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ovisions　had　been　spoiled　by　rain。　　Thus　the　summer　was　consumed；　and　nothing　had　been　accomplished　except　Smith's　discovery。




XI

SMITH'S　PRESIDENCY　AND　PROWESS

On　the　10th　of　September；　by　the　election　of　the　Council　and　the　request　of　the　company；　Captain　Smith　received　the　letters…patent；　and　became　President。　　He　stopped　the　building　of　Ratcliffe's　〃palace；〃　repaired　the　church　and　the　storehouse；　got　ready　the　buildings　for　the　supply　expected　from　England；　reduced　the　fort　to　a　〃five　square　form；〃　set　and　trained　the　watch　and　exercised　the　company　every　Saturday　on　a　plain　called　Smithfield；　to　the　amazement　of　the　on…looking　Indians。

Captain　Newport　arrived　with　a　new　supply　of　seventy　persons。　　Among　them　were　Captain　Francis　West；　brother　to　Lord　Delaware；　Captain　Peter　Winne；　and　Captain　Peter　Waldo；　appointed　on　the　Council；　eight　Dutchmen　and　Poles；　and　Mistress　Forest　and　Anne　Burrows　her　maid；　the　first　white　women　in　the　colony。

Smith　did　not　relish　the　arrival　of　Captain　Newport　nor　the　instructions　under　which　he　returned。　　He　came　back　commanded　to　discover　the　country　of　Monacan　（above　the　Falls）　and　to　perform　the　ceremony　of　coronation　on　the　Emperor　Powhatan。

How　Newport　got　this　private　commission　when　he　had　returned　to　England　without　a　lump　of　gold；　nor　any　certainty　of　the　South　Sea；　or　one　of　the　lost　company　sent　out　by　Raleigh；　and　why　he　brought　a　〃fine　peeced　barge〃　which　must　be　carried　over　unknown　mountains　before　it　reached　the　South　Sea；　he　could　not　understand。　　〃　As　for　the　coronation　of　Powhatan　and　his　presents　of　basin　and　ewer；　bed；　bedding；　clothes；　and　such　costly　novelties；　they　had　been　much　better　well　spared　than　so　ill　spent；　for　we　had　his　favor　and　better　for　a　plain　piece　of　copper；　till　this　stately　kind　of　soliciting　made　him　so　much　overvalue　himself　that　he　respected　us　as　much　as　nothing　at　all。〃　　Smith　evidently　understood　the　situation　much　better　than　the　promoters　in　England；　and　we　can　quite　excuse　him　in　his　rage　over　the　foolishness　and　greed　of　most　of　his　companions。　There　was　little　nonsense　about　Smith　in　action；　though　he　need　not　turn　his　hand　on　any　man　of　that　age　as　a　boaster。

To　send　out　Poles　and　Dutchmen　to　make　pitch；　tar；　and　glass　would　have　been　well　enough　if　the　colony　had　been　firmly　established　and　supplied　with　necessaries；　and　they　might　have　sent　two　hundred　colonists　instead　of　seventy；　if　they　had　ordered　them　to　go　to　work　collecting　provisions　of　the　Indians　for　the　winter；　instead　of　attempting　this　strange　discovery　of　the　South　Sea；　and　wasting　their　time　on　a　more　strange　coronation。　　〃Now　was　there　no　way；〃　asks　Smith；　〃to　make　us　miserable；〃　but　by　direction　from　England　to　perform　this　discovery　and　coronation；　〃to　take　that　time；　spend　what　victuals　we　had；　tire　and　starve　our　men；　having　no　means　to　carry　victuals；　ammunition；　the　hurt　or　the　sick；　but　on　their　own　backs？〃

Smith　seems　to　have　protested　against　all　this　nonsense；　but　though　he　was　governor；　the　Council　overruled　him。　　Captain　Newport　decided　to　take　one　hundred　and　twenty　men；　fearing　to　go　with　a　less　number　and　journey　to　Werowocomoco　to　crown　Powhatan。　　In　order　to　save　time　Smith　offered　to　take　a　message　to　Powhatan；　and　induce　him　to　come　to　Jamestown　and　receive　the　honor　and　the　presents。　　Accompanied　by　only　four　men　he　crossed　by　land　to　Werowocomoco；　passed　the　Pamaunkee　（York）　River　in　a　canoe；　and　sent　for　Powhatan；　who　was　thirty　miles　off。　　Meantime　Pocahontas；　who　by　his　own　account　was　a　mere　child；　and　her　women　entertained　Smith　in　the　following　manner：

〃In　a　fayre　plaine　they　made　a　fire；　before　which；　sitting　upon　a　mat；　suddenly　amongst　the　woods　was　heard　such　a　hydeous　noise　and　shreeking　that　the　English　betook　themselves　to　their　armes；　and　seized　upon　two　or　three　old　men；　by　them　supposing　Powhatan　with　all　his　power　was　come　to　surprise　them。　　But　presently　Pocahontas　came；　willing　him　to　kill　her　if　any　hurt　were　intended；　and　the　beholders；　which　were　men；　women　and　children；　satisfied　the　Captaine　that　there　was　no　such　matter。　　Then　presently　they　were　presented　with　this　anticke：　Thirty　young　women　came　naked　out　of　the　woods；　only　covered　behind　and　before　with　a　few　greene　leaves；　their　bodies　all　painted；　some　of　one　color；　some　of　another；　but　all　differing；　their　leader　had　a　fayre　payre　of　Bucks　hornes　on　her　head；　and　an　Otters　skinne　at　her　girdle；　and　another　at　her　arme；　a　quiver　of　arrows　at　her　backe；　a　bow　and　arrows　in　her　hand；　the　next　had　in　her　hand　a　sword；　another　a　club；　another　a　pot…sticke：　all　horned　alike；　the　rest　every　one　with　their　several　devises。　　These　fiends　with　most　hellish　shouts　and　cries；　rushing　from　among　the　trees；　cast　themselves　in　a　ring　about　the　fire；　singing　and　dancing　with　most　excellent　ill…varietie；　oft　falling　into　their　infernal　passions；　and　solemnly　again　to　sing　and　dance；　having　spent　nearly　an　hour　in　this　Mascarado；　as　they　entered；in　like　manner　they　departed。

〃Having　reaccommodated　themselves；　they　solemnly　invited　him　to　their　lodgings；　where　he　was　no　sooner　within　the　house；　but　all　these　Nymphs　more　tormented　him　than　ever；　with　crowding；　pressing；　and　hanging　about　him；　most　tediously　crying；　'Love　you　not　me？　　Love　you　not　me？'　　This　salutation　ended；　the　feast　was　set；　consisting　of　all　the　Salvage　dainties　they　could　devise：　some　attending；　others　singing　and　dancing　about　them：　which　mirth　being　ended；　with　fire　brands　instead　of　torches　they　conducted　him　to　his　lodging。〃

The　next　day　Powhatan　arrived。　　Smith　delivered　up　the　Indian　Namontuck；　who　had　just　returned　from　a　voyage　to　Englandwhither　it　was　suspected　the　Emperor　wished　him　to　go　to　spy　out　the　weakness　of　the　English　tribeand　repeated　Father　Newport's　request　that　Powhatan　would　come　to　Jamestown　to　receive　the　presents　and　join　in　an　expedition　against　his　enemies；　the　Monacans。

Powhatan's　reply　was　worthy　of　his　imperial　highness；　and　has　been　copied　ever　since　in　the　speeches　of　the　lords　of　the　soil　to　the　pale　faces：　〃If　your　king　has　sent　me　present；　I　also　am　a　king；　and　this　is　my　land：　eight　days　I　will　stay　to　receive　them。　　Your　father　is　to　come　to　me；　not　I　to　him；　nor　yet　to　your　fort；　neither　will　I　bite　at　such　a　bait；　as　for　the　Monacans；　I　can　revenge　my　own　injuries。〃

This　was　the　lofty　potentate　whom　Smith；　by　his　way　of　management；　could　have　tickled　out　of　his　senses　with　a　glass　bead；　and　who　would　infinitely　have　preferred　a　big　shining　copper　kettle　to　the　misplaced　honor　intended　to　be　thrust　upon　him；　but　the　offer　of　which　puffed　him　up　beyond　the　reach　of　negotiation。　　Smith　returned　with　his　message。　　Newport　despatched　the　presents　round　by　water　a　hundred　miles；　and　the　Captains；　with　fifty　soldiers；　went　over　land　to　Werowocomoco；　where　occurred　the　ridiculous　ceremony　of　the　coronation；　which　Smith　describes　with　much　humor。　　〃The　next　day；〃　he　says；　〃was　appointed　for　the　coronation。　　Then　the　presents　were　brought　him；　his　bason　and　ewer；　bed　and　furniture　set　up；　his　scarlet　cloke　and　apparel；　with　much　adoe　put　on　him；　being　persuaded　by　Namontuck　they　would　not　hurt　him。　　But　a　foule　trouble　there　was　to　make　him　kneel　to　receive　his　Crown；　he　not　knowing　the　majesty　nor　wearing　of　a　Crown；　nor　bending　of　the　knee；　endured　so　many　persuasions；　examples　and　instructions　as　tyred　them　all。　　At　last　by　bearing　hard　on　his　shoulders；　he　a　little　stooped；　and　three　having　the　crown　in　their　hands　put　it　on　his　head；　when　by　the　warning　of　a　pistoll　the　boats　were　prepared　with　such　a　volley　of　shot　that　the　king　start　up　in　a　horrible　feare；　till　he　saw　all　was　well。　　Then　remembering　himself　to　congratulate　their　kindness　he　gave　his　old　shoes　and　his　mantell　to　Captain　Newport！〃

The　Monacan　expedition　the　King　discouraged；　and　refused　to　furnish　for　it　either　guides　or　men。　　Besides　his　old　shoes；　the　crowned　monarch　charitably　gave　Newport　a　little　heap　of　corn；　only　seven　or　eight　bushels；　and　with　this　little　result　the　absurd　expedition　returned　to　Jamestown。

Shortly　after　Captain　Newport　with　a　chosen　company　of　one　hundred　and　twenty　men　（leaving　eighty　with　President　Smith　in　the　fort）　and　accompanied　by　Captain　Waldo；　Lieutenant　Percy；　Captain　Winne；　Mr。　West；　and　Mr。　Scrivener；　who　was　eager　for　adventure；　set　off　for　the　discovery　of　Monacan。　　The　expedition；　as　Smith　predicted；　was　fruitless：　the　Indians　deceived　them　and　refused　to　trade；　and　the　company　got　back　to　Jamestown；　half　of　them　sick；　all　grumbling；　and　worn　out　with　toil；　famine；　and　discontent。

Smith　at　once　set　the　whole　colony　to　work；　some　to　make　glass；　tar；　pitch；　and　soap…ashes；　and　others　he　conducted　five　miles　down　the　river　to　learn　to　fell　trees　and　make　clapboards。　　In　this　company　were　a　couple　of　gallants；　lately　come　over；　Gabriel　Beadle　and　John　Russell；　proper　gentlemen；　but　unused　to　hardships；　whom　Smith　has　immortalized　by　his　novel　cure　of　their　profanity。　　They　took　gayly　to　the　rough　life；　and　entered　into　the　attack　on　the　forest　so　pleasantly　that　in　a　week　they　were　masters　of　chopping：　〃making　it　their　delight　to　hear　the　trees　thunder　as　they　fell；　but　the　axes　so　often　blistered　their　tender　fingers　that　many　times　every　third　blow　had　a　loud　othe　to　drown　the　echo；　for　remedie　of　which　sinne　the　President　devised　how　to　have　every　man's　othes　numbered；　and　at　night　for　every　othe　to　have　a　Canne　of　water　powred　downe　his　sleeve；　with　which　every　offender　was　so　washed　（himself　and　all）；　that　a　man　would　scarce　hear　an　othe　in　a　weake。〃　　In　the　clearing　of　our　country　since；　this　excellent　plan　has　fallen　into　desuetude；　for　want　of　any　pious　Captain　Smith　in　the　logging　camps。

These　gentlemen；　says　Smith；　did　not　spend　their　time　in　wood…logging　like　hirelings；　but　entered　into　it　with　such　spirit　that　thirty　of　them　would　accomplish　more　than　a　hundred　of　the　sort　that　had　to　be　driven　to　work；　yet；　he　sagaciously　adds；　〃twenty　good　workmen　had　been　better　than　them　all。〃

Returning　to　the　fort；　Smith；　as　usual；　found　the　time　consumed　and　no　provisions　got；　and　Newport's　ship　lying　idle　at　a　great　charge。　With　Percy　he　set　out　on　an　expedition　for　corn　to　the　Chickahominy；　which　the　insolent　Indians；　knowing　thei