In August, 1611, Sir Thomas Gates arrived with "six tall ships with
three hundred men, and one hundred kine and other cattel." Gates
thoroughly approved of Dale's plans and policies and let him select
about three hundred of the best workers in the colony to build at
Henrico, now Farrar's Island, at Dutch Gap.
Within ten or twelve daies he had invironed it with a pale, and
in honour of our noble Prince _Henry_, called it _Henrico_. The
next worke he did, was building at each corner of the towne a
high commanding watch-house, a church, and store-houses: which
finished, hee began to thinke upon convenient houses for
himselfe and men, which, with all possible speed hee could, he
effected to the great content of his companie, and all the
colonie.
This towne is situated upon a necke of a plaine rising land,
three parts invironed with the maine river, the necke of land
well impaled, makes it like an ile; it hath three streets of
well framed houses, a handsome church, and the foundation of a
better laid (to bee built of bricke), besides store-houses,
watch-houses, and such like. Upon the verge of the river there
are five houses, within live the honester sort of people, as
farmers in England, and they keepe continuall centinell for the
townes securitie.
About two miles from the towne, into the maine, is another pale,
neere two miles in length, from river to river, guarded with
severall commanders, with a good quantitie, of corne-ground
impailed, sufficiently secured to maintaine more than I suppose
will come this three yeeres.