999 PART III. CHAPTER I. AMERICAN HISTORY. The Discovery of America:-Settlement of Virginia by the English. 1. AMERICA was discovered in the year 1492, by Christopher Columbus, a native of Genoa-an expedition having been fitted out for that purpose, at his most earnest solicitations, by the Spanish government. The project of seeking for a Continent west of the Atlantic, had long been entertained by Columbus; but notwithstanding the perseverance and fortitude with which he brought it to a successful termination, he was defrauded of the just right of associating his name with this vast portion of the earth. In this he was supplanted by Amerigo Vespucci, a native of Florence, who in 1499 went on a voyage to America, and who published an accoun of his adventures so ingeniously framed, as to make it appear that he had the glory of first discovering the continent. 2. But the English were the second people that discovered the new world, and the first that discovered the continent of America. On the 24th of June, 1497, Giovanni Caboto, (or Cabot,) and his son Sebastian, who were commissioned by Henry VIII. to sail in quest of new countries, discovered a large island, to which they gave the name of Prima Vesta, or first seen; now called Newfoundland. From this, they steered to the north, in search of a passage to India; but finding no appearance of a passage, they tacked about, and rau as far as Florida, the island of Cuba, as he relates, being on his left. 3. On the accession of Elizabeth to the crown of England, a period commenced, highly auspicious to mercantile extension. The coast of Labrador was explored by Martin Frobisher, under her auspices, in the years 1576, 7, 8; and Sir Francis Drake, about this time, accomplished his celebrated Voyage around the globe. 4. In 1584, Sir Walter Raleigh, a favorite at that time of the queen, despatched two small vessels, under the command of Philip Amidas and Arthur Barlow, which reached the coast of North Carolina on the 4th of July, making their passage In sixty-seven days by way of the Canary islands and the West Indies. On their return, Amidas and Barlow gave a splendid description of the country-of its beauty, fertility, mildness of climate, and serenity of atmosphere; and Elizabeth gave it the name of Virginia. 5. În 1585, Sir Walter Raleigh fitted out a squadron of se ven small vessels, with one hundred and eighty adventurers, which sailed from Plymouth, under the command of Sir Richard Greenville. This colony was left on the island of Roanoke, under the care of Captain Lane; but through bad mar agement, turning all their attention to the search for gold and silver, they were soon assailed by a two-fold calamity-the hostility of the natives and the prospect of famine. Sir Francis Drake, on his return from the West Indies, at the unanimous request of the colonists, carried them back to England, and thus ended the ill-conducted experiment, after a trial of nine months. Early in the following year, three more vessels arrived at the same spot, with one hundred and fifty settlers; but misfortune pursued this infant settlement. The threatened Spanish armada engrossed the attention of the parent country, the colony received no supplies, and the inhabitants perished miserably by famine, or by the hands of their surrounding enemies. : 6. Sir Walter Raleigh being engaged in other ambitious undertakings, so vast and various as were beyond his power to accomplish, and becoming cold to the unprofitable scher: ? of effecting settlements in America, assigned his interest that country to Sir Thomas Smith and a company of r chants in London, in 1596. These were satisfied for the sent to pursue a petty traffic with the natives, and made attempt to take possession of the soil. 7. But in the succeeding reign of James, who having concluded an amicable treaty with Spain, and terminated a tedious war, the period was more auspicious for settlements in America. The attention of the monarch was called to this subject by the efforts of distinguished geographers and men of science. James divided inte districts of nearly equal extent that portion of North America which stretches from the 34th to the 45th degree of north latitude, excepting the territory of any other Christian prince or people already occupied; one called the First, or South Colony, the other the Second, or North Colony of Virginia. 8. In 1606, he authorized certain gentlemen, mostly resi dents of London, to settle in a limited district of the former an equal extent of the latter he allotted to several gentlemen of Bristol, Plymouth, and other parts of the west of England. These grants laid the first foundation of states which in a few centuries were destined to become rivals to the mother country in wealth, in science, and in power. 9. The supreme government of the colonies was vested in a council resident in England, to be nominated by the king; the subordinate jurisdiction in a council which was to reside in America, and also to be named by the crown, and to act conformably to its instructions. Whatever was required for their sustenance, or for the support of commerce, he permitted to be shipped from England free of duty, during the space of seven years; and as an incitement to industry, granted them the liberty of trading with other nations, appropriating the duties to be laid on foreign traffic for twenty-one years, as a fund for their own exclusive benefit. 10. A vessel of one hundred tons, and two barks, under the command of Captain' Newport, sailed with one hundred and five men, destined to remain in the country: among these was a Mr. Percy, brother of the earl of Northumberland, and several officers who had served with reputation in the preceding reign. The first land that was discovered was a promontory, the southern boundary of the Chesapeake, April, 1607: this was named cape Henry, in honor of the prince of Wales. The spacious inlet was entered, and the expedition coasted the southern shore, and up a river sixty miles, called by the natives Powhatan, to which the English gave the name of James River, in honor of their sovereign. Here a site was fixed for the infant settlement, which was named James Town. 11. Imprudent in their conduct toward the natives, this feeble society was early involved in war. Scarcity of provisions introduced diseases; and in a few months half their original number were swept away, and the remainder left sickly and dejected. 12. The government soon devolved on Captain John Smith, who was originally one of the council appointed by the king, but who had unjustly been deprived of his authority by the colonists. This gentleman, who was emphatically the father of Virginia, was a native of Lincolnshire: he had distinguished himself in feats of courage and chivalry, particularly while engaged in the Hungarian army against the Turks. His undaunted temper, deeply tinctured with the romantic spirit of the times, was happily adapted to the present trying situation of the colony. 13. Soon after he had been called as their leader, while hunting in the woods, he was attacked by two hundred Inlians, who poured in unon him a continued flight of arrows. After performing wonderful feats, he sunk in the unequal contest, and was made a prisoner. Charmed by his arts and his valor, they released him from captivity. Afterwards he was beset by three hundred more of these ferocious people, pursued into a marsh, and, after he had thrown away his arms, which he could no longer use by reason of the cold, he was taken and carried in triumph to Powhatan, the principal chieftain of Virginia. 14. Here the doom of death was pronounced upon him, and he was about to receive the fatal blow, when the favorite daughter of Powhatan, interposed in his behalf. This amiable child (not then thirteen years of age) not only prevented the execution of Smith by her entreaties and tears, but caused him to be set at liberty, and sent him, from time to time, seasonable presents of provisions. 15. The colony was now reduced to thirty-eight persons. Soon after, however, succors arrived from England, and an addition of one hundred new planters was added to their number. But the culture of the land, and other useful employments were neglected, in the futile idea that gold had been discovered issuing from a small stream which emptied into James River. The effects of the delusion were soon seve ely felt in the prospect of approaching famine. In the hope of obtaining relief, Smith, in a small open boat, and with a feeble crew, went in search of aid from the Indians. 16. In two different excursions, that occupied upward of four months, he visited all the countries on the eastern and western shores of the Chesapeake bay, entering the principal creeks, and tracing the rivers as far as their falls, and obtained a supply of food for the suffering colony. In these tours, he sailed upwards of three thousand miles, amidst almost incredible hardships, and brought back with him at. account of that large tract of country, now comprehended in the two states of Virginia and Maryland, so full and correct, that his map is the original from which all subsequent delineations have been formed until lately. 17. About this period, the old charter being found inconve nient and oppressive, a new charter was granted by James, by which the boundaries of the colony were enlarged; the council in Virginia was abolished, and the government vested entirely in one residing in London, the members of which were to be chosen by the proprietors, and these to nominate a governor, who was to reside in Virginia, and carry their orders into execution. 18. Lord Delaware was at first appointed to this office; but as this nobleman could not immediately leave England, the power was vested in Sir Thomas Gates and Sir George Somers, who were dispatched from England with five hundred planters. A violent hurricane separated the fleet on their way; and the ships without the officers only arrived at James Town. Presently every thing was reduced to a state, of anarchy; Captain Smith, at once the shield and the sword of the colony, being disabled by an accidental explosion of gun-powder, the wretchedness which followed is beyond description; and the arrival of Gates and Somers, who had been cast away on one of the Bermuda islands, although it saved the wretched survivors at James Town from immediate death, was unable to preserve them until autumn. 19. Nothing remained but to seek immediate assistance; and with only sixteen days' provision, the colony set sail, in hopes of reaching the banks of Newfoundland, and getting reiief. But before they had arrived at the mouth of the river they met Lord Delaware, who brought a large supply of sus tenance, new settlers, and every thing requisite either for cultivation or defence. Under the skilful administration of this nobleman, the colony began, once more, to assume a promising appearanse. He was succeeded by Sir Thomas Dale, who concluded a treaty of friendship with the Powha tans, one of the most powerful and warlike tribes of Virginia. 20. Pocahontas, the amiable female who had preserved the life of Captain Smith, frequently visited the English settlements; and during this intercourse, she was betrayed on board a vessel, and there imprisoned. Her father, who loved her with the most ardent affection, was obliged to discontinue hostilities on such conditions as were dictated by his treacherous enemy. She was afterward solicited by Mr. Roife, a respectable planter, in marriage. Powhatan consented, and the marriage was celebrated with extraordinary pomp. 21. From this time, the most friendly intercourse subsisted between the colonics and the Indians. Rolfe and his wife went to England, where, by the introduction of Captain Smith, Pocahontas was received by the court with the respect due to her birth; she was instructed in the Christian religion, and publicly baptized. About returning to America, Focahontas died at Gravesend; leaving one son, from whom are sprung some of the most respectable families of Virginia. 22. Hitherto no individual right of property in lands was established; all was holden and dealt out in common. But the governor, in 1616, divided a considerable extent of land into small lots, and granted one of these for ever to each individual; from which period the colony rapidly extended. The culture of tobacco, since become the great staple of Vir |