Richard of Jamestown : a Story of the Virginia Colony — John Shaqi
Richard of Jamestown : a Story of the Virginia ColonyOtis, James
History
Richard of Jamestown : a Story of the Virginia Colony
Otis, James
Virginia -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775 -- Juvenile fiction
It seems, so the seaman said, that Captain John Martin was the one who
made the charges against my master, on the night after we set sail from
Martinique, when all the chief men of the company were met in the great
cabin, and he declared that, when it was possible to do so, meaning
after we had come to the land of Virginia, witnesses should be brought
from the other ships to prove the wicked intent. Then it was that
Captain George Kendall declared my master must be kept a close prisoner
until the matter could be disposed of, and all the others, save Captain
Bartholomew Gosnold, agreeing, heavy irons were put upon him. He was
shut up in his sleeping place, having made no outcry nor attempt to do
any harm, save that he declared himself innocent of wrong doing.
But for Captain Gosnold and Master Hunt, the preacher, I should not
have been permitted to go in and learn if I might do anything for his
comfort. The other leaders declared that my master was a dangerous
man, who should not be allowed to have speech with any person save
themselves, lest he send some message to those who were said to be
concerned with him in the plot.
I ATTEND MY MASTER
Master Hunt spoke up right manfully in behalf of Captain Smith, with the
result that I was given free entrance to that small room which had been
made his prison, save that I must at all times leave the door open, so
those who were in the great cabin could hear if I was charged with any
message to the seamen.
My eyes were filled with tears when my master told me that he had
no thought save that of benefiting those who were with him in the
adventure, and that he would not lend his countenance to any wicked
plot.
I begged him to understand that I knew right well he would do no manner
of wrong to any man, and asked the privilege of being with him all the
time, to serve him when he could not serve himself because of the irons
that fettered his legs.
And so it was that I had opportunity to do that which made my master as
true a friend as ever lad had, for in the later days when we were
come to Virginia and beset by savages more cruel than wild beasts,
he ventured his own life again and again to save mine, which was so
worthless as compared with his.
Only that I might tell how the voyage progressed, did I go on deck, or
have speech with Nathaniel Peacock, and only through me did my master
know when we were come to this island or that, together with what was to
be seen in such places.
SEVERAL ISLANDS VISITED
Therefore it was that when, on the next day after he was made a
prisoner, we were come to anchor off that island which the savages
called Gaudaloupe, and Nathaniel had been permitted to go on shore in
one of the boats, I could tell my master of the wondrous waters which
were found there.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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