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




Ready for Sea

And now that he is dead, and the colony known as Avalon in Newfoundland has been abandoned, a number of gentlemen, among whom is my father, together with their servants, are to sail for a certain part of the New World which is to be under the rule of Lord Baltimore, and to be called Mary Land, in honor of Henrietta Maria, who, as all people in the world know, sits on the throne with our good King Charles I.

[Illustration] from Calvert of Maryland by James Otis

What is more, we are to journey in the old lord's ship Ark, of near to three hundred tons burden, and in our company will be the Dove, a pinnace of fifty tons or more.

When I heard my father speak of the Dove  as a pinnace, I was puzzled to understand what kind of vessel she might be, for I am not versed in the ways of the sea, nor accustomed to hearing sailors speak their peculiar language.

Therefore it was I asked what kind of vessel a pinnace might be, and was told that any craft with two masts, rigged like a schooner, but capable of being propelled, in addition to her sails, by oars, was given such a name.

The Dove, which is now at anchor near by the Ark, seems a small ship to sail so far overseas as is America, but John, who is my father's serving man, declares that she will carry herself as well as does the Ark, although, mayhap, give more of discomfort to those who are on board, because of leaping about to a greater degree on such enormous waves as are to be found in the middle of the mighty ocean.

It may be well to set down here how it chanced that my father, together with sixteen other gentlemen, had any right to that new land of America of which many Englishmen, some Dutchmen, and a few Swedes had already taken possession.