Eighty-six
years had passed away since Cabot's discovery, and we now arrive at the
year 1583, a memorable date in the history of Newfoundland. On August
5th of that year there were lying in the harbor of St. John's thirty-six
vessels belonging to various nations, Portuguese, Spanish, French, and
English, all employed in fishing. In addition to these there were four
English warships which had arrived the day before. They were the
Delight, the Golden Hind, the Swallow, and the Squirrel. Early on this
morning boats were lowered from the English ships, and the commanders
and officers went on shore. Soon a goodly company had assembled on the
beach, then lined by a few rough wooden huts and "flakes," or stages for
drying cod. The rude inmates of these huts gathered round the company
that landed from the English ships; and the captains and officers of the
other vessels were there by special summons. A very curious and motley
group was that which then stood on the beach of St. John's
harbor--swarthy, bronzed sailors and fishermen of Spain, Portugal, and
France, in the costumes of the sixteenth century. Soon a circle formed
round one commanding figure--a man of noble presence, wearing the richly
slashed and laced doublet, velvet cloak, trunk-hose, and gay hat and
feather which constituted the dress of gentlemen in the days of Queen
Elizabeth.
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