First Nations of Virginia:
Examining Documents, Past and Present
By Pamela McFaden Lobb
Drawings and Writings
By John White and Thomas Hariot, 1585
John White is best remembered for his watercolors of the flora,
fauna, and first people of Virginia and the Carolinas. In 1585 he was one of the original 107 settlers of England's first
colony of Virginia (now Maneo, North Carolina). A year later he returned to England with
Sir Francis Drake and in 1587, he returned to Virginia as governor of the colony,
bringing 150 men with him. But needing more supplies, he soon returned to England where
problems detained him until 1590. By then the English settlers were not to be found and
this first Virginia colony became known as "The Lost Colony."
Thomas Hariot also traveled to the Virginia colony in 1585. As a
surveyor and historian, he wrote a book about the native peoples and their land called,
A Brief and True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia. In 1590 it was
republished with engravings of John White's watercolors.
Picture 1. The Town of Secota
- What is the purpose of the drawing? Who is the audience?
- Describe the houses in the drawing.
- Are there any other structures in the drawing?
- Does the drawing depict the village as White would have seen it, or does he
represent many activities common of the people? Explain your answer using examples
from the drawing.
- What is familiar in the picture? What is foreign? Why?
- What conclusions can you draw from this drawing?
- What questions does this drawing raise?
Picture 2. How They Build Their Boats
- What is happening in the drawing? Describe the four activities in the drawing. What
else do you notice in the drawing?
- What does the information in the drawing tell you
about the time period, that is, what is the historical context of the drawing?
- What conclusions can you draw from this drawing?
- What questions does this drawing raise?
Picture 3. How They Catch Their Fish
- Look at the entire drawing. What information exists in the foreground, the
background, and the sides?
- Describe what is inside the canoe.
- Does there seem to be an abundance of natural resources? Explain your answer
using examples from the drawing.
- Who appears to be in charge of fishing?
Picture 4. How They Cook Their Fish
- Describe the different tools shown in this drawing.
- Describe the people.
- What generalizations can you make from this drawing?
Picture 5. The Tomb of the Woroans
- What is happening in the drawing?
- What is the artist’s purpose?
- What generalizations can you make about the status of the deceased people?
- What does this infer about the society?
- Do you need more information to interpret this drawing? If so, where might you
find it?
Picture 6. The Town of Pomeiock
- Compare this drawing to picture 1, The Town of Secota. How are they different?
How are they similar?
- Why would a palisaded village be necessary?
- What questions does this drawing raise?
Picture 7. How
the Chief Ladies of the Town of Dasamonquepeio Dress and Carry Their Children
- Examine the entire drawing. What information is presented in the background?
- Describe the women's dress.
- What conclusions can you draw from this drawing?
Picture 8. An Old Man in His Winter Clothes
- Compare the village in the background of this drawing to pictures 1 and 6. Make
a list of similarities and differences.
- Describe the man's clothes and compare them to other garments in the drawings.
- What new information does this drawing present?
Picture 9. The Marks of the Chief Men of Virginia
- Examine this drawing. What information can you gather from this drawing?
- What did Hariot mean by using the word "chief' for pictures 7 and 9?
- What other information does this drawing present?
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