spent in this manner, Captaine Newport (who was hired onely for our
transportation) was to returne with the ships....

Being thus left to our fortunes, it fortuned that within ten days
scarce ten amongst vs could either goe, or well stand, such extreame
weaknes and moknes oppressed vs. And thereat none need marvaile, if
they consider the cause and reason, which was this.

Whilst the ships stayed, our allowance was somewhat bettered, by a
daily proportion of Bisket, which the sailers would pilfer to sell,
giue, or exchange with vs, for money, Saxefras, furres, or loue. But
when they departed, there remained neither taverne, beere house, nor
place of reliefe, but the common Kettell. Had we beene as free from
all sinnes as gluttony, and drunkennesse, we might haue beene
canonized for Saints; But our President would never haue beene
admitted, for ingrossing to his private, Oatmeale, Sacks, Oyle,
_Aquavitoe_, Beefs, Egges, or what not, but the Kettell; that indeed
he allowed equally to be distributed, and that was halfe a pint of
wheat, and as much barley boyled with water for a man a day, and this
having fryed some 6 weekes in the ships hold, contained as many wormes
as graines; so that we might trudy call it rather so much bran than
corns, our drinks was water, our lodgings Castles in the ayre.

With this lodging and dyet, our extreame toils in bearing and planting
Pallisadoes, so strained and bruised vs, and our continuall labour in
the extremitie of the heat had so weakened vs, as were cause
sufficient to haue made vs as miserable in our natiue Countrey, or any
other place in the world.

From May, to September, those that escaped, lined vpon Sturgeon, and