Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-27
JOHN SMITHS BOOKS
interesting Accounts Of the
Virginia Colony.
THE EARLIEST CHRONICLE
Eight Copies Of the Original Edition
in Existence.
CHILDHOOD OF PoCAHoNTAs
Story of Romantic Rescue Omitted
From Smiths First Story Of
Settlement.
CHILDHOOD OF PocAHoNrAs
80 s7~BY WILLIAM e. CURTIS.

'sESAAS hSSSSASAASAASs
"a =s.-s,-4sszs
'~e sa~BY WILLIAM e. CURTIS.
Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
~ Herald.
Somebody could contribute to his own
profit and furnish an interesting souvenir
of the jamestown exposition by reproduc-
ing, in facsimile, the earliest publication
relating to the Virginia colony, the first
permanent English settlement in North
America. =. It is one Of the rarest and most
valuable books in the English language
and the genesis of the history of the United
States|a.,uttle, 'black-letter volume, with
an illustrated title page The spelling fol-
lows the quaint forms of Chaucer and
other writers of that period. 1t was writ
ten by Capt. John Smith, the master spirit
of the colony, in the first person, and
records the events and incidents which
took place under his own observation for
"a period of little more than year from
the time Of the arrival of the fleet at Cape
Henry, April 20. 1907. to the return voyage
of Capt. Nelson in the Phoenix June 2,
1908.
1t Is the first news which the English
public received Of the colony in Virginia,
but probably was not intended for publca-
ton The manuscript was taken to Eng
lduQ Dy capt. nelson, DuC we nave no
means sofaknewing to whom it was adj
dressed. 1t appears to have been circu-
lated in manuscript for some time among
persons financially interested in the colony,
and was then printed for general informa-
ton. By a singular mistake the first edi-
ton bore the name of Thomas Watson,
Gent. One of Said Colony as the author,
but the error appears to have been imme-
diately discovered, and a second edition,
with the name of Capt. Smith upon the
title page, was issued, with an apology
from the publisher.
1t Is rather singular evidence of both
modesty and manliness that Capt. Smiths
name. does not appear anywhere in the
narrative. He omits everything relating
to his own personal experience. the stirring
adventures through which he passed, the
indignities that were heaped upon him and
the treachery of some Of his companions.
He was suspected Of q mutiny at sea and
was placed under arrest; on the arrival
of the colonists at Cape Henry, when the
sealed box containing the "orders for gov
ernnent' was opened, and he was found
to have been named as a member of the
take his place in that body, but he ulti-
mately triumphed over the envy and jeaf-
ousy Of his, companions and has ever since
been recognized as the true leader of the
little band that established the first perma-
nent settlement in what Is now the United
States.
Romantic Story Omitted.
The omission Of an reference to the ro-
mantle story Of his rescue by Pocahontas
is not so strange, although he tells 1t in
his General Historic" published four years
later. He refers several times to Poca-
hontas, however. The first is as follows:
''Powhatan, understanding we detained
certaine Saluages, sent his Daughter, a
child Of tenne yeares old, which not only
for feature, countenance, & proportion,
much exceedeth any of the reft of his
people. but for wit and fpirit, the only
No, nf1 +. 1@1 Paw
by his mott truftie meffenger, called Raw
hunt, as much exceeding in deformitie of
perfon. but Of fulfill wit and crafty
understanding. he with long fircum-
stance, told NEE, how well Powhatan loued
and respected NEE. and in that 1 fhould
not doubt any way of his kindneffe, he
befides for a prefent: defiring me that
the boy might come again. which he
loued exceedingly, his little Daughter hee
had taight this leffon alto: not taking
notice at all of the Indeans that had beene
prifoners three daies. till that morning
come quietly, and in good tearmes to en-
treate their libertie. In the afternoons
they being gone, we guarded them as be-
fore to the Church. and after prayer, gaue
them to Pocahuntas, the Kings Daughter,
in regard to her fathers kindnehe in fend-
ing her: after hauing well fed them. as all
the time of their imprisonment, we gaue
them their bowes. arrowes, or what elfe
they had and with much content, rent
them packing: Pocahuntas, alto we
requted with fuch t tres ts as
heyans very kindly in TO releafing them"
If the age of Pocahontas is here given
correctly, she was only fifteen years
April, 1914 In his General Historic
however. Captain Smith refers to her as
thirteen years old. which would have
Rage Rage William straehey. the secretary, of
the colony, writing in 1910, refers to her
as follows:
ton, yong girle, Powhatan's daughter. fome-
tymes reforting to our fort, of the age then
of eleven or twelve yeares, get the Doyes
forth with her into the MARKET place. and
make them wheele. falling on their hands.
turning up their heeles upwardes, whone
fine would followe. and wheele 70 her felt.
naked as fine was. all the fort over; but
being once twelve yeares. they put on q
kind of femicinctum lethern apron Gas doe
our artificers or handycrafts mem before
their bellies. and are very fhamefac't to be
feene bare"
Eight Copies Of First Edition.
There are eight copies Of the original edi-
ton of Capt John Smiths book in ex-
istence. One IL In the library of Harvard
University, another in the John Carter
Brown library at Providence, two in the
library of the New York Historical Society
and three in the Lenox Library Of New
York. Another copy was sold several years
ago at auction with many other rare vol
/ umes Of Americana from the library Of the
late 8. L. NJ Barlow. and was purchased
by q private collector in New York. A
facsimile was printed by Wiggin & Lunt
of Boston in 1886, with portraits of Capt.
Smith and Pocahontas and Smiths famous
copper plate engraved map OF Virginia.
which Is familiar by many reprints. The
edition being limited to two hundred and
eighty copies. they are now very scarce
and expensive.
The first book about America in the Eng
lish language was published at Antwerp in
1911, by Jan van Doesborch, under the
title:
"Of the newe landes and of We People
founde by the Messengers Of the Kynge of
Portyngaie named Emanuel.
"Of the x dyners nacyons crystened.
"Of Pope Iohn and his landes, and of the
costeiy keyes and wonders molodyes that