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 Wocoken, 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 poops, 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 aprons 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 shore 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 quantity 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? Wocoken? 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 title
was then conferred upon him, and why?