pioneers of the old south-第5部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

storehouse。　And　he　left　a　hundred　Englishmen　who　had　now　tasted　of　the
country　fare　and　might　reasonably　fear　no　worse　chance　than　had　yet
befallen。　Newport　promised　to　return　in　twenty　weeks　with　full　supplies。

John　Smith　says　that　his　enemies；　chief　amongst　whom　was　Wingfield；　would
have　sent　him　with　Newport　to　England；　there　to　stand　trial　for　attempted
mutiny；　whereupon　he　demanded　a　trial　in　Virginia；　and　got　it　and　was　fully
cleared。　He　now　takes　his　place　in　the　Council；　beforetime　denied　him。　He
has　good　words　only　for　Robert　Hunt；　the　chaplain；　who；　he　says；　went　from
one　to　the　other　with　the　best　of　counsel。　Were　they　not　all　here　in　the
wilderness　together；　with　the　savages　hovering　about　them　like　the
Philistines　about　the　Jews　of　old？　How　should　the　English　live；　unless
among　themselves　they　lived　in　amity？　So　for　the　moment　factions　were
reconciled；　and　all　went　to　church　to　partake　of　the　Holy　Communion。

Newport　sailed；　having　in　the　holds　of　his　ships　sassafras　and　valuable
woods　but　no　gold　to　meet　the　London　Council's　hopes；　nor　any　certain　news
of　the　South　Sea。　In　due　time　he　reached　England；　and　in　due　time　he　turned
and　came　again　to　Virginia。　But　long　was　the　sailing　to　and　fro　between
‘tote　daughter　country　and　the　mother　country　and　the　lading　and　unlading
at　either　shore。　It　was　seven　months　before　Newport　came　again。

While　he　sails；　and　while　England…in…America　watches　for　him　longingly；
look　for　a　moment　at　the　attitude　of　Spain；　falling　old　in　the　procession
of　world…powers；　but　yet　with　grip　and　cunning　left。　Spain　misliked　that
English　New　World　venture。　She　wished　to　keep　these　seas　for　her　own；　only；
with　waning　energies；　she　could　not　always　enforce　what　she　conceived　to　be
her　right。　By　now　there　was　seen　to　be　much　clay　indeed　in　the　image。
Philip　the　Second　was　dead；　and　Philip　the　Third；　an　indolent　king；　lived
in　the　Escurial。

Pedro　de　Zuniga　is　the　Spanish　Ambassador　to　the　English　Court。　He　has
orders　from　Philip　to　keep　him　informed；　and　this　he　does；　and　from　time　to
time　suggests　remedies。　He　writes　of　Newport　and　the　First　Supply。　〃Sire。　。
。　。　Captain　Newport　makes　haste　to　return　with　some　peopleand　there　have
combined　merchants　and　other　persons　who　desire　to　establish　themselves
there；　because　it　appears　to　them　the　most　suitable　place　that　they　have
discovered　for　privateering　and　making　attacks　upon　the　merchant　fleets　of
Your　Majesty。　Your　Majesty　will　command　to　see　whether　they　will　be　allowed
to　remain　there　。　。　。　。　They　are　in　a　great　state　of　excitement　about　that
place；　and　very　much　afraid　lest　Your　Majesty　should　drive　them　out　of　it　。
。　。　。　And　there　are　so　many　。　。　。　who　speak　already　of　sending　people　to
that　country；　that　it　is　advisable　not　to　be　too　slow；　because　they　will
soon　be　found　there　with　large　numbers　of　people。〃*　In　Spain　the
Council　of　State　takes　action　upon　Zuniga's　communications　and　closes　a
report　to　the　King　with　these　words：　〃The　actual　taking　possession　will　be
to　drive　out　of　Virginia　all　who　are　there　now；　before　they　are　reenforced；
and　。。　。　。　it　will　be　well　to　issue　orders　that　the　small　fleet　stationed
to　the　windward；　which　for　so　many　years　has　been　in　state　of　preparation；
should　be　instantly　made　ready　and　forthwith　proceed　to　drive　out　all　who
are　now　in　Virginia；　since　their　small　numbers　will　make　this　an　easy　task；
and　this　will　suffice　to　prevent　them　from　again　coming　to　that　place。〃
Upon　this　is　made　a　Royal　note：　〃Let　such　measures　be　taken　in　this
business　as　may　now　and　hereafter　appear　proper。〃

*　Brown's　〃Genesis　of　the　United　States〃；　vol。　1；　pp。　116…118。


It　would　seem　that　there　was　cause　indeed　for　watching　down　the　river　by
that　small；　small　town　that　was　all　of　the　United　States！　But　there　follows
a　Spanish　memorandum。　〃The　driving　out　。　。　。　by　the　fleet　stationed　to　the
windward　will　be　postponed　for　a　long　time　because　delay　will　be　caused　by
getting　it　ready。〃*　Delay　followed　delay；　and　old　Spainconquistador　Spain
grew　older；　and　the　speech　on　Jamestown　Island　is　still　English。

*　Op。　cit。；　vol。　1；　p。　127。


Christopher　Newport　was　gone；　no　shipsthe　last　refuges；　the　last
possibilities　for　hometurning；　should　the　earth　grow　too　hard　and　the　sky
too　blackrode　upon　the　river　before　the　fort。　Here　was　the　summer　heat。　A
heavy　breath　rose　from　immemorial　marshes；　from　the　ancient　floor　of　the
forest。　When　clouds　gathered　and　storms　burst；　they　amazed　the　heart　with
their　fearful　thunderings　and　lightnings。　The　colonists　had　no　well；　but
drank　from　the　river；　and　at　neither　high　nor　low　tide　found　the　water
wholesome。　While　the　ships　were　here　they　had　help　of　ship　stores；　but　now
they　must　subsist　upon　the　grain　that　they　had　in　the　storehouse；　now　scant
and　poor　enough。　They　might　fish　and　hunt；　but　against　such　resources　stood
fever　and　inexperience　and　weakness；　and　in　the　woods　the　lurking　savages。
The　heat　grew　greater；　the　water　worse；　the　food　less。　Sickness　began。　Work
became　toil。　Men　pined　from　homesickness；　then；　coming　together；　quarreled
with　a　weak　violence；　then　dropped　away　again　into　corners　and　sat
listlessly　with　hanging　heads。

〃The　sixth　of　August　there　died　John　Asbie　of　the　bloodie　Flixe。　The　ninth
day　died　George　Flowre　of　the　swelling。　The　tenth　day　died　William　Bruster
gentleman；　of　a　wound　given　by　the　Savages　。。。。　The　fourteenth　day　Jerome
Alikock；　Ancient；　died　of　a　wound；　the　same　day　Francis　Mid…winter；　Edward
Moris；　Corporall；　died　suddenly。　The　fifteenth　day　their　died　Edward　Browne
and　Stephen　Galthrope。　The　sixteenth　day　their　died　Thomas　Gower　gentleman。
The　seventeenth　day　their　died　Thomas　Mounslie。　The　eighteenth　day　theer
died　Robert　Pennington　and　John　Martine　gentlemen。　The　nineteenth　day　died
Drue　Piggase　gentleman。

〃The　two　and　twentieth　day　of　August　there　died　Captain　Bartholomew　Gosnold
one　of　our　Councell；　he　was　honourably　buried　having　all　the　Ordnance　in
the　Fort　shot　off；　with　many　vollies　of　small　shot　。。。。

〃The　foure　and　twentieth　day　died　Edward　Harrington　and　George　Walker　and
were　buried　the　same　day。　The　six　and　twentieth　day　died　Kenelme
Throgmortine。　The　seven　and　twentieth　day　died　William　Roods。　The　eight　and
twentieth　day　died　Thomas　Stoodie；　Cape　Merchant。　The　fourth　day　of
September　died　Thomas　Jacob；Sergeant。　The　fifth　day　there　died　Benjamin
Beast　。　。　。　。〃*

*　Percy's　〃Discourse。〃


Extreme　misery　makes　men　blind；　unjust；　and　weak　of　judgment。　Here　was
gross　wretchedness；　and　the　colonists　proceeded　to　blame　A　and　B　and　C；
lost　all　together　in　the　wilderness。　It　was　this　councilor　or　that
councilor；　this　ambitious　one　or　that　one；　this　or　that　almost　certainly
ascertained　traitor！　Wanting　to　steal　the　pinnace；　the　one　craft　left　by
Newport；　wanting　to　steal　away　in　the　pinnace　and　leave　the　masssmall
enough　mass　now！without　boat　or　raft　or　straw　to　cling　to；　made　the
favorite　accusation。　Upon　this　count；　early　in　September；　Wingfield　was
deposed　from　the　presidency。　Ratcliffe　succeeded　him；　but　presently
Ratcliffe　fared　no　better。　One　councilor　fared　worse；　for　George　Kendall；
accused　of　plotting　mutiny　and　pinnace　stealing；　was　given　trial；　found
guilty；　and　shot。

〃The　eighteenth　day　＇of　September＇　died　one　Ellis　Kinistone　。　。　。。　The　same
day　at　night　died　one　Richard　Simmons。　The　nineteenth　day　there　died　one
Thomas　Mouton　。　。　。　。〃

What　went　on；　in　Virginia；　in　the　Indian　mind；　can　only　be　conjectured。　As
little　as　the　white　mind　could　it　foresee　the　trend　of　events　or　the
ultimate　outcome　of　present　policy。　There　was　exhibited　a　see…saw　policy；
or　perhaps　no　policy　at　all；　only　the　emotional　fit　as　it　came　hot　or　cold。
The　friendly　act　trod　upon　the　hostile；　the　hostile　upon　the　friendly。
Through　the　miserable　summer　the　hostile　was　uppermost；　then　with　the
autumn　appeared　the　friendly　mood；　fortunate　enough　for　〃the　most　feeble
wretches〃　at　Jamestown。　Indians　came　laden　with　maize　and　venison。　The　heat
was　a　thing　of　the　past；　cool　and　bracing　weather　appeared；　and　with　it
great　flocks　of　wild　fowl；　〃swans；　geese；　ducks　and　cranes。〃　Famine
vanished；　sickness　decreased。　The　dead　were　dead。　Of　the　hundred　and　four
persons　left　by　Newport　less　than　fifty　had　survived。　But　these　may　be
thought　of　as　indeed　seasoned。



CHAPTER　IV。　JOHN　SMITH

With　the　cool　weather　began　active　exploration；　the　object　in　chief　the
gathering　from　the　Indians；　by　persuasion　or　trade　or　show　of　force；　food
for　the　approaching　winter。　Here　John　Smith　steps　forward　as　leader。

There　begins　a　string　of　adventures　of　that　hardy　and　romantic　individual。
How　much　in　Smith's　extant　narrations　is　exaggeration；　how　much　is
dispossession　of　others'　merits　in　favor　of　his　own；　it　is　difficult　now　to
say。*　A　thing　that　one　little　likes　is　his　persistent　depreciation　of　his
fellows。　There　is　but　one　Noble　Adventurer；　and　that　one　is　John　Smith。　On
the　other　hand　evident　enough　are　his　courage　and　initiative；　his
ingenuity；　and　his　rough；　practical　sagacity。　Let　us　take　him　at　something
less　than　his　own　valuation；　but　yet　as　valuable　enough。　As　for　his
adventures；　real　or　fictitious；　one　may　see　in　them　epitomized　the
adventures　of