The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1903-03-26
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

being st. Cecilia's Day, the Ark and
the Dove weighed anchor from Cowes,
in the Isle of Wight The pious pill
grims placed their ships under the
protection of God, and raised their
hearts in prayer, for the success of
the great enterprise which they had
undertaken. They left behind them
the homes in which they had been
born, their friends and relatives, to
face the dangers of the sea, and the
perils and hardships of wilderness,
in order to plant the seed of freedom
and religious liberty-tO secure to
themselves and their children the in
estimable privilege of worshipping
God according to the dictates of their
consciences. 1t was a mighty under
taking; standing out, in history, as an
era in the progress of mankind
Tile voyage was long and stormy
The Dove was given up once for lost,
and it was not until the 5th of Janu-
airy, 1884, that the ships ar
THE rived at Barbados.
On the night of the 24th
VOYAGE. of January they weighed
anchor and departed from
Barbados. The next day they passed
st. Lucia, and in the evening arrived
at Matalina, where they saw several
canoes of cannibals, who had lately
eaten some English interpreters. The
day after they reached Montserrat
an island settled and inhabited by
the Irish settlers who had been driven
from Virginia. They were kindly en-
tertained at ST. Christopher's by the
governor and two friendly captains,
and were also treated with great hos
pitality by the governor of the French
colony in the same island. At length,
on the oath of February, they came
in sight of Point Comfort in Virginia
They were now approaching the ter
mination of their wanderings. Yet
this joyful prospect was somewhat
clouded by the fear of hostility on
the part Of the Virginians, who were
resolutely opposed to Lord Balti-
more's design; the royal letters which
they bore with them secured them a
favorable reception from the gov
ernor, and after spending eight or nine
days in that colony, they again set
sail on the Sd of March, steering for
the mouth of the Potomac, to which
they gave the name of st. Gregory.
They had now arrived in the land of
their adoption, and they were delight
ed with the wide eXpanse of the noble
bay, and the majestic river, upon
whose shores they were about to rear
up an empire. On the banks of the
Potomac they found mighty forests,
stretching as far as the eye could
reach; a soil rich and fertile-the air,
sweet and balmy, although it was
now in the month of March: and they
returned thanks to God for the beau.
tiful land which he had given them -
for this was Maryland
On the beach they beheld groups oil
armed natives, prepared to resist
their landing, during the day; and at
night they saw innumerable alarm
fires kindled throughout the country
to assemble the savage tribes, while
messengers passed from one to the
other far into the interior, carrying
the strange tidings that canoes as
big as an island had brought AS many
men as there were trees in the forest.
In spite of all these demonstrations
of hostility, they succeeded in estab
| fishing confidence in the breasts Of
the natives; and having satisfied then
| that their intentions were peaceful
at length, purchased from them the
territory which they required. Mary
land was almost the only State whose
early settlement was not stained with
the blood of the unfortunate natives