dermer's letter.                            353
ness towards us, and use my best endeavours to bring the truth to light; but we were but only showed the entrance, when in seeking to pass, we were forced back with contrary and overblowing winds, hardly escaping both [with] our lives. Being thus overcharged with weather, I stood along the coast to seek harbours, to attend a favourable gale to recover the strait; but being a harbourless coast, for aught we could then perceive, we found no succour till we arrived betwixt Cape Charles and the main, on the east side of the bay Chestapeak, where in a wilde {wide ?) road we anchored,- and the next day, (the eighth of September) crossed the bay to Kecoughtan, where the first news struck cold to our hearts—the general sickness was over the land.
Here I resolved with all possible speed to return in pursuit of this business, so that after a little refreshing, we recovered up the river to James city, and from thence to Capt. Ward's plantation, where immediately we fell to hewing of boards for a close deck, having found it a most desired course to attempt as before. As we were thus labouring to effect our purposes, it pleased Almighty God, (who only disposeth of the times and seasons wherein all works shall be accomplished,) to visit us with his heavy hand, so that at one time there were but two of us able to help the rest; myself so sore shaken with a burning fever, that I was brought even unto death's door, but at length, by God's assistance, escaped, and have now with the rest almost recovered my former strength. The winter having over taken us, (a time on these coasts especially subject to gusts and fearful storms,) I have now resolved to choose a more temperate season, both for the general good and our own safeties.
And thus I have sent you a broken discourse, though indeed very unwilling to have given any notice at all, till it had pleased God to have b essed me with a thorough search, that our eyes might have witnessed the truth. I have drawn a plot of the coast, which I dare not yet to part with for fear of danger ; let this therefore serve for confirmation of your hopes, till I can better perform, my promise and your desire. For what 1 have spoken I can produce at least mille testes, (a thousand witnesses,) far separate, of the sea behind them, and of ships, which came many days' journey from the west, and of the great extent of this sea to the north and south, not knowing any bounds thereof westward- I cease to trouble you till a better opportunity offer itself, remembering my best love, &c. I rest yours to command,
THOMAS DERMEB.
From Captain Martyn's Plantation, 27th December, 1619.
45