Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-05

i
] teresting particulars il obscure and uncertain
! He was undoubtedly the first Europesu to
/ ascend the river past the site o. Georgetown
and TO reach the Little Falls. Although his
career was not as varied as that OF Smith it was
quite adventurous and romantic In the fall
Of 1921 the pinnace Tiger under Spilnan, an
experienced navigator. with twenty-six men,
Fleete being among the number was sent from
jamestown to the upper Potomac to trade with
I the Indians for corn. Spiiman landed with
tSenty-one men among the Anacostans. The
i've men who remained on board were attacked
oy the Indians. who were repulsed by the dis
charge of a cannon. Those on shore were all
killed except Fleete. He remained with the
Indians number Of years. learned their Ian
guage and almost forgot his own, finally
ranscmed and returned to England, where he
RECALLED the people with wonderful stories OF his
captivity. He stated that he had been within
sight of the South seas; had seen the Indians
bes2rinSle :heir paintings with powder of gold;
had seen rare precious stones among them and
great quantities OF rich fur. He enlisted
the interest OF some London merchants.
by whom be was dispatched in vessel
TO trade in the river. The MSS. of journal
OF the voyage kept BY him is preserved in the
library of the archbishop of Canterbury at
Lambeth. and was first presented to the Ameri-
reader by Neill in his English Colonial
ton in America" From this it appears that
on July A. 1851. the vessel sailed from the
Downs and arrived ON the New England coast
on September following; from thence it sailed
on the 18th. arriving on October 26 in the
Potomac, where cargo of corn was obtained
with which it returned to New England. On May
81 of the following year Fleete again arrived
at the mouth of the river. He beat about the
river for several days. going from one place to
another III search OF furs, visiting among other
tribes the Anacossans. by whom he had been
held captive some years before. Having heard
of several populous Indian towns above the
falls. on June IA he dispatched his brother ard
tUO fruSfy Ip6iaus with for ho
consisting of beads. bells. hatchets. knives &C.,
and with Instructions to bring the Indians to
the falls, where they would find him and the
ship.
LITTLE FALLS QUANTITY DESCRIBED.
"On Monday. the 25th of June" says Fieete,
I'VE Sc. sail for the town of Tohoga, when we
came to an anchor about two leagues short of
the falls. being in the latitude Al on the Goth
Of June. This place. without all question, is
the most pleasant aud healthful place in all
this country ard most convenient for habita-
ton. the air temperate In summer and not vio-
lent in winter. II aboundeth with all manner
OF fish. The L.iiians in one night will catch
thirty sturgeoss IN place where the river is
not above twelve fathoms bread. And as for
deer. baffsloes, bears, turkeys, the woods do
swsTm with them. and the soil is exceedingly
fertile"
On the 9th of June lie saws he manned his
shaiioD and went up with the food. the tide
I4sltlS s.GOSl AOuE III n6lnuE AT lIS place.
aEu tina: they had not rowed above three miles
"before they could hear the falls roar not above
SIX miles distant. by which ii appears that the
river Is separated with rocks. bat only i'll that
one place. for beyond is a iar river Due al
ioTance being made for the uncertainty Of
Eleetes estimates of distance, which we're evil
IDENTITY mere glesswork. there can DE no mis-
taking the locality OF which he speaks. George
town evidently arose upon the ashes Of Tahoga,
the Indian town. and those who haze had any
experience in fishing III the river above will
hs'e no diincu;ty i'll locating the place where
the Indians caught The sturgeon IS :: point just
ABOVE tine stone house and mill constructed by
Amos Cloud toward the close Of the last CEN
fury. This house the residence of the late
John ". Frizzle. more familiarlv known among
his scguain tances by tine nickname OF Bull"
ard the mill is generally known now as the
Edes mill.
TIE MARYLAND COLONY.
Soon after this voyage Flee:e proved 70 be of
great service 10 Gov. Calvert and his company
in the establishment OF tine Maryland colony.
Under his guidance the coionists were con-
Quoted TO the Indian town OF loacomoco. which
had been one of his trading posts. This was
purchased from the Indians and on March q.
1854. the co!onlsts took possession and named
the place st. Mary's; and here. under mutual
promises of friendship and peace between
the settlers and the Indians. the founla-
tons OF another great STATE were laid.
within which George town had its birth and
to which 1t was long united by ties OF interest
and affection. in whose Slo-ies it shared
and under which it enjoyed a high degree OF
commercial ospe-ity prior 20 the time when
the eXigencies OF Iatlona! politics transferred
1t 20 the care of that ''pG.ernal but irrespousi-
bio sovereign. the Congress Of the United
States; the lack of solicitude of which body
fo- its E,c erial interests has singulariy enough
been too often manifested in an inconsi6erate
readiness TO destroy. against the protests OF its
people. tie one thing OF creates. Importance to
them and which they have ever sought to pre-
serve. viz: unobstructed route to the ocean
over the great highway furnished by nature.
which flows past their doors.