The Stronghold: A Story of Historic Northern Neck of Virginia and Its PeopleHaynie, Miriam
History
The Stronghold: A Story of Historic Northern Neck of Virginia and Its People
Haynie, Miriam
Northern Neck (Va.)
For thirty miles they sailed without adventure. Then two
Indians appeared and conducted them up a little creek towards
Onawmanient--"where all the woods were laid with Ambuscadoes to the
number of 3 or 400 Salvages; but so strangely painted, grimed, and
disguised, shouting, yelling, and crying, as we rather supposed them so
many divels."
Captain Smith thought it best to scare them a little, so he trained his
guns so that the bullets would graze the water. This and the "eccho of
the woods so amazed them, that down went their bowes and arrowes." Peace
was made, hostages were exchanged and James Watkins, one of the company,
was sent with them "6 myles up the woods to their king's habitation. Wee
were kindly used by these Salvages: of whom we understand they were
commanded to betray us by Powhatan."
Powhatan had his forces well organized. As they progressed up the river
they found the Indians ready for them: "The like incounters were found
at Patawomeck, Cecocawone, (Coan) and divers other places."
The only tribes that received them with friendliness were the Moyaones,
Nacotchtants and Toags. There seems to be no further record of these
tribes.
They went as far up the river as they could go in the barge, "140
myles"; this was above the site of the present city of Washington, and
about ten miles above Georgetown. Captain Smith was stopped here by
impassable falls. His disappointment must have been great that his
search here did not yield an outlet to the "South Sea."
On the return trip they had the good fortune to meet a number of Indians
in canoes loaded with slaughtered game--bears, deer and other "beasts."
Smith and his party were given liberal portions of the fresh meat, which
must have cheered them some.
In this part of the river there were great rocks on the shores towering
above the trees, and the high banks gleamed in places like "a tinctured
spangled skurfe, that made many places seeme as guilded." Dreams of gold
were always in the minds of men at that time. Perhaps here was to be
found the "glistering mettal" that John Smith had heard about from the
Indians the winter before.
Most of the company clambered up the banks and burrowed in the earth
among the cliffs. The ground was so sprinkled with gleaming spangles as
to seem "halfe pin dust." Smith refrained from this made scramble and
proceeded in a more organized way.
With Japazaws, King of Patowmeke, as guide, he ascended one of the
tributaries of the river, called Quiyough, as far as the depth of water
would allow. Here Captain Smith left the barge, taking with him six men.
He was surrounded by Indians. Some of these he decorated with chains and
told them that if they conducted him safely to the mine they could keep
the ornaments.
When they arrived at the place of the treasure, nine or ten miles
inland, the Englishmen saw that the Indians had been digging there with
their shells and hatchets for a long time.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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