The history and present state of VIrginia

BOOK I. CHAP. I

Shewing what happen'd in the first Attempts to settle Virginia, before the Discovery of Chesapeak Bay.

§.1. THE Learned and Valiant Sir Walter Raleigh having entertain'd some deeper and more serious Considerations upon the State of the Earth, than most other Men of his Time, as may sufficiently appear by his incomparable Book, The History of the World: And having laid together the many Stories then in Europe concerning America; the Native Beauty, Riches, and Value of this Part of the World; and the immense Profits the Spaniards drew from a small Settlement or two thereon made; resolv'd upon an Adventure for further Discoveries.

According to this Purpose, in the Year of our Lord, 1583, He got several Men of great Value and Estate to join with him in an Expedition of this Nature: And for their Incouragement obtain'd Letters Patents from Queen Elizabeth, bearing date the 25th of March, 1584, for turning their Discoveries to their own Advantage.

§. 2. In April following they set out Two small Vessels under the Command of Capt. Philip Amidas, and Capt. Arthur Barlow; who, after a prosperons Voyage, anchor'd at the Inlet by Roenoke, at present under the Government of North Carolina. They made good Profit of the Indian Truck, which they bought for Things of much inferior Value, and return'd. Being over-pleased with their Profits, and finding all Things there entirely new, and surprizing; they gave a very advantageous Account of Matters; by representing the Country so delightful, and desirable; so pleasant, and plentiful; the Climate, and Air, so temperate, sweet, and wholsome; the Woods, and Soil, so charming, and fruitful; and all other Things so agreeable, that Paradice it self seem'd to be there, in its first Native Lustre.

They gave particular Accounts of the Variety of good Fruits, and some whereof they had never seen the Like before; but above all, that there were Grapes in such abundance, as was never known in the World: Stately tall large Oaks, and other Timber; Red Cedar, Cypress, Pines, and other Evergreens, and Sweetwoods; for tallness and largeness exceeding all they had ever heard of: Wild Fowl, Fish, Deer, and other Game in such Plenty, and Variety; that no Epicure could desire more than this New World did seem naturally to afford.

And, to make it yet more desirable, they reported the Native Indians (which were then the only Inhabitants) so affable, kind, and good-natur'd; so uncultivated in Learning, Trades, and Fashions; so innocent, and ignorant of all manner of Politicks, Tricks, and Cunning; and so desirous of the Company of the English: That they seem'd rather to be like soft Wax, ready to take any Impression, than any ways likely to oppose the Settling of the English near them: They represented it as a Scene laid open for the good and gracious Q. Elizabeth, to propagate the Gospel in, and extend her Dominions over: As if purposely reserv'd for her Majesty, by a peculiar Direction of Providence, that had brought all former Adventures in this Affair to nothing: And to give a further Taste of their Discovery, they took with them, in their Return for England, Two Men of the Native Indians, named Wanchese and Manteo.

§. 3. Her Majesty accordingly took the Hint, and espoused the Project, as far as her present Engagements in War with Spain would let her; being so well pleased with the Account given, that as the greatest Mark of Honour she could do the Discovery, she call'd the Country by the Name of Virginia; as well, for that it was first discover'd in her Reign, a Virgin Queen; as that it did still seem to retain the Virgin Purity and Plenty of the first Creation, and the People their Primitive Innocence: For they seem'd not debauch'd nor corrupted with those Pomps and Vanities, which had depraved and inslaved the Rest of Mankind; neither were their Hands harden'd by Labour, nor their Minds corrupted by the Desire of hoarding up Treasure: They were without Boundaries to their Land; and without Property in Cattle; and seem'd to have escaped, or rather not to have been concern'd in the first Curse, Of getting their Bread by the Sweat of their Brows: For, by their Pleasure alone, they supplied all their Necessities; namely, by Fishing, Fowling and Hunting; Skins being their only Cloathing; and these too, Five Sixths of the Year thrown by: Living without Labour, and only gathering the Fruits of the Earth when ripe, or fit for use: Neither fearing present Want, nor solicitous for the Future, but daily finding sufficient afresh for their Subsistance.

§4. This Report was back'd, nay much advanc'd, by the vast Riches and Treasure mention'd in several Merchants Letters from Mexico and Peru, to their Correspondents in Spain; which Letters were taken with their Ships and Treasure, by some of ours in her Majesty's Service, in Prosecution of the Spanish Wars: This was Incouragement enough for a new Adventure, and set Peoples Invention at work, till they had satisfied themselves, and made sufficient Essays for the further Discovery of the Country. Pursuant whereunto Sir Richard Greenvile, the Chief of Sir Walter Raleigh 's Associates, having obtain'd Seven Sail of Ships, well laden with Provision, Arms, Ammunition, and spare Men to make a Settlement, set out in Person with them early in the Spring of the succeeding Year, to make further Discoveries, taking back the Two Indians with him; and according to his Wish, in the latter End of May, arriv'd at the same Place, where the English had been the Year before; there he made a Settlement, sow'd Beans and Peas, which he saw come up and grow to Admiration while he staid, which was about Two Months; and having made some little Discoveries more in the Sound to the Southward, and got some Treasure in Skins, Furs, Pearl, and other Rarities of the Country, for Things of inconsiderable Value, he return'd for England, leaving One Hundred and Eight Men upon Roenoke Island, under the Command of Mr. Ralph Lane, to keep Possession.

§. 5. As soon as Sir Richard Greenvile was gone, they, according to Order and their own Inclination, set themselves earnestly about discovering the Country, and ranged about a little too indiscreetly up the Rivers, and into the Land backward from the Rivers, which gave the Indians a Jealousie of their Meaning: For they cut off several Straglers of them, and had laid Designs to destroy the rest, but were happily prevented. This put the English upon the Precaution of keeping more within Bounds, and not venturing themselves too defenceless Abroad, who till then had depended too much upon the Natives Simplicity and Innocence.

After the Indians had done this Mischief, they never observ'd any real Faith towards those English: For being naturally suspicious and revengeful themselves, they never thought the English could forgive them; and so by this Jealousie, caus'd by the Cowardize of their Nature, they were continually doing Mischief.

The English, notwithstanding all this, continued their Discoveries, but more carefully than they had done before, and kept the Indians in some Awe, by threatning them with the Return of their Companions again with a greater Supply of Men and Goods: And, before the Cold of the Winter became uneasie, they had extended their Discoveries near an Hundred Miles along the Sea-Coast to the Northward; but not reaching the Southern Cape of Chesapeak Bay in Virginia, they had as yet found no good Harbour.

 

Olaudah Equiano