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




Visiting the Indians

I had hoped we would go out of the river and sail farther into the bay; but this was not Governor Calvert's purpose, for he steered directly up the Potomac, or the St. Gregory's, whichever you choose to call it, and before we had well left our mooring-place, was it possible to see the savages on either side the stream running to and fro, as if in alarm. But when our little fleet advanced, they disappeared amid the foliage.

We continued on until we arrived at an Indian village in which were two or three hundred people, mayhap; and here Governor Calvert and Father Altham, with only four men to work at the oars, went on shore alone, trusting, by so coming unattended, the Indians would understand that their intent was peace and good-will.

The Dove  lay so near the bank of the stream that it was possible for us who were on board her to hear very much of what was said by the governor and the priest, when, without showing any fear whatsoever, although the savages stood in threatening attitudes, they stepped out of the boat.

"We have come as friends," Governor Calvert said, and then, to my great surprise, I heard one of the brown-skinned men reply to him in English, whereupon, like a silly, I asked John how it could be that these savages spoke in the same tongue as white men. The explanation was simple, and my face flushed with shame as I realized there was no reason why I should ask the question, for surely these Indians had not lived so far from the settlement of Jamestown but that they would have visited it, and Captain John Smith, so it was said, had been far afoot in either direction, therefore we were by no means the first white men they had seen, nor the only ones who were then among them, as we learned very shortly.

[Illustration] from Calvert of Maryland by James Otis

Well, there was no little talk between Governor Calvert and the Indians, after which Father Altham much the same as preached a sermon to the people, saying that we had come to live among them as brothers, and to tell them of Christ.

He spoke a long time, and, when he was done, the head man said in his own language, which was repeated in English by some of those standing near

"It is good. We will use one table. My people shall hunt for my brother, and all things shall be in common between us."