At Pamaunky there was the same sort of palaver with Opechancanough, the king, to whom Smith the year before had expounded the mysteries of history, geography, and astronomy.After much fencing in talk, Smith, with fifteen companions, went up to the King's house, where presently he found himself betrayed and surrounded by seven hundred armed savages, seeking his life.His company being dismayed, Smith restored their courage by a speech, and then, boldly charging the King with intent to murder him, he challenged him to a single combat on an island in the river, each to use his own arms, but Smith to be as naked as the King.The King still professed friendship, and laid a great present at the door, about which the Indians lay in ambush to kill Smith.But this hero, according to his own account, took prompt measures.He marched out to the King where he stood guarded by fifty of his chiefs, seized him by his long hair in the midst of his men, and pointing a pistol at his breast led, him trembling and near dead with fear amongst all his people.The King gave up his arms, and the savages, astonished that any man dare treat their king thus, threw down their bows.Smith, still holding the King by the hair, made them a bold address, offering peace or war.They chose peace.
In the picture of this remarkable scene in the "General Historie,"the savage is represented as gigantic in stature, big enough to crush the little Smith in an instant if he had but chosen.Having given the savages the choice to load his ship with corn or to load it himself with their dead carcasses, the Indians so thronged in with their commodities that Smith was tired of receiving them, and leaving his comrades to trade, he lay down to rest.When he was asleep the Indians, armed some with clubs, and some with old English swords, entered into the house.Smith awoke in time, seized his arms, and others coming to his rescue, they cleared the house.
While enduring these perils, sad news was brought from Jamestown.
Mr.Scrivener, who had letters from England (writes Smith) urging him to make himself Caesar or nothing, declined in his affection for Smith, and began to exercise extra authority.Against the advice of the others, he needs must make a journey to the Isle of Hogs, taking with him in the boat Captain Waldo, Anthony Gosnoll (or Gosnold, believed to be a relative of Captain Bartholomew Gosnold), and eight others.The boat was overwhelmed in a storm, and sunk, no one knows how or where.The savages were the first to discover the bodies of the lost.News of this disaster was brought to Captain Smith (who did not disturb the rest by making it known) by Richard Wiffin, who encountered great dangers on the way.Lodging overnight at Powhatan's, he saw great preparations for war, and found himself in peril.Pocahontas hid him for a time, and by her means, and extraordinary bribes, in three days' travel he reached Smith.
Powhatan, according to Smith, threatened death to his followers if they did not kill Smith.At one time swarms of natives, unarmed, came bringing great supplies of provisions; this was to put Smith off his guard, surround him with hundreds of savages, and slay him by an ambush.But he also laid in ambush and got the better of the crafty foe with a superior craft.They sent him poisoned food, which made his company sick, but was fatal to no one.Smith apologizes for temporizing with the Indians at this time, by explaining that his purpose was to surprise Powhatan and his store of provisions.But when they stealthily stole up to the seat of that crafty chief, they found that those "damned Dutchmen" had caused Powhatan to abandon his new house at Werowocomoco, and to carry away all his corn and provisions.
The reward of this wearisome winter campaign was two hundred weight of deer-suet and four hundred and seventy-nine bushels of corn for the general store.They had not to show such murdering and destroying as the Spaniards in their "relations," nor heaps and mines of gold and silver; the land of Virginia was barbarous and ill-planted, and without precious jewels, but no Spanish relation could show, with such scant means, so much country explored, so many natives reduced to obedience, with so little bloodshed.
XII
TRIALS OF THE SETTLEMENT
Without entering at all into the consideration of the character of the early settlers of Virginia and of Massachusetts, one contrast forces itself upon the mind as we read the narratives of the different plantations.In Massachusetts there was from the beginning a steady purpose to make a permanent settlement and colony, and nearly all those who came over worked, with more or less friction, with this end before them.The attempt in Virginia partook more of the character of a temporary adventure.In Massachusetts from the beginning a commonwealth was in view.In Virginia, although the London promoters desired a colony to be fixed that would be profitable to themselves, and many of the adventurers, Captain Smith among them, desired a permanent planting, a great majority of those who went thither had only in mind the advantages of trade, the excitement of a free and licentious life, and the adventure of something new and startling.It was long before the movers in it gave up the notion of discovering precious metals or a short way to the South Sea.The troubles the primitive colony endured resulted quite as much from its own instability of purpose, recklessness, and insubordination as from the hostility of the Indians.The majority spent their time in idleness, quarreling, and plotting mutiny.