ce of endeavoring the total
extirpation of the Indians, but more especially of Oppechancanough and
his nation. Accordingly, they set themselves about it, making use of the
Roman maxim, (faith is not to be kept with heretics) to obtain their
ends. For, after some months fruitless pursuit of them, who could too
dexterously hide themselves in the woods, the English pretended articles
of peace, giving them all manner of fair words and promises of oblivion.
They designed thereby (as their own letters now on record, and their own
actions thereupon prove) to draw the Indians back, and entice them to
plant their corn on their habitations nearest adjoining to the English,
and then to cut it up, when the summer should be too far spent to leave
them hopes of another crop that year, by which means they proposed to
bring them to want necessaries and starve. And the English did so far
accomplish their ends, as to bring the Indians to plant their corn at
their usual habitations, whereby they gained an opportunity of repaying
them some part of the debt in their own coin, for they fell suddenly
upon them, cut to pieces such of them as could not make their escape,
and afterwards totally destroyed their corn.
Sec. 50. Another effect of the massacre of the English, was the reducing
all their settlements again to six or seven in number, for their better
defence. Besides, it was such a disheartening to some good projects,
then just advancing, that to this day they have never been put in
execution, namely, the glasshouses in Jamestown, and the iron work at
Falling Creek, which has been already mentioned. The massacre fell so
hard upon this last place, that no soul was saved but a boy and a girl,
who with great difficulty hid themselves.
The superintendent of this iron work had also discovered a vein of lead
ore, which he kept private, and made use of it to furnish all the
neighbors with bullets and shot. But he being cut off with the rest, and
the secret not having been communicated, this lead mine could never
after be found, till Colonel Byrd, some few years ago, prevailed with an
Indian, under pretence of hunting, to give him a sign by dropping his
tomahawk at the place, (he not daring publicly to discover it, for fear
of being murdered.) The sign was accordingly given, and the company at
that time found several pieces of good lead ore upon the surface of the
ground, and marked the trees thereabouts. Notwithstanding which, I know
not by
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