Annals of Philadelphia,

AN APPENDIX, of about 80 pages, containing "Olden Time Re-
searches and Reminiscences of New York City," under the
following heads, to wit: Primitive New York; Ancient
Memorials; Local Changes and Local Facts; Former
Manners and Customs; Remarkable Facts and Incidents;
Dresses, Furniture and Equipage; Superstitions; Ancient
Edifices; Things as they were when the British held New
York; Passing Remarks on the present state of society,
compared with the past, &c. &c.

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ANNALS

Philadelphia.

GENERAL INTRODUCTORY HISTORY.

"My soul, revolving periods past, looks back
With recollected interest on all

The former darings of our venturous race.”

BEFORE proceeding to the proper object of the present work, ("The Annals of Philadelphia, &c.") it may be profitable to occupy a few lines in a preliminary and brief survey of the successive efforts made by kings, discoverers, and founders, to settle colonies in our hemisphere.

The earliest English claim to sovereignty in America was based upon the discoveries of John Cabot, accompanied by his son Sebastian. These, acting under the commission and for the service of Henry VII. in the year 1497, ran along the line of our coast, from the 38th to the 67th degree of north latitude;-thus making their discoveries only five years later than those by Columbus himself in lower latitudes.

But great as were such discoveries, and important as have been their consequences, since developed, they then excited no effectual spirit of adventure and colonization. It was not till upwards of a century, that any nation of Europe made any effective establishments in our country. In 1608 the French, conducted by Samuel Champlain, founded their colony in Canada;-about the same time the Dutch planted New York, and the British, Virginia. The few earlier attempts at colonization made by England and France wrre virtually nothing, as they were abandoned almost as soon as begun.

When we contemplate the present wealth and resources of our country, once open to the aggrandisement of any respectable adventurer, who had energies sufficient to avail himself of its advantages, it is matter of surprise, that a period of eighty years should have elapsed in England before any of her subjects should have made any effort to possess themselves of the benefits of their proper discovery! France with less pretension did more; for, Cartiers in 1534 made some ineffectual attempts at plantation in Canada. This was under the discoveries imputed to Verranza, who, only ten years before,

while sailing under a patent from Francis I, ranged the coast from North Carolina to the 50th degree of north latitude, and called the country New France.

At length the attention of the English nation was called to the subject of colonization by the genius and enterprise of Sir Walter Raleigh. In 1578 he procured a patent for settlement for the use of his half brother Sir Humphrey Gilbert. The latter however made no endeavour to execute it till 1583, when it soon proved abortive in his attempts to a settlement in New Foundland. It was not, from its very nature, the land to allure and cherish strangers. Another expedition quickly succeeded under a direct grant in 1584 to Sir Walter Raleigh himself. He committed the enterprise to Sir Richard Greenville under two divisions of vessels, (the first, as it is said, under captains Amidas and Barlow,*) both of which made the land at Roenoke in North Carolina in the years 1584 and 5. Disaster and dissatisfaction soon broke up this colony; for, losing 108 of their number in an enterprise wherein their fate was never known, the remainder willingly availed themselves of an unexpected chance to return home with Sir Francis Drake's fleet. They were hardly gone, in 1586, before Sir Walter himself arrived to join his colonists; but finding all had gone he returned home immediately much chagrined with his non-success. Still however, two other colonies succeeded under captain White in 1587 and 1590. The first were supposed to have been destroyed; and the latter, being much distressed by a storm on the coast, resolved on a return home. Thus ended the disastrous and nugatory efforts of Sir Walter and his associates! They were indeed enough to repress and break the spirits of any individual projector.

The spirit of adventure slumbered for a season, and no further attempts of Englishmen occurred until 1602, when the enterprising Bartholomew Gosnold, (a name since much appropriated to New England history,) made his discovery of Cape Cod and the neighbouring regions, although he then purposed a voyage to the former illfated Roenoke. He was succeeded in the two following years by captains M. Pring and George Weymouth. In 1607 captains George Popham and R. Gilbert built Fort George at the place where now stands the city of Boston. These all contented themselves with making short stays for purposes of trade and traffic. They sought not colonization, nor cared to seek after the abandoned Roenoke.+

Sir Walter having forfeited his patent by attainder, king James I. was pleased to grant another patent for all our territory from the

Bennet's MSS. History does not regard Amidas and Barlow as a part of Greenville's expedition as other historians do; but that they arrived in 1584, and Greenville's in 1585. He also asserts, as if relating it from data, that the former took home two natives named Wanchese and Manteo, and also the first specimens of tobacco.

+ It has long been held uncertain whether ever Sir Walter visited his colony; but Bennet's MSS. History asserts that he did.

Roenoke is the Indian name for Wampum.

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Annals of Philadelphia,: Being a Collection of Memoirs, Anecdotes ...