s and Barlow, with Simeon Fernando
as pilot, who, it may be presumed from the name, was a Spaniard, and no
doubt had been on this coast before. They took the route by way of the
Canaries and West-India Islands, and by the tenth of May had reached the
former, and by the tenth of June the latter, where they staid twelve
days.

Continuing their voyage, on the second of July they found shoal water,
where they say[K]: 'We smelled so sweet and strange a smell, as if we
had been in the midst of a delicate garden, abounding with all kinds of
odoriferous herbs and flowers, so we were assured that the land could
not be far distant; and keeping good watch, and bearing but slack sail,
the fourth of the same month we arrived upon the coast, which we
supposed to be a continent, and firm land; and we sailed along the same
a hundred and twenty miles, before we could find any entrance or river
issuing into the sea.'

They entered the first inlet which appeared, 'but not without
difficulty, and anchored on the left-hand side.' Subsequent historians
have written much to settle the long-disputed question, by what channel
or inlet the earliest English navigators entered. After a careful
examination of the early and of later authorities, and with some
practical acquaintance with the localities, I am of the opinion that
they must have entered by what is now known as Hatteras Inlet. 'The
island twenty miles long and not over six miles broad,' was that part
of the banks or shore between this inlet and that now known as Ocracoke.

So soon as they had given thanks to God for their safe arrival, they
landed, and took possession in 'the right of the Queen's most excellent
majesty,' and afterward delivered it over to the use of the grantee.
They found the land sandy and low, and expressed their admiration of the
abundance of wild grapes, as well as the pines and cedars; but saw no
inhabitants. The third day, they espied a small boat, with three
persons, who came to the shore. There they were met by the two captains
and the pilot, and one of the natives boldly commenced a conversation
entirely unintelligible to the Englishmen, but most friendly in its
tones. Having received a shirt and hat, the Indian, after viewing the
vessels, fell to fishing, and in less than half an hour loaded his boat
as deep as she could swim with fishes, which he soon landed on the shore
and divided between the ship and pinnace. The next day, there came
divers boats, conta