pioneers of the old south-第15节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



These　were　moving　times　in　the　little　colony　whose　population　may　by　now
have　been　five　thousand。　Harvey；　the　Governor；　was　rapacious；　the　King　at
home；　autocratic。　Meanwhile；　signs　of　change　and　of　unrest　were　not　wanting
in　Europe。　England　was　hastening　toward　revolution；　in　Germany　the　Thirty
Years'　War　was　in　mid…career；　France　and　Italy　were　racked　by　strife；　over
the　world　the　peoples　groaned　under　the　strain　of　oppression。　In　science；
too；　there　was　promise　of　revolution。　Harveynot　that　Governor　Harvey　of
Virginia；　but　a　greater　in　England　was　writing　upon　the　circulation　of　the
blood。　Galileo　brooded　over　ideas　of　the　movement　of　the　earth；　Kepler；
over　celestial　harmonies　and　solar　rule。　Descartes　was　laying　the
foundation　of　a　new　philosophy。

In　the　meantime；　far　across　the　Atlantic；　bands　of　Virginians　went　out
against　the　Indianswho　might；　or　might　not；　God　knows！　have　put　in　a
claim　to　be　considered　among　the　oppressed　peoples。　In　Virginia　the　fat；
black；　tobacco…fields；　steaming　under　a　sun　like　the　sun　of　Spain；　called
for　and　got　more　labor　and　still　more　labor。　Every　little　sailing　ship
brought　white　workmencalled　servantsconsigned；　indentured；　apprenticed
to　many…acred　planters。　These；　in　return　for　their　passage　money；　must
serve　Laban　for　a　term　of　years；　but　then　would　receive　Rachel；　or　at　least
Leah；　in　the　shape　of　freedom　and　a　small　holding　and　provision　with　which
to　begin　again　their　individual　life。　If　they　were　ambitious　and　energetic
they　might　presently　be　able；　in　turn；　to　import　labor　for　their　own　acres。
As　yet；　in　Virginia；　there　were　few　African　slavesnot　more　perhaps　than　a
couple　of　hundred。　But　whenever　ships　brought　them　they　were　readily
purchased。

In　Virginia；　as　everywhere　in　time　of　change；　there　arose　anomalies。　Side
by　side　persisted'　a　romantic　devotion　to　the　King　and　a　determination　to
have　popular　assemblies；　a　great　sense　of　the　rights　of　the　white
individual　together　with　African　slavery；　a　practical；　easy…going；　debonair
naturalism　side　by　side　with　an　Established　Church　penalizing　alike　Papist；
Puritan；　and　atheist。　Even　so　early　as　this；　the　social　tone　was　set　that
was　to　hold　for　many　and　many　a　year。　The　suave　climate　was　somehow　to
foster　alike　a　sense　of　caste　and　good　neighborliness…class　distinctions
and　republican　ideas。

The　〃towns〃　were　of　the　fewest　and　rudestlittle　more　than　small　palisaded
hamlets；　built　of　frame　or　log；　poised　near　the　water　of　the　river　James。
The　genius　of　the　land…was　for　the　plantation　rather　than　the　town。　The
fair　and　large　brick　or　frame　planter's　house　of　a　later　time　had　not　yet
risen；　but　the　system　was　well　inaugurated　that　set　a　main　or　〃big〃　house
upon　some　fair　site；　with　cabins　clustered　near　it；　and　all　surrounded；
save　on　the　river　front；　with　far…flung　acres；　some　planted　with　grain　and
the　rest　with　tobacco。　Up　and　down　the　river　these　estates　were　strung
together　by　the　rudest　roads；　mere　tracks　through　field　and　wood。　The　cart
was　as　yet　the　sole　wheeled　vehicle。　But　the　Virginia　plantera　horseman
in　Englandbrought　over　horses；　bred　horses；　and　early　placed　horsemanship
in　the　catalogue　of　the　necessary　colonial　virtues。　At　this　point；　however；
in　a　land　of　great　and　lesser　rivers；　with　a　network　of　creeks；　the　boat
provided　the　chief　means　of　communication。　Behind　all；　enveloping　all；
still　spread　the　illimitable　forest；　the　haunt　of　Indians　and　innumerable
game。

Virginians　were　already　preparing　for　an　expansion　to　the　north。　There　was
a　man　in　Virginia　named　William　Claiborne。　This　individualable；
determined；　self…reliant；　energetichad　come　in　as　a　young　man；　with　the
title　of　surveyorgeneral　for　the　Company；　in　the　ship　that　brought　Sir
Francis　Wyatt；　just　before　the　massacre　of　1622。　He　had　prospered　and　was
now　Secretary　of　the　Province。　He　held　lands；　and　was　endowed　with　a　bold；
adventurous　temper　and　a　genius　for　business。　In　a　few　years　he　had
established　widespread　trading　relations　with　the　Indians。　He　and　the　men
whom　he　employed　penetrated　to　the　upper　shores　of　Chesapeake；　into　the
forest　bordering　Potomac　and　Susquehanna：　Knives　and　hatchets；　beads；
trinkets；　and　colored　cloth　were　changed　for　rich　furs　and　various　articles
that　the　Indians　could　furnish。　The　skins　thus　gathered　Claiborne　shipped
to　London　merchants；　and　was　like　to　grow　wealthy　from　what　his　trading
brought。

Looking　upon　the　future　and　contemplating　barter　on　a　princely　scale；　he
set　to　work　and　obtained　exhaustive　licenses　from　the　immediate　Virginian
authorities；　and　at　last　from　the　King　himself。　Under　these　grants；
Claiborne　began　to　provide　settlements　for　his　numerous　traders。　Far　up　the
Chesapeake；　a　hundred　miles　or　so　from　Point　Comfort；　he　found　an　island
that　he　liked；　and　named　it　Kent　Island。　Here　for　his　men　he　built　cabins
with　gardens　around　them；　a　mill　and　a　church。　He　was　far　from　the　river
James　and　the　mass　of　his　fellows；　but　he　esteemed　himself　to　be　in
Virginia　and　upon　his　own　land。　What　came　of　Claiborne's　enterprise　the
sequel　has　to　show。



CHAPTER　IX。　MARYLAND

There　now　enters　upon　the　scene　in　Virginia　a　man　of　middle　age；　not
without　experience　in　planting　colonies；　by　name　George　Calvert；　first　Lord
Baltimore。　Of　Flemish　ancestry；　born　in　Yorkshire；　scholar　at　Oxford；
traveler；　clerk　of　the　Privy　Council；　a　Secretary　of　State　under　James；
member　of　the　House　of　Commons；　member　of　the　Virginia　Company；　he　knew
many　of　the　ramifications　of　life。　A　man　of　worth　and　weight；　he　was　placed
by　temperament　and　education　upon　the　side　of　the　court　party　and　the　Crown
in　the　growing　contest　over　rights。　About　the　year　1625；　under　what
influence　is　not　known；　he　had　openly　professed　the　Roman　Catholic
faithand　that　took　courage　in　the　seventeenth　century；　in　England！

Some　years　before；　Calvert　had　obtained　from　the　Crown　a　grant　of　a　part　of
Newfoundland；　had　named　it　Avalon；　and　had　built　great　hopes　upon　its
settlement。　But　the　northern　winter　had　worked　against　him。　He　knew；　for　he
had　resided　there　himself　with　his　family　in　that　harsh　clime。　〃From　the
middle　of　October　to　the　middle　of　May　there　is　a　sad　fare　of　winter　on　all
this　land。〃　He　is　writing　to　King　Charles；　and　he　goes　on　to　say　〃I　have
had　strong　temptations　to　leave　all　proceedings　in　plantations　。　。　。but　my
inclination　carrying　me　naturally　to　these　kind　of　works　。。　。　I　am
determined　to　commit　this　place　to　fishermen　that　are　able　to　encounter
storms　and　hard　weather；　and　to　remove　myself　with　some　forty　persons　to
your　Majesty's　dominion　of　Virginia　where；　if　your　Majesty　will　please　to
grant　me　a　precinct　of　land。　。　。　I　shall　endeavour　to　the　utmost　of　my
power；　to　deserve　it。〃

With　his　immediate　following　he　thereupon　does　sail　far　southward。　In
October；　1629；　he　comes　in　between　the　capes；　past　Point　Comfort　and　so　up
to　Jamestownto　the　embarrassment　of　that　capital；　as　will　soon　be　evident。

Here　in　Church　of　England　Virginia　was　a　〃popish　recusant！〃　Here　was　an　old
〃court　party〃　man；　one　of　James's　commissioners；　a　person　of　rank　and
prestige；　known；　for　all　his　recusancy；　to　be　in　favor　with　the　present
King。　Here　was　the　Proprietary　of　Avalon；　guessed　to　be　dissatisfied　with
his　chilly　holding；　on　the　scent　perhaps　of　balmier；　easier　things！

The　Assembly　was　in　session　when　Lord　Baltimore　came　to　Jamestown。　All
arrivers　in　Virginia　must　take　the　oath　of　supremacy。　The　Assembly　proposed
this　to　the　visitor　who；　as　Roman　Catholic；　could　not　take　it；　and　said　as
much；　but　offered　his　own　declaration　of　friendliness　to　the　powers　that
were。　This　was　declined。　Debate　followed；　ending　with　a　request　from　the
Assembly　that　the　visitor　depart　from　Virginia。　Some　harshness　of　speech
ensued；　but　hospitality　and　the　amenities　fairly　saved　the　situation。　One
Thomas　Tindall　was　pilloried　for　〃giving　my　lord　Baltimore　the　lie　and
threatening　to　knock　him　down。〃　Baltimore　thereupon　set　sail；　but　not；
perhaps；　until　he　had　gained　that　knowledge　of　conditions　which　he　desired。

In　England　he　found　the　King　willing　to　make　him　a　large　grant；　with　no
less　powers　than　had　clothed　him　in　Avalon。　Territory　should　be　taken　from
the　old　Virginia；　it　must　be　of　unsettled　landIndians　of　course　not
counting。　Baltimore　first　thought　of　the　stretch　south　of　the　river　James
between　Virginia　and　Spanish　Floridaa　fair　land　of　woods　and　streams；　of
good　harbors；　and　summer　weather。　But　suddenly　William　Claiborne　was　found
to　be　in　London；　sent　there　by　the　Virginians；　with　representations　in　his
pocket。　Virginia　was　already　settled　and　had　the　intention　herself　of
expanding　to　the　south。

Baltimore；　the　King；　and　the　Privy　Council　weighed　the　matter。　Westward；
the　blue　mountains　closed　the　prospect。　Was　the　South　Sea　just　beyond　their
sunset　slopes；　or　was　it　much　farther　away；　over　unknown　lands；　than　the
first　adventurers　had　guessed？　Either　way；　too　rugged　hardship　marked　the
west！　East　rolled　the　ocean。　North；　then？　It　were　well　to　step　in　before
those　Hollanders　about　the　mouth　of　the　Hudson　should　cast　nets　to　the
south。　Baltimore　accordingly　asked　for　a　grant　north　of　the　Potomac。

He　received　a　huge　territory；　stretching