Gabriel Archer was now a member of the council, and since he was
unfriendly to Smith, he summarily had him arrested and tried. He would
have been executed the following day had not Newport arrived from
England in the nick of time and saved him.
Newport was welcome to all because he brought in the first relief supply
as well as new settlers to back them up in their weak situation.
Careless newcomers were blamed, however, for the disastrous fire which
broke out a few days after their landing, and which licked up shacks,
tents and pitiful personal possessions.
Those who groaned over their plight, were rebuked by the meekness of the
Reverend Robert Hunt, who had lost his library--which might have been
the nucleus of culture in the colony. They remembered how he had not
complained before when he was more ill than any of them had been on the
ship coming over. Contritely they built a church for him even though the
palisade was not immediately replaced. A store and storehouse went up
too.
Fifty new houses improved on the former ones. These had cool roofs of
bark, instead of thatch, a page out of the Indian book. Besides they had
"country chimneys" where a man might warm himself in winter at ease,
provided he had a gun handy. Bright Indian mats decorated the huts. A
bell in the church signified when work should begin and when it should
stop. Since there was but one skilled carpenter, the rebuilding of the
settlement after the fire seemed remarkable. The colonists were not
industrious enough to suit Smith, however, who planned a letter to the
Company telling them to send lumber from England next time. That would
be cheaper than paying these lazy aristocrats.
Newport went with Smith to trade with Powhatan, letting Smith talk out a
day first before he appeared.
"What about those guns my men were to bring back, but did not?" the
great chief asked.
"I told Rawhide and another to tote home the two best we had."
"Big ones! You knew very well that they could not lift them. If you had
given them small ones, we would have been quite satisfied."
"I did not want your gracious highness to think me more stingy than
yourself." Smith kept a straight face if not a straight record. "They
didn't even try to lift them."
"No wonder. You scared them with that thunder at your gates, and they
ran home."
"You should have brave warriors. Mine too are sometimes cowards, and
weak with hunger besides. We want corn."
"What shall you pay--guns?"
Smith diverted him with presents, but the Indian kept his disdainful
manner.
"Captain Newport, it is not agreeable with my greatness in this paltry
manner to trade for trifles and I esteem you a great chief. Therefore,
lay down all your commodities together, and what I like I will take."
Smith artfully toyed with a string of blue beads. Their gleam would draw
a brighter one in the eyes of Powhatan's young favorite.