The generall historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles with the names of the adventurers, planters, and governours from their first beginning. an⁰: 1584. to this present 1624. With the procedings of those severall colonies and the accidents that befell them in all their journyes and discoveries. Also the maps and descriptions of all those countryes, their commodities, people, government, customes, and religion yet knowne. Divided into sixe bookes. By Captaine Iohn Smith sometymes governour in those countryes & admirall of New England.

A briefe relation written by Captaine Smith to his Maiesties Com∣missioners for the reformation of Virginia, concerning some asper∣sions against it.

HOnourable Gentlemen, for so many faire and Nauigable Riuers so neere adioyning, and piercing thorow so faire a naturall Land, free from any inundations, or large Fenny vnwholsome Marshes, I haue not seene, read, nor heard of: And for the building of Cities, Townes, and Wharfage, if they will vse the meanes, where there is no more ebbe nor floud, Nature in few places affoords any so conuenient, for salt Marshes or Quagmires.

In this tract of Iames Towne Riuer I know very few; some small Marshes and Swamps there are, but more profitable then hurtfull: and I thinke there is more low Marsh ground betwixt Eriffe and Chelsey, then Kecoughton and the Falls, which is about one hundred and eighty miles by the course of the Riuer.

Being enioyned by our Commission not to vnplant nor wrong the Saluages,* 1.1 because the channell was so neere the shore, where now is Iames Towne, then a thicke groue of trees; wee cut them downe, where the Saluages pretending as much kindnesse as could bee, they hurt and slew one and twenty of vs in two houres: At this time our diet was for most part water and bran, and three ounces of little better stuffe in bread for fiue men a meale, and thus we liued neere three moneths: our lodgings vnder boughes of trees, the Saluages being our enemies, whom we neither knew nor vnderstood; occasions I thinke sufficient to make men sicke and die.

Necessity thus did inforce me with eight or nine,* 1.2 to try conclusions amongst the Saluages, that we got prouision which recouered the rest being most sicke. Six weeks I was led captiue by those Barbarians, though some of my men were slaine, and the rest fled, yet it pleased God to make their great Kings daughter the means to returne me safe to Iames towne, and releeue our wants, and then our Common∣wealth was in all eight and thirty, the remainder of one hundred and fiue.

Being supplied with one hundred and twenty,* 1.3 with twelue men in a boat of three tuns, I spent foureteene weeks in those large waters; the contents of the way of my boat protracted by the skale of proportion, was about three thousand miles, besides the Riuer we dwell vpon, where no Christian knowne euer was, and our diet for the most part what we could finde, yet but one died.

The Saluages being acquainted,* 1.4 that by command from England we durst not hurt them, were much imboldned; that famine and their insolencies did force me to breake our Commission and instructions, cause Powhatan fly his Coun∣trey, and take the King of Pamavuke Prisoner; and also to keepe the King of Pas∣pahegh in shackels, and put his men to doubletaskes in chaines, till nine and thir∣ty of their Kings paied vs contribution, and the offending Saluages sent to Iames towne to punish at our owne discretions: in the two last yeares I staied there, I had not a man slaine.

All those conclusions being not able to preuent the bad euents of pride and idlenesse, hauing receiued another supply of seuentie,* 1.5 we were about two hun∣dred in all, but not twentie work-men: In following the strict directions from England to doe that was impossible at that time; So it hapned, that neither wee nor they had any thing to eat, but what the Countrey afforded naturally; yet of eightie who liued vpon Oysters in Iune and Iuly, with a pint of corne a week for a man lying vnder trees, and 120 for the most part liuing vpon Sturgion, which was dried til we pounded it to powder for meale, yet in ten weeks but seuen died.

It is true, we had of Tooles, Armes, & Munition sufficient, some Aquavitae, Vi∣neger,* 1.6 Meale, Pease, and Otemeale, but in two yeares and a halfe not sufficient for six moneths, though by the bils of loading the proportions sent vs, would well haue contented vs, notwithstanding we sent home ample proofes of Pitch, Tar, Sope Ashes, Wainskot, Clapboord, Silke grasse, Iron Ore, some Sturgion and Glasse, Saxefras, Cedar, Cypris, and blacke Walnut, crowned Powhaton, sought the Monacans Countrey, according to the instructions sent vs, but they caused vs neglect more necessary workes: they had better haue giuen for Pitch and Sope ashes one hundred pound a tun in Denmarke: Wee also maintained fiue or six seuerall Plantations.

Iames towne being burnt, wee rebuilt it and three Forts more,* 1.7 besides the Church and Store-house, we had about fortie or fiftie seuerall houses to keepe vs warme and dry, inuironed with a palizado of foureteene or fifteene foot, and each as much as three or foure men could carrie. We digged a faire Well of fresh wa∣ter in the Fort, where wee had three Bulwarks, foure and twentie peece of Ord∣nance,

of Culuering, Demiculuering, Sacar and Falcon, and most well mounted vpon conuenient plat-formes, planted one hundred acres of Corne. We had but six ships to transport and supply vs, and but two hundred seuenty seuen men, boies, and women, by whose labours Ʋirginia being brought to this kinde of perfection, the most difficulties past, and the foundation thus laid by this small meanes; yet because we had done no more, they called in our Commission, tooke a new in their owne names, and appointed vs neere as many offices and Officers as I had Souldiers, that neither knew vs nor wee them, without our consents or knowledge; since there haue gone more then one hundred ships of other pro∣portions, and eight or ten thousand people. Now if you please to compare what hath beene spent, sent, discouered and done this fifteene yeares, by that we did in the three first yeares, and euery Gouernor that hath beene there since, giue you but such an account as this, you may easily finde what hath beene the cause of those disasters in Virginia.

Then came in Captaine Argall, and Master Sedan, in a ship of Master Corneli∣us, to fish for Sturgion, who had such good prouision, we contracted with them for it, whereby we were better furnished then euer.

Not long after came in seuen ships, with about three hundred people; but ra∣ther to supplant vs then supply vs, their Admirall with their authoritie being cast away in the Bermudas, very angry they were we had made no better prouision for them. Seuen or eight weekes we withstood the invndations of these disorderly humors, till I was neere blowne to death with Gun-powder, which occasioned me to returne for England.

* 1.8In the yeare 1609 about Michaelmas, I left the Countrey, as is formerly rela∣ted, with three ships, seuen Boats, Commodities to trade, haruest newly gathe∣red, eight weeks prouision of Corne and Meale, about fiue hundred persons, three hundred Muskets, shot, powder, and match, with armes for more men then we had. The Saluages their language and habitation, well knowne to two hundred expert Souldiers; Nets for fishing, tooles of all sorts, apparell to supply their wants: six Mares and a Horse, fiue or six hundred Swine, many more Powl∣try, what was brought or bred, but victuall there remained.

* 1.9Hauing spent some fiue yeares, and more then fiue hundred pounds in procu∣ring the Letters Patents and setting forward, and neere as much more about New England, &c. Thus these nineteene yeares I haue here and there not spared any thing according to my abilitie, nor the best aduice I could, to perswade how those strange miracles of misery might haue beene preuented, which lamentable experience plainly taught me of necessity must insue, but few would beleeue me till now too deerely they haue paid for it. Wherefore hitherto I haue rather left all then vndertake impossibilities, or any more such costly taskes at such chargeable rates:* 1.10 for in neither of those two Countries haue I one foot of Land, nor the very house I builded, nor the ground I digged with my owne hands, nor euer any content or satisfaction at all, and though I see ordinarily those two Countries shared before me by them that neither haue them nor knowes them, but by my descriptions: Yet that doth not so much trouble me, as to heare and see those contentions and diuisions which will hazard if not ruine the prosperitie of Virginia, if present remedy bee not found, as they haue hindred many hun∣dreds, who would haue beene there ere now, and makes them yet that are willing to stand in a demurre.

For the Books and Maps I haue made, I will thanke him that will shew me so much for so little recompence, and beare with their errors till I haue done better. For the materials in them I cannot deny, but am ready to affirme them both there and here, vpon such grounds as I haue propounded, which is to haue but fifteene hundred men to subdue againe the Saluages, fortifie the Countrey, discouer that yet vnknowne, and both defend & feed their Colony, which I most humbly refer to his Maiesties most iudiciall iudgement, and the most honourable Lords of his

Priuy Councell, you his trusty and well-beloued Commissioners, and the Ho∣nourable company of Planters and well-willers to Ʋirginia, New-England and Sommer-Ilands.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The causes of our first miseries.
• * 1.2

  But ••8 English in all Virginia.
• * 1.3

  Proofes of the healthfulnesse of the Countrey.
• * 1.4

  How the Salua∣ges became sub∣iected.
• * 1.5

  How we liued of the natural fruits of the Countrey.
• * 1.6

  Proofe of the Commodities we returned.
• * 1.7

  What we built.
• * 1.8

  How I left the Country.
• * 1.9

  My charge.
• * 1.10

  My reward.