Jamestown River News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Planned, so they usedo up all their provisions on their way. >> they were drinking water from the jamestown river. which in the spring it runs clear andnd 23resh but as the spring goes on, it becomes salty. >> what was more deadly? the bad water and the tough environment or the native american tribes? >> well, they're starving, the natives, too? >> is that because they weren't good hunters? they didn't know what to do? >> well, eventually they were kept in the fort. they couldn't venture beyond the island to find food and water. >> and fishing? >> the boats were rotted. >> everything they trie...

Planned so they used up all of their food. >> they were drinking water from the jamestown river which in the spring runs clear and fresh and as the days wear on, the salt in the water strengthens. many felt the dehydration and salt poisoning. >> what was more deadly? the bad water and is that because they were good hunters, they didn't know what to do? >> well, somewhere, yeah, they eventually were kept beyond the island. >> and fishing? >> the fishing, well, the nets were out and the boats -- >> everything that they tried? >> everything. it's like the worst storm of bad luck. >> what was that...

Planned so they had used up all of their provisions. >> and in addition to food, the colonists were drinking water from the jamestown river. which in the early daes it was fine, but then the salt strengthened, and so many of them died due to hydration. and so what was the main cause they didn't survive? >> it is the food. >> and because they weren't good hunters and they didn't know what to do? >> some of them were but they were kept in the fort, and they could not venture beyond the island to find fresh water and food. >> and the fishing? >> well, the nets rotted an the boats -- >> they were ...

>> yes. this is a brick facade and hollow cavity that goes back further. >> so even though this was a kitchen where someone could be working around 1608, by 1609, 1610, it's not being used anymore? >> over 200 colonists died and only 60 survived. >> settlers made incredible sacrifices to stay alive. forced to eat their dogs, their horses and, worse. >> so it's your belief that now we know that it was such a desperate time that they had to resort to cannibilism to survive? >>. >> right. we know without a shadow of a doubt that it took place here at jamestown that winter. >> how do you know that...

The fabric of our existence today discovered by overturning one stone at a time. >> to make that discovery and really have an idea of what these folks went through, what kind of thought came up for you? >> we do get this sort of connection with these guys. we see everything that they ate, all of the stuff that they left behind and what comes together is a more complete picture of what life was really like here at this fort. >> do you have a feeling if it wasn't for them, america wouldn't be what it is today? >> yeah. without the sacrifices of the early loccolonists at jamestown the world would...