to be made perpetual ; and that the money, Hosted by Google GOVERNOR COLEPEPPER. 73 whieh before used to be accounted for to the assembly, should be from thenceforth disposed of by his majesty's sole direction; for the support of the government. When this was done, he obtained of the king out of the said duties ft salary of two thousand pounds per annum, instead of one thousand 3 which was formerly allowed. Also one hundred and sixty pounds per annum for house rent, besides all the usual perquisites. §120. In those submissive times his lordship reduced the greatest perquisite of his place to a certainty, which before that was only gratuitous ; that is, instead of the masters of ships making presents of liquors or provisions towards the governor's house keeping, as they were wont to do, he de- manded a certain sum of money, remitting that custom. This rate has ever since been demanded of all commanders as a duty ; and is twenty shillings for each ship or vessel, under an hundred tons, and thirty shillings for each ship upwards of that burden, to be paid every voyage, or port clearing. §121. This noble lord seemed to lament the unhappy state of the country in relation to their coin. He was ten- derly concerned that all their cash should be drained away by the neighboring colonies, which had not set so low an estimate upon it as Virginia ; and therefore he proposed the raising of it. This was what the country had formerly desired, and the assembly was about making a law for it : but his lordship stopped them, alledging it was the king's prerogative, by vir- tue of which he would do it by proclamation. This they did not approve of, well knowing, if that were the case, his lordship and every other governor would at any time have the same prerogative of altering it, and so people should never be at any certainty ; as they quickly after found from his own practice. For his drift was only to make advan- tage of paying the soldiers ,• money for that purpose being put into his lordship's hands, he provided light pieces of eight, which he with this view had bought at a cheap rate. 10 Hosted by Google 74 TOBACCO PLANTS DESTROYED. When this contrivance was ripe for execution, he extended the royal prerogative, and issued forth a proclamation for raising (he value of pieces of eight from five to six shil- lings ) and as soon as they were admitted current at that value, he produced an order for paying and disbanding the soldiers. Then those poor fellows, and such as had main- tained them, were forced to take their pay in those light pieces of eight, at six shillings. But his lordship soon after himself found the inconvenience of that proclamation ; for people began to pay their duties, and their ship money in coin of that high estimate, which was like to cut short both his lordship's perquisites ; and so he was forced to make use of the same prerogative, to reduce the money again to its former standard. §122. In less than a year the Lord Golepepper returned to England, leaving Sir Henry Chicheley deputy governor. The country being then settled again, made too much to- bacco, or too much trash tobacco, for the market; and the merchants would hardly allow the planter any thing for it. This occasioned much uneasiness again, and the people, from former experience, despairing of succeeding in any agreement with the neighboring governments, resolved a total destruction of the tobacco in that country, (especially of the sweet scented ,• because that was planted no where else. In pursuance of which design, they contrived that all the plants should be destroyed, while they were yet in the beds, and after it was too late to sow more. Accordingly the ringleaders in this project began with their own first, and then went to cut up the plants of such of their neighbors as were not willing to do it themselves However, they had not resolution enough to go through with their work. This was adjudged , sedition and felony. Several people were committed upon it, and some condemned to be hanged. And afterwards the assembly passed a law to make such proceedings felony for the future, (whatever it was before,) provided the company kept together after warning by a justice. Hosted by Google QUARREL OF THE COUNCIL AND ASSEMBLY. 75 §123. After this accident of plant cutting, the Lord Cole- pepper returned, and held his second assembly, in which he conirived to gain another great advantage over the country. His lordship, in his first voyage thither, perceiving how easily he could twist and manage the people, conceived new hopes of retrieving the propriety of the Northern Neck, as being so small a part of the colony. He conceived that while the remainder escaped free, which wTas far the greater part, they would not engage in the interest of the lesser number ; especially considering the discouragements they had met with before, in their former solicitation : though all this while, and for many years afterwards, his lordship did not pretend to lay public claim to any part of the propriety. It did not square with this project that appeals should be made to the general assembly, as till then had been the cus- tom. He feared the burgesses would be too much in the interest of their countrymen, and adjudge the inhabitants of the Northern Neck to have an equal liberty and privilege in their estates with the rest of Virginia, as being settled upon the same foot. In order therefore to make a better penny- worth of those poor people, he studied to overturn this odi- ous method of appealing to the assembly, and to fix the last resort in another court. To bring this point about, his lordship contrived to blow up a difference in the assembly between the council and the burgesses, privately encouraging the burgesses to insist upon the privilege of determining all appeals by themselves, exclusive of the council ; because they, having given their opinions before in the general court, were, for that reason, unfit judges in appeals from themselves to the assembly. This succeeded according to his wish, and the burgesses bit at the bait, under the notion of privilege, never dreaming of the snake that lay in the grass, nor considering the dan- ger of altering an old constitution so abruptly. Thus my lord gained his end ; for he represented that quarrel with so many aggravations, that he got an instruction from the king to take away all appeals from the general court to the as- Hosted by Google 76 NORTHERN NECK DIFFICULTIES. sembly, and cause them to be made to himself in council, if the thing in demand was of ^300 value, otherwise no appeal from the general court. §124. Of this his lordship made sufficient advantage ; for in the confusion that happened in the end of king James the Second's reign, viz., in October 1688, he having got an assignment from the other patentees, gained a favorable report from the king's council at law upon his patent for the Northern Neck. When he had succeeded in this, his lordship's next step was to engage some noted inhabitant of the place to be on his side. Accordingly he made use of his cousin Secretary Spencer, who lived in the said Neck, and was esteemed as wise and great a man as any of the council. This gentle- man did but little in his lordship's service, and only gained some few strays, that used to be claimed by the coroner, in behalf of the king. Upon the death of Mr. Secretary Spencer, he engaged another noted gentleman, an old stander in that country, though not of the Northern Neck, Col. Philip Ludwell, who was then in England. He went over with this grant in the year 1690, and set up an office in the Neck, claim- ing some escheats ; 'but he likewise could make nothing of it. After him Col. George Brent and Col. William Fitz- Hugh, that were noted lawyers and inhabitants of the said Neck, were employed in that affair : but succeeded no better than their predecessors. The people, in the mean while, complained frequently to their assemblies, who at last made another address to the king 5 but there being no agent in England to prosecute it, that likewise miscarried. At last Colonel Richard Lee, one of the council, a man of note and inhabitant of the Northern Neck, privately made a com- position with the proprietors themselves for his own land. This broke the ice, and several were induced to follow so great an example ; so that by degrees, they were generally brought to pay their quit-rents into the hands of the proprie- tors' agents. And now at last it is* managed for them by Hosted by Google LORD HOWARD, GOVERNOR. 77 Col. Robert Carter, another of the council, and the greatest freeholder in that proprietary. §125. To return to rny Lord Colepepper's government, I cannot omit a useful thing which his lordship was pleased to do, with relation to their courts of justice. It seems, nicety of pleading, with all the juggle of Westminster Hail, was creeping into their courts. The clerks began in some cases to enter the reasons with the judgments, pretending to set precedents of inviolable form to be observed in all future proceedings. This my lord found fault with, and retrenched all dilatory pleas, as prejudicial to justice, keeping the courts close to the merits of the cause, in order to bring it to a speedy determination, according to the innocence of for- mer times, and caused the judgments to be entered up short, without the reason, alledging that their courts were not of so great experience as to be able to make precedents to posterity ; who ought to be left at liberty to determine, according to the equity of the controversy before them. § 126. In his time also were dismantled the forts built by Sir Henry Chicheley at the heads of the rivers, and the forces there were disbanded, as being too great a charge. The assembly appointed small parties of light horse in their stead, to range by turns upon the frontiers. These being chosen out of the neighboring inhabitants, might afford to serve at easier rates, and yet do the business more effectu- ally ; they were raised under the title or name of rangers. §127. After this the Lord Colepepper returned again for England, his second stay not being much longer than the first ; and Sir Henry Chicheley being dead, he proclaimed his kinsman, Mr. Secretary Spencer, president, though he was not the eldest member of the council. §128. The next year, being 1684, upon the Lord Cole- pepper's refusing to return, Francis, Lord Howard of Effing- ham, was sent over governor. In order to increase his per- quisites, he imposed the charge of an annual under seal of twenty shillings each for school masters; five pounds for law- yers at the general court, and fifty shillings each lawyer at Hosted by Google 78 DUTY ON LiaUORS. the county courts. He also extorted an excessive fee for putting the seal to all probates of wills, and letters of ad- ministration, even where the estates of the deceased were of the meanest value. Neither could any be favored with such administration, or probate, without paying that extor- tion. If any body presumed to remonstrate against it, his lordship's behavior towards that man was very severe. He kept several persons in prison and under confinement, from court to court, without bringing them to trial. Which pro- ceedings, and many others, were so oppressive, that com- plaints were made thereof to the king, and Colonel Philip Ludwell was appointed agent to appear against him in England. Whereupon the seal-money was taken off. § 129. During the first session of assembly in this noble lord's time, the duty on liquors imported from the other English plantations, was first imposed. It was then laid, on pretence of lessening the levy by the poll, for payment of public taxes ; but more especially for rebuilding the State house, which had not been rebuilt since Laurence burnt it in Bacon's time. This duty was at first laid on wine and rum only, at the rate of three pence per gallon, with an exemption of all such as should be imported in the ships of Virginia owners. But the like duty has since been laid on other liquors also, and is raised to four pence per gallon on wine and rum, and one penny per gallon on beer, cider, lime- juice, &c; and the privilege of Virginia owners taken away, to the great discouragement of their shipping and home trade. §130. This lord, though he pretended to no great skill in legal proceedings, yet he made great innovations in their courts, pretending to follow the English forms. Thus he created a new court of chancery distinct from the general court, who had ever before claimed that jurisdiction. He erected himself into a lord chancellor, taking the gentlemen of the council to sit with him as mere associates and ad- visers, not having any vote in the causes before them. And Hosted by Google PROJECT FOR A COLLEGE. iV that ii might have more the air of a new court, he would not so much as sit in the State house, where all the other public business was dispatched, but took the dining- room of a large house for that use. He likewise made arbitrary tables of fees, peculiar to this high court. How- ever, his lordship not beginning this project very long before he left the country, all these innovations came to an end upon his removal, and the jurisdiction returned to the gen- eral court again, in the time of Colonel Nathaniel Bacon, whom he left president. §131. During that gentleman's presidency, which began Anno 1689, the project of a college was first agreed upon. The contrivers drew up their scheme, and presented it to the president and council. This was by them approved, and referred to the next assembly. But Colonel Bacon's admin- istration being very short, and no assembly called all the while, this pious design could proceed no farther. § 132. Anno 1690, Francis Nicholson, esq., being ap- pointed lieutenant governor under the Lord Effingham, arrived there. This gentleman discoursed freely of country improvements, instituted public exercises, .and gave prizes to all those that should excel in the exercises of riding, run- ning, shooting, wrestling, and cudgeling. When the design of a college was communicated to him, he promised it all imaginable encouragement. The first thing desired of him in its behalf, was the calling of an assembly, but this he could by no means agree to, being under obligations to the Lord Effingham to stave off assemblies as long he could, for fear there might be farther representations sent over against his lordship, who was conscious to himself how un- easy the country had been under his despotic administration. § 133. When that could not be obtained, then they pro- posed that a subscription might pass through the colony, to try the humor of the people in general, and see what voluntary contributions they could get towards it. This he granted, and he himself, together with the council, set a generous example to the other gentlemen of the country, Hosted by Google 80 CHARTER GRANTED FOR THE COLLEGE. so that the subscriptions at last amounted to about two thousand five hundred pounds, in which sum is included the generous benevolences of several merchants of London. §134. Anno 1691, an assembly being called, this design was moved to them, and they espoused it heartily ; and soon after made an address to king William and queen Mary in its behalf, and sent the Rev. Mr. James Blair their agent to England to solicit their majesties charter for it. It was proposed that three things should be taught in this college, viz., languages, divinity, and natural phil- osophy. The assembly was so fond of Governor Nicholson at that time, that they presented him with the sum of three hun- dred pounds, as a testimony of their good disposition towards him. But he having an instruction to receive no present from the country, they drew up an address to their majes- ties, praying that he might have leave to accept it, which was granted, and he gave one half thereof to the college. § 135. Their majesties were well pleased with that pious design of the plantation, and granted a charter, according to the desire of Mr. Blair their agent. Their majesties were graciously pleased to give near two thousand pounds sterling, the balance then due upon the account of quit-rents, towards the founding the college -7 and towards the endowing of it, they allowed twenty thou- sand acres of choice land, together with the revenue arising by the penny per pound on tobacco exported from Virginia and Maryland to the other plantations. It was a great satisfaction to the archbishops and bishops, to see such a nursery of religion founded in that new world, especially for that it was begun in an episcopal way, and carried on wholly by zealous conformists to the Church of England. §136. In this first assembly, Lieutenant Governor Nich- olson passed acts for encouragement of the linen manufac- Hosted by Google SIR EDMUND A.NDR0S, GOVERNOR. SI ture, and to promote the leather trade by tanning, currying, and shoe making. He also in that session passed a law for cohabitation, and improvement of trade. Before the next assembly he tacked about, and was quite the reverse of what he was in the first, as to cohabitation. Instead of encouraging ports and towns, he spread abroad his dislike of them ; and went among the people finding fault with those things which he and the assembly had unan- imously agreed upon the preceding session. Such a violent change there was in him, that it proceeded from some other cause than barely the inconstancy of his temper. He had leceived directions from those English merchants, who well knew that cohabitation would lessen their consigned trade. § 137. In February, 1692, Sir Edmund Andros arrived governor. He began his government with an assembly, which overthrew the good design of ports and towns ; but the groundwork of this proceeding was laid before Sir Ed- mund's arrival. However this assembly proceeded no far- ther than to suspend the law till their majesties' pleasure should be known. But it seems the merchants in London were dissatisfied, and made public complaints against it, which their majesties were pleased to hear ; and afterwards referred the law back to the assembly again, to consider if it were suitable to the circumstances of the country, and to regulate it accordingly. But the assembly did not then proceed any farther in it, the people themselves being in- fected by the merchants' letters. § 138. At this session Mr. Neal's project for a post-office, and his patent of post-master-general in those parts of America, were presented. The assembly made an act to promote that design ; but by reason of the inconvenient distance of their habitations, and want of towns, this project fell to nothing. § 139. With Sir Edmund Andros, was sent over the col- lege chatter j and the subsequent assembly declared, that the subscriptions which had been made to the college were due, and immediately demandable. They likewise gave a 11 Hosted by Google 82 ENCOURAGEMENT OF MANUFACTURES. duty on the exportation of skins and furs, for its more plen- tiful endowment, and the foundation of the college was laid. The subscription money did not come in with the same readiness with which it had been underwritten. However there was enough given by their majesties, and gathered from the people, to keep all hands at work and carry on the building, the foundation whereof they then laid; and the rest, upon suit, had judgment given against them. §140. Sir Edmund Andros was a great encourager of manufactures. In his time fulling-mills were set up by act of assembly. He also gave particular marks of his favor towards the propagating of cotton, which since his time has been much neglected. He was likewise a great lover of method and dispatch in all sorts of business, which made him find fault with the management of the secretary's office. And, indeed, with very good reason ; for from the time of Bacon's rebellion till then, there never was any office in the world more negligently kept. Several patents of land were entered blank upon record; many original patents, re- cords and deeds of land, with other matters of great conse- quence, were thrown loose about the office, and suffered to be dirtied, torn, and eaten by the moths and other insects. But upon this gentleman's accession to the government, he immediately gave directions to reform all these irregularities ; he caused the loose and torn records of value to be tran- scribed into new books, and ordered conveniences to be built within the office for preserving the records from being lost and confounded as before. He prescribed methods to keep the papers dry and clean, and to reduce them into such or- der, as that any thing might be turned to immediately. But all these conveniences were burnt soon after they were finished, in October 1698, together with the office itself, and the whole State House. But his diligence was so great in that affair, that though his stay afterward in the country was very short, yet he caused all the records and papers which had been saved from the fire to be sorted again and Hosted by Google FRANCIS NICHOLSON, GOVERNOR. 83 registered in order, and indeed in much better order than ever they had been before. In this condition he left them at his quitting the government. He made several offers to rebuild the State House in the same place 5 and had his government continued but six months longer, 'tis probable he would have effected it after such a manner as might have been least burthensome to the people, designing the greatest part at his own cost. §141. Sir Edmund Andros being upon a progress one summer, called at a poor man's house in Stafford county for water. There came out to him an ancient woman, and with her a lively brisk lad about twelve years old. The lad was so ruddy and fair that his complexion gave the go- vernor a curiosity to ask some questions concerning him ; and to his great surprise was told that he was the son of that woman at 76 years of age. His excellency, smiling at this improbability, enquired wThat sort of man had been his father? To this the good woman made no reply, but in- stantly ran and led her husband to the door, who was then above 100 years old. He confirmed all that the woman had said about the lad, and, notwithstanding his great age, was strong in his limbs and voice 5 but had lost his sight. The woman for her part was without complaint, and seemed to retain a vigor very uncommon at her years. Sir Edmund was so well pleased with this extraordinary ac- count) that, after having made himself known to them, he offered to take care of the lad ; but they would by no means be persuaded to part with him. However, he gave them 20 pounds. §142. In November 1698, Francis Nicholson, Esq., was removed from Maryland, to be governor of Virginia. But he went not then with that smoothness on his brow he had carried with him when he was appointed lieutenant governor. He talked then no more of improving of manufactures, towns and trade. But instead of encouraging the manufac- tures, he sent over inhuman memorials against them, oppo- site to all reason. In one of these, he remonstrates, " that Hosted by Google 84 WILLIAMSBURG COMMENCED, 1699. the tobacco of that country often bears so low a price, that it would not yield clothes to the people that make it;" and yet presently after, in the same memorial, he recommends it to the parliament "to pass an act, forbiding the plantations to. make their own clothing;" which, in other words, is de- siring a chaiitable law, that the planters shall go naked. In a late memorial concerted between him and his creature Col. Ciuarrey, 'tis most humbly proposed, " that all the English colonies on the continent of North America be re- duced under one government, and under one Viceroy ; and that a standing army be there kept on foot to subdue the queen's enemies ;" surmising that they were intending to set up for themselves. § 143. He began his government with a shew of zeal for the church. In the latter end of his time, one half of the intended building, that is two sides of the square, was car- ried up and finished, in which were allotted the public hall, the apartments and conveniences for several masters and scholars, and the public offices for the domestics : the mas- ters and scholars were also settled in it, and it had its reg- ular visitations from the visitors and governors thereof. §144. Soon after his accession to the government, he pro- cured the assembly and courts of judicature to be removed from Jamestown, where there were good accommodations for people, to Middle Plantation, where there were none. There he flattered himself with the fond imagination of be- ing the founder of a new city. He marked out the streets in many places so as that they might represent the figure of a W, in memory of his late majesty King William, after whose name the town was called Williamsburg. There he procured a stately fabric to be erected, which he placed opposite to the/ college, and graced it with the magnificent name of the capitol. § 145 In the second year of this gentleman's govern- ment, there happened an adventure very fortunate for him, which gave him much credit, and that was the taking of a pirate within the capes of that country. It fell out that several merchant ships were got ready, Hosted by Google FIRST PIRATE TAKEN. S5 and fallen down to Lynhaven bay, near the mouth of James river, in order for sailing. A pirate being informed of this, and hearing that there was no man of war there, except a sixth rate, ventured within the capes, and took several of the merchant ships. But a small vessel happened to come down the bay, and seeing an engagement between the pirate and a merchantman, made a shift to get into the mouth of James river, wrhere the Shoram, a fifth rate man of war, was newly arrived. The sixth rate, commanded by Capt. John Aldred, was then on the careen in Elizabeth river, in order for her return to England. The governor happened to be at that time at Kiqaotan, sealing up his letters, and Capt. Passenger, commander of the Shoram, was ashore, to pay his respects to him. In the meanwhile news was brought that a pirate was within the capes ; upon which the captain was in haste to go aboard his ship ; but the governor stayed him a little, prom- ising to go along with him. The captain soon after asked his, excuse, and went off, leaving him another boat, if he pleased to follow. It was about one o'clock in the after- noon when the news was brought; but 'twas within night before his excellency went aboard, staying all that while ashore upon some weighty occasions. At last he followed, and by break of day the man of war was fairly out be- tween the capes and the pirate ; where, after ten hours sharp engagement, the pirate was obliged to strike and sur- render upon the terms of being left to the king's mercy. Now it happened thai three men of this pirate's gang were not on board their own ship at the time of the surren- der, and so were not included in the articles of capitulation, but were tried in that country. In summing up the charge against them (the governor being present) the attorney- general extolled his excellency's mighty courage and con- duct, as if the honor of taking the pirate had been $ue to him. Upon this, Capt. Passenger took the freedom to in- terrupt Mr. Attorney in open court, and said that he was commander of the Shoram ; that the pirates were his prison- Hosted by Google 86 governor Nicholson's vanity. ers ; and that no body had pretended to command in that engagement but himself: he farther desired that the gover- nor, who was then present, would do him the justice to confess whether he had given the least word of Command all that day, or directed any one thing during the whole fight. This, his excellency acknowledged, was true ; and fairly yielded the honor of that exploit to the captain. § 146. This governor likewise gained some reputation by another instance of his management, whereby he let the world know the violent passion he had to publish his own fame. To get honor in New York, he had zealously recommen- ded to the court of England the necessity that Virginia should contribute a certain quota of men, or else a sum of money, towards the building and maintaining a fort at New York. The reason he gave for this, was, because New York was their barrier, and as such, it was but justice they should help to defend it. This was by order of his late majesty King William proposed to the assembly ; but upon the most solid reasons they humbly remonstrated, " that neither the forts then in being, nor any other that might be built in the province of New York, could in the least avail to the defence and security of Virginia ; for that either the French or the northern Indians might invade that colony, and not come within an hundred miles of any such fort.'* The truth of these objections are obvious to any one that ever looked on the maps of that part of the world. But the secret of the whole business in plain terms was this : Those forts were necessary for New York, to enable that province to engross the trade of the neighbor, Indians, which Virginia had sometimes shared in, when the Indians ram- bled to the southward. Now the glory Col. Nicholson got in that affair was this : after he had represented Virginia as republican and rebel- lious for not complying with his proposal, he said publicly that New York should not want the 900 pounds, though Hosted by Google NICHOLSON AND QUARRY. 87 he paid it out of his own pocket, and soon after took a journey to that province. When he arrived there, he blamed Virginia very much, but pretending earnest desires to serve New York, gave his own bills of exchange for 900 pounds to the aforesaid use, but prudently took a defeasance from the gentleman to whom they were given, specifying, " that till her majesty should be graciously pleased to remit him the money out of the quit rents of Virginia, those bills should never be made use of." This was an admirable piece of sham generosity, and worthy of the great pains he took to proclaim it. I myself have frequently heard him boast that he gave this money out of his own pocket, and only depended on the queen's bounty to repay him : though the money is not paid by him to this day. §147. Neither was he contented to spread abroad this un- truth there ; but he also foisted it into a memorial of Col. Quarry's to the council of trade, in which are these words : " As soon as Governor Nicholson found the assembly of Vir- ginia would not see their own interest, nor comply with her majesty's orders, he went immediately to New York ; and out of his great zeal to the queen's service, and the security of her province, he gave his own bills for 900 pounds to answer the quota of Virginia, wholly depending on her majesty's favor to reimburse him out of the reve- nues in that province. Certainly his excellency and Colonel Quarry, by whose joint wisdom and sincerity this memorial was composed, must believe that the council of trade have very imperfect intelligence how matters pass in that part of the world, or else they would not presume to impose such a banter upon them." But this is nothing, if compared with some other pas- sages of that unjust representation, wherein they took upon them to describe the people of " Virginia to be both numer- ous and rich, of republican notions and principles such as ought to be corrected and lowered in time; and that then, Hosted by Google 88 SLAVES MADE REAL ESTATE. or never, was the time to maintain the queen's prerogatives^ and put a stop to those wrong, pernicious notions which were improving daily, not only in Virginia but in all her majesty's other governments. A frown now from her ma- jesty will do more than an army hereafter," &e. With those inhuman, false imputations, did those gen- tlemen afterwards introduce the necessity of a standing army. §148. Thus did this gentleman continue to rule till August 1705, when Edward Nott, esq., arrived governor, and gave ease to the country by a mild rule. His commis« sion was to be governor-general, but part of his salary was paid my Lord Orkney as chief. Governor Nott had the gen- eral commission given him, because it was suggested that that method, viz : the supreme title, would give the greater awe, and the better put the country to rights. § 149. Governor Nott called an assembly the fall after his arrival, who passed the general revisal of the laws, which had been too long in hand. But that part of it which related to the church and clergy Mr. Commissary could not be pleased in ; wherefore that bill was dropt, and so it lies at this day. § 150. This assembly also passed a new law for ports and towns, grounding it only upon encouragements, accord- ing to her majesty's letter to that purpose. But it seems this also could not please the Virginia merchants in Eng- land, for they complained against it to the crown, and so it. was also suspended. §151. This assembly also passed the law making slaves a real estate, which made a great alteration in the nature of their estates, and becomes a very good security for orphans whose parents happened to die intestate. §152. This assembly also voted a house to be built for the governor's residence, and laid duties to raise the money for it. But his excellency lived not to see much effected therein, being taken off by death in August 1706. In the Hosted by Google LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR ALEXANDER SPOTSWOOD. 89 first year of his government the college was burnt down to the ground. § 153. After this governor's death, their being no other nominated by her majesty to succeed him, the government fell into (he hands of Edmund Jenings, Esq., the presi- dent, and the council, who held no assembly during his time, neither did anything of note happen here. Only we heard that Brigadier Robert Hunter received commission to be lieutenant-governor under George, Earl of Orkney, the chief, and set out for Virginia, but was taken prisoner into France. §154. During Brigadier Hunter's confinement in France, a new commission issued to Colonel Alexander Spotswood to be lieutenant-governor, who arrived here in Anno 1710. He, to the extraordinary benefit of this country, still con- tinues governor, having improved it beyond imagination. His conduct has produced wonders. But it would not be- come me to affront his modesty by publishing those innumer- able benefits of his administration to his face ; therefore I shall leave them to adorn the brighter history of some abler penman. 12 Hosted by Google BOOK II. OF THE NATURAL PRODUCT AND CONVENIENCES OF VIRGINIA IN ITS UNIMPROVED STATE, BE- FORE THE ENGLISH WENT THITHER. OHAPTEE I. OF THE BOUNDS AND COAST OP VIRGINIA. §1. Virginia, as you have heard before, was a name at first given to all the northern part of the continent of Amer- ica ; and when the original grant was rnade, both to the first and second colonies, that is, to those of Virginia and New England, they were both granted under the name of Virginia. And afterwards, when grants for other new col- onies were made by particular names, those names for a long time served only to distinguish them as so many parts of Virginia ; and until the plantations became more familiar to .England, it was so continued. But in process of time, the name of Virginia was lost to all except to that tract of land lying along the bay of Chesapeake, and a little to the southward, in which are included Virginia and Maryland ; both which, in common discourse, are still very often meant by the name of Virginia The least extent of bounds in any of the grants made to Virginia, since it was settled, and which we find upon record there, is two hundred miles north from Point Com- fort, and two hundred miles south, winding upon the sea Hosted by Google BOUNDS AND COAST OF VIRGINIA. 91 coast to the eastward, and including all the land west and northwest., from sea to sea, with the islands on both seas, within an hundred miles of the main. But these extents, both on the north and south, have been since abridged by the proprietary grants of Maryland on * the north, and Ca- rolina on the south. §2 The entrance into Virginia for shipping is by the mouth of Chesapeake bay, which is indeed more like a river than a bay ) for it runs up into the land about two hundred miles, being everywhere near as wide as it is at the mouth, and in many places much wider. The mouth thereof is about seven leagues over, through which all ships pass to go to Maryland. The coast is a bold and even coast, with regular sound- ings, and is open all the year round ; so that, having the latitude, which also can hardly be wanted upon a coast where so much clear weather is, any ship may go in by soundings alone, by day or night, in summer or in win- ter, and need not fear any disaster, if the manners under- stand anything ; for, let the wind blow how it will, and chop about as . suddenly as it pleases, any master, though his ship be never so dull, has opportunity, (by the evenness of the coast,) either of standing off and clearing the shore, or else of running into safe harbor within the capes. A bolder and safer coast is not known in the uni- verse ; to which conveniencies, there is the addition of good anchorage all along upon it, without the capes. §3. Virginia, in the most restrained sense, distinct from Maryland j is the spot to which I shall altogether confine this description ; though you may consider, at the same time, that there cannot be much difference between this and Maryland, they being contiguous one to the other, ly- ing in the same bay, producing the same sort of commo- dities, and being fallen into the same unhappy form of set- tlements, altogether upon country seats, without towns. Vir- ginia, thus considered, is bounded on the south by North Carolina, on the north by Potomac river, which divides it Hosted by Google BOUNDS AND COAST OF VIRGINIA. from Maryland, on the east by the main ocean, called the Virginia seas, and on the west and northwest by the Cali- fornian sea, whenever the settlements shall be extended so far, or now by the river Mississippi. This part of Virginia, now inhabited, if we consider the improvements in the hands of the English, it cannot upon that score be commended ; but if we consider its natural aptitude to be improved, it may with justice be accounted one of the finest countries in the world. Most of the na- tural advantages of it, therefore, I shall endeavor to disco- ver, and set in their true light, together with its inconve- niences, and afterwards proceed to the improvements. Hosted by Google CHAPTER II OF THE WATERS. §4. The largeness of the bay of Chesapeake, I have mentioned already. Prom one end of it to the other, there is good anchorage, and so little danger of a wreck, that many masters, who have never been there beforef venture up to the head of the bay, upon the slender knowledge of a common sailor. But the experience of one voyage teaches any master to go up afterwards without a pilot. Besides this bay, the country is watered with four great rivers, viz : James, York, Rappahannock, and Potomac ri- vers, all which are full of convenient and safe harbors. There are also abundance of lesser rivers, many of which are capable of receiving the biggest merchant ships, viz : Elizabeth river, Nansemond, Chickahominy, Pocoson, Pa- munkey, Mattapony, (which two last are the two upper branches of York river,) North river, Eastermost river, Co- rotoman, Wiccocomoco, Pocomoke, Chissenessick, Pungo- tegue, and many others. But because they are so well de- scribed in the large maps of Virginia, I shall forbear any farther description of them. These rivers are of such convenience, that for almost every half dozen miles of their extent, there is a commo- dious and safe road for a whole fleet, which gives oppor- tunity to the masters of ships to lie up and down strag- gling, according as they have made their acquaintance, rid- ing before that gentleman's door where they find the be§t reception, or where 'tis most suitable to their business. § 5. These rivers are made up by the conflux of an in- finite number of crystal springs of cool and pleasant water, Hosted by Google 94 OF THE WATERS. issuing everywhere out of the banks and sides of the val- leys. These springs flow so plentifully, that they make the liver water fresh fifty, threescore, and sometimes a hun- dred miles below the flux and reflux of the tides, and some- times within thirty or forty miles of the bay itself. The conveniences of these springs are so many, they are not to be numbered. I shall therefore content myself to mention that one of supplying the country elsewhere, except in the lowlands, with as many mills as they can find work for ; and some of these send forth such a glut of water, that in less than a mile below the fountain head, they afford a stream sufficient to supply a grist mill, of which there are several instances. § 6. The only mischief I know belonging to these rivers is, that in the month of June annually, there rise up in the salts, vast beds of seedling-worms, which enter the ships, sloops or boats wherever they find the coat of pitch, tar, or lime worn off the timber, and by degrees eat the plank into cells like those of a honey-comb. These worms continue thus upon the surface of the water, from their rise in June until the first great rains after the middle of July, but after that do no fresh damage till the next summer season, and never penetrate farther than the plank or timber they first fix upon. The damage occasioned by these worms may be four se- veral ways avoided. 1. By keeping the coat (of pitch, lime and tallow, or whatever else it is) whole upon the bottom of the ship" or vessel, for these worms never fasten nor enter, but where the timber is naked. 2. By anchoring the large vessel in the strength of the tide, during the worm season, and hauling the smaller ashore ; for in the current of a strong tide, the worm can- not fasten. 3. By burning and cleaning immediately after the worm season is over ; for then they are but just stuck into the plank, and have not buried themselves in it ; so that the Hosted by Google OF THE WATERS. 95 least fire in the world destroys them entirely, and prevents all damage that would otherwise ensue from them. 4. By running up into the freshes with the ship or ves- sel during the five or six weeks that the worm is thus above water ; for they never enter, nor do any damage in fresh water, or where it is not very salt. Hosted by Google OHAPTEE III. OF THE EARTH AND SOILS. § 7. The soil is of such variety, according to the differ- ence of situation, that one part or other of it seems fitted to every sort of plant that is requisite either for the be- nefit or pleasure of mankind. And were it not for the high mountains to the northwest; which are supposed to retain vast magazines of snow, and by that means cause the wind from that quarter to descend a little too cold upon them, 'tis believed that many of those delicious summer fruits, growing in the hotter climates, might be kept there green all the winter without the charge of housing, or any other care, than what is due to the natural plants of the country, when transplanted into a garden. But as that would be no considerable charge, any man that is curious might, with all the ease imaginable, preserve as many of them as would gratify a moderate luxury ; and the sum- mer affords genial heat enough to ripen them to perfec- tion. There are three different kinds of land, according to the difference^of situation, either in the lower parts of the coun- try, the middle, or that on the heads of the rivers. I. The land towards the mouth of the rivers is gene- rally of a low, moist, and fat mould, such as the heavier sort of grain delight in : as rice, hemp, Indian corn, &c. This also is varied here and there with veins of a cold, hungry, sandy soil, of the same moisture, and very often lying under water. But this also has its advantages ; for on such land generally grow the huckleberries, cranberries, chinkapins, &c. These low lands are, for the most part, Hosted by Google OF THE EARTH AND SOILS. 97 well stored with oaks, poplars, pines, cedars, cypress and sweet gums ; the trunks of which aie often thirty, forty, fifty, some sixty or seventy feet high, without a branch or limb. They likewise produce great variety of evergreens, unknown to me by name, besides the beauteous holly, sweet myrtle, cedar, and the live oak, which for three quarters of the year is continually dropping its acorns, and at the same time budding and bearing others in their stead, 2. The land higher up the rivers, throughout the whole country, is generally a level ground, with shallow valleys, full of streams and pleasant springs of clear water, having interspersed here and there among the large levels some small hills and extensive vales. The mould in some places is black, fat, and thick laid ; in others looser, lighter and thin. The foundation of the mould is also various ; some- times clay, then gravel and rocky stones, and sometimes marl. The middle of the necks, or ridges between the rivers, is generally poor, being either a light sand, or a white or red clay, with a thin mould. Yet even these places are stored with chesnuts, chinkapins, acorns of the shrub oak, and a reedy grass in summer, very good for cattle. The rich lands lie next the rivers and branches, and are stored with large oak, walnut, hickory, ash, beech, poplar, and many other sorts of timber, of sur- prising bigness. 3. The heads of the rivers afford a mixture of hills, valleys and plains, some richer than others, whereof the fruit and timber trees are also various. In some places lie great plats of low and very rich ground, well tim- bered ; in others, large spots of meadows and savannahs, wherein are hundreds of acres without any tree at all, but yields reeds and grass of incredible height ; and in the swamps and sunken grounds grow trees as vastly big as I believe the world affords, and stand so close together, that the branches or boughs of many of them lock into one another ; but what lessens their value is, that the greatest bulk of them are at some distance from water-carriage* 13 Hosted by Google 98 OF THE EARTH AND SOILS. The land of these upper parts affords greater variety of soil than any other, and as great variety in the founda- tions of the soil or mould, of which good judgment may be made by the plants and herbs that grow upon it. The rivers and creeks do in many places form very fine large marshes, which are a convenient support for their flocks and herds. § 8. There is likewise found great variety of earths for physic, cleansing, scouring, and making all sorts of potter's ware ; such as antimony, talk, yellow and red oker, fuller's- earth, pipe-clay, and other fat and fine clays, marl, &c. ; in a word, there are all kinds of earth fit *for use. They have besides, in those upper parts, coal for firing, slate for covering, and stones for building, and flat paving in vast quantities, as likewise pebble stones. Nevertheless, it has been confidently affirmed by many, who have been in Virginia, ihat there is not a stone in all the country. If such travelers knew no better than they said, my judg- ment of them is, that either they were people of extreme short memories, or else of very narrow observation. For though generally the lower parts are flat, and so free from stones, that people seldom shoe their horses; yet in many places, and particularly near the falls of the rivers, are found vast quantities of stone, fit for all kinds of uses. However, as yet, there is seldom any use made of them, because commonly wood is to be had at much less trouble ; and as for coals, it is not likely they should ever be used there in anything but forges and great towns, if ever they happen to have any, for, in their country plantations, the wood grows at every man's door so fast, that after it has been cut down, it will in seven years time grow up again from seed, to substantial fire- wood ; and in eighteen or twenty years it will come to be very good board timber. § 9. For mineral earths, it is believed they have great plenty and variety, that country being in a good latitude, and having great appearances of them. It has been proved, too, that they have both iron and lead, as appears by Hosted by Google OF THE EARTH AND SOILS. 99 what was said before concerning the iron works set up at Falling creek in James river, where the iron proved reason- ably good ; but before they got into the body of the mine, the people were cut off in that fatal massacre, and the project has never been set on foot since, till of late ; but it has not had its full trial. The golden mine, of which there was once so much noise, may, perhaps, be found hereafter to be some good metal, when it comes to be fully examined. But be that as it will, the stones that are found near it, in great plenty, are valuable, their lustre approaching nearer to that of the diamond than those of Bristol cr Kerry. There is no other fault in them but theii softness, which the weather hard- ens, when they have been sometime exposed to it, ihey being found under the surface of the earth. This place has now plantations on it. This 1 take to be the place in Purchase's fourth book of his pilgrim, called Uttamussack, where was formerly the principal temple of the country, and the metropolitan seat of the priests in Powhatan's time. There stood the three great houses, near sixty feet in length, which he reports to have been filled with the images of their gods ; there were likewise preserved the bodies of their kings. These houses they counted so holy, that none but their priests and kings durst go into them, the common people not presuming, without their particulai direction, to approach the place. There also was their great Pawcorance, or altar stone, which, the Indians tell us, was a solid crystal, of between three and four feet cube, upon which, in their greatest so- lemnities, they used to sacrifice. This, they would make us believe, was so clear, that the grain of a man's skin might be seen through it; and was so heavy too that when they removed their gods and kings, not being able to carry it away, they buried it thereabouts ; but the place has never been yet discovered. Mr. Alexander Whittaker, minister of Henrico, on James river, in the company's time, writing to them, says thus : Hosted by Google 100 OP THE EARTH AND SOILS. " Twelve miles from the falls there is a crystal rock, wherewith the Indians do head many of their arrows ; and three days journey from thence, there is a rock and stony hill found, which is on the top covered over with a perfect and most rich silver ore. Our men that went to discover those parts had but two iron pickaxes with them, and those so ill tempered that the points of them turned again, and bowed at every stroke, so that we could not search the en- trails of the place ; yet some trial was made of that ore with good success." §10. Some people that have been in that country, with- out knowing any thing of it, have affirmed that it is all a flat, without any mixture of hills, because they see the coast to seaward perfectly level : or else they have made their judgment of the whole country by the lands lying on the lower parts of the rivers, (which, perhaps, they had never been beyond,) and so conclude it to be throughout plain and even. When in truth, upon the heads of the great rivers, there are vast high* hills ; and even among the settlements there are some so topping that I have stood upon them and viewed the country all round over the tops of the highest trees for many leagues together ; particularly, there are Mawborn hills in the freshes of James river ; a ridge of hills about fourteen or fifteen miles up Mattapony river ; Toliver's mount, upon Rappahannock river ; and the ridge of hills in Stafford county, in the freshes of Potomac river ; all which are within the bounds of the English in- habitants. But a little farther backward, there are moun- tains, which indeed deserve the name of mountains for their height and bigness ; which by their difficulty in passing may easily be made a good barrier of the country against incur- sions of the Indians, <fcc, and shew themselves over the tops of the trees to many plantations at 70 or 80 miles dis- tance very plain. These hills are not without their advantages ; for, out of almost every rising ground, throughout the country, there issue abundance of most pleasant streams, of pure and crys- Hosted by Google OF THE EARTH AND SOILS. 101 tal water, than which certainly the world does not afford any more delicious. These are every where to be found in the upper parts of this country, and many of them flow out of the sides of banks very high above the vales, which are the most suitable places for gardens — where the finest water works in the world may be made at a very small ex- pense. There are likewise several mineral springs, easily discov- erable by their taste, as well as by the soil which they drive out with their streams. But I am not naturalist skil- ful enough to describe them with the exactness they de« ser^e* Hosted by Google CHAPTER IV OF THE WILD FRUITS OF THE COUNTRY. §11. Of fruits natural to the country, there is great abundance, but the several species of them are produced according to the difference of the soil, and the various situa- tion of the country ; it being impossible that one piece of ground should produce so many different kinds intermixed. Of the better sorts of the wild fruits that I have met with, I will barely give you the names, not designing a natural his- tory. And when I have done that, possibly I may not men- tion one-half of what the country affords, because I never went out of my way to enquire after anything of this nature. §12. Of stoned fruits, I have met with three good sorts, viz : Cherries, plums and persimmons. 1. Of cherries natural to the country, and growing wild in the woods, I have seen three sorts. Two of these grow upon trees as big as the common English white oak, where- of one grows in bunches like grapes. Both these sorts are black without, and but one of them red within. That which is red within, is more palatable than the English black cherry, as being without its bitterness. # The other, which hangs on the branch like grapes, is water coloied within, of a faintish sweet, and greedily devoured by the small birds. The third sort is called the Indian cherry, and grows higher up in the country than the others do. It is commonly found by ihe sides of rivers and branches on sniall slender trees, scarce able to support themselves, about the bigness of the peach trees in England. This is cer- tainly the most delicious cherry in the world ; it is of a dark purple when ripe, and grows upon a single stalk like Hosted by Google OF THE WILD FRUITS OF THE COUNTRY. 103 the English cherry, but is very small, though, I suppose, it may be made larger by cultivation, if anybody would mind it. These, too, are so greedily devoured by the small birds, that they won't let them remain on the tree long enough to ripen ; by which means, they are rarely known to any, and much more rarely tasted, though, perhaps, at the same time they grow just by the houses. 2. The plums, which I have observed to grow wild there, are of two sorts, the black and the Murrey plum, both which are small, and have much the same relish with the damson. 3. The persimmon is by Heriot called the Indian plum ; and so Smith, Purchase, and Du Lake, call it after him ; but I can't perceive that any of those authors had ever heard of the sorts I have just now mentioned, they grow- ing high up in the country. These persimmons, amongst them, retain their Indian name. They are of several sizes, between the bigness of a damson plum and a burgamot pear. The taste of them is so very rough, it is not to be endured till they are fully ripe, and then they are a plea- sant fruit. Of these, some vertuosi make an agreeable kind of beer, to which purpose they dry them in cakes, and -lay them up for use. These, like most other fruits there, grow as thick upon the trees as ropes of onions : the branches very often break down by the mighty weight of the fruit. §13. Of berries there is a great variety, and all very good in their kinds. Our mulberries are of jkree sorts, two black and one white; the long black sort are the best, be- ing about the bigness of a boy's thumb ; the other two sorts are of the shape of the English mulberry, short and thick, but their taste does not so generally please, being of a faintish sweet, without any tartness. They grow upon well spread, large bodied trees, which run up surprisingly fast. These are the proper food of the silk- worm. 1. There grow naturally two sorts of currants, one red and the other black, more sweet than those of the same color in England. They grow upon small bushes, or slen- der trees Hosted by Google 104 OF THE WILD FRUITS OF THE COUNTRY. 2. There are three sorts of hurts, or huckleberries, upon bushes, from two to ten feet high* They grow in the Valleys and sunken grounds, having different relishes ; but are all pleasing to the taste. The largest sort grow upon the largest bushes, and, I think, are the best berries. 3. Cranberries grow in the low lands and barren sunken grounds, upon low bushes, like the gooseberry, and are much of the same size. They are of a lively red, when gathered and kept in water, and make very good tarts. I believe these are the berries which Captain Smith compared to the English gooseberry, and called Rawcomens * having? perhaps, seen them only on the bushes, where they are al- ways verv sour, 4. The wild raspberry is by some there preferred to those that were transplanted thither from England ; but I cannot be of their opinion. 5. Strawberries they have, as delicious as any in the world, and growing almost every where in the woods and fields. They are eaten almost by all creatures j and yet are so plentiful that very few persons take care to transplant them, but can find enough to fill their baskets, when they have a mind, in the deserted old fields. §14. There grow wild several sorts of good nuts, viz. r chestnuts, chinkapins, hazelnuts, hickories, walnuts* (fee. 1. Chestnuts are found upon very high trees, growing in barren ridges. They are something less than the French chestnut ; but, I think not differing at all in taste. 2. Chinkapins have a taste something like a chestnut? and grow in a husk or bur, being of the same sort of sub- stance, but not so big as an acorn. They grow upon large bushes, some about as high as the common apple trees in England, and either in the high or low, but always barren ground. 3. Hazelnuts are there in infinite plenty, in all the swamps ; and towards the heads of the rivers, whole acres of them are found upon the high land. 4. Hickory nuts are of several sorts, all growing upon great trees, and in an husk, like the French walnut, ex- Hosted by Google OF THE WILD FRUITS OF THE COUNTRY. 105 cept that the husk is not so thick, and more apt to open. Some of these nuts are inclosed in so hard a shell, that a light hammer will hardly crack them ; and when they are cracked, their kernel is fastened with so firm a web, that there is no coming at it. Several other sorts I have seen with thinner shells, whose kernels may be got with less trouble. There are also several sorts of hickories, called pig nuts, some of which have as thin a shell as the best French walnuts, and yield their meat very easily; they are all of the walnut kind. 5. They have a sort of walnut they call black wal- nuts, which are as big again as any I ever saw in England, but are very rank and oily, having a thick, hard, foul shell, and come not clear of the husk as the walnut in France doth ; but the inside of the nut, and leaves, and growing of the tree, declare it to be of the walnut kind. 6. Their woods likewise afford a vast variety of acorns, seven sorts of which have fallen under my observation. That which grows upon the live oak, buds, ripen and drops off the tree, almost the whole year around. All their acorns are very fat and oily ; but the live oak acorn is much more so than the rest, and I believe the making of oil of them would turn to a good account ; but now they only serve as mast for the hogs and other wild creatures, as do all the other fruits aforementioned, together with several other sorts of mast growing upon the beach, pine and other trees. The same use is made also of diverse sorts of pulse and other fruits growing upon wild vines ; such as peas, beans, vetches, squashes, maycocks, maracocks, melons, cucumbers, lupines, and an infinity of other sorts of fruits, which I cannot name. § 15. Grapes grow wild there in an incredible plenty and variety, some of which are very sweet and pleasant to the taste ; others rough and harsh, and perhaps fitter for wine or brandy. I have seen great trees covered with single vines, and those vines almost hid with the grapes. Of these wild grapes, besides those large ones in the mountains, men- 14 Hosted by Google 106 OF THE WILD FRUITS OF THE COUNTRY. tioned by Batt in his discovery, I have observed four very different kinds, viz : 1. One of these sorts grows among the sand banks upon the edges of the low grounds, and islands next the bay and sea, and also in the swamps and breaches of the uplands. They grow thin in small bunches, and upon very low vines. These are noble grapes ; and though they are wild in the woods, are as large as the Dutch gooseberry. One species of them is white, others purple, blue and black, but all much alike in flavor ; and some long, some round. 2. A second kind is produced throughout the whole country, in the swamps and sides of hills. These also grow upon small vines, and in small bunches ; but are themselves the largest grapes, as big as the English bullace, and of a rank taste when ripe, resembling the smell of a fox, from whence they are called fox grapes. Both these sorts make admirable tarts, being of a fleshy substance, and perhaps, if rightly managed, might make good raisins. 3. There are two species more that are common to the whole country, some of which are black, and some blue on the outside, and some white. They grow upon vast large vines, and bear very plentifully. The nice observer might perhaps distinguish them into several kinds, because they differ in color, size, and relish ; but I shall divide them only into two, viz : the early and the late ripe. The early ripe common grape is much larger, sweeter and better than; the other. Of these some are quite black, and others blue, and some white or yellow ; some also ripen three weeks or a month before the other The distance of their ripen- ing, is from the latter end of August to the latter end of October. The late ripe common grapes are less than any of the other, neither are they so pleasant to the taste. They hang commonly till the latter end of November, or till Christmas ; all that I have seen of these are black. Of the former of these two sorts, the French refugees at the Monacan town made a sort of claret, though they were gathered off of the wild vines in the woods. I was told by Hosted by Google OP THE WILD FRUITS OF THE COUNTRY. 107 a very good judge who tasted it, that it was a pleasant, strong, and full bodied wine. From which we may con- clude, that if the wine was but tolerable good when made of the wild grape, which is shaded by the woods from the sun, it would be much better if produced of the same grape cultivated in a regular vineyard. The year before the massacre, Anno 1622, which destroyed so many good projects for Virginia, some French vignerons were sent thither to make an experiment of their vines. These people were so in love with the country, that the character they then gave of it in their letters to the company in England, was very much to its advantage, namely : "That it far excelled their own country of Languedoc, the vines growing in great abundance and variety all over the land ; that some of the grapes were of that unusual bigness, that they did not believe them to be grapes, until by opening them they had seen their kernels ; that they had planted the cuttings of their vines at Michaelmas, and had grapes from those very cuttings the spring following. Adding in the conclusion, that they had not heard of the like in any other country." Neither was this out of the way, for I have made the same experiment, both of their natural vine and of the plants sent thither from England. The copies of the letters, here quoted, to the company in England, are still to be seen ; and Purchase, in his fourth volume of pilgrims, has very justly quoted some of them. § 16. The honey and sugar trees are likewise sponta- neous near the heads of the rivers. The honey tree bears a thick swelling pod, full of honey, appearing at a distance like the bending pod of a bean or pea ; it is very like the carob tree in the herbals. The sugar tree yields a kind of sap or juice, which by boiling is made into sugar. This juice is drawn out by wounding the trunk of the tree, and placing a receiver under the wound. It is said that the Indians make one pound of sugar out of eight pounds of the liquor. Some of this sugar I examined very carefully , Hosted by Google 108 OP THE WILD FRUITS OF THE COUNTRY. It was bright and moist, with a large, full grain, the sweetness of it being like that of good muscovado. Though this discovery has not been made by the English above 28 or thirty years, yet it has been known among the Indians before the English settled there. It was found out by the English after this manner : The soldiers which were kept on the larid frontiers to clear them of the Indians, taking their range through a piece of low ground about forty miles above the then inhabited parts of Potomac river, and resting themselves in the woods of those low grounds, observed an inspissate juice, like molasses, distilling from the tree. The heat of the sun had candied some of this juice, which gave the men a curiosity to taste it. They found it sweet, and by this process of nature learned to improve it into sugar. But the Christian inhabitants are now settled where many of these trees grow, but it hath not yet been tried, whether for quantity or quality it may be worth while to cultivate this discovery. Thus the Canada Indians make sugar of the sap of a tree. And Peter Martyr mentions a tree that yields the like sap, but without any description. The eleomeli of the ancients, a sweet juice like honey, is said to be got by wounding the olive tree ; and the East Indians extract a sort of sugar, they call jagra, from the juice, or potable liquor, that flows from the coco tree. The whole process of boiling, graining and refining of which, is accurately set down by the authors of Hortus Malabaricus. §17. At the mouth of their rivers, and all along upon the sea and bay, and near many of their creeks and swamps, grows the myrtle, bearing a berry, of which they make a hard brittle wax, of a curious green color, which by refining becomes almost transparent. Of this they make candles, which are never greasy to the touch, nor melt with lying in the hottest weather ; neither does the snufT of these ever offend the smell like that of a tallow candle ; but instead of being disagreeable, if an accident put a candle out, it yields a pleasant fragrancy to all that are in the Hosted by Google OF THE WILD FRUITS OF THE COUNTRY. 109 room ; insomuch, that nice people often put them out, or? purpose to have the incense of the expiring snuff. The melting of these berries is said to have been first found out by a surgeon in New England, who performed wonderful tilings, with a salve made t of them. This dis- covery is very modern, notwithstanding these countries have been so long settled. The method of managing these berries is by boiling them in water, till they come to be entirely dissolved, except the stone or seed in the middle, which amounts in quantity to about half the bulk of the berry ; the big- gest of which is something less than a corn of pepper. There are also in the plains, and rich low grounds of the freshes, abundance of hops, which yield their product without any labor of the husbandman, in weeding, hilling or poling. § 18. All over the country is interspersed here and there a surprising variety of curious plants and flowers. They , have a sort of briar, growing something like the sarsa- parilla. The berry of this is as big as a pea, and as round, the seed being of a bright crimson color. It is very hard, and finely polished by nature, so that it might be put to diverse ornamental uses, as necklaces are, <fcc. There are several woods, plants and earths, which have been fit for the dying of curious colors. They have the puccoon and musquaspen, two roots, with which the In- dians use to paint themselves red. And a berry, which grows upon a wild briar, dyes a handsome blue. There is the sumac and the sassafras, which make a deep yel- low. Mr. Heriot tells us of several others which he found at Pamtego, and gives the Indian names of them • but that language being not understood by the Virginians, I am not able to distinguish which he means. Particularly he takes notice of wasebur, an herb ; chapacour, a root ; and tangomockonominge, a bark. There's the snake root, so much admired in England far a cordial, and for being a great antidote in all pestilential distemper?; Hosted by Google 110 OF THE WILD FRXJITS OF THE COtfNTRY. There's the rattlesnake root, to which no remedy was ever yet found comparable ; for it effectually cures the bite of a rattlesnake, which sometimes has been mortal in two minutes. If this medicine be early applied, it present- ly removes the infection, and in two or three hours restores the patient to as perfect health as if he had never been hurt. The Jamestown weed (which resembles the thorny apple of Peru, and I take to be the plant so called) is supposed to be one of the greatest coolers in the world. This being an early plant, was gathered very young for a boiled salad, by some of the soldiers sent thither to quell the rebellion of Bacon ; and some of them eat plentifully of it, the effect of which was a very pleasant comedy ; for they turned na- tural fools upon it for several days: one would blow up a feather in the air ; another would dart straws at it with much fury j and another stark naked was sitting up in a corner, like a monkey, grinning and making mows at them ; a fourth would fondly kiss and paw his companions, and snear in their faces, with a countenance more antic than any in a Dutch droll. In this frantic condition they were confined, lest they should in their folly destroy themselves ; though it was observed that all their actions were full of innocence and good nature. Indeed, they were not very cleanly, for they would have wallowed in their own ex- crements if they had not been prevented. A thousand such simple tricks they played, and after eleven days returned to themselves again, not remembering anything that had passed. Perhaps this was the same herb that Mark Antony's army met with in his retreat from the Parthian war and siege of Phraata, when such as had eaten thereof em- ployed themselves with much earnestness and industry in grubbing up stones, and removing them from one place to another, as if it had been a business of the greatest consequence. Wine, as the story says, was found a sove- reign remedy for it, which is likely enough, the malig- nity of this herb being cold. Hosted by Google OP THE WILD FRUITS OF THE COUNTRY. Ill Of spontaneous flowers they have an unknown variety : the finest crown imperial in the world ; the cardinal flower, so much extolled for its scarlet color, is almost in every branch ; the moccasin flower, and a thousand others not yet known to English herbalists. Almost all the year round the levels and vales are beautified with flowers of one kind or other, which make their woods as fragrant as a garden. From the materials, their wild bees make vast quantities of honey, but their magazines are very often rifled by bears, raccoons, and such like liquorish ver- min. About the year 1701, walking out to take the air, I found, a little without my pasture fence, a flower as big as a tulip, and upon a stalk resembling the stalk of a tulip. The flower was of a flesh color, having a down upon one end, while the other was plain. The form of it resembled the pudenda of a man and woman lovingly joined in one. Not long after I had discovered this rarity, and while it was still in bloom, I drew a grave gentle- man, abput an hundred yards out of his way, to see this curiosity, not telling him anything more than that it was a rarity, and such perhaps as he had never seen nor heard of. When we arrived at the place, I gathered one of them, and put it into his hand, which he had no sooner cast his eye upon, but he threw it away with in- dignation, as being ashamed of this waggery of nature. It was impossible to persuade him to touch it again, or so much as to squint towards so immodest a representation. Neither would I presume to mention such an indecency, but that I thought it unpardonable to omit a production so extraordinary. There is also found the fine tulip-bearing laurel tree, which has the pleasantest smell in the world, and keeps blossoming and seeding several months together. It de- lights much in gravelly branches of chrystal streams, and perfumes the very woods with its odor. So also do the large tulip tree, which we call a poplar, the locust, which Hosted by Google 112 OP THE WILD FRUITS OF THE COUNTRY. resembles much the jasmine, and the perfuming crab tree? during their season. With one sort or other of these, as well as many other sweet-flowering trees not named, the vales are almost everywhere adorned, and yield a sur- prising variety to divert the traveler. They find a world of medicinal plants likewise in that country, and amongst the rest the planters pretend to have a swamp-root, which infallibly cures all fevers and agues. The baik of the sassafras tree and wild cherry tree have been experimented to partake very much of the virtue of the cortex peruviana. The bark of the root, of that which we call the prickly ash, being dried and powdered, has been found to be a specific in old ulcers and long run- ning sores. Infinite is the number of other valuable vege- tables of every kind ; but natural history not having been my study, I am unwilling to do wrong to my subject by an unskillful description. § 19. Several kinds of the creeping vines bearing fruit? the Indians planted in their gardens or fields, because they would have plenty of them always at hand ; such as musk- melons, watermelons, pompions, cushaws? macocks and gourds. 1. Their muskmelons resemble the large Italian kind? and generally fill four or five quarts. 2. Their watermelons were much more large, and of se- veral kinds, distinguished by the color of their meat and seed; some are red, some yellow, and others white meated; and so of the seed, some are yellow, some red? and some black ; but these are never of different colors in the same melon. This fruit the Muscovites call arpus ; the Turks and Tartars karpus, because they are extremely cooling. The Persians call them hindnanes, because they had the first seed of them from the Indies. They are excellently good, and very pleasant to the taste, as also to the eye ; having the rind of a lively green color, streaked and wa- tered, the meat of a carnation, and the seed black and shining, while it lies in the melon. Hosted by Google OF THE WILD FRUITS OF THE COUNTRY. 113 3. Their pompions \ need not describe, but must say they are much larger and finer than any I ever heard of in England. 4. Their cushaws are a kind of pompion, of a bluish green color, streaked with white, when they are fit for use. They are larger than the pompions, and have a long narrow neck. Perhaps this may be the ecushaw of T. Harriot. 5. Their macocks are a sort of melopepones, or lesser sort of pompion or cushaw. Of these they have great va- riety ; but the Indian name macock serves for all, which name is still retained among them. Yet the clypeatse are sometimes called cymnels, fas are some others also,) from the lenten cake of that name, which many of them very much resemble. Squash, or squanter-squash, is their name among the northern Indians, and so they are called in New York and New England. These being boiled whole, when the apple is young, and the shell tender, and dish- ed with cream or butter, relish very well with all sorts of butcher's meat, either fresh or salt. And whereas the pompion is never eaten till it be ripe, these are never eaten after they are ripe. 6. The Indians never eat the gourds, but plant them for other uses. Yet the Persians, who likewise abound with this sort of fruit, eat the cucurbita lagenaris, which they call kabach, boiling it while it is green, before it comes to its full maturity, for when it is ripe the rind dries, and grows as hard as the bark of a tree, and the meat within is so consumed and dried away, that there is then nothing left but the seed, which the Indians take clean out, and afterwards use the shells, instead of flagons and cups, as is done also in several other parts of the world. 7. The maracock, which is the fruit of what we call the passion flower, our natives did not take the pains to plant, having enough of it growing everywhere, though they often eat it ; this fruit is about the size of a pullet's egg, 15 Hosted by Google 114 OP THE WILD FRUITS OF THE COUNTRY. § 20. Besides all these, our natives had originally amongst them Indian corn, peas, beans, potatoes and tobacco. This Indian corn was the staff of food upon which the Indians did ever depend ; for when sickness, bad wea- ther, war, or any other ill accident kept them from hunt- ing, fishing and fowling, this, with the addition of some peas, beans, and such other fruits of the earth, as were then in season, was the family's dependence, and the sup- port of their women and children. There are four sorts of Indian corn: two of which are early ripe, and two late ripe, all growing in the same manner ; every single grain of this when planted produces a tall upright stalk, which has several ears hanging on the sides of it, from six to ten inches long. Each ear is wrapt up in a cover of many folds, to protect it from the injuries of the weather. In every one of these ears are several rows of grain, set close to one another, with no other partition but of a very thin husk. So that often- times the increase of this grain amounts to above a thou- sand for one. The two sorts which are early ripe, are distinguished only by the size, which shows itself as well in the grain as in the ear and the stalk. There is some difference also in the time of ripening. The lesser size of early ripe 'corn yields an ear not much larger than the handle of a case knife, and grows upon a stalk between three and four feet high. Of thi& may be made two crops in a year, and perhaps there might be heat enough in England to ripen it. The larger sort differs from the former only in large- aess, the ear of this being seven or eight inches long, as thick as a child's leg, and growing upon a stalk nine or ten feet high. This is fit for eating about the latter end of June, whereas the smaller sort (generally speak- ing) affords ears fit to roast by the middle of June. The grains of both these sorts are as plump and swelled as if Jthe skin were ready to burst. Hosted by Google OP THE WILD FRUITS OF THE COUNTRY. 115 The late ripe corn is diversified by the shape of the grain only, without any respect to the accidental differ- ences in color, some being blue, some red, some yellow, some white, and some streaked. That therefore which makes the distinction, is the plumpness or shriveling of the grain ; the one looks as smooth and as full as the early ripe corn, and this they call flint corn ; the other has a larger grain, and looks shriveled, with a dent on the back of the grain, as if it had never come to perfection ; and this they call she corn. This is esteemed by the planters as the best for increase, and is universally chosen by them for planting ; yet I can't see but that this also produces the flint corn, accidentally among the other. All these sorts are planted alike in rows, three, four or five grains in a hill ; the larger sort at four or five feet distance, the lesser sort nearer. The Indians used to give it one or two weedings, and make a hill about it, and so .the labor was done. They likewise plant a bean in the same hill with the corn, upon whose stalk it sustains itself. The Indians sowed peas sometimes in the intervals of the rows of corn, but more generally in a patch of ground by themselves. They have an unknown variety of them, (but all of a kidney shape,) some of which I have met with wild ; 'but whence they had their Indian corn I can give no account ; for I don't believe that it was spontaneous in those parts. Their potatoes are either red or white, about as long as a boy's leg, and sometimes as long and big as both the leg and thigh of a young child, and very much re- sembling it in shape. I take these kinds to be the same with those which are represented in the heibals to be Spanish potatoes. I am sure those called English or Irish potatoes are nothing like these, either in shape, color or taste. The way of propagating potatoes there, is by cut- ting the small ones to pieces, and planting the cuttings in hills of loose earth ; but they are so tender, that it is very difficult to preserve them in the winter, for the least frost Hosted by Google 116 OP THE WILD FRUITS OF THE COUNTRY. coming at them, rots and destroys them, and therefore people bury 'em under ground, near the fire-hearth, all the winter, until the time comes that their seedings are to be set. How the Indians ordered their tobacco I am not certain, they now depending chiefly upon the English for what they smoke ; but I am informed they used to let it all run to seed, only succoring the leaves to keep the sprouts from growing upon, and starving them ; and when it was ripe they pulled off the leaves, cured them in the sun, and laid them up for use. But the planters make a heavy bustle with it now, and can't please the market neither. Hosted by Google CHAPTER Y. OF THE FISH. §21. As for fish, both of fresh and salt water, of shell fish, and others, no country can boast of more variety, greater plenty, or of better in their several kinds. In the spring of the year herrings come up in such abundance into their brooks and fords to spawn, that it is almost impossible to ride through without treading on them. Thus do those poor creatures expose their own lives to some hazard, out of their care to find a more convenient reception for their young, which are not yet alive. Thence it is that at this time of the year the freshes of the rivers, like that of the Broadruck, stink of fish. Besides these herrings, there come up likewise into the freshes from the sea multitudes of shad, rock, sturgeon, and some few lampreys, which fasten themselves to the shad, as the remora of Imperatus is said to do to the shark of Tiburone. They continue their stay there about three months. The shads at their first coming up are fat and fleshy ; but they waste so extremely in milting and spawn- ing, that* at their going down they are poor, and seem fuller of bones, only because they have less flesh. It is upon this account (I suppose) that those in the Severn, which in Gloucester they call t waits, are said at first to want those inter musculary bones, which afterwards they abound with. As these are in the freshes, so the salts afford at certain times of the year many other kinds of fish in infinite shoals, such as the old-wife, a fish not much unlike an herring, and the sheep's-head, a sort of fish, which they esteem in the number of their best- Hosted by Google 118 OF THE FISH. §22. There is likewise great plenty of other fish all ther summer long ; and almost in every part of the rivers and brooks, there are found of different kinds. Wherefore I shall not pretend to give a detail of them, but venture to mention the names only of such as I have eaten and seen myself, and so leave the rest to those that are better skilled in natural history. However, I may add, that besides all those that I have met with myself, I have heard of a great many very good sorts, both in the salts and freshes ; and such people, too, as have not always spent their time in that country, have commended them to me beyond any they had ever eat before. Those which I know of myself I remember by the names of herring, rock, sturgeon, shad, old- wife, sheep's-head, black and red drum, trout, taylor, green-fish, sun-fish, bass, chub, place, flounder, whiting, fatback, maid, wife, small-turtle, crab, oyster, mussel, cockle, shrimp, needle- fish, breme, carp, pike, jack, mullet, eel, conger-eel, perch, and cat, &c. Those which I remember to have seen there, of the kinds that are not eaten > are the whale, porpus, shark, dog-fishy garr, stingray, thornback, saw-fish, toad-fish, frog fish, land- crab, fiddler, and periwinckle. One day as I was hauling a sein upon the salts, I caught a small fish about two inches and an half long, in shape something . resembling a scorpion, but of a dirty, dark color. I was a little shy of handling it, though I believe there was no hurt in it. This I judge to be that fish which Mr. Purchase in his Pilgrims, and Captain Smith in his General History, page 125, affirm to be extremely like St. George's Dragon, except only that it wants feets and wings. Governor Spotswood has one of them dried in full shape. §23. Before the arrival of the English there the Indians had fish in such vast plenty, that the boys and girls would take a pointed stick and strike the lesser sort as they swam upon the flats. The larger fish, that kept in deeper water, they were put to a little more difficulty to take. But for Hosted by Google OP THE FISH. 119 these they made weirs, that is, a hedge of small riv'd sticks, or reeds, of the thickness of a man's finger. These they wove together in a row, with straps of green oak, or other tough wood, so close that the small fish could not pass through. Upon high water mark they pitched one end of this hedge, and the other they extended into the river, to the depth of eight or ten feet, fastening it with stakes, making cods out from the hedge on one side almost at the end, and leaving a gap for the fish to go into them, which were contrived so that the fish could easily find their pas- sage into those cods when they were at the gap, but not see their way out again when they were in. Thus, if they offered to pass through, they were taken. Sometimes they made such a hedge as this quite across a creek at high water, and at low would go into the run, then contracted into a narrow stream, and take out what fish they pleased. At the falls of the rivers, where the water is shallow, and the current strong, the Indians use another kind of weir, thus made: They make a dam of loose stone, whereof there is plenty at hand, quite across the river, leaving one, two or more spaces or tunnels for the water to pass through ; at the mouth of which they set a pot of reeds, wove in form of a cone, whose base is about three feet, and perpendicular ten, into which the swiftness of the current carries the fish, and there lodges them. The Indian way of catching sturgeon, when they came into the narrow part of the rivers, was by a man's clap- ping a noose over their tails, and by keeping fast his hold. Thus a fish finding itself entangled would flounce, and often pull the man under water, and then that man was counted a cockarouse, or brave fellow, that would not let go ; till with swimming, wading and diving, he had tired the sturgeon, and brought it ashore. These sturgeons would also often leap into their canoes in crossing the river, as many of them do still every year into the boats of the English. Hosted by Google 120 OP THE PISH , They have also another way of fishing like those oo the Euxine sea, by the help of a blazing fire by night. They make a hearth in the middle of their canoe, raising it within two inches of the edge ; upon this they lay their burning lightwood, split into small shivers, each splinter whereof will blaze and burn, end for end, like a candle : 'Tis one man's work to attend his fire and keep it flaming. At each end of the canoe stands an Indian, with a gig or pointed spear, setting the canoe forward, with the butt end of the spear, as gently as he can, by that means stealing upon the fish without any noise, or disturbing of the water. Then they with great dexterity dart these spears into the fish, and so take them. Now there is a double convenience in the blaze of this fire, for it not only dazzles the eyes of the fish, which will lie still, glaring upon it, but likewise discovers the bot- tom of the river clearly to the fisherman, which the day- light does not. The following print, I may justly affirm to be a very true representation of the Indian fishery. Tab. I. Represents the Indians in a canoe with a fire in the middle, attended by a boy and a girl. In one end is a net made of silk grass, which they use in fishing their weirs. Above is the shape of their weirs, and the manner of setting a weir wedge across the mouth of a creek. Note. That in fishing their weirs they lay the side of the canoe to the cods of the weir, for the more convenient coming at them, and not with the end going into the cods, as is set down in the print ; but we could not otherwise represent it here, lest we should have confounded the shape of the weir with the canoe. In the air you see a fishing hawk flying away with a fish, and a bald eagel pursuing to take it from him ; the bald eagle has always his head and tail white, and they carry such a lustre with them that the white thereof may be discerned as far as you can see the shape of the bird, and seems as if it were without feathers, and thence it has its name bald eagle. Hosted by Google Hosted by Google Hosted by Google OF THE FISH. 121 §24. 'Tis a good diversion to observe, the manner of the fishing-hawk's preying upon fish, which may be seen every fair day all the summer long, and especially in a morning. At the first coming of the fish in the spring, these birds of prey are surprisingly eager. I believe, in the dead of win- ter, they fish farther off at sea, or remain among the craggy uninhabited islands upon the sea coast. I have often been pleasantly entertained by seeing these hawks take the fish out of the water, and as they were flying away with their quarry, the bald eagles take it from them again. I have often observed the first of these hover over the water and rest upon the wing some minutes together, without the least change of place, and then from a vast height dart di- rectly into the water, and there plunge down for the space of half a minute or more, and at last bring up with him a fish which he could hardly rise with ; then, having got upon the wing again, he would shake himself so power- fully that he threw the water like a mist about him ; after- wards away he'd fly to the woods with his game, if he were not overlooked by the bald eagle and robbed by the way, which very frequently happens. For the bald eagle no sooner perceives a hawk that has taken his prey but he immediately pursues and strives to get above him in the air, which if he can once attain, the hawk for fear of be- ing torn by him, lets the fish drop, and so by the loss of his dinner compounds for his own safety. The poor fish is no sooner loosed from the hawk's talons, but the eagle shoots himself with wonderful swiftness after it, and catches it in the air, leaving all further pursuit of the hawk, which has no other remedy but to go and fish for another. Walking once with a gentleman in an orchard by the river side, early in the spring, before the fish were by us perceived to appear in shoal water or near the shores, and before any had been caught by the people, we heard a great noise in the air just over our heads, and looking up we saw an eagle in close pursuit of a hawk that had a great fish in his pounces. The hawk was as low as the 16 Hosted by Google 122 OF THE FISH. apple trees before he would let go his fish, thinking to re- cover the wood which was just by, where the eagles dare never follow, for fear of bruising themselves. But, not- withstanding the fish was dropped so low, and though it did not fall above thirty yards from us, yet we with our hollowing, running and casting up our hats^ could hardly save the fish from the. eagle, and if it had been let go two yards higher he would have got it : but we at last took possession of it alive, carried it home, and had it dressed forthwith. It served five of us very plentifully for a break- fast, and some to the servants. This fish was a rock near two feet long, very fat, and a great rarity for the time of year, as well as for the manner of its being taken. These fishing hawks, in more plentiful seasons, will catch a fish and loiter about with it in the air, on purpose to have chase with an eagle ; and when he does not appear soon enough the hawk will make a saucy noise, and inso- lently defy him. This has been frequently seen by per- sons who have observed their fishings. Hosted by Google CHAPTEE TI. OF WILD FOWL AND HUNTED GAME. §25. As in summer, the rivers and creeks are filled with fish, so in winter they are in many places covered with fowl. There are such a multitude of swans, geese, brants, sheldrakes, ducks of several sorts, mallard, teal, blewings, and many other kinds of water fowl, that the plenty of them is incredible. I am but a small sportsman, yet with a fowling piece have killed above twenty of them at a shot. In like manner are the mill ponds and great runs in the woods stored with these wild fowl at certain seasons of the year. §26. The shores, marshy grounds, swamps and savan- nahs are also stored with the like plenty of other game of all sorts, as cranes, curlews, herons, snipes, woodcocks, sau- rers, ox-eyes, plovers, larks, and many other good birds for the table that they have not yet found a name for. Not to mention beavers, otters, musk rats, minxes, and an infinite number of other wild creatures. § 27. Although the inner lands want these benefits, (which, however, no pond or plash is without,) yet even they have the advantage of wild turkeys, of an incredible bigness, pheasants, partridges, pigeons, and an infinity of small birds, as well as deer, hares, foxes, raccoons, squir- rels, opossums. And upon the frontier plantations, they meet with bears, panthers, wild cats, elks, buffaloes and wild hogs, which yield pleasure as well as profit to the sports- man. And though some of these names may seem frightful to the English, who hear not of them in their own country, yet they are not so there, for all these creatures ever fly Hosted by Google 124 OF WILD FOWL AND HUNTED GAME. from the face of man, doing no damage but to the cattle and hogs, which the Indians never troubled themselves about. Here I cannot omit a strange rarity in the female opos- sum, which I myself have seen. They have a false belly, or loose skin quite over the belly ; this never sticks to the flesh of the belly, but may be looked into at all times, after they have been concerned in procreation. In the hinderpart of this is an aperture big enough for a small hand to pass into : hither the young ones, after they are full haired, and strong enough to run about, do fly when- ever any danger appears, or when they go to rest or suck. This they continue till they have learned to live without the dam : but what is yet stranger, the young ones are bred in this false belly without ever being within the true one. They are formed at the teat, and there they grow for seve- ral weeks together into perfect shape, becoming visibly lar- ger, till at last they get strength, sight and hair ; and then they drop off and rest in this false belly, going in and out at pleasure. I have observed them thus fastened at the teat from the bigness of a fly until they become as large as a mouse. Neither is it any hurt to the old one to open this budget and look in upon her young. §28. The Indians had no other way of taking their water or land fowl, but by the help of bows and arrows. Yet so great was their plenty, that with this weapon only they killed what numbers they pleased. And when the water fowl kept far from shore (as in warmer weather they sometimes did) they took their canoes and paddled after them. But they had a better way of killing the elks, buffaloes, deer, and greater game, by a method which we call fire hunting : that is, a company of them would go together back into the woods any time in the winter, when the leaves were falling and so dry that they would burn ; and being come to the place designed, they would fire the • woods in a circle of five or six miles compass; and when Hosted by Google OP WILD FOWL AND HUNTED GAME. 125 they had completed the first round they retreated inward, each at his due distance, and put fire to the leaves and grass afresh, to accelerate the work, which ought to be fin- ished with the day. This they repeat till the circle be so contracted that they can see their game herded all together in the middle, panting and almost stifled with heat and smoke ; for the poor creatures being frightened at the flame keep running continually round, thinking to run from it, and dare not pass through the fire ; by which means they are brought at last into a very narrow compass. Then the Indians retreat into the centre, and let fly their arrows at them as they pass round within the circle ; by this means, though they stand often quite clouded in smoke, they rarely shoot each other. By this means they destroy all the beasts collected within that circle. They make ail this slaughter chiefly for the sake of the skins, leaving most of the carcasses to perish in the woods. Father Verbiast, in his description of the Emperor of China's voyage into the Eastern Tartary, Anno 1682, gives an account of a way of hunting the Tartars have, not much unlike this ; only whereas the Indians surround their game with fire, the Tartars do it with a great body of armed men, who having environed the ground they design to drive, march equally inwards, which, still as the ring les- sens, brings the men nearer each other, till at length the wild beasts are encompassed with a living wall. The Indians have many pretty inventions to discover and come up to the deer, turkeys and other game undiscerned ; but that being an art known to very few English there, I will not be so accessary to the destruction of their game as to make it public. I shall therefore only tell you, that when they go a hunting into the outlands, they commonly go out for the whole season with their wives and family. At the place where they find the most game they build up a convenient number of small cabins, wherein they live dur- ing that season. These cabins are both begun and finished in two or three days, and after the season is over they make no farther account of them. Hosted by Google 126 OF WILD FOWL AND HUNTED GAME. §29. This, and a great deal more, was the natural pro- duction of that country, which the native Indians enjoyed, without the curse of industry, their diversion alone, and not their labor, supplying their necessities. The women and children indeed were so far provident as to lay up some of the nuts and fruits of the earth in their season for their far- ther occasions : but none of the toils of husbandry were ex- ercised by this happy people, except the bare planting a little corn and melons, which took up only a few days in the summer, the rest being wholly spent in the pursuit of their pleasures. And indeed all that the English have done since their going thither has been only to make some of these native pleasures more scarce, by an inordinate and un- seasonable use of them ; hardly making improvements equiv- alent to that damage. I shall in the next book give an account of the Indians themselves, their religion, laws and customs ; that so both the country and its primitive inhabitants may be considered together in that original state of nature in which the En* glish found them. Afterwards I will treat of the present state of the English there, and the alterations, I can't call them improvements, they have made at this day. Hosted by Google BOOK III. OF THE INDIANS, THEIR RELIGION, LAWS AND CUSTOMS, IN WAR AND PEACE. CHAPTER I OP THE INDIANS AND THEIR DRESS. § 1. The Indians are of the middling and largest sta- ture of the English. They are straight and well propor- tioned, having the cleanest and most exact limbs in the world. They are so perfect in their outward frame, that I never heard of one single Indian that was either dwarfish, crooked, bandy-legged, or otherwise misshapen. But if they have any such practice among them as the Romans had, of exposing such children till they died, as, were weak and misshapen at their birth, they are very shy of confess- ing it, and I could never yet learn that they had. Their color, when they are grown up, is a chestnut brown and tawny ; but much clearer in their infancy. Their skin comes afterwards to harden and grow blacker by greasing and sunning themselves. They have generally coal black hair, and very black eyes, which are most com- monly graced with that sort of squint which many of the Jews are observed to have. Their women are generally beautiful, possessing shape and features agreeable enough, and wanting no charm buf that of education and a fair complexion. Hosted by Google 128 OF THE INDIANS AND THEIR DRESS. § 2. The men wear their hair cut after several fanciful fashions; sometimes greased , and sometimes painted. The great men, or better sort, preserve a long lock behind for distinction. They pull their beards up by the roots with inusselshells, and both men and women do the same by the other parts of their body for cleanliness sake. The women wear the hair of the head very long, either hang- ing at their backs, or brought before in a single lock, bound up with a fillet of peak, or beads ; sometimes also they wear it neatly tied up in a knot behind. It is com- monly greased, and shining black, but never painted. The people of condition, of both sexes, wear a sort of coronet on their heads, from four to six inches broad, open at the top, and composed of peak, or beads, or else of both interwoven together, and worked into figures, made by a nice mixture of the colors. Sometimes they wear a wreath of died furs, as likewise bracelets on their necks and arms. The common people go bare headed, only sticking large shining feathers about their heads, as their fancies lead them. § 3. Their clothes are a large mantle, carelessly wrap- ped about , their bodies, and sometimes girt close in the middle with a girdle. The upper part of this mantle is drawn close upon the shoulders, and the other hangs be- low their knees. When that's thrown off, they have only for modesty sake a piece of cloth, or a small skin tied round their waist, which reaches down to the middle of the thigh. The common sort tie only a string round their middle, and pass a piece of cloth or skin round between their thighs, which they turn at each end over the string. Their shoes, when they wear any, are made of an en- tire piece of buckskin, except when they sew a piece to the bottom to thicken the sole. They are fastened on with running strings, the skin being drawn together like a purse on the top of the foot, and tied round the ankle. The Indian name of this kind of shoe is moccasin. But because a draught of these things will inform the Hosted by Google Hosted by Google X PS c K ( _, Hosted by Google Hosted by Google Hosted by Google OP THE INDIANS AND THEIR DRESS- 129 reader more at first view .than a description in many words, I shall present him with the following prints drawn by the life. Tab. II. is an Indian man in his summer dress. The upper part of his hair is cut short to make a ridge, which stands up like the comb of a cock, the rest is either shorn off, or knotted behind his ear. On his head are stuck three feathers of the wild turkey, pheasant, hawk, or such like. At his ear is hung a fine shell with pearl drops. At his breast is a tablet, or fine shell, smooth as polished marble, which sometimes also hath etched on it a star, half moon, or other figure, according to the maker's fancy. Upon his neck and wrists hang strings of beads, peak and roenoke. His apron is made of a deer skin, gashed round the edges, which hang like tassels or fringe ; at the upper end of the fringe is an edging of peak, to make it finer. His quiver is of a thin bark \ but sometimes they make it of the skin of a fox, or young wolf, with the head hanging to it, which has a wild soit of terror in it ; and to make it yet more warlike, they tie it on with the tail of a panther, buffalo, or such like, letting the end hang down between their legs. The piicked lines on his shoulders, breast and legs, represent the figures painted thereon. In his left hand he holds a bow, and in his right an arrow. The mark upon his shoulderblade is a distinction used by the Indians in traveling, to show the nation they are of ; and perhaps is the same with that which Baron Lahontan calls the arms and heraldry of the Indians. Thus the several let- tered marks are used by several other nations about Vir- ginia, when they make a journey to their friends and allies. The landscape is a natural representation of an Indian •field. Tab. Ill is two Indian men in their winter dress. Seldom any but the elder people wore the winter cloaks (which they call match-coats) till they got a supply of \7 Hosted by Google 130 OF THE INDIANS AND THEIR DRESS.. European goods ; and now most have them of one sort or other in the cold winter weather. Fig. 1 wears the pro- per Indian match-coat, which is made of skins, dressed with the fur on, sewed together, and worn with the fur inwards, having the edges also gashed for beauty sake. On his feet are moccasins. By him stand some Indian cabins on the banks of the river. Fig. 2 wears the Duf- field match-coat bought of the English 5 on his head is a coronet of peak, on his legs are stockings made of Duf* fields : that is, they take a length to reach from the ankle to the knee, so broad as to wrap round the leg ; this they sew together, letting the edges stand out at an inch beyond the seam. When this is on, they garter below knee, and fasten the lower end in the moccasin. § 4. I don't find that the Indians have any other distinc- tion in their dress, or the fashion of their hair, than only what a greater degree of riches enables them to make, ex- cept it be their religious persons, who are known by the particular cut of the hair and the unusual figure of their garments ; as our clergy are distinguished by their canonical habit. The habit of the Indian priest is a cloak made in the form of a woman's petticoat ; but instead of tieing it about their middle, they fasten the gatherings about their neck and tie it upon the right shoulder, always keeping one arm out to use upon occasion. This cloak hangs even at the bot- tom, but reaches no lower than the middle of the thigh ; but what is most particular in it is, that it is constantly made of a skin dressed soft, with the pelt or fur on the out- side, and reversed ; insomuch, that when the cloak has been a little worn the hair falls down in flakes, and looks very shagged and frightful. The cut of their hair is likewise peculiar to their func- tion ; for 'tis all shaven close except a thin crest, like a cock's comb, which stands bristling up, and runs in a semi- circle from the forehead up along the crojvn to the nape of the neck. They likewise have a border of hair over the Hosted by Google Hosted by Google Hosted by Google Hosted by Google Hosted by Google Otf 1*H£ INDIANS AND THEIR DRESS. 131 forehead, which by its own natural strength, and by the stiffening it receives from grease and paint, will stand out like the peak of a bonnet. Tab. IV. Is a priest and a conjurer in their proper habits. The priest's habit is sufficiently described above. The conjurer shaves all his hair off, except the crest on the crown ; upon his ear he wears the skin of some dark colored bird ; he, as well as the priest, is commonly grimed with soot or the like,* to save his modesty he hangs an otter skin at his girdle, fastening the tail between his legs ; upon his thigh hangs his pocket, which is fastened by tuck- ing it under his girdle, the bottom of this is likewise fringed with tassels for ornament sake. In the middle between them is the Huskanawpen spoken of §32. § 5. The dress of the women is little different from that of the men, except in the tieing of their hair. The women of distinction wear deep necklaces, pendants and bracelets, made of small cylinders of the conch shell, which they call peak : they likewise keep their skin clean and shining with oil, while the men are commonly bedaubed all over with paint. They are remarkable for having small round breasts, and- so firm, that they are hardly ever observed to hang down, even in old women. They commonly go naked as far as the navel downward, and upward to the middle of the thigh, by which means they have the advantage of discov- ering their fine limbs and complete shape. Tab. V. Is a couple of young women. The first wear- ing a coronet, necklace and bracelet of peak ; the second a wreath of furs on her head, and her hair is bound with a fillet of peak and beads. Between the two is a woman under a tree making a basket of silk grass after their own manner. Tab. VI. Is a woman and a boy running after her. One of her hands rests in her necklace of peak, and the other holds a gourd, in which they put water or other liquid. Hosted by Google 132 OP THE INDIANS AND THEIR DRESS. The boy wears a necklace of runtees, in his right hand is an Indian rattle, and in his left a roasting ear of corn. Round his waist is a small string, and another brought cross through his crotch, and for decency a soft skin is fastened before. Runtees are made of the conch shell as the peak is, only the shape is flat and round like a cheese, and drilled edge ways. Hosted by Google Hosted by Google Hosted by Google CHAPTER II OF THE MARRIAGES AMONGST THE INDIANS, AND MANAGE- MENT OP THEIR CHILDREN. § 6. The Indians have their solemnities of marriage, and esteem the vows made at that time as most sacred and in- violable. Notwithstanding they allow both the man and the wife to part upon disagreement, yet so great is the disrepu- tation of a divorce, that married people, to avoid the char- acter of inconstant and ungenerous, very rarely let their quarrels proceed to a separation. However, when it does so happen, they reckon all the ties of matrimony dissolved, and each hath the liberty of marrying another. But infi- delity is accounted the most unpardonable of all crimes in either of the parties, as long as the contract continues. In these separations, the children go, according to the affection of the parent, with the one or the other ; for chil- dren are not reckoned a charge among them, but rather riches, according to the blessing of the Old Testament ; and if they happen to differ about dividing their children, their method is then to part them equally, allowing the man the first choice. §7. Though the young Indian women are said to prosti- tute their bodies for wampom peak, runteeS, beads, and other such like fineries ; yet I never could find any ground for the accusation, and believe it only to be an unjust scandal upon them. This I know, that if ever they have a child while they are single, it is such a disgrace to them that they never after get husbands. Besides, I must do them the justice to say, I never heard of a child any of them had before marriage, and the Indians themselves dis- Hosted by Google 134 OF MARRIAGES AND CHILDREN^ own any such custom ; though they acknowledge, at the same time, that the maidens are entirely at their own dis- posal, and may manage their persons as they think fit. §8. The manner of the Indians treating their young children is very strange ; for instead of keeping them warm; at their first entry into the world, and wrapping them up, with I don't know how many clothes, according to our fond custom, the first thing they do is to dip the child over head and ears in cold water, and then to bind it naked to a con- venient board, having a hole fitly placed for evacuation ; but they always put cotton, wool, fur, or other soft things, for the body to rest easy on, between the child and the board. In this posture they keep it several months, till the bones begin to harden, the joints to knit, and the limbs to grow strong ; and then they let it loose from the board, suffering it to crawl about, except when they are feeding or playing with it. While the child is thus at the board, they either lay it flat on its back, or set it leaning on one end, or else hang it up by a string fastened to the upper end of the board for that purpose ; the child and board being all this while car- ried about together. As our women undress their children to clean and shift their linen, so they do theirs to wash and grease them. The method the women have of carrying their children after they are suffered to crawl about, is very particular ; they carry them at their backs in summer, taking one leg of the child under their arm, and the cotrnter-arm of the child in their hand over their shoulder ; the other leg hanging down, and the child all the while holding fast with its other hand ; but in winter they carry them in the hollow of their match-coat at their back, leaving nothing but the child's head out, as appears by the figure. Hosted by Google Hosted by Google Hosted by Google Hosted by Google Hosted by Google HAPTEE III. OF THE TOWNS, BUILDINGS AND FORTIFICATIONS OF THE INDIANS. §9. The method of the Indian -settlements is altogether by cohabitation, in townships, from fifty to five hundred families in a town, and each of these towns is commonly a kingdom. Sometimes one king has the command of several of these towns, when they happen to be united in his hands by descent or conquest 9 but in such cases there is always a "vicegerent appointed in the dependent town, who is at once governor, judge, chancellor, and has the same power and authority which the king himself has in the town where he resides^. This viceroy is obliged to pay his principal some small tribute, as an acknowledgment of his submission, as likewise to follow him to his wars whenever he is required. §10. The manner the Indians' have of building their houses is very slight and cheap. When they would erect a wigwam, which is the Indian name for a house, they stick saplins into the ground by one end, and bend the other at the top, fastening them together by strings made of fibrous roots, the rind of trees, or of the green wood of the white oak, which will rive into thongs. The smallest sort of these cabins are conical like a bee-hive • but the larger are built in an oblong form, and both are covered with the bark of trees, which will rive off into great flakes. Their windows are little holes left open for the passage of the light, which in bad weather they stop with shutters of the same bark, opening the leeward windows for air and light. Their phimney, as among the true born Irish, is a little hole on the top of the house, to let out the smoke, having Hosted by Google 136 OP THE TOWNS, BUILDINGS AND FORTIFICATIONS. no sort of funnel, or any thing within , to confine the smoke from ranging through the whole roof of the cabin, if the vent, will not let it out fast enough. The fire is always made in the middle of the cabin. Their door is a pendent mat, when they are near home ; but when lhey go abroad they barricade it with great logs of wood set against the mat, which are sufficient to keep aitc wild beasts. There's never more than one room in a house, except in some houses of slate, or religion, where the partition is made only by mats and loose poles. .§11. Their houses, or cabins, as we call them, are by this ill method of building continually smoky when they have fire in them ; but to ease that inconvenience, and to make the smoke less troublesome to their eyes, they gene- rally burn pine or lightwood, (that is, the fat knots of dead pine,) the smoke of which does not offend the eyes, but smuts the skin exceedingly, and is perhaps another occasion of the darkness of their complexion. §12. Their seats, like those in the eastern part of the world, are the ground itself ; and as the people of distinc- tion amongst those used carpets, so cleanliness has taught the ^better sort of these to spread match-coats and mats to sit on. They take up their lodging in the sides of their cabins upon a couch made of boards, sticks, or reeds, which are raised from the ground upon forks, and covered with mats or skins Sometimes they lie upon a bear skin, or other thick pelt dressed with the hair on, and laid upon the ground near a fire, covering themselves with their match- coats. In warm weather a single mat is their only bed, and another rolled up their pillow. In their travels, a grass plat under the covert of a shady tree, is all the lodging they re- quire, and is as pleasant and refreshing to them as a down bed and fine Holland sheets are to us. § 13. Their fortifications consist only of a palisade, of about ten or twelve feet high ; and when they would make themselves very safe, they treble the pale. They often en- Hosted by Google OF THE TOWNS; BUILDINGS AND FORTIFICATIONS. 137 compass their whole town ; but for the most part only their king's houses, and as many others as they judge sufficient to harbor all their people when an enemy comes against them. They never fail to secure within their palisade all their religious relics, and the remains of their princes. With- in this inclosure, they likewise take care to have a supply of water, and to make a place for a fire, which they fre- quently dance round with great solemnity. 18 Hosted by Google CHAPTEE IV. OF THEIR COOKERY AND FOOD. §14. Their cookery has nothing commendable in it, but that it is performed with little trouble. They have no other sauce but a good stomach , which they seldom want. They boil, broil, or toast all the meat they eat, and it is very common with them to boil fish as well as flesh with, their homony ; this is Indian corn soaked, broken in a mortar, husked, and then boiled in water over a gentle fire for ten or twelve hours, to the consistence of frumenty : the thin of this is what my Lord Bacon calls cream of maise, and highly commends for an excellent sort of nutriment. They have two ways of broiling, viz., one by laying the meat itself upon the coals, the other by laying it upon sticks raised upon forks at some distance above the live coals, which heats more gently, and dries up the gravy ; this they, and we also from them, call barbecueing. They skin and paunch all sorts of quadrupeds ; they draw and pluck their fowl ; but their fish they dress with their scales on, without gutting ; but in eating they leave the scales, entrails and bones to be thrown away. They also roast their fish upon a hot hearth, covering them with hot ashes and coals, then take them out, the scales and skin they strip clean off, so they eat the flesh, leaving the bones and entrails to be thrown away. They never serve up different sorts of victuals in one dish ; as roast and boiled fish and flesh 5 but always serve them up in several vessels. They bake their bread either in cakes before the fire, or in loaves on a warm hearth, covering the loaf first with leaves, then with warm ashes, and afterwards with coals over all, Hosted by Google Hosted by Google Hosted by Google OF THEIR COOKERY AND FOOD. J 39 Tab. IX. Represents the manner of their roasting and barbecueing, with the form of their baskets for common uses, and carrying fish. §15. Their food is fish and flesh of all sorts, and that which participates of both ; as the beaver, a small kind of turtle, or terrapins, (as we call them,) and several species of snakes. They likewise eat grubs, the nymphee of wasps, some kinds of scarabeei, cicadse, (fee. These lact are such as are sold in the markets of Fess, and such as the Ara- bians, Lybians, Parthians and ^Ethiopians commonly eat ; so that these are not a new diet, though a very slender one ; and we are informed that St. John was dieted upon locusts and wild honey. They make excellent broth of the head and umbles of a deer, which they put into the pot all bloody. This seems to resemble the jus nigrum of the Spartans, made with the blood and bowels of a hare. They eat not the brains with the head, but dry them and reserve them to dress their lea- ther with. They eat all sorts of peas, beans, and other pulse, both parched and boiled. They make their bread of the Indian corn, wild oats, or the seed of the sunflower. But when they eat their bread, they eat it alone, and not with their meat. They have no salt among them, but for seasoning use the ashes of hickory, stickweed, or some other wood or plant affording a salt ash. They delight much to feed on roasting • ears ; that is, the Indian corn, gathered green and milky, before it is grown to its full bigness, and roasted before the fire in the ear. For \he sake of this diet, which they love exceedingly, they are very careful to procure all the several sorts of Indian corn before mentioned, by which means they contrive to prolong their season. And indeed this is a very sweet and pleasing food . They have growing near their towns, peaches, strawber- ries, cushaws, melons, pompions, macocks, &c. The cu- Hosted by Google 140 OP THEIR COOKERY AND FOOD. shaws and pompions they lay by, which will keep several months good after they are gathered ; the peaches they save by drying them in the sun • they have likewise several sorts , of the phaseoli. In the woods, they gather chinkapins, chestnuts, hickories and wTalnuts. The kernels of the hickories they beat in a mortar with water, and make a white liquor like milk, from whence they call our milk hickory. Hazlenuts they will not meddle with, though they make a shift with acorns sometimes, and eat all the other fruits mentioned before, but they never eat any sort of herbs or leaves. They make food of another fruit called cuttanimmons, the fruit of a kind of arum, growing in the marshes : they are like boiled peas or capers to look on, but of an insipid earthy taste. Captain Smith in his History of Virginia calls them ocaughtanamnis, and Theod. de Bry in his transla- tion, sacquenummener. Out ctf the ground they dig trubs, earth nuts, wild onions, and a tuberous root they call tuckahoe, which while crude is of a very hot and virulent quality : but they can manage it so, as in case of necessity, to make bread of it, just as the East Indians and those of Egypt are said to do of colocassia, or the West Indians of cassava. It grows like a flag in the miry marshes, having roots of the magnitude and taste of Irish potatoes, which are easy to be dug up. § 16. They accustom themselves to no set meals, but eat night and day, when they have plenty of provisions, or if they have got any thing that is a rarity. They are very patient of hunger, when by any accident they happen to have nothing to eat 5 which they make more easy to them- selves by girding up their bellies, just as the wild Arabs are said to do in their long marches ; by which means they are less sensible of the impressions of hunger. §17. Among all this variety of food, nature hath not taught them the use of any other drink than water ; which though they have in cool and pleasant springs every, where, yet they will not drink that if ^hey can get pond water, or Hosted by Google Hosted by Google b*t> Hosted by Google OF THEIR COOKEKY AND FOOD. 141 such as has been warmed by the sun and weather. Baron Lahoritan tells of a sweet juice of maple, which the In- dians to the northward gave him, mingled with water ; but our Indians use no such drink. For their strong drink they are altogether beholden to us, and are so greedy of it, that most of them will be drunk as often as they find an oppor- tunity ; notwithstanding which it is a prevailing humor among them, not to taste any strong drink at all, unless they can get enough to make them quite drunk, and then they go as solemnly about it as if it were part of their religion . §18. Their fashion of sitting at meals is on a mat spread on the ground, with their legs lying out at length, before them, and the dish between their legs; for which reason they seldom or never sit more than two together at a dish, who may with convenience mix their legs together and have the dish stand commodiously to them both, as appears by the figure. The spoons which they eat with do generally hold half a pint ; and they laugh at the English for using small ones, which they must be forced to carry so often to their mouths that their arms are in danger of being tired before their belly. Tab. X. Is a man and his wife at dinner. No. 1. Is their pot boiling with homony and fish in it. 2. Is a bowl of corn, which they gather up in their fin- gers, to feed themselves. 3. The tomahawk, which he lays by at dinner. 4. His pocket, which is likewise stripped off, that he may be at full liberty. , " „ . > Both ready for dressing. 6. A heap of roasting ears. ) 7. The gourd of water. 8. A cockle shell, which they sometimes use instead of a spoon . 9. The mat they sit on. All other matters in this figure are understood by the fore- going and following descriptions. Hosted by Google CHAP TEE V. OF THE TRAVELING, RECEPTION AND ENTERTAINMENT OF THE INDIANS. §19. Their travels they perform altogether on foot, the fatigue of which they endure to admiration. They make no other provision for their journey but their gun or bow, to supply them with food for many hundred miles together. If they cany any flesh in their marches, they barbecue \i? or rather dry it by degrees, at some distance over the clear coals of a wood fire ; just as the Charibees are said to pre- serve the bodies of their kings and great men from corrup- tion. Their sauce to this dry meat, (if they have any be- sides a good stomach, ) is only a little bear's oil, or oil of acorns ; which last they force out by boiling the acorns in a strong lye. Sometimes also in their travels each man takes with him a pint or quart of rockahomonie, that is, the finest Indian corn parched and beaten . to powder. When they find their stomach empty, (and cannot stay for the te- dious cookery of other things,) they put about a spoonful of this into their mouths and drink a draught of water upon it, which stays their stomachs, and enables them to pursue their journey without delay. But their main dependence is upon the game they kill by the way, and the natural fruits of the earth. They take no care about lodging in these journeys, but content themselves with the shade of a tree or a little high grass. When they fear being discovered or followed by an ene- my in their marches, they every morning, having first Cigreed where they shall rendezvous at night, disperse them- selves into the woods, and each takes a several way, that so ?the grass or leaves being but singly pressed, may rise again Hosted by Google TRAVELING, RECEPTION AND ENTERTAINMENT. J 43 and not betray them. For the Indians are very artful in following a track, even where the impressions are not visi- hie to other people, especially if they have any advantage from the looseness of the earth, from the stiffness of the grass, or the stirring of the leaves, which hi the winter season lie very thick upon the ground ; and likewise after- wards, if they do not happen to be burned. When in their travels they meet with any waters which are not fordable, they make canoes of birch bark, by slip- ping it whole off the tree in this manner : First, they gash the bark quite round the tree, at the length they would have the canoe off, then slit down the length from end to end ; when that is done, they with their tomahawks easily open the bark and strip it whole off. Then they force it open with sticks in the middle, slope the under side of the ends and sow them up, which helps to keep the belly open ,• or if the birch trees happen to be small they sow the bark of two together. The seams the daub with clay or mud, and then pass over in. these canoes, by two, three, or more at a time, according as they are in bigness. By rea- son of the lightness of these boats, they can easily carry them over land, if they foresee that they are like to meet with any more waters that may impede their march ; or else they leave them at the water side, making no farther account of them, except it be to repass the same waters in their return. See the resemblance, Tab. 6. §20. They have a peculiar way of receiving strangers, and distinguishing whether they come as friends or enemies, though they do not understand each other's language : and that is by a singular method of smoking tobacco, in which these things are always observed : 1. They take a pipe much larger and bigger than the common tobacco pipe, expressly made for that purpose, with which all towns are plentifully provided ; they call them the pipes of peace. 2. This pipe they always fill with tobacco, before the face of the strangers, and light it, Hosted by Google 144 TRAVELING, RECEPTION AND ENTERTAINMENT^ 3. The chief man of the Indians,- to whom the strangers come, takes two or three whiffs, and then hands it to the chief of the strangers. 4. If the stranger refuses to smoke in it, 'tis a sign of war. 5. If it be peace, the chief of the strangers takes a whiff or two in the pipe, and presents it to the next great man of the town they come to visit 5 he, after taking two or three whiffs, gives it back to the next of the strangers, and so on alternately, until they have past all the persons of note on each side, and then the ceremony is ended. After a little discourse, they march together in a friendly manner into the town, and then proceed to explain the busi- ness upon which they came. This method is as general a rule among all the Indians of those parts of America as the flag of truce is among the Europeans. And though the fashion of the pipe differ, as well as the ornaments of it, according to the humor of the several nations, yet 'tis a general rule to make these pipes remarkably bigger than those for common use, and to adorn them with beautiful wings and feathers of birds, as likewise with peak, beads, or other such foppery. Father Lewis Henepin gives a par- ticular description of one that he took notice of among the Indians upon the lakes wherein he traveled. He describes it by the name of the calumet of f eace, and his words are these, Book I., chap. 24 : u This calumet is the most mysterious thing in the world among the savages of the continent of the Northern Amer- ica 5 for it is used in all their important transactions : how- ever, it is nothing else but a large tobacco pipe, made of red, black or white marble ; the head is finely polished, and the quill, which is commonly two feet and a half long, is made of a pretty strong reed or cane, adorned with feathers of all colors, interlaced with locks of women's hair. They tie it to two wings of the most curious birds they can find, which makes their calumet not much unlike Mercury's wand, or that staff ambassadors did formerly carry when they went Hosted by Google TRAVELING, RECEPTION AND ENTERTAINMENT. 145 to treat of peace. They sheath that reed into the neck of birds they call huars, which are as big as our geese, and spotted with black and white; or else of a sort of ducks, which make their nests upon trees, though the water be their ordinary element, and whose feathers be of many dif- ferent colors. However, every nation adorns their calumet as they think fit, according to their own genius, and the birds they have in their country. Such a pipe is a pass and safe conduct among all the allies of the nation who has given it. And in all embas- sies, the ambassador carries that calumet, as the symbol of peace, which is always respected : for the savages are gene- rally persuaded, that a great misfortune would befall them, if they violated the public faith of the calumet. " All their enterprises, declarations of war, or conclusions of peace, as well as all the rest of their ceremonies, are seal- ed, (if I may be permitted to say so,) with this calumet : They fill that pipe with the best tobacco they have, and then present it to those with whom they have concluded any great affair, and smoke out of the same after them." In tab. 6, is seen the calumet of peace, drawn by La- hontan, and one of the sort which I have seen. §21. They have a remarkable way of entertaining all strangers of condition, which is performed after the follow- ing manner : First, the king or queen, with a guard and a great retinue, march out of the town, a quarter or half a mile, and carry mats for their accommodation. When they meet the strangers, they invite them to sit down upon those mats. Then they pass the ceremony of the pipe, and af- terwards, having spent about half an hour in grave dis- course, they get up, all together, and march into the town. Here the first compliment is to wash the courteous travel- er's feet ; then he is treated at a plentiful entertainment, served up by a great number of attendants ; after which he is diverted with antique Indian dances, performed both by men and women, and accompanied with great variety of wild music. At this rate he is regaled till bedtime, when 19 Hosted by Google 146 TRAVELING, RECEPTION AND ENTERTAINMENT. a brace of young, beautiful virgins are chosen to wait upon him that night for his particular refreshment. These dam- sels are to undress this happy gentleman, and as soon as he is in bed, they gently lay themselves down by him, one on one side of him, and the other on the other. They Esteem it a breach of hospitality, not to submit to everything he desires of them. This kind ceremony is used only to men of great distinction — and the young women are so far from suffering in their reputation for this civility, that they are envied for it by all the other girls, as having had the greatest honor done them in the world. After this manner, perhaps, many of the heroes were be- gotten in old time, who boasted themselves to be the sons of some wayfaring god. Hosted by Google CHAPTER VI. OF THE LEARNING AND LANGUAGES OF THE INDIANS. §22. These Indians have no sort of letters to express their words by ; but when they would communicate any- thing that cannot be delivered by message, they do it by a sort of hieroglyphic, or representation of birds, beasts, or other things, shewing their different meaning by the various forms described, and by the different position of the figures. Baron Lahontan, in his second volume of New Voyages, has two extraordinary chapters concerning the heraldry and hieroglyphics of the Indians ; but I, having had no oppor- tunity of conversing with our Indians since that book came to my hands, nor having ever suspected them to be ac- quainted with heraldry, I am not able to say anything up- on that subject. The Indians, when they travel ever so small a way, being much embroiled in war one with another, use several marks painted upon their shoulders to distinguish themselves by, and show what nation they are of. The usual mark is one, two, or three arrows. One nation paints these arrows up- wards, another downwards, a third sideways — and others again use other distinctions, as in tab. 2, from whence it comes to pass, that the Virginia assembly took up the hu- mor of making badges of silver, copper or brass, of which they gave a sufficient number to each nation in amity with the English, and then made a law, that the Indians should not travel among the English plantations without one of these badges in their company, to show that they are friends. And this is all the heraldry that I know is prac- ticed among the Indians. Hosted by Google 148 LEARNING AND LANGUAGES OF THE INDIANS. §23. Their languages differ very much, as anciently in the several parts of Britain ; so that nations at a moderate distance do not understand one another. However, they have a sort of general language, like what Lahontan calls the Algonkine, which is understood by the chief men of many nations, as Latin is in most parts of Europe, and Lingua Franca quite through the Levant. The general language here used is said to be that of the Occaneeches, though they have been but a small* nation ever since those parts were known to the English ; but in what this language may differ from that of the Algonkines, I am not able to determine. Hosted by Google CHAPTEE VII. OF THE WAR, AND PEACE OF THE INDIANS. § 24. When they are about to undertake any war or other solemn enterprise, the king summons a convention of his great men to assist at a grand council, which, in their language, is called a Matchacpmocp. At these assemblies, 'tis the custom, especially when a war is expected, for the young men to paint themselves irregularly with black, red, white, and several other motley colors, making one- half of their face red, (for instance,) and the other black or white, with great circles of a different hue round their eyes, with monstrous mustaches, and a thousand fantastical figures, all over the rest of their body ; and to make themselves appear yet more ugly and frightful, they strew feathers, down, or the hair of beasts upon the paint while it is still moist and capable of making those light substances stick fast on. When they are thus formidably equipped, they rush into the Matchacomoco, and instantly begin some very grotesque dance, holding their arrows or tomahawks in their hands, and all the while singing the ancient glories of their nation, and especially of their own families— threatening and mak- ing signs with their tomahawk what a dreadful havoc they intend to make amongst their enemies. Notwithstanding these terrible airs they give themselves, they are very timorous when they come to action, and rarely perform any open or bold feats ; but the execution they do is chiefly by surprise and ambuscade. §25. The fearfulness of their nature makes them very jealous and implacable. Hence it is, that when they get Hosted by Google 150 OP THE WAR, A®& PEACE OP THE INDIANS. a victory, they destroy man, woman and child, to prevent all future resentments. §26. I can't think it anything but their jealousy that makes them exclude the lineal issue from succeeding imme" diately to the crown. Thus, if a king have several legiti- mate children, the crown does not descend in a direct line to his children, but to his brother by the same mother, if he have any, and for want of such, to the children of his eldest sister, always respecting the descent by the female, as the surer side. But the crown goes to the male heir (if any be) in equal degree, and for want of such, to the fe- male, preferably to any male that is more distant. §27. As in the beginning of a war, they have assemblies for consultation, so, upon any victory or other great success, they have public meetings again for processions and tri- umphs. I never saw one of these, but have heard that they are accompanied with all the marks of a wild and ex- travagant joy. Captain Smith gives the particulars of one that was made upon his being taken prisoner, and carried to their town. These are his words, vol. 1, page 159: " Drawing themselves all in file, the king in the midst had all their pieces and swords borne before him. Oaptain Smith was led after him by three great savages, holding him fast by each arm, and on each side six went in file, with their arrows nocked ; but arriving at the town, (which was but thirty or forty hunting houses made of mats, which they remove as often as they please, as we our tents,) all the women and children staring to behold him, the soldiers first, all in the file, performed the form of a bissom as well as could be, and on each flank officers as sergeants to see them keep their order. A good time they continued this exercise, and then cast themselves in a ring, dancing in such seveial postures, and singing and yelling out such hell- ish notes and screeches, being strangely painted, every one his quiver of arrows, and at his back a club, on his arm a fox or an otter's skin, or some such matter for his vanv Hosted by Google 151 brace ; their heads and shoulders painted red, with oil and puccoons mingled together, which scarlet-like color made ari exceeding handsome show ; his bow in his hand, and the skin of a bird with the wings abroad dried, tied on his head ,• a piece of copper, a white shell, a long feather, with a small rattle growing at the tails of their snakes, tied to it, or some such like toy. All this, while Smith and the king stood in the midst guarded, as before is said, and after three dances they all departed." I suppose here is something omitted, and that the conju- rer should have been introduced in his proper dress, as the sequel of the story seems to mean. §28. They use formal embassies for treating, and very ceremonious ways in concluding of peace, or else some other memorable action, such as burying a tomahawk, and rais- ing a heap of stones thereon, as the Hebrews were wont to do 5 or of planting a tree, in token that all enmity is bu- ried with|the tomahawk ; that all the desolations of war are at an end, and that friendship shall flourish among them like a tree. Hosted by Google CHAPTEE VIII. CONCERNING THE RELIGION, WORSHIP, AND SUPERSTITIOUS CUSTOMS OF THE INDIANS. §29. I don't pretend to have dived into all the mysteries of the Indian religion, nor have I had such opportunities of learning them as father Henepin and Baron Lahontan had, by living much among the Indians in their towns ; and because my rule is to say nothing but what I know to be truth, I shall be very brief upon this head. In the writings of those two gentlemen, I cannot but ob- serve direct contradictions, although they traveled the same country, and the accounts they pretend to give are of the same Indians. One makes them have very refined notions of a Deity, and the other don't allow them so much as the name of a God. For which reason, I think myself obliged sincerely to deliver what I can warrant to be true upon my own knowledge ; it being neither my interest, nor any part of my vanity, to impose upon the world. I have been at several of the Indian towns, and con- versed with some of the most sensible of them in Virginia ; but I could learn little from them, it being reckoned sacri- lege to divulge the principles of their religion. However, the following adventure discovered something of it. As I was ranging the woods, with some other friends, we fell upon their quioccosan, (which is their house of religious worship,) at a time when the whole town were gathered to- gether in another place, to consult about the bounds of the land given them by the English. Thus finding ourselves masters of so fair an opportunity, (because we knew the Indians were engaged,) we resolved to make use of it, and to examine their quioccosan, the in- Hosted by Google RELIGION, WORSHIP AND CUSTOMS. 153 side of which they never suffer any Englishmen to see ; and having removed about fourteen logs from the door, with which it was barricaded, we went in, and at first found nothing but naked walls, and a fireplace in the mid- dle. This house was about eighteen feet wide, and thirty feet long, built after the manner of their other cabins, but larger, with a hole in the middle of the roof to vent the smoke, the door being at one end. Round about the house, at some distance from it, were set up posts, with faces* carved on them, and painted. We did not observe any window or passage for the light, except the door and the vent of the chimney. At last we observed, that at the farther end, about ten feet of the room was cut off by a partition of very close mats, and it was dismal dark behind that partition. We , were at first scrupulous to enter this obscure place, but at last we ventured, and, groping about, we felt some posts in the middle ; then reaching our hands up those posts, we found large shelves, and upon these shelves three mats, each of which was rolled up, and sowed fast. These we handed down to the light, and to save time in unlacing the seams, we made use of a knife, and ripped them, without doing any damage to the mats. In one of these we found some vast bones, which we judged to be the bones of men — particularly we measured one thigh- bone, and found it two feet nine inches long. In another mat we found some Indian tomahawks finely graved and painted. These resembled the wooden falchion used by the prize-fighters in England, except that they have no guard to save the fingers. They were made of a rough, heavy wood, and the shape of them is represented in the tab, 10, No. 3. Among these tomahawks, was the largest that ever I saw. There was fastened to it a wild turkey's beard painted red, and two of the longest feathers of his wings hung dangling at it, by a string of about six inches long, tied to the end of the tomahawk. In the third mat there was some- thing which we took to be their idol, though of an under- ling sort, and wanted putting together. The pieces were, 20 Hosted by Google 154 RELIGION, WORSHIP Aftl) CUSTOMS. these-— first, a board three feet and a half long, with one in- denture at the upper end like a fork, to fasten the head upon. From thence half way down, were half hoops nailed to the edges of the board, at about four inches' distance) which were bowed out, to represent the breast and belly ; on the lower half was another board of half the length of the other, fastened to it by joints or pieces of wood, which being set on each side stood out about fourteen inches from the bod)^, and half as high. We supposed the use of these to be for the bowing out of the knees, when the image was set up. There were packed up with these things, red and blue pieces of cotton cloth, rolls made up for arms, thighs and legs, bent too at the knees, as is represented in the figure of their idol, which was taken by an exact drawer in the first discovery of the country. It would be difficult to see one of these images at this day, because the Indians are ex- treme shy of exposing them. We put the clothes upon the hoops for the body, and fastened on the arms and legs to have a view of the representation ; but the head and rich bracelets, which it is usually adorned with, were not there, or* at least we did not find them.. We had not leisure to make a very narrow search, for having spent about an hour in this* enquiry, we feared the business of the Indians might be near over, and that if we staid longer, we might be caught offering an affront to their superstition. For this reason, we wrapt up those holy materials in their several mats again, and laid them on the shelf where we found them. This image, when dressed up, might look very ve- nerable in that dark place where 'tis not possible to see it, but by the glimmering light that is let in by lifting up a piece of the matting, which we observed to be conveniently hung for that purpose ; for when the light of the door and chimney glance in several directions upon the image through that little passage, it must needs make a strange represen- tation, which those poor people are taught to worship with a devout ignorance. There are other things that, contribute towards carrying on this imposture. Frst, the chief conjurer Hosted by Google Hosted by Google Idol call'd , OME, qUIOCCOS.or KIWASA . TtfbM Book 3 Pccg.155 Hosted by Google RELIGION, WORSHIP ANB CUSTOMS. 155 enters within the partition in the dark, and may undiscerned move the image as he pleases. Secondly, a priest of autho- rity stands in the room with the people, to keep them from being too inquisitive, under the penalty of the deity's dis* pleasure and his own censure. Their idol bears a several name in every nation, as Okee, Quioccos, Kivvasa. They do not look upon it as one sin- gle being, but reckon there are many of the same nature ; they likewise believe that there are tutelar deities in every town. Tab. II, Their idol in his tabernacle. The dark edging shows the sides and roof of the house, which consists of saplings and bark. The paler edging shows the mats, by which they make a partition of about ten feet at the end of the house for the idol's abode. The idol is set upon his seat of mats within a dark recess above the people's heads, and the curtain is drawn up before him. § 30. Father Henepin, in his continuation, page 60, will not allow that the Indians have any belief of a Deity, nor that they are capable of the arguments and reasonings that are common to the rest of mankind. He farther says, that they have not any outward ceremony to denote their wor- ship of a Deity, nor have any word to express God by — that there's no sacrifice, priest, temple, or any other token of religion among them. Baron Lahontan, on the other hand, makes them have such refined notions, as seem al- most to confute his own belief of Christianity. The first I cannot believe, though written by the pen of that pious father ; because, to my own knowledge, all the Indians in these parts are a superstitious and idolatrous peo- ple ; and because all other authors, who have written of the American Indians, are against him. As to the other ac- count of the just thoughts the Indians have of religion, 1 must humbly intreat the baron's pardon ; because I am very sure they have some unworthy conceptions' of God and ano- ther world. Therefore, what that gentleman tells the pub- lic concerning them, is rather to show his own opinions, than those of the Indians. Hosted by Google 156 RELIGION, WORSHIP AND CUSTOMS. Once in my travels, in very cold weather, I met at an Englishman's house with an Indian, of whom an extraor- dinary character had been given me for his ingenuity and understanding. When I saw he had no other Indian with him, I thought I might be the more free ; and therefore I made much of him, seating him close by a large fire, and giving him plenty of strong cider, which I hoped would make him good company and open-hearted. After I found him well warmed, (for unless they be surprised some way or other, they will not talk freely of their religion,) I asked him concerning their god, and what their notions of him were? He freely told me, they believed God was univer- sally beneficent, that his dwelling was in the heavens above, and that the influences of his goodness reached to the earth beneath. That he was incomprehensible in his excellence, and enjoyed all possible felicity ; that his duration was eternal, his perfection boundless, and that he possesses ever- lasting indolence and ease. I told him I had heard that they worshipped the devil, and asked why they did not rather worship God, whom they had so high an opinion of, and who would give them all good things, and protect them from any mischief that the devil could do them? To this his answer was, that, 'tis true God is the giver of all good things, but they flow naturally and promiscuously from him ; that they are showered down upon all men indif- ferently without distinction ; that God does not trouble him- self with the impertinent affairs of men, nor is concerned at what they do ; but leaves them to make the most of their free will, and to secure as many as they can of the good things that flow from him ; that therefore it was to no pur- pose either to fear or worship him. But on the contrary, if they did not pacify the evil spirit, and make him propitious, he would take away or spoil all those good things that God had given, and ruin their health, their peace, and their plenty, by sending war, plague and famine among them ; for, said he, this evil spirit is always busying himself with our affairs, and frequently visiting us, being present in the air ia Hosted by Google RELIGION, WORSHIP AND CUSTOMS. 157 the thunder, and in the storms. He told me farther, that he expected adoration and sacrifice from them, on pain of his displeasure; and that therefore they thought it convenient to make their court to him. I then asked him concerning the image which they worship in their quioccasan, and as- sured him that it was a dead, insensible log, equipped with a bundle of clouts, a mere helpless thing made by men, that could neither hear, see nor speak, and that such a stu- pid thing could noways hurt or help them. To this he an- swered very unwillingly, and with much hesitation ; how- ever, he at last delivered himself in these broken and im- perfect sentences : It is the priests they make the peo- ple believe, and . Here he paused a little, and then repeated to me, that it was the priests , and then gave me hopes that he would have said something more ; but a qualm crossed his conscience, and hindered him from making any/arther confession. §31. The priests and conjurers have a great sway in every nation. Their words are looked upon as oracles, and consequently are of great weight among the common peo- ple. They perform their adorations and conjurations in the general language before spoken of, as the catholics of all nations do their mass in the Latin. They teach that the souls of men survive their bodies, and that those who have done well here, enjoy most transporting pleasures in their elysium hereafter ; that this elysium is stored wTith the high- est perfection of all their earthly pleasures ; namely, with plenty of all sorts of game for hunting, fishing and fowling ; that it is blest with the most charming women, who enjoy an eternal bloom, and have an universal desire to please ; that it is delivered from excesses of cold or heat, and flourishes with an everlasting spring. But that, on the con- trary, those who are wicked and live scandalously here, are condemned to a filthy, stinking lake after death, that con- tinually burns with flames that never extingush ; where they are persecuted and tormented day and night, with furies in the shape of old women. Hosted by Google 158 RELIGION, WORSHIP AND CUSTOMS. They use many divinations and enchantments, and fre- quently offer burnt sacrifice to the evil spirit. The people annually present their first fruits of every season and kind, namely, of birds, beasts, fish, fruits, plants, roots, and of all other things, which they esteem either of profit or pleasure to themselves. They repeat their offerings as frequently as they have great successes in their wars, or their fishing, fowling or hunting. Captain Smith describes the particular manner of a con- juration that was made about him, while he was a prisoner among the Indians at the Pamunky town, in the first set- tlement of the country ; and after that I'll tell you of ano- ther of a more modern date, which I had fiom a very good hand. Smith's word's are these : vol. l,p. 160. Early in the morning, a great fire was made in a long house, and a mat spread on the one side and on the other. On the one they caused him to sit, and all the guard went out of the house, and presently there came skipping in a great grim fellow, all painted over with coal mingled with oil, and many snakes and weasel skins stuffed with moss, and all their tails tied together, so as they met in the crown of his head, like a tassel, and round about the tassel was a coronet of feathers, the skins hanging round about his head, back and shoulders, and in a manner covering -his- face; with a hellish voice, and a rattle in his hand, with most strange gestures and postures, he began his invocation, and environed the fire with a circle of meal ; which done, three much such like devils came rushing in with the like antic tricks, painted Jialf *black, half red; but all their eyes were painted white, and some great strokes like mustaches, along their cheeks. Round about him these fiends danced a pretty while; and then came in three more as ugly as the rest, with red eyes and white strokes oVer their black faces. At last they all sat down right agairist hirii, three of them on one hand of the chief priest and three on the other. Then all of them, with their rattles began a sbrig ; which ended, the chief priest laid down five wheat corns ; then Hosted by Google RELIGION, WORSHIP «AND CUSTOMS. 159 straining his arms and hands with such violence that he sweat, and his veins swelled, he began a short oration. At the conclusion they gave a short groan, and then laid down three grains more ; after that, began their song again, and then another oration, ever laying down so many corns as before, till they had twice encircled the fire. That done, they took a bunch of little sticks prepared for that purpose, continuing still their devotion, and at the end of every song and oration, they laid down a stick betwixt the divisions of corn. Till night neither. he nor they did eat or drink, and then they feasted merrily with the provisions they could make. Three days they used this ceremony, the mean- ing whereof they told him was to know if he intended them well or no* The circle of meal signified their coun- try, the circles of corn the bounds of the sea, and the sticks his country. They imagined the world to be flat and round like a trencher, and they in the midst." Thus far is Smith's story of conjuration concerning him- self; but when he says they encircled the fire with wheat, I am apt to believe he means their Indian corn, which some, contrary to the custom of the rest of mankind will still call by the name of Indian wheat. The latter story of conjuration is this : Some few years ago, there happened a very dry time towards the heads of the rivers, and especially on the upper parts of James river, where Col. Byrd had several quarters of negroes. This gentleman has been for a long time extremely respected and feared by all the Indians round about, who, without know- ing the name of any governor, have ever been kept in or- der by him. During this drought, an Indian, well known to one of the Colonel's overseers, came to him, and ask- ed if his tobacco was not like to be spoiled? The over- seer answered yes, if they had not rain very suddenly The Indian, who pretended great kindness for his master, told the overseer if he would promise to give him two bottles of rum, he would bring him rain enough. The overseer did not believe anything of the matter, not see- Hosted by Google 160 RELIGION, WORSHIP AND CUSTOMS. ing at that time the least appearance of rain, nor so much as a cloud in the sky ) however, he promised to give him the rum when his master came thither, if he would be as good as his word. Upon this, the Indian went immediately a pauwawing as they call it, and in about half an hour, there came up a black cloud into the sky that showered down rain enough upon this gentleman's corn and tobacco, but none at all upon any of the neighbors, except a few drops of the skirts of the showrer. The Indian for that time went away without returning to the overseer again, till he heard of his master's arrival at the falls, and then he came to him and demanded the two bottles of rum. The Colonel at first seemed to know nothing of the mat- ter, and asked the Indian for what reason he made that demand ? (Although his overseer had been so overjoyed at what had happened that he could not rest till he had taken a horse and rode near forty miles to tell his mas- ter the story.) The Indian answered with some concern, that he hoped the overseer had let him know the ser- vice he had . done him, by bringing a shower c^f rain to save his crop. At this the Colonel, not being apt to be- lieve such stories, smiled, and told him he was a cheat, and had seen the cloud acoming, otherwise he could nei- ther have brought the rain nor so much as foretold it. The Indian at this, seeming much troubled, replied, why then had not such a one, and such a one, (naming the next neighbor,) rain, as well as your overseer? for they lost their crops, but I loved you and therefore I saved yours. The Colonel made sport with him a little while, but in the end ordered him the two bottles of rum, letting him undestand, however, that it was a free gift, and not the consequence of any bargain with his overseer. §32. The Indians have their altars and places of sacri- fice. Some say they now and then sacrifice young chil- dren ) but they deny it, and assure us, that when they withdraw their children, it is not to sacrifice them, but to consecrate them to the service of their god. Smith tells Hosted by Google RELIGION, WORSHIP AND CUSTOMS. 161 of one of these sacrifices in his time, from the testimony of some people who had been eye-witnesses. His words are these, (vol. 1, p. J 40) : u Fifteen of the properest young boys, between ten and fifteen years of age, they painted white ; having brought them forth, the people spent the forenoon in dancing and singing about them with rattles. In the afternoon, they put these children to the root of a tree. By them ail the men stood in a guard, every one having a bastinado in his hand, made of reeds bound together. They made a lane between them all along, through which there were appointed five young men to fetch these children : so every one of the five went through the guard to fetch a child each after other by turns ; the guard fiercely beating them with their bas- tinadoes, and they patiently enduring and receiving all, de- fending the children with their naked bodies from the un- merciful blows, that pay them soundly, though the chil- dren escape. All this while the women weep and cry out very passionately, providing mats, skins, moss and dry wood, as things fitting for their children's funeral. After the children were thus past the guard, the guards tore down the tree, branches and boughs with such violence, that they rent the body, made wreaths for their heads, and bedecked their hair with the leaves. " What else was done with the children was not seen j but they were all cast on a heap in a valley as dead, where they made a great feast for ail the company. "The Werowance being demanded the meaning of this sa- crifice, answered, that the children were not dead, but that the Okee or devil did suck the blood from the left breast of those, who chanced to be his by lot, till they were dead ; but the rest were kept in the wilderness by the young men, till nine months were expired, during which time they must not converse with any ; and of these were made their priests and conjurers." How far Captain Smith might be misinformed in this ac- count, I can't say, or whether their Okee's sucking the 21 Hosted by Google 162 RELIGION, WORSHIP AND CUSTOMS. breast, be only a delusion or pretence of the physician, (or priest, who is always a physician,) to prevent all reflection on his skill when any happened to die under his discipline. This I choose rather to believe, than those religious ro- mances concerning their Okee. For I take this story of Smith's to be only an example of huskanawing, which be- ing a ceremony then altogether unknown to him, he might easily mistake some of the circumstances of it. The solemnity of huskanawing is commonly practiced once every fourteen or sixteen years, or oftener, as their youngs men happen to grow up. It is an institution or dis- cipline which all young men must pass before they can be admitted to be of the number of the great men, officers, or cockarouses of the nation ; whereas, by Capt. Smith's rela- tion, they were only set apart to supply the priesthood. The whole ceremony of huskanawing is performed after the fol- lowing manner : The choicest and briskest young men of the town, and such only as have acquired some treasure by their travels and hunting, are chosen out by the rulers to be huska- nawed ; and whoever refuses to undergo this process dares not remain among them. Several of those odd preparatory fopperies are premised in the beginning, which have been before related ; but the principal part of the business is, to carry them into the woods, and there keep them under confinement, and destitute of all society for several months, giving them no other sustenance but the infusion, or decoc- tion, of some poisonous, intoxicating roots ; by virtue of which physic, and by the severity of the discipline which they undergo, they became stark, staring mad ; in which raving condition, they are kept eighteen or twenty days. During these extremities, they are shut up, night and day, in a strong inciosure, made on purpose ; one of which I saw be- longing to the Pamunky Indians, in the year 1694. It was in shape like a sugar loaf, and every way open like a lat- tice for the air to pass through, as in tab. 4, fig. 3. In this cage, thirteen young men had been huskanawed, and had Hosted by Google RELIGION, WORSHIP AND CUSTOMS. 163 not been a month set at liberty when 1 saw it. Upon this occasion, it is pretended that these poor creatures drink so much of that water of Lethe, that they perfectly lose the remem- brance of all former things, even of their parents, their treasure, and their language. When the doctors find that they have drank sufficiently of the wysoccan, (so they call this mad po- tion,) they gradually restore them to their senses again, by les- sening the intoxication of their diet 5 but before they are per- fectly well, they bring them back into their towns, while they are still wild and crazy, through the violence of the medicine. After this, they are very fearful of discovering any- thing of their former remembrance ; for if such a thing should happen to any of them, they must immediately be huskanawed again ; and the second time, the usage is go severe, that seldom any one escapes with life. Thus they must pretend to have forgot the very use of their tongues, so as not to be able to speak, nor understand anything that is spoken, till they learn it again. Now, whether this be real or counterfeit, I dont know ; but certain it is, that they will not for some time take notice of any body, nor any- thing with which they were before acquainted, being still under the guard of their keepers, who constantly wait upon them everywhere till they have learnt all things perfectly over again. Thus they unlive their former lives, and com- mence men by forgetting that they ever have been boys. If, under this exercise, any one should die, I suppose the story of Okee, mentioned by Smith, is the salvo for it ; for, (says he) Okee was to have such as were his by lot, and such were said to be sacrificed. Now this conjecture is the more probable, because we know that Okee has not a share in every huskanawing ; for though two young men happened to come short home, in that of the Pamunky Indians, which was performed in the year 1694, yet the Appomattoxs, formerly a great na- tion, though now an inconsiderable people, made a huska- naw in the year 1690, and brought home the same num- ber they carried out. Hosted by Google 164 RELIGION, WORSHIP AND CUSTOMS. § 33, I can account no other way for the great pains and secrecy of the keepers, during the whole process of this dis- cipline, but by assuring you, that it is the most meritorious thing in the world to discharge that trust well, in order to their preferment to the greatest posts in the nation, which they claim as- their undoubted right, in the next promo- tion. On the other hand, they are sure of a speedy pass- port into the other world, if they should, by their levity or neglect, shew themselves in the least unfaithful. Those which I have observed to have been huskanawed, were lively, handsome, well timbered young men, from fif- teen to twenty years of age, or upward, and such as were generally reputed rich. I confess, I judged it at the first sight to be only an in- vention of the seniors, to engross the young men's riches to themselves ; for, after suffering this operation, they never pretended to call to mind anything of their former property ; but their goods were either shared by the old men, or brought to some public use ; and so those younkers were obliged to begin the world again. But the Indians detest this opinion, and pretend that this violent method of taking away the memory, is to release the youth from all their childish impressions, and from that strong partiality to persons and things, which is contracted before reason comes to take place. They hope by this pro- ceeding, to root out all the prepossessions and unieasona- ble prejudices which are fixed in the minds of children. So that, when the young men come to themselves again, their reason may act freely, without being biased by the cheats of custom and education. Thus, also, they become dis- charged from the remembrance of any ties by blood, and are established in a state of equality and perfect freedom, to order their actions, and dispose of their persons, as they think fit, without any other control than that of the law of nature. By this means also they become qualified, when they have any public office, equally and impartially to administer justice, without having respect either* to friend Hosted by Google RELLGION, WORSHIP AND CUSTOMS. 165 or relation. PufTend. p. 7, book I. A proselyte of justice of the Jews had a new soul. § 34. The Indians offer sacrifice almost upon every new occasion ; as when they travel or begin a long journey, they burn tobacco instead of incense, to the sun, to bribe him to send them fair weather, and a prosperous voyage. When they cross any great water, or violent fresh, or torrent, they throw in tobacco, puccoon, peak, or some other valuable thing, that they happen to have about them, to intreat the spirit presiding there to grant them a safe passage. It is call- ed a fresh, when after very great rains, or (as we suppose) after a great thaw of the snow and ice lying upon the mountains to the westward, the water descends in such abun- dance into the rivers, that they overflow the banks, which bound their streams at other times. Likewise, when the Indians return from war, from hunt- ing, from great journeys or the like, they offer some propor- tion of their spoils, of their chiefest tobacco, furs and paint, as also the fat, and choice bits of their game. §35. I never could learn that they had any certain time or set days for their solemnities ; but they have ap- pointed feasts that happen according to the several seasons. They solemnize a day for the plentiful coming of their wild fowl, such as geese, ducks, teal, &c, for the returns of their hunting seasons, and for the ripening of certain fruits i but the greatest annual feast they have, is at ihe time of their corn-gathering, at which they revel several days together. To these they universally contribute, as they do to the gathering in the corn. On this occasion, they have their greatest variety of pastimes, and more es- pecially of their war-dances and heroic songs ; in which they boast, that their corn being now gathered, they have store enough for their women and children, and have nothing to do, but to go to war, travel, and to seek out for new adventures. § 36. They make their account by units, tens, hun- dreds, &c, as we do ; but they reckon the years by the Hosted by Google 166 RELIGION, WORSHIP AND CUSTOMS. winters, or cobonks, as they call them ; which is a name taken from the note of the wild -geese, intimating so many times of the wild geese coming to them, which is every winter. They distinguish the several parts of the year, by five seasons, viz : the budding or blossoming of the spring ; the earing of the corn, or roasting-ear time ; the summer, or highest sun ; the corn-gathering or fall of the leaf, and the winter, or cobonks. They count the months likewise by the moons, though not with any relation to so many in a year, as we do ; but they make them re- turn again by the same name, as the moon of stags, the corn moon, the first and second moon of cobonks, <fcc. They have no distinction of the hours of the day, but divide it only into three parts, the rise, power, and low- ering of the sun. And they keep their account by knots on a string, or notches on a stick, not unlike the Peruvian quippoes. §37. In this state of nature, one would think they should be as pure from superstition, and overdoing matters in religion, as they are in other things ; but I find it is quite the contrary ; for this simplicity gives the cunning priest a greater advantage over them, according to the Romish maxim, " Ignorance is the mother of devotion" For, no bigotted pilgrim appears more zealous, or strains his devotion more at the shrine, than these believing Indians do, in their idolatrous adorations. Neither do the most refined Catholics undergo their pennance with so much sub- mission, as these poor Pagans do the severities which their priests inflict upon them. They have likewise in other cases many fond and idle superstitions, as for the purpose. By the falls of James river upon Colonel Byrd's land, there lies a rock which I have seen, about a mile from the river, wherein are fairly imprest several marks like the footsteps of a gigantic man, each step being about five feet asunder. These they aver to be the track of their God. This is not unlike what the fathers of the Romish Hosted by Google RELIGION, WORSHIP AND CUSTOMS. 167 Church tell us, that our Lord left the print of His feet, on the stone, whereon he stood while he talked with St. Peter; which stone was afterward preserved as a very sacred relic; and after several translations, was at last fixed in the Church of St. Sebastian, the martyr, where it is kept, and visited with great expressions of devotion. So that the In- dians, as well as these, are not without their pious frauds. §38. As the people have a great reverence for the priest, so the priest very oddly endeavours to preserve their respect, by being as hideously ugly as he can, especially when he appears in public ; for besides, that the cut of his hair is peculiar to his function, as in tab. 4, book 3, and the hanging of his cloak, with the fur reversed and falling down in flakes, looks horridly shagged, he likewise bedaubs himself in that frightful manner with paint, that he terri- fies the people into a veneration for him. The conjuror is a partner with the priest, not only in the cheat, but in the advantages of it, and sometimes they officiate for one another. When this artist is in the act of conjuration, or of pauwawing, as they term it, he always appears with an air of haste, or else in some con- vulsive posture, that seems to strain all the faculties, like the Sybils, when they appeared to be under the power of inspiration. At these times, he has a black bird with ex- panded wings fastened to his ear, differing in nothing but color, from Mahomet's pigeon. He has no clothing but a small skin before, and a pocket at his girdle, as in tab. 4, book 3. The Indians never go about any considerable enterprise, without first consulting their priests and conjurers ; for the most ingenious amongst them are brought up to those func- tions, and by that means become better instructed in their histories, than the rest of the people. They likewise engross to themselves all the knowledge of nature, which is hand- ed to them by tradition from their forefathers; by which means they are able to make a truer judgment of things, and consequently are more capable of advising those that Hosted by Google 168 RELIGION^ WORSHIP AND CUSTOMS. consult them upon all occasions. These reverend gentle- men are not so entirely given up to their religious auste- rities, but they sometimes take their pleasure (as well as the laity) in fishing, fowling and hunting. §39. The Indians have posts fixed round their Quioc- cassan, which have men's faces carved upon them, and are painted. They are likewise set up round some of their other celebrated places, and make a circle for them to dance about on certain solemn occasions. They very of- ten set up pyramidal stones and pillars, which they color with puccoon, and other sorts of paint, and which they adorn with peak, roenoke, &c. To these they pay all outward signs of worship and devotion , not as to God, but as they are hieroglyphics of the permanency and im- mutability of the Deity ; because these, both for figure and substance, are of all sublunary bodies, the least sub- ject to decay or change ; they also, for the same reason, keep baskets of stones in their cabins. Upon this account too, they offer sacrifice to running streams, which by the perpetuity of their motion, typify the eternity of God. They erect altars wherever they have any remarkable oc- casion, and because their principal devotion consists in sa- crifice, they have a profound respect for these altars. They have one particular altar, to which, for some mystical rea- son, many of their nations pay an extraordinary veneration; of this sort was the crystal cube, mentioned book II, chap. 3, § 9. The Indians call this by the name of pawcorance, from whence proceeds the great reverence they have for a small bird that uses the woods, and in their note continu- ally sound that name. This bird flies alone, and is only heard in the twilight. They say, this is the soul of one of their princes ; and on that score, they would not hurt it for the world. But there was once a profane Indian in the upper parts of James river, who, after abundance, of fears and scruples, was at last bribed to kill one of them with his gun ; but the Indians say he paid dear for his pre- Hosted by Google RELIGION, WORSHIP AND CUSTOMS. 169 sumption ; for in a few days after he was taken away, and never more heard of. I have young birds of this kind. When they travel by any of these altars, they take great care to instruct their children and young people in the par- ticular occasion and time of their erection, and recommend the respect which they ought to have for them ; so that their careful observance of these traditions proves almost as good a memorial of such antiquities as written records, especially for so long as the same people continue to inhabit in or near the same place. I can't understand that their women ever pretended to in- termeddle with any offices that relate to the priesthood or conjuration. § 40. The Indians are religious in preserving the corpses of their kings and rulers after death, which they order in the following manner : First, they neatly flay off the skin as entire as they can, slitting it only in the back ; then they pick all the