On the 10th of December Captain Smith departed on his famous expedition up the Chickahominy, during which the alleged Pocahontas episode occurred.Mr.Wingfield's condensed account of this journey and captivity we shall refer to hereafter.In Smith's absence President Ratcliffe, contrary to his oath, swore Mr.Archer one of the Council; and Archer was no sooner settled in authority than he sought to take Smith's life.The enmity of this man must be regarded as a long credit mark to Smith.Archer had him indicted upon a chapter in Leviticus (they all wore a garb of piety) for the death of two men who were killed by the Indians on his expedition."He had had his trials the same daie of his retourne," says Wingfield, "and Ibelieve his hanging the same, or the next daie, so speedy is our law there.But it pleased God to send Captain Newport unto us the same evening, to our unspeakable comfort; whose arrivall saved Mr.Smyth's leif and mine, because he took me out of the pynnasse, and gave me leave to lyve in the towne.Also by his comyng was prevented a parliament, which the newe counsailor, Mr.Recorder, intended thear to summon."Captain Newport's arrival was indeed opportune.He was the only one of the Council whose character and authority seem to have been generally respected, the only one who could restore any sort of harmony and curb the factious humors of the other leaders.Smith should have all credit for his energy in procuring supplies, for his sagacity in dealing with the Indians, for better sense than most of the other colonists exhibited, and for more fidelity to the objects of the plantation than most of them; but where ability to rule is claimed for him, at this juncture we can but contrast the deference shown by all to Newport with the want of it given to Smith.
Newport's presence at once quelled all the uneasy spirits.
Newport's arrival, says Wingfield, "saved Mr Smith's life and mine."Smith's account of the episode is substantially the same.In his "True Relation" he says on his return to the fort "each man with truest signs of joy they could express welcomed me, except Mr.
Archer, and some two or three of his, who was then in my absence sworn councilor, though not with the consent of Captain Martin; great blame and imputation was laid upon me by them for the loss of our two men which the Indians slew: insomuch that they purposed to depose me, but in the midst of my miseries, it pleased God to send Captain Newport, who arriving there the same night, so tripled our joy, as for a while those plots against me were deferred, though with much malice against me, which Captain Newport in short time did plainly see." In his "Map of Virginia," the Oxford tract of 1612, Smith does not allude to this; but in the "General Historie" it had assumed a different aspect in his mind, for at the time of writing that he was the irresistible hero, and remembered himself as always nearly omnipotent in Virginia.Therefore, instead of expressions of gratitude to Newport we read this: "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 Sakre, falcon and musket shot, Smith forced now the third time to stay or sink.Some no better than they should be, had plotted to put him to death by the Levitical law, for the lives of Robinson and Emry, pretending that the fault was his, that 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 to England."Clearly Captain Smith had no authority to send anybody prisoner to England.When Newport returned, April 10th, Wingfield and Archer went with him.Wingfield no doubt desired to return.Archer was so insolent, seditious, and libelous that he only escaped the halter by the interposition of Newport.The colony was willing to spare both these men, and probably Newport it was who decided they should go.
As one of the Council, Smith would undoubtedly favor their going.He says in the "General Historie": "We not having any use of parliaments, plaises, petitions, admirals, recorders, interpreters, chronologers, courts of plea, or justices of peace, sent Master Wingfield and Captain Archer home with him, that had engrossed all those titles, to seek some better place of employment." Mr.
Wingfield never returned.Captain Archer returned in 1609, with the expedition of Gates and Somers, as master of one of the ships.
Newport had arrived with the first supply on the 8th of January, 1608.The day before, according to Wingfield, a fire occurred which destroyed nearly all the town, with the clothing and provisions.
According to Smith, who is probably correct in this, the fire did not occur till five or six days after the arrival of the ship.The date is uncertain, and some doubt is also thrown upon the date of the arrival of the ship.It was on the day of Smith's return from captivity: and that captivity lasted about four weeks if the return was January 8th, for he started on the expedition December 10th.
Smith subsequently speaks of his captivity lasting six or seven weeks.
In his "General Historie" Smith says the fire happened after the return of the expedition of Newport, Smith, and Scrivener to the Pamunkey: "Good Master Hunt, our Preacher, lost all his library, and all he had but the clothes on his back; yet none ever heard him repine at his loss." This excellent and devoted man is the only one of these first pioneers of whom everybody speaks well, and he deserved all affection and respect.
One of the first labors of Newport was to erect a suitable church.
Services had been held under many disadvantages, which Smith depicts in his "Advertisements for Unexperienced Planters," published in London in 1631: