Gambar halaman
PDF
ePub

been fully revenged, but we were deceived, for they were our friends come from Croatan to gather their corn!" "Being thus disappointed of our purpose, we gathered the fruit we found ripe, left the rest unspoiled, and took Menatonon, his wife with her child, and the rest with us to Roanoak." But to return to Wingina.

While the English were upon the errand we have been speaking of, Wingina pretended to be their friend, but deceived them on every opportunity, by giving notice to his countrymen of their course and purpose, and urging them to cut them off. He thought, at one time, that the English were destroyed, and thereupon scoffed and mocked at such a God as theirs, who would suffer it. This caused his son Ensenore to join their enemies, but on their return he was their friend again. He, and many of his people, now believed, say the voyagers, that "we could do them more hurt being dead, than liuing, and that, being an hundred myles from them, shot, and struck them sick to death, and that when we die it is but for a time, then we return again." Many of the chiefs now came and submitted themselves to the English, and, among others, Ensenore persuaded his father to become their friend, who, when they were in great straits for provisions, came and planted their fields, and made wears in the streams to catch fish, which were of infinite benefit to them. This was in the spring of 1586, and, says Lane, "we not having one corn till the next harvest to sustain us." What added greatly to their distresses, was the death of their excellent friend Ensenore, who died 20th of April following. The Indians began anew their conspiracies, and the colony availed themselves of the first opportunity of returning to England, which was in the fleet of Sir Francis Drake, which touched there in its way from an expedition against the Spaniards in the West Indies.

The conduct of Lane and his company in this fruitless attempt to establish themselves in Virginia, was, in the highest degree, reprehensible. They put to death some of the natives on the most frivolous charges, and no wonder they were driven out of the country, as they ought to have been. While they were there, they became acquainted with the use of tobacco, and, taking it to England, its introduction into general use soon rendered it a great article of commerce. And here it will not be improper to notice how many different persons have had the credit, or, perhaps, I should say discredit, of introducing this "Indian weed" into England; as, Sir Francis Drake, Sir Walter Ralegh, Ralph Lane, and some others. Now, as some writer observes, the reader may father it upon whom he pleases, as it is evident Sir Francis Drake took Ralph Lane and tobacco both together into England; and no one will dispute the agency of the gallant knight, Sir Walter Ralegh, for he sent out Lane in his employ.

Mr. John Josselyn, in his "Two Voyages to N. England," has this passage: "Others will have tobacco to be first brought into England from Peru, by Sir Francis Drake's mariners."

There were many who affected a violent disgust towards the use of tobacco; the most conspicuous was King James, whose mind seems to have been just weak enough to fight windmills. He even wrote a book denouncing its use in the severest terms he could command. Not doubting but the reader will be gratified with a specimen of the opposition with which our indian plant met, in its transatlantic use, we will offer him a passage from Winstanley's Worthies,§ which, he says, is from one of the poets of that day :

* Smith's Hist. Virginia.

+ Relation of Lane, printed in Smith's Virginia.

+ Herriot's Observations, (one of Lune's company,) printed in Smith.
Page 211, 212.

"He's no good fellow that's without the [-]x,
Burnt pipes, tobacco, and his tinder box."

He then proceeds, "a folly which certainly had never spread so far, if here had been the same means of prevention used with us, as was in Turky by Morat Bassa, who cominanded a pipe to be thrust through the nose of a Turk which was found taking tobacco, and so in derision to be led about Constantinople. Take his farewell to it, who once much doted on this heathenish weed :

'Farewell, thou Indian smoak, barbarian vapor,
An enemy to life, foe to waste paper.
Thou dost diseases in the body breed,
And like a vulter on the purse dost feed.
Changing sweet breaths into a stinking loathing,
And with three pipes turns twopence into nothing.
Grim Pluto first invented it, I think,

To poyson all the world with hellish stink:
Base heathenish weed, how common is grown,
That but a few years past was scarcely known!
When for to see one take it was a riddle,
As strange as a baboon to tune a fiddle.
Were it confined onely to gentlemen,

"T'were some repute to take tobacco then,

But bedlams, tinkers, coblers, water-bearers,

Your common drunkards, and most horid swearers.

If man's flesh be like hogs, as it is said,

Then surely by smoaking thus it's bacon made.
Farewell, foul smoak, good for such things as these,

'Gainst lice, sore heads, scabs, mange, or French disease.'"

Tobacco grew spontaneously in Wingandacoa, (Virginia,) and the natives called it Uppowoc. It is generally supposed to be called tobacco from the island Tobago, but this derivation is denied by some.*

But to return to our biography. Granganemeo was a chief very favorably spoken of. As soon as the arrival of the English was made known to him, he visited them with about 40 of his men, who were very civil, and of a remarkably robust and fine appearance. When they had left their boat, and came upon the shore near the ship, Granganemeo spread a mat and sat down upon it. The English went to him armed, but he discovered no fear, and invited them to sit down; after which he performed some tokens of friendship; then making a speech to them, they presented him with some toys. None but four of his people spoke a word, or sat down, but maintained the most perfect silence. On being shown a pewter dish, he was much pleased with it, and purchased it with 20 deer-skins, which were worth, in England, one hundred shillings sterling!! The dish be used as an ornament, making a hole through it, and wearing it about his neck. While here, the English entertained him, with his wife and children, on board their ship. His wife had in her ears bracelets of pearl, which reached to her middle. Shortly after, many of the people came out of the country to trade, "but when Granganemeo was present, none durst trade but himself, and them that wore red copper on their heads as he did." He was remarkably exact in keeping his promise, "for oft we trusted him, and he would come within his day to keep his word." And these voyagers further report, that "commonly he sent them every day a brace of bucks, conies, hares, and fish, and sometimes melons, walnuts, cucumbers, pease and divers roots."

In their wanderings, Capt. Amidas and seven others visited the island of Roanoake, where they found the family of Granganemeo living in great

* Stith s Hist. Virginia, 19.

comfort and plenty, in a little town of nine houses. The chief was not at home, "but his wife entertained them with wonderful courtesy and kindness. She made some of her people draw their boat up, to prevent its being injured by the beating of the surge; some she ordered to bring them ashore on their backs, and others to carry their oars to the house, for fear of being stole. When they came into the house, she took off their cloathes and stockings, and washed them, as likewise their feet in warm water. When their dinner was ready, they were conducted into an inner room, (for there were five in the house, divided by mats,) where they found hominy,* boiled venison, and roasted fish; and, as a desert, melons, boiled roots, and fruits of various sorts. While they were at meat, two or three of her men came in with their bows and arrows, which made the English take to their arms. But she, perceiving their distrust, ordered their bows and arrows to be broken, and themselves to be beaten out of the gate. In the evening, the English returned to their boat; and, putting a little off from shore, lay at anchor; at which she was much concerned, and brought their supper, half boiled, pots and all to the shore; and, seeing their jealousy, she ordered several men, and 30 women, to sit all night upon the shore, as a guard; and sent five mats to cover them from the weather." Well hath the poet demanded, "Call ye them savage?" If the wife of Granganemeo was savage, in the common, acceptation of the term, where shall we look for civilization?

Sir R. Greenvil, having arrived on the coast in 1685, anchored off the island Wokokon, 26 May, and, by means of Manteo, had some intercourse with the inhabitants. At Hatteras, where they staid a short time, soon after, Granganemeo, with Manteo, went on board their ships. This was the last visit he made to the English.

This must close our account of the excellent family of Granganemeo, and would that the account of the English would balance as well, but they exhibit their own, and one item more from it, and we close the comparison. For a small kettle they took 50 skins, worth in England £12. 10s. sterling.

We have now arrived at the most interesting article in Virginia history. Powhatan was, of all the chiefs of his age, the most famous in the regions of Virginia. The English supposed, at first, that his was the name of the country; a common error, as we have seen in several cases in the previous books of our biography, but, in this case, unlike the others, the error prevailed, and a part of his people, ever after the settlement of the English, were called the Powhatans. A great river, since called the James, and a bay received his name also. He had three brothers, Opitchepan, Opekankanough and Catatanugh, and two sisters. His principal residence was at a place called Werowocomoco, when the English came into the country; which was upon the north side of what is now York River, in the county of Gloucester, nearly opposite the mouth of Queen's Creek, and about 25 miles below the fork of the river. He lived here until the English began to intrude themselves into his vicinity, when he took up his resi- . dence at Orakakes.

Powhatan was not his Indian name, or rather original name; that was Wahunsonacock. He is described as tall and well proportionedbearing an aspect of sadness-exceedingly vigorous, and possessing a

*"A food made of Indian corn, or maize, beaten and carefully husked, something like furmety in England; and is an excellent dish various ways."

+ Stith's Hist. Virginia, 10, 11.

Smith's Hist. Virginia.

About two miles below where Richmond now stands. The farm of a gentleman of the name of Mayo included the site of a part of his town, in 1813.-Campbell's Virginia.

body capable of sustaining great hardships. He was, in 1607, about 60 years of age, and his hair was considerably gray, which gave him a majestic appearance. At his residence, he had a kind of wooden form to sit upon, and his ornamental robe was of raccoon skins, and his head-dress was composed of many feathers wrought into a kind of crown. He swayed many nations upon the great rivers and bays, the chief of whom he had conquered. He originally claimed only the places called Powhatan, (since named Haddihaddocks,) Arrohattock, (now Appomattox,) Youghtanund, Pamunky, Mattapony, Werowocomoco, and Kiskiak; at which time, his chief seat was at Powhatan, near the falls of James River. But when he had extended his conquests a great way north, he removed to Werowocomoco, as a more commodious situation.

At the termination of his warlike career, the country upon James River, from its mouth to the falls, and all its branches, was the boundary of his country, southerly-and so across the country, "nearly as high as the falls of all the great rivers, over Potowmack, even to Patuxent, in Maryland," and some of the nations on the north shore of the Chesapeake. His dominions, according to his law of succession, did not fall to his children, but to his brothers, and then to his sisters, (the oldest first,) thence to the heirs of the oldest; but never to the heirs of the males.

He usually kept a guard of 40 or 50 of the most resolute and wellformed men about him, especially when he slept; but, after the English came into his country, he increased them to about 200. He had as many, and such women as he pleased; and, when he slept, one sat at his head and another at his feet. When he was tired of any of his wives, he bestowed them upon such of his men as most pleased him. Like the New England chiefs, he had many places where he passed certain seasons of the year; at some of which he had very spacious wigwams, 30 or 40 yards in extent, where he had victuals provided against his coming.

In 1608, he surprised the people of Payankatauk, who were his neighbors and subjects. Captain Smith, in the account, "writ with his own hand," says, "the occasion was to vs vnknowne, but the manner was thus." He sent several of his men to lodge with them the night on which he meant to fall upon them; then, secretly surrounding them in their wigwams, commenced a horrid slaughter. They killed 24 men, took off their scalps, and, with the women and children prisoners, returned to the sachein's village. The scalps they exhibited upon a line between two trees, as a trophy, and the werowance (their name of a chief) and his wife Powhatan made his servants.

From 1585 to 1607, every attempt to settle a colony in Virginia had failed; and, at this time, would have failed also, but for the unexampled perseverance of one man. I need but pronounce the name of Capt. John Smith. The colony with which he came did not arrive until the planting season was over; and, in a short time, they found themselves in a suffering condition, from want of suitable provisions. Smith, therefore, undertook to gain a supply by trafficking with the Indians back in the country, who, being acquainted with his situation, insulted him and his men wherever they came; offering him but a handful of corn, or a piece of bread, for a gun or a sword. "But seeing by trade and courtesie there was nothing to be had, he made bold to try such conclusions as necessitie inforced, though contrary to his commission." So he fired upon them, and drove them into the woods. He then marched to their village. There they found corn in abundance, which, after some manoeuvring, he succeeded in trading for, and returned with a supply to Jamestown.

Smith, soon after, proceeded to discover the source of the Chikahamania. When he had passed up as far as it was navigable for his barge, he left it in a wide place, at a safe distance from the shore, and ordered his

men not to go on shore on any condition. Taking two of his own men and two Indians, he proceeded to complete his discovery. As soon as he was gone, his men went on shore; one was killed, and the rest hardly escaped. Smith was now 20 miles into the wilderness. Opekankanough, with 300 warriors, having learned, from the men they had just taken, which way he was gone, followed after him, and came upon the two Englishmen belonging to his company, and killed them both while asleep, he being absent to shoot some fowls for provisions; they then continued their pursuit after him. He was not far from his canoe, and endeavored to retreat to it, but, being hard pressed, made a shield of one of his Indians, and, in this manner, fought upon the retreat, until he had killed three, and wounded divers others. Being obliged to give all his attention to his pursuers, he accidentally fell into a creek, where the mud was so deep that he could not extricate himself. Even now, none dared to lay hands upon him; and those whom their own numbers forced nearest to him, were observed to tremble with fear. The Indian he had bound to his arm with his garters, doubtless saved him from being killed by their arrows, from which, owing to his Indian shield, he received but very little hurt, except a wound in his thigh, though his clothes were shot full of them.

When he could stand no longer in the mire, without perishing with cold, he threw away his arms, and suffered them to come and take him. After pulling him out of the mire, they took him to the place where his men had just been killed, where there was a fire. They now showed him kindness, rubbing his benumbed limbs, and warming him by the fire. He asked for their chief, and Opekankanough appeared, to whom he gave a small compass. This amused them exceedingly. "Much they marvelled at the playing of the fly and needle, which they could see so plainly, and yet not touch it, because of the glass that covered them. But when he demonstrated, by that globe-like iewell, the roundnesse of the earth, and skies, the spheare of the sunne, and moone, and starres, and how the sunne did chase the night round about the world, continually—the greatnesse of the land and sea, the diversity of the nations, varietie of complexions, and how we were to them antipodes, and many other such like matters, they all stood as amazed with admiration!" Yet, notwithstanding he had such success in explaining to them his knowledge of geography and astronomy, (how much of it they understood we will not undertake to say,) within an hour after, they tied him to a tree, and a multitude of them seemed prepared to shoot him. But when their bows were bent, Opekankanough held up his compass, and they all laid down their weapons. They now led him to Orapakas, or Orakakes, a temporary seat of Powhatan, on the north side of Chikahominy swamp. Here they feasted him, and treated him well.

When they marched him, they drew themselves up in a row, with their chief in the midst, before whom the guns and swords they had taken from the English were borne. Smith came next, led by three great men hold of each arm, and on each side six more, with their arrows notched, and ready, if he should attempt to escape. At the town, they danced and sung about him, and then put him into a large house, or wigwam. Here they kept him so well, that he thought they were fatting him to kill and eat. They took him to a sick man to cure him; but he told them he could not, unless they would let him go to Jamestown, and get something with which he could do it. This they would not consent to.

The taking of Jamestown was now resolved upon, and they made great preparations for it. To this end, they endeavored to get Smith's assistance, by making large promises of land and women; but he told them it could not be done, and described to them the great difficulty of the under.

« SebelumnyaLanjutkan »