2  SMITHSONIAN    MISCELLANEOUS    COLLECTIONS  VOL.    96 
DISCOVERY  OF  THE  RAPPAHANNOCK 
At  the  time  of  the  establishment  of  Jamestown,  May  1607,  many 
settlements  of  Algonquian  tribes  stood  on  the  banks  of  the  Rappa- 
hannock, from  the  mouth  of  the  stream  far  inland  to  the  vicinity 
of  the  falls  or  rapids  near  the  present  city  of  Fredericksburg.  Some 
were  comparatively  large  villages  with  smaller  camps  nearby. 
The  river  was  first  explored  by  the  colonists  late  in  the  summer 
of  the  following  year,  1608,  when  they  penetrated  the  wilderness 
as  far  as  the  falls  and  there  came  in  contact  with  the  Manahoac 
tribes  who  claimed  the  lands  to  the  westward. 
As  the  English  advanced  up  the  Rappahannock  from  the  Chesa- 
peake, they  saw  many  native  villages,  and  when  near  the  settlement 
of  the  Rapahanock,  probably  in  the  present  Richmond  County, 
opposite  the  town  of  Tappahannock,  they  were  treacherously  at- 
tacked by  the  Indians  but  escaped  injury.  A  short  time  before 
reaching  the  Rapahanock  village  the  English  were  joined  by  the 
friendly  Indian  Mosco,  who  later  served  them  as  guide  and  inter- 
preter. They  continued  up  the  river  and  discovered  other  Algonquian 
camps  and  villages,  and  to  quote  from  the  narrative  (p.  426)  : '  "  The 
Kings  of  Pissassack,  N andtaughtacund,  and  Cuttatawomen,  used  us 
kindly,  and  all  their  people  neglected  not  any  thing  to  Mosco  to  bring 
us  to  them."  The  three  villages  will  again  be  mentioned,  and  the  sites 
described. 
The  brief  accounts  that  have  been  preserved  of  the  encounter  of 
the  English  with  the  Manahoac,  who  had  gathered  just  above  the 
large  island,  are  of  the  greatest  interest  and  importance.  And  as 
related  by  the  Manahoac  Indian  from  Hassininga,  through  the 
Algonquian  interpreter,  while  in  the  vicinity  of  the  falls  they  were 
near  "  the  bounds  betwixt  the  Kingdome  of  the  Mannahocks  and  the 
N audtaughtacwids."  Thus  it  appears  that  the  latter  name  was  applied 
to  the  Algonquian  group  that  occupied  the  country  along  the  Rappa- 
hannock just  below  the  falls,  and  therefore  nearest  neighbors  of  the 
Siouan  or  Manahoac  tribes.  Again  when  referring  to  the  Rappa- 
hannock (p.  348)  : 
Upon  this  river  on  the  North  side  are  the  people  Cuttatawomen,  with  30  fight- 
ing men.  Higher  are  the  Moraughtacunds,  with  80.  Beyond  them  Rapahanock 
with  100.  Far  above  is  another  Cuttatan'omen  with  20.  On  the  South  is  the 
pleasant  seat  of  Nantaughtacund  having  150  men.  This  river  ...  is  replen- 
ished with  fish  and  foule. 
^  Smith,  Capt.  John,  The  generall  historic  of  Virginia,  1624.  All  references  to 
Smith's  writings  are  quoted  from  the  English  Scholar's  Library  edition,  edited  by 
Edward  Arber,  Birmingham,  England,  1884. 
