The Land We Live In: The Story of Our CountryMann, Henry
History
The Land We Live In: The Story of Our Country
Mann, Henry
United States -- History
In the little wooden chapel, two or three weeks after the event, the
colonists assembled one bright day to attend the baptism and christening
of the little stranger. The font was the family's silver wash ewer, and
the sponsor was Governor White himself, the baby's grandfather.
Thereafter she was known as Virginia Dare, a sweet and appropriate name
for this pretty little wild flower that bloomed all alone on that
desolate coast. About the time that Virginia was cutting her first teeth
there came very distressing times to the colony. There was great need of
supplies, and it was determined to send to England for them. Governor
White went himself, and never saw his little granddaughter again.
It was three years before the Governor returned to Roanoke Island. He was
kept in England by the Spanish invasion, and after the winds and the
waves had shattered the dreaded Armada, it was some time before Raleigh
could get together the men and supplies that were needed by the far-off
colony. At last the ship was ready and White took his departure, but he
had not sailed far when his vessel was overtaken by a Spanish cruiser and
captured. White himself escaped in a boat, and after many days reached
England again. Then he had to wait for another ship, and the weary old
man saw day after day go by before he left the chalk cliffs of England
behind him. After long, anxious months he approached the new land. It was
near sunset and he expected to see the smoke rising from the chimneys and
the settlers hurrying in from the fields to eat their evening meal, or
crowding down to greet the long-looked for arrivals. But no such cheering
sight met his gaze. There stood the cabins, but they were deserted; not a
single human soul was visible. They landed and walked up the grass-grown
paths. Vines and climbers festooned the doorways. A dreary stillness
reigned everywhere. The colony had disappeared, and tradition has it to
this day that the settlers were absorbed in the Indian tribes and that
little Virginia Dare may have become a white Pocahontas.
Raleigh lost his best friend when Queen Elizabeth died, and her
successor, James, gave into other hands the task of establishing English
power in America. The London Company, with a patent from the king, sent a
fleet of three vessels to Virginia, which ascended the James River, and
fifty miles from its mouth laid the foundation of Jamestown, May 13,
1607.
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Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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