JOTII^ SMITH late. President jj/C^/iy Afai&/ties Qiony of TDiTPinia ^OHN S]V:iTH hirArmi % Class _JF^M. Rnnk .04 Ala. % 2Z.MARVEL0VS DMY late H^rafidetit oflfis J\Taiejties (pi on %ENTLYi)lSCOVEREB at HOTEL CS/JMBE^LIJ^ Ould Poynt Comfort \Dtr21n1a ^^*i£^" I' 9?^e an> if^ Lnef thctjhow thy Jhc€,but iho;c Jhatjhow thy grace and glory brighUr b^: 7Jy Fairc T>ffcouverkj and Jhw/e OvertAra^JJ, Of Salvooer, much CiviJJiZcd by theK^^ ^cftjhcw ihy 6pirii and to li QJory ^^^ i3o. if)ou art S)rQj'je wlt/)out but Qo/dc wiihio. IN tlie confvsion into TyKicli my mind had fallen dvring tKc covr sc of cuents herein stated, ^_ it seemcth best to me to set down in my Diaric the record thereof, truly pictured by mine own hand« transi K&nd, lest mine enemies charge the re- markable experiences which have befallen me to the mere extrauagance of trau- eller's tales, as theyhaue done iforetime to my greate cost. sporit^d i^ Captaine lohn Smith, sometime T7tv9n^teiA head of the fighting forces m His C»nH,ria Most Gracious Majesties colony of Virginia, and later President thereof, ffoddenlie find myself transported bodilte into the Twentieth Centvrie and in the midst of a ciuilization not wotted of in the rvde bvt stirring times which ex- isted in this same faire Virginia some three hvndred years ago, and in which / may say that / took no small part. T had been noised about for some time in the realm of Spirits, where- in / now dwell, that svch vast changes had taken place in the three hvndred years since / landed in the faire domain of ^/v£ //vy^tf. CH/{M6%'M Virginia, that the gouer- nof of the province had determined to celebrate with greate acclaim and mvch val- iant show of the arts both of Wa r r e and Peace the three hvndredth an- I nivefsaric of ovr landing. It may be well ( conceived by mortals that the celebra- 1 tion of this euent, fravght with so mvch of honovr, covid not fail to be of greate moment to me, euen thovgh so many years have elapsed since / departed from those stirring scenes of strife and dis- couerie. Hence / determined to feuish that land of fairc Virginia, wherein / had gained svch well deserued renown and fame, hoping that some trace might be had of the scenes which were so viuid- lic connected with my sovldier days. With this determination did / set forth indof a svdden fovndmyself transported, in a semblance of my bodilie presence, to these shores, familiar, yet vnfamiliar to mine eyes. / know not for what period this embodiment may endvrc, hence J rcu/s// 1^ try in IS 9//ap o/'y« Covntrjf Ou/dSPoyni hence / was moved me to reuisit with what speed / might the scenes in which my variovs aduentvres took place. My experiences / have set down at length, for the confovnding of mine enemies, who haue not hesitated to declare an Kf?l- muention of mine own euen the stone of my escape from death at the hands of Salvages throvgh the interuention of Pocahontas, the davghter of Chief Powhatan, which is set down at length in my **General Historic of Virginia/' RULIE tKe changes whicK liaue taken place in this erstwhile wilder- ness since my explor- ation of it in 1609 passes all belief. Here.atO/c/ Poynt Comfort, named by Captalne Nuport for its safe harbovr in times of storm and stress, is located mine inn, a stately mansion the like of which His Most Graciovs Majestic King lames might gladlie haue inhabited, and possessed of diuers most strange and wondrovs comforts and conuen- iences vnknown to that most wise and gentle Sotreign, lERE is now located a Fort, vnlike in all re- spects to that Fort Atycrnon, which once I stroue to protect the settlers of this delightsome region, Yea, Cra/i £A, and here be gathered manie mightie ships of W^arre, svch as mine eyes have never before beholden. The waters of the Bay are thronged ■with craft, so strange and wonderfvl to my sight that / would fain gaze my £11 were / not reminded that my time may, indeed, be short. Manie of these uessels are propelled by an agencie S^bovt 'Hampton called steam, so strange and mystenovs of origin that for avght / can aver to the contfarie the Black Art may be in it all. Euen the vessels which depend vpon the agencie of the winds of Heauen are so altered in form and so greatlie enlarged in size that / can bvt mvse vpon the "wondef of it and wish that svch ships might haue brovght to /f;s Majesties stafu- ing colonists the needed svpplies for the lack of which so manie perished in the black winters of 1609 and 1610. Of of ya F mine inn,yclept Hotel ChamberUn, a uast and svmptvovs build- ing, from whicli the eye may oiew the blve waters of the Bay, I hesitate to set forth the truth at length in these pages, lest belief be impossible to those to whom it is my pvrpose to show them. And yet with longer stay both my interest and wonder so increase, that at risk of disbelief, / mvst discovrse of its wonders. T is of proportions so uast that euen the pal- ace of His Most GracioDs Majestk wovld seem small in comparison, and at euerie hand svch comforts and Ivx- vries as covid not be uovchsafcd to euen goode doeene Anne Herself. Vast corridors and rooms stretch ovt on euerie hand; porches, extended, are in S\mmer opened to the cooling breezes which euer sweep ouer the waters of the Roads, and which in Winter are encloased in glass, wherein one may enjoy the sights of uessels, both of Warre and Peace, which are continvally passing to and fro, or ride at anchor in the peaceful waters which proued so welcome to vs after ovr tempestvovs uoyages in i6oj. This was, indeed, a Poynt of Comfort to vs who braued the then vnknown seas, and a Godlie Prouidence wovld seem to hauc dire<^cd ovr covrse to the fairest spot on aU this shore; for to this day. SPoyni Comfort tnei day, gfeate throngs come to this uast Inn for reffcshment both of mind and bodie. and in all this faire land there is no spot wherein greater aduantage of climate and sport can be had than at this same Foynt of Comfort; for here are gathered faire women and maidens and gallant and wise men from all ouer this uast domain, which has sprung from the vnknown wilderness which once confronted vs. For health, pleasvre and iport do they come, and, methinks the faire maidens do love to congregate here for the sight of the yovng men of Warre, who, in gallant array, do gather at mine inn both from the Fort and the greate ships of Warre, which are continvallie hercabovts, and verilie it would seem that one would be hard pvt to find a place whereat life wovld be the more pleasing to mind or eye than at this mar- uellovs place. As in my day, while we did eat. Minstrels did perform, so here at the hovf for meals did a nvmber of men on diuers of strange instrvments discovrsc sweet tvnes, and for dancing, when the men and maidens do disport themselves in the greate ball-room. Kvng witK lights of strange and Pon- derous bnlliancie. MALL need for food ships now. The ban- quet hall of this faire hostlene is euen vnto me a wonder, not onlie for its wonderovs lights, svch as no ^^ Palace euer knew in the old days, but because the tables groan with such a companie of dishes as wovld arovsc all wonder in the breast of His Majestic himself, who dined not thvs, euen in banqvet state, and ever my mind goes back to the thovght of the banqvct halls of our late illus- trious 2/<, 9^06/9 tfious Queene, for wKom this Vir- ginia was named. Venlie, indeed, the times be changed. and who can doubt that they be changed for the better? Methinks not Captaine lohn Smith, after a meal eaten at mine inn. Hotel Chamberlin, FTER the euening meal do get together all the gvests of the uast Inn m the noble hall, just within the entrance, and while the strains of bewitching mv- sick are heard, do they drink a concoc- tion of a berrie from far off lands, called coffee: and stranger still, do the men smoke tobacco, as did my good friend, Powhatan, to the sootKlng of both mind and bodie. And thvs, witli mvch lavgliter and merrie discovrse, do the hovrs pass away. / wovid that uahant Sovldiers and Saylors were not so plentiful in this Host pleasing region. Oft haue / n bygone hovrs begviled the time in liscovrse which has not proued of little nterest to the maidens gathered nigh. \s time aduances it is my pvrpose, when 11 the gvests are gathered at evening ti the uast apartment known as the ?xc/fan^e, to seek ovt some beavteous laid and haplie relate to her a few of line own thrilling escapes by land and ca. Yet, seemeth it that a clovd of ^l^zers do ever wait vpon these faire dames. m£auffAior mnd 1Dtn0tl not ZTAvs dames, so that mine oppoftvnity may be tardier in coming than pleaseth me. ND yet, even /, Cap- taine lohn Smith, haue had to yield to other Sotldiers, of fewer years, yet not, will / think, of greater ualor. And, yea, let me set it down herein, that I cannot wonder, now that / haue seen the fort at which they gather, its hvge guns movnted upon mightie ramparts, its stovt defences and the skill at arms with which the souldiers are trained in matters of war. The new / '. day has far advanced, and I, alas» am of the old! This morn did / visit the Fori, that Fort which has replaced Fort jf^/,/^ Algernon, which in 1611 protected, j^ as best it might, His Majesties svbjects, somewhat abovt this site. Now, a uast pile of statelie bvildmgs, with moat and earthworks on which are movnted gvns of most prodigiovs size, take the place of ovr poor Stock- ade, manned by fortie Sovldiers with seven poor can noon for their aid. I witnessed, and a greate companie of beavteovs dames and damsels as well, the goodlie spectacle of "parade,"^ when vpon a broad green the men of warre, with statelie, albeit gracefvl mein» did perform manie a strange and won- lerfvl euolution, £tting them to face the foe, with skill and craft. Suns Musick "^^ ^"'^ and 2/ator Parade VSICK ttere was, svck mvsic as might well hearten the Sotldier as lie went forth to war, and dovblie sweet sovnded it in that safe enclosvre, vnder tvge live oaks and vpon a green so faire and beauteous, in the evening sun. Here, at euen, takes place as well, a most faire ceremonie, the men assembled to witness the lowering of the flag, as \& the cvstom at the setting of the sun. And here assemble the faire maidens, as before, that Beauty may smile on Valor, as it was euer since the world began. To-day / aduentvred forth from the t landing at the Chamherlin to witness the maruels of a modern ship of Warre — a fghting ship of svch size and strength that scarce dare / to set down its muentions. Alack, how small and poor seem compared to them were the fghting uessels of mine own day ! Tte greate Armada which, her late Most GracjoDS Majestic did uentvre forth would appear a mere hvddic of insig- nificant sayles, it seemeth, compared to this greate ocean fort rocking vpon the faire waters of Hampton Roads. S<9 Sr0mt9 fl/arr9 OR are the gallant offi- cers of these greate warre-ships a whit behind the Sovldiers in their attentions and deuotions to the faire sex. The gvests of this greate Inn are suef welcome on board these hvge cara- vels; for euer haue the mysteries of the sea been of interest to the dwellers vpon (the shore. Small Shallops are euer iarting to and fro laden with those to i^hom the greate armament and hvge engines Say/orjt engines of these mightie ships of warre arc always mysteriovs and interesting. Nor is it always the sight of these greate machines that calleth the faire maids on l)oard them. Manie a time, as Will Shakespeare doth pvt it, **Grim visaged Warre doth smooth his wrinkled front;" and to the sweet strains of mvsick often vpon the decks of these greate ships, 'mid pomp and circum- stance of warre doth the faire maids and gallant men dance and make merrie. So thvs, in this fauored spot, doth the attractions of the sea uie with those of the land : and it doth seem to me that the fairc maidens hereabovt are mvch pvt to choose between the sons of Mars and those of Neptvne. In bygone days some of His Gra- ciocs Majesties Scottish cauahers haue related vnto me the glorie of a game called Golf. To the links wherevpon this mightie game is played repair these maids and officers, and on their retvrn mvch talk do / hear concerning it. It is possible that, if / remain, euen / must seek to learn the vse of the manie clubs and other strange accou- trements, carried in a long bag to the links. A I LIE do / witness great wonders. In a maruellovs conveyance ^^ called, why / know not, 9^arvtri^ous X a trollie, have i trau- elled for the space of one hovr from the Chamber lin. Came we then to a uast and bvsy place called in honovr of mine old comrade '*Neio- port News." Here is sitvated a ship- yard, wherein are built ships so hvge, so trim, so safe for sayling that it maketh sad the heart within me that / no more may tempt the mam. Com- pared to these provd ships how small and and mean seem the fleets of wKicK King lames was ever so provd as we set fourtK from London Town, in December 1606. Much of tte sights wKicK met mine eyes in that bvsy place /scarce may speak of; figging and sayls and ovtime all are changed in these greate ships. The most of them are propelled by a strange and diabolical 'Z>ia6o//oai indention called Steam, the trusting of which might well appal the boldest heart it seemeth vnto me : yet in no- wise dare / vnfold this belief to those abovt me, for to me alone seemeth this reuealed, and Captaine lohn Smith was euer of too bold a heart to hesitate where others dared ! HIS day wLercon t!iesc things be recorded Las been marked by manie wonders. Waking ear- he, / was overjoyed to see a goodlie companic of gen- tlemen set forth, armed with faire weapons, which had haplie, if vsed vnder mine own direction, set to flight those Salvages which so mightilie destroyed the peace of His Majes- tic s svbjects m this Colonic afore- time. "Mcseems," thovght /, "this doth betoken warre! Dovbtless, the cvn- ning Salvage has once more displayed his enmitic towards the whites, and taken, after his wilie fashion, to the warre path to burn and massacre at will ! " I bethovght me of the tremblmg maidens in these statelie halls and longed to join, and, if needs be, to command this gallant partie. Alack, no need of sword this day was mine ! The companie of caualicrs fared forth not to warre, bvt to the hvnt, for the enjoyment of which most good- lie game preserves are provided by the management of the Chamberlin. Create sport is promised to the hvnter, as witnessed /, at eucn, on their retvrn, with witli overflowing bags. Scarce covid I fefrain mine cnuy when / witnessed tKe resvlt of one day's hvnt. To this faire preserve will / one day set forth. >^d^--:^ Bvt one hovr's ride from Old Poynt Comfort is it sitvated: what matters it, if to gam it / must uentvre upon a strange muention vnknown to me aforetime, called a railroad I \ «0qg^ Wi ^^K »&«%«fllKll -^n«= „3^*_L IZAZ.V. II ^C&^l w^mnr^^^ nii ^ A'^P ■ Hi • r— A IPv:%R iC'/ii ^Tjlpvpfsrs^s^^i^ -^jr*-™-™-.^^ OVLDIERSa many be there in this uicinitie — * as / haue before set down — yet greate was my svTprise to dis- couer, as / haue by the witness of mine own eyes, that here the old sodI- dier, maimed by warre or past the years at which the bowels of a man do yearn for fighting, is cared for, hovsed and fed by the Gouernment of this land. This afternoon, scarce belieuing the tale which had been to mine ear related, / sallied forth to uisit in mine own person the Home for Disabled Sovldicrs, Aye, in verrie truth it was so, for here, in loftie bvildings, set in beavteous grovnds, liue the old sovl- diers at their ease, discovrsing mvch of battles fovght and won. after the wont of •^romff /or 2)fsad/oc/ Ooufcf/vrs of sovldiers, since the world was new. A strange matter was reuealed vnto me throvgH mine offer of aid, if needs be, against the cvnning assavlts of tKe Salvages, so well known of me in my days of dwelling in this faire land of Virginia, Bvt few of the aforetime numerous hordes of Sal- vages remain to-day in this goodlie land, and manie are gathered together m a greate institvtion of learning called Hampton Inst it vie and instrvcted in the peacefvl arts ! Yea, in the same uicinity in which / once langvished six long weeks in crvel captivitie among them, nigh the spot vpon which the faire Pocahontas did in my behalf so kindlie intercede with her stern father, the descendants of these same Salvages are tavght to sow and reap, to weaue and bvild ! Alack ! My dream is ended. / mvst iKis night set forth for the realm of spirits, which / haue so long inhabited. Indeed, times be so changed that I am ill at ease in this new day ; and so, farewell ! The world hath indeed trauelled far since / was of it. James- town IS bvt a romantic memory ; my deeds are legends : and with a sad heart / leaue behind me the comforts of Hotel Chamberlin. And while / may neoer again uisit that *• Point of Comfort,*' yet one comfort carry / hence. With what wondrovs tales may / not con- fvse the ears of svch comrades of mine old days, as fare forth when the clocks giue tongve to midnight ! A worthy teller of trauel tales / euer was ; bvt by my troth, neuer vntil now had / svch maruels to relate ! y Srttatv The following extract from John Smith's History of Virginia, written by this celebrated explorer shortly after his return to England, is remarkable because of its prophetic character. Not only is the country, as he states, "propitious to the use of man," but there is at Old Point Comfort an immense forti- fication, with its accompanying? military school, lit- erally a " nurse for soldiers," and the additional fact that Hampton Roads is the rendezvous of the ships of the Navy would certainly indicate that it is a "practice for mariners." Even more startling is the immense development of the " trade for merchants" at Newport News and Norfolk; and the instruction of the Indian at the Hampton Institute in the arts of civilization and the doctrines of Christianity would all seem to indicate that John Smith was indeed gifted with prophetic vision. There is bvt one entrance into this covntfy, ind that is at the movth of a goodlie bay eighteen or twenty miles broad; The Cape on the Sovth is called Cape Henry, in honovr of ovr most noble prince ; the north cape is called Cape Charles^ in honovr of the worthy Dvke of York. The isles before are called Smith's Isles, by the name of the discoverer. Within is a covntry that may have the prerogative over the most pleasant places knowiii for heaven and earth never agreed better to frame a place for man's habitation. The mildness of the air, the fertility of the soil and sitvation of the rivers are so propitiovs to the vse of man, as no place is more conuenient for pleasvre. profit and man's svstenance vnder any latitvde or climate. So, then, here is a place, a nvrse for soldiers, a practice for mariners, a trade for merchants, a re- ward for the good, and that which is most of all, a Business (most acceptable to Cod) to bring svch poor infidels to knowledge of Cod tnd His Holy Cospel. SEP 23 1905 Imprinled^/Sj- GEORGE F. ADAMS in the Jlrt- Tyepartment of^ Tlie J&lanchard Press ^i»>^4. Anno 1 9 0