USA > North Carolina > History of North Carolina V. I, Pt. 1 > Part 4
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When we had seen so much of this place as we could, we returned to our boats, and departed from the shore towards our ships with as much speed as we could, for the weather began to be overcast and very likely that a foul and stormy night would ensue. There- fore, the same evening, with much danger and labor, we got our- selves aboard ..
The next morning it was agreed by the Captain and myself with the master and others. to weigh anchor and go for the place at Croatoan where our planters were, for that then the wind was good for that plan. and also to leave that cask with fresh water on shore on the island until our return. So then they brought the cable to the capstan, but when the anchor was almost apeak the cable broke, by means whereof we lost another anchor, wherewith we drove so fast unto the shore that we were forced to let fall a third anchor, which came so fast home that the ship was almost
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CONTEMPOR ANEOUS DOCUMENTS
1602
aground by Kenrick's Mounts; so that we were forced to let slip the cable end for end. And if it had not chanced that we had fallen into a channel of deeper water close by the shore than we accounted of, we could never have gone clear of the point that lies to the Southiward of Kenrick's Mounts.
Colonists abandoned
It was therefore determined that all should go for St. John or some other island to the Southward for fresh water. And it was further proposed that if we could any ways supply our wants of victuals and other necessaries either at Hispaniola, St. John or Trinidad, that then we should continue in the Indies all winter following, with hope to make two rich voyages of one, and at our return. to visit our Countrymen at Virginia.
The Captain and the whole Company in the Admiral (with my earnest petitions) thereunto agreed, so it rested only to know what the master of the Moonlight. our consort, would do therein. But when we demanded them if they would accompany us in that new determination. they alledged that their weak and leaky ship was not able to continue it, wherefore the same night we parted, leaving the Moonlight to go directly to England, and the Admiral set his course for Trinidad, which course we kept for two days.
[Later they changed their course and went after the Spaniards, and after many adventures finally reached Plymouth October 24th.]
References to the colony, 1591-1709
Whereas as I wrote unto yow in my last that I was goun to Weymouth to speak with a pinnes of mine arrived from Virginia, I found this bearer, Captayne Gilbert. ther also, who went on the same voyage. But myne fell 40 leaugs to the west of it, and this bearer as much to the east; so as neither of them spake with the peopell. But I do sende both the barks away agayne, having saved the charg in sarsephraze woode; but this bearer bringing sume 2200 waight to Hampton, his adventurers have taken away their parts and brought it to London. I do therefore humblie pray yow to deal withe my Lord Admirale for a letter to make seasure of all that which is come to London, either by his Lordship's octoretye or by the Judge : because I have a patent that all shipps and goods are confiscate that shall trade their without my leve. And whereas Sassaphraze was worth Ios., 12s. and 20s. per pound before Gilbert returned, his cloying of the market, will overthrow all myne and his own also. He is contented to have all stayde: not only for this present ; but being to go agayne, others will also go and destroy the trade, which otherwise would yield 8 or 10 for one, in certainty and a return in XX weeks.
Letter of Sir Walter Raleigh to Sir Robert Cecil
Ang. 21, 1602 Edwards' Life of Raleigh, II, 251
17
STRACHEY'S TRAV AILE INTO VIRGINIA
I beseich yow. favor our right: and vow shall see what a prety. 1613
honorabell and sauf trade wee will make.
Yours ever to serve yow. W. RALEGH.
[William Strachey was secretary of the colony of Virginia, and his "Historie of Travaile into Virginia Britannia" was apparently written after the colony had been seated at Jamestown six years- in [613.]
The men, women and children of the first plantation at Roanoke were by practize and commandment of Powhatan (he him- self persuaded thereunto by his priests) miserably slaughtered, with- out any offense given him, either by the first planted (who twenty and od years had peaceably lyved intermyxed with those Savages and were out of his territory) or by those who nowe are come to inhabit some parte of his desarte lands.
Southward they [Newport's exploring party] went to some parts of Chowanook and the Mangoangs, to search there those left by Sir Walter Raleigh, which parts-to the towne of Chesepeak-hath formerly been discovered by Mr. Harriott and Sir Ralph Lane.
The high land is in all likelihoodes, a pleasant tract, and the mould fruitful, especially what may lye to the Southward, where at Peccarecamek and Ochanahoen by the relation of Machumps .* the people have houses built with stone walls, and one story above another, so taught them by the English who escaped the slaughter at Roanoke, at which time this our Colony, under the conduct of Captain Newport, landed within the Chesepeake Bay, where the people breed up tame turkeys about their houses. and take apes in the mountains, and where at Ritanoe the Weroance Eyanoco perserved seven of the English alive, four men, and two boys and one younge mayde ( who escaped and fled up the river of Choanook) to beat his copper, etc.
[ Powhatan] seems to command south and north from the Mango- angs and Chowanoaks. bordering upon Roanoke and the old Vir- ginia, a town pallisadode standing at the north end of the bay.
He doth often send unto us to temporize with us, awaiting per- haps a fit opportunity (inflamed by his furious and bloody priests) to offer us a taste of the same cup which he made our poor country- men drink of at Roanoke.
[In "The True and Sincere Declaration" made by the governor and councillors of the Jamestown settlement in December, 1609- they speak of having] intelligence of some of our nation planted by Sir Walter Raleigh. yet alive, within fifty miles of our fort, who
*An Indian of Powhatan's tribe who had been to England.
1613. William Strachey's Travaile into Virginia, 85
Strachey. 25
Strachey, 48
150g. The True and Sincere Declaration
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CONTEMPORANEOUS DOCUMENTS
1608
can open the womb and bowels of this country; as is testified by two of our Colony sent out to seek them, who (though denied by the savages speech with them) found Crosses and Letters, the Char- acters and assured Testimonies of Christians, newly cut in the barks of trees.
Brown's Genesis, 1, 349
[The discovery of these characters recently cut in the barks of trees at that time locates some of Raleigh's colony within fifty miles of Jamestown in 1608. The narrative continues : ]
What he knew of the Dominions, he spared not to acquaint me with, as of certain men cloathed at a place called Ochanahonan, cloathed like me.
[And again : ] We had agreed with the King of Paspehegh to con- duct two of our men to a place called Panawicke, beyond Roanoke where he reported many men to be apparelled. We landed him at Warraskoyack, where playing the villain and deluding us for rewarde, returned within three or four days after, without going further.
Smith's True Relation.
[Smith sent from Warraskoyack, Master Scitlemore and two guides to seek for the Lost Colony of Sir Walter Raleigh.
Alexander Brown has found and embodied in his work a rude drawing sent by Francis Nelson from Virginia in 1608 to illustrate Smith's "True Relation," and the same year sent to Spain from London.
Brown's Genesis, 1. 184 February, 1608
On this map, on the Chowan, or on the Nottoway, falling into the Chowan River. Ochanahonan is placed : and on the Tar, or upper Pamlico River. "Pakrakanick" is located : and near it is a legend : "Here remayneth 4 men clothed that came from Roanoak to Ochanahonan." Between the Chowan and the Moratoc ( Roanoke River) on this map is a legend: "Here the King of Paspehegh reported our men to be, and wants to go." And that region is marked "Pananiock."
On the map. the point Warraskoyack, from which Master Scitle- more and two guides started, and where Smith landed "the King of Paspehegh to conduct two of our men to a place called Pana- wicke, beyond Roanoke," is on a stream that probably is intended to represent Nansemond River.
December, 1608
This map was drawn on the relation of some Indian. The In- dians of the James River had no connection with those farther south. Powhatan's jurisdiction did not extend over the Chowan- ists or the Mongoaks. The Indian who gave the information on which the drawing was based probably had but little familiarity with the localities, knowing about the rivers but nothing of the coast. He knew that the first river was the Chowan and its tributaries: that the next was the Moratoc, and that farther on there was a third- the Tar. He probably knew nothing of the sounds. He placed the chief town of the Chowan Indians on the northeast side of the Chowan River, and Ochanahonan on the other side. It seems to the author of this work that Ochanahonan is probably the town called by Lane Ohanoak. On DeBry's map this town is placed above the town of Chowanoak, but in Lane's narrative it is located below that town.
LAWSON'S SUGGESTIONS
The Indian account places Pananiock, where White's colony set- tled, between the Moratoc and the Chowan rivers, but as the Indian was probably not acquainted with the waters of the sound, and only knew that the Moratoc discharged itself some distance below the Chowan, he inaccurately indicates that both emptied into the ocean. In that he was mistaken: but he probably was correct in locating the settlement north of the Moratoc River. It was between the mouth of the Moratoc and the Chowan that Lane observed the "goodly highlands," and that location being substantially "fifty miles in the interior" from Roanoke Island. it is there we would expect to find the place of permanent settlement. And it is there that the Indian relation places it.
After the massacre, "four men and two boys and one young mayde" escaped and iled up the river of Chowanoak, and were preserved by the Weroance at Ritanoe. This flight could have been readily made from a point north of the Moratoc River. It is also stated that four men came to Ochanahonan. If there were still other fugitives than those preserved at Ritanoe, their journey through the woods would also indicate that Pananiock was on the north of the Moratoc.]
Lawson's suggestions
The first discovery and settlement of this country was by the procurement of Sir Walter Raleigh. in conjunction with some public spirited gentlemen of that age, under the protection of Queen Elizabeth; for which reason it was then named Virginia, which begun on that part called Roanoke Island, where the ruins of a fort are to be seen at this day as well as some old English coins which have been lately found, and a brass gun, a powder horn and one small quarter-deck gun made of iron staves, which method of making guns might very probably be made use of in those days for the convenience of infant colonies.
A further confirmation of this we have from the Hatteras Indians who either then lived on Roanoke Island or much frequented it. These tell us that several of their ancestors were white people and could talk in a book as we do: the truth of which is confirmed by gray eyes being found frequently amongst these Indians and no others.
They value themselves extremely for their affinity to the English and are ready to do them all friendly offices. It is probable that this settlement miscarried for want of timely supplies from England, or through the treachery of the natives: for we may reasonably suppose that the English were forced to cohabit with them for relief and conversation: and that in process of time, they conformed themselves to the mamers of their Indian relations: and thus we see how apt human nature is to degenerate.
Lawson's History of North Caro lina, 108 1709
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1585 --
The Hatteras Indians
[The Hatteras Indians in 1585 were not under the same govern- ment as the savages on the mainland. They were a different tribe; and they were so few in numbers and so poor that when Lane was making a counterplot against Pemisapan and pretended that he was going to make a journey to Croatoan, he asked to be furnished with men to hunt for him while there, and with four days' pro- visions to last during his stay. No subsistence could be gotten from the Croatoans. A century later, in Lawson's time, that tribe had but sixteen fighting men, and even if all of these had a strain of English blood- in them, their white ancestors might have been but a very small fraction of the English colonists. The tribe was still further reduced during the Indian War of 1711-15, when it adhered to the English. It lingered about its old honie, suffering the fate of other small tribes, gradually becoming extinct. In 1763 some of the Hatteras and Mattamuskeet Indians were still living on the coast of Hyde, where a reservation had been set apart for them. Because names borne by some of the colonists have been found among a mixed race in Robeson County, now called Croatans, an inference has been drawn that there was some connection between them. It is highly improbable that English names would have been preserved among a tribe of savages beyond the second generation, there being no communication except with other savages. If Eng- lish names had existed among the Hatteras Indians in Lawson's time, he probably would have mentioned it as additional evidence corroborating his suggestion deduced from some of them having gray eyes, and from their valuing themselves on their affinity to the English. It is also to be observed that nowhere among the Indians were found houses or tilled lands or other evidences of improve- ment on the customs and manners of the aborigines. When this mixed race was first observed by the early settlers of the upper Cape Fear, about 1735. it is said that they spoke English, cultivated land, lived in substantial houses, and otherwise practised the arts of civilized life, being in these respects different from any Indian tribe. In 1754 they were described as being on "Drowning Creek, on the head of Little Peedee, fifty families. a mixed crew, a lawless people, possessed the lands without patent or paying quit rents ; shot a surveyor for coming to view vacant lands, being enclosed in great swamps." From that time to the present these people have remained in their settlement on Drowning Creek. It is worthy of remark that in 1754 they were not considered Indians, for the military officers of Bladen County particularly reported that there were no Indians in that county. Whatever may have been their origin and the origin of their English names, neither their names
C. R., VI, 995
The Croatans
1754
C. R., V, 161
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REFERENCES TO LOST COLONY
nor their English manners and customs could have been perpetuated from the time of the Lost Colony without exciting some remark on the part of explorers, or historians. Apparently that com- munity came into being at a later date. Yet it is to be observed that many persons believe them to be the descendants of the Lost Colony; and the Legislature has officially designated them as "Croatans," and has treated them as Indians .* ]
*The subject of the connection of these Croatans with the colonists has been ably discussed by Mr. Hamilton McMillan and by Dr. Stephen B. Weeks, who maintain that view with much plausibility.
1585
CHAPTER II EXPLORATIONS, 1584
England claims rights in America .- Sir Humphrey Gilbert .- Walter Raleigh's charter .- The landing of Amadas and Barlow .- The spot uncertain .- The savages kindly .- Explorations .- Fortu- nate return .- The new land named Virginia .- Conditions in America.
England claims rights in America
Six years before the discovery of America the Portu- guese, the most adventurous sailors of that age, had already explored the coast of Africa and had turned the Cape of Good Hope in their search for a route to the Indies. The fortunate issue of the expedition undertaken by Columbus under the patronage of Ferdinand and Isabella gave to Spain a claim to the New World and opened a door for a serious clashing of interest between those two faithful supporters of the Catholic religion; and to settle their differences and to establish their respective rights of dominion, Pope Alex- ander VI in 1493 issued a papal bull dividing the undiscov- ered regions of the earth between them. Drawing an arbitrary line on the map of the world running a hundred leagues west of the Azore Islands, he apportioned to Portugal all to the east of it and, depriving Spain of any interest in Africa, allotted to that country the whole of the New World "west and south of Spain." And by a treaty, the next year, this line was fixed three hundred and seventy leagues west of the Cape Verde Islands.
Cabot
England, however, did not recognize that arbitration as binding upon her and claimed the Atlantic coast of America, by virtue of the discoveries of the Cabots, who, in 1497, had coasted along it from Labrador to Florida. From that time onward there were occasional movements made by English navigators for exploration, trade, and even colonization, that, however, had no practical result. Although among the great fleet of vessels that were employed in the Newfound-
1486 -
Alexander's Bull
23
GILBERT'S PATENT
land fisheries there were generally to be found fifty or more hearing the English flag, it was not until Elizabeth's time that an attempt was made at English colonization. During her reign England made a marvellous advance in wealth, in manufactures and in population : and a spirit of enterprise was manifested by her merchants no less than among those bold soldiers and seamen who sought fame and fortune in battling against the Catholic Spaniards on land, and despoil- ing their richly laden vessels on the sea.
One of the most notable of the enterprising heroes who made her reign illustrious was Sir Humphrey Gilbert, whose great capacity and services had been rewarded by his ap- pointment as lord lieutenant of Ireland.
But he had other claims to royal favor. Her lustful father having beheaded her mother, and having cast her off in infancy as illegitimate, Elizabeth, the queen, while having slight regard for her father's kin. stood loyally to her mother's. In her girlhood days she had fallen to the care of Mrs. Catherine Ashley, a connection on her mother's side. to whom she declared that she owed more for kindness and preservation than she could have done to her own mother. And this woman, for whom the queen cherished such warm gratitude, was the aunt of Sir Humphrey Gilbert. So be- yond his undoubted ability and merit there was an influence favorable to him at court. In June, 1578. Sir Humphrey sought and obtained from the queen a patent to explore and settle any part of the New World not already occupied by a Christian prince, and to possess it for himself and his heirs, with power and dominion over the same-a right royal tyrant to any subject of the realm. He associated with him- self in this enterprise his younger half brother, Walter Raleigh, and in June, 1583, sailed from England with five vessels and landed in Newfoundland. Raleigh, however, did not accompany him, but wrote to him just previous to his departure expressing the queen's great interest in the enterprise. "I have sent you," he wrote, "a token from her Majesty, an ancor guided by a lady, as you see ; and farther, her Highness willed me to sende you worde that she wished you as great good-hap and safety to your ship, as if herself were ther in parson, desiring you to have care of your sealf,
1533
Gilbert
1573
1583
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EXPLORATIONS, 158.4
1583 - as that which she tendereth : and therefore for her sake, you must provide for it accordingly. Farther, she commandeth that you leve your picture with me."
Surely Gilbert stood well with the woman his aunt had reared, she "desiring him to have care of himself. as of that which she tendereth." But Elizabeth's fears were prophecies. That barren, frozen. inhospitable shore was not favorable for colonization, and the vessel that bore the in- trepid navigator, overwhelmed in a fearful tempest, went down at sea, and the brave Sir Humphrey perished.
Raleigh
But even that great misfortune did not dismay the enter- prising spirit of Raleigh. As a young man, a volunteer soldier of fortune, he had fought in the ranks of Protestan- tism against the French and Spanish legions of intolerant Catholicism. For some years he had served in the Irish War, where he had displayed heroism and bravery, and had also led his band and had put to the sword six hundred Spanish and Italian troops, after surrender, in Smerwick Bay; a bloody butchery. Appearing at court as bearer of despatches, his pronounced views as to the thoroughness with which a war of extermination should be waged ac- corded so well with Elizabeth's own policy that she called him her "Oracle." A month later the command of a band of footmen in Ireland became vacant, and the queen, in April, 1582, issued her command to the general-in-chief : "But chiefly that Our Pleasure is to have Our servant, Walter Rawley, trained sometime longer in that Our realm for his better experience in martial affairs, and for the especial care that We have to do him good, in respect of his kindred, that has served Us, some of them (as you know) near about Our person, these are to require you that the leading of the said band may be committed to the said Rawley; and for that he is for some considerations by Us excused to stay here, Our pleasure is that the said band be, in the meantime, until he repair into that Our realm, de- livered to some such as he shall depute to be his Lieutenant there." That was the year before Sir Humphrey lost his life, Raleigh being kept at court under the eye of the queen, "for the especial care she had to do him good." But inter- ested in this matter of colonization, he did not let it slumber.
Edwards' Life of Raleigh
25
EXPEDITION OF AMADAS AND BARLOW
The disastrous ending of his brother's attempt did not deter him. Although the queen made no such princely grant to any other than Kate Ashley's kin, Raleigh speedily obtained a new patent for himself ; and at great expense he fitted out at London two barks to transport, as his guests, a goodly number of merchants, nobles and notable sailors, to discover an eligible location for a colony in the warmer latitudes bordering on Florida .* Having sailed from the Thames, his vessels took their final departure from the west coast of England on April 27, 1584, and sought the shores of America by the southern route. Reaching the Canaries by May Ioth, a month later they arrived at the West Indies, where they lingered a few days, and then entered the Gulf Stream on their northward course. On July 2d they found shoal water off Cape Fear; and then shortening sail, the captains, Amadas and Barlow, proceeded cautiously until, July 4th .; they arrived upon the coast.# Watching for a harbor and an entrance, they coasted along one hundred and twenty miles before they discovered one, but finally north of Cape Hatteras they discerned a breach and came to anchor at its mouth. With grateful hearts, the company assembled and piously returned solemn thanks for their safe arrival ; and then they eagerly manned their boats and made their landing on the south side of the inlet. This first land- ing place of the English on the coast of Virginia was ap- parently at the mouth of Trinity Harbor, as depicted on the maps of the explorers, about twenty miles north of Roanoke Island, and well within what has since been known as Currituck Sound. It was forty miles north of Hattorask Inlet, which afterward became the roadstead of the colonists.
*Jean Ribault had published in London his account of "Terra Florida" in May. 1563, and on the dispersal of his colony later, the survivors having put to sea in a small boat were picked up by an English vessel and brought to England. (Brown's "Genesis.") *By the reckoning then in use the longest day in the year fell on July 3d. This arrival on the coast was one day after the longest day of the year.
#John Verazzani, a Florentine, sixty years before having sailed from Madeira. on January 17, 1524. "through the assistance of Heaven and the goodness of his ship. discovered a new land never before seen by any man, either ancient or modern." The point he reached was this immediate locality where Raleigh's captains first saw the land.
1584
The Landing, July 4, 1584, O.S.
26
EXPLORATIONS, 1584
1584
On reaching the solid ground. amid great rejoicing and with ceremonial pomp. according to the custom of the times, they took possession of the land in right of their sovereign, the Queen of England, and formally delivered it over to the use of Walter Raleigh.
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