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<title> "Instead of a garden I found a wilderness" </title>
The first generation of American colonists experienced the nature in different ways. They had been told that America was a paradise, a second Eden but when they arrived in the new country they were met by wilderness. Some men, though, saw instead of just wilderness the rich nature of America and the big variety among animals and plants.

When America was discovered a rumour began to circle in the Old World. The rumour said that America was a paradise and a beautiful garden. Many of the men who wrote about the New World's nature had actually never been abroad themselves and in their texts they completely left out that America's nature in fact was quite wild. One traveller in the Ohio Valley in 1820 declared "Instead of a garden I found a wilderness" and surely many of his contemporaries would agree. The pioneers who came to America soon realised that they would not be able to settle down in a calm, paradise-environment. If they wanted their Eden on earth, they would have to create it themselves. 

New England was one of the first places were pioneers settled down and the New England pioneers saw wilderness as an enemy and something that they must transform into civilisation. They saw it as their mission from God. The pioneers knew the Bible and the text made it clear what their mission was because "Genesis 1:28, the first commandment of God to man, stated that mankind should increase, conquer the earth, and have dominion over all living things" (Nash p. 31).

Most people thought that a life in wilderness involved a lot of danger such as wild men, savage Indians and animals described as beasts all mentioned by Nash. in his text "Wilderness and the American Mind". Another great fear was that wilderness would force civilised men to act like savages. When they left Europe with its strict laws and traditions the pioneers might fall for what have been called "wilderness- temptations" and forget about their mission. This was in many ways partly true because in their struggle for survival some of the pioneers joined Indian tribes. Yale's president, Timothy Dwight said "as the pioneer pushed further and further into the wilds he became less and less civilized man". 

Wilderness was seen as "the symbol of anarchy and Evil" (Bunyan p. 34) and the Puritans who settled in New England saw it as their mission to "carve a garden from the wilds; to make an island of spiritual light in the surrounding darkness" (Nash p.35). To beat the wilderness meant not only to survive, moreover it meant changing what was bad into good, and to perform the will of God.

The Puritans described their new country as hard and filled with temptations and they wanted to leave a message to later generations. At the same time they wanted to tell their children and grandchildren about their own great achievements because they were quite proud over what they had taken part in. One man R. Clap who arrived in New England in 1630 wrote to the second generation: "you have better food and raiment than was in former times; but have you better hearts than your forefather had?"

The struggle of turning wilderness into civilisation was looked upon with great enthusiasm and pioneers wrote in their diaries that they had changed the wilderness into something that was worth much more and they often saw themselves as heroes. 

However, there were people from the Old World that was rather impressed with the nature of America. They appreciated the great overflow of animals, fish and fruit. One of them was the promotion writer John Smith who describes in his text, A Map of Virginia (1612) many of the different kinds of tree, fruit and animal the New World contained. "Of vines, [there is ] abundance in many parts... wee made neere 20 gallons of wine, which was neare as good as your French Brittish wine". Instead of looking upon wilderness as something unknown and frightening Smith seems fascinated by the various animals and plants, compares them with similar at home and often praises them. The Englishman George Alsop who arrived in Maryland in 1658 writes "neither do I think there is any place under the Heavenly altitude, or that has footing or room upon the circular Globe of this world, that can parallel this fertile and pleasant view of grounds in its multiplicity, or rather Natures extravagancy of a super- a bounding plenty."

Those of the pioneers who were not afraid of the wilderness instead looked upon it as a big adventure ready to be experienced. They observed how the different berries, fruit, roots and nuts were prepared and used and they saw the richness of fish and fowls. "As for the Fish, both of Fresh and Salt- Water, of Shell- fish, and others, no Country can boast of more variety, greater Plenty, or of better in their several Kinds" Robert Beverly, a native of Virginia writes in his "History and Present State of Virginia". 

***

The excitement the first colonist must have felt when they started to explore Americas nature is understandable. They had heard that the New World was like a beautiful garden, but they could not be sure. Some of the pioneers were disappointed and saw it as their mission to create a civilisation, similar to the one at home. Others realised what a source this new nature was and began to explore it. Not seldom was their conclusion that the nature was "equal to any Land in the known World" (Beverly p.557).
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