pioneers of the old south-第5章

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great　flocks　of　wild　fowl；　〃swans；　geese；　ducks　and　cranes。〃　Famine
vanished；　sickness　decreased。　The　dead　were　dead。　Of　the　hundred　and　four
persons　left　by　Newport　less　than　fifty　had　survived。　But　these　may　be
thought　of　as　indeed　seasoned。



CHAPTER　IV。　JOHN　SMITH

With　the　cool　weather　began　active　exploration；　the　object　in　chief　the
gathering　from　the　Indians；　by　persuasion　or　trade　or　show　of　force；　food
for　the　approaching　winter。　Here　John　Smith　steps　forward　as　leader。

There　begins　a　string　of　adventures　of　that　hardy　and　romantic　individual。
How　much　in　Smith's　extant　narrations　is　exaggeration；　how　much　is
dispossession　of　others'　merits　in　favor　of　his　own；　it　is　difficult　now　to
say。*　A　thing　that　one　little　likes　is　his　persistent　depreciation　of　his
fellows。　There　is　but　one　Noble　Adventurer；　and　that　one　is　John　Smith。　On
the　other　hand　evident　enough　are　his　courage　and　initiative；　his
ingenuity；　and　his　rough；　practical　sagacity。　Let　us　take　him　at　something
less　than　his　own　valuation；　but　yet　as　valuable　enough。　As　for　his
adventures；　real　or　fictitious；　one　may　see　in　them　epitomized　the
adventures　of　many　and　many　men；　English；　French；　Spanish；　Dutch；　blazers
of　the　material　path　for　the　present　civilization。

*　Those　who　would　strike　John　Smith　from　the　list　of　historians　will
commend　the　author's　caution　to　the　reader　before　she　lets　the　Captain　tell
his　own　tale。　Whatever　Smith　may　not　have　been；　he　was　certainly　a
consummate　raconteur。　He　belongs　with　the　renowned　story…tellers　of　the
world；　if　not　with　the　veracious　chroniclers。Editor。


In　December；　rather　autumn　than　winter　in　this　region；　he　starts　with　the
shallop　and　a　handful　of　men　up　a　tributary　river　that　they　have　learned　to
call　the　Chickahominy。　He　is　going　for　corn；　but　there　is　also　an　idea　that
he　may　hear　news　of　that　wished…for　South　Sea。

The　Chickahominy　proved　itself　a　wonderland　of　swamp　and　tree…choked
streams。　Somewhere　up　its　chequered　reaches　Smith　left　the　shallop　with　men
to　guard　it；　and；　taking　two　of　the　party　with　two　Indian　guides；　went　on
in　a　canoe　up　a　narrower　way。　Presently　those　left　with　the　boat
incautiously　go　ashore　and　are　attacked　by　Indians。　One　is　taken；　tortured；
and　slain。　The　others　get　back　to　their　boat　and　so　away；　down　the
Chickahominy　and　into　the　now　somewhat　familiar　James。　But　Smith　with　his
two　men；　Robinson　and　Emry；　are　now　alone　in　the　wilderness；　up　among
narrow　waters；　brown　marshes；　fallen　and　obstructing　tree　trunks。　Now　come
the　men…hunting　Indians…the　King　of　Pamaunck；　says　Smith；　with　two　hundred
bowmen。　Robinson　and　Emry　are　shot　full　of　arrows。　Smith　is　wounded；　but
with　his　musket　deters　the　foe；　killing　several　of　the　savages。　His　eyes
upon　them；　he　steps　backward；　hoping　he　may　beat　them　off　till　he　shall
recover　the　shallop；　but　meets　with　the　ill　chance　of　a　boggy　and　icy
stream　into　which　he　stumbles；　and　here　is　taken。

See　him　now　before　〃Opechancanough；　King　of　Pamaunck！〃　Savages　and
procedures　of　the　more　civilized　with　savages　have；　the　world　over；　a
family　resemblance。　Like　many　a　man　before　him　and　after；　Smith　casts　about
for　a　propitiatory　wonder。　He　has　with　him；　so　fortunately；　〃a　round　ivory
double…compass　dial。〃　This；　with　a　genial　manner；　he　would　present　to
Opechancanough。　The　savages　gaze；　cannot　touch　through　the　glass　the　moving
needle；　grunt　their　admiration。　Smith　proceeds；　with　gestures　and　what
Indian　words　he　knows；　to　deliver　a　scientific　lecture。　Talking　is　best
anyhow；　will　give　them　less　time　in　which　to　think　of　those　men　he　shot。　He
tells　them　that　the　world　is　round；　and　discourses　about　the　sun　and　moon
and　stars　and　the　alternation　of　day　and　night。　He　speaks　with　eloquence　of
the　nations　of　the　earth；　of　white　men；　yellow　men；　black　men；　and　red　men；
of　his　own　country　and　its　grandeurs；　and　would　explain　antipodes。

Apparently　all　is　waste　breath　and　of　no　avail；　for　in　an　hour　see　him
bound　to　a　tree；　a　sturdy　figure　of　a　man；　bearded　and　moustached；　with　a
high　forehead；　clad　in　shirt　and　jerkin　and　breeches　and　hosen　and　shoon；
all　by　this　time；　we　may　be　sure；　profoundly　in　need　of　repair。　The　tree
and　Smith　are　ringed　byIndians；　each　of　whom　has　an　arrow　fitted　to　his
bow。　Almost　one　can　hear　a　knell　ringing　in　the　forest！　But　Opechancanough；
moved　by　the　compass；　or　willing　to　hear　more　of　seventeenth…century
science；　raises　his　arm　and　stops　the　execution。　Unbinding　Smith；　they　take
him　with　them　as　a　trophy。　Presently　all　reach　their　town　of　Orapaks。

Here　he　was　kindly　treated。　He　saw　Indian　dances；　heard　Indian　orations。
The　women　and　children　pressed　about　him　and　admired　him　greatly。　Bread　and
venison　were　given　him　in　such　quantity　that　he　feared　that　they　meant　to
fatten　and　eat　him。　It　is；　moreover；　dangerous　to　be　considered　powerful
where　one　is　scarcely　so。　A　young　Indian　lay　mortally　ill；　and　they　took
Smith　to　him　and　demanded　that　forthwith　he　be　cured。　If　the　white　man
could　killhow　they　were　not　able　to　see　he　could　likewise　doubtless
restore　life。　But　the　Indian　presently　died。　Hisfather；　crying　out　in　fury；
fell　upon　the　stranger　who　could　have　done　so　much　and　would　not！　Here　also
coolness　saved　the　white　man。

Smith　was　now　led　in　triumph　from　town　to　town　through　the　winter　woods。
The　James　was　behind　him；　the　Chickahominy　also；　he　was　upon　new　great
rivers；　the　Pamunkey　and　the　Rappahannock。　All　the　villages　were　much
alike；　alike　the　still　woods；　the　sere　patches　from　which　the　corn　had　been
taken；　the　bear；　the　deer；　the　foxes；　the　turkeys　that　were　met　with；　the
countless　wild　fowl。　Everywhere　were　the　same　curious；　crowding　savages；
the　fires；　the　rustic　cookery；　the　covering　skins　of　deer　and　fox　and
otter；　the　oratory；　the　ceremonial　dances；　the　manipulations　of　medicine
men　or　prieststhese　last；　to　the　Englishmen；　pure　〃devils　with　antique
tricks。〃　Days　were　consumed　in　this　going　from　place　to　place。　At　one　point
was　produced　a　bag　of　gunpowder；　gained　in　some　way　from　Jamestown。　It　was
being　kept　with　care　to　go　into　the　earth　in　the　spring　and　produce；　when
summer　came；　some　wonderful　crop。

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

Spring　came　again　with　the　dogwood　and　the　honeysuckle　and　the
strawberries；　the　gay；　returning　birds；　the　barred　and　striped　and　mottled
serpents。　The　colony　was　one　year　old。　Back　to　England　sailed　the　Fr