Stirring up the Indians

As was soon seen, however, it would have been better had all the work been put aside, in order to show this William Claiborne what was due my Lord Baltimore, for straightway my father and the other gentlemen had departed from Kent Island, he set about poisoning the minds of the savages against us, by saying we were Spaniards, who had come to make them slaves, and declaring that all the words of friendship our people had spoken were false.

This we understood with good proof later; but at the time when the Indians of Yaocomico village suddenly left us, disappearing in the wilderness without giving any reason, we knew as a matter of course that some person had been at work among them, and it was only natural to suspect Master Claiborne.

Two days later, however, it was more than suspicion that filled our minds, for then Captain Fleet sailed away in the direction of Kent Island in his vessels, without having obtained permission from Governor Calvert.

Within a week the werowance of Patuxent told us that this same Captain Fleet, who had so lately professed such great friendship for us, had joined himself with William Claiborne, and was doing all he might to persuade the Indians to rise against the people of St. Mary's.

It can well be fancied this news caused our people much alarm, for should the savages become persuaded that we were at St. Mary's with the intent of making them slaves, there might arise such a war as would wipe us from off the face of the earth.

At the time I believed, as did John, that we should strengthen the fort, gather into it all our provisions and weapons, and otherwise make such a show of force as would give the Indians to understand we were prepared for whatsoever they might attempt.

It was well, however, that neither John nor I had any voice in the government of St. Mary's, else might we have brought about that very thing we were trying to avoid.