Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-03-02

Your AetoriekscOrro ~pOndent takes q far
and courteous notice OF nv bret connu-
nicatiOu, in which some doubts were eA-
pressed III regard TO the time Of that Old
letter from Virginia, winch you puolshtd
n few SUNDAYS ago. lie admits that was
ripbt in correcting one error in its alleged
date. 1t really had no date, and was only
endorsed June u, 1907. Some authorities
say that Newport sailed Tor England, on
his return, June 10. l6Ol.
Some one. then. with this very pa
Der before him. made mistake. Aste-
risks IS, however, Of the OPINION thAJ
the settlers at jamestown had had sum
Gent time PRIOR TO june IL leJ', 10 GUAM
all the information contained IN that old lei
ter. though he narrows the period OF Their
main exploration 20 one short weekday
Zl-27th-aud as yet they had no interpreter.
Very well. He is as much entitled 10 ms
opiniou on this or any other subject as
am. But | would like 70 be able 20 consult
some such explorers as Lewis aud Clark,
As TO the former voyage referred 10 Nv
the writer Of that old first letter from
Virginia 10 England" Asterlsks points me
TO purchas. | was highly pleased when l
found some years ago that our state
Library possessed that marvellous Old
book. and Purchas-his Plgrlmes has
often entertained me- But all that FUR
chas presents on this subject and more
can now DO far more conveniently used IN
the mass. Histor. Collections, Vol. VII,
pp. 70-l57, Third Series. Go to 4hrd
Series or YOU will miss it,
In the first place, the writer or tnat Oh
letter probably referred to hrs former yoy
ace :" not far 10 the northward" only as to
the fish part of his story. In the second
place. the account OF the former voyage III
Purchas docs not contain one item IN re-
gard 10 Southern Virginia. Indeed, IL Is OF
scarcely arv historical value, ana the Voy-
age itself was probably more for bucca-
ncering than for exploration. Some an
alysis Of il may he not unlnterestlng.
First. we have an apologize letter from
Bartholomew Gosnold To his father, ~mch
Is well calculated 10 excite inquiry ana us
trust. Though they had returned from
land where they " had little disturbance
and reasonable plenty" yet, lie says,
when we came to an anker before Ports
mouth wa had not one. Cake OF
Bread nor any drinke but little vinegar
| left.n Neither did they have any freight
| Even of the fragrant sassafras he says;
I'VE were informed before our going tofth
| that a tunore was sufficient 70 clog Eng
land" September z, 1902.
| Then we have 1.-The Relation of Captain
| Gosuold's Voyage to the North Part OF
| Virginia, delivered by Gabriel Archer, a
] EHullflldU
! the same gentleman who, 1t Is SAID "Io'e
the old letter of June. 1907.
The expedition consisted of only thirty
| two men, eight mariners, twelve VINO H.
| tended 70 return. and the rest (ot cour 80
| only twelve) "to remain for population
| What a formidable number TO settle new
country inhabited by savages, whom thelr
! own cupidtv was sure TO provoke TO nos
tility! Near about the same time IN ths
| spring that jamestown was commence
| they arrived off the coast OF New England
and made r settlement at Cuttyhuhk' on
| Elizabeth island, where they built fort
| house on hill in the midst of the pond OF
| lake, and which took them three weeks
| So that some Of the looms were no more
| inclined to work than in the days or Cap
tain John Smith, who punished them 10y
having water poured down their SHIRT
sleeves.
This place of refuge they wished to con
ceal from the natives, and were quite
alarmed one day when they encountered d
body of fifty savages, but the danger was
averted. They made some inslgnlhcaht
explorations and occasionally on the MAN.
land. They profess to have found every
| thing that was attractive and desirable
both on the land and in the water, but
soon discomfort arose. They got INTO
"a squabble over the division of their failing
supplies and the twelve population "
gentlemen refused TO remain; so that the
whole party resolved TO return. which
they did. as has already been seen. III great
stress.
Archer does say that they loaded Their
vessel with cedar, sassafras, and other native
| products, but neither he nor Gosnold gives
the least intimation that they got homo
| with anything valuable.
| There were buccaneers as explorers