Britain.*
& r> 1 *»<*7 ^ ne D erims °f ^ r Wal ter Raleigh was not of a nature to
u ' succumb to slight failures, or ordinary difficulties. The suc-
ceeding year another colony was despatched to settle in Virginia, and that
they might consider their settlement permanent and Virginia their home,
many persons with wives and families were sent.
T 7 t -o 7 A charter of incorporation was granted for a town to be call-
n ' i ' ed the City of Raleigh, a name revived in after times in the
present metropolis of North Carolina. John White was appointed govern-
or, and with eleven assistants constituted the administration for the control
of the colony. Ample provision was made by the noble and liberal pro-
prietor for the comfort of the colonists, and a plentiful stock of instruments
of husbandry provided, to enable them to supply their own future wants
and establish themselves on the only footing which could possibly be ex-
pected to be permanent.
A >j 9f > The company embarked in April and arrived in July, at the
P ri " place where they expected to find the fifteen unfortunate men
whom Grenville had left. But their grounds were grown up in weeds,
their tenantless dwellings had become the abode of the wild animals of the
forest, and their scattered bones blanching in the sun, were the last sad me-
morials which told their fate to their anxious countrymen. Whether they
fell by civil dissentions among themselves, by famine or disease, or were
yet more miserably cut off by the overpowering numbers of a savage host,
*HacklytIIl,323,
544 I4IST0RY OF VIRGINIA.
taking advantage of their desolate situation, deprived of sympathy, and des-
titute of the hope of succour, is one of the mysteries of history which the
ken of man may hot unravel.
The sagacity of Raleigh, had directed the new settlement to be made on
the shores of the magnificent Chesapeak, and there was the new city to be
built, but the naval officer preferring trade with the West Indies, to explor-
T V oq i n g tne coast, left White on Roanoke Island, and compelled him
July Z6. tQ establish himself there.
The colony soon became involved in difficulties with the natives, partly
j , 9S from accident, and partly from the previously engendered hostility of
y some of the tribes. Indeed it would seem impossible a priori, even
if we had not unfortunately too much experience of the fact, that two nations,
of such different degrees of civilization, manners and habits, with such dif-
ferent designs, could longer remain together in peace, harmony and the
footing of equals. It would seem to be the nature of man that the ignorant
tribe should be jealous, treacherous and vindictive, that the more civilized,
should be greedv, rapacious and overbearing. And when a spirit of sus-
picion is once excited, the imprudence of a single individual too often in-
volves in a quarrel all of the citizens of the little communities; nothing is
extenuated, and nothing is attributed to accidtnt; biit suspicion in the injured
party supplies the place of malice in the aggressor. These difficulties made the
Colonists feel more anxiously their dependance upon England, and forced upon
them a melancholy foreboding that without frequent and effectual assistance
from the mother country, they could not long sustain themselves in a strange
and distant land, the natives of which had become bitterly hostile. Under
this impression when their last ship was about to depart for England they
forced their reluctant Governor by excessive importunity to desert his charge
in order that he might lend his personal aid and influence in sending them
k 97 succour from home. He sailed with the ship but not until after
r" U o' : his daughter Eleanor Dare, the wife of one of the assistant Go-
i/ernors, had presented him with the first white child born on the continent
i 1R of North America. This child was christened Virginia Dare, and
u %' ' with her mother was esteemed a sufficient pledge of the exertions
of the Governor in aid of the Colony, and of his speedy return.
White found all England engaged in anxious preparation to meet the
A T) 1 ^88 threatened Spanish invasion, but this did not prevent the ge-
nerous Raleigh from despatching him with two ships of sup-
plies for the relief of the colony. But the spirit of gain overcame the spirit
A •] 99 °f humanity, and even the tender ties of parental affection,
* ' instead of going at once to the colony, he employed himself in
taking Spanish prizes, and was at last himself overcome, and rifled, which
Compelled him to return to England, much to the chagrin of the noble pro-
prietor, and probably the destruction of the neglected colony.
The Invincible Armada of Spain had to be overcome, and the safety of
England herself to be secured before another effort could be made to suc-
coiir the little colony at fcoanoke, and when this was accomplished, leisure
fbiihd the noble patron of the enterprise too much impoverished by his pre-
vious unprofitable exertions, to fit out at his own expense another expedi-
tion. He was obliged to assign an extensive portion of his powers to a
company of merchants and others who might carry his schemes into exe-
cution, but with his profuse liberality, the active spring which had quick-
ened previous expeditions was gone, the spirit of gain rather than of glory
HISTORY OF VIRGINIA 545
presided over the destinies of infant America, and it was not until another
A D 1590 ^ ear ^ ac * e ^ a P se< ^> tnat White was sent in quest of his sub =
jects and his daughter,
When he arrived the colony was gone, an inscription on the bark of a
tree, indicating Croatan as the place whither they had gone, was the last re-
cord of their existence seen by a civilized eye. Conjecture has pointed
to an amalgamation with the tribe of Hatteras Indians as the history of
their destiny, and old Indian traditions and the physical characteristics of
that tribe are said to confirm the idea, but whilst humanity may indulge a
hope, credulity itself must entertain a doubt of the truth of the hypothesis.
White returned to England as soon as he found out that the colony was
gone, and Raleigh is said to have sent five several times in vain, to search
for his liege-men, but no tidings were ever received of their existence or
their fate. Thus terminated the attempts at settlement on the coast of North
Carolina, then called Virginia, the scene next opens upon the broad bosom
, of the "mother of the waters,"*
CHAPTER II.
. SETTLEMENT AT JAMES TOWN SUFFERINGS OF THE COLONISTS AD-
VENTURES OF SMITH.
New Company raised — its charter, — James Town, — Machinations against
Smith, — Difficulties of the colony, — Smith taken prisoner — his release,-
Arrival of Newport, — Discovery of earth believed to be gold,— Depar-
ture of '■Newport— Survey of the Chesapeake and its waters by Smiths-
Smith made President, — Second arrival of Newport,— -Judicious con-
duct of Smith, — New Charter, — New arrival of emigrants, — Badness
of the selection, — New settlements, — Accident to Smith — his departure,
— his character.
We have now approached the period in which the British were destined
to make a permanent settlement in America. England already possessed
a population considered redundant, in consequence of the inadequate means
of support afforded by her limited commerce, and inefficient agriculture.
The pacific and timid character of James I. threw out of employment
many of the brave spirits who had served under Elizabeth, and left them
the choice of only two means of acquiring wealth or distinction, — and these
' were either to draw a mercenary sword m the quarrels of strangers, or to
serve their king and country by transplanting their energy and enterprise
to a new world.
Bartholomew Gosnold chose the latter. He was a person of rank
and intelligence, and had already acquired distinction by his courage and
skill in arms. He solicited his friends for aid for many years in vain, but
*This is the translation usually given of the Indian name " Chesapeak' 7 but Chilly
Mcintosh, the celebrated Georgia Creek Chief, now removed west of the Mississippi
with his tribe, told the writer another meaning which he said was the true one, but
which the writer has forgotten ; but which was however not so unlike the one given
above but that the same word might well convey the two different impressions, in dif-
rent Idioms of the same language,
69
5i*.
Hl&TO&Y OF VIRGINIA.
at length attracted the attention of the distinguished adventurer Capt,
John Smith, Edward Maria Wingfield, a merchant, and Robert
Hunt, a clergymen, who after taking a year for reflection entered zealous-
ly into his projects,
If ©thing however could he effected until persons of wealth and distinc-
tion could be found to patronise by their favor, and aid by their capital the
enthusiasm of the adventurers. Sir Ferdinand Gorges, a man of
wealth, rank, and influence, had been informing himself by conversation
with several American Indians who had been carried to England by pre-
vious voyages, and by every other means in his power of the nature of
the country ; and from the information he obtained became exceedingly
anxious to possess a domain on the western side of the Atlantic. He per-
suaded Sir John Popham, lord chief justice of England, to unite in his
views. Richard HacKIyt, the distinguished compiler of narratives of
maritime adventures, and one of the assignees of Raleigh, had not yet re-
linquished his hopes of a permanent settlement in America, notwithstand-
ing the frequent previous discouraging failures, and cheerfully joined in
this' new scheme of American colonization. The exertions of these ener-
getic and distinguished individuals speedily raised a company, and procured
a charter from King James.
As this was the first charter under which a permanent settlement was
made^ it may be worth attention to notice some of its prominent features.
A •' **'l 10 IfiOfi The charter bears date on the tenth of April sixteen
" ' " hundred and six.* It grants all the country from
four and thirty to five and forty degrees of north latitude, and all islands
within one hundred miles of the coast. This immense extent of country
was divided by the charter between two companies, for the more speedy
accomplishment of their purpose,— which have been ever since designated
as the London and the Plymouth companies. The London company
wished to establish a colony between the 34th and 41st degrees of lati-
tude, and the Plymouth between the 38th and 45th, and the grants were
made in conformity to their wishes. But as there was room for collision
between the 38th and 41st degree of latitude, the colony which first settled
was to possess the land for fifty miles north and south of its location, and
the other colony was forbidden to settle within one hundred miles of the
colony first planted. Each of the colonies was to be governed by a coun-
cil of thirteenf persons, under the management and direction of a council
of thirteen in England, which was to regulate both colonies, the council
frf the colonies were to govern according to laws, ordinances and" instruc-
tions prescribed by tie king himself. The colonies had full power given
to search for and work mines, paying to the king a fifth' part of the gold
and silver obtained', and a fifteenth of the copper ; and they were further
allowed to coin money to pass current in the colonies. They were also
empowered to levy a duty of two; and a half per cent upon the property of
the king's subjects trading within their limits, and five per cent upon all
others so trading, for the use of the colony for twenty one years, and after-
wards for the use of the king.
Certain articles of necessity were allowed to be carried to the colonies
— -^- : - ? " ; . ~~
* See this charter preserved in Stith,— Henning's Stat, at Large, p. 60, and in T-
Rynier. r
t It appears afterwards that only seven were appointed : no reason is assigned for
ihe change, ffir-f °
- ■" ' -• ■" - -
HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, StfT
from any part of the king's dominions free of duty for the first seven,
years; and the colonists and their descendants were to have forever the
privileges, franchises, and immunities of native born Englishmen.
The English council was to have power to name the persons who were
to Compose the colonial council, and the latter elected their own president,
and supplied vacancies in their own body. The religion of the church of
England was established ; lands were to descend as at common law ; man-
slaughter, adultery, and dangerous tumults and seditions were to be pun?
ished with death. The president and council constituted the supreme tri=-
bunal in all cases. The property of the colonists was to continue in joint
stock for five years.
One hundred and nine years from the discovery of the North American
Dec 19 1606 continent by Cabot, three small vessels whose joint tonnage
amounted to only 160 tons burthen, sailed for the coast of
Virginia with a colony of 105 men. They were detained for six weeks in
sight of England by adverse winds. The voyage was' prosecuted under
the command of Captain Newport, who sailed by the old route of the Ca-
naries and the West India Islands ; thus consuming the valuable time and
provisions of the colonists in a voyage unnecessarily long and circuitous.
lie dial not arrive in the Chesapeake until the 26th of April,
Dissensions had sprung up in the coarse of the voyage, which there
was no competent authority to quell, as the absurd affectation of diplo-
matic mystery on the part of King James had sealed up his instructions
and the names of those who were to constitute the council, in a. box which
was not to be opened until after they arrived in Virginia.
The southern cape of the Chesapeake received the name of Henry, and
the northern that of Charles, after the names. of the sons of James. After
landing on cape Henry, the box of instructions was opened, and Smith* was
found to be named as one of the council, but he was excluded by the jeal-
ous malignity of the rest. Wingfield was chosen President.
Soon after passing the capes they reached the mouth of a large and
beautiful river which they named after their sovereign James, but which
the natives called Powhatan. About fifty miles from the mouth of this
«■•" . q river they selected a spot for their settlement, to which they gave
a y ' the name of James Town. There could not perhaps be a
company more unfitted for the duty which it had to perform than that
which now commenced the foundation of the British empire in America.
The colonists were in a wilderness surrounded by savages, without a forti-
fication to repel their incursions, possessed of a scanty supply of provis-
ions, without means of planting, — -and without a habitation, to protect
them from the weather, save such as they might themselves erect ; yet m
the whole company there were but four carpenters, and twelve laborers, to
fifty-four gentlemen. At first however this rare collection of pioneers fell
to work with spirit, each to his appropriate duty. The president who
seems to have been a very weak man and ill-suited for his station, was too
jealous of his own men to allow exercises at arms, or a fortification to
be erected ; and the only protection provided was a sort of half moon
formed of the boughs of trees by the exertions of Kendall. Newport,
Smith, and twenty others were sent to discover the head of the river. In
♦ The council named was Bart. Gosnold, John Smith, Edward Wingfield, Christo-
pher Newport, John Ratcliffe, John Martin and George Kendall,
548 HISTORY OF VIRGINIA
six days they arrived at a town called Powhatan, belonging to king Pow-
hatan, situated at the falls of the river, near the site of the present city of
Richmond, — they were kindly treated by the Indians. When the expe-
dition returned, they found that James "Town had been attacked by the
savages, and 17 men wounded, and a boy killed. They were attacked
while at work, and their arms out of order; so that the whole were only
saved from destruction by the timely aid of the vessels. After this expe-
rience of his folly the President permitted the place to be fortified, and the
labor necessary to effect this, with so small a force, wmilst it was necessary
at the same time to guard their workmen by day, to watch by night, to
prepare ground for corn, and lumber to relade the ships, may be better
conceived than described. After a stay of six weeks, Newport prepared
to depart, and the council affecting a tender regard for the character of
Smith, whom they had falsely accused of a treacherous design to usurp
royal authority in the colony, and kept out of his seat in the council under
these charges, now proposed that he might not be utterly ruined by a trial,
to send him home to the council to" be disposed of as it might think proper.
But Smith conscious of innocence of the absurd charge, boldly defied
them, and demanded a trial. His accusers suborned witnesses, who instead
of answering the expectations of their employers, only exposed the subor-
nation. The company were so incensed at the infamous conduct of
his accusers, that they condemned the President to pay him £200,
w^hich, when received, he generously threw into the common stock. New-
port sailed on the 15th of June, leaving 100 men m Virginia.
The condition of the men thus left was the most melancholy that can
well be imagined. They consisted for the most part of men entirely
unused to labor, or hardship; who were doomed to encounter every kind
of difficulty, in the midst of summer, in a hot and sickly climate. In ten
days from the departure of Newport scarce ten men could stand from sick-
ness and weakness. The food w r as scanty in quantity, and of the most
unwholesome quality. The allowance of each man was half a pint of
wheat, and as much barley, boiled in water, which was served'out from a
common kettle, and which having been closely stowed in the ship's hold
for 26 weeks in a warm and moist atmosphere, was reduced to a condition
any thing but tempting. Smith, the narrator of these sufferings, humor-
ously remarks, "If we had been as free from all sins as from gluttony and
drunkenness, we might have been canonized for saints." As might be
supposed in such an unfortunate state of affairs great mortality prevailed,
and fifty- were buried between May and September, and those that survived
relied principally for their subsistence upon sturgeon and sea crabs. The
Suffering in this state, of affairs must have been greatly aggravated by the
knowledge, that the President was indulging himself in every luxury
which the stores afforded,— and his detection in an attempt to escape in the
pinnace, from the suffering colony. This last act of treachery was more
than the little colony could endure, and weak as it was, it deposed him,
and Kendall his accomplice. Ratcliffe was made President. The council
do not seem to have exercised the power granted them in their charter, of
filling up vacancies, and it was now reduced to three, — Ratclife, Smith,
and Martin; Gosnold had perished, Reioport sailed for England, and
Wingfield and Kendall had been deposed.
, The President and Martin being Unpopular men, and very deficient in
judgment and energy, committed the control of affairs nearly entirely to
HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 549
Smith, who by his example and his skill in managing men, speedily reduc-
ed affairs to order, induced the men to work, and provided comfortable ha-
bitations. His next object was to obtain a supply of corn for the immediate
necessity of the people, which he did effectually by frightening the people
of Kecoughtan, an Indian village situated near the site of the present town
of Hampton, — after first trying every means to purchase their provision.
Smith now constituted the only hope not only for the existence of the colo-
ny as such, but for the lives of the individuals of whom it consisted. Their
recent wretchedness was not a sufficient warning to them to preserve order,
â– and to husband their resources with prudence, now that plent}^ was provid-
ed, but they lived as wastefully as if they had boundless magazines at com-
mand. Smith seeing this, caused the pinnace to be fitted up for a cruise,
and in the mean time availed himself of the opportunity to become ac-
quainted with the country lying on the Chickahominy.
During one of these temporary absences of Smith, Wingfield and Ken-
dall, who had lived in disgrace since they were deposed, laid a plot to car-
ry off the pinnace to England, which the fortunate return of Smith before
they had time to effect their purpose, prevented. But not even then were
they defeated, without firing on the pinnace, by which means Kendall lost
his life.
Smith having gained possession of the pinnace, ascended the Chicka-
hominy, and procured an abundance of corn. Winter coming on soon af-
ter afforded an ample supply of game, and wild fowl, so that plenty was
once more restored, and thought no longer entertained of going to England.
Little souls cannot look upon the greatest exploits of nobler creatures,
without suffering a captious and jealous malignity to detract from their
merit. The very beings whom Smith had preserved by his good conduct,
now murmured against him their absurd complaints — because he had not
discovered the head of the Chickahominy, although he had returned only
to supply them with food. His spirit could not brook reproach, however
undeserved, for any thing which was yet possible to be accomplished. He
again ascended the Chickahominy as far as was practicable in the pinnace,
and leaving it in a position which he supposed to be safe, he advanced yet
higher, with two whites and two Indians in a canoe. He left his men with
his little boat, and taking only his Indian guide, advanced into the forest
with his gun to procure them provision. Unfortunately, in disobedience to
his orders, the men in the pinnace went ashore, and one of them was taken
by the Indians, who learned from their prisoner whither the Captain had
gone. The savages pursued him, and slew the men left with the canoe
whilst they slept. They next sought Smith, but found him no easy prey,
for tying his guide to his arm as a buckler to keep off their arrows, he de-
fended himself so gallantly that they dare not approach him, until falling
accidentally into a marsh, he was at length forced by cold and fatigue to
surrender. The savages conducted him to their Chief Opechankanough,
king of Pamunkee. Smith endeavored to impress the king with a high idea
of his powers, by presenting him with a mariner's compass, explaining its
uses, and instructing him in the rudiments of astronomy, by explaining the
motion of the earth, its shape, and the motion of the sun, moon and planets;
truths which it is difficult to believe he could make the savage comprehend,
especially as he had but little knowledge of their language. It is more
probable that the king was pleased with the ivory case of the compass, and
the mysterious play of the needle, which he could see but not touch, and
550 HISTORY OF VIRGINIA.
which moved without an apparent cause. Accordingly, we find when hi$
men had tied Smith to a tree and were about to slay him, the king did not
attempt to prevent it by explaining the motion of the earth around the sun,
but merely held up the compass, the sight of which, seems to have, been
sufficient to disarm their wrath.
For six or seven weeks Smith was led about in triumph by these simple
people, and exhibited to the tribes between the James and Potomac rivers,
'during the whole of which time he was in hourly apprehension of being
put to death; but was generally well treated, and provided with.mo.st of the
luxuries which their simple state afforded. At length he was brought be-
fore their Emperor, Powhatan, who received him with all the formal pomp
and state known to his savage court. A long consultation was held by the
council there assembled, upon the disposition to be made of him, which ter-
minated unfavorably. He was seized by a number of the savages, and his
ijead laid upon two great stones which had been brought there for the pur-
pose. His executioners had already raised their clubs to dash put his brains",
and thus at once end his toil and difficulties, and cut off the only hope Qf
the colony, when an advocate appeared, as unexpected as would have been
the appearance of an angel sent immediately from heaven to ask his release.
This was Pocahontas, the Emperor's favorite daughter, who generously-