e walls.
Nevertheless, they shut out temporarily, at least, the chill winds and
the summer heat. Material for chimneys was not then available, and the
colonists made do the ample openings in the roofs thatched with reeds.
Sometimes, skins were attached on the outer sides of these openings and
flapped over the hole, in a heavy storm, to shut out the rain. Openings
for light were closed with sliding panels. Shallow wells within the
stockade supplied water, not always unpolluted.

The tinder-like material, with which these first buildings were
constructed, together with the open central fires, made them a prey to
flames in January, 1608, which shortly were out of control. The reeds,
with which the roofs were thatched, merely fed the blaze which spread so
rapidly that even the palisades were destroyed. The colonists lost
practically everything, including arms, clothing, bedding and provisions
held by individuals. Reverend Robert Hunt suffered the loss of his
collection of books.

By 1609, a number of women passengers were included among those who
departed from England on nine ships, comprising the largest expedition
ever sent to Virginia. Reverend Richard Buck brought with him his wife,
and although they were among those marooned for nine months on the
Bermuda Islands following the wreck there of the _Seaventure_, both
survived the hardships encountered, and established a home at Jamestown
and reared a family. Temperance Flowerdieu, aged about fourteen years,
arrived in 1609 on the _Falcon_, but presumably returned to England,
shortly to come back, in 1618, as the wife of Sir George Yeardley.
Thomas Dunthorne's wife came in the _Triall_, 1610, and their servant
Elizabeth Joones was among those on the _Seaventure_ who eventually
reached Virginia in the _Patience_, 1610. Sisley Jordan, later wife of
William Farrar, came in the _Swan_, 1610.

By the time the second contingent of women had arrived, America's first
industry, glass making, had been established and the colonists had built
some twenty houses, providing also for themselves a well of "excellent
sweet water" within the fort. The conditions of living were somewhat
improved. The fragile walls of the church, having begun to crumble, were
renewed and a block house was built on the neck of the Island, to which
point the savages were permitted to come for trade, but were prohibited
from further passage by a garrison kept there. When not otherwise
employed, the men spent