An instance or two will serve to illustrate.

Upon our visit to James Towne, we found that the site of the colonists’ first fort (long variously fixed at several points along the river front) was now limited to a single spot near the caretaker’s cottage; so that all the brave fighting that had been going on at those other sites, had been for nothing.

In like manner, it had long been well established that Pocahontas and John Rolfe were married in the church whose tower is yet standing; also in the brick and wood church that just preceded this one; also in a rough timber church that just preceded that one.  Each of these edifices was the true, genuine scene of the romantic event.

But, under the new arrangement, we found only one church where Rolfe and Pocahontas were married—­just the old timber one.  Indeed, in this instance, the work of elimination seemed almost unduly rigorous.  The other churches were set aside upon circumstantial evidence merely; there being nothing against them except that they were found to have been built some years after the ceremony.

On the whole, however, the work of fixing sites authoritatively was doubtless just.  In any event, there was no opportunity for us to protest; for by the time we got to the island, they had everything down on a map in a book.  We bought a copy of the book, and resolved to stage by it the events of the James Towne story.  We resolved also to be most methodical from now on; and to “do” things as nearly as possible in the same order as the colonists had done them.

So one morning we gathered up our authorities and started out to see where the settlers first landed and where they first lived.  According to the map, that historic, first landing-place would be anything but a landing-place to-day; for figure “25” (that was it) stood well out in the river.  The loss by erosion had been great along that part of the shore since those first settlers arrived.  But even though the landing-place could not be seen, one could look out on the waters anyway and see where it used to be.

At first we feared that there might be some trouble in telling where the “25” on the map would be on the water.  But it was a very simple thing to do, largely owing to the thoughtfulness of the settlers in landing almost opposite a jetty that runs out from the shore a little above the Confederate fort.

[Illustration:  View from the Confederate fort.]

[Illustration:  Looking toward the first landing-place.]