Smith, the most distinguished of the emigrants, was in the habit of making excursions to a considerable distance. In one of these, when wounded and retreating to his canoe, from

• Captain John Smith, the father of Virginia, was born in England, in 1579. He early discovered a romantic genius, and delighted in daring and extravagant actions. At the age of thirteen, he sold his books and satchel, to raise money, in order to convey himself privately to sea; but was prevented. Being an apprentice to a merchant, he quitted his master at the age of fifteen, and went into France and the Low Countries. After his return, he studied military history and tactics, and set out again on his travels, at the age of seventeen. Having embarked at Marseilles for Italy, with some pilgrims, a tempest obliged them to anchor near a small island, off Nice. As his companions attributed their unfavourable voyage to the presence of Smith, they threw the heretic into the sea; but, by swimming, he was enabled to reach the shore. After going to Alexandria, he entered into the service of the emperor of Austria, against the Turks. By his exploits, he soon obtained the command of two hundred and fifty horsemen. At the siege of Regal, the Ottomans sent a challenge, purporting that the lord Turbisha, to divert the ladies, would fight any captain of the Christian troops. Smith accepted it, and meeting his antagonist on horseback, in view of the ladies on the battlements, killed him and bore away his head. A second antagonist met the same fate. Smith then requested, that if the ladies wished for more diversion, another champion might appear. A third came forth. His head was added to the number of the others; though Smith narrowly escaped losing his own. He was afterwards taken prisoner; but by killing his mas ter, he escaped into Russia. When he returned to England, he formed the resolution to seek adventures in North America. Having persuaded a num ber of gentlemen, in 1606, to obtain a patent of South Virginia, he engaged in the expedition, and arrived with the first emigrants. They would have perished with hunger, but for the exertions of Smith, in procuring corn of the Indians. When he could not effect his object by purchase, he would resort to force. He once seized the Indian idol Okee, made of skins stuffed with moss; for the redemption of which, as much corn was brought him as he required. When he was president of the council, by his severity and his example, he rendered the colonists exceedingly industrious. It happened, however, that the blistered hands of several young gentlemen, who had known better times in England, called forth frequent expressions of impatience and profaneness. Smith caused the number of every man's oaths to be noted daily; and at night as many cans of water to be poured inside his sleeve. This discipline so lessened the number of oaths, that scarcely one was heard in a week; and perfectly restored the subjects of it to good humour. After other adventures, Smith died at London, in 1631, in the fifty. second year of his age. For all his services and sufferings he never received any recompense.

a superior number of hostile Indians, he suddenly plunged into an oozy creek, and stuck fast in the mud. The Indians, awed by his previous deeds of valour, did not approach him, till, almost dead with cold, and utterly unable to extricate himself, he threw away his arms, and begged his pursuers to draw him out. The prisoner was brought in triumph into the presence of king Powhatan. After many ceremonies, and repeated consultations, two large stones were paraded. On one of them the head of Smith was laid, and clubs were lifted up to beat out his brains. At this critical moment, Pocahuntas, the king's favourite daughter, rushed forward, took Smith's head in her arms, and laid her own upon it. Her intreaties and tears softened her father, and saved the prisoner's life; and he was permitted to rejoin his countrymen. Pocahuntas, on all occasions, proved the friend of the English, and finally married one of them, named Rolfe. Her blood still runs in the veins of several distinguished Virginia families, who are proud of their descent from a woman, more illustrious for her virtues than her birth.

Smith, who was thus providentially preserved, was the life and soul of the settlement. His honourable, steady conduct, preserved peace among contending parties. His valour intimidated the natives, and awed the malcontents among the settlers. Thrice had the latter conspired to abandon the country; thrice were they reclaimed from their purpose, by his decision and address. He was the father of Virginia, and one of the first links of the chain of causes, which has filled a great part of North America, with civilized inhabitants.

Smith, on his return to James Town, found the colony reduced to thirty-eight persons, who, in despair, were preparing to abandon the country. He employed caresses, threats, and even violence, in order to prevent them from executing this fatal resolution. With difficulty he prevailed on them to defer it so long, that the succour anxiously expected from England arrived. Plenty was instantly restored. An hundred new planters were added to the remnant of the first settlers; and an ample stock of whatever was requisite for

clearing and sowing the ground was delivered to them. But an unlucky incident turned their attention from that species of industry, which alone could render their situation comfortable. In a small stream of water, that issued from a bank of sand, near James Town, a sediment of some shining mineral substance, which had some resemblance to gold, was discovered. At a time when the precious metals were conceived to be the peculiar and only valuable productions of the New World, when every mountain was supposed to contain a treasure, and every rivulet was searched for its golden sands, this appearance was fondly considered as an infallible indication of a mine. Every hand was eager to dig. A large quantity of this glittering dust was amassed. "There was now," says Smith, "no talk, no hope, no work ; but dig gold, wash gold, refine gold." With this imaginary wealth, the first vessel returning to England was loaded, while the culture of the land, and every useful occupation, was totally neglected.

The effects of this fatal delusion were soon felt. Notwithstanding all the provident activity of Smith, in procuring corn from the natives, by traffic or by force, the colonists began to suffer as much as formerly, from scarcity of food. In hopes of obtaining some relief, Smith proposed to open an intercourse with the more remote tribes, and to examine into the state of culture and population among them. He began his survey at cape Charles, and advanced as far as the river Susquehannah, which flows into the head of the Chesapeake bay. He visited all the countries, both on the eastern and western shores; entered most of the considerable creeks; and sailed up many of the great rivers, as far as their falls. He traded with some tribes, and fought with others. He observed the nature of the territory, which they occupied ; their mode of subsistence; the peculiarities in their manners; and left among them all a strong impression, either of the beneficence or valour of the English. After sailing above three thousand miles in a paltry vessel, he returned to James Town; and brought with him an account of that large portion of the American continent, now comprehended in the two provinces

of Virginia and Maryland; so full and exact, that his mapexhibits no inaccurate view of both countries, and is the original upon which all subsequent delineations and descriptions have been formed.

The colony still depended for subsistence chiefly on supplies from the natives. After all the efforts of their own industry, hardly thirty acres of ground were yet cleared, so as to be capable of culture. However, the stores of the English were so regularly filled, that for some time they felt no considerable distress. About this time, Smith was obliged to leave the colony, to seek relief from the consequences of an accidental explosion of gunpowder, by which he had been scorched and mangled.

After his departure, every thing tended fast to the wildest anarchy. Faction and discontent had often risen so high among the first settlers, that they could hardly be kept within bounds. The spirit of the new comers was too ungovernable to bear any restraint. Several among them, of better rank, were such dissipated hopeless young men, as their friends were glad to send out, in quest of whatever fortune might betide them, in a foreign land. Such persons were little capable of the regular subordination, the strict economy, and persevering industry, which their situation required. The Indians, observing their misconduct, not only withheld the supplies of provisions which they were accustomed to furnish, but harassed them with continual hostilities. All their subsistence was derived from the stores, which they had brought from England: these were soon consumed. Then, the domestic animals, sent out to breed in the country, were devoured and by this inconsiderate waste, they were reduced to such extremity of famine, as to eat the most nauseous and unwholesome roots and berries. This period was long remembered by the name of the starving time. In less than six months, of five hundred persons, whom Smith left in Virginia, only sixty remained; and these, so feeble and dejected, that they could not have survived many days. A resolution to abandon the colony was adopted; but it was not the will of

Heaven, that all the labour of the English, in planting this colony, and all their hopes from it, should be forever lost. Before they had reached the mouth of James river, they were met by Lord Delaware, with three ships, that brought a large recruit of provisions; a considerable number of new settlers, and every thing requisite for defence or cultivation. By persuasion and authority, he prevailed on them to return to James Town. A society, so feeble and disordered in its frame, required a tender and skilful hand, to cherish it, and restore its vigour. This it found in Lord Delaware. He searched into the causes of their misfortunes, as far as he could discover them, amidst the violence of their mutual accusations; but, instead of exerting his power in punishing crimes that were past, he employed his prudence in healing their dissensions, and in guarding against a repetition of the same fatal errors. By unwearied assiduity, and by knowing how to mingle severity with indulgence, he gradually reconciled men, corrupted by anarchy, to subordination and discipline; turned the attention of the idle and profligate to industry; and taught the Indians again to reverence and dread the English name. Under such an administration, the colony began once more to assume a promising appearance. The company, well acquainted with the inefficacy of every method which they had hitherto employed, for restraining the unruly mutinous spirits, which they had to govern, eagerly adopted a plan for governing by martial law. Happily for the colong, Sir Thomas Dale, who was entrusted with this dangerous power, exercised it with prudence and moderation. By the vigour which the summary mode of military punishment gave to his administration, he introduced into the colony more perfect order than had ever been established in it; and, at the same time, tempered its rigour with so much discretion, that no alarm seems to have been given by this formidable innovation.

By the severe discipline of martial law, the activity of the colonists was forced into a proper direction, and exerted itself in useful industry. This, aided by a fertile soil, and