urn down the river, Japazaws, chief of Potomac, having
furnished them with guides to conduct them up the River Quiyough, at the
mouth of which he lived, (supposed by Stith[57:A] to be Potomac Creek,)
in quest of Matchqueon, a mine, which they had heard of, the party left
the Indian hostages in the barge, secured by a small chain, which they
were to have for their reward. The mine turned out to be worthless,
containing only a sort of antimony, used by the natives to paint
themselves and their idols, and which gave them the appearance of
blackamoors powdered with silver-dust. The credulous Newport had taken
some bags of it to England as containing silver. The wild animals
observed were the beaver, otter, mink, marten, and bear; of fish they
met with great numbers, sometimes lying in such schools near the surface
that, in absence of nets, they undertook to catch them with a
frying-pan; but, plenty as they were, they were not to be caught with
frying-pans. The barge running aground at the mouth of the Rappahannock,
Smith amused himself "spearing" them with his sword, and in taking one
from its point it stung him in the wrist. In a little while the symptoms
proved so alarming that his companions concluded his death to be at
hand, and sorrowfully prepared his grave in a neighboring island by his
directions. But by Dr. Russel's judicious treatment the patient quickly
recovered, and supped that evening upon the offending fish. This
incident gave its name to Stingray Island. The fish was of the ray
species, much like a thornback, but with a long tail like a horse-whip,
containing a poisoned sting with a serrate edge.

The party returned to Jamestown late in July, and found sickness and
discontent still prevalent there. Ratcliffe, the president, was deposed
in favor of Smith, who, of the council, was next entitled to succeed;
but Smith substituted Scrivener in his stead, and embarked again to
complete his discoveries.

On the twenty-fourth of July he set out for the Chesapeake Bay, his
company consisting of six gentlemen, including Anthony Bagnall, surgeon,
and six soldiers. Detained some days at Kecoughtan, (Hampton,) they were
hospitably entertained by the Indians there, who were astonished by some
rockets thrown up in the evening. Reaching the head of the bay, the
explorers met some canoes manned by Massawomeks, who, after their first
alarm being propitiated by the present of two bells, presented Smith
with bear's meat, venis