The First Voyage Made to the Coasts of America

The voyage made by Sir Richard Greenuile, for Sir Walter Ralegh, to Virginia, in the yeere, 1585.

The 19. day of Maye, in the yeere aboue saide, wee departed from Plymmouth, our ﬂeete consisting of the number of seuen sailes, to wit, the Tyger, of the burden of seuen score tunnes: a Flie boate called the Roe Buck, of the like burden: the Lyon of a hundred tunnes, or thereabouts: the Elizabeth, of ﬁftie tunnes, and the Dorothie, a small barke, whereunto were also adioyned for speedie seruices, 2. small Pinnesses. The principall Gentlemen of our companie, were, Master Ralfe Lane, Master Thomas Candishe, Master Iohn Arundell, Master Raimund, Master Stukely, Master Bremige, Master Vincent, and Master Iohn Clarke, and diuers others, whereof some were Captaines, and other some Assistants for counsell, and good directions in the voyage.

The 14. day of Aprill, we fell with Lançacota, and Forte Ventura, Isles of the Canaries, and from thence we continued our course for Dominica, one of the Antiles of the West India, wherewith we fell the 7. day of Maye, and the 10. day following, we came to anker at Cotesa, a little Island situate neere to the Island of S. Iohn, where wee landed, and refreshed our selues all that day.

The 15. day of Maye, we came to an anker, in the Baye of Muskito, in the Island of S. Iohn, within a Fawlcon shot of the shoare: where our Generall Sir Richard Greenuill, and the most part of our companie landed, and began to fortiﬁe, very neere to the sea side: the riuer ranne by the one side of our forte, and the other two sides were enuironed with woods.

The 13. day we began to builde a new pinnesse within the Fort, with the timber that we then felled in the countrey, some part whereof we fet three myle vp in the land, and brought it to our Fort vpon trucks, the Spaniards not daring to make or offer resistance.

The 16. day, there appeared vnto vs out of the woods 8. horsemen of the Spaniards, about a quarter of a mule from our Fort, staying about halfe an hower in viewing our forces: but as soone as they saw x. of our shot marching towardes them, the presently retyred into the woodes.

The 19. day, Master Candish, who had bene seperated from our ﬂeete in a storme in the Bay of Portingal arriued at Cotesa, within the sight of the Tiger: we thinking him a farre off to haue ben either a Spaniard or French man of warre thought it good to waigh ankers, and to goe roome with him, which the Tyger did, and discerned him at last to be one of our Consorts, for ioy of whose comming, our ships discharged their ordinance, and saluted him, according to the manner of the Seas.

The King is greatly obeyed, and his brothers, and children reuerenced: the King himselfe in person was at our beeing there sore wounded, in a ﬁght which he had with the King of the next Countrey, called Wingina, and was shotte in two places through the bodye, and once cleane thorough the thigh, but yet he recouered: by reason whereof, and for that hee laye at the chiefe Towne of the Countrey, beeing sixe dayes iourneye off, wee sawe him not at all.

After wee had presented this his brother, with such things as we thought he liked, we likewise gaue somewhat to the other that sate with him on the matte: but presently he arose, and tooke all from them, and put it into his owne basket, making signes and tokens, that all things ought to be deliuered vnto him, and the rest were but his seruants, and followers. A daye or two after this, we fell to trading with them, exchanging some thinges that we had for Chammoys, Buffe, and Deere skinnes: when we shewed him all our packet of merchandize, of all things that he saw, a bright tinne dishe most pleased him, which he presently tooke vp, & clapt it before his breast, & after made a hole in the brimme thereof, & hung it about his necke, making signes, that it would defende him against his enemies arrowes: for those people maintaine a deadlie and terrible warre, with the people and King adioyning. We exchanged our tinne dishe for twentie skinnes, woorth twentie Crownes, or twentie Nobles: and a copper kettle for ﬁftie skinnes, woorth ﬁftie Crownes. They offered vs very good exchange for our hatchets, and axes, and for kniues, and would haue giuen any thing for swordes: but we would not depart with any. After two or three daies, the Kings brother came aboord the shippes, and dranke wine, and ate of our meate, and of our bread, and liked exceedingly thereof: and after a few daies ouerpassed, he brought his wife with him to the shippes, his daughter, and two or three little children: his wife was very well fauoured, of meane stature, and very bashfull: she had on her backe a long cloke of leather, with the furre side next to her bodie, and before her a peece of the same: about her forehead, she had a broad bande of white Corrall, and so had her husband many times: in her eares she had bracelets of pearles, hanging downe to her middle, (whereof we deliuered your Worship a litle bracelet) and those were of the bignes of good pease. The rest of her women of the better sorte, had pendants of copper, hanging in euery eare, and some of the children of the Kings brother, and other Noble men, haue ﬁue or sixe in euery eare: he himselfe had vpon his head, a broad plate of golde, or copper, for being vnpolished, we knew not what mettall it should be, neither would he by any meanes suffer vs to take it off his head, but feeling it, it would bowe very easily. His apparell was as his wiues, onely the women weare their haire long on both sides, and the men but on one. They are of colour yellowish, and their haire blacke for the most, and yet we sawe children that had very ﬁne aburne, and chestnut colour haire.

After that these women had bene there, there came downe from all parts great store of people, bringing with them leather, corrall, diuers kindes of dies very excellent, and exchanged with vs: but when Granganimeo, the kings brother was present, none durst to trade but himselfe, except such as weare redde peeces of copper on their heades, like himselfe: for that is the difference betweene the Noble men, and Gouernours of Countries, and the meaner sort. And we both noted there, and you haue vnderstood since by these men, which we brought home, that no people in the worlde carry more respect to their King, Nobilitie, and Gouernours, then these doe. The Kings brothers wife, when she came to vs, as she did many times, shee was followed with fortie or ﬁftie women alwaies: and when she came into the shippe, she left them all on lande, sauing her two daughters, her nurce, and one or two more. The Kings brother alwaies kept this order, as many boates as he would come withall to the shippes, so many ﬁres would he make on the shoare a farre off, to the ende wee might vnderstand with what strength, and companie he approched. Their boates are made of one tree, either of Pine, or of Pitch trees: a wood not commonly knowen to our people, nor found growing in England. They haue no edge tooles to make them withall: if they haue any, they are very fewe, and those it seemes they had twentie yeeres since, whih as those two men declared, was out of a wracke which happened vpon their coast of some Christian shippe, being beaten that way by some storme, and outragious weather, whereof none of the people were saued, but onely the shippe, or some part of her, being cast vpon the sande, out of whose sides they drewe the nailes, and spikes, and with those they made their best instruments. Their manner of making their boates, is this: they burne downe some great tree, or take such as are winde fallen, and putting myrrhe, and rosen vpon one side thereof, they sette ﬁre into it, and when it hath burnt it hollowe, they cutte out the coale with their shels, and euer where they would burne it deeper or wider, they laye on their gummes, which burneth away the timber, and by this meanes they fashion very ﬁne boates, and such as will transport twentie men. Their oares are like scoopes, and many times they sette with long poles, as the depth serueth.

The Kings brother had great liking of our armour, a sworde, and diuers other things, which we had: and offered to laye a great boxe of pearle in gage for them: but wee refused it for this time, because we would not make them knowe, that wee esteemed thereof, vntill wee had vnderstoode in what places of the Countrey the pearle grewe: which nowe your Worshippe doth very well vnderstand.

He was very iust of his promise: for many times wee deliuered him merchandize vppon his worde, but euer he came within the daye, and performed his promise. Hee sent vs euery daye a brase or two of fatte Buckes, Conies, Hares, Fishe, the best of the worlde. Hee sent vs diuers kindes of fruites, Melons, Walnuts, Cucumbers, Gourdes, Pease, and diuers rootes, and fruites very excellent good, and of their Countrey corne, which is very white, faire, and well tasted, and groweth three times in ﬁue moneths: in Maye they sowe, in Iuly they reape: in Iune they sowe, in August they reape: in Iuly they sowe, in September they reape: onely they cast the corne into the ground, breaking a little of the soft turfe with a woodden mattocke, or pickeaxe: our selues prooued the soile, and put some of our Pease into the ground, and in tenne daies they were of foureteene ynches high: they haue also Beanes very faire, of diuers colours, and wonderfull plentie: some growing naturally, and some in their gardens, and so haue they both wheat and oates.

The soile is the most plentifull, sweete, fruitfull, and wholsome of all the world: there are aboue foureteene seuerall sweete smelling timber trees, and the most part of their vnderwoods are Bayes, and such like: they haue those Okes that we haue, but farre greater, and better. After they had bene diuers times aboord our shippes, my selfe, with seuen more, went twentie mile into the Riuer, that runneth toward the Citie of Skicoake, which Riuer they call Occam: and the euening following, we came to an Island, which they call Roanoak, distant from the harbour by which we entred, seuen leagues: and at the North ende thereof, was a village of nine houses, built of Cedar, and fortiﬁed round about with sharpe trees, to keepe out their enemies, and the entrance into it made like a turne pike very artiﬁcially: when we came towards it, standing neere vnto the waters side, the wife of Grangyno, the Kings brother, came running out to meete vs very cheerefully, and friendly, her husband was not then in the village: some of her people she commanded to drawe our boate on the shoare, for the beating of the billoe: others shee appointed to carry vs on their backes to the dry ground, and others to bring our oares into the house, for feare of stealing. When we were come into the vtter roome, hauing ﬁue roomes in her house, she caused vs to sitte downe by a great ﬁre, and after tooke off our clothes, and washed them, and dried them againe: some of the women pulled off our stockings, and washed them, some washed our feete in warme water, and shee her selfe tooke great paines to see all thinges ordered in the best manner shee coulde, making great haste to dresse some meate for vs to eate.

After we had thus dried our selues, shee brought vs into the inner roome, where shee set on the boord standing along the house, some wheate like furmentie, sodden Venison, and roasted, ﬁshe sodden, boyled, and roasted, Melons rawe, and sodden, rootes of diuers kindes, and diuers fruites: their drinke is commonly water, but while the grape lasteth, they drinke wine, and for want of caskes to keepe it all the yeere after, they drinke water, but it is sodden wih Ginger in it, and blacke Sinamon, and sometimes Sassaphras, and diuers other wholesome, and medicinable hearbes and trees. We were entertained with all loue, and kindnes, and with as much bountie, after their manner, as they could possibly deuise. Wee found the people most gentle, louing, and faithfull, void of all guile, and treason, and such as liued after the manner of the golden age. The earth bringeth foorth all things in aboundance, as in the ﬁrst creation, without toile or labour. The people onely care to defend themselues from the cold, in their short winter, and to feede themselues with such meate as the soile affoordeth: their vessels are earthen pots, very large, white, and sweete: their dishes are woodden platters of sweete timber: within the place where they feede, was their lodging, and within that their Idoll, which they worship, of which they speake vncredible things. While we were at meate, there came in at the gates, two or three men with their bowes, and arrowes, from hunting, whome when we espied, we beganne to looke one towardes another, and offered to reach our weapons: but assoone as she espied our mistrust, she was very much mooued, and caused some of her men to runne out, and take away their bowes, and arrowes, and breake them, and withall beate the poore fellowes out of the gate againe. When we departed in the euening, and would not tarry all night, she was very sorie, and gaue vs into our boate our supper halfe dressed, pots, and all, and brought vs to our boates side, in which wee laye all night, remoouing the same a pretie distance from the shoare: shee perceiuing our iealousie, was much grieued, and sent diuers men, and thirtie women, to sitte all night on the bankes side by vs, and sent vs into our boates ﬁne mattes to couer vs from the rayne, vsing very many wordes to intreate vs to rest in their houses: but because wee were fewe men, and if wee had miscarried, the voyage had beene in very great daunger, wee durst not aduenture any thing, although there was no cause of doubt: for a more kinde, and louing people, there can not be found in the world, as farre as we haue hitherto had triall.

Beyonde this Islande, there is the maine lande, and ouer against this Islande falleth into this spatious water, the great riuer called Occam, by the Inhabitants, on which standeth a Towne called Pemeoke, and sixe daies iourney further vpon the same is situate their greatest citie, called Schycoake, which this people afﬁrme to be very great: but the Sauages were neuer at it, onely they speake of it, by the report of their Fathers, and other men, whome they haue heard afﬁrme it, to be aboue one daies iourney about.

Into this riuer falleth another great riuer, called Cipo, in which there is found great store of the Muscels, in which there are pearles: likewise there descendeth into this Occam, another riuer, called Nomopana, on the one side whereof standeth a great Towne, called Chowanoake, and the Lord of that Towne and Countrey, is called Pooneno: this Pooneno is not subiect to the King of Wingandacoa, but is a free Lorde. Beyonde this Countrey, there is another King, whome they call Menatoan, and these three Kinges are in league with eache other. Towards the Sunne set, foure daies iourney, is situate a Towne called Sequotan, which is the Westermost Towne of Wingandacoa, neere vnto which, sixe and twentie yeeres past, there was a shippe cast away, whereof some of the people were saued, and those were white people, whom the Countrey people preserued.

And after ten daies, remaining in an out Island vnhabited, called Wococan, they with the helpe of some of the dwellers of Sequotan, fastened two boates of the Countrey together, and made mastes vnto them, and sailes of their shirtes, and hauing taken into them such victuals as the Countrey yeelded, they departed after they had remained in this out Island three weekes: but shortly after, it seemed they were cast away, for the boates were found vppon the coast, cast aland in another Island adioyning: other then these, there was neuer any people apparelled, or white of colour, either seene, or heard of amongst these people, and these aforesaide were seene onely of the Inhabitants of Sequotan: which appeared to be very true, for they wondred meruelously when we were amongest them, at the whitenes of our skinnes, euer coueting to touch our breastes, and to view the same: besides they had our shippes in maruelous admiration, and all things els was so strange vnto them, as it appeared that none of them had euer seene the like. When we discharged any peece, were it but a harquebush, they would tremble thereat for very feare, and for the strangenes of the same: for the weapons which themselues vse, are bowes and arrowes: the arrowes are but of small canes, headed with a sharpe shell, or tooth of a ﬁshe sufﬁcient enough to kill a naked man. Their swordes are of wood hardened: likewise they vse woodden breastplates for their defense. They haue besides a kinde of clubbe, in the ende whereof they fasten the sharpe hornes of a stagge, or other beast. When they goe to warres, they carry with them their Idoll, of whome they aske counsell, as the Romanes were woont of the Oracle of Apollo. They sing songs as they march towards the battell, in steede of drummes, and trumpets: their warres are very cruell, and bloodie, by reason whereof, and of their ciuill dissentions, which haue happened of late yeeres amongest them, the people are maruelously wasted, and in some places, the Countrey left desolate.

Adioyning vnto this Towne aforesaide, called Sequotan, beginneth a Countrey called Ponouike, belonging to another King, whome they call Piemacum, and this King is in league with the next King, adioyning towardes the setting of the Sunne, and the Countrey Neiosioke, situate vppon the side of a goodly Riuer, called Neus: these Kings haue mortall warre with Wingina, King of Wingandacoa, but about two yeeres past, there was a peace made betweene the King Piemacum, and the Lorde of Sequotan, as these men which we haue brought with vs into England, haue made vs vnderstande: but there remaineth a mortall malice in the Sequotanes, for many iniuries and slaughters done vppon them by this Piemacum. They iniuited diuers men, and thirtie women, of the best of his Countrey, to their Towne to a feast: and when they were altogether merrie, and praying before their Idoll, which is nothing else, but a meere illusion of the Deuill: the Captaine or Lorde of the Towne came suddenly vpon them, and slewe them euery one, reseruing the women, and children: and these two haue oftentimes since perswaded vs to surprise Piemacum his Towne, hauing promised, and assured vs, that there will be founde in it great store of commodities. But whether their perswasion be to the ende they may be reuenged of their enemies, or for the loue they beare to vs, we leaue that to the triall hereafter.

Beyond this Island, called Croonoake, are many Islands, very plentifull of fruites, and other naturall increases, together with many Townes, and villages, along the side of the continent, some bounding vpon the Islands, and some stretching vp further into the land.

When we ﬁrst had sight of this Countrey. some thought the ﬁrst lande we sawe, to be the continent: but after wee entred into the Hauen, wee sawe before vs another mightie long Sea: for there lieth along the coast a tracte of Islands, two hundreth miles in length, adioyning to the Ocean sea, and betweene the Islands, two or three entrances: when you are entred betweene them (these Islands being very narrowe, for the most part, as in most places sixe miles broad, in some places lesse, in fewe more,) then there appeareth another great Sea, containing in bredth in some places, fortie, and in some ﬁftie, in some twentie miles ouer, before you come vnto the continent: and in this inclosed Sea, there are about a hundreth Islands of diuers bignesses, whereof one is sixeteene miles long, at which we were, ﬁnding it to be a most pleasant, and fertile ground, replenished with goodly Cedars, and diuers other sweete woods, full of Currans, of ﬂaxe, and many other notable commodities, which we at that time had no leasure to view. Besides this Island, there are many, as I haue saide, some of two, of three, of foure, of ﬁue miles, some more, some lesse, most beautifull, and pleasant to behold, replenished with Deere, Conies, Hares, and diuers beastes, and about them the goodliest and best ﬁshe in the world, in greatest aboundance.

Thus Sir, we haue acquainted you with the particulars of our discouerie, made this present voyage, as farre foorth, as the shortnes of the time we there continued, would affoord vs to take viewe of: and so contenting our selues with this seruice at this time, which we hope hereafter to inlarge, as occasion and assistance shall be giuen, we resolued to leaue the Countrey, and to apply our selues to returne for England, which we did accordingly, and arriued safely in the West of England, about the middest of September.

And whereas we haue aboue certiﬁed you of the Countrey, taken in possession by vs, to her Maiesties vse, and so to yours, by her Maiesties grant, wee thought good for the better assurance thereof to recorde some of the particular Gentlemen, and men of accompt, who then were present, as witnesses of the same, that thereby all occasion of cauill to the title of the Countrey, in her Maiesties behalfe, may be preuented, which otherwise, such as like not the action may vse, and pretend, whose names are:

Captaines.
Master Philip Amadas,
Master Arthur Barlowe,

Of the companie.
William Greeneuile,
Iohn Wood,
Iames Browewich,
Henrie Greene,
Beniamin Wood,
Simon Ferdinando,
Nicholas Petman,
Iohn Hewes,