grew older； and the speech on Jamestown Island is still English。
* Op。 cit。； vol。 1； p。 127。
Christopher Newport was gone； no shipsthe last refuges； the last
possibilities for hometurning； should the earth grow too hard and the sky
too blackrode upon the river before the fort。 Here was the summer heat。 A
heavy breath rose from immemorial marshes； from the ancient floor of the
forest。 When clouds gathered and storms burst； they amazed the heart with
their fearful thunderings and lightnings。 The colonists had no well； but
drank from the river； and at neither high nor low tide found the water
wholesome。 While the ships were here they had help of ship stores； but now
they must subsist upon the grain that they had in the storehouse； now scant
and poor enough。 They might fish and hunt； but against such resources stood
fever and inexperience and weakness； and in the woods the lurking savages。
The heat grew greater； the water worse； the food less。 Sickness began。 Work
became toil。 Men pined from homesickness； then； coming together； quarreled
with a weak violence； then dropped away again into corners and sat
listlessly with hanging heads。
〃The sixth of August there died John Asbie of the bloodie Flixe。 The ninth
day died George Flowre of the swelling。 The tenth day died William Bruster
gentleman； of a wound given by the Savages 。。。。 The fourteenth day Jerome
Alikock； Ancient； died of a wound； the same day Francis Mid…winter； Edward
Moris； Corporall； died suddenly。 The fifteenth day their died Edward Browne
and Stephen Galthrope。 The sixteenth day their died Thomas Gower gentleman。
The seventeenth day their died Thomas Mounslie。 The eighteenth day theer
died Robert Pennington and John Martine gentlemen。 The nineteenth day died
Drue Piggase gentleman。
〃The two and twentieth day of August there died Captain Bartholomew Gosnold
one of our Councell； he was honourably buried having all the Ordnance in
the Fort shot off； with many vollies of small shot 。。。。
〃The foure and twentieth day died Edward Harrington and George Walker and
were buried the same day。 The six and twentieth day died Kenelme
Throgmortine。 The seven and twentieth day died William Roods。 The eight and
twentieth day died Thomas Stoodie； Cape Merchant。 The fourth day of
September died Thomas Jacob；Sergeant。 The fifth day there died Benjamin
Beast 。 。 。 。〃*
* Percy's 〃Discourse。〃
Extreme misery makes men blind； unjust； and weak of judgment。 Here was
gross wretchedness； and the colonists proceeded to blame A and B and C；
lost all together in the wilderness。 It was this councilor or that
councilor； this ambitious one or that one； this or that almost certainly
ascertained traitor！ Wanting to steal the pinnace； the one craft left by
Newport； wanting to steal away in the pinnace and leave the masssmall
enough mass now！without boat or raft or straw to cling to； made the
favorite accusation。 Upon this count； early in September； Wingfield was
deposed from the presidency。 Ratcliffe succeeded him； but presently
Ratcliffe fared no better。 One councilor fared worse； for George Kendall；
accused of plotting mutiny and pinnace stealing； was given trial； found
guilty； and shot。
〃The eighteenth day ＇of September＇ died one Ellis Kinistone 。 。 。。 The same
day at night died one Richard Simmons。 The nineteenth day there died one
Thomas Mouton 。 。 。 。〃
What went on； in Virginia； in the Indian mind； can only be conjectured。 As
little as the white mind could it foresee the trend of events or the
ultimate outcome of present policy。 There was exhibited a see…saw policy；
or perhaps no policy at all； only the emotional fit as it came hot or cold。
The friendly act trod upon the hostile； the hostile upon the friendly。
Through the miserable summer the hostile was uppermost； then with the
autumn appeared the friendly mood； fortunate enough for 〃the most feeble
wretches〃 at Jamestown。 Indians came laden with maize and venison。 The heat
was a thing of the past； cool and bracing weather appeared； and with it
great flocks of wild fowl； 〃swans； geese； ducks and cranes。〃 Famine
vanished； sickness decreased。 The dead were dead。 Of the hundred and four
persons left by Newport less than fifty had survived。 But these may be
thought of as indeed seasoned。
CHAPTER IV。 JOHN SMITH
With the cool weather began active exploration； the object in chief the
gathering from the Indians； by persuasion or trade or show of force； food
for the approaching winter。 Here John Smith steps forward as leader。
There begins a string of adventures of that hardy and romantic individual。
How much in Smith's extant narrations is exaggeration； how much is
dispossession of others' merits in favor of his own； it is difficult now to
say。* A thing that one little likes is his persistent depreciation of his
fellows。 There is but one Noble Adventurer； and that one is John Smith。 On
the other hand evident enough are his courage and initiative； his
ingenuity； and his rough； practical sagacity。 Let us take him at something
less than his own valuation； but yet as valuable enough。 As for his
adventures； real or fictitious； one may see in them epitomized the
adventures of many and many men； English； French； Spanish； Dutch； blazers
of the material path for the present civilization。
* Those who would strike John Smith from the list of historians will
commend the author's caution to the reader before she lets the Captain tell
his own tale。 Whatever Smith may not have been； he was certainly a
consummate raconteur。 He belongs with the renowned story…tellers of the
world； if not with the veracious chroniclers。Editor。
In December； rather autumn than winter in this region； he starts with the
shallop and a handful of men up a tributary river that they have learned to
call the Chickahominy。 He is going for corn； but there is also an idea that
he may hear news of that wished…for South Sea。
The Chickahominy proved itself a wonderland of swamp and tree…choked
streams。 Somewhere up its chequered reaches Smith left the shallop with men
to guard it； and； taking two of the party with two Indian guides； went on
in a canoe up a narrower way。 Presently those left with the boat
incautiously go ashore and are attacked by Indians。 One is taken； tortured；
and slain。 The others get back to their boat and so away； down the
Chickahominy and into the now somewhat familiar James。 But Smith with his
two men； Robinson and Emry； are now alone in the wilderness； up among
narrow waters； brown marshes； fallen and obstructing tree trunks。 Now come
the men…hunting Indians…the King of Pamaunck； says Smith； with two hundred
bowmen。 Robinson and Emry are shot full of arrows。 Smith is wounded； but
with his musket deters the foe； killing several of the savages。 His eyes
upon them； he steps backward； hoping he may beat them off till he shall
recover the shallop； but meets with the ill chance of a boggy and icy
stream into which he stumbles； and here is taken。
See him now before 〃Opechancanough； King of Pamaunck！〃 Savages and
procedures of the more civilized with savages have； the world over； a
family resemblance。 Like many a man before him and after； Smith casts about
for a propitiatory wonder。 He has with him； so fortunately； 〃a round ivory
double…compass dial。〃 This； with a genial manner； he would present to
Opechancanough。 The savages gaze； cannot touch through the glass the moving
needle； grunt their admiration。 Smith proceeds； with gestures and what
Indian words he knows； to deliver a scientific lecture。 Talking is best
anyhow； will give them less time in which to think of those men he shot。 He
tells them that the world is round； and discourses about the sun and moon
and stars and the alternation of day and night。 He speaks with eloquence of
the nations of the earth； of white men； yellow men； black men； and red men；
of his own country and its grandeurs； and would explain antipodes。
Apparently all is waste breath and of no avail； for in an hour see him
bound to a tree； a sturdy figure of a man； bearded and moustached； with a
high forehead； clad in shirt and jerkin and breeches and hosen and shoon；
all by this time； we may be sure； profoundly in need of repair。 The tree
and Smith are ringed byIndians； each of whom has an arrow fitted to his
bow。 Almost one can hear a knell ringing in the forest！ But Opechancanough；
moved by the compass； or willing to hear more of seventeenth…century
science； raises his arm and stops the execution。 Unbinding Smith； they take
him with them as a trophy。 Presently all reach their town of Orapaks。
Here he was kindly treated。 He saw Indian dances； heard Indian orations。
The women and children pressed about him and admired him greatly。 Bread and
venison were given him in such quantity that he feared that they meant to
fatten and eat him。 It is； moreover； dangerous to be considered powerful
where one is scarcely so。 A young Indian lay mortally ill； and they took
Smith to him and demanded that forthwith he be cured。 If the white man
could killhow they were not able to see he could likewise doubtless
restore life。 But the Indian presently died。 Hisfather； crying out in fury；
fell upon the stranger who could have done so much and would not！ Here also
coolness saved the white man。
Smith was now led in triumph from town to town through the winter woods。
The James was behind him； the Chickahominy also； he was upon new great
rivers； the Pamunkey and the Rappahannock。 All the villages were much
alike； alike the still woods； the sere patches from which the corn had been
taken； the bear； the deer； the foxes； the turkeys that were met with； the
countless wild fowl。 Everywhere were the same curious； crowding savages；
the fires； the rustic cookery； the covering skins of deer and fox and
otter； the oratory； the ceremonial dances； the manipulations of medicine
men or prieststhese last； to the Englishmen； pure 〃devils with antique
tricks。〃 Days were consumed in this going from place to place。 At one point
was produced a bag of gunpowder； gained in some way from Jamestown。 It was
being kept with care to go into the earth in the spring and produce； when
summer came； some wonderful crop。
Opechancanough was a great