A Book of American ExplorersHigginson, Thomas Wentworth
History
A Book of American Explorers
Higginson, Thomas Wentworth
America -- Discovery and exploration; United States -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775
We remained by the side of this island two whole days before we saw any
people of the country. The third day we espied one small boat rowing
towards us, having in it three persons. This boat came to the island
side, four arquebuse-shot from our ships; and there, two of the people
remaining, the third came along the shore-side toward us; and we,
being then all within board,[193] he walked up and down upon the point
of land next unto us. Then the master and pilot of the admiral,[194]
Simon Ferdinando, and the captain, Philip Amadas, myself, and others,
rowed to the land, whose coming this fellow attended, never making
any show of fear or doubt. And, after he had spoken of many things not
understood by us, we brought him, with his own good liking, aboard the
ships, and gave him a shirt, a hat, and some other things, and made him
taste of our wine and our meat, which he liked very well; and, after
having viewed both barks, he departed, and went to his own boat again,
which he had left in a little cove or creek adjoining. Soon as he was
two bow-shot into the water, he fell to fishing; and in less than half
an hour he had laden his boat as deep as it could swim, with which he
came again to the point of the land; and there he divided his fish into
two parts, pointing[195] one part to the ship, and the other to the
pinnace; which after he had, as much as he might, requited the former
benefits received, departed out of our sight.
The next day, there came unto us divers boats, and in one of them the
king’s brother, accompanied with forty or fifty men, very handsome and
goodly people, and in their behavior as mannerly and civil as any of
Europe. His name was Granganimeo, and the king is called Wingina; the
country, Wingandacoa; and now, by her Majesty, Virginia. The manner
of his coming was in this sort: he left his boats all together, as the
first man did, a little from the ships by the shore, and came along to
the place over against the ships, followed with forty men. When he came
to the place, his servants spread a long mat upon the ground, on which
he sat down; and at the other end of the mat four others of his company
did the like: the rest of his men stood round about him somewhat afar
off. When we came to the shore to him with our weapons, he never moved
from his place, nor any of the other four, nor never mistrusted any
harm to be offered from us; but, sitting still, he beckoned us to come
and sit by him, which we performed; and, being set, he made all signs
of joy and welcome, striking on his head and his breast, and afterwards
on ours, to show we all were one, smiling and making show, the best
he could, of all love and familiarity. After he had made a long speech
unto us, we presented him with divers things, which he received very
joyfully and thankfully. None of the company durst speak one word all
the time: only the four which were at the other end spoke one in the
other’s ear very softly.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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