He passed by the Patowomek River and hasted to the River Bolus, which he
had before visited. In 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.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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