Page:Economic History of Virginia Vol 1.djvu/58

 on the Moratoc, the modern Roanoke, as to the salt sea in the West. That Smith, however, was stating precisely what he had been told, uncolored either by the previous relation of Lane or a natural eagerness to advance the fortunes of the Colony in England, is disclosed in the report of Francis Maguel, a Spanish subject who had passed eight months at Jamestown sometime previous to 1610. According to Maguel, the Indians asserted that on the other side of Virginia, close to the sea, there was a land, the inhabitants of which wore wide silk dresses and bright colored buckskins; that they had much gold; and that ships were in the habit of coming to that country to get from them these precious materials. Maguel even affirmed that the aborigines had shown to the English in Virginia, knives and other articles obtained by them in barter from these strangers in the West. Molina another Spanish subject who resided as a captive in the Colony for several years, stated, in 1611, that the Indians held the belief that it was only sixteen or eighteen days&#8217; journey from Virginia to the South Sea.

There were three routes which might be followed in an attempt to reach its shores. The first led directly from the head of the Powhatan to the salt water and lay entirely on land. The second, after leaving the Powhatan, ran to a second river, which emptied into the South Sea. The overland journey front river to river would only consume a day and a half in its accomplishment. The third route took the direction of the northwest. At a distance of twelve days&#8217; journey from the head of the Powhatan, there were found four large rivers, fourteen leagues from