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diff --git a/old/55959-0.txt b/old/55959-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 6e6d7cc..0000000 --- a/old/55959-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,4635 +0,0 @@ -Project Gutenberg's The Coming of the White Men, by Mary Hazelton Wade - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - -Title: The Coming of the White Men - Stories of How Our Country Was Discovered - -Author: Mary Hazelton Wade - -Illustrator: Sears Gallagher - -Release Date: November 13, 2017 [EBook #55959] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE COMING OF THE WHITE MEN *** - - - - -Produced by Larry B. Harrison and The Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive) - - - - - - - - - - THE COMING OF THE - WHITE MEN - - - - -[Illustration: THE NORSEMEN] - - - - - THE COMING OF THE - WHITE MEN - - Stories of How Our Country was Discovered - - BY - MARY HAZELTON WADE - AUTHOR OF "TEN LITTLE INDIANS," "TEN BIG INDIANS," - "THE LITTLE COUSIN SERIES," ETC. - - WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY - SEARS GALLAGHER - - W. A. WILDE COMPANY - BOSTON CHICAGO - - - - - _Copyright_, 1905, - BY W. A. WILDE COMPANY. - _All rights reserved._ - - THE COMING OF THE WHITE MEN - - - - -PREFACE - - -The true American is happy in the thought that his country is a great -and glorious one. He can say with his heart as well as his lips, "This -is the land of the Free and the home of the Brave." - -Those who journey far from their native land and find themselves in -foreign countries tell us how they are stirred and thrilled when by -any chance the stars and stripes of the American flag meet their view. -These stars and stripes stand for the struggles for freedom, the brave -deeds in the cause of right and justice, the heroism of those who have -laid down their lives that their country should still live, and the -brother-love that binds together all the men, women, and children who -can say, "I am an American!" - -It is only right that the boys and girls of America, as soon as they -are able to understand, should hear the stories of those who took the -first steps toward the building of this nation—those who risked life -and fortune and who were willing to face unknown dangers for the sake -of freedom. - -If these boys and girls of America are to grow up with the earnest -desire of keeping the sacred trust that must descend to them; if they -are to keep this country the land of the free and the home of the -brave; if their aspirations and ideals shall be of the highest and the -purest, so that the powers and privileges of America shall increase -rather than diminish with the coming years, then let the plant of -patriotism take root early in their hearts that it may grow with their -growth and blossom in perfect fullness with their maturer years. - - - - -CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER PAGE - - I. THE NORSEMEN 11 - - II. THE GENOESE SAILOR 29 - - III. JOHN CABOT AND THE CODFISH 49 - - IV. THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH 58 - - V. THE GOOD KNIGHT AND THE LOST BABY 64 - - VI. THE STORY OF A DARING MAN 75 - - VII. HENRY HUDSON 95 - - VIII. THE PILGRIMS 109 - - IX. LITTLE PILGRIMS OF LONG AGO 127 - - X. ROGER WILLIAMS 136 - - XI. THE FATHER OF WATERS 141 - - XII. THE STORY OF A YOUNG QUAKER 158 - - XIII. LORD BALTIMORE AND THE CATHOLICS 167 - - XIV. THE POOR DEBTORS 177 - - - - -ILLUSTRATIONS. - - - PAGE - - THE NORSEMEN _Frontispiece_ 18 - - COLUMBUS AND HIS FLAG-SHIP 36 - - THE ENGLISH TRADING WITH THE INDIANS 68 - - THE DUTCH CHILDREN AT PLAY 102 - - FUR-TRADING WITH THE FRENCH 142 - - - - -CHAPTER I - -THE NORSEMEN - - -His name wasn't Sam and he wasn't their real uncle, but everybody else -called him Uncle Sam, so Joe and Lucy followed their example. - -He was tall and thin and had a sharp face. A funny little tuft of -hair grew on his chin and when he was thinking deeply he was fond of -stroking this tuft with his big bony hand. - -His clothes always seemed to be old-fashioned. When the neighbors were -speaking of him they would sometimes say, "How much he looks like the -newspaper pictures of 'Uncle Sam.'" - -"Whenever I meet him, he somehow makes me think of America," said Joe's -father. "I never knew anyone who loved his country as dearly as he -does. He is perfectly happy whenever he can get anyone to listen to -stories of our great men and the things that happened here long ago." - -It was for these reasons that people began calling him Uncle Sam before -Joe and Lucy were born. - -His real name was Ebenezer Wilkins, but the children had to stop and -think before they could remember it. He lived in a cosy little cottage -at the end of the village and kept house there all alone from one -year's end to another. - -Everybody loved him. His kind blue eyes looked tenderly upon each child -in the place. If measles or chicken-pox shut a boy or girl away from -playmates, Uncle Sam was sure to hear of it. Then, when his day's work -was done and he had eaten his supper of bread and milk, he would visit -the sick child and make him forget his troubles as he told stories -of boys and girls who lived in the early days of the white people in -America. - -Joe and Lucy were twins. Somehow or other Uncle Sam had grown to love -them more than any other children in the country round. When they were -babies he used to dandle them on his knees. He taught them to take -their first steps alone. He bought a book of "Mother Goose's Melodies" -on purpose to learn the rhymes and afterwards repeat them to the -listening babies. - -Sometimes he even stayed home from church on Sunday mornings so as to -take care of these twins and give their father and mother a chance to -go away together. - -"Twins are a great care, a great care," he would say slowly. But he -would add with a twinkle in his eyes, "They are never too much of a -care for Uncle Sam." - -"He is better than any _real_ uncle in the world," said Joe, as he and -Lucy opened the gate leading into the old man's garden. - -It was a summer evening and the sun was just setting. The rows of -hollyhocks and marigolds looked prettier than ever in the sunset light. - -"Uncle Sam loves bright things," said Lucy, looking at the flowers. "He -is always finding something new to admire. That is why I like to walk -in the woods with him." - -"He shows me many things I should never see myself," answered Joe. - -By this time the children had reached the door of the house, and -stepped inside. They never stopped to knock; Uncle Sam would not have -liked it. - -"I've brought you some cookies, Uncle Sam," said Lucy, handing a -covered dish to the old man. "Mother made them this morning. She put -raisins in them because she knew you are fond of fruit cookies." - -Uncle Sam was pleased when he lifted the napkin and looked at his -present. - -"I can make bread and cook meat and potatoes, but cake is beyond my -skill. It takes women-folks to do such work." The old man laughed -softly as he put the cookies away in the cupboard. - -"It is a lovely evening. Won't you come out on the porch and tell us -stories in the twilight?" - -As Lucy spoke, she reached up and put her arms around Uncle Sam's neck. -He was so tall he had to bend down to let her do so. - -"I suppose you want me to tell you about Cinderella for the fiftieth -time, or maybe you would rather hear about Aladdin and his Wonderful -Lamp?" - -"No, Uncle Sam," said Joe before Lucy had a chance to answer. "We -are getting too big for fairy stories. We have just begun to study -geography at school. We like it better than anything we've ever had. -So Lucy and I have been talking it over. We said we would ask you to -tell us true stories now about America, and the Indians, and the brave -white people who first dared to come here, you know, and all such -things." - -Uncle Sam fairly beamed with delight. - -"I've been thinking of that very thing, children. I have been longing -for the time when you would like to hear some of the history of this -glorious country. You will like it, too. Why, it is better than any -fairy stories that ever were told." - -In five minutes more the old man was sitting in his big easy chair on -the porch. Lucy was perched on one of the broad arms of the chair, and -Joe on the other. - -"We are all ready, so please begin," said Lucy, coaxingly. - -"Very well. Shut your eyes for a minute so you cannot look at those -rows of hollyhocks in front of you. I want you to see a different -picture. You must take a peep at this country of ours before a white -man ever set foot on it." - -"All right; I am ready, for my eyes are shut tight," cried Joe with a -laugh. - -"Now, then. First you must notice the great forests that stretch over a -large part of the land. Wild beasts are roaming about in the darkness -of those woods. Wolves and foxes, bears and wildcats live a free and -happy life, for the sound of a gun has never yet been heard. - -"Turn your thoughts next to the great plains of the west. Thousands -of buffaloes are wandering about. The herds are so vast that in some -places the earth is fairly black with them. - -"Here and there, over the country, stand the villages of the Red Men. -They are usually built near the shores of streams or ponds so that -fresh water may be plentiful. - -"There are no stores, no factories, no churches, no roads, from one -shore of America to the other. - -"At first, it may seem strange to you that the Indians made no roads, -for they were traveling a good deal of the time. They moved their homes -whenever the game became scarce where they happened to be living. -Besides that, they delighted in war and one tribe was continually -taking some other one by surprise. - -"They did not, however, go about in the way white people do. They -journeyed on foot in single file and the narrow paths they trod through -the forests can be seen to this day. Some of those paths are hundreds -of years old. They are many miles in length. Such paths are called -trails. - -"I have traveled over one of the Indian trails. It was in the state of -New York. It made me feel queer as I thought of the painted Red Men who -so long ago made that path through the dark woods. - -"The clothing and houses of these people were quite different in the -different parts of this country. The games and festivals of one tribe -were often unlike those of any other. - -"Some Indians lived in tents covered with the skins of wild animals. -Others had houses of birch bark. Then again, there were tribes who -braided grasses into pretty mats with which they covered the framework -of their houses. - -"The food was also different. In the south, where the air is warm and -pleasant almost all the year, the Red Men ate a great deal of fruit. -Up here in the north they lived largely on the corn that the women -planted and tended, while out on the great plains they ate quantities -of buffalo meat." - -Lucy's eyes opened wider and wider as the old man talked. - -"I didn't need to close them at all," she said. "I can always see the -pictures you paint with words. You make them so bright, Uncle Sam." - -"Some other time, my dear, we will talk more about the Red Children, -but now we will turn to the first white men who visited America. - -"The first visitors from Europe were bold Norsemen. Their homes were -in the far north. There were many deep, narrow bays along the shores -of their own country and they loved the ocean from the time they -were born. While they were still children, they learned to sail over -its rough waves, and by the time they were young men they were quite -fearless. The worst storms and the fiercest winds did not make them -tremble. - -"From year to year they kept sailing farther and farther westward in -their queer boats." - -"Why were they queer, Uncle Sam?" asked Lucy. - -"They would seem queer to us because they had such high prows and -sterns and because large figures of dragons and other strange creatures -were often carved on the ends of the boats. The sails, too, were of a -different shape from any you ever saw. - -"But let me go on with my story. It happened one time that some -Vikings, as these brave Norse seamen were called, sailed so far into -the west that they came to an island they had never seen before. This -was Iceland. You have heard the name, haven't you, children?" - -"Yes, Uncle Sam." - -"Iceland lies about half-way between Europe and America, but it is much -farther north than we are. The Norsemen who came upon it by accident, -called it Snowland." - -"I think that is a pretty name. I wish it were called Snowland, now," -said Lucy, half to herself. - -"Yes, it is a pretty name," said Uncle Sam. Then he went on. - -"The one who first saw Iceland did not remain there. He went back to -Norway. Four years later, another Norseman was driven to the coast of -Iceland by a storm. Before he left it, he sailed all around its shores -and found it was an island. - -"When he got home again, he said it was such a pleasant place that -another daring Viking decided to go to Iceland to live. He carried -seeds for planting and cattle to furnish milk and meat. He stayed there -all one winter. It was so cold that the poor cattle died. - -"When spring came, the Norseman made ready to plant his seeds, but the -land was still covered with ice. 'This is not a fit place for anyone to -live,' he cried. He once more packed his goods on his ship and sailed -for Norway. - -"That, however, was not the end of the white men's life in Iceland. -Ten years after that another band of Norsemen went there and settled. -They lived in peace and comfort. Children were born and grew up in that -cold island of the north. They were carefully taught by their parents -and became wise men and women. This settlement in Iceland lasted for -hundreds of years. - -"You children may wonder why I tell you so much about the Norsemen -coming to Iceland, but it is like the first step of a ladder. Perhaps -you are getting tired, though, and do not wish to hear any more -to-night." - -"O no, we are not a bit tired, Uncle Sam," said both Lucy and her -brother. - -"Well, then, if Iceland was the first step toward America, Greenland -was the second one. - -"Some of the early settlers in Iceland were driven westward in a storm -while they were out sailing. It was then that they first saw the rocky -shores of Greenland. - -"A good many years after this there was a certain man living in Iceland -named Eric the Red. He did not get along very well with his neighbors -and had many quarrels with them. He said to himself: - -"'I will seek that land west of us and will make a home for myself -there.' - -"He sailed away from Iceland and was not heard of again for three -years. When he came back on a visit, he spoke of the place where he had -been living as 'Greenland.' He thought: - -"'If I give it a good name, others will like to go there and settle.'" - -"Now I know why it was called Greenland," said Lucy, laughing. -"Whenever we sing 'From Greenland's Icy Mountains,' I always wonder -about the name. I knew it must be a cold and icy land, because of the -words of the hymn." - -"Yes, that was the way of it. The name Greenland sounded very pleasant -to the people of Iceland and a large company of them went back with -Eric to settle among the icy mountains you sing about. - -"We come now to the third accident and the third step that brought the -Norsemen to our own land. - -"Eric the Red had sons. They were bold and daring sailors, like their -father. During the long winter evenings they used to listen to the -stories of the older people. There was one that they liked best of -all. It was the tale of a young man named Biarne who was trying to find -the way from Iceland to Greenland. His father had gone there with Eric, -and Biarne wished to follow him. - -"He started off in the right direction. When he had sailed out of sight -of land, a thick fog settled down. Then a north wind began to blow. Day -after day, the ship was driven by the strong north wind. Biarne could -do nothing but wonder, 'Where are we going? Surely, this wind will -never carry us to Greenland.' - -"At last the fog cleared away and not long after that the Norseman -and his crew found they were sailing near a shore on which trees were -growing. Low hills rose behind it. It could not be Greenland, truly, -for Biarne had been told that the hills there were high and that they -were covered with ice. - -"When Biarne refused to land, his men were quite angry. 'I must go on -with my search for my father,' he told them. 'I only care now to find -him.' - -"Again they set sail and after two more days they saw land again. It -was low and wooded, so Biarne knew that this could not be the country -he was seeking. - -"'I will not stop here,' he told his men. Of course they grumbled, but -they were obliged to do as he wished. - -"Three more days passed, and a land with high and snowy mountains came -into sight. - -"'I am sure this is not Greenland, either,' said Biarne, and he would -not stop. He sailed along its shores, however, long enough to find it -was an island. - -"In three days from that time, he reached the shores of Greenland. When -Biarne at last cast anchor he was very near that part of the country -where his father was living. - -"Whenever Eric's sons heard this story of Biarne, they thought, 'When -we grow up, we will go to sea. Then we will try to find the country -with green hills and many trees. Who knows what else we shall see in -such a pleasant land?" - -"The time came at last when the eldest son of Eric was old enough to -start on a long voyage. It was in the year 1000. Biarne went with him. - -"The first shore that met their eyes was Newfoundland. They landed and -found it was a plain covered with stones. They returned to the ships -and soon Nova Scotia came in sight. - -"After they had looked over that land, they started once more and -sailed southward. They came to our own New England. I believe they were -not a hundred miles away from where we are this very minute. - -"They were much pleased with the place. They found plenty of large -salmon in the waters. Trees grew everywhere about them. The air was -much warmer and pleasanter than in Greenland. - -"There was one thing which delighted them more than anything else. They -found vines with great bunches of grapes growing upon them. This is how -it happened. One night one of their party was missing. He had gone with -a few men to look around and see what they could discover. This man was -a German and his name was Tyrker. His friends came back without him. He -had wandered away from them. They believed he was lost. - -"Everyone felt bad. They thought they should never see him again. Some -of them went to hunt for the missing man. They had not gone far when -they met him. He seemed wild with joy. He could hardly speak, he was so -glad. At first, his friends thought he had lost his mind. - -"After a while he was able to say that he had found vines with grapes -upon them. He knew what they were, for he had seen grapes growing in -his own country of Germany. - -"It seemed too good to be true. They all knew that the wine they liked -so well was made from grapes. They followed Tyrker and found the vines -he had described. - -"What a treasure they had discovered! Stores of grapes were gathered -day after day and carried on board the ship. Trees were also cut down, -for the people in Greenland would be glad to have all the lumber their -friends could bring them. - -"The Vikings said, 'We will call this place Vinland because of the -grape vines we have found.' - -"As soon as the ship had been loaded with all it could carry, the -joyful party left our shores and turned northward once more. During -their short visit here they saw no other people. - -"When they reached home they told such bright stories of their visit -that others wished to go to Vinland. - -"Another party of Norsemen soon started. When they got here, they met -some people who must have been Eskimos. These savages were quite short -and had broad faces. They had skin boats such as the Eskimos use to -this day." - -"I never heard of Eskimos around here!" said Joe in surprise. - -"I don't know how to explain it except in this way," replied Uncle Sam. -"In those days the Eskimos, or some of them, must have lived along -these shores, for the Norsemen certainly found them here. The Indians -may have driven them away afterwards. We can only guess about it. - -"The last Norsemen who came here did not stay long. Many things -happened to prevent it. I will tell you of one of these, because it is -really funny. - -"A bull which the Norsemen had brought among their cattle rushed out -of the woods one day. It frightened some Eskimos who had come to trade -with the white men. They managed to reach their boats and paddled away -as fast as they could go. They thought the bull was some dreadful -creature the Norsemen would use against them in war. - -"They went away, as I said, but they returned with great numbers of -their own people. The Vikings said that they were now like a rushing -torrent. They came to fight and to drive the white men from their -shores. - -"It would have been a sad day for the Norsemen if it had not been for -one brave woman. They were fleeing from the Eskimos when she rushed out -and faced the savages. She did not try to attack them, but began to -strike at herself with a sword. They were so startled that they turned -and fled to their boats. - -"This was only one of the many adventures the Vikings had in Vinland. -They had so many troubles that after a few years they made up their -minds to remain in Greenland." - -"How do you know all these things are true, Uncle Sam? Did the Norse -people write books about them?" - -"Those are good questions, Joe. The Norsemen did not write any history -of themselves at that time. They did not know how to write. They were -great story-tellers, however, and during the long winter evenings they -used to tell, over and over again, the things that had happened to -them. They made songs about their adventures. Their children learned -these songs and when they grew up they taught them to their children. -Hundreds of years afterwards Roman priests came among them and told -them of the Christian God. At the same time the priests taught them -to read and write. They now began to write down the history of their -people. - -"But, dear me, children, I have been so busy talking I never thought -how late it is growing. There is your father at the gate. He must be -coming for you." - -"Thank you, Uncle Sam," said Lucy, as she kissed the old man -good-night, "I enjoyed what you told us ever so much." - -"I am glad you started with the Norsemen," said Joe. "I always like to -hear the first part of anything. So, of course, as you are going to tell -us the story of America, we ought to know the very beginning of it." - -"My dear boy," said Uncle Sam, "no one knows the real beginning. All -I could do was to start with the coming of the white men to this -country." - - - - -CHAPTER II - -THE GENOESE SAILOR - - -"Here we are, Uncle Sam. We came early so there would be time for a -good long story." - -The old man sat reading his newspaper in the soft light of the setting -sun. He looked up with a pleasant smile to greet the twins as they came -arm in arm down the path. - -"So you did not get too tired last night, Joe?" he replied. "I didn't -know but that you would beg me to go back to fairy stories and leave -true ones till you get older." - -"Fairy stories indeed!" exclaimed the boy with a look of scorn. "Lucy -and I both want to hear about real people. Don't we Lucy?" - -"Of course; we said so last night, and we think so more than ever now. -Have you made up your mind what to tell us next, Uncle Sam? But perhaps -you want to finish your newspaper." - -"Newspapers can wait till little folk are asleep in their beds, my -darlings. Besides, I have a story all ready and waiting. It is knocking -at the door of my mind this very moment and saying, 'Please let me out, -please let me out.' So out it must come. There, Joe, stretch yourself -comfortably in that hammock; and Lucy, take the steamer chair and draw -it up close by my side. Now I hope you are both ready for a visit to -another part of the world. - -"We won't take any trunks, and there will be no sea-sickness, nor -trouble of any kind. So let us start at once on a voyage across the -Atlantic Ocean. - -"Whew! Here we are safe and sound on the shores of Italy. The waves are -rolling gently and the air is sweet and pleasant. - -"A dark-skinned boy is sitting on the edge of the wharf and looking out -to sea. He is watching the ships coming into port. He can see a tiny -speck in the distance but he knows it is the top of some mast. As he -watches it a sail comes into view under it. It comes nearer and nearer -until the whole of a ship can be seen. - -"The name of the boy who sat looking out to sea was Christopher Columbus. - -"He loved the sea better than anything else. He longed to live on it -and make long voyages. He did not know what it was to be afraid. - -"As he grew up, he read all he could about the earth. He found that -some wise men believed it was not flat, as many supposed, but was -round. They also thought it much smaller than it really is. - -"The young Columbus said to himself: 'If the world is really round, -we can reach India by sailing west, instead of making such a long and -tiresome journey to the east." - -"Why did he care so much about getting to India?" asked Lucy. - -"The people of Europe thought India was the richest land in the world. -It had great stores of gold and silver. Beautiful silks and satins, -wonderful pearls and emeralds, fragrant spices,—all these things were -brought from that glorious land. It is no wonder that Columbus, as well -as everyone else, was interested in such a rich country. - -"There was another reason, however, why Columbus thought so much about -India and wished to find a shorter way of reaching it. He loved the -Lord with all his heart. He had been told that the people of the East -were heathens and that they worshiped idols. - -"He thought: 'I would like to tell these people of the One God and of -Jesus, the Friend of all men.' - -"I believe he cared more about that than for the silks and spices. - -"As soon as Columbus was old enough, he went to sea with some of his -relations. He learned how to steer a ship and how to manage it in -storms. He proved himself brave and daring in sea-fights. He studied -the winds and tides. - -"The time came at last when he spoke to the people of his own town in -Italy. He told them he believed he could find India by sailing to the -west. They did not listen to him. He himself could not fit up ships -to make a long voyage, for he had no money. So he could not try his -experiment. - -"Years passed by and Columbus went to Portugal. He still had one great -desire in his heart. You know what that was. - -"He lost no time in speaking to the King of Portugal. The king listened -to the plan. He thought it was a wise one. But he did not offer to send -Columbus on a voyage of discovery. O, no! He preferred to send some of -his own sailors. If the plan succeeded, he thought he would gain more -by so doing. - -"He sent the Italian away. Then he took the maps and charts Columbus -had made and showed them to the wisest men of the country. He thought: -'I will make use of what Columbus knows, but he shall get no reward.' - -"He was not honest. That is what I think. Don't you agree with me?" - -"Of course we do," both children exclaimed. - -"Some ships were fitted out and sailed into the west. They had not gone -far, however, before the sailors became afraid and turned back. The -king of Portugal did not try again." - -"I am glad he didn't," said Lucy. - -"It served him right," cried Joe. - -"We must not leave Columbus," Uncle Sam went on. "The brave sailor -left Portugal, but he was not discouraged. He kept thinking, thinking -where he should try next. After a while, he thought of Spain. He knew -that country was eager for wealth and new lands. He would go there. He -started for the Spanish court. His little son went with him. - -"The journey through the country was very tiresome. They went slowly, -for the roads were rough. The little boy sat in front of his father on -the horse's back. - -"At last, one evening, they stopped to rest at a convent. Columbus told -the good monks of the plan that was so dear to him. He showed them his -charts of the world. - -"They were much interested. They said: 'Our king and queen must see -your charts. We believe they will give you the money to fit out the -ships that you need. It will be a great thing for our country if you -find a short way to India.' - -"Columbus felt happy when he heard the monks' words. He left his little -son in their care and went on his way to the court of Ferdinand and -Isabella. - -"The king and queen listened kindly, but they could see no way of -giving money to Columbus. A war was going on at this very time and they -needed all their money to carry it on. - -"Columbus stayed in Spain for seven long years. He tried to get some of -the rich men of the country to listen to his plans and furnish money. -It was all in vain. - -"At last, just as he was leaving the country, some messengers came to -him. They said: 'Queen Isabella wishes to talk with you once more. She -would like to help you.' - -"How gladly Columbus turned back! He found the queen had such faith -in him that she was even willing to sell her beautiful jewels, if -necessary, for the sake of giving him money. - -"He set to work at once to get a fleet ready. Three ships were chosen. -Their bows and sterns were built high up out of the water. They were -very different from the ships of to-day. Provisions to last a whole -year were stowed away in them. - -"It was not as easy to find sailors as it was to get the ships." - -"I don't see why," interrupted Joe. "I should think there would have -been plenty of men eager to go." - -"Not so, my lad," replied Uncle Sam. "Only the boldest men would dare -to sail far into the west at that time. The people of those days were -full of queer fancies. They thought they would come to enchanted -islands and great dragons and all sorts of fearful things if they went -far away from home. - -"At last, however, enough sailors promised to go and the great day came -for the ships to set sail. How excited everyone was! Would these men -ever come back to the shores of Spain? Would they really find India, or -was it only the dream of a very bold man? - -"The wharves were covered with people who had gathered to see the ships -start on their daring voyage. - -"They sailed farther and farther into the west; now the lower parts -could be but dimly seen; then only the tops of the masts; then they -faded altogether from sight. - -"Now let us leave the onlookers of the shores and join the brave -Columbus on the deck of the Santa Maria, his flag-ship. - -"Day after day he guided the ships onward and ever westward. After they -had passed the Canary Islands, the men were always on the watch for -signs of some new land. After days, and then weeks, on the great ocean -the sailors became afraid. They begged their leader to turn back, but -they begged in vain. He would not listen. - -"At first he tried to keep up their courage by telling them of the -riches they would gain, or the honors their church would give them if -they carried the teachings of Christ to the heathens. When such words -lost their power Columbus became stern. He told the men how angry the -king would be if they did not obey their captain. - -[Illustration: COLUMBUS AND HIS FLAG-SHIP] - -"The time came when they began to plot against Columbus. They said: -'We will destroy him. Then, when we get home, we will say that he fell -overboard.' - -"Could they ever reach home, now they were so far away? The men became -afraid of what might happen to them if Columbus were dead and no one -left to pilot them home again. So they did not kill him. - -"He knew they did not feel kindly to him and he thought it would be -best to make some bargain with them. So he said: 'If we do not see land -in a certain number of days I will promise to turn back toward Spain.' - -"How eagerly he now watched from the deck of his vessel! It seemed -as though his hopes and beliefs would not prove true. The last day -came,—the day on which he had promised to turn back if they found no -signs of land. - -"Lo! a stick carved by some person's hand came floating along by the -ship's side. This was not all, for a branch with berries on it was -picked up out of the water. Land must be near! - -"'I will give a large reward to the man who first sees it,' cried -Columbus. As he watched that very night he saw a light in the -distance. It moved. He called two of his men to look at it. - -"Their hearts leaped for joy at the sight. - -"Before morning came, a sailor saw the shore in the distance by the -light of the moon. - -"Children," said Uncle Sam solemnly, "never forget that it was the 12th -of October of the year 1492 that Columbus first stepped upon the shores -of the New World. He was dressed in a full suit of steel armor and he -held the royal banner of Spain as he landed on the island which he named -San Salvador. - -"He planted the cross of the Christians and, with his officers and men -around him, knelt down to thank God for His great goodness in bringing -them so far in safety. - -"'How beautiful, how beautiful!' Columbus exclaimed as he looked about -him. Tall palm trees were moving gently in the warm breeze; strange and -lovely flowers were growing all around; birds of bright colors flew -overhead. - -"But these were not the only things to fill the brave sailor with -wonder. He and his men were soon surrounded by strange-looking people. -They had straight black hair and dark red skins. They wore little or no -clothing. - -"'This is India, without a doubt,' said Columbus, 'and these people are -Indians.' - -"He noticed the gold ornaments in their ears and he thought with -delight of the treasures he would carry back to Spain to good Queen -Isabella. - -"The Red Men were as much surprised as the Spaniards. They whispered to -each other, 'These white beings must be gods come from the heavens to -visit us.' - -"Then they pointed to the ships and said, 'The great birds that have -brought them to us are now floating on the water.' - -"The Indians wished to show honor to their visitors. They hurried to -their simple homes and gathered grains and fruits. They brought them as -presents to the Spaniards. - -"The white men were glad to receive the corn, cotton, and fruits. They -feasted on the delicious cocoanuts and bananas, yet they were not -satisfied. Gold was what they most wanted. When they asked the Indians -where to find it, the savages pointed towards the south." - -"I am glad Columbus wasn't a Spaniard," said Joe, who had kept still a -long time for a lively boy. "I just hate the Spaniards. I believe all -they care for is riches. It's a good thing we beat them in the last war." - -"My dear child," replied Uncle Sam, "You should hate no one. We may -thank the Spaniards for one thing at least. If it had not been for -them, Columbus might never have been able to cross the ocean and -discover America. You must remember they gave him the ships and money -he needed." - -"It was the good Queen Isabella," said Joe, "and she didn't seem at all -like the rest of her people. But please excuse me for interrupting you, -Uncle Sam." - -"That is all right, Joe. It shows you are a good listener. Now we will -go back to Columbus resting among the palm trees. - -"I am sure you children would have loved him. He had bright, keen eyes, -yet they were kind and loving; and he moved about with the air of a -king." - -"He had the right to do so," said Lucy, thoughtfully. "He couldn't help -feeling how great he was." - -"You are quite right," answered Uncle Sam, as he patted the little -girl's head. "Even the steps of a brave man must be different from -those of a coward. The bravery gets into them without the man's -thinking about it. - -"But dear me! It is getting late, and I am only half through my story. -We have turned our backs on Columbus and left him alone with the Red -Men quite as long as is polite. He enjoyed himself very much with them, -however, and stayed several days on the island. - -"Then he took to his ships once more and sailed about among the -different islands which he called the Indies. He thought that the right -name for them, as he still believed he was near the mainland of India. - -"Each time they landed, his men kept asking the natives where gold -could be found. Each time they were disappointed. But Columbus thought -it must be near at hand. He never dreamed that he was still far from -the land of spices and precious stones. - -"At the end of twelve weeks he said, 'We ought to go back to Spain and -tell what we have discovered.' - -"He gathered stores of the strange fruits and grains and rich woods -and packed them safely away in the ships. He also took some of the -brightly-feathered birds. - -"He left a part of the sailors on one of the islands. They were to make -a settlement. Then they would have a home ready for Columbus when he -should come again with more of their people. - -"When he had chosen some of the Indians to go back with him, all was -ready and he began to cross the great ocean once more." - -"He must have been almost bursting with pride and joy," cried Joe. "And -the voyage home must have seemed long, because he had so much to tell." - -"It came to an end at last, although there were terrible storms and the -ships came very near being wrecked," Uncle Sam went on. "At length, -however, they reached Spain. - -"The news of their return spread quickly. As soon as Columbus landed -crowds gathered to hear about his voyage and the whole country was -filled with joy. - -"When Columbus went to court to tell his story to the king and queen -they would not let him stand before them. 'He is too great a man,' they -thought. 'He has gained the right to sit in our presence.'" - -"O, my!" said Joe, "I thought everybody had to stand before kings and -queens." - -"Columbus wasn't a king, but he was certainly as great, only in -another way. Ferdinand was quite right in thinking so. He and his good -wife listened with delight to the story of the greatest voyage any man -ever made. - -"They believed as Columbus did that a short way to India had been -found. They eagerly examined the curious things brought to them from -the west. They ate of the delicious fruits and admired the bright birds -and beautiful woods. - -"They said: 'We will have a grand procession through the streets of -our city. Columbus shall wear beautiful garments and shall ride in the -midst.' - -"The Indians, bright with paint and feathers, went first of all in the -procession. Crowds of people lined the streets to see the Red Men, the -curious fruits and flowers, the parrots, and the stuffed bodies of -animals they had never heard of before. - -"They wished, most of all, to look upon the great man who had dared to -sail so far into the west and who had brought India with all its riches -to Spain. For everyone believed this was what Columbus had done. - -"Many entertainments were prepared for the great sailor. Nearly -everyone wished to give him honor. A few, however, were jealous. - -"One day while Columbus was at a dinner party given in his honor one of -the king's courtiers said: - -"'It was not a hard thing to do what this Italian has done. Anyone else -might have done the same thing.' - -"Of course the man said this because he was jealous and did not like to -see so much attention given to a poor sailor from Italy. - -"Columbus did not seem troubled at this man's words. He took an egg -from the table and handed it to the speaker. Then he said: - -"'Can you make that egg stand on end?' - -"The man tried, but could not do it. It was passed from one person to -another. Everyone failed. At last it came back to Columbus. He took it -in his hand and struck it gently on the table so that the shell was -slightly cracked. Then, taking away his hand, he left it standing on end. - -"'It is easy enough for anyone to do that,' cried the courtier. - -"'It is also easy for anyone to find the Indies after I have shown the -way,' was the reply of Columbus. - -"Not long after this the great man made ready for another voyage across -the ocean. - -"How different everything was now! There was no trouble now to find -sailors willing to go with him. Indeed, it was almost too easy. -Everyone was anxious to visit the Indies. They believed it was the -quickest way to gain riches and comfort. - -"When the second fleet was ready to sail there were seventeen ships and -fifteen hundred men. Only think of it! It was almost like a traveling -city. - -"They had no trouble in crossing the ocean, but when they came to the -island where Columbus had before left a part of his men, there was no -sign of them nor of the homes they had made. - -"'This time I will choose a different place to settle,' said Columbus. - -"He sailed into a fine harbor about forty miles away. The men landed -and began to build the first city of the New World for white people to -live in. They called it Isabella after the good queen of Spain. - -"Columbus spent some time as governor of the settlement. Then he went -back to Spain with news of the white men's city in the west. He did not -stay long, however. He was soon restless for a third voyage across the -great ocean. - -"He sailed farther to the southward than he had before. For the first -time he saw the shores of South America. Then he went back to the -settlement in the West Indies, but the people were not glad to see him." - -Uncle Sam stopped for a moment and looked quite sad. - -"Children," he said, "I must tell the truth and say that Columbus was -not as good a governor as he was a sailor. It would have been hard work -for anyone to rule his people, for they had to work hard and they were -not satisfied because gold was not plentiful. - -"'It is not what we expected,' they cried angrily. 'We thought you -would bring us to a land filled with gold and diamonds.' - -"Some of them even whispered among themselves, 'Columbus is not what he -pretends to be. He has cheated us badly.' - -"At last they declared they would not let him stay there any longer. -They put chains upon him and sent him back to Spain." - -Uncle Sam took a picture from the table drawer. - -"Look at Columbus now," said the old man. "There he sits on the deck of -the ship with heavy chains bound on his arms like one who has done a -great wrong. Yet he gave a whole continent to the people who put them -on him. - -"'I will take off your chains,' said the kind-hearted captain of the -ship. It is a shame for you to wear them.' - -"'No, no. Let them remain,' answered Columbus. I will wear them as a -token of the kindness of princes.' - -"How different was his third landing in Spain! This time there were no -crowds waiting to show him honor. He was carried before the queen, who -wept in pity at the sight of her old friend in chains. The brave man -now broke down. As he tried to tell his story his words were choked -with sobs. - -"Isabella did not desert him, however. She helped him to fit out -another fleet and he started on his last voyage. He sailed among other -islands of the West Indies and returned to Spain after a great deal of -suffering. He was sick and poor. There were many who once could not do -too much for him but who now mocked him. - -"He died with the belief that he had found a short way to India. He had -no thought of what he had really discovered. It is a shame he did not -get the honor he deserved." - -Uncle Sam rose suddenly from his arm chair and began to walk up and -down the room. "Yes, it is a shame. A burning shame. Children, let us -sing 'Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean.'" - -The old man turned to the little organ at one side of the room. In -a moment the house was filled with the voices of Uncle Sam and his -two young friends. When the song was over, the children kissed him -good-night and started for home. - - - - -CHAPTER III - -JOHN CABOT AND THE CODFISH - - -That same night after the children had gone to bed Lucy was just -falling asleep when Joe called out: - -"I say, Lucy, I wonder why our country isn't always called Columbia -instead of America." - -"Do keep still, Joe. I was so nice and sleepy and now you have waked me -up," answered his sister. "You can ask Uncle Sam the next time you see -him." - -Two or three evenings afterward the old man was on his knees weeding -his pansy bed when he heard steps near by. - -"Uncle Sam! Uncle Sam! where are you?" called a girl's voice. - -"Here I am, my little pink of a Lucy," and he straightened himself up -by the side of the apple tree around which the pansies were growing. - -"That is a lovely place for them. They don't have too much sunshine. -How large the blossoms are! May I have that big purple one? It looks -at me like a loving face." - -"Of course you may, Lucy. But where is Joe?" - -"He has gone on an errand for mother. After that, he's coming here. -But we can't stay very long this evening. Mother said we must go to -bed early to-night so as to be fresh for the picnic to-morrow. You are -going, aren't you, Uncle Sam?" - -"Certainly I am. I wouldn't miss it for the world." - -"I'm so glad. Mother said I must be sure to tell you not to take any -lunch. We shall carry enough for you. It is a lovely lunch. Roast -chicken and nut cake and apple jelly. I can hardly wait for to-morrow. -Now aren't you glad you are going?" - -"It makes me hungry to think of it, so you and I will have to eat some -cherries I picked this afternoon." - -"Aren't they beauties! How juicy they are. Red cherries are prettier, -but I think I like these blackhearts the best. Here comes Joe now." - -"You are just in time," called Uncle Sam, as Joe came hurrying along. - -"Cherries are ripe, cherries are ripe," sang Lucy, as her brother sat -down on the steps, quite out of breath. - -"Christopher!" exclaimed Joe as soon as he could speak. "I've had an -awful long walk and I'm as tired as anything." - -"You shouldn't say 'Christopher,' nor 'awful,' either, Joe. They are as -bad as slang." - -"You needn't preach, Lucy. I should like to know a better word -than 'Christopher' in the whole language. Wasn't Columbus's name -Christopher?" - -"I know that. It is all the more reason for not making the word so -common. He was too great a man. But, Uncle Sam, that makes me think of -what Joe was saying the other night. He and I both think Columbia is a -better name for our country than America." - -"Let us see about that, children. I must tell you how it all happened. - -"You remember, of course, that Columbus never knew what he had -discovered. He thought he had visited the shores of Asia. Some years -after his first great voyage another man from his own country of Italy -sailed out into the west. His name was Americus Vespucius. A little -hard to say, isn't it? - -"He was a merchant who had made several long voyages already. He -went farther south than Columbus and sailed along the shores of South -America. - -"'It is a vast country,' he said to himself, and he was the first one -to call it the 'New World.' He wrote long letters telling of what -he had seen. The man who printed these letters called the New World -America in his honor. And it has been called America ever since. But I -like Columbia best myself, children. The name is very dear to me." - -While Joe and Lucy finished eating the cherries, Uncle Sam sat thinking. - -"What shall I next tell them about our glorious land?" he said to -himself. "Oh, now I know. I am sure they would like to hear about John -Cabot and the codfish. It isn't a very long story and there is just -time enough before they should go home." - -The twins were quite willing to listen. They had already found that -true stories were quite as interesting as make-believe ones. - -As they sat on the steps in the twilight this is what they heard: - -Once upon a time there was a little boy who lived in Italy. It was -about the time that Columbus lived there, too. The boy's name was John -Cabot. He loved the sea as Columbus did. He liked to listen to stories -of strange lands. - -When he grew up he was not satisfied to stay at home. He began to -travel and made longer and longer journeys. After a while he went to -England and made his home in that country. He did not stay there, -however, for he wished to learn all he could about the world. - -On one of his journeys he traveled to Arabia. He met some men there who -were leading camels loaded with spices. People used a great deal of -spice in their food and drink, so it was very precious to them. - -John Cabot began to talk with the men. He asked them where they got all -those spices. They pointed still farther to the east and explained to -him that it was a long, long way off. - -He thought a good deal about what the men told him. He said to himself: - -"If I should go west far enough I should surely come to the east. The -wise men must be right when they tell us the earth is round." - -After he went back to England he heard the great news from Spain. A -man named Columbus had done just what Cabot thought possible. He had -reached the east by sailing west. - -"It is truly wonderful," said the people. It was the talk of the whole -country. John Cabot was as much excited as everyone else. He asked the -king of England to send him on a voyage to the newly-found country. The -king thought: - -"The Spaniards should not be the only ones to bring back the riches of -India. We must have a share of their good fortune." - -He was quite willing, therefore, to send John Cabot, who was a wise man -and a good sailor. Cabot's son went with him on the voyage. - -They came to the mainland of North America, but they were much farther -north than Columbus had ever been. It was quite cold and the place -looked bare and lonesome. - -They saw no Indians, but there were some fishnets lying about near the -shore. These nets being there showed that probably people were not far -away. - -"What great numbers of fish there are in these waters," exclaimed -Cabot. "I never in my life before saw so many. 'The Land of the -Codfish' is a good name for this country." - -He did not stay long, for food was becoming scarce. So the ship soon -started on the homeward voyage. When they reached England the sailors -told wonderful stories about the "Land of the Codfish." They said: - -"The waters were so thick with fish that the ship sometimes could not -move as fast as it otherwise would. One thing amused us very much. It -was the strange sight of bears fishing! The great creatures swam out -into the water and caught the fish in their paws. Sometimes the fish -were so large that they fought hard to get away, but the bears nearly -always won the battle." - -John Cabot told the king he had discovered the country of China. He was -treated with the highest honor and called "The Great Admiral." He was -dressed in rich silks. The king promised he should have a sum of money -given him every year for the rest of his life. - -After a while the king began to say to himself: - -"It is all very well to make a voyage to the west and find the east, -but that is not enough. I should like some of the gold and gems and -delicious spices found there." - -So it came about that John Cabot and his son started out on a second -voyage. When they reached North America this time they sailed along -its shores for a long distance. They saw Indians dressed in skins and -wearing ornaments of copper. But they found no gold nor spices. - -Cabot still thought he had visited Asia. The king of England did not -care about him any longer, however. He was of no use if he could not -bring to England the treasures of India. This is probably the reason we -know nothing more about John Cabot. - -We do not even know how long he lived nor when he died. His son -Sebastian lived to be a bright and lively old man and was always glad -to hear of the voyages of others to far-away places. - -When Uncle Sam had finished the story of John Cabot he told the -children why he wished them to remember it. - -"Columbus made his voyages with the help of Spain," said he. "That -country claimed the right to hold the lands he discovered. That is why -the people who settled in the West Indies and in almost all of South -America came from Spain and spoke the Spanish language. - -"But John Cabot sailed for the English king and that is why the English -said: - -"'We claim the eastern part of North America.' - -"Years after the time of John Cabot they sent people to settle here. -They spoke our language and planted English ways and English thoughts -with their corn and potatoes." - -Uncle Sam laughed as he added, "Maybe you and I would have been -Spaniards if it had not been for John Cabot. I wonder how you would -have liked that, Joe. I know you are not too fond of your Spanish -cousins." - -"Cousins! Ugh! I don't like to think of their being relations of mine." - -"My dear boy, this world isn't so very large after all, and one great -Father loves us and cares for all. Of course, we think America could -teach Spain one or two things, but I don't doubt she could help us in -some ways, too. No one is perfect, Joe, or else we shouldn't need to -live in this world. Come, children, give me a kiss and run off to your -little beds." - -"Good-night, sleep tight, and don't let the mosquitos bite," Lucy -called to her old friend as she followed Joe down the path. - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH - - -A finer day could not have been chosen for the picnic. When the -party started for the pine grove four miles from home there were six -carriages full of people. It was a lovely place for a picnic party and -Joe and Lucy played hard all day with their little friends. Six o'clock -came all too soon. - -"Please stay a little longer and eat the rest of our lunch for supper," -begged the children. The older people were quite willing. - -"It is a good thing we can get plenty of good water from that spring," -said Lucy's father. "It is nearly as cold as ice water and certainly as -cold as anyone ever ought to drink. I should like to come here every -day for the sake of a drink of it." - -"I love to hear the water as it makes its way down over the rocks. They -say the spring never dries up, even in the hottest days of summer," -said Uncle Sam, who was standing near. - -"Uncle Sam! A story, a story!" cried some one, as they settled -themselves on the grass to eat chicken sandwiches and apple turnovers. - -"That spring makes me think of something you might like to hear. It is -true, though it is nearly as strange as a fairy story. I suppose the -older ones all know it." - -"Do tell it, Uncle Sam," cried the children, and their parents seemed -as willing to listen as the little ones. - -As the evening clouds changed from silver to gold and crimson, and the -young moon peeped shyly out in the evening sky, Uncle Sam told the -story of - - -THE FOUNTAIN OF EVERLASTING YOUTH - -A long time ago there was a young knight in Spain named Ponce de Leon. -He was gay and handsome, fond of dress and of good times. Columbus had -made his voyages to America and come back to Spain to die. - -The men whom he had left in the West Indies needed a governor. The king -looked around his court. At last he chose Ponce de Leon as the best man -to send to the New World. The knight was quite willing, so he went to -live in the island of Porto Rico, one of the West Indies. - -His life was an easy one. He did very little himself but was a cruel -master over the poor Indians who had to work hard at his bidding. -Before the white men came among them they had easy times, swinging in -their hammocks, bathing in the clear waters, and eating the wild fruits -which were so plentiful. - -Everything was changed after the arrival of the cruel Spaniards. - -"These white men are great and wise," the Indians had thought at first. -"We must serve them and give them all we can. They wish gold. We will -show them where they can find it in the earth and the beds of the -rivers." - -These poor savages of Porto Rico were gentle creatures. They knew -little about war. When they found the Spaniards had no love for them -and cared for nothing except gold, it was too late to save themselves. -They were forced to wait upon their white masters. They had to work -in the gold mines as they had never worked before. They missed the -pleasant sunlight. They became weak and sick. Great numbers of them died. - -All this time Ponce de Leon was storing away great piles of the gold -the Indians brought him. He made a poor governor. The king of Spain at -last sent word he should no longer rule over the island of Porto Rico. - -He was now growing old. He had been sick many times. He began to think -of what the Indians had told him. They said: - -"Much gold can be found in the land north of us. Something better than -gold can also be found there. It is a wonderful fountain. If anyone -tastes of its waters he shall never be sick again but shall be young -forever." - -The heart of the Spaniard leaped for joy. "That is what I want," he -said. "Such a fountain is indeed better than all the gold in the world." - -He might very easily say this, for he already had all the gold he -needed. - -He started out with a gay company of his friends. They sailed about -among the islands, stopping here and there to feast and make merry. - -Still they sailed on toward the north till at last they came in sight -of a land beautiful with flowers. It was a glorious Easter Sunday. The -air was sweet with delicious odors. - -"I will call this place Florida," said Ponce de Leon, "because it is -the Flowery Easter." - -He and his men spent some time wandering about through the country, -always looking for the wonderful fountain. - -"It may be here," he would think as he picked his way through a forest. - -"Listen!" one of his friends would cry as he heard the sound of running -water and thought it might be the Fountain of Youth they were seeking. - -They were disappointed again and again. At last they went back to -the ships and sailed for Spain. They had found plenty of fruits and -flowers. They had met many Indians, some of whom were friendly and -gentle, but others were fierce and warlike. Their eager eyes never -beheld the Fountain of Youth. - -Ponce de Leon did not give up his hope of finding it, however. He told -the king of Spain of the beautiful country of Florida and that he hoped -to find gold there. The king said: - -"You may be the governor of this new land if you will take others with -you and settle there." - -The old man went back to Florida. Alas! he only went to pain and -trouble. As he was about to land, a party of Indians came out to meet -him. They were not willing to let the white men come on shore. A fight -took place. Ponce de Leon was shot. A poisoned arrow entered his body -and made a frightful wound. He went back to the ship and set sail for -Cuba. His wound did not heal, for the poison from the arrow was still -working. - -He never again tried to find the Fountain of Youth, for he died in a -few days. - -"Nobody else ever found it, either," said Uncle Sam as he finished the -story. - -"People used to have such silly notions," said one of the party, as -they packed up to go home. - -"The more they traveled, the wiser they became," replied Uncle Sam. -"There is nothing like travel to make our minds grow. Some time I may -go round the world myself. I'm not too old yet." - -"I hope you will let Joe and me go with you," said Lucy, as she took -hold of his hand and pointed to the waiting carriage. - - - - -CHAPTER V - -THE GOOD KNIGHT AND THE LOST BABY - - -Joe and Lucy were sitting on Uncle Sam's steps. They were busy making -daisy wreaths. - -"We will put a double crown on Uncle Sam's head," Lucy whispered. "Then -we will play he is the king of Spain sending Ponce de Leon to Florida." - -The old man heard her. "I shall look quite royal with such a grand -crown," he said with a laugh. "But to-night you had better pretend I am -England's good Queen Bess. She lived long after John Cabot. Let me see! -It was about seventy-five years from then to the time Walter Raleigh -first met her." - -"There! I've finished my wreath, so please let me put it on your head. -Then I'll be very still while you talk to us," said Lucy. - -"Mine is done, too," cried Joe. - -"Oh, Uncle Sam, you look just lovely," exclaimed the little girl, -standing up to admire her friend. - -Then she and Joe settled themselves at his feet to hear the story of -Queen Elizabeth and her brave knight: - -A long time ago there was a little boy in England named Walter Raleigh. -He was a very beautiful child and as brave as he was handsome. - -While he was still very young he left his quiet home in the country and -went to war in other lands. In a few years he came back to England. -Now, however, he was a tall, strong man, as brave and handsome as ever. - -One afternoon he dressed himself in rich and beautiful clothes and went -out to walk. He wore a white satin vest, a brown doublet embroidered -with pearls, yellow shoes tied with white satin ribbons and sparkling -with precious stones, and a wide hat trimmed with a long black plume. -His dark hair fell in curls over his shoulders. He was a grand sight, -indeed. - -He had not walked far when lo! he saw Queen Elizabeth coming that way. -The ladies of her court were with her. Suddenly the queen stopped. A -pool of muddy water stood in her pathway, for a shower had fallen only -a short time before. - -What should she do? The queen stopped to think how she could keep from -wetting her dainty shoes. - -No sooner had she done this than Walter Raleigh stepped forward, threw -off his rich cloak, and spread it over the pool. A dry way was thus -made for the queen to pass over. - -She turned to the young man and, thanking him, gave him a sweet smile. -Then she went on her way, but she did not forget him. She asked her -ladies his name. When he afterwards appeared at court she was ready to -show him kindness. - -She found that Walter Raleigh was not only a true gentleman, but that -he was also brave and wise. - -He went to sea in the queen's ships and showed that he was a good -sailor. He fought in battles for his country and proved that he was a -fine soldier. He read many books and wrote beautiful poems. In those -times, or any other times, it would be hard to find a better, braver, -finer gentleman than Walter Raleigh. - -For many years the English people had given little thought to America. -When they found John Cabot did not discover a short way to India, they -lost interest in the New World. - -Walter Raleigh, however, did not think like the rest of his people. - -"O Queen," he said to Elizabeth, "you are a great ruler. But you -could become more powerful still. Why do you not claim some of that -land across the great ocean before Spain seizes all of it? We have -learned from sea captains who have been there lately that it is rich in -beautiful woods and many other good things." - -Raleigh hated the Spaniards and had already fought against them in the -wars. He knew they were settled in Mexico, Florida, and the West Indies. -He did not wish them to get hold of the rest of America. Neither he nor -Elizabeth, however, dreamed of the great size of the country. - -"I will fit out some ships," the queen answered, "and you may send -people to settle on the land which I will give you in America." - -Two ships were made ready. The men who sailed in them did not plan to -settle in America. They went only to look around and find a good place -where settlers could come afterward. - -They landed on different islands near the shores of the mainland. It -was farther north than Florida. The air was warm and pleasant. The -explorers found many fine trees of oak and cedar. Grapes and melons, -corn and peas, were plentiful. - -The Indians whom they met seemed willing to be friends. They admired -the white skins of their visitors and brought presents to them. The -white men gave them beads and other cheap ornaments. - -The Englishmen stayed among them for several weeks. The Indian women -made feasts for their visitors and bathed their feet and washed their -clothes. The time came at last when the white men said: - -"We must go back to England and tell about this beautiful country. We -will take home some furs and skins and we will carry a bracelet of -pearls to Walter Raleigh." - -How his eyes must have sparkled at the sight of the pearls! They were -as large as peas. - -"The Indian women wear such pearls as ornaments," the sailors said. -"The men often go about with reeds in their mouths. Bowls of walnut -shell are fastened to these reeds and filled with the dried leaves of a -strange plant. Then the Indians set the leaves on fire. They suck the -smoke through the reeds and blow it out of their mouths. They seem to -take great pleasure in doing this." - -The sailors were speaking of the tobacco plant and the smoking of its -leaves. They had never seen either before. - -[Illustration: THE ENGLISH TRADING WITH THE INDIANS] - -Elizabeth was much pleased with what she heard. She said: - -"This beautiful country shall be called Virginia in honor of myself." - -The queen was not married. She sometimes said: "I am wedded to my -country, and that is enough." It was because of this that she was often -spoken of as the "Virgin Queen." She always liked to be called by this -name. - -At this time she made Walter Raleigh a knight and that is why he has -always since been called _Sir_ Walter Raleigh. - -The next year he sent out one hundred people to settle in Virginia. -They must have been very brave to seek a new home among the Red Men -across the great ocean. They landed on one of the islands which their -people had visited the year before. They set to work at once to make a -home for themselves. - -It was not long before some rough houses were built and English -housekeeping was begun in America. - -The Indians were not as kind as they were the year before. They were -jealous of the white men. They thought: - -"It was well enough for them to visit us, but we do not wish them to -live here." - -They had good reasons for not liking the strangers, for the white men -did not treat them wisely. - -I will tell you of one thing that happened to make the Indians angry. -When the Englishmen were on an exploring expedition a silver cup was -stolen. - -"The Indians have taken it," they cried. - -They were so angry they marched to an Indian town near by and burned -it to the ground. The red people of the town fled into the woods, so -no harm was done to them. They were very angry, however, because their -homes were destroyed. They said to one another: - -"Let us drive the white strangers from our land. They do us nothing but -harm." - -From this time the settlers were not safe. They never knew when the -Indians might attack them. Many of them were sick and longed to go back -to England. - -When summer came and an English ship sailed into the harbor, most of -them were glad to get on board and bid good-bye to America. - -They carried back with them three things which did not grow in England. -These were Indian corn, white potatoes, and tobacco. - -Sir Walter Raleigh planted the potatoes at his home in Ireland. The -people there liked them so much that potatoes were soon growing in -every part of the country. That is why they were afterwards called -"Irish potatoes." - -As for the tobacco, Sir Walter became so fond of smoking it that he was -often seen with a pipe in his mouth. Of course, this was then a strange -sight in Europe. The first time the knight's servant saw his master -smoking, he was frightened. He thought Raleigh was on fire. He rushed -forward with a pitcher of water and dashed it over his head. The sudden -bath must have been a surprise, but it probably made the good knight -laugh heartily. - -Though the first settlers came back from America, Raleigh thought: - -"I will not give up so easily. Virginia is a beautiful country. It will -make a good home. I will try again to make a settlement there." - -The very next year he sent out a still larger number of people. There -were men, women and children. When they reached the island where -the first settlers had lived, they found the English fort had been -destroyed. Deer were roaming freely through the deserted village. - -They did not lose heart. They set to work and new houses were soon -built. They tried to make friends with the Indians. - -At this time a dear little baby was born. She was named Virginia in -honor of the queen and of her parents' new home. She was the first -white child of English people born in this great land of America. - -Poor little Virginia Dare! You shall now hear her sad story. Her -grandfather was the governor of the English settlement. After a while -he said to his people: - -"I will sail back to England to get help, for the Indians are not -friendly to us." - -He was gone a long time—much longer than he expected to be. When he -reached England he found that war was going on, and Raleigh was busy -fighting for his country. - -Two ships, however, were loaded with supplies and started to America. -Alas! they had not gone far before they had a fight with the Spaniards -and were obliged to go back to England. - -It was three years before Virginia's grandfather was able to cross the -ocean again. What long, anxious years they must have been! - -When he reached Virginia there was not one of his people to greet him; -no daughter to meet him with smiles and kisses; no little grandchild to -sit on his knee and put her arms around his neck. - -All were gone—the fort, the village, men, women, and children. He -looked about for a sign of what had happened. This only met his eyes: -It was a tree into which these letters had been hurriedly cut: - - C-R-O-A-T-A-N - -What was the meaning of these letters? Was it to let him know that the -white people could be found among the Croatan Indians? Had they been -made prisoners by that tribe of Red Men? He went to them and to other -tribes in the country around, but he was not able to learn anything -about his lost dear ones. At last he went back to England with a sad -heart. - -No one knows to this day whether Virginia Dare was killed by the Red -Men or whether she lived to grow up among their children and learn -their ways and language. She and her people are spoken of to-day as -"The Lost Colony." - -When Sir Walter Raleigh heard the sad news he was discouraged. He had -spent all his money and still had no colony. Queen Elizabeth died a few -years after this. King James, who now ruled over England, was not his -friend. - -The king kept the brave knight in prison for twelve long years. At last -he ordered the good Sir Walter Raleigh's head to be cut off. - -This was the end of that brave Englishman, after a life of good and -noble deeds. - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -THE STORY OF A DARING MAN - - -"What a pity no one knows what became of little Virginia Dare," said -Lucy, sadly. "I hope she wasn't killed by the Indians. I'd rather think -she died of the measles or scarlet fever." - -"Poor little child," said Uncle Sam softly. "It must have been a rough -life for her in the wild woods of the New World at that time, even if -the cruel savages had let her alone. My heart goes out also to Sir -Walter Raleigh, for he worked so hard to have English people settle -here. The saddest part of it is that he did not succeed. - -"He lived long enough, however, to hear of other people going to -Virginia and making a home there. They would surely have failed, too, -if it had not been for Captain John Smith." - -"What a common name that is," said Joe. "I know two boys named John -Smith." - -"A common enough name, to be sure," answered Uncle Sam. "But the John -Smith I am thinking of was very different from any other. If you -children can stay long enough this evening, I will tell you about him." - -"Mother said we needn't come home till eight o'clock unless you got -tired of us before that time." - -"The idea of my getting tired of you and Joe, Lucy! I would be a lonely -old man if it were not for you children. You help to keep me young. -I can't think what I should do, either, if I had no one to listen to -the stories that keep running through my head. Just now it is fairly -bursting with the brave deeds of John Smith." - -"Dear me! Don't let it burst, Uncle Sam. Do begin the story this very -minute," cried Lucy, trying to look frightened. - -A moment afterward the little sitting-room was so still that anyone -could have heard the big clock ticking in the corner. Then Uncle Sam -began to tell of the strange life of - - -CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH - -Once upon a time there was a little boy who lived on a farm in England. - -When he was born his father and mother said, "We will call our son -John." - -As soon as he was old enough he was set to work at a trade. His parents -were poor and they thought, "It is a good thing to have a trade, for -then a man can always get his own living." - -The young John Smith could not agree with them. He did not like his -work, so he did what other boys sometimes do. He ran away. Then his -troubles began, for he had a hard life. He tried all sorts of things. - -He became a soldier and later he went to sea and was out in such a -terrible storm that his ship was wrecked. Again he was out in a ship -when another storm came up. - -"John Smith carries bad luck wherever he goes," the men whispered to -each other. "He has brought this storm upon us." - -They threw him overboard. As he was a good swimmer and not far from -land, he managed to reach the shore in safety. - -This is only one of the stories John Smith told of his strange life -when he was a young man. - -Not long after that adventure he took part in a war against the Turks. -He was as brave as ever, for at one time he killed three Turks and cut -off their heads. He had no one to help him do it, either. - -He did not succeed as well afterwards, for the Turks caught him and -made him a slave. His cruel master fastened an iron collar around his -neck and made him work very hard. He had to thresh wheat. - -One day when he was working in the wheat field his Turkish master rode -up on horseback and began to whip him. How angry he was! He seized his -heavy flail and killed the Turk with one blow. - -He must lose no time in getting away now. He lifted a bag of wheat to -the back of the horse, jumped up behind it, and off he rode as fast as -he could go. - -He wandered through the wilderness for a long time. At last he reached -the seashore and got on board an English ship. When he reached England -there were many people ready to listen to his wonderful adventures. - -On the other hand, John Smith heard many stories about the land across -the great ocean—of little Virginia Dare and her lost people, and of -the Red Men who lived such a free life in the forests of America. This -was not all, however, for people were saying: - -"Why not try again to settle in Virginia? It is a beautiful country. -The weather is warm and pleasant there. It must be easy enough to live -in such a place, if we can only get along with the Indians." - -John Smith eagerly listened to all this talk. England was too quiet for -him. He did not enjoy his life there, he liked excitement too well. He -said: - -"If a party sails to Virginia I should like to join it." - -He soon had a chance, for a number of men were at that time getting -ready to start. They were not the best kind of people to make a new -home in a strange land. Very few of them knew how to do any kind of -work. They had heard that the Spaniards found gold in America. They -thought they themselves might pick it up on the ground in Virginia. -They said to each other: - -"We will get rich in the easiest way in the world." - -They did not know how hard work it would be to make themselves safe, as -well as comfortable. - -They settled at a place they called Jamestown, in honor of James, the -king of England. - -When the Red Men saw these newcomers, they were not pleased. They were -not willing to have the Englishmen settle in their country. They said: - -"We will kill these white men before they have a chance to save -themselves." - -The English were taken by surprise. They did not have their guns with -them when the Indians drew near with their bows and arrows. It would -have been a sad day for John Smith and his party if the Indians had not -been frightened off. - -Something came whizzing over their heads. The next moment the branch of -a tree came tumbling down in the midst of them. - -"It is thunder," they thought. "The Great Spirit is angry with us." - -They fled from the place as fast as their legs would carry them. They -did not stop to look around to see what had happened. If they had seen, -they would not have understood. - -But the white men knew. Some of their friends on board of the ship had -seen their danger. They had fired a cross-bar shot from a cannon. That -was a bar of iron with a cannon-ball at each end. Such shot are not -allowed to be used now-a-days. - -Although John Smith and his friends were saved at this time, many other -troubles were waiting for them. - -They made some houses to live in, but made them so poorly that they -leaked and were very damp. They had brought food with them, but there -was not enough to last long. It is not strange that many of the party -became sick and died. - -Those who still lived looked at the gardens of the Indians with a great -longing. They watched the fields of corn waving in the breeze, and when -it was ripe they tried to buy the grain. - -They could not get it by offering money to the Red Men, for the savages -had no use for money—that is, for our kind of money. John Smith said -to his people: - -"I will tell you what I will do. I will take some beads and other cheap -trinkets and will go up the river in a boat. I can surely get some corn -if I am willing to give the trinkets in return." - -When the Indians saw the beads, bits of looking-glass, and other -ornaments, they longed to have them. They wanted them so much that they -gladly gave Smith a boatload of corn. In this way he saved his people -from sickness and death. - -These white men called themselves "gentlemen." They had never done any -work in England. John Smith showed them they could only save their -lives by work. It must be hard work, too. - -If it had not been for him they would not have known enough even to -build their houses. He taught them how to plough the ground and plant -corn so as to raise a crop for themselves. He said to them: - -"We ought to protect our settlement by setting up a wall of stakes -around it." - -Such a wall is called a palisade. It would have been helpful in keeping -their enemies away. The wall was not built, however. The men were lazy -and they thought: - -"Captain Smith cannot be right. We are able to defend ourselves without -any palisade." - -King James very much wished the settlers to look for three things. They -were to search for Virginia Dare and her people; they must find gold, -and they were also to look for some waterway through the land leading -to the Pacific Ocean, or the South Sea, as it was then called. - -It was more than a hundred years since Columbus discovered America. Yet -still no one dreamed of the size of this country. How surprised John -Smith and his people would have been to learn that they would have to -travel three thousand miles westward before they reached another ocean. - -As soon as Captain Smith had a chance he sailed along the shores and up -the rivers. He was looking for a way to reach the South Sea. One day he -went up the James River in a boat with two of his friends. They came to -another and smaller river flowing into the James. - -"Let us see where this will carry us," said Smith. - -They went on and on. The river became narrower and narrower. At last -Smith jumped ashore and left the other two men in charge of the boat. -He told them to guard it and on no account to leave it for a minute. He -would go inland to see what he could find. - -He had not gone far when some Indians crept out of the woods. They took -the two men by surprise and killed them. Then the savages hurried after -Smith. He fought hard and managed to make a prisoner of one of the -Indians. - -Quick as a flash, he bound his prisoner in front of him. In this way -he made a shield for himself. The Indians could not shoot at the white -man without running the risk of killing one of their own people. - -By this time they had driven Smith into a swamp. The brave man was -sinking deeper and deeper into the mud. It was not long before he sank -up to his waist in it. He could no longer run nor fight. He would have -to give himself up. - -He made a sign to his enemies that he would let them take him. - -Even after they had taken him ashore he had hope. With quick thought -he drew a small compass from his pocket and offered it to the leader -of the party. He told the Indian to look at the needle. He showed how -it pointed. He explained that anyone who carried it could tell in what -direction he was going. - -The savage was so pleased that he would not let the others do Smith any -harm. They started for their home with their prisoner. They did not -travel like white men. They walked in single file and made no noise. - -They carried Smith to several Indian villages. Everyone was curious to -see him. Many of their people had never looked at a white man before. -They said to each other: - -"Is he a friend or an enemy to us? He is certainly very wise and brave." - -They looked at the compass and saw that it would really tell -directions. They thought: - -"No common man could have such a wonderful thing as that." - -Smith wrote a letter to his friends in Jamestown and asked the Indians -to send it to them. When the Red Men had done this and found that those -queer marks on a piece of paper told a story to the white men, they -were even more surprised. They said: - -"We do not dare to kill our prisoner, he is too powerful." - -What should they do with him? While they were trying to make up their -minds about this, they kept Smith shut up in a hut. They were not cruel -to him, however. O, no. They brought him quantities of food to eat. -There were bread made of corn, roasted deer meat, and all the dainties -which they themselves liked best. Smith thought: - -"They are trying to make me fat before they kill me." - -This thought took away all wish for food. The poor man could scarcely -eat. - -Day after day went by until at last the Red Men said: - -"We will take our prisoner to the great chief, Powhatan, and he will -tell us what to do." - -Smith was brought out and carried in a strange procession to the -village in which the chief was then living. He was kept there for some -time before the chief would receive him. - -When the day came at last, Powhatan was dressed in the grandest Indian -fashion. He wore a long robe made of feathers. His face and arms were -painted. His people stood around him. He wished Smith to think he was -great and powerful. - -The white man was brought before him. Smith eagerly watched to see if -there were any signs of mercy in the stern face. - -Powhatan talked for some time with his warriors. Then two of them got -up and went to the side of their white prisoner. - -They led him off a short distance and stretched him out on the ground. -They placed his head on a stone. - -"They are going to kill me," Smith said to himself. "I am bound so -tightly I cannot possibly get away. There is no help for me now." - -Then a strange thing happened. Just as one of the Indians raised his -club to end the white man's life, a young girl rushed to his side. She -was Powhatan's favorite daughter. She threw her arms around Smith's -neck. Then, turning toward her father, she cried: - -"Spare this man's life for my sake." - -The beautiful girl had grown to love Smith during his stay in the -village. While he was shut up as a prisoner he had made whistles and -strings of beads for her. His kindness pleased her and her gentle heart -was filled with pity for the white man. - -Powhatan could not refuse the daughter he loved so dearly. He said: - -"I will spare the man's life for the sake of my child. He shall stay -among us and spend his time making ornaments for Pocahontas." - -This is the story Smith afterwards told of the time when he was in the -hands of the Indians. Some people, however, do not believe it is quite -all true. - -At any rate, his life was saved and Pocahontas was the friend of the -white people ever after. - -In a few weeks Powhatan said to John Smith: - -"You may go back to Jamestown if you will promise to send me two -cannons and a grindstone as soon as you arrive." - -Smith was quite willing to make the promise. - -When he was once more safe among his own people he found they were in -great trouble. Some of them were planning to run away in the only large -boat. The others would then be left to the mercy of the Red Men. They -were all much in need of their wise leader. - -The promise to Powhatan was not forgotten. The Indians, however, who -had come back with Smith to get the cannons and the grindstone could -not carry them home. They were too heavy. So the men were quite willing -to take some trinkets instead. - -Many times after that the people of Jamestown suffered because they did -not have enough to eat. They were saved again and again by Pocahontas, -who filled her boat with baskets of corn and paddled down the river to -her white friends. - -One evening she heard her people making a plan. They said: - -"We will creep upon the Englishmen and take them by surprise. Then we -will kill them." - -She was brave as well as good. She did not lose a moment, but hurried -away through the dark woods. She did not stop till she reached -Jamestown. Then she told of the Indians' plot. She warned Smith to be -on his guard. Then she hurried away into the darkness once more. - -The white men tried again and again to make friends with Powhatan. They -gave him a bedstead, a red cloak, and a wash-basin. They thought he -would now be willing to sell them corn. - -Not so, however. After he received these presents, the great chief -became so proud he would not think of trading with the Englishmen. - -They were almost starving when Smith thought of a new plan. He took a -box of blue glass beads and showed them to Powhatan. He said: - -"These beads are made of the same stuff as the sky itself." - -When the chief heard this he longed to have some for his own. What -precious things they must be! - -"I will sell you a boatload of corn for those beads," he promised. - -"You will see by this that Captain Smith did not always tell the -truth. It was because of just such deceits as this that the white men -afterwards had so much trouble with the Indians," said Uncle Sam. - -The corn was just what Smith wanted, but he would not let the savages -know how glad he was. His boat was quickly filled with the precious -grain and he set out for Jamestown with a happy heart. - -His troubles were not yet at an end. One day while he was at work, a -bag of gunpowder exploded near him. Poor Captain Smith was badly burned -and in great pain. Worse still, the burned flesh did not heal after -many days. - -"I cannot get well here. I must go back to England," he told his -friends. - -With a sad heart he bade them good-bye and left them to get along as -well as they could by themselves. - -When Captain John Smith had gone, one trouble after another fell upon -the people of Jamestown. They came near starving to death. They were -glad to eat anything which would keep them alive. Dogs, snakes, and -even toads were killed for food. - -Most of the men had already died when some ships came sailing into the -harbor. They brought some more settlers, as well as food and clothing -from England. The worst was now over. - -Pocahontas was still the friend of the white men. She grew up to be a -beautiful young woman and married an Englishman named John Rolfe. The -wedding took place in a little church at Jamestown. - -From that time the great chief Powhatan was the friend of the white men. - -The rest of the story of Pocahontas is soon told. She was a good wife -to John Rolfe, and a year after they were married they had a lovely -baby boy. John Rolfe went to England on business and took his wife and -baby with him. The beautiful Pocahontas was invited to court by the -king. She was treated with great honor as an Indian princess, but it -did not make her vain or silly. - -While she was in England she met her old friend John Smith. She had -been told that he was dead and she was much moved at seeing him. - -Alas! Pocahontas did not live to see her own home again. Just as she -was about to sail to America a dreadful sickness came up her. It was -the smallpox. She died in a few days, but her baby son went back with -his father to Jamestown and lived to be a noble man. - -John Smith is often called the father of Virginia. After his burns had -healed, he left England in search of new adventures. - -He sailed again to the shores of America. He came to a place much -farther north than Jamestown. He looked upon a land with rocky shores. -It was not like Virginia. He called this part of America "New England" -and so it has been called ever since. - -Smith sailed all along the shores of New England. He went in and out of -its bays and harbors. He made a good map of what he saw. Then he went -back to his own country to show his map to the king. - -The next year he sailed on his last voyage. This time he wished to -settle in New England. He met with many troubles. There was a dreadful -storm and he was chased by pirates. Last of all, he was overtaken by a -fleet of French ships and made a prisoner. After a while he managed to -escape and get back to England. - -This brave and daring man lived long enough to hear of other people -settling in New England. That is another story, however. - -As Uncle Sam stopped speaking, Joe jumped up, crying: - -"Hurrah for Captain John Smith! Next to Columbus he was the bravest man -I ever heard of. I wish I could have seen him kill that Turk." - -"I should have liked to have been there when he offered those blue -beads to Powhatan," said Lucy. "He must have been laughing inside when -he did it." - -"As for me, I like to think of his making those lazy Englishmen do some -work," said Uncle Sam, stroking his chin. - -The neighbors all said there was no laziness about Uncle Sam, so it is -no wonder he spoke as he did. - -"Uncle Sam is like John Smith in some ways," the children's father said -not long afterwards. - -He had come into the back yard where Joe was stretched on the ground -with Lucy's arms around his neck. - -"We are playing that I am John Smith and Lucy is Pocahontas. She is -trying to save my life. Uncle Sam told us all about them." Joe sat up -to explain. - -"Yes, Uncle Sam is a good deal like John Smith. He is afraid of -nothing. He is always busy, and he can turn his hand to anything. One -time when he was a boy he was out sailing. The sail was an old one and -a sudden gust of wind caught it and tore it badly. Uncle Sam was a long -way from home and the sun was already setting. Quick as a thought he -took off his shirt, tore it open, and patched the sail with it. That -was the very thing John Smith did when he was away from Jamestown on -one of his excursions." - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -HENRY HUDSON - - -"Listen! That is thunder, Uncle Sam. I'm afraid we are going to have a -storm. I wish I had covers to my ears so I couldn't hear that dreadful -rumbling." - -"Nonsense, Lucy. There is no use in being afraid of anything. You -should have lived long ago among the Dutchmen in New York. They would -have told you it wasn't thunder, but was the sound made by Henry Hudson -and his men as they played ninepins with the dwarfs in the caves of the -Catskill mountains. - -"But there! You don't know anything about Henry Hudson. Sit down, dear, -in that little chair close to me and turn your back to the window. Then -you will not see the lightning. I will tell you such a nice story you -will not listen to the thunder, either." - -"I ought not to be afraid with you, Uncle Sam. I wish Joe were here, -though. He would like to hear the story." - -"I will tell it to him some other time, Lucy. Or you may tell him -yourself. But here he comes now, just in time." - -Uncle Sam leaned back in his armchair, pulled the beard on his chin, -and began the story of - - -HENRY HUDSON AND THE DUTCHMEN - -It is nearly three hundred years since John Smith went to Jamestown. -He left a dear friend in England who was also a great sea captain. His -name was Henry Hudson. - -At that time England was jealous of Spain because of her riches. The -Spaniards had found many gold and silver mines in America. - -England was also jealous of Portugal, a small country joining Spain. -The Portuguese had found a way of reaching India by sailing southward -around Africa and then eastward. They brought home shiploads of gums, -spices, precious stones and rare woods. So the Englishmen thought: - -"We must get rich, too. Why cannot we reach India by sailing to the -northeast or the northwest?" - -They looked about for a brave and able captain who should find out if -this could be done. They chose Henry Hudson. - -He sailed into the northern seas. He met with icebergs that made the -air very cold when they were still a long way off. He saw many whales. - -Henry Hudson and his men killed some of the whales. They boiled the fat -and made many barrels of oil. This was the best oil known at that time -for burning in lamps. It was also useful in other ways. - -The brave captain sailed far into the northern seas. It was now so cold -that great masses of ice almost stopped the ship. - -"We must turn back," Henry Hudson said to his men. "It is of no use to -sail any farther northward in hopes of finding a passage to India." - -When he got back to England, the people were pleased to learn about the -whales. They sent more ships to capture the great monsters and bring -home the oil. - -Once more they sent Henry Hudson to look for a short way to India by a -northern passage. - -Again he failed because of the ice in the waters, and again he came -home disappointed. - -About this time the people of Holland heard of Henry Hudson and what he -was trying to do. People who live in that country are called Dutch or -Dutchmen. It was a rich country for so few people. They said: - -"We had better send for this English captain. We will get him to sail -in our ships. We do not wish the Englishmen to find a shorter way to -India than we know now. If they do, they will become richer than we -are." - -So they sent for Hudson. They offered him such good pay that he went to -Holland and made ready to take one of their ships into the north. As he -was about to sail he received a letter from his old friend John Smith. - -The letter told him he should sail to the westward if he wished to find -the best way of reaching India. Just north of Virginia there was a -narrow strait. If a ship passed through that strait, it would enter the -ocean that washes the shores of India. - -We all know now that Captain John Smith was wrong about this. But Henry -Hudson thought it must be true. - -He turned his ship, the Half Moon, towards the west. He sailed in that -direction till he reached the shores of Newfoundland. Then he went -southward as far as Virginia, keeping near the coast. He now turned his -ship about and slowly sailed to the north. He entered many of the bays -and coves that reached into the land. He was always on the lookout for -the strait of which Smith had written. - -At last he sailed into a fine harbor which no white men had ever seen -before. We call it to-day the harbor of New York and know it is one of -the best in the world. - -Indians came down to the shore in crowds. They were curious to see the -strange-looking boat and the people with the white faces and hands. The -Red Men wore feather cloaks and necklaces of copper. They wished to make -friends with their visitors and offered them beans, oysters, and tobacco. - -"What a beautiful country this is!" the white men thought. - -There were sweet smells in the air and the open places along the shore -were covered with grass and flowers. The ship did not remain long in -the harbor. Hudson found he was at the mouth of a river. He thought: - -"Who knows but that if I follow this river I may reach the Pacific -Ocean?" - -So the ship sailed farther and farther up the river. It stopped at -several places where friendly Indians came out to meet the white men. -Hudson landed at one of these places and visited an Indian chief. - -In the village he saw great piles of corn and beans. He noticed the -bark houses. The Red Men asked him to stay all night with them and -placed a mat on the ground for him to sit on. They brought him food in -a red wooden bowl. - -They wished to show that they were truly his friends, so they took some -arrows and threw them into the fire. This told him more than the Indian -words he could not understand. - -When he sailed again, Hudson noticed that the river was getting -narrower. At last it was so shallow that his ship could go no farther. -He sent some men in a small boat to see what they could find. - -"This is no way to the Pacific," they said when they came back. "The -river comes to an end just beyond us." - -The ship was turned about, and Hudson sailed down the river and out into -the harbor again. He gave his own name to the river he had discovered, -and it is still called the Hudson River. He never saw it again. - -Now came the long voyage across the ocean. The Dutch people were sorry -that Hudson had not found what he was looking for. They were pleased, -however, to learn of the lovely country and the wild animals covered -with fur that were to be found in its forests. - -"The Indians are pleasant and willing to be friends. They kill great -numbers of the wild animals with their bows and arrows and they tan the -skins." So the sailors said. - -"Why not send some of our people to live on the shores of the Hudson -River?" thought the thrifty Dutch. "They can carry with them shiploads -of knives, axes, beads, and other things the Red Men like. They can -trade those things for the furs that bring high prices here in Europe." - -This is how it happened that the Dutch people came to settle in America. - -They brought chests full of linen, as well as the shining pewter -dishes they used in housekeeping. In fact, they packed in their ships -everything they needed to make themselves comfortable and happy. - -When they built their houses in America they made them look as much -as possible like the homes they left behind them. They made their -fireplaces large enough to hold logs of great size. In the cold winter -evenings these logs crackled and burned brightly while the Dutchmen -with their wives and children sat before the fire and told stories. - -Every house had a porch. As the sun set and the moon came out in the -summer time, the men sat in the porches telling stories and smoking -their pipes while their wives sat knitting beside them and the children -romped and played around the dooryards. - -They still dressed in the fashions of their country. The men had hats -with broad brims and coats with wide skirts. The women wore so many -short skirts they looked like opened umbrellas. - -These Dutch people were honest and they had kind hearts, so they got -along pretty well with their Indian neighbors. They hated idleness and -they were very neat. - -All of them worked during the day, but when evening came it was a time -for rest and pleasure. Then were told the stories of the old days in -Holland, of fairies, and of the gnomes who lived underground digging -copper and gold. - -[Illustration: THE DUTCH CHILDREN AT PLAY] - -When the thunder rolled in the sky, they would nod to each other and -say: "It is only Henry Hudson and his men playing ninepins with the -dwarfs in the caves of the Catskill mountains." - -You shall now hear how this queer fancy came into their heads. - -After the brave captain had discovered the Hudson River and gone back -to Europe, he tried once more to find a short way to India. He thought -it best to cross the ocean again, but to sail farther north than he had -done on his first voyage to this country. - -After he had reached the shores of America, he came into a large bay. -The land around him was bare and dreary. The ship was kept all winter -in this bay on account of the ice. The sailors suffered very much from -the bitter cold. Many of them became sick and died before the spring -opened and the ice broke up enough to let the ship move on. - -By this time the food was almost gone. The day came when Hudson took -the last of the bread and divided it among his crew. He was so sad and -hopeless that tears filled his eyes. - -The sailors blamed him for bringing them there and were very angry -with him. They thought, "We shall all lose our lives through him." - -They were not even moved by his tears. When they had eaten the bread, -they seized him and put him and some sick sailors into a small boat. -Then they sent them adrift in the cold, dreary waters of the great bay. - -They were never heard of again. This is all we know of the last days of -that very brave Englishman, Captain Henry Hudson. - -As for the wicked sailors, some of them met with better fortune than -they deserved. Soon after they had treated their captain so badly, -birds came flying by. The men shot some of these and saved themselves -from starving. After that they had a fight with Indians on the shore -and several of the sailors were killed. The others managed to gather a -small supply of food with which they started for home. - -Even then they suffered a great deal from hunger. They were so weak -they had to sit down to sail the vessel. All of them would have died if -they had not met another ship, which took them aboard and carried them -home. - -Long before Uncle Sam had finished the story, the thunder-storm had -passed by. - -"I hardly noticed it. I was thinking all the time about Henry Hudson," -declared Lucy. - -"I suppose Hudson never met his old friend John Smith after he got the -letter," said Uncle Sam, thoughtfully. Then he went on, "They were both -Englishmen, yet those who settled in Virginia with John Smith made a -very different home for themselves from those made by the Dutch who -followed Henry Hudson. - -"The Dutch had their own ways; the English had theirs. The Dutch -planted gardens. They raised flocks of sheep, which furnished wool for -the women to card and spin. They gave beads and blankets of red wool to -their Indian neighbors. They took in return game and beautiful furs. -They sent the furs to Holland. - -"They got up in the morning at sunrise, and went to bed at sunset. They -ate dinner at eleven o'clock in the morning, and tea parties were often -given at three in the afternoon. - -"They had grand times at Christmas and New Year's, when feasts were -spread and everyone dressed in his best clothes. - -"It was the Dutchmen who gave Santa Claus to American children. They -brought the dear old fellow from Holland along with their chests of -linen and pewter dishes." - -"Hurrah for the Dutchmen! I say," exclaimed Joe. "Christmas wouldn't be -half the fun it is without Santa Claus. Do you know, Uncle Sam, last -year was the first time Lucy and I knew he was not a real man. Why, we -used to think he came down our chimney every Christmas Eve with his -pack of presents. We talked up the chimney to him when we went to bed -and told him what we wanted. I know now that you and father and mother -are the only Santa Claus." - -"Now I think of it, the pictures of Santa Claus make him look like a -fat and jolly old Dutchman," said Lucy. - -"After their people were well settled, the children of Virginia enjoyed -Christmas," Uncle Sam went on. "They lived on big plantations where -their fathers raised tobacco. The houses were large and pleasant. -Beautiful trees grew near and gave plenty of shade in the hot summer -time. - -"At Christmas, wild turkeys were roasted in the big fireplaces. The -rooms were trimmed with holly and evergreens. There were dinner -parties, and dances that lasted all night. The ladies wore flowered -silk dresses with long trains. Their hair was powdered and 'done up' -on the head so it looked like a tower. The men wore knee-breeches and -shoes with bright buckles. Their coats were of silk or velvet and -trimmed with much gold and silver lace. - -"The white people in Virginia did not work hard. They made their black -slaves care for the great fields of tobacco. - -"'Where did the black men come from?' I see the question in Lucy's eyes." - -Uncle Sam stopped for a moment to stroke his chin and slyly pull Joe's -hair, for the boy had turned his head to look at his sister. - -"Ouch! That isn't fair, Uncle Sam," cried Joe. "I will try to forgive -you, though, if you don't do it again and go on with your story." - -"The Dutch were the first ones to bring slaves to Virginia. They sailed -to Africa and caught the poor savages in their homes. Then they carried -them on board ship and afterwards sold them to the white planters in -America. That is one way the Dutch became rich. - -"You may praise the Dutch for giving you Santa Claus, Joe. You may -blame them, however, for being the first to bring the dreadful curse -of slavery to this beautiful land." - -Uncle Sam was getting excited. - -"We may thank the Lord for sending us a good helper. It is because of -that helper that the people of America are now free." - -The old man got up and made a deep bow before a picture hanging above -the organ. - -"There is the face of one who loved his fellow men," he said, pointing -to the picture. - -"When you children know a little more about your country, you shall -hear the story of Abraham Lincoln." - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -THE PILGRIMS - - -"I think mother cooks the best Thanksgiving dinners in the world," said -Joe, with a sleepy yawn. "It seems as though I could never be hungry -again." - -"It is no wonder you feel as you do. I don't see where in that small -body of yours you were able to stow away so much turkey and mince pie, -to say nothing of the squash and mashed potatoes, the cranberry sauce, -nuts and raisins," said Uncle Sam. "I wonder if you ever thought why we -celebrate Thanksgiving Day. The people of other countries do not have -this holiday. If you are not too sleepy I will tell you about it." - -Uncle Sam had been spending the day with the parents of Joe and Lucy. -The children's mother had said, "Thanksgiving wouldn't be Thanksgiving -without Uncle Sam to share it with us. Even if my sister Mary comes -with her whole family, we can make room at the table for our dear old -friend." - -The great dinner had been eaten and cleared away. The short day was -coming to an end when Uncle Sam spoke of a reason for Thanksgiving Day. - -"Sleepy! I guess not. A story is just the thing before the lamps are -lighted and we play games," said Lucy. - -"Just the thing," repeated her cousin Mabel. She was a year younger -than Lucy and copied everything the older girl said and did. - -"We all like stories," added Arthur, a tall boy of ten years. He was -quiet and fond of books—very different from noisy Joe, who loved him -the best of all his cousins. - -"Once upon a time," began Uncle Sam, "there were some people who lived -in England. They were good and honest, but they could not do just as -they wished. The king said everyone in the country must worship God in -a certain way. That way must be the same in every church. - -"It happened that some of his people did not agree with the king. They -said: 'Everyone ought to worship God, but all should be free to worship -in the way they like best.' - -"These people gathered together, and every Sunday they met in their own -little churches. This did not please the king and he made their lives -very unpleasant. - -"Of course they were not happy. They thought: 'Why should we stay here -in England where we are treated so badly? Holland is not far away and -the Dutch people are kind and friendly. They are willing that everyone -in their country should worship as he likes. Let us go to Holland where -we can be free.' - -"The plan seemed good. A small company of men, women and children left -England for a home among the Dutch. - -"At first, they were happy and contented in Holland. The boys and girls -became men and women. The babies grew up into boys and girls. One thing -grieved their parents. Their children were fast forgetting the English -language. There were no English schools where they could learn their -lessons. - -"'This is not right,' said the older ones. 'No people could be kinder -than our Dutch friends, but we do not wish our own children to grow up -and forget their own country and the beautiful English language.' - -"'I will tell you what we can do,' said one. 'We have heard a good -deal about America. Some of our people have settled in Virginia. They -write that it is a fine place and that the air is soft and pleasant -all the year. Let us go to America. We will seek a home not far from -Virginia.' - -"The others thought these were wise words. They left their Dutch -friends and went back to England. They wished to visit it once more -before they bade it good-bye forever. - -"Two ships were soon ready and one hundred pilgrims sailed for America -in the year 1620. - -"'We are like pilgrims,' they had said to each other, 'for we travel -from place to place.' From that day to this they have been called by -the name of the 'Pilgrims.' - -"They had not sailed far before one of the ships began to leak. Its -captain said: 'It is not safe to cross the ocean in such a poor boat.' -So he turned back to England. - -"All the Pilgrims now crowded into the second ship. It was called the -'Mayflower.' - -"A long voyage was before the travelers. They were tossed about by -storm and wind. Almost all of them were seasick. A hundred people in -the small cabin of the Mayflower must surely have had a hard time. - -"Land was sighted at last. It was their first view of their future -home, America. How happy the children must have felt when they thought -of running and playing on dry land once more! - -"It was in November when they sailed around the end of Cape Cod. The -Pilgrims had not meant to come so far north of Virginia. - -"Some of the men left the ship and went on shore. They found a place -where the earth looked as though it had been lately dug up. Perhaps -something was buried in this spot. Sure enough! It was some dried corn -which the Indians had put there for safe keeping. - -"The men were pleased at the goodly sight. They carried the corn to the -ship. 'We may have need of it,' they said. They were honest people, so -when they afterwards found out what Indians had stored the corn there, -they paid for it quite willingly. - -"A brave man named Miles Standish had come with the Pilgrims. He was -English, like themselves. They first met him while they were living in -Holland. He had gone there to help the Dutch in a war against Spain. - -"Miles Standish did not belong to the same church as the Pilgrims, yet -the more he knew them, the better he liked them. When they spoke of -coming to America he said: - -"'I will go with you to your new home.' - -"They were much pleased, for he was a brave and able soldier. He could -help them if they had trouble with the Indians. - -"After they found the corn, some one proposed to go along the coast in -a small boat. It would be the best way of finding a place to settle. As -they moved along, they saw some huts covered with mats. They thought -these must be the homes of Indians. - -"They went back to the ship without finding a place to settle. Some -days after that they started out again. It was a very cold day in -December. The spray froze as it fell on their clothing. - -"When they were several miles from the ship they landed and made ready -to spend the night out of doors. They built a wall of logs. They said: - -"'We can sleep behind this wall. Then if the Indians should creep upon -us, we can defend ourselves.' - -"They had no trouble during the night, but in the morning there was a -terrible sound. It was not like anything they had ever heard before. It -was the warwhoop of the Indians. - -"'The guns!' They were in the boat where the men had just carried them. -There was a quick rush to the shore, while arrows came whizzing about -their heads. Then 'Bang! bang!' went the guns, and the frightened -Indians ran back into the woods. - -"The Indians thought the white men carried thunder and lightning in the -iron tubes. Although brave, they could not stand against such fearful -weapons. - -"The explorers hastened away. After a while they came into a small -harbor. The land along the shore had been cleared of woods. Brooks -flowed through it into the sea. - -"'This would be a good place for our people to live,' Miles Standish -thought. The others thought so too. - -"John Smith had visited this very place before and had marked it on his -map. As soon as the men came back, the ship set sail and brought the -pilgrims to the chosen spot. - -"'God's will has led us here,' thought the good people. 'It must be -the best place for our new home.' - -"One hundred persons had left England, but one hundred and two landed -on Plymouth Rock. How was that?" - -Uncle Sam smiled as he looked at the faces of the wondering children. - -"This was the way of it. Two babies had come to the Pilgrims on their -way to America. One was born in mid-ocean, so they called him Oceanus. -The other was a little girl who first saw the daylight when her people -were near the shores of their new home. - -"'We will name her Peregrine,' said her parents. 'Peregrine means -wanderer, and she is a little wanderer, without doubt.' - -"How good it must have seemed to the women and children when they left -the small, close cabin and the dirty ship. They had to live on board, -however, until the men had built a long, rough house on the hillside. -The whole party would have to live in this till better homes could be -made for each family. - -"Not long after the big house was done, the captain of the ship said: - -"'I cannot wait around here any longer. I must go back to England. Take -all your goods from my ship as quickly as possible.'" - -"I should think the Pilgrims would have hated to see the ship leave," -said Joe. "If they got homesick they couldn't go back to England, no -matter how bad they felt." - -"They were not the kind of people to give up," replied Uncle Sam. -"Before they went on shore they had a meeting in the cabin of the -Mayflower. They made some good laws for themselves. They all promised -to obey them. Those promises were very helpful when troubles came. - -"And troubles did come, too! The first winter at Plymouth, which was -the name they gave their new town, seemed to them long and very cold. -It was not really a very hard winter for _New_ England, but the climate -from which they had come was much milder. In _Old_ England they were -not used to so much cold, snow and ice as they now had, and they did -not know how to protect themselves properly. - -"The food was poor and scarce. The one big house was not made tight -enough. The freezing air, snow and rain came though the many cracks. -One brave Pilgrim after another was seized with fever or other illness. -Before the warm days of spring came to cheer them one-half of them had -died. Alas! little baby Oceanus was one of these. - -"They did not sit still and think over their troubles. Everyone who was -able kept at work. The men cut down trees in the forest with which to -build houses and a little church. They caught fish and lobsters. They -dug clams. - -"The women washed and cooked and spun, and made everything as homelike -as they could for their husbands and children. The men carried their -muskets with them wherever they went. Miles Standish had told them: - -"'We do not know when the Indians may take us by surprise. We must be -always ready.' - -"The very day when the Pilgrims first stepped on Plymouth Rock they saw -Indians peeking at them from over the hilltop. That was all, however. -In a few minutes the Red Men were out of sight. It was a long time -before any of them were seen again. - -"One day early in the spring the white men were having a meeting to -talk over some plans. Suddenly an Indian came into their midst. He was -painted in the best style of his people. He wore a bear-skin over his -shoulders. - -"The men hastily seized their muskets. The Indian calmly looked from -one face to another. He seemed in no hurry. Then he slowly said: - -"'Welcome, welcome, Englishmen!' - -"How good those words sounded! All were filled with wonder and delight. -They were puzzled to think where this savage had learned English words. - -"'Welcome, welcome, Indian.' - -"Then they led him to their house and gave him a good dinner. Samoset, -for that was his name, seemed in no hurry to leave. He stayed hour -after hour. When night came the Pilgrims made up a warm bed by the side -of the fireplace. He slept there all night, while the white men kept -watch. They were not yet sure whether he meant to be their true friend. -When morning came they gave him some presents and he went away proud -and happy. - -"He soon came back, bringing with him his friend Squanto and some other -Indians. - -"Squanto could talk more English than Samoset. He told the Pilgrims he -had seen white men before and had lived with them. He had crossed the -great ocean with a white captain who came to Plymouth with John Smith. - -"The white people had treated him kindly and had afterwards brought him -back to his old home. It was the very place where the Pilgrims were now -living. When Squanto got back he found that his family had all died of -a dreadful sickness. Many of his tribe had died from it at the same -time. That was why the others had burned their homes and moved away -from Plymouth. - -"Squanto was a good friend to the white men. He came to live with them. -He showed them how to plant corn so it would grow well. He put a dead -fish in each hill to make the ground rich. He taught them the Indian -ways of hunting and fishing. If it had not been for his kindness and -knowledge the rest of the Pilgrims might have died for want of food. - -"'God has sent us this friend,' thought the good people of Plymouth. - -"Not far away from them lived an Indian chief named Massasoit. Squanto -belonged to his tribe. 'We would like to see Massasoit,' said the chief -men of the Pilgrims. They thought they would be much safer from attack -if they made peace with the Indian chief who lived nearest them. - -"One day the great chief came to Plymouth. He liked the white men. -Before he went away he promised to be friendly to them. Massasoit kept -his word and was a good and true friend to the Pilgrims until he died. - -"One time news came to Plymouth that Massasoit was very sick. Some of -his white friends went to see him. They found him stretched on a rough -bed in his little hut. He had a fever. The hut was almost filled with -Indians. The medicine men were there. They were making a fearful noise. -They thought an evil spirit had taken hold of Massasoit. They were -trying to drive it away with the noise. Then the chief would get well. - -"The Indians have great faith in their medicine men. They are their -priests, as well as their doctors. - -"'That noise is enough to make anyone ill,' said the white men. 'The -air in the hut is heavy and very bad because there are so many people -in it. Massasoit can never get well at this rate.' - -"They got the crowd to leave the wigwam. Then they gave the sick chief -the proper medicine for his illness. The fever soon left the chief and -he believed that his white friends had saved his life. - -"One day an Indian who did not belong to Massasoit's tribe came into -Plymouth. He brought a snake-skin filled with arrows and laid it on the -ground. - -"'What is the meaning of this?' thought the chief men. - -"'It means war,' said Squanto. 'The Indians who sent it are not your -friends.' - -"The arrows were taken out of the snake-skin. Then it was filled with -bullets and sent back to the unfriendly Indians. - -"This said as plainly as any words: 'If you come to attack us with your -arrows, we will shoot you with our bullets.' - -"When the savages saw the bullets they were afraid. They said, 'Ugh! -Ugh!' but they did not dare to touch them. They at once sent the -fearful things back to Plymouth. They changed their minds about -fighting white people who used firearms." - -Uncle Sam stopped and looked around. - -"There's nothing like being brave," he said slowly. "The Pilgrims would -not even think of giving up, and that is why they held out against all -dangers. You remember I told you that only half of them lived through -that first winter. They were very careful not to let the savages know -how many of them had died. They were even careful not to make mounds -to mark the places where their friends were buried. They thought the -Red Men might count the mounds. They would know by that how few of the -settlers were left. - -"As soon as the spring came, corn was planted over the graveyard. The -tall stalks were soon waving to and fro, hiding it from sight." - -"Now the people were very busy. Gardens were planted; fish and lobsters -were caught in plenty, and everyone was happy. In the summer wild -berries were to be had for the picking, and the gardens which had been -planted began to yield nice vegetables. - -"Then came the beautiful days of the New England autumn. The harvests -ripened and fields of corn seemed to cry: - -"'Come, gather the golden grain and store it away for the cold days of -winter.' - -"Squashes and pumpkins and other good things were ready for the -picking. Men, women, and children were busy and joyous. - -"When the governor looked on the glad sight, he said: - -"'The Lord has blessed us. We should praise Him for His mercy to us in -this strange land.' - -"He set aside a day for prayer and thanksgiving. Feasts should be -spread and all work given up. His orders were followed. - -"That was the first Thanksgiving Day in America. - -"What numbers of pies and puddings were made for that day! What -quantities of fish and wild turkeys were brought by the men and cooked -by the women! - -"Thanksgiving morning came at last, and after a good breakfast everyone -went to church. In those days not even the babies were left at home, -but were carried to church in their mothers' arms. - -"There was a long service in the church. A very long one it must have -seemed to the children, who kept thinking of the great dinner to come -soon. The last hymn was sung, the last prayer made, and all turned -their steps to the tables loaded with good things to eat and drink. - -"The Pilgrims had invited Massasoit and some of his people to share -their feast. The Red Men were pleased when they received the invitation. - -"'We will do our part,' they said. - -"They took their bows and arrows and went out into the forest. They -shot some red deer. Early on Thanksgiving morning they arrived in -Plymouth, bringing the game they had killed. - -"When the great dinner was ready at last, one hundred Indians with -hungry stomachs were ready to share it with the white people. - -"It must have been hard to entertain the visitors. They could speak and -understand only a few words of English. Now and then they would give a -deep grunt to show they were well pleased. - -"They stayed not only to dinner, but to supper, also. Even then they -were in no hurry to go home. Many of them spent the night with their -white friends. They seemed to think Plymouth was a very pleasant place." - -It was quite dark outside before Uncle Sam finished the story of the -first Thanksgiving Day. But big logs were burning in the fireplace -and giving a soft light all over the room. The old man could see the -children's happy faces. He knew they were having a good time, though -they had kept so quiet. - -"I am ready for blind-man's-buff," he said, suddenly jumping up "I'll -be the blind man. Come, we have been still long enough." - -Lamps were quickly lighted. In a minute the room was filled with the -laughter of the Young folks as Uncle Sam dashed right and left trying -to catch them in his long arms. - -"The little Pilgrims though they had a good time on Thanksgiving Day. -But their parents would no let them make much noise. Dear me! If -children are not allowed to make a noise, they can't be happy." Uncle -Sam was talking to himself as he walked home after the party. - -Just then his big black cat rubbed against his legs. "Hullo, Buzz, is -that you. And did you think I was speaking to you? Here, smell of this -turkey bone. I brought it home so you could have a feast, too." - -Uncle Sam bent down and rubbed the cat's soft fur. The he went into the -house, leaving Buzz outside to enjoy his Thanksgiving supper. - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -LITTLE PILGRIMS OF LONG AGO - - -"Pop! pop! pop!" went the corn as Joe shook the popper over Uncle Sam's -fire. - -"It is the very evening for roasted apples and pop-corn," the old man -said soon after his young friends arrived. "Joe, you run down cellar -and get some of the biggest apples you can find. Lucy, dear, take these -ears of corn and shell them. We will put the apples in the hot ashes -and pop the corn over those lovely red coals." - -"Oh, what fun!" cried Lucy. "You are always thinking of the nicest -things to do. I never knew anyone like you." - -"I hope the Pilgrims had a few Uncle Sams with them," said Joe, coming -back with the apples. - -"They popped corn sometimes, but not in our way," the old man said. "I -don't believe anyone of them ever saw a corn-popper. They used to hide -the kernels in the hot ashes and then watch for them to come shooting -out over the room. - -"Then what fun there was as the children scrambled to get them! They -enjoyed it, and I am glad they did. Poor little children, they did -not have too much fun at any time. You must not blame their parents, -though. They had been brought up that way themselves. They thought they -must be very strict or their children might grow up to be bad men and -women. - -"'Spare the rod and spoil the child,' they said over and over again. -And they also often repeated these words: 'Children should be seen and -not heard.' - -"Now I believe children should look forward to Sunday with pleasure," -Uncle Sam went on. "It ought to be the best day in the week for -everybody, young and old. But, dear me! the poor little Pilgrims had -to keep so still and sober from Saturday evening to Sunday evening, it -must have been painful. Not a loud word must be spoken, not a laugh -must be heard. Then there was the long sermon Sunday morning. Hours -long! Just think of it! - -"Rain or shine, heat or cold, everyone went to church. That is, unless -he was too sick to sit up. They went in a sort of procession. The women -and children walked in the middle. Some of the men marched ahead and -the rest at the end of the line. They carried their guns, for they must -be ready for an attack by the savages at any moment. - -"There was no fire in the church on the coldest day of winter. Some of -the people carried foot-stoves to keep themselves warm. These were iron -pans or cups in which live coals were carried. The children sat in one -part of the church and their parents in another." - -Joe smiled. - -"I know what you are thinking," said Uncle Sam, who noticed the smile. -"You are thinking that the children could whisper together during the -long sermon. That is a great mistake, Joe. There was always a man in -the church who looked out for such things. He stood where he could see -everything that was going on. He had a long stick with a squirrel tail -on one end and a hard knob on the other. - -"If he saw one of the older people nodding, softly and quickly the -'tithing man', as he was called, would be at the side of the erring -one. Then the furry end of the stick would dance over the sleepy one's -face and the eyes would open with a start. - -"But if a child began to whisper, he was not treated so gently. The -hard knob at the other end of the stick would suddenly come down on his -head and make it ache in a very unpleasant way. - -"The Pilgrims had no clocks. They used hour-glasses instead. - -"The tithing-man watched the hour-glass on the pulpit. The moment the -last grain of sand had fallen through, he walked softly up the aisle -and tipped the glass over. - -"The hours in church must have passed very slowly for the children. The -sermon was very, very long, and they could understand little of what -the minister said. - -"The poor children had no Santa Claus. Worse even than that, they had -no Christmas! Thanksgiving was the only great holiday of the year." - -"No Christmas!" cried Joe and Lucy together. - -"Why, Uncle Sam," Joe went on, "Christmas is the Christ Day. You know -what I mean. And the Pilgrims thought so much of the Bible and going to -church, and all that! Why, I don't understand." - -"They thought it was wrong to make a pleasure of religious things," -replied Uncle Sam. "It was many, many years before the fashion of the -Dutch people spread over America. It is a grand fashion, too. Well, -well, we cannot help it if the Pilgrims didn't celebrate Christmas, so -we will turn from that to the brave man whom the children admired so -much. - -"I shouldn't wonder if they were a little afraid of Miles Standish. He -had a wonderful sword which he prized above everything else. A Turk had -given it to him. It was marked with strange figures which the Pilgrims -did not understand. - -"'That sword will save you from harm so long as you keep it with you,' -the Turk had told the brave captain. - -"Miles Standish was a little man and at first the Indians made fun of -him. They thought he was too small to be much of a warrior. But they -found they had made a mistake in this and learned to fear him. - -"I think you children have never been to Plymouth. Next summer I will -take you there, if your mother is willing. You shall stand on the -rock where people say the Pilgrims landed. Then we will go up to the -Memorial Hall and look at Baby Peregrine's cradle and the chair of the -first governor. Dear me! I can't think of all the things saved from -those first days of Plymouth. We will see them all, though, and have a -good time." - -"That will be jolly fun," said Joe, jumping up and dancing around the -room. "I wish it were next summer now." - -"Don't be noisy Joe," said his sister. "Uncle Sam won't tell us -anything more, if you are." - -"I have told more now than you will remember, my dear," said her old -friend. "Before we leave the Pilgrims, however, I must say one thing. -After they were well settled, friends from England came to join them. -This made them very happy. - -"A few years afterwards, still other people came from England to live -in this part of the country. Their religion was not exactly the same as -that of the Pilgrims. They were called the Puritans. They said: - -"'We do not wish to go out of the English church. Yet we would like -to make it _pure_. Some things have grown up in it which we think are -wrong.' - -"There were many Puritans in England, but the king would not listen to -them. That is why they made up their minds to come to America. - -"They were not poor like the Pilgrims. They brought plenty of clothes -and furniture, horses, cattle, and pigs, and everything they needed -to make themselves comfortable. They did not have to suffer as the -Pilgrims did. - -"The first Puritans came to Salem. They said: - -"'The word Salem means peace. It is a good name for our new home.' - -"Hundreds of Puritans followed the first ones who came to America. -They settled in Boston and other places near by. They built forts and -schoolhouses, besides homes for themselves. - -"They planted wheat and rye as well as Indian corn. They cut down the -forests and caught fish and salted them. They bought furs from the -Indians, and sent them, as well as lumber and salt fish, to England. -The English people were glad to buy these things and sent in return -books, tools, and other things the Puritans needed in their new home." - -Uncle Sam stopped to rest a moment. Then he went on: - -"Maybe you think the Pilgrims were strict." - -Joe and Lucy nodded their heads. - -"Well, I suppose they were. We call their ways old-fashioned, -now-a-days. But if you had lived in their time, you would have been a -good deal happier with them than with the Puritans. - -"Strict! Why, the Puritans wanted to _make_ everybody believe just as -they did. They did not have any patience with those who did not agree -with them. - -"They had hard laws, too. They punished anyone who swore, or even -scolded. A high frame called the stocks stood in the middle of every -village. It had a number of holes in it. Many of those who did small -wrongs had to sit all day with their legs and arms through these holes. -That was the way they were held up to scorn. - -"Then there were ducking-stools. If women became common scolds, they -were bound to these stools and ducked in a river or pond. - -"Once in a while a man was caught swearing. It was a sad day for him. A -split stick was fastened on his tongue for hours together. If that did -not cure him, his tongue was burned with a red-hot iron. - -"The children had a hard time of it in school as well as at home. If -they told wrong stories, they had to hold out their tongues to be burnt -with a good dose of mustard." - -Uncle Sam looked quite sad as he went on to tell of a little girl who -took something which belonged to a playmate. - -"Her teacher held her fingers over red-hot coals and burned them." - -"I don't believe children dared to turn round or whisper in school very -often," said Joe. - -"I should say not. If they did, a sudden rap came upon their heads. It -made them wish they had not broken the rules." - -"I am glad I am alive now, and have such a lovely home, and father and -mother, and—" - -"Uncle Sam," said Joe, ending the sentence for his sister. - - - - -CHAPTER X - -ROGER WILLIAMS - - -It was snowing hard outside and the wind howled around the little -cottage. - -Joe and Lucy had been taking supper with Uncle Sam. Lucy had made a big -pile of buttered toast and her mother had sent over a plum cake. They -were all eaten. - -"You must go home pretty soon, children. The snow is drifting a good -deal and it will be hard walking. It is well that you both wore rubber -boots." - -Uncle Sam got up and went to the window. - -"It was in just such weather that Roger Williams made his way through -the wilderness," he said as he looked out over the fields. - -"I never heard of him before," said Joe. - -"Then it is time you did. It is not a very long story. I don't believe -it will do you any harm to stay long enough to hear it. So here it is: - -"Roger Williams was one of the noblest men who lived among the -Puritans of long ago. He was a young minister. He had fine thoughts of -his own. He did not need to have anyone else do his thinking for him. - -"When he first came to America with his young wife he settled in -Boston. He afterwards went to Salem. He preached in a little church -there. He said so many good things that people liked to hear him. - -"After a while the Puritans began to open their ears and their eyes, -too. The leading men said: - -"'This man does not think just as we do. He must be wrong.' - -"They were very angry. You remember what I told you the other day about -the Puritans?" - -"They wished everyone else to believe just as they did," answered Joe. - -"And were very strict and solemn," added Lucy. - -"You must remember another thing, too. The leading men of the church -made all the laws for the town. Roger Williams did not think this was -right. He was a minister himself, yet he believed the church should -have nothing to do with governing the town. - -"Besides that, he thought, 'the King of England has no right to give -the land in America to the people who come here. The Indians hold the -land. It is theirs. They are the only ones who should sell it or give -it away.' - -"'Dreadful! dreadful!' said the people of Salem. 'Roger Williams cannot -be true to the king if he believes like that.' - -"The leading men made it so unpleasant for the young minister that he -left Salem. He went to Plymouth and stayed among the Pilgrims for two -years. At the end of that time he went back to Salem. He preached good -sermons and the people said: - -"'He has grown more careful in the use of his tongue. He does not say -unwise things any more.' - -"Yet Roger Williams had not changed his mind. He believed just as he -did before and he could not help showing it. - -"'This man is not safe. He puts wrong thoughts into the minds of the -people,' said some of the leaders. 'We must send him back to England.' - -"Roger Williams heard what they intended to do. He fled into the -forests. It was very cold and heavy snow had fallen. Who would be his -friend and help him in his troubles now? - -"Who indeed but his old friend Massasoit! The Indians loved Williams. -He had always been kind and gentle with them. He had been honest in all -his dealings. - -"Massasoit was glad to give Williams a home. He stayed with the Indian -chief for some time. He was busy thinking what he should do. Where -should he make a home for himself and those who believed as he did? - -"'I will give you some land on the shores of a river,' Massasoit told -him. - -"As soon as the spring came Williams went to this place. He set to work -at once to build himself a log house. Five of his friends came from -Salem to be with him. - -"They had not worked very long before they found they would be safer to -move to the other side of the river. Then they would be sure of a place -where the white men could not trouble them. - -"They came to a wild and beautiful spot. The trees of the forest grew -all about it. The river flowed close by. - -"The axes were soon swinging merrily and the tall trees came falling to -the earth. It was the beginning of the city of Providence. - -"Roger Williams gave it that name. He said: 'God has provided a home in -the wilderness for me.' - -"Not long after this a little son was born to him. He, too, was named -Providence. And when a baby daughter came to the happy family, she was -called Mercy. In this way the good minister showed that he did not -forget the loving care of his Heavenly Father. - -"Do not forget Roger Williams," Uncle Sam ended as the children began -to put on their rubber boots. "He dared to say what he thought was -right when almost everyone was against him. - -"Be sure to remember this, too: He had no trouble with the Indians, -because he treated them fairly. They lived in America before the white -people came, so he thought they had a better right to the land than -anyone else." - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -THE FATHER OF WATERS - - -"Look, Uncle Sam! See my lovely new muff. I wanted one ever so much. -My hands get cold, even in my woolen mittens. Father bought it for a -birthday present. He got home from Canada to-day." - -"What did he bring you, Joe?" Uncle Sam asked after he had admired -Lucy's muff. - -"A fur cap. It is a perfect beauty." - -"Father says Canada is a great place for hunters, there are so many -wild animals in the forests. He was dreadfully cold while he was there. -He is glad to be home again." - -"Yes, the weather is colder there than it is here, because it is -farther north. Yet the cold did not keep the Frenchmen from going to -live in Canada long ago. They were willing to suffer a little so long -as they could get rich by hunting and trapping, and trading with the -Indians. - -"They were the first white people to settle in Canada. They called the -country 'New France.' - -"They built stations here and there along the shores of the St. -Lawrence River. The Indians used to bring loads of furs to sell to -them. The white men paid for the furs with hatchets, and beads, and -pieces of cloth. That was the kind of money the Indians liked best. - -"The savages of Canada were always friendly to the Frenchmen. They -found that the settlers did not wish to harm them and that they were -treated fairly. So there was no trouble. - -"The Frenchmen loaded ships with the furs they bought and sent them -home to France. They wrote to their friends in the old country about -the gentle and friendly Indians. Some good French priests heard the -news. They said: - -"'We will cross the ocean and go to live among the Indians. We will -teach them about God and about Christ, the Savior.'" - -Uncle Sam was so busy talking, he did not notice Joe making signs to -his sister. These signs said: "We had better take off our coats and -spend the evening. I know Uncle Sam feels like telling a story." - -[Illustration: FUR-TRADING WITH THE FRENCH] - -Lucy understood her brother. In another minute she and Joe were -sitting on either side of the old man as he began to tell of the good -priest Father Marquette and what he found. - -It was a long time ago that Father Marquette left France and came to -Canada. Unlike the fur traders, he had no wish to get rich. He was a -priest with a kind, loving heart. He cared only to teach and help the -Indians. - -As soon as he reached Canada, he asked many questions about the Red -Men. The fur traders told him of some Indians who lived not far away. -They said: - -"These Indians are kind and honest. They will treat you well." - -Marquette went to see them at once. They liked him because he was -gentle and good. They took him into their homes. He lived with them for -three years. - -While he was there, he heard of a wonderful river. The Indians called -it "The Father of Waters" because it was so long and wide. They said -it was far, very far, to the west of them. Other Indians had told them -about it. They thought it would not be safe to sail down this river. -Tribes of fierce savages lived on its shores. They would kill anyone -who came among them. - -The good Marquette was not afraid. He only thought: "These savage -Indians have all the more need of my teaching. I must go to them." - -A fur trader named Joliet, and five other men, went with the priest. -They traveled in canoes made of birch bark. On they went, and still on. -Many days passed by. No Indians were seen as yet. - -At last, they saw huts along the shore. These must be the homes of the -Red Men. In another minute they heard cries of welcome. The Indians -came hurrying to meet their visitors. They had heard of the good -Marquette from their friends to the eastward. - -They asked him to stay with them. They begged him to go no farther or -he would surely come to harm. They repeated the stories he had already -heard,—the stories of fierce Red Men and of wicked demons which would -destroy him. Still Marquette did not fear. He must not stop yet. He and -Joliet started out once more. - -They traveled for many days before they reached the great Father of -Waters. At last it met their eyes. How different it was from the river -on which they had been traveling! The waters rushed along, making a -mighty noise. It was a wonder their little canoe could be kept upright. - -The travelers now saw a path leading down to the shore. It must be an -Indian trail. They left the canoe and followed the trail. They came to -an Indian village. Its people were afraid of the white men and ran to -hide behind the trees. - -Some of their chiefs were braver than the others and came out to meet -Marquette. They held out the pipe of peace to him and his friend. When -the white men had smoked it and handed it back, they knew there was -nothing to fear. - -When the good priest asked about the great river, the Indians told the -same old story he had heard so many times before. - -"You must go no farther. There are very bad Red Men and many frightful -monsters to the southward. They will kill you and eat you if you go -among them." - -Marquette and Joliet paid no heed to these words. Before they went on -their journey, however, they sat down to a great feast which the women -had prepared for them. A dish of mush came first. The Indians fed it -to the white men with big wooden spoons. Broiled fish came next, but -before it was offered to the visitors the bones were carefully taken -out. After this a roasted dog was proudly set before them. It was a -great dainty to the Red Men, but Marquette and Joliet would not taste -it. - -"It is very queer," thought the Indians. They could not understand how -anyone should refuse to eat roast dog. - -As soon as the feast was over, Marquette asked the Great Spirit to -bless these kind Indians. Then he bade them good-bye and paddled away -in his canoe. - -The river grew wider and wider. Herds of buffaloes were feeding along -its shores. Some of them stopped feeding long enough to look at the two -white men as they paddled past them. - -The daring travelers now came to a place where high rocks reached up -from the banks. Strange figures were carved on the rocks. They were -painted in fearful colors. They had red eyes and long beards. They -had bodies like fishes. They were ugly to look at. These must be the -monsters the white men had heard so much about. - -They were only pictures of monsters, however, and not real ones. Yet -the Indians all along the river were afraid of them. Whenever the -Red Men had to pass the place, they offered prayers to these hideous -figures. - -On went the white men, and still on. The river was growing wider all -the time. - -At last they came to a place where the Indians were savage and -unfriendly. The travelers learned that cruel Spaniards were not far -away. After Ponce de Leon discovered Florida the Spaniards had claimed -that country. They settled there as well as in other parts of the -south. They had some villages near the lower part of the Mississippi. -Savage Indians and cruel Spaniards together made the danger too great -for the travelers. - -"We should only be made prisoners. Then we could not go back and tell -our friends about the wonderful river." That is what the good priest -said to his friend. - -It was too bad, for they were told it would take only five days more to -reach the mouth of the river. They had made a wonderful voyage already, -so they turned about and started homeward. - -Storms and cold weather now troubled them. They were weak and half -sick long before home was in sight. The gentle priest was at last too -ill to travel any farther. He stopped with some friendly Indians while -Joliet went on to Canada. - -Everyone was filled with delight on hearing about the great river. "It -will belong to France, because Frenchmen have discovered it," they said. - -Cannons were fired and bells were rung in the city. It was a time of -gladness. - -Poor Father Marquette was sick for a whole year. Indeed, he was never -entirely well afterwards. He stayed among his Indian friends and taught -them till he died. They loved him very much and waited upon the sick -priest with the most tender care. - -"But this is not the whole story of 'The Father of Waters,'" said Uncle -Sam when he came to the death of Marquette. "There was another brave -Frenchman who followed in the path of the priest. I know you will like -to hear about him." - -The children nodded their heads and Uncle Sam began - - -THE STORY OF LA SALLE - -Once upon a time there was a brave young man named Robert La Salle. He -lived in France. He was always ready for some new adventure. While he -was still young he thought: - -"I will join my countrymen in Canada and see something of their strange -life among the Indians." - -He was soon busy among the fur traders along the St. Lawrence River and -the great lakes. A piece of land was given to him and he began to build -a fort. He was proud that the French people held Canada. He wished to -do his part in making it strong so that all enemies could be kept out. - -Joliet came back from his long journey. He told of the great -Mississippi River. La Salle was much excited over the news. - -La Salle said, "Our people must not only claim this river, but we must -also build forts and stations along its shores. Then we can keep off -the English and Spaniards." - -His friends in Canada thought La Salle was the very one to go back to -France and tell the king about Marquette's wonderful trip. He went to -his own country as soon as possible and stood before his ruler. - -He painted a fine word-picture of what could be done. The Englishmen -and Spaniards had been satisfied to live near the eastern and southern -shores of America. They might not always stay there. Now was the chance -for the French to enter the heart of the country and make it their -very own. - -The king was delighted at what he heard. He praised La Salle and told -the young Frenchman to go back to Canada and work out his plans. - -La Salle lost no time in obeying the king. As soon as he arrived on the -St. Lawrence he went to one of the lakes and began to build a boat. He -thought: - -"Canoes are not strong enough for the great work before me. I must sail -as far as possible along the chain of great lakes. Then I shall not be -far from 'The Father of Waters'." - -He and his men worked hard. It was not long before the boat was ready -to launch. It seemed very large to the Indians who came to see it start -on its first voyage. Never before had such a large boat sailed on the -lakes. - -La Salle had to make his way very carefully, for he knew nothing about -these strange waters. He sailed through one great lake and passed -safely into the next one. Everything went well. Wherever La Salle -stopped, he met friendly Indians. They were ready to trust their -visitors, for Marquette had been among them. How good he had been! How -tenderly they had loved him! All other white men must be good, too. -This was what the Indians thought. - -The vessel soon reached Green Bay, where Marquette had spent a year -among the Red Men. - -The Indians had many rich and beautiful furs which they were ready to -sell. La Salle ordered his men to load the vessel with these furs as -quickly as possible. Then they were to sail back to Canada and unload -them. He and a few others would go on their way in canoes. - -Alas! nothing happened as La Salle had hoped. A terrible storm arose -soon after the vessel started back. The winds swept over the lake and -the little canoes drifted now one way, and now another. Every moment it -seemed as though people and boats must be destroyed. - -After four days, however, the storm went down and the men reached the -shore. They were faint from need of food and wet from head to foot. No -Indians were to be seen and they could find nothing to eat. As soon as -they had dried themselves, they started on again. They hoped to find a -village not far away where they could get food. - -The poor tired men paddled on for some time more but no signs of Red -Men nor of their huts could be seen. - -"We will land and look about us," they said at last. The canoes were -hauled up on the shore while La Salle and his men searched around. - -"Here are corn caves!" some one cried in delight. - -Sure enough, stores of corn were hidden away among the rocks. The -hungry men helped themselves to the grain and made their way back to -their camp. They were careful to leave presents near the caves. They -would not think of stealing the corn. The Red Men must be paid for it. - -A fire was soon blazing. The corn was ground and cooked and they all -sat down to eat. Suddenly they heard a noise and two Indians appeared. -The Red Men held up the beads and cloth that the white men had left as -pay for the corn. They were as happy over their presents as children -are after Santa Claus has paid them a visit. - -It was surely time now for the vessel to return. La Salle watched for -it in vain. It was never heard of again. It must have been wrecked in -the terrible storm. - -After many days of waiting, the men begged to turn back toward home. -They were such a small company! There were so many dangers around -them, and the ship would never come to their help. - -Go back! La Salle could not think of such a thing. He told his men they -should set to work at once to build a fort. They had little courage, -but they did as he ordered. - -As soon as they had finished Fort Break-Heart, as they called it -because they were so sad and discouraged, a few men were left to hold -it. The rest of the party went on their way into the wild west. - -When they came to another good stopping place, the men built another -fort. It was hard work, for they were sick and lonely. - -"It is of no use to go any further now," thought La Salle. "Ice and -snow are around us. The food is scarce. Nothing can be done till spring -comes again. I will divide our small party into two parts. Some of the -men must stay here to hold the fort. The rest of us will make our way -back to Canada to get provisions." - -It was a hard journey. The lakes and rivers were caked with ice. The -ground was covered with snow. The brave La Salle and his men suffered -from cold and wet and hunger before they reached a place where white -men were living. - -They told their story, got fresh stores, and once more started off. La -Salle did not know the word "Fail." - -Sometimes he and his men paddled along in their birch canoes. Sometimes -they lifted their boats upon their shoulders and made their way through -the woods. - -Danger was around them everywhere. Wild animals roamed through the -forest. Unfriendly Indians might take them by surprise at any moment. -There were no roads,—no paths even. One thought filled the mind of La -Salle: - -"I must find the Mississippi. I must travel to its very mouth. That is -the only way by which France can claim all the country on its shores." - -When the returning party reached Fort Break-Heart, they found it torn -down. Their friends were not there. They thought those left to guard it -must have been killed or made prisoners by the Indians. - -It was of no use to stop. They pushed on with sad hearts. - -At last they had their reward. The great Mississippi lay before them. -La Salle's heart was full of hope as the canoes were launched upon its -waters. - -On and on he paddled as Marquette had done before him. He passed tribes -of friendly Indians. He came to others who were ready to kill the white -men. Still he pushed onward till the waters became salt and rushed -outward to the Gulf of Mexico. The Frenchmen had at last reached the -mouth of the great river. - -Now came the homeward journey and the joy of telling the good news to -the people in Canada. - -La Salle did not rest even now. The king of France must hear what he -had done. He made haste to sail across the ocean to his own country. - -The king said that ships must be made ready at once. A large party of -people should go to the mouth of the river. They must build a fort and -settle there and take the country in the name of France. La Salle was, -of course, chosen to go with them. - -They did not go by the way of Canada. They went as straight as possible -to the Gulf of Mexico. La Salle thought it would not be hard to find -the mouth of the river. - -The voyage across the Atlantic was safely made. The ships entered the -Gulf of Mexico and sailed along its shores. But La Salle could not find -the entrance of the Mississippi. He searched long and carefully. Many -times he thought it was in sight. Many times he was disappointed. - -The food became scarce. One of the ships was wrecked. The men said: - -"We had better give up the search and go back to France." - -La Salle was left with a few men on the shore of Texas. He still had -hopes of finding the mouth of the river. - -He wandered about for some time. Even now he was not willing to give up. - -One day a very sad thing happened. The brave leader, La Salle, was -killed. And he was not killed by the savages, but by one of his own -men. They were angry because he had brought them there. This was the -only reason they had for doing such a mean and cruel deed. - -Such was the end of Robert La Salle. - -He did not do all he had hoped to do. Yet he led the way for other -Frenchmen, who afterwards settled along the banks of the Mississippi. - -"The story has a very sad ending," said Lucy, when Uncle Sam had -finished. "I don't like to have a story stop at such a sad place." - -"I think it is one of the very best you have told us," said Joe. "I -wish I could have been with La Salle a part of the time. It must have -been exciting, paddling through a strange country and sleeping at night -by the side of a big camp-fire." - -"I don't think you would have slept much at first, with wolves howling -and wildcats screeching not far away," replied Uncle Sam. "Then how -would you have enjoyed going without food for days together and having -your clothes soaked through in the heavy rains?" - -Even this unpleasant picture did not seem to frighten Joe. He was a -"regular boy," as his mother said. - -"If you are going to have adventures, you must take good and bad things -together as they come," he said. - -Uncle Sam was pleased with the answer. - -"That is true, my dear, but remember one thing: No one should risk his -life just for the sake of adventure alone. Yet, if he is trying to do -some great and useful thing, as La Salle did, and cannot help meeting -dangers, he should be praised for meeting them bravely and with a stout -and trusting heart." - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -THE STORY OF A YOUNG QUAKER - - -"I am so glad to see you again, Uncle Sam. It seems as though we had -been away a whole year, yet it is not four weeks." - -Lucy talked very fast. Her cheeks were red as roses and her lips were -bright with excitement. - -"Only four weeks! Yes, that is all, but it has been a long time to me," -said Uncle Sam, as he bent down to take Lucy in his arms. - -"You don't know how I have missed you children," he added. "I have been -a lonesome old man without you." - -"We have ever so much to tell you," said Joe, who had followed Lucy. -"You know, this was our first visit to Philadelphia. We had never seen -our great-aunt before, either. She has lived there ever since she was a -young girl." - -"She was so good, we began to love her at once," Lucy went on. "She has -a soft voice and she wears a gray dress and a white kerchief around -her neck all the time. When she spoke to me, she always said thee or -thou instead of you." - -"That was because she is a Quaker," Joe broke in. - -"I used to know your Aunt Rachel," said Uncle Sam. "It was a long time -ago, though. Now go on and tell me all about your visit." - -The children had never heard that Uncle Sam had once loved their Aunt -Rachel very dearly. Everyone thought they would be married. Then she -went from home on a visit. While she was away she met a young Quaker -who soon became her husband. - -Perhaps Uncle Sam never got over his love for the children's aunt. -Anyway, he never married. - -"There are not very many Quakers in the country now," said the old man -as the children finished telling him about their visit. "There was a -time when they were glad to come to America. It was the only way they -could have peace. Would you like to hear about it?" - -"Of course, Uncle Sam. We are so tired from our long journey we can -hardly move. Nothing would be nicer than to sit by your side and listen -to a story," said Joe. - -Lucy showed she thought so, too, by pressing Uncle Sam's hand and -looking up at him with a pleased nod of her little head. - -Uncle Sam smiled and began the story of - - -WILLIAM PENN THE QUAKER - -A long time ago there was a rich man who lived in England. He was an -admiral in the English navy and a great friend of the king. - -Admiral Penn had a son named William who was bright and handsome. The -boy had kind parents, a lovely home, and plenty of money to spend. The -family was a very happy one until William went away to college. It was -then that he first went to a meeting of the Quakers. He liked what he -heard, and he thought: - -"I, too, would like to be a Quaker." - -The Quakers believed quite differently from other people in England. -They were like the Pilgrims in one thing,—they would not go to the -regular church of the country, but had a different service among -themselves. They thought everyone should be free to worship God in -his own manner. They were quite different from the Pilgrims in other -ways, however. They thought it was wrong to fight, even to save their -country. - -"One man should not take up arms against another," they said. They -believed it was not right to dress in gay colors. They said it makes -people proud and vain. - -They spoke to each other simply, and used the words thee and thou -instead of you, after the manner of the Bible. They called themselves -"Friends," not "Quakers." The word "Quaker" was at first a "nickname," -but is what they are now generally called. - -It seems strange that a rich young man, brought up as was William Penn, -should care to join the Quakers. - -He did care, however. He cared so much that he did not change his mind -even when he was driven from his college because of what he believed. - -His father was very angry when he learned that his loved son had joined -with people who were despised by nearly everyone else. How Penn's -mother must have wept and pleaded with him! - -It made no difference, however. The young man had made up his mind what -was right. He could not change his belief, even to please his parents. - -When his father saw that words were of no use, he told William to leave -England and travel about in Europe. He gave him plenty of money with -which he could enjoy himself. Admiral Penn thought his son might forget -the Quakers while visiting other cities and having a good time. - -It was not so, however. Soon after William Penn came home, he was sent -to Ireland on business. While he was there he went to several Quaker -meetings. He was arrested and put in prison because he was found in -these places. It was against the law for the Friends to hold meetings -or to attend them. - -When Penn was free once more, his father sent for him to come home. He -said: - -"I will forgive you everything if you will promise to do three things: -Take off your hat to the King, the King's brother, and to myself, your -father." - -William Penn said he would think about it. He could not promise at -once, for the Friends did not think it right to take off one's hat to -certain people; all persons should be treated with the same honor. - -After a while the young man came to his father and said: - -"I cannot do as you wish." - -His father was so angry that he turned his son out of doors. Young Penn -would have had a sad time if his mother had not sent him money to keep -him from want. - -He began to preach in the streets of the city. He hoped other people -would listen to him and also become Quakers. It was not long before he -was arrested again. He was put in the Tower of London for breaking the -law. His cell in the Tower was a dark and dreadful place. - -The king's brother was a great friend of William Penn. He tried hard to -have the young man set free. At last he brought it about. - -Penn's father died soon after his son came out of prison. William was -now a rich man. He went again and again to the king, begging that -Quakers should not be whipped or put in prison. - -At last he spoke of money which the king had owed his father. He said: - -"You need not pay this money back to me if you will give me land in -America where the Quakers can have a free and happy home." - -The king was willing to do this, for he owed a good deal of money and -found it hard to pay his debts. - -The poor Quakers were allowed to come out of prison and seek a home -across the ocean. They called the country that the king had given -Penn, Pennsylvania, which means Penn's woods. - -It could have had no better name. The country was covered with thick -woods, and the settlers had gained it through the kindness of William -Penn. - -He came to Pennsylvania the year after the first settlers reached it. -He did not try to rule over his people. He said they should make their -own laws. He told them he wished the new home to be free to all. It did -not matter what a person believed. He should live in Pennsylvania in -peace and happiness. - -He helped the Friends to lay out a city which they called Philadelphia. -That meant the city of Brotherly Love. - -They had no trouble with the Indians. Penn sent word to the near-by -tribes that he wished to meet their chiefs. He said he meant no harm -to them. He would punish anyone who did a wrong to an Indian. He was -willing to pay them for the land where his people had settled. - -One by one the chiefs arrived. They were all well armed and grand with -paint and feathers. They sat in a half-moon under a large elm tree. -Penn stood in their midst. He had no weapons whatever. The branches of -the tall elm tree waved gently overhead while the Quaker talked with -the Red Men and smoked the peace-pipe with them. He said: - -"I will not call you my children, because fathers sometimes whip -their children. I will not call you brothers, because brothers -sometimes quarrel. But I will call you the same as we say of the white -people,—Friends." - -He told them he and his people would treat them honestly. They wished -for peace always, and would do nothing to break it. - -Before the meeting was over, the Indians promised to keep that peace -and to harm no Quaker. They gave Penn a belt of wampum. Wampum was very -precious to the Indians. It was made of peculiar shells. Penn's belt -was made of white ones. It had a picture in the middle made with purple -shells. This picture showed a white man and an Indian shaking hands. - -The Red Men kept their promise. When they became old and ready to die, -they repeated it to their children, who also promised. Thus the Friends -lived in peace with the Indians, and Pennsylvania was the happy home of -many people. - -Penn stayed a long time with his settlers. He often went to visit the -Indians in their villages. He joined them in their feasts. He played -with their children. The Red Men loved and trusted him. - -When years passed by and the white men in other places had bloody wars -with the Indians, the Quakers among them were not harmed. The white -feather of peace was placed over the door of every house where Quakers -were living. That was the Red Man's sign for these words: - -"No one here must meet with any harm. The Red Man is his friend." - - - - -CHAPTER XIII - -LORD BALTIMORE AND THE CATHOLICS - - -"There are three churches in our village. Look, Uncle Sam, we can see -the spires of all of them lighted by the sunset." - -"The sun does not have any favorites," was the reply. "He treats all -alike." - -"Let me see. One is the Methodist, another the Congregational, and the -third is the Catholic church," Joe went on. - -"They have different names, yet they were all built for one use,—the -worship of God." - -Uncle Sam spoke softly as he looked from Joe to his sister. - -"The _name_ of the church does not matter so much, so long as people -seek it for the right reason," he went on. "There was a time when -people were not free to choose their church. You remember the Pilgrims -and the Quakers, and how much trouble they had. - -"Then there were the Catholics. They could not be happy in England any -more than the Pilgrims. They heard stories of the great land across -the ocean. They envied the free life of the Pilgrims and they thought: - -"'Why should not we, too, find such a home?' - -"Lord Baltimore was one of their leading men. The king was very fond -of him. When he asked that Catholics might seek a home in America with -him, the king was quite willing. He told Lord Baltimore they might go -with him to Newfoundland. More than that! Lord Baltimore should rule -over them with as much power as a king. He should make the laws and -punish people who did wrong. He need not ask the king about anything he -wanted to do. - -"'Newfoundland is a beautiful country,' said the Catholics. 'At least -that is what we have been told by the sea-captains who have been there.' - -"One of these captains had visited Newfoundland in the summer time. He -wrote a book about the place. He told of the berries and roses, the -birds, and the pleasant weather. He did not know that winters on the -island are long and cold. - -"Lord Baltimore and his party went to Newfoundland with hearts full of -hope. Alas! at the end of the first winter they said: - -"'We cannot make our home here. We suffer too much from the cold and -bad weather.' - -"It is no wonder they felt so. Ten of their people had died. Many -others had been sick. Lord Baltimore himself was one of these last. - -"He wrote a letter to the king telling of his troubles. He now asked -for land in Virginia. Then he bade good-bye to Newfoundland and sailed -south. He wished to find out if Virginia was as good a country as he -had been told it was. - -"He was not disappointed this time. It was all he had hoped. - -"When the people of Virginia heard that Catholics wished to settle -among them, they sent word to the king of England that they did not -like the plan at all. Then the king said: - -"'I will give the land north of Virginia to Lord Baltimore.' - -"When the second party was ready to leave England, their good friend -was dead. His son took his place as governor. - -"'How beautiful this place is!' thought the travelers as they sailed up -the Potomac River after a long and dangerous voyage. - -"'You should call the country I have given you Maryland, or the Land -of Mary,' the king had told them. This was in honor of the Queen -Henrietta Maria. - -"It was because of this that their new home was called Maryland. - -"The party landed first on an island. A large cross was set up in the -ground and the priests gave thanks to God for bringing them all safely -across the ocean. - -"As they sailed up the river, they saw Indians along the shores. The -Red Men did not look kindly at the strangers. They seemed ready to make -war. The governor thought: - -"'This will never do. We must not fight if we can help it. We must show -the savages that we wish to be friends.' - -"He acted so wisely that fear and anger left the hearts of the savages. -They put their bows and arrows aside and began to help the newcomers. - -"One day as some of the settlers were out on an excursion, a stranger -appeared among them. His skin was so dark, and he was dressed so -strangely, they thought at first that he was an Indian. - -"He spoke to them in English, however, and explained who he was. His -name was Captain Henry Fleet. He had been living among the Red Men. -He had once been their prisoner. He gave the strangers good advice. He -said to them: - -"'Do not settle on the island where you are now living. I know another -place you would like much better. It is on the shore of the main land. -Some Indians have a village there. They are kind and gentle. I think -they will be willing to sell their home to you.' - -"It was a good plan. The white people went to the place and were much -pleased with it. It was in a lovely valley near the shore. Springs of -cool water bubbled up here and there. Groves of nut and oak trees gave -a pleasant shade. No fierce wild animals roamed through the forest near -by. They must find out at once if the Indians would be willing to sell -such a pleasant home. - -"They brought cloth, tools, and beads to the Red Men. They said: - -"'We will give you all these things in return for your village place.' - -"The eyes of the Indians sparkled with delight. Cloth, tools, and beads -were the very things they most wished for. They were quite ready to -move away if they could have all these. They said to the strangers: - -"'We will share our village with you till the harvest is ripe. Then we -will gather it and go somewhere else and leave you here alone.' - -"Everyone was pleased and the white people settled themselves in the -huts of the Indians. All lived together in happiness till the season -came to an end. Then the Indians moved away, but they showed themselves -kind neighbors ever after. - -"The white men built houses and planted gardens. They were more happy -and comfortable than they had ever been before in their lives. - -"They went back and forth among their savage neighbors without fear. -Their priests taught the red children and baptized many of them. One -of the Indian chiefs trusted the white people so much that he sent his -little daughter to live with them. He said: - -"'When I am dead she will rule over my people. She will be a wiser -ruler if she is brought up by the white men. They will teach her many -things she cannot learn in our village.' - -"So it happened one bright morning that the little Indian maiden left -her home in the forest. She sprang into her light canoe and paddled -down the river. She soon came to the English village. - -"The white people were very kind. Yet how strange their ways must have -seemed to her! - -"She took off the soft moccasins in which she could run so easily. She -put on leather shoes such as the English children wore. They must have -seemed very stiff and uncomfortable at first. - -"Her dress of beaver-skin and the pretty feather mantle, of which she -was so proud, were laid aside. She must now wear skirts and waists, -like the other girls around her. - -"Now, too, she must spend a large part of each day in the house, for -she had to study lessons in books. She must also learn to cook and sew -and knit. - -"Poor little Indian girl! How different all this was from her old free -life in the forest. Then the birds and bees, the rabbits and squirrels, -were around her from morning until night. No hat of any kind kept the -soft breezes from blowing through her hair." - -"She must have been very homesick," said Lucy, when Uncle Sam reached -this part of the story. "I shouldn't wonder if she cried herself to -sleep every night." - -"It is not Indian fashion to cry," replied Uncle Sam. "The Red Men are -ashamed to let tears come to their eyes. Even the little children are -taught not to show in their faces what they feel. - -"This little girl may have been very unhappy at first. I really don't -know about that. At any rate, she lived among the white people till she -grew up. Then she married a white man, just as Pocahontas did." - -Uncle Sam stopped for a moment and began to stroke his chin. That was -the sign that he was thinking. - -Lucy began to pet Buzz, who had just waked up from a nap at her feet. -She was thinking, too. It seemed as though she could see that little -Indian girl of long ago. The child was in a birch canoe and gliding -down the river. Her bright black eyes were turned longingly toward her -home in the forest. Those eyes seemed to say: - -"Good-bye, dear, happy days of freedom. Good-bye." - -Joe sat thinking, too. He was wondering if the Indian girl went back to -her people with her white husband, and if she was a good ruler after -her father died. - -"A penny for your thoughts!" said Uncle Sam suddenly. He spoke to Joe. - -"I can't imagine that Indian princess ruling her people after the white -man's fashion. I do not believe it would have suited the Indians." The -boy spoke slowly. - -"I think you are right, Joe," Uncle Sam answered. "But I believe she -did not have a chance to try. The Indians were not willing to let a -woman take the old chief's place. They chose his brother, I believe. - -"Now I will tell you what I was thinking of myself. When I spoke of -Pocahontas, I went on to think of the people of Virginia. You might say -they lived next door to Maryland. They had a great deal of trouble with -the Indians, while their neighbors in Maryland did not have any. - -"The people of Maryland lived in peace and let others come to settle -among them. It did not matter whether these newcomers were Catholics -like themselves, or Quakers, or Puritans. Anyone who wished was allowed -to live with them and believe as he liked. - -"The only trouble they did have was with Virginia. It was about an -island in the river. Both colonies claimed that island. They even had -battles with each other before the trouble was settled. Maryland was -not much to blame, however. Her people always seemed to wish for peace. - -"A happier colony never settled in America than the Catholics who came -to Maryland because of their kind friend Lord Baltimore." - - - - -CHAPTER XIV - -THE POOR DEBTORS - - -"This is the last chance for a story for a long time and I am sorry," -said Joe. - -Lucy looked sad too. She was sorry to have Uncle Sam go away. - -"We shall miss the nice stories, but we shall miss you even more than -the stories," she said, putting her arms around her old friend's neck. - -Uncle Sam had been called to New York on business. He might be gone two -months. It might even be a longer time than that. He could not tell. He -looked from one child to the other with a face beaming with love. - -"One more story. Yes, that is all. Then you children will have time to -think over what I have told you. And when I come back you will be ready -to hear some more. It is a good thing, after all, for me to go away and -give you a rest. - -"You see, children, I get wound up just like a clock. If I once get to -going, I can't stop unless something makes me." - -"Give us a rest, indeed!" cried Joe. "Lucy and I are not babies. We -like stories that mean something, now that we are nine years old. -Besides, you could not tire us anyway, Uncle Sam." - -The old man looked pleased. - -"Well, well, I am glad to hear it. But it is almost dark already. I -will begin at once with the story I promised for this evening. - -"It is about some poor people in England who were shut up in prisons. -They were not wicked. They had not stolen nor done any other dreadful -deed. Yet the prison doors were tightly locked upon them and they were -shut out from the beauty of this great world. - -"You shall hear why these people were not free. They owed money and -were not able to pay it back. In the old days in England there were -many poor people. It was hard to earn a living. Some of those who tried -the hardest, could get no work. Then, of course, they did not have -money. Yet they needed food and clothing for their families the same as -ever. They could not let them starve. - -"It is no wonder they got into debt. If the debt was not soon paid, -they were taken from their homes. 'Stay in prison till you pay what -you owe.' This was the cruel law." - -"But how _could_ they earn any money while they were in prison?" cried -Joe. - -"It was impossible, of course. That is why the law was such a bad one. -By and by a very good man went to visit the prisons. His name was James -Oglethorpe. - -"He saw the poor debtors and pitied their sad case. He wished to help -them. He thought of America. It had already given homes to many unhappy -people. He went to the king of England and said: - -"'Will you let the debtors come out of prison and go with me to -America? They can have a fresh start and make a new home for themselves -there. You will then have no more trouble with them.' - -"The king listened kindly to Oglethorpe's plan. It seemed a good one. -He promised to give land in America to these people and said that -Oglethorpe should be their governor. - -"Not long afterwards, the debtors were set free. How glad they were to -be with their own families once more! How thankful they must have been -to James Oglethorpe who had done so much for them! - -"When they left England for America, their good friend went too, so -that he might give them his wise help. Their new home was farther south -than that of any other English people in this country at that time. It -lay next to Florida. The Spaniards were their neighbors. - -"The new colony was given the name of Georgia, in honor of George, the -king of England. - -"The first day in the new home was given up to prayer. All gave thanks -to God for bringing them here in safety. Then came weeks of good hard -work. Houses were built, a wall was made around the village, and a fort -stood ready in case of an attack by enemies, red or white. - -"General Oglethorpe was a wise governor. He made just laws for his -people. He drilled the men every day in order to make them good -soldiers in case they needed to fight. - -"He treated the Indians so kindly they did not wish to make war upon -his people. There was one chief whose name was Tomachichi. He loved -General Oglethorpe very dearly. One day he brought a present for the -governor. It was the skin of a buffalo with the feathers of an eagle -painted on it. - -"Tomachichi said: 'The skin of the buffalo is warm. The feathers of the -eagle are soft. These things therefore mean love and protection. The -English are swift as the eagle and strong as the buffalo.' - -"Tomachichi afterwards visited England with General Oglethorpe. His -wife and nephew went with him. How strange the crowded streets and -large buildings of London must have seemed to these savages! - -"Soon after Oglethorpe settled in Georgia, he invited the chiefs of -the near-by Indian tribes to meet together with him. At this meeting -he asked them to keep peace with him and his people. They were quite -willing to do as he asked. - -"Then he gave each one of them a fine coat, a hat trimmed with lace, -and a shirt. They must have felt grand indeed when they put on such -elegant clothes. - -"Oglethorpe noticed many mulberry trees growing in Georgia. He said: - -"'Silkworms feed on mulberry leaves. It would be a good plan for the -next ship that comes from England to bring some silkworms. Then we can -make silk. We can sell it for a good price.' - -"The silkworms were brought and silk was made. It was sent over to -England and the queen herself had a dress made of American silk. She -wore it on the king's birthday. - -"After a while, however, the people gave up raising silkworms in -Georgia. It did not pay. They found they could get more money by -cutting lumber in the forests and trading for furs with the Indians. -They sent these things to other countries and were paid well for them. - -"As long as General Oglethorpe was in Georgia the settlers had two good -laws. He would not allow rum or slaves to be brought into the country. -He was a kind and wise governor in every way. - -"And now, children," said Uncle Sam, "don't you know enough about your -country to think the words of the old song are true? Can you see that -it is really the 'Land of the Free and the home of the Brave?'" - -"Indeed yes, Uncle Sam," cried Joe and Lucy together. - -"There is no country in the wide world like ours," added Joe with a -positive shake of his head. - -"Very well, then. Let's sing 'America' with a heart and a will," said -Uncle Sam. "We can sit right here on the porch while we sing it. We -don't need the organ to help us out." - -The birds had already gone to sleep. But several of them waked up in -the tree-top near by and added a cheerful chirp to the voices of the -three earnest singers. - - -THE END. - - - - -Transcriber's Note - - Obvious typographical errors have been silently corrected. Variations - in hyphenation have been standardised but all other spelling and - punctuation remains unchanged. - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's The Coming of the White Men, by Mary Hazelton Wade - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE COMING OF THE WHITE MEN *** - -***** This file should be named 55959-0.txt or 55959-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/5/9/5/55959/ - -Produced by Larry B. 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