Iron County register., 1892-11-10
JOHN SMITH AND OTHERS.
Who Come In for q Share Of Honor to
the Heroes of tke Past.

:
; the Heroes of tke Past.
tors are entitled to all precedence in
the matter Of important discoveries,
there are certain other interesting and
romantic gentlemen who might feel
that they deserve at least word of re-
membrance this great time of national
celebration. There is Capt. John Smith,
! whose agreeable young friead, Poca-
hontas, the entire population of Vir-
ginia is lineally descended, while the
gallant captain has given at least his
name to thousands of the sturdy sons
of the republic. The great John Smith
was born in Lincolnshire in 1919.
He was sent to the army, served in
the wars in the Netherlands and took
part in the campaign agairSt the Turks.
Having been taken prisoner, he was
sent as slave to Constantinople and
gained the affections of his mistress in
way that excited the wrath OF her
brother, pasha. AS there was no way
of compromising the affair, Smith con-
siderately knocked the pasha in the
head, stole his clothes and escaped to
Russian garrison. He made his way to
England in safety, and here fell in with
Capt. Gosnold. who persuaded him to
go on an exploring expedition to Amer
lea. On the voyage he was charged
with conspiracy; but. demanding a
trial, he was acquitted and made a
member of the council to govern the
new colony of Virginia. Smith found
ed the settlement of jamestown, and
when provisions ran short he made ex-
cursions into the country to obtain
corn. 1t was during one of these ex-
cursions that he was captured by the
Indians and saved by the timely inter-
vention of Pocahontas. as the story
runs. All these events took place in
1906 and 1907. In 1908 he explored the
Chesapeake as far as the Pataposa, and
a little later sailed to the head of the
Chesapeake. He was now made presi-
dent of the colony, and distinguished
himself by his aole administration.
Smith, however, had offended the COM
pany in England and new charter
was granted, Lord Delaware taking
the governorship. So inefficient was
the administration that Smith was re-
Guested by the colony to resume con-
troll. In 1909 he returned to England.
Five years later he explored the New
EI1gldUtt CCdoJ. anu IIldltc d SeCCllt tA-
ploration in 1915. Returning his ship
was captured by a French man-of-
war and Smith was carried to La
Rochelle. Again escaping, he went to
England and thereafter lived in retire
ment, dying in London in 1851. His
writings are voluminous and comprise
n detailed account of his travels and
discoveries in Virginia and New En-
gland.
There are various people who cross
over from Jersey every morning who
think that the man first opened up the
possibilities of the Hudson river, is no
mean type of greatness. Henry Hud-
son is the man. and at that time, 1903,
he was in the employ of the Dutch East
India company, and under commission
to find a passage to China, east or west.
1t seems a little absurd at the present
day to think of setting out to sail to
China by way of Fishkill and Albany,
but Hudson had already tried Green
land and Nova Zembia without results.
and he was taking all chances. Hedidn't
reach China, but he did travel one hun
dred and fifty miles up the river, where
he traded with the Indians and sur
veyed the country. But Hudson's am
bition was the discovery of the north
west passage. Four times he made
voyages of explora ton. and the fourth
was his last. Returning from the bay
which bears his name a mutiny broke
out among the men. Hudson and his
son and seven men were put into a boat
and cast adrift. That ended his adven-
lures.
The Pilgrim fathers will not figure
to any great extent in the coming cele-
bration. Primarily they couldn't be
associated with Columbus on account
of his religious views. However, they
have day of their own a few weeks
hence, when they will be sufficient
ly honored. It is enough to say that
their venturings on Cape Cod and
vicinity produced results that have ex-
ceeded what may have been the wild
est dreams of the early navigators.
Such was the reward of the pilgrims
n. Y. World.