ia, that at length it received, under unexpected
circumstances, an influx of settlers which soon rendered it by far the
most prosperous of all colonies in North America. This was the emigration
of a large band of Puritans, who suffering under the intolerance of the
English Government, on account of non-conformity, first passed into
Holland, and afterward found an asylum in America."

The "Historie" very properly begins with a description of the land.-the
fruitfulness of which is dwelt on; and a hint is given of the probability
that even gold may be discovered,--and "sure it is that some mineralls
have ben there found." "The temperature of the country" "doth well agree
with the English constitutions;" and moreover, not only all "needful
fruits and vegetables which we transport from hence and plant there
thrive and prosper well," but vines and tobacco and oranges, and probably
sugar-canes, will grow there,--for the soil is "aromaticall," and
moreover abounds with medicinal plants and drugs. All this is the
favorable side of the picture;--but then, "the savages and men of Ind"
whose strange appearance and barbarous usages had excited so much fearful
curiosity at home!--Why, says Master Strachey. "let me truly saie, how
they never killed man of ours, but by our men's owne folly and
indiscretion, suffering themselves to be beguiled and enticed up into
their howses without their armes; for fierce and cunning as they are,
still they stand in great awe of us." Among them the Sasquesahanougs
"came to the discoverers with skynns, bowes, arrowes, and tobacco
pipes"--doubtless the calumet of peace "for presents." But the chief
object of interest is, "the great King Powhatan."--already well known by
the name as the father of the interesting Indian girl, Pocahontas; "the
greatnes and boundes of whose empire, by reason of his powerfulnes and
ambition in his youth, hath larger lymitts than ever had any of his
predicessors."

"The great King" was not deficient in that important mark of royalty-and
which doubtless corroborated the opinion, then widely prevailing, that
these Indians were of eastern origin--a goodly number of wives. Indeed,
"he is supposed to have many more than one hundred, all of which he doth
not keepe, yet as the Turk, in one seraglia or howse, but hath an
appointed number, which reside still in every their severall places,
amongst whome, when he lyeth on his bedd, one sittith at his head and
another at his feet; but