Shortly after Captaine Gosnold fell sicke, and within three weekes died; Captaine Ratcliffe being then also verie sicke and weake, and my selfe having also tasted of the extremitie thereof, but by God's assistance being well recovered. Kendall about this time for divers reasons deposed from it pleased God (in our extremitie) to move the Indians to bring us corne, ere it was halfe ripe, to refresh us, when we rather expected when they would destroy us. Anchoring in this Bay, twentie or 20 being of the Councell; and shortly after thirtie went a shore with the captain, and in comming a board they were assalted with certaine Indians, which charged them within pistoll shot, in which conflict, Captaine Archer and Mathew Morton were shot. Whereupon Captaine Newport, seconding them, made a shot at them, which the Indians little respected; but having spent their arrowes retyred without 30 harme. The two and twentie day of Aprill [May] Captain Newport and my selfe, with divers others to the number of twenty two persons, set forward to discover the river some fiftie or sixtie miles, finding it in some places broader, and in some narrower; the countrie (for the moste part) on each side plaine high ground, with many fresh springes, 40 the people in all places kindly intreat1 English coastal waters Chesapeake Bay ' explore I About the tenth of September there were about 46 of our men dead, at which time Captaine Wingfield having ordered the affaires in such sort that he was generally hated of all, in which respect with one consent he was deposed from his presidencie, and Captaine Ratcliffe according to his course was elected. Our provision being now within twentie dayes spent, the Indians brought us great store both of corne and of bread ready made. And also there came such aboundance of fowles into the rivers, as greatly refreshed our weake estates. Whereuppon many of our weake men were presently able to goe abroad. . . . |