The fort, as it was called, had been built only of the branches of
trees, and might easily have been overrun by savages bent on doing us
harm.
It was while Master Wingfield, with thirty of the gentlemen, was gone to
visit Powhatan's village, and the others were hunting for gold, leaving
only my master and the preacher to look after the serving men and the
laborers, that upward of an hundred naked savages suddenly came down
upon us, counting to make an end of all who were in the town.
It was a most fearsome sight to see the brown men, their bodies painted
with many colors, carrying bows and arrows, dash out from among the
trees bent on taking our lives, and for what seemed a very long while
our people ran here and there like ants whose nest has been broken in
upon.
Captain Smith gave no heed to his own safety; but shouted for all to
take refuge in our house of logs, while Master Hunt did what he might to
aid in the defence; yet, because there had been no exercise at arms,
nor training, that each should know what was his part at such a time,
seventeen of the people were wounded, some grievously, and one boy,
James Brumfield of whom I have already spoken, was killed by an arrow
piercing his eye.