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Captain Gosnold Trades with the Indians

Having come from the islands we named Marthaes Vinyard and Elizabeth Isle, we stood awhile, ravished at the beauty and delicacy of the mainland, with its clear lakes and large meadows of green grass. We espied seven savages who at first expressed fear but later followed us. The next day we decided to fortify ourselves on the island in the lake. Eleven canoes with some fifty savages came towards us and, not wishing them to see our building, we went towards them and exchanged with them knives, hatchets, beads, bells and suchlike trifles for skins of beavers, lynx, martens, foxes, and wild cats. We saw that they had much red copper with which they made chains, collars and drinking cups which they so little esteemed that they would give them to us for small toys. They stayed with us for three days, retiring every night two or three miles from us. When they departed with many signs of love and friendship, they left seven behind who helped us with digging and carrying sassafras. They were comely proportioned and the best condition of any savages we had yet encountered. They had no beards but counterfeited them to look like ours, and tried to exchange them with our great-bearded men. Some of the baser sort would steal, but the better sort we found very civil and just. We saw but three of their women, and they were but of mean stature, attired in skins like the men, but fat and well favoured. The wholesomeness and temperature of this climate rather increased our health than otherwise and for all our toil, bad diet and lodging, not one of us was sick.

Monday, 15-May-95 14:17:42 PDT