Part 2 (2/2)

They hate Injury and Oppression; and I have been told they have some capital Punishments.

Besides the _French_, the _Traders_ of some Companies and Countries often set the _Indians_ on to injure the _English_ on the Frontiers, out of a barbarous inhuman Design; and often private Injuries done by some of our ordinary or vile People (who esteem and use the _Indians_ as Dogs) are repaid with publick Barbarity.

An Instance of their Resolutions for Satisfaction, we have in the Death of _Major Wynne_, who was shot by an _Indian_, because one of our Servants had killed one of their _great Men_; and upon the Trial of the _Indian_, they pleaded that we were the Aggressors, and that they never rest without Revenge and Reprisals; and that now they said we and they were equal, having each lost a _great Man_: Wherefore to avoid more Bloodshed, there was a Necessity to pardon the _Indian_.

They report that the _Northern Indians_ send out Bodies of young Fellows yearly, who dare not return without a certain Number of Scalps or Prisoners, in order to train them up, and qualify them for great and fighting Men.

Now these, and such as are set on by others, do some Mischief (tho' but very seldom) in the Frontier Plantations, tho' they be guarded with Rangers; and these with such as think themselves injured are the _Indians_ that make Wars, and such Disturbance in the _Northern_ and _Southern_ Colonies: But the tributary _Indians_, of which there are but four very small Nations in _Virginia_ on this Side the Mountains, keep to the Bounds allowed them, and seldom do any Hurt, being sure to be punished for Offences in a great Measure by our Laws, since we protect and shelter them, by permitting them to live among us; tho' sometimes they will pretend to claim their prior Right to all our Lands, as _Blunt King of the Tuskaroodaus_ did, when he told _Colonel Spotswood_ that the Country belonged to them before we _English_ came thither; so that he thought they had a better t.i.tle than we, and ought not to be confined to such narrow Limits for Hunting.

To retort this Argument, the Governor told him that _Mohomny_ took the Ground from _them_ and gave it _us_, because _we_ did as he bid us, but _they_ would not.

_Blunt_ answered, that _they_ could not tell what _Mohomny_ would have them do; and asked how we knew.

The _Governor_ then told him that _Mohomny_ sent his _Son_ to us, who lived a long time with us, and told us and taught us what we should do; and then he went back again to his _Father_.

With this _King Blunt_ seemed satisfied and surprized; and after a Pause, he said, he had talked with several Governors and other _English_, but he really never before heard that _Mohomny_ had a Son.

I relate this, to shew how by Degrees, after proper Methods, they may be humoured, and brought to have some Notions of the true Religion, when their Capacity and Temper is rightly studied and managed; for we must _give Milk to_ such _Babes_ in Faith.

Some indeed, after seeming Conversion have apostatized and returned to their own Ways, chiefly because they can live with less Labour, and more Pleasure and Plenty, as _Indians_, than they can with us; but this might easily be remedied by making a plentiful Provision for them, especially those at the _College_, by sending some to Sea, and putting out others to Trades, and not letting them idle away their Time, nor return to their Towns so soon, before they be perfect in the Understanding and Approbation of our Customs and Religion, and have seen some more of the World, and be handsomly provided for; for then if they returned, they might do Good to themselves and others.

This might by Degrees convert all the tributary and neighbouring _Indians_; and the _Northern_ and _Southern Nations_ might be managed by _Missionaries_ from the Society, and the _College Indians_.

These inland People are vastly numerous, as I have been told by the Traders, who are sent out amongst them seven or eight hundred Miles, with about a hundred Horses, and stay there sometimes for Years together.

The Missionaries that are now sent, generally keep among the _English_, and rarely see an _Indian_; or when they do, know but little how to manage them; for you may as well talk Reason, Philosophy, or Divinity to a _Block_, as to _them_, unless you perfectly understand their Temper, and know how to humour them.

I believe indeed, Mr. _Andrews_, Missionary to the _Northern Indians_, in the _late Queen_'s Time, did great Good among them in seven Years: In which Time, he found out something of their Nature, and translated Part of our Prayers and Psalms into their Language: Which Book when he gave me, he told me that it had not the desired Effect, neither did his Preaching avail as much as could be wished, because Policy and Interest intervening often superseded the Promotion of the Gospel, and the debauched Lives and vile Practices of our ordinary People give Examples very pernicious to Religion; for the _Indians_ think, that _they_ may surely be allowed the same Liberty as _we_; and if our Folks don't act, as they say, they should, the _Indians_ may think the _Christian Profession_ to be a Cheat, when our pretended Principles are contradicted by our Actions.

I have here specified some general Customs and Notions of the _Indians_, without a superficial Knowledge of which Things the Government and Society for propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts, may be at great Trouble and Expence, and yet make but small Progress in the Propagation of Learning, Religion and good Manners among the _Heathen Indians of America_; who in Gross may all be said to be such, as I have here given an Account of.

PART II.

CHAP. I.

_Of the_ English _Settlements in_ Virginia.

The first Discovery made for the _English_ in _North-America_, was in the Year 1584, (a hundred and forty Years ago) by Captain _Philip Amidas_, and Captain _Arthur Barlow_, by the Protection and Encouragement of _Queen Elizabeth_; with the Persuasion and Direction of Sir _Walter Raleigh_.

They anch.o.r.ed at _Roenoak_ Inlet, now belonging to the Government of _North Carolina_, and from the _Virgin Queen_, and the apparent Purity of the _Indians_, and primitive Plenty of the Place, that new discover'd Part of the World was named _Virginia_.

After that, Sir _Richard Greenvile_, Sir _Francis Drake_, and Sir _Walter Raleigh_ carried on the Project, and made Advancements in it, with the Leave of the Government; which were promoted and continued by the _Merchants_ of _London_, _Bristol_, _Exeter_ and _Plymouth_; with Variety of Accidents, Successes and Disappointments in Respect of their Trade and Possessions, and War and Peace with the _Indians_; especially under the Conduct of _Captain Smith_, who was employed by the Company of Merchants incorporated by _King James_ I. in 1606; and has written a large History of his particular Transactions.

They then fixed chiefly at, and near _James Town_, on a small Island in _James River_, till the Year 1609, when they sent out Settlements to _Nansemond_, _Powhatan_, and the Year after to _Kiquotan_.

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