Resting at Jamestown only two days, Smith set out in his barge on the 24th of July, to finish his exploration. He took a party of twelve with him, the majority of whom had been on his first expedition. Ralph Morton disliked either to leave his gold in Jamestown or carry it on his person; but he had been so useful to Captain Smith that the latter was bent on having him of the company. So Ralph put the gold in his chest, which was strong and well-locked, and left it in charge of the young man he had chosen for his comrade. As no ship was expected in for several weeks, he knew he should not, by going with Smith, miss an opportunity of returning to England.
Descending the James River, the party was detained two or three days at Kecoughtan, an Indian village near the mouth of the river. After dark one evening Smith fired a few rockets. These missiles, rushing on their fiery course into the sky, greatly frightened the
