CHAPTER II.--Emigrants.
Their ship, a large, slow trader, plying between English and Scottishports and Norfolk, Virginia, sailed from Greenock on the twenty-seventhday of August. She belonged to the Colonial Merchant Marine and wasowned and operated by three rich planters, whose exports of tobacco andimports of plantation supplies and labor guaranteed half a cargo foreach voyage.
The usual passenger list from America consisted of planters with theirfamilies visiting the "Old Country;" or their children coming over to beeducated in European universities. The list and cargo of the returntrip, as usual, consisted of emigrants, slaves and supplies for theplantations, a few merchants, adventurers and travelers. There weretwenty-five cabin and sixty-three steerage passengers. The majority ofthe steerage were indentured servants and slaves; though there wereperhaps as many as twenty emigrants, artisans, trades people and pettyfarmers who traveled in that manner, husbanding their small capital topurchase lands in the new country. Of the cabin passengers, ten werereturning planters and members of their families; the other fifteenconsisted of five gentlemen and their families, who, like ArchibaldCampbell and his wife, followed kindred or friends and expected to enjoybetter material conditions and greater freedom in the New World.
Among these were David Clark and his family, natives of Argyllshire andthe only persons aboard Mr. and Mrs. Campbell had known prior to thevoyage. Mrs. Clark, who was Mrs. Campbell's sister, had expected to makethe trip to America with the McDonald Colony, but had been prevented bya serious illness.
The voyage proved slower than usual, owing to the prevalent light winds.The ocean was as placid as an inland lake, the weather quite warm andsultry; and nearly every day there was a light shower or thunder storm.
A friendly spirit, such as exists in isolated rural communities pervadedthe ship. Class distinctions were eliminated. Even those sailing assteerage passengers were allowed greater deck privileges because of theextreme heat of their quarters; and thus made the acquaintance of theplanters and their families and shared in the general cordial spirit.
Each planter became a zealous emigrant agent for his community andplantation, promising employment to such of the passengers as mightsettle in his neighborhood. Their efforts induced quite a few to changetheir original plans, and decision as to location rather than socialcast finally grouped the passengers, those becoming intimates whoexpected to be neighbors in the new country.
There were three distinct groups. Those destined for the Northern Neckand for the York and James river plantations headed by the threeplanters, made the most numerous and affluent party. Those crossing theBlue Ridge into the Virginia Valley, intending to settle at the McDonaldSettlement on the headwaters of Jackson river, nearly all Presbyteriansfrom Ulster or Dissenters from Scotland, made a second, nearly as strongnumerically, though not so rich a party. A third group of twenty-twopersons consisting of four former small land owners who had lost theirholdings, three recently released political prisoners and theirfamilies, with a Baptist preacher, William Hickman, driven from home bymisfortune or persecution, intended settling where class and religiousrestrictions were unknown or disregarded; and therefore were headed forthe extreme frontier settlements on the Ohio.
One cabin passenger was treated as a pariah by all. Mrs. Campbell askingher husband about him was told: "O that Spaniard, Carlo Sebastian! 'He'sa spirit,' that is, one who lives in a seaport town and lures youngpeople to his tavern, where they are kidnapped and held prisoners untilthey can be sold and transported to the colonies as indentured servants.He started in that way and still continues the practice, though hisbusiness has grown until now he contracts with the government and buysat first hand political prisoners and criminals. Under the English codethere are three hundred offences punishable with death; sometimes thejudge trying the case deems this too severe; and having the option,sentences such prisoners to transportation. Sebastian buys and resellsthem to the planters. He has a third source of supply from rural orpeasant laborers who find conditions of life almost impossible at homeand yet have no means of getting away. Under the law, such can onlylabor in the fields of their own parish. When they find it impossible tosubsist on the very small wage they earn at home they indenturethemselves to him, willing to pay five years of service fortransportation to the Colony; where labor is the only thing that ishigh. At the end of their bondage, they emigrate to the frontier, takeout a patent for land and start in for themselves as landed proprietors,usually becoming substantial citizens.
"Yesterday, telling him that I expected to buy a slave or two, he showedme his stock. He has seven men, three grown women, a girl of fourteenand three boys about Richard's age, all of whom are indentured. He alsohas four black slaves, three men and a clean looking young negro wench.He holds the indentured servants at prices ranging from twelve toeighteen guineas delivered at Norfolk and the slaves at twenty-five tothirty-five guineas. The young white girl seems quite frail, but isrefined looking. I believe she will die during the voyage, confined inthe foul air of her quarters and with such food as Sebastian provides.We better buy the negro wench at twenty-five guineas to help you; and ifhe will shave his price to thirty-three guineas, I will pay that for mychoice of the negro men. Father says the slaves are better investmentsthan the indentured servants; they stand the climate of the lowlands andare your absolute property; by the time the indentured servants arebroken in and acclimated they have formed, and are only interested in,their own plans; and it is almost impossible to hire them after they arefreed."
"Oh, Archibald! We must not buy any slaves. It is wrong. One personshould not be sold to another as a cow or a horse. It is bad enough toown the right to the services of another for a term of years, eventhough he voluntarily sells himself, or is so punished by the law. Ishould like to talk with the poor women and the sick girl. Can we not godown and see them?"
"Not unless Sebastian asks us to do so."
"Here he comes. If you ask, he will show us his servants, the indenturedones."
"Sebastian, my wife desires to see your indentured women servants. It ispossible we might make you an offer for one."
"Very well, come this way. I am not responsible for their filthycondition; I offer them clean clothing and water, but they prefer theirdirt."
Mrs. Campbell, when she saw the little girl, was deeply moved andinclined to express her indignation, but controlling herself, said:
"This girl must have attention at once. She is quite ill."
"No. She is sea sick."
"What do you ask for her? She might help me with the baby and thehousework."
"She is to be bound for seven years and her price is fifteen guineas."
"But Sebastian, you offered her to me yesterday for twelve. I will giveyou that for her."
"Yes, but your wife needs the girl."
The girl, roused from the lethargy of her fever by the talking, held outher hands to Mrs. Campbell and in a voice broken by fear and sickness,pleaded:
"O, Lady! Take me away! You do not know what I am forced to endure. Thisman dragged me aboard and will sell me as a slave. I am very ill and sodirty. I cannot eat the food. Do not leave me in this place and withhim. I am afraid."
"Dear, we have made him an offer and if he will sell, will give you agood home. He sees our hearts are moved and has raised the price heasked. Mr. Sebastian, the girl is ill and you will lose her if she isnot given immediate attention. My husband will give you twelve guineasand we will move her at once."
"No. If you want her you must pay fifteen."
"Come Mary, that will do. Let the trafficker in human flesh keep her andbear the loss. Let him have the burden of her murder on his conscience."
"O, Lady! If you do not take me I shall not try to live. I would ratherdie than complete the voyage and be sold as a beast of burden. If youbuy me I shall get well and be a faithful and willing servant."
Mrs. Campbell, stooping down, kissed the dirty face of the sick girl andwhispered: "We have every intention of buying you. Refus
e to eatanything except what I send you. I will send Richard down today withclean clothing and something nice to eat."
Within the hour Richard was sent to the hold with clean clothing, bedlinen and some broth. The Spaniard took the articles saying:
"Hand them to me; you cannot go to my quarters."
As soon as Richard was out of sight he drank the broth; calling itsloppy stuff; and that evening sold the clothing and bedding to the wifeof an emigrant.
The next day he told the girl: "Your fine friends have forgotten you.That is the way people do. Some old bachelor or an Indian chief will beglad to get you."
Each day Mrs. Campbell sent food to the girl and asked to see her, butSebastian would not permit it. He ate the food himself or threw it away.
Several days later when he was showing his stock to one of the planters,he found the girl raving in delirium. Believing that she would diewithin a day or two, he hunted up Mr. Campbell and offered to sell herfor twelve guineas.
Mr. Campbell looked at the girl. She was quiet at the moment andconscious, though her face was flushed, her hands twitched and herbreathing was labored. He believed she would die and regretted nothaving bought her for fifteen guineas. To punish the Spaniard for hisinhumanity, he told him the girl was dying; then after some delayoffered eight guineas for her. This he accepted, after much swearing athis ill luck, complaining that he had paid four guineas for hertransportation and two to her aunt.
Mrs. Campbell immediately arranged for more comfortable quarters andwhen she had been moved, removed her filthy clothing and sponged tocleanliness and comfort her hot, dirty body. With a sigh of exhaustionshe dropped into a deep sleep which lasted several hours. Within a fewdays she was convalescent; then she gained strength and flesh rapidlyand before the voyage ended had completely recovered.
One of Sebastian's servants had voluntarily indentured himself for fiveyears to obtain transportation to America, with the design to become alanded proprietor at the end of his service. He had seen Mr. Campbellpurchase Ruth Crawford and judging by the act that he would make aconsiderate master sent a note to him, stating that he was a farm handof experience and proposed to serve his master faithfully until the endof his service.
Mr. Campbell looked him over; and satisfied with his physical appearanceand appreciating that an experienced and willing servant was a betterinvestment than a stubborn and inexperienced one; for seventeen guineas,became the master of John Mason.
Mr. Clark purchased the negro wench and a black man slave. He would notinvest in the indentured servants, giving as his reason that he did notcare to drill a servant five years and lose him just when he was mostneeded or had become efficient.
The ship came to anchor in Elizabeth river, off Norfolk, at noon on thetwenty-second day of September. The next day those bound for theVirginia Valley chartered a river boat to carry them to Ricketts, justbelow Richmond, and shifting their belongings to it, sailed up the JamesRiver, making their first landing at Williamsburg.
At Williamsburg, while their wives were shopping, the men called uponPeyton Randolph and presented the letter which Mr. Campbell's father hadgiven him. At the time he had more influence than any other man in thecolony.
He read the letter and turning to Mr. Campbell said:
"I recall the very pleasant visit I made your father. We were greatfriends and were at the Temple together. He says you desire my advice inthe selection of a location. If you were a man of considerable means youmight buy a plantation on the York or James River or in the NorthernNeck; but he says you have less than a thousand pounds. I thereforeadvise that you ascend the James River in boats or canoes to BalconyFalls and then proceed overland into the Valley. There you and your wifeas Scotch-Presbyterians will feel more at home than with the Conformistplanters of Tidewater, Virginia. You know Virginia was settled by ruralEnglishmen, who brought their church and class distinctions with them.Class distinctions are more closely drawn in the Colony than in England;and in eastern Virginia it would be some time before you would betreated as a neighbor. Even though you are a kinsman of the Duke ofArgyll, the women would never forget that your wife is the daughter ofDissenter McDonald.
"Since 1745 Irish and Scotch Presbyterians have been pouring into thecolony and traveling westward have settled in the valley between theBlue Ridge and the Alleghanies, where they engage in raising cattle andgrowing wheat and Indian corn. They are democratic in their ideals,insisting upon religions freedom and self-government. On the other handplanters of the Tidewater country are satisfied with things as they are;as the law recognizes their church and they as social and politicalleaders rule the colony insofar as Parliament has delegated authority tothe colonists. They live in great plantation houses conveniently near tonavigable streams; so as to have access and a highway to the ocean. Thestreams swarm with small craft which furnish a way of social intercoursebetween plantations and a gateway to salt water.
"About fifteen years ago eastern Virginia was very prosperous. It wasthe golden age of the planter. In 1758 the colony exported seventythousand hogsheads of tobacco; but its culture is declining, labor isdearer, the land is becoming impoverished and there are threatenedembargoes and even a prospect of war with the mother country; whichwould destroy the industry and bankrupt the planters, as its growing isalmost wholly for export. The labor in its production is severe, theinitial outlay is great and the plantations growing it buy all theirfood and forage. Its almost exclusive cultivation and facilities forwater transportation has given a fictitious value to land alongnavigable streams and created the slave and bond-servant market, whichin my opinion is a curse to Virginia.
"I therefore advise that you cross the mountains into the VirginiaValley and there buy a considerable acreage, if possible partlyimproved, and engage in raising cattle and growing wheat and Indiancorn, for which products there is always a demand and a local market."
His visitors were not only grateful for, but were impressed by theadvice he gave them and told him they intended to follow it. Then afteran exchange of invitations and pleasant farewells, they joined theirwives in the capitol grounds as had been arranged and returned bycarriage to the landing; where, hailing their boat, they were takenaboard and the voyage resumed.
A short while after re-embarking they passed Jamestown, where the firstEnglish colony in America maintained an almost futile effort forexistence against starvation, the lowland fevers and, worse still, thedissensions and jealousies of their leaders. Little was left of the oldsettlement. On the low ground a few tumbling ruins washed by the tidemarked the town-site; and on a point above, some ivy grown walls andmoss covered, weather stained tombstones with half obliteratedinscriptions marked the site of a once pretentious church.
They knew the history of those first colonists; how landing they spreadan old sail overhead from the trees, "to shadow them from the sunne,"and all, one hundred and five, gave thanks to God. How in a few days,they had a more substantial place of worship, where they held "dailycommon prayer, morning and evening, every Sunday two sermons and everythree months holy communion." Here also in 1612 they built "an hospitalwith four score lodgings--for the sick and wounded or lame, with keepersto attend them for their comfort and recoverie."
How in that first winter, when their food was exhausted, Pocahontas camewith burden bearers, bringing hampers of venison and corn, which "savedmany of their lives, that else, for all this had starved of hunger." Howyears later, Captain John Smith writing of her to the Queen said:"During the time of two or three years, she next to God, was still theinstrument to preserve this colony from death, famine and utterconfusion, which if in those days had once been dissolved, Virginiamight have lain as it was at our first arrival to this day."
During the voyage from Norfolk to Richmond, the party learned much ofthe country and the people. Archibald Campbell wrote his fatherdescribing people and country:
"The shores of the broad, sluggish, brackish river are a succession oftobacco and corn fields or marshy overflowed land. The plantation
houses, usually of lumber, have a dozen rooms; and as the family growsin size or importance, wings are added to the main building to meetdemands. The houses are furnished in such style as to indicate thattobacco, if not now, has been a paying crop.
"The men and women of the planter class dress in clothing imported fromEngland or France. The men wear camlet coats, lace ruffles, bluewaistcoat and trousers of broadcloth or velvet; and their shoes areadorned with silver buckles. You should see the women! They weargorgeous silk and satin gowns of bright colors; their bonnets andpetticoats are trimmed with silver and gold lace; their stomachers andmantles are ornate and gorgeously colored.
"They seem to have everything to eat. Food is cheap and abundant. Greatflocks of duck and geese feed in the salt marshes; they get fish andoysters from the shallows and inlets; deer and wild turkey are common inthe swamps and in the interior. Their orchards furnish fruit; and theyhave such vegetables as we grow in England and also native melons,cymlins, pumpkins and Indian corn.
"At the public gatherings and entertainments the planters and smallfarmers are inclined to a spirit of carousal, but not more so than theEnglish country gentleman.
"Dancing is commonly engaged in; cards and dice are the gambling games;the livelier outdoor sports are horse and boat racing, wolf drives, foxhunting, turkey shooting and at night coon hunts; while fishing, giggingor striking by torchlight, nine pins and competitive marksmanship arethe quieter outdoor sports.
"Weddings, muster and court days are general holidays. A wedding is aseason of extravagant and protracted gayety, lasting a week. Guests inthe main come from considerable distances, in their private barges or incarriages, or on horseback, with their wives and daughters riding behindon pillions. All are entertained at the plantation house, usuallyremaining for several days.
"The law requires all to attend church. Thus great crowds gather andmingle, not alone for worship, but before and after the service, forsocial and business intercourse. Many bring their dinners in hampers andfriends gathering in groups share a common spread. The women thusexhibit their latest gowns and the men talk politics, trade horses andbarter for tobacco.
"The plantation house is the community center and from it a lavishhospitality is dispensed. The planters are jealous of their social andpolitical honors, which seem attached as prerogatives to the plantation.They even object to the establishment of a church in the neighborhood ofthe one supported by the plantation. They intermarry with theneighboring planter's family; and are slow to take up a stranger, thoughof good family.
"At Curles landing, at the site of the old Nathaniel Bacon plantation,we were given and accepted an invitation to spend the night. The housewas a ten room structure, built upon an eminence overlooking distantreaches of the river. Its white stuccoed walls and commodious pillaredporch, made it very distinguishable in contrast with the background ofgreen timbered hills. Four less pretentious buildings flanked eachcorner and back of all were the whitewashed cabins of the 'quarters.'
"The dining room walls were decorated with English hunting scenes and agreat sideboard held the silver and pewter ware. The library had manyshelves of books, quite a few of which were Elzevir editions. The wallsof the hall were covered with portraits of a cavalier ancestry. All thefurniture of the lower floor was of solid mahogany and imported.
"Two sons of the family are attending Cambridge and have not been homefor a year. The daughter who is at home is to be married before theChristmas holidays.
"Judging by Mr. Lee and his visitor, the planters are essentiallyEnglish; having all of the Englishman's pride of race and love for home.They spoke of England as home, until the conversation turned toEngland's right to tax the colony and the law requiring tobacco to beexported in British bottoms; then they flared up, declaring: 'We of thecolony will never submit to such unjust and arbitrary laws; and ifnecessary will fight before submitting to such tyranny.'
"We are now at Richmond, which was first called 'None Such,' then ForteCharles, then was known as Byrd's Warehouse. The town, founded byColonel Byrd, was incorporated in 1742."
Voices; Birth-Marks; The Man and the Elephant Page 8