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
Our captain, seeing the misery and devotion of this poor people,
recited the Gospel of St. John, that is to say, “In the beginning was
the Word,” touching every one that were diseased, praying to God that
it would please him to open the hearts of this poor people, and to
make them know his holy word, and that they might receive baptism and
Christendom. That done, he took a service-book in his hand, and with a
loud voice read all the passion[120] of Christ, word by word, that all
the standers-by might hear him; all which while this poor people kept
silence, and were marvellously attentive; looking up to heaven, and
imitating us in gestures. Then he caused the men all orderly to be set
on one side, the women on another, and likewise the children on another;
and to the chiefest of them he gave hatchets; to the other, knives;
and to the women, beads, and such other small trifles. Then, where
the children were, he cast rings, counters, and brooches made of tin,
whereat they seemed to be very glad. That done, our captain commanded
trumpets and other musical instruments to be sounded, which when they
heard, they were very merry.
Then we took our leave, and went to our boat. The women, seeing that,
put themselves before, to stay us, and brought us out of their meats
that they had made ready for us, as fish, pottage, beans, and such
other things, thinking to make us eat and dine in that place. But,
because the meats had no savor at all of salt, we liked them not, but
thanked them, and with signs gave them to understand that we had no
need to eat. When we were out of the town, divers of the men and women
followed us, and brought us to the top of the foresaid mountain, which
we named Mount Royal: it is about a league from the town. When as we
were on the top of it, we might discern and plainly see thirty leagues
about. On the north side of it there are many hills to be seen, running
west and east, and as many more on the south, amongst and between the
which the country is as fair and as pleasant as possibly can be seen;
being level, smooth, and very plain, fit to be husbanded and tilled.
And in the midst of these fields we saw the river, farther up, a great
way, than where we had left our boats, where was the greatest and the
swiftest fall of water that anywhere hath been seen, and as great, wide,
and large as our sight might discern, going south-west along three fair
and round mountains that we saw, as we judged, about fifteen leagues
from us.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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