Contents ▼▲
Front Matter A Name to be Proud of Ready for Sea The King's Gift Why I am an Adventurer The Signal for Departure A Lad's Portion The Allotment of Land An Unexpected Delay Our Arrival at Cowes We Put to Sea The Dove Disappears A Second Tempest An Unseemly Christmas The Port of Barbadoes The Arrival of the Dove Under Sail Again The Land of America The Land Given by the King Fear of the Brown Men Where to Build the City Taking the Island A Voyage of Discovery Visiting the Indians An Unexpected Meeting Captain Fleet's Story An Indian Werowance Indian vs. English Claims Seeking a Place for the City The Bargain The Village of Yaocomico What the Indians Look Like Indian Weapons and Tools Landing the Goods Counting Our Blessings The Susquehanoughs A Land of Abundance Buying Cattle Storehouse and Fort A Visitor from Virginia A Talk with the Indians Running up the Colors Settling Down Master William Claiborne Lord Baltimore's Claims Stirring up the Indians Winning Back the Indians Busy Times Indian Women as Servants Making a Canoe A Boat of Bark Indian Money A Generous Harvest Trouble at Plymouth Strange Religious Service The Dance Begins An Odd Ceremony William Claiborne's War Settlement on Kent Island We Prepare for War The Army leaves St. Mary's In Command of the Guard A Flag of Truce Captain Fleet Repents The First Prize of War A Battle is Fought The Return of the Fleet William Claiborne's Flight The City of Saint Mary's A Cruel Murder Mystery Remains Unsolved Master George Evelin A Fatal Accident Preparing for Action Ready for a Man's Duty I Wear the Uniform My New Name On Board the Pinnance Indians in War Paint The Arrival at Kent Island The Capture of the Fort Butler and Smith Captives Back to Claiborne's Fort I am Assigned New Duties A Narrow Escape Words of Praise

Calvert of Maryland - James Otis




A Talk with the Indians

Now as to what took place in the cabin of Governor Harvey's ship, I am not able to say; but John declared that it was what might be called a council of war, even though no war was threatened.

The chief of Patuxent was a big man among the savages of our Province of Maryland, and, as we heard later, Governor Harvey had thought fitting to explain to him that we who had settled at St. Mary's counted on being friendly with the brown-skinned people. Captain Fleet told these Indians that the governor of Maryland was a brother to the "great man of all," meaning Lord Baltimore, who was to come into the province later, and that we of Yaocomico were the only ones who would be allowed to trade with the natives from that time forth, intending, most like, to let them understand that the settlers of Kent Island, of whom I shall speak later, had no right whatsoever within the bounds of the gift which his Majesty had made Lord Baltimore.

Governor Harvey and the werowance of Patuxent remained four days, living on board the Dove; and while they were with us the fortification and the storehouse were finished, whereupon Governor Calvert decided that the savages should understand how grave a matter was the taking possession of the province.