to light In the meane season I humbly commende my selfe and this my translation vnto you and your selfe and all those which vnder you haue taken this enterprise in hand to the grace good blessing of the Almightie which is able to build further and to finish the good worke which in these our dayes he hath begunne by your most Christian and charitable endeuour Your L. humble at commandement R. H. The preface THere are two thinges which according to mine opinioâ—â— haue been the principall causes in consideration whereof aswell they of auncient times as those of our age haue been enduced to trauell into farre and remote regions The first hath beene the naturall desire which we haue to serch out the commodities to liue happely plentifully and at ease be it whether one abandon his naturall cuntrie altogether to dwell in a better or bee it that men make voiages thither there to serch out and bring from thence such thinges as are there to bee found and are in greatest estimation and in most request in our cuntries The second cause hath beene the multitude of people too frutefull in generation which being no longer able to dwell in their natiue soyles haue entred vppon their neighbours limites and oftentimes passing further haue pearced euen vnto the vttermost regions After this sorte the north climate a frutefull father of so many nations hath oftentimes sent foorth this way and that way his valiant people and by this meane hath peopled infinite countries so that most of the nations of Europe drawe their original from these partes Contrariwise the more southern regions because they be too barraine by reason of their insupportable heate which raigneth in them neede not any such sending foorth of their in habitances and haue beene oftentimes constrained to receaue other people more often by force ofarmes then willingly All Africke Spaine and Italie can also testifie the same which neuer so abounded with people that they had neede to send them abroode to inhabite else where as on the contrary Scythia Norway Gotland and France haue done The posterite of which nations remaineth yet not only in Italie Spaine and Affricke but also in frutefull and faire Asia Neuerthelesse I find that the Romains proceding farther or rather adding vnto these two chiefe causes aforesayd as being most curious to plant not only their ensignes and victories but also their lawes customes and religion in those provinces which they had conquered by force ofarmes haue oftentimes by the decree of their soueraine Senate sent forth inhabitantes which they called colonies thinking by this way to make their name immotall euen to the vnfurnishing of their owne countrye of the forces which should haue perserued the same in her perfection a thing which hindred them much more then advanced them to the possession of the vniversall monarchie where vnto their intention did aspyre For it came to passe that their colonies here and there being miserably sacked by strang people did vtterly ruine and ouerthrowe their empire The brinkes of the riuer of Rine are yet red those of Danubius are noe lesse bloodie and our France be came fatte with their blood which they lost These are the effectes and rewardes of al such as being pricked forward with this Romaine and tirannicall ambition will goe aboute thus to subdue strange people effectes I say contrarie to the profitte which those shall receaue which only are affectioned to the common benefitte that is to say to the generall pollicie of all men and endeuour to vnite them one with another as well by trasicke and forraine conuersations as also by militarie vertues and force of armes whenas the sauages wil not yeeld vnto their endeuours so much tending vnto their profite For this cause princes haue sent foorth out of their dominions certaine men of good actiuitie to plante themselues in strang countries there to make their profite to bring the countrie to ciuilitie and if it might be to reduce the inhabitantes to the true knowledg of our God an end so much more commédable as it is farre from all tiranicall and cruell gouernement and so they haue alwayes thriued in their enterprises and by lyttle and little gained the hartes of them which they haue conquered or wonne vnto them by any meanes Here of we may gather that sometimes it is good yea very expedient to send foorth men to discouer the pleasure and commoditie of strang countries But so that the country out of which these companies are to passe remayne not weakned nor depriued of her forces And againe in such sorte that the companie sent forth be of so iuste and sufficient number that it may not bee defeited by strangers which euery foote endeuour nothing else but to surprise the same vpon the suddaine As within these fewe dayes past the french haue proued to my great greife being able by no meanes possible to withstand the same considering that the elementes men and al the fauours which might be hoped for of a faithful and Christian alliance fought against vs which thing I purpose to discouer in this preseÌ„t historie with so euident truth that the kings maiestie my souerainge prince shall in parte be satisfied of the diligence which I haue vsed in his seruice and myne aduersaries shall find themselues so discouered in their false reportes that they shall haue no place of refuge But before I beginne I wil brefely set downe the situation and description of the land where vnto we haue failed and where we haue inhabited from the yeare 1561 vnto sixtie fiue to the ende that those thinges may the more easily be borne a way which I meane to describe in this discourse ¶ The description of the West Indies in generall but chiefly and particularly of Florida THat part of the earth which at this day wee call the fourth part of the world or America or the West India was unknowen vnto our auncestors by reason of the great distance thereof In like manner all the Westerne Ilandes and fortunate Isles were not discouered but by those of our age Howbeit there haue beene some which haue said that they were discouered in the time of Augustus Caesar and that Virgil hath made mention thereof in the sixt booke of his Aeneidos when he saith That there is a lande beyond the starres and the course of the yeere and of the sunne where Atlas the Porter of heauen sustaineth the pole vpon his shoulders neuerthelesse it is easie to iudge that he meaneth not to speake of this land whereof no man is founde to haue written before his time neither yet aboue a thousand yeeres after Christopher Colon did first light vpon this lande in the yeere 1492. And fiue yeeres after Americus went thither by the commaundement of the king of Castile and gaue vnto it his owne name wherevpon afterward it was called America This man was very well seene in the Arte of Nauigation and in Astronomie whereby be discouered
purposed to goe on land where I suffered him to depart after I had giuen him a shirte and certain small trifles wherewith he departed very well content with vs. The place where we went on shore was hard by a very hie Rocke out of which there ran a litle riuer of sweet and excellent good water by which riuer we stayed certayne dayes to discouer the things which were worthy to bee seen traficked dayly with the Indians which aboue all thinges besought vs that none of our men should come neere their lodgings nor their Gardens otherwise that we should giue them great cause of ielosie and that in so doing wee should not want of their fruit which they call Ananas whereof they offered vs very liberally receiuing in recompence certaine things of small value This notwithstanding it hapned on a day that certaine of my men desirous to see some new things in these strange countries walked through the woods and following still the little riuers side they espied two Serpents of exceeding bignesse which went side by side ouerthwarte the way my soldiers went before them thinking to let them from going into the woods but the serpents nothing at all astonished with these gestures glaunced into the bushes with fearefull hissings for all which my men drewe their swordes and killed them and found them afterward nine great foote long and as bigge as a mans legge During this combate certaine others more vndiscreete went and gathered their Ananas in the Indians Gardens trampling through them without any discretion and nâ—t therewithall contented they went toward their dwellings whereat the Indians were so much offended that without regarding any thing they rushed vpon them and discharged their shot so that they hit one of my men named Martin Chaueau which remayned behinde Wee coulde not knowe whether hee were killed on the place or whether he were taken prisoner for those of his company had inough to doe to saue themselues without thinking of their companion Whereof Monsur de Ottigni my Lieuetenant being aduertised sent vnto me to know whether I thought good that he shuld lay an ambush for the Indians which had either taken or killed our man or whether hee should goe directly to their dwellinges to knowe the truth I sent vnto him after good delebration hereupon that hee should not attempt any thing and that for diuers occasions but contrariwise that he should embarke himself with all diligence and consequently all they that were on land which hee did with speede But as he sayled toward our shippes he perceiued a long the shore a great number of Indians which beganne to charge them with their Arrowes he for his part discharged store of shotte against them yet was not able to hurte them or by any meanes to surprise them for which cause he quite forsooke them came vnto our ship Where staying vntill the next day morning we sette sayle following our wonted course and keeping the same we discouered diuerse Iles conquered by the Spaniards as the Iles of S. Christopher of y e Saintes of Monserrada and la Rotonda Afterward we passed betweene Languilla aad la Negada sayling toward New Fraunce where we ariued fifteene dayes afterward to witte on a Thurseday the two and twenteth of Iune about three or foure of the clock in the morning and landed neere vnto a little Riuer which is thirtie degrees distant from the Equator and ten leagues aboue Cape François drawing toward the South and about thirtie leagues aboue the Riuer of May. After we had strooken sayle and cast Anker a thwart the Riuer I determined to goe on shore to discouer y â— same Therefore beiug accompanied with Monsur de Ottigny with Monsur de Arlac mine Ensigne a certaine number of Gentlemen and souldiers I embarked my selfe about three or foure of the clocke in the euening And being ariued at the mouth of the Riuer I caused the Chanell to be sounded which was found to be very shallow although that farther within the same y â— water was there found reasonable deepe which separateth it selfe into two great armes whereof one runneth toward the South and the other toward the North. Hauing thus searched the Riuer I went on lande to speake with the Indians which wayted for vs vpon the shore which at our comming on land came before vs crying with a loud voyce in their Indian language Antipola Bonassou which is as much to say as brother friend or some such like thing After they had made very much of vs they shewed vs their Paracoussy that is to say their king and gouernour to whom I presented certaine toyes wherewith he was wel pleased And for mine own part I praise God continually for the great loue which I haue found in these Sauages which were sory for nothing but that the night approched and made vs retire vnto our shippes For though they endeuoured by all meanes to make vs tarry with them and that they shewed by signes the desire they had to present vs with some rare things yet neuerthelesse for many iust and reasonable occasions I would not stay on shore all night but excusing my selfe for al their offers I embarked my selfe againe and returned toward my ships Howbeit before my departure I named this riuer the riuer of Dolphines because that at mine arriuall I sawe there a greate number of dolphines which were playing in the mouth thereof The next day the three and twentieth of this moneth because that toward the South I had not found any coÌ„modious place for vs to inhabite and to build a fort I gaue commaundement to weigh anker and to hoyse our sayles to sayle towarde the riuer of Maye where we arriued two dayes after and cast anker afterwarde going on land with some number of Gentlemen and Souldiers to knowe for a certaintie the singularities of this place wee espyed the Paracoussy of the countrey which came towards vs this was y â— very same y we saw in the voiage of Captaine Iohu Ribault which hauing espied vs cried very farre of Antipola Antipola and being so ioyful that he could not containe himselfe he came to meet vs accompanied then with two of his sonnes as faire mighty persons as might be found in all the world which had nothing in their mouthes but this word Amy Amy that is to say friend friend yea and knowing those which were there in the first voyage they went principally to them to vse this speech vnto them There was in their trayne a great number of men and women which still made very much of vs and by euident signes made vs to vnderstand how glad they were of our ariual This good entertainment past y e Paracoussy prayed me to go to see the piller which we had erected in the voyage of Iohn Ribault as we haue declared heretofore as a thing which they made great account of Hauing yeelded vnto him and being come to the place where it
against the Frenchmen which they followed by the space of thrée leages and recouered their owne ships the brigantine which escaped away passed in the sight of the Cape des Aigrettes and the Cape of S. Anthonie situate in the Isle of Cuba from thence passed within the sight of Hauana But Trenchant their Pilot and the trompetter and certayne other mariners of this brigantine which were led away by force in this voyage as else where wee haue declared desired nothing more then to returne to me wherefore the so men agréed together if peraduenture the â—iâ—â— serued them well to passe the chanell of Bahama while their seditious companions were a sléepe which they did accomplish with such good successe that in the morning toward the breake of the day about the fiue and twentith of March they arriued vpon the cost of Florida where knowing the fault which they had committed in a kinde of mockerie they counterfaited the iudges But they played not this prancke vntill they had tippled well of the wine which remayned yet in their prise One counterfayted the iudge an other presented my person one other after he had hearde the matter pleaded coucluded thus make you your causes as good as it pleaseth you but if when you come to the fort Caroline the Captayne cause you not to bée hanged I wil neuer take him for an honest man others thought that my choler being passed I woulde easily forget this matter Their saile was no sooner descried vpon our coast but the king of the place named Patica dwelling eight leagues distant from our fort and being one of our good friends sent an Indian to aduertise me that he had descried a shippe vpon the coast and that hee thought it was one of our Nation Herevppon the Brigantine oppressed with famine came to an ancre at the mouth of the riuer of May when at the first blush wee thought they had beene shippes come from France which gaue vs occasion of great ioy But after I had caused her to bee better viewed I was aduertised that they were our seditious companious that were returned Therefore I sent them word by Captaine Vasseur and my Sergeant that they should bring vp their Brigantine before the fortresse which they promised to doe Now there was not aboue two leagues distance from the mouth of the riuer where they cast ancre vnto the fortresse The next daie I sent the same Captaine and Sergeant with thirtie souldiours because I saw they much delaied their comming Then they brought them and because certaine of them had sworne at their departure that they would neuer come againe within the fort I was wel pleased they should kéepe their oath For this purpose I waited for them at the riuers mouth where I made my barkes to be built and commanded my Sergeant to bring the foure chiefe authours of the mutinie on shore Whom I caused unmediately to be put in fetters for my meaning was not to punish the rest considering that they were suborned and because my counsell expressely assembled for this purpose had concluded that these foure onely shoulde die to serue for an example to the rest In the same place I made an Oration vnto them in this maner My friendes you knowe the cause why our king sent vnto this countrie you knowe that hee is our naturall Prince whome wee are bounde to obey according to the commandement of God in such sorte that wee ought neither to spare our goods nor liues to doe those thinges that concerne his seruice yee knowe or at least you can not be ignorant that besides this generall and naturall obligation you haue this also ioyned thereunto that in receyuing of him reasonable paye and wages you are bounde to followe those whome hee hath established ouer you to bee your gouernors and to commaunde you in his name hauing for this purpose giuen him an othe of fidelitie which you cannot by any meanes reuoke for any faire apparence which you haue to doe the contrarie for this is reason that seeing you liue vppon his charges on this condition this is reason I saye that you shoulde bee faithfull vnto him Notwithstanding you haue had more regarde vnto your vnbridled affections then vnto vertue which inuited you to the obseruance of your othe in such sort that being become contemners of all honestie you haue passed your bonds and thought that all things were lawful for you Whereupon it is fallen out that while you thought to escape the iustice of men you coulde not auoide the iudgement of God which as a thing by no meanes to bee auoided hath ledde you and in spite of you hath made you to arriue in this place to make you to confesse how true his iudgementes are and that he neuer suffreth so foule a fault to escape vnpunished After that I had vsed vnto theÌ„ these or the like speaches following that which wee had agreed vppon in counsaile in respect of the crimes which they had committed aswell against the kinges Maiestie as against mée which was their Captaine I commaunded that they shoulde bee hanged Seeing therefore that there was no starting hole nor meanes at all to saue themselues from this arrest they tooke themselues vnto their praiers Yet one of the foure thinking to rayse a mutinie among my soldiers sayd thus vnto them What brethren companions will you suffer vs to die so shamefully And taking the word out of his mouth I said vnto him that they were not companioÌ„s of authors of sedition rebels vnto the kings seruice Hereupon the soldiers besought me not to hang theÌ„ but rather let them be shot through and then afterward if I thought good their bodies might be hanged vpon certaine gibbets along the Hauens mouth which I caused presently to bee put in execution Loe heere what was the and of my mutinous soldiers without which I had alwaies liued peaceably and enioyed the good desire which I had to make an happie and quiet voyage But because I haue spoken of nothing but their accidentes and aduentures which happened vnto them after their departure without making any mention of our fort I will returne to the matters from which I digressed to declare that which fell out after their departure First I began to consider to the ende I might confirme and make my selfe more constant in mine affliction that these murmurours coulde not ground their sedition vpon want of victualls For from the time of our arriuall euery soldier daily vnto this day and besides vntil the eight and twentith of February had a loaf of bread weighing two and twenty ounces Againe I recounted with my selfe that all newe conquests by sea or by land are ordinarily troubled with rebellions which are easie to be raised aswel in respect of the distance of place as in respect of the hope that the souldiers haue to make their profite as we may bee well informed both by auncient
lake of freshwater named Sarrope about fiue leagues in bignesse abounding with many sortes of fruites specially in Dates which growe on the palme trées whereof they make a wonderfull traficke yet not so great as a kinde of roote whereof they make a kinde of meale so good to make bread of that it is vnpossible to eate better and that for fifteene leagues about all the countrie is fed therewith Which is the cause that the inhabitantes of the Isle gaine of their neighbours great wealth and profite for they will not depart with this roote without they he well payed for it besides that they are taken for the most warrelike men of all that countrie as they made good proofe when the king of Calos hauing made alliance with Oathcaqua was depriued of Oathcaquaes daughter which hee had promised to him in marriage Hee tolde mee the whole matter in this sorte As Oathcaqua well accompanied with his people carried one of his daughters excéeding beawtifull according to the coulour of the countrey vnto king Calos to giue her vnto him for his wife the inhabitantes of his Isle aduertised of the matter layde an ambush for him in a place where hee should passe and so behaued themselues that Oathcaqua was discomfited the betrothed young spouse taken and all the Damoselles that accompanied her which they carried vnto their Isle which thing in all the Indians countrey they esteeme to be the greatest victorie for afterwarde they marrie these virgins and loue them aboue all measure The Spaniarde that made this relation tolde me that after this defeite he went to dwell with Oathcaqua and had béene with him full eight yeares euen vntil the time that hee was sent vnto mee The place of Calos is situate vppon a riuer which is beyond the Cape of Florida fortie or fiftie leagues towardes the Southwest and the dwelling of Oathcaqua is on this side the Cape towarde the North in a place which we call in the Carte Caignaueral which is in eight and twentie degrées About the fiue and twenteth of Ianuarie Paracoussy Satourioüa my neighbour sent me certayne presentes by two of his subiectes to perswade me to ioyne with him and to make warre vppon Ouae Vtina which was my friende and farther besought mee to retyre certayne of my men which were with Vtina for whome if it had not béene hee had oftentimes set vppon him and defeited him he besought me herein by diuers other kinges his allies which for thrée weekes or a monethes space sent messengers vnto mee to this ende and purpose But I woulde not graunt vnto them that they should make warre vppon him yea rather contrariwise I endeuoured to make them friendes wherein they condiscended vnto mee so farre foorth that they were content to allowe of any thing that I would set downe whereupon the two Spaniardes which of long time knew well the nature of the Indians warned me that in any case I should not trust vnto them because that when they shewed good countenance and the best chéere vnto men then was the time that they woulde surprise and betraye them and that of their nature they were the greatest traitours and most deepe dissemblers of the worlde Besides I neuer trusted them but vpon good ground as one that had discouered a thousand of their craftes and subtilties aswel by experience as by reading of the histories of late yeares Our two barkes were not so soone finished but I sent Captayne Vasseur to disconer a long the coste lying towarde the Northe and commaunded him to saile vnto a riuer the king wherof was called Audusta which was lord of that place where those of the yeare 1562. inhabites I sent him twoe sutes of apparel with certaine hachats kniues and other smale trifles the better to insinuate my selfe into his friendshippe And the better to win him I sent in the barke with captaine Vasseur a soldier called Aimon which was one of them which returned home in the firste voyage hoping that king Audusta might remember him But before they were embarked I commanded them to make inquirie what was become of another called Rouffi which remained alone in those parts when Nicolas Masson and those of the firste voyage embarked themselues to returne into France They vnderstood at their arriual there that a barke passing that waye had caried awaye the same soldier And afterward I knew for a certaintie that they were Spaniardes which had carried him to Hauana The kinge Audusta sent mee backe my barke ful of mill with a certaine quantitie of beanes twoe stages some skins painted after theire maner and certaine pearles of small value because they were burnt and sent me worde that if I woulde dwel in his quarters he woulde geue me a greate countrye and that after hee had gathered his mil he would spare me as much as I would haue In the meane while there came vnto our forte a flocke of stocke voues in so greate nomber and that for the space of seuen weekes together that euery daye wee killed with hargubuse shot twoe hundred in the woods aboute our forte After that captaine Vasseur was returned I caused the two barkes to be furnished againe with soldiers and mariners and sent them to carrie a present from mee vnto the widow of king Hioacaia whose dwelling was distante from our forte about twelue leages northward Shee curteously receaued our men sent me backe my barks full of mil and acorns with certaine baskets full of the leaues of Cassine where with they make their drinke And the place where this widowe dwelleth is the most plentiful of mil that is in all the coaste and the moste pleasant It is thought that the queene is the most beautiful of al the Indians and of whome they make most accompt yea and her subiects honour her so much that almost continualy they beare her on their shoulders and wil not suffer her to go on foote With in a few daies after the return of my barks she sent to visit me by her Hiatiqui which is as much to saye as her interpreter Nowe while I thought I was furnished with victuals vntill the time that our shippes might come out of France for feare of keeping my people idle I sent my two barkes to discouer along the riuer and vp toward the head thereof which went so farre vp that they were thirtie leagues good beyonde a place named Mathiaqua and there they discouered the entrance of a lake vpō the oneside whereof no land can bee seene according to the reporte of the Indians which had oftentimes climed on the hiest trees in the country to see land and notwithstanding could not discerne any which was the cause that my men went no further but returned backe and in comminge home went to see the Ilande of Edelano situated in the midst of the riuer as faire a place as any that may be seene through the world For in the
calling the Forte by the name of Charles Forte and the Riuer by the name of Chenonceau The next day wee determined to depart from this place being as well contented as was possible that wee had so happily ended our businesse with good hope if occasion would permitte to discouer perfectely the Riuer of Iordan For this cause we hoysed our sayles about ten of the clocke in the morning after wee were ready to depart Captaine Ribault commaunded to shoote of our Ordinance to giue a farewell vnto our Frenchmen which fayled not to doe the like on their parte This being done wee sayled towarde the North and then wee named this Riuer Porte Royall because of the largenesse excellent fayrenesse of the same After that wee had sayled about fifteene leagues from thence wee espied a Riuer wherevppon we sent our Piunesse thether to discouer it At their returne they brought vs word that they found not past halfe a fathome water in the mouth thereof Which when wee vnderstood without dooing any thinge else wee continued our way and called it the Base or Shallowe Riuer As wee still went on sounding we founde not past fiue or sixe fathome water although wee were sixe good leagues from the Shore at length wee found not past three fathoms which gaue vs occasion greatly to muse And without making any farther way we stroke our sayles partely because wee wanted water and partly because the night approched during which time Captayne Iohn Ribault bethought with himselfe whether it were best for him to passe any farther because of the eminent daungers which euery houre wee sawe before our eyes or whether hee should content himselfe with that which hee had certaynely discouered and also left men to inhabite the Countrey Being not able for that time to resolue with himselfe he referred it ouer vntill the next day The morning being come he proposed to all the company what was best to bee done to the end that with good aduisement euery man might deliuer his opinion Some made aunsweare that according to their iudgement hee had occasion fully to content himselfe considering that hee cold doe no more laying before his eyes that he had discouered more in sixe weekes then the Spaniardes had done in two yeeres in the conquestes of their new Spaine and that he should doe the king very great seruice if he did bring him newes in so short a time of his happie discouerie Other shewed vnto him the losse spoyle of his victualles and on the other side the inconuenience that might happen by the shallow water that they found continually along the cost which things being well and at large debated we resolued to leaue the cost forsaking the North to take our way toward the Easte which is the right way and course for our Fraunce where we happily arived the twenteth day of Iuly the yeere a thousand fiue hundred sixtie and one The state and condition of those which were left behinde in Charles Forte OUr men after our departure neuer rested but night and day did fortifie themselues being in good hope that after their fort was finished they would beginne to discouer farther vp within the Riuer It happened one day as certayne of them were in cutting of rootes in the Coppises that they espyed on the sodayne an Indian that huâ—ted the Deere which finding himselfe so neere vpon them was much dismayed but our men began to draw neere vnto him and to vse him so courteously that he became assured and followed them to Charles Fort where euery man sought to do him pleasure Captayne Albert was very ioyfull of his comming which after he had giuen him a shert and some other trifles hee asked him of his dwelliug the Indian answered him that it was farther vp within the Riuer and that he was vassel of king Audusta he also shewed him with his hand the limites of his habitation After much other talke the Indian desired leaue to departe because it drewe toward night which Captayne Albert graunted him very willingly Certayne dayes after the Captayne determined to sayle toward Audusta where being ariued by reason of the honest intertaynment which he had giuen to the Indian he was so courteously receiued that the king talked with him of nothing else but of the desire which he had to become his friend giuing him besides to vnderstand that he being his friend and allie he should haue the amitie of foure other kings which in might and authoritie were able to doe much for his sake Besides all this in his necessitie they might be able to succour him with victualles One of these kings was called Mayon another Hoya the third Touppa and the fourth Stalame He tolde him moreouer that they woulde bee very glad when they shoulde vnderstand the newes of his comming and therefore he prayed him to vouchsafe to visit them The Captayne willingly consented vnto him for the desire that he had to purchase friendes in that place Therefore they departed the next day very early in the morning and first ariued at the house of king Touppa and afterward went vnto the other kings houses except the house of king Stalame He receiued of eche of them all the amiable curtesies that might be they shewed themselues to be as affectioned friendes vnto him as was possible and offered vnto him a thousand small presents After that he had remained by the space of certayne dayes with these strange kinges he determined to take his leaue and being come back to the house of Audusta he coÌ„maunded al his men to goe abord of their Pinnesse for he was minded to goe toward the countries of king Stalame which dwelt towarde the North the distance of fifteene great leagues from Charles Fort. Therefore as they sayled vp the riuer they entred into a great Courrant which they followed so far till they came at the last to the house of Stalame which brought him into his lodging where he sought to make them the best cheere he colde deuise He presented immediately vnto Captayne Albert his bow arrowes which is a signe and confirmation of aliance betweene them He presented him also with Chamoys skins The Captaine seing the best parte of the day was nowe past tooke his leaue of king Stalame to returne to Charles Fort where hee ariued the day following By this time the friendship was growne so great between our men king Audusta that in a maner all things were commen betweene him them in such sorte that this good Indian king did nothing of importance but he called our men thereunto For when the time drew neere of the celebrating their feastes of Toya which are ceremonies most strange to recite hee sent Ambassadours vnto our menne to request them on his behalfe to be there present Whereunto they agreed most willingly for the desire that they had to vnderstand what this might be They embarked themselues therefore and sayled
motion that it was better that one man onely should dye then that so many men should perish they agreed therefore that one should dye to sustaine the others Which thinge was executed in the person of La Chere of whom we haue spoken heretofore whose fleshe was deuided equally amongst his fellowes a thing so pitifull to recite that my pen is loth to write it After so long time and tedious trauels God of his goodnesse vsing his accustomed fauour changed their sorrow into ioy and shewed vnto them the sight of lande Whereof they were so exceeding glad y â— the pleasure caused theÌ„ to remayne a long time as men without sense whereby they let the Pinnesse flote this and that way without holding any right way or course But a smal English barke boarded y â— vessel in which there was a Frenchman which had been in the first voyage into Florida who easily knewe them and spake vnto them afterward gaue them meat and drink Incontinently they recouered their naturall courages declared vnto him at large al their nauigation The English men consulted a long while what were best to be done and in fine they resolued to put on land those that were most feeble and to carry the rest vnto the Queene of Englande which purposed at that time to sende into Florida Thus you see in briefe that which happened vnto them which Captaine Iohn Ribault had left in Florida And nowe will I goe forwarde with the discourse of mine owne voyage The ende of the first voyage of Iohn Ribault into Florida ¶ The second voyage vnto Florida made and written by Captaine Laudonniere which fortified and inhabited there two Sommers and one whole VVinter AFter our arriuall at Diepe at our comming home from our first voyage which was the twentieth of Iuly a thousand fiue hundred sixtie and one wee found the ciuill warres begun which was in parte the cause why our men were not succoured as Captaine Iohn Ribault had promised them whereof it followed that Captaine Albert was killed by his souldiers the couÌ„trey abaÌ„doned as heretofore we haue sufficieÌ„tly discoursed as it may more at large bee vnderstood by those men which were there in person After the peace was made in Fraunce my Lord Admiral de Chastillon shewed vnto the king that he heard no newes at all of y â— men which Captaine Iohn Ribault had left in Florida that it were pity to suffer them to perish In which respect the king was content he should cause three ships to be furnished y â— one of sixe score tuns the other of a 100. and the third of 60. to seeke them out and to succour them My Lorde Admirall therefore being well informed of the faithful seruice which I had done aswel vnto his maiesty as to his predecessors kings of FrauÌ„ce aduertised the king how able I was to do him seruice in this voyage which was the cause that he made me chief captain ouer these 3 ships charged me to depart w t diligence to perform his coÌ„mandement which for mine own part I would not gainsay but rather thinking my self happy to haue beene choseÌ„ out amoÌ„g such an infinit number of others which in my iudgment were very wel able to haue quited theÌ„selues in this charge I embarked my self at new haueÌ„ the 22. of April 1564. sayled so y â— we fel neere vnto the coast of England And then I turned towards the South to sayle directly to the fortunate Ilands at this present called the Canaries one of which called the Ile Sauage because as I thinke it is altogether without inhabitantes was the first that our shippes passed Sayling therefore on forwarde wee landed the next day in the Isle of Teneriffe otherwise called the Pike because that in the middest thereof there is an exceeding high mouÌ„taine neere as high as that of Etna which riseth vp right like a pike into the top wherof no man can go vp but from the middest of May vntill the middest of August by reason of the ouer great colde which is there all the rest of the yeere which is a woonderfull strange thing considering that it is not past seuen and twentie degrees and a halfe distaunt from the Equator We sawe it all couered ouer with snowe although it were then but the fifte of May. The inhabitantes in this Isle being heretofore pursued by the Spaniardes retired themselues into this mountaine where for a space they made warre with them and woulde not submit themselues vnto their obedience neither by foule nor faire meanes they disdayned so much y â— losse of their Iland For those which went thither on the Spaniards behalfe left their carkases there so that not so much as one of them returned home to bring newes NotwithstaÌ„ding in the end the inhabitants not able to liue in that place according to their nature or for want of suche thinges as were necessarie for the commoditie of their liuelihoode did all die there After I had furnished my selfe with some freshe water very good and excellent which sprang out of a rocke at the foâ—t of this mountayne I continued my course towarde the West wherein the windes fauoured me so well that fifteene dayes after our shippes arriued safe and sounde at the Antilles and going on land at the Isle of Martinica one of the first of them the next day wee arriued at Dominica twelue leagues distant from the former Dominica is one of the fairest Ilandes of the West full of hilles and of very good smell Whose singularities desiring to know as we passed by seeking also to refresh our selues w t fresh water I made y â— mariners cast anker after we had sayled about half along y â— cost therof As soone as wee had cast Anker two Indians inhabitantes of that place sayled toward vs in two Canoaes full of a fruit of great excellencie which they call Ananas As they approched vnto our barke there was one of them which being in some misdoubt of vs went backe againe on land and fled his way with as much speede as he could possibly Which our men perceiued and entred with diligence into the other Canoa wherein they caught the poore Indian brought him vnto me But the poore fellow became so astonied in beholding vs that he knew not which way to behaue himselfe because that as afterward I vnderstood hee feared that he was fallen into the Spaniard hands of whom he had beene taken once before and which as he shewed vs had cut of his stones At length this poore Indian was assured of vs and discoursed vnto vs of many things wherof we receaued very smal pleasure because we vnderderstood not his mind but by his signes TheÌ„ he desired me to giue him leaue to depart promised me y â— he would bring me a thousaÌ„d presents whereunto I agreed on condition that hee would haue patience vntill the next day when I
asmuch to say in their language as his Magician whether it were best to goe any farther Then this Magician made certaine signes hidious and fearefull to beholde and vsed certaine wordes which being ended he sayd vnto his king that it was not best to passe any farther that Potanou accompanied with two thousand Indians at the least staied in such and such a place for him to byd him battaile and besides this that all the sayd Indians were furnished with coards to binde the prisoners which they made full accompt to take This relation caused Vtina to be vnwilling to passe any farther Whereupon my Lieuetenant being as angry as euer he might be because he had taken so great paines without doing any thing of accompt sayd vnto him that he would neuer thinke well of him nor of his people if he would not hazard himselfe and that if he would not doe it at the least that he would giue him a guide to conduct him and his small companye to the place where the enimies were encamped Hereupon Vtina was ashamed and seeing the good affection on of Mountieur de Ottigny determined to goe forward And he failed not to find his enimies in the very place which the Magician had named where the skirmish began which lasted three long houres wherein without doubt Vtina had beene defeated vnlesse our harquebusiers had not borne the burthen brunt of all the battaile and slaine a great number of the souldiers of Potanou vpon which occasion they were put to flight Wherewithall Vtina being content for the present caused his people to retire returne homewarde to the great discontentment of Mounsieur de Ottigny which desired nothing more then to pursue his victorie After he was come home to his house he sent messagers to eighteen or twenty villages of other kings his vassals and summoned them to be present at the feasts and dances which he purposed to celebrate because of his victorie In the meane while Mounsieur de Ottigny refreshed himselfe for two daies and then taking his leaue of the Paracoussi and leauing him twelue of his men to see that Potanou bethinking himselfe of his late losse should not come to burne the houses of Vtina hee set forward on his way to come vnto me vnto our fort where he vp and told me howe euery thing had passed and withall that hee had promised the twelue souldiers that hee woulde come backe againe to fetch them Then the kinges my neighbours all enemies to Vtina being aduertised of the returne of my Lieuetenaunt came to visite me with presents and to enquire how things had passed praying mee all to receiue them into my fauour and to become enimy to Vtina which notwithstanding I would not graunt them for many reasons that moued mee The Indians are wont to leaue their houses and to retire themselues into the woods the space of three moneths to witte Ianuary February March during which time by no meanes a man can see one Indian For when they goe on hunting they make little cottages in the woodes whereunto they retire themselues liuing vpon that which they take in hunting This was the cause that during this time we could get no victuals by their meanes and had it not beene that I had made good prouision thereof while my men had store vntill the ende of Aprill which was the time when at the vttermost we hoped to haue had succour out of France I should haue beene greatly amazed This hope was the cause that the souldiers tooke no great care to look well vnto their victuals although I deuided equally among theÌ„ that which I could get abroad in the countrey without reseruing vnto my selfe any more then the least souldyer of all the company The moneth of May approching and no manner of succour commen out of France we fell into extreame want of victuals constrained to eate the rootes of the earth and certaine sorrell which we found in the fieldes For although the sauages were retourned by this time vnto their villages yet they succoured vs with nothing but certaine fish without which assuredly wee had perished with famine Besides they had giuen vs before the greatest part of their maiz and of their beanes for our marchandise This famine held vs from the beginning of May vntill the middest of Iune During which time the poore souldyers and handycraftesmen become as féeble as might be and beeing not able to worke did nothing but goe one after another in centinel vnto the clift of an hill scituate very néere vnto the fort to sée if they might discouer any French shippe In fine beeing frustrated of their hope they assembled altogether and came to beséech me to take some order that they might returne into France considering that if we let passe the season to embarke our selues we were neuer like to sée our countrie where it coulde not bee chosen but that some troubles were fallen out séeing they had broken their promise made vnto vs and that no succour was come from thence Thervpon it was consulted and resolued by all the companye that the barke Breton should be trimmed vp whereof Captaine Vasseur had charge But because the shippe was not bigge inough to receaue vs all some thought good to builde the Brigantine two deckes higher which our mutinous soldyers had brought backe and that 25. men should hazard themselues to passe therein into France The rest being better aduised said that it shoulde be farre better to builde a faire shippe vpon the kéele of the galiote which I had caused to be made promising to labour couragiously there vpon Then I enquired of my shipwrights to know in what space they coulde make this shippe readie They assured the whole company that being furnished with all things necessarie they would make it ready by the eighth of August Immediately I disposed of the time to wâ—rke vppon it I gaue charge to Mounsieur de Ottigny my Lieuetenant to cause tymber necessarye for the finishing of both the vessels to bee brought and to Mounsieur de Arlac my standart bearer to goe with a barke a league of from the fort to cut downe trees fit to make planckes and to cause the sawiers which he carried with him to saw them and to my Sergeaunt of the companye to cause fiftéene or sixtéene men to labour in making coales and to Master Hance keeper of the artillery and to the gunner to gather store of rosen to braye the vessels wherein he vsed such diligence that in lesse then three wéekes he gathered two hogsheads of the same together There remained now but the principal which was to recouer victuals to sustaine vs while our worke endured which I vndertooke to do with the rest of my company and the Mariners of the shippe To this end I embarked my selfe making vp y â— thirtieth in my great barke to make a voyage of fortie or fiftie leagues hauing with vs no prouision at all
him as farre as Blay but he was gotten already to Bordeaux to make him yeelde another account of his voyage then that where with he made many Frenchmen right glad The Catholicke king being afterwarde infourmed that Gourgues coulde not easilye be taken offered a great somme of money to him that coulde bringe him his heade praying moreouer king Charles to do iustice on him as of the authour of so bloudye an art contrarye to their alliaunce and good leage of friendshippe In so much as comming to Paris to present himselfe vnto the king to signifie vnto him the successe of his voyage and the meanes which he had to subdue this whole country vnto his obedience wherein hee offered to employe his life and all his goods he found his entertainement and aunswere so contrarye to his expectation that in fine hee was constrained to hide himselfe a long space in the Court of Roan about the yeare 1570. And without the assistaunce of President Marigny in whose house hee remained certaine daies and of the receiuer of Vacquieulx which alwaies was his faithfull friende hee had beene in great daunger Which grieued not a little Dominicke de Gourgues considering the seruices which hee had done aswell vnto him as to his predecessours kinges of Fraunce Hee was borne in Mount Marsan in Guyenne and employed for the seruice of the most Christian kinges in all the armies made since these twentye fiue or thirtie yeares at last hee had the charge and honour of a Captaine which in a place neere vnto Siene with thirty Souldyers sustained the brunt of a part of the Spanish Army by which beeing taken in the assault and hauing all his men cutte in pieces hee was put into a galcy in token of the good warre and singular fauour which the Spaniarde is wont to shewe vs. But as the galey was going toward Sicillie beeing taken by the Turkes ledde away to Rhodes and thence to Constantinople it was shortly afterwarde recouered by Romeguas commaunder ouer the army of Malta By this meane returning home he made a voyage on the coast of Affrica whence hee tooke his course to Bresil and to the south Sea At length being desirous to repaire the honour of Fraunce he sette vpon Florida with such successe as you haue heard So that being become by his continuall warlike actions both by land and Sea no lesse valiant Captaine then skilfull Mariner hee hath made himselfe feared of the Spaniard and acceptable vnto the Queéne of England for the desert of his vertues To conclude he died in the yeare 1582. to the great grief of such as knew him FINIS A Table of the principall thinges that are contained in this historie after the order of the Alphabet The letter B. alwayes signifieth the second page A Accusations against Laudonniere 55. b Aduantage wisely taken 50 Aelâ—us Pertinax desceÌ„ding from base parentage became Emperour of Rome 9. b Aequara a king â—6 Agathocles a potters sonne became king of Sicilie 10 Albert left Captain of Charles-fort Ribaults speach vnto him 10. b He is slame by his owne souldiers the causes why 15. b Alcibiades banished by backbiters 52. b An allie of fourehundred pases long 48 Allimacani a king 30. b and 53. b America vnknowne to all antiquity 1. the three generall parts thereof ibidem Americus Vespucius of whom America tooke the name ibidem Anacharaqua a king 26 Ananas a fruite of Great excellency 18. b Appalassy Mountaines rich in mynes of gold 2. b. 40. b. and 54. b Assemblies of the Floridians 3 Astina a king rebelleth against Vtina 43. b Athore the sonne of satourioua 29. b A village of that name 46 Audusta a king 11. b. his great humaitie 39. b Aygles in Florida 22 B Backbiting dangerous 52. b Bahama chanel 35. b Baracou a village in the Isle of Iamaica 35 Base a ryuer fifteen leagues Northward of port Royal. 11 Bay trees of soueraigne odour 22 Beanes very good 3. b Bristowe 59. b Bullets of siluer 23 Burâ—all of kinges with the manner and strange ceremonies thereof 3. b Buriall of Priests ibidem Burying of goodes with the dead and the cause why the Floridians doe so 63 C Cadecha a king 26 Caignaueral in 28. degrees 39 Calany a king 26. Calos a village and a king 38. his great riches ibidem the situation of that village 39 Cape Fransois 4. b Cape â—userne and why so called 7 Cape Tiburon 35 Cape saint Anthonie 60 Charles-Fort built in port Royal by Râ—bault 10. b. set on fire by casualtie 14. reedified in twelue houres 14. b. abandoned 16 Caroline the French fort built by Laudonniere in forme of a triangle in the riuer of May. 24. b. beaten down by the French 49. repaired by the French 56. b surprised and taken by the spaniardes 57. b Cassauâ— a roote whereof bread is made 35 Cassine a drinke made of leaues the excellencie thereof none may drinke of it but such as haue made proofe of their valure in warre 3. b Casti a king killed two Frenchmen 46. and 53. b Causes why the French lost Florida 49. b and 59. b Cedars 22 Ceremonies vsed by the Floridians before they goe to warre 28. b Ceremonies to call to minde the death of their auncestours slaine by their enemies 27. b Chamoys skins 7. and 12 Childy a king 26. a place 40 Chiquola or Chicora a king of great stature 8. b Chiquola a faire and rich Citie Northwarde of port Royal. 8. b Christopher Cholon or Columb 1 Complaintes of the sauages against the spamardes 60. b Consultations of the Floridians 3. 28. b Consultation of the French where it were best to plant 23 Cordage for tackle found in Florida 16 Corne ripe in three moneths 3. b Corne equally diuided according to each mans qualitie 4 Couexis a great king 13 Coya a village 40 Cristal and the place where it groweth in great quantitie 15 Crocodiles exceeding those of Nilus 14. b Curtesie of the Floridians 21 Cypresses of great heighth 14. b D Desire of reuenge rooted in the sauages 47 Diligence of the Mariners to saue the French that escaped out of the Fort. 58 Diseases the maner of curing thereof 4 Dominica an Iland and the commendation thereof 18. b Dominicke Gourgues and his commendation 64 Dressing of fish and flesh ouer the smoake called Boucaning 4 E Eclauou a king 26 Edeland a rich and goodly Iland 40. 45. b Election of a new king 44. b Emoloa a village 49. Emoloa or Homoloa a king 53. b. 55 b Enacappe a king 26. Enecaque a village 4â— b Enegaupe a village 4â— English men succour the French in extreame famine 16. b Enimies taken in warre how vsed by the Floridians 26. b. 44. b Epitaphes sette vp ouer the French and Spaniards hanged in Florida 63. b Esquine a drugge excellent against the French pockes 22. and 45 Execution of foure mutinous souldters 37 F False reports of Loudonniere 52. b Famine in great extrenutie 16.
mulberies white and redde Great store of silkewormes The riuer of May. The riuer of Seine The Riuer of Somme The Riuer of Loyre The Riuers of Cherente Garonne Gironde Belle Grande The riuer Belle a veoir The Riuer of Port Royall in 32 degrees of latitude Turkey cockes Partridges gray redde Fish in abundance The Riuer 3. leagues at the mouth A passage by a riuer into the South Sea Store of rare simples Ribault sayleth 12. leagues vp the riuer Lucerne cape Chamoyes Perles Store of perles and siluer A Pillour of free stone wherein the armes of FrauÌ„ce were grauen set vp in an Iland in the riuer of Port Royal. The Riuer of Liborne The Ile of Ceders Two Indians taken away The dolefull songs of the Indians The Indians eat not before the sun be set Laudonniers putting downe in writing the wordes and phrases of the IndiaÌ„s speech The feast of Toya Chiquola or Chiquora a king of greate stature The first proof that Chiquola should be a very faire citie Gold siluer pearles in aboundance The rich citie of king Chiquola is toward the North of â—ort royall This history is recorded in the second third chapters of the seuenth Decade of Petâ—r Martyr The second proofe The third proofe The 2. Indians escape away The benefit of planting The oration of Ioh. Ribault to his companie Aelius Pertinax descending from base pareÌ„tage became Emperor of Rome Agathocles a potters sonne became king of Sicilie Rusten Bassha of an heardmans sonne through his valure became the great Turkes sonne in lawe The â—â—â—â—diers auâ—â—â—â—re to Ribaâ—ts Orations The length bredth of the Forte taken by Laudonnier Captayne Salles A Fort builte in port Roy all by Ribault Rabaults speech to Captayne Albert. His speeche to the souldiers The foresaid Fort was called Charles Fort. Port Royal. The Riuer Base 15. legueâ— Northward of Port Royal Their ariual in Fraunce 1561. the 20. of Iuly King Audusta Note Mayon Hoya Touppa Stalame The Countrey of king Stalame 15. leagues Northward of Charles Fort. Chamoys skins The feast of Toya largely described The Indians trimming of themselues with rich fethers Iawas are their Priests Maigicians Phisitions Inuocations of the Iawas or Pristes vnto Toya Their victuals fayle them The Indians maner of liuing in the Winter time of Mast and rootes King Couexis mightie and reuowmed King Ouade King Maccou Ouades countrey in the riuer Belle. Tapistrie of feathers White couerlets edged with red fringe The liberalitie of king Ouade Ouades countrie 25. leagues Southward froÌ„ Charlesfort The fort set on fire by casualtie The fort reedified by the Sauages in the space of 12 houres Crocodiles Cypresses Their second iourney to the countrey of Ouadé Exceeding faire pearles fine Christall siluer oare The place where christal groweth in very good quantity ten dayes iourney from the riuer Belle. Note Mutinye against the captaine and the causes therof Captaine Albert slaine by his owne souldiers Nicolas Barré chosen Captaine A new BrigaÌ„tine built in Florida Rosen to bray ships Mosse to calke ships Cordage for tackle They put to the sea without sufficient victuals Their victuals vtterly consumed They drinke their vrine for want of fresh water Extreeme famine The French succoured by an English Barke It seemeth he meaneth the â— voyage intended by Stukley The ciuil wars the cause why the FrenchmeÌ„ were not supplied which were left behinde in their first voyage Laudonniers second voyage to Florida with 3. ships the 22. of April 1564. The Ile of Teneriffe or the Pike The Isle of Martinica Dominica an Iland Ananas a fruite of great excellencie His ariuall in Florida the 22 of Iune 1564. Cape François being betweene the riuer of Dolphins and the riuer of May maketh the distance thirty leagues about which is but ten leagues ouer land The great loue curtesie of the Floridians The riuer of Dolphins called Seloy by the Sauages Iune 23. Their arriuall at the riuer of May the 22 of Iune The piller set vp before by Ribault crowned with garlands of Laurell and inuironed with small paniers full of corne worshiped by the sauages Paracoussy Satourioua A Wedge of siluer Grosleâ— Monsur de Ottigni The curtesie of the Floridians to the French Sauages in Florida of 250. yeeres old Eagles in Florida Ceders Palmes bayes exceeding sweete Esquine drugge excellent against the pocket Syluer certayn dayes iournie vp within the riuer of May. Thimogoua mortal enimies to Satourioua The riuer of Seine The riuer of Some The curtesie of the Paracoussi of the riuer of Some Bullets of siluer Laudonieres consultation with his company where it might be best for them to plant Gold and siluer found at the riuer of May. Iune the 29. The vale of Laudonniere An Hermophrodite They began their planting with prayer to God In Florida they couer their house with palme leaues The forme of the Fort Caroline The West side The South side High building is not good for this countrey Nota. Caroline The first voyage twentie leagues Ten leagues farther Mayrra a king rich in gold siluer The second voyage King molloua Olata Ouae Vtina a great king Fiue or sixe pound weight of siluer Fortie kinges vassals to Vtina King Potanou An exceeding rich place Large plats of golde and filuer Some paint their faces with blacke some withâ—ed King Molona King Malica Tapistry made of small reeds They lappe mosse about their woundes and vse it insteed of napkins A ceremonie to cal to mind the death of their ancesters slaine by their enimies The returne of their ships toward France the 28. of Iuly The ceremonie which they vse before they goe to warre Satourioua followed with fiue huÌ„dred Indians Consultation before they assault their enemies How they vse their enimies which they take in warre King Omoloa The maner of triumphe Athore Excellent Pompions A wonderfull lightning the 29. of August King Sarranay King Allimacany The sauages thinke the lightning to be discharging of the Christians ordinance Laudonnlere vsed the present occasion to his profite A wonderfull heate Fiftie cart lode of fish dead in the riuer with this heat The third viage the tenth of September Mayarqua a place eightie leages vp the riuer of May. King Patanou The Indians maner of war Two hundred Indians A village enclosed with trees Vtina getteth the victorie of Potanou by the helpe of the french Siluer gold and paynted skins La Roquettes conspiracie Mounsur de Geure Gieures message to Laudoniere in the soldiers name His answere A dangerous practise against the captaine and his liuetenant Laudounieres sickenes Laudonniers Apothecarie The master of the fire workes Captaine Bourdet arriued in Florida the fourth of September The fourth voiage the seuenth of Nouember Hostaqua a village A chaine of syluer One of his Barkes stolne away by his mariners The village of Sarrauahi Another of his barkes stolne away by two carpenters One of these mariners named Francis Iean betrayed his ovvne couÌ„trie men to the