The Present State of Virginia Part 2

They are treacherous, suspicious and jealous, difficult to be persuaded or imposed upon, and very sharp, hard in Dealing, and ingenious in their Way, and in Things that they naturally know, or have been taught; though at first they are very obstinate, and unwilling to apprehend or learn Novelties, and seem stupid and silly to Strangers.

An Instance of their resolute Stupidity and Obstinacy in receiving a new Custom, I have seen in the prodigious Trouble of bringing them to sell their Skins, and buy Gunpowder by Weight; for they could not apprehend the Power and Justice of the Stilliard; but with the Scales at Length they apprehended it tolerably well; though at first they insisted upon as much Gunpowder as the Skin weighed, which was much more than their Demand in Measure. They have Geographical Notions, as to the Situation of their own Country, and will find the Way to very remote Places in a surprizing Manner; steering by the Course of the Rivers, _&c._ or by the Trees, whose _North_ Side is easily known by the Moss.

Thus I know, that _Wickmannatauchee_ (a great King among the _Southern Indians_) whom I saw just before, and since, when he made his Escape from his Enemy _Indians_ at _Christanna_, where his _Queen_ and abundance of his People were slain, and he ty'd in order to be carried away Prisoner; yet broke loose, and ran directly Home several hundred Miles stark-naked, without Arms or Provision, in the Month of _March_, when the Trees afforded no Fruit; neither did he go near any other Nation, till he got to his own; therefore I suppose Roots were his Provision, and Water his Liquor, unless by some cunning Method (with which they abound) he caught Fish, Fowl, or Venison; and as for Fire I know they can kindle that by rubbing of certain Sticks together.

They count their Time by Days, or by the Return of the Moon, and _Cohonks_, a sort of wild Geese. They walk one after another in a Line, are very serious in Debates, speak but one at a Time; and in Negotiations all agree to what either proposes or approves of, and are not easily imposed upon; and when affronted, they highly resent Injuries, and being treacherous are no more to be trusted than tame _Lions_, who can't wholly lose their savage Hearts.

They have tolerable good Notions of natural Justice, Equity, Honour and Honesty, to the Rules whereof the great Men strictly adhere; but their common People will lye, cheat, and steal.

They seldom commit Violence upon the _English_, but when provoked, or put on by others.

The _French_, that are seated upon the River of St. _Laurence_ and the _Messisippi_, and the Lakes between them in _Canada_ and _Lovisiana_, which extend behind all the _English Plantations_ along the Heart of _North America_ a vast Way, from the most Northern Parts of the _French_ Settlements, which are contiguous quite to the Gulf of _Mexico_, are numerous, and through the Policy of their late _King_ intermarry with the _Indians_; by which means being united with them, they often set them on to destroy the _English_, which may prove dangerous in Case of a War with _France_.

But to prevent more Mischiefs of this kind, Providence has secured us from them by a continued Ridge of vast high Hills, called the _Apelachian Mountains_, running nearly under the _Meridian_, as being pa.s.sable but in very few Places; which Mountains through the Care and Conduct of the _Honourable Colonel Spotswood_ are secured for his Majesty, tho' not guarded as yet; which might easily be done to the great Safety and Encouragement of back Settlements in a vast rich Country Westward of the Settlements of _Virginia_, some hundred of Miles from the Sea quite to the Mountains, which might prove a Terror to the _French Indians_ and _Planters_, in Case of Inroads and Irruptions, and become a Safeguard to the Trade of those Places.

_Governor Spotswood_, when he undertook the great Discovery of the _Pa.s.sage_ over the _Mountains_, attended with a sufficient Guard and Pioneers and Gentlemen, with a sufficient Stock of Provision, with abundant Fatigue _pa.s.sed_ these _Mountains_, and cut _his Majesty's Name_ in a _Rock_ upon the _Highest_ of them, naming it MOUNT GEORGE; and in Complaisance the Gentlemen from the Governor's Name, called the Mountain next in Height, _Mount Alexander_.

For this Expedition they were obliged to provide a great Quant.i.ty of Horse-Shoes; (Things seldom used in the lower Parts of the Country, where there are few Stones:) Upon which Account the Governor upon their Return presented each of his Companions with a Golden Horse-Shoe, (some of which I have seen studded with valuable Stones resembling the Heads of Nails) with this Inscription on the one Side: _Sic juvat transcendere montes_: And on the other is written the tramontane Order.

This he inst.i.tuted to encourage Gentlemen to venture backwards, and make Discoveries and new Settlements; any Gentleman being ent.i.tled to wear this Golden Shoe that can prove his having drank _His Majesty's Health_, upon MOUNT GEORGE.

He built a Fort called _Christanna_, which tho' not so far back, yet proved of great Service and Use; where at his sole Expence (I think) I have seen Seventy Seven _Indian Children_ at a Time at School, under the careful Management of the worthy Mr. _Charles Griffin_, who lived there some Years for that Purpose; from whom I have been informed of most of the _Indian_ Customs and Principles, that I here mention, except such as I have seen and known my self.

These Children could all read, say their Catechisms and Prayers tolerably well; but this pious Design being laid aside thro' the Opposition of Trade and Interest, Mr. _Griffin_ was removed to the College to teach the _Indians_, instructed there by the Benefaction of the _Honourable Mr. Boyle_.

The _Indians_ so loved and adored him, that I have seen them hug him and lift him up in their Arms, and fain would have chosen him for a _King_ of the _Sapony_ Nation.

The _Southern Indians_, that came several hundred Miles to meet the _Governor_, there to treat of War, and Peace, and Trade, though they had several murthered by their own _Northern_ Enemies, (even under the Mouths of our great Guns, and whilst we were there) which made them somewhat jealous that we had betray'd them; yet left several Children under his Care, and engaged themselves to send more, though they themselves would not relinquish their Barbarity; for they in reasoning with us by Interpreters, asked Leave to be excused from becoming as we are; for they thought it hard, that we should desire them to change their Manners and Customs, since they did not desire us to turn _Indians_: However, they permitted their Children to be brought up in our Way; and when they were able to judge for themselves, they were to live as the ENGLISH, or as the INDIANS, according to their best liking.

The _Indians_ have a blind Wors.h.i.+p and Sacrifice, Priests, and Physicians, and Expiation, with howling Lamentations and Purgation at their Burials: All which I have seen at the Funeral of their Slain at _Christanna_, whom they buried thus; having made Holes like Saw-Pits, and lined them with Bark and Sticks, they wrapped the Bodies in the best Cloth they could buy with the Skins of the Deceased, and laid them in the Graves, with all the Cloths, Skins and Nicknacks of the Dead: Then they covered the Body hollow with Sticks, and flung in the Earth with mournful Noise; so the Bodies lay as in Coffins.

The Priest or Physician in curing the Wounded, made an hideous Noise, singing certain Charms, with particular Actions and Forms of Incantation, to which he ascribed the Cure, tho' I believe this is done only to blind the common _Indians_; for I observed he did not begin his Operation, till he had been in the Woods. Then he shut us all out for an Hour, and when we were readmitted, I perceived he had been using certain Roots and Herbs that I knew not.

Upon Enquiry, we have from them these their Notions of the State of the Dead.

They believe that they go to _Mohomny_ that lives beyond the Sun, if they have not been Wicked, nor like Dogs nor Wolves, that is, not unchast, then they believe that _Mohomny_ sends them to a plentiful Country abounding with Fish, Flesh and Fowls, the best of their Kind, and easy to be caught; but if they have been naughty, then he sends them to a poor barren Country, where be many Wolves and Bears, with a few nimble Deer, swift Fish and Fowls, difficult to be taken; and when killed, being scarce any thing but Skin and Bones.

They allow Polygamy, if the Man can maintain his Family, as I have been informed.

They punish Adultery in a Woman by cutting off her Hair, which they fix upon a long Pole without the Town; which is such a Disgrace that the Party is obliged to fly, and becomes a Victim to some Enemy, a Slave to some Rover, or perishes in the Woods.

They have certain _Hieroglyphical_ Methods of characterizing Things; an Instance of which I have seen upon the Side of a Tree where the Bark was taken off.

There was drawn something like a Deer and a River, with certain Strokes and Dashes; the Deer looking down the River, which we interpreted to be left for Information to some of their stragling Company, that certain of them were gone down that River a Hunting, and others were gone different Ways.

I know by the Boys at the College, that they have an excellent _Genius_ for Drawing; and I fancy by Art they might be made some of the best Masters of Painting and Limning, to which they seem naturally inclined.

They hate Injury and Oppression; and I have been told they have some capital Punishments.

Besides the _French_, the _Traders_ of some Companies and Countries often set the _Indians_ on to injure the _English_ on the Frontiers, out of a barbarous inhuman Design; and often private Injuries done by some of our ordinary or vile People (who esteem and use the _Indians_ as Dogs) are repaid with publick Barbarity.

An Instance of their Resolutions for Satisfaction, we have in the Death of _Major Wynne_, who was shot by an _Indian_, because one of our Servants had killed one of their _great Men_; and upon the Trial of the _Indian_, they pleaded that we were the Aggressors, and that they never rest without Revenge and Reprisals; and that now they said we and they were equal, having each lost a _great Man_: Wherefore to avoid more Bloodshed, there was a Necessity to pardon the _Indian_.

They report that the _Northern Indians_ send out Bodies of young Fellows yearly, who dare not return without a certain Number of Scalps or Prisoners, in order to train them up, and qualify them for great and fighting Men.

Now these, and such as are set on by others, do some Mischief (tho' but very seldom) in the Frontier Plantations, tho' they be guarded with Rangers; and these with such as think themselves injured are the _Indians_ that make Wars, and such Disturbance in the _Northern_ and _Southern_ Colonies: But the tributary _Indians_, of which there are but four very small Nations in _Virginia_ on this Side the Mountains, keep to the Bounds allowed them, and seldom do any Hurt, being sure to be punished for Offences in a great Measure by our Laws, since we protect and shelter them, by permitting them to live among us; tho' sometimes they will pretend to claim their prior Right to all our Lands, as _Blunt King of the Tuskaroodaus_ did, when he told _Colonel Spotswood_ that the Country belonged to them before we _English_ came thither; so that he thought they had a better t.i.tle than we, and ought not to be confined to such narrow Limits for Hunting.

To retort this Argument, the Governor told him that _Mohomny_ took the Ground from _them_ and gave it _us_, because _we_ did as he bid us, but _they_ would not.

_Blunt_ answered, that _they_ could not tell what _Mohomny_ would have them do; and asked how we knew.

The _Governor_ then told him that _Mohomny_ sent his _Son_ to us, who lived a long time with us, and told us and taught us what we should do; and then he went back again to his _Father_.

With this _King Blunt_ seemed satisfied and surprized; and after a Pause, he said, he had talked with several Governors and other _English_, but he really never before heard that _Mohomny_ had a Son.

I relate this, to shew how by Degrees, after proper Methods, they may be humoured, and brought to have some Notions of the true Religion, when their Capacity and Temper is rightly studied and managed; for we must _give Milk to_ such _Babes_ in Faith.

Some indeed, after seeming Conversion have apostatized and returned to their own Ways, chiefly because they can live with less Labour, and more Pleasure and Plenty, as _Indians_, than they can with us; but this might easily be remedied by making a plentiful Provision for them, especially those at the _College_, by sending some to Sea, and putting out others to Trades, and not letting them idle away their Time, nor return to their Towns so soon, before they be perfect in the Understanding and Approbation of our Customs and Religion, and have seen some more of the World, and be handsomly provided for; for then if they returned, they might do Good to themselves and others.

This might by Degrees convert all the tributary and neighbouring _Indians_; and the _Northern_ and _Southern Nations_ might be managed by _Missionaries_ from the Society, and the _College Indians_.

These inland People are vastly numerous, as I have been told by the Traders, who are sent out amongst them seven or eight hundred Miles, with about a hundred Horses, and stay there sometimes for Years together.

The Missionaries that are now sent, generally keep among the _English_, and rarely see an _Indian_; or when they do, know but little how to manage them; for you may as well talk Reason, Philosophy, or Divinity to a _Block_, as to _them_, unless you perfectly understand their Temper, and know how to humour them.

I believe indeed, Mr. _Andrews_, Missionary to the _Northern Indians_, in the _late Queen_'s Time, did great Good among them in seven Years: In which Time, he found out something of their Nature, and translated Part of our Prayers and Psalms into their Language: Which Book when he gave me, he told me that it had not the desired Effect, neither did his Preaching avail as much as could be wished, because Policy and Interest intervening often superseded the Promotion of the Gospel, and the debauched Lives and vile Practices of our ordinary People give Examples very pernicious to Religion; for the _Indians_ think, that _they_ may surely be allowed the same Liberty as _we_; and if our Folks don't act, as they say, they should, the _Indians_ may think the _Christian Profession_ to be a Cheat, when our pretended Principles are contradicted by our Actions.

I have here specified some general Customs and Notions of the _Indians_, without a superficial Knowledge of which Things the Government and Society for propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts, may be at great Trouble and Expence, and yet make but small Progress in the Propagation of Learning, Religion and good Manners among the _Heathen Indians of America_; who in Gross may all be said to be such, as I have here given an Account of.

PART II.

CHAP. I.

_Of the_ English _Settlements in_ Virginia.

The first Discovery made for the _English_ in _North-America_, was in the Year 1584, (a hundred and forty Years ago) by Captain _Philip Amidas_, and Captain _Arthur Barlow_, by the Protection and Encouragement of _Queen Elizabeth_; with the Persuasion and Direction of Sir _Walter Raleigh_.

They anch.o.r.ed at _Roenoak_ Inlet, now belonging to the Government of _North Carolina_, and from the _Virgin Queen_, and the apparent Purity of the _Indians_, and primitive Plenty of the Place, that new discover'd Part of the World was named _Virginia_.

After that, Sir _Richard Greenvile_, Sir _Francis Drake_, and Sir _Walter Raleigh_ carried on the Project, and made Advancements in it, with the Leave of the Government; which were promoted and continued by the _Merchants_ of _London_, _Bristol_, _Exeter_ and _Plymouth_; with Variety of Accidents, Successes and Disappointments in Respect of their Trade and Possessions, and War and Peace with the _Indians_; especially under the Conduct of _Captain Smith_, who was employed by the Company of Merchants incorporated by _King James_ I. in 1606; and has written a large History of his particular Transactions.

They then fixed chiefly at, and near _James Town_, on a small Island in _James River_, till the Year 1609, when they sent out Settlements to _Nansemond_, _Powhatan_, and the Year after to _Kiquotan_.