As a Church of England man, Smith is not well pleased with the
occupation of New England by the Puritans, Brownists, and such "factious
humorists" as settled at New Plymouth, although he acknowledges the
wonderful patience with which, in their ignorance and willfulness, they
have endured losses and extremities; but he hopes better things of
the gentlemen who went in 1629 to supply Endicott at Salem, and were
followed the next year by Winthrop. All these adventurers have, he says,
made use of his "aged endeavors." It seems presumptuous in them to try
to get on with his maps and descriptions and without him. They probably
had never heard, except in the title-pages of his works, that he was
"Admiral of New England."

Even as late as this time many supposed New England to be an island, but
Smith again asserts, what he had always maintained--that it was a part
of the continent. The expedition of Winthrop was scattered by a storm,
and reached Salem with the loss of threescore dead and many sick,
to find as many of the colony dead, and all disconsolate. Of the
discouraged among them who returned to England Smith says: "Some could
not endure the name of a bishop, others not the sight of a cross or
surplice, others by no means the book of common prayer. This absolute
crew, only of the Elect, holding all (but such as themselves) reprobates
and castaways, now made more haste to return to Babel, as they termed
England, than stay to enjoy the land they called Canaan." Somewhat they
must say to excuse themselves. Therefore, "some say they could see no
timbers of ten foot diameter, some the country is all wood; others they
drained all the springs and ponds dry, yet like to famish for want of
fresh water; some of the danger of the ratell-snake." To compel all
the Indians to furnish them corn without using them cruelly they say
is impossible. Yet this "impossible," Smith says, he accomplished in
Virginia, and offers to undertake in New England, with one hundred and
fifty men, to get corn, fortify the country, and "discover them more
land than they all yet know."

This homily ends--and it is the last published sentence of the "great
Smith"--with this good advice to the New England colonists:

"Lastly, remember as faction, pride, and security produces nothing but
confusion, misery and dissolution; so the contraries well practised will
in short time make you happy, and the most admired people of all our
plantations for your time in th