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much; and the torment was so great; that 〃we all with much sorrow concluded his funerale; and prepared his grave in an island by; as himself directed。〃 But it 〃 pleased God by a precious oyle Dr。 Russell applied to it that his tormenting paine was so assuged that he ate of that fish to his supper。〃
Setting sail for Jamestown; and arriving at Kecoughtan; the sight of the furs and other plunder; and of Captain Smith wounded; led the Indians to think that he had been at war with the Massawomeks; which opinion Smith encouraged。 They reached Jamestown July 21st; in fine spirits; to find the colony in a mutinous condition; the last arrivals all sick; and the others on the point of revenging themselves on the silly President; who had brought them all to misery by his riotous consumption of the stores; and by forcing them to work on an unnecessary pleasure…house for himself in the woods。 They were somewhat appeased by the good news of the discovery; and in the belief that their bay stretched into the South Sea; and submitted on condition that Ratclifte should be deposed and Captain Smith take upon himself the government; 〃as by course it did belong。〃 He consented; but substituted Mr。 Scrivener; his dear friend; in the presidency; distributed the provisions; appointed honest men to assist Mr。 Scrivener; and set out on the 24th; with twelve men; to finish his discovery。
He passed by the Patowomek River and hasted to the River Bolus; which he had before visited。 Pn the bay they fell in with seven or eight canoes full of the renowned Massawomeks; with whom they had a fight; but at length these savages became friendly and gave them bows; arrows; and skins。 They were at war with the Tockwoghes。 Proceeding up the River Tockwogh; the latter Indians received them with friendship; because they had the weapons which they supposed had been captured in a fight with the Massawomeks。 These Indians had hatchets; knives; pieces of iron and brass; they reported came from the Susquesahanocks; a mighty people; the enemies of the Massawomeks; living at the head of the bay。 As Smith in his barge could not ascend to them; he sent an interpreter to request a visit from them。 In three or four days sixty of these giant…like people came down with presents of venison; tobacco…pipes three feet in length; baskets; targets; and bows and arrows。 Some further notice is necessary of this first appearance of the Susquehannocks; who became afterwards so well known; by reason of their great stature and their friendliness。 Portraits of these noble savages appeared in De Bry's voyages; which were used in Smith's map; and also by Strachey。 These beautiful copperplate engravings spread through Europe most exaggerated ideas of the American savages。
〃Our order;〃 says Smith; 〃was daily to have prayers; with a psalm; at which solemnity the poor savages wondered。〃 When it was over the Susquesahanocks; in a fervent manner; held up their hands to the sun; and then embracing the Captain; adored him in like manner。 With a furious manner and 〃a hellish voyce 〃 they began an oration of their loves; covered him with their painted bear…skins; hung a chain of white beads about his neck; and hailed his creation as their governor and protector; promising aid and victuals if he would stay and help them fight the Massawomeks。 Much they told him of the Atquanachuks; who live on the Ocean Sea; the Massawomeks and other people living on a great water beyond the mountain (which Smith understood to be some great lake or the river of Canada); and that they received their hatchets and other commodities from the French。 They moumed greatly at Smith's departure。 Of Powhatan they knew nothing but the name。
Strachey; who probably enlarges from Smith his account of the same people; whom he calls Sasquesahanougs; says they were well… proportioned giants; but of an honest and simple disposition。 Their language well beseemed their proportions; 〃sounding from them as it were a great voice in a vault or cave; as an ecco。〃 The picture of one of these chiefs is given in De Bry;and described by Strachey;〃 the calf of whose leg was three…quarters of a yard about; and all the rest of his limbs so answerable to the same proportions that he seemed the goodliest man they ever saw。〃
It would not entertain the reader to follow Smith in all the small adventures of the exploration; during which he says he went about 3;000 miles (three thousand miles in three or four weeks in a row… boat is nothing in Smith's memory); 〃with such watery diet in these great waters and barbarous countries。〃 Much hardship he endured; alternately skirmishing and feasting with the Indians; many were the tribes he struck an alliance with; and many valuable details he added to the geographical knowledge of the region。 In all this exploration Smith showed himself skillful as he was vigorous and adventurous。
He returned to James River September 7th。 Many had died; some were sick; Ratcliffe; the late President; was a prisoner for mutiny; Master Scrivener had diligently gathered the harvest; but much of the provisions had been spoiled by rain。 Thus the summer was consumed; and nothing had been accomplished except Smith's discovery。
XI
SMITH'S PRESIDENCY AND PROWESS
On the 10th of September; by the election of the Council and the request of the company; Captain Smith received the letters…patent; and became President。 He stopped the building of Ratcliffe's 〃palace;〃 repaired the church and the storehouse; got ready the buildings for the supply expected from England; reduced the fort to a 〃five square form;〃 set and trained the watch and exercised the company every Saturday on a plain called Smithfield; to the amazement of the on…looking Indians。
Captain Newport arrived with a new supply of seventy persons。 Among them were Captain Francis West; brother to Lord Delaware; Captain Peter Winne; and Captain Peter Waldo; appointed on the Council; eight Dutchmen and Poles; and Mistress Forest and Anne Burrows her maid; the first white women in the colony。
Smith did not relish the arrival of Captain Newport nor the instructions under which he returned。 He came back commanded to discover the country of Monacan (above the Falls) and to perform the ceremony of coronation on the Emperor Powhatan。
How Newport got this private commission when he had returned to England without a lump of gold; nor any certainty of the South Sea; or one of the lost company sent out by Raleigh; and why he brought a 〃fine peeced barge〃 which must be carried over unknown mountains before it reached the South Sea; he could not understand。 〃 As for the coronation of Powhatan and his presents of basin and ewer; bed; bedding; clothes; and such costly novelties; they had been much better well spared than so ill spent; for we had his favor and better for a plain piece of copper; till this stately kind of soliciting made him so much overvalue himself that he respected us as much as nothing at all。〃 Smith evidently understood the situation much better than the promoters in England; and we can quite excuse him in his rage over the foolishness and greed of most of his companions。 There was little nonsense about Smith in action; though