^J,°o^j,^ey] monacan early history. 27 



tribal names given by Smith are approxiinatioiis to the uaines used by 

 the tribes themselves. The prefix mOj mo, or man, which occurs in all 

 of them, may be the Sioiian ma", "earth" or "country." Monahassa- 

 nugh is the Nahyssan of Lederer, and Monasickapanough may possi- 

 bly be the original of Sai)oni. 



The principal village of the Monacan in Smith's time was Rasau 

 weak or Rassawek, located in the fork of James and Kivanna rivers, 

 in what is now Fluvanna county, Virginia. The village known sixty 

 years later as "Monacan Town" was identical with the Mowhem[en]- 

 cho or Massinnacack of Smith's map (Smith, 9). 



The English having established themselves at Jamestown and 

 explored the bay and the lower courses of the principal rivers, were 

 anxious to penetrate the interior toward the head of the James, with 

 an eye particularly to the discovery of minerals. In this connection 

 it may be stated that coal was afterward discovered and worked with 

 profit near the Monacan town. To accomplish their ])urpose the more 

 readily they strove to obtain the aid of Powhatan under the specious 

 pretext of revenging him upon the Monacan, but the proud chieftain, 

 jealous of the encroachments of the strangers, replied that he could 

 avenge his own injuries, and refused to lend them guides or assist them 

 in any way. Finally, in the fall of 1608, a party of 120 men under 

 Newport set out from the falls of the James and marched about 40 

 miles inland up the river, returning in about a week, after having dis- 

 covered two of the Monacan villages, Massinacak and Mowhemen- 

 chouch. They evidently met no friendly reception from the Monacan, 

 which is hardly to be wondered at in view of the fact that the whites 

 were scheming to induce the Powhatan to make war upon that tribe 

 in order to get possession of their country. As Powhatan had refused 

 to furnish guides, they seized a Monacan chief, and, after tying him, 

 forced him to go with them and point out the way, which was not con- 

 ducive to friendlier feelings in future contacts. After making trial of 

 several mineral deposits, they returned without having accomplished 

 much in the way of either discovery or negotiation with the Indians 

 (Smith, 10). This was the first entry into the IMonacan country. 



In the next year (1609) the P^ngiish made a settlement at the falls of 

 the James, in the immediate vicinity of the principal residence of Pow- 

 hatan. The site chosen proving unfavorable, they coolly proposed to 

 Powhatan that he should surrender to them his own favorite village 

 and further pay a yearly tribute of corn for the pleasure of their com- 

 pany, or else give them the Monacan country, as though it was his to 

 give. The old chief made no bargain, but in a short time his people 

 were loud in their complaints that the English, who had i)romised to 

 protect them from their enemies, were worse neighbors than the IMona- 

 can themselves (Smith, 11). 



After this no more was heard of the Monacan for sixty years. The 

 English were settled on their border, and of course were constantly 



