CHAPTER acquired a maritime reputation by former expeditions IV. against the Spaniards. One hundred and five men em1606. barked in these vessels, destined to form the first colony Dec. 19. of Virginia, but not very well selected for such a pur

pose. Of this small number forty-eight were gentlemen," persons brought up to esteem manual labor as degrading. There were but twelve laborers, four carpenters, and a few other mechanics. The rest were soldiers and servants. The leaders were Wingfield, a merchant, one of those named in the charter as projector of the colony; Gosnold, whose voyage, already mentioned. had revived the spirit of colonization; Hunt, the chaplain; and John Smith, an energetic adventurer, the historian of the enterprise, in which he played a conspicuous part. While a mere boy, impelled by a restless spirit, he had left home, and, finding his way across Europe, had engaged in the Austrian service in the war against the Turks, still regarded, at that time, as the common enemy of Christendom. After many adventures, in which he gave repeated proofs of remarkable courage and resolution, Smith had returned to England, and, accidentally forming an acquaintance with Gosnold, entered with characteristic zeal into the scheme for colonizing Virginia.

The names of the future counselors to whom the government of the colony was to be intrusted were carried to Virginia a profound secret, carefully sealed up in a tin box, along with King James's instructions. Newport proceeded by way of the Canaries and the West Indies, and during the long passage cabals arose. Wingfield, jealous, of Smith's reputation, accused him of a design to murder the council, usurp the government, and make himself King of Virginia; and on this extraordinary charge Smith was arrested, and kept in confinement during the remainder of the passage. Several weeks

IV.

were spent among the Caribbee Islands. Sailing thence CHAPTER in search of the coast of Virginia, a fortunate storm drove the vessels past Roanoke, and after a four months' 1607. passage from England they entered Chesapeake Bay. April 26. The two headlands at the entrance were named Cape Henry and Cape Charles, after the king's two sons. Α party of thirty landing on Cape Henry, were attacked by five of the natives, and had two of their number wounded. Presently the ships came to anchor at old Point Comfort, at the mouth of a broad river or estuary. The sealed box was now opened, and the names of Wingfield, Newport, Gosnold, Smith, and three others were found in it, appointed to compose the council.

Nearly three weeks were employed in exploring the country, during which the vessels ascended the great River Powhatan, a principal tributary of the Chesapeake. The new comers were kindly received at several places by the natives, who now saw white men for the first time. A spot was chosen for settlement on the north bank of the river, about fifty miles from the bay -a peninsula which afforded, on the water side, good anchorage, and on the land side might be easily defended, but with a low and marshy situation unfavorable to health. This spot was called Jamestown, and the river soon became known as James, or King's River.

Exercising the powers conferred upon them by the royal instructions, the council excluded Smith, and chose Wingfield president. It was proposed to send Smith to England; nor was it without difficulty that he obtained the privilege of being tried in the colony. Meanwhile, with Newport, he explored James River as high up as the falls, where they were hospitably entertained by the great chief Powhatan. On their return, they found the colonists at Jamestown already in a quarrel with the na

CHAPTER tives; but this difficulty was soon arranged. Smith was

IV. tried, and, being honorably acquitted by the jury, who 1607. levied heavy damages on Wingfield, his accuser, he was now, by the mediation of Hunt, restored to his seat in the council.

June.

All that part of the present state of Virginia below the falls of the rivers was found by the English in the possession of native tribes of Algonquin speech, united in a confederacy, called by the settlers the Powhatans, plural of the name by which they distinguished the great chief at its head. This chief, "a tall, sour, athletic man, about sixty years old," who dwelt in a little village of some twelve wigwams near the falls of James River, already visited by Smith and Newport, was magnified by the colonists into the "Emperor of Virginia." The Powhatan confederacy embraced more than forty clans or petty tribes, scattered over a great space, living together in little hamlets, few of which had so many as two or three hundred inhabitants. James River, above the falls, was inhabited by the five tribes of the Monicans, generally hostile to the Powhatans, as were the Mannahoacs, a confederacy of eight tribes inhabiting the upper courses of the Rappahannoc and the Potomac. These two confederacies appear to have spoken dialects of the Wyandot language. The total population of the three confederacies, including all the Indians west of Chesapeake Bay, as far as the Blue Ridge, did not probably exceed fifteen or twenty thousand. But to the few English they appeared very numerous.

Shortly after Newport's departure, the colonists began to suffer from disease, aggravated by want of proper food. The water was bad; their provisions, doled out in small allowances from the common store, consisted principally of wheat and barley heated and damaged on

the long voyage.

To this they added crabs and stur- CHAPTER

IV.

The natives, sick

geon, with which the river abounded. of such visitors, began again to grow unfriendly. Dis- 1607. ease was aggravated by melancholy and despair.

From

May to September half the colonists died, among others Gosnold, after whose death the council could hardly agree. Wingfield, the president, was accused of appropriating the best stores to his own private use, and of living in luxury while the others were starving. He attempted to escape from the unfortunate colony in a bark which Newport had left, but was detected, deposed from his office of president, and, along with Kendall, one of his confederates, was expelled the council. That body

was now reduced to three members, the vacancies occasioned by the departure of Newport, the death of Gosnold, and the recent expulsions remaining unfilled. Ratcliffe, the new president, was inefficient, and the management of affairs fell chiefly into the hands of Smith. Inspiring his companions with a portion of his own energy, he induced them to build a palisadoed fort as a protection against the Indians, and to erect huts for the winter. As the season approached for gathering the Indian corn, with a few attendants he visited the neighboring tribes, and by presents and caresses among the friendly, and open force upon the unwilling, obtained a much-needed supply. Plots still continued to be formed by Wingfield, Kendall, and others, for leaving the colony, and a rencounter presently took place, in which these plotters were defeated, and Kendall was killed. As winter set in, abundance of game and wild fowl dissipated all apprehensions of famine.

Matters thus in a more favorable train, Smith set out to explore the Chickahominy, a tributary which entered James River a little above Jamestown. No just ideas

Dec.

IV.

CHAPTER were yet entertained as to the breadth of the continent, which was still believed to be as narrow at the north as 1607. it was known to be in Mexico. The colonists were specially instructed to seek for a passage to the South Sea; and it was thought that possibly the Chickahominy might lead thither. Having ascended as high as he could in his barge, Smith followed up the stream in a canoe, with two colonists and two Indians for companions, and when the canoe would float no longer, he left the two colonists to guard it, and struck inland with a single Indian as a guide. Set upon' unexpectedly by a large party of natives, who had already surprised and killed the two men left to guard his canoe, Smith bound his Indian guide to his arm as a buckler, and made a vigorous defense, killing three of his assailants; but as he retreated backward, he presently sank into a miry swamp, and was taken prisoner. His captors would have killed him, but he amused them with a pocket compass. Carried in a sort of triumph through several villages, he was taken before Powhatan, the same chief whom he had visited in company with Newport. An attempt was made to engage his services-at least so Smith understood it-in surprising the colonists at Jamestown. Having failed in this, after much consultation it was resolved to put him to death. He was dragged to the ground, and his head placed upon a stone; Powhatan raised a club to dash out his brains, when Pocahontas, the sachem's favorite daughter, a child ten or twelve years old, rushed through the crowd, clasped in her arms the head of the victim, and, resting her own upon it, averted the fatal blow. His life was saved; many new ceremonies passed between him and the In1608. dians, and after seven weeks' captivity, accompanied by January. twelve Indian guides, he was sent back to Jamestown.