Evening star., 1931-06-21

by mis- contemporary, Simon Van Der
Pass.
point. 1t is a tragic narrative in many
of its aspects.
Wingield quarreled with Gosnold
and others Of the council pfsSension
ran through the entire company until
hardly one man could trust another.
Food was scarce and poor in quality.
Sickness was rife among the men. The
Indians were hostile Work went for =
ward very slowly. Some Of the COM
pany were so unused to hard physical
labor that they collapsed under the
strain. At one time 95 were on the
sick list BY the beginning Of Septem-
Der 46 had died.
Kendall was dismissed from the coun-
Gil for plotting. Then wingfield was
imprisoned after being deposed. Rat
cliffe took his place, but he was
neither loved nor respected" and he
ment of all OUT door matters.
Even then the colony was at odds
within itself. Kendal, still plotting,
was tried, convicted and executed.
Some Of the company conspired to eS-
cape to sea and attempt to make their
way back to England. Smith discov-
cred this scheme and stopped 1t. Rat
cliffe was found to be masquerading:
his real name was Sicklemore. James
Read, the blacksmith. was hanged for
being inSolent and for endeavoring to
enemies, the colonists added to the
gravity Of their predicament by making
enemies among themselves. Mean
time starvation threatened.
And It was Smiths management that
kept the plantation supplied with corn.
The record is pathetic. Trip after trip
we find him making into the Indian
country in search Of supplies. His
hardshipS on these expeditions make
very unpleasant reading. His danger
was as constant as 1t was great. It
was on one such excursion that he
was captured and dragged before the
Indian king Powhatan. The sequel to
this incident, the story Of how he was
saved from execution by the tnterven-
ton Of Powhatans little daughter
ly known folk legend Of the American
people. The facts have been chal-
lenged. Some authorities say the tale
is patiently false. But other authori-
ties, equally competent, insist that it
Is true It certainly seems true.
Smith also was charged with the re-
sponsibility under Ratcliffe of keeping
the building operations at jamestown
moving and Of preparing a cargo for
shipment to England when the ships
should come again. 1t was In connec-
ton with this duty that he said that
those who would not work might
not eat.
When he was absent matters went
badly at the settlement. When he
was present they went fairly we'll.
There must have been some relation of
cause and effect in these circumstances.
But he was not universally appreci-
ated Quite the contrary. Released by
Powhatan, he was condemned to be
hanged-fcr not having saved two men
who had lost their lives by disobeying
orders! The sentence would have been
executed had it not been for the time
ly return of Capt. Newport, with sup
plies and new colonistS from England.
This also gave Smith additional stand
ing with the Indians. He had "prophe-
cied'' Newports return, and his predic-
ton had been fulfilled.
Spent Summer Exploring.
Smith spent the Summer exploring
the Chesapeake country. He had been
instructed to look for gold and silver.
Personally, he does not appear to have
been much interested, but he did his
duty. and meanwhile he examined the
geography of the vicinity as 1t had
never been examined before. The tan
gible result was his famous map Of Vir-
ginia, as beautiful chart Of its kind
as there is in the world.
Returning to Jamestown July 81 he
found the colony in state Of mutiny
against Ratcliffe. The people insisted
that Smith take command. He did so
at last, but he made his friend, Master
Scrivener, acting president. Smith him.
self went on with his exploring He
was back at jamestown September Z.
. In October, 1908, he took active con-
troll Soon after this Newport returned
with 10 recruits and fresh supplies.
With this expedition came Mistress For
est and her maid, Anne Burrowes. the
first women in the plantation.
The colony settled down to another
Winter 1t was hard one. There was
internal troubles. Scrivener was in
volved In q plot against Smith; Powha-
tan was stirring up ill-feeling among
the tribes; food was scarce; some Dutch
workmen made trouble for the English
colpnists; several attempts were made
by Indians to murder Smith and other
plantation officers; one Indian attack on
the town was prevented by Pocahontas,
who came in the night to warn Smith
Va SAAC PlaAAj AHAuAty OCAAtCACA dh0 ~ Va
his friends were drowned in gale
which overturned their craft. It was
time to try the soul Of every thoughtful
man in the community. When we re-
member that Smith was only 30, we can
readily sympathize with him in the
physical and spiritual burden he was
carrying.
In May, 1909, seven vessels sailed
from Woolwich for Virginia. In them
Ratcliffe, Martin and Archer returned.
The first of these ships reached James
town on August IL. Smiths term as
president was to expire in September.
Who could succeed him? He had in
dicated that he favored Martin. But
1t was known that Lord De la War;
was coming out from England TO be
governor Of the Virginia plantations,
and Smith, considering the fact that
Rateline and Archer we're again in
position TO create mischief, was salts
f1ed to leave ONCE.
As 1t happened Smith, and De Ia
War; did not meet. One night early
in September Smith was ION his way
back from his up-river trip, and whilst
sleeping in the open boat, some clumsy
fellow accidentally fred Smiths pow
der bag" A painful injury resulted.
Flesh for Q or 10 inches square was
torn on his thighs and body. His
clothing ablaze, he leaped into the
river. His companions rescued him
from drowning, but he was in agony
for days. It was doubted that he
would live. But even as he lay In pain
an old enemy, one Dyer, tried to as
sassinat0 him, The pistol missed IRE,