The General H1story o…

The General H1story o…

Hedemandingfortheir,captain,theyshowedhimOpechancanough,KingofPamunkee,towhomhegavearoundivorydoublecompassdial.Muchtheymar-veledattheplayingoftheflyandneedle,whichtheycouldseesoplainlyandyetnottouchitbecauseoftheglassthatcoveredthem.Butwhenhedemonstrat-edbythatglobelikejeweltheroundnessoftheearthandskies,thesphereofthesun,moon,andstarsandhowthesundidchasethenightroundabouttheworldcontinually,thegreatnessofthelandandseathediversityofnations,varietyofcomplexions,andhowweweretothemantipodesandmanyothersuchlikemat-ters,theyallstoodasamazedwithadmiration.Notwithstanding,withinanhourafter,theytiedhimtoatree,andasmanyascouldstandabouthimpreparedtoshoothim,buttheKingholdingupthecompassinhishand,theyalllaiddowntheirbowsandarrowsandinatri-umphantmannerledhimtoOrapakswherehewasaftertheirmannerkindlyfeastedandwellused....AtlasttheybroughthimtoWerowocomoco,wherewasPowhatan,theirEm-peror.Heremorethantwohundredofthosegrimcourtiersstoodwonderingathim,ashehadbeenamonster,tillPowhatanandhistrainhadputthemselvesintheirgreatestbraveries.Beforeafireuponaseatlikeabedstead,hesatcoveredwithagreatrobemadeofraccoonskinsandallthetailshangingby.Oneitherhanddidsitayoungwenchofsixteenoreighteenyearsandalongoneachsidethehouse,tworowsofmenandbehindthemasmanywomen,withalltheirheadsandshoulderspaintedred,manyoftheirheadsbedeckedwiththewhitedownofbirds,buteveryonewithsomething,andagreatchainofwhitebeadsabouttheirnecks.AthisentrancebeforetheKing,allthepeoplegaveagreatshout.ThequeenofAppomattocwasappointedtobringhimwatertowashhishands,andanotherbroughthimabunchoffeathers,insteadofatowel,todrythem;havingfeastedhimaftertheirbestbarbarousmannertheycould,alongconsultationwasheld,buttheconclusionwas,twogreatstoneswerebroughtbeforePowhatan:thenasmanyascould,laidhandsonhim,draggedhimtothem,andthereonlaidhisheadandbeingreadywiththeirclubstobeatouthisbrains,Pocahontas,theKing’sdearestdaughter,whennoentreatycouldprevail,gothisheadinherarmsandlaidherownuponhistosavehimfromdeath;whereattheEmperorwascontentedheshouldlivetomakehimhatchets,andherbells,beads,andcopper,fortheythoughthimaswellofalloccupationsasthemselves.FortheKinghim-selfwillmakehisownrobes,shoes,bows,arrows,pots;plant,hunt,ordoany-thingsowellastherest.Twodaysafter,Powhatan,havingdisguisedhimselfinthemostfearfulestmannerhecould,causedCaptainSmithtobebroughtforthtoagreathouseinthewoodsandthereuponamatbythefiretobeleftalone.Notlongafter,frombehindamatthatdividedthehouse,wasmadethemostdolefulestnoiseheeverheard;thenPowhatanmorelikeadevilthanaman,withsometwohundredmoreasblackashimself,cameuntohimandtoldhimnowtheywerefriends,andpresentlyheshouldgotoJamestowntosendhimtwogreatgunsandagrindstoneforwhichhewouldgivehimthecountryofCapahowasicandforeveresteemhimashissonNantaquond.SotoJamestownwithtwelveguidesPowhatansenthim.Thatnighttheyquarteredinthewoods,hestillexpecting(ashehaddoneallthislongtimeofhisimprisonment)everyhourtobeputtoonedeathorother,foralltheirfeast-ing.ButalmightyGod(byHisdivineprovidence)hadmollifiedtheheartsofthosesternbarbarianswithcompassion.Thenextmorningbetimestheycametothefort,whereSmithhavingusedthesavageswithwhatkindnesshecould,heshowedRawhunt,Powhatan’strustyservant,twodemiculverinsandamillstonetocarryPowhatan;theyfoundthemsomewhattooheavy,butwhentheydidseehimdischargethem,beingloadedwithstones,amongtheboughsofagreattreeload-edwithicicles,theiceandbranchescamesotumblingdownthatthepoorsav-agesranawayhalfdeadwithfear.ButatlastweregainedsomeconferencewiththemandgavethemsuchtoysandsenttoPowhatan,hiswomen,andchildrensuchpresentsasgavethemingeneralfullcontent.NowinJamestowntheywereallincombustion,thestrongestpreparingoncemoretorunawaywiththepinnace;which,withthehazardofhislife,withsakerfalconandmusketshot,Smithforcednowthethirdtimetostayorsink.Some,nobetterthantheyshouldbe,hadplottedwiththePresidentthenextdaytohavehimputtodeathbytheLeviticallaw,forthelivesofRobinsonandEmry;pretendingthefaultwashisthathadledthemtotheirends:buthequick-lytooksuchorderwithsuchlawyersthathelaidthembytheirheelstillhesentsomeofthemprisonersforEngland.  [返]  

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The General H1story o…

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