Willmar tribune., 1907-03-06
ANgQDE or EQ2AL EEN1E cM7XEJ1O1W EXPD
GROUNDS r-42eo.

town, with one important exception.
OF all of the men and women engaged
in this great enterprise for the Ex-
ploitation of Tidewater Virginia, there
mas not stood forth one man of pre-
| eminent executive ability. There has
peen, however, all of the strife, dis
cord, Jealousy and suspicion that
marked the founding of James City
In the original colony, however, there
was passenger, one John Smith, who
made himself so thoroughly felt at
the time, that he graved his name in
history more effectually than it could
have been graved on metal or stone.
The story of his life hitherto COR
roborates the old saying that truth is
stranger than fiction The story re-
lated by himself is exceedingly excit-
| ing and romantic. 1t would have been
more easily believed if it had been
| put on record by other hands than his
own. 1t runs something like this:
When but youth he ran away
from home, carrying with him his
trlt1ing belongings, and entered upon
wonderful career of adventure.
While mere lad he was shipwrecked,
and again. according to his own ac-
count he was robbed at sea. He be-
came tramp and wanderer through
France, where, being attacked and
robbed, he was left half dead and ex.
| ceedingly near to perishing. Meeting
this same horde of bandits later on.
he reaped swift vengeance by Shaving
some OF them. While on ship car
rying devout Catholics to the Easter
! celebrations at Rome, he was thrown
overheard in order to appease a most
furious storm for which his heretical
person was held responsible. What
ever became of the pious Christian
! voyagers after their most alarming
experience, is not known. Smith him
self partly f1oated and partly swami
to a desolate island. From this is.
land he was rescued by a passing shin.
While on this ship there was an en-
lcountef with Venetian argosy, and
after bloody conflict, in which he
was conspicuous, the argosy was CAP:
tured and its treasury distributed
amongst those engaged in the battle.
| Later on he joined the Germans
VINO were engaged in a fierce war
against the Turks. AS soldier Of
the army of Prince Sigismund. he had
memorable experience with three
Turks who were the champions of the
turkish armies. In this encounter he
slew hrst one and then another and
still another of the Turks, who. in
turn, engaged him in duel. This ex-
ploit commanded for him at once tho
favor of the German army; and espe-
cially of Prince Sigismund, who made
n1m present of handsome purse
and who afterwards gave him a nat
ent OF nobility, the coat-of-arms Of
which was a shield upon which were
emblazoned three Turks heads COM
memorating the combat with the
three Turks of the Mohammedan
forces.
| Whether one accepts the truthful
ness OF these stories related above do
pends largely upon ones point Of
view. Fortunately for Smith, the most
exciting and unlikely of the Incidents
is corroborated by other and older
records than his own. The story of
the encounter with the Turks ara tho
subsequent reward on the part of
Sigismund are matters that had sona
on record before Smiths narrations
concerning them had been made pub
lie.
But, whether John Smith was tho
hero and nobleman that he confesses
himself to have been, he was man
who ''did things and because of his
doings, the exploitation of historic
Underwater Virginia, is called the
Jamestown Exposition" albeit, the
location is far from jamestown, and
very few of the myriads of visitors
will go out of their way to visit the
1 original place of settlement.
/. SMITH D. FRY.