own account, had never before been visited.* It is probable that this shore belonged either to North or South Carolina ;t and the appearance of many large fires on the beach convinced him that the country was inhabited. Verazzano, however, in vain sought for a port; and after exploring the coast both to the south and north without success, he was compelled to anchor in the open sea, after which he sent his boat on shore to open an intercourse with the natives. This he effected not without some difficulty; for as soon as the French landed the savages fled in great trepidation; yet they soon after stole back, exhibiting signs of much wonder and curiosity. At last, being convinced that they had nothing to fear, they completely recovered their confidence, and not only brought provisions to the French, but assisted them in drawing their boat on shore, and carefully and minutely scrutinized every thing belonging to the vessels and the crew. They admired the white skin of the strangers, handled their dress, and exhibited the utmost astonishment and delight. They themselves were a handsome race of people, their eyes dark and large, their expression bold, open, and cheerful; their chests were broad, and they combined middle stature and symmetry of limbs with great nimbleness and swiftness of foot. Their colour was tawny, not unlike the Saracens, and they wore their hair, which was black and thick, tied behind their head in a little tail, and sometimes ornamented with a garland of birds' feathers. Their bodies were not disfigured or tat Ramusio, Viaggi, vol. iii. p. 420.-" Dovi scopsimmo una terra nuova, non più da gl'antichi ne da moderni vista. p. 420. tooed in any way, and they walked about perfectly naked, except that they wore short aprons of furs fastened round their middle by a girdle of woven grass. In the immediate vicinity of the coast the country was sandy, rising into gentle undulations; as they proceeded it became more elevated, and was covered by noble woods, consisting, not of the usual forest-trees, but of the palm, laurel, cypress, and others then unknown in Europe, which grew to a great height, and diffused a delicious perfume that was discerned far out at sea. "The land also,” says Verazzano in his letter to Francis I., " is full of many animals, as stags, deer, and hares, which were seen sporting in the forests, and frequenting the banks of pleasant lakes and rivers; nor were there wanting great plenty and variety of birds of game, fitted to afford delightful recreation for the sportsman. The sky was clear, the air wholesome and temperate, the prevalent wind blowing from the west, and the sea calm and placid. In short a country more full of amenity could not well be. imagined."* An excellent author and navigator thinks it probable that the spot where Verazzano first landed was on the coast of Georgia, near the present town of Savannah.† From this he proceeded along the shore, which turned to the eastward and appeared thickly inhabited, but so low and open that landing in such a surf was impossible. In this perplexity a young sailor undertook to swim to land and accost the natives; but when he saw the crowds which thronged the beach he repented of his purpose, and, although within a few yards of the landing-place, his cour*Ramusio, vol. iii. p. 420. + Forster's Discoveries in the North, p. 433. age failed, and he attempted to turn back. At this moment the water only reached his waist; but, overcome with terror and exhaustion, he had scarcely strength to cast his presents and trinkets upon the beach, when a high wave cast him stupified and senseless upon the shore. The savages ran immediately to his assistance, and carried him to a little distance from the sea, where it was some time before he recovered his recollection; and great was his terror when he found himself entirely in their power. Stretching his hands towards the ship, he uttered a piercing shriek, to which his friends of the New World replied by raising a loud yell, intended, as he afterwards found, to encourage him. But, if this was sufficiently alarming, their farther proceedings proved still more formidable. They carried him to the foot of a hill, turned his face towards the sun, kindled a large fire, and stripped him naked. No doubt was now left in the mind of the unhappy man that they were about to offer him as a sacrifice to the sun; and his companions on board, who watched the progress of the adventure, unable, from the violence of the sea, to lend him assistance, were of the same opinion. They thought, to use Verazzano's own words, that the natives were going to roast and eat him.* But their fears were soon turned into gratitude and astonishment; for they only dried his clothes, warmed him, and showed him every mark of kindness, caressing and patting his white skin; and on observing that he still trembled and looked suspicious, they assisted him to dress, conducted him to the beach, tenderly embraced him, and, pointing * Ramusio, vol. iii. p. 421. to the vessel, removed to a little distance to show that he was at liberty to return to his friends. This he did by swimming to the ship's boat, which had been put out to receive him, followed by the kind gestures of the savages, who gazed after him till they saw him safe among his friends. The spot where Verazzano found this amiable people is conjectured by Forster to have been somewhere between New Jersey and Staaten Island. From this the Florentine sailed onward, observing the coast trending to the northward, and after a run of fifty leagues came to anchor off a delightful country covered with the finest forests. The trees, although equally luxuriant, did not emit the same perfume as those before seen; but the region was rich, covered with grass, and thickly peopled, although the natives appeared more timid than the last, and avoided all intercourse. The sailors, however, discovered and seized a family who had concealed themselves in the underwood, consisting of an old woman, a young girl of a tall and handsome figure, and six children. The two younger of the little ones were squatted on the shoulders of the old woman, and another child hung behind her back, whilst the girl was similarly loaded. On being approached both the females shrieked loudly; but, having succeeded in pacifying them, the sailors understood, by their signs, that all the men had escaped to the woods on the appearance of the ships. Much persuasion was now used to induce them to go on board; but although the elderly lady showed symptoms of acquiescence, and eagerly ate the food which was offered her, no entreaties could soften the obstinacy and rage of the younger. She uttered * piercing cries, cast the meat indignantly on the ground, and rendered the task of dragging her through the thick woods so tedious and distressing, that they were obliged to desist and leave her, only carrying with them a little boy, who could make no resistance. The people of this country possessed fairer complexions than those whom they had just left, and were clad with large leaves sewed together with threads of wild hemp. Their common food was pulse, but they subsisted also by fishing, and were very expert in catching birds with gins. Their bows were made of hard wood, their arrows of canes headed with fish-bone, and their boats constructed of one large tree hollowed by fire, for they appeared to have no instruments of iron or other metal. Wild vines crept up the trunks of the trees, hanging in rich festoons from the branches, and the banks and meadows were covered with roses, lilies, violets, and many sorts of herbs different from those of Europe, yielding a fresh and delightful fragrance. Verazzano now proceeded 100 leagues farther, to a sheltered and beautiful bay surrounded by gently rising hills, and discovered a large river, which from its depth seemed navigable to a considerable distance. Fearful, however, of any accident, they ascended it in boats; and the voyage conducted them through a country so full of sweetness and attraction that they left it with much regret.+ Prosecuting their discoveries fifty leagues eastward, they reached another island of a triangular shape, covered with rich wood, and rising into gentle hills, which reminded them of Rhodes both in its form and general aspect. A contrary wind, however, rendered it impossible to Ramusio, vol. iii. p. 421. +Ibid. |