UNSUCCESSFUL SETTLEMENTS IN NEW ENGLAND.
(A.D. 1602‒1607.)
The narrative of Captain Gosnold’s adventures is taken from
John Brereton’s “Brief and True Relation of the Discovery of
the North Part of Virginia: being a most pleasant, fruitful,
and commodious soil.” Reprinted in the Collections of the
Massachusetts Historical Society, 3d series, vol. viii.
pp. 85‒93.
Waymouth’s narrative is taken from “A True Relation of the
most Prosperous Voyage made this Present Year, 1605, by Captain
George Waymouth, in the discovery of the land of Virginia, where
he discovered, sixty miles up, a most excellent river, together
with a most fertile land. Written by James Rosier, a gentleman
employed in the voyage.” Reprinted in the same volume of the
Massachusetts Historical Collections, pp. 135‒156.
The other two narratives are from Strachey’s “Historie of
Travaile into Virginia” (reprinted by the Hakluyt Society, 1849),
pp. 171‒173, 176‒180.
UNSUCCESSFUL SETTLEMENTS IN NEW ENGLAND
I.――GOSNOLD’S FORT AT CUTTYHUNK.
[Gosnold was the first Englishman who attempted to found a
colony in New England; and this account of his attempt is by his
companion, John Brereton.]
TO THE HONORABLE SIR WALTER RALEIGH, KNIGHT. _Honorable Sir_,――Being
earnestly requested by a dear friend to put down in writing some
true relation of our late-performed voyage to the north parts of
Virginia,[227] at length I resolved to satisfy his request....
May it please your Lordship, therefore, to understand that upon
the five and twentieth of March, 1602, being Friday, we went from
Falmouth, being in all two and thirty persons, in a small bark of
Dartmouth, called “The Concord,” holding a course for the north part
of Virginia....
On Friday, the 14th of May, early in the morning, we made the land,
being full of fair trees, the land somewhat low, certain hammocks[228]
or hills lying into the land, the shore full of white sand, but very
stony or rocky. And standing fair along by the shore, about twelve
of the clock the same day, we came to an anchor, where eight Indians
in a Basque-shallop,[229] with mast and sail, an iron grapple, and a
kettle of copper, came boldly aboard us, one of them apparelled with
a waistcoat and breeches of black serge, made after our sea fashion,
hose and shoes on his feet: all the rest――saving one that had a pair of
breeches of blue cloth――were naked. These people are of tall stature,
broad and grim visage, of a black, swart complexion, their eyebrows
painted white. Their weapons are bows and arrows. It seemed by some
words and signs they made, that some Basques, or of St. John de
Luz,[230] have fished or traded in this place, being in the latitude
of forty-three degrees.
But riding here, in no very good harbor, and withal doubting the
weather, about three of the clock the same day, in the afternoon, we
weighed, and standing southerly off into sea the rest of that day and
the night following, with a fresh gale of wind, in the morning we found
ourselves embayed with a mighty headland.[231] But coming to an anchor
about nine of the clock the same day, within a league of the shore,
we hoisted out the one-half of our shallop; and Captain Bartholomew
Gosnold, myself, and three others, went ashore, being a white, sandy,
and bold shore; and marching all that afternoon, with our muskets
on our necks, on the highest hills which we saw,――the weather very
hot,――at length we perceived this headland to be parcel of the main,
and sundry islands lying almost round about it. So returning towards
evening to our shallop,――for by that time the other part was brought
ashore, and set together,――we espied an Indian, a young man of proper
stature, and of a pleasing countenance; and, after some familiarity
with him, we left him at the seaside, and returned to our ship, where,
in five or six hours’ absence, we had pestered[232] our ship so with
codfish, that we threw numbers of them overboard again. And surely,
I am persuaded, that in the months of March, April, and May, there
is upon this coast better fishing, and in as great plenty, as in
Newfoundland; for the skulls of mackerel, herrings, cod, and other fish,
that we daily saw as we went and came from the shore, were wonderful.
And besides, the places where we took these cods, and might in a few
days have laden our ship, were but in seven fathoms water, and within
less than a league from the shore; where,[233] in Newfoundland, they
fish in forty or fifty fathoms water, and far off.
From this place we sailed round about this headland almost all the
points of the compass, the shore very bold; but, as no coast is free
from dangers, so I am persuaded this is as free as any. The land
somewhat low, full of goodly woods, but in some places plain. At length
we were come amongst many fair islands, which we had partly discerned
at our first landing, all lying within a league or two one of another,
and the outermost not above five or seven leagues from the main. But
coming to an anchor under one of them,[234] which was about three or
four leagues from the main, Captain Gosnold, myself, and some others,
went ashore; and, going round about it, we found it to be four English
miles in compass, without house or inhabitant, saving a little old
house made of boughs covered with bark, an old piece of a weir of
the Indians to catch fish, and one or two places where they had made
fires. The chiefest trees of this island are beeches and cedars, the
outward parts all overgrown with low, bushy trees three or four feet in
height, which bear some kind of fruits, as appeared by their blossoms;
strawberries, red and white, as sweet and much bigger than ours
in England; raspberries, gooseberries, whortleberries, and such an
incredible store of vines, as well in the woody part of the island,
where they run upon every tree, as on the outward parts, so that we
could not go for treading upon them; also many springs of excellent
sweet water, and a great standing lake of fresh water near the seaside
an English mile in compass, which is maintained with the springs,
running exceeding pleasantly through the woody grounds, which are very
rocky. Here are also in this island great store of deer, which we saw,
and other beasts, as appeared by their tracks; as also divers fowls,
as cranes, hernshaws,[235] bitterns, geese, mallards, teals, and other
fowl in great plenty; also great store of peas, which grow in certain
plots all the island over. On the north side of this island we found
many huge bones and ribs of whales.
From hence we went to another island to the north-west of this, and
within a league or two of the main, which we found to be greater than
before we imagined, being sixteen English miles, at the least, in
compass; for it containeth many pieces or necks of land, which differ
nothing from several islands, saving that certain banks of small
breadth do like bridges join them to this island. On the outside of
this island are many plain places of grass, abundance of strawberries,
and other berries before mentioned. In mid-May we did sow in this
island, for a trial, in sundry places, wheat, barley, oats, and peas,
which in fourteen days were sprung up nine inches, and more. The soil
is fat and lusty, the upper crust of gray color, but a foot or less in
depth, of the color of our hemp-lands in England, and being thus apt
for these and the like grains. The sowing or setting――after the ground
is closed――is no greater labor than if you should set or sow in one
of our best prepared gardens in England. This island is full of high
timbered oaks, their leaves thrice so broad as ours; cedars, straight
and tall; beech, elm, holly, walnut-trees in abundance, the fruit as
big as ours, as appeared by those we found under the trees, which had
lain all the year ungathered; hazelnut-trees, cherry-trees, the leaf,
bark, and bigness not differing from ours in England, but the stalk
beareth the blossoms or fruit at the end thereof, like a cluster of
grapes, forty or fifty in a bunch; sassafras-trees, great plenty all
the island over, a tree of high price and profit; also divers other
fruit-trees, some of them with strange barks of an orange color, in
feeling soft and smooth like velvet: in the thickest parts of these
woods you may see a furlong or more round about.
On the north-west side of this island, near to the seaside, is a
standing lake of fresh water, almost three English miles in compass,
in the midst whereof stands a plot of woody ground, an acre in quantity,
or not above. This lake is full of small tortoises, and exceedingly
frequented with all sorts of fowls, before rehearsed,[236] which breed,
some low on the banks, and others on low trees about this lake, in
great abundance, whose young ones of all sorts we took and ate at our
pleasure; but all these fowls are much bigger than ours in England.
Also in every island, and almost in every part of every island, are
great store of ground-nuts, forty together on a string, some of them
as big as hen’s eggs: they grow not two inches under ground, the
which nuts we found to be as good as potatoes. Also divers sorts of
shell-fish, as scallops, mussels, cockles, lobsters, crabs, oysters,
and whelks, exceeding good and very great....
Illustration: GOSNOLT’S FORT.
Now the next day, we determined to fortify ourselves in a little plot
of ground in the midst of the lake above mentioned, where we built our
house, and covered it with sedge, which grew about this lake in great
abundance; in building whereof we spent three weeks, and more. But, the
second day after our coming from the main, we espied eleven canoes or
boats, with fifty Indians in them, coming toward us from this part of
the main, where we two days before landed; and, being loath they should
discover our fortification, we went out on the seaside to meet them.
And, coming somewhat near them, they all sat down upon the stones,
calling aloud to us, as we rightly guessed, to do the like, a little
distance from them. Having sat a while in this order, Captain Gosnold
willed me to go unto them to see what countenance[237] they would make;
but, as soon as I came up unto them, one of them, to whom I had given
a knife two days before in the main, knew me, whom I also very well
remembered, and, smiling upon me, spake somewhat unto their lord or
captain, which sat in the midst of them, who presently rose up, and
took a large beaver-skin from one that stood about him, and gave
it unto me, which I requited for that time the best I could. But I,
pointing towards Captain Gosnold, made signs unto him that he was our
captain, and desirous to be his friend, and enter league with him,
which, as I perceive, he understood, and made signs of joy. Whereupon
Captain Gosnold, with the rest of his company, being twenty in all,
came up unto them, and after many signs of gratulations,――Captain
Gosnold presenting their lord with certain trifles which they wondered
at and highly esteemed,――we became very great friends, and sent for
meat aboard our shallop, and gave them such meats as we had then ready
dressed; whereof they misliked nothing but our mustard, whereat they
made many a sour face....
So the rest of the day we spent in trading with them for furs, which
are beavers, luzernes, martens, otters, wildcat-skins,――very large and
deep fur,――black foxes, coney skins, of the color of our hares, but
somewhat less, deer-skins very large, seal-skins, and other beasts’
skins, to us unknown. They have also great store of copper, some very
red, and some of a paler color: none of them but have chains, ear-rings,
or collars of this metal. They head some of their arrows herewith,
much like our broad arrow-heads, very workmanly made. Their chains are
many hollow pieces cemented together, each piece of the bigness of one
of our reeds, a finger in length, ten or twelve of them together on
a string, which they wear about their necks. Their collars they wear
about their bodies, like bandoleers,[238] a handful broad, all hollow
pieces like the other, but somewhat shorter, four hundred pieces in
a collar, very fine and evenly set together. Besides these, they have
large drinking-cups made like skulls, and other thin plates of copper,
made much like our boar spear blades, all which they so little esteem
as they offered their fairest collars or chains for a knife or such
like trifle; but we seemed little to regard it. Yet I was desirous
to understand where they had such store of this metal, and made signs
to one of them, with whom I was very familiar, who, taking a piece
of copper in his hand, made a hole with his finger in the ground, and
withal pointed to the main[239] from whence they came....
Thus they continued with us three days, every night retiring themselves
to the furthermost part of our island, two or three miles from our
fort; but the fourth day they returned to the main, pointing five or
six times to the sun, and once to the main, which we understood [to
mean] that, within five or six days, they would come from the main
to us again. But, being in their canoes a little from the shore, they
made huge cries and shouts of joy unto us; and we with our trumpet
and cornet, and casting up our caps into the air, made them the best
farewell we could. Yet six or seven of them remained with us behind,
bearing us company every day into the woods, and helped us to cut and
carry our sassafras, and some of them lay[240] aboard our ship.
These people, as they are exceeding courteous, gentle of disposition,
and well conditioned, exceeding all others that we have seen, so for
shape of body and lovely favor, I think they excel all the people of
America. [They are] of stature much higher than we; of complexion or
color much like a dark olive; their eyebrows and hair black, which
they wear long, tied up behind in knots, whereon they prick feathers of
fowls, in fashion of a coronet. Some of them are black, thin-bearded.
They make beards of the hair of beasts; and one of them offered a beard
of their making to one of our sailors, for his that grew on his face,
which, because it was of a red color, they judged to be none of his own.
They are quick-eyed, and steadfast in their looks, fearless of others’
harms, as intending none themselves; some of the meaner sort given to
filching, which the very name of savages, not weighing their ignorance
in good or evil, may easily excuse. Their garments are of deer-skins;
and some of them wear furs round and close about their necks. They
pronounce our language with great facility; for one of them one day
sitting by me, upon occasion I spake smiling to him these words, “How
now, sirrah, are you so saucy with my tobacco?” which words, without
any further repetition, he suddenly spake so plain and distinctly, as
if he had been a long scholar in the language. Many other such trials
we had, which are here needless to repeat....
But after our bark had taken in so much sassafras,[241] cedar, firs,
skins, and other commodities, as were thought convenient, some of our
company that had promised Captain Gosnold to stay, having nothing but
a saving[242] voyage in their minds, made our company of inhabitants,
which was small enough before, much smaller; so as[243] Captain Gosnold
seeing his whole strength to consist but of twelve men, and they but
meanly provided, determined to return for England, leaving this island,
which he called Elizabeth’s Island,[244] with as many true sorrowful
eyes as were before desirous to see it. So the 18th of June, being
Friday, we weighed, and with indifferent fair wind and weather came
to anchor the 23d of July, being also Friday, in all bare five weeks,
before Exmouth.
Your Lordship’s to command,
John Brereton.
II.――CAPTAIN WAYMOUTH CAPTURES INDIANS,
AND EXPLORES THE PENOBSCOT RIVER.
[Captain George Waymouth, or Weymouth, sailed from England in
1605.]
WEDNESDAY the twenty-ninth day [of May], our shallop being now finished,
and our captain and men furnished to depart with her from the ship, we
set up a cross on the shore-side upon the rocks.
Thursday, the 30th of May, about ten o’clock before noon, our captain,
with thirteen men more, in the name of God, and with all our prayers
for our prosperous discovery and safe return, departed in the shallop;
leaving the ship in a good harbor, which before I mentioned, well
moored, and manned with fourteen men.
This day, about five o’clock in the afternoon, we in the ship espied
three canoes coming towards us, which went to the island adjoining,
where they went ashore, and very quickly had made a fire, about which
they stood beholding our ship, to whom we made signs with our hands
and hats, waving unto them to come unto us, because we had not seen any
of the people yet. They sent one canoe with three men, one of which,
when they came near unto us, spake in his language very loud and very
boldly, seeming as though he would know why we were there; and by
pointing with his oar towards the sea, we conjectured he meant we
should be gone. But when we showed them knives and their use, by
cutting of sticks; and other trifles, as combs and glasses, they came
close aboard our ship, as desirous to entertain our friendship. To
these we gave such things as we perceived they liked, when we showed
them the use,――bracelets, rings, peacock-feathers, which they stuck in
their hair, and tobacco-pipes. After their departure to their company
on the shore, presently came four others in another canoe; to whom we
gave as to the former, using them with as much kindness as we could.
The shape of their body is very proportionable. They are well
countenanced, not very tall nor big, but in stature like to us. They
paint their bodies with black; their faces, some with red, some with
black, and some with blue.
Their clothing is beaver-skins or deer-skins cast over them like a
mantle, and hanging down to their knees, made fast together upon the
shoulder with leather: some of them had sleeves, most had none; some
had buskins of such leather sewed....
The next morning, very early, came one canoe aboard us again, with
three savages, whom we easily then enticed into our ship, and under the
deck, where we gave them pork, fish, bread, and peas, all which they
did eat; and this I noted, they would eat nothing raw, either fish or
flesh. They marvelled much, and much looked upon the making of our can
and kettle, so they did at a head-piece,[245] and at our guns, of which
they are most fearful, and would fall flat down at the report of them.
At their departure, I signed unto them, that, if they would bring me
back such skins as they wear, I would give them knives, and such things
as I saw they most liked, which the chief of them promised to do by
that time the sun should be beyond the midst of the firmament.[246]
This I did to bring them to an understanding of exchange, and that
they might conceive the intent of our coming to them to be for no other
end....
I return now to our savages, who, according to their appointment, about
one o’clock, came with four canoes to the shore of the island right
over against us, where they had lodged the last night, and sent one
canoe to us with two of those savages who had been aboard, and another
who then seemed to have command of them; for though we perceived their
willingness, yet he would not permit them to come aboard; but he,
having viewed us and our ship, signed that he would go to the rest
of the company, and return again. Presently after their departure, it
began to rain, and continued all that afternoon, so as they could not
come to us with their skins and furs, nor we go to them. But, after
an hour or thereabout, the three which had been with us before came
again, whom we had to our fire, and covered them with our gowns. Our
captain bestowed a shirt upon him, whom we thought to be their chief,
who seemed never to have seen any before. We gave him a brooch to hang
about his neck, a great knife, and lesser knives to the two other; and
to every one of them a comb and glass, the use whereof we showed them;
whereat they laughed and took these presents gladly. We victualled[247]
them, and gave them _aqua vitæ_,[248] which they tasted, but would by
no means drink. Our beverage they liked well. We gave them sugar-candy,
which after they had tasted they liked, and desired more, and raisins
which were given them; and some of every thing they would reserve to
carry to their company. Wherefore we, pitying their being in the rain,
and therefore not able to get themselves victual, as we thought, we
gave them bread and fish.
Thus, because we found the land a place answerable to the intent of our
discovery, namely, fit for any nation to inhabit, we used the people
with as great kindness as we could devise, or found them capable of.
The next day being Saturday, and the 1st of June, I traded with the
savages all the forenoon upon the shore, where were eight and twenty of
them; and, because our ship rode nigh, we were but five or six; where,
for knives, glasses, combs, and other trifles, to the value of four or
five shillings, we had forty good beavers’ skins, otters’ skins, sables,
and other small skins which we knew not how to call. Our trade being
ended, many of them came aboard us, and did eat by our fire, and would
be very merry and bold in regard of our kind usage of them. Towards
night, our captain went on shore to have a draught with the seine, or
net. And we carried two of them with us, who marvelled to see us catch
fish with a net. Most of that we caught we gave them and their company.
Then on the shore I learned the names of divers things of them; and,
when they perceived me to note them down, they would of themselves
fetch fish and fruit-bushes, and stand by me to see me write their
names.
Our captain showed them a strange thing, which they wondered at. His
sword and mine, having been touched with the loadstone, took up a knife,
and held it fast when they plucked it away, made the knife turn,――being
laid on a block,――and, touching it with his sword, made that take up
a needle, whereat they much marvelled. This we did to cause them to
imagine some great power in us, and for that to love and fear us....
Our captain had two of them at supper with us in his cabin, to see
their demeanor, and had them in presence at service,[249] who behaved
themselves very civilly, neither laughing nor talking all the time,
and at supper fed not like men of rude education; neither would they
eat or drink more than seemed to content nature. They desired peas to
carry ashore to their women, which we gave them, with fish and bread,
and lent them pewter dishes, which they carefully brought again....
This day, about five o’clock, afternoon, came three other canoes from
the main, of which some had been with us before: and they came aboard
us, and brought us tobacco, which we took with them in their pipes,
which were made of earth, very strong, black, and short, containing a
great quantity. Some tobacco they gave unto our captain, and some to me,
in very civil, kind manner: we requited them with bread and peas, which
they carried to their company on shore, seeming very thankful. After
supper they returned with their canoe, to fetch us ashore, to take
tobacco with them there, with whom six or seven of us went, and carried
some trifles, if peradventure they had any truck,[250] among which
I carried some few biscuits, to try if they would exchange for them,
seeing they so well liked to eat them. When we came at shore, they
most kindly entertained us, taking us by the hands, as they observed
we did to them aboard, in token of welcome, and brought us to sit
down by their fire, where sat together thirteen of them. They filled
their tobacco-pipe, which was then the short claw of a lobster, which
will hold ten of our pipes full, and we drank[251] of their excellent
tobacco as much as we would with them. But we saw not any great
quantity to truck[252] for; and it seemed they had not much left of old,
for they spend a great quantity yearly by their continual drinking. And
they would sign unto us that it was grown yet but a foot above ground,
and would be above a yard high, with a leaf as broad as both their
hands....
About eight o’clock this day, we went on shore with our boats, to fetch
aboard water and wood; our captain leaving word with the gunner in the
ship, by discharging a musket, to give notice, if they espied any canoe
coming; which they did about ten o’clock. He, therefore, being careful
they should be kindly treated, requested me to go aboard, intending
with despatch to make what haste after he possibly could. When I came
to the ship, there were two canoes, and in either of them three savages,
of whom two were below at the fire: the others staid in their canoes
about the ship, and, because we could not entice them aboard, we gave
them a can of peas and bread, which they carried to the shore to eat.
But one of them brought back our can presently, and staid aboard with
the other two; for he, being young, of a ready capacity, and one we
most desired to bring with us into England, had received exceeding kind
usage at our hands, and was therefore much delighted in our company.
When our captain was come, we consulted how to catch the other three
at shore, which we performed thus:――
We manned the light horseman[253] with seven or eight men. One standing
before carried our box of merchandise, as we were wont when I went to
traffic with them, and a platter of peas, which meat[254] they loved.
But, before we were landed, one of them (being so suspiciously fearful
of his own good) withdrew himself into the wood. The other two met us
on the shore-side, to receive the peas, with whom we went up the cliff
to their fire, and sat down with them; and while we were discussing how
to catch the third man, who was gone, I opened the box, and showed them
trifles to exchange, thinking thereby to have banished fear from the
other, and drawn him to return. But, when we could not, we used little
delay, but suddenly laid hands upon them. And it was as much as five or
six of us could do to get them into the light horseman; for they were
strong, and so naked as[255] by far our best hold was by the long hair
on their heads. And we would have been very loath to have done them
any hurt, which of necessity we had been constrained to have done if
we had attempted them in a multitude, which we must and would, rather
than have wanted them, being a matter of great importance for the full
accomplishment of our voyage.
Thus we shipped five savages, two canoes, with all their bows and
arrows.... Tuesday, the 11th of June, we passed up into the river[256]
with our ship about six and twenty miles, of which I had rather not
write than by my relation to detract from the worthiness thereof....
As we passed with a gentle wind up with our ship in this river, any man
may conceive with what admiration we all consented[257] in joy. Many
of our company who had been travellers in sundry countries, and in the
most famous rivers, yet affirmed them not comparable to this they now
beheld. Some that were with Sir Walter Raleigh in his voyage to Guiana,
in the discovery of the River Orenoque,[258] which echoed fame to the
world’s ears, gave reasons why it was not to be compared with this,
which wanteth the danger of many shoals and broken ground, wherewith
that was encumbered. Others before that notable river in the West
Indies called Rio Grande; some before the River of Loire, the River
Seine, and of Bourdeaux, in France, which, although they be great
and goodly rivers, yet it is no detraction from them to be accounted
inferior to this, which not only yieldeth all the aforesaid pleasant
profits, but also appeareth infallibly to us free from all
inconveniences.
Illustration: CAPT. WEYMOUTH SAILING UP THE PENOBSCOT.
I will not prefer it before our River of Thames, because it is
England’s richest treasure; but we all did wish those excellent harbors,
good deeps in a continual convenient breadth, and small tide-gates, to
be as well therein for our country’s good as we found them here――beyond
our hopes――in certain, for those to whom it shall please God to grant
this land for habitation; which if it had, with the other inseparable
adherent commodities here to be found, then I would boldly affirm it
to be the most rich, beautiful, large, and secure harboring river that
the world affordeth.... Further, I have thought fit to add some things
worthy to be regarded, which we have observed from the savages since we
took them.
First, although at the time we surprised them, they made their best
resistance, not knowing our purpose, nor what we were, not how we meant
to use them; yet, after perceiving by their kind usage we intended them
no harm, they have never since seemed discontented with us, but very
tractable, loving, and willing by their best means to satisfy us in
any thing we demand of them, by words or signs for their understanding.
Neither have they at anytime been at the least discord among themselves,
insomuch as we have not seen them angry, but merry, and so kind, as, if
you give any thing to one of them, he will distribute part to every one
of the rest.
We have brought them to understand some English, and we understand much
of their language, so as we are able to ask them many things.
[The Indians thus carried to England were the objects of great
wonder, and crowds of people followed them in the streets. It is
thought that Shakspeare may have referred to them in the Tempest,
written a few years later, about 1610. Trinculo there wishes to
take the monster Caliban to England, and says, “Not a holiday
fool there but would give a piece of silver; there would this
monster make a man; any strange beast there makes a man. When
they will not give a doit to relieve a lame beggar, they will
lay out ten to see a dead Indian.”]
III.――THE POPHAM COLONY ON THE KENNEBEC.
[So much interest was excited by the voyages of Gosnold and
Waymouth, that two companies were formed in England for the
settlement of America,――the London Company and the Plymouth
Company. Each company sent out a colony in 1606; but the ship
sent by the Plymouth Company was taken by a Spanish fleet,
while the other colony reached Virginia. Then in June, 1607, the
Plymouth Company sent another colony, under command of Captain
George Popham, he being in a vessel called “The Gift of God,”
accompanied by “The Mary and John,” Captain Raleigh Gilbert.
They reached the mouth of the River Sachadehoc, or Kennebec,
in August; and the narrative proceeds as follows, as told by
Strachey, secretary of the Virginia Colony.]
CAPTAIN POPHAM, in his pinnace, with thirty persons, and Captain
Gilbert in his long-boat, with eighteen persons more, went early in the
morning from their ship into the River Sachadehoc, to view the river,
and to search where they might find a fit place for their plantation.
They sailed up into the river near forty leagues, and found it to be a
very gallant river, very deep, and seldom less water than three fathom,
... whereupon they proceeded no farther, but, in their return homewards,
observed many goodly islands therein, and many branches of other small
rivers falling into it.
Illustration: JAMES I.
They all went ashore, and there made choice of a place for their
plantation,[259] at the mouth or entry of the river on the west
side,――for the river bendeth itself towards the nor’-east, and by
east,――being almost an island, of a good bigness, being in a province
called by the Indians Sabino, so called of a sagamo, or chief commander,
under the grand Bassaba.[260] As they were ashore, three canoes full
of Indians came to them, but would not come near, but rowed away up the
river.
They all went ashore where they had made choice of their plantation,
and where they had a sermon delivered unto them by their preacher;
and, after the sermon, the president’s commission was read, with the
laws to be observed and kept. George Popham, gent.,[261] was nominated
president. Captain Raleigh Gilbert, James Davies, Richard Lymer,
preacher, Captain Richard Davies, Captain Harlow, the same who brought
away the savages at this time showed in London, from the river of
Canada, were all sworn assistants; and so they returned back again.
Aug. 20. All went to shore again, and there began to intrench and make
a fort, and to build a storehouse....
You may please to understand how, whilst this business was thus
followed here, soon after their first arrival, that [they] had
despatched away Captain Robert Davies, in the “Mary and John,” to
advertise of their safe arrival and forwardness of their plantation
within this River of Sachadehoc, with letters to the lord chief justice,
importuning a supply for the most necessary wants to the subsisting of
a colony to be sent unto them betimes the next year.
After Captain Davies’ departure, they fully finished the fort, trenched
and fortified it with twelve pieces of ordnance, and built fifty houses
therein, besides a church and a storehouse; and the carpenters framed
a pretty pinnace[262] of about some thirty tons, which they called the
“Virginia;” the chief shipwright being one Digby of London.
Many discoveries, likewise, had been made both to the main and unto
the neighbor rivers, and the frontier nations fully discovered by the
diligence of Captain Gilbert, had not the winter proved so extreme
unseasonable and frosty; for it being in the year 1607, when the
extraordinary frost was felt in most parts of Europe, it was here
likewise as vehement, by which no boat could stir upon any business.
Howbeit, as time and occasion gave leave, there was nothing omitted
which could add unto the benefit or knowledge of the planters, for
which when Captain Davies arrived there in the year following,――set
out from Topsham, the port town of Exeter, with a ship laden full
of victuals, arms, instruments, and tools, &c.,――albeit he found
Mr. George Popham, the president, and some other dead, yet he found all
things in good forwardness, and many kinds of furs obtained from the
Indians by way of trade, good store of sarsaparilla gathered, and the
new pinnace all finished. But by reason that Captain Gilbert received
letters that his brother was newly dead, and a fair portion of land
fallen unto his share, which required his repair[263] home, and no
mines discovered, and no hope thereof,――being the main intended benefit
expected to uphold the charge of this plantation,――and the fear that
all other winters would prove like the first, the company by no means
would stay any longer in the country, especially Captain Gilbert being
to leave them, and Mr. Popham, as aforesaid, dead: therefore they
all embarked in this new arrived ship, and in the new pinnace, the
“Virginia,” and set sail for England. And this was the end of that
northern colony upon the River Sachadehoc.
[This was the first colony that spent a winter in New
England,――thirteen years before the Plymouth Colony arrived.
The winter was an unusually severe one; and, moreover, the chief
promoters of the colony, Sir John Popham and Captain Popham,
died. But for this, it is possible that the colony might have
remained; and, in that case, Maine would have been settled only
a year later than Virginia.]
IV.――CAPTAIN GILBERT’S ADVENTURE WITH THE INDIANS.
[Captain Gilbert, the companion of Captain Popham, went up the
River Kennebec, or Sachadehoc, in a shallop with nineteen men,
and had this adventure with Indians.]
IN the morning there came a canoe unto them, and in her a sagamo[264]
and four savages,――some of those which spoke to them the night before.
The sagamo called his name Lebenoa, and told us how he was lord of
the River Sachadehoc. They entertained him friendly, and took him
into their boat, and presented him with some trifling things, which
he accepted. Howbeit, he desired some one of our men to be put in his
canoe as a pawn of his safety, whereupon Captain Gilbert sent in a man
of his, when presently the canoe rowed away from them, with all the
speed they could make, up the river. They followed with the shallop,
having great care that the sagamo should not leap overboard. The canoe
quickly rowed from them, and landed; and the men made to their houses,
being near a league on the land from the river’s side, and carried our
man with them. The shallop, making good way, at length came to another
downfall,[265] which was so shallow and so swift that by no means they
could pass any farther, for which Captain Gilbert, with nine others,
landed, and took their fare,[266] the savage sagamo, with them, and
went in search after those other savages, whose houses, the sagamo
told Captain Gilbert, were not far off. And, after a good tedious march,
they came indeed at length unto those savages’ houses, where [they]
found near fifty able men, very strong and tall, such as their like
before they had not seen, all newly painted, and armed with their bows
and arrows. Howbeit, after that the sagamo had talked with them, they
delivered back again the man, and used all the rest very friendly, as
did ours the like by them, who showed them their commodities of beads,
knives, and some copper, of which they seemed very fond, and, by way of
trade, made show that they would come down to the boat, and there bring
such things as they had, to exchange them for ours. So Captain Gilbert
departed from them; and, within half an hour after he had gotten to his
boat, there came three canoes down unto them, and in them some sixteen
savages, and brought with them some tobacco, and certain small skins,
which were of no value; which Captain Gilbert perceiving, and that
they had nothing else wherewith to trade, he caused all his men to
come aboard. And, as he would have put from the shore, the savages
perceiving so much, subtly devised how they might put out the fire
in the shallop, by which means they saw they should be free from the
danger of our men’s pieces;[267] and, to perform the same, one of
the savages came into the shallop, and taking the firebrand which one
of our company held in his hand thereby to light the matches, as if
he would light a pipe of tobacco, as soon as he had gotten it into
his hand he presently threw it into the water, and leaped out of the
shallop. Captain Gilbert, seeing that, suddenly commanded his men to
betake them to their muskets, and the targetiers too, from the head of
the boat; and had one of the men before, with his target on his arm,
to step on the shore for more fire. The savages resisted him, and would
not suffer him to take any, and some others holding fast the boat-rope,
that the shallop could not put off. Captain Gilbert caused the
musketeers to present their pieces, the which the savages seeing,
presently let go the boat-rope, and betook them to their bows and
arrows, and ran into the bushes, nocking[268] their arrows, but did not
shoot, neither did ours at them. So the shallop departed from them to
the farther side of the river, where one of the canoes came unto them,
and would have excused the fault of the others. Captain Gilbert made
show as if he were still friends, and entertained them kindly, and so
left them, returning to the place where he had lodged the night before,
and there came to an anchor for that night.