Jamestown | A Hell of Darkness | 2
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Imagine it's the night of January 7th, 1608, in Jamestown. Cold air seeps into your bones as you toss and turn in bed, struggling to find warmth under your thin blanket. The wind outside batters the walls of your small, drafty cabin. And suddenly, a flicker of light outside your window catches your eye. You sit up in bed and try and get a better look. Your heart pounds as you realize your neighbor Samuel's cabin is on fire.

You leap out of bed and rush outside to see flames dancing up the side of his small, timber-framed house. "Fire! Fire!" Sparks from the blaze leap to the thatched roof of the house next door.

Samuel stands in front of his cabin, frozen in disbelief. You run to his side. Samuel, what happened? I... I don't know. I just woke up and saw the flames. Did you leave a candle lit? No, I swear I didn't. I've told you a dozen times, how could you be so careless? I'm sorry, I don't know how this happened.

Despite his protests, there's a glimmer of uncertainty in his eyes. Behind him, other men are emerging from their cabins. "We need water! Everyone, get down to the river! Quickly!" As the men set off running, you spot a pile of old, dirty snow in the yard in front of Samuel's cabin. You grab a bucket and scoop up as much as you can. You splash the snow against the flames, but the fire roars back undeterred. Still, Samuel follows with another bucket.

It's no use. We'll never put this out. We have to try. You start refilling the bucket with snow, your fingers growing numb from the cold. But as you stand, the blaze jumps to the wooden palisade that surrounds the settlement, your main protection against the native tribes beyond. We have to save what we can. Grab what you can carry and get it to the center of the settlement, away from the flames.

Men scattered to retrieve their meager belongings. And out of the corner of your eye, you see the blaze reach the storehouse containing the settlement's food and supplies. Your stomach drops with the realization that soon all your provisions will be reduced to ash. Without these crucial supplies, surviving the winter will be nearly impossible.

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On a January night in 1608, fire swept through the English settlement in Jamestown, Virginia. The blaze consumed most of the fort. It was the latest in a series of catastrophes for a colony already plagued by disease, malnutrition, and social division. Only a year after the settlers first set foot in America, fewer than 40 men were still alive.

Without food and supplies, the colony would be at the mercy of Powhatan, the great chief of chiefs in Virginia. But over the next year, interactions between the Englishmen and Powhatan would be fraught with misunderstanding and mistrust. Relations deteriorated at a time when the English needed Powhatan's goodwill more than ever, placing their very survival in jeopardy. This is Episode 2, A Hell of Darkness.

In August 1607, Captain Christopher Newport arrived in London after a seven-week voyage from Jamestown. He returned carrying a sample of ore, sparking rumors that gold had been discovered in the new colony. But tests soon confirmed that the ore was worthless. Newport insisted that he must have mixed up the samples.

Regardless, his reports of Virginia's abundant agricultural resources inspired enough optimism to launch another voyage to Jamestown, and in the fall, preparations began to send more settlers and supplies to the colony. This time, more artisans would join the venture, including goldsmiths and refiners.

Newport's confidence in Jamestown was based on his experiences from the previous spring. No one else had made the long journey from Jamestown to London, so no correspondence had reached England. Newport had no knowledge of the events that transpired in Virginia since his departure in June.

But in that time, disease had swept through the Jamestown settlement, and infighting had torn the colony's leaders apart. In December, John Smith spent a month in captivity under the powerful Paramount Chief Powhatan. On January 2, 1608, he returned to Jamestown, only to have his rivals charge him with negligence in the deaths of two fellow Englishmen killed by Indians. He was sentenced to hang.

That same night, while Smith awaited his fate, Newport returned from his long journey to London. He sailed up the James River with 100 new settlers and a fresh store of provisions, what became known as the First Supply. But Newport was returning to a colony on the verge of collapse. Nearly two-thirds of the original 104 settlers were dead, and the leadership was in shambles.

The deposed former council president Edward Mariah Wingfield had been confined to a ship on the river, and John Smith was only hours away from execution. After learning of the chaos, Newport sprang into action to try to restore order. He gave Smith a reprieve and released Wingfield from confinement. With the new arrivals, there were now roughly 140 settlers in Jamestown, and Newport soon put these men to work building new housing, a storehouse, and a church.

Newport's resupply reinvigorated the colony after a challenging few months. But just five days after his arrival, disaster struck. A stray spark set fire to one of the homes, igniting a blaze that swept through the fort. Almost the entire settlement burned to the ground, apart from three homes. The settlers would be forced to endure the remainder of the winter with nothing but the clothes on their backs, and several would die from exposure.

But much to their relief, messengers soon arrived from Powhatan, bringing gifts of food. He had promised John Smith that he would sustain the English in return for their submission. Now he had made good on his promise, delivering much-needed food supplies. And with their own provisions destroyed, the English were now completely dependent on Powhatan, just as he wanted. But Newport was certain he could overcome that dependency if he discovered gold.

In his mind, only the discovery of a precious commodity that could be sent back to England would save the colony in the long term. And he was determined to fulfill promises to London investors and make himself and his fellow colonists rich. He decided that he needed to meet Powhatan as soon as possible, hoping that he could provide help and guidance in the search for gold.

But in the wake of the fire, food took precedence. The settlers would need more than just the provisions Powhatan had given them if they were going to survive. So a meeting with Powhatan was now more urgent than ever, and John Smith, who was already acquainted with Powhatan, would be key to negotiations.

In February 1608, Newport and Smith set off with roughly three dozen other men, traveling north to Powhatan's headquarters in the town of Weremocomoco. After their arrival, Powhatan served the party a lavish meal. Newport presented the chief with a suit of clothing, a hat, and a greyhound dog. The sides exchanged two young men, too, to learn each other's language and customs and eventually serve as interpreters.

Newport also traded English copper and tools for 250 bushels of corn. Smith felt that Newport gave up too much copper to Powhatan, thereby lessening its value and destroying their advantage in future trades. He knew the English would continue to depend on the Indians in the months to come, but Newport left the meeting believing it had been a complete success. Jamestown now had enough corn to seed them through the rest of winter and into early spring, leaving Newport free to search for gold.

But the visit with Powhatan revealed the tensions between Smith and Newport's visions for the colony. Newport was primarily focused on the short-term goal of finding gold. Although Smith was interested in gold, he was also worried about trading opportunities and the balance of power between the settlers and the Indians, knowing that they would be important for chances of the colony's long-term survival.

But when Smith and Newport returned to Jamestown, any sense of relief they felt was erased. They discovered that Newport's sailors had consumed much of the food meant for the colonists and then sold the rest back to the settlers and visiting Indians at extortionate prices. And rather than rebuild the fort or sow crops for the long term, gold fever had swept the colony.

Some of the settlers believed that there were traces of gold along the northern banks of the James River. Newport, Council President John Ratcliffe, and Newport's goldsmiths and refiners put the men to work. But seeing all this, Smith complained, There was no talk, no hope, no work, but dig gold, wash gold, refine gold, and load gold.

And on April 10, 1608, Newport sailed back to England again with barrels of earth he believed contained gold. Back in Jamestown, Smith remained determined to strengthen the fort's food supply. He put the men to work cutting down trees, rebuilding, and preparing the ground for crops. He wanted the colony to feed itself rather than rely on Powhatan and occasional resupplies from England.

But Smith had other ambitions in mind as well. In June, he decided to lead an expedition to explore the Chesapeake Bay. He was desperate to get away from his long-standing rival, John Ratcliffe, and he wanted to take credit for finding precious metals and a route to the Pacific, all in the hopes of upstaging Newport before he returned to the colony in the fall.

So Smith and 14 other men spent a month sailing up the Chesapeake Bay and Potomac River, traveling as far north as present-day Baltimore. They found a silvery powder that turned out to be worthless, but they also discovered an abundance of fish and fruit, met various other Indian tribes, and learned the extent of Powhatan's vast territory.

On July 21, 1608, Smith's party returned to Jamestown to replenish their supplies, only to learn that in their absence, morale had reached new lows. Smith later described the scene he found, writing, "...all were unable to do anything but complain of the pride and unreasonable needless cruelty of the silly president. The settlers were mutinous, complaining that their leader, John Ratcliffe, had squandered their supplies and forced them into hard labor, building him a grand house."

They begged Smith to depose Ratcliffe and take over the position of council president. Smith was glad to force Ratcliffe to step down, but he was still focused on his explorations and did not plan to stay in Jamestown long. So a close friend of Smith's took over as acting president.

Three days later, Smith set out again with 12 men. They made their way north to the head of the Chesapeake Bay in the Susquehanna River. The group encountered several Native tribes and traded for food, furs, bows, and arrows. But when peaceful trade didn't work, Smith resorted to threats and violence to get his way. Imagine it's September 1608, and you're standing near the banks of a narrow passage in the Nansimand River, where the scent of gunpowder lingers in the air.

You're a Nansamont warrior, and you and your men have retreated behind a dense row of trees after a brief but intense battle with a group of armed Englishmen. After you retreated, the English seized your canoes, and now they're hacking them to pieces. You watch the Englishmen destroy your people's livelihood, and the looks of horror on the faces of the men around you echo your feelings. Knowing you have no other choice, you emerge from the trees and lay down your bow as a signal you're ready to make peace.

A lean, dark-skinned young man wades through the shallow water to approach the shore. I am Moscow. I am working with these men as their guide. I will speak on behalf of their leader, Captain John Smith. You narrow your gaze in suspicion, questioning why any man would befriend these strangers. We will surrender. But can you get them to stop this destruction? Those canoes are our lifelines. It will take weeks to replace them.

Moscow's expression briefly softens, but the moment passes and his hard mask returns. Captain Smith demands that you hand over your bows and arrows as a sign of submission. Yes, of course. That's not all. The captain wants a chain of pearls and 400 baskets of corn. 400 baskets? We can't possibly spare so much. Captain Smith was clear in his demands.

Your mind races as you calculate the devastating toll of losing so much food. You're desperate to find another way. What about 200 baskets? We could manage that. Moscow sighs and looks away, unable or unwilling to meet your eyes. Smith won't accept less than 400. If you refuse to comply, his men will destroy every canoe you possess. They will burn your fields and lay waste to your homes.

Behind Moscow, another canoe splinters into pieces. With every axe's blow, you're reminded that the future of your people hangs in the balance. Very well. Four hundred baskets of corn.

Moscow nods and signals your surrender to the English. You turn around to see your men emerge from the trees, disappointment shadowing their faces as they resign themselves to the steep price of peace. You know that you don't stand a chance against the Englishman's guns. But without your stores of corn, you're not sure how your people will survive the winter. On September 6th, 1608, Smith's party sailed up the Nansimand River on their way back to Jamestown.

As they entered a narrow passage on the river, roughly 200 Nansamond warriors ambushed them, sparking a brief battle. Smith's men routed their attackers and forced them to give up 400 baskets of corn. The next day, Smith's party returned to Jamestown. After six weeks of travel, Smith had become confident in his ability to overpower Indians that stood in his way. And though he and his men had failed to find gold or a route to the Pacific,

They had procured food and gained a better understanding of the people of the region. Smith would compile these findings in a map and various writings in the years to come, in which he painted himself as a hero. He went so far as to claim that he had conquered 35 Indian nations and that no one else had discovered so many navigable rivers and subjected so many peoples with so little bloodshed.

But despite his boasting, Smith had failed to comply with the Virginia Company's stated policy warning the colonists not to offend the Indians. And he had also violated the agreement he made with Powhatan the previous December, promising submission in exchange for protection. Smith had explored the region without Powhatan's permission, made unauthorized alliances and trade agreements, and fought against various tribes. His actions demonstrated independence, not submission.

But Smith's harsh dealings with the Indians mattered less to the colonists than his proven ability to procure food. Three days after his return to Jamestown, Smith took over as president of the council. His resourcefulness, negotiating skills, and leadership had helped the colony survive against all odds. He had also outlasted all his competition. With his rivals all dead or gone, Smith was now ready to take charge and bring order to Jamestown.

He put the settlers to work rebuilding the fort and enlarging the church and storehouse. Meanwhile, the men looked forward to the imminent return of Newport and the second resupply of the colony later that fall. But unbeknownst to them, Newport was sailing back to Jamestown with a new plan, one that threatened to upend relations between the English and Powhatan people and destroy their already fragile troops.

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Imagine it's October 1608 in Jamestown, Virginia. You are a ship captain and one of the founders of the colony. After weeks at sea, you've just returned with a new group of settlers. You and your crew are unpacking supplies outside the storehouse. And as you wipe the sweat off your brow, you glimpse John Smith walking towards you, with the rest of the council following in his wake. You take a deep breath and square your shoulders, steeling yourself for the argument you know is coming. What is it now, Smith?

Smith casts a disappointed gaze over the crates stocked with oatmeal, oil, butter, and salt. "'Is this all you've brought from England? These provisions are inadequate. With your passengers, I have seventy more mouths to feed now, and winter is fast approaching. I've brought plenty. You should be grateful I went to London and sang the praises of this land. Oh, I'm sure it was hard work spending the summer hobnobbing across London, while the rest of us have been trying to keep this colony alive.'

You glance at the other council members, their faces tight with worry, and bite back a retort. If anything will keep this colony alive, it's gold. I'm planning to launch an expedition to search for gold mines in the Monacan land. Smith shakes his head. Absolutely not. We need to focus on building up our food stores for the coming winter and stop chasing after fantasies of gold. Is that what you really think? Or is it that you want to lead the expedition yourself?

I imagine the council is less than thrilled with the idea of letting you loose upriver. Your cruel behavior towards the Indians is well known. Smith's jaw tightens, but he says nothing. You cross your arms over your chest, take a step closer. Yes, I know all about your needless aggression toward the Indians this past summer. Do I need to remind you that Virginia Company policy is to treat the natives with a gentle hand?

Smith's eyes flash with anger. I only use force when necessary. Regardless, your schemes of finding gold are unrealistic. We must be practical. You were just trying to prevent me from succeeding where you have failed. We must find gold. That is the directive from the company. The future survival of this colony depends on it. The only reason this colony has survived as long as it has is because of me.

He turns on his heel and storms off, leaving the rest of the council members behind. You nod at them, trying to project an air of confidence. But deep down, you fear that Smith is right, and that you're pinning the hopes of the colony on a fool's errand.

In October 1608, Captain Christopher Newport sailed into Jamestown with a second resupply mission. He brought with him 70 new settlers, including the first two women to come to the colony. The group also included the first non-Englishmen, including German and Polish craftsmen recruited for their skills.

Four months had passed since Newport left the colony, but the time apart had done little to heal the rift between him and the new council president, John Smith. The pair soon got into a heated argument in front of the council.

Smith was determined to preserve his authority over the colony, and he resented the return of his rival. He had also begun to doubt the existence of gold in Virginia. But despite his objections, the council overruled him and approved Newport's plan to search for gold in territory occupied by the Monacan, an independent tribe in the West.

Newport also informed the council that Virginia Company leaders had decided to present Paramount Chief Powhatan with various gifts. Newport said he would stage a coronation ceremony, recognizing Powhatan's leadership of his own people while symbolizing his submission to King James I. He also hoped to use this opportunity to gain Powhatan's support in his search for gold.

Although Smith opposed this plan, he did agree to travel the twelve miles to Warramocomoco to inform Powhatan of the gifts awaiting him in Jamestown. But Powhatan refused to be summoned. He demanded the Englishman come to him instead, declaring, "'If your king has sent me presents, I also am a king, and this my land. I will stay to receive them. Newport is to come to me, not I to him, nor yet to your fort. Neither will I bite at such a bait.'"

So Newport and Smith had no choice but to bring the gifts to Powhatan. Traveling north with fifty men, they presented Powhatan with several pieces of copper, a basin, a pitcher, and a bed.

Next, Newport began the coronation ceremony. But when he asked Powhatan to kneel to receive the crown he had brought from London, Powhatan refused, recognizing the gesture as one of subservience. Eventually, the Englishman leaned on Powhatan's shoulders, forcing him to bend his knees slightly and stoop low enough for Newport to place the crown on his head. In return, Powhatan gave Newport a pair of old shoes and a cloak.

The awkward ceremony was a fiasco for the English, but from Powhatan's perspective, it had proved that he was the true king in Virginia. He had forced the English to come to him, and he had accepted their gifts as tribute to his leadership. He believed that he had increased his prestige among his own people, and in return, he gave the English worthless objects.

Powhatan also refused Newport's request for an Indian guide to accompany him on his expedition to Monacan country. So the Englishmen had to return to Jamestown with little to show for their visit. But still Newport refused to give up his search for gold. He put together a party of 120 men. Smith would stay in Jamestown with the remaining 80 settlers.

But the expedition was as futile as Smith had predicted. Newport and his men marched roughly 50 miles beyond the falls of the James River. They visited Monacan towns but found no gold. Newport also failed to trade for corn. So the group returned to Jamestown hungry and empty-handed. When the expedition got back, Smith refocused the men's efforts, organizing them into work gangs to produce goods for export.

The German and Polish artisans made samples of glass. Others produced pitch, tar, soap ashes, and clapboard. And when supplies began running low, Smith decided to lead an expedition himself to trade with the independent Chickahominy people. But the Chickahominy refused to trade until Smith threatened to attack them. Once again, he violated his agreement with Palatine, but he was able to secure 100 bushels of corn, which he brought back to Jamestown.

But after only several days away, when he returned, Smith found the settlement in worse shape than ever before. Since Newport's returns, tensions among the settlers had escalated, and as Newport began preparing to travel yet again back to London in December, Smith decided to draft a long letter to Virginia company leaders, pouring out his anger over the turmoil in the colony.

He described how the settlers were subsisting on nothing but a little meal and water, and according to Smith, Newport's sailors were hoarding supplies meant for the settlers. Even worse, they were engaging in their own trade with the Indians, selling off knives, gunpowder, and shot in exchange for food and furs.

Smith also criticized the company's goals as unrealistic, arguing that the colony should be treated as a long-term investment with resources directed toward farming, building, and securing territory. Describing Virginia's natural resources and navigable rivers, Smith insisted that commerce was the colony's future, not gold.

This letter contradicted the rosy picture Newport had painted in his previous talks with London investors, but nonetheless Smith sealed the letter and gave it to Newport to deliver to Virginia Company leaders in London. In December 1608, Smith happily watched as Newport set sail with samples of various goods produced by the settlers, including wooden siding, glass, and tar. And with Newport gone, Smith turned his attention to the problem of provisioning the colony for winter.

He made several more attempts to trade for food, but local tribes refused, acting on Powhatan's orders.

Knowing that Smith was preparing for winter, Powhatan sent word to Jamestown that he would provision the colony if Smith gave him a cannon, copper, beads, swords, and a grindstone. He also wanted the English to build him an English-style house. Smith had no intention of supplying Powhatan with weapons, but he dispatched four German settlers to begin work on the home. Then he set off for the chief's headquarters with a party of armed men.

On January 12, 1609, Smith arrived in Weromo, Comoco. Powhatan was cold and unwelcoming. He was well aware of Smith's aggression toward local tribes. Time and again, Smith had proven that he did not respect Powhatan's authority. And when the two men met, Powhatan denied having sent for Smith and asked him to leave. When Smith asked to trade, Powhatan rejected his offerings, saying that he would only part with his corn at the exorbitant price of one English sword per bushel.

It was a price that Smith was unwilling to pay, so Powhatan made it clear that he understood the colonists' intentions for his land, declaring, Your coming is not for trade, but to invade my people and possess my country. He then accused Smith of failing to acknowledge his authority, despite relying on his largesse for survival. Smith affirmed that he would only serve King James I, but he offered Powhatan his friendship.

This was not received well, because after months of broken promises, Powhatan was prepared to accept nothing less than full submission. He rose and left the meeting. The two men would never speak again.

Smith was left frustrated. But instead of returning to Jamestown, he sailed upstream to visit Opie Conkino, Powhatan's warrior brother. But Opie Conkino had been informed of what had transpired and planned an ambush. While he traded with Smith, several hundred warriors quietly surrounded the Englishman. But once it became clear he was being threatened, Smith grabbed Opie Conkino by his hair and held him at gunpoint while his own men escaped to their boats.

Once all were aboard, he released Opikankano and fled. But in so doing, Smith had made a grave error. He had humiliated Opikankano in front of his warriors and lost influence with both Opikankano and Powhatan. He also lost the advantage he had had over other Jamestown leaders. And crucially, he could no longer count on the Indians to supply the colonists with food.

So once again, Smith returned to Jamestown to find the settlers miserable and hungry. Morale had sunk to even newer lows after several men drowned when their boat overturned. Making matters worse, the Germans assigned to build Powhatan's English house had begun to spy for him. They stole several weapons while Smith was gone and encouraged others to join them.

Smith's failure to provide food for the settlement had turned the colonists against him, but he was determined to restore discipline. He announced that henceforth, he that will not work shall not eat. He ordered the colonists to return to the tasks of repairing the fort, planting crops, and producing commodities for export.

But some of the men refused to work, deeming it beneath their social status. And scarcity of food remained a major problem, especially after ship rats consumed the stores of corn that Smith had stolen from neighboring tribes. So by the spring, Smith felt that he had no choice but to send some of the settlers away to try to live off the land. One group was sent 20 miles downriver to subsist on oysters. Another would try to survive by fishing in the Chesapeake Bay.

Desperate, divided, and hungry, many of the men were ready to revolt against Smith. Relations with the local tribes had soured, and the colonists had failed to meet the expectations of Virginia company leaders. With conditions in Jamestown worse than ever before, investors in London decided it was time to act. ♪

Bye.

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In January 1609, Captain Christopher Newport arrived back in London and within a few days met with the Virginia Company's most powerful advocate, Sir Thomas Smythe. Smythe was an influential merchant and statesman, and one of the initial investors in the Virginia Company. He was also the governor of the British East India Company, one of four principals of the Navy, and he personally knew the King's most important advisers.

Smythe was already concerned that something needed to be done to protect his investment in Virginia. But Newport's description of the conditions in Jamestown confirmed his fears, as did discussions with former council president John Ratcliffe, who had also recently returned to London. Newport also delivered John Smith's scathing letter criticizing the Virginia company's policies.

So by the end of January, Smythe was convinced that the colony was in dire need of a major reorganization. That spring, he spearheaded an ambitious effort to attract settlers and investors for a new voyage to Virginia. Imagine it's April 1609 in London. You're one of the lead investors in the Virginia Company, and you have just walked into a meeting room in the Royal Exchange, the center of London commerce.

You sweep your gaze across expectant faces gathered around a heavy oak table, all members of the Cloth Workers Guild. Good morning, gentlemen. Thank you for agreeing to meet today. I come to you on a matter of great urgency, an opportunity of unparalleled promise. The men lean forward, curious. You grip the lapels of your coat, looking down at them with a conspiratorial grin. The Virginia Company seeks investors for a new expedition to Virginia.

Shares can be purchased for the bargain price of twelve pounds ten shillings apiece. I realize that the cloth workers may lack the funds to invest individually, but you could pool the resources of the entire guild. The men exchange glances. You can see hesitation in their eyes. One stout man with a weathered face clears his throat. My name is Henry Thompson. I speak for all of us when I say that Virginia hardly seems like a sound investment for our hard-earned savings.

I've heard that the stories of gold there are little more than flights of fancy. Mr. Thompson, the riches of Virginia extend far beyond mere gold. The land is abundant with natural resources. Timber, fur, fish, and good soil ready for cultivation. These are but a fraction of what is there, just waiting to be plucked.

And we are on the brink of expanding England's claim from sea to sea, all the way to the Pacific Ocean. This is your chance to obtain a share of the colony's land, minerals, and future profits. Thompson's eyes narrow slightly. What of reports of chaos in the colony and Indian violence? You wave a hand dismissively. The Indians? They simply need to be converted. With proper guidance, they can be pacified.

This is your chance to help carry the gospel to a savage land, to spread our civilization and beliefs. Thompson mulls this over, his expression unreadable. He looks at his fellow guild members. I suggest we table this matter for now. Perhaps until the time the market is more stable. I advise you not to wait too long, Mr. Thompson.

You see a flicker of anxiety in Thompson's eyes. It's a look you recognize well from years in business. He glances around at his fellow cloth workers and nods his head decisively. Very well. The Guild will invest, say, a hundred pounds...

100 pounds is a good start because every new investment brings you one step closer to saving the Virginia Company from ruin. In the spring of 1609, Sir Thomas Smythe sought out London's trade guilds as potential investors. He offered them shares in the Virginia Company at a price of 12 pounds, 10 shillings each. Encouraging members to pool their resources, he convinced more than 50 trade guilds to invest, including fishmongers, grocers, tailors, and clothworkers.

Smythe also worked hard to recruit new settlers from all classes of society. The Virginia Company distributed broadsides across London, inviting skilled artisans to join the colony. They also released a promotional pamphlet called Nova Britannia, describing Virginia's natural resources in rich detail. Potential settlers were promised a dividend of whatever land, minerals, and other profits the company accumulated after seven years. All told, it was an enticing prospect.

Company leaders also harnessed the power of patriotism and the church. For the first time, religion became an explicit part of their recruitment strategy. Prominent church leaders delivered sermons framing the Virginia colony as a crusade to bring the Protestant faith to the Indians. They portrayed the English as God's chosen people, sent to Virginia to convert heathens and act as a bulwark against Catholic Spain.

And they also argued that the introduction of Protestant Christianity in America fully justified English intrusion on native lands. One minister declared, A Christian king may lawfully make war upon barbarous and savage people. Those people are vanquished to their unspeakable profit and gain.

Amid this propaganda campaign, Virginia Company leaders also petitioned King James I to grant them more control over the colony's affairs. On May 23, 1609, the king approved a revised charter. It transferred control of the Virginia Company from the crown-appointed council to private investors. It also extended Virginia's borders all the way to the Pacific Ocean. And to bring order and discipline to Jamestown, the charter created a new role of colonial governor.

This position would be filled by Sir Thomas West, the Baron Delaware, a high-ranking nobleman and soldier who would be given the power to impose martial law if he deemed it necessary.

These promotional efforts paid off. The original Virginia Charter of 1608 had attracted only a handful of investors. The second charter listed more than 600 individuals and more than 50 trade guilds, and hundreds of people signed up for the next voyage. By the end of spring, thousands of pounds had been raised in investment, largely from ordinary Londoners, and Smythe had transformed the Virginia colony from a private venture into a national undertaking.

So in late May and early June, preparations were made to sail to Virginia. Because Baron Delaware was not sailing with this contingent, Sir Thomas Gates was appointed acting governor until Delaware's arrival later in the year. The company issued confidential instructions to Gates outlining his priorities. He was ordered to find precious metals, discover a route to the Pacific, and manufacture items for export. He was also instructed to reduce disease-ridden Jamestown to a small garrison and

and moved the capital city further inland. The Virginia Company also instituted a harsh new Indian policy. Three years earlier, the company had urged colonists not to offend the local inhabitants. But now they ordered the capture or killing of native priests, the conversion of Indian people to Christianity, and the overthrow of Paramount Chief Powhatan.

On June 9, 1609, Gates and Newport departed England aboard a 250-ton flagship called the Sea Venture. It was stocked with enough supplies, livestock, and food to sustain Jamestown for a year, and eight more ships followed. Altogether, they carried some 500 settlers, including women and children. The mission of this third resupply was to save the colony from collapse. It was one of the largest fleets that had ever sailed to North America.

But this new group of settlers had no knowledge of the events that had transpired in Virginia since Newport's departure six months earlier. Back in Jamestown, John Smith was struggling to keep the colony together. Newport had not returned with supplies in the spring as expected, and the settlers were hungry and turning mutinous.

It was on July 13, 1609, that an English ship called the Mary and John arrived in Jamestown. It was captained by Samuel Argyle, an employee of the Virginia Company. Earlier in the spring, the company had commissioned him to find a shorter route to the Chesapeake Bay. He sold the colony all the fish, biscuits, and wine he could spare. He also delivered the welcome news that the Virginia Company was sending a fleet of new settlers and supplies, as well as a new governor.

But nine days later, a violent hurricane struck the fleet bound for Jamestown. One colonist later described the scene, writing, A dreadful storm did beat all light from heaven, which like a hell of darkness turned black upon us. Fury added to fury, and one storm urging a second more outrageous than the former.

Sheets of rain, howling winds, and 30-foot waves pounded the fleet, sinking one small ship and scattering the rest. The flagship SeaVenture bore the brunt of the storm. It sprang a severe leak, and for three days and four nights, the crew worked around the clock, battling rising waters. But just when the exhausted passengers were ready to give up, the Admiral at the helm spotted land. He managed to beach the ship, and all 150 passengers safely went ashore.

The hurricane had driven the sea venture all the way to the Bermudas, 600 miles off the coast of North America. But now the passengers were stranded and their ship was damaged beyond repair. Meanwhile, back in Jamestown, supplies were running perilously low. The future of 130 desperate, hungry people hung in the balance, and all their hopes of survival were washed away in the storm.

From Wondery, this is episode two of our four-part series, Jamestown, for American History Tellers. In the next episode, dozens of Jamestown colonists die in skirmishes with local tribes. The settlers enter their darkest hours as Powhatan Indians lay siege to the Jamestown fort, triggering a crisis of starvation.

If you like American history tellers, you can binge all episodes early and ad-free right now by joining Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts. Prime members can listen ad-free on Amazon Music. And before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a short survey at wondery.com slash survey.

American History Tellers is hosted, edited, and produced by me, Lindsey Graham for Airship. Audio editing by Christian Paraga. Sound design by Molly Bach. Music by Lindsey Graham. Voice acting by Joe Hernandez-Kolski. This episode is written by Ellie Stanton. Edited by Dorian Marina. Produced by Alita Rozanski. Managing producers are Desi Blaylock and Matt Gant. Senior managing producer, Ryan Lord. Senior producer, Andy Herman.

Executive producers are Jenny Lauer Beckman, Marshall Louis and Erin O'Flaherty for Wondery. In the Pacific Ocean, halfway between Peru and New Zealand, lies a tiny volcanic island. It's a little-known British territory called Pitcairn, and it harboured a deep, dark scandal. There wouldn't be a girl on Pitcairn once they reached the age of 10 that would still have urged it. It just happens to all of them.

I'm journalist Luke Jones and for almost two years I've been investigating a shocking story that has left deep scars on generations of women and girls from Pitcairn. When there's nobody watching, nobody going to report it, people will get away with what they can get away with. In the Pitcairn Trials I'll be uncovering a story of abuse and the fight for justice that has brought a unique, lonely Pacific island to the brink of extinction.

Listen to the Pitcairn Trials exclusively on Wondery+. Join Wondery in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts or Spotify.