ed at the inlet of the Roanoke, since under the government of North Carolina. When they returned to England, they gave such an account of the places they visited, that the queen espoused the project of making a settlement, and she called the country Virginia, for two reasons which are given: first, that it was discovered in her reign, who was a Virgin Queen; and as it did still seem to retain the virgin purity and plenty of the first creation, and the people their native innocence. The natives were said to be perfectly affable and good natured, and the air of the climate equally charming and salutary. . . When king James came to the throne, he granted letters patent, bearing date, 1606, and appointed two companies, who had liberty to begin their plantation on any part of Virginia, between the latitude of 34 and 41. By virtue of this patent, capt. John Smith sailed in December of that year with three small ships,; and a commission was given him to establish a colony, and to govern by a President and Council that should be annually chosen. In the volume before us, this voyage of capt. Smith is called the sixth voyage. Prior adventurers made one general complaint, that they had found no good harbours. He entered the great Bay of Chesapeake, and landed on the southern cape, which he called Cape Henry, in honour of the prince of that name; and the north, Cape Charles: having thus marked the capes by the names of the king's sons, he gave the name of the river JAMES, after the monarch himself. This great river had been called by the Indians POWHATAN. The Indians at first appeared fair and friendly they soon, however, : discovered in the English settlers, a thirst for treasure, which led not only to oppressive acts, but to those mean and wicked contrivances, which are the spawn of avarice, and make men as unfeeling as they are selfish; and the consequence was, that they also manifested deceit and treachery. Smith himself was equally humane and brave; and his situation called forth such energies, as make him equal to the heroes of romance.We form this opinion from his actions, and the representations of others concerning him; and not from any description he gives of his own prowess. This enterprising navigator was a warriour, a politician and an historian. In each charac ter he was conspicuous and useful. A very full view of him is given in the 1st volume of Belknap's American Biography, which will reward every one that reads it with instruction and entertainment. Our design is only to represent him as an author; and his work is certainly among the most interesting of our early historians. The first map of these coasts ever sketched, was by his hand, A. D. 1614. He describes the shores, islands, harbours and headlands, and, having requested of Prince Charles that he would give the country a name, it was called NEW ENGLAND. Our navigator himself had formerly given his name to the islands, which are divided between Massachusetts and New Hampshire, now called Isles of Shoals. They are called Smith's Islands in the map. He also published in a small quar to the account of his voyages, which was printed in several works of those who made collections of voyages and travels. In 1622, he printed a book, called New England Trials, but this is no where to be found, except a few extracts in Purchas's Pilgrims. In 1627, he published his general history of Virginia, New England and Summer Isles, with the names of the adventurers, planters and governours, from their first beginning A. D 1584, to the year 1626, with the proceedings of those several colonies, and the accidents that befel them in all their journies and discoveries. Also the maps and descriptions of those countries, commodities, people, government, customs and religions yet known. This work, the subject of our Review, is the most complete account of several voyages and settlements now remaining. The extracts in Purchas, Churchill, &c. are rather portions of history than full narratives. It is a folio edition, divided into six books, and Smith is styled Admiral of New England, in the title page. The frontispiece is curious and well designed. At the top are the pictures of queen Elizabeth and James and Charles, who were kings during the progress of his discoveries. Upon the sides are the arms of England, St. George and Dragon crest, and the motto, Gens incoguita mihi serviet. At the bottom is the ocean with a ship in full sail, Quo fata ferunt. The dedication and preface of the history are in the quaint style of a literary man, who is conscious of merit, who has a claim to publick attention, but too independent of spirit to court that favour, which he is willing to receive, if not grudged him. The first book begins with the voyage of Madoc, 1170, and relates the several voyages to the discoveries of Capt. Weymouth, 1605. Smith does not pretend to establish the truth of the ancient voyages, as they are called, previously to the Vol. V. No. VIII. 3 H time of Columbus. He gives the honour of the discovery of the American continent to John CABOT and his son Sebastian. "Though Columbus," says he, "discovered certain islands, he did not see the continent till 1498, which was a year after Cabot had visited it. Americus did come a long time after, yet the whole continent, to this day, is called America." He speaks of the Floridas in the romantick style of an adventurer, as abounding in every thing which can astonish and delight. "No part of the world produces so many grapes; and as to tall trees, the cedars of Libanus are not equal to them." The second book is, "the account of Virginia, now planted, as discovered by Capt. John Smith." The bounds of Virginia were then "the great ocean, eastward; on the south side, Florida; on the north, Nova Francia; as to the west, the limits unknown." His Indians differ from those of our northern tribes, who are said to have no beards. Writers, however, express different opinions; some de claring they have none, others that nature produces a beard, of which they deprive themselves as soon as it makes its appearance. "The men,” says he, "wear half their beards shaveu, the other half long. For barbers, they use women, who, with two shells, will grate it away of any fashion they please." Capt. Smith closes his account with saying, how different those people were, who submitted to social order, from the idle vagrants among the colonists, who would submit to no discipline or authority, who suffered most grievously. "In all this time I lost but seven or eight men, yet, subjected the savages to obedience, and received contribution. from five of their kings, to protect and assist them against any that should assault them; in which order they continued true and faithful, and as subjects to his majesty, so long as I did govern them, until I left the country; how they have revolted, the country lost, and again replanted, and the business hath succeeded from time to time, I refer you to the relations of them returned from Virginia, that have been more diligent in such observations."* The third book gives, "the proceedings of the colony, from the relations of several of the first settlers, collected by Wm. Symonds, D D. These accounts are correct and impartial, and tend much to the honour of Capt. Smith, the President. It is a short view of the state of the colony from the pens of others, who were eye witnesses of his proceedings and of the accidents which took place." The fourth book is "an account of the proceedings after the alteration of the government." Among the writers who describe this period of their history, may be Beverly gives a sad account of the idle part of the company. They found a fresh stream of water springing out of the ground, near Jamestown island, in which was a yellow sort of dust isinglass, which they took to be gold, and which made them distracted, for they neglected the necessary means of defence against the Indians, and the support of their bodics by securing of provisions. They were so reduced, that, for a time, they lived upon wild fruits, or upon crabs and muscles, as some of the laziest Indians, who have no pleasure in exercise, and wont be at the pains to fish and hunt. Many of them were destroyed, and the rest had only what fell into their mouths. Whereas by the care and management of Capt. J. Smith, in the year 1608, those who followed him were able to gather Indian corn of their own planting reckoned Mr. John Rolfe; he signs his name, attesting certain proceed. ings, June, 1618. This man was the husband of Pocahontas, daugh ter of Powhatan, to whom he was married, A. D. 1613.† the relation of Capt. N. Powell, and othDuring this time (1617, according to ers) the lady Rebecca, alias Pocahontas, by the diligent care of her husband, Master John Rolfe, was taught to speak such English, as might well be understood, well instructed in christianity,and was become formal and civil after our English manner. She had also by him a child, which she loved most dearly, and the treasurer and company took order for the maintenance of her and it; be sides these even persons of great rank and quality had been very kind to her. And before she arrived in London, Capt. Smith, to deserve her former courtesies, made her qualitie known to the queen's most excellent majesty, and her court, and writ a little book to this effect to the queen. This little book is an address to queen Anne, recommending Pocahontas ; and it is such a curious morsel of writing, according to the taste of that day, that we wish it were consistent with our limits to give the whole of it; but we must refer to the several histories of Virginia, where it is carefully preserved. During this time Capt. Smith met with ↑ To the curious it may give pleasure to know that the first christian marriage in this part of the world was in 1609, John Leyden and Anna Burrows were then joined together in wedlock The first child that was born of christian parentage was at Roenoke, August 18, 1587, and she was christened by the name of Virginia. She was a daughter of Mr. Ananias Dare. During the same month, the first Indian that was made a christian in these American regions, was baptised by the name of Manteo, and they styled h m Lord of Das-amonpeak. We here speak of English America, not extending our remarks to the Span ish dominions at the south. Pocahontas in England. She had supposed he was dead. Being about this time to set sail for New-England, I could not stay to do her that service I desired, and she well deserved; but hearing she was at Brenford with diverse of my friends, I went to see her. After a modest salutation, without any word, she turned about, observed my face, as not seeming well contented; and in that humour her hus. band, with diverse other, we all left her for two or three hours, repenting myself to have writ she could speak English. But not long after she began to talk, and remembered what courtesies she had done; saying,, You did promise Powhatan what was yours should be his, and be the like to you; you called him father, being in his land a stranger, and for the same reason so must I do you; which, though I would have excused, I durst not allow of that title, because she was a king's daughter. With a well set countenance she said, Were you not afraid to come into my father's country, and caused fear in him and all the people (but me) and fear you here I should call you father? I tell you then I will, and you shall call me child, and so I will be forever and ever your countryman. They did tell us always you were dead, and I knew no other till I came to Ply: mouth; yet Powhatan did command Vitamatomekkin to seek you and know the truth, because your countrymen will lie much. The quotation we make not only as a specimen of primeval simplicity of manners, and plainness of style, but as containing an account of the interview so complete, that nothing need be added or diminished. Yet it is somewhat different from several narratives, which have come under One only will our cognizance. serve, which is to be found in Bev. erly's History of Virginia, to shew that the text and comment do not always agree. He says, that when this lady arrived in England, she had been informed, that Capt. Smith was dead, because he had been diverted from that colony by making settlements in New-England. "For this reason when she saw him, she seemed to think herself much affronted, for that they had dared to impose so gross a sense upon her, and at first sight turned away. She put him in mind of her former kindness, and then upbraided him for his forgetfulness of her, shewing by her reproaches, that even a state of nature teaches to abhor ingratitude." In the American Biography it is thus related, that, " at her first interview with Smith, she called him father, and because he did not immediately return the salutatio, and call her child, she was so overcome with grief, that she hid her face, and would not speak for some time." From Smith's account, every thing which took place at the interview may naturally be accounted for. She was dumb from astonishment, seeing one, who, as she supposed, was dead, a man so dear to her, and that after her heart was let loose upon the occasion, and the streams of sensibility began to flow easily, she conversed freely, calling him father, &c. This child of nature, or this amiable young lady, as she was called, after being introduced to civilized and cultivated society,died at Gravesend, just as she was ready to sail for her native land, which doubtless had charms more congenial to her disposition. "It pleased God to take her to his mercy," according to the relation of Capt. Argall," and she made not more scrrow for her unexpected death, than joy to the beholders to hear and see her make so religious and godly an end." The fifth book is a relation of the discoveries of the Summer Islands, otherwise called Bermuda, from a Spanish ship that was cast ashore. Sir George Summers died here, in 1609, from whom they took the name. They are sometime called Somer isles, and he is named Somers. This fault runs through the book, and it shows how little regård was paid to the spelling of names in our ancient records. Words of all kinds are spelt as differently in this book, in the relation of the same voyage, as though they were written in different ages. There was indeed no standard of orthography. The sixth and last book contains Capt. Smith's voyages to New-England, and the map beforementioned of these coasts, very curious, with a large portrait of Capt. J. Smith, Admiral of N. England. The first voy age was A. D. 1614. He made a second the succeeding year. The part we call New-England, is between 41 and 45 degrees, the very mean between the north pole and the line, but that part this discourse speakethof,stretcheth from Penobscot to Cape Cod, some 75 leagues by a right line drawn from each other. Within which bounds I have seen forty several habitations upon the seacoasts, and sounded above twenty-five good harboure, in many whereof there is anchorage for five hundred ships of any burden, in some of them for one thousand; and more than two hundred islands overgrown with good timber of diverse sorts of wood, which do make So many harbours, as required a longer time, than I had, to be well ob served. The conclusion of the work is a ed by general computation one hundred Notwithstanding the dryness and barrenness of this history to those who read works where the pages are adorned and enriched with the observations of the writer, whose fancy glows while he is narrating the things which happen; we must think our ancient books fruitful in events worthy of attention, and such Hence we offer to the publick this as may excite our admiration. work among the objects of our Re trospective Review. As to the style, we submit it to the opinion of the reader. would allow, especially from men It is as good as the times remarkable for their enterprize and activity, rather than any litera ry character. Here is much appa rent truth and candour, and we look into such books for curious matter, and find naked facts without any attempt at ornament. Future his torians will be able to build very beautiful superstructures with these rough stones for the foundation. whether of war or peace; and when Every transaction is mentioned, Capt. Smith writes, he often expa tiates upon circumstances that are complete specimen of his opinions, interesting. But it is not only for and manner of writing. I have thrown myself with my mite into my country's good, not doubting God will stir up some noble spirits to consider and examine if worthy Columbus could give the Spaniards any such certainties of his design, when queen Isabel sent him forth with fifteen sail And though I promise no mines of gold, yet the warlike Hollanders let us imitate, but not hate, whose wealth and strength are good testimonies of their treasury gotten by fishing. And New-England has already yield. the use of future writers we wish those ancient records to be kept. In every generation there are some the remembrance of their fathers' few, whose minds are soothed with virtues; who seek their footsteps, and the lines which mark the place of their habitation. In this volume they will find precious documents of their carliest history; and their eyes first map ever made of their coasts. will glisten with pleasure over the |