Pocahontas saved Captain John Smith

Pocahontas – a nickname meaning “playful one”

“Matoaka” her given name

“[She] was the first Christian of that [Indian] nation and the first Virginian who ever spake English.” Smith

 

Historians agree that Captain John Smith was the savior of the Colony.

Since Pocahontas saved Smith’s life, therefore she is responsible the survival of the colony.

 

Pocahontas’s portrait made in England at 21 years of age

Pocahontas “Matoaka” & son Thomas (2 1/2 years old)

This Sedgeford portrait of Pocahontas and her son, Thomas Rolfe, carefully preserved through the centuries, although its travels and whereabouts have been been shrouded in mystery. Presently at Kings Lynn Museum.

It is believed the bereaved John Rolfe brought this portrait with him from England to his home here on the edge of the wilderness. The picture may have hung on the wall of one of Virginia’s stately Colonial mansions and been taken back to england at some time. When reaching adulthood, Thomas Rolfe came to Virginia and assumed his fathers lands and possessions. He may have shipped the painting back to England, possibly to the Heacham Hall estate, which had been in the Rolfe family hundreds of years before John was born. It is known that the painting was sold at about the turn of the present century, the canvas was removed to Sedgeford, another Rolfe property. That the painting was carefully preserved proves, however, that its value to the Rolfe ancestors. The earrings worn by Pocahontas in the picture are in existence today and are the only personal belongings of Powhatan’s daughter known to have survived the long intervening centuries. They have been handed down carefully in the Rolfe family from father to son for generations and are owned now by Robert Girdlestone Meggy of Brooklyn, New York.

 

 

Earrings said to have belonged to Pocahontas

John Rolfe in 1614 and may have received these earrings on a trip to London right before her death in 1617.

The earrings were handed down through the Rolfe family and now belong to the Association for Preservation of Virginia Antiquities.

Pocahontas’s earings

Each earring is formed of a double mussel-shell, the rare white kind found only the eastern shore of Berings Strait. They are set in silver rims, inlaid with mother-of-pearl, and are worth approximately $500,000.

Double shell earrings were worn very generally among the American Indians we are told, but the white variety was reserved exclusively for the adornment of priests and princes. These royal jewels are set in silver rims, inlaid with small steel points. This mounting, it is thought, suggests that they were set, or re-set, in England.

The latter assumption is more or less confirmed by an old tale concerning these valuable ornaments. It is declared that they were reset in England for Pocahontas by that Duke of Northumberland who was the brother of George Percy the colonist, who wrote “The Trewe Relacyon of What Happened in Virginia.” This document is a letter from the emigrant to his brother, the nobleman, who remained at home.

*          *          *

Many Virginians have seen these famous earrings, for they were on exhibition at the World’s Fair in Chicago in 1893, and were shown again at the Jamestown Exposition in 1907. Only a few months ago the officers of the A. P. V. A. had them on private view at the John Marshall House, where they would become a part of the permanent exhibit were the association able to acquire them by purchase.

When Pocahontas died and was buried at Gravesend, her small son was left by his father in the care of the little boy’s uncle, Henry Rolfe, with whom he lived until maturity. The descendants of this Henry Rolfe were know as the Rolfe’s of Essex, the last member of this branch of the family being J. Girdlestone Rolfe. His second wife was Isabella Golden Clark, to whom he gave the earrings at the time of their marriage in 1923, and she bequeathed the precious earrings to her sister, Mrs. Jessie Hodgson Meggy. In this way they went out of the Rolfe family. The present owner inherited them from his mother, who had obtained them from her sister, Mrs. Rolfe.

 

 

B&W copy of the of Pocahontas and her son, Thomas Rolfe.

See information above. It is presently at Kings Lynn Museum.

 

 

 

Painting made in England of Pocahontas

A drawing of Pocahontas was made in England when she was 20 years old. In 1793, the above Pocahontas portrait was produced as a black and white engraving made from the drawings now lost.

This was colorized into a oil portrait of Pocahontas by William L. Sheppard in 1891 as seen below.

Colorized painting of Pocahontas

Historic portrait made in 1891 of the 1793 engraving above.

This shows Pocahontas in London, at age 20, dressed for the court of King James. She died within months of her . This portrait hangs in the National Portrait Gallery of the Smithsonian, in Washington, D.C.. This painting does not capture her celebrated innocence.

Statue of Pocahontas at Jamestown

Romanticized Statue of Pocahontas at Colonial Jamestown National Park

a duplicate is in St. George’s Church where Pocahontas was buried

Later painting of Pocahontas

Thomas Sully (1783-1872), one of the best early American painters, was born at Hornecastle, England.  Later his home was Philadelphia.  In 1837 he was in London to paint a portrait of Queen Victoria for the St. George Society of Philadelphia.  He died in Philadelphia in 1872.  He painted over 2,000 portraits including Stephen Decatur, Lafayette, and Thomas Jefferson.   It is not known what  picture of Pocahontas he used as a model for his picture of  Lady Rebecca . Some say It has similarity to the Sedgeford portrait.

Pocahontas saving Captain John Smith

Pocahontas saving the life of Captain John Smith

Pocohontas being kidnapped

Pocahontas is kidnapped 1612 and held for ransom. He father Powhatan paid but she was not released.

Click here to see John Smith’s Letter to Queen Anne regarding Pocahontas

John Smith’s Letter to Queen Anne regarding Pocahontas

In 1616, word came to Captain John Smith that Pocahontas was coming to visit England with her husband John Rolfe.  Captain Smith was concerned that Pocahontas might not be given the reception he felt she deserved, so he wrote a letter Queen Anne to personally vouch for the integrity and faithfulness of Pocahontas.  He reveals to the Queen that Pocahontas saved his life on several occasions, and saved the lives of many English at Jamestown.  Although Smith humbles himelf before the Queen in this letter (as would any English citizen), it is important to realize he was one of the most famous and influential explorers in England and what he said carried a lot of weight.

Smith mentions in this letter that Pocahontas saved his life twice

To the most high and virtuous princess, Queen Anne of Great Britain

Most admired Queen,

The love I bear my God, my King and country, hath so oft emboldened me in the worst of extreme dangers, that now honesty doth constrain me to presume thus far beyond myself, to present your Majesty this short discourse: if ingratitude be a deadly poison to all honest virtues, I must be guilty of that crime if I should omit any means to be thankful.

So it is, that some ten years ago being in Virginia, and taken prisoner by the power of Powhatan their chief King, I received from this great Salvage exceeding great courtesy, especially from his son Nantaquaus, the most manliest, comeliest, boldest spirit, I ever saw in a Salvage, and his sister Pocahontas, the Kings most dear and well-beloved daughter, being but a child of twelve or thirteen years of age, whose compassionate pitiful heart, of my desperate estate, gave me much cause to respect her: I being the first Christian this proud King and his grim attendants ever saw: and thus enthralled in their barbarous power, I cannot say I felt the least occasion of want that was in the power of those my mortal foes to prevent, notwithstanding all their threats. After some six weeks fatting amongst those Salvage courtiers, at the minute of my execution, she hazarded the beating out of her own brains to save mine; and not only that, but so prevailed with her father, that I was safely conducted to Jamestown: where I found about eight and thirty miserable poor and sick creatures, to keep possession of all those large territories of Virginia; such was the weakness of this poor commonwealth, as had the salvages not fed us, we directly had starved. And this relief, most gracious Queen, was commonly brought us by this Lady Pocahontas.

Notwithstanding all these passages, when inconstant fortune turned our peace to war, this tender virgin would still not spare to dare to visit us, and by her our jars have been oft appeased, and our wants still supplied; were it the policy of her father thus to employ her, or the ordinance of God thus to make her his instrument, or her extraordinary affection to our nation, I know not: but of this I am sure; whenher father with the utmost of his policy and power, sought to surprise me, having but eighteen with me, the dark night could not affright her from coming through the irksome woods, and with watered eyes gave me intelligence, with her best advice to escape his fury; which had he known, he had surely slain her.

Jamestown with her wild train she as freely frequented, as her fathers habitation; and during the time of two or three years, she next under God, was still the instrument to preserve this colony from death, famine and utter confusion; which if in those times, had once been dissolved, Virginia might have lain as it was at our first arrival to this day.

Since then, this business having been turned and varied by many accidents from that I left it at: it is most certain, after a long and troublesome war after my departure, betwixt her father and our colony; all which time she was not heard of.

About two years after she herself was taken prisoner, being so detained near two years longer, the colony by that means was relieved, peace concluded; and at last rejecting her barbarous condition, she was married to an English Gentleman, with whom at this present she is in England; the first Christian ever of that Nation, the first Virginian ever spoke English, or had a child in marriage by an Englishman: a matter surely, if my meaning be truly considered and well understood, worthy a Princes understanding.

Thus, most gracious Lady, I have related to your Majesty, what at your best leisure our approved Histories will account you at large, and done in the time of your Majesty’s life; and however this might be presented you from a more worthy pen, it cannot from a more honest heart, as yet I never begged anything of the state, or any: and it is my want of ability and her exceeding desert; your birth, means, and authority; her birth, virtue, want and simplicity, doth make me thus bold, humbly to beseech your Majesty to take this knowledge of her, though it be from one so unworthy to be the reporter, as myself, her husbands estate not being able to make her fit to attend your Majesty. The most and least I can do, is to tell you this, because none so oft hath tried it as myself, and the rather being of so great a spirit, however her stature: if she should not be well received, seeing this Kingdom may rightly have a Kingdom by her means; her present love to us and Christianity might turn to such scorn and fury, as to divert all this good to the worst of evil; whereas finding so great a Queen should do her some honor more than she can imagine, for being so kind to your servants and subjects, would so ravish her with content, as endear her dearest blood to effect that, your Majesty and all the Kings honest subjects most earnestly desire.

And so I humbly kiss your gracious hands,
Captain John Smith, 1616

Some Powhatan Vocabulary

• Above……………Oskeitch
• Acorn …………Anaaskimmins
• Air…………………Rarascau
• All…………Cheisk
• Apple…………….Maracah
• Arm……………….Mese
• Arrow …………Attonce
• Awake…………..Aumaumer
• Bald……………….Paatchkiscaw
• Ball………………..Aitowh
• Blood……….Sawwehone
• Bow……….Attaup
• Bread from corn………. Pone (Oppone)
• Butterfly………..Manaang-gwas
• Canoe…………….Aquiontan
• Cheese…………Ootun
• Child……………..Nechaun
• Climb a Tree…Ahcoushe
• Cold………………Nonssamats
• Coat………..Mantchoor
• Copper………..Matassun
• Creek……………Meihsutterask
• Daughter………Amosens
• Deer………………Uttapaantam
• The Devil……….Riapoke
• Dish………… Outacan
• Dog……………….Attemous
• Drink……………..Umpsemen Apook
• Egg………………..Wouwh
• Enemie…………..Maskapow
• Elbow……………..Meisquan
• Earth………………Aspami, Ottawm, Chippsin

• East………………..Vtchepwoissuma
• Eat………….Mecher
• Eyes…………..Muskins
• Father…………….Kowse
• Feet………………..Messetts
• Fight with fists……….Nummecaxuttenax
• Fingernails…….Wijchaudg
• Fire…………………Pokatawer
• Fish……….Noughmass
• Fool……….Wintuc
• Fox…………Assimoest
• Friend……….Netab
• Hello Friend……….Wingapo
• Garden……………..Oronocah
• Gate………………….Cuppenauk
• Girl………… Pokontas, Usqwaseins
• Go…………..Ireh
• Go, run quickly……….Ireh assuminge
• God……….Okee
• God’s name…….Ahone
• Good……….Wingan
• Goose………Kehunge
• Grits…….Tockahominy
• Gun…………Pocosack
• Hatchet……….Tomahack
• more to come soon……….. last updated 11/09/05

Numericals

1. Nekut
2. Ninge
3. Nuss
4. Yeough
5. Porance
6. Comotinch
7. Toppawoss
8. Nuscawes
9. Kykeytawe
10. Koske

20. Ningepoke

70. Toppawosstassapooeksku

300. Nuswohcassannack

visit my website for private tour information

Captain John Smith .

Defending Smith .

Smith’s Philosophy .

Smith’s Friends .

Ambushes attempted on Captain John Smith .

Factions at Jamestown .

Who Shot JR ?Who was Jr? —-we don’t know yet who shot him but JR’s idenity is revealed .

Questions about Captain John Smith .

Old Colonial  Sayings We Use Today

get off your high horse – you should  stop behaving arrogantly – military leaders, nobility etc.  led parades on horseback, as a sign of their superiority and to increase their prominence.

hold your feet to the fire  – a inquisitor to applied  flames to the feet as a  method for extracting confession for heresy, during the Crusade’s. 

haul someone over the coals – in the Middle Ages, suspected heretics were literally hauled over a bed of burning coals. If they survived they were considered innocent, and guilty if they did not.

caught with or pants down – caught unawares tending to natures call.

worth an arm and a leg – a painter of a portrait charged  more he had to additionally paint arms and legs on the subject.

keep you nose to the grindstone – knife grinders when sharpening blades was to lie flat on their fronts with their faces near the grindstone in order to hold the blades against the stone

to beeline it – from the behavior of bees. When a bee finds nectar it returns to the hive and displays to the other bees the direction of the find. The other bees then ‘make a beeline’ for it.

as mad as a hatter – the effect of Mercury exposure used in the manufacture of felt hats lead to mercury poisoning, one of the symptoms of which is insanity.

you have a screw loose –  as  machines began to be used in the 1700’s, screws frequently loosened causing the machine to break down. If you are having a malfunction, you may have a screw loose as well.

not fit to hold a candle (not fit to hold a match) – a snide remark  suggesting that one is so unfit, he can’t hold a match or candle for another.

the whole none yards –rich enough to buy the whole suite that took 9 yeards. A lesser suite may not have matching vest, pants, etc

 dressed to the nines – he looks like he purchased the best. From purchasing the best suite using nine yards of cloth to make it..

face the music – from the tradition of disgraced officers being ‘drummed out’ of their regiment.

cut from the same cloth – when making suits, tailors use fabric from the same roll  of cloth to make sure the pieces match perfectly.

living high on the hog -The best and most expensive cuts of ham come from the upper part of a pig’s haunch

in the nick of time – even into the 18th century, some businessmen kept track of transactions and time by carving notches (nicks) on a “tally stick.” Someone arriving just before the next nick was carved would arrive in time to save the next day’s interest – in the nick of time.

black ball – the expression is derived from 18th century clubs. New applications for membership were examined by the ruling committee – secret votes were then cast by putting balls into a container. Red balls meant acceptance and black ones rejection. It only needed one black ball for the application to fail.

don’t let him  pull the wool over your eyes– street thugs would pull the wig (wool)  down over the victims eyes in order to confuse him. Bigwigs were worth robbing

put the damper on it  – a damper is a part of a piano which presses on the strings and cuts out their sounds.

square meal –  from the square plates used to serve the food on .  (Used such as “You should get your “three squares”  or  “three square meals” every day).

in a pickle– trapped without apparent means of escape as pickle in a jar.

(1)

getting your goat – this  refers to an old English (Welsh?) belief that keeping a goat in the barn would have a calming effect on the cows, hence producing more milk. When one wanted to antagonize/terrorize one’s enemy, you would abscond with their goat rendering their milk cows less- to non-productive. 

take it with  a grain of salt – salt was thought to have healing properties and to be an antidote to poisons.

at the drop of a hat – instantly – from a traditional way of starting a race in the 1800’s.

dyed in the wool –  from the process of coloring wool, which can be done at various stages; to dye ‘in the wool’, before spinning is the earliest stage it can be done, and it gives the most thorough effect.

take a gander – (gander was earlier the common word for a goose) a goose craning its neck to look at something.   

pull out all the stops – apply best effort – from the metaphor of pulling out all the stops on an organ, which would increase the volume.

caught red-handed – It’s based simply on the metaphor of a murderer being caught with blood still on their hands,

a red-letter day – a special day – saints days and holidays were printed in red as opposed to the normal black in almanacs and diaries

it has a ring of truth – sounds or seems believable – from the custom of testing whether coins were genuine by bouncing on a hard surface;

post-haste – from the old direction written on letters: ‘Haste, post, haste’. ‘Post’ here meant ‘postman’; it earlier meant the horsemen stationed at intervals along post-roads, whose duty was to convey mail to the next stage.

get it straight from the horse’s mouth – this is an old farming expression. When farmers buy horses, they look in their mouths to see the teeth. The farmer could find out a lot from looking at a horse’s teeth, such as the age and physical health of the horse. The person trying to sell the horse might pretend that it is in a fit condition when really it is not, so farmers prefer to rely on looking at the teeth.

whipping boy –boys designated to take the punishment for  them- someone who is regularly blamed or punished for another’s wrong-doing – as princes, Edward VI and Charles I had boys (respectively Barnaby Fitzpatrick and Mungo Murray) to take their punishment beatings for them, hence ‘whipping boy’. Around the same time Henry IV of France enjoyed the same privilege; his whipping

the third degree – this phrase origin can be found within the Masonic Lodge. Within the lodge there are 3 degrees; the Entered Apprentice, the Fellowcraft and the Master Mason. The Mason’s questioning for the third-degree was known to be an intense ordeal, frightening and unpleasant. Additionally, it is more physically challenging that the first two degrees. The term has come to be used for any long an arduous questioning or interrogation.

put through the mill – an allusion to grain being crushed by a millstone. suffers an ordeal

not worth a plug nickel– plugs are the holes made in coins to extract some metal which can be used for other purposes. Coins so tampered with are no longer legal tender. Nickels being coins of small denomination lend themselves for use in this phrase.

chiseler – a thief who steal portions of coins chiselsing off small pieces.

clip joint –  location where portions of coins are clipped off by thieves.    

getting fleeced – being  robbed  –  as a sheep isrobbed  of it’s fleece.

put your best foot forward – a gentleman upon greeting others literary puts his best foot forward extending his leg as he takes a bow.

a big shot– a person  receiving a large cannon salute.

(2)

feather in your cap – it was once a common practice to award a feather to a soldier who had killed an enemy. These feathers were worn on the helmet, or other headgear and were considered symbols of social status much as modern soldiers receive and display medals.

pull out all the stops – this phrase comes from the pipe organs in churches and classical music. Each pipe has a “stop” that acts as a baffle that controls the amount of airflow. The volume of the organ can be adjusted by adding or removing the stops. By pulling out all the stops, all pipes are playing at their loudest.

a wind fall – when a storm blew the tree down, it could be claimed by anyone… a wind fall.  An unexpected bit of  good fortune

read the Riot Act to you – The Riot Act of 1715 was meant to address groups gathering and threatening the peace. A magistrate could read part of the Act commanding people to disburse in the King’s name or face action. In the 1880s Americans began using the term to mean “scold”.

having a field day  – citizens would gather annually on muster day to watch the militia drill, enjoy food and drink, socialize and have a fun time.

Home & Hearth

square meal – a dinner plate was a square piece of wood with a “bowl” carved out to hold your serving of the perpetual stew that was always cooking over the fire.

dessert – after finishing a  meal in  the dinning room, the dinning room  would be desserted , and people would go to the parlor to eat sweets.

easy chair – a  cushioned chair tht concealed a chamber pot!

At the end of my tether – a tether is a rope, which is used to restrict the freedom of grazing animals by tying one end around their neck and the other to a stake in the ground.

threshold –  a houses with dirt or stone floors were covered with threshing to keep the floor warm . People added a wooden board to hold the threshing in — a threshold

sleep tight – before box springs were in use, old bed frames used rope pulled tightly between the frame rails to support a mattress. If the rope became loose, the mattress would sag making for uncomfortable sleeping. Tightening the ropes would help one get a good night sleep.

don’t let the bed bugs bite – mattresses were stuffed with corn husks or threshing which attracted bed busg. But with colonials not taking baths but every several months, surely bed bugs found a  comfortable habitat in the bedding .

pot luck – what was available, not knowing for sure what you might receive. eat whatever was in the oven pot… taken a chance 

eating humble pie – servants ate “umbel pie” which was made from deer waste while their Master and his guests had the better cuts of meat.

pop goes the weasel – the yarn winder (weasel) would make a “pop” sound when it was finished winding.

turn the tables –  tables only had one finished side. The other side, less expensive to make, was more rough. When the family was alone, they ate on the rough side to keep the good side nice for company. When company came, the whole top lifted off and was turned to its good side.

cold shoulder – when a guests would over stay their welcome as house guests, the hosts would (instead of feeding them good, warm meals) serve their too-long staying guests the cold meat,  thereby giving  them  the COLD SHOULDER.

living high on the hog – a  perosn who ate or served the most expensive part of meat (the shoulder) was living well.

chew the fat–  cut off a little to dried fatback to chew with the guests when sitting around for a gab session

to salt away – salt the meat to preserve it, to save it  for the future.

hit the hay – sleep on bedding of straw 

(3)

hush puppies – to quiet the hungry barking puppy dogs when frying up the corn bread, some would be tossed to them along with the verbal admonishment “hush puppy”.  

bring home the  bacon – if you brought home the bacon, you were earning enough to feed your family well

strike while the iron is hot –  in working with metal  the best results came from striking the iron while it was still hot.

board—the table was usually just a board  in most homes or many small establishments.

a boarding house – offered a bed and board (table)

to turn the tables –the top of the table was smooth and the under side rough. The table board was often turned over for the messy affair of eating.  

chairman of the board– the head of the family sat on his chair at the head of the table or board and the women and children sat on the bench along the side of the table

board games – games played on the  board (table).

pay across the board – pay everyone who is at the board (table)

keeping everything above board –  to keep your hands or cards on the table where they could be seen.

to burn the candle at both ends– to light a candle at both ends to give off more light.

hit the sack – a sack is a bed mattress. Early mattresses were often made from a cloth sack .

Gun Related

a long shot -a vain attempt  when firing at a distant target.

point-blank –literally firing from such a close range as to be sure of hitting the target.

going off half-cocked – a weapon half-cocked is the safety position  of the weapon. A person who was too anxious,  may forget to  cock his weapon fully so that it would shoot. 

a skin flint – someone too thrifty to use new flint, taking  a knife and chipping  or skinning pieces from the old flint until it is serviceable.

a flash in a pan – a misfire when only the powder in the pan lights but fails to ignite the power in the barrel.

lock, stock and barrel  – the three parts of a gun – lock (firing mechanism), stock (wood), barrel (metal tube). Purchasing a  whole weapon would be to purchase it lock, stock and barrel. 

set your sights – picking your target in your gun sight

taking dead aim – set your sights  to kill your target

keep your powder dry– be prepared for action

hand me another round –  hand me a  round musket ball

bite the bullet – the practice of chewing on a bullet when being doctored when no painkiller was available. 

under the gun – means laboring under a threat of a gun pointed at you. Either you finish fast, or you get shot.

short  sighted – can’t see the target

out of sight – not in your gun sights any longer

give it your best shot– take your time and make the shot good

a short fuse– a short fuse on a cannon would result in a quick firing. A short fuse on a person would be referring to their quick temper  going off.

(4)

Hunting Related

beat around the bush –  beating bushes scared birds out of their hiding places in the bushes – to  waste time  trying to flush your game  beating adjacent bushes intead of the one contain the gamet.

loaded for bear– having loaded the heaviest size shot and larger load of powder

barking up the wrong tree – from a confused dog

happy hunting ground – heaven for the hunter

a sitting duck– completely exposed and unaware of the threat

get your ducks in a row– line up your shot

give it your best shot – do your best

hound to death–  chasing the game with the hound dogs till the game dies from exhaustion

barking up the wrong tree –  dogs mistaken  to games location

like shooting ducks in a pond – so easy to hit a sitting duck 

it’s in the bag –  the game is put in the bag

Ship Related

taken aback – a sudden shift in wind to come up blowing the sails back against the masts, putting the ship in grave danger of having the masts break off and rendering the ship totally helpless. The ship was taken aback.

groggy – comes from the description of the feeling that many British sailors experienced when they would drink too much “grog,”-  a mixture of rum and water.

armed to the teeth – this is a pirate phrase originating in Port Royal Jamaica in the 1600’s. Carrying  a knife in their teeth for maximum arms capability.

down in the doldrums – depressed lazy state – doldrums  were an area of the ocean near the equator between the NE and SE trade winds, noted for calms, sudden squalls and unpredictable winds.

steer the way the crow flyes- the crow, was an essential part of the navigation equipment on sailing ships. These land-loving birds were carried on aboard to help the ship find land that was out of sight. When the crows were released,  the bird’s invariably headed towards land. The ships  helmsman was told to steer the way the crow flyes.

crow’s nest – as ships grew and the lookouts stood watch in a tub located high on the main mast, the name “crow’s nest” was given to this tub becausee this  is where  crows  released from their cage to seek land.

don’t go overboard – letting your excitement cause you leap from the ship before you are ready.

to the bitter end –at the end of your rope-  from the metaphor of a rope being payed out until to the ‘bitts’, which were the posts on the deck of a ship to which ropes were secured. When the rope had been extended to the bitter end there was no more left.

(5)

Ship Related

clean bill of health – this widely used term has its origins in the “Bill of Health”, a document issued to a ship showing that the port it sailed from suffered from no epidemic or infection at the time of departure.

going to the head – the “head” aboard a Navy ship is the bathroom. The term comes from the days of sailing ships when the place for the crew to relieve themselves was all the way forward on either side of the bowsprit, to which the figurehead was fastened.

learning the ropes –learning all the names and uses of the lines on the ship

toe the line – the crew would  be called to order putting their toes on a seam of the deck to maintain a straight line.

scuttlebutt – the cask from which the ship’s crew took their drinking water — like a water fountain — was the “scuttlebutt”.  Salilors would gather around the “scuttlebutt”  the hear the latetest news or gossip,

clean bill of health – this widely used term has its origins in the “Bill of Health”, a document issued to a ship showing that the port it sailed from suffered from no epidemic or infection at the time of departure.

son of a gun– a defamatory or abusive word or phrase applied to boys conceived between the cannon aboard ship.

at loose ends – from the unraveling of the ends of rigging ropes on a sailing ship.

Fighting

busting your chops – at the turn of the century, wearing very long sideburns– called mutton chops or lamb chops was in vogue. A bust in the chops was to get hit in the face.

keep your shirt on – the prelude to a fistfight was to remove your shirt. Shirts required a lot of labor to make and were more expensive than today. Someone thinking of starting a fight might take off his shirt to prevent damage.

caught red-handed – it’s based on the metaphor of a criminal of assault being caught with blood still on their hands.

feather in your cap – it was once a common practice to award a feather to a soldier who had killed an enemy. These feathers were worn on the helmet, or other headgear and were symbols of social status much as modern soldiers receive and display medals.

bury the hatchet – when making peace, native Americans used to bury weapons to show that fighting had ended and enemies were now at peace. Today, the idiom means to make up with a friend after an argument or fight.

over a barrel – comes from laying someone over a barrel for a whipping  or punishment which involved holding someone over a barrel of boiling oil, etc. where the alternatives for the victim are to agree to demands or be dropped in the barrel.

bite the dust – how the dying soldiers had fallen with their faces in the dirt.

Women

spinster – unmarried woman – in Saxon times a woman was not considered fit for marriage until she could spin yarn properly. Interestingly, and in similar chauvanistic vein, the word ‘wife’ derives from the Anglo-Saxon ‘wyfan’, to weave, next after spinning in the cloth-making process.

mind your own Bee’s Wax – this came from the days when smallpox was a common disease that caused disfigurement.  Those who survived the disease were left with pock marks on their body and face.   Ladies would fill in the pock marks with beeswax.   However when the weather was very warm the wax might melt.   But it was not the thing to do for one lady to tell another that her makeup was melting. 

saving or losing face – the noble ladies and gentlemen of the late 1700s wore much makeup to impress each other. If they sat too close to the heat of the fireplace, the makeup would melt and “lose face.”

crack a smile– if you did have too much wax on your face and happento  smile, you could crack your wax, especially when it was cold outside.

(6)

Tavern Related

chalk it up  – to help remember, a tavern keep, might use chalk to mark upon his wall the bill of

 a patron who wished to pay at a later time. This was a reminder to collect owed money.

upper crust  – bread was divided according to status. The lesser class got the bottom which might be burned while and the better sort got the top, or the golden brown uppercrust.

room and board   – the word “ board” comes from the eating table usually just one board, sometimes two, set on trestles, making a long narrow surface to eat from. Coming to dinner was called “coming to the board,” a table cloth was referred to as “board clothes,”

turn the tables – the table only had one finished side. The other side, less expensive to make, was more rough. When the family was alone, they ate on the rough side to keep the good side nice for company. When company came, the whole top lifted off and was turned to its good side.

cash on the barrelhead  – money would have to be placed on the heads of the barrels (used as tables) when drinks were provided came to mean immediate payment for service.

mind your P’s & Q’s  – keep track of how many Pint and Quarts you have consumed

put in my two cents worth  – has its origin in the game of poker. When playing poker you have to make a small bet before the cards are dealt called an “ante” to begin play in that hand.

pitcher— a leather jug coated with pitch to hold it’s shape

Merchant & Tradesman Related

a bakers  dozen  – bakers once gave an extra roll for every dozen sold, thus the 13 were called a baker’s dozen.

a close shave – in the past, student barbers learned to shave on customers. If they shaved too close, their clients might be cut or even barely escape serious injury. Today, we use this idiom if a person narrowly escapes disaster.

a powder room – a closet where a man or woman of the 1700s could have a wig re-powdered,

blockhead –  from wooden head forms used to make and maintain wigs.

cut from the same cloth –  if you’re making a suit, the jacket and trousers should be cut from the same piece of cloth to ensure a perfect match, since there may be differences in color, weave etc. between batches of fabric.   Only if the whole suite is cut from the same piece of cloth can we be sure of the match. 

the whole nine yards  – when ordering a suite of clothes, a proper suite will take 9 yards of material. A klesser suite without vest and matching weave may take 5 or 6 yards of cloth.

let the cat out of the bag – a dishonest farmer, claiming to be selling a young pig, might substitute a cat or some other valueless animal in a tied bag.

a pig in a poke –  is obviously related; poke is an old word for a small sack and the whole expression means ‘something bought or received without prior examination or knowledge’.

in the pits – the sawman of the two man team who had to saw from underneath the lumber in the pit.

(7)

Death

When digging up graves for relocation, coffins were opened. Some coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside of the lid. It was then realized that they had been burying people alive. Statistics were kept and it was found that one out of 25 coffins opened had scratch marks on the inner lids. 

saved by the bell – an idea was introduced for the better prevention of being buried alive. The idea was to drill a hole in the lid of the coffin, tie a string on their wrist of the deceased and lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell on the limb of a tree or pole placed nearby.

graveyard shift – someone who would sit out in the graveyard all night to listen for the bell and who could dig up the coffin if the bell rang.

dead ringer – the person who was saved by the bell

kill with kindness – from the story of how Draco met his death, by being smothered and suffocated by caps and cloaks thrown onto him at the theatre of Aegina, from spectators showing their appreciation of him, 590 BC.

hold a wake – dead were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days to wait and see if they would wake up, hence the custom of holding a  ‘wake.”

What is it?

Colonial Items                        Was what?

A) Noggin                 a small mug or cup of ovens

B) Pipkin                              a small cooking pot

C) Trencher                          a wooden plate used at the table

D) Cricket                                  a low footstool

E) Peel                        tool used to take loaves out

F)Flagon                   a vessel used to serve liquids

G)Huckaback          a stout linen fabric used for towels

H)Manumit                              to liberate from slavery

I)Riddle                     a coarse sieve used for separating chaff                        

J)Chaise                    one horse carriage for pleasure

Colonial Medical  Diseases

Match the Colonial Disease Name with what it is called today

Draw a line connecting the name of the Colonial Disease Name with what it is called today

K)Consumption      Tuberculosis

L)Screws                   Rheumatism

M)Quinsey                Tonsillitis

N)Putrid Fever         Diphtheria

O))Grippe                 Influenza

P)St. Vitus’ Dance   Nervous Twitches disorder

Q)Ague                      Recurring fever of Malaria

R)Bilious fever        Fever from a  liver

S)Bloody Flux          Dysentery

T)Black Pox            Smallpox

(8)

Some Favorite Old Proverbs

A proverb is a short sentence based on long experience with the clear  ring of truth to it. –

BF  is   Ben Franklin (1706-1790)

Wish not so much to live long as to live well. BF

A good spouse and health is a person’s best wealth. BF

Keep conscience clear, then never fear.BF

A day is lost if one has not laughed. – French (on the conduct of life

He that lies down with the dogs riseth with fleas. – George Herbert (1593-1633)

A good spouse and health is a person’s best wealth. BF

Be slow in choosing a friend, slower still in changing.BF

Content makes poor men rich; discontent makes rich men poor. BF

Dally not with other folk’s spouses or money. BF

Do good to thy friend to keep him, to thy enemy to gain him. BF

Do not squander time for that is the stuff that life is made of BF

Don’t halloo until you’re out of the wood. BF

Each year one vicious habit rooted out, in time might make the worst man good throughout. BF

Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. BF

Be civil to all; sociable to many; familiar with few; friend to one; enemy to none. –BF

Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, half shut afterwards. BF

Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.-BF

Well done is better than well said BF

A lie stands on one leg, the truth on two BF

Copyrighted by JSS 4/2006

Information about evidence of early Americans found on the continental shelf  

Come and take my tour of Jamestown to hear more.  Visit my website

http://www.williamsburgprivatetours.com/

Please click the +1 button if you liked this. Thanks

Evening Tour

The Civil War Battle of Williamsburg

May 5, 1862

painting of the battlefield hanging in Fort Magruder Hotel lobby

NEW…..I now offer an entertaining  one hour evening lantern tour through historic Williamsburg.  I  sumerize the Battle of Williamsburg VA and the aftermath. I including  stories of  residents under the subsequent occupation of Williamsburg by Union forces.  There are stories are of the patriotic women, some spies,   who let the northern occupiers know their feelings. Great stories !  This is another period of history of  Williamsburg that you will not want to miss.  It is an entertaining and facinating part of history of this great city.

Visitors will view the  house occupied by General Joseph Johnson and later by his pursuer General George McClellan.See the bullet holes in the weather-vane. The stories of occupied Williamsburg are phenomenal and may of the best stories involve the patriotism of the southern ladies of Williamsburg.

A private one  hour  tour – Cost $100 for your group (can have up to 8 persons for this price- additional persons are prorated)

Contact Colonial Tours Now To Make Reservations For Your Civil War Tour

Email Your Reservations or Questions

click this envelope

or feel free to call for Reservations to:  757-897-9600

Battlefield Map

Line of Redoubts and Redans East side of Williamsburg

Captain John Smith ecaped death
during the years 1607-1609 when part of the Jamestown Colony
All these occurrences happened during a 2 1/2 year period 

 These are only a few near death experiences endured by Smith .

There are many more which I hope to add in the future. 

During the long 4 month voyage over to Jamestown aboard the crowded ship
“Susan Constant”   the following ocurred ……

aboard the “Susan Constant” a pompous aristocrat Wingfield accused Smith of “concealing a munity”
He was likely angered because the attention popular Captain John Smith was getting on the voyage over.
after a bit of devious scrutiny

when stopped at the island of Nevis, he had a gallows erected for Smith,
but  Smith explained  ”I could not be persuaded to use it”

A few months later Wingfiield was put on trial and removed as elected President at Jamestown
He was also found guilty of making false charge against Smith, He was ordered to pay Smith 200 pounds**

**~$100,000

***

 The ambush at the Jamestown glass-house beach

Smtih was walking all alone on a beach path one day

an Indian  Chief  named Wochinchopunck, comparatively huge, .. came his way

as they neared one another, the Chief  placed an arrow in his bow

and he aimed it at Smith ….

Smith rushed the Chief, grabbed the bow twisting it out of his hand

the Chief then pulled Smith into the water attempting to drown him.

But Smith got the big Chief in a headlock and drew his big  Turkish simitar which he came to appreciawhen fighting the Turks some 6 years earlier.

The Chief began whimpering and begged for his life

Captain Smith spared the Chief’s life’.

***

How  Stingray Point in the Chesapeake Bay got it’s name

When exploring and mapping the Chesapeake bay
Smith waded in the shallow water. Smith was stung by a sting ray.

The barb in the ray’s lashing tail pierced his arm. Smith got so very sick, thinking  he would not survive this …his men dug him a grave. But a doctor applied heat to the wound and by this Smith was saved.

Feeling better that evening, he ate the stingray for supper that night.
When he drew up his map,… he marked the spot on his map where he almost met death  “Stingray Point”

That is the name of that point in the Bay today.

***

 Captain John Smith goes off like a Roman candle 

When asleep aboard a boat one night, Smiht’s  gunpowder bag about his waist did ignite
The flames were burning furiously,  “he is on fire his men cried ”
yes..water would save him … so he jumped over the side

 …this happened to Smith when he was President in 1609
suspects are some who were always bickering & wastng time
some say it was them that that set him aflame
yet  we find Smith in his writing never assigned any blame

Sailing back to England  he was in agony from his burn
his wound would  heal…… and  he would return
(But not to Jamestown )!
Four years later he’s exploring again
he mapped the northern part of this new world and named it “New England“.

***

Two near death experiences- 1st Smith is captured  but spared while the men with him are killed

and weeks later warriors upon the orders of the great Chief Powhatan prepare to beat out his brains

but Captain John Smith is saved from death by Pocahontas

  

As many Indians as can lay hands on him,  grabbed  him,

put his head on large stones

and “others came out with clubs to crack his skull and break his bones

This event started several weeks earlier , first week in December 1607.

Smith wasexploring up the winding Chickahominy River about 50 miles or so

when 200 Indian warrriors ambushed  Smith and shot arrows at him.

Smith using his Indian guide as a shield,  he returned fire. He was

surrounded, and  wounded  in his leg.

Mired in the swamps cold mud,  about him the warriors began to surround

with no recourse nor hope to escape,  he laid his weapons  down

captive,  and at their mercies, ….what can he do?

He was taken before the leader Chief Opchanacanough to whom  he  gave his compass.

Tto test Smith’s bravery, Smith was tied to a tree.

if Smith screamed when threatened with this death  

arrows were notched in the bows and aimed at Smith

if Smith screamed they would surely kill him.

But brave Smith did not scream and passed the Indian’s test.

Smith was paraded through a dozen villages for  weeks.

He then was taken to the big chief’s village called Werowocomoco

 

 

First cleaned and then fed,  Smith was beginning to feel fine

But suddenly with out warning he was grabbed by as many as could lay hands on him

and forced rostrate on huge stones

other came out with clubs to break his bones.

Then suddenly a beautiful your Indian girl called Pocahontas, a princess of 11
appeared at Smith’s side as  if an angel from  heaven.

She cradled  his head in her arms before the warriors struck.

She pleaded for his life to her father, the great Chief, called Powhatan

Smith at the very last moment received the King’s quarter
Powhatan had granted Smith’s life out of regard for his daughter

You can believe this story, it is absolutely true

if you read Smith’s writings enough to know him, you will know it is true too.

Smith escaped death six other times from Indian attacks. during his 2 1/2 years at Jamestown
(not yet put in rhyme but coming in the future), They are :

….Smith saves his men and himself when ambushed and surrounded by 600-700  armed  warriors

….Smith and his exploreers were attacked multiple times when exploring the Chesapeake Bay

1st by the feared Massawomeke Indians, then Rappahannock Indians twice,  then by the Hasinnigas Indians , then a Nansemond Indian ambush.

….Smith and his men were poisoned when invited to supper by a nearyby Indian tribe 

There is more…

….Smith’s arch enemy and troublemaker Ratcliff,  when president of the council,  (mouthpiece for Archer,  Ratcliff’s cohort troublemaker), accuses Smith of  being responsible for the loss of some men when he was ambushed  by Indians on the Chickahominy expidition. Smith was put under arrest and scheduled to be hanged the next day.  

…. Smith is aboard ship in a cabin terribly burned  from his accident. In comes a couple of the individuals that were primary trouble makers at Jamestown with pistols to kill Smith. 

If you wish read Smith’s adventures in his own words, it is best to to purchase Smith’s  illuistrated autobiography …

you can find it online

follow this link, it will save you some time

Captain John Smith’s writings  in his own words

CLICK LINK BELOW TO BUY THIS BOOK

Travels and works of Captain John Smith… Edited by Edward Arber… A new ed,

 good luck and happy reading .

Please consider leaving a comment below about this page . Thanks in advance.

   

Captain John Smith’s 1612 Map of  the Chesapeake Bay area of Virginia

This was the most accurate and detailed map of the Chesapeake Bay area for over a century.  By making this map, Captain John Smith made more solid geographic contributions to the knowledge of the East Coast than anyone else in the seventeenth century.  This voyage to make this map began in June 1608, just months after being released from capture by Powhatan.  Captain John Smith undertook this journey of discovery and exploration of the largely unknown and unrecorded Chesapeake Bay in a 27 foot long sailboat with a dozen men.  Looking at the map today, Smith’s geographical accuracy is astounding given that he traveled about 2500 miles and had only primitive mapmaking tools to work with. It seems unbelievable that he was able to accomplish this voyage in only two and a half months. Smith and his men fought battles during their exploration and met giant-like Indians (see their picture on the map).

Captain John Smith should be recognized as the greatest founder of the American colonies.  His maps prepared the way for settlement of Virginia.

Unlike the blurry picture above, the map for sale is crisp and  sharp in detail.

If you wish to purchase a copy’s of this map, email me by clicking  the link below.
Tell me how many copies you wish and I will quote you a cost including shipping.

  

Read about Smith and his explorations. Book referral’s are provided at the website   www.CaptainJohnSmith.US

Captain John Smith

Sometimes Governour of Jamestown Virginia, and Admiral of New England

©

Captain John Smith

1580 – 1631

“Brass without but gold within”

from an inscription below Smith’s picture on the Map of New England (sentiment believed written by Sir Samuel Saltonstall)

©

Read  Captain John Smith’s writings  in his own words?

CLICK LINK BELOW TO BUY THIS BOOK

Travels and works of Captain John Smith… Edited by Edward Arber… A new ed,

John Smith’s writings of Virginia and New England are written in a very remarkable, straightforward, and a direct narrative style. It is presumed he recorded events in a diary as he lived them. This we do know he did when captured by pirates. Unfortunantly his diaries are lost but his books remain.

Captain John Smith wrote eight books. Two are autobiographies. These autobiographies may be the first English illuistrated autobiographies written. If any readers  find an earlier written English illuistrated autobiography, I would like  have that information.

Below is a list of books published by  Smith.

Works by John Smith (1580-1631)

Some used copies can be purchased cheaply at Amazon.  I have placed links (click  highlighted name of book) to find it at Amazon

My favorite book about Smith is –The American Dream by J.A. Leo Lemay, 1991 

This book examines the character of Captain John Smith. This book is not a saga, nor ment to be a biography, but it is an examination of Smith’s life, his relationships with friends and enemies. It also includes explanations of errors written about Smith by authors of the past. This author has done a complete job in this book, leaving out nothing. I realize that this author (Lemay) has come to admire Captain John Smith as I do, as one of the most interesting and awesome individuals who has lived.  

Quotes of  Captain John Smith

Smith on History

“History is the memory of time, the life of the dead and the happiness of the living.” Smith

Smith on the American Settlements

“I call them my children,” he says of the American settlements, “for they have been my wife, my hawks, my hounds, my cards, my dice and in totall, my best content, as indifferent to my heart as my left hand to my right.” from 1922 New England Trials

Smith on Virtue

“honour is our lives ambition” . “Then seeing that we are not borne for our selves, but each to helpe other, and our abilities are much alike at the houre of our birth, and the minute of our death: Seeing our good deeds, or our badde, by faith in Christs merits, is all we have to carrie our soules to heaven, or hell: Seeing honour is our lives ambition; and our ambition after death, to have have an honorable memorie of our life: and seeing noe meanes wee would bee abated of the dignities and glories of our Predecessors; let us imitate their virtues to be worthily their successors”.from the conclusion of Smith’s A description of New England (1615;1:361)

On Settling American Land

And here inFlorida, Virginia, New-England, andCannada, is more land than all the people in Christendome can manure, and yet more to spare than all the natives of those Countries can use and cultivate. The natives are only too happy to share: If this be not a reason sufficient to such tender consciences; for a copper kettle and a few toyes, as beads and hatchets, they will sell you a whole Country . . . theMassachusets have resigned theirs freely. Advertisements

Smith’s thoughts on slavery in America – these thoughts are before slavery was introduced in America by English

“Let all men have as much freedom in reason as may be, and true dealing, for it is the greatest comfort you can give them, where the very name of servitude will breed much ill blood, and become odious to God and man”. Advertisements

Smith’s Pep Talk To Crew

delivered by Captain John Smith to his men when 12 days into exploring the Chesapeake bay in an open boat, when their bread was spoiled, the men tired and wished to turn back.

“Gentlemen”, ” what shame would it be for you to force me to returne with a months provision, scarce able to say where we have been, nor yet heard of that wee were sent to seeke. You cannot say but I have shared wit you of the worst that is past; and for what is to come, of lodging, diet, or whatsoever, I am contented you allot the worst part to myself. As for your fears that I will lose myself in these unknowne large waters, or be swallowed up in some stormie gust: abandon those childish fears, for worse then is past cannot happen, and there is as much danger to returne, as to proceed forward. Regaine therefore your old spirits : for return I will not (if God assist me) til I have seene the Massawomeekes, found Patowomeck, or the head of this great water you conceit to be endlesse.” rememberence of speech written by Dr. Walter Russell and Anas Todkill

The Occupation Of Land In America Smith says there is so much uninhabited land in Florida, Virginia, New England, and Cannada, their natives so few, and in England a great need.

“For God did make the world to be inhabited with mankind,” further Smith says ” And here in Florida, Virginia, New England, and Cannada, is more land than all the people in Christendome can manure (cultivate), and yet more to spare than all the natives of those countries can use and culturate (cultivate).” yet he says , “for a copper knife and a few toys, as beads and hatchets, they will sell you a whole Countrey (district); and for a small matter, their houses and the ground they dewell upon; but those of Massachusets have resigned theirs freely”.  Advertisements

I am interested in getting feedback on Captain John Smith, so  please leave  me your comments and suggestions.

Thanks, John