Virginia: The Old Dominion

ening the number of its historic sites. For a long while, almost every important event in its story had oc

p in order to determine the place where this or that event really did happen. The reduction in the number of places of interest was astonishing. In every instance, it

two will serv

ed at several points along the river front) was now limited to a single spot near the caretaker's cott

ose tower is yet standing; also in the brick and wood church that just preceded this one; also in a rough timb

, in this instance, the work of elimination seemed almost unduly rigorous. The other churches were set aside upon circumstantial

ime we got to the island, they had everything down on a map in a book. We bought a copy of the book, and resolved to stage by it the events of the James T

t landing-place would be anything but a landing-place to-day; for figure "25" (that was it) stood well out in the river. The loss by erosion had been great along that par

the water. But it was a very simple thing to do, largely owing to the thoughtfulness of the settler

straight out over the water and kept on looking, in accordance with the measurements on the map, until we had looked one hundred and thirty-five yards; then, turned our eyes sharply to the right and looked thirty-three and one third yards more. We then had the satisfaction of feeling tha

ifference, for the settlers did

nd a protecting sea-wall. As, at the time of our visit, nothing marked this remnant of the historic acre, we undertook to locate it. Fortunately, the Confederate fort stands in such position as to help in running the boundaries by the map. For a rough approximation, all we had to do was to get Mr. Leal, the caretaker, to stand at the most westerly angle of the fort, and his son on the sea-wall a

them-when he returned the next winter with reinforcements for the colony. By another winter, the palisaded village had extended somewhat, mostly eastward. It then included, so far as we could make out, all

no sound but the twitter of the birds and the murmur of the river. Then the Commodore found something in his book, and he began very solemnly to tell of how on that very spot the colonists endured the horrors of the "Starving Time." At this there was s

event was not until 1614, while his famine was in 1609-10. Nautica sighed re

lement by the river, including now, unfortunately, some women and children. When there was no more corn, the people managed for a while to keep alive on roots and herbs; then, half-crazed by starvation

en, women, and children, hunger-crazed, huddled behind the broken palisades. Sadly suggestive must have seemed the names of the two vessels that appeared upo

been spent and that had seemed at last to give England a hold in the New World, must be abandoned. To the roll of drums, the re

ose queer things the pale-faces had made-broken palisades, yawning houses, the tottering thing they called a church; and, all about, the hideous, ghastly traces of living and of dying. The sun went down; and, in the gloom of the summer night, from the forest and the marsh wild things came cr

, James Towne alive again. For even in the dark hour of abandonment, it was not destined that the settlement should perish. Even as the colonists sailed down the James, a fleet bearing reinforcements and stores of supplies was e

rch with so much show and flour

"Lord Delaware attended the little church in the wilderness in all state, accompanied by his counci

that church was?"

above the later one whose ruins are over there in the gr

t was the church that they were mar

. "Let the wedding bells ring. I

ggling settlers in furthering peaceful relations with the savages. Speaking in the society-column vernacular of a later day, the occasion was marred by the absence of the bride's father. The wary old chieftain was not willing to place himself within the power of the English. But the bride's family was represent

d, the eyes of haughty cavalier and of impassive savage met above the kneeling pair and sought to read each other. And a strange fate hung over the pale-face groom and t

been so interested in, isn't it?" The Com

hy, to be sure, unless it takes

w, I am interested in dozens and dozens of weddi

619. The scene upon their arrival must have been one of the most unique in the annals of matrimony. The streets of James Towne were undoubtedly crowded. The little capital had bachelors enough of her own, but now she held also those that came flocking in from the other settlements of the colony. The maids w

ers over from Williamsburg, and while waiting for them to visit the graveyard, he seemed to find relief in confiding to us some of his burden of colonial lore and that his name was Cornelius. We had over again the

own laws for dey se'fs was right

when a local lawmaking body was created, called the General Assembly and consisting in part of a House of Burgesses chosen by the people. On July 30 of that year, the General Assembly met in the village church-the first representative leg

dered some from Cornelius, b

n' meek de laws wid dey

spect the custom of the English House of Commons, we were gl

America saw the beginning of slavery too; and she asked Cornelius if he knew that the

dat. Seem like we got heah 'b

to take of the matter, a

told us ot

ckon I knows 'bout all dere is to be knowed 'bout dis firs' settlemen'. I's got it all so's I kin talk it off an' take in de extry change. I don' know is you evah notice, but folks is mighty diffrunt 'bout seem' dese ole things. Yas,