The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-04-01
KALEf0H AND ROlNOKB ISLAND.
Some Historical Mistakes Corrected by .
WashfnKtonian.

| The mass OF readers of respectable
| newspapers learn to receive their polIt-
| zeal opinions with many grains OF al
| Iowance. But statements upon histori-
| cal subjects sometimes appear in such
| Journals bearing so many plausible marks
| of careful preparation, that the average
| reader cannot easily bring himself 10
question their correctness; and accepts
| them without further consideration. In
| this way important points in our own
| history may be adopted by the young
| reader which may never be removed I'M
| less the error is speedily pointed out.
| Allow me to call yVir attention to the
| statement so generally published Of late,
| that Sir Walter Raleigh was the discov-
| erer Of the North Carolina coast, and
| landed and made, in person. the settle
ment on Roanoke Island.
1t may surprise some readers to be told
| that Sir Walter Raleigh never was on
Roanoke Island; or on the North Carolina
| coast; or any other part Of the North
| American continent; and that all the
dramatic particulars of his landing and
| taking possession OF Roanoke Island are
| pure fiction.
The plain facts, as ascertainable from
| any accurate history are these: In loiS
mission Of Queen Elizabeth to plant GER
tain parts of North America not already
| possessed by her allies. His half-brotner
Sir Walter Raleigh joined him in the
| enterprise. Their exploring expedluoh'
| consisting of two ships, sailed for New
foundland but one OF the vessels was soon
lost in an engagement with the Span
iards, and the other at once put back
to England.
Sir Walter for twenty years afterWorus
was engaged in the Queens service III
Ireland and on the continent; but In 1853
he again sailed for Newfoundland In
company with Sir Humphrey Gilbert. ne
embarked in a ship called The BARK
Raleigh, which had been equipped az
his own expense. serving as vice admiral
| urder Sir Humphrey. When WITHIN
few days sail from Plymouth 1t was
| discovered a. contagious fever had seizeu
the whole ships company on Sir waiter
vessel and the Raleigh, with the wee
admiral and crew, forthwith returned to
harbor; while Sir Humphrey, with the re-
naming vessels, proceeded on their Voy-
age, and landed on the Island of New
foundland, Of which he took possession
in the name of the Queen. on his re urn
| Sir Humphreys vessel was lost in fear
ful tempest, with its brave commander
and all on board.
These two expeditions constituted the
only attempts ever made by Sir Walter
Raleigh. I'm person, 10 explore any part
Of the North America continent. WHAT
ever he attempted afterwards in this di-
rection was intrusted to the hands OF
others under his employment.
His interest In the cause of discovery
remained unchanged, and in 1884 he
fitted out two vessels which he intrusted
to Captains Amidas and Barlow, direct
ing their route to less inhospitable shores
than those of Newfoundland The expe-
dition reached the waters of the Gulf of
Mexico. Thence, sailing northward along
the Atlantic coast, they first landed on an
island. called Wokoken, outside Of one of
the sounds on the North Carolina ccast;
Of which they cook possession with the
usual ceremonies. Amidas and Barlow
soon returned 10 England, carrying with
them two of the natives; and bearing
such glowing accounts Of the beauty and
fertility of this part Of the New World,
that the Queen gave authority 70 Sir
Walter TO settle n colony there, directing
him t. call the whole coast Virginia in
her honor, name which was afterwards
applied 10 the entire Eastern Atlantic
coast settled by the English.
Under this grant Raleigh fitted out an
other expedition, in 1856, which he placed
under the command Of Adrian Gilbert
and Sir Richard Grenville. with instruc-
lions to establish a city and fort on 1.-THE
Bay Of Chesapeake" TO be called by his
own name. The vessels came to anchor
near WokOken Island, and never reached
the Chesapeake. They carried with hem
more than a hundred persons who were
established as settlers on Roanoke Island,
then for the first time explored by white
men,
Three subsequent expeditions were sent
by Raleigh 10 re-euforce the colony, but
the last dispatched in 1851, found the
settlement abandoned, the houses burnt.
and the voyagers were forced TO conclude
that nearly all the cOlonis;s had been
murdered by the natives. The enterprise
of settling North Carolina was then aban-
doned by Raleigh forever, and his inter-
ests under the grant We're sold to London
merchants.
II NAV be Of interest 10 add that Raj
egh's adventurous spirit of colonization
was not subdued by these failures, though
his future enterprises were directed TO
the shores of South America.
with the consent Of the Queen he eni-
barked in 1895 with a considerable squad
ron on a voyage Of exploration 20 Guiana,
where he had convinced himself was To-
Gated the FL Dorado. On his way he
landed on the Island or Trinidad. Whicn
was the nearest point ever reached by
him to any part of the territory belonging
10 the United States. During his stay
there Of but a few days. he found time
TO explore the island sufficiently 10 ex-
anime the pitch Lake Brea," covering
$50 acres; the yield from which has played
so important a part in the construction
of our admirable streets and the conse-
ouent comfort and establishment Of our
city.
He proceeded thence TO Guiana, and re-
turned TO England with marvellous stories
of the incaIculable wealth Of the country
TTe seems 10 have had considerable con-
ndence i'm the truth Of his own accounts,
since he afterwards sent another expe-
dition thither at his own expense, Whlcn,
however. proved unsuccessful
In 1918 after his release from the Tower,
he assembled another fleet and commenced
tho disastrous voyage to Guiana. whose
abortive result really cost him his head. |
II is an interesting inquiry how the
nresent spelling Of Raleigh's name orig
mated. lie always wrote his name RAJ
eeh" In a letter from Queen Elizabeth.
and i'm most Of the official writings OF
he day. IL was spelled "Rawiey,' ex-
cent In one instance. where it was writ
ten "Rawlygh'
These differences. occurring during Raj
aioh's own lifetime, show how true IT
ia that the photography OF the English
language during this period, especially
a. 10 proper names, was decidedly In a