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 Visitor from Virginia

Before this work of building was completed, we were surprised and considerably startled by the approach of a small ship, which was not seen until the discharge of the cannon on board brought us all up standing, and aquiver with excitement and fear. But when the standard of old England was unfurled from the masthead of the stranger, we no longer trembled, but were in a fever of unrest to learn whether these visitors came from the land we had left, perhaps forever.

In a few moments, however, we knew it was Sir John Harvey, governor of the Province of Virginia, whom our gentlemen had met while the Ark  and the Dove  lay at Point Comfort, who was come to pay us a friendly visit, which to my mind was most kind of him.

[Illustration] from Calvert of Maryland by James Otis

Even before our people could go out to give him welcome, a fleet of canoes came around the northerly point of the harbor, bearing a vast company of savages, and I was perplexed to decide whether there might be any relation between these two bands of visitors.

Then the cannon on the vessel from Virginia roared out a salute, and in a short time it was whispered among us that Governor Harvey was killing two birds with one stone, so to speak, by making an agreement to meet the werowance of Patuxent at the same time that he paid us a friendly courtesy.

Governor Calvert went on board the ship in company with all our gentlemen and Captain Fleet. The canoes were moored alongside the vessel, and the werowance, with a dozen or more of his chief men, also boarded her.