Searching for Silver

Searching for Silver. Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail. The English were eager to find precious metals that could be exported for profit, as instructed by their sponsors , the Virginia Company of London. They learned that a black substance with silver glitters came from the Patawomeck tribe, who lived along what is now called the Potomac River. Smith located the tribe near here in the summer of 1608., The Patawomeck leader agreed to send guides to show Smith a matchqueon mine at the head of today's Aquia Creek. Smith reported that the Indians dug out the substance with shells and hatchets, "put it in little bags and (sold] it all over the country to paint their bodies, faces, or idols." But the "glistering metal" did not contain silver and proved of no value to the English., ...Inquiring still for this matchqueon, the king of Patawomecke gave us guides to conduct us up a little river called Quiyough [Aquia], up which we rowed so high as we dcould.: , , Captain John Smith, The General History of Virginia, 1624, The caption for the photograph on the right reads: , Descendents of the Patawomeck people still live in this area today. Patawomeck Chief Emeritus Robert Green, demonstrating traditional regalia, shows a dugout canoe to a young visitor at Historic Jamestowne.