The expedition, which set out under these happy auspices, was unfortunate even in its commencement, and ultimately fatal to its brave leader. In a short time the Raleigh returned into harbour, a contagious distemper having broken out on board. Gilbert pursued his voyage; and having reached the Baccalaos, originally discovered by John Cabot and since called Newfoundland, took possession of it and the adjoining coasts in the name of the English queen. The ceremony, although performed in the New World, was, according to the usages of the Old, entirely feudal; the royal charter being first read, and a rod and turf of the soil delivered to the admiral. After a partial survey of the island, and an interview with the natives, whose disposition was gentle and pacific,* they steered towards the south, with the intention of bringing the countries in that quarter under "the compass of the patent." But discontent, mutiny, and disease, broke out in the fleet; the Swallow was sent home with the sick, and soon after the Delight was completely wrecked. The remaining barks were the Golden Hind and Squirrel; the first of forty, the last of ten tons burden. For what reason does not appear, the admiral insisted, against the remonstrances of his officers and crew, in having his flag in the Squirrel. It was a fatal resolution: the weather soon after became dark and lowering, the sailors with characteristic superstition declared they heard strange voices commanding them to leave the helm; fearful shapes were said to glare during the night around the ship, and the apparition of the ominous flame, called by seamen " Castor and Pollux," flitted above the mast.† These portents were the preludes

letter explains this difference. When Sir Humphrey was at Plymouth on the eve of sailing, the queen commands him, we see, to leave his picture with Raleigh. This must allude to a portrait already painted; and of course the golden anchor then sent could not be seen in it. Now he perished on the voyage. The picture at Devonshire House mentioned by Granger, which bears this honourable badge, must therefore have been painted after his death. +Ibid. pp. 156, 158, 159.

* Hakluyt, vol. iii. pp. 151, 153.

to a tremendous storm; and on the 9th of September, at midnight, the little vessel which carried the admiral was swallowed up with all on board, and not a plank of her ever seen again. Sir Humphrey Gilbert was an able and extraordinary man, and deserves the epithet bestowed on him by Campbell, “the father of our plantations,” having been the first to establish a regular method of colonial settlement. When seen for the last time before they were cast away, he was sitting on deck with a book in his hand, and was heard to exclaim, as if encouraging his men, “We are as near to heaven by sea as by land." According to Captain Haies, an eyewitness, he reiterated "the same speech, well beseeming a soldier resolute in Jesus Christ, as I can testify he was.' After this disaster the Golden Hind pursued her homeward voyage, and arrived at Falmouth on the 22d of September 1583.

The melancholy fate of his brother did not deter Raleigh from the prosecution of his schemes. By the study of the Spanish voyages, and his conversations with some skilful mariners of that nation whom he met in Holland and Flanders, he had learnt that the Spanish ships always went into the Gulf of Mexico by St Domingo and Hispaniola, and directed their homeward course by the Havannah and the Gulf of Florida, where they found a continued coast on the west side trending away north, which however they soon lost sight of by standing to the east to make the coast of Spain. Upon these grounds, and for reasons deduced from analogy and a knowledge of the sphere, he concluded there must be a vast extent of land north of the Gulf of Florida, of which he resolved to attempt the discovery.

It is not improbable, also, that during his residence in France he might have become acquainted with the particulars of the voyage of Verazzano, or have seen the charts constructed by that navigator, who had explored the same coast nearly as far south as the latitude of

* Captain Edward Haies' Narrative of the Expedition of Sir Humphrey Gilbert, Hakluyt, vol. iii. pp. 143, 159.

Virginia.* Having fully weighed this project, he laid a memoir before the queen and council, who approved of the undertaking; and in the beginning of 1584 her majesty granted, by her letters patent, all such countries as he should discover in property to himself and his heirs, reserving to the crown the fifth part of the gold or silver ore which might be found. The patent contained ample authority for the defence of the new countries, the transport of settlers, and the exportation of provisions and commodities for their use.

Burleigh was now anxious to retire from public life; and although his royal mistress insisted on his remaining in office, and rallied him with great vivacity on his love of seclusion, Sir Walter, who was in high favour at court, did not deem it prudent, or perhaps was not permitted, to leave the country. He therefore selected for the command of his projected voyage two experienced officers, -Captains Philip Amadis and Arthur Barlow,-to whom

he

gave minute written instructions, and who sailed with two ships, well manned and provisioned, on the 27th of April 1584. On the 10th of May they arrived at the Canaries; after which, keeping a south-easterly course, they made the West Indies, where they remained twelve days; and, departing thence, on the 2d of July found themselves in shoal-water, discerning their approach to the land by the delicious fragrance with which the air

Ramusio, vol. iii. p. 417. In 1582, Hakluyt published a work entitled "Divers Voyages touching the Discovery of America and the Islands adjacent.". It is dedicated to Sir Philip Sidney; and, among other subjects, urges the necessity of an attempt to discover a passage by the north-west to the East Indies. His reasons for the existence of such a passage are, first, the letter of Sebastian Cabot to Ramusio, stating his belief that the northern part of America was divided into islands; and, secondly, "That Master John Verazzano, who had been thrice on that coast, in an old excellent map had so described; which map he gave to Henry the Eighth, and which," says Hakluyt, "is yet in the custody of Mr Lock." It is probable that Raleigh had seen this map, as Hakluyt's book, published in 1582, the very year before his discovery was planned, contains a copy of it.

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was loaded,- as if," to use the words of their letter to Raleigh, we had been in the midst of some delicate garden, abounding with all kind of odoriferous flowers." Arrived upon the coast, and sailing along upwards of 120 miles, they at length found a haven and disembarked. Their first step was to take possession of the country in name of the queen; after which they ascended a neighbouring eminence, and discovered to their surprise that they had not landed on the continent, but on the island of Wokokon, which they found running parallel to nearly the whole coast of North Carolina. The valleys were finely wooded with cedars, around whose trunks wild vines hung in festoons; and the grape seemed so native to the soil, that the clusters covered the ground, and dipt into the sea. For two days no inhabitants were seen; but on the third a canoe with three men approached. One of them was easily prevailed on to come aboard, when the present of a shirt and some trinkets gained his confidence. On returning to his boat he began to fish, and having loaded it heavily, paddled back to the English, and, dividing his cargo into two parts, intimated that one was for the ship and the other for the pinnace.

Next day they received a visit from some canoes, in which were forty or fifty men, amongst whom was Granganimeo, brother to the king of the country. Having first rowed within a short distance, they landed on the beach; and the chief, attended by his suite, who were handsome and athletic persons, fearlessly approached opposite the ship. A long mat was spread for him, on which he sat down; and four of his followers, apparently men of rank, squatted themselves on the corner. Signs were made for the English to come forward; and on doing so Granganimeo desired them to sit down beside him, showing every token of joy and welcome, first striking his own head and breast, and afterwards those of the strangers, as if to express that they were all brethren. Presents were exchanged; and such was the

* Hakluyt, vol. iii. p. 246.

reverence with which these people treated their prince, that whilst he made a long harangue, they remained perfectly still, standing at a distance; even the four chiefs only venturing to communicate their feelings to each other in a whisper. The gifts were received with delight; but on some trinkets being offered to the chiefs, Granganimeo quietly rose up, and taking them away, put them into his own basket, intimating by signs that every thing ought to be given to him, these men being no more than his servants,—a proceeding to which they submitted without a murmur. A traffic was soon opened, in which the English made good profit, by exchanging beads and other trifles for rich furs and skins. On exhibiting their wares, Granganimeo's eye fixed with delight upon a tin dish, for which he conceived the strongest desire. It became his at the price of twenty skins ; and, having pierced a hole in the rim, he hung it round his neck, making signs that it would serve as a breastplate to protect him against the arrows of his enemies.

It was now found that these people were engaged in hostilities with a neighbouring nation, and that the absence of the king was occasioned by severe wounds lately received in battle, of which he lay sick at the chief town, six miles off. His brother, after a few days, again visited the English, attended by his wife and children, came aboard, and partook of a collation, which they seemed to enjoy. Their manners were remarkable for ease and civility. The lady was a handsome little woman, extremely bashful. She wore a leathern mantle, with the fur next her skin, and her hair, which was long and black, was confined in a band of white coral; strings of pearl, as large as peas, hung from her ears, reaching to her middle. Her children had earrings of the same precious material, whilst those of her attendants were of copper. Granganimeo was dressed much in the same fashion as his wife. On his head he wore a broad plate of metal; but, not being permitted to examine it, they were uncertain whether it was copper or gold.

A brisk trade now began with the natives; but no