1608
                 ADVENTURE ON THE CHICKAHOMINY

                          by John Smith









şiElectronically Enhanced Text (c) Copyright 1996, World Library(R)
DAK Upgraded Edition, Copyright 2000, DAK Industries 2000, Inc(R)şI

{AN_ADVENTURE_ON_THE_CHICKAHOMINY
               An Adventure of the Chickahominy


  OUR president having occasion to chide the smith for his
misdemeanor, he not only gave him bad language, but also offered
to strike him with some of his tooles; for which rebellious act
the smith was by a Jury condemned to be hanged, but being upon
the ladder continuing very obstinate, as hoping upon a rescue:
Relation when he saw no other way but death with him, he became
penitent, and declared a dangerous conspiracy, for which Captaine
Kendall as principal was by a Jury condemned and shot to death. This
conspiracy appeased, I set forward for the discovery of the River
of Checka Hamania.

  Forty miles I passed up the river, which for the most part
is a quarter of a mile broad, and three fatham and a half deep,
exceeding osey, many great low marshes, and many high lands,
especially about the midst at a place called Moysonicke, a
Peninsule of four miles circuit, betwixt two rivers joined to the
main, by a necke of forty or fifty yards, and forty or fifty
yards from the high water marke. On both sides in the very neck
of the maine, are high hills and dales, yet much inhabited, the
Ile declining in a plaine fertile corne field, the lower end a
low marsh; more plentie of swannes, cranes, geese, duckes, and
mallards, and divers sorts of fowles none would desire: more
plaine fertile planted ground, in such great proportions as there
I had not seene, of a light blacke sandy mould, the cliffes
commonly red, white and yellowe colored sand, and under red and
white clay, fish great plenty, and people aboundance, the most of
their inhabitants, in view of the neck of Land, where a better
seat for a towne cannot be desired. At the end of forty miles
this river invironeth many low Ilands, at each high water drowned
for a mile, where it uniteth it selfe, at a place called Apokant
the highest Towne inhabited. Ten miles higher I discovered with
the barge; in the mid way, a great tree hindred my passage which
I cut in two: heere the river became narrower, eight, nine, or
ten foote at a high water, and six or seven at a lowe: the
streame exceeding swift, and the bottom hard channell, the ground
most part a low plaine, sandy soyle; this occasioned me to
suppose it might issue from some lake or some broad ford, for it
could not be far to the head, but rather then I would endanger
the barge, yet to have beene able to resolve this doubt, and to
discharge the imputation of malicious tungs, that halfe suspected
I durst not for so long delaying, some of the company as desirous
as my self, we resolved to hier a Canow, and returne with the
barge to Apocant, there to leave the barge secure, and put our
selves uppon the adventure: the country only a vast and wilde
wildernes, and but only that Towne. Within three or foure mile we
hired a Canow, and two Indians to row us the next day a fowling:
having made such provision for the barge as was needfull, I left
her there to ride, with expresse charge not any to go ashore til
my returne. Though some wise men may condemn this too bould
attempt of too much indiscretion, yet if they well consider the
friendship of the Indians, in conducting me, the desolatenes of
the country, the probabilitie of some lacke, and the malicious
judges of my actions at home, as also to have some matters of
worth to incourage our adventurers in England, might well have
caused any honest minde to have done the like, as wel for his own
discharge as for the publike good. Having two Indians for my
guide and two of our own company, I set forward, leaving seven in
the barge; having discovered twenty miles further in this desart,
the river stil kept his depth and bredth, but much more combred
with trees: here we went ashore (being some twelve miles higher
then the barge had bene) to refresh our selves, during the
boyling of our vituals. One of the Indians I tooke with me, to
see the nature of the soile, and to crosse the boughts of the
river, the other Indian I left with M. Robbinson and Thomas Emry,
with their matches light and order to discharge a peece, for my
retreat at the first sight of any Indian, but within a quarter of
an houre I heard a loud cry, and a hollowing of Indians, but no
warning peece.

  Supposing them surprised, and that the Indians had betraid
us, presently I seazed him and bound his arme fast to my hand in
a garter, with my pistoll ready bent to be revenged on him: he
advised me to fly, and seemed ignorant of what was done, but as
we went discoursing, I was struck with an arrow on the right
thigh, but without harme. Upon this occasion I espied two Indians
drawing their bowes, which I prevented in discharging a French
pistoll: by that I had charged againe three or four more did the
like, for the first fell downe and fled: at my discharge they did
the like, my hinde I made my barricado who offered not to strive.
Twenty or thirty arrowes were shot at me but short, three or four
times I had discharged my pistoll ere the king of Pamaunck called
Opeckankenough with two hundred men, invironed me, eache drawing
their bowe, which done they laid them upon the ground, yet
without shot, my hinde treated betwixt them and me of conditions
of peace, he discovered, me to be the Captaine, my request was to
retire to the boate, they demaunded my armes, the rest they saide
were slaine, only me they would reserve: the Indian importuned me
not to shoot. In retiring being in the midst of a low quagmire,
and minding them more then my steps, I stept fast into the
quagmire, and also the Indian in drawing me forth: thus
surprised, I resolved to trie their mercies, my armes I caste
from me, till which none durst approch me.

  Being ceazed on me, they drew me out and led me to the King;
I presented him with a compasse diall, describing by my best
meanes the use therof, whereat he so amazedly admired, as he
suffered me to proceed in a discourse of the roundnes of the
earth, the course of the sunne, moone, starres and plannets. With
kinde speeches and bread he requited me, conducting me where the
Canow lay and John Robbinson slaine, with twenty or thirty
arrowes in him. Emry I saw not, I perceived by the aboundance of
fires all over the woods, at each place I expected when they
would execute me, yet they used me with what kindnes they could:
approaching their Towne, which was within six miles where I was
taken, only made as arbors and covered with mats, which they
remove as occasion requires: all the women and children, being
advertised of this accident, came foorth to meet them, the King
well guarded with twenty bowmen five flanck and rear, and each
flanck before him a sword and a peece, and after him the like,
then a bowman, then I, on each hand a boweman, the rest in file
in the reare, which reare led foorth amongst the trees in a
bishion, eache his bowe and a handfull of arrowes, a quiver at
his back grimly painted: on eache flanck a sargeant, the one
running alwaiss towards the front the other towards the reare,
each a true pace and in exceeding good order. This being a good
time continued, they caste themselves in a ring with a daunce,
and so eache man departed to his lodging, the Captain conducting
me to his lodging. A quarter of Venison and some ten pound of
bread I had for supper; what I left was reserved for me, and sent
with me to my lodging: each morning three women presented me
three great platters of fine bread, more venison then ten men
could devour I had; my gowne, points and garters, my compas and a
tablet they gave me again. Though eight ordinarily guarded me, I
wanted not what they could devise to content me: and still our
longer acquaintance increased our better affection. Much they
threatened to assault our forte, as they were solicited by the
King of Paspahegh, who shewed at our fort great signes of sorrow
for this mischance.

  The King tooke great delight in understanding the manner of
our ships, and sayling the seas, the earth and skies and of our
God: what he knew of the dominions he spared not to acquaint me
with, as of certaine men cloathed at a place called Ocanahonan,
cloathed like me, the course of our river, and that within four
or five daies journey of the falles, was a great turning of salt
water. I desired he would send a messenger to Paspahegh, with a
letter I would write, by which they shold understand, how kindly
they used me, and that I was well, least they should revenge my
death; this he granted and sent three men, in such weather, as in
reason were unpossible, by any naked to be indured. Their cruell
mindes towards the fort I had deverted, in describing the
ordinance and the mines in the fields, as also the revenge
Captain Newport would take of them at his returne, their intent,
I incerted the fort, the people of Ocanahonum and the back sea;
this report they after found divers Indians that confirmed. The
next day after my letter, came a salvage to my lodging, with his
sword to have slaine me, but being by my guard intercepted, with
a bowe and arrow he offred to have effected his purpose: the
cause I knew not, till the King understanding thereof came and
told me of a man a dying, wounded with my pistoll: he tould me
also of another I had slayne, yet the most concealed they had any
hurte: this was the father of him I had slayne, whose fury to
prevent, the King presently conducted me to another Kingdome,
upon the top of the next northerly river, called Youghanan.


                         THE END