第 38 节
作者:
津夏 更新:2021-02-24 22:21 字数:9322
oked with peas; and the Captain and King ate familiarly together; 〃he eat very freshly of our meats; dranck of our beere; aquavite; and sack。〃 Under the influence of this sack and aquavite the King was very communicative about the interior of the country; and promised to guide them to the mines of iron and copper; but the wary chief seems to have thought better of it when he got sober; and put them off with the difficulties and dangers of the way。
On one of the islets below the Falls; Captain Newport set up a cross with the inscription 〃Jacobus; Rex; 1607;〃 and his own name beneath; and James was proclaimed King with a great shout。 Powhatan was displeased with their importunity to go further up the river; and departed with all the Indians; except the friendly Navirans; who had accompanied them from Arahatic。 Navirans greatly admired the cross; but Newport hit upon an explanation of its meaning that should dispel the suspicions of Powhatan。 He told him that the two arms of the cross signified King Powhatan and himself; the fastening of it in the middle was their united league; and the shout was the reverence he did to Powhatan。 This explanation being made to Powhatan greatly contented him; and he came on board and gave them the kindest farewell when they dropped down the river。 At Arahatic they found the King had provided victuals for them; but; says Newport; 〃the King told us that he was very sick and not able to sit up long with us。〃 The inability of the noble red man to sit up was no doubt due to too much Christian sack and aquavite; for on 〃Monday he came to the water side; and we went ashore with him again。 He told us that our hot drinks; he thought; caused him grief; but that he was well again; and we were very welcome。〃
It seems; therefore; that to Captain Newport; who was a good sailor in his day; and has left his name in Virginia in Newport News; must be given the distinction of first planting the cross in Virginia; with a lie; and watering it; with aquavite。
They dropped down the river to a place called Mulberry Shade; where the King killed a deer and prepared for them another feast; at which they had rolls and cakes made of wheat。 〃This the women make and are very cleanly about it。 We had parched meal; excellent good; sodd 'cooked' beans; which eat as sweet as filbert kernels; in a manner; strawberries; and mulberries were shaken off the tree; dropping on our heads as we sat。 He made ready a land turtle; which we ate; and showed that he was heartily rejoiced in our company。〃 Such was the amiable disposition of the natives before they discovered the purpose of the whites to dispossess them of their territory。 That night they stayed at a place called 〃Kynd Woman's Care;〃 where the people offered them abundant victual and craved nothing in return。
Next day they went ashore at a place Newport calls Queen Apumatuc's Bower。 This Queen; who owed allegiance to Powhatan; had much land under cultivation; and dwelt in state on a pretty hill。 This ancient representative of woman's rights in Virginia did honor to her sex。 She came to meet the strangers in a show as majestical as that of Powhatan himself: 〃She had an usher before her; who brought her to the matt prepared under a faire mulberry…tree; where she sat down by herself; with a stayed countenance。 She would permitt none to stand or sitt neare her。 She is a fatt; lustie; manly woman。 She had much copper about her neck; a coronet of copper upon her hed。 She had long; black haire; which hanged loose down her back to her myddle; which only part was covered with a deare's skyn; and ells all naked。 She had her women attending her; adorned much like herself (except they wanted the copper)。 Here we had our accustomed eates; tobacco; and welcome。 Our Captaine presented her with guyfts liberally; whereupon shee cheered somewhat her countenance; and requested him to shoote off a piece; whereat (we noted) she showed not near the like feare as Arahatic; though he be a goodly man。〃
The company was received with the same hospitality by King Pamunkey; whose land was believed to be rich in copper and pearls。 The copper was so flexible that Captain Newport bent a piece of it the thickness of his finger as if it had been lead。 The natives were unwilling to part with it。 The King had about his neck a string of pearls as big as peas; which would have been worth three or four hundred pounds; if the pearls had been taken from the mussels as they should have been。
Arriving on their route at Weanock; some twenty miles above the fort; they were minded to visit Paspahegh and another chief Jamestown lay in the territory of Paspaheghbut suspicious signs among the natives made them apprehend trouble at the fort; and they hastened thither to find their suspicions verified。 The day before; May 26th; the colony had been attacked by two hundred Indians (four hundred; Smith says); who were only beaten off when they had nearly entered the fort; by the use of the artillery。 The Indians made a valiant fight for an hour; eleven white men were wounded; of whom one died afterwards; and a boy was killed on the pinnace。 This loss was concealed from the Indians; who for some time seem to have believed that the whites could not be hurt。 Four of the Council were hurt in this fight; and President Wingfield; who showed himself a valiant gentleman; had a shot through his beard。 They killed eleven of the Indians; but their comrades lugged them away on their backs and buried them in the woods with a great noise。 For several days alarms and attacks continued; and four or five men were cruelly wounded; and one gentleman; Mr。 Eustace Cloville; died from the effects of five arrows in his body。
Upon this hostility; says Smith; the President was contented the fort should be palisaded; and the ordnance mounted; and the men armed and exercised。 The fortification went on; but the attacks continued; and it was unsafe for any to venture beyond the fort。
Dissatisfaction arose evidently with President Wingfield's management。 Captain Newport says: 〃 There being among the gentlemen and all the company a murmur and grudge against certain proceedings and inconvenient courses 'Newport' put up a petition to the Council for reformation。〃 The Council heeded this petition; and urged to amity by Captain Newport; the company vowed faithful love to each other and obedience to the superiors。 On the 10th of June; Captain Smith was sworn of the Council。 In his 〃General Historie;〃 not published till 1624; he says: 〃Many were the mischiefs that daily sprung from their ignorant (yet ambitious) spirits; but the good doctrine and exhortation of our preacher Mr。 Hunt; reconciled them and caused Captain Smith to be admitted to the Council。〃 The next day they all partook of the holy communion。
In order to understand this quarrel; which was not by any means appeased by this truce; and to determine Captain Smith's responsibility for it; it is necessary to examine all the witnesses。 Smith is unrestrained in his expression of his contempt for Wingfield。 But in the diary of Wingfield we find no accusation against Smith at this date。 Wingfield says that Captain Newport before he departed asked him how he thought himself settled in the government; and that he replied 〃that no disturbance could endanger him or the colony; but it must be wrought either by Captain Gosnold or Mr。 Archer; for the one was strong with friends and followers and could if he would; and the other was troubled with an ambitious spirit and would if he could。〃
The writer of Newport's 〃Relatyon〃 describes the Virginia savages as a very strong and lusty race; and swift warriors。 〃Their skin is tawny; not so borne; but with dyeing and painting themselves; in which they delight greatly。〃 That the Indians were born white was; as we shall see hereafter; a common belief among the first settlers in Virginia and New England。 Percy notes a distinction between maids and married women: 〃The maids shave close the fore part and sides of their heads; and leave it long behind; where it is tied up and hangs down to the hips。 The married women wear their hair all of a length; but tied behind as that of maids is。 And the women scratch on their bodies and limbs; with a sharp iron; pictures of fowls; fish; and beasts; and rub into the 'drawings' lively colors which dry into the flesh and are permanent。〃 The 〃Relatyon 〃 says the people are witty and ingenious and allows them many good qualities; but makes this exception: 〃The people steal anything comes near them; yea; are so practiced in this art; that looking in our face; they would with their foot; between their toes; convey a chisel; knife; percer; or any indifferent light thing; which having once conveyed; they hold it an injury to take the same from them。 They are naturally given to treachery; howbeit we could not find it in our travel up the river; but rather a most kind and loving people。〃
VI
QUARRELS AND HARDSHIPS
On Sunday; June 21st; they took the communion lovingly together。 That evening Captain Newport gave a farewell supper on board his vessel。 The 22d he sailed in the Susan Constant for England; carrying specimens of the woods and minerals; and made the short passage of five