was up the river； quarreling with West and his men。 At last he called them
〃wrongheaded asses；〃 flung himself into his boat； and made down the river
to Jamestown。 Yet even so e found no peace； for； while he was asleep in the
boat； by some accident or other a spark found its way to his powder pouch。
The powder exploded。 Terribly hurt； he leaped overboard into the river；
whence he was with difficulty rescued。
Smith was now deposed by Ratcliffe； Archer； and Martin； because； 〃being an
ambityous； onworthy； and vayneglorious fellowe；〃 say his detractors； 〃he
wolde rule all and ingrose all authority into his own hands。〃 Be this as it
may； Smith was put on board one of the ships which were about to sail for
England。 Wounded； and with none at Jamestown able to heal his hurt； he was
no unwilling passenger。 Thus he departed； and Virginia knew Captain John
Smith no more。 Some liked him and his ways； some liked him not nor his ways
either。 He wrote of his own deeds and praised them highly； and saw little
good in other mankind； though here and there he made an exception。 Evident
enough are faults of temper。 But he had great courage and energy and at
times a lofty disinterestedness。
Again winter drew on at Jamestown； and with it misery on misery。 George
Percy； now President； lay ill and unable to keep order。 The multitude；
〃unbridled and heedless；〃 pulled this way and that。 Before the cold had
well begun； what provision there was in the storehouse became exhausted。
That stream of corn from the Indians in which the colonists had put
dependence failed to flow。 The Indians themselves began systematically to
spoil and murder。 Ratcliffe and fourteen with him met death while loading
his barge with corn upon the Pamunkey。 The cold grew worse。 By midwinter
there was famine。 The four hundredalready noticeably dwindleddwindled
fast and faster。 The cold was severe； the Indians were in the woods； the
weakened bodies of the white men pined and shivered。 They broke up the
empty houses to make fires to warm themselves。 They began to die of hunger
as well as by Indian arrows。 On went the winter； and every day some died。
Tales of cannibalism are told 。 。 。 。This was the Starving Time。
When the leaves were red and gold； England…in…America had a population of
four hundred and more。 When the dogwood and the strawberry bloomed；
England…in…America had a population of but sixty。
Somewhat later than this time there came from the pen of Shakespeare a play
dealing with a tempest and shipwreck and a magical isle and rescue thereon。
The bright spirit Ariel speaks of 〃the still…vex'd Bermoothes。〃 These were
islands 〃two hundred leagues from any continent；〃 named after a Spanish
Captain Bermudez who had landed there。 Once there had been Indians； but
these the Spaniards had slain or taken as slaves。 Now the islands were
desolate； uninhabited； 〃forlorn and unfortunate。〃 Chance vessels might
touch； but the approach was dangerous。 There grew rumors of pirates； and
then of demons。 〃The Isles of Demons；〃 was the name given to them。 〃The
most forlorn and unfortunate place in the world〃 was the description that
fitted them in those distant days：
All torment； trouble； wonder and amazement Inhabits here： some heavenly
power guide us Out of this fearful country。
When Shakespeare so wrote； there was news in England and talk went to and
fro of the shipwreck of the Sea Adventure upon the rocky teeth of the
Bermoothes； 〃uninhabitable and almost inaccessible；〃 and of the escape and
dwelling there for months of Gates and Somers and the colonists in that
ship。 It is generally assumed that this incident furnished timber for the
framework of The Tempest。
The storm that broke on St。 James's Day； scattering the ships of the third
supply； drove the Sea Adventure here and there at will。 Upon her watched
Gates and Somers and Newport； above a hundred men； and a few women and
children。 There sprang a leak； all thought of death。 Then rose a cry 〃Land
ho！〃 The storm abated； but the wind carried the Sea Adventure upon this
shore and grounded her upon a reef。 A certain R。 Rich； gentleman； one of
the voyagers； made and published a ballad upon the whole event。 If it is
hardly Shakespearean music； yet it is not devoid of interest。
。 。 。 The Seas did rage； the windes did blowe；
Distressed were they then；
Their shippe did leake； her tacklings breake；
In daunger were her men；
But heaven was pylotte in this storme；
And to an Iland neare；
Bermoothawes called； conducted them；
Which did abate their feare。
Using the ship's boats they got to shore； though with toil and
danger。 Here they found no sprites nor demons； nor even men； but
a fair； half…tropical verdure and； running wild； great numbers of
swine。
And then on shoare the iland came
Inhabited by hogges；
Some Foule and tortoyses there were；
They only had one dogge；
To kill these swyne； to yield them foode；
That little had to eate。
Their store was spent and all things scant；
Alas！ they wanted meate。
They did not； however； starve。
A thousand hogges that dogge did kill
Their hunger to sustaine。
Ten months the Virginia colonists lived among the 〃still…vex'd Bermoothes。〃
The Sea Adventure was but a wreck pinned between the reefs。 No sail was
seen upon the blue water。 Where they were thrown； there Gates and Somers
and Newport and all must stay for a time and make the best of it。 They
builded huts and thatched them； and they brought from the wrecked ship；
pinned but half a mile from land； stores of many kinds。 The clime proved of
the blandest； fairest； with fishing and hunting they maintained themselves。
Days； weeks； and months went by。 They had a minister； Master Buck。 They
brought from the ship a bell and raised it for a church…bell。 A marriage； a
few deaths； the birth of two children these were events on the island。 One
of these children； the daughter of John Rolfe； gentleman； and his wife； was
christened Bermuda。 Gates and Somers held kindly sway。 The colonists lived
in plenty； peace； and ease。 But for all that； they were shipwrecked folk；
and far； far out of the world； and they longed for the old ways and their
own kin。 Day followed day； but no sail would show to bear them thence； and
so at last； taking what they could from the forests of the island； and from
the Sea Adventure； they set about to become shipwrights。
And there two gallant pynases；
Did build of Seader…tree；
The brave Deliverance one was call'd；
Of seaventy tonne was shee；
The other Patience had to name；
Her burthen thirty tonne 。 。 。 。
。 。 。 The two and forty weekes being past
They hoyst sayle and away；
Their shippes with hogges well freighted were；
Their harts with mickle joy。
And so to Virginia came 。 。 。
What they found when they came to Virginia was dolor enough。 On Jamestown
strand they beheld sixty skeletons 〃who had eaten all the quick things that
weare there； and some of them had eaten snakes and adders。〃 Somers； Gates；
and Newport； on entering the town； found it 〃rather as the ruins of some
auntient fortification than that any people living might now inhabit it。〃
A pitiable outcome； this； of all the hopes of fair 〃harbours and
habitations；〃 of golden dreams； and farflung dominion。 All those whom
Raleigh had sent to Roanoke were lost or had perished。 Those who had named
and had first dwelled in Jamestown were in number about a hundred。 To these
had been added； during the first year or so； perhaps two hundred more。 And
the ships that had parted from the Sea Adventure had brought in three
hundred。 First and last； not far from seven hundred English folk had come
to live in Virginia。 And these skeletons eating snakes and adders were all
that remained of that company； all those others had died miserably and
their hopes were ashes with them。
What might Sir Thomas Gates； the Governor； do？ 〃That which added most to
his sorowe； and not a little startled him； was the impossibilitie。 。 how to
amend one whitt of this。 His forces were not of habilitie to revenge upon
the。 Indian； nor his owne supply （now brought from the Bermudas） sufficient
to relieve his people。〃 So he called a Council and listened in turn to Sir
George Somers； to Christopher Newport； and to 〃the gentlemen and Counsaile
of the former Government。〃 The end and upshot was that none could see other
course than to abandon the country。 England…in…America had tried and
failed； and had tried again and failed。 God； or the course of Nature； or
the current of History was against her。 Perhaps in time stronger forces and
other attempts might yet issue from England。 But now the hour had come to
say farewell！
Upon the bosom of the river swung two pinnaces； the Discovery and the
Virginia； left by the departing ships months before； and the Deliverance
and the Patience； the Bermuda pinnaces。 Thus the English abandoned the
little town that was but three years old。 Aboard the four small ships they
went； and down the broad river； between the flowery shores； they sailed away。
Doubtless under the trees on either hand were Indians watching this retreat of
the invaders of their forests。 The plan of the departing colonists was to turn
north； when they had reached the sea； and make for Newfoundland； where they
might perhaps meet with English fishing ships。 So they sailed down the river；
and doubtless many hearts were heavy and sad； but others doubtless were full
of joy and thankfulness to be going back to an older home than Virginia。
The river broadened toward Chesapeakeand then； before them； what did they
see？ What deliverance for those who had held on to the uttermost？ They saw
the long boat of an English ship coming toward them with flashing oars；
bringing news of comfort and relief。 There； indeed； off Point Comfort lay
three ships； the De La Warr； the Blessing； and the Hercules； and they
brought； with a good company and good stores； Sir Thomas West； Lord De La
Warr； appointed； over Gates； Lord Governor and CaptainGeneral； by land and
sea； of the Colony of Virginia。
The Discovery； the Virginia； the Patience； and the Deliverance thereupon
put back to that shore they thought to have left forever。 Two days later；
on Sunday the 10th of