Florida to the 50th degree of North latitude. The next year, he made another voyage: but the crew were lost, and the French, for many years, relinquished further thoughts of discovery or settlement.

In 1578, Queen Elizabeth granted letters patent to Sir Humphrey Gilbert, to make discoveries and settlements. Gilbert spent some time about Cape Breton and Newfoundland, taking possession in the name of the Queen; but was lost on his passage home.

In 1584, his half brother, the famous and unfortunate Sir Walter Raleigh, obtained similar letters patent, with very ample powers: and in July entered Pamplico Sound, now in North Carolina.

He then proceeded to the Roanoke, and spent several weeks in examining the native productions of the soil, and in traffic with the Indians; who manifested no fear, nor disposition to hostility. Sir Walter arrived in England in September. Elizabeth, in honour of her own reign, and of her virginity, denominated the new country Virginia.

In the spring of the succeeding year, Raleigh sailed from England with seven small ships, laden with provisions, arms, and passengers, for a settlement. In June he arrived at the island of Roanoke, and established a colony of one hundred and eight persons.

Inquiries were immediately made by the adventurers for gold, which they supposed equally abundant in North and South America; and in fruitless search for which, they spent most of that time, which ought to have been sedulously employed in securing the means of their own subsistence.

In 1586, Sir Francis Drake arrived with provisions, and about one hundred more colonists: but, a violent storm arising, and continuing for three days, several of his vessels were damaged; and that containing the men and provisions, having been forced to sea, the colonists requested Sir Francis to take them to England; with which request he complied.

A short time after the departure of Drake, Sir Walter arrived, with provisions for the colony. Not finding them, he returned. Soon after, Sir Richard Grenville arrived, with large supplies, in three ships.

Search for the colonists proving abortive, he also departed; after having left fifteen of his crew, with provisions for two years: of whom, as nothing was ever heard, it was little doubted but that they were destroyed by the savages; though the Indians declared that they left the country.

During Sir Walter's stay he had familiarized himself to the habit of smoking tobacco. Some of which he carried with him to England, and introduced its use among the court and nobility.

Thus, though Virginia did not yield the precious metals sought, it has yielded that by which abundance of the precious metals have been obtained. Such are the powers of example and of habit, that what is at first nauseous to the taste, and intoxicating to the brain, becomes afterwards a supposed comfort, and at length is made a pretended necessary of life.

1587. This year Sir Walter made another attempt to establish a colony, with three ships, and one hundred and fifty men and some women; which adventurers he incorporated under the title of" the Borough of Raleigh in Virginia;" the legislative power being invested in a Governor and twelve counsellors.

These were ordered to Chesapeake Bay, which had been discovered during the previous year. They however went to Roanoke; where, after having learned the loss of their countrymen left by Grenville, they concluded once more to attempt effecting a settlement. One of the Indians, who had visited England, and had returned, was christened, and styled "Lord of Roanoke and Desamonguepeuk." The first child of English descent was born here this year, and named Virginia.

The preparations of the Spanish to invade England with their Invincible Armada; the part taken by Raleigh and Grenville, and the need of their services in the protection of the kingdom; as well as of the armed vessels destined for the relief of the colony, together with the risk of capture by the Spanish; all conspired

to prevent the succours needed by the unfortunate adventurers at Roanoke.

In 1589, Sir Walter sold his patent to Sir Thomas Smith and a company of London merchants; who, the next year, sent three ships to Roanoke. It had been agreed, three years before, when the party were left here, that should they remove, they should mark on some trees, or posts, the name of the place to which they should remove.

The word Croatan was found; the name of an Indian town, about fifty miles distant, on the north side of Cape Look-out: to which place, attempting to sail, the next day, their cables, from the violence of the weather, being parted, and their provisions scanty, they concluded to return to England. No search was afterwards made for the colony, and nothing further was ever heard of them.

In 1602, Bartholomew Gosnold left Falmouth, in a small bark with thirty persons, intending to effect a settlement in the north part of Virginia. He discovered a head land, where he came to anchor; and, having found abundance of cod, he called the cape, Cape Cod. Directing his course to the S. W. in a few days he discovered Nantucket, Buzzard's Bay, Martha's Vineyard, and one of the Elizabeth Islands; which still retains the Indian name of Cuttyhunk; and on which he built a fort and a storehouse; but, from some uneasiness or misfortune, the island was soon abandoned, and the company returned to England.

The accounts given by Gosnold, and subsequently confirmed by others, who visited where he had been, began to inspirit many of the English with a determination again to attempt the so often frustrated plan of a colony in what was still called Virginia.

Sir Walter Raleigh having been accused of high treason, his patent became void. James, who succeeded Elizabeth, granted, in 1606, letters patent to two companies, called the London and the Plymouth Companies; by which they were authorized to possess the territories lying between the 34th and 45th degrees of North latitude: the Southern part to the London, and the Northern to the Plymouth Company; the king himself having undertaken to frame for them a code of laws. Three ships were provided by the London company, on board of which were 105 persons, who were expected to remain at Roanoke, which was the place of their destination. The command of this squadron was given to Captain Christopher Newport, who sailed from London on the 20th Dec. 1606; and, after a tedious and disasterous passage of four months, by the circuitous route of the West Indies, on the 26th of April, discovered Cape Henry, the southern cape of the Chesapeake, a storm having driven him northwardly beyond the place of his destination. Soon after he discovered Cape Charles, and entered the spacious bay of the Chesapeake.

Gratified by the appearance of the country, the company resolved to begin a settlement; and the neighbouring situations were explored. Passing above Old Point Comfort, a party proceeded up a beautiful river, by the Indians called Powhatan, and by the colonists, in honour of James I. called James' River. On a peninsula some way up this river, they determined to commence a settlement, calling the place Jamestown. This was the first British settlement that was not abandoned.

Shortly after the company received supplies from England, and an accession to their numbers, making the whole about two hundred. Two vessels were freighted for England; the one loaded with a yellow and brilliant sand, common in many places of that vicinity, and which the colonists vainly considered as containing a large proportion of gold: the other was laden with cedar.

Among the members of the council, the most active, able, resolute, daring, and persevering, was Capt. John Smith; to whom, more than to any other, the success of the establishment was indebted. Captain Smith having passed a considerable distance into the desert, to explore the Chickahominy river, was taken prisoner

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by a large party of Indians; who determined to put him to death.

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For this purpose, he was confined, and led to the place of execution: his head was placed upon a stone, for the purpose of beating out his brains with clubs. Powhatan, the most powerful Indian chief of that vicinity, at whose palace the execution was to take place, stood over Captain Smith, turning a deaf ear to the pathetic and continued solicitations of his daughter, Pocahontas, then about thirteen years of age.

The entreaties of Pocahontas not prevailing, before the fatal blows were given she fell upon Smith, clasping his neck with her arms, and resting her head upon his. Powhatan relented; and, two days after, sent Smith to Jamestown.

In June, 1608, Captain Smith left Jamestown, in an open boat with thirteen men, for the purpose of exploring the Chesapeake, its creeks, harbours, and rivers; and to open an intercourse with the Indians. During an absence of six weeks he explored the bay on each side as far as the Rappahannock. In a subsequent expedition, he explored the Bay quite up to the Susquehannah, sailing up the principal rivers to a considerable distance.

1609. The destruction of the whole colony was plotted by the Indians; but their intention was rendered abortive by the friendship of Pocahontas towards the English. She, in a very dark night, went to Jamestown, and disclosed to the president the plot of her father. The colony was put on their guard; and Powhatan soon after reconciled.

1610. A famine having reduced the company from five hundred to only sixty, it was resolved to abandon the country, and return to England. For this purpose they had already embarked: but, meeting Lord Delaware, who had, the previous year, been appointed Governor, under a new charter, with one hundred and fifty men and a large supply of provisions, they consented to return and resettle the colony.

Under the administration of Delaware, the affairs of