564 INDIAN LAND CfeSSIONS IN THE UNITED STATES Ieth.ann. 18 



the natives. 'Tis true, the ciroumstauees of the parties admitted not a fair and legal 

 purchase; and after the massacre, the Indians were stripped of their inheritance 

 without the shadow of justice. 



The special items, however, upon which this verdict appears to have 

 been founded are hrief and nusatisfactory. It is only after the dissolu- 

 tion of the company in 1G24 and the records of the general assembly 

 are reached, that the policy of Yirginia in regard to the Indian title is 

 clearly set forth. 



According to Stith,i Powhatan's "hereditary countries were only 

 Powhatan, Arroliatock, about twelve miles down, which hath since been 

 corrupted to Haddihaddocks, Appamatock, Youghtanund, Pamnnkey, 

 and Mattapony, to which may be added, Werowocomoco and Kiskiack, 

 or as it hath since been called Cheesecake, between Williamsburg and 

 York. All the rest were his Conquests; and they were bounded on the 

 South by James river, with all its Branches, from the Mouth to the 

 Falls, and so across the Country, nearly as high as the Falls of all the 

 great Elvers over Patowmack even to Patuxen in Maryland. And 

 some Nations also on the Eastern Shore owned Subjection to him." 



In 1009 Smith purchased of Powhatan the place called Powhatan, 

 which had formerly been this chief's residence. The conditions of this 

 agreement, as given by Stith (page 104), were as foUows: "That tlie 

 English should defend him against the Manakiiis; that he [Powhatan] 

 should resign to them the fort and the houses, with all that country, 

 for a proportion of copper," etc. The extent of territoi-y included under 

 "all that country" is unknown. 



It also appears from Stith (page 140) that in 1616 the Indians, being 

 much straitened for food, applied, through their chief, to Sir Thomas 

 Dale, then governor of the English colony, for corn. 



Sir Thomas Dale, among the many Praises, justly due to his Administration, had 

 heen particularly careful of the Supplies of Life; and had, accordingly, always 

 caused so much Corn to he planted, that the Colony lived in great Plenty and Abun- 

 dance. Nay, whereas they had formerly heen constrained, to huy Corn of the 

 Indians Ve.arly, which exposed them to much Scorn and Difficulty, the Case was so 

 much altered under his Management, that the Indians sometimes ajiplied to the 

 English, and would sell the very Skius from their Shoulders for Corn. And to some 

 of their petty Kings, Sir Thomas lent four or five hundred Bushels; for Repaymgut 

 whereof the next Year, he took a Mortgage of their whole countries. 



Whether the Indians' claim that this was repaid was conceded, or was 

 true, is not known. Nothing further than an application for corn by 

 Mr Yeardly and a refusal by the Indians to furnish it is recorded. 



In 1618 a party of Chickahomiuy killed a number of persons, and 

 complaint was made to Oi)echancauough, who was their chief. In reply 

 he sent a basket of earth to the governor as an evidence that the town 

 of the aggres.sors was given to the English. 



It appears incidentally from Burk's History that a treaty was con- 

 cluded with the Indians in 1G36, fixing their boundary line, but no par- 



' History of Virginia, Sabin's reprint, pp. 53-54. 



