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Captain John Smith, The Generall Historie of Virginia, New England & the Summer Isles (1624)
The Names of them that were the first Planters, were these following.
Councel. Gent. [Gentlemen]
Mr. Edward Maria Wingfield 47 gentlemen listed.
Captain Bartholomew Gosnoll
Captain John Smith Labourers
Captain John Ratliffe
Captain George Kendall 12 laborers listed, including one named "Old William"

Carpenters.
4 carpenters listed With divers others to the number of 100.

[Tradesmen]
James Read, Blacksmith
Jonas Profit, Sailer
Thomas Cowper, Barber
William Garret, Bricklayer
Edward Brinto, Mason
William Love, Taylor
Nic. Scott, Drum
William Wilkinson, Surg.

Chapter II: What Happened Till the First Supply
Being thus left to our fortunes, it fortuned that within ten days scarce ten amongst us could either go
or well stand, such extreme weakness and sickness oppressed us. And thereat none need marvel, if they
consider the cause and reason, which was this: Whilst the ships stayed, our allowance was somewhat
bettered by a daily proportion of biscuit, which the sailors would pilfer to sell, give, or exchange with us
for money, sassafras, furs, or love. But when they departed, there remained neither tavern, beer house,
nor place of relief but the common kettle. Had we been as free from all sins as gluttony and
drunkenness, we might have been canonized for saints. But our President would never have been
admitted, for engrossing to his private [use] oatmeal, sack, oil, aquavitae, beef, eggs, or what not, but
the [common] kettle. That, indeed, he allowed equally to be distributed, and that was half a pint of
wheat, and as much barley boiled with water for a man a day. And this having fried some 26 weeks in the
ship's hold contained as many worms as grains, so that we might truly call it rather so much bran than
corn. Our drink was water, our lodgings castles in the air.
With this lodging and diet, our extreme toil in bearing and planting palisades so strained and bruised us,
and our continual labor in the extremity of the heat had so weakened us, as were cause sufficient to
have made us as miserable in our native country or any other place in the world.
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From May to September those that escaped lived upon sturgeon and sea crabs. Fifty in this time we
buried. The rest seeing the President's projects to escape these miseries in our pinnace by flight (who
all this time had neither felt want nor sickness) so moved our dead spirits that we deposed him and
established Ratcliffe in his place (Gosnold being dead), Kendall deposed. Smith newly recovered [from
illness], Martin and Ratcliffe was by his care preserved and relieved, and the most of the soldiers
recovered with the skillful diligence of Master Thomas Wotton, our surgeon general.
But now was all our provision spent, the sturgeon gone, all helps abandoned. Each hour expecting the fury
of the savages, when God, the patron of all good endeavors, in that desperate extremity so changed the
hearts of the savages, that they brought such plenty of their fruits and provisions that no man wanted.
And now, where some, affirmed it was ill done of the Council to send forth men so badly provided, this
incontradictable reason will show them plainly they are too ill advised to nourish such ill conceits. First,
the fault of our going was our own. What could be thought fitting or necessary we had; but what we
should find or want or where we should be we were all ignorant; and supposing to make our passage in two
months with victual to live and the advantage of the spring to work, we were at sea five months, where
we both spent our victual and lost the opportunity of the time and season to plant by the unskillful
presumption of our ignorant transporters that understood not at all what they undertook.
Such actions have ever since the world's beginning been subject to such accidents, and everything of
worth is found full of difficulties; but nothing so difficult as to establish a commonwealth so far remote
from men and means, and where men's minds are so untoward as neither do well themselves nor suffer
others. But to proceed.
The new President and Martin, being little beloved, of weak judgment in dangers and less industry in
peace, committed the managing of all things abroad to Captain Smith; who by his own example, good
words, and fair promises set some to mow, others to bind thatch, some to build houses, others to thatch
them, himself always bearing the greatest task for his own share, so that in short time he provided most
of them lodgings, neglecting any for himself.
Leading an expedition on the Chickahominy River, Captain Smith and his men are attacked by Indians, and
Smith is taken prisoner.
When this news came to Jamestown, much was their sorrow for his loss, few expecting what ensued.
Six or seven weeks those barbarians kept him prisoner, many strange triumphs and conjurations they
made of him, yet he so demeaned himself amongst them, as he not only diverted them from surprising
the fort, but procured his own liberty, and got hill and his company such estimation amongst them, that
those savages admired him.
The manner how they used and delivered him is as followeth.
The savages having drawn from George Cassen whether Captain Smith was gone, prosecuting that
opportunity they followed him with 300 bowmen, conducted by the King of Pamaunkee, who in divisions
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searching the turnings of the river, found Robinson and Emry by the fireside; those they shot full of
arrows and slew. Then finding the Captain, as is said, that used the savage that was his guide as his
shield (three of them being slain and divers other so galled), all the rest would not come near him.
Thinking thus to have returned to his boat, regarding them, as he marched, more than his way, [Smith]
slipped up to the middle in an oozy creek and his savage with him, yet durst they not come to him till
being near dead with cold, he threw away his arms. Then according to their composition they drew him
forth and led him to the fire, where his men were slain. Diligently they chafed his benumbed limbs.
He demanding for their captain, they showed him Opechankanough, King of Pamaunkee, to whom he gave
a round ivory double compass dial. Much they marveled at the playing of the fly and needle, which they
could see plainly, and yet not touch it, because of the glass that covered them. But when he
demonstrated by that globe-like jewel, the roundness of the earth and skies, the sphere of the sun,
moon, and stars, and how the sun did chase the night round about the world continually; the greatness of
the land and sea, the diversity of nations, variety of complexions, and how we were to them antipodes,
and many other such like matters, they all stood as amazed with admiration.
Notwithstanding, within an hour after they tied him to a tree, and as many as could stand about him
prepared to shoot him, but the King holding up the compass in his hand, they all laid down their bows and
arrows, and in a triumphant manner led him to Orapaks, where he was after their manner kindly feasted,
and well used.
At last they brought him to Werowocomoco, where was Powhatan, their emperor. Here more than two
hundred of those grim courtiers stood wondering at him, as he had been a monster till Powhatan and his
train had put themselves in their greatest braveries. Before a fire upon a seat like a bedstead, he sat
covered with a great robe made of raccoon skins, and all the tails hanging by. On either hand did sit a
young wench of 16 or 18 years, and along on each side the house, two rows of men, and behind them as
many women, with all their heads and shoulders painted red, many of their heads bedecked with the
white down of birds, but ever one with something, and a great chain of white beads about their necks.
At his entrance before the King, all the people gave a great shout. The Queen of Appamatuck was
appointed to bring him water to wash his hands and another brought him a bunch of feathers, instead of
a towel, to dry them. Having feasted him after their best barbarous manner they could, a long
consultation was held; but the conclusion was, two great stones were brought before Powhatan: then as
many as could laid hands on him, dragged him to them, and thereon laid his head, and being ready with
their clubs, to beat out his brains, Pocahontas, the King's dearest daughter, when no entreaty could
prevail, got his head in her arms, and laid her own upon his to save him from death, whereat the Emperor
was contented he should live to make him hatchets, and her bells, beads, and copper, for they thought
him as well of all occupations as themselves. For the King himself will make his own robes, shoes, bows,
arrows, pots; plant, hunt, or do anything so well as the rest.
Two days after, Powhatan, having disguised himself in the most fearfulest manner he could, caused
Captain Smith to be brought forth to a great house in the woods, and there upon a mat by the fire to be
left alone. Not long after, from behind a mat that divided the house, was made the most dolefulest noise
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he ever heard; then Powhatan, more like a devil than a man, with some two hundred more as black as
himself, came unto him and told him now they were friends, and presently he should go to Jamestown to
send him two great guns, and a grindstone, for which he would give him the country of Capahowosick, and
for ever esteem him as his son Nantaquoud.
So to Jamestown with 12 guides Powhatan sent him. That night they quartered in the woods, he still
expecting (as he had done all this long time of his imprisonment) every hour to be put to one death or
other, for all their feasting. But almighty God (by his divine providence) had mollified the hearts of
those stern barbarians with compassion. The next morning betimes they came to the fort, where Smith,
having used the savages with what kindness he could, he showed Rawhunt, Powhatan's trusty servant,
two demiculverings and a millstone to carry Powhatan. They found them somewhat too heavy, but when
they did see him discharge them, being loaded with stones, among the boughs of a great tree loaded with
icicles, the ice and branches came so tumbling down that the poor savages ran away half dead with fear.
But at last we regained some conference with them, and gave them such toys; and sent to Powhatan, his
women, and children such presents, as gave them in general full content.
Now in Jamestown they were all in combustion, the strongest preparing once more to run away with the
pinnace; which with the hazard of his life, with Saker falcon and musket shot, Smith forced now the
third time to stay or sink.
Some, no better than they should be, had plotted with the President, the next day to have put him to
death by the Levitical law, for the lives of and Robinson and Emry, pretending the fault was his that had
led them to their ends: but he quickly took such order with such lawyers, that he laid them by the heels
till he sent some of them prisoners for England.
Now every once in four or five days, Pocahontas with her attendants brought him so much provision that
saved many of their lives, that for all this had starved with hunger.
His relation of the plenty he had seen, especially at Werowocomoco, and the state and bounty of
Powhatan (which till that time was unknown), so revived their dead spirits (especially the love of
Pocahontas) as all mens fear was abandoned.
Thus you may see what difficulties still crossed any good endeavor; and the good success of the business
being thus oft brought to the very period of destruction; yet you see by what strange means God hath
still delivered it.