School History of North Carolina Part 3

10. How did sailors of that period regard the Atlantic Ocean?

11. What occurred in 1583? What island was discovered? What disaster befell the expedition?

12. What did daylight reveal? Give the names of the three ships.

CHAPTER VI.

DISCOVERY OF NORTH CAROLINA.

A. D. 1584 TO 1585.

1584. When the little ship Hind reached England, and it was known how Sir Humphrey Gilbert and so many of his men had gone down into the depths of that mysterious ocean which was so much dreaded, there was great grief; and, possibly many bitter speeches were made by the people who stayed at home and predicted disaster to the daring enterprise. Raleigh was sorely afflicted at the loss of his brother and men, and had he been weak or selfish this disaster would have unmanned him, and he would have ventured on no more such projects.

2. He had lost many thousands of dollars in the foundered ships; and many a gallant friend that had trusted him and cheered him in his mighty schemes had perished. But the hearts of heroes are not cast in common moulds. Instead of abandoning his enterprise, he obtained, on March 25, 1584, letters-patent from the queen favoring another expedition, and he at once began to fit out another fleet. This consisted of two vessels, and they were put under the command of Philip Amadas and Arthur Barlowe.

[NOTE--The queen's "Letters-Patent" to Raleigh gave him "Free liberty to discover such remote heathen and barbarous lands not actually possessed by any Christian prince, nor inhabited by Christian people.]

3. The fleet sailed from England on the 27th day of April, 1584, and, avoiding the dangers of drift-ice in the northern waters, steered for the Canary Islands and the West Indies. They had the good fortune to escape the Spanish cruisers, which were so dangerous to English vessels sailing at that day upon this course. On the 14th day of July they first saw the coast of North Carolina, probably at a point just below Old Topsail Inlet.

They continued northward along the low, barren barriers of sand which divide the waters of the ocean from those of Pamlica and Croatan Sounds, and, two days later, came to anchor off an island called Woc.o.ken, in what was an inlet at that day.

4. They called this place Trinity Harbor. Across the desolate sand ridges were fair landlocked waters, and great forests that sent far out to sea the odors of countless flowers. The weary toilers who had sailed so far, with nothing to look upon but the sky and the great stretches of the sea, were charmed with the richness of the vegetation, the balmy air, and the ceaseless songs of the mockingbirds.

5. For two whole days it seemed that the country was uninhabited, for no one had been seen by the Englishmen. At the expiration of that period they saw a canoe approaching from the north, in which were three Indians. One of them landed and came down the beach toward the ships. By signs he was invited aboard the vessels, and went with the white men to survey some of the wonders of civilization found in various parts of the vessel.

6. It must have been a notable day in this Indian's life, when, for the first time, he, who had seen nothing of the kind larger than his canoe, beheld the tall p.o.o.ps, the towering masts and the great sails of vessels that had come from such distant lands beyond the seas. Nothing so astonished the Indians of that day as the roar of artillery. It was something entirely beyond their comprehension, and filled them with terror. They had no guns or knowledge of their use. So, when a cannon was fired, they were ready to believe that men who could do such things were possessed of supernatural powers.

7. The officers of the vessel gave to the Indian a hat, shirt and several other articles, besides treating him to wine and meat, which he seemed to greatly relish. As a return for their kindness, the Indian took his canoe and showed the white men how to catch fish. In a half hour he had nearly filled his boat with those delicious fish which have always so remarkably abounded in all the waters of that portion of North Carolina. By signs he made known his wish that they should be divided between the men of the two ships, and then he took his departure.

8. The next day many Indians, with much ceremony, visited the ships. Among them was Granganimeo, a brother of the chief who ruled in that portion of the country. He was an honest and kindly Indian, faithful to his promises, and affording a strong contrast to Wingina, the Indian king, who was full of suspicion and duplicity. The Indians were clothed in mantles and ap.r.o.ns of deerskins. They were gentle, unsuspicious and hospitable. A few days later Amadas, with eight of his men in a boat, visited the home of Granganimeo, about twenty miles distant, on the sh.o.r.e of Roanoke Island. The chief was not at home, but his wife gave them a cordial and hospitable reception. She prepared a feast for them of fruits, melons, fish and venison, and showed them every kindness.

9. Amadas and Barlowe proceeded, in the presence of many Indians, to lay claim to the country for their queen. This whole pageant was probably a dumb show to the astonished and ignorant natives.

They neither knew nor cared what the white men were celebrating with beating drums, flaunting banners and salvos of artillery.

10. This expedition had not been sent with any purpose of settlement; so, in a few weeks after the ceremony of taking possession, the fleet weighed anchor and sailed back to England.

They carried with them a large cargo of skins and valuable woods, which they had obtained in trading with the Indians. For a bright tin dish the Indians gave twenty skins, worth about thirty- five dollars, and fifty valuable skins were given for an old copper kettle. Amadas and Barlowe also carried to England the first knowledge of the potato and tobacco.

11. With their own consent, two Indians, named Manteo and Wanchese, were taken aboard and carried to England, that they might see something of the world across the sea. They afforded a singular test of human nature. They were of equal abilities, and yet, by the visit to England, Manteo became the friend, Wanchese the implacable enemy of the white men.

[NOTE--The Indians were greatly amazed at the sight of gunpowder, the cause of all the noise in the artillery. On one of their expeditions they captured a quant.i.ty of powder from the colonists, and, to increase the supply, they made rows in the ground and carefully planted the black grains of powder, expecting to reap a full harvest of it in season. ]

12. Queen Elizabeth was greatly pleased by the glowing descriptions of the new country as given by the returned mariners, especially by the accounts of the abundance of fruits, vines hanging with luscious grapes, great forests, rich shrubbery and bright flowers, and she gave the country the name of Virginia, in honor of herself, the "Virgin Queen."

13. Walter Raleigh was, soon after, elected a member of Parliament in the House of Commons, of which body be became a leader. The queen, in recognition of his services, confirmed his patent for prosecuting discoveries in foreign lands, and, in conferring upon him the honor of knighthood, made him Sir Walter Raleigh.

QUESTIONS.

1. How did the people of England receive the news of Sir Humphrey Gilbert's death? How did it affect Raleigh?

2. What did the expeditions cost him? Whom did he next send out to the new world?

3. When did this fleet leave England? Describe their course and trace it on the map. When did they reach the coast of North Carolina? Where did they land? Can you point out this place on the map? Woc.o.ken? Croatan? Pamlico Sound?

4. What did they name this place? What is said of the new land?

5. What occurred on the second day after their arrival?

6. How did this visit impress the Indians? How were the Indians affected by the roar of the artillery?

7. What return did the Indian make for the kindness of the white men?

8. Who next visited the ships? What kind of man was he? How did this Indian's wife treat the white men? Locate Roanoke Island on the map.

9. What formal ceremony did Amadas and Barlowe conduct?

10. What did the ships carry back to Europe?

11. What two Indians were taken on a visit to England? How was each of them affected by the visit?

12. What account did the mariners give of the new country? What did Queen Elizabeth think of the description? What name did she give to the new country, and why?

13. Of what body did Raleigh soon become a member? What t.i.tle was then conferred upon him, and why?

CHAPTER VII.

GOVERNOR LANE'S COLONY.

A. D. 1585 TO 1586.

We cannot easily realize, in our day, what excitement and enthusiasm were felt in England when the two ships returned and exhibited the Indians, the potatoes, the tobacco and other new and strange productions that had been gathered by Amadas and Barlowe, to prove the value and fertility of the newly discovered land. It is strange, but true, that more value was set upon the discovery of the sa.s.safras tree than upon anything else, and wonderful things were expected of its virtues as a tea, a medicine and for the manufacture of perfume.

[NOTE--Sir Walter Raleigh planted some of the potatoes upon his own estate, and found them very palatable. Other people afterwards obtained seed from him, and now the potato forms a princ.i.p.al part of the food of Ireland. Raleigh was also the first Englishman who ever used tobacco. An amusing incident is related of his using it. His servant entered the room one day, bringing a mug of ale, while Raleigh was enjoying his pipe and tobacco, and the smoke was issuing from his mouth and filling the room. The servant, thinking, that his master was on fire, immediately dashed the ale in his face and ran out, crying for help, for his master "would be burnt to ashes."]

2. Sir Walter Raleigh hastened to send over a colony of men to take possession of Roanoke. Ralph Lane, a gentleman of courage and experience, was appointed Governor. The seven ships, conveying one hundred and eight emigrants and the two Indians who had visited England, sailed on the 9th of April; they were commanded by Sir Richard Grenville, who was a cousin of Raleigh, and famous as a seaman.

3. This fleet also came over by the southern route, and was in considerable danger off Cape Fear during a great storm, but the ships all safely rode out the gale, and, on the 26th of July, 1585, they dropped their anchors in Trinity Harbor, off the coast where the fleet had lain during the visit of the previous year.

News of the arrival was at once sent to Wingina, at Roanoke Island.

4. Governor Lane had one hundred and eight men to remain with him, among whom was Thomas Hariot, the celebrated mathematician and historian. With these colonists he landed upon Roanoke Island, and began to build and fortify a town upon the northern part of the island, which he named the "City of Raleigh." The island is twelve miles long and about four broad, and is to this day fertile and pleasant as a place of residence. It then abounded in game, and countless and choice varieties of fish were to be caught in the sounds and sea at all seasons of the year.

5. Admiral Grenville was active during his stay at Roanoke in visiting many Indian towns and in exploring the many broad waters that are found connected with one another in that portion of North Carolina. On one of his expeditions he lost a silver cup, which was stolen from him during his stay at an Indian town. The pa.s.sionate seaman, in a rage, demanded its return by the Indians, whom he charged with stealing it. They did not comply, and he, with great imprudence and injustice, burned the whole village and destroyed all the corn.

6. This was the first taste afforded the Indians of how harshly they might expect to be treated, and, though no war followed immediately, they neither forgot nor forgave Grenville's punishment, and many unexpected injuries were inflicted upon the poor settlers by the Indians on account of this rash and cruel act.