CHAPTER IV.

JOHN SMITH, THE HERO OF JAMESTOWN.

The little fleet of three ships that sailed away from England on the last day of the year 1606 did not reach Virginia until spring of the year following. They, had stopped at the Canaries for two weeks for barter and rest. The first landing was made on April 26, 1607, at Cape Henry, where a cross was set up and fitting religious ceremonies observed. Moving leisurely up the coast from Cape Henry, the first stop was at Lynnhaven Bay, where the colonists had their first encounter with the Indians. It seems that these Indians were surprised at an oyster roast, and were driven away only after some serious resistance. It was permitted the voyagers to regale themselves for the first time with the Lynnhaven oyster, which is "facile princeps" of all the crustaceans. Certainly never before-it is to be seriously doubted if ever afterward-had they tasted such oysters as they dug out of the Oasting heap that the Indians had piled and baked together.

The course of the colonists probably led them next to the point now known as Newport News. Here they were met by an Indian chief, offering welcome and hospitality, and giving every assurance of friendliness on the part of his people. Moving up the river, which they named James in honor of the King, the settlers finally reached, on May 13, 1607, the peninsula on which they landed and began to build a town which they called James City. If we may believe the story of their voyage, it was one of storm, both without and within.

From the beginning there was strife, jealousy and suspicion among those who were destined to be the leaders in the new colony. Among the passengers was one John Smith. There was something in his manner and speech that was offensive to the leading spirits of the expedition. There was a certain confidence in his bearing, much volubility and boldness in his speech that was exasperating. So acute did the situation become during the voyage across the Atlantic that this Englishman was finally put under arrest, and under this shadow he landed at Jamestown.

The story of his life hitherto corroborates the old saying that "truth is stranger than fiction." The story related by himself is exceedingly exciting and romantic. It would have been more easily believed if it had been put on record by other hands than his own. It runs something like this:

When but a youth he ran away from his home, carrying with him his trifling belongings, and entered upon a wonderful career of adventure. While a mere lad he was shipwrecked, and again, according to his own account, he was robbed at sea. He became a tramp and wanderer through France, where being attacked and robbed, he was left half dead and exceedingly near to perishing. Meeting this same horde of bandits later on, he reaped swift vengeance by slaying some of them. While on a ship carrying devout Catholics. to the Easter celebrations at Rome, he was thrown overboard in order to appease a most furious storm for which his heretical person was held responsible. Whatever became of the pious Christian voyagers after their most alarming experience, is not known. Smith himself partly floated and partly swam to a desolate island. From this island he was rescued by a passing ship. While on this ship there was an encounter with a Venetian argosy, and after a bloody conflict, in which he

was conspicuous, the argosy was captured and its treasury distributed between those engaged in the battle.

Later on he joined the Germans, who were engaged in a fierce war against the Turks. As a soldier in the army of Prince Sigismund, he had a memorable experience with three Turks who were the champions of the Turkish armies. In this encounter he slew first one and then another, and stilí another of the Turks, who, in turn, engaged him in duel. This exploit commanded for him at once the favor of the German army, and especially of Prince Sigismund, who made him a present of a handsome purse, and who afterwards gave him a patent of nobility, the coat-of-arms of which was a shield upon which were emblazoned three Turks' heads, commemorating the combat with the three Turks of the Mohammedan forces.

Some time after this engaging pastime, in a most disastrous battle with the Turks, he was captured and publicly sold as a slave in the streets of Constantinople. He was bought by a Turkish lady of rank, and whether true or not, Smith imagined that this same lady became greatly enamored of him. For some reason or other, the husband of this fair lady must have shared in Smith's imaginings, for Smith was transported and subjected to the care of a tender brother-inlaw who lived on the boundaries of the Caspian Sea. For reasons that were not explained to Smith, he was cruelly treated, and again and again was wickedly beaten at the pleasure and caprice of the aforesaid brother-in-law. It turned out, however, that one day it came to be Smith's turn at the occupation of threshing, and the flail which had been used for beating out the wheat was employed by him in pounding out the brains of his hard master. Seizing the 1orse of his deceased lord, with little ceremony and less delay, he rode away toward the Russian realm, and after some

weeks of wandering and unutterable suffering, he reached a refuge of safety, from which he came to England just at the time that Gosnold and others were busy in the preparation of the expedition to Virginia.

Whether one accepts the truthfulness of these stories related above depends largely upon one's point of view. Fortunately for Smith, the most exciting and unlikely of the incidents narrated is corroborated by other and older records. than his own. The story of the encounter with the Turks and the subsequent reward on the part of Sigismund are matters that had gone on record before Smith's relations concerning them had been made public. In all fairness, it would seem that there are three considerations that should determine one's posture in this contention. First of all, Smith's personal character seems to have been far above the average type of morality in his day. It is testified of him that he was not given to much drink, nor to gambling, nor to profanity. There were not many of his day enjoying the same privileges and opportunities of whom these three things could be said v. ithout hope of contradiction. Second, it ought to be remembered that the day in which he lived was a day of large exaggerations. The terms in which ordinary things were described were usually lurid and flamboyant, and to hold him at fault for his style of speech and writing would be to condemn well-nigh all who undertook to give expression to their thoughts or a narration of their experiences. Third, it should be considered that the times in which Smith lived were times. in which such incidents as he related concerning himself were, evidently, exceedingly common. When we may believe that Sir John Popham, who afterwards became Chief Justice of England, played the part of a highwayman when a law student at Middle Temple, earning thus for himself means with which to pursue his studies, such encounters as

Smith relates of himself should not be difficult for us to accept. The truth is, as it has been well spoken, "Those who do not believe in the accuracy of his relations concerning himself refuse to see anything worthy in his deeds. On the other hand, those who recognize the value of his deeds, do not find it difficult to accept his relations as being reliable and authentic."

Jamestown, the place selected for the permanent settlement of the colony, did not prove, as might easily have been foreseen, a place at all suitable for the adequate protection and health of the colonists. It was a low peninsula, much of which was covered with water at the flood tide, and on which could be found no pure supply of drinking water, and for these two reasons it ought to have been rejected as a it habitation for the new settlers. The situation and surroundings were as unsanitary as they possibly could be, and wellnigh most of the unutterable suffering through which the settlers were to pass can be traced to this unfortunate selection of a site upon which to build a colony. Moreover, the nearness of the Indians, whom the colonists too soon offended and alienated, and the meagre supplies that they had brought with them from across the waters, and the ignorance and incompetency of the settlers to earn their living under these new conditions, ought to have shown what would inevitably follow. Smith, the most capable man among the settlers, and the one most likely to rally their drooping spirits and to prevent disorganization and confusion, was at first excluded from the council of seven appointed by King James to rule the colony planted in the wiiderness of Virginia. A whim of the King caused him to place in a sealed box the names of the first council of Virginia. Great was the surprise when the box was opened and it was found that John Smith, who had been arrested