The first part declaring the particularities of the Countrey
of Virginia.
FIRST therefore touching the particularities of the Countrey, you shall understand that our discoverie of the
same hath beene extended from the
Iland of Roanoak,
(the same having bene the place of our settlement or
inhabitation) into the South, into the North, into the
Northwest, and into the West.
The uttermost place to the Southward of any discovery
was Secotan
, being by estimation fourescore miles distant
from Roanoak
. The passage from thence was through
a broad sound within the mayne, the same being without
kenning of lande, and yet full of flats and shoalds: we
had but one boate with foure oares to passe through the
same, which boate could not carry above fifteene men
with their furniture, baggage, and victuall for seven dayes
at the most: and as for our pinnesse, besides that she
drew too deep water for that shallow sound, she would
not stirre for an oare: for these and other reasons (winter
also being at hand) we thought good wholly to leave the
discovery of those parts untill our stronger supply.
To the Northward our furthest discovery was to the
Chesepians, distant from Roanoak
about 130. miles, the
passage to it was very shallow and most dangerous, by
reason of the bredth of the sound, and the little succour
that upon any flawe was there to be had.
But the Territorie and soyle of the Chesepians (being
distant fifteene miles from the shoare) was for pleasantnes
of seate, for temperature of Climate, for fertilitie of soyle,
and for the commoditie of the Sea, besides multitude of
Beares (being an excellent good victuall) with great woods
of Sassafras, and Wallnut trees, is not to be excelled by
any other whatsoever.
There be sundry Kings, whom they call Weroances,
and Countreys of great fertility adjoyning to the same,
as the Mandoages, Tripanicks, and Opossians, which all
came to visite the Colonie of the English, which I had
for a time appointed to be resident there.
To the Northwest the farthest place of our discovery
was to Chawanook distant from Roanoak
about 130.
miles. Our passage thither lyeth through a broad sound,
but all fresh water, and the chanell of a great depth,
navigable for good shipping, but out of the chanell full
of shoalds.
The Townes about the waters side situated by the way
are these following: Passaquenoke The womans Towne,
Chepanoc, Weapomeiok, Muscamunge, & Metackwem:
all these being under the jurisdiction of the king of
Weapomeiok, called Okisco: from Muscamunge we enter
into the River, and jurisdiction of Chawanook: There
the River beginneth to straighten untill it come to
Chawanook, and then groweth to be as narrow as the
Thames
betewene Westminster
, and Lambeth
.
Betwene Muscamunge and Chawanook upon the left
hand as wee passe thither, is a goodly high land, and
there is a Towne which we called The blinde Towne,
but the Savages called it Ohanoak, and hath a very
goodly corne field belonging unto it: it is subject to
Chawanook.
Chawanook it selfe is the greatest Province & Seigniorie
lying upon that River, and the very Towne it selfe is
able to put 700. fighting men into the fielde, besides the
force of the Province it selfe.
The King of the sayd Province is called Menatonon,
a man impotent in his lims, but otherwise for a Savage,
a very grave and wise man, and of a very singular good
discourse in matters concerning the state, not onely of
his owne Countrey, and the disposition of his owne men,
but also of his neighbours round about him as well farre
as neere, and of the commodities that eache Countrey
yeeldeth. When I had him prisoner with me, for two
dayes that we were together, he gave mee more understanding and light of the Countrey then I had received
by all the searches and Savages that before I or any of
my companie had had conference with: it was in March
last past 1586. Amongst other things he tolde me, that
going three dayes journey in a Canoa, up his
River of
Chawanook, and then descending to the land, you are
within foure dayes journey to passe over land Northeast
to a certaine Kings countrey, whose Province lyeth upon
the Sea, but his place of greatest strength is an Island
situate, as hee described unto mee, in a Bay, the water
round about the Island very deepe.
Out of this Bay hee signified unto mee, that this King
had so great quantitie of Pearle, and doeth so ordinarily
take the same, as that not onely his owne skinnes that
hee weareth, and the better sort of his gentlemen and
followers are full set with the sayd Pearle, but also his
beds, and houses are garnished with them, and that hee
hath such quantitie of them, that it is a wonder to
see.
He shewed me that the sayd King was with him at
Chawanook two yeeres before, & brought him certaine
Pearle, but the same of the worst sort, yet was he faine
to buy them of him for copper at a deere rate, as he
thought. Hee gave mee a rope of the same pearle, but
they were blacke, and naught, yet many of them were
very great, and a few amongst a number very orient and
round, all which I lost with other things of mine, comming aboord Sir Francis Drake his Fleete: yet he tolde
me that the sayd King had great store of Pearle that
were white, great, and round, and that his blacke Pearle
his men did take out of shallow water, but the white
Pearle his men fished for in very deepe water.
It seemed to me by his speach, that the sayd King
had traffique with white men that had clothes as we
have, for these white Pearle, and that was the reason
that hee would not depart with other then with blacke
Pearles, to those of the same countrey.
The king of Chawanook promised to give me guids
to go over land into that kings countrey whensoever I
would: but he advised me to take good store of men
with me, and good store of victuall, for he said, that
king would be loth to suffer any strangers to enter into
his Countrey, and especially to meddle with the fishing
for any Pearle there, and that hee was able to make a
great many of men into the field, which he sayd would
fight very well.
Hereupon I resolved with my selfe, that if your supplie
had come before the ende of Aprill, and that you had
sent any store of boates or men, to have had them made
in any reasonable time, with a sufficient number of men
and victuals to have found us untill the new corne were
come in, I would have sent a small barke with two
pinnesses about by Sea to the Northward to have found
out the Bay he spake of, and to have sounded the barre
if there were any, which should have ridden there in the
sayd Bay about that Iland, while I with all the small
boates I could make, and with two hundred men would
have gone up to the head of the
river of Chawanook
with the guids that Menatonon would have given me,
which I would have bene assured should have beene of
his best men, (for I had his best beloved sonne prisoner
with me) who also should have kept me companie in an
handlocke with the rest, foote by foote, all the voyage
over land.
My meaning was further at the head of the River in
the place of my descent where I would have left my
boates, to have raised a sconse with a small trench, and
a pallisado upon the top of it, in the which, and in the
guard of my boates I would have left five and twentie,
or thirtie men, with the rest would I have marched with
as much victuall as every man could have caried, with
their furniture, mattocks, spades and axes, two dayes
journey. In the ende of my march upon some convenient
plot would I have raised another sconse according to
the former, where I would have left fifteene or twentie.
And if it would have fallen out conveniently, in the way
I would have raised my saide sconse upon some Corne
fielde, that my company might have lived upon it.
And so I would have holden this course of insconsing
every two dayes march, untill I had bene arrived at the
Bay or Port hee spake of: which finding to bee worth
the possession, I would there have raised a maine fort,
both for the defence of the harborough, and our shipping
also, and would have reduced our whole habitation from
Roanoak
and from the harborough and port there (which
by proofe is very naught) unto this other beforementioned,
from whence, in the foure dayes march before specified,
could I at al times returne with my company back unto
my boates riding under my sconse, very neere whereunto
directly from the West runneth a most notable River,
and in all those parts most famous, called the
River of
Moratoc. This River openeth into the broad Sound of
Weapomeiok. And whereas the
River of Chawanook,
and all the other Sounds, and Bayes, salt and fresh, shewe
no current in the world in calme weather, but are mooved
altogether with the winde: This
River of Moratoc hath
so violent a current from the West and Southwest, that
it made me almost of opinion that with oares it would
scarse be navigable: it passeth with many creekes and
turnings, and for the space of thirtie miles rowing, and
more, it is as broad as the Thames
betwixt Green-wich
and the Isle of dogges, in some place more, and in some
lesse: the current runneth as strong, being entred so
high into the River, as at London
bridge upon a vale
water.
And for that not onely Menatonon, but also the Savages
of Moratoc themselves doe report strange things of the
head of that River, and that from Moratoc it selfe, which
is a principall Towne upon that River, it is thirtie dayes
as some of them say, and some say fourtie dayes voyage
to the head thereof, which head they say springeth out
of a maine rocke in that abundance, that forthwith it
maketh a most violent streame: and further, that this
huge rock standeth so neere unto a Sea, that many times
in stormes (the winde comming outwardly from the sea)
the waves thereof are beaten into the said fresh streame,
so that the fresh water for a certaine space, groweth
salt and brackish: I tooke a resolution with my selfe,
having dismissed Menatonon upon a ransome agreed for,
and sent his sonne into the Pinnesse to Roanoak
, to
enter presently so farre into that River with two double
whirries, and fourtie persons one or other, as I could
have victuall to cary us, until we could meete with more
either of the Moratoks, or of the Mangoaks, which is
another kinde of Savages, dwelling more to the Westward
of the said River: but the hope of recovering more victuall
from the Savages made mee and my company as narrowly
to escape starving in that discoverie before our returne,
as ever men did, that missed the same.
For Pemisapan, who had changed his name of Wingina
upon the death of his brother Granganimo, had given
both the Choanists, and Mangoaks worde of my purpose
touching them, I having bene inforced to make him
privie to the same, to bee served by him of a guide to
the Mangoaks, and yet hee did never rest to solicite
continually my going upon them, certifying mee of a
generall assembly even at that time made by Menatonon
at
Chawanook of all his Weroances, and allies to the
number of three thousand bowes, preparing to come upon
us at Roanoak
, and that the Mangoaks also were joyned
in the same confederacie, who were able of themselves
to bring as many more to the enterprise: And true it
was that at that time the assembly was holden at
Chawanook about us, as I found at my comming thither, which
being unlooked for did so dismay them, as it made us
have the better hand at them. But this confederacie
against us of the Choanists and Mangoaks was altogether
and wholly procured by Pemisapan himselfe, as Menatonon
confessed unto me, who sent them continual word, that
our purpose was fully bent to destroy them: on the other
side he told me, that they had the like meaning towards
us.
Hee in like sort having sent worde to the Mangoaks
of mine intention to passe up into their River, and to
kill them (as he saide) both they and the Moratoks, with
whom before wee were entred into a league, and they
had ever dealt kindly with us, abandoned their Townes
along the River, and retired themselves with their Crenepos, and their Corne within the maine: insomuch as having
passed three dayes voyage up the River, wee could not
meete a man, nor finde a graine of Corne in any their
Townes: whereupon considering with my selfe that wee
had but two dayes victuall left, and that wee were then
160. miles from home, besides casualtie of contrary windes
or stormes, and suspecting treason of our owne Savages
in the discoverie of our voyage intended, though wee had
no intention to bee hurtfull to any of them, otherwise
then for our copper to have had corne of them: I at
night upon the Corps of guard, before the putting foorth
of Centinels, advertised the whole company of the case
wee stoode in for victuall, and of mine opinion that we
were betrayed by our owne Savages, and of purpose
drawen foorth by them upon vaine hope to be in the ende
starved, seeing all the Countrey fled before us, and therefore while wee had those two dayes victuall left, I thought
it good for us to make our returne homeward, and that
it were necessary for us to get the other side of the
Sound of Weopomeiok in time, where wee might be
relieved upon the weares of Chypanum, and the womens
Towne, although the people were fled.
Thus much I signified unto them, as the safest way:
neverthelesse I did referre it to the greatest number of
voyces, whether wee should adventure the spending of
our whole victuall in some further viewe of that most
goodly River in hope to meete with some better happe,
or otherwise to retire our selves backe againe. And for
that they might be the better advised, I willed them to
deliberate all night upon the matter, and in the morning
at our going aborde to set our course according to the
desires of the greatest part. Their resolution fully and
wholy was (and not three founde to bee of the contrary
opinion) that whiles there was left but one halfe pinte
of Corne for a man, wee should not leave the search of
that River, and that there were in the companie two
Mastives, upon the pottage of which with Sassafras leaves
(if the worst fell out) the company would make shift to
live two dayes, which time would bring them downe the
current to the mouth of the River, and to the entrie of
the Sound, and in two dayes more at the farthest they
hoped to crosse the Sound and to bee relieved by the
weares, which two dayes they would fast rather then be
drawen backe a foote till they had seen the Mangoaks,
either as friendes or foes. This resolution of theirs did
not a little please mee, since it came of themselves,
although for mistrust of that which afterwards did
happen, I pretended to have bene rather of the contrary
opinion.
And that which made me most desirous to have some
doings with the Mangoaks either in friendship or otherwise to have had one or two of them prisoners, was, for
that it is a thing most notorious to all the countrey, that
there is a Province to the which the said Mangoaks have
recourse and trafique up that
River of Moratoc, which
hath a marvellous and most strange Minerall. This Mine
is so notorious amongst them, as not onely to the Savages
dwelling up the said river, and also to the Savages of
Chawanook, and all them to the Westward, but also to
all them of the maine: the Countreis name is of fame,
and is called Chaunis Temoatan.
The Minerall they say is Wassador, which is copper,
but they call by the name of Wassador every mettall
whatsoever: they say it is of the colour of our copper,
but our copper is better then theirs: and the reason is
for that it is redder and harder, whereas that of Chaunis
Temoatan is very soft, and pale: they say that they take
the saide mettall out of a river that falleth very swift
from hie rockes and hils, and they take it in shallow
water: the maner is this. They take a great bowle by
their description as great as one of our targets, and
wrappe a skinne over the hollow part thereof, leaving
one part open to receive in the minerall: that done, they
watch the comming downe of the current, and the change
of the colour of the water, and then suddenly chop downe
the said bowle with the skinne, and receive into the same
as much oare as will come in, which is ever as much
as their bowle will holde, which presently they cast into
a fire, and foorthwith it melteth, and doeth yeelde in five
parts, at the first melting, two parts of metall for three
parts of oare. Of this metall the Mangoaks have so
great store, by report of all the Savages adjoyning, that
they beautifie their houses with great plates of the same:
and this to be true, I received by report of all the
countrey, and particularly by yong Skiko, the King of
Chawanooks sonne my prisoner, who also himselfe had
bene prisoner with the Mangoaks, and set downe all the
particularities to me before mentioned: but hee had not
bene at Chawnis Temoatan himselfe: for hee said, it was
twentie dayes journey overland from the Mangoaks, to
the said
Mineral Countrey, and that they passed through
certaine other territories betweene them and the Mangoaks, before they came to the said Countrey.
Upon report of the premisses, which I was very inquisitive in all places where I came to take very particular
information of, by all the Savages that dwelt towards
those parts, and especially of Menatonon himselfe, who
in every thing did very particularly informe mee, and
promised me guides of his owne men, who should passe
over with me, even to the said Country of Chaunis
Temoatan (for overland from Chawanook to the Mangoaks is but one dayes journey from Sunne rising to
Sunne setting, whereas by water it is seven dayes with
the soonest:) These things, I say, made me very desirous
by all meanes possible to recover the Mangoaks, and
to get some of that their copper for an assay, and therefore I willingly yeelded to their resolution: But it fell
out very contrary to all expectation, and likelyhood: for
after two dayes travell, and our whole victuall spent,
lying on shoare all night, wee could never see man, onely
fires we might perceive made alongst the shoare where
we were to passe, and up into the Countrey, untill the
very last day. In the evening whereof, about three of
the clocke wee heard certaine Savages call as we thought,
Manteo, who was also at that time with me in the boat,
whereof we all being very glad, hoping of some friendly
conference with them, and making him to answere them,
they presently began a song, as we thought, in token
of our welcome to them: but Manteo presently betooke
him to his piece, and tolde mee that they meant to fight
with us: which worde was not so soone spoken by him,
and the light horseman ready to put to shoare, but there
lighted a vollie of their arrowes amongst them in the
boat, but did no hurt (God be thanked) to any man.
Immediatly, the other boate lying ready with their shot
to skoure the place for our hand weapons to lande upon,
which was presently done, although the land was very
high and steepe, the Savages forthwith quitted the shoare,
and betooke themselves to flight: wee landed, and having
faire and easily followed for a smal time after them, who
had wooded themselves we know not where: the Sunne
drawing then towards the setting, and being then assured
that the next day if wee would pursue them, though we
might happen to meete with them, yet wee should be
assured to meete with none of their victuall, which we
then had good cause to thinke of: therefore choosing
for the company a convenient ground in safetie to lodge
in for the night, making a strong Corps of guard, and
putting out good Centinels, I determined the next morning before the rising of the Sunne to be going backe
againe, if possibly we might recover the mouth of the
river, into the broad sound, which at my first motion I
found my whole company ready to assent unto: for they
were nowe come to their Dogges porredge, that they
had bespoken for themselves if that befell them which
did, and I before did mistrust we should hardly escape.
The ende was, we came the next day by night to the
Rivers mouth within foure or five miles of the same,
having rowed in one day downe the current, as much
as in foure dayes wee had done against the same: we
lodged upon an Iland, where we had nothing in the world
to eate but pottage of Sassafras leaves, the like whereof
for a meate was never used before as I thinke. The
broad sound wee had to passe the next day all fresh and
fasting: that day the winde blew so strongly, and the
billow so great, that there was no possibilitie of passage
without sinking of our boates. This was upon Easter
eve, which was fasted very truely. Upon Easter day in
the morning the winde comming very calme, we entred
the sound, and by foure of the clocke we were at
Chipanum, whence all the Savages that we had left there
were fled, but their weares did yeelde us some fish, as
God was pleased not utterly to suffer us to be lost: for
some of our company of the light horsemen were farre
spent. The next morning wee arrived at our home
Roanoak
.
I have set downe this Voyage somewhat particularly,
to the ende it may appeare unto you (as true it is) that
there wanted no great good will from the most to the
least amongst us, to have perfited this discoverie of the
Mine: for that the discovery of a good Mine, by the
goodnesse of God, or a passage to the
South-sea, or
some way to it, and nothing els can bring this Countrey
in request to be inhabited by our nation. And with the
discovery of either of the two above shewed, it will bee
the most sweete and healthfullest climate, and therewithall
the most fertile soyle (being manured) in the world: and
then will Sassafras, and many other rootes and gummes
there found make good marchandise and lading for shipping, which otherwise of themselves will not be worth
the fetching.
Provided also, that there be found out a better harborough then yet there is, which must be to the Northward, if any there bee, which was mine intention to
have spent this Summer in the search of, and of the
Mine of Chawnis Temoatan: the one I would have done,
if the barkes that I should have had of Sir Francis
Drake, by his honourable courtesie, had not bene driven
away by storme: the other if your supply of more men,
and some other necessaries had come to us in any convenient sufficiencie. For this river of Moratico promiseth
great things, and by the opinion of M. Hariots the head
of it by the description of the Countrey, either riseth
from the bay of Mexico
, or els from very neere unto the
same, that openeth out into the
South sea.
And touching the Minerall, thus doeth M. Youghan
affirme, that though it be but copper, seeing the Savages
are able to melt it, it is one of the richest Minerals in
the world.
Wherefore a good harborough found to the Northward,
as before is saide, and from thence foure dayes overland,
to the
River of Choanoak sconses being raised, from
whence againe overland through the province of Choanoak
one dayes voyage to the first towne of the Mangoaks
up the river of Moratico by the way, as also upon the
said River for the defence of our boats like sconses being
set, in this course of proceeding you shall cleare your
selfe from al those dangers and broad shallow sounds
before mentioned, and gaine within foure dayes travell
into the heart of the maine 200. miles at the least, and
so passe your discovery into that most notable countrey,
and to the likeliest parts of the maine, with farre greater
felicitie then otherwise can bee performed.
Thus Sir, I have though simply, yet truely set downe
unto you, what my labour with the rest of the gentlemen,
and poore men of our company (not without both paine
and perill, which the Lord in his mercy many wayes
delivered us from) could yeeld unto you, which might
have bene performed in some more perfection, if the
Lord had bene pleased that onely that which you had
provided for us had at the first bene left with us, or that
hee had not in his eternall providence now at the last
set some other course in these things, than the wisedome
of man coulde looke into, which truely the carying away
by a most strange & unlooked for storme of all our provision, with Barks, Master, Mariners, and sundry also
of mine owne company, al having bene so courteously
supplied by the generall Sir Francis Drake, the same
having bene most sufficient to have performed the greatest
part of the premisses, must ever make me to thinke the
hand of God onely (for some his good purpose to my
selfe yet unknowen) to have bene in the matter.
