"That's the word, Dickon, _if we stay together_! Nay, frown not, Hugh.
Put out of thy mind all that we have spoken of this last half-hour, as I
shall put it out of mine. We must stand together, men, here in this new
world. Ye three stand by me because we're all neighbors and
Lincolnshire-born; but here in this wilderness we're all neighbors,
English-born, just like a bigger shire. It's no time now when savages
are about us all, to be thinking of our own little troubles. We must
e'en forget them and stick together for the good of us all. Will ye
promise, men?"
"Since 'tis so thou hast decided, Captain," answered Dickon.
"I'm for or against, as thou wilt," said Hugh, "but I'd been glad hadst
thou chosen to fight instead o' to kiss."
And Hob, who had not spoken a word of his own invention up to now, spake
solemnly:
"I'll not blab. Captain, how near thou wast to the fightin'."
When they got back to the site of the future Jamestown Smith, who had
made up his mind to do what seemed to him right no matter what reception
his advice received, told President Wingfield of the hidden bowman and
warned him of the danger to those who might straggle away from their
companions. But the members of the Council, whether they would be
beholden to Smith not even for advice, or whether the friendly attitude
of the Indians at first which was now just beginning to change,
influenced them, refused to believe that the savages intended to molest
them and refused to admit the necessity of putting up a palisade or
taking other precautions against them.
Each day the work of clearing the ground and of setting up the tents
proceeded apparently more rapidly than the day before, as the results
were more visible. Every one was so wearied with the cramped life aboard
ship for so many weeks that he was glad to stretch himself on the earth
or on improvised beds. Smith, to give an example to some of the
gentlemen who stood with folded arms looking on while the mechanics
worked, swung axe and wielded hammer lustily. Yet he was very unhappy at
the manner in which he was still treated and he eagerly seized an
opportunity to leave the island.
With Captain Newport and twenty others, he set out in one of the ships'
boats to explore the upper part of the river. They were absent a number
of days, after having ascended the James as far as the great falls near
the Powhata, a Powhatan village near the site of the present city of
Richmond. Then they returned to Jamestown.
On their arrival they were greeted with the grave news that during their
absence the Indians had killed a boy and wounded seventeen of the
colonists. A shot fired from one of the ships had luckily so terrified
the savages that they made off for the woods. Now the Council was forced
to recognize the need of some protection and ordered every one to stop
work on everything else until a strong palisade and a rough fort had
been built.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account