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！
port in the entrance of a navigable river。 They shall be prepared against
surprise and attack。 They shall observe 〃whether the river on which you
plant doth spring out of mountains or out of lakes。 If it be out of any
lake the passage to the other sea will be the more easy； and like enough 。
。 。 you shall find some spring which runs the contrary way toward the East
India sea。 〃They must avoid giving offense to the 〃naturals〃must choose a
healthful place for their houses…must guard their shipping。 They are to set
down in black and white for the information of the Council at home all such
matters as directions and distances； the nature of soils and forests and
the various commodities that they may find。 And no man is to return from
Virginia without leave from the Council； and none is to write home any
discouraging letter。 The instructions end； 〃Lastly and chiefly； the way to
prosper and to achieve good success is to make yourselves all of one mind
for the good of your country and your own； and to serve and fear God； the
Giver of all Goodness； for every plantation which our Heavenly Father hath
not planted shall be rooted out。〃
Nor did they lack verses to go by； as their enterprise itself did not lack
poetry。 Michael Drayton wrote for them：
Britons； you stay too long；
Quickly aboard bestow you；
And with a merry gale；
Swell your stretched sail；
With vows as strong
As the winds that blow you。
Your course securely steer；
West and by South forth keep；
Rocks； lee shores nor shoals；
Where Eolus scowls；
You need not fear；
So absolute the deep。
And cheerfully at sea
Success you still entice；
To get the pearl and gold；
And ours to hold
VIRGINIA；
Earth's only paradise！ 。 。 。
And in regions far
Such heroes bring ye forth
As those from whom we came；
And plant our name
Under that star
Not known unto our north。
See the parting upon Thames's side； Englishmen going； English kindred；
friends； and neighbors calling farewell； waving hat and scarf； standing
bare…headed in the gray winter weather！ To Virginiathey are going to
Virginia！ The sails are made upon the Susan Constant； the Goodspeed； and
the Discovery。 The last wherry carries aboard the last adventurer。 The
anchors are weighed。 Down the river the wind bears the ships toward the
sea。 Weather turning against them； they taste long delay in the Downs； but
at last are forth upon the Atlantic。 Hourly the distance grows between
London town and the outgoing folk； between English shores。 and where the
surf breaks on the pale Virginian beaches。 Far awayfar away and long
agoyet the unseen； actual cables hold； and yesterday and today stand
embraced； the lips of the Thames meet the lips of the James； and the breath
of England mingles with the breath of America。
CHAPTER II。 THE ADVENTURERS
What was this Virginia to which they were bound？ In the sixteenth and early
seventeenth centuries the name stood for a huge stretch of littoral；
running southward from lands of long winters and fur…bearing animals to
lands of the canebrake； the fig； the magnolia； the chameleon； and the
mockingbird。 The world had been circumnavigated； Drake had passed up the
western coastand yet cartographers； the learned； and those who took the
word from the learned； strangely visualized the North American mainland as
narrow indeed。 Apparently； they conceived it as a kind of extended Central
America。 The huge rivers puzzled them。 There existed a notion that these
might be estuaries； curling and curving through the land from sea to sea。
IndiaCathayspices and wonders and Orient wealthlay beyond the South
Sea； and the South Sea was but a few days' march from Hatteras or
Chesapeake。 The Virginia familiar to the mind of the time lay extended； and
she was very slender。 Her right hand touched the eastern ocean； and her
left hand touched the western。
Contact and experience soon modified this general notion。 Wider knowledge；
political and economic considerations； practical reasons of all kinds； drew
a different physical form for old Virginia。 Before the seventeenth century
had passed away； they had given to her northern end a baptism of other
names。 To the south she was lopped to make the Carolinas。 Only to the west；
for a long time； she seemed to grow； while like a mirage the South Sea and
Cathay receded into the distance。
This narrative； moving with the three ships from England； and through a
time span of less than a hundred and fifty years； deals with a region of
the western hemisphere a thousand miles in length； several hundred in
breadth； stretching from the Florida line to the northern edge of
Chesapeake Bay； and from the Atlantic to the Appalachians。 Out of this
Virginia there grow in succession the ancient colonies and the modern
States of Virginia； Maryland； South and North Carolina； and Georgia。
But for many a year Virginia itself was the only settlement and the only
name。 This Virginia was a country favored by nature。 Neither too hot nor
too cold； it was rich…soiled and capable of every temperate growth in its
sunniest aspect。 Great rivers drained it； flowing into a great bay； almost
a sea； many…armed as Briareus； affording safe and sheltered harbors。
Slowly； with beauty； the land mounted to the west。 The sun set behind
wooded mountains； long wave…lines raised far back in geologic time。 The
valleys were many and beautiful； watered by sliding streams。 Back to the
east again； below the rolling land； were found the shimmering levels； the
jewel…green marshes； the wide； slow waters； and at last upon the Atlantic
shore the thunder of the rainbow…tinted surf。 Various and pleasing was the
country。 Springs and autumns were long and balmy； the sun shone bright； there
was much blue sky； a rich flora arid fauna。 There were mineral wealth and
water power； and breadth and depth for agriculture。 Such was the Virginia
between the Potomac and the Dan； the Chesapeake and the Alleghanies。
This； and not the gold…bedight slim neighbor of Cathay； was now the lure of
the Susan Constant； the Goodspeed； and the Discovery。 But those aboard；
obsessed by Spanish America； imperfectly knowing the features and distances
of the orb； yet clung to their first vision。 But they knew there would be
forest and Indians。 Tales enough had been told of both！
What has to be imaged is a forest the size of Virginia。 Here and there；
chiefly upon river banks； show small Indian clearings。 Here and there are
natural meadows； and toward the salt water great marshes； the home of
waterfowl。 But all these are little or naught in the whole； faint
adornments sewed upon a shaggy garment； green in summer； flame…hued in
autumn； brown in winter； green and flower…colored in the spring。 Nor was
the forest to any appreciable extent like much Virginian forest of today；
second growth； invaded； hewed down； and renewed； to hear again the sound of
the axe； set afire by a thousand accidents； burning upon its own funeral
pyres； all its primeval glory withered。 The forest of old Virginia was
jocund and powerful； eternally young and eternally old。 The forest was
Despot in the landwas Emperor and Pope。
With the forest went the Indian。 The