35.  Last days of Sir Walter Raleigh.—­After Queen Elizabeth died, King James the First became ruler of England.  He accused Sir Walter of trying to take away his crown so as to make some one else ruler over the country.  Sir Walter was sent to prison and kept there for many years.  At last King James released him in order to send him to South America to get gold.  When Sir Walter returned to London without any gold, the greedy king accused him of having disobeyed him because he had fought with some Spaniards.  Raleigh was condemned to death and beheaded.

But Sir Walter’s attempt to settle Virginia led other Englishmen to try.  Before he died they built a town, called Jamestown, on the coast.  We shall presently read the history of that town.  The English held Virginia from that time until it became part of the United States.

36.  Summary.—­Sir Walter Raleigh sent over men from England to explore the coast of America.  Queen Elizabeth named the country they visited Virginia.  Raleigh then shipped emigrants over to make a settlement.  These emigrants sent him two American plants, Tobacco and the Potato; and in that way the people of Great Britain and Ireland came to like both.  Sir Walter’s settlement failed, but his example led other Englishmen to try to make one.  Before he was beheaded they succeeded.

What is said about Walter Raleigh?  What is said about the Indians?  What name did Queen Elizabeth give to the country?  What did she do for Walter Raleigh?  What did Sir Walter then do?  What American plants did the emigrants send him?  What did he do with those plants?  What happened to the Virginia settlement?  What is said of the last days of Sir Walter Raleigh?  Did Sir Walter’s attempt to settle Virginia do any good?

Captain John Smith
(1579-1631).

37.  New and successful attempt to make a settlement in Virginia; Captain John Smith.—­One of the leaders in the new expedition sent out to make a settlement in Virginia, while Raleigh was in prison, was Captain John Smith.  He began life as a clerk in England.  Not liking his work, he ran away and turned soldier.  After many strange adventures, he was captured by the Turks and sold as a slave.  His master, who was a Turk, riveted a heavy iron collar around his neck and set him to thrashing grain with a big wooden bat like a ball-club.  One day the Turk rode up and struck his slave with his riding-whip.  This was more than Smith could bear; he rushed at his master, and with one blow of his bat knocked his brains out.  He then mounted the dead man’s horse and escaped.  After a time he got back to England; but as England seemed a little dull to Captain Smith, he resolved to join some emigrants who were going to Virginia.

[Illustration:  Captain John Smith.]

38.  What happened to Captain Smith on the voyage; the landing at Jamestown; what the settlers wanted to do; Smith’s plan.—­On the way to America, Smith was accused of plotting to murder the chief men among the settlers so that he might make himself “King of Virginia.”  The accusation was false, but he was put in irons and kept a prisoner for the rest of the voyage.