JOHN SMITH

[Captain John Smith was born in Willoughby, Lincolnshire, in 1580 (1579, OS.). He was apprenticed to a merchant, but, finding a life of trade too tame, he ran away at the age of fifteen and became a soldier of fortune. During the next ten or eleven years he visited, if we may trust his own account, most parts of Europe where adventures might be found, and fought

"As wel in Christendom as in hethenesse."

In 1605 he was again in England, and a year and a half later he went out with the colonists who finally landed at Jamestown. Here he appears, both in his own accounts and in those of his fellow-colonists, as a rough-andready, energetic man, always in trouble, but probably the most practical and capable manager in the new settlement. He remained in Virginia until 1609, when he returned to England. In 1614 he made a voyage of exploration to the coast of New England; and the next year he started for that region with a colonizing party, but was captured and imprisoned by the French. After his release he lived quietly in England until his death in 1631.

While he was in Virginia Captain Smith wrote only two works of importance. The first was very likely begun soon after the colonists landed in 1607, and was sent to England early in 1608. It was published the same year under the title of "A True Relation of such occurrences and accidents of noate as hath hapned in Virginia since the first planting of that Collony, which is now resident in the South part thereof, till the last returne from thence." The second work, "A Map of Virginia, with a Description of the Countrey the Commodities, People, Government and Religion," was probably sent to England a few months later than the "True Relation" but was not published until 1612. At the same time with the "Map of Virginia," Captain Smith sent an interesting and outspoken letter in reply to the demands of the proprietors for money from the colony. After his return to England he wrote a number of works, among the more important of which were “A Description of New England” (1616), “New Englands Trials” (1620–22), "The General Historie of Virginia" (1624), "The True Travels, Adventures, and Observations of Captaine John Smith” (1630). In strictness only the "True Relation" and the "Map of Virginia" have a place in a collection of American writings, but brief selections from "A Description of New England" and the "True Travels" are given in the following pages for the sake of comparison.

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Much of the criticism of Smith's writings has taken the form of discussions regarding his veracity. Some of the early exploits narrated in the "True Travels" are so marvellous as to seem improbable. Many of the statements in the writings on Virginia are corroborated by the independent testimony of others; but circumstantial evidence seems to discredit the familiar story of his rescue by Pocahontas. In his earlier accounts of his visit to Powhatan, Smith speaks of that chieftain as uniformly friendly, and refers, incidentally, to Pocahontas as a mere child. It was not till the Indian 'princess," as the wife of John Rolfe, was attracting attention in London, while Smith was living in comparative obscurity, that he linked his name with hers in the anecdote that has become famous. In many cases no positive proof or disproof of Smith's statements is possible. But, though Mr. Edward Arber, the conscientious editor of all his writings, believes in his absolute truthfulness, it seems probable that in his later years he availed himself of the soldier's and traveller's privilege and magnified his own exploits.

The first American writer was typical of those Elizabethan Englishmen who were primarily men of action, and incidentally men of letters. The "True Relation" and the "Map of Virginia" were in no sense works of literature, but simply businesslike reports of the doings of the colonists, and descriptions of the country that they had found. The former was probably written for the information of the proprietors, with no thought of its publication. Some of the later works were undertaken with a less immediate practical aim. There is no evidence that the author had ever tried to write before he came to Jamestown, and the style of the "True Even the Relation" indicates that it is the work of a novice in the art. "Map of Virginia," written only a few months later, shows a decided advance in style; and some of the later works, produced with greater leisure and after more practice, have in passages here and there the sonorous effectiveness of the better Elizabethan prose.

The selections here given are from the complete edition of Smith's writings edited by Edward Arber. Except for changes in paragraphing and occasionally in punctuation, the text is that of the first editions of the respective works.]

THE BEGINNINGS OF JAMESTOWN

[From the "True Relation," etc.]

Kinde Sir, commendations remembred, &c. You shall understand that after many crosses in the downes by tempests, wee arrived safely uppon the Southwest part of the great Canaries: within foure or five daies after we set saile for Dominica, the 26. of Aprill: the first land we made, wee fell with Cape Henry, the verie mouth of the Bay of Chissia piacke, which at that present

we little expected, having by a cruell storme bene put to the Northward:

Anchoring in this Bay twentie or thirtie went a shore with the Captain, and in comming aboard, they were assalted with certaine Indians, which charged them within Pistoll shot: in which conflict, Captaine Archer and Mathew Morton were shot: wherupon Captaine Newport seconding them, made a shot at them, which the Indians little respected, but having spent their arrowes retyred without harme. And in that place was the Box opened, wherin the Counsell for Virginia was nominated: and arriving at the place where wee are now seated, the Counsell was sworn, and the President elected, which for that yeare was Maister Edm. Maria Wingfield, where was made choice for our scituation, a verie fit place for the erecting of a great cittie, about which some contention passed betwixt Captaine Wingfield and Captaine Gosnold: notwithstanding, all our provision was brought a shore, and with as much speede as might bee wee went about our fortification.

The two and twenty day of Aprill, Captain Newport and my selfe with divers others, to the number of twenty two persons, set forward to discover the River, some fiftie or sixtie miles, finding it in some places broader, and in some narrower, the Countrie (for the moste part) on each side plaine high ground, with many fresh Springes, the people in all places kindely intreating us, daunsing and feasting us with strawberries, Mulberries, Bread, Fish, and other their Countrie provisions wherof we had plenty: for which Captaine Newport kindely requited their least favours with Bels, Pinnes, Needles, beades, or Glasses, which so contented them that his liberallitie made them follow us from place to place, and ever kindely to respect us. In the midway staying to refresh our selves in a little Ile, foure or five savages came unto us which described unto us the course of the River, and after in our journey, they often met us, trading with us for such provision as wee had, and ariving at Arsatecke, hee whom we supposed to bee the chiefe King of all the rest, moste kindely entertained us, giving us in a guide to go with us up the River to Powhatan, of which place their great Emperor taketh his name, where he that they honored for King used us kindely. But to finish this discoverie, we passed on further, where within a mile we were intercepted with great

craggy stones in the midst of the river, where the water falleth so rudely, and with such a violence, as not any boat can possibly passe, and so broad disperseth the streame, as there is not past five or sixe Foote at a low water, and to the shore scarce passage with a barge, the water floweth foure foote, and the freshes by reason of the Rockes have left markes of the inundations 8. or 9. foote: The south side is plaine low ground, and the north side high mountaines, the rockes being of a gravelly nature, interlaced with many vains of glistring spangles.

That night we returned to Powhatan: the next day (being Whitsunday after dinner) we returned to the fals, leaving a mariner in pawn with the Indians for a guide of theirs, hee that they hon-. oured for King followed us by the river. That afternoone we trifled in looking upon the Rockes and river (further he would not goe) so there we erected a crosse, and that night taking our man at Powhatans, Captaine Newport congratulated his kindenes with a Gown and a Hatchet: returning to Arsetecke, and stayed there the next day to observe the height therof, and so with many signes of love we departed.

AN ADVENTURE WITH THE INDIANS

[From the "True Relation"]

Having 2 Indians for my guide and 2 of our own company, I set forward, leaving 7 in the barge:

Having discovered 20 miles further in this desart, the river stil kept his depth and bredth, but much more combred with trees: Here we went ashore (being some 12 miles higher then the barge had bene) to refresh our selves, during the boyling of our vituals: One of the Indians I tooke with me, to see the nature of the soile, and to crosse the boughts of the river: the other Indian I left with Maister Robbinson and Thomas Emry, with their matches lighted, and order to discharge a peece, for my retreat, at the first sight of any Indian.

But within a quarter of a houre I heard a loud cry, and a hollowing of Indians, but no warning peece. Supposing them surprised, and that the Indians had betraid us, presently I seazed

him and bound his arme fast to my hand in a garter, with my pistoll ready bent to be revenged on him: he advised me to fly, and seemed ignorant of what was done.

But as we went discoursing, I was struck with an arrow on the right thigh, but without harme: upon this occasion I espied 2. Indians drawing their bowes, which I prevented in discharging a french pistoll:

By that I had charged againe, 3 or 4 more did the like: for the first fell downe and fled: At my discharge, they did the like. My hinde I made my barricado, who offered not to strive. 20. or 30. arrowes were shot at me but short. 3 or 4 times I had discharged my pistoll ere the king of Pamaunck called Opeckankenough with 200 men, invironed me, eache drawing their bowe: which done they laid them upon the ground, yet without shot:

My hinde treated betwixt them and me of conditions of peace; he discovred me to be the Captaine: my request was to retire to the boate: they demaunded my armes, the rest they saide were slaine, onely me they would reserve:

The Indian importuned me not to shoot. In retiring being in the midst of a low quagmire, and minding them more than my steps, I stept fast into the quagmire, and also the Indian in drawing me forth:

Thus surprised, I resolved to trie their mercies: my armes I caste from me, till which none durst approch me.

Being ceazed on me, they drew me out and led me to the King. I presented him with a compasse diall, describing by my best meanes the use therof: whereat he so amazedly admired, as he suffered me to proceed in a discourse of the roundnes of the earth, the course of the sunne, moone, starres and plannets.

With kinde speeches and bread he requited me, conducting me where the Canow lay and John Robbinson slaine, with 20 or 30. arrowes in him. Emry I saw not.

I perceived by the aboundance of fires all over the woods,1 At each place I expected when they would execute me, yet they used me with what kindnes they could:

Approaching their Towne, which was within 6 miles where I

[The text is unintelligible here. Arber supplies some such expression as "that they were a party hunting deer."]