In this excerpt from A true reportory of the wracke,
and redemption of Sir Thomas Gates Knight, William Strachey describes how the English
colonists attempted to quit Jamestown in 1610, only to be turned around by the newly arrived governor,
Thomas West, baron De La
Warr. Strachey, Governor Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George
Somers and others had been marooned for almost a year on Bermuda, and when
they finally made it to Virginia in the spring of 1610 they found a colony devastated
by the Starving Time and an
environment not suited to quick food production. Addressed to an unknown "Lady,"
Strachey's account is believed to have been important source material for William
Shakespeare's play The Tempest (ca. 1610–1611). Strachey's account was not published until 1625 but likely
circulated years before that.
And to take any thing from the Indian
by force, we never used, nor willingly ever will: and though they had well deserved
it, yet it was not now time, for they did (as I said before) but then set their
Corne, and at their best, they had but from hand to mouth; so as what now remained?
such as we found in the Fort, had wee staid but foure dayes, had doubtlesse bin the
most part of them starved, for their best reliefe was onely Mushrums, and some
hearbes, which sod together, made but a thin and unsavory broath, and swelled them
much. The pitty hereof moved our Governour to draw forth such provision as he had
brought, proportioning a measure equally to every one a like. But then our Governor
began to examine how long this his store would hold out, and found it (husbanded to
the best advantage) not possible to serve longer then sixteene dayes: after which,
nothing was to be possibly supposed out of the Countrey (as before remembred) nor
remained there then any meanes to transport him elsewhere. Whereupon hee then entred
into the consultation with Sir George Summers, and Captaine
Newport, calling unto the same Gentlemen and Counsell of
the former Government, intreating both the one and the other to advise with him what
was best to be done. The provision which they both had aboord himselfe and Sir George Summers, was examined, and delivered, how it, being
rackt to the uttermost, extended not above, as I said, sixteene dayes, after two
Cakes a day. The Gentlmen of the Town, who knew better of the Country, could not give
him any hope, or wayes, how
— page 1752 —
to improve it from the Indian. It soone
then appeared most fit, by a generall approbation, that to preserve and save all from
starving, there could be no readier course thought on, then to abandon the Country,
and accommodating themselves the best that they might, in the present Pinnaces then
in the road, namely in the Discovery and the Virginia, and in the two, brought from, and builded at the Bermudas, the Deliverance, and the Patience, with all speede convenient to make for the New
found Land, where (being the fishing time) they might meete with many English Ships into which happily they might disperse most of
the Company.
This Consultation taking effect, our Governor having caused to be carried aboord all
the Armes, and all the best things in the store, which might to the Adventurers make
some commodity upon the sale thereof at home, and burying our Ordnances before the
Fort gate, which looked into the River. The seventh of June have appointed to every
Pinnace likewise his complement and number, also delivered thereunto a proportionable
rate of provision, hee commanded every man at the beating of the Drum to repaire
aboord. And because hee would preserve the Towne (albeit now to be quitted) unburned,
which some intemperate and malicious people threatned, his owne Company he caused to
be last ashoare, and was himselfe the last of them, when about noone giving a
farewell, with a peale of small shot, wee set saile, and that night, with the tide,
fell downe to an Iland in the River, which our people have called Hogge Iland; and the morning tide brought us to another Iland, which we have
called Mulberry Iland; where lying at an ancor, in the
afternoone stemming the tide, wee discovered a long Boate making towards us, from
Point Comfort: much descant we made thereof, about an houre it
came up; by which, to our no little joyes, we had intelligence of the honorable my
Lord La Warr his arrivall before Algarnoone Fort the sixt of June, at what time, true it is, his Lordship
having understood of our Governours resolution to depart the Country, with all
expedition caused his Skiffe to be manned, and in it dispatched his letters by
Captain Edward Bruster (who commandeth his Lordships Company)
to our Governour, which preventing us before the aforesaid Mulberry
Iland, the eight of June aforesaid, upon the receipt of his honours letters,
our Governour bore up the helme, with the winde comming Easterly, and that night (the
winde so favourable) relanded all his men at the Fort againe: before which (the tenth
of June, being Sunday) his Lordship had likewise brought his Ships, and in the
afternoone, came a shoare with Sir Ferdinando Weinman, and all
his Lordships followers.
