FATAL EPIDEMIC.

19

Canonicut, in the bay which still bears their name.-- CH. II.
Westerly they extended to within four or five miles of
the Paucatuck river, where their territories met those
of the Pequods. On the east they joined the Pokano-
kets. Their grand chief, Canonicus, was, when the Indians
English arrived, an aged man; and he had associated of Nar
with him in his government, his nephew, Miantonomoh. Bay.
The commodious and pleasant location of the Narra-
gansetts, appears in their case, to have abated the na-
tural ferocity of the savage character.

ragansett

ern Con

necticut.

11. The more barbarous PEQUODS Occupied the eastern portion of Connecticut, their lands meeting those of the Narragansetts. The residence of their great sachem, Sassacus, was on the heights of Groton, near the river then called the Pequod, since, the Thames. Of eastThe Mohegans, under Uncas, whose seat was where Norwich now stands, were subject to the haughty chief of the Pequods; but they bore his yoke with impatience, and when he made war upon the whites, Uncas took part against him. The Indians of northern New England had the general appellation of Taranteens or Abenakis.

Plague

the abo

rigines.

12. The New England tribes had, a short time previous to the settlement of the English, suffered a plague of unexampled mortality. It was probably the yellow among fever; for we are told that its victims, both before and after death, "were of the color of a yellow garment." Not less than nine-tenths of the inhabitants seem, in some parts of the country, to have been destroyed. Thus Divine Providence prepared the way for another and more civilized race.

13. The IROQUOIS, Mengwe or Mingoes, were found by the earliest settlers in Canada, inhabiting the shores of the St. Lawrence. At first they appear to have been

10. Give an account of the location of the Narragansetts ?Their grand chief? His associate? The effects of their position on their character?-11. Describe the position of the Pequods. Their sachem's name and place of residence. That of the Mohegan sachem. 12. What remarkable visitation of Providence occurred among the natives a short time before the English came? How great a proportion were destroyed?- 13. How were the Iroquois found by the discoverers of Canada?

7

20

IROQUOIS AND MOBILIANS.

CH. II. less warlike, than the Hurons or Wyandots, by whom they were attacked. The Iroquois were driven by them, from the banks of the St. Lawrence; and dividing The into five tribes, the Senecas, Cayugas, Onondagas, Nations Oneidas and Mohawks, they spread themselves by deern New grees, east of Lake Erie, and south of Ontario, along York. the romantic waters of northern New York, to which

Five

in west

they have left their bold and harmonious names. The place of their grand general council, or congress of chiefs, was at Onondaga.

14. Here they made a stand, and became the most fearless, subtle, and powerful of savages. They conquered the Hurons, fought the Delawares, and put in Become fear all the surrounding tribes. Finally, in the conpowerful tests between France and England, they were courted

very

Powerful

by both parties as allies, and dreaded by both as foes. Of the FIVE NATIONS, the Mohawks were the most warlike. Their chief seat was at Johnstown, on the beautiful river, which still bears their name.

15. Of the Mobilians, the most extensive and powerful confederacies were the CREEKS, situated mostly southern in Georgia; the CHEROKEES in the mountainous region confede- north and west; and the CHOCTAWS and CHICKASAWS, nearer to the Mississippi.

racies.

16. The NATCHEZ have excited much interest on account of the difference of their language from that of the surrounding tribes. Natchez, on the Missis sippi, marks their location. The SHAWANESE, the native tribe of Tecumseh, once resided on the banks of the Suwaney river in Florida. From thence they migrated northward, first to Pennsylvania, and afterwards to Ohio.

13. To what place did they change their location? What were the names of each of the Five Nations? Where was their general council held?-14. What character did they now assume? What nations contend with? By what nations was their alliance courted? Which tribe was the most warlike?— Where was its principal seat? Learn from the map the location of the Mobilian tribes.-15. Which were the most extensive and powerful? Which are the most northerly? Which are partly in Georgia? 16. Which near the Mississippi? Where are the Shawanese? Which tribe has a language by itself?

THE FIRST PATENT GRANTED

то

{

BY AN ENGLISH SOVEREIGN TO 1978.5 ELIZABETH TO SIR H. GILBERT..

CHAPTER I.

First Discovery-Columbus, &c.

P'T. I.

P'D. I.

CH. 1.

Former

1. THOUSANDS of years had elapsed since the creation of the world, and the inhabitants of the eastern hemisphere were yet ignorant, that, on the face of the planet, which they inhabited, was another continent of nearly equal extent. Nor did they become acquainted ages igwith this fact by any fortunate accident; but they owed its proof, to the penetration and persevering efforts of a man, as extraordinary as the discovery which he made.

1. What did the people of the eastern hemisphere know about this continent three hundred and fifty years ago? Did they learn its existence by accident?

norant of geogra

phy.

22

PT.I.

P'D. I.

COLUMBUS.

2. This was CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, a native of Genoa, born in 1447. He possessed all those enerCH. I. getic impulses of the soul which lead to high achievement; and, with these he combined judgment the most Birth grave and solid, prudence and patience the most steady and rare and unoffending, piety the most devout, and, above Colum- all, the most untiring perseverance ever manifested by

1447%

talents of

bus.

Circum

stan

man.

3. Columbus had married the daughter of one of the Portuguese discoverers, then deceased; whose widow, finding how eagerly her son-in-law sought such sources of information, gave to him all the maps and charts which had belonged to her husband. Marco Polo, a Venetian, had travelled to the east, and returned with wonderful accounts of the riches of Cathay and the island of Cipango, called, generally, the East Indies, and now known to be China and Japan.

4. The idea that the earth was round, was ridiculed ces fa- by most persons at that time, but it was fully believed vorable by Columbus, on the evidence of its figure, exhibited nius. in eclipses of the moon. Hence, he believed, that

to his ge

his ser

those rich countries described by Marco Polo might be

found by sailing west; and he formed the design to lead the way, through unknown oceans.

Offers 5. Columbus believed that great advantages would vices to accrue to the nation who should patronize his underreigning taking; and, with filial respect, he first offered his serreigns. vices to his native state, but had the mortification to

sove

find them rejected. He then applied to John II. of Portugal; to Henry VII. of England; and to Ferdinand and Isabella, king and queen of Spain. But these monarchs could not comprehend his schemes, and would not encourage them.

2. Who was the discoverer? What was his character? -3. What woman gave him sources of information ? What traveller had excited his mind about distant countries? What countries? 4. In what opinion was Columbus in advance of his contemporaries? Why did he believe in the true figure of the earth? How did he suppose he could reach those rich countries called the East Indies? 5. To whom did Columbus first offer his services? With what success? Whose patronage did he next solicit ? What sovereign of England? What sovereigns of Spain?

THE NEW WORLD.

23

833

6. At the court of Spain, he had spent two years in PT.I. a succession of mortifying repulses; and at length, PD. I. quite discouraged, he was preparing to go to England, CH. I. when he was recalled by a mandate from Isabella. They are Not knowing how to raise the sum of money requisite accepted for defraying the expenses of the voyage, the excellent by laqueen determined to sacrifice her jewels; but this was prevented by the extraordinary exertions of her minis

ters.

bella.

bus discovers

7. Columbus made his first voyage, the most inte- 1492 resting of any in the annals of navigation, in 1492. He Columdiscovered the first found land of the New World, on the eleventh of October. It was an Island called by the New the natives Guanahani, but to which he piously gave the name of San Salvador, the Holy Saviour.

World.

Sent

8. In his third voyage he discovered the continent on the coast of South America, fourteen months after home in the Cabots had reached its shores in the north-east.

chains.

By the ingratitude of Ferdinand, he was, like a con- Deprived

country.

He dies

demned criminal, sent home in chains. Americus Ves- of napucius, a native of Florence, having made a voyage to ming the the New World, received from the public an honor which belonged to Columbus, that of giving a name to the continent. In 1502, the great discoverer made his fourth and last voyage, when, having returned to Spain, in Vallohis patroness, Isabella, being dead, his just claims dis- Spain regarded, and himself neglected, he sunk beneath his 1506 sufferings, and died, in the 59th year of his age. When the good meet with calamities in this world, it is pleasant to reflect, that there is a future state, where they will be made happy.

dolid in

Welch

9. Many attempts were now made to show that the country had been previously discovered. The Welsh brought forward the story of Madoc, son of Owen Madoc.

6. Who was the only one to understand his views or favor them? What sacrifice was she prepared to make? -7. When did Columbus make his first voyage? What land did he first discover? When? What name give? 8. What did he discover in his third voyage? Did any persons discover the continent before him? How was he treated? After whom was the continent named? In what year did he make his last voyage? What occurred soon after? 9. From what story did the Welch claim to be the discoverers of the western continent?

story

of