Manteo was brought back to his
native land, and proved an invaluable guide and interpreter to his newly
made friends.
But their amicable relations with the natives were now to receive a rude
shock, from which they never recovered. At Aquascogoc, an Indian stole
from the adventurers a silver cup; and, on being detected, he did not
return it as speedily as was desired (July 16). For this enormous
offence the English burned the town and barbarously destroyed the
growing corn. The affrighted inhabitants fled to the woods, and thus a
poisoned arrow was planted in their bosoms, which rankled unto the end.
A silver cup, in the eyes of European avarice, was a loss which could
only be atoned by ruin and devastation; and had the unhappy savage
stolen the only child of the boldest settler, a more furious vengeance
could not have followed! To such conduct does America owe the undying
hatred of the aboriginal tenants of her land, and the burden of infamy
that she must bear when weighed in the scales of immaculate justice.
A serious attempt was now made to found a colony. One hundred eight men
were left on the island of Roanoke, comprising in their number some of
the boldest hearts and many of the best cultivated minds that had left
the mother-country. Among them was Thomas Heriot, whom Raleigh had sent
out with a full knowledge of his scientific acquirements, his love of
investigation, and his moral worth.
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