hat night the ships dropped anchor in the bay. On the morrow the colonists disembarked, and Captain Gosnold, their leader, claimed the land in the king's name. Among the first, as one of the Council, was Captain John Smith, who had again left home in quest of adventure and glory, this time in the new world. To the eyes of the weary travelers, after their long voyage across the sea, Virginia, on that bright April day, seemed a land of promise. With great hopes and renewed courage they set to work to build the town which they called Jamestown, in honor of their king,—a town which lives to this day.
But after a time they grew dissatisfied, for they failed to find the gold mines they had hoped for. And they became discouraged, and quarreled, and things began to go ill with them.
To make matters worse Captain Gosnold after a few months sickened and died.