Travels of Captaine John Smith Volume I - Pages 63-84



Page 63

We have seene some use mantels made of Turky feathers, so prettily wrought 
& woven with threads that nothing could be discerned but the feathers. 
That was exceeding warme and very handsome. But the women are alwayes 
covered about their middles with a skin, and very shame-fast to be seene 
bare. They adorne themselves most with copper beads and paintings. Their 
women, some have their legs, hands, breasts and face cunningly imbrodered 
with divers workes, as beasts, serpents, artificially wrought into their 
flesh with blacke spots. In each eare commonly they have 3 great holes, 
whereat they hang chaines, bracelets, or copper. Some of their men weare 
in those holes, a small greene and yellow coloured snake, neare halfe a 
yard in length, which crawling and lapping her selfe about his necke 
oftentimes familiarly would kisse his lips. Others weare a dead Rat tyed 
by the taile. Some on their heads weare the wing of a bird, or some large 
feather with a Rattell. Those Rattels are somewhat like the chape of a 
Rapier, but lesse, which they take from the taile of a snake. Many have 
the whole skinne of a Hawke or some strange foule, stuffed with the wings 
abroad. Others a broad Peece of Copper, and some the hand of their enemy 
dryed. Their heads and shoulders are painted red with the roote Pocone 
brayed to powder, mixed with oyle, this they hold in sommer to preserve 
them from the heate, and in winter from the cold. Many other formes of 
paintings they use, but he is the most gallant that is the most monstrous 
to behold.

Their buildings.

Their buildings and habitations are for the most part by the rivers, or 
not farre distant from some fresh spring. Their houses are built like our 
Arbors, of small young springs bowed and tyed, and so close covered with 
Mats, or the barkes of trees very handsomely, that notwithstanding either 
winde, raine, or weather, they are as warme as stooves, but very smoaky, 
yet at the toppe of the house there is a hole made for the smoake to goe 
into right over the fire.

Against the fire they lie on little hurdles of Reeds

Page 64

covered with a Mat, borne from the ground a foote and more by a hurdle of 
wood. On these round about the house they lie heads and points one by 
th'other against the fire, some covered with Mats, some with skins, 
and some starke naked lie on the ground, from 6 to 20 in a house. Their 
houses are in the midst of their fields or gardens, which are small plots 
of ground. Some 20 acres, some 40. some 100. some 200. some more, some 
lesse. In some places from 2 to 50 of those houses together, or but a 
little separated by groves of trees. Neare their habitations is little 
small wood or old trees on the ground by reason of their burning of them 
for fire. So that a man may gallop a horse amongst these woods any way, 
but where the creekes or Rivers shall hinder.

How they use their children.

Men, women, and children have their severall names according to the 
severall humor of their Parents. Their women (they say) are easily 
delivered of childe, yet doe they love children very dearely. To make them 
hardie, in the coldest mornings they them wash in the rivers, and by 
painting and oyntments so tanne their skinnes, that after a yeare or two, 
no weather will hurt them.

The industrie of their women.

The men bestow their times in fishing, hunting, warres, and such man-like 
exercises, scorning to be seene in any woman-like exercise, which is the 
cause that the women be very painefull, and the men often idle. The women 
and children doe the rest of the worke. They make mats, baskets, pots, 
morters, pound their corne, make their bread, prepare their victuals, 
plant their corne, gather their corne, beare all kind of burdens, and such 
like.

How they strike fire. The order of dyet.

Their fire they kindle presently by chafing a dry pointed sticke in a hole 
of a little square peece of wood, that firing it selfe, will so fire 
mosse, leaves, or any such like dry thing, that will quickly burne. In 
March and Aprill they live much upon their fishing wires; and feed on 
fish, Turkies, and Squirrels. In May and June they plant their fields, and 
live most of Acornes, Walnuts, and fish. But to amend their dyet, some 
disperse themselves in small companies, and live upon fish, beasts, crabs,

Page 65

oysters, land Tortoises, strawberries, mulberries, and such like. In June, 
July, and August, they feed upon the rootes of Tocknough berries, fish, 
and greene wheat. It is strange to see how their bodies alter with their 
dyet, even as the deere & wilde beasts they seeme fat and leane, strong 
and weake. Powhatan their great King, and some others that are provident, 
rost their fish and flesh upon hurdles as before is expressed, and keepe 
it till scarce times.

How they make their bowes and arrowes. Their knives.

For fishing, hunting, and warres they use much their bow and arrowes. They 
bring their bowes to the forme of ours by the scraping of a shell. Their 
arrowes are made some of straight young sprigs, which they head with bone, 
some 2 or 3 ynches long. These they use to shoot at Squirrels on trees. 
Another sort of arrowes they use made of Reeds. These are peeced with 
wood, headed with splinters of christall, or some sharpe stone, the 
spurres of a Turkey, or the bill of some bird. For his knife he hath the 
splinter of a Reed to cut his feathers in forme. With this knife also, he 
will joynt a Deere, or any beast, shape his shooes, buskins, mantels, &c. 
To make the noch of his arrow he hath the tooth of a Beaver, set in a 
sticke, wherewith he grateth it by degrees. His arrow head he quickly 
maketh with a little bone, which he ever weareth at his bracert, of any 
splint of a stone, or glasse in the forme of a heart, and these they glew 
to the end of their arrowes. With the sinewes of Deere, and the tops of 
Deeres hornes boyled to a jelly, they make a glew that will not dissolve 
in cold water.

Their Targets and Swords.

For their warres also they use Targets that are round and made of the 
barkes of trees, and a sword of wood at their backes, but oftentimes they 
use for swords the horne of a Deere put through a peece of wood in forme 
of a Pickaxe. Some a long stone sharpned at both ends, used in the same 
manner. This they were wont to use also for hatchets, but now by trucking 
they have plentie of the same forme of yron. And those are their chiefe 
instruments and armes.

Page 66

Their Boats. How they spin. Their fish-hookes.

Their fishing is much in Boats. These they make of one tree by burning and 
scratching away the coales with stones and shels, till they have made it 
in forme of a Trough. Some of them are an elne deepe, and fortie or fiftie 
foote in length, and some will beare 40 men, but the most ordinary are 
smaller, and will beare 10, 20, or 30. according to their bignesse. In 
stead of Oares, they use Paddles and stickes, with which they will row 
faster then our Barges. Betwixt their hands and thighes, their women use 
to spin the barkes of trees, Deere sinewes, or a kind of grasse they call 
Pemmenaw, of these they make a thread very even and readily. This thread 
serveth for many uses. As about their housing, apparell, as also they make 
nets for fishing, for the quantitie as formally braded as ours. They make 
also with it lines for angles. Their hookes are either a bone grated as 
they noch their arrowes in the forme of a crooked pinne or fish-hooke, or 
of the splinter of a bone tyed to the clift of a little sticke, and with 
the end of the line, they tie on the bait. They use also long arrowes tyed 
in a line, wherewith they shoote at fish in the rivers. But they of 
Accawmack use staves like unto Javelins headed with bone. With these they 
dart fish swimming in the water. They have also many artificiall wires, in 
which they get abundance of fish.

How they hunt.

In their hunting and fishing they take extreame paines; yet it being their 
ordinary exercise from their infancy, they esteeme it a pleasure and are 
very proud to be expert therein. And by their continuall ranging, and 
travell, they know all the advantages and places most frequented with 
Deere, Beasts, Fish, Foule, Roots, and Berries. At their huntings they 
leave their habitations, and reduce themselves into companies, as the 
Tartars doe, and goe to the most desert places with their families, where 
they spend their time in hunting and fowling up towards the mountaines, by 
the heads of their rivers, where there is plentie of game. For betwixt the 
rivers the grounds are so narrowe, that little commeth here which they 
devoure not. It is a marvell they can so directly passe these deserts,

Page 67

some 3 or 4 dayes journey without habitation. Their hunting houses are 
like unto Arbours covered with Mats. These their women beare after them, 
with Corne, Acornes, Morters, and all bag and baggage they use. When they 
come to the place of exercise, every man doth his best to shew his 
dexteritie, for by their excelling in those qualities, they get their 
wives. Fortie yards will they shoot levell, or very neare the marke, and 
120 is their best at Random. At their huntings in the deserts they are 
commonly two or three hundred together. Having found the Deere, they 
environ them with many fires, & betwixt the fires they place themselves. 
And some take their stands in the midsts. The Deere being thus feared by 
the fires, and their voyces, they chase them so long within that circle, 
that many times they kill 6, 8, 10, or 15 at a hunting. They use also to 
drive them into some narrow poynt of land, when they find that advantage; 
and so force them into the river, where with their boats they have 
Ambuscadoes to kill them. When they have shot a Deere by land, they follow 
him like bloud-hounds by the bloud, and straine, and oftentimes so take 
them. Hares, Partridges, Turkies, or Egges, fat or leane, young or old, 
they devoure all they can catch in their power. In one of these huntings 
they found me in the discovery of the head of the river of Chickahamania, 
where they slew my men, and tooke me prisoner in a Bogmire, where I saw 
those exercises, and gathered these Observations.

One Salvage hunting alone.

One Salvage hunting alone, useth the skinne of a Deere slit on the one 
side, and so put on his arme, through the neck, so that his hand comes to 
the head which is stuffed, and the hornes, head, eyes, eares, and every 
part as artificially counterfeited as they can devise. Thus shrowding his 
body in the skinne by stalking, he approacheth the Deere, creeping on the 
ground from one tree to another. If the Deere chance to find fault, or 
stand at gaze, he turneth the head with his hand to his best advantage to 
seeme like a Deere, also gazing and licking himselfe. So watching his best 
advantage to approach, having shot

Page 68

him, he chaseth him by his bloud and straine till he get him.

Their Consultations. Their enemies.

When they intend any warres, the Werowances usually have the advice of 
their Priests and Conjurers, and their allies, and ancient friends, but 
chiefely the Priests determine their resolution. Every Werowance, or some 
lustie fellow, they appoint Captaine over every nation. They seldome make 
warre for lands or goods, but for women and children, and principally for 
revenge. They have many enemies, namely, all their westernly Countries 
beyond the mountaines, and the heads of the rivers. Upon the head of the 
Powhatans are the Monacans, whose chiefe habitation is at Rasauweak, unto 
whom the Mowhemenchughes, the Massinnacacks, the Monahassanughs, the 
Monasickapanoughs, and other nations pay tributes. Upon the head of the 
river of Toppahanock is a people called Mannahoacks. To these are 
contributers the Tauxanias, the Shackaconias, the Ontponeas, the 
Tegninateos, the Whonkenteaes, the Stegarakes, the Hassianungaes, and 
divers others, all confederates with the Monacans, though many different 
in language, and be very barbarous, living for the most part of wild 
beasts and fruits. Beyond the mountaines from whence is the head of the 
river Patawomeke, the Salvages report inhabit their most mortall enemies, 
the Massawomekes, upon a great salt water, which by all likelihood is 
either some part of Cannada, some great lake, or some inlet of some sea 
that falleth into the South sea. These Massawomekes are a great nation and 
very populous. For the heads of all those rivers, especially the 
Pattawomekes, the Pautuxuntes, the Sasquesahanocks, the Tockwoughes are 
continually tormented by them: of whose crueltie, they generally 
complained, and very importunate they were with me, and my company to free 
them from these tormentors. To this purpose they offered food, conduct, 
assistance, and continuall subjection. Which I concluded to effect. But 
the councell then present emulating my successe, would not thinke it fit 
to spare me fortie men

Page 69

to be hazzarded in those unknowne regions, having passed (as before was 
spoken of) but with 12, and so was lost that opportunitie. Seaven boats 
full of these Massawomekes wee encountred at the head of the Bay; whose 
Targets, Baskets, Swords, Tobacco pipes, Platters, Bowes, and Arrowes, and 
every thing shewed, they much exceeded them of our parts, and their 
dexteritie in their small boats, made of the barkes of trees, sowed with 
barke and well luted with gumme, argueth that they are seated upon some 
great water.

Against all these enemies the Powhatans are constrained sometimes to 
fight. Their chiefe attempts are by Stratagems, trecheries, or surprisals. 
Yet the Werowances women and children they put not to death, but keepe 
them Captives. They have a method in warre, and for our pleasures they 
shewed it us, and it was in this manner performed at Mattapanient.

Their manner of Battell.

Having painted and disguised themselves in the fiercest manner they could 
devise, they divided themselves into two Companies, neare a hundred in a 
company. The one company called Monacans, the other Powhatans. Either army 
had their Captaine. These as enemies tooke their stands a musket shot one 
from another; ranked themselves 15 a breast, and each ranke from another 4 
or 5 yards, not in fyle, but in the opening betwixt their fyles. So the 
Reare could shoot as conveniently as the Front. Having thus pitched the 
fields: from either part went a messenger with these conditions, that 
whosoever were vanquished, such as escape upon their submission in two 
dayes after should live, but their wives and children should be prize for 
the Conquerours. The messengers were no sooner returned, but they 
approached in their orders; On each flanke a Serjeant, and in the Reare an 
Officer for Lieutenant, all duly keeping their orders, yet leaping and 
singing after their accustomed tune, which they onely use in Warres. Upon 
the first flight of arrowes they gave such horrible shouts and screeches, 
as so many infernall hell-hounds could not have made them

Page 70

more terrible. When they had spent their arrowes, they joyned together 
prettily, charging and retyring, every ranke seconding other. As they got 
advantage they catched their enemies by the hayre of the head, and downe 
he came that was taken. His enemy with his wooden sword seemed to beat out 
his braines, and still they crept to the Reare, to maintaine the skirmish. 
The Monacans decreasing, the Powhatans charged them in the forme of a 
halfe Moone; they unwilling to be inclosed, fled all in a troope to their 
Ambuscadoes, on whom they led them very cunningly. The Monacans disperse 
themselves among the fresh men, whereupon the Powhatans retired, with all 
speed to their seconds; which the Monacans seeing, tooke that advantage to 
retire againe to their owne battell, and so each returned to their owne 
quarter. All their actions, voyces, and gestures, both in charging and 
retiring were so strained to the height of their qualitie and nature, that 
the strangenesse thereof made it seeme very delightfull.

Their Musicke.

For their Musicke they use a thicke Cane, on which they pipe as on a 
Recorder. For their warres they have a great deepe platter of wood. They 
cover the mouth thereof with a skin, at each corner they tie a walnut, 
which meeting on the backside neere the bottome, with a small rope they 
twitch them together till it be so tought and stiffe, that they may beat 
upon it as upon a drumme. But their chiefe instruments are Rattles made of 
small gourds, or Pumpeons shels. Of these they have Base, Tenor, 
Countertenor, Meane, and Treble. These mingled with their voyces sometimes 
twenty or thirtie together, make such a terrible noise as would rather 
affright, then delight any man. If any great commander arrive at the 
habitation of Werowance, they spread a Mat as the Turkes doe a Carpet for 
him to sit upon. Upon another right opposite they sit themselves. Then doe 
all with a tunable voice of shouting bid him welcome. After this doe two 
or more of their chiefest men make an Oration, testifying their love. 
Which they doe with such

Page 71

vehemency, and so great passions, that they sweat till they drop, and are 
so out of breath they can scarce speake. So that a man would take them to 
be exceeding angry, or stark mad. Such victuall as they have, they spend 
freely, and at night where his lodging is appointed, they set a woman 
fresh painted red with Pocones and oyle, to be his bed-fellow.

Their trade.

Their manner of trading is for copper, beads, and such like, for which 
they give such commodities as they have, as skins, foule, fish, flesh, and 
their Country Corne. But their victualls are their chiefest riches.

Their Phisicke. Their Chirurgery.

Every spring they make themselves sicke with drinking the juyce of a roote 
they call Wighsacan, and water; whereof they powre so great a quantitie, 
that it purgeth them in a very violent manner; so that in three or foure 
dayes after, they scarce recover their former health. Sometimes they are 
troubled with dropsies, swellings, aches, and such like diseases; for cure 
whereof they build a Stove in the forme of a Dove-house with mats, so 
close that a few coales therein covered with a pot, will make the patient 
sweat extreamely. For swellings also they use small peeces of touchwood, 
in the forme of cloves, which pricking on the griefe they burne close to 
the flesh, and from thence draw the corruption with their mouth. With this 
roote Wighsacan they ordinarily heale greene wounds. But to scarrifie a 
swelling, or make incision, their best instruments are some splinted 
stone. Old ulcers, or putrified hurts are seldome seene cured amongst 
them. They have many professed Phisicians, who with their charmes and 
Rattles, with an infernall rout of words and actions, will seeme to sucke 
their inward griefe from their navels, or their grieved places; but of our 
Chirurgians they were so conceited, that they beleeved any Plaister would 
heale any hurt.

But 'tis not alwayes in Phisicians skill,
To heale the Patient that is sicke and ill:
For sometimes sicknesse on the Patients part,
Proves stronger farre then all Phisicians art.

Their charms to cure.

Page 72

Of their Religion.

Their God.

There is yet in Virginia no place discovered to be so Savage, in which 
they have not a Religion, Deere, and Bow, and Arrowes. All things that are 
able to doe them hurt beyond their prevention, they adore with their kinde 
of divine worship; as the fire, water, lightning, thunder, our Ordnance, 
peeces, horses, &c. But their chiefe God they worship is the Devill. Him 
they call Okee, and serve him more of feare then love. They say they have 
conference with him, and fashion themselves as neare to his shape as they 
can imagine. In their Temples they have his image evill favouredly carved, 
and then painted and adorned with chaines of copper, and beads, and 
covered with a skin, in such manner as the deformitie may well suit with 
such a God. By him is commonly the sepulcher of their Kings. Their bodies 
are first bowelled, then dried upon hurdles till they be very dry, and so 
about the most of their joynts and necke they hang bracelets, or chaines 
of copper, pearle, and such like, as they use to weare, their inwards they 
stuffe with copper beads, hatchets, and such trash. Then lappe they them 
very carefully in white skins, and so rowle them in mats for their winding 
sheets. And in the Tombe which is an arch made of mats, they lay them 
orderly. What remaineth of this kinde of wealth their Kings have, they set 
at their feet in baskets. These Temples and bodies are kept by their 
Priests.

How they bury their Kings. Their ordinary burials.

For their ordinary burials, they dig a deepe hole in the earth with sharpe 
stakes, and the corpse being lapped in skins and mats with their jewels, 
they lay them upon stickes in the ground, and so cover them with earth. 
The buriall ended, the women being painted all their faces with blacke 
cole and oyle, doe sit twenty-foure houres in the houses mourning and 
lamenting by turnes, with such yelling and howling, as may expresse their 
great passions.

Their Temples.

In every Territory of a Werowance is a Temple and a Priest, two or three 
or more. Their principall Temple

Page 73

or place of superstition is at Uttamussack at Pamaunkee, neare unto which 
is a house, Temple, or place of Powhatans.

Upon the top of certaine red sandy hils in the woods, there are three 
great houses filled with images of their Kings, and Devils, and Tombes of 
their Predecessors. Those houses are neare sixtie foot in length built 
arbourwise, after their building. This place they count so holy as that 
but the Priests & Kings dare come into them; nor the Salvages dare not goe 
up the river in boats by it, but they solemnly cast some peece of copper, 
white beads, or Pocones into the river, for feare their Okee should be 
offended and revenged of them.

Thus, Feare was the first their Gods begot:
Till feare began, their Gods were not.

Their ornaments for their Priests.

In this place commonly are resident seaven Priests. The chiefe differed 
from the rest in his ornaments, but inferior Priests could hardly be 
knowne from the common people, but that they had not so many holes in 
their eares to hang their jewels at. The ornaments of the chiefe Priest 
were certaine attires for his head made thus. They tooke a dosen, or 16, 
or more snakes skins and stuffed them with mosse, and of Weesels and other 
Vermines skins a good many. All these they tie by their tailes, so as all 
their tailes meete in the toppe of their head like a great Tassell. Round 
about this Tassell is as it were a crowne of feathers, the skins hang 
round about his head, necke, and shoulders, and in a manner cover his 
face. The faces of all their Priests are painted as ugly as they can 
devise, in their hands they had every one his Rattle, some base, some 
smaller. Their devotion was most in songs, which the chiefe Priest 
beginneth and the rest followed him, sometimes he maketh invocations with 
broken sentences by starts and strange passions, and at every pause, the 
rest give a short groane.

Thus seeke they in deepe foolishnesse,
To climbe the height of happinesse.

Page 74

The times of solemnities.

It could not be perceived that they keepe any day as more holy then other; 
But onely in some great distresse of want, feare of enemies, times of 
triumph and gathering together their fruits, the whole Country of men, 
women, and children come together to solemnities. The manner of their 
devotion is, sometimes to make a great fire, in the house or fields, and 
all to sing and dance about it with Rattles and shouts together, foure or 
five houres. Sometimes they set a man in the midst, and about him they 
dance and sing, he all the while clapping his hands, as if he would keepe 
time, and after their songs and dauncings ended they goe to their Feasts.

Through God begetting feare,
Mans blinded minde did reare
A hell-god to the ghosts;
A heaven-god to the hoasts;
Yea God unto the Seas:
Feare did create all these.

Their conjurations.

They have also divers conjurations, one they made when I was their 
prisoner; of which hereafter you shall reade at large.

Their altars.

They have also certaine Altar stones they call Pawcorances, but these 
stand from their Temples, some by their houses, others in the woods and 
wildernesses, where they have had any extraordinary accident, or 
incounter. And as you travell, at those stones they will tell you the 
cause why they were there erected, which from age to age they instruct 
their children, as their best records of antiquities. Upon these they 
offer bloud, Deere suet, and Tobacco. This they doe when they returne from 
the Warres, from hunting, and upon many other occasions. They have also 
another superstition that they use in stormes, when the waters are rough 
in the Rivers and Sea coasts. Their Conjurers runne to the water sides, or 
passing in their boats, after many hellish outcryes and invocations, they 
cast Tobacco, Copper, Pocones, or such trash into the water, to pacifie 
that God whom they

Page 75

thinke to be very angry in those stormes. Before their dinners and suppers 
the better sort will take the first bit, and cast it in the fire, which is 
all the grace they are knowne to use.

Their solemn Sacrifices of children, which they call Black-boyes.

In some part of the Country they have yearely a sacrifice of children. 
Such a one was at Quiyoughcohanock some ten myles from James Towne, and 
thus performed. Fifteene of the properest young boyes, betweene ten and 
fifteene yeares of age they painted white. Having brought them forth, the 
people spent the forenoone in dancing and singing about them with Rattles. 
In the afternoone they put those children to the roote of a tree. By them 
all the men stood in a guard, every one having a Bastinado in his hand, 
made of reeds bound together. This made a lane betweene them all along, 
through which there were appointed five young men to fetch these children: 
so every one of the five went through the guard to fetch a childe each 
after other by turnes, the guard fiercely beating them with their 
Bastinadoes, and they patiently enduring and receiving all, defending the 
children with their naked bodies from the unmercifull blowes, that pay 
them soundly, though the children escape. All this while the women weepe 
and cry out very passionately, providing mats, skins, mosse, and dry wood, 
as things fitting their childrens funerals. After the children were thus 
passed the guard, the guard tore down the trees, branches & boughs, with 
such violence that they rent the body, and made wreaths for their heads, 
or bedecked their hayre with the leaves. What els was done with the 
children, was not seene, but they were all cast on a heape, in a valley as 
dead, where they made a great feast for all the company. The Werowance 
being demanded the meaning of this sacrifice, answered that the children 
were not all dead, but that the Okee or Divell did sucke the bloud from 
their left breast, who chanced to be his by lot, till they were dead, but 
the rest were kept in the wildernesse by the young men till nine moneths 
were expired, during which time they must not converse

Page 76

with any, and of these were made their Priests and Conjurers. This 
sacrifice they held to be so necessary, that if they should omit it, their 
Okee or Devill, and all their other Quiyoughcosughes, which are their 
other Gods, would let them have no Deere, Turkies, Corne, nor fish, and 
yet besides, he would make a great slaughter amongst them.

Their resurrection.

They thinke that their Werowances and Priests which they also esteeme 
Quiyoughcosughes, when they are dead, doe goe beyond the mountaines 
towards the setting of the sunne, and ever remaine there in forme of their 
Okee, with their heads painted with oyle and Pocones, finely trimmed with 
feathers, and shall have beads, hatchets, copper, and Tobacco, doing 
nothing but dance and sing, with all their Predecessors. But the common 
people they suppose shall not live after death, but rot in their graves 
like dead dogs.

To divert them from this blind Idolatry, we did our best endevours, 
chiefly with the Werowance of Quiyoughcohanock, whose devotion, 
apprehension, and good disposition, much exceeded any in those Countries, 
with whom although we could not as yet prevaile, to forsake his false 
Gods, yet this he did beleeve that our God as much exceeded theirs, as our 
Gunnes did their Bowes & Arrowes, and many times did send to me to James 
Towne, intreating me to pray to my God for raine, for their Gods would not 
send them any. And in this lamentable ignorance doe these poore soules 
sacrifice themselves to the Devill, not knowing their Creator; and we had 
not language sufficient, so plainly to expresse it as make them understand 
it; which God grant they may.

For, Religion 'tis that doth distinguish us,
From their bruit humor, well we may it know;
That can with understanding argue thus,
Our God is truth, but they cannot doe so.

Page 77

Of the manner of the Virginians Government.

ALTHOUGH the Country people be very barbarous, yet have they amongst them 
such government, as that their Magistrates for good commanding, and their 
people for due subjection, and obeying, excell many places that would be 
counted very civill. The forme of their Common-wealth is a Monarchiall 
government, one as Emperour ruleth over many Kings or Governours. Their 
chiefe ruler is called Powhatan, and taketh his name of his principall 
place of dwelling called Powhatan. But his proper name is Wahunsonacock. 
Some Countries he hath which have beene his ancestors, and came unto him 
by inheritance, as the Country called Powhatan, Arrohateck, Appamatuck, 
Pamaunkee, Youghtanund, and Mattapanient. All the rest of his Territories 
expressed in the Mappe, they report have beene his severall Conquests. In 
all his ancient inheritances, he hath houses built after their manner like 
arbours, some 30. some 40. yards long, and at every house provision for 
his entertainement according to the time. At Werowcomoco on the Northside 
of the river Pamaunkee, was his residence, when I was delivered him 
prisoner, some 14 myles from James Towne, where for the most part, he was 
resident, but at last he tooke so little pleasure in our neare 
neighbourhood, that he retired himselfe to Orapakes, in the desert betwixt 
Chickahamanta and Youghtanund. He is of personage a tall well proportioned 
man, with a sower looke, his head somwhat gray, his beard so thinne, that 
it seemeth none at all, his age neare sixtie; of a very able and hardy 
body to endure any labour. About his person ordinarily attendeth a guard 
of 40 or 50 of the tallest men his Countrey doth afford. Every night upon 
the foure quarters of his house are foure Sentinels, each from other a 
flight shoot, and at every halle houre one from the Corps du guard doth 
hollow, shaking his lips with his finger betweene them; unto whom every 
Sentinell doth answer round from his stand: if any faile,

Page 78

they presently send forth an officer that beateth him extreamely.

His treasury.

A myle from Orapakes in a thicket of wood, he hath a house in which he 
keepeth his kinde of Treasure, as skinnes, copper, pearle, and beads, 
which he storeth up against the time of his death and buriall. Here also 
is his store of red paint for oyntment, bowes and arrowes, Targets and 
clubs. This house is fiftie or sixtie yards in length, frequented onely by 
Priests. At the foure corners of this house stand foure Images as 
Sentinels, one of a Dragon, another a Beare, the third like a Leopard, and 
the fourth like a giantlike man, all made evill favouredly, according to 
their best workemanship.

His wives.

He hath as many women as he will, whereof when he lieth on his bed, one 
sitteth at his head, and another at his feet, but when he sitteth, one 
sitteth on his right hand and another on his left. As he is weary of his 
women, he bestoweth them on those that best deserve them at his hands. 
When he dineth or suppeth, one of his women before and after meat, 
bringeth him water in a wooden platter to wash his hands. Another waiteth 
with a bunch of feathers to wipe them in stead of a Towell, and the 
feathers when he hath wiped are dryed againe. His kingdomes descend not to 
his sonnes nor children, but first to his brethren, whereof he hath 3. 
namely, Opitchapan, Opechancanough, and Catataugh, and after their decease 
to his sisters. First to the eldest sister, then to the rest, and after 
them to the heires male or female of the eldest sister, but never to the 
heires of the males.

His successors. Their authoritie.

He nor any of his people understand any letters, whereby to write or 
reade, onely the lawes whereby he ruleth is custome. Yet when he listeth 
his will is a law and must be obeyed: not onely as a King, but as halfe a 
God they esteeme him. His inferiour Kings whom they call Werowances, are 
tyed to rule by customes, and have power of life and death at their 
command in that nature. But this word Werowance, which we call and

Page 79

construe for a King, is a common word, whereby they call all commanders: 
for they have but few words in their language, and but few occasions to 
use any officers more then one commander, which commonly they call 
Werowance, or Caucorouse, which is Captaine. They all know their severall 
lands, and habitations, and limits, to fish, foule, or hunt in, but they 
hold all of their great Werrowance Powhatan, unto whom they pay tribute of 
skinnes, beads, copper, pearle, deere, turkies, wild beasts, and corne. 
What he commandeth they dare not disobey in the least thing. It is strange 
to see with what great feare and adoration, all these people doe obey this 
Powhatan. For at his feet they present whatsoever he commandeth, and at 
the least frowne of his brow, their greatest spirits will tremble with 
feare: and no marvell, for he is very terrible & tyrannous in punishing 
such as offend him. For example, he caused certaine male-factors to be 
bound hand and foot, then having of many fires gathered great store of 
burning coales, they rake these coales round in the forme of a cockpit, 
and in the midst they cast the offenders to broyle to death. Sometimes he 
causeth the heads of them that offend him, to be laid upon the altar or 
sacrificing stone, and one with clubbes beats out their braines. When he 
would punish any notorious enemy or malefactor, he causeth him to be tyed 
to a tree, and with Mussell shels or reeds, the executioner cutteth off 
his joynts one after another, ever casting what they cut of into the fire; 
then doth he proceed with shels and reeds to case the skinne from his head 
and face; then doe they rip his belly and so burne him with the tree and 
all. Thus themselves reported they executed George Cassen. Their ordinary 
correction is to beate them with cudgels. We have seene a man kneeling on 
his knees, and at Powhatans command, two men have beate him on the bare 
skin, till he hath fallen senselesse in a sound, and yet never cry nor 
complained. And he made a woman for playing the whore, sit upon a great 
stone, on her bare breech twenty-foure houres,

Page 80

onely with corne and water, every three dayes, till nine dayes were past, 
yet he loved her exceedingly: notwithstanding there are common whores by 
profession.

In the yeare 1608, he surprised the people of Payankatank his neare 
neighbours and subjects. The occasion was to us unknowne, but the manner 
was thus. First he sent divers of his men as to lodge amongst them that 
night, then the Ambuscadoes environed all their houses, and at the houre 
appointed, they all fell to the spoyle, twenty-foure men they slew, the 
long haire of the one side of their heads, with the skinne cased off with 
shels or reeds, they brought away. They surprised also the women, and the 
children, and the Werowance. All these they presented to Powhatan. The 
Werowance, women and children became his prisoners, and doe him service. 
The lockes of haire with their skinnes he hanged on a line betwixt two 
trees. And thus he made ostentation of his triumph at Werowocomoco, where 
he intended to have done as much to mee and my company.

And this is as much as my memory can call to minde worthy of note; which I 
have purposely collected, to satisfie my friends of the true worth and 
qualitie of Virginia. Yet some bad natures will not sticke to slander the 
Countrey, that will slovenly spit at all things, especially in company 
where they can finde none to contradict them. Who though they were scarce 
ever ten myles from James Towne, or at the most but at the falles; yet 
holding it a great disgrace that amongst so much action, their actions 
were nothing, exclaime of all things, though they never adventured to know 
any thing; nor ever did any thing but devoure the fruits of other mens 
labours. Being for most part of such tender educations, and small 
experience in Martiall accidents, because they found not English Cities, 
nor such faire houses, nor at their owne wishes any of their accustomed 
dainties, with feather beds and downe pillowes, Tavernes and Alehouses in 
every breathing place, neither such plentie of gold and silver and 
dissolute libertie, as they expected, had little

Page 81

or no care of any thing, but to pamper their bellies, to fly away with our 
Pinnaces, or procure their meanes to returne for England. For the Country 
was to them a misery, a ruine, a death, a hell, and their reports here, 
and their actions there according.

Some other there were that had yearely stipends to passe to and againe for 
transportation: who to keepe the mysterie of the businesse in themselves, 
though they had neither time nor meanes to know much of themselves; yet 
all mens actions or relations they so formally tuned to the temporizing 
times simplicitie, as they could make their ignorances seeme much more, 
then all the true actors could by their experience. And those with their 
great words deluded the world with such strange promises, as abused the 
businesse much worse then the rest. For the businesse being builded upon 
the foundation of their fained experience, the planters, the money and 
meanes have still miscarried: yet they ever returning, and the planters so 
farre absent, who could contradict their excuses? which, still to 
maintaine their vaine glory and estimation, from time to time have used 
such diligence as made them passe for truths, though nothing more false. 
And that the adventurers might be thus abused, let no man wonder; for the 
wisest living is soonest abused by him that hath a faire tongue and a 
dissembling heart.

There were many in Virginia meerely projecting, verball, and idle 
contemplators, and those so devoted to pure idlenesse, that though they 
had lived two or three yeares in Virginia, lordly, necessitie it selfe 
could not compell them to passe the Peninsula, or Pallisadoes of James 
Towne, and those witty spirits, what would they not affirme in the behalfe 
of our transporters, to get victuall from their ships, or obtaine their 
good words in England, to get their passes. Thus from the clamors, and the 
ignorance of false informers, are sprung those disasters that sprung in 
Virginia: and our ingenious verbalists were no lesse plague to us in 
Virginia, then the Locusts to the Egyptians. For the labour of twentie

Page 82

or thirtie of the best onely preserved in Christianitie by their industry 
the idle livers of neare two hundred of the rest: who living neere ten 
moneths of such naturall meanes, as the Country naturally of it selfe 
afforded, notwithstanding all this, and the worst fury of the Salvages, 
the extremitie of sicknesse, mutinies, faction, ignorances, and want of 
victuall; in all that time I lost but seaven or eight men, yet subjected 
the salvages to our desired obedience, and received contribution from 
thirtie five of their Kings, to protect and assist them against any that 
should assault them, in which order they continued true and faithfull, and 
as subjects to his Majestie, so long after as I did governe there, untill 
I left the Countrey: since, how they have revolted, the Countrie lost, and 
againe replanted, and the businesses hath succeded from time to time, I 
referre you to the relations of them returned from Virginia, that have 
beene more diligent in such Observations.

John Smith writ this with his owne hand.

Because many doe desire to know the manner of their Language, I have 
inserted these few words.

KA katorawinos yowo. 
What call you this. 
Nemarough, a man. 
Grenepo, a woman. 
Marowanchesso, a boy. 
Yehawkans, Houses. 
Matchcores, Skins, or garments. 
Mockasins, Shooes. 
Tussan, Beds. 
Pokatawer, Fire. 
Attawp, A bow. 
Attonce, Arrowes. 
Monacookes, Swords. 
Aumouhhowgh, A Target. 
Pawcussacks, Gunnes. 
Tomahacks, Axes. 
Tockahacks, Pickaxes. 
Pamesacks, Knives. 
Accowprets, Sheares. 
Pawpecones, Pipes. 
Mattassin, Copper. 
Ussawassin, Iron, Brass, Silver, or any white mettall. 
Musses, Woods. 
Attasskuss, Leaves, weeds, or grasse. 
Chepsin, Land.

Page 83

Shacquohocan, A stone. 
Wepenter, A cookold. 
Suckahanna, Water. 
Noughmass, Fish. 
Copotone, Sturgeon. 
Weghshaughes, Flesh. 
Sawwehone, Bloud. 
Netoppew, Friends. 
Marrapough, Enemies. 
Maskapow, the worst of the enemies. 
Mawchick chammay, The best of friends. 
Casacunnakack, peya quagh acquintan uttasantasough, In how many daies will 
there come hither any more English Ships. 

Their Numbers. 
Necut, 1. Ningh, 2. Nuff, 3. Yowgh, 4. Paranske, 5. Comotinch, 6. 
Toppawoss, 7. Nusswash, 8, Kekatawgh, 9. Kaskeke, 10. 
They count no more but by tennes as followeth. 
Case, how many. 
Ninghsapooeksku, 20. 
Nussapooeksku, 30. 
Yowghapooeksku, 40. 
Parankestassapooeksku, 50. 
Comatinchtassapooeksku, 60. 
Nussswashtassapooeksku, 70. 
Kekataughtassapooeksku, 90. 
Necuttoughtysinough, 100. 
Necuttweunquaough, 1000. 
Rawcosowghs, Dayes. 
Keskowghes, Sunnes. 
Toppquough, Nights. 
Nepawweshowghs, Moones. 
Pawpaxsoughes, Yeares. 
Pummahumps, Starres. 
Osies, Heavens. 
Okees, Gods. 
Quiyoughcosoughs, Pettie Gods, and their affinities. 
Righcomoughes, Deaths. 
Kekughes, Lives. 
Mowchick woyawgh tawgh noeragh kaqueremecher, I am very hungry? what shall 
I eate? 
Tawnor nehiegh Powhatan, Where dwels Powhatan. 
Mache, nehiegh yourowgh, Orapaks, Now he dwels a great way hence at 
Orapaks. 
Vittapitchewayne anpechitchs nehawper Werowacomoco, You lie, he staid ever 
at Werowacomoco. 
Kator nehiegh mattagh neer uttapitchewayne, Truely he is there I doe not 
lie. 
Spaughtynere keragh werowance mawmarinough kekaten wawgh peyaquaugh, Run 
you then to the King Mawmarynough and bid him come hither.

Page 84

Utteke, e peya weyack wighwhip, Get you gone, & come againe quickly. 
Kekaten Pokahontas patiaquagh niugh tanks manotyens neer mowchick 
rawrenock audowgh, Bid Pokahontas bring hither two little Baskets, and I 
will give her white Beads to make her a Chaine.

FINIS.