THE HISTORY OF NORTH AMERICA. BOOK I. VIRGINIA. CHAPTER I. Cabot despatched by Henry the Seventh-visits the Coast of North America.-Neglect of Cabot's Discovery by Henry,—and by his immediate Successors.—Reign of Elizabeth-favourable to Maritime Adventure.-Rise of the Slave-Trade.—Sir Walter Raleigh—projects a Colony in North America—first Expedition fails.— Elizabeth names the Country Virginia.-Grenville despatched by Raleigh—establishes a Colony at Roanoak.—Misfortunes of the Colonists—their Return.-Use of Tobacco introduced in England.—Farther Efforts of Raleigh―terminate unsuccessfully.-Accession of James to the English Crown.-Gosnold's Voyage-its Effects. James divides North America between two Companies.—Tenor of their Charters. Royal Code of Laws.-The first Body of Colonists embarked by the London Company-arrive in the Bay of Chesapeak-found James Town.-Dissensions of the Colonists.—Hostility of the Indians.—Distress and Confusion of the Colony.-Services of Captain Smith—he is taken prisoner by the Indians— his Liberation—he preserves the Colony.-The Colonists deceived by Appearances of Gold.-Smith surveys the Bay of Chesapeak-elected President of the Colony.-New Charter.—Lord Delaware appointed Governor.-Newport, Gates, and Somers sent out to preside till Lord Delaware's Arrival-are wrecked on the Coast of Bermudas.-Captain Smith returns to England. 1. 1492. IT was on the third of August, 1492, a little before sun-rise, CHA P. that Christopher Columbus, undertaking the grandest enterprise that human genius has ever conceived, or human talent and fortitude have ever accomplished, set sail from Spain for the discovery of the western world. On the 13th of October, about two hours before midnight, a light in the island of San Salvador was descried by Columbus from the deck of his vessel, and America for the first time beheld by BOOK European eyes1. Of the wide and important train of conI. sequences that depended on this spectacle, perhaps not even the comprehensive mind of Columbus was adequately sensible; but to the end of time, the heart of every human being who reads the story will confess the interest of that eventful moment, and partake the feelings of the illustrious man. On the following day, the Spanish adventurers, preceded by their commander, took possession of the soil; the external emblems of Christianity were planted on the shores of the western hemisphere; and a connexion, pregnant with a vast and various progeny of good and evil, was established between Europe and America. The intelligence of this successful voyage was received in Europe with the utmost surprise and admiration. In England, more especially, it was calculated to produce a strong impression, and to awaken at once emulation and regret. While Columbus was proposing his schemes with little prospect of success at the court of Spain, he had despatched his brother Bartholomew to the court of Henry the Seventh in England, there to solicit patronage and tender the fruits of discovery. Bartholomew was taken prisoner by pirates, and after a long detention was reduced to such poverty, that on his arrival in London he was compelled, by the labour of his hands, to procure the means of arraying himself in habiliments becoming his interview with a monarch. His propositions were favourably entertained by Henry: but before a definitive arrangement was concluded, Bartholomew was recalled by the intelligence that his brother's plans had at 1 Dr. Robertson is of opinion that the Ancients had no notion of the existence of the western world, and has collected from ancient writers many proofs, not only of ignorance, but of most barbarous error, respecting the extent and dimensions of the earth: Hist. of America, Book I. Yet a Roman writer, to whose sentiments he has not adverted, is supposed to have prophesied the discovery of America, 1400 years before this event took place. The passage occurs in one of Seneca's tragedies. "Venient annis Secula seris, quibus oceanus MEDEA, Act II. Chorus. This passage attracted a good deal of comment from the early Spanish and Flemish writers on America. Acosta opposed the common notion of its being a prophecy, and maintained that it was a mere conjecture of the poet. Natural and Moral History of the Indies, B. I. |