104 



MAINE, 

 From 1G07 to the Revolutionary Coniroversy\ 



We have elsewhere seen that, ns the Frencli claimed the entfrf? 

 country between the Kennebec and the St. Croix, the ancient limits of 

 Maine embraced hardly more than one third of iis present terrilorj. 

 As, too, mention has been made of the most di.stinLniished English 

 voyagers who followed Gosnold to explore the coast, the first incident 

 to demand our attention is the mission estabhshed by the Fathers Baird 

 and Masse, in 1609, at a place which they called St. Saviour, on the 

 island of Mount Desert. They were Jesuits, and were soon joined bj 

 Father Du Thet, of the same order. In 1613, Sir Samuel Argai, who 

 was subsequently governor of Virginia, while on a fishing vo3'age to 

 the waters in the vicinity, was v/recked at Penobscot, and was in- 

 formed bv the natives of the fjunding of this mission ; and on his re- 

 turn to Virginia, measures were immediately adopted to destroy it. 

 Eleven fishing vessels, provided with soldiers and cannon, under the 

 command of Argal, were speedily despatched to accomplish this pur- 

 pose. The French had a ship and a barque in the harbor with guns 

 on board, and had commenced a small fort ; but, surprised at the ap- 

 pearance of the Engli^^^h, v/ith no cannon mounted on shore, and with 

 most of their men absent in their various empWmcnts, they were easily 

 subdued. Resistance was, however, made from one of the vessels, 

 and Du Thut was killed while levelling a ship's gun, and several w1m> 

 assisted by his side were wounded. Argal, soon master of the settle- 

 ment, broke up the cross and other emblems of French possession, de- 

 stroyed everything connected with the mission, and, after performing 

 a similar exploit finlher east, returned to Virginia. This, it is of in- 

 t«rest to remark, was the beginning of the contests, wars, and blood- 

 shed between the EngUsh and the French, which, with occasional in- 

 tervals, continued for a century and a half, and which terminated only 

 when the flag of England waved upon every American sea between 

 Mexico and Labrador. 



Sir Samuel Argal's character is variously represented. That he was 

 a bold and a bad man seems probable. The year before he came to 

 Mount Desert he carried off the celebrated Indian princess, Pocahon- 

 tas, and actually held her as his prisoner, when Rolfe wooed and won 

 her. The Earl of Warwick was his partner in trade, and, as is said, 

 was defrauded by him. 



Omitting several minor events, we come at once to consider Maine as 

 an English colony. 



The first inhabitants were nenther Puritans nor refugees from perse- 

 cution. Sir Ferdinando Gorges, the original propric^tor, or lord pala- 

 tine, was an Episcopalian, and a stout royalist or adherent of the Stuarts, 

 and those whom he sent over to settle his domain were of the same re- 

 ligious and political sentiments. He was a devoted friend to the colo- 

 nization of America, and deserves our gratitude, even though we are 

 sometimes compelled to condemn his j)lans, aud the grasping spirit 

 which he evinced as a member of the PKinouth Council. It may be 



