the Kettell; that indeed
he allowed equally to be distributed, and that was halfe a pint of
wheat, and as much barley boyled with water for a man a day, and this
having fryed some 6 weekes in the ships hold, contained as many wormes
as graines; so that we might trudy call it rather so much bran than
corns, our drinks was water, our lodgings Castles in the ayre.
With this lodging and dyet, our extreame toils in bearing and planting
Pallisadoes, so strained and bruised vs, and our continuall labour in
the extremitie of the heat had so weakened vs, as were cause
sufficient to haue made vs as miserable in our natiue Countrey, or any
other place in the world.
From May, to September, those that escaped, lined vpon Sturgeon, and
Sea-crabs, fiftie in this time we buried, the rest seeing the
Presidents projects to escape these miseries in our Pinnace by flight
(who all this time had neither felt want nor sicknes) so moved our
dead spirits, as we deposed him; and established Ratcliffe in his
place, (Gosnoll being dead) Kendall deposed. Smith newly recovered,
Martin and Ratcliffe was by his care preserved and relieued, and the
most of the souldiers recovered with the skilfull diligence of Master
Thomas Wotton our Chirurgian generall.
But now was all our provision spent, the Sturgeon gone, all helps
abandoned, each houre expecting the fury of the Salvages; when God the
patron of all good indevours, in that desperate extremitie so changed
the hearts of the Salvages, that they brought such plenty of their
fruits, and provision, as no man wanted....
The new President, and Martin, being little beloved, of weake
iudgement in dangers, and lesse industrie in peace, committed the
managing of all things abroad to Captaine Smith: who by his owne
example, good words, and faire promises, set some to mow, others to
binde thatch, some to build houses, others to thatch them, himselfe
alwayes bearing the greatest tasks for his owns share, so that in
short time, he provided most of them lodgings, neglecting any for
himselfe.
This done, seeing the Salvages superfluitie beginne to decrease (with
some of his workmen) shipped himselfe in the Shallop to search the
Country for trade. The want of the language, knowledge to mannage his
boat without sailes, the want of a sufficient power (knowing the
multitude of the Salvages), apparell for his men, and other
necessaries, were infinite impediments.
Being but six or seauen in company he went do
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