Bacon's Rebellion

16              NARRATIVES OF THE INSURRECTIONS      [1675

more at South-West; Thirty five Degrees high, Streaming
like a horse Taile Westerwards, untill it reach'd (almost) the
Horrison, and Setting towards the Northwest.

     Another was, Flights of Pigeons in breadth nigh a Quarter
of the Mid-Hemisphere, and of their Length was no visible
End; Whose Weights brake down the Limbs of Large Trees
whereupon these rested at Nights, of which the Fowlers Shot
abundance and Eat 'em; This Sight put the old Planters
under the more Portentous Apprehensions, because the like
was Seen (as they said) in the year 1640 When th' Indians
Committed the last Massacre, but not after, untill that pres-
ent Year 1675.

     The Third strange Appearance was Swarms of Flyes about an Inch long, and big as the Top of a Man's little finger, rising
out of Spigot Holes in the Earth, which Eat the New Sprouted
Leaves from the Tops of the Trees without other Harm, and
in a Month left us.

     My Dwelling was in Northumberland, the lowest County
on Potomack River, Stafford being the upmost;¹ where having
also a Plantation, Servant's, Cattle, etc, My Overseer there
had agreed with one Robt. Hen to come thither, and be my
Herdsman, who then Lived Ten Miles above it; But on a
Sabbath day Morning in the summer Anno 1675, People in
their Way to Church, Saw this Hen lying th'wart his Threshold,
and an Indian without the Door, both Chopt on their Heads,
Arms and other Parts, as if done with Indian Hatchetts. Th'
Indian was dead, but Hen when ask'd who did that? Answered
"Doegs Doegs,"² and soon Died, then a Boy came out from
under a Bed, where he had hid himself, and told them, Indians
had come at break of day and done those Murders.

     From this Englishman's bloud did (by Degrees) arise
Bacons Rebellion with the following Mischiefs which Over-
spread all Virginia and twice endangerd Maryland, as by the
ensuing Account is Evident.

—————————

¹ Of all the counties in Virginia Stafford lay farthest from Jamestown, being
a frontier region a hundred miles away by land and much more by water. North-
umberland lay on the lower Potomac, forming with Lancaster, Westmoreland,
Richmond and King George, the Northern Neck, that is, the land between the
Potomac and Rappahannock River, in width from nine to thirty miles, and in
area a scant thousand square miles.

² The Doegs were an Indian tribe dwelling in Maryland.