ge
an escape and took refuge at Elizabeth City (Kecoughtan).

Waters was an ancient planter who had come to Virginia with Gates,
reaching the Colony in 1610. He was one of a party who returned to
Bermuda for hogs for Virginia. Circumstances intervened and he remained
there about seven years. It was not until about 1617 that he returned to
Virginia where he was married and settled down. In 1625 he was listed
as living at Elizabeth City with his wife, son and daughter, "borne in
Virginia." His muster then included six servants and five others.

In a statement made by a number of Virginia planters on April 30, 1623,
there is mention of the plantation at "Blunt point" which would imply an
established settlement here at that time. It was enumerated along with a
number of others, including Newport News, which were described "as verie
fruitfull and pleasant seates." This was ten months after Captain Samuel
Each's offer to "erect before the end of March [1623] uppon the oyster
bankes, a block-house, that should forbid the passage of any shipp" up
the James. Each felt that he could lay his vessel near "Blunt point" and
do this with dispatch with his mariners and twelve carpenters. The
Governor and Council embraced his offer to build this "Block house about
Blunt Point." Company officials in England, too, liked the idea very
much. Seemingly, however, it never materialized. Instead, talk turned to
the fort which was undertaken at Warrascoyack on the opposite shore of
the James.

MULBERRY ISLAND (43)

On the north side of the James River some ten miles below Jamestown,
this "island" embraces some ten square miles of ground. Its name
evidently was derived from a heavy growth of the native Virginia
mulberry trees (_Morus rubra_). This must have been the case since
"Mulberry Island" and "Mulberry Point" were in use as place designations
as early as July, 1610. It was so named even before it was settled.

When Gates was proceeding down river, having abandoned Jamestown, in
June, 1610, it was just off Mulberry Island that he encountered Lord De
La Warr's "long boat" which gave word of reinforcements and supplies.
This saved the Colony and Gates reversed his course and returned to
Jamestown. In this way Mulberry Island is linked with this decisive
meeting which greatly affected the survival of the Colony.

It is not clear when actual settlement of the Island began. Seemingly it
was not before 1617 or 1618. In any event, about thi