them to the greatest extremity. Such, in a short time, was their miserable condition, that they devoured the skins of their horses, the bodies of the Indians they had killed, and the flesh of their dead companions. In six months their number was reduced from more than five hundred to sixty. 22. At this time, the persons who had been wrecked at Bermuda arrived; but they, with the other settlers, all agreed that it was best to quit the settlement, and return to England. Accordingly they sailed down the river for that purpose. Fortunately they were met by Lord Delaware, who had come in a vessel from England, loaded with provisions. This revived their courage, and they went back to Jamestown. 23. The colony now began to enjoy more favorable prospects. Lord Delaware, who was governor, restored order and contentment by his mild and gentle conduct, and the Indians were once more taught to respect and fear the English. In 1611, new settlers arrived, and other towns were founded; and under a succession of wise governors, Virginia became a flourishing and extensive colony. 24. In 1612 Captain Argal went on a trading voyage up the Potomac, and heard that Pocahontas was in the neighborhood. He invited her to come on board his vessel, and she came. He then detained her, and carried her to Jamestown. He knew that Powhatan loved his daughter, and thought, while she was in the possession of the English, that he would be afraid to do them mischief. But the noble-hearted chief, indignant at the treachery that had been practised, refused to listen to any terms of peace till his daughter was restored. 25. While Pocahontas was at Jamestown, a respectable young Englishman, named Rolfe, became very fond of her. She was, indeed, a very interesting woman simple, innocent, and beautiful. Pocahontas soon became attached to Rolfe, and with the consent of Powhatan, they were married. This was followed by peace between the colony and all the tribes subject to Powhatan. Soon after, Rolfe visited England with his bride. She was received by the king and queen with the respect due to her virtues as a woman, and her rank as a princess. When she was about to return to America, she died, leaving one child, from whom some of the most respectable families in Virginia have descended. 26. New settlers now frequently arrived, and the colony rapidly increased. In 1620 a Dutch vessel came to Jamestown, bringing twenty Africans, who were purchased by the people. These were the first slaves brought into our country, and thus the foundation was laid for the system of slavery which now pervades the Southern States. 27. In 1622, in the midst of apparent peace and prosperity, the colony was on the point of annihilation. Powhatan, the friend of the English, was dead. His successor, Opechancanough, was a chief of great talent; but he secretly hated the English, and formed a scheme for their destruction. By his art and eloquence he persuaded all the neighboring tribes to unite in an effort to kill every white man, woman, and child throughout the colony. 28. To conceal their purpose, the Indians now professed the greatest friendship for the English, and, the evening before the attack, brought them presents of game. The next day, precisely at twelve o'clock, the slaughter began, and three hundred and forty-seven men, women, and children were killed in a few hours. More would have been destroyed, had not the plot been revealed by a friendly Indian, in time to put several of the towns on their guard. 29. This dreadful scene roused the English to vengeance. They pursued their enemies into the woods, burned their wigwams, hunted them from forest to forest, killed hundreds of them, and drove the rest back into remote retreats. But although victorious, their numbers were very much reduced. Out of eighty settlements, only eight remained; and in 1624, of the nine thousand that had come to the colony, eighteen hundred only were living. 30. In 1676 the colony experienced all the miseries of civil war. Nathaniel Bacon, a lawyer, put himself at the head of a rebellion, during which Jamestown was burned, and the adjacent districts laid waste. At length he died, and Governor Berkley resumed his authority. Notwithstanding these troubles, Virginia continued to flourish, and in 1688 contained sixty thousand inhabitants. From that period till about the year 1756, they continued to prosper, and to increase in numbers. III. SETTLEMENTS.-NEW YORK. 1. In the year 1609, Henry Hudson, an English navigator, was employed by some Dutch people to go on a voyage of discovery. He came to America, and discovered the river which now bears his name. He sailed up as far as Albany, and went in his boat a little farther. He saw, then, along the banks of the river, nothing but trees, and Indians, and wild animals. What a change has taken place! The island at the mouth of the river, which was then covered only with trees and shrubs, is now the seat of a mighty city; and the banks of the Hudson, then so solitary, are now sprinkled over with towns, cities, villages, and country seats. 2. Five years after Hudson's discovery, some Dutch people came to Albany, and commenced a settlement. This was in the year 1614, six years before the Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth. It was the first settlement made in New York. About the same time they built a few houses on an island called by the Indians Manhattan, where the city of New York now stands. You will observe that New York was settled by Dutch, not English people. They came from Holland, or the Netherlands, and the colony, which increased rapidly, was claimed by that country. 3. In 1643 a war broke out with the Indians. The Dutch governor employed a brave captain, by the name of Underhill, to go against them. He had been a soldier in Europe, and knew well how to conduct the business of He took with him one hundred and fifty men, and they had a great many battles with the Indians. The latter were defeated, and four hundred of them were killed during the war. war. 4. In 1645 a severe battle was fought with the Indians, near Horseneck. Great numbers were killed on both sides, but the Dutch were victorious. The dead bodies were buried at a place called Strickland's Plain, and one hundred years afterwards the graves were still to be seen. 5. There were some disputes between the people of New England and those of New York about the boundary of their territories. At length the Dutch governor went to Hartford, where he met some people sent by the New England colonies, and they came to an agreement about the land. But King Charles of England said that the Dutch had no right to any of the land, and granted the country to his brother, the Duke of York and Albany. 6. In 1664 the duke sent Colonel Nicholls with three ships to New York. On his arrival he commanded the people to surrender the town. They refused at first, but in a little while they gave it up, and he took possession of it. The name of this place, which was before called Manhattan, was then changed to New York, and the place on the Hudson where the first settlement was made, which had been called Fort Orange, was called Albany. These names have since been retained. 7. In 1673 the city of New York was retaken by the Dutch. The fort and city were surrendered by the treachery of John Manning, the commanding officer, without firing a gun. The next year peace was concluded between England and Holland, and the colony was restored to the English. 8. The Duke of York and Albany, the former proprietor, now came again into possession of the colony, and sent Sir Edmund Andros, afterwards the tyrant of New England, to govern it. He was succeeded by other governors; and in 1683 the people were permitted to meet and choose representatives. 9. These representatives assembled and made laws, which could not go into force till they were ratified by the duke. This arrangement was satisfactory to the people, and the colony now felt the blessings of good govern ment. 10. In the year 1685 the Duke of York succeeded his brother, Charles II., and became King of England, under the title of James II. This king was hated by the English people, and he was equally disliked in the colonies. He claimed absolute authority over the American people. This caused him to be much disliked by them. They were therefore very much rejoiced when the news came, in 1689 that he had been driven from the throne, and that William, Prince of Orange, had succeeded him. 11. Elated by this news, and stimulated by the exam |