Analysis of captain John Smith (Essay Sample)

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Analysis-John Smith
Captain Smith and the other English colonists in the Virginia Company face numerous challenges when they embark on their voyage. The crew is ravaged by such extreme weakness and oppressed by sickness making it difficult to withstand the journey and cope with the situation. Secondly, “while the ships stayed, our allowance was somewhat bettered by a daily proportion of biscuit which the sailors would pilfer to sell, give, or exchange with us for money, sassafras, furs or love” (Fichtelberg 45). The food the president was as an allowance of half a pint of wheat and much barley boiled in water for every man that had lasted in the ship’s hold for so long that it was infested with worms therefore; the people had only to survive with water on a daily basis with no lodgings to stay in. Also, “our extreme toil in bearing and planting palisades so strained and bruised us and our continual labor in the extremity of the heat had so weakened us, as were cause sufficient to have made us as miserable in our native country or any other place in the world” (Fichtelberg 45).Many people could not withstand this kind of suffering, fifty being buried within duration of five months. “From May to September, those that escaped lived upon sturgeon and crabs” (Fichtelberg 45).
The new president and Martin committed the managing of all things abroad to Captain Smith who bore the greatest responsibility for his own share by providing lodgings to most people and neglecting any for him by delegating some people to mow, thatch and build houses. “This done, seeing the savages’ superfluity begin to decrease, [Smith] (with some of his workmen) shipped himself in the shallop to search the country for trade” (Fichtelberg 46). Captain Smith also wanted to gain knowledge to manage his boat, language, sufficient power, apparels for his men, and other necessaries that prompted him to embark on the journey. Captain Smith also restored the idol god of the savages by the name of Okee and befriended them, discovered the town and country of Warraskoyack and finally discovered the people of Chickahominy. The role played by class and nobility in Captain Smith’s leadership is shown by his ability to procure his liberty and his estimation and that of his company in the captivity of the savages that they admired him more and they disregarded their own army (Fichtelberg 48). The Captain was also treated like a king during his captivity by the savages and they also conducted ceremonies for his approval and intentions. The captain was also spared from death by Emperor Powhatan of Werowocomoco who befriended, released and send him to Jame...