made any settlement. Upon the discoveries made in this voyage the English founded their claim to the eastern portion of North America.

19. In 1499, Alonzo de Ojeda, a companion of Columbus in his first expedition, sailing under the patronage of several Portuguese merchants, discovered the continent at Paria, in the fifth degree of north latitude. Americus Vespucius, a Florentine gentleman who accompanied him, published, on his return, an account of the voyage and a description of the country which they had visited; and from him it derives the name it bears.

20. In 1504, several adventurous navigators, from different parts of France, came, in small vessels, to fish on the banks of Newfoundland. In 1524, John Verrazzano, a Florentine, in the employment of the king of France, sailed along the coast of America, from Florida to the 50th degree of north latitude. He is supposed to have entered the harbor of New York. He made, the next year, another voyage, from which he never returned, nor is it known by what disaster he perished.

21. During the next forty years, frequent voyages were made to the coast of North America. Of some, the object was fishing; of others, trade with the natives. In 1540, the French made an attempt to plant a colony in Canada, which was unsuccessful.

22. The religious wars which afflicted France in the sixteenth century, induced that illustrious statesman, Jasper Coligni, the head of the Protestant sect, to project, in 1502, a settlement in America, to which his brethren might retire from the persecution of the Catholics. Fitting out two ships, he sent them thither under the command of John Ribaut, who landed at a place supposed to be within the limits of South Carolina, built a fort, left a part of his men, and returned to France.

23. The men who were left, soon after mutinied, killed their commander, built and equipped a vessel and put to sea. Having been out several weeks and consumed all their provisions, one of their number, who consented to be made a victim to save his comrades, was killed and eaten. A few days afterwards, they were taken up by an English vessel and carried to England. This was the first attempt to plant a colony within the limits of the United States; and it is worthy of remark, that to secure an asylum from religious persecution was the object in view. Coligni afterwards sent a party to Florida, who were treacherously massacred by the Spaniards.

24. In 1583, Sir Humphrey Gilbert, having received from queen Elizabeth a grant of such "remote, heathen, and barba

rous lands" as he might discover and occupy, fitted out a squaddron of five ships, and sailed for America. On arriving before St. John, in Newfoundland, he found thirty six vessels fishing in the harbor. He landed and took possession of the country in the name of his sovereign. On his return to England, he suffered shipwreck and perished.

25. The next year, sir Walter Raleigh, distinguished in the history of England as a gallant knight and as the favorite of the queen, obtained a renewal of the patent granted to sir Humphrey, who was his half brother, and despatched to America two ships commanded by captains Amidas and Barlow. They first landed on an island in the inlet to Pamplico sound, then proceeded to the isle of Roanoke at the mouth of Albermarle sound, in North Carolina, and at both places were treated with great respect by the natives.

26. Having freighted their ships with furs, sassafras, and cedar, they returned to England, where they published marvellous accounts of the beauty of the country, the fertility of the soil, the mildness of the climate, and the innocence of the natives. The queen was so charmed with the description that, as a memorial that the country had been discovered during the reign of a virgin queen, she called it Virginia.

27. The next year, Raleigh sent from England a fleet of seven vessels, commanded by Sir Richard Grenville, and carrying upwards of one hundred persons, destined to begin a settlement. They were left under Ralph Lane, on Roanoke island. The success of the Spaniards in finding gold in South America, led these adventurers to employ their time in a fruitless search for it here. In 1586, they were visited by Sir Francis Drake, who, at their request, conveyed them back to England. Lane carrying home a quantity of tobacco, the Indian custom of smoking it was adopted by Raleigh, a man of gaiety and fashion, and introduced at court.

28. Soon after Drake departed, Grenville again arrived with provisions for the settlement. Finding it abandoned, he left fifteen men to keep possession of the country. In 1587, three other ships were sent to the same place, but the men who had been left could not be found, having probably been murdered by the savages. After remaining a few weeks on the coast, the ships returned to England, leaving one hundred and seventeen men on the island. War then existing between England and Spain, two years elapsed before the coast was again visited. In that period the whole number perished; but in what manner

has never been ascertained. Thus ended the exertions of Raleigh to plant a colony in America.

29. These successive misfortunes withdrew for several years the attention of the English from these distant regions. In 1602, Bartholomew Gosnold made a voyage to America. Instead of taking the circuitous, but usual route, by the West India islands, he steered directly west from England, shortening the voyage at least one third, and arrived, in May, on the coast of Massachusetts. He discovered a head land, and taking a great quantity of codfish near it, called it Cape Cod. Proceeding southwardly, he passed Gay Head, entered Buzzard's bay, and upon an island within it erected a small fort, the ruins of which were visible so late as 1797. After trading a while with the Indians he returned home.

30. The report made by Gosnold revived the spirit of adventure. In 1603 and 1605, two voyages were made in the same direction, and Penobscot bay, Massachusetts bay and the rivers between them were discovered. The accounts given by the last navigators confirmed the report of Gosnold, and led to a more extensive scheme of colonization than had yet been attempted. 31. Of this scheme, Mr. Richard Hakluyt was the most active promoter. By his persuasion an association of gentlemen, in different parts of the kingdom, was formed for the purpose of sending colonies to America. Upon their application to king James, he, by letters patent, dated in 1606, divided the country of Virginia, then considered as extending from the southern boundary of North Carolina to the northern boundary of Maine, into two districts, and constituted two companies for planting

colonies within them.

32. The southern district he granted to sir Thomas Gates and his associates, chiefly resident in London, and therefore styled the London company. The northern district he granted to Thomas Hanham and his associates, who were styled the Plymouth company. The two districts were called South and North Virginia. The members of these companies were principally merchants; their objects were the extension of commerce and the discovery of mines of the precious metals, which were supposed to abound in North as well as in South America.

33. For the supreme government of the colonies, a grand council was instituted; the members of which were to reside in England, and to be appointed by the king. The subordinate jurisdiction was committed to a council in each colony, the members of which were to be appointed by the grand council in England, and to be governed by its instructions. To the emigrants B

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and their descendants were secured the enjoyment of all the rights of denizens or citizens, in the same manner and to the same extent as if they had remained or been born in England.

34. Before the date, however, of these letters patent, the king of France granted to the Sieur De Monts all the territory from the 40th to the 46th degree of north latitude, or from New Jersey to Nova Scotia, then called Acadie. By virtue of this grant a settlement was made in 1604, on the south eastern side of the bay of Fundy, and called Port Royal. In 1608, Samuel Champlain, the agent of De Monts, laid the foundation of Quebec, the capital of Canada. From these possessions of the French, the colonies of New England and New York were, for more than a century, frequently and cruelly annoyed

CHAPTER 1.

HISTORY OF VIRGINIA.

THE London company, soon after its incorporation in 1606, despatched to America three ships, having on board one hundred and five persons destined to begin a settlement in South Virginia. Christopher Newport commanded the squadron. He was accompanied by captain Gosnold and other distinguished individuals; some allured by curiosity, and some by the prospect of gain, to visit a country said to be inhabited by a new race of beings, and to abound in silver and gold.

2. A sealed box was delivered to Newport, with directions that it should not be opened until twenty-four hours after the emigrants had landed in America. During the voyage, violent dissensions arose among the principal personages on board the squadron. Of most of them, John Smith, one of the adventurers, incurred the distrust and hatred. His superior talents, and the fame he had acquired by his exploits in war, excited their envy, and probably caused him to claim for himself greater deference than they were willing or bound to yield.

3. In his youth, he had been a merchant's apprentice. At the age of fifteen, he quitted his master and travelled in France, the Netherlands, Egypt, and Germany. Having joined the army of the emperor of Austria, who was then at war with the Turks, he received, as a reward for a successful stratagem, the command of a troop of horse.

4. In three personal combats with Turkish champions, he came off victorious, at each time killing his adversary. In a battle which subsequently took place, he was wounded and taken prisoner. After his recovery, he was sent as a slave to Constantinople. He had fallen into the hands of a cruel master; but his mistress, captivated by his fine appearance and heroic character, and commiserating his fate, sent him, in the absence of her husband, to her brother, who dwelt near the sea of Asoph. He, disregarding her directions, assigned to Smith degrading ana laborious tasks, and beat him without mercy whenever he failed to perform them.

5. Seizing a favorable opportunity, he killed his new master and fled into Russia. After visiting Germany, France, Spain, and Morocco, he returned to England, became acquainted with Gosnold, and was easily persuaded to embark in an expedition