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 of twenty two
persons, set forward to discouer the Riuer, some fiftie or sixtie
miles, finding it in some places broader, and in some narrower, the
Countrie (for the moste part) on each side plaine high ground, with
many freshe Springes, the people in all places kindely intreating vs,
daunsing, and feasting vs with strawberries, Mulberies, Bread, Fish,
and other their Countrie prouisions whereof we had plenty; for which
Captaine _Newport_ kindely requited their least fauors with Bels,
Pinnes, Needles, beades, or Glasses, which so contented them that his
liberallitie made them follow vs from place to place, and euer kindely
to respect vs. In the midway staying to refresh our selues in a little
Ile foure or five sauages came vnto vs which described vnto vs the
course of the Riuer, and after in our iourney, they often met vs,
trading with vs for such prouision as wee had, and arriuing at
_Arsatecke_, hee whom we supposed to bee the chiefe King of all the
rest, moste kindely entertained vs, giuing vs in a guide to go with vs
vp the Riuer to _Powhatan_, of which place their great Emperor taketh
his name, where he that they honored for King vsed vs kindely.

But to finish this discouerie, we passed on further, where within an
ile [_a mile_] we were intercepted with great craggy stones in the
midst of the riuer, where the water falleth so rudely, and with such a
violence, as not any boat can possibly passe, and so broad disperseth
the streame, as there is not past fiue or sixe Foote at a low water,
and to the shore scarce passage with a barge, the water floweth foure
foote, and the freshes by reason of the Rockes haue left markes of the
inundations 8. or 9. foote: The south side is plaine low ground, and
the north side high mountaines, the rockes being of a grauelly nature,
interlaced with many vains of glistring spangles.

That night we returned to _Powhatan_: the next day (being Whitsunday
after dinner) we returned to the fals, leauing a mariner in pawn with
the Indians for a guide of theirs, hee that they honoured for King
followed vs by the riuer. That afternoone we trifled in looking vpon
the Rockes and riuer (further he would not goe) so there we erected a
crosse, and that night taking our man at _Powhatans_, Captaine
_Newport_ congratulated his kindenes with a Gown and a Hatchet:
returning to _Arsetecke_, and stayed there the next day to obserue the
height [_latitude_] thereof, and so with many signes of loue we
departed.

[Illustration: ~Storm at Sea.~]

WILLIAM STRACHEY.

WILLIAM STRACHEY[3] was an English gentleman who came over to Virginia
with Sir Thomas Gates in 1609, and was secretary of the Colony for
three years. Their ship, the _Sea Venture_, was wrecked on the
Bermudas in a terrible tempest, of which he gives the account that
follows. It is said to have suggested to Shakspere the scene of the
storm and hurricane in his "Tempest."

WORKS.

 A True Repertory of the Wracke and Redemption of Sir Thomas Gates
 upon and from the Islands of the Bermudas.
 Historie of Travaile into Virginia Brittania.
 _Edited_ Lawes Divine, Morall, and Martiall.

William Strachey's writings show a thoughtful and cultivated mind. His
style abounds in the long involved and often obscure sentences of his
times, but his subject matter is usually very interesting. Compare the
following selection with Shakspere's "Tempest," Act I., scene 1 and 2,
to "_Ariel, thy charge_." Notice the reference to _Bermoothes_
(Bermudas).

A STORM OFF THE BERMUDAS.

(_From A True Repertory of the Wracke and Redemption of Sir Thomas
Gates._)

On St. James his day, July 24, being Monday (preparing for no less all
the black night before) the clouds gathering thick upon us, and the
winds singing and whistling most unusually, which made us to cast off
our Pinnace, towing the same until then asterne, a dreadful storm and
hideous began to blow from out the Northeast, which, swelling and
roaring as it were by fits, some hours with more violence than others,
at length did beat all light from heaven, which, like an hell of
darkness, turned black upon us, so much the more fuller of horror, as
in such cases horror and fear use to overrun the troubled and
overmastered senses of all, while (taken up with amazement) the ears
lay so sensible to the terrible cries, and murmurs of the winds and
distraction of our Company, as who was most armed and best prepared,
was not a little shaken. . .

For four and twenty hours the storm, in a restless tumult, had blown
so exceedingly, as we could not apprehend in our imaginations any
possibility of greater violence, yet did we still find it, not only
more terrible, but more constant, fury added to fury, and one storm
urging a second, more outrageous than the former, whether it so
wrought upon our fears, or indeed met with new forces. Sometimes
strikes in our Ship amongst women, and passengers not used to such
hurly and discomforts, made us look one upon the other with troubled
hearts, and panting bosoms, our clamors drowned in the winds, and the
winds in thunder. Prayers might well be in the heart and lips, but
drowned in the outcries of the Officers,--nothing heard that could
give comfort, nothing seen that might encourage hope. . . . .

Our sails, wound up, lay without their use, and if at any time we bore
but a Hollocke, or half forecourse, to guide her before the Sea, six
and sometimes eight men, were not enough to hold the whip-staffe in
the steerage, and the tiller below in the Gunner room; by which may be
imagined the strength of the storm, in which the Sea swelled above the
Clouds and gave battle unto heaven. It could not be said to rain, the
waters like whole Rivers did flood in the ayre. And this I did still
observe, that whereas upon the Land, when a storm hath poured itself
forth once in drifts of rain, the wind as beaten down, and vanquished
therewith, not long after endureth,--here the glut of water (as if
throatling the wind ere while) was no sooner a little emptied and
qualified, but instantly the winds (as having gotten their mouths now
free and at liberty) spake more loud, and grew more tumultuous and
malignant. What shall I say? Winds and Seas were as mad as fury and
rage could make them. . . . . . .

Howbeit this was not all; it pleased God to bring a greater affliction
yet upon us, for in the beginning of the storm we had received
likewise a mighty leak, and the ship in every joint almost having
spewed out her Okam, before we were aware (a casualty more desperate
than any other that a Voyage by Sea draweth with it) was grown five
feet suddenly deep with water above her ballast, and we almost drowned
within, whilest we sat looking when to perish from above. This,
imparting no less terror than danger, ran through the whole Ship with
much fright and amazement, startled and turned the blood, and took
down the braves of the most hardy Mariner of them all, insomuch as he
that before happily felt not the sorrow of others, now began to sorrow
for himself, when he saw s

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