The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-09-26

in Rosters narrative. The latter was a harbor
formed by islands, and had four entrances.
This fact alone is sufficient to disprove the
statement that it was from Pemaquid that
Weymouth "sailed for England direct"
But W. g. is unwilling to admit that he is in
error, and gives his authority. In reply to a
communication in the PRESS of Sept. 10, emit
tied History in HASTE" he says "In the
spare hour before leaving hunted up the fifth
volume of the NJ n. Society's Collections,
knowing that it contained two articles on Penn
aquid, the principle one entitled Ancient
Pemaquid an historical review, prepared by
request of the Maine Historical Society, by j.
Wingate Thornton of Boston, April 1857 II.
In his paper on Pemaquid Mr.. Thornton SAYS
page 1856, 'WeS mouth who in 1908 especially
noted that the little river of Pemaquid interes-
ted some of the best minds in England. Wey-
mouth seems to have sailed for England from
Pemaquid direct:'"
The quotation will be clearer to the read
er if we give it as it stands in Mr. Thorpton's
paper:
"The reports by Gosnold and Pring and by
Weymouth, who in 1908, specially noted that
the little river of Pemaquid," interested some
of the best minds in England. Weymouth
seems to have sailed from Pemaquid directly
for England, carrying away five OF the savagss
who were ON his deck for traffic.
In the first sentence there is manifestly typo
graphical error. 1t will be seen that Thornton
does not use the word mentioned 1t is posi-
bic that Weymouth may have noted .the little
river of Pemaquid" in an exploring excursion
that he made in one of his boats sin which he
coasted five or six leagues about the islands ad-
Joining" Pentecost Harbor; but as he speaks
only OF islands it hardly seems possible 1t is
certain that he did not visit Pemaquid in his
ship. 1t will be noticed that w. G.'s state
ment, for which Thornton is made the aut hori-
ty, is changed from the latter's Weymouth
seems to have sailed" to "It aods Pemaquid
from which he sailed"
But Common Sense" in the PRESS of Sept
q, comes to the support of w. G. and Thorn
ton. Common Sense" is r, K. S. the proof of
which by singular mishap came into my pos
session yesterday. In support of Strachey's
statement he says that Strachey "knew the
names of the rivers and places as given by the
natives which Weymouth in his narrative Of
the survey of 1905 says we're purposely omitted
to be reserved for the benefit of following Eng
fish voyagers together with statement of the
exact latitude and longitude of his discoveries;
his clerk Roster, therefore, made no record OF
any aboriginal name of island, river, harbor
or place visited, or of the savages he met.
Strachey's record as historical authority is
therefore of the highest credibility, and when
he says Weymouth with pains he took in
discovering the little River of Pemaquid,
with isles and rivers and convenient places up
on the mayne,' the natural legitimate and con-
elusive suggestion, is that he visited the Penn
aquid River with his ship. as much as he did
the other rivers, isles and places mentioned"
The same error is here made by r. X. S. as
was made by W. G. in his communication of
Sept. IS. Weymouth prepared no narrative,
and SO could not have said what is here attrib-
uted to him. Roster says nothing of the kind.
What he does say in the preface to the "True
Relation, and the language should be care
fully noticed lis this:
Being employed in this voyage by the Right
Honorable Thomas Arundel Baron of Warder,
to take due notice and make true report of the
discovery therein performed; I became very
diligent to observe las much as could) what
eoeyer was material or of consequence in the
business which | collected into this brief sum-
mary, intending upon our return to publish the
same. But he soon changed the course of his
intendments; and long before our arrival in
England had SO far engaged himself with the
Archduke that he was constrained to relin-
qulsh this action. But the commodities and
profits of the country, together with the fitness
of plantation, being by some honorable
gentlemen of good worth and quality, and mer-
chants OF good sufficiency and judgment duly
considered, have at their own charge, Intending
both their private and the common benefit of
colony for the plantation thereof; being much
encouraged thereunte by the gracious favor of
the Kings Majesty himself, and divers Lords
OF His Highness's Most Honorable Privy Coun-
ell. After their purposed designs were con-
cluded, was animated to publish this brief
relation, and not before; because some foreign
nations (being fully assured of the fruitfulness
OF the country have hoped hereby to gain some
knowledge OF the place. seeing they could not
allure our captain or any special men Of ou'
non nv to- Oo7hi inn until fhap for al
ton, nor obtain their purpose, in conveying
away our savages, which was buSily in prac-
tice. And this is the cause that have neither
written of the latitude or variations most exact
ly observed by our Captain with sundry instru-
ments, which together with his perfect geo.
graphical map of the country he intendeth
hereafter to set forth. / have likewise pur-
posely omitted here to add collection of many
words in their language to the number OF four
or i've hundred, as also the names OF divers of
their Governors, as we'll their friends as their
enemies; being reserved to be made known for
the benefit of those that shall join the next
voyage. But our particular proceedings in the
whole discovery, the commodious situation of
the river, the fertility of the land, with the
profits there to be had, and here reported, re-
fer to be verified by the whole company, as be-
ing eye-witnesses OF my words, and most of
them near inhabitants upon the Thames"
One has only to compare this statement wit
the abridgment of it made by Il. x. S. in Or
der to see how utterly the latter failed to get
kosiers meaning. Roster insists upon the &C
curacy of his narrative SO far as the whole dis
covery was concerned. What he withheld was
the latitude or Uoridtion, the vocabulary of In
dian words, and the names of Indian chiefs
which were obtained from the captured Indi-
ans.
But Strachey, adds R. X. s., is supported by
Sir Ferdinando Georges, who says: "Wey- |
mouth happened into river on the coast of |
North America called Pemaquid, from whence |
he brought five natives, all Of one nation, etc.
do not know from what this quotation is |
taken. suppose, however, that it is from the |
Brief Narration of Sir Ferdinando Gorges IN. |
FL. Society Collections, Vol. 2, p. III IN which |
find the following:
And as it pleased our God that there hap
pened to come into the harbor of Plymouth |
(where then commanded) one Captain Wey-
mouth that had been employed by the Lord
northwest passage; but falling short of his
course happened into river on the coast of |
America, called Pemaquid 1.-THE Penobscot from |
whence he brought five of the natives"
Volume OF the M. FL. Collections was pub |
lished in 1S47. suppose no one now would |
say that the river Weymouth discovered was |
the 'Penobscot. According to Roster this river |
was in breadt. mile, sometimes three-quar |
ter, and half mile at the narrowest." Enter |
ing it in his ship Weymouth sailed up 'six
aud twenty miles" Roster says: GAS we |
passed with gentle wind up with our ship in |
this river, any man may conceive with what |
admiration we all concerted in JOY Many of
our company had been travellers in sundry
countries, and in the most famous rivers, yet
affirmed them not comparable to this they now
beheld."
Now all hitherto have held that the river to
which Sir Ferdinando Gorges refers was the
river which Roster here describes. No, writes
r. X. s. to the PRESS; it was the little river of
Pemaquid! If there are modern spectators
IN historical novelties" R. x. S. must be one of
them. H s. b.
PORTLAND, % Sept, 1882