establishment of colonies in America. About the year 1584, Sir Walter
Raleigh, an able statesman and gallant officer, formed a project for
planting an English colony in America. His penetrating genius easily
discerned the great advantages which would accrue from a successful
foreign settlement. He applied to the Queen, and having obtained from her
letters-patent, immediately began to carry into execution what his
ingenuity had projected. He fitted out two vessels, and gave the command
of them to Philip Amidas and Arthur Barlow, and sent them to America.
They landed at the island Roanock, and took possession of the country in
the name of the Queen of England, and Sir Walter called it Virginia, in
honour of his virgin Queen. The favourable report made by these two
mariners, encouraged Sir Walter to pursue his design with resolution.
Great minds are fond of new schemes and grand enterprizes, but it
commonly falls to posterity to reap the advantages resulting from them.
Sir Richard Grenville, one of Sir Walter's intimate companions,
afterwards visited this country, and left one hundred and eight men in it
to keep possession of the territory. But they running short of
provisions, and having no source of supply, were reduced to great
straits. Happily for them, admiral Drake, who had been sent with a fleet
to Spanish America in search of treasure, had instructions to touch at
Virginia in his return to England. On his arrival he found the infant
colony in great distress, and at their request carried them back to
England.

Some years afterwards another attempt was made, and fifty men were left
to begin a settlement. Whether these suffered death by hunger, or the
hands of savages, is uncertain; but, on the arrival of another
embarkation, none of the fifty could be found. They observed the word
Croatan marked on some trees, from which the conjectured that the colony
had moved to a place called by that name, and left this as a mark to