A History of Barrington, Rhode Island/Chapter 3
CHAPTER III
VERRAZZANO VISITS THE WAMPANOAGS
FOLLOWING the first authentic discovery and exploration of America by Columbus in 1492, all the maritime nations of Europe entered the race for further discovery, conquest and possession. Although Spain and Portugal had undertaken, in 1494, to divide the unexplored parts of the earth between them, under authority of the Pope's edicts, England and France treated the plan with contempt. "The King of France sent word to our great emperor," says Diaz, describing the capture of some Spanish treasure ships by a French pirate, "that as he and the King of Portugal had divided the earth between themselves, without giving him a share of it, he should like them to show him our father Adam's will, in order to know if he had made them his sole heirs." He also declared that he should feel free to take all he could find upon the ocean. With this spirit, France sent out two great explorers, Verrazzano and Cartier, the one exploring North America and writing New France on the Atlantic coast from Florida to Greenland, the other penetrating the interior by the great river, the St. Lawrence.
In 1524, the Florentine discoverer, Verrazzano, under French patronage, made his second voyage, westward, in search of the Orient. Touching the Madeiras, on his route, and then the main land of the Carolinas, he coasted northward, explored the mouth of the Hudson River, which he called the Grand River (una grandissima riviera), sailed along the shores of Long Island, and discovered Block Island, using it as a refuge during a storm, calling it Luisa or Claude, in honor of the mother or wife of Francis I of France. Sailing northeasterly from Block Island, the explorer reached the coast of Rhode Island, and anchored the Dauphine in Narragansett Bay, (Refugio). As Verrazzano wrote the first description of our bay and the Indians dwelling on its shores, we give our readers his own interesting story:
"We proceeded to another place fifteen leagues distant from the island, where we found a very excellent harbor. Before entering it we saw about twenty small boats filled with people, who came to the ship with various cries and wonderment. But they would not approach nearer than fifty paces. Stopping, they looked at the structure of the ship our persons, and dress. Afterward they all cried out loudly together, signifying that they were delighted. By imitating their signs we inspired them with a measure of confidence, so that they came near enough for us to toss them some little bells and glasses and many toys, which they took and looked at laughing, and then came on board without fear. Among them were two kings, more attractive in form and stature than can be described. One was about forty years old and the other about twenty-four, and they were dressed in the following fashion:
"The elder king had the skin of a deer wrapped around his nude body, artificially made with various embroideries to decorate it. His head was bare. His hair was bound behind with various bands, and around his neck he wore a large chain ornamented with many stones of different colors. The younger king was like him in appearance. This was the finest looking people and the handsomest in their costumes that we found in our voyage. They exceed us in size, and are of a very fair complexion (sono di colore bianchissimo); some of them incline more to a white, and others to 
JOHN JENCKES RESIDENCE.
"The women resemble them in size, and are very graceful and handsome, and quite attractive in dress and manners. They had no other clothing except a deer skin, ornamented as were the skins worn by the men. Some had very rich lynx-skins upon their arms, and wore various ornaments upon their heads, braided in their hair, which hung down upon their breasts. Others wore different ornaments, such as those of the women of Egypt and Syria. The older and the married people, both men and women, wore many ornaments in their ears, hanging down in oriental fashion.
"We saw on them pieces of wrought copper, which is more esteemed by them than gold, the latter being deemed the most ordinary of metals, yellow being a color much disliked by them. Blue and red are the colors which they value most highly. Of the things which we gave them, they preferred the bells, azure crystals, and other toys, which they hung in their ears and about their necks. They do not value or desire to have silk or gold-drapery, or other kinds of cloth, nor implements of steel or iron. When we showed them our weapons, they expressed no admiration, and only asked how they were made. The same indifference was manifested when they were given the looking-glasses, which they with smiles returned to us as soon as they had looked at them. They are very generous, giving away whatever they have.
"We formed a great friendship with them, and one day we entered into port with our ship, having before rode at the distance of a league from the shore, as the weather was unfavorable. They came to the ship with a number of their little boats, with their faces painted with different colors, manifesting real signs of joy, bringing us of their provisions, and signifying to us where we could best ride in safety with our ship, and keeping with us until we had cast anchor.
"We remained among them fifteen days to provide ourselves with many things of which we were in want, during which time they came every day to see our ship, bringing with them their wives, of whom they were very careful, for, although they came on board themselves, and remained a long while, they made their wives stay in the boats, nor could we ever get them on board by any solicitations or any presents we could make them. One of the two kings, however, often came with his queen and many attendants to see us for his amusement. But he always stopped on land at the distance of about two hundred paces from us, and sent a boat to announce his intended visit, saying they would come and see our ship. This was done for safety, and as soon as they had received our answer they came and remained some time to look around. On hearing the annoying cries of the sailors, the king sent the queen, with her attendants, in a very light boat to wait near an island, a quarter of a league distant, while he remained a long time on board, talking with us by signs, and expressing his fanciful notions about everything in the ship and asking the use of all. After imitating our modes of salutation, and tasting our food, he courteously took leave of us. Once, when our men remained two or three days on a small island near the ship for their various necessities, as sailors are wont to do, he came with seven or eight of his attendants to inquire about our movements, often asking us if we intended to remain there long, and offering us everything at his command. Sometimes he would shoot with his bow, and run up and down with his people, making great sport for us. We often went five or six leagues into the interior, and found the country as pleasant as can be conceived, adapted to cultivation of every kind, whether of corn, wine, or oil. There are open plains twenty-five and thirty leagues in length, entirely free from trees or other obstructions, and so fertile that whatever is sown there will yield an excellent crop. On entering the woods we observed that they might all be traversed by any large army. The trees in them were oaks, cypresses, and others unknown in Europe. We found, also, apples, plums, filberts, and many other fruits, but of a different kind from ours. The animals, which are in great numbers, stags, deer, lynx, and many other kinds, are taken with snares and by bows; the latter is the principal weapon of the natives. Their arrows are beautifully made. For points they use emery, jasper, hard marble, and other sharp stones instead of iron. They also use the same kind of sharp stones in cutting down trees, and with them construct their boats of single logs, hollowed out with admirable skill, and sufficiently commodious to seat ten or twelve persons. Their oars are short, with broad blades, and are rowed by the force of the arms, with the greatest care and as rapidly as they wish.
"We saw their dwellings, which are circular in form, about ten or twelve paces in circumference, made of logs split in half, without any regularity of architecture, and covered with roofs of straw, nicely put on, which protect them from wind and rain. There is no doubt that they would build stately edifices if they had workmen as skillful as ours, for the whole sea-coast abounds with shining stones, crystals, and alabaster, and on this account it has dens and retreats for animals. They change their habitations from place to place, as circumstances of situation and season may require. This is easily done, for they have only to take with them their mats, and they have other houses immediately prepared.
"The father and the whole family dwell together in one house. In some of their houses we saw twenty-five or thirty persons. Their food is pulse, as that of the other people, which is here better than elsewhere, and more carefully cultivated, In the time of sowing they are governed by the moon, which they think effects the sprouting of the grain. They have many other ancient customs. They live by hunting and fishing, and they are long lived. If they fall sick they cure themselves without medicine, with the heat of fire. Death comes to them at last from extreme old age. We judged them to be very affectionate and charitable toward their relatives, for. they make loud lamentations in their adversity, and in their misery call to remembrance all their good deeds. When they die their relations mutually join in weeping mingled with singing for a long while. That is all that we could learn of them.
"This region is situated on the parallel of Rome, in 41 2·3 degrees, as I shall narrate hereafter to your serene majesty. At present I shall describe the situation of this place. At its south end its channel is narrow and a half league wide. It extends, between east (south?), and north, twelve leagues. Then it enlarges and forms a very spacious bay twenty leagues in circuit, in which are five small islands, very fertile and attractive, and covered with high trees. The bay is so spacious that between these islands any number of vessels might ride at ease without fear of tempests and other dangers. At the entrance of the bay, farther south, there are very attractive hills on both sides of the channel, and many streams of clear water flow from these eminences into the sea. In the middle of the mouth there is a rock of freestone (uno scoglio di viva pietra), formed by nature and suitable for the construction of any kind of machine or bulwark for the defence of the haven."
Verrazzano's description of Narragansett Bay, named Port du Refugio on Gastaldi's map of 1553, is so accurate that without any other information it would be easy to determine the situation of the place where for fifteen days, ending the sixth of May, he and his crew held familiar intercourse with the friendly Indians, inhabiting the islands and the mainland in the vicinity of the anchorage of the Dauphine. The latitude of the bay given by Verrazzano cannot be gainsaid, but he has left us no record as to where he landed, and it is wholly a matter of conjecture whether he trod our soil or not. That he made a survey of our bay, islands, and the main, is all that can be affirmed.
Verrazzano sailed from Port du Refugio, probably Newport, on the sixth of May, in a southeasterly course, past the islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, where he found the coast to trend toward the north, which he followed until he cast anchor off the shores of Maine, in the forty-third parallel. The natives here did not please the discoverers as did those of Narragansett Bay, whom he said, "we had found kind and gentle." "They, the Maine Indians, were so rude and barbarous that we were unable by any signs we could make, to hold any communication with them. No regard was paid to our courtesies. When we had nothing left to exchange with them, the men, at our departure, made the most brutal signs of disdain and contempt possible. Against their will, we penetrated two or three leagues into the interior with twenty-five men. When we came to the shore, they shot at us with their arrows, uttering the most horrible cries and afterwards fleeing to the woods."
Concluding his account of the new country and its people, Verrazzano remarks. "As to the religious faith of all these tribes, not understanding their language, we could not learn either by signs or gestures, anything certain. It seemed to us that they had no religion, nor laws, nor any knowledge of a first Cause or Mover,—that they worshipped neither the heavens, stars, sun, moon, nor the planets. We could not learn if they were given to any kind of idolatry, or offered any sacrifices or supplications, or if they have temples or houses of prayer in their villages; our conclusion was that they had no religion, but lived without any. This seems to be the result of ignorance, for they are very easily persuaded, and imitated us with earnestness and fervor, in all that they saw us do as Christians in our acts of devotion."