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reparation made from grain。 This was served in great bowls set in the ground； and when the other prisoners had raked it thoroughly with their foul fists the remainder was given to the Christians。 The same dish of entrails used to be served not many years ago in Upper Egypt as a royal dish to entertain a distinguished guest。
It might entertain but it would too long detain us to repeat Smith's information； probably all secondhand； about this barbarous region。 We must confine ourselves to the fortunes of our hero。 All his hope of deliverance from thraldom was in the love of Tragabigzanda； whom he firmly believed was ignorant of his bad usage。 But she made no sign。 Providence at length opened a way for his escape。 He was employed in thrashing in a field more than a league from the Tymor's home。 The Bashaw used to come to visit his slave there； and beat； spurn； and revile him。 One day Smith； unable to control himself under these insults； rushed upon the Tymor； and beat out his brains with a thrashing bat〃for they had no flails；〃 he explainsput on the dead man's clothes； hid the body in the straw； filled a knapsack with corn； mounted his horse and rode away into the unknown desert； where he wandered many days before he found a way out。 If we may believe Smith this wilderness was more civilized in one respect than some parts of our own land； for on all the crossings of the roads were guide…boards。 After traveling sixteen days on the road that leads to Muscova； Smith reached a Muscovite garrison on the River Don。 The governor knocked off the iron from his neck and used him so kindly that he thought himself now risen from the dead。 With his usual good fortune there was a lady to take interest in him〃the good Lady Callamata largely supplied all his wants。〃
After Smith had his purse filled by Sigismund he made a thorough tour of Europe； and passed into Spain； where being satisfied； as he says； with Europe and Asia； and understanding that there were wars in Barbary； this restless adventurer passed on into Morocco with several comrades on a French man…of…war。 His observations on and tales about North Africa are so evidently taken from the books of other travelers that they add little to our knowledge of his career。 For some reason he found no fighting going on worth his while。 But good fortune attended his return。 He sailed in a man…of…war with Captain Merham。 They made a few unimportant captures； and at length fell in with two Spanish men…of…war； which gave Smith the sort of entertainment he most coveted。 A sort of running fight； sometimes at close quarters； and with many boardings and repulses； lasted for a couple of days and nights； when having battered each other thoroughly and lost many men； the pirates of both nations separated and went cruising； no doubt； for more profitable game。 Our wanderer returned to his native land； seasoned and disciplined for the part he was to play in the New World。 As Smith had traveled all over Europe and sojourned in Morocco； besides sailing the high seas； since he visited Prince Sigismund in December； 1603； it was probably in the year 1605 that he reached England。 He had arrived at the manly age of twenty…six years； and was ready to play a man's part in the wonderful drama of discovery and adventure upon which the Britons were then engaged。
IV
FIRST ATTEMPTS IN VIRGINIA
John Smith has not chosen to tell us anything of his life during the interimperhaps not more than a year and a halfbetween his return from Morocco and his setting sail for Virginia。 Nor do his contemporaries throw any light upon this period of his life。
One would like to know whether he went down to Willoughby and had a reckoning with his guardians； whether he found any relations or friends of his boyhood； whether any portion of his estate remained of that 〃competent means〃 which he says he inherited； but which does not seem to have been available in his career。 From the time when he set out for France in his fifteenth year； with the exception of a short sojourn in Willoughby seven or eight years after； he lived by his wits and by the strong hand。 His purse was now and then replenished by a lucky windfall； which enabled him to extend his travels and seek more adventures。 This is the impression that his own story makes upon the reader in a narrative that is characterized by the boastfulness and exaggeration of the times； and not fuller of the marvelous than most others of that period。
The London to which Smith returned was the London of Shakespeare。 We should be thankful for one glimpse of him in this interesting town。 Did he frequent the theatre？ Did he perhaps see Shakespeare himself at the Globe？ Did he loaf in the coffee…houses； and spin the fine thread of his adventures to the idlers and gallants who resorted to them？ If he dropped in at any theatre of an afternoon he was quite likely to hear some allusion to Virginia； for the plays of the hour were full of chaff； not always of the choicest； about the attractions of the Virgin…land； whose gold was as plentiful as copper in England； where the prisoners were fettered in gold； and the dripping…pans were made of it； and wherean unheard…of thingyou might become an alderman without having been a scavenger。
Was Smith an indulger in that new medicine for all ills； tobacco？ Alas！ we know nothing of his habits or his company。 He was a man of piety according to his lights； and it is probable that he may have had the then rising prejudice against theatres。 After his return from Virginia he and his exploits were the subject of many a stage play and spectacle； but whether his vanity was more flattered by this mark of notoriety than his piety was offended we do not know。 There is certainly no sort of evidence that he engaged in the common dissipation of the town； nor gave himself up to those pleasures which a man rescued from the hardships of captivity in Tartaria might be expected to seek。 Mr。 Stith says that it was the testimony of his fellow soldiers and adventurers that 〃they never knew a soldier； before him； so free from those military vices of wine； tobacco； debts； dice； and oathes。〃
But of one thing we may be certain： he was seeking adventure according to his nature； and eager for any heroic employment； and it goes without saying that he entered into the great excitement of the dayadventure in America。 Elizabeth was dead。 James had just come to the throne； and Raleigh； to whom Elizabeth had granted an extensive patent of Virginia； was in the Tower。 The attempts to make any permanent lodgment in the countries of Virginia had failed。 But at the date of Smith's advent Captain Bartholomew Gosnold had returned from a voyage undertaken in 1602 under the patronage of the Earl of Southampton； and announced that he had discovered a direct passage westward to the new continent； all the former voyagers having gone by the way of the West Indies。 The effect of this announcement in London； accompanied as it was with Gosnold's report of the fruitfulness of the coast of New England which he explored； was something like that made upon New York by the discovery of gold in California in 1849。 The route by the West Indies； with its incidents of