GIFT OF 
 JANE K.5ATHER 
 
 IJ 
 
Digitized by the Internet Arciiive 
 
 in 2007 witii funding from 
 
 IVIicrosoft Corporation 
 
 littp://www.archive.org/details/floridahistoricaOOmannricli 
 

 t ^.% * •»■ ir f»\ ic % r.5i iM r-N**! 
 ;i: Ifc-a! fc-^Ji !e,-^l |^-'-- i->-»i .^-i.1 !*-■-%! 
 
 S tory... 
 
 or THE 
 
 4T UGUEN0TS 
 
m'. 
 
Klorlcja Historical Xales. 
 
 I 
 
 AUTHOH'S COITION. 
 
 Story of the Huguenots 
 
 A SIXTEENTH CENTURY NARRATIVE WHEREIN 
 THE FRENCH, SPANIARDS AND INDI- 
 ANS WERE THE ACTORS, 
 
 BY 
 
 K. A. IVTANN. 
 
 Mann & Mann, Publishers, 
 
 St. Augustine, Fla. 
 
 1898. 
 

 H '•-' 
 
 Lo 
 
 COPYRIGHT, 
 
 1898, 
 BY F. A. MANN. 
 
 , • • ••••*•• • 
 
 . ••• 
 
 • • ^« I • r • •• • • . . • 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 This is a simple story of the century in which Flor- 
 ida made its appearance in written history; of other 
 times and manners ; of men whose forms the writer has 
 sought to once more call upon the stage of Life's strange 
 theatre, if only like the ghosts at Macbeth's feast to de- 
 nounce the crimes and cruel statecraft which stained 
 Florida's first historic pages. 
 
 If it be sad and tragic blame not the writer, but those 
 who made the record. Be not too harsh in judgment 
 even upon them ; they were but creatures of their times 
 and circumstances ; waifs of destiny cast by the break- 
 ers of relentless fate upon our shores. 
 
 To the author's Mother, herself a descendant of the 
 Huguenots, this book is dedicated. 
 
 Florian a. Mann. 
 
 Daytona, Fla., May 24th, 1897. 
 
 430770 
 
KLORIDA. 
 
 Neither prose, however deftly written by a master of 
 language ; or poetry full of the subtlest, grandest inspir- 
 ation ; or the art of the painter, however well the artist 
 hand and pencil may respond to ideal conceptions of 
 scenic beauty ; can more than approximate a presenta- 
 tion of Florida to the mind of one who has not wandered 
 in its forests, stood by its sea, lake and river shores, 
 breathed its balmy air and rejoiced in its sunshine. 
 
 On all the surface of this great globe, Florida is 
 unique and matchless in its peculiarities of climate, soil 
 and topography. 
 
 In the latitude of the great African Sahara, washed 
 by the same ocean, the climate and scenery of this 
 peninsular region is at every point the opposite. So with 
 its soil ; its many and varied agricultural productions ; 
 its animal life, indigenous or domesticated; its general 
 surface and configuration. 
 
 More than three centuries ago the first settlement of 
 Europeans was made upon her shores, yet to-day an 
 hour's walk or ride from the boundaries of any of her 
 towns will take one into the primitive wilderness of for- 
 est and savanna, dale, hammock or cypress bay, wherein 
 Ponce de Leon lost himself nearly four hundred years 
 ago. 
 
 Fire swept, war swept, though the land has been 
 again and again, yet nature regains her dominion and 
 erases the traces of attempted conquest. The hordes of 
 
painted savages, the bannered Armies of later days, have 
 melted into the earth and left no lasting traces behind. 
 The lofty pines throw down their fragrant needles in soft 
 carpets over the paths worn by their feet. The flowers 
 and the grasses hide their camping grounds and their 
 graves alike from sight. 
 
 Changeless, yet ever changing and forever beautiful, 
 Florida is still the fair temple of nature as erected at the 
 first, for as yet the hand of man has added or marred 
 but little. 
 
 Still, as in the prehistoric times, the tides lap her 
 silver beaches along more than a thousand miles of 
 shore. Her rivers flow with tranquil currents to every 
 point of the compass untrammeled by man, yet furnish- 
 ing easy channels for his commerce or weirdly beautiful 
 ones for his pleasures. Her great, clear fountains well 
 up from subterranean reservoirs bounteous and exhaust- 
 less as ever. Her thousand lakelets and inland seas flash 
 back like polished silver mirrors the glorious sunshine of 
 continuous summer days or the jewelling stars of nights 
 equally as perfect. So too, as always since known to 
 human beings, wild or half way civilized, the winds of 
 heaven bring to all its parts, inland or coastland, sweet- 
 ness, health and coolness. 
 
 Here no sirocco comes with burning breath to 
 shrivel up flower and leaf, blade of corn or grass. No 
 blizzard comes from polar zones to bind in fetters of icy 
 death. No cyclones tear down her palms and pines, her 
 sturdy, stately oaks and their congeners, mingling 
 uprooted trunks and mangled limbs with wrecks of 
 human fabrics. 
 
 Nor yet as in other lands that would rival this, does 
 nature in a mood of anarchy and chaos, hold aloft the 
 
volcano's torch or rock and cleave the earth with earth- 
 quake horrors. Here she shows her gentlest spirit and 
 bids love reign, in beauty, peace and comfort. 
 
 Here she woos men to come and build their homes, 
 by stream or lake or ocean shore, with the voices of gen- 
 tle waves, the seolian harps of pine forests or the unriv- 
 aled minstrelsy of feathered songsters who surely learned 
 their notes hard by the gates of Eden. 
 
 Vain is the attempt to idealize Florida, as master 
 minds have other lands. She has no ^gean sea, no vale 
 of Tempe, no Parnassus or Olympian heights; no blue 
 tideless Mediterranean, no snow crowned Alps or Appe- 
 nines. Few are her sad stories of human woes and mis- 
 ery, lurid with war and conflagration, brightened with 
 sunbursts of glory and victory, blackened with the 
 despair of ages. 
 
 Yet can she forego all these and still be as fair a land 
 as any under the sun for this is what she is just as God 
 and nature made her. 
 
Historical Notes. 
 
 Ill 1512, Juan Ponce de Leon, Spanish governor of 
 Porto Rico, fitted out three ships at his own expense, for 
 a voyage of discovery. He was an old soldier, brave and 
 skillful in the art of war, but ignorant and credulous*. 
 He was lured to Florida by tales of a miraculous foun- 
 tain of youth somewhere within its borders. 
 
 He sailed from Porto Rico March 13th and on the 6th 
 of April discovered a fair land to which, from the abun- 
 dance of flowers found in its forests and the day upon 
 which he discovered it, Easter Sunday, or as the Span- 
 iards call it Pascua Florida, he gave the name it still 
 bears. It is not certain at what place he first landed but 
 on the 12th of April lie landed in the vicinity where St. 
 Augustine now stands, and taking formal possession of 
 the country for Spain, proceeded to explore its coast. It 
 is needless to say that he failed to find both youth and 
 gold, and that on his second expedition a few years later 
 his little army was broken up in warring with the natives 
 and he himself was mortally wounded. 
 
 The expeditions of Pamphilo de Narvaez in 1528 and 
 Ferdinand de Soto in 1539, the latter of which landed at 
 Tampa, in the end shared the same fate; Narvaez 
 drowning with the bulk of liis followers in the Gulf of 
 Mexico and De Soto dying on the banks of the Mississ- 
 ippi. 
 
 These expeditions were more marauding and plun- 
 
dering expeditiohB than anything .else, resulting in little 
 good except to add to geographical knowledge. 
 
 The first attempt at practical, permanent coloni- 
 zation, was made by Admiral Coligny of France, who 
 ■ Bought to provide a refuge for the French Huguenots in 
 Florida. In 1662 he sent out under Jean Ribault and 
 Rene Laudonniere two vessels with colonists and sup- 
 plies. They first sighted land near Mosquito Inlet and 
 coasting northward discovered the mouth of the St. 
 Johns, wiiich they called the River of May. '' He was 
 met on its shores by many of the native men and women. 
 These received him with gentleness and peace." They 
 made orations to each other which neither understood 
 except their kindly import and exchanged presents. The 
 genial, kindly Frenchmen were greeted everywhere with 
 " grace and gentleness by a goodly people of lively wit 
 and fine stature." 
 
 Sometimes when the Huguenots landed first, the 
 natives fled to their coverts but were soon coaxed back 
 by them and ''persuaded finally to confidence." The 
 native Floridians " brought forward gifts of maize, palm 
 baskets of fruit and flowers and dressed skins of bear 
 and deer." 
 
 Laudonniere speaks of the " odorous flowers, the fish 
 Hwarming in the streams, the game in the forests, the 
 gardens and villages of pleasant, peaceable people." 
 
 However, this expedition made no attempt at coloni- 
 zation within the present limits of Florida. This was 
 not done until 1604, when a settlement was established 
 on the St. Johns near its mouth and left in charge of 
 Laudonniere. The bloody tale of its destruction by 
 Melendez in 1666 is one of the many black pages of Span- 
 ish history. 
 
PART I. 
 
 THE HISTORY OF IT. 
 
Story of the Huguenots. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 FOUNDING OF LA OAROLINE. 
 
 The first expedition of Ribault and Laudonniere in 
 1562 established no colony within the limits of Florida. 
 It however attempted a settlement at Port Royal in 
 South Carolina which was abandoned in 1563, the colo- 
 nists building a rude brigantine in which they attempted 
 to return to France. They nearly perished by famine 
 but were picked up by an English vessel and taken home. 
 
 lu 1564, through the influence of the great Admiral 
 of France, Coligny, a second expedition was fitted out of 
 three ships and the new armament was assigned to the 
 command of Laudonniere, a man of intelligence, a good 
 seaman rather than a soldier. He found it easy enough 
 not only to procure sailors for his shij)s but settlers for 
 the proposed colony. 
 
 He and those witli him on the former expedition 
 were able to testif j'' truly to the '' wonderful beauty of 
 the country, the sweetness of the climate, the richness 
 and variety of its fruits and flowers, the game in its for- 
 ests, the multitudes of fine fish in its waters." Many 
 still believed in De Leon's fountain of youth, in the 
 dreams of rich cities and mines of gold and silver hid- 
 den somewhere in its boundaries, that animated De Soto. 
 
 It did not matter that heretofore death had kept the 
 portals of the country. They were men who had defied 
 
41;/; vf^'rw 
 
 rjCiPKJf DA'. HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 him in the many battle fields of the civil wars which 
 had raged in France for years. Not only did many sol- 
 diers volunteer, but workers and artisans in abundance. 
 
 The passion for adventure, exploration and conquest 
 had been raised to the highest pitch in the military class 
 by the exploits of Cortez, Pizarro, Balboa and those of 
 De Leon and De Soto, unfortunate as they were; while 
 to the oppressed artisans and peasantry of Europe the 
 new fertile lands, unbounded in extent and virgin, with 
 the promise of a freedom not possible at home had great 
 attraction. In fact far more volunteers presented them- 
 selves than could be accommodated and on the 22nd of 
 April, 1664, the expedition sailed from France in high 
 hopes and expectations. 
 
 A voyage of two months brought them to the shores 
 of Florida, June 25th, near the same latitude as on the 
 former expedition. The delight of the voyagers may be 
 imagined when, on entering the River May, the San 
 Mateo of the Spaniards, the St. Johns of the present 
 day, they found themselves warmly welcomed by the 
 natives, especially those who were recognized as former 
 visitors with Ribault. It was at a period of the year for 
 seeing the country in its greatest loveliness. The noble 
 river, capacious enough for all the French navy to anchor 
 in, the beautiful wooded shores lined with silvery 
 beaches, the genial temperature combined with the 
 kindly welcome given, raised their spirits to the highest 
 pitch. 
 
 When they landed, they were conducted by a large 
 concourse of natives, with great ceremonials, to the spot 
 where Ribault had set up a stone column carved with 
 the arms of France " upon a little sandy kuappe, not far 
 
STORY OF THE HUOlfPi^rb^g. , \ ) \ 13 
 
 from the mouth of said river." With pJeftBod purprisf*,. 
 Laudonniere found the pillar enc'Tcled and covered wlili 
 wreaths of flowers and around its base were set little 
 baskets of maize, beans and other products brought in 
 great abundance as gifts to their visitors. 
 
 " The Indians kissed the column which they had con- 
 secrated in memory of former friendship and made the 
 French do likewise." Their Chief presented Laudon- 
 niere with a " wedge of silver," a gift that led the French- 
 men to dream of great riches to be found somewhere in 
 the land. Naturally they associated gold with silver 
 and were assured that both were to be found amongst 
 their enemies, the boundaries of whose territory came to 
 the River May and extended far northward to a high 
 mountain region. 
 
 It is evident from the narrative that the natives who 
 were first met by the Frenchmen were the original inhab- 
 itants of the land ; that they were a gentler race than 
 those living to the northward and that the latter in time 
 being more warlike eventually drove them southward, 
 finally either exterminating them or absorbing the 
 broken fragments into their own body. 
 
 Laudonniere sailed up the river and was everywhere 
 received with kindness. They mutually called each 
 other "friends and brothers." He then coasted north- 
 ward almost to Port Royal or Fort Charles. 
 
 Laudonniere returned with his vessels from this cruise 
 to the River May the latter part of June, 1564, having 
 abandoned the idea of re-establishing the settlement at 
 Fort Charles, of the fate of which the Indians had in- 
 formed him, with the determination to found his Hugue- 
 not colony in the neighborhood of the beautiful river 
 
14 • '•' • ii^.dl«fDA. PISTORIOAL TALES. 
 
 '^kh'v'hitfii''lie r$^d ^^pm^ acquainted on the previous 
 voyage. 
 
 The reasons for this preference are given in liis own 
 language, abbreviating and modernizing somewhat: 
 
 '' If we passed farther to the north to seek out Port 
 Royal it would be neither profitable nor convenient, 
 although that haven is one of the fairest of the West 
 Indies. In this case the cxuestion is not so much the 
 beautj'^ of the place as of the things necessary to sustain 
 life. For our inhabitation it is much more needful for 
 us to plant in places plentiful of victual than goodly 
 havens, fair, deep and pleasant to the view. In consid- 
 eration whereof I am of opinion, if it seems good to the 
 company, to seat ourselves about the River of May, see- 
 ing that in our first voyage we found the same only to 
 abound in maize and other corn." The wedge of silver 
 presented to him on his former visit and a few orna- 
 ments of gold doubtless were tlie conclusive suggestions. 
 
 Anchoring at the mouth of the river, which, from 
 the scanty description left in tlie old chronicles, although 
 contended by some to be the St. Mary's conforms more 
 to the St. Johns, Laudonniere took his pinnace and a 
 number of the proposed colonists and sailed into it in 
 search of a place for settlement. The result was the 
 selection of a bluff on the south side of the river, evi- 
 dently not far from its mouth, covered with a tliick and 
 high wood and close to wliat he calls ''■ a great vale. In 
 form flat, wherein were the finest njeadows of the world 
 and grass to feed cattle, with brooks of fresh water and 
 high woods whicli made the vale delectable to the eyes." 
 This he called the vale of Laudonniere. 
 
 On this bluff at the break of day on the 30th of June, 
 
 # 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 
 
 1564, the trumpets were sounded and the Huguenots 
 
 were called to prayer, and so, long- prior to the landing" 
 of the Pilgrim fathers at Plymouth was celebrated tlie 
 Protestant worship within the present limits of Florida. 
 
 After this they applied themselves diligently to the 
 erection of a fortress, triangular in shape, the landward 
 side built of fagots, sand and turf, with a ditch, and th© 
 river side a palisade of planks or lieavy timbers. Within 
 it were built barracks, a liouse for the commandant, an 
 arsenal, presumably of logs from the adjacent forests 
 and thatched with palmetto leaves. 
 
 In the neighborhood of the fort there were rich spots 
 which afforded facilities for gardening, but so eager was 
 Laudonniere to find gold and silver — an eagerness that 
 was shared by all the company — that leaving only a few 
 to guard the fort he commenced the exploration of the 
 country, leading or sending out expeditions in various 
 directions in search of tlie precious metals, some of whicii 
 covered a large portion of Florida, Georgia and even 
 South Carolina. If the narrative is to be credited, plates 
 of gold and silver were secured from the native tribes to 
 the northward in sufficient quantities to keep the colo- 
 nists employed in this pursuit to tlie neglect of every 
 other. For many montlis he and his lieutenants Ottignj^ 
 D'Erlach, LeGenre and Captain Vasseur, pushed their 
 gold and silver seeking expeditions, frequently involving 
 conflicts with tlie Indians, more especially with the war- 
 like confederacy, whose territories stretched from the 
 Appalachian mountains southward to the borders of the 
 River May, whom they called *Thimogoans. 
 
 According to the tales of River May Indians the 
 Thimogoan warriors covered their breasts and foreheads 
 ■3 
 
18 iriiOBIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 with plates of gold and silver and it is probable that 
 inhabitating a country in which both metals have since 
 been found, there was some foundation for these state- 
 ments which were, however, much exaggerated. It in 
 said that Chevalier D'Erlach returned from one of the 
 most successful of these expeditions with no inconsider- 
 able spoils of gold, silver, painted skins and other Indian 
 commodities. 
 
 These expeditions, however, by no means compen- 
 sated in their results for the evils the Huguenots were 
 bringing on themselves in neglecting their settlement at 
 La Caroline, the cultivation of the natural resources of 
 the country, and were preparing the way for the terrible 
 calamity which fell upon it. 
 
 (♦Query — Was this not the name from which Tomoka 
 is derived for in the wars which were prosecuted after 
 this date these northern Indians succeeded in driving 
 still farther southward the weaker and more peaceable 
 coast tribe, until they occupied the neighborhood of tlie 
 Tomoka and were long known by that name, to the time 
 when they too were finally driven out by the Spainiards 
 and English and plantations established where once were 
 their populous villages.) 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 17 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 FAMINE OOMES— BATTLE WITH THE INDIANS. 
 
 During many months but little improvement was 
 made by the colonists of La Caroline in the way of util- 
 izing the fertility of the soil in the production of food or 
 even in strengthening the defences. As the winter 
 passed away in constant expeditions after precious met- 
 als their stores rapidly decreased. They expected a 
 renewal of supplies and an increase to their numbers 
 through the arrival of Ribault from France with a fleet 
 of vessels which, through Admiral Coligny's aid he was 
 to fit out. But they watched long in vain. The expedi- 
 tion was delayed by troubles in France and in the mean- 
 time a famine came upon the Huguenots, greatly as a 
 result of their own recklessness. 
 
 In May, Laudonniere himself describes their straits 
 as very desperate : 
 
 '^ We were constrained to eat roots, which the most 
 part of our men pounded in the mortars which I had 
 brought with me to beat gunpowder in, and the grain 
 which came from other places. Some took the wood of 
 esquine (probably cabbage palmetto) beat it and made 
 meal thereof which they boiled and ate. Others went 
 with their arquebuses to kill fowl," and so on with a 
 pathetic description of the weakness and sickness 
 brought on by famine, finishing with reciting how the 
 colonists not being able to work " did nothing but goe one 
 after another, as centinals, unto the cliffe of a hill very 
 
18 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 near unto the fort, to see if they might discover any 
 French ship." 
 
 Finally their hopes deferred making them heart sick 
 they pressed their commander to attempt the building of 
 a vessel which, with the small one they had, would 
 enable them to sail back to France. 
 
 There were good shipwrights among them and to 
 these Laudonniere deputed the task of building the new 
 vessel while he undertook to scour the coast for provis- 
 ions of any kind that might be found, but the expedi- 
 tions which had traversed the neighboring territory had 
 weakened the friendship and confidence of the natives 
 with whom also at that time of the year there was no 
 superfluous stock of provisions left. 
 
 Laudonniere returned unsuccessful from a coastwise 
 voyage of forty to fifty leagues and the colonists, now 
 desperate with hunger, riotously insisted that the only 
 way to extort food from the savages was to seize upon 
 the person of one of their kings and secure it as ransom. 
 To this at first their commander would not consent. He 
 proposed a trial of the friendship of the natives and sent 
 messages to open up traffic for food with the surrounding 
 tribes. But the Indians knew the urgency of the case 
 and proposed to turn it to account. Tliey came to the 
 garrison with small amounts of food for which they 
 asked enormous prices. When Laudonniere remon- 
 strated, they tauntingly answered: 
 
 " If thou make such great account of thy merchan- 
 dise, let it stay thy hunger. Eat it and we will eat our 
 grain." 
 
 In the end and goaded beyond endurance Laudon- 
 niere resolved on doing as his people counseled. 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 19 
 
 Two of his barks and a body of fifty men were chosen 
 for an expedition to the capital town of the chief, who 
 ruled a large contiguous territory. This was forty or 
 fifty leagues up the river and six or more leagues iqland. 
 One of his officers, D'Erlach, had been there before and 
 knew the way. 
 
 They made the voyage successfully to the point of 
 debarkation ; left a guard in their vessels and marching 
 inland succeeded in taking the Indian village by sur- 
 prise. They, however, made no hostile demonstration 
 on entering the village, Laudohniere still hoping to 
 obtain peacefully what he needed, and so parleyed with 
 the chief. But while the chief did not hesitate to supply 
 the immediate wants of the Frenchmen, he declined to 
 furnish any considerable amount of provisions. In fact 
 he argued that they were in a great measure responsible 
 themselves for their destitute condition. He said: 
 "Hath the Great Spirit commanded that the red man 
 shall gather food in the proper season that the white man 
 may sleep like the drowsy deer in the palmetto thicket?" 
 
 It was true, but it was also true that their wants 
 admitted of no denial; and after a vain attempt to barter 
 for food Laudonniere gave the signal to seize the chief 
 which was promptly done. 
 
 Then a war conch was sounded to rally the Indian 
 warriors which was answered by D'Erlach 's bugler call- 
 ing in the stragglers scattered through the village in 
 quest of food and the retreat to the riverside began. 
 
 The capture of the Chief Olata Utina was so unex- 
 pected and the retreat to the river so rapidly and skill- 
 fully executed that no chance was given the Indians to 
 rally in sufficient force to prevent it. 
 
20 FLORIDA HISTORIOAL TALES. 
 
 It was, however, Laudonniere's intent to treat with 
 them for food and not to engage in any hostile contest 
 if it could be avoided, and so he opened a parley with the 
 savages assembled on the banks of the river, proposing 
 to release the chief upon their delivering a certain quan- 
 tity of maize, beans, dried venison, etc. But the Indians 
 were suspicious, believing that the Frenchmen, after 
 obtaining what they desired would not release him ; and 
 after fruitless attempts to obtain provisions with but a 
 small quantity that had been obtained in the village, the 
 expedition returned to La Caroline, taking also the chief, 
 who was treated kindly but kept in confinement, which 
 was very irksome to him. 
 
 By dint of plundering the villages of some Indian 
 tribes that had been guilty of unfriendly and hostile acts, 
 fishing and hunting, the people of La Caroline managed 
 to maintain life in a meagre fashion. Finally the old 
 chief proposed that they take him back to his people and 
 permit him to use his influence with them, telling his 
 captors the maize was then about ripe and promising to 
 use his best efforts in behalf of the Frenchmen. So the 
 two little barks again sailed up the river. 
 
 Long before they came to anchor at the landing, 
 Olata XJtina's people gathered in great numbers, hardly 
 knowing what to expect. Negotiations were opened by 
 Laudonniere, who informed them that he was willing to 
 release their chief to them for a quantity of provisions 
 which to the Frenchmen seemed small, but to the Indi- 
 ans was a heavy ransom. It would sweep their little 
 fields and granaries bare, even taking the very seed nec- 
 essary for future harvests. Their love for their chief was 
 not small, but it was of the last importance to free him 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 21 
 
 without subjecting themselves to risk of famine. So they 
 exercised all their arts of stratagem and diplomacy to 
 secure that end without paying too dearly. They brought 
 considerable supplies of food which they gave to the 
 Frenchmen^ but no definite end was reached for several 
 days during which many hundreds of warriors gathered 
 in the vicinity. But Laudonniere was vigilant and find- 
 ing that attempts to rescue the chief or to capture Lau- 
 donniere himself so that they might exchange chief for 
 chief, could not be made successful, an agreement was 
 finally entered into by which Olata Utina was to be 
 freed, two chiefs agreeing to become hostages for the 
 delivery of the ransom, which the Indians were to gather 
 in from all the tribal villages within a certain time. 
 
 The chronicle gives a brief description of the scene at 
 the restoration of the chief to his people ; " The two war- 
 rior hostages came on board the bark and as they 
 approached their chief broke their bows and arrows in 
 token of surrender. Then as they beheld his bonds, they 
 knelt at his feet, lifted up his chains and kissed them, 
 nor did they show any repugnance to assuming the fet- 
 ters as they were loosened from Olata Utina, looking 
 upon him with delight as he was being freed." 
 
 The chief arose from his place and shook himself like 
 a lion rousing from sleep. Never was head more erect 
 or form more stately. He waved his hand to the shore 
 where his people were gathered. The signal was evi- 
 dently understood for one of his sons came out in a canoe 
 bringing a mantle of fringed and gorgeously dyed grass 
 cloth, his macana or war club, and a mighty bow with 
 arrows five feet long. 
 
 Throwing the mantle over his shoulders, he took the 
 
22 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 bow and, before he left the vessel fitted an arrow to it, 
 letting it fly out of sight into the air as a signal that he 
 was once more free. A cloud of arrows from the shore 
 followed that of their sovereign and wild shouts echoed 
 far across the broad river. 
 
 The liberated chief had agreed to the terms of the 
 Frenchmen, but stipulated he should have a certain 
 number of days in which to gather the supplies. Lau- 
 donniere left his lieutenants with a strong detachment of 
 soldiers, one of the barks and the two hostages to await 
 the issue while he returned to La Caroline. 
 
 The upshot of the whole business was that after two 
 or three days of waiting, word was sent to them that they 
 must bring their hostages to the village and there receive 
 the ransom. Olata had found it impossible to compel his 
 people to promptly comply with the stipulations. They 
 absolutely refused to bring any supplies down to the 
 river. He, however, was honorably disposed to keep his 
 word and thought their presence in the capital town 
 would have the effect to make the people act more 
 promptly. 
 
 So they marched on the town, keeping their arque- 
 buses loaded with the matches burning ready to repel 
 any attack that might be made upon them. They reached 
 the village in safety although the woods swarmed with 
 warriors who were apparently only kept at bay by fear of 
 the deadly fire arms and the vigilance of the Frenchmen. 
 
 The dwelling house and council chamber of Olata 
 Utina was on an '' artificial eminence," probably a mound 
 such as are still to be found in all parts of Florida. Here 
 they found assembled all the chiefs of the nation except 
 their former prisoner. To a certain extent his authority 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 23 
 
 to treat with the Frenchmen was usurped by these chiefs, 
 who were evidently determined to deal with the invaders 
 themselves, using craft and dissimulation to throw them 
 off their guard and then seize the first opportunity to 
 overpower them. But D'Erlach and Ottigny were exper- 
 ienced in savage habits and were not to be deceived by 
 the apparently friendly reception given them. 
 
 The Indians pointed to the sacks of meal and beans 
 piled up on the council floor and showed the Frenchmen 
 others being newly brought in. Then commenced a pal- 
 aver designed to allay suspicions, but which had the 
 contrary effect. At nightfall a private conference was 
 held with Olata Utina. He informed them that his anx- 
 iety to comply with his engagements had impaired his 
 authority ; that the chief warriors had resolved to destroy 
 the pale faces as invaders, consumers of their substance 
 and destroyers of their peace. He advised them to 
 retreat to their vessel and La Caroline with all haste, for 
 from all quarters were gathering the warriors and there 
 were only pretences made to carry out the treaty. 
 
 The despondency of the chief was without hypocrisy. 
 His warnings were sincere. But the necessity of secur- 
 ing all the supplies they could prompted the Frenchmen 
 to tarry the full period of four days and in the meantime 
 they urged on the accumulation. 
 
 Finally, seeing that no more was being brought in 
 they released their hostages and on the morning of July 
 27th prepared for the retreat to their bark. Each 
 soldier was required to load himself with as much pro- 
 visions as he could carry, the chiefs having flatly refused 
 to furnish any carriers and for the last time in this region 
 the French bugles blew the signal of marching. 
 
24 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 BATTLE OP TAGASETA. 
 
 Not far did they go, however, before the battle they 
 anticipated began. The woods swarmed with warriors 
 armed with stone hatchets, war clubs and bows. But 
 they had learned a wholesome respect for the arquebuses 
 or matchlocks of the French and so their volleys of 
 arrows were delivered at too great a distance to do much 
 damage. However, as the road lay through hammock 
 belts where the timber was thick it was soon found nec- 
 essary to send out flanking parties to drive the Indians 
 from their coverts and to disencumber themselves of 
 their burdens of provisions so that they could more effect- 
 ively handle their weapons. Seeing their enemies halt 
 for this purpose, and mistaking it for a sign of fear, the 
 Indians advanced closer, filling the woods with their 
 yells, and delivered a volley of arrows that fell among 
 the little squadron. Their steel caps and leather doub- 
 lets, however, proved excellent defences against the flint 
 and bone headed shafts and D'Erlach said to his men: 
 " Do not answere them yet, but stoop ye every man and 
 break as many arrows as ye can. Blow your matches as 
 ye do so and when they come close let the first rank 
 deliver fire." He had observed that the enemy gathered 
 up the arrows as they passed and used them again. 
 
 The command was obeyed with coolness by the 
 arquebusiers and the result was when the savages made 
 a concerted rush they were met with a volley of bullets 
 which killed many and momentarily scattered the rest. 
 New bands of savages, however, constantly appeared to 
 harass the retreat and the whole day long the battle 
 waged. The Frenchmen were compelled to economize 
 their ammunition and forebore to shoot except when it 
 
STORY OP THE HUGUENOTS. 25 
 
 was absolutely necessary. But the courage of the red 
 men increased as the battle spirit warmed up and they 
 bravely contested every foot of the way, even though 
 their weapons and military skill were deficient. Great 
 havoc was made among them, but never men fought 
 more bravely than they did. It is written of them, in 
 Laudonniere's quaint record, " All the while they had 
 their eye and foot so quick and readie, that as soon as 
 ever they saw tlie harquebuse raised to the cheek, so 
 soon were they on the ground, eftsoone to answere with 
 their bowes and to flie away when we were about to take 
 them." 
 
 The conflict ceased at nightfall when weary and ex- 
 hausted the Frenchmen, of whom twenty -four were killed 
 and wounded, chiefly the latter, reached their boats. The 
 Floridians had shown themselves warriors of spirit and 
 capacity. They had driven out the invaders, recovered 
 the booty, rescued the hostages and if they had lost seri- 
 ously so had their enemies. Reading the chronicle one 
 is reminded that for more than two centuries they with 
 the same indomitable spirit kept Spain and England at 
 bay and finally only yielded after a heroic struggle, to 
 soldiers forest born, like themselves, the best riflemen of 
 the south led by Jackson, Taylor and Harney. 
 
26 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 ARRIVAL OF SIR JOHN HAWKINS AND RETURN OF RI- 
 BAULT. 
 
 After all the toil and sacrifice of several brave men, 
 it was found to be impossible to supply the colonists of 
 La Caroline sufficiently to put them in good condition or 
 good heart. Indeed the home sickness under which they 
 labored had reached such a height as to admit of no ap- 
 peal or argument. Cruel as France had been to the 
 Huguenots, she was yet France and the memory of her 
 green vales and vine clad hills was not to be replaced by 
 the. glorious beauty, even in its savagery, of the shores of 
 the River May. 
 
 Their discontents grew into a passionate longing for 
 return and when it was found that the building of the 
 vessel which had been commenced for that purpose 
 would be delayed by the death in battle of two of the 
 carpenters, they mutinously set upon Jean De Hais, the 
 master carpenter, because he had declared it would be 
 impossible to complete it by the specified time and it 
 was with difficulty he was saved from the mob. 
 
 There was still left of the original vessels which 
 brought them an old brigantine and Laudonniere finding 
 he was compelled to give up the original design of build- 
 ing a new vessel addressed all of his energies to its repair. 
 Determined to leave nothing behind when they were 
 ready to depart his men tore down the houses which had 
 been erected outside of the fort to make coal for the forge 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 27 
 
 and also the palisades leading from the fort to the river, 
 thus greatly weakening their defences, in spite of their 
 governor's objections. 
 
 Laudonniere was indeed very loath to give up the 
 colony he had done so much to establish. It distressed 
 him greatly that the promise of succor from France 
 expected with the return of Bibault was delayed so long. 
 
 On the afternoon of the third of August, Laudonniere 
 took a walk as was his daily custom to the top of a little 
 eminence, near the fort, which offered a prospect of the 
 sea. Looking forth to the eastward over the vast watery 
 waste, he was greatly excited to see the sails of four 
 approaching vessels. The joy of the garrison was great 
 for they naturally supposed Ribault was coming. Lau- 
 donniere writes quaintly: ''Soe great was their glad- 
 ness at this that one would have believed them to be out 
 of their wittes, to see them laugh and leap." 
 
 But the ships, instead of sailing boldly in as Ribault 
 should have done, approached cautiously. Finally they 
 cast anchor and sent out a boat toward the shore. A 
 prudent fear of the Spaniards prompted Laudonniere to 
 call the garrison to arms and send a detachment to meet 
 the visitors at the river side. They hailed in French and 
 in the same language came the reply, stating that the 
 ships were those of the famous Admiral Hawkins on an 
 exploring expedition. With him was Martin Atinas of 
 Dieppe, one of the former colonists of deserted Fort 
 Charles, picked up at sea and carried to Europe, who had 
 X)iloted the squadron. 
 
 The object of the British Admiral was pacific, nor 
 was it long before his generous and noble conduct won 
 the hearts of the Huguenots. He saw their distressful 
 
FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 plight and gave them liberal supplies of wine and provis- 
 ions. With even greater liberality and a wise policy^ 
 seeing their discontent, he offered to transport the whole 
 colony to France. But Laudonniere was still hoping for 
 the return of Ribault and a surer foundation for the col- 
 ony, so declined the proposition which had been made to 
 him only as a commanding officer. However, to make 
 sure of the means to return if pressed to it, he bargained 
 with Hawkins for one of his vessels. The consideration 
 given by Laudonniere was a portion of the military fur- 
 niture of the fort, particularly described as '' Two bas- 
 tards, two mynions, one thousand iron balls and one 
 thousand pounds of powder, etc." 
 
 Moved with pity for the wretched condition of the 
 Frenchmen, the generous Englishman offered supplies 
 for which he accepted Laudonniere 's bills which the lat- 
 ter's subsequent misfortunes never permitted him to can- 
 cel. These supplies included '' twenty barrels of meal, 
 six pipes of beanes, one hogshead of salt and a hundred 
 (cwt.) of waxe to make candles. Moreover, forasmuch 
 as he saw my souldiers goe barefoote he offered me 
 besides fifty paires of shoes which I accepted. He did 
 more than this: he bestowed upon myself a great jar of 
 oil, a jar of vinegar, a barrel of olives, a great quantity of 
 rice and a barrel of white biscuits. Besides he gave div- 
 ers presents to the principal officers of my company 
 according to their quality; so that I may say we received 
 as many courtesies of the General as was possible to 
 expect of any man." 
 
 This visit of Hawkins is the brightest episode in the 
 history of the ill fat«d colony. Doubtless had it been a 
 little later or had he tarried longer the cruel Spanish 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 
 
 wolf never would have bathed his jaws in Huguenot gore 
 and certainly with amity between the English and 
 French, Florida might have been a prosperous country 
 long years ago and have been spared generations of tyr- 
 anny and degradation such as curse all lands overshad- 
 owed by the flag of Spain. But it was not to be. The 
 folly of men, then as now, was thrown athwart the wis- 
 dom of God and for a time turned this Eden of the new 
 world into a hell of murder and rapine. 
 
 Sir John Hawkins, whose arrival at La Caroline and 
 the noble manner in which he treated the Huguenots 
 has thus been described, left on record many par- 
 ticulars interesting in themselves and also as showing 
 the primary causes of the colony's fatal weakness. At 
 the close of the war mentioned as resulting from the for- 
 aging expedition to the Indian villages, he relates that 
 Laudonniere had not forty soldiers left unhurt. After 
 detailing the supplies accorded to the colonists from his 
 stores, he adds: " Notwithstanding the great want that 
 the Frenchmen had, the ground doth yield victuals suf- 
 ficient, if they had taken the pains to get the same ; but 
 they being soldiers desired to live by the sweat of other 
 men's brows." Here speaks the jealous scorn of the 
 sailor. "The ground yleldeth naturally great store of 
 grapes, for in the time the Frenchmen were there they 
 made twenty hogsheads of wine, also" says Hawkins, 
 '•'■ the land yieldeth roots passing good, deere marvelous 
 store, with divers other beasts and fruits serviceable to 
 man. These be things wherewith a man may live hav- 
 ing corn or maize wherewith to make bread, and this 
 maize was the greatest lack they had because they had 
 no laborers to sow the same. Had they done so," he con- 
 
30 FLORIDA HISTORICAL. TALES. 
 
 tinues, "they having victuals of their own, whereby they 
 neither spoil nor rob the inhabitants, may live not only 
 quietly with them who naturally are more desirous of 
 peace than warre, but also shall have abundance of vic- 
 tuals proffered them for nothing-," etc. 
 
 The testimony of the Admiral is conclusive as to the 
 originally gentle and peaceful character of the aboriginal 
 Floridians. He speaks of the country as abounding in 
 natural resources, equal to those of any region in the 
 world. 
 
 The account which Hawkins gives of the abundance 
 of fish in the neighborhood is no exaggeration. It adds 
 to the surprise of the reader at the wretched indolence or 
 incapacity of the colonists, who, with this resource at 
 '' their doores, depended for their suply upon the Indi- 
 ans." He left the Huguenots on the 28th of July, 1565, 
 making preparations to follow him. The biscuit was 
 made, the goods and chattels were taken on board and 
 most of the water; — nothing delayed their sailing but 
 head winds. Laudonniere was prepared to depart when 
 the voyage was arrested by the appearance of Ribault 
 with the long expected supplies from France. 
 
 The approach of Ribault's vessels was exceedingly 
 cautious ; so much so that the heavier guns of the fort 
 still left mounted were turned to bear upon them when 
 up went the Fleur-de-Lis of France. 
 
 The relief to Laudonniere was great, for he feared 
 they might be Spaniards, and in the present weak condi- 
 tion of the fort, defence was hopeless. The reasons for 
 Ribault's caution arose from certain false reports which 
 had reached France, of the conduct of Laudonniere, let- 
 ters sent secretly by malcontents when Ribault had 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 31 
 
 returned to France, and fabricated reports, accusing him 
 
 of preparing to shake otf the sovereignty of the mother 
 country and designing to set himself up as the sovereign 
 lord of Florida. Poor Laudonniere, living on snakes, 
 crude berries and bitter roots, mocked by savages on one 
 'hand, flouted by rebels defying his authority, the target 
 of the curses of the discontented and home sick, surely 
 was in no mood to affect royalty on the banks of the 
 River May. 
 
 He was vain and ostentatious, perhaps ; he had his 
 faults and absurdities like other men, but he was genial 
 hearted and brave. He had been too bitterly schooled 
 by his adversities to dream of such idle affectations or 
 desires. Yet, of all this the King of France nor Admiral 
 Coligny, the projector of the colony, could know any tiling. 
 Composed of Huguenots only, a people of whose fidelity 
 the former might reasonably doubt, the Catholic King 
 might be readily supposed to give ear to the charges, 
 false as they were. However, Coligny kept his promise 
 and sent Ribault's seven vessels with a military force 
 corresponding. 
 
 To the great relief of Ribault his old comrade re- 
 ceived him with submission and soon succeeded in con- 
 vincing him that he had been greatly slandered; that 
 he was innocent of any assumption of royalty or of 
 unauthorized state of any kind ; that however unfortun- 
 ate he might have been, he was not guilty of the follies, 
 presumption and cruelty which constituted the several 
 points in the indictment against him. 
 
 Ribault strove to persuade him to remain in the col- 
 ony and to leave his justification to himself; but this 
 Laudonniere declined to do, resolving to return to France, 
 
FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 a resolution which we shall see hereafter was only de- 
 layed too long, to the further increase of the misfortunes 
 of our captain. 
 
 Shortly after the arrival of Jean Ribault, Laudon- 
 niere fell sick with fever, and the former assumed com- 
 mand. Crowds of friendly Indians came to the fort, 
 curious as to the new arrivals. They soon recognized 
 Ribault as the chief who had raised the stone pillar at 
 the mouth of the river. The recognition was easy by 
 reason of the massy beard he wore. They welcomed him 
 with the greatest cordiality and a number of the neigh- 
 boring chiefs recalled the ti3S of former friendship with 
 mystic ceremonies and made fresh pledges of amity. 
 They brought to him several pieces of what in their lan- 
 guage they called ''sierra pira" or "yellow metal" 
 which, upon being tested by the refiner, proved to be 
 "perfect golde." 
 
 They offered to conduct Ribault to the mountains of 
 Apalachia where it was to be found, they reported, in 
 abundance. He was contemplating a visit to the moun- 
 tains when events of the greatest importance, supersed- 
 ing the hopes of gain, obliged the colonists to contend 
 for their lives. The Spaniards, of whom they had been 
 long apprehensive, appeared upon the coast. 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 PEDRO MELENDEZ DE AVILA APPEARS. 
 
 Spain and France at this time were by treaty at peace 
 with each other, but Spain claimed Florida by ri^ht of 
 discovery and her jealousy had been roused by the re- 
 ported attempted founding of the French colonies. 
 Philip the Second, a cold blooded, malignant and jealous 
 despot, freed by amnesty from the cares of war at home 
 was now at liberty to push his conquests abroad. His 
 great plea was his desire to spread the Catholic faith, 
 but in reality he was moved only by a cruel and insatia- 
 ble ambition and was in religion a fanatical hypocrite 
 and bigot. 
 
 Pedro Melendez de Avila, an officer who had previ- 
 ously distinguished himself in other expeditions to the 
 new world, sought and obtained the appointment of 
 Adelantado with the hereditary government of all the 
 Floridas, then comprising as claimed, an immense terri- 
 tory stretching northward to the Carolinas and along the 
 gulf coast to the Mississippi. Under the stimulus of the 
 news that the French were attempting to take possession 
 of a portion of this territory, Philip increased the fleet of 
 the expedition to twenty vessels and its force to tliree 
 thousand men. It became a crusade and the eager impe- 
 tus of ambition was set on fire by the usual argument of 
 a holy war. To extirpate heresy was in accordance with 
 the cruel bigotry of both Charles of France and Philip. 
 
 It is said that Charles, in the same spirit which after- 
 
84 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALB8. 
 
 wards prompted the horrible massacre of St. Bartholo- 
 mew, had secretly surrendered the colony of Coligny to 
 the remorseless, conscienceless monarch of Spain. Co- 
 ligny well knew how little dependence could be placed 
 upon his king in all matters pertaining to the Huguenots 
 and as Ribault was about to depart from France on his 
 last voyage wrote a hasty postscript to his letter of 
 instructions as follows: '' As I was closing this letter I 
 received certain advices that Don Pedro Melendez de- 
 parteth from Spain to go to the coast of New France 
 (Florida) ; see that you suffer him not to encroach upon 
 you, no more than you will suffer yourself to encroach 
 upon him." 
 
 On the voyage out the fleet of Melendez was scattered 
 by tempests, many vessels being lost, until on his arrival 
 at Porto Rico he could muster but seven or eight ships. 
 The fleet of Ribault consisted of seven vessels, the three 
 smallest of which ascended the river to the fort. The 
 four larger, which were men-of-war, remained in the 
 open roadstead at the mouth of the river. Ribault, be- 
 fore he left the roadstead, charged his subalterns to be 
 on guard against any vessels that might arrive, especially 
 Spanish. 
 
 It was well he did so for one September day they 
 descried approaching the River May six large vessels* 
 In the absence of Ribault the squadron was inferior in 
 force to that of Melendez. It was evening when they 
 stood in and too late for effective action. They lowered 
 sail, cast anchor and forbore all offensive operations ; 
 there was even communication by boat under flag of 
 truce between the squadrons. The Ave Maria echoed 
 musically from the one squadron in the language of Spain, 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 36 
 
 the evening songs of the French from the other. The 
 night zephyrs blew soft and fragrant from the forest lined 
 shores. All seemed peaceful and secure. But on every 
 vessel were alert and wakeful sentinels gazing with keen 
 eyes through the starlight to detect the first warlike 
 movement. It was the summer night before the storm* 
 
 In the parley that took place in the evening between 
 the two squadrons, the Spaniards inquired by name after 
 the chief captains and leaders of the French, betraying 
 an intimate knowledge of facts which had been kept as 
 secret as possible by the originators of the expedition. 
 This was sufficient in itself to arouse the suspicions of 
 the latter and that night the French captains held a con- 
 sultation together. They decided that they were in dan- 
 ger of assault and prepared themselves accordingly. 
 The men were notified to be in readiness to take their 
 stations at a moment's notice. Arms were overhauled 
 and in readiness ; sheets and halliards made ready for 
 hoisting sail, for, being inferior in strength but faster 
 sailers than their foes, it was decided at the first hostile 
 movement to cut their cables, spread their sails and 
 make for the open sea. The Spanish vessels occupied 
 such a position as to make any attempt to move up to 
 Fort Caroline dangerous. 
 
 Before daylight the creaking of windlasses notified 
 the French that the Spanish vessels were heaving home 
 their anchors, and without delaying to do the same, by 
 dawn their own sails were hoisted and cutting their 
 cables they stood out to sea just as the Spanish squadron 
 headed for them. 
 
 The six Spanish vessels pitted against the four 
 French ones, opened fire upon them, but the range of 
 
FliOBIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 cannon in those days was not so great as now and their 
 shot fell short. The French wasted no shot upon their 
 pursuers and paid more attention to showing their ene- 
 mies a clean pair of heels. 
 
 The chase continued the most of the day. Finding 
 pursuit useless the Spanish tacked towards evening and 
 stood in for the entrance of the Selooe, called by the 
 French the River of Dolphins, but now known as the 
 Matanzas River and St. Augustine Inlet. 
 
 The test having shown they were the speedier, the 
 French vessels came about and saucily followed them to 
 make what discoveries they could. Coming as close as 
 they dared they found "The Trinity," the seventh and 
 largest of the Spanish vessels, anchored off the bar. 
 Three of their late pursuers remained just inside while 
 the other three, regarding the rest as more than a match 
 for the French, sailed to the landing where an encamp- 
 ment had already been made. Having noted these 
 things the French returned to the River May and re- 
 ported to Ribault. 
 
 In corroboration of these facts a neighboring friendly 
 chief had sent information to Ribault, that the Spaniards 
 had gone ashore in great numbers at Selooe, or as Melen- 
 dez christened it, St. Augustine, distant across the land 
 but eight or ten leagues from La Caroline ; that they had 
 dispossessed the natives of their houses and were busy 
 in entrenching a regular encampment for which purpose 
 he had disembarked his superfluous men and remained 
 with the great ship called The Trinity, before sending 
 the rest in search of the French. 
 
 Ribault did not have the slightest doubt as to the 
 intention of Melendez to attack La Caroline from this 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. ST 
 
 point as soon as possible. Brave as a lion he resolved to 
 take the initiative. He needed no stronger justification 
 than the pursuit and firing on his vessels by the Spanish 
 fleet. The royal banner of France had been hostilely 
 assailed although the two nations were nominally at 
 peace with each other. 
 
FLORIDA HI3T0BI0AL TALES. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 RIBAULT'S attack on ST. AUGUSTINE— THE STORM. 
 
 Ribault called a council with all his officers in Lau- 
 donniere's chamber at La Caroline, that captain still 
 being ill with fever. There he arrayed the arguments 
 in favor of attacking the Spaniards at St. Augustine 
 before they could complete their defensive arrangements. 
 His plan was to fall upon them with all his forces by sea, 
 boldly attacking The Trinity at anchor when the rest 
 were in no condition to support her, and the troops of the 
 Adelantado were partly on shore and partly on the other 
 vessels busily engaged in the removal of material for the 
 settlement. 
 
 Laudonniere, however, objected to Ribault's plan. 
 La Caroline was in almost a defenceless condition ; it 
 it was the season of the year as he had found by experi- 
 ence when sudden storms might be expected. Some of 
 the other captains sided with him but Ribault, old sailor 
 and gallant soldier, was eager for the fray. He did not 
 give Laudonniere the credit he deserved for skill and 
 courage. 
 
 He took his own course and ordered all of his own 
 men on board his seven vessels. But not satisfied with 
 this he took also from the fort nearly all the able bodied 
 men and on the eighth of September parted with Lau- 
 donniere for the last time. 
 
 Scarcely had he crossed the roadstead when his ves- 
 sels met squally weather, the precursor of the violent 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUBl»fOT8. 39 
 
 storm which followed. Bibault held on, however, to the 
 southward and in a few hours his squadron was off St. 
 Augustine Inlet. 
 
 Had he been well acquainted with the channel and 
 sailed boldly in, scarcely anything could have prevented 
 a complete victory over the Spaniards. The two heavier 
 vessels, relieved of their armament and troops, which 
 had been transferred to the land, had been dispatched to 
 Hispaniola. The remaining five vessels were unequal in 
 strength to Ribault's. 
 
 Three of the latter's lighter vessels were sent in to 
 take soundings and lead the way while the others worked 
 after them slowly. The hours lost in this decided the* 
 fate of the Huguenots. Had they passed straight in 
 upon their foes, the latter could have made no effective 
 defence. 
 
 Two only of Melendez' vessels, on board one of 
 which the Adelantado himself embarked, were ready for 
 battle when the French were sighted. Their armament 
 was inferior, but Melendez hoped to delay the entrance 
 of Ribault until all the forces at his command could be 
 rallied. 
 
 Melendez was as brave as Ribault. Both were stim- 
 ulated by a fierce hatred on the score of religion. The 
 Huguenot hated the Spaniards as Catholics, and they 
 hated him and his followers as heretics. Each in his 
 own estimation would be doing God service by ridding 
 the world of the other. 
 
 Melendez exhorted his men, who were fearful of the 
 odds against them, to be brave and prophesied a miracle 
 would occur to deliver them from their enemies. 
 
 In the very moment when the hands of Ribault were 
 
40 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 stretched out to grasp the prize of victory which should 
 annihilate Spanish power in Florida, the squalls sud- 
 denly changed to a north-east gale that broke upon the 
 French squadron with the roar of a thousand lions. 
 
 The waves arose and mad foam capped billows broke 
 clear across the channel. With a groan of rage and dis- 
 appointment, Ribault was compelled to abandon the 
 assault and turn his attention to the safety of his vessels. 
 Like the froth of the waves they flew southward before 
 the mighty power of the hurricane, speeding along the 
 white sand belted coast with no harbor of refuge for 
 them. 
 
 Whatever their faults, their virtues, their heroism^ 
 the aroused forces of nature cared naught for them, 
 seeming only desirous to doom them to pitiless destruc- 
 tion. 
 
 Darkness and storm engulfed them and through it all 
 they could only see the phosphorescent glare of the 
 breakers upon the shore and hear naught but their 
 thunder. 
 
 The hollow conclave of the heavens was filled with 
 spray and darkness, save when the lightning flashes 
 threw a ghastly glare upon the tumultuous waters. 
 
 In the meantime the Spaniards from the depths of 
 their previous abandonment to despair, were exalted to 
 the highest pitch of enthusiasm and rejoicing. Melen- 
 dez had promised that God should work a miracle to 
 save them. He shrewdly turned the storm to advantage 
 in stimulating the faith and devotion of his people. 
 
 ''See!" said he, '' what wonders God has done for 
 you this day. Call you this the cause of our king only? 
 It is the cause of the king of kings ! We are few, we are 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 41 
 
 feeble, in a wilderness swarming with savages, but He 
 will overcome them for us as He has already driven to 
 destruction those heretics, the spawn of Satan! The 
 cause in which we strive is holy. The God of storms 
 and battles has ranged himself upon our side." 
 
 Cries of exultation answered him. A thousand voices 
 renewed their vows of fidelity and swore to follow where 
 he should lead. He commanded a solemn mass should 
 be celebrated that night and that all the army should be 
 present. 
 
 He knew it would be long, if ever, before the French 
 vessels returned and already planned the utter destruc- 
 tion of La Caroline before succor should come. 
 
 Don Pedro Melendez de Avila was a man of rare 
 energy, extraordinary foresight and indomitable will. 
 His religious fanaticism, if real, gave the sanction of 
 religion to his relentless cruelty, a savage trait of the 
 Spanish character then as now. But the history of the 
 whole matter shows that, after all, it was not so much 
 the difference of creeds that made Melendez resolute for 
 the utter destruction of the heretics of La Caroline but 
 because he believed it absolutely essential for the con- 
 tinued existence of the Spanish colony that the French 
 should be destroyed. He but played upon the ignorant 
 fanaticism of his followers to stimulate them to work 
 to that end with all their energies. 
 
 This design, however, the continued succession of 
 stormy weather and the unsettled condition of affairs in 
 his new colony of St. Augustine, compelled him to post- 
 pone for some days while he was busily engaged in erect- 
 ing fortifications and dwellings for his people, during 
 which the temporary enthusiasm created by the late 
 
FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 apparently providential deliverance from their enemies 
 died away in a great measure. 
 
 The mass of the Spanish colonists were not veteran 
 soldiers, for to that class which in that marvelous age of 
 Spanish conquest and glory abounded in Spain, the rich 
 fields of Mexico, Central and South America offered far 
 greater inducements, but were new recruits, or peasantry 
 undisciplined and inexperienced in such hardships as 
 they were now compelled to endure. There was soon 
 consequently much murmuring and discontent. 
 
 But if the Spaniards at St. Augustine felt their hard- 
 ships so greatly and their state was disheartening, much 
 more so was the condition of affairs at La Caroline. 
 Weakened by the departure of Ribault, of whose fate 
 they could only conjecture ; knowing only through the 
 agency of Indian friends that the squadron had failed 
 to accomplish its purpose and been driven off by the 
 gale, which had been followed by heavy rains and vio- 
 lent winds, the Huguenots at La Caroline were in a more 
 deplorable state than ever. The supplies brought out by 
 KibaUlt for them had been chiefly appropriated for the 
 use of the fleet. A survey made immediately after his 
 departure led to the stinting of the daily allowance for 
 the garrison reduced as it was. Laudonniere was still 
 sick ; the men were spiritless, hopeless and consequently 
 the work of repairing the defences went on but slowly, 
 and even its watch was maintiiined with doubtful vigi- 
 lance. Themselves much averse to exposure, they 
 thought the Spaniards would not undertake any attempt 
 upon the fort during the equinoctial storms, when march- 
 ing through the rains and wading morasses would be 
 likely to bring upon them malarial fevers and other sick- 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 43 
 
 ness, and were neglectful of their duties. Languid with 
 the fever of half healed wounds, or full of malarial poi- 
 son, enfeebled with scant food, even the bravest vete- 
 rans among them liad lost heart and had sunk into a 
 state of apathy from which it was impossible to arouse 
 them. 
 
 Not even Laudonniere could blame them, althougli 
 he had reason to believe that at some unexpected moment 
 his cruel and wily enemy would aim his heaviest blows 
 upon their heads. 
 
 Leaving the unfortunate Huguenots of La Caroline, 
 let us turn again to the Spaniards at St. Augustine. 
 
 The energy of Melendez knew no sleep ; in spite of 
 storms and torrents of rain which deluged the land ; the 
 murmurs and discontents of his people ; he kept at work 
 trenching and fortifying the point of land between the 
 •San Sebastian and the inlet which he had selected as the 
 site of his settlement, from which he dispossessed the 
 Indians, converting their dwellings to the use of his sol- 
 diery. While he had reason to hope that the French 
 fleet might have come to grief in the storm that had so 
 opportunely arisen, he was too well versed in the vicissi- 
 tudes of war to neglect providing every defence possible 
 should it have escaped injury. If it did so, he knew it 
 would return to renew the attack upon him. 
 
 Whatever his fanaticism might whisper to him of 
 divine interposition in his behalf, reason taught him to 
 see to it that every available means at hands should be 
 used for the protection of his settlement first and every 
 possible preparation be made to secure success when he 
 should take the initiative against his foes. 
 
 He evidently studied over the situation closely. 
 
44 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 While he preached the cause of Catholicism as an incite- 
 ment to his followers against the heretic Huguenots, it is 
 plainly evident that motives of policy, or as he viewed it 
 absolute necessity called for the destruction of Coligny's 
 colony. While Ribault and Laudonniere were ahle to 
 dispute the Spanish claim to possession of the Floridas 
 his title of Adelantado amounted to nothing. 
 
 It might any day end in his being driven ignomini- 
 ously from the land over which he was expected to estab- 
 lish sovereignty. As Scipio decreed the destruction of 
 Carthage, because unless Carthage was destroyed Rome 
 would be, so Melendez decreed the destruction of La 
 Caroline. 
 
 Had they been a kindred people, with possibilities of 
 amalgamation or absorption, it is not likely that a mere 
 creedal difference would have prompted him to the ter- 
 rible atrocity which marked the downfall of Frencji 
 power in Florida. But trained in the cruel hypocrisy of 
 the age, which threw over its greatest crimes the cloak 
 of religious sanction, lie did not hesitate a moment in 
 assuming the same disguise, and in tlie name of God lie 
 served the devil, Ambition. 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 45 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 THE DESTRUCTION OF LA CAROLINE DECREED BY ME- 
 LENDEZ. 
 
 It has been noted that Melendez had decreed the 
 destruction of the Huguenots of La Caroline. 
 
 It was on the 8th of September Bibault made his 
 attempts on Melendez at St. Augustine. The reader is 
 apprised of the disastrous result of that expedition. A 
 week Avas passed by Melendez in finishing his defensive 
 preparations and then he called a council of war. Tor- 
 rents of rain were still falling. The low flat pine lands 
 of the interior were afloat, but Melendez' indomitable 
 will knew no check from natural causes. More than any 
 other member of his little army, he was as dauntless as 
 he was ferocious in his determination. 
 
 The council of war was held in the old council house 
 of the Indian tribe occupying this vicinity at the time of 
 his arrival, a round fabric made of logs and earth, 
 thatched with palmetto leaves. It was not a comforta- 
 ble place with its rude log seats and its central pitch 
 pine flre casting a weird gleam over the armor of his 
 captains. But their leader recked nothing of these dis- 
 comforts. He knew the people he had to deal with 
 thoroughly ; their weaknesses and discontents, the base 
 natures of many of them and their utter incapacity to 
 realize the scope of his ideas and plans. 
 
 He could scorn their imbecility and cowardice, but 
 he must use them. There were no other instruments 
 
46 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 attainable and they must be aroused from their apathetic* 
 state to the work before them. 
 
 As he stood in their midst the air was filled with the 
 muffled roar of the surf and the rusli of the rain. He 
 looked around the circle and saw no enthusiasm in their 
 eyes. They were down-cast and moody. Already had 
 they realized that Florida was not offering them the 
 booty of rich cities as Peru and Mexico did to Pizarro 
 and Cortez. Even tlie priests were discouraged. 
 
 Nothing daunted, he clearly placed before them the 
 proposition to march overland to La Caroline " To de- 
 stroy those arch heretics in the very fortress of their 
 strength — in the very place which they have built as 
 their refuge. Even the tempest, if it continues, will aid 
 in the achievement of success!" 
 
 Murmurs broke out among the listeners. " What is it 
 that ye fear?" asked Melendez. One arose and answered : 
 '' Shall we, left here on this savage shore, not yet en- 
 trenched, divide our strength to attack La Caroline and 
 give Ribault a chance to fall upon our camp here, destroy 
 it and plac« us between two hostile forces? Surely tliis 
 would not be wise or prudent?" 
 
 Then Melendez, orator as well as soldier and fanatic,^ 
 spoke forcibly and with eloquence which stirred all their 
 hearts. He claimed to see with prophetic virion that 
 Ribault would not trouble the camp; nay, could not, 
 because the tempest was still carrying him before it 
 or had engulfed him in the seas. Should he escape all 
 the dangers of the storm and the keys which lined the 
 coast to the southward, weeks must pass before he could 
 possibly return to St. Augustine. In that time they 
 would have accomplished their purpose. They would be 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. ,47 
 
 able to turn his own cannon against him. He declared 
 it was war to the uttermost between them. If the French 
 were not destroyed they themselves would be destroyed. 
 They would give no quarter; tliey should have none. 
 The French were heretics and pirates, invaders of the 
 territories of Spain and as true Spaniards it was not only 
 a patriotic duty to extirpate them but a religious one also. 
 
 He chided them for being afraid of exposure to the 
 elements ; for being fearful of receiving a few hard knocks 
 and loath to march against an enemy inferior in every 
 way to themselves, because there was no royal road for 
 them to march over. 
 
 All reasonable objections and arguments in opposi- 
 tion were patiently listened to and controverted with 
 such skill that the objectors were reduced to a minority 
 and silenced. 
 
 It was decided the next morning to prepare for the 
 expedition which was to consist of five hundred men. 
 
 Provisions were to be carried for eight days. The 
 force was divided into six companies, each with its flag 
 and captain. A picked company of pioneers with axes 
 was chosen to clear the way. 
 
 One writer says that at this point in the council 
 >/ arrangements. Father Salvandi, a priest, brought in a 
 strange man partly in the costume of a sailor whom he 
 introduced as '' Francis Jean, a Frenchman, once a here- 
 tic but now recanting and desirous of becoming a Catho- 
 lic, who will report what he knows touching the condi- 
 tion of La Caroline and will act as a guide." 
 
 The statement was made that he had fled because he 
 had been beaten by Laudonniere. If the incident is true 
 he was probably some thief or insubordinate who had 
 
48 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 been thus punished, for Laudonniere, as we have seen, 
 was never a cruel man or severe in his rule. 
 
 With these conclusions arrived at and arrangements 
 made the council adjourned. It is true that upon the 
 next day in the midst of preparations for the march, 
 under the discouragements of the continued bad weather, 
 a mutinous spirit was manifested by some, even of tlie 
 officers, but to this Melendez wisely gave but little atten- 
 tion, except to allow no delay in the preparations. Fran- 
 cis Recaldo, Diego de Maya and St. Vincent boldly 
 remonstrated with the Adelantado, but h'ls answer was 
 an invitation to dine with him and all the rest of his 
 officers that day. He played the part of host as well as 
 he had done that of leader at the council, and silenced 
 all opposition. By the morning of the 15th the army was 
 ready to march. 
 
 They had made much of the imaginary and real diffi- 
 culties and dangers of the expedition, but at La Caroline 
 there were less than a hundred men, besides women and 
 children, to defend a half dismantled, poorly constructed 
 fortress, whose commandant was still too ill to take 
 charge of affairs and was compelled to trust to careless 
 subordinates. 
 
 The Adelantado, having thoroughly organized his 
 little army, placed himself at its head and in spite of the 
 rainfall which still continued daily, marched toward La 
 Caroline. 
 
 Boats from his vessels carried the force up the San 
 Sebastian to a point where the marshes ceased and they 
 could reach the solid land. 
 
 Here the vanguard composed of Biscayans and Astur- 
 ians, expert with the ax, were sent forward to cut a way 
 
STORY OF THE HUGURNOTS. 49 
 
 through the tangled hammock under the command of 
 Senor Martin de Ochoa. With it went the traitor Francis 
 Jean, who had abandoned both his religion and his loy- 
 alty, closely watched. 
 
 Not many miles did they make on the first day, re- 
 tarded as they were by the difficulty of cutting a path 
 through the dense tliickets which lined the shores of the 
 San Sebastian, and the rain storm which broke upon 
 them. But their camp was pitched at last in the open 
 pine woods. Even on that night, around the bivouac 
 fires which j^eamed upon steel cuirass and morion, there 
 were murmurings of discontent at what was deemed an 
 unnecessary and ill-timed expedition which could have 
 neither glory or riches in it. 
 
 Melendez, however, did not suffer the least abatement 
 in his ardor to fall upon and surprise the French strong- 
 hold, and wrapped in his cloak slumbered by his fire of 
 pine knots as calmly as if in a palace. 
 
 As usual in this region the rains fell chiefly at a cer 
 tain time of the day, coming down with such force and 
 intensity as seemingly to exhaust the clouds for the time 
 being, leaving the levels of the pine woods flooded, until 
 the waters could drain off into the cypress swamps and 
 find their exit thence to the sea by winding tortuous 
 creeks, whose presence could be detected, as they ad- 
 vanced, by heavy fringes of cyi)ress and by their closing 
 the forward view. 
 
 The second and third days were like the first, dreary 
 marches through flooded lands, wfiile the rains soaked 
 their garments and made it extremely difficult for the 
 soldiers to protect their ammunition and provisions. 
 
 On the fourth day they w^ere within a few miles of 
 
50 FIX)BIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 La Caroline, but before them lay a broad marsh in which 
 the water was up to their middles. 
 
 It was here that tlie hearts of the common soldiers 
 sank because of their toil and suffering and more than a 
 hundred slunk away, retracing their steps to St. Augus- 
 tine, wliere their reports of disaster to the expedition 
 made a temporary excuse for their desertion. 
 
 But Melendez' indomitable courage, his unbending 
 will, his presence and voice of command, still prevailed 
 to push the greater proportion of his troops forward, in 
 spite of the fact that many muttered cui^es upon his 
 head. 
 
 One Fernan Perez, an ensign of St. Vincent's com- 
 pany, was bold enougli to say ''He could not comprehend 
 how so many gentlemen could let tliemselves be led by 
 an Asturian mountaineer who knew no more about carry- 
 ing on war on land than a horse." 
 
 Even tlien, when so close to the goal he aimed at, 
 Melendez was compelled to use all his skill, craft and 
 dissimulation, enforced by claims of inspiration or reve- 
 lation. 
 
 Urging them on with fiery zeal he succeeded in pass- 
 ing the marshes and reaching the more solid land be- 
 yond, which his guide, the renegade, assured him ex- 
 tended to the very gates of the French fortress. 
 
 At sunset they halted for their supper within striking 
 distance of La Caroline, without having given the alarm. 
 Their temporary camp was out of sight from the fortress, 
 and as the day iiad been a stormy one not a Frenchman 
 had been landward, nor had a single friendly native been 
 fitirred to bring tidings to the garrison. 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 51 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THE FALL OF LA CAROLINE. 
 
 Under the guidance of the renegade, Melendez and 
 his captains made a reconnoissance of the fort. Dark as 
 the night was he soon found that it was not only careless- 
 ly watched but that breaches in its rude walls afforded 
 easy means of entrance. Rains were falling and gusty 
 winds were blowing. De La Vigne, one of Laudonniere's 
 lieutenants, was captain of the watch that night, but 
 through pity for the sentinels exposed to such weather 
 allowed them to shelter themselves as best they could, 
 and not dreaming that an enemy could be abroad on such 
 a night, himself retired to his quarters, satisfied that 
 everything was secure. 
 
 Little did he know that just beyond the range of his 
 vision the arch-enemy of the Huguenots of La Caroline 
 was praying that he might be enabled to change their 
 slumbers by dawn into the eternal sleep. And so passed 
 the night of the nineteenth of September — the last one 
 for the Frenchmen in La Caroline. 
 
 Before dawn, with his forces divided into commands 
 under Martin de Ochoa, Francis Recaldo, Andres Lopez 
 Patino and himself, the landward sides of the fortress 
 were invested. While waiting impatiently for daylight, 
 Ochoa and the master of the camp, Patino, silently pene- 
 trated one of the breaches. They came across a drowsy 
 sentinel who exclaimed "Qui vive!" Ochoa answered 
 promptly "France!" but the sentinel not satisfied ap- 
 
FIX)RIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 proached to inspect more closely, thinking they were 
 possibly stragglers from the brigantine lying in the har- 
 bor, only to receive a stunning blow from a partisan. 
 
 The sentinel recovered his footing and drew his 
 «word but was struck down again, disarmed and at the 
 sword's point forbidden to make a sound. He was con- 
 'ducted to Melendez who commanded him to be slain, 
 •and as the dawn was breaking tlie order was given for 
 tlie assault. 
 
 Two more of the sentinels at the outer posts were 
 slain, while scarcely roused from their sleep. A third 
 however, on the ramparts, saw the Spaniards rushing to 
 the assault and cried "To arms !" Shouting the alarm he 
 fled before them and Laudonniere was aroused but the 
 warning came too late. 
 
 The Spaniards were in the fort. The feeble garrison 
 could not rally on a single point. Laudonniere seized his 
 arms and weak although he was from his late sickness, 
 rushed into the central court and called upon his soldiers 
 to rally to him. Some did, others were butchered as they 
 endeavored to do so. The wild shouts of battle, the cries 
 of women and children, rang out over the waters of the 
 River May. 
 
 At the southwest portion of the fort some of the brav- 
 est of the garrison rallied and made a desperate stand. 
 These Laudonniere joined and by the most headlong 
 valor endeavored to expel the invaders. But it was ut- 
 terly in vairj. The Spaniards had won too secure a foot- 
 ing and were in too great numbers to be dispossessed. 
 Melendez shouting his fanatical war cry ''God is with us, 
 my comrades!" led them on. 
 
 They mocked the tardy valor of the Huguenots, their 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 53 
 
 feeble force, and as one by one they fell, derided them 
 with taunts and curses while hacking and stabbing the 
 poor unfortunates mercilessly, until no life was left in 
 their mangled bodies. 
 
 Pressing forward through the melee, Melendez soon 
 confronted Laudonniere but did not know him as they 
 had never met before. The renegade, Francis Jean, 
 pointed out his old leader saying "That is lie! Laudon- 
 niere, the captain of the heretics!" 
 
 "Is it thou? traitor! Let me but live to slay thee and 
 I care nothing for the rest!" shouted Laudonniere, mak- 
 ing at him. 
 
 But Melendez thrust back the traitor and interposed 
 his Toledo blade and mailed form to prevent Laudon- 
 niere's just vengeance. 
 
 As the Spaniards pressed on, the few Frenchmen fell 
 back until only one brave, stout man, Bartholomew Pre- 
 vatt, stood with Laudonniere trying to beat back the 
 assailants with a heavy partisan. Melendez, a stalwart 
 warrior, clad in mail, sprang eagerly forward hoping to 
 slay Laudonniere, who, in his condition no match for 
 him, was just as eager for the fray. At that moment he 
 preferred to die in the battle, for so might his honor be 
 saved. But this was denied him. A rush of fugitives 
 bore him back towards a breach accompanied by the 
 faithful Bartholomew. He yielded only foot by foot, 
 parrying with sword and buckler like an accomplished 
 cavalier, the sword thrusts of Melendez and the assaults 
 of the.long pikes of the Spaniards, his one faithful follow- 
 er keeping by his side yet urging him to retreat. 
 
 Falling back, still facing the foe, through a narrow 
 alley way, they reached the yard in which was Laudon^ 
 
54 FLORIDA HISTORIOAIi TALES. 
 
 niere's lodging. Here a tent happened to be standing 
 around which they passed but in the melee the Spaniards 
 thought they had gone into it and so rushed in. 
 
 "Hither, now; Monsieur Rene!" cried Bartliolomew, 
 grasping him by the wrist, ''follow me and we shall sure- 
 ly escape." 
 
 For a moment Laudonniere stood thrusting the point 
 of his sword into the wet earth, in vexation and despair, 
 while the tears stood in his eyes and groans were on his 
 lips. 
 
 ''See ! we have not a moment to lose, the tent falls, 
 the Spaniards will be on us in a moment ! They will 
 catch us at the breach !" cried the soldier with impatience. 
 
 "Surely, there is where they should have found me 
 at the first — but now! — lead on! I will follow, as thou 
 wilt." 
 
 A heavy mist had come up from the sea and in its 
 obscurity the two gained the breach in safety and from 
 thence to the dense hammock was only a short step. 
 Here there was temporary safety but they were so naer 
 that they could hear the dreadful work of death and hor- 
 ror going on inside the fortress and the fierce shouts of 
 Melendez crying out "Slay, slay and spare not!" rising 
 above the groans of dying men and the frenzied shrieks 
 of women and children. 
 
 The panting fugitives traversed in safety under cover 
 of the mist the open ground between the fort and the 
 dense hammock. For a few moments they halted to re- 
 cover breath, still within hearing of the shriekg and 
 shouts of those who could not escape. Even then Lau- 
 donniere felt impelled to turn back and strike one more 
 brave blow for La Caroline. But Bartholomew shook 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 66 
 
 his head, saying "It is useless, my captain I The Spanish 
 devils have the fort. God only can save our comrades." 
 So shutting his ears with his hands he stumbled on with 
 his companion, deeper into the forest. 
 
 Here they found other fugitives, some wounded, all 
 terror stricken. 
 
 Laudonniere could command no longer, but his ad- 
 vice was to work their way through the marshes to the 
 river shore, from whence they might signal their vessels 
 at the river mouth and so yet make their escape while 
 the Spaniards were engaged in the fort. A portion of 
 them fearing they would be caught on the naked shore 
 preferred to push on to the nearest Indian village, which 
 had hitherto been friendly. Laudonniere knew, however, 
 that this point would be one of the first visited by the 
 pursuers and that it could afford no ultimate rescue or 
 defence, so with a few followers he entered the marshes 
 and hidden by the hammock from the fort pushed on 
 through the tall grass towards the shore. The ground 
 was soft and many muddy little creeks intervened. 
 
 Weakened by his recent sickness, into one of these 
 the captain fell and up to his neck in water and mud he 
 felt as if he must yield to his fate. But Jean Ressegui de 
 Chemin and the faithful Bartholomew extricated him 
 and stayed by him the rest of the day and through the 
 long dreary night which followed. 
 
 Meanwhile two of the soldiers in advance reached 
 the shore and swam off towards the vessels, still a mile 
 off. 
 
 Fortunately for them, those on board had been ap- 
 prised of the taking of the fort by Jean de Hais, the 
 master carpenter, who had slept that night in the shallop 
 
56 FLORIDA HISTOBIOAL TALES. 
 
 and when he saw the fort was captured dropped down 
 the river to the vessels, which sent out boats to pick up 
 the swimmers. The work of picking up the stragglers 
 was continued and Laudonniere with his faithful com- 
 panions were at last found and rescued. In all eighteen 
 or twenty were thus saved, among whom was the cele- 
 brated painter Jacques le Moyne de Morgues, some of 
 whose illustrations of Florida scenery and native life are 
 still preserved in the old chronicles. 
 
 They dared not go near to La Caroline, as the brigan- 
 tine which they had repaired before Ribault's arrival 
 and the bark purchased from Admiral Hawkins, were 
 neither well enough armed nor manned to face any as- 
 sault from the Spaniards and finding at last that no more 
 fugitives were left to rescue, as those who had taken 
 refuge with the Indians had been pursued and slain by 
 the remorseless foe, the sliallop was scuttled and on the 
 25th of September, 1665, Laudonniere sailed, abandoning 
 forever the last colony of France in Florida. 
 
 After many perils by sea they arrived in England 
 where they received generous hospitality and humane 
 treatment. 
 
 It will be noted Laudonniere did not desert the vi- 
 cinity of La Caroline until the last moment, for while 
 Melendez had attacked the fort only with a land expedi- 
 tion the enemy might order up vessels by messengers to 
 St. Augustine to cut off their flight and they ^ared not 
 tarry longer, but they learned the most of the particulars 
 which marked the fate of the Huguenot colony as the 
 most deplorable and atrocious in the annals of American 
 history. 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 57 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 THE PRISONERS EXECUTED. 
 
 There are pages in history which are penned with 
 trembling, reluctant hand, so full of atrocity and horror 
 are they. Yet they must be written, if for naught else 
 than for warning to the generations of men to keep 
 chains upon the brutal instincts which, let loose without 
 restraint, do turn the loveliest spots of earth into fit types 
 of hell. 
 
 It was a cruel sanguinary age, when blood flowed 
 like water, not only in the new world but in the old. An 
 age which prated much of Christianity, yet knew not 
 what mercy or justice or charity meant when reasons of 
 state intervened. 
 
 It was ''vse victis" to the conquered, especially if 
 they were alien in both religious creed and race. 
 
 La Caroline was captured as written in the preceding 
 section. By the time the sun had dispersed the morning 
 mist the last of its Huguenot defenders was either si- 
 lenced in death or bound and awaiting the will of the 
 conqueror, save those who were being speedily hunted 
 down and slain in the adjacent forests. 
 
 The Fleur de Lis of France was replaced with the 
 standard of Spain and the name of the fortress changed 
 to San Mateo, to commemorate the day on which it was 
 taken. The arms of France and Coligny which sur- 
 mounted its gateway were torn down and a garrison set 
 
58 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 apart to take charge of the place under the command of 
 Gonzalo de Villareal. 
 
 Then came the question of what disposition to make 
 of the prisoners. We have seen that twenty escaped 
 with Laudonniere; as many more were overtaken and 
 slaughtered in flight. Many had been killed in the sur- 
 prise, but there still remained thirty or forty men to be 
 disposed of. 
 
 Melendez was a man of rapid action. Having made 
 up his mind he was as cruel and relentless as a tiger in 
 carrying out his conclusions. He had mentally decided, 
 even before the fall of La Caroline, to destroy the Hu- 
 guenots utterly. Short was the shriving he intended for 
 them and as terrible as it was short. 
 
 He ordered the prisoners to be brought into the cen- 
 tral court of the fort. They were all together— men, 
 women and children. The former bound, the latter wail- 
 ing and sobbing with fear. 
 
 '^Separate the women and children from the men," 
 was his command. 
 
 "The women and children shall be spared." But 
 they were to be kept as slaves. 
 
 ''Are there any among ye," said he to the men, "who 
 profess the faith of the Holy Catholic Church ?" 
 
 Twoof the prisoners answered in the affirmative. He 
 turned them over to Father Salvandi, ordering their 
 bonds to be removed. Continuing, he said to the rest, 
 "Are there any among ye who, seeing the error of their 
 ways, will renounce the heresy of Luther and come into 
 the fold of the only true church ?" 
 
 A dead silence followed. The captives looked mourn- 
 fully at each other and at the Adelantado. But in his 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 69 
 
 set, cruel countenance there was no sign of mercy. "Be 
 warned ! To those who recant, the church opens her 
 arms. To those who will not, death temporal and eternal 
 is decreed." 
 
 Moved with pity, but knowing it was useless to utter 
 a word of pleading for mercy to the prisoners on any 
 other terms, the priest lifted his crucifix. 
 
 The silence was still unbroken and the cloud on Me- 
 lendez' face grew more sinister. 
 
 "Hear ye — and now say. Do you not comprehend 
 that your lives rest upon your speech ? Either ye em- 
 brace the safety that the church offers or ye die by the 
 halter." 
 
 Then one sturdy soldier took a step in front of his 
 fellows and, lifting up his face proudly, said "Pedro de 
 Melendez, we are in your power. You are master of our 
 fort and our mortal bodies, but in the face of the death 
 you threaten, we say we cannot recant our faith in the 
 true Church of Christ. We have naught to do with 
 Rome. As we have lived in our Lord's teachings we will 
 die faithful to them. We ask your mercy on honorable 
 terms only. We cannot take the terms you offer." 
 
 The speaker looked around him at his fellows, and 
 over their faces gleamed an answering light. 
 
 "Speaks this man for the rest of ye also ?" 
 
 There was a moment's silence and then a sailor, 
 stepping forward, spoke out: "Ay! ay! Captain, what he 
 has said we all say. If death's the word we are ready 
 for the end of the voyage, whatever port our compass 
 brings us to." 
 
 "Be it even as ye say!" said Melendez, coldly, 
 sternly, without softening of accent or show of passion. 
 
FIX)RIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 "Two hours hence these men are to be hung without the 
 fort. Their punishment shall be a warning to heretics 
 and invaders of the realm of Spain in all ages." Turn- 
 ing to the newly appointed commander of the fort, he 
 said: " See to it that halters are provided and that my 
 order is executed." To the priest: ''Reverend father, 
 you may talk with them and if any are converted give 
 them your offices." 
 
 Then arose the cries of women and children as the 
 first embraced their husbands for the last time and the 
 latter clung to their fathers' hands. So sad, so pitiful 
 was the scene it should have moved a heart of stone to 
 mercy, but it did not. 
 
 Neither cries nor tears nor pitiful beseeching, on bent 
 knees, on their part, swerved Melendez from his purpose 
 one jot. Nor would he hear one word of expostulation 
 from the priest who would fain have had more time for 
 his exhortations, and who was himself shocked at the 
 Adelantado's wholesale and relentless decree. 
 
 Nevertheless, he spared not his exhortations and 
 pleadings. In his sight the way of escape was easy. 
 But he preached and promised in vain, and perhaps, 
 judging from Melendez' deeds afterwards, had the pris- 
 oners then recanted still they would have not been 
 spared. As it was, the soldier and sailor had spoken for 
 the martyrdom of all and at the appointed time the last 
 separation was made between the men doomed to death 
 and their companions in so many miseries and misfor- 
 tunes, and they were marched forth to a huge live oak 
 tree whose gnarled wide spread arms were dangling with 
 lialters. 
 
 There they perished and there their bodies were left 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 61 
 
 hanging until the same tree bore another like ghastly- 
 crop to mark the vengeance of De Gourgues. 
 
 Under this tree was planted a hewn board on which 
 was painted in large characters the following: 
 " These Do Not Suffer as 
 
 Frenchmen but as Heretics 
 and Enemies to God." 
 
FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 HOW IT FARED WITH RIBAULT AND HIS FLEET. 
 
 Melendez, having completely accomplished his pur- 
 pose so far as La Caroline was concerned, being anxious 
 for the safety of his new post at St. Augustine on account 
 of the possibility that Ribault's fleet might have escaped 
 the storm and might return to attack it, leaving a strong 
 garrison to repair and hold the fort, returned" to that 
 place with one hundred men. The country, a low pine 
 woods, nearly level, was inundated by the recent rains 
 which made the march a very disagreeable one, but the 
 return was accomplished more speedily than the advance 
 and his appearance at St. Augustine was unexpected. 
 
 The whole colony turned out to hail the conqueror, 
 with acclamations of joy and a Te Deum of praise. 
 
 However, in the midst of their rejoicing the two ves- 
 sels lying side by side in the harbor caught flre and were 
 destroyed, leaving them without any sea going craft. The 
 most of their armament, however, had been transferred 
 to the land some time before. Attention was turned to 
 fortifying position, as Melendez now saw the safety of 
 his colony would depend altogether upon his ability to 
 defend himself on land. 
 
 The work and privation brought on much discontent 
 and a mutinous disposition which nothing but fear of his 
 cruel determination restrained from open revolt. 
 
 In the meantime how fared it with Ribault? The 
 last we noted of him, his vessels disappeared from in 
 
STORY OP THE HUGUENOTS. 
 
 front of St. Augustine before a north-east gale driving to 
 the southward. All night long they battled with the 
 storm. Vainly they tried to beat off from the shore but 
 could not secure sea room. The next day found them 
 nearing the outward curving point of Cape Canaveral, 
 upon wliich or near by, finally, the whole squadron went 
 ashore. One of the vessels of heavier draught than the 
 others struck on a shoal some distance out and Avent to 
 pieces, all the crew except the captain, De le Grange, 
 drowning in the breakers. The other vessels were driven 
 in upon the beach, and as the wind slackened and the 
 tide receded, their crews disembarked safely. 
 
 Some time was passed in securing as much as possi- 
 ble from the stranded vessels, in waiting for the tempes- 
 tuous weather to abate and in reconnoitering the vicinity. 
 
 Ribault's men were probably the first white men to 
 view that noted arm of the sea called Indian River. 
 They found numerous Indian villages whose inhabitants 
 lived chiefly on fish and oysters and were not disposed to 
 be hostile. But the country in the main was barren, ex- 
 cept for a few small fertile spots along the river shores. 
 
 For awhile Ribault made efforts to re-launch two or 
 three of his vessels which were not so mucli injured as 
 the rest, but was finally impelled to give up that idea 
 in despair. 
 
 Not knowing the fate that had befallen La Caroline, 
 it was finally decided to march nortliward and regain 
 that point. Now^iere could they find tlie connection of 
 the long narrow peninsula with the mainland and the 
 hard, smooth beach offered them an easy road which 
 they accordingly took. 
 
 On the second day afterward the advance guard 
 
64 FLORIDA HISTOBIOAIj TALES. 
 
 reached Mosquito Inlet. Near this was the usual village 
 of fishing Indians, who ferried them over the inlet in 
 their dug outs ; a process which required considerable ' 
 time and resulted in dividing the force into detacliments. 
 
 Owing to the fate which finally befell the great ma- 
 jority of these inen, few records of their discoveries are 
 left and we are left chiefly to conjecture in what condi- 
 tion the shores of the Lagoon, tlie Hillsboro' and the 
 Halifax were as to occupancy by the aborigines who 
 were numerous but not warlike. 
 
 Ribault's command still numbered over five hundred 
 men and much of their subsistence had to be obtained 
 from the natural resources of the country; sea clams, 
 fish and game constituting the available supplies. 
 
 They suffered inost from thirst, as nowhere in this 
 shore region of sand dunes are there streams, pools or 
 springs, only bear wallows, as they are called, and shal- 
 low wells at the Indian villages. 
 
 The latter part of the march was the worst in respect 
 to food; the upper portion of the Halifax, the creeks and 
 marshes lying between it and the Matanzas being devoid 
 of oysters. It was, therefore, worn out witii privation 
 and dispirited by misfortune that the advance division 
 of two hundred reached Matanzas Inlet wliich barred 
 their further progress. 
 
 It was a weary and forlorn body of men that gath- 
 ered on the south side of Matanzas Inlet and gazed across 
 its narrow channel at the south point of Anastasia Island. 
 
 Its waters were too deep to wade. Sharks abounded 
 and the tide currents in and out made it dangerous even 
 for strong swimmers to assay. There were no boats or 
 canoes available. 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 65 
 
 They did not know of the possibility of making their 
 way across Matanzas neck to the mainland, and thence 
 through the pine woods to the rear of St. Augustine on 
 to La Caroline. 
 
 They were spirit broken, hopeless, except the possi- 
 bility of rejoining their comrades, of whose fate it was 
 impossible for them to know anything. 
 
 Their only chance, they thought, was to regain the 
 shelter of the fort and perhaps succeed in devising some 
 means of escape from this land which, though not inhos- 
 pitable by nature generally, had, in their case, been singu- 
 larly full of calamity to them. They little knew that 
 beyond the hammock lined shores across the strait, be- 
 yond the smiling waters of the Matanzas, winding in 
 •graceful curves between woods and marshes, a human 
 tiger was already preparing to bathe himself in their 
 blood. Surely had they known then, what they were to 
 know soon, with time to measure their deadly peril and 
 the merciless cruelty of Melendez, even then with but 
 one stout hearted leader they might have turned the 
 scales in their favor and meted out to the Spaniards the 
 justice they deserved. 
 
 But it was not to be. Fate was against them. Prov- 
 idence had forgotten them and already their hours were 
 numbered almost to a man. 
 
 The vine clad hills of France were never more to 
 greet their homesick vision, at least as mortal men. 
 Worn out with marching in the hot September sun, over 
 the beach sands ; strangely red as if already stained with 
 blood, witli the glaring sea on one side and high sand 
 banks covered with an almost impenetrable jungle of 
 saw palmetto on the other, they made their bivouac fires ; 
 
FLORIDA HI8TORIOAL TALES. 
 
 cooked oysters, clams, fish or such other provender as 
 their scanty stores afforded ; cut palmetto leaves for beds 
 and slept the sleep of exhaustion. That night Melendez 
 learned from Indians that white men had readied Ma- 
 tanzas coming from the southward. He knew they were 
 some of Bibault's men and rightly conjectured their con- 
 dition. 
 
 He did not know, however, whether the whole of 
 Ribault^s force was there or whether they might not be 
 divided so as to approach his settlement in front and 
 rear. He did not dare to draw his whole force from St. 
 Augustine, so chose sixty of his best armed soldiers and 
 placing them on board bateaus made his way rapidly 
 down the Matanzas. He was well aware that if the 
 Huguenots were disposed to fight and could cross the 
 inlet, he could not oppose his sixty to their five hundred, 
 but with the advantage of position on his side he ex- 
 pected to employ, if necessary, such arts of craft and 
 dissimulation, deception and treachery, as would be nec- 
 essary to make up for the difference in numbers. 
 
 His sagacity and courage as a soldier certainly 
 almost equalled his brutality and remorseless cruelty as 
 a man. * 
 
STORY OP THE HUGUENOTS. 67 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 THE FATE OF THE SIEUR DE LE GRANGE AND THE 
 FIRST DETACHMENT AT MATANZAS INLET. 
 
 Melendez, having loaded his bateaus with soldiers 
 chosen for determined and ferocious character, from all 
 his garrison, especially for this undertaking — one he had 
 resolved should be at least equally as terror striking to- 
 all enemies of Spain as the massacre at La Caroline — 
 left St. Augustine long before daylight. 
 
 The boats were propelled by skilled oarsmen and be- 
 side the men, contained the necessary provisions for a 
 halt at Matanzas, which might be more or less prolonged 
 by events not to be calculated beforehand. 
 
 The weather had at last subsided into gentleness and 
 cloudlessness, forming a great contrast to its late turbu- 
 lence and discomfort. 
 
 The air was balmy with the odors of flowers and 
 spicy woods, with just enough of the sea flavor in it to 
 make it perfection. The stars shone upon the winding 
 waters of the serene river, their reflections rivalled in 
 brilliancy by the phosphorescent gleams, evoked by 
 swiftly plied oars and trailing wakes, as they sped on, 
 bound on an errand of blood and treachery so horrible, 
 not all these waters nor those of the near-by sea can 
 wash the stains away in all the ages to come. 
 
 Occasionally, in the forepart of the voyage, some boat 
 crew chanted a rude war song or even hymn, but as the 
 mornmg sun began to streak the eastern sky with red 
 aud gold, silence fell upon them all. 
 
^ FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 Then sunrise came and with it the full blaze of a 
 beautiful October day. Stealing along the shores of 
 Anastasia Island, Melendez sought a cove behind a ham- 
 mock grove close to the inlet and disembarked his men. 
 Here a repast was served to all and then their leader, 
 accompanied by a few soldiers, went forward to recon- 
 noitre. Climbing a live oak ■tree upon a shell mound 
 near the verge of the sand point which formed the south 
 end of Anastasia Island, Melendez concealed, had a full 
 view of the opposite shore of the narrow strait and saw 
 the Frenchmen attempting to build a raft with which to 
 cross, but for which purpose there was little material 
 suitable to be found. By his count tliere could not be 
 more than two hundred of them. But this was too large 
 a number to permit landing in an armed body, so taking 
 the initiative, with a diabolical plan prompted by the 
 evidently disheartened condition of the French, he de- 
 scended the tree, emerged from the thick underbrush 
 which concealed his force and advanced boldly alone to 
 the shore, signaling for a conference. 
 
 After a brief consultation among the French, a bold 
 Gascon, who was a good swimmer, sprang into the water 
 and swam across the strait, which was not more than an 
 hundred yards in width. 
 
 After the military salute had been exchanged, Me- 
 lendez demanded : " Who are the people whom I see on 
 the other side?" " We are Frenchmen who have suffered 
 shipwreck." 
 
 " What Frenchmen?" 
 
 " The people of M. Ribault, Captain General of Flor- 
 ida, commissioned by the King of France." 
 
 *' Neither France nor Frenchmen have a right to 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 
 
 Florida. I, Pedro Melendez de Avila, am Adelantado of 
 all Florida and hold it in behalf of Philip, King of Spain; 
 Go back to your commander and say to him that I am 
 here with my army to prevent any invasion of thi^ land 
 and punish the invaders." 
 
 The Gascon returned and delivered the words of Me- 
 lendez to his disheartened and bewildered companions. 
 
 What should they do ? It was true that but one man 
 showed himself to bar their passage of the strait, but 
 scouts had caught sight of one of the bateaus and even 
 as they considered, the flag of Spain was displayed and 
 they believed Melendez' statement. 
 
 Wretched with privation and broken in spirit, even 
 those heretofore the bravest were anxious to obtain any 
 terms which might give them a chance for their lives 
 and ultimate return to France ; so the Gascon was per- 
 suaded to return and ask safe conduct for four officers, to 
 be taken across in the bateau, to negotiate terms. 
 
 To this, consent was readily given and the Sieur de le 
 Grange and three others were ferried over under a flag of 
 truce. Melendez' men were so disposed, under cover of 
 the forest, that the French officers could not make out 
 their number when they w^ere brought to the camp at the 
 cove. Six well armed men only constituted the immedi- 
 ate guard of the general, while the boatmen attended the 
 camp fire and preparations for the noonday meal, pur- 
 posely made as ostentatious as possible. 
 
 Their leader told the story of their mishaps, ship- 
 wreck and sufferings, hoping to arouse a feeling of hu- 
 manity, and asked assistance to reach La Caroline from 
 whence they hoped to return to France and leave Florida 
 to his peaceful possession. 
 
70 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 To this Melendez replied : "Senor, I have made my- 
 self master of your fort; 1 have slain the garrison, spar- 
 ing the women, the children and such as were Catholics 
 or abjured their heresy, and have the fort well garri- 
 soned. You cannot go there." Had a thunderbolt fallen 
 at their feet they could not have been more surprised, 
 and noting a look of doubt after rallying from the first 
 shock Melendez continued: ''If you doubt, or hope it is 
 not true, I will soon convince you. I have brought hither 
 two soldiers whom because they claimed to be Catholics 
 I spared. You will doubtless know them. After you 
 have dined you shall hear the truth from their lips as 
 freely as you will." 
 
 He then retired, ordering them to be served. They 
 fell to like famished men — as, indeed, they were — after 
 which the two captives were allowed to communicate 
 with them and freely tell the cruel history of La Caro- 
 line. Nothing was concealed. Melendez' policy was to 
 render them abject with fear — and he succeeded. 
 
 After an hour's absence he returned. ''Are you sat- 
 isfied," he asked, "of the truth of what I told you ?" 
 
 Then the Sieur answered: "We cannot doubt that it 
 is even so. But this does not lessen our claim upon your 
 humanity as men who have been deprived of all other 
 hope. There is peace between France and Spain, alliance 
 between our sovereigns. We will be glad to leave you in 
 undisputed possession of this country. Give us but 'as- 
 sistance to leave it and henceforth there will be none to 
 dispute your claims." 
 
 "If you were not heretics and I had the ships it 
 might be so, but it cannot be," was the stern answer. "I 
 have sworn to extirpate heresy wherever I find it. As 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 71 
 
 Catholics you might have claims upon me, but you are 
 
 not." 
 
 '^Nevertheless we are men, human, made equally in 
 the image of God and, if not at the same altar, serve 
 Him also. Assist us to leave this country — this is all we 
 demand." 
 
 ''Demand nothing of me. Yield yourselves at dis- 
 cretion. Deliver up your arms and ensigns and I will do 
 with you as God shall inspire me. Consent to these 
 terms or do what pleases you. I promise you neither 
 truce nor friendship. Go and report to your companions 
 and give me their answer." 
 
 The four then told him, that if he would assure them 
 their lives, they would give a ransom of twenty thousand 
 ducats for the whole company. 
 
 The answer was characteristic of this abnormal fan- 
 atic, the cruel, relentless, unpurchasable human tiger: 
 
 "Though but a poor soldier I am not capable of being 
 bought. If I am moved to do an act of grace it will not 
 be your money that will move me to it. I tell you as a 
 soldier and an officer holding a high commission from 
 my King, though the heavens and the earth mingle I 
 change no resolution I have made. Unconditional sur- 
 render, first of your arms and then of yourselves, is what 
 I demand.. Time passes. The boat is waiting, go." 
 
 It will scarcely be thought credible that men yet 
 having arms, power to use them and numbers sufficient 
 to make at least a respectable resistance, would listen to 
 such demands. 
 
 But they did, even after a full report had been made. 
 Some were simply reduced to apathy by despair. Others 
 argued that it was the vigorous resistance made by a 
 
72 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 gallant few of La Caroline's garrison that had incensed 
 him to destroy them so mercilessly. "It is likely," said 
 they, "that if we surrender peaceably he will give us our 
 lives." 
 
 But little time was required to determine their sub- 
 mission. The returning bateau was loaded with the four 
 officers, arquebuses, pistols, swords, bucklers, their whole 
 complement of munitions and a complete surrender was 
 tendered. 
 
 The Frenchmen thus disarmed were brought over 
 and with a refinement of cruelty scarcely comprehensi- 
 ble w^ere given something to eat. After this they were 
 asked if any among them were Catholics, for the one 
 thing on earth this man feared was the church, nor that 
 to any greater extent than to yield to its imperative de- 
 mand for protection to its adherents. 
 
 It is said there were but eight amongst them who 
 claimed they were Catholics. Tliese were set apart to 
 be conveyed to St. Augustine. The rest were then bound 
 and driven in squads of six to a small glade away from 
 the camp and as they arrived were set upon their knees 
 and shot or stabbed, each party not knowing the fate of 
 the preceding until the last moment. 
 
 What horrors occurred can not be imagined. But 
 neither prayers, entreaties, groans, nor the red tide of 
 human blood poured out upon the thirsty sands, turned 
 the monsters from their work. Those who did it stripped 
 the slain and acquh'ed much booty from the bodies of 
 the dead, over which was thrown a covering of loose sand 
 and leaves; and so perished miserably the first detach- 
 ment of Ribault's men at the place which henceforth 
 bore the name of Matanzas or "tl>e place of slaughter." 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 73 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 RIBAULT AT MATANZAS. 
 
 Melendez hastened back early the next morning to 
 St. Augustine with the few wretched men spared from 
 tlie massacre. 
 
 He was welcomed as a conquering hero, with all the 
 pomp and display that was possible, even including a Te 
 Deum and church services, so low had fallen the stand- 
 ard of Christianity in that dark age of murder and 
 rapine, especially amongst the Spanish people, for while 
 other nations of Europe had in a measure become inocu- 
 lated with the spirit of bloodshed, and wars convulsed all 
 Christendom, there was amongst the rest some humanity 
 remaining to modify brutality. 
 
 Scarcely, however, had his soldiers cleaned their 
 garments and their weapons from the blood of the slaugh- 
 tered Frenchmen, when the watchman left at Matanzas 
 sent word that a large body of Ribault's men had con- 
 gregated in the same spot on the south side of the inlet, 
 and were making preparations to cross, or at least were 
 trying to, by continuing the building of the raft com- 
 menced by the preceding body. 
 
 The news created great excitement amongst the 
 whole garrison, who were clamorous this time to accom- 
 pany Melendez, being incited thereto by the display of 
 the spoils brought home from the late massacre, and their 
 now confident belief in the invincibility, and power to se- 
 cure certain triumph, of their leader. 
 
74 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 Believing that the main body of Ribault's men were 
 at last in his toils, Melendez selected one hundred and 
 fifty men, the flower of his force, and embarked them as 
 before in bateaus and Indian pirogues or large canoes 
 hewn from logs, and retraced his way to Matanzas. 
 
 The preparations and the embarking of this large 
 body delayed the expedition so that it was nearly night- 
 fall ere he reached that vicinity. 
 
 As they approached this point many zapotes, or 
 southern vultures, were either wheeling in the sky over- 
 head or darkened the dead limbs of trees with their ill- 
 omened plumage. As his eyes rested on them the sombre 
 face of the Adelantado grew darker and more sinister. 
 ''See, Ochoa, those birds are hungry for more French- 
 men! By the mass! they shall have another feast!" 
 
 It was not Melendez' intention to alarm the French 
 until the proper moment, so he camped on shore where 
 his force would not be observed for the night, but before 
 dawn had them disposed at the edge of the scrubby 
 growth near the inlet. 
 
 With the dawn came the discovery on the part of the 
 French of the Spaniards, drawn up in order of battle on 
 the opposite side. Their drums sounded the alarm. 
 
 The royal standard of France was unfurled and the 
 troops gathered in martial array. Ribault, although sick 
 at heart witli the demoralization of his forces from want, 
 hardship and homesickness, still observed military ex- 
 ternals. 
 
 Melendez, seeing this display of determination, or- 
 dered his people to breakfast as if it concerned him not, 
 and while the preparations were going on, j)romenaded 
 the shore of the inlet with a few of his. officers, as indif- 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 75 
 
 ferently as if there were no opposing array on the other 
 side. 
 
 Then the commander of the Huguenots displayed a 
 flag of truce and the trumpets sounded a parley. 
 
 By the time breakfast was over the tide had so far 
 run out that one of the French captives and a soldier of 
 Ribault could wade out within conversing distance of 
 each other. The latter requested that some One might 
 be sent over with a boat to carry a herald across the 
 strait for a conference. 
 
 The boat was sent over and carried back one of Ri- 
 bault's officers. This man was totally ignorant of what 
 had befallen the first detachment. He related briefly 
 the desires of his commander which were to reach the 
 fortress of La Caroline, praying the assistance of the 
 Spaniards to enable him to do so, promising peace and 
 amity and to leave the country as soon as possible. 
 
 In answer to questions the envoy told of the wreck of 
 the squadron, and gave the number of men yet left as 
 three hundred and fifty, amongst whom were gentlemen 
 of France well able to reward assistance. 
 
 Melendez heard him through without betraying by 
 his looks any signs of hostility or ill will. 
 
 He must first get his enemies into his power. 
 
 ''I will send over a boat with a surety of safe conduct 
 to M. Ribault and such officers as he may select to ac- 
 company him, to confer with me as to what may be done 
 to meet his wishes, with the j^rivilege of returning at his 
 leisure to his own men." 
 
 Ribault crossed the strait accompanied by eight of 
 his officers. They were courteously received by the 
 Adelantado and a collation served. Disarmed by this 
 
76 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 treatment, the frank sailor-soldier told Melendez all the 
 recent events and disasters that had befallen them. At 
 times, he was troubled by noting on the persons of Melen- 
 dez' companions, ornaments, swords and bucklers, which 
 he recognized as belonging to some of his late compan- 
 ions and finally hearing of the capture of La Caroline 
 and of the advance division, was aghast at these circum- 
 stances \\^hich showed how completely his first hopes 
 were nullified. Finally he said: "Monsieur, I cannot 
 believe that you will serve us evilly. Our kings are 
 friends and brothers in peace with each other ; we wish 
 only to return to our own country. We will leave this to 
 you. Give us the opportunity and we will give our parole 
 of honor on all that is sacred to all of us, that never again 
 will any of us serve against you or your followers." 
 
 To these words Melendez replied as he had done to 
 the leaders of the first detachment, with a demand for 
 their unconditional surrender, but by implication at 
 least, held out the hope of mercy. 
 
 No argument or persuasion could induce him to do 
 more. It so happened that Alphonse D'Erlach was one 
 of ^he officers who accompanied Ribault. It also hap- 
 pened that one of those spared from the massacre because 
 he was a Catholic was a soldier from Lorraine and spoke 
 a dialect that none of the Spaniards understood, but 
 D'Erlach did. The man had served under him and was 
 attached to him. In serving the collation, this soldier 
 had an opportunity to speak to him in the proffering 
 of victuals and said in his patois, as if he had naturally 
 dropped into it, ''Monsieur, laugh as I hand this bread to 
 you, as if I joked; but take heed! Trust not this man. 
 He means blood. There, where the vultures are, lie our 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 77 
 
 dead comrades." So saying he broke one of the ship 
 biscuits and out of it a worm fell. 
 
 Then D'Erlach slapped him on the shoulder with the 
 open palm and, laughing, said 'Thou doest well to serve 
 bread and meat together." 
 
78 FliORIDA HI8T0BICAL. TALES. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 D'ERLACH'S warning to RIBAULT — NEGOTIATIONS FOR 
 SURRENDER. 
 
 D'Erlach's keen eye had noted, even more closely 
 than Bibault, the indications presented by the trophies 
 of the late massacre, in the hands or on the persons of a 
 number of those in the Spanish force by which they were 
 surrounded. With suspicions made still more active by 
 the Lorrainer's words, he studied closely the dark face of 
 the Adelantado, and mentally concluded there was un- 
 limited treachery and ferocity in the soul of the Astur- 
 ian. For himself he decided that he would not trust to 
 the mercy of Melendez, at least without a pledge, and 
 when Ribault asked for his advice he said : 
 
 ^'Before any arrangement is made, looking towards 
 surrender, let a council of all our force be called." 
 
 Ribault then informed Melendez that he had with 
 him many gentlemen of family and that he could not de- 
 cide without consulting them. He therefore asked per- 
 mission to return to his camp for that purpose. Consent 
 was given to this — the Spanish general adding a word as 
 to the advisability of throwing themselves, without un- 
 necessary trouble or delay, upon his mercy, he being dis- 
 posed by his conference with M. Ribault to devise some 
 plan by which the desires of the French to leave the 
 country could be accomplished. 
 
 With this the general of the French recrossed the 
 strait accompanied by D'Erlach, Ottigny and the rest. 
 
STORY OP THE HUGUENOTS. 79 
 
 The buglers sounded the call to the standard, and 
 with the declining sun of an October day, pouring the 
 splendor of its rays upon the surrounding waters and the 
 sand beach on the south side of the inlet, the Huguenots 
 gathered in a council of war decisive of their own fate, in 
 full view of the Spanisli forces on the opposite side and 
 almost within hearing. 
 
 Ribault opened the consultation by saying: 
 
 ''Brothers and comrades all, no matter what the dis- 
 tinctions of rank may be, you have yourselves seen, 
 across these narrow waters, how the general of the Span- 
 iards received us. But you could not know what passed 
 between us nor is it, perhaps, necessary to multiply 
 words. It all comes to this: he demands our uncondi- 
 tional surrender, proffering to do what he can to enable 
 us to leave the country. In what way or when, he says 
 not. 
 
 "I cannot conceal from you that he has captured La 
 Caroline and slain most of the garrison." [Melendez did 
 not tell him of the escape of Laudonniere.] "In proof of 
 which I have seen and conversed with two of your for- 
 mer comrades who solemnly affirm the truth of his 
 declaration. 
 
 ''He has also captured the advance detachment 
 which reached this point under the Sieur de le Grange a 
 week ago, the most of whom, because they resisted, per- 
 ished. This I am convinced will be our fate, if we do not 
 placate him." 
 
 Then D'Erlach arose from the fragment of coquina 
 rock upon which he had been sitting and earnestly en- 
 treated Ribault and all present not to place themselves 
 in the power of the treacherous Spaniard, without at least, 
 
80 fijobida historioal tales. 
 
 a solemii*surety that they should not be treated as beasts 
 fit only for slaughter, but as men and soldiers. 
 
 He told them of the garments, swords and bucklers 
 which he had seen among their enemies, evidently taken 
 from their slaughtered comrades. He could not give his 
 informant's name for fear it would cost that one's life, 
 but stated that he had been informed De le Grange and 
 his detachment had been basely, cruelly slaughtered, as 
 their comrades at La Caroline had been also. 
 
 ''Will you trust the mercy of such a man ? Look j^ou 
 at the vultures yonder. They circle above the same 
 slaughter pen to which this human tiger would lead you 
 all! Yea, and if he should spare your lives, tliere is 
 naught but torture and slavery before you. For one, I 
 say, better die sword in hand in fair battle than let the 
 assassin's dagger have an easy, certain mark. True, it 
 seems there is but little choice. There is no outlet this 
 way for us save the gate of death. But if we cannot cross 
 this strait in the face of our enemy neither can he cross 
 to this side without our consent as long as we have arms 
 and will to use them. 
 
 ''My good sword has temper to it yet, and I will not 
 let it leave my hand without conditions." So spoke the 
 gallant young Frenchman, once a guardsman at the 
 court. Such, too, was the resolution quickened in the 
 hearts of many of his hearers. But others, like Ribault, 
 were hopeful that Melendez would show them clemency, 
 and so the camp was divided. Chevalier D'Ottigny 
 finally proposed a compromise plan. This was to offer 
 ransom and the cost of transportation to France, or if 
 Melendez would accept their aid there were many who 
 would remain witli him to help colonize and hold the 
 
% 
 STOBY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 81 
 
 country — not knowing that the other detachment had 
 unavailingly made similar propositions. 
 
 To this even D'Erlach consented, with but little idea, 
 however, that the proposition would be accepted. 
 
 Again Ilibault crossed to the landing to meet Melen- 
 dez. 
 
 "Part of my people only are willing to surrender at 
 discretion, but all will give up their arms and subject 
 themselves to your orders, if you will take ransom for 
 them. I am desired to offer you thirty thousand ducats 
 and the proffer of service on the part of many of them if 
 you will take them, to hold and colonize this land." 
 
 For a moment Melendez' face assumied a cruel, fierce 
 look and he seemed about to burst out into a blaze of 
 wrath, but, after a momentary pause, a pleasanter ex- 
 pression took its place. In that moment he determined 
 to send back Ribault to his camp inspired with false 
 hopes. 
 
 ''Understand me, Senor! I cannot change the cartel, 
 but this I will say; the ransom will satisfy my soldiers 
 instead of plunder, and I shall be able to make your as- 
 sistance, while awaiting transportation home, of use to. 
 me." 
 
 It was arranged at last that in the morning Ribault 
 was to make a final report. As the shades of night fell, 
 the opposing campfires glared at each other from the two 
 sides of the Inlet. Sentinels were set on each shore. 
 Both parties made their evening meal, after which an 
 animated discussion took place in the Huguenot camp as 
 to the acceptance of the proposition. Ribault, lured on 
 by the remembrance of the Adelantado's courtesies to 
 him, held that the proposition to ransom was definitaly 
 
FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 accepted and that therefore in the morning Melendez 
 should be notified of their intention to surrender that he 
 inij^ht direct its manner. 
 
 Ribault's argument in favor of trusting Melendez 
 and surrendering, was supported by Ottigny and others, 
 but was stoutly contested by D'Erlach, Francis La CaillCr 
 Pierre Rotrou and Robert D'Alembert. 
 
 There had been much friction between D'Erlach and 
 his commander before ; the daring and courageous Chev- 
 alier having time and again urged Ribault to more de- 
 cisive and spirited action, willing, as he phrased it, ''To 
 loose all or win all upon one throw;" but as yet he had 
 not set himself so openly in opposition. 
 
 Now, however, he felt that a decisive hour had come. 
 He knew, that discouraged with hardships which thefy 
 had ill endured ; with little chance of relief coming in 
 any shape; a large portion of the little army was dis- 
 posed to give up the struggle on almost any terms. For 
 himself, he could see nothing hopeful in the talk of Me- 
 lendez ; no definite promises or pledges, only the desire 
 to get the French completely in his power to do with 
 them as he pleased. With all due deference to the un- 
 fortunate commander he addressed the council as fol- 
 lows : 
 
 ''Is it not enough, my comrades, that this man, who 
 has slaughtered our brethren, will make no promise of 
 amity? Will give no pledge of safety even to our lives 
 alone? As for me, I would sooner trust the incarnate 
 fiend himself than this Melendez. He but aims to get 
 us hi his power and then destroy us utterly. 
 
 "The savage has not a heart so utterly stony as that 
 of this Spaniard ! He hath fed on blood until lie craves 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 83' 
 
 it. Mark this! You go to your deaths when you go to 
 him. The tiger invites you to a banquet where the guest 
 brings the repast. 
 
 ''Surely we are yet strong enough, if we use our 
 weapons, to make him concede by force what he will not 
 otherwise. We are three hundred and fifty soldiers — 
 why even treat witli this cut throat? Why cross this 
 strait at all? 
 
 "We still have two courses open to us. We can se- 
 lect some remote, defensible point for settlement and re- 
 main as long in the land as we desire ; or we can retire 
 to where our grounded vessels are, repair or build one, 
 and yet get back to France. I for one will not surrender 
 unless he gives us honorable terms!" 
 
 Then Ribault, broken in spirit, utterly exhausted by 
 his struggle with fate, recapitulated his persuasion that 
 Melendez would be merciful; that he would deal in good 
 faith with them, and finally said : 
 
 "Comrades, I command no longer. To-morrow, for 
 myself and those who have decided to do likewise, I 
 shall make a surrender upon the terms of the Adelan- 
 tado ; but I absolve ye all from any obligation to follow 
 me in so doing, 
 
 •'Monsieur D'Erlach and you who have protested 
 against surrender, you arc at liberty to refuse, and to do 
 as you may deem fit. Whatever agreement I may con- 
 sent to, shall not include those who do not accede to it. 
 ~B\.\t before we part, and it is likely to be forever, so far 
 as this life is concerned, for it does seem as if in neither 
 course is there much to hope for that may bring us to- 
 gether in peace and safety again, let me say, that in 
 wh tsoever I have done or may do, there is no other mo- 
 
^ FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 tive than for our mutual good and to relieve our common 
 perils. Circumstances, yea the very elements, have been 
 against me, and disaster beyond human power to pre- 
 vent, in the will of Providence, has overruled my will." 
 
 He paused a moment and looking around the circle 
 with a lingering glance into each one's face, he placed his 
 hand upon his bosom and pathetically finished: 
 
 "Do you not know, my comrades, that the surrender 
 I am forced to make breaks my heart? For myself, I ex- 
 pect nothing. I shall never see fair France again. If it 
 be God's will, so be it! But perhaps for you I may gain 
 some easing of your difficulties, some chance of final re- 
 turn. 'Tis late ; you are dsmissed. God care for us all 
 to-morrow!" 
 
 So saying, he retired to his rude quarters and cast 
 himself down upon his couch of leaves to catch a fevered 
 repose. 
 
 Half to himself D'Erlach murmured as he departed, 
 in Latin, for he was gentle born and bred, '"Quem Deus 
 vult perdere prius dementat ! Poor man. He goes to the 
 sacrifice." 
 
 He then conferred briefly with tliose of the same 
 opinion with him, that it were better far to keep out of 
 the hands of the Spaniard and trust themselves entirely 
 to fortune and the savages, bidding them to beseech 
 their followers not to go with Ribault to certain destruc- 
 tion, but to follow liim back to Canaveral, where many 
 supplies could yet be obtained from the stranded vessels, 
 through whose proper use they might even yet make 
 good their escape or hold their own indefinitely. 
 
 Heated with the discussion, but little of which have 
 we here chronicled, D'Erlach, carrying his morion in his 
 
STORY OP THE HUGUENOTS. 
 
 hand, wandered with Pierre Rotrou down the beach tow- 
 ards the sea, to cool himself and watch the Spanish 
 camp upon the other shore. 
 
 There were still a few camp fires blazing, from 
 around which came occasional bursts of laughter, the 
 oaths of gamblers or snatches of song. The gaiety of the 
 one camp, and the sullen, despairing somberness of the 
 other, grated harshly on his spirit, and he moodily con- 
 versed with his companion as they slowly paced the 
 sands, smooth and firm with the recent wash of the tide. 
 A gentle surf broke on the shore in luminous foam ; 
 ielly fish sparkled in the waters ; night birds flitted to 
 and fro with strange shrill cries ; small fish sprang like 
 birds out of the water as with a rush, sharks, porpoises 
 or other predatory fish dashed in amongst them. After 
 a little while, red coals only were left of the campflres, 
 and stars reflected from the smooth bosoms of the coves, 
 ''Truly, Nature cares but little or naught at all for 
 any man, Rotrou, good or bad, and it doth seem to me, 
 God scarcely any more. Look you! Over there the 
 murderers of our comrades sleep like babes without 
 a feather weight upon their consciences, or a shadow of 
 stain upon their souls. To-morrow, they will thirst to 
 redden their arms in blood to their elbows and if Ribault 
 changes not his mind they surely will do so." D'Erlach 
 paused and looked toward the water. A faint splashing 
 sound caught his ear. 
 
 "Look, Rotrou, what makes that wake of light in the 
 water off yonder little point?'" 
 
 "Quietly, Chevalier! It is not made by any fish, nor 
 is it yet a boat. A man swims toward this shore." 
 
 It was only a few paces off, and with no noise they 
 
FliOBIDA HISTORIOAIi TAIiES. 
 
 traverse<t the distance. As they approached the point 
 the splashing, gentle as it was, ceased entirely, and after 
 a moment almost in a wliisper, in Frencli, was lieard a 
 Toice saying: 
 
 ^'I am a friend, Antoine Uhlrich, of Lorraine, and seek 
 the Chevalier D'Erlach." 
 
 "Advance, friend, I am he wliom you seek." — to Ro- 
 trou — ''This is the man who warned me yesterday'" — 
 '^ What would you?" 
 
 "I, oh my Captain! I come to warn you again. Nay, 
 more, to cast my lot with you for I am triste with hor- 
 rors! I cannot live longer in hell!" 
 
 This he said standing on the edge of the beach witli 
 the water dripping from his naked body and the bundle 
 of clothes which he had pushed before him in swimming. 
 
 D'Erlach immediately saw that the man's arrival 
 was opportune and on that account as well as meeting 
 one who sought at tlie risk of liis own life to aid him to 
 save his, gave the man welcome and bade him put on his 
 clothes and follow to his tent. Passing the sentinel they 
 reached their headquarters, a slieet of sail-cloth spread 
 over poles, and there, in low tones, Antoine Uhlrich told 
 Buch a tale of horror as they liad never listened to before, 
 describing faitlifuUy tlie two massacres, concluding 
 with, "Mon Dien, the cries of those poor women and 
 children at the fort — their pitiful begging and pleading 
 — still rings in my ears, and will forever. Poor souls, 
 better they too had died with those for whose lives they 
 prayed in vain ! And then to see the horrors of that 
 slaughter-pen over there, where died the Sieur de la 
 Grange and all his men, save a few who are now Melen- 
 dez' slaves and know not any day what torture he may 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 87 
 
 mete to them, should they but make a misstep or speak 
 one word wrong. 
 
 "And see! not because any understood my speech 
 but you, for none did, a cut throat Biscayan, this very 
 evening, nearly broke my head with the pommel of his 
 dagger, because I had made sport of their wormy bread 
 and told me that I, to-morrow, should be killed with all 
 my French friends, for so had he heard Melendez swear 
 by the mass. Thou knowest I cared but little for either 
 Lut*her or the Pope in the old days in France, not know- 
 ing the difference, and so sought only to save my life by 
 abjuring. But sure am I, if they have souls I have none 
 and I would live and die with men and not such beasts!" 
 
 There was in the man's manner not only evidence of 
 intense excitement, as he recited his story, but of a fe- 
 verishness arising from the blow upon his head which, to 
 D'Erlach's mind, foretold a period of mental disorder 
 near at hand; so he briefly drew from him information 
 which confirmed his belief that Melendez did not intend 
 to show any mercy to those who might surrender, and 
 also, that he was in no oondition, as to present force, to 
 assault or follow them should the French refuse to yield 
 up their arms. 
 
 After having had wet bandages placed on his head, 
 Uhlrich, in a corner of the tent was told to rest in peace, 
 for that under no consideration should he be given up to 
 the Spaniards, and should share with them their future 
 fortunes and misfortunes. 
 
 Rotrou and D'Erlach, it is needless to say, were 
 much saddened snd dispirited by the recalling of the 
 miserable fates of their late comrades and the almost 
 hopeless condition in which they themselves were placed ; 
 
FLORIDA HISTORIOAIi TALES. 
 
 tout they were brave men and resolutely looking the cir- 
 cumstances in the face, the plan of falling back to Can- 
 averal, as outlined before, was more strongly endorsed 
 than ever as the best course to follow. 
 
 Rising, D'Erlach said to the Breton: "In the morn- 
 ing, a few hours hence, Captain, see La Caille, D'Alem- 
 bert and the others and tell them all you have heard 
 from this poor fellow, whose words I believe are trutli. 
 Bid them change not tlieir resolution, nor let Ribault 
 and those who go with him, surrender aught except what 
 is upon their persons. Whenever the surrender of any 
 portion of the force is decided upon, let such exchanges 
 of arquebuses and other weapons be made as will leave 
 us the better ones. Bullet pouches and powder flasks 
 also should be emptied, so that ours may be well sup- 
 plied, for I foresee we shall need all our munitions in the 
 future. Find out also how many are determined to go, 
 forgetting not to especially persuade the best of the sol- 
 diers if possible to stay with us. My company and yours 
 I doubt not will not leave us. 
 
 ''Would to God, we had the means to cross this strait 
 and that our men could be braced up to make one brave 
 struggle for victory and vengeance! We could reverse 
 upon these Spaniards the calamities and cruelties they 
 have inflicted upon us. We are more tiian two to one in 
 numbers and enfeebled although many are and worn out, 
 were we once on the other shore, arms in hand, Melen- 
 dez would be lucky iudeed to escape the fate of our com- 
 rades. But go you to rest and I will make the rounds." 
 
 As anticipated, by morning, Uhlrich was delirious 
 with fever and not capable of rational conversation. He 
 was not violent, but occasionally he would half spring to 
 
STORY OF THE HUaUENOTS. 
 
 his feet, and with a countenance full of horror, speak 
 brokenly of some incident of the massacre at the fort — 
 *'Ha!" he exclaimed in one of these fits, "Well struck, 
 •Captain De La Vigne I You made one of those Asturian 
 •doffs bite the dust! But there! You are down! Your 
 «word broke on that cursed pike handle — the brutal 
 wretciies — to slay a fallen man ! And there goes Lau- 
 •donniere with Bartholomew to the breach — I cannot get 
 there" — then he would sink back to lie faint and still. 
 
 Seeing his condition, D'Erlach gave up his hope of 
 getting Eibault to interview him so that as a result, it 
 might cliange tlie plan of surrender, and, cooling the 
 wounded man's head with fresh wet bandages, he ate his 
 frugal breakfast with Rotrou and hastened to tlie com- 
 mander's tent, to repeat to him Uhlrich's story and urge 
 him not to surrender. 
 
 To this Ribault answered: "Monsieur D'Erlach, I 
 do not doubt that you are prompted by sincere friend- 
 sliip, but I cannot believe every crazy tale that is told. 
 This man, you tell me, is even now lying in your tent out 
 of his mind. What he says, therefore, cannot be relied 
 on. However, I will have the bugler call a parley and 
 see if better terms may not be obtained from Melendez." 
 
 So saying, he called for Ernest D'Erlach, the brother 
 of the Chevalier, a handsome gallant youth, not yet so- 
 bered out of boyishness, but a great favorite with the 
 General, who came quickly into the tent saluting both 
 courteously. 
 
 "My son, take with you ons of the buglers, go down 
 to the shore and have him blow a call for a parley as 
 agreed upon. Wait there until you get an answer and 
 bring it to me." 
 
90 FIX)RIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 The youth, with a smile and a word for his brother » 
 hastened away and Ribault continued : 
 
 ''You liave younger years, Chevalier, and therefore 
 stronger hope. There was a time when I could share the 
 latter but it has passed with the wreck of our squadron and 
 the destruction of La Caroline. There are left but few 
 with us who are capable of making a brave defence of 
 even their lives. I see no other way save to win some 
 concessions from Melendez for them and end a useless 
 struggle by surrender, if he grants any." 
 
 ''Then, General, I have two favors to ask of you; one 
 is that you will not take my brother with you, but send 
 him to me at the last, and the other, that the surrender 
 be deferred at least until to-morrow, with liberty of ac- 
 tion for those who are not willing te trust the Spaniards, 
 to take steps to save themselves as they may deem best." 
 
 "Both are granted freely. And more. Monsieur 
 D'Erlach, while it scarcely seems possible for you to 
 ever make your escape to France, it may be so, God 
 grant it! and if you should, will you do me a favor?" 
 
 "Surely!" was the emphatic response. 
 
 "There is in Rochelle— ah me ! the fairest city of fair 
 France — with Master Keppel the minister, my daughter, 
 Jeanne Ribault. Take her this seal ring and this script 
 tliat I have written to tell her where she may find the 
 remnant of her father's fortune, if it should be the will of 
 God that I meet her not again. I charge you to forget 
 not, that she is the daughter of your old commander and 
 comrade in arms, who places trust in your honor as a 
 gen|^eman. Say to her, that her father, in his hardest 
 straits, and if it be to end speedily as it may, thought of 
 her last next to his God and in dying prayed that she 
 
STORY OP THE HUGUENOTS. 91 
 
 might be blessed with peace and happiness." 
 
 As he finished, the notes of the bugle rose clear and 
 sweet above the monotone of the surf, echoing far over 
 the inner river — repeated three times, Then came the 
 answer from the Spanish side. In the melodious notes 
 there were no undertones to indicate cold despair or 
 black-hearted treachery, but they called to both spirits 
 of hell and heaven. 
 
FIX)BIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 THE SECOND SLAUGHTER AT MATANZAS — DEATH OF 
 RIBAULT. 
 
 In response to the call for a parley, Melendez sent 
 the boat over with Martin D'Oehoa under a flag of truce, 
 as previously agreed upon. He was conducted to Ri- 
 bault's tent and there informed that if Melendez desired 
 the surrender of the Huguenots he must modify his de- 
 mands. ''Tell him, Senor D'Oehoa, that I ask but little 
 for myself. Your commander is a soldier and I will net 
 doubt his disposition to do whatsoever he can in my own 
 behalf; nor for my men can I expect to gain other favor, 
 t lan that which is usually accorded m war between civ- 
 ilized nations, to prisoners surrendering without resist- 
 ance. 
 
 ''I will not hide the truth from you. There are many^ 
 and perhaps the larger number, who will not give up 
 their arms without some pledge of security for their lives 
 and the final hope of return to their native country, 
 which the majority most earnestly wish. All desire no 
 more than to leave you in peace. The question of sover- 
 eignty shall be left to our respective royal masters to bo 
 settled between them as they will. Here is a copy of Ad- 
 miral Coligny's instructions. Call your 'General's atten- 
 tion to the fact that, in accordance with its directions, I 
 have authority to make an agreement for complete with- 
 drawal from this land and leave you in perlect posses- 
 sion if it is deemed best by me." 
 
STOBY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 
 
 D'Ochoa returned to Melendez with Ribault's mes- 
 sage. Two hours later came the ultimatum of the Ade- 
 lantado. 
 
 "In the name of Philip, by the grace of God, King of 
 Spain and all the Indias, I, Pedro Melendez de Avila» 
 Adelantado of Florida, demand the surrender of all the 
 French now under the command of Jean Ilibault, prom- 
 ising such grace and clemency as are accorded usually 
 to prisoners. To those who will not surrender, war to 
 the knife!"* 
 
 The herald further told Ribault that the truce then 
 existing would not last longer than until next day noon, 
 when the whole matter must be concluded, adding that 
 the sooner all could be settled the better would be the 
 terms accorded. A safe conduct to and from the Span- 
 ish camp was extended to Ribault and such officers as he 
 
 * The following is an exact copy of the signature of 
 Melendez as appended to his ultanalum to the Hngue- 
 nots. It was obtained by a lady, Miss A. M. Brooks, 
 wiiile in Seville, Spain, looking over documents relating 
 to the e^vrly Spanish settlements, and electro typed for 
 this book. While the Spanish, and therefore the correct 
 form of tlie name, is Meuendez, the P'rench form is fol- 
 lowed in this story as found in the history of the events,, 
 given by those ol the Huguenots who escaped: 
 
94 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 might choose, to dine with the Adelantado. Hoping 
 that an opportunity might be presented to move Melen- 
 dez to greater leniency, Ribault selected Ottigny, Ro- 
 trou and his trumpeter, Perrault Le Bearnois, to accom- 
 pany him, leaving the camp iu charge of D'Erlach. 
 
 Melendez received the party courteously and made 
 so great a show of hospitality, that Ribault was thor- 
 oughly imbued with the idea that he meant better than 
 his words. Neither did the wily Spaniard fail to so display 
 his little force, show the excellence of their equipment 
 and their martial discipline, as to enforce the idea of his 
 power. Indeed, tlie contrast with the mutinous disposi- 
 tion of his own men, their disheartened and demoralized 
 condition, made Ribault feel more than ever the futility 
 of resistance. 
 
 Every proposition of further guarantee, however, was 
 evaded by Melendez, who fixed in Ribault's mind the be- 
 lief that reasonable conditions would be given to the 
 Frencli upon surrender, and so it was finally decided 
 that at an early hour the next morning, Melendez' her- 
 ald, who could speak French, should be sent to proclaim 
 tlie terms of surrender, on the acceptance of which the 
 transfer of the French across the straiglit should begin. 
 
 Returning to his own side, Ribault made known 
 throughout the camp the Adelantado's proposition, bid- 
 ding each, however, to decide for himself whetlier to ac- 
 cept or reject. 
 
 Tlie Rreton captain was not satisfied that Melendez 
 had not plotted to deceive them, and that evening D'Er- 
 lach and Ins friends held a consultation in his tent. Uhl- 
 rich by this time was rid of fever, so that he was in his 
 right unnd, and begged them not to trust the merciless 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUEXOTS. 95 
 
 butcher. ^'Belteve him not, Captain, and you all! He 
 has neither mercy nor compassion. His army is but a 
 band of assassins like himself. Should you decide to 
 trust liis promises and surrender to-inorrow, I will crawl 
 this very night into the heart of these tjiickets and die of 
 hunger and serpent bites in preference. Have I not seen 
 and heard? Was ever a hatred deeper than the bottom-^ 
 less pit, 'tis his for Frenchman. Give me a flask of water, 
 a pouch of biscuit, such arms as I can carry, and ere 
 sunrise let me go, I care not where nor to what fate; 'tis 
 better than that slaughter-pen over there." 
 
 "Nay, friend Uhlrich, we trust Melendez no more 
 than you. We believe he does not intend aught but evil 
 to any of us. But it is true the General and many of the 
 company are deceived by him, and have resolved to sur- 
 render. As for us, we will not; for he will give no 
 straight forward promise of safety to our lives, and we 
 believe It will be better to fall back to the wrecks and 
 then plan some method of escape, or die sword in hand. 
 You are too weak to march on foot now, but to-morrow 
 shall be carried on a litter. Perhaps next day you may 
 be able to march with the rest," replied D'Erlach, and 
 then with Rotrou that evening made the round of the 
 camp, to strengthen tlie resolutions of many for the re- 
 treat, and make his dispositions. 
 
 Early in the morning before daylight, those carrying 
 the litters loaded with baggage and several disabled 
 soldiers, who begged not to be turned over to the cruel 
 Spaniards, under LaCaille and ten arquebusiers, were to 
 proceed down the beach, followed by the main body 
 under Rotrou, while D'Erlach remained with a rear 
 guard of picked men until Ribault, and those going with 
 
96 FIX)BIDA HISTORICAL. TALES. 
 
 him to surrender, should depart. Indeed, D'Erlach 
 hoped to the last that he might persuade the commander 
 to change his mind, in which, however, lie was disap- 
 pointed. More than that, in the morning he found nearly 
 one hundred and fifty of the men, including his gallant 
 friend. Captain Ottigny, had resolved to go with Ei- 
 bault, whom surely the evil fates had in their keeping. 
 
 Sunrise came with an October blaze of glory falling 
 on the little company gathered on the beach, at the edge 
 of the inlet, for their final parting. Need it be said that 
 it was sad? They had often been in peril together ; had 
 faced storm and battle side by side. It wa? hard to part so. 
 Ribault was astonished, even grieved that so many would 
 follow his leadership no longer ; were so doubtful of his 
 true judgment in trusting to the Adelantado's clemency, 
 of which he felt assured. But the trumpets blew the 
 agreed signal. The large bateau of the Spaniards was 
 launched— it was dancing under the guidance of skilled 
 oarsmen over the inlet's billows. They grasped hands 
 and bid each other adieu. 
 
 Then Ribault, with the standards of France and Co- 
 ligny and a portion of his guard, entered the boat. Er- 
 nest D'Erlach bade him the last farewell and joined his 
 brother. And so Ribault was ferried across the Matanzas 
 strait, not seeing the grim ferryman. Death, at the tiller. 
 
 He was conducted to the Adelantado's tent, which 
 stood near the e(.\{i;e of the sand point, where it was 
 fringed by the dense thickets of saw palmetto and stunted 
 trees, over which towered sombre live oaks, from whose 
 gnarled arms hung ragged drapery of funereal moss, and 
 still taller palms crowned with great shining leaves. 
 
 Here he laid at the feet of Melendez his armor, his 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 97 
 
 casque of steel, beautifully wrought with gold and silver 
 by Florentine artists, given to him by the citizens of Ro- 
 chelle ; his sword, pistolet and buckler ; the Commission 
 given to him by Coligny as Governor of New France ; and 
 lastly the royal standards. 
 
 Then his companions laid down their weapons in like 
 manner. Thej'' stood disarmed, defenseless in the midst 
 of their enemies, absolutely at their mercy. 
 
 Then said Melendez : 
 
 '^Monsieur, you are no longer a General; you have no 
 longer the shadow even of authority in this land. My 
 orders from my royal master are to spare none of the 
 leaders of French intruders upon his domain — to allow 
 no heretics to exist here, save such as recant. There is 
 no option left but to execute those orders. If there be 
 any among you who are of the true faith, let them step 
 forth!" 
 
 None stirred. The order was repeated. Not one 
 moved. All felt then that certain death confronted 
 them. Ribault knew the doom passed upon him and his 
 followers ; but the old warrior felt no fear, only the shame 
 of it all. 
 
 ''Is it thus, Senor, that you treat men and soldiers 
 who have trusted to your clemency and honor?" 
 
 With a scowl and a wave of his staff, Melendez said : 
 
 ''Bind this man and his companions! Take them 
 thence!" 
 
 Not another word of expostulation — none of useless 
 pleading — did the veteran address to his murderer, 
 but, without faltering, and with face turned heaven- 
 ward, as Melendez finished his orders to the execution- 
 ers binding the men for slaughter, he uttered, "From the 
 
98 FIX)RIDA HISTORIOAL TALES. 
 
 earth we came ; to the earth we must return ! Soon or 
 late, it is the same final end that comes to all." 
 
 Then as he was marched to that same spot where 
 perished the Sieur de la Grange, he chanted clearly and 
 solemnly, a psalm in Latin, commencing, "Domine, Me- 
 mento Mei;" well conceiving in that fearful moment 
 there was left but one source of consolation. 
 
 It was a scene, the terrible tragedy of which can 
 scarcely in human history be paralleled ; yet it was set in 
 a frame work of matchless beauty. There was the great 
 ocean heaving in blue and silver, its boundless bosom. 
 The surf broke on the shore then as it does now, after the 
 centuries have passed, chanting the same mysterious 
 anthem of power and praise and solemnity, the Creator 
 set the notes for at the first. There were soft skies with 
 fleecy clouds, light as angel wings; the broad rivet inside 
 the gi'een rolling sand dunes of the island and peninsula 
 barriers. Over all, through all, and doubtless heard in 
 heaven, swept that one human voice, singing a psalm of 
 death, a funeral march, until the shadows of the forest 
 closed upon the party. 
 
 There were eight men with bound hands, and to each 
 one a dagger-armed assassin. They were marched out of 
 sight and sound of the camp and of their companions, be- 
 ing brought across the inlet in squads of ten to be dealt 
 with in like manner, each party not knowing the fate of 
 the preceding. 
 
 As they approached the appointed place the soldier 
 having Ribault in charge, said to him. 
 
 "Senor, you are the general of the French." 
 
 *'I was," accenting the last word, was the answer. 
 
 *'You have been accustomed to exact obedience to 
 
STORY OF THE ^U^b^NOTS. , , , ^ 
 
 — ■ 5r — - — »^ — ^ i,x-v > , > ., ^ ' i — _»-^_^._.^j_, 
 
 your orders?" '.,',••'•:,. - '' '^ >'' '^ '.' ' '• * ' '• 
 
 "Without doubt!" 
 
 "Deem it not strange that I obey mine, then!" 
 Thus speaking, he drove his poignard into the heart 
 of his victim, who fell upon his face without a groan and 
 died. So died the others also without further prelim- 
 inaries, and as with tliem, a similar scene was enacted, 
 the same questioning, the same sentence and doom with 
 each boat load ferried over to execution, till more than a 
 hundred perished.* 
 
 * Here ends the history properly of La Caroline and 
 Ribault, although still later on La Caroline, or rather Fort 
 San Mateo, as the Spaniards had named it, again became 
 the scene of a most remarkable event — the sudden and 
 terrible vengeance of the Chevalier de Gourgues. 
 
 Part II, which follows, describes the romantic ad- 
 ventures of D'Erlach and his men along the coast south 
 of St. Augustine ; their mishaphs and final triumps ; relat- 
 ing also much interesting matter connected with the In- 
 dians of this region, including history and romance 
 hitherto unpublished. 
 
PART II. 
 
 THE ROMANCE OF IT. 
 
STORY OP THE HUGUENOTS. 103 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 THE DARING EXPLOIT OF CHEVALIER D'OTTIGNY, LB 
 BEARNOIS AND THEIR COMPANIONS. 
 
 Just prior to departing, Ribault had directed Ottigny 
 to remain until the last boat load was ready to be carried 
 across the strait. 
 
 "It may be, Captain, that Melendez will prove 
 treacherous. Should you see aught to make you believe 
 so, take what course you may deem best. God knows 
 what the outcome will be." 
 
 So, through the weary lagging hours, until the mid- 
 dle of the afternoon, Ottigny waited, filled with'many 
 perplexities and anxietses, for his turn to come. He liad 
 kept with him, Francis Perrault, familiarly called Le 
 Bearnois from the province of which he was a native, the 
 chief trumpeter, the other having gone with D'Erlach, 
 besides eight of his best men. 
 
 Ottigny bad watched closely, as well as he could at 
 the distance between the two shores of the strait, what 
 occurred on the other side. 
 
 He had seen the first detachment, headed by Ri- 
 bault, land on the opposite shore and march, escorted by 
 the guard sent to meet him, to Melendez' tent. As the 
 •two banners carried by them were lowered, the Chevalier 
 covered his face with his hands to hide the tears in his 
 eyes, for with that act fell all the high hopes with which 
 he had first entered upon this enterprise, that at the be- 
 ginning, was to give to France a new world and to him- 
 
104 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 ^^ . _ 
 
 self honor and distinction. 
 
 ''Perrault, your eyes are as keen as the eagle's, tell 
 me what you see," said he to the trumpeter. 
 
 ''It is but little, mon capitaine," answered he. "They 
 have laid down their arms, and now the eight are being 
 marched toward the forest around the cove, with a 
 guard, amongst whom I see no pikes or halberds. They 
 are gone from sight." 
 
 The next boat load carried ten, and so on, until the 
 hour came as mentioned. 
 
 During the procedure it was noted that a number of 
 the prisoners were dropped from the little detachments 
 and went not towards the forest, but were left in charge 
 of two black robed friars, and allowed at noon to parade 
 on the beach in full sight of their late companions on the 
 other side. These were those who were Catholics or had 
 recanted, and Melendez, with consummate art, instigated 
 this display of freedom and hospitality, for he made 
 them take their noonday meal as conspicuously, rightly 
 conjecturing it would influence the others favorably, 
 making them more disposed to surrender. And so it did. 
 The poor deluded wretches even crowded to enter the 
 boat, esteeming it a favor to be selected. 
 
 Even the veterans Ottigny had chosen to remain with 
 him, growled at being compelled to wait until the last. 
 
 They were now the only ones remaining. Le Bear- 
 nois raised his ])ugle to his mouth and not loudly but 
 sweetly played a few strains of a march. The tide had 
 recently turned seaward. The bateau was coming across 
 the inlet. 
 
 "My comrades, one more word ere we go," said their 
 captain. "Perhaps at the last D'Erlach's warning may 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 105 
 
 prove true. Should it be so, do you follow every word I 
 give you and stand by every act. Be alert and brave for 
 your lives and the honor of France." Tliey answered af- 
 firmatively, and as the boat came to shore, stepped in. 
 
 As they landed, no guard met them. It was the last 
 boat load and the boatmen themselves, escorted them to 
 headquarters. 
 
 ''You are the Chevalier Louis D'Ottlgny and these 
 men with you are the last of the French who surrender?" 
 questioned Melendez. 
 
 "It is true, Senor?" 
 
 "You will deposit your arms here with the re^t." 
 
 Ottigny and his men then proceeded to divest them- 
 selves of their arms, during which process the former 
 noticed the group of fifteen or twenty Frenchmen in 
 charge of the two friars, wliose looks were downcast and 
 shamefaced. He saw also, coming from the forest open- 
 ing, a number of Spaniards. At this juncture the voice 
 of Le Bearnois was heard addressing Melendez. 
 
 "Senor commandant, I crave your pardon, but my 
 bugle is not a weapon of war. It has been my companion 
 for many years. Will you not permit me to keep it." 
 
 "Thou shall keep it to the last, since tliou dost prize 
 it so highly," replied Melendez with a mocking smile. 
 
 He then proceeded to put the questions, concerning 
 religious faitli and recantation, as had been done to all 
 the others. 
 
 "I care not which you choose. Here on the one side is 
 freedom and life, with these your former comrades, who 
 have accepted the terms, or on the other hand the death 
 decreed to heretics and enemies. There is no other 
 choice. 
 
106 FLORIDA HISTORIOAIi TALES. 
 
 Meantime, Ottigny, with keen eye, was watchful, 
 though not yet fully alive to the deadly peril confronting 
 them. 
 
 At this moment appeared from behind the tent, ten 
 stalwart ruffians with daggers sheathed in their girdles, 
 bearing cords in their hands and with many bloodstains 
 upon their leathern jerkins. They were the ''Matadors" 
 as they had been nicknamed throughout the camp, the 
 slaughter gang. 
 
 "Choose ye, and that quickly!" exclaimed Melendez 
 sternly and impatiently raising his staff to make the fatal 
 signal. 
 
 Clear as sunliglit burst on the mind of Ottigny the 
 whole truth. Dead in yonder glade were Ribault, gener- 
 ous and noble with all his faults, and all of his brave 
 comrades, faithful unto the end, fearful as it was, to him 
 and to their faith. The same fate was to be theirs. 
 
 The rage of battle swept over his soul; electrified his 
 nerves; turned his sinews into steel. 
 
 Witli the lightning bound of a leopard, he sprang to 
 the pile of surrendered arms, seized a halberd and aimed 
 one swinging tremenduous blow at Melendez, shouting. 
 
 ''Take that, tliou treacherous murderer, and to hell 
 with tliee!" 
 
 The blade of the halberd struck on the side of Me- 
 lendez' steel helmet, glanced and the shaft of tlie weapon 
 falling across his armored shoulder, broke off. The blow 
 felled him, however, stunned and motionless to the 
 ground. 
 
 With the heroic madness of the Norse Berserker 
 upon him, Ottigny plied the stout ash shaft which re- 
 mained in his hands with terrible effect, for two of tjie 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 107 
 
 "matadors" fell with crushed skulls. His followers had 
 grasped other weapons from the pile, and noting the ral- 
 lying of the Spaniards to the tent, he shouted: "To the 
 boat, men ! Quick ! For your lives ! For God and France !" 
 
 Fortunately, so unexpectedly and so instantaneously 
 did it all happen, Ottigny's party, except two who 
 were slain by the Adelantado's immediate guard, reached 
 the boat in safety. The one man left to guard it was 
 stricken down. Ottigny cut the painter witli his dagger, 
 which he had previously hidden in his doublet, and with 
 a rush the boat was pushed off, they springing into it. 
 
 In a moment it was caught by the swift, strong cur- 
 rent, and swept out into the channel, and towards the 
 sea. 
 
 Confusion reigned in the Spanish camp. Wild com- 
 mands and shouts of rage rang over the sands, but it was 
 too late. Their last proposed victims had escaped. 
 
 For a few moments they rested to catch their breath. 
 Then Le Bearnois unslung his bugle from its baldric, 
 and, standing up in the bow of the boat, blew so shrill, 
 so loud.and bold a defiance, that it rang high above the 
 roar of the surf, the shouts and cries of the Spaniards 
 and went echoing even to the other shore of tlie Matanzas 
 river. 
 
 Meantine, D'Ochoa, satisfied that Melendez was 
 stunned, not killed, called the friars to attend him, and 
 rallying a company of arquebusiers, hurried them to a 
 point near the mouth of the inlet to fire on the escaping 
 Huguenots. But few had their matches lighted, how- 
 ever, when the boat came in range, Le Bearnois blowing 
 lustily. They opened fire, and one of the bullets striking 
 the buckle of his belt tumbled him into the bottom of 
 
108 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALBS. 
 
 the boat, breathless, but otherwise unhurt. 
 
 "Tonnerre!" ejaculated the trumpeter, when he could 
 raise himself, "a bullet takes one's breath worse than a 
 bugle ! But see ! My bugle is unhurt !" 
 
 The arquebusiers raised a shout, thinking they had 
 killed Le Bearnois, and fired another volley. The bullets 
 rained like hail around the boat, but the latter was roll- 
 ing to the bar breakers and furnished no steady mark. 
 
 ''Pull hard, men! A few more strokes and we are 
 out of their range!" exclaimed D'Ottigny at the tiller, 
 his eyes fixed upon a huge breaker coming in from the 
 Bea. Keeping the boat bow on, he added : "Quick! Fifty 
 feet farther, and we are safe !" 
 
 The bullets dropped behind the boat, but a great 
 swell of blue water was rearing itself in front of them. 
 
 To capsize here meant death by drowning, or from 
 the sharks, or at the last to be cast ashore amongst infu- 
 riated enemies. But steady was the hand on the tiller; 
 strong the arms plying the oars, and in another breath- 
 less moment the boat rode over the mountain of water 
 which broke in thunder behind them, and for J;he time 
 being they were safe and free. 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 109 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 THE RETREAT — OAMP BELOW MATANZAS AND THE 
 REQUIEM AT SEA. 
 
 Meantime, as D'Erlach had planned, the advance 
 guard, followed by the main body of the Huguenots who 
 had refused to surrender to the Spaniards, had departed 
 from Matanzas before sunrise, to take advantage of the 
 lowest stage of the tide along the beach southward. 
 
 D'Erlach remained to bid a last farewell to Ribault, 
 when the latter should complete his arrangements to be- 
 gin the surrender. Even to the last, he labored to per- 
 suade his comrades to join in the retreat. But it was 
 useless. He was glad, however, that the main body had 
 marched so early, for had they remained they doubtless 
 would have joined the others, for even as it was, reason- 
 ably assured in his owm mind of Melendez' intended 
 treachery, he at moments felt himself tempted to throw 
 aside his doubts, but duty and honor called him to the 
 faithful discharge of his obligations as the guide and 
 commander of the little army, wending its way toward 
 Canaveral. 
 
 Along the inner shores of the weary coast line were 
 many populous Indian villages. He could not tell at 
 what moment some straggler might arouse animosity 
 and hostility. 
 
 At last he turned southward with his dozen halberd- 
 ers and arquebusiers, only halting at the last point from 
 which he could scan the Spanish camp to see, as Ottigny 
 
110 FLORIDA HISTOBIOAIi TALES. 
 
 (lid, the lowering of Ribault's banners, the Fleur de Lis 
 of France and the flag of Coligny. And, even as his 
 friend had done, he also covered his eyes, then hoarsely 
 bidding his men to move on, looked no more, but with 
 set lips, went after them. 
 
 It was a silent, sorrowful march. The sun blazed 
 down upon them; shone in silver on white sand banks 
 on one side ; glittered in dazzling glory on the ocean— 
 that great, boundless, heaving, never-resting expanse of 
 water, beyond which lay their native land, farther from 
 them than the infinite and the eternal. 
 
 Even in his bravr heart, there was little less than the 
 bitterness of despair, as the hopelessness of the future 
 came forcibly upon him. 
 
 Nevertheless, he kept step with his men, nor was it 
 long before his spirits recovered their usual elasticity. 
 
 Some two hours' march brought them to a portion of 
 the beach where its usually smooth sands were broken 
 by coquina rocks, with pools of water between them as 
 the tide was rapidly coming in. Here, some sea bass 
 were secured by spearing, and after placing a few miles 
 of this rough section, rapidly becoming impassible 
 through the rise of the tide, between them and possible 
 pursuit, a halt was called for dinner. 
 
 Fire was kindled with flint and steel, and what with 
 flsh, ship biscuit, of which they had a little store, water 
 from their flasks and the berries of the saw palmetto, 
 which were abundant among the sand hills, they made a 
 meal and then resumed their march ; the latter part of 
 wliich was rendered toilsome by the high tide, compel- 
 ling them to march over the sand dunes. 
 
 As the shades of night began to close around them, 
 
STORY OP THE HUGUENOTS. Ill 
 
 some twenty miles south of the inlet, the campflres of the 
 main body were sighted, and shortly after they joined 
 their companions, who crowded around them for tidings. 
 
 D'Erlach left to his men the telling of what little they 
 knew to their comrades and related what he had last 
 seen of Ribault to Rotrou, his brother Ernest, La Caille, 
 D'Alembert and Uhlrich, at their campfire. The latter 
 had borne the march well, having walked much of the 
 way, and was rapidly recovering. 
 
 To him, every incident was significant, and when 
 D'Erlach told of seeing Ribault and his seven compan- 
 ions marched toward the forest, he said '' Poor men! It 
 was to their death they went, for all know, not one of 
 those in that first boat load would ever deny their faith 
 and that I know is the only condition the murderer Mel- 
 endez would offer them." 
 
 Sentinels were posted both upon the beach and else- 
 where to guard againsts urprise from either Spaniards or 
 Indians, although from the latter little was feared. In 
 this vicinity the Indian settlement lay in a heavy ham- 
 mock beyond the marsh, where were large shell mounds 
 and fertile gardens. From the aborigines the French had 
 so far met with only kindness, and they had mutually 
 cultivated good will. 
 
 D'Erlach found that it was fortunate indeed that 
 Uhlrich was with the Huguenots on their march, for 
 they were so disheartened by present hardships and the 
 outlook for the future, that without his jjersistent com- 
 batting of their disposition to repent of their retreat from 
 Matanzas, probably many would have returned even 
 after the march began, to share the fate of their former 
 comrades. 
 
FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 112 
 
 Fortunately ,:also, it was the season of the year when 
 the climate is almost perfection ; cool seawinds temper- 
 ing the sunshine and driving away the pests af mosqui- 
 toes and sandflies, which, at times, rendered life on these 
 coasts a torment. Game and fish also abounded, and 
 there was no lack of necessary food in the camp. A 
 well had been scooped out at the foot of the hill on the 
 inside of the peninsula, which here was very narrow, be- 
 ing only about a furlong in width, and from this they 
 had an abundance of drinking water. The little hollows 
 back of t!ie sand barriers, furnished comfortable camp- 
 ing places, and palmetto leaves for bedding. 
 
 Wearied with the excitements of the day, and the 
 tiresome marches, the whole camp was soon asleep, ex- 
 cept the sentinels. 
 
 Not long, however, did D'Erlach wander in dream- 
 land. Nay, it seemed to him that he had barely crossed 
 its boundary line when the voice of Rotrou (returning 
 from the outposts) aroused him. ''Awaken, Chevalier!" 
 
 ''What is it, monami?" he asked, springing to his 
 feet. 
 
 '* Follow me to the beach. There is a sound at sea 
 that is a marvel I cannot make out. The guards have 
 heard it, and are amazed." 
 
 Luigo, the Florentine bugler, who had remained 
 with this portion of the force, rose also and went with 
 them. 
 
 The wind had quieted down with the setting sun, but 
 quite a surf was still tumbling on the outer bar, with 
 crests which ran along its edge in phosphorescent flames, 
 made more brilliant by the dark waters behind. 
 
 At first their itraining oars caught only the cries of 
 
STOBY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 113 
 
 night birds wheeling through the dark, vast concave 
 overhead, or the boom of the bull alligator from the 
 marsh. 
 
 Naught else but these nocturnal sounds and the steady 
 crashing of the surf upon the sands could beheard. 
 
 Then there came floating in from a distant point at 
 sea, strains of sweet, solemn music, to which the ocean's 
 voice served as the deep bass of a cathedral organ. 
 
 Nearer, gradually and clearer, the sweet, sad sounds 
 floated over tlie ocean's breast and penetrated to their 
 very hearts, until at last they swelled into the perfect 
 rhythm of the old plaintive funeral march, where with the 
 mountain brotherhoods of the Vosges and the Alps, in tlie 
 days of persecution and peril buried their lamented dead. 
 
 Now high and clear, tho' distant, arose the notes as 
 if appealing to high heaven for help of angel hands, to 
 bear a freed soul to its immortal home. Now, low and 
 trembling with deep pathos, the tones came over the 
 water like the wail of a broken heart. There was behind 
 it all the measured sound of chanting voices and instinc- 
 tively there came into D'Erlach's mind the words of the 
 psalm : 
 
 ''Yea, tliough I walk through the valley of the 
 
 shadow of Deatli, 
 "I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me." 
 
 Wliatever it might be in origin, the three, warriors of 
 proof though they were, fell upon their knees on the wet 
 sands and their leader murmured reverently the words; 
 
 "Sit Nomen Domini Benedictum." (Blessed be the 
 Name of the Lord.) 
 
 It was, so they thought, the last requiem for their ill-' 
 fated comrades, sung, perhaps, by angel voices. 
 
114 FIX)BIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 OHRVALIER D'OTTIQNY AND HIS CK)MPANIONS GAIN 
 THE OAMP. 
 
 The swift succession of calamities and misfortunes 
 which had befallen them; their isolation in this strange 
 land ; their sorrow for their lost comrades, had chastened 
 their spirits, and this act of devotion under the impulse 
 of the moment, reflected no discredit upon their courage 
 and true-heartedness. Rather, indeed, it strengthened 
 those elements of their characters, and as they rose from 
 their knees, aroused thereto by a renewal of the music 
 upon the waters, they felt less of a superstitious fear nat- 
 ural to that age, than wonder at the cause. 
 
 ''Were we not here upon this distant ocean shore, so 
 many countless leagues from France, I would say, there 
 is yonder a funeral barge carrying some brave warrior to 
 his final home. But it cannot be ; nor is this yet a dream,'* 
 uaid D'Erlach. 
 
 "What can it be— ah, here comes the outpost down 
 the beach— what news, men?" uttered Rotrou, turning to 
 face the three who had been stationed some distance 
 away from the camp. 
 
 "Captain, you have heard those sounds which we 
 liave followed along the shore, what do they mean?" 
 
 Rotrou shook his head to signify that he did not 
 know, and stirred up the dull embers of a fire near by, 
 throwing upon it an armful of dry palm leaves and drift- 
 wood, which made a bright flare shining far over the sea. 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 115 
 
 As the flames shot up, there rang out above the 
 sound of the surf a buj^le call for a parley ; the same with 
 which the Spanish camp at Matanzas had been hailed. 
 
 "If that be not Le Bearnois, never have I heard him 
 blow a bugle!" exclaimed Luigo, placing his own trum- 
 pet to his mouth and blowing such a blast in answer as 
 -awakened the whole camp, causing tiie astonished sol- 
 <iiers to rush over the bank and down upon the beach as 
 if the foe was upon them. 
 
 Back came the answer, and then wuth a ringing shout, 
 a boat sliot out of the misty darkness which had hidden 
 it from sight, close up to the breakers on the bar within 
 the reach of the firelight. 
 
 "Per Baccho — it is Perraultl By all that's wonder- 
 ful!" 
 
 "And Ottigny! God be praised!" 
 
 "Hold hard! Wait until that wave breaks, and then 
 pull in!" shouted Rotrou, rushing forward with a dozen 
 stout, willing men to seize the boat in the midst of the 
 breakers, and pull it on the sands. 
 
 It was soon done, and in a moment tlie whole beach 
 rang with acclamations and shouts of welcome. Ot- 
 tigny, Le Bearnois and their six brave companions, were 
 safe amongst their comrades, who fairly wept with joy at 
 greeting them again. 
 
 " 'Tis as it will be at the resurrection morn!" said 
 one bronzed soldier to another. "Luigo, like the angel 
 Oabriel, blew his trumpet and lo, the very sea gave up 
 the ones we had surely counted with the dead!" 
 
 Then, there was indeed so strange a scene as never 
 was before, nor ever will be again enacted on this lonely 
 strand, backed by the unknown savage wilderness of 
 
116 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 land and lake ; of marsh and forest covered plains and 
 hills, stretching westward under the shades and stars of 
 night, how far, how vast, tiiey knew not; bounded on the 
 eastward by the still more illimitable ocean upon whose 
 ever restless bosom their keels had left no trail to mark 
 the homeward way. 
 
 Men wept like children, as they grasped their rescued 
 comrades' hands, or threw their arms around them in 
 the warm-hearted French fashion. Order and discipline 
 were forgotten; even the sentinels crowded in to give 
 their greeting unreproved . All had grasped their arms at 
 the first alarm, but few had donned their armor and 
 many were bare of casque or morion. 
 
 Still higher leaped the bivouac flames, throwing a 
 ruddy glare over the little army gathered there to hear 
 Ottigny's story, for naught would satisfy them but to be 
 told it all. 
 
 There were cries of rage, groans and curses even, as 
 he told of the fateful disappearance into the forest, with 
 the blood stained assassin guard, of each detachment, 
 the names of whose members were whispered apiongst 
 their individual friends as if they stood by their biers. 
 But when the Chevalier, oft interrupted by his comrades, 
 told of the scene, which, at the last, nearly redeemed the 
 dark Matanzas tragedy, their shouts were almost loud 
 enough to be echoed over the weary leagues back to the 
 Spanish camp. 
 
 The story of Ls Bearnols* bugle blast of defiance, as 
 the boat shot out of Matanzas Inlet under a hail of bul- 
 lets, warmed up Luigo until with his own trumpet, he 
 made the welkin ring with all the strains and notes of 
 t-riumph, his skill and breath could call from the quiver- 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. . . .^ 117 
 
 .^_ 
 
 ing metal. 
 
 Last, was told the brief story of the weary toiling 
 with the oars southward along the shore and the watch- 
 ing for the friendly campflres, which they had hoped to 
 see sooner. How, knowing the camp could not be far 
 away, yet not daring to attempt to land until they knew, 
 Le Bearnois had taken his bugle and overwhelmed with 
 thoughts of those, who were lying stark and still behind 
 them, had played the funeral march, to which the others 
 had joined their voices and the measured stroke of oars. 
 
 It was a midnight hour of mingled rage and joy, In 
 which these emotions ruled every soul with despotic 
 sway. And ill indeed, would it have fared with the 
 cruel, treacherous Spaniards, from their leader down to 
 the veriest scullion of them all, had they been within 
 striking distance. But they were leagues away; the 
 king burcher hardly knowing whether he was on earth or 
 in Hades; his wretched life only saved from the mijj:hty 
 blow Ottigny had dealt him, by the goodness of his Mi- 
 lan armor. 
 
 There was one among them, half chaplain, half sol- 
 dier, who had a book of warlike hymns and psalmn vers- 
 ified, such as many of them had sung when marching 
 into battle on the hottest fields of France. Songs, born 
 of poet souls in the Desert of the Gard, the valleys of 
 Auvergne and Savoy; full of mystic fervor and faith, 
 well fitted to the age and the hour. Stepping into the 
 center of the circle where the firelight fell full upon the 
 page he began to sing one of the most familiar. 
 
 Scarce had his tongue given sound to the first word, 
 when more than two hundred voices joined in drowning 
 the dull thunder of the billows breaking at their feet, with 
 
.il8 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 waves of melody that stormed the very gates of heaven. 
 
 Then came a praye, with every knee bent upon the 
 §ands, of such impassioned and indescribable fervor; 
 .SO strangely mingled with pleadings for Providential 
 help and lust vengeance on their merciless foes — as sel- 
 dom has been before or since uttered by poor human lips. 
 
 Three hundred years and more have gone since then, 
 laden with the lives of millions, burdened with joy and 
 sorrow, and there is scarcely anywhere in the world, a 
 handful of dust, a sign, a trace, or a name to recall the 
 memory of these men, so utterly forgotten by their God 
 and lost to all their kindred. And yet who will dare to 
 sajr, they lived and battled bravely with untoward fate 
 in vain and to no end but oblivion. * 
 
 * Note. — The scene here described occurred near the 
 House of Refuge, on the upper Halifax. 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. U9 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 ''LE CAMP BENOONTE FELICE." — THE VOYAGE DOWN 
 THE HALIFAX RIVER. 
 
 '*Le Camp Renconte Felice," or the Camp of the 
 Happy Meeting, was the name bestowed by the remnant 
 of the Huguenot forces, upon the site of this re-union of 
 Ottigny and his comrades with the rest, and strange as 
 it may seem, not all the sad news the Chevalier had 
 brought of the fate of Ribault and liis companions 
 quenched the feelings of admiration and pleasure, 
 aroused in their hearts, by the brave and successful ex- 
 ploit of an unarmed handful of men, so absolutely in the 
 toils of the merciless foe, it seemed indeed a miracle 
 which saved them. 
 
 Before, tbey had been so benumbed by apathy and 
 despair as to be incapable of any attempt to conquer the 
 difficulties by which they were surrounded, except by 
 flight or surrender. 
 
 Now, however, the blood coursed through their veins 
 with renewed ardor. A ray of hope shot over their dark 
 horizon, and new courage came to them. They were mer>' 
 at least as strong as the eight who, at the last moment, 
 disarmed, and apparently at the mercy of Melendez, had 
 suddenly, by brave audacity and prompt action, broken 
 the occult spell of his power. 
 
 So, in the morning, instead of a dispirited rabble, 
 fleeing, they knew not where, to escape they knew not 
 what, the whole body was ready to listen to wise coun- 
 
^ 
 
 FLORIDA HISTORICAL. TALES. 
 
 «ei and to bravely cany out the best plan that could be 
 devised. 
 
 Having thought the matter over thoroughly, D'Er- 
 lach had concluded that no attack from Melendez was 
 to be apprehended soon, for whether or not he was seri- 
 ously wounded, his force was evidently not large enough 
 to risk pursuit and possible successful resistance. Here- 
 tofore the Spaniards had been the easy victors. Now 
 they had wounded and dead of their own to care for. In 
 the melee with Ottigny it was certain there were several 
 of them slain outright, and others severely wounded. 
 More than likely, also, affairs at the St. Augustine settle- 
 ment would need their immediate return to that place. 
 
 This would give the Huguenots a breathing spell, 
 time to plan, and, perhaps, successfully e^ciecute their 
 eBcape from Florida, encompassed as it was by many dif- 
 ficulties. 
 
 For the present, Ottigny was tlie hero of the hour, 
 and to him D'Erlach gave the full meed of praise his 
 gallantry deserved. But his was not the liead to solve 
 the problems, or to direct the execution of plans which 
 must bo laid carefully, if success was to be attained. 
 Pierre Rotrou, the Breton captain, was as staunch and 
 true as the needle of a compass ; the master sailor of Ri- 
 bault's fleet, and put him on ship board, not to be excelled. 
 He, too, could fence or parry with the best of them, hold 
 a breach, lead an assault or repel boarders, but was 
 scarce a leader for such straits. 
 
 La Caille was a brave and dauntless soldier, a good 
 tfainer at arms and discipline, a man to be trusted to ex- 
 ecute commands, but not to plan. 
 
 D'AIembert was brave, but reckless and impatient, 
 
STOBY OF THK HUGUENOTS. 121 
 
 subject to extremes of feeling, and greatly ruled by them. 
 
 Clear-headed, brave as a lion, full of resources, skill- 
 ful in planning and prompt in execution, the one man of 
 them all to lead, direct, command, was D'Erlach, and 
 therefore upon him devolved the care of all by nature, as 
 well as by the rank he had held under both Laudonniere 
 and Bibault. 
 
 Early iu the morning, accompanied by Ernest, he 
 made his way to tlie highest sandhill, a half mile from 
 the camp, and from it looked over the country to the 
 west and south. There were little groves of oak, cedar 
 and palms (or palmettos, as tiiey are commonly called), 
 along the inner edge of the peninsula, against whicli 
 curved, occasionally, a creek, winding smuously with al- 
 ternate narrow course or broad expansion, through a 
 great sea of grass-covered marsh lands, extending nortli 
 and south as far as eye could reacli and bounded on the 
 west by lieavy forests from which ascended the smoke of 
 fires marking tlie site of Indian settlements. Beautiful 
 detached clumps and masses of palm trees were inter- 
 spersed over the basin like fairy islets. 
 
 Flocks of waterfowl, including white and gray her- 
 ons, the pink curlew, white and gray cranes, ducks of 
 many varieties, in countless numbers enlivened the waters 
 or the shores, wliile overhead sailed eagles and fish- 
 hawks, the former remorselessly plundering the latter, 
 even as they do today. 
 
 Over the little hills and dales of the narrow strip of 
 highland forming the eastward barrier of this basin, ran 
 billows of many hued vegetation, chiefly shades of gray 
 and green mingled with patclies of red and gold from 
 wild flowers wet with dew drops glinting in the morning 
 
122 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALKS. 
 
 rays, while the air was pure and sweet with briny vapor 
 and fragrance of spicy leaves. 
 
 Yet, from this scene, so fair, so full of grace and 
 beauty, because it was so wild and strange that by con- 
 traries it recalled the far home hamlet, with castellated 
 walls on over-hanging heights, D'Erlach turned with a 
 sigh. 
 
 He had seen what he wished, and that was enough 
 to tell him that this tortuous tidal stream connected 
 with the broader, deeper sheet of water which swept far 
 southward almost to Canaveral, and so went back to 
 camp and called his comrades into council. 
 
 To them he proposed the transfer of the bateau 
 across the peninsula to the creek and while they con- 
 ducted the removal of the camp, some four leagues do\\T> 
 the coast to where, on the inner shore, there was a large 
 Indian village, confronted on the mainland side by an- 
 other, both under the same chief, Ostinola, whose rule 
 extended over all the tribal villages that occupied the 
 shores of these waters as far as the waters of the inlet, 
 by which they were connected with the ocean, he would 
 explore the river. Could he make terms of peace and al- 
 liance with Ostinola and his people (of whom he had 
 heard much good while on his march northward), he 
 might secure such means of transportation by water as 
 would at least greatly lighten the burdens of the march, 
 and also establish a courier system from village to vil- 
 lage, that would enable them at any time to get news of 
 it, should their enemy advance upon them. 
 
 The bateau was originally a Spanish ship boat, well 
 built and strong, large enough to carry ten men besides 
 six oarsmen, A path was speedily cut through the 
 
8T0BY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 128 
 
 brush, and as many men as could j^et hold of it, picked 
 up the boat and carried it over the sand ridge to the 
 creek, the first white man's craft that ever floated on it« 
 shallow waters. 
 
 To Ottigny, the command of the litfle army was 
 given, with instructions to halt at the first village noted, 
 until D'Erlach should rejoin him or send further orders. 
 Arrangements also were made to signal him from the 
 river side, should his presence from any cause be needed; 
 and so with Ernest, Le Bearnois and Uhlrich, with six 
 oarsmen, also expert arquebusiers, D'Erlach pushed off 
 to thread the devious water ways, leading to what is now 
 known as the Halifax; Avhile Ottigny made his arrange^ 
 ments for striking camp and at his leisure marched 
 southward, for the beach formed as royal a road as ever 
 Roman army trod and the distance to be covered was not 
 great, so there was no need of haste. 
 
124 riX)RIDA HISTOBIOAIi TAL.E8. 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 THE SPANIARDS RETURN TO ST. AUGUSTINE. 
 
 During this time how fared it with the Spaniards, at 
 the Matanzas camp? Their orgie of blood was brought 
 to a sudden termination, although immediately after the 
 escape of Ottigny some of tlie infuriated and most blood- 
 thirsty amongst them, rushed at the squad of catholic 
 and abjuring Frenchmen to slay them in revenge ; but 
 the friars interposed and before they could be shoved 
 aside, Martin de Ochoa threw his company of arquebu- 
 siers around the prisoners and lialted their assailants. 
 
 ''Hold!" He said angrily to them. "Ye have slain 
 enough defenceless wretches today ! Because a handful 
 of brave men have escaped would ye dare violate the 
 sanctity of the Holy Church, in the persons of its min- 
 isters? Back, bloodhounds ! or by my patron saint, I fire 
 upon you!" 
 
 Tlie mob scowled and cursed, but fell back, as the 
 cavalier, leaving liis men to guard the prisoners, without 
 drawing his sword walked through their midst to the 
 Adelantado's tent. 
 
 Here he found Father Salvandi, the chief of the 
 priests, with the help of a page, still engaged in remov- 
 ing Melendez' armor, having taken off the battered liel- 
 met and bathed his head with water. In this work 
 Ochoa joined and sliortly they had the still unconscious 
 General stretched upon a pallet. 
 
 "Think you, father, the blow is mortal?" 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 125 
 
 ''I think not. There is no fracture of the skull, no 
 deep cut, but the blow was a tremendous one, That 
 bold heretic struck not lightly. Had the blade fallen 
 squarely in the center and not glanced off there would 
 have been naught left but masses for his soul! As it is, 
 we had better back to St. Augustine with him as soon as 
 possible." 
 
 Still strewed upon the sands, between the tent and 
 the water's edge were the evidences of the fray ; four 
 dead or dying Spaniards ; two also of Ottigny's men dead 
 with many wounds, and at the water's edge the boat 
 guard still dazed with the blow that had struck him 
 down. 
 
 Ochoa speedily made his arrangements, and recog- 
 nizing the futility of pursuing the Huguenots, that very 
 night fell back to St. Augustine with the Adelantado 
 and the main bulk of the Spanish forces by boat, the rest 
 marching at leisure along the Anastasia beach. 
 
 This time there were no Te Deums of praise, and 
 great ceremonies to celebrate a victory, for though the 
 leader of the heretic Huguenots, and many of his follow- 
 ers, lay in bloody graves, covered only by the Matanzas 
 sands, their own dead — the first for whom graves were 
 made in St. Augustine — must be duly laid away with sa- 
 cred rites, although they had been but cold-blooded 
 murderers ; and their own woundod were to be cared for, 
 besides which their Governor's life itself still hung in 
 the balance. 
 
 For many days the sullen madness of that portion of 
 the Spaniards, heretofore the deepest participants in the 
 massacres, required all the joint care and skill of Ochoa 
 and Salvandi to keep from murdering the prisoner 
 
126 FliOBIDA HISTORICAL TALBS. 
 
 Frenchmen, whose lives were made torture to them by 
 their fears. 
 
 It was well for them that some petty Indian forays, 
 provoked by Spanish usurpasions and cruel treatment of 
 the aborigines, somewhat employed the worst of the 
 Spaniards, as did also the erection of stockade fortifica- 
 tions and store houses for the new town. 
 
 In all, there were only about twenty-five Frenchmen 
 l)esides forty or fifty women and children who had es- 
 caped from death at La Caroline or Matanzas ; the former 
 by virtue of their Catholicism, actual or pretended, and 
 for their continued preservation, they were indebted to 
 an astute idea of Friar Salvandi, by which he contrived 
 also to secure the aggrandizement of the Church. 
 
 There happened to be amongst them two stone ma- 
 sons. Tlie only available, durable building material in 
 the vicinity, was a species of rock of marine formation, 
 composed of minute shells or fragments cemented to- 
 gether, called coquina; found abundantly on the north 
 point of Anastasia Island, the island stretching from St. 
 Augustine inlet to the Matanzas inlet. This rock is eas- 
 ily quarried and cut, hardening by exposure into dura- 
 bility. 
 
 A priesthood without a temple was an anomaly, so 
 Salvandi designed one for erection, and to accomplish it, 
 and at the same time protect his French charges, he set 
 them to work under the masons quarrying and shaping 
 the material, even the women and cliildren that wer« 
 able, working at it. This separated them from the mass 
 of the Spaniards and secured them better treatment. 
 Thus these poor people, outcasts from their native land, 
 helped to lay the foundations and to build the first 
 
STORY OP THE HUOUENOTS. 12T 
 
 church erected in the United States, in which their rutli- 
 less, blood-stained conquerors could celebrate with pomp 
 and ceremony the worship of that Christ, born in a stable- 
 and crucified with malefactors, whose divine teachings 
 were ever for the brotherhood of all men, of whatever 
 kindred and tongue, and averse to oppression, usurpation 
 and bloodshed. 
 
 Strange irony of fate! Stranger Providence it seems, 
 for while Fate may be dead to the voice of misery, nay, 
 must be, God surely is not. Yet through all this era, it 
 is as if He heard not the many cries of misery ; the pray- 
 ers for help, which went up day and night from the lips 
 of innocents, continually being robbed, enslaved, mur- 
 dered, in all these fair lands of the sun. 
 
 Surely, this structure should have been a temple 
 reared to Mars and Bellona, rather than a church dedi- 
 cated to Christ, the Prince of Peace and his mother Mary, 
 the personification of Divine Maternity, and the emblem 
 placed niDon its finished dome a battle pike crossed with. 
 a dagger. 
 
128 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 D'ERLAOH'S voyage down the HALIFAX RIVER TO 
 
 ostinola's town. 
 
 The channel of the cr. ek, although the tide was at its 
 greatest height, was scarcely deep enough to float the 
 boat. It also wound around over the marshy basin in 
 such a way as to add miles to the direct distance, but 
 every curve and bend rounded had its own peculiar scene 
 of interest to the lad Ernest, especially. Here, a great al- 
 ligator plunged into the muddy shallows, or crashed 
 through the cat-tail flags. There, a group of cranes with 
 long sharp bills, brandished like swords, watched in 
 solemn silence the strange boat approach, keeping an ar- 
 row's flight away, which they had learned to measure 
 well; while my raid ducks and herons in other places 
 made the air roar with their pinions. 
 
 Of flsh there were no end. Silver mullet leaping 
 many times into the morning sunlight as if at home as 
 much in air as in water, and other larger flsli, darting 
 here and there, making great swells after them through 
 the shallows, to mark their fliglit. 
 
 It was a royal aquatic preserve of flsh and game, lit- 
 tle disturbed by man. In one spot where the stream 
 touched the western hammock there were a few Indian 
 Imts with little gardens attached, hastily abandoned by 
 the inhabitants, startled by the strange apparitions of 
 steel capped men in a craft so unlike anything they had 
 ever seen before. But D^Erlach did not care to laud, so 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 129 
 
 as the sun mounted higher they pulled steadily on. In a 
 little while they came into deeper water, where the 
 banks were higher and, thickly clothed with cedars and 
 palmettos; then to the confluence of another creek, com- 
 ing from the westward. Out of the mouth of this, shot 
 several canoes filled with Indians armed with bows and 
 arrows ; spears tipped with ground shells and fish bones, 
 or sharpened in the fire ; war cliibs of heavy hard wood, 
 and hatchets of stone or shell. 
 
 They were fine, athletic men, nearly naked, their 
 bronze bodies oddly painted, but their faces not unpleas- 
 ant to look upon, for on their countenances were de- 
 picted only wonder and amazement. 
 
 Rising to his feet, D'Erlach made them the sign of 
 peace, both hands raised with palms turned towards 
 them, and speaking to his men to rest on their oars, 
 signed to the Indians to come within speaking distance. 
 This they did after some hesitation and a parley amongst 
 themselves. The Huguenot leader could speak tliat di- 
 alect of the Yemassee or Uchee language, used by these 
 tribes, well enough for ordinary purposes and requested 
 their chief man to come nearer in his canoe. Immedi- 
 ately a canoe with three men in it shot out from the little 
 squadron and came alongside. 
 
 D'Erlach, after greeting the]) chief pleasantly, told 
 him briefly that they "were Frenchmen, not Spaniards, 
 and sought the way to Ostinola's town in peace and 
 friendship." 
 
 "I, myself, will show you," replied the other, giving 
 orders for the rest to return home, and then leading the 
 way down the creek. 
 
 So strongly and skillfully did the three Indians ply 
 
130 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 their paddles, chanting a quaint song as they did so, that 
 it was with difficulty the six stout oarsmen of the French 
 boat could keep up with them. 
 
 The creek now became broader and deeper and its 
 banks more beautiful, with towering palms, umbrageous 
 overhanging oaks and cedars. 
 
 As they neared a bold mound on the eastern side, 
 covered with a fine forest growth, the young chief awoke 
 the echoes with a hailing whoop, which brought to the 
 shore a group of Indians, men, women and children, 
 showing there was here a little village, although from 
 the river it could not be seen. A mile below this place, 
 they shot out suddenly into a noble expanse of water, * 
 with curving, shelly shores, coves and bays and blue 
 woods in the distance ; which, farther on, was narrowed 
 to a main channel, half a mile in width, leading south- 
 ward. 
 
 It was a scene of matchless, yet soft and pleasing, 
 rather than majestic beauty; for unlike many other 
 lands, there were here no high mountains or rugged cliffs 
 and precipices. And yet, although the shores had no 
 great elevation, the giant forest growths upon the ridges 
 and small hills made them look higher than they were. 
 
 It seemed as if, in making fheir exit from the creek's 
 mouth, they had entered anew world. Fresh breezes blew 
 across the glittering, dancing waters, upon whose shores 
 on either hand could be seen the quaint Indian com- 
 munal villages, giving token of a numerous peaceful pop- 
 ulation. From two or three of these, many canoes shot 
 out, evidently to reconnoitre. Converging towards them 
 
 • Note.— Bulow Bay or Tomoka Basin, a broad ex- 
 panse at the head of the Halifax, 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 131 
 
 from their several points of approach those who propelled 
 these canoes yet were cautious, as if not knowing 
 'whether it should be peace or war. 
 
 Amused at their evident doubts, Le Bearnois sent 
 his bugle notes in all their ringing sweetness far and 
 wide over the water. In their astonishment at the un- 
 wonted sounds, the like of which they never had heard 
 before, those in the canoes stood still like bronze statues 
 pictured against the blue skies, witli every paddle mo- 
 tionless. 
 
 Then the young chief, who was acting as guide and 
 herald, recovering from his own surprise, lifted a conch 
 shell fashioned into a trumpet and blew such discords as 
 grated on the Frenchmen's ears, Le Bearnois' especially; 
 but which being sounds of peace and amity to those of 
 the Indians, set every paddle flashing in the sunliglit 
 and drove every boat gracefully and swiftly nearer to 
 them. Coming within speaking distance, the chief gave 
 them a concise and rapid explanation, followed by cries 
 of pleasure and welcome on the part of the strangers, 
 who joined their crafts in one flotilla, making a strange, 
 pleasing, barbaric, gala water scene as they swept on 
 southward towards Ostinola's capital town, the site of 
 which was even then in view. 
 
 There were, before the voyage was ended by arrival 
 at thatplace, in the convoy, not less than one hundred ca- 
 noes, * made of hollowed cypress trees of various sizes, 
 from war boats thirty feet or more in length down to 
 
 * Note. — There is even now to be seen at Ormond, 
 one of these cypress canoes found buried in the marsh, 
 in the possession of Captain Wardwell, showing mucl^ 
 skill in its construction. 
 
132 FliOBIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 light fishing shells that skimmed the river's surface like 
 water birds. It was an escort of honor, as well as curi- 
 osity, and often as they rowed along the friendly natives 
 begged Le Bearnois to play for them. It seemed as if 
 the tutelar deities of these lovely wilds, were in league 
 with the player, for the shores sent back the notes with 
 far, sweet, faint echoes, which, with the distant croon- 
 ing of the surf heard over the peninsula's wooded ridges, 
 made the perfection of harmony. 
 
 When he tired, the boatmen and the rest joined in 
 singing the chansonettes of Margarite de Valois until 
 tears dimmed their eyes, because of the memories they 
 evoked of the home land and other times. 
 
 And so, in peace and welcome, came the Huguenots 
 and their escort to Ostinola's town, where what recep- 
 tion awaited them will be duly narrated. 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 133 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 OSTINOIiA'S WELOOME— THEY SMOKE THE PIPE OF 
 PEACE. 
 
 'Twas the hour of high noon when D'Erlach and his 
 Huguenots, escorted by the flotilla of canoes, reached 
 the front of Cacique Ostinola's town. As yet, in this fair 
 land, the evil gods had not spoken. The oracles were 
 dumb, save only those of sweet, fair nature, speaking 
 peace and welcome. 
 
 Halting the flotilla an hundred yards from the west- 
 ern shore, the sub chief, who had guided them, stood up 
 in his canoe, and witli his conch, blew loud hailing notes, 
 promptly answered from the shore. Then signalling for 
 all the rest to await his orders, he paddled swiftly to the 
 little slieliy beach, which was the landing, marked by 
 many canoes and a crowd of people, back ot whom was a 
 little plain covered here and there with palms and oaks 
 and cedars, interspersed with gardens and many Indian 
 houses, some of which of peculiar build, stood upon large 
 shell mounds. * 
 
 This was the mainland side, and while the friendly 
 herald was absent, D'Erlach noted how pleasant and 
 beautiful was the scene. Northward and southward 
 stretclied the noble river, tlie like of which was hard to 
 bring to mind, though many were the lands he had wan- 
 
 * Note. — This spot is now known as the Hernandez 
 hammock, near Ormond. 
 
134 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 dered in. No artist could i>ortray its broad bosom ; some- 
 times smooth as polished steel, sometimes sending from 
 its surface, rippling to a gentle breeze, a myraid shower 
 of sun-born arrows. Its jutting points, its curves and 
 coves, with endless variation of groves of trees and grass 
 and flags, all duplicated by reflection in the waters ; as 
 •were the white cloud fragments sailing overhead, and 
 the sun itself in all its glory. And over all, through all, 
 could be heard the voice of the breakers, never silent day 
 or night; sometimes wrathful with the roar of tempest, 
 full ot storm and battle, but more often adding the en- 
 chantment of the universal mother's nursing song. 
 
 Meantime, a multitude of Indians gathered on the 
 ghore; adding to the picture as the sunlight fell full upon 
 their red brown faces, heron and eagle plumes, stained 
 or painted skins and mantles, the human interests 
 tieeded to make it perfect. 
 
 Suddenly, landward turned the eager faces, as the 
 measured beat of Indian drums, mingled with the conch 
 ehells' wild rude notes, ended in so loud a shout as shook 
 the forest and set the wavelets all to dancing. 
 
 Then Itahoma, guide and herald, stood forth at the 
 water's edge and gave the sign of welcome. Whereat, 
 with one stroke, flve hundred paddles fell upon the water, 
 and with one impulse moved forward before D'Erlach's 
 men could grasp their oars. But dashing through the 
 shallow waters, came a dozen agile young men, who 
 Heized the bateau and rushed it to the shore with ring- 
 ing shouts of joy and friendship. 
 
 Men, women and children, thronged the landing. 
 None showed a particle of fear. All wore smiles of pleas- 
 ant greeting, mixed with looks of awe and wonder. Their 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 135 
 
 expressions seemed to say: ^'Surely, the gods have come 
 again. Let us give them such a welcome they will stay 
 with us forever I" 
 
 Some gently touched the garments of the strangors. 
 Some knelt upon the ground, and gazed up into their 
 faces almost in worship. But eager as they were to give 
 expression to their admiration and good will; thrilled 
 through every fiber of their being with excitement; so 
 much natural grace and courtesy ruled the host, one 
 could scarcely deem them the untutored children of na- 
 ture that they were. 
 
 Proud of the honor and distinction, their herald greeted 
 them and bade them follow. The throng parted right 
 and left, as he conducted the little party to where, be- 
 neath a spreading live oak, there stood a stately man and 
 woman, clad in Indian gala costumes of soft dressed 
 skins and brightly stained or dyed woven cloth ; the 
 former armed with spear, a massive bow and beaded 
 quiver full of arrows, crowned with a plumed head-dress, 
 and looking every inch a chieftain, in his lithe and per- 
 fect manliness. While the woman at his side, with limbs 
 and form as rounded and well proportioned as a goddess 
 carved from tawny marble, seemed by the grace of God 
 and Nature, a fit and queenly mate. 
 
 They were recognized at once by D'Erlach, from 
 the description given by the guide on the way thither, 
 as the Cacique Ostinola and his wife, Cowena. 
 
 The Chevalier doffed his steel cap and bowed low 
 with all the courtly grace of a Frenchman, as did also, 
 his followers. 
 
 Then Ostinola, handing spear and bow to an attend- 
 ant, stepped forward, and, placing iiis liand upon D'Er- 
 
136 FLORIDA HISTORIOAL TALES. 
 
 — • ■ 
 
 lach's breast, said : ''Son of the morning skies ! Wel- 
 come to this land by sea and river. Let us be brothers." 
 Tlien D'Erlach doing likewise, answered: "I greet 
 thee, my brother ! May there always be peace between 
 thee and me, thy people and my people." 
 
 "As long as the tides shall flow, the stars sparkle, the 
 sun and the moon measure day and night, so be it!" said 
 Ostinola, then, to the multitude, "Hear ye, my people! 
 These men are our brothers. Henceforth let them be as 
 free in this land as ye are; our homes be theirs, for the 
 Great Spirit, whose children are in all the earth, has sent 
 them to us!" 
 
 There stepped forward now, two old men, neither in- 
 firm of mind of body, but grave and dignified, bearing 
 their marks of age as bravely, as they had the grace and 
 vigor of their long vanished youth. They were so 
 wrinkled, their eyes so deep set and their garb so quaint 
 and grotesque, that one of the boatmen, a late comer 
 with Ribault, whispered to Uhlrich, surely, they are sor- 
 cerers." 
 
 "Not so, my friend," answered Uhlrich. "They are 
 the wise men of the nation, and the bearers of the pipe of 
 peace." 
 
 One carried a reed upon the end of which was an 
 earthen bowl, the other, a brand tipped with a live coal. 
 The first took from a pouch some dried leaves, with 
 which, after rubbing them between the palms of his 
 hands, he filled the pipe, to which the other applied the 
 fire. When the leaves ignited, the bearer extended the 
 pipe at arm length to the north, west, south and east, 
 chanting an invocation reverently, then handed it to Os- 
 tinola, who, taking a puflP, gave it in turn to D'Erlach, 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 137 
 
 who did the same and returned it to the pipe-bearer. This 
 was the typical ratification of the bond of peace between 
 them all, and they were henceforth brethren. 
 
 The air rang with shouts of acclamation ; drums beat ; 
 the clamor of the conch shells was again heard and so 
 joyful and exciting was the moment, Le Bearnois un- 
 slung his bugle and blew his merriest notes. Amazed, and 
 yet thrilled with pleasure ; scarce knowing whether or not 
 to fall upon their knees, betake themselves incontinently 
 to the forest, yet unable to move a step ; the natives ceased 
 their own rejoicing sounds, until only the bugle woke the 
 forest and river eclioes. 
 
 As he ceased, the Cacique's wife clapped her hands 
 and forth came from a house near by a band of girls, 
 decked with wreaths of flowers, with bracelets and neck- 
 laces of pearly shells and bright red beads ; some witli 
 light mantles of brilliant feather work; others with gar- 
 ments made of grass cloth or deer skins finely dressed 
 and soft as velvet. 
 
 These surrounded the group of Frenchmen with 
 joined hands, and, at a signal from their leader, began to 
 circle about them, facing in and out and changing places ; 
 keeping time with hands and feet to song and drum 
 beat, in sucli a strange, yet pleasing, mystic way, as was 
 bewildering. Each time tlieir leader reached the point 
 between the Cacique and D'Erlach, all lightly touched 
 the ground with their knees. This they did three times 
 and then vanished as suddenly as they came. 
 
 Thus did Ostinola and his people give a welcome to 
 the strangers, crowning it with a feast in liis own house, 
 of fruits and vegetables from the gardens, fish from the 
 river and game from the forest. 
 
188 FLOBIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 OSTINOLA AND HIS PEOPLE — WHAT MANNER OF FOLK& 
 THEY WERE. 
 
 The Cacique's house, to which the Huguenots were 
 conducted hy their host for dinner, was a large structure 
 upon a shell mound, an hundred yards or more from the 
 river shore. Upon the western side was an open space 
 nearly square, surrounded by many other houses; the 
 whole, numerous and large enough to accommodate many 
 people. Upon another mound near by, was the house of 
 the Medicine Men, and yet another similar elevation 
 close to the river shore, served as the site of a fire beacon, 
 whose light by night and smoke by day, could be seen far 
 up and down the river. 
 
 Ostinola, learning from D'Erlach that his men might 
 soon be expected on their march down the beach, sent 
 messengers to his people on the other side to await their 
 coming and bring them across the river so that all, that 
 night, might have a joyous festival. With these mes- 
 sengers D'Erlach sent a written missive to Ottigny and 
 Rotrou, stating that they might trust implicitly the 
 bearers. And as he wrote it, using Andreas Le Roche's 
 inkhorn, the Indians looked curiously upon him. So he 
 told them that the paper would bid his men that they 
 should cross the river to meet many friends and fear no 
 evil. One said: "Hu! It is a talking leaf !" The mes- 
 senger, to whom it was given placed it to his ear and 
 said, doubting that it was but jest, ''I hear it not. It 
 
STOBY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 139 
 
 has no tongue." Ostinola, however, bade him take it 
 and do as he was bidden, which he did, and often after- 
 wards, in telling of it, would say, that it was surely ''Mal- 
 ichee" (or sorcery) "for when I gave it to the pale face 
 chief, his face shone like the sun, and all his men 
 straightway clapped their hands for joy." 
 
 It is not needful to say that D'Erlach and his com- 
 panions did enjoy the repast spread before them, with 
 the kindly courtesies of the Cacique and his chief men, 
 after their many days of toil and peril; and that between 
 them there sprang up so strong a feeling of friendship 
 and respect, as put away all distrust and suspicion. 
 
 After the feast, D'Erlach sent his brother to the bat- 
 eau, to bring some strings of hawks bells, bright Vene- 
 tian beads of glass and a spare sword, with the belt that 
 held its scabbard. 
 
 The latter he gave to Ostinola, and taught him how 
 to wear it; the others he presented to the Cacique's wife, 
 and the girl who led the band of maidens, whose name 
 was Issena, the daughter of Cowena's sister. Never had 
 they received such gifts before, and it was a great pleas- 
 ure to witness their artless delight and wonder over 
 them. 
 
 Then they rambled amongst the gardens, by little 
 paths that led from one to another. In these gardens 
 were still growing, though it was October, many things 
 for food and other uses, with signs of lately gathered 
 harvests of maize and beans and various roots, and also 
 great yellow pumpkins, besides gourds and calabashes of 
 huge size, much used, when ripened and dried, for stor- 
 age receptacles. There were fruit trees of various kinds, 
 amongst them some still bearing a soft round fruit sweet 
 
140 FLORIDA HISTORIOAIi TALES. 
 
 as honey. Also grape vines as large as those of France, 
 indeed, some far larger, which in their season, bore fruit 
 nearly as fine. 
 
 "And as we went from garden to garden, and from 
 house to liouse, our good Cacique told much of his peo- 
 ple's history and customs, witli sucli grace of manner and 
 intelligence it amazed us." Quoting D'Erlach further: 
 *'They were a people of medium height, well proportioned 
 and very supple. Their complexion not so dark as the 
 tribes beyond the River May, nor were they so savage in 
 mien or speech. While tlieir dialect was from the same 
 language, it was less harsh and almost musical in its in- 
 tonations. It may seem strange, but it is true, that in 
 the speech of these people there were no words of pro- 
 fanity or vulgarity, such as Christian nations use. Tlieir 
 features were fine and regular, their foreheads high, 
 their eyes lustrous, their countenances full of spirit and 
 their manners were so pleasing— not to be excelled by 
 the best gentlemen of France — that it was good to be in 
 their company. 
 
 ''Their garments, although somewhat scanty, set 
 forth tlieir figures well, and left them perfect freedom of 
 action. They wore a tunic about their loins, leggings 
 and moccasins to keep tlieir feet and legs from being torn 
 by thorns and brambles ; mantles, scarfs and cloaks of 
 grass cloth, skins and sometimes feathers nicely woven 
 together; with but little difference for the sexes. Some 
 winter robes of well-dressed furs were very beautiful, as 
 well as comfortable. 
 
 ''But for the most part, in the summer, they used but 
 little clothing; it being esteemed no harm amongst them 
 to go nearly naked. Indeed, it was a marvel to see how 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 141 
 
 little sun or wind or rain did effect their bodies, when 
 yet the stoutest of us would perisli if we went in like 
 manner. 
 
 "They were fond of ornaments, especially the women, 
 who were graceful and easy in all tlieir motions, and al- 
 together more comely than was usual with the other In- 
 dians we had met. 
 
 "They wore bracelets and necklaces quite skillfully 
 made of polished bits of pearly shell, small red beans as 
 hard as ivory, large brown or black ones, found on the 
 beach, sometimes real pearls; more often polished alli- 
 gator teetli ; claws of bears, panthers or talons of birds. 
 Besides these, though rarely, small ornaments of gold 
 and silver, also copper, brought, they affirmed, from a far 
 country. 
 
 "When dressed for state occasions the chiefs and 
 warriors wore head-dresses of plumes that set them ofl 
 right gallantly, to which, in war times, they added the 
 painting of their bodies with dyes and pigments in a way 
 which increased not their good looks. 
 
 "At gala times and annual sacred festivals«,, tho 
 younger women and girls made much use for ornaments 
 of wreaths of flowers and the feathers of brilliant colored 
 birds, so that a large concourse, such as gave us greeting 
 at this place, was truly a pleasant sight. 
 
 Their weapons for war or the chase were chiefly bows 
 and arrows, with whose use they were exceedingly ex- 
 pert, being able to set the arrows to the string so fast 
 they could be kept in constant flight, wonderfully true to 
 the mark. Some of their best archers could set an arrow 
 in a tree, and split its shaft with another at twenty paces, 
 or strike a bird in flying, but not having iron to tip them 
 
142 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 with, it required no heavy armor to keep them out. 
 Spears, also, they used, which they sometimes cafet like 
 darts. 
 
 "Macanas, or war clubs, made of hard wood, well 
 carved— some like maces with spikes of sharpened fish 
 bones or flint, the latter rare, being like their metal» 
 brought from a distant section — and others with sharp 
 edges like swords, which, in close battle, they use to 
 cleave their enemies, as if made of steel. 
 
 * 'There were also battle axes made of stone or shell, 
 polislied so finely and carved so true that it was wonder- 
 ful. But the two things the Cacique was most proud of 
 were a battle axe of steel and a knife, both of Spanish 
 make, which he said his father had procured many years 
 before from one of Ponce de Leon's soldiers when that 
 Spaniard came into the bay at the inlet to the southward* 
 
 "They had no idols or temples, for their god was a 
 ^eat spirit, whose dwelling was the universe, who was 
 always near them, although invisible; to whom they 
 prayed in times of tribulation ; who sometimes answered 
 not, because of their transgressions. But there were, they 
 said, many lesser spirits, some good, some bad, whose 
 favor they sought in hunting, fishing, love or war; to 
 please whom they wore upon their persons as amulets or 
 charms, little ugly images carved of wood or bone or 
 .sheU. 
 
 ''They were not lacking in other arts needful to them. 
 
 ''Their women were expert in making pottery from 
 clay found along the river sliore — large jars to hold grain, 
 meal and seeds, also to cook in, and carry water from the 
 wells, and smaller ones to hold their paints and drink 
 Caseena from. (This Caseena is a beverage made from 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 143 
 
 the leaves of a certain tree, of which they were fond, es- 
 teeming it to give them strength.) 
 
 "They built large and pleasant houses with rooms 
 for many families, in which they lived without strife and 
 bickering, for these people held everything in common ; 
 so that all fared alike and there were none poor or rich 
 among them. 
 
 "These were built of strong posts set in the ground, 
 with matting over the openings, which could be raised or 
 lowered, as the weather should be cold or hot. The roofs 
 were thatched with i)alm leaves, and open in the center 
 so that fires could be built in them and the smoke es- 
 cape. Some had upper floors made of hurdles packed 
 with clay and divided into rooms opening on the central 
 court. All were kept neat and clean. There were no 
 fastenings on the doors, for robbers and thieves were un- 
 known amouff them." 
 
144 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 TORONITA, THE LAND OF SUNSHINE AND GOOD WILL. 
 
 *'In these houses there was but little furniture, for so 
 fine and genial is the climate of this land, its inhabitants 
 are almost constantly in the open air, which makes them 
 healthy and hardy so that but little medicine is needed 
 by them. They had couches or settees made of wicker 
 work covered with mattings of grass or plaited palmetto 
 leaves ; also hammocks swung from post to post for sleep- 
 ing; but oft€n spread mattings on the floors when crowd- 
 ed with guests, whereon they slept as soundly as could be 
 wished. 
 
 "They had a great arsenal, or house, wherein they 
 kept many weapons of war and the chase, also trophies 
 or rare things which they did not need for common use; 
 storehouses well filled with provisions and the seed grain 
 for future plantings. All these things and many more, 
 whereof a skillful clerk might make a great book, did the 
 Cacique show to us during the time we tarried with 
 him." 
 
 *'The land over which Ostinola ruled as chosen Caci- 
 que, because of his skill and wisdom, ^xas not large, but 
 had many little towns and villages in it. It extended 
 from the headwaters of the creeks to the northward of 
 the Huguenot camp, and to the inlet at the south, in- 
 cluding both shores of the broad river. The province was 
 called Toronita, the Land of Sunshine, and many parts 
 of it were very fertile, while others were but great salt 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 145 
 
 marshes, or heaps and ridges of sand covered with forest 
 growth, or great stretches of pine woods in which roamed 
 many deer and other wild animals. 
 
 ''Altogether, it was a land well fit for men to live in ; 
 for while the forests were full of game of various kinds, 
 the waters abounded with fish, in the catching of which 
 these people were very skillful. 
 
 "Pure also was the air and sweet always as the 
 breath of spring, with the odors of fragrant trees and 
 shrubs and flowers. Although sometimes frosts came 
 and chilly days in winter, never fell snow upon its ever 
 green robes." 
 
 There were many months of summer, and the winter 
 scarcely to be distinguished from it. Like their climate 
 these people were joyous and even tempered, not prone 
 to deeds of violent action, save when hard pressed by ab- 
 solute necessity. There was so little occasion for pro- 
 longed toil and industry to supply their simple needs, 
 that they had much time for pleasure, and nothing suited 
 them better than to gather in their villages at stated 
 times for festivals and dances, commemorative of the sea- 
 sons or of events in their tribal history. 
 
 At such times also, the older men would recite the 
 traditions of the past; or teach their primitive philosophy. 
 Chanting and singing, somewhat after the Provencal 
 fashion, by their poets, men or women, as the case might 
 be, and music of the flute and drum, added much to their 
 enjoyment. 
 
 But there were time =5, when peril and danger called 
 them to show the stronger side of their natures. Times 
 that tested their courage and fidelity, in which they failed 
 not to show the metal in them right bravely. 
 
146 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 Let but the war drum beat the call to battle, and 
 from every forest path would glide the dusky warriors to 
 rally around their chief, and at his bidding do or die for 
 land and people. Death, in the cause of right, had no 
 terrors and wounds scarcely any pain. 
 
 There were no written laws by which the people were 
 governed. But there was a guild of men among them, 
 who, by age and good service to the nation, were entitled 
 to be the repositories of the mystic rites, ceremonies, tra- 
 ditions and precepts, handed down fmm generation to 
 generation, whose counsel was sought both in times of 
 peace and war, and from them D'Erlach learned much of 
 the moral code which guided this people. This was as 
 simple as they were themselves. "Thou shalt not lie or 
 steal or murder; be a corrupter of women, a traitor or a 
 coward." These were the chief things forbidden. To 
 deal with each other justly as brethren, was their golden 
 rule. 
 
 To some indeed, much of what is written here may 
 seem untrue, yet there is not a point that has not been 
 endorsed by the few true and noble minded men of that 
 time, who came in contact with the aborigines, such as 
 Columbus, Las Casas, Peter Martyr, Herrera, the Inca 
 Garcilaso de la Vega, Laudonniere and others who have 
 left on record their true testimony. 
 
 The first says, writing to his sovereigns, Ferdinand 
 and Isabella, of a kindred race not far to the southward : 
 
 ''These people love their neighbors as themselves. 
 Their discourse is ever sweet and gentle, accompanied by 
 a smile. I swear to your majesties, there is not in the 
 world a better nation or a better land." 
 
 Would Las Casas have been moved by pity to plead 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 147 
 
 SO nobly and pathetically as he did, for mere cruel bar- 
 barous savages? Or Peter Martyr left, signed and sealed 
 for future ages, these declarations: 
 
 ''It is certain that the land among these people is as 
 common as the sun and water; and that 'mine and thine,' 
 the seeds of all mischief, have no place with them ! They 
 are content with so little, that in so large a country they 
 have superfluity rather tlian scarceness ; so that thej'' seem 
 to live in a golden world without toil, in open gardens, 
 neither intrenched or shut up by walls or hedges. They 
 deal truly with one another, without laws or books or 
 judges!" 
 
 And so, too, the son of the Incas in his living pages 
 bears witness to the native, natural graces of the aborig- 
 inal inhabitants, whose feet no longer trace paths from 
 one communal village to another, in the lands that gave 
 them birth. 
 
 And the monster of destruction, whose insatiate maw 
 consumed them all, proudly boasted the name of Chris- 
 tian civilization (?). Greedy of gold and power, the real 
 gods it worshipped then as now, it exalted the cross, and 
 to save souls in Heaven made a hell on earth more terrible 
 and horrible than ever Dante described or Dore pictured. 
 
 Trampling under foot every precept of justice and 
 humanity, it turned fiends loose upon this once Arcadian 
 land, to blacken with deeds of shame and dishonor the 
 records of human history for all time to come. Nay, the 
 bloody work of sword and arquebus and lash, cutting the 
 quivering flesh to the bone, the hecatombs of millions 
 slaughtered without stint or mercy, are not all the worst. 
 The enforced degradation of the descendants of these 
 people almost to the level of the brutes, by inoculating 
 
148 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 them with the vices of inhuman civilization, is a greater 
 crime against both God and man. And then not content 
 with filling the measure of cruel deeds, this same civili- 
 zation, as cruel and remorseless now in its silks and 
 broadcloths as in those days of blood-stained armor, 
 pomts its finger in scorn at the shattered skulking rem- 
 nants of the ruined race, and says: "Let them die, for 
 they are beasts, not men!" 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 149 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 THE ARRIVAL OP THE MAIN BODY OF THE HUGUENOTS 
 AND WHAT FOLLOWED. 
 
 Towards evening a column of smoke rose from the 
 central ridge of the peninsula across the river which was 
 a signal that the main body of the Huguenots had 
 reached the vicinity. Meantime there had also quietly 
 gathered many more people in the town, some by water 
 in canoes, and others by paths through the forests, until 
 it seemed as if all of the inhabitants of the province had 
 gathered to do honor to their guests. Canoes were sent 
 over to the other side and soon there was another water 
 pageant presented, by the transportation of the little 
 army and all the dwellers in the village on the eastern 
 shore, across the river. It was a gay and pleasant sight 
 as the fleet of canoes came breasting the rays of the set- 
 ting sun, making a picture in the brilliant reflections 
 from polished arms and armor — with the two banners yet 
 left to the Huguenots, the flag of Rotrou's ship, the 
 Dolphin, and the banner of D'Erlach — which would have 
 delighted the soul of Jacques LeMoyne de Morgues had 
 he been there to paint it. 
 
 There was another reception not less pleasing and 
 fraternal than the flrst, after which quarters in two of 
 the largest buildings of the town were given to the 
 Frenchmen, who were liberally supplied with all they 
 needed, the leaders being entertained by the chief him- 
 self, who spared no pains to make them welcome. 
 
160 FliOBIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 "This night," said Ostinola, "shall be given up to 
 peace and pleasure. You are all my guests and shall 
 share the best we have. Tomorrow, if it pleases 
 you, we will meet in council, and whatsoever you decide 
 it shall be done. See! Here comes my best hunters, 
 and the Great Spirit has deigned to smile upon them!" 
 
 There came a party, some carrying between them a 
 great bear, the arrows wherewith it had been slain still 
 sticking in it; others carrying deer, wild turkey, other 
 game and fish, so plentiful indeed, that with the stores 
 at hand there was no dearth with any. Never were the 
 Frenchmen better regaled, and though the remembrance 
 of their misfortunes was still fresh upon them, the kind- 
 ness and good will siiown by Ostinola and his people 
 cheered their very hearts 
 
 That night the central square was lighted with torches, 
 and after the Indians, under the leadership of their 
 chiefs, had made a display of their national ceremonies, 
 illustrating their skill in war and hunting; engaged in 
 weird but pleasing mystic rites, whereby they signified 
 the completion of the bond of brotherhood between them ; 
 the Frenchmen in their turn, with the trumpeters, Le 
 Bearnois and Luigo, also some mandolin players, who 
 had kept their instruments through all their difficulties, 
 to make music for them — undertook to teach the 
 French way of dancing and merry-making to their red 
 friends, whereat they all enjoyed themselves right roy- 
 ally. 
 
 It was not difficult indeed with pupils so full of grace 
 and suppleness naturally as the forest maidens were, to 
 teach them how to d© their parts as well or even better 
 than their white sisters might have done. Nay, for many 
 
STORY OP THE HUGUENOTS. 161 
 
 years thereafter, there were Bome, who, over their tank- 
 ards under the vme-clad arbors of their native land, told 
 how the young brother of their leader, with the Princess 
 Issena, led a dance the like of which for grace and 
 beauty was never seen at the King's court. 
 
 So well fared the whole band of Huguenots, that they 
 besought their leaders to let them tarry awhile in Toro" 
 nita and rest themselves, and seeing that they had much 
 need of it to brace them for the hardships yet to come, 
 D'Erlach presented their petition to Ostinola, who was 
 as greatly pleased to grant it as they had desire for it. 
 So when the festival ended at a late hour, the trumpeters 
 called attention and a proclamation was made, that on 
 the morrow, which was the last day of the week, they all 
 should have perfect freedom so that they stayed within 
 bugle call, while a council would be held with their new 
 friends and allies to settle on the future plan or action. 
 Caution was also given that they were in no wise to do 
 aught by word or deed that might offend, for such as did 
 so far forget their duty and honor, as to forfeit the good 
 will of their hosts, should be severely punished ; which 
 warning proved to be needless. 
 
 At the council were present, besides the leaders of 
 the Huguenots, Ostinola, Itahoma and a number of other 
 chiefs and head men, renowned for valor and discretion ; 
 to whom D'Erlach concisely recounted their condition 
 and all the events preceding. While he spoke there 
 was grave silence amongst them all, though many 
 glances of intelligence passed between them, show- 
 ing that the main facts were already known to 
 them. Especially was this the case when he told of the 
 cruel, treacherous character of the Spaniards and their 
 
152 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 atrocious deeds. ''As for himslf and his followers there 
 was no choice but to face their foes sword in hand and 
 give them battle, trusting in the God of right and justice 
 for victory and deliverance." 
 
 "I doubt not my friends, that it will not be long ere 
 the Spaniard seeks to set his iron iieel upon you, as he 
 did upon my dead brethren, who had harmed him not. 
 We came as friends across the great waters and landing 
 first upon your shores sought but to make for ourselves a 
 peaceful home. The Spaniards came, not only to de- 
 stroy us, but to take from you your lands and liberties, as 
 they have done wherever their feet have trodden. Will 
 you permit it? Will you turn your friends away and 
 folding your hands let these robbers and murderers work 
 their will? I trow not! Though they have many great 
 ships that sail the seas and pour forth thunder from their 
 sides, and they are clad in armor that will turn or break 
 many an arrow shaft. The odds may be great against 
 you, and were there any safe course for you to avoid con- 
 flict with them, I would say take it and let us go, but 
 there is not." 
 
 Then uprose the oldest man among them and clearly 
 recited the tales of former Spanish invasion and how de- 
 spite their armor, their cannon, their arquebuses and 
 swords of keen shining metal, they had at last left but 
 their bones to whiten the land they came to conquer. 
 
 Lastly, Ostinola addressed them, showing that wis- 
 dom and judgment, which made him see the peril for the 
 future for which he was renowned, but displaying tlie 
 fearless courage of the hero ready to face all dangers. 
 
 The conclusion arrived at was that D'Erlacii and 
 such of hli men as chose, should stay with them to help 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 163 
 
 drive back the Spaniards if they came^ while the rest 
 should be assisted on their return to the wrecks, for 
 which purpose a fleet of canoes should be detailed, 
 chiefly to carry provisions to supply them while they 
 worked to build or repair a vessel, and returning bring 
 back arms and material useful to n pel the expected in- 
 vasioo, which was not long in coming. 
 
164 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 HOW CACIQUE OSTINOLA ENTERTAINED THE HUQUE- 
 NOTS— THE BATTLE OF MATANZAS. 
 
 It was no small task which the Cacique took upon 
 himself to entertain his guests, but it was one in which 
 all the people gladly joined. 
 
 To old and young alike, it seemed a festal occasion 
 and there was naught which they could do to give the 
 Huguenots rest, refreshment and pleasure, that they did 
 not. 
 
 There were boating and fishing parties upon the 
 water ; some went with the hunters and scoured the ad- 
 jacent forests; others mended their garments or washed 
 them, polished their weapons and such armor as they 
 wore ; and even those who were sick or wearied with 
 their hardsliips, under the gentle ministration tendered 
 with open hands and warm hearts, rapidly recovered 
 their spirits. 
 
 Of all the people who have landed in the past times 
 on American shores, the French, whether Protestant or 
 Catholic, stand first in humane treatment of the aborigi- 
 nes and in the readiness with which they fraternized 
 with them. This is true of them, whether tracking the 
 snows of the North or striving to plant their colonies in 
 the sunny Southland. 
 
 Sunday, while not rigidly kept by all the Huguenots 
 as a day of worship, had its simple yet impressive ser- 
 vices, to witness and participate in which, all the army 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 166 
 
 and the people gathered in the shade of 'the great live 
 oaks, under one of which was erected a stand for their 
 preacher — the same who led the thanksgiving at Le Camp 
 Renconte Felice — Andreas Le Roche. His text was 
 David's prayer that God would revenge him on his foes. 
 The Indians, although they comprehended but little, be- 
 haved in a most exemplary manner, believing rightly 
 that it was a sacred ceremony of their white friends. 
 
 Four days the little army tarried in Toronita and 
 then a fleet of canoes having been gathered for the pur- 
 pose, with Indian oarsmen under Itahoma, the main 
 body in charge of Rotrou, embarked to proceed as far as 
 they could by water on the return to Canaveral; D'Er- 
 lach remaining with thirty men to watch the Spanish 
 advance and aid Ostinola to prepare against aggression. 
 
 Ten days after, Itahoma returned with such military 
 and other supplies as were needed, especially of cloth- 
 ing; the Indians at Canaveral in whose charge every- 
 thing had been left, having carefully and faithfully dis- 
 charged their trust. There were a number of pikes and 
 battleaxes given to Ostinola with which to arm a portion 
 of his warriors. 
 
 On the 10th of November, a courier from the north- 
 ern settlement came in, with the report that fifty armed 
 Spaniards had landed at Matanzas and were engaged in 
 building a stockade fort, from wliich annoying scouting 
 parlies would doubtless be sent torth. 
 
 To prevent this, D'Erlach with his men and Ostinola 
 with two hundred Indians, immediatiBly departed for 
 the head of the river by canoe, the water way enabling 
 them to get within a short distance of the enemy. 
 
 That night, they camped in a hammock less than a 
 
156 FLORIDA HISTORIOAL. TALES. 
 
 league from Mat&nzas and sent out scouts to ascertain 
 and report concerning the Spaniards. 
 
 They confirmed the statements of the courier, and so 
 at dawn the little army of allies moved upon the enemy. 
 The Spanish sentinels were alert, and as the Frenchmen 
 in the van emerged into the open space cleared for the 
 stockade, fired their arquebuses and fell back to the camp. 
 Le Bearnois' bugle blew the charge. Fierce war cries 
 echoed far and wide. A flight of arrows filled the air, 
 falling like stinging hail upon the Spaniards, followed 
 by a volley from the French arquebuses. ''Drop your ar- 
 quebuses, my men, and charge these murderers of your 
 comrades with pike and halberd ! To close quarters and 
 strike home!" commanded D'Erlach, himself leading 
 the way. 
 
 Confused somewhat, as they were, by the sudden at- 
 tack, the Spaniards yet rallied manfully to the defense; 
 and in a moment the little gi'ove of trees in which they 
 had encamped, bordering the Matanzas, rang with scat- 
 tering shots of arquebuses, the clash of steel on steel, 
 and the war cries of the combatants. 
 
 Unused to firearms, and little used to hand-to-hand 
 fighting, it required all of Ostinola's influence to keep 
 his followers from flight, but, armed with only a buckler 
 for armor, he threw himself into the hottest of the fray 
 as gallantlj" as D'Erlach himself, and so shouting their 
 wild war cries, they from emulation kept pace with him, 
 although never in all their lives had they faced such ter- 
 rible foes. 
 
 Compelled to desert the camp itself by the fierce on- 
 slaught of their foes, tlie Spaniards, commanded by Fer- 
 nan Perez, fell back to the landing behind piles of tim- 
 
STORY OP THE HUGUENOTS. 167 
 
 ber accumulated for the stockade and there made a stub- 
 born defense. Side by side with D'Erlach was Uhlrich» 
 and in the close contest more than once, his halberd 
 turned aside the spear point thrust at his leader, to be 
 requited in turn by the dexterous sword play of the 
 Chevalier. 
 
 To both, it seemed this day, as if danger and des- 
 perate peril of death were joy, for they were now meet- 
 ing their deadly enemies on equal terms, and were de- 
 termined on revenge for La Caroline and Ribault's 
 slaughter. 
 
 In one of the passage ways between the piles of 
 timber, these two met Perez and a stalwart Biscayan, 
 whom Uhlrich recognized as the one whose dagger blow 
 had been so nearly fatal to him. 
 
 . ''Deal thou with Fernan Perez, Chevalier!" said 
 Uhlrich. "Here's at thee, thou dog of an assassin, Diego 
 Diaz!" For he was one of the ''Matadors" whose hands 
 were so lately red with the blood of Ribault and his com- 
 rades. Throwing aside their pikes as too clumsy for such 
 close quarters, Uhlrich and Diaz closed with one another 
 so fiercely that it was a wonder both were not disabled 
 at the first charge. 
 
 Meantime D'Erlach and Perez also came within 
 sword reach of each other. All four were skillful swords- 
 men. Sometimes above their heads flashed the glitter- 
 ing steel in air, meeting and clashing together, or glanc- 
 ing off buckler and steel cap, or deadly thrust met coun- 
 ter guard. 
 
 The Spaniard's sword was heaviest, but the French 
 man more than made up the difference in weight of metal 
 by the superb skill with which he handled his weapon. 
 
158 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 In the very midst of the fight, five of six of the Span- 
 iards ran to the landing, where was a culverin intended 
 for the stockade when it should be completed, and hast- 
 ened to load it and train it upon this very gap, now the 
 center of attack. 
 
 ''Bid Ostinola's archers send their heaviest volleys of 
 arrows on the culverin party!" shouted D'Erlach to one 
 of his men, standing on the defensive for a moment. 
 
 This emboldened Perez, who, making a tremendous 
 assault with his sword point which D'Erlach caught 
 upon his buckler, left his side exposed and in a moment 
 was transfixed by his opponent's blade ; over his body fell 
 that of Diaz, and as the two went down, there arose cries 
 from the Spaniards to retreat to the boats. 
 
 The Spaniards now were desperately pressed. They 
 realized the day was lost and all that could be done was 
 to save themselves as best they might. Sullenly, those 
 left of them unhurt, formed a rear guard to hold their as- 
 sailants in check, while the wounded got aboard the 
 boats; then they pulled out into the stream followed by 
 arrows, bullets, and loud shouts of triumph from ttie vic- 
 tors. Eight of their number, including their lesder, were 
 killed outright, four were left as prisoners, and many of 
 those who had escaped on the boats were more or less se- 
 verely wounded. 
 
 On the other hand not one of the Frenchmen had 
 been killed, although several were wounded, but none 
 seriously. The Indians had suffered more severely, los- 
 ing several killed and more wounded, their mishaps 
 coming chiefly from their lack of skill and knowledge and 
 reckless courage, after they were once aroused to battle. 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 169 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 THE ALLIES GAIN A VICTORY— THE BURIAL OF THE 
 WARRIORS. 
 
 It was with grim satisfaction that the Huguenots, at 
 last the victors in a fair combat with their enemies, pro- 
 ceeded to gather up the provisions, material and muni- 
 tions left behind by the flying Spaniards, first caring for 
 their wounded as well as their appliances permitted and 
 then burying the dead Spaniards; after which they 
 threw the culverin into the river and fired the piles of 
 stockade timber, enough of which was reserved to lash 
 into a raft that would serve to carry the four prisoners 
 across the strait; for on investigation it was found they 
 were not implicated, directly or indirectly, in the late 
 massacres, being arrivals on one of Melendez' belated 
 vessels; so after taking their parole on oath, they were 
 sent across to Anastasia Island, to find their way to St. 
 Augustine as best they could. 
 
 Some of the Huguenots were indignant at their re- 
 lease, claiming that no Spaniard should have mercy 
 shown them for they gave none. But the word of their 
 commander sufficed to bring them to the side of clem- 
 ency, and so the prisoners were released, with a message 
 to Melendez, forbidding any further invasions into the 
 territory of Ostinola. ''For," said D'Erlach to them, 
 "should your treacherous master send any more of his 
 assassins and robbers into this country, by the help of 
 God and my good sword, they shall be even as these 
 
160 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 eight are whom you leave behind. Go now! And thank 
 God that you fell into the hands of men, whom you call 
 heretics, but who are not such barbarians as the Span- 
 iards." 
 
 Thus mercifully dealt this leader of the Huguenots 
 with his disarmed, defenseless enemies, in sight of the 
 very spot where Melendez and his men had basely and 
 cruelly slaughtered his comrades. Not from motives of 
 policy or with any hope of modifying the relentless, cruel 
 disposition of the Adelantado ; not even from the desire 
 to show that Frenchmen were more noble-hearted than 
 the Spaniards, but for humanity's sake. 
 
 Whatever was the true reason ; race, religion, or the 
 better appreciation of the fundamental principles of hu- 
 manity, which the French have more commonly shown 
 than their neighbors; inured as he was, with all men of 
 that age, to scenes of carnage and battle; ready at what 
 he deemed to be the call of duty or honor, to throw him- 
 self into the thickest of the fray at a moment's notice, 
 D'Erlach was equally ready after the conflict was over 
 to respond to the voice of mercy. 
 
 Having disposed of the Spaniards, dead and living, 
 there occurred another event whicli may be of sufficient 
 interest to describe. 
 
 THE BURIAL OF THE WARRIORS. 
 
 Three of the Indians had been killed in the attack ; a 
 fourth was mortally wounded and in a few hours died 
 surrounded by his companions, clianting until his lips 
 stitfened and could no more give utterance to the words, 
 the immemorial death song of the aborigines. 
 
 Then the chief took the warrior's bow, snapped the 
 bow string and placed it upon his breast, folding his arms 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 161 
 
 over it as had been done with the others. Biers were 
 made of crossed spears and the bodies were carried a lit- 
 tle way southward along the river to a high knoll, over- 
 looking its basin, whose summit was first cleaned of 
 grass and shrubs, then leveled and covered with a layer 
 of moss and leaves, upon which the four bodies were ar- 
 ranged with their heads to the center, marked by a co- 
 quina stone. 
 
 Then led by the Cacique himself, the whole band 
 marched and counter-marched around the place of 
 burial, to tiie measured cadence of a funeral chant, timed 
 by war drums; but not so loud as to drown the wail of 
 human voices, mingling with the solemn sound of the 
 not distant surf ; a most fitting and impressive accom- 
 paniment to these last services, bestowed u^jon the dead 
 by their living comrades. This finished, Ostinola step- 
 ped inside the circle, and like one calling the roll of a 
 company, spoke the four dead men's names, pausing each 
 time as if for answer, then he said : 
 
 ''Behold, my brethren, these men answer not the call 
 of their chieftain ! The day is far spent, yet they sleep. 
 I cannot arouse them by speaking their names." 
 
 "Listen! I will call them to the chase! Join me in 
 the hunters' cry!" Then the air resounded with such 
 cries as the Indians are wont to make when they have 
 brought the game to bay and send upon it a shower of 
 arrows. 
 
 "They stir not! They answer not! Deep is the spell 
 of the sleep god upon them. Once more will I strive 
 to awaken them. If there be any spirit in them they 
 will arise — Men of Toronita, let the war drums sound ! 
 Give voice to the war cry! The foe is here!" 
 
1(52 FLORIDA HISTORICAL, TALBS. 
 
 So said, BO done ! Out over the sand dunes and val- 
 leys rang the combined sounds, making the leaves 
 tremble ; startling the eagles and ospreys overhead ; dy- 
 ing in faint echoes against the fronts of the far ham- 
 mocks and when silence came, again Ostinola spoke. 
 
 ''These were good men and true. Never before have 
 they failed to answer the summons to the chase or bat- 
 tle. It is because they cannot. Not sloth, nor sleep, nor 
 fear hold them back. Their quivers are empty, their 
 bow strings are broken. Their spirits are in that land 
 from whence none ever return, save in dreams and vis- 
 ions. They have died in battling bravely to drive back 
 the enemy from their native land. They have won rest 
 and happiness in the land of spirits. Peace be with 
 them evermore." 
 
 Then a covering of moss and leaves was placed over 
 the dead warriors. Earth and shell heaped upon them, 
 to this day marking their burial place with grass and 
 flowers, more enduring than the marble shaft gnawed by 
 the tooth of Time, overthrown by earthquake, or shat- 
 tered by lightning. 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 THE RETURN— ERNEST AND ISSENA— THE STORY THAT 
 IS OLD, BUT EVER NEW. 
 
 The Huguenots joined with the Indians in their funeral 
 rites, for already so close was their community of inter- 
 ests and sympathies, the narrow confines of creeds did 
 not separate them. This they did, led by their chaplain, 
 Le Roche, standing with uncovered heads, while he com- 
 mended the souls of the slain to the keeping of the Al- 
 mighty. Then, laden with the spoils of the Spaniards, 
 which were not inconsiderable, they retraced their steps 
 to the camp and from thence on the next day returned to 
 Ostinola's town where they were received with great re- 
 joicing, although there was sorrow for the four brave 
 warriors who had lost their lives especially on the part 
 of their wives and children. 
 
 In accordance- with their custom on such occasions, 
 the women retired together to a building called the house 
 of sorrow and there fasted and mourned for the dead three 
 days; after which they resumed their usual duties, re- 
 ceiving many tokens of respect and affection as widows 
 of distinguished warriors, while their children were 
 solemnly adopted as wards of the nation. 
 
 In such respects, these poor savages, could well teach 
 a lesson to the civilized nations which too often utterly 
 fail to recognize the patriotic sacrifices made in their de- 
 fense, or if they do in a measure remember them, it is by 
 piling up monuments of marble and giving to the widows 
 
164 FIX)RIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 and orphans the fragments chipped from the original 
 blocks instead of bread. 
 
 From the prisoners D'Erlach learned that Melendez 
 had nearly recovered from the results of Ottigny's on- 
 slaught upon him, and that he was expecting the arrival 
 of several vessels with men, supplies and horses, for his 
 colony at St. Augustine, about the Christmas times. 
 
 The repulse given to the detachment led by Fernan 
 Perez and his death, would doubtless deter any further 
 attempt at finishing the destruction of the Huguenots 
 until after that date. He reasoned also, that when the 
 attack was made, it would be directly upon the post at 
 Canaveral and probably take the form of a combined 
 naval and land assault. The Chevalier prepared to join 
 the main body immediately. At Ostinola's request he 
 left Uhlrich and Ernest with ten arquebusiers and the 
 wounded, seven in number, at the village to await 
 further orders. These, with Ostinola's warriors, now im- 
 bued with confidence by the recent victory, could hold 
 in check at least, any probable land expedition of the 
 Spaniards until they could be reinforced. With the rest, 
 D'Erlach embarked in the bateau, to which had been af- 
 fixed a mast with sail made from one of the captured 
 tents, and with a strong northeast wind sped rapidly 
 southward, having an Indian pilot on board. 
 
 Under ordinary circumstances, Ernest would have 
 been very loth to part with his brother, but the circum- 
 stances were not ordinary. He was a favorite guest of 
 the Cacique; his ambition was being gratified by being 
 placed in charge of the little company, his first military 
 command; and — what was doubtless of more weight— a 
 strong attachment had sprung up in his young heart for 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 16& 
 
 the flower of Toronita, the Princess Issena (so all called 
 her). What was she? Only an Indian girl — a daughter of 
 tlie sun and dew — a wild flower of the forest, a later Eve^ 
 and if the chronicles be true, as true an one as she of 
 Eden. 
 
 It is written: ''There never was a fawn in all the 
 forests more light and graceful in form and motion; 
 never a bird that could sing a sweeter song; never a 
 flower in any garden with a brighter face, and never beat 
 in any bosom a truer, more faithful heart. So winsom 
 in her natural ways was she, that it is no wonder our 
 lord's brother" (this was vrritten after the Chevalier had 
 become the Seigneiy D'Erlach,) "straightway lost his 
 heart to her, for indeed there was not one amongst us, 
 but would have been her willing slave, had she but 
 deigned to say that it would please her." 
 
 From the very first, the day when Ostinola gave the 
 Huguenots a royal welcome, they had felt drawn to each 
 other, yet neither knew why. With him at first, it was 
 simply surprise and admiration at her supple grace of 
 motion, the brightness and beauty of face and form, the 
 simple dignity of her carriage ; but as the days went on, 
 there were so many other qualities of mind and nature 
 constantly showing forth, that it ended in his complete 
 surrender. 
 
 He was not learned in books ; for in those days few 
 save the clergy had much such knowledge. Books were 
 far scarcer than swords and armor, and the master of the 
 camp more common than the teacher. 
 
 But he could teach her the language of La France, 
 and as he knew them all by heart the chaplain, when he 
 departed, loaned him the little priceless book of hymns 
 
1616 J-LORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 and poems with which he could instruct his willing 
 pupil, in the rudiments of letters. He also could play 
 the mandolin, and her deft fingers soon acquired the 
 master's skill to sweep its strings. 
 
 Then there was a fairy world he could open up to her 
 mind, in the stories of his native land that he loved to 
 tell her, oftentimes as much by signs as words, as they 
 floated on the river or sat beside the lightwood fire at 
 eventide. And there were the marvels of land and ocean 
 he had seen, and many other things to which she listened 
 with rapt attention, as he described them. 
 
 While she in turn recited to him the traditions of 
 the past, sang him the quaintest S4)ngs, and taught him 
 the Indian names of flowers and birds, trees and plants, 
 and all other objects in the little world around them. 
 Indeed, there were so many things that she could teach 
 him, that he often felt abashed in her presence, because 
 of his ignorance. 
 
 Life was free to both. Whether by water or by land 
 it mattered not whither they went. Passion as yet had 
 not come to rock tlieir souls to their centers as the earth- 
 quake does the earth. 
 
 It was the rosy dawn with them, when cool, sweet 
 purity of dews and morning zephyrs — the waking songs 
 of birds — reigned supreme. That time in the poor lives 
 of mortals their souls are nearest heaven; ere yet the 
 scorching day heats come to wither the delicate flowers 
 and fill the soul with flery madness. That time, the 
 poet souls of all races, kindreds and tongues, have sung 
 of as the Eden day dawn, whicli was at the beginning 
 and is forever, symbolized by all that is beautiful and 
 lovely in earth and heaven. 
 
STORY OF THB HUGUBl^OTe. 167 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 THE HUGUENOT EXOLOBATIONS— A VOYAGE DOWN THE 
 OOAST TO OANAVBBAl,. 
 
 But little of the southern portion of these. lanil-loeked 
 tide waters and their immediate shores had D'Erlach 
 and his companions in the bateau seen before, for on 
 their advance by land from the scene of the wrecking of 
 the squadron to Matanzas, their march had been on the 
 seaward side over the beach, which in his own words he 
 described as ''one of the finest in the world; being 
 smooth, hard and broad enough for a large army to 
 march over in ranked battalions, and though the sun 
 might shine ever so brightly, moist with the tides and 
 cooled by sea winds, seldom hot and uncomfortable." 
 The absence of streams of fresh water, however, had 
 made a resort to the wells at the Indian villages on the 
 inner shores occasionally necessary, and on these visits 
 only had they any views of this section of the country. 
 
 Now, however, the whole beautiful panorama was 
 before them, each hour bringing a shifting of the scene, 
 though all in perfect harmonj^. 
 
 Two leagues below Ostinola's town they came to an 
 island, separated from the mainland by a salt marsh and 
 a shallow winding creek behind which, and stretching a 
 mile or more along the river shore, were the villages of 
 Azalatowah, facing others on the peninsula side, each 
 with shell mounds and little gardens very pleasant to 
 the sight and containing quite a large population. 
 
168 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 Indeed, there were more people here than at the 
 town where the Cacique resided, and here was the orig- 
 inal capital town of the tribe. 
 
 There was much rich land in tlie vicinity and more 
 oyster reefs and bars in the river and a great abundance 
 of fish. D'Erlach had examined the place during the 
 Testing time after the departure of the main body, with 
 Ostinola, and had advised the latter to put up under Uhl- 
 rich's direction stockade defenses and in case of Spanish 
 Invasion to be prepared to retreat to it, as a more de- 
 fensible position, both river and landward sides. 
 
 The breeze was fresh and fair and so tiiey sailed on 
 over the sunbright waters, only answering from time to 
 time the friendly hails from either shore. Passing the 
 southern point, jutting out into the main channel of the 
 river which marked that boundary of the settlement, 
 4:hey sped on as if their boat had wings, over a broad bay, 
 then passing another island, fairly white with herons, 
 they entered a tortuous maze of mangrove islands and 
 oyster reefs which extended to the inlet, in the neighbor- 
 hood of which they were regaled at a village; where was 
 a huge shell mound conspicuous from a distance; ruled 
 over by a Cacique who was a friend and ally of Ostinola, 
 and who, although doubtful at the first, whether his 
 strange visitors might not be Spaniards, whom their tra- 
 ditions of former visits had taught them to be wary of, 
 on hearing the report of their pilot received the whole 
 party with pleasant welcome. 
 
 Still the many mangrove islets lined their way, as 
 from this place they sailed on southward, threading them 
 by such winding devious ways they were glad they had 
 a pilot to direct them, until at evening they reached a 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 169 
 
 high mound,* which seemed almost a mountain, from 
 whose summit they could look far seaward, and south- 
 ward over some wooded islands, beyond which stretched 
 a great lagoon ; whose waters sent baclt all the glowing 
 colors of a gorgeous sunset in a thousand tints beyond 
 the painter's art to imitate. Here also was an Indian 
 settlement whose inhabitants received them gladly, as 
 was their custom to the last regarding the Frenchmen, 
 for from their first contact, kindness had begotten friend- 
 ship, broken by no hostile act, and not forgotten even in 
 dire misfortune. 
 
 The general course of these waters was south with 
 an easterly trend, and they were separated from the 
 ocean only by a barrier which in some places was almost 
 narrow enough for storm waves to leap over. All 
 ^'abounded in fish and oysters, also large turtles, caught 
 often by the natives sleeping on the surface of the water, 
 or in traps and nets, they being excellent for food. Huge 
 reptiles, called alligators, very much like the crocodiles 
 of Egypt and India, but not so savage or feared by the 
 inhabitants, were seen by us frequently; but as their 
 skins are so tough as to turn spear point and bullet, and 
 their flesh not to be prized for meat, no one disturbed 
 them. 
 
 ''Small sharks — which were not dangerous, however, 
 to fishers wading in the waters or bathers, and immense 
 sawfish, as they are called from their upper jaws pro- 
 jecting in the shape of a saw blade and being set with 
 teeth, abounded ; also porpoises or dolphins in great num- 
 
 * Note. — Turtle Mound, on the Hillsboro south of 
 New Smyrna. It has long been a land mark to sailors, 
 along the coast. 
 
170 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 bers. It was marvelous how maoy were the fish of all 
 kinds in these waters, the supply being: kept up con- 
 stantly from the sea; some of them being so grotesque in 
 form and appearance that it seemed as if nature in this 
 secluded region had much leisure to invent, as well as 
 desire to multiply, strange creations. 
 
 •'There was a great flat fish covered with a rough 
 skin, having the mouth set with strong teeth more like 
 those of a land animal than a fish, and having a long tail 
 armed with barbed stingers or darts, whose wounds the 
 Indians very much feared, being painful and dangerous 
 to life. These darts were a palm breadth long and often 
 used as arrow heads by the natives. 
 
 ''We wondered very much at some large aquatic ani- 
 mals, for such they are, which grazed on the moss and 
 weeds growing in many places on the bottoms of the 
 deeper pools, especially where fresh water streams come 
 in from the interior, in herds like cattle. They have no 
 legs or feet, nor fins like fish, but are more like seals. 
 Their flesh is esteemed by the Indians, but to us it was 
 not very palatable. These water cows (or manatees) 
 are not easily captured as they seldom come into shallow 
 wator or on shore, but when one is caught and killed a 
 whole village will feast abundantly. 
 
 "Of wild fowl there is no end. Oftimes we would 
 sail for hours through such immense flocks of ducks that 
 they could scarcely swim or fly, they were so much in 
 each others way; and when they did rise on the wing 
 the noise they made was like distant thunder. Some- 
 times an arquebus shot amongst them would kill many, 
 although fired at random. An expert bowman could with 
 ease secure as many as he wished and very fat tliey were 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 171 
 
 and good to eat." * 
 
 * Note. — Even almost to the present year, Andreas 
 La Roche's description of this section of the coast 
 waterways, called the Halifax, Hillsboro' and Mosquito 
 Lagoons is correct in every respect except as to the In- 
 dian villages the only remains of which are the shell 
 mounds. 
 
172 FIX)RIDA HISTOBIOAL TALES. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 THE OAXAVEBAL SHORE — THEY FLOAT THE DOLPHIN. 
 
 At the extreme southern end of the lagoon, where it 
 was separated from a corresponding body of water by a 
 narrow neck of land and also from the ocean by a similar 
 strip, they reached on tlie next day the vicinity of the 
 wrecks. 
 
 It was here one of the vessels, L'Etoille, came ashore 
 and Its battered hulk, stripped of masts, tackle and all 
 portable articles, still remained a melancholy relic of the 
 great storm. A short distance below was the hull of the 
 Dolphin, the ship which Rotrou had commanded. It be- 
 ing staunch and new had so far resisted the power of the 
 breakers, and by taking out of it all heavy articles, with 
 anchors and strong cables seaward, they had tried to 
 float it. 
 
 Near this, upon a sandy knoll, a rude stockade with 
 huts had been erected and here were stored in hopes of 
 final embarkation, everything of value rescued from the 
 wrecks. 
 
 As the days went by in apparently futile endeavnrs, 
 the hearts of the poor Huguenots had grown faint and 
 sick. There was such a wild, strange wilderness of land 
 and water around them, with the great ocean barring 
 their way back to their native land. Morning and even- 
 ing they gazed over its restless bosom hoping, yet dread- 
 ing to see the whit« gleam of far off sails. The odds were 
 great that when they did see them they would not 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 173 
 
 bear the flag of France or of friends. A little handful of 
 people, whom their king loved not and in his treacherous 
 heart had given up to the Spanish wolf, to do as lie 
 pleased with — the sails when they did show u^) were 
 most likely to be those of their enemies, from whom they 
 had but lately barely escaped with their lives. 
 
 It need not be said D'Erlach and his men were re- 
 ceived with welcome, and the news of their victory over 
 the Spaniards at Matanzas, for the time being, infused 
 new life into them. Especially did it encourage Ottigny, 
 LaCaille and Rotrou, the latter of whom, foreseeing pos- 
 sible failure in getting the Dolphin off of the bar, had 
 nearly completed a shallop, with which to navigate the 
 inland waters or, perhaps, with good fortune, capture 
 amongst the islands and keys to the southward, some 
 Si^anish craft. The Bahamas were not far distant, and 
 they were much frequented by the Spaniards, who made 
 a practice of visiting these islands and carrying off the 
 natives in great numbers to Hispaniola and Cuba as 
 slaves, until they were eventually depopulated. The 
 shallop was soon launched successfully and the time 
 came for the final attempt to float the Dolphin. It was 
 an open roadstead exposed to the northeast gales, but 
 the weather since the great storm had been mild and 
 quiet. 
 
 The tides were now beginning to increase and there 
 was a strain upon her moorings and a slight uneasy mo- 
 tion which showed that the ship was on the point of 
 floating. To assist in this Rotrou had attached floats 
 of timber and empty casks to its sides and one morning 
 near the end of November, the trial was made to kedge it 
 off. 
 
174 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 Several anchors had been carried out, with the 
 cables brought on board to the windlass. At the moment 
 the tide lifted her free of the sand, a strain]was put on 
 them. 
 
 There was a moment of supreme]suspense. A breaker 
 coming against her made her tremble. ''She moves!" 
 shouted one. "Nay, she moves not!" exclaimed another. 
 "Heave on the windlass, lads!" cried Rotrou. "Steady 
 and all together!" 
 
 When the cables were strained almost to parting, a 
 great roller coming in lifted her off the bottom and the 
 vessel moved forward. Seizing upon this hint every suc- 
 ceeding swell was utilized in like manner. But progress 
 was slow and it was not until two days thereafter that 
 deep enough water was reached to float the ship freely. 
 It was theh found there were so many leaks in the hull 
 that it could not be kept afloat without pumping. 
 
 So some were kept busy at this, while others were 
 employed in bending on the sails so tliat she could be 
 taken to the inlet, beached and caulked. 
 
 What gladness and rejoicings there were, when once 
 more sail was hoisted on the Dolphin ! With what cheer- 
 ful shouts they welcomed the rising to the masthead of 
 their own flag! They wept and laughed by turns. 
 Leaped and frolicked like children. There were some 
 pieces of artillery which had l)een brought ashore and 
 with them was fired the first salute that ever awakened 
 the echoes of this coast. 
 
 L )ng afterwards the Indians told of the day of 
 thunder, when there were no clouds. 
 
 The drums beat. Luigo's l)ugle played every strain 
 of joy known to him and tliero was no cessation of re- 
 
BTOBY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 175 
 
 joicing amongst those temporarily left behind to care for 
 the stores, when Rotrou filled away on the seaward tack 
 to make an offing for the inlet. 
 
 Fortune was once more smiling on them, or at least 
 seemed relenting. 
 
 ''Praise God ! The good ship Dolphin is afloat once 
 more!" said Le Roche. "Surely she should be called 
 our Good Hope," said another, and so on they spoke 
 merrily and hopefully to each other. Although there 
 were some, who said but little; in whose eyes the tears 
 stood, not for sorrow, but for gladness too deep to voice 
 in words. 
 
 They seemed to see, far beyond the waters, the sun- 
 light falling on their native hills in a sheen of glory ; 
 lighting up the vales and vineyards ; the orchards and 
 fields of corn ; the haven of Rochelle, crowded with ship- 
 ping; its ramparts holding in stout embrace their homes 
 and home folks— nay, they seemed to hear mingling with 
 the moaning of the surf breaking at their feet, the very 
 market cries ; gay songs of revelers, or hymns of praise 
 and thanksgiving; not loud, because coming so far, yet 
 clear enough for their souls to hear and be thrilled 
 through and through. 
 
 Amongst those left behind to guard and transport 
 the stores, there was a young man who sat upon the bank 
 with his head upon his hand, silent for a while, gazing 
 after the ship. ''What ails thee, mon ami?" queried a 
 comrade, placing his hand upon his shoulder. 
 
 "Thou knowest, LeBarron, I ran away and joined 
 Monsieur Ribault's ship, because I thought life at home 
 was a torment, but I am heartsick to hear Dame Marjorie 
 scold again. I would rather hear her make the sauce- 
 
176 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 pans fairly rattle with her tongue, than listen to the an- 
 gels' singing; for look you, then I would know that I was 
 at home once more !" 
 
 "Ah lad!" LeBarron answered, looking at the swell- 
 ing of the Dolphin's sails as she bowed to tlie billows. 
 *'There be others that would like to drink a tankard of 
 red Burgundj^ in thy mother's inn, and with God's help 
 they may." And with Hope's song in their hearts they 
 gazed seaward lost in dreams of home. 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 177 
 
 CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 THE SPANIARDS SEEK TO DESTROY THE HUaUBNOTS — 
 THE BATTLE OF AZALA. 
 
 A few hours after the departure of the Dolphin, Le- 
 Barron came to D'Erlach, who was superintending the 
 transportation of stores to the shallop and reported that 
 off the cape could be seen the gleam of far-off sails. 
 
 And so it proved, for as the sun set low in the west 
 its rays beat full and fair against the white canvas of 
 four vessels steering northward, coming close enough to 
 land for the French to distinguish their hulls. 
 
 These, by their fashion and size, were judged rightly 
 to be the squadron Melendez expected, but as the vessels 
 kept on their course no alarm was created. Rotrou 
 meantime had gained his harbor before the Spanish ves- 
 sel came into sight and was hidden from them. He 
 sought and found a suitable place for finishing the re- 
 pairing of the Dolphin, in a deep creek out of sight from 
 the inlet, behind dense thickets of mangrove trees, where 
 for a fortnight the work went on undisturbed. 
 
 Melendez at St. Augustine, upon the arrival of the 
 ships containing soldiers, colonists, horses and supplies 
 although having so much to engage his attention in the 
 more securely establishing of his colony as to prevent 
 him from leading it, could now send a detachment to re- 
 taliate upon the Huguenots the destruction of the out- 
 post at Matanzas, doubting not that it would be an easy 
 matter to over-master the remnant of Ribault's forces. 
 
178 FLORIDA HISTOBIOAL TALES. 
 
 To the several Spanish cavaliers, too proud to work 
 or be deeply interested in the building of forts, houses or 
 settlements, the lack of opportunity to display their mil- 
 itary spirit was very irksome. So when the Adelantado's 
 intention of attacking the Frenchmen was made known 
 there was eager strife amongst them as to who should 
 lead. 
 
 It had been learned that a small detachment of Hu- 
 guenots was with Ostinola, but that the larger party was 
 at Cape Canaveral, or supposed to be, for those on board 
 the squadron, coasting along near to land had noted the 
 wrecks, also the little stockade and had seen men busy 
 about them. 
 
 So, while a detachment of two hundred soldiers was 
 placed under the command of Diego de Maya for the 
 land attack, Martin D'O'choa was given two large cara- 
 vels with as many more on board, to assault the Canav- 
 eral post. 
 
 As for D'Ochoa, his expedition was a fruitless and 
 not dangerous one, for on his arrival he found the local- 
 ity deserted by the French. He, however, burned their 
 huts and stockade. Nor could he find any trace of their 
 whereabouts, for upon his appearance the Indians of the 
 neighborhood fled to inaccessible haunts on the inner 
 islands. 
 
 But Maya's expedition had different results. It 
 landed secretly at night from boats on the south side of 
 the Matanzas Inlet and once more the dawn of day 
 gleamed on helm and corselet, and the beach side showed 
 a long marching column, for besides the soldiers there 
 were slave porters and camp followers after the fashion 
 of the times, making quite an army. 
 
STORY OP THE HUGUENOTS. 179 
 
 There were friars also, carrying the crucifix, for this 
 was a Christian invasion of a land whose inhabitants 
 were pagans and heretics. 
 
 At evening they came to a little village at the head 
 of the river, whose inhabitants, not able to resist, fled in 
 dismay ; several being shot as they ran through the for- 
 est or towards the shore as if they had been but wild 
 beasts. Whatever was left behind, of use to them, the 
 soldiers looted. 
 
 On the next day when they came to the village oppo- 
 site Ostinola's town, this, too, they found deserted and 
 although across the river could be seen signs of people 
 moving, having no boats wherewith to cross, it was de- 
 termined to halt and send out scouts to find the enemy. 
 Nor was it long before these reported that at a place two 
 leagues below, both on the mainland and peninsula 
 shores, were many Indians gathered to dispute their fur- 
 ther progress. 
 
 Maya divided his forces into two parties, the larger 
 one to march southward by the beach, the other carrying 
 only their arms, by a little central valley and seeing that 
 reinforcements were constantly going by water, he hast- 
 ened forward. 
 
 THE BATTLE OF AZALA. 
 
 The main body pressed rapidly onward until sudden- 
 ly a stinging hail of arrows fell on them from the high 
 bank along the seashore. Shouting their war cry of 
 ^'Santiago! For Leon and Castile!" the Spaniards rushed 
 up the steep, sandy banks and rapidly drove the Indians 
 back towards a high central ridge. Here they were sud- 
 denly halted by a volley of bullets from young D'Er- 
 lach's squad of arquebusiers. 
 
180 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 It came so unexpectedly upon the Spaniards, there 
 was a lull for a moment, but soon firing on the north told 
 of the other detachment having reached the scene of 
 action. Then rose a clamor of Indian war whoops, Span- 
 ish and French war cries mingled with the reports of 
 firearms and other sounds of battle, such as these wilds 
 had never known before. 
 
 Several assaults were led by DeMaya in person, but 
 were beaten back bravely. 
 
 Ostinola and his warriors were fighting for their 
 homes, their liberties and lives. The Huguenots knew 
 no mercy was to be expected from such foes. But the 
 Spaniards were well armed and so armored that the 
 chances of loss in battle from the weapons of the Indians 
 were small. Their steel caps and breastplates were im- 
 pervious to the arrow shafts, but several in the close en- 
 counter were beaten to death with clubs, and sometimes 
 a well-aimed arrow or spear point found a defenseless 
 spot. 
 
 Then the thickets were so dense and filled with stub- 
 born, agile foes, that headway was difficult as well as 
 dangerous. 
 
 Ernest D'Erlach and Uhlrich with their little hand- 
 ful of arquebusiers and a number of Ostinola's men with 
 halberds, but not well skilled in using them, formed the 
 very core of the defense, and perceiving this, Maya sent 
 his best men against them and here the battle waged the 
 hardest. At last an Arragonese soldier skilled as a 
 marksman, got a shot at the young lad that brought him 
 to the ground, but as he was in the very act of uttering a 
 shout of triumph, Itahoma, with unerring aim sped a 
 shaft from his strong bow, which drove right through his 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 181 
 
 eye into the brain. At this moment the flanking party of 
 Spaniards drove back the Indians before them and Maya 
 ordered his men to charge. 
 
 This forced the Indians and the little company of 
 Huguenots back toward the river shore, fighting every 
 foot of the way. Along the riverside there was a long 
 straggling village with gardens. A portion of this was 
 seized by the Spaniards, but another portion, somewhat 
 separated from the rest, which had rude palisades about 
 it and contained a large shell mound, was stoutly de- 
 fended by the Indians and Huguenots, until sundown, 
 when the battle ceased. 
 
 The grief and consternation of the Huguenots was 
 indescribable when they found Ernest was missing. 
 None but Itahoma had witnessed his fall and he could 
 only tell how a Spaniard had fired at him, and that 
 young D'Erlach fell immediately, but that the brush was 
 BO thick he could not see him any more. — "Neither," he 
 added grimly "could the soldier who shot him." 
 
 The night was dark, but both Itahoma and Uhlrich 
 stole through the woods to the scene of the main battle 
 and searched long for Ernest, but found him not. There 
 was anxiety also amongst them over the disappearance 
 of Issena, who, with her favorite companion, Nonotta, 
 although they had come to the village in the morning, 
 was not to be found anywhere. 
 
182 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 THH lad's desperate PLIGHT — ISflENA'S HEROISM — 
 D'ERLAOH TO THE RESOUB. 
 
 On the eve of this first day of the battle of Azala, the 
 rays of the descending sun, poured through all the wide 
 horizon rich floods of radiant color, glorifying land and 
 sea and river, into a dream of heaven. 
 
 They illumined the curling wreaths of battle smoke 
 with rainbow irridescence, and piercing through the 
 ranks of forest trees, fell on bruised leaves of plants and 
 blades of grass, all dabbled and stained with the red tide 
 that is the life of mortal men ; and lying in the midst of 
 them, upon the stiffening forms of those who never more 
 would strive in desperate battle, and on the wounded 
 writhing in pain, clamoring for water. 'Twas Nature's 
 lesson, that despite its covering of pomp and glory, war 
 is never aught but hell. 
 
 Already treading on the heels of the last charge, 
 which drove the battle toward the river shore, were the 
 Spanish camp followers searching the hillsides and the 
 valley with their daggers ever ready to give short shriv- 
 ing to the Indians left behind, disabled by their 
 wounds. 
 
 "Why spare them? They are but pagan dogs! Send 
 them to their father, Satan!" This was their only logic, 
 emphasized by steel. 
 
 Still echoed the sounds of the contest raging fiercely 
 around the village; the sharp reports of arquebuses; the 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 188 
 
 clash of swords and halberds; war whoops and battle 
 cries; with anon a bugle blast or war conch's wild disso- 
 nance, mingling in a barbarous discord, answered from 
 the sunfilled heights of air by the screams of soaring 
 eagles. 
 
 At this time, and near the spot where the Huguenots 
 had stood to meet the foes onslaught, the bushes were 
 parted and two young girls stepped forth into the open. 
 
 One said: "Near this very place I saw him last. I 
 marked it well, for I could see, against the gray trunk of 
 this gnarled oak, the gleaming of the egret plume I dyed 
 for him myself and fastened but yesterday on his morion 
 — for so, he said, the ladies of his land were wont to do 
 by their chosen knights — and truly he was mine. 
 And yet I see no trace of him, though only a few short 
 moments have passed since then. 
 
 "As the Spaniards poured over the crest of yonder 
 hill, there jcame a volley from all the arquebuses that 
 filled the air with thunder and smoke, so that none could 
 hear or see. Then came the rush of the charge, and as 
 his comrades were beaten back I saw he was not with 
 them." 
 
 They were Issena and her faithful friend Nonotta, ven- 
 turing on the battlefield in search of the younger D'Er- 
 lach, and as they looked hither and thither, hoping, yet 
 dreading, to find what they sought, Issena called out: 
 "Ernest! My Ernest, where art thou?" 
 
 There came no answer, save the mournful burden on 
 the air, and then she uttered low : "My heart will break 
 if I find him not. And yet>— when I do find him— it may 
 still break. Oh thou, his God and mine, I pray Thee let 
 me find him ! He is too young and fair and brave to die I 
 
184 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 If he be dead, how can my soul, to whom the way is 
 strange, find his in Heaven?", 
 
 Frnm various points of the valley and hillsides, 
 thickly set with tall spruce pines, bent toward the west 
 by sea winds, with underneath tangles of low shrubs, 
 broken and bent still lower by the trampling of many 
 feet, came groans and cries to which she turned a listen- 
 ing ear ; eager to catch a tone she would know full well, 
 but could not hear amongst them all. 
 
 The summit of the seaward ridge was not far and 
 from it came the sound of voices. They turned their faces 
 towards it and saw a group of black-robed men, gazing 
 downward. The friars had found the Arragonese arque- 
 busier still alive, with Itahoma's arrow shaft fast in his 
 head and he, so far as concerned this life, past all pray- 
 ing for or surgery. Then arose upon the air the old Latin 
 service for the dying. 
 
 Listening for a moment and seeing that from this 
 source, not soon at least, would come interference with 
 them, the two continued their seeking, until Nonotta 
 pulled back a sweet bay branch hiding a little hollow 
 and exclaimed: "See, Issena! Here lies the young 
 chief I He looks as if he slept, but I do fear he is " 
 
 "Nay! Nay I Say it not! I cannot, will not have it 
 so!" And springing forward Issena flung herself beside 
 the outstretched form, lying face upturned, with set lips 
 and staring eyes that saw not. 
 
 One hand still tightly gripped the sword he had 
 drawn to meet the Spanish charge ; the other lay upon 
 the ground as if to stay himself in falling; and taking 
 this in hers, she uttered in words mingled with sobs and 
 tear-drops falling like rain; "Oh, my love! If thou canst 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 186 
 
 not speak aloud, whisper ! Be it but one word — if ever so 
 faint and low — I will liear it in my heart. Or, if not even 
 that is in your power, do but move your lips to frame a 
 word or make your eyelids quiver, that I may know thou 
 art not gone from me forever." 
 
 She ceased and gazed fixedly on the pale cold face 
 before her ; heedless of the near sounds or farther echoes 
 of the cruel war still raging near them. To her it mat- 
 tered naught. 
 
 The world had slipped away from her and was as if it 
 had never been. Over her young soul the waves of desola- 
 tion were sweeping, and she was drowning in them, nor 
 cared to make a single effort. If he were dead, what 
 was it all to her? 
 
 Then she placed an arm under his head and raised it, 
 gently speaking in his ear: "I call thee, mon ami I Canst 
 thou not hear me? If thou art going to that far bright 
 land thou hast told me of so often, tarry a little while 
 upon the way that I may join thee!" 
 
 She kissed him. There was the faintest breathing of 
 a sigh. The eyelids closed. She put her ear to his breast 
 as if to listen to a heart beat. 
 
 Of a sudden, a ray of hope lighted up her countenance 
 just as the summer lightning does a Gulf Stream cloud. 
 
 "Oh, Nono, my friend! He lives! His heart still 
 beats! Quick! Grasp my hands underneath him — sol 
 They must not find him here to finish slaying him." 
 
 Tenderly they raised him in their strong young arms 
 and bore him swiftly down the glade, not toward the 
 village, for the enemy was between them, and the fight- 
 ing not yet over. 
 
 Ere the shadows of the twilight came upon them, 
 
188 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 they reached a little pool of water in a deep hollow, far 
 enough away for safety, where underneath the oaks and 
 palmettos, in a spot bare of aught but soft leaves and 
 grass, they laid their burden down. 
 
 From the clenched fingers they took the sword ; un- 
 loosed the steel cap, in which Nonotta brought water; 
 while Issena, heedless of the blood stains, save as they 
 moved to more tender care and pity, unfastened the lad's 
 bullet-torn doublet and found so jagged and great a wound, 
 made by the ploughing bullet, it took all the spirit from 
 her, making her mourn and tremble. 
 
 And yet, they did, between them, manage to bind up 
 the wound with such knowledge of healing leaves gather- 
 ed near, as staunched the farther flow of blood ; helped by 
 the cold insensibility so near akin to death, it was hard 
 to tell the difference. 
 
 Twilight deepened into night. To this hollow deep 
 amid the forest and thicket-covered ridges, came the 
 booming of the surf as if miles away. The branches 
 overhead shut out the stars. There was no wind, only a 
 ghostly mist came floating in, which they could feel in 
 its chill and dampness, but neither see nor hear. But 
 naught came to harm them. 
 
 And by his side, through the long dark hours, in the 
 little bower of palmetto leaves they had built, Issena sat, 
 while the soul of Ernest strugled back to sensibility; lis- 
 tened to his every sigh and inspiration, with his hand in 
 hers; gave him water; cooled his forehead or soothed him 
 with words he himself had taught her; glad despite the 
 pitch black gloom, that their service of love and pity 
 showed some reward. 
 
 At last the weary vigil was broken, just before the 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 187 
 
 dawn of day, by the strains of a bugle coming sweet and 
 clear from the river. 
 
 It was Luigo blowing. The Chevalier was coming to 
 the rescue. An answering strain — it was LeBearnois tell- 
 ing where the beleaguered Huguenots were. 
 
 Then farther still, arose tiie clamor of the Spanish 
 trumpets and drums calling to-arms. 
 
188 FliOBIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXI. 
 
 THE HUGUENOTS GAIN ANOTHER VICTORY. 
 
 There was a thick mist on the river, enough to hide 
 the shore from a little distance out upon the water even 
 when the day dawn came to tinge its fleecy folds with 
 roseate hues; but guided by LeBearnois' bugle, the Chev- 
 alier, with a fleet of canoes, filled with warriors from the 
 lower river villages gathered on his way, and fifty of his 
 own men, steered straight for the position held by Uhl- 
 rich and Ostinola, which De Maya had prepared to carry 
 by storm in the morning. But now, not knowing the full 
 strength of the reinforcements, and judging rightly that 
 they were headed by D'Erlach himself, De Maya was 
 convinced that he must add discretion to valor and rap- 
 idly made preparations for either figlit or flight as need 
 be. However, he would first assault and try their strength 
 so sent an hundred arquebuisers to assail the stockade. 
 
 This detachment from the cover of the nearest dwell- 
 ings, suddenly began heavy and rapid firing, sending a 
 hot storm of bullets upon the Huguenots and Indians, 
 promptly answered in like manner. In the midst of 
 which fusilade D'Erlach landed. 
 
 A few words from Ostinola and Uhlrich informed 
 him of the condition of affairs, also that Ernest was miss- 
 ing; that Uhlrich and Itahoma had themselves searched 
 the battlefield and found no trace of him, nor did they 
 believe he was in the hands of the Spaniards. 
 
 Meantime the latter were pushing the contest so vig- 
 
STORY OF THE HUQUBN0T8. 189 
 
 orously, it was necessary to repel them, before aught else 
 could be done. 
 
 Perceiving that the houses, although slightly built, 
 concealed their foes from sight, arrows wrapped with in- 
 flammable materials set on fire, were shot into their roofs 
 of thatch, which speedily caught in flames, driving the 
 Spaniards back. 
 
 Under cover of the smoke, flanking parties of Indians 
 were sent out which were speedily met by De Mayans 
 falling back toward the beach. 
 
 The trails through the timber and thickets by which 
 they retreated were narrow, and with some of his best 
 men De Maya held back all assaults, until from behind 
 the high sea ramparts he could employ his whole force 
 in the battle. 
 
 But every moment, his enemies thickened and draw- 
 ing closer to his lines, poured in upon them such galling, 
 stinging showers of arrows, that at the last discouraged 
 by the utter impossibility of overcoming the allied forces, 
 he began the retreat towards Matanzas, leaving several 
 of his best men slain. 
 
 De Maya had surely stirred up a nest of hornets and 
 all along the coast line he had to fight his way north- 
 ward until sunset put an end to the contest in tiie vicin- 
 ity of Le Camp Renconte Felice, where he camped that 
 night, and from whence on the next day he retreated to 
 St. Augustine. 
 
 It is said that this expedition thoroughly convinced 
 the Spanish captain that there was neither glory or profit 
 to be derived from warring with these coast tribes, and 
 that soon afterwards he left Melendez' service and joined 
 the conquistadores of South America. 
 
190 FliOBIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 Meantime, how fared it with Issena and her'charge. 
 When the two heard the bugles blowing, for they were 
 not so far from the river shore that the sounds could not 
 reach them distinctly, hope filled their hearts. Help 
 surely was near at hand. But when at daylight came 
 the echoes of renewed battle, they listened with anxiety. 
 
 The sound of firing aroused Ernest somewhat from 
 his insensibility. His voice was faint and he could only 
 mutter brokenly: "I hear the arquebuses — the battle 
 goes on — ^and I — what means this — my side pains me so!" 
 Then looking up into the face of the form bent over him 
 with the daylight falling fair upon her features, he 
 added: ''Is it thou, Issena? Take my hand— I scarce 
 can lift it." And so, apparently content, he relapsed into 
 silence, so motionless, so marble-white his face, it 
 seemed certain that death had set its seal upon him. 
 
 Soon there drifted in upon them, filtering through 
 the forest growth, streams of pungent smoke. What if 
 the woods were on fire and the hungry flames should 
 come leaping in upon them? They would scarcely dare 
 to move him for fear of starting his wounds afresh. Nor 
 would they know where to fly for safety. They knew not 
 where their friends were, or their enemies. What could 
 they do but await the issue of the battle, meantime clear- 
 ing a circle around them of the dead leaves and under- 
 brush, so as to keep back the flre should it come. 
 
 An hour longer they listened until the clamor ol the 
 battle grew more distant by which they knew the enemy 
 was retreating. Then came the trampling of men 
 through the thickets following their own little path down 
 the glade. 
 
 The two girls sprang to their feet, and in a moment 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 191 
 
 there rang a shout of discovery as the foremost of the 
 searchers, an Indian, saw them. 
 
 Following on his heels came D'Erlach himself, with 
 others. His eyes saw in a moment the little bower ; the 
 lad's sword leaning against a tree trunk; the stained 
 doublet and morion. His tongue uttered but this: "My 
 brother, is he here?" "See, my lord!" answered Issena^ 
 removing a broad palm leaf so that he could look upon 
 Ernest. "Nay," she exclaimed, as D'Erlach started, 
 thinking he was dead. "He is alive, but so grievously 
 hurt I fear much for him. All night long his soul seemed 
 on the point of flight and sometimes I thought it was so, 
 and then my heart was very heavy." 
 
 Then she told him all the story, and true hearted 
 soldier as he was, the Chevalier kissed her hand and so 
 thanked her for her loving loyalty, that to her dying day 
 she forgot not his words. 
 
 Andreas Le Roche was somewhat skilled in surgery, 
 both by study and experience, and after a brief examin- 
 ation, said the lad stood a chance of recovery with care 
 and nursing, and that what had been done was well done, 
 but that extreme caution must be used in moving him to 
 better quarters. A courier arriving at this moment said 
 the Spaniards were making a stout defence at the sea- 
 side, so D'Erlach rapidly made what arrangements were 
 necessary to transport them all across the river to the 
 main village, and hastening back to the contest, ani- 
 mated anew by finding Ernest still alive, soon made such 
 disposition of his forces as started the Spaniards on their 
 retreat up the beach, thus driving back the last invasion 
 for many years of Ostinola's territory. 
 
 Towards evening, Ottigny and Uhlrich came back to 
 
192 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 Azala with two prisoners, whom they had captured in the 
 attack upon De Maya's retreating forces. They had re- 
 cognized them as members of the assasin band that had 
 slain Ribault, nor did the men deny it, but rather gloried 
 in the deed. Earlier in the day one of the friars also had 
 been taken. So a council, after the fashion of a military 
 court was called, composed of Ostinola, his chief men 
 and the Huguenot officers, who tried and condemned the 
 assassins to be put to death. They were accordingly 
 bound to a tree and shot to death with arrows, the friar 
 being permitted to give them his services and then the 
 latter was turned loose to rejoin his defeated country- 
 men. 
 
 And so ended in victory for the Huguenots their last 
 battle with the Spaniards on this coast. 
 
 THE DOLPHIN WINS HER PORT — THE JUNE AT RO- 
 OHELLE. 
 
 How shall the rest of the story be told? Just as the 
 old Chronicle tells it. 
 
 It was the evening of a June Qay, A. D. 1666, in fair 
 Rochelle, the brave old city by the waters. 
 
 Amongst the shipping in its harbor, moored fast to 
 the wharf, was the battered, worn hulk of the Dolphin, 
 and close by as frayed and wave worn by billows and tem- 
 pest, a Spanish galleon from which floated beside the 
 flag of France, the D'Erlach banner. 
 
 Only the morn before, these two vessels, close to 
 each other, sailed by the Isle de Re, with colors flying, 
 sails full spread, trumpets blowing; answering the cul- 
 verins of the fortress at the harbor's mouth, with their 
 own ''bastards and mynions" and brass guns of Spanish 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 198 
 
 make, in noisy salute ; making fast to the landing amidst 
 the shouts of the burghers and sailors of the Huguenot, 
 city, gathered there to give them welcome. 
 
 Albeit, there was sadness soon, overcoming the it re- 
 joicing, when it was seen how few they were who re-- 
 • turned from that far, strange land, whither had sailed 
 from this very port, Ribault's gallant fleet. And there 
 were many, both' men and women, the latter chiefly,, 
 who crowded on board the vessels to ask how it had 
 fared, with this one, that one, or the other -^ too often go-- 
 ing slowly homeward with bent heads or weepifng sorely.. 
 
 Amongst them came a comely matron, with eye sH&ct 
 and springy step and white kerchief, stiff as starch couldl 
 make it. In a moment she had sought and found a 
 young man, the comrade of LeBarron, and placing a 
 hand upon his shoulder said: "Is it thou, Ambroise 
 Elide? I could scold thee good, thou runaway, but my 
 heart is too glad !'' and then she fell to weeping. 
 
 It was Dame Marjorie, who had found hef son, and 
 he flung his arms around her, saying: "Scold, mother 
 mine, an thy heart will let thee, for it will be sweeter 
 music than, I have heard for many a weary day." 
 
 One trod along the gangway plank leading to the 
 galleon's deck, for whom the throng made respectful 
 way. He had on a dark gown with band of white about 
 his neck and wore a black skull cap, the whole costume, 
 severe and plain, as became the chief preacher of Ro- 
 chelle, Master Keppel, the guardian of Ribault's daugh- 
 ter, the Lady Jeanne. 
 
 He came as one expecting sad news, for from his win- 
 dow overlooking the harbor he had seen the vessels com- 
 ing in and had marked the absence of Ribault's own ships. 
 
IW FLORIDA HISTORIOAL TALES. 
 
 To him D'Erlach told the whole story of Ribault's 
 fate- Showed the script and signet ring the general had 
 jgiven him in charge ; and set apart that evening to de- 
 liver the same into the daughter's own hands. Then 
 brought to him his brother Ernest, still pale and thin as 
 «carce recovered from his wound, with the Princess Is- 
 :8€ina :and her faithful Nonotta, and asked that the Lady 
 Jeanne ziai^ht, as soon as her sorrow would permit, take 
 •charge of the maids. This and more, was on the first 
 day of arrival. 
 
 The evening of the second day, LeBearnois, Antoine 
 tJhlric^, the Florentine Luigo, LeRoche and LeBarron, 
 were bidden by Ambroise to his mother's inn, where 
 Master Keppel was to join them, as Dame Marjorie 
 wished much to hear all they could tell, "for that addle- 
 pated son of mine can give neither head nor tail of the 
 story." 
 
 So they went at his bidding; passing up the well- 
 known narrow streets, paved with cobble stones and 
 lined with quaint old buildings ; by the burghers' council 
 hall, the church and market, and entered the inn door 
 just as dusk fell and the cressets were lighted ; showing 
 up the long low dining room with its red-tiled floor, and 
 tables heaped with good cheer; not forgetting great flag- 
 ons of wine, with the Dame's best silver tankards to 
 drink it from, polished like mirrors. And when they 
 had eaten much and drank but little, she and Master 
 Keppel, who had joined them, pressed them to tell the 
 story of their mishaps and wanderings, while her maids 
 and neighbors gathered near to listen. 
 
 Andreas at first was spokesman, but before it was all 
 told, each joined in to tell a part and as they spoke their 
 
STORY OF THE HUOUBN0T8. 196 
 
 hearers sighed, wept or shuddered, but seldioin smiled. 
 
 The story was finished by Le Bearnois, who told 
 how, after the battle of Azala, '^where the friars ran bo 
 fast they tripped upon their gowns," the Huguenots fin- 
 ished the repairing of the Dolphin; gathered with the 
 help of Ostinola and his men such stores of proTisions as 
 the country afforded and they needed ; filled their water 
 casks ; received many presents of dressed skins, Indiaa 
 fabrics and curiosities; and how lastly, w)ieD they were 
 ready to depart, Ernest declared he would n^t part from 
 Issena or she from him, nor Nonotta from her, and so it 
 was finally settled between the Cacique aiwl the Cheva- 
 lier, that the two should go with them to France. Also 
 how, upon the last day, came the Caeiqiie^s wife, Co- 
 wena, bringing an earthen pot of pearls and many other 
 rare things that would make the two damsels quite » 
 fortune. 
 
 "Fair and sunny was the morning, when the tide 
 turning seaward, the signal gun was fired. Then our flag 
 rose proudly to the masthead; our sailB-HIled to the 
 breeze and with our prow turning the wavelets into foam, 
 accompanied to the very breakers on the bar, by Ostinola 
 and his flotilla of canoes, we laid our course for France." 
 
 "But where fell you in with the Spanish galleon?" 
 asked Master Keppel. 
 
 "Why, that was a stroke of good Providence in our 
 favor. There is off the coast of Florida a great group of 
 islands called the Bahamas, sometimes the Isles of Bo- 
 hemia. Soon after we left port there came up a heavy 
 north gale, which despite all we could do, drove us south- 
 ward. We had none on board who knew aught of the 
 seas around these islands, but by good fortune we ran 
 
196 FLORIDA HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 under the lee of one called Abaco, and there we found 
 and surprised the galleon. After mastering the crew we 
 set them ashore to shift for themselves as best they 
 could, they being better acquainted with the country and 
 we so overcrowded on the Dolphin as to be uncomfort- 
 able. We found also considerable treasure on board and 
 provision,- whereat we rejoiced greatly, for that we 
 should not suffer from empty stomachs or come home 
 empty-handed." 
 
 The tale was ended as the moon arose, flooding tow- 
 ers and ramparts, the city's clustering dwellings and the 
 harbor with its mellow light; and they, being joined by 
 others frorrt the ships, beneath the clustering vines of the 
 arbored garden of the Inn, hanging full with unripened 
 grapes, the air fragrant with the breath of roses, sang 
 and danced for hours, glad to their souls to be home once 
 more in La Belle France. 
 
STORY OF THE HUGUENOTS. 197 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 It will be seen by the historical facts given in this 
 Story of the Huguenots that they were the»flrst martyrs 
 to civil and religious liberty on the North American 
 Continent; arriving as they did nearly half a century be- 
 fore the landing of the Puritans at Plymouth. Their 
 trials, sufferings, and the tragic deaths of many of them, 
 while not resulting in establishing a permanent settle- 
 ment, sanctified the land to liberty, although more than 
 two hundred years elapsed before a final victory was 
 achieved for human freedom and the greatest republic 
 on earth was established. 
 
 Another fact is shown by history: The Huguenots 
 driven to America by intolerable oppression, from first 
 to last, have filled our chronicles with gallant and pa- 
 triotic deeds and the names of their descendants stand 
 high on our rolls of honor, in every walk of life. 
 
 Correction. — On page 30 instead of 28th of July 
 read 28th of August as the date of the departure of Sir 
 John Hawkins. 
 
 Note. — To Mr. John Anderson, of Ormond, is due 
 the author's thanks for material aid and friendly encour- 
 agement which enabled him to publish this edition. 
 
k 
 
^^ir 
 
 THIS BOOK IS DUE ON THE LAST DATE 
 STAMPED BELOW 
 
 AN INITIAL FINE OP 25 CENTS 
 
 I 
 
YR ^ni 
 U.C. BERKELEY LIBRARIES 
 
 420770 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY