Jamestown.

John Smith never pretended to be a scientist. When the Englishman arrived at the James River in April 1607, Smith and the other 120 colonists were intent on finding a likely spot to camp, build a fort, and begin to trade with the native inhabitants. Some of the English hunted for gold. They soon discovered that a powerful Indian confederation surrounded them. During the first nine months sixty-seven settlers died. They were entirely dependent on the Indians for food. In this increasingly desperate situation, John Smith decided to go exploring.

Journeys.

Smith sailed up the James River in search of food. In the process he began to realize the plenty, and potential, of the American wilderness. Smith was one of the first Englishmen to see that success in America would not result from concentrating on discovering gold or a waterway through the continent to China. Smith...