the complete writings-3-第60章

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　being　prevented。　　〃The　loss；　scorn；　and　misery　was　the　poor　officers；　gentlemen　and　careless　governors；　who　were　bought　and　sold。〃　　The　adventurers　were　cheated；　and　all　their　actions　overthrown　by　false　information　and　unwise　directions。

Master　Scrivener　was　sent　with　the　barges　and　pinnace　to　Werowocomoco；　where　by　the　aid　of　Namontuck　he　procured　a　little　corn；　though　the　savages　were　more　ready　to　fight　than　to　trade。　　At　length　Newport's　ship　was　loaded　with　clapboards；　pitch；　tar；　glass；　frankincense　（？）　and　soapashes；　and　despatched　to　England。　　About　two　hundred　men　were　left　in　the　colony。　　With　Newport；　Smith　sent　his　famous　letter　to　the　Treasurer　and　Council　in　England。　　It　is　so　good　a　specimen　of　Smith's　ability　with　the　pen；　reveals　so　well　his　sagacity　and　knowledge　of　what　a　colony　needed；　and　exposes　so　clearly　the　ill…management　of　the　London　promoters；　and　the　condition　of　the　colony；　that　we　copy　it　entire。　　It　appears　by　this　letter　that　Smith's　〃　Map　of　Virginia；〃　and　his　description　of　the　country　and　its　people；　which　were　not　published　till　1612；　were　sent　by　this　opportunity。　　Captain　Newport　sailed　for　England　late　in　the　autumn　of　1608。　　The　letter　reads：

RIGHT　HONORABLE；　ETC。：

I　received　your　letter　wherein　you　write　that　our　minds　are　so　set　upon　faction；　and　idle　conceits　in　dividing　the　country　without　your　consents；　and　that　we　feed　you　but　with　ifs　and　ands；　hopes　and　some　few　proofes；　as　if　we　would　keepe　the　mystery　of　the　businesse　to　ourselves：　and　that　we　must　expressly　follow　your　instructions　sent　by　Captain　Newport：　the　charge　of　whose　voyage　amounts　to　neare　two　thousand　pounds；　the　which　if　we　cannot　defray　by　the　ships　returne　we　are　likely　to　remain　as　banished　men。　　To　these　particulars　I　humbly　intreat　your　pardons　if　I　offend　you　with　my　rude　answer。

For　our　factions；　unless　you　would　have　me　run　away　and　leave　the　country；　I　cannot　prevent　them；　because　I　do　make　many　stay　that　would　else　fly　away　whither。　　For　the　Idle　letter　sent　to　my　Lord　of　Salisbury；　by　the　President　and　his　confederates；　for　dividing　the　country；　&c。；　what　it　was　I　know　not；　for　you　saw　no　hand　of　mine　to　it；　nor　ever　dream't　I　of　any　such　matter。　　That　we　feed　you　with　hopes；　&c。　　Though　I　be　no　scholar；　I　am　past　a　schoolboy；　and　I　desire　but　to　know　what　either　you　and　these　here　doe　know；　but　that　I　have　learned　to　tell　you　by　the　continuall　hazard　of　my　life。　　I　have　not　concealed　from　you　anything　I　know；　but　I　feare　some　cause　you　to　believe　much　more　than　is　true。

Expressly　to　follow　your　directions　by　Captain　Newport；　though　they　be　performed；　I　was　directly　against　it；　but　according　to　our　commission；　I　was　content　to　be　overouled　by　the　major　part　of　the　Councill；　I　feare　to　the　hazard　of　us　all；　which　now　is　generally　confessed　when　it　is　too　late。　　Onely　Captaine　Winne　and　Captaine　Walclo　I　have　sworne　of　the　Councill；　and　crowned　Powhattan　according　to　your　instructions。

For　the　charge　of　the　voyage　of　two　or　three　thousand　pounds　we　have　not　received　the　value　of　one　hundred　pounds；　and　for　the　quartered　boat　to　be　borne　by　the　souldiers　over　the　falls。　　Newport　had　120　of　the　best　men　he　could　chuse。　　If　he　had　burnt　her　to　ashes；　one　might　have　carried　her　in　a　bag；　but　as　she　is；　five　hundred　cannot　to　a　navigable　place　above　the　falls。　　And　for　him　at　that　time　to　find　in　the　South　Sea　a　mine　of　gold；　or　any　of　them　sent　by　Sir　Walter　Raleigh；　at　our　consultation　I　told　them　was　as　likely　as　the　rest。　But　during　this　great　discovery　of　thirtie　miles　（which　might　as　well　have　been　done　by　one　man；　and　much　more；　for　the　value　of　a　pound　of　copper　at　a　seasonable　tyme）；　they　had　the　pinnace　and　all　the　boats　with　them　but　one　that　remained　with　me　to　serve　the　fort。　　In　their　absence　I　followed　the　new　begun　works　of　Pitch　and　Tarre；　Glasse；　Sope…ashes；　Clapboord；　whereof　some　small　quantities　we　have　sent　you。　　But　if　you　rightly　consider　what　an　infinite　toyle　it　is　in　Russia　and　Swethland；　where　the　woods　are　proper　for　naught　els；　and　though　there　be　the　helpe　both　of　man　and　beast　in　those　ancient　commonwealths；　which　many　an　hundred　years　have　used　it；　yet　thousands　of　those　poor　people　can　scarce　get　necessaries　to　live；　but　from　hand　to　mouth；　and　though　your　factors　there　can　buy　as　much　in　a　week　as　will　fraught　you　a　ship；　or　as　much　as　you　please；　you　must　not　expect　from　us　any　such　matter；　which　are　but　as　many　of　ignorant；　miserable　soules；　that　are　scarce　able　to　get　wherewith　to　live；　and　defend　ourselves　against　the　inconstant　Salvages：　finding　but　here　and　there　a　tree　fit　for　the　purpose；　and　want　all　things　else　the　Russians　have。　　For　the　Coronation　of　Powhattan；　by　whose　advice　you　sent　him　such　presents；　I　know　not；　but　this　give　me　leave　to　tell　you；　I　feare　they　will　be　the　confusion　of　us　all　ere　we　heare　from　you　again。　　At　your　ships　arrivall；　the　Salvages　harvest　was　newly　gathered；　and　we　going　to　buy　it；　our　owne　not　being　halve　sufficient　for　so　great　a　number。　　As　for　the　two　ships　loading　of　corne　Newport　promised　to　provide　us　from　Powhattan；　he　brought　us　but　fourteen　bushels；　and　from　the　Monacans　nothing；　but　the　most　of　the　men　sicke　and　neare　famished。　　From　your　ship　we　had　not　provision　in　victuals　worth　twenty　pound；　and　we　are　more　than　two　hundred　to　live　upon　this；　the　one　halfe　sicke；　the　other　little　better。　　For　the　saylers　（I　confesse）；　they　daily　make　good　cheare；　but　our　dyet　is　a　little　meale　and　water；　and　not　sufficient　of　that。　Though　there　be　fish　in　the　Sea；　fowles　in　the　ayre；　and　beasts　in　the　woods；　their　bounds　are　so　large；　they　so　wilde；　and　we　so　weake　and　ignorant；　we　cannot　much　trouble　them。　　Captaine　Newport　we　much　suspect　to　be　the　Author　of　these　inventions。　　Now　that　you　should　know；　I　have　made　you　as　great　a　discovery　as　he；　for　less　charge　than　he　spendeth　you　every　meale；　I　had　sent　you　this　mappe　of　the　Countries　and　Nations　that　inhabit　them；　as　you　may　see　at　large。　Also　two　barrels　of　stones；　and　such　as　I　take　to　be　good。　　Iron　ore　at　the　least；　so　divided；　as　by　their　notes　you　may　see　in　what　places　I　found　them。　　The　souldiers　say　many　of　your　officers　maintaine　their　families　out　of　that　you　sent　us；　and　that　Newport　hath　an　hundred　pounds　a　year　for　carrying　newes。　　For　every　master　you　have　yet　sent　can　find　the　way　as　well　as　he；　so　that　an　hundred　pounds　might　be　spared；　which　is　more　than　we　have　all；　that　helps　to　pay　him　wages。　　Cap。　　Ratliffe　is　now　called　Sicklemore；　a　poore　counterfeited　Imposture。　　I　have　sent　you　him　home　least　the　Company　should　cut　his　throat。　　What　he　is；　now　every　one　can　tell　you：　if　he　and　Archer　returne　againe；　they　are　sufficient　to　keep　us　always　in　factions。　　When　you　send　againe　I　entreat　you　rather　send　but　thirty　carpenters；　husbandmen；　gardiners；　fishermen；　blacksmiths；　masons；　and　diggers　up　of　trees　roots；　well　provided；　then　a　thousand　of　such　as　we　have；　for　except　wee　be　able　both　to　lodge　them；　and　feed　them；　the　most　will　consume　with　want　of　necessaries　before　they　can　be　made　good　for　anything。　　Thus　if　you　please　to　consider　this　account；　and　the　unnecessary　wages　to　Captaine　Newport；　or　his　ships　so　long　lingering　and　staying　here　（for　notwithstanding　his　boasting　to　leave　us　victuals　for　12　months；　though　we　had　89　by　this　discovery　lame　and　sicke；　and　but　a　pinte　of　corne　a　day　for　a　man；　we　were　constrained　to　give　him　three　hogsheads　of　that　to　victuall　him　homeward）；　or　yet　to　send　into　Germany　or　Poleland　for　glassemen　and　the　rest；　till　we　be　able　to　sustaine　ourselves；　and　releeve　them　when　they　come。　　It　were　better　to　give　five　hundred　pound　a　ton　for　those　grosse　Commodities　in　Denmarke；　then　send　for　them　hither；　till　more　necessary　things　be　provided。　　For　in　over…toyling　our　weake　and　unskilfull　bodies；　to　satisfy　this　desire　of　present　profit；　we　can　scarce　ever　recover　ourselves　from　one　supply　to　another。　　And　I　humbly　intreat　you　hereafter；　let　us　have　what　we　should　receive；　and　not　stand　to　the　Saylers　courtesie　to　leave　us　what　they　please；　els　you　may　charge　us　what　you　will；　but　we　not　you　with　anything。　　These　are　the　causes　that　have　kept　us　in　Virginia　from　laying　such　a　foundation　that　ere　this　might　have　given