board, but, in reality, from the indisposition of the crew to risk the
enterprise. The loss of this vessel was a heavy discouragement to the
brave leaders. After many delays and difficulties from the weather and
the misconduct of his followers, Sir Humphrey Gilbert reached the shores
of Newfoundland, where he found thirty-six vessels engaged in the
fisheries. He, in virtue of his royal patent, immediately assumed
authority over them, demanding and obtaining all the supplies of which
he stood in need: he also proclaimed his own and the queen's possession
of the country. Soon, however, becoming sensible that this rocky and
dreary wilderness offered little prospect of wealth, he proceeded with
three vessels, and a crew diminished by sickness and desertion, to the
American coast. Owing to his imprudence in approaching the foggy and
dangerous shore too closely, the largest vessel[294] struck, and went to
pieces. The captain and many of the crew were lost; some of the
remainder reached Newfoundland in an open boat, after having endured
great hardships.

Sir Humphrey Gilbert altogether failed in reaching any part of the main
land of America. The weather became very bad, the winter approached, and
provisions began to fail: there was no alternative but to return, and
with bitter regret and disappointment he adopted that course. The two
remaining vessels proceeded in safety as far as the meridian of the
Azores; there, however, a terrible tempest assailed them. On the
afternoon of the 9th of September the smaller of the two boats was
observed to labor dangerously. Sir Humphrey Gilbert stood upon her deck,
holding a book in his hand, encouraging the crew. "We are as near to
heaven by sea as by land," he called out to those on board the other
vessel, as it drifted past just before nightfall. Darkness soon
concealed his little bark from sight; but for hours one small light was
seen to rise and fall, and plunge about among the furious waves. Shortly
after midnight it suddenly disappeared, and with it all trace of the
brave chief and his crew. One maimed and storm-tossed ship returned to
England of that armament which so short a time before had been sent
forth to take possession of a New World.[295]

The English nation was not diverted from the pursuit of colonial
aggrandizement by even this disastrous failure. The queen, however, was
more ready to assist by grants and patents than by pecuniary supplies.
Many plausible schemes of set