1607. Being thus left to our fortunes, it fortuned [happened] that within ten days scarce ten among us could either go or well stand, such extreme weakness and sickness oppressed us. And thereat none need marvel if they consider the cause and reason, which was this. While the ships stayed, our allowance was somewhat bettered by a daily proportion of biscuits, which the sailors would pilfer [steal] to sell, give, or exchange with us for money . . . But when they departed, there remained neither tavern, beer, house, nor place of relief. —John Smith, “Starving Time in Virginia”
The colonists were suffering because they
a. did not have enough food.
c. came down with the plague.
b. were working very hard.
d. they were low on money.
