A Visit from an Indian Werowance

We were told that this town of Piscataway was the home of the werowance, or king of the Indians, and that if he could be induced to receive us as friends, then would all the other brown-skinned men in this Province of Maryland follow his example.

To this end Captain Fleet directed all his efforts, and very shortly the king came on board the Dove, followed by twelve or fifteen of his chief men, where both the Governor and Father Altham set about giving proof of their friendship for the brown men.

It was while this was being done that a vast throng of Indians on shore began to fear lest their werowance was being wrongly dealt with, and set up such shouts, accompanied by threatening gestures, as caused the savage ruler to send two of his followers to explain why he remained.

It was not possible, however, to free the minds of these savage people of fear concerning the safety of their chief, until he had shown himself on the deck of the Dove, and in a loud voice declared that he was remaining of his own will among friends.

When he went below again, as if eager to be once more with the white men, his people stood on the very brink of the shore, watching suspiciously as if fearing lest we might work some mischief to their king.

I cannot set down of my own knowledge all that was said and done during the visit of the werowance, for he and his followers, together with Governor Calvert and our gentlemen, held long and private conversation in the cabin of the pinnace, and when it was come to an end the visitors went on shore, whereupon our vessel, in company with those under command of Captain Fleet, made sail in order to return to the island of St. Clements.