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diff --git a/old/rchjm10.txt b/old/rchjm10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..61a8af0 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/rchjm10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4000 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Richard of Jamestown, by James Otis +#2 in our series by James Otis + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: Richard of Jamestown + A Story of the Virginia Colony + +Author: James Otis + +Release Date: February, 2005 [EBook #7465] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on May 4, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RICHARD OF JAMESTOWN *** + + + + +Produced by Martin Robb + + + + +RICHARD OF JAMESTOWN +by James Otis. + + + +FOREWORD + + +The purpose of this series of stories is to show the children, +and even those who have already taken up the study of history, the +home life of the colonists with whom they meet in their books. To +this end every effort has been made to avoid anything savoring of +romance, and to deal only with facts, so far as that is possible, +while describing the daily life of those people who conquered the +wilderness whether for conscience sake or for gain. + +That the stories may appeal more directly to the children, they +are told from the viewpoint of a child, and purport to have been +related by a child. Should any criticism be made regarding the +seeming neglect to mention important historical facts, the answer +would be that these books are not sent out as histories--although +it is believed that they will awaken a desire to learn more of +the building of the nation--and only such incidents as would be +particularly noted by a child are used. + +Surely it is entertaining as well as instructive for young people +to read of the toil and privations in the homes of those who came +into a new world to build up a country for themselves, and such +homely facts are not to be found in the real histories of our land. + +JAMES OTIS. + + + +WHO I AM + + +Yes, my name is Richard Mutton. Sounds rather queer, doesn't it? +The lads in London town used to vex me sorely by calling, "Baa, +baa, black sheep," whenever I passed them, and yet he who will may +find the name Richard Mutton written in the list of those who were +sent to Virginia, in the new world, by the London Company, on the +nineteenth day of December, in the year of Our Lord, 1606. + +Whosoever may chance to read what I am here setting down, will, +perhaps, ask how it happened that a lad only ten years of age was +allowed to sail for that new world in company with such a band of +adventurous men as headed the enterprise. + +Therefore it is that I must tell a certain portion of the story of +my life, for the better understanding of how I came to be in this +fair, wild, savage beset land of Virginia. + +Yet I was not the only boy who sailed in the Susan Constant, as you +may see by turning to the list of names, which is under the care, +even to this day, of the London Company, for there you will find +written in clerkly hand the names Samuel Collier, Nathaniel Peacock, +James Brumfield, and Richard Mutton. Nathaniel Peacock has declared +more than once that my name comes last in the company at the very +end of all, because I was not a full grown mutton; but only large +enough to be called a sheep's tail, and therefore should be hung +on behind, as is shown by the list. + +The reason of my being in this country of Virginia at so young an +age, is directly concerned with that brave soldier and wondrous +adventurer, Captain John Smith, of whom I make no doubt the people +in this new world, when the land has been covered with towns +and villages, will come to know right well, for of a truth he is +a wonderful man. In the sixth month of Grace, 1606, I Was living +as best I might in that great city of London, which is as much a +wilderness of houses, as this country is a wilderness of trees. My +father was a soldier of fortune, which means that he stood ready +to do battle in behalf of whatsoever nation he believed was in the +right, or, perhaps, on the side of those people who would pay him +the most money for risking his life. + +He had fought with the Dutch soldiers under command of one Captain +Miles Standish, an Englishman of renown among men of arms, and +had been killed. My mother died less than a week before the news +was brought that my father had been shot to death. Not then fully +understanding how great a disaster it is to a young lad when he +loses father or mother, and how yet more sad is his lot when he +has lost both parents, I made shift to live as best I might with a +sore heart; but yet not so sore as if I had known the full extent +of the misfortune which had overtaken me. + +At first it was an easy matter for me to get food at the home of +this lad, or of that, among my acquaintances, sleeping wherever +night overtook me; but, finally, when mayhap three months had gone +by, my welcome was worn threadbare, and I was told by more than +one, that a hulking lad of ten years should have more pride than +to beg his way from door to door. + +It is with shame I here set down the fact, that many weeks passed +before I came to understand, in ever so slight a degree, what a +milksop I must be, thus eating the bread of idleness when I should +have won the right, by labor, to a livelihood in this world. + +This last thought had just begun to take root in my heart when +Nathaniel Peacock, whose mother had been a good friend of mine +during a certain time after I was made an orphan, and I, heard +that a remarkably brave soldier was in the city of London, making +ready to go into the new world, with the intent to build there a +town for the king. + + + +CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH COMES TO LONDON + + +This man was no other than Captain John Smith, who, although at this +time not above six and twenty years of age, had already served in +the French, in the Dutch, and in the Transylvanian armies, where +he had met and overcome many dangers. + +He had been robbed and beaten and thrown into the sea because of +not believing in the religion of the men who attacked him; he had +been a slave among the Turks; he had fought, one after another, +three of the bravest in the Turkish army, and had cut off the head +of each in turn. + +Can it be wondered at that Nathaniel Peacock and I were filled to +overflowing with admiration for this wonderful soldier, or that we +desired above all things to see him? + +We loitered about the streets of London town from daylight until +night had come again, hoping to feast our eyes upon this same John +Smith, who was to us one of the wonders of the world, because in +so short a time he had made his name as a soldier famous in all +countries, and yet we saw him not. + +We had searched London town over and over for mayhap a full month, +doing nothing else save hunt for the man whose life had been so +filled with adventure, and each time we returned home, Mistress +Peacock reproached me with being an idle good for nothing, and +Nathaniel but little better. + +I believe it was her harsh words which caused to spring up in my +heart a desire to venture into the new world, where it was said +gold could be found in abundance, and even the smallest lad might +pick up whatsoever of wealth he desired, if so be his heart was +strong enough to brave the journey across the great ocean. + +The more I thought of what could be found in that land, which was +called Virginia, the stronger grew my desire, until the time came +when it was a fixed purpose in my mind, and not until then did I +breathe to Nathaniel a word of that which had been growing within +me. + +He took fire straightway I spoke of what it might be possible for +us lads to do, and declared that whether his mother were willing +or no, he would brave all the dangers of that terrible journey +overseas, if so be we found an opportunity. To him it seemed +a simple matter that, having once found a ship which was to sail +for the far off land, we might hide ourselves within her, having +gathered sufficient of food to keep us alive during the journey. +But how this last might be done, his plans had not been made. + +Lest I should set down too many words, and therefore bring upon +myself the charge of being one who can work with his tongue better +than with his hands, I will pass over all that which Nathaniel and +I did during the long time we roamed the streets, in the hope of +coming face to face with Captain Smith. + +It is enough if I set it down at once that we finally succeeded in +our purpose, having come upon him one certain morning on Cheapside, +when there was a fight on among some apprentices, and the way so +blocked that neither he nor any other could pass through the street, +until the quarrelsome fellows were done playing upon each other's +heads with sticks and stones. + +It seemed much as if fortune had at last consented to smile upon +us, for we were standing directly in front of the great man. + +I know not how it chanced that I, a lad whose apparel was far from +being either cleanly or whole, should have dared to raise my voice +in speech with one who was said to have talked even with a king. +Yet so I did, coming without many words to that matter which had +been growing these many days in my mind, and mayhap it was the very +suddenness of the words that caught his fancy. + +"Nathaniel Peacock and I are minded to go with you into that new +world, Captain John Smith, if so be you permit us," I said, "and +there we will serve you with honesty and industry." + +There was a smile come upon his face as I spoke, and he looked +down upon Nathaniel and me, who were wedged among that throng which +watched the apprentices quarrel, until we were like to be squeezed +flat, and said in what I took to be a friendly tone: + +"So, my master, you would journey into Virginia with the hope +of making yourself rich, and you not out from under your mother's +apron as yet?" + +"I have no mother to wear an apron, Captain Smith, nor father +to say I may go there or shall come here; but yet would serve you +as keenly as might any man, save mayhap my strength, which will +increase, be not so great as would be found in those older." + +Whether this valiant soldier was pleased with my words, or if in +good truth boys were needed in the enterprise, I cannot say; but +certain it is he spoke me fairly, writing down upon a piece of paper, +which he tore from his tablets, the name of the street in which he +had lodgings, and asking, as he handed it to me, if I could read. + +Now it was that I gave silent thanks, because of what had seemed +to me a hardship when my mother forced me to spend so many hours +each day in learning to use a quill, until I was able to write a +clerkly hand. + +It seemed to please this great soldier that I could do what few +of the lads in that day had been taught to master, and, without +further ado, he said to me boldly: + +"You shall journey into Virginia with me, an' it please you, lad. +What is more, I will take upon myself the charge of outfitting you, +and time shall tell whether you have enough of manliness in you to +repay me the cost." + +Then it was that Nathaniel raised his voice; but the captain gave +him no satisfaction, declaring it was the duty of a true lad to +stand by his mother, and that he would lend his aid to none who +had a home, and in it those who cared for him. + +I could have talked with this brave soldier until the night had +come, and would never have wearied of asking concerning what might +be found in that new world of Virginia; but it so chanced that when +the business was thus far advanced, the apprentices were done with +striving to break each other's heads, and Captain Smith, bidding +me come to his house next morning, went his way. + + + +THE PLANS OF THE LONDON COMPANY + + +Then it was that Nathaniel declared he also would go on the voyage +to Virginia, whether it pleased Captain Smith or no, and I, who +should have set my face against his running away from home, spoke +no word to oppose him, because it would please me to have him as +comrade. + +After this I went more than once to the house where Captain Smith +lodged, and learned very much concerning what it was proposed to +do toward building a town in the new world. + +Both Nathaniel and I had believed it was the king who counted to +send all these people overseas; but I learned from my new master +that a company of London merchants was in charge of the enterprise, +these merchants believing much profit might come to them in the +way of getting gold. + +The whole business was to be under the control of Captain Bartholomew +Gosnold, who, it was said, had already made one voyage to the new +world, and had brought back word that it was a goodly place in which +to settle and to build up towns. The one chosen to act as admiral +of the fleet, for there were to be three ships instead of one, as +I had fancied, was Captain Christopher Newport, a man who had no +little fame as a seaman. + +In due time, as the preparations for the voyage were being forwarded, +I was sent by my master into lodgings at Blackwall, just below +London town, for the fleet lay nearby, and because it was understood +by those in charge of the adventure that I was in Captain Smith's +service, no hindrance was made to my going on board the vessels. + + + +THE VESSELS OF THE FLEET + + +These were three in number, as I have already said: the Constant, +a ship of near to one hundred tons in size; the Goodspeed, of forty +tons, and the Discovery, which was a pinnace of only twenty tons. + +And now, lest some who read what I have set down may not be +acquainted with the words used by seamen, let me explain that the +measurement of a vessel by tons, means that she will fill so much +space in the water. Now, in measuring a vessel, a ton is reckoned +as forty cubic feet of space, therefore when I say the Susan Constant +was one hundred tons in size, it is the same as if I had set down +that she would carry four thousand cubic feet of cargo. + +That he who reads may know what I mean by a pinnace, as differing +from a ship, I can best make it plain by saying that such a craft +is an open boat, wherein may be used sails or oars, and, as in the +case of the Discovery, may have a deck over a certain portion of +her length. That our pinnace was a vessel able to withstand such +waves as would be met with in the ocean, can be believed when you +remember that she was one half the size of the Goodspeed, which we +counted a ship. + + + +HOW I EARNED MY PASSAGE + + +Captain Smith, my master, found plenty of work for me during the +weeks before the fleet sailed. He had many matters to be set down +in writing, and because of my mother's care in teaching me to use +the quill, I was able, or so it seemed to me, to be of no little +aid to him in those busy days, when it was as if he must do two or +three things at the same time in order to bring his business to +an end. I learned during that time to care very dearly for this +valiant soldier, who could, when the fit was on him, be as tender +and kind as a girl, and again, when he was crossed, as stern a man +as one might find in all London town. + +Because of my labors, and it pleased me greatly that I could do +somewhat toward forwarding the adventure, I had no time in which to +search for my friend, Nathaniel Peacock, although I did not cease +to hope that he would try to find me. + +I had parted with him in the city, and he knew right well where +I was going; yet, so far as I could learn, he had never come to +Blackwall. + +I had no doubt but that I could find him in the city, and it was +in my mind, at the first opportunity, to seek him out, if for no +other reason than that we might part as comrades should, for he +had been a true friend to me when my heart was sore; but from the +moment the sailors began to put the cargo on board the Susan Constant +and the Goodspeed, I had no chance to wander around Blackwall, let +alone journeying to London. + +Then came the twentieth of December, when we were to set sail, +and great was the rejoicing among the people, who believed that +we would soon build up a city in the new world, which would be of +great wealth and advantage to those in England. + +I heard it said, although I myself was not on shore to see what +was done, that in all the churches prayers were made for our safe +journeying, and there was much marching to and fro of soldiers, as +if some great merrymaking were afoot. + +The shore was lined with people; booths were set up where showmen +displayed for pay many curious things, and food and sweetmeats +were on sale here and there, for so large a throng stood in need +of refreshment as well as amusement. + +It was a wondrous spectacle to see all these people nearby on the +shore, knowing they had come for no other purpose than to look at +us, and I took no little pride to myself because of being numbered +among the adventurers, even vainly fancying that many wondered what +part a boy could have in such an undertaking. + +Then we set sail, I watching in vain for a glimpse of Nathaniel +Peacock as the ships got under way. Finally, sadly disappointed, +and with the sickness of home already in my heart, I went into the +forward part of the ship, where was my sleeping place, thinking +that very shortly we should be tossing and tumbling on the mighty +waves of the ocean. + +In this I was mistaken, for the wind was contrary to our purpose, +and we lay in the Downs near six weeks, while Master Hunt, the +preacher, who had joined the company that he might labor for the +good of our souls; lay so nigh unto death in the cabin of the Susan +Constant, that I listened during all the waking hours of the night, +fearing to hear the tolling of the ship's bell, which would tell +that he had gone from among the living. + +It was on the second night, after we were come to anchor in the +Downs awaiting a favorable wind, that I, having fallen asleep while +wishing Nathaniel Peacock might have been with us, was awakened +by the pressure of a cold hand upon my cheek. I was near to crying +aloud with fear, for the first thought that came was that Master +Hunt had gone from this world, and was summoning me; but before +the cry could escape my lips, I heard the whispered words: "It is +me, Nate Peacock!" + +It can well be guessed that I was sitting bolt upright in the +narrow bed, which sailors call a bunk, by the time this had been +said, and in the gloom of the seamen's living place I saw a head +close to mine. + +Not until I had passed my hands over the face could I believe it +was indeed my comrade, and it goes without saying that straightway +I insisted on knowing how he came there, when he should have been +in London town. + +I cannot set the story down as Nathaniel Peacock told it to me on +that night, because his words were many; but the tale ran much like +this: + + + +NATHANIEL'S STORY + + +When Captain John Smith had promised on Cheapside that I should +be one of the company of adventurers, because of such labor as it +might be possible for me to perform, and had refused to listen to +my comrade, Nathaniel, without acquainting me with the fact, had made +up his mind that he also would go into the new world of Virginia. + +Fearing lest I would believe it my duty to tell Captain Smith of his +purpose, he kept far from me, doing whatsoever he might in London +town to earn as much as would provide him with food during a certain +time. + +In this he succeeded so far as then seemed necessary, and when it +was known that the fleet was nearly ready to make sail, he came to +Blackwall with all his belongings tied in his doublet. + +To get on board the Susan Constant without attracting much attention +while she was being visited by so many curious people, was not +a hard task for Nathaniel Peacock, and three days before the fleet +was got under way, my comrade had hidden himself in the very foremost +part of the ship, where were stored the ropes and chains. + +There he had remained until thirst, or hunger, drove him out, on +this night of which I am telling you, and he begged that I go on +deck, where were the scuttle butts, to get him a pannikin of water. + +For those of you who may not know what a scuttle butt is, I will +explain that it is a large cask in which fresh water is kept on +shipboard. When Nathaniel's burning thirst had been soothed, he +began to fear that I might give information to Captain John Smith +concerning him; but after all that had been done in the way of +hiding himself, and remembering his suffering, I had not the heart +so to do. + +During four days more he spent all the hours of sunshine, and the +greater portion of the night, in my bed, closely covered so that +the sailors might not see him, and then came the discovery, when he +was dragged out with many a blow and harsh word to give an account +of himself. I fear it would have gone harder still with Nathaniel, +if I had not happened to be there at that very moment. + +As it was, I went directly to Captain John Smith, my master, +telling him all Nathaniel's story, and asking if the lad had not +shown himself made of the proper stuff to be counted on as one of +the adventurers. + +Although hoping to succeed in my pleading, I was surprised when +the captain gave a quick consent to number the lad among those who +were to go into the new land of Virginia, and was even astonished +when his name was written down among others as if he had been +pledged to the voyage in due form. + +But for the sickness of Master Hunt, and the fear we had lest he +should die, Nathaniel and I might have made exceeding merry while +we lay at anchor in the Downs, for food was plentiful; there was +little of work to be done, and we lads could have passed the time +skylarking with such of the sailors as were disposed to sport, +except orders had been given that no undue noise be made on deck. + + + +WE MAKE SAIL AGAIN + + +It seemed to me almost as if we spent an entire lifetime within +sight of the country we were minded to leave behind us, and indeed +six weeks, with no change of scene, and while one is held to the +narrow limits of a ship, is an exceeding long time. + +However, as I have heard Captain Smith say again and again, +everything comes to him who waits, and so also came that day when +the winds were favoring; when Captain Newport, the admiral of our +fleet, gave the word to make sail, and we sped softly away from +England's shores, little dreaming of that time of suffering, of +sickness, and of sadness which was before us. + +To Nathaniel and me, who had never strayed far from London town, and +knew no more of the sea than might have been gained in a boatman's +wherry, the ocean was exceeding unkind, and for eight and forty +hours did we lie in that narrow bed, believing death was very near +at hand. + +There is no reason why I should make any attempt at describing the +sickness which was upon us, for I have since heard that it comes +to all who go out on the sea for the first time. When we recovered, +it was suddenly, like as a flower lifts up its head after a refreshing +shower that has pelted it to the ground. + +I would I might set down here all which came to us during the +voyage, for it was filled with wondrous happenings; but because I +would tell of what we did in the land of Virginia, I must be sparing +of words now. + + + +THE FIRST ISLAND + + +It is to be remembered that our fleet left London on the twentieth +day of December, and, as I have since heard Captain Smith read +from the pages which he wrote concerning the voyage, it was on the +twenty-third of March that we were come to the island of Martinique, +where for the first time Nathaniel Peacock and I saw living savages. + +When we were come to anchor, they paddled out to our ships in frail +boats called canoes, bringing many kinds of most delicious fruits, +which we bought for such trumpery things as glass beads and ornaments +of copper. + +It was while we lay off this island that we saw a whale attacked and +killed by a thresher and a swordfish, which was a wondrous sight. + +And now was a most wicked deed done by those who claimed to be in +command of our company, for they declared that my master had laid +a plot with some of the men in each vessel of the fleet, whereby +the principal members of the company were to be murdered, to the +end that Captain Smith might set himself up as king after we were +come to the new world. + +All this was untrue, as I knew full well, having aided him in such +work as a real clerk would have done, and had there been a plot, +I must have found some inkling of it in one of the many papers I +read aloud to him, or copied down on other sheets that the work of +the quill might be more pleasing to the eye. + +Besides that, I had been with the captain a goodly portion of the +time while the ships were being made ready for the voyage, and if +he had harbored so much of wickedness, surely must some word of it +have come to me, who sat or stood near at hand, listening attentively +whenever he had speech with others of the company of adventurers. + + + +CAPTAIN SMITH A PRISONER + + +When the voyage was begun, and the captain no longer had need of +me, I was sent into the forward part of the ship to live, as has +already been set down, and therefore it was I knew nothing of what +was being done in the great cabin, where the leaders of the company +were quartered, until after my master was made a prisoner. Then it +was told me by the seaman who had been called by Captain Kendall, +as if it was feared my master, being such a great soldier, might +strive to harm those who miscalled him a traitor to that which he +had sworn. + +It seems, so the seaman said, that Captain John Martin was the one +who made the charges against my master, on the night after we set +sail from Martinique, when all the chief men of the company were +met in the great cabin, and he declared that, when it was possible +to do so, meaning after we had come to the land of Virginia, witnesses +should be brought from the other ships to prove the wicked intent. +Then it was that Captain George Kendall declared my master must be +kept a close prisoner until the matter could be disposed of, and +all the others, save Captain Bartholomew Gosnold, agreeing, heavy +irons were put upon him. He was shut up in his sleeping place, having +made no outcry nor attempt to do any harm, save that he declared +himself innocent of wrong doing. + +But for Captain Gosnold and Master Hunt, the preacher, I should +not have been permitted to go in and learn if I might do anything +for his comfort. The other leaders declared that my master was a +dangerous man, who should not be allowed to have speech with any +person save themselves, lest he send some message to those who were +said to be concerned with him in the plot. + + + +I ATTEND MY MASTER + + +Master Hunt spoke up right manfully in behalf of Captain Smith, +with the result that I was given free entrance to that small room +which had been made his prison, save that I must at all times leave +the door open, so those who were in the great cabin could hear if +I was charged with any message to the seamen. + +My eyes were filled with tears when my master told me that he had +no thought save that of benefiting those who were with him in the +adventure, and that he would not lend his countenance to any wicked +plot. + +I begged him to understand that I knew right well he would do no +manner of wrong to any man, and asked the privilege of being with +him all the time, to serve him when he could not serve himself +because of the irons that fettered his legs. + +And so it was that I had opportunity to do that which made my master +as true a friend as ever lad had, for in the later days when we +were come to Virginia and beset by savages more cruel than wild +beasts, he ventured his own life again and again to save mine, +which was so worthless as compared with his. + +Only that I might tell how the voyage progressed, did I go on deck, +or have speech with Nathaniel Peacock, and only through me did my +master know when we were come to this island or that, together with +what was to be seen in such places. + + + +SEVERAL ISLANDS VISITED + + +Therefore it was that when, on the next day after he was made a +prisoner, we were come to anchor off that island which the savages +called Gaudaloupe, and Nathaniel had been permitted to go on shore +in one of the boats, I could tell my master of the wondrous waters +which were found there. + +Nathaniel told me that water spouted up out of the earth so hot, +that when Captain Newport threw into it a piece of pork tied to a +rope, the meat was cooked in half an hour, even as if it had been +over a roaring hot fire. + +After that we passed many islands, the names of which I could not +discover, until we came to anchor within half a musket shot from +the shore of that land which is known as Nevis. Here we lay six +days, and the chief men of the company went on shore for sport and +to hunt, save always either Captain Martin or Captain Kendall, who +remained on board to watch the poor prisoner, while he, my master, +lay in his narrow bed sweltering under the great heat. + +During all this while, the seamen and our gentlemen got much profit +and sport from hunting and fishing, adding in no small degree to +our store of food. Had Captain Smith not been kept from going on +shore by the wickedness of those who were jealous because of his +great fame as a soldier, I dare venture to say our stay at this +island of Nevis would have been far more to our advantage. + +From this place we went to what Master Hunt told me were the Virgin +islands, and here the men went ashore again to hunt; but my master, +speaking no harsh words against those who were wronging him, lay +in the small, stinging hot room, unable to get for himself even +a cup of water, though I took good care he should not suffer from +lack of kindly care. + +Then on a certain day we sailed past that land which Captain Gosnold +told me was Porto Rico, and next morning came to anchor off the +island of Mona, where the seamen were sent ashore to get fresh +water, for our supply was running low. + +Captain Newport, and many of the other gentlemen, went on shore +to hunt, and so great was the heat that Master Edward Brookes fell +down dead, one of the sailors telling Nathaniel that the poor man's +fat was melted until he could no longer live; but Captain Smith, +who knows more concerning such matters than all this company rolled +into one, save I might except Master Hunt, declared that the fat +of a live person does not melt, however great the heat. It is the +sun shining too fiercely on one's head that brings about death, +and thus it was that Master Brookes died. + + + +A VARIETY OF WILD GAME + + +Our gentlemen who had the heart to make prisoner of so honest, upright +a man as my master, did not cease their sport because of what had +befallen Master Brookes, but continued at the hunting until they +had brought down two wild boars and also an animal fashioned like +unto nothing I had ever seen before. It was something after the +manner of a serpent, but speckled on the stomach as is a toad, and +Captain Smith believed the true name of it to be Iguana, the like +of which he says that he has often seen in other countries and that +its flesh makes very good eating. + +If any one save Captain Smith had said this, I should have found +it hard to believe him, and as it was I was glad my belief was +not put to the test. Two days afterward we were come to an island +which Master Hunt says is known to seamen as Monica, and there it +was that Nathaniel went on shore in one of the boats, coming back +at night to tell me a most wondrous story. + +He declared that the birds and their eggs were so plentiful that +the whole island was covered with them; that one could not set down +his foot, save upon eggs, or birds sitting on their nests, some of +which could hardly be driven away even with blows, and when they +rose in the air, the noise made by their wings was so great as to +deafen a person. + +Our seamen loaded two boats full of the eggs in three hours, and +all in the fleet feasted for several days on such as had not yet +been spoiled by the warmth of the birds' bodies. + +It was on the next day that we left behind us those islands which +Captain Smith told me were the West Indies, and the seaman who +stood at the helm when I came on deck to get water for my master, +said we were steering a northerly course, which would soon bring +us to the land of Virginia. + + + +THE TEMPEST + + +On that very night, however, such a tempest of wind and of rain +came upon us that I was not the only one who believed the Susan +Constant must be crushed like an eggshell under the great mountains +of water which at times rolled completely over her, so flooding +the decks that but few could venture out to do whatsoever of work +was needed to keep the ship afloat. After this fierce tempest, when +the Lord permitted that even our pinnace should ride in safety, it +was believed that we were come near to the new world, and by day +and by night the seamen stood at the rail, throwing the lead every +few minutes in order to discover if we were venturing into shoal +water. + +Nathaniel and I used to stand by watching them, and wishing that +we might be allowed to throw the line, but never quite getting up +our courage to say so, knowing full well we should probably make +a tangle of it. + + + +THE NEW COUNTRY SIGHTED + + +As Master George Percy has set down in the writings which I have +copied for him since we came to Virginia, it was on the twenty-sixth +day of April, in the year of our Lord 1607, at about four o'clock +in the morning, when we were come within sight of that land where +were to be built homes, not only for our company of one hundred +and five, counting the boys, but for all who should come after us. + +It was while the ship lay off the land, her decks crowded with our +company who fain would get the first clear view of that country in +which they were to live, if the savages permitted, that I asked my +master who among the gentlemen of the cabin was the leader in this +adventure. + +To my surprise, he told me that it was not yet known. The London +Company had made an election of those among the gentlemen who should +form the new government, and had written down the names, together +with instructions as to what should be done; but this writing was +enclosed in a box which was not to be opened until we had come to +the end of our voyage. + + + +THE LEADER NOT KNOWN + + +There could be no doubt but that Captain Kendall and Captain Martin +both believed that when the will of the London Company was made +known, it would be found they stood in high command; but there +was in my heart a great hope that my master might have been named. +Yet when I put the matter to him in so many words, he treated the +matter lightly, saying it could hardly be, else they had not dared +to treat him thus shamefully. + +However, it was soon to be known, if the commands of the London +Company were obeyed, for now we had come to this new land of +Virginia, and the time was near at hand when would be opened the +box containing the names of those who were to be officers in the +town we hoped soon to build. + +As for myself, I was so excited it seemed impossible to remain +quiet many seconds in one place, and I fear that my duties, which +consisted only in waiting upon the prisoner, my master, were +sadly neglected because of the anxiety in my mind to know who the +merchants in London had named as rulers of the settlement about to +be made in the new world. + +One would have believed from Captain Smith's manner that he had +no concern whatsoever as to the result of all this wickedness and +scheming, for it was neither more nor less than such, as I looked +at the matter, on the part of Captain Kendall and Captain Martin. + +Here we were in sight of the new world, at a place where we were to +live all the remainder of our lives, and he a prisoner in chains; +but yet never a word of complaint came from his lips. + + + +ARRIVAL AT CHESAPEAKE BAY + + +When the day had fully dawned, and the fleet stood in toward the +noble bay, between two capes, which were afterward named Cape Henry +and Cape Comfort, Captain Smith directed me to go on deck, in order +to keep him informed of what might be happening. + +He told me there was no question in his mind but that we were come +to the mouth of Chesapeake Bay, where it had been agreed with the +London merchants we were to go on shore. + +Standing at the head of the companionway, but not venturing out +on deck lest I should be sent to some other part of the ship, and +thus be unable to give my master the information which he desired, +I looked out upon what seemed to me the most goodly land that could +be found in all the wide world. + +Trees there were of size fit for masts to the king's ships; flowers +bordered the shore until there were seemingly great waves of this +color, or of that, as far as eye could reach, and set within this +dazzling array of green and gold, and of red and yellow, was a +great sea, which Captain Smith said was called the Chesapeake Bay. + +We entered for some distance, mayhap three or four miles, before +coming to anchor, and then Master Wingfield, Captain Gosnold, and +Captain Newport went on shore with a party of thirty, made up of +seamen and gentlemen, and my master, who had not so much as stretched +his legs since we sailed from Martinique, was left in his narrow +cabin with none but me to care for him! + +I had thought they would open the box containing the instructions +from London, before doing anything else; but Captain Smith was +of the mind that such business could wait until they had explored +sufficiently to find a place where the new town might be built. + +It was a long, weary, anxious day for me. The party had left the +ship in the morning, remaining absent until nightfall, and at least +four or five times every hour did I run up from the cabin to gaze +shoreward in the hope of seeing them return, for I was most eager to +have the business pushed forward, and to know whether my master's +enemies were given, by the London Company, permission to do whatsoever +they pleased. + + + +AN ATTACK BY THE SAVAGES + + +Just after sunset, and before the darkness of night closed in, those +who had been on shore came back very hurriedly and in disorder, +bringing with them in the foremost boat, two wounded men. + +"They have had a battle with some one, Master," I reported, before +yet the boats were come alongside, and for the first time that day +did Captain Smith appear to be deeply concerned. I heard him say +as if to himself, not intending that the words should reach me: + +"Lack of caution in dealing with the savages is like to cost us +dearly." + +Half an hour later I heard all the story from Nathaniel Peacock, +who had believed himself fortunate when he was allowed to accompany +the party on shore. + +According to his account, the company from the fleet roamed over +much of the land during the day, finding fair meadows and goodly +trees, with streams of fresh water here and there bespeaking fish +in abundance. + +Nothing was seen or heard to disturb our people until the signal +had been given for all to go on board the boats, that they might +return to the ships, and then it was that a number of naked, brown +men, creeping upon their hands and knees like animals, with bows +and arrows held between their teeth, came out suddenly from amid +the foliage to the number, as Nathaniel declared, of not less than +an hundred. + +While the white men stood dismayed, awaiting some order from those +who chose to call themselves leaders, the savages shot a multitude +of arrows into the midst of the company, wounding Captain Gabriel +Archer in both his hands, and dangerously hurting one of the seamen. + +Captain Gosnold gave command for the firearms to be discharged, +whereupon the savages disappeared suddenly, and without delay our +people returned to the fleet. + + + +READING THE LONDON COMPANY'S ORDERS + + +An hour later, when those who had just come from the shore had +been refreshed with food, I noted with much of anxiety that all +the gentlemen of the company, not only such as belonged on board +the Susan Constant, but those from the Speedwell, gathered in the +great cabin of our ship, and, looking out ever so cautiously, while +the door of Captain Smith's room was ajar, I saw them gather around +the big table on which, as if it were something of greatest value, +was placed a box made of some dark colored wood. + +It was Master Hunt who opened this, and, taking out a paper, he +read in a voice so loud that even my master, as he lay in his narrow +bed, could hear the names of those who were chosen by the London +Company to form the Council for the government of the new land of +Virginia. + +These are the names as he read them: Bartholomew Gosnold, Edward +Wingfield, Christopher Newport, John Smith, John Ratcliffe, John +Martin and George Kendall. + +My heart seemingly leaped into my throat with triumph when I thus +heard the name of my master among those who were to stand as leaders +of the company, and so excited had I become that that which Master +Hunt read from the remainder of the paper failed to attract my +attention. + +I learned afterward, however, that among the rules governing the +actions of this Council, was one that a President should be chosen +each year, and that matters of moment were to be determined by vote +of the Council, in which the President might cast two ballots. + +It was when Master Hunt ceased reading that I believed my master +would be set free without delay, for of a verity he had the same +right to take part in the deliberations as any other, since it was +the will of the London Company that he should be one of the leaders; +but much to my surprise nothing of the kind was done. Captain +Kendall, seeing the door of my master's room slightly open, arose +from the table and closed it, as if he were about to say something +which should not be heard by Captain Smith. + +I would have opened the door again, but that my master bade me +leave it closed, and when an hour or more had passed, Master Hunt +came in to us, stating that it had not yet been decided by the other +members of the Council whether Captain Smith should be allowed to +take part in the affairs, as the London Company had decided, or +whether he should be sent home for judgment when the fleet returned. +But meanwhile he was to have his liberty. + +Then it was that Master Hunt, talking like the true man he ever +showed himself to be, advised Captain Smith to do in all things, +so far as the other members of the Council permitted, as if nothing +had gone awry, claiming that before we had been many days in this +land, those who had brought charges against him would fail of making +them good. + +Had I been the one thus so grievously injured, the whole company +might have shipwrecked themselves before I would have raised a +hand, all of which goes to show that I had not learned to rule my +temper. + +Captain Smith, however, agreed with all Master Hunt said, and then +it was that I was sent forward once more. My master went on deck +for the first time since we had left Martinique, walking to and +fro swiftly, as if it pleased him to have command of his legs once +more. + +If Master Hunt and Master Wingfield had been able to bring the +others around to their way of thinking, Captain Smith would have +taken his rightful place in the Council without delay. Instead of +which, however, he remained on board the ship idle, when there was +much that he could have done better than any other, from the day +on which we came in sight of Virginia, which was the fifteenth day +of April, until the twenty-sixth day of June. + +During all this time, those of the Council who were his enemies +claimed that they could prove he had laid plans to murder all the +chief men, and take his place as king; but yet they did not do so, +and my master refused to hold any parley with them, except that he +claimed he was innocent of all wrong in thought or in act. + +When the others of the fleet set off to spy out the land, my master +remained aboard the ship, still being a prisoner, except so far +that he wore no fetters, and I would not have left him save he had +commanded me sharply, for at that time, so sore was his heart, that +even a lad like me could now and then say some word which might +have in it somewhat of cheer. + +During this time that Captain Smith was with the company and yet not +numbered as one of them, the other gentlemen explored the country, +and more than once was Nathaniel Peacock allowed to accompany them, +therefore did I hear much which otherwise would not have been told +me. + +And what happened during these two months when the gentlemen were +much the same as quarreling among themselves, I shall set down in +as few words as possible, to the end that I may the sooner come to +that story of our life in the new village, which some called James +Fort, and others James Town, after King James of England. + + + +EXPLORING THE COUNTRY + + +When the shallop had been taken out of the hold of the Susan +Constant, and put together by the Carpenters, our people explored +the shores of the bay and the broad streams running into it, meeting +with savages here and there, and holding some little converse with +them. A few were found to be friendly, while others appeared to +think we were stealing their land by thus coming among them. + +One of the most friendly of the savages, so Nathaniel said, having +shown by making marks on the ground with his foot that he wished +to tell our people about the country, and having been given a pen +and paper, drew a map of the river with great care, putting in the +islands and waterfalls and mountains that our men would come to, +and afterward he even brought food to our people such as wheat and +little sweet nuts and berries. + +I myself would have been pleased to go on shore and see these strange +people, but not being able to do so save at the cost of leaving my +master, I can only repeat some of the curious things which Nathaniel +Peacock told me. It must be known that there was more than one +nation, or tribe, of savages in this new land of Virginia, and +each had its king or chief, who was called the werowance. I might +set down the names of these tribes, and yet it would be so much +labor lost, because they are more like fanciful than real words. +As, for example, there were the Paspaheghes, whose werowance was +seemingly more friendly to our people than were the others. + +Again, there were the Rapahannas, who wore the legs of birds through +holes in their ears, and had all the hair on the right side of +their heads shaven closely. + +It gives them much pleasure to dance, so Nathaniel said, he having +seen them jumping around more like so many wolves, rather than +human beings, for the space of half an hour, shouting and singing +all the while. + +All the Indians smoked an herb called tobacco, which grows abundantly +in this land, and I have Nathaniel's word for it that one savage +had a tobacco pipe nearly a yard long, with the device of a deer +carved at the great end of it big enough to dash out one's brains +with. + +There is very much more which might be said about these savages +that would be of interest; but I am minded now to leave such stories +for others to tell, and come to the day when Captain Newport was +ready to sail with the Susan Constant and the Goodspeed back to +England, for his share in the adventure was only to bring us over +from England, after which he had agreed to return. + +The pinnace was to be left behind for the use of us who remained in +the strange land. Before this time, meaning the thirteenth day of +May, the members of the Council had decided upon the place where +we were to build our village. It was to be in the country of +the Paspahegh Indians, at a certain spot near the shore where the +water runs so deep that our ships can lie moored to the trees in +six fathoms. + + + +THE PEOPLE LAND FROM THE SHIPS + + +Then it was that all the people went on shore, some to set up the +tents of cloth which we had brought with us to serve as shelters +before houses could be built; others to lay out a fort, which it was +needed should be made as early as possible because of the savages, +and yet a certain other number being told off to stand guard +against the brown men, who had already shown that they could be +most dangerous enemies. + +My master went ashore, as a matter of course, with the others, I +sticking close to his side; but neither of us taking any part in +the work which had been begun, because the charges of wickedness +were still hanging over his head. + +Had Captain Smith been allowed a voice in the Council, certain it +is he never would have chosen this place in which to make the town, +for he pointed out to me that the land lay so low that when the +river was at its height the dampness must be great, and, therefore, +exceeding unhealthful, while there was back of it such an extent +of forest, as made it most difficult to defend, in case the savages +came against us. + +Captain Smith aided me in building for ourselves a hut in front +of an overhanging rock, with the branches of trees. It was a poor +shelter at the best; but he declared it would serve us until such +time as he was given his rightful place among the people, or had +been sent back a prisoner to England. + + + +CAPTAIN SMITH PROVEN INNOCENT + + +This served us as a living place for many days, or until my master +was come into his own, as he did before the fort was finished, +when, on one certain morning, he demanded of the other members of +the Council that they put him on trial to learn whether the charges +could be proven or not, and this was done on the day before Captain +Newport was to take the ships back to England. + +There is little need for me to say that Captain Kendall's stories +of the plot, in which he said my master was concerned, came to naught. +There were none to prove that he had ever spoken of such a matter, +and the result of the trial was that they gave him his rightful +place at the head of the company. Before many months were passed, +all came to know that but for him the white people in Jamestown +would have come to their deaths. + + + +WE WHO WERE LEFT BEHIND + + +It was on the fifteenth day of June when the ships sailed out of +the Chesapeake Bay, leaving on the banks of the river we called +the James, a hundred men and boys, all told, to hold their lives +and their liberty against thousands upon thousands of naked savages, +who had already shown that they desired to be enemies rather than +friends. Even in the eyes of a boy, it was an odd company to battle +with the savages and the wilderness, for the greater number were +those who called themselves gentlemen, and who believed it beneath +their station to do any labor whatsoever, therefore did it seem to +me that this new town would be burdened sorely with so many drones. + +Master Hunt, the preacher, could in good truth call himself a +gentleman, and yet I myself saw him, within two hours after we were +landed, nailing a piece of timber between two trees that he might +stretch a square of sailcloth over it, thus making what served +as the first church in the country of Virginia. Yet Captain Smith +has said again and again, that the discourses of Master Hunt under +that poor shelter of cloth, were, to his mind, more like the real +praising of God, than any he had ever heard in the costly buildings +of the old world. + +For the better understanding of certain things which happened to +us after we had begun to build the village of Jamestown, it should +be remembered that of all the savages in the country roundabout, +the most friendly were those who lived in the same settlement with +Powhatan, who was, so Captain Smith said, the true head and king +of all the Indians in Virginia. + + + +BAKING BREAD WITHOUT OVENS + + +It was in this town of Powhatan's that I discovered how to bake +bread without an oven or other fire than what might be built on +the open ground, and it was well I had my eyes open at that time, +otherwise Captain Smith and I had gone supperless to bed again and +again, for there were many days when our stomachs cried painfully +because of emptiness. + +While my master was talking with the king, Powhatan, on matters +concerning affairs at Jamestown, I saw an Indian girl, whose name +I afterward came to know was Pocahontas, making bread, and observed +her carefully. She had white meal, but whether of barley, or the +wheat called Indian corn, or Guinny wheat I could not say, and this +she mixed into a paste with hot water; making it of such thickness +that it could easily be rolled into little balls or cakes. + +After the mixture had been thus shaped, she dropped the balls into +a pot of boiling water, letting them stay there until well soaked, +when she laid them on a smooth stone in front of the fire until +they had hardened and browned like unto bread that has been cooked +in the oven. + +But I have set myself to the task of telling how we of Jamestown +lived during that time when my master was much the same as the +head of the government, and it is not well to begin the story with +bread making. + + + +AN UNEQUAL DIVISION OF LABOR + + +First I must explain upon what terms these people, the greater +number of whom called themselves gentlemen, and therefore claimed +to be ashamed to labor with their hands, had come together under +control of those merchants in London, who were known as the London +Company. + +No person in the town of James was allowed to own any land except +as he had his share of the whole. Every one was expected to work +for the good of the village, and whatsoever of crops was raised, +belonged to all the people. It was not permitted that the more +industrious should plant the land and claim that which grew under +their toil. + +Ours was supposed to be one big family, with each laboring to help +the others at the same time he helped himself, and the result was +that those who worked only a single hour each day, had as much of +the general stores as he who remained in the field from morning +until night. + +Although my master had agreed to this plan before the fleet sailed +from England, he soon came to understand that it was not the best +for a new land, where it was needed that each person should labor +to the utmost of his powers. + +The London Company had provided a certain number of tents made of +cloth, which were supposed to be enough to give shelter to all the +people, and yet, because those who had charge of the matter had +made a mistake, through ignorance or for the sake of gain, there +were no more than would provide for the members of the Council, +who appeared to think they should be lodged in better fashion than +those who were not in authority. + +My master could well have laid claim to one of these cloth houses; +but because of the charges which had been made against him by Captain +Kendall and Captain Martin, the sting of which yet remained, he +chose to live by himself. Thus it was that he and I threw up the +roof of branches concerning which I have spoken; but it was only +to shelter us until better could be built. + + + +BUILDING A HOUSE OF LOGS + + +While the others were hunting here and there for the gold which it +had been said could be picked up in Virginia as one gathers acorns +in the old world, Captain Smith set about making a house of logs +such as would protect him from the storms of winter as well as from +the summer sun. + +This he did by laying four logs on the ground in the form of a +square, and so cutting notches in the ends of each that when it was +placed on the top of another, and at right angles with it, the hewn +portions would interlock, one with the other, holding all firmly +in place. On top of these, other huge tree trunks were laid with +the same notching of the ends. It was a vast amount of labor, thus +to roll up the heavy logs in the form of a square until a pen or +box had been made as high as a man's head, and then over that was +built a roof of logs fastened together with wooden pins, or pegs, +for iron nails were all too scarce and costly to be used for such +purpose. + +When the house had been built thus far, the roof was formed of no +more than four or five logs on which a thatching of grass was to +be laid later, and the ends, in what might be called the "peak of +the roof," were open to the weather. Then it was that roughly hewn +planks, or logs split into three or four strips, called puncheons, +were pegged with wooden nails on the sides, or ends, where doors +or windows were to be made. + +Then the space inside this framework was sawed out, and behold +you had a doorway, or the opening for a window, to be filled in +afterward as time and material with which to work might permit. + +After this had been done, the ends under the roof were covered +with yet more logs, sawn to the proper length and pegged together, +until, save for the crevices between the timbers, the whole gave +protection against the weather. + +Then came the work of thatching the roof, which was done by the +branches of trees, dried grass, or bark. My master put on first +a layer of branches from which the leaves had been stripped, and +over that we laid coarse grass to the depth of six or eight inches, +binding the same down with small saplings running from one side to +the other, to the number of ten on each slope of the roof. To me +was given the task of closing up the crevices between the logs with +mud and grass mixed, and this I did the better because Nathaniel +Peacock worked with me, doing his full share of the labor. + + + +KEEPING HOUSE + + +When we came ashore from the ships, no one claimed Nathaniel as +servant, and he, burning to be in my company, asked Captain Smith's +permission to enter his employ. My master replied that it had not +been in his mind there should be servants and lords in this new +world of Virginia, where one was supposed to be on the same footing +as another; but if Nathaniel were minded to live under the same +roof with us, and would cheerfully perform his full share of the +labor, it might be as he desired. + +Because our house was the first to be put up in the new village, +and, being made of logs, was by far the best shelter, even in +comparison with the tents of cloth, Nathaniel and I decided that +it should be the most homelike, if indeed that could be compassed +where were no women to keep things cleanly. I am in doubt as to +whether Captain Smith, great traveler and brave adventurer though +he was, had even realized that with only men to perform the household +duties, there would be much lack of comfort. + +The floor of the house was only the bare earth beaten down hard. +We lads made brooms, by tying the twigs of trees to a stick, which +was not what might be called a good makeshift, and yet with such +we kept the inside of our home far more cleanly than were some of +the tents. + + + +LACK OF CLEANLINESS IN THE VILLAGE + + +There were many who believed, because there were no women in our +midst, we should spare our labor in the way of keeping cleanly, and +before we had been in the new village a week, the floors of many +of the dwellings were littered with dirt of various kinds, until +that which should have been a home, looked more like a place in +which swine are kept. + +From the very first day we came ashore, good Master Hunt went about +urging that great effort be made to keep the houses, and the paths +around them, cleanly, saying that unless we did so, there was like +to be a sickness come among us. With some his preaching did good, +but by far the greater number, and these chiefly to be found among +the self called gentlemen, gave no heed. + +It was as if these lazy ones delighted in filth. Again and again +have I seen one or another throw the scrapings of the trencher bowls +just outside the door of the tent or hut, where those who came or +went must of a necessity tread upon them, and one need not struggle +hard to realize what soon was the condition of the village. + +After a heavy shower many of the paths were covered ankle deep +with filth of all kinds, and when the sun shone warm and bright, +the stench was too horrible to be described by ordinary words. + + + +CAVE HOMES + + +There were other kinds of homes, and quite a number of them, that +were made neither of cloth nor of logs. These were holes dug in the +side of small hillocks until a sleeping room had been made, when +the front part was covered with brush or logs, built outward from +the hill to form a kitchen. + +During a storm these cave homes were damp, often times actually +muddy, and those who slept therein were but inviting the mortal +sickness that came all too soon among us, until it was as if the +Angel of Death had taken possession of Jamestown. + +Captain Smith said everything he could to persuade these people, +who were content to live in a hole in the ground, that they were +little better than beasts of the field. + +But so long as the foolish ones continued to believe this new world +was much the same as filled with gold and silver, so long they +wasted their time searching. + + + +THE GOLDEN FEVER + + +But for this golden fever, which attacked the gentlemen more fiercely +than it did the common people, the story of Jamestown would not +have been one of disaster brought about by willful heedlessness +and stupidity. + +Again and again did Captain Smith urge that crops be planted, while +it was yet time, in order that there might be food at hand when +the winter came; but he had not yet been allowed to take his place +in the Council, and those who had the thirst for gold strong upon +them, taunted him with the fact that he had no right to raise his +voice above the meanest of the company. They refused to listen +when he would have spoken with them as a friend, and laughed him +to scorn when he begged that they take heed to their own lives. + +I cannot understand why our people were so crazy. Even though +Nathaniel and I were but lads, with no experience of adventure +such as was before us, we could realize that unless a man plants he +may not reap, and because we had been hungry many a time in London +town, we knew full well that when the season had passed there was +like to be a famine among us. + +I can well understand, now that I am a man grown, why our people +were so careless regarding the future, for everywhere around us was +food in plenty. Huge flocks of wild swans circled above our heads, +trumpeting the warning that winter would come before gold could be +found. Wild geese, cleaving the air in wedge shaped line, honked +harshly that the season for gathering stores of food was passing, +while at times, on a dull morning, it was as if the waters of the +bay were covered completely with ducks of many kinds. + + + +DUCKS AND OYSTERS + + +I have heard Captain Smith say more than once, that he had seen +flocks of ducks a full mile wide and five or six miles long, wherein +canvasbacks, mallard, widgeon, redheads, dottrel, sheldrake, and +teal swam wing to wing, actually crowding each other. When such +flocks rose in the air, the noise made by their wings was like unto +the roaring of a tempest at sea. + +Then there was bed after bed of oysters, many of which were +uncovered at ebb tide, when a hungry man might stand and eat his +fill of shellfish, never one of them less than six inches long, +and many twice that size. It is little wonder that the gold crazed +men refused to listen while my master warned them that the day +might come when they would be hungry to the verge of starvation. + +Now perhaps you will like to hear how we two lads, bred in London +town, with never a care as to how our food had been cooked, so that +we had enough with which to fill our stomachs, made shift to prepare +meals that could be eaten by Captain Smith, for so we did after +taking counsel with the girl Pocahontas from Powhatan's village. + + + +ROASTING OYSTERS + + +In the first place, the shell fish called oysters are readily cooked, +or may be eaten raw with great satisfaction. I know not what our +people of Virginia would have done without them, and yet it was +only by chance or accident that we came to learn how nourishing +they are. + +A company of our gentlemen had set off to explore the country +very shortly after we came ashore from the fleet, and while going +through that portion of the forest which borders upon the bay, +happened upon four savages who were cooking something over the +fire. + +The Indians ran away in alarm, and, on coming up to discover what +the brown men had which was good to eat, the explorers found a +large number of oysters roasting on the coals. Through curiosity, +one of our gentlemen tasted of the fish, and, much to his surprise, +found it very agreeable to the stomach. + +Before telling his companions the result of his experiment, he ate +all the oysters that had been cooked, which were more than two dozen +large ones, and then, instead of exploring the land any further +on that day, our gentlemen spent their time gathering and roasting +the very agreeable fish. + +As a matter of course, the news of this discovery spread throughout +the settlement, and straightway every person was eating oysters; +but they soon tired of them, hankering after wheat of some kind. + +Among those who served some of the gentlemen even as Nathaniel +and I aimed to serve Captain Smith, was James Brumfield, a lazy, +shiftless lad near to seventeen years old. Being hungry, and not +inclined to build a fire, because it would be necessary to gather +fuel, he ventured to taste of a raw oyster. Finding it pleasant to +the mouth, he actually gorged himself until sickness put an end to +the gluttonous meal. + +It can thus be seen that even though Nathaniel and I had never +been apprenticed to a cook, it was not difficult for us to serve +our master with oysters roasted or raw, laid on that which answered +in the stead of a table, in their own shells. + + + +LEARNING TO COOK OTHER THINGS + + +Then again the Indian girl had shown us how to boil beans, peas, +Indian corn, and pumpkins together, making a kind of porridge which +is most pleasant, and affords a welcome change from oysters; but +the great drawback is that we are not able to come at the various +things needed for the making of it, except when our gentlemen have +been fortunate in trading with the brown men, which is not often. + +This Indian corn, pounded and boiled until soft, is a dish Captain +Smith eats of with an appetite, provided it is well salted, and +one does not need to be a king's cook in order to make it ready for +the table. The pounding is the hardest and most difficult portion +of the task, for the kernels are exceeding flinty, and fly off at +a great distance when struck a glancing blow. + +Nathaniel and I have brought inside our house a large, flat rock, +on which we pound the corn, and one of us is kept busy picking +up the grains that fly here and there as if possessed of an evil +spirit. Newsamp is the name which the savages give to this cooking +of wheat. + +I have an idea that when we get a mill for grinding, it will +be possible to break the kernels easily and quickly between the +millstones, without crushing a goodly portion of them to meal. + +When the Indian corn is young, that is to say, before it has grown +hard, the ears as plucked from the stalks may be roasted before +the coals with great profit, and when we would give our master +something unusually pleasing, Nathaniel and I go abroad in search +of the gardens made by the savages, where we may get, by bargaining, +a supply of roasting ears. + +With a trencher of porridge, and a dozen roasting ears, together +with a half score of the bread balls such as I have already written +about, Captain Smith can satisfy his hunger with great pleasure, +and then it is that he declares he has the most comfortable home in +all Virginia, thanks to his "houseboys," as he is pleased to call +us. + + + +THE SWEET POTATO ROOT + + +The Indians have roots, which some of our gentlemen call sweet +potatoes, which are by no means unpleasant to the taste, the only +difficulty being that we cannot get any great quantity of them. Our +master declares that when we make a garden, this root shall be the +first thing planted, and after it has ripened, we will have some +cooked every day. + +Nathaniel and I have no trouble in preparing the root, for it may +be roasted in the ashes, boiled into a pudding which should be well +salted, or mixed with the meal of Indian corn and made into a kind +of sweet cake. + +However, we lads have not had good success in baking this last +dish, because of the ashes which fly out of the fire when the wind +blows ever so slightly. Captain Smith declares that he would rather +have the ashes without the meal and sweet potato, if indeed he must +eat any, but of course when he speaks thus, it is only in the way +of making sport. + +Captain Kendall, who, because he has made two voyages to the Indies, +believes himself a wondrously wise man, says that he who eats sweet +potatoes at least once each day will not live above seven years, +and he who eats them twice every day will become blind, after which +all his teeth will drop out. + +Because of this prediction, many of our gentlemen are not willing +even so much as to taste of the root, but Captain Smith says that +wise men may grow fat where fools starve, therefore he gathers up +all the sweet potatoes which the others have thrown away, for they +please him exceeding well. + + + +A TOUCH OF HOMESICKNESS + + +There is no need for me to say that it makes both Nathaniel and me +glad to be praised by our master, because we keep the house cleanly +and strive to serve the food in such a manner as not to offend +the eye; but we would willingly dispense with such welcome words +if thereby it would be possible to see a woman messing around the +place. + +Strive as boys may, they cannot attend to household matters as do +girls or women, who have been brought into the world knowing how +to perform such tasks, and it is more homelike to see them around. + +Nathaniel and I often picture to each other what this village of +Jamestown would be if in each camp, cave, or log hut a woman was in +command, and ever when we talk thus comes into my heart a sickness +for the old homes of England, even though after my mother died +there was none for me; but yet it would do me a world of good even +to look upon a housewife. A most friendly gentleman is Master Hunt, +and even though he is so far above me in station, I never fail of +getting a kindly greeting when I am so fortunate as to meet him. +He comes often to see Captain Smith, for the two talk long and +earnestly over the matter of the Council, and at such times it is +as if he went out of his way to give me a good word. + + + +MASTER HUNT'S PREACHING + + +Therefore it is that I go to hear him preach whenever the people +are summoned to a meeting beneath the square of canvas in the wood, +and more than once I have heard from him that which has taken the +sickness for home out of my heart. Our people are not inclined to +listen to him in great numbers, however. I have never seen above +twenty at one time, the others being busy in the search for gold, +or trying to decide among themselves as to how it may best be found. + +More than once have I heard Master Hunt say, while talking privately +with my master, that there would be greater hope for this village +of ours if we had more laborers and less gentlemen, for in a new +land it is only work that can win in the battle against the savages +and the wilderness. + +Four carpenters, one blacksmith, two bricklayers, a mason, a sailor, +a barber, a tailor, and a drummer make up the list of skilled +workmen, if, indeed, one who can do nothing save drum may be called +a laborer. To these may be added twelve serving men and four boys. +All the others are gentlemen, or, as Master Hunt puts it, drones +expecting to live through the mercy of God whom they turn their +backs upon. + + + +NEGLECTING TO PROVIDE FOR THE FUTURE + + +The one thing which seemed most surprising to us lads, after Captain +Smith had called it to our notice, was that these people, who knew +there could be no question but that the winter would find them in +Jamestown, when there could be neither roasting ears, peas, beans, +nor fowls of the air to be come at, made no provision for a harvest. + +Captain Smith, not being allowed to raise his voice in the Council, +could only speak as one whose words have little weight, since he +was not in authority; but he lost no opportunity of telling these +gold seekers that only those who sowed might reap, and unless seed +was put into the ground, there would be no crops to serve as food +during the winter. + +Even Master Wingfield, the President of the Council, refused to +listen when my master would have spoken to him as a friend. He gave +more heed to exploring the land, than to what might be our fate +in the future. He would not even allow the gentlemen to make such +a fort as might withstand an assault by the savages, seeming to +think it of more importance to know what was to be found on the +banks of this river or of that, than to guard against those brown +people who daily gave token of being unfriendly. + +The serving men and laborers were employed in making clapboards that +we might have a cargo with which to fill one of Captain Newport's +ships when he returned from England, according to the plans of the +London Company. The gentlemen roamed here or there, seeking the +yellow metal which had much the same as caused a madness among +them; and, save in the case of Master Hunt and Captain Smith, none +planted even the smallest garden. + + + +SURPRISED BY SAVAGES + + +The fort, as it was called, had been built only of the branches of +trees, and might easily have been overrun by savages bent on doing +us harm. + +It was while Master Wingfield, with thirty of the gentlemen, +was gone to visit Powhatan's village, and the others were hunting +for gold, leaving only my master and the preacher to look after +the serving men and the laborers, that upward of an hundred naked +savages suddenly came down upon us, counting to make an end of all +who were in the town. + +It was a most fearsome sight to see the brown men, their bodies +painted with many colors, carrying bows and arrows, dash out from +among the trees bent on taking our lives, and for what seemed a +very long while our people ran here and there like ants whose nest +has been broken in upon. + +Captain Smith gave no heed to his own safety; but shouted for all +to take refuge in our house of logs, while Master Hunt did what he +might to aid in the defence; yet, because there had been no exercise +at arms, nor training, that each should know what was his part at +such a time, seventeen of the people were wounded, some grievously, +and one boy, James Brumfield of whom I have already spoken, was +killed by an arrow piercing his eye. + + + +STRENGTHENING THE FORT + + +Next day, when Master Wingfield and his following came in, none the +better for having gone to Powhatan's village, all understood that +it would have been wiser had they listened to my master when he +counseled them to take exercise at arms, and straightway all the +men were set about making a fort with a palisade, which last is +the name for a fence built of logs set on end, side by side, in +the ground, and rising so high that the enemy may not climb over +it. This work took all the time of the laborers until the summer +was gone, and in the meanwhile the gentlemen made use of the stores +left us by the fleet, until there remained no more than one half +pint of wheat to each man for a day's food. + +The savages strove by day and by night to murder us, till it was +no longer safe to go in search of oysters or wildfowl, and from +wheat which had lain so long in the holds of the ships that nearly +every grain in it had a worm, did we get our only nourishment. + +The labor of building the palisade was most grievous, and it was +not within the power of man to continue it while eating such food; +therefore the sickness came upon us, when it was as if all had been +condemned to die. + + + +A TIME OF SICKNESS AND DEATH + + +The first who went out from among us, was John Asbie, on the sixth +of August. Three days later George Flowers followed him. On the +tenth of the same month William Bruster, one of the gentlemen, died +of a wound given by the savages while he was searching for gold, +and two others laid down their lives within the next eight and +forty hours. + +Then the deaths came rapidly, gentlemen as well as serving men or +laborers, until near eighty of our company were either in the grave, +or unable to move out of such shelters as served as houses. + +A great fear came upon all, save that my master held his head as +high as ever, and went here and there with Master Hunt to do what +he might toward soothing the sick and comforting the dying. + +It was on the twentieth day of August when Captain Bartholomew +Gosnold, one of the Council, died, and then Master Wingfield forgot +all else save his own safety. More than one in our village declared +that he was making ready the pinnace that he might run away from +us, as if the Angel of Death could be escaped from by flight. + +It was starvation brought about by sheer neglect, together with +lying upon the bare ground and drinking of the river water, which +by this time was very muddy, that had brought us to such a pass. + +Save for the king, Powhatan, and some few of the other savages in +authority, we must all have died; but when there were only five in +all our company able to stand without aid, God touched the hearts +of these Indians. They, who had lately been trying to kill us, +suddenly came to do what they might toward saving our lives after +a full half of the company were in the grave. + +They brought food such as was needed to nourish us, and within +a short time the greater number of us who were left alive, could +go about, but only with difficulty. It was a time of terror, of +suffering, and of close acquaintance with death such as I cannot +set down in words, for even at this late day the thought of what +we then endured chills my heart. + +When we had been restored to health and strength, and were no longer +hungry, thanks to those who had been our bitter enemies, the chief +men of the village began to realize that my master had not only +given good advice on all occasions, but stood among them bravely +when the President of the Council was making preparations to run +away. + + + +CAPTAIN SMITH GAINS AUTHORITY + + +There was but little idle talk made by the members of the Council +in deciding that Master Wingfield should be deprived of his office, +and Master Ratcliffe set in his place. Captain Smith was called +upon to take his proper position in the government, and, what was +more, to him they gave the direction of all matters outside the +town, which was much the same as putting him in authority over even +the President himself. + +It was greatly to my pleasure that Captain Smith lost no time in +exercising the power which had been given him. Nor was he at all +gentle in dealing with those men who disdained to soil their hands +by working, yet were willing to spend one day, and every day, +searching for gold, without raising a finger toward adding to the +general store, but at the same time claiming the right to have so +much of food as would not only satisfy their hunger, but minister +to their gluttony. + +Nathaniel and I heard our master talking over the matter with the +preacher, on the night the Council had given him full charge of +everything save the dealings which might be had later with the London +Company, therefore it was that we knew there would be different +doings on the morrow. + +Greatly did we rejoice thereat, for Jamestown had become as slovenly +and ill kempt a village as ever the sun shone upon. + +Now it must be set down that these gentlemen of ours, when not +searching for gold, were wont to play at bowls in the lanes and +paths, that they might have amusement while the others were working, +and woe betide the serving man or laborer, who by accident interfered +with their sports. + +On this day, after the conversation with Master Hunt, all was +changed. Captain Smith began his duties as guardian and director +of the village by causing it to be proclaimed through the mouth of +Nicholas Skot, our drummer, that there would be no more playing at +bowls in the streets of Jamestown while it was necessary that very +much work should be performed, and this spoken notice also stated, +that whosoever dared to disobey the command should straightway be +clapped into the stocks. + + + +DISAGREEABLE MEASURES OF DISCIPLINE + + +Lest there should be any question as to whether my master intended +to carry out this threat or no, William Laxon, one of the carpenters, +was forthwith set to work building stocks in front of the tent where +lived Master Ratcliffe, the new President of the Council. Nor was +this the only change disagreeable to our gentlemen, which Captain +Smith brought about. No sooner had Nicholas Skot proclaimed the order +that whosoever played at bowls should be set in the stocks, than +he was commanded to turn about and announce with all the strength +of his lungs, so that every one in the village might hear and +understand, that those who would not work should not have whatsoever +to eat. + +Verily this was a hard blow to the gentlemen of our company, who +prided themselves upon never having done with their hands that +which was useful. One would have thought my master had made this +rule for his own particular pleasure, for straightway those of the +gentlemen who could least hold their tempers in check, gathered in +the tent which Master Wingfield had taken for his own, and there +agreed among themselves that if Captain Smith persisted in such +brutal rule, they would overturn all the authority in the town, +and end by setting the Captain himself in the stocks which William +Laxon was then making. It so chanced that Master Hunt overheard +these threats at the time they were made, and, like a true friend +and good citizen, reported the same to Captain Smith. + +Whereupon my master chose a certain number from among those of +the gentlemen who had become convinced that sharp measures were +necessary if we of Jamestown would live throughout the winter, +commanding that they make careful search of every tent, cave, hut +or house in the village, taking therefrom all that was eatable, and +storing it in the log house which had been put up for the common +use. + +Then he appointed Kellam Throgmorton, a gentleman who was well +able to hold his own against any who might attempt to oppose him, +to the office of guardian of the food, giving strict orders that +nothing whatsoever which could be eaten, should be given to those +who did not present good proof of having done a full day's labor. + +Of course the people who lay sick were excused from such order, +and Master Hunt was chosen to make up a list of those who must be +fed, yet who were not able to work by reason of illness. + + + +SIGNS OF REBELLION + + +Now it can well be understood that such measures as these caused no +little in the way of rebellion, and during the two hours Nicholas +Skot cried the proclamation through the streets and lanes of the +village, the gentlemen who had determined to resist Captain Smith +were in a fine state of ferment. + +It was as if a company of crazy men had been suddenly let loose +among us. Not content with plotting secretly against my master, +they must needs swagger about, advising others to join them in +their rebellion, and everywhere could be heard oaths and threats, +in such language as was like to cause honest men's hair to stand +on end. + +For a short time Nathaniel Peacock and I actually trembled with +fear, believing the house of logs would be pulled down over our +heads, for no less than a dozen of the so called gentlemen were +raging and storming outside; but disturbing Captain Smith not one +whit. He sat there, furbishing his matchlock as if having nothing +better with which to occupy the time; but, as can well be fancied, +drinking in every word of mutiny which was uttered. + +Then, as if he would saunter out for a stroll, the captain left the +house, which was much the same as inviting these disorderly ones +to attack him; but they lacked the courage, for he went to the fort +without being molested. + + + +THE SECOND PROCLAMATION + + +It seemed to me as if no more than half an hour had passed before +Nicholas Skot was making another proclamation, and this time to +the effect that whosoever, after that moment, was heard uttering +profane words, should have a can full of cold water poured down +his sleeve. + +On hearing this, the unruly ones laughed in derision and straightway +began to shout forth such a volley of oaths as I had never heard +during a drunken brawl in the streets of London. + +It was not long, however, that they were thus allowed to shame decent +people. Down from the fort came Captain Smith, with six stout men +behind him, and in a twinkling there was as hot a fight within +twenty paces of Master Ratcliffe's tent, as could be well imagined. + +And the result of it all was, much to the satisfaction of Nathaniel +and myself, that every one of these men who had amused themselves +by uttering the vilest of oaths, had a full can of the coldest +water that could be procured, poured down the sleeve of his doublet. + +The method of doing it was comical, if one could forget how serious +was the situation. Two of my master's followers would pounce upon +the fellow who was making the air blue with oaths, and, throwing +him to the ground, hold him there firmly while the third raised +his arm and carefully poured the water down the sleeve. + +Now you may fancy that this was not very harsh treatment; but +I afterward heard those who had been thus punished, say that they +would choose five or six stout lashes on their backs, rather than +take again such a dose as was dealt out on that day after John +Smith was made captain and commander, or whatsoever you choose to +call his office, in the village of Jamestown. + + + +BUILDING A FORTIFIED VILLAGE + + +There is little need for me to say that these were not the only +reforms which my master brought about, after having waited long +enough for our lazy gentlemen to understand that unless they set +their hands to labor they could not eat from the general store. + +He straightway set these idle ones to work building houses, declaring +that if the sickness which had come among us was to be checked, +our people must no longer sleep upon the ground, or in caves where +the moisture gathered all around them. + +He marked out places whereon log dwellings should be placed, in +such manner that when the houses had been set up, they would form +a square, and, as I heard him tell Master Hunt, it was his intention +to have all the buildings surrounded by a palisade in which should +be many gates. + +Thus, when all was finished, he would have a fort-like village, +wherein the people could rest without fear of what the savages +might be able to do. + +By the time such work was well under way, and our gentlemen laboring +as honest men should, after learning that it was necessary so to +do unless they were willing to go hungry, Captain Smith set about +adding to our store of food, for it was not to be supposed that +we could depend for any length of time upon what the Indians might +give us, and the winter would be long. + + + +TRAPPING TURKEYS + + +The wild turkeys had appeared in the forest in great numbers, but +few had been killed by our people because of the savages, many of +whom were not to be trusted, even though the chiefs of three tribes +professed to be friendly. It was this fact which had prevented us +from doing much in the way of hunting. + +Now that we were in such stress for food, and since all had turned +laborers, whether willingly or no, much in the way of provisions +was needed. Captain Smith set about taking the turkeys as he did +about most other matters, which is to say, that it was done in a +thorough manner. + +Instead of being forced to spend at least one charge of powder for +each fowl killed, he proposed that we trap them, and showed how it +might be done, according to his belief. + +Four men were told off to do the work, and they were kept busy +cutting saplings and trimming them down until there was nothing +left save poles from fifteen to twenty feet long. Then, with these +poles laid one above the other, a square pen was made, and at the +top was a thatching of branches, so that no fowl larger than a +pigeon might go through. + +From one side of this trap, or turkey pen, was dug a ditch perhaps +two feet deep, and the same in width, running straightway into +the thicket where the turkeys were in the custom of roosting, for +a distance of twenty feet or more. This ditch was carried underneath +the side of the pen, where was an opening hardly more than large +enough for one turkey to pass through. Corn was scattered along +the whole length of the ditch, and thus was the trap set. + +The turkeys, on finding the trail of corn, would follow hurriedly +along, like the gluttons they are, with the idea of coming upon a +larger hoard, and thus pass through into the pen. Once inside they +were trapped securely, for the wild turkey holds his head so high +that he can never see the way out through a hole which is at a +level with his feet. + +It was a most ingenious contrivance, and on the first morning after +it had been set at night, we had fifty plump fellows securely caged, +when it was only necessary to enter the trap by crawling through +the top, and kill them at our leisure. + +It may be asked how we made shift to cook such a thing as a turkey, +other than by boiling it in a kettle, and this can be told in very +few words, for it was a simple matter after once you had become +accustomed to it. + + + +A CRUDE KIND OF CHIMNEY + + +First you must know, however, that when our houses of logs had +been built, we had nothing with which to make a chimney such as +one finds in London. We had no bricks, and although, mayhap, flat +rocks might have been found enough for two or three, there was +no mortar in the whole land of Virginia with which to fasten them +together. + +Therefore it was we were forced to build a chimney of logs, laying +it up on the outside much as we had the house, but plentifully +besmearing it with mud on the inside, and chinking the crevices +with moss and clay. + +When this had been done, a hole was cut for the smoke, directly +through the side of the house. The danger of setting the building +on fire was great; but we strove to guard against it so much as +possible by plastering a layer of mud over the wood, and by keeping +careful watch when we had a roaring fire. Oftentimes were we forced +to stop in the task of cooking, take all the vessels from the coals, +and throw water upon the blazing logs. + +The chimney was a rude affair, of course, and perhaps if we had +had women among us, they would have claimed that no cooking could +be done, when all the utensils were placed directly on the burning +wood, or hung above it with chains fastened to the top of the +fireplace; but when lads like Nathaniel and me, who had never had +any experience in cooking with proper tools, set about the task, +it did not seem difficult, for we were accustomed to nothing else. + + + +COOKING A TURKEY + + +And this is how we could roast a turkey: after drawing the entrails +from the bird, we filled him full of chinquapin nuts, which grow +profusely in this land, and are, perhaps, of some relation to the +chestnut. An oaken stick, sufficiently long to reach from one side +of the fireplace to the other, and trimmed with knives until it was +no larger around than the ramrod of a matchlock, forms our spit, +and this we thrust through the body of the bird from end to end. A +pile of rocks on either side of the fireplace, at a proper distance +from the burning wood, serves as rests for the ends of the wooden +spit, and when thus placed the bird will be cooked in front of the +fire, if whosoever is attending to the labor turns the carcass from +time to time, so that each portion may receive an equal amount of +heat. + +I am not pretending to say that this is a skillful method of cooking; +but if you had been with us in Jamestown, and were as hungry as we +often were, a wild turkey filled with chinquapin nuts, and roasted +in such fashion, would make a very agreeable dinner. + +We were put to it for a table; but yet a sort of shelf made from a +plank roughly split out of the trunk of a tree, and furnished with +two legs on either end, was not as awkward as one may fancy, for +we had no chairs on which to sit while eating; but squatted on the +ground, and this low bench served our purpose as well as a better +piece of furniture would have done. + +When the captain was at home, he carved the bird with his hunting +knife, and one such fowl would fill the largest trencher bowl we +had among us. + +Nor could we be overly nice while eating, and since we had no +napkins on which to wipe our fingers, a plentiful supply of water +was necessary to cleanse one's hands, for these wild turkeys are +overly fat in the months of September and October, and he who holds +as much of the cooked flesh in his hand as is needed for a hearty +dinner, squeezes therefrom a considerable amount in the way of +grease. + +We were better off for vessels in which to put our food, than in +many other respects, for we had of trencher bowls an abundance, and +the London Company had outfitted us with ware of iron, or of brass, +or of copper, until our poor table seemed laden with an exceeding +rich store. + + + +CANDLES OR RUSHLIGHTS + + +To provide lights for ourselves, now that the evenings were grown +longer, was a much more difficult task than to cook without proper +conveniences, for it cost considerable labor. We had our choice +between the candle wood, as the pitch pine is called, or rushlights, +which last are made by stripping the outer bark from common rushes, +thus leaving the pith bare; then dipping these in tallow, or grease, +and allowing them to harden. In such manner did we get makeshifts +for candles, neither pleasing to the eye nor affording very much +in the way of light; yet they served in a certain degree to dispel +the darkness when by reason of storm we were shut in the dwellings, +and made the inside of the house very nearly cheerful in appearance. + +To get the tallow or grease with which to make these rushlights, +we saved the fat of the deer, or the bear, or even a portion of +the grease from turkeys, and, having gathered sufficient for the +candle making, mixed them all in one pot for melting. + +The task of gathering the candle wood was more pleasing, and yet +oftentimes had in it more of work, for it was the knots of the trees +which gave the better light, and we might readily fasten them upon +an iron skewer, or rod, which was driven into the side of the house +for such purpose. + +Some of our people, who were too lazy to search for knots, split +the wood into small sticks, each about the size of a goose quill, +and, standing three or four in a vessel filled with sand, gained +as much in the way of light as might be had from one pine knot. + +Of course, those who were overly particular, would find fault with +the smoke from this candle wood, and complain of the tar which +oozed from it; but one who lives in the wilderness must not expect +to have all the luxuries that can be procured in London. + + + +THE VISIT OF POCAHONTAS + + +We had a visitor from the village of Powhatan very soon after +Captain Smith took command of Jamestown to such an extent that the +gentlemen were forced to work and to speak without oaths, through +fear of getting too much cold water inside the sleeves of their +doublets. + +This visitor was the same Indian girl I had seen making bread, +and quite by chance our house was the first she looked into, which +caused me much pride, for I believed she was attracted to it because +it was more cleanly than many of the others. + +We were all at home when she came, being about to partake of the +noonday meal, which was neither more nor less than a big turkey +weighing more than two score pounds, and roasted to a brownness +which would cause a hungry person's mouth to water. + +Although she who had halted to look in at our door was only a girl, +Captain Smith treated her as if she were the greatest lady in the +world, himself leading her inside to his own place at the trencher +board, while she, in noways shy, began to help herself to the fattest +pieces of meat, thereby besmearing herself with grease until there +was enough running down her chin to have made no less than two +rushlights, so Nathaniel Peacock declared. + +Of course, being a savage, she could not speak in our language, but +the master, who had studied diligently since coming to this world +of Virginia to learn the speech of the Indians, made shift to get +from her some little information, she being the daughter of Powhatan, +the king concerning whom I have already set down many things. + +At first Captain Smith was of the belief that she had come on some +errand; but after much questioning, more by signs than words, it +came out, as we understood the matter, that the girl was in Jamestown +for no other purpose than to see what we white people were like. + +Captain Smith was minded that she should be satisfied, so far as +her curiosity was concerned, for when the dinner had come to an +end, and I had given this king's daughter some dry, sweet grass +on which to wipe her hands and mouth, he conducted her around the +village, allowing that she look in upon the tents and houses at +her pleasure. + +She stayed with us until the sun was within an hour of setting, +and then darted off into the forest as does a startled pheasant, +stopping for a single minute when she had got among the trees, to +wave her hand, as if bidding us goodbye, or in plain mischief. + + + +CAPTAIN KENDALL'S PLOT + + +It is not possible my memory will serve me to tell of all that was +done by us in Jamestown after we were come to our senses through +the efforts of my master; but the killing of Captain Kendall is +one of the many terrible happenings in Virginia, which will never +be forgotten so long as I shall live. + +After our people were relieved from the famine through the gifts +from the Indians and the coming of wild fowl, Captain Smith set +about making some plans to provide us with food during the winter, +and to that end he set off in the shallop to trade with the savages, +taking with him six men. He had a goodly store of beads and trinkets +with which to make payment for what he might be able to buy, for +these brown men are overly fond of what among English people would +be little more than toys. + +While he was gone, Master Wingfield and Captain Kendall were much +together, for both were in a certain way under disgrace since the +plot with which they charged my master had been shown to have been +of their own evil imaginings. They at once set about making friends +with some of the serving men, and this in itself was so strange +that Nathaniel and I kept our eyes and ears open wide to discover +the cause. + +It was not many days before we came to know that there was a plan +on foot, laid by these two men who should have been working for +the good of the colony instead of to further their own base ends, +to seize upon our pinnace, which lay moored to the shore, and to +sail in her to England. + +How that would have advantaged them I cannot even so much as guess; +but certain it was that they carried on board the pinnace a great +store of wild fowl, which had been cooked with much labor, and +had filled two casks with water, as if believing such amount would +serve to save them from thirst during the long voyage. + +These wicked ones had hardly gone on board the vessel when Captain +Smith came home in the shallop, which was loaded deep with Indian +corn he had bought from the savages, and, seeing the pinnace being +got under way, had little trouble in guessing what was afoot. + + + +THE DEATH OF CAPTAIN KENDALL + + +If ever a man moved swiftly, and with purpose, it was our master +when he thus came to understand what Master Wingfield and Captain +Kendall would do. He was on shore before those in the pinnace +could hoist the sails, and, calling upon all who remained true to +the London Company to give him aid, had three of our small cannon, +which were already loaded with shot, aimed at the crew of mutineers. + +Five men, each with a matchlock in his hand, stood ready to fire +upon those who would at the same time desert and steal from us, +and Captain Smith gave the order for Captain Kendall and Master +Wingfield to come on shore without delay. + +For reply Captain Kendall discharged his firearm, hoping to kill +my master, and then those on the bank emptied their matchlocks with +such effect that Captain Kendall was killed by the first volley, +causing Master Wingfield to scuttle on shore in a twinkling lest +he suffer a like fate. + +The whole bloody business was at an end in less than a quarter +hour; but the effect of it was not so soon wiped away, for from that +time each man had suspicion of his neighbor, fearing lest another +attempt be made to take from us the pinnace, which we looked upon +as an ark of refuge, in case the savages should come against us in +such numbers that they could not be resisted. + + + +CAPTAIN SMITH'S EXPEDITION AND RETURN + + +Until winter was come we had food in plenty, for one could hardly +send a charge of shot toward the river without bringing down swans, +ducks, or cranes, while from the savages we got sufficient for our +daily wants, meal made from the corn, pumpkins, peas, and beans. + +But this did not cause Captain Smith to give over trying to buy +from the Indians a store of corn for the winter, and shortly after +Captain Kendall's death, he set off with nine white men and two +Indian guides in a barge, counting to go as far as the head of the +Chickahominy River. + +This time twenty-two long, dreary days went by without his return, +and we mourned him as dead, believing the savages had murdered him. + +The discontented ones were in high glee because of thinking the +man who had forced them to do that which they should, had gone out +from their world forever, and we two lads were plunged in deepest +grief, for in all the great land of Virginia, Captain Smith was +our only true friend. + +Then arrived that day when he suddenly appeared before us, having +come to no harm, and as Master Hunt lifted up his hands in a +prayer of thanksgiving because the man who was so sadly needed in +Jamestown had returned, I fell on my knees, understanding for the +first time in my life how good God could be to us in that wilderness. + +I would that I might describe the scene in our house that night, +when Master Hunt was come to hear what all knew would be a story +of wildest adventure, for it went without saying that my master +never would have remained so long absent from Jamestown had it been +within his power to return sooner. + + + +AN EXCITING ADVENTURE + + +We waited to hear the tale until he had refreshed himself after +the long journey, and then what Captain Smith told us was like unto +this, as I remember it: + +After leaving the village, he had sailed up the river until there +was no longer water enough to float the barge, when, with two +white men and the two Indians, he embarked in a canoe, continuing +the voyage for a distance of twelve miles or more. There, in the +wilderness, they made ready to spend the night, and with one of the +savage guides my master went on shore on an island to shoot some +wild fowls for supper. He had traveled a short distance from the +boat, when he heard cries of the savages in the distance, and, +looking back, saw that one of the men had been taken prisoner, +while the other was fighting for his life. + +At almost the very minute when he saw this terrible thing, he was +suddenly beset by more than two hundred yelling, dancing savages, +who were sweeping down upon him as if believing he was in their power +beyond any chance. The Indian guide, who appeared to be terribly +frightened, although it might have been that he was in the plot to +murder my master, would have run away; but that Captain Smith held +him fast while he fired one of his pistols to keep the enemy in +check. + +Understanding that he must do battle for his life, my master first +took the precaution to bind the Indian guide to his left arm, +by means of his belt, in such fashion that the fellow would serve +as a shield against the shower of arrows the savages were sending +through the air. + +Protected in this manner, Captain Smith fought bravely, as he +always does, and had succeeded in killing two of the Indians with +his matchlock, when suddenly he sank knee deep into a mire. It +seems that he had been retreating toward the canoe, hoping to get +on board her where would be some chance for shelter, and was so +engaged with the savages in front of him as to give little heed to +his steps. + +Once he was held prisoner by the mud, the enemy quickly surrounded +him, and he could do no better than surrender. Instead of treating +him cruelly, as might have been expected, these brown men carried +him from village to village, as if exhibiting some strange animal. + + + +TAKEN BEFORE POWHATAN + + +When he was first made captive, the Indians found his compass, and +were stricken with wonder, because, however the instrument might +be turned, the needle always pointed in the same direction. The +glass which protected the needle caused even more amazement, and, +believing him to be a magician, they took him to Powhatan. + +After many days of traveling, the savages were come with their +prisoner to Powhatan's village, where Captain Smith was held close +prisoner in one of the huts, being fairly well treated and fed in +abundance, until the king, who had been out with a hunting party, +came home. + +Twice while he was thus captive did Captain Smith see the girl +Pocahontas, who had visited him in Jamestown; but she gave no +especial heed to him, save as a child who was minded to be amused, +until on the day when some of the savages gave him to understand +that he was to be killed for having come into this land of theirs, +and also for having shot to death some of their tribe. + +When he was led out of Powhatan's tent of skins, with his feet and +hands bound, he had no hope of being able to save his own life, for +there was no longer any chance for him to struggle against those +who had him in their power. + + + +POCAHONTAS BEGS FOR SMITH'S LIFE + + +He was forced down on the earth, with his head upon a great rock, +while two half naked savages came forward with heavy stones bound +to wooden handles, with which to beat out his brains, and these +weapons were already raised to strike, when the girl Pocahontas +ran forward, throwing herself upon my master, as she asked that +Powhatan give him to her. + +Now, as we afterward came to know, it is the custom among savages, +that when one of their women begs for the life of a prisoner, +to grant the prayer, and so it was done in this case, else we had +never seen my master again. + +It is also the custom, when a prisoner has thus been given to one +who begged for his life, that the captive shall always be held as +slave by her; but Pocahontas desired only to let him go back to +Jamestown. Then it was she told her father how she had been treated +when visiting us, and Powhatan, after keeping Captain Smith prisoner +until he could tell of what he had seen in other countries of the +world, set him free. + + + +THE EFFECT OF CAPTAIN SMITH'S RETURN + + +It was well for us of Jamestown that my master returned just when +he did, for already had our gentlemen, believing him dead, refused +longer to work, and even neglected the hunting, when game of all +kinds was so plentiful. They had spent the time roaming around +searching for gold, until we were once more in need of food. + +The sickness had come among us again, and of all our company, which +numbered an hundred when Captain Newport sailed for England, only +thirty-eight remained alive. + +Within four and twenty hours after Captain Smith came back, matters +had so far mended that every man who could move about at will, was +working for the common good, although from that time, until Captain +Newport came again, we had much of suffering. + +With the coming of winter Nathaniel and I were put to it to do +our work in anything like a seemly manner. What with the making +of candles, or of rushlights; tanning deer hides in such fashion +as Captain Smith had taught us; mending his doublets of leather, +as well as our own; keeping the house and ground around it fairly +clean, in addition to cooking meals which might tempt the appetite +of our master, we were busy from sunrise to sunset. + +Nor were we without our reward. On rare occasions Captain Smith +would commend us for attending to our duties in better fashion +than he had fancied lads would ever be able to do, and very often +did Master Hunt whisper words of praise in our ears, saying again +and again that he would there were in his house two boys like us. + +This you may be sure was more of payment than we had a reasonable +right to expect, for certain it is that even at our best the work +was but fairly done, as it ever must be when there are houseboys +instead of housewives at home. + +Master Hunt had a serving man, William Rods, and he was not one +well fitted to do a woman's work, for in addition to being clumsy, +even at the expense of breaking now and then a wooden trencher bowl, +he had no thought that cleanliness was, as the preacher often told +us, next to godliness. + +It was he, and such as he, that caused Captain Smith and those +others of the Council who were minded to work for the common good, +very much of trouble. + +The rule, as laid down by my master, was that those living in a +dwelling should keep cleanly the land roundabout the outside for +a space of five yards, and yet again and again have I seen William +Rods throw the refuse from the table just outside the door, meaning +to take it away at a future time, and always forgetting so to do +until reminded by some one in authority. + +However, it is not for me to speak of such trifling things +as these, although had you heard Captain Smith and Master Hunt in +conversation, you would not have set them down as being of little +importance. Those two claimed that only by strict regard to +cleanliness, both of person and house, would it be possible for +us, when another summer came, to ward off that sickness which had +already carried away so many of our company. + +After Captain Smith had brought matters to rights in the village, +setting this company of men to building more houses, and that company +to hewing down trees for firewood, which would be needed when the +winter had come, Master Hunt made mention of a matter which I knew +must have been very near his heart many a day. + + + +A NEW CHURCH + + +During all the time we had been on shore, the only church in +Jamestown was the shelter beneath that square of canvas which he +himself had put up. When it stormed, he had called such of the people +as were inclined to worship into one or another of the houses; but +now he asked that a log building be put together, while it was yet +so warm that the men could work out of doors without suffering, +and to this, much to my pleasure, for I had an exceedingly friendly +feeling toward Master Hunt, Captain Smith agreed. + +Therefore it was that when the storms of October came, Master Hunt +had a place in which to receive those whom he would lead to a better +life, and I believe that all our people, the men who were careless +regarding the future life, and those who followed the preacher's +teachings, felt the better in mind because there was at last in +our village a place which would be used for no other purpose than +that of leading us into, and helping us to remain in, the straight +path. + + + +CAPTAIN NEWPORT'S RETURN + + +It was at the beginning of the new year, two days after my master +was set free by the savages, that Captain Newport came back to us, +this time in the ship John and Francis, and with him were fifty +men who had been sent to join our colony. + +Fortunately for us there were but few gentlemen among them, therefore +did the work of building the village go on much more rapidly, +because there were laborers in plenty. + +A larger building, which was called the fort, and would indeed +have been a safe place for refuge had the savages made an attack, +was but just completed at the beginning of the third month, meaning +March. + +There Captain Smith had stored the supply of provisions and seed +brought in the John and Francis, and we were already saying to +ourselves that by the close of the summer we should reap a bountiful +harvest. + +All these plans and hopes went for naught, however, for on a certain +night--and no man can say how it happened, save him who was the +careless one--fire fastened upon the inside of the fort, having +so much headway when it was discovered, that our people could do +little toward checking it. + +The flames burst out through the roof, which was thatched with +dried grass, as were all the houses in the town, and leaped from +one building to another until it seemed as if the entire village +would be destroyed. + +It is true that even the palisade, which was near to forty feet +distant from the fort, was seized upon by the flames, and a goodly +portion of that which had cost us so much labor was entirely +destroyed. + +Out of all our houses only four remained standing when the flames +had died away. The seed which we had counted on for reaping a +harvest, the store of provisions, and a large amount of clothing +and other necessaries, were thus consumed. + +Good Master Hunt lost all his books, in fact, everything he owned +save the clothes upon his back, and yet never once did I, who was +with him very much, for he came to live at our house while the +village was being rebuilt, hear him utter one word of complaint, +or of sorrow. + + + +GOLD SEEKERS + + +It was while all the people, gentlemen as well as laborers, were +doing their, best to repair the loss, and to put Jamestown into +such shape that we might be able to withstand an attack from the +savages, if so be they made one, that even a worse misfortune than +the fire came upon us. + +Some of those whom Captain Newport had lately brought to Virginia, +while roaming along the shores of the river in order to learn +what this new land was like, came upon a spot where the waters had +washed the earth away for a distance of five or six feet, leaving +exposed to view a vast amount of sand, so yellow and so heavy that +straightway the foolish ones believed they were come upon that +gold which our people had been seeking almost from the very day we +first landed. + +From this moment there was no talk of anything save the wealth +which would come to us and the London Company. + +Even Captain Newport was persuaded that this sand was gold, and +straightway nearly every person in the village was hard at work +digging and carrying it in baskets on board the John and Francis +as carefully as if each grain counted for a guinea. + +Of all the people of Jamestown, Captain Smith and Master Hunt were +the only ones who refused to believe the golden dream. They held +themselves aloof from this mad race to gather up the yellow sand, +and strove earnestly to persuade the others that it would be a +simple matter to prove by fire whether this supposed treasure were +metal. + +In the center of the village, where all might see him, Master Hunt +set a pannikin, in which was a pint or more of the sand, over a +roaring fire which he kept burning not less than two hours. + +When he was done, the sand remained the same as before, which, so he +and my master claimed, was good proof that our people of Jamestown +were, in truth, making fools of themselves, as they had many a time +before since we came into this land of Virginia. + + + +A WORTHLESS CARGO + + +When we should have been striving to build up the town once more, +we spent all our time loading the ship with this worthless cargo, +and indeed I felt the better in my mind when finally Captain Newport +set sail, the John and Francis loaded deeply with sand, because +of believing that we were come to an end of hearing about treasure +which lay at hand ready for whosoever would carry it away. + +In this, however, I was disappointed. Although there was no longer +any reason for our people to labor at what was called the gold +mine, since there was no ship at hand in which to put the sand, +they still talked, hour by hour, of the day when all the men in +Virginia would go back to England richer than kings. + +Because of such thoughts was it well nigh impossible to force them +to labor once more. Yet Captain Smith and Master Hunt did all they +could, even going so far as to threaten bodily harm if the people +did not rebuild the storehouse, plant such seed as had been saved +from the flames, and replace those portions of the palisade which +had been burned. + +It was while our people were thus working half heartedly, that +Captain Nelson arrived in the ship Phoenix, having been so long +delayed on the voyage, because of tempests and contrary winds, that +his passengers and crew had eaten nearly all the stores which the +London Company sent over for our benefit, and bringing seventy more +mouths to be fed. + +Save that she brought to us skilled workmen, the coming of the +Phoenix did not advantage us greatly, while there were added to +our number, seventy men, and of oatmeal, pickled beef and pork, as +much as would serve for, perhaps, three or four weeks. + +Through her, however, as Master Hunt said in my hearing, came some +little good, for on seeing the yellow sand, Captain Nelson declared +without a question that it was worthless, and, being accustomed +to working in metal, speedily proved to our people who were yet +suffering with the gold fever, that there was nothing whatsoever +of value in it. + + + +THE CONDITION OF THE COLONY + + +That he might have something to carry back to England, and not being +minded to take on board a load of sand, Captain Nelson asked that +the Phoenix be laden with cedar logs and such clapboards as our +people had made. Therefore was it that we sent to England the first +cargo of value since having come to Virginia. + +Among those who had come over in the Phoenix were workmen who +understood the making of turpentine, tar and soap ashes. There +was also a pipe maker, a gunsmith, and a number of other skilled +workmen, so that had the Council advanced the interest of the colony +one half as much as my master was doing, all would have gone well +with us in Jamestown. + +As it was, however, the President of the Council, so Master Hunt +has declared many times, and of a verity he would not bear false +witness, often countenanced the men in rebellion against my master's +orders, until, but for the preacher's example, we might never have +put into the earth our first seed. + +Because of lack of food, and it seems strange to say so when there +were of oysters near at hand more than a thousand men could have +eaten, and fish in the rivers without number, Captain Smith set off +once more in the pinnace to trade with the Indians, as well as to +explore further the bay and the river. + +Master Hunt lived in our house, while he was gone, therefore +Nathaniel and I were not idle, and though we had each had a dozen +pair of hands, we could have kept them properly employed, what with +making a garden for our own use, tending the plants, and keeping +house. + + + +TOBACCO + + +Just here I am minded to set down that which the girl Pocahontas +told us concerning the raising of tobacco, and it is well she +spent the time needed to instruct us, for since then I have seen +the people in this new world of Virginia getting more money from +the tobacco plant, than they could have gained even though Captain +Newport's yellow sand had been veritable gold. + +You must know that the seed of tobacco is even smaller than grains +of powder, and the Indians usually plant it in April. Within a month +it springs up, each tiny plant having two or four leaves, and one +month later it is transplanted in little hillocks, set about the +same distance apart as are our hills of Indian corn. + +Two or three times during the season the plants have to be hoed +and weeded, while the sickly leaves, which peep out from the body +of the stock, must be plucked off. + +If the plant grows too fast, which is to say, if it is like to get +its full size before harvest time, the tops are cut to make it more +backward. + +About the middle of September it is reaped, stripped of its leaves, +and tied in small bunches; these are hung under a shelter so that +the dew may not come to them, until they are cured the same as hay. + +Having thus been dried, and there must be no suspicion of moisture +about, else they will mold, the whole is packed into hogsheads. + +I have lived to see the days go by since the girl Pocahontas showed +Nathaniel and me how to cultivate the weed, until the greatest +wealth which Virginia can produce comes from this same tobacco, +which, Master Hunt says, not only induces filthiness in those who +use it, but works grievous injury to the body. + + + +CAPTAIN NEWPORT'S RETURN + + +When Captain Newport came back to Virginia, at about the time we +were gathering our scanty harvest, his dreams of sudden wealth, +through the digging of gold in Virginia, had burst as does a bubble +when one pricks it. + +He had not been more than four and twenty hours in England before +learning that his ship was laden only with valueless sand, and, +mayhap, if the London Company had not demanded that he return to +Virginia at once, with certain orders concerning us at Jamestown, +he might have been too much ashamed to show his face among us again. + +My master had come in long since from trading with the Indians, +having had fairly good success at times, and again failing utterly +to gather food. The king Powhatan was grown so lofty in his bearing, +because of the honor some of our foolish people had shown him, +that it was well nigh impossible to pay the price he asked, even +in trinkets, for so small an amount as a single peck of corn. + +However, that which Powhatan did or did not do, concerned me very +little when Captain Newport had arrived, for he brought with him +such tidings as made my heart rejoice, and caused Master Hunt to +say that now indeed would our village of Jamestown grow as it should +have grown had our leaders shown themselves of half as much spirit +as had my master. + +But for the greater things which followed Captain Newport's arrival +in September of the year 1608, I would have set it down as of the +utmost importance to us in Jamestown, that he brought with him the +first two women, other than the girl Pocahontas, who had ever come +into our town. + +These were Mistress Forest, and her maid, Anne Burras, and if the +king himself had so far done us the honor as to come, his arrival +would have caused no greater excitement. + +Every man and boy in the settlement pressed forward eager even to +touch the garments of these two women as they came ashore in the +ship's small boat, and I dare venture to say that we stared at +them, Nathaniel and I among the number, even as the savages stared +at us when first we landed. + +It would have been more to my satisfaction had there been two maids, +instead of only one and her mistress, for it was more than likely +servants could tell Nathaniel and me many things about our care of +the house, which a great lady would not well know. Therefore, as I +viewed the matter, we could well spare fine women, so that we had +maids who would understand of what we as houseboys stood mostly in +need. + +However, it was not with these women, who were only two among seventy, +that had come with Captain Newport on this his third voyage, that +I was most deeply concerned, and how I learned that which pleased +me so greatly shall be set down exactly as it happened. + + + +MASTER HUNT BRINGS GREAT NEWS + + +I had been down at the landing place, feasting my eyes upon the +ship which had so lately come from the country I might never see +again, and was trying to cheer myself by working around the house +in the hope of pleasing Captain Smith, when Master Hunt came in +with a look upon his face such as I had not seen since the sickness +first came among us, and, without thinking to be rude, I asked him +if it was the arrival of the women which pleased him so greatly. + +"It is nothing of such fanciful nature, Richard Mutton," the good +man replied with a smile, "though I must confess that it is pleasing +to see women with white faces, when our eyes have beheld none save +bearded men for so long a time. What think you has been done in the +Council this day, since Captain Newport had speech with President +Ratcliffe?" + +Verily I could not so much as guess what might have happened, for +those worshipful gentlemen were prone at times to behave more like +foolish children, than men upon whom the fate of a new country +depended, and I said to Master Hunt much of the same purport. + +"They have elected your master, Captain John Smith, President of +the Council, Richard Mutton, and now for the first time will matters +in Jamestown progress as they should." + +"My master President of the Council at last!" I cried, and the good +preacher added: + +"So it is, lad, as I know full well, having just come from there." + +"But how did they chance suddenly to gather their wits?" I cried +with a laugh, in which Master Hunt joined. + +"It was done after Captain Newport had speech with Master Ratcliffe, +and while I know nothing for a certainty, there is in my mind +a strong belief that he brought word from the London Company for +such an election to be made. At all events, it is done, and now we +shall see Jamestown increase in size, even as she would have done +from the first month we landed here had Captain John Smith been at +the head of affairs." + +The good preacher was so delighted with this change in the government +that he unfolded all his budget of news, forgetting for the time +being, most like, that he was not speaking to his equal, and thus +it was I learned what were Captain Newport's instructions from the +London Company. + + + +CAPTAIN NEWPORT'S INSTRUCTIONS + + +He was ordered, if you please, not to return to England without +bringing back a lump of gold, exploring the passageway to the South +Sea, or finding some of Sir Walter Raleigh's lost colony, of which +I will tell you later. + +But whether he did the one or the other, he had been commanded to +crown as a king, Powhatan, and had brought with him mock jewels +and red robes for such a purpose. + +To find a lump of gold, after he had brought to England a shipload +of yellow sand! + +To crown Powhatan king, when, to our sorrow, he was already showing +himself far more of a king than was pleasing or well for our town +of James! + +Forgetting I was but a lad, and had no right to put blame on the +shoulders of my leaders and betters, or even to address Master +Hunt as if I were a man grown, I cried out against the foolishness +of those people in London for whom we were striving to build up a +city, saying very much that had better been left unsaid, until the +good preacher cried with a laugh: + +"We can forgive them almost anything, Dicky Mutton, since they have +made our Captain Smith the head of the government in this land of +Virginia." + +And now I will tell you, as Master Hunt told me, the story of this +lost colony of Roanoke, which the London Company had commanded +Captain Newport to find. + +You must know that English people had lived in this land of Virginia +before we came here in 1606, and while it does not concern us of +Jamestown, except as we are interested in knowing the fate of our +countrymen, it should be set down, lest we so far forget as to say +that those of us who have built this village are the first settlers +in the land. + + + +THE STORY OF ROANOKE + + +Twenty-one years before we sailed from London, Sir Walter Raleigh +sent out a fleet of seven ships, carrying one hundred and seven +persons, to Virginia, and Master Ralph Lane was named as the governor. +They landed on Roanoke Island; but because the Indians threatened +them, and because just at that time when they were most frightened, +Sir Francis Drake came by with his fleet, they all went home, not +daring to stay any longer. + +Two years after that, which is to say nineteen years before we of +Jamestown came here, Sir Walter Raleigh sent over one hundred and +sixteen people, among whom were men, women and children, and they +also began to build a town on Roanoke Island. + +John White was their governor, and very shortly after they came +to Roanoke, his daughter, Mistress Ananias Dare, had a little baby +girl, the first white child to be born in the new world, so they +named her Virginia. + +Now these people, like ourselves, were soon sorely in need of food, +and they coaxed Governor John White to go back to England, to get +what would be needed until they could gather a harvest. + +At the time he arrived at London, England was at war with the +Spanish people, and it was two years before he found a chance to +get back. When he finally arrived at Roanoke Island, there were +no signs of any of his people to be found, except that on the tree +was cut the word "Croatan," which is the name of an Indian village +on the island nearby. + +That was the last ever heard of all those hundred and sixteen +people. Five different times Sir Walter Raleigh sent out men for the +missing ones; but no traces could be found, not even at Croatan, and +no one knows whether they were killed by the Indians, or wandered +off into the wilderness where they were lost forever. + +You can see by the story, that the London Company had set for +Captain Newport a very great task when they commanded him to do +what so many people had failed in before him. + +And now out of that story of the lost colony, as Master Hunt told +Nathaniel and me, grows another which also concerns us in this new +land of Virginia. + +You will remember I have said that Master Ralph Lane was the governor +of the first company of people who went to Roanoke Island, and, +afterward, getting discouraged, returned to England. Now this Master +Lane, and the other men who were with him, learned from the Indians +to smoke the weed called tobacco, and carried quite a large amount +of it home with them. + +Not only Sir Walter Raleigh, who knew Master Lane very well, but +many other people in England also learned to smoke, and therefore +it was that when we of Jamestown began to raise tobacco, it found +a more ready sale in London than any other thing we could send +over. Once this was known, our people gave the greater portion of +their time to cultivating the Indian weed. + + + +THE CROWNING OF POWHATAN + + +Very nearly the first thing which my master did after having been +made President of the Council, was to obey the orders of the London +Company, by going with Captain Newport to Powhatan's village in +order to crown him like a king. + +This was not at all to the pleasure of the savage, who failed of +understanding what my master and Captain Newport meant, when they +wanted him to kneel down so they might put the crown upon his +head. If all the stories which I have heard regarding the matter +are true, they must have had quite a scrimmage before succeeding +in getting him into what they believed was a proper position to +receive the gifts of the London Company. + +Our people, so Master Hunt told me, were obliged to take him by +the shoulders and force him to his knees, after which they clapped +the crown on his head, and threw the red robe around his shoulders +in a mighty hurry lest he show fight and overcome them. + +It was some time before Captain Smith could make him understand +that it was a great honor which was being done him, but when he did +get it through his head, he took off his old moccasins and brought +from the hut his raccoon skin coat, with orders that my master and +Captain Newport send them all to King James in London, as a present +from the great Powhatan of Virginia. + +After this had been done, Captain Newport sailed up the James River +in search of the passage to the South Sea, and my master set about +putting Jamestown into proper order. + + + +PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE + + +Once more Captain Smith made the rule that those who would not work +should not eat, and this time, with all the Council at his back, +together with such men as Captain Newport had just brought with +him, you can well fancy his orders were obeyed. + +In addition to the stocks which had been built, he had a pillory +set up, and those gentlemen who were not inclined to labor with +their hands as well as they might, were forced to stand in it to +their discomfort. + +The next thing which he did was to have a large, deep well dug, +so that we might have sweet water from it for drinking purposes, +rather than be forced to use that from the river, for it was to his +mind that through this muddy water did the sickness come to us. + +When the winter was well begun, and Captain Newport ceased to search +for the South Sea passage, because of having come to the falls of +the James River, Captain Smith forced our people to build twenty +stout houses such as would serve to withstand an attack from the +savages, and again was the palisade stretched from one to the other, +until the village stood in the form of a square. + +After the cold season had passed, some of the people were set about +shingling the church, and others were ordered to make clapboards +that we might have a cargo when Captain Newport returned. It was +the duty of some few to keep the streets and lanes of the village +clear of filth, lest we invite the sickness again, and the remainder +of the company were employed in planting Indian corn, forty acres +of which were seeded down. + + + +STEALING THE COMPANY'S GOODS + + +If I have made it appear that during all this time we lived in the +most friendly manner with the savages, then have I blundered in +the setting down of that which happened. + +Although it shames one to write such things concerning those who +called themselves Englishmen, yet it must be said that the savages +were no longer in any degree friendly, and all because of what our +own people had done. + +From the time when Captain Smith had declared that he who would not +work should not eat, some of our fine gentlemen who were willing to +believe that labor was the greatest crime which could be committed, +began stealing from the common store iron and copper goods of every +kind which might be come at, in order to trade with the savages +for food they themselves were too lazy to get otherwise. + +They even went so far, some of those who thought it more the part +of a man to wear silks than build himself a house, as to steal +matchlocks, pistols, and weapons of any kind, standing ready to +teach the savages how to use these things, if thereby they were +given so much additional in the way of food. + +As our numbers increased, by reason of the companies which were +brought over by Captain Newport and Captain Nelson, so did the +thievery become the more serious until on one day I heard Master +Hunt tell my master, that of forty axes which had been brought +ashore from the Phoenix and left outside the storehouse during the +night, but eight were remaining when morning came. + + + +WHAT THE THIEVING LED TO + + +Now there was more of mischief to this than the crime of stealing, +or of indolence. The savages came to understand they could drive +hard bargains, and so increased the price of their corn that Captain +Smith set it down in his report to the London Company, that the +same amount of copper, or of beads, which had, one year before, +paid for five bushels of wheat, would, within a week after Captain +Newport came in search of the lost colony, pay for no more than +one peck. + +Nor was this the entire sum of the wrong done by our gentlemen who +stole rather than worked with their hands. The savages, grown bold +now that they had firearms and knew how to use them, no longer had +the same fear of white people as when Captain Smith, single handed, +was able to hold two hundred in check, and strove to kill us of +Jamestown whenever they found opportunity. + +On four different times did they plot to murder my master, believing +that when he had been done to death, it would be more easy for them +to kill off all in our town; but on each occasion, so keen was his +watchfulness, he outwitted them all. + +The putting of a crown on Powhatan's head, and bowing before him +as if he had been a real king, also did much mischief. It caused +that brown savage to believe we feared him, which was much the same +as inviting him to be less of a friend, until on a certain day he +boldly declared that one basket of his corn was worth more than +all our copper and beads, because he could eat his corn, while our +trinkets gave a hungry man no satisfaction. + +And thus, by the wicked and unwise acts of our own people, did we +prepare the way for another time of famine and sickness. + + + +FEAR OF FAMINE IN A LAND OF PLENTY + + +However, I must set this much down as counting in our favor: when +we landed in this country we had three pigs, and a cock and six +hens, all of which we turned loose in the wilderness to shift for +themselves, giving shelter to such as came back to us when winter +was near at hand. + +Within two years we had of pigs more than sixty, in addition to +many which were yet running wild in the forest. Of hens and cocks +we had upward of five hundred, the greater number being kept in +pens to the end that we might profit by their eggs. + +I have heard Master Hunt declare more than once, that had we followed +Captain Smith's advice, giving all our labor to the raising of +crops, our storehouse would have been too small for the food on +hand, and we might have held ourselves free from the whims of the +savages, having corn to sell, rather than spending near to half +our time trying to buy. + +As Master Hunt said again and again when talking over the situation +with Captain Smith, it seemed strange even to us who were there, +that we could be looking forward to a famine, when in the sea and +on the land was food in abundance to feed half the people in all +this wide world. + +To show how readily one might get himself a dinner, if so be his +taste were not too nice, I have seen Captain Smith, when told what +we had in the larder for the next meal, go to the river with only +his naked sword, and there spear fish enough with the weapon to +provide us with as much as could be eaten in a full day. But yet +some of our gentlemen claimed that it was not good for their blood +to eat this food of the sea; others declared that oysters, when +partaken of regularly, were as poisonous as the sweet potatoes +which we bought of the Indians. + +Thus it was that day by day did we who were in the land of plenty, +overrun with that which would serve as food, fear that another time +of famine was nigh. + + + +THE UNHEALTHFUL LOCATION + + +I have often spoken of the unwillingness of some of our people to +labor; but Captain Smith, who is not overly eager to find excuses +for those who are indolent, has said that there was much reason +why many of our men hugged their cabins, counting it a most arduous +task to go even so far up the river as were the oyster beds. + +He believes, and Master Hunt is of the same opinion, that this +town of ours has been built on that portion of the shore where the +people are most liable to sickness. The land is low lying, almost +on a level with the river; the country roundabout is made up of +swamps and bogs, and the air which comes to us at night is filled +with a fever, which causes those upon whom it fastens, first to +shake as if they were beset with bitterest cold, and then again to +burn as if likely to be reduced to ashes. Some call it the ague, +and others, the shakes; but whatsoever it may be, there is nothing +more distressing, or better calculated to hinder a man from taking +so much of exercise as is necessary for his well being. + + + +GATHERING OYSTERS + + +That Nathaniel and I may gather oysters without too great labor of +walking and carrying heavy burdens, Captain Smith has bought from +the savages a small boat made of the bark of birch trees, stretched +over a framework of splints, and sewn together with the entrails +of deer. On the seams, and wherever the water might find entrance, +it is well gummed with pitch taken from the pine tree, and withal +the lightest craft that can well be made. + +Either Nathaniel or I can take this vessel, which the savages call a +canoe, on our shoulders, carrying it without difficulty, and when +the two of us are inside, resting upon our knees, for we may not +sit in it as in a ship's boat, we can send it along with paddles +at a rate so rapid as to cause one to think it moved by magic. + +With this canoe Nathaniel and I may go to the oyster beds, and in +half an hour put on board as large a cargo of shellfish as she will +carry, in addition to our own weight, coming back in a short time +with as much food as would serve a dozen men for two days. + +If these oysters could be kept fresh for any length of time, then +would we have a most valuable store near at hand; but, like other +fish, a few hours in the sun serves to spoil them. + + + +PREPARING STURGEON FOR FOOD + + +Of the fish called the sturgeon, we have more than can be consumed +by all our company; but one cannot endure the flavor day after day, +and therefore is it that we use it for food only when we cannot +get any other. + +Master Hunt has shown Nathaniel and me how we may prepare it in +such a manner as to change the flavor. It must first be dried in +the sun until so hard that it can be pounded to the fineness of +meal. This is then mixed with caviare, by which I mean the eggs, or +roe, of the sturgeon, with sorrel leaves, and with other wholesome +herbs. The whole is made into small balls, or cakes, which are +fried over the fire with a plentiful amount of fat. + +Such a dish serves us for either bread or meat, or for both on +a pinch, therefore if we lads are careful not to waste our time, +Captain Smith may never come without finding in the larder something +that can be eaten. + + + +TURPENTINE AND TAR + + +To us in Jamestown the making of anything which we may send back +to England for sale, is of such great importance that we are more +curious regarding the manner in which the work is done, than would +be others who are less eager to see piled up that which will bring +money to the people. + +Therefore it was that Nathaniel and I watched eagerly the making +of turpentine, and found it not unlike the method by which the +Indians gain sugar from maple trees. A strip of bark is taken from +the pine, perhaps eight or ten inches long, and at the lower end +of the wound thus made, a deep notch is cut in the wood. + +Into this the sap flows, and is scraped out as fast as the cavity +is filled. It is a labor in which all may join, and so plentiful +are the pine trees that if our people of Jamestown set about making +turpentine only, they might load four or five ships in a year. + +From the making of tar much money can be earned, and it is a simple +process such as I believe I myself might compass, were it not that +I have sufficient of other work to occupy all my time. + +The pine tree is cut into short pieces, even the roots being used, +for, if I mistake not, more tar may be had from the roots than from +the trunks of the tree. Our people here dig a hollow, much like +unto the shape of a funnel, on the side of a hill, or bank, fill +it in with the wood and the roots, and cover the whole closely with +turf. + +An iron pot is placed at the bottom of this hollow in the earth, +and a fire is built at the top of the pile. While the fuel smolders, +the tar stews out of the wood, falling into the iron pot, and from +there is put into whatsoever vessels may be most convenient in +which to carry it over seas. + + + +THE MAKING OF CLAPBOARDS + + +There is far greater labor required in the making of clapboards, +and it is of a wearisome kind; but Captain Newport declares that +clapboards made of our Virginia cedar are far better in quality +than any to be found in England. Therefore it is Captain Smith +keeps as many men as he may, employed in this work, which is more +tiring than difficult. + +The trunks of the trees are cut into lengths of four feet, and +trimmed both as to branches and bark. An iron tool called a frow, +which is not unlike a butcher's cleaver, is then used to split +the log into thin strips, one edge of which is four or five times +thicker than the other. + +You will understand better the method by picturing to yourself the +end of a round log which has been stood upright for convenience of +the workmen. Now, if you place a frow in such a position that it +will split the thicknesses of an inch or less from the outer side, +you will find that the point of the instrument, which is at the +heart of the tree, must come in such manner as to make the splint +very thin on the inner edge. The frow is driven through the wood +by a wooden mallet, to the end that the sides of the clapboard may +be fairly smooth. + +Master Hunt has told me that if we were to put on board a ship the +size of the John and Francis, as many clapboards as she could swim +under, the value of the cargo would be no less than five hundred +pounds, and they would have a ready sale in London, or in other +English ports. + + + +PROVIDING FOR THE CHILDREN + + +And now before I am come to the most terrible time in the history +of our town of James, let me set down that which the London Company +has decreed, for it is of great importance to all those who, like +Nathaniel and me, came over into this land of Virginia before they +were men and women grown. + +Master Hunt has written the facts out fairly, to the end that I may +understand them well, he having had the information from Captain +Newport, for it was the last decree made by the London Company +before the John and Francis sailed. + +I must say, however, that the reason why this decree, or order, +whichever it may be called, has been made, was to the end that men +and women, who had large families of children, might be induced to +join us here in Jamestown, as if we had not already mouths enough +to feed. + +The Council of the Company has decided to allow the use of twenty-five +acres of land for each and every child that comes into Virginia, +and all who are now here, or may come to live at the expense of +the Company, are to be educated in some good trade or profession, +in order that they may be able to support themselves when they have +come to the age of four and twenty years, or have served the time +of their apprenticeship, which is to be no less than seven years. + +It is further decreed that all of those children when they become +of age or marry, whichever shall happen first, are to have freely +given and made over to them fifty acres of land apiece, which same +shall be in Virginia within the limits of the English plantation. +But, these children must be placed as apprentices under honest and +good masters within the grant made to the London Company, and shall +serve for seven years, or until they come to the age of twenty-four, +during which time their masters must bring them up in some trade +or business. + + + +DREAMS OF THE FUTURE + + +On hearing this, the question came into my mind as to whether +Nathaniel and I could be called apprentices, inasmuch as we were +only houseboys, according to the name Captain Smith gave us. + +Master Hunt declared that being apprentices to care for the family, +was of as much service as if we were learned in the trade of making +tar, clapboards, or of building ships, and he assured me that if +peradventure he was living when we had been in this land of Virginia +seven years, it should be his duty to see to it that we were given +our fifty acres of land apiece. + +Thus understanding that we might ourselves in turn one day become +planters, Nathaniel and I had much to say, one with the other, +concerning what should be done in the future. We decided that +when the time came for us to have the land set off to our own use, +we would strive that the two lots of fifty acres each be in one +piece. Then would we set about raising tobacco, as the Indian girl +Pocahontas taught us, and who can say that we might not come to be +of some consequence, even as are Captain Smith and Master Hunt, in +this new world. + + + +A PLAGUE OF RATS + + +And now am I come to the spring of 1609, when befell us that disaster +which marked the beginning of the time of suffering, of trouble, +and of danger which was so near to wiping out the settlement +of Jamestown that the people had already started on their way to +England. + +The day had come when we should put into the ground our Indian corn +that a harvest might follow. The supply, which was to be used as +seed, had been stored in casks and piled up in the big house wherein +were kept our goods. + +When those who had been chosen to do the planting went for the +seed, it was found to have been destroyed by rats, and not only +the corn, but many other things which were in the storehouse, had +been eaten by the same animals. + +Master Hunt maintained, and Captain Smith was of the same opinion, +that when the Phoenix was unloaded, the rats came ashore from her, +finding lodging in that building which represented the vital spot +of our town. + +Howsoever the pests came there, certain it was we should reap no +harvest that year, unless the savages became more friendly than +they had lately shown themselves, and as to this we speedily learned. + + + +TREACHERY DURING CAPTAIN SMITH'S ABSENCE + + +When Captain Smith set off in the pinnace in order to buy what might +serve us as seed, he found himself threatened by all the brown men +living near about the shores of the bay, as if they had suddenly +made up a plot to kill us, and never one of them would speak him +fairly. It was while my master was away that two Dutchmen, who came +over in the Phoenix and had gone with Captain Smith in the pinnace, +returned to Jamestown, saying to Captain Winne, who was in command +at the fort, that Captain Smith had use for more weapons because +of going into the country in the hope of finding Indians who would +supply him with corn. + +Not doubting their story, the captain supplied them with what they +demanded, and, as was afterward learned, before leaving town that +night they stole many swords, pike heads, shot and powder, all of +which these Dutch thieves carried to Powhatan. + +If these two had been the only white men who did us wrong, then +might our plight not have become so desperate; but many there +were, upwards of sixteen so Master Hunt declared, who from day to +day carried away secretly such weapons and tools, or powder and +shot, as they could come upon, thereby trusting to the word of the +savages that they might live with them in their villages always, +without doing any manner of work. + +Others sold kettles, hoes, or even swords and guns, that they +might buy fruit, or corn, or meat from the Indians without doing +so much of labor as was necessary in order to gather these things +for themselves. + + + +CAPTAIN SMITH'S SPEECH + + +Jamestown was a scene of turmoil and confusion when Captain Smith +came back from his journey having on board only two baskets of corn +for seed. After understanding what had been done by the idle ones +during his absence, he called all the people together and said unto +them, speaking earnestly, as if pleading for his very life: + +"Never did I believe white men who were come together in a new world, +and should stand shoulder to shoulder against all the enemies that +surround them, could be so reckless and malicious. It is vain to +hope for more help from Powhatan, and the time has come when I will +no longer bear with you in your idleness; but punish severely if +you do not set about the work which must be done, without further +plotting. You cannot deny but that I have risked my life many a +time in order to save yours, when, if you had been allowed to go +your own way, all would have starved. Now I swear solemnly that +you shall not only gather for yourselves the fruits which the earth +doth yield, but for those who are sick. Every one that gathers not +each day as much as I do, shall on the next day be set beyond the +river, forever banished from the fort, to live or starve as God +wills." + +This caused the lazy ones to bestir themselves for the time, and +perhaps all might have gone well with us had not the London Company +sent out nine more vessels, in which were five hundred persons, +to join us people in Jamestown. One of the ships, as we afterward +learned, was wrecked in a hurricane; seven arrived safely, and the +ninth vessel we had not heard from. + +All these people had expected to find food in plenty, servants +to wait upon them, and everything furnished to hand without being +obliged to raise a finger in their own behalf. What was yet worse, +they had among them many men who believed they were to be made +officers of the government. + + + +THE NEW LAWS + + +Now you must understand that with the coming of this fleet we of +Jamestown were told that the London Company had changed all the +laws for us in Virginia, and that Lord De la Warr, who sailed on +the ship from which nothing had been heard, was to be our governor. + +From that hour did it seem as if all the men in Jamestown, save +only half a dozen, among whom were Captain Smith, Master Hunt and +Master Percy, strove their best to wreck the settlement. + +Because Lord De la Warr, the new governor, had not arrived, many of +the new comers refused to obey my master, and they were so strong +in numbers that it was not possible for him to force them to his +will. + +Each man strove for himself, regardless of the sick, or of the +women and children. Some banded themselves together in companies, +falling upon such Indian villages as they could easily overcome, +and murdered and robbed until all the brown men of Virginia stood +ready to shed the blood of every white man who crossed their path. + +Then came that which plunged Nathaniel and me into deepest grief. + + + +THE ACCIDENT + + +Captain Smith had gone up the bay in the hope of soothing the trouble +among the savages, and, failing in this effort, was returning, +having got within four and twenty hours' journey of Jamestown, when +the pinnace was anchored for the night. + +The boat's company lay down to sleep, and then came that accident, +if accident it may be called, the cause of which no man has ever +been able to explain to the satisfaction of Master Hunt or myself. + +Captain Smith was asleep, with his powder bag by his side, when +in some manner it was set on fire, and the powder, exploding, tore +the flesh from his body and thighs for the space of nine or ten +inches square, even down to the bones. + +In his agony, and being thus horribly aroused from sleep, hardly +knowing what he did, he plunged overboard as the quickest way to +soothe the pain. There he was like to have drowned but for Samuel +White, who came near to losing his own life in saving him. + +He was brought back to the town on the day before the ships of the +fleet, which had brought so many quarrelsome people, were to sail +for England. With no surgeon to dress his wounds, what could he do +but depart in one of these ships with the poor hope of living in +agony until he arrived on the other side of the ocean. + +Nathaniel and I would have gone with him, willing, because of +his friendship for us, to have served him so long as we lived. He +refused to listen to our prayers, insisting that we were lads well +fitted to live in a new land like Virginia, and that if we would +but remain with Master Hunt, working out our time of apprenticeship, +which would be but five years longer, then might we find ourselves +men of importance in the colony. He doubted not, so he said, but +that we would continue, after he had gone, as we had while he was +with us. + +What could we lads do other than obey, when his commands were laid +upon us, even though our hearts were so sore that it seemed as if +it would no longer be possible to live when he had departed? + +Even amid his suffering, when one might well have believed that +he could give no heed to anything save his own plight, he spoke to +us of what we should do for the bettering of our own condition. He +promised that as soon as he was come to London, and able to walk +around, if so be God permitted him to live, he would seek out +Nathaniel's parents to tell them that the lad who had run away +from his home was rapidly making a man of himself in Virginia, and +would one day come back to gladden their hearts. + + + +CAPTAIN SMITH'S DEPARTURE + + +It is not well for me to dwell upon our parting with the master +whom we had served more than two years, and who had ever been the +most friendly friend and the most manly man one could ask to meet. + +Our hearts were sore, when, after having done what little we might +toward carrying him on board the ship, we came back to his house, +which he had said in the presence of witnesses should be ours, and +there took up our lives with Master Hunt. + +But for that good man's prayers, on this first night we would have +abandoned ourselves entirely to grief; but he devoted his time to +soothing us, showing why we had no right to do other than continue +in the course on which we had been started by the man who was gone +from us, until it was, to my mind at least, as if I should be doing +some grievous wrong to my master, if I failed to carry on the work +while he was away, as it would have been done had I known we were +to see him again within the week. + +With Captain Smith gone, perhaps to his death; with half a dozen +men who claimed the right to stand at the head of the government +until Lord De la Warr should come; and with the savages menacing +us on every hand, sore indeed was our plight. + +With so many in the town, for there were now four hundred and ninety +persons, and while the savages, because of having been so sorely +wronged, were in arms against us, it was no longer possible to go +abroad for food, and as the winter came on we were put to it even +in that land of plenty, for enough to keep ourselves alive. + + + +THE "STARVING TIME" + + +We came to know what starvation meant during that winter, and were +I to set down here all of the suffering, of the hunger weakness, +and of the selfishness we saw during the six months after Captain +Smith sailed for home, there would not be days enough left in my +life to complete the tale. + +As I look back on it now, it seems more like some wonderful dream +than a reality, wherein men strove with women and children for food +to keep life in their own worthless bodies. + +It is enough if I say that of the four hundred and ninety persons +whom Captain Smith left behind him, there were, in the month of +May of the year 1610, but fifty-eight left alive. That God should +have spared among those, Nathaniel Peacock and myself, is something +which passeth understanding, for verily there were scores of better +than we whose lives would have advantaged Jamestown more than ours +ever can, who died and were buried as best they could be by the +few who had sufficient strength remaining to dig the graves. + +I set it down in all truth that, through God's mercy, our lives +were saved by Master Hunt, for he counseled us wisely as to the +care we should take of our bodies when our stomachs were crying +out for food, and it was he who showed us how we might prepare this +herb or the bark from that tree for the sustaining of life, when +we had nothing else to put into our mouths. + +We had forgotten that Lord De la Warr was the new governor; we had +heard nothing of the ship in which it was said Sir Thomas Gates +and Sir George Somers had sailed. We were come to that pass where +we cared neither for governor nor nobleman. We strove only to keep +within our bodies the life which had become painful. + +Then it was, when the few of us who yet lived, feared each moment +lest the savages would put an end to us, that we saw sailing up +into the bay two small ships, and I doubt if there was any among +us who did not fall upon his knees and give thanks aloud to God +for the help which had come at the very moment when it had seemed +that we were past all aid. + + + +OUR COURAGE GIVES OUT + + +But our time of rejoicing was short. Although these two ships were +brought by Sir Thomas Gates and Sir George Somers, having in them +not less than one hundred and fifty men, they did not have among +them food sufficient to provide for the wants of our company until +another harvest should come. + +The vessel in which these new comers had sailed was, as I have +said, wrecked in a hurricane near the Bermuda Isles, where, after +much labor, they had contrived to build these two small ships. + +It needed not that we, who of all our people in Jamestown remained +alive, should tell the story of what we had suffered, for that +could be read on our faces. + +Neither was it required that these new comers should study long in +order to decide upon the course to be pursued, for the answer to +all their speculations could be found in the empty storehouse, and +in the numberless graves 'twixt there and the river bank. + +Of provisions, they had so much as might serve for a voyage +to England, if peradventure the winds were favorable; and ere the +ships had been at anchor four and twenty hours, it was resolved +that we should abandon this town of James, which we had hoped might +one day grow into a city fair to look upon. + +An attempt to build up a nation in this new land of Virginia, of +which ours was the third, had cost of money and of blood more than +man could well set down, and now, after all this brave effort on +the part of such men as Captain Smith, Master Hunt and Master Percy, +it was to go for naught. + +Once more were the savages to hold undisputed possession of the +land which they claimed as their own. + + + +ABANDONING JAMESTOWN + + +Now even though Nathaniel Peacock and I had known more of suffering +and of sorrow, than of pleasure, in Jamestown, our hearts were sore +at leaving it. + +It seemed to me as if we were running contrary to that which my +master would have commanded, and there were tears in my eyes, of +which I was not ashamed, when Nathaniel and I, hand in hand, followed +Master Hunt out of the house we had helped to build. + +Those who had come from the shipwreck amid the Bermudas, were +rejoicing because they had failed to arrive in time to share with +us the starvation and the sickness, therefore to them this turning +back upon the enterprise was but a piece of good fortune. Yet were +they silent and sad, understanding our sorrow. + +It was the eighth day of June, in the year 1610, when we set sail +from Jamestown, believing we were done with the new world forever, +and yet within less than three hours was all our grief changed to +rejoicing, all our sorrow to thankfulness. + + + +LORD DE LA WARR'S ARRIVAL + + +At the mouth of the river, sailing toward us bravely as if having +come from some glorious victory, were three ships laden with men, +and, as we afterward came to know, an ample store of provisions. + +It was Lord De la Warr who had come to take up his governorship, +and verily he was arrived in the very point of time, for had he +been delayed four and twenty hours, we would have been on the ocean, +where was little likelihood of seeing him. + +It needs not I should say that our ships were turned back, and +before nightfall Master Hunt was sitting in Captain Smith's house, +with Nathaniel Peacock and me cooking for him such a dinner as we +three had not known these six months past. + +I have finished my story of Jamestown, having set myself to tell +only of what was done there while we were with Captain John Smith. + +And it is well I should bring this story to an end here, for if +I make any attempt at telling what came to Nathaniel Peacock and +myself after that, then am I like to keep on until he who has begun +to read will lay down the story because of weariness. + +For the satisfaction of myself, and the better pleasing of Nathaniel +Peacock, however, I will add, concerning our two selves, that we +remained in the land of Virginia until our time of apprenticeship +was ended, and then it was, that Master Hunt did for us as Captain +Smith had promised to do. + + + +THE YOUNG PLANTERS + + +We found ourselves, in the year 1614, the owners of an hundred +acres of land which Nathaniel and I had chosen some distance back +from the river, so that we might stand in no danger of the shaking +sickness, and built ourselves a house like unto the one we had +helped make for Captain Smith. + +With the coming of Lord De la Warr all things were changed. +The governing of the people was done as my old master, who never +saw Virginia again, I grieve to say, would have had it. We became +a law abiding people, save when a few hotheads stirred up trouble +and got the worst of it. + +When Nathaniel Peacock and I settled down as planters on our own +account, there were eleven villages in the land of Virginia, and, +living in them, more than four thousand men, women, and children. + +It was no longer a country over which the savages ruled without +check, though sad to relate, the brown men of the land shed the +blood of white men like water, ere they were driven out from among +us. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Richard of Jamestown, by James Otis + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RICHARD OF JAMESTOWN *** + +This file should be named rchjm10.txt or rchjm10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, rchjm11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, rchjm10a.txt + +Produced by Martin Robb + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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