Narrative and Critical History of America, Vol. 3 (of 8): English Explorations and Settlements in North America 1497-1689
History
Narrative and Critical History of America, Vol. 3 (of 8): English Explorations and Settlements in North America 1497-1689
America -- Discovery and exploration; America -- History; United States -- History
Differences among the colonists being somewhat allayed, labor was
resumed, habitations were provided, a church was built, and, through
the courage and energy of Smith, supplies of corn were obtained from
the Indians. Leaving the settlement on the 10th of December, Smith
again ascended the Chickahominy to get provisions from the savages, but
incurring their hostility, two of his companions, Emry and Robinson,
were killed, and Smith himself was taken captive. Being released after
a few weeks, on the promise of a ransom of “two great guns and a
grindstone,” he returned to Jamestown. On his arrival there he found
the number of the colonists reduced to forty, and that Captain Gabriel
Archer had been admitted to the Council during his absence. Archer
caused him to be arrested and indicted, under the Levitical law, for
allowing the death of his two men; but in the evening of the same day,
Jan. 8, 1607-8, Newport returned from England with additional settlers
(a portion of the first supply), and at once released both Smith and
Wingfield from custody. Within five or six days the fort and many of
the houses at Jamestown were destroyed by an accidental fire. Newport,
accompanied by Matthew Scrivener (newly arrived and admitted to the
Council), with Smith as interpreter and thirty or forty others, now
visited Powhatan at his abode of Werowocomico. This was at Timberneck
Bay, on the north side of York River. On the east bank of the bay still
stands a quaint stone chimney,[232] subsequently built for Powhatan by
German workmen among the colonists. Hostages were exchanged; Namontack,
an Indian who was taken to England by Newport, being received from
Powhatan for Thomas Savage, a youth aged thirteen, who for many years
afterwards rendered important service to the colonists as interpreter.
With supplies of food obtained from Powhatan and Opecancanough, the
chief of the Pamunkey tribe, the party returned to Jamestown.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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