Page:Economic History of Virginia Vol 1.djvu/221

 conclusion to which the Englishmen were doubtless led by specimens of the cured leaf presented to them by their Indian hosts. The prediction was ventured in the first spring after their arrival, that by the end of the year they would be producing that commodity to the value of five thousand pounds sterling, and this anticipation would have proved correct but for the fact that the attention of the colonists soon became absorbed in the struggle for food to sustain a bare existence. This is the explanation of the statement which Smith made at a later date, that during the first three years after the foundation of Jamestown no thought was given to tobacco.

In the course of the winter following the settlement of Jamestown, the colonists lived in a state of great abundance on fish and game maize bread, peas and pumpkins, only a small part of which had been obtained by their own industry. Up to this time, the area of ground cleared did not exceed four acres; this was not sufficient to afford an adequate supply of food even if the whole of it had been planted in grain, vegetables, and fruits. The plenty prevailing in the winter of 1607-1608 was due to purchases from the Indians, many of the colonists going so far as to barter in exchange, but without the knowledge of the authorities, the agricultural implements that had been brought over, such as mattocks, pickaxes and hoes.

In the spring of 1608, twelve months subsequent to the