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INTRODUCTION. 31 Newport, whose place of destination was chap, n. Roanoke, took the circuitous route by the i6or. West India islands, and had a long passage of four months. The reckoning had been out for three days, without perceiving land, and se- rious propositions were made for returning to England, when he was overtaken by a storm, which fortunately drove him to the mouth of the Chesapeak. On the 26th of April, he descried cape Henry, and soon afterwards, cape Charles. Im- patient to land, a party of about thirty men went on shore at cape Henry; but they were immediately attacked by the natives, who con- sidered them as enemies, and in the skirmish which ensued, several were wounded on both sides. The first employment of the colonists, after exploring the adjacent country, with the ap- pearance of which they were greatly delighted, was to select a spot on which their settlement should be made. They proceeded up a large beautiful river, called by the natives, Powhatan, to which they gave the name of James : on a colony peninsula on the north side of which, they unan- Jamestown, imously agreed to make the first establish- ment of their infant colony. This place, as well as the river, they named after their king, and called it Jamestown. Here they debarked on the 13th of May, and the sealed packets delivered to them in