Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-04-22
Misturp pf s. Garalina.
Written for the Yorkvile Enquirer.
HISTORICAL SKETCHES
OF THE
EarIy Settlement of South Carolina.
BY Rev. ROBERT LATHAM.
CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK. }

CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK.
Precisely two hundred and FIVE years ago,
South Carolina was first permanently settled
by Europeans. For ages-how long no one
can tell-it had been in the possession of a
people whose origin is as mysterious as their
end was tragical. Carolina, then, was one un-
broken forest from the mountains to the sea-
board. The grandeur Of the scene ravished
the sight of the colonists The air was loaded
with the odors of uncutivated flowers, and
from every tree proceeded charming notes
made by birds of the richest plumage. 1t
was, in reality, new world to the newly ar
rived Immigrants They had never seen any
thing like it before; and the accounts which
they had heard concerning it, and which they
had regarded extravagant, fell far short of
the reality The forest was full of wild ami
mails of different kinds, many Of which have
long since disappeared from the State. So
numerous were the deer, that an eyewitness
said "the whole country seems but one con-
tinued park" Hunters often killed, in single
year, two hundred. Bears were in great num-
bers, and the wolves made night hideous with
their howlings. These are nearly all gone.
They fled on the approach of civilization, and
the forests in which they found home, melt
ed before the Ak of the European. When
imagination paints the territory now occupied
by the State Of South Carolina, as it was two
hundred years ago, and we take survey OF it
as it now is. feeling of sadness creeps upon
the soul. We almost wish we could turn the
wheels of time back two hundred years, that
our senses might be ravished with the primi.
tive grandeur of nature This we cannot do.
The best that can be done ut present, is to
gather up the fragments of the history OF these
early times and string them together as pearls.
1t was the intention of the proprietors to
settle colony at Port Royal. They had at.
tempted to plant colonies at Cape Fear and
Albernarle, in the present State OF North Car
olina and not being as successful, at these
points, as they desired, they were anxious to
make an attempt in a more southern portion
of the territory granted them by Charles the
Second. To accomplish this desire, the pro-
prietors made ample arrangements. Three
vessels, and supplies for eighteen months, were
provided. William Sayle was appointed
Governor; Joseph West commander-in-chief
of the fleet Henry Bairne, commander of
one of the vessels; and John Rivers was
placed in charge of the military stores
Sayle's commission bears date July 26, 1869.
In January, 1910, the colonists set out for
their point of destination, and on the 18th of
March, they effected landing. Here they
remained for only short time, and went to
high point on the west bank Of Ashley river
This they called Albemarle Point. To Sayle
was given, not only commission, but also in
structions.
The intentions of the proprietors juts out
prominently in the instructions given to Gov
ernor Saylc and the other officers. For this
reason, they should be generally known. The
propretors were aware that it would be I'M
possible to put the "Fundamental Constitu-
tions," which they called the "grand model"
into execution on the first arrival OF the I'M
nj grants Hence, provision was made for
temporary deviation from its requirements.
1t was however, enjoined upon Say le that he
come as nigh the grand model as practical
ble." Sayle was instructed to call the free
people of the colony together, so soon as ne
arrived, and hold an election for five indlvid-
uals, who, together with the five deputies ap-
pointed by the propretors aud the Governor,
would constitute the Council. Whether Sayle
did this at Port Royal, or whether he waited
whether he did it at all, does not appear from
any record. We may reasonably suppose
that he carried out his instructions and that
the election was held al Port Royal, and that
it was in accordance with the advice of this
Council that the settlement was made at Ash
ley river, rather than at Port Royal. The
five members elected by the people were re-
uuired to swear allegiance to the King Of
England and "subscribe fidelity and subns-
sion to the proprietors and the form OF gov
ernment by them established" 1t was, how
ever, granted to any one who had conscientious
scruples about swearing according to the pre-
scribed form, "to subscribe the same in book
provided for the purpose, and this subscribing
shall be deemed the same with swearing" 1t
was enjoined upon the Governor and Council
to select proper location for fort, and place
upon it, when erected, guns which would COM
mand all the streets of the town. This goes
farto indicate that no settlement was, in fact,
commenced at Port Royal From all the cir
cumstances with which these immigrants were
surrounded, we may conclude that among the
first things they would undertake, would be
the building of a fort. This they did the mo-
meut they arrived at Ashley river, and it was
we'll that they did.
The instructions given to Joseph West, the
commander-in- chief of the fleet, are more III
detail, and even more interesting than those
given to Governor Sayle In fact, the duties
of Admiral West resembled those Of al over
seer of a large plantation. West was ordered
to sail, with all possible speed, with the fleet
under his command, for kinsaile, Ireland.
The object of sending him to Ireland was to
get twenty or twenty-five" servants. Hav-
ing accomplished the object of his visit to
Ireland, or having discovered that the servants
could not be procured, he was to sail directly
for Barbadoes No free man, who had no
servants on board, was to be allowed to leave
the vessel. Ifa free man died or left the ship
at any point his servants became the proper
ty of the propretors.
The object of sending Admiral West to
Burbadoes, was to secure seed of various kinds
for the colonists. This shows the wisdom OF
the proprietors and also the real interest they
took in the colony. Seed grown in Barba.
does, they no doubt thought, would be more
likely to flourish in Carolina than that grown
in England Everything was to be paid for
by the proprietors. This was the case with
respect to the servants which West was or
dered to procure from Ireland From Bar
badoes, West was ordered to furnish himself
with supply of cotton seed, indigo seed and
ginger roots, together with vines Of various
kinds, canes and olives The roots we're to be
placed in tubs, partly filled with earth, so that
they would not perish before arriving at Port
Royal When he arrived at Port Royal, he
was then to plant these roots and seeds ig.