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CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH,
THK POUNDER OF VIRGINIA.

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CAPTAII JOHI SMITH:

COMPRISING

AN ACCOUNT OF HIS TRAVELS
IN
EUROPE, ASIA, AFEICA, AND AMERICA.

THE EARLY HISTORY OF TIBGINIA AND NEW ENGLAND,-
INCLUDING
SKETCHES OF POCAHONTAS, POWHATAN, OPECHANCANOUGH,
AND OTHER DISTINGUISHED CHARACTERS.
¦ PRINCIPALLY COMPILED FROM HIS OWN WORKS.
BY W. C. AEMSTEONG.
H. DAYTON, PUBLISHER,
No. 36 HOWARD STREET.
1860.

ENTERED ACCORDING TO ACT OF CONGRESS. IN THE YEAR 1854, BV
SILAS AMMI 1)3 AWi) SON,
N THE CLERK'S OFFICE OF THE HiSTRlCT COURT OF CONNECTICUT

C^lg.?)83

J. J. Bbed, Printer Sc Stereottpbr,
43 & 45 Centre Street

.Jjiiattfb

THB i.'ATEONS OP AUTHENTIC HISTORY.
TO THE SMITH FAMILY IN PAETICUL AR,
THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES
AND THK -WOKLD AT LABOB.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.
FAQE
Birth and Parentag-e of Smith— Propensity for Adventure
— Death of his Father — Apprenticed to a Merchant —
Clandestine Trip to France^War in the Nethedatida
— Visits Scotland — Turns Hermit— Tries his Fortune
again in France — Is thrown into the Sea — His Rescue
— Desperate Encounter and Victory — Immense Booty, 13
CHAPTER II,
Smith travels in Italy and the South of Europe — Enters
the Emperor's Service — Ing-enious Telegraph — Success
at Olympach — Smith's Promotion — Siege of Alba Rega
lia — Efficiency of the Fiery Dragons — the Christians
Victorious — Battle of Girke— Death of Duke Mercury, 21
CHAPTER III.
Smith enlists with Meldritch in the Service of Sigismund
— Regall Besieged — Challenge from the Turks — Smith
slays Three in Single Combat — Both Armies finally En
counter — the Christians again Victorious — Honors and
Pension to Smith, .....  32

CHAPTER IV.
Sigismund concludes a Treaty of Peace— Transfer ofthe
Army — Revolt of Wallachia — Defeat of the Rebels with
Great Slaughter — Encounterwith the Tartars — "A Pret
ty Stratagem" by Smith — Battle of Rotenton — Prowess
of Smith — His Wounds, Capture, and Slavery — Charatza
Tragabigzanda — Kills his Master — Escapes — Diploma
of bis Honors — Visits Africa — Desperate Engagement
at Sea— Returns to England — Muley Hamet — Lions, .

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER V.

American Settlements in Embryo — Smith and Gosnold
plan an Expedition — Company Formed, and Letters Pat
ent granted — Newport selected to command the Vessels
— The Colonists leave England — Early Dissensions —
Smith made a Prisoner — Arrival — Landing — Council —
James River — Explorations — Natives — Site for Town, . 61

CHAPTER VI.
The Council inaugurated, and Smith excluded — Wingfield
elected as President — Magnanimity of Smith — Remarks
on the Position and Character of the Colonists — Busy
Scenes of clearing away the Forest, devising a Fort,
and building Habitations — Smith's Perilous Surveying
Expedition — Number of Tribes ascertained — Courteous
Reception by Powhatan — Jamestown attacked, and the
Enemy repulsed  70
CHAPTER V.I I.
Smith demands a Trial : Honorable Results — Newport
sails for England — Scarcity of Provisions — Sickness —
Injustice bf Wingfield, who is deposed, and Ratclifie
elected in his place — Smith's Diligence in providing
for the Settlers : His Explorations and Discoveries —
Conspiracy of Wingfield and Kendall defeated — En
counter with Opechancanough — Exploits and Capture
of Smith I His Remarkable Adventures among the Sav
ages: their Wonder excited by his Feats of " Sorcery "
— Jamestown saved through his Efforts — The Indian's
Idea of Gunpowder — Powhatan dooms Smith to Death
— Pocahontas preserves his Life — Curious Attempt to
' Frighten Smith i his Return to Jamestown  74

-? CHAPTER VIII.
Smith's Artifice — Another Revolt — Tradewith the Indians
— Arrival of Newport — Nelson's Escape from Shipwreck
— Envy and Improvidence of Newport and his Company
— Presents to Powhatan : his Cunning D/^ice for Trad-

CONTENTS. 9
PAGE
ing : Circumvented by Smith's Blue Beads — Successful
Traf&o with Opechancanough — Destructive Conflagra
tion at Jamestown — Mismanagement of Supplies — " Sect
of Gold-finders" — Wingfield and Archer sent home to
England — Arrival of Captain Nelson — Insolence of the
Indians punished  89

CHAPTER 12.
Departure of Nelson — Exploration of Chesapeake Bay —
Visits to Various Indian Tribes — Discontent among the
Crew — Discovery of the Potomac — Severe Accident to
Smith from a Stingray — Return to Jamestown — Rat-
cliffe deposed, and Smith elected President : He appoints
Scrivener his substitute — Another Exploring Expedi
tion — the Massawomeks, Tockwoghs, Susquesahan-
ocks, Rappahanocks, Maraughtacunds, Mannahocks,
and other Indian Tribes — Numerous Adventures and
Narrow Escapes — Return to Jamestown  100

CHAPTER X.
Smith consents to administer the Government — Arrival
of Newport with a Crown and other Absurd Gifts for
Powhatan — Smith opposes his Course, but ia Over
ruled ! Visits Powhatan, who finally submits to a Cor
onation — Newport's Unfortunate Expedition to the
Manakins — Novel Remedy for Profanity — Smith's Suc
cess in procuring Corn : Plot to Injure him Overthrown
 Newport and his Mariners the Source of much Mis
chief and Misrepresentation — Complaints of the Council
in England — Smith's Rejoinder,  121
CHAPTER XI
Famine — Desperate Efforts to procure Supplies — First
Marriage in America — House for Powhatan — Smith and
others embark on an Adventurous Expedition — Christ
mas spent among tlje Indians — Arrival at Werowoco-
moco  Interview of Smith and Powhatan— Treachery
of the Germans— Crafty Speech of Powhatan— Jeopardy
of Smith and his Companions — Duplicity of the Ir diana

10 CONTENTS. PAUB
—Pocahontas warns Smith of his Danger: his Vigil
ance : Departure — Arms stolen by the Germans for Pow
hatan — Arrival of Smith at Pamunkey— Deception of
Opechancanough — Smith challenges him to Single
Combat"-Seize3 him, and obtains his Demands— Seri
ous Accident at Jamestown — Smith's Return — Disor
derly State of Affairs — German Deserters detected —
Encounter of Smith and Paspahey ; Escape of the latter,
and Subsequent Meeting — Indian Oratory — Compact
for Peace,  136
CHAPTER XII.
Effects of Smith's Intrepidity — Benefits of some Pre
tended Miracles — Encouraging Spirit of the Settlers —
Ravages of the Rata — New Quarters necessary for Sub
sistence — Evils of Insolence again Prevalent — Deserters
returned by the Indians — Expedition to the Mangoags :
their Friendship — Villany of Volday — Indignation of
the People — Course of Powhatan — Arrival of Argall, 158
CHAPTER XIII.
The old Charter and Officers superseded— Extensive
Fleet, with Reinforcements — Shipwreck of the new
Governors— Arrival of the Fleet — Surprise of Smith —
Troublesome Factions — Character ofthe new Recruits —
Fate of the Germans and Volday — Vigorous Measures
of Smith — Imprisonment of the Factious Leaders —
Attempts at New Settlements — More Difficulties with
the Indians — Purchase of Powhatan— Mutiny against
Smith : his Escape — Complaints of the Indians : their
Revenge — Nonsuch founded and abandoned — Severe
Accident to Smith : his Return to England necessary :
Peculiarities of his Situation : his Character, ... 167
CHAPTER XIV.
The Sea- Venture and the Governors— Isle of Devils : its
Animal and Vegetable Productions— The Shipwrecked
Party lea^e for Vrginia : Desperate Condition of Affairs
in that Region: "The Starving Time" — Resolution to
abandon the Settlement : Happily Frustrated by the ar-

CONTENTS. 11
~ PAQK
rival of Lord Delaware — Important Assistance from
England— Projected New Settlements— Pocahontas made
a Prisoner — Powhatan apprised of her Situation : His
Answer — Skirmishes with the Indians — Two Brothers
of Pocahontas — Partial Arrangement of Difficulties —
Marriage of Pocahontas and Rolfe : Embarkation for
England: Arrival,  182
CHAPTER XV.
Smith engages in New Explorations on the Northern
American Coasts : Succeaa and Return — His Agreement
with Prince Charles in regard to the Names of several
Important Places : Villany of his Associate, Captain
Hunt — High Anticipations of Smith — Promise of the
Plymouth Company : Engagement with them — Better
Oilers declined — Expeditioii under Cooper sails from
London — Sir Ferdinand Gorges — Cunning Device of a
Kidnapped Indian to get Home — Abortive Attempts to
unite the London and Plymouth Companies — Failure of
the latter to redeem their promisesr— Two Vessels at last
provided, in which Smith sails : His Return, disabled by
a Storm : Sails again in another Craft — ^Encounter with
Pirates — Captured by a French Cruiser : His Sailors es
cape with the English Vessel : Smith detained a Prisoner :
Occasional Employment in Fighting and Writing — Cap
tain Barra, " an English Pirat " — A Rich Prize — Liberal
Promises to Smith, who is taken to France— False Accu
sations — Fortunate Escape — New Trials and Difficulties
— Return to England,  195
CHAPTER XVI.
Smith and his Crew of Deserters : He engages again with
the Plymoutheans : Publishes his Book on New Eng
land : ia created Admiral of that Country— Arrival of
Pocahontas— Interview with Smith— Dis tinctionbetween
the Laws of Nature and the Laws of State Etiquette —
Smith'a Letter to the Q,ueen in behalf of Pocahontas,
who is favorably received at Court and elsewhere — Amus
ing Incidenta of Smith's first Interview with Pocahontas
— Hopeless Mission of Uttamatomakkin to Number the
People: His Correct Idea of King James— Change in

12 CONTENTS. PAGE
the Affairs of Virginia — Rolfe appointed to Office — Un
expected Death of Pocahontas : Her Little Son adopted
by his Uncle: Is ediicated in London, and returns to
Virginia: His Numerous Descendants — Character of
Pocahontas  212
CHAPTER XVII.
Smith's Efforts to coloniee New England and establish
Fisheries — Cauaea of Holland's Prosperity— Resources
of New England — Appeal to the Spirit of Independence
— Death of Powhatan: His Successor — Treachery of
Opechancanough — Jack of the Feather — Horrible Mas
sacre of the Settlers : its Effect upon the Colony — Ret
ribution — Offer of Smith — Slanders of Argall and his
Aaaociatcs against the Colony — Favorable Testimony of
Smith : Recapitulation of his Virginian Adventures :
His Answers tu Interrogatories propounded by Commis
sioners to investigate the Affairs of the Colony — Abro
gation of the Charter of the Virginia Company — Smith
engages in the publication of several Valuable Works :
His Death : Prominent Characteristics — Specimens of
Poetical Laudation from bis Friends,  229

THE LIFE AND Al VENTURES
OP
CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH.

CHAPTER I.
His Birth and Parentage — Early Propensity for Adventure —
Death of his Father — Apprenticed to a Merchant — Clandes
tine Trip to Prance — War in the Netherlanda — Visits Scot
land — Turns Hermit — Tries his Fortune again in France —
I? thrown into the Sea — His Rescue — Desperate Encounter
and Victory — Immense Booty.
According to Smith's own account of himself
— an account from wliich a large portion of this
work is compiled — he was descended from a
respectable family in Willoughby, Lincqlnshire,
England, where he was born in 1579. He was
early imbued with a spirit of adventure, from the
full exercise of which he was partially restrained
by parental authority. Even at the age of thir
teen, he entertained an unconquerable desire for
seeing the world, and secretly sold his books and
satchell in order to raise money for accomplishing
his purpose, when the death of his father inter
rupted his project. The guardians of his estate, .
seeming to think more of it than him, would not
furnish him any "means to get beyond sea,'' and
2

14 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
when about fifteen years old he was apprenticed
to the mercantile business at Lynn — his master
being "the greatest merchant of all those parts."
About this time he was on such terms with a son
of Lord Willoughby, that he left the service in
which he was engaged, and accompanied him to
France — thus gratifying (what had been so far
checked) his yearnings for "going beyond sea."
He did not long remain with the companion of
his voyage, but visited several towns in France ;
and at Paris became acquainted with "one Mas
ter David Hume," who not only administered to
his pecuniary necessities, but gave him "letters
to his friends in Scotland to prefer him to King
James." From Paris he proceeded to the Neth
erlands, to assist that injured country in resisting
Spanish tyranny; and served some three or four
years under Captain Duxbury — an Englishman,
comtoanding in the service of Prince Maurice.
He then concluded to mAke a journey to Scot
land, but was shipwi'ecked at Holy Isle, and
suffered much from sickness. After his re
covery, he reached Scotland, and delivered his
letters, which secured him a very favorable recep
tion among the writer's friends ; but finding no
chance of preferment at the Scottish court, he
indulged himself in a visit to Willoughby. Not
meeting with any special attractions in the social
circles of his native town, he resolved to become
a recluse, after a fashion peculiar to himself; and
for this purpose he "retired into a little wooddie
pasture, a good way from any town, invironed
with many hundred acres of other woods. Hero

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 15
by a faire brook he built a pavillion of boughes,
where only in his cloaths he lay. His studie was
Machiamlls Art of Warre, and Marcus Aure-
lius; his exercise a good horse, with his lance
and ring; his food was thought to be more of
venison than anything else." Unlike most of
the hermit class, he kept a man, and we are told
that "what he wanted, his man brought him."
While in this retreat, he became acquainted with
" an excellent horseman and a noble Italian gen
tleman," named Polaloga, who was riding-master
to the Earl of Lincoln, and whose "good dis
course and exercise of riding drew him to stay
with him at Tattersall " for a brief period. —
" Long these pleasures could not content him,"
and he determined upon again returning to the
Low Countries ; regarding himself as materially
improved with "such rudiments of warre as his
tender years in those martial schooles could at
tain unto." He was also "desirous to see more
of the world, and trie his fortune against the
Turkes, both lamenting and repenting to have
scene so many Christians slaughter one another."
On the eve of his embaVkation for France,
Smith fell in with "four French gallants" — gen
tlemen living by their wits — who were his com
panions on the voyage, and who contrived to
rob him after his arrival of all his money and
clothing — leaving him so destitute that he was
" forced to sell his cloake to pay for his passage."
One of them, assuming the title of Lord Depreau,
palmed himself Off for an influential personage,
and promised our hero all sorts of countenance

16 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
and assistance in his chivalric enterprise, while
the other three played their parts as his lordship's
" gentlemen." When about landing at Picardy,
his new acquaintance "plotted with the master
of the ship to set his (Smith's) and their own
trunckes a shore, leaving Smith aboard till the
boat could returne, which was the next day after,
towards evening. The reason hee alleaged was,
the sea went so high hee could come no sooner,
and that his lord was gone to Amiens, where
they would stay his coming ; which treacherous
villany, when divers other souldiers and pas
sengers understood, they had like to have slaine
the master, and, had they knowne how, would
have runne away with the ship."
He was soon undeceived as to the character
of his late companions by a fellow-passenger,
named Curzianvere, who, "compassionating his
injury, assured him this great Lord Depreau
was only the sonne of a lawyer of Mortaigne in
base Britany, and his attendants — Gursell, La
Nelie, and Monferrat — three young citizens, as
arrant cheats as himselfe." His newly-found
friend proved a friend indeed. He not only
"supplied, his wants," but also "brought him to
Mortaigne, where he found Depreau and the rest,
but to small purpose ; for Mr. Curzianvere was
a banished man, and durst not be scene but to
his friends ; yet the bruit of their cosenage oc
casioned the Lady Collumber and divers other
honorable persons to supply his wants, and with
them to recreate himself so long as he would."
Smith had no taste for the life of a Sponge;

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 17
" such pleasant pleasures suiting little with his
poore estate," he withdrew from his hospitable
friends, with the determination of seeking better
means of accomplishing the purpose for which he
left England — that of fighting the Turks. "In
wandering from port to port to finde some man
of warre, he spent that he had, and in a Forest,
neere dead with griefe and cold, a rich Farmer
found him by a faire Fountaine under a tree.
This kinde Pesant releeved him againe, to his
content to follow his intent. Not long after, as
he passed through a great grove of trees, it was
his chance to meet Cursell, more miserable than
himselfe. His piercing injuries had so small
patience, as without any word they both drew,
and in a short time Gursell fell to the ground,
where from an old ruinated Tower the inhab
itants seeing them, were satisfied, when they
heard Cursell confesse what had formeriy
passed." According to the confession of Cursell, his
associates did not recognise the principle of
"honor among thieves ;' for, in dividing what
they had stolen from Smith, "they fell by the
ears amongst themselves," and he received little
more than some unwelcome blows for his share.
After exchanging forgiveness with his wounded
adversary, and leaving him to the care of the
peasantry who had flocked around, Smith direct
ed his course to the Earl of Ployer, whom he had
formerly known during the war in France, and
by whom he was kindly received and entertained.
The earl was at some pains to visit with his
2* '

18 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
guest all the prominent objects of interest in
his neighborhood; and on his departure, after
tarrying a reasonable time, " he was better refur
nished than ever."
From this time Smith freely indulged his ruling
propensity — travelling leisurely through various
towns, inspecting whatever was curious or nota
ble, until he reached Marseilles ; where, " imbark-
ing himself for Italy, the ship was enforced to
Tolonne." We are led to infer that the vessel
was refitted, and put to sea again with better
prospects. But the war of elements was not
yet ended : the "ill weather so grew upon them,
they anchored close aboard the shore, under the
little Isle of St. Mary," off Nice. Here his
fellow- passengers (whom he designates as "in
humane Provincialls" and "a rable of Pilgrrmes
of divers nations going to Rome") suddenly came
to the very sage conclusion that he was a sort of
Jonah among them. For lack of better pastime,
they fell to "hourely cursing him, not only for a
Hugonoit, but his Nation they swore were all
Pyrats, and so vildly railed on his dread sover-
aigne, Queene Elizabeth, and that they never
should have faire weather so long as hee was
aboard them; their disputations grew to that pas
sion that they threw him over-board; yet God
brought him to that little Isle, where was no in
habitants but a few kine and goats." On the
next morning Jie was taken on board another
vessel, which had "put in by the storm," and
was so well "regarded and entertained" by the
captain, that "he was well contented to try tbe

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 19
rest of his fortune with fhem." This vessel, it
appears, was bound for Alexandria, whither she
had a prosperous voyage, and delivered her cargo.
Neither the vessel nor Smith seem to have had
any particular destination after this :* for " they
went to Scandaroone, rather to view what ships
was in the roade than anything else," and thence
proceeded (apparently on a cruise) to various
islands in the Mediterranean. While laying to
between Corfu and the Cape of Otranto, they
met with a Venetian argosy, which the captain
was desirous of speaking; and on approaching
for that object, he received "such an untoward
answer as slew them a man." It is evident from
what followed that this unfriendly answer was
not entirely unexpected ; but as we have no idea
of rivalling the talents of Cooper or Maryatt in
the description of a sea-fight. Smith shall be
permitted to describe the succeeding scenes in
his own expressive language :
As a rejoinder to the single gun of the argosy,
"the Britaine presently gave them the broad
side, then his Sterne, and his other broad-side
also,- and continued the chase, with his chase
peeces, till he gave them so many broad-sides
one after another, that the Argosies sayles and
tackling was so torne, she stood to her defence,
and made shot for shot; twice in one houre and
* Both the character of the vessel and the capacity in
which Smith was acting are alike left to conjecture, and
we are warranted in the conclusion that the one was some
thing more -than a merchantman, and the other something
more than a passenger.

20 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
a halfe the Britaine boarded her, yet they cleared
themselves, but clapping her aboard againe, the
Argosie fired him, which with much danger to
them both was presently quenched. This rather
augmented the Britaines rage, than abated his
courage; for having reaccommodated himselfe
againe, shot her so oft betweene wind and water,
she was readie to sinke, then they yeelded ; the
Britaine lost fifteene men, she twentie, besides
divers were hurt, the rest went to worke on all
hands ; some to stop the leakes, others to guard
the prisoners that were chained, the rest to rifle
her. The Silkes, Velvets, Cloth of Gold, and
Tissue, Pyasters, Chicqueenes, and Sultanies,
(which is gold and silver,) they unloaded in foure
and twentie houres, was wonderful!, whereof
having sufficient, and tired with toile, they cast
her off with her company, with as much good
merchandize as would have fraughted such an
other Britaine, that was but two hundred tunnes,
shee foure or five hundred."
To repair the great damage sustained in this
desperate engagement, was of course a very
desirable matter, and the victor accordingly
stood for some friendly port where this business
could be effected. Smith was set on shore in
Piedmont, with "five hundred chicqueenes, and
a little box God sent him worth neere as much
more" — probably his share of the spoils of the
argosy.

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 21

CHAPTER II.

Smith travels in Italy and the South of Europe — Enters
the Emperor's Service — Ingenious Telegraph — Success al
Olympach — Smith's Promotion — Siege of Alba Regalis—
Efficiency of the Fiery Dragons — the Christians Victori
ous — Battle of Girke— Death of Duke Mercury.
It is not likely that our adventurer ever be
fore found himself in so good a condition to
gratify his propensity for seeing the world as at
this time. " Being glad to have such opportuni-
tie and meanes to better his experience by the
view of Italy," he embarked for Leghorn, and
thence passed through all the principal cities,
carefully noting whatever be considered remark
able or interesting. During his travels he again
met with his early friends, "Lord Willoughby
and his brother, cruelly wounded in a desperate
fray, yet to their exceeding great honor." What
was the cause of this "desperate fray" — whether
they had become " red republican revolutionists,"
or had been set upon by Italian bandits, or were
merely carrying out the invaluable privileges of
independent Englishmen in "kicking up a row"
— is left entirely to the sympathetic imagination.
Smith did not choose to throw any light upon
the subject, nor can we his humble followers ;
and as it is probable that no other historian has
recorded the occurrence, it must for ever remain
among those mystewes which are said to be
"buried in the womb of time."
At Rome "it was his chance to see Pope

(
22 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
Clement the eight, with as many Cardinalls,
creepe up the holy Stayres, which they say are
those our Saviour Christ went up to Pontius
Pilate, where bloud falling from his head, being
pricked with his crowne of thornes, the drops
are marked with nailes of Steele; upon them
none dare goe but in that manner, saying so
many Ave-Maries and Pater-Nosters, as is their
devotion, and to kisse the nailes of Steele : But
on each side is a paire of such like staires, up
which you may goe, stand, or kneele, but divided
from the holy Staires by two walls: right against
them is a Chapell, where hangs a great silver
Lampe,which burneth continually, yet they say
the oyle neither increaseth nor diminisheth."
When his curiosity had been pretty well satis
fied with every thing in and about Italy, he took
a turn through Albania, Dalmatia, and Sclavo-
nia, and finally reached Gratz in Styria, where
the Archduke Ferdinand of Austria, afterwards
Emperor of Germany, was then residing. Here
he met with an Englishman and an Irish Jesuit,
who made him acquainted with "many brave
gentlemen of good qualitie, especially with the
Lord Ebersbaught," to whom he seems to have
communicated certain practical tactics and
expedients, which were of much subsequent
advantage. He at once so far secured the
favorable regards of this nobleman, that he re
commended him to Baron Kisell, general of the
artillery, and he in turn presented him to "a
worthy Colonel, the Earle of Meldritch," into
whose regiment he immediately entered.

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 23
It will readily be perceived that our hero was
now in a situation to gratify his longing for fight
ing the Turks to its fullest extent. He entered
on active service in the latter part of the year
1601, at which time the Turks, with an army of
twenty thousand men, were so closely besieging
the town of Olympach as to cut off "all intel
ligence and hope of succour." Lord Ebers
baught was in command of the town, and Smith
informed Baron Kisell that he had "taught his
worthy friend such a Rule, that he would under
take to make him know any thing he intended,
and have his answer, would they but bring him
to some place where he might make the flame
of a torch seene to the town." The baron was,
of course, all anxiety to learn how this important
object was to be accomplished, and Smith ex
plained it so comprehensibly, that he was forth
with furnished with the necessary implements
for putting his design into execution. Accom
panied by several guides, after dark, he repaired
"to a mountaine, where he showed three torches,
equi-distant from each other, which plainly ap
pearing to the towne, the gover'nour presently
apprehended, and answered again with three
other fires in like manner — each knowing the
other's being and intent. Smith, though distant
seven miles, signified to him these words: 'On
Thursday at night I will charge on the East:
at the Alarum, sally you.'" Ebersbaught an
swered, after the same manner, "/ will;" and
thus terminated this first essay at telegraphic cor
respondence in the Imperial army. In order to

24 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
afford the reader an opportunity of contrasting
his process of communication with that pursued
at the present day, the following explanation is
given in his own words :
"First he writ his message as briefe as could
be ; then divided the Alphabet in two parts thus:
ABCDEFGHI KL
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I 1 1
MNOP aSSTVWXTZ
2222222222222
"The first part from A to L is signified by
shewing and hiding one light, so oft as there is
letters from A to that letter you meane; the
other part from M to Z is mentioned by two
lights in like manner. The end of a word is
signified by shewing of three lights, ever staying
your light at that letter you meane, till the other
may write it in a paper, and answer by his sig
nal!, which is one light, it is done, beginning to
count the letters by the lights, every time, from
A to'M; by this means also the other returned
his answer, whereby each did understand other."
This telegraphic communication was not tbe
only good service which Smith rendered. Kisell
was wavering as to the propriety of making the
projected attack, particularl}'^ as the Turkish '
forces more than doubled his own ; but an inge
nious piece of pyrotechny suggested by Smith
overcame his irresolution. It had been dis
covered by the guides that the Turks were so
divided in two parts, by the river, they could not
readily second each other, and it was important

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 25
to devise some means of distracting the attention
of one portion by a false alarm, while the impe
rialists fell suddenly and furiously upon the other.
Smith's plan was to prepare "two or three thou
sand pieces of match, fastened to divers small
lines of a hundred fathome in length, being
armed with powder," and so arranged that they
"might all be fired and stretched, at an instanf
before the alarum, upon the plaine of Hysnaburg,
supported by two staves at each line's end, and
in that maner they would seem like so many
musketteers." The fullest success attended this
stratagem. One portion of the Turks "prepared
to encounter these false fires, thinking there had
been some great armie," while Kisell with his
ten thousand rushed simultaneously upon the
other, " who ranne up and downe-as men amazed.
It was not long ere Ebersbaught [sallying from
the town] was pell-mell with them in their
trenches; in which distracted confusion a third
part of the Turkes besieging that side towards
Knousbrack were slaine ; many of the rest were
drowned, but all fled." Kisell succeeded in re
inforcing the town with two thousand additional
troops, and retired with small loss, while "the
garrison was releeved with that they found in
the Turkes quarters." .¦ The enemy were so dis
heartened by the issue of this conflict, that they
abandoned the siege; and Kisell, having achieved
his object, returned to head-quarters, where he
was received with much honor. Smith's inge
nuity and valor were properly estimated ; for we
are "told they "occasioned him a good reward,
3

26 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
and preferment, to be captaine of two hundred
and fiftie horse-men, under the conduct of Colo-
nell Voldo, Earle of Meldritch."
For some time after this, so little was done in
the way of fighting by either of the belligerents,
that " a generall rumour of a generall peace spred
itselfe over all the face of those tormented coun
tries ;" but notwithstanding this seeming quiet,
the Turks were actively engaged in raising all
the forces they could muster for the campaign
of 1601, and the Emperor was equally busy in
making extensive preparations in his own behalf
Indeed, tbe latter must have been " up to his eyes
in business," as the saying is — having no less
than "three strings to his bow." We are in
formed that, "by the assistance of the Christian
princes," he had "provided three armies: the
first — commanded nominally by the Archduke
Mathias, but actually by, Duke Mercury — was
intended " to defend Low Hungary ;" the second,
under the Archduke Ferdinand of Styria, "to
regaine Caniza;" and the third, under "Gonzago,
governor of High Hungary," to reinforce Geor-
gio Busca, and enable him to "make an absolute
conquest of Transylvania."
The first army, in which Count Meldritch and
Smith were enlisted, undertook the siege and
capture of Alba Regalis, "a place so strong by
art and nature, that it was thought impregnable."
Here again were the acquirements of our hero
in pyrotechny and engineering brought into full
requisition, and they contributed in no small
degree to the successful issue of the enterprise.

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 27
Meldritch had learned from some Christians,
who managed to escape from the town, to what
quarters the Turks mostly resorted whenevei
an alarm was sounded, and he concerted with
Smith to try what effect his " fiery dragons "*
would produce among them. "These he fitly
placed in slings, graduated so neere as they could
to the places of these Assemblies. At midnight,
upon the Alarum, it was a fearfull sight to see
the short flaming course of their flight in the
aire ; but presently after their fall, the lamenta
ble noise of the miserable slaughtered Turkes
was most wonderfull to hear." But slaughtei
alone was not their object : they also occasionally
fired the suburbs in two or three places at the
same time "which so troubled the Turks to
quench, that had there been any means to have
assaulted them., they could have hardly resisted"
* At the risk of being regarded as altogether "behind
time" in this progressixe age, we cannot resist the avowal
of our belief that some few individuals entertain a lauda
ble curiosity to become acquainted with the form and fash
ion of these destructive missiles; and as laudable curiosity
should never be baulked, we herewith append a verbatim
description, from the hand of the inventor himself, which
mny be of especial interest to posterity, jf to nobody else:
"Having prepared fortie or fiftie round-bellied earthen pots,
and tilled them with hand gunpowder, then covered them
with Pitch, mingled witli Brimstone and Turpentine; and
quartering as many Musket-bullets, that hung together but
only at the center of the division, stucke them round in
the mi.xture about the pots, and covered them iigaine with
t!ie siime mixture, over that a strong Sear-cloth, then over
all a goode thicknesse of Towze-mateh well tempered with
oyle of Lin-seed, Campheer, and powder of Brimstone."

28 LIFE AND ADVENTUEES OF
the combined action of the fire and the soldiers.
A concerted* manoeuvre, calculated to take them
by surprise in several quarters, was finally ex
ecuted with the most complete success, although
the Turks defended their positions, foot by foot,
in a manner which excited the admiration even
of the victors. Almost simultaneously, the out
posts or suburbs were gained by the Christians,
and the captured ordnance turned upon the city,
into whiffh the Turks retreated for a last des
perate struggle. Here, too, they were soon
overpowered, "with such a merciiesse execution
as was most pitifull to behold." Tbe Bashaw,
notwithstanding the utter hopelessness of his
situation, "drew together a partie of five hun
dred before his own Pallace, where he intended
to die," but after the most of his men were slain
before him, Meldritch "tooke him prisoner with
his own hands; and, at the hazard of himself,
saved him from the fury of other troops," who
demolished his palace, and " would have rent him
in peeces, had he not been thus preserved."
The first care of the conquerors was to repair
the walls and fortifications which they had re
cently been at such pains to destroy; and this
being thoroughly accomplished, they then in
dulged themselves in suitable rejoicings. The
fact that this city, which had been in possession
of the Turks for nearly sixty years, was once
more under the banner of the Cross, was deemed
a matter of gratulation to all Christendom.
Bat they were not long to enjoy the undis
turbed possession of their prize. Sultan Mahomet

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 29
was none of your "I can't" sort of individuals.
While the Christians were besiegiVig Reg;ilis.
he was b}' no means inactive. He had raised
an army of sixty thousand men for its relief,
but they were not put in motion till "a d;iy after
the fuir;" 3-et when he heard that the city had
fallen, he was hardly disposed to regard its rescue
as problematical. Three Bashaws, of well-known
valor and devotion — Hassan Bashaw, the Ba
shaw of Buda, and Bashaw Amaroz — rwei-e dis
patched with the new army, "to see if it were
possible to regaine it." Having greater confi
dence in numbers than in skill and discipline,
the Turks set forward at once, not allowing
themselves to entertain a doubt of accomplishing
their mission. Duke Mercury, however, (who
by some means was kept well advised of the
enemy's movements,) knowing that the new
levies must lack that drilling and military tact
so essential to eflicient action, resolved on giving
them battle with only one-third their number.
This resolution taken, he left a strong garrison
in the city, and "set forward to meet the Turke
in the plaines of Girke." Prominent among his
chosen followers were Meldritch and Smith,
whose presence on all occasions seems to have
been considered indispensable to successful op
eration. The "two armies encountered as they
marched," engaging in "hot and bloudy skir
mish" on coming up, regiment against regiment,
till the night parted them. Here Earie Meldritch
was so invironed amongst those halfe circuler
Regiments of Turkes, they supposed him their
3*

30 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
prisoner, and his Regiment lost; but his two
most couragious friends, Vahan and Culnits,
made such a passage amongst them, that it was
a terror to see how horse and man lay sprawling
and tumbling, some one way, some another on
the ground. The Earle there at that time made
his valour shine more bright than his armour,
which seemed then painted with Turkish bloud:
he slew the brave Zanzack Bugola, and made
his passage to his friends, but neere halfe his
Regiment was slaine. Captain Smith had his
horse slaine under him, and himselfe sore wound
ed; but he was not long unmounted, for there
was choice enough of horses that wanted mas
ters. The Turke thinking the victory sure
against the Duke, whose Armie, by the Siege
and the Garrison he had left behind him, was
much weakened, would not be content with one,
but he would have all; and lest the Duke should
returne to Alba Regalis, he sent that night
twenty thousand to besiege the Citie, assuring
them he would keepe the Duke or any other
from releeving them. Two or three dayes they
lay each by other, entrenching themselves; the
Turkes daring the Duke daily to a sett battel!,
who at length drew out his Army, led by the
Rhine-Grave, Culnits and Meldritch, who upon
their first encounter, charged with that resolute
and valiant courage, as disordered not only the
formost squadrons of the Turkes, but enforced
all the whole Armie to retire to the Campe, with
the losse of five or six thousand, with the Bashaw
of Buda, and foure or five Zanzacks, with divers

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 31
Other great Commanders, two hundred Prisoners,
and nine peeces of Ordnance. At thaj instant
appeared, as it were, another Armie comming
out of a valley over a plaine hill, that caused
the Duke at that time to be contented, and to
retire to his Trenches; which gave time to As-
san to reorder his disordered squadrons: Here
they lay nine or ten dayes, and more supplies
repaired to them, expecting to try the event in
a' sett battell; but the souldiers on both parties,
by reason of their great wants and approach of
winter, grew so discontented, that they were
ready of themselves to breake up the Leager;
the Bashaw retiring himselfe to Buda, had some
of the Reare Troopes cut off. Amaroz Bashaw
hearing of this, found such bad welcome at Alba
Regalis, and the Towne so strongly repaired,
with so brave a Garrison, raised his siege, and
retired to Zigetum."
Thus, it will be seen, by tacit consent, both
parties agreed to "let well enough alone" — at
least, in that quarter. Duke Mercury, however,
having an eye to other "fields of high emprise,"
divided his army into three parts: sending one
division of seven thousand, under the Earl of
Rosworme, to relieve Caniza; another of six
ihousand, under the Eari of Meldritch, to assist
Busca against the Transylvanians ; and retaining
the third to garrison "Strigonium and Komara."
On returning to Vienna, he was received with
great honor by royalty, nobility and commons:
"his very picture they esteemed would make
them fortunate, which thousands kept as curi-

32 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
ously as a precious relique." After indulging
awhile in magnificent festivities, he was on the
point of returning to France, "to raise new
forces against the next yeare." A noble escort
accompanied him as far as Nuremberg, where
he was " royally feasted" for the last time. " The
next morning he was found dead, (how it chanced
is not knowne,) and his brother-in-law died two
days after; whose hearts with much sorrow
were carried into France."

CHAPTER III.

Smith enlists with Meldritch in the Service of Sigismund —
Regall Besieged — ^^Challenge from the Turks — Smith slays
Three in Single Combat — Both Armies finally Encounter—
the Christians victorious — Honors and Pension to Smith.
In the last chapter we have seen that Count
Meldritch was dispatched to aid in the conquest
of Transylvania, at that time not only struggling
to maintain an independent existence, but also
engaged in a war with the Turks. The Em
peror of Germany was making vigorous efforts
to subjugate the country, and place it on a level
with his other provinces, while the native prince
Sigismund Bathor, was employing every avail
able means to preserve his hereditary rights for
his own " use, benefit and behoof." It happened
luckily for the latter that Meldritch was a Tran-
sylvanian by birth; and, although a soldier of
fortune, he seems to have had some " tompunc-

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 33
tious visitings" as to the propriety of assisting
Busca to subject his native land to the emperor's
domination. Other reasons, too, -no doubt, had
their influence with him: both himself and fol
lowers may have seen much good judgment in
exchanging the "hard payes and travells" of
their late employer for "free libertie to make
bobtie upon what they could get possession of
from the Turkes." By whatever motive sway
ed, his division was "easily persuaded to follow
him whithersoever" he might direct. Thus
situated, it is not wonderful that he entertained
and finally accepted overtures "to assist the
Prince against the Turke, rather than Busca
against the Prince." For this timely aid, the
latter was not ungrateful: Being "glad of so
brave a commander, and so many expert and
ancient souldiers," he made Meldritch "camp-
master of his armie," and furnished whatever
necessaries were required by his troops, giving
them also "what freedome they desired to plun
der the Turkes." It so happened that the Turks
were at this time in possession of that part of
Transylvania in which the count's paternal es
tates were situated, and it was very natural that
he should wish to expel "the insolent foe" from
this territory, in preference to any other. He
therefore "cfesired leave of the Prince to trie his
fortunes [in that quarter], and to niake use of
that experience the time of twentie yeares had
taught him in the emperour's service, promising
to spend the rest of his dayes for his countries
defenee in his excellencies service."

34 LIFE ANt ADVENTURES OF
This arrangement being satisfactory to all
parties, and more particularly to Smith, who
could thereby continue to indulge his inclina
tion for "fighting the Turkes," Meldritch made
many incursions into the invaded territory, then
occupied, we are told, by "some Turkes, some
Tartars, but most Bandittoes, Rennegadoes, and
such like," whom he occasionally "forced into
the plaines of Regall." Here, we are also told,
was "a citie not only of men and fortifications,
strong of itselfe, but so environed with moun-
taines" that "no attempt had been made upon
it to any purpose." Having selected a spot for
encampment — one possessing "the most conve
nient passages for bringing his armie unto it —
the earth no sooner put on her greene habit,
than the Earle overspread her with his armed
troopes." Great difficulties were encountered
in transporting the ordnance and stores up the
"rugged accli vious slopes;" but energy and per
severance overcame every obstacle, and at last
eight thousand men were enabled to pitch their
tents before the city. In the interim, the Turks
had so "strengthened the towne with men and
provision, that they made a scorne of so small
a number as Meldritch brought with him" —
frequently sallying forth, and engaging in a skir
mish, as if for mere pastime; but on one occa
sion " they had rather a bloudy battell than a
skirmish," in which " the losse was neere fifteen
hundred on both sides." The Christians, how
ever, were soon reinforced by "nine thousand
foot and horse, and six-and-twentie peeces of

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 35
ordnance," under Prince Moyses, who at once
assumed the chief command. As even this
additional strength did not warrant them in at
tempting to storm the town, they were contented
with making immediate preparations for bringing
their effective ordnance into play. Presuming
that the necessary approaches were made secun
dum artem, it of course required time; nearly a
month was spent "in entrenching themselves
and raising their mounts to plant their batteries,
which slow proceedings the Turks oft derided,"
at the same time ironically expressing their fears
that the besiegers would depart without attempt
ing an assault upon their city. Among other
bravadoes, they "sent this challenge to any
Captaine in the armie:
"That to delight the Ladies, who did long
to see some court-like pastime, the Lord Turba-
shaw did defie any Captaine, that hadrthe com
mand of a Company, who durst combate with
him for his head: The matter being discussed,
it was accepted, but so many questions grew for
the undertaking, it was decided by lots, which
fell upon Captaine Smith, before spoken of.
" Truce being made for that time, the Ram-
piers all beset with faire Dames, and men in
Armes, the Christians in Battalio ; Turbashaw
with a noise of Howboyes entered the field well
mounted and armed; on his shoulders were fixed
a paire of great wings, ccmpacted of Eagles
feathers within a ridge of silver, richly garnished
with gold and precious stones, a Janizary before
him, bearing his Lance, on each side another

36 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OP
leading his horse; where long hee stayed not,
ere Smith with a noise of Trumpets, only Ji page
bearing his Lance, passing by him with a court
eous salute, tooke his ground with such goode
successe, that at the sound of the charge, he
passed the Turke thorow the sight of his Beaver,
face, head and all, that he fell dead to the ground,
where alighting and unbracing his Helmet, cut
off his head, and the Turkes tooke his body;
and so returned without any hurt at all. The
head hee presented to the Lord Moses, the Gen
erall, who kindly accepted it, and with joy to the
whole armie he was generally welcomed.
" The death of this Captaine so swelled in the
heart of one Grualgo, his vowed friend, as rather
inraged with madnesse than choUer, he directed
a particular challenge to the Conquerour, to re
gaine his friends head, or lose his owne, with his
horse and Armour for advantage, which accord
ing to his desire was the next day undertaken:
as before upon the sound of the Trumpets, their
Lances flew in peeces upon a cleare passage,
but the Turke was neere unhorsed. Their pis-
tolls was the next, which marked Smith upon the
placard ; but the next shot the Turke was so
wounded in the left arme, that being not able
to rule his horse, and defend himselfe, he was
throwne to the ground, and so bruised with the
fall, that he lost his head, as his friend before him,
with his horse and Armour; but his body and
his rich apparell was sent backe to the Towne
"Every day the Turkes made some sallies,
but few skirmishes would ihey endure to any

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 37
purpose. Our workes and approaches being not
yet advanced to that height and effect which
was of necessitie to be performed ; to delude
time. Smith with so many incontradictible per-
swading reasons, obtained leave that the Ladies
might know he was not so much enamoured of
their servants heads, but if any Turke of their
ranke would come to the place of combate to
redeeme them, should have his also upon the like
conditions, if he could winne it.
"The challenge presently was accepted by
Bonny Mulgro. The next day both the Cham
pions entring the field as before, each discharg
ing their Pistoll, having no Lances, but such
martiall weapons as the defendant appointed, no
hurt was done ; their Battle-axes was the next ;
whose piercing bils made sometime the one,
sometime^ the other to have scarce sense to
keepe their saddles, specially the Christian re
ceived such a blow that he lost his Battle-axe,
and failed not much to have fallen after it, where
at the supposing conquering Turk had a great
shout from the Rampiers. The Turk prosecuted
his advantage to the uttermost of his power: yet
the other, what by the readinesse of his horse,
and his judgment and dexterity in such a busi-
nesse, beyond all mens expectation, by Gods as
sistance, not onely avoided the Turkes violence,
but having drawne his Faulchion, pierced the
Turke . so under the Culets thorow back and
Jjody, that although he alighted from his horse,
he stood not long ere hee lost his head, as the
rest had done.. "
4

38 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
"This good successe gave such great encour
agement to the whole Armie, that with a guard
of six thousand, three spare horses, before each
a Turkes head upon a Lance, he was conducted
to the Generalls Pavillion with his Presents. —
Moyses received both him and them with as
much respect as the occasion deserved, and
embracing him in his armes, gave him a faire
Horse, richly furnished, a Semitere and belt
worth three hundred ducats; and Meldritch
made him Sergeant major of his regiment."
To these warlike pastimes succeeded more
fierce encounters, in which all the forces of both
sides were engaged, and which eventually re
sulted in an overwhelming victory for the Chris
tians. After sacking several towns, and taking
two thousand prisoners, mostly women and chil
dren, the army retraced its steps, and encamped
at Esenberg. While here, Sigismund visited
the encampment, and "was made acquainted
with the service Smith had done at Olympagh,
Stowle-Wesenburg and Regall, for which with
great honour hee gave him three Turkes heads
in a Shield for. his Armes, by Patent, under his
hand and Scale, with an Oath ever to weare
them in his Colours, his Picture in Gould, and
three hundred Pucats yeerely for a Pension."

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 39

CHAPTER IV.
Sigismund withdraws to private life — Transfer of the Army-
Revolt of Wallachia — Activity of Smith in the Battles which
followed — He is wounded, captured, and sold into Slavery
— Kills his Master and Escapes — Diploma of his Title — Visits
Africa — Returns to England.
Soon after the events just recorded, Sigismund
concluded a peace with the emperor, receiving
a magnificent pension in lieu of an independent
crown; and retired to Prague, where he after
wards entertained his friends in the character
of a private nobleman. The services of his
army were transferred to the emperor; and as
the transfer was not wholly acceptable to many
who had espoused the cause of Sigismund from
principle, it was apparent that the only way of
securing their fidelity, was by keeping them ac
tively employed. An opportunity to satisfy their
restlessness soon occurred; for the inhabitants of
Wallachia, (then a province of Turkey,) driven
to revolt by the tyranny of Jeremy, their way-
wode, or governor,* applied to the emperor for
assistance, which he very gladly afforded, and
conferred the governorship on Lord Rodoll. —
The Earl of Meldritch, with an army of thirty
thousand men — the elite of those troops who had
been serving Sigismund — accompanied by Smith
and a host of other gallant officers, went to sup
port the claims of the emperor's new waywode.
* This official had been recently appointed in place of
Michael, a popular ruler, deceased.

40 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
In tlie mean time, Jeremy had raised an army
of forty thousand Tartars, Moldavians, and
Turks, to assist in reestablishing his authority;
and with this force he fortified himself in the
Plains of Peske, awaiting the arrival of reinforce
ments from " the Crym-'Tartar." What followed
is vividly described in an old book, entitled "The
Warres of Hungaria, Wallachia, and Molda
via," written by Francisco Ferneza, "a learned
Italian, and the prince's secretarie, — translated
by Mj:. Purchas." No apology will be required
for extracting the details entire, as they afford
a better picture of the sanguinary scenes than
could be gathered from any modern version :
"Rodoll not knowing how to draw the enemie
to battell, raised his Arme, burning and spoyling
all where he came, and returned againe towards
Rebrinke in the night ; as if he had fled upon
the generall rumour of the Crym-Tartars com
ing, which so inflamed the Turkes of a happy
victory, they vrged leremy against his will to
follow them. Rodoll seeing his plot fell out as
he desired, so ordered the matter,, that having
regained the streights, he put his Army in order,
that had beene neere two dayes pursued, with
continuall skirmishes in his Reare, which now
making faead against the enemie, that followed
with their whole Armie in the best manner they
could, was furiously charged with six thousand
Hydiukes, Wallacbians, and Moldavians, led by
three Colooells, Oversall, Dubras, and Caleb, to
entertaine the time till the rest came up; Veltus
aud Mederspok with their Regiments, entdi'tained

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 41
them with the like courage, till the Zanzacke
Hamesbeg, with six thousand more, came with
a fresh charge, which Meldritch and Budendorfe,
rather like enraged lions than men, so bravely
encountered, as if in them only had consisted
the victory ; Meldritchs horse being slaine vnder
him, the "Turks pressed what they could to have
taken him prisoner, but being remounted, it was
thought with his owne hand he slew the valiant
Zanzacke, whereupon his troopes retyring, the
two proud Bashawes, Aladin and Zizimmus,
brought up the front of the body of their battell.
Veltus and Nederspolt having breathed, and
joyning their troopes with Becklefield and Zar-
vana, with such an incredible courage charged
the left flancke of Zizimmus, as put them all in
disorder, where Zizimmus tfie Bashaw was taken
prisoner, hut died presently upon his wounds.
leremie seeing now the maine battell of Rodoll
advance, being thus constrained, like 9, valiant
Prince in his front of the Vantgard, by his ex
ample so brauely encouraged his souldiers, that
Rodoll found no great assurance of the victorie.
Thus being joyned in this bloudy massacre, that
there was scarce ground to stand upon, but upon
the dead carkasses, which in lesse than an hower
were so mingled, as if each Regiment had singled
out other. The admired Aladin that day did
leave behinde him a glorious name for his valour,
whose death many of his enemies did lament
after the victory, which at that instant fell to
Rodoll. It was reported leremie was also slaine,
but it was not so, but fled with the remainder of
4* ¦

42 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
his Armie to Moldavia, leaving five and twentj
thousand dead in the field, of both Armies. —
And thus Rodoll was seated againe in his Soue-
raignty, and Wallachia became subject to the
Emperour. "But long he rested not to settle his new es
tate, but there came newes that certaine Regi
ments of stragling Tartars were foraging those
parts towards Moldavia. Meldritch with thir-
teene thousand men was sent against them, but
when they heard it was the Crym-Tartar and
sonnes, with an Army of thirty thousand; and
leremie, that had escaped with fourteene or fif
teene thousand, lay in ambush for them about
Langanaw, he retired towards Rottenton, a
strong garrison for Rodoll ; but they were so en
vironed with these hellish numbers, they could
make no great haste for skirmishing with their
scouts, forragers, and small parties that still en
countered them. But one night, amongst the
rest, having made passage through a wood, with
an incredible expedition, cutting trees thwart
each other to hinder their passage, in a thicke
fogge early in the morning, unexpectedly they
met two thousand loaded with pillage, and two
or three hundred horse and cattell ; the most of
them were slaine and taken prisoners, who told
them where leremie lay in the passage, expecting
the Crym-Tartar that was not farre from him.
Meldritch intending to make his passage per
force, was advised of a pretty stratagem by the
English Smith, which presently he thus accom
plished; for having accommodated two or three

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 43
hundred truncks with wilde fire, vpon the heads
of lances, and charging the enemie in the night,
gave fire to the truncks, which blazed forth such
flames and sparkles, that it so amazed not onely
their horses, but their foot also; that by the
meanes of this flaming encounter, their owne
horses turned tailes with such fury, as by their
violence overthrew leremy and his Army, with
out any losse at all to speak of to Meldritch.
But of this victory long they triumphed not; for
being within three leagues of Rottenton, the
Tartar with neere forty thousand so beset them,
that they must either fight, or be cut in peeces
flying. Here Busca and the Emperour had their
desire; for the Sunne no sooner displayed his
beames, than the Tartar his colours ; where at
midday he stayed a while, to see the passage of
a tyrannicall and treacherous imposture, till the
earth did blush with the bloud of honesty, that
the Sunne for shame did hide himselfe, from so
monstrous sight of a cowardly calamity. It
was a most brave sight to see the banners and
ensignes streaming in the aire, the. glittering of
Armour, the variety of colours, the motion of
plumes, the forrests of lances, and the thicknesse
of shorter weapons, till the silent expedition of
the bloudy blast from the murdering Ordnance,
whose roaring voice js not so soone heard, as
felt by the aymed at object, which made among
them a most lamentable slaughter.
" In the valley of Veristhorne, betwixt the river
of Altus and the mountaine of Rottenton, was
this bloudy encounter, where the most of the

44 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
dearest friends ofthe noble Prince Sigismundus
perished. Meldritch having ordered his eleven
thousand in the best manner he could ; at the
foot of the mountaine upon his flancks, and be
fore his front, he had pitched sharpe stakes, their
heads hardened in the fire, and bent against the
enemie, as three battalion of Pikes, amongst the
which also there was digged many small holes.
Amongst those stakes was ranged his footmen,
that upon the charge was to retire, as there was
occasion. The Tartar having ordered his 40000.
for h"is best advantage, appointed Mustapha Ba
shaw to beginne the battell, with a generall shout,
all their Ensignes displaying, Drummes beating.
Trumpets and Howboyes sounding. Nederspolt
and Mavazo with their Regiments of horse most
valiantly encountered, and forced them to retire;
the Tartar Begolgi with his Squadrons, darken
ing the skies with their flights of numberles
arrowes, who was bravely encountred by Veltus
and Oberwin, which bloudie slaughter continued
more than an houre, till the matchlesse multitude
of the Tartars, so increased, that they retired
within their Squadrons of stakes as was directed.
The bloudy Tartar, as scorning he should stay
so long for the victorie, with his massie troopes
prosecuted the charge: but it was a wonder to
see how horse and man came to the ground
among the stakes, whose disordered troopes were
so mangled, that the Christians with a loud shout
cryed Victoria; and with five or six field peeces,
planted vpon the rising of a mountaine, did much
hurt to the enemy that still continued the battell

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 45
with that furie, that Meldritch, seeing there was
no possibilitie to long preuaile, ioyned his small
troopes in one body, resolued directly to make
his passage or die in the conclusion; and thus
in grosse gaue a general charge, and for more
than half an houre made his way plaine before
him, till the maine battel of the Crym-Tartar
with two regiments of Turkes and lanizaries so
overmatched them, that they were overthrowen.
The night approaching, the Earle with some
thirteene or fourteene hundred horse, swamme
the River ; some were drowned, all the rest slaine
or taken prisooers : And thus in this bloudy field
neere 30000. lay, some headlesse, armelesse and
leglesse, all cut and mangled; where breathing
their last, they gaue this knowledge to the world,
that for the liues of so few, the Crym-Tartar
neuer paid dearer."
"In this dismall battell," most of the principal
officers were slain, together with a large propor
tion of the foreign adventurers who had gone to
the wars "in defence of Christ and his Gospell."
Smith perpetuates the names of a few English
men, " who did what men could doe, and when
they could doe no more, left there their bodies
in testimonie of their mindes." He was very
severely wounded, and lay groaning among the
rest, when he was found by some pillagers ; who,
judging by his armor and habit that "his ransome
might be better to them than his death," were at
some pains to cure his wounds. When he was
sufficiently recovered, he was sent, with many
others, to Axiopolis, where " they were all sold for

46 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OP
slaves, like beasts in a market-place." He was
purchased by one Bashaw Bogall, who sent him
forthwith to Constantinople, as a present to his
young mistress, Charatza Tragabigzanda — in
forming her that he was a Bohemian lord, con
quered by his hand. The young lady at once
manifested interest enough in her new slave to
inquire into the circumstances of his captivity;
and when she was made acquainted with the
truth — when she was satisfied of the deception
that Bogall had attempted — "she tooke much
compassion on him. But having no use for him,
lest her mother should sell him, she sent him to
her brother, the Tymor Bashaw of Nalbrits, in
the Countrey of Gambia, a Province in Tartaria."
Not satisfied with placing him beyond the dan
ger of being transferred to other owners, "this
kinde ladie writ so much for his good usage " that
her brother half suspected some latent intentions
on her part of eventually forming other relations
than those of owner and slave; "for shee told
him he should there but sojourne to learne the
language, and what it was to be a Turke, till
time made her Master of her selfe."
Whatever the lady's plans were, they were
sadly frustrated ; for her brother, instead of treat
ing Smith with the kindness anticipated, "within
an houre after his arrivall, caused his Drub-man
to strip him naked, and shave his head and beard
so bare as his hand. A great ring of iron, with
a long stalke bowed like a'sickle, was riveted
about his necke," and he was then clothed with
a coat of coarse hair-cloth, "guarded [girded]

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 47
about with a piece of an undrest skinne." It
will be readily surmised that the general appear
ance of his figure was any thing but gratifying
to our hero. But the worst has not been told.
" There were many more Christian slaves, and
neere an hundred of Forsados of Turkes and
Moores, and he being the last, was slave of slaves
to them all. Among these slavish fortunes there
was no great choice ; for the best was so bad, a
dog could hardly have lived to endure, and yet
for all their paines and labours, no more regarded
than a beast."
In the midst of all his sufferings, the thoughts
of Smith were frequently turned towards the
fair sister of his cruel master. It was her love,
of which perhaps he had some indistinct percep
tions, that encouraged him to cherish the hope
of being delivered from his thraldom; and he
concluded of course that she (who " surely was
ignorant of his bad usage,") would sooner or
later contrive some means for his emancipation.
Yet it is pretty evident that he was not inclined
to rely solely upon this chance; for he often
"debated the matter with some Christians who
had been there a long time slaves, and they could
not find how to make an escape by any reason
or possibility." Whether it was a matter of
favor or not, it is hard to say; but we are told
that "he became a thresher at a grange in a
great field, more than a league from the Tymor 's
house," where he was often visited by the ba
shaw. One day — the last of his earthly pilgrim
age — his persecutor "tooke occasion so to beat,

48 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
"spurne, and revile him, that, forgetting all reason,
he beat out the Tymor's braines with his thresh
ing-bat, for they have no flailes; and seeing his
estate could be no worse than it was, clothed
nimself in his clothes, hid his body under the
straw, filled his knapsacke with corne, mounted
his horse, and ranne into the desart at all adven
ture." Here he wandered about for two or
three days, he knew not whither, until "God did
direct him to the great way or Castragan, as
they call it, wnich doth crosse these large terri
tories." "In every crossing of this great way
is planted a post, and* in it so many bobs with
broad ends as there be wayes, and every bob
the figure painted on it that demonstrateth to
what part that way leadeth; as that which
pointeth towards the Crym's Country, is marked
with a halfe Moone; if towards the Georgians
and Persia, a blacke man, full of white spots;
if towards China, the picture of the Sunne; if
towards Muscovia, the signe of a Crosse; if
towards the habitation of any other Prince, the
figure whereby his standard is knowne."
The particularity with which the very guide-
posts are described, is clear evidence that Smith,
although he "travelled in feare and torment,"
was not, even under such circumstances, heed
less of surrounding objects. He todk the road
pointed out by the "signe of a crosse," and fol
lowed it for sixteen days, when he arrived at
Ecopolis, a Russian garrison on the river Don.
The governor, after due examination, "t«oke
off his irons, and so kindly used him, he thought

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 49
himself new risen from death; and the good
Lady Callamata largely supplied all his wants."
As this spot possessed no particular attractions
to detain him, he embraced the first favorable
opportunity of making his way to regions more
congenial to his spirit. At his departure he was
furnished by the governor with "friendly letters,"
which secured him a warm welcome and liberal
treatment in several provinces through which
he passed. " In all his life," he says " he seldom
met with more respect, mirth, content and en
tertainment; and not any governour where he
came but gave him somewhat as a present, be
sides his charges; seeing themselves as subject
to the like calamity."
After as pleasant a journey as could be made
in the dreary countries through which he passed,
he reached Transylvania, where he "found so
many good friends, that, but to see and rejoyce
himselfe (after all those encounters) in his native
Country, he would ever hardly have left them."
Feeling, however, the force of the old saw, " the
best of friends must sometimes part," he did not
remain long to partake of their hospitalities and
bounties, which, judging from the grateful man
ner they are acknowledged, must have been
lavished upon him with no measured hand.
Anxiously desiring to greet once more his for
mer companions in arms, he set out for Prague,
visiting and examining the principal interme
diate places in his route. He was not disap
pointed in receiving a cordial reception at the
place of his destination ; for Sigismund, not only
5

50 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
gave him a diploma,* confirming the nonors he
had formerly conferred, but also presented hitn
fifteen hundred ducats to repair his losses.
* The following is a copy of this curious document, with
the certificate of its admission and record in the Herald's
College, England:
"SiGisMVKDVs Bathoe, by the Grace of God, Duke of
Transilvania, Wallachia, and Moldavia, Earle of Anchard,
Salford and Growenda; to whom this Writing may come
or appeare. Know that We have given leave and licence
to John Smith an English Gentleman, Captaine of 250.
Souldiers, under the most Generous and Honourable Henry
Volda, Earle of Meldritch, Salmaria, and Peldoia, Colonefl
of a thousand horse, and fifteene hundred foot, in the warres
of Hungary, and in the Provinces aforesaid under our
authority; whose service doth deserve all praise and per-
petuall memory towards us, as a man that did for God and
his Country overcome his enemies:. Wherefore out of Our
love and favour, according to the law of Armes, We have
ordained and given him in his shield of Armes, the figure
and description of three Turks heads, which with his
sword before the towne of Regall, in single combat he did
overcome, kill, and cut off, in the Province of Transilvani.i.
But fortune, as she is very variable, so it chanced and hap
pened to him in the province of Wallachia, in the yeare of
our Lord, 1602. the 18. day of November, with many
others, as well Noble men, as also divers other Souldiers,
were taken prisoners by the Lord Bashaw of Carohia, a
Country of Tartaria; whose crnelty brought him such good
fortune, by the helpe and power of Almighty God, th.at hee
delivered himselfe and returned againe to his company and
fellow souldiers, of whom We doe discharge him, and this
hee hath in witnesse thereof, being much more worthy of
a better reward; and now intends to returne to his owne
sweet Country. We desire therefore all our loving and
kinde kinsmen, Dukes, Princes, Earles, B.irnns, Govern-
ours of Townes, Cities, or Ships, in ihis Kingdorae, or
any other Provinces he sh,.ll come in, that you freely let

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 51
With such ample means for further indulging
his predominant taste, he spent some time in
visiting the principal cities of Germany, France
and Spain — paying particular attention to the
universities, monasteries, fortifications and other
objects of literary, religious or scientific interest,
which were prominent at that period.
" Being thus satisfied with Europe and Asia,"
he says, and "understanding of the warres in
Barbary," he went from Gibraltar to Tangiers,
and thence to Saffy, where he became acquaint
ed with the captain of a French man-of-war,
with whom he "went to Morocco, to see tRe
ancient monuments of that renowned citie."
passe this the aforesaid Captaine, without any hinderance
or molestation, and this doing, with all kindnesse we are
always re.idy to doe the like for you. Sealed at Lipswick
in Misenland, the ninth of December, in the yeare of our
Lord, 1603. "SIGJSMVNDVS BATHOR.
" WUh the proper privilege of his Majeslie.'"
'To all and singular, in what place, state, degree, order,
or condition whatsoever, to whom this present writing shall
come: I, William Segar, Knight, otherwise Garter, and
principall King of Armes of England, wish health. Know
that I the aforesaid Garter, do witnesse and approve, that
. tills aforesaid Patent, I have seene, signed, and sealed, un
der the proper hand and Seale Manual of the said Duke of
Transilvania, and a true coppy of the same, as a thing for
perpetuall memory, I have subscribed and recorded in the
Register and office of the Heralds of Armes. Dated at
London the nineteenth day of August, in the yeare of our
Lord, 1625. and in the first yeare of our Soueraigne Lord
Charles by the grace of God, King of great Britaine, Prance,
and Ireland; Defender of the faith, &c.
"WILUAM SEGAR."

52 LIFE AND ADVENTU- ES OF
Here the king's palace, which was "like a citie
of itselfe," and the Christian church, attracted
his especial attention. After noticing a great
brouch of iron on- the flat square steeple of the
latter, "whereon is placed the three golden balls
of Africa," he informs us that "against those
golden balls hath been shot many a shot, (their
weight is recorded 700 weight of pure gold, hol
low within,) yet no shot did ever hit them, nor
could ever any conspirator attaine that honor as
to get them downe." The universities which
once flourished, and sent forth famous men,
were then " but stables for fowles and beasts, and
the houses in most parts lay tumbled one above
another." He was told "strange tales of a great
garden, wherein were all sorts of birds, fishes,
beasts, fruits, and fountaines, which, for beauty,
art, and pleasure, exceeded any place known in
the world, though now nothing but dung-hills,
pigeon-houses, shrubs and bushes." Many re
mains of magnificent temples, towers, ports, and
fountains — the evidences of former greatness
and prosperity — were then only regarded as
the "reliques of lamentable mines and sad
desolation." The cause of those "brawles and warres"
with which the countrv was then distracted, was
a struggle for the absolute sovereignty of the
empire, suddenly vacated by the violent death of
Muley Hamet, who had been poisoned by one of
his numerous wives, in the hope of establishing
her favorite son, Muley Sidan, upon the throne.
This case of poisoning was one of those whole-

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 53
sale murders which in this "enlightened nine
teenth century," and in this section, of the world
would be denounced as the result of "Awful
Human Depravity," or as an "' Unparalleled and
In/iuman Butchery I" but in Morocco, they had
not arrived at that degree of refinement which
led the people to attach any high moral respon
sibility to the perpetrators of such an act, espe
cially if they successfully accomplished the object
of their ambition. The emperor was not the
only victim sacrificed by his wicked "empresse,
more cruel than any beast in Africa: * * *
her own daughter, Muley Shecke (his eldest
Sonne, borne of a Portugall Ladie) and his
daughter," were all cut off at "one fell swoop,"
and that, too, at the instigation of "a saint that
started up, but he played the Devill !" Another
son of Hamet, however, Muley Besseres, upset
he plans of this saint-devil and his adherents
for a time, by taking possession of Morocco and
all his father's treasure ; but Muley Sidan after
wards succeeded in raising an army, which he
brought against his brother, and took him pris
oner. At this crisis of affairs. Smith, becom
ing disgusted with " the perfidious, treacherous,
bloudy murthers rather than warre, among those
perfidious, barbarous Moores;" concluded tp
embark again with his French captain (Mer-
»ham) for Saffy, " to try some other conclusions
at sea."
While Merham was lying in the roads, he
invited Smith and two or three more guests
"aboard with him, where he spared not any
5*

54 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
thing he had to expresse his kindnesse to bid
them welcome;" or, in more modern parlance,
these boon companions had such a jolly good
time, and the hours fled so merrily and rapidly
unawares, that it was at last found too late to
return to their inns, and "necessitie constrained
them to stay aboard. A fairer evening could
not be, yet ere midnight such a storm did arise,
they- were forced to let slip cable and anchor,
and put to sea; spooning before the wind till
they were driven to the Canaries. In the calmes
they accommodated themselves, hoping this
strange accident might yet produce some good
event;" nor were they disappointed; for, not
long after, they took a small bark from Ten'eriffe,
laden with wine. After cruising about here for
awhile, capturing several other vessels, in which
they found but little, they again stood for the
African shore, "betwixt which and Cape Noa
they descried two saile. Merham, intending to
know what they were, hailed them; very civilly
they daused their topsailes, and desired the man
of warre to come aboard them, and take what
he would, for they were but two poor distressed
Bickiners. But Merham, the old fox, seeing
himselfe in the lion's pavves, sprung his loufe;
the other tacked after him, and came close up
to his nether quarter, gave his broad-side, and
so loufed up to windward; the Vice- Admiral!
did the like, and at the next bout the Admirall,
with a noise of trumpets, and all his ordnance,
murtherers, and muskets, boorded him on his
broad- side; the other in like manner on his lee

CAPTAIN J.:Hjr SMITH. 55
quarter." The Spaniards were so warmly re
ceived that they made but a short stay, prefer
ring gun range to close quarters, and^ leaving
"four or five of his men sprawling over the
grating. After they had battered Merham about
an houre, they boorded him againe as before,
and threw four kedgers or grapnalls in iron
chains; then sheering off, they thought so to
have torne downe the grating; but the Admirall's
yard was so intangled in their shrouds, Mer
ham had time to discharge two cross-bar shots
amongst them, and divers bolts of iron made
for that purpose against his bow, that made such
a breach, he feared they both should have sunke
for company ; so that the Spaniard was as yare
[ready] in shipping his chained grapnalls, as
Merham was in cutting the tackling [which]
kept fast their yards in his shrouds." Again.
clearing themselves, "the vice-admirall spared
neither his ordnance nor muskets to keepe Mer
ham from getting away till the admirall had re
paired his leake. From twelve at noone till six
at night they thus interchanged one volley for
another; when the vice-admirall fell astern, stay
ing for the admirall that came up againe to him."
Merham, finding little chance of gaining any
thing but hard knocks, hauled off, and shaped
his course for Mamora, but made such small
progress, that the next morning he found him
self not three leagues from Cape Noa, and "the
two Spanish men of warre (for such they were,
and well appointed,)" close upon him. They
renewed the action by giving him "broad-side

56 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
and Sterne, the one after the other, within mus
ket shot, plying their ordnance; and, after an
'loure's worke, commanded Merham a maine
[prize] for the King of Spain upon faire quarter.
Merham dranke to them, and so discharged his
quarter peeces." This was certainly cool, and
not at all relished by the Spaniards, who deter
mined once more to try their hand at boarding.
* * * " Many of them were got to the top
to unsling the maine saile, which the Master and
some others from the round-house caused to their
¦cost to come tumbling downe;" a portico ofthe
boarders were forced to the great cabin, which
was soon after blown up, and the "smoke and
fire was so vehement," that the ship was supposed
to be on fire ; the forecastle was also blown up,
"with a peece of the grating," making sad
havoc among the Spaniards, who were glad to
leave in double quick-time. Merham, perceiving
that the fire was making rapid headway, for a
brief space turned all his attention to subduing
this new enemy. By means of "wet clothes
and water" covering the open places with old
sails and similar appliances, danger was soon
overcome, and the vessel again in fighting trim
— "prepared to fight to the last man." Merham
not only succeeded in quenching the flames in
his own ship, but the valor of the Spaniards also;
for they "hung out a flagge of truce to have a
parley; but the Frenchman, knowing "there
was but one way with fiin," let them have "the
report of his ordnance, which he did well know
how to use for his best advantage. Thus thev

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 57
spent the next afternoone and halfe that night,
when the Spaniards either lost them or left them.
Seven-and-twentie men Merham had slaine, and
sixteene wounded, and could finde they had re
ceived 140 great shot. A wounded Spanyard
they had kept alive confessed they had lost 100
men in the Admirall, which they did feare would
sink ere they could recover a pOrt."
It would be absurd to suppose that Smith was
a mere looker-on in this long-protracted and
sanguinary struggle, although his modesty did
not allow him to chronicle any achievement of
his own hand.' Merham and himself were so
much alike in spirit, that it is very reasonable
to infer that either would have readily and ably
seconded the other in any affair of this kind, even
for the /mm of it, if nothing else. After return
ing to Saffy, Smith took leave of his "gallant
French captaine,". and made the best of his way
to England, reaching that country some time
in the year 1604.
In all the varied scenes through which he
passed, the active mind of Smith was ever on
the alert. No object of interest escaped his
notice; and the stores of useful knowledge he
was constantly accumulating, he was always
ready to dispense to others less fortunate than
himself. Selfishness formed but a very small
portion of his composition; and, as a general
principle, in whatever enterprise he engaged, he
was prompted by some higher motive than mere
ly personal advantage. To " see the world," and
inform himself ofthe actualcondition of "nations

58 LIFE AND ADVENTURES DF
beyond sea," was probably his "ruling passion;"
and while indulging in this species of errantry
for the laudable purpose of improving himself,
he was likewise emulous that others should reap
the benefits of his experience. Even while in
slavery among the Tartars, he was apparently
as much occupied in observing the manners,
customs, and institutions of that rude people, as
he was in meditating plans for his escape. This
is manifest from the minuteness with which he
describes their towns, cities, dress, religions, en
tertainments, laws, and such-like matters ; and
the memorials he has left will enable any one to
form a pretty correct estimate of the country
and its inhabitants. Although smarting under
the cruel wrongs of slavery, he was too magnan
imous to withhold a passing tribute to whatever
matter he regarded as worthy of commendation.
Their mode of administering justice is mentioned
with peculiar favor, and might be advantageously
mitated by those claiming a higher rank in the
scale of humanity. " The glorious uncertainty
of the law" is not a recognized axiom among
the Tartars; but, on the contrary, we are told
that "justice is with such integrity and expedi
tion executed — without covetousnesse, bribery,
partiality, and brawling — that in six months the
judges have scarce six causes to heare." With
out, perhaps, intending to do so, he fully accounts
for this blessed and blessing jurisprudence, by
further informing us that they have no "Jawyers
nor attournies" among them I
While in Barbary he gathered much informa-

CAPTAIN JOHN S.MITH. 59
tion that must have been of peculiar value in
his day, and which he interspersed with many
amusing and instructive anecdotes, calculated
to interest all classes of readers. In Morocco, he
met with an Englishman named Henry Archer,
a watch-maker, who had been induced to settle
in that city by the liberality of Muley Hamet.*
This Archer enjoyed immunities not conceded
to' any other individual, yet, John Bull like, being
a great stickler for his rights, he sometimes
created a deal of useless trouble in maintaining
them. On one occasion, while walking from
the Alfantica to the Juderea, "the way being
verie foule, he met a great Priest, or a Sante,
(as they call all great clergy-men) who would
have thrust him into the durt for the way ; but
Archer, not knowing what he was, gave him a
box on the eare. Presently he was apprehended,
and condemned to have his tongue cut out, and
his hand cut off; but no sooner was it knowen
at the King's court, but 300 of his guard came,
broke open the prison, and delivered him, al
though the fact was next degree to treason."
Another story is told of this Archer, develop
ing some facts which are interesting, in connec
tion with natural history: "Not far from Mount
* "Muley Hamet was not blacke, as many suppose, but
molato, or tawnie, as are the most of his subjects — everie
way noble, kinde, and friendly, verie rich and pompous in
state and majesty." He "delighted so much in the refor
mation of workmanship," that he " entertained from Eng
land gold-smiths, plummers, carvers and polishers of stone,
and watch-makers."

60 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
Atlas, a great lioness in the heat of the day was
wont to bathe herself, and teach her young pup
pies to swim, in the river Cauzeff, of a goodly
breadth." She would frequently carry them one
after another over the river; which some Moors
perceiving, watched their opportunity, and when
the river was between her and them, stole four of
her whelps. On perceiving this, with all possible
speed she recrossed the river, and hastened in
pursuit. When almost up with the Moors, they
dropped one of the \yhelps, which she took up
in her mouth, and returned to those she had left.
A male and female of the captured three were
given to Archer, who kept them in the king's
garden till the male killed the female. The sur
viving one he "brought up as a puppy-dog,"
allowing it to lie upon his bed, till it grew to the
size of a mastiff, and no dog could be more tame
or gentle to those he knew. While on his return
to England, Archer met a merchant of Mar
seilles at Saffy, to whom he presented his uncouth
pet; the merchant, on reaching home, gave it to
the French king; and he, wishing to ingratiate
himself with King James, sent it to England as
a present to that monarch. Of course, it was
accepted, and placed in the royal menagerie.
Seven years afterwards, one "Mr. John Bull,"
who had formerly been a servant of Archer's,
in company with some friends, went to see the
lions in the Tower, not having the most remote
idea of meeting an old playmate: "yet this rare
beast smelled him before he saw him — whining,
groaning, and tumbling, with such an expression

CAPTAIN JOHN S.MlTII. 61
of acquaintance," that, being infornied by the
keepers how he came thither. Bull at once sought
permission to enter the cage. This being grant
ed, he went in, and "no dog could fawn more on
his master than the lion did on him — licking his
feet, hands, and face — skipping and tumbling to
and fro, to the wonder of all the beholders." —
Being satisfied with his interview. Bull made
shift to get out of the cage, and took rather an
abrupt leave of his old companion. " When the
lion saw his friend gone, no beast — by bellowing,
roaring, scratching, and howling — could express
more rage and sorrow, nor in foure days after
would he either eat or drink."

CHAPTER V.

American Settlements in Embryo — Smith and Gosnold plan
an Expedition — Company Formed, and Letters Patent grant
ed — Newport selected to command the Vessels — The Colo
nists leave England — Early Dissensions — Smith made a
Prisoner — Arrival — Landing-^The Council — James River —
Explorations — Natives — Site for the Town.
For a long time previous to Smith's arrival
in England, the public mind had been strongly
directed to the subject of colonizing the western
world. Alr'eady many enterprises had been pro
jected, but none had met with a success at all
commensurate with the expectations ofthe peo
ple. Sir Walter Raleigh, among others, had
spent immense sums in endeavors to found colo
nies; yet, ow'ng, as was supposed, to the mis-
6

62 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
management of the colonists themselves, all his
attempts had proved futile. In 1602, Captain
Bartholomew Gosnold had made a prosperous
voyage to New England,* and on his return had
given so favorable an account of the fertility of
the country and the salubrity of the climate,
that a lively anxiety was awakened for its colo
nization. Smith and Gosnold soon became ac
quainted, and the former at once entered into
the plan of trying his fortune in this new field
of adventure. "Certaine ofthe Nobilitie, Gen
try, and Marchants" were induced to become
interested in the scheme, and prevailed upon
King James I., in April, 1606, to issue letters
patent to Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George Somers,
Richard Hackluyt, and their associates, granting
them 'all th,at territory lying on the sea-coast
between the thirly-fourth and forty-fifth degrees
of north lati^tude. Two companies were formed
— one composed mostly of London adventurers,
and the other of gentlemen from the West of
England — and to the first was assigned thesouth-
ern portion of the grant, and to the latter the
northern. It was provided in the patent that
the general direction should be vested in a coun
cil resident in England, to be nominated by the
crown, while the local government should be
confided to a colonial council, also appointed by
the crown, who were to carry out such royal
instructions and ordinances as might from time
* It may not be amiss to state that the whole coast.
southern as well as northern, was then designated as
New England.

CAPTAIN JCHN SMITH. 63
to time be promulgated. With a littleness char
acteristic of that jealous and bigoted monarch,
King James further insisted upon a proviso that
at least an hundred miles should intervene be
tween their respective settlements.
Nearly a year was spent in gathering colonists
and in providing three vessels for the expedition.
In these days of leviathan proportions, an incre
dulous smile may be excited by the statement
that, of the craft employed, one was a ship of
one hundred tons ; another of forty, and a third
(pinnace) of twenty. "The transportation of
the company was committed to Captain Chris
topher Newport, a Marriner well practised for
Westerne parts of America. But their orders
for government were put in a box, not to be
opened, nor the governours known, untill they
arrived in Virginia."*
On the 19th of December, 1606, all thing,9
being in readiness, the anchors were weighed, the
sails spread, and many eyes turned towards Eng
land, gazing on "the white cliffs of Albion" (as
their owners thought) for the last time; but the
elements were against them; for six weeks they
were baffled by contrary winds, which so far
impeded their progress, that they were on the
*The absurd "mysterious secrecy" with which Kir.g
James sought to invest every thing that he took any part
in, is sufficiently illustrated by this one ridiculous act.
Had the individuals constitiiting the council been known
previously to the sailing of the expedition, no doubt much
of the ill-feeling and dissension wliich occurred during the
voyage, and which led to irreparable injury afterwards,
might have been avoided.

04 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
point of returning, when a favoring breeze sprung
up, and the little fleet, big with the future great
ness of America, speeded on its destination. —
Partly because they knew of no better, and
partly because others had " gone that way before
them," they took the circuitous route via. the
Canary islands, where they stopped for the pur
pose of watering, and turning an honest penny
in trade with the natives.
While "Young America"* yvas yet weather
bound on the English coast, frequent dissensions
occurred among the leaders, which were the
source of much trouble and bitterness. The
Rev. Mr. Hunt, although suffering severely
from sickness, interposed his friendly offices
occasionally, and endeavored to reconcile the
discontented; but his services, so far from
being properly appreciated, gave rise to "the
most scandalous imputations" from those of the
"greatest ranke," who were "little better than
atheists." Smith not only contended manfully
for his own rights, but also became a champion
for the reverned gentleman — a course which
operated unfavorably for his personal advantage,
for a time at least.
When arrived at the Canaries, the discordant
* A portion of those embarked in this expedition, who
constituted the eariy settlers of Virginia, were far better
entitled to this appellation, than the selfish and aspiring
knot of political demagogues to whom modern usage has
applied it, or th.an the whole "length and breadth of our
domain, reaching from the Atl.antic to the Specific ocean,"
as Davy Crockett was wont classically to e.\press it.

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 65
elements, w hich had been so long pai tially smoth
ered, burst out into an almost uncontrollable
flame. Smith was accused by Wingfield and
others of the most unreasonable plots of treason
— of meditating the massacre of the principal
colonists — and "divers other foule and bloudy
conclusions," which had no other foundations
than in their own vile and envious conceits, al
though they pretended that their charges could
be substantiated by the testimony of some who
had agreed to assist Smith in his alleged designs.
He was made a prisoner at once, and held in
durance during the remainder of the voyage.
Making but a short stay at the Canaries, they
next steered for the West Indies,, where three
weeks were spent in refreshing themselves, and
in bartering beads and baubles for native pro
ductions. W'hile tarrying in these pleasant
regions, some ofthe voyageurs visited "Gward-
alupa," and were not a little astonished by the
discovery of " a bath so hot, that in it they b.oyled
porck as well as over a fire." The lovers of
game, too, must have had a glorious feast; for
we are told that "at a little isle called Monica,
we took from the bushes with our hands neare
two hogsheads full of birds in three or foure
houres." But this was not their only feast : in
the Virgin and other isles they also "spent some
time, where with a lothsome beast like a croco
dile, called a gwayn, tortoises, pellicans, parrots,
and fishes," they "daily feasted."
Being thoroughly refitted, and all hands ma
terially refreshed, the expedition proceeded for
6*

66 LIFE AND AL VENTURES OF
its final destination. By some untoward means
they got off the track, and were "not a little dis
comforted, seeing the Marriners had three dayes
passed their reckoning and found no land; so
that Captaine Ratcliffe (captaine of the .pin
nace) rather desired to beare up the helme to
returne for England, than make further search."
But fortunately the other captains were not so
easily disheartened, or, if they were, they had
hardly time to make it manifest; for a sudden
and severe storm coming up, they were compelled
" to hull all night," during which time they were
driven "to their desired port, beyond all their
expectations."* The first land they made, which was on the
26th of April, 1607, they called Cape Henry,
where (having entered Chesapeake Bay) thirty
of them, while enjoying a visit on shore, were
assaulted by the savages, who hurt two of them
very dangerously. f That night the box was
opened, and the orders read, in which Bartholo
mew, Gosnold, John Smith, Edward-Maria Wing
field, Christopher Newport, John Ratcliffe, John
Martin, and George Kendall were named to be
the council, and to choose a president among
* The old chronicler is here a " little out in his reckon
ing "also: Roanoke was their " desired port," but fortu
nately the storm carried them to a much better place.
f One of the first incidents that attracted the attention
of those who landed, was the sight of some savages,
"creeping on all foures from the hils like Bearcs;" and
although they took to their heels on hearing the reports of
the English muskets, the abrupt interview was not likely
to make a very favorable impression upon either party.

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 67
them for a year, who with the council should
govern. Matters of moment were to be exam
ined by a jury, but determined by the council,
in which the president had two voices.
From the day of their arrival until the 13th of
May, the time was principally occupied in seek
ing out a suitable location for their settlement.
This was of course a matter of no small anxiety,
and-that anxiety was not lessened by the hostile
demonstrations which had already been made
by the Indians. While "prospecting" the shores
of Chesapeake Bay, they came to anchor near
the northern point at its entrance, upon which
they bestowed the name of "Point Comfort," on
account of the comfort experienced from its
good anchorage. Here a large party went on
shore, and met with five natives, who were at
first inclined to flee from them ; but when they
saw the captain place his hand oa his heart, they
ventured to approach, and invited him to visit
their town (Kecoughtan). None of the party
had reason to regret this visit: they were hospi
tably received by the whole tribe, who expressed
their welcome by a dance, and liberally supplied
them with corn-bread, tobacco and pipes, and
such other commodities as were at their disposal.
Four days afterwards, they were kindly enter
tained by the chief of the Pashiphay tribe, and
received an invitation from the chief of the
Rappahannas to come and visit him. He sent
them a messenger to guide them to his habitation,
and stood on the banks of the river to meet them
as they landed, "with all his train," (says the

68 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
writer,) "as goodly men as any I have seen of
savages or Christians — the werowance [or chief]
coming before them, playing on a flute made of
a reed, with a crown of deer's hair, colored red,
in fashion of a rose, fastened about his knot of
hair, and a great plate of copper on the other
side of his head, with two long feathers in fash
ion of a pair of horns placed in the midst of his
crown. His body was painted all with crimson,
with a chain of beads about his neck; his face
painted blue, besprinkled with silver ore, as we
thought ; his ears all behung with bracelets of
pearl, and in either ear, a bird's claw through it,
beset with fine copper or gold. He entertained
us in so modest a proud fashion, as though he
had been a prince of civil government, holding
his countenance without laughter or any such
ill behavior. He caused his mat to be spread
on the ground, where he sat down with a great
majesty, taking a pipe of tobacco, the rest of
his company standing about him. After he had
rested awhile, he rose, and made signs to us to
come to his town. He went foremost, and all
the rest of his people and ourselves followed him
up a steep hill, where his place was settled. We
passed through the. woods in fine paths, having
most pleasant springs which issued from the
mountains. We also went through the good
liest cornfields that ever were seen in any coun
try.' When we came tc Rappahanna town, he
entertained us in good humanity."*
* For a sketch of the incidents which occurred while the
settlers were seeking a spot adapted to their purpose, the

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 69
Further up the river, on the Sth of May, they
wei;e met by a large body of Indians, of the
tribe of Apamatica, armed "with bows and ar
rows in a most warlike manner, with the swords
at their backs beset with sharp stones and pieces
of iron, able to cleave a man in sunder;" but
their signs of peace being comprehended, they
were not molested.
After sailing up James River about forty
iniles, passing "through excellent ground, full of
flowers of divers kindes and colors," they took
possession of a peninsula on the northern bank,
which was fixed upon as the most eligible site
for their projected town, and in honor of the
king it was called Jamestown. All were in ec-
stacies with the surrounding country, and at first
lavished their praises upon it without stint. —
Smith thought that "Heaven and earth seemed
never to have agreed better to frame a place
for man's commodious and delightful habitation."
The water, too, came in for its equal share of
admiration; and it was regarded as a matter of
no small consequence to their choseh locality
"that their ship could be in six fathoms ofwater,
and be moored to the trees on the land."
world is indebted to "Mr. George Percy, of the ancient
fiimily of the Percies, so renowned in story, and brother to
the earl of Northumberland." He is said to have boon a
gentleman of great honor, courage, and industry; and
seems to have accompanied the expeditiln merely as a
volunteer, bearing " no post or office of government, which
might perhaps have proceeded from the cloud under which
his brother the earl then lay " — he being imprisoned in the
Tower on a charge of treason.

70 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OP

CHAPTER VI.
The Council sworn, and Smith excluded — Wingfield elected
President — Magnanimity of Smith — Remarks on the Posi
tion and Character ofthe Colonists — Busy Scenes of clearing
away the Forest, devising a Port, and building Habitations
— Smith's Surveying' Expedition — Number of Tribes ascer
tained — Courteous Reception by Powhatan — Jamestown at
tacked, and the Enemy repulsed.
The next business in order was the swearing
in of the council and the election of a president.
Wingfield was chosen to preside, and " an oration
was made," setting forth divers reasons why
Smith should not be sworn in with the others.
What those reasons were, is not now satisfac
torily known ; but it was probably urged that he
was still under the charges which had been pre
ferred against him, and of course not eligible to
a seat. However unjust and illegal the conduct
of the majority may have been, Smith seems to
have acquiesced in their proceedings; which in
fact afforded him an excellent opportunity of
exhibiting his superiority over those who were
endeavoring to injure him. Instead of retali
ating upon his enemies, or withholding that effi
cient aid which he was so capable of affording,
he unhesitatingly put forth his best abilities in
the service of the colony.
Of the auspices under which the colony
commenced, the writer once heard the Rev.
Mr. Hale, of Worcester give a very happy
illustration, while urging upon his hearers the

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 7l
obligation of each member of a community to
discharge his or her share of the general burdens.
" Here were now gathered," said he, " a set of,
colonists amply sufficient for what they had to
do. Climate, not severe; soil, rich; natives, at
the outset, not unfriendly. These men were-
sent out by a company who bore the charge of
their expedition. They had' two things_ to do:
First, to make themselves comfortable in their
new home ; second, to make'some return to those
who sent them there.— Now, of that body only
a small minority did any thing at all. The rest
had to eat; but, still, 'they would not till the
ground. They had to treat with the Indians,
but, still, they would not go to see them — they
left it to a small minority of working-men to
care for these things. And one man, the cele
brated Captain Smith, did care for them, and so
saved them all. He put heart into the workers,
and showed them how to work; he dealt with
the savages, and inspired them with fear. At
the risk of his own life, he made the treaties,
and obtained the stores from them which saved
the infant colony. He was foreman; general,
ambassador and governor-in-chief of the farms
and of the buildings— and they compelled him
to be. Whenever he left them, they left work,
quarreled, and starved. When he came back
from an absence, he always found the whole
colony at swords' points, and all its work at a
stand; and so he saved them — in spite of t'lem-
selves, from themselves — till, overworked and
broken down, he had to retire to England, their

72 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OP
old home. — Now, in that true history, we say,
without hesitation, that those shiftless colonists
were false traitors : they were false to themselves,
and false to the company who sent them; espe
cially were they false to the great man whose
life they took by inches, in heaping on him all
this varied duty. — And we do not change that
judgment even if it appear that they had never
made a precise contract to do any one of the
things which he did. We need not prove that
each of them had promised, before hand, to
render ihe precise service in which he failed.
The law of strict justice says ' He has taken the
stores and opportunities which the company pro
vided ;' he has assumed the benefit also ofthe relief
which this great commander has afforded; he is
bound, then, to do his part to make the company a-
recompense, and to help the others round him to
live. Else is he false, under the general princi
ples of justice, to the company; under the same
principle is he false to the leader whom he leaves
alone to serve him ; and so, under the same prin
ciple, is he false to himself."
At first, it being a novelty with many of the
settlers, every man set to work, and contributed
something towards accomplishing the purpose
which all had in view. Trees were felled, the
grounds were cleared, and materials for building
were obtained by slow degrees. A fort was*
contrived by the council, but it was nearly value
less; for Wingfield's ridiculous obstinacy would
not allow it to be palisadoed or mounted with
ordinance; and therefore it was little more than

CAPTAIN JOhN SMITH. 73
the boughs of trees, thrown together in a semi
circular form. Some were employed in making
gardens and nets, some in getting -clapboards to
relade the ships, and some in providing other
necessaries and conveniences.
While matters were thus progressing on land.
Smith was braving dangers and difficulties on the
water. In company with Newport and twelve
men, he embarked on a voyage of survey up the
James River, which was of great and immediate
importance. He asce."tained that of " forty-three
native tribes, dwelling between the mountains
and the sea, about thirty, numbering eight thou
sand souls, were under the rule of a powerful
chieftain, named Wahunsonacock, but whose
customary title (derived, like that of a European
grandee, from his principal residence) was Pow
hatan. The names of Tuscaloosa, Quigaltan-
qui, and those of many other native American
chiefs, identical with their towns or principalities,
indicate the prevalence of the usage. His re
sidence of Powhatan was at the Falls of James'
River, at the site of the present city of Rich
mond, and that of Werowocomoco on the north
side of York River. Ascending the first-named
stream, after a voyage of six days, the explorers
came to the Falls, where they were courteously
received by the great chief just mentioned."*
On returning to Jamestown, Smith and his
surveying party soon learned that the place had
been unexpectedly attacked by the Indians, who
wounded seventeen men and killed one boy. —
* People's Book of History.
7

74 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OP
During the struggle, a cross-bar shot from one
of the ships happened to strike off a large bough
from a tree, which so frightened the assailants,
that they made a precipitate retreat. But for
this circumstance, the English would probably
have been extirpated, as they were securely at
work, and their arms in dry. vats. After this,
the president permitted the fort to be palisadoed,
the ordinance to be mounted, and the men^ to
be armed and exercised; for many and sudden
were the assaults and ambuscades of the Indians;
and the English, by their disorderly straggling,
were often hurt, while they, by the nimbleness
of their heels, escaped."

CHAPTER VII.
Smith demands a Trial : Honorable Results — Newport sails
for England — Scarcity of Provisions, and Sicknessj-Injus-
tice of Wingfield, who is deposed, and Ratcliffe elected in
his place— Smith's Diligence in providing for the Settlers ;
His Explorations and Discoveries— Conspiracy of Wingfield
and Kendall defeated — Encounter with Opechancanough—
Exploits and Capture of Smith : his Remarkable Adventures
among the Savages : their Wonder excited by his Feats of
" Sorcery "^-Jamestown saved through his Eiforts — The
Indian's Idea of Gunpowder — Powhatan dooms Smith to
Death — -Pocahontas saves his Life — Curious Attempt to
Frighten Smith ; his Remrn to Jamestown.
"Although Captain Newport was named oi
the GDuncil, yet was he only hired for their
transportation, and was to return with the ships.
The lime of his departure approaching, Captain
Smith's enemies pretended, out of tenderness

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 75
and compassion to him, to refer him to the
council in England, to receive a reprimand,
rather than by pushing on their accusation, to
endanger his life,or utterly destroy his reputation.
But he, being a man of high spirit, and conscious
of his innocence, scorned their charity and de
fied their malice; and- behaved himself in the
whole affair with such clearness and prudence,
that all the company perceived his integrity, and
their envy and^ injustice. Insisting therefore
upon his trial, the persons suborned to accuse
him, accused their suborners; and although
many falsehoods were alleged against him, yet
were they all so plainly disproved, that it raised
a general resentment in the hearts of the audi
ence against such unjust commanders, and the
president was condemned to pay him two hun
dred pounds, in reparation of the injury. In
consequence hereof, all the president's effects
were seized in part of satisfaction; but Smith
generously presented them to the public store
for the use of the colony. Soon after, their
heats and animosities were appeased by the good
doctrine and exhortations of Mr. Hunt, who
procured Captain Smith to be -admitted of the
council; and the next day, they all received the
communion, in confirmation of their peace and
concord. The day after, being the 15th of June,
1607, the Indians voluntarily sued for peace, and
Captain Newport set sail for England, leaving
an hundred persons behind him in Virginia.
" The colony being now left to their fortunes,
fell into such a violent sickness, that within ten

76 LIFE AND .ADVENTURES OP
days scarce ten among them could either go or
stand. This was chiefly owing to the difference
of their diet. For whilst the ships staid, either
by way of traffic, or for money, or love, they got
a daily proportion of biscuit and other provisions
from the sailors, who always abounded even to
luxury and profusion. But now they were all
reduced to the common kettle; which contained
the allowance of half a pint of wheat, and as
much barley, boiled with water, for a man a day.
And this, having funked for six and twenty
weeks in the ship's hold, contained nothing sub
stantial, being only bran, with as many worms
as grains. The council in England, but espe
cially Sir Thomas Smith, their treasurer, were
justly charged with much cruelty and inhumanity
for these scanty and ill-conditioned provisions;
which management, however, continued, more
or less, the whole time of that gentleman's ad
ministration of the affairs of the company and
colony. This unwholesome food, together with
their continual toil and labor in the extremity of
the heat, carried off fifty of the company by
September; in which number was Captain Gos
nold, the first mover and projector of the whole
business. The rest that survived by the care
of Captain Smith, and the skill and diligence of
Mr. Thomas Wotton, their surgeon-general,
subsisted on crabs and sturgeon till September.
"But the president, all this while, had felt nei
ther want nor sickness. For he had embezzled
the public oatmeal, sack, aquae vitae, beef, and
eggs, and had lived in great plenty and elegance.

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 77
Soon after, having pn jected an escape to Eng
land in the' bark, it raised such indignation in
the rest, that they deposed him, and elected
Captain John Ratcliffe in his room. Kendall
was likewise at the same time disgraced, and re
moved from the council, for being concerned in
these male-practices ofthe president. And now,
when all their provisions were spent, the sturgeon
gone, and no prospect of relief from any quarter
left, God wrought so wonderful a change in the
hearts of the Indians, that they brought such
plenty of their fruits and provisions, as no man
wanted. " Newport was gone, Gosnold dead, and Wing
field and Kendall in disgrace ; neither were their
places supplied by the election of any others,
according to the authority given. So that the
whole government and power ofthe council now
rested in the new president, Martin, and Smith.
But the president and Martin, being little es
teemed or beloved, of weak judgment in dangers,
and less industry in peace, at first very candidly
and wisely permitted every thing to Smith's
management, who was peculiarly fitted for con
ducting such an enterprise, by a good judgment,
undaunted courage, and an invincible industry
and resolution. He immediately set about the
building of Jamestown; and by good words, fair
promises, and his own example (himself always
bearing the greatest share of the labor and fa
tigue) he pusned on the work with such vigor
and diligence, that he had, in a short time, pro
vided most of them with- lodgings, neglecting

78 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OP
any for himself After which, finding the Au
tumn superfluity of the savages begin to decrease,
he resolved to search the country for trade.
The want ofthe language and a sufficient power,
with clothing for his men and other necessaries,
were infinite impediments to this design, but no
discouragement to his bold and adventurous
spirit. For with five or six more, he went down
the river in a shallop, to Kicquotan ; where at
first they scorned them, as poor famished crea
tures, and would offer, in derision, a handful of
corn, or a piece of bread, for their swords, mus
kets, or clothes. But Smith, finding that nothing
was to be had by trade and courtesy, ventured
to exceed his commission, and entered upon such
measures as necessity and the exigency of his
case required. And therefore, having discharged
his muskets among them, he ran his boat ashore;
at which the Indians all fled into the woods.
Then marching up to their houses, they saw
great heaps of corn. But Smith with much ado
restrained his hungry soldiers from immediately
seizing it; expecting the savages would return
to assault them, as it soon after happened. For
sixty or seventy of them, some painted black,
some red, some white, and some party-colored,
issued out of the woods, singing and dancing,
and making a most hideous noise, with their
Okee borne before them. This was an idol made
of skins, stuffed with moss, and all painted and
hung with chains and copper. For there was
no place in Virginia found so barbarous and void
of humanity, in which they had not a religion,

CAPT.MN JOHN SMITH. 79
deer, bows, and arrows. In this savage manner,
being armed with clubs, targets, bows, and ar
rows, they charged the English, who received
them so warmly with a second volley of muskets,
loaded with pistol shot,- that down fell their god,
and several of them lay sprawling on the ground.
The rest fled again into the woods, and soon
after sent one of their priests to redeem their
god and offer peace. Smith told him, if only six
would come unarmed, and load his boat with
corn, he would not only restore their Okee, but
would be their friend, and give them beads, cop
per, and hatchets besides; which was agreed
to, and performed to the satisfaction of both
parties. And then they brought him venison,
turkies, wild fowl, bread, and whatever else
they had, singing and dancing in sign of friend
ship, till he departed. And on his return up the
river, he discovered the town and country of
Warrasqueake. "After his return to Jamestown, he made
several journies by land, and discovered the
people of Chickahominy. In one of these, Wing
field and Kendall, seeing all things at random in
Smith's absence, and the company's scorn of the
president's weakness and Martin's never-mend
ing sickness, took advantage of the occasion,
and combined with the sailors and others to re
gain their former authority, or at least to seize
the bark which Smith had fitted for a trading
voyage, and in her to escape and go for England.
But Smith returning unexpectedly, with much
difficulty prevented their design. For he was

80 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
obliged to turn the cannon of the fort upon them,
and so ibrce them to stay or sink in the river;
which action cost the life of Captain Kendall.
And not long after their new president, Ratcliffe,
and Captain Gabriel Archer intended to aban
don the country; but their project was likewise
restrained and suppressed by Smith. The Span
iards were never more greedy of gold, than he
was of provisions; neither did the rest desire
more eagerly to abandon the country, than he to
keep it. And therefore, having found plenty of
corn up the River Chickahominy, he went a
trading voyage thither, and was received by
hundreds of Indians, who stood in divers places
with baskets, expecting his coming. And now
the winter likewise coming on, the rivers were
so covered with swans, geese, and ducks, that
they daily feasted with good bread, Virginia
pease, pumpions, and passimmons, and with fish,
fowl, and divers sorts of wild beasts, as fat as
they could well eat them. So that none of their
humoursome and tuftaffety sparks (as Smith
calls them) were any longer discontented, or
desirous to go to England.
"But Captain Smith's activity and industry,
in discovering the country, and providing for
the colony, could not screen him from the vain
exceptions and murmurs of many idlers at James
town. He was censured by some, and even
taxed by the council, of being too remiss and
negligent in discovering the head of Chickahom
iny river. And therefore soon after, with much
labor in cutting away trees and clearing a pass-

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 81
age, he went up as far as his barge could pass;
and then leaving her in a broad bay, beyond
the reach of the Indians' shot, he himself, with
two English more, and two Indians, proceeded
higher up in a canoe. When he left the barge,
he ordered that none should go ashore tiU his
return. But he was not long gone, before his
disorderly and ungovernable crew disobeyed this
command, and thereby gave the Indians an op
portunity of surprising one George Cassen ; and
indeed narrowly escaped being all cut off to a
man. For Opechancanough, brother to Pow
hatan, and king of Pamunkey, a subtle and sav
age barbarian, was there with three hundred
bowmen. And after having extorted from Cas
sen which way his captain was gone, he put him
to death in a most cruel and barbarous manner,
and then went in pursuit of Smith.
"Captain Smith had got up twenty miles >
higher, among the swamps and marshes at the
head of the river; and leaving the canoe to the
care of Robinson and Emry, his two men, he
himself was gone to kill some provisions. Ope
chancanough first happened on the two men,
asleep, as it was supposed, by the fire; and
shooting them full of arrows, slew them. And
then they traced the captain; who,'finding him
self beset, bound an Indian, whom he had for
his guide, to his arm for a buckler, and received
their attack so smartly with his fire-arms, that
he soon laid three dead upon the spot, and so
wounded and galled divers others, that none of
them cared to approach him. He himself re-

82 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OP
ceivec a 'slight wound in the thigh, and had
many arrows sticking in his clothes, butwithout
any great hurt. Having the Indians thus at bay,
he endeavored to sheer off to his canoe; but re
garding them, as he went, more than his way, he
suddenly slipped up to his middle into an oozy
creek. Although he was thus hampered, yet
none of them durst come near him, till, being al
most dead with cold, he threw away his arms
and surrendered. Then drawing him out, they
carried him to the fire where his men were slain,
and carefully chafed his benumbed limbs. For
this winter, 1607, was extremely cold in Virginia,
as it was likewise remarkable for an extraordi
nary frost in Europe.
" When Smith was a little recovered, he asked
for their captain, and being shown Opechan
canough, he presented him with a round ivory
double compass dial. They wondered greatly
at the playing of the fly and needle, which they
could see so plainly, and yet not touch, because
of the glass that covered them. But when he
explained by it the roundness of the earth, the
skies, the sphere of the sun, moon, and stars,
with other surprising and unheard-of doctrines
to them, they all stood amazed. Yet within an
hour after, they tied him to a tree, and drew up
in order to shoot him. But the king holding up
the compass in his hand, they all laid down their
arms at once. And then, with much triumph,
and in martial order, they conducted him to
Orapakes, which was a hunting town and seat,
lying on the upper part of Chickahominy swamp.

- CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 83
on the north side, belong.'ng to, and much fre
quented by, Powhatan and the imperial family,
on account ofthe abundance of game it afforded.
In their march, they drew themselves all up in
file; and Opechancanough being in the midst,
had the English swords and muskets carried be
fore him. Captain Smith came next, led* by
three great savages, holding him fast by each
arm ; and on either side went six in file, with
their arrows notched. When they arrived at
the town, the women and children stood staring
at a human creature, so unlike whatever they
had before seen; and the soldiers that had taken
him, performed their military exercise, throwing
themselves with great dexterity into their war-
dance, with strange distortions and antic pos
tures, singing and yefling out frightful and in
harmonious notes and screeches. But they
treated Smith here very kindly, and feasted him
with that formality and abundance, that he sus
pected they intended to fatten and to eat him.
In the midst of these melancholy thoughts and
surmises, one of them, in return for some beads
and toys, which Smith had given him at his first
arrival, brought him his gown; which was of
singular service to him, and a very seasonable
defence against the excessive coldness of the
season. "But whilst his mind was thus taken up with
imaginary deaths, he had like to have met a real
one. For a man came violently upon him, and
would have slain him for the death of his son,
had he not been prevented by his guard,

84 LIFE AND AI Vf.NTUEES OF
Whether this was one of those that were
wounded when Smith was taken prisoner, or
whether he was dying a natural death, which
they, through ignorance and superstition, attrib
uted to some sorcery in Smith, is not easy to be
determined. However, they carried him to re
cover the poor man, breathing out his last.
Smith told them he had a water at Jamestown
that would do it, if they would let him fetch it.
But they had more sense than to permit that, or
to trust him out of their hands.
" They were now making the greatest prepar
ations they could to assault Jamestown. To
this end they desired Smith's advice and assist
ance ; and, as .a reward, promised him life, liberty,
land, and women. But he represented to them
the extreme danger and difl!iculty of the attempt;
and described the springing of mines, great guns,
and other warlike engines, in such a manner, as
exceedingly frightened and amazed them. And
then he persuaded some of them to go to James
town, under pretence of fetching some toys;
and in part of a table-book, he informed them at
the fort what was intended, and directed them
how to behave and affright the messengers, and
without fail to send him such things as he wrote
for. Within three days, the messengers returned,
through as bitter weather as could be, for frost
and snow; and were greatly astonished them
selves, as well as all that heard it, how Smith
could divine, or the paper speak. For all things
were delivered them, and had happened at James
town, according as he foretold.

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 85
"All thoughts of an attack upon Jamestown
being therefore laid aside, they led Smith in show
and triumph about the country. And first they
carried him to those that dwelt on Youghtanund,
or, as it is now called, Pamunkey river. For the
main river, which is since named York river,
was then called Pamunkey ; although the coun
try of Pamunkey, over which Opechancanough
was king, lay in the fork of the river, and his
chief seat was nearly where the Pamunkey town
now is. From the Youghtanunds they led him
to the Mattaponies, the Piankatanks, the Nan-
taughtacunds, on Rappahanock, and the Nomi-
nies, on Patowmack river. And having passed
him over all those rivers, they brought him back,
through several other nations, to Opechancan-
ough's habitation at Pamunkey; where, with
frightful bowlings, and many strange and hellish
ceremonies, they conjured him three days, to
know, as they told him, whether he intended
them well or ill. After this, they brought him a
bag of gunpowder, vs'hich they judged to be a
grain, springing out of the earth as other grains
did ; and therefore they carefully preserved it,
intending to plant it the next spring, as they did
their corn. And then he was invited, and feasted
in a sumptuous manner, by Opitchapan, second
brother to Powhatan, and next heir to all his
dominions. But here, as in all other places, none
of them would touch a morsel with him ; although
they would feast very merrily upon what he left.
At last they conducted him to Werowocomoco,
where Powhatan the emperoi was. He lived in
8

86 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
great barbaric state and magnificence, and
usually had about his person forJy or fifty ofthe
tallest men his country afforded; which guard
was, after this time, increased to two hundred,
on account of the English. Every night, upon
the four corners of his house were placed
four sentinels, each a slight shot from the other ;
and every half hour, one from the main guard
hollov/ed, shaking his finger between his lips,
and every sentinel was obliged to answer frora
his stand. If any failed, an officer was immedi
ately sent, who beat him extremely. At all his
ancient inheritances, he had houses, some of
thein thirty or forty yards long; and at every
house, provision for his entertainment, according
to the season. He kept as many women as he
pleased ; and when he laid down, one sat at his
head, and another at his feet;' but when he was
up, one sat on his right hand, and another on his
left; and as he was weary of them, he bestowed
them on such of his servants as had most pleased
him, or best deserved them at his hands.
"Although both himself and people were very
barbarous, and void of all letters and civility,
yet was there such a government among them,
that the magistrates for good command, and the
people for due subjection, excelled many places
that would be counted very civil. He had un
der him above thirty inferior kings or wero-
wances, who had power of life and death, but
were bound to govern according to the customs
of their country. However, his will was, in all
cases, their supreme law, and must be obeyed,

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 87
They all knew their several lands, habitations,
and limits to fish, fowl, or hunt in. But they
held all of their great werowance [chief or king]
Powhatan ; to whom they paid tribute of skins,
beads, copper, pearl, deer, turkies, wild beasts,
and corn. All his subjects reverenced him, not
only as a king, but as half a god; and it was
curious to behold with what fear and adoration
they obeyed him; for at his feet they presented
whatever he commanded ; and a frown of his
brow would make their greatest spirits tremble;
and indeed it was no wonder; for he was very
terrible and tyrannous in punishing such as of
fended him, with variety of cruelty and the most
exquisite torture.
"When Smith was presented to him, he was
about sixty years of age, something hoary, and
of a savage majesty and grandeur. He sat be
fore a fire upon a wooden throne, like a bedstead,
clothed with a great robe of racoon skins, and
with a coronet of feathers about his head. On
either hand, sat a young wench, of about sixteen
or eighteen years of age; and along each side of
the house, a row of men, and behind them as
many women, painted and adorned in their best
manner. When Smith entered, all the people
gave a shout; and the queen ot Appamattox
was appointed to bring him water to wash his
hands, and another brought a bunch of feathers,
instead of a towel, to dry them. After that,
having feasted him in their best manner, a long
consultation was held;' at the conclusion of
which, two great stones were brought before

88 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
Powhatan, and Smith was dragged to them, and
his head laid thereon, in order to have his brains
beat out with clubs; but Pocahontas, the king's
darling daughter, when no entreaty could pre
vail, got his head into her arms, and laid her
own upon it to save his life. Whereupon Pow
hatan was persuaded to let him live, to make
himself hatchets, and her bells, beads, and cop
per; for the king himself would make his own
robes, shoes, bows, arrov/s, and pots; and would
hunt, plant, and do every thing else like the rest;
and therefore they thought him of all occupations,
as well as themselves; and besides this surprising
tenderness and affection of Pocahontas, who
was at that time about twelve or thirteen years
of age. Captain Smith received many services
from Nantaquaus, the emperor's son. He was
a youth of the comeliest and most manly person,
and of the highest spirit and courage, of any in
the court of Powhatan; and he embraced Smith's
interest with much warmth and heartiness, and
did him many acts of friendship and kindness.
"Two days after, Powhatan having disguised
himself in the most frightful manner he could,
caused Captain Smith to be carried to a great
house in the woods, and there to be left alone
on a mat by the fire. Not long after, from be
hind a mat, which divided the house, was made
the most doleful noise he had ever heard; and
then Powhatan, with about two hundred more,
as frightful as himself came and told him they
were now friends, and he should immediately
go to Jamestown, to send him two great guns

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 89
and a grindstone; for which he would give him
the country of Capahowsick, and ever after es
teem him as his son Nantaquaus. Captain
Smith put little confidence in his words, and ex
pected every minute, even till he got to James
town, to be put to one kind of death or other;
but Powhatan sent him off immediately, with
twelve guides; and having lodged that night in
the woods, he arrived the next morning early at
the fort."*

CHAPTER VIII.
Smith's Artifice — Another Revolt — Trade with the Indians —
Arrival of Newport — Nelson's Escape from Shipwreck —
Envy and Improvidence of Newport and his Company — ¦
Presents to Powhatan r his Cunning Device for Trading-:
Circumvented by Smith's Blue Beads — Successful Trade
with Opechancanough — Destructive Conflagration at James
town — Mismanagement of Supplies — "Sect of Gold-finders"
— Wingfield and Archer sent to England — Arrival of Nelson
— Insolence of the Indians punished.
The seven weeks of captivity which Smith
had passed among the savages, although of course
irksome at the time, were of great ultimate ad
vantage, both to himself and to thecolony, ena
bling him to gain a knowledge of the country
.ind of the Indian dialect, which were very use
ful in subsequent transactions. After safely
reaching Jamestown, "he used his guides with
the utmost kindness; and showed Rawhunt,
* Stith's History of Virginia.
8*

90 LIFE AND ADVENTURES CF
Powhatan's trusty servant, two demi-culverins
and a mill-stone to carry to their master. Their
weight was sufficient to deter them from the
attempt; but when they saw him discharge them,
loaded with stones, among the boughs of a great
tree hung with icicles, the terror of the report,
and the rattling ofthe boughs and ice, so frighted
the poor savages, that they ran away, half dead
with fear; but having regained some conference
with them, he gave them such toys for them
selves, and sent Powhatan, his women, and chil
dren, such presents as gave a general satisfaction.
" At Jamestown every thing was in confusion,
and the strongest were preparing once more to
run away with the bark; but Smith, with the
hazard of his life, forced her the third time, to
stay or sink in the river; and the next day sev
eral combined with the president to put him to
death by the Levitical law, for the lives of
Robinson and Emry, whom, they said, he had
led to their end, and was consequently the au
thor of their death. But he quickly took such
order with those lawyers, that he 'laid them by
the heels,' till he sent some of them prisoners fo
England. And then, by his relation of the
plenty he had seen among the natives, especially
at Werowocomoco, and of the state and bounty
of Powhatan, till then unknown, he very much
appeased their fears, and revived their dead
spirits; and Pocahontas, with her attendants,
every once in four or five days, brought him so
much {Provision, as saved the lives of many, who
must otherwise have perished with hunger.

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 91
Several others also of the natives repaired daily
to the fort, with such provisions as sufficiently
served them from hand to mouth. Part they
always brought Smith, as presents from their
kings or Pocahontas; and he, as their market-
clerk, set the price upon the rest. So much had
he astonished and enchanted those poor souls,
whilst their prisoner, that they esteemed him as
a demi-god, and were ready, at his beck, to do
whatever he commanded; and the God who
created all things, they knew, he adored as his
God, and would, in their discourse, call him the
God of Captain Smith.
"And this their high opinion was much in
creased by the arrival of Captain Newport,
whom Smith, among them, called his father,
nearly about the time that he had foretold; for
the treasurer and council in England sent two
ships thelatter end of this year, with a supply
of provisions and an hundred and twenty men.
These came well furnished with all things that
could be imagined necessary, as Captain Smith
tells us; but, however, we must always make
some allowance in his account of these things;
for he was a very great friend to Sir Thomas
Smith; and we shall see hereafter, from several
authentic papers, but especially from a repre.
sentation 6f our general assembly, among the
records in the capitol, that that officer was most
scandalously negligent, if not corrupt, particu
larly in this matter of supplies. One of these
ships was commanded by Captain Newport, the
other by Captain Erancis Nelson, an honest man

02 ' LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
and expert mariner; but such was the leward-
ness of his ship, that although he was within
sight of Cape Henry, yet by contrary winds and
stormy weather, he was driven off the coast, and
forced to the West Indies, to repair his masts,
and to get a recruit of wood and water; but be
fore this, the president and council so much en
vied Smith's esteem among the natives, although
they all equally participated of the good effects
of it, that to raise their credit and authority
above his, they would give them four times as
much for their commodities as he had appointed;
And now, out of joy for the arrival of this first
supply, and to gratify the mariners, they gave
them free liberty to trade as they pleased. So
that in a short time, what was before bought for
an ounce of copper, could not be had for a pound.
To which Captain Newport's profuse presents to
Powhatan were added, and gave the finishing
blow to their trade. They served indeed tu
entertain and keep up the high idea of New
port's greatness which Smith had raised in
Powhatan, and made him very desirous to
see him.
" Accordingly the bark was prepared and a
great coil there was at Jamestown to set him
off. Capt. Smith and Mr. Mathew Scrivener,
a discreet and understandinggentleman newly
aii'ived and admitted of the council, attended
him with a guard of thirty or forty chosen men.
When they came to Werowocomoco, Newport
began to entertain fears and suspicions of
treachery; but Smith with twenty men, under
took to encounter the worst that could happen;

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 9.3
and going ashore, was kindly conducted by two
or three hundred Indians to the town. Powhatan
strained himself upon this occasion, to the ut
most of his greatness to entertain them, with
great shouts of joy, orations, and protestations,
and with the most sumptuous and plentiful ban
quet he could provide. He sat on a bed of mats,
with a pillow of leather embroidered with pearl
and white beads ; and was clothed in a robe of
skins, as large as an Irish mantle. At his head
and feet sat a handsome young woman; and on
each side the house, twenty of his concubines,
with their heads and shoulders painted red, and
a great chain of white beads about each of their
necks. Before them sat his chief men in the
like order; and above forty platters of fine bread
stood in two files on each side of the door. Four
or five hundred people attended as a guard; and
proclamation was made, that none, upon pain of
death, should presume to do the English any
wrong or discourtesy; and thus did Smith and
he spend the day, in a kind renewal of their
former acquaintance, and in feasting and seeing
them dance and sing, and play their other feats
of humor and activity; and that night, the
English were quartered and lodged by Powhatan.
"The next morning, Newport came ashore,
and they spent three or four days more in feast
ing, and dancing, and trading. In all which
lime,' Powhatan behaved himself with such lofti
ness and state, and yet with so much discretion,
that they could not forbear admiring his natural
parts and understanding. Scorning to trade as

94 LIFE -iND ADVENTURES OF
his subjects did, he told Newport that l.e es
teemed him a great werowance, as well as him
self; that it was not agreeable to their dignity to
trade in that pedling manner for trifles; and that,
therefore, if he would lay down all his commod
ities together, he would choose what he liked, and
give him their value. Smith, who was their in
terpreter, and knew Powhatan's disposition, told
the company his intent was only to cheat them;
but Newport, thinking to out-brave this stately
barbarian in ostentation and greatness, and by
his bounty to obtain from him whatever he
pleased, accepted the condition ; and then Pow
hatan, having taken what he liked, valued his
corn at such a rate, that they had not four
bushels for what they expected twenty hogs
heads. This bred some distaste between the
two English captains; but Smith, smothering
his dislike before the savages, glanced several
trifles in the eyes of Powhatan, who soon fixed
hisvfancy on some blue beads. He was a long
time importunate to have them; but Smith val
ued them so much the higher, and told him they
were composed of a rare substance of the color
of the skies, and were not to be worn by any but
the greatest kings in the world. This made him
the more eager and mad for them; so that for a
pound 3r two of blue beads, he drew from him
two or three hundred bushels of corn, and yet
parted in good friendship. Upon this voyjge,
Newport gave Powhatan a boy named Thomas
Savage, whom he called his son; and Powhatan
gave him Namontack, a servant of his, of a

CAPTAIN JCHN SMITH. 95
shrewd and subtle capacity," who afterwards
visited England, and was murdered on the re
turn voyage at Bermudas.
From Werowocomoco they went to Pamun
key, where they were feasted in like manner by
Opechancanough. Smith fitted him also, at the
same rates, with blue beads; which, by this
means, grew into such estimation, that none
durst wear them but their great kings, or their
wives and children. At length, weighing from
thence, they returned to Jamestown; where this
new supply of corn being lodged with the rest,
their storehouse was by some accident fired, and
so the town, which, being thatched vvith reeds,
burnt with that fierceness and violence, as soon
consumed their wooden fortifications, with their
arms, apparel, and bedding, and much private
goods and provision; The .good Mr. Hunt lost
all his library, with every thing else that he had,
except the clothes on his back; yet no one ever
heard him murmur or repine at it.
Notwithstanding this unfortunate accident,
they had yet a tolerable stock of oatmeal, meal,
and corn, had not the ship loitered fourteen
weeks in the country, when she might as well
have been gone in fourteen days ; for they there
by helped to consume a great part ofthe colony's
store, and nearly all the provisions sent to be
landed. When they departed, they left them
what little they thought proper to spare ; which
they were glad to receive, and make up an ac
count, highly commending their care and provi
dence, lest they should discourage the council at

90 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
home from sending any more. Yet those per
sons who had either money, spare clothes, credit
for bills of exchange, gold rings, furs, or any such
valuable commodities, were always welcome to
this floating tavern. Such was their necessity
and misfortune, to be under the lash of those vile
commanders, and to buy their own provisions
at fifteen times their value; suffering them to
feast at their charge, whilst themselves were
obliged to fast, and yet dare not repine, lest they
should incur the censure" of being factious and
seditious persons. By these means and manage
ment, the colony was rather burdened than re
lieved, by the vast charge of this ship; and being
leduced to meal and water, and exposed, by the
loss of their town, to the. most bitter cold and
frost, above half of them died. Smith indeed
and Scrivener endeavored to correct all abuses,
and to put things into a better posture; hut they
could do nothing to effect, being overpowered by
liie president and his party, who had long before
I liis laid aside their deference to Smith's judg
ment and management.
'About this time also (1608) there sprung up
a very troublesome sect of gold-finders, which
was headed by Captain Martin, and warmly
embraced by Newport. There was no thought,
no discourse, no hope, and no work, but to dig
gold, wash gold, refine gold, and load gold; and
notwithstanding Captain Smith's warm and ju
dicious representations, how absurd it was to
neglect other things of immediate use and ne
cessity, to load such a drunken ship with gilded

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 97
dust; yet was he over-ruled, and her returns
made in a parcel of glittering dirt which is found
in various parts of the country, and which they
very sanguinely concluded to be gold dust; and
in her they sent home Mr. Wingfield and Cap
tain Archer, to seek some better place of em^
ployment in England; for they had assumed
many empty titles of offices here, as admirals,
recorders, chronologers, justices of the peace
and of the courts of plea, with other such idle
and insignificant pretensions.
"And now Martin and the president, carrying
all things as they pleased, by their faction, lived
in great splendor by the sale ofthe store's com
modities, as if they had been their proper and
hereditary revenue ; and the spring approaching.
Captain Smith and Mr. Scrivener prepared fields
for corn, and applied themselves to rebuild
Jamestown, and repair the church, store-house,
and fortifications; but whilst they were all busily
engaged at their several labors. Captain Nelson,
who had been driven off the coast, as was before
said, and, as they all thought, lost, unexpectedly
arrived to their great joy. He had been very
careful and provident, and had fed his company
on what he got at the West India islands; so
that the provisions he now landed, joined to their
former store, were sufficient to support them half
a year, according to their present allowance.
He himself also freely imparted whatever he had;
and by his fair and generous behavior, he got
the good word and love of the whole colony;
and the president, to send some good news by
9

98 LIFE AND ADVEi^TURES OF
this ship, ordered Captain Smith, with sixty able
men, to discover the country of the Monacan,
or, as they were afterwards called, the Manakin
Indians; a nation above the falls of James river,
not subject to Powhatan, but professed enemies
to him and his dominions; for that strange blood-
thirstiness, and, as it were, judicial infatuation,
of warring against and exterminating each other,
which at present infests our Indians, and has
been the cause of the utter extirpation of most
of the nations on this continent, was even then
rooted in their nature, and may be observed in
the oldest accounts that we have of them. How
ever, as it was the time of planting corn, and
this ship was to be dispatched. Captain Smith
thought those and other things more urgent at
that time, and therefore deferred the discovery,
till he could perform it with less charge and more
leisure. "When Newport left the country, Powhatan
presented him with twenty turkies, and in return
demanded twenty swqi'ds, which were immedi
ately sent him. Afterwards he presented Cap
tain Smith with the like number; but having no
swords in return, he was highly offended, and
ordered his people to take them by stratagem or
force. So that they became insufferably trou
blesome and insolent, would surprise the English
at their work, and seize their swords at the Very
ports, of Jamestown. The president and Martin,
who now bore the sway, would keep their houses,
or do any thing, rather than transgress a strict
command from England, not to offend them ;' but

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 99
at length they happened to meddle with Captain
Smith, who gave them a rough encounter, hunted
them up and down the island, and seized seven,
whom he whipped and imprisoned. By this and
other smart proceedings, he brought them to-
submission; and they unanimously confessed
that they acted by Powhatan's direction, in order
to get swords from the English, to cut their own
throats; and they likewise fully disclosed how,
where, and when, this design was to be put in
execution; all which was confirmed by many
concurrent circumstances ; but Powhatan, finding
that things went not according to his desire and
intent, sent Pocahontas with presents to excuse
himself for the injuries done by some of his un
governable captains; and he desired their liberty
for this time, with assurances of his love and
friendship for ever; and Smith, having given
them a proper correction, delivered them to Po
cahontas ; for whose sake alone he pretended to
save their lives, and give them their liberty.
Thus, without the death of one man, he restrained
their insolence, and brought them into such per
fect fear and obedieiice, that his very name was
sufficient to fright them; whereas before they
had sometimes peace and war twice in a day,
and seldom a week passed without some treach
ery or ambuscade; but the peaceable council
were highly offended at these proceedings, and
expostulated warmly with him for his rashness
and cruelty.
" There had been a dispute between Martin
and Smith, whether this ship should be laded

100 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OP
with cedar or dirt; but her freight being con
cluded to be cedar, she was, by the diligenee of
her captain and Smith, quickly dispatched. In
her Captain Martin, being always sickly and un
serviceable, and having his head full of the idle
whimsy of a gold mine, was most willingly ad
mitted to return to England. In these two ships,
besides Mr. Scrivener, came Walter Russel,
doctor of physic, Richard Fgtherstone, and some
others of note; and whilst Nelson and Smith
were engaged in loading the ship, Mr. Scrivener
was neither idle nor slow in carrying on the
works of Jamestown; but the president's prodi
gality and state went so deep, and was so sensi
bly felt in their small store, that he and Smith
were obliged to bind him and his parasites to the
rules of proportion."*

CHAPTER IX.
Departure of Nelson — Exploration of Chesapeake Bay — Visits
to Various Indian Tribes — Discontent among the Crew —
Discovery of the Potomac — Severe Accident to Smith from
a Stingray — Return to Jamestown — Ratcliffe deposed, and
Smith elected President — He appoints Scrivener his substi
tute — Another Exploring Expedition — the Massawomeks,
Tockwoghs, Susquesahanocks, Rappahanocks, Maraughta
cunds, Mannahocks, and other Indian Tribes — Numerous
Adventures and Narrow Escapes — Return to Jamestown.
" On the 2d of June Captain Nelson fell down
the river, and was accompanied to the capes by
Smith, who, (in an open boat of about three tons
* Stith's History of Virginia.

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 101
burthen, together with Dr. Russel and thirteen
more,) was going to explore Chesapeake bay.
Parting with the ship at Cape Henry, they stood
over to those islands, which were then called,
after him their first discoverer, Smith's islands.
The first people they saw were two grim and
stout Indians on Cape Charles, with long poles,
like javelins, headed with bone. They sternly
demanded what they were, and what they want
ed; but grew afterwards more kind, and directed
them to Accomack, the habitation of their we
rowance. This king treated them very kindly,
and was the comeliest, most proper and civil In
dian they had met with. They spoke the lan
guage, of Powhatan, ^and at that time lay under
the misfortune of a strange mortality, which they
attributed to a miracle. Passing on from thence,
they coasted it along, and searched every inlet
and bay that seemed proper for harbors or hab
itations; and many harbors they found for small
vessels, but none fit to receive large ships.
"Running up the river, the natives at first
threatened, with great fury, to assault them ; but
at last became very tractable and kind. 'They
dug in several places, and searched their habita
tions, yet could get but little water, and that
mere puddle. Yet such was their distress two
days after, that they would have refused a quart
full of gold for a pint of that puddle. Departing
from thence, they found on a high point of land,
which they called Point Ployer, a pond of fresh
water, but so exceedingly hot, that they supposed
it to be some bath. Then standing over to some

102 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OP
Other islands, there arose such another thunder-
gust, that their mast and sail was blown over
board, and such mighty waves over-racked their
boat, that they could scarce, with much labor in
bailing out the water, keep her from sinking.
Two days they staid among these islands, and
because of the gusts and storms that then hap
pened, they called the place Limbo; but they
are the same, which have since been named
Wats's Islands. Having repaired the loss of
their sail with their shirts, they stood over again
to the eastern shore, and fell in with a pretty
convenient river, then called Cuscarawock.
This is what is laid down in our present charts
by the name of Wighcocomoco, by whatever
accident that name hath shifted in process of
time, from Pokomoke river to this. Here the
natives opposed them very furiously ; but leaving
some toys in their huts, they brought some of
them over at last to be very fond and obliging.
On this river lived the nations of Sarapinagh,
Nause, Arseck, and Nantaquack, who were the
best merchants and greatest traders of all the
Indians of this country. They had the finest
furs, and made large quantities of the best Ro
anoke; which was a sort of white bead, that
occasioned as much dissension among those bar
barians, as gold and silver among Christians.
They told the English of, and highly extolled, a
great nation, called the Massawomecks ; in search
of whom they returned again, by Limbo, into
the bay; and finding the coast of the eastern
shore nothing but shallow, broken isles, and for

CAPTAIV JOHN SMITH. 103
the most part Without fresh water, they stood
away from thence across the bay, bearing a little
upwards, and fell in on the western side, above
the mouth of Patijxent river, against some high
clifts, which they called Riccard's Clifts. From
hence they sailed thirty leagues farther north
ward, without finding any inhabitants. The
coast was all along well watered, but very
mountainous and barren, except the vallies,
which were rich and fertile, but extremely thick
wooded, and therefore abounded in wolves, bears,
deer, and other wild beasts. They passed by
many coves and small streams. The first they
found navigable for a ship, they called Bolus
River, because the clay in many places under
the clifts grew up in red and white knobs, like
gum out of trees, and they conclude.d it lo be
bole armeniac and terra sigillata. This river,
by its situation and bearings, must be the same
with Patapsco in Maryland.
"And now Captain Smith's crew, who at first "
feared nothing so much as his too hasty return,
began to be very much soiled and fatigued.
They had laid twelve or fourteen days in that
open boat, were often tired at the oars, and their
bread was spoiled and rotten with the rain; so
that they were very importunate with him to
return ; but he reminded them of the memorable
resolution of Sir Ralph Lane's company, in the
discovery of the river Moratuc, who insisted on
his goi \g forward, as long as they had a dog left,
whicb being boiled with sassafras leaves, would
affof' nem a rich repast in their return ; and he

104 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
told them, what a shame it would be, to oblige
him to return, with so much provision as they
then had, when they cou.d scarce say where they
had been, or give any account of what they
were sent to discover: that they could not deny
but he had shared with them in the worst of
what was pagt; and he was willing to take to
himself the worst part of what was to come:
that it was not likely any thing worse should be-
fal them, than what had already happened; and
that to return, was as dangerous as to proceed.
He therefore advised them to resume their lost
courage; for he was determined not to desist till
he had seen the Massawomecks, found Patow
mack, or traced the head of the bay; but after
this, they were detained by the wind and weather
three days; which added such a discouragement,
that three or four fell sick, whose dissatisfaction
and piteous complaints at last prevailed with him
to return.
"On the 16th of June, they fell in with the
mouth of Patowmack. Their fears being now
gone, and men recovered, they all agreed to take
some pains in the discovery of that seven-mile
broad river ; for although Smith had been carried
over it in his captivity, yet he knew it not again
by the mouth. For thirty miles they found no
inhabitants; but afterwards were conducted, by
two savages, up a little bayed creek, towards
Nominy, where they discovered the woods laid
with ambuscades, to the number of three or four
thousand Indians, strangely grimmed and dis
guised, and making a horrible shouting and yell-

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 10 •
ing. They made many bravadoes, and Smith
prepared, with as great seeming willingness, to
encounter them ; but commanding some muskets
to be discharged on purpose, the grazing of the
bullets on the water, together with the report
and echo ofthe woods, so frightened and amazed
them, that they threw down their arms, and be
came very kind and hearty friends. They
owned they were commanded to betray that
party of English, by the dire|Ction of Powhatan,
who was desired so to do by some discontented
persons at Jamestown, because Captain Smith
obliged them to stay in the country against their
will. They afterwards went up the river, as
high as they could with their boat; and were
received in some places kindly, and in others in
a hostile manner. Up a small river, then called
Quiyough, which I take to be Patowmack creek,
was a mine like antimony. In this the Indians
dug, and washing away the dross in a clear •
brook which ran by, they put up the remainder
in little bags, and sold it all over the country, to
deck their bodies, faces, and idols ; which made
them look like blackamores, dusted over with
silver. Newport had carried some of these bags
home, and assured them that they were found,
upon trial, to contain half silver. Being there
fore very eager after this mine, they obtained
guides from Japazaws, king of Patowmack, who
lived at the mouth of that little river, and went
up to it; but all they got proved of no value.
Towards the falls of Patowmack, they met sev
eral parties of Indians in canoes, loaded with

106 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
the flesh of bears, deer, and other wild beasts,
which they generously impart to them ; and in
divers places they saw that abundance of fish ly
ing with their heads above water, that their barge
driving among them, for want of a net, they at
tempt to catch them with a frying pan; but
they found that a bad instrument to catch fish.
"From Patowmack they set sail for Rappa
hanock, or, as it was by many called, Toppahan-
ock river; where the captain intended to visit
his captivity-acquaintance; but their boat, by
reason of the lowness of the tide, ran aground
on some shoals at the mouth of that river, where
they spied many fish lurking in the sedge. The
captain diverted himself by nailing them to the
ground with his sword; and the rest betaking
themselves to the same sport, they took more
fish in an hour, than they could eat in a day;
but Captain Smith, taking from his sword a fish,
like a thornback, with a long tail, in the midst
of which was a poisoned sting, of two or three
inches length, bearded like a saw on each side,
she struck her sting into his wrist an inch and
a half. No blood or wound was seen, but only
a little blue spot; yet such was the extremity of
pain, and his hand, arm, and shoulder, were so
swollen in four hours' time, that they all, with
much sorrow, expected his death, and prepared
his grave in an island by, as he himself directed;
but it pleased God, by the application of an oil,
which Dr. Russel had with him, his torment
was so eased and assuaged before night, that to
the great joy of the company, he eat of the fish

< CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 107
for his supper; and in memory of this accident,
they callellthe isle Stingray Island, after the
name of the fish.
"Their provisions being-near spent, and being
also deterred by this misfortune, they set sail
immediately for Jamestown ; and passing by the
mouths of Pinkatank and Pamunkey rivers, they
arrived the next day at Kicquotan. From
thence they proceeded up to Warrasqueake;
where, trimming their barge with painted stream
ers, and other such devices, they were taken for
a Spanish frigate at Jamestown, where they ar
rived the 21st of July. There they found the
last supply of men all sick ; and of the rest, some
lame, some bruised, and all in a tumult and up
roar against the unreasonable pride and cruelty
of the president, whom they would as strangely
have tormented with revenge, had it not been
for this seasonable arrival ofthe discovery barge.
He had riotously consumed the store, and had
greatly harassed and fatigued the people, in
building an unnecessary house of pleasure for
himself in the woods; but their fury was much
appeased by the good news of this discovery,
and by the hopes, from some mistaken interpret
ation of the savage's account, that our bay
reached to the South Sea, or somewhere near
it; but above all, by the deposing Ratcliffe, and
Captain Smith's taking the government upon
himself. "Smith substituted his good friend Mr. Scriv-
eiier, who then lay exceeding ill of a calenture,
in the presidency ; and having settled all things

108 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF »
to his own and the people's satisfaction, he staid
but three days at Jamestown; for the 24th of
July, he set forward, with twelve men, to finish
the discovery of the bay. They were detained
two or three days at Kicquotan, by contrary
winds, where they were kindly entertained and
feasted by the king, and in diversion fired sev
eral rockets, which greatly terrified and aston
ished the poor savages. From thence they
anchored, the first night, at Stingray Island;
and the next day, crossing the mouth of Patow
mack, they hastened to the river Bolus. A little
beyond, that, they found the bay divided into
four streams, all which they searched, as far as
they could sail. Two of them they found in
habited, the rivers Susquesahanock and Tock-
wogh, since called Sassafras river. In crossing
the bay, they met seven or eight'canoes full of
Massawomecks, a great and powerful nation of
Indians inhabiting upon some of the lakes of
Canada, and the original perhaps of those at
present known by the name of the Senecas or
Six Nations. They were at that time professed
enemies, and a great terror to the nations dwell
ing on the upper part of our bay, and had then
been at war with the Tockwoghs. After mutual
threats of assault between them and the English,
they were at last induced to go on board the
barge; and by interchangeable presents becoming
good friends, they departed without farther inter
course or conversation.
"The next day, entering'the river Tockwogh,
they were environed with a fleet of canoes, full

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 109
of armed men ; but coming to a parley, and the
Tockwoghs seeing the Massawomeck arms,
which they had presented to the English the day
before, and which the English made them believe
they had taken in war, they were soon reconciled,
and conducted them to their town. It was pal
isadoed round, mantled with the barks of trees,
had scaffolds like mounts, and was breasted very
formally. The men, women, and children did
their utmost to express their affection ; and wel
comed them with songs, dances, fruits, and furs,
and with whatever else they had. Here they
saw many hatchets, knives, and pieces of ii'on
and brass, which, they told them, they had from
the Susquesahanocks, a mighty nation, dwelling
on the chief of the four branches at the head of
the bay, two days' journey above the falls of that
river. They prevailed with two Tockwoghs to
go and invite some of the Susquesahanocks to
them. In three or four days, sixty of those gi
gantic people came down with presents of vari
ous kinds ; and the wind being too high for their
canoes, five of their chief werowances came
boldly on board the English barge, and crossed
• the bay to Tockwogh.
"This nation of the Susquesahanocks could
muster about six hundred fighting men, and lived
in palisadoed towns, to defend themselves against
the Massawomecks, their mortal enemies. They
were very large, well-proportioned men, and
appeared like giants to the English and other
Indians; yet seemed of an honest and simple
disposition, and were scarcely restrained from
10

110 LIFE AND ADVEMTURE3 OF
adoring the English as gods ; and their language
and attire were very suitable to their stature
and appearance ; for their language sounded deep,
aud solemn, and hollow, like a voice in a vault.
Their attire was the skins of bears and wolves,
so cut, that the man's head went through the
neck, and the ears of the bear were fastened on
his shoulders, while the nose and teeth hung
dangling down upon his breast. Behind was
another bear's face split, with a paw hanging at
the nose ; and their sleeves, coming down to theii
elbows, were the necks of bears, with their arras
going through the mouth, and paws hanging to
the noses. One had the head of a wolf hanging
to a chain, for a jewel; and his tobacco pipe
was three-quarters of a yard long, carved with
a bird, a deer, and other devices at the great
end; which was sufficient to beat out a man's
brains. They measured the calf of the largest
man's leg, and found it three-quarters of a yard
about, and all the rest of his limbs were in pro
portion; so that he seemed the stateliest and
most goodly personage they had ever beheld.
His arrows were five-quarters long, headed with
the splinters of a white crystal-like stone, in
form of a heart, an inch broad, and an inch and
a half, or more, long. These he carried at his
back, in a wolf's skin for his quiver, with his
bow in one hand, and his club in the other.
" The manner ofthe English was daily to have
prayers with a psalm; at which solemnity those
poor barbarians wondered greatly. Prayers
being done, the Susopaesahanocks held a con-

CAPTAI-N JOHN SMITH. Ill
sulfation; and then began in a very passionate
manner to hold up their hands to the sun, with
a most frightful song. Then embracing Captain
Smith, they began to adore him in like manner.
He rebuked them for it ; but they persisted, till
their song was finished. After which, with a
strange furious action, and a dismal voice, they
began an oration of their love; which ended,
they covered him with a large painted bear's
skin. One stood ready with a great chain of
white beads, weighing six or seven pounds, which
he hung about his neck. The others had eight
een mantles, made of divers sorts of skins sewed
together; all which, with many other baubles,
they laid at his feet, stroking their hands about
nis neck, for his creation to be their governor
and protector. They promised him aids of men
and victuals, and even offered all that they had,
if he would stay with them, to defend and re
venge them on the Massawomecks; but he was
obliged to leave them at Tockwogh, very sor
rowful for his departure; yet promised to visit
them again the next year. They knew nothing
of Powhatan and his territories but the name;
and they informed the English that their hatch
ets and other commodities came originally from
the French of Canada.
"Having searched all the rivers and inlets
worth note, they passed down the bay, naming
all the remarkable head-lands and places after
some of the company or their friends. On the
river Patuxent they found the people tractable
and civil above all others.* They, as well as the

112 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
Patowmacks, were very urgent with Smith to
revenge them on the Massawomecks, which he
promised to do, but was afterwards crossed in
his purpose ; for depending upon the assistance
and provisions of those two nations, and of the
Susquesahanocks, he was very willing to hazard
his person in the expedition: and therefore, after
his return, he petitioned the council for forty
men, to effect such a conquest and discovery;
but the council, envying his industry and suc
cess, and deterred perhaps also by the difficulty
of the undertaking, refused to risk the lives of so
many men, in so long and so dangerous an
enterprise. "In the discovery of Rappahanock river, they
were kindly received and entertained by the
people of Moraughtacund. Here they met with
an old friend and acquaintance, one Mosco, a
lusty Indian of Wighcocomoco on the river Pa
towmack. They supposed him some French
man's son, because he had a thick, black, bushy
beard, and the Indians seldom have any at all;
and he was not a little proud of this, and to see
so many of his countrymen. He was very of
ficious and useful to the English; and advised
them by all means not to pass over to the Rap
pahanocks, who would certainly kill them for
being friends with the Moraughtacunds, who
had lately stolen three of their king's women;
but thinking he only said this to secure their
trade to his friends, they crossed the river to
the Rappahanocks. There, under pretence of
trade, they were invited up Rappahanock creek.

CAPTAIN JOHN SiMITH. 113
where they had laid an ambush; and after a
smart skirmish, in which many Indians were
slain and wounded, the English came off victors
without the least hurt. Having driven them up
into the woods, they seized three or four canoes,
full of commodities, which, with some arrows
they had gathered up, they presented to Mosco
for his kindness; and he, on his part, received
them in the most triumphant manner, and in the
best martial order under arms, that he could
procure of the Moraughtacunds.
"They spent the rest of the day in fitting up
their boat with a breast-work of Massawomeck
targets, which they had received from them, as
presents, at the head of the bay, and which had
been of singular use in the battle with the Rap
pahanocks. They were made of small twigs,
woven together so firmly with strings of wild
hemp and silk-grass, that no arrow could possi
bly pierce them. The next morning, they set
sail up the river; and Mosco followed along the
shore, .arrd at last desired to go with them in the
boat. As they passed by Pisacack, Matcbo-
peake, and Mecuppom, three towns, situate on
the north side of the river, on high, white, clay
clifts, with a low marsh over against them, and
the river but narrow, thirty or forty Rappahan
ocks had so disguJsed themselves with branches,
that they took them for little bushes growing in
the sedge. They saw their arrows often strike
.against the targets, and drop into the river; and
at last Mosco, falling flat on his face in the boat,
cried out, 'The Rappahanocks!' They soon
10*

114 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
perceived them to be the bushes -in the sedge,
which at the first volley fell down; and when
they had passed about half a mile further, they
again showed themselves, singing and dancing
very merrily ; but they were kindly treated by
the rest of the nations to the falls, and they even
used their utmost interest with Mosco, to bring
the English to them. Between Secobeck on the
south, and Massawteck on the north side of the
river, there was a small island or two, which.
made the river broader than ordinary. Here
Mr. Richard Fetherstone, one of their company,
died; who, from his first coming to the country,
had behaved himself honestly, valiantly, and in
dustriously. They buried him in a little bay,
which they then called Fetherstone's bay, with
a volley of their arms; but the rest of the last
supply, who had, on the expedition, been miser
ably sick and harassed with their seasoning, had
by this time perfectly recovered their health.
" The next day, they sailed up as high as their
boat could go, setting up crosses, and' carving
their names on the trees ; which they constantly
did at all the highest places they went to. As
they ranged about at the falls, the sentinel saw
an arrow fall by him; and giving the alarm, t»hey
perceived about an hundred nimble Indians,
skipping from tree to tree, and letting fly their
arrows as fast as they could ; but after half an
hour's skirmish, they all vanished as suddenly as
they came. As the English returned from the
pursuit, they found an Indian, lying as dead, shot
in the knee. Mosco, who had been of great

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 115
service in the battle, was as furious to beat out
his brains, as ever dog was against a bear; but
protecting him from his rage, and carrying him
to the surgeon who attended to cure the cap
tain's hurt of the stingray, he was within an hour
so far recovered, that he both ate and spoke.
He was brother to the king of Hassininga, one
of the four nations of the Mannahocks. These
were a people dwelling above the falls of Rap
pahanock, neighbors to, and in strict friendship
and alliance with the Manakins against Pow
hatan and his territories; for the Manakins were
not confined to one place or town, as is vulgarly
thought, but spread all that country, from a small
distance above the falls of James river up to
the mountains, in several towns; and they were
the heads or chiefs of the league and confederacy
of the upland and mountain Indians against the
power and tyranny of Powhatan. These Man
nahocks, their neighbors and allies, lived on small
streams, in a hilly country, chiefly by hunting;
and were then come down to fish at Mohaskahod,
a small hunting town, on the north side of the
falls of Rappahanock, and the boundary between
them and the Nantaughtacunds, a large nation
on the navigable river below the falls. The
English asked their prisoner why they had en
deavored to destroy them, who came to them
in peace, to seek their friendship. He answered,
that they heard the English were a people come
from under the world, to take their world from
them. Being asked how many worlds he knew,
he said he knew none but that which was under

116 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
the sky that covered him, and which consisted
of the Powhatans, the Manakins, and the Mas
sawomecks ; and he told them that the last dwelt
on a great water, had many boats, and so many
men, that they warred on all the world besides.
After many other questions concerning the
country, especially beyond the great mountains,
to which he could give no satisfactory answers,
they presented him with some toys, and per
suaded him to go along with them; but he
pressed them much to stay the coming of the
Mannahock kings, who, for their good usage to
him, should be their friends ; and notwithstanding
Mosco's eager solicitations to be gone, they
resolved to stay till night, preparing themselves
to entertain whatever should come.
"All this while the king of Hassininga was
seeking the rest, and held a long consultation
what to do. When the English had weighed
and were gone, they followed them all night,
yelling, and hallooing, and shooting their arrows,
and would come to no terms or discourse; but
in the morning, being brought to a parley, Am-
oroleck, the prisoner, held a long discourse with
them. He told them how good the English
were, and how kindly they had used him ; that
they had a Patowmack with them, that loved
them as his life, and would have slain him, had
they not prevented it; and that he might have
his liberty if they would be friends; to which
he advised them by all means, since to do them
any hurt was impossible. Upon this they all
hung their bows and quivers upon the trees;

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 117
and one came swimming aboard with a bow tied
on his head, and another with a quiver of
arrows. Having presented them to the captain,
he used them very kindly, and told them that
the other three kings should do the same, and
then the great king of his world should be their
friend. This was no sooner demanded, than
performed ; and so going ashore on a low morass
point of land, those four kings came, and re
ceived Amoroleck ; and after many mutual civ
ilities and presents, the English departed, leaving
four or five hundred Mannahocks, singing, dan
cing, and making loud and barbarous rejoicings.
"In their return down the river they visited
all their friends, who rejoiced much at their vic
tory over the Mannahocks. By their entreaty.
Captain Smith was induced to make peace with
the Rappahanocks; upon condition that they
should present him the king's bow and arrows,
and not offer to come armed where he was ; and
that they should be friends with the Moraughta
cunds, his friends, and give their king's son a
hostage for the performance. Accordingly, the
kings of Nantaughtacund and Pisasack met the
English at the place where they first fought.
There the kin^ of Rappahanock presented his
bow and arrows, and performed all they demand
ed, except the delivering his son ; for having no
other, he said he could not live without him;
and he offered in his stead to give up the three
women, which the Moraughtacunds had stolen
from him. This was accepted ; and the women
being brought. Captain Smith presented each of

118 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OP
them with a chain of l^eads. Then causing tne
king of Rappahanock, of Moraughtacund, and
Mosco to stand before him, he bid the king of
Rappahanock take her he loved best, Moraugh
tacund to choose next, and to Mosco he gave the
third; and thus was the peace concluded, and
celebrated with feasting, singing, and dancing;
and Mosco, to express his love to the English,
changed his name to Uttasantasough, which sig
nified in their language. Stranger, and was the
name by which they called the English; and then
all the Indians, promising to be always their
friends, and to plant corn purposely for them;
and the English, on their side, to provide hatch
ets, beads, and copper for them ; they departed,
giving them a volley of their fire-arms, which
they returned with as loud shouts and cries as
their strength could utter.
"That night they anchored in the river Pi-
ankatank, and discovered it as high as it was
navigable; but the people were gone out to
hunting, except a few old men, women, arid chil
dren, that were tending their corn. Of these
they obtained a promise of part, when they
should fetch it ; as they had likewise done of all
the nations, wherever they had been. Going
from thence to Point Comfort, they were in a
bay on the south of the mouth of York river,
then called Gosnold's bay, surprised in the night
with such a sudden gust of thunder and rain,
that they never expected more to see Jamestown;
but discerning the land by the flashes of light
ning, they avoided sphtting on the shore; till, by

CAPTAIN JOHN S.MITH. 119
the help of the same light, Ihey found Point
Comfort, where they landed, and refreshed them
selves the rest of the night.
. "Having discovered so many nations at a
distance, they thought it highly proper and
necessary to know their near neighbours, the
Chesapeakes, and Nansamonds, of whom they
had, as yet, only heard. Therefore setting sail
for the southern shore, they entered a narrow
river, then called Chesapeake, but now Elizabeth,
on which the town of Norfolk stands. It had
a good channel, but some shoals about the en
trance. They sailed up six or seven miles, and
saw two or three little garden-plots, with houses,
and the shores overgrown with the largest pines
they had ever seen in the country; but neither
'seeing nor hearing any people, and their river
being very narrow, they returned back, and
coasted the shore towards Nansamond, which
they found to be chiefly oyster-banks. At the
mouth of Nansamond, they spied six or seven
Indians making their weirs, who presently fled;
but the English went ashore, and threw divers
toys where they were working, and so departed.
They were not gone far, before the Indians re
turned, and began to sing, and dance, and call
them back. One of them came voluntarily into
their boat, and invited them up the river to his
house, which was in a little island, where (as
well as on the main land against it) they saw
many and large corn-fields. He treated. them
with great civility, and they in return presented
liim, his wife, and children, with such toys as

120 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
highly pleased them. By that time the others
.eing come, invited them higher up the river,
under pretence of going to their houses likewise;
but they soon found that they only intended to
decoy them up into the narrows of the river,
where the whole nations of the Nansamonds and
Chesapeakes were in ambush to receive them.
Having discovered the treachery, they made the
best of their way down into the open, amidst the
shot of three or four hundred Indians, which they
returned from their muskets with such effect,
that they soon made them glad to take shelter
behind the trees. Above an hundred arrows
stuck in their breast-work of Massawomeck tar
gets, and about the boat, yet none was hurt.
Only Anthony Bagnall, the surgeon, was shot in
his hat, and another in the sleeve. Having
gained the open against the island, they seized
on all their canoes, and resolved, upon consulta
tion, to burn every thing on the island at night.
In the mean while they began to cut to pieces
their canoes ; at the sight of which the Indians
threw down their arms, and sued for peace;
which the English granted, on condition they
vvould bring their king's bow and arrows, with
a chain of pearl; and should, when they came
back again,' give them four hundred baskets of
corn. Otherwise they threatened to breali all
their canoes, to burn their houses and corn, and
to destroy all that they had. To these conditions
the Indians most joyfully agreed; and flocking
down with their baskets, they soon loaded their
boat with corn, and so parted good friends.

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 121
"And thus having viewed and reconnoitered
all the places on the bay, and having passed
about three, thousand miles, according to their
own computation, in that small and open boat,
and in the midst of many barbarous and savage
nations, they returned with joy and triumph to
Jamestown, where they arrived safe, the 7th of
September, 1608. There they found Mr. Scrjv-
ener, and several others, well recovered ; some
sick; many dead; the late president a prisoner
for mutiny; and the corn, by Mr. Scrivener's
honest diligence, gathered; but the provisions in
the store much injured by the rain."*

CHAPTER X.
Smith consents to administer the Government — Arrival pf
Newport with a Crown and other Absurd Gifts for Pow
hatan— Smith opposes his Course, but is Overruled : Visits
Powhatan, who finally submits to a Coronation— Newport's
Unfortunate Expedition to the Manakins— Novel Remedy
for Profanity — Smith's Success in procuring- Corn : Plot to
Injure him Overthrown — Newport and his Mariners the
Source of much Mischief and Misrepresentation— Com
plaints of the Council in England— Smith's Rejoinder.
"On the 10th of September, by the election
ojf the council, and the request of the colony,
Captain Smith was invested with the govern
ment; which, till then, he would by no means
accept, though often importuned to' it. And
now the building of Ratcliffe's palace was
stopped, and works of more immediate use and
* Stith's History of Virginia.
11

122 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
necessity undertaken. The church was repair
ed; the store-house new covered; and a place
made ready for the reception of the supplies they
daily expected from England. The fort was re
duced into form; the order of the watch was re
newed; the troops trained at each setting ofthe
watch ; and the whole company every Saturday
exercised in the plain towards the west, which
was prepared for that purpose, and called Smith-
field; where sometimes above an hundred In
dians would stand in amazement, to behold how
a file would batter a tree, where the president
had made them a mark to shoot at. And now
being the time of gathering corn, and of plenty
among the Indians, the boats were trimmed
for trade, and sent out under the command of
Lieutenant Percy; but in their way, meeting
Captain Newport with the second supply, he
brought them back to Jamestown.
"Captain Newport was in reality an empty,
idle, interested man; very fearful and suspicious
in times of danger and difficulty; but a very
great and important person in his own talk and
conceit. He had, by the advantage of going
to and fro, gained so much upon the ear and
confidence of the council and company in Eng
land, that whatever he proposed, was for the
most part concluded and resolved on; and upon
this voyage, he obtained a private commission,
not to return without a lump of gold, a certainty
of the South Sea, or one of the lost company,
sent out by Sir Walter Raleigh. Besides, he
brought an express command to discover the

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 123
country of the Manakins, with a barge, for con-
veniency of carriage, to be taken into five pieces,
which they were to carry beyond the falls, to
the South Sea. He likewise brought over a
crown for Powhatan, with orders for his corona
tion, and present^ of a bason and ewer, bed, bed
stead, clothes, and other costly novelties; which
stately kind of court had this bad effect, that it
made him value himself too much, and overrate
his favour, which they had before much better
for a plain piece of copper. In this voyage came
over many persons of distinction: Captain Peter
Wynne and Captain Richard Waldo, two old
soldiers and valiant gentlemen, both appointed
of the council; Mr. Francis West, brother to
the Lord Delaware; Raleigh Croshaw, John
Russel, John Codrington, Daniel Tucker, Mr.
Hunt, Thomas Forest, and othe,rs, to the number
of seventy persons. In this ship likewise arrived
Mrs. Forest, and' Anne Burras, her maid, the
first English women ever in this country; and
eight Poles and Germans were sent, to make
pitch, tar, glass, mills, and soap-ashes; which,
when the country was replenished with people
and necessaries, would have done exceedingly
well, but in that their infant state, they were
only a burden and hindrance to the rest, who
were sufficiently puzzled and employed to find
subsistence for themselves.
"Captain Smith, whose mind was solid and
provident, and plainly foresaw the ill consequence
of spending that time in these projects, which
ought to be employed in the speedy dispatch of

124 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OP
the ship, and in trading and laying in a store of
provisions for the year, was much mortified and
perplexed with these -orders, and strenuously op
posed their execution in council; but Newport
undertook to freight the bark of twenty tons with
corn, in going and returning from the Manakins;
and to obtain another load for her of Powhatan,
from Werowocomoco. He also promised a large
proportion of victuals from the ship; which he
was so far from performing, that the colony was
obliged to spare him three hogsheads of corn to
victual him homeward. In short, he represented
Smith's opposition as a mere device to hinder
his journey, that he might himself effect the dis
covery ; and he sai'd that his cruelty to the In-
¦fians might well be a means to hinder these
, designs, and to make them seek revenge.
Smith's opinion being therefore overruled by
the unanimous voice of the council, all other
works and designs were laid aside, and an hun
dred and twenty chosen men appointed for
Newport's guard on the expedition.
"But Smith, to clear himself of these suspi
cions, and to show that the Indians were not so
desperate as was pretended by Newport, and
ho\v willing he was to assist, as far as he could,
undertook himself to carry their message to
Powhatan, and to invite him to Jamestown to
receive his presents ; and taking with him only
Captain Waldo and three more, he went across
by land, about twelve miles to Werowocomoco,
where he passed the river in an Indian canoe.
Powhatan, being thirty miles off, was immedi-

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 125
ately sent for; and in the meen time, Pocahon
tas and her women entertained him with a
strange mask and barbarian piece of reyelry,
and feasted them with all the savage dainties
they could devise. The next day Powhatan
came, and Smith delivered his message, together
with Namontack,. his servant, whom he had
sent to England. And he desired him to come
to his father Newport, to receive his presents,
and to enter upon measures for their effectual
revenge against the Manakins. To this that
subtle barbarian answered; 'That if their king
had sent him any presents, he also was a'king,
and that was his land: that he would stay eight
days to receive them: that Newport ought to
come to him, and not he to go to their fort,
which was too foolish a bait to be taken : -that
as to the Manakins, he could revenge his own
wrongs; and for any salt water beyond the
mountains, he told him, that all the relations
they had received from his people were false.'
Whereupon he began to draw plots upon the
ground, according to his discourse, of all those
regions. Many other complimental discourses
passed between them; and so Smith returned
with his answer to Jamestown.
" Hereupon the presents were sent round by
water, and the captains went across by land,
with a guard of fifty men. All being met at
Werowocomoco, the next day was appointed
for his coronation. Then the presents were
brought; his bason and ewer, bed and furniture,
were set up ; and his scarlet cloak and apparel,
11*

126 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OP
with much ado, put on him, being persuaded by
Namontack that they would not hurt him. But
a great coil and trouble there was to make him
kneel, to receive his crown. He neither knew
the majesty of a crown, nor the meaning of
bending the knee, which obliged them to use so
many persuasions, examples and instructions,
as tired them all. At last, by leaning hard on
his shoulders, he stooped a little, and three, being
ready with the crown, put it on his head ; when,
by,the warning of a pistol, the boats were pre
pared with such a volley of shot, that the king
started up in a horrible fright, till he saw all was
well. Then recollecting himself, to return their
kindness, he gave his old shoes and mantle to
Captain Newport; and finding him determined
to discover the Manakins, he did his utmost to
divert him from his purpose, and refused to lend
him either men or guides, except Namontack.
And so, after some slight compliments on both
sides, in requital for his presents, he gave New-
porta heap of ears of corn, which might contain
seven or eight bushels, and much more was
purchased in the town, with which they returned
to the fort at Jamestown.
" Immediately upon their return. Captain New
port, with an hundred and twenty chosen men,
led by Captain Waldo, Lieutenant Percy, Captain
Wynne, Mr. West, and Mr. Scrivener, set for
ward for the discovery of the Manakins ; leav
ing the president at the fort, with eighty or
ninety weak and sickly men, to load the ship.
Arriving at the falls, they marched by land

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 127
about forty miles, and found a very fair,' fertile,
well-watered country. Two towns of the Man
akins they discovered, situate on the south side
of the river, The people used them neither
well nor ill; yet, for their security, they took
one of their petty kings, and led him bound, to
conduct them the way. In their return, they
spent some time in searching for mines, having'
with them one William Catlicut, a refiner, for
that purpose. From the crust of earth, which
they dug, he persuaded them that he extracted
some small quantity of silver. With this poor
trial, they returned down the same path they
went to the falls ; where the Indians feigned that
many ships were come into the bay to kill the
English at Jamestown. But as for their corn,
they hid it in the woods, and could by no
means be induced to trade. And being thus
deluded and disappointed, they returned to
Jamestown, half sick, and all complaining, being
sadly harassed with toil, famine and discontent.
"No sooner were they landed, but the presi
dent dispersed as many as were able, some to
make glass, and others for pitch, tar, and soap-
ashes. Leaving them at the fort, under the
council's care and oversight, he himself carried
thirty about five miles down the river, to learn
to cut down trees, make clapboard, and lie in
the woods. Among these he chose Gabriel
Beadle and J6hn Russell, two fine and proper
gentlemen of the last supply. These were, at .
first, strange diversions for men of pleasure.
Yet they all lodged, eat and drank, worked or

128 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
played, only as the president himself did; and
all things were carried so pleasantly, that within
a week they became masters, and thirty or forty
of such voluntary gentlemen would have done
more in a day, than an hundred of the rest, who
must be driven to it by compulsion. Being
inured to labour by these means, they soon made
it their delight to hear the trees thunder as they
fell ; and afterwards became very hardy, useful,
and resolute men, especially Mr. Russel. But
the axes often blistering their tender fingers,
they would, at every third stroke, drown the
echo, with a loud volley of oaths; to remedy
which sin, the president ordered every man's
oaths to be numbered, and, at night, for every
oath, to have a can of water poured down his
sleeve; which so washed and drenched the
offender that, in a short time, an oath was not
heard in a week.
"In the mean while, Mr. Scrivener, Captain
Waldo, and Captain Wynne, at the fort, each,
in their several way, carefully regarded their
charge. But when the president returned, see
ing the time consumed, and no provision got,
and that the ship lay idle at a great charge, and
did nothing, he immediately embarked in the
discovery barge, taking with him eighteen men
and another boat, and leaving orders with the
council to send Lieutenant Percy after him, with
the next barge that arrived at the fort. Going
into Chickahominy, the Indians were surly, and
knowing his wants, with much scorn and inso
lence, refused to trade. But the president, per-

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 129
ceiving it was Powhatan's policy to starve the
English, told them that he came not so much for
corn, as to revenge his own captivity and the
death of his two men ; which he pretended to
attribute to them. And so landing his men, and
making ready to charge them, they immediately
fled. Soon after, they sent ambassadors with
corn, fish, fowl, and whatever else they had, to
make their peace. Their corn being that year
but bad, they complained extremely of their dwn
wants, yet freighted their boats with an hundred
bushels, and in like manner Lieutenant Percy's,
that not long after arrived. Returning to James
town, the colony was much pleased and revived
by this seasonable supply. Yet such was^ the
malice and envy of some, that they had rather
hazard a starving, than th^t Smith's endeavors
should prove so much more effectual than theirs.
And Newport and Ratcliffe had projected, not
only to depose him, but to keep him out of the
fort, uiider pretence that, being "president, he had
left his place and the fort without their consent.
But their horns were too short, and they them
selves narrowly escaped a greater mischief.
"All this while, their old tavern, the ship,
made as much of all them that had either money
or ware as could be desired. By this time, they
were become perfect on all sides, the sailors, the
soldiers, and the Indians; and much more care
was taken to"* maintain their private and per
nicious trade, than to provide things necessary
for the colony. Newport and his mariners had
so many'private factors at the fort, that in six

130 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
or seven weeks, of two or three hundred axos,
hoes, pick-axes, and other instruments for the
use of the colony, scarce twenty could be found;
and for pike-heads, powder, shot, or any thing,
else they could steal, they knew well how to
convey them secretly to trade with the Indians
for furs, baskets, young beasts, and other such
like commodities. So that, although Virginia
afforded no commodities for those who were at
the expense of the settlement, yet these men
found means, by these indirect methods, of driv
ing on a very profitable trade. .And thuSj by
their false excuses, informations, and advices in
England, and by their unlawful trade here, the
adventurers were cozened, and the action almost
overthrown. Upon this account, therefore, as
well as under pretence that his orders were not
to return without a lump of gold, a certainty of
the Soutlj Sea, or one of Sir Walter Raleigh's
lost company, the president had once determined
to send away the ship, and to oblige Newport to
stay one year in the country, to learn to speak
of his own experience. But upon bis submission
and acknowledgment, this punishment was re
mitted, and he was suffered to return to England
in the ship, where, it is not to be doubted, but
that he represented matters in the worst light.
"It is certain, that the treasurer and council
in England were greatly disappointed in their
hopes. For they expected, upon their discov
eries in America, to have speedy returns in gold
and silver, and such other rich commodities as
the Spaniards found at their first arrival. * # *

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 131
But however fiee they might be from blame, the
council in England were certainly very much
fretted with the disappointment, and by this ship
wrote the president a very angry letter. They
complained of the vain hopes they had been fed
with, and very small proofs ; and of their factions
and silly projects about dividing the country,
concerning which the late president and his fac
tion had written some idle story to the earl of
Salisbury, at that time chief minister of state.
And they threatened, unless the charge of
this voyage, amounting to about two thousand
pounds, was defrayed by the ship's return, they
should be deserted, and left to remain here as
banished men. To this letter Captain Smith
gave a very plain and soldierly answer by the
ship, which was at length dispatched, with the
trials of pitch, tar, glass, frankincense, and soap-
ashes, and with what wainscot and clapboard
could be provided."*
As a docunlent well worthy preservation for
all time, and as a matter of justice to the char
acter of the writer, we copy verbatim this manly
vindication from the mean aspersions of his
enemies :
" Right Honorable, &c. : I received your Letter,
wherein you write, that our minds are so set vpon
faction, and idle conceits in diuiding the Country
without your consents, and that we feed You but with
ifs and ands, hopes, and some few proofes; as if we
would keepe the mystery of the businesse to our
* Stith's History of Virginia.

132 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
selues: and that we must expressly follow your in.
structions sent by Captain Neieport : the charge of
whose voyage amounts to neare two thousand pounds,
the which if we cannot defray by the Ships returne,
we are alike to remain as banished men. To these
particulars I humbly entreat your pardons if I offend
you with my rude Answer.
"For our factions, vnlesse you would haue me run
away and leaue the Country, I cannot prevent them :
because I do make many stay that would els fly any
whether. For the idle Letter sent to my Lord of
Salislury, by the President and his oonfederats, for
diuiding the Country, &c. What it was I know not,
for you saw no hand of mine to it; nor euer dream't
I of any such matter. That we feed you with hopes,
&c. Though I be no soholer, I am past a schoole-
boy ; and I desire but to know, what either you, and
these here doe know, but that I haue learned to tell
you by the continuall hazard of my life. I haue not
concealed from you any thing I know ; but I feare
some cause you to beleeue much more then is true.
"Expressly to follow your directions by Captaine
Neieport, though they be performed, I was directly
against it ; but according to our Commission, I was
content to be overruled by the maior part of the
Councell, I feare to the hazard of vs all ; which now
is generally confessed when it is too late. Onely
Captaine Winne and Captaine Waldo I haue sworne
of the Councell, and Crowned Powhatan according
to your instructions.
" For the charge of this voyage of two or three
thousand pounds, we haue not receiued the value of
an hundred pounds. And for the quartred Boat to be
borne by the Souldiers over the Falles, Newport had
120 of the best men he could chuse. If he had

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 133
burnt her to ashes, one might haue carried her in a
bag, but as she is, fiue hundred cannot, to a naviga
ble place aboue the Falles. And for him at that time
to find in the South Sea, a Mine of gold ; or any of
them sent by Sir Walter Ealeigh : at our Consulta
tion I told them was as likely as the rest. But during
this great discovery of thirtie myles, (which might as
well haue beene done by one man, and much more,
for the value of a pound of Copper at a seasonable
tyme) they had the Pinnace and alf the Boats with
them, but one that remained vvith me to serue the
Fort. In their absence I followed the new begun
workes of Pitch and Tarro, Glasse, Sopeashes, Clap-
boord, whereof some small quantities we haue sent
you. But if you rightly consider, what an infinite
toyle it is in Russia and Swetliland, where the woods
are proper for naught els, and though there" be the
helpe both of man and beast in those ancient Com
mon-wealths, which many an hundred yeares haue
vsed it, yet thousands of those poore people can scarce
get necessaries to Hue, but from hand to mouth. And
though your Factors there can buy as much in a
week as will fraught you a ship, or as much as you'
please ; you must not e.xpect from vs any such mat
ter, which are but as many of ignorant miserable
soules, that are scarce able to get wherewith to Hue,
and defend our selues against the inconstant Salvages:
finding but here and there a tree fit for the purpose,
and want all things els tlie Russians haue. For the
Coronation of Powhatan, by whose advice you sent
him such presents, I know not; but this giue me
leaue to tell you, I feare they will be the confusion
of vs all ere we heare from you againe. At your
ships arrivall, the Salvages harvest was newly gath
ered, and we going to buy it, our owne not being
12

134 LIFE AND ADVbNTURES OF
halfe sufficient for so great a number. As for the
two ships loading of Corne Newport promised to pro
vide vs from Powhatan, he brought us but fourteene
Bushels; and from the Monacans nothing, but the
most of the men sicke and neare famished. From
your Ship we had not provision in victuals worth
twenty pound, and we are more then two hundred to
Hue vpon this: the one halfe sicke, the other little
better. For the Saylers (I confesse) they daily make
good cheare, but our dyet is a little meale and water,
and not sufficient of that. Though there be fish in
the Sea, foules in the ayre, and Beasts in the woods,
their bounds are so large, they so wilde, and we so
weake and ignorant, we cannot much trouble them.
Captaine Newport we much suspect to be the Author
of those inventions Now that you should know I
haue made you as great a discovery as he, for lesse
charge then he spendeth you every meale; I haue
sent you this Mappe ofthe Bay and Rivers, with an
annexed Relation of the Countries and Nations that
inhabit them, as you may see at large.* Also two
barrels of stones, and such as I take to be good Iron
ore at the least; so divided, as by their notes you
' may see in what places I found them. The Soul
diers say many of your officers maintaine their fam
iHes out of that you sent vs : and that Neivport hath
an hundred pounds a yeare for carrying newes. For
every master you haue yet sent can find the way as
well as he, so that an hundred pounds might be spared,
which is more then we haue all, that helps to pay
him wages. Cap. Ratliffe is now called Sicklernore,
a poore counterfeited Imposture. I haue sent you
* Such was the accuracy of this map, that it was, for
ahout two centuries, the original from which all later mapa
and descriptions were copied.

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 135
-him home, least the company should cut his throat.
— What he is, now every one can tell you ; if he
and Archer returne againe, they are sufficient to
keepe vs alwayes in factions. When you send againe
I entreat you rather send but thirty Carpenters, hus
bandmen, gardiners, fisher men, blacksmiths, masons,
and diggers vp of trees' roots, well provided, then a
thousand of such as we haue : for except wee be able
both to lodge them, and feed them, the most will con
sume with want of necessaries before they can be
made good for any thing. Thus if you please to con
sider this account, and the vnnecessary wages to
Captaine Newport, or his ship3»so long lingering and
staying here (for notwithstanding his boasting to
leaue vs victuals for 12 moneths, though we had '89
by this discovery lame and sicke, and but a pinte of
Corne a day for a man, we were constrained to giue
him three hogsheads of that to victuall him homeward)
or yet to send into Germany or Poleland for glasse-
men and the rest, till we be able to sustaine ourselues,
and releeue them when they come. It were better
to giue fiue hundred pound a tun for those grosse
Commodities in Denmarke, then send for them hither,
till more necessary things be provided. For in over-
toyling our weake and vnskilfull bodies, to satisfie
this desire of present profit, we can scarce ever re
cover our selues from one Supply to another. And
I humbly intreat you hereafter, let vs know what we
should receive, and not stand to the Saylers courtesie
to leaue vs what they please, els you may charge vs
what you will, but we not you with any thing. These
are the causes that haue kept vs in Virginia from laying
such a foundation, that ere this might haue given much
better content and satisfaction ; but as yet you must not
looke for any profitable returnes ; so I humbly rest."

136 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OP

CHAPTER XI.
•Famine — Desperate Efforts to procure Supplies — First Mar
riage in America — House for Powhatan — Smith and others
embark on an Adventurous Expedition — Christmas spent '
among' the Indians — Arrival at Werowocomoco — Interview
of Smith and Powhatan-~Treachery of the Germans-
Crafty Speech of Powhatan — Jeopardy of Smith and his
Companions — Duplicity of the Indians — Pocahontas warns
Smith of his Danger: his Vigilance: Departure — Arms
stolen by the Germans for Powhatan — Arrival of Smith at
Pamunkey — Deception of Opechancanough — Smith chal
lenges him to Single Combat— -Seizes him, and obtains his
Demands— Serious Accident at Jamestown — Smith's Return
— Disorderly State of Affairs — German Deserters detected
— Encounter of Smith and Paspahey : Escape of the latter,
and Subsequent Meeting — Indian Oratory — Compact for
Peace. The departure of Newport and his ship was
hailed as a great relief by the judicious portion
of the settlers, who had long been entertaining
apprehensions of famine, arid now sedulously set
to work to avert that calamity. Mr. Scrivener
who had previously been sent to Werowoco
moco on a trading voyage, found the Indians
"more ready to fight than to trade;" but his
vigilance disconcerted their plots, and he ob
tained three or four hogsheads of corn, with
which he returned to Jamestown. He soon
after accompanied the president and Captain
Wynne to Nansamond, which nation at first
denied "not only the four hundred baskets of
corn they had promised, but any trade at all.
They excused themselves on account of their
corn's being almost spent, and because they

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH.' 137
were commanded by the douhle-dealing Pow
hatan to keep what was left, and not to let the
English even enter their river. The president,
finding nothing was to be done in the way of
peace, resolved to use force. At the first onset,
the Indians all fled, without shooting an arrow.
Then marching up to their houses, they set fire
to. the first they came to. When the Indians
perceived that, they offered,' if they would make
no more spoil, tp give them half the corn they
had. Accordingly, before night, they loaded
their three boats; and for sparing them this
year," they promised to plant corn purposely for
them the^ next. With this they returned to
Jamestown, about the time that John Laydon
was married to Anne Burras; which was the
first Christian marriage that ever was in Virginia.
But Smith staid not long at the fort. For he
fitted himself and Captain Waldo out imme
diately with two barges, and made a voyage up
the river. Frora Wyanoake, and all parts
thereabouts, he found the Indians fled; and
therefore hasting' up higher, he then first discov
ered the- river arid people of Appamatox. The
little corn they had was equally divided, and the
president gave them copper for it, and such
other toys as fully satisfied them. At the same
time, Mr. Scrivener and Lieutenant Percy went
abroad in quest of provisions, but could find
nothing. "About this time, the president was invited
by Powhatan to come to him ; and he promised
to load his ship with corn, provided he would
12*

138 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
send some workmen to biiild him a house, and
would give him a grind-stone, fifty swords, some
muskets, a cock and a hen, with much copper
and beads. The president was not ignorant of
his devices and subtlety ; yet was unwilling to
neglect any opportunity of getting provisions,
and resolved, sooner than fail, to take him and
all his store by surprise. To this end, he took
order with Captain Waldo, whom he knew to
be sure in time of danger, to second him if need
required. But Captain Wynne and Mr. Scriv
ener did their utmost to hinder their project.
For Scrivener's strict friendship with Captain
Smith was now much cooled; and he was
thought to join with some others in a plot to
ruin him in England. But the president, whom
no eloquence could persuade to starve, sent off
two Englishmen before by land, and four Ger
mans, to build the house for Powhatan against
his arrival. And then, having left Mr. Scriv
ener his substitute, he set forward with the bark
and two barges, manned only with such as offered
themselves to go voluntarily upon the service.
In the discovery-barge went himself, Mr. Ralegh
Croshaw, John Russel, and several other gen,-
tlemen and soldiers ; and Mr. William Phitti-
place as captain. Lieutenant Percy, Mr. Francis
West, Mr. Robert Ford, clerk of the council,
with many others, went on board the bark.
" The 29th of December they left Jamestown,
being victualled only for three or four days.
That night they lodged at Warrasqueake, where
the president got sufficient provision. The king

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 139
of that town did his utmost to divert him from
seeing Powhatan ; but finding he could not pre
vail, he told them that Powhatan would use them
kindly, although he had sent for them only fo
cut their throats. He therefore advised him not
to trust him, and to be sure to give him no op
portunity of seizing his arms. The president
thanked him for his good counsel; and having
obtained guides from him to the Chowanocks,
a nation dwelling in the fork of Chowan, between
Nottoway and Meherrin rivers, he sent Michael
Sicklemore, a very valiant, honest, and painful
soldier, with presents to that king; but chiefly
to look for silk-grass, and to enquire after Sh
Walter Raleigh's lost colony. The next night
they lodged at Kicquotan, and were detained
there six or seven days by the extreme wind,
rain, frost, and snow. This obliged them to
keep their Christmas among the savages; and
they were never more merry in their lives,
lodged by better fires, or fed with greater plenty
of good bread, oyslers, fish, flesh, and wild-fowl.
Departing thence, they arrived on the 12th of
January, -1609, through various accidents, at
Werowocomoco; where they found the river
frozen near half a mile from the shore. But the
president, running his barge up as far as he
could by breaking the ice, was left by the ebb
upon the oozy shoals. In this dangerous situa
tion, he plunged first into the river himself; and
by his example, taught them to march near mid
dle deep, a flight-shot, near the frozen ooze.
When the barge should float, he appointed two

140 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
or three to return her aboard the bark , where
they soon after came into such distress for want
of water, that the river being salt, they were
obliged to make fresh water by melting the ice.
" The president and his company quartered in
the next cabins they found, and sent to Pow
hatan for proviSons. He sent them plenty of
bread, turkey, and venison; and the next day
feasted them after his usual manner. But he pre
tended he had not sent for them; neither had he
any corn, and his people much less; and soon
•began to be importunate with them to be gone.
But the president confronting him with the per
sons who brought the message, he endeavored to
put the matter off with a laugh, and asked for his
commodities. But he liked nothing, except guns
and swords, and valued a basket of corn higher
than a basket of copper ; saying, he could rate his
corn, but not the copper. Captain Smith, see
ing his intent, told him that had many ways to
have got provisions, but relying on his promises,
he had neglected all to satisfy his desire, and had
serit his men to make his buildings, whilst his
own were undone: that he knew he had en
grossed his people's corn, and forbid them to
trade; thinking, by consuming time, to consume
them: that as for swords and guns, he had none
to spare ; and that he must know those he had
could keep him from starving: Yet he would
neither rob nor wrong him, nor dissolve that
friendship they had mutually promised, unless
constrained to it by bad usage. The king list
ened attentively to this discourse; and promised

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 141
that both he and his people should spare him
what they could, and that they should receive
it within two days. 'But,' says he, 'I have some
doubt about the reason of your coming hither.
I am informed from many hands that you come,
not to trade, but to invade my people, and to
possess my country. This mak^s me less ready
to relieve you, and frightens my people from
bringing in their corn. And therefore, to ease
them of that fear, leave your arms aboard, since
they are needless here, where we are all friends,
and for ever Powhatans.'
"In these, and many such insidious discourses,
that day was spent. But Captain Smith after
wards discovered that the Germans whom he
had serit to build Powhatan's house, finding his
plenty and the wants of the English, and think
ing it scarce possible that they could escape both
him and famine, had, to gain his favor, revealed
to him all they knewof the state and designs of
the English, and advised him how to counteract
and prevent them. And this treachery was the
more odious and unsuspected, because the pres
ident had placed one of them as a spy upon
Powhatan, being a man of judgment and resolu
tion, and therefore thought most proper for that
employ. And as he was sure of his wages for
his labor, and had ever been well used, both he
and his .countrymen, there was at that time
little doubt concerning his honesty. But whilst
they expected' the confling in of the country,
they wrangled Powhatan out of eighty bushels
of corn for a copper kettle ; which the president

142 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
seeing him much Eiffect, he told him it was of
much greater value, yet in regard of his scarcity,
he would accept that quantity at present, pro
vided he should have as much more the next
year, or the Manakin country. Both being
satisfied with the condition, Powhatan began to
expostulate the difference of peace and war,
with Captain Smith, after this manner:
" He told him, with a vanity usual to persons
who affect to be thought very old, that he had
seen the death of all his people thrice ; and that
not one of these three generations was then
living, except himself: That he knew the differ
ence of peace and war better than any in his
country ; That he Was now grown old, and must
die soon ; and that the succession must descend,
in order, to his brothers, Opitchapan, Opechan
canough, and Catataugh, and then to his two
sisters, and their two daughters. He wished
their experience was equal to his; and that
Smith's love to them might be no less than his
to Smith. He asked him why he would take
that by force, which he might quickly have by '
love ? Why he would destroy them that provided
him food? and what he could get by war?
For they could hide their provisions, and fly
into the woods; and then he must consequently
famish by wronging his friends. He desired to
know the reason of his jealousy, since he saw
them unarmed, and wilHng to supply his wants,
if he would come in a friendly manner, and
not with swords and guns, as to invade an
enemy. And he told him that he was not so

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 143
simple as not to know it was better to eat good
meat, lie well, and sleep quietly with his women
and children; to laugh and be merry with the
English, and, being their friend, to have copper,
hatchets, and whatever else he wanted; than to
fly from all, to lie cold in the woods, feed upon
acorns, roots, and such trash, and to be so hunted,
that he could neither rest, eat, or sleep. In that
circumstance, his tired m.en must watch, and if
a twig did but break, all would be crying out,
'Here comes Captain Smith!' and so, in this
miserable manner to end his miserable life;
which might likewise soon be Captain Smith's
fate too, through his rashness and unadvisedness.
He therefore earnestly exhorted him to peacea
ble counsels; and, above all, insisted that the
guns and swords — the grand cause of their
jealousy and uneasiness — should be removed and
sent away.
"To this crafty discourse the president re
plied: That it was the fashion of the English
always to wear their arms like their clothes;
and that they would, by no means, part with
them: that his people came frequently to
Jamestown, and were entertained with their
bows and arrows without any exceptions : that
if the English' had intended him any hurt, they
could long since have effected it, as was evi
dent to him and all the world, especially con
sidering the superiority of their arms: that
although revenge was always in their power,
yet, out of an inclination to mercy and friend
ship, they passed over the daily violations of the

144 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OP
peace, by his subjects : and as to hiding his pro
visions, and flying into the woods, he told him
they should not so unadvisedly starve as he
imagined. For they had a rule to find things
hidden, beyond his kno'wledge. After much
more discourse, they at last begaii to trade.
But the king, seeing that his will would not be
admitted as a law, and that Smith was obstinate
not to dismiss his guard or disarm his men,
breathed out his mind once more in this man
ner, with a sigh:
" ' Captain Smith, I never use any werowance
so kindly as yourself; yet from you I receive
the least kindness of any. Captain Newport
gave me swords, copper, clothes, or whatever
else I desired, ever accepting what I offered him ;
and would send away the guns when requested.
No one refuses to lie at my feet, or do what I
demand, but you only. Of you I can have
nothing but what you value not, and yet you
will have whatsoever you please. Captain New
port you call father, and so you call me ; but I
see, in spite of us both, you will do what you
will, and we must both study to humor and con
tent you. But if you intend so friendly as you
say, send away your arms. For you see my
undesigning simplicity and friendship cause me
thus nakedly to forget myself
" The president, perceiving that this barbarian
only trifled the time to cut his throat, resolved
to treat him in his own way. He therefore
procured the Indians to brealc the ice, that his
boat might come to fetch him and his corn; and

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 145
at the same time gave order for more men to
come ashore to surprise the king. In the mean
while, to protract the time, he endeavored to
entertain him with much specious and fallacious
discourse, promising the next day to quit his
arms, and to show, by trusting to his word, that
he loved and confided in him as a father. But
whilst the ice was breaking, Powhatan conveyed
himself away, with his women, children, and
luggage. Yet, to avoid suspicion, he left two or
three of his women talking with the president,
whilst he secretly ran off, and his men as
secretly beset the house ; which being presently
discovered, the president issued forth with his
pistol, sword and target. At his first shot, those
next him tumbled one over another; and the
rest fled nimbly off, some one way, some another.
And thus, without any hurt, only accompanied
with Mr. John Russel, he reached the main body
of his men. But when the Indians perceived
him so well escaped, they used their utmost art
to excuse and dissemble the matter. Powhatan
sent him a great bracelet and chain of pearl, by
an ancient orator, who told him that their em
peror was fled for fear of his guns: that know
ing, when the ice was open, there would come
more men ashore, he had sent those numbers
whom he had assaulted only to guard his corn
fiom being stole, which might happen without
the president's knowledge: that although some
were hurt by his mistake, yet Powhatan was
still his friend, and for ever would continue so.
And he desired, since the ice was open, that he
13

146 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
would send away his corn ; and, if he expected
his company, that he would also send away his
guns, which so frighted his people, that they
were afraid to bring in their corn as he had
promised they should. And then baskets being
provided for the English to carry their corn to
the boats, those Indians kindly offered their ser
vice 'to guard their arms lest they should be
stolen. There was a great number of goodly,
well-proportioned fellows, painted and grimmed
like devils. But the very sight of the Enghsh
cocking their matches, and being ready to charge,
made them quit their bows and arrows at com
mand to the guard, and carry down the corn
upon their backs. And there was no occasion
to importune them to make dispatch.
"But Powhatan and the Germans were still
eager to have the head of Captain Smith. For
if they could but kill him, they thought all would
be their own. And therefore, the English being
staid by the ebb till late within night, the king
spent his time in making ready his forces to sur
prise the house and him at supper. But Ppca-
hontas. in a very dark and dismal night, came
alone through the woods, and told the president
that great cheer would be sent them soon; but
that Powhatan, with all the power he could
make, would come after to kill them all, if those
who brought the victuals could not effect it with
their own arms while they were at supper. And
therefore, as they tendered their lives she ad
vised them to be gone. The president would
have given her such things as be knew she de-

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 14T
lighted in; but, with tears running down her
cheeks, she refused them, saying she durst, not
be seen to have any of them ; for should her
father know it, it would be certain and imme
diate death to her. And so she ran away by her
self as she came. Within less than an hour after
came eight or ten lusty fellows;with large platters
of venison and other victuals, and they were very
importunate with the English to put out their
matches, pretending their smoke made them sick.
But the president made them taste of every dish;
and then sent some of them, back to Powhatan,
to bid him make haste, for he was ready for his
coming. Soon after came more messengers, to
see what news; and not long after them, others.
And thus was the time spent, with equal vigil-
ancy on both sides, but without any further hurt.
At high water the English departed; "but, to
oblige Powhatan, they left him, at his request,
Edward Brynton to kill him fowl, and the Ger
mans, who were yet unsuspected, to finish his
house. "They had no sooner set sail, but Powhatan
returned, and sent two of the Germans to James
town. They pretended to Captain Wynne that
all things were well, and that the president had
occasion for their arms ; and therefore they de
sired new ones, with some spare tools, and shift
of apparel, all which were readily granted them.
During their loitering there, by the promise of
Powhatan's favor, and of an exemption from the
miseries which would certainly happen to the
colony, they drew over to their confederacy six

148 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
or seven more, such expert thieves, as presently
furnished them with fifty swords, eight muskets,
eight pikes, and powder and shot, which were
speedily conveyed away by Indians at hand for
that purpose. The other German Powhatan
kept as a pledge, whose diligence provided him
with three hundred tomahawks, or Indian hatch
ets. In the mean time, Edward Brynton and
Thomas Savage, seeing the Germans so diligent
to accommodate the Indians with arms, attempted
to make their escape to Jamestown. But they
were apprehended and brought back, and ex
pected every minute to be put to death.
" The president and the rest, being arrived at
Pamunkey, were entertained some days by the
king, with great feasting and mirth. The day
appointed to begin their trade, he went ashore
with Lieutenant Percy, Mr. West, Mr. Russel,
Mr. Behethland, Mr. Croshaw, Mr. Powel, Mr.
F'ord and others, to the number of fifteen; and
going up to Opechancanough's house, a quarter
of a mile from the river, they found nothing but
a lame fellow and a boy, and all the houses
round abandoned and stripped of every thing.
They stayed not long before the king came, and
after him several of his people loaded with bows
and arrows. But their commodities were so
trifling, and those held at such a rate, that the
president began with the king, and said, that the
'professions of his tongue were proved by his
actions to be mere deceit: that last year he
kindly freighted his vessel, but had now treach
erously invited him, with a view to famish and

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 149
destroy him: that as the ki-ng was not ignorant
of his wants, so neither was he of the king's
plentv, of which, by some means, he must have.
pare And he told him it was highly proper and
decent for kings, above all others, to keep their
promise. And therefore, showing his commodi
ties, he offered him his choice, and the rest, he
said, he would proportion in fit bargains for his
people. Opechancanough seemed kindly to ac
cept his offer; and the better to color his designs
sold them what they had at their own price,
promising the next day more company better
provided. " The next day, the president, with the same
fifteen, marched up to the king's house, where
they found four or five men newly arrived, with
each a great basket. Soon after came the king,
and putting on a strained cheerfulness he enter
tained them in discourse, about the great pains
he had been taking to keep his promise, till Mr.
Russel brought in news that at least seven hun
dred Indians, well armed, had environed the
house, and beset the fields. The president, see
ing some of the company greatly dismayed at
the thought of such a multitude, told them that
he was less concerned at the danger and number
of the enemy, than at the malicious representa
tions which the council and their open-mouthed
minions would make to England of his breaking
the peace: that he alone was once assaulted by
three hundred; and had it not been for an acci
dent, would have made his way good among
them all ; that they were now sixteen, and the
13*

1.50 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
y
enemy but seven hundred at the most. And
therefore he desired them to fight like men, and
not die like sheep. For if they dared to follow
his example, and to do as he did, he doubted not,
by God's assistance, to extricate them out of the'
present diflSculty and danger. The time not
permitting any argument, they all cheerfully
vowed to execute whatever he attempted or die.
But that they might not fight for nothing, or be
even ruined and starved by their victory, the
president told Opechancanough that he saw his
plot to murder him, but he feared it not: that
their men had done no harm but by their direc
tions: that therefore, if each of his men would
bring a basket of corn, he would stake against it
the value in copper, and they two would go over
into the island in the river against that place,
and decide the matter by single combat : that he
should have his choice, and all advantage of
weapons: and that the conqueror should have
all, and be lord and master over all their men.
" But duelling in the fair and open field is not
the manner of the Indians. Their chief valor
consists in way-laying and murdering the unsus
pecting and unprovided, or perhaps the weak
and helpless. Nejther had Opechancanough
such regard for the lives of his subjects, as to
save them from danger at the hazard of his own.
He therefore kindly endeavored to appease the
president's anger and suspicion by a present at
the door, which he entreated him to accept.
This was only to draw him out, where the bait
was guarded with two hundred men, besides

CAPTAIN JOtIN SMITH. 151
thirty which lay behind a great tree, fallen across,
with each his arrow notched, ready to shoot.
But the president, having discovered the treach
ery, seized the king, in the midst of his men, by
his long lock of hair, and presented his _prstol,
ready cocked, to his breast. Thus he led him,
trembling and half dead with fear, among his
people, who were easily induced to throw down
their arms, and to deliver the king's vambrace,
[shield] bow, and arrows; little dreaming that
any one durst to use their king in that manner.
And now Opechancanough, to rescue himself,
bestowed his presents in serious sadness; and
his subjects, being upbraided and threatened by
the president in a smart and angry speech,, mixed
with some expressions of love and confidence,
cast away their bows and arrows, and men,
women, and children brought in their commodi
ties. For two or three hours they so thronged
and wearied him, that he retired into the house
to rest, leaving others to trade and receive their
presents. Whilst he was asleep, fifty of their
choice men, with each an English sword or club
in his hand, and seconded by two or three hun
dred more, pressed into the house to murder
him. ^ But the president, being waked from his
sleep by the noise of the people and shaking of
the house, betook himself to his arms, together
with Mr. Croshaw and some others, which soon
made them throng back faster than they came.
But Opechancanough and some of his ancients,
who were kept prisoners with him, endeavored,
in a long oration, to excuse this intrusion. The

152 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
rest of the day was spent with much kindness,
the Indians renewing their presents, and feast
ing the English with their best provisions.
"While these things were transacting, there
happened an unlucky accident at the fort. Mr.
Scrivener had received letters from England,
which gave him towering thoughts, and made
him decline entirely in his affection and friend
ship to Captain Smith, who still regarded and
loved him as his brother. This made him more
headstrong and conceited than was naturally
consistent with his prudence and moderation;
and having taken it into his head to visit Hog-
Island, he could not be turned "from it by the
advice and repeated entreaties of Captain Waldo
and several others. Therefore, taking with him
Captain Waldo, who was not to be absent from
the fort, but to be ready to second the president,
if called for, and Mr. Anthony Gosnold, a very
worthy, honest, and industrious gentleman, and
brother to Captain Bartholomew Gosnold, with
eight others, he went into the skiff. She was
so overloaded that she scarce could have lived
in calm weather; but, in that cold and boisterous
day, she sunk, none knowing how or where, and
all aboard were drowned. To advertise the
president of this heavy news, none could be got,
till Mr. Richard Wyffin undertook it alone. He
was encountered with many dangers and diffi
culties in all places as he passed. And at Wero
wocomoco, not finding the president, and per
ceiving such preparations for war, he was cer
tainly assured that some mischief was intended.

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 153
But Pocahontas hid him for a time, and sent
those who pursued him quite the contrary way.
At length by her means and extraordinary bribes
and trouble, in three-day's travel he found the
president at Pamunkey, in the midst of those
broils and difficulties. The president, having
sworn him to conceal this unhappy news from
the company, and dissembling his sorrow with
the best countenance he could, went safely
aboard at night, and left Opechancanough at
liberty according to his promise, and likewise
with a design the better to entrap Powhatan in
his return. Soon after he went down the river,
having searched the countries of Youghtanund
(now Pamunkey River) and Mattaponey, where
the poor creatures imparted the little corn they
had, with such complaints and tears from the
eyes of women and children as fully satisfied and
moved them with compassion.
" Powhatan had threatened death to his men
if they did not, by some means or other, kill
Captain Smith; but they hated fighting with
him almost as bad as hanging; and the presi
dent, on his side, was as eager to surprise and
take that subtle and perfidious barbarian. There
fore, in his way down the river, there were many
feints and stratagems on both parts, but without
any remarkable effect: only the president, with
Mr. West, and some others, would have been
poisoned, had their art been equal to their will.
It only made them sick, and so worked itself off.
And thus, through many dangers and difficulties,
they returned to Jamestown, where they deliv-

154 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
ered near 200 lbs. of deer's suet, and 479 bush
els of corn to the cape merchant.
" At Jamestown they found nothing done, but
their provisions spent, and a great part of their
tools and arms conveyed to the Indians. But
although what 'was left by the ship was so rot
ten with the rain, and so mangled by the rats
and worms, that the hogs would scarcely eat it;
yet, upon casting up their store, they found a
sufiicient provision for the year. Wherefore,
the fear of starving being laid aside, the com
pany was ranged into proper divisions, and six
hours each day spent in work, the rest in pas
time and merry exercises. And the president,
having called them together, told them that their
late experience and misery were sufiicient to
persuade every one to a present amendment:
that they must not think that either his pains or
the adventurers' purses would for ever maintain
them in sloth and idleness: that he knew many
deserved more honor and a better reward than
was yet to be had; but that far the greater part
of them must be more industrious or starve:
that it was not reasonable that the labors of
thirty or forty honest and industrious men should
be consumed to maintain an hundred and fifty
loiterers: and that therefore every one that
would not work should not eat; that they had
often been screened and protected in their dis
obedience to his just and necessary commands,
by the authority of the council: but that now,.
all being either dead or gone except Captain
Wynne and himself, that whole power rested, in

CAlTAliN' iUHK SMITH. 155
effect, solely in him. And therefore he advised
them not to feed themselves up with the vain
presumption that his authority was but a shadow,
and that his life must answer for theirs. For
the letters patent and other powers would prove
the contrary ; and should every week be read to
them, and every one that offended might as
suredly expect his due punishment. He also
made a table as a public memorial of each man's
deserts, to encourage the good and to spur on
the rest by shame. By this many became very
industrious ; but more were driven to their busi
ness by punishment, and the president's extra
ordinary vigor and diligence.-
" As they came down Pamunkey (since called
York River) off Werowocomoco, the president
had sent Mr. Croshaw and Mr. Ford to James
town by land. In their way, they met four or
five of the Germans' confederates going to Pow
hatan; who, to clear themselves from those gen
tlemen's suspicion that they were running to the
Indians, returned with them to the fort and there
continued. But the Germans, to know the
reason of their stay, sent one of their company,
a stout young fellow, disguised like an Indian,
to the glass-house. This stood in the woods,
about a mile from Jamestown, and was the
common place of rendezvous for all their secret
villany. The president, hearing of this, imme
diately sent to apprehend this German. But he
being gone, he dispatched twenty good shot
after, to intercept him in his return to Powhatan.
They soon brought him back, and-notwithstand-

156 LIFE AND ADVENTL'flES OF
ing his fair tale and plausible excuses, he was
thrown into prison. However, the president
spared his Ufe, hoping thereby to regain his
countrymen. "Captain Smith, having sent all his men after
the German, retuwied from the glass-house alone,
armed only with a faucheon. In his way he
met the king of Paspahey, a man of great
strength and gigantic stature. At first he en
deavored to draw the president into his ambus
cade ; but failing in that, he attempted to shoot
him; but Smith, to prevent it, closed in and
grappled with him; and the Indian, by mere
dint of strength, bore him into the river, with
a design to drown him. Long they struggled
in the water, till the president got such hold of
his throat that he almost strangled him. And
then, having disengaged himself, so as to draw
his faucheon, the poor savage begged his life in
such a pitiful manner, that he led him to James
town, and put him into chains, where he con
tinued for some time, till by the negligence of
his keepers he escaped. Some endeavors were
used to retake him, but without effect; only the
president took two Indians pri'soners, Kemps
and Tussore, the two most exquisite villains in
all the country. These men would have be
trayed both king and kindred for a piece of cop
per; and had Captain Wynne and Lieutenant
Percy, who were sent upon the business with
fifty men, followed their directions, they would
certainly have regained the king, and been fully
revenged for the injury and assault.^ However

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 157
that this might not encourage them to farther
boldness, they attacked and slew several of the
nation, burnt their houses, took their canoes
and fishing weirs, and planted some of them at
Jamestown, and were resolved to prosecute
them with war till they we>e fully humbled and
subdued. " Not long after, the president passing to Pas
pahey, in his way to Chickahominy, was as
saulted by them. But as soon as they knew
him. they all threw down their arms and sued
for peace. Their spokesman was a lusty young
fellow, named Okaning, whose discourse well
deserves to be remembered. He told the presi
dent, that the king, his master, was there pres
ent in the company: that they took him for
Captain Wynne, who pursued them in war,
although they had never injured him: that if
the king offended him in escaping from prison,
he ought to consider, that the fishes swim, the
fowls fly, and the very beasts strive to escape
the snare and live: that therefore, his master,
who -was a man, ought not to be blamed for
following this necessary instinct of nature, even
in brute animals. He reminded him of the
pains his master took to save his life when a
prisoner; and if he had since injured him he was
compelled to it, and it had, 'however, been
already fully revenged to their too great loss.
And he further told him, if he still persisted in
his resolution to destroy them, they must aban
don their habitations, and settle somewhere be
yond his reach, which would only cost them
14

158 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
more labor, but would be of worse consequence
to the English, who could not well subsist with
out their corn and fruits. And therefore he
earnestly entreated him to grant them his friend
ship, and to permit them to enjoy their houses,
and plant their, fields in peace and security.
Concluding that if he would promise them peace,
they would trust to his word ; but if he pro
ceeded in his revenge, they would quit the
country. Whereupon the president promised
them peace, if they would do no further injury,
and would bring in provisions to the fort; to
which they joyfully agreed, and parted good
friends,"^" and so continued till Smith left the
country.

CH-iPTER XII.
Effects of Smith's Intrepidity — Benefits of some Pretended
Miracles — Encouraging Spirit of the Settlers — Ravages of
the Rats — New duarters necessary for Subsistence — Evils
of Insolence again Prevalent — Deserters returned by the
Indians — Expedition to the Mangoags : their Friendship —
Villany of Volday — Indignation of the People — Courst of
Powhatan — Arrival of Argall.
The intrepidity of Smith struck a dread into
the savages, and they began to believe what he
had often told them, that, "his God would pro
tect him against all their power, whilst he kept
his promise ; which was to preserve peace with
them as long as they should refrain from hostili-
* Stith's History of 'Virginia.

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 159
ties, and continue to supply him with corn." — ¦
An incident which occurred about the same
time, confirmed their veneration for him. An In
dian having stolen a pistol from Jamestown, two
brothers who were known to be his companions
Were seized, and one was held as hostage for the
other, who was to return in twelve hours with the
pistol, or the prisoner was to be hanged. The
weather being cold, a charcoal fire was kindled in
the dungeon, which was very close, and the va
por had so suffocated the prisoner, that on the
return of his brother at the appointed time, With
the pistol, he was taken out as dead. The faithful
savage lamented his fate irt the most distressing,
agony. Smith, to console him, promised, if they
would steal no more, that he should be recovered.
On the application of spirits and vinegar, he
showed signs of life, but appeared delirious;
this grieved the brother as much as his death.
Smith undertook to cure him of this also, on the
repetition of the promise to steal no more. The
delirium being only the effect of the spirits which
he had swallowed, was remedied by a few hours'
sleep; and being dismissed, with a present of
copper, they went away, believing and reporting
that Smith was able to bring the dead to life.
On another occasion, an Indian at Werowo
comoco, who had stolen a large bag of powder,
attempted to display his skill among his compan
ions by drying it over a fire on the back of a
piece of armour, ft he had seen the soldiers do
at Jamestown. Many stood peeping over his
shoulder to watch his operations, when it sud-

160 LIFE AND ADVENTUEES OF
denly exploded; killing him and two more, and
badly scorching and mangling several others.
This was a source of no less dread than astonish
ment, as it was wholly attributed to the power
and art of the English ; and, coupled with other
occurrences equally beyond their comprehension,
so frightened Powhatan and his people, that they
flocked from all parts, returning many stolen
articles which had never been demanded, or
even missed, and proffering all sorts of presents
to secure their peace.
During the remainder of Smith's administra
tion (so punctilious was Powhatan in sending
all thieves to Jamestown for punishment, and so
great was their fear of detection by means of
the Enghsh sorcerers), robberies were of rare
occurrence, and the whole country became as
free and safe to the settlers as to the Indians.
In fact, the right spirit seemed to pervade all the
operations then undertaken, which were pursued
for a time with alacrity and success. "They
made three or four last of tar, pitch, and soap-
ashes ; produced a trial of glass ; sunk a well in
the fort, of excellent water, which till then was
much wanted; built about twenty houses; newly
covered the church; provided nets and weirs
for fishing; and, to stop the disorders of the
thieves and Indians, they built a block-house in
the neck of the island to receive the trade of the
Indians; and none, neither Indian nor Christian,
was suffered to pass or repal^without the presi
dent's order. 'Thirty or forty acres of ground
were broke up and planted. Of three sows, in

. CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 161
eighteen months, increased sixty odd pigs; and
near five hundred chickens brought up them
selves, without having any thing given them.
But the hogs were transported to Hog-island;
where also was built a blockhouse, with a gar
rison, to give notice of any ships; and for their
exercise at leisure times, they made clapboard
and wainscot. In this time died Captain Wynne ;
so that the government devolved wholly upon
the president, as it had before in effect done by
his having two voices in the council.
"But this flow of plenty and prosperity lasted
not long; for, upon examination, they found half
their corn rotten, and the rest consumed by rats;
which, coming originally from the ships, had in
creased to incredible multitudes; so that all
works were intermitted, and the people suffi
ciently employed to get provisions. But at first
the Indians, to express their love, brought in an
hundred a-day at least of squirrels, turkies, deer,
and other wild beasts ; and Powhatan spared
them near half his stock of corn. But the pres
ident was nevertheless obliged to detach sixty or
eighty down the river, to live upon oysters.
Twenty were sent to the falls with Mr. West;
and as many more with Lieutenant Percy to
Point Comfort, to try for a fishery. But he
being very sick, and sorely burnt with gunpow
der, they would not agree in six weeks once to
cast their net. Many were billetted among the
neighbouring Indians, who knew that they had
such a commanding power at Jamestown,
that they durst not wrong them in the least.
14*

162 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
And in all this time of distress, they caught
more sturgeon than could be devoured by man
and dog. This the industrious, drying and
pounding, would mingle with cavaire, sorrel, and
wholesome herbs, and make bread and good
meat. Others would gather as much tuckahoe-
root in a day, as would make them bread for a
week, so that upon these wild products, and
what they caught, the diligent lived very well
and plentifully.
"Yet such was the insufferable sloth and un
reasonable perverseness of far the greater num
ber, that they would sooner have perished than
have been at the pains to gather food; and they
were even importunate with the president to sell
their fools and iron — nay, their swords and fire
locks, and their very houses and ordnance — to
the Indians for this trash. And they took occa
sion from hence, in a very turbulent and clam-
' orous manner, to insist on the necessity of leaving
the country. But the president, having punished
one of the worst and most seditious among them,
called the rest together, and represented to them
the extreme folly and iniquity of their proceed
ings ; and he told them that if any more were found
attempting to run away to Newfoundland with
the bark, they might assuredly expect the gal
lows as their fate ; that he nevqf had more from
the store than the worst of them; for they well
knew and saw that his extraordinary allowance
as president was constantly distributed among
the sick: and, since he found necessity had not
power to force them to gather the fruits of the

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 103
earth, he was resolved that they should gather,
not only for themselves, but also for the sick;
and that whosoever should not gather every day
as much as he himself did, should the next day
be set beyond the river, and banished from the
fort as a ¦ drone. This order raised a great
clamor and outcry ; but it made most of them
bestir themselves so well, that they had plenty
of food to eat, and continued very healthy and
strong. Yet many of them, understanding how
well they were used that were billetted among
the Indians, ran away to Kemps and Tussore,
their old prisoners. But Kemps first made him
self sport with them, showing his countrymen
how he was used when a prisoner, and feeding
them upon this condition, that they who would
network, should not eat; and then he carried
them back by force to the president.
"This deterred many others who intended to
follow; and made them content rather to labor
at home than venture among the Indians. For
the kings and better sort of that people were so
afraid, or so friendly, that when the English pun
ished some of their baser sort with great sever
ity, they would hire them not to tell it to their
kings or countrymen, lest they should punish
them again, and send them to Jamestown, to
give full satisfaction to t* president.
"About this time, Mr. Sicklemore returned
fromChawanock; but without any information
of Sir Walter Raleigh's lost company, or satis
factory account of the silk-grass ; and the pres
ident, to pursue a point thought so necessary by

164 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OP
the council in England, sent off Mr. Nathaniel
Powell and Anas Todkill to the Mangoags, a
nation of Indians, not subject to Powhatan,
dwelling on the upper branches of Nottoway,
or some small streams of Roanoke river. He
obtained guides from the king of the Quiyough-
quohanocks, a small nation of Indians, seated on
the south side of James river, about ten miles
above Jamestown. This good king did ever
affect the English above all others; and although
he was very zealous to his false gods, yet he
confessed that the English God as much exceeded
his as their guns did his bow and arrows; and
in time of drought, he would often send presents
to Ce^ptain Smith, to pray to his god for rain.
His guides conducted Powell and Todkill, three
days' journey, into a high country, towards the
south-west, where they saw, here and there, a
cornfield, by some little spring or small brook,
but no large river. The people were, in all
respects, like the rest, except their language.
They lived chiefly by hunting, and on fruits and
roots ; and they trafficked their skins with those
towards the sea and fatter countries for dried
fish and corn. But neither did they here, or
ever after, hear any thing of this colony left by
Mr. White in the year 1587, on one of the
islands of Hatteras. "*
"All this while, they employed one William
Volday, a Zwitzer, by promises and pardons to
reclaim his countrymen, the Germans, and one
Bentley, another fugitive. But this vile hypo
crite, pretending highly to devest their villany.

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 105
hereby got an opportunity to convey them every
thing they wanted to effect their projects and
destroy their colony. With much devotion they
looked for the Spaniard, to whom they were
willing and intended to do good service; and
finding the English were obliged to disperse
themselves to gather food, they importuned
Powhatan to lend them his forces; and they
undertook, not only to destroy the hogs, fire the
town, and seize on the bark, but to bring most
of the colony to his service and subjection.
This scheme was communicated to many of
their confederates at the fort; but two, whose
hearts relented at the horror of the act, revealed
it to the president. He ordered them to keep it
still a secret, and to draw them into such am
buscades as he had prepared. But the thing
taking air, and coming to the ears of the impa
tient multitude, they were outrageous to go and
destroy them immediately. Lieutenant Percy
and Mr. John Codrington, two gentlemen of
high and resolute spirits, offered their service to
go to Werowocomoco, and to cut their throats
before the face of Powhatan. But the president
cared not to hazard such persons, for whom he
had other employment; and- gave way to Mr.
Wyffin and Serjeant Jeffery Abbot, to under
take the matter. But the Germans so blinded
Abbot with a fair tale, that he relented; and
Wyffin, though willing, cared not to attempt it
alone. When Powhatan understood their busi
ness, he sent immediately to the president, to
inform him that he neither detained them nor

166 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
hindered his men from eventing his command ;
for he neithef^did nor would maintain them, or
any other, to his displeasure. But although
these treacherous foreigners did all they could
to raise and incense Powhatan and the Indians
against the English, yet such exact intelligence
had Captain Smith of their plots, that their ma
chinations were his greatest advantage and
security. And if any commotion had happened,
he always had it in his power to take revenge;
for all the country now stood. mQfe in fear of
him- than of Powhatan ; and he had such parties
amdng the bordering nations that, out of love or
fear, they would have done any thing he com
manded. However, not long after, one of the
Germans returned to his duty, but the other
still remained with Powhatan.
"Whilst these things were passing. Captain
Samuel Argall arrived, who was afterwards an
active person here, and a noted governor of the
country. He came to truck with the colony,
and to fish for sturgeon, with a ship well fur
nished with wine and other good provision.
This was, at that time, a prohibited trade; but
he being a kinsman to Sir Thomas Smith the
treasurer, it was connived at and overlooked.
The necessities of the colony obliged them to
take his provisions, by which his voyage was
lost; but they re victualled him, when their next
supply arrived, and sent him to England with a
full account of the state of their affairs. By
this ship they received letters, which taxed the
president for his hard usage of the natives, and

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 107
for not returning the ships freighted. And now
also they first had an account of the alterations
in England, and of the great preparations and
large supply, to be sent by the Lord Delaware,
appointed captain-general and governor-in-chief
of Virginia."*

CHAPTER XIII.
Tho old Charter and Officers superseded— Extensive Fleet,
with Reinforcements — Shipwreck of the new Governors —
Arrival of the Fleet^ — Surprise of Smith — Troublesome Fac
tions — Character of the new Recruits — Pate of the Germans
and Volday — Vigorous Measures of Smith — Imprisonment
of the Factious Leaders — Attempts at New Settlements —
More Difficulties with the Indians — Purchase of Powhatan
— Mutiny against Smith : liis Escape — Complaints of the
Indians; their Revenge — Nonsuch founded and abandoned
— Severe Accident to Smith : his Return to England neces
sary: Peculiarities of his Situation: his Character.
The failure 'of the settlers to realize the ex
pectations of the Company in England, led to
the cancelling of the old charter, and the grant
ing of a new one, with greatly enlarged powers,
and including several men of wealth and influ
ence, who had previously stood aloof from lack
of confidence. An expedition, consisting of
nine ships and five hundred settlers, was dis
patched, under Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George
Somers, and Captain Newport, each of whom
was furnished with a commission as governor,
and authorized to recall the commission formerly
* Stith's History of Virginia.

168 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
granted — the first arriving, to assume the office
"But because they could not agree for place, it
was concluded that they should all go in one
ship, called the Sea- Venture. They sailed from
England the latter end of May, 1609; but the
25th of July, the admiral-ship was parted from
the rest of the fleet, by the tail of a hurricane,
having on board the three commanders, an hun
dred and fifty men, their new commission, and
bills of lading, together with all manner of in
structions and directions, and the best part of
their provisions. She arrived not, but was
foundered on Bermudas, as shall be hereafter
related. A small ketch likewise perished in the
hurricane; but the seven other ships came safe.
In them, as captains, came Rat«liffe, (whose
right name, as is said, was Sicklemore) Martin,
and Archer, with Captain Wood, Captain Webbe,
Captain Moon, Captain King, Captain Davies,
Mr. Ralph Hamer, and divers other gentlemen,
of good fortune and eminent birth. The presi
dent, being informed by his scouts of the arrival
of this fleet, little dreamed of such a supply, but
supposed them, at first, to be Spaniards. He
therefore put himself into the best posture of
defence he could; and being seconded by the
Indians, (who, upon this occasion, showed their
friendship, and prepared, with great alacrity, to
assist the English with their utmost power) they
thought themselves so well provided for the re
ception of an enemy, that they little feared
their coming.
" Ratcliffe, Martin, and Archer, had bred

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 169
much disturbance at sea, and had paved the way
for being even more troublesome ashore. For
they had infused such jealousies and prejudices
into the company against Captain Smith, that
they mortally hated him before they had ever
seen him. But several of better sense and ex
perience among them, from their first landing,
hearing the general good report of his old sol
diers, and seeing the prudence and uprightness
of his actions, were soon undeceived, and saw
into the malice of Ratcliffe and his faction.
They therefore left their society, and ever ad
hered to Captain Smith as his firm and faithful
friends. But a great part of this new company
consisted of unruly sparks packed off by their
friends, to escape worse destinies at home. And
the rest were chiefly made up of poor gentle
men, broken tradesmen, rakes and libertines,
footmen, and such others as were much fitter to
spoil or ruin a commonwealth, than to help to
raise or maintain one. This lewd company
therefore were led by their seditious captains
into many gross mischiefs and extravagancies.
They assumed tp themselves the power of dis
posing of the government; and conferred it
sometimes on one and sometimes on another.
To-day, the old commission must rule; to-mor
row, the new ; and next day, neither. So that
all was anarchy and distraction; neither were
there any hopes, from the present posture of
affairs, but of the utmost misery and confusion.
"The German als") that had returned to the
Enghsh. seeing this distracted state of things,
15

170 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OP
and hoping for some advantage from it, fled
again, with one of his consorts, to Powhatan,
to whom he promised wonders at the arrival of
Lord Delaware. But that sensible barbarian.
knowing the wickedness and perfidy of their
nature, replied, that they who would have be
trayed Captain Smith to him, would certainly
betray him to this great lord, to make their
peace; and so he wisely ordered his men to beat
out their brains. But Volday, the Zwitzer,
made a shift to get to England; where, persuad
ing the merchants what rich mines he had found,
and what services he would do them, he was
well rewarded, and sent back with the Lord
Delaware. But being found a mere impostor,
he died in a most contemned and miserable
manner. "Captain Smith, all this time of turbulency and
distraction, was sadly troubled and perplexed
how to proceed. At first, finding his authority
thus unexpectedly cancelled and changed, he
resolved to leave all, and return for England.
But afterwards, seeing there was little hope of
the arrival of this new commission, and that his
own was not legally superseded but by the actual
production of another, he determined to bear up,
and to act with vigor and resolution. He'there-
fore set himself, with great courage, and the per
petual hazard of his life, to oppose this torrent
of faction and immorality; and at last so far
mastered it, that he cast Ratcliffe, Archer, and
the other chiefs, into prison, till he had more
leisure to bring them to a fair and legal trial.

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. ¦ ' 171
And the better to dissipate the humors, and to
break the confederacies, he sent Mr. West with
an hundred and twenty the best he could choose
to make a settlement at the falls ; and Martin,
with near the same number, to Nansamond;
allowing each their due pi'oportion of all the
provisions, according to their number. And
now the year of his presidency being near ex
pired, he made Captain Martin, who was become
more tractable, president in his room. But
Martin, knowing his own insufficiency, and the
people's unruliness and little regard for him,
within three hours resigned it again to Captain
Smith. For as Ratcliffe had been removed from
the council, and was not again restored, M.artin
and Smith were the only two then in the coun
try that could either elect or be elected president .
and Martin, having thus wisely disengaged him
self fromv an office which he was then no 'ways
able to execute or support, proceeded to make
his settlement at Nansamond. The nation,
having been reduced to subjection and contribu
tion, used him kindly: yet such were his unrea
sonable jealousy and fear, that he surprised the
poor naked king, and his monuments and houses,
with the island wherein he lived, and there for
tified himself But the Indians soon perceiving
his fear and distraction, ventured to assault him :
and they killed several of his men, released their
kiilg, and gathered and carried off a thousand
bushels of corn; whilst he, in the mean while,
never once offered to intercept them, but sent
to the president, then at the falls, for thirty sol-

172 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OP
diers. These were presently sept him from
Jamestown. But he so employed them that
they did nothing, and soon returned, complaining
of his tenderness and cowardice ; and he like
wise, leaving his company to their fortunes,
came away with them to Jamestown.
" The president followed the other company
up to the falls to see them well seated. But he
was surprised in his way to meet Captain West
so soon returning to Jamestown; and he found
the settlement very inconsiderately made, in a
place not only liable to the river's inundation,
but also subject to many other intolerable incon-
veniencies. To remedy which, he immediately
sent to Powhatan, to purchase the place called
Powhatan. The conditions of their agreement
were these : that the English should defend him
against the Manakins; that he should resign to
them the fort and the houses, with all that coun
try, for a proportion of copper ; that all thieves
should be sent thither, to receive their punish
ment ; that every house, as a custom, should pay
the president a bushel of corn for an .inch square
of copper, and a certain quantity of pocones to
King James for their protection; and that they
should barter what else they could spare at their
best discretion. But Captain West's company
depended so much on the lord-general's new
commission, that they regarded no person or
thing. And supposing the Manakins' country
reached to the South Sea, and was all gold, they
pleased themselves with the vain conceit that it
was entirely under their power and command,

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 173
and that none should go thither but whom they
pleased. They theiefore rejected the president
with insolence and contempt. However, he
ventured, with five men, to land among them;
and committed the heads ofthe mutiny to prison,
till, by their numbers, they obliged him to retire.
In making off, he happily surprised one of their
boats, with which he returned to the ship; and
had not the mariners proved very tractable and
faithful to him, he had small means and Httle
probability of escaping their fury.
"The Indians also came to him, complaining,
that he had brought them, for protectors, worse
enemies than the Manakins themselves; that
they stole their corn, robbed their gardens, broke
open their houses, beat them, and kept several
in prison; and that, till then, they had borne all
this out of love to him, but desired pardon if
hereafter they defended themselves. They like
wise offered him their assistance, and to fight
for him against them, if he would lead them on.
But having spent nine days, to no purpose, in
endeavoring to reclaim them, he departed for
Jamestown. The ship was no sooner under sail,
but twelve Indians assaulted those hundred and
twenty in their fort. And finding many strag
gling abroad in the woods, they killed some, and
so frightened the rest that their countrymen in
prison escaped, and they went safely oft' with
the swords and cloaks of those they had slain.
But before the ship had sailed half a league she
grounded, which gave the president an oppor
tunity of summoning them once more to a par
15*

174 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
ley. And now he found them so amazed with
that silly assault of the Indians, that they sur
rendered themselves, upon any terms, to his
mercy. He therefore laid six or seven of the
chief offenders by the heels, and seated the rest
at Powhatan, the strongest and best place he
had seen in the country, and for that reason they
called it Nonsuch. Here they had dry houses
for lodgings, near two hundred acres of land,
cleared and ready for planting, with a savage
fort ready built, and prettily fortified with poles
and barks of trees, and sufficient; to have de
fended them against all the Indians in the coun
try. He likewise appeased the Indians, making
restitution and satisfaction to each party for
their former losses and damages.
"And now, new officers being appointed, and
the president ready to depart, just at thai instant
arrived Captain West, whose gentle nature was
so wrought on and abused by compassion for
the* prisoners and the persuasions of the mutin
eers, who alleged they had only done this for his
honor, that all things were again thrown into
confusion and mutiny. But the president, hav
ing no inclination to contend with Mr. West,
and little power to-curb their insolence, left them
to their fortunes and returned to Jamestown;
and soon after they abandoned Nonsuch, and
went back to their first settlement at West's-Fort.
"But passing down the river, as Captain Smith.
was asleep in the boat, his powder-bag, by some
accident, was fired, which tore the flesh from his
body and thighs, nine or ten inches square, in a

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 175
most dreadful manner. To quench the fire,
which fried and tormented him in his clothes
he leaped overboard, and was almost drowned
before they could recover him. In this piteous
state he arrived a: Jamestown, where Ratcliffe,
Archer, and the rest of their confederates were
soon to come to their trials. But their guilty
consciences misgiving them, and seeing the pres
ident unable to stand, and almost bereft of his
senses by reason of his torment, they entered
into a conspiracy to murder him in his bed. But
his heart failed him who was to have given fire
to the pistol ; and so, being disappointed in this
purpose, they joined together to usurp the gov
ernment and thereby escape their punishment.
In the mean time, the president's old soldiers
being provoked beyond all patience at their
maUce and sedition, flocked to him, and impor
tuned him to give them but the word, and they
would fetch the heads of the boldest among them
that durst resist his commands. Yet he would
not suffer them to bring the matter to a civil broil,
but sent immediately for the masters of the ships,
and took order with them for his return to Eng
land ; for there was neither Chirurgeon nor chir-
urgery at the fort; and his wounds were so
grievous, and torments so cruel, that few ex
pected he could live. And he likewise highly
resented, and was much chagrined to see his
authority suppressed, he knew not why ; himself
and his soldiers to be rewarded for their past la
bors and dangers, he knevv not how; and a new
commission granted, to they knew not whom.

176 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
And besides, he found himself unable to follow
his business, suppress those factions, and range
the country for provisions as he before intended.
And he well knew that his own presence and
activi''y were as requisite in those affairs as his
advice and directions. For all which reasons
he resolved upon leaving the country, and went
presently on board one of the ships.
"Captain Percy had been for some time in a
very bad state of health, and had taken his pas
sage in one of the ships to go to England: but
now, upon Smith's departure, many came about
him, and by entreaties and persuasions prevailed
with him to stay, and take upon him the govern-,
ment. But there were many others up in arms,
calling themselves presidents and counsellors,
several of which began now to fawn upon and
solicit Smith to give up his commission to them;
and after much ado, and many bitter repulses,
that their ruin and confusion might not be at
tributed to him for leaving the country without
a commission, he permitted it to be stolen, but
never could be induced to resign it into such
vile hands." — Stith.
About the latter part of September, 1609,
Captain Smith left the country, never again to
see it. "He left behind him three ships and
seven boats; commodities ready for -trade; the
corn newly gathered; ten- weeks' provision in
the store; four hundred and ninety odd persons;
twenty-four pieces of ordnance; three hundred
muskets, with other arms and ammunition, more
than sufficient for the men; the language and

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 177
habitations of the Indians well known to an
hundred trained and expert soldiers; nets for
fishing; tools of all sorts to work; apparel to
supply their wants; six mares and a horse; five
or six hundred hogs ; as many hens and chickens,
with some goats and some sheep; for whatever
had been brought or bred here, still remained.
But this seditious and distracted rabble, regard
ing not any thing, but from hand to mouth,
riotously consiimed what there was, and took
care for nothing but to color and make out some
complaints against Captain Smith. For this end
the ships were detained three weeks, at a great
charge, till they could produce and bring them
to bear."*
As a soldier of fortune, we have seen that,
previous to his connexion with Virginia, Smith
had "run through a great variety of life and
adventure." So notorious were many of his
heroic exploits, that "he lived to see himself
brought upon the stage, and the chief dangers
and most interesting passages of his life racked,
as he complains, and misrepresented, in low tra
gedies." One of his friends, whom he left behind
in Virginia, has given this character of him : -' In
all his proceedings he made justice his first guide,
and experience his second; hating baseness,
sloth, pride and indignity, more than any dan
gers. He never would allow more for himself
than for his soldiers ; and upon no danger would
send them where he would not lead them him
self. He would never see us want what he had,
* Stith's History of Virginia.

178 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OP
or could by any means get for us. He would
rather want than borrow ; or starve than not pay.
He loved action more than words; and hated
covetousness and falsehood worse than death.
His adventures were our lives; and his loss
our deaths."
Few men, in any age or country, were ever
more universally esteemed, among the honorable
and independent portion of their contemporaries,
than Smith; and this high estimation of his
moral worth seems to have been transmitted
from generation to generation, undiminished by
the lapse of time, and equally as prevalent at
the present day as it was two centuries and a
half ago. The following just remarks upon his
administration of affairs in Virginia, are taken
from Mr. Hillard's popular work:
"It is hardly possible for Captain Smith's services
to the colony to be exaggerated. Nothing -but the
force of his character coiild have conducted it through
so many difficulties and dangers. Upon his single
life its existence hung, and without him the enterprise
would have been relinquished again and again, as in
the case of the settlements on the coast of North
Carolina, and the establishment of a permanent co
lony in America would have been delayed to an in
definite period, since every unsuccessful attempt
would have been a fresh discouragement to such an
undertaking.' It is easy to be seen that he embraced
the interests of the colony with the whole force of
his fervid and enthusiastic character. He was its
right eye and its right arm. In its service he dis
played a perseverance which no obstacles could dis-

CAPTAIN JOHN S.MITH. 179
hearten, a courage which bordered upon rashness,
and a fertility of resources which never left him at
a loss for remedies against every disaster, and for the
means of extricating himself from every difficulty
and embarrassment.
"It is curious to. observe, that he seemed not only
to superintend, but to do every thing. His official
dignity never encumbered him when any thing was
to be done. We find him, at one time, cutting down
trees with his own hands; at another, heading an
exploring expedition, venturing, with a few timid
followers, in an open bark, into unknown regions
densely peopled with savage tribes; and at ariother,
marching with a few soldiers to procure provisions,
and sleeping on the bare ground in the depth of win
ter. He had the advantage of possessing an iron
frame and a constitution which was proof against
sickness and exposure ; so that, while others were
faint, drooping, and weary, he was vigorous, unex
hausted, ready to grapple with danger, and contem
plating every enterprise with cheerful confidence in
the result.
"In the government of his colony he was rigidly
impartial, just, and, as might be expected from one
who had so long been a soldier, strict, even to sever.
ity. This was indeed one of the objections made
to his administration by the council in England, and
it without doubt created him many enemies in James
town. But the intelligent reader will find for him a
sufficient apology in the desperate character of many
of the settlers, and in the absolute necessity of im-
plicit subordination, which their situation required.
" The whole power was centred in his own person,
and a refusal to obey him was a refusal to obey the
laws, upon which their safety and even existence

180 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
depended. His severity arose from a sense of duty,
and no one ever accused him of being wantonly
cruel or revengeful. No man was more ready to
forgive offences, aimed at himself personally; a
striking proof of which is, that we hear of no punish
ments being inflicted on the dastardly wretches who
attempted to assassinate him, as he was lying help
less from his wounds, during the last days of his
administration. "His conduct to the Indians, though not always
dictated by a spirit of Christian justice or brotherhood,
will be found very honorable to him, if tried by the
standard of the opinions of his day. Here, too, his
apology must be found in the peculiar circumstances
in which he was placed. He was not the head of
a powerful body, meeting and trading with the Indians
on terms of equality, but of a feeble band, whom
they, if they had known their own strength, might
have crushed in a moment. The passion of fear is
the parent of cruelty and of treachery. It was ne
cessary (or at least it was deemed so) to overawe
the Indians, to strike terror into them ; and, if the
means resorted to for accomplishing these ends were
not strictly justifiable, there was at least an excuse
for them.
"The English were also more than once threaten.
ed with famine, while their Indian neighbors were
generally well supplied with provisions ; and reason
and experience tell us that starving men will not be
very nice in their expedients to obtain food, or coolly
examine into the right and wrong of measures, when
a fierce animal instinct is goading them on. Captain
Smith, by prudence and firmness, established a most
harmonious feeling between the two races.
"The respect of the IndiEtns for him hardly stop-

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 181
ped short of idolatry. His great qualities v/ere
evident to these untutored children of Nature, and
their reverence was the instinctive homage which is
paid to innate superiority. This is alone sufficient
to prove that he never treated the Indians, even as
they thought, with injustice, cruelty, or caprice ; had
it be.en so, he never would have been so admired and
honored by a race of men who are proverbial for
never forgetting an injury.
"The genuine merits of Captain Smith, as a pre
siding officer, can only be fairly estimated by com
paring him with others. We have seen that whenever
he departs from Jamestown, every thing is thrown
into confusion, and that, as soon as he returns, order
is restored and the jarring notes of discord cease to
be heard As none but himself could bend the bow
of Ulysses, so no one was capable of sustaining the
office of President, for a single day, but Captain
Smith." * * * " Compare also the results of his
brilliant expedition to explore the Chesapeake, with
Newport's pompous march into the country of the
Monacans, in which his failure was as wretched as
his means of success were ample. The miserable
adventures of the colony, too, after he, its ruling and
moving spirit, had departed, are in themselves a
splendid encomium upon his energetic and successful
administration." 16

182 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF

CHAPTER XIV
The Sea- Venture and the Governors-^Isle of Devils : its Ani
mal and Vegetable Productions — The Shipwrecked Parly
leave for Virginia ; Desperate Condition of Affairs in that
Region : " The Starving Time" — ^Resolution to abandon the
Settlement : Happily Frustrated by the arrival of Lord Del
aware — Important A^istance from England — Projected New
Settlements — Pocahontas made a Prisoner — Powhatan ap
prised of her Situation : His Answer — Skirmishes with the
Indians — Two Brothers of Pocahontas — Partial Arrange
ment of Difficulties — Marriage of Pocahontas and Rolfe :
Embarkation for England : Arrival.
Many interesting events in the life of Poca
hontas are so intimately blended with the history
of Captain Smith, that we shall incorporate them
as coming legitimately within the sphere of our
design. For the same reason, we shall also in
clude the most important matters connected with
the settlement after the captain's departure for
England. As a necessary fink in the chain of
connection, the fate of the three governors who
embarked in the Sea- Venture may be considered
as first in order. After this vessel was separated
from the rest of the fleet, she became so shatter
ed and leaky by the violence of the sea, that the
" water in the hold rose above two tiers of hogs
heads ;" and those on board were obliged to stand
up to their waists, bailing with buckets, kettles,
or similar implements, for three days and nights
without intermission. Finding that, despite their
utmost efforts, the water was rather gaining upon
them, -they resolved to close the hatches, and
"commit themselves to the mercy of the sea

captain JOHN SMITH. 183
and God's good providence. In this dangerous
and desperate state, some who had good and
comfortable waters fetched them, and drank to
one another, as taking their last leaves till a
more happy and joyful meeting in the other
world." Sir George Somers had sat all this time
upon the poop, managing to keep.the ship upright,
or she must long before have foundered. At
last he had the good fortune unexpectedly to
descry land; and "this welcome news, as if it
had been a voice from hea,ven, hurried them all
above hatches, to see what they could scarce
believe." Although it was known to be Ber
muda, "a place then dreaded and shunned by
all men," yet they crowded sail, and did every
thing else in their power to reach the land. "It
was not long before the ship struck upon a rock ;
but a surge of the sea cast her from thence, and
so from one to another, till she was most luckily
thrown up between two as upright as if she had
been on the stocks." Suddenly the wind abated
to a calm, and the sea became so still that, with
the greatest ease, all the passengers, provisions,
and goods were got safely on shore — a distance
of more than a league from the wreck. So ter
rible had this place previously become in the
eyes of mariners, on account of the wreck of
numerous Spanish, French and Dutch vessels,
that, with the usual elegance of marine classics,
it had been pretty generally christened the Isle
of Devils. All concerned were agreeably disap
pointed in not realizing their dismal expectations :
they found it the most healthful, pleasant, and

184 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OP
productive place they had ever seen. They met
with excellent fish, so large and plentiful, that in
half an hour enough could be caught by one
individual to supply the whole company. On one
occasion, "Sir George Somers caught one that
had before carried off two of his hooks, so large
that it would have pulled him into the sea, had
not his men got hold of him." Hogs also were
found so abundant, that at their first hunting
they killed thirty-two ; and game, fruits, vegeta
bles, and other acceptable means of subsistence
enabled them to live in such plenty, ease, and
comfort, that "many forgot all other places, and
never desired to return from thence."
At last, however, it was resolved to deck the
long-boat with the ship's hatches, and to send
Mr. Raven and eight others to Virginia, for the
purpose of making arrangements for their trans
portation thither; but this frail vessel must have
perished at sea, as none of the party were ever
heard of afterwards. Even in the small group
of humanity left upon the island, "such was the
malice, envy, and ambition of some, that, not
withstanding Sir George Somers's eminent ser
vices, there arose great differences between the
commanders," which seemed to verify the ob
servations of a Spanish author, that the air of
America was infectious, and inclined nien's minds
to wrangling and contention. Each party deter
mined on building a vessel, and two cedar ships
were at length finished. Instead of pitch and
tar, their "seams were caulked and payed with
lime and turtle's oil, which quickly became dry,

CAPTAIN JOHN S.MITH. 185
and as hard as stone; they were rigged with
what was saved from the Sea- Venture, and
amply provisioned with acceptable fare. On
the 10th of May, 1610, all but two'* were em
barked, and somewhat regretfully left the island,
having sojourned there for about nine months.
After a prosperous voyage of fourteen days,
they reached their destination, where every thing
was found in such a desperate condition, that
they at once abandoned all hope of maintaining
the settlement, and made immediate preparations
for returning to England.
It appears that no sooner had the Indians
learned that Smith was gone, than they set at
defiance the remaining power of the whites —
murdering and pillaging indiscriminately every
party they could overpower. The stores left by
Smith were becoming rapidly exhausted, when
Captain West and Captain Ratcliffe, each with
some thirty or forty men in a "small ship,"
were dispatched in quest of materials for replen
ishing their stock. With a foolhardiness charac
teristic of the man, Ratcliffe put himself entirelj"
within the power of Powhatan, and dearly did
he pay for his temerity — being slaughtered with
the whole of his party, except two. Captain
West was more fortunate, although he failed in
* Christopher Carter and Edward Waters, who had ren
dered thetnselves amenable to punishment for certain of
fences, fled into the woods to avoid the demands of justice.
Waters had been Mutually tied tc a tree to he executed, hut
he cut the rope with a knife he had secreted, and made his
escape. 16*

186 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
obtaining the necessary supplies; and shortly
after sailed for England. In the words of Dr.
Simons, they now began fearfully to realize "the
loss of Captain Smith — yea, his greatest malign-
ers could now curse his loss." "As for corn,
provisions, and contributions from the savages,"
he continue's, "we had nothing but mortal
wounds with clubs and arrows ; as for our hogs,
hens, goats, sheep, horse, or what lived, our
commanders, officers, and savages daily consum
ed them ; some small proportions sometimes we
tasted, till all was devoured ; then swords, arms,
pieces, or any thing, we traded with the savages,
whose cruel fingers were so oft imbrued in our
blood, that what by their cruelty, the governor's
indiscretion, and the loss of our ships, of five ~
hundred within six months after Captain Smith's
departure, there remained not past sixty men,
women, and children, most miserable and poor
creatures ; and these were preserved for the most
part by roots, herbs, acorns, walnuts, berries, and
now and then a little fish : they that had starch in
these extremities, made no small use of it; yea,
even the very skins of our horses. Nay, so
great was our famine, that a savage we slew
and buried, the poorer sort took him up again,
and ate him, and so did divers one another, boil
ed and stewed with roots and herbs. And one
amongst the rest did kill his wife, powdered ner,
and had eaten part of her before it was known,
for which he was executed, as he well deserved.
Now, whether she was better roasted, boiled
or carbonadoed, I know not; but of such a dish

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 187
as powdered wife, I never heard of. This was
that time which still to this day we called the
Starving Time! It were too vile to say, and
scarce to be believed, what we endured; but the
occasion was our own, for want of providence,
industry and government."
It is no wonder that the newly-arrived govern
ors, who had so narrowly escaped death in two
other forms, and who knew nothing -of the
causes which had produced such deplorable re
sults, should be in favor of leaving a prospect
so desolate. They at once embarked the remnant
of the colony with themselves, making such
provision as their means afforded, and turned
their prows towards England. Before they got
to sea, however, they were met by Lord Dela
ware, who had been sent out as governor, bring
ing three ships exceedingly well furnished with
all necessaries; and after a brief consultation
among the leaders of the newly-departed and
the newly-arrived, it was deemed advisable to
return to Jamestown.
On the 10th of June, 1610, Lord Delaware
attended divine service at the church with his
officers; and after seeking counsel of God, he
"delivered some few words to the company,
laying just blame upon them for their haughty
vanities and sluggish idleness, and earnestly en
treating them to amend those desperate follies,
lest he should be compelled to draw the sword
of justice, and to cut off such delinquents." —
His address had the desired effect for a time.
New buildings and fortifications were erected.

188 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
and ample means provided for the comfortable
subsistence of all. He remained with the col
ony nearly a year, during which time his health
materially suffered from various diseases, in
cluding ague, dysentery, gout, and scurvy; he
therefore proposed returning to England, and
accordingly embarked for that country, March
28, 1611, leaving the government again in the
hands of Captain George Percy, by whom it
was administered until May 10th, when Gov
ernor Sir Thomas Dale arrived with another
supply of men, cattle, and provisions. From
the representations made by Lord Delaware on
his return, the Virginia Cornpany were induced
immediately to fit out, for Sir Thomas Gates,
"six tall ships, with three hundred men, one
hundred kine and cattle, and all other manner
of provision that could be thought needful;"
which arrived at Jamestown on the 2d of August,
when Gates superseded Dale as governor.
The building of new towns now began to
engross a large share of attention ; but owing to
the continued hostihty of Powhatan and the
surrounding chiefs, whom none of the numerous
governors had been able to subdue or conciliate,
such undertakings were attended with great
danger and little benefit.
About this time Captain Argall was sent to
the Potomac to trade for corn, the Indians in
the vicinity of Jamestown having then none to
spare, and no disposition to spare it when they
had. He contrived to ingratiate himself into
the good graces of Japazaws, the king of that

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 189
country, and an old friend of Captain Smith,
with whom he made an arrangement for the
betrayal of Pocahontas into his power. For
some reason, never satisfactorily ascertained,
this "numparell of Virginia," as she was styled
by Smith, had placed herself under the protec
tion of this Indian, relying upon him to keep her
retreat unknown to all but trusty friends; and
Captain Argall engaged to give him a copper
kettle to bring her on board his ship ; promising
not to hurt her, but to keep her safe until a
treaty of peace could be concluded with her
father. "This savage," it is affirmed "would
have done any thing for the copper kettle; and
therefore, having no pretence on account of her
own curiosity, because she had seen and been
in many ships, he made his wife pretend that
she was very desirous to see one." They each
played their parts so well — she feigning inces
sant importunity, and he threatening to beat her
if she did not forbear to annoy him — that at last
Pocahontas, thinking herself unknown, and as
a means of restoring harmony between her art
ful friends, consented to accompany them on
board, where they were all liberally feasted in
the cabin. Here Japazaws frequently trod on
the captain's foot to remind him that he had
done his part in securing the prize; and the
captain, when he thought the proper time arrived,
persuaded Pocahontas into the gun-room, under
pretence of having some conference with Jap
azaws, "which was only that she should not per
ceive he was any way guilty of her captivity."

190 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
After settling the agreement with her betrayers,
he sent for her again, and told her, in their pres
ence, that she must go with him, and compound
peace with her country and the English before
ever she should see Powhatan. At this intima
tion, (some more actinghemg considered advisa
ble) her quondam protector and his wife began
to " howl and cry as fast as Pocahontas ;" but
the captain's fair explanations and promises by
degrees had the effect of pacifying all parties;
and "Japazaws and his wife, with the kettle and
other toys, went merrily on shore, and she to
Jamestown," where she had not been before
since the departure of Captain Smith.
A messenger was forthwith dispatched to Pow
hatan, apprising him of the situation of his
daughter, and intimating that she could only be
ransomed by the restoration of the men, swords,
pieces, tools, &c., which he had treacherously
stolen. This unwelcome news troubled him
much; because, says the chronicler, "he loved
both his daughter and our commodities well;"
yet an interval of three months clasped ere he
deigned an answer. Then, by the persuasion
of the council, he returned seven men, with
each of them a useless musket; and sent word
that when his daughter was restored to freedom,
he would make satisfaction for all former injuries,
and give five hundred bushels of corn, with an
assurance that he would ever remain on friendly
terms. The men and articles were received as
part payment; but word was sent Hm that it
was not believed that the rest of the arms were

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 191

either lost or stolen from him, and therefore his
daughter would be detained until they were
forthcoming. He was so much displeased with
this answer, that no more was heard from him
for a long time after; and it is quite uncertain
whether he would have paid any further atten
tion to the matter, had not some determined
measures been taken to secure the promised
ransom. Argall's ship and several vessels be
longing to the colony, with one hundred and fifty
well-appointed men, went up the river to his
principal residence, in the hope of accomplish
ing their object by this show of force ; but they
were received by his chiefs in * spirit of bra
vado, and told that they were most " welcome
if they came to fight," as preparations had
been made for their reception, and they would
fare as Ratcliffe and his men had done. Not
content with these bullying expressions, they
finally "let fly their arrows" among the vessels,
but without doing any serious harm. Being thus
tauntingly defied, however, Argall manned his
boats, went on shore, and burned their houses ;
after whicb, be proceeded further' up the river.
On the next day they had another meeting with
the Indians, who insolently inquired why they
burned their houses? which inquiry was an
swered by another, why they had fired upon the
vessels? " They replied that it was some strag
gling savage, with many other excuses ; they in
tended no hurt, but were friends." Being assured
that the object of the English was also friend
ly, they expressed their readiness to conclude

192 LIFE AND ADVENTUEES OP
a peace, and forthwith dispatched messengers to
Powhatan, whose answer, it was alleged, could
not be received in less than twenty-four hours.
They then stated that the men which had been
demanded had ran away, for fear of being hanged
if they were surrendered ; as for the swords and
muskets, they should be brought the next day;
but it was afterwards quite apparent that this
was only an expedient to gain time, for the next
day brought no fulfilment of their promises. It
was then determined that the expedition should
proceed higher still, to a house of Powhatan's,
called Matchot; and here were found about four
hundred men, completely armed with every im
plement for Indian warfare, who dared the Eng
lish to come ashore, which they did. No show
of fear was made by the savages, nor did they
offer any resistance to the landing of Argall's
party ; but, walking boldly up and down among
them, demanded a conference with the captain.
A truce was arranged until the next day, that
they might send once more to their king to know
his pleasure : " If it were not agreeable to their ex-
pectation," says one who was present, " then they
would fight with us, and defend their own as best
they could ; * * * and they should know when
we would begin by our drums and trumpets," —
a very accommodating arrangement truly ! Two
of Powhatan's sons took advantage of this inter
val to visit their sister, and were much rejoiced
to find her well, promising that they would per
suade her father to redeem her, and conclude
satisfactory terms of peace. The two brothers

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 193
then remained on board as hostages, and Rolfe
and Sparks were sent to apprise Powhatan that
all things were in readiness for a "pacific solu
tion"* of existing difficulties. The embassy
were kindly entertained, but not admitted into
the royal presence : Opechaneanough, the king's
brother and successor, acting as secretary of
state, promised his best efforts to prevail upon
his "august sovereign" to accede to all reason
able requirements, and establish lasting amity. —
It being now (April) the season for planting
corn, it was deemed advisable to be content
with this understanding; and Argall and his
party returned to Jamestown, stipulating, in any
event, not to exact the payment of certain pen
alties until after the next harvest.
Long before this, Mr. John Rolfe, a worthy
young gentlenian, conceived a sincere affection
for Pocahontas, which she as sincerely recipro
cated. While engaged in this expedition, he
wrote a letter on the subject to Sir Thomas Dale,
entreating his advice, and Pocahontas likewise
took occasion to hold a consultation with her
brothers. The friends of both parties highly ap
proving of their union, it was soon settled upon ;
and the report of this determination coming to
the knowledge of Powhatan, he not only gave
his consent at once, but within ten days sent
Opachisco, an old uncle of her's, and two of his
sons, to see the manner of the marriage, and to
* This is a modern phrase. We hope that none of our
readers will suspect any of the diplomats engaged in this
afllair of having invented it!
17

194 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
do in that behalf what they were required, for
the confirmation of it, as his deputies. It was
^refore solemnized in the beginning of April,
±613, and "ever after they had friendly trade
and commerce, as well with Powhatan himself
as with all his subjects."
After her .marriage, Rolfe and his friends were
very careful and assiduous in instructing Poca
hontas in the Christian religion ; and she, on her
part, expressed an eager desire and evinced great
capacity in learning. Her advancement was
so rapid and satisfactory, that she soon openly-
renounced tbe idolatry of her country, confessed
the faith of Christ, and was baptized by the name
of Rebecca. But her real name, it seerns, was
Matoax, which the Indians carefully concealed
from the English, and changed it to Pocahontas,
out of a superstitious fear, lest they, by the
knowledge of her tree name, should be enabled
to do her some hurt. She was the first Chris
tian Indian in this reign, and perhaps the sincerest
and most worthy that has ever been since. Al
though she was always the favorite child of her
father, she never expressed the least desire to
return to him, nor could she endure the bratish
manners or society of her own nation. Her
affection to her husband was extremely constant
and true; and he, on the other hand, always
displayed a tender solicitude for her happiness,
which evinced a just appreciation of her many
noble qualities. When Powhatan afterwards
heard of the great change which had been
wrought in his daughter, and was told that she

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 195
would not on any account return and live with
him, be laughed heartily, and seemed very much
pleased to hear it.
Sir Thomas Dale soon after relinquished the
government of Virginia, and returned to England,
being accompanied by Pocahontas and her hus
band, who also carried with them several young
natives of both sexes — all of whom arrived safe
at Plymouth, June, 12, 1616.

CHAPTER XV.
Smith engages in New Explorations on the Northern American
Coasts: Success and Return — His Agreement with Prince
Charles in regard to the Names of several Important Places :
Villany of his Associate, Captain Hunt — High Anticipations
of Smith — Promise of the Plymouth Company : Engage
ment with them — Better Offers declined — Expedition under
¦ Cooper sails from London — Sir Ferdinand Gorges — Cunning
Device of a Kidnapped Indian to .get Home — Abortive at
tempts to unite the London and Plymouth Companies —
Failure of the latter to redeem their promises — Two Vessels
at last provided, in which Smith sails : his Return, disabled
by a Storm: Sails again in another Craft — Encounterwith
Pirates — Captured by a French Cruiser: His Sailors escape
with the English Vessel : Smith detained a Prisoner : Occa
sional Employment in Fighting and Writing — Captain Bar
ra, "an English Pirat" — A Rich Prize — Liberal Promises
to Smith, who is taken to France— False Accusations-
Fortunate Escape — New Trials and Difficulties — Return to
England. While the interesting events recorded in the,
last chapter were transpiring in Virginia, Cap
tain Smith was engaged in enterprises in other
regions which afforded an ample field for the
exercise of his active temperament. The injuries

196 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
he had sustained from the accidental explosion
of powder, as previously recorded, appear to have
yielded to medical treatment, and he was soon in
a condition to encounter new perils. He did
not, however, at once engage in his favorite
business of "seeing the world," through the in
strumentality of new exploring expeditions, but
seems to have lived in comparative privacy for
a few years, probably busied on his reminiscences
of former times, and storing his mind with use
ful knowledge for the future. After a while,
being well known in England, "the report of his
valour, and his spiritof adventure, pointed him out
to a number of merchants, who were engaged in
the American fishery, as a proper person to make
discoveries on the coast of North Virginia, as it
was called at that time, but which name was
afterwards changed for that of New England.
In March, 1614, he sailed from London with two
ships, and arrived at the island of Monahigon
in latitude 43j°, as it was then computed, where
he built seven boats. The design of the voyage
was to take whales, to examine a mine of gold
and another of copper, which were said to be
there; and if either or both of these should fail,
to make up the cargo with fish and furs. The
mines proved a fiction, and by long chasing the
whales to no purpose, they lost the best season
for fishing ; but while the seamen were engaged
in these services. Smith, in one of his boats,
with eight men, ranged the coast, east and west,
from Penobscot to Cape Cod; bartering with
the natives for beavej" and other furs, and mak-

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 197
ing observations on the shores, islands, harbours,
and head-lands ; which, at his return to England,
he wrought into a map, and, presenting it to
Prince Charles, (afterwards the royal martyr)
with a request that he would give the country
a name, it was for the first time called New-
England. The prince also made several alter
ations in the names which Smith had given to
particular places. For instance, he had called
the name of that promontory which forms the
eastern entrance of Massachusetts bay, Trag
abigzanda; after the name of the Turkish lady
to whom he had been formerly a slave at Con
stantinople ; and the three islands which He off
the Cape, the Turks' Heads, in memory of his
victory over the three Turkish champions, in his
Transylvanian adventures. In filial respect to
his mother, Charles called the former 'Cape
Anne,' which name it has ever since retained;
the name of the islands has long since been lost;
and another cluster, to which he gave his own
name. Smith's Isles, and which name the prince
did not alter, are now, and have for more than
a century, been called the Isles of Shoals ; so
that the most pointed marks of his discoveries
on the coast of New England have, either by
his own complaisance to the son of his sovereign,
or by force of time and accidents, become ob
solete. When he sailed for England in one of
the ships, he left the other behind tc complete
her lading, with orders to sell the fish in Spain.
The master, Thomas Hunt, decoyed twenty-four
of the natives on board, and sold them in Spain
17*

198 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
for slaves. The memory of this base transac
tion was long preserved, and succeeding adven
turers suffered on account of it."*
Smith gave so favorable a report of the coun
tries he had visited, that a momentary furor
sprung up for immediately forming settlements
under his supervision. Facilities and advan
tages were promised without stint in aid of this
project, and he was induced to calculate largely
upon accomplishing something which should be
beneficial to his countrymen and honorable to
himself; but he was again sadly disappointed,
and reaped nothing but a harvest of chagrin for
his arduous services.
On his return to Plymouth, it was his "ill
chance," he says, to impart several important
facts connected with his voyage to persons whom
he considered as friends, and who "were inter
ested in the dead patent of this unregarded
country." Many of the old North Virginia
Company were so favorably impressed with his
projects, that they at once engaged his services,
with the assurance that he should have the
" managing their authority in those parts during
* Many jump at the conclusion that Hunt was actuated
in this disgraceful business merely by the motive of put
ting money in his purse; but this is the least important
object assigned hy Smith for the act. He regarded it as a
stroke of policy, intended to perpetuate the hostility of the
natives — ^"thereby to keep this abounding country still in
obscurity, that onely he and some few merchants more
might enjoy wholly the benefit of the trade." It is grati
fying to know that, whatever the motive, he was indig
nantly dismissed from employment on returning to England.

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 199
his life." Relying upon the sincerity of these
promises, he set off for London, to attend to
matters connected with his former and future
expeditions. Here he found the tongue of envy
had preceded him, and was busy in charging him
with misrepresentations respecting the resources
of New England — suggesting that if such ad
vantages as he claimed existed there, others
would have found them out as well as he ; and
further intimating that he had probably robbed
the French settlers in New France or Canada
of the valuable commodities which he brought
home. However, the scandals circulated seemed
to have but little effect upon those who fitted
out the last expedition; on the contrary, they
tried again to induce Smith to enter their em
ployment, which he would gladly have done,
hati he not engaged with the Plymouth Com
pany, as above stated. With a frankness which
distinguished all his actions, he gave publicity to
his schemes, setting forth the great gain which
would probably be realized from the fisheries,
the fur-trade, and colonization. His "projects
for fishing only was so well liked," that the South
Virginia Company hastened to fit out four good
ships, which were ready for sea before they at
Plymouth had made any provision at all; and
although Smith had made an arrangement with
Michael Cooper, master of the bark engaged in
his previous explorations, to accompany him in
his new expedition, yet Cooper disregarded his
engagement, and went out with the four vessels
as soon as they were ready. In relation to this

200 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OP
transaction. Smith says, "How he dealt with
others, or others with him, I know not ;" * #
"I must confesse I was beholden to the setters
forth of the foure ships that went with Couper,
in that they offered me that employment if I
would accept it; and I find still my refusal in
curred some of their displeasures, whose love
and favor I exceedingly desired; and though
they do censure me opposite [instead of] their
proceedings, they shall yet still, in all my words
and deeds, find it is their error, not my fault,
that occasions their dislike ; for having engaged
myselfe in this business to the West Countrey,
I had been very dishonest to have broke my
promise ; nor will I spend more time in discov
ery or fishing till I may go with a company for
a plantation ; for I know my grounds, yet every
one to whom I tell them, or that reads this booke,
cannot put it in practice, though it may helpe
any that hath seene or not seene to know
much of those parts. And though they en
deavor to worke me out of my own designes, I
will not much envy their fortunes ; but I would
be sorry their intruding ignorance should by
their defailments bring those certainties to doubt-
fulnesse. So that the business prosper, I have
my desire, be it by whomsoever that are true
subjects to our king and country: the good of
my country is what I seek, and there is more
than enough for all, if they could be contented."
About this time Sir Ferdinand Gorges was
zealously engaged in fitting out expeditions to
the portions of New England now constituting

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 201
the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Mas
sachusetts. His principal object was to colonize
a large grant of land which he had received,
and from which he expected to realize fame and
wealth. In conjunction with others, he expended
large sums upon the undertaking; and although
the returns disheartened his coadjutors, he was
not so easily discouraged. When his associates
declined any further connection with the busi
ness, he determined to carry it on by himself;
and for this purpose he purchased a ship, and
obtained a master (Captain Richard Vines) and
company in whom he had the fullest confidence,
arranging with them "to stay in the country
over the winter, and pursue the discovery of it."
The information gained by Vines, merely em
bracing some further knowledge of the country
and natives, was the only remuneration for the
heavy expenses attendant on the voyage^ Yet
Sir Ferdinand was soon induced tq embark in
another scheme, calculated to facilitate his plans,
and which promised to make better returns.
There was at that time in London an artful
Indian, named Epenow, a native of the island
of Capawock, (now Martha's Vineyard,) "who
had been treacherously brought to England by
one of the fishing ships," for the purpose of being
exhibited. This savage came to Gorges with
Captain Henry Harley, an unfortunate adven
turer in the first expedition, who anticipated
great results from what he had been told by
him respecting his native country. The fellow,
it seems, had invented a plausible story relative

202 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
to a mine of gold in his native island, iu the hope
that some adventurer would be induced to con
vey him home, to point out the treasure; nor
was he disappointed. Funds were soon raised,
and Harley sailed in June, 1614, taking with
him Epenow and two other Indians, named As-
sacumet and Wanap6. On the arrival of the
ship at the harbor where Epenow was to fulfil
his promise, many of his kinsmen and other
natives came on board, with whom he held a
conference, and contrived his escape. When
leaving, they promised to return the next day
with furs for traffic. "Epenow had pretended
that if it were known that he had betrayed the
secrets of his country, his life would be in dan
ger, but the company were careful to watch
him; and, to prevent his escape, had dressed him
in long clothes, which could easily be laid hold
of, if there should be occasion. His -friends
appeared the next morning in twenty canoes;
and, lying at a distance, the captain called on
them to come on board, which they declining,
Epenow was ordered to renew the invitation.
He, mounting the forecastle, hailed them ^s he
was directed, and at the same instant, though
one held him by the coat, yet being strong and
heavy, he jumped into the water. His country
men then advanced to receive him, and sent a
shower of arrows into the ship, which so dis
concerted the crew, that the prisoner completely
effected his escape."* Thus the golden dream
vanished, and the ship returned without having
* Belknap.

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 203
performed any services adequate to the expense
of her equipment.
The Plymouth Company, although not directly
interested in this adventure, were so discouraged
by its ill success, that (says Smith) " they neither
regarded much their promises, and as little either
me or the country, till they saw the London
ships gone, and me in Plymouth according to
my promise." " Now you are to remember," he
continues, "I was promised foure good ships,
ready prepared to my hand the next Christmas,
and what conditions and content I would desire
to put this businesse in practise, and arriving at
London, foure more were offered me with the
like courtesie."* "In January, with two hun
dred pound in cash for adventure, and six gen
tlemen well furnished, I went from London to
the foure ships were promised me at Plymouth,
but I found no such matter: and the most of
those that had made such great promises, by the
bad returne of the ship [which] went for gold,
and their private emulations, were extinct and
qualified. Notwithstanding, at last, with a lab
yrinth of trouble, though the greatest of the
burden lay on me, and a few of my particular
.* On this occasion. Smith had taken great pains to in
duce the London and Plymouth speculators to unite their
interests in the contemplated adventure ; " because the Lon
doners have most money, and the Westerne men are most
proper for fishing; and it is neere as much trouble, hut
much more danger, to sail frora London to Plymouth, than
from Plymouth to New England; so that half the voyage
would thus be saved; yet by no meanes 1 couji prevaile,
BO desirous they were both to be lords of this fishing."

204 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
friends,* I was furnished with a ship of two
hundred tunnes and another of fiftie." It was
part of Smith's plan, in addition to other objects,
to found a colony upon some suitable spot in
New England, and for this purpose he had en
gaged sixteen individuals to remain with him
wherever he might settle. These were, of
course, over and above the necessary comple
ment of sailors for the two vessels; and all
things being arranged, the adventurers set sail
from Plymouth in March, 1615. When they
had proceeded about one hundred and twenty
leagues, the large ship was dismasted, and sprung
a-leak, which obliged her to put back under
jury-masts to Plymouth, while the smaller craft
kept on her way, and returned with a profitable
cargo the ensuing August. This accident ma
terially crippled the undertaking; for, instead
of refitting the disabled ship, (probably unsea-
worthy before being taken up for this business,)
the remainder of the provisions and a portion
of the crew, with the sixteen intended for the
nucleus of the colony, were transferred to a
small bark of sixty tons. With this very indif
ferent equipment, Smith sailed again on the 24th
of June; but scarcely had he got well on his
way, before he encountered a series of disasters,
which effectually debarred him from the further
prosecution of his designs. First, he w£s chased
by an English pirate of one hundred and forty
tons and thirty-six guns, to which the master,
* Sir Ferdinand Gorges aud Dr. Sutliffe, Dean of Exeter,
were among the number.

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 205
mate, pilot, and others importuned him to yield,
but "he vowed to sinke rather than be abused."
These thought it very strange that a little vessel
of only sixty tons and four cannon should stand
so stoutly to her defence, until they recognized
the valiant Smith, under whom several of them
had served long before — probably in the Turkish
wars. They had "but lately run from Tunis,
where they had stolen this ship;" and being
then in a state of mutiny, and short of provi
sions, they entreated Smith to become their
commander, which he decHned, and "which
afterwards we all repented," adds the deposition
of several 'who were with him. Having thus
easily got rid of this ugly "free-trader," they
went on their way rejoicing, until near Fayal,
when they met with two French pirates — the
one of two hundred tons, the other thirty. At
first, nothing could induce the crew to offer re
sistance to this great disparity of force; and it
was not until Smith threatened to blow up the
ship rather than yield while there was a shot in
the locker, that his men ^consented to do their
• duty: "so together by the ears we went," says
the aforesaid deposition, "and at last got cleere
of them for all their shot." At Flores they viere
again chased by four French men-of-war, well
armed and provided, with whom, when over
hauled, they "had much parley;" and on being
assured that they "had a commission from the
king onely to secure true men, and take Portu-
gals, Spaniards, and pirats, and as they requested,
our captaine went to show his commission, which
18

200 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
was under the broad seale; but neither it not
their vows they so much respected, but they
kept him" on board, rifled the vessel, manned
her with Frenchmen, and dispersed the crew
among their fleet. Within five or six days after
this, they were joined by several additional sail;
when they concluded to relinquish their ill-got
ten prize, with most of the provisions and hands.
On being again at liberty, many of the men in
sisted on returning at once to England, although
they were then as near to their point of destina
tion ; but the majority were in favor of continu
ing the voyage, which was accordingly resolved
upon. Under some specious pretext, the French
admiral unaccountably sent a boat for Smith to
come on board his vessel again; and hardly had
he reached the deck, when a strange sail was
descried, to which immediate chase was given.
Night coming on, the disaffected on board the
English ship took the opportunity to get away
with her; thus leaving their captain with nothing
but "his cap, bretches, and waist-coat, alone
among the Frenchmen." His clothes, arms,
and what he had, were shared among them; and,
pretending to be fearful that it was his intention
to-|urn pirate, they made that an excuse for re
turning to Plymouth, where the leaders were
afterwards tried "or their misconduct, but man
aged to escape the punishment they deserved.*
* This is the inference from all the statements to be met
with. " The greatest losse being mine," says Smith, " the
sailers did easily excuse themselves to the merchants in
England," whoso faith in the enterprise was still strong

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 207
Smith seems to have been convinced that his
detention was premeditated, and was occasioned
by the treachery and misrepresentations ofthe
master and mate of his own vessel, who had
manifested a mutinous disposition from the time
of leaving England. They made their captors
beheve that he "would revenge himself upon the
banke, or in New found land, upon all the French
he could there encounter;" and further repre
sented — what was no doubt true — that if he had
not been over-persuaded, he would have fired
the ship; that if he "had but againe his armes,
he would rather sinke by them, than they should
have from him but the value of a bisket ; and
many other such-like tales," circulated for the
purpose of securing an opportunity to desert him
in the manner they afterwards did.
The vessel in which Smith was a prisoner
soon separated from the rest of the ffeet, and
spent some time in cruising among the Azores ;
where, says he, "to keepe my perplexed thoughts
from too much meditation of ray miserable estate,
I writ this discourse (a narrative of his voyage
to New England) thinking to have sent it to his
Majesty's Councell by some ship or other, for I
saw their purpose was to take all they could."
They evidently construed their commission very
liberally, paying little attention to either its letter
enough to induce them to provide more vesselsfor fishing.
"Much diflference," he continues, "there was betwixt the
Londoners and Westerlings to ingrosse it, who now would
adventure thousands, that when I first went would not ad
venture a groat."

f '* -

208 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OP
or spirit whenever either were likely to stand in
the way of their interest. Even the old rule,
" honor among rogues," was disregarded in more
than one instance. We are told that they fell
in with "one Captain Barra, an English Pirat in
a small ship, with some twelve peeces of ord
nance, about thirty men, and neere all starved."
They courteously sought relief, which was fairly
promised them, and sent a boat with the lieuten
ant and five or six men for the expected supply ;
but no sooner were they on board, than the
treacherous Frenchman prepared to take the.
rest perforce. Barra, perceiving their intentions,
got ready for action, and his lieutenant " as reso
lutely regarded not their threats," which brought
those double-dealers to the conclusion that "dis
cretion would be the better part of valor." Af tei
deliberating some sixteen hours upon the mattei.
they agreed to restore the lieutenant and his
men, and to furnish a quantity of provisions for
a suitable compensation.
Two months was Smith detained by these
freebooters; being compelled during that time
to "manage their fights against the Spaniards,"
and to remain a prisoner in the cabin whenever
they encountered any English. Quite a fist of
their captures, comprising some of almost every
nation, is furnished by the unfortunate hero;
but we must content ourselves with quoting two
examples, as fair specimens of the whole : " The
next we tooke was a small English man of Poole
from New found land : the great cabben at this
present was my prison, from whence I could see

CAPT, UN JOHN S.MITH. 209
them pillage these poore men of ah they had,
and half their fish. When hee was gone, they
sold his poore clothes at the maine mast by an
out-cry, which scarce gave each man seven
pence a piece." * * * " Within a day
or two after, we met a West Indies man of warre,
of one hundred and sixty tuns ; a fore noone we
fought with her, and then tooke her with one
thousand one hundred hides, fiftie chests of
cutchanele, fourteen coffers of wedges of silver,
eight thousand rialls of eight, and six coffers of
the King of Spaine's treasure, besides the good
pillage and rich coffers of many rich passengers."
It is quite apparent, from the tone in which his
encounters with the Spaniards is described, that
- he enjoyed them as a sort of pleasant pastime ;
and no doubt on such occasions he displayed all
his accustomed bravery and martial cunning; for
his captors repeatedly promised that, when they
arrived in France, he should have "double satis
faction and full content," and ten thousand
crowns was generally agreed upon as his share
of the spoils. When, however, the cruise ter
minated, and their vessel made a harbor near
Rochelle, the liberal promises of the captain
were forgotten; and Smith, instead of gaining
his freedom and something to repay his losses,
found the liberty he had previously enjoyed very
materially abridged. In addition to this injustice,
he was accused of having burned the French
colony at Port Royal in 1613; (an outrage per
petrated by Captain Argall;) but ihe object of
this accusation was to force him to give them a
18*

210 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
discharge before the admiralty judge, and to rely
upon their generosity for satisfaction for his in
juries. Although he knew himself to be much
in their power, he was not disposed to comply
with their iniquitous demands; and neither the
terrors of imprisonment "or a worse mischiefe"
could make him swerve from his integrity. At
that period justice was hard to be obtained ; in
the expressive language of Smith, it was "a
time of combustion — the Priace of Cond6 with
his army in the field, and every poore lord, or
man in authoritie, as little kings of themselves.
For this injury was done me by them that set
out this voyage ; not by the sailers, for they were
cheated of all as well as I, by a few officers
aboard and the owners on shore." — To escape
the awkward dilemma in which he was placed,
he was willing to take his chance of meeting still
greater difficulties. One night, when a fearful
storm was raging, which "beat them all under
hatches," he seized the opportunity of "taking
French leave." Being favored by the darkness,
he secretly got into the boat, and with nothing
but a half pike, accidentally picked up, cut
adrift, expecting to be cast upon a small island
near by ; but the current was so strong and the
.waves ran so high, that he was carried out to
sea, "till it pleased! (God the wind so turned with
the tide, that although he was all this fearfull
night of gusts and raine in the sea the space of
twelve houres, when many ships were driven
ashore, and divers split," at last he was thrown
on a marshy isle, where certain fowlers found

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 211
him, "neere drowned, and half dead with water,
cold and hunger." He pawned his boat for the
means of getting to Rochelle, and there learned
that the ship which he had so daringly and so
fortunately left, had been totally wrecked, to
gether with the rich prize, and the captain and
nearly half his crew drowned. On entering a
complaint before the admiralty judge, he found
many good words and fair promises, and ere
long many of those that escaped drowning, told
him the news they heard of his own death."
Causing several of them to be arrested, their
examinations did so far confirm his complaint,
that the proof was held sufficient. A statement
of the facts in tbe case, properly attested by the
judge, was placed in the English ambassador's
hands, at Bordeaux; but whether the claims
were ever adjusted satisfactorily, or were suf
fered to drag out a protracted existence until all
the parties were in "a higher sphere," (like the
French spoliation claims, so long before our
American Congress,) is one of those mysteries
which we have no means of solving. It is
pretty certain, however, that Smith did not
realize any thing at that particular period; for
he sets forth his good fortune in again meeting
his "old friend Master Crampton, who no less
grieved at his loss, than willingly to his power
did supply his wants; and," he adds, "I must
confess I was more beholden to the Frenchmen
that escaped drowning in the man of warre,
Madame Chanoyes at Rotchell, and the lawyers
of Burdeaux, than all the rest of rny country-

212 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
men I left in France." Leaving his affairs in
the best train he could for adjustment, he em
braced the earliest opportunity of returning to
England.

CHAPTER XVI.
Smith and his Crew of Deserters : He engages again with the
Plymoutheans: Publishes his Book on New England: is
created Admiral of that Country — Arrival of Pocahonta-5 —
Interview with Smith — Distinction between the Laws of Na
ture and the Laws of State Etiquette — Smith's Letter to the
Queen in behalf of Pocahontas, who is favorably received
at Court and elsewhere — ^Amusing Incidents of Smith's first
Interview with Pocahontas — Hopeless Mission of Uttama
tomakkin to Number the People: His Correct Idea of King
James — Change in the Affairs of Virginia— Rolfe appointed
to Office — Unexpected Death of Pocahontas : Her Little
Son adopted by his Uncle: Is educated in London, and
returns to Virginia; His Numerous Descendants— Char
acter of Pocahontas.
On reaching Plymouth, Smith's first care
seems to have been to look after the sailors who
had so villanously abandoned him to his fate
among the French freebooters. "The chief-
taines of this mutiny," he says, "I laid by the
heels ;" but he seems to have gained but little
satisfaction, in any point of view, except the
clearing of his character from certain vile as
persions which some of them heaped upon it.
Exemplifying that the saying, " burned children
dread the fire," was not one of his axioms, he
was again induced to engage with the Plymouth
adventurers; but after the loss of considerable

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 213
time and money, he "found all things as unto
ward as before, and all their great promises
nothing but aire."
We have already seen that he passed some
portion of his time, while a prisoner among the
French, in writing an account of his voyages,
and describing the countries he had previously
visited. Regarding this as a favorable oppor
tunity for giving to the public that portion of his
work which related to New England, it was ac
cordingly printed in June, 1616, accompanied
with his map of the country. The object of
this publication was to awaken attention to the
importance of forming settlements, and also to
exhibit the great commercial advantages likely
to result from the newly-discovered fisheries.
So indefatigable was Smith in the promotion of
his favorite object, that he spent the whole sum
mer in visiting the cities and towns in the west
of England, calling upon every person of any
note, and giving them books and maps, to the
number of seven thousand. "By this incitation,"
he says, " they seemed so well pleased, that they
promised twenty saile of ships should goe with
me next yeere; and in regard to my paines,
charge, and former losses, the western commis
sioners, in behalf of themselves and the rest of
the company, and them hereafter that should be
joined to them, contracted with me, by articles
indented under our hands, to be Admiral of that
country [New England] during my hfe, and in
the renewal of their letters-patents so to be
nominated."

214 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
While thus zealously engaged in forwarding
his schemes for the future settlement of America,
^mith was unexpectedly apprised of the arrival
of his friend and benefactress Pocahontas, or
the Lady Rebecca, as she was generally called.
Although greatly occupied in the business dear
est to his heart, he gladly seized upon every
opportunity to show that her former kindness
was still as much appreciated as ever. Their
meeting being quite unexpected by both, was the
more agreeable, as she had heard ^bat he was
dead, and knew not to the contrary until after her
arrival. She had undergone a strange trans
formation since they last parted; being now
about twenty-two years of age, her person grace
ful, and her deportment gentle arid prepossessing.
By the diligent care of her husband and his
friends, she had been "taught to speak such
English as might well be understood, was well
instructed in Christianity, and was become very
formal and civil, after the English manner." A
son, too, had blessed her marriage, of which she
was extremely fond ; and the Virginia Company
had made hberal provision for the handsome
maintenance of both herself and child. King
James, at first, it is true, threw somewhat of a
damper upon the happiness of Rolfe, affecting
to be highly offended at his presumption in seek
ing an alliance with royalty. " That anointed
pedant," says Stith, "had so high an idea ofthe
Jus divinum, and indefeasible right of Pow
hatan, that he held it a great crime and misde
meanor for any private gentleman to mingle

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 215
with his imperial blood. And he might perhaps
hkewise think, consistently with his own princi
ples, that the right to dominion in Virginia would
thereby become vested in Mr. Rolfe's posterity."
However, it passed off without any further bad
consequence than a little petty exhibition of dis
pleasure and murmuring — the results of innate
and despicable meanness.
It is hardly necessary to say that, notwith
standing the numerous pre-engagements of Smith
put it out of his pawer to render that constant
attention and service to Pocahontas which he
desired; yet, "being well acquainted at court,
and particularly favored and countenanced by
Prince Charles, he drew up, and presented to
the queen, before her arrival in London, a repre
sentation of her case and desert." Considering
this memorial well worthy of transmission to
posterity, we take leave to help it along towards
them, as far as our book may go — copying ver
batim from the writer's own publication :
To ihe Most High and Vertuous Princesse Queene Anne
of Great Brittaine.
Most admired Queene : The loue I beare my
God, my King and Countrie bath so oft emboldened
mee in the worst of extreme dangers, that now hon-
estie doth constraine mee presume thus farre beyond
my selfe, to present your Majestie this short dis
course: if ingratitude be a deadly poyson to all
honest vertues, I must bee guiltie of that crime if I
should omit any meanes to bee thankfull. So it is.
That some ten yeares agoe being in Virginia, and
taken prisoner by tbe power of Powhatan their chiefe

216 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
King, I receiued from this great Saluage exceeding
great courtesie, especially from his sonne Nanta
quaus, the most manliest, comeliest, boldest spirit, I
euer saw in a Saluage, and his sister Pocahontas, the
Kings most dears and wel-beloued daughter, being
but a childe of twelue or thirteene yeeres of age,
whose compassionate pitifull heart, of desperate es
tate, gaue me much cause to respect her : I being
the first Christian this proud King and his grim at
tendants euer saw : and thus inthralled in their bar
barous power,! cannot say I felt the least occasion
of want that was in the power of those -^ny mortall
foes to preuent, notwithstanding all their threats. —
After some six weeks fatting amongst those Saluage
CourtierSjat the minute of ray execution, she haz
arded thaBeating out of ber owne braines to saue
mine, and not onely that, but so preuailed with her
father, that I was safely conducted to lames towne,
where I found about eight and thirtie miserable poore
and sicke creatures, to keepe possession of all those
large territories of Virginia, such was the weaknesse
of this poore Commonwealth, as had the Saluages
not fed vs, we directly had starued.
And this reliefe, most gracious Queene, was com
monly brought vs by this Lady Pocahontas, notwith
standing all these passages when inconstant Fortune
turned our peace to warre, this tender Virgin would
still not spare to dare to visit vs, and by her our
jarres haue been oft appeased, and our wants still
supplyed ; were it the policie of her father thus to
employ her, or the ordinance of God thus to make
her his instrument, or her extraordinarie affection
to our Nation, I know not: but of this I am sure;
when her father with the vtmost of his policie and
power, sought to surprize mee, hauing but eighteene

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 217
with mee, the dark night could not affright her from
coming through the irkesome woods, and with water.
ed eies gaue mee intelligence, with her best aduice
to escape his furie ; which had hee knowne, hee had
surely slaine her. lames towne with her wild traine
she as freely frequented, as her fathers habitation ;
and during the time of two or three yeeres, she next
vnder God, was still the instrument to preserue this
Colonie from death, famine and vtter confusion, which
if in those times had once beene dissolued, Virginia
might haue lain as it was at our first arriuall to this
day. Since then, this businesse hauing beene turned
and varied by many accidents from that I left it at :
it is most certaine, after a long and troublesome warre
after my departure, betwixt her father and our Colo
nie, all which time shee was not heard of, about two
yeeres after she her selfe was taken prisoner, being
so detained neere two yeeres longer, the Colonie by
that means was relieued, peace concluded, and at
last rejecting her barbarous condition, was married
to an English Gentleman, with whom at this present
she is in England ; the first Christian euer of that
Nation, the first Virginian euer spake English, or
had a childe in marriage by an Englishman, a mat
ter surely, if my meaning bee truly considered and
well vnderstood, worthy a princes vnderstanding.
Thus, most gracious Lady, I haue related to your
Maiestie, what at your best leasure our approued
Histories will account you at large, and done in the
time of your Maiesties life, and howeuer this might
bee presented you from a more worthy pen, it cannot
from a more honest heart. As yet I neuer begged
any thing of the state, or any, and it is my want of
abilitie and her exceeding desert, your birth, meanes,
and authoritie, her birth, vertue, want and simplicitie,
19

218 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
doth make mee thus bold humbly to beseech your
Maiestie to taks this knowledge of hsr, though it be
from one so vnworthy to be the reporter, as my
selfe, her husbands estate not being able to make
ber fit to attend your Maiestie: the most and least I
can doe, is to tell you this, bscauss none so oft hath
tried it as myselfs ; and the rather being of so great
a spirit, howeuer her stature : if she should not be
well receiued, seeing this Kingdoms may rightly
haue a Kingdoms by her means : her present loue
to vs and Christianitis, might turns to such scorne
and furie, as to diusrt all this good to ths worst of
euill, whsre finding so great a Queene should doe
her some honour more than she can imagine, for
being so kinde to your ssruants and subjects, would so
rauish her with content, as endears hsr dearest bloud
to effect that your Maiestie and all the Kings honest
subjects most earnestly desire : And so I humbly
kisse your gracious hand.
An " Indian princess " was a curiosity that
had not probably been seen in England before ;
and Pocahontas was eagerly sought and kindly
entertained every where. Many courtiers and
others of his acquaintanc'fe daily flocked to Cap
tain Smith, to be introduced to her. "They
generally confessed," says he, " that the hand of
God did visibly appear in her conversion; and
that they had seen many English ladies less
favored, of less exact proportion, and genteel
carriage than she was. She was carried to
court by Lady Delaware, attended by Lord D.,
her husband, and divers other persons of fashion
and distinction. The whole court were charmed

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 219

and surprised at the decency and grace of her de
portment ; and the king himself, and queen, were
pleased honorably to receive and esteem her.
Lady Delaware and other persons of quality
also waited upon her to the masks, balls, plays,
and other public entertainnients, with which she
was wonderfully pleased and delighted ; and she
would doubtless have well deserved and fully
returned all this respect and kindness had she
lived to arrive in Virginia."
The account of Smith's first interview with his
preserver in England, is too characteristic to be
omitted. It took place at Brentford, whither she
had been removed on account of being annoyed
by the smoke of London, and whither Smith
repaired, accompanied by several friends. Ol
course she was as yet ignorant of the ridiculous
affectation which reigned at court, and when he
entered the apartment, she ran to embrace him,
caUing him/a^^er; and on perceiving that the
warm outgushings of her grateful feelings vvere
met by the cold and formal salutation required
by court etiquette, she turned from him in a
passionate manner, hid her face, and could not
be brought to speak a word for two or three
hours; so that. Smith says, he repented himself
"to ha>e writ she could speak Enghsh." After
overcoming this unexpected rebuff, (for assuch
she regarded it) she began to talk, and reminded
him of the many services she had rendered him,
and of the strict alhance between him and her
father. "You promised him," said she, "that what was

220 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OP
yours, should be his, and he the like to yom. —
You called him father, being in his land a
stranger, and by the same reason so must I do
Smith here undertook to explain, probably
sotto voce, that "circumstances altered cases;"
that what yvould do very well in Virginia, would
not be at all suitable for the meridian of Lon
don ; that it would be " a breach of privilege "
in him, a commoner, to call the daughter of a
king by the famihar title oi child; that it would
be highly derogatory to her dignity to call him
father ; and sundry other matters of state re
quirement, which he at last made her compre
hend, only to despise: for, obeying the impulse
of nature, she exclaimed,
" You were not afraid to come into my father's
country, and cause fear in him and all his people
but me! And fear you here I should call you
father! I tell you, then, I will; and you shall
call me child, and so I will be for ever and ever
your countryman ! They did tell us always y )u
were dead, and I knew not otherwise till I came
to Plymouth ; yet Powhatan did command Utta
matomakkin* to seek you out, and know the
truth, because your countrymen will lie much."
As the saying is, there was unquestionably
"more truth than poetry" in this artless asser
tion of Mrs. Rolfe, (which is, after all, her most
legitimate title,) and Smith did not attempt to
gainsay it.
''' Orthography of Smith; Tomocomo, according to Stith
Uttamaccomac, according to Belknap. -

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 221
Her travelling attendant, just named, (it would
be cruelty to repeat the name ag^in in so brief
an interval,) was a chief who had married one
of Powhatan's daughters — a personage of no
small consequence at home. He was not simply
a fellow-traveller with his niece-in-law, but had
he'>n sent as a sort of spy and envoy extraor
dinary, (a combination by no means unusual
among the primitive Indians,) to number the
people, and to observe their strength and gen
eral condition. On arriving at Plymouth, ac
cording to his directions, "he got a long stick,
whereon by notches he did think to have kept
the number of all the men he could see ;" but
he soon became weary of that task, threw away
his stick, and gave up the undertaking as im
practicable. — Being asked by Powhatan, after
his return, how many people there were, it is
said that he replied, " Count the stars in the sky,
the leaves on the trees, and the sand upon the
sea-shore ; for such is the number of the people
in England." Sir Thomas Dale and Mr. Pur
chas ven>ture to surmise that the object of his
mission was not so much to number the people,
as to "take an account of their corn and trees."
"Namontack and such others as had been sent
to England formerly, being ignorant and silly,
and having seen little else besides London, had
reported much of their men and houses, but
thought they had small store of corn and trees ;
and it was therefore a general opinion among
these barbarians that the English came into
their country to get a supply of these, which
19*

222 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OP
might be strengthened and confirmed by their
sending large quantities of cedar, clapboard, and
wainscot to England, and by their continual
want and eagerness after corn. But this am
bassador, landing in the west, and travelling
thence to London, was soon undeceived, and
saw great cause to admire the English plenty."
When he came -4o London, and fell in with
Smith, whom he had well known in Virginia, it
did not take long to renew their acquaintance,
which appears to have been satisfactory to both
parties. He was lionized in a manner rather
grateful to his self-esteem, there being many of
all ranks who "were desirous to see and hear
his behaviour." He told Smith that the main
purpose of his commission from Powhatan was
to find him out, not merely to present his com
pliments, or for old acquaintance sake, but that
he might show him his English God whom he
worshipped, the king, the queen, and the prince,
of which he had given them such marvel
lous accounts in Virginia. "Concerning God,"
says Smith, "I told him the best I could; the
king I heard he had seen ; and the rest he should
see when he would. He denied ever to have
seen the king, till by circumstances he was sat
isfied he had;" when, with an expression of
countenance which showed a proper estimate
of the inexpressible sordidness of King James,
he replied, " You gave Powhatan a white dog,
which he fed as himself; but your king gave me
nothing, and yet I am better than your white
dog!" This unsophisticated chief had no no-

C.iPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 223
tion of the parsimony which disgraced King
James throughout his life — infusing itself into
every transaction, from the most trivial to the
most important^amounting in many instances
to what would have been regarded, in this pro
gressive age, as the meanest kind of dishonesty.
The affairs of the Virginia Company under
went some material modification while our "il
lustrious strangers" sojourned in England, by
means of which Captain Argall was appointed
"deputy-governor of the colony, and admiral of
the country and seas adjoining." A ship was
fitted out for him in the beginning of 1617, and
arrangements made for the return of Pocahon
tas and her suite — the treasurer and council
providing suitable accommodations for herself
and husband on board the admiral's ship. Mr.
Rolfe was also made secretary and recorder-
general of Virginia, which office was now first
instituted; but his young wife, whose affection
ate devotion he prized above all honors and re
wards, was never again to behold her native
land. Her eyes were to be closed among
strangers, far from the happy scenes of her
childhood, and from the anxious care of her
well-beloved father, who, savage though he was,
had ever manifested for her the tenderest regard.
While at Gravesend, (early in 1617,) making
preparations for her departure, "it pleased God,"
says Smith, "to take this young lady to his
mercy, where she made not more sorrow for her
unexpected death, than joy to the beholders, to
hear and see her make so religious and godly an

224 LIFE AND ADVEN'l'LIRES OP
end. Her little child, Thomas Rolfe, was left
at Plymouth with Sir Lewis Steukley," who
was desirous of undertaking the care of rearing
and educating it as his own; but unforeseen
misfortunes frustrating his praiseworthy design,
the little fellow was subsequently taken to Lon
don, where he was educated by his uncle, Mr.
Henry -Rolfe, and afterwards became a person
of' fortune and distinction in Virginia. We are
told by Stith that he left an only daughter, who
was married to Colonel Robert Boiling, by whom
she had an only son, Major John Boiling, who
was father to Colonel John Boiling and several
daughters. These were married to Colonel
Richard Randolph, Colonel John Fleming, Dr.
William Gay, Mr. Thomas Eldridge, and Mr.
James Murray. "This remntot of the impe
rial family of Virginia, which long ran in a sin
gle person, is now increased an* branched out
into a very numerous progeny "¦ — many of whom
are more prone to boast of their descent from
Pocahontas, than to imitate the virtues and
graces for which she was so singularly distin
guished. It is well known that the late John
Randolph — celebrated alike for his talents, his
patriotism, and his eccentricities — was prouder
of the relation he bore to his amiable ancestress,
distant though it was", than of all his achieve
ments as a scholar, a statesman, or a sportsman.
The historian, the poet, and the painter,' have
all been eloquent in depicting, the character of
Pocahontas; her fame is in all lands, and hei
praise is on all tongues. Had we the ability to

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 225
do justice to the theme, we should shrink in
stinctively from the task, as a vain attempt to
"add a perfume Jo the violet." We cannot,
however, resist the temptation to transplant
what follows from Mr. Hillard's excellent life of
Captain Smith:
" It is difficult to speak of the character of Poca
hontas, without falling into extravagance. Though
our whole knowlsdge of hsr is confined to a few bril
liant and striking incidents, yet thsrs is in them so
complete a consistsncy, that reason, as well as imagin
ation, permits us to construct the whols character from
these occasional manifestations. She seems to have
possessed every quality essential to the perfection of
the female character ; the most graceful modesty,
the most winning sensibility, strong affections, tsn-
dsrness and delicacy of feeling, doveliks gentleness,
and most entire disintsrestedness. These beautiful
q'ualities were not in her nurtursd and trainsd by the
influences of refined life, but were the native and
spontaneous growth of hsr hsart and soul.
" Hsr mind had not been formed and fed by books,
or the conversation of ths gifted and cultivated ; the
nameless graces of polished lifs had not surrounded
her from her birth, and created that tact in manner
and deportment, and becoming propriety in carriage
and conversation, which all well-bred people, however
diffsring originally in refinsment and dslicacy of
perception, seem to possess in about the same degrse ;
nor had the coarse forms of actual life been, to hsr
eyes, concsalsd by the slegant drapery which civili
zation throws ovsr thsm. From her earliest years
she had been familiar with rude ways of living, un
couth habits, and lawless passions. Yet she seems

226 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
to have bsen, from the first, a being distinct from
and unlike hsr psopls, though in ths midst of them.
She reminds one of a dslicats wild-flower, growing
up in ths clsft of a rock, whers ths eye can discern
no soil for its roots to grasp, and sustain its slender
stalk. Ws bshold hsr as she cams from the hands of
hsr Maksr, who sssms to havs created her in a spirit
of rsbuke to the pride of civilization, giving to an
Indian girl, reared in ths depths of a Virginian forest,
that symmetry of feminine lovslinsss, which we but
seldom see, with all our helps and appliances, and
all that moral machinery with which ws work upon
ths raw matsrial of charactsr.
"But in our admiration of what is lovsly and at
tractive in ths character of Pocahontas, we must not
overlook the higher moral qualitiss, which command
rsspsct almost to reverence. Moral courage, dignity,
and indspsndsncs ars among hsr most conspicuous
traits. Before we can do justice to thsm, ws must
take into con.sidsration the circumstances under whicb
they were displayed. At ths tims whsn ths English
first appeared in Virginia, she was a child but twelve
or thirteen years old. These formidabls strangers
immediately awakened in ths brsast of her people
ths strongsst passions of hatrsd and fear, and Captain
Smith, in particular, was looked upon as a being
whose powers of injuring thsm were irresistibls and
supsrhuman. What could have been mors natural
than that this young girl should havs had all these
feelings sxaggsrated by'the creative imagination of
childhood, that Captain Smith should havs hauntsd
hsr drsams, and that she should not have had the
courage to look upon the man to whom hsr excited
fancy had given an outward appearance correspond
ing to his frightful attributes?

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 227
"But the very first act of her Ufe, as known to us,
puts hsr far above the notions and prejudices of hsr
people, and stamps at once a seal of marked supsri-
ority upon her character. And from this elevation
she never descends. Her motives ars peculiar to
hersslf, and taks no tings from ths passions and
opinions around her. She thinks and acts for her
sslf, and does not hesitate, whsn thsrsto constrained,
to Isavs hsr father, and trust for protection to that
respect which was awakened alike by her high birth
and high character among ths whols Indian race.
It is certainly a rsmarkaWe combination which we
see in her, of gentleness and swsstnsss, with strength
of mind, decision, and firm consistency of purpose,
and would bs so in any female, reared under the
most favorable influences.
" Ths lot of Pocahontas may bs considsrsd a happy
ons, notwithstanding the pang which her affectionate
nature must havs felt, in bsing called so early to
part from hsr husband and child. It was hsr good
fortune to bs the instrumsnt, in ths hand of Provi
dence, for bringing about a league of peace and
amity between hsr own nation and the English, a con
summation most agreeable to her taste and feelings.
The many favors which she bestowed upon* ths co
lonists, wsre by them gratefully acknowlsdged, and
obtained for her a rich harvest of attentions in Eng
land. Her name and deeds havs not besn suffsrsd
to pass out of ths minds of men, nor are they dis
cerned only by the glimmering light of tradition.
Captain Smith seems so have repaid ths vast debt of
gratitude which he owed her, by the immortality-
which his sloqusnt and fesling psn has given her.
Who has not heard the beautiful story of her heroism,
and who that has heard it has not felt his heart throb

2S8 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
quick with generous admiration? She has become
one of the darlings of history, and her name is as
familiar as a household word to the numerous and
powerful descendants of the ' feeble folk,' whore: she
protected and bsfrisndsd.
" Shs has bsen a powerful, though silent, advocate
in behalf of the race to which shs belonged. Her
dssds havs covsrsd a multituds of thsir sins. Whsn
disgustsd with numerous recitals of their cruelty
and treachery, and about to pass an unfavorable
judgment in our minds upon the Indian character,
at the thought of Pocahontas our ' rigor relents.'
With a softened heart, we ars rsady to admit that
there must havs bssn fine elements in a people from
among whom such a being could spring."
Having thus disposed of the characters who
figured in this necessary episode of our history,
we shall hereafter confine ourselves to inci
dents more immediately connected with Cap
tain Smith.

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 229

CHAPTER XVII.
Smith's Efforts to colonize New England and establish Fish
eries — Causes of Holland's Prosperity — Resources of New
England — Appeal to the Spirit of Independence — Death of
Powhatan : His Successor — Treachery of Opechancanoug"h
— Jack of the Feather-7-Horrible Massacre of the Settlers :
its Effect upon the Colony — Retribution — Offer of Smith —
Slanders of Argall and his Associates against the Colony^
Favorable Testimony of Smith : Recapitulation of his Vir
ginian Adventures : His Answers to Interrogatories pro
pounded by Commissioners to investigate the Affairs of the
Colony — Abrogation of the Charter of the Virginia Company
. — Smith engages in the publication of several Valuable
Works : His Death : Prominent Characteristics.
Capta,in Smith's book, entitled, "New Eng
land's Tryal," was the first to recommend the
formation of new settlements in this unregarded
country; "but after the business was made plain,
and likely to prosper," some who had at once
eagerly embarked in it, not only forgot his
claims and their promises, but also endeavored
to deprive him of the credit of having originated
the project. The perishing of his bright pros
pects at Plymouth, he could submit to with be
coming fortitude and Christian resignation; but
when he perceived a lukewarmness on the part
of many others, who were foremost in their
proffers of assistance at the onset, he almost
gave up in despair, concluding that " all availed
no more than to hew rocks with oyster-shells."
As a last resort, he "caused two or three thou
sand of his books to be printed ; one thousand
of' which, with a great many maps, both of Vir-
20

230 LIFE AND ADVENTLa^ES OP
ginia and New England, he presented to thirty
of the chief companies of London," offering
"to ease them of the superfluity of the most of
their companies that had but health and strength
to labor," if they would but put to the right use
a stock of about five thousand pounds. He
waited nearly a year, of course in a state of
anxious solicitude, to learn the result of their
deliberations; which, he says, "was to me a
greater toile and torment than to have been in
New England about my businesse but with bred
and water, and what I could get there by my
labor. But in conclusion, seeing nothing would
be effected, I was contented as well with this
losse of time and charge as all the rest."
Despite the untoward discouragements en
countered by Smith, which would have effectu
ally checked the exertions of any ordinary indi
vidual, he pertinaciously continued to urge upon
public attention not only the feasibility of his
colonizing schemes, but also the importance of
the fisheries which existed throughout the whole
coast of New England. Among his arguments
and deductions, are many matters which exhibit
a depth of reasoning unsurpassed by the most
accomplished scholars, and which subsequent
developments prove to have been well founded.
The single advantage of the trade in fish is
forcibly insisted on, and is clearly illustrated by
the following allusion to the prosperity of Hol
land: "Who doth not know that the poore Holland
ers, chiefly by fishing at a great charge and

captain JOHN SMITH. 231
labour in all weathers in the open sea, are made
a people so hardy and industrious? And by the
vending this poore commoditie to the Easter-
lings for as meane — which is wood, flax, pitch,
tarre, rozen, cordage, and such like, which they
exchange againe to the French, Spaniards, Por-
tugals, and English, &c., for what they want —
are made so mighty, strong, and rich, as no state
but Venice of twice their magnitude is so well
furnished, with so many fair cities, goodly townes,
strong fortresses, and that abundance of shipping,
and all sorts of merchandize, as well of gold,
silver, pearles, diamonds, pretious stones," &c.
# # * * "What voiages and discover
ies — east and west, north and south — yea, about
the world — make they? What an army by sea
and land have they long maintained, in despight
of one of the greatest princes of the world!
And never could the Spaniard, with all his
mines of gold and silver, pay his debts, his
friends, and army, half so truly as the Holland
ers still have done by this contemptible trade of
fish! Divers (I know) may alleage many other
assistances; but this is the chiefest mine, and
the sea the source of those silver streames of
all their vertue, which hath made them now the
very miracle of industry, the onely patterne of
perfection for these affaires : and the benefit of
fishing is that primum mobile that turns all their
spheares to this height of plentie, strength, honor,
and exceeding great admiration." * * *
"If these can gain, why should we more doubt
than they? # # * Here every man may

232 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
be master of his own labour and land; and if
he have nothing but his hands, he may set up
his trade, and by industry quickly grow rich,
spending but half that time well which in Eng
land we abuse in idlenesse, worse, or as ill.
Here is ground as good as any lieth in the height
of forty-one, forty- t^o, forty -three, &c., which
is as temperate and as fruitful as any other par
allel in the world."
After expatiating upon the inexhaustible re
sources of the new country, (the fishery being
always kept prominent,) he reverts to the ad
vantages inseparable from forming settlements,
and thus appeals to the higher principles which
should actuate men in aiding his plans :
"Who can desire more content that hath
small meanes, or but onely his merit to advance
his fortunes, than to tread and plant that ground
he hath purchased by the hazard of his life ? If
he have but the taste of vertue and magnanim
ity, -vvhat to such a minde can be more pleasant
than planting and building a foundation for his
posterity, got from the rude earth by God's bless
ing and his owne industry without prejudice to
any ? If he have any grain of faith or zeale in
religion, what can he doe lesse hurtfull to any,
or more agreeable to God, than to seeke to con
vert those poore salvages to know Christ and
humanity, whose labours with discretion will
triple requite the charge and paine? What so
truly sutes with honor and honesty as the dis
covering things unknowne, erecting townes.
peophng countries, informing the ignorant, re-

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 233
forming things unjust, and teaching vertue and
gaine to our native mother-country ? # * #
" So farre from wronging any, as to cause pos
terity to remember thee, and, remembering the?,
ever honor that remembrance with praise."
Thus Smith continued for several years to
iterate and reiterate his favorable "conclusions"
in regard to New England. His publications
must have cost a large amount of money, to say
nothing of the loss of his valuable time. But
although he reaped no personal benefit, many
others profited by his suggestions ; and it is un
deniable that the chief impetus given to emigra
tion hitherwards, and more particularly towards
the northern and eastern coasts, was attributa
ble, dii'ectly or indirectly, to his unceasing labors.
Leaving the captain for a brief space, let us
once more turn our attention to the affairs of
the settlers in Virginia. Powhatan did not. long
survive the death of his daughter Pocahontas,
but died the year following (1618), and was
succeeded by his second brother, Opitchapan,
"an easy, decrepit, and unactive prince," who
subsequently became a most pliant tool in aid
ing the wily designs of Opechancanough, the
prime mover in all the treachery which after
wards marked the conduct of the Indians.
Notwithstanding they both renewed and con
firmed the league with the English, by which
every man was guarantied the peaceable pursuit
of his ordinary avocations and enjoyments, yet
the Indians were, at the same time, busily and
extensively plotting the destruction of the set-

234 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
tlement " at one fell swoop ;" and at length, by
means of a well-contrived arrangement of Ope
chancanough's, their murderous design was but
too far successful. So completely did they blind
the settlers by their duplicity, that, says an old
chronicler, they even "borrow-ed our boats to
transport themselves over the river to consult on
the devilish murder that ensued, and of our ut
ter extirpation, which God of his mercy (by the
meanes of one of themselves converted to
Christianitie) prevented." Although somewhat
prolix, perhaps the following account of this
shocking event, condensed from Stith, may be
more acceptable than a modern version:
" This year (1622) is rendered most memorable
in our annals, by a cruel and bloody massacre,
concerted by Opechancanough and the Indians,
and executed on the English colony, on the 22d
of March, upon the following occasion and man
ner. There was a noted Indian, called Nemat-
tanow, who was wont, out of bravery and
parade, to dress himself up, in a strange antic
and barbaric fashion, with feathers; which
therefore obtained him, among the English, the
name of Jack of the Feather. This Indian was
highly renowned among his countrymen for
courage and policy ; and was universally es
teemed by them the greatest war-captain of
those times. He had been in many skirmishes
and engagements with the English, and bravely
exposed his person ; yet by his activity, conduct,
and good fortune, he had always escaped with
out a wound. This, aided by his craft and

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 235
ambition, easily wrought in the minds of those
ignorant and superstitious barbarians, a fond
conceit that he was invulnerable and immortal.
This captain came to the house of one Morgan,
who had many such commodities as suited the
rude taste of the Indians. Being smit with the
desire of some of those baubles, he persuaded
Morgan to go with him to Pamunkey, upon the
promise and assurance of a certain and advan
tageous traffic. But, upon the way, he mur
dered the poor credulous Englishman; and with
in two or three days returned again to his house.
There were only two sturdy lads there, the late
Morgan's servants ; who seeing him wear their
master's cap, asked for their master, and Jack
frankly told them he was dead. Being con
firmed in their suspicion, they seized him, and
endeavored to carry him before Mr. Thorpe,
who then lived at Berkeley. But Jack so pro
voked them by his resistance and insolence, that
at last they shot him down, and put him into a
boat, in order to carry him before the governor,
who was then within seven or eight miles of the
place. On the way, our fainting immortal felt
the pangs of death very strong upon him, and
earnestly entreated the boys to grant him two
things; first, never to make it known that he
was slain by a bullet; and secondly, to bury
him among the English, that the certain knowl
edge and monument of his mortality might be
still concealed, and kept from the sight of his
countrymen. "As to this warrior, [Jack of the Feather]

236 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
Opechancanough was so far from being in his
favor, that he had sent word to Sir George
Yeardley, some time before, that he should be
content if his throat were cut. Yet he being a
popular man, and much lamented by the Indians,
Opechancanough pretended, the better to inflame
and exasperate them, to be much grieved at his
death, and was very loud at first in his threats
of revenge. But the reason and justice of the
thing being evinced, and receiving also some
stern and resolute answers from the English, he
cunningly dissembled his intent for the present,
and treated a messenger, sent to him about the
middle of March, with extreme civility and
kindness, assuring him that he held the peace so
firm, that the sky should fall sooner than it
should be violated on his part. And such was
the treachery and dissimulation of the rest of
the Indians, that, but two days before, they
kindly conducted the English through the woods,
and sent home one that lived among them to
learn their language. Nay, on the very morn
ing of that fatal day, as also the evening before,
they came, as at other times, unarmed into the
houses, of the English, with deer, turkies, fish,
fruits, and other things to sell; and in some
places sat down to breakfast with them. Yet
so general was the combination, and their plot
so well laid, to cut off the whole colony in one
day, and at the same instant, that they had all
warning, one from another, through all their
habitations, though far distant from each other,
and every party and nation had their stations

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 237
appointed, and parts assigned at the plantations
of the English, some being directed to one place
and some to another.
"The English, on the other hand, were so
confident and secure, that there could seldom
be met with in their houses a sword or a fire
lock, and most of their plantations were seated
in a scattered and straggling manner, as a con
venient situation or a choice vein of rich land
invited them; and indeed it was generally
thought, the further from neighbours the better.
All Indians were kindly received into their
houses, fed at their tables, and even lodged in
their bedchambers ; so that they seemed entirely
to have coalesced, and to live together as one
people. " The hour appointed being come, and the In
dians, by reason of their familiarity, knowing
exactly in what places and quarters every Eng
lishman was to be found, rose upon them at
once, sparing neither sex nor age — man, woman,
nor child; and they were so (pJick and sudden
in their execution, that few perceived the weap
on or blo-w that brought them to their end.
Some entered their houses under color of trade;
others drew them abroad under specious pre
tences; whilst the rest fell suddenly on those
that were at their several works and labors.
And thus, in one hour, and almost at the same
instant, fell three hundred and forty-seven — •
men, women, and children; most of them by
?heir own tools and weapons, and all by the
hands of a perfidious, naked, and dastardly

233 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
people, who durst not stand the presenting of a
staff in manner of a firelock, nor an uncharged
piece in the hands of a woman. Neither were
they content with their lives only, but they fell
again upon their dead bodies, defacing, dragging,
and mangling them into many pieces, and car
rying some parts away with a base and brutish
triumph. "This slaughter was a deep and grievous
wound to the yet weak aiid infant colony; but
it -would have been much more general, and
almost universal, if God had not put it into the
heart of a converted Indian to make a discovery.
This convert, whose name was Chanco, lived
with one Richard Pace, who treated him as his
own son. The night before the massacre,
another Indian, his brother, lay with him ; and
telling him the king's command, and that the
execution would be performed the next day, he
urged him to rise and kill Pace, as he intended
to do by Perry, his friend. As soon as his
brother was gone, the Christian Indian rose, and
went and revealed the whole matter to Pace;
who immediately gave notice thereof to Cap
tain William Powel, and having secured his own
house, rowed off before day to Jamestown, and
informed the governor of it. By this means,
their design was prevented at Jamestown, and
all such plantations as could possibly get intel
ligence in time. For wherever they saw the
English upon their guard, or a single musket
presented, they ran off, and abandoned their
attempt."* » Stith.

C.M'TAiN JtJIlN S.MITH. 239
It would be superfluous to dwell upon ihe use
less regrets attendant upon this wholesale butch
ery, both among the remaining settlers and
among the people in England. Many were the
projects set on foot to remedy what was not
remedial; and although all parties interested,'
and particularly the Virginia Company, were
somewhat staggered " to understand of such a
supposed impossible loss, as that so many should
fall by the hands of men so contemptible," yet
all this did not' so discourage the adventurers as
to debar them from continuing to dispatch divers
ships with such supplies and assistance as were
deemed necessary for resuscitating and invigor
ating the colony.
In this trying emergency, application was made
to Captain Smith for such suggestions as he
might choose to offer relative to the future reg
ulation of the colony, and to the subjugation
and civilization of the Indians. He had ever
been of the opinion that gentleness and kindness
were not the most effective means of bringing
the Indians over; and in this opinion he was
supported by Mr. Stockham and Mr. Whitaker,
two clergymen of note among the settlers. It
seemed to be the general impression that "Mars
and Minerva should go hand in hand, as well in
their conversion as in all other transactions and
intercourse." With a promptitude and devotion
characteristic of the man. Smith tendered his
services to the company, and proposed " that they
should transport him, with an hundred soldiers
and thirty sailors, and all proper provisions and

240 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OP
ammunition; and should give him a bark of an
hundred tons, with means and materials to build
six or seven shallops, to transport his men from
place to place, as occasion required; and then
he undertook to form a flying camp, and to
range about and torment the Indians, till he
either obliged them to quit the country, or
brought them into such fear and subjection, that
every man should follow his business in peace
and security. And as to the support and sub
sistence of this party, he thought; if his majesty
were truly informed of the necessity and benefit
of the thing, he would give the customs of Vir
ginia for a time. For, without some such method,
it was much to be doubted whether there would
come, in a few years, either customs or any thing
else from thence to England. And he doubted
not but that the planters would, according to
their several abilities, contribute towards so use
ful and necessary a design. But he insisted that
the governors should not be permitted, by virtue
of their authority, to take his men away, or any
thing else, to employ them, as they thought
proper. And he farther promised, to make the
best use of his experience, as well within the
limits of Virginia as New England, to bring
them both into one map, with all the countries
that lay between them. As to the reward of
his own pains and danger, he asked not any thing
but what he could raise from the proper labor
of the savages themselves. This proposal was
well approved by most that heard it; but such
were their divisions and confusion at that time.

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 241
that he could obtain no other answer, but that
the expense would be too great, and their stock
was exhausted; and they thought the planters
should do something of that nature themselves,
if they could find sufficient means to effect it.
However, he was given to understand, as he
tells us, that if he would undertake the thing
upon his own private account, he might have
the company's leave ; provided, they might have
half the pillage. But he rejected this intimation
with scorn; thinking, that all the pillage of those
poor and naked barbarians, except a little corn,
to be had at some times of the year, would not,
in twenty years, amount to twenty pounds."*
A murderous retribution, alike savage as the
act which occasioned it, was visited on the In
dians : their villages were razed, their crops de
stroyed, and themselves shot down with as little
compunction as so many wild beasts. Indeed,
brutality in their persecution was for a long
time afterwards regarded as a merit worthy of
high esteem, and the consequence was an almost
indiscriminate slaughter, in which the innocent
were frequently involved with the guilty.
About this time, several discontented adven
turers, at the head of whom was Captain Argall,
were at great pains to discourage the plans of
settlement adopted by the Virginia Company.
Written and oral statements were circulated,
which were well calculated to exercise a disas
trous effect upon the extension and prosperity of
the infant colony, and which finally occasioned
* Stith.
21

242 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
the appointment of commissioners to investigate
the aspersions so illiberally made against the sit
uation of the colony itself, and against many
who were actively engaged in promoting its
success. Of course, in an emergency of this
kind. Smith was foremost in rendering his testi
mony for tbe right; and, in an early stage of the
proceedings, he furnished the following synopsis
of what his experience had taught him relative
to the colony and its prospects :
"Honourable Gentlemen: for so many faire
and nauigable riuers so nssrs adioyning, and.pisreing
thorow so fairs a naturall land, free from any inun
dations, or large fenny vnwholssoms marshss, I haue
not seene, read, nor heard of: and for the building
of cities, townss and wharfags, if thsy will yss ths
msanss, where there is no more ebb nor floud, nature
in few placss affoords any 'so conusnient, for salt
marshss or quagmirss. In this tract of lames towne
riuer I know very fsw ; soms small marshes and
swamps there ars, but more profitable than hurtfull;
and I think thsrs is taors low marsh ground betwixt
Eriffe and Chslssy, than Kecoughtan and ths falls,
which is, about ons hundrsd and eighty miles by the
course ofthe riuer.
"Being inioynsd by our commission not to vnplanl
nor wrong the saluages, bscauss the channsl was so
nesrs ths shors, whsrs now is lamss towns, then a
thicke groue of trees ; wee cut them downe, where
the saluages pretending as much, kindnesse as could
bss, thsy hurt and slew one and twenty of vs in two
houres : at this tims our dist was for most part water
and bran, and three ounces of little better stuffe in
bread for fiue men a meale, and thus we liued neere

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 243
three rrtoneths : our lodgings vndsr boughss of trsss,
the saluages being our enemies, whom we nsithsr
knsw no vndsrstood ; occasions I thinke sufficient to
make men sicke and die.
"Necessity thus did inforce ms with sight or nins,
to try conclusions amongst ths saluages, that we got
provision which rscousrsd ths rsst being most sicke.
Six weekes I was led captiue by those barbarians,
though some of my men were slains, and ths rest
fled, yst it pleassd God to maks their grsat king's
daughtsr the msanss .to rsturns me safe to lames
towne, and releeue our wants, and then our common-,
wsalth was in all eight and thirty, the remainder of
ons hundred and fiue.
"Being supplied with ons hundrsd and twenty,
with twelue men in a boat of thrss tuns, I spsnt four-
tssns wssks in those large waters ; the contents of
ths way of my boat protracted by the skale of pro
portion, was about three thousand miles, bssides the
rivsr we dwell vpon, whers no Christian knowne suer
was, and our diet for the most part what we could
finde, yet but ons died.
"The saluages being acquainted that by command
from England we durst not hurt thsm, wsrs much
imboldnsd ; that famins and their insolencies did force
ms to brsak our commission and instructions, causs
Powhatan fly his countrey, and take ths king of Pa-
mavuks prisonsr; and also to kssps the king of
Paspflhegh in shackles, and put his men to doubls
tg.skes in chainss, till nine and thirty of ^tfteir kings
paid vs contribution, and the offending saluages sent to
lames towns to punish at our owns discretions : in
the two last yeares I staid there, I had not a man
slaine. "All those conclusions being not able to preuent

244 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OP
the bad euents of pride and idlenesse, hauing rs-
ceiued another supply of seusntie, ws wsrs about two
hundred in all, but not twsntie work-men : in follow
ing the strict directions from England to doe that
was impossible at that time ; so it hapned, that neither
wee nor they had any thing to sat, but what ths
countrey afforded naturally ; yet of eightie who liued
vpon oystsrs in luns and luly, with a pint of corn a
week for a man lying under tress, and 120 for ths most
part liuing vpon sturgion, which was drisd til ws
pounded it to powder for meals, yst in tsn wssks but
seuen died.
"It is true, we had of tooles, armes, and munition
sufficient, some aquavitse, vinegar, meale, pease, and
oatmsale, but in two yeares and a halfs not suflcicisnt
for six monsths, though by ths bils of loading the
proportions ssnt vs, would- well haue contsnted vs,
notwithstanding we ssijt boms ampls proofss of pitch,
tar, sops ashes, wainskot, clapboord, silks grasse,
iron ors, soras sturgion and glasss, saxefras, cedar,
cypris, and blacke walnut, crowned Powhatan, sought
ths Monacans countrey, according to ths instructions
ssnt vs, but thsy caussd vs nsglect more necessary
workes: thsy had bsttsr haus giusn for pitch and
sops ashes one hundred pound a tun in Denmarke :
wee also maintainsd fius or six ssuerall plantations.
" lames towne being burnt, wss rsbuilt it and three
forts more, besides ths church and store-houss, ws
had about fortie or fiftie seusrall housss to ksepe vs
warme and dry, inuironed with a palizado of four-
tssns or fiftssns foot, and each as much as three or
foure men could carrie. Ws digged a faire well of
fresh water in the fort, where wee had three bulwarks,
foure and twenty peece of ordnance, of culverin,
demiculvsrin, sacar and falcon, and most well

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 245
mounted vpon conuenient plat-formes, planted one
hundred acres of corne. We had but six ships to
transport and supply vs, and but two hundrsd seuenty
seuen men,, boies, and womsn, by whose labours
Virginia being brought to this kinde of psrfsction,
the most difficulties past, and the foundation thus laid
by this small meanes; yet because we had done no
more, they called in our commission, tooke a nsw
in their owns namss, and appointsd vs neers as many
officss and officers as I had souldisrs, that neither
knsw vs nor wss them, without our consent or
knowledge ; sines thers haus gons mors than one
hundred ships of other proportions, and sight or ten
thousand people. Now if you plsass to compare
what hath bssne spent, ssnt, discouered and dons this
fiftsens yearss, by that we did in ths three first
ysares, and svsry gousrnour that hath beene there
sines, giue you but such an account as this, you may
easily finde what hath bssns ths cause of those dis
asters in Virginia.
" Then cams in Captaine Argall, and Mastsr Ss-
dan, in a ship of Master Cornelius, to fish for stur-
gion, who had such good prouision, ws contracted
with them for it, whsrsby ws were better furnished
than euer.
" Not long aftsr cams in ssusn ships, with about
thrss hundrsd psople ; but rather to supplant vs than
supply vs, thsir admirall with their authoritie being
cast away in ths Bermudas, very angry they wsrs
ws had mads no belts, prouision for thsm. Ssuen
or eigbt weekes ws withstood the invndations of these
disorderly humors, till I was nesrs blowne to death
with gun-powder, which occasioned me to returne
for England.
"In the years 1609 about Michaslmas, I Igfl; the
21*

246 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OP
countrey, as is formerly rslated, with three ships,
seuen boats, commodities to trads, harusst nswly
gathsrsd, sight wesks prouision of corns and msale,
about fiue hundred pereons, thrss hundred muskets,
shot, poywder, and match, with armes for more men
than we had. The saluagss, thsir language and
habitation, well knowne to two hundred sxpsrt soul
disrs ; nsts for fishing, toolss of all sorts, apparsll to
supply their wants : six mares and a horse, fiue or
six hundred swine, many more powltry, what was
brought or bred, but victuall thers remained.
" Hauing spsnt soms fiue ysarss, and more than
fiue hundred pounds in procuring ths letters patents
and setting forward, and neere as much mors about
New England, &c. — Thus these nineteene yeares I
haus here and thsrs not spared any thing according
to my abilitie, nor the bsst aduice I could, to psr-
swade how those strange miracles of misery might
haus bssn preuented, which lamentable experience
plainly taught me of necessity must insue, but few
would beleeue ms till now too dssrsly.thsy haus paid
for it. Wherefore hitherto I haue rather Isft all than
vndertake impossibilities, or any mors such costly
taskes at such chargeable rates: for in neither of
those two countries haue I one foot of land, nor the
ery house I builded, nor the ground I digged with
my owne hands, nor eusr any contsnt or satisfaction
at all, and though I sse ordinarily those two countries
shared before me by thsm that nsithsr haue thsm
nor knowes thsm, but by my dsscriptions : yst that
doth not so much trouble me, as to hears and sse
those contentions and diuisions which will hazard if
not ruins the prosperitie of Virginia, if present rem
edy bee not found, as they haus hindrsd many hun
dreds, who would haue beene there sre now, and
makss them yet that are willing to stand in a demurre.

CAPTAIN JOHN SMlfu. 247
"For the books and maps I haue made, [ will
thanks him that will shew ms so much for so little
recoppsnce, and bsare with their errors till I haue
done better. For ths matsrials in thsm I cannot de
ny, but am ready to affirms thsm both thers and hsre,
vpon such grounds as I haue propounded, which is
to haue but fiflssns hundrsd msn to subdus againe
ths saluages, fortifie the countrey, discouer that yet
vnknowns, and both dsfsnd and feed their colony,
which I most humbly refer to his maiestiss' most iu-
diciall iudgsmsnt, and the most honourable lords of
his priuy councsll, you his trusty and well-bsloued
commissioners, and the honourabls company of
planters and wsll-willsrs to Virginia, Nsw England
and Somraer-Ilands."
Not content with the preceding general state
ment, the commissioners propounded seven spe
cific questions, whicb, with the answers, are
recorded by Smith as follows :
Question 1. What . conceiue you is the cause the
plantation hath prospered no letter, since you left it
in so good a forwardnesse ?
Answer. Idlenesse and carslsssnesse brought all I
did in three yesrss in six moneths to nothing, and of
fiue hundred I left, scarce thresscors remained, and
' had Sir Thomas Gates not got from the Bermudas, I
thinke they had besne all dead before they could be
supplied. Quest. 2. What conceive you should he the cause,
though the country le good, there comes nothing lut
talacco ? *
Answ. The oft altering of gousrnours it sssmes
causes eusry man make vse of his time, and because

248 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OP
come was stinted at, two shillings six pence the
bushell ; and tobacco at thrss shillings ths pound,
and they value a man's labour a yssrs worth fifty or
thrssscors pound, but in corns not worth tsn pound,
presuming tobacco will furnish them with all things ;
now maks a man's labour in corns worth threescore
pound, and in tobacco but ten pound a man, then
shall thsy haue co^ne sufficisnt to entertaine all
commers, and keepe their psople in hsalth to dos any
thing, but till thsn, there will be little or nothing to
any purpose.
Quest. 3. What conceiue you to haue beene the
cause ofthe massacre, and had the saluages had the
vse of any peeces in your time, or when, or ly whom
they were taught ?
Answ. The cause of ths massacre was the want
of marshall discipline, and bscauss thsy would haus
all the English had by destroying those they found
so carelessly secure, that they were not prouided to
defend themselves against any snsmy, bsing so dis-
psrsed as thsy wsrs. In my tims, though C^iptains
Nuport furnishsd them with swords by truck, anti
many fugitiues did ths liks, and some pesoss thsy
got accidentally, yet I got the most of them againe,
and it was death to him that should shew a saluage
ths vse of a pesos. — Since I vnderstand they bscaras
so good shot, thsy wsrs imploysd for fowlers and
huntsmen by the English.
Quest. 4. What charge think you would haue set-
led tlie gouernment both for defence and planting wlien
you left it ?
Answ. Twenty thousand pound vvould haue hired
good labourers and mechanicall msn, and haue fur
nishsd thsm with cattell and all necsssariss, and 100.
of them would haue done more then a thousand of

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 249
thoss that went, though the Lord Laware, Sir Ferdi
nando Waynman, Sir Thomas Gates and Sir Thomas
Dale were psrswadsd to ths contrary, but when thsy
had tried, they confssssd thsir srror.
Qusst. 5. What conceiue you would le the remedy
and the charge ?
Answ. The remedy is to ssnd souldiers and all
sorts of labourers and necsssariss for thsm, that they
may bs thsrs by next Michaslmas, ths which to dos
well will stand you in' fiue thousand pound, but if
his maissty would plsass to lend two of his ships to
transport thsm, lesse would ssrue, bssidss the benefit
of his grace to the action would encourage all men.
Quest. 6. What thinke you are the defects qf the
gouernment loth here and tliere ?
Answ. The multiplicity of opinions here, and of
ficers there, makes such delaies by qusstions and
formalitis, that as much tims is spsnt in complement
as in action; bssides, soms' ars so desirous to imploy
thsir ships, hauing six pounds for susry passsnger,
and three pounds for euery tun of goods, at which
rate a thousand ships may now better be procured
than one at ths first, when the common stocks de-
fraysd all fraughts, wages, prouisions and magazines,
whsrsby the ships ars so psstrsd, as occasions much
sicknssss, dissases and mortality, for though all the
passengers die thsy ars sure of their fraught ; and
then all must be satisfied with orations, disputations,
sxcusss and hopes. As for the letters of aduice from
hence, and thsir answers thence, thsy are so well
written, msn would bslesus thsrs wsrs no grsat
doubt of the performance, and that all things wsrs
wsll, to which srror hsre they haue beens susr much
subiect; and there not to beleeue, or not to relssus
ths trus and poors estate of that colony, whose fruits

250 LIFE AND ADVENTURES CIP
wsrs commonly spsnt bsfore thsy were rips, and this
losse is nothing to thsm hsre, whose grsat estates are
not ssnsibls of the losse of their adusntures, and so
they thinke, or will not take notice ; but it is so with
all men : but howsosusr thsy thinke or dispose of all
things at their pleasure, I am sure not my selfe one
ly, but a thousand othsrs haus not onely spsnt the
most of thsir sstatss, but the most part haus lost thsir
liuss and all, onsly but to maks way for the trial of
more nsw conclusions, and he that now will advsn-
ture but twslvs pounds tsn shillings, shall haue better
respect and as much favour than hs that sixtssne
ysare agos adusntursd as much, except hs havs
monsy as ths othsr hath, but though he haus aduen-
tured fiue hundred pound, and spent thsrs nsuer so
much time, if hee haus no more and not able to be
gin a family of himselfe, all is lost by order of court.
But in the beginning it was not so, all went then
out of one purse, till those new deuices haue con
sumed both money and purse ; for at first thsre wsrs
but six patentees, now more than a thousand, then
but thirteen Counsailors, now not lesse then a hun
dred ; I speaks not of all, for there are soms both
honourable and honsst, but of those officsrs which,
did thsy manage their owns sstatss no better than
the affaires of Virginia, they would quickly fall to
decay so wsll as it ; but this is most euident, few of
ficsrs in England it hath caussd to turns banquerupts,
nor for all their complaints would leaue their places,
neither yst any of their officers there, nor fsw ofthe
rest but they would be at home, but fswer adusn-
tursrs hsrs will adventure any mors till thsy sss
ths businssss better established, although there bs
Boms so wilfully improuidsnt they care for nothing
but to get thithsr, and thsn if their friends be dead,

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 251
or want themselues, they die or Hue but poorely for
want of nscessaries, and to thinks ths old planters
can releeue thsm wers two much simplicity ; for
who here in England is so charitable to feed two or
three strangers, haus they nsusr so much ; much
lesss in Virginia, whsre they want for themselues.
Now the gsnerall complaint saith, that pride, coust-
ousnesse, extortion and oppression in a few that in-
grossss all, then ssU all againe to the comminalty at
what rate thsy plsass, yea eusn msn, womsn and
children for who will giue most, occasions no small
mischisfe amongst the plantsrs.
As for the company, or those that doe transport
thsm, prouidsd of necessaries, God forbid but they
should rsceiue their charges agains with aduantags,
or that masters thers should not haus ths sams priu-
ilege ousr their seruants as hsre, but to ssll him or
her for forty, fifl;y, or thrssscors pounds, whom the
company hath ssnt ouer for eight or ten pounds at
the most, without regard how thsy shall be maintained
with apparell, meat, drinks anil lodging, is odious,
and their fruits sutable, therefore such merchants it
wers bsttsr they wsrs mads such msrchandizs thsm-
ssluss, than suffered any longer to vse that trade, and
those ars dsfects sufficient to bring a w6ll sstled
common-wealth to misery, much more Virginia.
Quest. 7. How thinke you it may le rectified ?
Answ. If his maiestie would please to intitle it to
his crowne, and yearely that both the gousrnours
hsrs and there may gius thsir accounts to you, or
some that ars not ingaged in ths businssss, that the
common stocks bss not spent in maintaining ons
hundred msn for the gousrnour, ons hundred for two
dsputies, fifty for the treasurer, fiue and twenty for
the secretary, and more for ths marshall and other

252 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OP
ofiicsrs who wsre nsusr thsrs nor aduentured any
thing, but onely preferred by fauour to be lords ouer
them that broke the ice and beat ths path, and must
tsach them what to dos, if any thing happsn wsll, it
is their glory ; if ill, ths fault of the old dirsctors,
that in all dangers must endure the worst, yst not
five hundred of thsm haus so much as one of the
others ; also that there bee some present course taken
to maintaine a garrison to suppresse the saluagss, till
thsy bs able to subsist, and that his maissty would
plsass to remit his customs, or it is to be feared they
will lose custome and all, for this cannot be dons by
promisss, hopss, counsels and countenances, but with
sufficient workmen and msanss to maintaine thsm,
not such dslinqusnts as here cannot be ruled by all
the lawes in England, yet when the foundation is laid,
as I haue said, and a common- wsalth established, thsn
such thsre may bsttsr bs constrained to labour than
here : but to rsctifie a-common- wsalth with dsbaushsd
psopls is impossibls, and no wise man would throw
himselfe into such a society, that intsnds honestly, and
knowss what he vndsrtakss, for there is no countrey
to pillage as the Romans found : all you expect from
thencs must be by labour.
For the gouernment I thinke there is as much
adoe about it as ths kingdomss of Scotland and Irs-
land, men hsrs conceiting Virginia as thsy ars,
erscting as many stately officss as officers with theii
attendants, as thsrs are labourers in ths countrsy,
whsre a constable were as good as twenty of thsir
captainss, and thrss hundrsd good souldisrs and la
borers better thsn all the rsst that gos onely to get
the fruits of other mens labours by the title of an
office. Thus they spsnd Michaslmas rsnt in mid-
summsr moons, and would gathsr their harvsst bs-
*bre thsy haue planted their corne.

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 253
As for the maintsnance of ths officers, the first that
went neuer demanded any, but aduentured good
summes, and it seemes strange to me, the fruits of
all their labours. Bssides the expsncs of an hun
dred and fifty thousand pounds, and such multitudes
of people, those collatsrall officers could not main
taine themselves so wsll as the old did ; and hauing
now such liberty to doe as to ths saluagss what they
will ; the others had not. I mors than wonder they
haue not fiue hundred salus^es to worke for them
towards thsir generall maintsnance, and as many
more to rstume some contsnt and satisfaction to the
aduenturers, that for all their care, charge and dili
gence, can hsare nor see nothing but missrable
complaints ; therefore vndsr your correction to rec-
tifie all, is with all expedition to passe the authority
to them who will reissue them, lest all bee consumsd
ere the differences be dsterminsd. And excspt his
maisstie vndertake it, or by act of parliamsnt some
small tax may be granted throughout his dominions,
as a psnny vpon euery poll, called a head-penny ;
two pence vpon euery chimney, or soms such collec
tion might be raised, and that would be sufficisnt to
giue a good stocks and many ssruants to sufficisnt
msn of any facultie, and transport thsm fresly for
paying onely homags to ths crowne of England, and
such duties to the publike good as their estates in
creased, rsason should require. Wsre this put in
practice, how many people of what quality you pleass,
for all thoss disasters would yst gladly goe to spsnd
their liuss there, and by this msanss mors good might
be done in one yeare, than all thoss psty particular
vndsrtakings will effsct in twenty.
For the patent, ths king maj^ if he plsass, rathsr
take it from thsm that haus it, than from vs who had

254 LI~FE AND ADVENTURES OF
it first, pretending to his maiesty what great matters
they would doe, and how little we did, and for any
thing I can conceiue, had we remained still as at
first, it is not likely jvs could haus done much worse ;
but thoss oft altsring of gousrnmsnts ars not without
much charge, hazard and losss. If I bs too plaine,
I humbly craus your pardon ; but you rsqussted ms,
thsrsfors I dos but my duty. For the nobility, who
knowes not how fresly both in their purses and as-
sistancss many of them haue beene to aduance it,
committing the managing of the businssss to infsrior
persons, amongst whom qusstionlssse also many haue .
done thsir utmost bsst, sincsrsly and truly according
to thsir concsit, opinion and vnderstanding; yet
grosse errors haue beene committed, but no man liuss
without his fault; for my owns part, I haus so much
ados to amsnd my owne, I haus no leisure to look
into any man's particular, but those in gsnerall I
conceiue to bs trus. And so I humbly rsst.
Yours to command, I. S.
The facts elicited in the course of these in
vestigations were made a pretext for abrogating
the charter of the Virginia Company, and the
management of its affairs was undertaken by
the king himself, and by creatures who were
ever ready and willing to do his bidding. But
the claims of Smith to advancement were wholly
neglected, and he was left to the poor consola
tion of seeing hundreds avail themselves of the
fruits of his enterprise, while, he was left to bear
up as best he could against the manifold disap
pointments resulting from the non-fulfilment of
promises made to promote his favorite scheme

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH.

285

of colonizing New England. He did not, how
ever, brood over his discouragements in idleness :
his tune must have been much occupied in
gathering materiel for several works, which were
published between the years 1623 and 1630, and
which were highly serviceable in developing the
resources of the new world. In 1627, "the
General History of Virginia, New England, and
the Somer Isles," made its appearance — the nar
rative part of which was made up of the jour
nals and letters of those who were concerned
with him, intermixed with his own observations.
This was followed in 1629 by " the True Travels,
Adventures, and Observations of Captain John
Smith," which is preserved entire in the second
volume of Churchill's Collections, and to which
we are mainly indebted for the facts embraced
in this work. " In the conclusion, he made some
addition to the history of Virginia, Bermuda,
New England, and the West Indies, respecting
things which had come to his knowledge after
the pubhcation of his general history. He stated
the inhabitants of Virginia in 1628 at five thou
sand, and their cattle about the same number.
Their produce was chiefly tobacco, but those
few who attended to their gardens had all sorts
of fruit and vegetables in great abundance and
perfection."* At the time of his death, he was engaged on
a work, which he -entitled "the History of the
Sea," no portion of which was probably ever
published, as it is not to be found in any collec-
* Belknap.

256 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
tion in Europe or America. The precise time
and manner of his death is not now satisfactorily
known, but "by a note in Josslyn's Voyage it
appears that he died in 1631, at London, in the
fifty-second year of his age." The various
qualities for which he was distinguished, are ad
mirably set forth by Mr. Hillard, from whose
work the following extracts are taken :
"A very supsrficial acquaintance with the events
of Captain Smith's lifs will bs sufficisnt to convince
any ons that hs was a man cast in an uncommon
mould, and formed alike for ths planning and con
ducting of great enterprises. He had that happy
combination of qualitiss, which gavs symmstry to
his charactsr, and snablsd him to assume ths mo.st
important dutiss and rssponsibilities. His constitu
tional courage was tempered with coolness and self-
command. Ths warmth and snthusiasm of his
tsmperamsnt nsvsr psrvsrtsd the soundness of his
judgmsnt. His zsal was not, a transisnt flame,
qusnchsd by ths first experience of difficulty and
danger, but a deep-seated, indestructible principle,
which gainsd strength from opposition, and vigor
from defeat.
" The psrssvsrancs with which hs prosscuted his
enterprises squalled the ardor with which he under-
took them. His energy was so grsat and overflow.
ing, that he could not bs confined to any ons sphere
of duty. Ws sss him at ths same tims psrforming
ths offices of a provident governor, a valiant soldier,
and an industrious laborer, capable alike of com
manding and sxscuting. Hs drsadsd nothing so
much as rsposs, inactivity, and ease. He seemed to
court ths dangsrs, toils, and sufferings, which othsr

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 257
men shrink from, or encounter only from a sense of
duty. " If we were called upon to say what was his ruling
and charactsristic trait, ws should rsply, enthusiasm,
using that word in its highsst and best sense, as ths
quality which leads a man to devote himself to some
great and good objsct with courags, constancy, and
self-abandonment, and to exert in its advancement
and behalf all the energies of his nature, undauntsd
by natural obstacles, unruffled by opposition, and
uninflusnced by the insinuations of the malicious, the
open violence of enemies, and ths lukewarmness of
selfish friends. For ths first thirty years of his life,
ws sss him without any prsdominant objsct of intsr-
sst or pursuit, obeying the impulses of a fiery valor
and a restless spirit of sntsrpriss, 'sssking ths bub-
bis reputation' in desperate skirmishes in an obscure
corner of Europe, eagerly embracing svsry oppor.
tjinity of sxposing himsslf to danger and of winning
glory, prodigal of life and covetous of honor.
"But, fortunately for himsslf and for the world, in
his early manhood he was induced to devots himsslf
to the settlsmsnt of Amsrica, an object attractive
enough to kssp his imagination psrpstually kindlsd,
and vast enough to task all his powers, the prossou-
tion of which unfoldsd in him high qualities of mind
and character, that the iron routine ofthe camp could
nsver have called forth, and which secursd him a
peaceful glory, far mors durabls and valuable than
ths laursls of a hundred victories. Henceforward
this great interest absorbed and monopolized him.
It supplied ths place of frisnds, kindrsd, and domes
tic ties. Hs smbracsd it and labored for it with a
disinterestedness and a sense of duty, worthy both
of himself and bf ths causs. He never made it the

258 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
msans of sscuring pscuniary gain or worldly ad-
vancsmsnt, being content to point out to, others the
way to wealth, while he remained poor himself. He
never coveted official dignity ; and, when hs obtained
it, he matlp it no sxcuss for indolsncs or sslf-indul-
gsncs, and did not regard it as of so delicate a text
ure as to rsndsr a dignifisd and lofty ssclusion
necessary to preserve it unimpaired.
"Captain Smith must havs bssn something more
than mortal, had hs possssssd so many brilliant and
substantial good qualitiss without any tincture of al
loy. Ths frankness of his charactsr rsveals to us
his faults no less than his virtuss. He was evidently
a man of an impatisnt and irritable tsmpsraraent,
expecting to find, in every department of life, the
prompt and unhssitating character of military obedi.
ence. He had kssn sensibility and lively fsslings,
and was apt to rsgard as studied neglect or inten.
tional hostility, what was in fact only lukewarm in.
difference. His conviction of ths importancs of
discipline and subordination made him somstimes
imperious and tyrannical. Ths energy and decision
of his character Isd him somstimes to adopt question
able means to secure a desired result. His high
spirit and indspsndsncs made him psrhaps unnsces-
sarily rough and haughty in his communications to
his superiors in station and authority.
" Nothing is more difficult than, in our intercourse
with thoss above us in rank, influence, or considera.
tion, to hit that exact medium of deportment, which
is demanded alike by sslf-respect and by respect to
others, and which is squally rsmoved from slavish
fawning and from the unbending stiffness gensrated
-by undus notions of sslf-importancs. We havs
Captain Smith's own authority that he had a grsat

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 259
many enemies. These were undoubtedly made by
his haughty bsaring, his uncompromising frssdom of
pesch, ths warmth of his temper, and ths impatisncs
of his blood. His rsssntmsnts wsrs livsly, his an-
tipathiss strong, and prudsncs had nsvsr ^ictatsd to
him to rsfrain from ths sxpression of them.
" There is ons circumstance which may serve to
palliate some of these weaknesses in Captain Smith.
His birth was nothing more than respectable in an
age whsn the greatest importancs was attachsd to
nobility. It is sasy to perceive that this peculiarity
in his fortunes may havs produced in him a soreness
of fssling and jsalousy of tsmper; may havs mads
him suspicious and fearful, lest bs should not receive
from others ths rsspsct and consideration which he
knsw wsrs due to his psrsonal merit. This' ine
quality betwssn one's lot and ons's msrits and wishes
is a ssvsre trial of charactsr, and, in men of high
spirit, is apt to beget a morbid sensitiveness and prids,
a surly indspsndence of manner, and a painful un
easiness lest thsir dignity should bs ruffled by too
familiar contact. To this source is undoubtsdly to
bs ascribsd much of that tartnsss of sxprsssion which
we find frequently in his writings, and of that haugh
tiness which ws have every reason to suppose was
charactsristic of his dsportment.
"With the exception of Sir Walter Raleigh (and
perhaps Richard Hakluyt) no ons did so much to.
wards colonizing and ssttling ths coast of North
Amsrica. Ths stats of Virginia is undsr psculiar
obligations to him as its virtual founder ; sines, with.
out his remarkabls psrsonal qualities and indefatiga
ble sxsrtions, ths colony at Jamestown could never
have taken root. In reading ths history of his ad
ministration, ws are mads to feel, in rsgard to him,

260 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OP
as WS do in rsgard to Washington, whsn we contsm
plats ths events of the American Rsvolution : that he
was a bsing spscially appointsd by Divins Providsncs
to accomplish' ths work intrustsd to him. He was
exactly fitted for ths placs which hs fillsd, and not
one of his many rsmarkable gifts could havs besn
sparsd without ssrious dstriment.
"His claims upon the gratituds of ths psopls of
New England are hardly infsrior. He was the first
to perceive the advantages held out by it as a placs
of ssttlemsnt, in spite of its bittsr skies and iron-bound
coast, and to correct the erronsous, unfavorable
imprs.ssions prevalent concerning it. Though he
himself had no dirsct shars in the ssttlbmsnt of Ply
mouth, yst without doubt it was owing to the intsrsst
which had bsen awaksnsd by his writings and psr
sonal exertions, that ths ranks of ths colonists wsre
so soon swelled by those accessions of men of char
acter and substance, which gavs thsm encouragement
and insured them prosperity and success. It was
the peculiar good fortune of Captain Smith to stand
in so intsrssting a rslation to ths two oldest states in
ths union, and through thsm to ths northsrn and
southsrn ssctions of the country. Ths dsbt of grat
ituds dus to him is national and American, and so
should his glory be. Whersvsr upon this continent
ths English languags is spoken, his dssds should bs
rscounted, and his memory hallowsd. His ssrvicss
should not only bs not forgotten, but should bs ' frsshly
rsrasmbsrsd.' His nams should not only be honorsd
by ths silsnt canvas and ths cold marble, but his
praisss should dwsll living upon the lips of msn, and
should be handed down by fathers to thsir childrsn.
Postry has imaginsd nothing more stirring and ro
mantic than his life and adventures, and History,

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 261
upon hsr ample page, has rscorded few mors honor.
abls and spotlsss namss."
Having transplanted this well-deserved eulogy
in prose, we shall conclude our cursory memoir
of this admirable character by a few specimens
of the poetical laudation which he received from
those who flourished contemporaneously with
himself. They not only serve to display the
general esteem in which he was held, but they
also exhibit the rude but expressive style of
composition which distinguished the age in which
he lived. It was then the custom to welcome
the appearance of a successful author with ode
and sonnet; and the extracts which follow are
from some of the occasional tributes paid to his
works :
TO MT WOETHY rHIEND, CAPTAINE lOHN SMITH.
Two greatest Shires of England did thee beare.
Renowned Yorkshire, Gaunt-stild Lancashire;
But what's all this"! even Earth, Sea, Heaven above,
Trag'abjgzanda, Callamata's love,
Deare Pocahontas, Madam Shanoi's too.
Who did what love with modesty could doe.
Record thy worth, thy birth, which, as I live.
Even in thy reading such choice solace give.
As I could wish, (such wishes would doe well)
Many such Smiths in this our Israel. R. BRATHWAIT.
TO MY NOBLE BROTHER AND FRIEND, CAPTAINE lOHN SMITH
Thou hast a course full of honour runne.
Envy may snarle, as dogges against the Sunne
May barke, not bite : for what deservedly
With thy life's danger, valour, pollicy,
duaint warlike stratagems, ability
And judgment, thou hast got, fame sets so high

262 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OP
Detraction cannot reach : thy worth shall stcnd
A patterne to succeeding ages, and,
Cloth'd in thy owne lines, ever shall adds grace
Vnto thy native country and thy race ;
And when dissolv'd, laid in thy mother's wombe;
These, Ceesar-like, Smith's Epitaph and tombe.
ANTHONY PEREBY.
TO HIS APPROVED FRIEND, THE AUTHOR, CAPTAINE lOHK
SMITH.
The old Greeke Bard, counts him the onely man.
Who knows strange Countries, like his Ithacan,
And wise, as valiant, by his observation.
Can tell the severall custoraes of each Nation.
All these are met in thee. Who will not then
Repute thee in the ranke of worthiest men 1
To th' Westerne world to former times unknowne,
Thy active spirit hath thy valour showne :
The Turks and Tartars both can testifie.
Thee t' have deserv'd a Captaine's dignity;
But verse thou need'st not to express thy worth.
Thy acts, this booke doe plainly set it forth. M. CARTNER.
IN THE DESERVED HONOUR OP THE AUTHOR, CAPTAINE lOHN
SMITH AND HIS WORKE.
Damn'd Envie is a sprite, that ever haunts
Beasts, mis-nam'd Men; Cowards, or ignorants.
But, onely such shee foUowco, whose deare worth
(Maugre her malice) sets their glory forth.
If this faire Ouerture, then, take not, it-
Is Envie's spight (deare friend) in men of wit;
Or Feare, lest morsels, which our mouths possesse.
Might fall from thence; or else, tis Sottishnesse.
If either, (I hope neither) thee they raise;
Thy Letters* are as Letters in thy praise ;
Who, by their vice improue (when they reprooue)
Thy vertue ; so, in hate, procure thee Loue.
Then on firme Worth, this Monument I frame ;
Scorning for any Smith to forge anch fame.
lOHN DAUIES, Heref.
* HindereTS,

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 263

TO HIS WORTHY CAPT.MNE THE AUTHOR.
That which wee call the subject of all Storie,
Is Truth : which in this Worke of thine giues glorie
To all that thou hast done. Then scorne the spight
Of Envie ; which doth no man's Merits right.
My sword may helpe the rest : my Pen no more
Can doe, but this : I'aue said enough before.
Your sometime Souldier,
I. CODRINTON, now Tempter.
IN THE DESERVED HONOUR OF MY HONEST AND WORTHY
CAPTAINE, lOHN SMITH, AND HIS WORKE.
Captaike and Friend : when I pervse thy Booke
(With Judgement's eyes) into thy heart I looke :
And there I finde (what sometimes Albion knew)
A Souldier, to his Countrie's honor, true.
Some fight for wealth ; and some for emptie praise;
But thou alone thy Countrie's Fame to raise.
With due discretion, and vndaunted heart,
I (oft) so well hade seene thee act thy part
In deepest plunge of hard extreamitie.
As forc't the troups of proudest foes to flie.
Though men of greater Ranke and lesse desert
Would Pish-a.vfa.y thy Praise, it can not start
From the true Owner : for all good men's tongues
Shall keepe the same. To them that Part belongs.
If, then, Wit, Courage, and Successe should get
Thee Fame; the Muse for that is in thy debt :
A part whereof (least able though I be)
Thus here I doe disburse, to honor thee.
RALEIGH CRASHAW.

TO THAT WORTHY AND GENEROUS GENTLEMAN, MY VERY
GOOD FRIEND, CAPTAINE SMITH.
M-AY Fate thy Project prosper, that thy name
My be eternized witii liuing fame :
Though foule Detraction Honour would peruert.
And Enuie euer waits vpon desert :
In spight of Pelias when his hate lies cold,
Returne as lason with a fleece of gold.

261 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OP
Then after ages shall record thy praise,
That a New-England to-this He didst raise;
And when thou di'st (as all that Hue must die)
Thy fame Hue here ; thou, with Eternity. R. GUNNELL.
TO MY HONEST CAPTAINE, THE AUTHOR.
Maliqnant Times ! What can be said or done.
But shall be censur'd and traduced by some!
This worthy Worke, which thou hast bought so deare,
Ne thou, nor it. Detractors need to feare.
Thy words by deeds so long thou hast approu'd,
Of thousands know thee not thou art belou'd.
And this great Plot will make thee ten times more
Knowne and belou'd, than ere thou wert before.
I neuer knew a Warrier yet, but thee.
From wine, tobacco, debts, dice, oaths, so free.
I call thee Warrier : and I make the bolder ;
For, many a Captaine now, was neuer Souldier.
Some such may swell at this : but (to their praise)
When they haue done like thee, my Muse shall raise
Their due deserts to Wforthies yet to come.
To liue like thine (admir'd) till day of Doome.
Your true friend, sometimes your souldier,
THO. CARLTOH

THE END.