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I started to wonder why I was there. If it was a ceremony, why would it involve me? Then I realized what was going on. This was my execution. I then felt a club being pressed down against my head. The savages were going to beat my head until I died! I always knew I was a lucky man, but nothing was going to save me now.

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April 26, 1606

Today we docked in Jamestown. I have been actively involved in our plans with the Virginia Company, and now it is about to come true. Before we got to work, Captain Newport opened a sealed chest holding a document revealing who the seven council members were. My name was read, but I am still under arrest for mutiny, which had not crossed my mind once! Well, at least it is not as bad as it was in the Turkish war. I was fighting for the Austrians when I was captured and sold as a slave by Movila, their leader. I was given to his fiancé as a gift. However, it did turn out to be a good thing, considering she fell in love with me. She could not even resist me. But that was then and this is now, and I am getting very nervous. We have already encountered the savages, the gruesome fiends that put me to shame when I call them human. Hopefully they will not be a major problem.

May 1st, 1606.

     The carpenters are making slower progress than I even expected. We have finished one or two buildings. But I have to give them credit, they have worked without rest

I get very little sleep; I feel like I must sleep with one eye open, for the savages are relentless, and the wildlife is abundant.

June 23rd, 1606

We are running out of supplies, fast. People are dying of starvation and illnesses. We do not have much medical aid here at all. Things are not going in our favor. If I was not under arrest, maybe I could turn things around. Hopefully, that day will come soon.

February 2nd, 1607

     We are really starting to see the dreadful weather. People are getting sicknesses we have never encountered before. The death count last month was the highest ever. Seven left us, and it is not getting any better. Now that I am free of custody, I feel like I need to step up and be a leader of Jamestown. I must eliminate the colonists that are hurting us. I must lead the settlers to success. It is the only way Jamestown will survive.

Over the next few months, John Smith was not very popular amongst the Jamestown people. They did not like his arrogance, or his passion to take over Jamestown.
      One day John Smith was out searching for lumber with others, when he heard a rustle in a bush. There were footsteps, getting louder and louder. Then John Smith was hit in the back of the head with a massive club. He was instantly knocked out.

Date unknown

      The next thing I can remember is waking up near one of their huts. I was stripped naked. There was some ceremony going on. I thought that I probably would have been dead at that time, but I was not. I considered myself lucky to be alive, but I also knew that I probably would not make it much longer.

     The fiends were dancing around a fire, wearing these elaborate masks. Disgusting it was. The next thing I knew my arms were being lifted up in the air. The savages were dragging me into the center of their ceremony. As I drew nearer and nearer, I could feel the fire getting hotter and hotter. They then wedged my head between two rocks. Suddenly, there was silence. My head was throbbing. I could almost hear it thumping like my heart beat. I started to wonder why I was there. If it was a ceremony, why would it involve me? Then I realized what was going on. This was my execution. I then felt a club being pressed down against my head. The savages were going to beat my head until I died! I always knew I was a lucky man, but nothing was going to save me now. The club rose from my head and I braced myself for the one thing life promises--death. I bit my lip and closed my eyes. I tightened all the muscles in my body until I got cramps. I took a deep breath in and held it. Suddenly there was a loud shriek in the background. I heard footsteps, getting louder and louder. It was a girl, she sounded rather young. I loosened up all my muscles and opened my eyes. I then felt the warmth of a body lying upon me. There was an exchange of words in some strange language. My head was then yanked from the two stones. I was laid down near where I had been when I awoke. In front of me stood a man of extremely large proportions. His thighs and legs were the size of a bear. His body was colossal. I could hardly see his head, but what I did see of it was painted all red and white. He was wearing some kind of hat. It was made of feathers with leather lining. Nothing in my life could have prepared me for this.

Two days later

I had a good nights sleep the previous night. We hunted, ate, and made fires for most of the day. Apparently I was accepted as part of their tribe now. That would change everything.

     Today was a good time to devise an escape plan. The next day when we would go hunting, we would all go off in different directions, searching for game. Then, hopefully, I would be able to slowly branch off from the area, and safely return to Jamestown.

The Next Day

     I prepared myself for hunting, but before I finished, one of the chief’s servants came into my hut. He led me to the main hut, where the chief stayed. He tried telling me something, but I did not understand. He tried again, going very slowly, but of course I still did not understand. He then pantomimed a gun, and shouted boom! boom! I then knew what he wanted. Our guns, our cannons. I knew these people were clever, but I never expected this. They must have staged my death to gain access to our weapons! This would not bode well for the rest of Jamestown.

      That night, we set out for Jamestown. There were five of us. I was grateful for that. The savages were cunning, and well trained, but one thing they certainly were not, was strong. Only their chief was rather large, for he feasted all day. I knew these savages could not lift a cannon, let alone carry one all the way home.

     We were on my territory now. I decided to use that to my advantage. We approached one of the cannons, and just as I suspected, they could not budge it. I very slowly and quietly sneaked away. I went into my tent and got my pistol. When I ran away from home to join the war, I became an excellent marksman. I went back out to the spot of a cannon, and fired four shots. The fiends all dropped to the ground, dead. Out came captain Newport. “Smith?” he said in doubt. “Where have you been? Your funeral is supposed to be tomorrow!”

      He led me back to his tent. I told him everything I knew, at least what I could remember. I was pleased to be informed that I was not still under arrest. However I was removed from the local council , as I was presumed to be dead. The good thing though, was that he wanted to re-elect me back on to the council, because Jamestown is struggling. I knew this would happen, I am the most responsible man in Jamestown.

September 15, 1608

I am obviously the wisest man in Jamestown, and now I can prove it. I am now officially president of the local council. I plan to shape up our defense against the savages, and set out to find supplies. Now maybe all hope for Jamestown is not lost.

October 17, 1608

      Today I set out for supplies. The weather is harsh, and I do not know if my journey will be successful, or if I will even make it back. But I most certainly do not plan on giving up on Jamestown. I am the leader of this village, and I won’t let it fail under my command.
       I set forth for the woods with what little food and water I had left. I planned on saving as much as I can for day three, the day I plan on being last on my journey, for at that time I will be hungrier than ever. My enemy is temptation. The way I see it, the worst thing that can happen is that I run out of food by day three.
       As I progressed, the resources were increasing and increasing. I had found and attended to much lumber for burning and for our carpenters. However, that just meant that I had more I had to carry. I knew I would get too thirsty if I kept going like this, and all my water would run out. I had to think of some way to take some of the weight off, or else I knew I would not make it back. It was then in the mist, that I saw a giant, hollow log. So I decided to stuff some of the lumber in there. I got my hatchet out and marked the tree right next to it. I decided to mark every other three trees, so on my way back I would know just where they were. My shoulders and back felt much better, but it was then I got a little light headed. It was getting dark and I felt like I had made good enough progress. I checked my food and water availability. It was low, very low. I must have gotten so hungry I ate and drank much more than I should have, without even knowing it. I feared for the worse then, and I started to doubt myself making it back to Jamestown.

October 18, 1608

My water almost ran out today. It might just be a miracle if I make it back. But I will not give up. I am the most noble man in Jamestown, and I can not stop now, for if I do, all hope is lost.
The weather was worse today than it was yesterday. Hopefully I will be able to ignore that tomorrow, when I plan to set out back to Jamestown.

October 19, 1608

It is a miracle! Today I found a river and a tributary filled with much fresh water. It is a good thing I brought a jug so I can make it back to Jamestown. I now feel like my journey is not only complete, but successful. Not only have I retrieved much lumber, but I have found an infinite amount of water. Tomorrow, I set out for James town!
October 21, 1608
Today I arrived in Jamestown, and I feasted on as much food as we had. People actually appreciated what I did for them, and it is about time! Now there is much hope for Jamestown.

December 8, 1608

   Today I was injured. I was loading up my gun. There was a malfunction and the gun powder ignited. I was severely burned but my wounds shall heal.
       I think now, finally, it is time for me to retire as leader of Jamestown. When the weather becomes nicer and the next boat of settlers arrive, I will depart for England. It will be a happy ending though; I will have retired as leader and savior of Jamestown.
                                                                   Epilogue
Captain John Smith returned to London in 1609. He was still actively involved in the profit of Virginia. However, he was disliked by the Virginia company. So in 1614, he returned to the New World, north of Jamestown. He named the area New England. His future attempts to spend time in the new world were sadly, denied. John Smith began to write books of his epic tales until his death in 1631. He was truly a remarkable man.

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