hn Smith was attached, it is necessary to glance briefly at the
previous attempt to make settlements in this portion of America.

Although the English had a claim upon America, based upon the discovery
of Newfoundland and of the coast of the continent from the 38th to the
68th north parallel by Sebastian Cabot in 1497, they took no further
advantage of it than to send out a few fishing vessels, until Sir
Humphrey Gilbert, a noted and skillful seaman, took out letters-patent
for discovery, bearing date the 11th of January, 1578. Gilbert was the
half-brother of Sir Walter Raleigh and thirteen years his senior. The
brothers were associated in the enterprise of 1579, which had for its
main object the possession of Newfoundland. It is commonly said, and
in this the biographical dictionaries follow one another, that Raleigh
accompanied his brother on this voyage of 1579 and went with him to
Newfoundland. The fact is that Gilbert did not reach Newfoundland on
that voyage, and it is open to doubt if Raleigh started with him. In
April, 1579, when Gilbert took active steps under the charter of 1578,
diplomatic difficulties arose, growing out of Elizabeth's policy with
the Spaniards, and when Gilbert's ships were ready to sail he
was stopped by an order from the council. Little is known of this
unsuccessful attempt of Gilbert's. He did, after many delays, put to
sea, and one of his contemporaries, John Hooker, the antiquarian, says
that Raleigh was one of the assured friends that accompanied him. But
he was shortly after driven back, probably from an encounter with the
Spaniards, and returned with the loss of a tall ship.

Raleigh had no sooner made good his footing at the court of Elizabeth
than he joined Sir Humphrey in a new adventure. But the Queen
peremptorily retained Raleigh at court, to prevent his incurring the
risks of any "dangerous sea-fights." To prevent Gilbert from embarking
on this new voyage seems to have been the device of the council rather
than the Queen, for she assured Gilbert of her good wishes, and desired
him, on his departure, to give his picture to Raleigh for her, and she
contributed to the large sums raised to meet expenses "an anchor guarded
by a lady," which the sailor was to wear at his breast. Raleigh risked L
2,000 in the venture, and equipped a ship which bore his name, but which
had ill luck. An infectious fever broke out among the crew, and the
"Ark Raleigh" returned to Plymouth. Sir Humphrey w