友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!阅读过程发现任何错误请告诉我们,谢谢!! 报告错误
飞读中文网 返回本书目录 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 进入书吧 加入书签

the complete writings-3-第58章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



 we passed by the top of another little river; which is betwixt the two called Payankatank。  The most of this country though Desert; yet exceeding fertil; good timber; most hils and in dales; in each valley a cristall spring。

〃Arriving at Weramacomoco; their Emperour; proudly lying upon a Bedstead a foote high upon tenne or twelve Mattes; richly hung with manie Chaynes of great Pearles about his necke; and covered with a great covering of Rahaughcums: At heade sat a woman; at his feete another; on each side sitting upon a Matte upon the ground were raunged his chiefe men on each side the fire; tenne in a ranke and behinde them as many yong women; each a great Chaine of white Beades over their shoulders: their heades painted in redde and with such a grave and Majeslicall countenance; as drove me into admiration to see such state in a naked Salvage; bee kindlv welcomed me with good wordes; and great Platters of sundrie victuals; asiuring mee his friendship and my libertie within foure dayes; bee much delighted in Opechan Conough's relation of what I had described to him; and oft examined me upon the same。  Hee asked me the cause of our comming; I tolde him being in fight with the Spaniards our enemie; being over powred; neare put to retreat; and by extreme weather put to this shore; where landing at Chesipiack; the people shot us; but at Kequoughtan they kindly used us; wee by signes demaunded fresh water; they described us up the River was all fresh water; at Paspahegh; also they kindly used us; our Pinnasse being leake wee were inforced to stay to mend her; till Captain Newport my father came to conduct us away。  He demaunded why we went further with our Boate; I tolde him; in that I would have occasion to talke of the backe Sea; that on the other side the maine; where was salt water; my father had a childe slaine; which we supposed Monocan his enemie; whose death we intended to revenge。  After good deliberation; hee began to describe me the countreys beyond the Falles; wiih many of the rest; confirming what not only Opechancanoyes; and an Indian which had been prisoner to Pewhatan had before tolde mee; but some called it five days; some sixe; some eight; where the sayde water dashed amongst many stones and rocks; each storme which caused oft tymes the heade of the River to bee brackish: Anchanachuck he described to bee the people that had slaine my brother; whose death hee would revenge。  Hee described also upon the same Sea; a mighty nation called Pocoughtronack; a fierce nation that did eate men and warred with the people of Moyaoncer; and Pataromerke; Nations upon the toppe of the heade of the Bay; under his territories; where the yeare before they had slain an hundred; he signified their crownes were shaven; long haire in the necke; tied on a knot; Swords like Pollaxes。

〃 Beyond them he described people with short Coates; and Sleeves to the Elbowes; that passed that way in Shippes like ours。  Many Kingdomes hee described mee to the heade of the Bay; which seemed to bee a mightie River; issuing from mightie mountaines; betwixt the two seas; the people clothed at Ocamahowan。  He also confirmed; and the Southerly Countries also; as the rest; that reported us to be within a day and a halfe of Mangoge; two dayes of Chawwonock; 6 from Roonock; to the South part of the backe sea: he described a countrie called Anone; where they have abundance of Brasse; and houses walled as ours。  I requited his discourse; seeing what pride he had in his great and spacious Dominions; seeing that all hee knewe were under his Territories。

〃 In describing to him the territories of Europe which was subject to our great King whose subject I was; the innumerable multitude of his ships; I gave him to understand the noyse of Trumpets and terrible manner of fighting were under Captain Newport my father; whom I intituled the Meworames which they call King of all the waters; at his greatnesse bee admired and not a little feared; he desired mee to forsake Paspahegh; and to live with him upon his River; a countrie called Capa Howasicke; he promised to give me corne; venison; or what I wanted to feede us; Hatchets and Copper wee should make him; and none should disturbe us。  This request I promised to performe: and thus having with all the kindnes hee could devise; sought to content me; he sent me home with 4 men; one that usually carried my Gonne and Knapsacke after me; two other loded with bread; and one to accompanie me。〃

The next extract in regard to this voyage is from President Wingfield's 〃Discourse of Virginia;〃 which appears partly in the form of a diary; but was probably drawn up or at least finished shortly after Wingfield's return to London in May; 1608。  He was in Jamestown when Smith returned from his captivity; and would be likely to allude to the romantic story of Pocahontas if Smith had told it on his escape。  We quote:

〃Decem。 The 10th of December; Mr。 Smyth went up the ryver of the Chechohomynies to trade for corne; he was desirous to see the heade of that river; and; when it was not passible with the shallop; he hired a cannow and an Indian to carry him up further。  The river the higher grew worse and worse。  Then hee went on shoare with his guide; and left Robinson and Emmery; and twoe of our Men; in the cannow; which were presently slayne by the Indians; Pamaonke's men; and hee himself taken prysoner; and; by the means of his guide; his lief was saved; and Pamaonche; haveing him prisoner; carryed him to his neybors wyroances; to see if any of them knew him for one of those which had bene; some two or three eeres before us; in a river amongst them Northward; and taken awaie some Indians from them by force。  At last he brought him to the great Powaton (of whome before wee had no knowledg); who sent him home to our towne the 8th of January。〃


The next contemporary document to which we have occasion to refer is Smith's Letter to the Treasurer and Council of Virginia in England; written in Virginia after the arrival of Newport there in September; 1608; and probably sent home by him near the close of that year。  In this there is no occasion for a reference to Powhatan or his daughter; but he says in it: 〃I have sent you this Mappe of the Bay and Rivers; with an annexed Relation of the Countryes and Nations that inhabit them as you may see at large。〃  This is doubtless the 〃Map of Virginia;〃 with a description of the country; published some two or three years after Smith's return to England; at Oxford; 1612。 It is a description of the country and people; and contains little narrative。  But with this was published; as an appendix; an account of the proceedings of the Virginia colonists from 1606 to 1612; taken out of the writings of Thomas Studley and several others who had been residents in Virginia。  These several discourses were carefully edited by William Symonds; a doctor of divinity and a man of learning and repute; evidently at the request of Smith。  To the end of the volume Dr。 Symonds appends a note addressed to Smith; saying: 〃I return you the fruit of my labors; as Mr。 Cranshaw requested me; which I bestowed in reading the discourses and hearing the relations of such as have walked and observed the land of Virginia with
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0
未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!