from The General History of Virginia John Smith
What Happened Till the First Supply
John Smith himself wrote this account of the early months of the Jamestown settlement. For that reason, he may be trying to make his actions seem even braver and more selfless than they were. As you read, stay alert for evidence of exaggerating by Smith. Being thus left to our fortunes, it fortuned
1 that within ten
days, scarce ten amongst us could either go 2 or well stand,
such extreme weakness and sickness oppressed us. And thereat
none need marvel if they consider the cause and reason,
which was this: While the ships stayed, our allowance was
somewhat bettered by a daily proportion of biscuit which the
sailors would pilfer to sell, give, or exchange with us for
money, sassafras, 3 or furs. But when they departed, there
remained neither tavern, beer house, nor place of relief but the
common kettle. 4
Had we been as free from all sins as gluttony
and drunkenness we might have been canonized for saints,
but our President 5 would never have been admitted for
engrossing to his private ,6 oatmeal, sack,
7 oil, aqua vitae,
8 beef,
eggs, or what not but the kettle; that indeed he allowed equally
to be distributed, and that was half a pint of wheat and as
much barley boiled with water for a man a day, and this, having
fried some twenty-six weeks in the ship’s hold, contained
as many worms as grains so that we might truly call it rather
so much bran than corn; our drink was water, our lodgings
castles in the air.
With this lodging and diet, our extreme toil in bearing and
planting palisades so strained and bruised us and our continual
labor in the extremity of the heat had so weakened
us, as were cause sufficient to have made us as miserable in
our native country or any other place in the world.
From May to September, those that escaped lived upon
sturgeon and sea crabs. Fifty in this time we buried; the rest
Vocabulary Development: pilfer (pil far) v.steal palisades(pala sadz) n.large,pointed stakes set in the ground to form a fence used for defense
1. fortuned v. happened.
2. go v. be active. 3. sassafras (sas’ e fras) n. a tree, the root of which was valued for its supposed
medicinal qualities.
4. common kettle communal cooking pot 5. President Wingfield, the leader of the colony.
6. engrossing to his private taking for his own use.
7. sack n. type of white wine. 8. aqua vitae (ak’ we vir e) brandy.
seeing the President’s projects to escape these miseries in
our pinnace 9 by flight (who all this time had neither felt want
nor sickness) so moved our dead spirits as we deposed him
and established Ratcliffe in his place . . .
But now was all our provision spent, the sturgeon gone,
all helps abandoned, each hour expecting the fury of the
savages; when God, the patron of all good endeavors, in that
desperate extremity so changed the hearts of the savages
that they brought such plenty of their fruits and provision as
no man wanted.
And now where some affirmed it was ill done of the
Council 10
to send forth men so badly provided~ this incontra-
dictable reason will show them plainly they are too ill advised
to nourish such ill conceits: First, the fault of our going was
our own; what could be thought fitting or necessary we had,
but what we should find, or want, or where we should be, we
were all ignorant and supposing to make our passage in two
months, with victual to live and the advantage of the spring
to work; we were at sea five months where we both spent our
victual and lost the opportunity of the time and season to
plant, by the unskillful presumption of our ignorant trans-
porters that understood not at all what they undertook.
Such actions have ever since the world’s beginning been
subject to such accidents, and everything of worth is found
full of difficulties, but nothing so difficult as to establish a
commonwealth so far remote from men and means and ——-
where men’s minds are so untoward 11
as neither do well
themselves nor suffer others. But to proceed.
The new President and Martin, being little beloved, of
weak judgment in dangers, and less industry in peace, com-
mitted the managing of all things abroad 12
to Captain Smith,
who, by his own example, good words, and fair promises, set
some to mow, others to bind thatch, some to build houses,
others to thatch them, himself always bearing the greatest
task for his own share, so that in short time he provided
most of them lodgings, neglecting any for himself. . . .
Leading an expedition on the Chickalwminy River,
Captain Smith and his men are attacked by Indians,
and Smith is taken prisoner.
When this news came to Jamestown, much was their
sorrow for his loss, few expecting what ensued.
Vocabulary Development: conceits(ken setz’) n. strange or fanciful ideas 9. pinnace (pin’ is) n. small sailing ship. 10. Council the seven persons in charge of the expedition.
11. untoward adj. stubborn.
12. abroad adv. outside the palisades.
Six or seven weeks those barbarians kept him prisoner,
many strange triumphs and conjurations they made of him,
yet he so demeaned himself amongst them, as he not only
diverted them from surprising the fort, but procured his own
liberty, and got himself and his company such estimation
amongst them, that those savages admired him.
The manner how they used and delivered him is as followeth:
The savages having drawn from George Cassen whither
Captain Smith was gone, prosecuting that opportunity they fol-
lowed him with three hundred bowmen, conducted by the King
of Pamunkee, 13
who in divisions searching the turnings of the
river found Robinson and Ermy by the fireside; those they shot
full of arrows and slew. Then finding the Captain, as is said,
that used the savage that was his guide as his shield (three of
them being slain and divers 14
others so galled), 15
all the rest
would not come near him. Thinking thus to have returned to
his boat, regarding them, as he marched, more than his way,
slipped up to the middle in an oozy creek and his savage with
him; yet dared they not come to him till being near dead with
cold he threw away his arms. Then according to their composi-
tions 16
they drew him forth and led him to the fire where his
men were slain. Diligently they chafed his benumbed limbs.
He demanding for their captain, they showed him
Opechancanough, King of Pamunkee, to whom he gave a
round ivory double compass dial. Much they marveled at the
playing of the fly and needle, 17
which they could see so plainly
and yet not touch it because of the glass that covered
them. But when he demonstrated by that globe-like jewel the
roundness of the earth and skies, the sphere of the sun,
moon, and stars, and how the sun did chase the night
round about the world continually, the greatness of the land
and sea, the diversity of nations, variety of complexions, and
how we were to them antipodes 18
and many other such like
matters, they all stood as amazed with admiration.
Nothwithstanding, within an hour after, they tied him to a
tree, and as many as could stand about him prepared to
shoot him, but the King holding up the compass in his
hand, they all laid down their bows and arrows and in a
triumphant manner led him to Orapaks where he was after
their manner kindly feasted and well used. . . .
At last they brought him to Werowocomoco, where was
Powhatan, their Emperor. Here more than two hundred of those
grim courtiers stood wondering at him, as he had been a
monster, till Powhatan and his train had put themselves in
13. Pamunkee Pamunkee River. 14. divers (dr varz) adj. several.
15. galled v. wounded. 16. composition n. ways.
17. fly and needle n. parts of a compass.
18. antipodes (an tip’ a dez) n. two places on opposite sides of the Earth.
their greatest braveries. Before a fire upon a seat like a bed-
stead, he sat covered with a great robe made of raccoon skins
and all the tails hanging by. On either hand did sit a young
wench of sixteen or eighteen years and along on each side the
house, two rows of men and behind them as many women,
with all their heads and shoulders painted red, many of their
heads bedecked with the white down of birds, but every one
with something, and a great chain of white beads about their
necks.
At his entrance before the King, all the people gave a great
shout. The queen of Appomattoc was appointed to bring him
water to wash his hands, and another brought him a bunch of
feathers, instead of a towel. to dry them; having feasted him
after their best barbarous manner they could, a long
consultation was held, but the conclusion was, two great stones
were brought before Powhatan: then as many as could, laid
hands on him, dragged him to them, and thereon laid his head
and being ready with their clubs to beat out his brains,
Pocahontas, the King’s dearest daughter, when no entreaty
could prevail, got his head in her arms and laid her own upon
his to save him from death; whereat the Emperor was contented
he should live to make him hatchets, and her bells, beads, and
copper, for they thought him as well of all occupations as
themselves. 19
For the King himself will make his own robes,
shoes, bows, arrows, pots; plant, hunt, or do anything so well as
the rest.
Two days after, Powhatan, having disguised himself in the
most fearfulest manner he could, caused Captain Smith to be
brought forth to a great house in the woods and there upon a
mat by the fire to be left alone. Not long after, from behind a
mat that divided the house, was made the most dolefulest
noise he ever heard; then Powhatan more like a devil than a
man, with some two hundred more as black as himself, came
unto him and told him now they were friends, and presently
he should go to Jamestown to send him two great guns and a
grindstone for which he would give him the country of
Capahowasic and forever esteem him as his son Nantaquond.
So to Jamestown with twelve guides Powhatan sent him.
That night they quartered in the woods, he still expecting (as
he had done all this long time of his imprisonment) every
hour to be put to one death or other, for all their feasting.
But almighty God (by His divine providence) had mollified
the hearts of those stern barbarians with compassion. The
next morning betimes they came to the fort, where Smith
having used the savages with what kindness he could, he
showed Rawhunt, Powhatan’s trusty servant, two
Vocabulary Development: mollified (mal a fid’) v.soothed;calmed 19.aswell. . . themselvescapableof makingthemjust aswell asthey could themselves.
demiculverins 20
and a millstone to carry Powhatan; they
found them somewhat too heavy, but when they did see him
discharge them, being loaded with stones, among the boughs
of a great tree loaded with icicles, the ice and branches came
so tumbling down that the poor savages ran away half dead
with fear. But at last we regained some conference with them
and gave them such toys and sent to Powhatan, his women,
and children such presents as gave them in general full
content.
Now in Jamestown they were all in combustion, 21
the
strongest preparing once more to run away with the pinnace;
which, with the hazard of his life, with saker falcon 22
and
musket shot, Smith forced now the third time to stay or sink.
Some, no better than they should be, had plotted with the
President the next day to have him put to death by the
Levitical law, 23
for the lives of Robinson and Emry; pretending
the fault was his that had led them to their ends: but he
quickly took such order with such lawyers that he laid them
by their heels till he sent some of them prisoners for England.
Now every once in four or five days, Pocahontas with her
attendants brought him so much provision that saved many
of their lives, that else for all this had starved with hunger.
His relation of the plenty he had seen, especially at
Werowocomoco, and of the state and bounty of Powhatan
(which till that time was unknown), so revived their dead spirits
(especially the love of Pocahontas) as all men’s fear was
abandoned.
Thus you may see what difficulties still crossed any good
endeavor; and the good success of the business being thus oft
brought to the very period of destruction; yet you see by what
strange means God hath still delivered it.
20. demiculverins (dem’ e kul var inz) large cannons. 21. combustion (kam bas’ chan) n. tumult. 22. saker falcon small cannon. 23. Levitical law “He that killeth man shall surely be put to death” (Leviticus 24:17).
