The Marvelous diary of Capt John Smith.pdf

7/27/2019 The Marvelous diary of Capt John Smith.pdf

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JOTII^SMITH late.Presidentjj/C^/iyAfai&/tiesQionyof TDiTPinia

^OHN S]V:iTHhirArmi %


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Class_JF^M.Rnnk .04 Ala.


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%


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2Z.MARVEL0VS DMYlate H^rafidetit oflfisJ\Taiejties (pion

%ENTLYi)lSCOVEREBatHOTEL CS/JMBE^LIJ^Ould Poynt Comfort

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I' 9?^e an> if^ Lnef thctjhow thy Jhc,but iho;cJhatjhow thygrace and glory brighUr b^:7Jy Fairc T>ffcouverkj and Jhw/e OvertAra^JJ,Of Salvooer, much CiviJJiZcd by theK^^^cftjhcw ihy 6pirii and to li QJory ^^^i3o. if)ou art S)rQj'je wlt/)out but Qo/dc

wiihio.

IN tlie confvsion intoTyKicli my mind hadfallen dvring tKc covrscof cuents herein stated,

^_ it seemcth best to meto set down in my Diaric the recordthereof, truly pictured by mine own

hand


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transi

K&nd, lest mine enemies charge the re-markable experiences which have befallenme to the mere extrauagance of trau-eller's tales, as theyhaue done iforetimeto my greate cost.sporit^d i^ Captaine lohn Smith, sometime

T7tv9n^teiA head of the fighting forces m HisCnH,ria Most Gracious Majesties colony ofVirginia, and later President thereof,ffoddenlie find myself transported bodilteinto the Twentieth Centvrie and inthe midst of a ciuilization not wotted ofin the rvde bvt stirring times which ex-isted in this same faire Virginia somethree hvndred years ago, and in which /may say that / took no small part.

T had been noised aboutfor some time in therealm of Spirits, where-in / now dwell, thatsvch vast changes had

taken place in the three hvndred yearssince / landed in the faire domain of

^/v //vy^tf. CH/{M6%'M


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Virginia,that the gouer-nof of theprovince haddetermined tocelebrate withgreate acclaimand mvch val-iant show ofthe arts both ofWa r r e andPeace the threehvndredth an-

I nivefsaric of ovr landing. It may be well( conceived by mortals that the celebra-1 tion of this euent, fravght with so mvchof honovr, covid not fail to be of greatemoment to me, euen thovgh so manyyears have elapsed since / departed fromthose stirring scenes of strife and dis-couerie. Hence / determined to feuishthat land of fairc Virginia, wherein /had gained svch well deserued renownand fame, hoping that some trace mightbe had of the scenes which were so viuid-lic connected with my sovldier days.With this determination did / set forthindof a svdden fovndmyself transported,in a semblance of my bodilie presence,to these shores, familiar, yet vnfamiliarto mine eyes. / know not for whatperiod this embodiment may endvrc,

hence

J rcu/s//1 tryinIS


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9//ap o/'yCovntrjfOu/dSPoyni

hence / was moved me to reuisit withwhat speed / might the scenes in whichmy variovs aduentvres took place. Myexperiences / have set down at length,for the confovnding of mine enemies,who haue not hesitated to declare an

Kf?l-

muention of mine own euen the stoneof my escape from death at the handsof Salvages throvgh the interuentionof Pocahontas, the davghter ofChief Powhatan, which is set downat length in my **General Historicof Virginia/'


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RULIE tKe changeswhicK liaue taken placein this erstwhile wilder-ness since my explor-ation of it in 1609 passesall belief. Here.atO/c/

Poynt Comfort, named by CaptalneNuport for its safe harbovr in timesof storm and stress, is located mineinn, a stately mansion the like of whichHis Most Graciovs Majestic Kinglames might gladlie haue inhabited,and possessed of diuers most strangeand wondrovs comforts and conuen-iences vnknown to that most wise andgentle Sotreign,

lERE is now located aFort, vnlike in all re-spects to that FortAtycrnon, which once

I stroue to protect thesettlers of this delightsome region,

Yea,


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Cra/i

A, and here be gatheredmanie mightie ships ofW^arre, svch as mineeyes have never beforebeholden.The waters of the Bay are thronged

with craft, so strange and wonderfvlto my sight that / would fain gaze

my 11 were / not reminded that mytime may, indeed, be short. Manie ofthese uessels are propelled by an agencie

S^bovt'Hampton


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called steam, so strange and mystenovsof origin that for avght / can aver tothe contfarie the Black Art may bein it all. Euen the vessels whichdepend vpon the agencie of the windsof Heauen are so altered in formand so greatlie enlarged in size that/ can bvt mvse vpon the "wondefof it and wish that svch ships mighthaue brovght to /f;s Majesties stafu-ing colonists the needed svpplies forthe lack of which so manie perishedin the black winters of 1609 and 1610.Of


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ofya

F mine inn,ycleptHotelChamberUn, a uastand svmptvovs build-ing, from whicli theeye may oiew the blve

waters of the Bay, I hesitate to setforth the truth at length in thesepages, lest belief be impossible tothose to whom it is my pvrpose toshow them. And yet with longerstay both my interest and wonder soincrease, that at risk of disbelief, /mvst discovrse of its wonders.

T is of proportions souast that euen the pal-ace of His MostGracioDs Majestkwovld seem small incomparison, and at

euerie hand svch comforts and Ivx-vries as covid not be uovchsafcd to


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euen goode doeene Anne Herself.Vast corridors and rooms stretch ovton euerie hand; porches, extended, arein S\mmer opened to the coolingbreezes which euer sweep ouer thewaters of the Roads, and which inWinter are encloased in glass, whereinone may enjoy the sights of uessels,both of Warre and Peace, which arecontinvally passing to and fro, or rideat anchor in the peaceful waters whichproued so welcome to vs after ovrtempestvovs uoyages in i6oj. Thiswas, indeed, a Poynt of Comfort tovs who braued the then vnknown seas,and a Godlie Prouidence wovld seemto hauc dire


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tnei

day, gfeate throngs come to this uastInn for reffcshment both of mind andbodie. and in all this faire land thereis no spot wherein greater aduantageof climate and sport can be had thanat this same Foynt of Comfort; forhere are gathered faire women andmaidens and gallant and wise men fromall ouer this uast domain, which hassprung from the vnknown wildernesswhich once confronted vs. For health,pleasvre and iport do they come, and,methinks the faire maidens do love tocongregate here for the sight of theyovng men of Warre, who, in gallantarray, do gather at mine inn both from theFort and the greate ships of Warre,which are continvalliehercabovts, and verilieit would seem that onewould be hard pvtto find a place whereatlife wovld be the morepleasing to mind oreye than at this mar-uellovs place. As in my day, while wedid eat. Minstrels did perform, so hereat the hovf for meals did a nvmber ofmen on diuers of strange instrvmentsdiscovrsc sweet tvnes, and for dancing,when the men and maidens do disportthemselves in the greate ball-room.


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Kvng witK lights of strange and Pon-derous bnlliancie.

MALL need for foodships now. The ban-quet hall of this fairehostlene is euen vntome a wonder, not onlie

for its wonderovs lights, svch as no^^

Palace euer knew in the old days, butbecause the tables groan with such acompanie of dishes as wovld arovscall wonder in the breast of HisMajestic himself, who dined not thvs,euen in banqvet state, and ever mymind goes back to the thovght ofthe banqvct halls of our late illus-

trious

2/


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9^06/9 tfious Queene, for wKom this Vir-ginia was named.Venlie, indeed, the times be changed.and who can doubt that they be

changed for the better? Methinksnot Captaine lohn Smith, aftera meal eaten at mine inn. HotelChamberlin,

FTER the euening mealdo get together all thegvests of the uast Innm the noble hall, justwithin the entrance,

and while the strains of bewitching mv-sick are heard, do they drink a concoc-tion of a berrie from far off lands,called coffee: and stranger still, do themen smoke tobacco, as did my good


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friend, Powhatan, to the sootKlng ofboth mind and bodie. And thvs, witlimvch lavgliter and merrie discovrse, dothe hovrs pass away./ wovid that uahant Sovldiers andSaylors were not so plentiful in thisHost pleasing region. Oft haue /n bygone hovrs begviled the time inliscovrse which has not proued of littlenterest to the maidens gathered nigh.\s time aduances it is my pvrpose, when11 the gvests are gathered at eveningti the uast apartment known as the?xc/fan^e, to seek ovt some beavteouslaid and haplie relate to her a few ofline own thrilling escapes by land andca. Yet, seemeth it that a clovd of^l^zers do ever wait vpon these fairedames.

mauffAiormnd


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1Dtn0tlnotZTAvs

dames, so that mine oppoftvnity maybe tardier in coming than pleaseth me.

ND yet, even /, Cap-taine lohn Smith,haue had to yield toother Sotldiers, offewer years, yet not,

will / think, of greater ualor. And,yea, let me set it down herein, that Icannot wonder, now that / haue seenthe fort at which they gather, its hvgeguns movnted upon mightie ramparts,its stovt defences and the skill atarms with which the souldiers aretrained in matters of war. The new

/

'.


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day has far advanced, and I, alas amof the old!This morn did / visit the Fori,

that Fort which has replaced Fort jf^/,/^Algernon, which in 1611 protected, j^as best it might, His Majestiessvbjects, somewhat abovt this site.Now, a uast pile of statelie bvildmgs,with moat and earthworks on whichare movnted gvns of most prodigiovssize, take the place of ovr poor Stock-ade, manned by fortie Sovldiers withseven poor cannoon for their aid.

I witnessed, and a greate companie ofbeavteovs dames and damsels as well,the goodlie spectacle of "parade,"^when vpon a broad green the men ofwarre, with statelie, albeit gracefvl meindid perform manie a strange and won-lerfvl euolution, tting them to facethe foe, with skill and craft. Suns

Musick "^^ ^"'^


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and2/ator

Parade

VSICK ttere was, svckmvsic as might wellhearten the Sotldieras lie went forth towar, and dovblie sweet

sovnded it in that safe enclosvre, vndertvge live oaks and vpon a green sofaire and beauteous, in the evening sun.Here, at euen, takes place as well, amost faire ceremonie, the men assembled

to witness the lowering of the flag,as \& the cvstom at the setting of thesun. And here assemble the fairemaidens, as before, that Beauty maysmile on Valor, as it was euer sincethe world began.To-day / aduentvred forth from the t

landing at the Chamherlin to witnessthe maruels of a modern ship of Warrea fghting ship of svch size andstrength that scarce dare / to set downits muentions. Alack, how small andpoor seem compared to them were the


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fghting uessels of mine own day ! Ttegreate Armada which, her late MostGracjoDS Majestic did uentvre forthwould appear a mere hvddic of insig-nificant sayles, it seemeth, compared tothis greate ocean fort rocking vpon thefaire waters of Hampton Roads. S


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engines of these mightie ships of warrearc always mysteriovs and interesting.Nor is it always the sight of these greatemachines that calleth the faire maids onl)oard them. Manie a time, as WillShakespeare doth pvt it, **Grimvisaged Warre doth smooth hiswrinkled front;" and to the sweet strainsof mvsick often vpon the decks of thesegreate ships, 'mid pomp and circum-stance of warre doth the faire maidsand gallant men dance and makemerrie. So thvs, in this fauored spot,doth the attractions of the sea uiewith those of the land : and it dothseem to me that the fairc maidenshereabovt are mvch pvt to choosebetween the sons of Mars and thoseof Neptvne.


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In bygone days some of His Gra-ciocs Majesties Scottish cauahers

haue related vnto methe glorie of a gamecalled Golf. To thelinks wherevpon thismightie game is playedrepair these maids andofficers, and on theirretvrn mvch talk do/ hear concerning it.

It is possible that, if / remain, euen/ must seek to learn the vse of themanie clubs and other strange accou-trements, carried in a long bag to thelinks.

A I LIE do / witnessgreat wonders. In amaruellovs conveyance ^^called, why / know not, 9^arvtri^ous

X a trollie, have i trau-elled for the space of one hovr fromthe Chamber lin. Came we thento a uast and bvsy place called inhonovr of mine old comrade '*Neio-port News." Here is sitvated a ship-yard, wherein are built ships so hvge,so trim, so safe for sayling that itmaketh sad the heart within me that /no more may tempt the mam. Com-pared to these provd ships how small

and


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and mean seem the fleets of wKicKKing lames was ever so provd as weset fourtK from London Town, inDecember 1606. Much of tte sightswKicK met mine eyes in that bvsyplace /scarce may speak of; figging andsayls and ovtime all are changed inthese greate ships. The most of themare propelled by a strange and diabolical

'Z>ia6o//oai indention called Steam, the trusting ofwhich might well appal the boldestheart it seemeth vnto me : yet in no-wise dare / vnfold this belief to thoseabovt me, for to me alone seemeththis reuealed, and Captaine lohnSmith was euer of too bold a heartto hesitate where others dared !


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HIS day wLercon t!iescthings be recorded Lasbeen marked by maniewonders. Waking ear-he, / was overjoyed

to see a goodlie companic of gen-tlemen set forth, armed with faireweapons, which had haplie, if vsedvnder mine own direction, set to flightthose Salvages which so mightiliedestroyed the peace of His Majes-tic s svbjects m this Colonic afore-time."Mcseems," thovght /, "this doth

betoken warre! Dovbtless, the cvn-ning Salvage has once more displayedhis enmitic towards the whites, andtaken, after his wilie fashion, to thewarre path to burn and massacre atwill !

I bethovght me of the tremblmgmaidens in these statelie halls and longedto join, and, if needs be, to commandthis gallant partie.Alack, no need of sword this day

was mine ! The companie of caualicrsfared forth not to warre, bvt to the hvnt,for the enjoyment of which most good-lie game preserves are provided by themanagement of the Chamberlin.Create sport is promised to the hvnter,as witnessed /, at eucn, on their retvrn,

with


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witli overflowing bags. Scarce covid Ifefrain mine cnuy when / witnessedtKe resvlt of one day's hvnt.To this faire preserve will / one day

set forth.

>^d^--:^

Bvt one hovr's ride from Old PoyntComfort is it sitvated: what mattersit, if to gam it / must uentvre upon astrange muention vnknown to meaforetime, called a railroad I

\


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OVLDIERSa many bethere in this uicinitie

* as / haue before setdownyet greate wasmy svTprise to dis-couer, as / haue by the witness of

mine own eyes, that here the old sodI-dier, maimed by warre or past theyears at which the bowels of a man doyearn for fighting, is cared for, hovsedand fed by the Gouernment of thisland.This afternoon, scarce belieuing the

tale which had been to mine ear related,/ sallied forth to uisit in mine ownperson the Home for DisabledSovldicrs, Aye, in verrie truth it wasso, for here, in loftie bvildings, set inbeavteous grovnds, liue the old sovl-diers at their ease, discovrsing mvch ofbattles fovght and won. after the wont

of ^romff /or2)fsad/oc/Ooufcf/vrs


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of sovldiers, since the world wasnew.A strange matter was reuealed vntome throvgH mine offer of aid, ifneeds be, against the cvnning assavltsof tKe Salvages, so well known ofme in my days of dwelling in this faireland of Virginia, Bvt few of theaforetime numerous hordes of Sal-vages remain to-day in this goodlie

land, and manie are gathered togetherm a greate institvtion of learning calledHampton Institvie and instrvcted inthe peacefvl arts ! Yea, in the sameuicinity in which / once langvished sixlong weeks in crvel captivitie amongthem, nigh the spot vpon which thefaire Pocahontas did in my behalfso kindlie intercede with her sternfather, the descendants of these sameSalvages are tavght to sow and reap,to weaue and bvild


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Alack ! My dream is ended. / mvstiKis night set forth for the realm ofspirits, which / haue so long inhabited.Indeed, times be so changed that I amill at ease in this new day ; and so,farewell ! The world hath indeedtrauelled far since / was of it. James-town IS bvt a romantic memory ; mydeeds are legends : and with a sad heart/ leaue behind me the comforts of HotelChamberlin. And while / may neoeragain uisit that * Point of Comfort,*'yet one comfort carry / hence. Withwhat wondrovs tales may / not con-fvse the ears of svch comrades of mineold days, as fare forth when the clocksgiue tongve to midnight ! A worthyteller of trauel tales / euer was ; bvtby my troth, neuer vntil now had /svch maruels to relate !

ySrttatv


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The following extract from John Smith's Historyof Virginia, written by this celebrated explorershortly after his return to England, is remarkablebecause of its prophetic character. Not only is thecountry, as he states, "propitious to the use of man,"but there is at Old Point Comfort an immense forti-fication, with its accompanying? military school, lit-erally a " nurse for soldiers," and the additional factthat Hampton Roads is the rendezvous of the shipsof the Navy would certainly indicate that it is a"practice for mariners." Even more startling is theimmense development of the " trade for merchants"at Newport News and Norfolk; and the instructionof the Indian at the Hampton Institute in the artsof civilization and the doctrines of Christianitywould all seem to indicate that John Smith wasindeed gifted with prophetic vision.

There is bvt one entrance into this covntfy, indthat is at the movth of a goodlie bay eighteen ortwenty miles broad; The Cape on the Sovth iscalled Cape Henry, in honovr of ovr most nobleprince ; the north cape is called Cape Charles^ inhonovr of the worthy Dvke of York. The islesbefore are called Smith's Isles, by the name of thediscoverer. Within is a covntry that may have theprerogative over the most pleasant places knowiii forheaven and earth never agreed better to frame a placefor man's habitation.

The mildness of the air, the fertility of the soiland sitvation of the rivers are so propitiovs to thevse of man, as no place is more conuenient forpleasvre. profit and man's svstenance vnder anylatitvde or climate.

So, then, here is a place, a nvrse for soldiers, apractice for mariners, a trade for merchants, a re-ward for the good, and that which is most of all, aBusiness (most acceptable to Cod) to bring svchpoor infidels to knowledge of Cod tnd His HolyCospel.


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SEP 23 1905

Imprinled^/Sj- GEORGE F.ADAMSin the Jlrt- Tyepartment of^Tlie J&lanchard Press ^i>^4.Anno 1 9 0


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The Marvelous diary of Capt John Smith.pdf