the complete writings-3-第26章

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orocco　with　several　comrades　on　a　French　man…of…war。　　His　observations　on　and　tales　about　North　Africa　are　so　evidently　taken　from　the　books　of　other　travelers　that　they　add　little　to　our　knowledge　of　his　career。　　For　some　reason　he　found　no　fighting　going　on　worth　his　while。　　But　good　fortune　attended　his　return。　　He　sailed　in　a　man…of…war　with　Captain　Merham。　They　made　a　few　unimportant　captures；　and　at　length　fell　in　with　two　Spanish　men…of…war；　which　gave　Smith　the　sort　of　entertainment　he　most　coveted。　　A　sort　of　running　fight；　sometimes　at　close　quarters；　and　with　many　boardings　and　repulses；　lasted　for　a　couple　of　days　and　nights；　when　having　battered　each　other　thoroughly　and　lost　many　men；　the　pirates　of　both　nations　separated　and　went　cruising；　no　doubt；　for　more　profitable　game。　　Our　wanderer　returned　to　his　native　land；　seasoned　and　disciplined　for　the　part　he　was　to　play　in　the　New　World。　　As　Smith　had　traveled　all　over　Europe　and　sojourned　in　Morocco；　besides　sailing　the　high　seas；　since　he　visited　Prince　Sigismund　in　December；　1603；　it　was　probably　in　the　year　1605　that　he　reached　England。　　He　had　arrived　at　the　manly　age　of　twenty…six　years；　and　was　ready　to　play　a　man's　part　in　the　wonderful　drama　of　discovery　and　adventure　upon　which　the　Britons　were　then　engaged。




IV

FIRST　ATTEMPTS　IN　VIRGINIA

John　Smith　has　not　chosen　to　tell　us　anything　of　his　life　during　the　interimperhaps　not　more　than　a　year　and　a　halfbetween　his　return　from　Morocco　and　his　setting　sail　for　Virginia。　　Nor　do　his　contemporaries　throw　any　light　upon　this　period　of　his　life。

One　would　like　to　know　whether　he　went　down　to　Willoughby　and　had　a　reckoning　with　his　guardians；　whether　he　found　any　relations　or　friends　of　his　boyhood；　whether　any　portion　of　his　estate　remained　of　that　〃competent　means〃　which　he　says　he　inherited；　but　which　does　not　seem　to　have　been　available　in　his　career。　　From　the　time　when　he　set　out　for　France　in　his　fifteenth　year；　with　the　exception　of　a　short　sojourn　in　Willoughby　seven　or　eight　years　after；　he　lived　by　his　wits　and　by　the　strong　hand。　　His　purse　was　now　and　then　replenished　by　a　lucky　windfall；　which　enabled　him　to　extend　his　travels　and　seek　more　adventures。　　This　is　the　impression　that　his　own　story　makes　upon　the　reader　in　a　narrative　that　is　characterized　by　the　boastfulness　and　exaggeration　of　the　times；　and　not　fuller　of　the　marvelous　than　most　others　of　that　period。

The　London　to　which　Smith　returned　was　the　London　of　Shakespeare。　　We　should　be　thankful　for　one　glimpse　of　him　in　this　interesting　town。　Did　he　frequent　the　theatre？　　Did　he　perhaps　see　Shakespeare　himself　at　the　Globe？　　Did　he　loaf　in　the　coffee…houses；　and　spin　the　fine　thread　of　his　adventures　to　the　idlers　and　gallants　who　resorted　to　them？　　If　he　dropped　in　at　any　theatre　of　an　afternoon　he　was　quite　likely　to　hear　some　allusion　to　Virginia；　for　the　plays　of　the　hour　were　full　of　chaff；　not　always　of　the　choicest；　about　the　attractions　of　the　Virgin…land；　whose　gold　was　as　plentiful　as　copper　in　England；　where　the　prisoners　were　fettered　in　gold；　and　the　dripping…pans　were　made　of　it；　and　wherean　unheard…of　thingyou　might　become　an　alderman　without　having　been　a　scavenger。

Was　Smith　an　indulger　in　that　new　medicine　for　all　ills；　tobacco？　Alas！　we　know　nothing　of　his　habits　or　his　company。　　He　was　a　man　of　piety　according　to　his　lights；　and　it　is　probable　that　he　may　have　had　the　then　rising　prejudice　against　theatres。　　After　his　return　from　Virginia　he　and　his　exploits　were　the　subject　of　many　a　stage　play　and　spectacle；　but　whether　his　vanity　was　more　flattered　by　this　mark　of　notoriety　than　his　piety　was　offended　we　do　not　know。　　There　is　certainly　no　sort　of　evidence　that　he　engaged　in　the　common　dissipation　of　the　town；　nor　gave　himself　up　to　those　pleasures　which　a　man　rescued　from　the　hardships　of　captivity　in　Tartaria　might　be　expected　to　seek。　　Mr。　Stith　says　that　it　was　the　testimony　of　his　fellow　soldiers　and　adventurers　that　〃they　never　knew　a　soldier；　before　him；　so　free　from　those　military　vices　of　wine；　tobacco；　debts；　dice；　and　oathes。〃

But　of　one　thing　we　may　be　certain：　he　was　seeking　adventure　according　to　his　nature；　and　eager　for　any　heroic　employment；　and　it　goes　without　saying　that　he　entered　into　the　great　excitement　of　the　dayadventure　in　America。　　Elizabeth　was　dead。　　James　had　just　come　to　the　throne；　and　Raleigh；　to　whom　Elizabeth　had　granted　an　extensive　patent　of　Virginia；　was　in　the　Tower。　　The　attempts　to　make　any　permanent　lodgment　in　the　countries　of　Virginia　had　failed。　　But　at　the　date　of　Smith's　advent　Captain　Bartholomew　Gosnold　had　returned　from　a　voyage　undertaken　in　1602　under　the　patronage　of　the　Earl　of　Southampton；　and　announced　that　he　had　discovered　a　direct　passage　westward　to　the　new　continent；　all　the　former　voyagers　having　gone　by　the　way　of　the　West　Indies。　　The　effect　of　this　announcement　in　London；　accompanied　as　it　was　with　Gosnold's　report　of　the　fruitfulness　of　the　coast　of　New　England　which　he　explored；　was　something　like　that　made　upon　New　York　by　the　discovery　of　gold　in　California　in　1849。　　The　route　by　the　West　Indies；　with　its　incidents　of　disease　and　delay；　was　now　replaced　by　the　direct　course　opened　by　Gosnold；　and　the　London　Exchange；　which　has　always　been　quick　to　scent　any　profit　in　trade；　shared　the　excitement　of　the　distinguished　soldiers　and　sailors　who　were　ready　to　embrace　any　chance　of　adventure　that　offered。

It　is　said　that　Captain　Gosnold　spent　several　years　in　vain；　after　his　return；　in　soliciting　his　friends　and　acquaintances　to　join　him　in　settling　this　fertile　land　he　had　explored；　and　that　at　length　he　prevailed　upon　Captain　John　Smith；　Mr。　Edward　Maria　Wingfield；　the　Rev。　Mr。　Robert　Hunt；　and　others；　to　join　him。　　This　is　the　first　appearance　of　the　name　of　Captain　John　Smith　in　connection　with　Virginia。　　Probably　his　life　in　London　had　been　as　idle　as　unprofitable；　and　his　purse　needed　replenishing。　　Here　was　a　way　open　to　the　most　honorable；　exciting；　and　profitable　employment。　　That　its　mere　profit　would　have　attracted　him　we　do　not　believe；　but　its　danger；　uncertainty；　and　chance　of　distinction　would　irresistibly　appeal　to　him。　　The　distinct　object　of　the　projectors　was　to　establish　a　colony　in　Virginia。　　This　proved　too　great　an　undertaking　for　private　persons。　　After　many　vain　projects　the　scheme　was　commended　to　several　of　the　nobility；　gentry；　and　merchants；　who　came　into　it　heartily；　and　the　memorable　expedition　of　1606　was　organized。

The　patent　under　which　this　colonization　was　undertaken　was　obtained　from　King　James　by　the　solicitation　of　Richard　Hakluyt　and　others。　Smith's　name　does　not　appear　in　it；　nor　does　that　of　Gosnold　nor　of　Captain　Newport。　　Richard　Hakluyt；　then　clerk　prebendary　of　Westminster；　had　from　the　first　taken　great　interest　in　the　project。　He　was　chaplain　of　the　English　colony　in　Paris　when　Sir　Francis　Drake　was　fitting　out　his　expedition　to　America；　and　was　eager　to　further　it。　　By　his　diligent　study　he　became　the　best　English　geographer　of　his　time；　he　was　the　historiographer　of　the　East　India　Company；　and　the　best　informed　man　in　England　concerning　the　races；　climates；　and　productions　of　all　parts　of　the　globe。　　It　was　at　Hakluyt's　suggestion　that　two　vessels　were　sent　out　from　Plymouth　in　1603　to　verify　Gosnold's　report　of　his　new　short　route。　　A　further　verification　of　the　feasibility　of　this　route　was　made　by　Captain　George　Weymouth；　who　was　sent　out　in　1605　by　the　Earl　of　Southampton。

The　letters…patent　of　King　James；　dated　April　10；　1606；　licensed　the　planting　of　two　colonies　in　the　territories　of　America　commonly　called　Virginia。　　The　corporators　named　in　the　first　colony　were　Sir　Thos。　Gates；　Sir　George　Somers；　knights；　and　Richard　Hakluyt　and　Edward　Maria　Wingfield；　adventurers；　of　the　city　of　London。　　They　were　permitted　to　settle　anywhere　in　territory　between　the　34th　and　41st　degrees　of　latitude。

The　corporators　named　in　the　second　colony　were　Thomas　Hankam；　Raleigh　Gilbert；　William　Parker；　and　George　Popham；　representing　Bristol；　Exeter；　and　Plymouth；　and　the　west　counties；　who　were　authorized　to　make　a　settlement　anywhere　between　the　38th　and　4Sth　degrees　of　latitude。

Theletters　commended　and　generously　accepted　this　noble　work　of　colonization；　〃which　may；　by　the　Providence　of　Almighty　God；　hereafter　tend　to　the　glory　of　his　Divine　Majesty；　in　propagating　of　Christian　religion　to　such　people　as　yet　live　in　darkness　and　miserable　ignorance　of　all　true　knowledge　and　worship　of　God；　and　may　in　time　bring　the　infidels　and　savages　living　in　those　parts　to　human　civility　and　to　a　settled　and　quiet　government。〃　　The　conversion　of　the　Indians　was　as　prominent　an　object　in　all　these　early　adventures；　English　or　Spanish；　as　the　relief　of　the　Christians　has　been　in　all　the　Russian　campaigns　against　the　Turks　in　our　day。

Before　following　the　fortunes　of　this　Virginia　colony　of　1606；　to　which　John　Smith　was　attached；　it　is　necessary　to　glance　briefly　at　the　previous　attempt　to　make　settlements　in　this　portion　of　America。

Although　the　English　had　a　claim　upon　America；　based　upon　the　discovery　of　Newfoundland　and　of　the　coast　of　the　continent　from　the　38th　to　the　68th　north　parallel　by　Sebastian　Cabot　in　1497；　they　took　no　further　advantage　of　it　than　to　send　out　a　few　fishing　vessels；　until　Sir　Humphrey　Gilbert；　a　noted　and　skillful　seaman；　took　out　letters…patent　for　discovery；　bearing　date　the　11th　of　January；　1578。　Gilbert　was　the　half…brother　of　Sir　Walter　Raleigh　and　thirteen　years　his　senior。　　The　brothers　were　associated　in　the　enterprise　of　1579；　which　had　for　its　main　object　the　possession　of　Newfoundland。　　It　is　commonly　said；　and　in　this　the　biographical　dictionaries　follow　one　another；　that　Raleigh　accompanied　his　brother　on　this　voyage　of　1579　and　went　with　him　to　Newfoundland。　　The　fact　is　that　Gilbert　did　not　reach　Newfoundland　on　that　voyage；　and　it　is　open　to　doubt　if　Raleigh　started　with　him。　　In　April；　1579；　when　Gilbert　took　active　steps　under　the　charter　of　1578；　diplomatic　difficulties　arose；　growing　out　of　Elizabeth's　policy　with　the　Spaniards；　and　when　Gilbert's　ships　were　ready　to　sail　he　was　stopped　by　an　order　from　the　council。　Little　is　known　of　this　unsuccessful　attempt　of　Gilbert's。　He　did；　after　many　delays；　put　to　sea；　and　one　of　his　contemporaries；　John　Hooker；　the　antiquarian；　says　that　Raleigh　was　one　of　the　assured　friends　that　accompanied　him。　　But　he　was　shortly　after　driven　back；　probably　from　an　encounter　with　the　Spaniards；　and　returned　with　the　loss　of　a　tall　ship。

Raleigh　had　no　sooner　made　good　his　footing　at　the　court　of　Elizabeth　than　he　joined　Sir　Humphrey　in　a　new　adventure。　　But　the　Queen　peremptorily　retained　Raleigh　at　court；　to　prevent　his　incurring　the　risks　of　any　〃dangerous　sea…fights。〃　　To　prevent　Gilbert　from　embarking　on　this　new　voyage　seems　to　have　been　the　device　of　the　council　rather　than　the　Queen；　for　she　assured　Gilbert　of　her　good　wishes；　and　desired　him；　on　his　departure；　to　give　his　picture　to　Raleigh　for　her；　and　she　contributed　to　the　large　sums　raised　to　meet　expenses　〃an　anchor　guarded　by　a　lady；〃　which　the　sailor　was　to　wear　at　his　breast。　　Raleigh　risked　L　2；000　in　the　venture；　and　equipped　a　ship　which　bore　his　nam