224 
CAPE COD. 
Bancroft, referring to Charlevoix. These are but a 
few of the instances which I might quote. 
Cape Cod is commoniy said to have been discovered 
in 1602. We will consider at length under what cir¬ 
cumstances, and with what observation and expectations, 
the first Englishmen whom history clearly discerns ap¬ 
proached the coast of New England. According to 
the accounts of Archer and Brereton (both of whom 
accompanied Gosnold), on the 26th of March, 1602, 
old style, Captain Bartholomew Gosnold set sail from 
Falmouth, England, for the North Part of Virginia, in 
a small bark called the Concord, they being in all, says 
one account, thirty-two persons, whereof eight mariners 
and sailors, twelve purposing upon the discovery to re¬ 
turn with the ship for England, the rest remain there for 
population.” This is regarded as “ the first attempt of 
the English to make a settlement within the limits of 
New England.” Pursuing a new and a shorter course 
than the usual one by the Canaries, the 14th of April 
following ” they had sight of Saint Mary’s, an island of 
the Azores.” As their sailors were few and none of 
the best,” (I use their own phrases,) and they were 
««going upon an unknown coast,” they were not “ over¬ 
bold to stand in with the shore but in open weather”; so 
they made their first discovery of land with the lead. 
The 23d of April the ocean appeared yellow, but on tak¬ 
ing up some of the water in a bucket, ^Gt altered not 
either in color or taste from the sea azure.” The 7th 
of May they saw divers birds whose names they knew, 
and many others in their “ English tongue of no name ” 
The 8th of May “ the water changed to a yellowish 
green, where at seventy fathoms ” they had ground.’ 
The 9th; they had upon their lead ‘‘ many glittering 
