of worship
consisted of an awning, or old sail, suspended between three or four
trees, to protect them from the sun; the area covered by it was inclosed
by wooden rails; the seats were unhewed trees, till plank was cut; the
pulpit was a wooden crosspiece nailed to two neighboring trees. In
inclement weather an old decayed tent served for the place of worship.
After awhile, by the zeal of the minister Hunt, and the assistance of
Newport's seamen, a homely structure like a barn was erected, "set upon
crachets, covered with rafts, sedge, and earth," as likewise were the
sides, the best of the houses being constructed after the same fashion,
and the greater part of them worse than the church, so that they were
but a poor defence against wind or rain. Nevertheless, the service was
read daily, morning and evening, and on Sunday two sermons were
preached, and the communion celebrated every three months, till the Rev.
Mr. Hunt died. After which prayers were still said daily, and a homily
read on Sunday, and so it continued until the arrival of other preachers
some two or three years afterwards. The salary allowed Mr. Hunt appears
to have been L500 a year, appropriated by the council of the Virginia
Company in England, consented to by the council in Virginia, and
confirmed by the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1605, to Richard Hackluyt,
Prebend of Westminster, who, by his authority, sent out Mr. Hunt, "an
honest, religious, and courageous divine, during whose life our factions
were oft qualified, our wants and greatest extremities so comforted,
that they seemed easy in comparison of what we endured after his
memorable death."[52:A]

The stock of provisions running low, the colonists at Jamestown were
reduced to a diet of meal and water, and this, together with their
exposure to cold, after the loss of their habitations, cut off upwards
of one-half of them. Their condition was made still worse by a rage for
gold that now seized them. "There was no talk, no hope, no work, but dig
gold, wash gold, refine gold, load gold." Smith, not indulging in these
empty dreams of imaginary wealth, laughed at their infatuation in
loading "such a drunken ship with gilded dust."

Captain Newport, after a delay of three months and a half, being now
ready to sail for England, and the planters having no use for
parliaments, places, petitions, admirals, recorders, interpreters,
chronologers, courts of plea, nor justices of the peace, sent Master
Wingfi