Audiobooks History A Book of American Explorers
A Book of American Explorers

A Book of American Explorers

by Thomas Wentworth HIGGINSON (1823 - 1911)

This book tells the story of exploration in America in the words of the explorers themselves. It consists of extracts from narratives of the early discoverers and explorers of the American continent from the Northmen in 10th century to 17th century Massachusets Bay Colony. - Summary by Kikisaulite


Book I, Part 2, The Voyage of Leif the Lucky

Book I, Part 3, Leif finds Vines, and goes back to Greenland

Book I, Part 4, Thorvald, Leif’s Brother, goes to Vinland

Book I, Part 5, Karlsefni’s Adventures

Book I, The Legends of the Northmen (985‒1008). Part 1, How the Northmen discovered North America

Book II, Columbus and his Companions (1492‒1503). Part 1, The First Letter from Columbus

Book II, Part 2, The Second Voyage of Columbus

Book II, Part 3, Columbus reaches the Mainland

Book II, Part 4, Columbus at the Mouth of the Orinoco

Book II, Part 5, Columbus thinks himself near the Earthly Paradise

Book II, Part 6, Daring Deed of Diego Mendez

Book II, Part 7, How Diego Mendez got Food for Columbus

Book II, Part 8, How Diego Mendez saved Columbus

Book II, Part 9, Appeal of Columbus in his Old Age

Book III, Cabot and Verrazzano (1497‒1524). Part 1, First News of John and Sebastian Cabot

Book III, Part 2, Sebastian Cabot’s Voyage

Book III, Part 3, Verrazzano’s Letter to the King

Book IV, Part 2, Cabeza de Vaca saved by Indians

Book IV, Part 3, Cabeza de Vaca’s Captivity

Book IV, Part 4, The Indians of the Gulf of Mexico

Book IV, Part 5, Cabeza de Vaca’s Escape

Book IV, The Strange Voyage of Cabeza de Vaca (1528‒1533). Part 1, The Strange Voyage

Book IX, Part 2, Visit to an Indian Princess

Book IX, Part 3, Adventures of the First Virginia Colony

Book IX, Part 4, The Second English Colony in Virginia

Book IX, Part 5, Search for the Lost Colony

Book IX, The Lost Colonies of Virginia (1584‒1590). Part 1, The First Voyage to Virginia

Book V, Part 2, Cartier sets up a Cross

Book V, Part 3, Cartier ascends the St. Lawrence

Book V, Part 4, How the Indians tried to frighten Cartier

Book V, Part 5, How Cartier reached Hochelaga, now Montreal

Book V, Part 6, The Festivities at Hochelaga

Book V, The French in Canada (1534‒1536). Part 1, Cartier’s Visit to Bay of Chaleur

Book VI, Adventures of De Soto (1538‒1542). Part 1, How De Soto set sail

Book VI, Part 2, De Soto attacks the Indians, and finds a Fellow Countryman

Book VI, Part 3, The Story of John Ortiz

Book VI, Part 4, De Soto discovers the Mississippi

Book VI, Part 5, De Soto’s Vain Attempts to reach the Sea

Book VI, Part 6, Death and Burial of De Soto

Book VII, Part 2, Alone in the New World

Book VII, Part 3, Laudonnière’s Search for the Colonists

Book VII, Part 4, Capture of Fort Caroline by the Spaniards

Book VII, The French in Florida (1562‒1565). Part 1, Jean Ribaut in Florida

Book VIII, Sir Humphrey Gilbert (1583)

Book X, Part 2, Captain Waymouth explores the Penobscot

Book X, Part 3, The Popham Colony on the Kennebec

Book X, Part 4, Captain Gilbert’s Adventure with Indians

Book X, Unsuccessful New England Settlements (1602‒1607). Part 1, Gosnold’s Fort at Cuttyhunk

Book XI, Captain John Smith (1606‒1631). Part 1, The Virginia Colony

Book XI, part 10, The Glories of Fishing

Book XI, part 11, Visit of Pocahontas to London

Book XI, Part 12, First Buildings of the Virginia Colonists

Book XI, Part 13, Captain Smith’s Recollections

Book XI, Part 2, The Colonists

Book XI, Part 3, Captain Smith’s Capture by Indians

Book XI, Part 4, Captain Smith and Pocahontas

Book XI, Part 5, King Powhatan

Book XI, Part 6, A Virginia Princess

Book XI, Part 7, An Indian Dance in Virginia

Book XI, Part 8, Indian Children

Book XI, Part 9, “The Planter’s Pleasure and Profit”

Book XII, Champlain on the War-Path (1609)

Book XIII, Henry Hudson and the New Netherlands (1609‒1626). Part 1, Discovery of the Hudson River

Book XIII, Part 2, Indian Traditions of Hudson’s Arrival

Book XIII, Part 3, Hudson’s Last Voyage, and how he was set adrift in the Ice

Book XIII, Part 4, Dutch Settlement of the New Netherlands

Book XIV, Part 2, Miles Standish at Cape Cod

Book XIV, Part 3, The First Encounter

Book, XIV, Part 4, The Landing on Plymouth Rock

Book XIV, Part 5, Plymouth Village founded

Book XIV, Part 6, “Welcome, Englishmen!”

Book XIV, The Pilgrims at Plymouth (1620‒1621). Part 1, Sailing of the Pilgrims

Book XV, Part 2, The Puritans in Salem Harbor

Book XV, Part 3, The Four Elements in New England

Book XV, Part 4, A Sea-Adventure of the Puritans

Book XV, Part 5, Governor Winthrop’s Night out of Doors

Book XV, Part 6, The Privations of the Puritans

Book XV, The Massachusetts Bay Colony (1629‒1631). Part 1, Voyage of the Massachusetts Colonists

Preface