in itself, had its advantages. It gave him such a knowledge of the country, and of the character and condition of the native inhabitants, as proved to be of the highest importance afterward, both to him and the colony.

3. We have seen already that the number of the settlers at Jamestown had been much diminished before the massacre of the men who went out with Smith. Some had also died during his absence. From one hundred and five, who came over, he found them reduced, on his return, to forty, and of these, a part were contriving to desert the colony.

4. Attempts had been made at desertion twice before. Captain Smith resolved to put a stop to this, even if it cost him his life; and he succeeded in accomplishing his object. But the state of things in Jamestown was exceedingly discouraging; the government was of no force whatever, and every thing would have gone to ruin but for his courage and determination.

5. At this critical period in the history of the colony, Captain Newport arrived from England, with one hundred and twenty emigrants. The news of this arrival in James River raised the drooping courage of the people, and diffused general joy. It is not improbable that the spot on the James River which is known by the name of "Newport's News," is the point from which his vessel was first discovered. 6. But the joy was of short duration. The new-comers, like too many of those who first emigrated, were chiefly "vagabond gentlemen” -as the settlers called them-and goldsmiths. The latter, no doubt, came over filled with the idea of obtaining gold. None of them, however, expected to earn their living by hard work. All they thought or talked of was about digging, washing, refining, and carrying away the most precious of metals.

7. Even Martin, one of the council, and Captain Newport himself, became absorbed—if, indeed, their brains were not actually turned— in the idea of finding gold. Martin claimed, no doubt sincerely, that he had discovered a gold mine; and Newport, after loading his vessel with what proved in the end to be worthless yellow earth, believed himself to be rich, and returned to England.

8. Worn out with fruitless endeavors to direct the attention of his people to something more important than searching for gold, Captain Smith undertook to explore the inlets, rivers, and shores of Chesapeake Bay. This he accomplished, in the course of two voyages, in an open boat, and with only fourteen men.

3. How were the colonists reduced? 4. What of desertions? 5. What of Captain Newport? 6, 7. What of gold? 8, 9. What of Captain Smith's explorations?

INCREASE OF THE COLONY.

45

9. These voyages were undertaken and completed in about three months. He ascended the Potomac, above where Washington now stands, discovered and explored the Pa-tap'-sco, and, it is thought, entered the harbor of Baltimore. The whole distance travelled was estimated at about 3,000 miles.

10. But exploration was not all that Captain Smith accomplished. He journeyed into the interior, and made treaties of peace and friendship with many tribes of the natives. He also prepared and sent over to the London Company a map of the country, which is still in existence, and is very correct. This expedition, considering all the circumstances, is one of the most remarkable on record; and displays not only skill and perseverance in Smith, but far-sighted and statesmanlike wisdom.

CHAPTER XVI.

Increase of the Colony.-Smith's Administration of the Government.-Failure of his Health.-His Return to

England.

1. IN three days after his return from his second voyage up

CAPTAIN SMITH PRESIDENT.

the Chesapeake Bay, Captain Smith-not yet thirty years of

age-was made president of the Virginia council. It is worthy of remark that, of the seven members of the council who came over about a year before, all but Smith and Kendall were now dead, or degrad

ed, or devoted to the vain and unprofitable pursuit of gold.

10. What did Smith do beside exploring the country?

CHAP. XVI-1. What office was conferred upon Smith? How old was he?

2. Not long after the appointment of Smith as president, Captain Newport came out from England with seventy more emigrants, two of whom were women. Of nearly 300 emigrants, who had now come over, these appear to have been the only women who had as yet ventured to join the colony.

3. From the complaints of Smith to the London Company, it appears that the character of this third set of emigrants was no better than that of the former. “I entreat you," says he, “rather send but thirty carpenters, husbandmen, gardeners, fishermen, blacksmiths, masons, and diggers-up of tree-roots, well provided, than a thousand of such as we have."

4. Smith was indefatigable in his endeavors to establish among the colonists habits of order and industry. His maxim was, "He who will not work should not eat." And he had some success. Several of the "gentlemen" colonists became wood-cutters. They were required to labor six hours a day for the common good; the rest of the time they had to themselves.

5. At length, Jamestown began to have the appearance of a regular and comfortable abode. It is true that they had as yet scarcely fifty acres of soil under cultivation, and were obliged to get their food, in part, from the Indians and from England; yet they were now improving in their condition. They were also healthier, only seven having died during the year 1608.

6. Toward the close of this year a fleet of seven vessels arrived, with about 300 emigrants. Nine vessels had set out, but two of them had been wrecked in the West Indies. But Smith could hardly rejoice at the arrival of "rakes and libertines," and people who were packed off," as many of them were, "to escape worse destinies at home."

7. Something, however, must be done with them. One plan of his was to form new colonies. More than one hundred went up to the falls of the James River, and began a settlement; one hundred more settled upon the Nan'-se-mond. Both parties, however, offended the Indians, and were either destroyed or driven away.

8. A great misfortune now befel the colony of Jamestown. Captain Smith, being severely wounded by an accident, and almost worn out with his sufferings and the ingratitude of his employers, departed for England, leaving the government, for the time, to one Percy.

9. Captain Smith was, indeed, a most remarkable man, as the facts

2. What of Captain Newport? 3. What complaints did Smith make to the London Company? 4. What endeavors did Smith make? 5. What of Jamestown? 6. What took place at the close of the year 1608? 7. What of new colonies? 8. What great misfortune befel the colony now?

FAMINE IN THE COLONY.

47

we have stated abundantly prove. Few men are so well calculated to be pioneers in settling a wilderness as he was. Few could have seen more clearly in what the true interest of a rising colony consisted; and still fewer would have been equally energetic and disinterested.

10. Feelings-deep and painful-no doubt he had, for who has them not, in situations so trying as his? Yet the historian well remarks, "that he was the father of Virginia; the true leader who first planted the Saxon race within the borders of the United States." We shall have occasion to mention him again, in the history of New England. He died in London, in 1631, aged fifty-two years.

CHAPTER XVII.

The Colony on the Verge of Ruin.-Preparations to abandon Jamestown.-Arrival of Lord Delaware.-His new and successful Government.

1. THE departure of Captain Smith for England was like the last

LORD DELAWARE'S ARRIVAL.

setting of the sun to the colony at Jamestown, at least for a time. No place ever went more rapidly on toward ruin. Order and industry disappeared, and the Indians not only became less friendly, but actually began to assume a hostile attitude, and to renew their outrages.

2. Nor was this all. The indolence and bad conduct of the settlers brought on a famine in the colony. Their want of food became so

9, 10. What of Captain Smith's character? His death? What does the historian say of him?

CHAP. XVII.-1. What effects had the departure of Captain Smith? 2. What of famine?

distressing that they devoured the skins of horses, as well as the bodies of those persons who died or were slain, whether of their own party or that of the Indians. To add to the distress, thirty of the settlers escaped, and became pirates.

3. In the short period of six months after Captain Smith's departure, the number of the colonists was, in one way or another, reduced from five hundred to sixty. These, however, were so feeble and dis couraged that they were wholly unfit to defend themselves against the Indians; so that the colony was daily and hourly in actual danger of perishing.

4. In this dreadful condition, little short of despair, they resolved to return to England. But the decision was scarcely made when one of the vessels which had been shipwrecked in the West Indies six months before, and whose crew and passengers had wintered there, arrived it the river, and landed at Jamestown.

5. The wretched, despairing colonists were now urged to remain. They were, all together, about 200 in number. But no pleadings of Sir Thomas Gates, who was their presiding officer at the time, could prevail with them. Their plan was to sail for Newfoundland, and scatter themselves among the vessels engaged in fishing there, and thus find their way back to England.

6. They had four pinnaces remaining in the river, into which they entered, though almost without provisions, even for the voyage to Newfoundland. They had resolved-strange to say-on burning the town when they left it, and the energy of Gates, who, to the last moment, endeavored to persuade them to remain, was barely sufficient to prevent it.

7. They actually set sail on their voyage. But just as they reached the mouth of the river-such was the ordination of Providence-Lord Del'-a-ware, with provisions and more emigrants, arrived from England. This inspired them with a little courage; and, as there was a favorable wind, the whole company bore up the river, and slept that night at the fort in Jamestown.

8. Lord Delaware began his wise administration next morning, with religious exercises, after which he caused his commission to be read; pon which a consultation was held, and a new government organized, 1 accordance with the wishes of the London Company and their commissioners.

3. What took place in the space of six months? 4. What did the colonists resolve to do? What of a vessel from the West Indies? 5. What of Sir Thomas Gates? 6. What of the four pinraces? 7. What of Lord Delaware? 8, 9. What of Lord Delaware's administration?