Surviving Jamestown Read online

  To Joyce Henson, who embarks on so many adventures with me.

  —GLK

  Surviving Jamestown

  THE ADVENTURES OF

  YOUNG SAM COLLIER

  Gail Langer Karwoski

  Illustrated by

  Paul Casale

  Published by

  PEACHTREE PUBLISHERS

  1700 Chattahoochee Avenue

  Atlanta, Georgia 30310-2112

  www.peachtree-online.com

  Text © 2001 by Gail Langer Karwoski

  Illustrations © 2001 by Paul Casale

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

  Cover and book design by Loraine M. Joyner

  Book composition by Melanie McMahon Ives

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Karwoski, Gail, 1949–

  Surviving Jamestown : the adventures of young Sam Collier / Gail Langer Karwoski ; illustrated by Paul Casale.–1st ed.

  p. cm.

  Summary: Sam Collier, a twelve-year-old, serves as page to John Smith during the relentless hard ship experienced by the founders at the first permanent English settlement in the New World.

  ISBN 13: 978-1-56145-755-7 (ebook)

  1. Jamestown (Va.)–Juvenile fiction. 2. Smith, John, 1580-1631.–Juvenile fiction. 3. Collier, Samuel, d. 1622.–Juvenile fiction. [1. Jamestown (Va.)–Fiction. 2. Smith, John, 1580-1631.–Fiction. 3. Collier, Samuel, d. 1622.–Fiction. 4. Explorers–Fiction. 5. Virginia–History–Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775–Fiction.] I. Casale, Paul, ill. II. Title.

  PZ7.K153 Su 2001

  [Fic]–dc21

  00-054859

  Acknowledgments

  Lots of people helped me bring this story to the page. Any inaccuracies or misjudgments are mine, but I have many people to thank for contributions to this work.

  My husband, Chester Karwoski, deserves my biggest thanks. Without his support and enthusiasm, I would not be a writer. His suggestions make my stories clearer and more lively.

  Many experts graciously reviewed the manuscript to help ensure its accuracy. Nancy Egloff, the historian at the Jamestown Settlement, reviewed multiple drafts and researched many period details at my request. Ruth Haas, also from the Jamestown Settlement, supplied numerous helpful suggestions, as did Diane Stallings and Lee Pelham Cotton from the Colonial National Historical Park and Judith A. Corello and Christa Mueller from the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities. All have been very generous with their time and knowledge.

  Dr. Stephen Lucas helped me with the medical moments in the story. Steve is an exceptional physician who cares not only for his patients, but also for his patient’s characters!

  I appreciate the expert advice of the PACE students of Joyce Henson and Cass Robinson at Malcom Bridge Elementary in Oconee County, Georgia, who helped me select the title for this book.

  The members of my writers’ “family” (the Four at Five: Bettye Stroud, Wanda Langley, and Lori Hammer) evaluated each chapter and listened sympathetically to tribulations along the way! Another Peachtree writer, Adrian Fogelin, also offered helpful suggestions. My daughters, Leslie and Geneva Karwoski, gave me my first lessons in children’s literature many years ago; as grown-ups, they are still giving me valuable insights and invaluable encouragement. My parents, Farley and Charlotte Langer, are—as always—my greatest fans!

  So many folks at my publishing “family,” Peachtree Publishers, Ltd., have devoted time and support to this book! Associate Editor Vicky Holifield was wonderful, gentle, and brilliant in her copyediting, trimming, and proofing. Production Manager Melanie McMahon and Art Director Loraine Balcsik carefully crafted these pages and worked hard to make this a beautiful book. Most of all, I owe an enormous thanks to my editor, Sarah Helyar Smith. Sarah embraced this project. She’s an awesome editor—tireless and talented—who cares deeply about producing high-quality books for young readers.

  Contents

  Preface

  1. The Luckiest Boy in England

  2. The Crossing

  3. The West Indies

  4. Virginia

  5. Life along the James River

  6. Danger Every Minute

  7. The Seasoning

  8. Salvation

  9. Trading Terror!

  10. New Year, New Promise

  11. Fire!

  12. Outfoxing the Emperor

  13. Jamestown

  14. Man of the New World

  Author’s Note

  Preface

  English ships explored the coast of North America for more than a century before England successfully planted a colony in the New World.

  After Columbus discovered the West Indies in 1492, and all through the 1500s, ships from England, Spain, and France made many voyages to the coast of North America. Pirates sailed the American waters, too.

  England made its first attempts to establish a North American colony in the 1580s. In 1584, Sir Walter Raleigh founded a colony on Roanoke Island, off the coast of what is now North Carolina. Nobody knows what happened to this “lost colony.”

  By the beginning of the 1600s, England, Spain, and France each claimed land in North America and tried to hold onto those claims by starting permanent settlements. In 1620, the Mayflower set sail to found the Plymouth Colony. But fourteen years earlier, in 1606, King James I had chartered the Virginia Company of London, and its first fleet set sail in December of the same year.

  The fleet reached Chesapeake Bay in 1607. The settlement they established became Jamestown—England’s first permanent North American colony.

  1

  The Lucbiest Boy in England

  Sam Collier climbed onto the ship’s broad railing and sat with his legs dangling. He stuck two fingers in his mouth—the way his new friend Nate Peacock had taught him—and let fly a screeching whistle. Grabbing a line to steady himself, he placed his feet on the wooden railing and slowly rose until he stood, teetering, on the side of the swaying ship. Grinning, he announced, “Samuel Collier, second son of Thomas and Anne Collier of Lincolnshire, is the luckiest boy in all of England!”

  There was no response from the people on the wharf at Blackwall Port. With night coming on, and the sailors busy loading supplies, none of the men on the ship paid attention to Sam’s announcement, either.

  But a boy’s voice behind him said, “Sam Collier will be none too lucky if he falls into the black water of the Thames River!”

  Startled, Sam turned around.

  Nate imitated the voice of a nagging parent. “How many times do I need to remind you, Samuel? A ship makes a slippery perch.” He wagged his index finger. “If you fall in wearing your heavy coat, you’ll sink like a stone.” He glared at Sam for a few seconds, then burst out laughing.

  Smiling, Sam leaped onto the muddy deck, his feet skidding on the slick wooden boards.

  “Master Smith told me to fetch you,” Nate said.

  Sam was John Smith’s page. For the next few years, he would be expected to obey Master Smith the way a son obeys his father. As a page, Sam was Smith’s servant who had to help with all kinds of errands and chores. But he was also Smith’s apprentice, and he would have a chance to learn whatever his master was willing to teach. Sam knew that when a page became fifteen or sixteen years old and ready to strike out on his own, he sometimes followed in his master’s footsteps. John Smith was an explorer and an adventurer, and Sam thought this life would suit him just fine.

  Waving good-bye to the people on the wha
rf, Sam trotted after Nate. Nobody waved back, but Sam didn’t notice.

  The boys were a mismatched pair. Sam was twelve, nearly two years younger than Nate, and he stood at least a head shorter than his friend. Although he was lean, Sam’s muscular body made him seem stocky compared with his skinny friend. Nate’s long arms and legs stuck out of his coat sleeves and pants, ending in huge hands and clumsy feet. In his woolly waistcoat, Nate resembled a lanky, cheerful pup who had not yet grown bulky enough to fill up his own skin.

  “Do you know any of those folks?” Nate asked, gesturing at the crowd on the wharf.

  “Not a one,” Sam replied. “I’ve never been to this port. For that matter, I’d never been on the Thames River or to the city of London until I came aboard this ship. And I don’t care to return to any of these places, either.”

  Nate nodded in agreement. “Too crowded,” he said. “I don’t like seeing so many faces without a friendly look on any of them.”

  “I don’t want to be friends with them,” Sam said. “They live in the old world. If you ask me, even the great city of London is dirty and worn out. It’s part of the past. You and me, we’re headed for a new world—the future!” Sam clamped his hand on Nate’s shoulder, and the boys looked at each other and grinned.

  A boy’s voice said, “Sam Collier will be none too lucky if he falls into the black water of the Thames River!”

  They threaded their way along the railing of the crowded ship. The deck of the Susan Constant was smaller than the ground floor of the tidy farmhouse where Sam had grown up. But the ship was crowded with seventeen sailors shouting directions and loading cargo. And more than fifty passengers were living aboard this ship.

  The boys had to clamber over coils of tarred rope and heaps of equipment. They jumped aside to avoid bumping into sailors, who were carrying heavy barrels on board and passing them down to their mates for storage in the hold. Some of the gentlemen passengers stood watching the bustle. Their overcoat collars were pulled up against the damp December chill.

  As they squeezed between groups of onlookers, Sam and Nate nearly bumped into a small, white-faced boy.

  “Nathaniel Peacock!” the boy shouted. “I’ve been searching high and low for you.” James Brumfield frowned. “Master Calthrop sent me to find you. He’s worried sick that you got off the ship and got lost here in Blackwall. I do think you should be more considerate. We’re not supposed to make trouble for the gentlemen, you know.”

  Nate started to hurry off, but Sam grabbed his arm and winked. “Wait a minute, Nate. I hope you paid attention to James’s pretty speech.”

  James hesitated. He considered Sam Collier a rude boy, so the compliment surprised him. He wasn’t sure whether he should tip his cap to acknowledge Sam’s fair words. Or whether Sam was being sarcastic and had insulted him.

  Sam looked closely at James’s pale face. It’s as white as a fish belly! Sam thought. With a quick movement, Sam snatched James’s cap and tossed it to Nate. Then Sam grabbed the two ends of James’s blue scarf and tied them over the boy’s mouth. “It’s not considerate of you to go bareheaded in this damp, chilly weather, James Brumfield,” Sam said, grinning. “Look, your lips are turning blue with cold! We’re not supposed to make trouble for the gentlemen, you know.”

  Nate held James’s cap above the boy’s head. When James jumped to grab it, Nate tossed the cap on top of a tall stack of crates. Chuckling, Sam and Nate ran off in search of their masters.

  Sam climbed down the wooden stairs to the ‘tween deck, the middle deck where the passengers would live during the voyage. He found John Smith rearranging some crates. Smith’s sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, and he’d taken off his waistcoat. Beads of sweat glistened on his broad forehead and dripped onto his short, brown beard.

  “Make haste, lad,” Smith said as he strained to move a heavy crate. “I want to be sure none of these guns or powder boxes will get wet.”

  Sam pulled off his cap and stuffed it into his pocket. His wavy brown hair was plastered to his head, and he ran his fingers through it. Loosening his coat, Sam reached for the stack of guns and ammunition. “Are we taking all these guns for hunting in Virginia?” he asked.

  “Mostly for defense,” Smith said. We may run into pirates on the islands. Or Spanish ships.”

  Sam raised his eyebrows. “Do you think we’ll have to fight off pirates? Or Spaniards?”

  Smith shrugged. “Pirates would gladly steal our ship and all its cargo. As for the Spanish, they want to claim as much of North America as they can, so they’d be delighted to prevent us from reaching Virginia. Believe me, lad, I’ve met my share of dangers outside England. I know how crucial our weapons will be.”

  A sliver of fear slid into Sam’s stomach, but he tried to ignore it. This is my chance to see the world beyond my father’s farm, he reminded himself. Sam shifted the crates as Smith directed. Then Smith showed him how to lash them securely in place so they would not overturn when high seas rocked the ship.

  “When do we set sail for Virginia, Master Smith?” Sam asked.

  “Tonight, on the tide. The sailors have almost finished loading the hold. As soon as the tide shifts, our fleet will continue down the Thames. Then we set out across the Atlantic Ocean.”

  “Will we be in North America by Christmas?” Sam asked.

  John Smith smiled. “The winds don’t blow that fast, lad! It’s already December 20. We’ll be lucky to reach the Canary Islands—off the coast of Africa—by the beginning of the new year.”

  “Is it true, Master Smith, that North America is colder than England, and its winds are so fierce they can blow apart a ship in an instant?”

  Before Smith had a chance to answer, Sam plunged ahead. “… and that naked men run over the land—men who have no fear of death and cannot speak any better than wolves?” Sam’s eyes sparkled. “And that rivers of liquid gold flow through the countryside and shine in the rays of the sun?”

  John Smith frowned. “Somebody’s been filling your ears with fabulous tales! It’s best not to swallow every word you’re served aboard ship. When I lived among the Turks, I learned it was wiser to see a thing with my own eyes rather than believe the tales that men tell.”

  Smith stood and mopped sweat off his forehead. He was a short man, lean but muscular. Every inch of his small frame seemed necessary to support the man’s actions, just as every word he spoke seemed to have a purpose. Smith looked at his page and continued. “There’s a great deal of land across the sea, Sam. Along the coast they call Newfoundland, they say winters are much colder than here in England. But our ships are headed south for Virginia,” Smith explained. “We plan to drop anchor near Roanoke Island, not far from where Sir Walter Raleigh’s ships landed. The climate is mild where we’re headed.”

  “Have you also heard that naked men live there, Master Smith?” Sam persisted. “And that there are rivers of gold?”

  Smith nodded. “Yes, Sam, I’ve heard the tales about naked men who live in North America. I was told these natives have mild, simple natures—as gentle as small children. If the tales are true, we can expect an easy welcome from them. And I’ve also heard the stories about fabulous deposits of gold.” Smith rubbed his neck. “We shall see for ourselves soon enough.”

  Sam waited hopefully. Although he had known John Smith for only a few weeks, Sam had already discovered that when his master was in a talkative mood he could tell wonderful stories of shipwrecks and captures, of bold escapes and rich rewards. All of Smith’s stories were about his own experiences in faraway places. And every word of them was true!

  When John Smith was fifteen, his father had apprenticed him to a rich merchant. But he found a merchant’s life too dull. So, when he turned seventeen, Smith left the merchant and went to fight in the Dutch war of independence. As soon as the war was over, Smith went to sea. His hunger for adventure still strong, he joined the Austrian army in a war against the Turks. Before long, he was in the thick of battle, beheading Turkish officers
. Then he was wounded and captured. Forced into slavery, he made a daring escape and fled to Transylvania. He was rewarded handsomely for his courage and returned to England a prosperous man.

  Smith looked at the crowd of passengers and sailors hurriedly stowing the last of the supplies, then turned to Sam. “If we find gold, Sam Collier, you’ll return to Lincolnshire a rich man. You’ll be richer than your older brother, in spite of the farm that he’ll inherit.”

  Sam’s father was a farmer. According to custom, their oldest son, Thomas Jr., would inherit the family farm. Sam had to make his own way in the world. All his parents could offer their second son was a brief education, a stock of warm clothing and leather shoes, and a position with a man like Smith.

  “I’m never going to return to Lincolnshire!” Sam replied. “I’m going to be a man of Virginia and swim in rivers of gold. I think I’m the luckiest boy in England,” Sam declared, “setting out on such an adventure before my thirteenth birthday!”

  Smith nodded. “Perhaps you are, Sam. I believe you’re a fine lad for this journey—bold and eager. When I was your age, I was the same sort of lad.”

  The Susan Constant, followed by her companion ships the Godspeed and the Discovery, made her way down the Thames River and into the English Channel. One hundred and five English passengers and forty sailors rode aboard the Virginia Company’s fleet. The men were hoping to find profit as well as adventure in Virginia. Their goal was to establish a colony that would send goods and raw materials back to England for sale. Sea captains had been bringing back reports of vast forests and abundant game, and England needed timber and furs. Furthermore, the Virginia Company hoped the settlers would find deposits of gold and gemstones. And if they were able to find an easy route across the Americas to the Orient, then the Virginia colony might become a trading center for China’s expensive silks and spices.

  But when the ships reached the Channel, the winds blew hard from the south, and the fleet was stalled in sight of the English coast. Since the ships couldn’t sail into the head winds, the passengers were allowed on deck for a few hours each afternoon when the seas weren’t too high.