Raleigh was the son of a Devonshire squire but his family had important connections. One of these was his half brother Humphrey Gilbert, an explorer and adventurer. Raleigh was ambitious and knew that to gain the notice of the Queen he had to prove himself as a soldier and explorer. For this reason he also went to Ireland where his family had land and quelled a rebellion there. These exploits, and his prowess as a poet, enabled him to join the inner circle at Court.
When Humphrey Gilbert died while returning from an attempt to colonise North America, Raleigh was keen to take up his cause. The Spaniards and Dutch had already found that there was good fishing near the shores of this land of fogs. The island had been called by its earliest discoverer Newfoundland. Gilbert determined that, dreary though it seemed, he would take this island for England. He landed, and, cutting a sod of earth, he held it up and proclaimed: "The land from whence this sod is cut belongs from henceforth and for ever to England.
The captains of the fishing-boats stood silently by, while the English flag was set up on the shore. They had not dared to refuse Gilbert's invitation to go and see the ceremony. But while Gilbert was on shore, his crews, who were angry and disappointed, tried to desert with his ships. One ship, indeed, Gilbert had to send home, but he persuaded the other three to sail with him further south, where the country would be warmer and richer.
Scarcely had they set sail when they were caught in a terrible storm. One ship was wrecked on the dangerous banks near the coast of Newfoundland; the other two ships still battled on against the winds. The sailors, terrified by the gales and fogs and huge sea-monsters, prayed to Gilbert to give up the voyage and sail for England. The ship Gilbert was on was a tiny boat called the Squirrel. The storm became so violent that the sailors knew such a small crowded boat would surely go down.
The men on both ships begged Gilbert to go on board the larger ship and save his life; but he would not. The men on the larger ship saw him sitting calmly in the stern of the Squirrel with a book in his hand. As the two ships were driven for a minute nearer to each other, he called out, "Be of good heart, my friends! Soon afterwards the Squirrel sank in the raging sea. So died gallant Sir Humphrey Gilbert, and so ended Raleigh's first attempt to make another England over the seas.
But the very next year Raleigh sent two of his captains to explore the coast of North America, and find a good place for English settlers. This time he did not send out any settlers; he waited to hear what his captains discovered. These captains steered more to the south than Sir Humphrey Gilbert had done. They came at last to a green and beautiful land, a land full of tall stately trees, a land where delicious grapes grew right down to the water-side.
Beneath the trees, shy, graceful deer were roaming, while the startled hares scurried swiftly to and fro. The Indians who lived in this land were peaceful and friendly. The brother of the Indian king came to meet them with a band of Indians.
They brought pearls, and corals, and deer-skins, to give the English in exchange for the curious things these white men had to offer.
The king's brother was especially delighted with a tin dish. He hung it round his neck as a shield! Soon the captains set sail once more to take the glad news to Raleigh of the beautiful land they had found for him. Two of the Indians sailed with them to see the country from which these wonderful white men had come. They gave Raleigh a bracelet of pearls as big as peas. Raleigh told the Queen about this new land, and asked that he might call it Virginia, in honour of his virgin or maiden Queen.
She graciously consented. Once more Raleigh collected great stores, and fitted seven ships to sail to Virginia. This time he prayed the Queen to let him go himself. His original death sentence for treason was invoked, and he was executed at Westminster.
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