Chapter 3, Book 2 of The General History of Virginia by John Smith - Summary

From The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Vol I, Ed. 5

After the sailors depart for England, the settlers are left completely hungry. They have very little food and many die. When they run out, God makes it so the Indians bring the settlers food and save them. He realizes that they had come to the New World too late to plant food. Smith directs the building of the settlement's lodgings. Then he tries to trade with the Indians and that failing tries to use force, shooting them and capturing their idol god. He got food enough for a year but the settlers ate it much more quickly. Smith prevents several settlers from absconding to England.

When winter approaches hunting is good and they have as much food as they like. Smith gets two men killed on an expedition and he is taken prisoner for 1.5 months. He comes to be admired by the Indians. Smith gives their leader a compass and explains astronomy to them, so the leader orders him to be spared. The savages stare at him and then dance around him in their strange garb. They give him so much food he thinks they intend to fatten him to eat. They are about to kill him for mortally wounding an Indian child so he sends them to Jamestown to fetch some healing water. For some reason they are still mad… They take him and painted Indians dance and chant around him, the purpose of which was to see if he was well intentioned or not toward them, they said. Finally they bring him to Powhatan, their emperor, in the presence of two hundred Indians. They have a "long consultation" and lay his head on some stones to beat it to a pulp, but Pocahontas lays her head on his to protect him and saves him from death. They let him join the Indians I think. Powhatan orders him to bring him two guns and a grindstone in exchange for friendship with the Indians and land. From then on Pocahontas brings them provisions every few days which keeps them from starving.

John Smith