[Apparently, the eye of an axe is the space in the iron where the wooden handle is inserted. Probably the iron part, without the handle, was affixed to a tree or similar support. If an arrow went through the eye, it could embed itself in the tree showing that it had, in fact, gone through the eye.]
[With John Fontaine at Christanna on April 19, 1716.]
" The seventh day. Christiana . After breakfast we assembled ourselves, and read the Common Prayer. There was with us eight of the Indian boys who answered very well to the prayers and understood what was read. After prayers we dined and in the afternoon we walked abroad to see the land which is well timbered and very good. We returned to the Fort and supped. Nothing remarkable.
[April 20, 1716.] "The eighth day. Christiana . About ten in the morning there came to the fort ten of the Meherrin Indians to trade, laden with beaver, deer and bear skins, for our Indian Company have goods here for that purpose. They delivered up their arms to the white men of the fort, and left their skins and furs there also. Those Indians would not lie in the Indian town but went in the woods where they lay until such time as they had done trading. The Governor and I we laid out an avenue about a half mile long, which gave us employment enough this day.
" April [21,] 1716. Christiana. The ninth day . About seven in the morning we got a horseback and were just out of the fort when the cannon fired. We passed down by the Indian town, where they had notice that the Governor was returning, so they got of their young men ready with their arms, and one of their old men at the head of them, and assured the governor they were sorry he would leave them, but that they would guard him safe to the Inhabitants, which they pressed upon him so that he was forced to accept it. They were all a foot, so the governor to compliment the head of the Indian party lent him his lead horse, but after we had rid about a mile we came to a ford of the Meherrin River, and we put in, but being mistaken in our water mark, we were sometimes obliged to make our horses swim, but got over safe. The Indian Chief seeing that, he unsaddles his horse, and strips himself all to his belt and clout that covered his nakedness, and forded over the river leading the horse after him. The fancy of the Indian made us merry for a while. The day being warm and the Indian not accustomed to ride, before we went two miles, the horse threw him down, but he had courage enough to mount again, and by the time we had got a mile further he was so terribly galled that he was forced to dismount and desired that the Governor to take his horse, and could not imagine what good they were for, if it was not to cripple the Indians. We were forced to ride easy that we make [might] keep company with our Indian Guard, who accompanied us as far as a river called Nottoway river, which taketh its name from the Nottoway Indians, who formerly lived upon this river."
{Note from GWD, Webmaster: "Galled": The Indian Chief was riding bareback, with his bare buttocks on the horse. The friction between his buttocks and the horses back "chaffed" or "blistered" the skin, making it look like a terrible rash. Very, very painfjul!]
We gratefully acknowledge the work of John Blankenbaker who published over 2,500 Germanna History Notes via the Germanna-L@rootsweb.com email list from 1997 to 2008. We are equally thankful to George Durman (Sgt. George) for hosting the list and republishing the notes via rootsweb.com.