No person in the town of James was allowed to own any land except
as he had his share of the whole. Every one was expected to work
for the good of the village, and whatsoever of crops was raised,
belonged to all the people. It was not permitted that the more
industrious should plant the land and claim that which grew under
their toil.

Ours was supposed to be one big family, with each laboring to help
the others at the same time he helped himself, and the result was
that those who worked only a single hour each day, had as much of
the general stores as he who remained in the field from morning
until night.

Although my master had agreed to this plan before the fleet sailed
from England, he soon came to understand that it was not the best
for a new land, where it was needed that each person should labor
to the utmost of his powers.

The London Company had provided a certain number of tents made of
cloth, which were supposed to be enough to give shelter to all the
people, and yet, because those who had charge of the matter had
made a mistake, through ignorance or for the sake of gain, there
were no more than would provide for the members of the Council,
who appeared to think they should be lodged in better fashion than
those who were not in authority.

My master could well have laid claim to one of these cloth houses;
but because of the charges which had been made against him by Captain
Kendall and Captain Martin, the sting of which yet remained, he
chose to live by himself. Thus it was that he and I threw up the