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the complete writings-3-第35部分

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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 weeks。  Dudley Carleton; in a letter to John Chamberlain dated Aug。 18; 1607; writes 〃that Captain Newport has arrived without gold or silver; and that the adventurers; cumbered by the presence of the natives; have fortified themselves at a place called Jamestown。〃  The colony left numbered one hundred and four。

The good harmony of the colony did not last。  There were other reasons why the settlement was unprosperous。  The supply of wholesome provisions was inadequate。  The situation of the town near the Chickahominy swamps was not conducive to health; and although Powhatan had sent to make peace with them; and they also made a league of amity with the chiefs Paspahegh and Tapahanagh; they evidently had little freedom of movement beyond sight of their guns。 Percy says they were very bare and scant of victuals; and in wars and dangers with the savages。

Smith says in his 〃True Relation;〃 which was written on the spot; and is much less embittered than his 〃General Historie;〃 that they were in good health and content when Newport departed; but this did not long continue; for President Wingfield and Captain Gosnold; with the most of the Council; were so discontented with each other that nothing was done with discretion; and no business transacted with wisdom。  This he charges upon the 〃hard…dealing of the President;〃 the rest of the Council being diversely affected through his audacious command。  〃Captain Martin; though honest; was weak and sick; Smith was in disgrace through the malice of others; and God sent famine and sickness; so that the living were scarce able to bury the dead。  Our want of sufficient good food; and continual watching; four or five each night; at three bulwarks; being the chief cause; only of sturgeon we had great store; whereon we would so greedily surfeit; as it cost many their lives; the sack; Aquavite; and other

preservations of our health being kept in the President's hands; for his own diet and his few associates。〃

In his 〃General Historie;〃 written many years later; Smith enlarges this indictment with some touches of humor characteristic of him。  He says:

〃Being thus left to our fortunes; it fortuned that within ten days scarce ten amongst us could either go; or well stand; such extreme weakness and sicknes oppressed us。  And thereat none need marvaile if they consider the cause and reason; which was this: whilst the ships stayed; our allowance was somewhat bettered; by a daily proportion of Bisket; which the sailors would pilfer to sell; give; or exchange with us for money; Saxefras; furres; or love。  But when they departed; there remained neither taverne; beere…house; nor place of reliefe; but the common Kettell。  Had we beene as free from all sinnes as gluttony; and drunkennesse; we might have been canonized for Saints。  But our President would never have been admitted; for ingrissing to his private; Oatmeale; Sacke; Oyle; Aquavitz; Beef; Egges; or what not; but the Kettell: that indeed he allowed equally to be distributed; and that was half a pint of wheat; and as much barley boyled with water for a man a day; and this being fryed some twenty…six weeks in the ship's hold; contained as many wormes as graines; so that we might truly call it rather so much bran than corrne; our drinke was water; our lodgings Castles in the ayre; with this lodging and dyet; our extreme toile in bearing and planting Pallisadoes; so strained and bruised us; and our continual labour in the extremitie of the heat had so weakened us; as were cause sufficient to have made us miserable in our native countrey; or any other place in the world。〃

Affairs grew worse。  The sufferings of this colony in the summer equaled that of the Pilgrims at Plymouth in the winter and spring。 Before September forty…one were buried; says Wingfield; fifty; says Smith in one statement; and forty…six in another; Percy gives a list of twenty…four who died in August and September。  Late in August Wingfield said; 〃Sickness had not now left us seven able men in our town。〃  〃 As yet;〃 writes Smith in September; 〃we had no houses to cover us; our tents were rotten; and our cabins worse than nought。〃

Percy gives a doleful picture of the wretchedness of the colony: 〃Our men were destroyed with cruel sickness; as swellings; fluxes; burning…fevers; and by wars; and some departed suddenly; but for the most part they died of mere famine。。。。 We watched every three nights; lying on the cold bare ground what weather soever came; worked all the next day; which brought our men to be most feeble wretches; our food was but a small can of barley; sod in water to five men a day; our drink but cold water taken out of the river; which was at the flood very salt; at a low tide full of shrimp and filth; which was the destruction of many of our men。  Thus we lived for the space of five months in this miserable distress; but having five able men to man our bulwarks upon any occasion。  If it had not pleased God to put a terror in the savage hearts; we had all perished by those wild and cruel Pagans; being in that weak state as we were: our men night and day groaning in every comer of the fort; most pitiful to hear。  If there were any conscience in men; it would make their hearts to bleed to hear the pitiful murmurings and outcries of our sick men; without relief; every night and day; for the space of six weeks: some departing out of the world; many times three or four in a night; in the morning their bodies trailed out of their cabins; like dogs; to be buried。  In this sort did I see the mortality of divers of our people。〃

A severe loss to the colony was the death on the 22d of August of Captain Bartholomew Gosnold; one of the Council; a brave and adventurous mariner; and; says Wingfield; a 〃worthy and religious gentleman。〃  He was honorably buried; 〃having all the ordnance in the fort shot off with many volleys of small shot。〃  If the Indians had known that those volleys signified the mortality of their comrades; the colony would no doubt have been cut off entirely。  It is a melancholy picture; this disheartened and half…famished band of men quarreling among themselves; the occupation of the half…dozen able men was nursing the sick and digging graves。  We anticipate here by saying; on the authority of a contemporary manuscript in the State Paper office; that when Captain Newport arrived with the first supply in January; 1608; 〃he found the colony consisting of no more than forty persons; of those; ten only able men。〃

After the death of Gosnold; Captain Kendall was deposed from the Council and put in prison for sowing discord between the President and Council; says Wingfield; for heinous matters which were proved against him; says Percy; for 〃divers reasons;〃 says Smith; who sympathized with his dislike of Wingfield。  The colony was in very low estate at this time; and was only saved from famine by the providential good…will of the Indians; who brought them corn half ripe; and presently meat and fruit in abundance。

On the 7th of September the chief Paspahegh gave a token of peace by returning a white boy who had run away from camp; and other runaways were returned by other chiefs; who reported that they had been well used in their absence。  By these returns Mr。 Wingfield was convinced that the Indians were not cannibals; as Smith believed。

On the 10th of September Mr。 Wingfield was deposed from the presidency and the Council; and Captain John Ratcliffe was elected President。  Concerning the deposition there has been much dispute; but the accounts of it by Captain Smith and his friends; so long accepted as the truth; must be modified by Mr。 Wingfield's 〃Discourse of Virginia;〃 more recently come to light; which is; in a sense; a defense of his conduct。

In his 〃 True Relation〃 Captain Smith is content to say that 〃Captain Wingfield; having ordered the affairs in such sort that he was hated of them all; in which respect he was with one accord deposed from the presidency。〃

In the 〃General Historie〃 the charges against him; which we have already quoted; are extended; and a new one is added; that is; a purpose of deserting the colony in the pinnace: 〃the
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