and Capt.  Argall occurred in the spring instead of the autumn, as Neill says.  If it be true that “The Treasurer” sailed in the early spring of 1618, Rolfe’s statement as to the time of the strife between Brewster and Argall would harmonize with the facts in reference to the length of time the vessel was absent as recorded in Burk’s history.  But if Neill is correct as to the time of the quarrel,—­for we maintain that it was about this time that Argall left the colony,—­then his statement would tally with Burk’s account of the time the vessel was on the cruise.  If, therefore, she sailed in October, 1618, being absent ten months, she was due at Jamestown in August, 1619.

But, nevertheless, we are strangely moved to believe that 1618 was the memorable year of the landing of the first slaves in Virginia.  And we have one strong and reliable authority on our side.  Stith, in his history of Virginia, fixes the date in 1618.[129] On the same page there is an account of the trial and sentence of Capt.  Brewster.  The ship “Treasurer” had evidently left England in the winter of 1618.  When she reached the Virginia colony, she was furnished with a new crew and abundant supplies for her cruise.  Neill says she returned with booty and “a certain number of negroes.”  Campbell agrees that it was some time before the landing of the Dutch man-of-war that “The Treasurer” returned to Virginia.  He says, “She returned to Virginia after some ten months with her booty, which consisted of captured negroes, who were not left in Virginia, because Capt.  Argall had gone back to England, but were put on the Earl of Warwick’s plantation in the Somer Islands."[130]

During the last two and one-half centuries the readers of the history of Virginia have been mislead as to these two vessels, the Dutch man-of-war and “The Treasurer.”  The Dutch man-of-war did land the first slaves; but the ship “Treasurer” was the first to bring them to this country, in 1618.

When in 1619 the Dutch man-of-war brought the first slaves to Virginia, Capt.  Miles Kendall was deputy-governor.  The man-of-war claimed to sail under commission of the Prince of Orange.  Capt.  Kendall gave orders that the vessel should not land in any of his harbors:  but the vessel was without provisions; and the Negroes, fourteen in number, were tendered for supplies.  Capt.  Kendall accepted the slaves, and, in return, furnished the man-of-war with the coveted provisions.  In the mean while Capt.  Butler came and assumed charge of the affairs of the Virginia Company, and dispossessed Kendall of his slaves, alleging that they were the property of the Earl of Warwick.  He insisted that they were taken from the ship “Treasurer,"[131] “with which the said Holland man-of-war had consorted.”  Chagrined, and wronged by Gov.  Butler, Capt.  Kendall hastened back to England to lay his case before the London Company, and to seek equity.  The Earl of Warwick appeared in court, and claimed the Negroes