Class J . Book W^t A •^^^K'^t SERIES OF HISTORICAL TALES, F o 11 y (t i: T II ,• Key & Meilke, have in course of publication, a series of Tales, Anec- dotes, Sketches, and Adventures, for Children and Youth, drawn from Amer- ican History, and designed to be both interesting and instructive. By Lam- BERi LiLLYj Schoolmaster. O" These works are somewhat in the style of Peter Parley's Tales, but are adapted to more advanced readers. They are elegantly got up, with Engravings from orig- inal designs. The first three volumes of the series are already published, viz : The Story of the Americas Revolution, illus- trated by Tales, Sketches, and Anecdotes. The History of New England, illustrated by Tales, Sketches, Anecdotes, and Adventures. The Early History of the Southern States, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, illustrated by Tales, Sketches, and Anecdotes. (CFThe other volumes will contain the History of the Middle States, the History of Mexico, the History of the West Indies, the History of South America, and the History of Canada, Greenland, and Iceland. Capture of Guffcnreid, and Laxcson. Smith Carrying o(j- the Indian Chicj THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE ^ SOUTHERN STATES: VIRGINIA, NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA, AND GEORGIA. WITH >-UMEROUS ENGRAVINGS. BY LAMBERT LILLY, SCHOOLMASTER. - Uv^^ PHILADELPHIA rUBI.ISHED BY KEY, 3IIELKE AND BIDDLE. 1832. r '^m Entered, according lo Act of fJoni^ress, in Ihh year 1832, In S.VMVEr, G. Goodrich, in Ibe Cltik's Office in the Diitrict Court of Massachusttl- POPULAR BOOKS FOR YOUTH. ^ Peter Pauley's Tales about South America, illustiated by a map and numerous ei>^raving<. IGino. Peter Parley's Tales about the City and State, of New York, illustrated by a mvip and nuinerou-> enf^ravincs. iGnx). Peter Parley's Tales of thb Sea, with many engrarings. 12m.). Peter Parley's Tales of the Islvnds ix the Pacific Ocean, illustiited by a map and nnmerous tngravlngs. 16ino. Peter Parley's Stories about ancient and Moderx Greece, illustrated by a nnp and manv engravings. This work is carefully adapt- ed to the use of scliools 208 pages, 16mo. Peter Parley's Talk.s about Ancient Rome, avith an Ac- count of Modern Italy, ilhistrsvted by a map and numerous engra- vings. This work is also adapted to the use of si hooU 200 pages, l6mo. Peter Pauley^s Tales of Remarkable Animals, illustrated by numerous engravings, and a plate exiiibiiing the comparative size of vari- ous animals, from the whale to the mouse. Second edition, with many new engravings, and numerous additions and improvements. This work is now particularly adapted to the use of schools, and young readers gen- erally. 300 pages, large 18mo. ' Peter Parley's Stories of the Western States and the Great Valley of the Mississippi, with numerous engravings. 16mo. Peter Parley's Present, with 220 engraving*. 21mo. Peter Parley's Tales about America, translated into familiar French, by M. Surault, and designed for the use of beginners in the studj of the French language. 16mo. Peter Parley's Stories about England, AVales, Scotland AND Ireland, with a map and many engravings. 16mo. Peter Parley's Book of Curiosities, containing descriptions of the most remarkable wonders of nature and art in all parts of the world^ embellished with llX) engravings. 18mo. Peter Parley's Book of thf. TImtrd States, with many en- gravings. The Child's Book of American Geogrvphy, with seventy fine engravings and sixteen m^ps ; designed as an easy and entertaining intro- duction to the study of geography, for the ii-e o( beginners. Square l2mo. The First Book of History for Youth, wih sixty engravings and sixteen maps. By the author of Peter Parley's Tales. 180 pages. Large, l2mo. *:^ This work has been introduced into the first schools in New England and the Middle States, and has been recommended by various reviews as the best book of History for children and youth, from the age of nine to sixteen years, that has ever been published. Second Book of History, embracing the History of Europe, Asia, and Africa, from the commencement of the christian era to the present time, illustrated by sixteen maps and numerous engravings. 180 pages square 12mo. Si CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Early Voyages along the Coast of the Southern States. Patent granted to Walter Raleigh, by Queen Eliza- beth. Exploring Voyage under the Patronage of Raleigh. Discoveries made. Acquaintance formed with the Natives on the Coast of North Carolina. The Voyagers return to England 7 CHAPTER H. Effects of the Voyage upon public Opinion in Eng- land. Name given to the newly-explored Country. Excursions made along the American Coasts, by the new Colonists under Governor Lane. Anec- dotes of the Natives 17 CHAPTER HI. Conspiracy formed by the Indian King Wingina against the new Colony, It is discovered and dis- closed to the Whites by a young Indian. Wingina is killed. Famine in the Colony. They are re- lieved by the arrival of Sir Francis Drake. They embark for England. English Vessels arrive on the Coast 24 CHAPTER IV. A second Colony sent out by Sir Walter Raleigh. Arrival on the American Coast. Fruitless Search for the fifty Colonists left at Croatan by Sir Richard 4 CONTENTS. Granville in his last Voyage. Supposed Fate of these Colonists. The new Colony settles in an Island off Cape Hatteras. Return of the Vessels to Eng- land. Mr. White goes to England as Agent of the Colony. The Potato carried over to Ireland at this Time 31 CHAPTER V. The Expenses incurred by Raleigh in his Attempts to colonize Virginia. He sells his Patent to a Company of Merchants. A new Expedition is sent out under their Direction. They search for the Colony left by Fernando in vain, and return to Eng- land discouraged. Proposals for a neY Expedition under better Auspices. The chief Persons engaged in it 39 CHAPTER VI. Some account of John Smith. His Birth, School- days, and early Character. Death of his Father, and the Consequences of that Event. He travels into France, Flanders, and other Countries. Returns Home. Commences his Travels again. A Series of wonderful Adventures 45 CHAPTER VII. Departure of a new Expedition from England. Arri- val on the Virginian Coast. The Country is par- tially explored. Adventures with the Natives. A Settlement is commenced at Jamestown. It is as- saulted by the Indians, who are repulsed. Smith is honorably acquitted of the Charges brought against him. Captain Newport sails for England 58 CHAPTER VIII. State of the Jamestown Colony at this Time. Con- duct of the President and of Smith. A new Presi- dent chosen. Smith's great Services to the Colony. Preparations for Winter. Provisions brought in by the Indians. Various Adventures of Smith. He is at last captured by the Indians 66 CHAPTER IX. The Adventures of Smith among the Indians. The Ceremonies used to ascertain his Disposition to- CONTENTS, 5 ^ifards them. His Death is resolved upon. It is pre^ vented by Pocahontas, the Daughter of Powhatan. Various Adventures and Anecdotes. Smith's Re- turn to Jamestown , 76 CHAPTER X. The Colonists search for Gold Mines. Exploring Expeditions of Smith. Anecdote of a Stingray. De- scription of the Susquehannock Indians. Adven- tures among various Tribes. Smith is near being drowned. The Rappahannocks conceive a strong Affection for him. Anecdote of King Powhatan and Captain Newport , "^ 89 CHAPTER XI. Anecdotes of King Povvhatan. More Adventures of Smith, He returns to England. State of the Colony at that Time. Its History for several Years after. It is at one Time near being abandoned. Massacre of the 22d of March, 1622 98 CHAPTER XII. History of Carolina resumed. The Albemarle Col- ony. Colony at Oldtown Creek. The latter abandon their Settlement. Their Place taken by a Colony from Barbadoes. History of the latter. Settlement of Charleston. Anecdotes of all these Settlements. The Arrival of a Colony of Palatines from Germany. Settlement of Newbern A ,..,,,... 109 CHAPTER XIII. Some Account of the Indians of Carolina. Their friendly Disposition towards the first Settlers. Oc- casion of the first Interruption of this Harmony. Adventure of Baron Graffenried among the Tus- karoras. His narrow Escape. Fflte of his Com- panions , 121 CHAPTER XIV. General War of the North Carolina Indians against the Whites. Massacre of many of the latter. The South Carolinians come to their Relief against the Savages. The Indians are defeated. Renewal of Hostilities. Assistance a second Time from the Southern Province. The Indians entirely conquer- ed. Their subsequent History 130 6 COxNTENTS. CHAPTER XV. The History of South Carolina continued. Great Excitement of political Parties. Quarrel between Gibbes and Broughton. Administration of Governor Johnson. An Account of the Revolution of 1719. Various Anecdotes connected with it 138 CHAPTER XVI. Jndian War of 1715, in South Carolina. The Yamas- sees and other Indians incited against the English by the Spaniards. Anecdotes of them. Careless- ness on the Part of the Whites. Particulars of the Massacre, and the War which followed. The In- dians are at last conquered. The victorious English troops march into Charleston in Triumph 146 CHAPTER XVlT. Some Account of the Spaniards in FV)rida. Their Hostility to the English Colonies. Occasions of it. Various hostile Expeditions attempted on each Side. Account of the French and Spanish Expedition against Charleston in 170C. They are repulsed with Disgrace 155 CHAPTER XVIII. Origin of the Settlement of Georgia. The first Col- ony which settled in it. They land at the Place now called Savannah. Account of their Proceed- ings for some Months. Anecdotes of the Indians. An Indian Treaty is concluded 163 CHAPTER XIX. Mr. Oglethorpe goes to England. Government of Georgia during his Absence. His Return. Prog- ress of new Settlements. A War breaks out be- tween England and Spain. Oglethorpe undertakes an Expedition against Florida. The Result of it. Anecdotes 173 CHAPTER XX. A Spanish Expedition undertaken against Frederica. Its Defence is vigorously sustained by Oglethorpe. Progress of the Attack. Failure of the Expedition. 184 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. CHAPTER I. Early Voyages along the Coast of the Southern States, Patent granted to Walter Raleigh^ by i^ueen Elizabeth. Exploring Voyage under the Patronage of Raleigh. Discoveiies made. Acquaintance formed ivith the JVa- tives on the Coast of JVorth Carolina. The Voyagers return to England. It must be well kno\\^n to my young readers, that the first permanent English settlement made within the limits of the present United States was at Jamestown, in Virginia. This was in 1607, thirteen years previous to the landing of the Puritans at Plymouth, of which I have told them already. But prior, also, to the Jamestown settlement, others, though not permanent ones, had taken place along the coast. As early as 1584, Queen Elizabeth of England, in consequence of discover- ies made in America by various voyagers, who had 8 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. sailed under her authority, granted a patent to Sir Walter Raleigh, of a vast tract of land upon this con- tinent, known and unknown, comprehended between the 34th and the 45th degrees of north latitude. This patent purported to authorize Raleigh, and "his heirs and assigns forever," to discover and colonize all such remote and barbarous lands as were not actually possessed by any Christian prince or people. All such lands and colonies, however, were to be forever subject to the English crown, and to pay to it a fifth part of all gold and silver which should be obtained. The English had, at this time, great expectations from the wealth of America ; for the discoveries and adventures of the Spanish and Portuguese, in the southern half of the continent, had inflamed the avaricfe and the ambi- tion of all Europe. Raleigh availed himself, without delay, of his patent. But he was a gallant courtier, in high fa- vor with his queen, and he cherished hopes of a, better fortune in England than he could ever eX' pect to make by exploring the wilds of America, To prevent the necessity, therefore, of embarking for the latter country himself, he procured the as< sistance of a company of Lc^ndon merchants and others. With the aid of their funds, he was not long in fitting out two small vessels. These were plentifully supplied with necessaries of all kinds, and put under the command of Captains Philip Armidas and Arthur Barlow, famous adven- EARLY HISTORY pF VIRGINIA. 9 turers at that period. They set sail from the river Thames, on the 27th of April, 1584. Having touched at the Canary Islands and the West Indies in their course, they approached the coast of Flori- da on the 2d of July, and soon found themselves in shoal water. Land was not yet visible ; but a deli- cious fragrance, with which the western breeze came loaded, announced both the nearness and the direction of the shore. On the fourth day after this, they saw land. The general name of Florida had been given, previous to this time, to the whole extent of conti- nent from cape Florida to cape Breton. It is diffi- cult to ascertain precisely, therefore, what point of land our adventurers first came in sight of It is recorded, however, that, after coasting 120 miles, they cast anchor at Wococon island, lying between cape Hatteras and cape Fear. This was described to be about twenty miles in length, and six in breadth, covered with wood, and abounding with sea-fowl. This is supposed to have been one of those islands which lie at the mouth of Albemarle sound, on the coast of North Carolina; probably the island of Ocracock. The first landing-place, says the writer of the voyage, whose journal I chiefly follow, was sandy and low, but so full of grapes, that the very surge of the sea sometimes overflowed them. Moreover, they found such plenty in all places, we are told, alike on the strand, the green soil, hills and plains, A* 10 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. on every little shrub, and even climbing the tops of tall cedar-trees, " that they did thinke in the world were not the like abundance." Here a party went on shore, and passed by the sea-side towards the tops of the next hills. There they could view the sea on both sides, and the island from one end to the other. Discharging their mus- kets, by way of amusement, a large flock of white cranes rose near by them, " with such a cry as if an army of men had shouted altogether." Furthermore, it seems the island had many good- ly cedars in its valleys ; and deer, conies and fowl in incredible abundance ; and " pynes, cypres, sax- efras, the lentisk-tree that beareth mastick, and many other of excellent smell and qualitie." My readers may be amused with these specimens of the quaint style of this ancient writer. They will recol- lect that it is nearly two centuries and a half since he wrote. They saw none of the native islanders till the third day, when three of them appeared in small boats. One of these went on shore, and the sailors rowed after him from the vessels. He waited for them without the least appearance of fear, and en- tertained them with his conversation for some time. But of this they understood, of course, not a word. He even ventured aboard the long-boat of the sail- ors ; and they rewarded his good humor and curiosi- ty by giving him a shirt and hat, which he liked very well ; and their wine and meat he liked still EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. H better. After he had examined the sailors, and the boat, and every thing on board of it sufficiently, he went away in his own boat. Within a quarter of a mile, he loaded it with fish from the sea. With these he came again to the landingr place, in the course of an hour or two, and there divid- ed them into two heaps upon the sand, pointing and making gestures to express that one part belonged to one ship, and the other part to the other, and so de- parted. This, without doubt, was intended as a grateful return for the sailors' presents to himself. On the following day, 40 or 50 Indians approached the ships. They left their canoes at a small dis- tance in a cove, and presented themselves on the beach. Granganimo,» their sachem, was among them. His rank app6a^ by h^g deportment ; his name was learnt afterwards. He took his seat upon a long mat brought by some of his party ; and four of his chief men seated themselves upon the other end of the mat. The rest of the Indians kept at a respectful distance. The masters of the two ships now landed, with some of their crews, under arms. They approached the sachem; and he, without giving the small- est symptom of fear, made signs for them to seat themselves near him. He then stroked his own head and breast, and afterwards theirs, gently, to signify his desire of mutual confidence and friend- ship. After this, he made a long speech, which they endeavored in vain to understand. 13 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. They now gave him various presents, which he received thankfully. Others were given to his four attendants ; but the old sachem took them all from their hands, making signs, vv'ith a dignified air, that every thing of this kind belonged of right to himself. The Indians manifested a great respect for him, not one of them, except the four attendants, speaking or sitting in his presence. Pie described himself to the English, as well as he could, to be a brother of an Indian king. The latter had been shot in two places through the body with arrows, he said, in a conflict with his mortal enemy, and nov/ lay at his chief town, six days' journey distant. Granganimo came again a day or two after this ; and the English entertained Mm vvith an exhibition of their various furniture onboard the vessels. He was amazingly delighted v/ith a pewter dish, among other articles of the same kind. For this he gladly gave the sailors twenty deer-skins, then worth 20 crowns. He then made a hole in the dish, and hung it about his neck for a breast-plate. Yie may pre- sume that no civilized hero v/as ever prouder of shield and spear, than this simple sachem was of his platter. He was still more pleased with a bright copper kettle, which he seemed to consider a miracle of art. He willingly gave 50 more deer-skins for it. This was too heavy and too large for his head, or he would have ivorn it for a helmet, without doubt. " Much other truck (trade) we had," says the writer EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 13 before quoted, " and two days after the chief came aboord, and did eat and drinke with vs very mer- rily." Not long after, he brought his wife and children. ** They were but of meane stature, but well fauoured and very bashful." The wife wore a long coat of leather, we are further informed, and a band of white coral about her forehead. In her ears were bracelets of pearl, hanging down about a yard, "of the bignesse of great pease." The rest of the wo- men had pendents of copper, and the sachem wore five or six in each ear. Both sexes decked and dressed themselves alike, excepting that the women wore their hair long on both sides, and the men on one only. Their complexion is said to have been yellow, probably copper-colored, and their hair gen- erally black; though there were some children among them who had " very fay re chesnut-coloured hayre." These women having formed an acquaintance with the English, and going away well pleased, the fame of the new-comers soon spread over the island. Large numbers of Indians came from all parts, with skins, coral, and various kinds of dyes, to trade with the sailors. But whenever Granganimo was present, none of the Indians dared to trade but himself, and those who were authorized to wear red copper on their heads, as he did. These were his chief men, probably. Whenever he came, moreover, if it happened to 14 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. be in the night, he would signify, by a certain num- ber of fires, that he came with so many boats. The object of this was, that the Enghsh might know who was coming, and what was his strength, and not be alarmed with the idea of a sudden assault from the natives. Each of these Indian boats was but one great log, burnt out, or hollowed out in some other way, in the form of a trough. The sachem was much pleased with a set of Eng- lish armor, and he oifered a bag of pearl in ex- change for it. This was refused, however ; " pre- tending not to set any value upon the pearl," says our writer, " that wee might the better learn where it grew." Perhaps another reason was, that they did not wish the savages to learn the use of the English arms. Granganimo became quite a favorite with the English. He was not only civil, as we have seen, but honest, and true to his promises. They trusted his word often, and he would always come at the time and place agreed upon. He usually sent, eve- ry day, to the ships, a brace of ducks, conies, rab- bits, fish, and sometimes melons, walnuts, cucum- bers, " pease and diuers rootes." The natives are said to have raised three crops of corn yearly, plant- ing it in May, June and July, and reaping it in July, August and September, or a month later. The climate was described as delightful, and the " soyle " as the most plentiful, sweet, wholesome and fruitful to be conceived of As a proof of its EARLY HISTORY OF VIRpiNIA. 15 Strength, Captain Armidas records, that some peas which he planted were fourteen inches high ten days after making their appearance above ground. Soon after this, the captain, with seven of his men, set out upon a short voyage of discovery, and ventured in a boat up the river Occam, as it was called by the natives. This must have been Pam- lico sound. On the second evening after sailing, the party arrived at the isle of Roanoke, near the mouth of Albemarle sound, and about seven leagues from the harbor where they first landed. The village of Granganimo, situated on the north- ern extremity of this island, consisted of nine houses, built of cedar, and fortified with circles of palisades. The sachem himself was absent when the English arrived there with their boat ; but his wife received them with all possible civility. Their boat she ordered to be drawn on shore, that it might not be injured by the surge ; the oars, for better security, were taken to her own house ; and the English, by her orders, were conveyed from the boat on the backs of the natives. When they entered the second room, of which there were five in her house, she caused her guests to sit down by a great fire, to dry their clothes ; for it was raining. Some of her women then washed their stockings, and others their feet, in warm water, she herself being actively employed, meanwhile, in providing a banquet. When their clothes were dry, she con- ducted them into a third apartment. Here a wide 16 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. board had been put up horizontally along the wall, for a table. This was covered with venison, roast- ed fish, melons, boiled roots, and fruits of various kinds, and corn, prepared as it is to this day in the Southern States, and called ' homony.' The English seamen set themselves upon this ar- ray of good things with an appetite which did hon- or to the cookery, and gave the lady of the house great pleasure. Whilst they were still eating, some of her people came into the room, from mere curi- osity, with their bows and arrows. The English sus- pected treachery, and flew to their arms. The good hostess perceived their suspicions at once, and or- dered the bows to be taken from her people, their ar- rows to be broken, and themselves to be driven out of the house for their rudeness in entering without leave. In the evening, the English thought it prudent to return to their boat ; and, putting off at a small dis- tance from the shore, they lay there at anchor. Their kind hostess seemed to be grieved at their apparent want of confidence, but pressed them no further. She sent their supper to the shore, half- boiled as it was. Finding that the English still feared some surprise, she sent a number of men and thirty women to sit upon the strand all night as a guard. She also sent the English five mats, as a protec- tion against the rain, and did all she could to per- suade them to return to her house, but to no pur- pose. They returned towards their ships the next morning, the island of Roanoke having thus been EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 17 the limit of their present discoveries. They pro- cured no information of importance from the na- tives, but a confused account of a ship wrecked upon that coast some twenty or thirty years before. The two ships returned to England about the middle of September, carrying over two of the natives, Man- teo and Wanchese, who voluntarily accompanied them. CHAPTER 11. $ Effects of the Voyage upon public Opinion in England. J^Pame given to the neivly-explored Counti^. Excursions made along the, American Coasts, hy the new Colonists under Governor Lane. Anecdotes of the JVatives. The accounts which these voyagers gave of their adventures and observations in America pro- duced a great effect in England. It soon came to be generally understood that a wonderful country and a wonderful people had been discovered. It was said that a fragrant and delicious smell had breathed out upon the vessels long before they had reached the American shore. Then the woods were full of game. It appeared, moreover, that ev- ery bush was loaded down with grapes, like a Lon- don porter. A savage could fill his canoe with fish in an hour in the sound. The natives were hospita- ble and inoffensive. Pearls had been seen in some places ; and the sachems wore jewels in their ears 2* 18 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. and noses, nobody knew of what value. " What an amazing country!" was the word now among all classes. Many entertained hopes that vast quanti- ties of gold and silver would yet be discovered. Queen Elizabeth was greatly pleased with this addition to her dominions. The new country was called Virginia by her direction — a name long ap- plied to every part of this continent claimed by the English nation. Soon after the return of the two ships, Sir Walter Raleigh was elected a member of parliament from Devonshire. He was also knight- ed by the queen ; and his patent was confirmed by an act of parliament. Seven ships were immediately prepared for a sec- ond expedition, and placed under the command of Ralph Lane and Sir Richard Granville. This little squadron reached the American coast on the 26th of July, 1585, and dropped their anchors outside of the bar, at Wococon. Lane and Granville, with 50 or 60 officers and men, immediately crossed the sound in boats, to explore the country. Manteo, the native, had returned from England with this second expedition, and was now of essen- tial service to the English. His knowledge of the coast made him useful as a pilot, and his knowl- edge of the Indian languages as an interpreter; and, besides, his attachment to the English, and his zeal in their cause, very much facilitated a firee and friendly intercourse between them and the natives. Under his guidance, they made several excursions EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 19 upon the coast. They discovered, among other things, an Indian town near the mouth of Pamlico river, and another near the mouth of the Neuse. They next ventured about 80 leagues, as they sup- posed, to the southward. In this direction, the ut- most limits of their discoveries was an Indian place called Socotan, near the present site of Beaufort, where they were civilly entertained by Wingina, the brother of Granganimo. Here the water became so full of flats and shoals, that the English pinnaces could go no farther. As they had but one small boat, and this could carry but four oars and fifteen men, with provisions for a few days, they concluded to turn back. Some of the party proceeded to Wococon by the shortest course ; but Granville, with the rest, returned to Aquasco- sack, a town on the waters of the Neuse. His object there was to demand a silver cup, which was stolen from him when he had first visited that town on his late circuit. He obtained the prom- ise of its return, but the promise was not kept; and the Indians, apprehending danger, in consequence of his expected anger, fled to the woods. This drew upon them the indiscriminate vengeance of the English commander. The town of Aquascosack was burnt, and the standing corn and other crops utterly destroyed. This was a rash proceeding, to speak of it in the mildest terms ; and it afterwards cost the English settlers very dear, by enraging the natives. so Early history of Virginia. After this outrage, Granville sailed to the island of Roanoke, where h6 left behind him 108 persons, as the foundation of a colon>\ Mr. Lane was ap- pointed governor ; and Armidas, one of the captains in the former voyage, was appointed admiral. Thomas Heriot, a famous mathematician, and par- ticular friend of Sir Walter Raleigh, also remained with the colony. While the fleet lay at anchor off Point Hatteras, Granganimo paid his last visit to the English, in company with Manteo. Soon after, Granville sailed for England. On the 18th of September, he arrived at Plymouth, bringing in with him a rich Spanish prize, which he had the good fortune to take on his passage. The chief employment of the colony at Roanoke, meanwhile, was to explore the country for the pur- pose of acquiring a knowledge of its geography and its productions. Governor Lane made various ex- cursions along the coast during the fall and winter. He was accompanied by Mr. Wythe, a skilful English painter, sent out by Raleigh, to take sketches of the situation of the country^ and the figures and fashions of the natives. To the north, Lane advanced as far as the territo- ries of the Chesapeakes, an Indian nation seated on a small river, now called Elizabeth, which falls into the great bay of Chesapeake, below Norfolk. To the north-west, he went up Albemarle Sound and the river Chowan, more than 100 miles, to the set- EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 21 tlements of a nation of Indians called the Chowan- okes. These lived a little beyond the fork of the river, where one branch now takes the name of Nottoway, and the other of Meherrin. But as Governor Lane undertook to effect his purposes among the natives by force always, instead of persuasion, he met with indifferent success. The Indians had by this time become a little jealous of the colonists ; and the best friend of the latter, Granganimo, died in the spring of this year, 1586. His brother, Wingina, succeeded to the govern- ment of his subjects, according to the Indian order of sovereignty in that country. Wingina immedi- ately removed from Socotan to the mouth of Albe- marle Sound. He had never expressed either hos- tility or attachment to the English ; but their recent ravages at Aquascosack had made him their mortal enemy. The governor tarried so long among the Chowan- okes, that Monatenon, the Chowanoke king, became uneasy, and very desirous of getting rid of him. In- stead of attempting it by force, however, he cun- ningly endeavored to work upon the governor's cu- riosity and avarice. He gave him to understand, that a powerful king resided upon an island to the northward, (in James river,) in whose dominions pearls could be obtained without number, and of great value. This island, he added, was not more than three days' journey distant ; and he offered guides, if the governor should be disposed to make that king a visit. 23 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. But this he declined. He was not in search of pearls, but of gold. Monatenon, not discouraged by his first failure, then described the river Roanoke as the certain road to great discoveries. Moratock river was said to rise 30 or 40 days' journey above the town of that name, from a great rock ; and that rock was so near the ocean, that salt water was dashed over it by every storm, so as to mingle with the fresh water in the river. Lane has left a journal of his proceedings at this time, and he says that he made up his mind to go and test the truth of these stories, taking with him " two wherries and fortie persons." Shiko, the son of Monatenon, had increased his eagerness by telling him of valuable copper-mines on the river Roanoke, of which the ore yielded two fifths of pure copper. The governor was confident, from all these ac- counts, that he had discovered the " South Sea," as the ocean on the western coast of this continent was then called. Of the existence of copper, more- over, he thought there could be little doubt ; though he rather conceived that gold was the metal they described, from its being washed down by torrents. He resolved, at all events, to go in quest of these treasures. South Sea and all. By some strange abuse of power, while staying with the Chovvanokes, he had seized upon Monate- non ; and he now held him prisoner in the midst of his tribe. As that chief could bring 3000 bowmen EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 23 into battle, this was certainly a rash step ; but, as his enmity was now excited, it was still more im- prudent, perhaps, to set him free. The governor did so, however, and then made his son Shiko pris- oner in his stead. He was now ready to ascend the river ; but, being unacquainted with the navigation of it, he sent to the coast for a pilot, Wingina, his old enemy, pro- fited by this delay, to inform the Moratock and Mangoack Indians on the Roanoke, that Lane was coming to destroy them. They believed the story, and removed their families and corn from the banks of the river. The pilot having arrived, the governor now as- cended the river with his two boats and 40 men ; but, as he had depended on the Indians for a supply of provisions, the party " as narrowly escaped staru- ing in that discouerie as ever men did." Lane did not see an Indian for three days after starting ; but his people would not return, though their provisions were soon reduced to a pint of corn per man, and two mastiff dogs, which they were compelled to eat, having boiled them with sassafras, before their return to Roanoke. On the evening of the third day, some Indians from the bank shouted for Manteo, who was with the English party. Man- teo put on his armor, and a shower of arrows soon apprized the governor that his enemies were around him. He landed, and pursued the Indians until dark, but without overtaking them. 34 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. The next morning, Lane rapidly descended the river, which they had been three days rowing np. *' Here," says the governor, in his journal, " our dogs' pottage stood vs in good stead, for we had nothing els." The next day, it seems, they had nothing at all to eat, and were wind-bound besides. But the day after, they came to an Indian town called Chippanum, and there took the liberty to fur- nish themselves with a good stock of fish from the fish-weirs of the Indians, who had fled. They reached Roanoke the next day, still firmly per- suaded that wonderful discoveries might have been made in the South Sea, up the Roanoke, had there been fewer savages to fight, and more " dog pot- tage " to live upon. CHAPTER HI. Conspiracy formed hy the Indian King Wingina against the new Colony. It is discovered and disclosed to the Whites hy a young Indian. Wingina is killed. Fam- ine in the Colony. They are relieved hy the arrival of Sir Francis Drake. T/iey emharkfor England. Eng- lish Vessels arrive on the Coast. The governor returned in good time ; for while he had been cruising among the Moratocks, a re- port had reached the Roanoke colony that the In- dians had killed him. Wingina, the Indian king, EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 25 believed this story, and he resolved to starve out the colony, by removing his own people from the island, neglecting to plant corn, and refusing to trade. But the return of the governor with his prisoner Shiko, made a temporary change in the projects of the In- dian king. This favorable disposition was increased by the conduct of Monatenon, the father of Shiko, who sent Okisko, a subordinate prince, to do homage to the English, and through them to dueen Elizabeth. Okisko came accordingly to the colony with twenty- four attendants, and with presents of pearl.* But the good effect of this embassy upon Wingi- na did not last long. His father, Ensenore, who had been friendly to the English, died upon the 20th of Apri\, l.*;S6 ; and Wingina took this oppor- tunity to compleio ^n Indian conspiracy which he had long been devising. Great preparations were made, as he pretended, to celebrate his father's death in a splendid manner. By the 10th of June, 1500 warriors of several tribes had assembled at his own town, Dasamonquipo. It was concerted, that half this force should lie in ambush near the English settlement, to cut off strag- glers; the rest were to come out and assault the settlement itself, at a given signal, by fire. Twenty of Wingina's best men were appointed to fall upon the governor's house, and set fire to the reeds of * The pearl so frequently sjjoken of by the voyagers we suppose to have been only polished sea-shells. 3 B 26 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. which the roof was composed. Their expectation seemed to be, as the governor himself records, that the fire would occasion him to run out " so nak&d and amazed, that they might without danger knocke out his braines." A similar arrangement was made to surprise Mr. Heriot, and various others of the colony. In fact, every house was to have been fired at the same in- stant. In the mean time, the Indians were to sell nothing to the English, but to employ themselves in spoiling their fish-wiers in the night-time, and do- ing whatever other mischief might be in their pow- er. These measures, it was supposed, would oblige the colonists to disperse in search of food ; and this was all the savages desired. But 50 long as ten English remained in company, one hiwidred Indians, says the governor, in his jourraL would not venture to attack them. Accordingly, as the famme increased in the colo- ny. Captain Stafford was sent off to a part of the coast called Croatan, with twenty men, " to feede himselfe, and see if he could cspie any sayle passe the coast." Mr. Predeox was sent to Hatteras with ten more, for the same purpose; and other small parties scattered about upon the main land, in vari- ous directions, to live upon roots and oysters. Wingina still remained at his usual residence on the main land. Some of his associates, however, had crossed to the island, to take the lead in the projected massacre. The storm was, in fact, just EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 27 teady to burst upon the colony, when Shiko, the generous son of Monatenon, who had been recently treated so well as to have formed an attachment for the English, discovered the designs of Wingina by some fortunate accident, and disclosed them to the governor. The governor now began to plot in his turn. He sent a message to Wingina, that he proposed going to Croatan the next day, to look for ships that were expected on the coast, and that he should call upon him (Wingina) in the morning, to get some corn, and people to assist him in catching fish. Wingina was cunning, however, arid he returned word to the governor, that to spare him so much travel and trouble, he would himself come to Roanoke, and pay the colony a visit. Meanwhile he delayed some days, with the view of collecting his whole force of Indians. This the governor soon suspected, and, not liking the idea of quite so much company of this description, he de- termined to have the start of Wingina. He imme- diately sent a party to seize upon the canoes of those Indians who had landed upon the island. With these a skirmish ensued, and, several of them hav- ing been slain, the rest fled into the woods. The governor crossed over to Dasamonquipo, the next morning, and sent Wingina word he was going to Croatan, and wished to settle a little busi- ness with Mm on his way. Wingina, finding it im- possible to escape, put as good a face upon the mat- 28 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. ter as possible, and waited for the governor's arrival at his own residence. The moment the latter came in sight, he gave a concerted signal to his soldiers, and immediately the Indians were surrounded and fired upon. Wingina was shot in the head with a pistol. He dropped as if dead ; but, watching his opportunity, soon after started up, and ran for the woods like a deer. Not one of the English party could overtake him ; but an Irish boy, at last, shot him a second time, in the back, and so he was finally killed. The colony were still in fear of starving ; but seven days after the death of Wingina, Captain Stafford sent word to the governor, that he had de- scried a fleet of twenty-three sail off Croatan. This proved to be an English squadron, under Sir Fran- cis Drake. He had been instructed to visit the colony on his return from an expedition against the Spanish West Indies. The admiral cast anchor in the open road, for no large vessel had crossed the bar at that time. He supplied the colony with a vessel of seventy tons, and with four months' provisions for one hundred men. He furnished them, also, with two pinnaces, and a sufficient number of able seamen. But the vessel, with the men and provisions on board, was soon after driven to sea by a terrible storm, and never was heard of afterwards. The admiral now offered the colonists a second Tessel of double the size of the first, with a good EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 29 commander, and a stock of provisions. But the ship could not be kept in any place of safety ; and the colonists were by this time entirely discouraged. One and all, therefore, they concluded to return to England with the admiral. They sailed, accord- ingly, on the 19th of June, 1586. A ship of one hundred tons, loaded with stores, arrived on the coast a few days after the fleet had sailed. This vessel had been fitted out by Sir Wal- ter Raleigh, for the relief of the colony. The captain and crew spent some time in looking along the coast, and up the rivers, for the colony, of whose departure they had heard nothing. But finding no traces of them, they returned, in the course of the summer, to England. By a singular coincidence, about a fortnight after this, Sir Richard Granville arrived at Hatteras with three ships, also from England, and well supplied, like the one just mentioned, with necessaries for the colony. He commenced a new search for the English settlement; and this, of course, was equally fi-uitless with the former one. Finding their habita- tions on Roanoke, at last, abandoned and desolate, and being unwilling yet to despair of a settlement which he himself had first planted, he finally deter- mined to land fifty men. These fifty were left upon the island, supplied with provisions for two years, and Sir Richard then sailed for England. It may be amusing to my young readers to men- tion here among so many graver matters, that the 3* 30 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. use of tobacco, now so general throughout the civil- ized world, first became fashionable at this period. It was a native weed on the " Virginian " coast, as the southern country was called ; and Mr. Lane and his associates carried some of it to England. They had learned the use of it from the natives. By the example of Sir Walter Raleigh particular- ly, it soon became a favorite luxury at the English court, and afterwards among the higher and lower classes generally, as it is in a considerable degree at this day. Several good stories are told of its first in- troduction. It is said, that when Sir Walter first began the use of it at court, he took the liberty to lay a wager with the queen, who treated him with great kind- ness and familiarity, that he would determine exact- ly the weight of the smoke which went off in a pipe of tobacco. This he did by first weighing the tobacco, and then carefully preserving and weighing the ashes ; the queen having readily granted that what should be wanting of the original weight, must be evapo- rated in smoke. She paid the wager, according to her promise, in hard, yellow coin ; saying, with a smile, as she paid it, that she had heard of many laborers in the fire, who had turned their gold into smoke, but Raleigh was the first who had turned his smoke into gold. There is a story of a country servant of Sir Wal- ter's bringing him a tankard of ale and nutmeg in EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 31 his study, as he was intently engaged at his book, and, at the same time, smoking his favorite pipe of tobacco. The servant had never before seen this process, and the smoke, which streamed from his master's mouth and pipe, alarmed the poor fellow well nigh out of his wits. lie threw the ale into Sir Wal- ter's face, in order to extinguish the flames, as he af- terwards said ; and ran down stairs, alarming the family, and shouting out, like a madman, that his master would be burnt to ashes, if they did not has- ten to his relief. CHAPTER IV. A second Colony sent out by Sir Walter Raleigh. Arrival on the American Coast. Fruitless Search for the Jl/ly Colonists left at Crontan by Sir Richard Gran- ville in his last Voyage. Supposed Fate of these Colonists. The neiv Colony settles in an Island off Cape Hatteras. Return of the Vessels to England. Mr. White goes to England as Agent of the Colony. The Potato cairied over to Ireland at this Time. Not yet discouraged by his failures, Raleigh still adhered to his original purpose of planting an Amer- ican colony. In the spring of 1587, therefore, he fitted out three vessels, and instructed the passen- gers, who went out on board of them, to found "the city of Raleigh in Virginia." Women and children EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. Sir Walter Raleigh and Servant. EARL\ HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 33 went also, and the fleet was to touch at the West Indies to get cattle and fruit-trees. I may mention here, that though the city just named never was founded, according to the hopes of Sir Walter, yet the legislature of North Carolina, two hundred years afterwards, called their seat of government by his name. Raleigh is still the capi- tal of that state ; and the honor seems to be no more than justice to the memory of the gallant adven- turer. Sir Walter gave particular instructions to the new colonists not to settle at Roanoke island, but to pro- ceed to the waters of the Chesapeake, recently dis- covered by Governor Lane. There, at the mouth of some river, they might build them a city, and re- tain one or two of the vessels, to be employed in collecting provisions and keeping the Indians in check. The commander of the largest ship, Simon Fernando, was to touch at Roanoke only for the purpose of taking off the fifty men left there by Sir Richard Granville. It is not known that this Fernando was either an open or a secret enemy to Sir Walter ; but he cer- tainly did a great deal to thwart the designs of the colony. In the first place, he put into a bay on the coast of Portugal, and left one of the three ves- sels there in distress. After this, though he passed by in sight of the West Indian island Hispaniola, he refused to stop for live stock, and other things, as directed. 84 EARLY HISTOHY OF VIRGINIA. The two vessels now remaining, arrived at cape Hatteras on the 22d of July. White, the appoint- ed governor of the future city, immediately embarked again in the smaller vessel, with fifty picked men, to search for those fifty colonists, who had been left on the isle of Roanoke in the last voyage of Gran- ville. They had no sooner weighed anchor, how ever, than the seamen were ordered by Fernando to bring back neither the fifty planters, nor any other person whatever, but Mr. White and two or three of his attendants. He intended, he said, to sail immediately for England, and must needs be in great haste. Governor White remonstrated, but in vain. The seamen were under Fernando's orders, and were obliged to obey him. The party landed that evening- on Roanoke island. Here they found a fort construct- ed, apparently, by the last colonists of Granville; but of the colonists themselves tliey could see nothing. They set themselves to repairing the abandoned houses on the island, though with heavy hearts. They were somewhat cheered, in a few days, by the arrival of the vessel which had been loft on the coast of Portugal in distress. Six days after their arrival, one of the party, George Howe, was killed by the Indians, as he was roving about the island, for the purpose of fish- ing. One Stafford was now sent to Croatan with twenty men, guided by the Indian Manteo, who still remained with the English. Their object was to EAULY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. Q3 ascertain the fate of the unfortunate colonists of Granville. The Croatan Indians, at first, made a show of fighting; but as soon as they knew Manteo, who was well acquainted with some of them, they threw down their arms, and desired that some token might be given them to be known by. It seems that, a year or two before this, Governor Lane had wounded one of their number, by some rash mis- take, and this poor fellow was still living with them, a miserable cripple. They wished for some such token, that the English might not again take them for foes, and treat them as such. In answer to the anxious inquiries of Mr. White, concerning the fate of the fifty colonists, they in- formed him that these Englishmen had been sud- denly assaulted by three hundred Aquascosack and other Indians. (My readers will recollect the burn- ing of their town by Governor Lane.) The Atha- pescows insinuated themselves among the colonists as friends ; and the first warning which the latter had of their stratagem, was the murder of one of tlieiv number by an Indian. The other settlers immediately fled to their houses', and barricadoed them. But the savages set them on fire at once ; and, the reeds of which the roofs were composed soon making the poor people within un- comfortable, they rushed out, and forced a passage through the ranks of the Indians, with whatever weapons they could lay hands upon. One of theij 36 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. number was shot in tlie mouth, and dropped dead. A savage, also, was killed ; and several were wound- ed on each side. The colonists escaped to the water-side, however and pushed off in their boats. They had hardly rowed a quarter of a mile towards Hatteras, along the shore, before they came suddenly upon four more of their party, who were gathering oysters on the shoals. These they took in with them, and rowed on till they reached a small island near cape Hat- teras, where they landed. Here they remained but a few days ; and the Croatan Indians had heard or seen nothing of them from that time. There seems to be but little doubt, that these un- fortunate men met with a violent death from the hands of the savages. The latter had been irri- tated by the burning of Aquascosack, and the blame of this rash proceeding was attributed by them generally to the white men, without much inqui- ry as to the individuals particularly concerned in it, ISIr. White sent word to the Aquascosack and Dasamonquipo Indians to come and meet him at a certain place. He wished to be sure that they had destroyed the colonists, and, if so, to punish them. He waited for tliem, accordingly, a week ; and then, being confirmed in his suspicions by their delaying to visit him, he grew impatient for revenge, and set out, about midnight, to visit tli^m. He took with him Captain Stafford and twenty-four select men, as eager and rash as himself. EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 37 Rapidly and silently they pursued their voyage along the shore in the darkness of night. They reached Dasamonquipo about day-l)reak. They immediately landed, and surrounded the little village unobserved by the savages, who were sleeping or sitting about their wigwam fires. They . now fell upon these poor wretches with great fury, discharg- ing their muskets, and raising a loud shout. The Indians were completely surprised, and fled into the swamps, like foxes. One of them was shot ; and the English were now quite sure of having their expected revenge, by murdering the whole party. But, by some mere accident, — that of meeting with a savage who knew Stafford, I believe, — they found out that these Indians were their Croatan friends, instead of the blood-thirsty enemies for whom they had rashly and most unhappily taken them. The Indians had come hither from Croatan, it seems, to gather the corn of the Dasamonquipo tribe, having understood that the latter had fled into the back country for fear of White's party. Some of the whites were more vexed than grieved with this tame result of their heroic enterprise. Manteo imputed it to the folly of the Dasamonquipoes, in retreating before they were hurt. Mr. White apologized civ- illy to the Croatans, for having murdered one of their number by a sad oversight. His twenty-four men, meanwhile, contented themselves with twisting off* the ripe ears of the Indian corn, with which hav- ing stuffed their pockets, they valiantly marched off. 4 38 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. On the 13th of August, Manteo was baptized, and honored with some new title, in reward for his long attachment to the English. On the 18th of the same month, the first child was born among the English colonists of this country. This was a daughter of Mrs. Ananias Dare, who was a daugh- ter of Governor White. One hundred persons, who were pleased with the appearance of the country, and not discouraged by the fate of their predecessors, were left, as a colony, on one of the islands near cape Hatteras. The re- mainder, with their vessels, were now ready to sail for England, when a controversy arose, as to which of the officers of the new colony, of whom there were twelve, should go to England as an agent for the rest. All but one declined going; and, unluckily, the whole company agreed that this one was the most un- fit man among them. They declined his offer, there- fore, and persuaded Mr. White to undertake the management of their business in England. He ar- rived at Portsmouth in the fall of 1587. The fleet is said to have touched at a port in Ireland, on its way, and to have left some potatoes there ; which have since become so generally both a necessary and a luxury with the Irish, This plant, like tobacco, was a native root of the Ameri- can soil. On his arrival in England, Mr. White exerted himself, as requested by the colony, in procuring them supplies. But he met with great difficulties. EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 39 The English were engaged, at this time, in a war with the Spaniards, and were making all possible preparations, and pressing every spare man and vessel in the kingdom, for defence against the famous " In- vincible Armada." Sir Walter Raleigh, however, with the aid of his friend Granville, at last fitted out two small vessels. In these Mr. White put to sea at Biddeford, on the 21st of April, 1588. But the voyage was rendered fruitless by the avarice of the commanders. They insisted upon going in quest of Spanish prizes, en- tirely forgetting the poor colonists, and disregarding the entreaties and threats of Mr. White, whom they obliged to go with them on the privateering cruise. They narrowly escaped being captured by the Span- iards, and finally put back, in a shattered condition. CHAPTER V. The Expenses incurred hy Raleigh in his Attempts to colo- nize Virginia. He sells his Patent to a Company of Merchants. A jieiv Expedition is sent out under their Direction. They search for the Colony left hy Fernando in vain, and return to England discouraged. Pro- posals for a neiv Expedition under better Auspices. The chief Persons engaged in it. Raleigh had now expended forty thousand pounds sterling in his attempts to settle a colony, and, hav- ing received no profits whatever in return, was very 40 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. willing to assign his patent rights to a company of London merchants, who were as willing to purchase them. They imagined they could make a more profitable business of it than Raleigh had done. The assignment was made in March, 1589, -reserv- ing to the latter one fifth of the gold and silver which might be discovered. Raleigh, at the same time, liberally made the purchasers a gift of one hundred pounds, " for the propagation of the Christian re- ligion in Virginia." Among this new company was Governor White, and, the Spanish armada being now no longer in his way, he once more embarked for America. He was still in the company of privateers, however, and obliged to take a roundabout course with them, through the Spanish West Indies. After having there captured a number of prizes, the vessel which carried him as a passenger bore away to the north- ward, and, on the 3d of August, 1590, fell in with the low, sandy isles west of Ocrocock. On the 15th, they came in sight of cape Hatteras, and cast anchor a few miles off shore. The next morning. Captain Spicer and Captain Cooke, with tv/o parties of sailors, and two boats, were sent ashore, to look for the colony. They dis- charged a volley of muskets to give them notice of their arrival ; but not a man was found upon the island, nor could any sign of the colony be discov- ered. With this melancholy report, the sailors re- turned to the ships. EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 41 The boats were got out the next morning for a new searcli ; but, by some indiscreet management, one of them was overset in deep water, and Captain Spicer and six sailors were drowned. Four others of the boat's crew were saved by Cooke, who plunged into the sea after them. This misfortune discour- aged the party so entirely, that they had nearly de- termined to make no more exertions whatever. By Cooke's persuasion, however, they were induced to renew their search upon the island once more, with two boats and nineteen men. It was late ere they reached the island, but, see- ing a fire through the woods, they sounded a trum- pet. No answer was returned, and no living crea- ture could be found. In the morning, they found that the flame they had seen was merely a loose fire among the grass and rotten trees. They now strolled up and down the island, and, by and by, came to a place where were several half-decayed houses, sur- rounded by a circle of high and strong palisadoes, as if for defence. Here they found some bars of iron, and masses of lead, four fowling-pieces, iron shot, and other ar- ticles of the same kind, strown about, here and there, within the enclosure, overgrown with grass and weeds. A search was now made along the shore for the boats of the colonists, but none were found. Some sailors succeeded, however, in dis- covering a number of large chests upon the sand, which appeared to have been buried there, and af- 4* 42 EARLVr HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. terwards dug up and broken open. The contents of them lay scattered among the rocks on the shore. " I knew three of the chests for my owne," says Governor White, in his journal of this voyage, " but bookes, pictures and all things els, were spoyled." The governor was much grieved, as he well might be^ with this ravage of his dainty articles ; but he consoled himself with the conjecture, that the colo- nists had only removed from the island, and might yet be found. It seems they had agreed with the governor, three years before, when he last left them for Eng- land, that, in case they should ever remove, they would write the name of the place they removed to in some conspicuous situation on the island. If their removal was occasioned by distress, moreover, they were to draw a cross over the word. Now, it seems that some of the sailors, in roving about the island, had found the syllable CRO, carv- ed on the bark of a tree, in large letters ; " and upon one of the chiefe posts of the palisadoes, also," says the governor, in his journal, " was earned in fayre capitalls, CROATAN, without any signe of dis- tresse." The next morning, therefore, having rode out a terrible storm which blew all night, the ships weighed anchor for Croatan. In this short expedition, they experienced new disasters. One of their cables broke, by which they lost two anchors ; and, having dropped the third, they were drifted so far, that the ship was near EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 43 Stranding. The crew was now completely dis- heartened. They insisted on sailing immediately for the West Indies, under pretence of recruiting themselves there, as they gave out, and returning in the spring to look farther for the colonists. Such was the last serious attempt which either Raleigh or his assignees made to settle a colony in this part of America. Here, therefore, for the present, must end so much of my history as con- cerns North Carolina. My young readers will wonder that the founding of a colony should be attended with all the difficul- ties I have described. They should remember, however, that the settlers who first came over, were mostly of a class unaccustomed to labor with their own hands. They could not even support them- selves in the woods by their acquaintance with the use of the gun. They came out, expecting to find gold and silver mines, as the Spaniards had done in South America and Mexico, and were wholly unprepared either to associate with savages, or to live upon roots, wild fruits, or "potted mastiffs." I shall tell you now of the first English settlement in Virginia, properly so called. No man had more to do in bringing this about, than Captain Bartholo- mew Gosnold. This experienced seaman had made a voyage along part of the American coast, in 1602 ; and he returned to England with such a glowing account of rich furs, and fine soil, and various other things he had met with, that the spirit of discovery 44 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. was again kindled in the hearts of the English people. The merchants of London, Bristol, Exeter and Plymouth were among the first to propose new ex- peditions; and their proposals, seconded by Gos- nold, met with the approbation of King James, who was now upon the throne. He granted them a pat- ent, on the 10th of April, 1606, by which the whole tract of country, from the 34th to the 41st degree of north latitude, in America, was put under their con- trol. A council was also appointed to manage the affairs of the American settlements, generally ; and another council of seven, from among those who were about to embark for Virginia, to have the con- trol of that colony in particular. The names of these seven were contained in a sealed paper, which the colonists were forbidden to break open until twenty-four hours after they should land in America. Among others who set out, at this time, for America, was the celebrated Captain John Smith. As his reputation was of great service to the Vir- ginia company in England, and his adventures, dur- ing his whole life, were very remarkable, I will enter- tain my young friends, here, with some account of him. There is so much of the wonderful about it, I confess, that, if history were not positive and very clear upon the subject, T should expect you to think me amusing you with a fiction of my own coinage. But the adventures of Smith are no fiction. Few biographies of iiLodern times are better authenticated. EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 45 CHAPTER VI. Some Account of John Smith. His Birth, School-days, and early Character. Death of his Father, and the Conse- quences of that Event. He travels into France, Flanders, and other Countiies. Returns Home. Commences his Travels again. A Series of wonderful Adventures. John Smith ^vas born at Willoughby, in Lincoln- shire, England, in the year 1579. From the earliest period, when he discovered the first traits of his char- acter, it appeared to be in the highest degree romantic and enterprising. He began, in his childhood, with practising such queer pranks among his young com- rades at school, as absolutely amazed them; and very likely the good schoolmaster too. Nothing was too extravagant for his daring genius. But he soon grew weary of a confined life, and was wild enough to sell his books and his satchel, and childish play-things of various descriptions, for the purpose of raising money for conveying himself privately to the sea-side. The death of his father, however, put a stop, for the present, to this enter- prise, by committing him to the strict charge of guardians. The latter were determined to keep a sharp eye upon him; and tliey began by putting him out to service in a counting-house, expecting, no doubt, that hard labor and good advice would soon reduce him down to a tolerably tame boy. But they happened to make the grievous mistake, 46 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. in the outset, of putting him with a merchant at Lynn, who was largely engaged in adventures at sea. Smith, being now fifteen years of age, and a stout stripling, began to conceive hopes that his master would send him to sea in his service. In these hopes he was indeed disappointed ; but he had cherished them too long to be satisfied any longer with sweeping the counting-house, and at- tending to the good counsel of his watchful guar- dians. So, without the smallest ceremony, even that of bidding the good Lynn merchant or his family farewell, he started off, one pleasant morning, to seek his fortunes. He had only ten shillings in his pocket at this time, which, it must be allowed, was no great affair for a young fellow determined to travel over the world; but he was lucky enough, soon after, to get into the train of a nobleman, who was going abroad on a tour, and he followed him to France. Whether this nobleman, Lord Bertie, became dissatisfied with Smith, or Smith with Lord Bertie, history does not inform us. He was, at all events, discharged from that gentleman's service, at the city of Orleans, in France, and there money was given him to return to England. His lordship had found out by this time, perhaps, the hasty manner in which Smith had left the Lynn merchant. But Smith was not yet tired of travelling, though his master was tired of him. He started off anew, with more money in his pockets, now, than he had been master of before. He visited the gay city of EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 47 Paris, and then proceeded to the Low Countries, as the Netherlands were then called. Here he enlisted as a soldier inthe Dutch army ; and there learned the rudiments of the military art, for which he had cherished a passion from his childhood. In the course of some months, meeting with a Scotch gentleman abroad, he was persuaded to ac- company him to Scotland, with the promise of being strongly recommended to King James, then upom the Scottish throne, and afterwards James I. of England. But, in this expectation he was disap- pointed, and so concluded to return to Willoughby, his native town. But in this little place, he could find no company which now suited his romantic genius, even as well as his school-fellows had suited him formerly. He built a booth, therefore, in the woods, and there betook himself to the study of military tactics* and the reading of the lives of heroes, and other great characters, amusing him- self, now and then, with his horse and lance. At length he met with a companion, an Italian gentleman, "rider" to the earl of Lincoln. He liked his new acquaintance better than his booth, and was soon induced to leave this solitary den in the woods, for the benefit of foxes and rabbits, and to go to Tattersal, the residence of the earl. Having, soon after this, recovered a part of the estate which his father left him, notwithstanding the trouble his wild pranks had given the old gen- tleman, he dressed and provided himself in a gen- 48 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. teel style, bade adieu to his new friend, the rider, and set off again on his travels. This was in the winter of 1596, when he was seventeen years of age. His first stage was Flanders. Here he met with a Frenchman, who pretended to be heir to a noble French family, and put on such airs, and told such stories, accordingly, as completely aston- ished and deceived Smith. The latter knew rather more about books and booths, at this time, than about men, and especially about rogues. The Frenchman had three accomplices with him, whom he called his servants. This worthy compa- ny, by uniting their exertions, persuaded Smith to travel with them to France; and the voyage was soon undertaken. One dark night, they arrived at Valory, in Picardy. There, by the connivance of the ship-master, who was probably bribed, the Frenchmen were carried ashore in the ship's boat, with the trunks of our young traveller, while he was left on board till the return of the boat. In the mean time, they conveyed the baggage out of his reach. When Smith landed, not one of them was to be found, and the trunks were gone off with them. He was now at a loss what to do, when a sailor on board, who happened to know the three villains, and had conceived an attachment to Smith, generously undertook to conduct him to Mortaine, where the connections of the Frenchmen resided. The sailor supplied Smith's wants till they arrived at Mortaine. There he found the friends of the EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 49 three pickpockets ; but he could get no satisfaction from them, though the report of his adventures and sufferings induced several persons of distinction, in the village, to invite him to their houses. But, eager to pursue his travels, and not caring to receive fa- vors he was unable to requite, he left his new friends, in a few days, and travelled on from port to port, along the coast, in search of a ship of war. In one of these rambles, near Dinau, he happen- ed to meet with one of the three scoundrels who had robbed him. Without speaking a word, both parties drew their swords — a weapon which every body carried in those days. Smith was an adroit fencer, and his practice in the Dutch army, and his exercises in the booth, proved of service to him now. He wounded and disarmed his antagonist, and obliged him to confess his guilt before a number of persons, who had assembled around them to wit- ness the combat. Satisfied with this complete discomfiture of the poor wretch, he retired to the country-seat of an old family acquaintance, the earl of Ployer, who had been educated in England. This gentleman having furnished him liberally with new supplies, he trav- elled along the French coast to Bayonne. From that place, he crossed over to Marseilles, visiting and examining every thing naval or military in his way, and keeping, as you may well suppose, a better look-out than before for pickpockets. At Marseilles, he embarked for Italy, in company 5 C 50 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. with an ignorant and bigoted rabble of pilgrims. The ship was forced by a tempest into the harbor of Toulon, and was afterwards obliged, by a contrary wind, to anchor under the little island of St. May, off Nice, in Savoy. The pilgrims, who were all Catholics of the lowest order, were silly enough to ascribe their ill-fortune to Smith, who was an English Protestant, or " heretic." They began with calling down the vengeance of all the saints of the calen- dar upon him ; but, finding this had no essential effect either upon Smith or upon the foul weather, they fell upon him in a rage, cursing him and the English queen Elizabeth, like pirates. He made a gallant resistance; but they finally succeeded in throwing him headlong into the sea. Smith, however, had luckily learned to swim, as well as to ride, in his young days. So, buffeting the waves with a lusty arm,' he succeeded in reaching the island. The next day, he was taken on board of a ship of St. Malo, which had put in there, like the pilgrims' ship, for shelter. The captain, who hap- pened to be well acquainted with Smith's noble friend, the earl of Ploycr, entertained him kindly, and carried him to Alexandria, in Egypt. From this place, he coasted along the Levant, and, on his return, had the high satisfaction of witnessing a na- val engagement with a Venetian ship, with which nation the French were then at war. They con- quered their Venetian antagonists and rifled them of a rich cargo. EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 51 Smith was set on shore at Antibes, with a box of 3 thousand sequins, (about two thousand dollars,) for his own share of the booty. This good fortune banished the pickpockets and the pilgrims equally from his recollection. He was now enabled to make the tour of Italy, which having completed, he crossed the gulf of Venice, and travelled into Stiria, as far as the residence of Ferdinand, archduke of Austria. Here he met with an English and an Irish Jesuit, who introduced him to Lord Eberspaught, Baron Kizel, and other great characters at court. Among them all, he soon found full scope for his genius. The Austrian emperor was then at war with the Turks, and Smith eagerly enlisted in his army as a volunteer. It was not long before he gained some distinction, by communicating to Eberspaught a method of conversing, or conveying news at a distance, by means of signals, made with torches, which, being alternately shown and hidden a certain number of times, signified every letter of the alphabet. The method is not difficult to be understood ; and if my young friends will attend to an explanation, I will make it as little tedious as possible. In the first place, three torches are shown in a line, equally distant from each other. These are answered from the other party, by three of the same kind. This is to signify, I suppose, that both par- ties are ready to give attention to what follows. 52 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. The alphabet being divided into two parts, the letters from A to L are signified by showing and hiding one light, as many times as there are letters from A to that letter which you mean. The letters from L to Z are indicated by tico lights, managed in the same manner. The end of a word is made known by hoisting three lights. At every letter, the light stands till the other party may have time to. write it down, and answer, by his sig- nal, that he understands it. Smith soon had an opportunity of making an ex- periment with his liglits. Eberspaught, being be- sieged by the Turks, in the town of Olimpach, was cut oif from all intelligence and all hope of succor from his friends. Smith now proposed his method of communication to Baron Kizel, who approved it, and allowed him to put it in practice. He was accompanied, therefore, by a guard to a hill within view of the town, but sufficiently remote from the Turkish camp to be safe. At the display of the signal, Eberspaught knew and answered it. Smith then conveyed to him this intelligence, by his lights — " Thursday night, I will charge on the east : at the alarm, sally thou." The answer was — " I will." On Thursday evening j accordingly, the assault was made ; a great number of false fires having just been kindled in another quarter, by Smith's advice, to distract the attention of the enemy. The assail- ants were soon joined, according to appointment, by a detachment which sallied from the town : they EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 53 killed many of the Turks, drove others into the river, and threw reinforcements into the place. This success, and tlie alarm occasioned by it among the enemy, soon induced them to raise the siege. The exploit procured Smith the command of a company, consisting of two hundred and fifty horse- men, in the regiment of Count Meldrick, a Tran- sylvanian nobleman. This regiment was engaged in several hazardous enterprises, and Smith distin- guished himself so much in the prosecution of them, that, when Meldrick left the Austrian army, and passed into the service of his own prince, he insisted upon Smith's following him. In the course of the war between the Austrians and the Turks, Regal, a town belonging to the lat- ter, and garrisoned by a strong Turkish force, was besieged by a Transylvanian army. The garrison were so confident in the strength of the place, that they ridiculed the slow approaches of the enemy without tlie walls. After a while, they even sent out a challenge, purporting, that " the Lord Turbi- sha," a famous warrior among them, to divert the ladies and to spend the time, would fight any single captain of the Christian troops. The honor of accepting this challenge, being de- termined by lot, fell upon Captain Smith. He met his proud antagonist on horseback, within view of the Turkish ladies on the battlements, and began the encounter at the sound of music. He soon killed the Turk, and bore away his head in triumph 64 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. Smith fighting with the Turk. EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 55 to his general. The death of Turbisha so irritated his particular friend Cunalgo, that he sent an ur- gent challenge to Smith. The latter, not at all daunted, met him within a day or two, with the same ceremonies used in the case of Turbisha, and treated him in precisely the same manner. Smith then sent a message into the town, inform- ing the ladies, that, if they wished for more diver- sion, they should be welcome to his head, in case their third champion could take it. This challenge was accepted by Bonamalgro, a prodigious giant of a Turk. In the combat which ensued before the walls, he unhorsed Smith, and came near gaining the victory; but, remounting nimbly at a critical moment, the latter gave him a quick and powerful stroke with his falchion, which brought him to the ground ; and so his head was added to the other two. In consequence of these exploits, Smith was now honored witli a military procession, consisting of six thousand men, three led horses, and the Turks' heads carried on the points of their lances, in the style of the age. He was afterwards conduct- ed to the pavilion of his general. The latter, after embracing him, presented him with a horse richly furnished, a cimeter and belt, worth three hundred ducats, (about one thousand dollars,) and a major's commission in his own regiment. After the capture of the city, the prince of Transylvania gave him his picture set in gold, a handsome yearly pension, and 1^ 50 EArxLY IIIJSTOKY OF VlRGIMA. a coat of arms, bearing tlirce Turks' heads in a shield, which Smitli wore ever alter. Alter this, lie was wounded in a battle with the Turks, and lay some liours among the dead. The uniform which lie wore discovered him to the con- querors as a person of consenuence, and they used him well till his wounds were healed. They then sold him to a Turkish bashaw, or governor, who sent him as a present to his mistress, Tragabigzan- da, at Constantinople. A messenger was directed to tell her that his master, having conquered a Bohe- mian nobleman, as he called Smith, in battle, pre- sented him to her as a shave. The present proved more acceptable to the lady than the bashaw intended. She could speak Italian, and so could Smith. In that language, therefore, he not only informed her of his country and quality, but conversed with her on other subjects, in so pleasing a manner, that she fell fairly in love with him. To prevent his being ill-treated, she sent him to her brother, a bashaw on the sea of Azoph. Her pretence was, that he might there learn the man- ners and language of the Tartars. Her brother suspected her design, and unkindly dcterinined to disappoint her. So, within an hour after Smith's arrival, he caused Smith to be stripped, his head and beard shaved, and an iron collar put upon his neck. He then clothed him with a coat of hair cloth, and obliged him to labor among the bashaw's Christian slaves. He was not long, how- EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 57 ever, in contriving the means of escape from this desperate situation. He was employed in threshing at a barn, in a large field, about a league from the house of his new master ; and the latter came dai- ly to overlook his work, and treat him with abusive language : this he not unfreqtiently followed up with kicks and blows, and these were more than Smith could bear. He watclied an opportunity one day, when no tliird person was present, and levelled a stroke at the bashaw with his flail, which stunned, if it did not kill him. He then hid the body in the straw, and, shutting the barn door, he filled a bag with grain, mount- ed the bashaw's horse, and betook himself, with all possible despatch, to the desert. There he wander- ed two or three days, ignorant of the way, but was so fortunate as not to meet with a single person who might give information of his flight. At length, he came to a post, erected in a cross- road, by the marks on which he found his way to Moscovy. In sixteen days, he arrived at Exapolis, on the river Don, where was a Russian garrison. Here, the commander, understanding that he was a Christian, received him kindly, took off his iron collar, and gave him letters and passports. These, with the generous assistance of old friends, whom he fell in with on his route through Germany, France and Spain, enabled him to complete his travels. He returned to England in a year or two, with one thousand ducats in his pocket. C* 58 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. I have thus given you some account of this very extraordinary man. I do not mean to recommend his example to you, for I think he would have done better to have remained at home, and pursued some honest calling, than to have enlisted in a foreign army, and fought battles with the Turks. But we must re- member that all this happened more than two hundred years ago, when such bold characters were much raore highly esteemed and encouraged than they are now. I have told you his story, that you may know something of the individual whom I shall soon introduce to you as exercising great influence in the settlement of Virginia. CHAPTER VII. Departure of a new Expedition from England. Arrival on the Virginian Coast. The Country is partially ex- plored. Adventures ivith the JVatives. A Settlement is commenced at Jamestown. It is assaulted by the Indians, who are repulsed. Smith is honorably acquitted of the Charges brought against him. Captain JVewport sails for England. Smith was persuaded by Gosnold, as I have told you before, to embark with the new colonists for Virginia. The merchants concerned in this enter- prise, had provided three vessels : the command of them, with the care of transporting the colonists, EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 59 was intrusted to Christopher Newport, a seaman who had distinguished himself in the Spanish war. The httle squadron sailed from the Thames on the 19th of December, 1606, and proceeded in the old route by the Canaries, where they watered. During their stay here, violent dissensions arose among the adventurers, occasioned by envy of Smith. The result was, that he was put under arrest on the ab- surd charge of an intention to murder the " coun- cil," and make himself king of Virginia. Smith had no more idea of all this than of being king of England; but he was, nevertheless, jealously watched, and kept closely confined during the rest of the voyage. Having touched at the Caribbee islands, on their way, for the purposes of trade and refreshment, they entered the great Chesapeake bay on the 26th of April, 1607. They called the first land which they approached "cape Henry." Here, as thirty of the sailors were recreating themselves on the shore, they were suddenly assaulted by five savages, who wounded two of their number dangerously, and escaped. That night, the box which contained their sealed instructions, mentioned before, was broken open. It was found that seven of the chief colonists were appointed counsellors, of whom Smith was one. He was not, however, allowed the honor intended him by the king's appointment ; but the other six proceeded to choose one of their number, Mr 60 EARLY HISTORY. OF VIRGINIA. Wingfield, president of the council. They then entered on their records the ridiculous reasons why Smith was rejected, and of which you will learn more hereafter. They named the northern point of the bay " cape Charles," in honor of a son of King James, who was afterwards king himself Every object which met their eyes, as they sailed up the broad and shining bo- som of the great Chesapeake, excited their imagina- tions and their hopes. The banks of the bay, upon all sides, as far as sight could reach, were covered with the fresh, green beauty of spring. There were large and majestic navigable rivers, and between them a variety of mountains, plains and valleys, stretching far away in the distance. Bright rivulets came dashing down the hills, and fell into the bay. Innumerable birds spdrted and sang in the green woods upon the shore and the islands; the fish leaped from the sunny waters around them ; and all nature seemed to welcome the coming of the new colony with smiles. Whilst engaged in seeking a proper site for the first settlement, they met five of the natives, who invited them to their town, Kecoughtan, which was situated where Hampton now stands. Here the English were feasted with cakes made of Indian corn, and regaled with tobacco and an Indian dance. In return, they presented the natives with beads and other trinkets. As they sailed farther up the bay, another Indian party appeared in arms on EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. gj Sailing up the Chesapeake. 63 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. the shore : their chief, holding in one hand his bow and arrows, and in the other a pipe of tobacco, the emblems of war and peace, demanded of the Eng- lish the occasion of their visit. The latter made signs of peace, and were then received in a friendly manner. On the 13th of May, they landed on a peninsula, which, for the anchorage and security it afforded, they considered the best place for a settlemertt. Here, again, the natives received them with kind- ness, offered them as much land as they wanted, and sent them a deer for their entertainment. They named this peninsula " Jamestown," in honor of the English king ; and then, to use Smith's own Avords, (in his journal,) "Now falleth every man to Worke ; the councell continue the fort ; the rest cut downe trees, to make place to pitch their tents ; some provide clapbord to relade the ships ; others make gardens and nets." The savages often came in to see them, we are told : but " the presi- dent's ouerweening jealousie would admit no exer- cize, or fortification, but the boughs of trees cast together in the forme of a halfe moone by the paines and diligence of Captaine Kendall." These may serve as specimens of the ancient style of writing ; and they also show that the colonists went busily to work upon the new settlement. The council now found themselves much in need of the services of Smith. They released him, therefore, through pity, as they said, notwithstand- EAELY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 63 ing his *^ outrageous offences," which seemed to consist in their own envy, and in his being the most popular man in the colony. He called loudly for a trial ; but this they had, or pretended to have, no au- thority to grant him. He contented himself, for the present, with accompanying Newport and twenty others up the river, to make discoveries. They went as far as the falls, and visited Powha- tan, the principal king of the country. His town, pleasantly situated on a hill, where there has since been, and, I believe, now is, a plantation, con- sisted of twelve houses. In front of these were three small islands in the river, a little below the spot where Richmond now stands. Some of the Indians, here, are said to have been eager for an immediate assault upon the English. But the king, who was no more friendly, but much more shrewd, kept the savages quiet, and concealed his own hos- tile disposition. " Why should we be offended," said he, "by the coming of these strangers? They want only a little ground, which we can well spare." The cunning old king, now sixty years of age, is sup- posed to have been planning the ruin of the colo- nists at this very time. Captain Newport presented him a hatchet, which he received with apparent pleasure ; and the English then returned down the river. During the absence of this party, and by Powha- tan's directions, perhaps, Jamestown had been at- tacked by a strong body of Indians. The cunning 64 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. Indians had treated the English well, till the latter had grown careless, laid aside their muskets, and, as Smith says, admitted no exercise of arms. The assault began upon all sides at the same moment, the savages rushing out from the woods with a tre- mendous uproar. The merest accident saved the colony. A bar of iron fired from one of the ships lying in the river, near by, cut a branch, or, as Smith writes, " strooke downe a bough," from a tree, among the Indians. This frightened them terribly, the use of cannon being a new thing to them. They took to their heels in all directions, never stopping to look behind them. One English boy was killed, and seventeen of the company wounded. The Jamestown council now took careful meas- ures for defence. Kendall's half-moon fort was completely palisadoed around, five cannon planted in it, and the colonists daily exercised in the use of arms. Many were the assaults and ambuscades of the savages, who soon recovered from their recent alarm. The English stragglers were often hurt; but the savages, on the other hand, were too nimble to be caught, and too cunning to expose themselves openly to the English guns. ^' What toyle we had," says Smith, " with so small a power to guard our workmen adayes, watch all night, resist our enemies, and effecte our busi- nesse, to relade the ships, cut downe trees, and prepare the ground to plant our corne, &/C. I re- ferre to the reader's consideration." I am certain EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 65 my young friends will agree that the captain had a hard time of it. He might almost as well have fall- en among the pickpockets again, or the Catholio pilgrims. Six weeks having passed in this manner, Captain Newport was ready to return witli the ships to Eng- land. Smith now insisted so strongly on having his trial, that the council could no longer refuse it. He was accordingly tried. The result was that he was honorably acquitted of the charge of intending to be king, and of all other charges. The very wit- nesses whom his enemies had hired to swear false- hood against him, unexpectedly swore the truth against his enemies. The guilt and meanness of President Wingfield, in particular, appeared so out- rageous in the course of the investigation, that he was condemned to pay Smith two hundred pounds. All the property poor Wingfield had was accord- ingly seized upon as part satisfaction of this judg- ment. Smith, however, despised the money as much as the man ; and he gave it immediately for the common use of the colony. Wingfield still continued to be troublesome; but the clergyman, Mr. Hunt, finally reconciled all parties. Smith was admitted to his seat with the council. The next day, all the colonists received the communion together at church, as a bond of peace. The sav- ages came in to desire a truce, the day following, and Newport sailed, with all this good news, on the 15th of June, 1607. 6* 66 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. I shall close this chapter with a specimen of Captain Smith's poetry, taken from his journal. It contains sensible reflections on the events just re- lated ; but it must be allowed, the captain was more successful in building booths, and killing Turks and savages, than in making verses. It may amuse my readers, however, as a specimen of the ancient style of writing. " By this observe : Good men did ne'r their countries' ruin bring. ' But when evill men shall iniuries beginne, Not caring to cormpt and violate The iudgement-seats for tlieir owne Lucr's sake, Then looke that country cannot long haue peace, Though for the present it haue rest and ease." CHAPTER VIII. State of the Jamestown Colony at this Time. Conduct of the President and of Smith. A new President chosen. Smiih''s great Services to the Colony. Preparations for Winter. Provisions brought in by the Indians. Vari- ous Adventures of Smith. He is at last captured by the Indians. The colony now consisted of 104 persons, mis- erably supplied with provisions. So long as the ships staid, their allowance of food had been somewhat increased by a daily proportion of ship- biscuit, which some of the sailors pilfered, as Smith EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 67 tells us, and then sold or gave in exchange, to the landsmen, " for money, saxefras, furs or love." This resource now failed the colonists ; and, had they been as free from all other sins as they were at this time from over-eating, they might have been called perfect men. The president alone, our old friend Wingfield, must be an exception, however. No man was so active as Wingfield, who was never active before, in embezzling and setting aside, for his private use, oatmeal, oil, spirits, beef, eggs ; and whatever else his opportunities as president allowed, this worthy character laid hands upon. The rest of the company were provided for in commons, from a large kettle. The contents of this the president allowed to be equally distributed. Each colonist's share was half a pint of wheat, and the same quantity of barley, boiled with water, for one day. Even this was scarcely fit for cattle. It had lain twenty-six weeks in the ship's hold, having been brought from England. Their food, there- fore, as Smith observes, might rather be called bran than corn ; while their drink was good pure water, and their lodgings " castles in the air." With this diet and lodging, the hard labor of the colonists, and the extreme heat, it is not strange that many of them fell sick. In a single month after Newport's departure, fifty of these miserable people died. The rest subsisted, till September, upon sturgeon and sea-crabs. At this time, the 68 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. president formed a plan, with Kendall, one of the council, and a few others, to seize upon the only remaining boat, and sail secretly for England. But the plot was luckily discovered; and the president, who was the only well man in the colony, in consequence of his good eating, probably, was deposed, and Mr. Ratcliife chosen in his place. The rest of the sick began to recover soon after this; but their provision, even the sturgeon, was all gone. At this critical moment, the Indians, who were daily expected to fall upon them without mer- cy, paid them a friendly visit, and brought in such a quantity of corn and fruits, that the wants of the colony were entirely relieved. Though Ratcliife was now president, he was not much of a business man ; and all the weight of the necessary preparations for winter came upon Smith. He accordingly set the whole colony at work — some to mow, some to bind thatch, and others to build houses, or thatch them — himself working with them constantly with his own hands. Lodgings being thus provided, somewhat better than castles in the air, and the provisions beginning to decrease again, he went down the river in the shallop, with six or eight men, to search the country for more corn. The want of a sufficient number of men, as welF as of warm clothing, and skill in the management of a boat without sails, were great difficulties in his way. Besides all this, he was ignorant of the Indian lan- guage. But Smith was not a man to be discouraged. EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 69 The party soon came to an Indian settlement, called Kecoughtan, The Indians on the bank of the riv- er, at that place, treated him with derision, at first. They saw plainly, with their keen eyes and their own experience of hunger, that Smith, and the poor sailors with him, were half famished ; and they thought they could safely make sport of them. So, as Smith began to propose trade, they offered him a handful of corn or a piece of bread in ex- change for the muskets of his men, and about as generous an offer was made for the clothes which- they wore. Fhiding, at length, that he could effect nothing by trade or courtesy, Smith felt obliged, by the necessity of the case, his men being all but starved, to make a desperate effort. He ordered his men to discharge their muskets in the air ; the woods along the shore echoed the noise ; the In- dians were frightened, and fled for life. Smith now ran his boat upon the sand, and march- ed up to the little village of the Indians. Here were great heaps of corn, and the captain had much ado to keep his hungry followers from laying violent hands upon it at once. They were the more eager as they expected the savages to return every mo- ment and assault them. In a few minutes, accord- ingly, the latter were seen coming on, sixty or seventy of them, painted of all colors, black, red, white, and party-colored, for battle. They marched up towards the English, in a square order, singing, shouting and dancing, with a tremen- D* 70 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. dous uproar indeed. Some of their number carried an idol before them, which they called an okee. This was an image made of skins, stuffed with moss (something as they stuff birds in a museum), and hung all over, from top to toe, with a variety of chains and copper ornaments. Marching, or rather dancing up, in this style, they charged the little English party with clubs and arrows. But the latter were nothing daunted. Smith had seen hard times before, and he coolly encouraged his brave fellows to stand firm. They levelled their muskets, though loaded only with pistol'bullets, gravel and duck-shot, and gave the savages such a warm reception, and raised such a blaze and smoke in their faces, that they yelled and danced more than ever. Their scare-crow of an idol was dropped; some lay sprawling upon the ground, either horribly frightened or hurt, perhaps both ; and the rest of the multitude fled again to the woods. In a short time, one of their chief men mustered courage enough to come out and advance towards the English. It seems the savages were entirely discouraged by the fate of their scare-crow, which they had probably supposed no weapons of mortal man could overcome. Their messenger was now instructed to offer peace, and to redeem their okee. Smith answered him, that, if only six of their num- ber would come unarmed, and load his boat with food, he would not only make friends with them^ EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 71 but restore them their mighty okee, and give them beads copper, and hatchets besides. All this was soon agreed upon, and executed to the satisfaction of both parties. The savages brought out venison, turkeys, wild fowl, bread, and whatever else they could muster. The boat was soon loaded with this good cheer. The Indians were well paid; and, as Smith and his crew rowed away from the land, the former were seen and heard singing and dancing upon the shore, for some time. Thus, as the captain adds, in his journal — *' Thus Godj unboundlesse in his power, Made them thus kind, would vs deuour." Soon after this, Smith made several exploring ex-r peditions by land. He discovered the people of' Chickahominy, among other savage tribes, situated upon a river of the same name. This tribe treated him very civilly, and he treated them so. Hundreds of them stood upon the shores, as he passed along, and bartered their baskets of corn for beads and trinkets. With the approach of winter came a pleiity of provisions. The rivers were covered with innu- merable swarms of wild fowl, and the woods abound- ed with venison and wild turkies. The colonists lived, now, like aldermen, on the fat of the land. Just before this, and during the absence of Smith on one of his expeditions mentioned above, Wing- field and Kendall had conspired, with several oth- 72 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. ers of less note, to seize the shallop, which Smith had fitted out for trade. The intenilorj was to escape with her to England. It is supposed that another part of Wingfield's plot was to carry off a. good share of the colony's recent supplies of food. He was suspected of this, unjustly, perhaps, from his having formerly embezzled the eggs and oatmeal, and from his general reputation as a good trencher- man. Luckily, Smith returned in time to prevent the execution of the plan. He had some trouble, however, in preventing it. The conspirators resisted him from the boat, and he was obliged to attack them with such a discharge of musketry and ordnance, as came very near sink- ing them, provisions and all, in the river. Kendall was killed on the spot. But Wingfield, who was the most active man in the colony, in trying to do mischief, was not yet satished. He devised a second plot, with Captain Archer, to escape, as before. This was again discovered and prevented by Smith, who now held these worthy characters completely under his control. He soon started off again to explore the Chick- ahominy river. He ascended that river in a barge, till the stream became so narrow, that the trees on the two banks were interwoven closely with each other. Smith and his men had to haul and push themselves through, by the boughs over their heads. He left his barge, therefore, in a cove, out of dan- ger from the savages. He himself, with two whites EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 73 and two Indians, proceeded farther up in a canoe. Tliose who were left with the barge were directed to stay closely on board of her. Smith had not gone far, when, becoming rather disorderly, or, at least, careless, the men left with the boat landed, contrary to his orders. They soon found themselves set upon by a large Indian force, headed by Opechancanough (brother of Powhatan), who had lain in wait for them. One of the barge- men, George Cassen, was compelled to disclose the route Smith had taken, and was then put to death. The others escaped to the barge, and put off at a distance. Smith had ascended the river twenty miles, by this time, till he had come to the marshes at its source. Here, as the two Englishmen who were in company with him, lay asleep, one night, by a fire they had kindled, the party of Opechancanough's Indians suddenly came upon them, and slew them both with arrows. The same party afterwards pur- sued Smith himself, and, having overtaken him, sur- rounded him as he was fowling in the woods for food, and wounded him with an arrow. There were two hundred of the Indians. Smith killed three of them at the first onset. He then defended himself, for a long time, with prodigious strength and spirit. One of his two Indians happening to be with him, he bound him to his left arm with his garters, 7 D 74 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. and used him in this way for a shield. Smith was shot in the thigh with an arrow, however, in spite of this defence, and several other arrows stuck in his clothes, without doing him much damage. At last he was taken prisoner. This happened by his falling into a swamp, as he was backing his way out from the Indians towards the river. He sank up to the middle in the mire, and his Indian with him. Even here, the savages dared not come upon him, till, being nearly dead with cold, he threw away his arms. They then drew him out, and led him to the fire where his men had been slain. Here they rubbed his benumbed limbs, till he was able to move once more. He now began to exert his usual ingenuity to escape the death which he saw they intended for him. He took out an ivory com- pass and dial from his pocket, and showed them to Opechancanough. The savage was amazingly pleased with the vibrations of the needle and the fly, which, being covered with glass, he could not touch, much to his wonder. Smith adroitly took advantage of his astonishment to explain the uses of these instruments, as well as he could, by signs, and to tell them about the mo- tions of the heavenly bodies. In his own words, ** When he demonstrated by that Globe-like lewell, the roundnesse of the earth and skies, the spheare of the Sunne, Moone and Starres, and how the Sunne EARLY HISTORY OP VIRGINIA. 75 did chase the night round about the world continu- ally, the greatnesse of the Land and Sea, the di- versitie of nations, varietie of complexions, and many other such like matters, they all stood as amazed with admiration." But, their wonder subsiding after a while. Smith was bound to a tree ; they gathered around him in a circle, and prepared to make him a mark for their arrows. At this moment, influenced probably by the desire of exhibiting his captive alive, Ope- chancanough held up the compass, as a signal .for sparing him. The savages laid their arms down for the present, and soon after conducted him, in triumphal procession, to Orapaks. This was a hunting-town in the upper part of the Chickahom- iny swamp, much frequented by Powhatan and his royal relations, for the plenty of game which was found there. They marched in Indian or single file, their sachem in the centre, with the English swords and muskets borne before him. The pris- oner followed next, held by three savages, on each side of whom marched a file of six Indians. They seemed to be in great dread of Smith's strength and ingenuity. 76 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. CHAPTER IX. The Adventures of Smith among the Indians. The Cere- monies used to ascertain his Disposition towards them. His Death is resolved upon. It is prevented by Poca- hontas^ the Daughter of Powhatan. Various Adven- tures and Anecdotes. Smithes Return to Jamestown. As this procession approached the Indian town, the women and children came out in crowds to see them, forming themselves in a circle about the king, and singing and dancing. The warriors now struck up their war-song, giving, in their tones and move- ments, an imitation of a battle. They then formed themselves into a ring, still yelling in a savage style, and throwing themselves into all manner of postures. They were strangely painted. Every man had his quiver of arrows, rattling at his shoulder, a club swung at his back, and a fox or otter's skin on his arm, for an ornament. Their heads and shoulders were painted a brilliant scarlet. In addition to all this show, each warrior brandished his bow in his hand ; the skin of some bird, dried, with the wings stretched out, was tied upon his head ; and even at the end of all this, was attached a piece of copper, or shell, or the rattle of a rattlesnake, to in- crease both the noise and the show. In this style EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 77 three dances were performed, the king standing, with his guarded prisoner, in the middle. The dances being over, the mukitude began to withdraw. Smith was now conducted to a large log-house ; he was guarded by four chosen Indians, for he had inspired them with a terrible idea of his strength and skill, and they were determined to make sure of him. They treated him well, however. Such a supply of bread and venison was now brought in to him, that he began to think their intention was to fatten him for some festival. His appetite was not very good, at all events. He ate but little, and what he left was suspended in baskets from the roof over his head. The Indians came again about midnight, to set provisions before him, not one of them offering to eat a morsel with him at this time. But when they brought him a fresh supply, the next morning, they made a good meal themselves of the old stock. Two days after this, an Indian, whose son Smith had wounded in battle, attacked him suddenly at his log-house, and, but for his Indian guard, would have killed him. The young wounded Indian, it seems, was then at the point of death ; and his fa- ther was almost frantic with the desire to revenge himself upon Smith. The latter now told the sav- ages, that he thought he could cure the young man," if they would let him (Smith) go to Jamestown for a kind of strong water (spirits), which he had there. But this they would not permit. 78 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. Meanwhile, they were making great preparations for assaulting Jamestown. Perhaps Smith had been spared with the expectation of his assisting them in this enterprise. They now came to him, and prom- ised him life, liberty, land, and as many Indian wives as he might fall in love with, if he would aid them. Smith said he was much obliged to them for their liberal offers, but wished to be excused. He then used all his eloquence in describing the gunpowder, "great gunnes, and other engines" of the English, hoping, in this way, to deter them from their proposed attack. To convince them of the truth of his words, he easily persuaded several Indians to go through the woods to Jamestown, bitterly cold as the weather was. He gave them a leaf from his pocket-book, on which he wrote to his friends at Jamestown a list of things to be sent to him, at a certain place in the woods. The colonists were directed, also, to frighten the Indians by a discharge of their cannon. This plan succeeded. The savages were equally amazed with the virtues of the " speaking leaf," as they called the letter — the English having sent every article which Smith wrote for — and with the account which the messengers gave of the English cannon. They now gave up the assault upon Jamestown ; but they were prouder than ever of Smith, who was truly a wonderful being in their eyes. Treating him, therefore, as a cat plays with a mouse before de- spatching the poor animal, they made a tour among EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 79 Savage skipping before Smith. 80 EARLY HISTORY OF, VIRGINIA. various Indian tribes, subject to Powhatan, the roy- al brother, as I have told you before, of Opechan- chanough. Smith was led along in procession with them, in great pomp and with loud rejoicings. I should alarm my young friends, possibly, if I told them all the hard names of the tribes they visit- ed. You know the savages are famous for long and hard names of places and people. Suffice it to say, that, after having called upon the Yough- tamunds, the Mattaponies, the Piankatanks, the Nantaughtacunds on Rappahannock river, and the Nominies on the Potowmac, they brought poor Smith at last to Pamunkey, the residence of Ope- chanchanough himself! Here they performed a variety of the most aston- ishing ceremonies around him, which lasted three days. The object was to find out, by their magical performances, whether Smith intended them good or evil ; for they were still greatly in awe of him. Early one morning, therefore, a great fire was made in a long house, and a large mat spread on two op- posite sides. They made Smitli sit down upon one ; and his guard, still consisting of some twenty or thirty stout Indians, then left the liouse. Presently, a large, grim-looking savage came skip- ping and flourishing in, like a wire-dancer. He was all painted over with coal, mingled with oil. On this creature's head, to complete his attractions, was a large ornamental bunch of snake and wea- sel skins, stuffed with moss, and their tails so tied EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGLNIA. 81 together, as to meet on the crown of his head, Hke a tassel. The skins hung down about his face and shoulders, and a coronet of long feathers streamed round about from his tassel. This character now began his invocation. He shouted like a fiend, with all possible gestures, pos- tures and grimaces. He carried a tremendous rat- tle in his hand, moreover, to complete the concert. This being over, three more people of the same description, painted half red and half black, came rushing in like the first, and performed nearly the same kind of dance. But the eyes of the last three were painted white ; and some rough strokes of paint were daubed along their jaws, as an imitation of English mustachios and whiskers. These men, haying skipped and howled round about Smith till he was nearly stunned with their noise, retired into the ante-chamber, probably to re- fresh themselves. But the ceremony was not yet over. Three more now leaped into the room, not a whit less ugly than the others. These had red eyes and white mustachios, painted upon faces as black as a kettle. At last, all the dancers seated themselves on the mat opposite to Smith — three on one side of the chief performer, and three on the other. He soon commenced a song, accompanied with the noise of rattles. The chief man then laid down five grains of wheat, and commenced an oration, strain- ing his arms and hands with such violence, that D* 83 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. his veins swelled. At the conclusion of this perform- ance, they all gave a short groan, by way of assent to what was said, and laid down three grains more. Smith was then entertained with another song and oration, the grain being laid down as before. All this continued till night, neither he nor they having a morsel of food. The Indians then feasted merrily upon all the provisions they could muster, giving Smith a good share of them. The ceremo- nies just described were repeated the two following days. Some maize-meal which they strewed around him in circles, represented their country, they said ; the wheat, the bounds of the sea ; and something else was used to signify the country of the whites. They gave Smith to understand, that the earth was flat and round, like a trencher, themselves being situated, they said, precisely in the middle. After this, they showed him a bag of English gunpowder, which they had taken from some of his men. They said they were going to preserve it carefully till the next spring, supposing it to be some new kind of grain which would yield them a harvest. Smith was now invited to visit the resi- dence of Opitchapan, second brother to Powhatan, and heir to all his dominions. He went, according- ly, with his Indian guard. The prince feasted him richly with bread, fowl and wild meat, not an Indian offering to eat with him. Whatever provision he left was put up in baskets, and carried back to Pamun- key, where the women and children feasted upon it. EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 83 To bring my long story to a close. Smith was at last brought into the presence of King Powhatan himself, at a place called Werowocomoco. This was on the north side of York river, in what is now Gloucester county, and nearly opposite to the mouth of dueen's creek, about twenty-five miles below the mouth of the river. The usual residence of Pow- hatan, however, was at a town named from himself. He had reduced under his power a large number of Indian tribes, even as far as Patuxen, in Maryland. He was a noble-looking savage, and, at the time I speak of, was about sixty years of age. On the entrance of Smith into his royal residence, the king was dressed in a cloak made of the skins of the raccoon, and sitting before a large fire, on an elevated throne, something like a bedstead. On his right and left were his two daughters. They were handsome girls, who might be, as Smith guessed, sixteen and eighteen years of age. The king's chief men, adorned with shells and feathers, and their shoulders painted red, were ranged on each side of the house. An equal number of women stood directly behind them. On Smith's being brought in, the whole multi- tude raised a shout. The queen of the Apamattox tribe was now ordered to bring him water to wash his hands ; and another brought him a bunch of feathers, by way of a towel, to wipe them. They then feasted him as well as they were able, and a 84 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. consultation was afterwards held among them. The conclusion seemed to be, that the prisoner should be put to death. Two large stones were brought in, and laid at the feet of the king. Smith was stretched out with his head on one of them ; and Powhatan now stood over him with his club, ready to put an end to his life. The fatal club was uplifted. The Indians were watching in mute suspense for the blow. At this moment, the eldest and most beloved daughter of the king, Pocahontas, rushed forward, and threw herself, with a shriek, on the body of Smith. Her hair was loose ; and her eyes wild, and streaming with tears. She raised her hands to her father, and besought him, with all the eloquence of love and sor- row, to spare the life of his captive. The old king was disappointed ; but he loved his beautiful daughter too much to resist her tears and entreaties. He dropped his uplifted club, and looked around upon his warriors, as if to gather new courage. They were touched with pity, like himself, savages as they were. The king now raised his daughter, and promised her to spare the life of Smith. "He shall make your hatchets for you," said the old man, " and your bells, beads and copper." I suppose they thought Smith was as good at one trade as another ; the king was accustomed, it seems, to make his own shoes, pots, robes, bows and arrows, like the rest. EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 85 Pocahontas saving the life of Smith. 86 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. Smith was not kept among the savages a great while. He described his feeling in the following quaint stanza : " They say he bore a pleasEuit shew, But sure his heart was sad. For who can pleasant be, and rest, That hues in feare and dread ; And, having hfe suspected, doth It still suspected lead." I have nothing more to tell you of this strange adventure of Smith's, but the farewell ceremonies of Powhatan. He ordered Smith to be taken to a house in the woods, and seated on a mat before the fire, alone. He had been here but a few minutes, when Smith was startled " by the dolefullest noyse he ever heard," he says. It came from behind a large mat curtain, which divided the house into two parts. Powhatan came in immediately after, dressed more like a fiend than a man ; and two hundred Indians came after him, as black and grim as himself He told Smith they were now friends ; that he should be sent back to Jamestown. From that place Smith was to send Powhatan two guns and a grindstone, for which the latter offered to give him the whole country of Capahowsick, and forever regard him as his son. Smith expressed his gratitude to the old king as well as he could, and, with twelve Indian guides, started off that very night for James- town. He reached that place the next morning, having been a prisoner for seven weeks. 8 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 87 Here he treated liis Indian guides kindly ; but, not wishing them to learn the use of the English guns, perhaps, he contrived to frighten them. He brought out two small cannon and a grindstone. The savages found them rather too heavy to lug through the woods. He then discharged the can- non, loaded with stones, among the boughs of a great tree, covered with icicles. The ice and the boughs came tumbling down about the ears of the poor sav- ages at such a rate, that they were frightened terri- bly, and ran off a considerable distance. They soon recovered, however, from their alarm, and went away, highly delighted, with a load of toys and trinkets for King Powhatan. Captain Newport arrived about this time, from England, with large supplies of food for the colony, and several presents for Powhatan. He was a vain man, and envied Smith's popularity among the In- dians so much, that he concluded to pay them a visit himself He wished to see what trade he could effect with them. Smith went before him to Pow- hatan, and told him that Newport was coming. By some means or other, the shrewd old king had formed a true idea of the character of Newport ; and he addressed him, on his first entrance, to this effect : " You are a great sachem, as well as myself. It is not agreeable to the dignity of either of us to trade for trifles, in this peddling manner." Newport stood ready with his goods, expecting to make a great bargain. But Powhatan said, that if 88 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. he chose to lay down his articles in a heap togeth- er, he would choose such of them as he liked, and pay him their value. Newport was silly enough to do so ; not perceiv- ing the game that was playing upon him. Powha- tan selected some of his goods, and valued them in such a manner, that Newport did not receive four bushels of corn for what he had expected twenty hogsheads. He was mortified at being thus outwit- ted, corn being much wanted by the colony. Smith now determined to try his own ingenuity with the king. He took a string of blue beads of glass from his pocket: Powhatan was delighted with them. Smith held them up in the sun-sliine, and showed him the colors of the rainbow reflected in them, till the old king could hardly contain himself He paid Smith as much corn for them as he desired. On this occasion, Newport presented an English boy to Powhatan. The latter gave Newport, in re- turn, a trusty Indian servant of his own, to live with them at Jamestown. His object was, probably, to learn, by his servant's means, the power and the arts of the English. Newport was entertained with dancing and feast- ing for some days. He then visited Opechancha- nough, who was also delighted with Smith's trin- kets, and gave him a vast quantity of corn for a few of them. This prince and Powhatan had both got the idea, that none but persons of royal blood, like themselves, were fit to wear articles of such mar- EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 89 vellous beauty, and such inestimable value, as blue glass beads. CHAPTER X. Th£ Colonists search for Gold Mines. Exploring Expe- ditions of Smith. Anecdote of a Stingray. Description of the Susquehannock Vidians. Mventures among vari- ous Tribes. Smith is near being drowned. The Rappa- hannocks conceive a strong ejection for him. Anecdote of King Powhatan and Captain jYewport. Newport, at last, set sail for England. He had staid fourteen weeks, when he might have de- spatched his business in fourteen days as well. The consequence was, that the provisions of the colony were consumed ; so that nothing was left them to live upon but meal and water. While he was in the colony, he and his crew, with a few others, had got an idea into their heads of searching the coun- try for gold mines. In consequence of this, all busi-* ness had been neglected for weeks. Nothing was talked of, as Captain Smith said, but "dig gold, wash gold, refine gold !" One humorous fellow de- sired to be buried in the woods, when he died for fear they should make gold of his bones. The col- ony afterwards suffered greatly in consequence of this folly. In the course of the year 1608, Smith made an exploring voyage up the river Potowmac. Here, 8* DO EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGLNIA. three or four thousand Indians, having a hint of his coming, lay in wait to kill him. They were fright- ened into peace, however, by a discharge of Smith's musketry, and even confessed that Powhatan had persuaded them to take up arms. We shall find that this cunning old king was not yet satisfied with the English. At the mouth of the Rappahannock river, Smith saw a fish, called the stingray, lying among the reeds near the bank. He struck at the fish with his sword^ and received a severe wound in the wrist from the thorn in the tail of the stingray. The island on which this happened is called Stingray island, I be- lieve, to this day. The pain produced by the wound was so violent, that Smith's life was for a time de- spaired of But he recovered, and returned to Jamestown on the 21st of July, and was chosen president, in place of Ratcliffe, the same season. After this, he made another long voyage, of more than three thousand miles in all, along the coast and up the rivers. This was in August and Sep- tember of the year just mentioned. He spent some time with the Susquehannock Indians, among oth- ers. Their tribe knew nothing of Powhatan but his name. They had iron hatchets and other tools, which they said they had obtained from the French in Canada. These Indians arc represented as gi- ants in stature, the leg of one of them being three quarters of a yard round ; but there was probably some mistake about this. EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 91 The voice and clothing of these Indians are de- scribed as agreeing with their size. The former was deep and hollow, like a voice from a vault. They wore wolves' and bears' skins, so cut, that the man's head went through the neck of the skin, and the ears were fastened on his shoulders. The nose and teeth hung dangling down upon his breast. Behind was another bear's face, split, with a paw hanging at the nose. Their sleeves, coming down to their elbows, were the necks of bears, their arms being run through the mouth. One had the head of a wolf hanging to a chain, for a jewel. His stone tobacco-pipe was two feet long, carved with a bird, a deer, and other devices, at the bowl-end, which was heavy enough to be used as a war club. This Indian's arrows were very long, and headed with splinters of a white crystal, in the form of a heart, an inch broad and an inch and a half long. These he carried at his back, in a wolf-skin, for a quiver, with his bow in one hand and his club in the other. In the course of this last voyage. Smith, among all his other hair-breadth escapes, came very near being drowned. As he was crossing over from the main land to some island off the Virginian coast, a heavy thunder-storm came up. The wind blew, and the waves rolled, with such>iolence, upon his little barge, that the crew had much ado to keep her from sinking, by bailing the water out with their hats. The mast and sail were blown overboard. The 92 EARLY HISTORY CF VIRGINIA. party were driven upon an island, and there obliged to stay two days. As the weather then cleared up, they made a sail of their shirts, steered for the main land again, and fell in with the river Cuscarowoak. Here the Indians gave them a cool reception. Some ran about the shore, in large troops, as if frightened, having never before seen white people. Others climbed into the tops of trees, all shooting their arrows at the English boatmen, while the latter lay off at a little distance from land, making signs of friend- ship. The Indians seemed to be pacified at length ; and the next day, they came without arms, dancing in a ring, and each man bearing a basket. But the English soon found that this was only a stratagem to entice them nearer. They therefore discharged a volley of musketry at them, which alarmed the In- dians so much, that they fell to the ground, as if dead. They soon after tumbled and crawled off, most of them into a cluster of underbush hard by, where their chief force lay in ambuscade. After this, seeing a smoke on the other bank of the river. Smith and his men rowed over, and land- ed there. They found a few small houses, with a fire in each. There they left some pieces of copper, some beads, bells and looking-glasses, and returned to the water till morning. This had a good effect ; for four of the Indians paddled out in a canoe, the next day, to see them. These four were so well EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 93 treated, that they begged of the English to stay till they could return ashore, and come back again. They went and came back, accordingly, and twenty more with them. In a short time, a very large crowd of women and children was collected on the shore, anxious to trade. They came about the English sailors, and gave away whatever they had to give. A single bead would entirely sat- isfy them for any quantity of corn; and they be- came so friendly to Smith, at last, as to almost quar- rel which should go and bring water for him, or which should guide his men about on the shore. One would think, from this account of these good-natured and unsuspecting savages, that noth- ing but kind treatment was necessary to secure their friendship and favor. On a cluster of isles, which Smith called Rus- sell's isles, his men searched a long time for fresh water, but in vain. They finally obtained three small wooden vessels full, but of such " puddle- water," that, at any other time, they would not have offered it to dogs ; but even this, after searching two days for better, in vain, they would not have exchanged for as much gold. At other times, they came near starving. But here and there they met with places, along the coast, where the fish were so thick as almost to crowd each other out of water. They amused themselves by driving their barge in among a shoal of them, as they skipped and leaped about upon the 94 EARLY HISTORY OP VIRGINIA. waves. Once, for want of nets, one of Smith's crew seized upon a frying-pan, and ran it among them, expecting to catch enough for a meal, no doubt, and cook them on the spot. But, as Smith says in his journal, " they found it a bad instrument to catch fish with. Neither better fish, more plenty, nor more variety for smal fish, had any of vs euer scene in any place, so swimming in the water — but they are not to be caught with frying-pans." The Susquehannock Indians, whom I have men- tioned before, became exceedingly pleased with Smith, when he landed among them on his second voy- age. In one case, a crowd of them stood by on the shore, while Smith's crew were attending to prayers and to singing a psalm, which was the daily custom. 'The Indians were astonished at these ceremonies, but, having waited till they were over, began to hold tip their hands to the sun, with a wild song of wor- ship, and then crowded about Captain Smith, to adore him in the same manner. They seemed to consider him something more than man. He rebuked their folly ; but they persisted in fin- ishing the song. They then began a loud oration, accompanied with the most violent gestures, thus ex- pressing their respect. This being over, one of them covered Smith with a great painted bear-skin. An- other hung a long chain of white beads, weighing six or seven pounds, about his neck. Others brought him eighteen mantles of rich skins. All these they laid at his feet, and then began stroking EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 95 / their hands over his head, by way of making him their governor and protector. They promised him every thing they possessed, if he would stay and fight with them against their mortal enemies,, the Massawomeks. Smith could scarcely get away by promising to visit them the next spring. In sailing up the Rappahannock river, after this, Smith had a skirmish with these Massawomeks, and took a number of their targets from them. These targets were made of small sticks, woven together with strings of hemp and silk-grass, so closely, that an arrow would not pierce them. They came in good time to be used in defence against the Rappa- hannocks, who were hostile to the English. At one place in the river, thirty or forty of these sly savages stationed themselves on a point of land, in ambush. They had covered themselves with green boughs in such a style as to resemble a thicket of bushes. The English were rowing by, without observing them, when a discharge of ar- rows warned them of this strange enemy. The ar- rows did no damage, however. Smith had stuck up small pillars, like bed-posts, in the edges of his barge, instead of the usual little tholl-pins, to row by. These pillars he covered with the Massawo- mek targets all around, so that the arrows only clattered upon the outside, and fell into the river. He gave the Indians a volley of pistol-shot, in re- turn, and they soon dropped their bushes, and fled like a flock of birds. 96 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. Newport arrived at Jamestown, again, in the fall of 1608, with more presents for Powhatan ; and Smith was induced to carry a message to that king. Powhatan was not at home when he arrived, and Pocahontas entertained him, meanwhile, with the following ceremonies. A fire was made on a large, level field, before which he sat down on a mat. Suddenly, such a hideous yelling was heard among the woods, that Smith seized upon his arms, and started up. He supposed that Powhatan was com- ing upon him with his whole force. But Pocahontas presently approached him, and pledged her life that no hurt should be done him. Thirty young women now came out from the woods, painted of various colors, but all different, and wearing sashes of woven leaves. Their leader had a large pair of buck's horns on her head, an otter's skin at her girdle, another on her arm, a quiver of arrows at her shoulder, and a bow in her hand. The next had in her hand a sword, another a club, a third a potstick ; others carrying other instru- ments, and all wearing horns. With loud cries, they now cast themselves into a circle about the fire, " singing and dauncing," as Smith writes, " with the most excellent ill varietie, oft falling into their infernall passions, and solemnly again to sing and daunce. Having spent near an hour in this mascara- do, as they entred, in like manner they departed." The Indian women now invited Smith to their lodgings. But he no sooner entered a house, than EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 97 Indian women dancing before Smith. 98 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA these nymphs, intending to entertain him with due respect, came crowding about him worse than ever. This was not so pleasant to him as they probably expected ; especially as so many of them hung about his neck and arms, that he could scarcely stir or speak. He bore it all very quietly, however, knowing it to be well meant. This warm reception being over, a feast was spread for him, composed of all the barbarous dain- ties they could muster — corn, bread, crabs, oysters, cucumbers, venison, turkeys and fish, raw and roast- ed, enough to have satisfied a regiment. He sat down and ate what he could, some waiting upon him, and others amusing him with more songs and dancing. They then led him to his own lodging, by the light of fire-brands. " Thus did they shew their feets of arms, and others art in dauncinof : Some others vs'd their oaten pipe, and others' voyces chaunting.'* CHAPTER XI. Anecdotes of King Powhatan. More Adventures of Smith, He returns to England. State of the Colony at that Time. Its History for several Years after. It is at one Time near being abandoned. Massacre of the 22d of March 1622. On the return of Powhatan, Smith delivered the message of Newport, and invited the king to visit EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 99 Jamestown for the purpose of receiving the presents. "Sir," answered the haughty savage, "if your king has sent me presents, I am also a king, and this is my land. As for the Manakins, against whom he promises me his aid, I can revenge my own wrongs." Smith returned home with this message. Newport soon after visited the king, and, with much difficulty, persuaded him to accept of a crown and a scarlet cloak. In 1609, Smith went to see the Indians again, and Powhatan endeavored to get possession of his person ; but his life was saved by Pocahontas, who came through the woods, in the night, to a camp where he was then staying, and warned him of his danger. After this. Smith visited Opechanca- nough, at Pamunkey. They had agreed upon a place where they might meet to trade ; but when Smith came there, he was beset by seven hundred savages. He boldly seized Opechancanough by the hair, and led him, trembling, into the midst of his people. The latter laid down their arms, and ransomed their prisoner by a large present of corn to Smith. He left them the next day. An Indian war took place after this, during which Smith went up one of the Chesapeake rivers. On his return to Jamestown, a bag of powder took fire, by some accident, as he slept in the boat. He was burnt in a dreadful manner. In the agony of his pain, he plunged into the water, and narrowly escaped being drowned. A mutiny took place at 100 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. Jamestown on his return, the mutineers expecting to take advantage of Smith's illness. They were soon quelled, however, by his old comrades in arms, who were much attached to him. But a little before this, he had narrowly escaped being poisoned to death by an Indian ; at another time, as he strayed alone in the woods, he was at- tacked by the king of Paspahey, a giant savage. After a violent struggle, he brought the king to the ground, bound him, and carried him on his shoul- ders into Jamestown. After all these astonishing adventures, Smith embarked for England, from which country he never returned. Mr. Percy was chosen president in his stead. Smith left behind him, at the colony, three ships and seven boats, a stock of goods for trade, the corn just gathered, ten weeks' provision in the store, twen- ty-four cannon, and three hundred muskets. The colony now consisted of four hundred and ninety persons : a hundred of these were trained soldiers. The others had nets for fishing, and tools of all sorts for work. There were, at this time, seven horses owned among them, five or six hundred hogs, an abundance of poultry, and some sheep and goats. The colonists never needed Smith more than dur- ing the very season after he left them. The savages, probably aware of his departure, now came upon them from all quarters. Ratcliffe and thirty men were surrounded by Powhatan, at one time, and slain. One boy only escaped, saved by the pity of EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. IQl Smith carrying Paspahey. 9* ' 10^ EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. Pocahontas. The colonists were near starving at the same time. Those who had starch in their houses, were glad to eat even that. The very skins of their horses were stewed and hashed. The poor- er people even took up an Indian they had buried, boiled the body with roots and herbs, and ate it. I could tell still more horrible stories, but they would shock you. The year 1610 was long remembered as the " starving year." The colonists were soon after so disheartened, that they embarked on board their vessels, with all their stores, and actually dropped down the James river as far as Mulberry island, with the intention of leaving the country forever. Not a man staid at Jamestown. But, as they lay anchored at the island, a boat suddenly came in sight. The colonists watched it with streaming eyes. Their decks and shrouds were crowded with gazers. Every eye and ear was on the watch. The boat approached with the news that Lord de la War was close at hand with an English fleet and a supply of stores. With this fleet the colonists returned to Jamestown. In 1611, Mr. Dale, who was president one year, built a town near a place now called Tuckahoe. It was called Henrico, in honor of a son of King James, and was built at the mouth of Henrico River, on a plain of high land. The approach to it on the land side was steep, and the neck, being palisadoed, made it as safe as an island. It had three streets of well-framed houses, a handsome church, and EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 103 Store and watch houses. Five fortified houses stood upon the verge of the river-bank, inhabited by the richer colonists ; and these kept a continual guard against the Indians. About two miles from the town, another palisade was run across the main land, fi-om Henrico to the nearest river, a distance of two miles. This en- closure, bordering on the sea, contained their corn grounds, and was secured by several small forts. A great ditch was made along the river-bank, within all the rest, the traces of which, I am told, may still be seen, overgrown with large and stately trees. A palisade was also built on the south side of the river, to make a range for their hogs. This was two and a half miles long, and secured by four forts, called Charity, Elizabeth, Patience and Malady, with a sort of hospital for the sick, on a high and dry ground, where Jefferson church has since stood. All this enclosure was called by the queer name of '' Hope in Faith and Coxendale." Their clergyman, Mr. Whitaker, chose also to live on the hog side of the river, per- haps to be near the sick. He enclosed a fine par- sonage for himself, with a hundred acres of good land, all which he called Rock-Hall. I have but little more time to follow up the Vir- ginian history with you, and shall soon have done with it. I should not have told you so many and so long stories, but I have hoped some of them might be as new as they are true ; and, besides, this colony was 104 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. the most important for a long time, as well as the earliest. From what T have told and shall tell you of this, you may form a tolerable idea of the first settlements in the other Southern and Middle States, without my being so particular concerning all of them. I will finish, while I think of it, the story of that fine Indian girl, Pocahontas, who twice saved the life of our brave old friend, Captain Smith. She was in the habit of bringing or sending in provisions to Jamestown, for some time after Smith's first ac- quaintance with her, for the relief of the colonists. Every other day, four or five of her stout Indians, whom, as a king's daughter, she commanded at pleasure, came lugging in loads of venison, and sweet Indian bread, as yellow as gold, and plenty of wild game. For this she refused all compensa- tion, but the gratitude of the colony and the friend- ship of Smith. In 1612, when Captain Argall came over from England, with a view to trade with Powhatan and his tribes, he found them in a state of war with the English. He thought, however, if he could get possession of the old king's beloved and beauti- ful daughter, as a hostage, this war would soon cease, and a fine trade might be driven with the savages. By means of Japazaws, a Potowmac sa- chem, he learned that Pocahontas was concealed somewhere near the mouth of the Potowmac, and, without the least mercy on the poor girl, he bribed EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 105 Japazaws to surprise her and deliver her into his hands, giving him a bright copper kettle for his reward. Powhatan was now greatly afflicted. He even sent two of his sons to Jamestown, to offer Governor Gates all the guns, tools and prisoners he had taken from the English, as a ransom for his daughter. This was refused ; but the young men brought him back an account of her being well treated, which pleased and soothed him. Not long after this, one Mr. Rolfe proposed marriage to Pocahon- tas. He had long been attached to her, it is said, Indian as she was ; and she had no great dislike for him. She sent to her father, however, to obtain his consent to the marriage. The plan pleased , the king greatly. He sent his brother and two sons, within ten days, to witness the marriage ceremonies ; and from this time he continued quite friendly to the colonists. In 1G14, one Mr, Hamer, of Jamestown, paid the king a visit, carrying some strings of white and blue beads, fine wooden combs, fish-hooks, knives and copper, as presents. The old king treated him po- litely, offered him a pipe of tobacco, and inquired for the health of Dale, who was now governor, and, also, how his daughter liked her husband, and how her husband liked her. Hamer said they liked each other so well, that she would never return to her father's. Powhatan laughed at this answer, and then demanded the object of Hamer's journey. E* 106 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. The latter told him, that Governor Dale, hearing of the beauty of his second daughter, wished to mar- ry her, and desired the king to send her to James- town, at all events, if it were only to visit her elder sister, Pocahontas. The king had hardly patience enough to hear Hamer finish this message. He answered with great gravity, in a solemn voice : " He could not part with both daughters, thoilgh he should gladly live in peace with the English. He had grown old, and desired no more fighting ; but he could not part with his child." Pocahontas went to England with her husband, after this. She was an object of great curiosity and attention in London for several years. She learned the English language, and was baptized under the name of Lady Rebecca. Lady de la War took her to court also, and King James treated her with great kindness. After this. Captain Smith visited her at Brentford, where she resided with her hus- band. She could scarcely restrain her feelings at seeing Smith. She died at Gravesend, in 1616. Her descendants are among the most respectable people in Virginia to this day. Powhatan died subsequently, being nearly a hundred years old. I have yet to tell you how Jamestown and the other smaller English settlements, now being nearly 80 in number, were all attacked at the same time, by the savages, in 1622. This was on the 22d of March, the tribes round about having all been drawn together by Opechancanough, the brother of Pow- EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 107 hatan. They had assembled from various parts of the country, marching secretly through the woods by night. The English were in perfect security, mean- while, supposing the Indians to be friendly as ever. Opechancanough was so artful as to send presents of venison and wild fowl to the English on the morning of the fatal day. " Sooner shall the sky fall," said this deceitful old sachem, " than the peace shall be violated on my part." But the terrible hour soon came. At mid-day, at a given signal, the savages rushed out in immense numbers from the woods, all around the villages and houses of the whites. The air resounded far and wide with their yells. They fell upon man, woman and child, without mercy, mangling even the dead bodies of the murdered English, with the most fero- cious cruelty. In one hour, three hundred and forty-seven of the English werie killed. So sudden was the attack, that the people hardly knew who were their enemies, or where they had come from. It was mere chance that saved the colony from en- tire ruin. A Christian Indian, named Chanco, lived with one Richard Pace, and was kindly treated by him and his family. The night before the massacre, a brother of Chanco came and slept with him, told him the whole Indian plot, and directed him to un- dertake the murder of his master the next day. Poor Chanco was shocked, and, the moment his brother had gone, disclosed the scheme to his master. 108 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, Word was immediately sent off in all directions among the English ; and thus Jamestown and some other places were saved. The Indians were severe- ly punished for this massacre within a few years, and never after gave the colony much trouble. I have now told my young reader of the principal events which occurred in the early history of Vir- ginia. After the massacre just related, nothing of great interest occurred : the settlements increased, village after village sprung up in the wilderness, and the colony became rich and powerful ; the In- dians gradually retired to the interior, as the white people encroached upon their hunting grounds, and, after many years, there were only a few scattered remnants of the mighty tribes who once threatened to drive the English emigrants away from the country. Such is the story of the settlement of Virginia. When the revolutionary war broke out, it was one of the most powerful of all the English colonies in America. The people took an active part in that struggle ; and you will find an account of their pro- ceedings in the Story of the Revolution, which I have written, and which you have, perhaps, read. I shall now proceed to tell you of the other south- ern colonies. AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 109 CHAPTER XII. History of Carolina resumed. The Albemarle Colony. Colony at Oldtown Creek. The loiter abandon their Settlement. Their Place taken by a Colony from Bar' badoes. History of the latter. Settlement of Charles^ ton. Anecdotes of all these Settlements. The Arrival 'ofa Colony of Palatines from Germany. Settlement of JVeicbem. We will return, now, to the history of Carolina. This general name was long given to all that terri- tory now included in the bounds of North and South Carolina, together with a vast belt of land, extending, according to the grants of King Charles II., from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean. The first grant was to eight English noblemen and gen- tlemen of high rank, and was dated March 24, 1663. They received a second and more definite charter in 1665, having at this time acquired better information about the country. There were two settlements, at the latter date, within what is now North Carolina. The princi- pal one was located a Kttle north of Albemarle sound. The other wad a small colony, who had re- moved from Massachusetts in 1660, and settled upon what is now called Oldtown creek, near the south side of Clarendon river. They deserted their habitations in less than two years, and returned home, leaving many hogs and neat cattle in the 10 no EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, hands of the Indians. The latter had quarrelled with them, and killed and stolen their cattle, for having sent off a few of their Indian children, to be educated in Massachusetts, as the colonists said, but as the Indians suspected, to be made slaves of The loss of this colony was soon supplied by an- other of English planters from the island of Barbadoes. These planters, wishing to settle on the American continent, employed one Captain Hitten to explore the coast, in a small vessel, with a crew of fif- teen or twenty men. He was ordered to be partic- ular in examining the lands which the Massachu- setts people had just left. In September, 1663, he landed within cape Fear, and proceeded up Claren- don river with his boat, till his progress was stopped by floating logs. Soon after this, he purchased from the Indians a large tract of land, for which he paid them in kettles and beads. The Barbadoes planters afterwards obtained a title to this same tract, from the eight proprietors ; for it was necessary to purchase both of them and of the savages. The latter knew nothing of the grant of King Charles to his eight noblemen ; and if they had known and understood it, it would only have enraged them. They considered themselves the masters of the soil. King Charles had no more right to it, in their view, than **the man in the moon" had to England. The Barbadoes colony settled, in 1665, near the mouth of Oldtown creek ; AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. Ill and both this and the Albemarle colony were soon provided with governments. These Barbadoes people took the same method of increasing their strength which you will find was quite generally adopted in the Southern States. They were allowed, by the eight proprietors, to offer to every settler, who should join them within two y^'ars, one hundred acres of land, and the same quantity for his men-servants, and each of his chil- dren. He was also to have fifty acres for each of his women-servants and slaves, upon the condition that he should bring with him a good musket, ten pounds of powder, twenty pounds of lead, and pro- visions for six months. Every man-servant was to have, when free, one hundred acres of land, two suits of apparel, and the necessary tools for his trade. Some temptations of this kind were certainly needed to induce people to settle with the Barba- does colony. They had, unluckily, pitched upon a tract of land, which was so far from being fertile, that I much doubt, if the nature of it had been gen- erally known, whether settlers would have taken it as a gift. Land was not scarce in those days ; and none but tolerably good land, and especially that on the banks of rivers, would sell for so much as a cent an acre. The colony supported itself, for a few years, by exporting boards, shingles, timber and staves to 112 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, Barbadoes, receiving dry goods and West Indian produce in return. Their numbers, however, were continually decreasing by removal, till 1690, when the whole country was once more left in possession of the savages. All that remained of the Barbadoes planters, at the last date of the settlement, are sup- posed to have returned home. The colony had, at one time, consisted of one thousand persons. Meanwhile, the eight proprietors had fitted out a vessel for making discoveries in the southern part of their territories. With this vessel. Captain Wil- liam Sayle, or Seal, was sent from England in 1668. He was driven by a storm among the Bahama isles, but afterwards sailed along the coast of Carolina. Here he discovered several large, navigable rivers, emptying themselves into the ocean, and a flat coast, covered with woods. He attempted to go ashore in his boat, at one place, but desisted on observing some savages along the banks of the river. The proprietors were pleased, on the whole, with the account which he gave of the country, on his return to England. The next year, they fitted out two ships, with arms, pro- visions, instruments of husbandry, and a colony of adventurers, for planting a settlement. Seal was appointed their gorernor. He fixed the colony at Port Royal, in South Carolina, where he found good water and a good harbor, which were two great ob- jects. This was near the present site of Beaufort. But the colonists were not long satisfied with AMD OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 113 their situation. They soon removed to Wando and Keawah, as the Indians called what are now Coo- per and Ashley rivers, and finally settled, in 1680, on Oyster Point. This was the first planting of Charleston, now one of the largest cities in the South- ern States. The back country was then an immense hunting-ground, filled with wild animals, and over- grown with forests ; it was interspersed here and there with vast swamps, and roamed over, rather than inhabited, by a great number of savage tribes. It seemed fortunate for the colony, that the num- ber of these Indians was, about this time, much reduced. The Westoes and Savannahs, the two most powerful tribes, were wagmg a ferocious war with each other, which resulted in the entire expulsion of the Westoes from the province. The small-pox, also, probably introduced among them by the Span- iards of Florida, made horrible ravages. Still, the colonists were in constant fear of Indian attacks. In fact, while part of them were employed in raising their little habitations of logs or rough timber, the rest were always kept under arms, to watch the savages. They did not even venture along the sea-shore, to gather oysters, without car- rying their muskets, swung upon the shoulder. These oysters, by the way, were quite an important article of food. They had but little other, indeed, for some time — excepting fish from the rivers, or what wild game they could kill with their guns. At this time, they had no slaves to work for them, 10* 114 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, except a very few they had bought at Barbadoes, where they touched on the passage from England. They labored with their own hands, therefore ; and till the trees were felled, and the grounds cleared, not even domestic animals could be of much ser- vice to them. Their scanty provisions, when raised, were liable to be seized upon by plundering parties of Indians ; and thus one day often robbed a plant- er of the fruits of a year's hard labor. Much of the land, moreover, was sandy and barren; and the soil was unsuited to European grains. At one time, all the horrors of famine were anticipated. A sloop was despatched to Virginia for provisions, and an- other to Barbadoes ; but, before their return, the colony was supplied from England. These things may give you some idea of the difficulties of an ear- ly settlement. The colony of Albemarle, in North Carolina, was more prosperous in its beginning than the two last mentioned. It consisted, within a few years from the time of its settlement, of two thousand taxable inhabitants, of whom one third were negroes or In- dians, men or women slaves. The land was fertile ; and the planters raised near eight hundred hogs- heads of tobacco each season. This was their sta- ple commodity, though the culture of other articles had been encouraged by a provision of the king's charter, that silk, raisins, wax, almonds, oil and olives might be exported to England, free of all taxes, for the term of seven years. AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 115 But the colonists had so many other matters to think of, that they kept neither bees, silk-worms, nor orchards. The English proprietors supposed that they neglected these things merely from igno- rance, the manufacture of silk and wine requiring particular skill. They sent over, therefore, in 1680, fifty families of Huguenots or French Protestants, driven from France for their religious opinions, and who were very glad to find an asylum in America. These people were familiar with the culture of the grape and the management of the silk-worm ; and some experiments were made with both in Carolina, under their instruction. The latter did not succeed ; but they cultivated the vine, the almond, the fig and the olive-tree to advantage. Most of these have been since neglected. This colony was harassed with several incapable or unprincipled governors. In 1679 began the ad- ministration of Seth Sothel, to whom Lord Clar- endon, one of the eight proprietors, had sold out his share. From Sothel, as being now interested as proprietor, a good deal was expected. But never was a people more sadly disappointed. He was captured by an Algerine privateer, on his passage to Carolina; and some persons supposed, or at least said, after his arrival in the colony, that among the Algerines he must have acquired the better part of his character and manners. His avarice was insatiable. For the sake of re- ceiving good fees as bribes, he disputed the best 116 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, titles; and vexed the fairest traders in the colony, till they paid him sufficiently for letting them alone. For a good round sum, he would suffer even felons to escape from punishment, and imprison the inno- cent for still less. Having oppressed the northern colony, in this manner, for six years, he was ap- pointed governor of the southern, at Charleston. At the latter place, in 1692, the people became so disgusted with him, that they seized upon him, and sent him to England, to be tried, as he afterwards was, by the proprietors. The population of the northern colony was reduced one half, by removal, during his six years' rule. He was even accused, on the oath of one Porter, of having taken some lace, and two guineas in money, from a box intrusted to his care by Mr. Banks of London, and sent over to the sister of Mr. B. in Carolina. With the example of rulers before them, who could be guilty of conduct of this kind, or even be suspected of it, it is not wonderful that crimes should increase among the colonists. In 1720, at one session of the Albemarle court, thirty-six persons were indicted. Among them were seven for drunkenness, eight for profane swear- ing, seven for Sabbath-breaking, and five for steal- ing or mismarking hogs. But two persons in the colony, however, had as yet been punished with death. These were a Turk, for murder, and a poor old woman, on suspicion of witchcraft. At this time, money was so scarce in all the colo- AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 117 nies I have mentioned, that rents and most other debts were paid in some other article. For exam- ple, when judgment was obtained in court, for dam- ages to a certain amount, the entry was made in the clerk's docket, with the following addition — " payable in deer-skins, hides, tallow, or small furs, at the usual price." About the year 1700, the Albemarle colony be- gan to be called the " colony of North Carolina." The governor, in his commission, was then styled " Governor, captain-general, admiral, and command- er-in-chief of that part of the province of Carolina which lies north-east of cape Fear." A rebellion took place, in this colony, in 1710, headed by one Thomas Cary. This man had been collector of the revenue under the proprietors ; but, having neglected to account with them honestly and promptly, they turned him out of office without cer- emony. Mr. Hyde was sent over from England, about the same time, with a governor's commission. He arrived, on the 10th of August, at Edenton, where he found Cary in arms. The latter had a brigantine and a smaller vessel under his command, manned by a set of desperadoes like himself; and the governor having taken lodgings at a house in the village, Cary audaciously undertook to seize upon him. He and his party were repulsed, however, with the loss of some blood ; and, the people not joining him, as the miserable wretch had expected, he now 118 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, retreated to Pamlico. There he began to fortify him- self in the house of one Roach. The latter had just arrived from London with a cargo of goods, on the account of some English merchants. He im- mediately declared himself against the government, joined Gary in all his plans, and furnished his des- peradoes with guns, ammunition and rum. This riotous mob, having now surrounded themselves with a stockade, boldly bid defiance to the govern- ment. Luckily, there was a body of English troops in Virginia at this time. Governor Hyde applied for their assistance ; and a party of marines soon joined him from the guardships that lay in Hampton roads. Gary's mob dispersed as the marines ap- proached. Several of the ringleaders were seized and punished. Gary himself, with one Truit, his right-hand man, escaped to Virginia, where they were apprehended and sent to England for trial. The others were pardoned. The early population of the southern provinces was made up, much more than the northern, of colonists from various nations. A colony of French Huguenots settled, in 1707, upon Trent river. The leading character among them was their clergy- man, Rybourg. They were sober and frugal men. A German colony came over, not long after this, from Heidelberg, on the river Necker. These poor people had suffered persecution for adhering to their religious faith. It would have been hard for them. AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 119 indeed, to have .changed it often enough to satisfy their German rulers j for though the elector pala- tine, Frederic II., was a Lutheran, his son and suc- cessor was a Calvinist; Lodovic V. restored the Lutheran church ; his son became a Calvinist ; and the next elector was a bigoted Roman Catholic. They had been so unfortunate, too, as to live be- tween powerful political rivals, who were often at war. In 1622, Count Tilly, the Austrian general, took the city of Heidelberg, and put five hundred of the inhabitants to the sword. Twelve years after, the city was taken by Louis XIV., the French monarch. In 1688, it was taken a second time by the French, who laid the poor Germans under a monstrously heavy contribution ; after which, at the approach of the Austrian army, they blew up the citadel, and reduced the town to ashes. It was re- built, and taken a third time by the French, in 1693, who again committed it to the flames. The inhabitants, men, women and children, fifteen thousand in number, were, on this latter oc- casion, stripped of their property, and turned into the fields by night. On the retreat of the French, their elector persuaded them' to rebuild the city once more, on a promise of allowing them liberty of con- science, and exemption from all taxes for thirty years. But he forgot this promise, and persecuted them, within a few years, without mercy. More- over, the French army was now coming upon them again ; and the poor Palatines, finding no hope lefi^ 120 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, for them in their own country, fled to England, about six thousand in number, for protection. They pitched their tents near London, and were there supported, for some months, by public charity. At this time, Lewis Mitchel and one Graffenried were attempting to mend their fortunes by purchas- ing lands in some of the English colonies. The proprietors of Carolina had leased them ten thou- sand acres in one body, between the river Neuse and cape Fear, at a rent of twenty shillings for every hundred acres. Whoever should be first able to pay the usual sum for five thousand acres, was to be honored by a title from the queen, Anne. Graffenried had mustered money enough to make this purchase, and was created a baron by the queen. He and Mitchel wanted nothing, now, but ten- ants to occupy their American land. They made a proposal, therefore, to the commissioners, who had been appointed by Qlueen Anne to collect and receive money for the poor Palatines. They cove- nanted to transport six hundred and fifty of them, being about one hundred families, to North Caroli- na, and to lay off" for each family two hundred and fifty acres of land, to be held five years without cost, and after that for the annual rent of two pence per acre. The Palatines were to be supplied twelve months with necessary provisions, to be paid for in one year ; they were to be furnished, gratis, with tools for building houses, and, within four months AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 121 after their arrival, two cows and two calves, five swine, two ewe sheep and two lambs, and some other things of the kind, to each family. These were to be paid for in seven years. The commissioners, on the other hand, allowed five pounds sterling, per head, for transporting the Palatines. The latter arrived, in December of 1709, at the confluence of the rivers Neuse and Trent,, where they immediately set up temporary shelters. The place where they encamped was called New Bern (since Newbern), from Berne, in Switzerland, ■where Graffenried was born. The worthy Pala- tines prospered from this time, getting a good living with ease, and worshipping God according to the dictates only of their own consciences. CHAPTER XIII. Some Account of the Indians of Carolina. Their friendly Disposition towards the first Settlers. Occasion of the first Interruption of this Harmony. Adventure of Baron Graffenried among the Tuskaroras. His narroio Escape. Fate of his Companions. Hitherto, the Indians had given tne north and south Carolinians but little trouble ; but we come now to a different state of things. There were tribes of savages around the Albemarle settle- ment, on almost every branch of every river. 11 F 122 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, These Indians lived more on fish, and much less on venison, bears' flesh, and other wild game, than their countrymen farther back. This circumstance, and the inoffensive conduct of the white settlers, were the occasions of their long peace of sixty years. The settlers purchased land of them, and paid for it promptly, the Indians generally reserving a square of some three or four miles, including their towns. Some slight disputes had been occasioned by strono- drink ; but Governor Daniel, who was an exception to the bad governors I have mentioned, stipulated with the Indian chiefs, in 1703, in a solemn treaty, that no rum should be sold to an Indian by any trader. The young Indians, however, complained of this, as a restraint upon their natural liberty. Some time afterwards, they demanded and obtained the usual supply of rum, unawed by the great havoc which strong drink had occasioned among the tribes. The Chowanoke Indians, who could bring three thousand bowmen into the field in Smith's time, as we have seen, were now reduced to fifteen men. They lived in a miserable little village on Bennett's creek. The Mangoacks had equally diminished in strength. The powerful Muatocks had wholly dis- appeared : fifteen hundred volunteers, living on the north side of Albemarle sound, had assembled at Dasamonquipo, in 1585, for the massacre of the English colony on Roanoke island. But all the AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 123 tribes to which these Indians belonged were now reduced to forty-six fighting men. In fact, the Tuskaroras, who lived on the Neuse river, were now the only powerful tribe in North Carolina ; they could muster one thousand two hun- dred fighting men ; the Waccon Indians one hun- dred and twenty ; and about a dozen other tribes together might muster half as many more. The Tuskaroras, living at some distance from the first settlements, had suffered little from the use of strong drink. These Indians had observed, however, with some anger, the encroachments of the whites upon the reserved squares of the various tribes, during the rebellious and other riotous times. Their temper was soured, too, by the frequent impositions of fraudulent white traders. The first white man who fell a sacrifice to their jealousy, was one John Lawson, well known among them as sur- veyor-general of the province of North Carolina. He had marked off some of their lands, accidental- ly, perhaps. Among the rest, a tract of five thou- sand acres, and another of ten thousand, had been lately surveyed for Graffenried. Soon after this, Lawson and Graffenried, together, undertook to ex- plore the waters of the Neuse. They took a small boat at New Bern, and as- cended the river. In the evening of the first day, they stopped at Coram, an Indian village, where they intended to lodge. Here they met two Tuska- 124 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, roras, though Lawson had assured Graffenried, that the banks were uninhabited. These two were soon after joined by a great number more, well armed. The baron now grew uneasy. He whispered to Lawson, that they had better proceed up the river. Lawson assented, not liking the looks of the In- dians himself; and they began to move off from the fire they had made, towards the river. They had no sooner reached their boats, however^ than such a press of the savages followed close after them, that it became impossible to keep them off. They took the arms and provisions of the two trav- ellers, to begin with. They then stripped them of every thing else they possessed. The Indians after- wards compelled them to march off with themselves to an Indian village, at a considerable distance from the river. There the two captives were delivered to the sachem of the village. He immediately called a council, at which one of the Indians deliv- ered a long and violent speech in the savage style, distorting and beating himself. The question was then put, whether the whi.es should be bound : this was decided in the negative. The reason given was, that the guilty should always have an opportu- nity to defend and explain their conduct. Such an idea had these simple savages of the first principles of justice, and so strictly did they regard it. The next morning, the captives, anxious as to their fate, desired to know what the Indians intend- ed to do with them. They were told, that the sa- AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 125 Graffenried and Lawson taken hy the Savages. 11^ 126 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, chem would that evening invite a number of neigh- boring sachems to an entertainment, who would also assist in the trial, and the decision of the pris- oners' fate. In the evening, accordingly, upwards of two hundred Indians collected, forty of whom were chiefs, or leading men. By these forty, the prisoners were interrogated very closely, as to their intention in ascending the river. The latter replied, that they, were endeavoring to find and lay out some shorter and better road to Virginia than the present one travelled by the Carolina settlers. Such a road, they said, would accommodate the Indians as much as the English. The sachems were still dissatisfied. They com- plained much of the conduct of the Carolina coIo nies towards them, and charged Lawson, in particu- lar, with having sold their land. They said that one Hancock had stolen a gun from them; and that a Mr. Price had cheated them abominably, which, I dare say, was true. But, notwithstanding all this, they did not at this time object to the re- lease of the prisoners. The latter were examined again the next morn- ing, and gave the same answers as before. But it happened, unluckily, that an Indian named Cor Thomas, was now present, whom Lawson impru- dently reprimanded for certain ill conduct he had known him to be guilty of Cor, being irritated, gave a very unfavorable turn to the affairs of the prisoners. The council itself broke up without de- AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 127 ciding their fate ; but not long after, as Graffenried and Lawson were conversing together, an Indian, who understood a little English, and thought he understood a good deal more, informed the oth- er Indians, who were standing not far off, that the prisoners were talking very disrespectfully of them all. This was not true ; but they were ready enough to believe it, especially at the instigation of Cor, who had probably induced the Indian to tell the falsehood. Three or four of them now fell upon the two prisoners in the most furious manner, took them by the arms, and forced them to sit down upon the ground. The whole party of savages then col- lected about them in a circle. Some of them seized the wigs of the prisoners, and threw them away. The poor trembling Englishmen were then con- demned to immediate death. Lawson was to have his throat cut with his own razor, which had been found on his person ; and Graffenried was to be de- spatched in some other way. The execution was put off, however, until the day following, when they were taken to a place pre- pared for the purpose. Here they were tied, strip- ped of their surtouts, and compelled to sit down upon the ground, as before. A large fire was kin- dled before them : the savages now began a ceremo- ny which they generally practised on occasions of this kind, and something like that I have described to you in the adventures of Smith at the court of 128 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, Powhatan. A part of the play was to form a ring or circle around the prisoners, on the ground ; and this they strewed with flowers. In this miserable situation, the Englishmen con- tinued all day and all night. Graffenried's negro slave, who had accompanied him, was now bound, and lay behind them, groaning, in dread of his wretched fate. On the morning of the next day, they were to die ; and a large number of Indians had collected to witness the execution. The pris- oners were gu;irded by an armed party, stationed be- hind them ; and the forty chiefs sat around them in two rows. Farther off were the common people, to the number of three hundred, "jumping and danc- ing," as Graffenried himself afterwards writes to Governor Hyde, " like so many devils, and cutting a variety of infernal and obscene capers," in the Indian style. As this letter of the baron is a good specimen of the style of writing in those days, I will con- clude my account of this transaction in his own words. " There were also present," he says, " two executioners of wild and terrible aspect, and two drummers. The council again deliberated, in order to put an end to this dismal tragedy. I rec- ommended my soul to my Saviour, Jesus Christ, and my thoughts were wholly employed with death. " At length, however, I recollected myself, and, turning to the council of chiefs, asked them if no AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 129 mercy could be shown to the innocent ; and with what propriety they could put to death a king (for the Indians call a governor a king), and I was king of the Palatines. Thus God, in his mercy, heard my prayers, and softened the hard hearts of the savages, so that, after much talk from an honest In- dian, they altered my sentence of death, as will ap- pear from the treaty of peace. " A short time before Mr. Lawson's execution, I was set at liberty, and afterwards conducted to the house of the Indian who had spoken so much in my behalf; but my negro suffered death. I remain- ed in my captivity till the Sunday following, when I was brought on horse-back part of the way home, and had to foot it the rest. I should be glad to have some conversation with you on this subject, and to consider what measures ought to be taken against these people." It seems, then, that Lawson and the negro were killed ; while the baron escaped by his belonging to the German colony, and being a man of high rank in it. These German settlers had probably secured the affections of the Tuskaroras, by treating them more kindly than the English did. The treaty which the baron speaks of, and which he drew up with these Indians, as governor of the Palatines, amounted to this : it bound the two parties — 1. To show friendship to each other on all occa- sions. 2. In case of war between the Indians and Eng- F* 130 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, lish, the Palatines were to remain neu- tral. 3. No land was to be taken up by the baron, without consent of the Indians. 4. The Indians were to hunt as freely as they chose in the open country. 5. A cessation of arms between the English and Indians, was agreed upon for fourteen days. All this was subscribed by the baron, and the In- dian chiefs set their marks to it. CHAPTER XIV. General War of the JVorth Carolina Indians against the Whites. Massacre of many of the latter. The South Carolinians come to their Relief against the Savages.. The Indians are defeated. Renewal of Hostilities. As- sistance a second Time from the Southern Province. The Indians entirely conquered. Their subsequent History. There is no reason to suppose, th t the Indians intended a general war before Lawson fell into their hands ; but, having now committed themselves by killing a public officer of the colony, they re- solved, and, perhaps, thought it necessary, to go all lengths. I'hey finally agreed upon the plan of attacking and murdering, in one day, all the set- tlers south of the Albemarle sound. Graffenried,, AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 131 who wrote his letter long after this, was detained among them till this bloody work should be finished. They began with surrounding their own principal town with a wooden breast-work, for the security of their own families. Here the various tribes assem- bled, to the number of twelve hundred bowmen,, and arranged their horrid plot. From this place, they sent out, on a certain day, numerous parties of six or seven men each,, who enter- ed the settlements under the mask of friendship, by different roads, to avoid suspicion. They did not even bring their fire-arms with them, but trusted to their tomahawks alone, which they carried concealed un- der their garments. The massacre was commenced- in all directions, at the same hour of the evening.- The plan generally adopted was to enter the plant- ers' houses, and demand food. With this they im- mediately pretended to be dissatisfied, and fell upon^ men, women and children, without mercy or dis- tinction. About Roanoke, one hundred and thirty- seven settlers fell a sacrifice to their savage fury, in the course of this single night. To prevent a communication of the alarm through- out the settlements, the Indians ran from house to house, slaughtering the scattered families wherever they went. But, fortunately, it was not possible to strike the blow every where at the same moment. Many of the settlers were in the woods and fields ; the alarm soon became general ; and people defend- ed themselves in their houses. All the families 132 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, which escaped, were ordered, as soon as possible, to meet at one place, where the militia, under arms, kept guard over them till relief arrived. North Carolina did not contain two thousand fighting men in all, at this time. An express, therefore, had been immediately despatched to the southern province for assistance. Governor Craven lost no time in sending a force, as requested. The Charleston assembly voted four thousand pounds for the service of the war ; and a body of militia, under Colonel Barnwell,, marched against the savages. Directly after, were sent two hundred and eighteen friendly Cherokee Indians, seventy-nine Creeks, forty-one Catabaws„ and twenty-eight Yamassees, well furnished with arms, and commanded by five Carolinian captains. A bad march, indeed, had these poor fellows through the long wilderness. It was impossible to carry provisions enough on their backs in addition to their arms ; and there were no settlements or stations on the route, near, where food could be obtained. Be- sides, there was no road through the woods by which either horses or carriages could pass with tolerable convenience. But Barnwell was a hardy and brave soldier. He pressed on, through all obstacles, employing his Indian allies to hunt for provisions on the way. At length, they came up with the hostile savages, and immediately attacked them with great spirit. In this first battle, three hundred of the enemy were AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 133 slain, and one hundred taken prisoners. The Taskaroras, about six hundred in number, now re- treated to their town, and enclosed themselves within the wooden breast-work. Barnwell followed them closely, and, being provided with two cannon, made regular approaches toward the Indian breast- work. His chief engineer was one Michell, a Swiss colonist. Michell understood his business well, and he soon run a parallel breast-work within thirty-three feet of the enemy's palisadoes. He had also pre- pared fagots to fill the intermediate space. But the Indians now began to dislike the appearance of things, and sued quite earnestly for peace, Barn- well was not unwilling to grant it ; several of his men were wounded, and all had suffered severely from watching, hunger and fatigue. Barnwell is supposed to have killed, wounded and captured, nearly one thousand Tuskaroras in this expedition. He was satisfied with this success, and marched home, having lost but five of his mili- tia, and thirty-six of his Indian allies. It has been said, — I know not with what truth, — that he marched off sooner than he should have done, on account of a misunderstanding, of an old date, between him- self and Governor Hyde, on whom he wished to throw the blame of the Indian war. The savages continued to give great trouble, at all events. The people on Neuse and Pamlico rivers were almost ruined by their incursions. 12 134 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, Their families were pent up in the forts, while their houses 9,nd furniture were burned by the Indians, and their whole stock of cattle, horses and hogs, was killed or carried off. The Pamlico settlers were even obliged to be supplied with provisions from the colony at Albemarle, and their whole fight- ing force, meanwhile, amounted to only one hun- dred and forty men. But I should mention, also, twenty Yamassee In- dians, who adhered to the colonists at this gloomy period, and rendered then the most important ser- vices. It was impossible, however, for these few men to defend the whole country ; and the Matta- muskeet and Core Indians killed or captured forty- three of the Roanoke and Croatan settlers during the winter. Application was made to Virginia for assistance, and the Virginian legislature voted one hundred and eighty pounds for purchasing duffils (a thick cloth), *' to clothe the North Carolina, troops, and one thousand pounds more for the pay of such troops." As the Carolinians could raise no troops, however, the liberality of the Virginians did them but little good. They then appealed to the southern province again, and were again befriended as before. Colo- nel Moore, a brave young officer, whose father had been governor of the province, arrived at the Neuse settlements on the first of December (1712), with forty white men, and eight hundred Ashley Indians. The Tuskaroras, soon after, encamped and fortified AND Ol'HER SOUTHERN STATES. 135 themselves as before. They took their position upon a plain, on the banks of a creek, about a mile from Cotechney, and fifty miles from the mouth of that river. In order to secure themselves against the artillery of the English, this time, better than before, they sunk square pits in the grwnid, about six feet deep. These pits were covered with poles, and separated from each other by walls of earth, thrown up. The whole was surrounded with palisades. There was corn enough among them ; but one thing they for- got, which was a proper supply of water within the palisades. They trusted for this to a trench com- municating with the adjacent brook. This over- sight proved fatal to many of them, for Colonel Moore stationed some of his troops on the other side of the brook, so as to rake the trench when the Indians came out through it for water. There was but one passage by which the Indians could think of escaping. This the colonel guarded against by building a small redoubt in that direc- tion. He now broke ground for his trenches and breastwork, at some distance from the fort, the Tuskaroras being well supplied with fire-arms, and knowing well how to handle them. But Moore ad- vanced nearer and nearer, day and night. At last, on the 20th of March, 1713, the works of the ene- my were assaulted and taken. Eight hundred Tus- karoras surrendered. These the Ashley Indians claimed as the reward of their services, and most of 13j9 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, them soon started off for home, taking the Tuska- roras with them, in the expectation of selling them for slaves. Twenty-two whites were killed during this siege, and thirty-six of the friendly Indians. The Tuskaroras had another fort ; but this was im- mediately deserted. The fate of their chief strong- hold taught them the futility of standing a siege. Peace was granted them on the following terms : 1. The Tusks (as these Indians were common- ly called) were to deliver up twenty of their tribe, to be named by the English. These were the ring- leaders in the great massacre, and in the murder of Lawson. 2. The Tusks were to restore all their prisoners, and all the horses, cattle, arms and goods, they had taken from the settlers. 3. They promised to pursue the Cotechney and Mattamuskeet Indians as enemies. 4. They were to deliver two hostages for each of their towns. King Blount, as the English called him, was the chief Tuskarora sachem. His town was on the east side of the Tar river, about twenty miles above Washington. He continued, from this time, faith- fully attached to the English, and, during the en- suing summer, brought in thirty scalps of the hos- tile Indians. But the greater part of the tribe, un- able to contend with the English, and unwilling to submit to their power, removed to the northward. There they joined the Senecas and other allied AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 137 tribes on the frontiers of New York, known by the name of the Five Nations. The confederacy was afterwards called the Six Nations, the Tuskaroras making the sixth. The Cores and Mattamuskeets were soon subdued; and all the prisoners were made slaves. I think it very doubtful whether it was necessary to treat these miserable people quite so severely. They had given great provocation, it must be confessed ; but there is some reason for be- lieving that the whites excited the resentment of the Indians in the first instance. Here we will leave the history of North Carolina for a time. The colony, up to 1713, was far from prosperous, on the whole. There were now scarce- ly two thousand taxable inhabitants in the whole 'province, though, fifty years before, there had been nearly the same number. Many were frightened off during the rebellion of Cary, and the Indian war. Such numbers fled to Virginia, in particular, that the governor of that province, by a proclama- tion, ordered all fugitives from Carolina to be seized and sent back. And yet the climate of the latter province was inviting, the soil rich, and the means of living easy. The farmer there was not obliged to make the least provision for his cattle in the winter. They found a suflicient supply of food in the woods ; and flocks of wild cattle and smaller game furnished the farmer himself, and his family, during the same season. The great cause of the slow growth of this province 17 138 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, was the bad, or, at the best, the insignificant char- acter of most of their first governors. The fact is, that the proprietors in England com- missioned men to fill this office whom they did not know personally. It appears upon record, for ex- ample, that in 1701, John Porter prosecuted Chris- topher Butler, for calling him a " cheating rogue." Butler admitted these words, as charged in the in- dictment drawn up against him, and justified himT self on account of the truth of them. The ques- tion was tried ; Butler was acquitted by the jury, and Porter was ordered to pay costs. A few years after, this same " cheating rogue " was made a member of the colonial council. He was also en- gaged, as might have been expected from his char- acter, in the rebellion of Gary. CHAPTER XV. The History of South Carolina continued. Great Excite- ment of political Parties. Quarrel between Gihbes and Broughton. Administration of Governor Johnson, An Account of the Revolution of 1719. Various Anec- dotes connected with it. I HAVE already told you how the people of South Carolina seized upon their worthy goveraor, Seth Sothel, and sent him to England for his trial. In the administration of one of his successors, Sir AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 139 Nathaniel Johnson, between 1702 and 1709, new and violent political parties arose ; and upon the death of Governor Tynte, in 1710, a civil war was on the point of breaking out. It seems that a Mr. Gibbes was chosen to succeed Tynte ; but he receiv- ed only one vote more than Mr. Broughton ; and this one vote, as Broughton said, was obtained by bribery. He insisted, therefore, on his own claim to act as governor. But Gibbes insisted on his with the same perseverance, and the greater part of the people took sides with him. Broughton, however, collected a number of armed men at his plantation, for the defence of his own supposed rights, and marched to Charleston. Gibbes, who resided in that town, soon got intelligence of his approach. He immediately caused a general alarm to be fired, and the militia to be called together. Broughton, by this time, had approached the walls and gates of Charleston. Gibbes now ordered the draw-bridge, standing near the intersection of Broad and Meeting streets, to be hauled up. After a short parley with Brough- ton's party, who had now come up, the latter de- manded admittance. Gibbes called out to them from within the walls, and asked why they came armed in such numbers, and whether they would acknowledge himself their rightful governor. " We have understood," answered they, " that there is an alarm about something or other in the town, and have come to see what is the matter." As for 140 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, Gibbes, they said they would not own him for their governor. Gibbes now denied them entrance. Before this, many of them began to gallop round the walls, towards " Craven's bastion," so called, to get en- trance there ; being prevented, however, they soon returned to the draw-bridge. But, by this time, some of the people of the town, and quite a number of sailors, appeared to be mustering together from vessels then in the harbor, in favor of the Broughton party. The latter undertook, therefore, to force down the draw-bridge, and effect a passage. Gibbes' party opposed, but were not allowed to fire upon them. Several blows and wounds, however, were given and received on each side. The sailors, who were within, and Broughton's own party without, togeth- er, finally prevailed so far as to lower down the bridge. They entered over it, and proceeded to the watch-house in Broad street. There the two town companies of militia were posted, under arms, and with colors fiying. Broughton's party approaqh- ed them, and halted. One of them then drew a paper from his pocket. It was probably some proclama- tion of Broughton's. The man undertook to read it ; but the militia made such a tremendous uproar with their drums, and all other means in their pow- er, that the poor fellow stretched his voice to its ut- most compass in vain. Not a syllable of the p^^oc- lamation could be heard. AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 141 Broughton's party now marched off towurds " Granville's bastion," being escorted by the sailors on foot, who were ready for any mischief As the party passed the front of the militia, whose guns were levelled, loaded and cocked, some of Brough- ton's sailors catched at the colors, and tore them from the staff. On this provocation, a few of the militia, without any orders, fired their pieces ; but nobody was hurt. One Captain Brewton resolutely drew his swprd, at this moment, stepped up to the sailor who had committed the outrage, and demanded the torn ensign. Captain Evans, one of Broughton's best men, alighted, and prudently obliged the sailor to return it. Broughton's party continued their march about town for some time. They then proclaimed Broughton governor. After hurraing as loudly as they were able, and making various other noises, they approached the gate of the town fort, and made a'show of forcing it. Here, however, they observed Captain Pawley with his pistol cocked, and many other gentlemen with their guns presented, who for- bade them, at their peril, to attempt the gate. This resistance seemed to have a salutary effect in cooling down these hot-headed people. They soon withdrew to a tavern on the bay, where their proclamation was read a second time. After much altercation and several messages and answers be- tween the parties, the dispute was referred to the decision of the lords proprietors ; the latter decid- 143 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, ed in favor of neither Gibbes nor Broughton, though the former acted as governor meanwhile. Charles Craven was soon appointed to take the place of Gibbes ; and thus ended all this mighty noise and smoke. Such, generally, is the result of hot-headed quarrels. In 1719, South Carolina ceased to be governed by the proprietors, and became a royal province, subject, like JMassachusetts and most of the other col- onies, only to the king, through the governor, by him appointed. Carolina was divided into Northern and Southern, about the same time. This revolution was effected by the people, taking their own cause into their own hands. They had long been dis- satisfied with their form of government, but their dislike broke out particularly against Governor Johnson and his council. Towards the close of the year just named, John- son received intelligence that a general resolution prevailed in the province for a change of govern^ ment. This perplexed and harassed him very much ; but his council advjsed him to take no notice of it They seemed to imagine it would soon blow over, or might be easily suppressed. But the event proved otherwise. The people were resolved to be no longer oppressed ; and their representatives, the provincial assembly, were warm with the same spirit. Having assured themselves of the support of the people, the assembly met at the usual season. But, fearing that the governor would at once dissolve their meeting, they passed resolutions immediately, AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 143 that the proprietors had forfeited their rights of gov- ernment. The governor and council now sent word, that they were ready to meet the assembly as usual. The latter, accordingly, came to the " upper .house " in a body ; and Arthur Middleton addressed" the governor without ceremony, in a very plain speech, not to be mistaken. " I am ordered by the assembly," said he in conclusion, " to inform you that, though they own your honor as governor, be- cause you have been appointed by the king, they disown the council as a council, and v/ill not act with them on any account." The governor and council were struck dumb with astonishment. The worst of it was, that, an in- vasion of the Spaniards from Florida being then expected, money must needs be raised for arming against them. This could be done only by a vote of the assembly. They could not, therefore, be dis- solved ; nor did the governor dare to use force. After some consultation with his council, he sent a message to the assembly, desiring a conference with them. They replied, that " they could hear nothing and receive nothing from his honor, so long as he acted with the people whom he was pleased to call his council." Finding that nothing could be done with the as- sembly, he issued a proclamation for dissolving their meeting. They ordered the proclamation to be torn from the marshal's hand, when he came among them. They then met upon their own authority, 144 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, and chose James Moore for their governor, and also appointed a day for proclaiming him in the name of the king. This was the. very day which Johnson had previously appointed for a general review of the militia. The latter now sent to Parris, com- mander of the militia, to postpone the review to another day. Parris was a stanch friend to the cause of the people ; but, to keep matters quiet, he sent Johnson an answer, which satisfied him and hushed all sus- picion. Od the appointed day, however, as John- son was riding through the town, he found, much to his surprise, the militia drawn up in the market- square (now the site of the national bank), colors flying on the forts, and from every mast in the har- bor, and great preparations every where making for the appointed proclamation of Moore. The governor was so exasperated as nearly to lose the command of his temper. He reasoned with some of the populace, and threatened to chas- tise others. As to Parris, he asked him " how he dared to appear in arms, contrary to his orders," and commanded him, in the king's name, instantly to disperse the militia. But Parris understood his duty differently, and coolly replied, "that he was obeying the orders of the convention." The gov- ernor now stepped towards him in great rage. Parris commanded the militia to present their muskets at him, and ordered him " to stand off at his peril." AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 145 The governor had expected, during this struggle, that his personal friends, and especially his council, and other subordinate officers, would support him; but not a man of them shovved his head. He was compelled to retreat, therefore, in confusion. The members of the assembly soon after marched, in solemn procession, to the fort, escorted by the whole militia of the colony, with colors flying, drums beating, and all possible demonstrations of joy. Moore was proclaimed governor, in the name of the king, and amidst the loud and long acclama- tions of the populace. The assembly now proceed- ed to choose a council and other officers, assess taxes, and vote money for the defence o{ the prov- ince. The king afterwards sanctioned their doings, and declared the rights of the proprietors to be for- feited. Such was the spirited and important revo- lution of 1719. South Carolina, at this time, might be said to be in its infancy. St. Stephen's was the frontier of the province ; and there, and at some other places along the coast, about the same distance from Charles- ton, were a few forts and small settlements. The whites rarely ventured fifty miles into the back coun- try, for fear of the savages. Even Charleston was not safe from them. A large part of it was fortified, both on the land and water side. All that lay north and south of Broad street, and west of Meeting street, was either a for- est, or laid out in farms, gardens, orange-groves, 13 G 146 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, or orchards, with here and there a straggling house. Furs, lumber, and a little rice,^ were the only exports of the province. The latter article, since become so important a staple, was introduced by mere acci- dent. A ship from Madagascar, bound for Lon- don, happening to touch at the bar below Charles- ton, the governor paid the captain a visit^ and the latter presented him with a few quarts of seed-rice as a curiosity. This was planted, and thus the cultivation of rice was begun in the colony. CHAPTER XVI. Indian War of 171.5, in South Carolina. The Yamassees and other Indians incited against the English by the Spaniards. Anecdotes of them. Carelessness on the Part of the Whites. Particidai's of the Massacre, and the War which followed. The Indians are at last conquered. The victorious English troops march into Charleston in Triumph. I HOPE my young friends are not yet tired of In- dian wars ; for I have to give them some account of several others. They make up but too large a part of the early history of all this country. The Tuskaroras were subdued, you will recollect, in 1713, six years before the revolution I have just described. The Tuskarora war was in North Carolina; and that province was never afterwards tioubled with a war so terrible. But their breth- AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 147 ren of South Carolina were less fortunate. They were visited, in 1715, with an Indian war, which threatened the destruction of the whole colony. Every tribe in the southern province was con- cerned in it, but the ringleaders, as I may call them, in the conspiracy, were the powerful tribe of Yaraassees. These savages possessed a large terri- tory on the north-east side of Savannah river, which is called " Indian land " to this day. You may re- member that I mentioned twenty of them as having been active in the service of the North Carolinians against the Tusks. Indeed, the Yamassees had al- ways been considered allies and friends. They ad- mitted the English traders into their villages more freely than any other tribe. But, for twelve months before the war broke out, these traders observed that the chief Yamassee war- riors went frequently to the Spanish settlements in Florida, and returned home loaded with presents. John Eraser, in particular, an honest Scotch trader among them, had often heard them tell of the kind treatment they received at St. Augustine. One had received a hat, another a jacket, and a third a coat, all trimmed with silver lace. Some got hatchets and knives, too ; and almost all of them guns and ammunition. Thus, it seems, were the Spaniards taking measures to cajole them, and stir them up against the English. One warrior told Eraser, that he had dined with the Spanish govern- or at St. Augustine, and that he, and not the gov- 148 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA; ernor of Carolina, was now master and king of the Yamassees. About nine days before hostilities commenced, Sanute, an Indian warrior attached to Eraser's family, came to his house, and told his wife, that " the English were all wicked heretics, and would go to hell, and that the Yamassees would also fol- low them, if they suffered the English to live in their country ; that now the governor of St. Augus- tine was their king; that there would be a terrible war with the English ; that they only waited for the bloody stick to be returned from the Creeks before they commenced it." He told the family, moreover, that the Yamassees, the Creeks, the Cherokees, and many other nations, were all expected to engage in the war, assisted by the Spaniards. He finally ad- vised them to flee instantly to Charleston, while there was yet time to escape from the impending storm. Eraser was amazed at this news, and asked San- ute how he supposed the Spaniards could go to war with the Carolinians while at peace with Great Britain, the mother country. Sanute only answered by repeating that there would soon be a war, at all events ; and the trader must fly, as he loved his life, to Charleston. Eraser scarcely knew whether to believe himself imposed upon by the Indian, or not ; but finally made up his mind to take his advice. He set out immediately for Charleston, taking his family and his most valuable eflfects with him. At the very time when all this mischief was AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 149 brewing, Captain Nairn, the provincial agent for Indian affairs, and many traders, resided at Pota- ligo, in the midst of their savage enemies. The case of the scattered settlers all along the frontiers was equally unguarded and exposed. On the very day before the massacre, Nairn observed an un- commonly deep gloom on the faces of the savages of the village in which he resided. This made him so uneasy, that he went to some of their chief men to inquire the occasion of it. He promised, also, if any injury had been done them by the English, to give them satisfaction, or to see that it should be given. But the chief coolly replied, that they had no complaints to make against any one. " They in- tended to go a hunting the next morning," they added, " and to have a jolly time of it." Captain Nairn was satisfied with tliis crafty answer ; and he and the other traders passed the night in perfect tranquillity. But dearly did the poor unfortunate men pay for that night's rest. About day-break of the next morning, April 15th, 1715, the Yamassees raised the war-whoop. The leaders were already under arms, and proclaiming aloud their designs of vengeance. Their young men now flew to arms, sounded the war-cry, and rushed in upon Potaligo and the neighboring settlements in large bodies. In a few hours, they had massacred, in cold blood, above ninety of the surprised and defenceless whites. Mr. Bunem, a captain of militia, at Potaligo, by 150 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, swimming one mile and running ten, after receiving two wounds, escaped to Port Royal, and alarmed the town. The inhabitants hurried on board of a vessel in the harbor, and set sail immediately for Charleston. A few straggling families only fell into the hands of the Yamassees, who either mur- dered them on the spot, or carried them away captive. The whole province of South Carolina was now overrun by the savages. The English had enter- tained hopes of the friendship of the Congarees, the Catabaws, and Cherokees ; but they soon found that all these tribes had also joined in the conspiracy. They were now ravaging the northern parts of the province, to the number of near one thousand, while the Yamassees, and the Creeks, and other allied tribes had mustered more than six thousand bowmen in the southern districts. Every tribe, in fact, from Florida to Cape Fear river, had joined in the war. The provincials could bring no force to resist theni. Each planter could only consult his own safety, and that of his family, by flying as fast as possible to Charleston. Even in this large and fortified town, the inhab- itants were in no small alarm. Fearful accounts had been brought in of the power of the enemy. The men were obliged, therefore, to keep guard every night. There were not more than twelve hundred on the town muster-roll fit to bear arms. The governor proclaimed martial law, and forbade AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 151 all vessels from leaving the harbor. He then obtained authority from the assembly to impress i«en, arms and stores, and to arm trusty negroes. Ageiits were despatched to Virginia and to England for assistance, and bills stamped for the payment of the troops, within a few days. Governor Craven mai-hed out into the back country, at the head of the m?4tia, against the largest body of savages. Meanvhile, the more northern Indians had ad- vanced as far as the plantation of John Kearne, about fifty mf^s from Charleston. A party of these entered Kearne?s house, apparently in a peaceable manner ; but sooh afterwards murdered every per- son in it. Thomas Barker, a militia- captain, col- lected ninety horsem^.n, and advanced against the enemy. But he was led, uni)rtunately, by the treachery of an Indian guide, irio an ambuscade, where a large party of savages lay con<3ealed on the ground. He advanced into the midst of them with- out suspecting his danger. They then suddenly sprang up from the bushes all around him, raised the war-whoop, and fired upon his men. The captain and several more of the whites fell at the first onset, and the remainder retreated in dis- order. Soon after this, a party of four hundred Indians came down as far as Goose creek. Every white family there fled to Charleston, excepting one small settlement, where seventy white men, with the as- sistance of forty negroes, hastily erected a breast- 152 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA Capt. Barker falls into an ambuscade of Indians. AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 153 work. Here they were determined to remain, and defend themselves to the last drop of blood. But when the savages came upon them with their terri- ble uproar, and in irresistible numbers, their hearts failed them. They soon surrendered, admitted the enemy within their works, and were barbarously murdered on the spot, to a man. The Indians then advanced towards Charleston, but, meeting with Captain Chicken, who, spite of his name, was a brave fellow, and who came out upon them with the Goose creek militia, they retreated in great haste. By this time, the Yamassees had spread destruction through the parish of St. Bartholomew. Thence ad- vancing as far as Stono, they burned the church at that place, together with every house on the planta- tions on their way. John Cochrane, his wife and four children, Mr. Bray and his family, and six other persons, having formerly conciliated some friends among these Indians, were spared for a few days ; but, attempting to make their escape, they were retaken and massacred. Such of the settlers as had no friends among the Indians were tortured as soon as taken, in a manner too horrible for de- scription. The Indians, though they stopped for nothing else, would always make quite a halt in their rapid march to contrive and execute these in- fernal tortures. Meanwhile, Governor Craven was advancing against the enemy from Charleston, with slow and cautious steps. He felt that the fate of the whole G* 154 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, colony depended on his success or failure ; and he understood very well, too, all the wiles and strata- gems of Indian warfare. As he marched on through the back country, the straggling parties of the enemy fled before him, till he reached a place called Salt-catchers. There the savages had col- lected in great force, and erected and fortified their grand encampment. Craven's men were determin- ed to conquer or perish. The enemy were panting for more slaughter, and a sharp and bloody battle ensued. Both parties availed themselves of the woods as a defence. Bullets and arrows were discharged from trees and bushes, rocks and stumps, on all sides, with the same terrible execution. The Indians made the forest reecho with their horrid war-whoops. The English would then pour in upon them a new volley. The savages retreated a short distance, rallied again and again, and rushed on with renewed fury to the charge. But they were at length totally routed. The governor pursued them closely. He drove them over their settlement at " Indian Land," as far as Savannah river ; and, in the course of a week or two, having cleared the province of the Yamassees entirely, he returned triumphant to Charleston. In this war, four hundred Carolinians were mas- sacred. The locjs of the Indians is unknown, but it must have been considerable. Notwithstanding their signal defeat, however, they put a good face upon it, and marched off to the Spanish territories in AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 155 Florida : there they were received with bells ring- ing and guns firing, as if they had come victorious from a proud field of battle. This circumstance, and the encouragement afterwards given them to settle in Florida, confirmed the suspicion of the English, that the Spaniards had occasioned the war. The Carolinians, on the other hand, were rejoicing, at the same time, with better reason. The governor entered Charleston in triumph, and, together with his brave troops, received such thanks and gratulations, on all hands, as their prudence and courage had well merited. CHAPTER XVII. Some Account of the Spaniards in Florida. Their Hostil- ity to the English Colonies. Occasions of it. Vaiious hostile Expeditions attempted on each Side. Account of the French and Spanish Expedition against Charleston in 1706. They are repulsed loith Disgrace. As your curiosity may be a little excited, by this time, to know something of these hostile and trou- blesome Spaniards in Florida, I will give you a sketch of their history. You must know that Spain had long laid claim to the whole tract of land which the Carolinians now occupied. They asserted that Spanish subjects had first discovered it. At all events, whether they had the right to it or not, the Spaniards 156 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, were aetermined to harass them (the Carolinians), in the hope of driving them off. Wars were fre- quent and long, in those days, between Spain and England, the two mother countries of the colonies. As early as 1686, the Spaniards- had driven off a Scotch colony from Port Royal island. In 1702, Governor Moore, of South Carolina, returned the compliment, by an expedition against St. Augustine, the chief town in Florida. But the appearance of two Spanish ships of war off that harbor, obliged him to raise the siege of the town, abandon his own small vessels, and retreat to Carolina hastily over land, though with the loss of only two men. Four years after this, the Spaniards and the West Indian French (both nations being then at war with Great Britain) planned a combined attack on Charleston. Carolina was, at this time, the southern frontier of the British empire in America, Georgia being still unsettled. But Governor John- son of Carolina was an old soldier and a brave man ; and he no sooner heard of the designs of the enemy, than he set every man at Charleston* to work upon the fortifications, appointed gunners to each bastion, and trained the townsmen, daily, to the use of arms. A small fort, called fort Johnson, was erected on James island, and several cannon mounted in it. Entrenchments were raised at White Point, and other places. A guard was sta- tioned on Sullivan's island, with orders to kindle as many fires, on the side nearest the town, at first AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES 157 sight of the fleet of the enemy, as they should see ships. Meanwhile, Monsieur Le Feboure had left Ha- vana, with a French frigate and four armed sloops, well supplied by the Spanish government of Cuba. He touched at St. Augustine, took on board a large body of Spaniards, and then sailed for Charleston. The appearance of five fires on Sullivan's island, soon announced to the people of the town the arrival of the five ships. The inhabitants were immedi- ately alarmed and roused. Expresses were sent to all the militia captains in the country, ordering them to fire alarm-guns, raise their companies, and press forward to Charleston with all possible de- spatch. In the evening, the enemy approached the bar of the harbor ; but, as the passage was difficult, they hovered on the coast during the night, within sight of land. They anchored towards morning, and employed their boats, all day, in sounding the south bar. This delay enabled the country militia to reach Charleston. At the head of these forces. Governor Johnson now proclaimed martial law, and sent expresses to invite the aid of the friendly Indian tribes. As a contagious distemper raged in town at this time, he held his head quarters at half a mile's distance. In the course of the evening and the next morning, a troop of horse under Captain Logan, and nine companies of foot, reached town. 14 158 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, On the day following, the five ships of the enemy crossed the bar, and stood directly for the town, with a fair wind and a strong tide. Having ad- vanced far enough to discover the fortifications, they anchored off Sullivan's island. The governor now marched his militia into town ; and while the enemy lay at anchor, he called a council of war. Here, after some consultation, it was determined to put some great guns on board of such vessels as happened to be in the harbor, and to employ the sailors to man the vessels and defend the town in their own way. William Rhctt, a stanch soldier, was commissioned to command this little squadron, thus hastily equipped. He hoisted his flag on board of an English royal galley. The enemy now sent up a flag of truce to the governor, to summon him to surrender. George Evans, who commanded Granville bastion, re- ceived the French messenger on his landing from the boat, and conducted him blindfolded into the fort. There the governor was ready to receive him. In the mean time, he had drawn up his troops in such a manner as to make them appear to great advantage, their ranks being drawn out in fine array, and the soldiers well supplied with glit- tering arms. The French messenger was now per- mitted to uncover his eyes. One fort, full of troops, being shown him, he was blinded again, and conduct- ed to another. Here the same troops were drawn up in a different order. They had reached the second AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 159 fort by a shorter route than that by which the blinded messenger had been led ; and they were now point- ed out to him as a body of troops which he had not before seen. Having shown off his strength to the best advan- tage, by thus making it appear double what it really was, the governor demanded of the Frenchman the purport of his message. " I am sent," answered he, " from Monsieur Le Feboure, admiral of the French fleet. He demands a surrender of your town and province, and your own persons as pris- oners of war, in the name of the kings of France and Spain. His orders allow him to give you but one hour for an answer." " Very well," replied Johnson; " there is no occa- sion for one minute to answer the message. I hold this town and this province for queen Anne of England. I can defend them too; and my men will sooner die than surrender themselves prisoners of war. I will defend this place, sir, to the last drop of my blood. Have the politeness to inform Monsieur Le Feboure of this resolution, and tender him my compliments." The day following, a party of the enemy v/ent ashore on James island, and burnt some houses. Another body of one hundred and sixty men landed on the opposite side of the river, burnt two vessels in Derby's creek, and set fire to a store-house. Governor Johnson ordered Captain Drake, with his own company and a few Indians, to James island, 160 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, to oppose the enemy on that side. Drake imme- diately proceeded against them; but before he could bring up his men, the Indians, who ran be- fore him through the woods, with more than their usual impetuosity, had driven the invaders to their boats. At the same time, advice was brought to town, that a Spanish party, who had landed on Ward's neck, had killed a number of hogs and cattle, and were now feasting on the plunder. Captain Cant- ney, with one hundred chosen men, was ordered to cross the river quietly in the night, and watch their motions. Cantney came up with them before day- break, and, finding them in a state of security, sur- rounded them, and attacked them briskly. They were thrown into confusion, and fled. Some were killed, others drowned in attempting to escape, and the remainder surrendered prisoners of war. Animated by their success on land, the Carolini- ans resolved to try their fortunes by sea. Accord- ingly, Rhett set sail with his fleet of six small ves- sels. He proceeded down the river towards the place where the enemy lay anchored ; but the French, perceiving their approach, weighed anchor, and sailed over the bar. For some days, nothing was heard of them. The governor ordered Captain Watson of the '' Sea-flower " to sea, to find out whether the coast was clear. Watson returned without having seen the enemy ; but, observ- ing some men on shore, whom they had left be- AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 161 hind, he took them on board, and brought them to town. These men assured the governor that the French had gone; perhaps they had been left behind for the purpose of telling this story. Orders were now given for the cessation of martial law in Charleston, and the inhabitants began to rejoice at their happy deliverance. But news came before night, that a large ship was seen in Lewee bay, and that a num- ber of armed men had landed from her. The governor now learned, by examining the prisoners just mentioned, that the French had expected a ship of war, with Monsieur Arbuset, their general, and two hundred men, as a reinforcement. He immediately ordered Captain Fenwicke to pass the river, and march against them by land. Rhett sailed round by sea, meanwhile, for the pur- pose of meeting Fenwicke at Lewee bay, taking with him a Dutch privateer and an armed Bermuda sloop. Fenwicke came up with the enemy on the land side, and charged them with great spirit. Though they were well posted, they gave way after a few volleys, and fled for their ship. Rhett soon after made his appearance, coming in upon them from the sea, with all sails set, and his whole force on deck, ready for action. The French ship now struck her flag without firing a shot; and Rhett returned to Charleston in triumph, with his prize and ninety prisoners. Among the latter was Monsieur Arbuset himself, 14* IGiJ EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, and several other officers of rank, who, together, gave ten thousand pieces of eight* for their ransom. Of eight hundred of the enemy who belonged to the expedition, nearly three hundred were killed and captured. The loss of the Carolinians, on the other side, is not worth mentioning. Thus honorably for them ended the invasion of Feboure. The govern- or publicly thanked his troops for their good con- duct ; while his own pleased the assembly so well, that they voted him a large tract of land, with the most flattering compliments. I should observe, that this was not the same Governor Johnson under whose rule the revolution of 1719 took place. He was a man of very different character. Though the Spaniards molested the Southern English colonies long after this war, and especially by employing the Yamassees and other Indians to fight against them, they were much less troublesome than they probably would have been, but for this check. North and South Carolina were still more reliev- ed in consequence of the settlement of Georgia. This latter province then became, instead of Caro- lina, the southern frontier of British America, and lay more exposed, of course, to the incursions of the Spaniards and Indians of Florida. As Georgia becomes, therefore, an important province at this time, I shall proceed to give you some sketches of its history. * A piece of eight is an ancient Spanish coin, equal to about one dollar. AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 163 CHAPTER XVIII. Origin of the Settlement of Georgia. The first Colony which settled in it. They land at the Place noiv colled Sa- vannah. Account of their Proceedings for some Months. Anecdotes of the Indians. An Indian Treaty is con- cluded. Georgia — as well as what are now Mississippi and Alabama, both which have been cut off from it into separate states — was included in the patent granted to the proprietors of Carolina. It was not till June 9, 1732, indeed, that a separate charter was granted by King George II. to a company of twenty-one English gentlemen, entitled " Trustees for establish- ing the Colony of Georgia in America." The Car- olinians were universally interested in the design of these trustees ; for nothing was so desirable to them as the settlement of a colony between them- selves and their troublesome neighbors in Florida. The Spaniards had recently taken particular pains to entice the negro slaves of Carolina to desert their masters, and take refuge in Florida. To pre- vent this, a fort had been built and garrisoned, by the Carolinians, on the Altamaha river, in what is now Georgia. This gave offence to the Spanish governor, who still claimed that territory. He com- plained of it to the king of Spain. The Spanish ambassador at London was instructed to demand the removal of the garrison. The result was, that G * 164 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, two Spanish gentlemen of St. Augustine came to Charleston, by appointment, to confer upon this subject with other gentlemen appointed, on the other side, by King George, to meet them. But nothing was effected ; the two Spaniards went back to Florida, enraged rather than conciliated ; and, soon after, the Altamaha fort was burnt down, and the fron- tiers of Carolina again left defenceless. It was in this state of things that the charter just mentioned was given to the twenty-one trustees. The common seal agreed upon by this company of benevolent and active men, may give you an idea of their designs. On one side were two figures lean- ing upon urns, representing the rivers Altamaha and Savannah, the two boundaries of the province. Between these figures the genius of the colony was seated, with a cap of liberty on her head, a spear in one hand, and a cornucopia in the other. On the other side was a representation of silk- worms, some beginning and others having finished their webs, with the motto, in Latin, "Not for themselves, but for others." This signified, what was strictly true, that the trustees had no merely personal motives in founding the colony. The silk-worms indicated the manufacture to which they .intended the colonists should chiefly turn their attention. Two principal regulations of the trustees are worthy of notice. One was, that no negro slaves should belong to the new colony ; and the other, that no ardent spirits should be introduced into it. AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 165 One reason for the former rule was, that the making of silk could be done as well by white women and children as by slaves ; and it was not then intended to cultivate rice, as in Carolina. Another reason was, that fears were entertained of the trouble the Spaniards of Florida might give them, in case they kept slaves. A negro would cost over one hundred dollars, too; and the new colonists were not expected to be rich. Besides, the trustees believed slavery to be unlawful, as it was unnecessary. The first colony sent over by the trustees, con- sisted of one hundred and fourteen men, women and children. Not much could be said for the rep- utation or wealth of these people, though most of them were honest. But they were generally such people as could not easily get a living in England. Some who were in debt had leave from their creditors to come out to Georgia. Others had been recom- mended to the trustees by church-wardens and parish overseers, as being likely enough, if they re- mained in England, to become burdensome to their parishes. James Edward Oglethorpe, one of the trustees, was among the emigrants. So also was Mr. Herbert, an Episcopal English clergyman, and an Italian, engaged by the trustees to instruct the colonists in the art of winding silk. They left England, Novem- ber 16, 1732, in the ship Anne, Captain Thomas, and arrived at Charleston, January 13th of the next 166 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. year. There Oglethorpe and his colony were very kindly treated, and furnished with all possible aid. Many of the Carolinians sent them provisions, and hogs, and cattle, to begin their stock. The assembly voted to furnish them one hundred and four head of breeding cattle, twenty-five hogs, and twenty bar- rels of rice. Some scout boats were also ordered, with a body of rangers, to protect the new adven- turers from the savages in Georgia, while they should be preparing houses, or exploring the Georgian coast. Oglethorpe now set sail again from Charleston, and landed, in a few days, near Yamacraw bluff. Here he tarried to examine the country ; and, being pleased with the high spot of ground just named, situated on a large navigable river, he fixed on it for his new settlement. He marked out a town on the hill, and, from the Indian name of the river which ran past it, called it Savannah. A few ex- tracts from a letter of Mr. Oglethorpe to the trus- tees, will give you some interesting particulars con- cerning the settlement. *' From the camp near Savannah, " the 10th of Februarys, 1733. "Gentlemen: " I HAVE fixed upon a healthy situation for my people, about ten miles from the sea. The river here forms a half-moon, along the south side of which the banks are about forty feet high. On the top is a flat, which they call a bluff. The plain highland extends five or six miles into the AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 167 First settlement of Georgia at Savannah, 168 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, country, and along the river side about a mile. Ships that draw twelve feet water can ride within ten yards of the bank. On the river side, in the centre of this plain, I have laid out the town ; oppo- site to which is an island, of very rich pasturage, which I think should be kept for the trustees' cattle. *' The river is pretty wide, the water fresh, and, from the key of the town, one may see its whole course to the sea, with the island Tybee at its mouth. For six miles up into the country, the land- scape is very agreeable ; the stream being wide, and bordered* with high woods on both sides. I have marked out a town-common. Half the town is al- ready cleared of trees; and the first house was begun yesterday afternoon." In a second letter, Mr. Oglethorpe writes thus : — " Our people are in perfect health. Our soil is dry and sandy ; the water of the river fresh ; and we have springs coming out of the side of the hill. We are sheltered from the western and southern winds by vast woods of fine trees, many of which are one hundred, and few under seventy feet high. There is no moss on the trees, though in Carolina they are covered with it, and it hangs down two or three feet from them. The best proof of the healthiness of the place is, that an Indian nation once chose it for their own residence." His excellency, the new governor, knew but little, when he wrote this letter, of the swamps and unhealthy winds of Georgia. AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 16^ A small fort was soon erected near the river as a pkce of refuge, and some guns were mounted on it. The people were employed in falling trees and building huts. They were then formed into a com- pany of militia, and furnished with arms. The In- dians came now and then to see the new settlers, and on those occasions the militia were generally exercised. They marched about pretty well, to show off the strength of the colony ; and as they had been considerably disciplined and drilled by the " sergeants of the guards," so called, in London, just before leaving that city, they performed the musket-exercise as well as any old soldiers in the world. At least, so thought the staring and aston- ished Indians. Oglethorpe's next object was to treat with the natives for their land. The chief tribes, in the ter- ritory which he wanted, were the Uppei' and Lower Creeks. The former were very numerous and strong. The latter were reduced, by disease and war, to a small number. Both tribes together could muster over twenty thousand men, women and children. Beside these, it was a great object to collect as many of the other tribes as possible. To accomplish this, Oglethorpe employed a woman named Mary, half Indian and half white, who had married one Musgrove, a Carolinian trader. She could speak both English and Creek. She had great influence with the Indians ; and Oglethorpe took some pains to purchase her friend- 15 H 170 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, ship with presents. He then allowed her a salary of one hundred pounds yearly, as a reward for her services. By her aid, he summoned a general meet- ing of the sachems at Savannah. Accordingly, more than fifty of them soon assembled at that place. Oglethorpe represented to them the great power of the English, promised to treat them with kindness, and hoped they would freely resign a share of their lands to his people. He then distributed beads, knives, and other presents among them ; a treaty was concluded ; and Tomochichi, in the name of the Creeks, thus addressed Oglethorpe : — " Here is a little present. I give you a buffalo's skin, adorned on the inside with the head and fea- thers of an eagle. I desire you to accept it, be- cause the eagle is the bird of speed, and the buffa- lo is the beast of strength. Dhe English are swift as the one,' and strong as the other ; for they fly over vast seas to the uttermost parts of the earth ; and nothing can resist them. The feathers of the eagle are soft, too, and mean love. The buffalo's skin is warm, and signifies protection. So we hope the English will love and protect us.'' The treaty consisted of seven articles, regulating the sale and price of the Indian land, and the man- ner in which the two parties were to live together. The last article was as follows : — " We, the head men of the Coweta and Cuseta towns, in behalf of all the Lower Creeks, 6lc. do promise, with stout hearts and love to our English AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 171 brothers, to give no encouragement to any white people but themselves to settle among us ; and that we will have no correspondence with the French or Spaniards. And, to show that we do firmly promise to keep this talk in our hearts, as long as the sun shall shine, or the waters run in the rivers, we have each of us set the marks of our families." A schedule of prices of goods was agreed upon at this same time, to prevent all quarrelling or cheat- ing for the future. I annex some of them here as curiosities : — One white blanket equal to five back-skins. One blue do. " three do. A gun " ten do. A gun-lock '' four do. A pistol '< five do. Two horns of powder, or ) u ^^q do. sixty bullets ) A knife, or three yards of > ^ one doe-skin, garteruig ) A hoe or an axe " two buck-skins. Brass kettle "■ one buck-skin per pound. One large hatchet " three doe-skins. A small one, or eighteen flints '' one buck-skin. Doe-skins were estimated at half the value of the bucks. Meanwhile, the Savannah people were palisading the new town, and building more houses. A public garden was laid out, east of the town, designed as a nursery to supply them with mulberry-trees (whose leaves are the food of the silk-worm), vines, oranges, and olives. A gardener was employed by the trus- tees to take special care of these things. A " crane " 172 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, • was erected for landing goods on the bluff. A beacon, ninety feet high, was also built on Tybee island. Fort Argyle was erected on the Ogeechee river, to protect them from the Spaniards; and another at Skidway narrows. In October, 1733, the colony was reinforced by three hundred and forty-one new emigrants, most of them poor, perse- cuted Protestants from Saltzburg in Germany. Extravagant accounts of the new province were prevailing at this time in England. These were partly occasioned by a " Description of Georgia," published by some unknown person in London. The writer represented the country as a kind of Par- adise, the air always serene and pleasant, the winter regular and short, the summer cooled by refreshing breezes, the soil producing any thing and every thing with scarcely any culture at all. A hundred fold, he said, was the common increase of all kinds of grain, though the farming was so slight, that they had only to scratch the earth, and merely cover the seed. Some of the description in this old book is queer enough to deserve quoting. Here is a specimen : — *' All the best sort of cattle and fowls multiply in Georgia without number and without price. Vines are natives there. To destroy woods for clearing up pasture or ploughing ground, you have only to girdle each tree a little above the ground, with a few strokes of an axe. In a year or two, the water, getting into the wound, rots the timber, and a brisk gust of wind will fell many acres for you in one AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 173 hour ; ot* which you may make one bright bonfire. The Indians bring, many a mile, the whole of a deer's flesh, which they sei\ to the colonists for six- pence ; a wild turkey of forty pounds weight, for two-pence." A part of these stories are founded on truth, without doubt, but how much, I cannot tell you. The last-mentioned prices of food, how- ever, do not seem to me incredible, especially if the savages were paid in trinkets, such as they liked best. You recollect, I dare say, how much corn the Virginian Indians would sell for a siring of blue beads. CHAPTER XIX. Mr. Oglethorpe goes to England. Govcniment of Geor- gia during his Absence. His Return. Progress of new Settlements. A War hreaks out between England and Spain. Oglethorpe undeiiakes an Expedition against Florida. The Result of it. Anecdotes. Oglethorpe went to England early in 1734, and invited Tomochichi to accompany him. The old sachem was pleased with the invitation, and accepted it. He went to England, together with his queen and several of his Indian attendants. They were objects of great curiosity in that coun- try. The nobility entertained them handsomely at their tables ; and wherever they went, multitudes flocked around them, shaking hands with the rude 15 * 174 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, warriors of the forest, giving them little presents, and treating them with eve>ry mark of civility. Twenty pounds sterhng were allowed them by the king, each week, while they remained in Eng- land; and when they returned, it was supposed they carried presents with them to the amount of one thousand five hundred dollars. Every effort was made to engage their affections, and to fill them with just ideas of the power and riches of England. They were even introduced to the king at court, in the presence of a large number of the nobility. Tomochiclii, struck with the grandeur of every thing about him, addressed King George in these words : — " This day I see the majesty of your face, the greatness of your house, and the number of your people. I am come in my old days. Though I cannot expect any advantage to myself, I am come for the good of the children of all the nations of the Lower and Upper Creeks. These are feathers of the eagle, which is the swiftest of birds, and which flyeth round our nation : these feathers are emblems of peace in our land, and have been carried from town to town. We have brought them over to leave with you, O great king, as a token of everlasting peace. O great king, whatever words you shall say to me, I will faithfully tell them to all the kings of the Creek nation." The king very graciously told Tomochichi, in return, that he was glad of the present opportunity AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 175 of assuring them of his regard for the Indian na- tions, and extremely pleased with their assurances of peace. He accepted very gratefully, he said, the present they brought him, as an indication and pledge of friendship, and should always be disposed to do them and their nation all the good in his pow- er. After staying four months, delighted with the fine sights of London, and the wealth and kindness of the people, they were carried to Gravesend in one of the king's carriages, and there embarked for Georgia. The town of Augusta, in the latter province, was laid out in 1735. It consisted, at first, only of several warehouses, furnished with goods suitable for the In- dian trade ; and bouts were built large enough to carry about ten thousand pounds of fur, wiiich made four or five voyages a year up and down the river, be- tween Augusta and Savannah. The former became a general resort for the Indian traders in the spring. They purchased there, annually, about two thou- sand pack-horse loads of fur and skins, which were brought in and sold them by the Indians. Includ- ing townsmen, pack-horsemen and servants, it was calculated that six hundred whites were engaged in this trade. A path was opened through the woods, down to Savannah, passable on horseback. Another settlement was formed at Ebenezer, twenty-five miles above Savannah, on the river. This consisted chiefly of the hardy and industrious Saltzburghers. These people had a good clergy- 176 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, man among them, one Mr. Bottzius. There were one hundred and thirty grown people in his congre- gation. This town was remarkably healthy at first, but some diseases were afterwards occasioned by the opening of rice-lands. Twenty families of Jews settled between this place and Savannah, in 1734. Of such various materials was the population of the new province composed. Meanwhile, they were lamenting the absence of Oglethorpe in England. He had left the care of the colony chiefly with one Thomas Causton. This man was a bailiff and a store-keeper, and he proba- bly felt the importance of these two occupations as much as any man in the colony. He ruled the people with a high hand, and great complaints were soon made of him. He threatened the juries, they said, to oblige them to give such verdicts in court as suited him ; and compelled citizens, under the command of an orderly sergeant, to post themselves at the door of the court-house, with guns and bay- onets, and to salute him with presented fire-locks as he passed in and out. He openly threatened every body who opposed his will with the jail and whipping-post. It was whisper- ed about, also, that he embezzled the public money. After some months, Mr. Gordon arrived from Eng- land, to take command in the colony. But Caus- ton's cunning never left him. He refused Gordon either money or provisions from the public stores. Of course, the latter found it hard to support him- AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 177 self and his family, having no private business ; and in six weeks, he returned to England. Causton now held absolute sway again over the inferior ma- gistrates of the colony. One of them was dependent, as Gordon had been, on his salary ; and Causton had only to withhold that to make him say that black was white, and white black. Another, Mr. Dunn, was seventy years old, and crazy. He soon died, indeed ; but his successor was little better, for he could neither read nor write. A Captain Watson is said to have been one of Causton's victims. He brought a charge against the latter, for some private pique, of encouraging the Indians to make war. On this charge, Watson was tried ; and Causton himself appeared in the case as judge, advocate and witness. Nevertheless, the jury returned twice without finding the captain " guilty." Causton then ordered them into court, and most unblushingly directed them to find him guilty, and recommend him to the mercy of the court. He ordered Watson to prison, however, without pronouncing any sentence ; and he remained there three years. Immorality began to prevail under this government, as might be supposed, and no public work succeeded. The culture of silk was attempted without success. The soil of the garden and nursery in Savannah proved to be a miserable bed of sand ; almost or quite hot enough, in sunmier, to roast an egg. The colony did not increase so fast as it had H* 178 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, done, though the trustees made new exertions to effect that object. To every grown male person who would go over and settle in the province, they offered a watch-coat, muskot and bayonet, hatchet, hammer, hand-saw, spade, hoe and gimlet ; an iron pot, pot-hooks and frying pan ; and a public grind- stone to each settlement. To support him the first year, each man was to have three hundred pounds of beef and pork, one hundred and fourteen pounds of rice, as many of pease, as many of flour, forty-four gallons of strong beer, and sixteen of molasses for brewing beer, eighteen pounds of cheese, and nine of butter, with spice, sugar, vinegar, salt, lamp-oil and soap. The females, above twelve years of age, were to have the same allowances, excepting the beer ; half the allowance for children under twelve and over seven; and a third for those over two and under seven. Besides this, their passage over from Eng- land was paid, and sea-stores allowed them. Those who settled in the towns had a lot of land, sixty feet by ninety, given them for a building-spot. Those in the back country had fifty acres, at a yearly rent of two shillings and six-pence. None, however, had the advantage of this charity fund, but such as were honest and poor, or burdened with large families. Among the emigrants who availed themselves of these liberal offers, were one hundred and seventy Germans, who settled at Ebenezer ; and one hun- dred and thirty Scotch Highlanders from Inverness. AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 179 The latter settled and built a town on the Altamaha, which they called New Inverness. It is now called Darien. A long expected war between England and Spain was at last proclaimed on the 23d of October, 1^739. Every preparation was made for it in the province ; and, luckily, a treaty of peace had been renewed with the Indians in August preceding. The Spanish governor had been tampering with them, it seems, p^ well as with the negroes. Ogle- thorpe resolved to counteract his efforts ; and a gen- eral assem'!>ly of the tribes at the Cometa town, gave him the opportunity he wished for. lie travelled to Cometa, through the woods, a distance of more than four hundred miles, and car- ried with him several pack-horse loads of presents for the savages. He was received with the utmost kindness. He then conferred with the sachems of the Cherokees, Creeks, Chickasaws, and other powerful tribes. The council was continued some days, when,' after smoking the pipe of peace, drink- ing their " sofkey " with Oglethorpe, and passing through the various ceremonies customary on such occasions, they unitedly declared, that they remain- ed, and would remain, firm in their love fo the king of England, and their treaties with the province. Oglethorpe returned to Savannah, resolved on an expedition against the Spaniards. He went to Charleston to get assistance in preparing for it. The Carolina assembly voted one hun- 180 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, dred and twenty thousand pounds for the ex- penses of the war. A regiment of four hundred men was raised : the Indians were invited to join in the expedition; and Price, commander of the English ships of war off the coast, agreed to assist the Georgians with a naval force of four twenty-gurf ships, and two sloops. Oglethorpe appointed the mouth of St. John's river for a place of rendezvous, or general meeting, and returned to Savannah. On the 9th of May, 1740, he commenced his march across Florida, with four hundreci\Tien selected from a regiment he had brought with him from Eng- land, and a large body of Indians. The very next day he invested Diego, a small Spanish fort, twenty- five miles from Augustine. It surrendered after a very short resistance. He left sixty men in this fort, and returned to the appointed place of rendez- vous. Here he was joined by the Carolina regiment, and a company of Darien Highlanders, commanded by Captain Mcintosh. But, before this, six Span- ish galleys, with long brass nine-poundefb, and two sloops loaded with provisions, had got into the har- bor at Augustine — a great disappointment to Ogle- thorpe's hopes. He now mustered two thousand men in all ; and he immediately a/lvanced as far as fort Moosa, with- in two miles of Augustine. The fort was deserted on his approach, and the garrison retreated into the town. He destroyed the gates, partly demolished the walls of the fort, and then proceeded to reconnoitre AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 181 the town and castle. Notwithstanding his rapid march, the Spaniards, during his stay at Diego, had collected all the cattle from the neighboring woods, driven them into town, and had put themselves in a strong posture of defence. Their castle was a regular work, built of soft stone, with four bastions, the parapet nine feet thick, the rampart twenty feet high, casements beneath, for lodgings, arched over and newly made, bomb- proof. Fifty pieces of cannon were mounted, sever- al of them twenty-four pounders. The town was also defended by ten salient angles in the walls, mounted with small cannon. The garrison con- sisted of seven hundred regulars, two troops of horse, and four companies of armed negroes, men- tioned before, besides the militia of the province, and Indians, with a good supply of provisions, and the command of a fine fishery. Oglethorpe finally concluded to give up his first design of assaulting the town. With the aid of his ships of war, which were now anchored off the bar, he resolved to turn the siege into a blockade, and shut out all further supplies from the town. He left ninety-five Highlanders and forty-two Indians at fort Moosa, to scour the woods about the town, and command the back country. He ordered Palmer, who commanded this force, to consult his safety by changi-g his encampment every night, keeping a strict watch, and, by all means, avoiding a general action with the enemy. 16 182 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, The Carolina regiment was sent over a small creek, to take possession of a neck of land called Point Quartel, about a mile from the castle, with orders to erect a battery upon it. The general himself, as they called Oglethorpe, with his own regiment, and the Indians, crossed over to the island Anastatia. Here, as it lay opposite the town and castle, he could bombard both. Captain Pierce stationed one ship to guard the passage by way of the Matanzas, so called, and, with the others, wholly blocked up the mouth of the harbor. Having now mounted quite a battery on the island, the general summoned the Spanish govern- or to surrender But the haughty old gentleman, secure in his strong-hold, only answered, that he should be glad to shake hands with Oglethorpe in his castle. This was a very civil answer, certainly ; but the general, it would seem, was dissatisfied with it. So he opened his batteries upon the castle, and, at the same time, threw a number of shells into the town. The old governor, in return, poured shot upon him, from the fort and the six galleys in the harbor. But the distance was so great, that the cannonade on either side had little effect except to frighten the children and women in the town. However, it was kept up some days, with a good deal of noise and some smoke. Meanwhile, the Spanish governor, observing the besiegers somewhat embarrassed and negligent, sent out a detachment of three hundred men against AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 183 Palmer. They surprised him and his little force at fort Moosa, while most of his party were asleep, and cut them almost entirely to pieces. Captain Mcintosh was taken prisoner, he and his officers closely confined, and his soldiers thrown into dungeons. About this time, some of the Chickasaw Indians, as they passed by that fort, having taken a strag- gling Spaniard, cut off his head, according to their savage manner of warfare, and brought it to the general in his camp, as a proud trophy of valor. He rejected it with horror, calling them barbarous dogs, and bidding them begone. Perhaps he dis- covered more humanity than prudence on this occa- sion. At all events, the Chickasaws were offended, and deserted him. They said, if they had carried an Englishman's head to the French or Spaniards, they would not have treated the service with con- tempt. Soon after this, the vessel stationed at the Ma- tanzas passage being ordered off, some small store- vessels from Havana, and a reinforcement of men, got into Augustine by that narrow channel. A par- ty of Creeks surprised one of these vessels, and brought in four Spanish prisoners to the general. They informed him that the reinforcement amount- ed to seven hundred men. He now began to de- spair of forcing the place to surrender. The Caro- lina troops, sick, fatigued and enfeebled by the heat, decamped in large bodies. The ships were short 184 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, of provisions, and the season of hurricanes was ap~ proaching. Last of all, the general himself fell sick of a fever; and his worn-out troops, with heavy hearts, now began their return to Georgia. They reached Frederica on the 10th of July. Thus failed the expedition against Augustine, to the great disappointment of the provinces, and the extreme mortification of the general. CHAPTER XIX. A Spanish Expedition undertaken against Frederica, Its Defence is vigorously sustained by Oglethorpe. Progress of the Attack. Failure of the Expedition. The Spaniards still claimed the territory of Geor- gia, as I have told you they did formerly. But, finding that threats had no effect upon Oglethorpe, they resolved to try arms once more. An armament was fitted up at Havana, with which they expected to drive him and the English colonists out of the province, horse and foot, man, woman and child. This force left Havana in April (1742), com- manded by Don Antonio de Rodundo, and reached Augustine about the first of May. They were dis- covered by Captain Haymer, of the Flamborough man-of-war, who was cruising on that coast ; and advice was at once despatched to Oglethorpe. AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 185 This was the first knowledge the latter had of the intended expedition. He immediately set him- self to making the most vigorous preparations for a desperate defence. On the 28th of June, the Spanish fleet, amount- ing to thirty-six sail, with more than five thousand men aboard, under the command of Don Manuel de Monteano, came to anchor off St. Simon's bar, where they remained till July 5th, sounding the channel. They then anchored above Oglethorpe's works, at the south end of the island, hoisted a red flag at the mizzen topmast of the largest ship, landed their forces on the island, and erected a battery of twen- ty eighteen-pounders. Among the forces was a regiment of negroes. Their officers were clothed in lace, bore the same rank with the white officers, and walked and talked with the commander-in-chief with the same freedom. Oglethorpe now spiked the guns of his battery at St. Simon's, burst the bombs and grenadoes, destroyed the stores, and withdrew within the walls of Frederica. His main body of troops was kept at work on the fortifications. His Indian allies, meanwhile, were ranging through the woods, day and night, to harass the outposts of the enemy. His army amounted to no more than seven hundred men ; and his stock of provisions was small. But he carefully concealed this circumstance fi-om his troops, amused his Highlanders by sending them out to assist the In- 16 * 186 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, dians, and encouraged his men by eating, talking and working among them with his own hands. The Spaniards attempted to force a passage through the woods, with a view to attack the fort ; but the Indians kept them at bay. On the 7th of July, at nine o'clock in the morn- ing, a scout brought in word that a Spanish force had approached within two miles of Frederica. Oglethorpe ordered four platoons of his regiment to follow him, and instantly marched out, with some Indians and Highlanders who were under arms. He attacked the enemy about a mile from the fort, as they were entering a wide, level field, called a savanna, to take possession of a ditch, which they meant to use as an intrenchment. He charged them with such vigor, that they were soon routed. One hundred and twenty-nine were killed or cap- tured, the general taking two with his own hand. One Scroggs took Captain Sachio, who command- ed the party, prisoner. Tooanohowi, an Indian chief, and nephew of Tomochichi, was shot in the right arm by Captain Mangaleto, a Spaniard ; but he drew a pistol from his belt with his left, and shot the captain dead on the spot. The general pursued the enemy two miles, and halted on a high piece of ground, for his reinforcements to join him. These he posted, with the Highlanders, in a wood, with a large savanna in front, where the Spaniards, if they approached Frederica again, must needs pass. He himself returned to the fort. AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 187 Very soon after, three hundred of the enemy's best troops attacked the party he had left. He has- tened to join them with a reinforcement, and on his way met three platoons, who, in the smoke and drizzling rain, had retreated in disorder. Still hearing the fire of the enemy, he rallied these pla- toons, ordered them to follow him, and rushed on to the aid of the other platoon and the Highlanders. On his arrival, he found they had wholly routed the enemy. In these two actions, the Spaniards lost two captains, one lieutenant, two sergeants, two drummers, and one hundred and sixty privates, besides prisoners. The Spanish commander now changed his plan of operations. Keeping his troops under cover of his cannon, he proceeded, with his galleys, up the river, to reconnoitre the fort, and divert Ogle- thorpe's attention. But the general wae not so easily out-witted. He watched his prey from the wall of Frederica with the eye of an eagle, fixed on an advantageous spot, and sent an Indian party to lie in ambuscade in the woods and grass, and endeavor to prevent their landing. The plan succeeded. A Spanish deserter now informed the general of a dispute in the Spanish army, between the Hava- na and the Augustine troops. He said the result of it was, that they encamped in separate places. Oglethorpe now resolved to surprise one of these detachments. Knowinjj every foot of the woods 188 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, he marched out silently in the night, with three hundred regulars, the Highlanders, scouts and In- dians. Within two miles of the enemy's camp he halted, and advanced with a small party to take a view of them. He wished above all things to conceal his ap- proach. But a Frenchman of his party, firing his musket, ran off to the enemy, and gave the alarm. Oglethorpe now thought it prudent to retire to Frederica. Supposing that the deserter would in- form the enemy of his weakness, he adopted the following plan for counteracting the effects of his treachery. He addressed a letter to him, desiring him, to inform the Spaniards of his weakness, to prevail upon them to attack him, if possible, or, at least, induce them to stay a day or two longer on the island ; for within that time, an immense rein- forcement from Carolina would arrive. He longed for nothing so much, he said, as an attack. The letter concluded with enjoining se- crecy upon the deserter, and warned him, of all things, not to drop a word about Admiral Vernon's intended attack upon St. Augustine by sea. This last clause was wholly a stratagem ; but it had its effect. The letter was given to a Spanish deserter, who promised to deliver it privately to the Frenchman, and to conceal the delivery from all other persons. He was to hint round, too, among the Spanish sol- diers, that the Frenchman was not a true de- AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 189 serter, but a spy upon the Spanish camp. On condition of managing this deception (innocent in Oglethorpe, I think, under his circumstances), the Spaniard was liberated, and intrusted with the letter. He did his business faithfully ; delivered the letter to the Frenchman, and, by various innuendoes among the Spanish soldiers, soon made the latter a suspi- cious character. As Oglethorpe had expected, the Frenchman carried his letter to the Spanish general, and the general communicated its contents to his officers. Never were people more perplexed. But their conclusion finally was, to give up the expedition at once, and make their way to Augustine with all possible speed, where they were in hopes to arrive soon enough to save it from Vernon. But, just at this time, three small vessels, which the governor of Carolina had sent to watch the mo- tions of the enemy, appeared off the coast. This corresponded so well with what the letter said about a reinforcement, that it induced the Spaniards to credit the whole letter. They forthwith determined to make an assault upon Frederica, with all their force, before the rest of the reinforcement, as they supposed it, should appear. The whole Spanish army was now put in motion. This Oglethorpe ascertained very soon after, from a few Spanish prisoners, taken and brought in by his Indians. He immediately despatched Captain Dunbar, with a company of grenadiers, to join his I' 190 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, regulars and Indians, who were already out, with orders to harass the enemy on their advance. These detachments, having formed a junction, soon de- scried the Spanish army at a distance on the march. They formed an ambuscade on the borders of a woody marsh, and waited for them in silence. Fortunately, the enemy halted within a hundred paces of this position j stacked their arms, kindled fires, and were preparing their kettles for cooking ; when a horse, seeing some of the party in am- buscade, was frightened at the uniforms and bright bayonets of the regulars, which he saw through the bushes, and began to snort and paw the ground. This spread an alarm. The Spaniards ran to their arms. But the ambuscaders now fired upon them, without leaving their concealment, and did terrible execution. The Spaniards were thrown into confusion. Their enemy was invisible, while their own num- bers fell like grass before the mower. Their offi- cers shouted, and swore, and brandished their swords, and fired their pistols in the air, all to no purpose. Most of them were shot down within the first ten minutes. Their troops now fled in all direc- tions, not a man of them stopping to look behind him, till they got under cover of the guns of their ships and battery. Many fled without so much as taking up their arms, which stood stacked beside them. Others discharged their muskets but once ^over their shoulders at the English, who now pur- AND OTHER SOUTHERN STATES. 191 sued them. One or two of the Enghsh were killed by the loaded guns which were left on the ground, and accidentally fired off. On the 14th of July, all the large vessels of the Spanish force, with the Havana troops on board, sailed off to the southward. The rest of their army, having burnt the English works on Jekyl island, and the south end of St. Simon's, embarked in the small craft, and landed on the north point of Cum- berland island, at fort St. Andrew's. My readers will remember, that fort William stood on the south end of the latter island. It was com- manded by Ensign Stuart. To him Oglethorpe now sent word, directing him, in case of attack, to defend his walls to the last extremity. At day- break, twenty-eight sail of the Spanish line appeared off fort William. Fourteen of them even entered the harbor, and demanded the surrender of the garrison. Stuart replied to their messenger in these brief and dry terms: "Tell your master, young man, that this fort will not be given up ; and it capnot be taken." The Spaniards were resolved to try it, however. They commenced a brisk cannonade upon the works, from their galleys and other vessels. A party attempt- ed to land, also ; but were repulsed by a small body of light rangers, just arrived from the north part of the island. Stuart, with but sixty men, defended his fort for three hours with such bravery, that the ene- my at length became desperate of success j and di# 192 EARLY HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, &c, covering the approach of Oglethorpe with a rein- forcement, by sea, they retreated. Tvvoof their galleys were disabled and abandoned. Stuart was promoted for his brave defence. This was the last appearance of the Spaniards ; and thus was Georgia, not to say Carolina, saved by the ac- tivity, courage and skill of Oglethorpe. He more than recovered the reputation he had lost ; and all British America, from north to south, was soon filled with his praise. I HAVE now told my young reader some of the most in- teresting particulars respecting the Early History of Vir- ginia, North and South Carolina, and Georgia. After the events I have related, little occurred in either of these colo- nics, worthy of being mentioned here, till the Revolution. Virginia, and North and South Carolina, sngaged at an early peiiod in that glorious struggle ; Georgia did not join the confederation till the year 1775. The share which these portions of the country had in the war, I have given you an account of, in my Story of the Revolution. At the time that America was declaxed independent, in 1776, or soon after, the four colonies, whose history I have been telling you, became independent states, and ha.eever since remained so. They are now large and flourishing portions of the Union, and contain many thousands of in- habitants. Virginia was originally much more extensive than at present. It included what now constitutes the state of Kentucky; this became a separate district in 1786, and in 1792 was admitted as one of the United States. Tennessee was a part of the two Carolinas until 172&J these colonies then being divided into North and South Carolina, Tennessee was attached to the former ; in 1789, it was ceded to the United States, and in 1796, became an independent state. I shall tell you more about Kentucky and TenuQssee,in my History of the Western States. LBJu?9 Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. 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