To-day there is nothing to mark the spot, except an
old ruined church.
King James had not told any one the names of the men who were to
rule over the settlement. The paper containing their names was
sealed up in a box which was not to be opened until the ships
reached the end of their voyage. But the time had now come: the
box was opened, and the name of John Smith was found among those
who were to be councilors.
The colonists soon saw that Smith had more sense and energy than
all the rest. He was the real leader. Nobody had any respect for
the councilors, who were a poor set at the best. They passed
their time in eating and drinking and idleness. They had seen
little of the Indians, and very foolishly seemed to care nothing
about them. Besides this, but very little was done toward raising
corn for food. Smith knew that the woods were full of Indians,
and also that the food in the ships would not last always. He,
therefore, set out with a few men to visit the king of the Indian
tribes, who lived some distance farther up the river.
The name of the Indian king was Powhatan, and he ruled over all
the Indians in eastern Virginia.
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