Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1914-06-24
A Revere Of
Old Jamestown
Bv DWIGHT NORWOOD

Coming from Fort Monroe north
ord Inv the James river. the boat
stamped at jamestown. There are two
most important spots historically in
49,, limited States, jamestown and
,,,,-r,onth rock, the former being the
mora important from its age. l was
orr,ou, TO see it and, leaving the boat,
romaiped there long enough to lose
myself in reverie concerning it.
There is nothing there today to
a-oam about unless 1t be the tower of
,ho church built by the inhabitants of
.bo settlement who went there little
oyer 300 years ago. No more uninter-
osting spot in itself exists in America.
II is an open fiat space on the north
oast bank of the river. whose yellow
waters have eaten away a considera-
be part Of the site OF the town.
And now for my dream.
The report of gun fred out on the
bosom of the yellow waters. l look
al and saw a miniature ship very
HIGH in the stern and forward much
ornamented and the sail on the main
most bearing the arms of England.
From the shore boat was about TO
mt out bearing huge cask. got
aboard and was pulled TO the ship.
"What's going on?" / asked of one
Of the oarsmen. who. by the bye, all
wore doublets with broad collar, knee
breeches and hose.
"sale of redemptioners," was the re-
ply.
When we boarded the vessel, the
RovaI James, rum was served from
tho cask, and the sale commenced.
There were twenty men and four wo.
men to be sold to whomsoever would
nav their passage money from Eng
land. with a handsome bonus to the
person who had advanced the funds.
They were to be bound TO their pur.
chaser till they had worked out the
amount he had paid and until then
were held as redemptioners, which
meant a limited period of slavery.
Several men were sold for sums
ranging from $50 to floo, though the
amount was paid In tobacco. All the
women were sold for wives with their
consent. There was one damsel not
twenty years old who was so comely
that approached and asked her what
had Induced her 10 come out to so
melancholy a place as jamestown.
"Please sir she replied. Il come
from bonnie Scotland My mother
dinna ike it because wouldna marry
aud Roderick MacTavish and shut me
up. But | got out, and a man with
gold a-plenty sent me out as redemp-
toner. He must be paid go for my
passage and a the profit there is
In me-
And il pay the eco will you mar
ryme?
That l WILL" replied the girl. be
cause you're SO much better than old
Roderick MacTavish, and I'll ma have
to work out the money owing for
sending me here"
And SO l paid the EGO In tobacco.
which went back to England in the
ship, and the girl was carried ashore
with lie. On landing we went up a
beaten path leading to the church.
found the parson, and we were mar
ried
This was when Captain John Smith
was interchangeable In keeping the colo
ny together and supplying our wants.
out after time he left us to make
explorations of the coast and then to
90 to England. Our men became dis
Outraged and would not work. Food
must be got by hunting or filling the
earth and the people would do neither
30 munger and sickness came upon us.
ana we diminished rapidly. Some went
uacS 10 England, and some, leaving
jamestown. went back from the river
INTO the country.
"hen | saw that Jamestown was
uOomed, taking my Scotch wife with
uie' went back from the river into
TUE interior and, settling myself on
piece or land, built q house and
.ased tobacco, | prospered. and. other
,aullles settling near me, in time we
Oeeaule community. Though my
Nne and | grew old. our children grew
up after us to be men and women.
siu the country about us lost its prim-
'u'e loneliness. But the river was al
ways the same. At times / was obliged
20 10 1t for the purpose of shipping
blues.
Dut we on the peninsula between
.Ae river and the bay were n merry lot.
%eeune oftentiInes at each others
rantahon, where our children danced
Iuu leasted. for we were not the mot
lot We We're when we settled at
p H. Some proud families in
nusiahd who had met with reverses.
souhger sons, also the Cavaliers who
sa u oeen beaten by Oliver Cromwell,
ra e over and settled among US. We
s sate them welcome and helping hand,
sa- III time they became. like our
ms successful planters.
h. iIlS was my reverie as sat on the
Vi the James river looking at the