On April 10, 1606, King James I granted a charter to the Virginia Company of London. The charter designated the territory available for settlement as that lying between the 34th and 45th degrees of north latitude, "and the islands thereunto adjacent, or within one hundred miles of the coasts thereof." The Virginia Company raised funds (by issuing stock) for the New World expedition, which would never have been possible without such backing. Reasons for founding a colony in the New World: The members of the Company, who were stockholders, naturally expected a good return on their investments. Secondly, they wished to establish a settlement in VA where English goods could be shipped in exchange for New World commodities. Thirdly, and specified in the charter from the king, the colonists were to propagate the "Christian religion to such people (the Indians) as yet live in darkness and miserable ignorance of the true knowledge and worship of God...:" The charter also encouraged them to search for mineral wealth - "to dig, mine, and search for all manner of mines of gold, silver, and copper...:" Other reasons for establishing the colony: To find a route to the "East India (South) Sea." To search for Sir Walter Raleigh's ill-fated colony of 1587 that had been temporarily established under the leadership of John WHITE on Roanoke Island (NC), which had mysteriously vanished upon White's return to the island in 1590. To establish a foothold in North America, which, in turn, would bar the further spread of Spain and France between the 34th and 45th degrees of north latitude. To find as many commodities and crops as possible which the English were forced to purchase from European nations at exorbitant prices. The Colonists were asked specifically to search for furs, cordage, masts, planks, boards, pitch, tar potash, soap ashes, hemp, flax, iron, grapes and other fruits, salt, silk, roots and berries, medicinal plants and herbs, sweet woods, oils and gums, cotton silk-grass, sugar cane, and grains. The settlers of the yeoman class who did not own stock in the Virginia Company were drawn overseas in order to better themselves, which, in the 17th century, meant to acquire a small tract of land. On December 19-20, 1606 the colonists left London: "On a bleak December day, a week before Christmas, 105 colonists and 39 mariners sailed from Blackwall in three small ships - the "Susan Constant" of 100 tons, commanded by Capt. Christopher NEWPORT, carrying 71 persons; the "Godspeed" of 40 tons (commanded by Capt. Bartholomew GOSNOLD, carrying 52 persons; and the "Discovery," a pinnace of 20 tons commanded by Capt. John RATCLIFFE carrying 21 persons. Unfavorable winds, however, kept the small fleet in sight of England for approximately six weeks, as reported by several members of the expedition. "On the 19 of December, 1606, we set saile, but by unprosperous winds, were kept six weekes in the sight of England; all which time, Maister HUNT our Preacher, was so weake and sicke, that few expected his recovery." Master George PERCY (member of the first colony, councilor, brother of the Earl of Northumberland) gave the date of departure as December 20. "On Saturday the twentieth of December in the yeere of 1606, the fleet fell from London, and the fift of January we anchored in the Downes; but the winds continued contrarie so long, that we were forced to stay there some time, where wee suffered great stormes, but by the skilfulnesse of the Captaine we suffered no great losse or danger." Feb 12 1607 - George PERCY reported: "The tweelfth day of February at night we saw a blazing Starre, and presently a storme." They "watered at Canary Islands in late Feb or early March, 1607. On March 23 , three months after boarding the ship they reached the West Indies (Martinique) but continued on to the Island of Dominica, where a landing was made the following day. This was an eventful day for the colonists - their first landing since leaving the Canaries and their first glimpse of "Savage Indians." Still 1400 miles from the American mainland, the Virignia-bound settlers must have sensed for the first time that they were in a strange and new world. George PERCY related: "The foure and twentieth day we anchored at Dominico, wittin fourteene degrees of the Line, a very faire Iland, the Trees full of sweet and good smels inhabited by man Savage Indians, they were at first very scrupulous to come aboord us. Wee learned of them afterwards that the Spaniards had given them a great overthrow on this Ile, but when they knew what we were, there came many to our ships with their Canoas, bringing u! s many kindes of sundry fruites, as Pines (pineapples), Potatoes, Plantons (bananas), Tobacco, and other fruits, and Roane Cloth (leather) abundance, which they had gotten out of certaine Spanish ships that were cast away upon that Iland. We gave them Knives, Hatchets for exchange which they esteeme much, wee also gave them Beades, Copper Jewels which they hang through their nosthrils, ears, and lips, very strange to behold. Their bodies are all painted red, to keepe away the biting of Muscetos. They goe all naked without covering. The haire of their head is a yard long, all of a length, pleated in three plats hanging downe to their wastes. They suffer no haire to grow on their faces. They cut (tattoo) their skinnes in divers workes (patterns). They are continually in warres; and will eate their enemies when they kill them, or any stranger if they take them. They will lap up mans spittle, whilst one spits in their mouthes, in a barbarous fashion like Dogges... These ! people doe poyson their Arrow heads, which are made of a fishes bone. They worship the Devill for their God, and have no other beliefe..." On March 27, 1607, they reached the island of Guadeloupe wher they found a hot spring. " Per George Percy,"....the next day wee sailed with a slacke saile, alongst the Ile of Guadalupa; where we went ashore, and found a Bath (spring) which was so hot that no man was able to stand long by it. Our Admirall, Captaine NEWPORT caused a piece of Porke to be put in it; which boyled it so, in the space of halfe an hour, as no fire could mend it." >From Guadeloupe the ships sailed in a northwesterly direction, passing by the islands of Montserrat and St. Christopher (both apparently unihabited) and on to the island of Nevis. At Nevis all the men landed, where they encamped for six days. Accustomed to the damp climate and fogs of England, the warmth and exotic scenery of the colorful island must have pleased the subjects of King James. The men were being "well fitted with Musket and other convenient Armes... fearing the treacherie of the Indians. " They came to a spring and "we bathed our selves; and found it to be of the nature of the Bathes in England, some places hot and some colder." They "got great store of Conies (rabbits or hares); sundry kinds of fowles, and great plentie of fish." They stood guard but were not molestered by any Indians, who they saw running "swiftly through the Woods to the Mountaine tops." They found a "pleasant Garden...having many Cotton-trees growing in it with abundance of Cotto! n-wooll -- which made us marvell very much to see it."