They all went ashore where they had made choice of their plantation, and where they had a sermon delivered unto them by their preacher; and, after the sermon, the president’s commission was read, with the laws to be observed and kept. George Popham, gent.,[261] was nominated president. Captain Raleigh Gilbert, James Davies, Richard Lymer, preacher, Captain Richard Davies, Captain Harlow, the same who brought away the savages at this time showed in London, from the river of Canada, were all sworn assistants; and so they returned back again. Aug. 20. All went to shore again, and there began to intrench and make a fort, and to build a storehouse.... You may please to understand how, whilst this business was thus followed here, soon after their first arrival, that [they] had despatched away Captain Robert Davies, in the “Mary and John,” to advertise of their safe arrival and forwardness of their plantation within this River of Sachadehoc, with letters to the lord chief justice, importuning a supply for the most necessary wants to the subsisting of a colony to be sent unto them betimes the next year. After Captain Davies’ departure, they fully finished the fort, trenched and fortified it with twelve pieces of ordnance, and built fifty houses therein, besides a church and a storehouse; and the carpenters framed a pretty pinnace[262] of about some thirty tons, which they called the “Virginia;” the chief shipwright being one Digby of London. Many discoveries, likewise, had been made both to the main and unto the neighbor rivers, and the frontier nations fully discovered by the diligence of Captain Gilbert, had not the winter proved so extreme unseasonable and frosty; for it being in the year 1607, when the extraordinary frost was felt in most parts of Europe, it was here likewise as vehement, by which no boat could stir upon any business. Howbeit, as time and occasion gave leave, there was nothing omitted which could add unto the benefit or knowledge of the planters, for which when Captain Davies arrived there in the year following,――set out from Topsham, the port town of Exeter, with a ship laden full of victuals, arms, instruments, and tools, &c.,――albeit he found Mr. George Popham, the president, and some other dead, yet he found all things in good forwardness, and many kinds of furs obtained from the Indians by way of trade, good store of sarsaparilla gathered, and the new pinnace all finished. But by reason that Captain Gilbert received letters that his brother was newly dead, and a fair portion of land fallen unto his share, which required his repair[263] home, and no mines discovered, and no hope thereof,――being the main intended benefit expected to uphold the charge of this plantation,――and the fear that all other winters would prove like the first, the company by no means would stay any longer in the country, especially Captain Gilbert being to leave them, and Mr. Popham, as aforesaid, dead: therefore they