Assignment Task: John Smith, The Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles (1624)
Excerpt #1:
The land is not populous, for the men be few; their far greater number is of women and children. Within 60 miles of James Town, there are about some 5000 people, but of able men fit for their wars scarce 1500. To nourish so many together they have yet no means, because they make so small a benefit of their land, be it never so fertile.
The people differ very much in stature, especially in language, as before is expressed. Some being very great as the Sasquesahanicks; others very little, as the Wighcocomocaes: but generally tall and straight, of a comely proportion, and of a color brown when they are of any age, but they are born white. Their hair is generally black, but few have any beards. The men wear half their heads shaven, the other half long; for Barbers they use their women, who with two shells will grate away the hair, of any fashion they please. The women are [women's hair is] cut in many fashions, agreeable to their years, but ever some part remaineth long.
They [the native people] are very strong, of an able body and full of agility, able to endure to lie in the woods under a tree by the fire, in the worst of winter, or in the weeds and grass, in Ambuscado [waiting to ambush their prey] in the Summer. They are inconstant in everything, but what fear constraineth them to keep. Crafty, timorous, quick of apprehension, and very ingenuous. Some are of disposition fearful, some bold, most cautious, all Savage. Generally covetous of Copper, Beads, and such like trash. They are soon moved to anger, and so malicious, that they seldom forget an injury: they seldom steal one from another, least their conjurers should reveal it, and so they be pursued and punished. That they are thus feared is certain, but that any can reveal their offenses by conjuration I am doubtful. Their women are careful not to be suspected of dishonesty [adultery] without the leave of their husbands.
For their apparel, they are sometime covered with the skins of wild beasts, which in Winter are dressed with the hair, but in Summer without. The better sort use large mantels of Deer skins, not much differing in fashion from the Irish mantels. Some embroidered with white beads, some with Copper, other painted after their manner. But the common sort have scarce to cover their nakedness, but with grass, the leaves of trees, or such like. We have seen some use mantels made of Turkey feathers, so prettily wrought & woven with threads that nothing could be discerned but the feathers. That was exceeding warm and very handsome. But the women are always covered about their middles with a skin, and very shamefaced to be seen bare.
They adorn themselves most with copper beads and paintings. Their women, some have their legs, hands, breasts and face cunningly embroidered with diverse works, as beasts, serpents, artificially wrought into their flesh with black spots. In each ear commonly they have 3 great holes, where at they hang chains, bracelets, or copper. Some of their men wear in those holes, a small green and yellow colored snake, near half a yard in length, which crawling and lapping herself about his neck oftentimes familiarly would kiss his lips. Others wear a dead Rat tied by the tail. Some on their heads wear the wing of a bird, or some large feather with a Rattle. Those Rattles are somewhat like the shape of a Rapier, but less, which they take from the tail of a snake. Many have the whole skin of a Hawke or some strange fowl, stuffed with the wings abroad. Others a broad piece of Copper, and some the hand of their enemy dried. Their heads and shoulders are painted red with the root Pocone brayed to powder [ground in a mortar and pestle], mixed with oil. This they hold in summer to preserve them from the heat, and in winter from the cold. Many other forms of paintings they use, but he is the most gallant [best dressed] that is the most monstrous to behold.
Their women (they say) are easily delivered of child, yet do they love children very dearly. To make them hardy, in the coldest mornings they wash them in the rivers, and by painting and ointments so tan their skins, that after year or two, no weather will hurt them.
The men bestow their times in fishing, hunting, wars, and such manlike exercises scorning to be seen in any womanlike exercises; which is the cause that the women be very painful and the men often idle. The women and children do the rest of the work. They make mats, baskets, pots, mortars; pound their corn , make their bread, prepare their victuals, plant their corn , gather their corn , bear all kind of burdens, and such like.
Excerpt #2:
Being but six or seven in company he went down the river to Kecoughtan, where at first they scorned him, as a famished man, and would in derision offer him a handful of Corn, a piece of bread, for their swords and muskets, and such like proportions also for their apparel. But seeing by trade and courtesy there was nothing to be had, he made bold to try such conclusions as necessity enforced, though contrary to his Commission: Let fly his muskets, ran his boat on shore, whereat they all fled into the woods. So marching towards their houses, they might see great heaps of corn: much ado he had to restrain his hungry soldiers from present taking of it, expecting as it happened that the Savages would assault them, as not long after they did with a most hideous noise. Sixty or seventy of them, some black, some red, some white, some party-colored, came in a square order, singing and dancing out of the woods, with their Okee (which was an Idol made of skins, stuffed with moss, all painted and hung with chains and copper) borne before them: and in this manner being well armed, with Clubs, Targets, Bows and Arrows, they charged the English, that so kindly received them with their muskets loaded with Pistol shot, that down fell their God, and divers lay sprawling on the ground; the rest fled again to the woods, and ere long sent one of their Quiyoughkasoucks to offer peace, and redeem their Okee. Smith told them, if only six of them would come unarmed and load his boat, he would not only be their friend, but restore them their Okee, and give them Beads, Copper, and Hatchets besides: which on both sides was to their contents performed: and then they brought him Venison, Turkeys, wild fowl, bread, and what they had, singing and dancing in sign of friendship till they departed.
1) In what ways does Smith seem to view the Powhatans as "civilized"? What does he seem to admire about them?
2) In what ways does Smith seem to view the Powhatans as "uncivilized"? What does he seem to see as different, "other," and/or negative about them?
3) How does John Smith depict relations between the Powhatans and colonists in Excerpt #2?
4) How does Smith's account reflect his views on the possibility of harmonious relations between the Powhatans and colonists and/or conflict between the two groups?