SECTION II.

COLONIAL PERIOD.

Virginia.

1. The English claim to territory in America had for its principal foundation stone the discoveries of the Cabots. By virtue of this claim, James I. granted to an association of "noblemen, gentlemen, and merchants," known as the London company," the exclusive right to occupy the regions from thirty-four to thirty-eight degrees of north latitude ;" and, to an association of "knights, gentlemen, and merchants," known as the Plymouth company, an equal right to the regions from forty-one to forty-five degrees. "Collision was not probable, for each company was to possess the soil extending fifty miles north and south of its first settlement, so that neither might plant within one hundred miles of its rival." The northern regions were called North Virginia; the southern, South Virginia.

Settlement

2. "The London company spent several months in preparations for planting a colony. At length three vessels, fitted out under the command of Captain Christopher Newport, a navigator experienced in voyages to the New World, sailed from England. After passing three weeks in the West Indies, they sailed in quest of Roanoke islof and; and, having exceeded their reckoning three days without finding land, the crew grew impatient. At this juncture, a violent storm, compelling them to scud all night under bare poles, providentially drove them into the mouth of Chesapeake bay. The first land they came in sight of they called Cape Henry, in honor of the

Jamestown.

1607

Settlement of Jamestown.

53

Prince of Wales, eldest son of King James, as the opposite point, Cape Charles, was named after the king's second son, then Duke of York, afterwards Charles the First.

3. A party of twenty or thirty, with Newport, landing here, found a variety of pretty flowers and goodly trees. While recreating themselves on the shore, they were attacked by five savages, who came creeping upon all fours from the hills like bears, and with their arrows wounded two, but retired at the discharge of muskets. Seventeen days were spent in quest of a place for the settlement. A point on the western side of the mouth of Chesapeake bay they named Point Comfort, because they found a good harbor there, which, after the recent storm, put them in good comfort.

4. On the 8th of May (1607), the colonists went farther up the river to the country of the Ap-po-mat'-tocks, who came forth to meet them in a most warlike manner, with bows and arrows, and formidable war clubs; but the whites, making signs of peace, were suffered to land unmolested. At length they selected for the site of the colony a peninsula lying on the north side of the James river, about forty miles from its mouth. The western end of this peninsula, where it is connected by a little isthmus with the main land, was the spot pitched upon for the erection of a town, which was named, in honor of the king, Jamestown. This was the first permanent settlement effected by the English in North America.1

5. Upon landing, the council to govern the colony took the oath of office. Wingfield, a member of the council, was elected president. John Smith, another member, was excluded from the council upon some false pretences. Dean Swift says: When a great genius appears in the world, the lunces are all in confederacy against him.' All hands fell to

1 The first permanent settlement made by Europeans within the present limits of the United States was made by the Spaniards at St. Augustine, Florida, in 1565. Santa Fe, New Mexico, is also a very old city. "When first visited by the Spaniards, about 1542, it was a populous Indian pueblo. When it was first settled by the Spaniards is not known."

work, the council planning a fort, the rest clearing ground for pitching tents, preparing clapboards for freighting the vessels, laying off gardens, and making fishing-nets.

This

6. On the fourth of June, Newport, Smith (restored to his position in the council), and twenty others were dispatched to discover the head of the river on which they had located their settlement. stream was called by the Indians Pow-ha-tan', and by the English the James river. The natives everywhere received the strangers kindly, feasting them with fish, strawberries, and mulberries, for which Newport requited them with bells, pins, needles, and lookingglasses, which so pleased them that they danced before their guests and followed them from place to place. In six days they reached a town called Powhatan, one of the seats of the great chief of that name, whom they found there. It consisted of twelve wigwams, pleasantly situated on a bold range of hills overlooking the river, with three inlets in front and many cornfields around. This picturesque spot lies on the north bank of the river, about a mile below the falls, and still retains the same name.

JOHN SMITH.

Character

7. The men sent out were but poorly fitted to settle in a wild country. Of the number, only twelve were laborers. "There were forty-eight gentlemen to four carpenters." Quarrels occurred, the provisions were spoiled, the natives became hostile, and sickness prevailed. In less of the than four months fifty men, "one half of the colony," were carried to the grave, among them being Bartholomew Gosnold. The president of the coun cil, accused of dishonest acts, was deposed, and his successor, "possessing neither judgment nor industry, the management of affairs fell into the hands of Smith, whose

Colonists.

1610

The Starving Time.

55

buoyant spirit of heroic daring diffused light amidst the general gloom. To his vigor, industry, and resolution, the survival of the colony is due."

8. In an open boat, Smith made several voyages, sailing more than two thousand miles in exploring Chesapeake bay and the rivers that flow into it. While on one of these ex

cursions, he was made a prisoner by the Indians, John Smith. "but he saved his life by displaying a pocket

compass and explaining its properties to the savage chief." The first printed notice of this adventure in England "made famous the name of Po-ca-hon'-tas, the daughter of Powhatan, a girl of ten or twelve years old. This child, to whom in later days Smith attributed his rescue from death by the club of an Indian, often afterward came to the fort with her companions, bringing baskets of corn for the garrison."

9. New settlers came, "yet the joy in Virginia on the arrival of the first recruits was of short continuance, for they were chiefly vagabond gentlemen and goldsmiths who thought it impossible to thrust a shovel into the The gold soil, without bringing up a lump of gold. In a excitement. small rivulet near Jamestown was found a glittering, yellowish sand, which they immediately believed to be gold. This became the all-absorbing topic of thought and discourse, and there was now no talk, no hope, no work, but dig gold, wash gold, refine gold, load gold. The unskilful refiners pronounced this shining sand to be very valuable gold, forgetting that all that glitters is not gold.' This, of course, carried the frenzy to its height; and nothing would content Newport but the freighting of his ship with the worthless trash."

10. A new charter conferring greater privileges was obtained by the London company, and Lord Delaware was appointed governor. Before, however, the arrival

The

time.

of Delaware, Smith, who had been president of starving the council nearly two years, was wounded by the accidental explosion of a bag of gunpowder while he was sleep

ing in his boat, and was compelled to embark for England, "never to see Virginia again." There were nearly five hundred men in the colony when he left; but "in six months, indolence, vice, and famine reduced the number to sixty, and these were so feeble and dejected that if relief had been delayed but ten days longer, they also would have perished (1610)."

Lord

tion.

11. Under Lord Delaware, who was a prudent and kindhearted man, the colony prospered. "At the beginning of the day they assembled in the little church, which was kept neatly trimmed with the wild flowers of the counDelaware's try; next they returned to their homes to receive administra- their allowance of food. The settled hours of labor, the work being done in common, were from six in the morning till ten, and from two in the afternoon till four." Unfortunately, Lord Delaware was soon compelled by ill-health to return to England, leaving his colony to be ruled by a deputy. At this time a majority of the colonists were Episcopalians. All persons of other denominations were looked upon as Dissenters. From England the settlers for many years received their clergy, and to England they sent their sons to be educated.

Marriage

12. A trading party, headed by Argall, an English adven turer, made several voyages up the Potomac. While engaged in one of these, Argall "persuaded an Indian chief of to betray Pocahontas into his hands, to be kept Pocahontas. at Jamestown as a ransom for the return of Englishmen held in captivity by her father. For the sake of her

1 Smith had traveled through a large part of Europe, and had passed a very adventurous life. He had fought against the Turks; had been captured in battle, and made a slave; had been rescued from slavery through the compassion of his Turkish mistress, and had been sent by her to Russia, where he was treated as a serf. Rising against his taskmaster, he slew him, and fled from the country. Thence, in search of new adventures and dangers, he went to Morocco; and at length returned to England in time to embark in the enterprise of settling the New World. In making his explorations in the Virginia waters, he sailed, by his own computation, about 3,000 miles. (See page 60.)