pioneers of the old south-第2章

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a　different　physical　form　for　old　Virginia。　Before　the　seventeenth　century
had　passed　away；　they　had　given　to　her　northern　end　a　baptism　of　other
names。　To　the　south　she　was　lopped　to　make　the　Carolinas。　Only　to　the　west；
for　a　long　time；　she　seemed　to　grow；　while　like　a　mirage　the　South　Sea　and
Cathay　receded　into　the　distance。

This　narrative；　moving　with　the　three　ships　from　England；　and　through　a
time　span　of　less　than　a　hundred　and　fifty　years；　deals　with　a　region　of
the　western　hemisphere　a　thousand　miles　in　length；　several　hundred　in
breadth；　stretching　from　the　Florida　line　to　the　northern　edge　of
Chesapeake　Bay；　and　from　the　Atlantic　to　the　Appalachians。　Out　of　this
Virginia　there　grow　in　succession　the　ancient　colonies　and　the　modern
States　of　Virginia；　Maryland；　South　and　North　Carolina；　and　Georgia。

But　for　many　a　year　Virginia　itself　was　the　only　settlement　and　the　only
name。　This　Virginia　was　a　country　favored　by　nature。　Neither　too　hot　nor
too　cold；　it　was　rich…soiled　and　capable　of　every　temperate　growth　in　its
sunniest　aspect。　Great　rivers　drained　it；　flowing　into　a　great　bay；　almost
a　sea；　many…armed　as　Briareus；　affording　safe　and　sheltered　harbors。
Slowly；　with　beauty；　the　land　mounted　to　the　west。　The　sun　set　behind
wooded　mountains；　long　wave…lines　raised　far　back　in　geologic　time。　The
valleys　were　many　and　beautiful；　watered　by　sliding　streams。　Back　to　the
east　again；　below　the　rolling　land；　were　found　the　shimmering　levels；　the
jewel…green　marshes；　the　wide；　slow　waters；　and　at　last　upon　the　Atlantic
shore　the　thunder　of　the　rainbow…tinted　surf。　Various　and　pleasing　was　the
country。　Springs　and　autumns　were　long　and　balmy；　the　sun　shone　bright；　there
was　much　blue　sky；　a　rich　flora　arid　fauna。　There　were　mineral　wealth　and
water　power；　and　breadth　and　depth　for　agriculture。　Such　was　the　Virginia
between　the　Potomac　and　the　Dan；　the　Chesapeake　and　the　Alleghanies。

This；　and　not　the　gold…bedight　slim　neighbor　of　Cathay；　was　now　the　lure　of
the　Susan　Constant；　the　Goodspeed；　and　the　Discovery。　But　those　aboard；
obsessed　by　Spanish　America；　imperfectly　knowing　the　features　and　distances
of　the　orb；　yet　clung　to　their　first　vision。　But　they　knew　there　would　be
forest　and　Indians。　Tales　enough　had　been　told　of　both！

What　has　to　be　imaged　is　a　forest　the　size　of　Virginia。　Here　and　there；
chiefly　upon　river　banks；　show　small　Indian　clearings。　Here　and　there　are
natural　meadows；　and　toward　the　salt　water　great　marshes；　the　home　of
waterfowl。　But　all　these　are　little　or　naught　in　the　whole；　faint
adornments　sewed　upon　a　shaggy　garment；　green　in　summer；　flame…hued　in
autumn；　brown　in　winter；　green　and　flower…colored　in　the　spring。　Nor　was
the　forest　to　any　appreciable　extent　like　much　Virginian　forest　of　today；
second　growth；　invaded；　hewed　down；　and　renewed；　to　hear　again　the　sound　of
the　axe；　set　afire　by　a　thousand　accidents；　burning　upon　its　own　funeral
pyres；　all　its　primeval　glory　withered。　The　forest　of　old　Virginia　was
jocund　and　powerful；　eternally　young　and　eternally　old。　The　forest　was
Despot　in　the　landwas　Emperor　and　Pope。

With　the　forest　went　the　Indian。　They　had　a　pact　together。　The　Indians
hacked　out　space　for　their　villages　of　twenty　or　thirty　huts；　their　maize
and　bean　fields　and　tobacco　patches。　They　took　saplings　for　poles　and　bark
to　cover　the　huts　and　wood　for　fires。　The　forest　gave　canoe　and　bow　and
arrow；　household　bowls　and　platters；　the　sides　of　the　drum　that　was　beaten
at　feasts。　It　furnished　trees　serviceable　for　shelter　when　the　foe　was
stalked。　It　was　their　wall　and　roof；　their　habitat。　It　was　one　of　the　Four
Friends　of　the　Indiansthe　Ground；　the　Waters；　the　Sky；　the　Forest。　The
forest　was　everywhere；　and　the　Indians　dwelled　in　the　forest。　Not
unnaturally；　they　held　that　this　world　was　theirs。

Upon　the　three　ships；　sailing；　sailing；　moved　a　few　men　who　could　speak
with　authority　of　the　forest　and　of　Indians。　Christopher　Newport　was　upon
his　first　voyage　to　Virginia；　but　he　knew　the　Indies　and　the　South　American
coast。　He　had　sailed　and　had　fought　under　Francis　Drake。　And　Bartholomew
Gosnold　had　explored　both　for　himself　and　for　Raleigh。　These　two　could　tell
others　what　to　look　for。　In　their　company　there　was　also　John　Smith。　This
gentleman；　it　is　true；　had　not　wandered；　fought；　and　companioned　with
romance　in　America；　but　he　had　done　so　everywhere　else。　He　had　as　yet　no
experience　with　Indians；　but　he　could　conceive　that　rough　experiences　were
rough　experiences；　whether　in　Europe；　Asia；　Africa；　or　America。　And　as　he
knew　there　was　a　family　likeness　among　dangerous　happenings；　so　also　he
found　one　among　remedies；　and　he　had　a　bag　full　of　stories　of　strange
happenings　and　how　they　should　be　met。

They　were　going　the　old；　long　West　Indies　sea　road。　There　was　time　enough
for　talking；　wondering；　considering　the　past；　fantastically　building　up　the
future。　Meeting　in　the　ships'　cabins　over　ale　tankards；　pacing　up　and　down
the　small　high…raised　poop…decks；　leaning　idle　over　the　side；　watching
the　swirling　dark…blue　waters　or　the　stars　of　night；　lying　idle　upon　the
deck；　propped　by　the　mast　while　the　trade…winds　blew　and　up　beyond　sail　and
rigging　curved　the　skythey　had　time　enough　indeed　to　plan　for　marvels！　If
they　could　have　seen　ahead；　what　pictures　of　things　to　come　they　might　have
beheld　rising；　falling；　melting　we　into　another！

Certain　of　the　men　upon　the　Susan　Constant；　the　Goodspeed；　and　the
Discovery　stand　out　clearly；　etched　against　the　sky。

Christopher　Newport　might　be　forty　years　old。　He　had　been　of　Raleigh's
captains　and　was　chosen；　a　very　young　man；　to　bring　to　England　from　the
Indies　the　captured　great　carrack；　Madre　de　Dios；　laden　with　fabulous
treasure。　In　all；　Newport　was　destined　to　make　five　voyages　to　Virginia；
carrying　supply　and　aid。　After　that；　he　would　pass　into　the　service　of　the
East　India　Company；　know　India；　Java；　and　the　Persian　Gulf；　would　be
praised　by　that　great　company　for　sagacity；　energy；　and　good　care　of　his
men。　Ten　years'　time　from　this　first　Virginia　voyage；　and　he　would　die　upon
his　ship；　the　Hope；　before　Bantam　in　Java。

Bartholomew　Gosnold；　the　captain　of　the　Goodspeed；　had　sailed　with　thirty
others；　five　years　before；　from　Dartmouth　in　a　bark　named　the　Concord。　He
had　not　made　the　usual　long　sweep　southward　into　tropic　waters；　there　to
turn　and　come　northward；　but　had　gone；　arrowstraight；　across　the　north
Atlanticone　of　the　first　English　sailors　to　make　the　direct　passage　and
save；　many　a　weary　sea　league。　Gosnold　and　his　men　had　seen　Cape　Ann　and
Cape　Cod；　and　had　built　upon　Cuttyhunk；　among　the　Elizabeth　Islands；　a
little　fort　thatched　with　rushes。　Then；　hardships　thronging　and　quarrels
developing；　they　had　filled　their　ship　with　sassafras　and　cedar；　and　sailed
for　home　over　the　summer　Atlantic；　reaching　England；　with　〃not　one　cake　of
bread〃　left　but　only　〃a　little　vinegar。〃　Gosnold；　guiding　the　Goodspeed；　is
now　making　his　last　voyage；　for　he　is　to　die　in　Virginia　within　the　year。

George　Percy；　brother　of　the　Earl　of　Northumberland；　has　fought　bravely　in
the　Low　Countries。　He　is　to　stay　five　years　in　Virginia；　to　serve　there　a
short　time　as　Governor；　and　then；　returning　to　England；　is　to　write　〃A
Trewe　Relacyion〃；　in　which　he　begs　to　differ　from　John　Smith's　〃Generall
Historie。〃　Finally；　he　goes　again　to　the　wars　in　the　Low　Countries；　serves
with　distinction；　and　dies；　unmarried；　at　the　age　of　fifty…two。　His
portrait　shows　a　long；　rather　melancholy　face；　set　between　a　lace　collar
and　thick；　dark　hair。

A　Queen　and　a　CardinalMary　Tudor　and　Reginald　Polehad　stood　sponsors
for　the　father　of　Edward…Maria　Wingfield。　This　man；　of　an　ancient　and
honorable　stock；　was　older　than　most　of　his　fellow　adventurers　to　Virginia。
He　had　fought　in　Ireland；　fought　in　the　Low　Countries；　had　been　a　prisoner
of　war。　Now　he　was　presently　to　become　〃the　first　president　of　the　first
council　in　the　first　English　colony　in　America。　〃And　then；　miseries
increasing　and　wretched　men　being　quick　to　impute　evil；　it　was　to　be　held
with　other　assertions　against　him　that　he　was　of　a　Catholic　family；　that　he
traveled　without　a　Bible；　and　probably　meant　to　betray　Virginia　to　the
Spaniard。　He　was　to　be　deposed　from　his　presidency；　return　to　England；
and　there　write　a　vindication。　〃I　never　turned　my　face　from　daunger；　or
hidd　my　handes　from　labour；　so　watchful　a　sentinel　stood　myself　to　myself。〃
With　John　Smith　he　had　a　bitter　quarrel。

Upon　the　Discovery　is　one　who　signed　himself　〃John　Radclyffe；　comenly
called；〃　and　who　is　named　in　the　London　Company's　list　as　〃Captain　John
Sicklemore；　alias　Ratcliffe。　〃He　will　have　a　short　and　stormy　Virginian
life；　and　in　two　years　be　done　to　death　by　Indians。　John　Smith　quarreled
with　him　also。　〃A　poor　counterfeited　Imposture！〃　said　Smith。　Gabriel　Archer
is　a　lawyer；　and　first　secretary　or　recorder　of　the　colony。　Short；　too；　is
his　life。　His　name　lives　in　Archer's　Hope　on　the　James　River　in　Virginia。
John　Smith　will　have　none　of　him！　George　Kendall's　life　is　more　nearly　spun
than　Ratcliffe's　or　Archer's。　He　will　be　shot　for　treason　and　rebellion。
Robert　Hunt　is　the　chaplain。　Besides　those　whom　the　time　dubbed
〃gentlemen；〃　there　are　upon　the　three　ships　English　sailors；　English
laborers；　six　carpenters；　two　bricklayers；　a　blacksmith；　a　tailor；　a
barber；　a　drummer；　other　craftsmen；　and　nondescripts。　Up　and　down　and　to
and　fro　they　pass　in　their　narrow　quarters；　microscopic　upon　the　bosom　of
the　ocean。

John　Smith　looms　large　among　them。　John　Smith　has　a　mantle　of　marvelous
adventure。　It　seems　that　he　began　to　make　it　when　he　was　a　boy；　and　for
many　years　worked　upon　it　steadily　until　it　was　stiff　as　cloth　of　gold　and
voluminous　as　a　puffed…out　summer　cloud。　Some　think　that　much　of　it　was
such　stuff　as　dreams　are　made　of。　Probably　some　breadths　were　the　fabric　of
vision。　Still　it　seems　certain　that　he　did　have　some　kind　of　an
extraordinary　coat　or　mantle。　The　adventures　which　he　relates　of　himself
are　those　of　a　paladin。　Born　in　1579　or　1580；　he　was　at　this　time　still　a
young　man。　But　already　he　had　fought　in　France　and　in　the　Netherlands；　and
in　Transylvania　against　the　Turks。　He　had　known　sea…fights　and　shipwrecks
and　had　journeyed；　with　adventures　galore；　in　Italy。　Before　Regal；　in
Transylvania；　he　had　challenged　three　Turks　in　succession；　unhorsed　them；
and　cut　off　their　heads；　for　which　doughty　deed　Sigismund；　a　Prince　of
Transylvania；　had　given　him　a　coat　of　arms　showing　three　Turks'　heads　in　a
shield。　Later　he　had　been　taken　in　battle　and　sold　into　slavery；　whereupon
a　Turkish　lady；　his　master's　sister；　had　looked　upon　him　with　favor。　But　at
last　he　slew　the　Turk　and　escaped；　and　after　wandering　many　days　in　misery
came　into　Russia。　〃Here；　too；　I　found；　as　I　have　always　done　when　in
misfortune；　kindly　help　from　a　woman。〃　He　wandered　on　into　Germany　and　thence
into　France　and　Spain。　Hearing　of　wars　in　Barbary；　he　crossed　from　Gibraltar。
Here　he　met　the　captain　of　a　French　man…of…war。　One　day　while　he　was　with　this
man　there　arose　a　great　storm　which　drove　the　ship　out　to　sea。　They　went
before　the　wind　to　the　Canaries；　and　there　put　themselves　to　rights　and　began
to　chase　Spanish　barks。　P