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                               A BOOK OF
                          AMERICAN EXPLORERS




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  Illustration:   COLUMBUS AT THE MOUTH OF THE ORINOCO.




                         Young Folks’ Series.


                               A BOOK OF
                          AMERICAN EXPLORERS


                                  BY
                      THOMAS WENTWORTH HIGGINSON
      AUTHOR OF “YOUNG FOLKS’ HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES,” ETC.


                                BOSTON
                            LEE AND SHEPARD
                                 1877


                              COPYRIGHT.
                      THOMAS WENTWORTH HIGGINSON.
                                 1877.


                     _Electrotyped and Printed by
                       Rand, Avery, and Company,
                         117 Franklin Street,
                               Boston._




                             _DEDICATION._


                                  TO
                        GEORGE BARRELL EMERSON,


        WITHOUT WHOSE COUNSEL AND WHOSE EFFICIENT KINDNESS THIS
          HISTORICAL SERIES WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN UNDERTAKEN,


                              THIS VOLUME


                  IS RESPECTFULLY AND AFFECTIONATELY


                              INSCRIBED.




                               PREFACE.


IT has always seemed to me that the narratives of the early discoverers
and explorers of the American coast were as interesting as “Robinson
Crusoe,” and were, indeed, very much like it. This has led me to make a
series of extracts from these narratives, selecting what appeared to me
the most interesting parts, and altering only the spelling. The grammar
is not always correct; but it would be impossible to alter that without
changing the style of writing too much: so it has not been changed at
all. Wherever it has seemed necessary, I have put a word of my own in
brackets [thus]; but all else is the very language of the old writers,
or their translators. Whenever any thing has been omitted, great or
small, the place is marked by dots.... Some of the hardest words have
been explained by footnotes.

One great thing which I have wished my readers to learn is the charm of
an original narrative. We should all rather hear a shipwreck described
by a sailor who was on board the ship than to read the best account of
it afterwards prepared by the most skilful writer. What I most desire
is, that those who have here acquired a taste for these old stories
should turn to the books from which the extracts are taken, and follow
up the study for themselves. Then they can go with renewed interest to
the pages of Bancroft and Parkman, or at least to my own “Young Folks’
History,” for the thread on which these quaint narratives may be strung.

The explorers of various nations are represented in this book.
There are Northmen, Italians, Englishmen, Frenchmen, Spaniards, and
Dutchmen. Where the original narrative was in some foreign language,
that translation has been chosen which gives most of the spirit of the
original; and Mr. Cabot’s versions of the Norse legends were especially
selected for this reason. It seemed proper to begin the book with these;
and it is brought down to the time when the Virginia and Massachusetts
colonies, with that of the New Netherlands, were fairly planted on the
American shore.

Possibly, at some future time, I may recommence with the Massachusetts
colonies, and tell their story, down to the Revolution; either in a
book of extracts, like this, or in my own words.

                                                              T. W. H.
NEWPORT, R.I., March 1, 1877.




                          TABLE OF CONTENTS.


     I. THE LEGENDS OF THE NORTHMEN (985‒1008)
         1. How the Northmen discovered North America
         2. The Voyage of Leif the Lucky
         3. Leif finds Vines, and goes back to Greenland
         4. Thorvald, Leif’s Brother, goes to Vinland
         5. Karlsefni’s Adventures

    II. COLUMBUS AND HIS COMPANIONS (1492‒1503)
         1. The First Letter from Columbus
         2. The Second Voyage of Columbus
         3. Columbus reaches the Mainland
         4. Columbus at the Mouth of the Orinoco
         5. Columbus thinks himself near the Earthly Paradise
         6. Daring Deed of Diego Mendez
         7. How Diego Mendez got Food for Columbus
         8. How Diego Mendez saved Columbus
         9. Appeal of Columbus in his Old Age

   III. CABOT AND VERRAZZANO (1497‒1524)
         1. First News of John and Sebastian Cabot
         2. Sebastian Cabot’s Voyage
         3. Verrazzano’s Letter to the King

    IV. THE STRANGE VOYAGE OF CABEZA DE VACA (1528‒1533)
         1. The Strange Voyage
         2. Cabeza de Vaca saved by Indians
         3. Cabeza de Vaca’s Captivity
         4. The Indians of the Gulf of Mexico
         5. Cabeza de Vaca’s Escape

     V. THE FRENCH IN CANADA (1534‒1536)
         1. Cartier’s Visit to Bay of Chaleur
         2. Cartier sets up a Cross
         3. Cartier ascends the St. Lawrence
         4. How the Indians tried to frighten Cartier
         5. How Cartier reached Hochelaga, now Montreal
         6. The Festivities at Hochelaga

    VI. ADVENTURES OF DE SOTO (1538‒1542)
         1. How De Soto set sail
         2. De Soto attacks the Indians, and finds a Fellow
              Countryman
         3. The Story of John Ortiz
         4. De Soto discovers the Mississippi
         5. De Soto’s Vain Attempts to reach the Sea
         6. Death and Burial of De Soto

   VII. THE FRENCH IN FLORIDA (1562‒1565)
         1. Jean Ribaut in Florida
         2. Alone in the New World
         3. Laudonnière’s Search for the Colonists
         4. Capture of Fort Caroline by the Spaniards

  VIII. SIR HUMPHREY GILBERT (1583)

    IX. THE LOST COLONIES OF VIRGINIA (1584‒1590)
         1. The First Voyage to Virginia
         2. Visit to an Indian Princess
         3. Adventures of the First Virginia Colony
         4. The Second English Colony in Virginia
         5. Search for the Lost Colony

     X. UNSUCCESSFUL NEW ENGLAND SETTLEMENTS (1602‒1607)
         1. Gosnold’s Fort at Cuttyhunk
         2. Captain Waymouth explores the Penobscot
         3. The Popham Colony on the Kennebec
         4. Captain Gilbert’s Adventure with Indians

    XI. CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH (1606‒1631)
         1. The Virginia Colony
         2. The Colonists
         3. Captain Smith’s Capture by Indians
         4. Captain Smith and Pocahontas
         5. King Powhatan
         6. A Virginia Princess
         7. An Indian Dance in Virginia
         8. Indian Children
         9. “The Planter’s Pleasure and Profit”
        10. The Glories of Fishing
        11. Visit of Pocahontas to London
        12. First Buildings of the Virginia Colonists
        13. Captain Smith’s Recollections

   XII. CHAMPLAIN ON THE WAR-PATH (1609)

  XIII. HENRY HUDSON AND THE NEW NETHERLANDS (1609‒1626)
         1. Discovery of the Hudson River
         2. Indian Traditions of Hudson’s Arrival
         3. Hudson’s Last Voyage, and how he was set adrift in
              the Ice
         4. Dutch Settlement of the New Netherlands

   XIV. THE PILGRIMS AT PLYMOUTH (1620‒1621)
         1. Sailing of the Pilgrims
         2. Miles Standish at Cape Cod
         3. The First Encounter
         4. The Landing on Plymouth Rock
         5. Plymouth Village founded
         6. “Welcome, Englishmen!”

    XV. THE MASSACHUSETTS BAY COLONY (1629‒1631)
         1. Voyage of the Massachusetts Colonists
         2. The Puritans in Salem Harbor
         3. The Four Elements in New England
         4. A Sea-Adventure of the Puritans
         5. Governor Winthrop’s Night out of Doors
         6. The Privations of the Puritans




                        LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.


            DESIGNED AND ENGRAVED UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF
                           GEORGE T. ANDREW.

   1. Columbus at the Mouth of the Orinoco
   2. A Norse Ship
   3. Esquimau Boat
   4. Dutch Man-of-War
   5. Reception of Columbus by Ferdinand and Isabella
   6. Fleet of Columbus
   7. Ship of the Fifteenth Century
   8. Portrait of Verrazzano
   9. Verrazzano in Newport Harbor
  10. Indians making Canoes
  11. Cabeza de Vaca building the Boat
  12. Portrait of Jacques Cartier
  13. Cartier raising a Cross on the St. Charles River
  14. Indians trying to frighten Cartier
  15. Portrait of De Soto
  16. Landing of De Soto
  17. Burial of De Soto
  18. Indians in Canoe
  19. Ribaut’s Pillar decorated by Indians
  20. Fort Caroline
  21. Portrait of Menendez
  22. Indian Village in Virginia
  23. Baptism of First Child in Virginia
  24. The Explorers looking at the Tree
  25. Palisaded Town
  26. Gosnold’s Fort
  27. Captain Weymouth sailing up the Penobscot
  28. Portrait of James I.
  29. Old Print of Smith’s Capture
  30. Facsimile Illustration of Pocahontas saving the Life of Smith
  31. Indian Dance
  32. Cod-Fishing
  33. Portrait of Pocahontas
  34. Portrait of Champlain
  35. Champlain on the War-Path
  36. Hudson in the Highlands
  37. Indians on Board “The Half-Moon”
  38. Settlement on the Hudson River
  39. Delph’s Haven
  40. “The Mayflower” in Provincetown
  41. Portrait of Governor Winslow
  42. Sword of Standish
  43. Sunday on Clark’s Island
  44. Landing of Mary Chilton
  45. Meeting of Captain Standish and Massasoit
  46. Governor Carver’s Chair
  47. Portrait of Francis Higginson
  48. Governor Endicott
  49. First Church in Salem
  50. Old Planter’s House at Salem
  51. Portrait of Governor Winthrop
  52. Famine among the Pilgrims




                                BOOK I.

                     THE LEGENDS OF THE NORTHMEN.
                           (A.D. 985‒1008.)


  THESE extracts are taken from two Icelandic works called _Tháttr
  Eireks Rauda_ (the piece about Eirek the Red) and _Graenlendinga
  Thátt_ (the piece about the Greenlanders). These passages were
  translated by J. Elliot Cabot, Esq., and were published in “The
  Massachusetts Quarterly Review” for March, 1849.

  It is now the general belief of historians, that these legends
  are mainly correct; and that the region described as Vinland
  was a part of the North-American Continent. Beyond this we do
  not know. The poet Whittier has written thus of these early
  explorers, in his poem called “The Norsemen:”――

           “What sea-worn barks are those which throw
            The light spray from each rushing prow?
            Have they not in the North Sea’s blast
            Bowed to the waves the straining mast?
            Their frozen sails the low, pale sun
            Of Thule’s night has shone upon;
            Flapped by the sea-wind’s gusty sweep,
            Round icy drift and headland steep.
            Wild Jutland’s wives and Lochlin’s daughters
            Have watched them fading o’er the waters,
            Lessening through driving mist and spray,
            Like white-winged sea-birds on their way.

            Onward they glide; and now I view
            Their iron-armed and stalwart crew:
            Joy glistens in each wild blue eye
            Turned to green earth and summer sky:
            Each broad, seamed breast has cast aside
            Its cumbering vest of shaggy hide:
            Bared to the sun, and soft warm air,
            Streams back the Norseman’s yellow hair.
            I see the gleam of axe and spear;
            The sound of smitten shields I hear,
            Keeping a harsh and fitting time
            To Saga’s chant and Runic rhyme.”




                     THE LEGENDS OF THE NORTHMEN.




            I.――HOW THE NORTHMEN DISCOVERED NORTH AMERICA.


  [About the year 860, a Danish sailor named Gardar was driven
  upon the shores of Iceland, after which that island was settled
  by a colony from Norway. About a hundred years later, Greenland
  was settled from Iceland; Eirek the Red being the first to make
  the voyage. With him went one Heriulf, whose son Biarni had been
  in the habit of passing every other winter with his father, and
  then sailing on distant voyages. Then happened what follows.]

THAT same summer (985 or 986) came Biarni with his ship to Eyrar
(Iceland), in the spring of which his father had sailed from the island.
These tidings seemed to Biarni weighty, and he would not unload his
ship. Then asked his sailors[1] what he meant to do. He answered, that
he meant to hold to his wont,[2] and winter with his father; “and I
will bear for Greenland, if you will follow me thither.” All said they
would do as he wished. Then said Biarni, “Imprudent they will think our
voyage, since none of us has been in the Greenland Sea.”

  Illustration:   A NORSE SHIP.

Yet they bore out to sea as soon as they were bound,[3] and sailed
three days, till the land was sunk.[4] Then the fair wind fell off, and
there arose north winds and fogs, and they knew not whither they fared;
and so it went for many days. After that, they saw the sun, and could
then get their bearings. Then they hoisted sail, and sailed that day
before they saw land; and they counselled with themselves what land
that might be. But Biarni said he thought it could not be Greenland.
They asked him whether he would sail to the land, or not. “This is my
counsel, to sail nigh to the land,” said he. And so they did, and soon
saw that the land was without fells,[5] and wooded, and small heights
on the land; and they left the land to larboard, and let the foot of
the sail look towards land.[6] After that, they sailed two days before
they saw another land. They asked if Biarni thought this was Greenland.
He said he thought it no more Greenland than the first; “for the
glaciers are very huge, as they say, in Greenland.” They soon neared
the land, and saw that it was flat land, and overgrown with wood.[7]
Then the fair wind fell. Then the sailors said that it seemed prudent
to them to land there; but Bi