Parkman tells the story of these adventures in the first half of his “Pioneers of France in the New World.” There is a memoir of Ribaut by Jared Sparks, in his “American Biography,” vol. xvii.
THE FRENCH IN FLORIDA.
I.—Jean Ribaut in Florida.
[“Dedicated to a great nobleman[148] of France, and translated into English by one Thomas Hackit.”]
WHEREAS, in the year of our Lord God 1562, it pleased God to move your Honor to choose and appoint us to discover and view a certain long coast of the West India, from the head of the land called La Florida, drawing toward the north part,unto the head of Britons,[149] distant from the said head of La Florida nine hundred leagues, or thereabout, to the end we might certify you, and make true report of the temperature, fertility, ports, havens, rivers, and generally of all the commodities that be seen and found in that land, and also to learn what people were there dwelling.…
Thursday, the last of April, at the break of the day, we discovered and clearly perceived a fair coast,stretching of a great length, covered with an infinite number of high and fair trees; we being not past seven or eight leagues from the shore.…
Where finding thirty-six fathom water [we] entered into a goodly and great river,[150] which, as we went, found to increase still in depth and largeness, boiling and roaring through the multitude of all kind of fish. This being entered, we perceived a great number of the Indians, inhabitants there, coming along the sands and sea-banks, coming near unto us, without any taking of fear or doubt, showing unto us the easiest landing-place, and thereupon, we, giving them also on our parts, thanks of assurance and friendliness.Forthwith, one of appearance out of the best among them,[151] brother unto one of their kings or governors, commanded one of the Indians to enter into the water, and to approach our boats, to show us the coast’s landing-place. We, seeing this, without any more doubting or difficulty landed; and the messenger, after we had rewarded him with some looking-glass and other pretty things of small value, ran incontinently toward his lord, who forthwith sent me his girdle in token of assurance and friendship, which girdle was made of red leather, as well covered and colored as was possible. And, as I began to go toward him, he set forth and came and received me gently,and raised[152] after his manner, all his men following with great silence and modesty; yea, more than our men did. And after we had awhile with gentle usage congratulated with him, we fell to the ground a little way from them, to call upon the nameof God, and to beseech him to continue still his goodness towards us, and bring to the knowledge of our Saviour Christ this poor people. While we were thus praying, they—sitting upon the ground, which was strewed and dressed with bay-boughs—beheld and harkened unto us very attentively, without either speaking or moving; and as I made a sign unto their king, lifting up mine arm, and stretching forth one finger, only to make them look up to heavenward, he likewise, lifting up his arm toward heaven, put forth two fingers, whereby it seemed that he made us to understand that they worshipped the sun and moon for gods; as afterwards we understood it so. In the mean time their numbers increased; and thither came the king’s brother that was first with us, their mother, wives, sisters, and children; and, being thus assembled, they caused a great number of bay-boughs to be cut, and therewith a place to be dressed for us, distant from theirs two fathom. For it is their manner to talk and bargain, sitting, and the chief of them to be apart from the meaner sort, with a show of great obedience to their kings, superiors, and elders. They be all naked, and of a goodly stature, mighty, and as well shapen and proportioned of body, as any people in the world, very gentle, courteous, and of a good nature.…
After we had tarried in this north side of the river the most part of the day,—which river we have called May, for that we discovered the same the first day of the month,—we congratulated, made alliance, and entered into amity with them, and presented the king and his brethren with gowns of blue cloth garnished with yellow fleur-de-luces. And it seemed that theywere sorry for our departure; so that the most part of them entered into the water up to the neck, to set our boats afloat.…
Soon after this came thither the king with his brethren, and others with bows and arrows in their hands, using therewithal a goodly and a grave fashion, with their behavior right soldierlike, and [of] as warlike boldness as may be. They were naked and painted, as the other, their hair likewise long, and trussed up—with a lace made of herbs—to the top of their heads; but they had neither their wives nor children in their company. After we had a good while lovingly entertainedand presented them with like gifts of habersher[153] wares, cutting-hooks, and hatchets, and clothed the king and his brethren with like robes as we had given to them on the other side, we entered and viewed the country thereabouts, which is the fairest, fruit-fullest, and pleasantest of all the world, abounding in honey, venison, wild fowl, forests, woods of all sorts, palm-trees, cypress, and cedars, bays the highest and greatest, with also the fairest vines in all the world, with grapes according, which without natural art, and without man’s help or trimming, will grow to tops of oaks and other trees that be of a wonderful greatness and height. And the sight of the fair meadows is a pleasure not able to be expressed with tongue; full of herns, curlews, bitterns, mallards, egrets, woodcocks, and all other kind of small birds, with harts, hinds, bucks, wild swine, and all other kinds of wild beasts, as we perceived well, both by their footing there, and also afterwards, in other places, by their cry and roaring in the night.…