OCR Text |
Show Page 54 moved at his shoulder and it was then I noticed the queerest thing of all. The Indian had three holes in each ear and from one dangled a small green and yellow snake. A living green and yellow snake! I stood with my mouth agawp at the sight of the man. For once I was glad of the presence of Richard Kean, though he, too, seemed somewhat awestruck upon seeing his first Indian, As we hurried on toward the river, I told myself it was a fine figure of a man I had just seen and only the strangeness of his dress and ornament made him different from the man who walked at my side. Still, I doubted I would ever feel comfortable around a savage. Waiting for us on board the shallop were the three Johns, Anne and Cisly. Another boat had sailed to the settlement a few hours earlier, carrying three other men with their three new brides. It was a perfect afternoon for sailing, quite warm but with a breeze to cool our brows. Anne and I settled ourselves comfortably while the men hoisted sail and pointed the boat downriver. After we were well underway, John Boys said, "It is ten miles to Martin's Hundred, and even though the tide is with us, it will be after dusk ere we reach it. But methinks the journey will not be tiresome for you who are new to Virginia. |