armed boats. They were generally so badly manned as seldom to be in condition for service. Since the perfect possession of our rivers assumed by the enemy, I believe we are left with a single armed boat only.
QUERY XI.
A DESCRIPTION OF THE INDIANS ESTABLISHED IN THAT STATE?
When the first effectual settlement of our Colony was made,
which was in 1607, the country from the sea-coast to the
mountains, and from Patowmac to the most southern waters of James
River, was occupied by upwards of forty different tribes of
Indians. Of these the Powhatans, the Mannahoacs, and
Monacans, were the most powerful. Those between the sea-coast
and falls of the rivers, were in amity with one another, and
attached to the Powhatans as their link of union. Those
between the falls of the rivers and the mountains, were divided
into two confederacies; the tribes inhabiting the head waters
of Patowmac and Rappahanoc being attached to the
Mannahoacs, and those on the upper parts of James River to the
Monacans. But the Monacans and their friends were in amity
with the Mannahoacs and their friends, and waged joint and
perpetual war against the Powhatans. We are told that the
Powhatans, Mannahoacs, and Monacans, spoke languages so
radically different that interpreters were necessary when they
transacted business. Hence we may conjecture that this was
not the case between all the tribes, and probably that each
spoke the language of the nation to which it was attached,
which we know to have been the case in many particular
instances. Very possibly there may have been anciently three
