Under this license, John Cabot, accompanied by his son Sebastian, subsequently celebrated as a daring mariner, left Bristol in the early part of May, 1497, and on the 24th of June, first came in sight of the continent of North America.

On reaching the coast, which is supposed to have been that of Labrador, they found it rocky and sterile, abounding with the white polar bear, and with deer far larger than any they had ever seen before. After satisfying themselves that this cheerless region was inhabited only by savages clothed in the skins of beasts, and armed with the primitive weapons of bows and clubs, the Cabots returned to England with the tidings of their success.

The following year a second expedition was fitted out, the command of which was given to Sebastian Cabot. Being furnished with several small vessels, freighted with such articles of merchandise as were thought best suited for purposes of traffic with an uncivilized people, he again embarked for the newly-discovered land, and after a voyage of several weeks, approached the continent in the latitude of fifty-eight degrees.

Proceeding north, he penetrated that portion of the arctic region since known as Hudson's Bay; when, finding his further progress seriously obstructed by masses of floating ice, he yielded to the loudly-expressed fears of his men, and shaping his course southward, sailed along the shore until

1606.]

EARLY COLONIZATION.

21

he reached the southern limit of Maryland. After having thus ranged the coast through thirty degrees of latitude, his provisions growing short, he sailed for England. It was from these two voyages of John and Sebastian Cabot, that Great Britain acquired the title to nearly the whole continent of North America.

For upward of a century, however, no advantage was derived from the discoveries thus made, beyond the establishment of fisheries off the coast of Newfoundland. The first successful attempt at colonization was made in 1606, when James the First, disregarding all previous patents, granted to two rival associations of adventurers, embodied under the respective titles of the London and Plymouth Companies, permission to settle plantations on any part of the North American continent lying between the thirtyfourth and forty-fifth degree of north latitude.

The settlement of the London, or South Virginia colony, was to be made at any point between Cape Fear and Long Island, while that of the Plymouth, or North Virginia colony, was restricted to the region embraced between Delaware Bay and Halifax.

The following year, three small vessels, bearing one hundred and five colonists, sent out to Virginia by the London Company, entered the Chesapeake Bay, and after exploring the James River, selected a small peninsula, thirty-two

miles from its mouth, where, on the 13th of May, 1607, they laid the foundation of Jamestown. No settlement was made by the Plymouth Company until thirteen years afterward.

Profiting by the discoveries of Cabot, French mariners, from the ports of Brittany and Normandy, sailed early to the coast of Newfoundland, where they shared with the English in the lucrative fisheries of that region.

Desirous of opening a wider field of commerce for his subjects, and, perhaps, emulous of the renown acquired through their discoveries by England and Spain, Francis the First ordered John Verrazzani, a Florentine mariner, to take command of four vessels, and explore the region concerning which so many marvellous stories were circulating throughout Europe.

Three of his vessels, having become separated in a storm, Verrazzani sailed from the island of Madeira on the 17th of June, 1524, with one small caravel, containing fifty men and provisions for eight months. After weathering with great difficulty a fierce tempest, he succeeded, at the end of fifty days, in approaching a low sandy shore, which, from the numerous fires scattered along the coast, he concluded to be thickly inhabited. Running southward fifty leagues without finding a harbour, he turned again toward the north, and anchored in latitude 34°, off the coast of North Carolina. A large concourse of the

1524.]

VERRAZZANI'S VOYAGE.

23

natives immediately collected on the beach, and, encouraged by their evident friendliness, Verraz zani ventured to land for a short time and take à closer survey of the country. Re-embarking, he continued his course to the north, everywhere greeted with signals of welcome by groups of savages gathered admiringly on the shore. Nor were they less humane than hospitable. One of the sailors, in an attempt to swim to them with a few presents, being thrown by a heavy sea half dead upon the beach, was caught up in the arms of the savages, and borne to a place of safety. Soothing his fears by gentle caresses, they kindled a fire to facilitate his recovery, and after drying his clothes, led him with many an affectionate embrace back to the beach. They then retired to an eminence, from whence they kept an anxious watch until they saw him return in safety to the ship.

Proceeding north fifty leagues, Verrazzani anchored off the seaboard of Maryland, and sent twenty men on shore to explore the country. They penetrated inland some six miles, but the natives had fled affrighted deeper into the forest. Hidden in the long grass they found two women and six children. They seized one of the latter to take with them to France, and attempted also to bear off the younger of the women, who was tall of stature and very beautiful; but fearing her outcries would endanger their safety, they released

After this

her, and kidnapped the child only. outrage, so strikingly in contrast with the guileless tenderness exhibited by those who were called barbarians, Verrazzani kept coasting northward until he arrived at Sandy Hook, "a very pleasant place, situate among certain little steep hills, from amidst which there ran down into the sea an exceeding great stream of water, which within the mouth was very deep, and from the sea to the mouth of the same, with the tide-which they found to rise eight feet-any great ship laden might pass up." When they had held a brief conference with the natives by signs, and had sufficiently admired the beautiful bay of New York, which Verrazzani describes as "a most pleasant lake, about three leagues in compass,' the anchor was again weighed, and dropped within the fine semi-circular harbour of Newport, where they met "the goodliest people, and of the fairest conditions," of any they had found in their voyage. They were of noble proportions, some "of the colour of brass, and some inclining to whiteness; black and quick eyed, of sweet and pleasant countenance, imitating much the old fashion."

During the fifteen days they remained at this place, exploring parties, guided by the hospitable savages, often ventured five or six leagues inland, where they found extensive plains, the soil of which was very fertile, and forests "so great and thick that any army, were it never so great, might