Captain John Smith eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 268 pages of information about Captain John Smith.

Captain John Smith eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 268 pages of information about Captain John Smith.

“Their order in conducting him was thus:  Drawing themselves all in fyle, the King in the middest had all their Peeces and Swords borne before him.  Captaine Smith was led after him by three great Salvages, holding him fast by each arme:  and on each side six went in fyle with their arrowes nocked.  But arriving at the Towne (which was but onely thirtie or fortie hunting houses made of Mats, which they remove as they please, as we our tents) all the women and children staring to behold him, the souldiers first all in file performe the forme of a Bissom so well as could be:  and on each flanke, officers as Serieants to see them keepe their orders.  A good time they continued this exercise, and then cast themselves in a ring, dauncing in such severall Postures, and singing and yelling out such hellish notes and screeches:  being strangely painted, every one his quiver of arrowes, and at his backe a club:  on his arme a Fox or an Otters skinne, or some such matter for his vambrace:  their heads and shoulders painted red, with oyle and Pocones mingled together, which Scarlet like colour made an exceeding handsome shew, his Bow in his hand, and the skinne of a Bird with her wings abroad dryed, tyed on his head, a peece of copper, a white shell, a long feather, with a small rattle growing at the tayles of their snaks tyed to it, or some such like toy.  All this time Smith and the King stood in the middest guarded, as before is said, and after three dances they all departed.  Smith they conducted to a long house, where thirtie or fortie tall fellowes did guard him, and ere long more bread and venison were brought him then would have served twentie men.  I thinke his stomacke at that time was not very good; what he left they put in baskets and tyed over his head.  About midnight they set the meat again before him, all this time not one of them would eat a bit with him, till the next morning they brought him as much more, and then did they eate all the old, and reserved the new as they had done the other, which made him think they would fat him to eat him.  Yet in this desperate estate to defend him from the cold, one Maocassater brought him his gowne, in requitall of some beads and toyes Smith had given him at his first arrival in Firginia.

“Two days a man would have slaine him (but that the guard prevented it) for the death of his sonne, to whom they conducted him to recover the poore man then breathing his last.  Smith told them that at James towne he had a water would doe it if they would let him fetch it, but they would not permit that:  but made all the preparations they could to assault James towne, craving his advice, and for recompence he should have life, libertie, land, and women.  In part of a Table booke he writ his mind to them at the Fort, what was intended, how they should follow that direction to affright the messengers, and without fayle send him such things as he writ for.  And an Inventory with them.  The difficultie and danger he told the Salvaves, of the Mines, great gunnes, and other Engins, exceedingly affrighted them, yet according to his request they went to James towne in as bitter weather as could be of frost and snow, and within three days returned with an answer.

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Captain John Smith from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.