When the New World was discovered,
an explosion occurred for sailors and captains. Furthermore, with the discovery
of the New World came a wave of change that happened with the shipping industry.
Much of Maritime Literature accounts fictional tales of traveling across the
sea as well as poetry surrounding the power of the sea. Others accounts are
non-fictional recollections of individuals or crew traveling from Europe or
Northern Africa to the New World, settling, and exploring. One of these key
accounts focuses on Captain Arthur Barlowe, who was one of the first few to
sail from England to the New World, explore the area, and bring back the
information he discovered. His exploration, entitled, “First Voyage to Virginia
(1584)” and should be included into the Maritime Literature canon as it is one
of the first accounts of settlers in Virginia and details just exactly what
occurred and how the English interacted with the Native Americans. It also
holds importance because much of the first accounts of the Americas take place
after this time when the pilgrims arrive, and thus does not present an accurate
portrayal of the Americas before their arrival. Further, it should be studied
and included in the canon as it can later help understand not just how the
English took the Native Americans but how they, in turn, took the English. By
reading Barlowe’s accounts and seeing how his crew members interact with people
they are unfamiliar with, we get an image of what those first few moments of
interaction was like, which always holds value in the American Literature
canon.
Captain Arthur Barlowe began his
career under the patronage of Sir Walter Raleigh. According to the website, American Journey’s, Barlowe, along with
Philip Amadas, sailed two vessels to the West Indies in 1584 from England (Burrage
par. 2). Further information on Barlowe is not well known outside of his
expeditions he took for Sir Walter Raleigh, who, in turn, receives his support
from Queen Elizabeth I to establish his own colony in the New World (par. 2). American Journey’s describes their
expedition as, “They found land on the North Carolina coast, above Roanoke
Island, on a barrier island. The English explorers soon met the inhabitants,
the Roanoke Island Indians, now known to be Carolina Algonkins” (par. 2). The
men sailed up from the West Indies, and came up to Florida, and eventually finding
their way to North Carolina. After which it details how they traveled into
Roanoke Island and their first interactions with the Native Americans. As
important as Barlowe’s text is to the American Maritime Literature canon, there
is also controversy and subject of debate as Documenting of the American South recognizes that material from
Barlowe’s report, “There are omissions in Barlowe's report, however, and it is
thought that the omitted material was suppressed deliberately, for propaganda
purposes” (Shirley par. 1). The reason it is important for readers to recognize
that the text is important, but also the fact that Barlowe was paid to travel
to the New World, and as such there is material that is either left out or
never mentioned. While we as readers can only speculate what type of omissions
took place for “propaganda” purposes, it does reveal that Barlowe was concerned
about his audience, and if not him, than his benefactor could be as equally
responsible for the things Barlowe has left out or would leave out. But, this
discrepancy in his text does not take away from it.
The accounts of what took place to get to Virginia
are equally important to understand in order for readers to know just what the
sailors went through. In the text, Barlowe keeps record of each of their stops
and the day they arrived, stating, “On the tenth of May we arrived at the
Canaries, and the tenth of June in this present yeere, we were fallen with the
Islands of the West Indies, keeping a more Southeasterly course then was
needefull, because wee doubted that the current of the Bay of Mexico,
disbogging betweene the Cape of Florida and Havana, had bene of greater force
then afterwardes we found it to bee” (Barlowe par. 2). In this account, Barlowe
documents how they had traveled to the Canaries and where they traveled
afterwards. The reason such documentation is important is because it can give
modern day readers perspective on just how much time and energy it actually
took to travel at such long distance. While by today’s standard, a trip from
England to the Canaries would not be as difficult, in the late 1500’s, such
passages were very dangerous as sailors could run into any kind of trouble. By
reading his accounts, modern day readers can get an appreciation on just what
happened at the time of the event. Further, Barlowe describes how going into
the Bay of Mexico proved to be troublesome because of the weather; we get to
see just how difficult it was. These sailors were unprepared for such weather
to strike when it did, but they still continued to push forward. Again, it
would be difficult for modern reader’s to fully appreciate what these travelers
must have been going through, but as Barlowe further reveals, “At which Islands
we found the ayre very unwholsome, and our men grew for the most part ill
disposed” (par. 2). Barlowe continues how the men how to get refreshments and
refill their supplies before continuing. As the text further shows, it was not
easy for them to simply go directly to Virginia without making the necessary
stops that they needed. Further, it shows how they are taking passages that are
familiar from other sailors, which reveals just how often these trips are made
or have been made if Barlowe knew that he could resupply in the West Indies
before continuing forward into the New World, which reveals to us as readers
that sailing to the New World is something that has happened long before the Mayflower
and communities had already been established.
Much of the success of the document comes from
Barlowe’s lively language and the image he paints for his benefactor. In
reading the text, the reader sees just how close Barlowe paid attention to the
little things. As he describes, “greene soile on the hils, as in the plaines,
as well on every little shurbble, as also climing towardes the tops of high
Cedars, that I thinke in all the world the like abundance is not to be found:
and my selfe having seene those parts of Europe that most abound, find such
difference as were incredible to be written” (par. 3). Barlowe describes the
green soil as well as the hills and plains, and compares them to that of
Europe. He comments how such things were not seen in Europe and how each shrub was
also green and stood out. By looking at the natural world through his eyes when
he first arrived, shows that his travel was not just to meet the Native
Americans, but also to take account of that that was already present. He
further paints an image of what North America looked like through the following
description, “The soile is the most plentifull, sweete, fruitfull and wholesome
of all the worlde: there are above foureteene severall sweete smelling timber
trees, and the most part of their underwoods are Bayes” (par. 12). In this
imagery, Barlowe presents how sweet and plentiful the fruit is and the beauty
of the natural world around him. This fully gives us a view of just how the
location appeared, but something further that Barlowe gives to his readers and
his benefactor is the detail accounts of his interactions with the local Native
Americans.
In one of his accounts of what transpired between his
Crew and the Natives, the benefactor, and later us, could see what these first
few moments looked like. Barlowe writes about a Native American Granganimo and
his people at Raonoak Island, stating, “The wife of Granganimo the kings
brother came running out to meete us very cheerefully and friendly, her husband
was not then in the village; some of her people shee commanded to drawe our
boate on shore” (par. 12). In this moment of meeting with other Native
Americans, Barlowe comments on just how cheerful they were to meet them as well
as how friendly they were. The reason why such an account is important to
understand is because much of the early accounts between the European and
Natives usually resonates a negative imagery, yet that was not always the case.
Barlowe shows us that before the relationship between the two people grew
unsteady, it began very friendly and helpful. Barlowe even comments on how the
woman commanded the people to come help them pull in the ship. This
interaction, though, further reveals how the Native American society looked
like from an outsider perspective, and shows that they were not like the
Europeans, but had a different type of hierarchy and the way that their society
ran. It further describes how hospitable Granganimo’s wife was by providing the
men with a place to rest, dry off, as well as a variety of food options (par.
13). These interactions show that the relationships were not hostile and that the
Native Americans and Europeans had a good relationship, as well as showing how
the woman has taken charge of making the men comfortable. Each of these aspects
is important to note in order to show the positive effect of the relationship.
As this has shown, “First Voyage to Virginia”
belongs in the American Maritime Literature canon because it shows several
things. It shows us how the first interactions between the Native Americans and
the Europeans were, it shows us how difficult it was to get to the New World
from Europe, and it shows us how the Europeans reacted not just with the people
but with the natural world around them. Readers get a view and colorful imagery
from Arthur Barlowe about a land that had not yet been colonized by the people
we know as the pilgrims, but what had happened before such an event took place.
The knowledge is invaluable and this text is one that should be studied further
as it not only paints a colorful imagery of Barlowe and his crew, but also to
see the outcome of the investment that Queen Elizabeth and Sir Walter Raleigh
had made, and how without it we would not have this account today. Barlowe,
without realizing it, created content worth studying because he saw the New
World differently than other explorer’s and he helped to create an English
standing within the New World. As England will later expand and the shipping
industry will soon explode, Barlowe will always be remembered as one of the
daring first who went to the New World and paved the way for others later on.
Work Cited
Barlowe, Arthur. "First Voyage to
Virginia." Early Americas Digital
Archive. Old South Leaflets, 2003. Web.
Burrage, Henry S. "Captain Arthur Barlowe's
Narrative of the First Voyage to the Coasts of America." American Journey's. Wisconsin Historical
Society, n.d. Web.
Shirley, John W. "Arthur Barlowe,
1550-1620." Documenting the American
South. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2004. Web.
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