More than 50 Indians representing all eight of the state's recognized tribes traveled to England last week to help commemorate Jamestown's 400th anniversary. Their flight back was scheduled to leave Heathrow Airport this morning.

Their expedition is said to be the first time since at least the Revolutionary War that an official Indian delegation has visited England. The British government raised money to cover the trip's costs for most of the group, and the Indians raised money for some extra members.

The trip's participants said they achieved a new level of understanding of British and Indian cultures through symposiums, discussions, museum visits and cultural demonstrations.

Kenneth Adams, chief of the Upper Mattaponi tribe, was particularly moved by the reception from the British.

"Imagine being asked to come to a land for an entire week to showcase your own culture . . . and talk about your lives and your experiences to the entire nation," he said in a telephone interview.

"I haven't found a single moment in this trip where we didn't feel like we were 100 percent welcome," he said.

While Adams emphasized the friendships and relationships that were created, he also mentioned possible economic agreements with the British. He said these could include trading of artisan crafts from Virginia but would not discuss specifics.

The visit also allowed the group to air some historical resentment over actions the British took when they settled Jamestown in the early 17th century, one observer said.

"I think it was a very healing experience," said H. Benson Dendy III, vice chairman of the federal Jamestown commission.

Last Friday, the delegation visited Pocahontas' grave site at St. George's Church in Gravesend. There, the Virginia Indians conducted a private service, which was an important spiritual experience for them, Dendy said. The Indian princess died there in 1617.

The group also toured Parliament and attended a luncheon with Speaker of the House of Commons Michael Martin before visiting the British Museum to look at paintings of early Virginia Indians by artist John White.