688 BUREAU OP AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 137 



Farther on we read : 



Their chief attempts are by stratagems, surprizes, and trecheries, yet the 

 weroances, women, or children, they put not to death, but keep them captives. 

 They have a method in warre, and for a pleasure Powhatan would needs have 

 yt shewed once to our people, and yt was in this manner performed at Matta 

 panient. 



Having painted and disguised themselves in the fairest manner they could 

 devise, they devided themselves into two companies, well neere one hundred in 

 a company ; the one company they called Monacan's, the other Powhatan's, eyther 

 army had their captaine. These (as enemies) took their stand a muskett shott 

 one from another, rancking themselves fifteen abreast, and each ranck from 

 other four or five yardes, not in file, but in the opening betwixt their files, so as 

 the reare could shoot as convenyently as the front. Having tlius pitched the 

 field, from eyther part went a messenger with condicions that whosoever were 

 vanquished, such as escaped, upon their submission or comying in, though two 

 daies after, should live, but their wives and childrene should be prize for the 

 conquerors. The messengers were no soner returned, but they approached in 

 their orders, on each flank a serjeant, and in the reare an officer for lieutenant, 

 all duly keeping their rancks, yet leaping and singing after their accustomed 

 tune, which they use only in warrs. Upon the first flight of arrowes, they gave 

 such horrible showts and scritches as so many infernall helhounds; when they 

 had spent their arrowes they joyned togither prettily, charging and retiring, 

 every ranck seconding other. As they gett advantage, they catch their enemies 

 by the haire of their head, and downe he came that was taken ; his enemy, with a 

 woodden sword, seemed to beat out his braines, and still they crept to the reare 

 to mayntayne the skyrmish. The Monocans decreasing, the Powhatans charged 

 them in forme of a halfe moone; they, unwilling to be inclosed, fled all in a 

 troupe to their ambuscadoes, on whome they led them very cunningly. The 

 Monocans disperst themselves among the freshmen, whereupon the Powhatans 

 retired themselves with all speed to their seconds, which the Monocans seeing, 

 tooke that advantage to retire againe to theire owne battaile, and each returned 

 to theire owne quarter. All their accion, voices, and gestures, both in chardging 

 and retiring, were so strayned to the height of their quality and nature, that 

 the strangness thereof made yt seeme very delightfull. (Strachey, 1849, 

 pp. 107-108.) 



Spelman supplies us with a picture of warfare among the Chesa- 

 peajie Bay tribes from direct observation : 



They neuer fight in open fields but always ether amonge reede or behind trees 

 takinge ther oportunitie to shoot at ther enimies and till they can nocke another 

 arrow they make the trees ther defence. 



In y" time that I was ther I sawe a Battell fought betwene the Patomeck and 

 the Masomeck, ther place where they fought was a marish ground full of Reede. 

 Beinge in the cuntry of the Patomecke the peopel of Masomeck weare brought 

 thether in Canoes which is a kind of Boate they haue made in the forme of an 

 Hoggs trowgh But sumwhat more hollowed in, On Both sids they scatter them 

 selues sum litle distant one from the other, then take they ther bowes and arrows 

 and hauinge made ridie to shoot they softly steale toward ther enimies, Sumtime 

 squattinge doune and priinge if they can spie any to shoot at whom if at any 

 time he so Hurteth that he can not flee they make hast to him to knock hiui on 

 the heade. And they that kill most of ther enimies are heald the cheafest men 

 amonge them ; Drums and Trumpetts they haue none, but when they will gather 

 themselues togither they haue a kind of Howlinge or Howbabub so dilferinge 



