Surviving Jamestown: The Adventures of Young Sam Collier
Table of Contents Contents Preface viii 1 The Luckiest Boy in England 1 2 The Crossing 15 3 The West Indies 28 4 Virginia 42 5 Life along the James River 55 6 Danger Every Minute 71 7 The Seasoning 85 8 Salvation 98 9 Trading Terror 115 10 New Year New Promise 124 11 Fire 139 12 Outfoxing the Emperor 150 13 Jamestown 166 14 Man of the New World 177 Author’s Note 194
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 Luckiest 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
2 Surviving Jamestown 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 appren tice 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 some times 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 wharf 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
