Children's Stories in American HistoryWright, Henrietta Christian
History
Children's Stories in American History
Wright, Henrietta Christian
America -- Discovery and exploration -- Juvenile literature; United States -- History -- Juvenile literature
But the settlement that was begun in such pleasant weather, and with
such good will from the natives, came soon to a sad end; for an English
captain from Jamestown, who was sailing along the coast, was very angry
when he found that the French had begun a settlement, and asked the
Indians to show him the way thither; and they, thinking that the English
and French were friends, and that the captain wanted to get provisions
from the priests, led the way, and, as most of the French were away
from the camps, the captain had no difficulty in seizing the place, and
in two days he had plundered it of everything, and, driving some of the
men away in a boat, took Father Biard and the rest with him to
Jamestown; the English governor there said that the captain had done
quite right, and sent him back to destroy all the French settlements in
Acadia too. The captain was very glad to do this, and landing first at
Mt. Desert, he cut down the French cross, and then went on his way to
Port Royal, where Poutrincourt's son, Biencourt, was ruling; and here
the English did as they had done at other French settlements on their
way, for Biencourt had few men and could make no resistance. The English
destroyed Port Royal, its fort and monuments and church, and even
chiselled out the name of De Monts that was engraved in a stone column,
and so the French were driven out of Acadia, and not a single cross
remained upon the coast of Maine to show they had ever been there.
The English themselves did not make any permanent settlement there till
1629.
CHAPTER XX.
HENRY HUDSON AND THE KNICKERBOCKERS.
Henry Hudson was the first white man who ever sailed up the Hudson
River. He was an English sailor in the service of the Dutch, who sent
him on a voyage to North America. While sailing along the Atlantic coast
he entered the bay of New York, and passing inland discovered the
beautiful river that bears his name. He was charmed with its clear
waters and banks which were covered with grass and flowers and trees,
and said that the country through which it flowed was "as beautiful as
one could tread upon."
The vessel was called the Half Moon, and had a crew of English and
Dutch--Hudson's own son being of the number. As they sailed up the river
the Indians put out from the shore in their canoes and paddled up to the
Half Moon. Hudson would not let them come on board at first, as one
of his sailors had been killed by an Indian; but as they seemed very
friendly, the sailors at last grew less timid, and traded with them,
giving them beads, knives, hatchets, etc., for the grapes, pumpkins, and
furs which they brought, and after a time Hudson and his men went on
shore and visited the country around.
[Illustration: THE HALF-MOON IN THE HUDSON.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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