University of Virginia Library

Chapter XXVII.
The first plantation of the Ile of Mevis.

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BECAUSE I have ranged and lived amongst those Ilands, what my
authours cannot tell me, I thinke it no great errour in helping
them to tell it my selfe. In this little Ile of Mevis, more than twenty
∥ yeares agoe, I have remained a good time together, to wod, and
water and refresh my men; it is all woddy, but by the Sea side Southward
there are sands like downes, where a thousand men may
quarter themselves conveniently; but in most places the wod groweth
close to the water side, at a high water marke, and in some places so
thicke of a soft spungy wood like a wilde figge tree, you cannot get
through it, but by making your way with hatchets, or fauchions:
whether it was the dew of those trees, or of some others, I am not
certaine, but many of our men became so tormented with a burning
swelling all over their bodies, they seemed like scalded men, and
neere mad with paine;

here we found a great Poole, wherein bathing
themselves, they found much ease; and finding it fed with a pleasant
small streame that came out of the woods, we found the head halfe
a mile within the land, distilling from a many of rocks, by which they
were well cured in two or three dayes. Such factions here we had, as
commonly attend such voyages, that a paire of gallowes was made,
but Captaine Smith, for whom they were intended, could not be
perswaded to use them; but not any one of the inventers, but their
lives by justice fell into his power, to determine of at his pleasure,
whom with much mercy he favoured, that most basely and unjustly
would have betrayed him.

.

The last yeare, 1628. Master Littleton,

with some others got a
Pattent of the Earle of Carlile, to plant the Ile called the Barbados,
thirty leagues Northward of Saint Christophers; which by report of
their informers, and undertakers, for the excellencie and pleasantnesse
thereof, they called Dulcina, but when they came there, they
found it such a barren rocke, they left it; although they were told as
much before, they would not beleeve it, perswading themselves,
those contradicters would get it for themselves, was thus by their
cunning opinion, the deceiver of themselves; for seeing it lie conveniently
for their purpose in a map, they had not patience to know
the goodnesse or badnesse, the inconvenience nor probabilities of the
quality, nor quantity; which errour doth predominate in most of our
homebred adventurers, that will have all things as they conceit and
would have it; and the more they are contradicted, the more hot
they are; but you may see by many examples in the generall history,
how difficult a matter it is, to gather the truth from amongst so many
forren and severall relations, except you have exceeding good experience
both of the Countries, people, and their conditions; and
those ignorant undertakings, have beene the greatest hinderance of
all those plantations.

At last because they would be absolute, they came to Mevis, a
little Ile by Saint Christophers; where they seated themselves, well
furnished with all necessaries, being about the number of an hundred,
and since increased to an hundred and fifty persons, whereof many
were old planters of Saint Christophers, especially Master Anthony
Hinton,

and Master Edward Tompson. But because all those Iles
for most part are so capable to produce, and in nature like each other,
let this discourse serve for the description of them all. Thus much
concerning those plantations, which now after all this time, losse, and
charge, should they be abandoned, suppressed, and dissolved, were
most lamentable; and surely seeing they all strive so much about this
Tobacco, and that the fraught thereof, and other charges are so
great, and so open to any enemie, by that commodity they cannot
long subsist.

And it is a wonder to me to see such miracles of mischiefes in
men; how ∥ greedily they pursue to dispossesse the planters of the
Name of Christ Jesus, yet say they are Christians, when so much of
the world is unpossessed; yea, and better land than they so much
strive for, murthering so many Christians, burning and spoiling so
many cities, villages, and Countries, and subverting so many kingdomes,
when so much lieth vast,

or only possessed by a few poore
Savages, that more serve the Devill for feare, than God for love;
whose ignorance we pretend to reforme, but covetousnesse, humours,
ambition, faction, and pride, hathso many instruments, we performe
very little to any purpose; nor is there either honour or profit to be
got by any that are so vile, to undertake the subversion, or hinderance
of any honest intended christian plantation.

Now to conclude the travels and adventures of Captaine Smith;

how first he planted Virginia, and was set ashore with about an
hundred men in the wilde woods; how he was taken prisoner by the
Savages, by the King of Pamaunke tied to a tree to be shot to death,
led up and downe their Country to be shewed for a wonder; fatted
as he thought, for a sacrifice for their Idoll, before whom they conjured
him three dayes, with strange dances and invocations, then
brought him before their Emperor Powhatan, that commanded him
to be slaine; how his daughter Pocahontas saved his life, returned
him to James towne, releeved him and his famished company, which
was but eight and thirty to possesse those large dominions; how he
discovered all the severall nations, upon the rivers falling into the
Bay of Chisapeacke; stung neere to death with a most poysoned taile
of a fish called Stingray: how Powhatan out of his Country tooke
the kings of Pamaunke and Paspahegh prisoners, forced thirty nine
of those kings to pay him contribution, subjected all the Savages:
how Smith was blowne up with gunpowder, and returned for
England to be cured.

Also how hee brought our new England to the subjection of the

kingdome of great Britaine; his fights with the Pirats, left alone
amongst a many French men of Warre, and his ship ran from him;
his Sea-fights for the French against the Spaniards; their bad usage
of him; how in France in a little boat he escaped them; was adrift all
such a stormy night at Sea by himselfe, when thirteene French Ships
were split, or driven on shore by the Ile of Ree, the generall and
most of his men drowned, when God to whom be all honour and
praise, brought him safe on shore to all their admirations that
escaped; you may read at large in his generall history of Virginia,
the Summer Iles, and New England.