FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   >>  
ach be in one piece. Then would we set about raising tobacco, as the Indian girl Pocahontas taught us, and who can say that we might not come to be of some consequence, even as are Captain Smith and Master Hunt, in this new world. A PLAGUE OF RATS And now am I come to the spring of 1609, when befell us that disaster which marked the beginning of the time of suffering, of trouble, and of danger which was so near to wiping out the settlement of Jamestown that the people had already started on their way to England. The day had come when we should put into the ground our Indian corn that a harvest might follow. The supply, which was to be used as seed, had been stored in casks and piled up in the big house wherein were kept our goods. When those who had been chosen to do the planting went for the seed, it was found to have been destroyed by rats, and not only the corn, but many other things which were in the storehouse, had been eaten by the same animals. Master Hunt maintained, and Captain Smith was of the same opinion, that when the Phoenix was unloaded, the rats came ashore from her, finding lodging in that building which represented the vital spot of our town. Howsoever the pests came there, certain it was we should reap no harvest that year, unless the savages became more friendly than they had lately shown themselves, and as to this we speedily learned. TREACHERY DURING CAPTAIN SMITH'S ABSENCE When Captain Smith set off in the pinnace in order to buy what might serve us as seed, he found himself threatened by all the brown men living near about the shores of the bay, as if they had suddenly made up a plot to kill us, and never one of them would speak him fairly. It was while my master was away that two Dutchmen, who came over in the Phoenix and had gone with Captain Smith in the pinnace, returned to Jamestown, saying to Captain Winne, who was in command at the fort, that Captain Smith had use for more weapons because of going into the country in the hope of finding Indians who would supply him with corn. Not doubting their story, the captain supplied them with what they demanded, and, as was afterward learned, before leaving town that night they stole many swords, pike heads, shot and powder, all of which these Dutch thieves carried to Powhatan. If these two had been the only white men who did us wrong, then might our plight not have become so desperate; but many there were, upward
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   >>  



Top keywords:

Captain

 

Jamestown

 

supply

 
harvest
 
Indian
 

pinnace

 
finding
 

Master

 

Phoenix

 

learned


CAPTAIN
 

DURING

 

shores

 

ABSENCE

 

suddenly

 
threatened
 

TREACHERY

 

speedily

 

living

 
swords

powder

 
demanded
 

afterward

 

leaving

 

thieves

 

plight

 

desperate

 
upward
 

carried

 

Powhatan


supplied

 

captain

 

returned

 

command

 

Dutchmen

 

master

 

Indians

 

doubting

 

country

 

weapons


fairly

 

storehouse

 

marked

 

beginning

 

suffering

 

disaster

 
befell
 

spring

 

trouble

 

danger