the complete writings-3-第66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！


rdens；　orchards　and　building　to　their　mind；　than　〃to　recreate　themselves　before　their　owne　doore；　in　their　owne　boates　upon　the　Sea；　where　man；　woman　and　child；　with　a　small　hooke　and　line；　by　angling；　may　take　divers　sorts　of　excellent　fish　at　their　pleasures？　　And　is　it　not　pretty　sport；　to　pull　up　two　pence；　six　pence；　and　twelve　pence　as　fast　as　you　can　hale　and　veere　a　line？。。。　And　what　sport　doth　yield　more　pleasing　content；　and　less　hurt　or　charge　than　angling　with　a　hooke；　and　crossing　the　sweet　ayre　from　Isle　to　Isle；　over　the　silent　streams　of　a　calme　Sea？　wherein　the　most　curious　may　finde　pleasure；　profit　and　content。〃

Smith　made　a　most　attractive　picture　of　the　fertility　of　the　soil　and　the　fruitfulness　of　the　country。　　Nothing　was　too　trivial　to　be　mentioned。　　〃There　are　certain　red　berries　called　Alkermes　which　is　worth　ten　shillings　a　pound；　but　of　these　hath　been　sold　for　thirty　or　forty　shillings　the　pound；　may　yearly　be　gathered　a　good　quantity。〃　　John　Josselyn；　who　was　much　of　the　time　in　New　England　from　1638　to　1671　and　saw　more　marvels　there　than　anybody　else　ever　imagined；　says；　〃I　have　sought　for　this　berry　he　speaks　of；　as　a　man　should　for　a　needle　in　a　bottle　of　hay；　but　could　never　light　upon　it；　unless　that　kind　of　Solomon's　seal　called　by　the　English　treacle…　berry　should　be　it。〃

Towards　the　last　of　August；　1614；　Smith　was　back　at　Plymouth。　　He　had　now　a　project　of　a　colony　which　he　imparted　to　his　friend　Sir　Ferdinand　Gorges。　　It　is　difficult　from　Smith's　various　accounts　to　say　exactly　what　happened　to　him　next。　　It　would　appear　that　he　declined　to　go　with　an　expedition　of　four　ship　which　the　Virginia　company　despatched　in　1615；　and　incurred　their　ill…will　by　refusing；　but　he　considered　himself　attached　to　the　western　or　Plymouth　company。　　Still　he　experienced　many　delays　from　them：　they　promised　four　ships　to　be　ready　at　Plymouth；　on　his　arrival　〃he　found　no　such　matter；〃　and　at　last　he　embarked　in　a　private　expedition；　to　found　a　colony　at　the　expense　of　Gorges；　Dr。　Sutliffe；　Bishop　o　Exeter；　and　a　few　gentlemen　in　London。　　In　January　1615；　he　sailed　from　Plymouth　with　a　ship　Of　20　tons；　and　another　of　50。　　His　intention　was；　after　the　fishing　was　over；　to　remain　in　New　England　with　only　fifteen　men　and　begin　a　colony。

These　hopes　were　frustrated。　　When　only　one　hundred　and　twenty　leagues　out　all　the　masts　of　his　vessels　were　carried　away　in　a　storm；　and　it　was　only　by　diligent　pumping　that　he　was　able　to　keep　his　craft　afloat　and　put　back　to　Plymouth。　　Thence　on　the　24th　of　June　he　made　another　start　in　a　vessel　of　sixty　tons　with　thirty　men。　But　ill…luck　still　attended　him。　　He　had　a　queer　adventure　with　pirates。　　Lest　the　envious　world　should　not　believe　his　own　story；　Smith　had　Baker；　his　steward；　and　several　of　his　crew　examined　before　a　magistrate　at　Plymouth；　December　8；　1615；　who　support　his　story　by　their　testimony　up　to　a　certain　point。

It　appears　that　he　was　chased　two　days　by　one　Fry；　an　English　pirate；　in　a　greatly　superior　vessel；　heavily　armed　and　manned。　　By　reason　of　the　foul　weather　the　pirate　could　not　board　Smith；　and　his　master；　mate；　and　pilot；　Chambers；　Minter；　and　Digby；　importuned　him　to　surrender；　and　that　he　should　send　a　boat　to　the　pirate；　as　Fry　had　no　boat。　　This　singular　proposal　Smith　accepted　on　condition　Fry　would　not　take　anything　that　would　cripple　his　voyage；　or　send　more　men　aboard　（Smith　furnishing　the　boat）　than　he　allowed。　　Baker　confessed　that　the　quartermaster　and　Chambers　received　gold　of　the　pirates；　for　what　purpose　it　does　not　appear。　　They　came　on　board；　but　Smith　would　not　come　out　of　his　cabin　to　entertain　them；　〃although　a　great　many　of　them　had　been　his　sailors；　and　for　his　love　would　have　wafted　us　to　the　Isle　of　Flowers。〃

Having　got　rid　of　the　pirate　Fry　by　this　singular　manner　of　receiving　gold　from　him；　Smith's　vessel　was　next　chased　by　two　French　pirates　at　Fayal。　　Chambers；　Minter；　and　Digby　again　desired　Smith　to　yield；　but　he　threatened　to　blow　up　his　ship　if　they　did　not　stand　to　the　defense；　and　so　they　got　clear　of　the　French　pirates。　　But　more　were　to　come。

At　〃Flowers〃　they　were　chased　by　four　French　men…of…war。　　Again　Chambers；　Minter；　and　Digby　importuned　Smith　to　yield；　and　upon　the　consideration　that　he　could　speak　French；　and　that　they　were　Protestants　of　Rochelle　and　had　the　King's　commission　to　take　Spaniards；　Portuguese；　and　pirates；　Smith；　with　some　of　his　company；　went　on　board　one　of　the　French　ships。　　The　next　day　the　French　plundered　Smith's　vessel　and　distributed　his　crew　among　their　ships；　and　for　a　week　employed　his　boat　in　chasing　all　the　ships　that　came　in　sight。　　At　the　end　of　this　bout　they　surrendered　her　again　to　her　crew；　with　victuals　but　no　weapons。　　Smith　exhorted　his　officers　to　proceed　on　their　voyage　for　fish；　either　to　New　England　or　Newfoundland。　　This　the　officers　declined　to　do　at　first；　but　the　soldiers　on　board　compelled　them；　and　thereupon　Captain　Smith　busied　himself　in　collecting　from　the　French　fleet　and　sending　on　board　his　bark　various　commodities　that　belonged　to　herpowder；　match；　books；　instruments；　his　sword　and　dagger；　bedding；　aquavite；　his　commission；　apparel；　and　many　other　things。　　These　articles　Chambers　and　the　others　divided　among　themselves；　leaving　Smith；　who　was　still　on　board　the　Frenchman；　only　his　waistcoat　and　breeches。　　The　next　day；　the　weather　being　foul；　they　ran　so　near　the　Frenchman　as　to　endanger　their　yards；　and　Chambers　called　to　Captain　Smith　to　come　aboard　or　he　would　leave　him。　　Smith　ordered　him　to　send　a　boat；　Chambers　replied　that　his　boat　was　split；　which　was　a　lie；　and　told　him　to　come　off　in　the　Frenchman's　boat。　　Smith　said　he　could　not　command　that；　and　so　they　parted。　　The　English　bark　returned　to　Plymouth；　and　Smith　was　left　on　board　the　French　man…of…war。

Smith　himself　says　that　Chambers　had　persuaded　the　French　admiral　that　if　Smith　was　let　to　go　on　his　boat　he　would　revenge　himself　on　the　French　fisheries　on　the　Banks。

For　over　two　months；　according　to　his　narration；　Smith　was　kept　on　board　the　Frenchman；　cruising　about　for　prizes；　〃to　manage　their　fight　against　the　Spaniards；　and　be　in　a　prison　when　they　took　any　English。〃　　One　of　their　prizes　was　a　sugar　caraval　from　Brazil；　another　was　a　West　Indian　worth　two　hundred　thousand　crowns；　which　had　on　board　fourteen　coffers　of　wedges　of　silver；　eight　thousand　royals　of　eight；　and　six　coffers　of　the　King　of　Spain's　treasure；　besides　the　pillage　and　rich　coffers　of　many　rich　passengers。　　The　French　captain；　breaking　his　promise　to　put　Smith　ashore　at　Fayal；　at　length　sent　him　towards　France　on　the　sugar　caravel。　　When　near　the　coast；　in　a　night　of　terrible　storm；　Smith　seized　a　boat　and　escaped。　It　was　a　tempest　that　wrecked　all　the　vessels　on　the　coast；　and　for　twelve　hours　Smith　was　drifting　about　in　his　open　boat；　in　momentary　expectation　of　sinking；　until　he　was　cast　upon　the　oozy　isle　of　〃Charowne；〃　where　the　fowlers　picked　him　up　half　dead　with　water；　cold；　and　hunger；　and　he　got　to　Rochelle；　where　he　made　complaint　to　the　Judge　of　Admiralty。　　Here　he　learned　that　the　rich　prize　had　been　wrecked　in　the　storm　and　the　captain　and　half　the　crew　drowned。　　But　from　the　wreck　of　this　great　prize　thirty…six　thousand　crowns'　worth　of　jewels　came　ashore。　　For　his　share　in　this　Smith　put　in　his　claim　with　the　English　ambassador　at　Bordeaux。　　The　Captain　was　hospitably　treated　by　the　Frenchmen。　　He　met　there　his　old　friend　Master　Crampton；　and　he　says：　〃I　was　more　beholden　to　the　Frenchmen　that　escaped　drowning　in　the　man…of…war；　Madam　Chanoyes　of　Rotchell；　and　the　lawyers　of　Burdeaux；　than　all　the　rest　of　my　countrymen　I　met　in　France。〃　　While　he　was　waiting　there　to　get　justice；　he　saw　the　〃arrival　of　the　King's　great　marriage　brought　from　Spain。〃　　This　is　all　his　reference　to　the　arrival　of　Anne　of　Austria；　eldest　daughter　of　Philip　III。；　who　had　been　betrothed　to　Louis　XIII。　in　1612；　one　of　the　double　Spanish　marriages　which　made　such　a　commotion　in　France。

Leaving　his　business　in　France　unsettled　（forever）；　Smith　returned　to　Plymouth；　to　find　his　reputation　covered　with　infamy　and　his　clothes；　books；　and　arms　divided　among　the　mutineers　of　his　boat。　　The　chiefest　of　these　he　〃laid　by　the　heels；〃　as　usual；　and　the　others　confessed　and　told　the　singular　tale　we　have　outlined。　　It　needs　no　comment；　except　that　Smith　had　a　facility　for　unlucky　adventures　unequaled　among　the　uneasy　spirits　of　his　age。　　Yet　he　was　as　buoyant　as　a　cork；　and　emerged　from　every　disaster　with　more　enthusiasm　for　himself　and　for　new　ventures。　　Among　the　many　glowing　tributes　to　himself　in　verse　that　Smith　prints　with　this　description　is　one　signed　by　a　soldier；　Edw。　　Robinson；　which　begins：

　　　　　　　Oft　thou　hast　led；　when　I　brought　up　the　Rere；　　　　　　　　In　bloody　wars　where　thousands　have　been　slaine。〃

This　common　soldier；　who　cannot　help　breaking　out　in　poetry　when　he　thinks　of　Smith；　is　made　to　say　that　Smith　was　his　captain　〃in　the　fierce　wars　of　Transylvania；〃　and　he　apostrophizes　him：

　　　　　　　Thou　that　to　passe　the　worlds　foure　parts　dost　deeme　　　　　　　　No　more；　than　ewere　to　goe　to　bed　or　drinke；　　　　　　　　And　all　thou　yet　hast　done　thou　dost　esteeme　　　　　　　　As　nothing。

　　　　　　　For　mee：　I　not　commend　but　much　admire　　　　　　　　Thy　England　yet　unknown　to　passers　by…her；　　　　　　　　For　it　will　praise　itselfe　in　spight　of　me：　　　　　　　　Thou；　it；　it；　thou；　to　all　posteritie。〃




XVIII

NEW　ENGLAND'S　TRIALS

Smith　was　not　cast　down　by　his　reverses。　　No　sooner　had　he　laid　his　latest　betrayers　by　the　heels　than　he　set　himself　resolutely　to　obtain　money　and　means　for　establishing　a　colony　in　New　England；　and　to　this　project　and　the　cultivation　in　England　of　interest　in　New　England　he　devoted　the　rest　of　his　life。

His　Map　and　Description　of　New　England　was　published　in　1616；　and　he　became　a　colporteur　of　this；　beseeching　everywhere　a　hearing　for　his　noble　scheme。　　It　might　have　been　in　1617；　while　Pocahontas　was　about　to　sail　for　Virginia；　or　perhaps　after　her　death；　that　he　was　again　in　Plymouth；　provided　with　three　good　ships；　but　windbound　for　three　months；　so　that　the　season　being　past；　his　design　was　frustrated；　and　his　vessels；　without　him；　made　a　fishing　expedition　to　Newfoundland。

It　must　have　been　in　the