USA > Virginia > Tazewell County > Tazewell County > History of Tazewell county and southwest Virginia, 1748-1920 > Part 8
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"The relief of the church from threatening dangers was in those days the noblest and most sacred function of wealth. When Colum- bus aimed his prow westward from the Canaries, in quest of Asia, its precious stones, its silk stuffs, its rich shawls and rugs, its corals and dye-woods, its aromatic spices, he expected to acquire vast wealth for the sovereigns who employed him and no mean fortune for himself. In all negotiations he insisted upon a good round per- centage, and could no more be induced to budge from his price than the old Roman Sybyl with her books. Of petty self-seeking and avarice there was no more in this than in commercial transactions generally. The wealth thus sought by Columbus was not so much an end as a means. His spirit was that of a Crusader, and his aim was not to discover a New World (an idea which seemed never to have once entered his head), but to acquire the means for driving the Turk from Europe and setting free the Holy Sepulchre. Had he been told upon his melancholy death-bed that instead of finding a quick way to Cathay he had only discovered a New World, it would probably have added fresh bitterness to his death."
At the time Columbus was preparing for a second voyage to the New World, Amerigo Vespucci, a native of Florence, was at the head of a Florentine mercantile firm in Seville. He was a naval astronomer of considerable attainments; and, having heard of the wonderful discoveries made by Columbus, he became very eager to enter the field of discovery. On the 20th of May, 1499, he sailed with an exploring expedition, commanded by the Spanish Admiral Hojeda, from Cadiz. This expedition first landed on what is now the Venezuelan coast of South America. He made explorations in the Bay of Paria, which lies between the Island of Trinidad and the mainland, and he also sailed several hundred miles along the South American coast. Admiral Hojeda returned to Spain with his squadron in the early autumn of the same year.
Another expedition was promptly fitted out, and Vespucci, in December, started on his second voyage. This time his only accom- plishment was the discovery of groups of small islands on the south of the Gulf of Mexico. After his return to Spain from the second voyage, Emanuel, King of Portugal, persuaded Vespucci to quit
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the service of Spain and enter that of Portugal; and he made two voyages, beginning the first on the 10th of May, 1501, and the second on the 10th of May, 1503. The chief purpose of the Floren- tine was to sail westward with a view of discovering a passage to Malaca, which was then the extreme point on the Malay coast that had been reached by European navigators. His fleet for the last voyage consisted of six ships, but one of these was lost in a storm. After encountering and escaping many perils, Vespucci at last reached safety with his five vessels in what is now called "All Saints Bay" on the coast of Brazil. Then it was that the Florentine realized that he had discovered a new continent, and upon his return to Europe he so reported. Columbus having made the mis- take of claiming to have reached India when he landed on the South American coast; and the Cabots having announced that they had reached the continent of Asia on their several voyages to the coasts of North America, it was reserved for Amerigo Vespucci to first make known to Europe the fact that the continent which the Norse- men, and Columbus, and the Cabots had repeatedly visited was not a part of Asia, but was a newly discovered and distinct continent. It was, therefore, very natural that when Amerigo published a narrative of his voyages the new continent should be given his name, America, as an honor justly due him. There has been much adverse criticism of the Florentine, because of the belief that he cunningly appropriated an honor that belonged of right to Christ- opher Columbus. It was also charged by his enemies and detractors that he was a man of inferior ability, with very limited knowledge of the sciences necessary to make him a successful navigator. Baron Humboldt and other distinguished scientists, who made investiga- tions, defended him against these aspersions; and assert that it was his excellent knowledge of various branches of science that caused his selection as naval astronomer for the several expeditions he con- ducted or accompanied across the Atlantic. It is also a notable fact that Christopher Columbus and Amerigo Vespucci were intimate friends after they had each made voyages, though Columbus dis- puted until the day of his death that a new continent had been dis- covered.
The discovery of America not only created intense interest among the scientific and scholarly men of the Old World, but excited in the countries of Western Europe an unusual spirit of
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enterprise and adventure. This was especially manifest in Spain. occasioned, no doubt, by the fact that the discovery had been accom- plished with the liberal aid and patronage of Spanish sovereigns. Within the space of ten years after the death of Columbus the larger islands of the West Indies had been explored and Spanish colonies established upon them. The first continental colony planted by the Spaniards was on the Isthmus of Darien in 1510, and three years later the governor of that colony, Vasco Nunez De Balboa, made his way across the Isthmus and discovered the mighty ocean that covers about two-fifths of the entire surface of the world.
There was a succession of explorations and colonizations made by other Spaniards in ensuing years. Juan Ponce De Leon started out from Porto Rico, of which island he was governor, in 1512 in search of a mythical fountain of youth, which was believed to be located somewhere in the Bahamas. Being an old man, he was ambitious to be made young again; and was foolish enough to have faith in the fabulous tales he had heard about this fountain of youth. Having failed to find the fountain in the Bahamas, he sailed toward the coast of Florida, and on Easter Sunday, the 27th of March, he looked upon an unknown beautiful shore. A few days later a land- ing was made a short distance north of where the city of St. Augus- tine was started about a half a century later. Ponce De Leon was so eharmed with the many beautiful flowers that abound in that land, he named the country Florida, the "Land of Flowers." After- wards the King of Spain made Ponce De Leon governor of Florida ; but he did not return to the new province until the year 1521. Upon his arrival he found the natives in a very hostile mood. Shortly after they had landed the Spaniards were furiously attacked by the Indians, and a number of the white men were killed. The remainder fled to their ships, taking with them their leader who had been mortally wounded with an arrow. Ponce De Leon was carried back to Cuba, where he died from the wound.
In the year 1517 Fernandez De Cordova discovered Yucatan and the Bay of Campeachy. His company was attacked by the natives and he received a mortal wound. The following year Gri- jalva, assisted by Cordova's pilot, made extensive explorations of the coast of Mexico; and in 1519 Hernando Cortes began his famous conquest of the Aztec empire.
The next discovery of importance was made by Fernando De Magellan, the famous Portuguese navigator. He had petitioned the
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King of Portugal in vain for ships to make a voyage in search of a southwest passage to Asia. The court of Portugal gave such deep offense to Magellan that he traveled to Spain, accompanied by his countrymen, Ruy Falero, who was an excellent geographer and astronomer. He succeeded in interesting Charles V., King of Spain, in his plans for seeking a southwest passage, and procured ample assistance from that monarch. Magellan sailed in September, 1517, with five ships and two hundred and thirty-six men. Heading direct for the South American coast, he arrived safely at the mouth of the La Plata River. Thence he sailed along the coast of Pata- gonia, passed through the strait which has since borne his name, entered the southern Pacific Ocean, giving it that name on account of the beautiful weather which prevailed when he sailed into its waters. He then started out to complete his voyage around the world; but was prevented from accomplishing in person his ardent desire by his unfortunate death, which occurred on one of the Philippine Islands in a fight with the natives, in April, 1521. A new captain took charge of his ship and carried it back to Spain by way of the Cape of Good Hope, arriving at home in September, 1522. Thus was completed the first voyage around the world.
In the year 1520 a very disgraceful expedition was undertaken by Lucas Vasquez De Ayllon, who had become very rich as a Spanish judge in San Domingo. The object of this expedition was to kidnap the natives from the Bahamas to be used as slaves by De Ayllon and other unscrupulous planters on their plantations in San Domingo. De Ayllon sailed with two vessels for his proposed destination, but a storm drove them out of their course and onto the coast of South Carolina. The ships were sailed into St. Helena Sound, and their anchors lowered at the mouth of the Combahee River. De Ayllon gave the name Chicora to the country, and called the river the Jordan. The natives were exceedingly timid but kind and friendly to the strange visitors, and gave them presents of their simple food, and rude trinkets. Their curiosity was aroused, and a sufficient number to crowd the ships were lured on board, when the brutal commander of the expedition ordered the anchors to be weighed and started on the return voyage with his slaves to San Domingo. A heavy storm was encountered, one of the ships found- ered, and the poor creatures, who had been imprisoned under the hatches of the ship, were rescued by death from the horrible fate that awaited them as slaves in San Domingo. This was the first
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effort of the Spaniards to make slaves of the Indians. The dis covery of Chicora was reported to Charles V., King of Spain, and he appointed De Ayllon governor of the newly discovered country, granting him the right to make conquest thereof. De Ayllon returned with a small fleet to his province in 1525, but his best ship was grounded in the Jordan when he entered that river. The Indians recalled the cruel outrages they had suffered on the previous visit of the Spaniards, their timidity was replaced with desperate courage, and they made a furious attack upon the occupants of the grounded ship, killing a number of the invaders. The survivors were glad to escape with their lives, and hastily started back to San Domingo. De Ayllon was greatly humiliated by the failure of his expedition, and he was ruined in fortune and favor with the Spanish Government.
Pamphilo de Narvaez was appointed governor of Florida in the year 1526 by Charles V., King of Spain, with the privilege of con- quest, as had been given Cortes, Pizarro and other Spanish adven- turers who brought expeditions to America. A very extensive terri- tory both east and west of the Mississippi was included in his com- mission. He went to Florida with three hundred soldiers, of whom forty were cavalrymen. The object of the expedition was more for hunting gold than for colonization. In some way the natives found out the motive of the invaders, and practiced a shrewd deception upon them. The Indians exhibited small gold trinkets and pointed to the North. This greatly excited the avaricious Spaniards, who inferred that the natives were telling them that there were rich gold fields and large cities in the North, like those Cortes had found in Mexico, and Pizarro in Peru. The Spaniards started our through the dense forests in search of the great wealth they believed would be found in the North. Instead of finding cities and gold, they came to impenetrable swamps and encountered small bands of savages who lived in squalid villages consisting of a few rude huts. After many days travel in what is now Georgia and Alabama, they were so fatigued and scant of food that they determined to return to their ships on the coast; and finally arrived at St. Marks harbor. But the ships they expected to find were not there. Desperately situated, the remnant of the band built some small boats, which they entered, and started out with the hope of reaching a Spanish settlement in Mexico. Storms came upon them, they were driven out of sight of land and then thrown back upon the coast. Some were drowned,
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others were killed by the Indians, and some were starved to death. The boat in which Narvaez was traveling was sunk near the mouth of the Mississippi and he perished there. Only four of the entire expeditionary force succeeded in reaching Mexico; and they wan- dered across the continent to the village of San Miguel on the Pacific Coast. From that place they ultimately found their way to Mexico.
One of the most distinguished Spanish cavaliers who accom- panied Pizarro to Peru was Ferdinand De Soto. He was of noble birth, was an intimate friend of Pizarro, and had returned from Peru to Spain with vast wealth he had gathered in the land of the Incas. His great popularity in Spain made it easy for him to secure an appointment as governor both of Cuba and Florida, with ample authority granted for making conquest of the Land of Flowers. A very large number of wealthy and high-born Spaniards made eager application for enlistment under De Soto to accompany him on his expedition to Florida. From the numerous applicants he carefully selected six hundred, whom he considered the most gallant and be: fitted for the service and hardships he knew would have to be endured. These cavaliers were splendidly equipped with the finest suits of armor, made after the pattern of those worn by knights in the days of chivalry. Careful preparations were made to have this excel in splendor all other expeditions that had gone from Spain to make conquests in the New World. Arms in abundance and large stores of supplies of the first quality were assembled; trained artisans, with ample tools for forges and work-shops were added; and bloodhounds to chase down the fleeing natives and chains to bind them when made captives were also made part of the equip- ment. A herd of swine, to be fattened on the corn of the natives and the acorns and nuts that grew in the vast forests that were to be explored, was also provided. Twelve priests of the Holy Cath- olic Church were enlisted to look after the spiritual welfare of the gay cavaliers, and to make converts to Christianity of the heathen natives. It is possible these priests were sent by the Spanish Inqui- sition, hence the trained bloodhounds to chase the poor Indians and the shackles to bind them with when made captives.
A year was occupied by De Soto in extensive preparation for his wonderful expedition of discovery and conquest. In the spring of 1539 his squadron of ten vessels sailed from the harbor of San Lucar with his eager and impatient six hundred followers aboard. It required but a few weeks to make the voyage to Havana. There
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he left his wife in charge of his own and the island's affairs until he could return with greatly added wealth and glory from his explo- ration of Florida. He sailed from Havana after a brief stay there, and in the early part of June sailed into Tampa Bay. A number of Cubans had joined the expedition, but a part of these were so terrified by the awful gloom of the forests and swamps they saw in Florida that they separated from De Soto and returned to Cuba. De Soto and his intrepid followers made but little delay in begin- ning what proved a disastrous march into the interior in search of the mystic El Dorado they confidently hoped to reach. The months of July, August and September were fully occupied with an ener- getic march toward the North. The explorers struggled through almost impenetrable swamps, swam rivers and had frequent encoun- ters with the Indians, whom De Soto found were much bolder and more effective fighters than the aborigines he had helped to conquer in Peru. In the month of October they reached Flint River in Georgia, and there came in contact with the Appalachian Indians, with whose several tribes they were to have many experiences in the future. De Soto concluded to winter there; and, having done this, in the early spring of 1540 the march was resumed and was turned into an almost senseless wandering over the territory now constituting the States of South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee, east of the Mississippi River ; and Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma on the west of the river. In the spring of 1541 the Indian guides brought the Spaniards to the Mississippi; and the great "Father of Waters" was revealed for the first time to white men, as De Soto and his followers gazed upon it. In the latter part of May the Spaniards crossed the Mis- sissippi. They began their roving journey over the territory west of the river and did not return to its western banks in the neighbor- hood of Natchez until 1542. The spirit of the ambitious Icader was completely crushed. He was stricken with a malignant fever which soon caused his death, and he was buried in the great river which has ever since been historically and dramatically associated with the name of De Soto.
Previous to his death, De Soto had selected as his successor Moscoso, one of his most trusted lieutenants. Under his leadership the depleted band of ragged and starving adventurers resumed their journey in search of the riches for which they had already expended two years of fruitless endeavor. They wandered back in a west- wardly course until they came to the upper waters of Red River on
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the northern borders of Texas. Then they turned northward and wandered through the territory occupied by the Pawnee and Comanche tribes of Indians, still hunting for gold. At last they came to such rugged and barren mountains, and were so discouraged that they turned back and again came to the Mississippi River, a short distance above the mouth of Red River. Overcome with despair, the remnant of De Soto's gay band of cavaliers decided to build boats and travel down the Mississippi to the Gulf, and then try to reach a Spanish settlement in Mexico. In pursuance of this resolution, they cut trees from the forests, and sawed them into lumber, built forges and turned all the iron and steel they had, including the fetters of the captive natives, into nails and other iron pieces necessary for the construction of their boats. In this way they succeeded in making seven brigantines and on the 2nd day of July, 1543, they began their voyage down the river. Seven- teen days were necessary to reach the Gulf. They then headed their boats westward, and in fifty-five days after entering the Gulf they came to the Spanish settlement at the mouth of the River of Palms.
More than twenty years passed away after the disastrous De Soto expedition before Spain made another attempt to plant a colony in Florida. In 1565 an enterprise for that purpose was entrusted to Pedro Menendez de Aviles, a soldier of notorious criminal char- acter and vicious disposition. At that time Philip II. was King of Spain, having succeeded his father, Emperor Charles V. Philip had adopted his father's policies for the government of his kingdom and empire, the chief of which policies were the maintenance and exten- sion of absolute rule throughout his dominions and a zealous support and propagation of the Catholic religion. Like his father, he was an ambitious despot and fanatical supporter of the Spanish Inquisi- tion. He hated the Protestants and was anxious to destroy a colony of French Huguenots who made a settlement in Florida on the St. Johns River, about thirty-five miles above its mouth. This settle- ment was within the limits of the territory claimed by Spain. In fact, Spain asserted title to all of North America, by virtue of a bull issued by the Pope of Rome, who assumed to exercise temporal as well as spiritual power over the entire world. Philip was deter- mined to apply not only his principle of absolutism to his American dominions, but to enforce the decrees of the Inquisition here as well as in Spain. Hence the selection of the brutal fanatic Menendez, who was given a commission to explore and make conquest of
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Florida and establish a colony there. In compensation for his base performances, Menendez was to receive an annual salary of two thousand dollars and two hundred and twenty-five square miles of land to be located in proximity to the colony. The spirit of adven- ture and the hunger for gold were still rampant in Spain, and with very little trouble Menendez assembled twenty-five hundred persons, many of whom were married men with families, that were eager to accompany the expedition. He started out from Spain with his large fleet in July, 1565, reached Porto Rico early in the month of August, and on the 28th day of the same month arrived on the Florida coast. It was St. Augustine's day when the coast came in view, but a landing was not effeeted until the 2nd of September. When a location for the colony had been seleeted, the Spanish leader named it St. Augustine, in honor of the Saint of that name. This was the first permanent settlement made by people of the white race within the present bounds of the United States. It was destined to become one of the most historic spots in our land. Subsequent to its founding, the place was the scene of many tragic events. The French and hostile Indians repeatedly attacked it; in 1586 it was captured and pillaged by England's most renowned sea-rover, Sir Francis Drake, and by pirates in 1665. Frequent assaults were also made by the English and Huguenot colonists of the Carolinas. Great Britain acquired St. Augustine under a treaty with Spain in 1763, and made use of it as an important military station during the Revolutionary War. It was afterwards possessed by Spain, and in 1819 was ceded to the United States.
With but little delay after making a landing and starting his colony, Menendez began to execute his plans for the destruction of the French hereties. The Huguenots thought the Spaniards would bring their vessels up the St. Johns and make an attack; and com- mitted the serions mistake of sending their few ships and nearly all their men down the river to anticipate the enemy by making an attack upon them. After the French got their ships out on the sea a very heavy storm burst upon them; their ships were driven on the coast, and all but two of the vessels were dashed to pieces. Most of the men, however, reached the shore in safety. Menendez, having found out the unprotected condition of the Protestant colony, gathered his forces together, and made a secret and rapid march through the swamps, fell upon the surprised and helpless colony and slaughtered men, women and children without merey. About two hundred persons were slain by the Spanish butchers, only a
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few members of the colony escaping, among these their leader, Laudonniere. Then Menendez turned his attention to the men who had escaped when their vessels were wrecked. They were induced to surrender to the Spaniards, with assurance that they would be humanely treated and their lives protected. Immediately after their surrender, each captive had his hands bound behind him and two prisoners were then tied together. They were then marched toward St. Augustine; and as they approached the Spanish fort a trumpet was sounded. This was a signal for their slaughter; and the seven hundred unhappy prisoners were killed by the eut-throat minions of Menendez. With this terrible tragedy and the permanent establishment of the colony at St. Augustine, the period of Spanish voyage and discovery as to the North American Continent seems to have been terminated. Spain does not now own or exercise control over a foot of land in either of the Americas. This looks like retributive justiee visited upon the Spanish Nation for the bar- barous cruelties practiced upon the aboriginal inhabitants and the Protestants who came from France and other countries of Europe that they might enjoy religious freedom in the New World.
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CHAPTER II.
FRENCH DISCOVERIES AND SETTLEMENTS.
The discoveries made by Columbus and other navigators aroused great interest in France. John Cabot's discovery of Newfoundland attracted the attention of the fishermen of Normandy and Brittany. They had heard of the wonderful fishing banks found about the shores of Newfoundland, where the schools of cod and other vari- ties of fishes were so great that it was difficult to steer a ship through them; and in 1540 these fishermen began to sail across the ocean to try the fishing grounds that are still famous. An adven- turous Frenchman by the name of Denys made a map of the Gulf of St. Lawrence in the year 1506, a hundred years before the English settlement. was made at Jamestown.
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