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 sassafras 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
principal 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
passionate 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.
7. Governor Lane, after the admiral's departure, continued his
explorations, in order to learn the geography and nature of the
country. He ascended the Chowan River to near the mouth of the
Nottoway and penetrated the interior as far as the Indian village
of Chowanoke. Instead of clearing fields and making provisions
for his people; he was laboriously searching for gold mines and
jewels. He was told by the chief of the Chowanoke Indians, whom
he held as prisoner for two days, that such things abounded along
the upper reaches of Roanoke River (then called the "Moratock"),
and that the headwaters of that stream extended to within an
arrow's flight of a great ocean to the west, and along the banks
of the river lived a very great and wealthy race of people, whose
walled cities glittered with pearls and gold.
8. Fired in imagination by this false and wicked Indian story,
preparations were made for a journey in boats, longer than had
yet been attempted. They found the swift current of the Roanoke
difficult to ascend, and their small store of provisions was
exhausted by the time they had reached where the town of
Williamston now stands. They could procure none from the
Tuscaroras, who dwelt upon the banks, and, while in this dilemma,
the savages made a night attack upon their camp, and with great
difficulty the adventurers succeeded in escaping destruction.
9. Thus perished Governor Lane's dreams of gold. He hurried back
to Roanoke and soon found the hostility of the Tuscaroras
extending to the tribe under Wingina. Granganimeo was dead, and
Manteo was the only Indian of any influence who manifested
friendship for the colonists. They had previously brought an
abundance of fish, game and fruits; but these supplies now
ceased, and Governor Lane realized that he was surrounded by a
people who had become his enemies.
1586.
10. By some means he discovered that Wingina was concerting with
the Tuscaroras for an attack upon Roanoke Island. Concealing
this knowledge, he invited the unsuspecting plotter to come, with
certain of his people, to a feast at the City of Raleigh. They
accepted the invitation, and Wingina, with eight of his headmen,
was put to death. This occurred on the first of June, 1586.
11. This was a stern and bloody punishment of their foes, but it
gave the white men deliverance from attack until Sir Francis
Drake came, with a large fleet, and anchored in Trinity Harbor,
finding the colony almost in a perishing condition.
12. Ralph Lane was not a hero, but Francis Drake was. If the
Governor lacked resolution, no man ever supposed the great
admiral deficient in this respect. After a long consultation,
Drake approved the resolution of the colonists to abandon the
settlement, and, on the 19th of June, 1586, taking them aboard
his ships, he steered for England, leaving the City of Raleigh
untenanted. Thus failed the first attempt at forming a permanent
settlement upon this great territory forming the present limits
of the United States.
QUESTIONS.
1. What occurred in England on the return of the ships? Mention
some things exhibited by the mariners.
2. What did Sir Walter Raleigh next do? Who was appointed
Governor? Who commanded the expedition?
3. What was the route of the fleet? When and where did they
land?
4. How many men were landed upon Roanoke Island? What did they
name their city? Describe Roanoke Island.
5. Mention some of Grenville's exploits during his stay.
6. What did the Indians think of this treatment? How did the
settlers suffer in consequence?
7. How did Governor Lane occupy himself? What wonderful story
was told Lane by the Indians?
8. How did Lane regard this story? Give an account of his
expedition up the Roanoke River. Point out Williamston.
9. What did Governor Lane find to be the condition of affairs
upon his return to the settlement?
10. What plot was discovered? How did Governor Lane prevent it?
11. What was the effect of this treatment? What help arrived
from England?
12. What did the colonists resolve to do? What is said of this
attempt to found a colony?