pioneers of the old south-第7部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


settlers　and　a　hundred　new　Virginians！　How　certain；　at　any　rate；　is　the
exchange　of　talk　of　home　and　hair…raising　stories　of　this　wilderness
between　the　old　colonists　and　the　new！　And　certain　is　the　relief　and　the
renewed　hopes。　Mourning　turns　to　joy。　Even　a　conflagration　that　presently
destroys　the　major　part　of　the　town　can　not　blast　that　felicity。

Again　Newport　and　Smith　and　others　went　out　to　explore　the　country。　They
went　over　to　Werowocomoco　and　talked　with　Powhatan。　He　told　them　things
which　they　construed　to　mean　that　the　South　Sea　was　near　at　hand；　and　they
marked　this　down　as　good　news　for　the　home　Councilstill　impatient　for
gold　and　Cathay。　On　their　return　to　Jamestown　they　found　under　way　new　and
stouter　houses。　The　Indians　were　again　friendly；　they　brought　venison　and
turkeys　and　corn。　Smith　says　that　every　few　days　came　Pocahontas　and
attendant　women　bringing　food。

Spring　came　again　with　the　dogwood　and　the　honeysuckle　and　the
strawberries；　the　gay；　returning　birds；　the　barred　and　striped　and　mottled
serpents。　The　colony　was　one　year　old。　Back　to　England　sailed　the　Francis
and　John　and　the　Phoenix；　carrying　home　Edward…Maria　Wingfield；　who　has
wearied　of　Virginia　and　will　return　no　more。

What　rests　certain　and　praiseworthy　in　Smith　is　his　thoroughness　and　daring
in　exploration。　This　summer　he　went　with　fourteen　others　down　the　river　in
an　open　boat；　and　so　across　the　great　bay；　wide　as　a　sea；　to　what　is　yet
called　the　Eastern　Shore；　the　counties　now　of　Accomac　and　Northampton。
Rounding　Cape　Charles　these　indefatigable　explorers　came　upon　islets　beaten
by　the　Atlantic　surf。　These　they　named　Smith's　Islands。　Landing　upon　the
main　shore；　they　met　〃grimme　and　stout〃　savages；　who　took　them　to　the　King
of　Accomac；　and　him　they　found　civil　enough。　This　side　of　the　great　bay；
with　every　creek　and　inlet；　Smith　examined　and　set　down　upon　the　map　he　was
making。　Even　if　he　could　find　no　gold　for　the　Council　at　home；　at　least　he
would　know　what　places　were　suited　for　〃harbours　and　habitations。〃　Soon　a
great　storm　came　up；　and　they　landed　again；　met　yet　other　Indians；　went
farther；　and　were　in　straits　for　fresh　water。　The　weather　became　worse；
they　were　in　danger　of　shipwreckhad　to　bail　the　boat　continually。　Indians
gathered　upon　the　shore　and　discharged　flights　of　arrows；　but　were
dispersed　by　a　volley　from　the　muskets。　The　bread　the　English　had　with　them
went　bad。　Wind　and　weather　were　adverse；　three　or　four　of　the　fifteen　fell
ill；　but　recovered。　The　weather　improved；　they　came　to　the　seven…mile…wide
mouth　of　〃Patawomeck〃the　Potomac。　They　turned　their　boat　up　this　vast
stream。　For　a　long　time　they　saw　upon　the　woody　banks　no　savages。　Then
without　warning　they　came　upon　ambuscades　of　great　numbers　〃so　strangely
painted；　grimed　and　disguised；　shouting；　yelling　and　crying；　as　we　rather
supposed　them　so　many　divils。〃　Smith；　in　midstream；　ordered　musket…fire；
and　the　balls　went　grazing　over　the　water；　and　the　terrible　sound　echoed
through　the　woods。　The　savages　threw　down　their　bows　and　arrows　and　made
signs　of　friendliness。　The　English　went　ashore；　hostages　were　exchanged；
and　a　kind　of　amicableness　ensued。　After　such　sylvan　entertainment　Smith
and　his　men　returned　to　the　boat。　The　oars　dipped　and　rose；　the　bright
water　broke　from　them；　and　these　Englishmen　in　Old　Virginia　proceeded　up
the　Potomac。　Could　they　have　seencould　they　but　have　seen　before　them；　on
the　north　bank；　rising；　like　the　unsubstantial　fabric　of　a　dream；　there
above　the　trees；　a　vast；　white　Capitol　shining　in　the　sunlight！

Far　up　the　river；　they　noticed　that　the　sand　on　the　shore　gleamed　with
yellow　spangles。　They　looked　and　saw　high　rocks；　and　they　thought　that　from
these　the　rain　had　washed　the　glittering　dust。　Gold？　Harbors　they　had
foundbut　what　of　gold？　What；　even；　of　Cathay？

Going　down　stream；　they　sought　again　those　friendly　Indians。　Did　they　know
gold　or　silver？　The　Indians　looked　wise；　nodded　heads；　and　took　the
visitors　up　a　little　tributary　river　to　a　rocky　hill　in　which　〃with　shells
and　hatchets〃　they　had　opened　as　it　were　a　mine。　Here　they　gathered　a
mineral　which；　when　powdered；　they　sprinkled　over　themselves　and　their
idols　〃making　them；〃　says　the　relation；　〃like　blackamoors　dusted　over　with
silver。〃　The　white　men　filled　their　boat　with　as　much　of　this　ore　as　they
could　carry。　High　were　their　hopes　over　it；　but　when　it　was　subsequently
sent　to　London　and　assayed；　it　was　found　to　be　worthless。

The　fifteen　now　started　homeward；　out　of　Potomac　and　down　the　westward　side
of　Chesapeake。　In　their　travels　they　saw；　besides　the　Indians；　all　manner
of　four…footed　Virginians。　Bears　rolled　their　bulk　through　these　forests；
deer　went　whither　they　would。　The　explorers　might　meet　foxes　and
catamounts；　otter；　beaver　and　marten；　raccoon　and　opossum；　wolf　and　Indian
dog。　Winged　Virginians　made　the　forests　vocal。　The　owl　hooted　at　night；　and
the　whippoorwill　called　in　the　twilight。　The　streams　were　filled　with　fish。
Coming　to　the　mouth　of　the　Rappahannock；　the　travelers'　boat　grounded　upon
sand；　with　the　tide　at　ebb。　Awaiting　the　water　that　should　lift　them　off；
the　fifteen　began　with　their　swords　to　spear　the　fish　among　the　reeds。
Smith　had　the　ill　luck　to　encounter　a　sting…ray；　and　received　its　barbed
weapon　through　his　wrist。　There　set　in　a　great　swelling　and　torment　which
made　him　fear　that　death　was　at　hand。　He　ordered　his　funeral　and　a　grave　to
be　dug　on　a　neighboring　islet。　Yet　by　degrees　he　grew　better　and　so　out　of
torment；　and　withal　so　hungry　that　he　longed　for　supper；　whereupon；　with　a
light　heart；　he　had　his　late　enemy　the　sting…ray　cooked　and　ate　him。　They
then　named　the　place　Sting…ray　Island　and；　the　tide　serving；　got　off　the
sand…bar　and　down　the　bay；　and　so　came　home　to　Jamestown；　having　been　gone
seven　weeks。

Like　Ulysses；　Smith　refuses　to　rust　in　inaction。　A　few　days；　and　away　he　is
again；　first　up　to　Rappahannock；　and　then　across　the　bay。　On　this　journey
he　and　his　men　come　up　with　the　giant　Susquehannocks；　who　are　not
Algonquins　but　Iroquois。　After　many　hazards　in　which　the　forest　and　the
savage　play　their　part；　Smith　and　his　band　again　return　to　Jamestown。　In
all　this　adventuring　they　have　gained　much　knowledge　of　the　country　and　its
inhabitantsbut　yet　no　gold；　and　no　further　news　of　the　South　Sea　or　of
far　Cathay。

It　was　now　September　and　the　second　summer　with　its　toll　of　fever　victims
was　well…nigh　over。　Autumn　and　renewed　energy　were　at　hand。　All　the　land
turned　crimson　and　gold。　At　Jamestown　building　went　forward；　together　with
the　gathering　of　ripened　crops；　the　felling　of　trees；　fishing　and　fowling；
and　trading　for　Indian　corn　and　turkeys。

One　day　George　Percy；　heading　a　trading　party　down　the　river；　saw　coming
toward　him　a　white　sailed　ship；　the　Mary　and　Margaret…it　was　Christopher
Newport　again；　with　the　second　supply。　Seventy　colonists　came　over　on　the
Mary　and　Margaret；　among　them　a　fair　number　of　men　of　note。　Here　were
Captain　Peter　Wynne　and　Richard　Waldo；　〃old　soldiers　and　valiant　gentlemen；〃
Francis　West；　young　brother　of　the　Lord　De　La　Warr；　Rawley　Crashaw；　John
Codrington；　Daniel　Tucker；　and　others。　This　is　indeed　an　important　ship。　Among
the　laborers；　the　London　Council　had　sent　eight　Poles　and　Germans；　skilled　in
their　own　country　in　the　production　of　pitch；　tar；　glass；　and　soap…ashes。
Here；　then；　begin　in　Virginia　other　blood　strains　than　the　English。　And　in　the
Mary　and　Margaret　comes　with　Master　Thomas　Forest　his　wife；　Mistress　Forest；
and　her　maid；　by　name　Anne　Burras。　Apart　from　those　lost　ones　of　Raleigh's
colony　at　Roanoke；　these　are　the　first　Englishwomen　in　Virginia。　There　may　be
guessed　what　welcome　they　got；　how　much　was　made　of　them。

Christopher　Newport　had　from　that　impatient　London　Council　somewhat　strange
orders。　He　was　not　to　return　without　a　lump　of　gold；　or　a　certain　discovery
of　waters　pouring　into　the　South　Sea；　or　some　notion　gained　of　the　fate　of
the　lost　colony　of　Roanoke。　He　had　been　given　a　barge　which　could　be　taken
to　pieces　and　so　borne　around　those　Falls　of　the　Far　West；　then　put
together；　and　the　voyage　to　the　Pacific　resumed。　Moreover；　he　had　for
Powhatan；　whom　the　minds　at　home　figured　as　a　sort　of　Asiatic　Despot；　a
gilt　crown　and　a　fine　ewer　and　basin；　a　bedstead；　and　a　gorgeous　robe。

The　easiest　task；　that　of　delivering　Powhatan's　present　and　placing　an　idle
crown　upon　that　Indian's　head　who；　among　his　own　people；　was　already
sufficiently　supreme；　might　be　and　was　performed。　And　Newport　with　a　large
party　went　again　to　the　Falls　of　the　Far　West　and　miles　deep　into　the
country　beyond。　Here　they　found　Indians　outside　the　Powhatan　Confederacy；
but　no　South　Sea；　nor　mines　of　gold　and　silver；　nor　any　news　of　the　lost
colony　of　Roanoke。　In　December　Newport　left　Virginia　in　the　Mary　and
Margaret；　and　with　him　sailed　Ratcliffe。　Smith　succeeded　to　the　presidency。

About　this　time　John　Laydon；　a　laborer；　and　Anne　Burras；　that　maid　of
Mistress　Forest's；　fell　in　love　and　would　marry。　So　came　about　the　first
English　wedding　in　Virginia。

Winter　followed　with　snow　and　ice；　nigh　two　hundred　people　to　feed；　and　not
overmuch　in　the　larder　with　which　to　do　it。　Smith