ards happened the like in discouering
the maine of the West Indies. The maine also of this Countrey of Virginia,
extending some wayes so many hundreds of leagues, as otherwise then by the
relation of the inhabitants wee haue most certaine knowledge of where yet
no Christian prince hath any possession or dealing, cannot but yeelde many
kinds of excellent commodities, which we in our discouery haue not seene.

What hope there is els to bee gathered of the nature of the climate, being
answerable to the Iland of Japan, the land of China, Persia, Iury, the
Ilands of Cyprus and Candy, the South parts of Greece, Italy and Spaine,
and of many other notable and famous Countreys, because I meane not to be
tedious, I leaue to your owne consideration.

Whereby also the excellent temperature of the aire there at all seasons,
much warmer then in England, and neuer so vehemently hot, as sometimes is
vnder and betweene the Tropikes, or neere them, cannot be knowen vnto you
without further relation.

For the holsomnesse thereof I neede to say but this much: that for all the
want of prouisson, as first of English victuall, excepting for twentie
dayes, we liued onely by drinking water, and by the victuall of the
Countrey, of which some sorts were very strange vnto vs, and might haue
bene thought to haue altered our temperatures in such sort, as to haue
brought vs into some greuious and dangerous diseases: (M311) Secondly the
want of English meanes, for the taking of beastes, fish and foule, which
by the helpe onely of the inhabitants and their meanes could not bee so
suddenly and easily prouided for vs, nor in so great number and
quantities, nor of that choise as otherwise might haue bene to our better
satisfaction and contentment. Some want also we had of clothes.
Furthermore in al our trauailes, which were most specially and often in
the time of Winter, our lodging was in the open aire vpon the ground. And
yet I say for all this, there were but foure of our whole company (being
one hundred and eight) that died all the yeere, and that but at the latter
ende thereof, and vpon none of the aforesaid causes. For all foure,
especially three, were feeble, weake, and sickly persons before euer they
come thither, and those that knew them, much marueled that they liued so
long being in that case, or had aduentured to trauaile.

Seeing therefore the aire there is so temperate and holsome, the soyle so
fertile, and yeelding such commodities, as I