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




The Return of the Fleet

As may be well understood, Captain Cornwallis took possession of the Claiborne pinnace, and within four and twenty hours after the battle had been fought, we who stood guard on the northern point of the harbor, sent word into our town of St. Mary's that the Maryland fleet was returning with a prize.

I am pleased to say that our people, after hearing that four human beings had been killed, over a matter which involved only a question of money, did not give way to rejoicing because of success.

When Captain Cornwallis sailed into the harbor, and the captured vessel was moored alongside the pinnace that had been taken in the Patuxent River by Captain Fleet, the people of St. Mary's gathered at the waterside, welcoming quietly those who had returned, but giving vent to no shouts of joy nor other tokens of victory.

[Illustration] from Calvert of Maryland by James Otis

It is not needed that I should set down here anything regarding the meeting between my father and myself. It had seemed to me, when he went on board the fleet, as if he were about to stand face to face with death, as really proved to be the case, and it was almost as if he had come back from the grave, when I felt his dear arms around me once more.

It was a bitter disappointment that he and I were forced to part so soon after being reunited; but duty called him to the blockhouse, where a council of war was to be held, and I could do no less than remain on watch at the point until word should come that such service was no longer needed.