d of maize or Indian corn, the
potato, and sassafras. They attracted favorable attention in England,
and were gradually introduced to other countries in Europe, where the
amount raised is very large.

THE LOST COLONY.

A strange and romantic interest attaches to the colony which Sir Walter
Raleigh sent out in 1587. It numbered 300 men and women and was in
charge of John White. While resting at Roanoke, the daughter of Governor
White, the wife of Ananias Dare, had a daughter born to her. She was
given the name of "Virginia," and was the first child of English
parentage born within the present limits of the United States.

[Illustration: SIR WALTER RALEIGH.]

These settlers were as quarrelsome as many of their predecessors and got
on ill together. Governor White sailed for England for more immigrants
and supplies, but when he reached that country he found the internal
troubles so serious that he was kept away from America for three years.
When finally he returned to Virginia, he was unable to find a member of
the colony. On one of the trees was the word "CROATAN" cut in the bark,
which seemed to indicate that the settlers had removed to a settlement
of that name; but, though long and continuous search was made and many
of the articles belonging to the settlers were recognized, not a person
could be discovered. Sir Walter Raleigh sent several expeditions with
orders to use every effort to clear up the mystery, but it was never
solved. The story of the "Lost Colony" has led to a great deal of
investigation and surmise. Two theories have supporters. The most
probable is that all the settlers were massacred by Indians. Another is
that they were adopted by the red men and intermarried among them. In
support of this supposition is the fact that a long time afterward many
members of the adjoining tribes showed unmistakable signs of mixed
blood. There were so-called Indians with blonde hair, blue eyes, and
light complexion--characteristics never seen among those belonging to
the genuine American race.

Holland's explorations in America were less important than those of any
of her rivals. The thrifty Dutchmen were more anxious to secure trade
than to find new countries, and seemed content to allow others to spend
wealth and precious lives in penetrating to the interior of the New
World and in planting settlements, which almost invariably succumbed to
disaster.

Early in the seventeenth century a company of English merchan