School History of North Carolina (From 1584 to the Present Time) | Page 8

in the State? What tradition existed among the Indians? How was that tradition beginning to be fulfilled ? Point out on the map the ancient homes of the Tuscarora Indians. The Catawbas. The Cherokees. The Corees. The Meherrins. The Chowanokes. Trace the course of the Roanoke River. The Neuse. The Meherrin. The Chowan. The Catawba. The Yadkin. The French Broad.

CHAPTER V
.
SIR WALTER RALEIGH
A. D. 1570 TO 1583.
1570. The sixteenth century of the Christian era was one of the most wonderful periods in the world's history. The recent invention of the printing-press had scattered books and knowledge over Christendom, a larger liberty in religions matters had been achieved by the Reformation, and daring navigators sailed with their ships into many regions never before visited by civilized men.
2. The Portuguese and Spaniards sent expeditions to many lands. In America, thousands of men and women were living who had come from Europe, or had been born of white parents since the first settlements in the West Indies, Mexico and Peru. As Columbus had discovered the new world with Spanish ships, the kings of Spain laid claim to all the continent.
3. England, in that time, was ruled by Queen Elizabeth, who began her reign in 1558. Ireland and the small islands in the British Channel were the only dependencies of the Crown. Scotland was still an independent monarchy. With a few millions of subjects, and this small territory as her realm, this queen was in great danger of dethronement and death. The Pope, the Catholic kings and her own people belonging to the Church of Rome denied her title to be queen and sought her overthrow and that of the Protestant religion she upheld.
4. Amid so many dangers and difficulties, Queen Elizabeth, by wisdom and prudence, not only managed to defend herself, but became one of the greatest rulers of any age. She devoted her energies to the government of her people, and, though courted by many princes, would never marry, for fear such a relation would impair her usefulness as a queen.
5. Among her greatest gifts as a ruler was her clear insight into the characters of men. She knew whom to employ as her agents, and was rarely deceived as to how far she could trust them in a season so full of treason and danger. But this great queen, who humbled the most powerful monarchs, and in whose presence the sternest men would sometimes tremble, was, after all, a very vain woman. Nothing pleased her more, even in her old age, than praise of her personal appearance.
6. One evening she was walking at the head of a procession composed of ladies and gentlemen of her court, when she encountered a muddy place in her pathway. The stately queen paused a moment, seeming in doubt as to whether she should step in the mud or pass around. A handsome young man, who was standing near by, snatched a velvet cloak from his shoulders, and, throwing it in the mud for Her Majesty to step upon, she passed over with dry feet.
7. Queen Elizabeth was charmed with the ready gallantry of the youth. She made inquiries concerning him, and found that it was young Walter Raleigh, who had just come to London from his home in the country. It was the beginning of his fortunes at court, and he soon won the queen's confidence and respect.
8. Walter Raleigh had many noble and generous qualities. He was, by nature, brave, ambitious and enterprising, and soon became a great and learned man. He was a gallant soldier, a skilful navigator and the statesman who first conceived the plan for extending the British Empire. While serving as a soldier in behalf of the French Protestants, on the continent of Europe, he heard and read so much of the wondrous lands across the Atlantic Ocean that he resolved that England should share in the glory and profit of future discoveries.
1578-83.
9. When Raleigh went back to England he communicated his desires and feelings to his half-brother, Sir Humphrey Gilbert, who had made reputation as a commander of ships. In the year 1578, the queen granted leave to these two men to sail in search of lands yet undiscovered by civilized nations. In 1583 they sent out a large vessel called the Raleigh, [It is said that the vessel was commanded by Sir Walter Raleigh in person, and this was the only attempt ever made by him to visit the shores of North America. ] which was compelled to return in a few days, on account of disease among the crew.
10. English sailors, at that time, were easily discouraged in efforts to navigate the Atlantic Ocean. They had never crossed it, and were full of superstition concerning that unknown and mysterious sea.
11. Again, in 1583, Sir Humphrey Gilbert, with