When I consented to prepare this volume for a series, which shoulddeal with the notables of American history with some familiarity anddisregard of historic gravity, I did not anticipate the seriousnessof the task. But investigation of the subject showed me that whileCaptain John Smith would lend himself easily enough to the purelyfacetious treatment, there were historic problems worthy of adifferent handling, and that if the life of Smith was to be written,an effort should be made to state the truth, and to disentangle thecareer of the adventurer from the fables and misrepresentations thathave clustered about it.

　　The extant biographies of Smith, and the portions of the history ofVirginia that relate to him, all follow his own narrative, and accepthis estimate of himself, and are little more than paraphrases of hisstory as told by himself. But within the last twenty years some newcontemporary evidence has come to light, and special scholars haveexpended much critical research upon different portions of hiscareer. The result of this modern investigation has been todiscredit much of the romance gathered about Smith and Pocahontas,and a good deal to reduce his heroic proportions. A vague report of--these scholarly studies has gone abroad, but no effort has been madeto tell the real story of Smith as a connected whole in the light ofthe new researches.

　　This volume is an effort to put in popular form the truth aboutSmith's adventures, and to estimate his exploits and character. Forthis purpose I have depended almost entirely upon originalcontemporary material, illumined as it now is by the labors ofspecial editors. I believe that I have read everything that isattributed to his pen, and have compared his own accounts with othercontemporary narratives, and I think I have omitted the perusal oflittle that could throw any light upon his life or character. Forthe early part of his career--before he came to Virginia--there isabsolutely no authority except Smith himself; but when he emergesfrom romance into history, he can be followed and checked bycontemporary evidence. If he was always and uniformly untrustworthyit would be less perplexing to follow him, but his liability to tellthe truth when vanity or prejudice does not interfere is annoying tothe careful student.

　　As far as possible I have endeavored to let the actors in these pagestell their own story, and I have quoted freely from Capt. Smithhimself, because it is as a writer that he is to be judged no lessthan as an actor. His development of the Pocahontas legend has beencarefully traced, and all the known facts about that Indian--orIndese, as some of the old chroniclers call the female NorthAmericans--have been consecutively set forth in separate chapters.

　　The book is not a history of early Virginia, nor of the times ofSmith, but merely a study of his life and writings. If my estimateof the character of Smith is not that which his biographers haveentertained, and differs from his own candid opinion, I can onlyplead that contemporary evidence and a collation of his own storiesshow that he was mistaken. I am not aware that there has been beforeany systematic effort to collate his different accounts of hisexploits. If he had ever undertaken the task, he might havedisturbed that serene opinion of himself which marks him as a man whorealized his own ideals.

　　The works used in this study are, first, the writings of Smith, whichare as follows:

　　"A True Relation," etc., London, 1608.

　　"A Map of Virginia, Description and Appendix," Oxford, 1612.

　　"A Description of New England," etc., London, 1616.

　　"New England's Trials," etc., London, 1620. Second edition,enlarged, 1622.

　　"The Generall Historie," etc., London, 1624. Reissued, with date oftitle-page altered, in 1626, 1627, and twice in 1632.

　　"An Accidence: or, The Pathway to Experience," etc., London, 1626.

　　"A Sea Grammar," etc., London, 1627. Also editions in 1653 and 1699.

　　"The True Travels," etc., London, 1630.

　　"Advertisements for the Unexperienced Planters of New England," etc.,London, 1631.

　　Other authorities are:

　　"The Historie of Travaile into Virginia," etc., by William Strachey,Secretary of the colony 1609 to 1612. First printed for the HakluytSociety, London, 1849.

　　"Newport's Relatyon," 1607. Am. Ant. Soc., Vol. 4.

　　"Wingfield's Discourse," etc., 1607. Am. Ant. Soc., Vol. 4.

　　"Purchas his Pilgrimage," London, 1613.

　　"Purchas his Pilgrimes," London, 1625-6.

　　"Ralph Hamor's True Discourse," etc., London, 1615.

　　"Relation of Virginia," by Henry Spelman, 1609. First printed by J.

　　F. Hunnewell, London, 1872.

　　"History of the Virginia Company in London," by Edward D. Neill,Albany, 1869.

　　"William Stith's History of Virginia," 1753, has been consulted forthe charters and letters-patent. The Pocahontas discussion has beenfollowed in many magazine papers. I am greatly indebted to thescholarly labors of Charles Deane, LL.D., the accomplished editor ofthe "True Relation," and other Virginia monographs. I wish also toacknowledge the courtesy of the librarians of the Astor, the Lenox,the New York Historical, Yale, and Cornell libraries, and of Dr. J.

　　Hammond Trumbull, the custodian of the Brinley collection, and thekindness of Mr. S. L. M. Barlow of New York, who is ever ready togive students access to his rich "Americana."C. D. W.

　　HARTFORD, June, 1881