The Portland daily press., 1875-06-18
The Failure of the Popham Colony.

From the advance sheets of John S. G. Alb
botts's History of Maine, which is to be pub
lished by B. B. Russell of Boston il September
and ior which Mr.. John Russell of Portland is
the agent in this vicinity, we are permitted to
make the following extracts concerning the fail
ure of the Popham colony The work is the
only comprehensive history of Maine which
has ever been undertaken, and promises to be a
valuable and interesting book.
The works in the settlement were driven sc
vigorously, and the style of architecture was SC
sim le that by the 9th of October. only seven
weeks from the time OF landl' g, me lori was
completed, intrencbed, and twelve cannons
were mounted. The storehouse was also I'm
ished, and fifty log cabins were reared. WIN
such imposing ceremonies as the occasion could
furnish, the town was named st. George.
Winter came early, and with unusual severl-
ty. Storms of sleet and snow swept the 5eak
expanse which had been so unwisely selected
for their home. Discomfort arose, and, with
the discomfort, quarrels among the colonists.
Many cursed the day in which they left then
cottages in England, for abodes SO chill and
drear and comfortless. They had made no
suitable preparation for winter. They had only
green wood to burn. Their cabins were frail,
and filed with smoke.
1t was miserable winter to all. With wise
foresight. and Christian spirit, the months OF
SHOW ana Wl0u anu Tdlu lulSut ndNO PoooeU
even agreeably away Their cabins might
have been warm and cheerful. WOOD was
abundant. They could have laid in ample
stores, and quite well seasoned. An abundant
supply of turs could have been obtained OF the
Indians for clothing and bedding, and couches
around the brightly blazing Preside. The In
dians wished to be friendly. They would glad
" have brought in stores of corn and fish and
game, had they been kindly treated. But sin
reigned in the camp; and where there is sin
here must be sorrow.
Gov. Popham died. 1t was perhaps FORUM
ate for him. His heart would have broken,
could he have lived to witness the ruin OF his
COLONY AS the world was receding from his
view, and the sublimities of eternity opening
before him, he said, cheered by the hope that
he had planted colony which would last
while time endures,--
81 die content. My name will be always as
ISOLATED with the first planting of the English
race in the New World. My remains will not
be neglected away from the home OF my IA
theirs and my kindred"
His eXpectons were not realized. his CO l.
ny persisted. No friendly hand conveyed his
remains to England. that they might repose
amidst the graves of his fathers. No monu-
ment has ever been rea AIRED to his memory. We
now search in vain Tor the spot, amidst the
sands of the ocean shore, where his body
awaits that Judgment trump at whose peal the
dead shall rise The wall of the tempest, and
the dash of the surge, have been for two hun
bred years his mournful requiem.
There was 10 one left in the colony capable
of filling the place of Popham His death was
followed by that of three other OF the most
prominent men. Comparative anarchy relgned.
The Indians were grossly and wantonly mat
treated. They Fave not been able to tell their
own story; but the records of the white mans
historians testify fully to this fact. The colo
nists seem to have been selected, or accepted,
without any reference to moral character. In
those days, there probe bly, could not have been
found on earth more fiendlike set of men
than the average crew of British man-of war.
Apparently many of the colonlsts We're reck-
less seamen, picked up from the wharves of
the seaports of England. One OF their out
RACES would seem ncre4ible, but we know not
that the story has ever been contradcted.
1t is said that large number of natives
landed on one occasion, at the little settle
ment with a few furs and skins for sale.
They wandered peacefully around, gazing with
much interest upon the new objects which
everywhere met their eyes They were new
corners from the interior, and everything was
strange to them. Some of the men thought
they would amuse themselves in seeing how
the Indians would be astonished and terrified
at the report of one of their cannons. They
loaded one of the largest guns to the muzzle,
but with powder only. They attached two
drag-ropes to the heavy gun, and requested the
Indians, as favor to help them draw the pom
derous weapon from one part OF the grounds to
another.
Joyously, with shouts and merriment the
obliging natives manned the two ropes in lines
directly before the muzzle of the gun. AS they
were rushing it along, one of these colonists
annIied the match to the touch-hole A terrible
EXPLOSION, with lightning flash and thunder
peal, took place. Several of the natives were
killed outright; others were horribly burned
and manned.
The survivors returned to their homes, scat
terino in all directions the story of the horrible
ontraee, This was fitting sequel to the kid
mapping crimes of Weymouth. 1t is not
| strange that the heather Indians should have
thought that the Christian white mentWere
fiends Universal indignation was excited.
The Indians met in large numbers, resolved 10
exterminate the coions:s who had thus
brought blood apd misery and death to their
Lowry homes. They made an attack-the
''treacherous Indians" as they were called
upon the settlement. They captured the store
house which contained all the merchandise
/ and nrOvisions nf the colonu