style. Instead of the hospitable reception which they expected from the governor and inhabitants, who were English, Father White says, 'the governor and inhabitants plotted together to exact unreasonable prices for provisions and other necessary supplies.' From the great abundance of potatoes in the island, they received a wagon load gratis. At the time of the arrival of our pilgrims the slaves had rebelled, and determined to seize the first vessel that should arrive, but being discovered, the ringleaders were executed; and, says the narrator, 'our vessel being the first that touched the shore, was the destined prize, and the very day we landed we found eighty men under arms, to check the startling danger.'

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After describing the island of Barbadoes and its ductions, the writer says, 'on the night of the 24th of January we weighed anchor, and passing the island of St. Lucia at noon on the following day, we arrived in the evening at an island inhabited by savages only. A rumour had been caught by our sailors, from some Frenchmen who had been shipwrecked, that this island contained an animal in whose forehead was a stone of uncommon brilliancy, called a carbuncle.' Father White dryly remarks, 'its author must answer for the truth of this report.' At dawn on the following day they reached Guadaloupe, and at noon arrived at Montserrat, inhabited by Irishmen driven from Virginia, on account of their profession of the Catholic faith.

Thence they sailed to another island, where they spent one day; thence to St. Christophers, where they remained ten days, by the friendly invitation of the English governor and two captains, 'who were Catholics.' The governor of a French colony in the same

island also welcomed them warmly. Father White continues: 'having at length weighed anchor hence, we pursued our voyage until we reached a point on the coast of Virginia, called 'Comfort,' on the 27th of February. We were under a good deal of dread from the unfriendliness of the English inhabitants of Virginia, to whom our colony had been an unwelcome theme. We brought, however, letters from the king and the high constable of England to the governor of the province, which contributed very much to appease their feelings, and to procure us future advantages. After receiving kind treatment for nine or ten days we set sail, and on the 3d of March, having arrived in the Chesapeake bay, we tacked to the north to reach the Potomac river, to which we gave the name of St. Gregory. We called the point which stands on the south St. Gregory, that on the north St. Michaels,† in honour of the choir of angels. A larger and more beautiful stream I never have seen. The Thames compared with it is but a rivulet. Bounded on the sides by no marshes, it runs between solid and rising banks. On either side are splendid forests, not overgrown by weeds or briars; you might drive a four-horse carriage, with the reins loose in your hands, through them. We found the natives armed at the very mouth of the river. That night fires were blazing throughout the country, and as they had never seen so large a ship as ours, messengers were sent around to announce the arrival of a canoe as large as an island, and numbering as many men as the trees in a forest. We passed on to the Heron Islands, so called from immense flocks of those birds. We touched at the first of them, which we

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called St. Clements, on which, owing to its sloping banks, we could only land by fording. Here the maids who had landed to wash the clothes, were almost drowned by the upsetting of the boat. I lost a large portion of my linen-no small loss in this part of the world. This island abounds in cedar trees, sassafras, and all those herbs and flowers entering into the class of salads, and the walnut tree with a heavy shell, and a small but very delicious kernel. A scope of four hundred acres did not appear sufficient for our new plantation. We desired a place which might preclude the commerce of the river to strangers, and also the possibility of their infringing on our boundaries. This was the most narrow crossing of the river."

'On the day of the annunciation of the B. V. Mary, (25th of March,) we first offered the sacrifice of the mass, never before done in this region of the world. After which, having raised on our shoulders an immense cross, which we had fashioned from a tree, and going in procession to the designated spot, assisted by the governor,* commissary, and other Catholics, we erected the trophy of Christ the Saviour, and humbly bent the knee in reverence during the devout recitation of the litany of the holy cross. Our governor, however, having understood that the great chief of Piscataway was obeyed by many petty chiefs, determined to visit him, to explain the objects of our coming; that having conciliated his good will, our settlement might be more favourably regarded by the rest. Having, therefore, joined to our pinnace another, which he had procured in Virginia, and leaving the ship at anchor off St. Clements, retracing his course, he sailed up the

Leonard Calvert.

southern bank of the river. Finding the savages had fled into the interior, he proceeded to the village, which taking its name from the river is yet called Potomac. Here he found Archihu, the uncle and tutor of the king, who was yet a boy. The regency was in prudent and experienced hands. Father Altham, who accompanied the governor, (for I was detained with the baggage,) explained, by means of an interpreter, the truths of the Christian religion. The chief listened to him willingly, after acknowledging his own faults. Being informed that no hostile motives had brought us among them, but that feelings of benevolence prompted us to impart to them the advantages of civilization, and to open the path of Heaven to them, and to the more distant regions, he expressed himself not only well satisfied, but very grateful at our arrival. The interpreter was from the Protestants of Virginia. As the Father could not explain every thing at once, he promised to return in a short time. 'I think,' said Archihu, ‘that we should all eat of the same table; my young men will visit the hunting grounds for you, and all things shall be in common with us.' From hence we went to Piscataway, where all immediately flew to arms. About one hundred, armed with bows, were drawn up with their chief at their head. On learning our pacific intentions, laying aside his fears, the chief stepped into the pinnace, and on understanding our benevolent views in their regard, gave us liberty to settle in any part of his kingdom we might select. In the meantime, while the governor was on his journey to the emperor, the savages at St. Clements becoming more bold, mixed familiarly with our sentries. We were accustomed to keep up a patrol day and night, to protect our wood

cutters, and our vessel, which was now undergoing repairs, from any sudden attack. The natives expressed their surprise at the size of our vessel, and wondered what part of the earth produced a tree large enough to make such a boat; for they thought that it, like an Indian canoe, was hewn out of the trunk of a single tree. The report of our cannon struck them dumb with fear.'

'In his visit to the emperor, our governor carried with him as a companion, one Henry Fleet, a captain among the settlers in Virginia, a man much beloved by the natives, and skilled in the knowledge of their language and settlements. In the beginning he was very obliging to us, but being seduced by the malicious counsels of a certain Claiborne, he became very hostile, and in the most artful manner inflamed the minds of the natives against us. However, while he was our friend, he pointed out to our governor a suitable place for a settlement, than which a more heavenly and lovely spot Europe could not furnish. Having proceeded from St. Clements about nine leagues to the north, we glided into the mouth of a river, to which we gave the name of St. George.* This river flows from south to north about twenty miles before it loses, like the Thames, the salt water taste. In its mouth are two harbours, in which three hundred ships of the line could ride at anchor. We placed one of them under the protection of St. George, the other, more interior, under that of the B. V. Mary.'t

'On the left side of the river was the settlement of Yaocomico. We ascended on the right side, and hav

* Now called St. Mary's river.

†This harbour must be either the mouth of what is now called St. George's river, or the entrance to St. Inigoe's creek.