ef, as laid down on Smith's Map of Virginia. Werowocomoco is only a
few miles distant from the historic field of Yorktown, which is lower
down the river, and on the opposite side. The lapse of time will
continually heighten the interesting associations of Werowocomoco, and
in ages of the distant future the pensive traveller will linger at the
spot graced with the lovely charms of nature, and endeared by
recollections of the tender heroism of Pocahontas.
Within two days after Smith's rescue, Powhatan suffered him to return to
Jamestown, on condition of sending him two great guns and a grindstone,
for which he promised to give him the country of Capahowosick, and
forever esteem him as his own favorite son Nantaquoud. Smith,
accompanied by Indian guides, quartered at night in some old hunting
cabins of Paspahegh, and reached Jamestown on the next morning about
sunrise. During the journey, as ever since his capture, he had expected
at almost every moment to be put to death. Returning, after an absence
of seven weeks, he was joyfully welcomed back by all except Archer and
two or three of his confederates. Archer, who had been illegally
admitted into the council, had the insolent audacity to indict Smith,
upon a chapter of Leviticus, for the death of his two men slain by the
Indians on the Chickahominy. He was tried on the day of his return, and
sentenced to be hanged on the next day, or the day after the next, when
Newport's opportune arrival on the very night after Smith's return,
providentially saved him from this ignominious fate. Wingfield
attributes the saving of _his_ life likewise to Newport, who released
him from the pinnace, where he was in duress.[49:A]
Smith now treated his Indian guides kindly, and showing Rawhunt, a
favorite servant of Powhatan, two pieces of cannon and a grindstone,
gave him leave to carry them home to his master. A cannon was then
loaded with stones, and discharged among the boughs of a tree hung with
icicles, when the Indians fled in terror, but upon being persuaded to
return, they received presents for Powhatan, his wives and children, and
departed.
At the time of Smith's return to Jamestown, he found the number of the
colonists reduced to forty. Of the one hundred original settlers,[49:B]
seventy-eight are classified as follows: fifty-four gentlemen, four
carpenters, twelve laborers, a blacksmith, a sailor, a barber, a
bricklayer, a mason, a tailor, a drummer, and a "chirurgeon." Of th
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