Smith describes with considerable particularity the coast, giving the
names of the Indian tribes, and cataloguing the native productions,
vegetable and animal. He bestows his favorite names liberally upon
points and islands--few of which were accepted. Cape Ann he called from
his charming Turkish benefactor, “Cape Tragabigzanda”; the three islands
in front of it, the “Three Turks' Heads”; and the Isles of Shoals he
simply describes: “Smyth's Isles are a heape together, none neare them,
against Acconimticus.” Cape Cod, which appears upon all the maps before
Smith's visit as “Sandy” cape, he says “is only a headland of high hills
of sand, overgrown with shrubbie pines, hurts [whorts, whortleberries]
and such trash; but an excellent harbor for all weathers. This Cape is
made by the maine Sea on the one side, and a great bay on the other in
the form of a sickle.”
A large portion of this treatise on New England is devoted to an
argument to induce the English to found a permanent colony there, of
which Smith shows that he would be the proper leader. The main staple
for the present would be fish, and he shows how Holland has become
powerful by her fisheries and the training of hardy sailors. The fishery
would support a colony until it had obtained a good foothold, and
control of these fisheries would bring more profit to England than any
other occupation. There are other reasons than gain that should induce
in England the large ambition of founding a great state, reasons of
religion and humanity, erecting towns, peopling countries, informing the
ignorant, reforming things unjust, teaching virtue, finding employment
for the idle, and giving to the mother country a kingdom to attend her.
But he does not expect the English to indulge in such noble ambitions
unless he can show a profit in them.
“I have not [he says] been so ill bred but I have tasted of plenty and
pleasure, as well as want and misery; nor doth a necessity yet, nor
occasion of discontent, force me to these endeavors; nor am I ignorant
that small thank I shall have for my pains; or that many would have the
world imagine them to be of great judgment, that can but blemish these
my designs, by their witty objections and detractions; yet (I hope) my
reasons and my deeds will so prevail with some, that I shall not
want employment in these affairs to make the most blind see his own
senselessness and incredulity; hoping that gain will make them affect
that which religion, charity and the common good cannot.... For I am
not so simple to think that ever any other motive than wealth will ever
erect there a Commonwealth; or draw company from their ease and humours
at home, to stay in New England to effect any purpose.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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