seht Henry Challons, in a ship of fifty tons, tô make farther discovery of the coasts of North Virginia; and, if it should appear expedient, to leave as many men, as lie could spare, in the country. On his passage however from the Weft India isl ands toward the American coast, he and his crew, Nov. 12. consisting of about thirty persons, were taken by a Istiken, Spanish fleet, and carried into Spain, where his vesinto Spain. sel was confiscated."

and carried

Although this misfortune considerably damped the courage of the first adventurers; yet the lord chief justice Popham having immediately after the departure of Challons sent out another ship, under the command of Thomas Hanam, whose business was not so much to plant, as to make discovery in order to planting; the account, given of the country on the return of this ship, was so favourable, that the people of England were encouraged, and the year after came more boldly forward, as adventurers."

1607.

This is the remarkable æra of the arrival of the first permanent colony on the Virginian coast. On the reception of the patent from king James, several persons of consequence in the English nation undertook the arduous task of planting the Southern Colony. Having chosen a treasurer, and appointed other officers, they provided a fleet of three ships, to transport the emigrants, one hundred in number, to Virginia. The charge of this

I Purchas, v. 1827, 1832-1837, where there is an entire account of this voyage. See also Prince, 18. Chalmers, i. 79: Univ. Hist. xxxix. 270. Josselyn Voy. 244. Harris Voy. i. 851. Brit. Emp. I. 255. 2 Purchas, v. 1827. Harris Voy. i. 851. Prince [19] says, that Martin Prinn was in this voyage with Hanam; that they had supplies for Challons, but, not finding him, returned to England; and that Sir F. Gorges said, Prinn brought the most exact account of the Virginian coast, that ever came to his hand. He is generally named Pring. See A. D. 16033 Most of their names arc preserved in Smith Virg. 43, 44

embarkation was committed to Christopher New- 1607. port, already famous for his skill in the western navigation, who sailed from the Thames on the twentieth of December the preceding year, carrying with him the royal instructions, and the names of the intended colonial council, carefully concealed in a box. "To this singular policy," says Chalmers, "may be attributed the dissensions which soon commenced among the leaders, and which continued to distract them during a voyage long and dis

astrous."

enters

the first

It was the intention of Newport to land at Roa- April 26. noke; but, being driven by a violent storm to the Newport northward of that place, he stood directly into the Chesepeak spacious Bay of Chesepeak, which seemed to invite Bay with his entrance. The promontory on the south of the permanent bay he named Cape Henry, in honour of the Prince Virginian of Wales; and that on the north, Cape Charles, colony. in honour of the Duke of York, afterward king Charles First of England. Thirty men, going on shore at Cape Henry for recreation, were suddenly assaulted by five Indians, who wounded two of them very dangerously. At night the box was Box conopened, and the orders were read, in which Bar- taining the tholomew Gosnold, John Smith, Edward Wing-structions field, Christopher Newport, John Ratcliffe, John opened. Martin, and George Kendall, were named to be of the council, and to choose from their number a president for a year, who, with the council, should govern the colony. The adventurers were employed in seeking a place for settlement until the thirteenth of May, when they took possession of a pe- May 13. ninsula on the north side of the river Powhatan, Take poss called by the English James River, about forty peninsula

royal in

ession of a

on Powha

1 Chalmers, i. 17. Smith Virg. 41. Purchas, i. 756; v. 1685. He tan rivers followed the old course by the West Indies; which accounts for the interval of four months from his embarkation to his arrival off the Ameti can coast. Robertson, book is. 60.

prepare to

mulgated.

Wingfield

1607. miles from its mouth. To make room for their projected town, they here began to cut down the where they trees of the forest, which had for centuries afforded build a shelter and food to the natives, The code of laws, town. hitherto cautiously concealed, was at length promulgated. Affairs of moment were to be examinLaws pro ed by a jury, but determined by the major part of the council, in which the president was to have two voices. The council was sworn; Wingfield was chosen chosen president; and "now commenced the rule president of the most ancient administration of Virginia, consisting of seven persons, and forming a pure aristocracy. "The members of the council, while they adhered to their orders in the choice of their president, on the most frivolous pretences excluded from a seat among them, Smith, famous in colonial annals, though nominated by the same instrument, from which they derived their authority. Animosities arose, Appeased in a degree at length by the prudent exhortations of Mr. Hunt, their chaplain, Smith was admitted into the council; and, receiving the communion the next day, they all turned their undivided attention to the government of a colony, "feeble in numbers and enterprise, which was thus planted in discord, and grew up in misery." honour of king James, they called the town, which med James they now built, James Town. This was the first permanent habitation of the English in America.

Town na

Town.

In

Newport and Smith, sent with twenty men, to discover the head of the river Powhatan, arrived in six days at a town of the same name, consisting of about twelve houses, the principal and hereditary seat of Powhatan, emperor of the country. AÌ. though they received kind treatment throughout this excursion; yet, on their return to James Town, they found seventeen men hurt, and a boy slain, by

1 Chalmers. 2 lbid. i. 17-19.

3 Pleasantly situated on a hill, a little below the spot where Richman is now built. Belknap Biog. i. 256.

1607.

the Indians. To guard against frequent and sudden assaults and ambuscades, the fort was now palisadoed; the ordnance was mounted; and the men were armed and exercised. On the fifteenth of June 15. June the Indians voluntarily sued for peace; and Indians sue Newport set sail for England, leaving one hundred for peace. men, with provisions, arms, ammunition, and other necessaries for a settlement.'

Ordinance

number

commissi

oners,

On the prayer of the colonists, king James is- March. sued an ordinance for enlarging the number and for enlargauthority of his commissioners for directing the af- ing the fairs of the colonies. Encouraged by favourable and authoreports, and invigorated by this increase of power, rity of the Virginian treasurer and council in England exerted themselves with laudable diligence, to transmit proper supplies to the plantation. Captain Nelson was sent to James Town with an additional supply of men; and, before the close of the year, Newport arrived with seventy more, making two Virginian hundred in all the colony. These accessions con- colony sisted of many gentlemen, a few labourers, several refiners, goldsmiths and jewellers. “The various denominations of these men," says Chalmers, "evince the views of the whole." The ships were at length sent back; the one, loaded by the miners with a glittering earth, which, they vainly hop ed, contained golden metal; the other, loaded with cedar. These are recorded as the first Virginian products, as constituting the first remittance, and mittance to as indicating the earliest pursuits of an infant England. people.'

increased.

First re

en prison

Smith, while attempting to discover the head of Smith tak Chickahominy river, was taken prisoner twenty er by the miles in the desert, by a party of two hundred In- Indians. dians, who tied him to a tree with the intention of

I Stith, 46, 47. Other authorities for this and the preceding articles are, Purchas, i. 756, 757; v. 1706, 1707; Smith Virg. 43-45; Keith, 59; Neal N. Eng. i. 18.

2 Smith Virg. 54. Purchas, v. 1709. Chalmers, i. 21. Prince, 24, 26.

before Pow

Indian king.

1607. shooting him to death. Already had they assem bled around him with their deadly weapons; but Opechancanough, a brother of Powhatan, and commander of the party, holding up a compass, that Smith had given him, they all instantly laid down their bows and arrows. Having conducted their prisoner in triumph to numerous Indian tribes,* Brought they at length brought him to Werowocomoco, hatan the where Powhatan then resided in barbarian state, with a strong guard of Indians around him. When the prisoner entered the apartment of the sovereign, all the people gave a shout. The queen of Appamatuck was appointed to bring him water, to wash his hands; and another person brought a bunch of feathers, instead of a towel, to dry them. Having feasted him in their best manner, they held a long consultation, at the conclusion of which, two great stones were brought before Powhatan. As many of the Indians, as could, laying hands on the devoted prisoner, dragged him to the stones, and placed his head on them, with the intention of beating out his brains with clubs. At this moment Pocahontas,

His life saved by Pocahontas the king's daughter.

3

1 "Their order was this: drawing themselves all in file, the King in the midst had all their peeces and swords borne before him: Captaine Smith was led after him by three great lubbers, holding him fast; on each side went six in file, with their arrows nocked." Smith Virg. 47. Purchas, v. 1708,

:

2 Above 200 of "his courtiers stood wondering" at the prisoner, " until Powhatan and his train had put themselves in their greatest bravery. Before a fire he sat on a seate like a bedsted, covered with a great robe of Rarowcun [racoon] skinnes, all the tailes hanging by on each hand did sit a young wench of sixteene or eighteene yeeres of age; along on each side the house two rowes of men, and behind them as many women, with all their heads and shoulders painted red, many of their heads bedecked with the white downe of birds, every one adorned with something; a great chaine also of white beades about their neckes." Purchas. Powhatan was ordinarily attended by a guard of 40 or 50 of the tallest men in his country. "Every night upon the foure quarters of his house (says Smith) are four sentinels, each standing from other a flight shoot, and at every halfe houre one from the corps du guard doth hollow, shaking his lips with his finger betweene them, unto whom every sentinel doth answer round from his stand: if any fails, they.presently send forth an officer that beateth him extreamely." General Hist. Virg. 37.

3 Smith" thought, they intended to fat and eat him."