Richard of Jamestown : a Story of the Virginia Colony
The purpose of this series of stories is to show the children, and even those who have already taken up the study of history, the home life of the colonists with whom they meet in their books. To this end every effort has been made to avoid anything savoring of romance, and to deal only with facts, so far as that is possible, while describing the daily life of those people who conquered the wilderness whether for conscience sake or for gain.
That the stories may appeal more directly to the children, they are told from the viewpoint of a child, and purport to have been related by a child. Should any criticism be made regarding the seeming neglect to mention important historical facts, the answer would be that these books are not sent out as histories—although it is believed that they will awaken a desire to learn more of the building of the nation—and only such incidents as would be particularly noted by a child are used.
Surely it is entertaining as well as instructive for young people to read of the toil and privations in the homes of those who came into a new world to build up a country for themselves, and such homely facts are not to be found in the real histories of our land.
JAMES OTIS.
Yes, my name is Richard Mutton. Sounds rather queer, doesn't it? The lads in London town used to vex me sorely by calling, Baa, baa, black sheep, whenever I passed them, and yet he who will may find the name Richard Mutton written in the list of those who were sent to Virginia, in the new world, by the London Company, on the nineteenth day of December, in the year of Our Lord, 1606.
Whosoever may chance to read what I am here setting down, will, perhaps, ask how it happened that a lad only ten years of age was allowed to sail for that new world in company with such a band of adventurous men as headed the enterprise.
Therefore it is that I must tell a certain portion of the story of my life, for the better understanding of how I came to be in this fair, wild, savage beset land of Virginia.
James Otis
RICHARD OF JAMESTOWN
FOREWORD
WHO I AM
CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH COMES TO LONDON
THE PLANS OF THE LONDON COMPANY
THE VESSELS OF THE FLEET
HOW I EARNED MY PASSAGE
NATHANIEL'S STORY
WE MAKE SAIL AGAIN
THE FIRST ISLAND
CAPTAIN SMITH A PRISONER
I ATTEND MY MASTER
SEVERAL ISLANDS VISITED
A VARIETY OF WILD GAME
THE TEMPEST
THE NEW COUNTRY SIGHTED
THE LEADER NOT KNOWN
ARRIVAL AT CHESAPEAKE BAY
AN ATTACK BY THE SAVAGES
READING THE LONDON COMPANY'S ORDERS
EXPLORING THE COUNTRY
THE PEOPLE LAND FROM THE SHIPS
CAPTAIN SMITH PROVEN INNOCENT
WE WHO WERE LEFT BEHIND
BAKING BREAD WITHOUT OVENS
AN UNEQUAL DIVISION OF LABOR
BUILDING A HOUSE OF LOGS
KEEPING HOUSE
LACK OF CLEANLINESS IN THE VILLAGE
CAVE HOMES
THE GOLDEN FEVER
DUCKS AND OYSTERS
ROASTING OYSTERS
LEARNING TO COOK OTHER THINGS
THE SWEET POTATO ROOT
A TOUCH OF HOMESICKNESS
MASTER HUNT'S PREACHING
NEGLECTING TO PROVIDE FOR THE FUTURE
SURPRISED BY SAVAGES
STRENGTHENING THE FORT
A TIME OF SICKNESS AND DEATH
CAPTAIN SMITH GAINS AUTHORITY
DISAGREEABLE MEASURES OF DISCIPLINE
SIGNS OF REBELLION
THE SECOND PROCLAMATION
BUILDING A FORTIFIED VILLAGE
TRAPPING TURKEYS
A CRUDE KIND OF CHIMNEY
COOKING A TURKEY
CANDLES OR RUSHLIGHTS
THE VISIT OF POCAHONTAS
CAPTAIN KENDALL'S PLOT
THE DEATH OF CAPTAIN KENDALL
CAPTAIN SMITH'S EXPEDITION AND RETURN
AN EXCITING ADVENTURE
TAKEN BEFORE POWHATAN
POCAHONTAS BEGS FOR SMITH'S LIFE
THE EFFECT OF CAPTAIN SMITH'S RETURN
A NEW CHURCH
CAPTAIN NEWPORT'S RETURN
GOLD SEEKERS
A WORTHLESS CARGO
THE CONDITION OF THE COLONY
TOBACCO
CAPTAIN NEWPORT'S RETURN
MASTER HUNT BRINGS GREAT NEWS
CAPTAIN NEWPORT'S INSTRUCTIONS
THE STORY OF ROANOKE
THE CROWNING OF POWHATAN
PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE
STEALING THE COMPANY'S GOODS
WHAT THE THIEVING LED TO
FEAR OF FAMINE IN A LAND OF PLENTY
THE UNHEALTHFUL LOCATION
GATHERING OYSTERS
PREPARING STURGEON FOR FOOD
TURPENTINE AND TAR
THE MAKING OF CLAPBOARDS
PROVIDING FOR THE CHILDREN
DREAMS OF THE FUTURE
A PLAGUE OF RATS
TREACHERY DURING CAPTAIN SMITH'S ABSENCE
CAPTAIN SMITH'S SPEECH
THE NEW LAWS
THE ACCIDENT
CAPTAIN SMITH'S DEPARTURE
THE "STARVING TIME"
OUR COURAGE GIVES OUT
ABANDONING JAMESTOWN
LORD DE LA WARR'S ARRIVAL
THE YOUNG PLANTERS