OUR SPANISH BACKGOUND We, here in the Commonwealth of Virginia, have for so long, been schooled in our complex English heritage that we have overlooked the natural interest the Spanish explorers and adventurers must have had in this area of the Atlantic rim.
It appears they investigated just about all of the world known to Man at that time - some really strange areas. They have been taken by surprise when they found that it was the far off, inland areas of South America - Peru and other Andean mountain nations-
which held the wealth of which they dreamed. It proved to be even greater than they had anticipated.
Small wonder then, that the Spanish efforts at exploration avoided the coast of the new world to the north and west of the area and aimed, instead, for the high, inland wilderness where, they hoped, perhaps, even greater wealth awaited them. They were bit too early for Sutler's Mill and the Klondike and other such northwesterly gold and silver strikes, but their plan was a sensible one in many ways.
There could have been some hesitation , of course, about getting involved in the north because England and France had shown aggressive interest in that area beyond fishing attractions off Newfoundland.
The need for some type of Spanish base on the east coast grew as their ships began to carry more and more shipments of gold from the Andean mountains as well as elaborate gold pieces. Those treasure laden ships became the main targets for numerous government sponsored privateers - their semi-legal next-of-kin. They preyed upon the gold-moving caravans of the high seas with militant exactitude. Privateers, of course, had to share their ill-gotten gains. Noted pirates came to both fame and fortune along this golden opportunity offered by the Spanish galleons along this route within easy sailing of havens of escape along the coasts what would become North Carolina, Cape Hattress and the Chesapeake Bay. Which they called by the Danish name “Bahia de Santa Maria”. (To be continued)
A.L.M. August 13, 2005 [c352wds]
