pioneers of the old south-第10章

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empty　houses　to　make　fires　to　warm　themselves。　They　began　to　die　of　hunger
as　well　as　by　Indian　arrows。　On　went　the　winter；　and　every　day　some　died。
Tales　of　cannibalism　are　told　。　。　。　。This　was　the　Starving　Time。

When　the　leaves　were　red　and　gold；　England…in…America　had　a　population　of
four　hundred　and　more。　When　the　dogwood　and　the　strawberry　bloomed；
England…in…America　had　a　population　of　but　sixty。

Somewhat　later　than　this　time　there　came　from　the　pen　of　Shakespeare　a　play
dealing　with　a　tempest　and　shipwreck　and　a　magical　isle　and　rescue　thereon。
The　bright　spirit　Ariel　speaks　of　〃the　still…vex'd　Bermoothes。〃　These　were
islands　〃two　hundred　leagues　from　any　continent；〃　named　after　a　Spanish
Captain　Bermudez　who　had　landed　there。　Once　there　had　been　Indians；　but
these　the　Spaniards　had　slain　or　taken　as　slaves。　Now　the　islands　were
desolate；　uninhabited；　〃forlorn　and　unfortunate。〃　Chance　vessels　might
touch；　but　the　approach　was　dangerous。　There　grew　rumors　of　pirates；　and
then　of　demons。　〃The　Isles　of　Demons；〃　was　the　name　given　to　them。　〃The
most　forlorn　and　unfortunate　place　in　the　world〃　was　the　description　that
fitted　them　in　those　distant　days：

All　torment；　trouble；　wonder　and　amazement　Inhabits　here：　some　heavenly
power　guide　us　Out　of　this　fearful　country。

When　Shakespeare　so　wrote；　there　was　news　in　England　and　talk　went　to　and
fro　of　the　shipwreck　of　the　Sea　Adventure　upon　the　rocky　teeth　of　the
Bermoothes；　〃uninhabitable　and　almost　inaccessible；〃　and　of　the　escape　and
dwelling　there　for　months　of　Gates　and　Somers　and　the　colonists　in　that
ship。　It　is　generally　assumed　that　this　incident　furnished　timber　for　the
framework　of　The　Tempest。

The　storm　that　broke　on　St。　James's　Day；　scattering　the　ships　of　the　third
supply；　drove　the　Sea　Adventure　here　and　there　at　will。　Upon　her　watched
Gates　and　Somers　and　Newport；　above　a　hundred　men；　and　a　few　women　and
children。　There　sprang　a　leak；　all　thought　of　death。　Then　rose　a　cry　〃Land
ho！〃　The　storm　abated；　but　the　wind　carried　the　Sea　Adventure　upon　this
shore　and　grounded　her　upon　a　reef。　A　certain　R。　Rich；　gentleman；　one　of
the　voyagers；　made　and　published　a　ballad　upon　the　whole　event。　If　it　is
hardly　Shakespearean　music；　yet　it　is　not　devoid　of　interest。

。　。　。　The　Seas　did　rage；　the　windes　did　blowe；
　　　Distressed　were　they　then；
Their　shippe　did　leake；　her　tacklings　breake；
　　　In　daunger　were　her　men；
But　heaven　was　pylotte　in　this　storme；
　　　And　to　an　Iland　neare；
Bermoothawes　called；　conducted　them；
　　　Which　did　abate　their　feare。

Using　the　ship's　boats　they　got　to　shore；　though　with　toil　and
danger。　Here　they　found　no　sprites　nor　demons；　nor　even　men；　but
a　fair；　half…tropical　verdure　and；　running　wild；　great　numbers　of
swine。

And　then　on　shoare　the　iland　came
　　　Inhabited　by　hogges；
Some　Foule　and　tortoyses　there　were；
　　　They　only　had　one　dogge；
To　kill　these　swyne；　to　yield　them　foode；
　　　That　little　had　to　eate。
Their　store　was　spent　and　all　things　scant；
　　　Alas！　they　wanted　meate。

They　did　not；　however；　starve。

A　thousand　hogges　that　dogge　did　kill
　　　Their　hunger　to　sustaine。

Ten　months　the　Virginia　colonists　lived　among　the　〃still…vex'd　Bermoothes。〃
The　Sea　Adventure　was　but　a　wreck　pinned　between　the　reefs。　No　sail　was
seen　upon　the　blue　water。　Where　they　were　thrown；　there　Gates　and　Somers
and　Newport　and　all　must　stay　for　a　time　and　make　the　best　of　it。　They
builded　huts　and　thatched　them；　and　they　brought　from　the　wrecked　ship；
pinned　but　half　a　mile　from　land；　stores　of　many　kinds。　The　clime　proved　of
the　blandest；　fairest；　with　fishing　and　hunting　they　maintained　themselves。
Days；　weeks；　and　months　went　by。　They　had　a　minister；　Master　Buck。　They
brought　from　the　ship　a　bell　and　raised　it　for　a　church…bell。　A　marriage；　a
few　deaths；　the　birth　of　two　children　these　were　events　on　the　island。　One
of　these　children；　the　daughter　of　John　Rolfe；　gentleman；　and　his　wife；　was
christened　Bermuda。　Gates　and　Somers　held　kindly　sway。　The　colonists　lived
in　plenty；　peace；　and　ease。　But　for　all　that；　they　were　shipwrecked　folk；
and　far；　far　out　of　the　world；　and　they　longed　for　the　old　ways　and　their
own　kin。　Day　followed　day；　but　no　sail　would　show　to　bear　them　thence；　and
so　at　last；　taking　what　they　could　from　the　forests　of　the　island；　and　from
the　Sea　Adventure；　they　set　about　to　become　shipwrights。

And　there　two　gallant　pynases；
　　　Did　build　of　Seader…tree；
The　brave　Deliverance　one　was　call'd；
　　　Of　seaventy　tonne　was　shee；
The　other　Patience　had　to　name；
　　　Her　burthen　thirty　tonne　。　。　。　。

。　。　。　The　two　and　forty　weekes　being　past
　　　They　hoyst　sayle　and　away；
Their　shippes　with　hogges　well　freighted　were；
　　　Their　harts　with　mickle　joy。

And　so　to　Virginia　came　。　。　。

What　they　found　when　they　came　to　Virginia　was　dolor　enough。　On　Jamestown
strand　they　beheld　sixty　skeletons　〃who　had　eaten　all　the　quick　things　that
weare　there；　and　some　of　them　had　eaten　snakes　and　adders。〃　Somers；　Gates；
and　Newport；　on　entering　the　town；　found　it　〃rather　as　the　ruins　of　some
auntient　fortification　than　that　any　people　living　might　now　inhabit　it。〃

A　pitiable　outcome；　this；　of　all　the　hopes　of　fair　〃harbours　and
habitations；〃　of　golden　dreams；　and　farflung　dominion。　All　those　whom
Raleigh　had　sent　to　Roanoke　were　lost　or　had　perished。　Those　who　had　named
and　had　first　dwelled　in　Jamestown　were　in　number　about　a　hundred。　To　these
had　been　added；　during　the　first　year　or　so；　perhaps　two　hundred　more。　And
the　ships　that　had　parted　from　the　Sea　Adventure　had　brought　in　three
hundred。　First　and　last；　not　far　from　seven　hundred　English　folk　had　come
to　live　in　Virginia。　And　these　skeletons　eating　snakes　and　adders　were　all
that　remained　of　that　company；　all　those　others　had　died　miserably　and
their　hopes　were　ashes　with　them。

What　might　Sir　Thomas　Gates；　the　Governor；　do？　〃That　which　added　most　to
his　sorowe；　and　not　a　little　startled　him；　was　the　impossibilitie。　。　how　to
amend　one　whitt　of　this。　His　forces　were　not　of　habilitie　to　revenge　upon
the。　Indian；　nor　his　owne　supply　（now　brought　from　the　Bermudas）　sufficient
to　relieve　his　people。〃　So　he　called　a　Council　and　listened　in　turn　to　Sir
George　Somers；　to　Christopher　Newport；　and　to　〃the　gentlemen　and　Counsaile
of　the　former　Government。〃　The　end　and　upshot　was　that　none　could　see　other
course　than　to　abandon　the　country。　England…in…America　had　tried　and
failed；　and　had　tried　again　and　failed。　God；　or　the　course　of　Nature；　or
the　current　of　History　was　against　her。　Perhaps　in　time　stronger　forces　and
other　attempts　might　yet　issue　from　England。　But　now　the　hour　had　come　to
say　farewell！

Upon　the　bosom　of　the　river　swung　two　pinnaces；　the　Discovery　and　the
Virginia；　left　by　the　departing　ships　months　before；　and　the　Deliverance
and　the　Patience；　the　Bermuda　pinnaces。　Thus　the　English　abandoned　the
little　town　that　was　but　three　years　old。　Aboard　the　four　small　ships　they
went；　and　down　the　broad　river；　between　the　flowery　shores；　they　sailed　away。
Doubtless　under　the　trees　on　either　hand　were　Indians　watching　this　retreat　of
the　invaders　of　their　forests。　The　plan　of　the　departing　colonists　was　to　turn
north；　when　they　had　reached　the　sea；　and　make　for　Newfoundland；　where　they
might　perhaps　meet　with　English　fishing　ships。　So　they　sailed　down　the　river；
and　doubtless　many　hearts　were　heavy　and　sad；　but　others　doubtless　were　full
of　joy　and　thankfulness　to　be　going　back　to　an　older　home　than　Virginia。

The　river　broadened　toward　Chesapeakeand　then；　before　them；　what　did　they
see？　What　deliverance　for　those　who　had　held　on　to　the　uttermost？　They　saw
the　long　boat　of　an　English　ship　coming　toward　them　with　flashing　oars；
bringing　news　of　comfort　and　relief。　There；　indeed；　off　Point　Comfort　lay
three　ships；　the　De　La　Warr；　the　Blessing；　and　the　Hercules；　and　they
brought；　with　a　good　company　and　good　stores；　Sir　Thomas　West；　Lord　De　La
Warr；　appointed；　over　Gates；　Lord　Governor　and　CaptainGeneral；　by　land　and
sea；　of　the　Colony　of　Virginia。

The　Discovery；　the　Virginia；　the　Patience；　and　the　Deliverance　thereupon
put　back　to　that　shore　they　thought　to　have　left　forever。