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six months of this loss he had on foot another enterprise。 His brother's patent had expired。 On the 25th of March; 1584; he obtained from Elizabeth a new charter with larger powers; incorporating himself; Adrian Gilbert; brother of Sir Humphrey; and John Davys; under the title of 〃The College of the Fellowship for the Discovery of the Northwest Passage。〃 But Raleigh's object was colonization。 Within a few days after his charter was issued he despatched two captains; Philip Amadas and Arthur Barlow; who in July of that year took possession of the island of Roanoke。
The name of Sir Walter Raleigh is intimately associated with Carolina and Virginia; and it is the popular impression that he personally assisted in the discovery of the one and the settlement of the other。 But there is no more foundation for the belief that he ever visited the territory of Virginia; of which he was styled governor; than that he accompanied Sir Humphrey Gilbert to Newfoundland。 An allusion by William Strachey; in his 〃Historie of Travaile into Virginia;〃 hastily read; may have misled some writers。 He speaks of an expedition southward; 〃to some parts of Chawonock and the Mangoangs; to search them there left by Sir Walter Raleigh。〃 But his further sketch of the various prior expeditions shows that he meant to speak of settlers left by Sir Ralph Lane and other agents of Raleigh in colonization。 Sir Walter Raleigh never saw any portion of the coast of the United States。
In 1592 he planned an attack upon the Spanish possessions of Panama; but his plans were frustrated。 His only personal expedition to the New World was that to Guana in 1595。
The expedition of Captain Amadas and Captain Barlow is described by Captain Smith in his compilation called the 〃General Historie;〃 and by Mr。 Strachey。 They set sail April 27; 1584; from the Thames。 On the 2d of July they fell with the coast of Florida in shoal water; 〃where they felt a most delicate sweet smell;〃 but saw no land。 Presently land appeared; which they took to be the continent; and coasted along to the northward a hundred and thirty miles before finding a harbor。 Entering the first opening; they landed on what proved to be the Island of Roanoke。 The landing…place was sandy and low; but so productive of grapes or vines overrunning everything; that the very surge of the sea sometimes overflowed them。 The tallest and reddest cedars in the world grew there; with pines; cypresses; and other trees; and in the woods plenty of deer; conies; and fowls in incredible abundance。
After a few days the natives came off in boats to visit them; proper people and civil in their behavior; bringing with them the King's brother; Granganameo (Quangimino; says Strachey)。 The name of the King was Winginia; and of the country Wingandacoa。 The name of this King might have suggested that of Virginia as the title of the new possession; but for the superior claim of the Virgin Queen。 Granganameo was a friendly savage who liked to trade。 The first thing he took a fancy was a pewter dish; and he made a hole through it and hung it about his neck for a breastplate。 The liberal Christians sold it to him for the low price of twenty deer…skins; worth twenty crowns; and they also let him have a copper kettle for fifty skins。 They drove a lively traffic with the savages for much of such 〃truck;〃 and the chief came on board and ate and drank merrily with the strangers。 His wife and children; short of stature but well…formed and bashful; also paid them a visit。 She wore a long coat of leather; with a piece of leather about her loins; around her forehead a band of white coral; and from her ears bracelets of pearls of the bigness of great peas hung down to her middle。 The other women wore pendants of copper; as did the children; five or six in an ear。 The boats of these savages were hollowed trunks of trees。 Nothing could exceed the kindness and trustfulness the Indians exhibited towards their visitors。 They kept them supplied with game and fruits; and when a party made an expedition inland to the residence of Granganameo; his wife (her husband being absent) came running to the river to welcome them; took them to her house and set them before a great fire; took off their clothes and washed them; removed the stockings of some and washed their feet in warm water; set plenty of victual; venison and fish and fruits; before them; and took pains to see all things well ordered for their comfort。 〃More love they could not express to entertain us。〃 It is noted that these savages drank wine while the grape lasted。 The visitors returned all this kindness with suspicion。
They insisted upon retiring to their boats at night instead of lodging in the house; and the good woman; much grieved at their jealousy; sent down to them their half…cooked supper; pots and all; and mats to cover them from the rain in the night; and caused several of her men and thirty women to sit all night on the shore over against them。 〃A more kind; loving people cannot be;〃 say the voyagers。
In September the expedition returned to England; taking specimens of the wealth of the country; and some of the pearls as big as peas; and two natives; Wanchese and Manteo。 The 〃lord proprietary〃 obtained the Queen's permission to name the new lands 〃Virginia;〃 in her honor; and he had a new seal of his arms cut; with the legend; Propria insignia Walteri Ralegh; militis; Domini et Gubernatoris Virginia。
The enticing reports brought back of the fertility of this land; and the amiability of its pearl…decked inhabitants; determined Raleigh at once to establish a colony there; in the hope of the ultimate salvation of the 〃poor seduced infidell〃 who wore the pearls。 A fleet of seven vessels; with one hundred householders; and many things necessary to begin a new state; departed from Plymouth in April; 1585。 Sir Richard Grenville had command of the expedition; and Mr。 Ralph Lane was made governor of the colony; with Philip Amadas for his deputy。 Among the distinguished men who accompanied them were Thomas Hariot; the mathematician; and Thomas Cavendish; the naval discoverer。 The expedition encountered as many fatalities as those that befell Sir Humphrey Gilbert; and Sir Richard was destined also to an early and memorable death。 But the new colony suffered more from its own imprudence and want of harmony than from natural causes。
In August; Grenville left Ralph Lane in charge of the colony and returned to England; capturing a Spanish ship on the way。 The colonists pushed discoveries in various directions; but soon found themselves involved in quarrels with the Indians; whose conduct was less friendly than formerly; a change partly due to the greed of the whites。 In June; when Lane was in fear of a conspiracy which he had discovered against the life of the colony; and it was short of supplies; Sir Francis Drake appeared off Roanoke; returning homeward with his fleet from the sacking of St。 Domingo; Carthagena; and St。 Augustine。 Lane; without waiting for succor from England; persuaded Drake to take him and all the colony back home。 Meantime Raleigh; knowing that the colony would probably need aid; was preparing a fleet of three well appointed ships