sors on this coast there is no room here
to speak. Gosnold had described Elizabeth's Isles, explorations and
settlements had been made on the coast of Maine by Popham and Weymouth,
but Smith claims the credit of not only drawing the first fair map of
the coast, but of giving the name "New England" to what had passed under
the general names of Virginia, Canada, Norumbaga, etc.

Smith published his description of New England June 18, 1616, and it is
in that we must follow his career. It is dedicated to the "high, hopeful
Charles, Prince of Great Britain," and is prefaced by an address to
the King's Council for all the plantations, and another to all the
adventurers into New England. The addresses, as usual, call attention
to his own merits. "Little honey [he writes] hath that hive, where there
are more drones than bees; and miserable is that land where more
are idle than are well employed. If the endeavors of these vermin be
acceptable, I hope mine may be excusable: though I confess it were more
proper for me to be doing what I say than writing what I know. Had I
returned rich I could not have erred; now having only such food as came
to my net, I must be taxed. But, I would my taxers were as ready to
adventure their purses as I, purse, life, and all I have; or as diligent
to permit the charge, as I know they are vigilant to reap the fruits of
my labors." The value of the fisheries he had demonstrated by his catch;
and he says, looking, as usual, to large results, "but because I speak
so much of fishing, if any mistake me for such a devote fisher, as I
dream of nought else, they mistake me. I know a ring of gold from a
grain of barley as well as a goldsmith; and nothing is there to be had
which fishing doth hinder, but further us to obtain."

John Smith first appears on the New England coast as a whale fisher.
The only reference to his being in America in Josselyn's "Chronological
Observations of America" is under the wrong year, 1608: "Capt. John
Smith fished now for whales at Monhiggen." He says: "Our plot there was
to take whales, and made tryall of a Myne of gold and copper;" these
failing they were to get fish and furs. Of gold there had been little
expectation, and (he goes on) "we found this whale fishing a costly
conclusion; we saw many, and spent much time in chasing them; but could
not kill any; they being a kind of Jubartes, and not the whale that
yeeldes finnes and oyle as we expected." They then turned their