o the midst of the company, wounding Captain Gabriel Archer in both
his hands, and dangerously hurting one of the seamen.

Captain Gosnold gave command for the firearms to be discharged,
whereupon the savages disappeared suddenly, and without delay our people
returned to the fleet.

READING THE LONDON COMPANY'S ORDERS

An hour later, when those who had just come from the shore had been
refreshed with food, I noted with much of anxiety that all the gentlemen
of the company, not only such as belonged on board the Susan Constant,
but those from the Speedwell, gathered in the great cabin of our ship,
and, looking out ever so cautiously, while the door of Captain Smith's
room was ajar, I saw them gather around the big table on which, as if
it were something of greatest value, was placed a box made of some dark
colored wood.

It was Master Hunt who opened this, and, taking out a paper, he read in
a voice so loud that even my master, as he lay in his narrow bed, could
hear the names of those who were chosen by the London Company to form
the Council for the government of the new land of Virginia.

These are the names as he read them: Bartholomew Gosnold, Edward
Wingfield, Christopher Newport, John Smith, John Ratcliffe, John Martin
and George Kendall.

My heart seemingly leaped into my throat with triumph when I thus heard
the name of my master among those who were to stand as leaders of the
company, and so excited had I become that that which Master Hunt read
from the remainder of the paper failed to attract my attention.

I learned afterward, however, that among the rules governing the actions
of this Council, was one that a President should be chosen each year,
and that matters of moment were to be determined by vote of the Council,
in which the President might cast two ballots.

It was when Master Hunt ceased reading that I believed my master would
be set free without delay, for of a verity he had the same right to take
part in the deliberations as any other, since it was the will of the
London Company that he should be one of the leaders; but much to my
surprise nothing of the kind was done. Captain Kendall, seeing the door
of my master's room slightly open, arose from the table and closed
it, as if he were about to say something which should not be heard by
Captain Smith.

I would have opened the door again, but that my master bade me leave it
closed, and when an hour or more had passed, Master Hunt came