Time thus passing away and having not above fourteen days of vitals left, some notions were made about our president and Captain Archer going for England to procure supplies, which in the mean time we had reasonably fitted us with houses, and our president and Captain Martin being able to walk abroad, with much thought it was concluded that the Pinnis and the barge should go towards Powhatan 1, to trade for corn. Ballets were cast who should go in her, the chance was mine, and while she was arigging.
I took a voyage to Topohanack, an here arriving, there was but certain women and children who came from their houses, yet at last I drew them to draw near. truck they had not, corn they had plenty to spoil, I had no commission. In my return to Paspahegh, I traded with that churlish treacherous nation. Having loaded ten to twelve bushel of corn, they offered to take our pieces and swords, yet by stealth, but seeming to dislike it, they were ready to assault us, yet spying upon our men in coasting the shore. Indians out of the woods would meet with us with corn and trade, but least we should be constrained either to endure over much wrong or directly fall to revenge, seeing them dog us from place to place. It being night our necessities not being fit for war. We took occasions to return with ten bushels of corn.
Captain Martin after he made two journeys to that nation of Paspahegh but each time returned with eight or ten bushels. All things being now ready for my journey to Powhatan, for the performance there of I had eight men and my self for the barge, as well for discovery and trading, the Pinnis, five Mariners and two land men to take in our landings at convenient places. The ninth of November I set forward for the discovery of the Country of Chikhanuania, leaving the Pinnis, the next tide to follow and to stay for my comings at Point Weanock twenty miles from or fort. The fork of this river falls in to a great river at Paspahegh eight miles above the fort. That afternoon I stayed there in the bay of Paspahegh with the Indians, and towards evening certain Indians haled me, and one of them being of Chikahmania, offered to take me to his country, the Paspabegheans grudged at that. Along we went by moonlight where he brought us before his town, desiring one of our men to go up with him, whom he kindly entertained and then returned back to the barge. The next morning I went up to the town and showed them what copper and hatchets I would trade for corn, each family seeking to give me most content. So long they caused me to stay and one hundred at least was expecting my coming by the river they stood with corn, what I like I bought , and least they would perceive my too great wants I went higher up the river. This place is called Manosquofick a quarter of a mile from the river, containing thirty or forty houses, upon an exceeding high land. At the foot of the hill towards the river is a plain woods, watered with many springs, which fall twenty yards right down into the river against the same is a great marsh, of four and one quarter miles circuit divided in two lands by the parting of the river, abounding with fish and foul of all sorts.
A mile from there is a town called Oraniocke and I further discovered the towns of Manfa, Apahaock, Werawahone and Mamanahut at each place we were kindly fed, especially the last and being the heart of the country. Where there were assembled two hundred people with such abundance of corn, as having loaded our barge, as also I might have loaded a ship. I returned to Paspahegh and considering the want of corn at our fort. It being night and with the ebb and by midnight I arrived at our fort, where I found our Pinnis run aground. The next morning I unloaded seven hogsheads (seven fifty gallon barrels) of corn into our store. The next morning I returned again.
- That is, to the place bearing that name, near the “falls,” on James River. – See Smith’s Map.[↩]