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




Indian Versus  English Claims

During the voyage toward what we believed would be our new home, my father told me that the werowance of Piscataway had given permission for us to settle upon his land, for it seems that he claimed all the country roundabout as his, own, giving no heed to the king of England.

When I ventured to say that we need only show the paper from his Majesty, on which was the great seal of England, giving us lawful right to all the country, in order to prove ownership, my father replied that Lord Baltimore's instructions had been to buy from the savages whatsoever land they claimed to own, rather than risk making enemies of them by setting up rights of our own.

If this were done, then would the land be doubly ours, first by gift of his Majesty, and second through purchase from the Indians.

Before many hours had passed, all of us, even including myself, came to understand how fortunate we were in having chanced upon this Captain Fleet, who was so well acquainted with the country, for when we were arrived at St. Clements, where our people received us as if we had just come out from greatest danger, he declared that the island was by no means so suitable a spot in which to build our town as a certain place not many miles distant.