pioneers of the old south-第3部分

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Robert　Hunt　is　the　chaplain。　Besides　those　whom　the　time　dubbed
〃gentlemen；〃　there　are　upon　the　three　ships　English　sailors；　English
laborers；　six　carpenters；　two　bricklayers；　a　blacksmith；　a　tailor；　a
barber；　a　drummer；　other　craftsmen；　and　nondescripts。　Up　and　down　and　to
and　fro　they　pass　in　their　narrow　quarters；　microscopic　upon　the　bosom　of
the　ocean。

John　Smith　looms　large　among　them。　John　Smith　has　a　mantle　of　marvelous
adventure。　It　seems　that　he　began　to　make　it　when　he　was　a　boy；　and　for
many　years　worked　upon　it　steadily　until　it　was　stiff　as　cloth　of　gold　and
voluminous　as　a　puffed…out　summer　cloud。　Some　think　that　much　of　it　was
such　stuff　as　dreams　are　made　of。　Probably　some　breadths　were　the　fabric　of
vision。　Still　it　seems　certain　that　he　did　have　some　kind　of　an
extraordinary　coat　or　mantle。　The　adventures　which　he　relates　of　himself
are　those　of　a　paladin。　Born　in　1579　or　1580；　he　was　at　this　time　still　a
young　man。　But　already　he　had　fought　in　France　and　in　the　Netherlands；　and
in　Transylvania　against　the　Turks。　He　had　known　sea…fights　and　shipwrecks
and　had　journeyed；　with　adventures　galore；　in　Italy。　Before　Regal；　in
Transylvania；　he　had　challenged　three　Turks　in　succession；　unhorsed　them；
and　cut　off　their　heads；　for　which　doughty　deed　Sigismund；　a　Prince　of
Transylvania；　had　given　him　a　coat　of　arms　showing　three　Turks'　heads　in　a
shield。　Later　he　had　been　taken　in　battle　and　sold　into　slavery；　whereupon
a　Turkish　lady；　his　master's　sister；　had　looked　upon　him　with　favor。　But　at
last　he　slew　the　Turk　and　escaped；　and　after　wandering　many　days　in　misery
came　into　Russia。　〃Here；　too；　I　found；　as　I　have　always　done　when　in
misfortune；　kindly　help　from　a　woman。〃　He　wandered　on　into　Germany　and　thence
into　France　and　Spain。　Hearing　of　wars　in　Barbary；　he　crossed　from　Gibraltar。
Here　he　met　the　captain　of　a　French　man…of…war。　One　day　while　he　was　with　this
man　there　arose　a　great　storm　which　drove　the　ship　out　to　sea。　They　went
before　the　wind　to　the　Canaries；　and　there　put　themselves　to　rights　and　began
to　chase　Spanish　barks。　Presently　they　had　a　great　fight　with　two　Spanish　men…
of…war；　in　which　the　French　ship　and　Smith　came　off　victors。　Returning　to
Morocco；　Smith　bade　the　French　captain　good…bye　and　took　ship　for　England；　and
so　reached　home　in　1604。　Here　he　sought　the　company　of　like…minded　men；　and　so
came　upon　those　who　had　been　to　the　New　World〃and　all　their　talk　was　of　its
wonders。〃　So　Smith　joined　the　Virginia　undertaking；　and　so　we　find　him　headed
toward　new　adventures　in　the　western　world。

On　sailed　the　three　shipslittle　shipssailing…ships　with　a　long　way　to　go。

〃The　twelfth　day　of　February　at　night　we　saw　a　blazing　starre　and　presently
a　storme　。　。　。　。　The　three　and　twentieth　day　＇of　March＇　we　fell　with　the
Iland　of　Mattanenio　in　the　West　Indies。　The　foure　and　twentieth　day　we
anchored　at　Dominico；　within　fourteene　degrees　of　the　Line；　a　very　faire
Iland；　full　of　sweet　and　good　smells；　inhabited　by　many　Savage　Indians　。。。。
The　six　and　twentieth　day　we　had　sight　of　Marigalanta；　and　the　next　day　wee
sailed　with　a　slacke　sail　alongst　the　Ile　of　Guadalupa　。　。　。　。　We　sailed　by
many　Ilands；　as　Mounserot　and　an　Iland　called　Saint　Christopher；　both
uninhabited；　about　two　a　clocke　in　the　afternoone　wee　anchored　at　the　Ile
of　Mevis。　There　the　Captaine　landed　all　his　men　。　。　。　。　We　incamped
ourselves　on　this　Ile　six　days　。　。　。　。　The　tenth　day　＇April＇　we　set　saile
and　disimboged　out　of　the　West　Indies　and　bare　our　course　Northerly　。。。。
The　six　and　twentieth　day　of　Aprill；　about　foure　a　clocke　in　the　morning；
wee　descried　the　Land　of　Virginia。〃*

*　Percy's　〃Discourse　in　Purchas；　His　Pilgrims；　vol。　IV；　p。　1684。
Also　given　in　Brown's　〃Genesis　of　the　United　States〃；　vol。　I；　p。　152。


During　the　long　months　of　this　voyage；　cramped　in　the　three　ships；　these
men；　most　of　them　young　and　of　the　hot…blooded；　physically　adventurous
sort；　had　time　to　develop　strong　likings　and　dislikings。　The　hundred　and
twenty　split　into　opposed　camps。　The　several　groups　nursed　all　manner　of
jealousies。　Accusations　flew　between　like　shuttlecocks。　The　sealed　box　that
they　carried　proved　a　manner　of　Ate's　apple。　All　knew　that　seven　on　board
were　councilors　and　rulers；　with　one　of　the　number　President；　but　they　knew
not　which　were　the　seven。　Smith　says　that　this　uncertainty　wrought　much
mischief；　each　man　of　note　suggesting　to　himself；　〃I　shall　be
Presidentor；　at　least；　Councilor！〃　The　ships　became　cursed　with　a　pest　of
factions。　A　prime　quarrel　arose　between　John　Smith　and　Edward…Maria
Wingfield；　two　whose　temperaments　seem　to　have　been　poles　apart。　There
arose　a　〃scandalous　report；　that　Smith　meant　to　reach　Virginia　only　to
usurp　the　Government；　murder　the　Council；　and　proclaim　himself　King。　The
bickering　deepened　into　forthright　quarrel；　with　at　last　the　expected
explosion。　Smith　was　arrested；　was　put　in　irons；　and　first　saw　Virginia　as
a　prisoner。

On　the　twenty…sixth　day　of　April；　1607；　the　Susan　Constant；　the　Goodspeed；
and　the　Discovery　entered　Chesapeake　Bay。　They　came　in　between　two　capes；
and　one　they　named　Cape　Henry　after　the　then　Prince　of　Wales；　and　the　other
Cape　Charles　for　that　brother　of　short…lived　Henry　who　was　to　become
Charles　the　First。　By　Cape　Henry　they　anchored；　and　numbers　from　the　ships
went　ashore。　〃But；〃　says　George　Percy's　Discourse；　〃we　could　find　nothing
worth　the　speaking　of；　but　faire　meadows　and　goodly　tall　Trees；　with　such
Fresh…waters　running　through　the　woods　as　I　was　almost　ravished　at　the
first　sight　thereof。　At　night；　when　wee　were　going　aboard；　there　came　the
Savages　creeping　upon　all　foure　from　the　Hills　like　Beares；　with　their
Bowes　in　their　mouths；　charged　us　very　desperately　in　the　faces；　hurt
Captaine　Gabriel　Archer　in　both　his　hands；　and　a　sayler　in　two　places　of
the　body　very　dangerous。　After　they　had　spent　their　Arrowes　and　felt　the
sharpnesse　of　our　shot；　they　retired　into　the　Woods　with　a　great　noise；　and
so　left　us。〃

That　very　night；　by　the　ships'　lanterns；　Newport；　Gosnold；　and　Ratcliffe
opened　the　sealed　box。　The　names　of　the　councilors　were　found　to　be
Christopher　Newport；　Bartholomew　Gosnold；　John　Ratcliffe；　Edward…Maria
Wingfield；　John　Martin；　John　Smith；　and　George　Kendall；　with　Gabriel　Archer
for　recorder。　From　its　own　number；　at　the　first　convenient　time；　this
Council　was　to　choose　its　President。　All　this　was　now　declared　and
published　to　all　the　company　upon　the　ships。　John　Smith　was　given　his
freedom　but　was　not　yet　allowed　place　in　the　Council。　So　closed　an　exciting
day。　In　the　morning　they　pressed　in　parties　yet　further　into　the　land；　but
met　no　Indiansonly　came　to　a　place　where　these　savages　had　been　roasting
oysters。　The　next　day　saw　further　exploring。　〃We　marched　some　three　or
foure　miles　further　into　the　Woods　where　we　saw　great　smoakes　of　fire。　Wee
marched　to　those　smoakes　and　found　that　the　Savages　had　beene　there　burning
downe　the　grasse　。　。　。　。We　passed　through　excellent　ground　full　of　Flowers
of　divers　kinds　and　colours；　anal　as　goodly　trees　as　I　have　seene；　as
cedar；　cipresse　and　other　kindes；　going　a　little　further　we　came　into　a
little　plat　of　ground　full　of　fine　and　beautifull　strawberries；　foure　times
bigger　and　better　than　ours　in　England。　All　this　march　we　could　neither　see
Savage　nor　Towne。〃*

*　Percy's　〃Discourse。〃


The　ships　now　stood　into　those　waters　which　we　call　Hampton　Roads。　Finding
a　good　channel　and　taking　heart　therefrom；　they　named　a　horn　of　land　Point
Comfort。　Now　we　call　it　Old　Point　Comfort。　Presently　they　began　to　go　up　a
great　river　which　they　christened　the　James。　To　English　eyes　it　was　a　river
hugely　wide。　They　went　slowly；　with　pauses　and　waitings　and　adventures。
They　consulted　their　paper　of　instructions；　they　scanned　the　shore　for　good
places　for　their　fort；　for　their　town。　It　was　May；　and　all　the　rich　banks
were　in　bloom。　It　seemed　a　sweet…scented　world　of　promise。　They　saw
Indians；　but　had　with　these　no　untoward　encounters。　Upon　the　twelfth　of　May
they　came　to　a　point　of　land　which　they　named　Archer's　Hope。　Landing　here；
they　saw　〃many　squirels；　conies；　Black　Birds　with　crimson　wings；　and　divers
other　Fowles　and　Birds　of　divers　and　sundrie　colours　of　crimson；　watchet；
Yellow；　Greene；　Murry；　and　of　divers　other　hewes　naturally　without　any　art
using　。　。　。　store　of　Turkie　nests　and　many　Egges。〃　They　liked　this　place；
but　for　shoal　water　the　ships　could　not　come　near　to　land。　So　on　they　went；
eight　miles　up　the　river。

Here；　upon　the　north　side；　thirty…odd　miles　from　the　mouth；　they　came　to　a
certain　peninsula；　an　island　at　high　water。　Two　or　three　miles　long；　less
than　a　mile　and　a　half　in　breadth；　at　its　widest　place　composed　of　marsh
and　woodland；　it　ran　into　the　river；　into　six　fathom　water；　where　the　ships
might　be　moored　to　the　trees。　It　was　this　convenient　deep　water　that
determined　matters。　Here　came　to　anchor　the　Susan　Constant；　the　Goodspeed；　and
the　Discovery。　Here　the　colonists　went　ashore。　Here　the　members　of　the　Council
were　sworn；　and　for　the　first　President　was　chosen　Edward…Maria　Wingfield。
Here；　the　first　roaming　and　excitement　abated；　they　began　to　unlade　the　ships；
and　to　build　the　fort　and　also　booths　for　their　present　sleeping。　A　church；
too；　they　must　have　at　once；　and　forthwith　made　it　with　a　stretched　sail　for
roof　and　a　board　between　two　trees　whereon　to　rest　Bible　and　Book　of　Prayer。
Here；　for　the　first　time　in　all　this　wilderness；　rang　English　axe　in　American
forest；　here　was　English　law　and　an　English　town；　here　sounded　English
speech。　Here　was　placed　the　germ　of　that　physical；　mental；　and；　spiritual
power　which　is　called　the　United　States　of　America。



CHAPTER　III。　JAMESTOWN

In　historians'　accounts　of　the　first　months　at　Jamestown；　too　much；
perhaps；　has　been　made　of　faction　and　quarrel。　All　this　was　there。　Men　set
down　in　a　wilderness；　amid　Virginian　heat；　men；　mostly　young；　of　the　active
rather　than　the　reflective　type；　men　uncompanioned　by　women　and　children；
men　beset　with　dangers　and　sufferings　that　were　soon　to　tag　heavily　their
courage　and　patiencesuch　men　naturally　quarreled　and　made　up；　quarreled
again　and　again　made　up；　darkly　suspected　each　the　ot