"The Fishing Fleet'

The Fishing Fleet of 1620

Beside gray and choppy shore of the river, James,
preening men strutted before the "Fishing Fleet" -
seventy women strong, "old maids", widows,
handful of virgins,

from England they'd sailed, supplied with new petticoat,
gloves, rug, and sheet.  Domesticity's price? "One hundredth
and fifie pounds of the best leafe Tobacco".

Preacher warned, "one man at a time!", judge declared,
"Consummate or set her free!", indentured servants they were not,
but plucky women who gambled, tried to beat the odds -
did for two years

until Opechancanough spared no "man woman or childe",
proceeded to "deface, drag, and mangle the dead into many pieces -
triumphant."

Triumphant for a time,
as the hand of "revenge" is never-ending.

by Margaret Bednar, October 28, 2013

A replica of the first Protestant church in America located inside the Jamestown Fort -
I assume the "Fishing Fleet" couples were married here.

HERE is Bob Deans the author of the book I am currently reading, "The River Where America Began".  He is a gifted speaker and this is a C-Span Video Library link.  It is thoroughly educational and enjoyable.

The Fishing Fleet was a true group of women (age 15-24) who came over to find husbands within the  Jamestown colony.  Most of these women were killed two years later in the "Great Indian Massacre".   Opechancanough was Powhatan's powerful brother who took control after the great chief died.  I find it a fascinating topic and Mr. Deans states briefly that their stories are fascinating (which leads me to believe there are journals and/or documents about them).  I wish there were books or a documentary about them, but I can find nothing.

Below is a photo of my youngest son standing very near the location where the Jamestown people were massacred (the people inside the fort were warned in advance and did not suffer devastating losses).  So much history, so much violence along the James River.  This is linked with "I Heart Macro Week 24".

I signed up to view National Geographic - HERE is a great article on Jamestown, but it will ask you to sign up as a member (which is really easy).

I am linking this with "Imaginary Garden with Real Toads - Open Link Monday" and will link with "dVerse - Open Link Night #120" on Tuesday.

Finally found an image painted by Sidney King "Arrival of the Maids".  The website is HERE

Sidney King "Arrival of the Maids" (to Jamestown Colony 1620)