around the world. Hitherto the Spaniards had thought that no Englishman would dare to enter the Pacific. Drake coasted South America and sailed up the east shore of the Pacific, plundering Spanish ships wherever he met them. In his report of what he took we read of "four score pound weight of gold, and six and twenty tunne of silver." He anchored and repaired his ship somewhere on the coast of California, possibly in the harbor of San Francisco.

Roanoke
Island
1584

He named the country New Albion because Albion is an old name for England, and Drake hoped to see Englishmen form a colony on the Pacific. He explored the coast as far north as Oregon. Thence he sailed westward and came home round the Cape of Good Hope.

18. Raleigh's Settlement at Roanoke. The first English settlement inside the present limits of the United States was due to Sir Walter Raleigh. Queen Elizabeth gave him leave to take possession of a large part of the eastern coast of our country and named the whole region Virginia, after herself, the "Virgin Queen." Raleigh wanted to associate his own name with the new country by founding, as he said, a "Citie of Raleigh." He made two unsuccessful attempts to start a colony. In a third attempt he sent over a hundred and fifty colonists, who formed a settlement on Roanoke Island, which is now a part of North Carolina. They came to Roanoke at the opening of the summer (1587), and in August their leader, John White, sailed for England to get further assistance. He left behind at Roanoke his daughter, her husband, who was named Ananias Dare, and a girl baby who had been born since the arrival of the colonists at Roanoke. This was the first child of English-speaking parents born on the soil of our country. She was christened Virginia.

When White returned from England the settlement was a ruin and all the people were gone. He sought in vain for them among the surrounding forests. To this day no certain trace of them has ever been found. Were they killed by the Indians? Did the Spaniards find them and massacre them?

We do not know. White went home with a heavy heart, and it was a long time before another English colony was planted in Virginia.

19. The Invincible Armada. Englishmen continued to trade with the American ports in defiance of the Spanish king, battles continued to be fought between English ships and Spanish ships, and everyone knew that a great war was coming. The Spaniards had taken their time making ready to attack England. At last they were fully prepared. They had assembled the greatest battle fleet which had ever sailed the sea. They were so proud of it that they called it the Invincible Armada. In the summer

of 1588 this fleet drew near the coast of England. It was sailing in the form of a half moon, seven miles from tip to tip. But the English were ready to meet it. They too had gathered a great fleet, in which were many famed sea rovers,-Drake, Raleigh, and many more,-all commanded by the Lord High Admiral of England, Lord Howard. The English admiral boldly allowed the Spaniards to pass him on their way up the English Channel toward London. He then attacked from the rear. During several days there was sharp fighting as the two fleets sailed eastward. Though the English ships were smaller than the Spanish they were better handled and had heavier guns, and the English seamen, indifferent to their own deaths, fought with splendid enthusiasm. In the Strait of Dover the Spaniards turned at bay and in the great battle that followed were terribly defeated. Only a remnant of the Invincible Armada retreated northward, made its way round Scotland, and fled home to Spain.

SUMMARY

The Spanish possessions in America were enlarged by successive discoveries and conquests until they extended from Florida to Peru. By seizing the great wealth of Mexico and Peru the Spanish king became the richest sovereign in Europe. Intending to keep all America for themselves the Spaniards promptly broke up an attempt of Frenchmen to plant an American colony. Meanwhile England had laid claim to upper North America on the strength of the discoveries of John Cabot. The English were becoming the rivals of Spain commercially and were determined to share in the benefits of the New World. Queen Elizabeth began the settlement of English America by authorizing Raleigh to colonize Virginia. The beginning of the United States was Raleigh's settlement on Roanoke Island. Elizabeth's sea rovers plundered Spanish commerce while preparing for the inevitable war. At last Spain sent against England the Invincible Armada, which the English destroyed in one of the greatest of naval combats.