been loft. Therefore the ancestors of the first settlers in America were uncivilized and unacquainted with the neceflary arts of life. II. America could not have been peopled by any colony from the more fouthern nations of the ancient continent; because none of the rude tribes of these parts poffefied enterprize, ingenuity, or power fufficient to undertake fuch a diftant voyage; but more especially, because, that in all America there is not an animal, tame or wild, which properly belongs to the warm, or temperate countries of the eastern continent. The first care of the Spaniards, when they fettled in America, was to stock it with all the domeftic animals of Europe. The first fettlers of Virginia and New England, brought over with them horfes, cattle, sheep, &c. Hence it is obvious that the people who first settled in America, did not originate from those countries where these animals abound, otherwise, having been accustomed to their aid, they would have supposed them necessary to the improvement, and even fupport of civil society. III. Since the animals in the northern regions of America correfpond with those found in Europe in the fame latitudes, while those in the tropical regions are indigenous, and widely different from those which inhabit the corresponding regions on the eastern continent, it is more than probable that all the original American animals were of those kinds which inhabit northern regions only, and that the two continents, towards the northern extremity, are so nearly united as that these animals might pass from one to the other. IV. It having been established beyond a doubt, by the discoveries of Capt. Cook in his last voyage, that at Kamskatka, in about latitude 66° north, the continents of Afia and America are separated by a ftrait only 18 miles wide, and that the inhabitants on each continent are fimilar, and frequently pass and repass in canoes from one continent to the other; from these and other circumstances it is rendered highly probable that America was first peopled from the north-east parts of Afia. But since the Esquimaux Indians are manifestly a feparate fpecies of men, distinct from all the nations of the American Continent, in language, in difpofition, and in habits of life; and in all these respects bear a near resemblance to the northern Europeans, it is believed that the Esquimaux Indians emigrated from the north-west parts of Europe. Several circumstances confirm this belief. As early as the ninth century the Norwegians discovered Greenland, and planted colonies there. The communication with that country, after long interruption, was renewed in the last century. Some Lutheran and Moravian miffionaries, prompted by zeal for propagating the Chriftian faith, have ventured to fettle in this frozen region. From them we learn, that the north-west coast of Greenland is separated from America but by a very narrow strait, if feparated at all; and that the Esquimaux of America perfectly resemble the Greenlanders in their afpect, dress, mode of living, and probably language. By these decisive facts, not only the confanguinity of the Efquimaux and Greenlanders is established, but the possibility of peopling America from the north-west parts of Europe. On the whole it appears rational to conclude, that the progenitors of all the American nations, from Cape Horn to the fouthern limits of Labrador, from the fimilarity of their afpect, colour, &c. migrated from the north-east parts of Afia; and that the nations that inhabit Labrador,. Labrador, Esquimaux, and the parts adjacent, from their unlikeness to the rest of the American nations, and their resemblance to the northern Europeans, came over from the north-west parts of Europe. Having given a fummary account of America in general; of its first discovery by Columbus, its extent, rivers, mountains, &c. of the Aborigines, and of the first peopling this continent, we shall next turn our attention to the discovery and fettlement of North America. A SUMMARY Account of the first DISCOVERIES and SETTLEMENTS of NORTH AMERICA, arranged in Chronological Order. NORT ORTH AMERICA was discovered in the reign of Henry VII. a period when the Arts and Sciences had made very confiderable progress in Europe. Many of the first adventurers were men of genius and learning, and were careful to preserve authentic records of fuch of their proceedings as would be interesting to pofterity. These records afford ample documents for American hiftorians. Perhaps no people on the globe can trace the history of their origin and progress with fo much precision as the inhabitants of North America; particularly that part of them who inhabit the territory of the United States. The fame which Columbus had acquired by his first discoveries on this western continent, spread through Europe, and infpired many with 1496 the spirit of enterprize. As early as 1496, four years only after the first discovery of America, John Cabot, a Venetian, obtained a commission from Henry VII. to discover unknown lands and annex them to the crown. In the spring he failed from England with two ships, carrying with him his three fons. In this voyage, which was intended for China, he fell in with the north fide of Terra Labrador, and coafted northerly as far as the 67th degree of latitude. 1497.] The next year he made a second voyage to America with his fon Sebastian, who afterwards proceeded in the discoveries which his father had begun. On the 24th of June he discovered Bonavista, on the north-east fide of Newfoundland. Before his return he traversed the coaft from Davis's Straits to Cape Florida. 1502.] Sebaftian Cabot was this year at Newfoundland; and on his return carried three of the natives of that ifland to Henry VII. 1513.] In the spring of 1513, John Ponce failed from Porto Rico northerly, and discovered the continent in 30° 8' north latitude. He landed in April, a feason when the country around was covered with verdure, and in full bloom. This circumftance induced him to call the Country FLORIDA, which, for many years, was the common name for North and South America, 1516.] In 1516, Sir Sebastian Cabot and Sir Thomas Pert explored the coaft as far as Brazil in South America. This vast extent of country, the coaft whereof was thus explored, remained unclaimed and unfettled by any European power, (except by the Spaniards in South America) for almost a century from the time of its discovery. 1524.] It was not till the year 1524 that France attempted discoveries on the American coaft. Stimulated by his enterprizing neighbours, Francis I. who possessed a great and active mind, fent John Verrazano, a Florentine, to America, for the purpose of making discoveries. He traversed the coast from latitude 28° to 50° north. In a second voyage, some time after, he was loft. 1525.] The next year Stephen Gomez, the first Spaniard who came upon the American coast for difcovery, failed from Groyn in Spain, to Cuba and Florida, thence northward to Cape Razo, in latitude 46° north, in fearch of a north-west paffage to the East Indies. 1534.] In the spring of 1534, by the direction of Francis I. a fleet was fitted out at St. Malo's in France, with design to make discoveries in America. The command of this fleet was given to James Cartier. He arrived at Newfoundland in May of this year. Thence he failed northerly; and on the day of the festival of St. Lawrence, he found himfelf in about latitude 48° 30' north, in the midst of a broad gulf, which he named St. Lawrence. He gave the fame name to the river which empties into it. In this voyage, he failed as far north as latitude 51°, expecting in vain to find a passage to China. 1535.] The next year he failed up the river St. Lawrence 300 leagues to the great and swift Fall. He called the country New France; built a fort in which he spent the winter, and returned in the following spring to France. 1542.] In 1542, Francis la Roche, Lord of Robewell, was sent to Canada, by the French king, with three ships and 200 men, women and children. They wintered here in a fort which they had built, and returned in the spring. About the year 1550, a large number of adventurers failed for Canada, but were never after heard of. In 1598, the king of France commissioned the Marquis de la Roche to conquer Canada, and other countries not poffefsed by any Christian prince. We do not learn, however, that la Roche ever attempted to execute his commiffion, or that any further attempts were made to fettle Canada during this century. 1539.] On the 12th of May, 1539, Ferdinand de Soto, with 900 men, befides feamen, failed from Cuba, having for his object the conquest of Florida. On the 30th of May he arrived at Spirito Santo, from whence he travelled northward 450 leagues from the fea. Here he discovered a river a quarter of a mile wide and 19 fathoms deep, on the bank 1542 of which he died and was buried, May 1542, aged 42 years. 1543 Alverdo his successor built seven brigantines, and the year fol lowing embarked upon the river. In 17 days he proceeded down the river 400 leagues, where he judged it to be 15 leagues wide. From the largeness of the river at the place of his embarkation, he concluded its fource must have been at least 400 leagues above, so that the whole length of the river in his opinion must have been more than 800 leagues. As he paffed down the river, he found it opened by two mouths into the gulf of Mexico. These circumstances led us to conclude, that this river, so early discovered, was the one which we now call the MifSillippi. Jan Jan. 6, 1549.] This year king Henry VII. granted a penfion for life to Sebaftian Cabot, in confideration of the important services he had rendered to the kingdom by his discoveries in America. 1562.] The admiral of France, Chatillon, early in this year, fent out a fleet under the command of John Ribalt. He arrived at Cape Francis on the coast of Florida, near which, on the first of May, he discovered and entered a river which he called May river. It is more than probable that this river is the fame which we now call St. Mary's, which forms a part of the fouthern boundary of the United States. As he coasted northward he discovered eight other rivers, one of which he called Port Royal, and failed up it several leagues. On one of the rivers he built a fort and called it Charles, in which he left a colony under the direction of Captain Albert. The feverity of Albert's measures excited a 1564 mutiny, in which, to the ruin of the colony, he was flain. Two years after, Chatillon sent Rene Laudonier, with three ships, to Florida. In June he arrived at the river May, on which he built a fort, and, in honour to his king, Charles IX. he called it CAROLINA. In Auguft, this year, Capt. Ribalt arrived at Florida the second time, with a fleet of feven vessels to recruit the colony, which, two years before, he had left under the direction of the unfortunate Capt. Albert. The September following, Pedro Melandes, with fix Spanish ships, pursued Ribalt up the river on which he had fettled, and overpowering him in numbers, cruelly massacred him and his whole company. Melendes, having in this way taken poffeffion of the country, built three forts, and left them garrisoned with 1200 foldiers. Laudonier and his colony on May River, receiving information of the fate of Ribalt, took the alarm and escaped to France. 1567.] A fleet of three ships was this year fent from France to Florida, under the command of Dominique de Gourges. The object of this expedition was to difpoffefs the Spaniards of that part of Florida which they had cruelly and unjustifiably feized three years before. He 1568 arrived on the coast of Florida, April 1568, and foon after made a fuccefsful attack upon the forts. The recent cruelty of Melendes and his company excited revenge in the breast of Gourges, and roufed the unjustifiable principle of retaliation. He took the forts; put most of the Spaniards to the sword; and having burned and demolished all their fortreffes, returned to France. During the fifty years next after this event, the French enterprized no fettlements in America. 1576.] Capt. Frobisher was sent this year to find out a north west passage to the East Indies. The first land which he made on the coaft was a Cape, which, in honour to the queen, he called Queen Elizabeth's Foreland. In coafting northerly he discovered the ftraits which bear his name. profecuted his search for a passage into the western ocean till he was prevented by the ice, and then returned to England. He 1579.] In 1579, Sir Humphrey Gilbert obtained a patent from queen Elizabeth, for lands not yet poffefsed by any Chriftian prince, provided he would take possession within fix years, With this encourage1583 ment he failed for America, and on the 1st of August, 1583, anchored in Conception Bay. Afterward he discovered and took poffeffion of St. John's Harbour, and the country fouth. In pursuing his difcoveries C 4 discoveries he lost one of his ships, on the shoals of Sablon, and on his return home, a storm overtook him, in which he was unfortunately loft, and the intended settlement was prevented. 1584.] This year two patents were granted by queen Elizabeth, one to Adrian Gilbert, (Feb. 6.) the other to Sir Walter Raleigh, for lands not poffeffed by any Christian prince. By the direction of Sir Walter, two ships were fitted and fent out, under the command of Philip Amidas, and Arthur Barlow. In July they arrived on the coast, and anchored in a harbour seven leagues west of the Roanoke. On the 13th of July, they, in a formal manner, took poffeffion of the country, and, in honour of their virgin queen Elizabeth, they called it Virginia. Till this time the country was known by the general name of Florida. After this VIRGINIA became the common name for all North America. 1585.] The next year, Sir Walter Raleigh fent Sir Richard Greenville to America, with seven ships. He arrived at Wococon Harbour in June. Having stationed a colony of more than a hundred people at Roanoke, under the direction of Capt. Ralph Lane, he coasted north-easterly as far as Chefapeek Bay, and returned to England. The colony under Capt. Lane endured extreme hardships, and must have perished, had not Sir Francis Drake fortunately returned to Virginia, and carried them to England, after having made several conquests for the queen in the West Indies and other places. A fortnight after, Sir Richard Greenville arrived with new recruits; and, although he did not find the colony which he had before left, and knew not but they had perished, he had the rafhness to leave 50 men at the fame place. 1587.] The year following, Sir Walter fent another company to Virginia, under Governor White, with a charter and twelve assistants. In July he arrived at Roanoke. Not one of the second company remained, He determined, however, to risque a third colony. Accordingly he left 115 people at the old fettlement, and returned to England. This year (Aug. 13) Manteo was baptized in Virginia. He was the first native Indian who received that ordinance in that part of America, On the 18th of August, Mrs. Dare was delivered of a daughter, whom she called VIRGINIA. She was the first English child that was born in North America. 1590.] In the year 1590, Governor White came over to Virginia with supplies and recruits for his colony; but, to his great grief, not a man was to be found. They had all miferably famished with hunger, or were maffacred by the Indians. 1602.] In the spring of this year, Bartholomew Gofnold, with 32 perfons, made a voyage to North Virginia, and discovered and gave names to Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Elifabeth Iflands, and to Dover Cliff. Elifabeth Island was the place which they fixed for their first fettlement. But the courage of those who were to have tarried, failing, they all went on board and returned to England. All the attempts to fettle this continent which were made by the Dutch, French, and English, from its discovery to the prefent time, a period of 110 years, proved ineffectual. The Spaniards only, of all the European nations, had been successful. There is no account of there having been one European family, |