CHAPTER III. 1604-1607. * in sixteen days reached Ecopolis, a Russian April 10th, 1606, letters patent were isfrontier post on the Don. The governor there sued authorizing the establishment of two took off his irons, and he was kindly treated Colonies in Virginia and other parts of Amerby him and the lady Callamata. Passing ica. All the country from 34 to 45 degrees through Russia and Poland, he returned to of North latitude, then known as Virginia, Transylvania, in December, 1603. Here he was divided into two colonies, the first, or met many friends and enjoyed so much hap- Southern, and the second, or Northern. The piness, that nothing less than his desire to Southern colony was appropriated to Lonrevisit his native country could have torn him don, and the plantation of it was entrusted away. Proceeding through Hungary, Mora- to Sir Thomas Gates and Sir George Somers, via and Bohemia, he went to Leipsic, where knights, Richard Hackluyt clerk, prebendary he found Prince Sigismund, who gave him of Westminster, Edward Maria Wingfield fifteen hundred golden ducats to repair his and some others. It was provided that the losses. Travelling through Germany, France Colony should have a council of its own, and Spain, from Gibraltar he sailed for Tan- subject to a superior council in England. gier, in Africa, and to the city of Morocco. The inferior council was authorized to search Taking passage in a French man-of-war, he for and dig mines, coin money, carry over was present in a terrible sea-fight with two adventurers and repel intruders. Revenue Spanish ships, and after touching at Santa duties were imposed, the colonists invested Cruz, Cape Goa and Mogadore, he finally with the privileges of English subjects, and returned to England about the year 1604. the lands granted to settlers in free and common soccage. On the 20th of November, 1606, instructions were given by the Crown for the government of the two Colonies, directing that the council in England should be appointed by the Crown, the local council by the superior one in England, the local council to choose a President annually from its own body, the Christian religion to be preached, lands to descend as in England, the trial by jury secured in criminal causes, and the council empowered to determine all civil actions, all produce and goods imported to be stored in magazines, a clerk and treasurer, or Cape Merchant to be appointed for the colony. The stockholders, styled adventurers, were authorized to organize a company for the Bartholomew Gosnold was the prime mo- management of the business of the colony, ver, and Captain John Smith the chief actor in and to superintend the proceedings of the the settlement of Virginia. Gosnold, who local council. The Colonists were enjoined had already made a voyage to New England, to treat the natives with kindness, and to in 1602, for many years fruitlessly labored to endeavor by all means to convert them to set on foot an expedition for that purpose. Christianity. March 9th, 1607, the genAt length he was reinforced in his efforts by eral council was enlarged and further inCaptain Smith, Edward Maria Wingfield, a structions given for its government. May merchant, Robert Hunt, a clergyman, and 23rd, a charter was granted to the treasurer others, and by their united exertions, certain and company of adventurers for the city of the nobility, gentry and merchants be- of London for the first Colony of Virginia. came interested in the project, and King To this company was granted all the land in James the first, who, in 1603, had succeeded Elizabeth, was induced to lend it his countenance. t Gosnold, Smith and others set on foot another expedition; James I. issues Letters patent; Instructions for government of the Colony; Charter granted to London Company for First Colony of Virginia; Sir Thomas Smith Treasurer; Government of the Colony; Three vessels under Newport sail for Virginia; The voyage; Enter Chesapeake Bay; Ascend the James river; The Eng lish entertained by the Chief of the Quiyoughcohanocks; Landing at Jamestown; Wingfield President; Smith excluded from the council. * Stith, 30. + Smith, Vol. I, p. 149. that part of America called Virginia, from the Southward two hundred miles up into the interposition of the clergyman, Mr. Hunt. the land from sea to sea West and North- The winds at length proving favorable, the west. The council in England was authori- little fleet proceeded along the old route, by zed to establish forms of government for the the Canaries, to the West Indies, and after Colony, and the governor was empowered, in passing three weeks there, sailed in quest of case of rebellion, or mutiny, to enforce mar- the island of Roanoke. Having exceeded tial law, and the oath of supremacy was re- their reckoning three days, without finding quired to be taken by the Colonists. For land, the crew grew impatient, and Ratcliffe, the rest, the provisions of the letters patent captain of the pinnace, proposed to steer granted to Sir Thomas Gates were generally back for England. At this conjuncture, a re-enacted. * Sir Thomas Smith was ap-violent storm providentially drove them into pointed Treasurer of the company in Eng- the mouth of Chesapeake bay. The first land, and the chief management of their af- land they came in sight of, April 26, 1607, fairs was entrusted to him. He was an emi- they called Cape Henry, in honor of the nent London merchant, had been chief of prince of Wales, eldest son of king James.* Sir Walter Raleigh's assignees, was about A party of thirty landing, found "flowers of this time governor of the East India Com- divers kinds and colors and goodly trees." pany, and had been ambassador to Russia. † While recreating themselves on the shore, The frame of government provided for the they were assaulted by five of the savages, new Colony was cumbrous and complicated. who came creeping upon all fours from the The legislative and administrative powers were hills, like bears," and wounded two, but reso distributed between the local council, the tired at the discharge of muskets. † Crown and the company, as to involve de- That night the sealed box was opened, lay, uncertainty, conflict and irresponsibility. when it appeared that the members of counThe Colonists, by the words of the charter, cil appointed, were Bartholomew Gosnold, were invested with the rights of English- John Smith, Edward Maria Wingfield, Chrismen; yet as far as political rights were concerned, there being no security provided by which they could be vindicated, they might often prove to be of no more real value than the parchment on which they were written. Yet the government of an infant colony must of necessity be for the most part arbitrary. The political rights of the colonists must for Seventeen days were spent in quest of a a time lie in abeyance. The civil rights of place for the settlement. A point, at the enthe Virginia colonists were protected by the trance of the Chesapeake bay, they named trial by jury, and lands were held by a free Point Comfort, because they found a good harbor there, which, after the late storm, tenure. 66 topher Newport, John Ratcliffe, John Martin and George Kendall. They were instructed to elect out of their own number a president for one year. He and the council together were invested with the government. Affairs of moment were to be examined by a jury, but determined by the council. After long delay three vessels were equip-"put them in good comfort." Landing there ped for the expedition, one of twenty tons, April 30th, they saw five Indians, who were one of forty, the third of one hundred. They at first alarmed, but seeing Captain Newport were commanded by Captain Christopher lay his hand upon his heart, they came boldNewport, a navigator experienced in voyages ly up and invited the strangers to Kecoughto the New world. Orders were put on board, tan (Hampton) their town. There the Engenclosed in a sealed box, not to be opened lish were entertained with corn-bread, tobacco until their arrival in Virginia. They set sail and pipes and a dance. May 4th, they were on the 19th of December, 1606, from Black- kindly received by the Paspaheghs. The wall. For six weeks head-winds detained them in the Downs, within view of the English coast. During this interval, disorder threatening a mutiny, prevailed among the adventurers. However it was suppressed by Stith, Appendix 8. I Hen., 76. + Stith, 42. Smith, vol. 1, p. 151. Cape Charles was called after the King's second son, then Duke of York, afterwards Charles I. + Narrative (in 4 Purchas' Pilgrims, p. 1685,) by George Percy, brother of the Earl of Northumberland and one of the first expedition. See Hillard's Life of Smith, in Sparks' Amer. Biog. 211 and 214, in note. Hillard in the main follows Stith. chief of a neighboring tribe sent a guide man in sunder." The English making signs to conduct them to his habitation, and stood of peace, were suffered to land unmolested.* on the bank of the river to meet them when At length they selected for the site of the they landed, “with all his train," (says Per- Colony, a peninsula on the North side of the cy,) "as goodly men as any I have seen of James river and about forty miles from its savages or Christians, the Werowance † com- mouth. In honor of the reigning king, they ing before them playing on a flute made of named it Jamestown. It belonged to the a reed, with a crown of deer's hair, colored country of the Paspaheghs. The situation red, in fashion of a rose, fastened about his eligible in some points, was, however, exknot of hair, and a great plate of copper on tremely unhealthy. They landed at Jamesthe other side of his head, with two long town on the 13th day of May, 1607. This feathers, in fashion of a pair of horns, placed was the first permanent settlement effected in the midst of his crown. His body was by the English in North America, after the painted all with crimson, with a chain of lapse of one hundred and ten years from the beads about his neck; his face painted blue, discovery of the Continent by the Cabots, besprinkled with silver ore, as we thought; and twenty-two years after the first attempt his ears all behung with bracelets of pearl to colonize it, made under the auspices of and in either ear a bird's claw through it, Walter Raleigh. beset with fine copper or gold. He enter- Upon landing, the council took the oath tained us in so modest a proud fashion, as of office; Edward Maria Wingfield, a Lonthough he had been a prince of civil govern- don merchant, † was elected President,—the ment, holding his countenance without laugh- first executive officer in Virginia. Thomas ter or any such ill behavior. He caused his Studley was made cape merchant or treasmat to be spread on the ground, where he urer of the Colony. Smith was excluded sate down with a great majesty, taking a pipe from his seat in the council, upon some false of tobacco, the rest of his company standing pretences. 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 palace was settled. We passed through the woods in fine paths, having most pleasant springs, which issued from the mountains. We also went through the goodliest corn-fields that ever were seen in any country. When we came to Rappohanna town he entertained us in good humanity." When this hospitable, unsophisticated chief was piping a welcome to the English, how little did he anticipate the scenes which were to ensue ! On the 8th of May, they went further up the river to the country of the Appomattocks, who came forth to meet them "with bows and arrows in a most warlike manner, with the swords at their backs, beset with sharp stones and pieces of iron able to cleave a * Called by Percy, in his Narrative, Rappahannas, but as no such tribe is mentioned by Smith as being found near the James river, they were probably the Quiyoughcoha nocks, who dwelt on the North side of the river, about ten miles above Jamestown.-Smith, vol. 1, p. 140–1. † Chief. CHAPTER IV. 1607-1608. Newport and Smith with a party explore the James to the Falls; Powhatan; Jamestown assaulted by Indians; Smith's Voyages up the Chickahominy; Murmurs against him; Again explores the Chickahominy; Made prisoner; Carried captive through the country; Taken to Werowocomoco; Rescued by Pocahontas; Returns to Jamestown; Fire there; Rage for gold-hunting; Newport visits Powhatan; Newport's departure; Affairs at Jamestown. All hands now fell to work; the council planning a fort, the rest clearing ground for pitching tents, preparing clapboard for freighting the vessels, laying off gardens, weaving fish-nets, &c. The Indians frequently visited them in a friendly way. The President's overweening jealousy would allow no military exercise or fortification, save the boughs of trees, thrown together in a half-moon, by the energy of Cap * Percy's Narrative. f Hillard's Life of Smith. 2 Sparks' Amer. Biog, 209. tain Kendall. April 22nd, Newport, Smith | expedition. Envying his superiority, they and twenty others were despatched to dis- gave out that he was meditating to usurp cover the head of the river on which they the government, murder the council and were seated,―called by the Indians Powha- make himself king; that his confederates tan, by the English the James. The natives were dispersed in the three vessels, and that every where received them kindly, dancing divers of them who had revealed it, would and feasting them with bread, fish, strawber- now confirm it. Upon these accusations, ries, mulberries, &c., for which Newport re- Smith had been arrested, and had now lain quited them with bells, pins, needles, beads for more than three months under these susand looking-glasses, which so pleased them, picions. Newport being about to embark for that they followed the strangers from place England, Smith's accusers affected through to place. In six days they reached a town pity to refer him to the council in England, called Powhatan, one of the seats of the rather than overwhelm him on the spot, by great chief of that name, whom they found an exposure of his criminal designs. Smith, there. It consisted of twelve wigwams, pleas- however, defied their malice, defeated their antly seated on a bold range of hills over- machinations, and so bore himself in the looking the river, with three islets in front, whole affair, that all saw his innocency and and many corn fields around. This pictu- the malignity of his enemies. Those subresque spot lies on the North bank of the orned to accuse him, charged his enemies river, about a mile below the falls, and still with subornation of perjury. Kendall, the bears the name of Powhatan. * The party chief of them, was adjudged to pay him two visited the falls and erected a cross there, to hundred pounds in damages, which, howindicate the furtherest point of discovery. † ever, Smith at once contributed to the comNewport presented Powhatan with a gown mon stock of the colony. During these disand a hatchet. Upon their return, at Wey-putes, Hunt,* the chaplain, used his exeranoke, within twenty miles of Jamestown, tions to reconcile the parties, and at his inthe Indians first gave cause for distrust. Ar- stance, Smith was admitted into the council riving at Jamestown the next day, they found on the 14th day of June, and on the next seventeen men, including the greater part of day they all received the communion.† On the council, wounded and a boy slain by the the 16th, the Indians sued for peace, and on savages. During the assault, a cross-bar shot the 22nd Newport weighed anchor, leaving from one of the vessels, struck down a bough at Jamestown one hundred settlers with proof a tree amongst them and made them re- vision for more than three months. tire. But for that, all the settlers would probably have been massacred, as they were planting corn in security without arms. gendered by the insalubrity of the place, and Wingfield now consented that the fort should be palisaded, cannon mounted, and the men armed and exercised. The attacks and am- man buscades of the natives were frequent, and ley. the English, by their careless straggling, were ings Castles in the ayre." From May to Sepoften wounded, while the fleet-footed sava- tember fifty persons, or one half of the Colges easily escaped. The rest subsisted upon sturgeon, Thus the Colonists endured continual hard- or crabs. Wingfield, the President, not conships, guarding the workmen by day and tent with engrossing the public store of prokeeping watch by night. Six weeks being visions, now undertook to escape from the thus spent, Newport was now about to re- Colony and return to England in the pinturn to England. Now ever since their de-nace. parture from the Canaries, Smith had been in a sort of duress upon the scandalous charges of some of the leading men in the * Stith 46 says, "This place I judge to be either Mrs. Mayo's or Warring's plantation.” + Newes from Virginia, by Captain John Smith, p. 5. Not long after Newport's departure, a fatal sickness began to prevail at Jamestown, en the scarcity and bad quality of their food. For some time the daily allowance for each was a pint of damaged wheat, or bar"Our drinke was water, and our lodg ony, died. Baseness so extreme aroused the in *This exemplary man never returned to England, but how long he survived in Virginia is not known. It is probable that the first marriage in the colony was solemnized by him.-Hawks' Narrative, 22. Smith, Vol. 1, p. 153. Colony supplied by the Indians * dignation even of the emaciated Colonists. | to stay or sink. Kendall was tried by a jury, They deposed Wingfield, and put Captain convicted and shot. Not long after, RatJohn Ratcliffe in his place. Kendall, a con- cliffe and Captain Gabriel Archer made a federate of Wingfield, was displaced from similar attempt-and it was foiled by Smith. the council. Among the victims to disease At the approach of winter the rivers of was Bartholomew Gosnold, the projector of Virginia abounded with wild-fowl, and the the expedition-a name worthy to be ranked English now were well supplied with bread, with Smith and Raleigh. The sick during peas, pumpkins, persimmons, fish and game. this calamitous season received the faithful But this plenty did not last long, for what attentions of Thomas Wotton, surgeon-gen-Smith carefully provided, the Colonists careeral. lessly wasted. At length their stores were exhausted, The council now began to mutter comthe sturgeon gone, all effort abandoned, and plaints against Smith for not discovering the an attack from the savages each moment ex-source of the Chickahominy. It was suppected, when a benignant Providence put posed that the South Sea lay not far distant, it into the hearts of the Indians to supply and that a communication with it would be the famished Colony with an abundance of found by some river running from the North fruits and provision. West. The Chickahominy flowed in this diWeak minds in trying scenes pay an in-rection, and hence, ludicrous as the idea now voluntary homage to superior genius. Rat- appears, the anxiety to trace that river to its cliffe, the new President, and Martin, find- head. ing themselves unpopular and incompetent, entrusted the helm of affairs to Smith. He council, made another voyage up that river set the Colonists to work, some to mow, others to build houses and thatch them, himself always bearing the heaviest task. Thus in a short time habitations were provided for the greater part of them. A church was built at this time. * Smith to allay the dissatisfaction of the and proceeded until it became necessary, in order to pass, to cut away trees which had fallen across the stream. When at last the barge could advance no farther, he moored her in a broad bay out of danger, and leaving orders to his men not to venture on shore Smith now embarked in a shallop in quest until his return, with two of his party and of supplies. Ignorance of the Indian lan- two Indians he went higher up in a canoe. guage, want of sails for the boat, and appa- He had not been long absent before the men rel for the men, and their small force, were left in the barge went ashore, when one of great impediments, but did not dishearten them, George Cassen, was slain by the savaSmith. With a crew of six or seven, he ges. Smith, in the meanwhile, not suspectwent down the river to Kecoughtan, a town ing this disaster, reached the marshy ground of eighteen cabins. † Here he replied to a towards the head of the river and went out scornful defiance by a volley of musketry, and with his gun to provide food for the party. capturing their okee, an idol stuffed with During his excursion two of his men, Jehu moss, painted and hung with copper chains, ‡ Robinson and Thomas Emry, were slain, (as so terrified them, that they brought him a sup- he supposed,) while sleeping by the canoe. ply of venison, turkies, wild-fowl and bread. Smith was himself attacked by a numerous On his return he discovered the town and body of Indians, two of whom he killed with country of Warraskoyack, or Warrasqueake. a pistol. He protected himself from their After this, in several journeys, he discovered arrows by binding his savage guide to his the people of Chickahominy river. During arm with one of his garters and using him as his absence, Wingfield and Kendall seized a buckler. Many arrows pierced his clothes, the pinnace in order to escape to England. and some slightly wounded him. EndeavorBut Smith returning unexpectedly, opened so hot a fire upon them, as compelled them *Stith, vol. I, p. 170. + Newes from Virginia, p. 6. Smith, vol. I, p. 156. * Newes from Virginia, p. 7. Hillard in his Life of Smith, p. 228, says "In the action Captain Kendall was slain," being no doubt mis led by the expression in Smith, "which action cost the life of Captaine Kendall." By the word "action" here Smith intended his conduct. Bancroft, vol. I, p. 129, has fallen into the same mistake with Hillard. |