plaint against him. This resolute conduct had the desired effect, as they all denied having accused him of oppressing them, and declared their full confidence in him. Perceiving that he was deserted, Keith fell on his knees and entreated forgiveness of the governor, who raised him and desired him to humble himself to his GOD, and in future to be more just and charitable in his judgments.* This lenient conduct was shortly after followed by the open mutiny of two other persons, who declared that they would maintain the assertions against Mr. Moore. With great apparent reluctance he empanelled a jury, and at the same time quietly observed that he would hang the delinquents if they were condemned. Aware of the determined character of the man with whom they were dealing, they were so alarmed that one of them was palsied; the other was set at liberty, and proved afterwards a good labourer. At the end of the year, a vessel arrived from England, bringing stores and thirty passengers, with orders from the Company to the governor to send the ambergris found by Chard, and also to prepare to defend the colony against any attempt of the Spaniards who threatened to attack it. Moore justly suspecting that the ambergris was the chief inducement for sending out vessels, and aware that the Company would not permit them to come empty, determined to make the most of the magnet to * Smith's History of Virginia, &c., vol. ii, p. 128. procure colonists and supplies, and accordingly shipped one-third of it. ship, they again sent the Before the return of this sengers, and one Bartlett to survey the islands, with pressing instructions to the governor to forward the ambergris. Mr. Moore shipped the second part, and the ship returned to England, leaving a Frenchman to attempt the cultivation of the mulberry and the breeding of the silk-worm, in which he did not succeed. The cautious conduct of the governor and his disobedience of their positive orders, gave great offence to the Proprietors, who forthwith dispatched the Elizabeth, with forty passengers, and a severe reprimand for Moore, who was also directed to deliver the ambergris, with which he complied. The first potatoe-roots were brought to the islands in this ship, and as the soil was suitable, they produced abundantly. Shortly after, however, owing to great negligence, the whole stock was lost, but two plants, which were carefully cultivated, until they were again spread throughout the settlement.* In 1614, two Spanish ships attempted to enter the harbour; the forts were promptly manned, and two shots fired at the enemy, who finding them better prepared than they imagined, bore away. This was a fortunate circumstance, as these two shots exhausted the scanty magazine of the colonists. Smith's History of Virginia, &c., vol. ii, p. 129. Unfortunately the historian does not say what description of potatoe-roots these were. Before the close of 1615, six vessels had arrived with three hundred and forty passengers, among whom were a marshal and one Bartlett, who was sent out expressly to divide the colony into tribes and shares; but the governor, finding no mention of any shares for himself and the persons with him, as had been agreed on, forbade his proceeding with the survey, and he returned to England. One vessel, along with her cargo of flour, brought rats, which increased so rapidly, mounting trees and swimming from island to island, that they soon filled the whole group, distroying every crop which the people attempted to raise. At the end of about four years, after doing incredible mischief, they disappeared, owing, as Norwood insists, to a special miracle; but the occasion seems scarcely to have required such interposition, as the incessant pursuit with cats, dogs, and snares of every description, appears sufficiently to account for the happy result. For two years it is said that the colonists never tasted bread, and had ceased to consider it a necessary of life. Want and toil gave rise to an epidemic, originating almost entirely in weakness, under which numbers sank. The famine and misery caused the governor to distribute the people among the islands, which proved very beneficial to the settlement. Some time after, the Welcome arrived with stores, and Moore, whose time had expired, sailed in her for England, leaving the administration of the government to six persons, who were to rule, each in turn, one month. Their names were Miles Kendall, John Mansfield, Thomas Knight, Charles Caldicot, Edward Waters, and Christopher Carter. Governor Moore was a man of ordinary condition, being a carpenter, but in every respect he showed the prudence of the choice of the Proprietors, who owed every thing to his sagacity, firmness, and prudence. CHAPTER II. Administrations of Caldicot-John Mansfield-Christopher CarterMiles Kendall-John Mansfield-Governors Daniel Tucker-Miles Kendall-Nathaniel Butler-Administrations of Felgate, Stokes and others-Governors John Barnard-John Harrison-Henry Woodhouse-Bell-Wood-Chaddock-Turner - Forster-Sayle-Seymour-Sir John Heydon-Seymour. IMMEDIATELY after Mr. Moore left the colony, (1615) the council appointed by him to administer the government, proceeded to elect by lot their first ruler. Their choice fell upon Caldicot, who liberated Chard, and having prepared a vessel with a crew of thirty-two men, he embarked for the West Indies for the purpose of procuring plants, goats, and young cattle for the islands. This expedition proved very unfortunate, as the vessel foundered on her arrival in the West Indies, and the crew were indebted to an English pirate for being rescued from the desert island on which they had been cast. Captain John Mansfield succeeded Caldicot in the government, to whom, and his collegues, a petition was presented from a party of the colonists, praying them to hold the government until six months after the expedition to the West Indies, |