The first voyage made to the coasts of America
, with two
barks, where in were Captaines M. Philip Amadas, and
M. Arthur Barlowe, who discovered part of the Countrey now called Virginia
, Anno 1584. Written by one
of the said Captaines, and sent to sir Walter Ralegh
knight, at whose charge and direction, the said voyage
was set forth.
THE 27 day of Aprill, in the yeere of our redemption,
1584 we departed the West of England, with two barkes
well furnished with men and victuals, having received our
last and perfect directions by your letters, confirming the
former instructions, and commandements delivered by
your selfe at our leaving the river of Thames
. And I
thinke it a matter both unnecessary, for the manifest
discoverie of the Countrey, as also for tediousnesse sake,
to remember unto you the diurnall of our course, sayling
thither and returning: onely I have presumed to present
unto you this briefe discourse, by which you may judge
how profitable this land is likely to succeede, as well to
your selfe, (by whose direction and charge, and by whose
servantes this our discoverie hath beene performed) as also
to her Highnesse, and the Common wealth, in which we
hope your wisedome wilbe satisfied, considering that as
much by us hath bene brought to light, as by those smal
meanes, and number of men we had, could any way have
bene expected, or hoped for.
The tenth of May we arrived at the Canaries, and the
tenth of June in this present yeere, we were fallen with
the
Islands of the West Indies, keeping a more Southeasterly course then was needefull, because wee doubted
that the current of the Bay of Mexico, disbogging
betweene the
Cape of Florida and Havana
, had bene of
greater force then afterwardes we found it to bee. At
which Islands we found the ayre very unwholsome, and
our men grew for the most part ill disposed: so that
having refreshed our selves with sweet water, & fresh
victuall, we departed the twelfth day of our arrivall there.
These Islands, with the rest adjoyning, are so well knowen
to your selfe, and to many others, as I will not trouble
you with the remembrance of them.
The second of July, we found shole water, wher we
smelt so sweet, and so strong a smel, as if we had bene
in the midst of some delicate garden abounding with all
kinde of odoriferous flowers, by which we were assured,
that the land could not be farre distant: and keeping good
watch, and bearing but slacke saile, the fourth of the same
moneth we arrived upon the coast, which we supposed to
be a continent and firme lande, and we sayled along the
same a hundred and twentie English miles before we
could finde any entrance, or river issuing into the Sea.
The first that appeared unto us, we entred, though not
without some difficultie, & cast anker about three harquebuz-shot within the havens mouth, on the left hand of
the same: and after thankes given to God for our safe
arrivall thither, we manned our boats, and went to view
the land next adjoyning, and "to take possession of the
same, in the right of the Queenes most excellent Majestie,
as rightfull Queene, and Princesse of the same, and after
delivered the same over to your use, according to her
Majesties grant, and letters patents, under her Highnesse
great Seale. Which being performed, according to the
ceremonies used in such enterprises, we viewed the land
about us, being, whereas we first landed, very sandie and
low towards the waters side, but so full of grapes, as the
very beating and surge of the Sea overflowed them, of
which we found such plentie, as well there as in all places
else, both on the sand and on the greene soile on the hils,
as in the plaines, as well on every little shrubbe, as also
climing towardes the tops of high Cedars, that I thinke in
all the world the like abundance is not to be found: and
my selfe having seene those parts of Europe
that most
abound, find such difference as were incredible to be
written.
We passed from the Sea side towardes the toppes of
those hilles next adjoyning, being but of meane higth,
and from thence wee behelde the Sea on both sides to
the North, and to the South, finding no ende any of both
wayes. This lande lay stretching it selfe to the West,
which after wee found to bee but an Island of twentie
miles long, and not above sixe miles broade. Under the
banke or hill whereon we stoode, we behelde the vallyes
replenished with goodly Cedar trees, and having discharged our harquebuz-shot, such a flocke of Cranes (the
most part white) arose under us, with such a cry redoubled
by many ecchoes, as if an armie of men had showted all
together.
This Island had many goodly woodes full of Deere,
Conies, Hares, and Fowle, even in the middest of Summer
in incredible abundance. The woodes are not such as you
finde in Bohemia
, Moscovia, or Hercynia, barren and
fruitles, but the highest and reddest Cedars of the world,
farre bettering the Ceders of the Acores, of the Indies, or
Lybanus, Pynes, Cypres, Sassaphras, the Lentisk, or the
tree that beareth the Masticke, the tree that beareth the
rine of blacke Sinamon, of which Master Winter brought
from the streights of Magellan, and many other of excellent smell and qualitie. We remained by the side of this
Island two whole dayes before we saw any people of the
Countrey: the third day we espied one small boate rowing
towardes us having in it three persons: this boat came to
the Island side, foure harquebuz-shot from our shippes,
and there two of the people remaining, the third came
along the shoreside towards us, and wee being then all
within boord, he walked up and downe upon the point of
the land next unto us: then the Master and the Pilot
of the Admirall, Simon Ferdinando, and the Captaine
Philip Amadas, my selfe, and others rowed to the land,
whose comming this fellow attended, never making any
shewe of feare or doubt. And after he had spoken of
many things not understood by us, we brought him
with his owne good liking, aboord the ships, and gave
him a shirt, a hat & some other things, and made him
taste of our wine, and our meat, which he liked very
wel: and after having viewed both barks, he departed,
and went to his owne boat againe, which hee had left
in a little Cove or Creeke adjoyning: assoone as hee
was two bow shoot into the water, he fell to fishing,
and in lesse then halfe an houre, he had laden his boate
as deepe, as it could swimme, with which hee came againe
to the point of the lande, and there he devided his fish into
two parts, pointing one part to the ship, and the other
to the pinnesse: which, after he had (as much as he
might) requited the former benefites received, departed
out of our sight.
The next day there came unto us divers boates, and
in one of them the Kings brother, accompanied with
fortie or fiftie men, very handsome and goodly people,
and in their behaviour as mannerly and civill as any of
Europe
. His name was Granganimeo, and the king is
called Wingina, the countrey Wingandacoa, and now by
her Majestie Virginia. The maner of his comming was
in this sort: hee left his boates altogether as the first man
did a little from the shippes by the shore, and came along
to the place over against the ships, followed with fortie
men. When he came to the place, his servants spread a
long matte upon the ground, on which he sate downe,
and at the other ende of the matte foure others of his
companie did the like, the rest of his men stood round
about him, somewhat a farre off: when we came to the
shore to him with our weapons, hee never mooved from
his place, nor any of the other foure, nor never mistrusted any harme to be offred from us, but sitting still
he beckoned us to come and sit by him, which we performed: and being set hee made all signes of joy and
welcome, striking on his head and his breast and afterwardes on ours, to shewe wee were all one, smiling and
making shewe the best he could of all love, and
familiaritie. After hee had made a long speech unto us,
wee presented him with divers things, which hee received
very joyfully, and thankefully. None of the company
durst speake one worde all the time: onely the foure
which were at the other ende, spake one in the others
eare very softly.
The King is greatly obeyed, and his brothers and
children reverenced : the King himselfe in person was at
our being there, sore wounded in a fight which hee had
with the King of the next countrey, called Wingina, and
was shot in two places through the body, and once cleane
through the thigh, but yet he recovered: by reason
whereof and for that hee lay at the chiefe towne of the
countrey, being sixe dayes journey off, we saw him not
at all.
After we had presented this his brother with such things
as we thought he liked, wee likewise gave somewhat to
the other that sat with him on the matte: but presently
he arose and tooke all from them and put it into his
owne basket, making signes and tokens, that all things
ought to bee delivered unto him, and the rest were but
his servants, and followers. A day or two after this,
we fell to trading with them, exchanging some things
that we had, for Chamoys, Buffe, and Deere skinnes:
when we shewed him all our packet of merchandize, of
all things that he sawe, a bright tinne dish most pleased
him, which hee presently tooke up and clapt it before his
breast, and after made a hole in the brimme thereof and
hung it about his necke, making signes that it would
defende him against his enemies arrowes: for those
people maintaine a deadly and terrible warre, with the
people and King adjoyning. We exchanged our tinne
dish for twentie skinnes, woorth twentie Crownes, or
twentie Nobles: and a copper kettle for fiftie skins woorth
fifty Crownes. They offered us good exchange for our
hatchets, and axes, and for knives, and would have given
any thing for swordes: but wee would not depart with
any. After two or three dayes the Kings brother came
aboord the shippes, and dranke wine, and eat of our
meat and of our bread, and liked exceedingly thereof:
and after a few dayes overpassed, he brought his wife
with him to the ships, his daughter and two or three
children: his wife was very well favoured, of meane
stature, and very bashfull: shee had on her backe a long
cloake of leather, with the furre side next to her body,
and before her a piece of the same: about her forehead
shee had a bande of white Corall, and so had her husband
many times: in her eares shee had bracelets of pearles
hanging downe to her middle, (whereof wee delivered
your worship a little bracelet) and those were of the
bignes of good pease. The rest of her women of the
better sort had pendants of copper hanging in either eare,
and some of the children of the kings brother and other
noble men, have five or sixe in either eare: he himselfe
had upon his head a broad plate of golde, or copper,
for being unpolished we knew not what mettal it should
be, neither would he by any meanes suffer us to take it
off his head, but feeling it, it would bow very easily.
His apparell was as his wives, onely the women weare
their haire long on both sides, and the men but on one.
They are of colour yellowish, and their haire black for
the most part, and yet we saw children that had very fine
aburne, and chestnut coloured haire.
After that these women had bene there, there came
downe from all parts great store of people, bringing with
them leather, corall, divers kindes of dies very excellent,
and exchanged with us: but when Granganimeo the kings
brother was present, none durst trade but himselfe:
except such as weare red pieces of copper on their heads
like himselfe : for that is the difference betweene the noble
men, and the governours of countreys, and the meaner
sort. And we both noted there, and you have understood
since by these men, which we brought home, that no
people in the worlde cary more respect to their King,
Nobilitie, and Governours, then these doe. The Kings
brothers wife, when she came to us (as she did many
times) was followed with forty or fifty women alwayes:
and when she came into the shippe, she left them all on
land, saving her two daughters, her nurse and one or
two more. The Kings brother alwayes kept this order,
as many boates as he would come withall to the shippes,
so many fires would hee make on the shore a farre off,
to the end we might understand with what strength and
company he approched. Their boates are made of one
tree, either of Pine or of Pitch trees: a wood not commonly knowen to our people, nor found growing in
England
. They have no edge-tooles to make them
withall: if they have any they are very fewe, and those
it seemes they had twentie yeres since, which, as those
two men declared, was out of a wrake which happened
upon their coast of some Christian ship, being beaten
that way by some storme and outragious weather, whereof
none of the people were saved, but only the ship, or some
part of her being cast upon the sand, out of whose sides
they drew the nayles and the spikes, and with those they
made their best instruments. The manner of making
their boates is thus: they burne downe some great tree,
or take such as are winde fallen, and putting gumme
and rosen upon one side thereof, they set fire into it,
and when it hath burnt it hollow, they cut out the coale
with their shels, and ever where they would burne it
deeper or wider they lay on gummes, which burne away
the timber, and by this meanes they fashion very fine
boates, and such as will transport twentie men. Their
oares are like scoopes, and many times they set with long
pooles, as the depth serveth.
The Kings brother had great liking of our armour, a
sword, and divers other things which we had: and offered
to lay a great boxe of pearle in gage for them: but we
refused it for this time, because we would not make them
knowe, that we esteemed thereof, untill we had understoode in what places of the countrey the pearle grew:
which now your Worshippe doeth very well understand.
He was very just of his promise: for many times we
delivered him merchandize upon his word, but ever he
came within the day and performed his promise. He
sent us every day a brase or two of fat Bucks, Conies,
Hares, Fish the best of the world. He sent us divers
kindes of fruites, Melons, Walnuts, Cucumbers, Gourdes,
Pease, and divers rootes, and fruites very excellent good,
and of their Countrey corne, which is very white, faire
and well tasted, and groweth three times in five moneths:
in May they sow, in July they reape, in June they sow,
in August they reape: in July they sow, in September
they reape: onely they cast the corne into the ground,
breaking a little of the soft turfe with a wodden mattock,
or pickeaxe: our selves prooved the soile, and put some
of our Pease in the ground, and in tenne dayes they were
of fourteene ynches high: they have also Beanes very
faire of divers colours and wonderfull plentie: some
growing naturally, and some in their gardens, and so
have they both wheat and oates.
The soile is the most plentifull, sweete, fruitfull and
wholsome of all the worlde: there are above foureteene
severall sweete smelling timber trees, and the most part of
their underwoods are Bayes and such like: they have
those Okes that we have, but farre greater and better.
After they had bene divers times aboord our shippes, my
selfe, with seven more went twentie mile into the River,
that runneth towarde the Citie of Skicoak, which River
they call Occam : and the evening following, wee came to
an Island, which they call Raonoak, distant from the
harbour by which we entred, seven leagues: and at the
North end thereof was a village of nine houses, built of
Cedar, and fortified round about with sharpe trees, to
keepe out their enemies, and the entrance into it made
like a turne pike very artificially; when wee came towardes
it, standing neere unto the waters side, the wife of Gran
ganimo the kings brother came running out to meete us
very cheerefully and friendly, her husband was not then in
the village; some of her people shee commanded to drawe
our boate on shore for the beating of the billoe: others
she appointed to cary us on their backes to the dry
ground, and others to bring our oares into the house for
feare of stealing. When we were come into the utter
roome, having five roomes in her house, she caused us to
sit downe by a great fire, and after tooke off our clothes
and washed them, and dryed them againe: some of the
women plucked off our stockings and washed them, some
washed our feete in warme water, and shee her selfe tooke
great paines to see all things ordered in the best maner
shee could, making great haste to dresse some meate for
us to eate.
After we had thus dryed our selves, she brought us
into the inner roome, where shee set on the boord standing along the house, some wheate like furmentie, sodden
Venison, and roasted, fish sodden, boyled, and roasted,
Melons rawe, and sodden, rootes of divers kindes, and
divers fruites: their drinke is commonly water, but while
the grape lasteth they drinke wine, and for want of caskes
to keepe it, all the yere after they drink water, but it is
sodden with Ginger in it, and blacke Sinamon, and sometimes Sassaphras, and divers other wholesome, and medicinable hearbes and trees. We were entertained with all
love and kindnesse, and with as much bountie (after their
maner) as they could possibly devise. We found the
people most gentle, loving, and faithfull, voide of all guile
and treason, and such as live after the maner of the golden
age. The people onely care howe to defend themselves
from the cold in their short winter, and to feed themselves with such meat as the soile affoordeth : there meate
is very well sodden and they make broth very sweet and
savorie: their vessels are earthen pots, very large, white
and sweete, their dishes are wodden platters of sweet
timber: within the place where they feede was their
lodging, and within that their Idoll, which they worship,
of whome they speake incredible things. While we were
at meate, there came in at the gates two or three men
with their bowes and arrowes from hunting, whom when
wee espied, we beganne to looke one towardes another,
and offered to reach our weapons: but assoone as shee
espied our mistrust, shee was very much mooved, and
caused some of her men to runne out, and take away
their bowes and arrowes and breake them, and withall
beate the poore fellowes out of the gate againe. When
we departed in the evening and would not tary all night,
she was very sory, and gave us into our boate our supper
halfe dressed, pottes and all, and brought us to our boate
side, in which wee lay all night, remooving the same a
prettie distance from the shoare: shee perceiving our
jelousie, was much greived, and sent divers men and
thirtie women, to sit all night on the banke side by us,
and sent us into our boates five mattes to cover us from
the raine, using very many wordes to intreate us to rest
in their houses: but because wee were fewe men, and
if wee had miscaried, the voyage had bene in very great
danger, wee durst not adventure any thing, though there
was no cause of doubt: for a more kinde and loving
people there can not be found in the worlde, as farre as
we have hitherto had triall.
Beyond this Island there is the maine lande, and over
against this Island falleth into this spacious water, the
great river called Occam by the inhabitants on which
standeth a towne called Pomeiock, & sixe dayes journey
from the same is situate their greatest citie, called Skicoak, which this people affirme to be very great: but the
Savages were never at it, only they speake of it by the
report of their fathers and other men, whom they have
heard affirme it to bee above one houres journey about.
Into this river falleth another great river, called Cipo,
in which there is found great store of Muskles in which
there are pearles: likewise there descendeth into this
Occam, another river, called Nomopana, on the one side
whereof standeth a great towne called Chawanook, and
the Lord of that towne and countrey is called Pooneno:
this Pooneno is not subject to the king of Wingandacoa,
but is a free Lord: beyond this country is there another
king, whom they cal Menatonon, and these three kings
are in league with each other. Towards the Southwest,
foure dayes journey is situate a towne called Sequotan,
which is the Southermost towne of Wingandacoa, neere
unto which, sixe and twentie yeres past there was a ship
cast away, whereof some of the people were saved, and
those were white people, whom the countrey people
preserved.
And after ten dayes remaining in an out Island
unhabited, called Wocokon, they with the help of some
of the dwellers of Sequotan, fastened two boates of the
countrey together & made mastes unto them, and sailes of
their shirtes, and having taken into them such victuals
as the countrey yeelded, they departed after they had
remained in this out Island 3 weekes: but shortly after it
seemed they were cast away, for the boates were found
upon the coast, cast a land in another Island adjoyning:
other then these, there was never any people apparelled,
or white of colour, either seene or heard of amongst these
people, and these aforesaid were seene onely of the
inhabitantes of Secotan
, which appeared to be very true,
for they wondred marvelously when we were amongst
them at the whitenes of our skins, ever coveting to touch
our breasts, and to view the same. Besides they had our
ships in marvelous admiration, & all things els were so
strange unto them, as it appeared that none of them had
ever seene the like. When we discharged any piece,
were it but an hargubuz, they would tremble thereat for
very feare, and for the strangenesse of the same: for the
weapons which themselves use are bowes and arrowes:
the arrowes are but of small canes, headed with a sharpe
shell or tooth of a fish sufficient ynough to kill a naked
man. Their swordes be of wood hardened: likewise they
use wooden breastplates for their defence. They have
besides a kinde of club, in the end whereof they fasten
the sharpe homes of a stagge, or other beast. When
they goe to warres they cary about with them their idol,
of whom they aske counsel, as the Romans were woont
of the Oracle of Apollo. They sing songs as they march
towardes the battell in stead of drummes and trumpets:
their warres are very cruell and bloody, by reason
whereof, and of their civill dissentions which have
happened of late yeeres amongst them, the people are
marvelously wasted, and in some places the countrey
left desolate.
Adjoyning to this countrey aforesaid called Secotan
beginneth a countrey called Pomovik, belonging to
another king whom they call Piamacum, and this king
is in league with the next king adjoyning towards the
setting of the Sunne, and the countrey Newsiok, situate
upon a goodly river called Neus: these kings have mortall
warre with Wingina king of Wingandacoa: but about
two yeeres past there was a peace made betweene the
King Piemacum, and the Lord of Secotan, as these men
which we have brought with us to England
, have given
us to understand: but there remaineth a mortall malice
in the Secotanes, for many injuries & slaughters done
upon them by this Piemacum. They invited divers men,
and thirtie women of the best of his countrey to their
towne to a feast: and when they were altogether merry,
& praying before their Idol, (which is nothing els but a
meer illusion of the devil) the captaine or Lord of the
town came suddenly upon them, and slewe them every
one, reserving the women and children: and these two
have oftentimes since perswaded us to surprize Piemacum
his towne, having promised and assured us, that there
will be found in it great store of commodities. But
whether their perswasion be to the ende they may be
revenged of their enemies, or for the love they beare to
us, we leave that to the tryall hereafter.
Beyond this Island called Roanoak
, are maine Islands
very plentifull of fruits and other naturall increases,
together with many townes, and villages, along the side
of the continent, some bounding upon the Islands, and
some stretching up further into the land.
When we first had sight of this countrey, some thought
the first land we saw to bee the continent: but after we
entred into the Haven, we saw before us another mighty
long Sea: for there lyeth along the coast a tracte of
Islands, two hundreth miles in length, adjoyning to the
Ocean sea, and betweene the Islands, two or three
entrances: when you are entred betweene them (these
Islands being very narrow for the most part, as in most
places sixe miles broad, in some places lesse, in fewe
more) then there appeareth another great Sea, containing
in bredth in some places, forty, and in some fifty, in
some twenty miles over, before you come unto the continent: and in this inclosed Sea there are above an hundreth
Islands of divers bignesses, whereof one is sixteene miles
long, at which we were, finding it a most pleasant and
fertile ground, replenished with goodly Cedars, and divers
other sweete woods, full of Corrants, of flaxe, and many
other notable commodities, which we at that time had
no leasure to view. Besides this Island there are many,
as I have sayd, some of two, or three, of foure, of five
miles, some more, some lesse, most beautifull and pleasant
to behold, replenished with Deere, Conies, Hares and
divers beasts, and about them the goodliest and best fish
in the world, and in greatest abundance.
Thus Sir, we have acquainted you with the particulars
of our discovery, made this present voyage, as farre foorth
as the shortnesse of the time we there continued would
affoord us take viewe of: and so contenting our selves
with this service at this time, which wee hope hereafter
to inlarge, as occasion and assistance shalbe given, we
resolved to leave the countrey, and to apply our selves
to returne for England
, which we did accordingly, and
arrived safely in the West of England about the middest
of September.
And whereas wee have above certified you of the
countrey taken in possession by us, to her Majesties use,
and so to yours by her Majesties grant, wee thought good
for the better assurance thereof to record some of the
particular Gentlemen, & men of accompt, who then were
present, as witnesses of the same, that thereby all occasion
of cavill to the title of the countrey, in her Majesties
behalfe may be prevented, which otherwise, such as like
not the action may use and pretend, whose names are:
| Master Philip Amadas, | Captaines. |
| Master Arthur Barlow, |
| William Greenevile, | Of the companie. |
| John Wood, |
| James Browewich, |
| Henry Greene, |
| Benjamin Wood, |
| Simon Ferdinando, |
| Nicholas Petman, |
| John Hewes, |
We brought home also two of the Savages being lustie
men, whose names were Wanchese and Manteo.
