THE VOYAGERS 



of Arcadia. In the spring of the year after Gilbert's 

 disaster, Raleigh despatched two small ships, under Philip 

 Amadas and Arthur Barlow, to prospect the coast of 

 America, from Florida northwards, with a view to a 

 permanent colony. They had a prosperous voyage by 

 way of the Canary Islands, and reached the continent 

 in the latitude of North Carolina. Here they landed 

 on the islands of Wocoken and Roanoak, taking pos- 

 session of the land in the Queen's name and establishing 

 relations of the most friendly kind with the natives. 

 Their description of the country, fertile and luxuriant to 

 the water's edge, and of their joyous reception by the 

 Indians, makes the dreams of pastoral poets seem true. 

 'We found the people,' they report, ' most gentle, loving, The people of 

 and faithful, void of all guile and treason, and such as live ^^.^ 

 after the manner of the Golden Age.' The King, or 

 chief, being absent, his brother, with a retinue, received 

 the visitors, and showed them every possible courtesy. 



* When we came to the shore to him,' says Captain 

 Barlow, ' with our weapons, he never moved from his 

 place, nor any of the other four, nor never mistrusted 

 any harm to be offered from us ; but, sitting still, he 

 beckoned us to come and sit by him, which we per- 

 formed ; and, being set, he made all signs of joy and 

 welcome, striking on his head and his breast and after- 

 wards on ours, to shew we were all one, smiling and 

 making shew the best he could of love and familiarity.' 



* He was very just of his promise ' ; the narrator goes 

 on, ' for many times we delivered him merchandise upon 

 his word, but ever he came within the day and performed 

 his promise.' He loaded the voyagers with gifts ; and 

 his wife, who was equally hospitable, tended them in 



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