As we are not endeavoring to write the early history of Virginia, butonly to trace Smith's share in it, we proceed with his exploits afterthe arrival of the first supply, consisting of near a hundred men, intwo ships, one commanded by Captain Newport and the other by CaptainFrancis Nelson. The latter, when in sight of Cape Henry, was drivenby a storm back to the West Indies, and did not arrive at James Riverwith his vessel, the Phoenix, till after the departure of Newport forEngland with his load of "golddust," and Master Wingfield and CaptainArthur.

　　In his "True Relation," Smith gives some account of his explorationof the Pamunkey River, which he sometimes calls the "Youghtamand,"upon which, where the water is salt, is the town of Werowocomoco. Itcan serve no purpose in elucidating the character of our hero toattempt to identify all the places he visited.

　　It was at Werowocomoco that Smith observed certain conjurations ofthe medicine men, which he supposed had reference to his fate. Fromten o'clock in the morning till six at night, seven of the savages,with rattles in their hands, sang and danced about the fire, layingdown grains of corn in circles, and with vehement actions, castingcakes of deer suet, deer, and tobacco into the fire, howling withoutceasing. One of them was "disfigured with a great skin, his headhung around with little skins of weasels and other vermin, with acrownlet of feathers on his head, painted as ugly as the devil." Sofat they fed him that he much doubted they intended to sacrifice himto the Quiyoughquosicke, which is a superior power they worship: amore uglier thing cannot be described. These savages buried theirdead with great sorrow and weeping, and they acknowledge noresurrection. Tobacco they offer to the water to secure a goodpassage in foul weather. The descent of the crown is to the firstheirs of the king's sisters, "for the kings have as many women asthey will, the subjects two, and most but one."After Smith's return, as we have read, he was saved from a plot totake his life by the timely arrival of Captain Newport. Somewhereabout this time the great fire occurred. Smith was now one of theCouncil; Martin and Matthew Scrivener, just named, were alsocouncilors. Ratcliffe was still President. The savages, owing totheir acquaintance with and confidence in Captain Smith, sent inabundance of provision. Powhatan sent once or twice a week "deer,bread, raugroughcuns (probably not to be confounded with therahaughcuns [raccoons] spoken of before, but probably 'rawcomens,'

　　mentioned in the Description of Virginia), half for Smith, and halffor his father, Captain Newport." Smith had, in his intercourse withthe natives, extolled the greatness of Newport, so that theyconceived him to be the chief and all the rest his children, andregarded him as an oracle, if not a god.

　　Powhatan and the rest had, therefore, a great desire to see thismighty person. Smith says that the President and Council greatlyenvied his reputation with the Indians, and wrought upon them tobelieve, by giving in trade four times as much as the price set bySmith, that their authority exceeded his as much as their bounty.

　　We must give Smith the credit of being usually intent upon thebuilding up of the colony, and establishing permanent and livablerelations with the Indians, while many of his companions in authorityseemed to regard the adventure as a temporary occurrence, out ofwhich they would make what personal profit they could. The new-comers on a vessel always demoralized the trade with the Indians, bypaying extravagant prices. Smith's relations with Captain Newportwere peculiar. While he magnified him to the Indians as the greatpower, he does not conceal his own opinion of his ostentation andwant of shrewdness. Smith's attitude was that of a priest who putsup for the worship of the vulgar an idol, which he knows is only aclay image stuffed with straw.

　　In the great joy of the colony at the arrival of the first supply,leave was given to sailors to trade with the Indians, and the new-comers soon so raised prices that it needed a pound of copper to buya quantity of provisions that before had been obtained for an ounce.

　　Newport sent great presents to Powhatan, and, in response to the wishof the "Emperor," prepared to visit him. "A great coyle there was toset him forward," says Smith. Mr. Scrivener and Captain Smith, and aguard of thirty or forty, accompanied him. On this expedition theyfound the mouth of the Pamaunck (now York) River. Arriving atWerowocomoco, Newport, fearing treachery, sent Smith with twenty mento land and make a preliminary visit. When they came ashore theyfound a network of creeks which were crossed by very shaky bridges,constructed of crotched sticks and poles, which had so much theappearance of traps that Smith would not cross them until many of theIndians had preceded him, while he kept others with him as hostages.

　　Three hundred savages conducted him to Powhatan, who received him ingreat state. Before his house were ranged forty or fifty greatplatters of fine bread. Entering his house, "with loude tunes theymade all signs of great joy." In the first account Powhatan isrepresented as surrounded by his principal women and chief men, "asupon a throne at the upper end of the house, with such majesty as Icannot express, nor yet have often seen, either in Pagan orChristian." In the later account he is "sitting upon his bed ofmats, his pillow of leather embroidered (after their rude manner withpearls and white beads), his attire a fair robe of skins as large asan Irish mantel; at his head and feet a handsome young woman; on eachside of his house sat twenty of his concubines, their heads andshoulders painted red, with a great chain of white beads about eachof their necks. Before those sat his chiefest men in like order inhis arbor-like house." This is the scene that figures in the oldcopper-plate engravings. The Emperor welcomed Smith with a kindcountenance, caused him to sit beside him, and with pretty discoursethey renewed their old acquaintance. Smith presented him with a suitof red cloth, a white greyhound, and a hat. The Queen of Apamatuc, acomely young savage, brought him water, a turkeycock, and bread toeat. Powhatan professed great content with Smith, but desired to seehis father, Captain Newport. He inquired also with a merrycountenance after the piece of ordnance that Smith had promised tosend him, and Smith, with equal jocularity, replied that he hadoffered the men four demi-culverins, which they found too heavy tocarry. This night they quartered with Powhatan, and were liberallyfeasted, and entertained with singing, dancing, and orations.

　　The next day Captain Newport came as............