The Land And Timber
Up This River Is No Way Inferiour To The Best In The Other, Which We Call
The Main River.
So far as we could discern, this seem'd as fair,
if not fairer, than the former, and we think runs farther into the Country,
because a strong Current comes down, and a great deal more Drift-Wood.
But, to return to the Business of the Land and Timber:
We saw
several Plots of Ground clear'd by the Indians, after their weak manner,
compass'd round with great Timber Trees, which they are no-wise able to fell,
and so keep the Sun from Corn-Fields very much; yet nevertheless,
we saw as large Corn-stalks, or larger, than we have seen any where else:
So we proceeded down the River, till we found the Canoe the Indian was in,
who shot at us. In the Morning, we went on Shoar, and cut the same in pieces.
The Indians perceiving us coming towards them, ran away.
Going to his Hutt, we pull'd it down, broke his Pots, Platters, and Spoons,
tore the Deer-Skins and Matts in pieces, and took away a Basket of Acorns;
and afterwards proceeded down the River 2 Leagues, or thereabouts,
and came to another Place of Indians, bought Acorns and some Corn of them,
and went downwards 2 Leagues more. At last, espying an Indian
peeping over a high Bank, we held up a Gun at him; and calling to him,
`Skerry', presently several Indians came in Sight of us,
and made great Signs of Friendship, saying `Bonny, Bonny'.
Then running before us, they endeavour'd to persuade us to come on shoar;
but we answer'd them with stern Countenances, and call'd out, `Skerry',
taking up our Guns, and threatning to shoot at them,
but they still cry'd `Bonny, Bonny': And when they saw
they could not prevail, nor persuade us to come on shoar,
two of them came off to us in a Canoe, one paddling with a great Cane,
the other with his Hand. As soon as they overtook us,
they laid hold of our Boat, sweating and blowing, and told us,
it was `Bonny' on shoar, and at last persuaded us to go on shoar with them.
As soon as we landed, several Indians, to the Number of near 40 lusty Men,
came to us, all in a great Sweat, and told us `Bonny':
We shew'd 'em the Arrow-Head in the Boat-Side, and a Piece of the Canoe
we had cut in Pieces: Whereupon, the chief Man amongst them
made a long Speech, threw Beads into our Boat, which is
a Sign of great Love and Friendship, and gave us to understand,
that when he heard of the Affront which we had receiv'd,
it caus'd him to cry; and that he and his Men were come
to make Peace with us, assuring us, by Signs, that they would tye the Arms,
and cut off the Head, of the Fellow who had done us that Wrong;
And for a farther Testimony of their Love and Good-Will towards us,
they presented us with two very handsome, proper, young Indian Women,
the tallest that ever we saw in this Country; which we suppos'd to be
the King's Daughters, or Persons of Distinction amongst them.
Those young Women were so ready to come into our Boat;
that one of them crowded in, and would hardly be persuaded to go out again.
We presented the King with a Hatchet and several Beads,
and made Presents of Beads also to the young Women, the chief Men,
and the rest of the Indians, as far as our Beads would go.
They promis'd us, in four Days, to come on board our Ship,
and so departed from us.
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