Page:History of Barrington, Rhode Island (Bicknell).djvu/44

24 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