The entire North American mainland, in fact, from Florida to Hudson's Bay, although explored by voyagers of different nationalities within comparatively brief periods after the advent of Columbus, had been practically neglected throughout the sixteenth century as a field for serious purposes of civilized occupation and exploitation. The early French attempts at settlement in Canada, in the first half of that century, and the colonizing expeditions sent by Sir Walter Raleigh to the shores of North Carolina, in the second half, were dismal failures, and in the circumstances could not have resulted differently. For these undertakings were largely without reference to intelligent and progressive cultivation of such resources as the country might afford, being incidental, or, at least, secondary, to the absorbing conviction of the times that the riches of India lay somewhere beyond the American coast barrier, and would still yield themselves to bold search. Naturally, few men of substantial from ax old print. character and decent antecedents could be persuaded to embark as volunteers in such doubtful enterprises. The first settlers on the Saint Lawrence were a band of robbers, swindlers, murderers, and promiscuous ruffians, released from the prisons of France by the government as a heroic means of providing colonists for an expedition which could not be The settlers sent by Sir Walter recruited from the people at large.

HISTORY

WESTCHESTER

COUNTY

Elizabeth in 1585 for establishing coloRaleigh under his patent from nies north of the Spanish dominions in Florida were, according to Bancroft, a body of -broken-down gentlemen and libertines, more few mechanfitted to corrupt a republic than to found one,'1 with very ering advenics farmers, or laborers among them-- mere buccane turers, who carried fire and sword into the land and had no higher enslave the natives. It is object' before them than to plunder and fishermen of Nortrue that very early in the sixteenth century the mandy and Britanny began to seek the waters of Newfoundland for the legitimate ends of their vocation, and soon built up a gainful trade, which* stcadilv expanding and attracting other votaries, employed European fishing craft.