The next adventurer on this ill-fated field was Louis Cancello, a priest of the Dominican order, anxious to convert the nations: his scheme, however, fared no better than those of others; the missionary priests were looked upon with suspicion, and Cancello and two of his companions fell martyrs to their zeal.
A spell seemed to rest upon these shores; nevertheless the name of Florida, as if it were full of good omen, was conferred upon the whole extent of American territory, not only on the portion of Florida proper on the Mexican gulf, but northward to Canada itself, all of which vast territory was claimed by Spain; still not a fort was erected on its shores, not a single colony was established; and when at length a permanent settlement of the Spaniards was effected in Florida, it was only by means of jealous and bloody bigotry.
But this will lead us back to France and French affairs. The good Coligny, admiral of France, who had long been seeking an asylum for the persecuted Huguenots in America, and who indulged the hope of establishing a French protestant empire in that country, obtained, after long perseverance, a commission from the king to that purpose, and in 1562 a squadron sailed for Florida, under command of John Ribault, of Dieppe, a brave man and a true protestant, accompanied by some of the best young French nobility, together with experienced troops. Arriving on the coast in the month of May, 1562, he discovered St. John’s River, which he named the river of May; the shores were covered with groves of mulberries, and the whole scenery was of a pleasing character. He sailed northward, giving French names to the rivers and prominent points of the shore, until he reached Port Royal entrance, near the southern boundary of Carolina, and here he resolved to found the colony. A fort was erected, and called Fort Charles, or the Carolina, in honour of Charles IX. of France, and this name, given a century before the English took possession, became the adopted name of the country.
The site of the infant colony delighted its founders; its harbour was capable of containing a whole navy; immense oaks, the growth of centuries, groves of pine, abounding with game, and flowers whose perfume filled the air, rendered the country beautiful. Ribault left twenty-six men to keep possession, and returned to France for fresh emigrants and supplies; but in the meantime civil war had begun to rage in that country, and the reinforcements for which Ribault had come were not to be had. The condition of the colonists became desperate; dissensions broke out among them; and the following spring they embarked in a hastily-constructed brigantine for their native land. Their provisions, however, were insufficient for the voyage, and they must have perished of famine had they not fallen in with an English vessel, which received them on board.
Again, two years later, Coligny renewed his endeavours for the colonisation of Florida, and three ships were sent out under the command of Laudonniere. Emigrants offered abundantly, for the fame of the climate of Florida had awoke general enthusiasm; life there, it was said, was extended to twice its usual limits, besides which, it was still believed that a golden realm lay hidden in its interior, and Coligny, who wished to obtain accurate knowledge of the country, engaged a painter called De Morgues to accompany the expedition, that he might make coloured drawings of all scenes and objects which interested him.
The misfortunes of the late colonists of Port Royal deterred the present from going thither; and after a little search they discovered so beautiful a situation, that the most delightful anticipations were excited. The Huguenots thanked God in hymns of praise for a glorious home of peace, as they believed, in the wilderness. The natives received them with the utmost kindness, rival tribes vying which should show them most distinction. Again the new colony received the name of Carolina.
Many of the emigrants, however, who had come out in this expedition were dissolute adventurers; their excesses turned the hearts of the Indians against them: the supplies were wasted, and famine threatened them. Under pretence of desiring to escape from famine, some of their number were permitted to embark for New Spain, but no sooner was this liberty granted than they commenced a series of piracies against the Spaniards. Before long their vessel was taken. Theirs was the first aggression in the New World, and soon brought down its punishment. The pirate vessel being seized, most of its men were sold as slaves, and such as escaped to Carolina were condemned to death by Laudonniere. Meantime the famine had become extreme; for three months there seemed no prospect but death for the little colony, and they must have perished had not Sir John Hawkins, the famous slave-merchant, who was just returning from the West Indies, whither he had conveyed a cargo of unfortunate Africans, relieved their wants, and even furnished them with a vessel, in which they were about to return to France, when Ribault arrived with fresh emigrants, abundant supplies, implements of husbandry, and domestic animals of all kinds. New life was infused into the colony; God was thanked fervently, and protestantism, it was hoped, had now found a safe and fixed abode in the beautiful Florida.
In the meantime news reached Spain that a company of French protestants had established themselves in the Spanish territory. Spain at home was inveterate against France, Catholicism against protestantism; and Pedro Melendez de Avilès, a soldier long accustomed to scenes of blood, a bigoted catholic, a naval commander, who, having often been employed against pirates, was accustomed to acts of summary vengeance, and who had been appointed to the government of Florida on condition that he subdued it in three years, introduced at least four Jesuit priests, and imported five hundred negro slaves for the cultivation of the sugar-cane, which it was intended to introduce, was now hastily despatched to his office, with the strict injunction to extirpate all heretics. The fury in Spain against the heretic-settlers in Florida waxed hot; between two and three thousand persons, soldiers, sailors, priests, Jesuits, etc., engaged in the expedition. Melendez, who considered that “celerity was the secret of success,” lost no time in any of his movements. Early in September he came in sight of Florida, and discovering some French ships, gave them chase, but could not overtake them. A few days later he reached a beautiful bay and river, and as it happened to be the day of St. Augustine, he gave that name to both. Soon after which, sailing northward, he discovered the French ships at anchor.
The French demanded his name, and the purport of his voyage. “I am Melendez of Spain,” replied he, “sent with strict orders from my king to gibbet and behead all the protestants in these regions. The Frenchman, who is a catholic, will I spare; every heretic shall die!”
The French ships not being prepared to fight, cut their cables and fled, and the Spaniards, unable to overtake them, returned to the harbour of St. Augustine. Here they took solemn possession of the continent in the name of the bigoted Philip II., whom they proclaimed king of all North America, and having performed mass, laid the foundations of St. Augustine, the oldest town, by forty years, of any in America.