MISCELLANIES. THE FIRST ENGLISH COLONY IN AMERICA. Sir Humphrey Gilbert is entitled to the honor of planting the first English colony in America. His first expedition, on which he had expended much of his private fortune, failed-from what cause is uncertain. The second expedition, undertaken four years afterwards, was still more unfortunate; for it lost to the world the gallant and accomplished projector of the expedition. Five vessels sailed from Plymouth on Tuesday, the 11th of June, 1583. Two days afterward, the vice-admiral complained of sickness aboard, and returned with the finest ship in the fleet to Plymouth. The admiral, nevertheless, continued his course with his little squadron, and took possession, with the feudal ceremony, of Newfoundland, to be held by him as a fief of the crown of England, in accordance with the terms of his charter. The looseness of morals displayed by the mariners of that day is truly disgusting, and increases our wonder at the daring of men who could venture so far from home, in such frail barks, with almost a certainty of encountering on the great highway, in their fellow-men, greater perils than were presented by all the terrors of the deep. Robbery by sea was too common, and often committed in violation of the most sacred obligations, even upon persons engaged in the very act of relieving the distress of the depredators. Gilbert seems to have been cursed with a remarkably riotous and insubordinate company. The sick and disaffected were left at Newfoundland, to be sent home with the Swallow, and the admiral proceeded with his three remaining barks. On Tuesday, the 20th of August, they sailed from the harbor of St. John's, and on the 29th, in about latitude 44 degrees, the largest remaining vessel, by the carelessness of the crew, struck, and went to pieces, and the other barks were forced by a high sea and a lee shore to struggle for their own preservation, which they accomplished with difficulty-alleging, at the same time, that they could see none of the crew of the wreck floating upon timbers, but all seemed to have gone down when the ship broke up. A few, however, escaped to Newfoundland in the ship's pinnace, as was afterwards discovered. This calamity, followed by continual storms, in an unknown and shoaly sea, enhanced by an extreme scantiness of provisions, and want of clothes and comforts in the two little barks which yet remained, induced the admiral, at the earnest solicitation of his men, to return homeward. Sir Humphrey Gilbert was vehemently persuaded by the crew of the Golden Hind to remain with them during the voyage; but, as some malicious taunts had been thrown out by some evil-disposed person, accusing him of being afraid of the sea, he chose to continue to sail in his little pinnace, the Squirrel, which was burdened beyond her strength. After the vessels had left the Azores to the south, and reached the latitude of England, they encountered violent and continued storms. On Monday, the 9th of September, the Squirrel was nearly cast away, but recovered, and the admiral was seen sitting abaft with a book in his hand, and heard to cry out to those in the Hind, "We are as near to heaven by sea as by land." That same night, at 12 o'clock, the Squirrel being in advance, her light suddenly disappeared, and her hardy crew, with their gallant commander, sleep forever in the deep. The Hind reached Falmouth in safety, but after encountering imminent peril to the last moment. The daring spirit of the mariners of that day is amazing. Sir Walter Raleigh, the step-brother of Sir Humphrey Gilbert, so far from being intimidated by the melancholy fate of his relative, or disheartened by the unprofitable and disastrous termination of most of the voyages to America, undertook in the very next year an expedition to the coast of the present United States. He easily obtained one of the usual unlimited patents from Elizabeth, and, leaving the cold north, with its barren snows, its storms, icebergs, and certain evils, together with its imaginary wealth, he spread his sails for the sweet south, where he was sure to find a fertile soil and a delightful climate, though his ship's company might not all be enriched by the discovery of gold. On the 2d of July they found shoal water, "and smelt so sweet and strong a smell, as if they had been in the midst of some delicate garden abounding with all kinds of odoriferous flowers." On the 13th, they entered Ocracock Inlet, on the coast of the present State of North Carolina, and landed on Wocoken Island. They commenced an intercourse with the natives, who proved to be bold, confiding, intelligent, and honorable to their friends, but treacherous, revengeful, and cruel towards their enemies. The English explored a little the surrounding islands and bays, and returned home in September, carrying with them two natives, Manteo and Wanchese. The glowing description given by the adventurers, on their return, of the beauty of the country, the fertility of the soil, and pleasantness of the climate, delighted the queen, and induced her to name the country of which she had taken possession, Virginia, in commemoration of her unmarried life. It might be expected that so favorable an account would soon lead to a new expedition. Accordingly, another was prepared for the succeeding year, consisting of seven vessels. Ralph Lane was appointed by Raleigh, Governor of the colony, which consisted of 108 persons. Sir Richard Grenville took command of the fleet, and several learned and accomplished men attended the expedition, one of whom has transmitted to posterity many interesting particulars of the nature of the country, and the habits, manners, and government of its inhabitants. The English soon began to maltreat the harmless, unpretending, and simple natives, and they, on the other hand, to grow jealous of the power of the overbearing strangers. They soon learned the inordinate passion of the newcomers for gold, and, taking advantage of their credulity, inflicted upon them the labor of many fruitless expeditions in search of pretended mines-hoping, at the same time, by these divisions, to weaken the power of the little colony to such a degree that they might be able to destroy it in detachment; but the English were too cautious for this, and went too short a distance, and in force too powerful for the Indians to encounter with the great disparity of arms. The greatest advantage which accrued from these expeditions, and indeed from the whole attempt at a settlement, was the discovery of Chesapeake Bay. The little colony, finding no gold, and receiving no supplies from England, had begun to despond, when most unexpectedly Sir Francis Drake arrived, on his return from his expedition against the Spaniards in South America, with a fleet of 23 ships. The sagacity of Drake perceived in a moment what was necessary for the colony, and his generosity supplied them with provisions, vessels, and other things necessary to maintain their position, extend their researches, and, if necessary, to return to England; but the accomplishment of his purpose was defeated by a violent storm which suddenly arose, and nearly wrecked his whole fleet, driving the vessel of provisions intended for the colony to sea, and destroying the vessels which had been set apart to be left for their use. He would have supplied others; but the colony, with their Governor at their head, earnestly requesting permission to return to England, he complied with their wishes. Thus terminated the first English settlement in America. This little colony, during its sojourn with the Indians, had acquired something of their fondness for the use of tobacco, and learned to regard it with almost the same superstitious reverence, as a powerful medicinal agent. Upon their return, they introduced the use of this plant into England; and a weed at first disgusting and nauseating to all who use it, has become gradually the favorite luxury (and indeed with many a necessary of life) of all classes of society, and of both the young and the old throughout the world-and this, after experience has proved that in most cases it is an injury rather than a benefit to the health. THE GREATEST AMERICAN. The largest man on record was Miles Darden, a native of North Carolina, who was born in 1798, and who died in Tennessee in 1857. He was 7 feet and 6 inches high, and in 1845 weighed 872 pounds. At his death he weighed a little over 1000 pounds. In 1839, his coat was buttoned around three men, each of them weighing over 200 pounds, who walked together in it across the Square at Lexington. In 1850, it required 13 yards of cloth, 1 yard wide, to make him a coat. Until 1853 he was active and lively, and able to bear labor; but from that time was compelled to stay at home, or be hauled about in a two-horse wagon. His coffin was 8 feet long, 35 inches deep, 32 inches across the breast, 18 inches across the head, and 14 inches across the feet. It required 24 yards of black velvet to cover the sides and lid of the coffin. Miles Darden was twice married, and his children are very large, though it is probable that none of them will ever attain the gigantic weight and size of their father. THE State of South Carolina, one of the 13 original States of the Union, lies between 32° and 35° 10 N. latitude, and between 78° 35' and 83° 30′ W. longitude. It is bounded on the north and northeast by North Carolina, on the southeast by the Atlantic Ocean, and on the west by Georgia. The State is almost triangular in shape. The Savannah River forms the western boundary, and separates it from Georgia; and the coast line is about 200 miles long. TOPOGRAPHY. Along the coast, and for about 100 miles inland, the surface is low and sandy. Large swamps occupy the lower part of the State, and in this district rice is extensively cultivated. A chain of low islands of great fertility and beauty extends along the coast, separated from the mainland by a series of shallow lagoons, through which navigation is maintained between Charleston and Florida, safe from the violence and dangers of the sea. These islands extend down the Georgia and Florida coast, and produce the famous "Sea Island Cotton." About 100 miles inland, a large sandy tract occurs, and is known as the "Midland country." Beyond this is the "Ridge," a sudden elevation, which is overtopped in the northwest by the Blue Ridge Mountains, which cross this part of the State, and attain their greatest height in Table Mountain, 4000 feet above the sea. "From the mouth of the Great Pedee River to that of the Savannah, the coast of South Carolina is lined with a series of bays, sounds, and lagoons, which, though mostly shallow, have sufficient depth to allow of an extensive coasting navigation. Commencing at the Great Pedee, and proceeding south, we have Winyaw Bay, at the mouth of that river; then, in order, Bull's Bay, Charleston Harbor, St. Helena Sound, and Port Royal Entrance, with a number of smaller inlets. The harbor of Beaufort is much the best of these, admitting vessels. drawing 11 feet water; Charleston Harbor is obstructed by a dangerous bar; St. Helena Sound is the most capacious of these inlets, but is beset with shoals. Georgetown, at the head of Winyaw Bay, can only be reached by vessels of small draught; and Stono Inlet, south of Charleston, has but 10 feet water on the bar. The Santee River, with its main affluents, the Congaree and Wateree, passes almost directly through the middle of the State. It is about 100 miles from the junction of the Congaree and Wateree to the mouth of the Santee, and about 300 miles from their confluence to their sources in North Carolina. The Great Pedee enters the State from North Carolina (where it bears the name of Yadkin), and courses through the northeast part of South Carolina, about 150 miles, into Winyaw Bay; the Saluda and Broad rivers drain the northwest of the State, and unite to form the Congaree; the Broad River rises in the west of North Carolina; the Edisto and Combahee drain the southwest of the State, and flow into the Atlantic after courses of 150 to 200 miles; Lynch's Creek is a tributary from the west, and Wacamaw and Little Pedee from the east of the Great Pedee; all have their sources in North Carolina. The larger streams run in a southeast direction, and furnish an inland navigation of about 2400 miles, apart from the creeks and inlets of the sea. The Savannah River can be navigated by steamboats to Hamburg, and for smaller boats still higher. The Wacamaw may be ascended 12 miles, the Great Pedee 200 miles, the Congaree and the Wateree about the same distances by steamboats. All these rivers are boatable above the distances mentioned, for keelboats. Greenville is the only district in the State without the advantage of navigation. Water-courses abound in all the districts favorable for mill-sites." * MINERALS. The Agricultural Bureau of the United States makes the following statement of the mineral resources of the State in 1868: "Iron of superior quality, in great abundance, is found in Spartan * Lippincott's Gazetteer, p. 1814. |