sight of Cape Henry, had been driven off to the West Indies. He brought with him the remainder of the first supply, which comprised one hundred and twenty settlers. Having found provisions in the West Indies, and having economically husbanded his own, he imparted them generously to the colony, so that now there was accumulated a store sufficient for half a year."

In September, 1608, Smith accepted the office of president, which he had formerly declined. Among the people who had arrived in the Phoenix were thirty-three "gentlemen," whom the colony did not want, and a number of laborers, tailors, jewelers, a gunsmith, a cooper, etc., who might be made of some avail. Smith set himself to work to make such use of this conglomerate material as the circumstances would allow. It is recorded that he "now set the colonists to work-some to make glass, others to prepare tar, pitch and soapashes; while he, in person, conducted thirty of them five miles below the fort to cut down trees and saw plank. Two of this lumber party happened to be young gentlemen who had arrived in the last supply. Smith sharing labor and hardship in common with the rest, these woodmen at first became apparently reconciled to the novel task, and seemed to listen with pleasure to the crashing thunder of the falling trees, but when the axes began to blister their unaccustomed hands, they grew profane, and their frequent loud oaths echoed in the woods. Smith taking measures to have the oaths of each one numbered, in the evening, for each offense poured a can of water down the of fender's sleeve. And this curious discipline, or water cure, was so effectual that after it was administered an oath would scarcely be heard for a week."

Want, Indian outbreaks and internal dissensions make up the history of Jamestown during the following year, and in 1609 Smith gave up such remnant of authority as he yet retained over a town full of factions, and sailed to England, never to return. No sooner was he away than all order and subordination were at an end. The colonists, who were already famished and liable at any moment to be destroyed utterly by the Indians, were only waiting a chance to abandon the enterprise altogether, when the opportune arrival of Lord

Delaware put a new face upon affairs. He brought not only a fleet filled with colonists and supplies, but authority and a purpose to make such use of it as the occasion demanded. The next few years, in the neighborhood of Jamestown, witnessed energetic and decisive measures in several directions. Lord Delaware, and those who succeeded him as the governors of Virginia, ruled with almost kingly power, passing and enforcing severe laws, building forts in various quarters and waging merciless war upon the Indians. One of the number, Sir Thomas Dale, receiving information that the French were settling in the north, in territory claimed by the English, sent an expedition against them, which laid waste to a fishing village on the coast of Maine. On the way back, a visit was paid to the Dutch located at Fort Orange and Manhattan island (New York), who were ordered to pull down the Dutch flag-a command that was obeyed only as long as the English remained in sight.

The English settlements along the James and from thence down to the sea, began to thrive; tobacco was cultivated and sent across the seas, and the greatness and development witnessed in the near future. began to be foreshadowed. Meanwhile, a change that had much to do with the independent spirit of later years made itself apparent in England. The Virginia company gradually passed into the control of men opposed to the king and an extension of his powers, and who favored an extension of the liberties of the people. This change was made apparent by the appointment of Governor Yeardley to control of affairs in Virginia, who was sent forth with directions to call a meeting of planters and land-holders "who were to consult together and make laws for the government of the colony."

Thus, in 1619, the first Virginia assembly, or house of burgesses, was held, and thus began in America the government by the people. And it may be added, as an opposing shadow to this brightening picture, that it was in this same year of 1619 that a Dutch trader sailed his ship up the James river and sold to the planters of Virginia twenty negroes who had been captured in Africa.

Going back to the year of 1607, we may find in the secret migration of a few families from the northeast of England to Holland, the begin

ning of a movement and the definite expression of a force that had much to do with the America of to-day. Forsaking, as they had, the Church of England because, to their consciences, it was no nearer the truth than the Church of Rome, they turned direct to the Scriptures for their rule of action, and left their homes because they could not and would not render the obedience the state church demanded. In Holland they could have a shelter but no home; remaining there, their children must become a part of that Teutonic land, and no longer Englishmen.

Many men and many classes had already found a refuge in the new lands over ocean, and toward that land their eyes and thoughts were turned. Jamestown offered no advantage over England itself, for the Church of England was the recognized ecclesiastical authority there. The New Netherlands was proposed and rejected because they would become the subjects of a trading company. The result was the formation, among the friends in England, of a company that should send them to the northern portion of the territory under control of the Virginia company. A portion of their number were sent ahead to prepare the way. Embarking in the ship Speedweil, they sailed from the port of Delft-Haven in Holland, to Southampton in England, where they were joined by the Mayflower. But when the long voyage was entered upon it was found that the Speedwell was not safe, and the whole company were compelled to trust themselves to the little Mayflower. "And when the ship," we find it written in the 'Chronicles of the Pilgrim Fathers of the Colony of Plymouth,' "was ready to carry us away, the brethren that staid, having again solemnly sought the Lord with us and for us, and we further engaging ourselves mutually as before-they, I say, that staid at Leyden, feasted us that were to go, at our pastor's house, being large, where we refreshed ourselves, after tears, with singing of psalms, making joyful melody in our hearts, as well as with the voice, there being many of the congregation very expert in music; and indeed it was the sweetest melody that ever mine ears heard. After this they accompanied us to Delph's Haven, where we were to embark, and there feasted us again. And after prayer performed

by our pastor, where a flood of tears was poured out, they accompanied us to the ship, but were not able to speak one to another for the abundance of sorrow to part. But we only going aboard— the ship lying to the quay and ready to set sail, the wind being fairwe gave them a volley of small shot and three pieces of ordnance; and so, lifting up our hands to each other, and our hearts for each other to the Lord our God, we departed, and found his presence with us in the midst of our manifold straits he carried us through."

The Mayflower-one of the few ships that have become immortalized in history-was a vessel of one hundred and eighty tons, whose condition was such that an end was nearly put to the whole expedition. The people aboard were so crowded for room that even the shallop on the deck "was damaged by being used for a sleeping-place." The voyage was stormy and full of peril and discomforts, seas sweeping over them so that they were "wet continuously," while their provisions were well-nigh spoiled. They had been full sixty days away from their last English port when land was sighted-not within the limits of territory assigned to the Virginia company, but among the shoals of Cape Cod. An attempt was made to sail to the south, but they were unable to find their way through the shoals. Land of any kind was a blessing, especially to the sick and homesick women; and the "clamors to be put ashore were irresistible." Thus the anchor of the Mayflower was dropped in the harbor of Cape Cod, and the cold and desolate Plymouth Rock received the first impress of Puritanism in America, rather than the fertile fields that had been sought to the further south.

It was soon discovered that no settlement could be formed upon the spot where they had landed, as there was no good water to be had. Parties of exploration were sent out along the coast, and their report was such that all the company returned to the Mayflower and sailed along the inside of the bay to a sheltered nook, where they cast, anchor. Here was not only a brook of clear water, but fields which had been cleared by the Indians for planting. The point had been marked Plymouth by Captain John Smith in his map of the New England coast, and from that fact, and from Plymouth having been

the last place which they had touched in England, the name was bestowed upon the little settlement which they set themselves to form.

The historic compact, which was made by those aboard the Mayflower before going ashore to found their settlement, was in its essential purpose a measure of self-protection and mutual help each agreeing to stand by the other, to obey the laws that the majority might make, and to decide all questions by vote in public meetings. John Carver was elected governor.

The first measure taken upon landing was one of defense. A platform was built upon the hill, upon which several guns were mounted. A house, twenty feet square, was erected, in which their goods were stored, and where they themselves might find shelter. A town was laid out and house lots assigned to each family. The village was enclosed with palings and gates set at proper places. The fields to be cultivated lay outside, and all the families were to have a right in common to woodland and pasture-land. All their earnings were to go into a common stock, to be paid to the company of merchants who had furnished means for their passage across the sea.

Dark and doleful times lay before the little company, who had escaped the peril of the sea only to face the many terrors and troubles of life in the bleak land that was to become their home. The men had hardly set themselves to work for the rearing of needed habitations, when sickness from exposure and bad food set in. In four months nearly one-half their number were dead; and at one time during the winter their fortunes were at so low an ebb that only half a dozen had strength sufficient to nurse the sick and bury the dead. "Destitute of every provision which the weakness and the daintiness of the invalid requires," writes Palfrey, "the sick lay crowded in the unwholesome vessel, or in half built cabins heaped around with snowdrifts. The rude sailors refused them even a share of those coarse sea-stores which would have given a little variety to their diet, till disease spread among the crew, and the kind ministrations of those whom they had neglected and affronted brought them to a better temper. The dead were interred in a bluff by the water-side, the