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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..80206ec --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #55475 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/55475) diff --git a/old/55475-0.txt b/old/55475-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 3fdad3d..0000000 --- a/old/55475-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,7197 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Captain John Smith, by C. H. Forbes-Lindsay - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Captain John Smith - -Author: C. H. Forbes-Lindsay - -Illustrator: Harry B. Lachman - -Release Date: September 2, 2017 [EBook #55475] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH *** - - - - -Produced by Donald Cummings and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - CAPTAIN - JOHN SMITH - - FOURTH IMPRESSION - - - - -_The American Trail Blazers_ - -“THE STORY GRIPS AND THE HISTORY STICKS” - -These books present in the form of vivid and fascinating fiction, the -early and adventurous phases of American history. Each volume deals -with the life and adventures of one of the great men who made that -history, or with some one great event in which, perhaps, several heroic -characters were involved. The stories, though based upon accurate -historical fact, are rich in color, full of dramatic action, and appeal -to the imagination of the red-blooded man or boy. - -Each volume illustrated in color and black and white - -12mo. Cloth. - - - LOST WITH LIEUTENANT PIKE - GENERAL CROOK AND THE FIGHTING APACHES - OPENING THE WEST WITH LEWIS AND CLARK - WITH CARSON AND FREMONT - DANIEL BOONE: BACKWOODSMAN - BUFFALO BILL AND THE OVERLAND TRAIL - CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH - DAVID CROCKETT: SCOUT - ON THE PLAINS WITH CUSTER - GOLD SEEKERS OF ’49 - WITH SAM HOUSTON IN TEXAS - - - - -[Illustration: THE TERRIFIED FRENCHMAN DROPPED HIS SWORD AND FELL UPON -HIS KNEES] - - - - - CAPTAIN - JOHN SMITH - - - BY - C. H. FORBES-LINDSAY - - AUTHOR OF “INDIA: PAST AND PRESENT,” “AMERICA’S INSULAR - POSSESSIONS,” “DANIEL BOONE, BACKWOODSMAN,” ETC. - - - _WITH ILLUSTRATIONS IN COLOR BY_ - HARRY B. LACHMAN - - - [Illustration] - - - PHILADELPHIA & LONDON - J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY - - - - - COPYRIGHT, 1907 - - BY J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY - - - _Electrotyped and printed by J. B. Lippincott Company - The Washington Square Press, Philadelphia, U. S. A._ - - - - - DEDICATED - TO - MY AMERICAN SON - AND - MY BRITISH NEPHEWS - - - - -CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER PAGE - I WHERE THERE’S A WILL THERE’S A WAY 23 - II LONDON TOWN IN SHAKESPEARE’S DAY 36 - III THE SOLDIER APPRENTICE 48 - IV DUPED AND ROBBED 60 - V A DUEL WITH A DASTARD 72 - VI DARKNESS AND DAWN 83 - VII SOME STRATAGEMS 95 - VIII THE DIN OF BATTLE 107 - IX GUERILLA TACTICS 119 - X THE THREE TURKS 130 - XI BRAVE HEARTS AND TRUE 144 - XII SLAVERY AND A SEA-FIGHT 155 - XIII A BAD BEGINNING 171 - XIV POWHATAN AND HIS PEOPLE 182 - XV TREASON AND TREACHERY 193 - XVI CAPTIVE TO THE INDIANS 204 - XVII POCAHONTAS TO THE RESCUE 215 - XVIII FIRE AND STARVATION 226 - XIX A TURN IN THE TIDE 238 - XX DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND 250 - XXI SOME AMBUSCADES 262 - XXII A CURIOUS COMBAT 274 - XXIII A HUMBLED CHIEFTAIN 285 - XXIV A DISMAL TALE 296 - - - - -ILLUSTRATIONS - - - PAGE - THE TERRIFIED FRENCHMAN DROPPED HIS SWORD - AND FELL UPON HIS KNEES _Frontispiece_ - - HE HASTENED DOWN TO THE WATER’S EDGE AND - SHOUTED LUSTILY 85 - - THE SETTLERS HAD BEEN UNDER THE SLEEPLESS EYE - OF SPIES LYING HIDDEN 206 - - IT WAS IN VAIN THAT THE INDIAN STRUGGLED TO - SHAKE OFF THAT IRON GRIP 282 - - - - -FOREWORD - - -The history of the world furnishes few lives so romantic and replete -with stirring incident as that of John Smith, the founder of the first -English colony in America--that settlement at Jamestown in Virginia, of -which the United States of today is the outgrowth. - -John Smith began life in the year 1580, in the glorious reign of Good -Queen Bess. It was a world of turmoil into which our hero came, but a -most fitting field for so adventurous a spirit. In France, the gallant -Henry of Navarre was fighting for a kingdom and his faith against the -Catholic League. In the Low Countries, the sturdy Dutchmen, under -Maurice of Orange, were defending their homes from the invasion of -the arrogant and bigoted Spaniard, who deemed it his duty to punish -every Protestant people. In the east of Europe, the Ottomans--Asiatics -from Turkestan and other countries--maintained an incessant and savage -warfare against the subjects of the Emperor of Germany. - -There was but one peaceful spot in all Christendom, and that the “right -little, tight little island” of our forefathers. There were, however, -thousands of Englishmen who, like John Smith, had no stomach for a -life of ease and they were to be found in every army on the continent, -fighting for gain or religion, and often for sheer love of the life of -action. Moreover Cabot, the first on the coast of America, had started -that movement which was to create the greatest colonial empire in the -history of the world, and Raleigh had already made his first futile -attempt to settle Virginia, where John Smith was destined to play a -master part. - -On the seas, vessels of each nation preyed upon those of every other, -for a tacit condition of enmity prevailed among them regardless of the -status of their several countries. Navies were composed mainly of the -merchant marine, for every ocean-going ship carried cannon and small -arms. Commonly their captains were furnished with letters of marque, -commissions issued by their sovereigns authorizing the holders to -attack the sails of other countries hostile to their own and to take -prizes and prisoners. The possession of letters of marque saved a -captain and his crew from the disgrace and the penalty of piracy, but -it was often no more than a cloak for the practice. Two ships flying -different flags hardly ever met, but the stronger attacked the other -and, if victorious, plundered her, and that without any consideration -for the friendly relations that might at the time exist between their -respective countries. The age of the robber barons had passed away, to -be succeeded by a somewhat less immoral state of society in which the -powerful refrained from preying upon their countrymen but recognized -no law of justice in dealing with foreigners. Judged by our standards, -Dampier and Drake were pirates; Pizzaro and Cortes, bandits. - -Smith, with a less acute sense of honor and a lower regard for right, -might have amassed a ready fortune in the days when such qualities as -his ensured wealth to the unscrupulous adventurers on land and sea, -whose predatory careers were countenanced and abetted by monarchs and -men in high places. In his latter years, when embittered by his failure -to secure money for legitimate exploration, he writes:[1] “Had I set -myself to persuade men that I knew of a mine of gold, as I know many to -have done in sheer deception; or had I advanced some wild scheme for -a passage to the South Sea; or some plot to loot a foreign monastery; -or the equipment of a fleet to make prizes of rich East Indiamen; -or letters of marque to rob some poor merchant or honest fisherman, -multitudes with their money would have contended to be first employed.” - -[1] Here, and in a few instances in the following pages, I have made -slight changes in the wording, without affecting the meaning, of -Smith’s expressions. Although he is a very clear writer, the English of -Shakespeare’s time is not always readily understandable by us.--C. H. -F-L. - -Queen Elizabeth, the wisest and the most humane sovereign of her -time, had ample excuse for the license which she extended to her sea -captains in the matter of attacking the Spanish possessions and ships. -It was a measure of self-defence, designed for the protection of the -liberties and religion of her subjects against the aggressive power of -Spain, which, after the discovery of America, bid fair, unless checked, -to make her the mistress of the world. Smith was in his ninth year when -our dauntless ancestors, by shattering the great Armada, scotched the -pride of Philip and halted his ambition. This was of all naval battles, -perhaps, the most momentous to the Anglo-Saxon race and certainly of -vital consequence to America, for had Philip’s fleet gained a victory -on that occasion, we, as a nation, had never been. It is more than -probable that the old religion would have been re-established in -England, with a stop to the march of liberty and independence, and -certain that Spain would have found no obstacle to the acquisition -of the entire American continent. The immediate effect of England’s -victory was to set her on the highway to the naval supremacy of the -world, and the generation to which John Smith belonged maintained a -constant struggle for the command of the seas. Later generations of -Englishmen carried on the contest with Holland and afterwards with -France. - -We have seen that John Smith lived in a period of the world that -afforded the adventurer ample and varied scope for the exercise of -talents and energy, but in any other age than his own a man of Smith’s -extraordinary parts must have taken a prominent place among his -contemporaries. In the period following the decline of the Roman power, -when the nations of Europe were in the formative stage, such a man -would surely have been one of the great dukes (_duces_), or leaders who -founded dynasties of kings. At the present day he might be an explorer, -a captain of industry, or a statesman--for Smith had the qualities that -ensure success in any walk of life. - -It is a wonderful and inspiring story, that of the stripling who, -without money or friends, boldly left his native land and, abandoning -himself to the chance currents of a strange world, at the age when the -modern schoolboy is seeking distinction on the football field, was -learning the art of arms in the practical school of war. Dame Fortune -surely smiled upon the errant boy and, whilst she led him into constant -adventure and danger, as frequently saw him safely out of them. - -During his checkered career as a soldier of fortune his lot is often -cast in hard places and his life is constantly endangered. He is -shipwrecked and narrowly escapes drowning. Robbed and landed upon a -foreign shore with empty purse, he is forced to sell his cloak in -order to meet his needs. Like Jonah of old, he is thrown overboard by -a superstitious crew, but contrives to swim to an uninhabited island. -He is sorely wounded in battle and captured by the Turks, who sell him -into slavery. - -The life was always arduous, for in those days mere travel was beset -by dangers and difficulty, but as we follow the lad in his adventures -we are cheered by many a bright spot and many a fine success. For John -Smith was never the kind to be depressed or defeated by adversity. -Indeed, he reminds one of those toys, called “bottle imps,” that may be -rolled over in any direction but cannot be made to lie down. Hardly has -he met with a reverse than he sets about repairing it and always with -success. To-day he is cold, hungry, and half clad, his purse as flat as -a flounder, but soon afterwards we see him going gayly on his way with -a pocket full of sequins, his share in a prize which he had helped to -capture. He wins his spurs in the Low Countries and in the war against -the Turks is granted a coat of arms for the exploit of defeating three -of the enemy’s champions in single combat. His military services earn -for him the title of captain and the command of a regiment of horse. - -All these things, and many more equally remarkable, befall John Smith -before he has reached the age of twenty-four. He has now spent eight -years abroad, except for a brief return to England, and all this time -he is fighting on land and at sea, or roaming through foreign countries -in search of experience and adventure. Keenly observant always, he -extracts from each occasion--as the bee gathers honey from every -flower--some knowledge to be turned to useful account in later life. - -Smith has no other purpose during this early period of his life than -to learn what he can of the world and the practice of arms--in short -to qualify himself for a life of action in an age when brawn is no -less essential to success than brain. It is a stern school in which -he acquires his training but an effective one, and he makes the most -of his opportunities. We see the expansion of his mind keeping pace -with the development of his muscle, until the Captain John Smith who -joins the colonists bound for Virginia appears as a man of perfect -physique and mature judgment. It is not improbable that the hardships -and exposure of his life may have sown the seeds of disease but, if -so, he has not contributed to such a condition by his habits. In that -day the soldiers of all nations were addicted to brawling, drinking, -pillaging, and gambling. But these practices had no attraction for -Smith. His sword never lagged in the scabbard on good occasion for its -use, but he was no swashbuckler seeking unnecessary trouble; he drank -wine sparingly but found no pleasure in gluttony; he paid for what he -took, even in an enemy’s country and counted it a disgrace to rob a -defenceless man; in the matter of money, as in everything else, he was -the most generous of mortals and had rather hand a man his purse than -to win that of the other by dicing. Withal he did not set himself up -to be better than his fellows and we have the testimony of two of his -countrymen, who followed him through the wars in Transylvania, that he -was respected and beloved by his comrades and the soldiers under his -command. - -Hitherto Smith has been associated with men whose experience was -greater than his own. They have been his masters, both in the sense of -teachers and commanders. As a subordinate he has performed his duties -so well as to call forth the praise and admiration of his superiors. -Now we find him going out to a land which is equally strange to him -and to his companions. No man of them enjoys the advantage of knowing -more than the others about those distant parts and their people. Rank -and money will count for little in the new life. Each man’s worth will -be measured by his character and his actions. Under such conditions, a -man of Smith’s extraordinary ability must sooner or later become the -leader, even among others much older than himself. - -The foundation of Virginia and, as I have said, that of the United -States was laid by Captain John Smith in spite of tremendous -difficulties. Some of these were such as would naturally attend the -settlement of a strange land among hostile inhabitants, but it is -not too much to say that the greater part of them were due to the -incompetence of the colonists and their constant quarrels among -themselves. More than once they brought affairs to such a pass that -nothing but the prompt and energetic action of Smith saved the colony -from total destruction. - -These differences broke out before they had reached the shores of -America, and we see Captain John Smith landed in chains, a prisoner -under absurd charges trumped up by pettifoggers who are envious of -his evident fitness for command and accuse him of a design to usurp -it. They scheme to send him back to England, but at the very outset -they learn that they cannot dispense with the services of this, the -ablest man among them. It is he who shows them how to fortify the -settlement. He repels the attacks of the Indians. He and he only, dares -lead exploring expeditions into unknown regions. Captured by the most -powerful chief of that part of the country, Smith converts him into -an ally. He makes treaties with the surrounding tribes and secures -their friendship for the settlers. Time and again, when improvidence -has brought famine upon the colonists, he saves them from starvation -by procuring supplies at the risk of his life. In short he continually -preserves this mixed company of malcontents and incompetents from the -worst consequences of their folly and controls them with the firmness -and tact of a master. In his dealings with the Indians, he carefully -avoids unnecessary bloodshed or harshness, frequently sacrificing -prudence at the dictate of humanity. Yet he gained the respect of -the savages by his courage, steadfastness, honesty and--when occasion -demanded--by the weight of his strong arm, for Captain John Smith was -no less stern than just. - -In the days when news traveled slowly and was often delivered by word -of mouth, the truth of distant events was hard to ascertain, and great -men were frequently the victims of malice and envy. Smith, like many -another, failed to receive at the hands of his countrymen the honor -and recognition which he deserved. They had been misled by extravagant -fables of the wealth of America and were disappointed that Smith did -not send home cargoes of gold, spices, and other things which the -country did not produce. False tales of his tyranny over the colonists -and his cruelty to the savages had preceded his return to England, and -he found himself in disfavor. He made two voyages to New England, as -he called the region which still bears that name, but little came of -them. This was mainly on account of the determination of the promoters -to search for gold lodes where none existed. Smith with rare foresight -strove to persuade his contemporaries that they had better develop -commerce in the products of the sea and the field. Few would listen -to him, however, whilst the rich argosies of Spain, freighted with -ore from South America, inflamed their minds with visions of similar -treasures in the north. The spirit of speculation had taken possession -of the country. Smith could obtain money for none but wild or dishonest -ventures and in such he would not engage. His generous soul disdained -the pursuit of mere wealth, and we see him, after having “lived near -thirty-seven years in the midst of wars, pestilence, and famine, by -which many a hundred thousand died” about him, passing his last days -in the comparative poverty which had been his condition through life. -Captain John Smith had not yet reached the prime of life--indeed, he -was hardly more than forty years of age--when he was compelled to -retire from active life. Despairing of honorable employment, he settled -down to write the many books that issued from his pen. It would be -difficult to surmise what valuable services he might, with better -opportunity, have performed for his country, during this last decade -of his life. The time was well spent, however, that he occupied in the -composition of his life and historical works. He is a clear and terse -writer. We are seldom at a loss to fully understand him, and the only -complaint that we feel disposed to make against Captain John Smith as -a writer is that he too often fails to give an account of his own part -in the stirring events which he records. In fact he combined with the -modesty usually associated with true greatness, the self-confidence of -the man whose ultimate reliance is upon an all-powerful Providence. -“If you but truly consider,” he writes in the history of Virginia, -“how many strange accidents have befallen these plantations and myself, -you cannot but conceive God’s infinite mercy both to them and to -me.... Though I have but my labor for my pains, have I not much reason -publicly and privately to acknowledge it and to give good thanks?” - -Few men have compassed in fifty years of life so much of noble action -and inspiring example as did John Smith. He died, as he had lived, a -God-fearing, honorable gentleman, rich in the consciousness of a life -well spent and in the respect of all who knew him. He was a connecting -link between the old world and the new, and we, no less than England, -should keep his memory green. - - - - -THE SOLDIER OF FORTUNE - - - - -John Smith - -Gentleman Adventurer - - - - -I. - -WHERE THERE’S A WILL THERE’S A WAY - -Jack Smith is introduced to the reader--He takes part in the rejoicing -at the defeat of the Spanish Armada--His relations to the sons of -Lord Willoughby--He runs away from school and sells his books and -satchel--He is starting for London when his father dies--He is -apprenticed to a merchant and shipowner--He tires of life at the desk -and deserts the counting-house--His guardian consents to his going into -the world and furnishes him with ten shillings--Jack takes the road to -London with a bundle on his back--He meets Peregrine Willoughby. - - -It was the day following that memorable Monday in August, 1588, when -the English fleet scattered the galleons and galleasses of Spain and -Portugal and chased them into the North Sea. The bells were pealing -from every steeple and church tower in Merry England, whilst beacon -fires flashed their happy tidings along the chain of hill-tops from -Land’s End to John O’Groats. The country was wild with joy at the -glorious victory over the Great Armada, and well it might be, for -never was a fight more gallant nor a cause more just. It was night and -long past the hour when the honest citizens of Good Queen Bess’s realm -were wont to seek their couches and well-earned repose, but this night -excitement ran too high to admit of the thought of sleep. - -In the little village of Willoughby, Master Gardner, portly and -red-faced, was prepared to keep the D’Eresby Arms open until daylight -despite law and custom. The villagers who passed up and down the one -street of the hamlet exchanging greetings and congratulations had more -than a patriotic interest in the great event, for at least half of them -had sons or brothers amongst the sturdy souls who had flocked from -every shire and town to their country’s defence at the first call for -help. - -Beside the fountain in the market place, interested spectators of the -scene, stood a lusty lad and an elderly man, bowed by broken health. - -“The Lord be praised that He hath let me live to see this glorious -day,” said the man, reverently and with a tremor in his voice. “Our -England hath trounced the proud Don, my son. I’ faith! ’tis scarce to -be believed that our little cockle-shells should overmatch their great -vessels of war. Thank the Lord, lad, that thou wast born in a land -that breeds men as staunch as the stuff from which their ships are -fashioned. If one who served--with some distinction if I say it--under -the great Sir Francis, might hazard a prediction, I would say that the -sun of England hath risen over the seas never to set.” - -“Would I had been there, Sir!” cried the boy with eyes aglow. - -“Thou, manikin!” replied his father smiling, as he patted the bare -head. “Thou! But it gladdens my heart that a Smith of Willoughby fought -with Drake on the _Revenge_ in yester battle and I’ll warrant that my -brother William demeaned himself as becomes one of our line.” - -“And thus will I one day,” said the lad earnestly. - -“Nay, nay child!” quickly rejoined the man. “Harbor not such wild -designs John, for thou art cast for a farmer. Thou must train thy hand -to the plow and so dismiss from thy mind all thought of the sea. Come, -let us return. Thy mother will be aweary waiting.” - -Perhaps it is not strange that Master George Smith, who had followed -the sea in his younger days, should have sought to dissuade his son -from thought of a similar course. The career of adventure had not -resulted in any improvement of the father’s fortune. On the contrary, -he had finally returned home with empty pockets and wrecked health to -find the farm run down and the mother whom he had loved most dearly, -dead. Now, feeling that but few more years of life remained to him, it -was his aim to improve the property and his hope that John would grow -up to be a thrifty farmer and take care of his mother and the younger -children. - -Master George Smith came of a family of armigers, or gentlemen, and was -accounted a well-to-do farmer in those parts. His holding lay within -the estate of the Baron Willoughby, the Lord of the Manor, and he -held his lands in perpetuity on what was called a quit rent. This may -have consisted of the yearly payment of a few shillings, a firkin of -butter, or a flitch of bacon--any trifle in short which would suffice -to indicate the farmer’s acknowledgment of the Baron as his overlord. - -In the earlier feudal period, lands were granted in consideration of -military service. The nobleman received his broad acres from the king -upon condition of bringing a certain number of armed retainers into -the field whenever summoned. The lord, in order to have the necessary -retainers always at command, divided up his domain into small holdings -amongst men who pledged themselves to join his banner when called -upon. As a reminder of his obligation, each retainer was required to -make some slight payment to his lord every year, and this was deemed -an acquittance of rent. In the reign of Queen Elizabeth, feudal -tenure--that is the holding of lands in consideration of military -service--had ceased to exist, but the custom of paying quit rent -continued and it is observed in many parts of England to this day. - -Master Smith sent his son to the grammar school in the neighboring -village of Alford. It was perhaps one of the many schools of the kind -founded by the wise young king, Edward the Sixth, for the benefit of -the great mass of his subjects who could not afford to have their sons -educated at the more expensive colleges. John was an apt scholar and -made good progress, but even in early boyhood his mind was, as he tells -us, “set upon brave adventure.” And so, although he applied himself -diligently to learning whilst at school, he was impatient to cut loose -from his books and go into the world of action. - -This is not difficult to understand when we consider the lad’s -temperament and the circumstances in which he was placed. Willoughby -and Alford were on the coast. The people were for the most part -sea-faring men. Many of them made voyages to the continent of Europe -and some had visited more distant parts. Like most seamen, they were -doubtless always ready to tell of their experiences, and we may be sure -that little Jack Smith was an eager listener to their yarns. - -He was nine years of age when England throbbed with excitement at the -approach of the great Armada of Spain. He saw all the able-bodied men -of his village hurrying south to join their country’s defenders, and -without doubt he wished that he were old enough to go with them. A few -weeks later, the gallant men of Willoughby came home to harvest their -fields, undisturbed by fear of an invasion of the Dons. Every one of -them had done his full share in the fight. Jack’s uncle had served on -Francis Drake’s ship. That fierce sea-hawk was in the thick of the -strife and it was a brave story that Master William Smith had to relate -to his delighted nephew. - -As the lad grew older, he began to read of the glorious deeds of his -countrymen in former days, stories of battle and adventure on land and -sea, of knights and sea captains, of shipwreck and discovery. Books -were costly and hard to come by in those days and very few would be -found in the home of even a prosperous farmer. But Jack Smith was -fortunate in the fact that Robert and Peregrine, the sons of Lord -Willoughby, were his schoolfellows and playmates. Through them he had -access to the castle with its grand hall full of armor and weapons, its -gallery of old portraits, and above all its library, containing many of -the kind of books from which he derived the greatest pleasure. - -More than that, Lord Willoughby was one of the most renowned warriors -of his day. On the Continent his name was linked with those of Sir -Philip Sidney and Sir Walter Raleigh. His feats of arms were recorded -by historians and sung in ballads. One of these, which you may find in -a curious old book named “Percy’s Reliques,” commences thus: - - “The fifteenth day of July, - With glistening spear and shield, - A famous fight in Flanders, - Was foughten in the field. - The most courageous officers - Were English captains three, - But the bravest man in battel - Was the brave Lord Willoughbie.” - -This song was composed at about the time that Jack was at school, and -you may depend upon it that he with every one else in Willoughby sang -it, for they were all right proud of their lord. - -Lady Willoughby was, of course, fond of recounting her husband’s brave -exploits. He was at this time fighting in the Low Countries, and at -every opportunity he sent her word of the adventures that befell -him. Parts of these letters she would read to her sons, and Jack was -often present. At other times she would sit in a large oaken chair -before the great fireplace in the hall, the three lads and two huge -stag-hounds grouped about her feet in the ruddy light of the log fire. -Many a delightful evening was thus spent, the stately lady telling of -the stirring deeds performed by her lord and the boys listening with -breathless interest. - -During one winter the little circle received a welcome addition in -the son of Count Ployer. The young Frenchman was in England for the -purpose of finishing his education. His father was a friend of Lord -Willoughby and in company with the latter was fighting in the Low -Countries. The young nobleman was thus in a position to contribute his -share to the stories of military adventure in which they were all so -deeply interested. - -As he walked home in the dark after one of these recitals, Jack would -flourish his staff and shout words of command to imaginary followers, -or tilt at a bush, or wage a furious duel with a milestone. The baying -of “Sir Roger,” the old watchdog at the homestead, would recall him -to his senses, and he would steal up to his truckle bed in the attic -wishing that he were a man and his own master. - -By the time Jack reached the age of thirteen, the desire to seek his -fortune in the world had become too strong to be longer resisted. His -mother was dead, his brother and sister were younger than himself and -his father’s mind was still set upon making him a farmer. There was no -one to whom he could turn for advice or assistance and so, with the -self-reliance which he displayed through after-life, Jack determined to -take matters into his own hands. The only things of any value which he -possessed were his school books and satchel. These he sold for a few -shillings. With this money in his pocket he was on the point of setting -out for London, when the sudden death of his father upset his plan. - -Master Smith left the farm to his son John, but placed it and the boy -in the hands of a Master Metham, who was to act as guardian of both -until such time as Jack should attain the legal age to inherit. This -Master Metham was a trader, and he thought that he was doing very well -by Jack when he put him in the way of learning business. He apprenticed -the lad to Master Thomas Sendall, a shipowner and merchant of the -neighboring seaport of Lynn. At first this arrangement was decidedly to -Jack’s liking, for his guardian held out the prospect of voyages to the -many foreign countries visited by Master Sendall’s vessels. But in this -Jack was disappointed. Sailor-boys his master could easily get, but it -was not such a ready matter to find a bright youngster for work in the -counting-house. So Jack found himself pinned down to a desk in sight of -the busy wharves and shipping. Here for some months he sat chafing at -the inactivity and at length he determined to run away. - -One night he slipped out of the warehouse in which he slept and, with -his bundle of clothes slung on a stick over his shoulder, started for -Willoughby, which he reached after a few days’ tramp. Jack went boldly -up to his guardian’s house and told him that he had run away from his -master, feeling assured that there was little chance of travel whilst -he remained in his employment. - -“Nor will I return,” said Jack in conclusion, “for I am determined -to see the world and I beg of you to supply me with the means.” Now -this speech smacked somewhat of over-confidence, for in those days -truant apprentices were severely dealt with and Jack was liable to -have been sent back to his master, who might then have flogged him. -However, Master Metham knew that his friend Sendall would not wish to -be troubled with an unwilling apprentice, and a plan occurred to him -for curing Jack of his desire to roam. His idea was to give the lad -so little money that he could not go very far with it and would soon -experience a taste of hardship. This Master Metham thought would bring -his ward home, eager to return to his desk and settle down to the sober -life of a merchant’s clerk. The scheme might have worked very well with -many boys, but Jack was not of the kind that turn back. - -“As you will,” said Master Metham, after some thought. “Here is the -money, and now go where you please.” - -With that he handed our hero ten shillings. - -“What is this?” cried Jack in amazement. “Ten shillings! Surely you -jest Master Metham.” - -“Not so,” replied his guardian, assuming a stern air. “Take the money -and begone, or return it to me and go back to Master Sendall within the -hour.” - -Jack thrust the coins into his pocket and turned on his heel without -another word. The next minute he was striding resolutely along the -highroad to London. - -As Master Metham watched the receding figure of his ward from the -window, he could not help feeling admiration for the boy’s pluck, but a -grim smile played about the merchant’s lips as he said to himself, “And -I mistake not, yon humorist will be coming back in a fortnight or less, -with pinched face and tightened waistbelt.” - -But Master Metham proved to be a poor prophet. Several years passed -before he set eyes on Jack again. - -The journey to the capital was not unpleasant. The time was early -summer, when the fields are clad in the greenest grass, with a thick -sprinkling of wild flowers and the hedgerows give off the sweet smell -of honeysuckle and violets. Shade trees lined the road, so that Jack -was able to push along, even in the noonday heat, without serious -discomfort. He was a strong, healthy lad, to whom a tramp of twenty -miles in a day was no great matter. Often a passing wagoner gave him -a lift and sometimes shared with him a meal of bread and bacon washed -down with a draught of home-brewed ale. Milkmaids, going home with -their pails brimful, would offer him a drink, and occasionally a farmer -would ask him to the house to join in the family meal. He never failed -to find a lodging for the night if it was only in a barn or a stable. -Thus Jack, with a thriftiness which would have chagrined Master -Metham, had he known of it, contrived to husband his little store of -money and, indeed, he had not broken into it when a happy incident -relieved him of all further anxiety on the score of ways and means. - -He was plodding along one day when two horsemen overtook him. They -looked back in passing and one of them suddenly reined in his horse and -turned it round. - -“Not Jack Smith!” he cried in evident delight. “Whither away comrade?” - -“I am setting out on my travels, Peregrine,” replied Jack, trying to -put on the air of a man of the world. - -“And I also,” said the son of Lord Willoughby, for it was he, “but -come, you must join us, and we can exchange the news as we ride along.” -He ordered one of the two grooms who followed them to give his horse -over to Jack and the other to take the wayfarer’s bundle. Having -presented his young friend to the tutor and temporary guardian who -accompanied him, Peregrine drew alongside of Jack whilst the latter -told his story. The young lord in turn explained that he was on his way -to Orleans in France, there to join his elder brother and complete his -studies abroad after the manner of young noblemen of that day--and of -this, for that matter. He insisted that Jack should accompany him as -his guest, saying that it would be time enough to think of other plans -after they should have reached their destination. - -As we see Jack thus fairly launched upon his adventures, we cannot help -smiling to think how it would have surprised good Master Metham to -learn how far ten shillings could carry our hero. - - - - -II. - -LONDON TOWN IN SHAKESPEARE’S DAY - -Old London as it looked from Highgate Hill--The travelers put up -at “Ye Swanne” near New Gate--The start for White Hall to see Sir -Francis Walsingham and the Queen--Their wonderment at the strange -house signs--The saucy apprentices arouse their anger--Old Paule’s -Cathedral and some celebrated mansions--The Royal Palace and a state -procession--They go to the Globe, Will Shakespeare’s theatre--The boys -see their first play in company with Doctor Hollister--Old London -Bridge, its curious houses and its grizzly ornaments. - - -When our travelers reached the top of Highgate Hill, from which an -extensive view could be had in every direction, they halted to survey -the scene. London lay below, stretched along the banks of the Thames, -and still several miles distant. In Queen Elizabeth’s reign it was -a small place compared with what it is today. Its greatest distance -across was then less than two miles, whereas, now it is nearly thirty. -Nevertheless, London was by far the greatest city in England and -amongst the largest in the world. - -Jack and his companions looked down upon a closely packed collection of -buildings within a wall whose moat, no longer needed for defence, had -become half choked with refuse and rank vegetation. The streets were so -narrow that, with the exception of Cheapside, which traversed the city -from end to end, they were not discernible at that distance. The mass -of red-tiled roofs was broken here and there by a market place or a -churchyard and agreeably relieved by the gardens which lay at the backs -of most of the houses. One hundred and more spires of parish churches -shot up in relief against the background of the silvery river, for in -those days the Thames was a clear and pure stream upon which swans -disported even below London Bridge. - -Scattering suburbs extended from the walls of the city in several -directions. In Elizabeth’s time, the noblemen and wealthier citizens -had deserted their old-time palaces and mansions in the filthy and -crowded metropolis for healthier residences among the adjacent -fields. Perhaps, Baynard Castle, mentioned in the opening scene of -Shakespeare’s Richard the Third, was the only one of the old homes of -the nobility occupied by its owner at that time. Most of the others -had been given over to tenements in which the poorer people crowded. -A large part of the London that the boys gazed upon in wonder and -admiration was destroyed by the Great Fire in the year 1666. - -It must be remembered that, despite the comparison we have made of -the London of Shakespeare’s time and the city of today, the former -was relatively of greater importance than the latter and exercised a -greater influence on the affairs of the nation. It was the residence of -the monarch and of all the important members of the government. Every -person of note in the kingdom had a town house. By far the greater part -of the business of the country was transacted at the capital. It set -the fashion and furnished the news for the whole island. London was, in -short, the heart and brains of England at this period. - -It was late in the evening when the travelers, tired and hungry, -passed through New Gate which, like Lud Gate and some others of the -many entrances to the city, was used as a prison. A little later and -they must have remained at one of the inns outside the walls for the -night, or have left their horses and entered by the postern, for -the portcullis was closed at sundown. They put up at “Ye Swanne” on -Cheapside and hardly one hundred yards from the gate. It was a hostelry -much frequented by north-country gentlemen. Master Marner, the host, -gave them the best accommodations his house afforded for the sake of -Lord Willoughby, who had often been his guest and, in fact, always -lodged with him when in London. That nobleman, long accustomed to the -freedom and frank comradeship of the camp, found himself much more -at ease in one of Master Marner’s cosy rooms than in a chamber at -Whitehall. - -Neither of the lads had ever been in London, and after they had supped -in the common room--which corresponded to the _café_ of a modern -hotel--they were eager to go out and see the great sights of which they -had heard so much. But to this Doctor Hollister, the tutor, would not -consent, for in those days the capital was infested by footpads and -brawlers after nightfall and the patrols of the watch afforded scant -protection to wayfarers in the unlighted streets. The explanation -of all this only whetted the desire of the lads to go abroad on the -chance of witnessing some duel or fracas but Peregrine, at least, -was under the authority of the Doctor and Jack by accepting his -friend’s hospitality had placed himself in a similar position. So they -restrained their impatience and went early to bed as all honest folk -did at that period. - -The following morning Doctor Hollister, accompanied by his young -charges, set out for Whitehall carrying a letter from Lady Willoughby -to Sir Francis Walsingham. The royal palace was at the extreme western -end of London, whilst the Swan Inn stood hard by New Gate, at the -eastern extremity, so that in order to reach their destination the -travelers had to traverse the full extent of the city. A citizen of -London at that time, having such a distance to cover, would most likely -have taken a wherry at one of the many water stairs, where numbers of -such boats were in waiting at all hours of the day and night. Jack -and Peregrine, eager as they were to see the sights of the metropolis, -would not hear of anything but walking and so the party set out at an -early hour, taking their way along Cheapside, or the Cheap as it was -then called. - -Everything they saw was novel to the boys, neither of whom had ever -been in a town larger than Lynn. The gable roofs and projecting upper -stories of the houses were much like what they were accustomed to at -home, but they had seldom seen one of three stories and here were many -rising to four and five. In the narrow side streets which they passed, -the dwellings approached so closely that persons sitting at their upper -windows might easily converse with their neighbors across the way, or -even shake hands with them by leaning out. - -Before almost every house hung a painted board suspended from an iron -bracket, similar to the sign of the “D’Eresby Arms” displayed by the -village tavern at Willoughby. For a moment the boys thought that they -must be in a town full of inns and Doctor Hollister was mightily amused -by the puzzled expression with which they looked from one to another -of the crude and curious pictures. The explanation was simple enough -when the tutor made it. In the reign of Elizabeth the simple device of -numbers to distinguish the different houses of a street had not yet -been thought of and so one saw all manner of things pictured and hung -over the entrances. There were angels, dragons, castles, mountains, -Turks, bears, foxes, birds, books, suns, mitres, ships, and in fact -every conceivable kind of object. So, a man wishing to indicate his -place of abode might say: “I lodge with the widow Toy, at the sign of -the _Bell_ in Paule’s Churchyard” and, since there was at the time -a veritable widow Toy, living in a house on the east side of the -churchyard and distinguished by the sign of a Bell, who doubtless took -in lodgers when favorable opportunity offered, it is not impossible -that one or another of the acquaintances made by our party during their -stay in London uttered precisely such a remark to them. - -As our friends passed along the street, apprentices standing in front -of their master’s shops invited their patronage or made saucy comments -upon their appearance for, although they were dressed in their best -clothes, it was easy to see that a country tailor had fashioned their -garments. - -“Ho Richard! Dick Hopple!” cried one of these prentices to an -acquaintance across the street. “Cast thy gaze upon his worship and the -little worshipfuls going to Paule’s to buy a sixtieth.” This was an -allusion to the lottery under royal patronage which was conducted in -a booth set up in the churchyard of the cathedral. It attracted many -countrymen to the capital, who could generally afford to purchase no -more than a fractional share, perhaps one-tenth, of a ticket. - -“Peace boy!” said Doctor Hollister, sternly. - -“Honorificabilitudinitatibus!” glibly replied the lad with a mock -obeisance. This extraordinary word, which Shakespeare had put into the -mouth of one of his characters, caught the fancy of the London populace -as a similar verbal monstrosity--Cryptoconcodycyphernostamata--did -about twenty-five years ago. - -Doctor Hollister had the greatest difficulty in restraining the boys -from replying to these gibes with their fists and Jack, in particular, -begged earnestly to be permitted to “lay just one of them by the -heels.” But the Doctor had been a chorister of Paule’s in his boyhood -and he knew the formidable character of the London apprentices and how, -at the cry of “Clubs! Clubs!” they would swarm with their staves to the -aid of one of their number. - -Presently they came to the great cathedral, and were surprised to -find that the holy edifice was used as a public thoroughfare, even -animals being driven across its nave, whilst hawkers displayed their -wares around the columns and gallants and gossips lounged about on the -seats--all this, too, during the celebration of divine service. The -lads who had been brought up in reverence of their country church were -shocked at the sights around them and little disposed to linger in the -building. - -Leaving the churchyard of the cathedral, Doctor Hollister led the way -down Dowgate Hill to the water front, wishing to afford the boys -sight of two unusually interesting buildings. One of these was Baynard -Castle, of which mention has already been made, but the other had the -greater attraction for Jack on account of being the residence of his -hero, Sir Francis Drake. It had formerly been known as Eber House, when -it was the palace of Warwick, the “Kingmaker,” whom you will remember -as the titular character of “The Last of the Barons.” Later the place -was occupied by that “false, fleeting, perjured Clarence” whose dream -is one of the most impressive passages in Shakespeare’s tragedy, -Richard the Third. - -Passing Westminster and the little village of Charing Cross, our -travelers came upon the Palace of Whitehall fronting upon the Thames -and with Saint James’s Park at its back. In Elizabeth’s time this royal -residence was the scene of such splendid entertainments as marked its -occupancy by her father, Henry the Eighth. At this period it stood -outside of London on the outskirts of what was the distinct city of -Westminster. - -Sir Francis Walsingham received Doctor Hollister kindly and promised to -facilitate the journey of the party to France. The Queen was about to -go to the royal chapel in state and the minister secured a favorable -position from which the country visitors had a good view of Elizabeth -and her attendants. In the meanwhile a secretary was instructed to -write the passports and letters to be delivered to the Doctor before -his departure. - -The royal procession appeared to the sound of trumpets blown by six -heralds who walked in advance. First, after them, came gentlemen of the -court and noblemen, richly dressed and bareheaded; next the Chancellor, -bearing the state seal in a red silk purse, on one side of him an -official carrying the royal scepter, on the other one bearing the -sword of state in a red velvet scabbard, studded with golden _fleur de -lis_. Then followed the Queen with majestic mien, her oval face fair -but wrinkled; her black eyes small but pleasing. Her nose was somewhat -aquiline and her lips thin and straight. She wore false hair of bright -red topped by a small crown. - -As she moved slowly along between lines of courtiers and representatives -of foreign nations, she spoke graciously to one and another and, when -occasion needed, with fluency in French or Italian. When one spoke to -her, he did so kneeling, and whenever she turned toward a group, all -fell upon their knees. It was these ceremonies that made the Court such -an irksome place to bluff soldiers such as Lord Willoughby. - -The Queen was guarded on each side by the gentlemen pensioners, fifty -in number, with gilt battle axes. Following her came the ladies of the -Court, for the most part dressed in handsome gowns of white taffeta or -some other rich stuff. - -In the antechamber a number of petitions were presented to Her Majesty, -who received them graciously amid acclamations of “Long live our -Queen!” to which she replied, smiling, “I thank you, my good people!” - -Upon the return of the royal party from the chapel, Sir Francis -Walsingham ordered a meal, of which the principal features were roast -beef and ale, to be set before Doctor Hollister and his charges. They -were hungry and did ample justice to the minister’s hospitality. Sir -Francis then handed the Doctor his papers and wished the travelers -godspeed and a safe return. - -It was high noon and the sight-seers still had a good half of the -day before them. The boys had never been to a theatre--indeed, there -were none outside of London--and the Doctor determined to take them -to the Globe which, under the management of William Shakespeare, was -fast becoming famous. The playhouse stood on the Surrey side of the -river a short distance above the bridge. The party took boat at the -palace stairs and were quickly rowed down and across the stream. They -landed near a circular tower-like building, topped by a flag-staff -and ensign, which the Doctor informed them was their destination. At -that period plays were performed only in the daytime and the party was -just in time for a performance. The enclosure--for it could hardly be -called a building--was open to the sky. Around the sides were tiers -of seats which accommodated the better class of spectators whilst the -“groundlings” stood in the central space before the booth-like erection -which contained the stage. There was no scenery, though the costumes -were rich and various, and the back and sides of the stage were -occupied by young gallants seated upon stools, for which privilege they -paid sixpence extra. The audience commented freely and loudly upon the -play and the acting and not infrequently the actors replied. Boys took -the female parts and bouquets had not come into use to express favor, -but an unpopular actor was sometimes subjected to a shower of ancient -eggs and rotten vegetables from the pit. - -No doubt the play, crude as we should consider it, was a source of -wonder and delight to Jack and Peregrine who had never seen acting more -pretentious than the antics of the village mummers at the New Year -festival. - -On the return home the party walked over London Bridge. At the entrance -tower they were startled to see the heads of some eight or ten -criminals stuck on the ends of spears. Two of these were quite fresh -and had a peculiarly ghastly appearance with their eyes staring open -and hair blowing in the breeze. But their attention was soon distracted -from this gruesome sight to the bridge itself which was one of the most -extraordinary structures in the country. It was entirely built over -by houses two and three stories in height. Through the centre ran an -arcade like a tunnel lined with shops. This strange viaduct, therefore, -was at once a bridge and a street as well as a roadway for heavy -wagons. In the stories above the shops, lived the owners of the latter. -They were also occupied by offices and in a few instances as private -lodgings. - -Tired as the boys were when they reached their beds that night, they -lay talking for hours of the wonderful sights they had seen. At length -their remarks came in snatches and with mumbled speech as sleep -overtook them against their will. - -“Jack,” said Peregrine, drowsily, “if you were Lord Mayor of London, -what would you do?” - -“Give myself leave to fight a prentice,” muttered our hero, with closed -eyes. - - - - -III. - -THE SOLDIER APPRENTICE - -Jack goes to France with Peregrine--Is persuaded to turn homeward--He -starts for Paris and meets David Home--Sees the capital and spends -his money--Takes boat on the Seine for the coast and arrives without -a penny in his pocket--Enters the service of Captain Duxbury and -begins to learn the practice of arms--Sees service in the army of -Henry of Navarre--Goes to the Low Countries and fights against the -Spaniards--Sails for Scotland and is shipwrecked--Returns to Willoughby -and continues his training with Signor Polaloga. - - -Our friends arrived at Orleans without adventure or mishap. Sir Robert -Bertie, the elder son of Lord Willoughby d’Eresby, was unaffectedly -pleased to see his old playmate, Jack Smith. On reflection, however, -and after consultation with Doctor Hollister, he decided that the young -truant could not do better than return to his guardian. When a few days -had been spent in seeing the sights and the tutor had intimated that -it was time the young noblemen settled down to their studies, Robert -frankly expressed his opinion with regard to Jack. - -Peregrine was moved to tears at the thought of losing his companion -and thoughtlessly charged his brother with a selfish desire to be rid -of their guest. “Nay,” said Robert, kindly laying his hand upon our -hero’s shoulder, “Jack knows me too well to believe that. In truth -nothing would better please me than that he should stay with us, but he -has work to do at home. No, Willoughby is the place for thee lad--and -would I were going with thee. Tomorrow we see Jack started on his way -Peregrine, and when we come back in a year or two it shall be to find -him a full-blown farmer, with a buxom wife perchance.” - -Jack was anything but pleased at the prospect, but he had too much -sense to raise an objection to the suggestion, and besides he was duly -grateful for the generous hospitality he had enjoyed at the expense of -his friends for some weeks. - -The following morning the sons of Lord Willoughby accompanied Jack for -some distance beyond the town on the first stage of his journey to -Paris which lay about seventy miles to the north of Orleans. When at -length they bid him good-bye with genuine regret at parting, Robert -put a well-filled purse into his hand and Peregrine gave him one of -the heavy, cumbersome pistols that were then in use. It was the first -weapon that Jack ever owned and he stuck it in his belt with a great -deal of satisfaction. - -A few years later, in the course of his wanderings, Jack accidentally -came across Robert and Peregrine Bertie at Siena in Italy. There they -lay recovering from severe wounds received in an affair that reflected -greatly to their honor. After that meeting it is doubtful if the paths -of these early friends again crossed in life, but the young sons of -the famous Lord Willoughby played such important parts in our hero’s -career that the reader will surely be interested in knowing something -of their fate. In 1601 Robert succeeded to the title and estates of -his father on the death of the latter. As the twelfth Baron Willoughby -he upheld the military prestige of the family and added fresh laurels -to those gathered by a long line of soldier ancestors. He was created -Earl Lindsay in the reign of James the First and during the civil war -that terminated in the execution of Charles the First, he held the post -of commander-in-chief of the royal forces and was mortally wounded at -the battle of Edgehill. Peregrine became a barrister--a truly strange -occupation for a Bertie in those days--and practised law with some -distinction until his death in 1640. - -We left our young hero on the road to Paris. His condition was very -different from that in which he left Willoughby for London, but he had -set out upon that journey with a light heart and abundant hope. Now -he was plodding towards the capital of France in a gloomy state of -mind. The idea of abandoning his venture and returning to the plow or, -worse yet, the dingy counting house of Master Sendall, was utterly -distasteful to him and his pride was touched by the thought of so lame -a conclusion to the boastful display of independence he had made to -his guardian. Having taken Robert Bertie’s money on the understanding -that he would use it to return to England he felt bound to do so, but -he began to wish that he had declined the gift and had gone on his way -as poor in purse but as free in action as when he turned his back on -his native village. Indeed, before he had finished his supper at the -inn where he stopped at nightfall, Jack had almost decided to retrace -his steps on the morrow, hand Robert his purse untouched and regain -his freedom. But one of those chance circumstances that lead to the -most important results in the lives of all of us, decided the matter in -another way. - -Only persons of distinction, who were willing to pay for the privilege, -occupied private rooms in the hostelries of those days. Jack was -pleased to find a fellow countryman sharing his bedchamber. David Home, -for such was the young man’s name, proved to be an adventurer following -just such a life as our hero was desirous of entering upon. He was a -gentleman of good family, but at this time his fortunes were at a very -low ebb; in fact, he was not only penniless but weak from the effects -of a recent fever. Home was an entertaining talker and delighted Jack -with the recital of his exploits and experiences. Before they fell -asleep it had been agreed that they should continue the journey to -Paris in company. This they did, arriving in the course of a few days. -Home knew the city well, and under his guidance time passed quickly in -sight-seeing and amusement. Since their meeting Jack’s purse had been -generously placed at the disposal of his new friend, and when at length -our hero awoke to his obligation to continue the journey to England his -money had run very low. - -Home was naturally sorry to see Jack, for whom he had acquired a strong -regard, leave, but he agreed with him that it was his duty to do so. -Home was far from ungrateful for the kindness he had experienced at -Jack’s hands and made all the return that was within his power when -he gave our hero letters to friends in Scotland who stood high at the -court of James the Sixth and might use their influence to further the -fortunes of the bearer. Jack sewed the letters in the lining of his -doublet and, taking boat on the Seine for the sea coast, arrived at -Havre de Grace without a penny in his pocket. - -Whilst Jack was looking about for an opportunity to work his way across -the channel, not having the means to pay his passage, he fell in with -a Captain Joseph Duxbury, in the service of Henry of Navarre. When the -captain had heard the story of his young countryman he declared that -it would be a pity to return to the farm without any further taste of -adventure than had so far fallen to our hero’s lot, and he proposed -that he should enter his employment as an apprentice in the art of -war. It is needless to say that Jack could not resist this offer. The -camp was in sight and the captain assured him that he might at least -defer his return to England without breaking faith with his friend, Sir -Robert Bertie. - -Jack thus found himself installed as page to Captain Duxbury who, -besides having taken a fancy to the lad, was really in need of such a -servant at the moment. The duties consisted chiefly in looking after -the captain’s arms, accoutrements and horse. They afforded Jack his -first introduction to the implements of war and gave him an opportunity -to learn to ride. In spare time his master taught him the use of the -various weapons and instructed him in sitting and managing the charger. -All this was interesting enough to Jack, who soon had his mind set -upon becoming a soldier, but, aside from a few skirmishes, he saw no -fighting before the end of the war threw his master out of employment. - -Captain Duxbury was one of the many free lances of various nationalities -who at this period made a business of fighting and, if the truth must be -told, were generally ready to sell their services to the highest bidder -without regard to the cause of the conflict. Whilst this was true in -some degree of all, the English adventurers were usually found fighting -against the Spanish for whom they cherished the most intense hatred. -Following the peace in France, Captain Duxbury decided to go to the Low -Countries and Jack gladly accompanied him. But in the ensuing campaign, -although our hero remained in the troop commanded by his old master, -it was in the capacity of a fighting man in the ranks. In the army -commanded by Maurice of Nassau, Captain Duxbury’s troop of horse had an -ample share of work and Jack took a creditable part in several battles -of more or less importance. - -Thrown out of service by another treaty of peace, our hero resolved to -try the effect of the presentation of the letters he had received from -David Home. Accordingly he made his way to Enkhuisen on the Zuyder Zee -and thence set sail for Leith. The vessel in which Jack--now usually -addressed as “John Smith”--had embarked was a small one, and when it -encountered a terrific storm in the North Sea it was at the mercy of -wind and water. The master and crew despaired of weathering the gale, -and after lowering the sails allowed the ship to drift whither it -would. It ran ashore and was totally wrecked, John being among the -fortunate few who escaped drowning. The land upon which they were -thrown was Lindisfarn, called the “Holy Isle,” near Berwick. Here John, -who had received injuries in the wreck from which a fever followed, -lay ill for some weeks. Upon recovering sufficiently he proceeded -to Scotland and called on the friends of David Home to whom he bore -introductions. They received him kindly and did all in their power -to make his visit pleasant, but they told him frankly that they had -neither the money nor the means to secure his advancement at court. -Under these circumstances John, whose health was still poor, determined -to return to his native place. - -Somewhat to his surprise John found the good people of Willoughby -disposed to treat him as a hero, although he protested that he had -accomplished no more than to gain some little insight to the ways of -warfare. His estate under the able management of Master Metham--who was -now disposed to accord him the deference due to a man--had flourished -during his absence abroad. He had the means to dress and live as a -gentleman, which in those days was of even more consequence than it is -now. John was now in his twentieth year and had developed into a strong -muscular young man. Although not tall he was well knit and had acquired -from his military service an upright and graceful carriage and an air -of self-possession. When tricked out in new velvet doublet and trunks, -with ruff and feathered cap, and rapier dangling by his side, he made a -gallant figure and set the hearts of the maids of Willoughby aflutter -as he paced, not without pardonable pride, along the streets of the -village. - -But there was too much sound sense in John’s composition to permit -him to enjoy this frivolous holiday life for long. Besides he had -now fully made up his mind to follow the calling of arms, and with -that decision came the determination to make of himself as thoroughly -capable a soldier as possible. Circumstances forced him for awhile to -pursue a life of peace, but he resolved to improve the interim by the -study of military tactics and the practice of arms. With this design -he betook him to a forest some miles from Willoughby and there went -into seclusion. It was summer time and a hut of boughs sufficed for -habitation. His servant supplied him with food and for occupation he -had brought a horse and some books and an assortment of arms. The horse -he first broke to the step and manœuvres of a military charger and then -used him in tilting with a lance at a ring suspended from the branch -of a tree. Among the books were “Polybius” and Machiavelli’s “Art of -War.” From these he learned a great deal of the theory--the science and -strategy--of his chosen profession. - -Some of Captain John Smith’s biographers have affected to find cause -for amusement in the contemplation of this period of his career, but -we shall take another view of it when we find the lance practice and -the riding exercise showing their fruit in one of the most accomplished -soldiers on the Continent who is as a result enabled to defeat in three -successive encounters the champions of the Turkish army. Again we shall -appreciate the wisdom and foresight exhibited by our hero at this time -when we see the information gained in his studies turned to such -good account in the service of his superiors as to affect the issues -of battles and lead to his promotion from the ranks to an important -command. - -The retreat to which John had betaken himself, although in the depths -of the forest, was not beyond the ken of human eye. Woodcutters and -charcoal burners carried to the surrounding towns strange stories of -a fierce horseman mounted on a gigantic steed who charged through the -sylvan avenues at a pace so terrific as to shake the earth for miles -round. At length the rumor of this weird cavalier reached the ears -of Signor Theodore Polaloga, an Italian who occupied the position of -master of horse to the Earl of Lincoln at his neighboring castle. -Whilst this gentleman discredited the supernatural features of the -story, he was forced to believe that a horseman for reasons of his -own was practising riding in the privacy of the forest. Being himself -the most expert equestrian in that part of the country and one of the -best in the kingdom, his curiosity to know more of the stranger was -naturally great. - -Signor Polaloga had no difficulty in finding the military hermit and -John, who was beginning to weary of his retirement, received the -Italian cordially, and all the more so since he was well acquainted -with that gentleman’s reputation as a superb horseman. Such simple -hospitality as lay at his command John extended cheerfully to his -visitor, who accepted it with an air of frank comradeship and partook -heartily of a venison pasty, the contents of which he strongly -suspected to have been poached from the Earl’s preserves. When, after a -conversation that each found sufficiently interesting to prolong, the -equerry proposed a friendly joust, Jack was delighted to comply. Whilst -our hero soon learned that he was no match for the Italian, he had no -cause to be ashamed of himself, for the master of horse pronounced him -surprisingly proficient and declared that few young men of his age -could excel him in horsemanship or in handling the lance. - -The following morning Signor Polaloga returned with an invitation -from the Earl to John to come and stay at Tattershall, as the castle -was named. John, who had heard of the Earl of Lincoln as an eccentric -nobleman and hard to please, might have respectfully declined this -flattering invitation had not the equerry clinched the matter by -mentioning the extensive stable of fine horses, the assortment of -various arms and the tilt-yard that would be at the disposal of the -guest. So John went to Tattershall, and to his surprise found the -Earl a very pleasant gentleman who bade him make himself as much at -home in the castle as though he owned it. John spent several weeks at -Tattershall. Signor Polaloga entered zealously into the instruction of -the young man, declaring that he had never before had so apt a pupil. -But with the progress of his skill the desire to exercise it in actual -conflict grew and, hearing rumors of renewed hostilities in Holland, -John bade adieu to his patron, the Earl, and his friend the master of -horse and returned to Willoughby with the intention of fitting himself -out for a campaign on the continent. - - - - -IV. - -DUPED AND ROBBED - -John returns to the Netherlands--Determines to go east and fight the -Turks--Meets a bogus French nobleman and his attendants--Goes to France -with them--They steal all his belongings and with the assistance of the -ship-master decamp--John sells his cloak and pursues the thieves--A -friend in need--Finds the robbers but can get no redress--Alone in a -strange land without cloak or purse--Secures some clothes and money and -turns back to the coast--Still determined to get to the Turkish war by -some means. - - -John entered upon his second campaign in the Netherlands under more -promising circumstances than at first. He was furnished with good arms -and accoutrements, an ample supply of fine clothing and a considerable -sum of money. Moreover, he was no longer a greenhorn. It is true that -he could not boast of much actual experience of warfare, but he had -learned to handle his weapons with unusual dexterity and was prepared -to give a good account of himself. He had, however, few opportunities -for display of his skill before the winter put an end to hostilities -for the time. - -When the camps began to break up, John followed the stream of travel -towards the coast without any definite plan for his future movements. -He was beginning to tire of service in Holland, which had disappointed -his expectations, and was anxious to find a fresh field for adventure. -Rudolph the Second, Emperor of Germany, was waging war against the -Turks in Hungary and Transylvania. Here was an avenue to new scenes -and experiences, but the seat of war was on the other side of Europe -and the journey thence a long and expensive one. For that reason he -could find none among his late companions in arms who was going to the -Turkish war. Still he continued his journey to Rotterdam, hoping that -he might there fall in with some nobleman bound for the East, to whose -train he might attach himself. He allowed his desire to become known -as widely as possible, thinking that it might come to the ears of some -leader willing to engage his services. - -The port was full of soldiers, real and pretended, waiting to take -ship in various directions. There were veterans seeking their homes -for a spell of rest after hard fighting or returning to recover from -severe wounds. There were others to whom the sole attraction presented -by the scene of war was the prospect of loot. There were traders and -camp followers innumerable, desperadoes and outlaws, gamblers who used -loaded dice and sharpers of all sorts. John was fated to fall into -the hands of some of those smooth but dishonest characters who, like -vultures, hung in the rear of every army and preyed on the soldiers -returning from a campaign rich with pay and plunder. Our hero was an -easy victim, for, whilst his common sense rendered him sufficiently -cautious where an open enemy was concerned, his frank and generous -disposition prevented his suspecting the good faith of a pretended -friend. - -John had his heavy iron-bound chest taken to one of the best inns -in the town and there he settled himself comfortably to interested -contemplation of the bustle and movement about him. Although he makes -no mention of being conscious of the trait, John Smith evidently had -the habit of awaiting events when circumstances failed to supply him -with a basis for a reasonable plan of action. When we can not see -our way clearly ahead, generally the wisest thing we can do is to do -nothing, as Handy Andy might have said. We seldom force a situation -without making a mess of it. It did not often happen to John, in the -course of his eventful life, that he had long to wait for something to -turn up, and the present occasion was no exception to the rule. - -He was seated in the common room of the inn one day when he was forced -to overhear a conversation in French, with which language he had become -tolerably familiar. The speakers were four men who had the appearance -of being soldiers in good circumstances. One of them, in particular, -was richly dressed and seemed to be of superior station to the others, -who were receiving his directions for the voyage to France, which was -to be the first stage in a journey to Hungary, where they proposed -taking part in the campaign against the Turks. John heard this with -delight, for it seemed to afford the very opportunity for which he had -been longing. - -Presently the three subordinates went out, and no sooner were they -alone than John eagerly approached the remaining Frenchman. After -apologizing for overhearing the conversation, which, in truth, was -intended for his ears, the young soldier stated his circumstances and -ventured to express a hope that the gentleman, whom he surmised to be a -nobleman, might find a place for him in his train. The Frenchman, who -stated his name and style to be Lord de Preau, at first affected to be -annoyed at the discussion of his private affairs, but as John proceeded -with his story the supposed nobleman relaxed, and at its conclusion -with amiable condescension invited our hero to be seated and join him -in a bottle of wine. - -“I may be able to further your design,” said “Lord de Preau” with -thoughtful deliberation, whilst John hung eagerly upon his every -word. “It is in my mind to help you, for a more likely young gallant -I have never met. But I have not the means, as you seem to think, of -supporting a large train.” - -Here his “lordship” broke off to raise his goblet to his lips, and -John’s heart sank as he imagined that he saw an objection in prospect. -The “nobleman” noted the look of disappointment on the young man’s -mobile countenance and smiled encouragingly as he continued: - -“It may be contrived I ween and thus. The Duc de Mercœur--as is -doubtless beknown to you--is now at the seat of war with a company -raised in France. I have letters to the Duc’s good lady who will, I -doubt not, furnish me with the means to continue my journey and also -commend me to the favor of her lord.” - -“And the Duchesse? Where may she be?” asked John. - -“The Duchesse de Mercœur sojourns with her father, Monsieur Bellecourt, -whose lands adjoin my own poor estate in Picardy,” replied the -pretended nobleman, “so that first we repair to my _chateau_ and there -lay our plans for the future. It is agreed?” - -Agreed! Why John was fairly ready to fall on “Lord de Preau’s” neck -and embrace him in the ecstasy of his delight. That accommodating -individual undertook that one of his attendants should make all the -preparations for departure and notify our hero when everything should -be in readiness. - -At noon the following day the three retainers of the French “nobleman” -appeared and announced the approaching departure of the vessel upon -which they were to embark. They gave their names as Courcelles, Nelie -and Montferrat, and each expressed his satisfaction at the prospect -of having the young Englishman as a companion in arms in the coming -campaign. Preceded by four colporteurs, carrying John’s baggage, they -went on board and, De Preau shortly after joining them, the master -weighed anchor and sailed out of port. - -The vessel on which John shipped with such great expectations was one -of the small coasting luggers, common at the time, which bore doubtful -reputations because they were as often engaged in smuggling, or other -illegal venture, as in honest trade. Upon this particular occasion the -craft was full to the point of overcrowding with passengers bound for -various points upon the coast of France. - -Night had set in when the ship cast anchor in a rough sea off the -coast of Picardy. The landing was to be made at St. Valèry, where the -inlet is too shallow to permit the entry of any vessels larger than -fishing smacks. There was but one small boat available for taking the -passengers ashore, and this the master placed first at the disposal of -“Lord de Preau.” The baggage of the entire party was lowered into it -and then they began to descend, the supposed nobleman in the lead. When -the three retainers had followed their master, the captain, who with -the aid of a seaman was going to row the boat to land, declared that -it was already laden to its utmost capacity and, promising to return -immediately for John, he pushed off into the darkness. - -Hour followed hour without bringing any sight of the ship’s boat to -our hero impatiently pacing the deck, nor did the return of day afford -any sign of the captain and his craft. By this time John’s anxiety had -reached a painful pitch. With the exception of his small sword and -the clothes upon his back everything he possessed had left the ship -in the boat, which he began to fear had foundered in the storm that -was not yet exhausted. If this were true his plight was a sorry one, -indeed. With straining eyes he spent the day gazing across the mile of -water that lay between the ship and the little village of St. Valèry. -The waves gradually subsided as the day wore on, and when evening -approached the sea was running in a long heavy swell. John felt that he -could not abide another night of uncertainty and was seriously debating -in his mind the chances of safely reaching the shore by swimming, when -he perceived a boat putting out from the port. - -A very angry set of passengers greeted the master as he came over -the side of his vessel and they were not altogether appeased by his -explanation that the boat had been damaged on the outward trip, and -he dared not entrust himself to it for the return until after the -water and wind went down. He reassured John by the statement that his -friends had gone forward to Amiens to avoid the poor accommodation at -St. Valèry, and would there await him. Having made his excuses, the -master proceeded to get his passengers ashore as quickly as possible -and offered John a seat in the first boat which he was only too glad to -accept, for, though his mind was somewhat easier, he felt impatient to -rejoin his new patron--and his chest. - -John’s first thought on landing was to procure a horse to carry him -to Amiens, but when he thrust his hand into his pocket he discovered -that he had not a single penny--even his purse was with his baggage. He -might walk, but Amiens was nearly forty miles distant and it would take -him two days to cover the ground on foot. Moreover, he would need food -on the way and was already hungry and faint, having in his anxiety of -the previous hours neglected to eat. Clearly he must get some money, -and the readiest way to do so seemed to lie in selling his cloak, which -was a very good one. He disposed of it to the innkeeper at a fair -price, ate a hurried supper, and was in the act of arranging for the -hire of a horse, when one of his fellow passengers entered the tavern -and expressed a desire to speak with him privately. - -The man who thus claimed John’s attention was a soldier of middle age -with an honest and weather-beaten countenance. He had arrived on one -of the last boat trips but had sought our hero with as little delay -as possible. He now expressed his belief that John was the victim of -a plot to deprive him of his money and belongings. De Preau he said -was slightly known to him as the son of a notary of Mortagne, and he -believed the other rascals to be natives of that town. He had not -suspected any mischief until he heard the master on his return from -shore refer to De Preau as a nobleman. He doubted not the ship captain -had connived at the swindle, but nothing could have been proved against -him in the absence of the chief culprits. - -John was at first disposed to be angry with Curzianvere, as the soldier -was named, for not having spoken sooner and denounced the master on the -spot. He readily excused the other, however, when he explained that -he was an outlaw from the country on account of a political offence -and now secretly visiting his home at great risk. It was natural -that he should have hesitated to get mixed up in a scrape that would -necessitate his appearing before a magistrate at the hazard of being -recognized. By divulging this much about himself he had confided in -the honor of a stranger, but so great was the confidence with which -John’s frank demeanor inspired him that he would go still farther and, -as his road lay past Mortagne, would guide him thither. He warned John, -however, that he could not venture to enter any large town in Picardy -or Brittany, much less appear as a witness against De Preau and his -companions, should they be found. - -With this understanding the two soldiers set out together, and after -several weeks’ tramping, during which Curzianvere had shared his -slender purse with John, they arrived at Mortagne. Here the outlaw, -perhaps fearing complications that might arise from his companion’s -errand, decided to continue his journey. Before parting with the young -wayfarer, however, he gave him letters to some friends residing in the -neighborhood from whom he might expect hospitable treatment. - -John entered the town, and so far as the first step in his quest was -concerned, met with immediate success. Almost at once he encountered De -Preau and Courcelles sauntering along the main street. John’s bile rose -as he perceived that both were tricked out in finery abstracted from -his chest. He strode up to them and in angry tones charged them with -deception and the theft of his goods. The sudden encounter confused the -rogues, but De Preau quickly regained his composure. - -“Does Monsieur honor you with his acquaintance?” he asked of Courcelles -with a significant look. - -“Had I ever seen that striking face before I must have remembered it,” -replied the other, taking the cue from his leader. - -John was aghast at their effrontery, and turning to a knot of townsmen -who gathered around, he cried: - -“These men have robbed me of my possessions. Even now they wear my -garments upon their backs. If there be justice----” but speech failed -him at sight of the unsympathetic faces of the bystanders. - -“Mon Dieu! But the fellow is a superb actor,” drawled De Preau. - -“Most like some knave who would draw us into a quarrel,” added -Courcelles. - -The onlookers, too, began to make menacing remarks, and poor John -realized the hopelessness of his position. He was a foreigner without a -friend, and he suddenly remembered that to be locked up and found with -Curzianvere’s letters upon him would not mend matters. He could not -support a single word of his story with proof. He was cloakless and his -clothing worn and travel-stained. Who could be expected to believe that -he ever owned a purse filled with gold and a chest of rich raiment? He -was quivering with just rage, but he had sense enough to see that his -wisest course lay in retreat. So without another word he turned his -back on the two villains and walked rapidly out of the town. - -A few miles from Mortagne John found the friends to whose kind offices -the letters of Curzianvere recommended him. He met with a cordial -reception and sincere sympathy when he had told his tale, but these -good people were obliged to admit that he had no chance of recovering -his property or causing the punishment of the thieves. Being thus fully -convinced that the matter was beyond remedy, John determined to put it -behind him and seek relief for his feelings in action. He declined the -invitation of Curzianvere’s friends to prolong his visit but, accepting -a small sum of money and a cloak from them, set out to retrace his -steps to the coast, in the hope that he might secure employment upon a -ship of war. - - - - -V. - -A DUEL WITH A DASTARD - -John reaches Havre after a long dreary tramp in mid-winter--Fails to -find a ship going to the East and turns south along the coast--Falls -exhausted by the roadside and is picked up by a good farmer--Regains -his strength and resumes his journey--Encounters Courcelles, one of -the Frenchmen who had robbed him--They draw swords and fall to--John -completely overcomes his antagonist, punishes him and leaves him -repentant--An unlooked for meeting with an old friend--John is set upon -his feet again--Goes to Marseilles and takes ship for Italy--Is thrown -overboard in a storm by the fanatical passengers--Swims to a desert -island. - - -It must not be supposed that John had abandoned his project of going to -fight the Turks. His was not the temperament to be easily discouraged -or diverted from a purpose. He was not now in a position to pursue -any very definite plan, but he walked coastward in the hope that -some favorable opportunity for going farther might present itself. -If he should find some ship of war or large merchantman bound for a -Mediterranean port he would be willing to work his way on her in any -capacity. Honfleur and Havre being the most likely places thereabouts -in which to find such a vessel as he sought, he made his way northward -and visited each of those ports in turn without success. It was winter, -and peace prevailed in western Europe for the time being. There -was little movement among the large ships but smaller vessels, in -considerable numbers, were plying between the Continent and England. -John might readily have secured passage to England, and no doubt his -wisest course would have been to return home and procure a fresh -supply of clothing and money. But John could not brook the thought of -appearing at home tattered and torn and confessing to his guardian that -he had been duped and robbed. - -The shipping men of Havre advised the anxious inquirer to try St. Malo, -and so he turned back over the ground he had already twice traversed -and faced several more weeks of weary travel with a purse now nearly -empty and clothing almost reduced to rags. Coming up from Mortagne he -had selected the poorest inns for resting places; now even these were -beyond his means, and he had to depend upon the charity of the country -people for a night’s lodging or a meal. Occasionally his way led past a -monastery, when he was always sure of simple hospitality for, to their -credit be it said, the fact that John was an Englishman and a heretic -never caused the good monks to turn him from their doors. - -When at length he arrived in the neighborhood of Pontorson in Brittany -it was in a condition bordering on collapse from the effects of the -exposure and hardship of the preceding weeks. St. Malo was but a short -two days’ journey away, but it did not seem possible that he could hold -out until that port should be reached. He staggered on for a few more -miles but at last his strength utterly gave out and he sank unconscious -to the ground by the roadside. Here John Smith’s career well nigh wound -up in an inglorious end, for had he lain neglected for a few hours he -must have frozen to death. Fate directed otherwise, however. A kind -farmer chancing by in his wagon picked up the exhausted lad and carried -him to his house. There he was nursed and fed and, some weeks later, -when he resumed his journey it was with a show of his natural vigor. - -John left the farmhouse with a wallet sufficiently stocked to stay -his stomach until he should arrive at St. Malo--money he had refused -to accept from the good farmer. The air was mild. It was one of those -sunny days in late winter that give early promise of spring. Under -the influence of the cheery weather our hero’s spirits rose, and he -had a feeling that the tide in his affairs was about to turn. This -presentiment was strengthened by an adventure that immediately befell -him and which will not so greatly surprise us if we remember that he -was once again in the vicinity of Mortagne, having gone forth and back -in his long tramp. - -John had been following a short cut through a wood and had just emerged -into the open when he came suddenly face to face with a traveler who -was pursuing the same path in opposite direction. Each recognized the -other immediately, and on the instant their swords flashed from the -scabbard. They flung aside their cloaks and engaged without a word. -Furious anger surged in John’s breast as he confronted Courcelles, one -of the four French robbers to whose perfidy he owed his present plight -and all the misery of the past months. For a moment he was tempted to -rush upon the rascal and run him through, but that caution and coolness -that ever characterized our hero in the presence of danger, soon took -possession of his reason and prompted him to assume the defensive. - -Courcelles was no mean swordsman, and he saw before him a bareface boy -whom he could not suppose to be a master of fence. Moreover, he was -moved by the hatred which mean souls so often feel for those whom they -have wronged. He made a furious attack upon the stripling intending to -end the affair in short order. - -John calmly maintained his guard under the onslaught with his weapon -presented constantly at the other’s breast. With a slight movement of -the wrist he turned aside Courcelles’ thrusts and stepped back nimbly -when the Frenchman lunged. The latter, meeting with no counter-attack, -became more confident and pressed his adversary hard. But the skill -with which his assault was met soon dawned upon Courcelles. He checked -the impetuosity that had already told upon his nerves and muscles -and resorted to the many tricks of fence of which, like most French -swordsmen, he was an adept. He changed the engagement; he feinted -and feigned to fumble his weapon; he shifted his guard suddenly; he -pretended to slip and lose his footing; he endeavored to disengage; -but John could not be tempted from his attitude of alert defence. -Courcelles beat the _appel_ with his foot but John’s eyes remained -steadfastly fixed upon his and the firm blade was ever there lightly -but surely feeling his. Courcelles tapped the other’s sword sharply but -John only smiled with grim satisfaction as he remembered how Signor -Polaloga had schooled him to meet such disconcerting manœuvres as these. - -Courcelles was growing desperate and determined as a last hope of -overcoming his antagonist to try the _coup de Marsac_. This consisted -in beating up the adversary’s weapon by sheer force and lunging under -his upthrown arm. Gathering himself together for the effort, the -Frenchman struck John’s sword with all the strength he could command, -but the act was anticipated by our hero, whose rapier yielded but a -few inches to the blow. The next instant the point of it had rapidly -described a semi-circle around and under Courcelles’ blade, throwing it -out of the line of his opponent’s body. - -It was a last effort. Chill fear seized the Frenchman’s heart as with -the waning of his strength he realized that he was at the mercy of -the youth he had so heartlessly robbed. With difficulty he maintained -a feeble guard whilst he felt a menacing pressure from the other’s -weapon. John advanced leisurely upon the older man, whose eyes plainly -betrayed his growing terror. He was as helpless as a child and might -have been spitted like a fowl without resistance, but although our hero -was made of stern stuff there was nothing cruel in his composition and -he began to pity the cringing wretch who retreated before him. He had -no thought, however, of letting the rascal off without a reminder that -might furnish a lesson to him. - -With that thought he pricked Courcelles upon the breast accompanying -the thrust with the remark: - -“That for your friend Nelie, if you please!” - -Almost immediately he repeated the action, saying: - -“And that for your friend Montferrat!” - -“For your master, the Lord De Preau, I beg your acceptance of that,” -continued John, running his rapier through the fleshy part of the -other’s shoulder. - -The terrified Frenchman dropped his sword and fell upon his knees with -upraised hands. - -“Mercy for the love of heaven!” he cried. “Slay me not unshriven with -my sins upon my head.” - -“Maybe we can find a priest to prepare thee for the journey to a better -land,” replied John, not unwilling that the robber should suffer a -little more. “Ho, there!” to a group of rustics who had been attracted -by the sounds of the conflict. “Know’st any holy father confessor -living in these parts?” - -The peasants declared that a priest resided within a mile of the spot -and one of them departed in haste to fetch him to the scene. - -As we know, John had no intention of killing Courcelles, nor did -he desire to await the return of the shriver, so finding that the -Frenchman had no means of making restitution for the theft of his -goods, he left him. But before doing so, he extorted from the -apparently repentant man a promise to live an honest life in future. - -The encounter with Courcelles had a stimulating effect upon John and -he entered St. Malo the following morning, feeling better pleased -with himself than he had for many a day. He at once set about making -enquiries as to the vessels in port and was engaged in conversation -with a sailor on the quay when he became aware of the scrutiny of a -well-dressed young man standing nearby. The face of the inquisitive -stranger seemed to awake a dim memory in John’s mind but he could not -remember to have met him before. The other soon put an end to his -perplexity by coming forward with outstretched hands. - -“Certes, it is my old playmate Jack Smith of Willoughby! Thou hast not -so soon forgot Philip, Jack?” - -John instantly recollected the young son of Count Ployer who, as you -will recall, had passed several months at the castle as the guest of -Lady Willoughby. The young men repaired to a neighboring tavern where, -over a grateful draught of wine, John recounted his adventures. When -John spoke of his wanderings in Brittany Philip listened with a puzzled -expression, and when his friend had finished said: - -“But why didst thou shun me and my father’s house? Surely not in doubt -of a welcome? It was known to you that the Count Ployer possesses the -castle and estates of Tonquedec.” - -“Truly,” replied John, “but where is Tonquedec?” - -Philip lay back in his chair and laughed long and heartily. When his -merriment had somewhat subsided he silently beckoned his new-found -friend to the window. St. Malo lies at the entrance to a long narrow -inlet. Extending a finger Philip pointed across this bay. Upon the -opposite shore John saw the gray walls of a large battlemented castle. - -“Behold Tonquedec!” said Philip with a quizzical smile. - -By the Count, John was received at the castle with the most hearty -welcome. That nobleman was, as his son had been, moved to immoderate -amusement at the thought of Jack--as Philip persisted in calling -him--having been in the neighborhood of the castle so long without -knowing it. - -“Your friend is doubtless a gallant soldier,” he said to his son, “but -a sorry geographer I fear.” - -John spent a pleasant week at Tonquedec Castle but declined to prolong -his stay, being anxious to pursue his journey to Hungary now that the -means of doing so expeditiously lay at his command. For the Count -generously supplied all his immediate needs and lent him a considerable -sum of money on the security of his estate. Thus equipped our hero set -out for Marseilles, whence he purposed taking ship for Italy. In after -years John proved his grateful remembrance of the kindness of the Count -and his son by naming one of the headlands of Chesapeake Bay, Point -Ployer. - -John arrived at Marseilles just in time to take passage on a small -vessel filled with pilgrims bound for Rome. They encountered foul -weather from the moment of leaving port and day by day the storm -increased in fury until the danger of going down became hourly more -imminent. At this critical juncture both seamen and passengers -abandoned hope and sank upon their knees loudly calling upon the saints -for succor. John stood for awhile watching this proceeding which -revolted his common sense. At length his patience gave out and he -soundly berated the sailors for their cowardice and imbecility. Their -saints, he declared, would much more readily aid men than cravens, and -if they turned to and helped themselves, God would surely help them. - -This ill-advised interference drew the attention of the mixed crowd -of passengers to the Englishman. Half mad with terror and despair -they turned upon him a shower of abuse couched in the foulest terms -and voiced in a dozen different dialects. They cursed his country -and his Queen. Then some one announced the discovery that he was the -only heretic on board, and the superstitious peasants at once became -convinced that the storm was attributable to his presence and that the -ship could only be saved on condition of getting rid of him. - -Cries of “Overboard with the heretic! Throw the renegado into the sea!” -rose on every side, and many approached him menacingly flourishing -their staves. John set his back against the mast and drew his sword, -determined, if he must, to sell his life dearly. For awhile the -threatening weapon held the crowd at bay, but one crept up from behind -and knocked it from our hero’s hand. Immediately a rush was made upon -him. He was seized by many hands and dragged to the side of the vessel. -With their curses still ringing in his ears John sank beneath the waves. - -All this occupied some time during which the master had, with the -assistance of two of the seamen, contrived to run his vessel under the -lee of a small island. When John, who was a strong swimmer, came to -the surface, he made for the islet which was scarce a mile distant. A -few strokes satisfied him that he must rid himself of his heavy cloak, -which was easily done since it fastened only at the neck. He next -kicked off his shoes and cast away his belt and scabbard. But it was -still doubtful if he could make the goal in the rough sea. Every ounce -of dead weight would count, and at last he reluctantly took his heavy -purse from his pocket and allowed it to sink. When at length his feet -touched bottom and he staggered out of the water our adventurer was -completely exhausted. - -John threw himself behind a large rock which gave shelter from the -chill wind, and there he lay for an hour or more before he could gather -sufficient strength to walk. When he arose the night was falling and a -driving rain had set in. A brief survey of the little island satisfied -him that it was uninhabited. With that knowledge he faced the prospect -of a night in the open air under the beating rain. What might lie -beyond that he did not care to surmise. - - - - -VI. - -DARKNESS AND DAWN - -A lonely night with cold, wet and hunger--John falls over a goat and -is heartened--A friendly ship and rescue--John sails with Captain La -Roche in the Britaine--Learns how to navigate a ship and handle big -guns--La Roche cruises in search of adventure--Falls in with a Venetian -argosy--The Venetian fires a shot and draws blood--A fierce fight in -which the Britaine is finally victorious--John is landed in Piedmont -with a fat purse--He journeys to Gratz and secures an introduction -to the leaders in the Archduke’s army--Gives an exhibition of superb -horsemanship and is appointed ensign in the regiment of Earl Meldritch. - - -Cold and hungry, wet and weary, John spent what seemed to him to be an -endless night, pacing about to keep his blood in circulation. He dared -not sleep, for that would be to court death, and so he could find no -relief from his gloomy thoughts in the pitchy darkness. Here he was on -an unoccupied island and here he might remain until starvation--but -no, he would not believe that Dame Fortune, who had so often displayed -a kindly disposition towards him, proposed to desert him in this -extremity. - -“My faith!” said John, speaking aloud to hearten himself, whilst -he drew his waistband tighter. “If the good dame knows aught of the -craving of my stomach she will surely hasten her ministrations. Would -I had saved my shoes or e’en my swordbelt! Leather, though not o’er -palatable I ween, will, so I have read, keep life in one’s body for -a spell but one can scarce eat fustian.” Here John’s soliloquy was -suddenly interrupted as he tripped over an object lying in his path. -As he lay upon the ground he heard some animal scampering away in the -darkness. “A goat!” said John, when he had recovered from his surprise. -“Where there is one goat, there are two. And where there are two goats, -there is a she-goat. And where there is a she-goat, there is milk. My -lady,” he continued, rising and making a low bow, “your humble servant -will do himself the honor of calling upon you as soon as decency and -light permit.” - -This incident cheered our hero as it relieved his mind of the chief -anxiety that beset it. He had no wish to shirk the accidents and -hardships of life; in fact, he rather enjoyed them, but the thought of -death is naturally repugnant to a robust youth and especially to one -full of ambition and love of action. He was always of a philosophic -turn of mind, and as he reflected on the recent incident the -significance of it caused him to smile. - -“In the direst straits,” he thought, “the remedy is at our hand if we -will but find it, though it be by falling over it. What babes we be! -We cry though the pitcher but rock and we cry when the milk is spilt. -Many a man dons mail when swaddling clothes would better befit him.” - -With the first streak of dawn, John, now ravenously hungry, began to -look around for the she-goat which he felt confident of finding with -many companions on the islet. He had pursued this quest but a few -minutes when his heart was delighted by the sight of a ship lying -at anchor near this refuge. It had taken shelter behind the island -from the storm of the day before and was now making preparations for -departure, as John could see from where he stood. He hastened down -to the water’s edge and shouted lustily. The wind was fortunately -favorable and at length he attracted the attention of the people on -board. A boat was lowered and our hero, with scarce strength enough -to stand, soon found himself on the deck of a French merchantman. The -master, perceiving his condition, had him taken below, where he was -fed, dressed in dry clothes and left to sleep. - -[Illustration: HE HASTENED DOWN TO THE WATER’S EDGE AND SHOUTED LUSTILY] - -When John awoke, refreshed after a long rest, the vessel was scudding -along under a brisk breeze and the setting sun proclaimed the close -of another day. Our hero went on deck, blithe and eager for what new -adventures the strange whirligig of life might have in store for him. -The captain, after the fashion of seamen, extended a hearty greeting -and invited John to sup with him. Over the meal the young Englishman -told his story. At its conclusion, Captain La Roche, for such was his -name, rose and shook his guest warmly by the hand. - -“Fortune has thrown you in my way,” said the captain, with a genial -smile. “I am from St. Malo and Count Ployer is my dear friend and -patron. For his sake I would do much for you, if your story and bearing -had not drawn me to yourself. You shall be put ashore this night if -that be your wish, but it would please me greatly should you decide -to continue on the voyage with me. I am bound for Alexandria and -thereafter may seek some profitable adventure. In the space of a few -months I shall land you somewhere in Italy--with a fat purse, and I -mistake not. What say you?” - -John had always felt a strong desire for the life of the sea, and -in those days the complete soldier was more than half a sailor. The -experience would be profitable and, in any case, the proposition seemed -to hold out a better prospect of eventually reaching Hungary than by -starting penniless to walk across the Continent. Besides, if the truth -be told, John’s recent term of tramping had more than satisfied him -with that mode of travel for awhile. He accepted Captain La Roche’s -offer without hesitation. - -La Roche was the owner, as well as the master, of his vessel, which -he called the _Britaine_, in honor of his native province. It was a -heavily armed ship of two hundred tons burden, carrying a crew of -sixty men. Such a number were not of course needed to manage a ship of -that size. The excuse for their presence was found in the prevalence -of piracy but, as we shall see, their duties were not entirely of a -defensive character. The truth of the matter is that La Roche, like -many another reputable ship-captain of his time, was himself more -than half a pirate. His vessel was a combination of merchantman and -privateer with authority to attack the ships of nations at war with his -country. The condition was very laxly observed, however, and might, -more often than political considerations, governed in such matters. -When the relations of the powers to one another were constantly -changing and a voyage frequently occupied a year, a captain’s safest -course was to treat every foreign sail as an enemy and either to -attack it or to run from it. With a valuable cargo such as La Roche -had on this occasion, the master of a vessel would generally try to -make a peaceful voyage to the port of destination. If a similar cargo -could not be secured for the return voyage, he would try to compensate -himself for the failure by taking a prize. - -The voyage to Alexandria was completed without incident of importance. -John improved the opportunity to learn all that he could about -seamanship and the handling of big guns. Before the vessel made port -Captain La Roche pronounced his pupil a very creditable mariner and -almost capable of sailing the ship himself. Having discharged his -cargo, the captain proceeded to the Ionian Sea for the purpose, as he -said, of learning “what ships were in the road,” or, in other words, to -see if there was anything about upon which he could prey. - -A few days had been spent in this quest, when a large Venetian argosy -was sighted in the straits of Otranto. Now the Venetians, sinking all -other considerations than those of greed and self-interest, had entered -into a treaty with the Turks. In this fact Captain La Roche might have -found sufficient excuse for attacking the richly laden ship, but a -better was forthcoming. It was one of those great unwieldy craft in -which the merchants of Venice sent cargoes of fabulous worth to all -parts of the world. Its size was more than twice that of the _Britaine_ -and its armament at least equal to hers. The latter, however, had all -the advantage in speed and ability to manœuvre--a highly important -quality, as the Spaniards had learnt a few years previously when their -great Armada was destroyed by the comparatively small English ships. - -The Venetian, seeing the _Britaine_ lying in his path and realizing -that he would have little chance in flight, endeavored to frighten the -other off with a shot. As luck would have it, the ball took off the -head of a seaman on the deck of the French vessel. This furnished La -Roche with an ample pretext for attacking the argosy. Running across -her bow, he raked her fore and aft, in passing, with his starboard -guns. Putting about, he returned under her stern, but as the high poop -afforded an effective bulwark, less damage was done by his fire. The -Venetian’s mast and rigging were now too badly damaged to permit of -her sailing and the Frenchman, who had so far escaped hurt, determined -to board. He brought his vessel alongside the other and made fast with -the grappling irons. The Venetian had a larger crew than her enemy and -they repulsed the attack of the Frenchmen with determination. Twice the -boarders succeeded in gaining the deck of the larger vessel and each -time they were beaten back after a furious hand to hand combat. Captain -La Roche, with John by his side, led the second of these assaults. -They were the first on the deck, and shoulder to shoulder fought their -way towards the poop where the commander of the argosy stood. They had -almost reached the spot, when La Roche glancing back, saw that they -were cut off from his men, who were retreating to their own vessel. To -return was out of the question. The only hope lay in breaking through -the men who stood between them and the farther side of the ship. - -“It is overboard with us lad, if we would not be taken prisoners,” he -cried. “_Gare de là! Gare de devant!_” - -The seamen fell back before the fierce charge of the two men whose -swords whistled through the air in sweeping strokes. In less time -than it takes to tell, they had reached the side and had plunged into -the sea. Swimming round the stern of the Venetian, they came upon the -_Britaine_, which had cast off and was preparing to sail away with the -idea that the captain had been killed. - -As soon as he regained the deck of his vessel, Captain La Roche -ordered the guns to be reshotted. When this had been done he poured -two broadsides into the argosy with such effect that she was on the -verge of sinking. Once more the Frenchman ranged alongside and sent his -boarders to the attack. This time they met with little resistance, for -half the crew of the injured vessel were engaged in stopping the holes -in her side. The fight had lasted for an hour and a half and when the -Venetian surrendered, twenty of her men lay dead upon the deck and as -many more were wounded. On his side Captain La Roche had lost fifteen -of his crew and eight were incapacitated by sword cuts. - -La Roche could not spare a prize crew to man the argosy even had he -been willing to face the enquiry that must have followed taking her -into port. Therefore he first secured his prisoners and then proceeded -to transfer as much as possible of the cargo of the Venetian to his own -ship. This task occupied twenty-four hours, and when the _Britaine_ -had been filled, there remained upon her prize at least as much as -had been taken out of her. With this handsome remainder the Frenchman -abandoned her and her crew to their fate, which was probably to be -rifled by the very next ship that chanced along. The spoils consisted -of silks, velvets, and other rich stuffs, jewels, works of art, and -a considerable quantity of money. John’s share of the prize amounted -to five hundred sequins and a box of jewels, in all worth about -twenty-five hundred dollars--a much larger sum in those days than in -these. Shortly after this affair Captain La Roche landed our hero in -Piedmont, with “a fat purse” as he had promised. - -John had now accomplished one more step in his project of engaging in -the campaign against the Turks and was at last within easy distance of -his goal. Had he been of a mercenary disposition his experience with -Captain La Roche might have induced him to attach himself permanently -to the person of that gallant sailor, but during all his life John -Smith displayed a disregard for money, except in so far as it was -necessary to the attainment of some important end. Therefore it was -with no reluctance that he turned his back on the sea and set forward -for Gratz where the Archduke maintained his headquarters. On the way he -had the opportunity to see many Italian cities and passed through Rome, -but he did not linger unnecessarily on the road. - -At Gratz John had the good fortune to fall in with a countryman who -enjoyed some acquaintance with the leaders in the Christian army. -This gentleman presented the young adventurer to Lord Ebersberg, -Baron Kissel, the Earl of Meldritch and other generals attached to -the Imperial forces. These officers were attracted by the young man’s -soldierly bearing and impressed by the persistent manner in which he -had pursued his project and the pains he had been at to reach the -seat of war. They were, however, very busy with preparations for the -campaign and would likely enough have forgotten so humble an individual -as John Smith but for a fortunate incident that, although trivial in -itself, had an important influence upon our hero’s future career. - -One day as he was passing by a large mansion on the outskirts of the -city, John was attracted to a crowd which had gathered round two -footmen who were with difficulty holding a plunging horse. It was -a magnificent Barbary steed with coal black silky coat, but it was -apparent at a glance that the animal had not been broken in, if, -indeed, it had ever had a saddle upon its back. John had hardly reached -the spot when the Earl of Meldritch and a companion came out of the -house and approached. The Earl displayed annoyance when he saw the -wild creature plunging and lashing out with its hind feet. He had, it -appeared from his remarks, bought the beast without seeing it and was -thoroughly disgusted with his bargain. - -“It is a fit charger for Beelzebub, if, indeed, it be not the fiend -incarnate,” he cried. “I would not trust myself upon the back of such a -beast for all the wealth of the Indies.” - -Hearing this John stepped up to the nobleman and said with a respectful -salute: - -“If it please your lordship, I should like well to try conclusions with -yon animal.” - -“You would ride it!” cried the Earl in amazement. - -“With your lordship’s consent I would essay to do as much,” replied -John. - -Permission having been granted, a saddle was sent for. In the meantime -our hero stroked the horse’s head as well as he could for its prancing, -whilst he spoke to it in a low caressing tone of voice. The animal -seemed to yield somewhat to the influence of this treatment, for it -grew quieter, but the saddle was not put on without great difficulty. -John sprang into the seat, at the same time ordering the grooms to let -go. Immediately the horse began to act as though possessed. It stood -upright upon its hind feet. It tried to stand upon its head. It leapt -here and there. It spun around like a cockchafer on a pin. It darted -forward and suddenly stopped. In short, it tried all the tricks with -which a horse endeavors to throw its rider. But John had not learnt -riding from one of the best horsemen in England for nothing. He sat -his saddle easily through all the animal’s antics and when its fury -began to abate he urged it forward at full speed and dashed over the -neighboring plain and out of sight. - -It was an hour later when John rode up to Earl Meldritch’s residence. -The nobleman came out to meet him and was surprised to see that he -managed the now-subdued steed without difficulty. He rode it back and -forth, made it turn this way and that, start and stop at will, and, in -fact, had it under almost perfect control. The Earl did not attempt -to disguise his admiration. On the contrary, he then and there made -our hero a present of the black charger and gave him an appointment as -ensign in his own regiment of cavalry. - -John was now attached to the Imperial army in an honorable capacity, -and in the course of his duties he made the better acquaintance of -some of the higher officers. This was the case in particular with -Lord Ebersberg, who found that the young Englishman had made a study -of those branches of tactics in which he himself was most interested. -These two had many discussions and on one occasion John imparted to the -general some ideas of signalling which he had gathered from the pages -of Polybius. This particular conversation had an important bearing on -the issue of a great battle at a later date. - - - - -VII. - -SOME STRATAGEMS - -John marches with the army against the Turks--Helps the -commander-in-chief out of a dilemma--The signal message with -torches--“At the alarum, sally you”--John’s dummy battalions of -matchlock men deceive the enemy--Baron Kissel attacks the Turkish army -and routs it with great slaughter--The campaign in Transylvania--Alba -Regalis is attacked--John devises a scheme for entering the city--His -“fiery dragons” work havoc within the walls--The place is taken by -assault after a fierce fight--Sixty thousand Moslems advance to retake -it--John is promoted. - - -John Smith’s brief experiences in Holland had merely served to whet -his appetite for soldiering. He was now in a fair way to see fighting -of the hardest kind. The year 1601 was drawing to a close. It had -been distinguished by constant conflict of the fiercest description -between the Christian and Turkish armies, with the advantage on the -whole on the side of the latter. The Turks had ravaged Hungary, had -recently taken the important stronghold of Caniza, and were threatening -Ober-Limbach. Lord Ebersberg was despatched to the defence of that -place with a small force, whilst Baron Kissel followed as soon as -possible with an additional body of ten thousand men, including the -Earl of Meldritch’s regiment. - -The Baron arrived to find that, although Ebersberg had contrived to -enter the town, its investment was now completed by an army of twenty -thousand Turks, which effectually shut out the intended reinforcement. -The situation was extremely critical, for Ober-Limbach is but a few -miles to the north of Caniza, whence a force of the enemy might issue -at any time and attack the Baron in the rear. Prompt action was -absolutely necessary, but how to act was difficult to decide upon. -To retreat would be to abandon the town and its garrison to certain -capture. To openly attack a strongly posted army of twice his strength -appeared too hazardous for consideration by the commander. However, -something had to be done, and that right quickly, so it was determined -to make an assault under cover of night when the advantage of numbers -would be somewhat lessened. Indeed, if the co-operation of the garrison -could be secured under such circumstances, the chances of success would -be considerable. But how to communicate with Lord Ebersberg was beyond -Baron Kissel’s conception, for it was practically impossible to pass -through the Turkish lines. - -These matters were discussed in a council of the principal officers, -and when he returned to his tent the Earl of Meldritch explained the -situation to the young ensign who was upon his staff and of whose good -sense and knowledge he began to entertain a high estimate. When John -understood the dilemma in which the Commander-in-Chief was placed, he -expressed a belief that he could convey a message to Lord Ebersberg, -provided it was short and simple. To the astonished Earl he related his -conversation with the German general on the subject of signalling which -had not yet found a place in the tactics of European armies. John had -no doubt that Lord Ebersberg would remember the simple code of signals -which he had suggested to him, since he had shown a keen interest in -the matter. The Earl immediately informed the Commander-in-Chief of his -young subordinate’s idea, and the Baron wrote a message which was, if -possible, to be transmitted to the garrison. - -As soon as darkness had set in, John, accompanied by the principal -officers of the army, who were of course deeply interested in the -trial, made his way to the top of a hill which overlooked the town. He -was supplied with a number of torches by means of which he proposed -to send to Lord Ebersberg the following despatch: “Tomorrow at night -I will charge on the east; at the alarum sally you. Kissel.” As a -first step, which would answer to the “call up” signal of modern -heliographers, three lighted torches were fixed at equal distances -apart and left exposed, awaiting the answer from the other end to -indicate that the signal was understood and that the receivers were -on the alert to take the message. The minutes lengthened into a -quarter-hour, into a half, and at length a full hour had slowly dragged -by without any sign from the garrison. The torches burnt low and the -disappointed officers turned to leave the spot. A captain laughed -derisively, but was sternly checked by the Earl of Meldritch. - -“The fault is not with the lad,” he said. “He hath done his part but I -fear the essay goes for nought.” - -“Nay,” replied John promptly, “Lord Ebersberg hath not seen my lights, -else he would have understood. Yonder sentries be dullards. The next -relief may bring one of sharper wit and the general will surely make -the round of the ramparts before he seeks his couch. I keep my torches -burning though it be through the night.” - -With that he set up three fresh lights and folded his arms with an air -of quiet determination. - -The young soldier’s confidence infected his colonel and though the -others departed hopeless of the experiment, the Earl remained with -John. They had not long to wait for a reward of their patience. Hardly -had the party of doubters reached the bottom of the hill when three -torches set in a row appeared upon the ramparts of the besieged town. -They were surely in answer to his signal, but in order to be certain -John lowered his lights. The others were immediately lowered and again -set up in response to a similar action on his part. He now proceeded to -send the message in German which was the native language of the general -and the tongue in which he had conversed with John. - -The letters of the alphabet were indicated in a very simple manner and -on the principle that is employed at this day in heliographing or in -signalling with lamps. Two of the standing lights were extinguished. -The letters were made by alternately showing and hiding a torch a -certain number of times to the left or right of the standing light. -Dividing the alphabet into two parts from A to L and from M to Z, a -torch shown once to the left would mean A; to the right M. A torch -alternately exhibited and hidden to the left of the standing light -three times would signify C. The same thing on the right would be read -as O and so on. The end of a word was marked by showing three lights -and the receivers indicated that they had read it successfully by -holding up one torch. At the conclusion three torches set up by the -receiving party as originally, signified that they had fully understood -the message. - -The despatch went through without a hitch, and it was with proud -satisfaction that John saw the three final lights displayed telling -that his important task had been accomplished with perfect success. -The Earl of Meldritch expressed his delight in no measured terms as -they hurried to the tent of Baron Kissel to apprise him of the happy -conclusion of the experiment. The news soon spread through the camp, -and whilst it made John Smith’s name known to the army, it inspirited -the troops with the prospect of support from their beleaguered comrades -in the morrow’s attack. - -Whilst the communication with Lord Ebersberg had greatly improved the -situation, it left Baron Kissel still seriously anxious with regard to -the issue. Even counting the garrison, the Christians would be inferior -in numbers to the enemy who were, moreover, strongly entrenched. Scouts -had ascertained that the Turkish army maintained a complete cordon of -outposts at night, so that there was little prospect of taking their -main body by surprise. - -The morning after the affair of the torches, the Commander-in-Chief and -his staff stood upon an eminence commanding the scene of the conflict -and discussed plans for the attack. John was present in attendance upon -the Earl of Meldritch and overheard enough of the remarks to realize -that the generals were far from confident of success. In fact, Baron -Kissel was anything but an enterprising commander, and his timidity -naturally infected the officers under him. Young as he was, John had a -considerable knowledge of military tactics but, which was more to the -purpose, he possessed the eye and the instinct of a born soldier. As -he gazed across the ground occupied by the Turkish army, to the town -beyond, these qualities enabled him to estimate the position and the -possibilities of strategy with surer judgment than even the veterans -beside him. He noted that the river Raab divided the Ottoman force into -two equal bodies and he realized that the key to success in the coming -action lay in keeping these apart. Before the party returned to camp -he had formed a plan which he imparted to his colonel at the first -opportunity. - -The flint-lock had not yet come into use. Foot soldiers went into -action carrying their cumbersome guns with a piece of resin-soaked -rope attached to the stock. This was called a “match,” being used to -ignite the powder in the pan. It burned slowly, and of course could be -replenished at will. John’s plan was to counterfeit several regiments -of men standing with matchlocks ready to fire. The Earl heartily -approved the suggestion, as did Baron Kissel, and placed the necessary -men and material at the disposal of the young ensign. John stretched -between posts a number of lengths of rope at about the height of a -man’s waist. Along these he tied, at intervals of two feet, “matches” -similar to those which have been described. As soon as darkness set -in these were lighted and each contrivance was carried out by two -men and set up in the plain of Eisenberg, which lay to the west of -Ober-Limbach. To the Turks the long lines of flickering lights must -have looked like companies and regiments of soldiers marching and -taking up position. - -Whilst this stratagem was being carried out Baron Kissel advanced his -entire force of ten thousand men against that portion of the Turkish -army that lay on the east bank of the river. Upon these they charged -vigorously, and at the same time Lord Ebersberg, with his garrison -of five thousand, attacked them in flank. The Turks thus assailed on -two sides and being unable in the darkness to ascertain the strength -of the enemy, fell into confusion and were slaughtered with ease. The -other portion of the Ottoman army, confronted as it imagined itself -to be by a strong force, had not dared to move from its position and -stood alarmed and irresolute until Baron Kissel fell upon its rear -after having completely routed the former body. The Moslems offered no -resistance but fled panic-stricken into the night, leaving their camp -and thousands of killed and wounded in the hands of the victors. - -A large quantity of provisions and other necessities were found in the -Turkish camp and removed to the town. Thus furnished and reinforced -by two thousand picked soldiers from Kissel’s command, the place was -in good condition to withstand further attack, and so the Baron left -it, proceeding north to Kerment. John Smith’s share in this important -engagement was not overlooked. The Earl of Meldritch publicly declared -himself proud of his young protege and secured for him the command of -two hundred and fifty horse in his own regiment. Thus before he had -reached his twenty-second year John had earned a captaincy and the -respectful regard of his superior officers. - -Winter brought about a temporary cessation of hostilities and on their -resumption, early the next year, a reorganization of the Imperial army -was made. Three great divisions were formed: One, under the Archduke -Matthias and the Duc de Mercœur, to operate in Lower Hungary; the -second, under Archduke Ferdinand and the Duke of Mantua, to retake -Caniza; and the third, under Generals Gonzago and Busca, for service -in Transylvania. The regiment of the Earl of Meldritch was assigned to -duty with the first division and attached to the corps commanded by -the Duc de Mercœur. Thus strangely enough our hero found himself after -all serving under the very leader to whom the trickster De Preau had -promised to conduct him. - -With an army of thirty thousand, one-third of whom were Frenchmen, -the Duc addressed himself to the capture of the stronghold of -Stuhlweissenburg, which was then called Alba Regalis. The fortifications -and natural defences of the place rendered it well-nigh impregnable. It -was held by a strong and determined force that bravely repelled attacks -and frequently sallied forth to give battle to the besiegers. The -Christian army can not be said to have made any progress towards taking -the place when John gave another exhibition of the fertility of his mind -and devised a plan which led to the fall of the town. - -The young cavalry captain made frequent circuits of the walls studying -the fortifications and the various points of attack. He found that a -direct assault could not be made at any point with hope of success, -save, perhaps, one. Here the defence was lax owing to the fact that -a morass, which extended for some distance from the wall, seemed to -preclude the possibility of approach. Testing this quagmire under cover -of darkness, John found that it was not so deep but that a few hundred -men laden with stones and logs of wood could in a short while fill in -sufficient to make a pathway across it. But they would necessarily have -to work by daylight, and the next thing was to devise a scheme by which -the attention of the garrison could be diverted from them long enough -to allow of the accomplishment of the object. - -The bomb-shell had not yet been devised, but somewhere in his extensive -reading John had gathered the idea of such a missile. He set to work -to make what he called a “fiery dragon” and constructed a sling to -send it on its way. At the first attempt the thing worked to his -satisfaction. He then detailed to the Earl of Meldritch his plan for -taking the city by stratagem. The Duc de Mercœur having consented to -the scheme--the more readily since he had heard of John’s previous -exploits--preparations for putting it into effect were pushed with -haste, for just at this time news was received of a strong relieving -force which was on the march for Alba Regalis. - -Fifty bombs were manufactured under John’s directions, and, together -with the slings, were conveyed to a side of the town remote from that -on which the attack was to be made. Meanwhile the Earl of Rosworme had -gathered a force of picked men to make the assault and five hundred -others with large baskets filled with material to be dumped into the -morass. This body assembled in eager expectation of the diversion which -the English captain promised to create. - -John had selected one of the most crowded quarters of the city for the -destination of his “fiery dragons” and he let them loose in the market -hour when the crowd would be greatest. One after another, with flaming -tails, they pursued their hissing flight over the ramparts and, as -they struck the ground, burst, scattering death on every side. The air -was immediately filled with the cries of the affrighted Turks who fled -from the spot and the groans of those who lay wounded and dying. But by -the time the stock of bombs had become exhausted the townspeople and -garrison were hurrying to the spot from every direction to put out the -flames which had broken forth in several places and threatened to sweep -the city. - -Whilst the defenders were thus engaged with the fire that spread -rapidly in the strong wind, the Earl of Rosworme’s party completed -their causeway without interruption and his fighting men gained within -the walls and opened one of the gates before they were discovered. -The besieging army poured into the doomed town and a fearful carnage -ensued. The Turks fought like demons and neither asked nor received -quarter. Hardly a man of the garrison escaped. A last remnant of five -hundred made a stand before the palace with the Turkish commander in -their midst. He counselled them not to surrender and himself determined -to die fighting. His men were cut down one after another and he, -sorely wounded, was about to be slain by the infuriated soldiers, when -the Earl of Meldritch rescued him and made him prisoner despite his -protests. - -Alba Regalis, one of the most valued strongholds of the Turks, was -in the possession of the Christian army but sixty thousand Moslems, -determined to retake it, were approaching by rapid marches. - - - - -VIII. - -THE DIN OF BATTLE - -The battle of Girkhe--The Duc de Mercœur pits twenty thousand -Christians against sixty thousand Turks--The conflict rages from -morn till night--Meldritch’s men do valiant service--John’s horse is -killed under him--He is rescued by Culnitz and saves the latter’s -life in turn--Duplaine dies fighting one to ten--The Earl’s fearful -plight--Seven hundred against three thousand--“For faith and -Meldritch!”--The Earl is cut off--“Culnitz! Vahan! Follow me! To the -Chief, my men!”--Count Ulrich turns the scales--The Turks break and -flee from the field--Victory and night. - - -Alba Regalis had been in the hands of the Turks for thirty years, -and during that time had become virtually a Moslem city. Turkish -mosques, palaces and market place had been constructed in it and its -fortifications had been strengthened until the place was well-nigh -impregnable. The Turks had come to consider Alba Regalis a permanent -possession and its fall was a great blow to their pride as well as a -serious setback in their military operations. As soon as the Sultan -was informed of the Duc de Mercœur’s advance against the stronghold, -he hastily raised a force of sixty thousand men and sent it to the -relief, under Hassan Pasha, the commander-in-chief of the Turkish -army. Hassan had pushed forward with all possible expedition but, -as we know, Alba Regalis fell whilst he was still a considerable -distance away. This did not check the advance of the Turkish general. -On the contrary it induced him to hurry on in the hope of arriving -before the Christians should have time to repair the breaches in the -walls and other damages to the defences which their assault must, as -he naturally supposed, have made. Thanks, however, to Captain John -Smith’s stratagem, as we should now call him, the artillery had been -comparatively little used in the reduction of the city and a few days -sufficed to put it in its former condition, so far as the outworks were -concerned. - -Scouts kept a close watch on the Turkish army and reported to the Duc -that it was strung out to such an extent that the last regiments were -a full day’s march behind the vanguard. This fact suggested to Mercœur -the bold expedient of going out to meet the enemy instead of awaiting -him behind the walls of Alba Regalis. The plan was based on logical -reasoning and had the approval of Meldritch and other leaders. The -Turks would not expect such a move and would continue their advance -in single column of regiments. The Christians would thus have the -advantage of numbers on their side in the early part of the engagement -and the enemy could hardly bring more than two to one against them -before the close of the first day. If advisable the defenders of -the city might retire within the walls at nightfall. The force of -Hassan Pasha was largely composed of raw levies, undisciplined and -inexperienced, who would necessarily be worn in consequence of the -forced marches to which they had been subjected. Furthermore, the Duc -was too keen a soldier to allow thirty thousand men to be shut up in a -beleaguered town for months when their services were so urgently needed -elsewhere. These considerations then prompted him to a decision which -proved to have been an eminently wise one. - -Mercœur had no idea of seriously hazarding the loss of Alba Regalis. -When he issued to battle there were left in the town ten thousand men, -a sufficient number to hold it for some months even if the worst befell -their comrades. With his main body, twenty thousand strong, the Duc -marched out to meet the oncoming Turks. The spot he selected for the -encounter was one where the enemy must debouche from a comparatively -narrow way upon the extensive plains of Girkhe. The latter expanse -afforded ideal conditions for the movement of cavalry, upon which arm -the general mainly depended for success. The Christian army arrived -at the battle-ground at the close of day and, after throwing out a -chain of videttes and posting strong guards, passed a restful night in -bivouac. - -The Duc’s force had hardly finished its morning meal when the videttes -retired before the van of the advancing Turks and the outposts fell -back in orderly manner upon the main body. The hoarse bray of the -trumpets called the soldiers “to arms” and, as they had lain down -in ranks the night before, the regiments were formed in a very few -minutes. It was no part of the Duc’s plan to contest the advance of -the enemy or to attempt to drive him back. The Turkish regiments as -they arrived were freely permitted to march forward and deploy upon the -plain. The Christian army was massed, and as each corps of the Ottomans -lined up in its crescent formation the Duc sent one of his own against -it. They were about equal in numbers, that is to say, each one thousand -strong. It was the hope of the Christian commander that in this way -he should be able to rout a considerable portion of the Turkish army -before it could bring a very superior force upon the field. The best -of his troops Mercœur held back until the latter part of the day when -the hardest fighting might be expected to occur. Thus John Smith and -many another brave fellow was forced to stand impatiently watching -his comrades in action. Twice during the forenoon, however, Captain -Smith was permitted to take out his troop and make a brief charge for -the purpose of turning the tide where a Christian regiment appeared -to be overmatched. So, for hours this strange battle progressed in -a series of duels. Every thirty or forty minutes brought a fresh -Turkish regiment on the field where it was at once engaged by one of -the Christian corps in an isolated conflict. There was no attempt at -military tactics or combined movements on the part of the various -colonels. Each had his own little battle to fight with a Turkish -zanzack. He was instructed to attend strictly to that and pay no heed -to what might be going on around him. When he had beaten and routed the -body opposed to him, he was to retire and rest his men and horses. - -It was a very ingenious arrangement when you think about it. Once -engaged the Turks were obliged to come on as at first. If they should -halt, even for an hour to mass a strong force, the Christian commander -would overwhelm and annihilate the Moslem regiments upon the field. -Despite the fact that several bodies of the Ottomans were utterly -broken and driven from the field, the constant arrival of fresh Turks -gradually increased their numbers until at noon they had fully twenty -thousand men in action, opposed to about thirteen thousand of the Duc -de Mercœur’s force. Up to this time five thousand of the Moslems and -two thousand Christians had been put out of action. The former were -constantly receiving fresh accessions to their numbers, whilst the -regiments of the latter which had been most actively engaged during the -morning could only be lightly employed thereafter. - -But the flower of Mercœur’s force had been held in reserve until -this time. It consisted of five regiments of splendid cavalry--five -thousand horsemen eager for the fray. The time had come to launch them -against the enemy in support of the now hardly-pressed troops that had -borne the burden of battle thus far. The commanders and men knew what -was expected of them. They were prepared to meet odds of five to one -and more if necessary. They had fed and watered their chargers, they -had looked to their buckles and bits. Their pistols were loaded and -primed and each had drained the flagon of wine handed to him by his -horse-boy. They made a brave picture as they sat their champing steeds -in glistening armor and with drawn swords awaiting the word to advance. -Since each corps acted as an independent unit, we can only follow the -fortunes of that which bore the brunt of the fierce fighting in the -afternoon of that memorable autumn day. - -The regiment of Meldritch consisted of four companies, commanded -respectively by the following captains: Duplaine, a Frenchman; Vahan -and Culnitz, Germans; and the Englishman, John Smith. Each of these -performed prodigies of valor before the fall of night and the dashing -Duplaine met a soldier’s death upon the field. - -The Earl lost no time in taking his impatient men into action. Riding -in their front, conspicuous by his great height and the scarlet -plumes that surmounted his helmet, he led them towards a body of the -enemy that had just entered the plain. Meldritch’s corps, in line of -double rank, advanced at a trot, breaking into a hand-gallop as they -approached the foe. Then, as the uplifted sword of the Earl gave the -signal, they swept forward in a mighty charge and with a shout crashed -through the line of Turks, overthrowing horse and rider in their -impetuous course. In an instant the ground was strewn with dead and -dying, with kicking animals and with men striving to get clear of the -struggling mass. The victors rode among them slaying without mercy, -whilst the remnant of the broken regiment fled in every direction. - -When his men had reformed and breathed their horses, the Earl sent them -at another regiment with like results, and so again and again. But such -work tells on man and horse, and as Meldritch’s men tired the odds by -which they were confronted increased. They no longer swept through the -ranks of the enemy with ease but had to cut and hew their passage. -Their charges broke the compactness of their own lines and ended in -mêlées from which they emerged in small bodies with loss and fatigue. - -In one of these later encounters, the black Barbary--his colonel’s gift -to Captain Smith--suddenly pitched forward in the throes of death, -flinging his rider heavily to the ground. Our hero’s career must have -ended there had not Culnitz spurred to his rescue just as three Turks -rode at him. - -“Up! Up behind me in the saddle!” cried Culnitz generously, as he -reached John’s side. But the young Englishman had no idea of hazarding -his comrade’s life by such a proceeding. His sword had flown from -his hand as he fell. He now snatched Culnitz’s battle-axe from the -saddle-bow and prepared to help his rescuer meet the trio of Turks -who were now upon them. One of these, whose handsome horse and fine -accoutrements proclaimed him to be a person of distinction, attacked -the German captain from the side on which John stood. Ignoring the man -on foot, the Turk swung his blade at the neck of the mounted officer. -Culnitz was completely engaged with the other two assailants and the -blow must have severed his head but, as the Turk’s arm swept forward, -it met the battle-axe wielded by our hero, which shattered the bone. -The next instant Smith had dragged the Turk from his horse and was in -the saddle. The gallant young captains now had little difficulty in -disposing of the two Moslems who confronted them and a few others who -attempted to bar their return to their comrades. - -The Colonel was overjoyed to see his two young officers reappear and -their men greeted them with wild huzzas, for all had feared that they -were cut off and lost. Meldritch’s regiment was now reduced to a scant -three companies. Duplaine had met a glorious fate fighting single -handed against ten of the enemy. His company--that is what was left of -it--the Earl distributed amongst the other three and once more formed -his men up for a fresh attack. They were fortunate at this juncture in -finding themselves near a small stream at which men and horses assuaged -their consuming thirst. - -The hours had dragged slowly by to the anxious Duc who, surrounded -by his staff, stood upon an eminence surveying the field. His breast -swelled with pride at the many sights of valor presented by the -constantly shifting scene. Never had commander witnessed more gallant -service, but men are mortal and Mercœur knew that flesh and blood could -not much longer endure the fearful strain. The Turks had put full -forty thousand men upon the plain since the day begun and their troops -were still arriving in a steady stream. Scarce ten thousand Christians -remained fit to fight, and these were already pitted against some -thirty thousand Moslems. Anxiously the commander’s gaze followed the -slowly setting sun, and as Wellington in after years longed for the -arrival of Blücher, so Mercœur now prayed for the fall of night. - -Looking toward the road over which the Turkish troops, like a huge -snake had poured all day, a sight met the Duc’s eyes that caused his -heart to beat with apprehension. To his utter dismay he saw approaching -a stately body of men on white chargers. He quickly recognized them as -the Barukh Regiment, one of the finest in the army of the Sultan and -two thousand strong. - -“Now may Our Lady of Mercy support Meldritch,” cried Mercœur with -emotion, “for surely no mortal help can save him in this pass!” - -This deep concern on the part of the general was excited by the -fact that Meldritch’s regiment, which we left reforming for another -onslaught, was nearest to the Barukhs, who were evidently extending -their ranks with the design of attacking it. Quickly the white horsemen -advanced and Meldritch, when he was apprised of his danger, found his -corps enveloped in a rough triangle, the base of it formed by the body -of the enemy he had been on the point of charging. At a glance his -soldier’s eye recognized the superiority of the Barukh cavalry and he -wheeled two companies about to face the graver danger, whilst to Vahan, -with the third, was entrusted the task of preventing a rear attack by -the smaller body of the enemy. - -They were seven hundred to three thousand. To charge upon their jaded -horses must have been to break themselves and become engulfed in that -mass of splendid horsemen. The Earl, therefore, decided to await the -attack. It was the climax of the fight--the most critical moment of the -day. On the result of the coming conflict depended the issue of the -battle. The Earl turned in his saddle and addressed his men. - -“These be worthy of our steel,” he cried, pointing with his outstretched -sword towards the oncoming Barukhs. “Our commander watches us. Let every -man strike for Christ, for honor and for life.” “For Faith and -Meldritch!” responded the men heartily. - -The Turks charged with courageous fury. Seven hundred pistols were -discharged full in their faces, emptying hundreds of saddles. They -recoiled but came again almost immediately. Once more they received a -volley at close range and this time fell back in disorder, their ranks -thrown into confusion by the great number of riderless horses that -ran wildly amongst them. The Earl deemed the moment favorable for a -counter-attack. - -“Charge!” he cried in ringing tones, and plunged into the Moslem horde, -followed by his men. - -Thrusting and hacking for dear life, Meldritch’s troopers slowly fought -their way through the Barukhs. As they emerged in little knots they -began to rally round the standards of their several leaders. The three -captains were thus engaged in collecting the remnants of their men, -when they perceived that the Earl was completely cut off. His plume, -now no ruddier than his armor, marked the spot where alone, like a lion -at bay, he held back a circle of the enemy. The red rays of the evening -sun flashed from his long blade which, like a streak of fire, swept in -wide strokes, now on this side and anon on that. - -“To the Chief!” shouted John. “Culnitz! Vahan! Follow me! To the Chief, -my men!” - -Smith’s voice rose above the clangor of weapons as he spurred into the -dense mass of Moslems, closely followed by his fellow-captains. With -slashing blows they opened a lane through which some fifty of their men -rode after them. In a few minutes they gained beside the wearied Earl -and surrounded him with a band of devoted followers. - -The situation of this handful of heroes, beset by more than a thousand -furious enemies, was precarious in the extreme. To cut their way out -was impossible, and they prepared to sell their lives dearly and die -as becomes gallant soldiers. But Fortune favors the brave. At this -critical juncture, Count Ulrich, having routed the force to which he -had been opposed, was able to bring his regiment to the relief of -Meldritch. They bore down upon the Barukhs who, taken in the rear and -by surprise, broke and fled over the field. - -The Turkish trumpets now sounded the “recall” and the shattered -regiments of the Sultan retired to where Hassan’s banner proclaimed the -presence of the dispirited commander. The Duc de Mercœur’s exhausted -men lay down in their cloaks upon the ground which they had soaked with -the blood of ten thousand Turks. - - - - -IX. - -GUERILLA TACTICS - -The Duc de Mercœur defeats Hassan Pasha and Alba Regalis is -secure--Meldritch carries the war into Transylvania--The advance -against Regall--The troops are constantly attacked on the march--Captain -Smith treats the Turks to a surprise--He proposes a scheme for -counteracting the night attacks--Five hundred Turks are entrapped and -cut up--Clearing the mountain road to Regall--The army gains the summit -and encamps--The Turks issue a challenge to single combat--The Christian -captains draw lots for the honor of representing the army--“John Smith, -the Englander, is our champion”--John gives Prince Moyses proof of his -skill with the lance. - - -Despite their superior numbers, the Turks forebore from renewing the -battle on the day following the desperate struggle that was described -in the last chapter. The Christians completely exhausted and many of -them, like Captain Smith, sorely wounded, were only too glad of the -respite. Thus the contending armies lay in sight of each other for -days without action on either side. At length the Duc de Mercœur saw a -favorable opportunity for attacking and did so with such effect that -Hassan Pasha, after losing six thousand men in this later battle, -retired from the field and retreated to Buda. - -Relieved of present anxiety on the score of Alba Regalis, Mercœur -divided his army into three bodies and despatched them in different -directions. One corps, under the command of the Earl of Meldritch, was -assigned to service in Transylvania. Our hero recovered sufficiently -to accompany his regiment which as we know could have ill-spared so -good a man. The winter had set in before the command arrived at its -destination, and the Earl went into camp to recruit his depleted -regiments and prepare for the ensuing campaign. The regiment of -Meldritch, which had recently added so greatly to its renown, had no -difficulty in getting all the picked men it needed and in a few weeks -had regained its full strength. - -With the opening of spring, Count Meldritch led his army into the -wildest portion of Transylvania and began a vigorous campaign. The -object was to clear the Turks off the plains and to take their chief -stronghold, Regall, in the mountains of Zarham. The entire country was -of the most rugged character and it had been for years the resort of -Turks, Tartars and bandits of all nations. From this wild retreat they -issued at favorable intervals and overran the neighboring valleys, -destroying villages and carrying off their inhabitants into slavery. - -The fighting which Captain Smith and his companions in arms now -experienced was the most difficult known to warfare. It called -for courage and patience, strength and quick-wittedness in an -extraordinary degree. Though he could not have suspected it at the -time, the training our hero received in this campaign was the best -possible to fit him for success in his future career among the Indians -of North America, and many a lesson that he learned in Transylvania was -turned to good account in Virginia. - -During their march through the province of Zarham, the army of -Meldritch never encountered troops in mass or in open combat, but were -surrounded day and night by a foe invisible for the most part and -appearing, when he did, in the most unexpected places. The road was -through a country that afforded ample cover and ambuscades were of -frequent occurrence. From the shelter of a wood or from behind a hill, -a band of horsemen would dart upon the column with the swoop of a hawk, -spear the nearest foot soldiers, and disappear in the twinkling of an -eye. These attacks were usually made in the uncertain light of the -evening, when the Christians could not effectively use their pistols. -Some half a dozen such onslaughts had been made with complete success -when it occurred to Captain Smith that the dusk which favored the -attack might be made an aid in repelling it. His plan was suggested to -the commander and with his approval was put into effect. It was ordered -that on the following day the column should march with two ranks of -men-at-arms on either flank, concealing a number of horsemen on foot -leading their chargers. - -As the light began to fail the Christian army approached a point where -their progress would take them between a rocky eminence and a thick -coppice. It was just such a place as the guerillas would choose for -an ambush and every one was on the lookout for the expected attack. -They were not long in suspense. As they passed the two natural hiding -places, Turks dashed out on either side and charged upon the Christians -with a shout. But before they could reach their intended victims, the -concealed horsemen had leapt into the saddle and riding out between the -files of foot soldiers charged the oncoming enemy at full speed. The -crash as they came together was terrific and the lighter Arab horses -of the Turks were bowled over like skittles by the heavy chargers -of Meldritch’s men. The surprised Turks were readily slain as they -lay upon the ground or turned to flee. Very few escaped, whilst the -Christians returned to their ranks without the loss of a man. After -this decisive turning of the tables upon them, the Ottomans contented -themselves with picking off stragglers and casting spears from a -tolerably safe distance. - -More trying, however, than the ambuscades were the night attacks, for -they not only occasioned serious loss of life, but, by robbing the -troops of much needed rest and keeping their nerves upon the rack, -threatened the demoralization of the entire army. Night after night -the Turks rushed the camp, cutting the tent ropes and stabbing the -struggling soldiers under the canvas. The Earl of Meldritch was deeply -concerned about these night attacks. He knew that unless they were -checked his army could never reach the passes of Regall, much less -effect the difficult task of taking the city. The general and his -leading officers had several consultations on the subject but without -arriving at a satisfactory conclusion. One-half of the force might have -been employed to guard the other whilst it slept, but the day’s march -was so arduous that by nightfall few of the men were fit to stand. - -In this dilemma, the young Englishman, who had already done such good -service for the army, came to the relief of his general with one of -those practical schemes which he seemed to be ever ready to devise in -an emergency. Following Captain Smith’s suggestion, the Earl ordered -that on the following night the camp should be pitched in a spot that -would invite an attack by the enemy. The tents were to be erected as -usual but the three front rows were to be empty. Behind these were -firmly-stretched ropes at a height of about two feet from the ground -and extending right across the camp. Beyond the ropes was left a clear -space of twenty yards and along the farther side of this was drawn up, -after dark, a body of one thousand picked men. - -The lights of the camp were out and the army was apparently sunk in -slumber, when a large force of Turks galloped in among the tents and -charged forward with their battle-cry of “Allah! Allah ud Din!” (God -and the Faith!) They expected an easy slaughter and escape with little -loss but this time things were to fall out differently. The leading -ranks of the Turks were in full career when they came upon the hidden -ropes, and as their horses struck them they pitched forward upon their -heads, throwing their riders at the very feet of the Christians waiting -with sword in hand to dispatch them. Rank after rank of the Turks rode -into the trap and fell atop of one another in a shrieking, struggling -mass. Meanwhile Meldritch’s men-at-arms stabbed and hewed with might -and main, slaughtering their enemies with a fury excited by the -recollection of their nameless cruelties. By the time the less advanced -of the Turkish horsemen, realizing that they were entrapped, had turned -about, they found themselves face to face with a cordon of Meldritch’s -cavalry which completely cut off their retreat. In the end the entire -body, numbering about five hundred, was slain. In those days prisoners -were seldom taken in wars with infidels, and it was not often that the -fanatical Turks would ask quarter of the unbeliever. - -After this affair the march was resumed with very little interference -on the part of the enemy until the mountains of Zarham were reached. -Here began the most difficult part of the military operation. Regall -was situated in a small table-land which formed the crest of an -isolated mountain. It was approachable only on one side and there the -ascent must be made by a rough and narrow path. It is no wonder that -the Turks deemed Regall impregnable and entrusted their women and -their treasures to the security of its position. The city had never -been taken and it is doubtful whether it would have fallen to a less -determined and able body of men than the veterans under Meldritch. - -A picked force was chosen to form the advance guard and John, in -consideration of his recent services, was permitted to take his place -in it. The work of this body was to clear and hold the road up the -mountain which was defended by the Turks with the utmost obstinacy. -Every foot of the way was contested and the advance guard lost a large -proportion of its number, but at last it gained the top. The main -body of the army and the big guns then made the ascent. When, after -the weary weeks of fighting and marching, Meldritch’s division camped -in sight of the gates of Regall it had dwindled to fewer than eight -thousand men. - -The city was garrisoned by twenty thousand Turks and had an ample -supply of provisions. Under these conditions the Earl entertained no -thought of attacking it but wisely contented himself with entrenching -his position and repelling the frequent sorties of the besieged. In a -few days Prince Moyses arrived with a reinforcement of nine thousand -men and took over the chief command. The Christian army now proceeded -to construct approaches to the city and to mount their guns in -commanding positions. - -This work of preparation, which was performed with careful deliberation, -consumed several weeks, and the delay tended to encourage the garrison. -They foolishly attributed it to timidity and began to display contempt -for the beleaguering army. They paraded upon the ramparts effigies of -Christians hanging from gallows and shouted derisive messages to the -besiegers. At length this over-confidence of the Turks took a form that -afforded the besiegers a chance to prove that they were still awake and -prepared for action. - -One day a messenger from the city was admitted to the presence of -Prince Moyses under a flag of truce. He was the bearer of a lengthy -document couched in pompous language which, after reproaching the -Christians for the lack of exercise that was making them fat and timid, -expressed a fear that they would depart from the city without affording -any pastime to the ladies of it. That this might not be, Tur Pasha, -a Turkish general, challenged to single combat any champion whom the -Christian army might put forward. The combat was to be fought after -the fashion of knightly times, with which the Turks had become familiar -during the Crusades, and the head of the vanquished, together with -everything brought into the field by him, should become the property of -the victor. - -The challenge was received with delight in the Christian army and as -soon as it became known scores of captains pressed forward for the -privilege of accepting it. In order to avoid jealousy and discontent -by singling one out of so many brave men, the commander determined to -decide the question by casting lots. Young John Smith was among the -most eager candidates for the honor of representing the army and his -name and those of the others were written upon scraps of paper and -shaken up in a helmet. It was a breathless moment when Prince Moyses -thrust his hand into the casque and drew forth the billet upon which -his fingers closed. - -“John Smith, the Englander, is our champion,” he announced to the -throng, with a shade of disappointment in his voice. He had hoped that -the honor might fall to one of his own countrymen and, although Count -Meldritch had spoken with warmth of John’s courage and prowess, the -Prince felt doubtful of the ability of a mere stripling to defeat an -experienced warrior. - -As John was about to go to his tent, his heart full of joy at the -wonderful good fortune that had befallen him, Prince Moyses beckoned -him to his side. It was in the mind of the general to ask Smith to -waive his right in favor of some older and better tried captain, but -the first glance at the young man’s eager face convinced his commander -that it would be useless to pursue the purpose. Instead he inquired -whether Smith’s horse and equipment were all that he could desire and -what weapons he would choose, having as the challenged the right of -selection. John replied that his horse had proved itself a trusty beast -in many a sharp skirmish since the battle of Girkhe and for the weapon, -he would name the lance in the handling of which he feared not to pit -himself against any mortal man. - -As he made this truthful but, nevertheless, somewhat boastful -statement, John fancied that he detected a faint smile flickering about -the corners of the Prince’s mouth. He flushed at the thought that his -general might be inwardly laughing at his pretensions, and said, with -some show of heat: - -“May it please your Highness to give me leave to prove my quality with -the lance?” - -The Prince gravely assented to the proposal and a soldier was -dispatched to fetch the young captain’s horse and tilting lance. In -the few minutes that elapsed before his return, our hero’s thoughts -strayed to the period of his hermitage in the Lincolnshire forest and -he congratulated himself on the time then spent in the practice of a -weapon that was fast falling into disuse. - -Hard by the commander’s tent stood a convenient tree. From one of its -branches a soldier was instructed to suspend an iron ring, no bigger -than a dollar piece, at the height of a mounted man’s head. When this -had been done, John, who was already mounted, took his lance from the -attendant soldier and placing it in rest, bore down upon the mark at -full tilt. When he wheeled round and saluted Prince Moyses, the ring -was upon the point of his lance. - -“Bravissimo!” cried the Prince with a smile of satisfaction. “I had not -thought to see that feat performed in this day,” he added as he turned -on his heel and entered the tent. - - - - -X. - -THE THREE TURKS - -Captain Smith meets the Turkish champion in a duel with lances--The -gorgeous pasha makes a brave appearance but loses his life at the first -encounter--Smith presents Prince Moyses with a grizzly trophy--The -slain Turk’s bosom friend challenges Smith--The combatants’ lances are -shattered to splinters--They continue the fight with pistols and the -Englishman is hit--The gallant war-horse saves the issue--Grualgo bites -the dust--Smith sends a challenge into Regall--Meets Boni Mulgro and -for the third time is victor--He is honored with a pageant--Receives -rich presents, promotion and a patent of Nobility. - - -A truce having been declared for the day of the combat, the opposing -armies approached each other without restraint but their soldiery -did not mingle. The Christians were drawn up, a short distance from -the city, in battle array with a grand display of banners, trophies -and the various insignia of heraldry. The Moslems assembled in an -irregular mass beneath the gray walls of the beleaguered town, whilst -their women, attended by slaves, occupied points of vantage along the -ramparts. - -Between the bodies of eager spectators lay a stretch of sward, which -had been enclosed in a barricade after the fashion of the lists in -the old-time tournaments. Long before the hour set for the contest -the troops had assembled on either side. In both armies the keenest -interest in the affair prevailed and both realized that it was -something more than a duel to the death, for the result would surely -encourage the fighting men of one party as much as it would depress -those of the other. In those days of superstition, men were ever ready -to find an augury in every important event, and the army to whom the -victory should fall would accept it as a promise of success in the -final issue. - -It must be confessed that the greater degree of confidence was enjoyed -by the Turks. Their champion was a man in the prime of life and a -soldier of approved valor and skill in arms. He had never been defeated -in single combat, although twice pitted against Germans of renown. -The Christians, on the other hand, could not shake off the doubt and -apprehension which they shared with their leader when the lot fell -to the young Briton. The army had long since learned to respect his -courage and fighting qualities in battle, and of his quick-wittedness -they had received ample proof on the march to Regall. But none of -them had any evidence of his ability to yield the lance, a weapon -that demanded years of practice before a man might become expert with -it. Thus it happened that the Germans, of whom the army was mostly -composed, stood grim, silent and anxious, whilst the swarthy Ottomans -gave vent to their elation in song and jest. - -The combatants were to meet when the sun should be precisely in -mid-heaven so that neither might be at the disadvantage of having its -rays in his eyes. The rules required the challenger to be the first -in the field and in due time Tur Pasha, heralded by the sounds of -hautboys, passed through the gates of the city and slowly made his way -into the lists. His appearance elicited enthusiastic shouts from his -countrymen and even forced ejaculations of admiration from the ranks of -their enemies. - -The Turkish champion presented a brave figure. His proud bearing and -graceful carriage in the saddle were enhanced by the stately action of -the beautiful white Arab steed which he rode. He was clad in a splendid -suit of burnished steel armor, richly inlaid with arabesque figures in -gold. Upon his shoulders were fixed a pair of large wings made from -eagles’ feathers set in a frame of silver and garnished with gold and -precious stones. He was attended by three Janizaries, one going before -and bearing his lance, the others walking on either side and leading -his horse to the station assigned him. - -No sooner had Tur Pasha taken up position at his end of the lists, than -a flourish of trumpets announced the appearance of John Smith. The -champion of the Christians presented an aspect as simple as his name -and no less sturdy. His chestnut horse was a big, strong Norman, of the -breed far-famed for service in battle. His armor was of plain steel and -bore upon its surface many a dent in eloquent witness of hard knocks. -The only touch of finery about the Englishman was the plume of black -feathers which surmounted his helmet. He came upon the field attended -by one page carrying his lance. - -After Captain Smith had halted at his post, the two champions sat like -statues facing each other for a few minutes, affording the spectators -opportunity to compare their points. At a signal blast from the -trumpet, the antagonists rode forward slowly and met midway in the -course. Saluting courteously, they passed each other, wheeled about and -returned to their respective stations. - -A prolonged note from the trumpet warned the combatants to let down -their vizors and set their lances in rest. The next gave the signal for -the onset, and before it had died away each horseman had sprung forward -urging his charger to its utmost speed. As soon as he felt that his -horse was in full career, Smith leant forward, slackening the bridle -and grasping the pommel of the saddle with his left hand to steady -himself. His lance was couched at a level with his adversary’s breast -and his gaze was steadily fixed on the slit in the vizor through which -the wearer looked. - -Nearer and nearer approached the onrushing horsemen. A few more -strides, two brief seconds and they must meet in the shock. John can -at last discern the glistening eyes of the Turk and in that instant -he raises the point of his lance toward the other’s face. The sudden -movement disconcerts the Turkish champion. Involuntarily he shifts his -aim and his weapon passes harmlessly over the Englishman’s shoulder -at the moment that our hero’s lance enters the eye of Tur Pasha and -penetrates his brain. He fell from his horse and Smith leapt to the -ground and unbuckled his helmet. A glance sufficed to show that the -Turk was dead and with a stroke of his sword John severed the head from -the body. - -Whilst the pagans in mournful procession carried the headless trunk of -their recent champion into Regall, Smith was triumphantly escorted back -to the camp of the besiegers. He ordered the head of Tur Pasha to be -borne to the quarters of Prince Moyses, who was pleased to accept the -grizzly trophy. The spoils of victory were not unacceptable to John, -but he had no desire to trick himself out in the fancy armor with its -trimmings, and these he sold for a good round sum. The horse, however, -he was glad to keep, for he had long wished for an extra mount for -light service, but heretofore his slender means had denied him that -advantage. In the wars of the time, captains who could afford to do so -kept two or more horses during a campaign, one to carry them on the -march and another to ride in battle, for a man in armor was no light -burden, and a beast that had borne its master ten or twelve miles would -not be fit at the end of the journey for great exertion, although the -life of its owner might depend upon its rendering spirited service. -Captain Smith now had the satisfaction of knowing that he was one of -the best mounted men in the army, for the Arab was a marvel of speed -and agility and the Norman had been thoroughly trained by himself and -was a perfect battle-horse. - -The chief mourner in Regall was one Grualgo, a fierce warrior, who had -been the bosom friend of the slain pasha. When the funeral rites had -been performed after the Muhammadan custom, Grualgo sent a message to -Captain John Smith proposing to redeem his friend’s head at the risk of -his own. He also offered to pledge his horse, arms and accoutrements -on the issue. It is hardly necessary to say that the challenge was -accepted with alacrity. Flushed with his recent victory and more than -ever confident in his skill, our champion was delighted at this early -chance for another display of his prowess. The consent of the general -was readily obtained. Prince Moyses was greatly pleased at the cheering -effect Smith’s success had worked upon the troops and he was no longer -doubtful of the Briton’s ability to uphold the honor of the Christian -army. The preparations were made as before, and the next day was -appointed for the combat. - -Once more the walls were lined with the fair dames of Regall and in -their shadow assembled the garrison, more subdued than on the former -occasion but buoyed by hopes of better fortune. The Christians, on -their part, lined up, exultant and strong in the expectation of another -victory for their champion. - -Grualgo entered the lists almost as splendidly mounted and equipped -as the pasha had been. Captain Smith wore the same plain but -serviceable suit of armor and rode his trusty Norman charger. He had -again exercised his right as the challenged to name the lance as the -principal weapon of the combat. - -At the trumpet signal, the combatants spurred forward at full speed, -each with his weapon well and firmly aimed at his opponent’s breast. -They met in mid-career with a crash that resounded over the field. The -lances flew into pieces. The horses fell back upon their haunches. Both -riders reeled under the shock but each contrived to keep his seat. -Casting aside the splintered spears, they drew their pistols from the -saddle pockets. Smith was the first to fire, but at the instant of the -discharge the Turk’s horse swerved and the bullet hummed harmlessly by -his master’s head. Grualgo had reserved his shot and now took careful -aim. The Norman, in response to the pressure of his rider’s legs, was -gathering himself for a spring out of the line of fire when the report -of the Turk’s pistol rang out. The ball struck John’s headpiece fair in -the centre of the forehead but failed to penetrate the steel. Our hero -was stunned and sight suddenly forsook him. The bridle dropped from his -nerveless fingers and he swayed in his seat. He gave himself up for -lost as he felt his senses deserting him. Then came the thought that he -was the champion of the Christian army, that they were watching him, -depending upon him to secure victory for them. Exerting all the will at -his command, he set his teeth together and fought back the inclination -to swoon. - -Grualgo seeing his enemy at his mercy, smiled with grim satisfaction -as he drew his second pistol, intending to dispatch the Christian -youth with deliberate and sure aim. But the trusty Norman had not been -trained to battle for nothing. The loose seat in the saddle and the -relaxed grip of the bridle told him that his master was in distress -and depended upon him to save his life. With quick but easy action, so -as not to unseat the rider, the intelligent beast strode out of range. -The Turk wheeled and galloped after him. His was the swifter steed and -he had no difficulty in overtaking Smith’s charger, but each time as -he levelled his weapon to fire, the Norman darted away at an angle. In -this manner the gallant animal contrived to prolong the combat for many -minutes. Meanwhile Smith’s senses and his strength were fast reviving. -It gladdened the noble steed to feel the returning firmness of seat -and grasp of the bridle, and his master, as his sight cleared, began to -lend his guidance to the clever tactics of the animal. - -When Captain Smith fully realized the situation, he made up his mind -that success could be secured only by bold and daring action. In his -weakened state he could not hope to overcome the Turk in a prolonged -fight. He must rely upon surprising the other and bringing the affair -to an issue by a sudden attack. Grualgo would not risk his last shot -until he could make sure of his aim. He probably believed our hero to -be sorely wounded and had no thought of his reviving or resuming the -offensive. - -In one of his horse’s evasive rushes, Smith bent forward upon the -animal’s neck as though overcome by sudden pain, but the movement -was made to enable him to stealthily draw his loaded pistol from the -holster. Holding it concealed behind the high pommel of his saddle, he -braced his nerves for the final effort. Once more Grualgo approached -his foe but this time, instead of allowing his horse to spring aside, -John urged him forward, straight at the astonished Turk. Before the -latter could recover his presence of mind sufficiently to use his -weapon, the Englishman’s pistol was discharged full in his face, and he -fell to the ground in a dying state. Smith dismounted and gave the Turk -his _coup de grace_, or finishing stroke, and then cut off his head. - -This proceeding must strike us as being cold-blooded and merciless, -but it was strictly in accordance with the terms of the combat and the -character of the age in which our hero lived. Our forefathers of the -seventeenth century were as rough as they were brave. They lived amid -scenes of strife and bloodshed, and men who hazarded their own lives -daily naturally held those of their enemies cheap. - -This second defeat was a severe blow to the defenders of Regall. Their -two foremost champions had been vanquished and by a beardless boy, for -Captain Smith at this time had barely passed his twenty-first year. -There were no more challenges from the disheartened garrison. They lost -all desire to afford pastime for the ladies and they ceased to find -the Christians subjects for contemptuous jests as they had done in the -early days of the siege. Their sallies were now of rare occurrence and -were easily repelled, so that the work of preparation for the final -assault upon the city went forward with little interruption. - -Our hero, in whom love of action was second nature, chafed sorely -under the slow and tedious engineering operations. At length he sought -and obtained permission from Prince Moyses to send a challenge into -the city. This message was couched in the most courteous terms and -was addressed to the ladies of Regall, our hero shrewdly suspecting -that in this way he would more quickly touch the honor of the men. -Captain John Smith begged to assure the ladies of Regall that he was -not so enamored of the heads of their servants, but that he was ready -to restore them upon proper terms. He urged the ladies to send forth a -champion who would risk his head in the effort to regain those of the -vanquished Turks. Captain Smith concluded by expressing his willingness -that his own head should accompany the others in case the champion of -the ladies proved the victor in the proposed combat. In due time an -acceptance of this challenge was received from one Boni Mulgro, and a -day was set for the trial of arms. - -The conditions of this third duel were similar to those that governed -the two preceding combats, with the exception of one important -particular. John Smith, being the challenger on this occasion, the -choice of weapons rested with his adversary. Mulgro had no stomach for -a contest with the lance, of which Smith had proved himself a master. -He chose to fight with the pistol, battle axe and falchion. In the use -of these weapons, and especially the battle axe, he was expert. This -wise decision of the Turk came near to undoing our hero as the sequel -will show. - -At the signal of attack, the combatants advanced upon each other but -not at the charge as would have been the case had lances been their -weapons. Instead, they caused their horses to curvet and prance -and change suddenly from one direction to another. These manœuvres, -resembling those of two wrestlers, were designed to disconcert the aim, -and in the present instance did so with such complete effect that each -of the champions emptied two pistols without touching his enemy. - -They now resorted to the battle axe, on which the Turk rested his -hope of success. He found in Captain John Smith an antagonist little -less proficient than himself. For a while the strife waxed warm and -fast without any perceptible advantage to either. Heavy blows were -aimed and fended without ceasing, leaving neither, as Smith tells us, -with “scarce sense enough to keep his saddle.” At length a hard blow -delivered by the Turk struck John’s weapon near the head and it flew -from his hand. At the sight of this advantage gained by their champion, -the people of Regall set up such a shout as to shake the walls of the -city. - -It was a critical moment. Smith was disarmed. The Turk was within arm’s -length of him. He raised his battle axe to strike a crushing blow. -Before it could descend the Norman charger had sprung aside and the -weapon cut the air harmlessly. But the danger was only averted for a -moment. The Turk pressed close upon his adversary, striving to strike, -but each time the axe was raised the good horse reared suddenly or -sprung away. - -Meanwhile Captain Smith had succeeded in drawing his falchion. Hardly -had its point cleared the scabbard, when Mulgro again came on with an -incautious rush. As the Turk raised his arm to swing the heavy weapon, -Smith thrust with full force and ran his sword through the body of Boni -Mulgro. - -The Christian army was fairly wild with delight at this third victory -of Captain John Smith, and the commander ordered a pageant in his -honor. With an escort of six thousand men-at-arms, the three Turk’s -heads and the spoils of the three combats borne before him, Captain -Smith was conducted to the pavilion of the general, who received -him surrounded by his principal officers. Prince Moyses embraced -our hero in the presence of the troops and, after complimenting him -warmly on his valiant deeds, presented him with a splendid charger -richly caparisoned, a beautiful scimitar of Damascus steel and a belt -containing three hundred ducats. - -But more highly than these gifts John valued the distinction bestowed -upon him by his old commander. Count Meldritch, truly proud of his -young protégé, there and then appointed him a major-captain in his -regiment. - -Nor were these the only rewards that fell to the lot of Captain John -Smith on account of his prowess at the siege of Regall. At a later -period, when the knowledge of his conduct came to Duke Sigismund Bathor -of Transylvania, he presented our hero with a picture of himself set -in gold, conferred upon him a yearly pension of three hundred ducats--a -snug sum in those days--and capped all with a patent of nobility. This -patent entitled Captain John Smith to a coat of arms, bearing three -Turks’ heads in a shield. - -John Smith’s patent of nobility, setting forth the deeds for which it -was conferred, may be seen in the College of Heralds, London, where, in -its original Latin form, it was officially recorded August 19th, 1625, -by Sir William Segar, Garter King-at-arms. - - - - -XI. - -BRAVE HEARTS AND TRUE - -Regall is bombarded and taken by assault--The Earl of Meldritch leads -an army of thirty thousand into Wallachia--Fierce fighting and a -retreat through the enemy’s country--The “Master of Stratagem” commands -the vanguard and clears a pass--The Earl’s depleted army makes a last -stand in the fateful valley of Veristhorne--Forty thousand Tartars lay -before them and in their rear thirty thousand Turks--The Christians -make a splendid but hopeless defense--They attempt to cut their way -out and a mere handful escape--John Smith is left on the field covered -with wounds--He is found by the enemy and tended--Sold for a slave at -Axopolis and sent to Constantinople. - - -Although the defeat of their champions naturally had a depressing -effect upon the garrison, they continued to maintain a strong defence. -The approaches, upon which the besiegers had been at work for weeks -were now, however, completed and their guns brought within close range -of the walls of Regall. For fifteen days a constant fire was kept up by -twenty-six pieces of artillery and at the end of that time two large -breaches afforded ample avenues for assault. - -When the Christian army entered the town a terrific conflict ensued, -but after two days of hand to hand fighting through the streets -the citadel fell and with the capture of that inner stronghold -all opposition ceased. Prince Moyses set his men to repair the -fortifications and when that had been accomplished left a garrison in -the place and proceeded to the reduction of a number of neighboring -towns. At the close of these minor operations the Prince’s army was -broken up and Captain John Smith went with the Earl of Meldritch into -Wallachia. - -The Earl opened the campaign in Wallachia with a body of thirty -thousand veteran troops, of which his own regiment was the pick. -Opposed from the first to great odds, they performed magnificent -service until finally annihilated in the fatal valley of Veristhorne. -But the army of Meldritch had many a hard fought fight before that -dreadful day. There was one great battle in Wallachia which closed -with twenty-five thousand dead upon the field. They lay so thick that -“there was scarce ground to stand upon,” says Smith, “but upon the dead -carcasses.” Though the Turks were defeated in this affair, the victory -had been purchased at such a heavy cost that the Earl decided to -retreat upon the fortified town of Rothenthrum, and this with as little -delay as possible because fresh bodies of the enemy were moving against -him from every direction. - -The march of the retiring army was hampered at every step by the -enemy, who hung upon its rear and flanks and engaged portions of it -in frequent skirmishes. The men were thus wearied and their progress -retarded. The special object of these tactics on the part of the -Turks became apparent when the Christian commander learned that a -strong force had thrown itself across his path. It was posted in a -pass through which Meldritch must necessarily go in order to reach -Rothenthrum. Nor was this all, for the same news-bearer informed the -general that an army of forty thousand Tartars was moving rapidly to -join the Turks in the defile. - -The situation was extremely perilous but it allowed the Earl no -alternative from the desperate course of attacking a body twice as -numerous as his own, enjoying the advantage of an ideal position. To -turn back would be certain destruction. To stay where he was would be -to die like a rat in a trap. The only hope--and it was very slim--lay -in cutting a way through the Turks holding the pass and gaining the -town, only a few miles beyond, before the reinforcing Tartars could -arrive. Hesitation was foreign to the character of Meldritch. Putting -a bold face upon the matter, he marched on until within a mile of the -pass and then halted his men to prepare for an attack as soon as night -should fall. - -In the meanwhile our hero’s busy brain had been at work, and when the -troops came to a halt he had a simple but well-devised plan to propose -to his commander. He lost no time in repairing to the spot where the -general stood consulting with his leading officers. Although no more -than a major-captain, Smith could always gain the ear of his superiors, -who had long since learned to respect his judgment and shrewd -resourcefulness. - -“Way there for my ‘Master of Stratagem,’” cried the Earl banteringly, -as our hero approached. “Now I warrant he hath some bold proposal -to advance that shall give us easement in this difficulty. Thou art -always welcome Captain Smith, for methinks Dame Fortune dances close -attendance on thee.” - -Smith revealed his scheme and immediately received the consent of the -commander to its execution. - -“By my halidame!” said the pleased general, “this powder-magician -of ours would rout the forces of Pluto and distract his realm -with horrible contrivances. Take what men you need and make what -arrangements your judgment prompts, Captain Smith. Tonight the van is -under your command.” - -The leader of the vanguard was decidedly the post of honor in such an -action as was about to begin, and as our captain rode forward in the -dark at the head of three hundred picked horsemen, he felt justly proud -of the position assigned to him. Each of his men carried a spear on -the head of which was fastened a bunch of fireworks, designed to make -as much noise and splutter as possible. When they had arrived within a -few hundred yards of the Turks who lay in waiting at the entrance to -the pass, each man lighted the combustibles at the end of his lance and -charged with it thrust in front of his horse’s head. The effect upon -the enemy was immediate and decisive. Panic seized their ranks. They -turned and fled, falling over one another in their terrified haste to -escape the demons by which they supposed themselves to be beset. The -horses of their cavalry, no less alarmed by the strange sight, plunged -wildly amongst them, increasing the confusion. - -Into this disordered mass rode Smith’s horsemen followed by the main -body, slaying as they went. So they cut their way through the pass and -emerged on the other side without losing a score of their number. It -was a great achievement, but Meldritch’s little army was still in very -grave danger. The Tartars were close at hand if not already in the way. -The Earl pushed forward, but he dared not urge his troops to their -utmost speed, in case he should come upon the enemy with his horses -exhausted. Furthermore, the night was unusually dark and the men had to -keep to the road and proceed cautiously for fear of falling or losing -their way. - -With the first streaks of dawn, the anxious Earl, riding at the head -of the column, began to gaze forward with straining eyes. They were -entering the valley of Veristhorne and the refuge they sought was -scarce three miles distant. Presently the general, looking across the -valley, dimly discerned the black bulk of Rothenthrum upon the farther -side. But the cry of joy that started from his lips was cut short by -the sight of a huge dark mass stretched across the middle ground. It -was too late. Forty thousand Tartars lay before them and in their rear -thirty thousand Turks were advancing. - -The Earl of Meldritch was one of those rare combinations--a dashing -leader and a sound general. His inclination would have prompted him -to charge the horde of barbarians that lay in his path, but such a -course would have been suicidal. Instead, he led his troops to the base -of a mountain where he immediately began dispositions to withstand -an attack. The Tartars commenced to form their ranks at sunrise -but, fortunately for the Christians, did not advance until noon. -This unexpected respite enabled Meldritch, not only to rest his men -and horses after their all-night march, but also to make some rough -defences. The Tartar cavalry were the greater proportion of their army -and that most to be feared. In order to check their charges, the Earl -surrounded his position, except where it rested upon the mountain, with -a cordon of sharpened stakes, driven firmly into the ground. - -The sun was high in the heavens when the Tartar horsemen advanced to -the discordant clamor of drums, trumpets and hautboys. In dense ranks -they stretched far beyond each flank of the small Christian army and -looked as though they might envelop and swallow it with ease. Behind -them came a horde of foot-soldiers armed with bows and bills. By this -time detached bodies of Turks began to appear on the surrounding -hills where they complacently sat down to watch the combat in the -arena below, prepared, if necessary, to reinforce the Tartars. These -additional enemies amounted to about fifteen thousand in number, so -that Meldritch’s ten thousand were hopelessly overpowered. The Earl -realized that his little force was doomed but, like a good and brave -commander, he had made the best disposition possible of them and was -determined to fight to the last. - -When the Tartar horse had advanced to within a half mile of his -position, Meldritch launched a body of his cavalry under Nederspolt -against them. These veteran troopers made a most brilliant charge and -threw the enemy into confusion, but the numbers of the Christians were -too small to permit them to follow up this advantage and they wisely -retired within their lines. The Tartars now advanced their foot, -whilst their horsemen reformed on either flank. The sky was presently -darkened by flight after flight of countless arrows which, however, -did comparatively little harm. The Christians retaliated with another -charge, breaking the centre of the enemy and checking his advance. -With ten thousand more cavalry Meldritch might have swept the ill -disciplined assailants from the field, but he was too weak to venture -upon aggressive tactics and once again had to retire his men in face of -a success. - -In anticipation of a renewal of the attack by the Tartar horsemen, -Meldritch had formed his infantry, under Veltus, just beyond the -palisade of stakes. They were ordered to hold their ground as long -as possible and then to fall back behind the defence. The Tartars, -confident in their superior numbers, as well they might be, charged -repeatedly. Each time they were gallantly repulsed, but at length -Veltus had lost so many men that he was forced to fall back. The enemy, -brandishing their spears and yelling exultantly, followed close upon -the retiring foot-soldiers and came quite unawares upon the rows of -sharpened stakes. In a moment a mass of struggling men and horses lay -at the mercy of Meldritch’s troops who slew two thousand of them. - -This splendid success on the part of the pitiful handful of Christians -now reduced to half their original number, dampened the ardor of -the Tartars. There was a momentary cessation in the attack and the -defence might have been maintained until darkness set in, perhaps, but -the bodies of Turks which we have mentioned as surveying the field -in readiness to render assistance if needed, now began to descend -to the valley. The Earl realized that once these auxiliaries joined -forces with the Tartars, all would be lost. He determined to seize -the moment of hesitancy on the part of the latter to make an attempt -to break through them and gain the town of Rothenthrum. Accordingly, -he quickly formed his cavalry in the van and advanced to the attack. -It was a forlorn hope but no better prospect offered. Five thousand -men threw themselves upon thirty thousand with the desperation of -despair. The Earl, upon his great white charger, rode in the lead, -followed by his own regiment in which Captain Smith was now the senior -officer. Straight at the Tartar cavalry they went and cut their way -through the front ranks as though they had been but paper barricades. -But rank after rank confronted them and with each fresh contact they -left numbers of their own men behind. The slaughter was indescribable. -Soon they were the centre of a maelstrom of frenzied human beings with -scarce more chance for escape than has a canoe in the vortex of a -whirlpool. They fought like heroes to the death and made fearful havoc -among their enemies. The gallant Earl and a few hundred followers made -their way as by a miracle through the surrounding mass and swimming the -River Altus, escaped. - -The setting sun looked down upon thirty thousand dead and dying -strewn over the Valley of Veristhorne, but lying in gory heaps where -the last desperate flower of that splendid army of thirty thousand -veterans that the Earl of Meldritch had proudly led into Wallachia a -few months before and amongst them almost all his leading officers. -“Give me leave,” says Captain Smith, in his account of the affair, “to -remember the names of my own countrymen in these exploits, that, as -resolutely as the best, in the defense of Christ and his Gospel ended -their days; as Baskerfield, Hardwicke, Thomas Milmer, Robert Molineux, -Thomas Bishop, Francis Compton, George Davison, Nicholas Williams and -one John, a Scot, did what men could do; and when they could do no -more left there their bodies, in testimony of their minds. Only Ensign -Carleton and Sergeant Robinson escaped.” - -These men were members of Smith’s company and their captain lay among -them where he had fallen covered with wounds. But he was not quite -dead. The Turks and Tartars going over the field in search of spoils -were attracted to him by the superiority of his armor. This led them to -believe that he was a man of rank, and finding that he still lived they -carried him into their camp with a view to preserving his life for the -sake of ransom. His hurts were tended and he was nursed with care. When -sufficiently recovered to travel, he was sent down to the slave market -at Axopolis. Here Smith was put up to auction together with a number of -other poor wretches who had escaped death on the field of battle to -meet with a worse fate, perhaps, at the hands of cruel masters. - -Our hero fetched a good price, as much on account of his vigorous -appearance as because there seemed to be a prospect of profit in the -purchase if he should turn out to be a nobleman as was suspected. He -was bought by the Pasha Bogall and sent by him as a present to his -affianced at Constantinople. Smith tells us that “by twenty and twenty, -chained by the necks, they marched in files to this great city, where -they were delivered to their several masters, and he to the young -Charatza Tragabigzanda.” - - - - -XII. - -SLAVERY AND A SEA-FIGHT - -John Smith is delivered to the Lady Charatza, his future mistress--He -falls into kind hands and excites the Turkish Maiden’s interest--Her -mother intervenes and he is sent to an outlying province--He -finds a brutal master and is subjected to treatment “beyond the -endurance of a dog”--He slays the cruel Timariot and escapes upon -his horse--Wanders about for weeks and at length reaches a Christian -settlement--Adventures in Africa--A trip to sea with Captain -Merham--The Britisher fights two Spanish ships and holds his own--Smith -renders good service in the fight and employs one of his novel -“stratagems”--Return to England. - - -John Smith had never found himself in worse straits than now, as -shackled to a fellow slave he tramped along the road between Axopolis -and the Turkish capital. Hopeless as the situation seemed to be, he -did not give himself up to despair, nor wear himself by repining over -a condition which was beyond his power to remedy. He had learned from -experience that the sun is apt to break through the clouds of the -darkest day and when we are least expecting it. So, with the philosophy -that is characteristic of the true soldier of fortune, he determined -to await the turn of events with patience, and meanwhile found -entertainment for his mind in a study of the strange people and places -that came to his notice on the way. He has left an interesting account -of these, but as they had no direct bearing upon the actual events of -his life, we will pass them over. - -The Pasha Bogall appears to have been a character somewhat like Sir -John Falstaff, the hero of imaginary military exploits. He prepared the -Lady Charatza--as Smith calls her--for the reception of his gift by a -letter. In this fanciful missive the Giaour was described as a Bohemian -nobleman whom the valiant Bogall had defeated in single combat and made -prisoner. In his desire to exalt himself in the mind of his mistress, -the Turk fell into two errors. He took it for granted that the slave -and the Turkish damsel would be unable to converse with each other and -he expatiated on Smith’s prowess in order to enhance by comparison his -own valor in overcoming him. - -The fair Charatza was naturally curious to see this noble and -unfortunate slave for whom she could hardly fail to entertain feelings -of compassion. When they met, the lady was more impressed than she -would have cared to acknowledge by the bearing and address of the -handsome captain. They found a ready means of communication in Italian -which both understood and spoke with tolerable fluency. Questioned as -to the combat in which the Pasha had defeated him, Smith laughed and -declared that he had never set eyes on the doughty Turk until they met -in the market place of Axopolis. As to being a Bohemian nobleman, he -claimed no greater distinction than that of an English gentleman and a -captain of horse. - -Charatza did not doubt the truth of Captain Smith’s statement to her, -but she caused inquiry to be made about him amongst the other captives -who had been distributed here and there in the city. Thus she learned -that her slave, whilst in truth no more than a captain in rank, was one -of the most renowned soldiers in the army of the Emperor, and indeed -had no equal among men of his age. The story of the three Turks reached -her through the same sources and aroused admiration where curiosity and -compassion had before been excited. The outcome was something like that -in the story of Othello and Desdemona. - -The Turkish lady, young and romantic, found the stories of Captain -Smith’s adventures so interesting that she insisted upon his telling -them over and over again. In order to enjoy this pleasure, without -arousing criticism of her unusual familiarity with a male slave, she -had him assigned to work in her private garden which formed a part of -the extensive grounds attached to the mansion. There undisturbed, hours -were spent daily by the captive in reciting to his fair owner stories -of his varied experiences and in giving her accounts of different -places and peoples in the wonderful world of which she knew almost -nothing. - -Thus several weeks passed and our hero, who was well fed and -comfortably lodged meanwhile, fast regained his wonted strength and -energy. It may be asked, why did he not attempt to escape? The thought -of course entered his mind, but investigation soon satisfied him that -the difficulties in the way were almost insurmountable. The place was -surrounded by high walls which were guarded day and night by armed -eunuchs. Smith had no clothes but his own nor any means of securing -others. Even if he gained the streets he would be marked as a foreigner -and suspected of being an escaped slave. Under the circumstances he -determined to abide his time in the hope that his fair mistress might -become willing to release him and aid in his escape. - -But affairs took a turn that neither of the young people, who were -beginning to feel a strong regard for each other, had looked for. -The mother of Charatza, informed by a jealous Turkish servant of the -meetings between her daughter and the Giaour, came upon them one day -and expressed her indignation in stinging terms. She declared her -determination to sell the English slave immediately and would have -carried her threat into effect but for the suggestion of Charatza -that the Pasha might not be pleased at such disposition of his gift. -Finally a compromise was agreed upon. The brother of Charatza was a -Timariot, that is a Turkish feudal chieftain, at Nalbrits, in a distant -province. It was decided that Smith should be sent there, Charatza -hoping to be able to contrive his return, and indeed having some idea -that the captive might be induced to turn Muhammadan and enter the -Sultan’s army. - -So John Smith was sent to Nalbrits and at the same time Charatza -despatched a letter to her brother in which she begged him to treat -the young Englishman kindly and to give him the lightest sort of work. -Any good effect that might have accrued from this well-intentioned but -ill-advised letter was prevented by another which went forward at the -same time. In it the Pasha’s mother told of the extraordinary interest -Charatza had displayed in the infidel slave and expressed a suspicion -that the young girl’s affections had become fastened upon him. This of -course enraged the haughty and fanatical Turk and the unfortunate Smith -immediately felt the weight of his new master’s displeasure. Within an -hour of his arrival at Nalbrits he was stripped naked, his head and -face were shaved “as smooth as the palm of his hand” and he was put -into a garment of undressed goat-skin with an iron ring round his neck. - -Our hero now entered upon a life too miserable for description -and, as he expresses it, “beyond the endurance of a dog.” He was -subjected to the hardest and vilest tasks and, being the latest comer -among hundreds of slaves, became slave to the whole herd, for such -was the custom which he was in no position to contest. He found his -companions a poor lot, broken in body and spirit, and sunk in apathetic -resignation to their condition. He endeavored to discover among them -a few with sufficient courage and enterprise to plan an uprising, but -soon abandoned the idea. It was clear that any chance that might arise -for escape would be impaired by the co-operation of such hopelessly -sunken wretches. During the months that he remained in this terrible -bondage his main effort was to sustain his own spirits and to combat -the tendency to fall into despair. Few men could have succeeded in -this, but John Smith combined with great physical strength and the -highest courage an unshakable trust in Providence. The event justified -his confidence and he fully deserved the good fortune which ultimately -befell him. - -When he had been several months at Nalbrits, it happened that Smith -was put to work on the threshing floor at a country residence of the -Pasha. Here he labored with a long heavy club, the flail not being -known to the people of those parts. The Pasha seems to have entertained -a feeling of positive hatred for the slave, fanned no doubt by frequent -letters from Charatza, who could have no knowledge of his condition. -It was a favorite pastime with the Turk to stand over Smith whilst -at his labor and taunt him. At such times, it was with the greatest -difficulty that the captain restrained the desire to leap upon his -persecutor and strangle him. He knew, however, that to have raised his -hand against his cruel master would have entailed torture and probably -a lingering death. - -One morning the Pasha came into the barn where Smith was alone at work. -The malicious Turk fell to sneering at his slave as usual and when the -latter, goaded beyond endurance, replied with spirit, the Pasha struck -him across the face with a riding whip. Smith’s threshing bat whistled -through the air, and at the first blow the brutal Timariot lay dead at -the feet of his slave. There was not an instant to be lost. It was by -the merest chance that Smith was alone. The overseer might return at -any moment. Stripping the body of the slain Pasha and hiding it under a -heap of straw, Smith threw off his goat-skin and hurriedly donned the -Turkish costume. He loosed the horse which the Turk had ridden to the -spot, sprang into the saddle and galloped at random from the place. - -Smith’s first impulse was to ride as fast as possible in the opposite -direction to Nalbrits, and this he did, continuing his career until -night overtook him. He entered a wood at some distance from the road -and there passed the hours of darkness. He never failed to keep -a clear head in the most critical emergencies and in the haste of -departure had not neglected to secure the Pasha’s weapons and to -snatch up a sack of corn from the threshing floor. The latter would -preserve his life for some time and with the former he proposed to sell -it dearly if overtaken. He had no idea as to what direction to take -in order to reach a Christian community. Daybreak found him in this -condition of perplexity, and he resumed his wandering flight with less -impetuosity and a careful regard to avoid every locality that appeared -to be inhabited. At a distance his costume might prove a protection, -but on closer inspection a beholder could not fail to note the iron -collar that proclaimed him a slave. - -Smith had ridden about aimlessly for three days and nights, not knowing -where he was nor how far from Nalbrits, when he suddenly chanced upon -one of the great caravan roads that traversed Asia and connected with -the main highways of Europe. He knew that if he followed this road far -enough westward he must come eventually into some Christian country, -but caution was more necessary than ever, for these were much travelled -routes. He concluded to skirt the road by day and ride upon it only -after dark. At the close of the fourth day after his escape he came to -the meeting point of several crossroads and then learned the peculiar -method employed by the people of those parts to direct travellers. -The sign posts were painted with various designs to indicate the -directions of different countries. For instance, a half moon pointed to -the country of the Crim Tartars, a black man to Persia, a sun to China, -and a cross--which our hero perceived with joy--distinguished the road -leading to the Christian realm of Muscovy, the Russia of today. - -After sixteen days’ riding, without encountering a mishap, Smith -arrived safely at a Muscovite settlement on the Don where he was warmly -received. The galling badge of bondage was filed from his neck and -he felt then, but not before, once more a free man. His wants were -supplied and he was furnished with sufficient money to enable him to -continue his journey in comfort. He proceeded into Transylvania where -his old comrades welcomed him as one from the grave, having lamented -him as among the dead at Rothenthrum. The Earl of Meldritch was -delighted to meet his old captain and “Master of Stratagem” once more -and regretted that the existing state of peace prevented their fighting -together again. That condition determined our hero to seek service in -Africa where he heard that a war was in progress. Before his departure, -Prince Sigismund presented him with fifteen hundred ducats, and so he -set out with a well-filled purse and a light heart. - -Captain Smith journeyed to Barbary in company with a French adventurer -who, like himself, cared little where he went so that the excursion -held out a prospect of fighting and new experiences. On this occasion, -however, they were disappointed in their hope of military service. They -found the conditions such as they were not willing to become involved -in. The Sultan of Barbary had been poisoned by his wife, and two of his -sons, neither of whom had a right to the succession, were contending -for the throne. Our adventurers considered this state of things more -akin to murder than to war and declined to take any part in it, -although they might without doubt have enriched themselves by doing so. - -Upon his return to the port of Saffi, Captain Smith found a British -privateering vessel in the harbor under the command of a Captain -Merham. An acquaintance sprang up between the two which quickly ripened -into friendship. One evening, Smith with some other guests was paying a -visit to the privateer, when a cyclone suddenly swept down upon them. -Captain Merham barely had time to slip his cable before the hurricane -struck his ship and drove it out to sea. All night they ran before the -wind, and when at length the storm had ceased they were in the vicinity -of the Canaries. The Captain wished to “try some conclusions,” after -the manner of Captain La Roche on a former occasion, before returning -to port. His guests were not averse to the proposal and so he hung -about to see what vessels chance might throw in their way. - -They were soon rewarded by intercepting a Portuguese trader laden -with wine from Teneriffe. This they eased of its cargo and allowed to -go its way. The next day they espied two sails some miles distant and -proceeded to overhaul them. They did this with such success that they -were within small-arm range of the ships before they perceived them -to be Spanish men-of-war, either superior to themselves in armament -and probably in men. Seeing himself so greatly overmatched, Merham -endeavored to escape, and a running fight was maintained for hours. At -length, towards sunset, the Spaniards damaged the Britisher’s rigging -and coming up with him, boarded from either side. Merham’s ship must -have been captured by the enemy, who greatly outnumbered his own men, -but whilst the fight on deck was in progress, Captain Smith secured -“divers bolts of iron”--cross-bars, probably--with which he loaded one -of the guns. The charge tore a hole so large in one of the Spanish -ships that it began to sink. At this both the attacking vessels threw -off their grappling irons and withdrew. - -The Spaniards were busy for two or more hours repairing the breach -in their ship and Merham was occupied as long in putting his sailing -gear in order, so that he could not profit by the damage to the enemy. -When at length he did get under way the Spaniards were in condition -to follow and the chase was continued all night. With the break of -day the fight was resumed, but not before the Spanish senior officer -had offered the British captain quarter if he would surrender. Merham -answered this proposal with his cannon and hove to with the intention -of fighting it out. - -The Spaniards realized that they were no match for the Britisher in -gun-play and they therefore lost no time in grappling. A fierce hand -to hand conflict ensued and lasted for an hour with varying success, -but the odds were beginning to tell against Merham’s men when their -captain turned the tide by a clever stratagem. He sent some sailors -aloft to unsling the mainsail and let it fall on the top of a number -of Spaniards beneath. Whilst these were struggling to get clear of the -canvas, about twenty of them were killed. This disheartening occurrence -induced the attacking ships to disengage. The cannonading continued on -both sides, however, and after a while the Spanish captains once more -boarded with all the men available. - -Again the combat raged at close quarters for an hour or more and again -Merham’s men began to give way under the weight of superior numbers. -This time it was Captain Smith who saved the situation by a desperate -expedient. A number of Spaniards had gathered near the centre of the -ship upon a grating which afforded them the advantage of an elevated -station. Beneath this body of the enemy, our hero exploded a keg of -powder. This had the effect of blowing about thirty Spaniards off the -scene but at the same time it set fire to the ship. The flames sent the -boarders scurrying back to their own vessels which sailed to a safe -distance. - -Whilst Merham was engaged in putting out the fire the Spaniards -kept their guns playing upon him, ceasing only at intervals to make -proposals for surrender, at all of which the British captain laughed. -When the flames were extinguished he invited the Spanish officers -with mock ceremony to come on board his vessel again, assuring them -that Captain Smith was yearning to afford them further entertainment. -But the Spaniards had no longer any stomach for boarding parties and -contented themselves with firing at long range until nightfall when -they sailed away. - -Captain Merham took his crippled ship back to Saffi to undergo repairs -and there our hero left him, after expressing his gratification for -the diversion the privateersman had afforded him, and took ship for -England. - - - - -THE AMERICAN COLONIST - - - - -XIII. - -A BAD BEGINNING - -John Smith becomes interested in American colonization--Devotes -his money and his services to the Virginia venture--Sails with an -expedition to the New World composed of an ill-assorted company of -adventurers--They fall into dissensions at the outset--Each is jealous -of others and all of John Smith--He is placed under arrest and a -gallows erected for his accommodation--The emigrants grow weary of the -adventure--When almost within sight of the continent they plan to put -about and return to England--A storm decides the matter by sweeping -them into Chesapeake Bay--A party is landed and has an early conflict -with the Indians. - - -The life of John Smith naturally divides itself into two parts, each -covering about twenty-five years. We have followed him through the -former period with its exciting episodes and varying scenes. During -this term he is the soldier of fortune, seeking to satisfy his love of -adventure and to gain knowledge and experience. Beyond these motives -he has no definite purpose in view. He is ready to enlist in any cause -that offers opportunity for honorable employment. This early stage of -his activity has developed his mind and body and strengthened that -stability of character for which he was distinguished. He returns to -England, bronzed and bearded, somewhat disgusted with the horrors -of war and dissatisfied at the futility of the life of the mere -adventurer. His energy is in no degree abated but he longs to find some -purposeful direction for his enterprise. Fortunately for him, for his -country, and for us, the opportunity awaited the man. - -Up to this time, all the efforts of Englishmen to plant colonies in -America had resulted in failure. The movement began with the voyages -and discoveries of the Cabots in the reign of Henry the Seventh and for -a century was pursued with difficulty in the face of the superior naval -strength of Spain, which nation claimed exclusive right to the entire -continent. The defeat of the “invincible Armada” afforded freedom of -the seas to English navigators and marked the beginning of a new era -in American exploration and settlement. The majority of the men who -engaged in this field of enterprise were actuated by no better motive -than the desire to gain wealth or satisfy a love of adventure. There -were, however, not a few who entered into the movement with patriotic -motives and of these the gallant and ill-fated Raleigh is the most -conspicuous. He devoted his fortune to exploration of the Western -Hemisphere and spent in this endeavor more than a million dollars. -In 1584 his vessels under Amidas and Barlow made a landing in the -Carolinas, took possession in the name of Queen Elizabeth, and called -the country “Virginia.” In the following year a colony of one hundred -and eight men was sent out under Sir Ralph Lane. A settlement was -made upon the island of Roanoke but the enterprise was soon abandoned -and the colonists returned to England. In 1586, Sir Richard Grenville -left fifty men at the deserted settlement, only to be massacred by -the Indians. But Raleigh persisted in his efforts. Another party -of emigrants was sent out and this time it was sought to encourage -home-making in the new land by including women in the colonists. The -fate of these pioneers who are commonly referred to as the “Lost -Colony” is a blank. A later expedition found the site of the settlement -deserted and no trace of its former occupants could ever be discovered. - -The unfortunate results of these efforts dampened the ardor for -American colonization and for twelve years there was a cessation of the -attempts to people Virginia. Raleigh had exhausted his means and his -later explorations were made with borrowed money and directed to the -discovery of gold mines in Guiana. In 1602, Bartholomew Gosnold made -a successful voyage to Virginia, returning with a cargo of sassafras. -Several other expeditions followed which, although they made no -settlements, revived public interest in the American possession and -made the route a comparatively familiar one. When John Smith returned -to his native land he found the colonization of Virginia occupying -a prominent place in the minds of his countrymen. It was a project -precisely fitted to satisfy the nobler ambition which now fired him to -devote his talents and energies to his country’s service. It promised -to combine with a useful career a sufficient element of novelty and -adventure, and he lost no time in allying himself with the chief -promoters of the movement. - -The territory of Virginia had been granted to Sir Walter Raleigh by -Queen Elizabeth. The latter died in 1603, the year before Smith’s -return to England, and her successor, James the First, imprisoned -Raleigh on a charge of high treason and confiscated his possessions. In -1606, the King issued a charter for the colonization of Virginia to a -company, which Smith joined with five hundred pounds of his own money. -But previous to this he had been one of the most diligent workers in -the promotion of the scheme, inducing merchants and noblemen to support -the project with capital and persuading desirable men to volunteer -as colonists. Neither object was easy of attainment and the latter -was the more difficult. Numerous broken-down gentlemen of indifferent -character were eager to embrace the chance of retrieving their fortunes -in a new land, and hundreds of dissolute soldiers out of employment -offered their services to the promoters. But the need was for farmers, -mechanics, and laborers, and few of these could be induced to leave -their homes in the prosperous state of the country at that time. -Consequently the organizers of the expedition had to content themselves -with a poor assortment of colonists who, but for the presence of -Captain John Smith among them, would assuredly have added one more to -the list of failures connected with North American colonization. It was -due to him mainly, and almost solely, that the settlement at Jamestown -survived and became the root from which branched the United States of -America. - -The expedition, when at length it was organized, consisted of three -vessels carrying, aside from their crews, one hundred and five -colonists. The largest of the ships, named the _Susan Constant_, was -barely one hundred tons burden, the second, named the _Godspeed_, was -somewhat smaller, and the third, the _Discovery_, no more than twenty -tons. Their commanders were Captain Christopher Newport, Captain -Bartholomew Gosnold and John Ratcliffe respectively. Other important -members of the expedition were Edward Wingfield, a man with little -but his aristocratic connections to recommend him; Robert Hunt, a -clergyman, whose name should be linked with that of John Smith as one -of the saviours of the colony, and a few whose introduction we may -defer until circumstances bring them prominently upon the scene. For -the rest, forty-eight were gentlemen of little account, about thirty -were men of lower estate, but no greater usefulness, and only a -score belonged to the artisan and mechanic class. Smith had engaged -and fitted out a few men with whose quality he had some acquaintance, -including Carlton and Robinson, the only two Englishmen of his own -command who had escaped from the disaster in the Valley of Veristhorne. - -In the last days of the year 1606, this ill-assorted company sailed -out of the Thames under conditions calculated to create dissensions -from the outset. King James, one of the most feeble monarchs who ever -occupied the English throne, had reserved to himself the right to -select the Council by which the colony should be governed, allowing to -that body the privilege of electing its President. But for some reason, -which it is impossible to surmise, the choice of the monarch was kept -secret and names of the Council enclosed in a box which was to be -opened only when the party reached its destination. Thus they started -upon the voyage without a commander or any recognized authority among -them, and each man of prominence, feeling satisfied that the King could -not have overlooked his superior claims to a place in the Council, -assumed the tone and bearing of an accepted leader whilst resenting -similar action on the part of others. - -The need of acknowledged authority was felt from the outset. Newport, -Gosnold, and Ratcliffe, were, for the nonce, merely sailing masters -and had as much as they could well do to fulfill their duties in -that capacity. The expedition emerged from the Thames to encounter -contrary winds and stormy weather, so that it was forced to beat about -off the coast of England for weeks without making any progress. The -emigrants began to quarrel, and among the principal men of the party -there broke out a spirit of jealousy which was never allayed. This was -directed chiefly against Captain Smith. His companions were forced -to admit to themselves that this self-possessed and confident young -man was their superior in all those qualities that would be of most -account in the strange land for which they were destined, and they -had sufficient discernment to realize that no matter who might become -the nominal President of the colony, John Smith would be its master -spirit and actual leader. This was made manifest in these first few -weeks of trying delay. Did one of the ship-captains need assistance? -John Smith was a practical navigator and could both handle a vessel and -read the charts. In the dispositions for defence in case of attack, he -had to be relied upon as the best gunner and leader of fighting men -among them. When the voyagers became troublesome none but John Smith -could effectually quiet them. A few words in his calm firm tones would -quickly quell a disturbance. Some of these men had served under him and -had learned to respect his character. The others instinctively felt -that he was a man of sense and strength--one of those rare creatures -who rise to every emergency and lift their subordinates with them. - -Men of broad and generous minds would have rejoiced to think that -they had among them one who was capable of steering them through all -their difficulties and whose experience would help them to avoid many -a pitfall and disaster. There were a few among the gentlemen, such as -George Percy, Parson Hunt and Scrivener, who took this sensible view of -the situation. On the other hand, Wingfield, Kendall, Ratcliffe, Archer -and several more, conscious of their own inferiority, became possessed -by an insane jealousy of our hero. This grew with the progress of the -voyage and constant discussion of their silly suspicions, until at -length they had fully persuaded themselves that Captain John Smith -was a dark conspirator who entertained designs against themselves and -contemplated treason against his King and country. They believed, -or professed to believe, that he had distributed creatures of his -own throughout the three vessels with the intention of seizing the -expedition and proclaiming himself king of the new country as soon -as they should arrive at it. With this excuse they made him a close -prisoner when the vessels were in mid-Atlantic. - -When the party charged with this disgraceful office approached him -on the deck of the _Susan Constant_, Smith handed to them his sword -without a word and went below smiling grimly. He had long since -fathomed the weakness and the incompetence of these self-constituted -leaders. He knew that the time would come when his services would be -indispensable to them and he was content to abide it in patience. They -should have realized that, if their suspicions were just, he had but -to raise his voice and the vessels would be instantly in mutiny. But -they had not sufficient intelligence to perceive that if John Smith -was the dangerous character they assumed him to be their best course -was to propitiate him rather than to arouse his enmity. Instead of -being impressed by the self-confident manner in which he yielded to -confinement in the hold they gained courage from the incident and -actually thought that they might go to any extreme without resistance -on his part. So, when the vessels made land at the West Indies, these -masterful gentry erected a gallows for the purpose of hanging our hero, -or, perhaps, of frightening him. Now we know that they could not have -undertaken a more difficult task than that of attempting to strike fear -into the heart of John Smith, and as to actual hanging, whilst he had -a considerable sense of humor, it did not carry him so far as taking -part in a performance of that sort. When they brought him on deck and -solemnly informed him that the gallows awaited him, he laughed in their -faces and told them that it was a shame to waste good timber, for he -had not the remotest thought of using the contrivance. In fact, he -took the matter with such careless assurance that they wisely concluded -to abandon the project and sailing away, left their useless gallows -standing. - -Steering for that portion of the mainland where the former ill-fated -colonies had been planted, the vessels were soon out of their reckoning -and beat about for several days without sight of land. They had been -already four months upon a voyage that should have occupied no more -than two and had made serious inroads into the stock of provisions -which was calculated to furnish the store of the settlers. They began -to grow fearful and discontented. Many wished to put about and sail -homeward, and even Ratcliffe, the captain of the _Discovery_, favored -such a course. Whilst they were debating the proposition, a violent -storm arose and luckily drove them to their destination. On the -twenty-sixth day of April, 1607, they entered the Bay of Chesapeake. - -Eager to see the new land of promise, a party of the colonists went -ashore that day. They wandered through forest and glade, cheered by the -genial warmth of the southern clime and delighted with the beautiful -scenery and luxuriant vegetation. But before they returned to the ships -they were reminded that this natural paradise was in possession of a -savage people who could hardly be expected to respect King James’s gift -of their land to strangers. As the exploring party made their way back -to the shore they fell into an ambush--the first of many which they -were destined to experience. They had not seen a human being since -landing, and the shower of arrows that proclaimed the presence of the -Indians came as a complete surprise. Neither redman nor paleface was -quite prepared for intimate acquaintance at this time, and the sound of -the muskets sent the former scurrying to the hills whilst the latter -hurried to the shelter of the ships, carrying two men who had been -severely wounded. - -Thus the Jamestown colonists came to America. How little they were -qualified for the work before them we have already seen. As we -progress with our story we shall see how often they brought misfortune -upon themselves and how the wisdom and energy of one man saved the -undertaking from utter failure. - - - - -XIV. - -POWHATAN AND HIS PEOPLE - -The President and Council are established and a settlement made at -Jamestown--Newport and Smith go on an exploring expedition--They -meet Powhatan, the great Werowance of the country--They are feasted -and fêted by the old Chief--A quick return to Jamestown and a -timely arrival--The Indians attack the settlers and take them -unawares--Gallant stand made by the gentlemen adventurers--The -appearance of Newport and his men prevents a massacre--A fort and -stockade are hurriedly erected--Smith is tried on a charge of treason -and triumphantly acquitted--Captain Newport returns to England with the -two larger ships. - - -It was, indeed, a fair land to which the white men had journeyed from -over the seas. Smith says of it: “Heaven and earth never agreed better -to frame a place for man’s habitation. Here are mountains, hills, -plains, rivers, and brooks, all running most pleasantly into a fair -bay, compassed, but for the mouth, with fruitful and delightsome land.” -The country was covered, for the most part, with virgin forest. Here -and there a small clearing afforded a site for a cluster of wigwams -around which lay fields of maize or other cereals. The birds and -animals that we prize most highly as table delicacies abounded in the -wilds, and the waters swarmed with fish. - -A very small proportion of the land was occupied. The Indian villages -were few and miles apart. The country round about the Jamestown -settlement was in the possession of the Algonquin tribe, divided into -many bands, generally numbering not more than a few hundred souls, -each band under its own chief and all owning allegiance to a king or -werowance named Powhatan. There was constant intercourse between the -villages, and their men joined together for purposes of war, or the -chase. Rough forest trails formed the only roads between the different -centres, whilst blazed trees marked by-paths that led to springs, -favorite trapping grounds, or other localities of occasional resort. - -The royal orders permitted the opening of the box of instructions as -soon as the colonists should have reached Virginia, and they lost -no time in satisfying their anxiety to learn the membership of the -Council. It appeared that the King had selected for that distinction -and responsibility, Edward Wingfield, Bartholomew Gosnold, Christopher -Newport, John Ratcliffe, George Kendall and John Smith. The last named -was still in irons and his fellow-councilmen were, with the possible -exception of Newport, unfriendly to him. It was decided that he should -not be admitted to the body, and the remaining members proceeded to -elect Wingfield, Smith’s arch-enemy, to the position of President. - -For the next two weeks and more, the colonists remained upon the ships. -Meanwhile they explored the surrounding country for a favorable site -on which to settle. The Indians with whom they came in contact during -this time treated them with the utmost kindness, freely furnishing food -and tobacco, which latter few of the settlers had ever smoked, although -Raleigh had introduced the leaf into England some years earlier. -Everything was so strange to the adventurers, many of whom were absent -from their native land for the first time, that they forgot for a while -their discontent and jealousies in the interest and wonder excited by -new sights and scenes. - -We can imagine, for instance, the mixed sensations of the strangers -when a band of Rappahonacks marched towards them, headed by their chief -playing upon a reed flute. They were all fantastically trimmed, we will -say, for their only dress was a coat of paint. The chief, as befitted -his rank, was the most grotesque figure of all, but the effect was -equally hideous and awesome and the Englishmen were divided between -merriment and fear. On one side of his head the chief wore a crown of -deer’s hair dyed red and interwoven with his own raven locks; on the -other side, which was shaven, he wore a large plate of copper, whilst -two long feathers stood up from the centre of his crown. His body -was painted crimson and his face blue. Around his neck was a chain of -beads, and strings of pearls hung from his ears which were pierced to -hold bird’s claws set in gold. He and his followers each carried a bow -and arrows and a tomahawk with stone head. - -At length it was decided to settle upon a little peninsula jutting into -the river. There was a great deal of disagreement about this site. -Smith favored it, mainly because its comparative isolation made it -easier to defend than a location further inland, but he was allowed no -voice in the selection. It was, however, an unfortunate choice, for -the ground was low and marshy and no doubt a great deal of the later -mortality was due to the unhealthy situation of the infant settlement -of Jamestown. Here, however, the colonists landed on the thirteenth -day of May and set up the tents in which they lived for some time -thereafter. There is too much to be done to justify the absence of an -available strong arm and Smith, although virtually a prisoner still, -is allowed to join in the general labor and this he does cheerfully -without any show of resentment on account of his past treatment. - -The President gave evidence of his incapacity from the very outset. -Relying implicitly upon the friendly attitude of the Indians he refused -to allow any defences to be considered, and even went so far as to -decline to unpack the arms which had been brought from England, -declaring that to do so would be a display of distrust which the -savages might resent. The latter, who were permitted to go in and out -of the camp with their weapons, were no doubt for a time divided in -mind as to whether the white men were superhuman beings invulnerable to -arrows or only a species of foolish and confiding fellow-creatures such -as they had never known. Wingfield had most of his men busy felling -trees and making clapboards with which to freight the vessels on their -return, for it must be understood that these colonists were practically -employees of the company that had been at the expense of sending them -out and which expected to make a profit on the investment. It was -necessary therefore to secure cargoes for shipment to England, but the -position should have been fortified and houses erected before all else. - -Newport was anxious to have more extensive information of the country -to report to his employers who entertained the belief--absurd as it -seems to us--that by penetrating one or two hundred miles farther -westward the settlers would come upon the Pacific and open a short -route to India. Newport therefore organized an expedition to explore -the river. He took twenty men and was glad to include Smith in the -party. There was no opposition on the part of the Council to the -arrangement. Indeed, it was entirely to their liking. None of them was -over keen to penetrate the unknown with its possible dangers and each -was reluctant to leave the settlement for the further reason that he -distrusted his fellow-members of the Council and was jealous of them. -As to Smith, they had made up their minds to send him back to England -a prisoner, to be tried on charges of treason, conspiracy, and almost -anything else their inventive minds could conceive. - -So Captain Newport and his party proceeded slowly up the river in their -shallop, greeted kindly by the Indians in the various villages along -the banks and feasted by them. The travellers in their turn bestowed -upon their entertainers presents of beads, nails, bottles, and other -articles, trifling in themselves but almost priceless to the savages -who had never seen anything of the kind. At length the party arrived -at a village named Powhatan. It was located very near the present -situation of Richmond, and perhaps exactly where the old home of the -Mayo family--still called “Powhatan”--stands. This village was governed -by a son of the great Werowance. The capital of the latter was at -Werowocomico, near the mouth of the York River, but he happened to be -at Powhatan at the time of Newport’s arrival. I say that he happened to -be there, but it is much more likely that he had been informed of the -expedition and had gone overland to his son’s village with the express -intention of meeting the strangers, about whom he must have been keenly -curious. - -Powhatan was the chief of all the country within a radius of -sixty miles of Jamestown, and having a population of about eight -thousand, which included two thousand or more warriors. Although over -seventy years of age, he was vigorous in mind and body. His tall, -well-proportioned frame was as straight as an arrow. His long gray hair -flowed loose over his shoulders and his stern and wrinkled countenance -expressed dignity and pride. The English learned to know him for a keen -and subtle schemer, to whom the common phrase, “simple savage,” would -be altogether misapplied. He was sufficiently sagacious to realize from -the first that in the white men he had a superior race to deal with and -he made up his mind that the most effective weapon that he could use -against them would be treachery. - -On this occasion, he dissembled the feelings of anger and fear that -he must have felt against the intruders and received them with every -sign of amity. To his people, who began to murmur at their presence and -displayed an inclination to do them harm, he declared: - -“They can do us no injury. They desire no more than a little land -and will pay us richly for it. It is my pleasure that you treat them -kindly.” - -In the meanwhile, his keen penetrating glance was taking in every -detail of his visitors’ appearance, scrutinizing their weapons and -dress, and closely examining their faces as they spoke, for the -settlers had picked up a little of the language. - -When the voyagers, after being feasted and fêted at the village of -Powhatan, continued their journey up the river, the “Emperor,” as the -early writers call him, furnished them with a guide, whose chief duty -doubtless was to act as spy and report their movements to him. Newport -proceeded up the river until it became too shallow to admit of further -progress. He then turned and commenced the descent. He had not gone -many days’ journey when he began to notice a change in the attitude of -the Indians which prompted him to hasten on to the settlement with all -speed. It was well that he did so for the settlers were in a critical -situation. - -We have seen that Wingfield altogether neglected to place the colonists -in a position to defend themselves from attack. During the absence -of the exploring expedition he had so far departed from his foolish -attitude as to permit Captain Kendall to erect a paltry barricade of -branches across the neck of the little peninsula, but this was the -only measure of safety he could be induced to take. The Indians were -permitted to come and go as freely as ever and the arms were left in -the packing cases. Of course it was only a matter of time when the -Indians would take advantage of such a constantly tempting opportunity -to attack the newcomers. - -One day, without the slightest warning, four hundred savages rushed -upon the settlement with their blood-curdling war-whoop. The colonists -were utterly unprepared and most of them unarmed. Seventeen fell at -the first assault. Fortunately the gentlemen habitually wore swords, -these being part of the every-day dress of the time, and many of them -had pistols in their belts. They quickly threw themselves between the -unarmed settlers and the Indians and checked the latter with the fire -of their pistols. Wingfield, who though a fool was no coward, headed -his people and narrowly escaped death, an arrow cleaving his beard. -Four other members of the Council were among the wounded, so that only -one of them escaped untouched. - -The gallant stand made by the gentlemen adventurers only checked the -Indians for a moment, and there is no doubt that every man of the -defenders must have been slain had not the ships created a diversion -by opening fire with their big guns. Even this assistance effected but -temporary relief, for the Indians would have renewed the attack at -nightfall, with complete success in all probability, but the appearance -of Newport at this juncture with his twenty picked and fully armed -men put a different complexion on affairs. The reinforcement sallied -against the attacking savages and drove them to retreat. - -It is hardly necessary to state that all hands were now engaged with -feverish zeal in erecting a fort and stockade. Some demi-culverins were -carried ashore from the ships and mounted. The arms were uncased and -distributed and certain men were daily drilled in military exercises, -whilst a constant guard was maintained throughout the day and night. -From this time the intercourse between the whites and Indians was -marked on both sides by caution and suspicion. - -When the defences had been completed, Captain Newport made preparations -for an immediate departure and then the Council informed Smith that he -was to be returned to England a prisoner for trial. Fortunately for -the future of the colony, our hero rebelled against such an unjust -proceeding, saying, with reason, that since all persons cognizant of -the facts were on the spot, it was on the spot that he should be tried, -if anywhere. His contention was so just, and the sentiment in his favor -so strong, that the Council was obliged to accede to his demand. He -protested against a moment’s delay, declaring that, if found guilty by -a jury of his peers, he would willingly return to England in chains -with Captain Newport and take the consequences. - -The trial resulted in a triumphant acquittal. There was not one iota of -real evidence adduced against the prisoner. Wingfield and others had -nothing but their bare suspicions to bring forward. It did transpire, -however, in the course of the proceedings that the President had not -only been moved by malice but that he had endeavored to induce certain -persons to give false evidence against his enemy. On the strength -of these revelations, the jury not only acquitted Captain Smith but -sentenced the President to pay him two hundred pounds in damages, which -sum, or its equivalent, for it was paid in goods, our hero promptly -turned into the common fund. - -Smith accepted his acquittal with the same calm indifference that had -characterized his behavior since his arrest and showed a readiness -to forget past differences and encourage harmony among the leaders. -Mr. Hunt also strove to produce peace and goodwill in the settlement -but the efforts were useless. When Newport left them in June, the -colony was divided into two factions, the supporters of Wingfield and -those of Smith, who was now of course free of his seat at the Council -board. And so it remained to the end of our story--jealousy, meanness, -incompetence and even treachery, hazarding the lives and the fortunes -of the little band of pioneers who should have been knit together by -common interests and common dangers. - - - - -XV. - -TREASON AND TREACHERY - -The colonists experience hard times and a touch of starvation--Fever -seizes the settlement and one-half the settlers die--The entire charge -of affairs devolves upon Captain Smith--President Wingfield is deposed -and Ratcliffe appointed in his place--Smith leads an expedition in -search of corn--Returns to find trouble at Jamestown--The blacksmith -to be hanged for treason--At the foot of the gallows he divulges a -Spanish plot--Captain Kendall, a Councilman, is involved--His guilt is -established--He seizes the pinnace and attempts to sail away--Smith -trains a cannon upon the boat and forces the traitor to land--He is -hanged. - - -Just before the departure of Captain Newport with the two larger -ships--the pinnace, _Discovery_, was left for the use of the -colonists--Mr. Hunt had administered the communion to the company in -the hope that the joint participation in the holy sacrament might -create a bond of amity between them. On that occasion Captain Smith -had modestly addressed the assembled settlers, urging them to forget -past disagreement, as he was ready to do, and address themselves -energetically to the important business of the community. - -“You that of your own accord have hazarded your lives and estates in -this adventure, having your country’s profit and renown at heart,” he -said with earnestness, “banish from among you cowardice, covetousness, -jealousies, and idleness. These be enemies to the raising your honors -and fortunes and put in danger your very lives, for if dissension -prevail among us, surely we shall become too weak to withstand the -Indians. For myself, I ever intend my actions shall be upright and -regulated by justice. It hath been and ever shall be my care to give -every man his due.” - -The plain, frank speech moved his hearers, but in the evil times that -quickly fell upon them good counsel was forgotten and strife and -ill-nature resumed their sway. - -The colonists had arrived too late in the year to plant and they soon -began to experience a shortage of provisions. The grain which had lain -six months in the holds of leaky vessels was wormy and sodden, unfit -for horses and scarcely eatable by men. Nevertheless, for weeks after -Newport left, a small allowance of this formed the principal diet of -the unfortunate settlers. The woods abounded in game, it is true, but -they were yet unskilled in hunting and dared not venture far from their -palisades, whilst the unaccustomed sounds of axe and hammer had driven -every beast and most of the birds from the neighborhood. They must -have starved but for the sturgeon that they secured from the river. -On these they dined with so little variation that their stomachs at -last rebelled at the very sight of them. One of this miserable company, -describing their condition, says with melancholy humor: “Our drink was -water; our lodgings castles in the air.” - -But lack of food was only one of the hardships which befell the poor -wretches. There were but few dwellings yet constructed, and being -forced to lie upon the low damp ground, malarial fever and typhoid -broke out among them and spread with such fearful rapidity that not -one of them escaped sickness. Hardly a day passed but one at least -of their number found a happy release from his sufferings in death. -Fifty in all--just half of them--died between June and September. -The unaccustomed heat aided in prostrating them, so that at one time -there were scarce ten men able to stand upon their feet. And all this -time the Indians kept up a desultory warfare and only refrained from -a determined attack upon the settlement for fear of the firearms. Had -they assaulted the stockade, instead of contenting themselves with -shooting arrows into it from a distance, the colonists could have made -no effective defence against them. - -Shortly, the whole weight of authority and the entire charge of the -safety of the settlement fell upon Captain Smith. He was sick like -the rest, but kept his feet by sheer strength of will, knowing that -otherwise they would all fall victims to the savages in short order. -Gosnold was under the sod. Wingfield, Martin and Ratcliffe were on the -verge of death. Kendall was sick and, moreover, had been deposed from -his place in the Council. In fact, all the chief men of the colony -were incapacitated, “the rest being in such despair that they would -rather starve and rot with idleness than be persuaded to do anything -for their own relief without constraint.” In this strait the courage -and resolution of one man saved them as happened repeatedly afterward. -He nursed the sick, distributed the stores, stood guard day and -night, coaxed and threatened the least weak into exerting themselves, -cunningly hid their real condition from the Indians, and, by the -exercise of every available resource, tided over the terrible months of -July and August. - -Early in September, Wingfield was deposed from the presidency. His -manifest incompetency had long been the occasion of discontent which -was fanned to fever heat when the starving settlers discovered that the -leader, who was too fine a gentleman to eat from the common kettle, had -been diverting the best of the supplies from the public store to his -private larder. The climax which brought about his downfall, however, -was reached when it transpired that the President had made arrangements -to steal away in the pinnace and return to England, leaving the -settlement in the lurch. Ratcliffe was elected to fill his place. He -was a man of no greater capacity than his predecessor, but it happened -that conditions improved at about this time and the undiscerning -colonists were willing to give him credit for the change. - -Early fall brings ripening fruit and vegetables in the South. The -Indians, who fortunately had no idea of the extremity to which the -colony had been reduced, began to carry corn and other truck to the -fort, glad to trade for beads, little iron chisels or other trifles. -Wild fowl came into the river in large numbers and, with these welcome -additions to their hitherto scanty diet, the sick soon began to recover -health and strength. Smith, so soon as he could muster a boat’s crew, -made an excursion up the river and returned with some thirty bushels of -corn to famine-stricken Jamestown. Having secured ample supplies for -immediate needs, our hero, who was by this time generally recognized -as the actual leader of the colony, put as many men as possible to -work building houses and succeeded so far as to provide a comfortable -dwelling for every one but himself. - -Our adventurers, convalescent for the most part, now experienced a -Virginia autumn in all its glory. The days were cloudless and cool. -The foliage took on magic hues and presented patterns marvellously -beautiful as an oriental fabric. The air, stimulating as strong wine, -drove the ague from the system and cleared the brain. The fruits of -the field stood ripe and inviting whilst nuts hung in profusion from -the boughs of trees amongst which fat squirrels and opossums sported. -Turkeys with their numerous broods wandered through the woods whilst -partridges and quail abounded in the undergrowth. Where starvation had -stared them in the face the colonists now saw plenty on every hand -and, with the appetites of men turning their backs upon fever-beds, -ate to repletion. With the removal of their sufferings, they dismissed -the experience from their minds and gave no heed to the latent lesson -in it. Not so Captain Smith, however. He realized the necessity of -providing a store of food against the approach of winter, without -relying upon the return of Newport with a supply ship. - -The Council readily agreed to the proposed expedition in search of -provisions, but it was not in their mind to give the command to Captain -Smith. Far from being grateful to the man who had saved the settlement -in the time of its dire distress and helplessness, they were more than -ever jealous of his growing influence with the colonists. None of -them was willing to brave the dangers and hardships of the expedition -himself nor did they dare, in the face of Smith’s popularity, to -appoint another to the command. In this difficulty they pretended a -desire to be fair to the other gentlemen adventurers by putting a -number of their names into a lottery from which the commander should -be drawn. The hope was that by this means some other might be set up -as a sort of competitor to Smith. There were those among the gentlemen -who penetrated this design and had sufficient sense to circumvent it. -George Percy, a brother of the Earl of Northumberland, and Scrivener, -were among our hero’s staunch adherents. Percy contrived that he should -draw the lot from the hat that contained the names. The first paper -that he drew bore upon it the words: “The Honorable George Percy.” -Without a moment’s hesitation he showed it to Scrivener, as though for -confirmation, and crumpling it in his hand, cried: - -“Captain John Smith draws the command,” and the announcement was -received with a shout of approval. - -“Thou hast foregone an honor and the prospect of more,” said Scrivener, -as they walked away together. - -“Good Master Scrivener,” replied the young nobleman, with a quizzical -smile, “one needs must have a head to carry honors gracefully and I -am fain to confess that I deem this poor caput of mine safer in the -keeping of our doughty captain than in mine own.” - -It was early in November when Smith, taking the barge and seven men, -started up the Chickahominy. The warriors were absent from the first -village he visited and the women and children fled at the approach of -his party. Here he found the store-houses filled with corn, but there -was no one to trade and, as he says, he had neither inclination nor -commission to loot, and so he turned his back upon the place and came -away empty-handed. Now, if we consider the impression that must have -been made upon those Indians by this incident, we must the more keenly -regret that so few others were moved by similar principles of wisdom -and honesty in their dealings with the savages. In his treatment of the -Indian down to the present day the white man appears in a very poor -light, and most of the troubles between the two races have been due to -the greed and injustice of the latter. John Smith set an example to -later colonists which, had they followed it, would have saved them much -bloodshed and difficulty. - -Proceeding along the narrow river, the expedition arrived at other -villages where the conditions better favored their purpose. The Indians -seem to have gained some inkling of the impoverished state of the -Jamestown store, for at first they tendered but paltry quantities of -grain for the trinkets which Smith offered to exchange. But they had -to deal with one who was no less shrewd than themselves. The Captain -promptly turned on his heel and marched off towards his boat. This -independent action brought the redskins crowding after him with all the -corn that they could carry and ready to trade on any terms. In order -to allay their suspicions as to his need, Smith declined to accept -more than a moderate quantity from any one band, but by visiting many, -contrived without difficulty to fill the barge and, as he says, might -have loaded the pinnace besides if it had been with him. - -We will now leave Captain Smith and his party bringing their boat down -the river towards home and see what is going on at Jamestown in the -meanwhile. We shall find throughout our story that the master spirit of -the colony never leaves the settlement but that some trouble breaks out -in his absence. This occasion was no exception to the rule. One day, -shortly before the return of the expedition, Ratcliffe, the President, -fell into an altercation with the blacksmith, and in the heat of -passion struck the man. The blow was returned, as one thinks it should -have been, but in those days the distinction between classes was much -more marked than in these and the unfortunate artisan was immediately -clapped in jail. - -To have struck a gentleman was bad enough, but the hot-headed -north-country blacksmith had raised his hand against the representative -of the sacred majesty of the King and that constituted high treason. -A jury of his fellows found him guilty and he was sentenced to be -hanged without delay. A gallows was quickly erected and the brawny -blacksmith, after receiving the ministrations of Mr. Hunt, was bidden -to mount. But the condemned man craved the usual privilege of making a -dying speech, and the request was granted. To the consternation of the -assembled colonists he declared that he was in possession of a plot -to betray the settlement to the Spaniards, and offered to divulge the -details on condition that his life should be spared. This was granted. -Indeed, it is difficult to understand how the colonists could have -entertained the design to hang almost the most useful man among them. - -In order to appreciate the blacksmith’s revelation, we should -understand that although Spain had some years previously entered into -a treaty of peace with England, she remained keenly jealous of the -growing power of the latter nation and never ceased to employ underhand -methods to check it. Spanish spies were numerous in England and were -to be found among all classes, for some of the Catholic nobility were -not above allowing their religious zeal to outrun their sense of -patriotism. In particular was Spain concerned about the new ardor for -American colonization, of which one of the earliest manifestations was -the settlement at Jamestown, and it is more than probable that she had -sent several of her secret agents out with the expedition from England. -However that may be, Captain Kendall, erstwhile member of Council, was -the only one accused by the reprieved man. A search of the traitor’s -quarters disclosed papers that left no doubt as to his guilt. - -The searching party had just returned to the Council room with the -incriminating documents when Captain Smith landed his party and entered -the fort to find the settlement in the greatest state of excitement. -He at once joined the Council and was in deliberation with the other -members when a man burst in upon them shouting: - -“Captain Kendall hath seized the pinnace and is about sailing away in -her.” - -The Councilmen rushed from the chamber without ceremony and made -towards the shore. There, sure enough, was the pinnace in mid-stream -and Captain Kendall hoisting her sail to catch a stiff breeze which -was blowing out of the river. The spectators stood open-mouthed in -speechless dismay, or bewailed the escape that they seemed to consider -accomplished. That was not the view of Captain Smith. He took in the -situation at a glance and as quickly decided upon counteraction. -Running back to the fort he had a gun trained on the pinnace in a trice -and shouted to its occupant to come ashore or stay and sink and to make -his decision instanter. One look at the determined face peering over -the touch-hole of the cannon sufficed the spy. He brought the boat -ashore and within the hour was shot. - - - - -XVI. - -CAPTIVE TO THE INDIANS - -Peace and plenty at the settlement--Smith sets out to discover the -source of the Chickahominy--He falls into an ambush and has a running -fight with two hundred warriors--Walks into a swamp and is forced to -surrender--Opechancanough the chief of the Pamaunkes--Smith is put to a -test of courage--He figures in a triumphal procession--Has suspicions -that he is being fattened for the table--He sends a timely warning to -Jamestown and diverts a projected attack by the Indians--Smith is dealt -with by the medicine men--A strange, wild ceremony enacted by hideously -painted and bedecked creatures. - - -The close of the year 1607 found the settlement in good circumstances. -The store was well stocked with maize, peas and beans, smoked venison -and fish, dried fruits and nuts. Warm coats and coverings had been made -from fur and feathers and a large quantity of wood had been cut and -stacked for fuel. There did not appear to be any danger of hardship -in Jamestown during the ensuing winter, although such a careless -and incompetent lot as our settlers were apt to create trouble for -themselves out of the most favorable conditions. There were only -three persons in authority--Ratcliffe, Martin and Smith. The first -was a man of mean ability and doubtful integrity. Martin, honest and -well-meaning, was a constant invalid and incapable of any degree of -activity. Smith was by this time recognized by all as the true leader -of the colony and the only man in it who could secure obedience and -maintain discipline. When he was in Jamestown, order prevailed and -work progressed. When he left, the settlers scarcely pretended to heed -the orders of the other members of the Council. Indeed, Percy and -Scrivener, who were known to be in full accord with Smith, had greater -influence with the rank and file than Ratcliffe or Martin. In fact the -north-country nobleman and the Londoner played the part of faithful -watchdogs during the Captain’s absence, and it was arranged that one at -least of them should always remain at Jamestown when Smith went abroad. - -As we know, inaction was positively abhorrent to our hero and, -the settlement being now thoroughly quiet and quite prepared for -the winter, he determined on an expedition designed to trace the -Chickahominy to its source. Exploration was one of the chief duties -of the colonists and Smith, as he tells us, hoped that he might soon -discover “some matters of worth to encourage adventurers in England.” -The Indians along the river had been so friendly during his foraging -trip the month before that he felt safe in making the present journey, -but his military training and natural prudence would not permit him -to relax his usual precautions. But there was one important feature -of Indian tactics with which the American colonists had not become -familiar. They had yet to learn how large bodies of redskins would -watch a settlement, or track a party on the move, for days and weeks -without allowing their presence to be known. Ever since their landing, -the settlers had been under the sleepless eye of spies lying hidden in -grass or behind trees, and from the moment Captain Smith left Jamestown -his progress had been flanked by a body of savages moving stealthily -through the woods. - -[Illustration: THE SETTLERS HAD BEEN UNDER THE SLEEPLESS EYE OF SPIES -LYING HIDDEN] - -The barge proceeded fifty miles up the river without incident, but -presently the stream became too shallow to admit of its going farther. -A canoe was secured from a village in the vicinity, with two Indians to -paddle it. In this Smith decided to push on to the head of the river, -taking with him two of his men. The remainder he left in the barge, -instructing them not to go on shore and to keep a sharp lookout until -his return. Twenty miles onward the canoe travelled when an obstruction -of fallen trees brought the party to a halt. It seemed probable that -the source of the stream could be but a few miles beyond and Smith -determined to seek it on foot accompanied by one of the Indians. The -other and the two Englishmen he left in the canoe, cautioning them to -keep their matches burning, and at the first sign of danger to fire an -alarm. - -Smith had hardly gone a mile through the forest when he was suddenly -startled by a shrill war-whoop. He could see no one and he had not -been warned of danger by his men as agreed. He concluded, therefore, -that they had been surprised and killed with the connivance of the -guide. Even as the thought flashed through his mind he grappled with -the Indian beside him and wrenched the bow from his grasp. It was done -in an instant, and as quickly he bound an arm of the savage to his own -with one of his garters. He had not completed the act when an arrow -half spent struck him on the thigh and a moment later he discerned two -dusky figures drawing their bows upon him. These disappeared at the -discharge of his pistol, and he was congratulating himself on having -routed them so easily when two hundred warriors, hideous in paint and -feathers, rose from the ground in front of him. At their head was -Opechancanough, the chief of the Pamaunkes. - -The situation would have suggested surrender to the ordinary man. -There could be no use in Smith’s contending against such numbers and -to retreat to the river would be no less futile, since his men in the -canoe must have been captured. It was not, however, in our hero’s -nature to give up until absolutely obliged to do so. He could see -no possibility of escape but he proposed to make it as difficult as -possible for the savages to capture him. With this thought he placed -the guide before him as a shield and prepared, with a pistol in each -hand, to meet an onrush of the warriors. But they had no mind to rush -upon those fearful fire-spitting machines and kept off, discharging -their arrows from a distance that rendered them harmless. Seeing this, -Smith began to retire, keeping his face towards the enemy and holding -his human buckler in place. The Indians responded to this movement by -cautiously advancing and at the same time they sought to induce the -Englishman to lay down his arms, promising to spare his life in case he -should do so. Smith positively declined the proposition, insisting that -he would retain his weapons but promising not to make further use of -them if he should be permitted to depart in peace; otherwise he would -use them and kill some of his assailants without delay. The Indians -continuing to advance upon him, Smith let go both his pistols at them -and took advantage of the hesitation that followed to retreat more -rapidly. - -Of course this combat was of the most hopeless character and our hero -must ultimately have been shot to death had not an accident suddenly -put an end to his opposition. Still stepping backward and dragging his -captive with him he presently walks into a deep morass and reaches the -end of his journey in more than one sense, for it is in this swamp that -the Chickahominy rises and he has fulfilled his undertaking to find -the head of the river. It was at once clear to the dauntless explorer -that he must yield, and that quickly, for he and his Indian were fast -sinking in the icy ooze of the bog. He threw his pistols away in token -of surrender and his savage adversaries rushed up and extricated him -from his perilous situation. - -It was with feelings of curiosity and interest on either side that -Captain John Smith, the leader of the colonists, and Opechancanough, -the chief of the Pamaunkes, confronted each other. Both men of noble -bearing and fearless character, they must have been mutually impressed -at the first encounter. The chief’s erect and well-knit frame towered -above the forms of his attendant warriors and, together with the -dignity and intelligence of his countenance, marked him as a superior -being. In later years he played an important part in colonial history -and met a shameful death by assassination whilst a captive in the hands -of the authorities of Virginia. - -Smith, whose presence of mind never deserted him, immediately addressed -himself to the task of diverting the chieftain’s mind from the recent -unpleasant circumstances and with that end in view produced his pocket -compass and presented it to the savage. The Pamaunke was readily -attracted by the mystery of the twinkling needle which lay in sight but -beyond touch, and when our hero showed how it pointed persistently to -the north, the wonder of the savage increased. Having thus excited the -interest of his captors, Smith went on to hold their attention with a -more detailed explanation of the uses of the instrument. He described, -in simple language and with the aid of signs, the shape and movement -of the earth and the relative positions of sun, moon and stars. This -strange astronomical lecture, delivered in the depths of the forest, -at length wearied the auditors and they prepared to set out on the -return journey, for they had no thought of killing the captive at that -time. He was a man of too much importance to be slain off-hand and -without learning the pleasure of the great Powhatan in the matter. They -did, however, tie him to a tree and make a pretence of drawing their -bows upon him but, as the paleface met the threatened death without -so much as blinking, the savages derived little satisfaction from the -amusement. Before taking the march, Smith was given food and led to a -fire, beside which lay the body of Emery, one of the men he had left in -the canoe, stuck full of arrows. - -The return of Opechancanough to the settlement of the Pamaunkes was in -the nature of a triumphal procession. As the band approached a village -they gave vent to their piercing war-whoop and entered it chanting -their song of victory. In the midst of the procession walked the Chief -with Smith’s weapons borne before him and the captive, guarded by eight -picked warriors, following. A ceremonial dance took place before the -party dispersed to their various lodgings for the night. The captive -was well treated and had an excellent opportunity to study the natives -and their habits, for Opechancanough carried his prize on a circuit of -many villages before finally bringing him to the capital of Powhatan. -Nor did the peril of his situation prevent our hero from exercising his -usual keen powers of observation, for he has left us a minute account -of his strange experiences during these weeks of captive wandering. - -Every morning bread and venison were brought to the Englishman in -sufficient quantity to have satisfied ten men. His captors never by -any chance ate with him and, remembering the reluctance of Eastern -peoples to partake of food with those whom they designed to harm, -this fact excited his apprehensions. These Indians were not cannibals -but he had not that consoling knowledge, and the insistent manner in -which they pressed meat upon him raised a disagreeable suspicion that -they were fattening him for the table. The thought of death--even -with torture--he could endure calmly, but the idea of being eaten -afterwards caused him to shudder with horror. We can not help thinking, -however, that the sinewy captain might have visited his enemies with a -posthumous revenge had they recklessly subjected him to such a fate and -themselves to such grave hazard of acute indigestion. - -But the captive’s concern for the settlement at Jamestown outweighed -all other considerations. He surmised with reason, that having him -in their power, the Indians would endeavor to overcome the colonists, -whose natural incapacity to take care of themselves would be enhanced -by the belief that their leader was dead. He was racking his brain -to devise some means of communicating with them, when chance threw -an opportunity to him. It seems that in the encounter preceding his -surrender to Opechancanough Smith had seriously wounded one of the -Indians. He was now called upon to cure his victim and replied that he -might be able to do so if in possession of certain medicine which could -be obtained from Jamestown. The Chief agreed that two messengers should -bear a letter to the settlement, although he could not believe that -a few lines scrawled upon paper would convey any meaning, much less -elicit the desired response. - -The messengers journeyed to the fort with all speed, and as they were -not permitted to approach closely, left the note in a conspicuous place -and there received the reply. Of course Smith took the opportunity -to warn the settlers of the projected attack, and prayed them to -be constantly on their guard. He also suggested that some show of -strength, as a salvo from the big guns, might have a salutary effect -upon the messengers. The latter, after they had received the medicine -requested, and turned homewards, were treated to such a thunderous -discharge of cannon and musketry that they ran for miles in terror of -their lives and arrived at the village well-nigh scared out of their -wits. Their account of this terrible experience decided the Indians -not to attempt a descent upon Jamestown and their respect increased -for a man who could convey his thoughts and wishes by means of such a -mysterious medium as a letter appeared to them to be. - -Although the Indians had Smith unarmed and completely in their power, -they were not at all satisfied of his inability to harm them, and the -question seems to have caused them considerable anxiety. The medicine -men of the tribe undertook by incantations and other species of -deviltry to ascertain whether the captive’s intentions towards them -were good or otherwise. Smith was led in the morning to a large house -in the centre of which a fire burned. Here he was left alone, and -presently to him entered a hideous creature making unearthly noises in -his throat to the accompaniment of a rattle, whilst he danced about the -astonished Englishman in grotesque antics. This merry-andrew’s head was -decorated with dangling snake-skins and his body painted in a variety -of colors. After a while he was joined by three brother-priests who -set up a discordant chorus of shrieks and yells, whirling and skipping -about the house the while. They were painted half in black and half -in red with great white rings round their eyes. Shortly these were -joined by three more medicine men equally fantastic in appearance -and actions. The ceremony was maintained by these seven throughout -the day, much to the disgust of Smith, who soon found it tiresome and -uninteresting and particularly so as it involved an absolute fast from -dawn to sundown. In the evening women placed great mounds of food -upon the mats of the house and invited Smith to eat, but the priests -refrained from doing so until he had finished. - -This performance was repeated on the two successive days, but we are -not told what conclusion was reached by all the fuss. - - - - -XVII. - -POCAHONTAS TO THE RESCUE - -After a weary circuit of the Indian villages Smith is brought to -Werowocomico--He is received by Powhatan in the “King’s House”--The -chiefs in council decide to put him to death--He is bound and laid out, -preparatory to being killed--Pocahontas intervenes at the critical -moment--Powhatan’s dilemma and Opechancanough’s determination--“The -Council has decreed the death of the paleface”--“I, Pocahontas, -daughter of our King, claim this man for my brother”--The Indian maiden -prevails--Smith is reprieved and formally adopted into the tribe--They -wish him to remain with them and lead them against his own people. - - -One morning, shortly after the episode of the medicine men, Captain -Smith learned, to his great relief, that commands had been received -for his removal at once to the capital. He had no idea what, if any -fate had been determined upon for him, but he was heartily tired of the -weary wanderings and suspense of the past weeks and ready to face the -worst rather than prolong the uncertainty. Werowocomico, the principal -seat of the “Emperor” Powhatan, was short of a day’s journey distant, -and Opechancanough, with his illustrious prisoner, reached the town -as the early winter night was setting in. The capital of the Werowance -consisted of about thirty large wigwams, or “houses,” as the earlier -writers called them, and a number of smaller ones. These for the nonce -were reinforced by the tepees, or tents, of the many Indians who had -come in from distant villages for the occasion which was no ordinary -one. The large wigwams were made in the form of the rounded tops of the -wagons called “prairie schooners,” which in the days before railroads -were used upon the continent of North America for long-distance travel. -These wagon tops were sometimes taken off and placed upon the ground -to serve as tents, when the occupants would be lying in a contrivance -exactly like the ancient wigwam in shape. The latter was commonly big -enough to contain a whole family and sometimes harbored an entire band -of fifty or sixty natives. In that case it had two rows of apartments -running along the sides and a common hall in the middle. The structure -was composed of a framework of boughs covered with the bark of trees or -with skins--sometimes a combination of both. - -Smith’s captors approached the capital in triumphal fashion, chanting -their song of victory and flourishing their weapons in exultant pride. -The town was prepared to give them the reception usually accorded -to victorious warriors returning from battle. Great fires burned at -frequent points illuming the scene with a garish light in which the -bedaubed and bedizened savages looked doubly hideous. Chiefs and people -were attired in all their fantastic finery and even the children made -some show of tawdry ornament. The women had prepared food with even -more than ordinary profusion and had laid the mats in anticipation -of the prospective feasting. A double line of fully armed and foully -painted warriors--“grim courtiers,” Smith calls them--formed an avenue -to the “King’s house” along which the captive passed into the presence -of the great Werowance, whilst the spectators “stood wondering at him -as he had been a monster.” - -At the farther end of the wigwam, upon a platform, before which a -large fire blazed, reclined the aged but still vigorous chieftain, -upon a heap of furs. On either side of him stood the principal chiefs -and medicine men of the tribe, whilst the women of his family grouped -themselves behind. Two dense walls of warriors lined along the sides of -the wigwam leaving a space in the centre which was covered by a mat. -Upon this Smith took his stand and calmly surveyed the scene which -was not without an element of rude beauty. A loud shout had greeted -his entrance. In the profound silence that followed, two women--“the -Queen of Appamatuck and another”--came forward with food which they -placed before him and signed to him to eat. Our hero’s appetite and his -curiosity never failed him under any circumstances. He had a habit of -living in the present moment and not concerning himself unduly about -the uncertain future. So, in this crisis, when the ordinary man would -have been too much preoccupied with the thought of his fate to attend -to the needs of his stomach, Smith addressed himself in leisurely -fashion to the pile of food and at the same time studied the details -of his surroundings with a retentive eye. Meanwhile, the savages stood -silent and stock still as statues until he had finished. - -When at length our hero rose refreshed and ready to face his fate, -Powhatan also stood up and beckoned to him to approach the royal dais. -Powhatan was arrayed in his state robe of raccoon skins. A band of -pearls encircled his brow and a tuft of eagle’s feathers surmounted his -head. Smith was impressed by the dignity and forcefulness of the old -chief who addressed him in a deep bass voice. - -“The paleface has abused the hospitality of Powhatan and requited his -kindness with treachery,” said the chieftain in slow and solemn tones. -“The paleface and his brethren came to Powhatan’s country when the -summer was young and begged for food and land that they might live. My -people would have slain them but I commanded that grain be given to -the palefaces and that they be allowed to live in peace in the village -which they had made. Was this not enough? Did not Powhatan thus prove -his friendship and good will to the strangers in his land?” - -We know that all this was a mixture of falsehood and sophistry. As -such Smith recognized it, of course, but, as he did not wish to arouse -the chief’s anger by contradicting him, he decided to keep silence and -an immovable countenance. After a pause, during which he endeavored -without success to read the effect of his words in the prisoner’s face, -Powhatan continued: - -“Powhatan’s people have given the palefaces abundance of food--venison -and fowls and corn. They have furnished them with warm furs. They have -shown them the springs of the forest. They have taught them to trap the -beasts and to net the fish. And the palefaces, scorning the kindness of -Powhatan and his people, turn their fire-machines upon them and slay -them. You--their werowance--they send to spy out the land of Powhatan -so that they may make war upon his villages in the night time. Now my -people cry for your blood. What shall I say to them? How shall I again -deny my warriors whose brothers you yourself have slain?” - -“The Powhatan mistakes the purpose of myself and my people,” replied -Smith. “It is our wish and intent to treat our red brothers with -justice and friendliness. If we have killed some it hath been in -defence of our own lives. Our fire-machines have spoken only when the -bow was drawn against us. It is not in our minds to make war upon the -great Powhatan nor yet to rob him of his lands. Whatsoever we ask at -his hands we are ready to pay for. If the great Werowance allows the -clamor of his warriors for my life to override his own good judgment, -so be it. But I would warn Powhatan and his chiefs that my death will -be the signal for relentless war against their people, for I am the -subject of a mighty king whose rule extends over lands many times -greater than those of Powhatan, whose soldiers are as numerous as the -stars in the heavens and whose ships sail the seas in every direction. -He will surely avenge my death with a bitter vengeance.” - -Smith had no idea of committing himself to an argument and wisely -contented himself with a brief statement of the facts, adding a -threat that he hoped might give the savages pause. It was clear from -Powhatan’s remarks that he was determined to place the prisoner in the -wrong, and contradiction could have no good effect. Finding that his -captive had nothing more to say, the Werowance sent him to a nearby -wigwam with instructions that he should be made comfortable and allowed -to rest. Meanwhile, the chiefs went into council over his fate. - -Smith’s words had made a strong impression upon Powhatan, who was -the most sagacious Indian of his tribe. He was altogether averse to -putting the prisoner to death because he was forced in his mind to -acknowledge the white men as superior beings with whom it would be -dangerous to evoke a war. Doubtless they would soon send another chief -to replace Smith and more would be gained by holding him for ransom -than by killing him. But Powhatan’s wise conclusions were not shared by -the other members of the council. With hardly an exception they were -in favor of Smith’s death by the usual torturous methods. One of the -chiefs was a brother of the man who had died as the result of a pistol -wound inflicted by Smith in the skirmish preceding his capture. He was -implacable in the demand for the usual satisfaction of a life for a -life, and was warmly supported by Opechancanough who, to the day of his -death at their hands, maintained an unappeasable hatred for the whole -race of white men. Now Opechancanough was, after the great Werowance, -the most influential chief in the tribe, and rather than incur his -displeasure and that of the others, Powhatan yielded against his better -judgment. He did this, however, only after having expressed his opinion -to the contrary, and the real respect which he felt for Smith led him -to stipulate that the captive should not be put to the torture but -should be executed by the more humane and speedy means employed by the -savages with members of their own tribe. - -This conclusion of the council having been reached, Smith was brought -again into the king’s house and informed of it. He bowed with courage -and dignity to the decision which he felt that it would be futile -to protest against and calmly held out his arms to the warriors who -came forward to bind him. Whilst these tightly bound his hands to his -sides and tied his feet together, others rolled into the centre of -the wigwam a large stone. When this had been placed, the prisoner was -required to kneel and lay his head upon it. This he did with the serene -self-possession that had not been shaken in the least during this -trying ordeal. At the same time he silently commended his spirit to his -Maker, believing that the next moment would be his last on earth. The -executioners stood, one on either side, their clubs poised ready for -the signal to dash out his brains. - -Powhatan was in the act of raising his hand in the fatal gesture that -would have stamped our hero’s doom, when a young girl, as graceful as -a doe and not less agile, burst through the throng that surrounded -the Werowance and sprang to the prisoner’s side. Waving back the -executioners with the haughty dignity derived from a long line of noble -ancestors, she drew her slim and supple figure to its full height and -faced the group of chieftains with head erect and flashing eyes. - -“Pardon, Powhatan! Pardon, my father!” she cried in a rich voice -quivering with emotion. “Pocahontas craves the life of the captive, and -claims the right to adopt him as a brother according to the immemorial -custom of our tribe.” - -Powhatan was in a quandary. Pocahontas was his favorite daughter, his -pet, and the comfort of his old age. He had never denied her anything, -nor ever thought to do so. He had a strong inclination to grant her -request, but as he looked round the circle of angry faces and heard the -subdued mutterings of his chiefs he hesitated to incur their discontent. - -“The Council has decreed the death of the paleface. It can not be, my -daughter,” he said. But there was an unusual trace of indecision in his -voice. - -“It _must_ be, my father!” cried the girl, with spirit. “Is a princess, -and your child, to be denied the right that every woman of our tribe -enjoys? Any woman of the Powhatans may redeem a condemned prisoner by -adopting him, and I--I, Pocahontas, daughter of our king, claim this -man for my brother.” - -Powhatan was deeply moved by the dignified and earnest plea of the -girl and was about to accede to it when Opechancanough leaned forward -and whispered in his ear. The words of the Chief of the Pamaunkes, -whatever they were, seemed to be decisive, for Powhatan, with a gesture -of mingled annoyance and regret, signed to the executioners to perform -their task. The eyes of Pocahontas had been anxiously fixed upon her -father during this pause in the proceedings and, as she saw his sign of -submission to the argument of the Pamaunke, she threw herself upon the -head of Smith and entwined her arms about his neck. - -She had nothing further to say, realizing that words would have no -effect, but, with the quick wit of a woman, she had advanced an -argument which was unanswerable. The executioners dropped their clubs -and looked perplexedly towards the Werowance. The assembled warriors -gazed expectantly in the same direction. The affair had reached an -_impasse_. None there dared lay a hand on the girl save the Powhatan, -and he had no thought of doing so. He gazed at her with proud -satisfaction for a few moments, whilst a presentiment took possession -of his mind that this slip of a girl had unwittingly saved her tribe -from a world of possible troubles. - -“Let be!” he said with an air of weariness. “The paleface shall be -adopted into the tribe to make hatchets for me and beads for his little -sister.” - -With that Smith was unbound and taken to a wigwam where they brought -him food and left him to wonder at the marvellous workings of -Providence and pass a peaceful night. - -The next morning our hero was led to one of the larger houses which -was divided in the middle by a partition. Smith was instructed to seat -himself and to await events. Presently, from the other side of the -screen came the most hideous howls and shrieks he had ever heard, but -Smith had got beyond the point of being disturbed by anything that -might occur. For half an hour or more the strange sounds continued, -when Powhatan and his chiefs entered, accompanied by Smith’s old -friends the noisy medicine men. He was informed that the ceremony -which had just taken place was that of his adoption into the tribe -and Powhatan formally addressed him as “son.” From this time Smith -was treated with the utmost consideration and those who had been -the most eager for his death, with the exception of the implacable -Opechancanough who departed to his village in high dudgeon, now vied -with each other in efforts to secure his good-will. Powhatan and Smith -held many conferences together in which each learned a great deal from -the other and grew to regard his erstwhile enemy with feelings of -respect and friendship. - -The savages had entertained the hope that after the adoption Smith -would remain with them and they even thought to induce him to lead -them against Jamestown. It is needless to say that he firmly declined -to do either. Powhatan being at length convinced of Smith’s friendly -intentions agrees to his return but, in satisfaction of his own desire -as well as to appease the disappointment of his people, he exacts -a ransom to consist of two of the largest guns in the fort and the -biggest grindstone. - - - - -XVIII. - -FIRE AND STARVATION - -Powhatan by excessive greed overreaches himself--Smith is allowed to -return to the settlement--He finds the colonists, as usual, disturbed -by dissensions--Arrives just in time to prevent Ratcliffe and others -from deserting--Newport arrives with the “first supply”--The Indians -continue to treat Smith as a tribal chief--Fire destroys Jamestown -completely--Newport and Smith visit Powhatan--The purple beads -“fit only for the use of Kings”--The astute Indian Chief meets his -match in Captain John Smith--The settlers are smitten with the gold -fever--Captain Newport sails for England with a wonderful cargo. - - -Had Powhatan been less specific in his demand, or less greedy in his -desire, Captain Smith might have found it difficult to agree to his -proposal. But, when the Werowance made a point of exacting the “two -largest guns and the biggest grindstone” in the fort, Smith had no -hesitation in saying that he would permit Powhatan’s messengers to -carry away the articles mentioned. This point having been settled to -their mutual satisfaction, the Chief detailed twelve men to guide and -guard our hero on the road to Jamestown which, being but twelve miles -from Werowocomico, they reached by easy marches. The Indian escort was -treated with all the kindness Smith could command for them. Each was -given a present and they were charged with the delivery of a package to -Powhatan, containing a number of the things most highly prized by the -savages. When the time for their departure came they asked for the guns -and grindstone which they were to carry back to their Chief. - -“Certes! They be yours if you can carry them,” replied Smith, pointing, -with a quizzical smile, at two demi-culverins each weighing more than -four tons and a huge grindstone which four men could hardly raise -on edge. The baffled savages looked on these ponderous things with -dismay and had to admit that they could not be carried to Werowocomico -though the whole tribe came after them. Smith was not willing that his -visitors should leave without gaining some impression of the power as -well as the size of the ordnance and so he loaded one of the guns with -small stones and discharged it into the trees where the icicle-laden -boughs were thickest. The smoke and racket that followed filled the -Indians with terror and they took their leave hurriedly, doubtless glad -that the roaring, fire-spitting monster was not to accompany them. - -The great majority of the settlers welcomed Captain Smith, whom they -had never expected to see again, with genuine joy. Once more he had -arrived just in the nick of time, for the affairs of the colony had -been going from bad to worse during his absence and were now on the -point of a crisis that, had it not been averted, would have probably -effected the ruin of the colony. There had been no improvement in the -government. Ratcliffe had become justly unpopular in the presidency and -Archer, a pettifogging lawyer and mischief-maker, had been admitted -to the Council. Martin, feeble in health and mind, had fallen under -the complete domination of the other two and with them and other -malcontents had entered into a conspiracy which the return of Captain -Smith was just in time to frustrate. He no sooner heard of their plot -to sail to England in the pinnace and desert the settlement than he -bearded them in the Council room. - -“So,” he cried, indignation and contempt showing in every tone and -gesture. “So! These be the gallant gentlemen who contended among -themselves for leadership of our enterprise! By my halidame! A fine -pack of leaders--tufftaffaty humorists rather! Ye mind me of one -Falstaffe--a cowardly, gluttonous braggart he--I once saw depicted -at the Globe playhouse. Not one of you has hazarded his skin beyond -musket-shot of the fort but now, having fattened and reposed yourselves -through the winter, ye would return to England and brag of your brave -deeds and feats of arms. But--and I mistake not--we shall find a -different conclusion for your plot. I hold the King’s commission to -maintain the flag of England in this country and whilst my arm and -brain serve me that will I do in good faith and count all such as -oppose the commands of His Most Gracious Majesty, enemies of the realm -and traitors to their country. Take heed then how ye proceed in this -matter, for I will see to it that the guns are manned day and night by -good and true men with instructions to sink the pinnace at the first -show of sinister design.” - -With that Smith clapped his hat upon his head and strode out of the -Council room. - -If the conspirators had entertained any thought of pursuing their -project in the face of Captain Smith’s opposition, the ringing shout -with which he was greeted by the waiting crowd outside was sufficient -to banish it. Word of what was going forward had drawn the settlers to -the Council House and much of Smith’s harangue, delivered in a voice -strong with anger, had penetrated to them. They were almost to a man -in sympathy with him, for the cowardly plotters belonged exclusively -to the “gentleman” class among the colonists, men who arrogated to -themselves superior privileges and rights whilst unwilling to bear even -their share of hardship and toil. These poor creatures should not be -considered representative of the gentlemen of England, who in those -stirring times produced many of the bravest and most self-sacrificing -leaders in the chronicles of Christendom. - -The settlers had almost begun to despair of Newport’s return when one -day, in early January, he sailed into the river with a well-laden -ship and upwards of one hundred new colonists. His appearance put -an end to a pretty scheme which the attorney Archer had concocted -to encompass Smith’s downfall. Direct from England, with authority -superior to that of any man in Jamestown, Newport instituted an inquiry -into the government of the colony during his absence and determined -that Wingfield and Archer should return with him, to answer to the -Company. Scrivener he appointed to the Council and thus assured Smith -of one firm ally in that body. Newport had started for America with -two vessels. These became separated in mid-ocean and the _Phœnix_, -commanded by Captain Francis Nelson, did not arrive until considerably -later. - -The relations between the Indians and the colonists now became -very friendly, owing to the adoption of Smith by the tribe. After -his return to Jamestown, Pocahontas and some of the other women of -Werowocomico came to the settlement twice or three times a week -laden with provisions, these being Smith’s share, as a chief, of the -tribal stores. On these occasions, men would also bring foodstuff to -be disposed of in trade. These supplies were very timely, for the -settlement had again approached the verge of starvation when Smith -returned after his seven weeks of captivity, and Captain Newport’s -arrival did not greatly mend that matter, for the larger part of the -edible supplies sent from England were upon the tardy vessel. In the -barter with the savages, Smith established a scale of exchange based -upon the values set by the Indians themselves upon the wares of the -foreigners. This was of course fair enough, but his enemies, more than -ever jealous of the great influence he evidently enjoyed with the -Indians, sought to undermine it by giving them very much more than they -asked for their grain and venison. The result was that in a short while -a pound of copper would scarce purchase as much as an ounce had secured -under Smith’s regulation. The schemers had the satisfaction of seeing -Smith fall in the regard of the Indians, who naturally thought that he -had been cheating them. - -The newcomers were of course a welcome accession to the depleted -colony, but they brought misfortune upon it at the outset. They had -been little more than a week within the stockade when one of them -through carelessness set fire to the house in which he was lodged. The -flames spread and in a few short hours all the buildings and even the -fortifications were consumed. Nothing could be saved but the clothes -upon the men’s backs, and the supplies which Newport had landed went -with the rest. In this extremity the settlers must have perished of -cold and starvation, or fallen under the arrows of the savages, but for -the amicable relations which had been brought about by Captain Smith. -As it was, the Indians hastened to bring furs and food to the relief of -the miserable white men who were prostrated body and soul by the sudden -misfortune. They sat about the ruins of Jamestown, bewailing their lot -and praying Captain Newport to carry them home to England. This would -have been impossible at the time, even had he a mind to do so, for -there was not enough food on the ship to serve such a numerous company -as far as the West Indies. - -Smith was ashamed at the cowardice of his countrymen and fearful -lest their puerile exhibition of weakness should lower them in the -estimation of the Indians, many of whom were on hand, for the flames -of Jamestown had been plainly visible at Werowocomico. Seconded by -Mr. Hunt, Newport, Percy and Scrivener, he went among the whimpering -colonists persuading, threatening, cajoling--in short, using any means -to make them bestir themselves. - -“See yonder dominie, good Master Hunt, how, with exhortation, he -hearteneth the afflicted,” he cried seeking to shame them by the -exhibition of a good example. “Yet no man among us hath suffered so -great loss as he. For not only his chattels and clothes have been -destroyed but also his books on which he set more store than upon -gold or aught else. Yet hath no moaning or complaint issued from him, -but he beareth himself bravely and with composure as becometh a true -gentleman and a servant of God.” - -These efforts at length moved the settlers to action and, with the -aid of the sailors and some Indians who were hired to assist, rude -structures were hastily raised in sufficient numbers to afford shelter -to all. The work of rebuilding Jamestown in a permanent fashion was -necessarily deferred. - -Smith now proposed that Newport should pay a visit to Powhatan. During -his captivity our hero had taken pains to impress the Chief with an -idea of Newport’s importance and power. Indeed, he had addressed -himself to this task with such enthusiasm that the savages conceived -of Newport as “Captain Smith’s God,” and by that title he was known -among them. Taking an escort of forty men, Smith, Newport and Scrivener -reached Werowocomico without any mishap and received a warm welcome. -Powhatan awaited them in the same “long house” which had been the scene -of our hero’s stirring adventure. It was a state occasion, as Smith’s -former appearance there had been, and the assemblage presented much the -same aspect. But now, in place of scowling faces and angry mutterings, -Smith and his companions were met with smiles and cries of friendly -greeting. After formal salutations had been exchanged, a great feast -was set out in which they all partook. This was followed by dancing, -singing, and mimic combats. - -Smith’s prime object in suggesting this visit of Newport to the Chief -of the Powhatans lay in a hope that it might tend to cement the -friendly relations existing between the redmen and the settlers. He -was not, however, forgetful of the needs of the settlement, always -on the verge of starvation, and proposed to take advantage of the -opportunity to secure as much food as possible from the ample stores -of Werowocomico. He warned Newport to part with his wares on the -best terms obtainable and to show but few things at a time and those -with a pretence at reluctance. But Newport’s eagerness to play the -part of “big chief” and Powhatan’s shrewdness came near to upsetting -Smith’s plans. When Newport had presented a very generous gift to the -Werowance, intimating that the rest of the goods were to be disposed of -in trade, the wily Powhatan decided to circumvent him by an appeal to -his pride. - -“It is not seemly,” he said, “that two great Werowances such as you and -I should haggle over the details of trade. Lay out your wares then, -that I may see them and what pleases me I will take, paying to you a -fair price according to my judgment.” - -Smith could scarce keep a straight countenance when he heard this -_naïve_ speech of the old chieftain, but his amusement soon gave way -to deep concern as he saw the infatuated Newport spread out his entire -stock before Powhatan. - -Smith had serious cause for apprehension. The influence of the settlers -over the Indians and, indeed, their very lives depended upon the -copper, glass, beads and similar trifles which the Indians coveted so -greedily. If these became cheapened in their eyes, the colonists would -have nothing with which to propitiate them, nor with which to pay for -the provisions so constantly needed. And here was the reckless Newport -permitting Powhatan to help himself on condition of paying what he -pleased for what he should take. The rates of exchange set by Smith had -already, as we know, been ruinously enhanced in favor of the Indians, -and this transaction was calculated to still more greatly raise them. -He did not dare to protest, for fear of arousing Powhatan’s anger, but -fortunately his quick wit enabled him to save the situation without -creating any unpleasantness. - -Among the many things displayed for the inspection of the great -Werowance, Smith noted some beads of a different tint to any others -there. He quietly abstracted the package, taking care that Powhatan -should see him do so. When at length the Chief had indicated all the -things he wished to retain, he fixed a price on them which, as Smith -had anticipated, was not more than one-tenth as much as the Indians had -usually paid for such articles. Having settled that business to his -entire satisfaction, the greedy Chief turned to Smith and asked to be -shown the package which the latter had put aside. Powhatan suspected -that it contained something of unusual value and Smith cunningly -confirmed this suspicion by pretending the greatest reluctance to -exhibit the articles. Presently, however, he showed them, saying: - -“These be as you see different in color from all the other beads. They -be purple--the royal color in the countries beyond the seas--and fit -only for the use of kings.” - -Of course Powhatan was consumed with a desire to possess them and -equally of course Smith did not readily yield to him. At last the -Werowance received the coveted purple beads on the payment of six -times as much for them as he had given for all the things secured from -Newport. It was immediately decreed that purple beads might only be -worn by the Powhatan and his family but Opechancanough was allowed a -few as a mark of special favor. - -After five days of entertainment and friendly intercourse, the -Englishmen returned to the settlement. It was Newport’s intention -to load up his vessel with cedar and depart for England as soon as -possible. Just at this time, however, a trivial accident gave an -entirely new and unfortunate turn to the affairs of the colony. One of -the settlers discovered some yellow dust shining in the bottom of a -stream near the settlement. Immediately, the whole colony was smitten -with the gold-fever. Neglecting all else they gave themselves up to the -pursuit of the precious metal. As one of them says: “There was no talk, -no hope, but dig gold, wash gold, refine gold, load gold; such a bruit -of gold that one mad fellow, a wag, desired to be buried in the sands -lest they should, by their art, make gold of his bones.” The outcome of -all this was that, after several weeks delay, Newport sailed away with -a ship laden with _mica dust_. - - - - -XIX. - -A TURN IN THE TIDE - -Captain Nelson arrives in the Phœnix with reinforcements and -supplies--Powhatan becomes disgruntled--Smith yields to Pocahontas what -he had refused to her father--Smith sets out to explore Chesapeake -Bay--The expedition meets with storm and shipwreck--The party is -led into an ambush--They find the Indians everywhere unfriendly and -learn of Powhatan’s treachery--The Susquehannocks and their giant -chief--They propose to make Smith the head of the tribe--Ratcliffe is -deposed and Scrivener assumes the Presidency--The colony is put in good -condition--Newport returns bent on fanciful schemes--The coronation of -Powhatan. - - -Smith, Scrivener and a few other men of balanced minds had escaped the -gold-fever. They doubted in the first place whether the stuff was worth -anything and realized that, even if it should prove to be gold indeed, -the time occupied in the search of it had better have been employed in -the urgent affairs of the settlement. They were very glad, therefore, -to see Newport at last take his departure, and immediately set men -at work rebuilding the town and fortifications and breaking ground -preparatory to planting corn. The settlers were thus engaged when, -quite unexpectedly, the _Phœnix_ arrived with Captain Nelson and one -hundred and twenty emigrants. As usual, the reinforcement included two -or more gentlemen for every laborer or artisan. Smith’s disappointment -on this account was, however, offset by the fact that Captain Nelson -brought six months’ provisions which were sorely needed by the settlers. - -Hardly had Newport gone than the colony began to reap the fruit of -his unwise traffic with the Indians. Smith had always been careful -to prevent the natives from securing any of the European weapons, or -even pieces of iron from which they might fashion swords. Newport -was less cautious, perhaps because the consequences could entail no -hazard to himself. Just before his departure he gave Powhatan twenty -cutlasses for as many turkeys, despite the earnest protests of Smith. -Powhatan was not long in learning the superiority of these weapons -over his own and, thinking to secure more of them, he sent messengers -to Smith, asking for swords in exchange for fowls. It is needless to -say that the demand was flatly refused, although Smith was loath to -displease the chieftain. Powhatan was keenly disappointed, for he had -thought that, as a member of the tribe, Smith would be more amenable -to his wishes. He was also seriously offended, and sought to gain -his point by stealth. Some of his people were sent to the settlement -with instructions to steal whatever they could and, in particular, to -purloin as many weapons as possible. - -As Indians were frequent visitors to Jamestown and of late had been -permitted to go about the settlement freely, it was comparatively easy -for Powhatan’s emissaries to carry on their pilferings for some time -without detection. At length, however, several of them were caught in -the act and imprisoned. Fearing that they were about to be put to death -they revealed a conspiracy against the colony on the part of Powhatan -and his principal chiefs. Thus forewarned of the intended treachery, -Smith hastened the work on the defences of the place and kept a -vigorous guard day and night. In the meanwhile he held possession of -his prisoners much to the uneasiness of the great Werowance. Repeated -requests for their release were denied, although the messengers came -laden with presents. Opechancanough came in person but had no better -success. At length Powhatan sent Pocahontas with expressions of his -regret for the untoward actions of his subjects and assurances of his -future goodwill. This appeal was effective. Smith yielded, not to the -Chief but to the girl who had saved his life. - -There had been a great deal of discussion about the freighting of -the _Phœnix_. Ratcliffe, Martin, and, in fact, the majority were for -loading the vessel with the delusive dust which had formed Newport’s -cargo. Smith and Scrivener protested against another shipment of -what they strongly suspected to be no more than “glittering dirt.” -Captain Nelson took the same view of the matter and in the end the -_Phœnix_ sailed out of the James with an honest lading of good Virginia -cedar. This was on June the second, 1608. The same day Smith left the -settlement in an open barge of three tons’ burden, accompanied by -fifteen men. Most of these were newcomers, who were not a little set -up on account of an experience they had gained with Newport during his -recent visit. That able seaman generally contrived to make himself -ridiculous when he transferred the scene of his activities to dry -land. He had brought out a large boat in five sections designed to be -carried across the mountains in his projected journey to the South Sea. -The expedition started with a great flourish of trumpets and after -being gone two and a half days returned to Jamestown and abandoned -the enterprise. Now those of Smith’s force who had been in Newport’s -company thought that the latter’s expedition was a fair sample of -exploration. They were eager for adventure and very much feared -that Smith, in an open boat committed to the sea, would not journey -far enough to satisfy their appetite. The leader heard these doubts -expressed and promised himself some amusement at the expense of his -eager adventurers. - -Smith’s determination was to thoroughly explore Chesapeake Bay. It was -no light undertaking. The region was quite unknown to him and peopled -by Indian tribes with which he had not yet come in contact. The mere -matter of navigation involved grave dangers, for the Bay being wide -and open, is subject to almost the full force of wind and tide. But in -the face of all these difficulties, and many more that arose with the -progress of the exploration, Smith accomplished his purpose and that -so effectually that his map of the Bay was the best in existence until -recent times, and is still acknowledged to be an excellent one. The -work was at that time of course of the utmost importance and, although -it took the authorities at home some time to see it, information of -the country and inhabitants of Virginia was of much greater value than -fanciful stories of gold mines and short cuts to the South Sea. - -Our adventurers soon found that exploring with Captain Smith was a very -different thing from a picnic expedition with Captain Newport. They -encountered rough weather from the outset. Their hands blistered and -their backs ached with rowing against a strong wind. The briny waves -drenched their clothes and soaked their bread. Their water keg was -broached by some accident and before they could replenish it they came -so near to being famished that they “would have refused two barrels of -gold for one of puddle water.” This was their condition when a terrible -storm struck them, carrying away their masts and sails. By good -fortune, rather than any effort of their own, they contrived to gain -the shelter of an uninhabited island where they went ashore. - -The men who had been fearful lest Captain Smith should not venture far -enough, were now all for returning to Jamestown, but their leader had -no mind to turn back. Opposition and difficulty ever increased his -determination and nerved him to greater effort. - -“Gentlemen,” said Smith to the disheartened company, “remember the -example of Sir Ralph Lane’s company in worse straits, how they begged -him to proceed in the discovery of Moratico, saying that they had -yet a dog that would sustain them for a while. Then what shame would -it be to us to return, having ample provision of a sort, and scarce -able to say where we have been, nor yet heard of that we were sent to -seek. You can not say but I have shared with you in the worst that is -past; and for what is to come, of lodging, diet, or whatsoever, I am -content you allot the worst part to me. As to your apprehensions that -I will lose myself in these unknown large waters, or be swallowed up -in some stormy gust, abandon these childish fears, for worse than is -past is not likely to happen, and to return would be as dangerous as to -proceed. Regain, therefore, your old spirits, for return I will not--if -God please--till I have seen the Massawomekes, found Patawomek, or the -head of this bay which you imagine to be endless.” - -They remained two days upon the island, and when the storm abated -resumed their journey with fresh sails fashioned from their shirts. - -The exploring party had been out just two weeks when they came across -the mouth of the Potomac--or Patawomek, as Smith called it. They -sailed thirty miles up the river without sight of human being, when -two Indians appeared from nowhere, after their mysterious manner, and -offered to serve them as guides. Pretending to take them to a village -at the head of a creek, the wily savages neatly led them into an -ambuscade. Suddenly the English found themselves in the centre of three -or four hundred Indians, “strangely painted, grimed and disguised, -shouting, yelling and crying, as so many spirits from hell could not -have showed more terrible.” Had they discharged their arrows at once, -instead of wasting time in capering about, the explorers must have been -killed to a man. But these Indians, who had not yet become acquainted -with the dreadful “spit-fires” of the strangers, thought that they had -them entirely at their mercy and doubtless proposed to reserve them -for the torture. Smith ordered his men to fire a volley in the air and -the effect of the discharge of fifteen muskets at once was all that -could be wished. Many of the savages fled into the forest, others threw -themselves prone upon the ground and all cast aside their weapons in -sign of surrender. Smith learned that messengers from Powhatan had -instigated these people to attack the expedition and had urged upon -them, above all, to secure the white men’s weapons. Had they known -the terrible nature of those weapons they certainly would not have -indulged in any such foolishness and they did not think kindly of -their brothers, the Powhatans, for having egged them on to it. Smith -established friendly relations with these people who never occasioned -further trouble. - -In their progress the voyagers found the Indians almost everywhere in -arms and ready to attack them, having been prompted thereto by the -emissaries from Werowocomico. In most cases, however, the natives were -converted to peaceful good-will without bloodshed, the flash and report -of the fire-arm proving to be a powerful pacifier. Wherever they went, -the explorers heard of the Massawomekes. They seem to have been a -particularly warlike tribe, situated near the head of the bay, who were -dreaded and hated by all their neighbors. Smith was very anxious to see -these people and proceeded up the bay with the intention of visiting -their country. But his men were succumbing so fast to the fatigue and -exposure that, when at length there were but five left fit for active -service, he deemed it wise to defer the exploration of the head of the -bay. Before turning homeward, however, he sent a messenger inland to -the country of the Susquehannocks who had the reputation of being a -tribe of giants. - -After a delay of a few days a deputation of sixty warriors from the -Susquehannocks visited the camp of the Englishmen. They were bigger -and more warlike than any Indians that the settlers had encountered up -to that time, and it was agreeable to Smith to find that they had come -prepared to make an alliance with him and, indeed, to adopt him into -the tribe as a chief. In token of their good-will they presented him -with a bear’s skin cloak, such as was only worn by great Werowances, -eighteen mantles, a chain of beads weighing six or seven pounds and a -number of other gewgaws. Their chief was a man of extraordinary size, -even for a Susquehannock. Smith thus describes him: - -“The calf of his leg was three-quarters of a yard about, and all the -rest of his limbs so answerable to that proportion that he seemed the -goodliest man we had ever beheld. His hair on one side was long, the -other shorn close with a ridge over his crown like a cock’s comb. -His arrows were five quarters of a yard long, headed with flints or -splinters of stone in form like a heart, an inch broad and an inch and -a half or more long. These he wore at his back in a wolf’s skin for his -quiver, his bow in the one hand and his club in the other.” - -These people proposed that Smith should assume the headship of the -tribe and lead them in war against the Massawomekes and other enemies. -Had our hero entertained any such ambition as that with which he -was charged by Wingfield and his supporters, here was an excellent -opportunity to set up a kingdom. The Susquehannocks were not only -exceptionally warlike, but also one of the most numerous tribes in -that part of America. No doubt, with a man like Smith at their head, -they could soon have established sovereignty over hundreds of miles of -territory. It is needless to say, however, that the offer was declined -as tactfully as possible and the expedition turned homeward. - -Smith arrived in Jamestown just as another crisis in the affairs of -the colony had been reached. Ratcliffe, the President, had shamefully -abused his office for some time past. He had taken for his private use -the best things in the public stores, he had beaten several of the -settlers, with little or no provocation, and had diverted a number -of laborers from useful employment to the task of building him a -pleasure-house in the woods. Smith appeared on the scene when the wrath -of the colonists had almost risen beyond bounds. Had he not arrived -when he did they would probably have taken Ratcliffe’s life. As it was, -they would hear of nothing short of his deposition and invited Smith -to take his place at the head of the government. Smith, however, who -was the active instrument in disposing of the obnoxious officer, hardly -thought that he could accept the proposal with a good grace and so -persuaded them to allow him to substitute Scrivener for himself. So, -with this change, the summer passed in peace, and satisfactory progress -was made in the rebuilding of the settlement. - -The colony had never been in a better condition than now to make good -progress. The settlers were well content with the rule of Smith and -Scrivener, who always knew just what they wanted to do and how to do -it. Work and rations were fairly apportioned. Gentlemen were required -to take their turn at labor with the rest. A military company was -formed and drilled, and the Indians were kept in check by the practice -of diplomacy and a show of force. This happy state of things was -completely upset by the return of Newport with instructions from his -employers to discover the South Sea, to bring back gold, and to search -for the survivors of the lost Roanoke colony. But this was not the sum -of Newport’s mad mission. He was also charged with the coronation of -Powhatan, to whom King James sent a present of a wash-basin and pitcher -and an Elizabethan bed with its furnishings. Newport failed to bring -the food and other things of which the settlers stood in such constant -need, but instead landed seventy Dutchmen and Poles for the purpose -of establishing manufactories of “pitch, tar, glass and soap-ashes.” -By this time, Smith had been regularly elected President. He was -thoroughly disgusted with the foolish instructions of the London -company, and when Newport undertook to undo much of the good work that -had been accomplished with so great trouble, even going so far as to -restore Ratcliffe to the presidency, Smith bluntly gave him his choice -of immediately taking himself and his ship off, or of being detained -for a year that he might gain the experience that he was sadly in -need of. Newport wisely chose the former alternative and sailed away, -having, as before, sown the seeds of trouble from which the colonists -were to reap a bitter crop before long. - - - - -XX. - -DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND - -Smith goes on a foraging expedition and engages in a contest of -wits with Powhatan--Doctor Russell and Captain Smith get into a -tight place--And get out again--Powhatan plans to murder his adopted -son--Pocahontas warns the Captain of the intended treachery--The feast -and the disappointed waiters--How eight designing Indians afford goodly -entertainment to three Englishmen--And how they are neatly laid by the -heels by their intended victims--“The English sleep like the village -dog, with one eye cocked”--How the ambushers were ambushed and the -captors captured--“If there be one among you bold enough to essay a -single combat, let him come out!” - - -With the approach of winter the colony of Jamestown found itself in -hardly better condition than at the same time in the previous year. -It is true that their health was now better but they had many more -mouths to feed and rather less chance of obtaining provisions from the -Indians. These, as we know, had been unfriendly for some months past, -due to Newport’s reckless generosity towards them and particularly -to his foolish gift of swords, which Smith refused to duplicate. The -more experienced among the settlers had protested strongly against -the crowning of Powhatan, fearing that the savage would interpret -the ceremony as a measure of propitiation and a sign of dread on the -part of the English. And this proved to be the case. It was soon -evident that the great Werowance had risen mightily in self-esteem -in consequence of the silly coronation and that his respect for the -settlers had fallen in proportion. The neighboring bands, acting on -his orders, refused to furnish corn on any terms, and messengers sent -to Werowocomico returned empty handed, telling of having been treated -with a high-handed contempt. After Scrivener and Percy had made futile -expeditions, it became clear that, as usual, Smith must attend to the -matter in person if the colony was to be saved from starvation. - -Smith immediately began preparations for a visit to the capital of -Powhatan, whose spies doubtless gave him early information of the fact, -for, just at this time, an embassy arrived from the newly-crowned -“emperor” demanding workmen to build him an English house to contain -the gorgeous bedstead that his brother, the King of England, had sent -to him. He also asked for fifty swords, as many muskets, a cock and -hen, a large quantity of copper and a bushel of beads. This modest -requisition he expected would be filled forthwith, and in return for -his compliance he promised to give Captain Smith a shipload of corn, -provided he came for it in person. Here was a very palpable trap and -something like a veiled defiance. Smith was as little prone to shirk -danger as he was to decline a challenge, and he returned answer that he -should presently be at Werowocomico. In the meanwhile he was sending -three Germans and two Englishmen to build the projected palace, but, -for the rest of the request, he thought that he had better bring -the things mentioned by the Chief himself, for he feared that the -messengers might hurt themselves with the swords and muskets. - -Leaving Scrivener in charge of the settlement, Smith, with forty-six -volunteers, embarked in the pinnace and two barges. George Percy -commanded one of the latter and Francis West, brother of Lord Delaware, -the other. The journey by water was a tolerably long one for open -boats, and they broke it by a stay of two or three days at Kecoughten, -a village occupying the site of the present town of Hampton. The -Chief received them with genuine friendliness and warned Smith that -Powhatan contemplated treachery. Here the party “kept Christmas among -the savages, where they were never more merry, nor fed on more plenty -of good oysters, fish, flesh, wild fowl and good bread; nor never had -better fires in England than the dry, smoky houses of Kecoughten.” The -enthusiasm with which the chroniclers among the colonists expatiate -upon such simple comforts as these when it happens to be their good -fortune to experience them, gives us a very good idea of the miserable -condition that generally prevailed at Jamestown. - -When at length the party arrived at Werowocomico, they found the river -frozen over to a distance of half a mile from shore. Smith overcame -this obstruction by leaving his boats and wading to land with a squad -of men. The entire absence of welcome was a sinister indication, but -Smith, unabashed, took possession of a deserted wigwam on the bank and -sent messengers to Powhatan for provisions. These were forthcoming, and -the chieftain agreed to meet the English captain the next morning in a -formal pow-wow. - -Before noon the following day, Captain Smith and his handful of men -went up to the town, putting a bold face on what they all believed -to be a very bad matter. Once more the two chiefs met in the famous -“king’s house.” Powhatan received Smith with the utmost coolness, and -it was noticeable that he did not address him by his tribal name. When -the matter of food supplies came up, he declared that he had so little -to spare that he was loath to exchange it for copper which his people -could not eat. As a special favor to the English and in consideration -of their great need he would stretch a point to let them have thirty -bushels in exchange for as many swords, but he was really not at all -anxious to make the trade. Indeed, so short was the food supply at -Werowocomico that he hoped that the English would speedily depart for -he could ill afford to entertain so many hungry stomachs. - -“As to that,” replied Smith, “we have come at your invitation, and will -delay no longer than is necessary to effect our purpose, which is to -secure, at a fair price, so much corn and venison as you can readily -spare from the well-filled stores of Werowocomico.” - -Each had intimated that he was well acquainted with the actual -conditions at the headquarters of the other, but Smith was at a loss to -determine whether Powhatan had merely guessed at the urgent needs of -the colonists, or whether he was really informed of the state of things -at Jamestown. As yet he had no suspicion of the truth, which was that -the Dutchmen sent to build the Chief’s house had betrayed the colony. -Tempted by the abundant food and comfortable lodgings at the capital of -the Powhatans, they had secretly sold their allegiance to the Chief, -intending to remain with the Indians and marry into their tribe. - -Powhatan continued the negotiations in the same independent tone, -declaring that he would exchange corn for swords and muskets and for -nothing else. At length this persistent attitude provoked Smith to a -decisive reply. - -“Let me speak the Werowance plain as I would that he should speak to -me. We will part with our swords and muskets no sooner than we will -with our clothes. Why, indeed, should we do so, when by a use of these -same we can readily get all the corn we want and still retain them? We -came here as honest and well-meaning men to get provisions and get them -we will, if not by fair means then by foul. If blood be shed in this -matter, upon your head be it, for I am, and ever have been, willing, in -good faith, to uphold the friendship which we plighted to one another.” - -This language was too plain to be misunderstood and Powhatan proceeded -upon another tack. He assured his dear son that his intention in the -matter had been misunderstood. There were, it was true, no spare -supplies in Werowocomico, but messengers should at once be sent into -the surrounding country to collect foodstuff and the English Werowance -would in good time be furnished with as much as he desired. Of course -this was only a ruse to gain time, and as such Smith recognized it, but -he was not himself averse to postponing conclusions, since his boats -and men could not join him for some days. He immediately set gangs of -Indians to work in breaking up the ice, explaining that he would need -the pinnace to load his supplies upon when they arrived. Powhatan was -not in the least deceived by this explanation and himself sent to the -various chiefs under his dominion for reinforcements. In the meantime, -wishing to establish an alibi in connection with the murder of Captain -Smith, which he had planned, he withdrew to a neighboring village. - -The next day, there were few Indians in evidence, although several -hundreds of them lay concealed within arrow shot. Smith’s men were -engaged on the bank of the river, whilst he and Doctor Russell were -consulting together in a wigwam at some distance. Suddenly they became -aware of the approach of scores of silent savages from every direction. -They were armed, and a glance was sufficient to perceive that their -intentions were evil. Two or three carried torches with which they -proposed to fire the wigwam and then brain the white men as they should -run out. Russell was for instantly rushing upon the foe, but Smith, who -never lost his head in any emergency, checked him. - -“Nay,” he said, laying his hand upon the other’s arm. “Rest we here -until they be close upon the house when they durst not shoot their -arrows for fear of slaying one the other. Then will we sally against -them and fend ourselves from their tomahawks as best we can.” - -The advice was excellent, for had they exposed themselves otherwise -they must have been killed at the first discharge. Each had his pistols -with him, and these they quietly primed and with composure awaited -the oncoming savages. At length they were within a few yards of the -house, and at the word from Smith, Doctor Russell sprang out at his -side. Four Indians fell at the discharge of the pistols which were -fired in their very faces. Those in front hastily leaped out of the -line of the smoking weapons, making a lane into which the Englishmen -dashed, swinging their swords right and left. The sortie was so sudden -and unexpected that Smith and his companion were clear through the -circle of savages and speeding towards the river before the Indians -could recover from their surprise. They might easily have overtaken -the Englishmen, being much more fleet of foot, but the appearance of -Smith’s men, who had been warned by the pistol reports, checked all -thought of pursuit. - -This episode made it evident that Powhatan had determined upon -desperate measures, and it also satisfied Smith that he could no longer -look for any immunity on account of his membership in the tribe. The -next morning Powhatan, his plot having failed, returned to the town and -sent a messenger to Smith with a strip of wampum in token of peace. -He was exceedingly sorry that some of his people had rashly taken -advantage of his temporary absence on the business of the captain’s -supplies to attack their brother chief. The culprits, fearing his -wrath, had taken to the woods, but on their return they should be -severely punished. Tomorrow Powhatan would load the ship of the English -Werowance with corn and he hoped that they would part good friends. -To all of this Smith contented himself by replying that he should be -ready to receive the corn when it arrived and to pay a fair price for -it in any commodity but weapons. - -Smith thought it hardly possible that Powhatan would venture another -attack now that the pinnace with reinforcements was close at hand, -and he might have been taken by surprise but for a timely warning. As -he lay in his wigwam late that night, thinking over the many weighty -affairs depending upon his disposition, he heard his name called -softly as out of the ground. At length he realized that some one was -whispering under the edge of the wigwam. Going out cautiously, he found -Pocahontas awaiting him. She had come at the risk of her life to warn -him, for she declared that if her father learned that she had betrayed -his secret, he would kill her with his own hand. In agitated whispers, -broken by her tears, she informed her adopted brother that it had been -arranged to delay the loading on the following day, so that Smith -would be unexpectedly compelled to spend another night on shore. That -after dark, a feast would be borne to him by eight men who would wait -upon him and the two gentlemen who usually supped with him. That, at a -favorable opportunity, the attendant Indians would seize the arms of -the Englishmen and give a signal to the band of warriors by whom the -wigwam would be surrounded. Having told her story, the Indian maiden -vanished silently into the night. - -Smith of course laid his plans to circumvent his astute adoptive -father, but he made no effort to expedite the loading which was delayed -as he had been led to expect, so that night fell before it had been -completed. Smith, Doctor Russell and George Percy sat down to supper -as usual that night, just as eight unarmed, but stalwart, Indians, -who looked little like waiters, came to the wigwam laden with viands -which Powhatan begged his dear son and friends to accept. They were -pleased to do so, and proceeded to attack the bountiful supply of -good things without delay. But, to the dismay of the waiters, the -Englishmen did not lay aside their arms. On the contrary, each of them -had four pistols in his belt and a fifth cocked and primed by his side -upon the ground. Furthermore, they lined themselves with their backs -against the side of the wigwam, so that they constantly faced their -anxious attendants who had thus no chance to spring upon them unawares. -The Indians were plainly nonplussed and disconcerted. The feasters, -whilst eating leisurely, enjoyed to the full the discomfiture of their -intended captors. Smith vowed that it was the goodliest entertainment -he had had since landing in Virginia. When our adventurers had filled -their stomachs, they quietly levelled their pistols at the waiters and -signed to them to keep silence and to lie down. They then bound each -with cord, allowing them sufficient freedom of the legs to hobble. -Pushing two of these before him as a shield, Smith threw back the skin -flap and stood in the entrance of the wigwam. - -“Warriors of the Powhatans!” he cried, addressing the concealed -savages, to whom he knew that the light of the fire at his back made -him plainly visible. “Warriors of the Powhatans! The English sleep like -the village dog, with one eye cocked, but you think to find us snoring -like old women when you steal upon us in the night. We also have -learned something of the ambuscade since coming among you. What ho, my -men!” - -An answering shout ran along in the rear of the line of lurking -savages, conveying to them the uncomfortable announcement that they had -lain shadowed by a band of English. - -“Back to your wigwams, valiants!” continued Smith derisively, “and -dream of conquests that ye are not fit to achieve. If there be one -among you bold enough to essay a single combat let him come out with -his club and I with my bare hands will meet him. No? Then away with -you! Your brother assassins will I hold in surety of a peaceful night’s -slumber.” With that he re-entered the wigwam, pulling his bound Indians -after him. - -The pinnace was loaded without hitch the next morning. Indeed, the -Indians, who appeared to be much depressed, had no greater desire -than to see the strangers depart. When all was ready, Smith handed -to them a liberal recompense for the provisions they had supplied, -although their repeated treacheries would have fully justified him, -one would think, in refusing payment. The barges were yet empty and -Smith determined to go on to Pamaunke, the seat of his old enemy -Opechancanough, and see if he could not induce that chief to complete -the supply. - -The expedition had no sooner left Werowocomico, than two of the -renegade Dutchmen journeyed with all haste to Jamestown. There they -purported to deliver a message from the President, and by means of this -ruse secured a number of weapons, tools, and other useful articles, -besides persuading six of their countrymen to desert the colony and, -like themselves, throw in their lot with the Indians. - - - - -XXI. - -SOME AMBUSCADES - -Smith pays a visit to Opechancanough and declines to walk into -a trap--“Drop your arms on the instant or your Chief’s life is -forfeit”--Smith affords the Pamaunkes an object lesson and reads them -a lecture--A messenger with sad news from Jamestown--Smith loses an -old friend and a faithful ally--The Indians set a trap for the White -Werowance and fall into it themselves--Smith loads his boats and -returns to Jamestown--He finds the settlement in a condition of anarchy -and threatened with starvation--And promptly proceeds to restore law -and order--The colonists are given to understand that “he that will not -work shall not eat.” - - -At Pamaunke, Opechancanough resorted to the same species of dalliance -and subterfuge that Powhatan had practised so ineffectually. He claimed -to have but a few bushels of corn to spare and set the price up so -high that Smith laughed in his face. This fencing was carried on for -several days, the real object being to permit the return of a number -of warriors who happened to be absent from the village, likely enough -being part of the reinforcements that Powhatan had summoned from his -under-chiefs. When these had arrived, Opechancanough promised to have -a more satisfactory quantity of supplies for the English captain on -the following day. Smith, accompanied by sixteen men, accordingly went -up to a large house at the time appointed, prepared to negotiate the -exchange. Opechancanough received the party with the appearance of -utmost cordiality and declared that he had at great pains collected a -large quantity of provisions for his guests. In token of his friendship -to Smith he had prepared for him a personal present contained in a heap -of baskets stacked up outside the wigwam. The Chief invited his white -brother to step out and inspect the gift. Smith went to the door and -looked around. His quick eye, sharpened by suspicion, detected a score -or more of arrow heads projecting from over the top of a fallen tree at -about twenty yards distance. The bows were drawn ready to let fly at -him as soon as he appeared in the open. - -Smith turned to the treacherous chief and in no uncertain terms -taxed him with his perfidy. He asked him if he were not ashamed to -stoop to such dirty tricks, so ill-becoming a man and a brave. He -professed himself willing to believe that Opechancanough possessed the -courage that repute gave him credit for and proposed to afford him -an opportunity to prove it. Let them two, suggested Smith, go upon a -barren island in the middle of the river and settle their difference -whilst yet their people had not come to blows. Each should take the -goods about which they experienced so much difficulty in coming to an -understanding and the victor would be entitled to the whole. In this -way might they reach a conclusion like honorable gentlemen and avoid -much needless trouble. This proposal was not at all to the liking of -the Indian, who desired nothing so little as to harm his brother the -Werowance of the English, whose groundless suspicions deeply pained him. - -“Opechancanough!” replied Smith to these lying protestations, “it is -not meet that we should waste time in idle badinage, for whether your -words be spoken in jest or mere deceit they do not serve to further -my purpose. Your plenty is well beknown to me and a reasonable part -of it I must have and am willing to pay you therefor a reasonable -compensation. When last I visited Pamaunke you promised to provide me -with all the provisions I might ask when I should come again. Now I -claim the fulfillment of that promise, nor will I abide any refusal -though it be couched in honeyed words. Here are my wares. Take you your -choice of them. The rest I will barter with your people on fair terms.” - -Smith had hardly completed this politic and not unreasonable speech, -when Doctor Russell, who had been left with the boats, hastily entered -the house, and going to Smith’s side warned him that the place was -surrounded by hundreds of armed warriors, who were evidently only -awaiting a signal to make an attack. Smith looked at Opechancanough who -was evidently disconcerted by Russell’s appearance and the whispered -conference that followed. There was no doubt whatever in the Captain’s -mind about the Indian chieftain’s evil intentions. To parley farther -would be worse than useless. To sally forth in the face of the awaiting -bowmen would surely be to lose some of his men. Decisive action was -necessary and that without an instant’s delay. Smith’s mind was quickly -made up and his design executed with equal celerity. - -On one side of the wigwam were grouped the Englishmen. On the other -Opechancanough stood in the midst of forty of his tallest warriors, -himself towering above them all. Whilst Smith had carried on his -hurried conversation with the doctor, the Pamaunke engaged in excited -debate with his braves. Smith watched his formidable adversary like -a hawk and at a favorable opportunity bounded into the midst of the -surrounding warriors and, before a hand could be raised, had the Chief -fast by the scalp-lock and a pistol presented at his breast. Not an -Indian dared interfere as Smith dragged his captive to the other side -of the house whilst he cried to Percy and West to guard the doors. - -“Drop your arms on the instant or your Chief’s life is forfeit!” cried -Smith to the amazed warriors. They obeyed with little hesitation and -the Englishmen gathered up their weapons. - -Still with his fingers entwined in Opechancanough’s hair, Captain -Smith drew him out of the house and into the presence of the warriors -waiting in ambush. Some of his men carried out the seized weapons and -threw them in a heap before the captain and his captive, whilst the -disarmed braves were made to form a group behind them. This humiliating -spectacle had an instantaneous effect upon the spectators. Overcome -with shame and apprehension they bowed their heads in despair and -allowed their weapons to drop from their hands. - -“Pamaunkes!” said Smith, addressing them in stern tones. “You have -gone about to compass my death. What have I done that you should -meet my honorable offices with such foul treachery? I promised you -my friendship as your Chief promised his to me. In what manner hath -he kept that promise? But, despite your presumption, I am willing to -overlook that which is passed and take you again into my favor. Now, -mark me well! for I speak you in all earnestness! If you repeat your -treacheries or shoot but one arrow to the hurt of any of my people, -then will I surely visit the Pamaunkes with a bitter vengeance. I am -not now powerless, half drowned and frozen, as when you captured me. -Yet for your good usage and sparing of me then, am I kindly disposed -towards you. In all friendliness I came to barter with you and you -undertook to freight my ship. That shall you do, receiving therefor a -proper recompense.” - -The Indians expressed their willingness to abide by these conditions -and declared that every soul in the band should be immediately engaged -in the task of loading the vessel, leaving the matter of payment to be -decided by the English Werowance later. - -“So be it!” said Smith. “Your Chief and brethren are free. They may -take their weapons and go. But beware! For if again you play me false I -shall show no such mercy upon you.” - -The band now set to work to load the barges with all possible speed, -for, like the men of Werowocomico after trying conclusions with our -Captain, they were only too anxious to have the English begone. They -were just at the point of departure when there arrived a tattered and -footsore white man, pinched with hunger and cold. He had reached the -extremity of his endurance when he staggered into the camp of his -people at Pamaunke. This brave fellow was Master Richard Wyffin, one of -the gentlemen adventurers who had arrived with Captain Nelson in the -_Phœnix_. After being fed and warmed, he told his story to Smith. It -appeared that some two weeks previous Scrivener, the acting President, -together with Captain Waldo and Anthony Gosnold, newly appointed -members of the Council, and eight men, had left the settlement on -a visit to Hog Island, where the colonists kept some swine that had -been imported from the West Indies. A sudden storm overtook the party -and capsized their boat. All were drowned and their bodies some days -later were recovered by Indians. Wyffin, at the grave hazard of his -life, had set out alone to carry the sad tidings to the President. -After wandering out of his way for several days, the messenger -reached Werowocomico, where he expected to find Smith. Here he would -have fallen a prey to the vengeance of Powhatan’s warriors had not -Pocahontas hidden him and, when opportunity served, set him upon the -road to Pamaunke. Smith was much affected by the news of the death -of Scrivener, for whom he had a strong regard and whose value to the -colony he fully appreciated. - -During the loading of the barges Smith had had a heart to heart talk -with Opechancanough. That chief, now thoroughly subdued in spirit -and persuaded that frankness might better serve his interests than -deception, gave the Englishman a fairly truthful account of the actual -state of affairs. From this and his own observation, Smith reached the -conclusion that the stores of Pamaunke could not well stand the strain -of freighting both his barges. He decided, therefore, to be satisfied -with one barge load, determining to return to Werowocomico for the -second. This he felt quite justified in doing, for it was well known -to him that Powhatan’s garners were always overflowing, for the great -Werowance exacted a heavy tribute from the minor chiefs of the tribe. -Moreover, Smith was willing to punish his adoptive father as the author -of all the trouble that had befallen the expedition. Accordingly, after -leaving Pamaunke, the boats turned their prows upstream and started -back to Werowocomico. - -Towards evening the expedition, turning a bend in the river, came -suddenly upon a place where a number of people were assembled on the -bank, evidently awaiting their coming. They were men and women, quite -unarmed, and each bearing a basket of corn. Smith chuckled when he -beheld the palpable trap. - -“Surely they take us for barn-yard fowls and think that we will run to -a handful of grain held out in a sieve. The grain we will take but in -no such simple fashion.” - -He had no doubt that a hundred or more stout bowmen lay hidden behind -the innocent looking crowd which greeted him with eager offers to -trade. Dissembling his suspicions, Smith declared that the day was too -far spent for trading. He would lie-to for the night, he said, and in -the morning would come ashore unarmed as they demanded. - -When darkness had set in Smith picked twenty-five men and placed them -under the commands of Percy and West. These officers were directed to -take the force in one of the barges several miles farther up the river -and there to land twenty of them. The remaining five were to bring -back the boat that its absence might not excite the suspicions of the -savages on the morrow. Percy and West were then to proceed through -the forest with their men and dispose them before daylight in the -rear of the Indian ambuscade. It was quite dark when the barge, with -muffled oars, pulled upstream, but some hours later a clear moon arose, -enabling the party to carry out its instructions to the letter. - -The next morning, the unarmed Indians were on the bank as before with -their baskets of corn, and Smith went ashore as he had promised with -a squad of men, all of whom had left their weapons in the pinnace. No -sooner had they set foot on land than the would-be traders scattered -and fled into the surrounding forest, leaving their baskets upon the -ground. At the same instant a band of warriors rose from the cover in -which they had lain hidden and drew their bows upon the English. - -“Stay your hands, Powhatans, and look to your backs!” cried Smith with -extended forefinger. - -The warriors glanced behind them to see Percy’s men drawn up with -levelled muskets. Uttering a howl of dismay, they plunged into the -thicket and disappeared. The baskets of corn were carried aboard the -barges and the party continued its journey. - -They found Werowocomico completely deserted. Powhatan had fled, taking -his renegade Dutchmen and emptying his stores. However, thanks to -the attempted ambuscade, Smith had now nearly as great a quantity -of provisions as his boats could carry and he returned to the fort. -The expedition had been absent six weeks. In that time its members -had been exposed to much hardship and many dangers of which we have -made no mention. They had relieved the settlement, during a period of -great stringency, of the keep of forty-six men and now they returned -with five hundred bushels of corn and two hundred pounds of meat. -Furthermore, not a man was missing from the party. This was, indeed, an -achievement to be proud of, but it was not of the kind to impress the -proprietors at home. Had Smith come back with empty boats and the loss -of some lives, so that he had learned some fanciful rumor of a gold -mine in a mythical country, they would have been better pleased with -him. - -The President found the colony in a bad way. The food supply was -almost exhausted and the settlers were within sight of starvation. The -councilmen, who should never have all left Jamestown at the same time, -had been drowned together. In the absence of all authority, discipline -naturally disappeared and disaffection spread. This as we shall see -later had developed into treason and conspiracy before the President’s -arrival. There had been some attempted desertions and doubtless would -have been more but for the contemplation of the fate of Scrivener and -his companions. Work of all descriptions had entirely ceased and the -men spent their days in loafing and quarrelling. - -Smith took the situation in hand with his usual decision and firmness. -He determined to check the demoralization at any cost but wisely -decided to employ genial measures where they would avail. Calling the -settlers together, he gave them a clear understanding of his attitude -at the outset. Standing on the steps of the Council House, he addressed -them in the following words, his tone and gesture carrying conviction -to his hearers. - -“Countrymen! The long experience of our late miseries should be -sufficient to persuade everyone to correct his errors and determine -to play the man. Think not, any of you, that my pains, nor the -adventurers’ purse, will maintain you in idleness and sloth. I speak -not thus to you all, for well I know that divers of you deserve both -honor and reward, but the greater part must be more industrious or -starve. It hath heretofore been the policy of the Council to treat -alike the diligent and the idle, so that a man might work not at all -yet was he assured of warm lodging and a full belly--at least as much -of these comforts as was enjoyed by them that toiled for the betterment -of the colony. Such a condition will not I maintain. You see that -power now resteth wholly in myself. You must obey this now for a law, -that he that will not work--except by sickness he is disabled--shall -not eat. The labors of thirty or forty industrious men shall not be -consumed to maintain a hundred and fifty idle loiterers. That there is -disaffection among you I know. I hope that it will cease forthwith, -but if not, I warn you that I shall hesitate not to take the life of -any man who seeks to sow the seeds of treason in this His Majesty’s -colony of Virginia. I would wish you, therefore, without contempt of -my authority, to study to observe the orders that I here set down, -for there are now no more Councillors to protect you and to curb my -endeavors. He that offendeth, therefore, shall most assuredly meet due -punishment.” - - - - -XXII. - -A CURIOUS COMBAT - -The settlement is reduced to order and industry--The renegade Dutchmen -and their friends in the fort--Smith stalks a traitor through the -forest--Captures him and brings him back to be hanged--The Chief of the -Paspaheghs enters upon a dangerous enterprise--He finds Smith ready -to try a conclusion with him--The Indian giant and the Englishman -engage in a wrestling match--The bout ends in the discomfiture of -the Paspahegh--He cuts “a sorry figure squirming like a toad under a -harrow”--He is carried captive to the fort and held for exchange with -the traitorous Dutchmen--But Smith’s heart is touched by the appeal of -the warriors and he releases the Chief. - - -The uncompromising attitude of the President had a good effect upon -even the worst members of the colony who, even though they were not -moved thereby to honest endeavor, were at least restrained by fear -from active interference. There was now in the public store enough -provision to carry the settlement, with prudent use, over to the time -of harvest. Their minds were therefore relieved of what was usually -the most pressing anxiety, and they were free to devote their labors -to internal improvement. Smith divided the settlers into squads of -ten or fifteen, to each of which was assigned a particular duty every -day. Six hours a day, with the exception of the Sabbath, were given to -work. The remaining time was consumed in pastimes which tended to cheer -the spirits whilst preserving the health of the men. Smith himself -was constantly on duty and seemed to have a hundred pair of eyes, -for nothing escaped his notice. Passing from one group of laborers -to another, he directed their work, cheered the weak, praised the -industrious, reproved the unhandy and punished the shirkers. Under the -new regulations, the erection of public buildings and the construction -of fortifications progressed rapidly and at the same time the health -and temper of the colonists greatly improved. - -Smith was of course ere this fully informed of the defection of the -three Dutchmen whom he had sent to Powhatan, but he had yet to learn -that these renegados had many sympathizers and some active confederates -at Jamestown among the seventy foreigners exported by the company. -For some time after the institution of the new regulations, it had -been apparent that a clever system of thievery was being carried on -in the fort. Arms, ammunition and tools disappeared from time to time -and no trace of the offenders could be had. The persons entrusted by -Smith with the task of detecting the thieves having utterly failed -to discover them, he determined to undertake the matter himself. It -was certain that the stolen articles were conveyed out of the fort -after dark, and Smith therefore took to spending his nights on watch. -At length his vigils were rewarded by the sight of five men scaling -the palisades over which they hauled a number of heavy packages. -He followed them stealthily. They took the rough road leading from -Jamestown to the glass factory, a mile distant, which they reached in -about half an hour. As they approached the house, a number of Indians -came out to meet them, and among these Smith recognized by his voice -a certain Franz, who was painted and bedecked to represent a redskin. -Smith lay concealed close at hand during the transfer of the goods and -heard the entire conversation of the conspirators. The party from the -fort wasted no time in returning, and Smith let them go upon their way -without interference. His mind was set on capturing the traitor Franz. - -After the Dutchmen had left, the Indians distributed the burden among -themselves and set out in the opposite direction. Smith rightly -surmised that they would not go far before encamping, and that, knowing -that there was no party abroad from the settlement, they would not deem -it necessary to maintain a guard when they slept. But he kept well in -the rear for fear of alarming them, for the savage is alive to the -breaking of a twig or the rustling of a leaf on a still night. Their -camp-fire would guide him to them when they stopped. - -The band proceeded along the trail for a few miles and then suddenly -struck into the depths of the forest, but soon halted and prepared -for the night by building a fire. Round this they sat for a while -talking and eating dried venison and bread. One by one they stretched -themselves out by the blazing wood until at length all were sunk -in deep slumber. Smith had crept near before this and had marked -the position of Franz who, being more susceptible to cold than his -companions, was wrapped in a long fur. For fully an hour after the -last man had lain down Smith waited patiently with his eyes fixed on -the fur-robed figure of the Dutchman. At last he thought it safe to -advance, and gradually stole forward until he stood over the recumbent -form of the traitor. It would have been an easy matter to stab the -sleeping man to the heart, but, although he richly deserved such a -fate, the thought was repugnant to our hero, who preferred, even at the -risk of his own life, to make the other captive. - -Had Smith attempted to seize Franz, or in any other way to awaken -him suddenly, no doubt the man would have alarmed his companions. -Smith, therefore, proceeded with calm deliberation to bring his victim -gradually to his senses. Kneeling beside him, with a cocked pistol in -one hand, he set to brushing his face lightly with a wisp of grass. -The sleeping man began to breathe more rapidly as the slight irritation -excited him, then he turned restlessly several times and at last slowly -opened his eyes upon Smith and the threatening pistol. The Captain’s -eyes, readable in the light of the fire, spoke more eloquently than -words could have done. Franz realized that death would follow the first -sound he should make. In obedience to the signs of his captor he rose -quietly and stepped out of the ring of light into the gloom of the -surrounding forest. Smith’s hand grasped his hair whilst the pistol -was pressed against the nape of his neck. In his character of Indian, -Franz had carried no weapons but a bow and arrow and these lay where -he had slept, so that he was quite powerless to resist. When they had -proceeded cautiously until safely beyond earshot, Smith urged his -prisoner forward with all speed and within an hour after his capture -had him safely lodged in the jail of the fort. - -The proof of this Dutchman’s guilt being so absolute, the jury before -whom he was tried found him guilty without hesitation and he was hanged -forthwith. It would be interesting to know how the Indians accounted -for the complete disappearance of the disguised Dutchman who had lain -down to sleep with them. They may have supposed that he had wandered -from the camp in the night and lost his way. It is quite as likely, -however, that they decided that the god of the English angered at -his perfidy had carried him off. Of course it was not long before -they learned the truth, but Smith took immediate measures to suppress -the illicit dealings that had been carried on between the Indians and -the traitors in the fort. A blockhouse was erected at the neck of the -peninsula upon which Jamestown stood and neither redman nor white was -thereafter permitted to pass it during day or night without giving an -account of himself. But the affair of Franz was not the end of the -trouble with the foreign settlers, as we shall see. - -Shortly after the incident of Franz, the German, or the Dutchman, as -the early writers called him, Smith received a message from the Chief -of the Paspaheghs, who declared that he was in possession of a number -of stolen articles which he desired to return to the white Werowance -in person. He proposed that the latter should meet him at a designated -place some miles from Jamestown and take over the purloined property. -Smith was getting a little tired of these transparent subterfuges, but -as they invariably turned to his advantage it seemed to be inadvisable -to neglect such an opportunity. Accordingly he went to the appointed -place, taking with him a guard of ten men fully armed. There they -found the Chief, attended by fifty warriors. He was a man of gigantic -stature, being even taller than Opechancanough. Smith wished to come -at once to the purpose of the meeting, but the Chief seemed disposed -to palaver and consume time. At length he expressed a desire to speak -to the Captain privately and apart. To this request Smith acceded and -walked aside with the Paspahegh, keeping a sharp lookout the while. - -It would seem that this Indian, who had only encountered our hero -in his most genial moods, was sufficiently bold and enterprising to -venture upon an attempt to dispose of him single handed. The idea may -have been suggested to his mind by noticing that Smith, contrary to -his custom, was on this occasion armed only with a falchion. No doubt -the Paspahegh had a right to rely greatly upon his superior size but -had he consulted Opechancanough before entering upon this hazardous -undertaking, he might have received some deterrent advice. - -The two leaders continued to walk away until they were completely -beyond the sight of their followers. Smith had instructed his men not -to follow him, feeling confident that as long as he had the Chief -within arm’s length he could control the situation, and with that idea -he kept close by the Paspahegh’s side. The Indian seemed to find the -proximity unsuited to his plans, for he attempted several times to -edge away. These attempts were not lost upon Smith who took care to -frustrate them, for the Chief carried a bow and arrows which he could -not use with effect except at some distance from his intended victim. - -At length the Paspahegh lost patience, or gave up hope of eluding the -vigilance of his companion. Suddenly he sprang to one side and turned -on Smith with his bow drawn taut and an arrow fitted in it. But before -he could loose the shaft our hero was upon him and had grasped him in -a wrestler’s hold. The Chief dropped his useless weapon and addressed -himself to the task of overthrowing his antagonist. He dared not cry -for help, for to do so would be to bring the English to the assistance -of their leader. Smith, on the other hand, was not inclined to court -interference. To “try a conclusion” by single combat was always to his -liking, and he thoroughly enjoyed the present situation. - -For a while the clasped figures swayed to and fro, the Indian striving -by sheer weight to crush his smaller adversary to the ground. Smith, on -his part, contented himself at first with the effort necessary to keep -his feet, but, when he felt the savage tiring from his great exertions, -decided to try offensive tactics. The Indian was no wrestler and, -moreover, he had secured but a poor hold. Smith held his antagonist -firmly round the waist where he had seized him at the onset and now -he suddenly dropped his hold to the savage’s knees. With a tight grip -and a mighty heave upwards he threw the Paspahegh over his head and -turned to fall upon him. But the Indian was agile despite his great -size. He had broken his fall with his hands, and, regaining his feet -quickly and without injury, immediately grappled with Smith. It was -no eagerness for the combat that prompted the Paspahegh to re-engage -with such alacrity but the knowledge that unless he closed at once his -opponent might draw his sword and run him through. Smith would rather -have continued the duel on equal terms, but the chivalrous instinct -that could prefer such a condition to slaying a helpless enemy was -entirely beyond the comprehension of the savage. - -The struggle was now renewed with vigor. The Indian, moved to frenzy -by fear, put forth such strength that for a space of time Smith was -powerless to withstand him. Nearby was a stream and towards this the -Indian dragged our hero, doubtless with the hope of getting into deep -water where his much greater height would have given him an advantage. -As they neared the bank, Smith contrived to get his foot between the -other’s legs and trip him. The Paspahegh loosed his hold and stumbled -forward for a pace or two. He quickly recovered and faced about to -receive a stinging blow on the chin, and as he reeled under it Smith -sprang at his throat and got it in a tight grasp. It was in vain that -the Indian struggled to shake off that iron grip. Smith’s clutch did -not relax until the savage exhausted and breathless sank to the ground. - -[Illustration: IT WAS IN VAIN THAT THE INDIAN STRUGGLED TO SHAKE OFF -THAT IRON GRIP] - -Smith allowed his fallen foe a few minutes to recover himself somewhat -and then, drawing his sword and twisting the Indian’s scalp-lock -about his left hand, he made him rise and march back to the place where -their respective followers awaited them. The Paspahegh was over six -feet in height and Smith of only medium stature, so that the former had -to stoop in order to accommodate himself to his captor’s grasp. Thus he -cut a very sorry figure when he came within the view of his warriors -squirming like a toad under a harrow. Smith now demanded the articles -for the recovery of which he had been induced to meet the Indians, -and their deceit was proved when they failed to produce them. Much to -their relief, the thoroughly cowed warriors were permitted to depart -unharmed, but they were obliged to return without their Chief, who was -conveyed a prisoner to the fort. - -The Paspahegh seems to have been the most manly of the chieftains -with whom Smith came in conflict. He accepted his imprisonment with -uncomplaining dignity and calmly awaited the fate which he had every -reason to believe would be death. Smith, however, had never entertained -thought of killing his captive. It was in his mind to hold the chief -for exchange with the Dutchmen but, with his usual clemency, he -allowed him to depart with a deputation of his tribesmen who shortly -appeared at the settlement. These professed repentance and promised -good behavior in the future. They declared that their chief had been -instigated to treachery by another--meaning Powhatan. That he had -always been kindly disposed towards Smith and at the time of his -captivity had been one of the few chiefs in favor of sparing his life. -Finally they agreed to clear and plant an extra field of corn for the -English against the next harvest. Smith yielded, assured them of his -future friendship as long as they deserved it and giving to each a -present sent them upon their way contented. - - - - -XXIII. - -A HUMBLED CHIEFTAIN - -Powhatan stirs his Dutch allies to reluctant activity--They concoct a -conspiracy to seize Jamestown and massacre the English--The movement -fails and all Powhatan’s warriors fall into the hands of Smith--“It is -within my power to cut off the Powhatans root and branch!”--The old -Chief is bowed in shame and repentance--A very righteous fate befalls -the perfidious Dutchmen--Friendly relations are again established -between the whites and the Indians--A grand scheme of government which -has a bad inception--Ratcliffe, Archer and other mischief-makers return -to Virginia--Smith is seriously injured and returns to England. - - -The Dutchmen at Werowocomico had been living on the fat of the land. -They were installed as honored members of the tribe and granted many -unusual privileges. Powhatan was well pleased with their work in the -erection of his English house and their success in stealing from the -settlement. But he expected much more from these white allies, who came -to him boasting that they would show him how to subdue the English and -drive them into the sea. The traitors would have been well content to -have Powhatan forget those idle promises and allow them to continue -in peace the life of ease and comfort into which they had settled. -They were mechanics, quite ignorant of military matters. They could -steal muskets but were unable to drill the savages in the use of them -and, indeed, through their faulty instructions caused a number of the -Indians to be blown up by gunpowder. However, Powhatan was insistent -that they should redeem their promises and it became necessary to -bestir themselves. - -Smith had effectually put a stop to the traffic between the thieves -in the fort and their confederates among the Indians, but it would -have been quite impossible to prevent communications, since there -was constant intercourse between the settlers and the natives of the -surrounding country. The Dutchmen, therefore, had no difficulty in -laying plans with certain of their countrymen in Jamestown. A scheme -was at length conceived that appeared to present some prospect of -success and met with the approval of Powhatan. On a certain night the -conspirators within the fort were to blow up the arsenal and set fire -to the settlement at several points simultaneously. In the confusion -that would follow two thousand Indians would rush into the enclosure -and massacre the surprised settlers. There was one point about this -arrangement that was not quite satisfactory to the plotters. Their -contemplated rush might be effectually checked by a few faithful and -determined men in control of the big guns. These were always handled by -experienced English gunners and it would be necessary to seduce some of -these from their allegiance. With this view, the schemers approached -Douse and Mallard, whose posts were at the main entrance. To them -they promised rich rewards and high favor with Powhatan on condition -of disabling the guns on the night of the attack and deserting to -the enemy. The gunners apparently fell in with this proposal and the -conspirators congratulated themselves on having their plans arranged -beyond the possibility of miscarriage. - -On the appointed night two thousand warriors under picked chiefs -crept up to within half a mile of the fort and lay in waiting for the -signal flames that were to call them to the attack. Hour after hour -passed without a sign from Jamestown. The settlement was apparently -sunk in peaceful slumber, but, as a matter of fact, every man within -the stockade was wide awake and standing silently to his arms ready -to repel an attack, whilst the conspirators lay snug and safe in the -jail. At the first streak of dawn, the disappointed Indians prepared -to return, when they found themselves face to face with a body of -musketeers. They were ordered to lay down their arms and did so without -delay. Contention would have been useless for they lay between two -bodies of the English and were completely cut off. Captain Percy, in -command of the ambuscade, now demanded the surrender of the renegade -white men. The Indians were unable to comply with this request for -those worthies, realizing that something was wrong, had sneaked off -some hours earlier and were on their way to Werowocomico. - -The warriors were rounded up and marched into the fort, and Smith -immediately selected one of their chiefs to act as a messenger and sent -him, under the escort of Master Richard Whyffin and Serjeant Ford, to -Powhatan. - -“Tell your Werowance,” ran Smith’s message, “that I have all his -warriors penned up as we pen our sheep. It is within my power to cut -off the Powhatans root and branch, and if I visit them with their -deserts, that will I do. For the present I demand the immediate -surrender of the foreign renegados who fled from this place and those -that I sent to work at Werowocomico. I make no conditions. What I may -do with the warriors of the Powhatans is yet to be determined. Mayhap -my temper may cool upon reflection, but at present my heart is filled -with wrath against Powhatan and all his tribe. Go! I have spoken!” - -The following day the Indian messenger and the two Englishmen returned, -but they were unaccompanied by the Dutchmen. From Powhatan the chief -brought this message: - -“Powhatan is bowed in anguish and his gray hairs sweep the dust. He -prays the great English Werowance to hear these his words for they -are spoken in truth and all sincerity from the bottom of his heart. -Powhatan pleads for mercy and the friendship of Captain Smith. Never -again, so long as Powhatan lives, will he or any of his people raise -hand against the English. This is no idle talk, Powhatan swears it by -the name of his gods and the god of the strangers and will give ample -hostages to insure his good faith. Why should Captain Smith slay the -warriors who but obeyed the commands of their Werowance? Would he -visit his wrath upon the squaws and children of the Powhatans who sit -wailing in their wigwams? If the fields of Werowocomico, of Pamaunke -and of Oropaks, yield no harvest in the coming fall, where will the -English procure corn to stay their hunger? But if the white Werowance -must satisfy his just wrath, then let him come to Werowocomico and -sate it upon me. I am here alone and unguarded and will bow my head to -the stroke of his sword. Then let him return and release my warriors -so that the wailing of my people may not reach my ears in the happy -hunting grounds of my fathers. - -“As to the renegados, who betrayed me as they had betrayed you, it -is not in Powhatan’s power to return them to you for they were slain -before your messengers arrived in Werowocomico. The hungry curs slunk -back to their wigwams in time for the morning meal. This I gave them -in plenty--for it is not our custom to send a man fasting to the -spirit-land--but afterwards their brains were dashed out by my orders -and their bodies have been seen by the English captains who came with -your messenger. - -“Powhatan has spoken the last word. Let the English Werowance decide. -Powhatan here awaits his death at the hands of Captain Smith, if it -will redeem his people, but if his warriors must be doomed, then let -Powhatan come and join them in their death so that all may go together -to the happy hunting grounds.” - -It is needless to say that Captain Smith was profoundly touched by -the pitiful appeal of the old Chief. He did not doubt his present -sincerity, nor had he cause to do so. Powhatan was completely humbled -and his words were, as he said, “spoken from the bottom of his heart.” -So long as Smith remained in the colony the old Werowance maintained -his plight and neither he nor his people committed an unfriendly -act against the English. The warriors who returned with their arms -carried away an impression of the might and justice of Captain Smith -that became a tradition in the tribe. For many years after his death -the exploits of the White Werowance were related in wigwam and around -camp fire. At this time his influence over the Indians of Virginia was -supreme and founded upon respect no less than upon fear. His wishes -were promptly complied with and the chiefs frequently consulted him -about the affairs of the tribe. The most amicable relations were -established between the whites and the natives. The former went about -the country freely and without fear of harm. The latter came to the -fort with their wares and provisions, glad to trade on a fixed scale -which was once again established. The settlers learned how to plant -corn in the Indian fashion--a method which is followed in Virginia to -this day. The Indians taught them how to net fish and snare animals. -Thus the colony progressed in the most useful direction and before -Smith left them many of the settlers were as adept in the practices of -woodcraft as any Indian. - -What might have been the outcome had the affairs of the settlement been -left in the hands of the man who showed time and again that he had -such an understanding of the situation as none of the other leaders -possessed, it is impossible to surmise. Certain it is, however, that -in such a case, the later experience of the settlers as well as the -Indians would have been a much more happy one. As it was, Smith had -no sooner reduced conditions to the favorable state which has been -described, than another influx of “gentlemen,” vested with authority -that they were quite incapable of exercising wisely, tended to undo -much of the good which he had accomplished at such great pains. - -In the early part of 1609, the London Company secured a new charter, -under which they proposed to exploit Virginia on a scale of grandeur -which was in itself a proof of their utter ignorance of the real -conditions and needs of the colony. The company, as reorganized, -was composed of twenty-one peers and innumerable knights and -gentlemen. Officers were appointed with high-sounding titles. Lord -Delaware was made Captain-general of Virginia; Sir Thomas Gates, -Lieutenant-captain-general; Sir George Somers, Admiral; Captain -Newport, Vice-admiral; Sir Thomas Dale, High-marshal; Sir Ferdinando -Wainman, General of the Horse. Just think of it! General of the -Horse in Virginia! Keeper of the Hogs, or Master of the Poultry, or -Superintendent of the Fish Seines, would have been more to the purpose. -What a humble and insignificant individual plain “Captain John Smith” -must have appeared to these grand gentlemen! - -In May, nine vessels with five hundred emigrants were despatched from -England, under the command of Gates, Somers and Newport. To each of -these a governor’s commission was given with the understanding that he -who should arrive first should take charge of the colony and supersede -Smith. Evidently these gentlemen were not sportsmen, for, rather than -take any chance, they decided to go in the same ship. This vessel, the -_Sea-Venture_, was parted from the rest of the fleet in a hurricane and -wrecked on the Bermudas. The lives of the prospective potentates were -saved but they did not reach Virginia until months afterwards and when -Smith had left. Meanwhile seven of the original ships arrived at their -destination. Amongst the mixed company that they landed were Ratcliffe -and Archer who figured large in the contingent of “gentlemen.” Most -of these were “profligate youth, whose friends were only too well -satisfied to give them ample room in remote countries, where they might -escape the worse destinies that awaited them at home. Poor gentlemen, -bankrupt tradesmen, rakes and libertines, such as were more apt to ruin -than to raise a commonwealth.” The minds of these, naturally open to -evil, had been poisoned by Ratcliffe and Archer against Smith, and they -landed in a spirit of antagonism to him. - -This “lewd Rout,” as one of the contemporary chroniclers terms -them, were ripe for mischief and, led on by Ratcliffe and Archer, -they plunged into all manner of license and disorder. It was their -impression that in the absence of the commissioners the colony was -without recognized authority and they might therefore do as they -pleased without let or hindrance. They were never more mistaken, -however. Smith took the view, rightly without question, that until a -commission superseding him arrived, he remained at the head of affairs. -He gave these gentry warning that unless they mended their ways he -should deal sternly with them. This had the effect of moving them to -plots and stratagems designed to put him out of the way. Forced to -extreme measures, Smith seized the ringleaders, including those meanest -of mortals, Ratcliffe and Archer, and confined them in prison. Order -was speedily restored, and, the better to preserve it, Smith divided -the colonists, who were in any event too numerous to live in Jamestown, -into several parties which he sent into different quarters of the -surrounding country to establish settlements. Despite the friendly -attitude of the Indians these newcomers contrived to create trouble -with them almost immediately, and more lives were thus needlessly -sacrificed in a week than had been lost in Smith’s troublous dealings -with the Indians in the course of a year. - -At this juncture an accident--some think that it was the result of -design--put a sudden end to Smith’s career in Virginia. One night as -he slept his powder bag exploded, severely injuring him. For several -weeks he lay in dreadful pain, unable to rise from his couch. When, at -length, he was sufficiently recovered to be carried on board ship, he -turned over the government to Captain Percy, and in the autumn of 1609 -sailed from Virginia, which he was never to see again. - -A sorrowing group of his faithful followers watched the vessel until -its ensign dropped below the horizon. One of them has said: “Thus we -lost him that in all his proceedings made justice his first guide -and experience his second; ever hating baseness, sloth, pride and -unworthiness more than dangers; that never allowed more for himself -than his soldiers with him; that upon no danger would send them where -he would not lead them himself; that would never see us want what he -had or by any means could get us; that would rather want than borrow, -or starve than not pay; that loved action more than words, and hated -falsehood and covetousness worse than death; whose adventures were our -lives, and whose loss our deaths.” - -The literal truth of the last words was soon to be proven. - - - - -XXIV. - -A DISMAL TALE - -What befell Jamestown after Captain John Smith left it--A score of -rival leaders create disorder and encourage license--The Indians -overcome the white men and put them to flight--Ratcliffe falls into -a trap and with his men is massacred--Winter finds them sick and -starving--“Now we all felt the want of Captain Smith”--Reinforcements -arrive but it is determined to abandon the colony--The appearance of -Lord Delaware frustrates the move--Jamestown is restored and prospers -for a spell--The tobacco craze and what it led to--Opechancanough -directs a great massacre--The Colony of Virginia is at last firmly -planted. - - -It is a dismal tale, the recital of what befell the five hundred -colonists of Virginia after the departure of Captain John Smith, but no -more striking vindication of his management of affairs could be found -than in the rapid wreck of the colony when his guiding hand was removed -from the helm. Almost at once a condition of anarchy set in. Percy -was honest and not unwise but he lacked the iron will and indomitable -energy of Smith, and nothing less was needed to cope with the -situation. There were soon, in the words of an eye-witness, “twenty -presidents,” each with his particular followers, forming a faction -at variance with all the others. Strife and dissension pervaded the -settlement. Idleness and waste prevailed. The Indians were treated as -though the chief aim of the settlers had been to create their enmity. -The more prudent of the older colonists sought to divert their fellows -from the destruction upon which they were plainly heading, but without -avail. Percy, depressed by anxiety, fell ill of a fever which confined -him to his bed, and, with the last vestige of authority removed, the -colonists gave themselves up unrestrainedly to riot and feasting. - -The fruits of their wicked recklessness were soon visited upon these -miserable incompetents. The Indians attacked the various settlements -beyond Jamestown and with almost invariable success. Martin, at -Nansemond, had been kindly received by the chief of the band of that -name. This treatment he requited by suddenly falling upon the village -and seizing its contents. The Indians recovering from their surprise -assaulted the whites and routed them. Martin fled to Jamestown, having -lost many of his men and--crowning shame!--nearly all their arms. -Shortly after this episode, Ratcliffe and West went to Werowocomico -with two ships, each carrying thirty fully armed men--a greater force -than Smith ever took upon an expedition. Powhatan, by this time moved -to anger and contempt, practised against the newcomers the tactics he -had so ineffectually tried against Smith. Ratcliffe and his men fell -into the Indian’s trap with childish readiness and all save one were -massacred. West fled and turned his prow towards England where he and -his company eventually arrived in safety. Similar occurrences at last -produced an astounding condition. The white colonists became actually -_afraid_ of the Indians, who treated them with well-merited contempt -and almost domineered over them. Gradually, the entire stock of arms -and ammunition found its way into the hands of the savages. - -When things had reached this pass it would have been an easy matter -for the Indians to have exterminated the whites. It is probable that -they were only deterred from doing so by the prospect of the speedy -starvation of the colony. They had consumed their provisions with blind -improvidence and had made absolutely no attempt to secure a harvest. -The fields had been given up to weeds and the plows allowed to rust. -The Indians refused to give a grain for charity and would only trade -on the most exorbitant terms. Beads and playthings were a drug in the -market. Arms and ammunition were now demanded and readily obtained by -the Indians, in whose minds the memory of Smith’s reception of similar -proposals was fresh. Says one of the ill-fated colonists: - -“Now we all felt the want of Captain Smith yea his greatest maligners -could then curse his loss. Now for corn, provisions and contribution -from the savages, we had nothing but mortal wounds with clubs and -arrows.” - -The cold of winter found them too weak and fearful to venture beyond -the palisades in quest of firewood; besides, there was scarce an axe -left in Jamestown. In this extremity, they burned the buildings and -even tore down the stockade to feed the fires. They died like flies and -presently the survivors were reduced to cannibalism. First an Indian -who had been killed in a skirmish was eaten and then the poor wretches -gave themselves up without restraint to devouring their fellows. - -On the twenty-third day of May, 1610, the party which had been wrecked -on the Bermudas sailed into the James in two vessels which they had -constructed with infinite labor. Sixty emaciated creatures, little -more than skeletons and hardly better than idiots, crawled out to -greet the arrivals, whose coming was barely in time to save the -lives of this pitiful remnant of the colony which Smith had left at -Jamestown. That place was reduced to ruins. Many of the buildings had -been torn to pieces and great gaps yawned in the palisades. So dismal -was the picture and so fearful the stories of the ragged wretches -who represented the prosperous colonists the newcomers had expected -to meet, that Somers and Gates determined to return to England and -abandon the settlement. The sixty starving and half demented men were -taken on board the ships, which set sail down the river. The exultant -savages who stood upon the banks congratulated themselves that once -more the white intruder was forced to leave their land. But a strange -incident suddenly turned the tide of affairs. - -The departing ships no sooner cleared the mouth of the river than they -perceived three vessels approaching and flying the flag of England. -They proved to be reinforcements under Lord Delaware who had come out -as Governor of Virginia. Somers and Gates of course put about and -returned to Jamestown. The conditions of affairs quickly changed. Lord -Delaware, though not a man of equal force of character and resource -with Captain Smith, was nevertheless one of sound judgment and -considerable energy. He had an ample supply to tide over a year and, -together with Somers’s men, who had thrived on the food and climate of -the Bermudas, several hundred strong and healthy colonists. He set them -to work repairing the fortifications and buildings, tilling the fields, -and performing other useful labors. Rule and order were established and -strictly maintained. Smith’s policy of firm but just dealing with the -Indians was resumed and they ceased to give trouble. - -Thus, when sickness compelled Lord Delaware to return to England in the -following March, he left Jamestown thoroughly resuscitated and on the -highroad to prosperity. On the way home, the retiring governor passed -Sir Thomas Dale coming to the colony with three ships and a full year’s -supplies. If he did not make much progress, Dale at least preserved the -advance which had been effected by Delaware until, at the beginning of -August, Gates’s return as Governor marked the inception of a new era -for Virginia. - -Gates brought out three large ships, a number of cattle, horses, three -hundred men, and so great a quantity of supplies as to put the question -of starvation out of mind, for the first time in the history of the -colony. Gates was well adapted by character, if not by experience, to -rule the American possession. His emigrants were, for the most part, -of a sort to benefit the settlement--men of good morals, accustomed to -work and adept at various handicrafts. There were now a number of women -in the country and family life began to make its appearance. Jamestown -soon assumed the appearance of an orderly town, with a public hall, a -church, store-house and neat dwellings. Along the river banks farms, -plantations and cattle ranches appeared in time. - -The rapid spread of the practice of smoking in England brought about -the greatest changes in the condition of the colony of Virginia. -Tobacco commanded good prices, with a constantly increasing demand, -and soon every other enterprise in the colony was abandoned in favor -of the production of the narcotic plant. The settlers went tobacco mad -as in earlier days they had given themselves up to the gold frenzy. -Nothing else was thought of. Fields were neglected, buildings and -fortifications were allowed to fall into decay. It was said in England -that the very streets of Jamestown were planted in tobacco. Every man -saw in the leaf a prospect of speedy wealth, and readily sacrificed -the demands of the present to the pursuit of a golden future. The -Company was delighted with the rich cargos that poured into England and -promised to fill their coffers to overflowing. Every encouragement was -given the colonists to persist in their short-sighted policy. Smith, -with true wisdom, warned the proprietors and the public that the result -could not be anything but disaster, but he was scouted as a croaker, -envious of the good fortune of his successors. - -During the four years that the tobacco madness was at its height the -former discipline was utterly relaxed. There was little disorder -because everyone was busy in the tobacco fields from morning till -night. But the defences were entirely neglected and no guard was -maintained by day or night. Indeed, there did not appear to be any -need for such precaution. The Indians had been friendly for years and -many of them lived in the fort and even in the homes of the settlers. -Opechancanough was now the Chief of the tribe, Powhatan being dead. The -former was ever the implacable enemy of the whites but had up to this -time hidden his true feelings under a cloak of cordiality. Secretly and -patiently, meanwhile, the cunning savage was plotting the destruction -of all the whites in Virginia, now numbering several thousands of men, -women and children, scattered over a wide range of country. - -The blow fell suddenly. On the same day the Indians attacked the -settlers at different points and found them quite unprepared for -resistance. Nearly four hundred were slain, and the massacre would have -been much more extensive but for the fact that in many cases natives -who had acquired a real regard for their white neighbors warned them -in time and in some instances defended them. The tobacco planters now -huddled in Jamestown, anxious only for their lives. Hurriedly the -place was put in better condition to withstand assault and provisioned -against a siege. But Opechancanough was too astute to attack Jamestown -and an armed peace ensued. - -The tidings of the massacre horrified England. The Company was -panic-stricken and at a loss what to do. Smith called upon them with -a proposal for the effective defence of the colony, and offered to -go out and put it into operation himself. The proprietors hesitated -to incur the expense and, in the meanwhile, their perplexity was -relieved by the cancellation of their charter. The colony was attached -to the crown and the settlers were left to their own resources. Under -these conditions they seem to have fared better than when subject to -proprietary interests at home, for from the year of the massacre, 1622, -Virginia enjoyed a century and a half of uneventful prosperity. - - -THE END. - - - - - Transcriber’s Notes: - - --Text in italics is enclosed by underscores (_italics_). - - --Punctuation and spelling inaccuracies were silently corrected. - - --Archaic and variable spelling has been preserved. - - --Variations in hyphenation and compound words have been preserved. - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's Captain John Smith, by C. H. 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H. Forbes-Lindsay - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Captain John Smith - -Author: C. H. Forbes-Lindsay - -Illustrator: Harry B. Lachman - -Release Date: September 2, 2017 [EBook #55475] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH *** - - - - -Produced by Donald Cummings and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - -</pre> - - - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<img src="images/cover.jpg" width="600" height="681" alt="cover" title="cover" /> -</div> - - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h1>CAPTAIN<br /> -JOHN SMITH</h1> - -<p class="noic">FOURTH IMPRESSION</p> - - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<p class="noi adtitle"><i>The American Trail Blazers</i></p> - -<p class="noic">“THE STORY GRIPS AND THE HISTORY STICKS”</p> - - -<p class="p2 noi">These books present in the form of vivid and fascinating -fiction, the early and adventurous phases of American -history. Each volume deals with the life and adventures -of one of the great men who made that history, or with -some one great event in which, perhaps, several heroic -characters were involved. The stories, though based upon -accurate historical fact, are rich in color, full of dramatic -action, and appeal to the imagination of the red-blooded -man or boy.</p> - -<p class="noic">Each volume illustrated in color and black and white</p> - -<p class="noic">12mo. Cloth.</p> - -<ul> -<li class="hang">LOST WITH LIEUTENANT PIKE</li> - -<li class="hang">GENERAL CROOK AND THE FIGHTING APACHES</li> - -<li class="hang">OPENING THE WEST WITH LEWIS AND CLARK</li> - -<li class="hang">WITH CARSON AND FREMONT</li> - -<li class="hang">DANIEL BOONE: BACKWOODSMAN</li> - -<li class="hang">BUFFALO BILL AND THE OVERLAND TRAIL</li> - -<li class="hang">CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH</li> - -<li class="hang">DAVID CROCKETT: SCOUT</li> - -<li class="hang">ON THE PLAINS WITH CUSTER</li> - -<li class="hang">GOLD SEEKERS OF ’49</li> - -<li class="hang">WITH SAM HOUSTON IN TEXAS</li> -</ul> - - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 369px;"> -<a id="i_frontis"> -<img src="images/i_frontis.jpg" width="369" height="600" alt="" title="" /> -</a><br /> -<div class="caption"><a href="#Page_77">THE TERRIFIED FRENCHMAN DROPPED HIS SWORD AND FELL UPON -HIS KNEES</a></div> -</div> - - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<p class="noi title redprnt">CAPTAIN<br /> -JOHN SMITH</p> - -<p class="p2 noic">BY</p> - -<p class="noi author">C. H. FORBES-LINDSAY</p> - -<p class="noi works">AUTHOR OF “INDIA: PAST AND PRESENT,” “AMERICA’S INSULAR<br /> -POSSESSIONS,” “DANIEL BOONE, BACKWOODSMAN,” ETC.</p> - -<p class="p2 noic"><i>WITH ILLUSTRATIONS IN COLOR BY</i><br /> -<span class="noi author">HARRY B. LACHMAN</span></p> - -<div class="pad4"> -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 115px;"> -<img src="images/logo.jpg" width="115" height="115" alt="logo" title="logo" /> -</div> -</div> - -<p class="noic">PHILADELPHIA & LONDON</p> - -<p class="noi adauthor redprnt">J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY</p> - - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<p class="noic"><span class="smcap">Copyright</span>, 1907</p> - -<p class="noic"><span class="smcap">By J. B. Lippincott Company</span></p> - - -<p class="p6 noic"><i>Electrotyped and printed by J. B. Lippincott Company<br /> -The Washington Square Press, Philadelphia, U. S. A.</i></p> - - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<p class="noic"><small>DEDICATED<br /> -TO</small><br /> -MY AMERICAN SON<br /> -<small>AND</small><br /> -MY BRITISH NEPHEWS</p> - - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2>CONTENTS</h2> - - -<table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" summary="Contents"> -<col style="width: 15%;" /> -<col style="width: 70%;" /> -<col style="width: 15%;" /> -<tr> - <th class="smfontr">CHAPTER</th> - <th class="tdl"> </th> - <th class="smfontr">PAGE</th> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">I</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#I">Where There’s a Will There’s a Way</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">23</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">II</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#II">London Town in Shakespeare’s Day</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">36</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">III</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#III">The Soldier Apprentice</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">48</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">IV</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#IV">Duped and Robbed</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">60</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">V</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#V">A Duel with a Dastard</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">72</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">VI</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#VI">Darkness and Dawn</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">83</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">VII</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#VII">Some Stratagems</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">95</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">VIII</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#VIII">The Din of Battle</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">107</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">IX</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#IX">Guerilla Tactics</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">119</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">X</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#X">The Three Turks</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">130</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">XI</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#XI">Brave Hearts and True</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">144</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">XII</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#XII">Slavery and a Sea-Fight</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">155</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">XIII</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#XIII">A Bad Beginning</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">171</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">XIV</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#XIV">Powhatan and His People</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">182</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">XV</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#XV">Treason and Treachery</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">193</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">XVI</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#XVI">Captive to the Indians</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">204</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">XVII</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#XVII">Pocahontas to the Rescue</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">215</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">XVIII</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#XVIII">Fire and Starvation</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">226</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">XIX</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#XIX">A Turn in the Tide</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">238</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">XX</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#XX">Diamond Cut Diamond</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">250</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">XXI</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#XXI">Some Ambuscades</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">262</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">XXII</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#XXII">A Curious Combat</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">274</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">XXIII</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#XXIII">A Humbled Chieftain</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">285</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">XXIV</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#XXIV">A Dismal Tale</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">296</td> -</tr> -</table> - - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2>ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> - - -<table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" summary="Illustrations"> -<tr> - <th> </th> - <th> </th> - <th class="smfontr">PAGE</th> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdl hang"><a href="#i_frontis"><span class="smcap">The Terrified Frenchman Dropped His Sword and - Fell upon His Knees</span></a></td> - <td class="tdrb"><i>Frontispiece</i></td> - <td class="tdrb"> </td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdl hang"><a href="#i_084fp"><span class="smcap">He Hastened Down to the Water’s Edge and - Shouted Lustily</span></a></td> - <td class="tdrb"> </td> - <td class="tdrb">85</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdl hang"><a href="#i_206fp"><span class="smcap">The Settlers Had Been under the Sleepless Eye - of Spies Lying Hidden</span></a></td> - <td class="tdrb"> </td> - <td class="tdrb">206</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdl hang"><a href="#i_282fp"><span class="smcap">It Was in Vain that the Indian Struggled to - Shake Off that Iron Grip</span></a></td> - <td class="tdrb"> </td> - <td class="tdrb">282</td> -</tr> -</table> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span></p> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2>FOREWORD</h2> -</div> - - -<p>The history of the world furnishes few lives so -romantic and replete with stirring incident as that -of John Smith, the founder of the first English -colony in America—that settlement at Jamestown -in Virginia, of which the United States of today -is the outgrowth.</p> - -<p>John Smith began life in the year 1580, in the -glorious reign of Good Queen Bess. It was a world -of turmoil into which our hero came, but a most -fitting field for so adventurous a spirit. In France, -the gallant Henry of Navarre was fighting for a -kingdom and his faith against the Catholic League. -In the Low Countries, the sturdy Dutchmen, under -Maurice of Orange, were defending their homes -from the invasion of the arrogant and bigoted -Spaniard, who deemed it his duty to punish every -Protestant people. In the east of Europe, the -Ottomans—Asiatics from Turkestan and other -countries—maintained an incessant and savage -warfare against the subjects of the Emperor of -Germany.</p> - -<p>There was but one peaceful spot in all Christendom, -and that the “right little, tight little island” -of our forefathers. There were, however, thousands -of Englishmen who, like John Smith, had no<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> -stomach for a life of ease and they were to be found -in every army on the continent, fighting for gain or -religion, and often for sheer love of the life of action. -Moreover Cabot, the first on the coast of America, -had started that movement which was to create the -greatest colonial empire in the history of the world, -and Raleigh had already made his first futile attempt -to settle Virginia, where John Smith was destined -to play a master part.</p> - -<p>On the seas, vessels of each nation preyed upon -those of every other, for a tacit condition of enmity -prevailed among them regardless of the status of -their several countries. Navies were composed -mainly of the merchant marine, for every ocean-going -ship carried cannon and small arms. Commonly -their captains were furnished with letters of -marque, commissions issued by their sovereigns -authorizing the holders to attack the sails of other -countries hostile to their own and to take prizes -and prisoners. The possession of letters of marque -saved a captain and his crew from the disgrace and -the penalty of piracy, but it was often no more than -a cloak for the practice. Two ships flying different -flags hardly ever met, but the stronger attacked the -other and, if victorious, plundered her, and that -without any consideration for the friendly relations -that might at the time exist between their respective -countries. The age of the robber barons had passed -away, to be succeeded by a somewhat less immoral<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> -state of society in which the powerful refrained from -preying upon their countrymen but recognized no -law of justice in dealing with foreigners. Judged -by our standards, Dampier and Drake were pirates; -Pizzaro and Cortes, bandits.</p> - -<p>Smith, with a less acute sense of honor and a -lower regard for right, might have amassed a ready -fortune in the days when such qualities as his -ensured wealth to the unscrupulous adventurers on -land and sea, whose predatory careers were countenanced -and abetted by monarchs and men in high -places. In his latter years, when embittered by his -failure to secure money for legitimate exploration, -he writes:<a name="FNanchor_1" id="FNanchor_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> “Had I set myself to persuade men -that I knew of a mine of gold, as I know many -to have done in sheer deception; or had I advanced -some wild scheme for a passage to the South Sea; -or some plot to loot a foreign monastery; or the -equipment of a fleet to make prizes of rich East -Indiamen; or letters of marque to rob some poor -merchant or honest fisherman, multitudes with their -money would have contended to be first employed.”</p> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p class="noi"><a name="Footnote_1" id="Footnote_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1"><span class="label">1.</span></a> Here, and in a few instances in the following pages, I -have made slight changes in the wording, without affecting -the meaning, of Smith’s expressions. Although he is a very -clear writer, the English of Shakespeare’s time is not always -readily understandable by us.—C. H. F-L.</p></div> - -<p>Queen Elizabeth, the wisest and the most humane -sovereign of her time, had ample excuse for the -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span>license which she extended to her sea captains in the -matter of attacking the Spanish possessions and -ships. It was a measure of self-defence, designed -for the protection of the liberties and religion of her -subjects against the aggressive power of Spain, -which, after the discovery of America, bid fair, -unless checked, to make her the mistress of the -world. Smith was in his ninth year when our dauntless -ancestors, by shattering the great Armada, -scotched the pride of Philip and halted his ambition. -This was of all naval battles, perhaps, the most -momentous to the Anglo-Saxon race and certainly -of vital consequence to America, for had Philip’s -fleet gained a victory on that occasion, we, as a -nation, had never been. It is more than probable -that the old religion would have been re-established -in England, with a stop to the march of liberty and -independence, and certain that Spain would have -found no obstacle to the acquisition of the entire -American continent. The immediate effect of England’s -victory was to set her on the highway to the -naval supremacy of the world, and the generation -to which John Smith belonged maintained a constant -struggle for the command of the seas. Later generations -of Englishmen carried on the contest with -Holland and afterwards with France.</p> - -<p>We have seen that John Smith lived in a period -of the world that afforded the adventurer ample -and varied scope for the exercise of talents and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> -energy, but in any other age than his own a man -of Smith’s extraordinary parts must have taken -a prominent place among his contemporaries. In -the period following the decline of the Roman -power, when the nations of Europe were in the formative -stage, such a man would surely have been one -of the great dukes (<i>duces</i>), or leaders who founded -dynasties of kings. At the present day he might -be an explorer, a captain of industry, or a statesman—for -Smith had the qualities that ensure success -in any walk of life.</p> - -<p>It is a wonderful and inspiring story, that of the -stripling who, without money or friends, boldly left -his native land and, abandoning himself to the chance -currents of a strange world, at the age when the -modern schoolboy is seeking distinction on the football -field, was learning the art of arms in the practical -school of war. Dame Fortune surely smiled -upon the errant boy and, whilst she led him into -constant adventure and danger, as frequently saw -him safely out of them.</p> - -<p>During his checkered career as a soldier of fortune -his lot is often cast in hard places and his life is -constantly endangered. He is shipwrecked and narrowly -escapes drowning. Robbed and landed upon -a foreign shore with empty purse, he is forced to -sell his cloak in order to meet his needs. Like Jonah -of old, he is thrown overboard by a superstitious -crew, but contrives to swim to an uninhabited island.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> -He is sorely wounded in battle and captured by the -Turks, who sell him into slavery.</p> - -<p>The life was always arduous, for in those days -mere travel was beset by dangers and difficulty, but -as we follow the lad in his adventures we are cheered -by many a bright spot and many a fine success. -For John Smith was never the kind to be depressed -or defeated by adversity. Indeed, he reminds one -of those toys, called “bottle imps,” that may be -rolled over in any direction but cannot be made to -lie down. Hardly has he met with a reverse than -he sets about repairing it and always with success. -To-day he is cold, hungry, and half clad, his purse -as flat as a flounder, but soon afterwards we see -him going gayly on his way with a pocket full of -sequins, his share in a prize which he had helped -to capture. He wins his spurs in the Low Countries -and in the war against the Turks is granted a coat -of arms for the exploit of defeating three of the -enemy’s champions in single combat. His military -services earn for him the title of captain and the -command of a regiment of horse.</p> - -<p>All these things, and many more equally remarkable, -befall John Smith before he has reached the -age of twenty-four. He has now spent eight years -abroad, except for a brief return to England, and -all this time he is fighting on land and at sea, or -roaming through foreign countries in search of -experience and adventure. Keenly observant always,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> -he extracts from each occasion—as the bee -gathers honey from every flower—some knowledge -to be turned to useful account in later life.</p> - -<p>Smith has no other purpose during this early -period of his life than to learn what he can of the -world and the practice of arms—in short to qualify -himself for a life of action in an age when brawn -is no less essential to success than brain. It is a -stern school in which he acquires his training but an -effective one, and he makes the most of his opportunities. -We see the expansion of his mind keeping -pace with the development of his muscle, until the -Captain John Smith who joins the colonists bound -for Virginia appears as a man of perfect physique -and mature judgment. It is not improbable that the -hardships and exposure of his life may have sown -the seeds of disease but, if so, he has not contributed -to such a condition by his habits. In that day the -soldiers of all nations were addicted to brawling, -drinking, pillaging, and gambling. But these practices -had no attraction for Smith. His sword never -lagged in the scabbard on good occasion for its use, -but he was no swashbuckler seeking unnecessary -trouble; he drank wine sparingly but found no -pleasure in gluttony; he paid for what he took, even -in an enemy’s country and counted it a disgrace -to rob a defenceless man; in the matter of money, -as in everything else, he was the most generous -of mortals and had rather hand a man his purse<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> -than to win that of the other by dicing. Withal he -did not set himself up to be better than his fellows -and we have the testimony of two of his countrymen, -who followed him through the wars in Transylvania, -that he was respected and beloved by his comrades -and the soldiers under his command.</p> - -<p>Hitherto Smith has been associated with men -whose experience was greater than his own. They -have been his masters, both in the sense of teachers -and commanders. As a subordinate he has performed -his duties so well as to call forth the praise -and admiration of his superiors. Now we find him -going out to a land which is equally strange to him -and to his companions. No man of them enjoys -the advantage of knowing more than the others -about those distant parts and their people. Rank -and money will count for little in the new life. Each -man’s worth will be measured by his character and -his actions. Under such conditions, a man of -Smith’s extraordinary ability must sooner or later -become the leader, even among others much older -than himself.</p> - -<p>The foundation of Virginia and, as I have said, -that of the United States was laid by Captain John -Smith in spite of tremendous difficulties. Some of -these were such as would naturally attend the settlement -of a strange land among hostile inhabitants, -but it is not too much to say that the greater part -of them were due to the incompetence of the colonists<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> -and their constant quarrels among themselves. -More than once they brought affairs to such a pass -that nothing but the prompt and energetic action -of Smith saved the colony from total destruction.</p> - -<p>These differences broke out before they had -reached the shores of America, and we see Captain -John Smith landed in chains, a prisoner under absurd -charges trumped up by pettifoggers who are envious -of his evident fitness for command and accuse him -of a design to usurp it. They scheme to send him -back to England, but at the very outset they learn -that they cannot dispense with the services of this, -the ablest man among them. It is he who shows -them how to fortify the settlement. He repels the -attacks of the Indians. He and he only, dares lead -exploring expeditions into unknown regions. Captured -by the most powerful chief of that part of the -country, Smith converts him into an ally. He makes -treaties with the surrounding tribes and secures -their friendship for the settlers. Time and again, -when improvidence has brought famine upon the -colonists, he saves them from starvation by procuring -supplies at the risk of his life. In short he -continually preserves this mixed company of malcontents -and incompetents from the worst consequences -of their folly and controls them with the -firmness and tact of a master. In his dealings with -the Indians, he carefully avoids unnecessary bloodshed -or harshness, frequently sacrificing prudence<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> -at the dictate of humanity. Yet he gained the -respect of the savages by his courage, steadfastness, -honesty and—when occasion demanded—by the -weight of his strong arm, for Captain John Smith -was no less stern than just.</p> - -<p>In the days when news traveled slowly and was -often delivered by word of mouth, the truth of distant -events was hard to ascertain, and great men -were frequently the victims of malice and envy. -Smith, like many another, failed to receive at the -hands of his countrymen the honor and recognition -which he deserved. They had been misled by extravagant -fables of the wealth of America and were -disappointed that Smith did not send home cargoes -of gold, spices, and other things which the country -did not produce. False tales of his tyranny over the -colonists and his cruelty to the savages had preceded -his return to England, and he found himself in disfavor. -He made two voyages to New England, as -he called the region which still bears that name, but -little came of them. This was mainly on account -of the determination of the promoters to search for -gold lodes where none existed. Smith with rare -foresight strove to persuade his contemporaries that -they had better develop commerce in the products of -the sea and the field. Few would listen to him, -however, whilst the rich argosies of Spain, freighted -with ore from South America, inflamed their minds -with visions of similar treasures in the north. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> -spirit of speculation had taken possession of the -country. Smith could obtain money for none but -wild or dishonest ventures and in such he would -not engage. His generous soul disdained the pursuit -of mere wealth, and we see him, after having -“lived near thirty-seven years in the midst of wars, -pestilence, and famine, by which many a hundred -thousand died” about him, passing his last days in -the comparative poverty which had been his condition -through life. Captain John Smith had not yet -reached the prime of life—indeed, he was hardly -more than forty years of age—when he was compelled -to retire from active life. Despairing of -honorable employment, he settled down to write -the many books that issued from his pen. It would -be difficult to surmise what valuable services he -might, with better opportunity, have performed for -his country, during this last decade of his life. The -time was well spent, however, that he occupied in -the composition of his life and historical works. He -is a clear and terse writer. We are seldom at a loss -to fully understand him, and the only complaint that -we feel disposed to make against Captain John Smith -as a writer is that he too often fails to give an -account of his own part in the stirring events which -he records. In fact he combined with the modesty -usually associated with true greatness, the self-confidence -of the man whose ultimate reliance is -upon an all-powerful Providence. “If you but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> -truly consider,” he writes in the history of Virginia, -“how many strange accidents have befallen these -plantations and myself, you cannot but conceive -God’s infinite mercy both to them and to me.... -Though I have but my labor for my pains, have -I not much reason publicly and privately to acknowledge -it and to give good thanks?”</p> - -<p>Few men have compassed in fifty years of life -so much of noble action and inspiring example as -did John Smith. He died, as he had lived, a God-fearing, -honorable gentleman, rich in the consciousness -of a life well spent and in the respect of all -who knew him. He was a connecting link between -the old world and the new, and we, no less than -England, should keep his memory green.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span></p> - - - - -<p class="halftitle">THE SOLDIER OF FORTUNE</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span></p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span></p> - - - - -<p class="noi title">John Smith<br /> -<small>Gentleman Adventurer</small></p> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="I" id="I">I.</a><br /> -<small>WHERE THERE’S A WILL THERE’S A WAY</small></h2> -</div> - -<p class="noi chaphang"><span class="smcap">Jack Smith is introduced to the reader—He takes part -in the rejoicing at the defeat of the Spanish Armada—His -relations to the sons of Lord Willoughby—He -runs away from school and sells his books and -satchel—He is starting for London when his father -dies—He is apprenticed to a merchant and shipowner—He -tires of life at the desk and deserts the counting-house—His -guardian consents to his going into -the world and furnishes him with ten shillings—Jack -takes the road to London with a bundle on his -back—He meets Peregrine Willoughby.</span></p> - - -<p class="p2">It was the day following that memorable Monday -in August, 1588, when the English fleet scattered -the galleons and galleasses of Spain and Portugal -and chased them into the North Sea. The -bells were pealing from every steeple and church -tower in Merry England, whilst beacon fires flashed -their happy tidings along the chain of hill-tops from -Land’s End to John O’Groats. The country was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> -wild with joy at the glorious victory over the Great -Armada, and well it might be, for never was a fight -more gallant nor a cause more just. It was night -and long past the hour when the honest citizens -of Good Queen Bess’s realm were wont to seek -their couches and well-earned repose, but this night -excitement ran too high to admit of the thought of -sleep.</p> - -<p>In the little village of Willoughby, Master Gardner, -portly and red-faced, was prepared to keep the -D’Eresby Arms open until daylight despite law and -custom. The villagers who passed up and down the -one street of the hamlet exchanging greetings and -congratulations had more than a patriotic interest in -the great event, for at least half of them had sons -or brothers amongst the sturdy souls who had -flocked from every shire and town to their country’s -defence at the first call for help.</p> - -<p>Beside the fountain in the market place, interested -spectators of the scene, stood a lusty lad and an -elderly man, bowed by broken health.</p> - -<p>“The Lord be praised that He hath let me live -to see this glorious day,” said the man, reverently -and with a tremor in his voice. “Our England hath -trounced the proud Don, my son. I’ faith! ’tis -scarce to be believed that our little cockle-shells -should overmatch their great vessels of war. Thank -the Lord, lad, that thou wast born in a land that -breeds men as staunch as the stuff from which their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> -ships are fashioned. If one who served—with some -distinction if I say it—under the great Sir Francis, -might hazard a prediction, I would say that the sun -of England hath risen over the seas never to set.”</p> - -<p>“Would I had been there, Sir!” cried the boy -with eyes aglow.</p> - -<p>“Thou, manikin!” replied his father smiling, -as he patted the bare head. “Thou! But it gladdens -my heart that a Smith of Willoughby fought -with Drake on the <i>Revenge</i> in yester battle and I’ll -warrant that my brother William demeaned himself -as becomes one of our line.”</p> - -<p>“And thus will I one day,” said the lad earnestly.</p> - -<p>“Nay, nay child!” quickly rejoined the man. -“Harbor not such wild designs John, for thou art -cast for a farmer. Thou must train thy hand to -the plow and so dismiss from thy mind all thought -of the sea. Come, let us return. Thy mother will -be aweary waiting.”</p> - -<p>Perhaps it is not strange that Master George -Smith, who had followed the sea in his younger -days, should have sought to dissuade his son from -thought of a similar course. The career of adventure -had not resulted in any improvement of the -father’s fortune. On the contrary, he had finally -returned home with empty pockets and wrecked -health to find the farm run down and the mother -whom he had loved most dearly, dead. Now, feeling -that but few more years of life remained to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> -him, it was his aim to improve the property and -his hope that John would grow up to be a thrifty -farmer and take care of his mother and the younger -children.</p> - -<p>Master George Smith came of a family of armigers, -or gentlemen, and was accounted a well-to-do -farmer in those parts. His holding lay within the -estate of the Baron Willoughby, the Lord of the -Manor, and he held his lands in perpetuity on what -was called a quit rent. This may have consisted -of the yearly payment of a few shillings, a firkin -of butter, or a flitch of bacon—any trifle in short -which would suffice to indicate the farmer’s acknowledgment -of the Baron as his overlord.</p> - -<p>In the earlier feudal period, lands were granted -in consideration of military service. The nobleman -received his broad acres from the king upon condition -of bringing a certain number of armed retainers -into the field whenever summoned. The -lord, in order to have the necessary retainers always -at command, divided up his domain into small holdings -amongst men who pledged themselves to join -his banner when called upon. As a reminder of his -obligation, each retainer was required to make some -slight payment to his lord every year, and this was -deemed an acquittance of rent. In the reign of -Queen Elizabeth, feudal tenure—that is the holding -of lands in consideration of military service—had -ceased to exist, but the custom of paying quit rent<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> -continued and it is observed in many parts of England -to this day.</p> - -<p>Master Smith sent his son to the grammar school -in the neighboring village of Alford. It was perhaps -one of the many schools of the kind founded -by the wise young king, Edward the Sixth, for the -benefit of the great mass of his subjects who could -not afford to have their sons educated at the more -expensive colleges. John was an apt scholar and -made good progress, but even in early boyhood his -mind was, as he tells us, “set upon brave adventure.” -And so, although he applied himself diligently -to learning whilst at school, he was impatient -to cut loose from his books and go into the world of -action.</p> - -<p>This is not difficult to understand when we consider -the lad’s temperament and the circumstances -in which he was placed. Willoughby and Alford -were on the coast. The people were for the most -part sea-faring men. Many of them made voyages -to the continent of Europe and some had visited -more distant parts. Like most seamen, they were -doubtless always ready to tell of their experiences, -and we may be sure that little Jack Smith was an -eager listener to their yarns.</p> - -<p>He was nine years of age when England throbbed -with excitement at the approach of the great Armada -of Spain. He saw all the able-bodied men of his -village hurrying south to join their country’s defenders,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> -and without doubt he wished that he were -old enough to go with them. A few weeks later, -the gallant men of Willoughby came home to harvest -their fields, undisturbed by fear of an invasion of -the Dons. Every one of them had done his full -share in the fight. Jack’s uncle had served on -Francis Drake’s ship. That fierce sea-hawk was in -the thick of the strife and it was a brave story that -Master William Smith had to relate to his delighted -nephew.</p> - -<p>As the lad grew older, he began to read of the -glorious deeds of his countrymen in former days, -stories of battle and adventure on land and sea, of -knights and sea captains, of shipwreck and discovery. -Books were costly and hard to come by in those -days and very few would be found in the home of -even a prosperous farmer. But Jack Smith was -fortunate in the fact that Robert and Peregrine, -the sons of Lord Willoughby, were his schoolfellows -and playmates. Through them he had access to -the castle with its grand hall full of armor and -weapons, its gallery of old portraits, and above all -its library, containing many of the kind of books -from which he derived the greatest pleasure.</p> - -<p>More than that, Lord Willoughby was one of the -most renowned warriors of his day. On the Continent -his name was linked with those of Sir Philip -Sidney and Sir Walter Raleigh. His feats of arms -were recorded by historians and sung in ballads.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span> -One of these, which you may find in a curious old -book named “Percy’s Reliques,” commences thus:</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">“The fifteenth day of July,<br /></span> -<span class="i3">With glistening spear and shield,<br /></span> -<span class="i1">A famous fight in Flanders,<br /></span> -<span class="i3">Was foughten in the field.<br /></span> -<span class="i1">The most courageous officers<br /></span> -<span class="i3">Were English captains three,<br /></span> -<span class="i1">But the bravest man in battel<br /></span> -<span class="i3">Was the brave Lord Willoughbie.”<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p>This song was composed at about the time that -Jack was at school, and you may depend upon it -that he with every one else in Willoughby sang it, -for they were all right proud of their lord.</p> - -<p>Lady Willoughby was, of course, fond of recounting -her husband’s brave exploits. He was at this -time fighting in the Low Countries, and at every -opportunity he sent her word of the adventures that -befell him. Parts of these letters she would read to -her sons, and Jack was often present. At other -times she would sit in a large oaken chair before the -great fireplace in the hall, the three lads and two -huge stag-hounds grouped about her feet in the -ruddy light of the log fire. Many a delightful evening -was thus spent, the stately lady telling of the -stirring deeds performed by her lord and the boys -listening with breathless interest.</p> - -<p>During one winter the little circle received a welcome -addition in the son of Count Ployer. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> -young Frenchman was in England for the purpose of -finishing his education. His father was a friend of -Lord Willoughby and in company with the latter was -fighting in the Low Countries. The young nobleman -was thus in a position to contribute his share -to the stories of military adventure in which they -were all so deeply interested.</p> - -<p>As he walked home in the dark after one of these -recitals, Jack would flourish his staff and shout -words of command to imaginary followers, or tilt -at a bush, or wage a furious duel with a milestone. -The baying of “Sir Roger,” the old watchdog at -the homestead, would recall him to his senses, and -he would steal up to his truckle bed in the attic -wishing that he were a man and his own master.</p> - -<p>By the time Jack reached the age of thirteen, the -desire to seek his fortune in the world had become -too strong to be longer resisted. His mother was -dead, his brother and sister were younger than himself -and his father’s mind was still set upon making -him a farmer. There was no one to whom he could -turn for advice or assistance and so, with the self-reliance -which he displayed through after-life, Jack -determined to take matters into his own hands. -The only things of any value which he possessed -were his school books and satchel. These he sold -for a few shillings. With this money in his pocket -he was on the point of setting out for London, when -the sudden death of his father upset his plan.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span></p> - -<p>Master Smith left the farm to his son John, but -placed it and the boy in the hands of a Master -Metham, who was to act as guardian of both until -such time as Jack should attain the legal age to -inherit. This Master Metham was a trader, and -he thought that he was doing very well by Jack when -he put him in the way of learning business. He -apprenticed the lad to Master Thomas Sendall, a -shipowner and merchant of the neighboring seaport -of Lynn. At first this arrangement was decidedly -to Jack’s liking, for his guardian held out the -prospect of voyages to the many foreign countries -visited by Master Sendall’s vessels. But in this -Jack was disappointed. Sailor-boys his master -could easily get, but it was not such a ready matter -to find a bright youngster for work in the counting-house. -So Jack found himself pinned down to a -desk in sight of the busy wharves and shipping. -Here for some months he sat chafing at the inactivity -and at length he determined to run away.</p> - -<p>One night he slipped out of the warehouse in -which he slept and, with his bundle of clothes slung -on a stick over his shoulder, started for Willoughby, -which he reached after a few days’ tramp. Jack -went boldly up to his guardian’s house and told him -that he had run away from his master, feeling -assured that there was little chance of travel whilst -he remained in his employment.</p> - -<p>“Nor will I return,” said Jack in conclusion,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> -“for I am determined to see the world and I beg -of you to supply me with the means.” Now this -speech smacked somewhat of over-confidence, for in -those days truant apprentices were severely dealt -with and Jack was liable to have been sent back -to his master, who might then have flogged him. -However, Master Metham knew that his friend -Sendall would not wish to be troubled with an -unwilling apprentice, and a plan occurred to him -for curing Jack of his desire to roam. His idea -was to give the lad so little money that he could not -go very far with it and would soon experience a -taste of hardship. This Master Metham thought -would bring his ward home, eager to return to his -desk and settle down to the sober life of a merchant’s -clerk. The scheme might have worked very well -with many boys, but Jack was not of the kind that -turn back.</p> - -<p>“As you will,” said Master Metham, after some -thought. “Here is the money, and now go where -you please.”</p> - -<p>With that he handed our hero ten shillings.</p> - -<p>“What is this?” cried Jack in amazement. -“Ten shillings! Surely you jest Master Metham.”</p> - -<p>“Not so,” replied his guardian, assuming a stern -air. “Take the money and begone, or return it to -me and go back to Master Sendall within the hour.”</p> - -<p>Jack thrust the coins into his pocket and turned -on his heel without another word. The next minute<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> -he was striding resolutely along the highroad to -London.</p> - -<p>As Master Metham watched the receding figure -of his ward from the window, he could not help -feeling admiration for the boy’s pluck, but a grim -smile played about the merchant’s lips as he said to -himself, “And I mistake not, yon humorist will be -coming back in a fortnight or less, with pinched face -and tightened waistbelt.”</p> - -<p>But Master Metham proved to be a poor prophet. -Several years passed before he set eyes on Jack -again.</p> - -<p>The journey to the capital was not unpleasant. -The time was early summer, when the fields are -clad in the greenest grass, with a thick sprinkling -of wild flowers and the hedgerows give off the -sweet smell of honeysuckle and violets. Shade -trees lined the road, so that Jack was able to push -along, even in the noonday heat, without serious -discomfort. He was a strong, healthy lad, to whom -a tramp of twenty miles in a day was no great matter. -Often a passing wagoner gave him a lift and -sometimes shared with him a meal of bread and -bacon washed down with a draught of home-brewed -ale. Milkmaids, going home with their pails brimful, -would offer him a drink, and occasionally a -farmer would ask him to the house to join in the -family meal. He never failed to find a lodging for -the night if it was only in a barn or a stable. Thus<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> -Jack, with a thriftiness which would have chagrined -Master Metham, had he known of it, contrived to -husband his little store of money and, indeed, he -had not broken into it when a happy incident relieved -him of all further anxiety on the score of ways -and means.</p> - -<p>He was plodding along one day when two horsemen -overtook him. They looked back in passing -and one of them suddenly reined in his horse and -turned it round.</p> - -<p>“Not Jack Smith!” he cried in evident delight. -“Whither away comrade?”</p> - -<p>“I am setting out on my travels, Peregrine,” -replied Jack, trying to put on the air of a man of the -world.</p> - -<p>“And I also,” said the son of Lord Willoughby, -for it was he, “but come, you must join us, and -we can exchange the news as we ride along.” He -ordered one of the two grooms who followed them -to give his horse over to Jack and the other to take -the wayfarer’s bundle. Having presented his young -friend to the tutor and temporary guardian who -accompanied him, Peregrine drew alongside of Jack -whilst the latter told his story. The young lord in -turn explained that he was on his way to Orleans -in France, there to join his elder brother and complete -his studies abroad after the manner of young -noblemen of that day—and of this, for that matter. -He insisted that Jack should accompany him as his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> -guest, saying that it would be time enough to think -of other plans after they should have reached their -destination.</p> - -<p>As we see Jack thus fairly launched upon his adventures, -we cannot help smiling to think how it -would have surprised good Master Metham to learn -how far ten shillings could carry our hero.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span></p> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="II" id="II">II.</a><br /> -<small>LONDON TOWN IN SHAKESPEARE’S DAY</small></h2> -</div> - -<p class="noi chaphang"><span class="smcap">Old London as it looked from Highgate Hill—The travelers -put up at “Ye Swanne” near New Gate—The -start for White Hall to see Sir Francis Walsingham -and the Queen—Their wonderment at the strange -house signs—The saucy apprentices arouse their -anger—Old Paule’s Cathedral and some celebrated -mansions—The Royal Palace and a state procession—They -go to the Globe, Will Shakespeare’s theatre—The -boys see their first play in company with Doctor -Hollister—Old London Bridge, its curious houses and -its grizzly ornaments.</span></p> - - -<p class="p2">When our travelers reached the top of Highgate -Hill, from which an extensive view could be had in -every direction, they halted to survey the scene. -London lay below, stretched along the banks of the -Thames, and still several miles distant. In Queen -Elizabeth’s reign it was a small place compared with -what it is today. Its greatest distance across was -then less than two miles, whereas, now it is nearly -thirty. Nevertheless, London was by far the greatest -city in England and amongst the largest in the -world.</p> - -<p>Jack and his companions looked down upon a -closely packed collection of buildings within a wall<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> -whose moat, no longer needed for defence, had become -half choked with refuse and rank vegetation. -The streets were so narrow that, with the exception -of Cheapside, which traversed the city from end -to end, they were not discernible at that distance. -The mass of red-tiled roofs was broken here and -there by a market place or a churchyard and agreeably -relieved by the gardens which lay at the backs -of most of the houses. One hundred and more -spires of parish churches shot up in relief against -the background of the silvery river, for in those -days the Thames was a clear and pure stream upon -which swans disported even below London Bridge.</p> - -<p>Scattering suburbs extended from the walls of the -city in several directions. In Elizabeth’s time, the -noblemen and wealthier citizens had deserted their -old-time palaces and mansions in the filthy and -crowded metropolis for healthier residences among -the adjacent fields. Perhaps, Baynard Castle, mentioned -in the opening scene of Shakespeare’s Richard -the Third, was the only one of the old homes of the -nobility occupied by its owner at that time. Most -of the others had been given over to tenements in -which the poorer people crowded. A large part -of the London that the boys gazed upon in wonder -and admiration was destroyed by the Great Fire in -the year 1666.</p> - -<p>It must be remembered that, despite the comparison -we have made of the London of Shakespeare’s<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> -time and the city of today, the former was relatively -of greater importance than the latter and exercised -a greater influence on the affairs of the nation. -It was the residence of the monarch and of all the -important members of the government. Every person -of note in the kingdom had a town house. By -far the greater part of the business of the country -was transacted at the capital. It set the fashion -and furnished the news for the whole island. London -was, in short, the heart and brains of England -at this period.</p> - -<p>It was late in the evening when the travelers, tired -and hungry, passed through New Gate which, like -Lud Gate and some others of the many entrances -to the city, was used as a prison. A little later and -they must have remained at one of the inns outside -the walls for the night, or have left their horses and -entered by the postern, for the portcullis was closed -at sundown. They put up at “Ye Swanne” on -Cheapside and hardly one hundred yards from the -gate. It was a hostelry much frequented by north-country -gentlemen. Master Marner, the host, gave -them the best accommodations his house afforded for -the sake of Lord Willoughby, who had often been -his guest and, in fact, always lodged with him when -in London. That nobleman, long accustomed to the -freedom and frank comradeship of the camp, found -himself much more at ease in one of Master Marner’s -cosy rooms than in a chamber at Whitehall.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span></p> - -<p>Neither of the lads had ever been in London, and -after they had supped in the common room—which -corresponded to the <i lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">café</i> of a modern hotel—they -were eager to go out and see the great sights of -which they had heard so much. But to this Doctor -Hollister, the tutor, would not consent, for in those -days the capital was infested by footpads and brawlers -after nightfall and the patrols of the watch -afforded scant protection to wayfarers in the -unlighted streets. The explanation of all this only -whetted the desire of the lads to go abroad on the -chance of witnessing some duel or fracas but Peregrine, -at least, was under the authority of the Doctor -and Jack by accepting his friend’s hospitality had -placed himself in a similar position. So they -restrained their impatience and went early to bed as -all honest folk did at that period.</p> - -<p>The following morning Doctor Hollister, accompanied -by his young charges, set out for Whitehall -carrying a letter from Lady Willoughby to Sir -Francis Walsingham. The royal palace was at the -extreme western end of London, whilst the Swan -Inn stood hard by New Gate, at the eastern extremity, -so that in order to reach their destination the -travelers had to traverse the full extent of the city. -A citizen of London at that time, having such a -distance to cover, would most likely have taken a -wherry at one of the many water stairs, where numbers -of such boats were in waiting at all hours of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> -day and night. Jack and Peregrine, eager as they -were to see the sights of the metropolis, would not -hear of anything but walking and so the party set -out at an early hour, taking their way along Cheapside, -or the Cheap as it was then called.</p> - -<p>Everything they saw was novel to the boys, -neither of whom had ever been in a town larger -than Lynn. The gable roofs and projecting upper -stories of the houses were much like what they were -accustomed to at home, but they had seldom seen -one of three stories and here were many rising -to four and five. In the narrow side streets which -they passed, the dwellings approached so closely that -persons sitting at their upper windows might easily -converse with their neighbors across the way, or -even shake hands with them by leaning out.</p> - -<p>Before almost every house hung a painted board -suspended from an iron bracket, similar to the sign -of the “D’Eresby Arms” displayed by the village -tavern at Willoughby. For a moment the boys -thought that they must be in a town full of inns -and Doctor Hollister was mightily amused by the -puzzled expression with which they looked from one -to another of the crude and curious pictures. The -explanation was simple enough when the tutor made -it. In the reign of Elizabeth the simple device of -numbers to distinguish the different houses of a -street had not yet been thought of and so one saw -all manner of things pictured and hung over the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> -entrances. There were angels, dragons, castles, -mountains, Turks, bears, foxes, birds, books, suns, -mitres, ships, and in fact every conceivable kind of -object. So, a man wishing to indicate his place -of abode might say: “I lodge with the widow Toy, -at the sign of the <i>Bell</i> in Paule’s Churchyard” and, -since there was at the time a veritable widow Toy, -living in a house on the east side of the churchyard -and distinguished by the sign of a Bell, who doubtless -took in lodgers when favorable opportunity -offered, it is not impossible that one or another of the -acquaintances made by our party during their stay -in London uttered precisely such a remark to them.</p> - -<p>As our friends passed along the street, apprentices -standing in front of their master’s shops invited -their patronage or made saucy comments upon their -appearance for, although they were dressed in their -best clothes, it was easy to see that a country tailor -had fashioned their garments.</p> - -<p>“Ho Richard! Dick Hopple!” cried one of -these prentices to an acquaintance across the street. -“Cast thy gaze upon his worship and the little worshipfuls -going to Paule’s to buy a sixtieth.” This -was an allusion to the lottery under royal patronage -which was conducted in a booth set up in the churchyard -of the cathedral. It attracted many countrymen -to the capital, who could generally afford to -purchase no more than a fractional share, perhaps -one-tenth, of a ticket.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Peace boy!” said Doctor Hollister, sternly.</p> - -<p>“Honorificabilitudinitatibus!” glibly replied the -lad with a mock obeisance. This extraordinary -word, which Shakespeare had put into the mouth of -one of his characters, caught the fancy of the London -populace as a similar verbal monstrosity—Cryptoconcodycyphernostamata—did -about twenty-five -years ago.</p> - -<p>Doctor Hollister had the greatest difficulty in -restraining the boys from replying to these gibes -with their fists and Jack, in particular, begged -earnestly to be permitted to “lay just one of them -by the heels.” But the Doctor had been a chorister -of Paule’s in his boyhood and he knew the formidable -character of the London apprentices and how, -at the cry of “Clubs! Clubs!” they would swarm -with their staves to the aid of one of their number.</p> - -<p>Presently they came to the great cathedral, and -were surprised to find that the holy edifice was used -as a public thoroughfare, even animals being driven -across its nave, whilst hawkers displayed their wares -around the columns and gallants and gossips lounged -about on the seats—all this, too, during the celebration -of divine service. The lads who had been -brought up in reverence of their country church -were shocked at the sights around them and little -disposed to linger in the building.</p> - -<p>Leaving the churchyard of the cathedral, Doctor -Hollister led the way down Dowgate Hill to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> -water front, wishing to afford the boys sight of two -unusually interesting buildings. One of these was -Baynard Castle, of which mention has already been -made, but the other had the greater attraction for -Jack on account of being the residence of his hero, -Sir Francis Drake. It had formerly been known as -Eber House, when it was the palace of Warwick, -the “Kingmaker,” whom you will remember as the -titular character of “The Last of the Barons.” -Later the place was occupied by that “false, fleeting, -perjured Clarence” whose dream is one of the most -impressive passages in Shakespeare’s tragedy, -Richard the Third.</p> - -<p>Passing Westminster and the little village of -Charing Cross, our travelers came upon the Palace -of Whitehall fronting upon the Thames and with -Saint James’s Park at its back. In Elizabeth’s time -this royal residence was the scene of such splendid -entertainments as marked its occupancy by her -father, Henry the Eighth. At this period it stood -outside of London on the outskirts of what was -the distinct city of Westminster.</p> - -<p>Sir Francis Walsingham received Doctor Hollister -kindly and promised to facilitate the journey of -the party to France. The Queen was about to go -to the royal chapel in state and the minister secured -a favorable position from which the country visitors -had a good view of Elizabeth and her attendants. -In the meanwhile a secretary was instructed to write<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> -the passports and letters to be delivered to the Doctor -before his departure.</p> - -<p>The royal procession appeared to the sound of -trumpets blown by six heralds who walked in advance. -First, after them, came gentlemen of the -court and noblemen, richly dressed and bareheaded; -next the Chancellor, bearing the state seal in a red -silk purse, on one side of him an official carrying -the royal scepter, on the other one bearing the sword -of state in a red velvet scabbard, studded with golden -<i lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">fleur de lis</i>. Then followed the Queen with majestic -mien, her oval face fair but wrinkled; her black eyes -small but pleasing. Her nose was somewhat aquiline -and her lips thin and straight. She wore false hair -of bright red topped by a small crown.</p> - -<p>As she moved slowly along between lines of courtiers -and representatives of foreign nations, she -spoke graciously to one and another and, when -occasion needed, with fluency in French or Italian. -When one spoke to her, he did so kneeling, and -whenever she turned toward a group, all fell upon -their knees. It was these ceremonies that made -the Court such an irksome place to bluff soldiers -such as Lord Willoughby.</p> - -<p>The Queen was guarded on each side by the gentlemen -pensioners, fifty in number, with gilt battle -axes. Following her came the ladies of the Court, -for the most part dressed in handsome gowns of -white taffeta or some other rich stuff.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span></p> - -<p>In the antechamber a number of petitions were -presented to Her Majesty, who received them graciously -amid acclamations of “Long live our -Queen!” to which she replied, smiling, “I thank -you, my good people!”</p> - -<p>Upon the return of the royal party from the -chapel, Sir Francis Walsingham ordered a meal, -of which the principal features were roast beef and -ale, to be set before Doctor Hollister and his charges. -They were hungry and did ample justice to the minister’s -hospitality. Sir Francis then handed the -Doctor his papers and wished the travelers godspeed -and a safe return.</p> - -<p>It was high noon and the sight-seers still had a -good half of the day before them. The boys had -never been to a theatre—indeed, there were none -outside of London—and the Doctor determined -to take them to the Globe which, under the management -of William Shakespeare, was fast becoming -famous. The playhouse stood on the Surrey side -of the river a short distance above the bridge. The -party took boat at the palace stairs and were quickly -rowed down and across the stream. They landed -near a circular tower-like building, topped by a -flag-staff and ensign, which the Doctor informed -them was their destination. At that period plays -were performed only in the daytime and the party -was just in time for a performance. The enclosure—for -it could hardly be called a building—was open<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> -to the sky. Around the sides were tiers of seats -which accommodated the better class of spectators -whilst the “groundlings” stood in the central space -before the booth-like erection which contained the -stage. There was no scenery, though the costumes -were rich and various, and the back and sides of the -stage were occupied by young gallants seated upon -stools, for which privilege they paid sixpence extra. -The audience commented freely and loudly upon the -play and the acting and not infrequently the actors -replied. Boys took the female parts and bouquets -had not come into use to express favor, but an -unpopular actor was sometimes subjected to a -shower of ancient eggs and rotten vegetables from -the pit.</p> - -<p>No doubt the play, crude as we should consider -it, was a source of wonder and delight to Jack and -Peregrine who had never seen acting more pretentious -than the antics of the village mummers at the -New Year festival.</p> - -<p>On the return home the party walked over London -Bridge. At the entrance tower they were startled -to see the heads of some eight or ten criminals stuck -on the ends of spears. Two of these were quite -fresh and had a peculiarly ghastly appearance with -their eyes staring open and hair blowing in the -breeze. But their attention was soon distracted -from this gruesome sight to the bridge itself which -was one of the most extraordinary structures in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span> -country. It was entirely built over by houses two -and three stories in height. Through the centre ran -an arcade like a tunnel lined with shops. This -strange viaduct, therefore, was at once a bridge and -a street as well as a roadway for heavy wagons. -In the stories above the shops, lived the owners of -the latter. They were also occupied by offices and -in a few instances as private lodgings.</p> - -<p>Tired as the boys were when they reached their -beds that night, they lay talking for hours of the -wonderful sights they had seen. At length their -remarks came in snatches and with mumbled speech -as sleep overtook them against their will.</p> - -<p>“Jack,” said Peregrine, drowsily, “if you were -Lord Mayor of London, what would you do?”</p> - -<p>“Give myself leave to fight a prentice,” muttered -our hero, with closed eyes.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span></p> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="III" id="III">III.</a><br /> -<small>THE SOLDIER APPRENTICE</small></h2> -</div> - -<p class="noi chaphang"><span class="smcap">Jack goes to France with Peregrine—Is persuaded to turn -homeward—He starts for Paris and meets David Home—Sees -the capital and spends his money—Takes boat -on the Seine for the coast and arrives without a -penny in his pocket—Enters the service of Captain -Duxbury and begins to learn the practice of arms—Sees -service in the army of Henry of Navarre—Goes -to the Low Countries and fights against the Spaniards—Sails -for Scotland and is shipwrecked—Returns -to Willoughby and continues his training -with Signor Polaloga.</span></p> - - -<p class="p2">Our friends arrived at Orleans without adventure -or mishap. Sir Robert Bertie, the elder son of Lord -Willoughby d’Eresby, was unaffectedly pleased to -see his old playmate, Jack Smith. On reflection, -however, and after consultation with Doctor Hollister, -he decided that the young truant could not do -better than return to his guardian. When a few -days had been spent in seeing the sights and the -tutor had intimated that it was time the young noblemen -settled down to their studies, Robert frankly -expressed his opinion with regard to Jack.</p> - -<p>Peregrine was moved to tears at the thought of -losing his companion and thoughtlessly charged his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> -brother with a selfish desire to be rid of their guest. -“Nay,” said Robert, kindly laying his hand upon -our hero’s shoulder, “Jack knows me too well to -believe that. In truth nothing would better please -me than that he should stay with us, but he has -work to do at home. No, Willoughby is the place -for thee lad—and would I were going with thee. -Tomorrow we see Jack started on his way Peregrine, -and when we come back in a year or two -it shall be to find him a full-blown farmer, with -a buxom wife perchance.”</p> - -<p>Jack was anything but pleased at the prospect, but -he had too much sense to raise an objection to the -suggestion, and besides he was duly grateful for the -generous hospitality he had enjoyed at the expense -of his friends for some weeks.</p> - -<p>The following morning the sons of Lord Willoughby -accompanied Jack for some distance beyond -the town on the first stage of his journey to Paris -which lay about seventy miles to the north of -Orleans. When at length they bid him good-bye -with genuine regret at parting, Robert put a well-filled -purse into his hand and Peregrine gave him -one of the heavy, cumbersome pistols that were then -in use. It was the first weapon that Jack ever owned -and he stuck it in his belt with a great deal of -satisfaction.</p> - -<p>A few years later, in the course of his wanderings, -Jack accidentally came across Robert and Peregrine<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> -Bertie at Siena in Italy. There they lay recovering -from severe wounds received in an affair that reflected -greatly to their honor. After that meeting -it is doubtful if the paths of these early friends -again crossed in life, but the young sons of the -famous Lord Willoughby played such important -parts in our hero’s career that the reader will surely -be interested in knowing something of their fate. -In 1601 Robert succeeded to the title and estates -of his father on the death of the latter. As the -twelfth Baron Willoughby he upheld the military -prestige of the family and added fresh laurels to -those gathered by a long line of soldier ancestors. -He was created Earl Lindsay in the reign of James -the First and during the civil war that terminated in -the execution of Charles the First, he held the post -of commander-in-chief of the royal forces and was -mortally wounded at the battle of Edgehill. Peregrine -became a barrister—a truly strange occupation -for a Bertie in those days—and practised law with -some distinction until his death in 1640.</p> - -<p>We left our young hero on the road to Paris. His -condition was very different from that in which he -left Willoughby for London, but he had set out upon -that journey with a light heart and abundant hope. -Now he was plodding towards the capital of France -in a gloomy state of mind. The idea of abandoning -his venture and returning to the plow or, worse yet, -the dingy counting house of Master Sendall, was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> -utterly distasteful to him and his pride was touched -by the thought of so lame a conclusion to the boastful -display of independence he had made to his -guardian. Having taken Robert Bertie’s money -on the understanding that he would use it to return -to England he felt bound to do so, but he began to -wish that he had declined the gift and had gone on -his way as poor in purse but as free in action as when -he turned his back on his native village. Indeed, -before he had finished his supper at the inn where he -stopped at nightfall, Jack had almost decided to -retrace his steps on the morrow, hand Robert his -purse untouched and regain his freedom. But one -of those chance circumstances that lead to the most -important results in the lives of all of us, decided -the matter in another way.</p> - -<p>Only persons of distinction, who were willing to -pay for the privilege, occupied private rooms in the -hostelries of those days. Jack was pleased to find a -fellow countryman sharing his bedchamber. David -Home, for such was the young man’s name, proved -to be an adventurer following just such a life as -our hero was desirous of entering upon. He was a -gentleman of good family, but at this time his fortunes -were at a very low ebb; in fact, he was not -only penniless but weak from the effects of a recent -fever. Home was an entertaining talker and delighted -Jack with the recital of his exploits and -experiences. Before they fell asleep it had been<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> -agreed that they should continue the journey to -Paris in company. This they did, arriving in the -course of a few days. Home knew the city well, -and under his guidance time passed quickly in sight-seeing -and amusement. Since their meeting Jack’s -purse had been generously placed at the disposal of -his new friend, and when at length our hero awoke -to his obligation to continue the journey to England -his money had run very low.</p> - -<p>Home was naturally sorry to see Jack, for whom -he had acquired a strong regard, leave, but he agreed -with him that it was his duty to do so. Home was -far from ungrateful for the kindness he had experienced -at Jack’s hands and made all the return that -was within his power when he gave our hero letters -to friends in Scotland who stood high at the court -of James the Sixth and might use their influence to -further the fortunes of the bearer. Jack sewed the -letters in the lining of his doublet and, taking boat -on the Seine for the sea coast, arrived at Havre de -Grace without a penny in his pocket.</p> - -<p>Whilst Jack was looking about for an opportunity -to work his way across the channel, not having the -means to pay his passage, he fell in with a Captain -Joseph Duxbury, in the service of Henry of Navarre. -When the captain had heard the story of his young -countryman he declared that it would be a pity to -return to the farm without any further taste of -adventure than had so far fallen to our hero’s lot,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> -and he proposed that he should enter his employment -as an apprentice in the art of war. It is needless -to say that Jack could not resist this offer. The -camp was in sight and the captain assured him that -he might at least defer his return to England without -breaking faith with his friend, Sir Robert Bertie.</p> - -<p>Jack thus found himself installed as page to Captain -Duxbury who, besides having taken a fancy to -the lad, was really in need of such a servant at the -moment. The duties consisted chiefly in looking -after the captain’s arms, accoutrements and horse. -They afforded Jack his first introduction to the implements -of war and gave him an opportunity to -learn to ride. In spare time his master taught him -the use of the various weapons and instructed him -in sitting and managing the charger. All this was -interesting enough to Jack, who soon had his mind -set upon becoming a soldier, but, aside from a few -skirmishes, he saw no fighting before the end of the -war threw his master out of employment.</p> - -<p>Captain Duxbury was one of the many free lances -of various nationalities who at this period made a -business of fighting and, if the truth must be told, -were generally ready to sell their services to the -highest bidder without regard to the cause of the -conflict. Whilst this was true in some degree of -all, the English adventurers were usually found -fighting against the Spanish for whom they cherished -the most intense hatred. Following the peace<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> -in France, Captain Duxbury decided to go to the -Low Countries and Jack gladly accompanied him. -But in the ensuing campaign, although our hero -remained in the troop commanded by his old master, -it was in the capacity of a fighting man in the ranks. -In the army commanded by Maurice of Nassau, Captain -Duxbury’s troop of horse had an ample share -of work and Jack took a creditable part in several -battles of more or less importance.</p> - -<p>Thrown out of service by another treaty of peace, -our hero resolved to try the effect of the presentation -of the letters he had received from David Home. -Accordingly he made his way to Enkhuisen on the -Zuyder Zee and thence set sail for Leith. The -vessel in which Jack—now usually addressed as -“John Smith”—had embarked was a small one, -and when it encountered a terrific storm in the North -Sea it was at the mercy of wind and water. The -master and crew despaired of weathering the gale, -and after lowering the sails allowed the ship to drift -whither it would. It ran ashore and was totally -wrecked, John being among the fortunate few who -escaped drowning. The land upon which they were -thrown was Lindisfarn, called the “Holy Isle,” near -Berwick. Here John, who had received injuries in -the wreck from which a fever followed, lay ill for -some weeks. Upon recovering sufficiently he proceeded -to Scotland and called on the friends of David -Home to whom he bore introductions. They received<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> -him kindly and did all in their power to make -his visit pleasant, but they told him frankly that -they had neither the money nor the means to secure -his advancement at court. Under these circumstances -John, whose health was still poor, determined -to return to his native place.</p> - -<p>Somewhat to his surprise John found the good -people of Willoughby disposed to treat him as a hero, -although he protested that he had accomplished no -more than to gain some little insight to the ways of -warfare. His estate under the able management of -Master Metham—who was now disposed to accord -him the deference due to a man—had flourished -during his absence abroad. He had the means to -dress and live as a gentleman, which in those days -was of even more consequence than it is now. John -was now in his twentieth year and had developed -into a strong muscular young man. Although not -tall he was well knit and had acquired from his -military service an upright and graceful carriage and -an air of self-possession. When tricked out in new -velvet doublet and trunks, with ruff and feathered -cap, and rapier dangling by his side, he made a -gallant figure and set the hearts of the maids of -Willoughby aflutter as he paced, not without pardonable -pride, along the streets of the village.</p> - -<p>But there was too much sound sense in John’s -composition to permit him to enjoy this frivolous -holiday life for long. Besides he had now fully<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span> -made up his mind to follow the calling of arms, and -with that decision came the determination to make -of himself as thoroughly capable a soldier as possible. -Circumstances forced him for awhile to pursue -a life of peace, but he resolved to improve the interim -by the study of military tactics and the practice of -arms. With this design he betook him to a forest -some miles from Willoughby and there went into -seclusion. It was summer time and a hut of -boughs sufficed for habitation. His servant supplied -him with food and for occupation he had -brought a horse and some books and an assortment -of arms. The horse he first broke to the step and -manœuvres of a military charger and then used -him in tilting with a lance at a ring suspended from -the branch of a tree. Among the books were -“Polybius” and Machiavelli’s “Art of War.” -From these he learned a great deal of the theory—the -science and strategy—of his chosen profession.</p> - -<p>Some of Captain John Smith’s biographers have -affected to find cause for amusement in the contemplation -of this period of his career, but we shall -take another view of it when we find the lance practice -and the riding exercise showing their fruit in -one of the most accomplished soldiers on the Continent -who is as a result enabled to defeat in three -successive encounters the champions of the Turkish -army. Again we shall appreciate the wisdom and -foresight exhibited by our hero at this time when<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> -we see the information gained in his studies turned -to such good account in the service of his superiors -as to affect the issues of battles and lead to his promotion -from the ranks to an important command.</p> - -<p>The retreat to which John had betaken himself, -although in the depths of the forest, was not beyond -the ken of human eye. Woodcutters and charcoal -burners carried to the surrounding towns strange -stories of a fierce horseman mounted on a gigantic -steed who charged through the sylvan avenues at -a pace so terrific as to shake the earth for miles -round. At length the rumor of this weird cavalier -reached the ears of Signor Theodore Polaloga, an -Italian who occupied the position of master of horse -to the Earl of Lincoln at his neighboring castle. -Whilst this gentleman discredited the supernatural -features of the story, he was forced to believe that -a horseman for reasons of his own was practising -riding in the privacy of the forest. Being himself -the most expert equestrian in that part of the country -and one of the best in the kingdom, his curiosity -to know more of the stranger was naturally great.</p> - -<p>Signor Polaloga had no difficulty in finding the -military hermit and John, who was beginning to -weary of his retirement, received the Italian cordially, -and all the more so since he was well -acquainted with that gentleman’s reputation as a -superb horseman. Such simple hospitality as lay -at his command John extended cheerfully to his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> -visitor, who accepted it with an air of frank comradeship -and partook heartily of a venison pasty, -the contents of which he strongly suspected to have -been poached from the Earl’s preserves. When, -after a conversation that each found sufficiently -interesting to prolong, the equerry proposed a -friendly joust, Jack was delighted to comply. -Whilst our hero soon learned that he was no match -for the Italian, he had no cause to be ashamed of -himself, for the master of horse pronounced him -surprisingly proficient and declared that few young -men of his age could excel him in horsemanship or -in handling the lance.</p> - -<p>The following morning Signor Polaloga returned -with an invitation from the Earl to John to come -and stay at Tattershall, as the castle was named. -John, who had heard of the Earl of Lincoln as an -eccentric nobleman and hard to please, might have -respectfully declined this flattering invitation had -not the equerry clinched the matter by mentioning -the extensive stable of fine horses, the assortment -of various arms and the tilt-yard that would be at -the disposal of the guest. So John went to Tattershall, -and to his surprise found the Earl a very pleasant -gentleman who bade him make himself as much -at home in the castle as though he owned it. John -spent several weeks at Tattershall. Signor Polaloga -entered zealously into the instruction of the young -man, declaring that he had never before had so apt<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> -a pupil. But with the progress of his skill the desire -to exercise it in actual conflict grew and, hearing -rumors of renewed hostilities in Holland, John bade -adieu to his patron, the Earl, and his friend the -master of horse and returned to Willoughby with the -intention of fitting himself out for a campaign on -the continent.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span></p> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="IV" id="IV">IV.</a><br /> -<small>DUPED AND ROBBED</small></h2> -</div> - -<p class="noi chaphang"><span class="smcap">John returns to the Netherlands—Determines to go east -and fight the Turks—Meets a bogus French nobleman -and his attendants—Goes to France with them—They -steal all his belongings and with the assistance -of the ship-master decamp—John sells his cloak -and pursues the thieves—A friend in need—Finds the -robbers but can get no redress—Alone in a strange -land without cloak or purse—Secures some clothes -and money and turns back to the coast—Still determined -to get to the Turkish war by some means.</span></p> - - -<p class="p2">John entered upon his second campaign in the -Netherlands under more promising circumstances -than at first. He was furnished with good arms and -accoutrements, an ample supply of fine clothing and -a considerable sum of money. Moreover, he was no -longer a greenhorn. It is true that he could not -boast of much actual experience of warfare, but he -had learned to handle his weapons with unusual -dexterity and was prepared to give a good account -of himself. He had, however, few opportunities -for display of his skill before the winter put an end -to hostilities for the time.</p> - -<p>When the camps began to break up, John followed -the stream of travel towards the coast without any<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> -definite plan for his future movements. He was -beginning to tire of service in Holland, which had -disappointed his expectations, and was anxious to -find a fresh field for adventure. Rudolph the Second, -Emperor of Germany, was waging war against -the Turks in Hungary and Transylvania. Here was -an avenue to new scenes and experiences, but the seat -of war was on the other side of Europe and the -journey thence a long and expensive one. For that -reason he could find none among his late companions -in arms who was going to the Turkish war. Still -he continued his journey to Rotterdam, hoping that -he might there fall in with some nobleman bound -for the East, to whose train he might attach himself. -He allowed his desire to become known as widely -as possible, thinking that it might come to the ears -of some leader willing to engage his services.</p> - -<p>The port was full of soldiers, real and pretended, -waiting to take ship in various directions. There -were veterans seeking their homes for a spell of rest -after hard fighting or returning to recover from -severe wounds. There were others to whom the -sole attraction presented by the scene of war was the -prospect of loot. There were traders and camp -followers innumerable, desperadoes and outlaws, -gamblers who used loaded dice and sharpers of all -sorts. John was fated to fall into the hands of -some of those smooth but dishonest characters who, -like vultures, hung in the rear of every army and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> -preyed on the soldiers returning from a campaign -rich with pay and plunder. Our hero was an easy -victim, for, whilst his common sense rendered him -sufficiently cautious where an open enemy was concerned, -his frank and generous disposition prevented -his suspecting the good faith of a pretended friend.</p> - -<p>John had his heavy iron-bound chest taken to one -of the best inns in the town and there he settled -himself comfortably to interested contemplation of -the bustle and movement about him. Although he -makes no mention of being conscious of the trait, -John Smith evidently had the habit of awaiting -events when circumstances failed to supply him with -a basis for a reasonable plan of action. When we -can not see our way clearly ahead, generally the -wisest thing we can do is to do nothing, as Handy -Andy might have said. We seldom force a situation -without making a mess of it. It did not often happen -to John, in the course of his eventful life, that -he had long to wait for something to turn up, and -the present occasion was no exception to the rule.</p> - -<p>He was seated in the common room of the inn -one day when he was forced to overhear a conversation -in French, with which language he had become -tolerably familiar. The speakers were four -men who had the appearance of being soldiers in -good circumstances. One of them, in particular, -was richly dressed and seemed to be of superior -station to the others, who were receiving his directions<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> -for the voyage to France, which was to be the -first stage in a journey to Hungary, where they -proposed taking part in the campaign against the -Turks. John heard this with delight, for it seemed -to afford the very opportunity for which he had been -longing.</p> - -<p>Presently the three subordinates went out, and -no sooner were they alone than John eagerly -approached the remaining Frenchman. After apologizing -for overhearing the conversation, which, in -truth, was intended for his ears, the young soldier -stated his circumstances and ventured to express a -hope that the gentleman, whom he surmised to be a -nobleman, might find a place for him in his train. -The Frenchman, who stated his name and style to -be Lord de Preau, at first affected to be annoyed -at the discussion of his private affairs, but as John -proceeded with his story the supposed nobleman relaxed, -and at its conclusion with amiable condescension -invited our hero to be seated and join him in a -bottle of wine.</p> - -<p>“I may be able to further your design,” said -“Lord de Preau” with thoughtful deliberation, -whilst John hung eagerly upon his every word. “It -is in my mind to help you, for a more likely young -gallant I have never met. But I have not the means, -as you seem to think, of supporting a large train.”</p> - -<p>Here his “lordship” broke off to raise his goblet -to his lips, and John’s heart sank as he imagined<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> -that he saw an objection in prospect. The “nobleman” -noted the look of disappointment on the -young man’s mobile countenance and smiled encouragingly -as he continued:</p> - -<p>“It may be contrived I ween and thus. The Duc -de Mercœur—as is doubtless beknown to you—is -now at the seat of war with a company raised in -France. I have letters to the Duc’s good lady who -will, I doubt not, furnish me with the means to -continue my journey and also commend me to the -favor of her lord.”</p> - -<p>“And the Duchesse? Where may she be?” asked -John.</p> - -<p>“The Duchesse de Mercœur sojourns with her -father, Monsieur Bellecourt, whose lands adjoin my -own poor estate in Picardy,” replied the pretended -nobleman, “so that first we repair to my <i lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">chateau</i> -and there lay our plans for the future. It is agreed?”</p> - -<p>Agreed! Why John was fairly ready to fall on -“Lord de Preau’s” neck and embrace him in the -ecstasy of his delight. That accommodating individual -undertook that one of his attendants should -make all the preparations for departure and notify -our hero when everything should be in readiness.</p> - -<p>At noon the following day the three retainers of -the French “nobleman” appeared and announced -the approaching departure of the vessel upon which -they were to embark. They gave their names as -Courcelles, Nelie and Montferrat, and each expressed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> -his satisfaction at the prospect of having -the young Englishman as a companion in arms in -the coming campaign. Preceded by four colporteurs, -carrying John’s baggage, they went on board -and, De Preau shortly after joining them, the master -weighed anchor and sailed out of port.</p> - -<p>The vessel on which John shipped with such great -expectations was one of the small coasting luggers, -common at the time, which bore doubtful reputations -because they were as often engaged in smuggling, -or other illegal venture, as in honest trade. Upon -this particular occasion the craft was full to the point -of overcrowding with passengers bound for various -points upon the coast of France.</p> - -<p>Night had set in when the ship cast anchor in a -rough sea off the coast of Picardy. The landing -was to be made at St. Valèry, where the inlet is too -shallow to permit the entry of any vessels larger -than fishing smacks. There was but one small boat -available for taking the passengers ashore, and this -the master placed first at the disposal of “Lord de -Preau.” The baggage of the entire party was lowered -into it and then they began to descend, the -supposed nobleman in the lead. When the three -retainers had followed their master, the captain, who -with the aid of a seaman was going to row the boat -to land, declared that it was already laden to its -utmost capacity and, promising to return immediately -for John, he pushed off into the darkness.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span></p> - -<p>Hour followed hour without bringing any sight -of the ship’s boat to our hero impatiently pacing the -deck, nor did the return of day afford any sign of -the captain and his craft. By this time John’s -anxiety had reached a painful pitch. With the -exception of his small sword and the clothes upon -his back everything he possessed had left the ship -in the boat, which he began to fear had foundered -in the storm that was not yet exhausted. If this -were true his plight was a sorry one, indeed. With -straining eyes he spent the day gazing across the mile -of water that lay between the ship and the little -village of St. Valèry. The waves gradually subsided -as the day wore on, and when evening -approached the sea was running in a long heavy -swell. John felt that he could not abide another -night of uncertainty and was seriously debating in -his mind the chances of safely reaching the shore by -swimming, when he perceived a boat putting out -from the port.</p> - -<p>A very angry set of passengers greeted the master -as he came over the side of his vessel and they were -not altogether appeased by his explanation that the -boat had been damaged on the outward trip, and he -dared not entrust himself to it for the return until after -the water and wind went down. He reassured John -by the statement that his friends had gone forward -to Amiens to avoid the poor accommodation at St. -Valèry, and would there await him. Having made<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> -his excuses, the master proceeded to get his passengers -ashore as quickly as possible and offered John -a seat in the first boat which he was only too glad -to accept, for, though his mind was somewhat easier, -he felt impatient to rejoin his new patron—and his -chest.</p> - -<p>John’s first thought on landing was to procure a -horse to carry him to Amiens, but when he thrust his -hand into his pocket he discovered that he had not a -single penny—even his purse was with his baggage. -He might walk, but Amiens was nearly forty miles -distant and it would take him two days to cover the -ground on foot. Moreover, he would need food -on the way and was already hungry and faint, having -in his anxiety of the previous hours neglected to -eat. Clearly he must get some money, and the -readiest way to do so seemed to lie in selling his -cloak, which was a very good one. He disposed -of it to the innkeeper at a fair price, ate a hurried -supper, and was in the act of arranging for the hire -of a horse, when one of his fellow passengers entered -the tavern and expressed a desire to speak with him -privately.</p> - -<p>The man who thus claimed John’s attention was a -soldier of middle age with an honest and weather-beaten -countenance. He had arrived on one of the -last boat trips but had sought our hero with as little -delay as possible. He now expressed his belief that -John was the victim of a plot to deprive him of his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> -money and belongings. De Preau he said was -slightly known to him as the son of a notary of -Mortagne, and he believed the other rascals to be -natives of that town. He had not suspected any -mischief until he heard the master on his return from -shore refer to De Preau as a nobleman. He doubted -not the ship captain had connived at the swindle, -but nothing could have been proved against him in -the absence of the chief culprits.</p> - -<p>John was at first disposed to be angry with Curzianvere, -as the soldier was named, for not having -spoken sooner and denounced the master on the spot. -He readily excused the other, however, when he -explained that he was an outlaw from the country -on account of a political offence and now secretly -visiting his home at great risk. It was natural that -he should have hesitated to get mixed up in a scrape -that would necessitate his appearing before a magistrate -at the hazard of being recognized. By divulging -this much about himself he had confided in the -honor of a stranger, but so great was the confidence -with which John’s frank demeanor inspired him that -he would go still farther and, as his road lay past -Mortagne, would guide him thither. He warned -John, however, that he could not venture to enter -any large town in Picardy or Brittany, much less -appear as a witness against De Preau and his companions, -should they be found.</p> - -<p>With this understanding the two soldiers set out<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span> -together, and after several weeks’ tramping, during -which Curzianvere had shared his slender purse with -John, they arrived at Mortagne. Here the outlaw, -perhaps fearing complications that might arise from -his companion’s errand, decided to continue his -journey. Before parting with the young wayfarer, -however, he gave him letters to some friends residing -in the neighborhood from whom he might expect -hospitable treatment.</p> - -<p>John entered the town, and so far as the first step -in his quest was concerned, met with immediate -success. Almost at once he encountered De Preau -and Courcelles sauntering along the main street. -John’s bile rose as he perceived that both were -tricked out in finery abstracted from his chest. He -strode up to them and in angry tones charged them -with deception and the theft of his goods. The -sudden encounter confused the rogues, but De Preau -quickly regained his composure.</p> - -<p>“Does Monsieur honor you with his acquaintance?” -he asked of Courcelles with a significant -look.</p> - -<p>“Had I ever seen that striking face before I must -have remembered it,” replied the other, taking the -cue from his leader.</p> - -<p>John was aghast at their effrontery, and turning -to a knot of townsmen who gathered around, he -cried:</p> - -<p>“These men have robbed me of my possessions.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> -Even now they wear my garments upon their backs. -If there be justice——” but speech failed him at -sight of the unsympathetic faces of the bystanders.</p> - -<p>“Mon Dieu! But the fellow is a superb actor,” -drawled De Preau.</p> - -<p>“Most like some knave who would draw us into -a quarrel,” added Courcelles.</p> - -<p>The onlookers, too, began to make menacing remarks, -and poor John realized the hopelessness of -his position. He was a foreigner without a friend, -and he suddenly remembered that to be locked up -and found with Curzianvere’s letters upon him would -not mend matters. He could not support a single -word of his story with proof. He was cloakless and -his clothing worn and travel-stained. Who could -be expected to believe that he ever owned a purse -filled with gold and a chest of rich raiment? He -was quivering with just rage, but he had sense -enough to see that his wisest course lay in retreat. -So without another word he turned his back on the -two villains and walked rapidly out of the town.</p> - -<p>A few miles from Mortagne John found the -friends to whose kind offices the letters of Curzianvere -recommended him. He met with a cordial -reception and sincere sympathy when he had told -his tale, but these good people were obliged to admit -that he had no chance of recovering his property -or causing the punishment of the thieves. Being -thus fully convinced that the matter was beyond<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> -remedy, John determined to put it behind him and -seek relief for his feelings in action. He declined -the invitation of Curzianvere’s friends to prolong -his visit but, accepting a small sum of money and a -cloak from them, set out to retrace his steps to the -coast, in the hope that he might secure employment -upon a ship of war.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span></p> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="V" id="V">V.</a><br /> -<small>A DUEL WITH A DASTARD</small></h2> -</div> - -<p class="noi chaphang"><span class="smcap">John reaches Havre after a long dreary tramp in mid-winter—Fails -to find a ship going to the East and -turns south along the coast—Falls exhausted by the -roadside and is picked up by a good farmer—Regains -his strength and resumes his journey—Encounters -Courcelles, one of the Frenchmen who had robbed him—They -draw swords and fall to—John completely overcomes -his antagonist, punishes him and leaves him -repentant—An unlooked for meeting with an old -friend—John is set upon his feet again—Goes to -Marseilles and takes ship for Italy—Is thrown overboard -in a storm by the fanatical passengers—Swims -to a desert island.</span></p> - - -<p class="p2">It must not be supposed that John had abandoned -his project of going to fight the Turks. His was not -the temperament to be easily discouraged or diverted -from a purpose. He was not now in a position to -pursue any very definite plan, but he walked coastward -in the hope that some favorable opportunity -for going farther might present itself. If he should -find some ship of war or large merchantman bound -for a Mediterranean port he would be willing to -work his way on her in any capacity. Honfleur and -Havre being the most likely places thereabouts in -which to find such a vessel as he sought, he made<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> -his way northward and visited each of those ports -in turn without success. It was winter, and peace -prevailed in western Europe for the time being. -There was little movement among the large ships -but smaller vessels, in considerable numbers, were -plying between the Continent and England. John -might readily have secured passage to England, and -no doubt his wisest course would have been to return -home and procure a fresh supply of clothing and -money. But John could not brook the thought of -appearing at home tattered and torn and confessing -to his guardian that he had been duped and robbed.</p> - -<p>The shipping men of Havre advised the anxious -inquirer to try St. Malo, and so he turned back -over the ground he had already twice traversed and -faced several more weeks of weary travel with a -purse now nearly empty and clothing almost reduced -to rags. Coming up from Mortagne he had selected -the poorest inns for resting places; now even these -were beyond his means, and he had to depend upon -the charity of the country people for a night’s lodging -or a meal. Occasionally his way led past a -monastery, when he was always sure of simple hospitality -for, to their credit be it said, the fact that John -was an Englishman and a heretic never caused the -good monks to turn him from their doors.</p> - -<p>When at length he arrived in the neighborhood of -Pontorson in Brittany it was in a condition bordering -on collapse from the effects of the exposure and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> -hardship of the preceding weeks. St. Malo was but -a short two days’ journey away, but it did not seem -possible that he could hold out until that port should -be reached. He staggered on for a few more miles -but at last his strength utterly gave out and he sank -unconscious to the ground by the roadside. Here -John Smith’s career well nigh wound up in an inglorious -end, for had he lain neglected for a few -hours he must have frozen to death. Fate directed -otherwise, however. A kind farmer chancing by -in his wagon picked up the exhausted lad and -carried him to his house. There he was nursed -and fed and, some weeks later, when he resumed -his journey it was with a show of his natural vigor.</p> - -<p>John left the farmhouse with a wallet sufficiently -stocked to stay his stomach until he should arrive -at St. Malo—money he had refused to accept from -the good farmer. The air was mild. It was one of -those sunny days in late winter that give early -promise of spring. Under the influence of the -cheery weather our hero’s spirits rose, and he had -a feeling that the tide in his affairs was about to -turn. This presentiment was strengthened by an -adventure that immediately befell him and which will -not so greatly surprise us if we remember that he -was once again in the vicinity of Mortagne, having -gone forth and back in his long tramp.</p> - -<p>John had been following a short cut through a -wood and had just emerged into the open when he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span> -came suddenly face to face with a traveler who was -pursuing the same path in opposite direction. Each -recognized the other immediately, and on the instant -their swords flashed from the scabbard. They flung -aside their cloaks and engaged without a word. -Furious anger surged in John’s breast as he confronted -Courcelles, one of the four French robbers -to whose perfidy he owed his present plight and all -the misery of the past months. For a moment he -was tempted to rush upon the rascal and run him -through, but that caution and coolness that ever -characterized our hero in the presence of danger, -soon took possession of his reason and prompted him -to assume the defensive.</p> - -<p>Courcelles was no mean swordsman, and he saw -before him a bareface boy whom he could not suppose -to be a master of fence. Moreover, he was moved -by the hatred which mean souls so often feel for -those whom they have wronged. He made a furious -attack upon the stripling intending to end the affair -in short order.</p> - -<p>John calmly maintained his guard under the onslaught -with his weapon presented constantly at the -other’s breast. With a slight movement of the wrist -he turned aside Courcelles’ thrusts and stepped back -nimbly when the Frenchman lunged. The latter, -meeting with no counter-attack, became more confident -and pressed his adversary hard. But the skill -with which his assault was met soon dawned upon<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> -Courcelles. He checked the impetuosity that had -already told upon his nerves and muscles and resorted -to the many tricks of fence of which, like -most French swordsmen, he was an adept. He -changed the engagement; he feinted and feigned to -fumble his weapon; he shifted his guard suddenly; -he pretended to slip and lose his footing; he endeavored -to disengage; but John could not be tempted -from his attitude of alert defence. Courcelles beat -the <em>appel</em> with his foot but John’s eyes remained -steadfastly fixed upon his and the firm blade was -ever there lightly but surely feeling his. Courcelles -tapped the other’s sword sharply but John only -smiled with grim satisfaction as he remembered how -Signor Polaloga had schooled him to meet such -disconcerting manœuvres as these.</p> - -<p>Courcelles was growing desperate and determined -as a last hope of overcoming his antagonist to try -the <i lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">coup de Marsac</i>. This consisted in beating up -the adversary’s weapon by sheer force and lunging -under his upthrown arm. Gathering himself together -for the effort, the Frenchman struck John’s -sword with all the strength he could command, but -the act was anticipated by our hero, whose rapier -yielded but a few inches to the blow. The next -instant the point of it had rapidly described a semi-circle -around and under Courcelles’ blade, throwing -it out of the line of his opponent’s body.</p> - -<p>It was a last effort. Chill fear seized the Frenchman’s<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> -heart as with the waning of his strength he -realized that he was at the mercy of the youth he -had so heartlessly robbed. With difficulty he maintained -a feeble guard whilst he felt a menacing -pressure from the other’s weapon. John advanced -leisurely upon the older man, whose eyes plainly betrayed -his growing terror. He was as helpless as a -child and might have been spitted like a fowl without -resistance, but although our hero was made of stern -stuff there was nothing cruel in his composition and -he began to pity the cringing wretch who retreated -before him. He had no thought, however, of letting -the rascal off without a reminder that might -furnish a lesson to him.</p> - -<p>With that thought he pricked Courcelles upon the -breast accompanying the thrust with the remark:</p> - -<p>“That for your friend Nelie, if you please!”</p> - -<p>Almost immediately he repeated the action, -saying:</p> - -<p>“And that for your friend Montferrat!”</p> - -<p>“For your master, the Lord De Preau, I beg -your acceptance of that,” continued John, running -his rapier through the fleshy part of the other’s -shoulder.</p> - -<p><a href="#i_frontis">The terrified Frenchman dropped his sword and -fell upon his knees</a> with upraised hands.</p> - -<p>“Mercy for the love of heaven!” he cried. -“Slay me not unshriven with my sins upon my -head.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Maybe we can find a priest to prepare thee for -the journey to a better land,” replied John, not unwilling -that the robber should suffer a little more. -“Ho, there!” to a group of rustics who had been -attracted by the sounds of the conflict. “Know’st -any holy father confessor living in these parts?”</p> - -<p>The peasants declared that a priest resided within -a mile of the spot and one of them departed in haste -to fetch him to the scene.</p> - -<p>As we know, John had no intention of killing -Courcelles, nor did he desire to await the return of -the shriver, so finding that the Frenchman had no -means of making restitution for the theft of his -goods, he left him. But before doing so, he extorted -from the apparently repentant man a promise to live -an honest life in future.</p> - -<p>The encounter with Courcelles had a stimulating -effect upon John and he entered St. Malo the following -morning, feeling better pleased with himself than -he had for many a day. He at once set about making -enquiries as to the vessels in port and was engaged -in conversation with a sailor on the quay when he -became aware of the scrutiny of a well-dressed young -man standing nearby. The face of the inquisitive -stranger seemed to awake a dim memory in John’s -mind but he could not remember to have met him -before. The other soon put an end to his perplexity -by coming forward with outstretched hands.</p> - -<p>“Certes, it is my old playmate Jack Smith of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> -Willoughby! Thou hast not so soon forgot Philip, -Jack?”</p> - -<p>John instantly recollected the young son of Count -Ployer who, as you will recall, had passed several -months at the castle as the guest of Lady Willoughby. -The young men repaired to a neighboring -tavern where, over a grateful draught of wine, John -recounted his adventures. When John spoke of his -wanderings in Brittany Philip listened with a puzzled -expression, and when his friend had finished said:</p> - -<p>“But why didst thou shun me and my father’s -house? Surely not in doubt of a welcome? It was -known to you that the Count Ployer possesses the -castle and estates of Tonquedec.”</p> - -<p>“Truly,” replied John, “but where is Tonquedec?”</p> - -<p>Philip lay back in his chair and laughed long and -heartily. When his merriment had somewhat subsided -he silently beckoned his new-found friend to -the window. St. Malo lies at the entrance to a long -narrow inlet. Extending a finger Philip pointed -across this bay. Upon the opposite shore John saw -the gray walls of a large battlemented castle.</p> - -<p>“Behold Tonquedec!” said Philip with a quizzical -smile.</p> - -<p>By the Count, John was received at the castle with -the most hearty welcome. That nobleman was, as -his son had been, moved to immoderate amusement -at the thought of Jack—as Philip persisted in calling<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> -him—having been in the neighborhood of the castle -so long without knowing it.</p> - -<p>“Your friend is doubtless a gallant soldier,” he -said to his son, “but a sorry geographer I fear.”</p> - -<p>John spent a pleasant week at Tonquedec Castle -but declined to prolong his stay, being anxious to -pursue his journey to Hungary now that the means -of doing so expeditiously lay at his command. For -the Count generously supplied all his immediate -needs and lent him a considerable sum of money on -the security of his estate. Thus equipped our hero -set out for Marseilles, whence he purposed taking -ship for Italy. In after years John proved his grateful -remembrance of the kindness of the Count and -his son by naming one of the headlands of Chesapeake -Bay, Point Ployer.</p> - -<p>John arrived at Marseilles just in time to take -passage on a small vessel filled with pilgrims bound -for Rome. They encountered foul weather from -the moment of leaving port and day by day the storm -increased in fury until the danger of going down -became hourly more imminent. At this critical -juncture both seamen and passengers abandoned -hope and sank upon their knees loudly calling upon -the saints for succor. John stood for awhile watching -this proceeding which revolted his common sense. -At length his patience gave out and he soundly berated -the sailors for their cowardice and imbecility. -Their saints, he declared, would much more readily<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> -aid men than cravens, and if they turned to and -helped themselves, God would surely help them.</p> - -<p>This ill-advised interference drew the attention of -the mixed crowd of passengers to the Englishman. -Half mad with terror and despair they turned upon -him a shower of abuse couched in the foulest terms -and voiced in a dozen different dialects. They -cursed his country and his Queen. Then some one -announced the discovery that he was the only heretic -on board, and the superstitious peasants at once -became convinced that the storm was attributable -to his presence and that the ship could only be saved -on condition of getting rid of him.</p> - -<p>Cries of “Overboard with the heretic! Throw -the renegado into the sea!” rose on every side, and -many approached him menacingly flourishing their -staves. John set his back against the mast and drew -his sword, determined, if he must, to sell his life -dearly. For awhile the threatening weapon held -the crowd at bay, but one crept up from behind and -knocked it from our hero’s hand. Immediately a -rush was made upon him. He was seized by many -hands and dragged to the side of the vessel. With -their curses still ringing in his ears John sank beneath -the waves.</p> - -<p>All this occupied some time during which the master -had, with the assistance of two of the seamen, -contrived to run his vessel under the lee of a small -island. When John, who was a strong swimmer,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> -came to the surface, he made for the islet which was -scarce a mile distant. A few strokes satisfied him -that he must rid himself of his heavy cloak, which -was easily done since it fastened only at the neck. -He next kicked off his shoes and cast away his -belt and scabbard. But it was still doubtful if he -could make the goal in the rough sea. Every ounce -of dead weight would count, and at last he reluctantly -took his heavy purse from his pocket and -allowed it to sink. When at length his feet touched -bottom and he staggered out of the water our -adventurer was completely exhausted.</p> - -<p>John threw himself behind a large rock which -gave shelter from the chill wind, and there he -lay for an hour or more before he could gather -sufficient strength to walk. When he arose the night -was falling and a driving rain had set in. A brief -survey of the little island satisfied him that it was -uninhabited. With that knowledge he faced the -prospect of a night in the open air under the beating -rain. What might lie beyond that he did not care -to surmise.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span></p> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="VI" id="VI">VI.</a><br /> -<small>DARKNESS AND DAWN</small></h2> -</div> - -<p class="noi chaphang"><span class="smcap">A lonely night with cold, wet and hunger—John falls -over a goat and is heartened—A friendly ship and -rescue—John sails with Captain La Roche in the -Britaine—Learns how to navigate a ship and handle -big guns—La Roche cruises in search of adventure—Falls -in with a Venetian argosy—The Venetian -fires a shot and draws blood—A fierce fight in which -the Britaine is finally victorious—John is landed in -Piedmont with a fat purse—He journeys to Gratz -and secures an introduction to the leaders in the -Archduke’s army—Gives an exhibition of superb -horsemanship and is appointed ensign in the regiment -of Earl Meldritch.</span></p> - - -<p class="p2">Cold and hungry, wet and weary, John spent -what seemed to him to be an endless night, pacing -about to keep his blood in circulation. He dared not -sleep, for that would be to court death, and so he -could find no relief from his gloomy thoughts in the -pitchy darkness. Here he was on an unoccupied -island and here he might remain until starvation—but -no, he would not believe that Dame Fortune, -who had so often displayed a kindly disposition -towards him, proposed to desert him in this -extremity.</p> - -<p>“My faith!” said John, speaking aloud to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> -hearten himself, whilst he drew his waistband tighter. -“If the good dame knows aught of the craving of -my stomach she will surely hasten her ministrations. -Would I had saved my shoes or e’en my swordbelt! -Leather, though not o’er palatable I ween, will, so -I have read, keep life in one’s body for a spell but -one can scarce eat fustian.” Here John’s soliloquy -was suddenly interrupted as he tripped over an object -lying in his path. As he lay upon the ground he -heard some animal scampering away in the darkness. -“A goat!” said John, when he had recovered from -his surprise. “Where there is one goat, there are -two. And where there are two goats, there is a she-goat. -And where there is a she-goat, there is milk. -My lady,” he continued, rising and making a low -bow, “your humble servant will do himself the -honor of calling upon you as soon as decency and -light permit.”</p> - -<p>This incident cheered our hero as it relieved his -mind of the chief anxiety that beset it. He had no -wish to shirk the accidents and hardships of life; -in fact, he rather enjoyed them, but the thought of -death is naturally repugnant to a robust youth and -especially to one full of ambition and love of action. -He was always of a philosophic turn of mind, and -as he reflected on the recent incident the significance -of it caused him to smile.</p> - -<p>“In the direst straits,” he thought, “the remedy -is at our hand if we will but find it, though it be by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> -falling over it. What babes we be! We cry though -the pitcher but rock and we cry when the milk is -spilt. Many a man dons mail when swaddling -clothes would better befit him.”</p> - -<p>With the first streak of dawn, John, now ravenously -hungry, began to look around for the she-goat -which he felt confident of finding with many companions -on the islet. He had pursued this quest -but a few minutes when his heart was delighted by -the sight of a ship lying at anchor near this refuge. -It had taken shelter behind the island from the storm -of the day before and was now making preparations -for departure, as John could see from where he -stood. <a href="#i_084fp">He hastened down to the water’s edge and -shouted lustily.</a> The wind was fortunately favorable -and at length he attracted the attention of the -people on board. A boat was lowered and our -hero, with scarce strength enough to stand, soon -found himself on the deck of a French merchantman. -The master, perceiving his condition, had him taken -below, where he was fed, dressed in dry clothes and -left to sleep.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 375px;"> -<a id="i_084fp"> - <img src="images/i_084fp.jpg" width="375" height="600" alt="" title="" /> -</a><br /> -<div class="caption"><a href="#Page_85">HE HASTENED DOWN TO THE WATER’S EDGE AND SHOUTED LUSTILY</a></div> -</div> - -<p>When John awoke, refreshed after a long rest, -the vessel was scudding along under a brisk breeze -and the setting sun proclaimed the close of another -day. Our hero went on deck, blithe and eager for -what new adventures the strange whirligig of life -might have in store for him. The captain, after the -fashion of seamen, extended a hearty greeting and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> -invited John to sup with him. Over the meal the -young Englishman told his story. At its conclusion, -Captain La Roche, for such was his name, rose and -shook his guest warmly by the hand.</p> - -<p>“Fortune has thrown you in my way,” said the -captain, with a genial smile. “I am from St. Malo -and Count Ployer is my dear friend and patron. -For his sake I would do much for you, if your story -and bearing had not drawn me to yourself. You -shall be put ashore this night if that be your wish, but -it would please me greatly should you decide to continue -on the voyage with me. I am bound for Alexandria -and thereafter may seek some profitable -adventure. In the space of a few months I shall -land you somewhere in Italy—with a fat purse, and -I mistake not. What say you?”</p> - -<p>John had always felt a strong desire for the life -of the sea, and in those days the complete soldier -was more than half a sailor. The experience would -be profitable and, in any case, the proposition seemed -to hold out a better prospect of eventually reaching -Hungary than by starting penniless to walk across -the Continent. Besides, if the truth be told, John’s -recent term of tramping had more than satisfied -him with that mode of travel for awhile. He accepted -Captain La Roche’s offer without hesitation.</p> - -<p>La Roche was the owner, as well as the master, -of his vessel, which he called the <i>Britaine</i>, in honor -of his native province. It was a heavily armed ship<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> -of two hundred tons burden, carrying a crew of -sixty men. Such a number were not of course -needed to manage a ship of that size. The excuse -for their presence was found in the prevalence of -piracy but, as we shall see, their duties were not -entirely of a defensive character. The truth of the -matter is that La Roche, like many another reputable -ship-captain of his time, was himself more than half -a pirate. His vessel was a combination of merchantman -and privateer with authority to attack the -ships of nations at war with his country. The condition -was very laxly observed, however, and might, -more often than political considerations, governed -in such matters. When the relations of the powers -to one another were constantly changing and a -voyage frequently occupied a year, a captain’s safest -course was to treat every foreign sail as an enemy -and either to attack it or to run from it. With a -valuable cargo such as La Roche had on this occasion, -the master of a vessel would generally try to -make a peaceful voyage to the port of destination. -If a similar cargo could not be secured for the return -voyage, he would try to compensate himself for the -failure by taking a prize.</p> - -<p>The voyage to Alexandria was completed without -incident of importance. John improved the opportunity -to learn all that he could about seamanship -and the handling of big guns. Before the vessel -made port Captain La Roche pronounced his pupil<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> -a very creditable mariner and almost capable of sailing -the ship himself. Having discharged his cargo, -the captain proceeded to the Ionian Sea for the purpose, -as he said, of learning “what ships were in -the road,” or, in other words, to see if there was -anything about upon which he could prey.</p> - -<p>A few days had been spent in this quest, when a -large Venetian argosy was sighted in the straits of -Otranto. Now the Venetians, sinking all other considerations -than those of greed and self-interest, had -entered into a treaty with the Turks. In this fact -Captain La Roche might have found sufficient excuse -for attacking the richly laden ship, but a better -was forthcoming. It was one of those great unwieldy -craft in which the merchants of Venice sent -cargoes of fabulous worth to all parts of the world. -Its size was more than twice that of the <i>Britaine</i> and -its armament at least equal to hers. The latter, -however, had all the advantage in speed and ability -to manœuvre—a highly important quality, as the -Spaniards had learnt a few years previously when -their great Armada was destroyed by the comparatively -small English ships.</p> - -<p>The Venetian, seeing the <i>Britaine</i> lying in his path -and realizing that he would have little chance in -flight, endeavored to frighten the other off with a -shot. As luck would have it, the ball took off the -head of a seaman on the deck of the French vessel. -This furnished La Roche with an ample pretext for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span> -attacking the argosy. Running across her bow, he -raked her fore and aft, in passing, with his starboard -guns. Putting about, he returned under her stern, -but as the high poop afforded an effective bulwark, -less damage was done by his fire. The Venetian’s -mast and rigging were now too badly damaged to -permit of her sailing and the Frenchman, who had -so far escaped hurt, determined to board. He -brought his vessel alongside the other and made fast -with the grappling irons. The Venetian had a -larger crew than her enemy and they repulsed the -attack of the Frenchmen with determination. Twice -the boarders succeeded in gaining the deck of the -larger vessel and each time they were beaten back -after a furious hand to hand combat. Captain La -Roche, with John by his side, led the second of these -assaults. They were the first on the deck, and shoulder -to shoulder fought their way towards the poop -where the commander of the argosy stood. They -had almost reached the spot, when La Roche glancing -back, saw that they were cut off from his men, -who were retreating to their own vessel. To return -was out of the question. The only hope lay in -breaking through the men who stood between them -and the farther side of the ship.</p> - -<p>“It is overboard with us lad, if we would not -be taken prisoners,” he cried. “<i lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">Gare de là! Gare -de devant!</i>”</p> - -<p>The seamen fell back before the fierce charge<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> -of the two men whose swords whistled through the -air in sweeping strokes. In less time than it takes -to tell, they had reached the side and had plunged -into the sea. Swimming round the stern of the -Venetian, they came upon the <i>Britaine</i>, which had -cast off and was preparing to sail away with the idea -that the captain had been killed.</p> - -<p>As soon as he regained the deck of his vessel, -Captain La Roche ordered the guns to be reshotted. -When this had been done he poured two broadsides -into the argosy with such effect that she was on the -verge of sinking. Once more the Frenchman ranged -alongside and sent his boarders to the attack. This -time they met with little resistance, for half the crew -of the injured vessel were engaged in stopping the -holes in her side. The fight had lasted for an hour -and a half and when the Venetian surrendered, -twenty of her men lay dead upon the deck and as -many more were wounded. On his side Captain -La Roche had lost fifteen of his crew and eight were -incapacitated by sword cuts.</p> - -<p>La Roche could not spare a prize crew to man -the argosy even had he been willing to face the -enquiry that must have followed taking her into -port. Therefore he first secured his prisoners and -then proceeded to transfer as much as possible of the -cargo of the Venetian to his own ship. This task -occupied twenty-four hours, and when the <i>Britaine</i> -had been filled, there remained upon her prize at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> -least as much as had been taken out of her. With -this handsome remainder the Frenchman abandoned -her and her crew to their fate, which was probably -to be rifled by the very next ship that chanced along. -The spoils consisted of silks, velvets, and other rich -stuffs, jewels, works of art, and a considerable quantity -of money. John’s share of the prize amounted -to five hundred sequins and a box of jewels, in all -worth about twenty-five hundred dollars—a much -larger sum in those days than in these. Shortly -after this affair Captain La Roche landed our hero -in Piedmont, with “a fat purse” as he had promised.</p> - -<p>John had now accomplished one more step in his -project of engaging in the campaign against the -Turks and was at last within easy distance of his -goal. Had he been of a mercenary disposition his -experience with Captain La Roche might have induced -him to attach himself permanently to the person -of that gallant sailor, but during all his life John -Smith displayed a disregard for money, except in so -far as it was necessary to the attainment of some -important end. Therefore it was with no reluctance -that he turned his back on the sea and set forward -for Gratz where the Archduke maintained his headquarters. -On the way he had the opportunity to see -many Italian cities and passed through Rome, but -he did not linger unnecessarily on the road.</p> - -<p>At Gratz John had the good fortune to fall in with -a countryman who enjoyed some acquaintance with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> -the leaders in the Christian army. This gentleman -presented the young adventurer to Lord Ebersberg, -Baron Kissel, the Earl of Meldritch and other generals -attached to the Imperial forces. These officers -were attracted by the young man’s soldierly bearing -and impressed by the persistent manner in which he -had pursued his project and the pains he had been -at to reach the seat of war. They were, however, -very busy with preparations for the campaign and -would likely enough have forgotten so humble an -individual as John Smith but for a fortunate incident -that, although trivial in itself, had an important -influence upon our hero’s future career.</p> - -<p>One day as he was passing by a large mansion on -the outskirts of the city, John was attracted to a -crowd which had gathered round two footmen who -were with difficulty holding a plunging horse. It -was a magnificent Barbary steed with coal black -silky coat, but it was apparent at a glance that the -animal had not been broken in, if, indeed, it had ever -had a saddle upon its back. John had hardly -reached the spot when the Earl of Meldritch and a -companion came out of the house and approached. -The Earl displayed annoyance when he saw the wild -creature plunging and lashing out with its hind -feet. He had, it appeared from his remarks, bought -the beast without seeing it and was thoroughly disgusted -with his bargain.</p> - -<p>“It is a fit charger for Beelzebub, if, indeed, it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> -be not the fiend incarnate,” he cried. “I would not -trust myself upon the back of such a beast for all -the wealth of the Indies.”</p> - -<p>Hearing this John stepped up to the nobleman and -said with a respectful salute:</p> - -<p>“If it please your lordship, I should like well -to try conclusions with yon animal.”</p> - -<p>“You would ride it!” cried the Earl in amazement.</p> - -<p>“With your lordship’s consent I would essay -to do as much,” replied John.</p> - -<p>Permission having been granted, a saddle was sent -for. In the meantime our hero stroked the horse’s -head as well as he could for its prancing, whilst he -spoke to it in a low caressing tone of voice. The -animal seemed to yield somewhat to the influence -of this treatment, for it grew quieter, but the saddle -was not put on without great difficulty. John sprang -into the seat, at the same time ordering the grooms -to let go. Immediately the horse began to act as -though possessed. It stood upright upon its hind -feet. It tried to stand upon its head. It leapt here -and there. It spun around like a cockchafer on a pin. -It darted forward and suddenly stopped. In short, -it tried all the tricks with which a horse endeavors -to throw its rider. But John had not learnt riding -from one of the best horsemen in England for nothing. -He sat his saddle easily through all the animal’s -antics and when its fury began to abate he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> -urged it forward at full speed and dashed over the -neighboring plain and out of sight.</p> - -<p>It was an hour later when John rode up to Earl -Meldritch’s residence. The nobleman came out to -meet him and was surprised to see that he managed -the now-subdued steed without difficulty. He rode -it back and forth, made it turn this way and that, -start and stop at will, and, in fact, had it under -almost perfect control. The Earl did not attempt -to disguise his admiration. On the contrary, he -then and there made our hero a present of the black -charger and gave him an appointment as ensign in -his own regiment of cavalry.</p> - -<p>John was now attached to the Imperial army in -an honorable capacity, and in the course of his -duties he made the better acquaintance of some of -the higher officers. This was the case in particular -with Lord Ebersberg, who found that the young -Englishman had made a study of those branches of -tactics in which he himself was most interested. -These two had many discussions and on one occasion -John imparted to the general some ideas of signalling -which he had gathered from the pages of -Polybius. This particular conversation had an important -bearing on the issue of a great battle at a -later date.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span></p> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="VII" id="VII">VII.</a><br /> -<small>SOME STRATAGEMS</small></h2> -</div> - -<p class="noi chaphang"><span class="smcap">John marches with the army against the Turks—Helps -the commander-in-chief out of a dilemma—The -signal message with torches—“At the alarum, sally -you”—John’s dummy battalions of matchlock men -deceive the enemy—Baron Kissel attacks the Turkish -army and routs it with great slaughter—The campaign -in Transylvania—Alba Regalis is attacked—John -devises a scheme for entering the city—His -“fiery dragons” work havoc within the walls—The -place is taken by assault after a fierce fight—Sixty -thousand Moslems advance to retake it—John is -promoted.</span></p> - - -<p class="p2">John Smith’s brief experiences in Holland had -merely served to whet his appetite for soldiering. -He was now in a fair way to see fighting of the -hardest kind. The year 1601 was drawing to a -close. It had been distinguished by constant conflict -of the fiercest description between the Christian and -Turkish armies, with the advantage on the whole -on the side of the latter. The Turks had ravaged -Hungary, had recently taken the important stronghold -of Caniza, and were threatening Ober-Limbach. -Lord Ebersberg was despatched to the defence of -that place with a small force, whilst Baron Kissel<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> -followed as soon as possible with an additional -body of ten thousand men, including the Earl of -Meldritch’s regiment.</p> - -<p>The Baron arrived to find that, although Ebersberg -had contrived to enter the town, its investment -was now completed by an army of twenty thousand -Turks, which effectually shut out the intended reinforcement. -The situation was extremely critical, -for Ober-Limbach is but a few miles to the north of -Caniza, whence a force of the enemy might issue -at any time and attack the Baron in the rear. -Prompt action was absolutely necessary, but how to -act was difficult to decide upon. To retreat would -be to abandon the town and its garrison to certain -capture. To openly attack a strongly posted army -of twice his strength appeared too hazardous for -consideration by the commander. However, something -had to be done, and that right quickly, so it -was determined to make an assault under cover of -night when the advantage of numbers would be -somewhat lessened. Indeed, if the co-operation of -the garrison could be secured under such circumstances, -the chances of success would be considerable. -But how to communicate with Lord Ebersberg was -beyond Baron Kissel’s conception, for it was practically -impossible to pass through the Turkish lines.</p> - -<p>These matters were discussed in a council of the -principal officers, and when he returned to his tent -the Earl of Meldritch explained the situation to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> -young ensign who was upon his staff and of whose -good sense and knowledge he began to entertain a -high estimate. When John understood the dilemma -in which the Commander-in-Chief was placed, he -expressed a belief that he could convey a message -to Lord Ebersberg, provided it was short and simple. -To the astonished Earl he related his conversation -with the German general on the subject of signalling -which had not yet found a place in the tactics of -European armies. John had no doubt that Lord -Ebersberg would remember the simple code of signals -which he had suggested to him, since he had -shown a keen interest in the matter. The Earl -immediately informed the Commander-in-Chief of -his young subordinate’s idea, and the Baron wrote -a message which was, if possible, to be transmitted -to the garrison.</p> - -<p>As soon as darkness had set in, John, accompanied -by the principal officers of the army, who were of -course deeply interested in the trial, made his way -to the top of a hill which overlooked the town. He -was supplied with a number of torches by means of -which he proposed to send to Lord Ebersberg the -following despatch: “Tomorrow at night I will -charge on the east; at the alarum sally you. Kissel.” -As a first step, which would answer to the -“call up” signal of modern heliographers, three -lighted torches were fixed at equal distances apart -and left exposed, awaiting the answer from the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> -other end to indicate that the signal was understood -and that the receivers were on the alert to take the -message. The minutes lengthened into a quarter-hour, -into a half, and at length a full hour had slowly -dragged by without any sign from the garrison. -The torches burnt low and the disappointed officers -turned to leave the spot. A captain laughed derisively, -but was sternly checked by the Earl of -Meldritch.</p> - -<p>“The fault is not with the lad,” he said. “He -hath done his part but I fear the essay goes for -nought.”</p> - -<p>“Nay,” replied John promptly, “Lord Ebersberg -hath not seen my lights, else he would have understood. -Yonder sentries be dullards. The next relief -may bring one of sharper wit and the general -will surely make the round of the ramparts before -he seeks his couch. I keep my torches burning -though it be through the night.”</p> - -<p>With that he set up three fresh lights and folded -his arms with an air of quiet determination.</p> - -<p>The young soldier’s confidence infected his colonel -and though the others departed hopeless of the -experiment, the Earl remained with John. They -had not long to wait for a reward of their patience. -Hardly had the party of doubters reached the bottom -of the hill when three torches set in a row appeared -upon the ramparts of the besieged town. They were -surely in answer to his signal, but in order to be certain<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span> -John lowered his lights. The others were -immediately lowered and again set up in response to -a similar action on his part. He now proceeded to -send the message in German which was the native -language of the general and the tongue in which -he had conversed with John.</p> - -<p>The letters of the alphabet were indicated in a very -simple manner and on the principle that is employed -at this day in heliographing or in signalling with -lamps. Two of the standing lights were extinguished. -The letters were made by alternately showing -and hiding a torch a certain number of times -to the left or right of the standing light. Dividing -the alphabet into two parts from A to L and from M -to Z, a torch shown once to the left would mean A; -to the right M. A torch alternately exhibited and -hidden to the left of the standing light three times -would signify C. The same thing on the right -would be read as O and so on. The end of a word -was marked by showing three lights and the receivers -indicated that they had read it successfully by holding -up one torch. At the conclusion three torches -set up by the receiving party as originally, signified -that they had fully understood the message.</p> - -<p>The despatch went through without a hitch, and -it was with proud satisfaction that John saw the -three final lights displayed telling that his important -task had been accomplished with perfect success. -The Earl of Meldritch expressed his delight in no<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> -measured terms as they hurried to the tent of Baron -Kissel to apprise him of the happy conclusion of the -experiment. The news soon spread through the -camp, and whilst it made John Smith’s name known -to the army, it inspirited the troops with the prospect -of support from their beleaguered comrades in the -morrow’s attack.</p> - -<p>Whilst the communication with Lord Ebersberg -had greatly improved the situation, it left Baron -Kissel still seriously anxious with regard to the -issue. Even counting the garrison, the Christians -would be inferior in numbers to the enemy who -were, moreover, strongly entrenched. Scouts had -ascertained that the Turkish army maintained a complete -cordon of outposts at night, so that there was -little prospect of taking their main body by surprise.</p> - -<p>The morning after the affair of the torches, the -Commander-in-Chief and his staff stood upon an -eminence commanding the scene of the conflict and -discussed plans for the attack. John was present -in attendance upon the Earl of Meldritch and overheard -enough of the remarks to realize that the generals -were far from confident of success. In fact, -Baron Kissel was anything but an enterprising commander, -and his timidity naturally infected the officers -under him. Young as he was, John had a considerable -knowledge of military tactics but, which -was more to the purpose, he possessed the eye and -the instinct of a born soldier. As he gazed across<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> -the ground occupied by the Turkish army, to the town -beyond, these qualities enabled him to estimate the -position and the possibilities of strategy with surer -judgment than even the veterans beside him. He -noted that the river Raab divided the Ottoman force -into two equal bodies and he realized that the key -to success in the coming action lay in keeping these -apart. Before the party returned to camp he had -formed a plan which he imparted to his colonel at -the first opportunity.</p> - -<p>The flint-lock had not yet come into use. Foot -soldiers went into action carrying their cumbersome -guns with a piece of resin-soaked rope attached to -the stock. This was called a “match,” being used -to ignite the powder in the pan. It burned slowly, -and of course could be replenished at will. John’s -plan was to counterfeit several regiments of men -standing with matchlocks ready to fire. The Earl -heartily approved the suggestion, as did Baron Kissel, -and placed the necessary men and material at -the disposal of the young ensign. John stretched -between posts a number of lengths of rope at about -the height of a man’s waist. Along these he tied, at -intervals of two feet, “matches” similar to those -which have been described. As soon as darkness -set in these were lighted and each contrivance was -carried out by two men and set up in the plain of -Eisenberg, which lay to the west of Ober-Limbach. -To the Turks the long lines of flickering lights must<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> -have looked like companies and regiments of soldiers -marching and taking up position.</p> - -<p>Whilst this stratagem was being carried out Baron -Kissel advanced his entire force of ten thousand men -against that portion of the Turkish army that lay -on the east bank of the river. Upon these they -charged vigorously, and at the same time Lord -Ebersberg, with his garrison of five thousand, -attacked them in flank. The Turks thus assailed -on two sides and being unable in the darkness to -ascertain the strength of the enemy, fell into confusion -and were slaughtered with ease. The other -portion of the Ottoman army, confronted as it imagined -itself to be by a strong force, had not dared -to move from its position and stood alarmed and -irresolute until Baron Kissel fell upon its rear after -having completely routed the former body. The -Moslems offered no resistance but fled panic-stricken -into the night, leaving their camp and thousands -of killed and wounded in the hands of the -victors.</p> - -<p>A large quantity of provisions and other necessities -were found in the Turkish camp and removed -to the town. Thus furnished and reinforced by two -thousand picked soldiers from Kissel’s command, the -place was in good condition to withstand further -attack, and so the Baron left it, proceeding north to -Kerment. John Smith’s share in this important -engagement was not overlooked. The Earl of Meldritch<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> -publicly declared himself proud of his young -protege and secured for him the command of two -hundred and fifty horse in his own regiment. Thus -before he had reached his twenty-second year John -had earned a captaincy and the respectful regard of -his superior officers.</p> - -<p>Winter brought about a temporary cessation of -hostilities and on their resumption, early the next -year, a reorganization of the Imperial army was -made. Three great divisions were formed: One, -under the Archduke Matthias and the Duc de Mercœur, -to operate in Lower Hungary; the second, -under Archduke Ferdinand and the Duke of Mantua, -to retake Caniza; and the third, under Generals -Gonzago and Busca, for service in Transylvania. -The regiment of the Earl of Meldritch was assigned -to duty with the first division and attached to the -corps commanded by the Duc de Mercœur. Thus -strangely enough our hero found himself after all -serving under the very leader to whom the trickster -De Preau had promised to conduct him.</p> - -<p>With an army of thirty thousand, one-third of -whom were Frenchmen, the Duc addressed himself -to the capture of the stronghold of Stuhlweissenburg, -which was then called Alba Regalis. The fortifications -and natural defences of the place rendered -it well-nigh impregnable. It was held by a strong -and determined force that bravely repelled attacks -and frequently sallied forth to give battle to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span> -besiegers. The Christian army can not be said to -have made any progress towards taking the place -when John gave another exhibition of the fertility -of his mind and devised a plan which led to the fall -of the town.</p> - -<p>The young cavalry captain made frequent circuits -of the walls studying the fortifications and the -various points of attack. He found that a direct -assault could not be made at any point with hope -of success, save, perhaps, one. Here the defence -was lax owing to the fact that a morass, which extended -for some distance from the wall, seemed to -preclude the possibility of approach. Testing this -quagmire under cover of darkness, John found that -it was not so deep but that a few hundred men laden -with stones and logs of wood could in a short while -fill in sufficient to make a pathway across it. But -they would necessarily have to work by daylight, -and the next thing was to devise a scheme by which -the attention of the garrison could be diverted from -them long enough to allow of the accomplishment -of the object.</p> - -<p>The bomb-shell had not yet been devised, but -somewhere in his extensive reading John had gathered -the idea of such a missile. He set to work -to make what he called a “fiery dragon” and constructed -a sling to send it on its way. At the first -attempt the thing worked to his satisfaction. He -then detailed to the Earl of Meldritch his plan for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> -taking the city by stratagem. The Duc de Mercœur -having consented to the scheme—the more readily -since he had heard of John’s previous exploits—preparations -for putting it into effect were pushed -with haste, for just at this time news was received -of a strong relieving force which was on the march -for Alba Regalis.</p> - -<p>Fifty bombs were manufactured under John’s -directions, and, together with the slings, were conveyed -to a side of the town remote from that on -which the attack was to be made. Meanwhile the -Earl of Rosworme had gathered a force of picked -men to make the assault and five hundred others with -large baskets filled with material to be dumped into -the morass. This body assembled in eager expectation -of the diversion which the English captain -promised to create.</p> - -<p>John had selected one of the most crowded quarters -of the city for the destination of his “fiery -dragons” and he let them loose in the market hour -when the crowd would be greatest. One after -another, with flaming tails, they pursued their hissing -flight over the ramparts and, as they struck the -ground, burst, scattering death on every side. The -air was immediately filled with the cries of the -affrighted Turks who fled from the spot and the -groans of those who lay wounded and dying. But -by the time the stock of bombs had become exhausted -the townspeople and garrison were hurrying to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> -spot from every direction to put out the flames which -had broken forth in several places and threatened to -sweep the city.</p> - -<p>Whilst the defenders were thus engaged with the -fire that spread rapidly in the strong wind, the Earl -of Rosworme’s party completed their causeway without -interruption and his fighting men gained within -the walls and opened one of the gates before they -were discovered. The besieging army poured into -the doomed town and a fearful carnage ensued. -The Turks fought like demons and neither asked -nor received quarter. Hardly a man of the garrison -escaped. A last remnant of five hundred made a -stand before the palace with the Turkish commander -in their midst. He counselled them not to surrender -and himself determined to die fighting. His men -were cut down one after another and he, sorely -wounded, was about to be slain by the infuriated -soldiers, when the Earl of Meldritch rescued him -and made him prisoner despite his protests.</p> - -<p>Alba Regalis, one of the most valued strongholds -of the Turks, was in the possession of the Christian -army but sixty thousand Moslems, determined to -retake it, were approaching by rapid marches.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span></p> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="VIII" id="VIII">VIII.</a><br /> -<small>THE DIN OF BATTLE</small></h2> -</div> - -<p class="noi chaphang"><span class="smcap">The battle of Girkhe—The Duc de Mercœur pits twenty -thousand Christians against sixty thousand Turks—The -conflict rages from morn till night—Meldritch’s -men do valiant service—John’s horse is killed under -him—He is rescued by Culnitz and saves the latter’s -life in turn—Duplaine dies fighting one to ten—The -Earl’s fearful plight—Seven hundred against -three thousand—“For faith and Meldritch!”—The -Earl is cut off—“Culnitz! Vahan! Follow me! -To the Chief, my men!”—Count Ulrich turns the -scales—The Turks break and flee from the field—Victory -and night.</span></p> - - -<p class="p2">Alba Regalis had been in the hands of the Turks -for thirty years, and during that time had become -virtually a Moslem city. Turkish mosques, palaces -and market place had been constructed in it and its -fortifications had been strengthened until the place -was well-nigh impregnable. The Turks had come -to consider Alba Regalis a permanent possession -and its fall was a great blow to their pride as well -as a serious setback in their military operations. As -soon as the Sultan was informed of the Duc de Mercœur’s -advance against the stronghold, he hastily -raised a force of sixty thousand men and sent it to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span> -the relief, under Hassan Pasha, the commander-in-chief -of the Turkish army. Hassan had pushed -forward with all possible expedition but, as we know, -Alba Regalis fell whilst he was still a considerable -distance away. This did not check the advance of -the Turkish general. On the contrary it induced -him to hurry on in the hope of arriving before the -Christians should have time to repair the breaches -in the walls and other damages to the defences which -their assault must, as he naturally supposed, have -made. Thanks, however, to Captain John Smith’s -stratagem, as we should now call him, the artillery -had been comparatively little used in the reduction of -the city and a few days sufficed to put it in its former -condition, so far as the outworks were concerned.</p> - -<p>Scouts kept a close watch on the Turkish army -and reported to the Duc that it was strung out to -such an extent that the last regiments were a full -day’s march behind the vanguard. This fact suggested -to Mercœur the bold expedient of going out -to meet the enemy instead of awaiting him behind -the walls of Alba Regalis. The plan was based on -logical reasoning and had the approval of Meldritch -and other leaders. The Turks would not expect -such a move and would continue their advance in -single column of regiments. The Christians would -thus have the advantage of numbers on their side -in the early part of the engagement and the enemy -could hardly bring more than two to one against<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span> -them before the close of the first day. If advisable -the defenders of the city might retire within the -walls at nightfall. The force of Hassan Pasha was -largely composed of raw levies, undisciplined and -inexperienced, who would necessarily be worn in -consequence of the forced marches to which they -had been subjected. Furthermore, the Duc was too -keen a soldier to allow thirty thousand men to be -shut up in a beleaguered town for months when their -services were so urgently needed elsewhere. These -considerations then prompted him to a decision which -proved to have been an eminently wise one.</p> - -<p>Mercœur had no idea of seriously hazarding the -loss of Alba Regalis. When he issued to battle -there were left in the town ten thousand men, a -sufficient number to hold it for some months even -if the worst befell their comrades. With his main -body, twenty thousand strong, the Duc marched out -to meet the oncoming Turks. The spot he selected -for the encounter was one where the enemy must -debouche from a comparatively narrow way upon -the extensive plains of Girkhe. The latter expanse -afforded ideal conditions for the movement of cavalry, -upon which arm the general mainly depended -for success. The Christian army arrived at the -battle-ground at the close of day and, after throwing -out a chain of videttes and posting strong guards, -passed a restful night in bivouac.</p> - -<p>The Duc’s force had hardly finished its morning<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span> -meal when the videttes retired before the van of the -advancing Turks and the outposts fell back in orderly -manner upon the main body. The hoarse bray of -the trumpets called the soldiers “to arms” and, -as they had lain down in ranks the night before, the -regiments were formed in a very few minutes. It -was no part of the Duc’s plan to contest the advance -of the enemy or to attempt to drive him back. The -Turkish regiments as they arrived were freely permitted -to march forward and deploy upon the plain. -The Christian army was massed, and as each corps -of the Ottomans lined up in its crescent formation -the Duc sent one of his own against it. They were -about equal in numbers, that is to say, each one -thousand strong. It was the hope of the Christian -commander that in this way he should be able to rout -a considerable portion of the Turkish army before -it could bring a very superior force upon the field. -The best of his troops Mercœur held back until the -latter part of the day when the hardest fighting -might be expected to occur. Thus John Smith and -many another brave fellow was forced to stand impatiently -watching his comrades in action. Twice -during the forenoon, however, Captain Smith was -permitted to take out his troop and make a brief -charge for the purpose of turning the tide where a -Christian regiment appeared to be overmatched. -So, for hours this strange battle progressed in a -series of duels. Every thirty or forty minutes<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> -brought a fresh Turkish regiment on the field where -it was at once engaged by one of the Christian -corps in an isolated conflict. There was no attempt -at military tactics or combined movements on the -part of the various colonels. Each had his own -little battle to fight with a Turkish zanzack. He -was instructed to attend strictly to that and pay no -heed to what might be going on around him. When -he had beaten and routed the body opposed to him, -he was to retire and rest his men and horses.</p> - -<p>It was a very ingenious arrangement when you -think about it. Once engaged the Turks were -obliged to come on as at first. If they should halt, -even for an hour to mass a strong force, the Christian -commander would overwhelm and annihilate the Moslem -regiments upon the field. Despite the fact that -several bodies of the Ottomans were utterly broken -and driven from the field, the constant arrival of -fresh Turks gradually increased their numbers until -at noon they had fully twenty thousand men in -action, opposed to about thirteen thousand of the -Duc de Mercœur’s force. Up to this time five -thousand of the Moslems and two thousand Christians -had been put out of action. The former were -constantly receiving fresh accessions to their numbers, -whilst the regiments of the latter which had -been most actively engaged during the morning -could only be lightly employed thereafter.</p> - -<p>But the flower of Mercœur’s force had been held<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span> -in reserve until this time. It consisted of five regiments -of splendid cavalry—five thousand horsemen -eager for the fray. The time had come to launch -them against the enemy in support of the now -hardly-pressed troops that had borne the burden -of battle thus far. The commanders and men knew -what was expected of them. They were prepared -to meet odds of five to one and more if necessary. -They had fed and watered their chargers, they had -looked to their buckles and bits. Their pistols were -loaded and primed and each had drained the flagon -of wine handed to him by his horse-boy. They made -a brave picture as they sat their champing steeds in -glistening armor and with drawn swords awaiting -the word to advance. Since each corps acted as an -independent unit, we can only follow the fortunes of -that which bore the brunt of the fierce fighting in -the afternoon of that memorable autumn day.</p> - -<p>The regiment of Meldritch consisted of four companies, -commanded respectively by the following -captains: Duplaine, a Frenchman; Vahan and Culnitz, -Germans; and the Englishman, John Smith. -Each of these performed prodigies of valor before -the fall of night and the dashing Duplaine met a -soldier’s death upon the field.</p> - -<p>The Earl lost no time in taking his impatient men -into action. Riding in their front, conspicuous by -his great height and the scarlet plumes that surmounted -his helmet, he led them towards a body of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> -the enemy that had just entered the plain. Meldritch’s -corps, in line of double rank, advanced -at a trot, breaking into a hand-gallop as they -approached the foe. Then, as the uplifted sword of -the Earl gave the signal, they swept forward in a -mighty charge and with a shout crashed through the -line of Turks, overthrowing horse and rider in their -impetuous course. In an instant the ground was -strewn with dead and dying, with kicking animals -and with men striving to get clear of the struggling -mass. The victors rode among them slaying without -mercy, whilst the remnant of the broken regiment -fled in every direction.</p> - -<p>When his men had reformed and breathed their -horses, the Earl sent them at another regiment with -like results, and so again and again. But such work -tells on man and horse, and as Meldritch’s men tired -the odds by which they were confronted increased. -They no longer swept through the ranks of the -enemy with ease but had to cut and hew their passage. -Their charges broke the compactness of their -own lines and ended in mêlées from which they -emerged in small bodies with loss and fatigue.</p> - -<p>In one of these later encounters, the black Barbary—his -colonel’s gift to Captain Smith—suddenly -pitched forward in the throes of death, flinging his -rider heavily to the ground. Our hero’s career -must have ended there had not Culnitz spurred to -his rescue just as three Turks rode at him.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Up! Up behind me in the saddle!” cried Culnitz -generously, as he reached John’s side. But the -young Englishman had no idea of hazarding his comrade’s -life by such a proceeding. His sword had -flown from his hand as he fell. He now snatched -Culnitz’s battle-axe from the saddle-bow and prepared -to help his rescuer meet the trio of Turks -who were now upon them. One of these, whose -handsome horse and fine accoutrements proclaimed -him to be a person of distinction, attacked the German -captain from the side on which John stood. -Ignoring the man on foot, the Turk swung his blade -at the neck of the mounted officer. Culnitz was -completely engaged with the other two assailants -and the blow must have severed his head but, as the -Turk’s arm swept forward, it met the battle-axe -wielded by our hero, which shattered the bone. -The next instant Smith had dragged the Turk from -his horse and was in the saddle. The gallant young -captains now had little difficulty in disposing of -the two Moslems who confronted them and a few -others who attempted to bar their return to their -comrades.</p> - -<p>The Colonel was overjoyed to see his two young -officers reappear and their men greeted them with -wild huzzas, for all had feared that they were cut -off and lost. Meldritch’s regiment was now reduced -to a scant three companies. Duplaine had met a -glorious fate fighting single handed against ten of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> -the enemy. His company—that is what was left of -it—the Earl distributed amongst the other three -and once more formed his men up for a fresh attack. -They were fortunate at this juncture in finding themselves -near a small stream at which men and horses -assuaged their consuming thirst.</p> - -<p>The hours had dragged slowly by to the anxious -Duc who, surrounded by his staff, stood upon an -eminence surveying the field. His breast swelled -with pride at the many sights of valor presented by -the constantly shifting scene. Never had commander -witnessed more gallant service, but men are -mortal and Mercœur knew that flesh and blood could -not much longer endure the fearful strain. The -Turks had put full forty thousand men upon the -plain since the day begun and their troops were still -arriving in a steady stream. Scarce ten thousand -Christians remained fit to fight, and these were -already pitted against some thirty thousand Moslems. -Anxiously the commander’s gaze followed -the slowly setting sun, and as Wellington in after -years longed for the arrival of Blücher, so Mercœur -now prayed for the fall of night.</p> - -<p>Looking toward the road over which the Turkish -troops, like a huge snake had poured all day, a sight -met the Duc’s eyes that caused his heart to beat with -apprehension. To his utter dismay he saw approaching -a stately body of men on white chargers. He -quickly recognized them as the Barukh Regiment,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span> -one of the finest in the army of the Sultan and two -thousand strong.</p> - -<p>“Now may Our Lady of Mercy support Meldritch,” -cried Mercœur with emotion, “for surely -no mortal help can save him in this pass!”</p> - -<p>This deep concern on the part of the general was -excited by the fact that Meldritch’s regiment, which -we left reforming for another onslaught, was nearest -to the Barukhs, who were evidently extending their -ranks with the design of attacking it. Quickly the -white horsemen advanced and Meldritch, when he -was apprised of his danger, found his corps enveloped -in a rough triangle, the base of it formed by the -body of the enemy he had been on the point of -charging. At a glance his soldier’s eye recognized -the superiority of the Barukh cavalry and he wheeled -two companies about to face the graver danger, -whilst to Vahan, with the third, was entrusted the -task of preventing a rear attack by the smaller body -of the enemy.</p> - -<p>They were seven hundred to three thousand. To -charge upon their jaded horses must have been to -break themselves and become engulfed in that mass -of splendid horsemen. The Earl, therefore, decided -to await the attack. It was the climax of the fight—the -most critical moment of the day. On the result -of the coming conflict depended the issue of the -battle. The Earl turned in his saddle and addressed -his men.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span></p> - -<p>“These be worthy of our steel,” he cried, pointing -with his outstretched sword towards the oncoming -Barukhs. “Our commander watches us. Let every -man strike for Christ, for honor and for life.” -“For Faith and Meldritch!” responded the men -heartily.</p> - -<p>The Turks charged with courageous fury. Seven -hundred pistols were discharged full in their faces, -emptying hundreds of saddles. They recoiled but -came again almost immediately. Once more they -received a volley at close range and this time fell -back in disorder, their ranks thrown into confusion -by the great number of riderless horses that ran -wildly amongst them. The Earl deemed the moment -favorable for a counter-attack.</p> - -<p>“Charge!” he cried in ringing tones, and -plunged into the Moslem horde, followed by his -men.</p> - -<p>Thrusting and hacking for dear life, Meldritch’s -troopers slowly fought their way through the -Barukhs. As they emerged in little knots they began -to rally round the standards of their several -leaders. The three captains were thus engaged in -collecting the remnants of their men, when they perceived -that the Earl was completely cut off. His -plume, now no ruddier than his armor, marked the -spot where alone, like a lion at bay, he held back a -circle of the enemy. The red rays of the evening -sun flashed from his long blade which, like a streak<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span> -of fire, swept in wide strokes, now on this side and -anon on that.</p> - -<p>“To the Chief!” shouted John. “Culnitz! -Vahan! Follow me! To the Chief, my men!”</p> - -<p>Smith’s voice rose above the clangor of weapons -as he spurred into the dense mass of Moslems, closely -followed by his fellow-captains. With slashing -blows they opened a lane through which some fifty -of their men rode after them. In a few minutes -they gained beside the wearied Earl and surrounded -him with a band of devoted followers.</p> - -<p>The situation of this handful of heroes, beset by -more than a thousand furious enemies, was precarious -in the extreme. To cut their way out was impossible, -and they prepared to sell their lives dearly -and die as becomes gallant soldiers. But Fortune -favors the brave. At this critical juncture, Count -Ulrich, having routed the force to which he had been -opposed, was able to bring his regiment to the relief -of Meldritch. They bore down upon the Barukhs -who, taken in the rear and by surprise, broke and fled -over the field.</p> - -<p>The Turkish trumpets now sounded the “recall” -and the shattered regiments of the Sultan retired -to where Hassan’s banner proclaimed the presence -of the dispirited commander. The Duc de Mercœur’s -exhausted men lay down in their cloaks upon -the ground which they had soaked with the blood -of ten thousand Turks.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span></p> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="IX" id="IX">IX.</a><br /> -<small>GUERILLA TACTICS</small></h2> -</div> - -<p class="noi chaphang"><span class="smcap">The Duc de Mercœur defeats Hassan Pasha and Alba -Regalis is secure—Meldritch carries the war into -Transylvania—The advance against Regall—The -troops are constantly attacked on the march—Captain -Smith treats the Turks to a surprise—He proposes -a scheme for counteracting the night attacks—Five -hundred Turks are entrapped and cut up—Clearing -the mountain road to Regall—The army gains -the summit and encamps—The Turks issue a challenge -to single combat—The Christian captains draw -lots for the honor of representing the army—“John -Smith, the Englander, is our champion”—John gives -Prince Moyses proof of his skill with the lance.</span></p> - - -<p class="p2">Despite their superior numbers, the Turks forebore -from renewing the battle on the day following -the desperate struggle that was described in the last -chapter. The Christians completely exhausted and -many of them, like Captain Smith, sorely wounded, -were only too glad of the respite. Thus the contending -armies lay in sight of each other for days -without action on either side. At length the Duc -de Mercœur saw a favorable opportunity for attacking -and did so with such effect that Hassan Pasha, -after losing six thousand men in this later battle, -retired from the field and retreated to Buda.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span></p> - -<p>Relieved of present anxiety on the score of Alba -Regalis, Mercœur divided his army into three bodies -and despatched them in different directions. One -corps, under the command of the Earl of Meldritch, -was assigned to service in Transylvania. Our hero -recovered sufficiently to accompany his regiment -which as we know could have ill-spared so good a -man. The winter had set in before the command -arrived at its destination, and the Earl went into -camp to recruit his depleted regiments and prepare -for the ensuing campaign. The regiment of Meldritch, -which had recently added so greatly to its -renown, had no difficulty in getting all the picked -men it needed and in a few weeks had regained its -full strength.</p> - -<p>With the opening of spring, Count Meldritch led -his army into the wildest portion of Transylvania -and began a vigorous campaign. The object was to -clear the Turks off the plains and to take their chief -stronghold, Regall, in the mountains of Zarham. -The entire country was of the most rugged character -and it had been for years the resort of Turks, Tartars -and bandits of all nations. From this wild retreat -they issued at favorable intervals and overran the -neighboring valleys, destroying villages and carrying -off their inhabitants into slavery.</p> - -<p>The fighting which Captain Smith and his companions -in arms now experienced was the most difficult -known to warfare. It called for courage and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span> -patience, strength and quick-wittedness in an extraordinary -degree. Though he could not have suspected -it at the time, the training our hero received -in this campaign was the best possible to fit him for -success in his future career among the Indians of -North America, and many a lesson that he learned -in Transylvania was turned to good account in -Virginia.</p> - -<p>During their march through the province of Zarham, -the army of Meldritch never encountered troops -in mass or in open combat, but were surrounded day -and night by a foe invisible for the most part and -appearing, when he did, in the most unexpected -places. The road was through a country that -afforded ample cover and ambuscades were of frequent -occurrence. From the shelter of a wood or -from behind a hill, a band of horsemen would dart -upon the column with the swoop of a hawk, spear -the nearest foot soldiers, and disappear in the twinkling -of an eye. These attacks were usually made -in the uncertain light of the evening, when the Christians -could not effectively use their pistols. Some -half a dozen such onslaughts had been made with -complete success when it occurred to Captain Smith -that the dusk which favored the attack might be -made an aid in repelling it. His plan was suggested -to the commander and with his approval was put -into effect. It was ordered that on the following -day the column should march with two ranks of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span> -men-at-arms on either flank, concealing a number of -horsemen on foot leading their chargers.</p> - -<p>As the light began to fail the Christian army -approached a point where their progress would take -them between a rocky eminence and a thick coppice. -It was just such a place as the guerillas would choose -for an ambush and every one was on the lookout for -the expected attack. They were not long in suspense. -As they passed the two natural hiding places, -Turks dashed out on either side and charged upon -the Christians with a shout. But before they could -reach their intended victims, the concealed horsemen -had leapt into the saddle and riding out between -the files of foot soldiers charged the oncoming -enemy at full speed. The crash as they came together -was terrific and the lighter Arab horses of -the Turks were bowled over like skittles by the -heavy chargers of Meldritch’s men. The surprised -Turks were readily slain as they lay upon the ground -or turned to flee. Very few escaped, whilst the -Christians returned to their ranks without the loss -of a man. After this decisive turning of the tables -upon them, the Ottomans contented themselves with -picking off stragglers and casting spears from a -tolerably safe distance.</p> - -<p>More trying, however, than the ambuscades were -the night attacks, for they not only occasioned -serious loss of life, but, by robbing the troops of -much needed rest and keeping their nerves upon the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span> -rack, threatened the demoralization of the entire -army. Night after night the Turks rushed the -camp, cutting the tent ropes and stabbing the struggling -soldiers under the canvas. The Earl of Meldritch -was deeply concerned about these night -attacks. He knew that unless they were checked -his army could never reach the passes of Regall, -much less effect the difficult task of taking the city. -The general and his leading officers had several consultations -on the subject but without arriving at a -satisfactory conclusion. One-half of the force might -have been employed to guard the other whilst it -slept, but the day’s march was so arduous that by -nightfall few of the men were fit to stand.</p> - -<p>In this dilemma, the young Englishman, who had -already done such good service for the army, came -to the relief of his general with one of those practical -schemes which he seemed to be ever ready to devise -in an emergency. Following Captain Smith’s suggestion, -the Earl ordered that on the following night -the camp should be pitched in a spot that would -invite an attack by the enemy. The tents were to be -erected as usual but the three front rows were to be -empty. Behind these were firmly-stretched ropes -at a height of about two feet from the ground and -extending right across the camp. Beyond the ropes -was left a clear space of twenty yards and along -the farther side of this was drawn up, after dark, -a body of one thousand picked men.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span></p> - -<p>The lights of the camp were out and the army -was apparently sunk in slumber, when a large force -of Turks galloped in among the tents and charged -forward with their battle-cry of “Allah! Allah ud -Din!” (God and the Faith!) They expected an -easy slaughter and escape with little loss but this -time things were to fall out differently. The leading -ranks of the Turks were in full career when they -came upon the hidden ropes, and as their horses -struck them they pitched forward upon their heads, -throwing their riders at the very feet of the Christians -waiting with sword in hand to dispatch them. -Rank after rank of the Turks rode into the trap and -fell atop of one another in a shrieking, struggling -mass. Meanwhile Meldritch’s men-at-arms stabbed -and hewed with might and main, slaughtering their -enemies with a fury excited by the recollection of -their nameless cruelties. By the time the less advanced -of the Turkish horsemen, realizing that they -were entrapped, had turned about, they found themselves -face to face with a cordon of Meldritch’s -cavalry which completely cut off their retreat. In -the end the entire body, numbering about five hundred, -was slain. In those days prisoners were seldom -taken in wars with infidels, and it was not -often that the fanatical Turks would ask quarter of -the unbeliever.</p> - -<p>After this affair the march was resumed with very -little interference on the part of the enemy until the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span> -mountains of Zarham were reached. Here began -the most difficult part of the military operation. Regall -was situated in a small table-land which formed -the crest of an isolated mountain. It was approachable -only on one side and there the ascent must be -made by a rough and narrow path. It is no wonder -that the Turks deemed Regall impregnable and entrusted -their women and their treasures to the security -of its position. The city had never been taken -and it is doubtful whether it would have fallen to a -less determined and able body of men than the -veterans under Meldritch.</p> - -<p>A picked force was chosen to form the advance -guard and John, in consideration of his recent services, -was permitted to take his place in it. The -work of this body was to clear and hold the road up -the mountain which was defended by the Turks with -the utmost obstinacy. Every foot of the way was -contested and the advance guard lost a large proportion -of its number, but at last it gained the top. The -main body of the army and the big guns then made -the ascent. When, after the weary weeks of fighting -and marching, Meldritch’s division camped in sight -of the gates of Regall it had dwindled to fewer than -eight thousand men.</p> - -<p>The city was garrisoned by twenty thousand -Turks and had an ample supply of provisions. -Under these conditions the Earl entertained no -thought of attacking it but wisely contented himself<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> -with entrenching his position and repelling the frequent -sorties of the besieged. In a few days Prince -Moyses arrived with a reinforcement of nine thousand -men and took over the chief command. The -Christian army now proceeded to construct -approaches to the city and to mount their guns in -commanding positions.</p> - -<p>This work of preparation, which was performed -with careful deliberation, consumed several weeks, -and the delay tended to encourage the garrison. -They foolishly attributed it to timidity and began to -display contempt for the beleaguering army. They -paraded upon the ramparts effigies of Christians -hanging from gallows and shouted derisive messages -to the besiegers. At length this over-confidence of -the Turks took a form that afforded the besiegers a -chance to prove that they were still awake and -prepared for action.</p> - -<p>One day a messenger from the city was admitted -to the presence of Prince Moyses under a flag of -truce. He was the bearer of a lengthy document -couched in pompous language which, after reproaching -the Christians for the lack of exercise that was -making them fat and timid, expressed a fear that -they would depart from the city without affording -any pastime to the ladies of it. That this might not -be, Tur Pasha, a Turkish general, challenged to -single combat any champion whom the Christian -army might put forward. The combat was to be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span> -fought after the fashion of knightly times, with -which the Turks had become familiar during the -Crusades, and the head of the vanquished, together -with everything brought into the field by him, should -become the property of the victor.</p> - -<p>The challenge was received with delight in the -Christian army and as soon as it became known -scores of captains pressed forward for the privilege -of accepting it. In order to avoid jealousy and discontent -by singling one out of so many brave men, -the commander determined to decide the question -by casting lots. Young John Smith was among -the most eager candidates for the honor of representing -the army and his name and those of the -others were written upon scraps of paper and shaken -up in a helmet. It was a breathless moment when -Prince Moyses thrust his hand into the casque and -drew forth the billet upon which his fingers closed.</p> - -<p>“John Smith, the Englander, is our champion,” -he announced to the throng, with a shade of disappointment -in his voice. He had hoped that the -honor might fall to one of his own countrymen and, -although Count Meldritch had spoken with warmth -of John’s courage and prowess, the Prince felt doubtful -of the ability of a mere stripling to defeat an -experienced warrior.</p> - -<p>As John was about to go to his tent, his heart -full of joy at the wonderful good fortune that had -befallen him, Prince Moyses beckoned him to his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span> -side. It was in the mind of the general to ask Smith -to waive his right in favor of some older and better -tried captain, but the first glance at the young man’s -eager face convinced his commander that it would -be useless to pursue the purpose. Instead he inquired -whether Smith’s horse and equipment were -all that he could desire and what weapons he would -choose, having as the challenged the right of -selection. John replied that his horse had proved -itself a trusty beast in many a sharp skirmish since -the battle of Girkhe and for the weapon, he would -name the lance in the handling of which he feared -not to pit himself against any mortal man.</p> - -<p>As he made this truthful but, nevertheless, somewhat -boastful statement, John fancied that he detected -a faint smile flickering about the corners of -the Prince’s mouth. He flushed at the thought that -his general might be inwardly laughing at his pretensions, -and said, with some show of heat:</p> - -<p>“May it please your Highness to give me leave -to prove my quality with the lance?”</p> - -<p>The Prince gravely assented to the proposal and a -soldier was dispatched to fetch the young captain’s -horse and tilting lance. In the few minutes that -elapsed before his return, our hero’s thoughts strayed -to the period of his hermitage in the Lincolnshire -forest and he congratulated himself on the time then -spent in the practice of a weapon that was fast -falling into disuse.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span></p> - -<p>Hard by the commander’s tent stood a convenient -tree. From one of its branches a soldier was instructed -to suspend an iron ring, no bigger than a -dollar piece, at the height of a mounted man’s head. -When this had been done, John, who was already -mounted, took his lance from the attendant soldier -and placing it in rest, bore down upon the mark at -full tilt. When he wheeled round and saluted Prince -Moyses, the ring was upon the point of his lance.</p> - -<p>“Bravissimo!” cried the Prince with a smile of -satisfaction. “I had not thought to see that feat -performed in this day,” he added as he turned on his -heel and entered the tent.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span></p> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="X" id="X">X.</a><br /> -<small>THE THREE TURKS</small></h2> -</div> - -<p class="noi chaphang"><span class="smcap">Captain Smith meets the Turkish champion in a duel -with lances—The gorgeous pasha makes a brave -appearance but loses his life at the first encounter—Smith -presents Prince Moyses with a grizzly trophy—The -slain Turk’s bosom friend challenges Smith—The -combatants’ lances are shattered to splinters—They -continue the fight with pistols and the -Englishman is hit—The gallant war-horse saves the -issue—Grualgo bites the dust—Smith sends a challenge -into Regall—Meets Boni Mulgro and for the -third time is victor—He is honored with a pageant—Receives -rich presents, promotion and a patent of -Nobility.</span></p> - - -<p class="p2">A truce having been declared for the day of the -combat, the opposing armies approached each other -without restraint but their soldiery did not mingle. -The Christians were drawn up, a short distance from -the city, in battle array with a grand display of -banners, trophies and the various insignia of -heraldry. The Moslems assembled in an irregular -mass beneath the gray walls of the beleaguered town, -whilst their women, attended by slaves, occupied -points of vantage along the ramparts.</p> - -<p>Between the bodies of eager spectators lay a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span> -stretch of sward, which had been enclosed in a -barricade after the fashion of the lists in the old-time -tournaments. Long before the hour set for the -contest the troops had assembled on either side. In -both armies the keenest interest in the affair prevailed -and both realized that it was something more -than a duel to the death, for the result would surely -encourage the fighting men of one party as much as -it would depress those of the other. In those days -of superstition, men were ever ready to find an -augury in every important event, and the army to -whom the victory should fall would accept it as a -promise of success in the final issue.</p> - -<p>It must be confessed that the greater degree of -confidence was enjoyed by the Turks. Their champion -was a man in the prime of life and a soldier of -approved valor and skill in arms. He had never -been defeated in single combat, although twice pitted -against Germans of renown. The Christians, on the -other hand, could not shake off the doubt and apprehension -which they shared with their leader when -the lot fell to the young Briton. The army had long -since learned to respect his courage and fighting -qualities in battle, and of his quick-wittedness they -had received ample proof on the march to Regall. -But none of them had any evidence of his ability to -yield the lance, a weapon that demanded years of -practice before a man might become expert with it. -Thus it happened that the Germans, of whom the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span> -army was mostly composed, stood grim, silent and -anxious, whilst the swarthy Ottomans gave vent to -their elation in song and jest.</p> - -<p>The combatants were to meet when the sun should -be precisely in mid-heaven so that neither might be -at the disadvantage of having its rays in his eyes. -The rules required the challenger to be the first in -the field and in due time Tur Pasha, heralded by the -sounds of hautboys, passed through the gates of the -city and slowly made his way into the lists. His -appearance elicited enthusiastic shouts from his -countrymen and even forced ejaculations of admiration -from the ranks of their enemies.</p> - -<p>The Turkish champion presented a brave figure. -His proud bearing and graceful carriage in the -saddle were enhanced by the stately action of the -beautiful white Arab steed which he rode. He was -clad in a splendid suit of burnished steel armor, -richly inlaid with arabesque figures in gold. Upon -his shoulders were fixed a pair of large wings made -from eagles’ feathers set in a frame of silver and -garnished with gold and precious stones. He was -attended by three Janizaries, one going before and -bearing his lance, the others walking on either side -and leading his horse to the station assigned him.</p> - -<p>No sooner had Tur Pasha taken up position at his -end of the lists, than a flourish of trumpets announced -the appearance of John Smith. The champion -of the Christians presented an aspect as simple<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span> -as his name and no less sturdy. His chestnut horse -was a big, strong Norman, of the breed far-famed -for service in battle. His armor was of plain steel -and bore upon its surface many a dent in eloquent -witness of hard knocks. The only touch of finery -about the Englishman was the plume of black feathers -which surmounted his helmet. He came upon -the field attended by one page carrying his lance.</p> - -<p>After Captain Smith had halted at his post, the -two champions sat like statues facing each other for -a few minutes, affording the spectators opportunity -to compare their points. At a signal blast from the -trumpet, the antagonists rode forward slowly and -met midway in the course. Saluting courteously, -they passed each other, wheeled about and returned -to their respective stations.</p> - -<p>A prolonged note from the trumpet warned the -combatants to let down their vizors and set their -lances in rest. The next gave the signal for the -onset, and before it had died away each horseman -had sprung forward urging his charger to its utmost -speed. As soon as he felt that his horse was in full -career, Smith leant forward, slackening the bridle -and grasping the pommel of the saddle with his left -hand to steady himself. His lance was couched at a -level with his adversary’s breast and his gaze was -steadily fixed on the slit in the vizor through which -the wearer looked.</p> - -<p>Nearer and nearer approached the onrushing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span> -horsemen. A few more strides, two brief seconds -and they must meet in the shock. John can at last -discern the glistening eyes of the Turk and in that -instant he raises the point of his lance toward the -other’s face. The sudden movement disconcerts the -Turkish champion. Involuntarily he shifts his aim -and his weapon passes harmlessly over the Englishman’s -shoulder at the moment that our hero’s lance -enters the eye of Tur Pasha and penetrates his brain. -He fell from his horse and Smith leapt to the ground -and unbuckled his helmet. A glance sufficed to -show that the Turk was dead and with a stroke of -his sword John severed the head from the body.</p> - -<p>Whilst the pagans in mournful procession carried -the headless trunk of their recent champion into -Regall, Smith was triumphantly escorted back to -the camp of the besiegers. He ordered the head of -Tur Pasha to be borne to the quarters of Prince -Moyses, who was pleased to accept the grizzly -trophy. The spoils of victory were not unacceptable -to John, but he had no desire to trick himself out -in the fancy armor with its trimmings, and these -he sold for a good round sum. The horse, however, -he was glad to keep, for he had long wished for -an extra mount for light service, but heretofore his -slender means had denied him that advantage. In -the wars of the time, captains who could afford to -do so kept two or more horses during a campaign, -one to carry them on the march and another to ride<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span> -in battle, for a man in armor was no light burden, -and a beast that had borne its master ten or twelve -miles would not be fit at the end of the journey for -great exertion, although the life of its owner might -depend upon its rendering spirited service. Captain -Smith now had the satisfaction of knowing that he -was one of the best mounted men in the army, for -the Arab was a marvel of speed and agility and the -Norman had been thoroughly trained by himself -and was a perfect battle-horse.</p> - -<p>The chief mourner in Regall was one Grualgo, a -fierce warrior, who had been the bosom friend of the -slain pasha. When the funeral rites had been performed -after the Muhammadan custom, Grualgo sent -a message to Captain John Smith proposing to redeem -his friend’s head at the risk of his own. He -also offered to pledge his horse, arms and accoutrements -on the issue. It is hardly necessary to say -that the challenge was accepted with alacrity. -Flushed with his recent victory and more than ever -confident in his skill, our champion was delighted -at this early chance for another display of his -prowess. The consent of the general was readily -obtained. Prince Moyses was greatly pleased at -the cheering effect Smith’s success had worked upon -the troops and he was no longer doubtful of the -Briton’s ability to uphold the honor of the Christian -army. The preparations were made as before, and -the next day was appointed for the combat.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span></p> - -<p>Once more the walls were lined with the fair -dames of Regall and in their shadow assembled the -garrison, more subdued than on the former occasion -but buoyed by hopes of better fortune. The Christians, -on their part, lined up, exultant and strong -in the expectation of another victory for their -champion.</p> - -<p>Grualgo entered the lists almost as splendidly -mounted and equipped as the pasha had been. Captain -Smith wore the same plain but serviceable suit -of armor and rode his trusty Norman charger. He -had again exercised his right as the challenged to -name the lance as the principal weapon of the -combat.</p> - -<p>At the trumpet signal, the combatants spurred -forward at full speed, each with his weapon well -and firmly aimed at his opponent’s breast. They -met in mid-career with a crash that resounded over -the field. The lances flew into pieces. The horses -fell back upon their haunches. Both riders reeled -under the shock but each contrived to keep his seat. -Casting aside the splintered spears, they drew their -pistols from the saddle pockets. Smith was the first -to fire, but at the instant of the discharge the Turk’s -horse swerved and the bullet hummed harmlessly -by his master’s head. Grualgo had reserved his shot -and now took careful aim. The Norman, in response -to the pressure of his rider’s legs, was gathering -himself for a spring out of the line of fire<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span> -when the report of the Turk’s pistol rang out. The -ball struck John’s headpiece fair in the centre of the -forehead but failed to penetrate the steel. Our hero -was stunned and sight suddenly forsook him. The -bridle dropped from his nerveless fingers and he -swayed in his seat. He gave himself up for lost as -he felt his senses deserting him. Then came the -thought that he was the champion of the Christian -army, that they were watching him, depending upon -him to secure victory for them. Exerting all the -will at his command, he set his teeth together and -fought back the inclination to swoon.</p> - -<p>Grualgo seeing his enemy at his mercy, smiled -with grim satisfaction as he drew his second pistol, -intending to dispatch the Christian youth with deliberate -and sure aim. But the trusty Norman had not -been trained to battle for nothing. The loose seat -in the saddle and the relaxed grip of the bridle told -him that his master was in distress and depended -upon him to save his life. With quick but easy -action, so as not to unseat the rider, the intelligent -beast strode out of range. The Turk wheeled and -galloped after him. His was the swifter steed and -he had no difficulty in overtaking Smith’s charger, -but each time as he levelled his weapon to fire, the -Norman darted away at an angle. In this manner -the gallant animal contrived to prolong the combat -for many minutes. Meanwhile Smith’s senses and -his strength were fast reviving. It gladdened the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> -noble steed to feel the returning firmness of seat -and grasp of the bridle, and his master, as his sight -cleared, began to lend his guidance to the clever -tactics of the animal.</p> - -<p>When Captain Smith fully realized the situation, -he made up his mind that success could be secured -only by bold and daring action. In his weakened -state he could not hope to overcome the Turk in -a prolonged fight. He must rely upon surprising -the other and bringing the affair to an issue by a -sudden attack. Grualgo would not risk his last -shot until he could make sure of his aim. He probably -believed our hero to be sorely wounded and had -no thought of his reviving or resuming the offensive.</p> - -<p>In one of his horse’s evasive rushes, Smith bent -forward upon the animal’s neck as though overcome -by sudden pain, but the movement was made to -enable him to stealthily draw his loaded pistol from -the holster. Holding it concealed behind the high -pommel of his saddle, he braced his nerves for the -final effort. Once more Grualgo approached his foe -but this time, instead of allowing his horse to spring -aside, John urged him forward, straight at the -astonished Turk. Before the latter could recover -his presence of mind sufficiently to use his weapon, -the Englishman’s pistol was discharged full in his -face, and he fell to the ground in a dying state. -Smith dismounted and gave the Turk his <i lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">coup de -grace</i>, or finishing stroke, and then cut off his head.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span></p> - -<p>This proceeding must strike us as being cold-blooded -and merciless, but it was strictly in accordance -with the terms of the combat and the character -of the age in which our hero lived. Our forefathers -of the seventeenth century were as rough as they -were brave. They lived amid scenes of strife and -bloodshed, and men who hazarded their own lives -daily naturally held those of their enemies cheap.</p> - -<p>This second defeat was a severe blow to the -defenders of Regall. Their two foremost champions -had been vanquished and by a beardless boy, for -Captain Smith at this time had barely passed his -twenty-first year. There were no more challenges -from the disheartened garrison. They lost all desire -to afford pastime for the ladies and they ceased to -find the Christians subjects for contemptuous jests -as they had done in the early days of the siege. -Their sallies were now of rare occurrence and were -easily repelled, so that the work of preparation for -the final assault upon the city went forward with -little interruption.</p> - -<p>Our hero, in whom love of action was second -nature, chafed sorely under the slow and tedious -engineering operations. At length he sought and -obtained permission from Prince Moyses to send a -challenge into the city. This message was couched -in the most courteous terms and was addressed to -the ladies of Regall, our hero shrewdly suspecting -that in this way he would more quickly touch the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span> -honor of the men. Captain John Smith begged to -assure the ladies of Regall that he was not so enamored -of the heads of their servants, but that he was -ready to restore them upon proper terms. He urged -the ladies to send forth a champion who would risk -his head in the effort to regain those of the vanquished -Turks. Captain Smith concluded by expressing -his willingness that his own head should -accompany the others in case the champion of the -ladies proved the victor in the proposed combat. -In due time an acceptance of this challenge was -received from one Boni Mulgro, and a day was set -for the trial of arms.</p> - -<p>The conditions of this third duel were similar to -those that governed the two preceding combats, with -the exception of one important particular. John -Smith, being the challenger on this occasion, the -choice of weapons rested with his adversary. Mulgro -had no stomach for a contest with the lance, of -which Smith had proved himself a master. He -chose to fight with the pistol, battle axe and falchion. -In the use of these weapons, and especially the battle -axe, he was expert. This wise decision of the Turk -came near to undoing our hero as the sequel will -show.</p> - -<p>At the signal of attack, the combatants advanced -upon each other but not at the charge as would have -been the case had lances been their weapons. Instead, -they caused their horses to curvet and prance<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span> -and change suddenly from one direction to another. -These manœuvres, resembling those of two -wrestlers, were designed to disconcert the aim, and -in the present instance did so with such complete -effect that each of the champions emptied two pistols -without touching his enemy.</p> - -<p>They now resorted to the battle axe, on which -the Turk rested his hope of success. He found in -Captain John Smith an antagonist little less proficient -than himself. For a while the strife waxed -warm and fast without any perceptible advantage to -either. Heavy blows were aimed and fended without -ceasing, leaving neither, as Smith tells us, with -“scarce sense enough to keep his saddle.” At length -a hard blow delivered by the Turk struck John’s -weapon near the head and it flew from his hand. At -the sight of this advantage gained by their champion, -the people of Regall set up such a shout as to shake -the walls of the city.</p> - -<p>It was a critical moment. Smith was disarmed. -The Turk was within arm’s length of him. He -raised his battle axe to strike a crushing blow. Before -it could descend the Norman charger had sprung -aside and the weapon cut the air harmlessly. But -the danger was only averted for a moment. The -Turk pressed close upon his adversary, striving to -strike, but each time the axe was raised the good -horse reared suddenly or sprung away.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile Captain Smith had succeeded in drawing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span> -his falchion. Hardly had its point cleared the -scabbard, when Mulgro again came on with an -incautious rush. As the Turk raised his arm to -swing the heavy weapon, Smith thrust with full -force and ran his sword through the body of Boni -Mulgro.</p> - -<p>The Christian army was fairly wild with delight -at this third victory of Captain John Smith, and the -commander ordered a pageant in his honor. With -an escort of six thousand men-at-arms, the three -Turk’s heads and the spoils of the three combats -borne before him, Captain Smith was conducted to -the pavilion of the general, who received him surrounded -by his principal officers. Prince Moyses -embraced our hero in the presence of the troops and, -after complimenting him warmly on his valiant -deeds, presented him with a splendid charger richly -caparisoned, a beautiful scimitar of Damascus steel -and a belt containing three hundred ducats.</p> - -<p>But more highly than these gifts John valued the -distinction bestowed upon him by his old commander. -Count Meldritch, truly proud of his young -protégé, there and then appointed him a major-captain -in his regiment.</p> - -<p>Nor were these the only rewards that fell to the -lot of Captain John Smith on account of his prowess -at the siege of Regall. At a later period, when the -knowledge of his conduct came to Duke Sigismund -Bathor of Transylvania, he presented our hero with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span> -a picture of himself set in gold, conferred upon him -a yearly pension of three hundred ducats—a snug -sum in those days—and capped all with a patent of -nobility. This patent entitled Captain John Smith -to a coat of arms, bearing three Turks’ heads in a -shield.</p> - -<p>John Smith’s patent of nobility, setting forth the -deeds for which it was conferred, may be seen in -the College of Heralds, London, where, in its original -Latin form, it was officially recorded August -19th, 1625, by Sir William Segar, Garter King-at-arms.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span></p> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="XI" id="XI">XI.</a><br /> -<small>BRAVE HEARTS AND TRUE</small></h2> -</div> - -<p class="noi chaphang"><span class="smcap">Regall is bombarded and taken by assault—The Earl of -Meldritch leads an army of thirty thousand into -Wallachia—Fierce fighting and a retreat through -the enemy’s country—The “Master of Stratagem” -commands the vanguard and clears a pass—The Earl’s -depleted army makes a last stand in the fateful -valley of Veristhorne—Forty thousand Tartars lay -before them and in their rear thirty thousand Turks—The -Christians make a splendid but hopeless -defense—They attempt to cut their way out and a -mere handful escape—John Smith is left on the -field covered with wounds—He is found by the enemy -and tended—Sold for a slave at Axopolis and sent to -Constantinople.</span></p> - - -<p class="p2">Although the defeat of their champions naturally -had a depressing effect upon the garrison, they -continued to maintain a strong defence. The -approaches, upon which the besiegers had been at -work for weeks were now, however, completed and -their guns brought within close range of the walls -of Regall. For fifteen days a constant fire was kept -up by twenty-six pieces of artillery and at the end of -that time two large breaches afforded ample avenues -for assault.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span></p> - -<p>When the Christian army entered the town a terrific -conflict ensued, but after two days of hand to -hand fighting through the streets the citadel fell -and with the capture of that inner stronghold all -opposition ceased. Prince Moyses set his men to -repair the fortifications and when that had been -accomplished left a garrison in the place and proceeded -to the reduction of a number of neighboring -towns. At the close of these minor operations the -Prince’s army was broken up and Captain John -Smith went with the Earl of Meldritch into -Wallachia.</p> - -<p>The Earl opened the campaign in Wallachia with -a body of thirty thousand veteran troops, of which -his own regiment was the pick. Opposed from the -first to great odds, they performed magnificent service -until finally annihilated in the fatal valley of -Veristhorne. But the army of Meldritch had many -a hard fought fight before that dreadful day. There -was one great battle in Wallachia which closed with -twenty-five thousand dead upon the field. They -lay so thick that “there was scarce ground to stand -upon,” says Smith, “but upon the dead carcasses.” -Though the Turks were defeated in this affair, the -victory had been purchased at such a heavy cost -that the Earl decided to retreat upon the fortified -town of Rothenthrum, and this with as little delay as -possible because fresh bodies of the enemy were -moving against him from every direction.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span></p> - -<p>The march of the retiring army was hampered at -every step by the enemy, who hung upon its rear and -flanks and engaged portions of it in frequent skirmishes. -The men were thus wearied and their -progress retarded. The special object of these tactics -on the part of the Turks became apparent when -the Christian commander learned that a strong force -had thrown itself across his path. It was posted in -a pass through which Meldritch must necessarily -go in order to reach Rothenthrum. Nor was this -all, for the same news-bearer informed the general -that an army of forty thousand Tartars was moving -rapidly to join the Turks in the defile.</p> - -<p>The situation was extremely perilous but it -allowed the Earl no alternative from the desperate -course of attacking a body twice as numerous as his -own, enjoying the advantage of an ideal position. -To turn back would be certain destruction. To stay -where he was would be to die like a rat in a trap. -The only hope—and it was very slim—lay in cutting -a way through the Turks holding the pass and gaining -the town, only a few miles beyond, before the -reinforcing Tartars could arrive. Hesitation was -foreign to the character of Meldritch. Putting a -bold face upon the matter, he marched on until -within a mile of the pass and then halted his men -to prepare for an attack as soon as night should fall.</p> - -<p>In the meanwhile our hero’s busy brain had been -at work, and when the troops came to a halt he had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span> -a simple but well-devised plan to propose to his commander. -He lost no time in repairing to the spot -where the general stood consulting with his leading -officers. Although no more than a major-captain, -Smith could always gain the ear of his superiors, -who had long since learned to respect his judgment -and shrewd resourcefulness.</p> - -<p>“Way there for my ‘Master of Stratagem,’” -cried the Earl banteringly, as our hero approached. -“Now I warrant he hath some bold proposal to -advance that shall give us easement in this difficulty. -Thou art always welcome Captain Smith, for -methinks Dame Fortune dances close attendance on -thee.”</p> - -<p>Smith revealed his scheme and immediately received -the consent of the commander to its execution.</p> - -<p>“By my halidame!” said the pleased general, -“this powder-magician of ours would rout the forces -of Pluto and distract his realm with horrible contrivances. -Take what men you need and make what -arrangements your judgment prompts, Captain -Smith. Tonight the van is under your command.”</p> - -<p>The leader of the vanguard was decidedly the -post of honor in such an action as was about to -begin, and as our captain rode forward in the dark -at the head of three hundred picked horsemen, he -felt justly proud of the position assigned to him. -Each of his men carried a spear on the head of which -was fastened a bunch of fireworks, designed to make<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span> -as much noise and splutter as possible. When they -had arrived within a few hundred yards of the Turks -who lay in waiting at the entrance to the pass, each -man lighted the combustibles at the end of his lance -and charged with it thrust in front of his horse’s -head. The effect upon the enemy was immediate -and decisive. Panic seized their ranks. They -turned and fled, falling over one another in their -terrified haste to escape the demons by which they -supposed themselves to be beset. The horses of their -cavalry, no less alarmed by the strange sight, -plunged wildly amongst them, increasing the confusion.</p> - -<p>Into this disordered mass rode Smith’s horsemen -followed by the main body, slaying as they went. -So they cut their way through the pass and emerged -on the other side without losing a score of their -number. It was a great achievement, but Meldritch’s -little army was still in very grave danger. -The Tartars were close at hand if not already in the -way. The Earl pushed forward, but he dared not -urge his troops to their utmost speed, in case he -should come upon the enemy with his horses exhausted. -Furthermore, the night was unusually -dark and the men had to keep to the road and proceed -cautiously for fear of falling or losing their -way.</p> - -<p>With the first streaks of dawn, the anxious Earl, -riding at the head of the column, began to gaze<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span> -forward with straining eyes. They were entering -the valley of Veristhorne and the refuge they sought -was scarce three miles distant. Presently the general, -looking across the valley, dimly discerned the -black bulk of Rothenthrum upon the farther side. -But the cry of joy that started from his lips was -cut short by the sight of a huge dark mass stretched -across the middle ground. It was too late. Forty -thousand Tartars lay before them and in their rear -thirty thousand Turks were advancing.</p> - -<p>The Earl of Meldritch was one of those rare combinations—a -dashing leader and a sound general. -His inclination would have prompted him to charge -the horde of barbarians that lay in his path, but such -a course would have been suicidal. Instead, he led -his troops to the base of a mountain where he immediately -began dispositions to withstand an attack. -The Tartars commenced to form their ranks at sunrise -but, fortunately for the Christians, did not advance -until noon. This unexpected respite enabled -Meldritch, not only to rest his men and horses after -their all-night march, but also to make some rough -defences. The Tartar cavalry were the greater proportion -of their army and that most to be feared. -In order to check their charges, the Earl surrounded -his position, except where it rested upon the mountain, -with a cordon of sharpened stakes, driven firmly -into the ground.</p> - -<p>The sun was high in the heavens when the Tartar<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span> -horsemen advanced to the discordant clamor of -drums, trumpets and hautboys. In dense ranks they -stretched far beyond each flank of the small Christian -army and looked as though they might envelop -and swallow it with ease. Behind them came a -horde of foot-soldiers armed with bows and bills. -By this time detached bodies of Turks began to -appear on the surrounding hills where they complacently -sat down to watch the combat in the arena -below, prepared, if necessary, to reinforce the Tartars. -These additional enemies amounted to about -fifteen thousand in number, so that Meldritch’s ten -thousand were hopelessly overpowered. The Earl -realized that his little force was doomed but, like a -good and brave commander, he had made the best -disposition possible of them and was determined -to fight to the last.</p> - -<p>When the Tartar horse had advanced to within -a half mile of his position, Meldritch launched a body -of his cavalry under Nederspolt against them. -These veteran troopers made a most brilliant charge -and threw the enemy into confusion, but the numbers -of the Christians were too small to permit them to -follow up this advantage and they wisely retired -within their lines. The Tartars now advanced their -foot, whilst their horsemen reformed on either flank. -The sky was presently darkened by flight after flight -of countless arrows which, however, did comparatively -little harm. The Christians retaliated with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span> -another charge, breaking the centre of the enemy and -checking his advance. With ten thousand more -cavalry Meldritch might have swept the ill disciplined -assailants from the field, but he was too weak -to venture upon aggressive tactics and once again -had to retire his men in face of a success.</p> - -<p>In anticipation of a renewal of the attack by the -Tartar horsemen, Meldritch had formed his infantry, -under Veltus, just beyond the palisade of stakes. -They were ordered to hold their ground as long as -possible and then to fall back behind the defence. -The Tartars, confident in their superior numbers, -as well they might be, charged repeatedly. Each -time they were gallantly repulsed, but at length -Veltus had lost so many men that he was forced to -fall back. The enemy, brandishing their spears and -yelling exultantly, followed close upon the retiring -foot-soldiers and came quite unawares upon the rows -of sharpened stakes. In a moment a mass of struggling -men and horses lay at the mercy of Meldritch’s -troops who slew two thousand of them.</p> - -<p>This splendid success on the part of the pitiful -handful of Christians now reduced to half their -original number, dampened the ardor of the Tartars. -There was a momentary cessation in the attack and -the defence might have been maintained until darkness -set in, perhaps, but the bodies of Turks which -we have mentioned as surveying the field in readiness -to render assistance if needed, now began to descend<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span> -to the valley. The Earl realized that once these -auxiliaries joined forces with the Tartars, all would -be lost. He determined to seize the moment of -hesitancy on the part of the latter to make an attempt -to break through them and gain the town of Rothenthrum. -Accordingly, he quickly formed his cavalry -in the van and advanced to the attack. It was a -forlorn hope but no better prospect offered. Five -thousand men threw themselves upon thirty thousand -with the desperation of despair. The Earl, upon his -great white charger, rode in the lead, followed by his -own regiment in which Captain Smith was now the -senior officer. Straight at the Tartar cavalry they -went and cut their way through the front ranks as -though they had been but paper barricades. But -rank after rank confronted them and with each fresh -contact they left numbers of their own men behind. -The slaughter was indescribable. Soon they were -the centre of a maelstrom of frenzied human beings -with scarce more chance for escape than has a canoe -in the vortex of a whirlpool. They fought like -heroes to the death and made fearful havoc among -their enemies. The gallant Earl and a few hundred -followers made their way as by a miracle through -the surrounding mass and swimming the River -Altus, escaped.</p> - -<p>The setting sun looked down upon thirty thousand -dead and dying strewn over the Valley of Veristhorne, -but lying in gory heaps where the last desperate<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span> -flower of that splendid army of thirty thousand -veterans that the Earl of Meldritch had proudly led -into Wallachia a few months before and amongst -them almost all his leading officers. “Give me -leave,” says Captain Smith, in his account of the -affair, “to remember the names of my own countrymen -in these exploits, that, as resolutely as the best, -in the defense of Christ and his Gospel ended their -days; as Baskerfield, Hardwicke, Thomas Milmer, -Robert Molineux, Thomas Bishop, Francis Compton, -George Davison, Nicholas Williams and one -John, a Scot, did what men could do; and when they -could do no more left there their bodies, in testimony -of their minds. Only Ensign Carleton and Sergeant -Robinson escaped.”</p> - -<p>These men were members of Smith’s company and -their captain lay among them where he had fallen -covered with wounds. But he was not quite dead. -The Turks and Tartars going over the field in search -of spoils were attracted to him by the superiority of -his armor. This led them to believe that he was -a man of rank, and finding that he still lived they -carried him into their camp with a view to preserving -his life for the sake of ransom. His hurts were -tended and he was nursed with care. When sufficiently -recovered to travel, he was sent down to -the slave market at Axopolis. Here Smith was put -up to auction together with a number of other poor<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span> -wretches who had escaped death on the field of battle -to meet with a worse fate, perhaps, at the hands of -cruel masters.</p> - -<p>Our hero fetched a good price, as much on account -of his vigorous appearance as because there seemed -to be a prospect of profit in the purchase if he should -turn out to be a nobleman as was suspected. He -was bought by the Pasha Bogall and sent by him as -a present to his affianced at Constantinople. Smith -tells us that “by twenty and twenty, chained by the -necks, they marched in files to this great city, where -they were delivered to their several masters, and he -to the young Charatza Tragabigzanda.”</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span></p> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="XII" id="XII">XII.</a><br /> -<small>SLAVERY AND A SEA-FIGHT</small></h2> -</div> - -<p class="noi chaphang"><span class="smcap">John Smith is delivered to the Lady Charatza, his -future mistress—He falls into kind hands and -excites the Turkish Maiden’s interest—Her mother -intervenes and he is sent to an outlying province—He -finds a brutal master and is subjected to treatment -“beyond the endurance of a dog”—He slays the -cruel Timariot and escapes upon his horse—Wanders -about for weeks and at length reaches a Christian -settlement—Adventures in Africa—A trip to sea with -Captain Merham—The Britisher fights two Spanish -ships and holds his own—Smith renders good service -in the fight and employs one of his novel “stratagems”—Return -to England.</span></p> - - -<p class="p2">John Smith had never found himself in worse -straits than now, as shackled to a fellow slave he -tramped along the road between Axopolis and the -Turkish capital. Hopeless as the situation seemed -to be, he did not give himself up to despair, nor wear -himself by repining over a condition which was beyond -his power to remedy. He had learned from -experience that the sun is apt to break through the -clouds of the darkest day and when we are least -expecting it. So, with the philosophy that is characteristic -of the true soldier of fortune, he determined<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> -to await the turn of events with patience, and meanwhile -found entertainment for his mind in a study -of the strange people and places that came to his -notice on the way. He has left an interesting -account of these, but as they had no direct bearing -upon the actual events of his life, we will pass them -over.</p> - -<p>The Pasha Bogall appears to have been a character -somewhat like Sir John Falstaff, the hero of imaginary -military exploits. He prepared the Lady -Charatza—as Smith calls her—for the reception of -his gift by a letter. In this fanciful missive the -Giaour was described as a Bohemian nobleman -whom the valiant Bogall had defeated in single -combat and made prisoner. In his desire to exalt -himself in the mind of his mistress, the Turk fell -into two errors. He took it for granted that the -slave and the Turkish damsel would be unable to -converse with each other and he expatiated on -Smith’s prowess in order to enhance by comparison -his own valor in overcoming him.</p> - -<p>The fair Charatza was naturally curious to see -this noble and unfortunate slave for whom she could -hardly fail to entertain feelings of compassion. -When they met, the lady was more impressed than -she would have cared to acknowledge by the bearing -and address of the handsome captain. They found -a ready means of communication in Italian which -both understood and spoke with tolerable fluency.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span> -Questioned as to the combat in which the Pasha had -defeated him, Smith laughed and declared that he -had never set eyes on the doughty Turk until they -met in the market place of Axopolis. As to being -a Bohemian nobleman, he claimed no greater distinction -than that of an English gentleman and a -captain of horse.</p> - -<p>Charatza did not doubt the truth of Captain -Smith’s statement to her, but she caused inquiry to -be made about him amongst the other captives who -had been distributed here and there in the city. -Thus she learned that her slave, whilst in truth no -more than a captain in rank, was one of the most -renowned soldiers in the army of the Emperor, and -indeed had no equal among men of his age. The -story of the three Turks reached her through the -same sources and aroused admiration where curiosity -and compassion had before been excited. The outcome -was something like that in the story of Othello -and Desdemona.</p> - -<p>The Turkish lady, young and romantic, found the -stories of Captain Smith’s adventures so interesting -that she insisted upon his telling them over and over -again. In order to enjoy this pleasure, without -arousing criticism of her unusual familiarity with a -male slave, she had him assigned to work in her -private garden which formed a part of the extensive -grounds attached to the mansion. There undisturbed, -hours were spent daily by the captive in reciting<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span> -to his fair owner stories of his varied experiences -and in giving her accounts of different places and -peoples in the wonderful world of which she knew -almost nothing.</p> - -<p>Thus several weeks passed and our hero, who was -well fed and comfortably lodged meanwhile, fast -regained his wonted strength and energy. It may -be asked, why did he not attempt to escape? The -thought of course entered his mind, but investigation -soon satisfied him that the difficulties in the way -were almost insurmountable. The place was surrounded -by high walls which were guarded day and -night by armed eunuchs. Smith had no clothes -but his own nor any means of securing others. -Even if he gained the streets he would be marked -as a foreigner and suspected of being an escaped -slave. Under the circumstances he determined to -abide his time in the hope that his fair mistress might -become willing to release him and aid in his escape.</p> - -<p>But affairs took a turn that neither of the young -people, who were beginning to feel a strong regard -for each other, had looked for. The mother of Charatza, -informed by a jealous Turkish servant of the -meetings between her daughter and the Giaour, came -upon them one day and expressed her indignation -in stinging terms. She declared her determination -to sell the English slave immediately and would have -carried her threat into effect but for the suggestion -of Charatza that the Pasha might not be pleased at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span> -such disposition of his gift. Finally a compromise -was agreed upon. The brother of Charatza was a -Timariot, that is a Turkish feudal chieftain, at Nalbrits, -in a distant province. It was decided that -Smith should be sent there, Charatza hoping to be -able to contrive his return, and indeed having some -idea that the captive might be induced to turn -Muhammadan and enter the Sultan’s army.</p> - -<p>So John Smith was sent to Nalbrits and at the -same time Charatza despatched a letter to her brother -in which she begged him to treat the young Englishman -kindly and to give him the lightest sort of -work. Any good effect that might have accrued -from this well-intentioned but ill-advised letter was -prevented by another which went forward at the -same time. In it the Pasha’s mother told of the -extraordinary interest Charatza had displayed in the -infidel slave and expressed a suspicion that the young -girl’s affections had become fastened upon him. -This of course enraged the haughty and fanatical -Turk and the unfortunate Smith immediately felt -the weight of his new master’s displeasure. Within -an hour of his arrival at Nalbrits he was stripped -naked, his head and face were shaved “as smooth -as the palm of his hand” and he was put into a -garment of undressed goat-skin with an iron ring -round his neck.</p> - -<p>Our hero now entered upon a life too miserable -for description and, as he expresses it, “beyond the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span> -endurance of a dog.” He was subjected to the -hardest and vilest tasks and, being the latest comer -among hundreds of slaves, became slave to the whole -herd, for such was the custom which he was in no -position to contest. He found his companions a -poor lot, broken in body and spirit, and sunk in apathetic -resignation to their condition. He endeavored -to discover among them a few with sufficient -courage and enterprise to plan an uprising, but soon -abandoned the idea. It was clear that any chance -that might arise for escape would be impaired by the -co-operation of such hopelessly sunken wretches. -During the months that he remained in this terrible -bondage his main effort was to sustain his own -spirits and to combat the tendency to fall into despair. -Few men could have succeeded in this, but -John Smith combined with great physical strength -and the highest courage an unshakable trust in -Providence. The event justified his confidence and -he fully deserved the good fortune which ultimately -befell him.</p> - -<p>When he had been several months at Nalbrits, it -happened that Smith was put to work on the threshing -floor at a country residence of the Pasha. Here -he labored with a long heavy club, the flail not being -known to the people of those parts. The Pasha -seems to have entertained a feeling of positive hatred -for the slave, fanned no doubt by frequent letters -from Charatza, who could have no knowledge of his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span> -condition. It was a favorite pastime with the Turk -to stand over Smith whilst at his labor and taunt -him. At such times, it was with the greatest difficulty -that the captain restrained the desire to leap upon -his persecutor and strangle him. He knew, however, -that to have raised his hand against his cruel -master would have entailed torture and probably -a lingering death.</p> - -<p>One morning the Pasha came into the barn where -Smith was alone at work. The malicious Turk fell -to sneering at his slave as usual and when the latter, -goaded beyond endurance, replied with spirit, the -Pasha struck him across the face with a riding whip. -Smith’s threshing bat whistled through the air, and -at the first blow the brutal Timariot lay dead at the -feet of his slave. There was not an instant to be -lost. It was by the merest chance that Smith was -alone. The overseer might return at any moment. -Stripping the body of the slain Pasha and hiding it -under a heap of straw, Smith threw off his goat-skin -and hurriedly donned the Turkish costume. He -loosed the horse which the Turk had ridden to the -spot, sprang into the saddle and galloped at random -from the place.</p> - -<p>Smith’s first impulse was to ride as fast as possible -in the opposite direction to Nalbrits, and this he did, -continuing his career until night overtook him. He -entered a wood at some distance from the road and -there passed the hours of darkness. He never failed to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span> -keep a clear head in the most critical emergencies and -in the haste of departure had not neglected to secure -the Pasha’s weapons and to snatch up a sack of corn -from the threshing floor. The latter would preserve -his life for some time and with the former he proposed -to sell it dearly if overtaken. He had no idea -as to what direction to take in order to reach a Christian -community. Daybreak found him in this condition -of perplexity, and he resumed his wandering -flight with less impetuosity and a careful regard to -avoid every locality that appeared to be inhabited. -At a distance his costume might prove a protection, -but on closer inspection a beholder could not fail to -note the iron collar that proclaimed him a slave.</p> - -<p>Smith had ridden about aimlessly for three days -and nights, not knowing where he was nor how far -from Nalbrits, when he suddenly chanced upon one -of the great caravan roads that traversed Asia and -connected with the main highways of Europe. He -knew that if he followed this road far enough westward -he must come eventually into some Christian -country, but caution was more necessary than ever, -for these were much travelled routes. He concluded -to skirt the road by day and ride upon it only after -dark. At the close of the fourth day after his -escape he came to the meeting point of several crossroads -and then learned the peculiar method employed -by the people of those parts to direct travellers. The -sign posts were painted with various designs to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span> -indicate the directions of different countries. For -instance, a half moon pointed to the country of the -Crim Tartars, a black man to Persia, a sun to China, -and a cross—which our hero perceived with joy—distinguished -the road leading to the Christian realm -of Muscovy, the Russia of today.</p> - -<p>After sixteen days’ riding, without encountering -a mishap, Smith arrived safely at a Muscovite settlement -on the Don where he was warmly received. -The galling badge of bondage was filed from his -neck and he felt then, but not before, once more a -free man. His wants were supplied and he was -furnished with sufficient money to enable him to continue -his journey in comfort. He proceeded into -Transylvania where his old comrades welcomed him -as one from the grave, having lamented him as -among the dead at Rothenthrum. The Earl of Meldritch -was delighted to meet his old captain and -“Master of Stratagem” once more and regretted -that the existing state of peace prevented their fighting -together again. That condition determined our -hero to seek service in Africa where he heard that a -war was in progress. Before his departure, Prince -Sigismund presented him with fifteen hundred -ducats, and so he set out with a well-filled purse and -a light heart.</p> - -<p>Captain Smith journeyed to Barbary in company -with a French adventurer who, like himself, cared -little where he went so that the excursion held out<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span> -a prospect of fighting and new experiences. On this -occasion, however, they were disappointed in their -hope of military service. They found the conditions -such as they were not willing to become involved in. -The Sultan of Barbary had been poisoned by his -wife, and two of his sons, neither of whom had a -right to the succession, were contending for the -throne. Our adventurers considered this state of -things more akin to murder than to war and declined -to take any part in it, although they might without -doubt have enriched themselves by doing so.</p> - -<p>Upon his return to the port of Saffi, Captain Smith -found a British privateering vessel in the harbor -under the command of a Captain Merham. An -acquaintance sprang up between the two which -quickly ripened into friendship. One evening, -Smith with some other guests was paying a visit to -the privateer, when a cyclone suddenly swept down -upon them. Captain Merham barely had time to -slip his cable before the hurricane struck his ship -and drove it out to sea. All night they ran before -the wind, and when at length the storm had ceased -they were in the vicinity of the Canaries. The Captain -wished to “try some conclusions,” after the -manner of Captain La Roche on a former occasion, -before returning to port. His guests were not -averse to the proposal and so he hung about to see -what vessels chance might throw in their way.</p> - -<p>They were soon rewarded by intercepting a Portuguese<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span> -trader laden with wine from Teneriffe. -This they eased of its cargo and allowed to go its -way. The next day they espied two sails some miles -distant and proceeded to overhaul them. They did -this with such success that they were within small-arm -range of the ships before they perceived them -to be Spanish men-of-war, either superior to themselves -in armament and probably in men. Seeing -himself so greatly overmatched, Merham endeavored -to escape, and a running fight was maintained for -hours. At length, towards sunset, the Spaniards -damaged the Britisher’s rigging and coming up -with him, boarded from either side. Merham’s ship -must have been captured by the enemy, who greatly -outnumbered his own men, but whilst the fight on -deck was in progress, Captain Smith secured “divers -bolts of iron”—cross-bars, probably—with which he -loaded one of the guns. The charge tore a hole so -large in one of the Spanish ships that it began to -sink. At this both the attacking vessels threw off -their grappling irons and withdrew.</p> - -<p>The Spaniards were busy for two or more hours -repairing the breach in their ship and Merham was -occupied as long in putting his sailing gear in order, -so that he could not profit by the damage to the -enemy. When at length he did get under way the -Spaniards were in condition to follow and the chase -was continued all night. With the break of day -the fight was resumed, but not before the Spanish<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span> -senior officer had offered the British captain quarter -if he would surrender. Merham answered this proposal -with his cannon and hove to with the intention -of fighting it out.</p> - -<p>The Spaniards realized that they were no match -for the Britisher in gun-play and they therefore lost -no time in grappling. A fierce hand to hand conflict -ensued and lasted for an hour with varying -success, but the odds were beginning to tell against -Merham’s men when their captain turned the tide -by a clever stratagem. He sent some sailors aloft -to unsling the mainsail and let it fall on the top of -a number of Spaniards beneath. Whilst these were -struggling to get clear of the canvas, about twenty -of them were killed. This disheartening occurrence -induced the attacking ships to disengage. The cannonading -continued on both sides, however, and after -a while the Spanish captains once more boarded with -all the men available.</p> - -<p>Again the combat raged at close quarters for an -hour or more and again Merham’s men began to give -way under the weight of superior numbers. This -time it was Captain Smith who saved the situation -by a desperate expedient. A number of Spaniards -had gathered near the centre of the ship upon a -grating which afforded them the advantage of an -elevated station. Beneath this body of the enemy, -our hero exploded a keg of powder. This had the -effect of blowing about thirty Spaniards off the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span> -scene but at the same time it set fire to the ship. -The flames sent the boarders scurrying back to their -own vessels which sailed to a safe distance.</p> - -<p>Whilst Merham was engaged in putting out the -fire the Spaniards kept their guns playing upon him, -ceasing only at intervals to make proposals for surrender, -at all of which the British captain laughed. -When the flames were extinguished he invited the -Spanish officers with mock ceremony to come on -board his vessel again, assuring them that Captain -Smith was yearning to afford them further entertainment. -But the Spaniards had no longer any -stomach for boarding parties and contented themselves -with firing at long range until nightfall when -they sailed away.</p> - -<p>Captain Merham took his crippled ship back to -Saffi to undergo repairs and there our hero left him, -after expressing his gratification for the diversion -the privateersman had afforded him, and took ship -for England.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span></p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span></p> - - - - -<p class="halftitle">THE AMERICAN COLONIST</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[170]</a></span></p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span></p> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="XIII" id="XIII">XIII.</a><br /> -<small>A BAD BEGINNING</small></h2> -</div> - -<p class="noi chaphang"><span class="smcap">John Smith becomes interested in American colonization—Devotes -his money and his services to the Virginia -venture—Sails with an expedition to the New World -composed of an ill-assorted company of adventurers—They -fall into dissensions at the outset—Each is -jealous of others and all of John Smith—He is -placed under arrest and a gallows erected for his -accommodation—The emigrants grow weary of the -adventure—When almost within sight of the continent -they plan to put about and return to England—A -storm decides the matter by sweeping them into -Chesapeake Bay—A party is landed and has an early -conflict with the Indians.</span></p> - - -<p class="p2">The life of John Smith naturally divides itself -into two parts, each covering about twenty-five -years. We have followed him through the former -period with its exciting episodes and varying scenes. -During this term he is the soldier of fortune, seeking -to satisfy his love of adventure and to gain knowledge -and experience. Beyond these motives he has -no definite purpose in view. He is ready to enlist -in any cause that offers opportunity for honorable -employment. This early stage of his activity has -developed his mind and body and strengthened that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span> -stability of character for which he was distinguished. -He returns to England, bronzed and bearded, somewhat -disgusted with the horrors of war and dissatisfied -at the futility of the life of the mere adventurer. -His energy is in no degree abated but he -longs to find some purposeful direction for his enterprise. -Fortunately for him, for his country, and for -us, the opportunity awaited the man.</p> - -<p>Up to this time, all the efforts of Englishmen to -plant colonies in America had resulted in failure. -The movement began with the voyages and discoveries -of the Cabots in the reign of Henry the Seventh -and for a century was pursued with difficulty in the -face of the superior naval strength of Spain, which -nation claimed exclusive right to the entire continent. -The defeat of the “invincible Armada” -afforded freedom of the seas to English navigators -and marked the beginning of a new era in American -exploration and settlement. The majority of the -men who engaged in this field of enterprise were -actuated by no better motive than the desire to gain -wealth or satisfy a love of adventure. There were, -however, not a few who entered into the movement -with patriotic motives and of these the gallant and -ill-fated Raleigh is the most conspicuous. He devoted -his fortune to exploration of the Western -Hemisphere and spent in this endeavor more than -a million dollars. In 1584 his vessels under Amidas -and Barlow made a landing in the Carolinas, took<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span> -possession in the name of Queen Elizabeth, and called -the country “Virginia.” In the following year a -colony of one hundred and eight men was sent out -under Sir Ralph Lane. A settlement was made upon -the island of Roanoke but the enterprise was soon -abandoned and the colonists returned to England. -In 1586, Sir Richard Grenville left fifty men at the -deserted settlement, only to be massacred by the Indians. -But Raleigh persisted in his efforts. Another -party of emigrants was sent out and this time -it was sought to encourage home-making in the new -land by including women in the colonists. The fate -of these pioneers who are commonly referred to as -the “Lost Colony” is a blank. A later expedition -found the site of the settlement deserted and no trace -of its former occupants could ever be discovered.</p> - -<p>The unfortunate results of these efforts dampened -the ardor for American colonization and for twelve -years there was a cessation of the attempts to people -Virginia. Raleigh had exhausted his means and his -later explorations were made with borrowed money -and directed to the discovery of gold mines in -Guiana. In 1602, Bartholomew Gosnold made a -successful voyage to Virginia, returning with a cargo -of sassafras. Several other expeditions followed -which, although they made no settlements, revived -public interest in the American possession and made -the route a comparatively familiar one. When John -Smith returned to his native land he found the colonization<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[174]</a></span> -of Virginia occupying a prominent place -in the minds of his countrymen. It was a project -precisely fitted to satisfy the nobler ambition which -now fired him to devote his talents and energies to -his country’s service. It promised to combine with -a useful career a sufficient element of novelty and -adventure, and he lost no time in allying himself -with the chief promoters of the movement.</p> - -<p>The territory of Virginia had been granted to Sir -Walter Raleigh by Queen Elizabeth. The latter died -in 1603, the year before Smith’s return to England, -and her successor, James the First, imprisoned -Raleigh on a charge of high treason and confiscated -his possessions. In 1606, the King issued a charter -for the colonization of Virginia to a company, which -Smith joined with five hundred pounds of his own -money. But previous to this he had been one of the -most diligent workers in the promotion of the -scheme, inducing merchants and noblemen to support -the project with capital and persuading desirable -men to volunteer as colonists. Neither object -was easy of attainment and the latter was the more -difficult. Numerous broken-down gentlemen of indifferent -character were eager to embrace the chance -of retrieving their fortunes in a new land, and hundreds -of dissolute soldiers out of employment offered -their services to the promoters. But the need was -for farmers, mechanics, and laborers, and few of -these could be induced to leave their homes in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[175]</a></span> -prosperous state of the country at that time. Consequently -the organizers of the expedition had to -content themselves with a poor assortment of colonists -who, but for the presence of Captain John Smith -among them, would assuredly have added one more -to the list of failures connected with North American -colonization. It was due to him mainly, and almost -solely, that the settlement at Jamestown survived -and became the root from which branched the -United States of America.</p> - -<p>The expedition, when at length it was organized, -consisted of three vessels carrying, aside from their -crews, one hundred and five colonists. The largest -of the ships, named the <i>Susan Constant</i>, was barely -one hundred tons burden, the second, named the -<i>Godspeed</i>, was somewhat smaller, and the third, the -<i>Discovery</i>, no more than twenty tons. Their commanders -were Captain Christopher Newport, Captain -Bartholomew Gosnold and John Ratcliffe respectively. -Other important members of the expedition -were Edward Wingfield, a man with little but -his aristocratic connections to recommend him; Robert -Hunt, a clergyman, whose name should be linked -with that of John Smith as one of the saviours of -the colony, and a few whose introduction we may -defer until circumstances bring them prominently -upon the scene. For the rest, forty-eight were gentlemen -of little account, about thirty were men of -lower estate, but no greater usefulness, and only a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[176]</a></span> -score belonged to the artisan and mechanic class. -Smith had engaged and fitted out a few men with -whose quality he had some acquaintance, including -Carlton and Robinson, the only two Englishmen of -his own command who had escaped from the disaster -in the Valley of Veristhorne.</p> - -<p>In the last days of the year 1606, this ill-assorted -company sailed out of the Thames under conditions -calculated to create dissensions from the outset. -King James, one of the most feeble monarchs who -ever occupied the English throne, had reserved to -himself the right to select the Council by which the -colony should be governed, allowing to that body the -privilege of electing its President. But for some -reason, which it is impossible to surmise, the choice -of the monarch was kept secret and names of the -Council enclosed in a box which was to be opened -only when the party reached its destination. Thus -they started upon the voyage without a commander -or any recognized authority among them, and each -man of prominence, feeling satisfied that the King -could not have overlooked his superior claims to a -place in the Council, assumed the tone and bearing -of an accepted leader whilst resenting similar action -on the part of others.</p> - -<p>The need of acknowledged authority was felt from -the outset. Newport, Gosnold, and Ratcliffe, were, -for the nonce, merely sailing masters and had as -much as they could well do to fulfill their duties in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[177]</a></span> -that capacity. The expedition emerged from the -Thames to encounter contrary winds and stormy -weather, so that it was forced to beat about off the -coast of England for weeks without making any -progress. The emigrants began to quarrel, and -among the principal men of the party there broke out -a spirit of jealousy which was never allayed. This -was directed chiefly against Captain Smith. His -companions were forced to admit to themselves that -this self-possessed and confident young man was -their superior in all those qualities that would be of -most account in the strange land for which they were -destined, and they had sufficient discernment to realize -that no matter who might become the nominal -President of the colony, John Smith would be its -master spirit and actual leader. This was made -manifest in these first few weeks of trying delay. -Did one of the ship-captains need assistance? John -Smith was a practical navigator and could both -handle a vessel and read the charts. In the dispositions -for defence in case of attack, he had to be relied -upon as the best gunner and leader of fighting men -among them. When the voyagers became troublesome -none but John Smith could effectually quiet -them. A few words in his calm firm tones would -quickly quell a disturbance. Some of these men had -served under him and had learned to respect his character. -The others instinctively felt that he was -a man of sense and strength—one of those rare<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[178]</a></span> -creatures who rise to every emergency and lift their -subordinates with them.</p> - -<p>Men of broad and generous minds would have rejoiced -to think that they had among them one who -was capable of steering them through all their difficulties -and whose experience would help them to -avoid many a pitfall and disaster. There were a -few among the gentlemen, such as George Percy, -Parson Hunt and Scrivener, who took this sensible -view of the situation. On the other hand, Wingfield, -Kendall, Ratcliffe, Archer and several more, -conscious of their own inferiority, became possessed -by an insane jealousy of our hero. This grew with -the progress of the voyage and constant discussion -of their silly suspicions, until at length they had fully -persuaded themselves that Captain John Smith was -a dark conspirator who entertained designs against -themselves and contemplated treason against his -King and country. They believed, or professed to -believe, that he had distributed creatures of his own -throughout the three vessels with the intention of -seizing the expedition and proclaiming himself king -of the new country as soon as they should arrive -at it. With this excuse they made him a close prisoner -when the vessels were in mid-Atlantic.</p> - -<p>When the party charged with this disgraceful -office approached him on the deck of the <i>Susan Constant</i>, -Smith handed to them his sword without a -word and went below smiling grimly. He had long<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[179]</a></span> -since fathomed the weakness and the incompetence -of these self-constituted leaders. He knew that the -time would come when his services would be indispensable -to them and he was content to abide it in -patience. They should have realized that, if their -suspicions were just, he had but to raise his voice -and the vessels would be instantly in mutiny. But -they had not sufficient intelligence to perceive that if -John Smith was the dangerous character they -assumed him to be their best course was to propitiate -him rather than to arouse his enmity. Instead of -being impressed by the self-confident manner in -which he yielded to confinement in the hold they -gained courage from the incident and actually -thought that they might go to any extreme without -resistance on his part. So, when the vessels made -land at the West Indies, these masterful gentry -erected a gallows for the purpose of hanging our -hero, or, perhaps, of frightening him. Now we -know that they could not have undertaken a more -difficult task than that of attempting to strike fear -into the heart of John Smith, and as to actual hanging, -whilst he had a considerable sense of humor, -it did not carry him so far as taking part in a performance -of that sort. When they brought him on -deck and solemnly informed him that the gallows -awaited him, he laughed in their faces and told them -that it was a shame to waste good timber, for he had -not the remotest thought of using the contrivance.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[180]</a></span> -In fact, he took the matter with such careless assurance -that they wisely concluded to abandon the -project and sailing away, left their useless gallows -standing.</p> - -<p>Steering for that portion of the mainland where -the former ill-fated colonies had been planted, the -vessels were soon out of their reckoning and beat -about for several days without sight of land. They -had been already four months upon a voyage that -should have occupied no more than two and had -made serious inroads into the stock of provisions -which was calculated to furnish the store of the -settlers. They began to grow fearful and discontented. -Many wished to put about and sail homeward, -and even Ratcliffe, the captain of the <i>Discovery</i>, -favored such a course. Whilst they were -debating the proposition, a violent storm arose and -luckily drove them to their destination. On the -twenty-sixth day of April, 1607, they entered the -Bay of Chesapeake.</p> - -<p>Eager to see the new land of promise, a party of -the colonists went ashore that day. They wandered -through forest and glade, cheered by the genial -warmth of the southern clime and delighted with the -beautiful scenery and luxuriant vegetation. But before -they returned to the ships they were reminded -that this natural paradise was in possession of a -savage people who could hardly be expected to respect -King James’s gift of their land to strangers.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[181]</a></span> -As the exploring party made their way back to the -shore they fell into an ambush—the first of many -which they were destined to experience. They had -not seen a human being since landing, and the shower -of arrows that proclaimed the presence of the Indians -came as a complete surprise. Neither redman -nor paleface was quite prepared for intimate -acquaintance at this time, and the sound of the -muskets sent the former scurrying to the hills whilst -the latter hurried to the shelter of the ships, carrying -two men who had been severely wounded.</p> - -<p>Thus the Jamestown colonists came to America. -How little they were qualified for the work before -them we have already seen. As we progress with -our story we shall see how often they brought misfortune -upon themselves and how the wisdom and -energy of one man saved the undertaking from utter -failure.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[182]</a></span></p> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="XIV" id="XIV">XIV.</a><br /> -<small>POWHATAN AND HIS PEOPLE</small></h2> -</div> - -<p class="noi chaphang"><span class="smcap">The President and Council are established and a settlement -made at Jamestown—Newport and Smith go on -an exploring expedition—They meet Powhatan, the -great Werowance of the country—They are feasted -and fêted by the old Chief—A quick return to Jamestown -and a timely arrival—The Indians attack the -settlers and take them unawares—Gallant stand -made by the gentlemen adventurers—The appearance -of Newport and his men prevents a massacre—A fort -and stockade are hurriedly erected—Smith is tried on -a charge of treason and triumphantly acquitted—Captain -Newport returns to England with the two -larger ships.</span></p> - - -<p class="p2">It was, indeed, a fair land to which the white -men had journeyed from over the seas. Smith says -of it: “Heaven and earth never agreed better to -frame a place for man’s habitation. Here are mountains, -hills, plains, rivers, and brooks, all running -most pleasantly into a fair bay, compassed, but for -the mouth, with fruitful and delightsome land.” -The country was covered, for the most part, with -virgin forest. Here and there a small clearing -afforded a site for a cluster of wigwams around -which lay fields of maize or other cereals. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[183]</a></span> -birds and animals that we prize most highly as table -delicacies abounded in the wilds, and the waters -swarmed with fish.</p> - -<p>A very small proportion of the land was occupied. -The Indian villages were few and miles apart. The -country round about the Jamestown settlement was -in the possession of the Algonquin tribe, divided -into many bands, generally numbering not more than -a few hundred souls, each band under its own chief -and all owning allegiance to a king or werowance -named Powhatan. There was constant intercourse -between the villages, and their men joined together -for purposes of war, or the chase. Rough forest -trails formed the only roads between the different -centres, whilst blazed trees marked by-paths that -led to springs, favorite trapping grounds, or other -localities of occasional resort.</p> - -<p>The royal orders permitted the opening of the -box of instructions as soon as the colonists should -have reached Virginia, and they lost no time in satisfying -their anxiety to learn the membership of the -Council. It appeared that the King had selected -for that distinction and responsibility, Edward -Wingfield, Bartholomew Gosnold, Christopher Newport, -John Ratcliffe, George Kendall and John -Smith. The last named was still in irons and his -fellow-councilmen were, with the possible exception -of Newport, unfriendly to him. It was decided that -he should not be admitted to the body, and the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[184]</a></span> -remaining members proceeded to elect Wingfield, -Smith’s arch-enemy, to the position of President.</p> - -<p>For the next two weeks and more, the colonists -remained upon the ships. Meanwhile they explored -the surrounding country for a favorable site on -which to settle. The Indians with whom they came -in contact during this time treated them with the -utmost kindness, freely furnishing food and tobacco, -which latter few of the settlers had ever smoked, -although Raleigh had introduced the leaf into England -some years earlier. Everything was so strange -to the adventurers, many of whom were absent from -their native land for the first time, that they forgot -for a while their discontent and jealousies in the -interest and wonder excited by new sights and -scenes.</p> - -<p>We can imagine, for instance, the mixed sensations -of the strangers when a band of Rappahonacks -marched towards them, headed by their chief playing -upon a reed flute. They were all fantastically -trimmed, we will say, for their only dress was a coat -of paint. The chief, as befitted his rank, was the -most grotesque figure of all, but the effect was equally -hideous and awesome and the Englishmen were -divided between merriment and fear. On one side -of his head the chief wore a crown of deer’s hair -dyed red and interwoven with his own raven locks; -on the other side, which was shaven, he wore a large -plate of copper, whilst two long feathers stood up<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[185]</a></span> -from the centre of his crown. His body was painted -crimson and his face blue. Around his neck was a -chain of beads, and strings of pearls hung from his -ears which were pierced to hold bird’s claws set in -gold. He and his followers each carried a bow -and arrows and a tomahawk with stone head.</p> - -<p>At length it was decided to settle upon a little -peninsula jutting into the river. There was a great -deal of disagreement about this site. Smith favored -it, mainly because its comparative isolation made -it easier to defend than a location further inland, -but he was allowed no voice in the selection. -It was, however, an unfortunate choice, for the -ground was low and marshy and no doubt a great -deal of the later mortality was due to the unhealthy -situation of the infant settlement of Jamestown. -Here, however, the colonists landed on the thirteenth -day of May and set up the tents in which they lived -for some time thereafter. There is too much to be -done to justify the absence of an available strong -arm and Smith, although virtually a prisoner still, is -allowed to join in the general labor and this he does -cheerfully without any show of resentment on -account of his past treatment.</p> - -<p>The President gave evidence of his incapacity -from the very outset. Relying implicitly upon the -friendly attitude of the Indians he refused to allow -any defences to be considered, and even went so far -as to decline to unpack the arms which had been<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[186]</a></span> -brought from England, declaring that to do so would -be a display of distrust which the savages might -resent. The latter, who were permitted to go in and -out of the camp with their weapons, were no doubt -for a time divided in mind as to whether the white -men were superhuman beings invulnerable to arrows -or only a species of foolish and confiding fellow-creatures -such as they had never known. Wingfield -had most of his men busy felling trees and making -clapboards with which to freight the vessels on their -return, for it must be understood that these colonists -were practically employees of the company that had -been at the expense of sending them out and which -expected to make a profit on the investment. It was -necessary therefore to secure cargoes for shipment -to England, but the position should have been fortified -and houses erected before all else.</p> - -<p>Newport was anxious to have more extensive -information of the country to report to his employers -who entertained the belief—absurd as it seems to us—that -by penetrating one or two hundred miles farther -westward the settlers would come upon the Pacific -and open a short route to India. Newport therefore -organized an expedition to explore the river. He -took twenty men and was glad to include Smith in -the party. There was no opposition on the part of -the Council to the arrangement. Indeed, it was entirely -to their liking. None of them was over keen -to penetrate the unknown with its possible dangers<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[187]</a></span> -and each was reluctant to leave the settlement for -the further reason that he distrusted his fellow-members -of the Council and was jealous of them. As to -Smith, they had made up their minds to send him -back to England a prisoner, to be tried on charges of -treason, conspiracy, and almost anything else their -inventive minds could conceive.</p> - -<p>So Captain Newport and his party proceeded -slowly up the river in their shallop, greeted kindly -by the Indians in the various villages along the banks -and feasted by them. The travellers in their turn -bestowed upon their entertainers presents of beads, -nails, bottles, and other articles, trifling in themselves -but almost priceless to the savages who had never -seen anything of the kind. At length the party -arrived at a village named Powhatan. It was -located very near the present situation of Richmond, -and perhaps exactly where the old home of the Mayo -family—still called “Powhatan”—stands. This -village was governed by a son of the great Werowance. -The capital of the latter was at Werowocomico, -near the mouth of the York River, but he happened -to be at Powhatan at the time of Newport’s -arrival. I say that he happened to be there, but -it is much more likely that he had been informed of -the expedition and had gone overland to his son’s -village with the express intention of meeting the -strangers, about whom he must have been keenly -curious.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[188]</a></span></p> - -<p>Powhatan was the chief of all the country within -a radius of sixty miles of Jamestown, and having -a population of about eight thousand, which included -two thousand or more warriors. Although over -seventy years of age, he was vigorous in mind and -body. His tall, well-proportioned frame was as -straight as an arrow. His long gray hair flowed -loose over his shoulders and his stern and wrinkled -countenance expressed dignity and pride. The English -learned to know him for a keen and subtle -schemer, to whom the common phrase, “simple -savage,” would be altogether misapplied. He was -sufficiently sagacious to realize from the first that -in the white men he had a superior race to deal with -and he made up his mind that the most effective -weapon that he could use against them would be -treachery.</p> - -<p>On this occasion, he dissembled the feelings of -anger and fear that he must have felt against the intruders -and received them with every sign of amity. -To his people, who began to murmur at their presence -and displayed an inclination to do them harm, -he declared:</p> - -<p>“They can do us no injury. They desire no more -than a little land and will pay us richly for it. It -is my pleasure that you treat them kindly.”</p> - -<p>In the meanwhile, his keen penetrating glance was -taking in every detail of his visitors’ appearance, -scrutinizing their weapons and dress, and closely<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[189]</a></span> -examining their faces as they spoke, for the settlers -had picked up a little of the language.</p> - -<p>When the voyagers, after being feasted and fêted -at the village of Powhatan, continued their journey -up the river, the “Emperor,” as the early writers -call him, furnished them with a guide, whose chief -duty doubtless was to act as spy and report their -movements to him. Newport proceeded up the river -until it became too shallow to admit of further -progress. He then turned and commenced the -descent. He had not gone many days’ journey -when he began to notice a change in the attitude of -the Indians which prompted him to hasten on to the -settlement with all speed. It was well that he did -so for the settlers were in a critical situation.</p> - -<p>We have seen that Wingfield altogether neglected -to place the colonists in a position to defend themselves -from attack. During the absence of the -exploring expedition he had so far departed from -his foolish attitude as to permit Captain Kendall -to erect a paltry barricade of branches across -the neck of the little peninsula, but this was the -only measure of safety he could be induced to -take. The Indians were permitted to come and -go as freely as ever and the arms were left in the -packing cases. Of course it was only a matter of -time when the Indians would take advantage of -such a constantly tempting opportunity to attack -the newcomers.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[190]</a></span></p> - -<p>One day, without the slightest warning, four hundred -savages rushed upon the settlement with their -blood-curdling war-whoop. The colonists were -utterly unprepared and most of them unarmed. -Seventeen fell at the first assault. Fortunately the -gentlemen habitually wore swords, these being part -of the every-day dress of the time, and many of -them had pistols in their belts. They quickly threw -themselves between the unarmed settlers and the -Indians and checked the latter with the fire of their -pistols. Wingfield, who though a fool was no coward, -headed his people and narrowly escaped death, -an arrow cleaving his beard. Four other members -of the Council were among the wounded, so that -only one of them escaped untouched.</p> - -<p>The gallant stand made by the gentlemen adventurers -only checked the Indians for a moment, -and there is no doubt that every man of the defenders -must have been slain had not the ships created a -diversion by opening fire with their big guns. Even -this assistance effected but temporary relief, for -the Indians would have renewed the attack at -nightfall, with complete success in all probability, -but the appearance of Newport at this juncture with -his twenty picked and fully armed men put a different -complexion on affairs. The reinforcement -sallied against the attacking savages and drove them -to retreat.</p> - -<p>It is hardly necessary to state that all hands were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span> -now engaged with feverish zeal in erecting a fort -and stockade. Some demi-culverins were carried -ashore from the ships and mounted. The arms were -uncased and distributed and certain men were daily -drilled in military exercises, whilst a constant guard -was maintained throughout the day and night. -From this time the intercourse between the whites -and Indians was marked on both sides by caution -and suspicion.</p> - -<p>When the defences had been completed, Captain -Newport made preparations for an immediate departure -and then the Council informed Smith that he -was to be returned to England a prisoner for trial. -Fortunately for the future of the colony, our hero -rebelled against such an unjust proceeding, saying, -with reason, that since all persons cognizant of the -facts were on the spot, it was on the spot that he -should be tried, if anywhere. His contention was -so just, and the sentiment in his favor so strong, -that the Council was obliged to accede to his demand. -He protested against a moment’s delay, declaring -that, if found guilty by a jury of his peers, he would -willingly return to England in chains with Captain -Newport and take the consequences.</p> - -<p>The trial resulted in a triumphant acquittal. -There was not one iota of real evidence adduced -against the prisoner. Wingfield and others had -nothing but their bare suspicions to bring forward. -It did transpire, however, in the course of the proceedings<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[192]</a></span> -that the President had not only been moved -by malice but that he had endeavored to induce certain -persons to give false evidence against his enemy. -On the strength of these revelations, the jury not -only acquitted Captain Smith but sentenced the -President to pay him two hundred pounds in damages, -which sum, or its equivalent, for it was paid -in goods, our hero promptly turned into the common -fund.</p> - -<p>Smith accepted his acquittal with the same calm -indifference that had characterized his behavior since -his arrest and showed a readiness to forget past differences -and encourage harmony among the leaders. -Mr. Hunt also strove to produce peace and goodwill -in the settlement but the efforts were useless. -When Newport left them in June, the colony was -divided into two factions, the supporters of Wingfield -and those of Smith, who was now of course -free of his seat at the Council board. And so it remained -to the end of our story—jealousy, meanness, -incompetence and even treachery, hazarding the lives -and the fortunes of the little band of pioneers who -should have been knit together by common interests -and common dangers.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[193]</a></span></p> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="XV" id="XV">XV.</a><br /> -<small>TREASON AND TREACHERY</small></h2> -</div> - -<p class="noi chaphang"><span class="smcap">The colonists experience hard times and a touch of -starvation—Fever seizes the settlement and one-half -the settlers die—The entire charge of affairs devolves -upon Captain Smith—President Wingfield is deposed -and Ratcliffe appointed in his place—Smith leads an -expedition in search of corn—Returns to find trouble -at Jamestown—The blacksmith to be hanged for -treason—At the foot of the gallows he divulges a -Spanish plot—Captain Kendall, a Councilman, is -involved—His guilt is established—He seizes the pinnace -and attempts to sail away—Smith trains a -cannon upon the boat and forces the traitor to land—He -is hanged.</span></p> - - -<p class="p2">Just before the departure of Captain Newport -with the two larger ships—the pinnace, <i>Discovery</i>, -was left for the use of the colonists—Mr. Hunt had -administered the communion to the company in the -hope that the joint participation in the holy sacrament -might create a bond of amity between them. -On that occasion Captain Smith had modestly addressed -the assembled settlers, urging them to forget -past disagreement, as he was ready to do, and -address themselves energetically to the important -business of the community.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[194]</a></span></p> - -<p>“You that of your own accord have hazarded -your lives and estates in this adventure, having your -country’s profit and renown at heart,” he said with -earnestness, “banish from among you cowardice, -covetousness, jealousies, and idleness. These be -enemies to the raising your honors and fortunes and -put in danger your very lives, for if dissension prevail -among us, surely we shall become too weak to -withstand the Indians. For myself, I ever intend -my actions shall be upright and regulated by justice. -It hath been and ever shall be my care to give every -man his due.”</p> - -<p>The plain, frank speech moved his hearers, but in -the evil times that quickly fell upon them good counsel -was forgotten and strife and ill-nature resumed -their sway.</p> - -<p>The colonists had arrived too late in the year to -plant and they soon began to experience a shortage -of provisions. The grain which had lain six months -in the holds of leaky vessels was wormy and sodden, -unfit for horses and scarcely eatable by men. -Nevertheless, for weeks after Newport left, a small -allowance of this formed the principal diet of the -unfortunate settlers. The woods abounded in game, -it is true, but they were yet unskilled in hunting and -dared not venture far from their palisades, whilst -the unaccustomed sounds of axe and hammer had -driven every beast and most of the birds from the -neighborhood. They must have starved but for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[195]</a></span> -the sturgeon that they secured from the river. On -these they dined with so little variation that their -stomachs at last rebelled at the very sight of them. -One of this miserable company, describing their condition, -says with melancholy humor: “Our drink -was water; our lodgings castles in the air.”</p> - -<p>But lack of food was only one of the hardships -which befell the poor wretches. There were but few -dwellings yet constructed, and being forced to lie -upon the low damp ground, malarial fever and -typhoid broke out among them and spread with such -fearful rapidity that not one of them escaped sickness. -Hardly a day passed but one at least of their -number found a happy release from his sufferings in -death. Fifty in all—just half of them—died between -June and September. The unaccustomed -heat aided in prostrating them, so that at one time -there were scarce ten men able to stand upon their -feet. And all this time the Indians kept up a desultory -warfare and only refrained from a determined -attack upon the settlement for fear of the firearms. -Had they assaulted the stockade, instead of contenting -themselves with shooting arrows into it from -a distance, the colonists could have made no effective -defence against them.</p> - -<p>Shortly, the whole weight of authority and the -entire charge of the safety of the settlement fell upon -Captain Smith. He was sick like the rest, but kept -his feet by sheer strength of will, knowing that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[196]</a></span> -otherwise they would all fall victims to the savages -in short order. Gosnold was under the sod. Wingfield, -Martin and Ratcliffe were on the verge of -death. Kendall was sick and, moreover, had been -deposed from his place in the Council. In fact, all -the chief men of the colony were incapacitated, “the -rest being in such despair that they would rather -starve and rot with idleness than be persuaded to do -anything for their own relief without constraint.” -In this strait the courage and resolution of one man -saved them as happened repeatedly afterward. He -nursed the sick, distributed the stores, stood guard -day and night, coaxed and threatened the least weak -into exerting themselves, cunningly hid their real -condition from the Indians, and, by the exercise of -every available resource, tided over the terrible -months of July and August.</p> - -<p>Early in September, Wingfield was deposed from -the presidency. His manifest incompetency had -long been the occasion of discontent which was -fanned to fever heat when the starving settlers discovered -that the leader, who was too fine a gentleman -to eat from the common kettle, had been diverting -the best of the supplies from the public store to -his private larder. The climax which brought about -his downfall, however, was reached when it transpired -that the President had made arrangements to -steal away in the pinnace and return to England, -leaving the settlement in the lurch. Ratcliffe was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[197]</a></span> -elected to fill his place. He was a man of no greater -capacity than his predecessor, but it happened that -conditions improved at about this time and the undiscerning -colonists were willing to give him credit for -the change.</p> - -<p>Early fall brings ripening fruit and vegetables -in the South. The Indians, who fortunately had no -idea of the extremity to which the colony had been -reduced, began to carry corn and other truck to the -fort, glad to trade for beads, little iron chisels or -other trifles. Wild fowl came into the river in large -numbers and, with these welcome additions to their -hitherto scanty diet, the sick soon began to recover -health and strength. Smith, so soon as he could -muster a boat’s crew, made an excursion up the -river and returned with some thirty bushels of corn -to famine-stricken Jamestown. Having secured -ample supplies for immediate needs, our hero, who -was by this time generally recognized as the actual -leader of the colony, put as many men as possible to -work building houses and succeeded so far as to -provide a comfortable dwelling for every one but -himself.</p> - -<p>Our adventurers, convalescent for the most part, -now experienced a Virginia autumn in all its glory. -The days were cloudless and cool. The foliage took -on magic hues and presented patterns marvellously -beautiful as an oriental fabric. The air, stimulating -as strong wine, drove the ague from the system and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[198]</a></span> -cleared the brain. The fruits of the field stood ripe -and inviting whilst nuts hung in profusion from the -boughs of trees amongst which fat squirrels and -opossums sported. Turkeys with their numerous -broods wandered through the woods whilst partridges -and quail abounded in the undergrowth. -Where starvation had stared them in the face the -colonists now saw plenty on every hand and, with -the appetites of men turning their backs upon fever-beds, -ate to repletion. With the removal of their -sufferings, they dismissed the experience from their -minds and gave no heed to the latent lesson in it. -Not so Captain Smith, however. He realized the -necessity of providing a store of food against the -approach of winter, without relying upon the return -of Newport with a supply ship.</p> - -<p>The Council readily agreed to the proposed expedition -in search of provisions, but it was not in -their mind to give the command to Captain Smith. -Far from being grateful to the man who had saved -the settlement in the time of its dire distress and -helplessness, they were more than ever jealous of his -growing influence with the colonists. None of them -was willing to brave the dangers and hardships of -the expedition himself nor did they dare, in the face -of Smith’s popularity, to appoint another to the -command. In this difficulty they pretended a desire -to be fair to the other gentlemen adventurers by putting -a number of their names into a lottery from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[199]</a></span> -which the commander should be drawn. The hope -was that by this means some other might be set up -as a sort of competitor to Smith. There were those -among the gentlemen who penetrated this design -and had sufficient sense to circumvent it. George -Percy, a brother of the Earl of Northumberland, and -Scrivener, were among our hero’s staunch adherents. -Percy contrived that he should draw the lot from -the hat that contained the names. The first paper -that he drew bore upon it the words: “The Honorable -George Percy.” Without a moment’s hesitation -he showed it to Scrivener, as though for confirmation, -and crumpling it in his hand, cried:</p> - -<p>“Captain John Smith draws the command,” and -the announcement was received with a shout of -approval.</p> - -<p>“Thou hast foregone an honor and the prospect -of more,” said Scrivener, as they walked away -together.</p> - -<p>“Good Master Scrivener,” replied the young -nobleman, with a quizzical smile, “one needs must -have a head to carry honors gracefully and I am fain -to confess that I deem this poor caput of mine safer -in the keeping of our doughty captain than in mine -own.”</p> - -<p>It was early in November when Smith, taking the -barge and seven men, started up the Chickahominy. -The warriors were absent from the first village he -visited and the women and children fled at the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[200]</a></span> -approach of his party. Here he found the store-houses -filled with corn, but there was no one to trade -and, as he says, he had neither inclination nor commission -to loot, and so he turned his back upon the -place and came away empty-handed. Now, if we -consider the impression that must have been made -upon those Indians by this incident, we must the -more keenly regret that so few others were moved -by similar principles of wisdom and honesty in their -dealings with the savages. In his treatment of the -Indian down to the present day the white man -appears in a very poor light, and most of the troubles -between the two races have been due to the greed -and injustice of the latter. John Smith set an -example to later colonists which, had they followed -it, would have saved them much bloodshed and -difficulty.</p> - -<p>Proceeding along the narrow river, the expedition -arrived at other villages where the conditions better -favored their purpose. The Indians seem to have -gained some inkling of the impoverished state of the -Jamestown store, for at first they tendered but paltry -quantities of grain for the trinkets which Smith -offered to exchange. But they had to deal with one -who was no less shrewd than themselves. The Captain -promptly turned on his heel and marched off -towards his boat. This independent action brought -the redskins crowding after him with all the corn -that they could carry and ready to trade on any<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[201]</a></span> -terms. In order to allay their suspicions as to -his need, Smith declined to accept more than a moderate -quantity from any one band, but by visiting -many, contrived without difficulty to fill the barge -and, as he says, might have loaded the pinnace -besides if it had been with him.</p> - -<p>We will now leave Captain Smith and his party -bringing their boat down the river towards home -and see what is going on at Jamestown in the meanwhile. -We shall find throughout our story that the -master spirit of the colony never leaves the settlement -but that some trouble breaks out in his -absence. This occasion was no exception to the -rule. One day, shortly before the return of the -expedition, Ratcliffe, the President, fell into an altercation -with the blacksmith, and in the heat of passion -struck the man. The blow was returned, as one -thinks it should have been, but in those days the -distinction between classes was much more marked -than in these and the unfortunate artisan was immediately -clapped in jail.</p> - -<p>To have struck a gentleman was bad enough, but -the hot-headed north-country blacksmith had raised -his hand against the representative of the sacred majesty -of the King and that constituted high treason. -A jury of his fellows found him guilty and he was -sentenced to be hanged without delay. A gallows -was quickly erected and the brawny blacksmith, after -receiving the ministrations of Mr. Hunt, was bidden<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[202]</a></span> -to mount. But the condemned man craved the usual -privilege of making a dying speech, and the request -was granted. To the consternation of the assembled -colonists he declared that he was in possession of a -plot to betray the settlement to the Spaniards, and -offered to divulge the details on condition that his -life should be spared. This was granted. Indeed, -it is difficult to understand how the colonists could -have entertained the design to hang almost the most -useful man among them.</p> - -<p>In order to appreciate the blacksmith’s revelation, -we should understand that although Spain had some -years previously entered into a treaty of peace with -England, she remained keenly jealous of the growing -power of the latter nation and never ceased to -employ underhand methods to check it. Spanish -spies were numerous in England and were to be -found among all classes, for some of the Catholic -nobility were not above allowing their religious zeal -to outrun their sense of patriotism. In particular -was Spain concerned about the new ardor for American -colonization, of which one of the earliest manifestations -was the settlement at Jamestown, and it is -more than probable that she had sent several of her -secret agents out with the expedition from England. -However that may be, Captain Kendall, erstwhile -member of Council, was the only one accused by the -reprieved man. A search of the traitor’s quarters -disclosed papers that left no doubt as to his guilt.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[203]</a></span></p> - -<p>The searching party had just returned to the -Council room with the incriminating documents -when Captain Smith landed his party and entered the -fort to find the settlement in the greatest state of -excitement. He at once joined the Council and was -in deliberation with the other members when a man -burst in upon them shouting:</p> - -<p>“Captain Kendall hath seized the pinnace and is -about sailing away in her.”</p> - -<p>The Councilmen rushed from the chamber without -ceremony and made towards the shore. There, sure -enough, was the pinnace in mid-stream and Captain -Kendall hoisting her sail to catch a stiff breeze which -was blowing out of the river. The spectators stood -open-mouthed in speechless dismay, or bewailed the -escape that they seemed to consider accomplished. -That was not the view of Captain Smith. He took -in the situation at a glance and as quickly decided -upon counteraction. Running back to the fort he -had a gun trained on the pinnace in a trice and -shouted to its occupant to come ashore or stay and -sink and to make his decision instanter. One look -at the determined face peering over the touch-hole -of the cannon sufficed the spy. He brought the boat -ashore and within the hour was shot.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[204]</a></span></p> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="XVI" id="XVI">XVI.</a><br /> -<small>CAPTIVE TO THE INDIANS</small></h2> -</div> - -<p class="noi chaphang"><span class="smcap">Peace and plenty at the settlement—Smith sets out to -discover the source of the Chickahominy—He falls -into an ambush and has a running fight with two -hundred warriors—Walks into a swamp and is forced -to surrender—Opechancanough the chief of the -Pamaunkes—Smith is put to a test of courage—He -figures in a triumphal procession—Has suspicions -that he is being fattened for the table—He sends a -timely warning to Jamestown and diverts a projected -attack by the Indians—Smith is dealt with by the -medicine men—A strange, wild ceremony enacted by -hideously painted and bedecked creatures.</span></p> - - -<p class="p2">The close of the year 1607 found the settlement -in good circumstances. The store was well stocked -with maize, peas and beans, smoked venison and fish, -dried fruits and nuts. Warm coats and coverings -had been made from fur and feathers and a large -quantity of wood had been cut and stacked for fuel. -There did not appear to be any danger of hardship -in Jamestown during the ensuing winter, although -such a careless and incompetent lot as our settlers -were apt to create trouble for themselves out of the -most favorable conditions. There were only three -persons in authority—Ratcliffe, Martin and Smith.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[205]</a></span> -The first was a man of mean ability and doubtful -integrity. Martin, honest and well-meaning, was -a constant invalid and incapable of any degree of -activity. Smith was by this time recognized by all -as the true leader of the colony and the only man -in it who could secure obedience and maintain discipline. -When he was in Jamestown, order prevailed -and work progressed. When he left, the -settlers scarcely pretended to heed the orders of the -other members of the Council. Indeed, Percy and -Scrivener, who were known to be in full accord with -Smith, had greater influence with the rank and file -than Ratcliffe or Martin. In fact the north-country -nobleman and the Londoner played the part of faithful -watchdogs during the Captain’s absence, and it -was arranged that one at least of them should always -remain at Jamestown when Smith went abroad.</p> - -<p>As we know, inaction was positively abhorrent to -our hero and, the settlement being now thoroughly -quiet and quite prepared for the winter, he determined -on an expedition designed to trace the Chickahominy -to its source. Exploration was one of the -chief duties of the colonists and Smith, as he tells -us, hoped that he might soon discover “some matters -of worth to encourage adventurers in England.” -The Indians along the river had been so friendly -during his foraging trip the month before that he -felt safe in making the present journey, but his -military training and natural prudence would not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[206]</a></span> -permit him to relax his usual precautions. But there -was one important feature of Indian tactics with -which the American colonists had not become -familiar. They had yet to learn how large bodies -of redskins would watch a settlement, or track a -party on the move, for days and weeks without -allowing their presence to be known. Ever since -their landing, <a href="#i_206fp">the settlers had been under the sleepless -eye of spies lying hidden</a> in grass or behind trees, -and from the moment Captain Smith left Jamestown -his progress had been flanked by a body of savages -moving stealthily through the woods.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 373px;"> -<a id="i_206fp"> - <img src="images/i_206fp.jpg" width="373" height="600" alt="" title="" /> -</a><br /> -<div class="caption"><a href="#Page_206">THE SETTLERS HAD BEEN UNDER THE SLEEPLESS EYE OF SPIES LYING -HIDDEN</a></div> -</div> - -<p>The barge proceeded fifty miles up the river without -incident, but presently the stream became too -shallow to admit of its going farther. A canoe was -secured from a village in the vicinity, with two Indians -to paddle it. In this Smith decided to push on -to the head of the river, taking with him two of his -men. The remainder he left in the barge, instructing -them not to go on shore and to keep a sharp -lookout until his return. Twenty miles onward the -canoe travelled when an obstruction of fallen trees -brought the party to a halt. It seemed probable -that the source of the stream could be but a few miles -beyond and Smith determined to seek it on foot -accompanied by one of the Indians. The other and -the two Englishmen he left in the canoe, cautioning -them to keep their matches burning, and at the first -sign of danger to fire an alarm.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[207]</a></span></p> - -<p>Smith had hardly gone a mile through the forest -when he was suddenly startled by a shrill war-whoop. -He could see no one and he had not been warned of -danger by his men as agreed. He concluded, therefore, -that they had been surprised and killed with -the connivance of the guide. Even as the thought -flashed through his mind he grappled with the Indian -beside him and wrenched the bow from his grasp. -It was done in an instant, and as quickly he bound -an arm of the savage to his own with one of his -garters. He had not completed the act when an -arrow half spent struck him on the thigh and a -moment later he discerned two dusky figures drawing -their bows upon him. These disappeared at the -discharge of his pistol, and he was congratulating -himself on having routed them so easily when two -hundred warriors, hideous in paint and feathers, rose -from the ground in front of him. At their head was -Opechancanough, the chief of the Pamaunkes.</p> - -<p>The situation would have suggested surrender to -the ordinary man. There could be no use in Smith’s -contending against such numbers and to retreat to -the river would be no less futile, since his men -in the canoe must have been captured. It was not, -however, in our hero’s nature to give up until absolutely -obliged to do so. He could see no possibility -of escape but he proposed to make it as difficult as -possible for the savages to capture him. With this -thought he placed the guide before him as a shield<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[208]</a></span> -and prepared, with a pistol in each hand, to meet an -onrush of the warriors. But they had no mind to -rush upon those fearful fire-spitting machines and -kept off, discharging their arrows from a distance -that rendered them harmless. Seeing this, Smith -began to retire, keeping his face towards the enemy -and holding his human buckler in place. The Indians -responded to this movement by cautiously advancing -and at the same time they sought to induce -the Englishman to lay down his arms, promising -to spare his life in case he should do so. Smith positively -declined the proposition, insisting that he -would retain his weapons but promising not to make -further use of them if he should be permitted to -depart in peace; otherwise he would use them and -kill some of his assailants without delay. The Indians -continuing to advance upon him, Smith let -go both his pistols at them and took advantage of -the hesitation that followed to retreat more rapidly.</p> - -<p>Of course this combat was of the most hopeless -character and our hero must ultimately have been -shot to death had not an accident suddenly put an -end to his opposition. Still stepping backward and -dragging his captive with him he presently walks -into a deep morass and reaches the end of his journey -in more than one sense, for it is in this swamp -that the Chickahominy rises and he has fulfilled his -undertaking to find the head of the river. It was at -once clear to the dauntless explorer that he must<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[209]</a></span> -yield, and that quickly, for he and his Indian were -fast sinking in the icy ooze of the bog. He threw -his pistols away in token of surrender and his savage -adversaries rushed up and extricated him from his -perilous situation.</p> - -<p>It was with feelings of curiosity and interest on -either side that Captain John Smith, the leader of -the colonists, and Opechancanough, the chief of the -Pamaunkes, confronted each other. Both men of -noble bearing and fearless character, they must have -been mutually impressed at the first encounter. The -chief’s erect and well-knit frame towered above the -forms of his attendant warriors and, together with -the dignity and intelligence of his countenance, -marked him as a superior being. In later years he -played an important part in colonial history and met -a shameful death by assassination whilst a captive -in the hands of the authorities of Virginia.</p> - -<p>Smith, whose presence of mind never deserted -him, immediately addressed himself to the task -of diverting the chieftain’s mind from the recent unpleasant -circumstances and with that end in view -produced his pocket compass and presented it to the -savage. The Pamaunke was readily attracted by -the mystery of the twinkling needle which lay in -sight but beyond touch, and when our hero showed -how it pointed persistently to the north, the wonder -of the savage increased. Having thus excited the -interest of his captors, Smith went on to hold their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[210]</a></span> -attention with a more detailed explanation of the -uses of the instrument. He described, in simple -language and with the aid of signs, the shape and -movement of the earth and the relative positions of -sun, moon and stars. This strange astronomical -lecture, delivered in the depths of the forest, at length -wearied the auditors and they prepared to set out on -the return journey, for they had no thought of -killing the captive at that time. He was a man of -too much importance to be slain off-hand and without -learning the pleasure of the great Powhatan in -the matter. They did, however, tie him to a tree -and make a pretence of drawing their bows upon him -but, as the paleface met the threatened death without -so much as blinking, the savages derived little satisfaction -from the amusement. Before taking the -march, Smith was given food and led to a fire, beside -which lay the body of Emery, one of the men -he had left in the canoe, stuck full of arrows.</p> - -<p>The return of Opechancanough to the settlement -of the Pamaunkes was in the nature of a triumphal -procession. As the band approached a village they -gave vent to their piercing war-whoop and entered it -chanting their song of victory. In the midst of the -procession walked the Chief with Smith’s weapons -borne before him and the captive, guarded by eight -picked warriors, following. A ceremonial dance -took place before the party dispersed to their various -lodgings for the night. The captive was well<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[211]</a></span> -treated and had an excellent opportunity to study -the natives and their habits, for Opechancanough -carried his prize on a circuit of many villages before -finally bringing him to the capital of Powhatan. -Nor did the peril of his situation prevent our hero -from exercising his usual keen powers of observation, -for he has left us a minute account of his -strange experiences during these weeks of captive -wandering.</p> - -<p>Every morning bread and venison were brought -to the Englishman in sufficient quantity to have satisfied -ten men. His captors never by any chance ate -with him and, remembering the reluctance of Eastern -peoples to partake of food with those whom they -designed to harm, this fact excited his apprehensions. -These Indians were not cannibals but he had not -that consoling knowledge, and the insistent manner -in which they pressed meat upon him raised a disagreeable -suspicion that they were fattening him for -the table. The thought of death—even with torture—he -could endure calmly, but the idea of being -eaten afterwards caused him to shudder with horror. -We can not help thinking, however, that the sinewy -captain might have visited his enemies with a posthumous -revenge had they recklessly subjected him -to such a fate and themselves to such grave hazard -of acute indigestion.</p> - -<p>But the captive’s concern for the settlement at -Jamestown outweighed all other considerations. He<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[212]</a></span> -surmised with reason, that having him in their -power, the Indians would endeavor to overcome the -colonists, whose natural incapacity to take care of -themselves would be enhanced by the belief that -their leader was dead. He was racking his brain -to devise some means of communicating with them, -when chance threw an opportunity to him. It seems -that in the encounter preceding his surrender to -Opechancanough Smith had seriously wounded one -of the Indians. He was now called upon to cure his -victim and replied that he might be able to do so if -in possession of certain medicine which could be -obtained from Jamestown. The Chief agreed that -two messengers should bear a letter to the settlement, -although he could not believe that a few lines -scrawled upon paper would convey any meaning, -much less elicit the desired response.</p> - -<p>The messengers journeyed to the fort with all -speed, and as they were not permitted to approach -closely, left the note in a conspicuous place and there -received the reply. Of course Smith took the opportunity -to warn the settlers of the projected attack, -and prayed them to be constantly on their guard. -He also suggested that some show of strength, as -a salvo from the big guns, might have a salutary -effect upon the messengers. The latter, after they -had received the medicine requested, and turned -homewards, were treated to such a thunderous discharge -of cannon and musketry that they ran for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[213]</a></span> -miles in terror of their lives and arrived at the village -well-nigh scared out of their wits. Their account of -this terrible experience decided the Indians not to -attempt a descent upon Jamestown and their respect -increased for a man who could convey his thoughts -and wishes by means of such a mysterious medium as -a letter appeared to them to be.</p> - -<p>Although the Indians had Smith unarmed and -completely in their power, they were not at all satisfied -of his inability to harm them, and the question -seems to have caused them considerable anxiety. -The medicine men of the tribe undertook by incantations -and other species of deviltry to ascertain -whether the captive’s intentions towards them were -good or otherwise. Smith was led in the morning -to a large house in the centre of which a fire burned. -Here he was left alone, and presently to him entered -a hideous creature making unearthly noises in his -throat to the accompaniment of a rattle, whilst he -danced about the astonished Englishman in grotesque -antics. This merry-andrew’s head was decorated -with dangling snake-skins and his body painted -in a variety of colors. After a while he was joined -by three brother-priests who set up a discordant -chorus of shrieks and yells, whirling and skipping -about the house the while. They were painted half -in black and half in red with great white rings round -their eyes. Shortly these were joined by three -more medicine men equally fantastic in appearance<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[214]</a></span> -and actions. The ceremony was maintained by -these seven throughout the day, much to the disgust -of Smith, who soon found it tiresome and uninteresting -and particularly so as it involved an absolute -fast from dawn to sundown. In the evening women -placed great mounds of food upon the mats of the -house and invited Smith to eat, but the priests -refrained from doing so until he had finished.</p> - -<p>This performance was repeated on the two successive -days, but we are not told what conclusion -was reached by all the fuss.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[215]</a></span></p> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="XVII" id="XVII">XVII.</a><br /> -<small>POCAHONTAS TO THE RESCUE</small></h2> -</div> - -<p class="noi chaphang"><span class="smcap">After a weary circuit of the Indian villages Smith is -brought to Werowocomico—He is received by Powhatan -in the “King’s House”—The chiefs in council decide -to put him to death—He is bound and laid out, preparatory -to being killed—Pocahontas intervenes at the -critical moment—Powhatan’s dilemma and Opechancanough’s -determination—“The Council has decreed -the death of the paleface”—“I, Pocahontas, daughter -of our King, claim this man for my brother”—The -Indian maiden prevails—Smith is reprieved and -formally adopted into the tribe—They wish him to -remain with them and lead them against his own -people.</span></p> - - -<p class="p2">One morning, shortly after the episode of the -medicine men, Captain Smith learned, to his great -relief, that commands had been received for his -removal at once to the capital. He had no idea -what, if any fate had been determined upon for him, -but he was heartily tired of the weary wanderings -and suspense of the past weeks and ready to face -the worst rather than prolong the uncertainty. Werowocomico, -the principal seat of the “Emperor” -Powhatan, was short of a day’s journey distant, -and Opechancanough, with his illustrious prisoner,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[216]</a></span> -reached the town as the early winter night was setting -in. The capital of the Werowance consisted -of about thirty large wigwams, or “houses,” as the -earlier writers called them, and a number of smaller -ones. These for the nonce were reinforced by the -tepees, or tents, of the many Indians who had come -in from distant villages for the occasion which was -no ordinary one. The large wigwams were made in -the form of the rounded tops of the wagons called -“prairie schooners,” which in the days before railroads -were used upon the continent of North -America for long-distance travel. These wagon -tops were sometimes taken off and placed upon the -ground to serve as tents, when the occupants would -be lying in a contrivance exactly like the ancient -wigwam in shape. The latter was commonly big -enough to contain a whole family and sometimes -harbored an entire band of fifty or sixty natives. -In that case it had two rows of apartments running -along the sides and a common hall in the middle. -The structure was composed of a framework of -boughs covered with the bark of trees or with skins—sometimes -a combination of both.</p> - -<p>Smith’s captors approached the capital in -triumphal fashion, chanting their song of victory -and flourishing their weapons in exultant pride. -The town was prepared to give them the reception -usually accorded to victorious warriors returning -from battle. Great fires burned at frequent points<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[217]</a></span> -illuming the scene with a garish light in which the -bedaubed and bedizened savages looked doubly -hideous. Chiefs and people were attired in all their -fantastic finery and even the children made some -show of tawdry ornament. The women had prepared -food with even more than ordinary profusion -and had laid the mats in anticipation of the prospective -feasting. A double line of fully armed and -foully painted warriors—“grim courtiers,” Smith -calls them—formed an avenue to the “King’s -house” along which the captive passed into the presence -of the great Werowance, whilst the spectators -“stood wondering at him as he had been a monster.”</p> - -<p>At the farther end of the wigwam, upon a platform, -before which a large fire blazed, reclined the -aged but still vigorous chieftain, upon a heap of -furs. On either side of him stood the principal -chiefs and medicine men of the tribe, whilst the -women of his family grouped themselves behind. -Two dense walls of warriors lined along the sides -of the wigwam leaving a space in the centre which -was covered by a mat. Upon this Smith took his -stand and calmly surveyed the scene which was not -without an element of rude beauty. A loud shout -had greeted his entrance. In the profound silence -that followed, two women—“the Queen of Appamatuck -and another”—came forward with food -which they placed before him and signed to him to -eat. Our hero’s appetite and his curiosity never<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[218]</a></span> -failed him under any circumstances. He had a habit -of living in the present moment and not concerning -himself unduly about the uncertain future. So, in -this crisis, when the ordinary man would have been -too much preoccupied with the thought of his fate -to attend to the needs of his stomach, Smith -addressed himself in leisurely fashion to the pile of -food and at the same time studied the details of his -surroundings with a retentive eye. Meanwhile, the -savages stood silent and stock still as statues until -he had finished.</p> - -<p>When at length our hero rose refreshed and ready -to face his fate, Powhatan also stood up and beckoned -to him to approach the royal dais. Powhatan was -arrayed in his state robe of raccoon skins. A band -of pearls encircled his brow and a tuft of eagle’s -feathers surmounted his head. Smith was impressed -by the dignity and forcefulness of the old -chief who addressed him in a deep bass voice.</p> - -<p>“The paleface has abused the hospitality of Powhatan -and requited his kindness with treachery,” -said the chieftain in slow and solemn tones. “The -paleface and his brethren came to Powhatan’s country -when the summer was young and begged for -food and land that they might live. My people -would have slain them but I commanded that grain -be given to the palefaces and that they be allowed to -live in peace in the village which they had made. -Was this not enough? Did not Powhatan thus<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[219]</a></span> -prove his friendship and good will to the strangers -in his land?”</p> - -<p>We know that all this was a mixture of falsehood -and sophistry. As such Smith recognized it, of -course, but, as he did not wish to arouse the chief’s -anger by contradicting him, he decided to keep -silence and an immovable countenance. After a -pause, during which he endeavored without success -to read the effect of his words in the prisoner’s face, -Powhatan continued:</p> - -<p>“Powhatan’s people have given the palefaces -abundance of food—venison and fowls and corn. -They have furnished them with warm furs. They -have shown them the springs of the forest. They -have taught them to trap the beasts and to net the -fish. And the palefaces, scorning the kindness of -Powhatan and his people, turn their fire-machines -upon them and slay them. You—their werowance—they -send to spy out the land of Powhatan so that -they may make war upon his villages in the night -time. Now my people cry for your blood. What -shall I say to them? How shall I again deny my -warriors whose brothers you yourself have slain?”</p> - -<p>“The Powhatan mistakes the purpose of myself -and my people,” replied Smith. “It is our wish and -intent to treat our red brothers with justice and -friendliness. If we have killed some it hath been in -defence of our own lives. Our fire-machines have -spoken only when the bow was drawn against us.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[220]</a></span> -It is not in our minds to make war upon the great -Powhatan nor yet to rob him of his lands. Whatsoever -we ask at his hands we are ready to pay for. -If the great Werowance allows the clamor of his -warriors for my life to override his own good judgment, -so be it. But I would warn Powhatan and -his chiefs that my death will be the signal for relentless -war against their people, for I am the subject -of a mighty king whose rule extends over lands -many times greater than those of Powhatan, whose -soldiers are as numerous as the stars in the heavens -and whose ships sail the seas in every direction. He -will surely avenge my death with a bitter vengeance.”</p> - -<p>Smith had no idea of committing himself to an -argument and wisely contented himself with a brief -statement of the facts, adding a threat that he hoped -might give the savages pause. It was clear from -Powhatan’s remarks that he was determined to place -the prisoner in the wrong, and contradiction could -have no good effect. Finding that his captive had -nothing more to say, the Werowance sent him to a -nearby wigwam with instructions that he should be -made comfortable and allowed to rest. Meanwhile, -the chiefs went into council over his fate.</p> - -<p>Smith’s words had made a strong impression upon -Powhatan, who was the most sagacious Indian of his -tribe. He was altogether averse to putting the prisoner -to death because he was forced in his mind to -acknowledge the white men as superior beings with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[221]</a></span> -whom it would be dangerous to evoke a war. -Doubtless they would soon send another chief to -replace Smith and more would be gained by holding -him for ransom than by killing him. But Powhatan’s -wise conclusions were not shared by the -other members of the council. With hardly an exception -they were in favor of Smith’s death by the -usual torturous methods. One of the chiefs was a -brother of the man who had died as the result of a -pistol wound inflicted by Smith in the skirmish preceding -his capture. He was implacable in the demand -for the usual satisfaction of a life for a life, -and was warmly supported by Opechancanough -who, to the day of his death at their hands, maintained -an unappeasable hatred for the whole race -of white men. Now Opechancanough was, after -the great Werowance, the most influential chief in -the tribe, and rather than incur his displeasure and -that of the others, Powhatan yielded against his -better judgment. He did this, however, only after -having expressed his opinion to the contrary, and the -real respect which he felt for Smith led him to stipulate -that the captive should not be put to the torture -but should be executed by the more humane and -speedy means employed by the savages with members -of their own tribe.</p> - -<p>This conclusion of the council having been -reached, Smith was brought again into the king’s -house and informed of it. He bowed with courage<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[222]</a></span> -and dignity to the decision which he felt that it would -be futile to protest against and calmly held out his -arms to the warriors who came forward to bind him. -Whilst these tightly bound his hands to his sides and -tied his feet together, others rolled into the centre -of the wigwam a large stone. When this had been -placed, the prisoner was required to kneel and lay -his head upon it. This he did with the serene self-possession -that had not been shaken in the least during -this trying ordeal. At the same time he silently -commended his spirit to his Maker, believing that -the next moment would be his last on earth. The -executioners stood, one on either side, their clubs -poised ready for the signal to dash out his brains.</p> - -<p>Powhatan was in the act of raising his hand in the -fatal gesture that would have stamped our hero’s -doom, when a young girl, as graceful as a doe and -not less agile, burst through the throng that surrounded -the Werowance and sprang to the prisoner’s -side. Waving back the executioners with the -haughty dignity derived from a long line of noble -ancestors, she drew her slim and supple figure to its -full height and faced the group of chieftains with -head erect and flashing eyes.</p> - -<p>“Pardon, Powhatan! Pardon, my father!” she -cried in a rich voice quivering with emotion. -“Pocahontas craves the life of the captive, and -claims the right to adopt him as a brother according -to the immemorial custom of our tribe.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[223]</a></span></p> - -<p>Powhatan was in a quandary. Pocahontas was -his favorite daughter, his pet, and the comfort of -his old age. He had never denied her anything, -nor ever thought to do so. He had a strong inclination -to grant her request, but as he looked round the -circle of angry faces and heard the subdued mutterings -of his chiefs he hesitated to incur their discontent.</p> - -<p>“The Council has decreed the death of the paleface. -It can not be, my daughter,” he said. But -there was an unusual trace of indecision in his voice.</p> - -<p>“It <em>must</em> be, my father!” cried the girl, with -spirit. “Is a princess, and your child, to be denied -the right that every woman of our tribe enjoys? -Any woman of the Powhatans may redeem a condemned -prisoner by adopting him, and I—I, Pocahontas, -daughter of our king, claim this man for my -brother.”</p> - -<p>Powhatan was deeply moved by the dignified and -earnest plea of the girl and was about to accede to it -when Opechancanough leaned forward and whispered -in his ear. The words of the Chief of the Pamaunkes, -whatever they were, seemed to be decisive, -for Powhatan, with a gesture of mingled annoyance -and regret, signed to the executioners to perform -their task. The eyes of Pocahontas had been -anxiously fixed upon her father during this pause in -the proceedings and, as she saw his sign of submission -to the argument of the Pamaunke, she threw<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[224]</a></span> -herself upon the head of Smith and entwined her -arms about his neck.</p> - -<p>She had nothing further to say, realizing that -words would have no effect, but, with the quick wit -of a woman, she had advanced an argument which -was unanswerable. The executioners dropped -their clubs and looked perplexedly towards the Werowance. -The assembled warriors gazed expectantly -in the same direction. The affair had reached -an <em>impasse</em>. None there dared lay a hand on the -girl save the Powhatan, and he had no thought of -doing so. He gazed at her with proud satisfaction -for a few moments, whilst a presentiment took possession -of his mind that this slip of a girl had unwittingly -saved her tribe from a world of possible -troubles.</p> - -<p>“Let be!” he said with an air of weariness. -“The paleface shall be adopted into the tribe to -make hatchets for me and beads for his little sister.”</p> - -<p>With that Smith was unbound and taken to a -wigwam where they brought him food and left him -to wonder at the marvellous workings of Providence -and pass a peaceful night.</p> - -<p>The next morning our hero was led to one of the -larger houses which was divided in the middle by a -partition. Smith was instructed to seat himself -and to await events. Presently, from the other side -of the screen came the most hideous howls and -shrieks he had ever heard, but Smith had got beyond<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[225]</a></span> -the point of being disturbed by anything that might -occur. For half an hour or more the strange sounds -continued, when Powhatan and his chiefs entered, -accompanied by Smith’s old friends the noisy medicine -men. He was informed that the ceremony -which had just taken place was that of his adoption -into the tribe and Powhatan formally addressed him -as “son.” From this time Smith was treated with -the utmost consideration and those who had been -the most eager for his death, with the exception of -the implacable Opechancanough who departed to his -village in high dudgeon, now vied with each other -in efforts to secure his good-will. Powhatan and -Smith held many conferences together in which -each learned a great deal from the other and grew -to regard his erstwhile enemy with feelings of respect -and friendship.</p> - -<p>The savages had entertained the hope that after -the adoption Smith would remain with them and -they even thought to induce him to lead them against -Jamestown. It is needless to say that he firmly declined -to do either. Powhatan being at length convinced -of Smith’s friendly intentions agrees to his -return but, in satisfaction of his own desire as well -as to appease the disappointment of his people, he -exacts a ransom to consist of two of the largest -guns in the fort and the biggest grindstone.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[226]</a></span></p> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="XVIII" id="XVIII">XVIII.</a><br /> -<small>FIRE AND STARVATION</small></h2> -</div> - -<p class="noi chaphang"><span class="smcap">Powhatan by excessive greed overreaches himself—Smith -is allowed to return to the settlement—He finds the -colonists, as usual, disturbed by dissensions—Arrives -just in time to prevent Ratcliffe and others from -deserting—Newport arrives with the “first supply”—The -Indians continue to treat Smith as a tribal -chief—Fire destroys Jamestown completely—Newport -and Smith visit Powhatan—The purple beads “fit -only for the use of Kings”—The astute Indian Chief -meets his match in Captain John Smith—The settlers -are smitten with the gold fever—Captain Newport -sails for England with a wonderful cargo.</span></p> - - -<p class="p2">Had Powhatan been less specific in his demand, -or less greedy in his desire, Captain Smith might -have found it difficult to agree to his proposal. -But, when the Werowance made a point of exacting -the “two largest guns and the biggest grindstone” -in the fort, Smith had no hesitation in saying that he -would permit Powhatan’s messengers to carry away -the articles mentioned. This point having been -settled to their mutual satisfaction, the Chief detailed -twelve men to guide and guard our hero on the road -to Jamestown which, being but twelve miles from -Werowocomico, they reached by easy marches.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[227]</a></span> -The Indian escort was treated with all the kindness -Smith could command for them. Each was given -a present and they were charged with the delivery of -a package to Powhatan, containing a number of the -things most highly prized by the savages. When -the time for their departure came they asked for the -guns and grindstone which they were to carry back -to their Chief.</p> - -<p>“Certes! They be yours if you can carry them,” -replied Smith, pointing, with a quizzical smile, at -two demi-culverins each weighing more than four -tons and a huge grindstone which four men could -hardly raise on edge. The baffled savages looked -on these ponderous things with dismay and had to -admit that they could not be carried to Werowocomico -though the whole tribe came after them. -Smith was not willing that his visitors should leave -without gaining some impression of the power as -well as the size of the ordnance and so he loaded one -of the guns with small stones and discharged it into -the trees where the icicle-laden boughs were thickest. -The smoke and racket that followed filled the Indians -with terror and they took their leave hurriedly, -doubtless glad that the roaring, fire-spitting monster -was not to accompany them.</p> - -<p>The great majority of the settlers welcomed Captain -Smith, whom they had never expected to see -again, with genuine joy. Once more he had arrived -just in the nick of time, for the affairs of the colony<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[228]</a></span> -had been going from bad to worse during his absence -and were now on the point of a crisis that, had it not -been averted, would have probably effected the ruin -of the colony. There had been no improvement in -the government. Ratcliffe had become justly unpopular -in the presidency and Archer, a pettifogging -lawyer and mischief-maker, had been admitted to the -Council. Martin, feeble in health and mind, had -fallen under the complete domination of the other -two and with them and other malcontents had entered -into a conspiracy which the return of Captain -Smith was just in time to frustrate. He no sooner -heard of their plot to sail to England in the pinnace -and desert the settlement than he bearded them in -the Council room.</p> - -<p>“So,” he cried, indignation and contempt showing -in every tone and gesture. “So! These be -the gallant gentlemen who contended among themselves -for leadership of our enterprise! By my -halidame! A fine pack of leaders—tufftaffaty -humorists rather! Ye mind me of one Falstaffe—a -cowardly, gluttonous braggart he—I once -saw depicted at the Globe playhouse. Not one of -you has hazarded his skin beyond musket-shot of the -fort but now, having fattened and reposed yourselves -through the winter, ye would return to England -and brag of your brave deeds and feats of arms. -But—and I mistake not—we shall find a different -conclusion for your plot. I hold the King’s commission<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[229]</a></span> -to maintain the flag of England in this country -and whilst my arm and brain serve me that will I -do in good faith and count all such as oppose the -commands of His Most Gracious Majesty, enemies -of the realm and traitors to their country. Take -heed then how ye proceed in this matter, for I will -see to it that the guns are manned day and night -by good and true men with instructions to sink the -pinnace at the first show of sinister design.”</p> - -<p>With that Smith clapped his hat upon his head -and strode out of the Council room.</p> - -<p>If the conspirators had entertained any thought -of pursuing their project in the face of Captain -Smith’s opposition, the ringing shout with which -he was greeted by the waiting crowd outside was -sufficient to banish it. Word of what was going -forward had drawn the settlers to the Council House -and much of Smith’s harangue, delivered in a voice -strong with anger, had penetrated to them. They -were almost to a man in sympathy with him, for the -cowardly plotters belonged exclusively to the “gentleman” -class among the colonists, men who arrogated -to themselves superior privileges and rights -whilst unwilling to bear even their share of hardship -and toil. These poor creatures should not be considered -representative of the gentlemen of England, -who in those stirring times produced many of the -bravest and most self-sacrificing leaders in the -chronicles of Christendom.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[230]</a></span></p> - -<p>The settlers had almost begun to despair of Newport’s -return when one day, in early January, he -sailed into the river with a well-laden ship and upwards -of one hundred new colonists. His appearance -put an end to a pretty scheme which the attorney -Archer had concocted to encompass Smith’s -downfall. Direct from England, with authority -superior to that of any man in Jamestown, Newport -instituted an inquiry into the government of the -colony during his absence and determined that Wingfield -and Archer should return with him, to answer -to the Company. Scrivener he appointed to the -Council and thus assured Smith of one firm ally in -that body. Newport had started for America with -two vessels. These became separated in mid-ocean -and the <i>Phœnix</i>, commanded by Captain Francis -Nelson, did not arrive until considerably later.</p> - -<p>The relations between the Indians and the colonists -now became very friendly, owing to the adoption -of Smith by the tribe. After his return to -Jamestown, Pocahontas and some of the other -women of Werowocomico came to the settlement -twice or three times a week laden with provisions, -these being Smith’s share, as a chief, of the tribal -stores. On these occasions, men would also bring -foodstuff to be disposed of in trade. These supplies -were very timely, for the settlement had again -approached the verge of starvation when Smith returned -after his seven weeks of captivity, and Captain<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[231]</a></span> -Newport’s arrival did not greatly mend that -matter, for the larger part of the edible supplies sent -from England were upon the tardy vessel. In the -barter with the savages, Smith established a scale of -exchange based upon the values set by the Indians -themselves upon the wares of the foreigners. This -was of course fair enough, but his enemies, more than -ever jealous of the great influence he evidently enjoyed -with the Indians, sought to undermine it by -giving them very much more than they asked for their -grain and venison. The result was that in a short -while a pound of copper would scarce purchase as -much as an ounce had secured under Smith’s regulation. -The schemers had the satisfaction of seeing -Smith fall in the regard of the Indians, who naturally -thought that he had been cheating them.</p> - -<p>The newcomers were of course a welcome accession -to the depleted colony, but they brought misfortune -upon it at the outset. They had been little -more than a week within the stockade when one of -them through carelessness set fire to the house in -which he was lodged. The flames spread and in a -few short hours all the buildings and even the fortifications -were consumed. Nothing could be saved -but the clothes upon the men’s backs, and the supplies -which Newport had landed went with the rest. -In this extremity the settlers must have perished of -cold and starvation, or fallen under the arrows of -the savages, but for the amicable relations which had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[232]</a></span> -been brought about by Captain Smith. As it was, -the Indians hastened to bring furs and food to the -relief of the miserable white men who were prostrated -body and soul by the sudden misfortune. -They sat about the ruins of Jamestown, bewailing -their lot and praying Captain Newport to carry them -home to England. This would have been impossible -at the time, even had he a mind to do so, for there -was not enough food on the ship to serve such a -numerous company as far as the West Indies.</p> - -<p>Smith was ashamed at the cowardice of his countrymen -and fearful lest their puerile exhibition of -weakness should lower them in the estimation of the -Indians, many of whom were on hand, for the -flames of Jamestown had been plainly visible at -Werowocomico. Seconded by Mr. Hunt, Newport, -Percy and Scrivener, he went among the whimpering -colonists persuading, threatening, cajoling—in -short, using any means to make them bestir themselves.</p> - -<p>“See yonder dominie, good Master Hunt, how, -with exhortation, he hearteneth the afflicted,” he -cried seeking to shame them by the exhibition of a -good example. “Yet no man among us hath suffered -so great loss as he. For not only his chattels -and clothes have been destroyed but also his books -on which he set more store than upon gold or aught -else. Yet hath no moaning or complaint issued -from him, but he beareth himself bravely and with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[233]</a></span> -composure as becometh a true gentleman and a servant -of God.”</p> - -<p>These efforts at length moved the settlers to -action and, with the aid of the sailors and some -Indians who were hired to assist, rude structures -were hastily raised in sufficient numbers to afford -shelter to all. The work of rebuilding Jamestown -in a permanent fashion was necessarily deferred.</p> - -<p>Smith now proposed that Newport should pay a -visit to Powhatan. During his captivity our hero -had taken pains to impress the Chief with an idea -of Newport’s importance and power. Indeed, he -had addressed himself to this task with such enthusiasm -that the savages conceived of Newport as “Captain -Smith’s God,” and by that title he was known -among them. Taking an escort of forty men, -Smith, Newport and Scrivener reached Werowocomico -without any mishap and received a warm welcome. -Powhatan awaited them in the same “long -house” which had been the scene of our hero’s -stirring adventure. It was a state occasion, as -Smith’s former appearance there had been, and the -assemblage presented much the same aspect. But -now, in place of scowling faces and angry mutterings, -Smith and his companions were met with -smiles and cries of friendly greeting. After formal -salutations had been exchanged, a great feast was -set out in which they all partook. This was followed -by dancing, singing, and mimic combats.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[234]</a></span></p> - -<p>Smith’s prime object in suggesting this visit of -Newport to the Chief of the Powhatans lay in a hope -that it might tend to cement the friendly relations -existing between the redmen and the settlers. He -was not, however, forgetful of the needs of the settlement, -always on the verge of starvation, and proposed -to take advantage of the opportunity to secure -as much food as possible from the ample stores of -Werowocomico. He warned Newport to part with -his wares on the best terms obtainable and to show -but few things at a time and those with a pretence -at reluctance. But Newport’s eagerness to play the -part of “big chief” and Powhatan’s shrewdness -came near to upsetting Smith’s plans. When Newport -had presented a very generous gift to the -Werowance, intimating that the rest of the goods -were to be disposed of in trade, the wily Powhatan -decided to circumvent him by an appeal to his pride.</p> - -<p>“It is not seemly,” he said, “that two great -Werowances such as you and I should haggle over -the details of trade. Lay out your wares then, that -I may see them and what pleases me I will take, -paying to you a fair price according to my judgment.”</p> - -<p>Smith could scarce keep a straight countenance -when he heard this <em>naïve</em> speech of the old chieftain, -but his amusement soon gave way to deep concern -as he saw the infatuated Newport spread out his -entire stock before Powhatan.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[235]</a></span></p> - -<p>Smith had serious cause for apprehension. The -influence of the settlers over the Indians and, indeed, -their very lives depended upon the copper, glass, -beads and similar trifles which the Indians coveted -so greedily. If these became cheapened in their -eyes, the colonists would have nothing with which -to propitiate them, nor with which to pay for the -provisions so constantly needed. And here was the -reckless Newport permitting Powhatan to help himself -on condition of paying what he pleased for what -he should take. The rates of exchange set by Smith -had already, as we know, been ruinously enhanced -in favor of the Indians, and this transaction was -calculated to still more greatly raise them. He did -not dare to protest, for fear of arousing Powhatan’s -anger, but fortunately his quick wit enabled him -to save the situation without creating any -unpleasantness.</p> - -<p>Among the many things displayed for the inspection -of the great Werowance, Smith noted some -beads of a different tint to any others there. He -quietly abstracted the package, taking care that -Powhatan should see him do so. When at length -the Chief had indicated all the things he wished to -retain, he fixed a price on them which, as Smith had -anticipated, was not more than one-tenth as much -as the Indians had usually paid for such articles. -Having settled that business to his entire satisfaction, -the greedy Chief turned to Smith and asked to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[236]</a></span> -be shown the package which the latter had put aside. -Powhatan suspected that it contained something of -unusual value and Smith cunningly confirmed this -suspicion by pretending the greatest reluctance to -exhibit the articles. Presently, however, he showed -them, saying:</p> - -<p>“These be as you see different in color from all -the other beads. They be purple—the royal color -in the countries beyond the seas—and fit only for the -use of kings.”</p> - -<p>Of course Powhatan was consumed with a desire -to possess them and equally of course Smith did not -readily yield to him. At last the Werowance received -the coveted purple beads on the payment of -six times as much for them as he had given for all -the things secured from Newport. It was immediately -decreed that purple beads might only be worn -by the Powhatan and his family but Opechancanough -was allowed a few as a mark of special -favor.</p> - -<p>After five days of entertainment and friendly intercourse, -the Englishmen returned to the settlement. -It was Newport’s intention to load up his -vessel with cedar and depart for England as soon as -possible. Just at this time, however, a trivial accident -gave an entirely new and unfortunate turn to the -affairs of the colony. One of the settlers discovered -some yellow dust shining in the bottom of a stream -near the settlement. Immediately, the whole colony<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[237]</a></span> -was smitten with the gold-fever. Neglecting all -else they gave themselves up to the pursuit of the -precious metal. As one of them says: “There was -no talk, no hope, but dig gold, wash gold, refine -gold, load gold; such a bruit of gold that one mad -fellow, a wag, desired to be buried in the sands lest -they should, by their art, make gold of his bones.” -The outcome of all this was that, after several weeks -delay, Newport sailed away with a ship laden with -<em>mica dust</em>.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[238]</a></span></p> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="XIX" id="XIX">XIX.</a><br /> -<small>A TURN IN THE TIDE</small></h2> -</div> - -<p class="noi chaphang"><span class="smcap">Captain Nelson arrives in the Phœnix with reinforcements -and supplies—Powhatan becomes disgruntled—Smith -yields to Pocahontas what he had refused to -her father—Smith sets out to explore Chesapeake -Bay—The expedition meets with storm and shipwreck—The -party is led into an ambush—They find the -Indians everywhere unfriendly and learn of Powhatan’s -treachery—The Susquehannocks and their -giant chief—They propose to make Smith the head -of the tribe—Ratcliffe is deposed and Scrivener -assumes the Presidency—The colony is put in good -condition—Newport returns bent on fanciful schemes—The -coronation of Powhatan.</span></p> - - -<p class="p2">Smith, Scrivener and a few other men of balanced -minds had escaped the gold-fever. They -doubted in the first place whether the stuff was worth -anything and realized that, even if it should prove -to be gold indeed, the time occupied in the search -of it had better have been employed in the urgent -affairs of the settlement. They were very glad, -therefore, to see Newport at last take his departure, -and immediately set men at work rebuilding the -town and fortifications and breaking ground preparatory -to planting corn. The settlers were thus engaged<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[239]</a></span> -when, quite unexpectedly, the <i>Phœnix</i> arrived -with Captain Nelson and one hundred and twenty -emigrants. As usual, the reinforcement included -two or more gentlemen for every laborer or artisan. -Smith’s disappointment on this account was, however, -offset by the fact that Captain Nelson brought -six months’ provisions which were sorely needed by -the settlers.</p> - -<p>Hardly had Newport gone than the colony began -to reap the fruit of his unwise traffic with the Indians. -Smith had always been careful to prevent -the natives from securing any of the European -weapons, or even pieces of iron from which they -might fashion swords. Newport was less cautious, -perhaps because the consequences could entail no -hazard to himself. Just before his departure he -gave Powhatan twenty cutlasses for as many turkeys, -despite the earnest protests of Smith. Powhatan -was not long in learning the superiority of -these weapons over his own and, thinking to secure -more of them, he sent messengers to Smith, asking -for swords in exchange for fowls. It is needless -to say that the demand was flatly refused, although -Smith was loath to displease the chieftain. Powhatan -was keenly disappointed, for he had thought -that, as a member of the tribe, Smith would be more -amenable to his wishes. He was also seriously -offended, and sought to gain his point by stealth. -Some of his people were sent to the settlement with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[240]</a></span> -instructions to steal whatever they could and, in particular, -to purloin as many weapons as possible.</p> - -<p>As Indians were frequent visitors to Jamestown -and of late had been permitted to go about the settlement -freely, it was comparatively easy for Powhatan’s -emissaries to carry on their pilferings for -some time without detection. At length, however, -several of them were caught in the act and imprisoned. -Fearing that they were about to be put -to death they revealed a conspiracy against the -colony on the part of Powhatan and his principal -chiefs. Thus forewarned of the intended treachery, -Smith hastened the work on the defences of the -place and kept a vigorous guard day and night. -In the meanwhile he held possession of his prisoners -much to the uneasiness of the great Werowance. -Repeated requests for their release were denied, -although the messengers came laden with presents. -Opechancanough came in person but had no better -success. At length Powhatan sent Pocahontas with -expressions of his regret for the untoward actions -of his subjects and assurances of his future goodwill. -This appeal was effective. Smith yielded, -not to the Chief but to the girl who had saved his -life.</p> - -<p>There had been a great deal of discussion about -the freighting of the <i>Phœnix</i>. Ratcliffe, Martin, -and, in fact, the majority were for loading the vessel -with the delusive dust which had formed Newport’s<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[241]</a></span> -cargo. Smith and Scrivener protested against another -shipment of what they strongly suspected to be -no more than “glittering dirt.” Captain Nelson -took the same view of the matter and in the end the -<i>Phœnix</i> sailed out of the James with an honest lading -of good Virginia cedar. This was on June the second, -1608. The same day Smith left the settlement -in an open barge of three tons’ burden, accompanied -by fifteen men. Most of these were newcomers, -who were not a little set up on account of an experience -they had gained with Newport during his recent -visit. That able seaman generally contrived to make -himself ridiculous when he transferred the scene of -his activities to dry land. He had brought out a -large boat in five sections designed to be carried -across the mountains in his projected journey to the -South Sea. The expedition started with a great -flourish of trumpets and after being gone two and a -half days returned to Jamestown and abandoned -the enterprise. Now those of Smith’s force who -had been in Newport’s company thought that the -latter’s expedition was a fair sample of exploration. -They were eager for adventure and very much feared -that Smith, in an open boat committed to the sea, -would not journey far enough to satisfy their appetite. -The leader heard these doubts expressed and -promised himself some amusement at the expense -of his eager adventurers.</p> - -<p>Smith’s determination was to thoroughly explore<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[242]</a></span> -Chesapeake Bay. It was no light undertaking. -The region was quite unknown to him and peopled -by Indian tribes with which he had not yet come -in contact. The mere matter of navigation involved -grave dangers, for the Bay being wide and open, -is subject to almost the full force of wind and tide. -But in the face of all these difficulties, and many -more that arose with the progress of the exploration, -Smith accomplished his purpose and that so effectually -that his map of the Bay was the best in existence -until recent times, and is still acknowledged to -be an excellent one. The work was at that time -of course of the utmost importance and, although it -took the authorities at home some time to see it, -information of the country and inhabitants of Virginia -was of much greater value than fanciful stories -of gold mines and short cuts to the South Sea.</p> - -<p>Our adventurers soon found that exploring with -Captain Smith was a very different thing from a -picnic expedition with Captain Newport. They encountered -rough weather from the outset. Their -hands blistered and their backs ached with rowing -against a strong wind. The briny waves drenched -their clothes and soaked their bread. Their water -keg was broached by some accident and before they -could replenish it they came so near to being famished -that they “would have refused two barrels -of gold for one of puddle water.” This was their -condition when a terrible storm struck them, carrying<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[243]</a></span> -away their masts and sails. By good fortune, -rather than any effort of their own, they contrived to -gain the shelter of an uninhabited island where they -went ashore.</p> - -<p>The men who had been fearful lest Captain Smith -should not venture far enough, were now all for -returning to Jamestown, but their leader had no -mind to turn back. Opposition and difficulty ever -increased his determination and nerved him to -greater effort.</p> - -<p>“Gentlemen,” said Smith to the disheartened -company, “remember the example of Sir Ralph -Lane’s company in worse straits, how they begged -him to proceed in the discovery of Moratico, -saying that they had yet a dog that would sustain -them for a while. Then what shame would it be -to us to return, having ample provision of a sort, -and scarce able to say where we have been, nor yet -heard of that we were sent to seek. You can not -say but I have shared with you in the worst that is -past; and for what is to come, of lodging, diet, -or whatsoever, I am content you allot the worst -part to me. As to your apprehensions that I will -lose myself in these unknown large waters, or be -swallowed up in some stormy gust, abandon these -childish fears, for worse than is past is not likely -to happen, and to return would be as dangerous as -to proceed. Regain, therefore, your old spirits, -for return I will not—if God please—till I have seen<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[244]</a></span> -the Massawomekes, found Patawomek, or the head -of this bay which you imagine to be endless.”</p> - -<p>They remained two days upon the island, and -when the storm abated resumed their journey with -fresh sails fashioned from their shirts.</p> - -<p>The exploring party had been out just two weeks -when they came across the mouth of the Potomac—or -Patawomek, as Smith called it. They sailed -thirty miles up the river without sight of human -being, when two Indians appeared from nowhere, -after their mysterious manner, and offered to serve -them as guides. Pretending to take them to a -village at the head of a creek, the wily savages neatly -led them into an ambuscade. Suddenly the English -found themselves in the centre of three or four hundred -Indians, “strangely painted, grimed and disguised, -shouting, yelling and crying, as so many -spirits from hell could not have showed more terrible.” -Had they discharged their arrows at once, -instead of wasting time in capering about, the explorers -must have been killed to a man. But these -Indians, who had not yet become acquainted with -the dreadful “spit-fires” of the strangers, thought -that they had them entirely at their mercy and doubtless -proposed to reserve them for the torture. -Smith ordered his men to fire a volley in the air and -the effect of the discharge of fifteen muskets at once -was all that could be wished. Many of the savages -fled into the forest, others threw themselves prone<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[245]</a></span> -upon the ground and all cast aside their weapons in -sign of surrender. Smith learned that messengers -from Powhatan had instigated these people to attack -the expedition and had urged upon them, above all, -to secure the white men’s weapons. Had they -known the terrible nature of those weapons they -certainly would not have indulged in any such foolishness -and they did not think kindly of their -brothers, the Powhatans, for having egged them on -to it. Smith established friendly relations with -these people who never occasioned further trouble.</p> - -<p>In their progress the voyagers found the Indians -almost everywhere in arms and ready to attack them, -having been prompted thereto by the emissaries -from Werowocomico. In most cases, however, the -natives were converted to peaceful good-will without -bloodshed, the flash and report of the fire-arm proving -to be a powerful pacifier. Wherever they went, -the explorers heard of the Massawomekes. They -seem to have been a particularly warlike tribe, situated -near the head of the bay, who were dreaded -and hated by all their neighbors. Smith was very -anxious to see these people and proceeded up the bay -with the intention of visiting their country. But -his men were succumbing so fast to the fatigue and -exposure that, when at length there were but five left -fit for active service, he deemed it wise to defer the -exploration of the head of the bay. Before turning -homeward, however, he sent a messenger inland to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[246]</a></span> -the country of the Susquehannocks who had the -reputation of being a tribe of giants.</p> - -<p>After a delay of a few days a deputation of sixty -warriors from the Susquehannocks visited the camp -of the Englishmen. They were bigger and more -warlike than any Indians that the settlers had encountered -up to that time, and it was agreeable to -Smith to find that they had come prepared to make -an alliance with him and, indeed, to adopt him into -the tribe as a chief. In token of their good-will they -presented him with a bear’s skin cloak, such as was -only worn by great Werowances, eighteen mantles, -a chain of beads weighing six or seven pounds and -a number of other gewgaws. Their chief was a man -of extraordinary size, even for a Susquehannock. -Smith thus describes him:</p> - -<p>“The calf of his leg was three-quarters of a yard -about, and all the rest of his limbs so answerable to -that proportion that he seemed the goodliest man we -had ever beheld. His hair on one side was long, -the other shorn close with a ridge over his crown like -a cock’s comb. His arrows were five quarters of a -yard long, headed with flints or splinters of stone in -form like a heart, an inch broad and an inch and a -half or more long. These he wore at his back in a -wolf’s skin for his quiver, his bow in the one hand -and his club in the other.”</p> - -<p>These people proposed that Smith should assume -the headship of the tribe and lead them in war<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[247]</a></span> -against the Massawomekes and other enemies. Had -our hero entertained any such ambition as that with -which he was charged by Wingfield and his supporters, -here was an excellent opportunity to set up -a kingdom. The Susquehannocks were not only -exceptionally warlike, but also one of the most -numerous tribes in that part of America. No -doubt, with a man like Smith at their head, they -could soon have established sovereignty over hundreds -of miles of territory. It is needless to say, -however, that the offer was declined as tactfully as -possible and the expedition turned homeward.</p> - -<p>Smith arrived in Jamestown just as another crisis -in the affairs of the colony had been reached. Ratcliffe, -the President, had shamefully abused his office -for some time past. He had taken for his private -use the best things in the public stores, he had beaten -several of the settlers, with little or no provocation, -and had diverted a number of laborers from useful -employment to the task of building him a pleasure-house -in the woods. Smith appeared on the scene -when the wrath of the colonists had almost risen -beyond bounds. Had he not arrived when he did -they would probably have taken Ratcliffe’s life. As -it was, they would hear of nothing short of his deposition -and invited Smith to take his place at the -head of the government. Smith, however, who was -the active instrument in disposing of the obnoxious -officer, hardly thought that he could accept the proposal<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[248]</a></span> -with a good grace and so persuaded them to -allow him to substitute Scrivener for himself. So, -with this change, the summer passed in peace, and -satisfactory progress was made in the rebuilding of -the settlement.</p> - -<p>The colony had never been in a better condition -than now to make good progress. The settlers were -well content with the rule of Smith and Scrivener, -who always knew just what they wanted to do and -how to do it. Work and rations were fairly apportioned. -Gentlemen were required to take their turn -at labor with the rest. A military company was -formed and drilled, and the Indians were kept in -check by the practice of diplomacy and a show of -force. This happy state of things was completely -upset by the return of Newport with instructions -from his employers to discover the South Sea, to -bring back gold, and to search for the survivors of -the lost Roanoke colony. But this was not the sum -of Newport’s mad mission. He was also charged -with the coronation of Powhatan, to whom King -James sent a present of a wash-basin and pitcher and -an Elizabethan bed with its furnishings. Newport -failed to bring the food and other things of which -the settlers stood in such constant need, but instead -landed seventy Dutchmen and Poles for the purpose -of establishing manufactories of “pitch, tar, glass -and soap-ashes.” By this time, Smith had been -regularly elected President. He was thoroughly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[249]</a></span> -disgusted with the foolish instructions of the London -company, and when Newport undertook to undo -much of the good work that had been accomplished -with so great trouble, even going so far as to restore -Ratcliffe to the presidency, Smith bluntly gave him -his choice of immediately taking himself and his ship -off, or of being detained for a year that he might -gain the experience that he was sadly in need of. -Newport wisely chose the former alternative and -sailed away, having, as before, sown the seeds of -trouble from which the colonists were to reap a bitter -crop before long.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[250]</a></span></p> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="XX" id="XX">XX.</a><br /> -<small>DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND</small></h2> -</div> - -<p class="noi chaphang"><span class="smcap">Smith goes on a foraging expedition and engages in a -contest of wits with Powhatan—Doctor Russell and -Captain Smith get into a tight place—And get out -again—Powhatan plans to murder his adopted son—Pocahontas -warns the Captain of the intended -treachery—The feast and the disappointed waiters—How -eight designing Indians afford goodly entertainment -to three Englishmen—And how they are neatly -laid by the heels by their intended victims—“The -English sleep like the village dog, with one eye -cocked”—How the ambushers were ambushed and the -captors captured—“If there be one among you bold -enough to essay a single combat, let him come out!”</span></p> - - -<p class="p2">With the approach of winter the colony of Jamestown -found itself in hardly better condition than at -the same time in the previous year. It is true that -their health was now better but they had many more -mouths to feed and rather less chance of obtaining -provisions from the Indians. These, as we know, -had been unfriendly for some months past, due to -Newport’s reckless generosity towards them and -particularly to his foolish gift of swords, which -Smith refused to duplicate. The more experienced -among the settlers had protested strongly against<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[251]</a></span> -the crowning of Powhatan, fearing that the savage -would interpret the ceremony as a measure of propitiation -and a sign of dread on the part of the -English. And this proved to be the case. It was -soon evident that the great Werowance had risen -mightily in self-esteem in consequence of the silly -coronation and that his respect for the settlers had -fallen in proportion. The neighboring bands, acting -on his orders, refused to furnish corn on any terms, -and messengers sent to Werowocomico returned -empty handed, telling of having been treated with a -high-handed contempt. After Scrivener and Percy -had made futile expeditions, it became clear that, -as usual, Smith must attend to the matter in person -if the colony was to be saved from starvation.</p> - -<p>Smith immediately began preparations for a visit -to the capital of Powhatan, whose spies doubtless -gave him early information of the fact, for, just at -this time, an embassy arrived from the newly-crowned -“emperor” demanding workmen to build -him an English house to contain the gorgeous bedstead -that his brother, the King of England, had -sent to him. He also asked for fifty swords, as -many muskets, a cock and hen, a large quantity of -copper and a bushel of beads. This modest requisition -he expected would be filled forthwith, and in -return for his compliance he promised to give Captain -Smith a shipload of corn, provided he came for -it in person. Here was a very palpable trap and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[252]</a></span> -something like a veiled defiance. Smith was as little -prone to shirk danger as he was to decline a challenge, -and he returned answer that he should presently -be at Werowocomico. In the meanwhile he -was sending three Germans and two Englishmen -to build the projected palace, but, for the rest of the -request, he thought that he had better bring the -things mentioned by the Chief himself, for he feared -that the messengers might hurt themselves with the -swords and muskets.</p> - -<p>Leaving Scrivener in charge of the settlement, -Smith, with forty-six volunteers, embarked in the -pinnace and two barges. George Percy commanded -one of the latter and Francis West, brother of Lord -Delaware, the other. The journey by water was a -tolerably long one for open boats, and they broke -it by a stay of two or three days at Kecoughten, a -village occupying the site of the present town of -Hampton. The Chief received them with genuine -friendliness and warned Smith that Powhatan contemplated -treachery. Here the party “kept Christmas -among the savages, where they were never more -merry, nor fed on more plenty of good oysters, fish, -flesh, wild fowl and good bread; nor never had -better fires in England than the dry, smoky houses -of Kecoughten.” The enthusiasm with which the -chroniclers among the colonists expatiate upon such -simple comforts as these when it happens to be their -good fortune to experience them, gives us a very<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[253]</a></span> -good idea of the miserable condition that generally -prevailed at Jamestown.</p> - -<p>When at length the party arrived at Werowocomico, -they found the river frozen over to a distance -of half a mile from shore. Smith overcame this -obstruction by leaving his boats and wading to land -with a squad of men. The entire absence of welcome -was a sinister indication, but Smith, unabashed, -took possession of a deserted wigwam on the bank -and sent messengers to Powhatan for provisions. -These were forthcoming, and the chieftain agreed -to meet the English captain the next morning in a -formal pow-wow.</p> - -<p>Before noon the following day, Captain Smith -and his handful of men went up to the town, putting -a bold face on what they all believed to be a very -bad matter. Once more the two chiefs met in the -famous “king’s house.” Powhatan received Smith -with the utmost coolness, and it was noticeable that -he did not address him by his tribal name. When -the matter of food supplies came up, he declared that -he had so little to spare that he was loath to exchange -it for copper which his people could not eat. -As a special favor to the English and in consideration -of their great need he would stretch a point to -let them have thirty bushels in exchange for as many -swords, but he was really not at all anxious to make -the trade. Indeed, so short was the food supply at -Werowocomico that he hoped that the English<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[254]</a></span> -would speedily depart for he could ill afford to entertain -so many hungry stomachs.</p> - -<p>“As to that,” replied Smith, “we have come at -your invitation, and will delay no longer than is -necessary to effect our purpose, which is to secure, at -a fair price, so much corn and venison as you can -readily spare from the well-filled stores of Werowocomico.”</p> - -<p>Each had intimated that he was well acquainted -with the actual conditions at the headquarters of the -other, but Smith was at a loss to determine whether -Powhatan had merely guessed at the urgent needs -of the colonists, or whether he was really informed -of the state of things at Jamestown. As yet he had -no suspicion of the truth, which was that the Dutchmen -sent to build the Chief’s house had betrayed the -colony. Tempted by the abundant food and comfortable -lodgings at the capital of the Powhatans, -they had secretly sold their allegiance to the Chief, -intending to remain with the Indians and marry into -their tribe.</p> - -<p>Powhatan continued the negotiations in the same -independent tone, declaring that he would exchange -corn for swords and muskets and for nothing else. -At length this persistent attitude provoked Smith to -a decisive reply.</p> - -<p>“Let me speak the Werowance plain as I would -that he should speak to me. We will part with our -swords and muskets no sooner than we will with our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[255]</a></span> -clothes. Why, indeed, should we do so, when by -a use of these same we can readily get all the corn -we want and still retain them? We came here as -honest and well-meaning men to get provisions and -get them we will, if not by fair means then by foul. -If blood be shed in this matter, upon your head be it, -for I am, and ever have been, willing, in good faith, -to uphold the friendship which we plighted to one -another.”</p> - -<p>This language was too plain to be misunderstood -and Powhatan proceeded upon another tack. He -assured his dear son that his intention in the matter -had been misunderstood. There were, it was true, -no spare supplies in Werowocomico, but messengers -should at once be sent into the surrounding country -to collect foodstuff and the English Werowance -would in good time be furnished with as much as he -desired. Of course this was only a ruse to gain -time, and as such Smith recognized it, but he was -not himself averse to postponing conclusions, since -his boats and men could not join him for some days. -He immediately set gangs of Indians to work in -breaking up the ice, explaining that he would need -the pinnace to load his supplies upon when they -arrived. Powhatan was not in the least deceived -by this explanation and himself sent to the various -chiefs under his dominion for reinforcements. In -the meantime, wishing to establish an alibi in connection -with the murder of Captain Smith, which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[256]</a></span> -he had planned, he withdrew to a neighboring -village.</p> - -<p>The next day, there were few Indians in evidence, -although several hundreds of them lay concealed -within arrow shot. Smith’s men were engaged on -the bank of the river, whilst he and Doctor Russell -were consulting together in a wigwam at some distance. -Suddenly they became aware of the approach -of scores of silent savages from every direction. -They were armed, and a glance was sufficient to perceive -that their intentions were evil. Two or three -carried torches with which they proposed to fire the -wigwam and then brain the white men as they should -run out. Russell was for instantly rushing upon -the foe, but Smith, who never lost his head in any -emergency, checked him.</p> - -<p>“Nay,” he said, laying his hand upon the other’s -arm. “Rest we here until they be close upon the -house when they durst not shoot their arrows for -fear of slaying one the other. Then will we sally -against them and fend ourselves from their tomahawks -as best we can.”</p> - -<p>The advice was excellent, for had they exposed -themselves otherwise they must have been killed at -the first discharge. Each had his pistols with him, -and these they quietly primed and with composure -awaited the oncoming savages. At length they were -within a few yards of the house, and at the word -from Smith, Doctor Russell sprang out at his side.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[257]</a></span> -Four Indians fell at the discharge of the pistols -which were fired in their very faces. Those in front -hastily leaped out of the line of the smoking -weapons, making a lane into which the Englishmen -dashed, swinging their swords right and left. The -sortie was so sudden and unexpected that Smith and -his companion were clear through the circle of -savages and speeding towards the river before the -Indians could recover from their surprise. They -might easily have overtaken the Englishmen, being -much more fleet of foot, but the appearance of -Smith’s men, who had been warned by the pistol -reports, checked all thought of pursuit.</p> - -<p>This episode made it evident that Powhatan had -determined upon desperate measures, and it also -satisfied Smith that he could no longer look for any -immunity on account of his membership in the tribe. -The next morning Powhatan, his plot having failed, -returned to the town and sent a messenger to Smith -with a strip of wampum in token of peace. He was -exceedingly sorry that some of his people had rashly -taken advantage of his temporary absence on the -business of the captain’s supplies to attack their -brother chief. The culprits, fearing his wrath, had -taken to the woods, but on their return they should -be severely punished. Tomorrow Powhatan would -load the ship of the English Werowance with corn -and he hoped that they would part good friends. -To all of this Smith contented himself by replying<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[258]</a></span> -that he should be ready to receive the corn when it -arrived and to pay a fair price for it in any commodity -but weapons.</p> - -<p>Smith thought it hardly possible that Powhatan -would venture another attack now that the pinnace -with reinforcements was close at hand, and he might -have been taken by surprise but for a timely warning. -As he lay in his wigwam late that night, thinking -over the many weighty affairs depending upon his -disposition, he heard his name called softly as out of -the ground. At length he realized that some one -was whispering under the edge of the wigwam. -Going out cautiously, he found Pocahontas awaiting -him. She had come at the risk of her life to warn -him, for she declared that if her father learned that -she had betrayed his secret, he would kill her with -his own hand. In agitated whispers, broken by her -tears, she informed her adopted brother that it had -been arranged to delay the loading on the following -day, so that Smith would be unexpectedly compelled -to spend another night on shore. That after -dark, a feast would be borne to him by eight men -who would wait upon him and the two gentlemen -who usually supped with him. That, at a favorable -opportunity, the attendant Indians would seize the -arms of the Englishmen and give a signal to the -band of warriors by whom the wigwam would be -surrounded. Having told her story, the Indian -maiden vanished silently into the night.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[259]</a></span></p> - -<p>Smith of course laid his plans to circumvent his -astute adoptive father, but he made no effort to expedite -the loading which was delayed as he had been -led to expect, so that night fell before it had been -completed. Smith, Doctor Russell and George -Percy sat down to supper as usual that night, just as -eight unarmed, but stalwart, Indians, who looked -little like waiters, came to the wigwam laden with -viands which Powhatan begged his dear son and -friends to accept. They were pleased to do so, and -proceeded to attack the bountiful supply of good -things without delay. But, to the dismay of the -waiters, the Englishmen did not lay aside their arms. -On the contrary, each of them had four pistols in -his belt and a fifth cocked and primed by his side -upon the ground. Furthermore, they lined themselves -with their backs against the side of the wigwam, -so that they constantly faced their anxious -attendants who had thus no chance to spring upon -them unawares. The Indians were plainly nonplussed -and disconcerted. The feasters, whilst eating -leisurely, enjoyed to the full the discomfiture of -their intended captors. Smith vowed that it was -the goodliest entertainment he had had since landing -in Virginia. When our adventurers had filled -their stomachs, they quietly levelled their pistols at -the waiters and signed to them to keep silence and to -lie down. They then bound each with cord, allowing -them sufficient freedom of the legs to hobble.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[260]</a></span> -Pushing two of these before him as a shield, Smith -threw back the skin flap and stood in the entrance -of the wigwam.</p> - -<p>“Warriors of the Powhatans!” he cried, addressing -the concealed savages, to whom he knew that -the light of the fire at his back made him plainly -visible. “Warriors of the Powhatans! The -English sleep like the village dog, with one eye -cocked, but you think to find us snoring like old -women when you steal upon us in the night. We -also have learned something of the ambuscade since -coming among you. What ho, my men!”</p> - -<p>An answering shout ran along in the rear of the -line of lurking savages, conveying to them the -uncomfortable announcement that they had lain -shadowed by a band of English.</p> - -<p>“Back to your wigwams, valiants!” continued -Smith derisively, “and dream of conquests that ye -are not fit to achieve. If there be one among you -bold enough to essay a single combat let him come -out with his club and I with my bare hands will -meet him. No? Then away with you! Your -brother assassins will I hold in surety of a peaceful -night’s slumber.” With that he re-entered the wigwam, -pulling his bound Indians after him.</p> - -<p>The pinnace was loaded without hitch the next -morning. Indeed, the Indians, who appeared to be -much depressed, had no greater desire than to see -the strangers depart. When all was ready, Smith<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[261]</a></span> -handed to them a liberal recompense for the provisions -they had supplied, although their repeated -treacheries would have fully justified him, one would -think, in refusing payment. The barges were yet -empty and Smith determined to go on to Pamaunke, -the seat of his old enemy Opechancanough, and see -if he could not induce that chief to complete the -supply.</p> - -<p>The expedition had no sooner left Werowocomico, -than two of the renegade Dutchmen journeyed -with all haste to Jamestown. There they purported -to deliver a message from the President, and by -means of this ruse secured a number of weapons, -tools, and other useful articles, besides persuading -six of their countrymen to desert the colony and, -like themselves, throw in their lot with the Indians.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">[262]</a></span></p> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="XXI" id="XXI">XXI.</a><br /> -<small>SOME AMBUSCADES</small></h2> -</div> - -<p class="noi chaphang"><span class="smcap">Smith pays a visit to Opechancanough and declines to -walk into a trap—“Drop your arms on the instant -or your Chief’s life is forfeit”—Smith affords the -Pamaunkes an object lesson and reads them a lecture—A -messenger with sad news from Jamestown—Smith -loses an old friend and a faithful ally—The Indians -set a trap for the White Werowance and fall into it -themselves—Smith loads his boats and returns to -Jamestown—He finds the settlement in a condition -of anarchy and threatened with starvation—And -promptly proceeds to restore law and order—The -colonists are given to understand that “he that will -not work shall not eat.”</span></p> - - -<p class="p2">At Pamaunke, Opechancanough resorted to the -same species of dalliance and subterfuge that Powhatan -had practised so ineffectually. He claimed -to have but a few bushels of corn to spare and set -the price up so high that Smith laughed in his face. -This fencing was carried on for several days, the -real object being to permit the return of a number -of warriors who happened to be absent from the -village, likely enough being part of the reinforcements -that Powhatan had summoned from his -under-chiefs. When these had arrived, Opechancanough<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[263]</a></span> -promised to have a more satisfactory quantity -of supplies for the English captain on the following -day. Smith, accompanied by sixteen men, -accordingly went up to a large house at the time -appointed, prepared to negotiate the exchange. -Opechancanough received the party with the appearance -of utmost cordiality and declared that he had -at great pains collected a large quantity of provisions -for his guests. In token of his friendship to -Smith he had prepared for him a personal present -contained in a heap of baskets stacked up outside -the wigwam. The Chief invited his white brother -to step out and inspect the gift. Smith went to the -door and looked around. His quick eye, sharpened -by suspicion, detected a score or more of arrow -heads projecting from over the top of a fallen tree -at about twenty yards distance. The bows were -drawn ready to let fly at him as soon as he appeared -in the open.</p> - -<p>Smith turned to the treacherous chief and in no -uncertain terms taxed him with his perfidy. He -asked him if he were not ashamed to stoop to such -dirty tricks, so ill-becoming a man and a brave. He -professed himself willing to believe that Opechancanough -possessed the courage that repute gave him -credit for and proposed to afford him an opportunity -to prove it. Let them two, suggested Smith, go -upon a barren island in the middle of the river and -settle their difference whilst yet their people had not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">[264]</a></span> -come to blows. Each should take the goods about -which they experienced so much difficulty in coming -to an understanding and the victor would be entitled -to the whole. In this way might they reach -a conclusion like honorable gentlemen and avoid -much needless trouble. This proposal was not at -all to the liking of the Indian, who desired nothing -so little as to harm his brother the Werowance of -the English, whose groundless suspicions deeply -pained him.</p> - -<p>“Opechancanough!” replied Smith to these -lying protestations, “it is not meet that we should -waste time in idle badinage, for whether your words -be spoken in jest or mere deceit they do not serve -to further my purpose. Your plenty is well beknown -to me and a reasonable part of it I must -have and am willing to pay you therefor a reasonable -compensation. When last I visited Pamaunke -you promised to provide me with all the provisions -I might ask when I should come again. Now I -claim the fulfillment of that promise, nor will I abide -any refusal though it be couched in honeyed words. -Here are my wares. Take you your choice of them. -The rest I will barter with your people on fair -terms.”</p> - -<p>Smith had hardly completed this politic and not -unreasonable speech, when Doctor Russell, who had -been left with the boats, hastily entered the house, -and going to Smith’s side warned him that the place<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">[265]</a></span> -was surrounded by hundreds of armed warriors, -who were evidently only awaiting a signal to make -an attack. Smith looked at Opechancanough who -was evidently disconcerted by Russell’s appearance -and the whispered conference that followed. There -was no doubt whatever in the Captain’s mind about -the Indian chieftain’s evil intentions. To parley -farther would be worse than useless. To sally forth -in the face of the awaiting bowmen would surely -be to lose some of his men. Decisive action was -necessary and that without an instant’s delay. -Smith’s mind was quickly made up and his design -executed with equal celerity.</p> - -<p>On one side of the wigwam were grouped the -Englishmen. On the other Opechancanough stood -in the midst of forty of his tallest warriors, himself -towering above them all. Whilst Smith had -carried on his hurried conversation with the doctor, -the Pamaunke engaged in excited debate with his -braves. Smith watched his formidable adversary -like a hawk and at a favorable opportunity bounded -into the midst of the surrounding warriors and, before -a hand could be raised, had the Chief fast by -the scalp-lock and a pistol presented at his breast. -Not an Indian dared interfere as Smith dragged his -captive to the other side of the house whilst he cried -to Percy and West to guard the doors.</p> - -<p>“Drop your arms on the instant or your Chief’s -life is forfeit!” cried Smith to the amazed warriors.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266">[266]</a></span> -They obeyed with little hesitation and the -Englishmen gathered up their weapons.</p> - -<p>Still with his fingers entwined in Opechancanough’s -hair, Captain Smith drew him out of the -house and into the presence of the warriors waiting -in ambush. Some of his men carried out the seized -weapons and threw them in a heap before the captain -and his captive, whilst the disarmed braves were -made to form a group behind them. This humiliating -spectacle had an instantaneous effect upon the -spectators. Overcome with shame and apprehension -they bowed their heads in despair and allowed -their weapons to drop from their hands.</p> - -<p>“Pamaunkes!” said Smith, addressing them in -stern tones. “You have gone about to compass -my death. What have I done that you should meet -my honorable offices with such foul treachery? I -promised you my friendship as your Chief promised -his to me. In what manner hath he kept that promise? -But, despite your presumption, I am willing -to overlook that which is passed and take you again -into my favor. Now, mark me well! for I speak -you in all earnestness! If you repeat your treacheries -or shoot but one arrow to the hurt of any -of my people, then will I surely visit the Pamaunkes -with a bitter vengeance. I am not now powerless, -half drowned and frozen, as when you captured me. -Yet for your good usage and sparing of me then, -am I kindly disposed towards you. In all friendliness<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">[267]</a></span> -I came to barter with you and you undertook -to freight my ship. That shall you do, receiving -therefor a proper recompense.”</p> - -<p>The Indians expressed their willingness to abide -by these conditions and declared that every soul in -the band should be immediately engaged in the task -of loading the vessel, leaving the matter of payment -to be decided by the English Werowance later.</p> - -<p>“So be it!” said Smith. “Your Chief and -brethren are free. They may take their weapons -and go. But beware! For if again you play me -false I shall show no such mercy upon you.”</p> - -<p>The band now set to work to load the barges with -all possible speed, for, like the men of Werowocomico -after trying conclusions with our Captain, -they were only too anxious to have the English begone. -They were just at the point of departure -when there arrived a tattered and footsore white -man, pinched with hunger and cold. He had -reached the extremity of his endurance when he -staggered into the camp of his people at Pamaunke. -This brave fellow was Master Richard Wyffin, one -of the gentlemen adventurers who had arrived with -Captain Nelson in the <i>Phœnix</i>. After being fed -and warmed, he told his story to Smith. It -appeared that some two weeks previous Scrivener, -the acting President, together with Captain Waldo -and Anthony Gosnold, newly appointed members of -the Council, and eight men, had left the settlement<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268">[268]</a></span> -on a visit to Hog Island, where the colonists kept -some swine that had been imported from the West -Indies. A sudden storm overtook the party and -capsized their boat. All were drowned and their -bodies some days later were recovered by Indians. -Wyffin, at the grave hazard of his life, had set out -alone to carry the sad tidings to the President. -After wandering out of his way for several days, -the messenger reached Werowocomico, where he expected -to find Smith. Here he would have fallen -a prey to the vengeance of Powhatan’s warriors -had not Pocahontas hidden him and, when opportunity -served, set him upon the road to Pamaunke. -Smith was much affected by the news of the death -of Scrivener, for whom he had a strong regard and -whose value to the colony he fully appreciated.</p> - -<p>During the loading of the barges Smith had had -a heart to heart talk with Opechancanough. That -chief, now thoroughly subdued in spirit and persuaded -that frankness might better serve his interests -than deception, gave the Englishman a fairly -truthful account of the actual state of affairs. From -this and his own observation, Smith reached the -conclusion that the stores of Pamaunke could not -well stand the strain of freighting both his barges. -He decided, therefore, to be satisfied with one barge -load, determining to return to Werowocomico for -the second. This he felt quite justified in doing, -for it was well known to him that Powhatan’s garners<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">[269]</a></span> -were always overflowing, for the great Werowance -exacted a heavy tribute from the minor chiefs -of the tribe. Moreover, Smith was willing to -punish his adoptive father as the author of all the -trouble that had befallen the expedition. Accordingly, -after leaving Pamaunke, the boats turned -their prows upstream and started back to Werowocomico.</p> - -<p>Towards evening the expedition, turning a bend -in the river, came suddenly upon a place where a -number of people were assembled on the bank, evidently -awaiting their coming. They were men and -women, quite unarmed, and each bearing a basket -of corn. Smith chuckled when he beheld the palpable -trap.</p> - -<p>“Surely they take us for barn-yard fowls and -think that we will run to a handful of grain held out -in a sieve. The grain we will take but in no such -simple fashion.”</p> - -<p>He had no doubt that a hundred or more stout -bowmen lay hidden behind the innocent looking -crowd which greeted him with eager offers to trade. -Dissembling his suspicions, Smith declared that the -day was too far spent for trading. He would lie-to -for the night, he said, and in the morning would -come ashore unarmed as they demanded.</p> - -<p>When darkness had set in Smith picked twenty-five -men and placed them under the commands of -Percy and West. These officers were directed to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">[270]</a></span> -take the force in one of the barges several miles -farther up the river and there to land twenty of -them. The remaining five were to bring back the -boat that its absence might not excite the suspicions -of the savages on the morrow. Percy and West -were then to proceed through the forest with their -men and dispose them before daylight in the rear -of the Indian ambuscade. It was quite dark when -the barge, with muffled oars, pulled upstream, but -some hours later a clear moon arose, enabling the -party to carry out its instructions to the letter.</p> - -<p>The next morning, the unarmed Indians were on -the bank as before with their baskets of corn, and -Smith went ashore as he had promised with a squad -of men, all of whom had left their weapons in the -pinnace. No sooner had they set foot on land than -the would-be traders scattered and fled into the surrounding -forest, leaving their baskets upon the -ground. At the same instant a band of warriors -rose from the cover in which they had lain hidden -and drew their bows upon the English.</p> - -<p>“Stay your hands, Powhatans, and look to your -backs!” cried Smith with extended forefinger.</p> - -<p>The warriors glanced behind them to see Percy’s -men drawn up with levelled muskets. Uttering a -howl of dismay, they plunged into the thicket and -disappeared. The baskets of corn were carried -aboard the barges and the party continued its -journey.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">[271]</a></span></p> - -<p>They found Werowocomico completely deserted. -Powhatan had fled, taking his renegade Dutchmen -and emptying his stores. However, thanks to the -attempted ambuscade, Smith had now nearly as -great a quantity of provisions as his boats could -carry and he returned to the fort. The expedition -had been absent six weeks. In that time its members -had been exposed to much hardship and many -dangers of which we have made no mention. They -had relieved the settlement, during a period of great -stringency, of the keep of forty-six men and now -they returned with five hundred bushels of corn and -two hundred pounds of meat. Furthermore, not a -man was missing from the party. This was, indeed, -an achievement to be proud of, but it was not of the -kind to impress the proprietors at home. Had -Smith come back with empty boats and the loss of -some lives, so that he had learned some fanciful -rumor of a gold mine in a mythical country, they -would have been better pleased with him.</p> - -<p>The President found the colony in a bad way. -The food supply was almost exhausted and the -settlers were within sight of starvation. The councilmen, -who should never have all left Jamestown -at the same time, had been drowned together. In -the absence of all authority, discipline naturally disappeared -and disaffection spread. This as we shall -see later had developed into treason and conspiracy -before the President’s arrival. There had been<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">[272]</a></span> -some attempted desertions and doubtless would have -been more but for the contemplation of the fate of -Scrivener and his companions. Work of all descriptions -had entirely ceased and the men spent -their days in loafing and quarrelling.</p> - -<p>Smith took the situation in hand with his usual -decision and firmness. He determined to check the -demoralization at any cost but wisely decided to employ -genial measures where they would avail. Calling -the settlers together, he gave them a clear understanding -of his attitude at the outset. Standing on -the steps of the Council House, he addressed them -in the following words, his tone and gesture carrying -conviction to his hearers.</p> - -<p>“Countrymen! The long experience of our late -miseries should be sufficient to persuade everyone to -correct his errors and determine to play the man. -Think not, any of you, that my pains, nor the adventurers’ -purse, will maintain you in idleness and -sloth. I speak not thus to you all, for well I know -that divers of you deserve both honor and reward, -but the greater part must be more industrious or -starve. It hath heretofore been the policy of the -Council to treat alike the diligent and the idle, so -that a man might work not at all yet was he assured -of warm lodging and a full belly—at least as much -of these comforts as was enjoyed by them that -toiled for the betterment of the colony. Such a -condition will not I maintain. You see that power<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273">[273]</a></span> -now resteth wholly in myself. You must obey this -now for a law, that he that will not work—except -by sickness he is disabled—shall not eat. The labors -of thirty or forty industrious men shall not be consumed -to maintain a hundred and fifty idle loiterers. -That there is disaffection among you I know. I -hope that it will cease forthwith, but if not, I warn -you that I shall hesitate not to take the life of any -man who seeks to sow the seeds of treason in this -His Majesty’s colony of Virginia. I would wish -you, therefore, without contempt of my authority, -to study to observe the orders that I here set down, -for there are now no more Councillors to protect you -and to curb my endeavors. He that offendeth, -therefore, shall most assuredly meet due punishment.”</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_274" id="Page_274">[274]</a></span></p> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="XXII" id="XXII">XXII.</a><br /> -<small>A CURIOUS COMBAT</small></h2> -</div> - -<p class="noi chaphang"><span class="smcap">The settlement is reduced to order and industry—The -renegade Dutchmen and their friends in the fort—Smith -stalks a traitor through the forest—Captures -him and brings him back to be hanged—The Chief of -the Paspaheghs enters upon a dangerous enterprise—He -finds Smith ready to try a conclusion with him—The -Indian giant and the Englishman engage in a -wrestling match—The bout ends in the discomfiture -of the Paspahegh—He cuts “a sorry figure squirming -like a toad under a harrow”—He is carried captive -to the fort and held for exchange with the traitorous -Dutchmen—But Smith’s heart is touched by the -appeal of the warriors and he releases the Chief.</span></p> - - -<p class="p2">The uncompromising attitude of the President -had a good effect upon even the worst members of -the colony who, even though they were not moved -thereby to honest endeavor, were at least restrained -by fear from active interference. There was now -in the public store enough provision to carry the -settlement, with prudent use, over to the time of -harvest. Their minds were therefore relieved of -what was usually the most pressing anxiety, and -they were free to devote their labors to internal -improvement. Smith divided the settlers into<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_275" id="Page_275">[275]</a></span> -squads of ten or fifteen, to each of which was -assigned a particular duty every day. Six hours -a day, with the exception of the Sabbath, were given -to work. The remaining time was consumed in -pastimes which tended to cheer the spirits whilst -preserving the health of the men. Smith himself -was constantly on duty and seemed to have a hundred -pair of eyes, for nothing escaped his notice. -Passing from one group of laborers to another, he -directed their work, cheered the weak, praised the -industrious, reproved the unhandy and punished -the shirkers. Under the new regulations, the erection -of public buildings and the construction of -fortifications progressed rapidly and at the same -time the health and temper of the colonists greatly -improved.</p> - -<p>Smith was of course ere this fully informed of the -defection of the three Dutchmen whom he had sent -to Powhatan, but he had yet to learn that these -renegados had many sympathizers and some active -confederates at Jamestown among the seventy -foreigners exported by the company. For some -time after the institution of the new regulations, it -had been apparent that a clever system of thievery -was being carried on in the fort. Arms, ammunition -and tools disappeared from time to time and -no trace of the offenders could be had. The persons -entrusted by Smith with the task of detecting -the thieves having utterly failed to discover them,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_276" id="Page_276">[276]</a></span> -he determined to undertake the matter himself. It -was certain that the stolen articles were conveyed -out of the fort after dark, and Smith therefore took -to spending his nights on watch. At length his -vigils were rewarded by the sight of five men scaling -the palisades over which they hauled a number of -heavy packages. He followed them stealthily. -They took the rough road leading from Jamestown -to the glass factory, a mile distant, which they -reached in about half an hour. As they approached -the house, a number of Indians came out to meet -them, and among these Smith recognized by his -voice a certain Franz, who was painted and bedecked -to represent a redskin. Smith lay concealed close -at hand during the transfer of the goods and heard -the entire conversation of the conspirators. The -party from the fort wasted no time in returning, -and Smith let them go upon their way without interference. -His mind was set on capturing the traitor -Franz.</p> - -<p>After the Dutchmen had left, the Indians distributed -the burden among themselves and set out in the -opposite direction. Smith rightly surmised that -they would not go far before encamping, and that, -knowing that there was no party abroad from the -settlement, they would not deem it necessary to -maintain a guard when they slept. But he kept -well in the rear for fear of alarming them, for the -savage is alive to the breaking of a twig or the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_277" id="Page_277">[277]</a></span> -rustling of a leaf on a still night. Their camp-fire -would guide him to them when they stopped.</p> - -<p>The band proceeded along the trail for a few -miles and then suddenly struck into the depths of the -forest, but soon halted and prepared for the night by -building a fire. Round this they sat for a while -talking and eating dried venison and bread. One -by one they stretched themselves out by the blazing -wood until at length all were sunk in deep slumber. -Smith had crept near before this and had marked -the position of Franz who, being more susceptible -to cold than his companions, was wrapped in a long -fur. For fully an hour after the last man had lain -down Smith waited patiently with his eyes fixed on -the fur-robed figure of the Dutchman. At last he -thought it safe to advance, and gradually stole forward -until he stood over the recumbent form of the -traitor. It would have been an easy matter to stab -the sleeping man to the heart, but, although he richly -deserved such a fate, the thought was repugnant -to our hero, who preferred, even at the risk of his -own life, to make the other captive.</p> - -<p>Had Smith attempted to seize Franz, or in any -other way to awaken him suddenly, no doubt the -man would have alarmed his companions. Smith, -therefore, proceeded with calm deliberation to bring -his victim gradually to his senses. Kneeling beside -him, with a cocked pistol in one hand, he set -to brushing his face lightly with a wisp of grass.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_278" id="Page_278">[278]</a></span> -The sleeping man began to breathe more rapidly -as the slight irritation excited him, then he turned -restlessly several times and at last slowly opened his -eyes upon Smith and the threatening pistol. The -Captain’s eyes, readable in the light of the fire, -spoke more eloquently than words could have done. -Franz realized that death would follow the first -sound he should make. In obedience to the signs of -his captor he rose quietly and stepped out of the -ring of light into the gloom of the surrounding -forest. Smith’s hand grasped his hair whilst the -pistol was pressed against the nape of his neck. In -his character of Indian, Franz had carried no -weapons but a bow and arrow and these lay where -he had slept, so that he was quite powerless to resist. -When they had proceeded cautiously until safely -beyond earshot, Smith urged his prisoner forward -with all speed and within an hour after his capture -had him safely lodged in the jail of the fort.</p> - -<p>The proof of this Dutchman’s guilt being so absolute, -the jury before whom he was tried found him -guilty without hesitation and he was hanged forthwith. -It would be interesting to know how the -Indians accounted for the complete disappearance -of the disguised Dutchman who had lain down to -sleep with them. They may have supposed that he -had wandered from the camp in the night and lost -his way. It is quite as likely, however, that they -decided that the god of the English angered at his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_279" id="Page_279">[279]</a></span> -perfidy had carried him off. Of course it was not -long before they learned the truth, but Smith took -immediate measures to suppress the illicit dealings -that had been carried on between the Indians and the -traitors in the fort. A blockhouse was erected at -the neck of the peninsula upon which Jamestown -stood and neither redman nor white was thereafter -permitted to pass it during day or night without -giving an account of himself. But the affair of -Franz was not the end of the trouble with the -foreign settlers, as we shall see.</p> - -<p>Shortly after the incident of Franz, the German, -or the Dutchman, as the early writers called him, -Smith received a message from the Chief of the Paspaheghs, -who declared that he was in possession of a -number of stolen articles which he desired to return -to the white Werowance in person. He proposed -that the latter should meet him at a designated place -some miles from Jamestown and take over the purloined -property. Smith was getting a little tired of -these transparent subterfuges, but as they invariably -turned to his advantage it seemed to be inadvisable -to neglect such an opportunity. Accordingly he -went to the appointed place, taking with him a guard -of ten men fully armed. There they found the -Chief, attended by fifty warriors. He was a man -of gigantic stature, being even taller than Opechancanough. -Smith wished to come at once to the -purpose of the meeting, but the Chief seemed disposed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_280" id="Page_280">[280]</a></span> -to palaver and consume time. At length he -expressed a desire to speak to the Captain privately -and apart. To this request Smith acceded and -walked aside with the Paspahegh, keeping a sharp -lookout the while.</p> - -<p>It would seem that this Indian, who had only encountered -our hero in his most genial moods, was -sufficiently bold and enterprising to venture upon -an attempt to dispose of him single handed. The -idea may have been suggested to his mind by noticing -that Smith, contrary to his custom, was on this -occasion armed only with a falchion. No doubt the -Paspahegh had a right to rely greatly upon his -superior size but had he consulted Opechancanough -before entering upon this hazardous undertaking, he -might have received some deterrent advice.</p> - -<p>The two leaders continued to walk away until they -were completely beyond the sight of their followers. -Smith had instructed his men not to follow him, -feeling confident that as long as he had the Chief -within arm’s length he could control the situation, -and with that idea he kept close by the Paspahegh’s -side. The Indian seemed to find the proximity -unsuited to his plans, for he attempted several times -to edge away. These attempts were not lost upon -Smith who took care to frustrate them, for the Chief -carried a bow and arrows which he could not use -with effect except at some distance from his intended -victim.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_281" id="Page_281">[281]</a></span></p> - -<p>At length the Paspahegh lost patience, or gave up -hope of eluding the vigilance of his companion. -Suddenly he sprang to one side and turned on Smith -with his bow drawn taut and an arrow fitted in it. -But before he could loose the shaft our hero was -upon him and had grasped him in a wrestler’s hold. -The Chief dropped his useless weapon and addressed -himself to the task of overthrowing his antagonist. -He dared not cry for help, for to do so would be to -bring the English to the assistance of their leader. -Smith, on the other hand, was not inclined to court -interference. To “try a conclusion” by single combat -was always to his liking, and he thoroughly -enjoyed the present situation.</p> - -<p>For a while the clasped figures swayed to and -fro, the Indian striving by sheer weight to crush his -smaller adversary to the ground. Smith, on his -part, contented himself at first with the effort necessary -to keep his feet, but, when he felt the savage -tiring from his great exertions, decided to try offensive -tactics. The Indian was no wrestler and, moreover, -he had secured but a poor hold. Smith held -his antagonist firmly round the waist where he had -seized him at the onset and now he suddenly dropped -his hold to the savage’s knees. With a tight grip -and a mighty heave upwards he threw the Paspahegh -over his head and turned to fall upon him. -But the Indian was agile despite his great size. He -had broken his fall with his hands, and, regaining<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_282" id="Page_282">[282]</a></span> -his feet quickly and without injury, immediately -grappled with Smith. It was no eagerness for the -combat that prompted the Paspahegh to re-engage -with such alacrity but the knowledge that unless he -closed at once his opponent might draw his sword -and run him through. Smith would rather have -continued the duel on equal terms, but the chivalrous -instinct that could prefer such a condition to slaying -a helpless enemy was entirely beyond the comprehension -of the savage.</p> - -<p>The struggle was now renewed with vigor. The -Indian, moved to frenzy by fear, put forth such -strength that for a space of time Smith was powerless -to withstand him. Nearby was a stream and -towards this the Indian dragged our hero, doubtless -with the hope of getting into deep water where his -much greater height would have given him an -advantage. As they neared the bank, Smith contrived -to get his foot between the other’s legs and -trip him. The Paspahegh loosed his hold and -stumbled forward for a pace or two. He quickly -recovered and faced about to receive a stinging blow -on the chin, and as he reeled under it Smith sprang -at his throat and got it in a tight grasp. <a href="#i_282fp">It was in -vain that the Indian struggled to shake off that iron -grip.</a> Smith’s clutch did not relax until the savage -exhausted and breathless sank to the ground.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 368px;"> -<a id="i_282fp"> - <img src="images/i_282fp.jpg" width="368" height="600" alt="" title="" /> -</a><br /> -<div class="caption"><a href="#Page_282">IT WAS IN VAIN THAT THE INDIAN STRUGGLED TO SHAKE OFF THAT -IRON GRIP</a></div> -</div> - -<p>Smith allowed his fallen foe a few minutes to -recover himself somewhat and then, drawing his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_283" id="Page_283">[283]</a></span> -sword and twisting the Indian’s scalp-lock about his -left hand, he made him rise and march back to the -place where their respective followers awaited them. -The Paspahegh was over six feet in height and Smith -of only medium stature, so that the former had to -stoop in order to accommodate himself to his captor’s -grasp. Thus he cut a very sorry figure when -he came within the view of his warriors squirming -like a toad under a harrow. Smith now demanded -the articles for the recovery of which he had been -induced to meet the Indians, and their deceit was -proved when they failed to produce them. Much to -their relief, the thoroughly cowed warriors were -permitted to depart unharmed, but they were obliged -to return without their Chief, who was conveyed a -prisoner to the fort.</p> - -<p>The Paspahegh seems to have been the most -manly of the chieftains with whom Smith came in -conflict. He accepted his imprisonment with uncomplaining -dignity and calmly awaited the fate -which he had every reason to believe would be death. -Smith, however, had never entertained thought of -killing his captive. It was in his mind to hold the -chief for exchange with the Dutchmen but, with his -usual clemency, he allowed him to depart with a -deputation of his tribesmen who shortly appeared -at the settlement. These professed repentance and -promised good behavior in the future. They declared -that their chief had been instigated to treachery<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_284" id="Page_284">[284]</a></span> -by another—meaning Powhatan. That he had -always been kindly disposed towards Smith and at -the time of his captivity had been one of the few -chiefs in favor of sparing his life. Finally they -agreed to clear and plant an extra field of corn for -the English against the next harvest. Smith -yielded, assured them of his future friendship as -long as they deserved it and giving to each a present -sent them upon their way contented.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_285" id="Page_285">[285]</a></span></p> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="XXIII" id="XXIII">XXIII.</a><br /> -<small>A HUMBLED CHIEFTAIN</small></h2> -</div> - -<p class="noi chaphang"><span class="smcap">Powhatan stirs his Dutch allies to reluctant activity—They -concoct a conspiracy to seize Jamestown and -massacre the English—The movement fails and all -Powhatan’s warriors fall into the hands of Smith—“It -is within my power to cut off the Powhatans -root and branch!”—The old Chief is bowed in shame -and repentance—A very righteous fate befalls the -perfidious Dutchmen—Friendly relations are again -established between the whites and the Indians—A -grand scheme of government which has a bad inception—Ratcliffe, -Archer and other mischief-makers -return to Virginia—Smith is seriously injured and -returns to England.</span></p> - - -<p class="p2">The Dutchmen at Werowocomico had been living -on the fat of the land. They were installed as -honored members of the tribe and granted many -unusual privileges. Powhatan was well pleased -with their work in the erection of his English house -and their success in stealing from the settlement. -But he expected much more from these white allies, -who came to him boasting that they would show -him how to subdue the English and drive them into -the sea. The traitors would have been well content -to have Powhatan forget those idle promises and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_286" id="Page_286">[286]</a></span> -allow them to continue in peace the life of ease and -comfort into which they had settled. They were -mechanics, quite ignorant of military matters. They -could steal muskets but were unable to drill the -savages in the use of them and, indeed, through -their faulty instructions caused a number of the -Indians to be blown up by gunpowder. However, -Powhatan was insistent that they should redeem -their promises and it became necessary to bestir -themselves.</p> - -<p>Smith had effectually put a stop to the traffic between -the thieves in the fort and their confederates -among the Indians, but it would have been quite -impossible to prevent communications, since there -was constant intercourse between the settlers and -the natives of the surrounding country. The -Dutchmen, therefore, had no difficulty in laying -plans with certain of their countrymen in Jamestown. -A scheme was at length conceived that -appeared to present some prospect of success and -met with the approval of Powhatan. On a certain -night the conspirators within the fort were to blow -up the arsenal and set fire to the settlement at several -points simultaneously. In the confusion that would -follow two thousand Indians would rush into the -enclosure and massacre the surprised settlers. -There was one point about this arrangement that -was not quite satisfactory to the plotters. Their -contemplated rush might be effectually checked by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_287" id="Page_287">[287]</a></span> -a few faithful and determined men in control of the -big guns. These were always handled by experienced -English gunners and it would be necessary to -seduce some of these from their allegiance. With -this view, the schemers approached Douse and Mallard, -whose posts were at the main entrance. To -them they promised rich rewards and high favor -with Powhatan on condition of disabling the guns -on the night of the attack and deserting to the -enemy. The gunners apparently fell in with this -proposal and the conspirators congratulated themselves -on having their plans arranged beyond the -possibility of miscarriage.</p> - -<p>On the appointed night two thousand warriors -under picked chiefs crept up to within half a mile -of the fort and lay in waiting for the signal flames -that were to call them to the attack. Hour after -hour passed without a sign from Jamestown. The -settlement was apparently sunk in peaceful slumber, -but, as a matter of fact, every man within the stockade -was wide awake and standing silently to his arms -ready to repel an attack, whilst the conspirators lay -snug and safe in the jail. At the first streak of -dawn, the disappointed Indians prepared to return, -when they found themselves face to face with a body -of musketeers. They were ordered to lay down -their arms and did so without delay. Contention -would have been useless for they lay between two -bodies of the English and were completely cut off.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_288" id="Page_288">[288]</a></span> -Captain Percy, in command of the ambuscade, now -demanded the surrender of the renegade white men. -The Indians were unable to comply with this request -for those worthies, realizing that something was -wrong, had sneaked off some hours earlier and were -on their way to Werowocomico.</p> - -<p>The warriors were rounded up and marched into -the fort, and Smith immediately selected one of their -chiefs to act as a messenger and sent him, under the -escort of Master Richard Whyffin and Serjeant -Ford, to Powhatan.</p> - -<p>“Tell your Werowance,” ran Smith’s message, -“that I have all his warriors penned up as we pen -our sheep. It is within my power to cut off the -Powhatans root and branch, and if I visit them with -their deserts, that will I do. For the present I demand -the immediate surrender of the foreign renegados -who fled from this place and those that I sent -to work at Werowocomico. I make no conditions. -What I may do with the warriors of the Powhatans -is yet to be determined. Mayhap my temper may -cool upon reflection, but at present my heart is filled -with wrath against Powhatan and all his tribe. -Go! I have spoken!”</p> - -<p>The following day the Indian messenger and the -two Englishmen returned, but they were unaccompanied -by the Dutchmen. From Powhatan the chief -brought this message:</p> - -<p>“Powhatan is bowed in anguish and his gray<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_289" id="Page_289">[289]</a></span> -hairs sweep the dust. He prays the great English -Werowance to hear these his words for they are -spoken in truth and all sincerity from the bottom of -his heart. Powhatan pleads for mercy and the -friendship of Captain Smith. Never again, so long -as Powhatan lives, will he or any of his people raise -hand against the English. This is no idle talk, -Powhatan swears it by the name of his gods and the -god of the strangers and will give ample hostages to -insure his good faith. Why should Captain Smith -slay the warriors who but obeyed the commands of -their Werowance? Would he visit his wrath upon -the squaws and children of the Powhatans who sit -wailing in their wigwams? If the fields of Werowocomico, -of Pamaunke and of Oropaks, yield -no harvest in the coming fall, where will the English -procure corn to stay their hunger? But if the white -Werowance must satisfy his just wrath, then let -him come to Werowocomico and sate it upon me. -I am here alone and unguarded and will bow my -head to the stroke of his sword. Then let him return -and release my warriors so that the wailing -of my people may not reach my ears in the happy -hunting grounds of my fathers.</p> - -<p>“As to the renegados, who betrayed me as they -had betrayed you, it is not in Powhatan’s power to -return them to you for they were slain before your -messengers arrived in Werowocomico. The hungry -curs slunk back to their wigwams in time for the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_290" id="Page_290">[290]</a></span> -morning meal. This I gave them in plenty—for it -is not our custom to send a man fasting to the spirit-land—but -afterwards their brains were dashed out -by my orders and their bodies have been seen by the -English captains who came with your messenger.</p> - -<p>“Powhatan has spoken the last word. Let the -English Werowance decide. Powhatan here awaits -his death at the hands of Captain Smith, if -it will redeem his people, but if his warriors must -be doomed, then let Powhatan come and join them -in their death so that all may go together to the -happy hunting grounds.”</p> - -<p>It is needless to say that Captain Smith was profoundly -touched by the pitiful appeal of the old -Chief. He did not doubt his present sincerity, nor -had he cause to do so. Powhatan was completely -humbled and his words were, as he said, “spoken -from the bottom of his heart.” So long as Smith -remained in the colony the old Werowance maintained -his plight and neither he nor his people committed -an unfriendly act against the English. The -warriors who returned with their arms carried away -an impression of the might and justice of Captain -Smith that became a tradition in the tribe. For -many years after his death the exploits of the White -Werowance were related in wigwam and around -camp fire. At this time his influence over the Indians -of Virginia was supreme and founded upon -respect no less than upon fear. His wishes were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_291" id="Page_291">[291]</a></span> -promptly complied with and the chiefs frequently -consulted him about the affairs of the tribe. The -most amicable relations were established between the -whites and the natives. The former went about the -country freely and without fear of harm. The latter -came to the fort with their wares and provisions, -glad to trade on a fixed scale which was once again -established. The settlers learned how to plant corn in -the Indian fashion—a method which is followed in -Virginia to this day. The Indians taught them how -to net fish and snare animals. Thus the colony progressed -in the most useful direction and before -Smith left them many of the settlers were as adept -in the practices of woodcraft as any Indian.</p> - -<p>What might have been the outcome had the affairs -of the settlement been left in the hands of the man -who showed time and again that he had such an -understanding of the situation as none of the other -leaders possessed, it is impossible to surmise. Certain -it is, however, that in such a case, the later -experience of the settlers as well as the Indians -would have been a much more happy one. As it -was, Smith had no sooner reduced conditions to -the favorable state which has been described, than -another influx of “gentlemen,” vested with authority -that they were quite incapable of exercising -wisely, tended to undo much of the good which -he had accomplished at such great pains.</p> - -<p>In the early part of 1609, the London Company<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_292" id="Page_292">[292]</a></span> -secured a new charter, under which they proposed to -exploit Virginia on a scale of grandeur which was -in itself a proof of their utter ignorance of the real -conditions and needs of the colony. The company, -as reorganized, was composed of twenty-one peers -and innumerable knights and gentlemen. Officers -were appointed with high-sounding titles. Lord -Delaware was made Captain-general of Virginia; -Sir Thomas Gates, Lieutenant-captain-general; Sir -George Somers, Admiral; Captain Newport, Vice-admiral; -Sir Thomas Dale, High-marshal; Sir Ferdinando -Wainman, General of the Horse. Just -think of it! General of the Horse in Virginia! -Keeper of the Hogs, or Master of the Poultry, or -Superintendent of the Fish Seines, would have been -more to the purpose. What a humble and insignificant -individual plain “Captain John Smith” must -have appeared to these grand gentlemen!</p> - -<p>In May, nine vessels with five hundred emigrants -were despatched from England, under the command -of Gates, Somers and Newport. To each of these -a governor’s commission was given with the understanding -that he who should arrive first should take -charge of the colony and supersede Smith. Evidently -these gentlemen were not sportsmen, for, -rather than take any chance, they decided to go in -the same ship. This vessel, the <i>Sea-Venture</i>, was -parted from the rest of the fleet in a hurricane and -wrecked on the Bermudas. The lives of the prospective<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_293" id="Page_293">[293]</a></span> -potentates were saved but they did not reach -Virginia until months afterwards and when Smith -had left. Meanwhile seven of the original ships -arrived at their destination. Amongst the mixed -company that they landed were Ratcliffe and Archer -who figured large in the contingent of “gentlemen.” -Most of these were “profligate youth, whose friends -were only too well satisfied to give them ample room -in remote countries, where they might escape the -worse destinies that awaited them at home. Poor -gentlemen, bankrupt tradesmen, rakes and libertines, -such as were more apt to ruin than to raise -a commonwealth.” The minds of these, naturally -open to evil, had been poisoned by Ratcliffe and -Archer against Smith, and they landed in a spirit -of antagonism to him.</p> - -<p>This “lewd Rout,” as one of the contemporary -chroniclers terms them, were ripe for mischief and, -led on by Ratcliffe and Archer, they plunged into -all manner of license and disorder. It was their -impression that in the absence of the commissioners -the colony was without recognized authority and -they might therefore do as they pleased without let -or hindrance. They were never more mistaken, -however. Smith took the view, rightly without -question, that until a commission superseding him -arrived, he remained at the head of affairs. He -gave these gentry warning that unless they mended -their ways he should deal sternly with them. This<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_294" id="Page_294">[294]</a></span> -had the effect of moving them to plots and stratagems -designed to put him out of the way. Forced -to extreme measures, Smith seized the ringleaders, -including those meanest of mortals, Ratcliffe and -Archer, and confined them in prison. Order was -speedily restored, and, the better to preserve it, Smith -divided the colonists, who were in any event too -numerous to live in Jamestown, into several parties -which he sent into different quarters of the surrounding -country to establish settlements. Despite the -friendly attitude of the Indians these newcomers -contrived to create trouble with them almost immediately, -and more lives were thus needlessly sacrificed -in a week than had been lost in Smith’s -troublous dealings with the Indians in the course of -a year.</p> - -<p>At this juncture an accident—some think that it -was the result of design—put a sudden end to -Smith’s career in Virginia. One night as he slept -his powder bag exploded, severely injuring him. -For several weeks he lay in dreadful pain, unable -to rise from his couch. When, at length, he was -sufficiently recovered to be carried on board ship, -he turned over the government to Captain Percy, -and in the autumn of 1609 sailed from Virginia, -which he was never to see again.</p> - -<p>A sorrowing group of his faithful followers -watched the vessel until its ensign dropped below -the horizon. One of them has said: “Thus we lost<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_295" id="Page_295">[295]</a></span> -him that in all his proceedings made justice his first -guide and experience his second; ever hating baseness, -sloth, pride and unworthiness more than dangers; -that never allowed more for himself than his -soldiers with him; that upon no danger would send -them where he would not lead them himself; that -would never see us want what he had or by any -means could get us; that would rather want than -borrow, or starve than not pay; that loved action -more than words, and hated falsehood and covetousness -worse than death; whose adventures were -our lives, and whose loss our deaths.”</p> - -<p>The literal truth of the last words was soon to -be proven.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_296" id="Page_296">[296]</a></span></p> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="XXIV" id="XXIV">XXIV.</a><br /> -<small>A DISMAL TALE</small></h2> -</div> - -<p class="noi chaphang"><span class="smcap">What befell Jamestown after Captain John Smith left -it—A score of rival leaders create disorder and -encourage license—The Indians overcome the white -men and put them to flight—Ratcliffe falls into a -trap and with his men is massacred—Winter finds -them sick and starving—“Now we all felt the want -of Captain Smith”—Reinforcements arrive but it -is determined to abandon the colony—The appearance -of Lord Delaware frustrates the move—Jamestown -is restored and prospers for a spell—The tobacco -craze and what it led to—Opechancanough directs -a great massacre—The Colony of Virginia is at last -firmly planted.</span></p> - - -<p class="p2">It is a dismal tale, the recital of what befell the -five hundred colonists of Virginia after the departure -of Captain John Smith, but no more striking -vindication of his management of affairs could be -found than in the rapid wreck of the colony when -his guiding hand was removed from the helm. -Almost at once a condition of anarchy set in. Percy -was honest and not unwise but he lacked the iron -will and indomitable energy of Smith, and nothing -less was needed to cope with the situation. There -were soon, in the words of an eye-witness, “twenty<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_297" id="Page_297">[297]</a></span> -presidents,” each with his particular followers, -forming a faction at variance with all the others. -Strife and dissension pervaded the settlement. -Idleness and waste prevailed. The Indians were -treated as though the chief aim of the settlers had -been to create their enmity. The more prudent of -the older colonists sought to divert their fellows -from the destruction upon which they were plainly -heading, but without avail. Percy, depressed by -anxiety, fell ill of a fever which confined him to his -bed, and, with the last vestige of authority removed, -the colonists gave themselves up unrestrainedly to -riot and feasting.</p> - -<p>The fruits of their wicked recklessness were soon -visited upon these miserable incompetents. The Indians -attacked the various settlements beyond Jamestown -and with almost invariable success. Martin, -at Nansemond, had been kindly received by the chief -of the band of that name. This treatment he requited -by suddenly falling upon the village and seizing its -contents. The Indians recovering from their surprise -assaulted the whites and routed them. Martin fled -to Jamestown, having lost many of his men and—crowning -shame!—nearly all their arms. Shortly -after this episode, Ratcliffe and West went to -Werowocomico with two ships, each carrying thirty -fully armed men—a greater force than Smith ever -took upon an expedition. Powhatan, by this time -moved to anger and contempt, practised against the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_298" id="Page_298">[298]</a></span> -newcomers the tactics he had so ineffectually tried -against Smith. Ratcliffe and his men fell into the -Indian’s trap with childish readiness and all save -one were massacred. West fled and turned his -prow towards England where he and his company -eventually arrived in safety. Similar occurrences -at last produced an astounding condition. The white -colonists became actually <em>afraid</em> of the Indians, who -treated them with well-merited contempt and almost -domineered over them. Gradually, the entire stock -of arms and ammunition found its way into the hands -of the savages.</p> - -<p>When things had reached this pass it would have -been an easy matter for the Indians to have exterminated -the whites. It is probable that they were -only deterred from doing so by the prospect of the -speedy starvation of the colony. They had consumed -their provisions with blind improvidence and -had made absolutely no attempt to secure a harvest. -The fields had been given up to weeds and the plows -allowed to rust. The Indians refused to give a -grain for charity and would only trade on the most -exorbitant terms. Beads and playthings were a -drug in the market. Arms and ammunition were -now demanded and readily obtained by the Indians, -in whose minds the memory of Smith’s reception -of similar proposals was fresh. Says one of the ill-fated -colonists:</p> - -<p>“Now we all felt the want of Captain Smith yea<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_299" id="Page_299">[299]</a></span> -his greatest maligners could then curse his loss. -Now for corn, provisions and contribution from -the savages, we had nothing but mortal wounds with -clubs and arrows.”</p> - -<p>The cold of winter found them too weak and -fearful to venture beyond the palisades in quest of -firewood; besides, there was scarce an axe left in -Jamestown. In this extremity, they burned the -buildings and even tore down the stockade to feed -the fires. They died like flies and presently the survivors -were reduced to cannibalism. First an Indian -who had been killed in a skirmish was eaten -and then the poor wretches gave themselves up -without restraint to devouring their fellows.</p> - -<p>On the twenty-third day of May, 1610, the party -which had been wrecked on the Bermudas sailed into -the James in two vessels which they had constructed -with infinite labor. Sixty emaciated creatures, -little more than skeletons and hardly better than -idiots, crawled out to greet the arrivals, whose -coming was barely in time to save the lives of this -pitiful remnant of the colony which Smith had left -at Jamestown. That place was reduced to ruins. -Many of the buildings had been torn to pieces and -great gaps yawned in the palisades. So dismal -was the picture and so fearful the stories of the -ragged wretches who represented the prosperous -colonists the newcomers had expected to meet, that -Somers and Gates determined to return to England<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_300" id="Page_300">[300]</a></span> -and abandon the settlement. The sixty starving -and half demented men were taken on board the -ships, which set sail down the river. The exultant -savages who stood upon the banks congratulated -themselves that once more the white intruder was -forced to leave their land. But a strange incident -suddenly turned the tide of affairs.</p> - -<p>The departing ships no sooner cleared the mouth -of the river than they perceived three vessels -approaching and flying the flag of England. They -proved to be reinforcements under Lord Delaware -who had come out as Governor of Virginia. -Somers and Gates of course put about and returned -to Jamestown. The conditions of affairs quickly -changed. Lord Delaware, though not a man of -equal force of character and resource with Captain -Smith, was nevertheless one of sound judgment and -considerable energy. He had an ample supply to -tide over a year and, together with Somers’s men, -who had thrived on the food and climate of the -Bermudas, several hundred strong and healthy -colonists. He set them to work repairing the fortifications -and buildings, tilling the fields, and performing -other useful labors. Rule and order were -established and strictly maintained. Smith’s policy -of firm but just dealing with the Indians was resumed -and they ceased to give trouble.</p> - -<p>Thus, when sickness compelled Lord Delaware to -return to England in the following March, he left<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_301" id="Page_301">[301]</a></span> -Jamestown thoroughly resuscitated and on the highroad -to prosperity. On the way home, the retiring -governor passed Sir Thomas Dale coming to the -colony with three ships and a full year’s supplies. -If he did not make much progress, Dale at least -preserved the advance which had been effected by -Delaware until, at the beginning of August, Gates’s -return as Governor marked the inception of a new -era for Virginia.</p> - -<p>Gates brought out three large ships, a number of -cattle, horses, three hundred men, and so great a -quantity of supplies as to put the question of starvation -out of mind, for the first time in the history -of the colony. Gates was well adapted by character, -if not by experience, to rule the American -possession. His emigrants were, for the most part, -of a sort to benefit the settlement—men of good -morals, accustomed to work and adept at various -handicrafts. There were now a number of women -in the country and family life began to make its -appearance. Jamestown soon assumed the appearance -of an orderly town, with a public hall, a church, -store-house and neat dwellings. Along the river -banks farms, plantations and cattle ranches appeared -in time.</p> - -<p>The rapid spread of the practice of smoking in -England brought about the greatest changes in the -condition of the colony of Virginia. Tobacco commanded -good prices, with a constantly increasing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_302" id="Page_302">[302]</a></span> -demand, and soon every other enterprise in the -colony was abandoned in favor of the production -of the narcotic plant. The settlers went tobacco -mad as in earlier days they had given themselves -up to the gold frenzy. Nothing else was thought -of. Fields were neglected, buildings and fortifications -were allowed to fall into decay. It was said -in England that the very streets of Jamestown were -planted in tobacco. Every man saw in the leaf a -prospect of speedy wealth, and readily sacrificed the -demands of the present to the pursuit of a golden -future. The Company was delighted with the rich -cargos that poured into England and promised to fill -their coffers to overflowing. Every encouragement -was given the colonists to persist in their short-sighted -policy. Smith, with true wisdom, warned -the proprietors and the public that the result could -not be anything but disaster, but he was scouted as -a croaker, envious of the good fortune of his -successors.</p> - -<p>During the four years that the tobacco madness -was at its height the former discipline was utterly -relaxed. There was little disorder because everyone -was busy in the tobacco fields from morning till -night. But the defences were entirely neglected and -no guard was maintained by day or night. Indeed, -there did not appear to be any need for such precaution. -The Indians had been friendly for years -and many of them lived in the fort and even in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_303" id="Page_303">[303]</a></span> -homes of the settlers. Opechancanough was now -the Chief of the tribe, Powhatan being dead. The -former was ever the implacable enemy of the whites -but had up to this time hidden his true feelings under -a cloak of cordiality. Secretly and patiently, meanwhile, -the cunning savage was plotting the destruction -of all the whites in Virginia, now numbering -several thousands of men, women and children, -scattered over a wide range of country.</p> - -<p>The blow fell suddenly. On the same day the -Indians attacked the settlers at different points and -found them quite unprepared for resistance. Nearly -four hundred were slain, and the massacre would -have been much more extensive but for the fact -that in many cases natives who had acquired a real -regard for their white neighbors warned them in -time and in some instances defended them. The -tobacco planters now huddled in Jamestown, anxious -only for their lives. Hurriedly the place was put in -better condition to withstand assault and provisioned -against a siege. But Opechancanough was -too astute to attack Jamestown and an armed peace -ensued.</p> - -<p>The tidings of the massacre horrified England. -The Company was panic-stricken and at a loss what -to do. Smith called upon them with a proposal for -the effective defence of the colony, and offered to -go out and put it into operation himself. The -proprietors hesitated to incur the expense and, in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_304" id="Page_304">[304]</a></span> -the meanwhile, their perplexity was relieved by the -cancellation of their charter. The colony was -attached to the crown and the settlers were left to -their own resources. Under these conditions they -seem to have fared better than when subject to proprietary -interests at home, for from the year of the -massacre, 1622, Virginia enjoyed a century and a -half of uneventful prosperity.</p> - - -<p class="p6 noic">THE END.</p> - - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="tnote"> -<p class="noi tntitle">Transcriber’s Notes:</p> - -<p class="smfont">Punctuation and spelling inaccuracies were silently corrected.</p> - -<p class="smfont">Archaic and variable spelling has been preserved.</p> - -<p class="smfont">Variations in hyphenation and compound words have been preserved.</p> -</div> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's Captain John Smith, by C. H. 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