友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!阅读过程发现任何错误请告诉我们,谢谢!! 报告错误
飞读中文网 返回本书目录 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 进入书吧 加入书签

the complete writings-3-第44章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



 no other trade to live by。  The wrath of King James was probably never cooled against tobacco; but the expression of it was somewhat tempered when he perceived what a source of revenue it became。

The savages of North America gave early evidence of the possession of imaginative minds; of rare power of invention; and of an amiable desire to make satisfactory replies to the inquiries of their visitors。  They generally told their questioners what they wanted to know; if they could ascertain what sort of information would please them。  If they had known the taste of the sixteenth century for the marvelous they could not have responded more fitly to suit it。  They filled Mr。 Lane and Mr。 Hariot full of tales of a wonderful copper mine on the River Maratock (Roanoke); where the metal was dipped out of the stream in great bowls。  The colonists had great hopes of this river; which Mr: Hariot thought flowed out of the Gulf of Mexico; or very near the South Sea。  The Indians also conveyed to the mind of this sagacious observer the notion that they had a very respectably developed religion; that they believed in one chief god who existed from all eternity; and who made many gods of less degree; that for mankind a woman was first created; who by one of the gods brought forth children; that they believed in the immortality of the soul; and that for good works a soul will be conveyed to bliss in the tabernacles of the gods; and for bad deeds to pokogusso; a great pit in the furthest part of the world; where the sun sets; and where they burn continually。  The Indians knew this because two men lately dead had revived and come back to tell them of the other world。  These stories; and many others of like kind; the Indians told of themselves; and they further pleased Mr。 Hariot by kissing his Bible and rubbing it all over their bodies; notwithstanding he told them there was no virtue in the material book itself; only in its doctrines。  We must do Mr。 Hariot the justice to say; however; that he had some little suspicion of the 〃subtiltie〃 of the weroances (chiefs) and the priests。

Raleigh was not easily discouraged; he was determined to plant his colony; and to send relief to the handful of men that Grenville had left on Roanoke Island。  In May; 1587; he sent out three ships and a hundred and fifty householders; under command of Mr。 John White; who was appointed Governor of the colony; with twelve assistants as a Council; who were incorporated under the name of 〃The Governor and Assistants of the City of Ralegh in Virginia;〃 with instructions to change their settlement to Chesapeake Bay。  The expedition found there no one of the colony (whether it was fifty or fifteen the writers disagree); nothing but the bones of one man where the plantation had been; the houses were unhurt; but overgrown with weeds; and the fort was defaced。  Captain Stafford; with twenty men; went to Croatan to seek the lost colonists。  He heard that the fifty had been set upon by three hundred Indians; and; after a sharp skirmish and the loss of one man; had taken boats and gone to a small island near Hatorask; and afterwards had departed no one knew whither。

Mr。 White sent a band to take revenge upon the Indians who were suspected of their murder through treachery; which was guided by Mateo; the friendly Indian; who had returned with the expedition from England。  By a mistake they attacked a friendly tribe。  In August of this year Mateo was Christianized; and baptized under the title of Lord of Roanoke and Dassomonpeake; as a reward for his fidelity。  The same month Elinor; the daughter of the Govemor; the wife of Ananias Dare; gave birth to a daughter; the first white child born in this part of the continent; who was named Virginia。

Before long a dispute arose between the Governor and his Council as to the proper person to return to England for supplies。  White himself was finally prevailed upon to go; and he departed; leaving about a hundred settlers on one of the islands of Hatorask to form a plantation。

The Spanish invasion and the Armada distracted the attention of Europe about this time; and the hope of plunder from Spanish vessels was more attractive than the colonization of America。  It was not until 1590 that Raleigh was able to despatch vessels to the relief of the Hatorask colony; and then it was too late。  White did; indeed; start out from Biddeford in April; 1588; with two vessels; but the temptation to chase prizes was too strong for him; and he went on a cruise of his own; and left the colony to its destruction。

In March; 1589…90; Mr。 White was again sent out; with three ships; from Plymouth; and reached the coast in August。  Sailing by Croatan they went to Hatorask; where they descried a smoke in the place they had left the colony in 1587。  Going ashore next day; they found no man; nor sign that any had been there lately。  Preparing to go to Roanoke next day; a boat was upset and Captain Spicer and six of the crew were drowned。  This accident so discouraged the sailors that they could hardly be persuaded to enter on the search for the colony。 At last two boats; with nineteen men; set out for Hatorask; and landed at that part of Roanoke where the colony had been left。  When White left the colony three years before; the men had talked of going fifty miles into the mainland; and had agreed to leave some sign of their departure。  The searchers found not a man of the colony; their houses were taken down; and a strong palisade had been built。  All about were relics of goods that had been buried and dug up again and scattered; and on a post was carved the name 〃CROATAN。〃  This signal; which was accompanied by no sign of distress; gave White hope that he should find his comrades at Croatan。  But one mischance or another happening; his provisions being short; the expedition decided to run down to the West Indies and 〃refresh〃 (chiefly with a little Spanish plunder); and return in the spring and seek their countrymen; but instead they sailed for England and never went to Croatan。  The men of the abandoned colonies were never again heard of。  Years after; in 1602; Raleigh bought a bark and sent it; under the charge of Samuel Mace; a mariner who had been twice to Virginia; to go in search of the survivors of White's colony。  Mace spent a month lounging about the Hatorask coast and trading with the natives; but did not land on Croatan; or at any place where the lost colony might be expected to be found; but having taken on board some sassafras; which at that time brought a good price in England; and some other barks which were supposed to be valuable; he basely shirked the errand on which he was hired to go; and took himself and his spicy woods home。

The 〃Lost Colony〃 of White is one of the romances of the New World。 Governor White no doubt had the feelings of a parent; but he did not allow them to interfere with his more public duties to go in search of Spanish prizes。  If the lost colony had gone to Croatan; it was probable that Ananias Dare and his wife; the Governor's daughter; and the little Virginia Dare; were with them。  But White; as we have seen; had such confidence in Providence that he left his dear relatives to its care; and made no attempt t
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0
未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!