John Smith

"John Smith's Funny Adventures on a Crutch" by A. F. Hill is a biography of John Smith, the Virginia settler. He was an English soldier, explorer, colonial governor, Admiral of New England, and author. He played an important role in the establishment of the colony at Jamestown, Virginia, the first permanent English settlement in America, in the early 17th century. He met with many adventures—some of them funny and others not so funny—among the latter was the affair with Miss Pocahontas and her stern old parent. Many critics judge Smith's character and credibility as an author based solely on his description of Pocahontas saving his life from the hand of Powhatan. Smith focuses heavily on Indians in all of his works concerning the New World. Smith insists, however, that only hard workers would be able to reap the benefits of wealth which the New World afforded.