binson and Emry; pretending the fault was his that had led
them to their ends; but he quickly tooke such order with such Lawyers,
that he layd them by the heeles till he sent some of them prisoners
for England.

Now ever once in foure or fiue dayes, Pocahontas with her attendants,
brought him so much provision, that saved many of their liues, that
els for all this had starved with hunger....

Thus you may see what difficulties still crossed any good indevour;
and the good successe of the businesse being thus oft brought to the
very period of destruction; yet you see by what strange means God hath
still delivered it.

Now whether it had beane better for Captaine Smith, to haue concluded
with any of those severall proiects, to haue abandoned the Countrey,
with some ten or twelue of them, who were called the better sort, and
haue left Master Hunt our Preacher, Master Anthony Gosnoll, a most
honest, worthy, and industrious Gentleman, Master Thomas Wotton and
some 27 others of his Countrymen to the fury of the Salvages, famine,
and all manner of mischiefes, and inconveniences, (for they were but
fortie in all to keepe possession of this large Country;) or starue
himselfe 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 saue all their liues; I leaue to the censure
of all honest men to consider.

[1] From Smith's "General History of Virginia." Edward Arbor has
contended that, had not John Smith "strove, fought and endured as
he did the present United States of America might never have come
into existence." Spaniards and French alike had failed in their
attempts at colonization and so had the repeated expeditions sent
out by Sir Walter Raleigh. Smith carried the Jamestown settlement
through its difficulties.--Smith, the "self-denying, energetic, so
full of resources, and so trained in dealing with the savage
races." Had Jamestown failed the Pilgrim fathers "would not have
gone to New England." Smith was not the sole author of the "History
of Virginia." Others contributed to the work.

[2] Richmond.

THE FIRST AMERICAN LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

(1619)

BY JOHN TWINE, ITS SECRETARY[1]

A reporte of the manner of proceedings in the General assembly
convented at James citty in Virginia, July 30, 1619, consisting of the
Gouvernor, the Counsell of Estate and two Burgesses electe