The _Rainbow_ was some time making her way down the river, and we may be
sure that Lettice and Cicely watched her till her white canvas was no
longer to be seen amid the tall trees which lined its banks; and that
Vaughan's eyes, at all events, as he stood on the poop, gazed back till
their figures faded from sight. Roger was too much engaged in the
navigation of the ship to take more now and again than a hurried look
astern: he knew his duty too well to neglect it, even for that; for
there were shoals to be avoided, and sails to be trimmed to catch the
fickle wind.
Hampton Roads were not reached till dark, when the _Rainbow_ had to
bring up till the following morning. A bright look-out was kept during
the night lest any Spaniard or other stranger might enter the harbour,
and, finding a solitary ship, venture to attack her. At dawn, anchor
was weighed, and the breeze being fair, Old Comfort Point was rounded,
and the _Rainbow_ steered northward up the broad Chesapeake. The lead
was kept going, for Captain Layton desired to keep as close to the shore
as prudence would permit; while Vaughan noted down each point and bay,
and the mouth of every stream and inlet they passed.
"Dost know the look of this coast, Ben?" asked Roger, as he saw Tarbox
gazing eagerly at the shore.
"Ay, marry do I, sir," answered the old sailor; "for we sailed up and
down it for many a league in the _Sally Rose_, and I thought when I came
to see it again I should not forget it."
"But you said the same when we sailed up James River," remarked Roger.
"And it is my belief that I once went up that also, with brave Sir
Richard Grenville in his pinnace; but I was somewhat mazed about the
matter, and when Nicholas Flowers, who had been with me in the _Sally
Rose_, said he knew the place, I thought I must know it too; but now I
come to see this coast, I find out that I was then wrong and am now
right," answered Ben.
"You hav'n't got Nicholas by your elbow now to prompt you, so keep a
sharp look-out, and be sure that you are right this time," said Roger.
"Ay, that I will, sir," answered Ben; "and every league we make good,
the more sure I am that I am right."
"I believe that honest Ben is not mistaken, and that we may have a
better hope of success than ever before," said Roger to Vaughan, when he
joined him on the poop. The ship continued running on all day; but the
wind was light, and her progress, consequently, slow. Towards evening
she brought up in a deep bay, in which Ben declared the _Sally Rose_ had
come to an anchor on her downward passage. The next morning she
continued her course, and had run on with a brisk breeze for some hours,
when Ben shouted out--"That's the bay, sir, where Dick Sponson and I,
when we had Batten with us, found the _Sally Rose_, after he had escaped
from the Indians; it is three days' pull, in a heavy boat with the wind
against us, to the northward of this, where we took Batten on board. I
should know the place again almost as well as I know Dartmouth harbour.
It was about six miles inland of that where our shipmates were killed.
If we sail on at the rate we are now going, we shall reach it before
noon to-morrow, always provided the wind don't head us."
This information was, at all events, satisfactory, and Ben was so
positive that Roger could not but believe him. Ben added, that, to his
belief, a short distance farther on there was a river, up which the
long-boat might pull for many a league, and that he calculated it would
take them into the very heart of the country where Batten, according to
his account, had been. As they sailed on, Ben, every now and then,
exclaimed--"I mind that point, for we were becalmed off it for the best
part of a day."--"Yes, that hill is just where I thought to find
one."--"We pulled up yonder stream to get a fresh store of water, and
had to pull down it again pretty quickly, with only half our casks full,
by reason of a party of Indians."
Thus he ran on, recognising all the main features of the shore. The
ship, however, did not reach the bay he had expected, and, accordingly,
had to stand off the shore and bring up at night in a more open position
than would have been chosen; but, as the weather was calm, that mattered
not. Early the next morning, however, the bay he had indicated was
reached, and some time before dark the ship came off the very spot where
Batten had been taken on board. He knew it by the easy landing the
shore afforded, and by two tall trees which leant over one towards the
other as if affording mutual support. The spot for which Audley and
Captain Layton and his son had been so eagerly looking was at length
reached; as, however, it did not afford a secure anchorage, they
determined to stand on in hopes of finding the mouth of the river into
which they intended to run and bring up. It proved to be not more than
a couple of leagues to the northward. Roger having gone ahead in the
skiff to sound, piloted the ship to an anchorage just inside the mouth,
where she could lie secure from any storms which might blow without, and
at the same time too far from the shore to be assailed from thence by
any hostile Indians; while her guns would enable her to defend herself
against any attack which might be made in canoes, should the natives
prove hostile. It being now nearly dark, nothing could be done on shore
till the next morning. The night was perfectly calm; the stars
glittering overhead were reflected on the mirrorlike surface of the
water. The forest extending down to the shores of the deep bay in which
the ship lay formed a dark wall round her, from which, ever and anon,
came strange sounds; but no human voices were heard to denote that the
country was inhabited. Still, a strict watch was wisely kept, for the
silence which reigned was no proof that the savages were at a distance.
Meantime, preparations were made for the proposed expedition; the
captain would willingly have led it, but Roger persuaded him to remain
on board and look after the ship. "Half a dozen men, with you to
command them, will be of more avail than a score without you," he
observed; "we may thus take twenty with us and leave enough in charge of
the boat."
To this the captain at length assented, knowing well that he could not
move as fast, nor endure as much fatigue as his younger companions. At
dawn the boat shoved off, each man carrying provisions for a week's
march, with a further supply in the boat, to be ready should they
exhaust their stock before they could return to her. Twenty men,
besides the two leaders and Oliver Dane, were to form the expedition.
The rest were to remain in the boat. Quitting the river, Ben Tarbox
piloted them to the very spot where he and his companion had received
Batten on board their boat.
"That is the direction from whence we saw him coming," he said, pointing
to the north-west; "and by his account he had been making, as far as he
could judge, pretty straight for the shore, as he had the sun, when it
rose, directly in his eyes, and he thus knew that he was holding on to
the eastward."
"Then we will march in the direction from whence he came," said Roger.
"On, lads!" he exclaimed, having given his last orders to the crew to
lie off the shore at anchor, and to allow no Indians on board under any
pretext till his return. The forest was tolerably open, and the boat's
compass enabled them to keep the course they desired. No wigwams were
seen, nor cultivated fields, nor did any natives make their appearance.
Now and then a deer started from before them: Roger and Vaughan were too
careful leaders to allow their men to chase the animals, lest the
natives might take the opportunity of setting upon them while thus
separated. "Better empty insides than cloven skulls, lads," observed
Roger; "ere long we shall have a deer crossing our path near enough to
bring it down without the risk of being taken at a disadvantage."
The men, seeing the wisdom of this, marched forward without complaint.
Night coming on, they camped in the centre of a tolerably wide space of
open ground, near which, at a little distance, ran a stream from whence
they could obtain a supply of water, while the bushes which grew near it
afforded them fuel. Here also they might hope to get a shot at some
animal coming down to drink, which would give them fresh meat and enable
them to husband their provisions. Vaughan had often carried a
fowling-piece amid the woods and hills of Devonshire, and was the best
shot of the party; he accordingly volunteered to watch for a deer,
keeping near enough to the camp to obtain assistance if required. It
wanted but half an hour to sunset, at which time animals were most
likely to come down to drink. Oliver, also carrying a gun, went with
him. But few trees or shrubs grew on the banks of the stream, which ran
foaming and bubbling over a stony bed, with rocks on either side. As
the time was short, they had at once to select a convenient shelter: the
best they could find was between a rock and a thick bush, which overhung
the stream. Here, leaning against the bank, they could command the
opposite shore, which shelved gradually to the water, as it did also
some way lower down.
Vaughan was beginning to get weary of waiting, when he saw a couple of
deer moving amid the tall grass and brushwood which covered the country
for some distance on the opposite side: Oliver saw them also.
Recollecting the way Gilbert and Fenton had been entrapped, he thought
it possible that the Indians might be attempting to play them a similar
trick. The deer trotted forward, and the wind coming from them, they
did not discover their enemies, and reaching the bank, began to drink.
Vaughan and Oliver raised their pieces, and as the deer lifted up their
long necks, they fired together and both fell dead. A shout of triumph
raised by Oliver brought several from the camp to the spot, who dashing
across the river, the deer were soon cut up, and several pieces of
venison were quickly roasting before the fire.
Their success encouraged them to hope that they might obtain ample food,
and be able to prosecute their search much further than they had
intended. The sound of the shot, however, and their fires, might
attract the natives to their neighbourhood; and a very vigilant watch
was therefore kept during the night. Somewhat to their surprise,
however, it passed away quietly, and the next morning they resumed their
march. They were passing the borders of a thick wood, nearly knee-deep
in grass, when Roger felt his foot strike against a hard substance which
emitted a hollow sound, as it gave way before him. Stooping down, he
rose with a human skull in his hand, white and clean. He and Vaughan
examined it: the top showed a deep cleft. Others at the same time cried
out that they were walking among bones.
"Some Indian battle has taken place here," observed Roger.
"That is no Indian skull," said Vaughan, "but that of a round-headed
Englishman. The blow which killed him, it is clear, was inflicted by an
Indian tomahawk."
The men, who had been searching about, now brought up from among the
grass several other skulls, each one giving the same indubitable
evidence of the manner in which the owner had been slain.
"This must be the very place where Batten saw the crew of the _Sally
Rose_ slaughtered," observed Vaughan. "It proves that we are on the
right track, and should warn us to be cautious in our advance, lest the
natives play us the same trick."
Further search produced altogether ten skulls, the number, it was
concluded, of the unfortunate party cut off. Their clothing and arms
had evidently been carried away, the bodies alone being left as a feast
for the vultures and armadillos. The incident was not encouraging;
Roger, however, quickly revived the spirits of his party by remarking
that all they had to do was to keep a watch on every side, and not to be
cajoled by any tricks the Indians might attempt to play them.
Having already provisions for a couple of days, they pushed on bravely,
and would have continued even longer than they had intended, had they
not unexpectedly arrived on the banks of a broad river, to cross which
without a boat would prove a difficult matter and a dangerous one,
should Indians attempt to stop their landing on the opposite bank. They
agreed therefore that their best course was to proceed up the river, and
to borrow canoes, should they find them--as they had no doubt that it
was the river at the mouth of which their ship lay, they could without
difficulty return to her, provided they could find canoes of sufficient
burden to carry them; and if not, they might descend the stream by a
raft--no very hazardous undertaking to men such as they were.
It was high time to meet with Indians, and they hoped soon to do so,
provided they could establish friendly relations with them, for by their
means only could they obtain the information they required. They
therefore marched on merrily, and having the river on their right, they
had now only one side to guard. As the land was level and not thickly
timbered, they could keep close to the water. As Batten had not spoken
about a river, they concluded that he had not been carried to the north
of the stream along which they were making their way, and that therefore
they must be in the neighbourhood of the district in which he had been
held captive. As they had cooked the remainder of their venison at
their last halting-place, they judged it wise not to light a fire lest
they might attract Indians to their camp at night, who might at all
events disturb their rest. Thus Roger and Vaughan thought they might
probably have passed Indian villages without being discovered. They
came to two or three small streams, through which they waded, though the
water was above their waists, while Ben Tarbox carried Oliver on his
shoulders.
At length, however, another stream was reached too broad and deep to be
crossed in this fashion; a ford might exist, they thought, further up,
and they accordingly were proceeding along the bank when Roger's eye
fell upon a canoe hauled up on the shore some way ahead. This would
afford them the means of crossing, they hoped; but on reaching her it
was found that she was formed of birch bark, that her side was battered
in, and that she was indeed little better than a sieve. She was of no
avail, therefore, for their purpose.
The existence of a canoe in that place went to show that the natives
were not far off; still Roger and Vaughan determined to cross, as they
were unwilling to get farther from the main stream. They set to work,
therefore, to cut down a number of small trees to form a raft. While
they were thus engaged, Vaughan with his usual companion, Oliver Dane,
proceeded a little higher up along the bank in search of game, Roger
cautioning them not to go far. In a short time Oliver came back, saying
that he had caught sight of an Indian in a canoe, spearing fish amid
some rapids which ran across the stream; but as the fisher had not seen
him, they might easily go back without being discovered.
"If we can avoid alarming him, and get him to come to us, which he may
do, by seeing only two persons, it may prove a favourable opportunity
for obtaining information," observed Vaughan; "we must proceed
cautiously, however, and I will keep out of sight while you make signs
to the fisher."
They accordingly crept along behind some thick bushes which effectually
concealed them from the person in the canoe. At length they reached the
spot, whence Vaughan could see the fisher. "Why," he whispered to
Oliver, "that is a young girl; but though hot dress is that of an
Indian, she appears to me, at this distance fairer than even the
Princess Pocahontas--a graceful young damsel, too. See, she has struck
another fish, and is hauling it in. Do you, Oliver, go and show
yourself on the bank; sing as you have been wont to do on board, and
beckon to her; it will calm any alarm she might be inclined to feel, and
she will come more readily than were she to see me."
Oliver did as he was bid. The girl just then caught sight of him, and
as she did so, she laid down her lance and seizing a paddle, with a
couple of strokes sent her canoe out of the rapids into the smoother
water below them; then, lifting a bow with an arrow, drew it to the
head. Just then Oliver, having found his voice, began to sing the first
air which came into his head. The maiden stood balancing herself in her
frail bark, motionless as a statue, listening with eager ears to the
notes which reached her, then, slowly withdrawing her arrow, let it fall
with her bow into the canoe. Oliver sang on, observing the effect of
his music, and beckoned as he had been directed. She quickly understood
him and sinking into her seat, with rapid strokes she urged the canoe
towards the bank, her countenance turned with an eager and wondering
gaze at his face. She came on till the bow of the canoe almost touched
the shore; then, standing up, she beckoned him to come down to her from
the top of the bank, when with another stroke of her paddle she brought
the canoe close to him.
"Who are you? whence do you come?" she asked eagerly. Oliver knew
enough of the Indian language to understand her, though scarcely enough
to reply. He pointed therefore down the river, intimating that he came
thus far in a big ship, though he said nothing of his companions. She
appeared to comprehend him, looking up all the time eagerly as before in
his face; then she put out her hand close to his as if comparing the
colour; hers indeed was the lightest of the two. Next she pointed to
her face, which though sunburnt, was not so dark as his. Her
countenance showed the thoughts which were passing rapidly through her
mind. At last she inquired his object in coming thither. He told her
that it was to seek for some friends, white people, who were supposed to
be in that part of the country. She stood with her finger on her brow
for a minute or more, as if meditating what to do; then, having made up
her mind, she took his hand and signed to him to step into the canoe and
sit down. Oliver was a brave lad, and without hesitation he complied.
No sooner was he on board than with one stroke of her paddle she sent
the canoe away from the bank, directing its head up the stream towards
the rapids down which she had descended. As she got near them she
handed him another paddle, and intimated to him that he was to use it in
ascending the rapids. He had frequently paddled about in James River in
Indian canoes, and was therefore able to obey her. On seeing this, she
uttered an expression of approbation. Vaughan, who had watched these
proceedings with much interest, saw his young companion, and the Indian
girl paddle on till they had reached smooth water above the rapids, when
they darted away at a rate which quickly took them out of sight.
"He is a brave fellow to go thus unhesitatingly, and I trust that no
harm will befall him; he probably was afraid of frightening the young
damsel or he would have called to me, to ask my advice." Such was the
tenour of his thoughts, as he made his way back to where he had left the
rest of the party. Roger was highly pleased when he heard of Oliver's
courage in going thus alone with the Indian girl, and agreed with
Vaughan as to the motive which induced him to accompany her.
"One thing is certain," he observed, "that it will be useless for us to
continue making the raft, as we must either wait Oliver's return here,
or follow him up along the stream to the place to which the girl has
conveyed him."
Vaughan agreeing that this was the best thing to do, the men were
ordered to get into marching order. After passing the spot near the
rapids where the Indian girl had taken Oliver into her canoe, the ground
became very rough, a high and rugged ridge making their progress, laden
as they were, exceedingly difficult. Still, they felt bound to follow
Oliver, for the maiden's friends might not be disposed to treat the lad
as kindly as she might, supposing him to be alone and unprotected--
whereas the appearance of an armed band such as theirs was might overawe
them, and show them that it was their interest to be on friendly terms
with their visitors. Vaughan and Roger leading the way, the men
scrambled over the rocks after them, keeping as close as they could
above the river, that, should the canoe return with Oliver, they might
not fail to see her.
Having at length surmounted the ridge, they found themselves looking
down into a broad and pleasant valley, watered by another small rivulet,
by the side of which appeared an Indian village and a considerable
number of people moving about, while a group, in the midst of which they
distinguished Oliver and the young girl, was collected in front of the
largest wigwam. The principal figure was an old Indian, who by his
dress, and the ornaments on his head, they knew must be a chief. The
girl was apparently endeavouring to explain to the old chief how she had
found the young paleface.
"They see us," cried Roger, as he and Vaughan with their men appeared on
the top of the ridge; "keep your weapons lowered, lads, we must do
nothing to alarm them. Stay here, and I will go down and make friends
with the old chief--that fair damsel will, I doubt not, be on our side--
they will be less likely to be alarmed by seeing one person approach
alone."
As he was speaking, many of the Indians ran into their wigwams, and
brought forth their bows and arrows, and other weapons. Those about the
chief, however, remained perfectly quiet, merely turning their eyes in
the direction of the strangers. Roger therefore advanced without any
anxiety towards the chief, who stood waiting his arrival. Going up to
the old man he took him by the hand, and explained in the choicest
language he could command the object of his, and his companions' visit
to that part of the country. The chief replied that he had gathered as
much from what the girl had told him, and that he had heard some days
before of the appearance of the white-faces on their shore. Roger
expressed his surprise at this, when the Indian remarked that they had
been seen on landing, and that their progress had been watched day after
day, but as they had done no harm they had been allowed to proceed.
"Our people are not fools," observed the old chief, "and we knew well
that the further you proceeded into the country the more easily we could
destroy you if we deemed it necessary."
Roger knew by this that the precautions he had taken had not been
useless. His object being to win over the chief, he did not boast of
his power to resist the attack; the well-armed party on the top of the
hill would produce more effect, he knew, than anything he could say. He
now turned to Oliver and his companion. On looking at the maiden, he
had no doubt, from the form of her features and her fair complexion,
that she was of English parentage, though not a word of English had she
uttered. His curiosity to know how she was thus living among the
Indians was very great; on this point, however, she could give him no
information. She had lived always with them, and she believed that the
old chief was her grandfather; from the latter, therefore, only could he
hope to obtain an answer to his questions. The old chief was, however,
evidently not disposed to reply to him; the maiden was one of their
tribe, and such she must always be, he answered at length; so Roger saw
that it would be wise not to press the matter just then. He
accordingly, feeling satisfied with what the chief had said, asked if he
knew aught of a white man who had long been in that region, or of two
youths who had lately been brought thither.
"Wise men do not reply till they have time to consider the object of the
questions put to them," answered the chief; "if you come as friends, as
friends we will receive you, and give you the best our country affords.
You may invite your companions down into the valley, they need fear no
danger."
"It is not our habit to fear danger," answered Roger, "but we have
confidence in your friendship; when danger is threatened, we know how to
defend ourselves." Having made this remark, which had its due effect,
he hastened back to Vaughan, and after a short consultation, they agreed
to accept the chiefs invitation, but to keep a strict watch, in case of
treachery.