104 



From 1607 to the Rebolutioimry Controversy. 



We have elsewhere seen that, as the French claimed the entire 

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

 Maine embraced hardly more than one third of its present territory. 

 As, too, mention has been made of the most distinguished EngHsb 

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

 to demand our attention is the mission established by the Fathers Baiid 

 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 by 

 Father Du Thet, of the same order. In ] 613, Sir Samnel Argal, who 

 was subsequently governor of Virginia, while on a fishing voyage to 

 the waters in the vicinity, was wrecked at Penobscot, and was in- 

 formed by the natives of the fiiunding 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- 

 jpearance of the English, with no cannon mounted on shore, and with 

 most of their men al)sent in their various employments, they were easily 

 subdued. Resistance was, however, made fi-om one of the vessels, 

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

 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 further east, returned to Virginia. This, it is of in- 

 terest to remark, was the beginning of thfe contests, wars, and blood- 

 shed between the English 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 be 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 neither Puritans nor refiigees from perse- 

 cution. Sir Ferdinando Gorges, the original proprietor, 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 plans, and the grasping spirit 

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



