renewed hopes. Mourning turns to joy. Even a conflagration that presently
destroys the major part of the town can not blast that felicity.

Again Newport and Smith and others went out to explore the country. They
went over to Werowocomoco and talked with Powhatan. He told them things
which they construed to mean that the South Sea was near at hand, and they
marked this down as good news for the home Council--still impatient for
gold and Cathay. On their return to Jamestown they found under way new and
stouter houses. The Indians were again friendly; they brought venison and
turkeys and corn. Smith says that every few days came Pocahontas and
attendant women bringing food.

Spring came again with the dogwood and the honeysuckle and the
strawberries, the gay, returning birds, the barred and striped and mottled
serpents. The colony was one year old. Back to England sailed the Francis
and John and the Phoenix, carrying home Edward-Maria Wingfield, who has
wearied of Virginia and will return no more.

What rests certain and praiseworthy in Smith is his thoroughness and daring
in exploration. This summer he went with fourteen others down the river in
an open boat, and so across the great bay, wide as a sea, to what is yet
called the Eastern Shore, the counties now of Accomac and Northampton.
Rounding Cape Charles these indefatigable explorers came upon islets beaten
by the Atlantic surf. These they named Smith's Islands. Landing upon the
main shore, they met "grimme and stout" savages, who took them to the King
of Accomac, and him they found civil enough. This side of the great bay,
with every creek and inlet, Smith examined and set down upon the map he was
making. Even if he could find no gold for the Council at home, at least he
would know what places were suited for "harbours and habitations." Soon a
great storm came up, and they landed again, met yet other Indians, went