A

to dread his influence and authority, and who would much sooner hear of his death than be assured that he had come back among them. Captain Archer had been put in his place in the Council, during his absence, who was the ringleader in a plan to take the boat and desert the settlement with a few selfish and cowardly followers. Smith made his old and sure appeal to the loaded guns of the fort; and, just at the critical moment when they thought to carry their scheme into effect, his energetic firmness compelled them to abandon their undertaking, and make the best of their way to the shore. This was an act that, by repetition, might almost be said to have become a habit with Captain Smith; but it was certainly instrumental in preventing a complete break-up of the colony in its infant existence, and the consequent suffering and death of its members who might have been left behind.

The malcontents, not satisfied with being spared from the doom with which they were threatened, now sought to convict Smith of murdering the imprudent men who were slain, as has been narrated, by the Indians. They of course

could have no proof of a deed so atrocious on his part, yet they had well-nigh succeeded in their design, when he made a sudden personal onslaught upon them, and overturned judge, jury, accusers, and all, in one common confusion. At this opportune moment Captain Newport arrived with his vessel from England, and his presence of itself for a time quelled any further symptoms of tumult or insubordination.

CHAPTER VIII.

JAMESTOWN AND POWHATAN.

A

N active and resolute spirit, like that of
John Smith, would not fail to make its
influence deeply felt wherever shifting
No sooner,

circumstances might carry him.

therefore, had he got comfortably clear of his captivity, and become domesticated again at the settlement, than he took the control of affairs into his own hands as readily as if all things had been previously prepared for his coming. The colonists were impressed anew with his character, from seeing his energy in quelling this last act of rebellion. They likewise looked upon his own safe deliverance from such a long detention among the Indians, as something that pointed directly to the intervention of a kind Providence. And, lastly, the thought that he was a friend and confidant of the great warrior Pow

hatan, so lifted him in their respect, if not even up to their reverence, as to compel immediate acquiescence in whatever he chose either to desire or command.

The arrival of Captain Newport, with his men, bringing with them as they did an assortment of such commodities as would naturally invite a brisk exchange with the Indian tribes for their corn and other necessaries, infused temporarily new life into the affairs of the settlement, and gave a look even of commerce to the busy and bustling transactions of the colonists. Smith's old rules of trade with the Indians, however, were very soon set at naught. The caution he had so long exercised was soon overlooked as of little or no worth. Newport, in truth, was jealous of his influence with the savages, and foolishly fancied that he himself could make much better terms with them, and fix himself even more deeply in their affections, by letting them have his articles of traffic at lower rates, and in more liberal supplies. So that in a very little while, everything was in confusion so far as the old laws of trade were concerned, and Smith saw, with silent chagrin, that Newport's short-sight

edness and vanity were fast bringing the colony into contempt and disrepute.

In order to check the mischief before it was allowed to go any further, he proposed to Captain Newport that they should go together on an excursion up to Powhatan's own lodge, and there carry on a little trade and negotiation in his presence. At once the latter fell in with the proposal. Besides curing him of his overweening vanity, Smith also thought it a good opportunity to impress Powhatan with the greatness of the English people themselves. He had, during his captivity, told the Indians that Newport was soon expected from over the seas; and now, to give them a sight of him already arrived, and to describe to them the details of his voyage, and the greatness of the ship in which he came, would be doing a work upon the untutored minds of these forest-citizens, that would be likely never to be forgotten.

Filling the pinnace, therefore, with a great variety of articles that would be most certain to find a ready sale among the Indians, and, selecting about thirty men to accompany them on the expedition, the two leaders set forth for the