CHAPTER VI.

DISCOVERY OF NORTH CAROLINA.

A. D. 1584 TO 1585.

1584. When the little ship Hind reached England, and it was known
how Sir Humphrey Gilbert and so many of his men had gone down
into the depths of that mysterious ocean which was so much
dreaded, there was great grief; and, possibly many bitter
speeches were made by the people who stayed at home and predicted
disaster to the daring enterprise. Raleigh was sorely afflicted
at the loss of his brother and men, and had he been weak or
selfish this disaster would have unmanned him, and he would have
ventured on no more such projects.

2. He had lost many thousands of dollars in the foundered ships;
and many a gallant friend that had trusted him and cheered him in
his mighty schemes had perished. But the hearts of heroes are
not cast in common moulds. Instead of abandoning his enterprise,
he obtained, on March 25, 1584, letters-patent from the queen
favoring another expedition, and he at once began to fit out
another fleet. This consisted of two vessels, and they were put
under the command of Philip Amadas and Arthur Barlowe.

[NOTE--The queen's "Letters-Patent" to Raleigh gave him "Free
liberty to discover such remote heathen and barbarous lands not
actually possessed by any Christian prince, nor inhabited by
Christian people.]