16 Early Struggles in Virginia (1608)

Account by Thomas Studley, an English gentleman who was the first Cape Merchant in the Jamestown colony. As the colonial storekeeper and treasurer, he was intimately aware of the state of provisions. Studley died shortly after writing his portions of The Proceedings of the English Colonie in Virginia.

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 [his own use] Oatmeal, sack [wine], oil, aquavitae [liquor], beef, eggs, or what not. But the 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 stayed 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 [in the trees].

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. But now was all our provision spent, the Sturgeon gone, all helps abandoned, each hour expecting the fury of the Savages. Then 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 provision, as no man wanted [did without].

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 [is] 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 [Ratcliffe] and Martin, being little beloved, of weak judgement 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.

This done, seeing the Savages superfluity [generosity] begin to decrease, he (with some of his workmen) shipped himself in the shallop to search the country for trade. The want of the language, knowledge to manage his boat without sails, the want of a sufficient power (knowing the multitude of the Savages), apparel for his men, and other necessaries, were infinite impediments yet no discouragement. Being but six or seven in company, he went down the river to Kecoughtan where at first they scorned him as a starved man. Yet he so dealt with them that the next day they loaded his boat with corn. And in his return, he discovered and kindly traded with the Worraskoyaks.

Wingfield and Kendall living in disgrace, strengthened themselves with the sailors and other confederates to regain their former credit and authority, or at least such means aboard the Pinnace (being fitted to sail as Smith had appointed for trade) to alter her course and to go for England. Smith unexpectedly returning, had the plot discovered to him. Much trouble he had to prevent it, till with store of fauken [falcon balls] and musket shot, he forced them [to] stay or sink in the river. Which action cost the life of Captain Kendall [who was shot after trial].

These brawls are so disgustful, as some will say they were better forgotten. Yet all men of good judgement will conclude it were better their baseness should be manifest to the world than the business bear the scorn and shame of their excused disorders. The President and Captain Archer not long after intended also to have abandoned the country; which project also was curbed and suppressed by Smith. The Spaniard never more greedily desired gold than he victuals, which he found so plentiful in the river of Chickahamine, where hundreds of Savages in diverse places stood with baskets expecting his coming.

And now the winter approaching, the rivers became so covered with swans, geese, ducks, and cranes that we daily feasted with good bread, Virginia peas, pumpkins, and persimmons, fish, fowl, and diverse sorts of wild beasts as fat as we could eat them; so that none desired to go for England. But our comedies never endured long without a Tragedy. Some idle exceptions being muttered against Captain Smith for not discovering the head of Chickahamine River. The next voyage, he proceeded so far that with much labor, by cutting of trees asunder, he made his passage. But when his Barge could pass no farther, he left her in a broad bay out of danger of shot, commanding none should go ashore till his return.  He himself, with two English and two Savages, went up higher in a Canoe. But he was not long absent, but his men went ashore; whose want of government gave both occasion and opportunity to the Savages to surprise one George Casson.

Smith little dreaming of that accident, being got to the marshes at the rivers head, had his two men slain sleeping by the Canoe, whilst himself by fowling sought them victuals. Who finding he was beset with 200 Savages, two of them he slew. Still defending himself with the aid of a Savage his guide till at last slipping into a bogmire, they took him prisoner. When this news came to the fort, much was their sorrow for his loss, few expecting what ensued. A month those Barbarians kept him prisoner. Many strange triumphs and conjurations they made of him, yet he not only diverted them from surprising the Fort but procured his own liberty and got himself and his company such estimation amongst them, that those Savages admired him as a demi-God.

So returning safe to the Fort [Jan. 1608], [he] once more stalled the Pinnace her flight for England, which till his return could not set sail, so extreme was the weather and so great the frost. His relation of the plenty he had seen, especially at Meronocomoco where inhabited Powhatan (that till that time was unknown), so revived again their dead spirits as all men’s fear was abandoned. Powhatan having sent with this Captain, diverse of his men loaded with provision, he appointed his trusty messengers to bring out two or three of our great ordnances [cannons]. But [at] sight of one of them discharged, [the Indians] ran away amazed with fear till means was used with gifts to assure them [of] our loves.

Thus you may see what difficulties still crossed any good endeavor and the good success of the business, yet you see by what strange means God has still delivered it. As for the insufficiency of them admitted in commission, that error could not be prevented by their electors; there being no other choice and all were strangers each to others education, qualities, or disposition. And if any deem it a shame to our nation, to have any mention made of these enormities, let them peruse the histories of the Spanish discoveries and plantations where they may see how many mutinies, discords, and dissensions have accompanied them and crossed their attempts. Which being known to be particular men’s offenses, does take away the general scorn and contempt,[that] malice and ignorance might else produce to the scandal and reproach of those whose actions  and valiant resolution deserve a worthy respect.

Now whether it had been better for Captain Smith to have abandoned the Country with some 10 or 12 of them who were called the better sort; to have left Master Hunt our preacher, Master Anthony Gosnoll (a most honest worthy and industrious gentleman) with some 30 or 40 others, his countrymen, to the fury of the Savages, famine, and all manner of mischiefs and inconveniences; or starved himself with them for company, for want of lodging; or but adventuring abroad to make them provision, or by his opposition to preserve the action and save all their lives, I leave to the censure of others to consider.

Thomas Studley.

Source: “What happened till the first supply”, by Thomas Studley, in Captain John Smith, Works, 1608-1631, Edward Arber, ed. 1884. https://archive.org/details/works1608163100smit/page/390/mode/2up