A journal, as mentioned in the previous module, is an example of non-

fiction literature.  A journal records the important or significant events over

a period of time in the life of the author.  A well-known journal is The Diary
of a Young Girl by Anne Frank in which she recorded her life during her
and her family hiding from 1942 to 1944 during the German occupation of
the Netherlands.  Ideally, a journal tells of real events in the life of the
author and it consists of a factual account of the writer.    
What Happened till The First Supply is an excerpt (chapter) in a much
longer journal entitled The General History of Virginia.  Captain John Smith
wrote this journal in 1624 and talks about the life of the first settlers in
Jamestown in Virginia.  The excerpt particularly talks about the struggles of
the people upon arriving at Jamestown from their 4-month travel by sea. 
Initially, John Smith criticizes his colleagues and the people for several
issues he has with them.  Eventually, the Capt. faced an unexpected
challenge, which he has surpassed, with, according to him, the grace of
God.
Before we deal with this journal, let us first get to know a little bit about its
author, Capt. John Smith.  You might have heard the name.  Does the
Disney animated film Pocahontas help you recall his name?  It is because
the Capt. John Smith in that film and the John Smith we are talking about
are the same people.  However, the way he was portrayed in the film is not
100% accurate.  For one, let us look at and compare the two images of him
below. 
John Smith was born in 1580 in Willoughby, Lincolnshire, England.  From a
very young age, he has been actively involved in military activities.  In fact,
he joined his first war at age 16 when he joined the French volunteers in
the Dutch-Spain war.  When he was 20 years old, he went to Austria to join
the Holy Roman Empire (HRE) to fight against the Turks.  Such war
brought John Smith to Slovenia, Transylvania, and Hungary where he was
awarded the title “Captain” while he was fighting in Hungary.
 
After being captured in war in 1602, John Smith became a slave but
eventually freed himself from his master by killing him.  Through the help of
a Russian couple, John Smith regained his strength after escaping his
master, and he returned to England in 1604 after his travels in Europe.  
 
Shortly after his return to his country, John Smith joined the Virginia
Company of London, which sent 3 ships to travel to the New World
(America) to establish and English colony in Virginia through the charter
granted by King James I.  Together with 104 settlers and the council to lead
the settlement, John Smith set sail in December of 1606 and arrived in
Virginia in April of 1607.  However, even before their arrival in Virginia,
Smith has had several issues with his co-members of the council; for one,
he was arrested for mutiny during their journey.  Nevertheless, it is good to
note that in September of 1608, Capt. John Smith was elected president of
the local council, and one of the first laws implemented by Smith declares
“He who does not work, does not eat.”.