Heroes of early American history

Front matter

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Part One Explorers

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John and Sebastian Cabot 31

Juan Ponce de Leon 35

Hernando de Soto 38

Fernando Magellan 43

Sir Francis Drake 46

Samuel Champlain 60

PART TWO colonists

New England Settlers and the Indians 119

Lord Baltimore ] 25

Peter Stuyvesant 131

James Oglethorpe 169

Homes of the People 209

Preparing Meals 212

Dress 214

Traveling in the Colonies 217

Schools 221

Virginians under Washington cover Braddock's retreat.

THE DARING ICELANDER

The Norsemen. — Far to the north in what is now Norway and Sweden there once lived a brave wild people, called Norsemen or Northmen. Sometimes they were called "Vikings." They dressed in skins and furs and wore their hair long. As they lived a great deal in the open air, they grew to be large and strong. They lived for the most part near the sea and so they learned to be great sailors. They built their own ships and launched them on the rough waters of the Atlantic Ocean. These ships were long and low in the water and were driven both by sails and oars. At the front of each ship was a high prow upon which was carved a figure. This was usually the head of some wild beast that glared fiercely over the water and was supposed to frighten any enemies they met in battle. The Norsemen often made long voyages in their Viking ships stopping on some distant coast to burn and plunder the towns and to kill the people there. So savage and sudden were these attacks that few were able to withstand them.

In England, France, and other countries mothers often taught their children to pray to be delivered from the fury of the Norsemen.

The Settlement of Iceland. — The country in which they lived was cold and bare and mountainous so that it was not very profitable to till the soil. This led many Norsemen to seek other lands. Then too, they were so quick tempered

A Viking Ship.

and so independent in spirit that their kings had much trouble ruling over them. Sometimes when the king insisted that his laws must be obej^ed, rather than do so, many of the nobles would gather their friends and followers upon a ship and set out for some distant shore where they might live as they pleased. One of the places settled in this way was a large island many hundred miles west of Norway which the settlers first called Snowland but which was later named what we call it to-day — Iceland. You and I would not select such a place to make a home but we must remember that these Norsemen were used to cold and ice and snow. They probably found Iceland little different from their own country.

Eric the Red. — One of the men who came to Iceland had fled from his home because he had fought with a man there and had killed him. He was a great tall fellow with a red beard and red hair and, as his name was Eric, he was called "Eric the Red." He had brought his family and his followers with him and they settled down among the other Norsemen who had come to Iceland. But Eric was a troublesome fellow and it was not long before he began to have disputes with his neighbors. He was forced to move to another part of the island which his people called Ericstad after their leader.

Eric Quarrels with His Neighbors. — One day Eric loaned one of his neighbors some "sea-posts," a Battle probably short masts for ships or perhaps posts to be driven into the shore in shallow water to which boats might be fastened. At any rate, as with many things which are borrowed and loaned, a dispute arose over these sea-posts. Eric's neighbors all took sides, some for and some against him. The matter became so serious that the case was brought before the court and after hearing both sides the court decided against Eric. He was declared an outlaw which meant that he could no longer live in Iceland.

The Discovery of Greenland. — He got ready his ship and with his followers set sail to the westward. Eric had heard rumors of a land to the west and he determined to find this land and settle there. It took great courage for these men to sail away from their homes in an open boat. They were not likely to return and had very little idea of where they were going. Now-a-days when men take ocean voyages they travel in great ships that are more like hotels than boats. They are as safe as railway trains and in peaceful times, just as likely to reach their destination. Not so was it with Eric the Red and his band of hardy followers but their courage carried them through, as courage so often does. They at last came in sight of the land they had heard of, lying green and low upon the horizon. They called it "Greenland" and we call it Greenland to-day. There they settled and from time to time others joined them from Iceland and elsewhere. Eric ruled over them all in his rough way for many years. Leif Ericson. — Now Eric had a son, Leif, who grew to be a man, tall and strong, with fearless blue eyes like his father. Very early in his life he learned to sail a boat. Leif made many voyages, sometimes with his father and sometimes alone with his men, for he was a leader among the people of Greenland.

Leif Hears of a New Land. — One day there came to Greenland to the great hall of Eric the Red, a Norseman named Bjorni. He, too, had been a sailor and had travelled to many strange lands. When dinner was over and they had gathered round the big fire-place, young Leif listened breathlessly to the tale Bjorni told of a land to the west of Greenland to which he had once been driven by a storm. No one had ever spoken of this land before and Leif resolved to go there and see the land for himself.

The Discovery of North America. — So Leif bought Bjorni's ship and engaged thirty-five men to man it. He and his companions then set sail for the unknown land to the west. After sailing many days they came to the land that Bjorni had last seen, a land like a plain of flat stones from the sea to the mountains. Ice and snow were everywhere and, as Leif said, the land appeared to have no good qualities. He called it "Helluland" and we know to-day that it was Newfoundland at which Leif and his men stopped so many years ago. Sailing further south they came to a white sandy beach beyond which grew a thick dark woods. Leif named this "Markland" and it is now called Nova Scotia. Still more to the south they sailed between an island and the mainland into a bay. This place was so pleasant that Leif determined to leave the ship and spend the winter there. So they anchored their ship and built houses for themselves on the shore.

Vinland. — One of Leif Ericson's men was a German who had not always lived in the cold lands of the North. One day when they came in to dinner this German was missing. Leif was troubled for this man had been a friend of his father's and he had known him since childhood. A search party was at once formed and they set out to look for their lost companion. When they at last saw him he came toward them reeling and speaking in a thick voice that they could not understand. Leif saw at once that he had lost his wits but he could not tell why he was in this condition. After several hours, however, the man was able to tell how he had come upon vines laden with grapes rich and wild.

The story goes on to tell that he drank so much of the juice of these grapes that he was unable to find his way back to his friends. At first no one believed what he told them of the grapes

as no grapes grew in the cold country from which they had come. He knew that he spoke the truth, for he had often seen grapes in his native Germany. Later they gathered so many grapes that they filled the small boat which they used in going' to and from the ship and grapes formed part of the cargo which they took back to Greenland. For this reason Leif called this country "Vinland" or the land of vines and wine. Of course we know that grape juice is not intoxicating but the story is interesting and shows why the land was called Vinland. From the descriptions which they have left we now know that they

Leif Ericson's Return to Greenland.

had sailed along the southern coast of Massachusetts and had wintered on the fertile shores of Rhode Island.

When the Spring came Leif and his followers again took to their ship and returned to their home in Greenland. There they told of their voyage and the beautiful land which they had found with its self-sown fields of grain and its abundance of wild grapes.

Leif Ericson Called "The Lucky."

— Leif was now a very important man.

He had much wealth and influence and was looked up to by all the people who called him Leif, "the Lucky," because of his fortunate adventures. Professional singers called "skalds" made the tale of his voyage into a rude song or "saga." This they sang to entertain the people as they went from place to place.

Other Voyages to the New Land. — Thorvald Ericson, Leif s younger brother, made a later voyage to Vinland. Some years after that a young man, Thorfinn Karlsefne, took a small fleet of vessels and a considerable band of men and visited all the lands of which Leif had told. They settled there for a time and fought with the Indians whom they called "Skraelings." They were not successful as they had no guns and could not fight against so many Indians.

The Memory of These Discoveries Becomes Lost. — As long as Leif lived and for many years after his death the

Lief Ericson, after the Statue on Commonwealth Avenue, Boston.

people talked of the wonderful land of grapes and grain which lay far to the southwest. Gradually voyages to Vinland ceased and at length the people of Greenland were themselves attacked and conquered by Eskimos. These were fierce savages from the northwest whose descendants still live in Greenland. For five hundred years after Leif's time we know of no white man who sailed to the shores of North America. For all those years the Red Indian was left undisturbed in his possession of the land.

Viking Helmet.

A GREAT GEOGRAPHER

A Genoese Boy. — If you had been a sailor and had sailed the Mediterranean Sea a great many years ago you would have visited at some time or another the city of Genoa. This was then one of the greatest seaports of the world. As your ship anchored in the harbor you would have seen about you hundreds of other ships of all kinds and from every known country in the world. Swift Venetian galleys with their graceful lines and their long oars; stately Spanish galleons with high decks and tall spars; fast Portuguese caravels, from the Atlantic beyond the "Pillars of Hercules"; Moorish craft from the African shore; and Turkish corsairs with their crescent flags. All these would have been before your very eyes as the ship's boat, that was to take you ashore, was lowered into the water. When you reached the

The Boy Columbus.

wharf you would have had to pick your way through quantities of merchandise piled all about you. Carpets, silks, casks of wine, bales of cotton cloth, barrels of oil packages of cinnamon and pepper and spices, boxes of jewelry, gold and precious stones; all the rich products of the wonderful East brought to the city of Genoa to be sold to the rest of the world. Had you looked about very sharply you might have seen a boy with dark hair and clear blue eyes, intently watching the busy scene around him. Had you seen that boy you would have seen Christopher Columbus who was to become the discoverer of America. The Boy Becomes a Sailor.— He was the son of a woolcomber of Genoa. In those days wool had to be combed by hand before it was ready to be spun. Wool combing was a regular trade like weaving and tailoring. Young Christopher after going to school for some years had been put to work helping his father comb wool. The boy cared little for this and would far rather go to the docks. There he could watch the ships arrive from the East with their precious cargoes, or laden with other goods, sail away to unknown lands. He longed to be a sailor and share in those adventurous voyages. After some years his father allowed him to go. Then we find him sailing the Mediterranean and at length going to live with his brother Bartholomew in Lisbon, the chief city of Portugal. The Portuguese were at this time the greatest sailors in the whole world and Columbus made many voyages with them. At one time he went far down the African coast ; at another he sailed to England. At still another time it is said he visited distant

Iceland where Leif Ericson had lived so many years before. He may have heard there of Leif s voyage of which we have already read, but if he did, he never said anything about it.

Columbus Believes the World is Round Like a Ball. — However, he soon began to think of sailing westward across that unknown sea, a voyage that not even the adventurous Portuguese sailors had yet dared to take. When on shore" Columbus made charts and maps for other sailors to use. Of course, he did much thinking about the position of the continents and the shape of the earth. Most people at this time believed the world to be flat like a pancake. Although no one had ever had the courage to try to prove this theory, certain learned men had said that the world was round like a ball. Columbus agreed with them and was willing to risk his reputation and even his life to attempt to prove that he was right. He believed that you could sail straight west from Portugal right around the world and come to India. This is exactly what everyone would have liked to do.

Trade Routes Gl „***>& -

to the East are "S^'^

Closed.— W hen ' L .7'<'-^mMM^^w\ ' JPQf

only seven years "''** !1 - : -vW''.4

old the Turks, a '^ " ' : -- f MkL

rude savage peo- A Caravan -

pie, had captured the city of Constantinople. After that it

was no longer easy to bring goods from the east. The Turks

would rob the caravans on land, and their pirate ships would capture the merchant vessels that attempted to go by sea. If people could have reached India and China and Japan by sailing westward they need not have feared the Turks.

The Riches of Cathay. — To strengthen his belief Columbus had received a letter from a very famous scientist of the city of Florence named Toscanelli to whom he had written. Toscanelli told Columbus he certainly could reach Cepango and Cathay, as Japan and China were then called. He told, too, about the wealth and beauty of the cities there, of the gold and silver and precious stones, of the wise men and great kings. This made Columbus feel that he could never be happy until he had proved his theory and had visited these wonderful lands.

Columbus Seeks Aid for His Plan. — Columbus was now a man of more than thirty years of age. His hair had turned white and this, together with his tall dignified bearing, made him appear a very important person. His distinguished appearance and his high character had won for him, notwithstanding his lowly birth, the daughter of a prominent Portuguese noble for his wife. He was thus able to get the king of Portugal to listen to his plan.

But Columbus insisted that he should be made ruler of all the lands which he might discover and should have a large share of all the gold and silver which might be found there. This the king was unwilling to grant and Columbus made his plea in vain.

The King of Portugal Makes an Experiment. — Meanwhile, the king sent out a secret expedition to cross the unknown ocean to see if India were really there as Columbus said it was. The sailors on this expedition were filled with ? ear. They had heard frightful tales of sea-serpents and iangers from storms and calms so that they had scarcely sailed out of sight of land when they became too terrified to proceed further and hastily turned back. When they -eached home they spread such ireadful tales of the monsters they tiad seen that the king gave up all idea of sending an expedition. Sailers all over Portugal were now greatly afraid of the dangers of the unknown sea.

Columbus Goes to Spain. — When Columbus heard what the king had ione he was very angry. He left his wife and children and went to Spain, hoping to persuade the king ind queen of that country to do what he had asked of the king of Portugal. For five years he regained at the Spanish court servng as a map-maker and trying to nterest someone in his scheme. He lid at last succeed in having two councils of learned men called to listen to his theories. \iter hearing his arguments, each decided against him and n disgust he returned to Portugal. He arrived in time to ;ee the triumphant return of Bartholomew Dias. This was i famous Portuguese sailor who had just succeeded in sailing

Columbus Statue at Madrid, Spain.

round the cape of Good Hope at the southern point of Africa, and north into the Indian Ocean. Tins news was greeted with great rejoicing in Lisbon and Columbus became more determined than ever to try his way to reach the Indies. Portugal would give him no help, however, so he persuaded his brother, Bartholomew, to go to England and seek aid there. Columbus, himself, intended to try his fortune at the court of the king of France.

A Friend at Last. — All the time that other men had been winning comfort for themselves Columbus had been dreaming dreams and he was now poor and wretched. His wife had died, he was without money and almost without friends, yet his heart was strong, his eye steadfast and Ins tread firm. He still believed that any country that would aid his plans would become rich. So he started off on foot, with his little son, Diego, to try to get the French king to listen to his plans. Not far from Palos, the port at which he meant to take ship for France, he stopped for rest and food at the convent of La Rabida. The Prior or head of the convent was struck by the fine face and noble bearing of the stranger and began to talk with him. Columbus described his belief that the world was round and his idea of crossing the Atlantic Ocean to India. He told of his unsuccessful attempts to gain aid from Spain and Portugal and said he was now on his way to France to give to that country the opportunity the others had declined. The Prior was much interested. It happened that he had at one time been a close friend of Queen Isabella and he undertook to present Columbus' cause once more to the Queen.

He was so far successful that she sent money for Columbus to journey to the court so that he once more laid his plan before the king and queen of Spain. He was so insistent, however, that he be given such high honor and great power in the new land he was to discover that he was again dismissed.

Aid is Secured for the Attempt. — He had bought a mule with the money the queen had given him and mounting

The Departure — Columbus Leaving Spain.

this animal he again set out for France. One of the court gentlemen was greatly impressed with Columbus and his plan and he showed the queen that she had all to gain and nothing to lose in giving Columbus the honors for which he asked. If there was no land where Columbus said there was, his titles would be empty. If he should discover a new land there would still be much profit for Spain. At length she was persuaded, and a swift messenger was sent after Columbus to command his return to the court. His terms were accepted and preparations were at once made to fit out an expedition.

The Expedition is Made Ready. — The king and queen were very poor at this time but the royal treasurer loaned

their share of the necessary money. Some friends of the good prior of the convent of La Rabida advanced the share which Columbus had to provide. There was much trouble in finding sailors who were willing to go.

The tales which had been spread about the sea-serpents were still well known and it was finally necessary to compel men to go on Columbus' ships. Some of the criminals in prison were given their freedom provided they would go on the voyage. The ships were not vessels in which you or I would care to take a long sea voyage. Only one, the largest, called the Santa Maria, had a deck covering the whole ship. The smallest, the Nina, meaning the ''Baby/' had no deck at all and was simply an open boat not much larger

Columbus' Ships.

than a big rowboat. The sailors might well have been afraid to sail in such craft even if there had been no tales of dreadful dangers they would encounter.

The First Voyage. — However, after a good deal of delay, they were ready to sail and on the 4th of August, 1492, they lifted anchor and sailed out of the harbor of Palos. The two smaller vessels, the Pinta and the Nina, were in command of the Pinzon brothers, two sturdy seamen of Palos. The flagship, the Santa Maria, was commanded by the Admiral, as Columbus was now called. A delay of several weeks at the Canary Islands further held back the voyage but at last even this bit of land became dim on the eastern horizon. Many of the sailors wept as they saw it disappear knowing they would now have to face the unknown terrors which they so dreaded.

The False Log. — Each day all were anxious to know how far from home they had sailed. Columbus soon realized that, if the distance became too great, his sailors might be unwilling to continue the voyage. He therefore arranged with his captains to announce each day a distance less than the number of miles they had actually sailed. By this means they appeared to be closer to their homes than they really were. Fortunately for Columbus the weather was fine and signs of land were appearing to urge them to sail on. Birds not thought to be able to fly far from land; a carved stick floating on the water; a drizzling rain without wind; a great cloud on the northern horizon; all of these they believed to be signs of the nearness of land.

Fortune Favors the Brave Admiral. — It took very little to frighten the sailors, however. For days a gentle breeze had been blow ing steadily westward and there was much fear that it would never blow the other way to bring them home again. But on Thursday the twenty-second of September a contrary wind arose and their fears were calmed. Another time they became alarmed because the sea remained so calm

they feared the ships would reach a point where they would remain without moving until they and their crews rotted away.

Fortune again favored Columbus for the next day the sea was rough and the waves towered high above the # ships.

Sea-weed, which they at first took to be a sign of land, became so thick that they feared it would entangle the vessels and hold them fast. The ships sailed on and the sea-weed grew less and less. Land Discovered. — A reward of money from the king and queen and a silk coat from the Admiral, had been offered to the sailor who would first discover land. Every sailor wanted to win these rewards. Now and again someone would shout "Land" but it would prove to be no more

Columbus Sighting the New World.

than a cloud lying low in the west. At last, on the eleventh of October, sailors on the Pinta saw a piece of sugar-cane, then a pole and later a small board floating on the water. The Nina's crew saw a branch with berries on it. These were unmistakable signs of land and all hands watched eagerly for the first real glimpse of the shores they sought. Just about

Landing of Columbus — from the painting by Vanderlyn, in the Capitol at

Washington.

dawn of the next day, which was the twelfth of October, a sailor on the Pinta saw the land. His name was Rodrigo de Triana and you may be sure he received the reward although the Admiral said that he himself had seen a light the night before which must have come from the same shore. The Landing. — When daylight came Columbus prepared to go ashore. Dressed in his handsomest suit and accompanied by his officers bearing the cross of the Church and the royal flag of Spain, he stepped upon the beach. Taking the flag in his hand he took possession of the land for the king and queen of Spain. Behind him stood the captains, each with a green banner bearing a large cross with an F. and a Y. and a crown over each letter, one on each side of the cross. These letters stood for Ferdinand and Isabella, spelled "Ysabella" in those days, the king and queen of Spain.

Columbus Calls the Natives, "Indians." — The natives

who had at first fled into the woods now ventured out to see these wonderful beings with white faces and strange clothes.

They thought the white men had come from heaven on the backs of great birds, for such they believed the ships These natives wore little They were of a gentle

Buying Food from the Indians.

with their many sails to be

clothing and carried no weapons

disposition and Columbus gave orders that no harm be

done them. He gave them red caps and glass beads to put round their necks and tried to talk to them by means of signs and gestures. He was disappointed in not finding them dressed in costly silks and wearing gold ornaments as he had heard the people of India dressed. However, he never doubted that this was India so he called the people Indians. We still call them by this name. The Indians tried to tell Columbus of another people greater and richer than they who lived further to the west and the Admiral believed he would there find the wealth he was seeking.

A Settlement is Made. — He sailed on and discovered the islands of Cuba and Hayti but two things happened which made him hasten back to Spain. The captain and crew of the Pinta had deserted the Admiral and had sailed away hoping to be the first to bring the good news home, and the Santa Maria had been wrecked on the shore of Hayti. This left only the little Nina, the smallest of the three ships. Columbus, fearing something might happen to her, too, which would prevent his ever getting back to Spain, determined to return at once. As the vessel was far too small to hold all the men, it was necessary that about forty of them should stay on the island of Hayti until Columbus could come back with a larger ship. A fort was built and food and provisions enough to last a year were given to the men who said they would remain. Then Columbus, taking with him six Indians, several parrots and a quantity of other things as proof of the lands he had discovered, set sail for Spain. Three days later the Pinta appeared but again deserted during a heavy storm and actually reached the coast of Spain before Columbus. But the king and queen would not receive the Pinta's captain until the Admiral had arrived so he was not allowed to rob Columbus of the credit of his discovery.

The Return. — On the way back Columbus first touched at Lisbon in Portugal. There he was highly honored by the officers of the king of Portugal where he had been denied help so many years before. He then sailed on to Spain where he disembarked and journeyed to the city of Barcelona. He was received there by the king and queen with all honor. The streets were hung with flags and the Admiral, riding on a handsome steed and escorted by officers of the crown and his faithful followers, marched to the palace through the shouting, admiring crowds. The king and queen treated him as a great noble bidding him be seated in their presence and listening with all respect and much interest to the tale of his discovery. The whole country united in praising him. The Second Voyage. — Men were now eager to sail with the great Admiral. Fifteen ships formed the second expedition. Besides sailors and soldiers there were many gentlemen who wished to make their fortunes in the new world. When the fleet reached Navidad, the name Columbus had given to the fort built on the island of Hayti for the men who were left behind on the first voyage, they found it empty with no signs of the men. They had not treated the natives kindly as Columbus had ordered them to do.