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
From thence we went along by the water-side, toward the point of the
creek, to see if we could find any of their boats or pinnace; but we
could perceive no sign of them, nor any of the last falcons[225] and
small ordnance which were left with them at my departure from them.
At our return from the creek, some of our sailors, meeting us, told
us they had found where divers chests had been hidden, and long since
digged up again, and broken up, and much of the goods in them spoiled
and scattered about, but nothing left, of such things as the savages
knew any use of, undefaced. Presently Captain Cooke and I went to the
place, which was in the end of an old trench, made two years past by
Captain Amadas, where we found five chests that had been carefully
hidden of the planters, and of the same chests three were my own; and
about the place many of my things spoiled and broken, and my books torn
from the covers, the frames of some of my pictures and maps rotten,
and spoiled with rain, and my armor almost eaten through with rust.
This could be no other but the deed of the savages, our enemies, at
Dasamonguepeuk, who had watched the departure of our men to Croatoan,
and, as soon as they were departed, digged up every place where they
suspected any thing to be buried. But although it much grieved me to
see such spoil of my goods, yet on the other side I greatly joyed that
I had safely found a certain token of their safe being at Croatoan,
which is the place where Manteo was born, and the savages of the island
our friends....
The next morning it was agreed by the captain and myself, with the
master and others, to weigh anchor, and go for the place at Croatoan,
where our planters were, for that then the wind was good for that
place, and also to leave that cask with fresh water on shore in the
island until our return. So then they brought the cable to the captain;
but, when the anchor was almost apeak,[226] the cable broke, by means
whereof we lost another anchor, wherewith we drove so fast into the
shore, that we were forced to let fall a third anchor; which came so
fast home, that the ship was almost aground by Kenrick’s Mounts; so
that we were forced to let slip the cable end for end.... Being thus
clear of some dangers, and gotten into deeper water, but not without
some loss, for we had but one cable and anchor left us of four, and the
weather grew to be fouler and fouler, our victuals scarce, and our cask
and fresh water lost: it was therefore determined that we should go for
St. John, or some other island to the southward, for fresh water.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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