left her there to ride, with
expresse charge not any to go ashore til my returne. Though some wise
men may condemn this too bould attempt of too much indiscretion, yet if
they well consider the friendship of the Indians, in conducting me,
the desolatenes of the country, the probabilitie of some lacke, and the
malicious judges of my actions at home, as also to have some matters of
worth to incourage our adventurers in england, might well have caused
any honest minde to have done the like, as wel for his own discharge
as for the publike good: having 2 Indians for my guide and 2 of our own
company, I set forward, leaving 7 in the barge; having discovered 20
miles further in this desart, the river stil kept his depth and bredth,
but much more combred with trees; here we went ashore (being some 12
miles higher than ye barge had bene) to refresh our selves, during the
boyling of our vituals: one of the Indians I tooke with me, to see the
nature of the soile, and to cross the boughts of the river, the other
Indian I left with M. Robbinson and Thomas Emry, with their matches
light and order to discharge a peece, for my retreat at the first sight
of any Indian, but within a quarter of an houre I heard a loud cry, and
a hollowing of Indians, but no warning peece, supposing them surprised,
and that the Indians had betraid us, presently I seazed him and bound
his arme fast to my hand in a garter, with my pistoll ready bent to be
revenged on him: he advised me to fly and seemed ignorant of what was
done, but as we went discoursing, I was struck with an arrow on the
right thigh, but without harme: upon this occasion I espied 2 Indians
drawing their bowes, which I prevented in discharging a french pistoll:
by that I had charged again 3 or 4 more did the 'like, for the first
fell downe and fled: at my discharge they did the like, my hinde I made
my barricade, who offered not to strive, 20 or 30 arrowes were shot at
me but short, 3 or 4 times I had discharged my pistoll ere the king of
Pamauck called Opeckakenough with 200 men, environed me, each drawing
their bowe, which done they laid them upon the ground, yet without
shot, my hinde treated betwixt them and me of conditions of peace, he
discovered me to be the captaine, my request was to retire to ye boate,
they demanded my armes, the rest they saide were slaine, onely me they
would reserve: the Indian importuned me not to shoot. In retiring being
in the midst of a low quagmire, and mi