USA > Maryland > A sketch of the history of Maryland during the three first years after its settlement : to which is prefixed, a copious introduction > Part 6
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* Harris's Voyages, Vol. 2, p. 201.
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HISTORY OF MARYLAND.' - 73
kind in their primitive innocence, and the creation in SECT. III.
its first virgin purity and plenty .*
Encouraged by the reports of his navigators, Sir Walter hastened his preparations for taking posses-
1585. Sir Rich- ard Gren- sion of this inviting property. It was his first intention ville's at- tempt to to have commanded in this expedition himself, and to settle a co. have carried with him a sufficient number of forces Carolina. lony in N. to have completed his design of making a settle- ment there; but being at that time jealous, that his absence might be prejudicial to his interest at court, he committed the care of this second enterprise to Sir Richard Grenville, his relation, t who was inter- ested with him in his patent, before mentioned, ob- tained from Elizabeth .¿ Sir Richard, with seven small ships, laden with provision, arms, ammuni- tion, and spare men, to settle a colony, with the
Oldmixon's British Empire in America, Vol. 1, p. 211. Harris's Voyages, Vol. 2, p. 202.
t It has been supposed, that Sir Walter Raleigh himself went to Virginia with this colony; but this mistake, it appears, has arisen from a mistranslation of a passage in Heriot's nar- rative, published in Hackluyt's Voyages. It is thus expressed in the original English : " The actions of those who have been by Sir Walter Raleigh therein employed ;" which is thus ren- dered in the Latin translation : " qui generosum D. Walte- rum Raleigh in eam regionem comitati sunt." See Burk's Hist. of Virg. Vol. 1, p. 55.
# Oldmixon, in his British Empire in America, Vol. 1, p. 212, speaks of this expedition as carried on by a company, and that it was the first of that kind established in Europe. But it seems, that they were not a regular corporate body, until the reign of king James, who incorporated them by the name of " The governor and company of the West Indies." They were afterwards dissolved by Charles I, it is said, for their mal-administration. Harris's Voyages, Vol 2, p. 202.
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اسحا
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SECT. two Indians before mentioned, Wanchese and Man- III. teo, to assist him in his negociations with their 1585. countrymen, sailed on the 9th of April, 1585, from Plymouth .* But, induced by a desire of sharing in the plunder of a predatory war, then carried on by the English against the Spaniards, in capturing their vessels bound home with the treasures of their Mexican mines, as well as from unacquaintance with a more direct and shorter course to North America, he took the southern route by the West India islands. He spent some time in cruising among these, and in taking prizes; so that it was towards the close of June, before he arrived on the coast of North America. It is said, that in going into the harbour of Wokoken, he lost the ship which he himself commanded .; He touched at both the islands where Amidas and Barlow had landed. Manteo, the faithful Indian whom they had carried to England, and was now brought back with Sir Richard, became of essential service. His knowledge of the language made him useful as an interpreter, while his attachment to the persons of the English smoothed the difficulties to a free and friendly intercourse with his countrymen. Under
* It is said, that Sir Richard was accompanied in this voy- age by the celebrated circumnavigator Sir Thomas Cavendish, who, being then a young man of family and fortune, fitted out a ship of 120 tons burthen, called the Tyger, at his own expense, in which he attended Sir Richard, without any pro- fit. Harris's Voyages, Vol. 1, p. 23. Mod. Univ. Hist. Vol. 2, p. 411.
t Mod. Univ. Hist. Vol. 39, p. 236. In Burk's Hist. of Virg. Vol. 1, p. 53, it is said, that " he narrowly escaped ship- wreck on Cape Fear."
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SECT. IN. 1585.
HISTORY OF MARYLAND.
his guidance they made several excursions, and vi- sited several villages on the islands and the main. In one of these excursions, Sir Richard went, attended by a number of his officers, to an Indian town on the continent, called by some Scroton, by others Aquaseogok,* where he was hospitably received by the inhabitants; but some of them having pilfered a silver cup from the English, of which no restitu- tion was made, Sir Richard gave loose to an impru- dent revenge, plundered one of the Indian towns, and destroyed their corn-fields, and was forced to avoid the rage of the natives by immediate embar- kation. At this juncture of time, no conduct in him could have been more impolitic, and might well forebode the disastrous conclusion of this first attempt at colonisation. After this outrage, Sir Richard sailed to Hatteras, where he was visited by Granganemeo, the prince who had been so friendly to Amidas and Barlow, the preceding year, and who was, on this occasion, accompanied by Man- teo. Of what passed between Granganemeo and Grenville at this interview, the journal of the voy- age, it is said, gives no account ; but it is suppo- sed, that the settlement of the English in the coun- try, at least of the island of Roanoke, was then agreed on between them, to their mutual satisfac- tion. Sir Richard then sailed for that island, and having fixed upon it for the site of his settlement, he remained there for the space of six weeks, pro- bably to see the colony somewhat arranged and set-
* Burk's IIist. of Virginia, Vol. 1, p. 54.
t Oldy's Life of Raleigh, cited in Holines's Annals, Vol. 1, p. 119, note 3.
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SECT. III. tled before his departure. The colony consisted of one hundred and eight men ;* Mr. Ralph Lane, 1585. being their governour, and captain Philip Amidas, titular admiral of the country. Thomas Heriot, a celebrated mathematician, and John Wythe, an in- genious painter, were also of the number of these colonists.+ Having disposed all things for his de- parture, Sir Richard set sail for England on the 25th of August. He shaped his course, it seems, so as to keep in view the American continent which lies between Currituck inlet and the Chesapeake ; but nothing is mentioned of any discoveries thereby made by him. He arrived at Plymouth on the 18th of September following, with a rich Spanish
* In Robertson's Hist. of America, b. 9, it is said, that there were one hundred and eighty men ; but that is evidently a mistake either in himself or the press, by transposing the figures 108 to 180, or by adding the letter y to the word eight. The list, published in Hazard's Collections, Vol. 1, p. 38, contains 107 persons, which with governour Lane, would complete the number 108, mentioned by Oldmixon, Harris, and the Mod. Univ. Hist.
t Mr. Heriot wrote a topographical description of this part of Virginia (now called North Carolina,) and its natural his- tory, which is preserved in Hackluyt's Voyages. It was translated into Latin by Theodore de Bry, and published in his collection of voyages. It is said, that the famous French philosopher, Descartes, borrowed much of his light from this excellent mathematician ; and that the learned Dr. Wallis gave his preference to Heriot's improvements before those of Descartes, although the latter had the advantage of being suc- cessor to the former. Mr. Wythe also made several draw- ings of the figures and dress of the natives, of which copper- plates were afterwards taken and published by de Bry in 1590, with Latin explanations of them. Burk's Hist. of Virginia, Vol. 1, p. 55.
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prize, which he had taken on the passage. His SECT. III.
proceedings appear to have been highly satisfactory to his employers, or what was then called, The new Virginia Company.
1585.
Soon after the departure of the ships, governour Lane began to make preparation for obtaining a more extensive knowledge of the country. With this view, he proceeded in his boats along the coast to the southward, to an Indian town called Secoton, by their reckoning, distant from Roanoke eighty miles, and lying between the rivers Neus and Pamp- ticoe. To the north they advanced one hundred and thirty miles, to the Chesapeakes, a nation of Indians seated on a small river, now called Elizabeth, which falls into the great bay of Chesapeake, below Nor- folk .* To the north-west, they went up Albemarle sound and Chowan river, one hundred and thirty miles, to a nation of Indians called the Chowanocks, inhabiting a little beyond the fork of that river, where one branch takes the name of Meherrin, and the other of Nottoway. The king of this nation, Me- natonon, is represented by the adventurers, to have been shrewd beyond the cunning of any of the In- dians they had seen. Having collected from the inquiries of the English, the principal subjects of their search, he amused governour Lane and his company, with the story of a copper mine and a
* In the Indian language, the word Chesapeake is said to signify, Mother of Waters. The obvious application of this name to the great bay so called, would seem to intimate, that this Indian nation must have taken their name from their si- tuation near the Chesapeake bay. See Burk's Hist. of Vir- ginia, Vol. 1, p. 56, who cites Stith.
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SECT. III. pearl fishery, and with the marvellous description of
the source of the Moratuck, now called Roanoke ;
1585. which he represented as springing out of a rock, so near the sea, that in high winds the surge beat over it. Added to this, there seems to have been at this time a general rumour among the Indians, perhaps designedly propagated by them, of a rich mine, that lay in the interior part of the country high up the Moratuck. Filled with these delusive hopes, the governour now prepared for an expedition up this river, under the full expectation of exploring these advantageous discoveries, and of taking immediate possession of this fancied source of wealth. It is necessary to observe, that Wingina, the Indian king before mentioned, who appears to have been sove- reign of the country about the mouth of the Roa- noke river, had been always secretly inimical to the English, or to their settling in the country, and was restricted in the exercise of his animosity to them, only by the influence of the friendly Granganemeo his brother. This did not, however, prevent him from injuring them, whenever he could do it with secresy; and it may be inferred from circumstances, that he acted on this occasion, in concert with Me- natonon. Immediately before the English set out upon their expedition, the artful Wingina despatched messengers to the several nations of Indians, who inhabited the banks of the Moratuck, to apprize them of their intended excursion, and to spread amongst them suspicions of the evil views and in- tentions of the English. Lane pursued his course in boats, up the Moratuck; but, strangely confi- ding in this treacherous prince, who, the better to
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deceive him, had furnished him with guides, he had neglected to take any provisions with him, imagin- ing he should be supplied by the natives on each bank. The consequence of which was, that he soon became reduced to extreme difficulties. After rowing four days against a strong current, he found the country wholly deserted, and laid waste by the inhabitants. Still, however, in hopes of better for- tune, he pursued his course under the auspices of his guides, until at length they had nothing to sub- sist on but the flesh of two large dogs, which they were compelled to eat. Their perseverance being now wearied out, they returned to Roanoke island much chagrined and disappointed .*
In addition to the foregoing disappointment, they ' had, on their return, the disagreeable intelligence of the death of prince Granganemeo, which happened during their excursion. While this friendly Indian lived, his influence, supported by the authority of Ensenore, their father, had, as before observed, re- strained the animosity of Wingina. It is not diffi- cult to account for this authority of Granganemeo, if we believe that their manner of descent was simi- lar to that of the other tribes of North American Indians. The brother of the reigning chief was heir apparent, and succeeded to the sovereignty in bar of the children of the chief.t This rule of de- scent might probably be founded on a very substan- tial reason, under a government purely military. It
. Mod. Univ. Hist. Vol. 39, p. 239. Burk's Hist. of Vir- ginia, Vol. 1, p. 57.
t Burk (Hist. of Virginia, Vol. 1, p. 58,) cites, in support of this, the instance of Powhatan, in Virginia.
SECT. III.
1535.
الدور
200
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1585. SECT. would in such case be obviously necessary, that the 111. reigning chief should be capable of discharging the military duties of his station; which an infant or minor, would be incapable of performing. This reason might also apply to an explanation of Win- gina's authority as a sovereign during the life of his father, Ensenore ; who, now grown old and infirm, and incapable of going into battle with his enemies, might have delegated, if not totally resigned his power into the hands of his eldest son, Wingina. Another circumstance, arising on the death of Gran- ganemeo, deserves to be noticed here ; it seems to have been a custom, generally prevalent with the In- dians of this part of America and Virginia, to change their name, when any extraordinary change took place cither in their circumstances or feelings .* On this occasion Wingina assumed the name of Pemisapan, the etymology of which had probably some allusion cither to the event or its consequences ; and by this name alone he is designated by some historians.
During the absence of the governour, it had been reported that he and his party were lost; and the little influence, which Ensenore, (who upon all oc- casions, seems to have partaken in the friendly sentiments of his son Granganemeo, towards the English,) had, with his eldest son Wingina, now called Pemisapan, seems to have been, upon this report, nearly extinguished. Accordingly, Pemisa- pan was still ever secretly contriving mischief against
* Burk (Hist. of Virginia, Vol. 1, p. 58,) cites here similar instances among the successors of Powhatan, from Stith's Ilist. of Virginia, p. 155.
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them. He had projected a scheme of starving the English out of the island Roanoke, by neglecting to plant or cultivate it. This scheme, however, seems to have been in some measure defeated, by a combination of fortunate circumstances, which took place in the spring of the following year. The chiefs of several other nations, had manifested an amicable disposition towards governour Lane and his settlers. The king of the Chowanocks, though from his former conduct, he must still have been a secret cnemy, sent a present of pearl to Mr. Lane ; and Okisko, king of the Weopopomewks, (another powerful nation, possessing; all that country from Albemarle sound and Chowan river, to Chesapeake bay), in March, 1586, came himself, with twenty- four of his principal men, to own subjection to the queen of England. The aged and cautious Ense- nore, induced thereto, perhaps, more zealously by the pacific conduct of these other chiefs, exerted on this occasion, the little influence he had with his son, and prevailed upon him to relinquish his schemes, and to plant in corn, a considerable extent of ground, both on the island and main land.
This apparent prosperity of the adventurers, ad- ded to the influence of Ensenorc, preserved peace for a short time with this savage. But on the death of Ensenore, which happened on the twentieth of April, this year, all check on his natural disposition being now removed, he meditated a plan for the utter extirpation of the colonists. Under pretence of solemnizing his father's funeral, he issued secret orders to the Indians, to rendezvous at a certain place, with intent to fall on the English with the
SECT. IM.
1585.
1536.
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whole force of the nation. The plot, however,
SECT. I.L. previous to the time fixed for its execution, was 1586. discovered to the English, by their prisoner Skiko, the son of Menatonon. An attempt was made to retaliate on the Indians, by seizing their canoes, and thus keeping them in a state of seige on the island ; but they took the alarm, and after a loss of six men escaped into the woods. After various stratagems on both sides, Pemisapan was, at last, on the first of June, drawn into an ambush, with eight of his chiefs, and slain .*
The colonists now began to be in so much dis- tress, from want of food, that they were under the necessity of dispersing themselves into different parts of the country, in quest of the means of sub- sistence. It was, in consequence of this, that cap- tain Stafford, who had, with a small party, been stationed on the southern part of Cape Look-out, to shift for themselves, and to "see if they could spy any sail pass by the coast," sent, on the ninth of June, intelligence to Mr. Lane, that he discovered twenty sail of ships. 1.
Queen Elizabeth, being now at war with Spain, was advised to attack her settlements in America, and to surprise the Spanish galeons. In prosecu- tion of this scheme, a fleet of twenty sail had been fitted out and placed under the command of Sir Francis Drake. This distinguished naval com-
* Burk's Hist. of Virginia, Vol. 1, p. 57, 60. Holmes's Annals, Vol. 1, p. 122.
t Mod. Univ. Hist. Vol. 39, p. 237. Robertson's Hist. of America, (b. 9,) Vol. 4, p. 166. Burk's Hist. of Virginia, Vol. 1, p. 60.
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SECT. III. 1585.
HISTORY OF MARYLAND.
mander, after many important successes against the Spaniards, in the West Indies and South America, and attacking and reducing Fort St. John's, near St. Augustine's, in Florida, had, according to the spe- cial orders of queen Elizabeth, sailed to visit this English colony, and to yield it all possible assist- .ance .* Arriving off Cape Look-out, and disco- vering a distant fire, the admiral sent his skiff ashore with some of his men, who found captain Stafford and his party there, and took them on board their ships. By their direction, the fleet proceeded the next day, to the place which the English colonists made their port ; but some of the ships, being of too great draught to enter, anchored about two miles from the shore, " without the harbour in a wilde roade at sea."+ From this place Drake, who had been told that the colony was in distress for want of provi- sions, sent a letter by captain Stafford to governour Lane, then at his fort on Roanoke island, about six leagues distant, making him an offer of supplies. The next day, Mr. Lane and some of his company going on board the fleet, Drake made them two proposals ; either to leave them a ship, a pinnace, and several boats, with sufficient masters and mari- ners, furnished with a month's provisions, to stay . and make further discovery of the country and coasts, and so much additional provision, as would be sufficient to carry them all to England ; or, to give them a passage home in his fleet. The first
* Oldmixon's British Empire in America, Vol. 1, p. 214.
t According to the above description of the place where Drake arrived and anchored, it is most probable, that it was what is now called Roanoke inlet.
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SECT. 111. proposal was gratefully accepted .* A ship was ac- cordingly selected by Drake, and delivered to the 1366. colonists ; but before the provisions were entirely received on board, there arose a great storm, that con- tinued three days, and endangered the whole fleet. Many cables were broken, and many anchors lost, and some of the ships, of which number was that destined for the use of the colonists, were compelled to put to sea. Drake now generously making the colony an offer of another ship with provisions, or a passage home, governour Lane, and the principal persons with him, having considered what was ex- pedient, requested the admiral, under their hands, that they might have a passage to England. The rest of their company was now sent for : the whole colony was taken on board ; ; and the fleet, leaving
* An observation of Holmes, in his Annals, (Vol. 1, p. 123,) seems to explain this : " The hope, he says, of finding a rich mine in the interior part of the country, which they had alrea- dy made an attempt to discover, seems to have greatly influ- enced their wishes to continue longer in Virginia." In sup- port of this, he cites Hackluyt, iii. 255, 263 ; adding, "The mine is said to be 'notorious' among the Indians, and to lie up the river Moratuck. The narrator in Hackluyt calls it " a marvellous and most strange mineral ;" and the narrator adds, " there wanted no great good will, from the most to the least amongst us, to have perfitted this discoverie of the mine: for that the discovery of a good mine, by the goodness of God, or a passage to the South sea, or some way to it, and nothing else can bring this country in request to be inhabited by our na- tion." I would observe here, that this indicates very strongly the motives to colonisation, which existed generally among the first settlers of Virginia.
t The narrator in Hackluyt (according to Holmes's An- nals, Vol. 1, p. 122, note 1,) says, that when Drake sent his
HISTORY OF MARYLAND.
25-86
America on the eighteenth of June, arrived on the SECT. twenty-eighth of July, at the English harbour of III.
Portsmouth. Thus terminated the first English 1586. colony planted in America.
vessels to Roanoke, to bring away a few persons, who were ' left there with the baggage, " the weather was so boisterous, and the pinnaces so often on ground, that the most of all we had, with our cards, books, and writings, were by the sailors, cast overboard." This accident may have deprived us of a more full and accurate account of the proceedings and disco- veries of this colony, during its year's residence in Virginia, than we otherwise have. C
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SECTION IV.
Attempts to relieve the first colony under governour Lane-A second colony at the same place under governour White-Sir Walter Ra- leigh assigns his patent-The whole of the second colony lost- Gosnold's voyage to New England-Sir Walter Raleigh's endea- . vours to find out the second colony at Roanoke-captain Pring's expedition-Captain Bartholomew Gilbert's voyage-Captain Wey- mouth's.
SOME writers* think it proper to apologize
SECT. IV.
: for Sir Walter Raleigh, on account of the misfortune of the first colony, by observing, that it was not at 1586. Attempt the first all owing to any negligence in him ; for he continu- ally pressed the company or those concerned with to relieve him in interest, to reflect on the necessity of sup- colony un- porting the colony in time ; and so solicitious was der gover- nour Lane. he in this business, that finding the fleet, which was preparing for that purpose under the command of Sir Richard Grenville, went on but slowly, he pro- posed that the first ship, that was completely man- ned and equipped, should be sent without staying for the rest ; which was done; but when she arrived at the island of Roanoke, which was within a few days after Drake had departed, they found it deserted. The master of the vessel, not being able to get any information concerning them, returned to England. In a fortnight after this, Sir Richard Grenville arrived with his squadron of three small ships, but to his great disappointment found not a man upon the
" Oldmixon's British Empire in America, Vol. 1. p. 214. Harris's Voyages, Vol. 2. p. 202 .. ..
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SECT. III. island. After searching in vain for the colony he had left the year before without being able to learn 1586. what had befallen it, he resolved to try the experi- ment of another settlement, and accordingly placed fifteen men, (some authors say fifty,) on the island. He left them furnished with all necessaries for two years, and gave them the strongest assurances, that they should be constantly and regularly supplied. But this handful of unfortunate men was soon after over-powered and destroyed by the Indians.
Not discouraged by these abortive efforts to plant a colony in America, Sir Walter Raleigh, with a perseverance natural to great minds in arduous un- dertakings, resolved to attempt at making another settlement .! By an indenture of grant bearing date the 17th of January, 29th of Eliz. 1587 (new style) he granted unto John White," and twelve others, (therein mentioned,) "free libertic to carrie with them into the late discovered barbarous land, and countrie, called Assamacomock, alias Wingandaccia; alias Virginia, there to inhabit with them, such and so many of her Majestie's subjects, as shall willing. ly accompany them, and also 'divers and sundrie other prerogatives, jurisdictions, royalties and pre- heminencies."-By this indenture also, it would seem, he constituted a corporation by the name of the governour and assistants of the city of Raleigh in Virginia, " a city intended to be erected and builded in Virginia afcresaid."* Captain John White was made governour, and the twelve assistants formed his council, in whom conjointly were vested the
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