if we were religious, to show our faith by.works, in converting those poor salvages to the knowledge of God, seeing what pains the Spaniards take to bring them to their adulterated faith. Honor might move the gentry, the valiant and industrious, and the hope and assurance of wealth all, if we were that we would seem and be accounted. Or be we so far inferior to other nations, or our spirits so far dejected from our ancient predecessors, or our minds so upon spoil, piracy, and such villany, as to serve the Portugal, Spaniard, Dutch, French, or Turk (as, to the cost of Europe, too many do) rather than our God, our King, our country and ourselves? excusing our idleness and our base complaints by want of employment, when here is such choice of all sorts and for all degrees, in the planting and discovering these North parts of America.

Now, to make my words more apparent by my deeds, I was, the last year, 1615, to have stayed in the country, to make a more ample trial of those conclusions, with sixteen. men, whose names were

William Ingram,

Thomas Dirmir,

Edward Stalings,

Robert Miller,

Daniel Cage,

Soldiers.

Francis Abbot,

John Partridge,

John Gosling,

Thomas Digby,

and two boys,

Thomas Watson,

Daniel Baker,

Adam Smith,

、

I confess I could have wished them as many thousands, had all other provisions been in like proportion; nor would I have had so few could I have had means for more. Yet (would God have pleased we had safely arrived) I never had the like authority, freedom, and provision to do so well. The main assistance, next God, I had to this small number, was my acquaintance among the salvages, especially with Dohannida, one of their greatest lords, who had lived long in England. By the means of this proud salvage, I did not doubt but quickly to have got that credit with the rest of his friends and alliants, to have had as many of them as I desired in any design I intended, and that trade also they had, by

such a kind of exchange of their country commodities, which both with ease and security in their seasons may be used. With him and divers others I had concluded to inhabit, and defend them against the Terentynes, with a better power than the French did them, whose tyranny did enforce them. to embrace my offer with no small devotion. And though many may think me more bold than wise, in regard of their power, dexterity, treachery and inconstancy, having so desperately assaulted and betrayed many others, I say but this, (because with so many I have many times done much more in Virginia than I intended here, when I wanted that experience Virginia taught me) that to me it seems no danger more than ordinary. And though I know myself the meanest of many thousands, whose apprehensive inspection can pierce beyond the bounds of my abilities, into the hidden things of nature, art and reason, yet I entreat such give me leave to excuse myself of so much imbecility, as to say, that in these eight years which I have been conversant with these affairs, I have not learned there is a great difference betwixt the directions and judgment of experimental knowledge, and the superficial conjecture of variable relation, wherein. rumor, humor or misprision have such power, that ofttimes one is enough to beguile twenty, but twenty not sufficient to keep one from being deceived. Therefore I know no reason but to believe my own eyes before any man's imagination, that is but wrested from the conceits of my own projects and endeavors. But I honor, with all affection, the counsel and instructions of judicial directions, or any other honest advertisement, so far to observe, as they tie me not to the cruelty of unknown events.

These are the inducements that thus drew me to neglect all other employments, and spend my time and best abilities in these adventures. Wherein, though I have had many discouragements by the ingratitude of some, the malicious slanders of others, the falseness of friends, the treachery of cowards, and slowness of adventurers; but chiefly by one Hunt, who was master of the ship, with whom, oft arguing these projects for a plantation, however he seemed well in words to like it, yet he practised to have robbed me of my plots and observations, and so to leave me alone in a desoÎate isle, to the fury of famine, and all other extremities, (lest I should have acquainted Sir Thomas Smith, my hon

orable good friend, and the Council of Virginia) to the end he and his associates might secretly engross it, ere it were known to the State. Yet that God that alway hath kept me from the worst of such practices, delivered me from the worst of his dissimulations. Notwithstanding, after my

departure he abused the salvages where he came, and betrayed twenty-seven of these poor innocent souls, which he sold in Spain for slaves, to move their hate against our nation, as well as to cause my proceedings to be so much the more difficult.

Now, returning in the barque, in the fifth of August, I arrived at Plymouth; where imparting those my purposes to my honorable friend Sir Ferdinando Gorge, and some others, I was so encouraged and assured to have the managing their authority in those parts during my life, that I engaged myself to undertake it for them. Arriving at London, I found also many promise me such assistance, that I entertained Michael Cooper, the master who returned with me, and others of the company. How he dealt with others, or others with him, I know not; but my public proceeding gave such encouragement, that it became so well apprehended by some few of the Southern Company, as these projects were liked, and he furnished from London with four ships at sea, before they at Plymouth had made any provision at all, but only a ship chiefly set out by Sir Ferdinando Gorge, which, upon Hunt's late treachery among the salvages, returned as she went, and did little or nothing but lost her time. I must confess I was beholden to the setters forth of the four ships that went with Cooper, in that they offered me that employment if I would accept it, and I find my refusal hath incurred some of their displeasures, whose favor and love I exceedingly desire, if I may honestly enjoy it. And though they do censure me as opposite to their proceedings, they shall yet still in all my words and deeds find it is their error, not my fault, that occasions their dislike. For having engaged myself in this business to the West Country, I had been very dishonest to have broke my promise; nor will I spend more time in discovery, or fishing, till I may go with a company for plantation; for I know my grounds. Yet every one that reads this book cannot put it in practice, though it may help any that have seen those parts. And though they endeavor to work me even

out of my own designs, I will not much envy their fortunes; but I would be sorry their intruding ignorance should, by their defailments, bring those certainties to doubtfulness. So that the business prosper, I have my desire, be it by Londoner, Scot, Welch, or English, that àre true subjects to our King and country. The good of my country is that I seek, and there is more than enough for all, if they could be content but to proceed.

At last it pleased Sir Ferdinando Gorge, and Master Doctor Sutliffe, Dean of Exeter, to conceive so well of these. projects and my former employments, as induced them to make a new adventure with me in those parts, whither they have so often sent to their continual loss. By whose example many inhabitants of the West country made promises of much more than was looked for, but their private emulations quickly qualified that heat in the greater number, so that the burden lay principally on them and some few gentlemen my friends in London. In the end, I was furnished with a ship of 200, and another of 50; but ere I had sailed one hundred and twenty leagues, she broke all her masts, pumping each watch five or six thousand strokes; only her sprit-sail remained to spoon before the wind, till we had` re-accommodated a jury-mast, and the rest, to return for Plymouth. My vice-admiral being lost, not knowing of this, proceeded her voyage. Now with the remainder of those provisions, I got out again in a small barque of 60 tons with 30 men (for this of 200 and provisions for 70) which were the 16 before named, and 14 other sailors for the ship. With those I set sail again the 24th of June; where what befell me (because my actions and writings are so public to the world, envy still seeking to scandalize my endeavors, and seeing no power but death can stop the chat of ill tongues nor imagination of men's minds), lest my own Relations of those hard events might, by some constructors, be made doubtful, I have thought it best to insert the examinations of those proceedings, taken by Sir Lewis Stukley, a worthy knight, and Vice-Admiral of Devonshire; which were as followeth :

The Examination of Daniel Baker, late Steward to Captain John Smith in the return of Plimouth; taken before Sir Lewis Stukley, Knight, the eighth of December, 1615.

WHO saith, being chased two days by one Fry,* an English pirate, that could not board us, by reason of foul weather, Edmund Chambers, the master, John Minter, his mate, Thomas Digby the pilot, and others importuned his said captain to yield, holding it impossible he should defend himself, and that the said captain should send them his boat, in that they had none. Which at last he concluded upon these conditions, that Fry the pirate should vow not to take any thing from Captain Smith, that might overthrow his voyage, nor send more pirates into his ship than he liked of; otherwise, he would make sure of them he had, and defend himself against the rest as he could.

:

More he confesseth that the quarter-masters and Chambers received gold of those pirates; but how much, he knoweth not; nor would his captain come out of his cabin to entertain them, although a great many of them had been his sailors, and for his love would have wafted us to the isles of Flowers.

At Fyall we were chased by two French pirates, (the one of 200, the other 20), who commanded us amain. Chambers, Minter, Digby, and others, importuned again the captain to yield, alleging they were Turks, and would make them all slaves, or Frenchmen, and would throw them all overboard if they shot but a piece; and that they were entertained to fish, and not to fight; until the captain vowed to fire the powder and split the ship if they would not stand to their defence; whereby at last we went clear of them, for all their shot.

At Flowers we were chased by four French men of war, all with their close fights afore and after. (The Admiral, 140 tons, 12 pieces, 12 murderers, 90 men, with long pistols, pocket pistols, musket, sword and poniard; the ViceAdmiral 100 tons, the Rear-Admiral 60, the other 80; all had 250 men, most armed, as is said.) And this examinate's captain having provided for our defence, Chambers,

*

Captain Fry's ship 140 tons, 36 cast pieces and murderers, 80 men; of which 40 or 50 were master gunners.