SECOND PERIOD.

SETTLEMENT AND GROWTH.

CHAPTER IX.

VIRGINIA UNDER THE FIRST CHARTER.

The London and Plymouth companies-Their charters-Attempts of the Plymouth Company to establish a colony-The London Company send out an expedition-Newport, Smith, and Wingfield-Jamestown founded-Character of the colonistsTroubles of the settlers-Smith saves the colony from starvation-Explores the Chickahominy-Captured by the Indians— His adventures-Saved from death by Pocahontas-Returns to the settlement-Its condition-More worthless colonists arrive-Smith explores Chesapeake Bay-A brighter pros

pect.

In the year 1606 King James I. issued two patents to companies of Englishmen giving them the right to own and colonize certain lands in America. To one of these associations, organized in London and therefore known as the London Company, was given the territory extending from the thirty-fourth to the thirty-eighth degree of latitude and westward to the Pacific Ocean. The other association, which took the name of the Plymouth Company, from the place of its organization, Plymouth, England, was to have the territory extending from the forty-first to the fortyfifth degree of latitude and also westward to the Pacific. The London grant thus reached from Cape Fear to the present southern boundary of Maryland,

and the other from the neighborhood of New York to Passamaquoddy Bay, and the space between was left free for colonization by either company, with the proviso that rival settlements were not to be made within a hundred miles of each other.

Gosnold, whose name we have already met, was one of the foremost spirits in the London Company, the famous John Smith was another, and there were many callings and conditions of life represented among the members. The charter provided no opportunity for self-government. A Superior Council in England. and an Inferior Council in America, the members of each chosen by the king, were to direct the company, but all legislative power was reserved to the crown.

The Plymouth Company made the first attempt at

settlement. In a few months after their charter was granted an exploring ship was dispatched which was captured by a Spanish man-of-war. Another vessel, however, sent soon after, spent the winter on our coast. In the next year, 1607, an attempt was made to found a colony. A number of settlers were left on the Kennebec River, who suffered much from cold and lack of food during the winter and returned to England the next summer. And here, for the present, we shall leave the Plymouth Company.

It was the London Company, however, that was destined to plant the first English colony in America. In December, 1606, three vessels were sent out by this company under the command of Christopher Newport, carrying 105 colonists, among whom were Captain John Smith and Edward Wingfield. Newport, taking the roundabout voyage by way of the Canaries and the West Indies, did not reach our coast till April. Then a storm drove the colonists past Roanoke Island, which was their objective point, into Chesapeake Bay. Entering the James River (named in honor of their king), they disembarked about fifty

miles from its mouth. Here, on the 13th of May, 1607, Jamestown was founded and the first permanent English settlement was begun.

The conduct of the company on the voyage to the New World did not augur well for the success of the colony. The names of the council were contained in sealed instructions, which were not to be opened till their destination was reached. So with no one in authority there was little harmony. Smith was accused of aiming to acquire sole power in the colony and was arrested. .At last the end of the journey was reached, the names of the council were discovered, and Wingfield was elected by his fellow-members as governor of Virginia. Smith now demanded a trial. which resulted in his acquittal. He therefore took his seat as a member of the council, to which he had been appointed.

The material composing the colony was of almost the worst possible sort to contend with the necessary hardships. Houses were to be built, ground cultivated, and much manual labor to be performed. The forty-eight gentlemen of the company were not sufficiently balanced by the dozen carpenters, masons, and blacksmiths who were the only common laborers that accompanied the expedition. The remainder of the colonists were lazy and shiftless, and no one had brought his family.

The colony, however, began to settle into some. shape, and Smith felt that he could leave it for a short time. So, taking a few men with him, he started on an exploring expedition up the James River. They reached the site of Richmond, which was then occupied by a small village, the residence of the Indian king Powhatan, who received the Europeans kindly. Smith soon led his company back to James

town.

A fortnight after his return Newport sailed for

England, with earnest injunctions from Smith to bring back with him sober and steady colonists who were accustomed to manual labor. During the summer the colonists managed to get along comparatively well, but in the early autumn disease broke out among them that reduced their effective strength and, before the frosts of winter checked its progress, carried off Gosnold and half of the colonists.

Nor was this the sole trouble that affected Jamestown. Wingfield and another member of the council

JOHN SMITH.

were detected in helping themselves from the common store of the colonists and were removed from office. By this time the council was reduced to three members-Ratcliffe, who was chosen president, Martin, and Smith. Ratcliffe was soon detected in endeavoring to abandon the colony and gave up his office. Martin now went through the formality of electing as president his sole remaining colleague, Smith. The new head of the colony was a young man for the responsibility that he was called on to assume, but though only twenty-nine years of age, he had passed a varied life as soldier and traveler in many countries of Europe and had gathered much. experience. His ability, wisdom, and energy were now recognized by the colony and soon gave a favorable turn to its affairs. He improved the fortifications and the houses. But there was nothing with which to fill the store-house which he built. He determined to obtain from the Indians the corn which the settlers had failed to raise but which was necessary to their life during the approaching winter.

He descended the James with a handful of companions and endeavored to obtain the desired food from the Indians by barter. Finding his efforts useless by this means, he attacked the savages and finally forced them into loading his boat with corn, with which he returned to Jamestown. Other tribes now brought in provisions of their own accord, for the past summer had given them a plentiful harvest, and several of these tribes became friends of the English. Game in plenty was found in the woods, and starvation during the winter was no longer feared.

Smith soon started on an exploring tour up the Chickahominy River with six of the colonists and two Indian guides. When the shoaling of the water rendered the further advance of his large boat impossible, he left it, with four Englishmen as a guard, and proceeded in a canoe. This also was brought to a stand-still at length, and leaving his two comrades to watch it, Smith pursued his way on foot with the two guides. The men who were left at the first station, wandering from their charge, were attacked by the Indians and three of them killed. The fourth was tortured till he indicated the course Smith had taken. The savages fell upon and put to death his two comrades further up the stream and then started in pursuit of Smith. He was attacked and wounded, but fought with bravery and the strength of despair till he was finally overcome and captured.

Smith's ingenuity, however, did not desert him. When taken before the Indian chief he excited much awe among the untutored savages by the exhibition of his compass and watch, and interested them by his knowledge of astronomy. At length they tied him to a tree and prepared to shoot him, but he so excited their superstitious fears by a mystic flourishing of his compass that they spared his life for the time. being.