l8o                                                         SMITH'S   VIRGINIA.
what ambergris, pearls, treafure, or other commodities they had found. Chard no
lefs witty than refolute, directly anfwered, not any thing at all but the fruits of the
ifle, what his fellows had done he knew not, but if they had, he doubted not but to
find it out, and then he fhould know it certainly. This he fpoke only to win time to
fwear his conforts to fecrecy, and he would find the means how they fhould all return
in that fhip with it all for England, otherwife they fhould be deceived of all. Till
this was effected they thought every hour an age; now for the better conveyance of
it aboard, they acquainted it to Captain Davis, mafter of the fhip, and one Mr. Edwin
Kendall, that for their fecrecy and tranfportation fhould participate with them : without
further ceremony the match was accepted, and abfolutely concluded, the plot laid,
time and place fet down to have it aboard. But Carter, were it for fear the governor
at laft fhould know of it, to whom fo often they had denied it, or that the reft fhould
deceive him, is uncertain, but moft certain it is, he revealed all the plot to Mr. More :
to get fo much wealth he knew would pleafe them in England, though it did difpleafe
all his company, and to lofe fuch a prize he would not for hazarding a mutiny. So
firft he revealed himfeif to Kendall in fair terms, reproving his difhonefty ; but not
being anfwered according to his expectation, he committed both Chard and him to
prifon. The next Sabbath-day Davis coming on fhore, More alfo taxed with very
hard language and many threats, to lay him faft alfo if he mended not his manners ;
Davis for the prefent replied little, but went with him to the place of prayer, but in
the midft of divine fervice he goeth away, commanding all his feamen to follow him
prefently aboard, where he encourageth them to ftand to him like men, and he would
free the prifoners, have all the ambergris for themfelves, and fo be gone.
The governor hearing of this refolution, prepares with his company to repulfe force
with force, fo that a general expectance of a civil uncivil war poffeffed every man ;
but this threatening guft paffed over more calmly than was expected, for Davis
having better advifed "with himfeif, repented his rafhnefs, and defired a reconcilement
with the governor. Peace thus concluded, Kendall was fet at liberty, but Chard was
condemned, and upon the ladder to be hanged for his obftinacy ; yet upon better con-
federation, More reprieved him, but kept him a prifoner all the time he ftaid in the
country, which was generally thought a Very bad reward for his great defert, and that
there was more of this ambergris embezzled than would have contented all the finders,
that never had any confideration at all. The greateft part though More thus recovered,
yet Davis and Kendall had fo much, either by the ignorance or connivency of the
governors, that arriving in England, they prepared themfelves for a new voyage ; at
laft they two falling out, the company having notice thereof, fo tormented them both,
they gave over their voyage, and durft not be feen a long time after.
The governor, thus rid of the fhip and thofe difcontents, removed his feat from
Smith's Ifle to Saint George's, after he had fitted up fome fmall cabins of palmata
leaves for his wife and family, in that valley where now ftands their prime town called
Saint George's, he began to apply himfeif to fortify the country, and training, his men
in the exercife of arms ; for although he was but a carpenter, he* was an excellent
artift, a good gunner, very witty and induftrious: he built and laid the fonndation of
eight or nine forts, called the King's Caftle, Charles Fort, Pembroke's Fort, Smith's
Fort, Pagit'sFort, Gate's Fort, Warwick's Caftle, Saint Katharine's Fort, &c. mounting
in them all the ordnance he had, preparing the** ground to build houfes, plant corn,
and fuch fruits as they had.
Being thus bufied, and as the neceffity of the time required, keeping his men fome-
Jsvhat hard at work, Mr. Keath his minifter, were it by the fecret provocation of fome
8                                                      drones