pioneers of the old south-第6部分

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summer　came；　some　wonderful　crop。

Opechancanough　was　a　great　chief；　but　higher　than　he　moved　Powhatan；　chief
of　chiefs。　This　Indian　was　yet　a　stranger　to　the　English　in　Virginia。　Now
John　Smith　was　to　make　his　acquaintance。

Werowocomoco　stood　upon　a　bluff　on　the　north　side　of　York　River。　Here　came
Smith　and　his　captors；　around　them　the　winter　woods；　before　them　the　broad
blue　river。　Again　the　gathered　Indians；　men　and　women；　again　the　staring；
the　handling；　the　more　or　less　uncomplimentary　remarks；　then　into　the
Indian　ceremonial　lodge　he　was　pushed。　Here　sat　the　chief　of　chiefs；
Powhatan；　and　he　had　on　a　robe　of　raccoon　skins　with　all　the　tails　hanging。
About　him　sat　his　chief　men；　and　behind　these　were　gathered　women。　All　were
painted；　head　and　shoulders；　all　wore；　bound　about　the　head；　adornments
meant　to　strike　with　beauty　or　with　terror；　all　had　chains　of　beads。　Smith
does　not　report　what　he　said　to　Powhatan；　or　Powhatan　to　him。　He　says　that
the　Queen　of　Appamatuck　brought　him　water　for　his　hands；　and　that　there　was
made　a　great　feast。　When　this　was　over；　the　Indians　held　a　council。　It
ended　in　a　death　decree。　Incontinently　Smith　was　seized；　dragged　to　a　great
stone　lying　before　Powhatan；　forced　down　and　bound。　The　Indians　made　ready
their　clubs；　meaning　to　batter　his　brains　out。　Then；　says　Smith；　occurred
the　miracle。

A　child　of　Powhatan's；　a　very　young　girl　called　Pocahontas；　sprang　from
among　the　women；　ran　to　the　stone；　and　with　her　own　body　sheltered　that　of
the　Englishman。。。。*

*　A　vast　amount　of　erudition　has　been　expended　by　historical　students　to
establish　the　truth　or　falsity　of　this　Pocahontas　story。　The　author　has
refrained　from　entering　the　controversy；　preferring　to　let　the　story　stand
as　it　was　told　by　Captain　Smith　in　his　〃General　History〃　（1624）。Editor。


What；　in　Powhatan's　mind；　of　hesitation；　wiliness；　or　good　nature　backed
his　daughter's　plea　is　not　known。　But　Smith　did　not　have　his　brains　beaten
out。　He　was　released；　taken　by　some　form　of　adoption　into　the　tribe；　and
set　to　using　those　same　brains　in　the　making　of　hatchets　and　ornaments。　A
few　days　passed　and　he　was　yet　further　enlarged。　Powhatan　longed　for　two　of
the　great　guns　possessed　by　the　white　men　and　for　a　grindstone。　He　would
send　Smith　back　to　Jamestown　if　in　return　he　was　sure　of　getting　those
treasures。　It　is　to　be　supposed　that　Smith　promised　him　guns　and
grindstones　as　many　as　could　be　borne　away。

So　Werowocomoco　saw　him　depart；　twelve　Indians　for　escort。　He　had　leagues
to　go；　a　night　or　two　to　spend　upon　the　march。　Lying　in　the　huge　winter
woods；　he　expected；　on　the　whole；　death　before　morning。　But　〃Almighty　God
mollified　the　hearts　of　those　sterne　barbarians　with　compassion。〃　And　so　he
was　restored　to　Jamestown；　where　he　found　more　dead　than　when　he　left。　Some
there　undoubtedly　welcomed　him　as　a　strong　man　restored　when　there　was　need
of　strong　men。　Others；　it　seems；　would　as　lief　that　Pocahontas　had　not
interfered。

The　Indians　did　not　get　their　guns　and　grindstones。　But　Smith　loaded　a
demi…culverin　with　stones　and　fired　upon　a　great　tree；　icicle…hung。　The　gun
roared；　the　boughs　broke；　the　ice　fell　rattling；　the　smoke　spread；　the
Indians　cried　out　and　cowered　away。　Guns　and　grindstone；　Smith　told　them；
were　too　violent　and　heavy　devils　for　them　to　carry　from　river　to　river。
Instead　he　gave　them；　from　the　trading　store；　gifts　enticing　to　the　savage
eye；　and　not　susceptible　of　being　turned　against　the　donors。

Here　at　Jamestown　in　midwinter　were　more　food　and　less　mortal　sickness　than
in　the　previous　fearful　summer；　yet　no　great　amount　of　food；　and　now
suffering；　too；　from　bitter　cold。　Nor　had　the　sickness　ended；　nor
dissensions。　Less　than　fifty　men　were　all　that　held　together　England　and
Americaa　frayed　cord；　the　last　strands　of　which　might　presently　part　。　。　。　。

Then　up　the　river　comes　Christopher　Newport　in　the　Francis　and　John；　to　be
followed　some　weeks　later　by　the　Phoenix。　Here　is　new　lifestores　for　the
settlers　and　a　hundred　new　Virginians！　How　certain；　at　any　rate；　is　the
exchange　of　talk　of　home　and　hair…raising　stories　of　this　wilderness
between　the　old　colonists　and　the　new！　And　certain　is　the　relief　and　the
renewed　hopes。　Mourning　turns　to　joy。　Even　a　conflagration　that　presently
destroys　the　major　part　of　the　town　can　not　blast　that　felicity。

Again　Newport　and　Smith　and　others　went　out　to　explore　the　country。　They
went　over　to　Werowocomoco　and　talked　with　Powhatan。　He　told　them　things
which　they　construed　to　mean　that　the　South　Sea　was　near　at　hand；　and　they
marked　this　down　as　good　news　for　the　home　Councilstill　impatient　for
gold　and　Cathay。　On　their　return　to　Jamestown　they　found　under　way　new　and
stouter　houses。　The　Indians　were　again　friendly；　they　brought　venison　and
turkeys　and　corn。　Smith　says　that　every　few　days　came　Pocahontas　and
attendant　women　bringing　food。

Spring　came　again　with　the　dogwood　and　the　honeysuckle　and　the
strawberries；　the　gay；　returning　birds；　the　barred　and　striped　and　mottled
serpents。　The　colony　was　one　year　old。　Back　to　England　sailed　the　Francis
and　John　and　the　Phoenix；　carrying　home　Edward…Maria　Wingfield；　who　has
wearied　of　Virginia　and　will　return　no　more。

What　rests　certain　and　praiseworthy　in　Smith　is　his　thoroughness　and　daring
in　exploration。　This　summer　he　went　with　fourteen　others　down　the　river　in
an　open　boat；　and　so　across　the　great　bay；　wide　as　a　sea；　to　what　is　yet
called　the　Eastern　Shore；　the　counties　now　of　Accomac　and　Northampton。
Rounding　Cape　Charles　these　indefatigable　explorers　came　upon　islets　beaten
by　the　Atlantic　surf。　These　they　named　Smith's　Islands。　Landing　upon　the
main　shore；　they　met　〃grimme　and　stout〃　savages；　who　took　them　to　the　King
of　Accomac；　and　him　they　found　civil　enough。　This　side　of　the　great　bay；
with　every　creek　and　inlet；　Smith　examined　and　set　down　upon　the　map　he　was
making。　Even　if　he　could　find　no　gold　for　the　Council　at　home；　at　least　he
would　know　what　places　were　suited　for　〃harbours　and　habitations。〃　Soon　a
great　storm　came　up；　and　they　landed　again；　met　yet　other　Indians；　went
farther；　and　were　in　straits　for　fresh　water。　The　weather　became　worse；
they　were　in　danger　of　shipwreckhad　to　bail　the　boat　continually。　Indians
gathered　upon　the　shore　and　discharged　flights　of　arrows；　but　were
dispersed　by　a　volley　from　the　muskets。　The　bread　the　English　had　with　them
went　bad。　Wind　and　weather　were　adverse；　three　or　four　of　the　fifteen　fell
ill；　but　recovered。　The　weather　improved；　they　came　to　the　seven…mile…wide
mouth　of　〃Patawomeck〃the　Potomac。　They　turned　their　boat　up　this　vast
stream。　For　a　long　time　they　saw　upon　the　woody　banks　no　savages。　Then
without　warning　they　came　upon　ambuscades　of　great　numbers　〃so　strangely
painted；　grimed　and　disguised；　shouting；　yelling　and　crying；　as　we　rather
supposed　them　so　many　divils。〃　Smith；　in　midstream；　ordered　musket…fire；
and　the　balls　went　grazing　over　the　water；　and　the　terrible　sound　echoed
through　the　woods。　The　savages　threw　down　their　bows　and　arrows　and　made
signs　of　friendliness。　The　English　went　ashore；　hostages　were　exchanged；
and　a　kind　of　amicableness　ensued。　After　such　sylvan　entertainment　Smith
and　his　men　returned　to　the　boat。　The　oars　dipped　and　rose；　the　bright
water　broke　from　them；　and　these　Englishmen　in　Old　Virginia　proceeded　up
the　Potomac。　Could　they　have　seencould　they　but　have　seen　before　them；　on
the　north　bank；　rising；　like　the　unsubstantial　fabric　of　a　dream；　there
above　the　trees；　a　vast；　white　Capitol　shining　in　the　sunlight！

Far　up　the　river；　they　noticed　that　the　sand　on　the　shore　gleamed　with
yellow　spangles。　They　looked　and　saw　high　rocks；　and　they　thought　that　from
these　the　rain　had　washed　the　glittering　dust。　Gold？　Harbors　they　had
foundbut　what　of　gold？　What；　even；　of　Cathay？

Going　down　stream；　they　sought　again　those　friendly　Indians。　Did　they　know
gold　or　silver？　The　Indians　looked　wise；　nodded　heads；　and　took　the
visitors　up　a　little　tributary　river　to　a　rocky　hill　in　which　〃with　shells
and　hatchets〃　they　had　opened　as　it　were　a　mine。　Here　they　gathered　a
mineral　which；　when　powdered；　they　sprinkled　over　themselves　and　their
idols　〃making　them；〃　says　the　relation；　〃like　blackamoors　dusted　over　with
silver。〃　The　white　men　filled　their　boat　with　as　much　of　this　ore　as　they
could　carry。　High　were　their　hopes　over　it；　but　when　it　was　subsequently
sent　to　London　and　assayed；　it　was　found　to　be　worthless。

The　fifteen　now　started　homeward；　out　of　Potomac　and　down　the　westward　side
of　Chesapeake。　In　their　travels　they　saw；　besides　the　Indians；　all　manner
of　four…footed　Virginians。　Bears　rolled　their　bulk　through　these　forests；
deer　went　whither　they　would。　The　explorers　might　meet　foxes　and
catamounts；　otter；　beaver　and　marten；　raccoon　and　opossum；　wolf　and　Indian
dog。　Winged　Virginians　made　the　forests　vocal。　The　owl　hooted　at　night；　and
the　whippoorwill　called　in　the　twilight。　The　streams　were　filled　with　fish。
Coming　to　the　mouth　of　the　Rappahannock；　the　travelers'　boat　grounded　upon
sand；　with　the　tide　at　ebb。　Awaiting　the　water　that　should　lift　them　off；
the　fifteen　began　with　their　swords　to　spear　the　fish　among　the　reeds。
Smith　had　the　ill　luck　to　encounter　a　sting…ray；　and　received　its　barbed
weapon　through　his　wrist。　There　set　in　a　great　swelling　and　torment　which
made　him　fear　that　death　was　at　hand。　He　ordered　his　funeral　and　a　grave　to
be　dug　on　a　neighboring　islet。　Yet　by　degrees　he　grew　better　and　so　out　of
torment；　and　withal　so　hungry　that　he　longed　for　supper；　whereupon；　with　a
light　heart；　he　had　his　late　enemy　the　sting…ray　cooked　and　ate　him。　They
then　named　the　place　Sting…ray　Island　and；　the　tide　serving；　got　off　the
sand…bar　and　down　the　bay；　and　so　came　home　to　Jamestown；　having　been　gone
seven　weeks。

Like　Ulysses；　Smith　refuses　to　rust　in　inaction。　A　few　days；　and　away　he　is
again；　first　up　to　Rappahannock；　and　then　across　the　bay。　On　this　journey
he　and　his　men　come　up　with　the　giant　Susquehannocks；　who　are　not
Algonquins　but　Iroquois。　After　many　hazards　in　which　the　forest　and　the
savage　play　their　part；　Smith　and　his　band　again　return　to　Jamestown。　In
all　this　adventuring　they　ha