September 8th, 1650 (August 29th, old date), to the Meherrin town in which they arrived after nightfall the same day. This Meherrin town can be located with some accuracy on the north bank of the Meherrin River, two miles west of the present town of Emporia, more specifically two miles west of the old ford formerly known as Hick’s ford at Emporia, Virginia. Bland’s account (1912:118-19) of this town is more revealing:
It was night when we entered into Maharineck, where we found a house ready made for us of Matts: and corn stalkes layd in several places for our horses, the inhabitants standing, according to their custome, to greet us; and after some discourse with their Werrowance, a Youth, to whom we presented severall gifts, we certified to them the cause of our coming was to trade in way of friendship, and desired the great men, that what Wares or skings the Town did afford, might be brought to our Quarters next morning; and also a measure for Roanoke, which they promised should be done, and so left us to our selves a while, until we had refreshed ourselves with such provisions as they had set before us, in a most plentiful manner; and afterwards the great men and inhabitants came and performed divers ceremonies and danced before us
The following day, September 9th (August 30th, old date),
the Bland party remained in the Meherrin town where presumably they engaged in trading and by his own description interviewed a number of persons concerning the land and Indian groups to the south. The following description (1912:120) of events of September 9th are preserved
This day in the morning the Meharineck great men spake to heare some of our guns go off. Whereupon we shot two guns at a small marke, both hitting it, and at so great a distance of a hundred paces, or more, that the Indians admired at it. And a little before night the Old King Maharineck came to us, and told us, that the people in the Towne were afraid when the guns went off, and ran all away into the Woods. This night also we had much
July 17, 1670 John Lederer arrives in the Meherrin town of Menchooerink (Maherineck, Mendaerink).
