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diff --git a/37507-h/37507-h.htm b/37507-h/37507-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..949dc34 --- /dev/null +++ b/37507-h/37507-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,5713 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" +"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en" xml:lang="en"> + <head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> +<title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Spaniards i Florida, by George R. Fairbanks. +</title> +<style type="text/css"> + p {margin-top:.2em;text-align:justify;margin-bottom:.2em;text-indent:2%;} + +.c {text-align:center;text-indent:0%;} + +.cb {text-align:center;text-indent:0%;font-weight:bold;} + +.r {text-align:right;margin-right: 5%;} + +small {font-size: 70%;} + + h1,h3 {margin-top:10%;text-align:center;clear:both;} + + hr.full {width: 50%;margin:5% auto 5% auto;border:4px double gray;} + + table {margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;border:none;text-align:left;} + + body{margin-left:2%;margin-right:2%;background:#fdfdfd;color:black;font-family:"Times New Roman", serif;font-size:medium;} + +a:link {background-color:#ffffff;color:blue;text-decoration:none;} + + link {background-color:#ffffff;color:blue;text-decoration:none;} + +a:visited {background-color:#ffffff;color:purple;text-decoration:none;} + +a:hover {background-color:#ffffff;color:#FF0000;text-decoration:underline;} + +.smcap {font-variant:small-caps;font-size:95%;} + + img {border:none;} + +.blockquot {margin:2% auto 2% auto;font-size:90%;} + + sup {font-size:75%;} + +.caption {font-weight:bold;} + +.figcenter {margin: 5% auto 5% auto;text-align:center;text-indent:0%;} + +.footnotes {border:dotted 3px gray;margin-top: 8%;clear:both;} + +.footnote {width:95%;margin:auto 3% 1% auto;font-size:0.9em;position:relative;} + +.label {position:relative;left:-.5em;top:0;text-align:left;font-size:.8em;} + +.fnanchor {vertical-align:30%;font-size:.8em;} +</style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +Project Gutenberg's The Spaniards in Florida, by George R. Fairbanks + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Spaniards in Florida + Comprising the notable settlement of the Huguenots in 1564, + and the History and Antiquities of St. Augustine, Founded + A.D. 1565 + +Author: George R. Fairbanks + +Release Date: September 22, 2011 [EBook #37507] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SPANIARDS IN FLORIDA *** + + + + +Produced by Chuck Greif, University of Florida Digital +Collections and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team +at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + +<hr class="full" /> + +<h1><small>THE</small><br /><br /> +SPANIARDS IN FLORIDA,<br /><br /> +<small><small>COMPRISING THE NOTABLE SETTLEMENT<br /><br /> +OF THE</small></small><br /><br /> +<small>HUGUENOTS IN 1564,</small><br /><br /> +<small><small>AND THE</small></small><br /><br /> +HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES<br /><br /> +<small><small>OF</small></small><br /><br /> +S<small>T</small>. A<small>UGUSTINE</small>,<br /><br /> +<small><small>F<small>OUNDED</small> A. D. 1565.</small></small></h1> + +<p class="cb">—————<br /> +<small>BY</small><br /> +GEORGE R. FAIRBANKS,<br /> +<small>VICE PRESIDENT FLORIDA HISTORICAL SOCIETY: HONORARY MEMBER NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY: +<br />LECTURER ON AMERICAN HISTORY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH.</small><br /> +—————</p> + +<p> +<br /> +<br /> +</p> + +<p class="cb"><small>JACKSONVILLE, FLA.<br /> +COLUMBUS DREW. +1868.</small></p> + +<p><a name="page_003" id="page_003"></a></p> + +<p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +</p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="" +style="border-top:1px solid black; +border-bottom:1px solid black;"> +<tr><td align="center">Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1868, by</td></tr> +<tr><td align="center">COLUMBUS DREW,</td></tr> +<tr><td align="center">In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern</td></tr> +<tr><td align="center">District of New York.</td></tr> +</table> + +<p><a name="page_004" id="page_004"></a></p> + +<p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +</p> + +<p class="cb">RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED<br /> +<br /> +TO<br /> +<br /> +BUCKINGHAM SMITH, ESQ.,<br /> +<small>U. S. SECRETARY OF LEGATION AT MADRID,</small><br /> +<br /> +TO WHOSE EFFORTS IN THE<br /> +<br /> +DISCOVERY AND PRESERVATION OF THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES OF THE<br /> +SPANISH DOMINION IN AMERICA,<br /> +<br /> +A GRATEFUL ACKNOWLEDGMENT<br /> +<br /> +<small>IS DUE FROM</small><br /> +<br /> +AMERICAN SCHOLARS.</p> + +<p><a name="page_005" id="page_005"></a></p> + +<h3><a name="PREFACE" id="PREFACE"></a>PREFACE.</h3> + +<p>T<small>HIS</small> volume, relating to the history and antiquities of the oldest +settlement in the United States, has grown out of a lecture delivered +by the author, and which he was desired to embody in a more permanent +form.</p> + +<p>The large amount of interesting material in my possession, has made +my work rather one of laborious condensation than expansion.</p> + +<p>I have endeavored to preserve as fully as possible, the style and +quaintness of the old writers from whom I have drawn, rather than to +transform or embellish the narrative with the supposed graces of modern +diction; and, as much of the work consisted in translations from +foreign idioms, this peculiarly un-English style, if I may so call it, +will be more noticeably observed. I have mainly sought to give it a +permanent value, as founded on the most reliable ancient authorities; +and thus, to the extent of the ground which it covers, to make it a +valuable addition to the history of our country.</p> + +<p>In that portion of the work devoted to the destruction of the Huguenot +colony and the forces of Ribault, I have in the main followed +the Spanish accounts, desiring to divest the narrative of all suspicion +of prejudice or unfairness; <i>Barcia</i>, the principal authority, as is well +known, professing the same faith as Menendez, and studiously endeavoring +throughout his work, to exalt the character of the Adelantado.</p> + +<p>I am under great obligations to my friend, B<small>UCKINGHAM</small> S<small>MITH</small>, +E<small>SQ</small>., for repeated favors in the course of its preparation.<a name="page_006" id="page_006"></a></p> + +<h3><a name="PREFACE_TO_THE_SECOND_EDITION" id="PREFACE_TO_THE_SECOND_EDITION"></a>PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION.</h3> + +<p>T<small>HE</small> interest evinced in the publication of the first edition of this +volume, in 1858, under the title of <span class="smcap">History and Antiquities of +St. Augustine</span>, has induced the author to prepare a second edition +for the press, under the present title, as being more exactly descriptive +of that portion of the history of Florida embraced in its pages.</p> + +<p>He hopes at no distant day to put to press the History of Florida, in +a much more complete form, and embracing the chequered and various +pictures of the many expeditions which sought either to found upon +its shores a kingdom to satiate their ambition, or to find wealth commensurate +with their desires.</p> + +<p>A chapter of no mean interest in the history of Florida has been +added since the first preface was written. Battles have been fought +upon its soil, more considerable as to the numbers engaged and the +fierceness of the fray, than any ever before recorded. But as this +chapter forms a portion of the general history of the State rather than +of the old city which played but an inconsiderable part in the contest, +it does not fall within the purview of this work to make more than a +brief mention of this period.</p> + +<p class="r">G. R. F.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">University Place, Tenn.,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Oct. 1, 1868.</span></span><br /> +</p> + +<p><a name="page_007" id="page_007"></a></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary=""> +<tr><th colspan="2" align="center"><a name="CONTENTS" id="CONTENTS"></a><big><big>CONTENTS.</big></big></th></tr> + +<tr><td colspan="2" align="right"><small>PAGE.</small></td></tr> + +<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td>Introductory </td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#page_009">9</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td>First discovery, 1512 to 1565.—Juan Ponce de Leon</td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#page_011">11</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td>Ribault, Laudonnière, and Menendez—Settlements of the Huguenots, and foundation of St. Augustine.—1562-1566-1568</td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#page_013">13</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td>The attack on Fort Caroline.—1585</td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#page_019">19</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td>Escape of Laudonnière and others from Fort Caroline—Adventures of the fugitives</td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#page_024">24</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI.</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td>Site of Fort Caroline, afterwards called San Matteo</td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#page_031">31</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII.</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td>Menendez's return to St. Augustine—Shipwreck of Ribault—Massacre of part of his command.—A. D. 1565</td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#page_038">38</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII.</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td>Fate of Ribault and his followers—Bloody massacre at Mantanzas, 1565</td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#page_046">46</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX.</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td>Fortifying of St. Augustine—Disaffections and mutinies—Approval of Menendez' acts by king of Spain.—1585-1568</td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#page_054">54</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X.</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td>The notable revenge of Dominic de Gourgues—Return of Menendez—Indian Mission.—1568</td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#page_060">60</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI.</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td>Sir Francis Drake's attack upon St. Augustine—Establishment of missions—Massacre of missionaries at St. Augustine.—1586-1688</td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#page_065">65</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII.</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td>Subjection of the Apalachian Indians—Construction of the fort, sea wall, &c.—1688-1700</td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#page_071">71</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII.</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td>Attack on St. Augustine by Gov. Moore of South Carolina—Difficulties with the Georgians.—1702-1732</td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#page_077">77</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV.</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td>Siege of St. Augustine by Oglethorpe.—1732-1740</td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#page_082">82</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV.</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td>Completion of the castle—Descriptions of St. Augustine a century ago—English occupation of Florida.—1755-1763-1788</td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#page_090">90</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI.</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td>Re-cession of Florida to Spain—Erection of the Parish Church—Change f flags.—1783-1821</td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#page_100">100</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII.</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td>Transfer of Florida to the United States—American occupation—Ancient buildings, &c.</td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#page_106">106</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII.</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td>Present appearance of St. Augustine, as given by the author of Thanatopsis—Its climate and salubrity</td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#page_110">110</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIX">CHAPTER XIX.</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td>St. Augustine in its old age.—1565-1868</td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#page_118">118</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p><a name="page_009" id="page_009"></a></p> + +<h1><a name="THE_HISTORY_AND_ANTIQUITIES" id="THE_HISTORY_AND_ANTIQUITIES"></a>THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES<br /> +<small>OF</small><br /> +ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla.</h1> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I.<br /><br /> +INTRODUCTORY.</h3> + +<p>The Saint Augustine of the present and the St. Augustine +of the past, are in striking contrast.</p> + +<p>We see, to-day, a town less in population than hundreds +of places of but few months' existence, dilapidated in its +appearance, with the stillness of desolation hanging over it, +its waters undisturbed except by the passing canoe of the +fisherman, its streets unenlivened by busy traffic, and at +mid-day it might be supposed to have sunk under the enchanter's +wand into an almost eternal sleep.</p> + +<p>With no participation in the active schemes of life, and +no hopes for the future; with no emulation, and no feverish visions +of future greatness; with no corner lots on sale or +in demand; with no stocks, save those devoted to disturbers +of the public peace; with no excitements and no events; a +quiet, undisturbed, dreamy vision of still life surrounds its +walls, and creates a sensation of entire repose, pleasant or +otherwise, as it falls upon the heart of the weary wanderer +sick of life's busy bustle, or upon the restless mind of him +who looks to nothing as life except perpetual, unceasing +action—the one rejoicing in its rest, the other chafing under +its monotony. And yet, about the old city there clings a +host of historic associations, that throw around it a charm +which few can fail to feel.</p> + +<p>Its life is in its past; and when we recall the fact that it +was the first permanent settlement of the white man, by +more than forty years, in this confederacy; that here for the +first time, isolated within the shadows of the primeval forest, +the civilization of the Old World made its abiding<a name="page_010" id="page_010"></a> +place, where all was new, and wild, and strange; that this +now so insignificant place was the key of an empire; that +upon its fate rested the destiny of a nation; that its occupation +or retention decided the fate of a people; that it was +itself a vice provincial court, boasted of its adelantados, +men of the first mark and note, of its Royal Exchequer, its +public functionaries, its brave men at arms; that its proud +name, conferred by its monarch, "<i>Le siempre fiel Ciudad de +San Augustin</i>,"—The ever faithful City of St. Augustine—stood +out upon the face of history; that here the cross was +first planted; that from the Papal throne itself rescripts +were addressed to its governors; that the first great efforts +at Christianizing the fierce tribes of America proceeded +from this spot; that the martyr's blood was first here shed; +that within these quiet walls the din of arms, the noise of +battle, and the fierce cry of assaulting columns, have been +heard;—Who will not then feel that we stand on historic +ground, and that an interest attaches to the annals of this +ancient city far more than is possessed by mere brick and +mortar, rapid growth, or unwonted prosperity? Moss-grown +and shattered, it appeals to our instinctive feelings of +reverence for antiquity; and we feel desirous to know the +history of its earlier days.<a name="page_011" id="page_011"></a></p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II.<br /> +FIRST DISCOVERY, 1512 TO 1565—JUAN PONCE DE LEON.</h3> + +<p>Among the sturdy adventurers of the sixteenth century +who sought both fame and fortune in the path of discovery, +was Ponce de Leon, a companion of Columbus on his second +voyage, a veteran and bold mariner, who, after a long +and adventurous life, feeling the infirmities of age and the +shadows of the decline of life hanging over him, willingly +credited the tale that in this, the beautiful land of his imagination, +there existed a fountain whose waters could restore +youth to palsied age, and beauty to efface the marks of time.</p> + +<p>The story ran that far to the north there existed a land +abounding in gold and all manner of desirable things, but, +above all, possessing a river and springs of so remarkable a +virtue that their waters would confer immortal youth on +whoever bathed in them; that upon a time a considerable +expedition of the Indians of Cuba had departed northward +in search of this beautiful country and these waters of immortality, +who had never returned, and who, it was supposed, +were in a renovated state, still enjoying the felicities of +the happy land.</p> + +<p>Furthermore, Peter Martyr affirms, in his second decade, +addressed to the Pope, "that among the islands on the +north side of Hispaniola, there is one about three hundred +and twenty-five leagues distant, as they say which have +searched the same, in the which is a continual spring of +running water, of such marvelous virtue that the water +thereof being drunk, perhaps with some diet, maketh old +men young again. And here I must make protestation to +your Holiness not to think this to be said lightly, or rashly; +for they have so spread this rumor for a truth throughout +all the court, that not only all the people, but also many of +them whom wisdom or fortune have divided from the common +sort, think it to be true."<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> Thoroughly believing in<a name="page_012" id="page_012"></a> +the verity of this pleasant account, this gallant cavalier +fitted out an expedition from Porto Rico, and in the progress +of his search came upon the coast of Florida, on Easter +Monday, 1512, supposing then, and for a long period afterwards, +that it was an island. Partly in consequence of the +bright spring verdure and flowery plains that met his eye, +and the magnificence of the magnolia, the bay and the laurel +and partly in honor of the day, Pascua Florida, or Palm +Sunday, and reminded, probably, of its appropriateness by +the profusion of the cabbage palms near the point of his +landing, he gave to the country the name of Florida.</p> + +<p>On the 3d of April, 1512, three hundred and fifty-five +years ago, he landed a few miles north of St. Augustine, +and took possession of the country for the Spanish crown. +He found the natives fierce and implacable; and after exploring +the country for some distance around, and trying +the virtue of all the streams, and growing neither younger +nor handsomer, he left the country without making a permanent +settlement.</p> + +<p>The subsequent explorations of Narvaez, in 1526, and of +De Soto, in 1539, were made in another portion of our +State, and do not bear immediately upon the subject of our +investigation, although forming a most interesting portion +of our general history.<a name="page_013" id="page_013"></a></p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III.<br /> +RIBAULT, LAUDONNIÈRE, AND MENENDEZ—SETTLEMENTS OF THE +HUGUENOTS, AND FOUNDATION OF ST. AUGUSTINE.<br /> +1562-1565-1568.</h3> + +<p>The settlement of Florida had its origin in the religious +troubles experienced by the Huguenots under Charles IX. +in France.</p> + +<p>Their distinguished leader, Admiral Coligny, as early as +1555 projected colonies in America, and sent an expedition +to Brazil, which proved unsuccessful. Having procured +permission from Charles IX. to found a colony in Florida—a +designation which embraced in rather an indefinite manner +the whole country from the Chesapeake to the Tortugas—he +sent an expedition in 1562 from France, under command +of Jean Ribault, composed of many young men of good +family. They first landed at the St. John's River, where +they erected a monument, but finally established a settlement +at Port Royal, South Carolina, and erected a fort. +After some months, however, in consequence of dissensions +among the officers of the garrison, and difficulties with the +Indians, this settlement was abandoned.</p> + +<p>In 1564 another expedition came out under the command +of René de Laudonnière, and made their first landing at +the River of Dolphins, being the present harbor of St. Augustine, +and so named by them in consequence of the great +number of Dolphins (Porpoises) seen by them at its mouth. +They afterwards coasted to the north, and entered the River +St. Johns, called by them the River May.</p> + +<p>Upon an examination of this river, Laudonnière concluded +to establish his colony on its banks; and proceeding +about two leagues above its mouth, built a fort upon a pleasant +hill of "mean height," which, in honor of his sovereign, +he named Fort Caroline.</p> + +<p>The colonists after a few months were reduced to great +distress, and were about taking measures to abandon the +country a second time, when Ribault arrived with reinforcements.<a name="page_014" id="page_014"></a></p> + +<p>It is supposed that intelligence of these expeditions was +communicated by the enemies of Coligny to the court of +Spain.</p> + +<p>Jealousy of the aggrandizement of the French in the +New World, mortification for their own unsuccessful efforts +in that quarter, and a still stronger motive of hatred to the +faith of the Huguenot, induced the bigoted Philip II. of Spain, +to dispatch Pedro Menendez de Aviles, a brave, bigoted and +remorseless soldier, to drive out the French colony, and take +possession of the country for himself.</p> + +<p>The compact made between the King and Menendez was, +that he should furnish one galleon completely equipped, and +provisions for a force of six hundred men; that he should +conquer and settle the country. He obligated himself to +carry one hundred horses, two hundred horned cattle, four +hundred hogs, four hundred sheep and some goats, and five +hundred slaves, (for which he had a permission free of duties), +the third part of which should be men, for his own service +and that of those who went with him, to aid in cultivating +the land and building. That he should take twelve +priests, and four fathers of the Jesuit order. He was to build +two or three towns of one hundred families, and in each town +should build a fort according to the nature of the country. +He was to have the title of Adelantado of the country, as also +to be entitled a Marquis, and his heirs after him, to have a +tract of land, receive a salary of 2,000 ducats, a percentage of +the royal duties, and have the freedom of all the other ports +of New Spain.<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a></p> + +<p>His force consisted, at starting, of eleven sail of vessels, +with two thousand and six hundred men; but, owing to +storms and accidents, not more than one half arrived. He +came upon the coast on the 28th August, 1565, shortly after +the arrival of the fleet of Ribault. On the 7th day of September, +Menendez cast anchor in the River of Dolphins, the harbor +of St. Augustine. He had previously discovered and +given chase to some of the vessels of Ribault, off the mouth +of the River May. The Indian village of Selooe then stood +upon the site of St. Augustine, and the landing of Menendez +was upon the spot where the city of St. Augustine now +stands.</p> + +<p>Fray Francisco Lopez de Mendoza, the Chaplain of the +Expedition, thus chronicles the disembarkation and attendant +ceremonies:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"On Saturday the 8th day of September, the day of the nativity<a name="page_015" id="page_015"></a> +of our Lady, the General disembarked, with numerous banners displayed, +trumpets and other martial music resounding, and amid salvos +of artillery.</p> + +<p>"Carrying a cross, I proceeded at the head, chanting the hymn <i>Te +Deum Laudamus</i>. The General marched straight up to the cross, +together with all those who accompanied him; and, kneeling, they all +kissed the cross. A great number of Indians looked upon these ceremonies, +and imitated whatever they saw done. Thereupon the General +took possession of the country in the name of his Majesty. All the +officers then took an oath of allegiance to him, as their general, and as +adelantado of the whole country."</p></div> + +<p>The name of St. Augustine was given, in the usual manner +of the early voyagers, because they had arrived upon +the coast on the day dedicated in their calendar to that eminent +saint of the primitive church, revered alike by the +good of all ages for his learning and piety.</p> + +<p>The first troops who landed, says Mendoza, were well +received by the Indians, who gave them a large mansion +belonging to the chief, situated near the banks of the river. +The engineer officers immediately erected an entrenchment +of earth, and a ditch around this house, with a slope made +of earth and fascines, these being the only means of defense +which the country presents; for, says the father with surprise, +"there is not a stone to be found in the whole +country." They landed eighty cannon from the ships, of +which the lightest weighed two thousand five hundred +pounds.</p> + +<p>But in the meantime Menendez had by no means forgotten +the errand upon which he principally came; and by +inquiries of the Indians he soon learned the position of the +French fort and the condition of its defenders. Impelled +by necessity, Laudonnière had been forced to seize from the +Indians food to supply his famished garrison, and had thus +incurred their enmity, which was soon to produce its sad +results.</p> + +<p>The Spaniards numbered about six hundred combatants, +and the French about the same; but arrangements had been +made for further accessions to the Spanish force, to be drawn +from St. Domingo and Havana, and these were daily expected.</p> + +<p>It was the habit of those days to devolve almost every +event upon the ordering of a special providence; and each +nation had come to look upon itself almost in the light of +a peculiar people, led like the Israelites of old by signs and +wonders; and as in their own view all their actions were +directed by the design of advancing God's glory as well as<a name="page_016" id="page_016"></a> +their own purposes, so the blessing of Heaven would surely +accompany them in all their undertakings.</p> + +<p>So believed the Crusaders on the plains of Palestine; so +believed the conquerors of Mexico and Peru; so believed +the Puritan settlers of New England (alike in their Indian +wars and their oppressive social polity); and so believed, +also, the followers of Menendez and of Ribault; and in +this simple and trusting faith, the worthy chaplain gives us +the following account of the miraculous escape and deliverance +of a portion of the Spanish fleet:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"God and his Holy Mother have performed another great miracle +in our favor. The day following the landing of the General in the +fort, he said to us that he was very uneasy because his galley and another +vessel were at anchor, isolated and a league at sea, being unable +to enter the port on account of the shallowness of the water; and that +he feared that the French might come and capture or maltreat them. +As soon as this idea came to him he departed, with fifty men, to go on +board of his galleon. He gave orders to three shallops which were +moored in the river to go out and take on board the provisions and +troops which were on board the galleon. The next day, a shallop +having gone out thither, they took on board as much of the provisions +as they could, and more than a hundred men who were in the vessel, +and returned towards the shore; but half a league before arriving at +the bar they were overtaken by so complete a calm that they were unable +to proceed further, and thereupon cast anchor and passed the night +in that place. The day following at break of day they raised anchor +as ordered by the pilot, as the rising of the tide began to be felt. +When it was fully light they saw astern of them at the poop of the +vessel, two French ships which during the night had been in search of +them. The enemy arrived with the intention of making an attack +upon us. The French made all haste in their movements, for we had +no arms on board, and had only embarked the provisions. When day +appeared, and our people discovered the French, they addressed their +prayers to our Lady of <i>Bon Secours d'Utrera</i>, and supplicated her to +grant them a little wind, for the French were already close up to them. +They say that <i>Our Lady</i> descended, herself, upon the vessel; for the +wind freshened and blew fair for the bar, so that the shallop could +enter it. The French followed it; but, as the bar has but little depth +and their vessels were large, they were not able to go over it, so that +our men and the provisions made a safe harbor. When it became still +clearer they perceived besides the two vessels of the enemy, four others +at a distance, being the same which we had seen in port the evening +of our arrival. They were well furnished with both troops and artillery, +and had directed themselves for our galleon and the other ship, +which were alone at sea. In this circumstance God accorded us two +favors. The first was, that the same evening after they had discharged +the provisions and the troops I have spoken of, at midnight the galleon +and other vessel put to sea without being perceived by the enemy;<a name="page_017" id="page_017"></a> +the one for Spain, and the other for Havana, for the purpose of seeking +the fleet which was there; and in this way neither was taken.</p> + +<p>"The second favor, by which God rendered us a still greater service, +was that on the day following the one I have described there arose a +storm, and so great a tempest that certainly the greater part of the +French vessels must have been lost at sea; for they were overtaken +upon the most dangerous coast I have ever seen, and were very close +to the shore; and if our vessels, that is the galleon and its consort, are +not shipwrecked, it is because they were already more than twelve +leagues off the coast, which gave them the facility of running before +the wind, and maneuvering as well as they could, relying upon the aid +of God to preserve them."<a name="FNanchor_3_3" id="FNanchor_3_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a></p></div> + +<p>Menendez had ascertained from the Indians that a large +number of the French troops had embarked on board of the +vessels which he had seen off the harbor, and he had good +ground for believing that these vessels would either be cast +helpless upon the shore, or be driven off by the tempest to +such a distance as would render their return for some days +impossible. He at once conceived the project of attacking +the French fort upon the river May, by land.</p> + +<p>A council of war was held, and after some discussion, for +the most part adverse to the plan proposed by him, Menendez +spoke as follows:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Gentlemen and Brothers! we have before us now an opportunity +which if improved by us will have a happy result. I am satisfied that +the French fleet which four days since fled from me, and has now +come to seek me, has been reinforced with the larger part of the garrison +of their fort, to which, nor to port, will they be able to return for +many days according to appearances; and since they are all Lutherans, +as we learned before we sailed from Spain, by the edicts which Jean +Ribault published before embarking, in order that no Catholic at the +peril of his life should go in his fleet, nor any Catholic books be taken; +and this they themselves declared to us the night they fled from us, +and hence our war must be to blood and fire, not only on account of +the orders we are under, but because they have sought us in order to +destroy us, that we should not plant our holy religion in these regions, +and to establish their own abominable and crazy sect among the Indians; +so that the more promptly we shall punish them, we shall the<a name="page_018" id="page_018"></a> +more speedily do a service to our God and our king, and comply with +our conscience and our duty.</p> + +<p>"To accomplish this, we must choose five hundred arquebuse men +and pikemen, and carry provisions in our knapsacks for eight days, +divided into ten companies, each one with its standard and its captain, +and go with this force by land to examine the settlements and fort of +our enemies; and as no one knows the road, I will guide you within +two points by a mariner's compass; and where we cannot get along, +we will open a way with our axes; and moreover, I have with me a +Frenchman who has been more than a year at their fort, and who says +he knows the ground for two leagues around the fort.</p> + +<p>"If we shall arrive without discovery, it may be that falling upon +it at daylight we may take it, by planting upon it twenty scaling ladders, +at the cost of fifty lives. If we are discovered, we can form in +the shelter of the wood, which I am assured is not more than a quarter +of a league distant, and planting there ten standards, send forward a +trumpeter requiring them to leave the fort and the country, and return +to their own country, offering them ships and provisions for the voyage. +They will imagine that we have a much greater army with us, and they +may surrender; and if they do not, we shall at least accomplish that +they will leave us undisturbed in this our own settlement, and we shall +know the way, so that we may return to destroy them the succeeding +spring."</p></div> + +<p>After some discussion it was concluded that after hearing +mass they should undertake the expedition on the third day. +Considerable opposition was manifested on the part of the +officers; but, with a consummate knowledge of human nature, +the Adelantado got up the most splendid dinner in his +power, and invited his recreant officers to the repast, and +dexterously appealed to their fears, as well as their pride, +and overcame their reluctance to undertake the unknown +dangers of a first march through Florida at a wet season, an +actual acquaintance with which would still more have dampened +their ardor.</p> + +<p>The troops assembled promptly upon the day appointed, +at the sound of the trumpet, the fife and the drum, and they +all went to hear mass, except Juan de Vicente, who said +he had a disorder of the stomach, and in his leg; and when +some friends wished to urge his coming, he replied: "I vow +to God, that I will wait until the news comes that our force +is entirely cut off, when we who remain will embark in our +three vessels, and go to the Indies, where there will be no +necessity of our all perishing like beasts."</p> + +<p>This Juan Vicente seems to have been an apt specimen +of a class of croakers not peculiar to any age or country. +Of his future history the chronicle gives other instances of +a similar spirit; and his sole claim to immortality, like that +of many an other, is founded upon his impudence.<a name="page_019" id="page_019"></a></p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV.<br /> +THE ATTACK ON FORT CAROLINE—1565.</h3> + +<p>The troops, having heard mass, marched out in order, preceded +by twenty Biscayans and Asturians having as their +captain Martin de Ochoa, a leader of great fidelity and bravery, +furnished with axes to open a road where they could +not get along. At this moment there arrived two Indians, +who said that they had been at the fort six days before, and +who "seemed like angels" to the soldiers, sent to guide +their march. Halting for refreshment and rest wherever +suitable places could be found, and the Adelantado always +with the vanguard, in four days they reached the vicinity of +the fort, and came up within less than a quarter of a league +of it, concealed by a grove of pine trees. It rained heavily, +and a severe storm prevailed. The place where they had +halted was a very bad one, and very marshy; but he decided +to stop there, and went back to seek the rearguard, lest +they might lose the way.</p> + +<p>About ten at night the last of the troops arrived, very +wet indeed, for there had been much rain during the four +days; they had passed marshes with the water rising to their +waists, and every night there was so great a flood that they +were in great danger of losing their powder, their match-fire, +and their biscuit; and they became desperate, cursing those +who had brought them there, and themselves for +coming.</p> + +<p>Menendez pretended not to hear their complaints, not +daring to call a council as to proceeding or returning, for +both officers and soldiers went forward very inquietly. Remaining +firm in his own resolve, two hours before dawn he +called together the Master of the Camp and the Captains to +whom he said that during the whole night he had sought of +God and his most Holy Mother that they would favor him +and instruct him what he should do most advantageous for +their holy service; and he was persuaded that they had all +done the same. "But now, Gentlemen," he proceeded, +"we must make some determination, finding ourselves exhausted,<a name="page_020" id="page_020"></a> +lost, without ammunition or provisions, and without +the hope of relief."</p> + +<p>Some answered very promptly, "Why should they waste +their time in giving reasons? for, unless they returned +quickly to St. Augustine, they would be reduced to eating +palmettos;<a name="FNanchor_4_4" id="FNanchor_4_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_4_4" class="fnanchor">[4]</a> and the longer they delayed, the greater trouble +they would have."</p> + +<p>The Adelantado said to them that what they said seemed +very reasonable, but he would ask of them to hear some +reasons to the contrary, without being offended. He then +proceeded—after having smoothed down their somewhat +ruffled dispositions, considerably disturbed by their first experience +in encountering the hardships of such a march—to +show them that the danger of retreat was then greater than +an advance would be, as they would lose alike the respect +of their friends and foes. That if, on the contrary, they +attacked the fort, whether they succeeded in taking it or +not, they would gain honor and reputation.</p> + +<p>Stimulated by the speech of their General, they demanded +to be led to the attack, and the arrangements for the assault +were at once made. Their French prisoner was placed in +the advance; but the darkness of the night and the severity +of the storm rendered it impossible to proceed, and they +halted in a marsh, with the water up to their knees, to await +daylight.</p> + +<p>At dawn the Frenchman recognized the country, and the +place were they were, and where stood the fort; upon which +the Adelantado ordered them to march, enjoining upon all, +at the peril of their lives, to follow him; and coming to a +small hill, the Frenchman said that behind that stood the +fort, about three bow-shots distant, but lower down, near +the river. The General put the Frenchman into the custody +of Castaneda. He went up a little higher, and saw the river +and one of the houses, but he was not able to discover the +fort, although it was adjoining them; and he returned to +Castaneda, with whom now stood the Master of the Camp +and Ochoa, and said to them that he wished to go lower +down, near to the houses which stood behind the hill, to see +the fortress and the garrison, for, as the sun was now up, +they could not attack the fort without a reconnoisance. +This the Master of the Camp would not permit him to do, +saying this duty appertained to him; and he went alone with +Ochoa near to the houses, from whence they discovered the +fort; and returning with their information, they came to<a name="page_021" id="page_021"></a> +two paths, and leaving the one by which they came, +took the other. The Master of the Camp discovered his +error, coming to a fallen tree, and turned his face to inform +Ochoa, who was following him; and as they turned to seek +the right path, he stopped in advance, and the sentinel discovered +them, who imagined them to be French; but examining +them he perceived they were unknown to him. He +hailed, "Who goes there?" Ochoa answered, "Frenchmen." +The sentinel was confirmed in his supposition that +they were his own people, and approached them; Ochoa did +the same; but seeing they were not French, the sentinel +retreated. Ochoa closed with him, and with his drawn +sword gave him a cut over the head, but did not hurt him +much, as the sentinel fended off the blow with his sword; +and the Master of the Camp coming up at this moment, +gave him a thrust, from which he fell backwards, making a +loud outcry. The Master of the Camp, putting his sword +to his breast, threatened him with instant death unless he +kept silence. They tied him thereupon, and took him to +the General, who, hearing the noise, thought the Master of +the Camp was being killed, and meeting with the Sergeant-major, +Francisco de Recalde, Diego de Maya, and Andres +Lopez Patino, with their standards and soldiers, without being +able to restrain himself, he cried out, "Santiago! Upon +them! Help of God, Victory! The French are destroyed. +The Master of the Camp is in their fort, and has taken it." +Upon which, all rushed forward in the path without order, +the General remaining behind, repeating what he had said +many times: himself believing it to be certain that the +Master of the Camp had taken with him a considerable +force, and had captured the fort.</p> + +<p> +<br /> +</p> + +<p>So great was the joy of the soldiers, and such their speed, +that they soon came up with the Master of the Camp and +Ochoa, who was hastening to receive the reward of carrying +the good news to the General of the capture of the sentinel. +But the Master of the Camp, seeing the spirit which animated +the soldiers, killed the sentinel, and cried out with a +loud voice to those who were pressing forward, "Comrades! +do as I do. God is with us;" and turned, running towards +the fort, and meeting two Frenchmen on the way, he killed +one of them, and Andres Lopez Patino the other. Those +in the environs of the fort, seeing this tragedy enacted, set +up loud outcries; and in order to know the cause of the +alarm, one of the Frenchmen within opened the postern of +the principal gate, which he had no sooner done than it was<a name="page_022" id="page_022"></a> +observed by the Master of the Camp; and throwing himself +upon him, he killed him, and entered the gate, followed by +the most active of his followers.</p> + +<p>The French, awakened by the clamor, some dressed, +others in their night-clothes, rushed to the doors of their +houses to see what had happened; but they were all killed, +except sixty of the more wary, who escaped by leaping the +walls.</p> + +<p>Immediately the standards of the Sergeant-major and of +Diego Mayo were brought in, and set up by Rodrigo Troche +and Pedro Valdes Herrera, with two cavaliers, at the same +moment. These being hoisted, the trumpets proclaimed the +victory, and the bands of soldiers who had entered opened +the gates and sought the quarters, leaving no Frenchman +alive.</p> + +<p>The Adelantado hearing the cries, left Castaneda in his +place to collect the people who had not come up, who were +at least half the force, and went himself to see if they were +in any danger. He arrived at the fort running; and as he +perceived that the soldiers gave no quarter to any of the +French, he shouted, "That at the penalty of their lives +they should neither wound nor kill any woman, cripple, or +child under fifteen years of age." By which seventy persons +were saved; <i>the rest were all killed</i>!</p> + +<p>Renato de Laudonnière, the Commander of the fort, +escaped with his servant and some twenty or thirty others, +to a vessel lying in the river.</p> + +<p>Such is the Spanish chronicle, contained in Barcia, of the +capture of Fort Caroline. Its details in the main correspond +with the account of Laudonnière, and of Nicolas Challeux, +the author of the letter printed at Lyons, in France, under +date of August, 1566, by Jean Saugrain. In some important +particulars, however, the historians disagree. It has +been already seen that Menendez is represented as having +given orders to spare all the women, maimed persons, and +all children under fifteen years of age. The French relations +of the event, on the contrary, allege that an indiscriminate +slaughter took place, and that all were massacred +without respect to age, sex, or condition; but as this statement +is principally made upon the authority of a terrified +and flying soldier, it is alike due to the probabilities of the +case, and more agreeable to the hopes of humanity, to lessen +somewhat the horrors of a scene which has need of all +the palliation that can be drawn from the slightest evidences +of compassion on the part of that stern and bigoted leader.<a name="page_023" id="page_023"></a></p> + +<p>The Spanish statement is further confirmed by other writers, +who speak of a vessel being dispatched by Menendez +subsequently to carry the survivors to Spain.<a name="page_024" id="page_024"></a></p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V.<br /> +ESCAPE OF LAUDONNIÈRE AND OTHERS FROM FORT CAROLINE. +ADVENTURES OF THE FUGITIVES.</h3> + +<p>The narratives of this event are found singularly full, +there being no less than three accounts by fugitives from +the massacre. The most complete of these is that of Nicolas +de Challeux, a native of Dieppe, which was published in +the following year. I have largely transcribed from this +quaint and curious narrative, not only an account of the +fullness of the details, but also for the light it throws upon +the habits of thought and modes of expression of that day, +when so much was exhibited of an external religious faith, +and so many were found who would fight for their faith +when they refused to adhere to its requirements. There +are apparent, also, a close study of the Scriptures, a great +familiarity with its language, a frequent use of its illustrations, +and a disposition to attribute all things, with a +reverent piety, to the direct personal supervision of the +Almighty. By the aid of a map of the St. John's River, +it will not be difficult to trace the perilous route of escape +pursued by De Challeux and his companions, over obstacles +much magnified by the terror of the moment and want of +familiarity with the country:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"The number of persons in the fort was two hundred and forty, +partly of those who had not recovered from sea-sickness, partly of +artisans and of women and children left to the care and diligence of +Captain Laudonnière, who had no expectation that it was possible that +any force could approach by land to attack him. On which account +the guards had withdrawn for the purpose of refreshing themselves a +little before sunrise, on account of the bad weather which had continued +during the whole night, most of our people being at the time +in their beds sleeping. The wicket gate open, the Spanish force, +having traversed forests, swamps, and rivers, arrived at break of day, +Friday, the 20th September, the weather very stormy, and entered +the fort without any resistance, and made a horrible satisfaction of +the rage and hate they had conceived against our nation. It was +then who should best kill the most men, sick and well, women and +little children, in such a manner that it is impossible to conceive of a +massacre which could equal this for its barbarity and cruelty.<a name="page_025" id="page_025"></a></p> + +<p>"Some of the more active of our people, jumping from their beds, +slipped out and escaped to the vessel in the river. I was myself surprised, +going to my duty with my clasp-knife in my hand; for upon +leaving my cabin, I met the enemy, and saw no other means of escape +but turning my back, and making the utmost possible haste to lead +over the palisades, for I was closely pursued, step by step, by a pike-man +and one with a partisan; and I do not know how it was, unless +by the grace of God, that my strength was redoubled, old man as I +am and grey-headed, a thing which at any other time I could not have +done, for the rampart was raised eight or nine feet; I then hastened +to secrete myself in the woods, and when I was sufficiently near the +edge of the wood at the distance of a good bow-shot, I turned towards +the fort and rested a little time, finding myself not pursued; and as +from this place all the fort, even the inner-court was distinctly visible +to me, looking there I saw a horrible butchery of our men taking place, +and three standards of our enemies planted upon the ramparts. Having +then lost all hope of seeing our men rally, I resigned all my senses to +the Lord. Recommending myself to his mercy, grace and favor, I +threw myself into the wood, for it seemed to me that I could find no +greater cruelty among the savage beast, than that of our enemy which +I had seen shown towards our people. But the misery and anguish in +which I found myself then, straitened and oppressed, seeing no longer +any means of safety upon the earth, unless by a special grace of our +Lord, transcending any expectation of man, caused me to utter groans +and sobs, and with a voice broken by distress to thus cry to the Lord:</p> + +<p>"'O God of our fathers and Lord of all mercy! who hast commanded +us to call upon Thee even from the depths of hell and the shades of +death, promising forthwith thy aid and succor! show me, for the hope +which I have in Thee, what course I ought to take to come to the +termination of this miserable old age, plunged into the gulf of grief +and bitterness; at least, cause that, feeling the effect of Thy mercy, +and the confidence which I have conceived in my heart for Thy +promises, they may not be snatched from me through fear of savage +and furious wild beasts on one hand, and of our and Thy enemies on +the other, who desire the more to injure us for the memory of Thy +name which is invoked by us than for any other cause; aid me, my +God! assist me, for I am so troubled that I can do nothing more.'</p> + +<p>"And while I was making this prayer, traversing the wood, which +was very thick and matted with briars and thorns, beneath the large +trees where there was neither any road nor path, scarcely had I trailed +my way half an hour, when I heard a noise like men weeping and +groaning near me; and advancing in the name of God, and in the +confidence of His succor, I discovered one of our people, named Sieur +de la Blonderie, and a little behind him another, named Maitre Robert, +well known to us all, because he had in charge the prayers at the fort.</p> + +<p>"Immediately afterwards we found also the servant of Sieur d'Ully, +the nephew of M. Lebreau, Master Jaques Trusse, and many others; +and we assembled and talked over our troubles, and deliberated as to +what course we could take to save our lives. One of our number,<a name="page_026" id="page_026"></a> +much esteemed as being very learned in the lessons of Holy Scripture, +proposed after this manner: 'Brethren, we see to what extremity +we are brought; in whatever direction we turn our eyes, we see only +barbarism. The heavens, the earth, the sea, the forest, and men,—in +brief, nothing favors us. How can we know that if we yield to the +mercy of the Spaniards, they will spare us? and if they should kill us, +it will be the suffering of but a moment; they are men, and it may be +that, their fury appeased, they may receive us upon some terms; and, +moreover, what can we do? Would it not be better to fall into +the hands of men, than into the jaws of wild beasts, or die of hunger +in a strange land?'</p> + +<p>"After he had thus spoken, the greater part of our number were of +his opinion, and praised his counsel. Notwithstanding, I pointed out +the cruel animosity still unappeased of our enemies, and that it was +not for any human cause of quarrel, that they had carried out with +such fury their enterprise, but mainly (as would appear by the notice +they had already given us) because we were of those who were reformed +by the preaching of the Gospel; that we should be cowards to +trust in men, rather than in God, who gives life to his own in the +midst of death, and gives ordinarily his assistance when the hopes of +men entirely fail.</p> + +<p>"I also brought to their minds examples from Scripture, instancing +Joseph, Daniel, Elias, and the other prophets, as well also the apostles, +as St. Peter and St. Paul, who were all drawn out of much affliction, +as would appear by means extraordinary and strange to the reason and +judgment of men. His arm, said I, is not shortened, nor in any wise +enfeebled; his power is always the same. Do you not recollect, said I +the flight of the Israelites before Pharaoh? What hope had that +people of escaping from the hands of that powerful tyrant? He had +them, as it were, under his heel. Before them they had the sea, on +either side inaccessible mountains.</p> + +<p>"What then? He who opened the sea to make a path for his +people, and made it afterwards to swallow up his enemies, can not he +conduct us by the forest places of this strange country? While thus +discoursing, six of the company followed out the first proposition, and +abandoned us to go and yield themselves up to our enemies, hoping to +find favor before them. But they learned, immediately and by +experience, what folly it is to trust more in men than in the promise +of the Lord. For having gone out of the wood, as they descended to +the fort they were immediately seized by the Spaniards and treated in +the same fashion as the others had been. They were at once killed +and massacred, and then drawn to the banks of the river, where the +others killed at the fort lay in heaps. We who remained in the wood +continued to make our way, and drawing towards the sea, as well as we +could judge, and as it pleased God to conduct our paths and to straiten +our course, we soon arrived at the brow of a mountain and from there +commenced to see the sea, but it was still at a great distance; and +what was worse, the road we had to take showed itself wonderfully +strange and difficult. In the first place, the mountain from which it<a name="page_027" id="page_027"></a> +was necessary for us to descend, was of such height and ruggedness, +that it was not possible for a person descending to stand upright; and +we should never have dared to descend it but for the hope we had of +sustaining ourselves by the branches of the bushes, which were +frequent upon the side of the mountain, and to save life, not sparing +our hands which we had all gashed up and bloody, and even the legs +and nearly all the body was torn. But descending from the mountain, we +did not lose our view of the sea, on account of a small wood which +was upon a little hill opposite to us; and in order to go to the wood it +was requisite that we should traverse a large meadow, all mud and +quagmire, covered with briars and other kind of strange plants; for +the stalk was as hard as wood, and the leaves pricked our feet and our +hands until the blood came, and being all the while in water up to the +middle, which redoubled our pain and suffering. The rain came down +upon us in such manner from heaven, that we were during all that +time between two floods; and the further we advanced the deeper we +found the water.</p> + +<p>"And then thinking that the last period of our lives had come, we +all embraced each other, and with a common impulse, we commenced +to sigh and cry to the Lord, accusing our sins and recognizing the +weight of his judgment upon us. 'Alas! Lord,' said we, 'what are +we but poor worms of the earth? Our souls weakened by grief, surrender +themselves into thy hands. Oh, Father of Mercy and God of +Love, deliver us from this pain of death! or if thou wilt that in this +desert we shall draw our last breath, assist us so that death, of all +things the most terrible, shall have no advantage over us, but that we +may remain firm and stable in the sense of thy favor and good-will, +which we have too often experienced in the cause of thy Christ to +give way to the spirit of Satan, the spirit of despair and of distrust; +for if we die, we will protest now before thy Majesty, that we would +die unto thee, and that if we live it may be to recount thy wonders in +the midst of the assembly of thy servants.' Our prayers concluded, +we marched with great difficulty straight towards the wood, when we +came to a great river which ran in the midst of this meadow; the +channel was sufficiently narrow but very deep, and ran with great force, +as though all the field ran toward the sea. This was another addition +to our anguish, for there was not one of our men who would dare +to undertake to cross over by swimming. But in this confusion of our +thoughts, as to what manner to pass over, I bethought myself of the +wood which we had left behind us. After exhorting my comrades to +patience and a continued trust in the Lord, I returned to the wood, +and cut a long pole, with the good size clasp knife which remained in +my hand from the hour the fort was taken; and I returned to the +others, who awaited me in great perplexity, 'Now, then, comrades,' +said I, 'let us see if God, by means of this stick, will not give us +some help to accomplish our path.' Then we laid the pole upon the +water, and each one by turn taking hold of the end of the pole, carried +it by his side to the midst of the channel, when losing sight of him +we pushed him with sufficient force to the other bank, where he drew<a name="page_028" id="page_028"></a> +himself out by the canes and other bushes growing along its borders; and +by his example we passed over, one at a time; but it was not without +great danger, and not without drinking a great deal of salt water, in such +manner that our hearts were all trembling, and we were as much overcome +as though we had been half drowned. After we had come to +ourselves and had resumed courage, moving on all the time towards +the wood, which we had remarked close to sea, the pole was not even +needed to pass another creek, which gave us not much less trouble than +the first; but by the grace of God, we passed it and entered the wood +the same evening, where we passed the night in great fear and +trembling, standing about against the trees.</p> + +<p>"And, as much as we had labored, even had it been more, we felt +no desire to sleep; for what repose could there be to spirits in such +mortal affright? Near the break of day, we saw a great beast, like a +deer, at fifty paces from us, who had a great head, eyes flaming, the +ears hanging, and the higher parts elevated. It seemed to us monstrous, +because of its gleaming eyes, wondrously large; but it did not +come near us to do us any harm.</p> + +<p>"The day having appeared, we went out of the wood and returned towards +the sea, in which we hoped, after God, as the only means of saving +our lives; but we were again cast down and troubled, for we saw before +us a country of marsh and muddy quagmires, full of water and +covered with briars, like that we had passed the previous day. We +marched across this salt marsh; and, in the direction we had to take, +we perceived among the briars a body of men, whom we at first thought +to be enemies, who had gone there to cut us off; but upon close observation, +they seemed in as sad a plight as ourselves, naked and terrified; +and we immediately perceived that they were our own people. It was +Captain Laudonnière, his servant-maid, Jacques Morgues of Dieppe +(the artist), Francis Duval of Rouen, son of him of the iron crown +of Rouen, Niguise de la Cratte, Nicholas the carpenter, the Trumpeter +of Sieur Laudonnière, and others, who all together made the +number of twenty-six men. Upon deliberating as to what we should +do, two of our men mounted to the top of one of the tallest trees and discovered +from thence one of our vessels, which was that of Captain +Maillard, to whom they gave a signal, that he might know that we +were in want of help. Thereupon he came towards us with his small +vessel, but in order to reach the banks of the stream, it was necessary +for us to traverse the briars and two other rivers similar to those which +we passed the previous day; in order to accomplish which, the pole I +had cut the day before was both useful and necessary, and two others +which Sr. de Laudonnière had provided; and we came pretty near to the +vessel, but our hearts failed us from hunger and fatigue, and we should +have remained where we were unless the sailors had given us a hand, +which aid was very opportune; and they carried us, one after the +other, to the vessel, on board of which we were all received well and +kindly. They gave us bread and water, and we began afterwards, little +by little, to recover our strength and vigor; which was a strong reason +that we should recognize the goodness of the Lord, who had saved us<a name="page_029" id="page_029"></a> +against all hope from an infinity of dangers and from death, by which +we had been surrounded and assaulted from all quarters, to render him +forevermore our thanks and praises. We thus passed the entire night +recounting the wonders of the Lord, and consoled each other in the +assurances of our safety.</p> + +<p>"Daylight having come, Jacques Ribault, Captain of the Pearl, +boarded us to confer with us respecting what was to done by us, and +what means we should take for the safety of the rest of our men and +the vessels. It was then objected, the small quantity of provisions +which we had, our strength broken, our munitions and means of defense +taken from us, the uncertainty as to the condition of our +Admiral, and not knowing but that he had been shipwrecked on some +coast a long distance from us, or driven to a distance by the tempest.</p> + +<p>"We thereupon concluded that we could do no better than return +to France, and were of the opinion that the company should divide +into two parts, the one remaining on board the Pearl, the other under +charge of Captain Maillard.</p> + +<p>"On Friday, the twenty-fifth day of the month of September, we +departed from this coast, favored by a strong northerly wind, having +concluded to return to France, and after the first day our two ships +were so far separated that we did not again encounter each other.</p> + +<p>"We proceeded five hundred leagues prosperously, when, one +morning about sunrise, we were attacked by a Spanish vessel, which +we met as well as we could, and cannonaded them in such sort that we +made them subject to our disposal, and battered them so that the blood was +seen to overrun the scuppers. We held them then as surrendered and +defeated; but there was no means of grappling her, on account of the +roughness of the sea for in grappling her there would be danger of +our striking together, which might have sunk us; she also, satisfied +with the affair, left us, joyful and thanking God that no one of us was +wounded or killed in this skirmish except our cook.</p> + +<p>"The rest of our passage was without any renconter with enemies; +but we were much troubled by contrary winds, which often +threatened to cast us on the coast of Spain, which would have been +the finishing touch to our misfortunes, and the thing of which we had +the greatest horror. We also endured at sea many other things, such +as cold and hunger; for be it understood that we, who escaped from +the land of Florida, had nothing else for vestment or equipment, by +day or by night, except our shirts alone, or some other little rag, which +was a small matter of defence from the exposure to the weather; and +what was more, the bread which we eat, and we eat it very sparingly, +was all spoilt and rotten, as well also the water itself was all noisome, +and of which, besides, we could only have for the whole day a single +small glass.</p> + +<p>"This bad food was the reason, on our landing, that many of us fell +into divers maladies, which carried off many of the men of our company; +and we arrived at last, after this perilous and lamentable +voyage, at Rochelle; where we were received and treated very humanely +and kindly by the inhabitants of the country and those of the<a name="page_030" id="page_030"></a> +city, giving us of their means, to the extent our necessities require; +and assisted by their kindness we were each enabled to return to his +own part of the country."<a name="FNanchor_5_5" id="FNanchor_5_5"></a><a href="#Footnote_5_5" class="fnanchor">[5]</a></p></div> + +<p>Laudonnière's<a name="FNanchor_6_6" id="FNanchor_6_6"></a><a href="#Footnote_6_6" class="fnanchor">[6]</a> narrative speaks more of his own personal +escape; and that of Le Moyne<a name="FNanchor_7_7" id="FNanchor_7_7"></a><a href="#Footnote_7_7" class="fnanchor">[7]</a> refers to this description +of De Challeux, as containing a full and accurate account +of what took place. Barcia mentions De Challeux, very +contemptuously as a carpenter, who succeeding badly at his +trade, took up that of preaching, but does not deny the truth +of his narrative.</p> + +<p>Those who separated from their comrades and threw +themselves upon the enemies' mercy, are mentioned by the +Spanish writers; but they are silent as to the treatment +they received.<a name="page_031" id="page_031"></a></p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI.<br /> +SITE OF FORT CAROLINE, AFTERWARDS CALLED SAN MATTEO.</h3> + +<p>It might naturally be supposed that a spot surrounded +with so many thrilling and interesting associations, as the +scene of the events we have just related, would have been +commemorated either by tradition or by ancient remains +attesting its situation. But, in truth, no recognized point +now bears the appellation of Fort Caroline, and the antiquary +can point at this day to no fosse or parapet, no +crumbling bastion, no ancient helm or buckler, no shattered +and corroded garniture of war mingled with the bones of +the dead, as evidencing its position.</p> + +<p>A writer who has himself done more to rescue from oblivion +the historical romance of the South than any other,<a name="FNanchor_8_8" id="FNanchor_8_8"></a><a href="#Footnote_8_8" class="fnanchor">[8]</a> +has well said, "It will be an employment of curious interest, +whenever the people of Florida shall happen upon the true +site of the settlement and structure of Laudonnière, to +trace out in detail these several localities, and fix them for +the benefit of posterity. The work is scarcely beyond the +hammer and chisel of some Old Mortality, who has learned +to place his affections and fix his sympathies upon the +achievements of the past."</p> + +<p>With a consciousness of our unfitness to establish absolutely +a memorial so interesting as the site of Fort Caroline +must ever be, I shall endeavor to locate its position, upon +the basis of reasons entirely satisfactory to myself, and +measurably so, I trust, to others.</p> + +<p>The account given by Laudonnière himself, the leader of +the Huguenots, by whom Fort Caroline was constructed, is +as follows:—After speaking of his arrival at the mouth of +the river, which had been named the River May by Ribault, +who had entered it on the first day of May, 1562, and had +therefore given it that name, he says, "Departing from +thence, I had not sailed three leagues up the river, still +being followed by the Indians, crying still, 'amy,' 'amy,' +that is to say, friend, but I discovered an hill of meane<a name="page_032" id="page_032"></a> +height, neare which I went on land, harde by the fieldes +that were sowed with mil, at one corner whereof there was +an house, built for their lodgings which keep and garde +the mil. * * * * * * Now was I determined to +searche out the qualities of the hill. Therefore I went +right to the toppe thereof; where we found nothing else but +cedars, palms, and bay trees of so sovereign odor that Balme +smelleth not more sweetly. The trees were environed +around about with vines bearing grapes, in such quantities +that the number would suffice to make the place habitable. +Besides the fertilitie of the soyle for vines, one may see +mesquine wreathed about the trees in great quantities. +Touching the pleasure of the place, the sea may be seen +plain enough from it; and more than six great leagues off, +towards the River Belle, a man may behold the meadows, +divided asunder into isles and islet, enterlacing one another. +Briefly, the place is so pleasent, that those which are melancholicke, +would be inforced to change their humour. * *</p> + +<p>"Our fort was built in form of a triangle; the side towards +the west, which was towards the land, was inclosed +with a little trench and raised with turf made in the form +of a battlement, nine feet high; the other side, which was +towards the river, was enclosed with a palisade of planks of +timber, after the manner that Gabions are made; on the +south line, there was a kind of bastion, within which I +caused an house for the munition to be made. It was all +builded with fagots and sand, saving about two or three +foote high, with turfes whereof the battlements were made. +In the middest, I caused a great court to be made of +eighteen paces long, and the same in breadth. In the middest +whereof, on the one side, drawing towards the south, +I builded a corps de garde and an house on the other side +towards the north. * * * * One of the sides that inclosed +my court, which I made very faire and large, reached +unto the grange of my munitions; and on the other side, +towards the river, was mine own lodgings, round which +were galleries all covered. The principal doore of my +lodging was in the middest of the great place, and the +other was towarde the river. A good distance from the +fort I built an oven."</p> + +<p>Jacob Le Moyne, or Jacques Morgues, as he is sometimes +called, accompanied the expedition; and his <i>Brevis Narratio</i> +contains two plates, representing the commencement of the +construction of Fort Caroline, and its appearance when +completed. The latter represents a much more finished<a name="page_033" id="page_033"></a> +fortification than could possibly have been constructed, but +may be taken as a correct outline, I presume, of its general +appearance.</p> + +<p>Barcia, in his account of its capture, describes neither its +shape nor appearance, but mentions the parapet nine feet +high, and the munition house and store house.</p> + +<p>From the account of Laudonnière and Le Moyne, it was +situated near the river, on the slope or nearly at the foot of +a hill.<a name="FNanchor_9_9" id="FNanchor_9_9"></a><a href="#Footnote_9_9" class="fnanchor">[9]</a> Barcia speaks of its being behind a hill, and of +descending towards it. The clerical-carpenter, Challeux, +speaks of being able, after his escape, to look down from +the hill he was on, into the court of the fort itself, and +seeing the massacre of the French. As he was flying from +the fort towards the sea, and along the river, and as the +Spaniards came from a southeast direction, the fort must +have been on the westerly side of a hill, near the river.</p> + +<p>The distance is spoken of as less than three leagues by +Laudonnière. Hawkins and Ribault say, the fort was not +visible from the mouth of the river. It is also incidentally +spoken of in Barcia as being two leagues from the bar. +De Challeux, in the narrative of his escape, speaks of the +distance as being about two leagues. In the account given +of the expedition of De Gourgues, it is said to be, in general +terms, about one or two leagues above the forts afterwards +constructed on each side of the mouth of the river; and it +is also mentioned in De Gourgues, that the fort was at the +foot of a hill, near the water, and could be overlooked from +the hill. The distance from the mouth of the river, and +the nature of the ground where the fort was built, are +thus made sufficiently definite to enable us to seek a location +which shall fulfill both these conditions. It is +hardly necessary to remark that there can be no question +but that the fort was located on the south or easterly side +of the river, as the Spaniards marched by land from St. +Augustine in a northwesterly direction to Fort Caroline.</p> + +<p>The River St. Johns is one of the largest rivers, in point +of width, to be found in America, and is more like an arm +of the sea than a river; from its mouth for a distance of +fifteen miles, it is spread over extensive marshes, and there +are few points where the channel touches the banks of the +river. At its mouth it is comparatively narrow, but immediately +extends itself over wide-spread marshes; and the +first headland or shore which is washed by the channel is a +place known as St. John's Bluff. Here the river runs<a name="page_034" id="page_034"></a> +closely along the shore, making a bold, deep channel close +up to the bank. The land rises abruptly on one side into a +hill of moderate height, covered with a dense growth of +pine, cedar, &c. This hill gently slopes to the banks of the +river, and runs off to the southwest, where, at the distance of +a quarter of a mile, a creek discharges itself into the river, +at a place called "the Shipyard" from time immemorial.</p> + +<p>I am not aware that any remains of Fort Caroline, or +any old remains of a fortress, have ever been discovered +here; but it must be recollected that this fort was constructed +of sand and pine trees, and that three hundred +years have passed away, with their storms and tempests, +their rains and destructive influences—a period sufficient to +have destroyed a work of much more durable character +than sandy entrenchments and green pine stakes and +timbers. Moreover, it is highly probable, judging from +present appearances, that the constant abrasion of the banks +still going on has long since worn away the narrow spot where +stood Fort Caroline. It is also to be remarked, that as +there is no other hill, or high land, or place where a fort +could have been built, between St. John's Bluff and the +mouth of the river, so it is also the fact that there is no +point on the south side of the river where the channel touches +high land, for a distance by water of eight or ten miles +above St. John's Bluff.</p> + +<p>The evidence in favor of the location of Fort Caroline at +St. John's Bluff is, I think conclusive and irresistible, and +accords in all points with the descriptions given as to distance, +topography, and points of view.</p> + +<p>It is within the memory of persons now living, that a considerable +orange grove and somewhat extensive buildings, +which existed at this place, then called San Vicente, have +been washed into the river, leaving at this day no vestiges +of their existence. It has been occupied as a Spanish fort +within fifty years; yet so rapid has been the work of time and +the elements, that no remains of such occupation are now +to be seen.</p> + +<p>The narratives all speak of the distance from the mouth +of the river as about two leagues; and in speaking of so +short a distance the probability of exactness is much greater +than when dealing with longer distances.</p> + +<p>As to the spot itself, it presents all the natural features +mentioned by Laudonnière; and it requires but a small spice +of enthusiasm and romance that it be recognized as a +"goodlie and pleasante spotte," by those who might like<a name="page_035" id="page_035"></a> +the abundance of the wild grapes and the view of the distant +salt meadows, with their "iles and islets, so pleasante that +those which are melancholike would be inforced to change +their humour."</p> + +<p>It is but proper, however, to say, that at a plantation known +as Newcastle there is a high range of ground, and upon +this high ground the appearance of an old earth-work of quadrangular +form; but this point is distant some six leagues +from the mouth of the river, is flanked by a deep bay or +marsh to the southeast, and the work is on the top of the +hill and not at its foot, is quadrangular and not triangular, and +is a considerable distance from the water. These earth-works, +I am satisfied, are Spanish or English remains of a +much later period.</p> + +<p>By examining a map of the St. John's river, the first projecting +land on the south side, lying east of the second +township line marked from the coast, will be found nearly +to indicate the point known as St. John's Bluff. On the +eastern face the bluff is quite high and precipitous—being +possibly the "brow of the mountain" mentioned by De +Challeux—and immediately beyond is a deep indentation of +the shore-line of several miles in circuit, within which is an +immense tract of sea-marsh, interspersed with small islands, +and cut up by narrow channels. Through this the fugitives +may be supposed to have crossed, and, reaching the high +lands which hem in the marsh near the mouth of the river, +were enabled to view the vessels which offered them rescue. +About the year 1856 a handful of small copper coins were +accidentally found near the eastern margin of this marsh, +in the rear of what is now known as Mayport Mill. Some +few were at first found on the ground, as if accidentally exposed, +and upon removing the earth for a slight depth the +remainder were discovered. They were distributed among +several gentlemen in Florida, and Mr. Buckingham Smith, +at that time and more recently made the history of the +coins a subject of especial inquiry in Spain.</p> + +<p>Just before putting the second edition of this work to +press, the following letter was received by the publisher of +this volume, and is given as matter of interest in connection +with the locality referred to:</p> + +<p> +<br /> +</p> + +<p class="r"> +<span class="smcap">Madrid</span>, August 15, 1868.<br /> +</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">My Dear Sir</span>:—I brought with me from Florida, as I proposed, +three copper coins of those found with others of the same sort many +years ago, on the St. Johns river near the old site of Fort Caroline, in +what the French three centuries ago called the Vale of Laudonnière,<a name="page_036" id="page_036"></a> +that I might have them examined in Europe. There were none of the +sort in the British Museum, with which they might be compared, and +in the Bibliothique Imperial I could only learn that they were Spanish. +On my arrival here I gave them for inspection to Señor Bermudez, a +long time in charge of the national collection of such like antiquities, +second only in extent and value to that of Paris: and showed them +also to other of my friends learned in numismatics. The work of A. +Heiss, now making its appearance in numbers, with the title <i>Description +General de las monedas Hispano-Christianas desde la invasion +de los Arabes</i>, has been also consulted, and this is the amount of all +the conclusions, the inscriptions on each coin being nearly the same:</p> + +<p class="c">† KAROLVS.ET.IOANNA RE.<br /> +<br /> +Two II in the midst, with crowns upon them; to the right P, to the left S;<br /> +in the middle a square point.<br /> +<br /> +REVERSO:<br /> +<br /> +Same—same—same—REGIS.<br /> +<br /> +A Y in the middle, crowned; to the right IIII; to the left F.<br /> +</p> + +<p>They were struck for Doña Juana and Carlos I., Empr. Charles V., +between the years 1516 and 1555. The Y is supposed to refer to Ysabel: +the double I to Joanna I., or may be to the columns of Hercules, +and the crowns upon them to those of Castilla and Aragon. On later +silver coins, not so rude, the columns are placed with the words <i>plus +ultra</i>, as you may have observed on a Spanish dollar. The IIII (on +some 4,) means four maravedises, the value of which have varied: at +present 25 of these would be the value of a real. These coins are uncommon; +in good preservation, very rare. The curiosity so many of +us have had for a number of years about these matters, I believe is at +last satisfied.</p> + +<p>I have visited the town of Aviles, a league from the Bay of Biscay, +whence Pedro Menendez came, and brought his fleet to Florida, three +centuries ago. I saw his tomb, and not far off the chapel of the family +of one of his companions. There is no stranger any where to be heard +of in all that country; every thing is intensely and old Spanish in +every aspect. Going home late one evening, I was accosted by a native +in good English. He said the town was rarely visited—three or +four Englishmen within his memory had passed through, and he supposed +me to be the first person from the United States who had ever been +there. I told him I came from Florida, and, though rather late, was +returning the visit of Menendez to St. Augustine.</p> + +<p>The estate of this old colonist is in the house of the Count of Canalejas, +held by the Marquis of San Estevan, who is also by marriage +the Count of Revilla Gigedo. I called on him at his country seat in +Dania, and, detaining me to spend the day with him, gave orders to +have his family pictures and palace shown to me at Gijon, and his papers +at a residence in Oviedo. Among the documents is a valuable one +for writing a life of Menendez. It is a draft for a letter in his own +hand, directed to his nephew, Governor of Florida, in which he expresses +his wish to be with him and away from business. He speaks +of the "invincible armada" which he had been appointed to command,<a name="page_037" id="page_037"></a> +and gives the number of his ships. This probably was the last +thing he ever wrote, dated ten days before he died, as it is known that +he died on the ninth day of his sickness. Of course I have a copy to +show you.</p> + +<p>Spain has greatly changed within the last eight years—impoverished +itself, the people say, with improvements. The railroads traverse most +parts, are well laid, durable, and the service good. The ancient monuments +have begun to be cared for, are repaired, and in the charge of +a commission of the government.</p> + +<p>Give my best regards to friends about you, and believe me truly +yours,</p> + +<p class="r">BUCKINGHAM SMITH.</p> + +<p>Mr. <span class="smcap">Columbus Drew</span>, Jacksonville, Fla.</p> + +<p><a name="page_038" id="page_038"></a></p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII.<br /> +MENENDEZ'S RETURN TO ST. AUGUSTINE—SHIPWRECK OF<br /> +A. D. 1565.</h3> + +<p>After an ineffectual attempt to induce those in the small +vessels of the French to surrender, failing in this, the General +concluded to return to St. Augustine, and send two of +his vessels to the mouth of the river to intercept them.</p> + +<p>Some of the fugitives from the fort fled to the Indians; +and ten of these were given up to the Spaniards, to be +butchered in cold blood, says the French account,—to be +sent back to France, says the Spanish chronicle.</p> + +<p>The 24th September being the day of St. Matthew, the +name of the fort was changed to that of San Matheo, by +which name it was always subsequently called by the Spaniards; +and the name of St. Matthew was also given by them +to the river, now called St. Johns, on which it is situated.</p> + +<p>The Spaniards proceeded at once to strengthen the fortress, +deepening and enlarging the ditch, and raised and +strengthened the ramparts and walls in such manner, says +the boastful Mendoza, "that if the half of all France had +come to attack it, they could not have disturbed it;" a boast +upon which the easy conquest of it by De Gourgues, three +years subsequently, affords an amusing commentary. They +also constructed, subsequently, two small forts at the mouth +of the river, one on each side, which probably were located +the one at Batten Island and the other at Mayport.</p> + +<p>Leaving three hundred soldiers as a garrison under his +Son-in-law, De Valdez, Master of the Camp, who was now +appointed Governor of the fort, Menendez marched for St. +Augustine, beginning now to feel considerable anxiety lest +the French fleet, escaping from the tempest, might return +and visit upon his own garrison at St. Augustine, the fate of +Fort Caroline. He took with him upon his return but fifty +soldiers, and, owing to the swollen waters, found great difficulty +in retracing his route. When within a league of St. +Augustine, he allowed one of the soldiers to go forward to +announce his victory and safe return.<a name="page_039" id="page_039"></a></p> + +<p>The garrison at St. Augustine had been in great anxiety +respecting their leader, and from the accounts given by those +who had deserted, they had feared the total loss of the expedition. +The worthy Chaplain thus describes the return +of Menendez:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"The same day, being Monday, we saw a man coming, crying out +loudly. I myself was the first to run to him for the news. He embraced +me with transport, crying 'Victory! Victory! The French +fort is ours.' I promised him the present which the bearer of good +news deserves, and gave him the best in my power.</p> + +<p>"At the hour of vespers our good General arrived, with fifty foot +soldiers, very much fatigued. As soon as I learned that he was coming, +I ran home and put on a new soutain, the best which I had, and a +surplice, and going out with a crucifix in my hand, I went forward to +receive him; and he, a gentleman and a good Christian, before entering +kneeled and all his followers, and returned thanks to the Lord for +the great favours which he had received. My companions and myself +marched in front in procession, so that we all returned with the greatest +demonstrations of joy."</p></div> + +<p>When about to dispatch the two vessels in his harbor to +the St John's, to cut off the French vessels he had left there, +he was informed that two sails had already been seen to pass +the bar, supposed to contain the French fugitives.</p> + +<p>Eight days after the capture of Fort Caroline, a fire broke +out in the quarters of St. Augustine, which destroyed much +treasure and provisions, and the origin of which was doubtful, +whether to be ascribed to accident or design. Much +dissatisfaction prevailed among the officers and soldiers, and +the fire was looked upon with pleasure by some, as having +a tendency to hasten their departure from a spot which +offered few temptations or rewards, compared to Mexico or +Peru.</p> + +<p>On the very day of Menendez's return, a Frenchman was +discovered by a fishing party on Anastasia Island, who, being +taken, said he was one of a party of eighteen, sent in a +small vessel, some days before, to reconnoitre the Spanish +position; that they had been unable to keep the sea, and had +been thrown ashore, about four leagues below, at the mouth +of a river; that the Indians attacked and killed three of +their number, and they thereupon escaped.</p> + +<p>Menendez dispatched a captain and fifty men, to get off +the vessel and capture any of the French who might be +found. On their arrival at the place, they found that all the +French had been killed by the Indians; but they succeeded +in getting off the vessel. Menendez, feeling uneasy in reference +to their encounter with the Indians, had followed on<a name="page_040" id="page_040"></a> +after the expedition, in company with the worthy Chaplain, +to whom his promenade among the briars, vines, prickly +cedars, chaparral, and prickly pears of Anastasia, seems to +have been a true <i>via dolorosa</i>.</p> + +<p>Upon their arrival, they found a considerable body of +French upon the south side of an inlet, whose fires indicated +their position.</p> + +<p>The four vessels of Ribault, which had gone in pursuit +of the Spaniards at St. Augustine, had been overtaken by +the storm, and after keeping to sea with incredible effort, +had been finally driven ashore upon the shoals of Canaveral,<a name="FNanchor_10_10" id="FNanchor_10_10"></a><a href="#Footnote_10_10" class="fnanchor">[10]</a> +with but little loss of life but a total loss of every thing +else; they were thus thrown on shore without shelter from +the elements, famished with hunger, borne down by disappointment, +and utterly dispirited and demoralized. They +were consumed, also, by the most painful uncertainty. +Marching to the northward along shore, they discovered a +skiff, and resolved to send a small number of persons in it, +to make their way by sea to Fort Caroline, to bring succor +to them from there. This boat succeeded in reaching the +St. John's, where they were informed, by friendly Indians, +of the fate which had befallen the fort; and subsequently +they fell in with a Frenchman who had escaped, who related +to them the whole disaster. Upon this they concluded to +seek their own safety among the friendly Indians of St. +Helena, rather than to be the useless bearers of the tidings +of their misfortunes to their companions in arms.</p> + +<p>There are several accounts of the sad fate which befel the +followers of Ribault, the massacre of whom has been perpetuated +by the memorial name given to its scene, "the +bloody river of Matanzas," the ebb and flow of whose recurring +tides for three hundred years have failed to wash +out the record of blood which has associated this massacre +of the Huguenots with the darkest scenes of earth's history. +In consequence of the rank and number of the victims, the +event produced various and somewhat contradictory accounts; +but all stamped with a seal of reprobation and execration +the act and the actors, without reference to creed or nationality. +Challeux relates instances of cruel barbarity added +to the atrocity of slaughter itself; and others, it appears, +had given other versions, all in different degree pointing the +finger of historic justice to mark and commemorate the +crime against humanity.<a name="page_041" id="page_041"></a></p> + +<p>The Spanish historian, Barcia, aims to counteract this +general condemnation, of which in his own language he +says, "These calumnies, repeated in so many quarters, have +sullied the fame of the Adelantado, being exaggerated by +the heretics, and consented to by the Catholics, so that even +the Father Felix Briot, in his annals, says that he caused +them to be killed contrary to the faith which he had given +them; which is altogether a falsehood, for the Adelantado +did not give his word, nor would he when asked give it, to +spare their lives, although they were willing to pay him for +doing so; nor in the capture of Fort Caroline did he do +more than has been related; and such is the account given +by Doctor Salis de las Meras, brother-in-law to Donna Maria +de Salis, wife of the Adelantado, who was present, and who, +relating the punishment of the heretics, and the manner in +which it was accomplished, says,—</p> + +<p>"'The Adelantado occupied himself in fortifying his settlement +at St. Augustine, as well as he could, to defend it +from the French fleet if they should attack it. Upon the +following day some Indians came and by signs informed +them that four leagues distant there were a large number of +Christians, who were unable to cross an arm of the sea or +strait, which is a river upon the inner side of an inlet, which +they were obliged to cross in order to come to St. Augustine. +The Adelantado sent thither forty soldiers about dusk, +and arrived about midnight near the inlet, where he commanded +a halt until morning, and leaving his soldiers concealed, +he ascended a tree to see what was the state of matters. +He discovered many persons on the other side of the +river, and their standards; and to prevent their passing +over, he directed his men to exhibit themselves towards the +shore, so that it might be supposed that he had with him a +large force; and when they were discovered, a French soldier +swam over, and said that the persons beyond the river +were Frenchmen, that they had been wrecked in a storm, +but had all saved their lives. The Adelantado asked what +French they were? He answered, that they were two hundred +of the people under command of Jean Ribault, Viceroy +and Captain General of this country for the king of the +French. He asked again, if they were Catholics or Lutherans? +It was replied that they were all Lutherans, of the +new religion; all of which was previously well known to +the Adelantado, when he encountered their fleet with his +vessels; and the women and children whom he had spared +when he took their fort, had also so informed him; and he<a name="page_042" id="page_042"></a> +had found in the fort when he took it, six trunks filled with +books, well bound and gilt; all of which were of the new +sect, and from which they did not say mass, but preached +their Lutheran doctrines every evening; all of which books +he directed to be burnt, not sparing a single one.</p> + +<p>"'The Adelantado then asked him why he had come +over? He said he had been sent over by his Captain, to see +what people they were. The General asked if he wished to +return. He said, "Yes, but he desired to know what people +they were." This man spoke very plainly, for he was a +Gascon of San Juan de Suz. "Then tell him," said the +Adelantado, "that it is the Viceroy and Captain General of +this country for the king, Don Philip; and that his name is +Pedro Menendez, and that he is here with some of his soldiery +to ascertain what people those were, for he had been +informed the day before that they were there, and the hour +at which they came."</p> + +<p>"'The French soldier went over with his message, and +immediately returned, saying "that if they would pledge +faith to his captain and to four other gentlemen, they would +like to come and treat with him;" and they desired the loan +of a boat, which the General had directed to bring some +provisions to the river. The General instructed the messenger +to say to his captain, "that he might come over +securely under the pledge of his word," and then sent +over for them the boat; and they crossed over. The Adelantado +received them very well, with only ten of his followers; +the others he directed to stay some distance off +among some bushes, so that their number might appear to +be greater than it was. One of the Frenchmen announced +himself as captain of these people; and that in a great storm +they had lost four galleons, and other vessels of the king of +France, within a distance of twenty leagues of each other; +and that these were the people from on board of one ship, +and that they desired they would let them have a boat for +this arm of the sea, and for another four leagues hence, +which was at St. Augustine; that they desired to go to a +fort which they held twenty leagues from there. It was the +same fort which Menendez had taken. The Adelantado +asked them "if they were Catholics or Lutherans?" He +replied "that they were all of the New Religion." Then +the Adelantado said to them, "Gentlemen, your fort is +taken and its people destroyed, except the women, and children +under fifteen years of age; and that you may be assured +of this, among the soldiers who are here there are<a name="page_043" id="page_043"></a> +many things, and also there are here two Frenchmen whom +I have brought with me, who said they were Catholics. Sit +down here and eat, and I will send the two Frenchmen to +you, as also the things which some of my soldiers have taken +from the fort, in order that you may be satisfied.</p> + +<p>"'The Adelantado having spoken thus, directed food to +be given to them, and sent the two Frenchmen to them, and +many things which the soldiers had brought from the fort, +that they might see them, and then retired himself, to eat +with his own people; and an hour afterwards, when he saw +that the French had eaten, he went where they were and +asked if they were satisfied of the truth of what he had told +them. They said they were, and desired that for a consideration, +he should give them vessels and ships' stores, that +they might return to France. The Adelantado answered, +"that he would do so with great pleasure if they were good +Catholics, or if he had the ships for them; but he had not +the vessels, having sent two to St. Matteo (Ft. Caroline), the +one to take the artillery they had captured, and the French +women and children, to St. Domingo, and to obtain provisions. +The other had to go upon business of his Majesty to +other parts.</p> + +<p>"'The French captain replied, "that he should grant to +all, their lives, and that they should remain with him until +they could obtain shipping for France, since they were not +at war, and the kings of Spain and of France were brothers +and friends." The Adelantado said, "that was true, and +Catholics and friends he would favor, believing that he +would serve both kings in doing so; but as to themselves, +being of the new sect, he held them for enemies, and he +would wage war upon them even to blood and to fire; and +that he would pursue them with all cruelty wherever he +should encounter them, in whatever sea or land where he +should be viceroy or captain general for his king; and that +he would go and plant the holy faith in this land, that the +Indians might be enlightened and be brought to the knowledge +of the Holy Catholic Faith of Jesus Christ our Saviour, +as taught and announced by the Roman Church. That if +they wished to surrender their standards and their arms, and +throw themselves upon his mercy, they might do so, for <i>he +would do with them what God should of his grace direct</i>; or, they +could do as they might deem proper; that other treaty or +friendship they should not have from him." The French +captain replied, that he could not then conclude any other +matter with the Adelantado. He went over in the boat,<a name="page_044" id="page_044"></a> +saying, that he went to relate what had passed, and to agree +upon what should be done, and within two hours he would +return with an answer. The Adelantado said, "They could +do as seemed best to them, and he would wait for them." +Two hours passed, when the same French captain returned, +with those who had accompanied him previously, and said +to the General, "that there were many people of family, +and nobles among them, and that they would give fifty +thousand ducats, of ransom, if he would spare all their +lives." He answered, "that although he was a poor soldier, +he could not be governed by selfish interests, and if he were to +be merciful and lenient, he desired to be so without the suspicion +of other motives." The French captain returned to +urge the matter. "Do not deceive yourselves," said the +Adelantado, "for if Heaven were to join to earth, I would +do no otherwise than I have said." The French officer then +going towards where his people stood, said, that in accordance +with that understanding he would return shortly with +an answer; and within half an hour he returned and placed +in the boat, the standards, seventy arquebuses, twenty pistols, +a quantity of swords and shields, and some helmets and +breast-plates; and the captain came to where the General +stood, and said that all the French force there submitted +themselves to his clemency, and surrendered to him their +standards and their arms. The Adelantado then directed +twenty soldiers to go in the boat and bring the French, ten +by ten. The river was narrow and easy to pass, and he directed +Diego Flores de Valdes, Admiral of the Fleet, to receive +the standards and the arms, and to go in the boat and +see that the soldiers did not maltreat them. The Adelantado +then withdrew from the shore, about two bow shots, +behind a hillock of sand, within a copse of bushes, where +the persons who came in the boat which brought over the +French, could not see; and then said to the French captain +and the other eight Frenchmen who were there with him, +"Gentlemen, I have but few men with me, and they are not +very effective, and you are numerous; and, going unrestrained, +it would be an easy thing to take satisfaction upon +our men for those whom we destroyed when we took the +fort; and thus it is necessary that you should march with +hands tied behind, a distance of four leagues from here +where I have my camp." The French replied "that they +would do so;" and they had their hands tied strongly behind +their backs with the match ropes of the soldiers; and the +ten who came in the boat did not see those who had their<a name="page_045" id="page_045"></a> +hands tied, until they came up to the same place; for it was +so arranged, in order that the French who had not passed +the river, should not understand what was being done, and +might not be offended, and thus were tied two hundred and +eight Frenchmen. Of whom the Adelantado asked that if +any among them were Catholics, they should declare it. +Eight said that they were Catholics, and were separated +from the others and placed in a boat, that they might go by +the river to St. Augustine; and all the rest replied "that +they were of the new religion, and held themselves to be +very good Christians; that this was their faith and no other." +The Adelantado then gave the order to march with them, +having first given them meat and drink, as each ten arrived, +before being tied, which was done before the succeeding ten +arrived; and he directed one of his captains who marched +with the vanguard, that at a certain distance from there he +would observe a mark made by a lance, which he carried in +his hand, which would be in a sandy place that they would +be obliged to pass in going on their way towards the fort of +St. Augustine, and that there the prisoners should all be +destroyed; and he gave the one in command of the rearguard +the same orders; and it was done accordingly; when, +leaving there all of the dead, they returned the same night +before dawn, to the fort at St. Augustine, although it was +already sundown when the men were killed.'"<a name="FNanchor_11_11" id="FNanchor_11_11"></a><a href="#Footnote_11_11" class="fnanchor">[11]</a></p> + +<p>Such is the second part of this sad and bloody tragedy; +which took place at the Matanzas Inlet, about eighteen miles +south of the city of St. Augustine, and at the southerly end +of Anastasia Island. The account we have given, it must +be borne in mind, is that of De Solis, the brother-in-law and +apologist of Menendez; but even under his extenuating +hand the conduct of Menendez was that of one deaf to the +voice of humanity, and exulting in cold-blooded treachery, +dealing in vague generalities intended to deceive, while +affording a shallow apology for the actor. A massacre in +cold blood of poor shipwrecked, famished men, prisoners +yielding themselves to an expected clemency, tied up like +sheep, and butchered by poignard blows from behind, +shocked alike the moral sense of all to whom the tale +without regard to faith or flag.<a name="page_046" id="page_046"></a></p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII.<br /> +FATE OF RIBAULT AND HIS FOLLOWERS—BLOODY MASSACRE +AT MATANZAS—1565.</h3> + +<p>The first detachment of the French whom Menendez met +and so utterly destroyed, constituted the complement of a +single vessel, which had been thrown ashore at a more +northerly point than the others. All these vessels were +wrecked between Mosquito Inlet and Matanzas.</p> + +<p>Of the fate of the main detachment, under Ribault in person, +we have the following account, as related by the same +apologist, the chaplain De Solis:</p> + +<p>"On the next day following the return of the Adelantado +at St. Augustine, the same Indians who came before returned, +and said that 'a great many more Christians were at the +same part of the river as the others had been.' The Adelantado +concluded that it must be Jean Ribault, the General +of the Lutherans at sea and on land, whom they called the +Viceroy of this country for the king of France. He immediately +went, with one hundred and fifty men in good order, +and reached the place where he had lodged the first time, at +about midnight; and at dawn he pushed forward to the river, +with his men drawn out, and when it was daylight, he saw, +two bow-shots from the other bank of the river, many persons, +and a raft made to cross over the people, at the place +where the Adelantado stood. But immediately, when the +French saw the Adelantado and his people, they took arms, +and displayed a royal standard and two standards of companies, +sounding fifes and drums, in very good order, and +showing a front of battle to the Adelantado; who, having +ordered his men to sit down and take their breakfast, so +that they made no demonstration of any change, he himself +walked up and down the shore, with his admiral and two +other captains, paying no attention to the movement and +demonstration of battle of the French; so that they observing +this, halted and the fifes and the drums ceased, +while with a bugle note they unfurled the white flag of +peace, which was returned by the Adelantado. A Frenchman +placed himself upon the raft, and cried with a loud +voice that he wished to cross over, but that owing to the<a name="page_047" id="page_047"></a> +force of the current he could not bring the raft over, and +desired an Indian canoe which was there to be sent over. +The Adelantado said he could swim over for it, under pledge +of his word. A French sailor immediately came over, but +the General would not permit him to speak with him, but +directed him to take the canoe, and go and tell his captain, +that inasmuch as he called for a conference, if he desired +anything he should send over some one to communicate +with him. The same sailor immediately came with a gentleman, +who said he was the sergeant major of Jean Ribault, +Viceroy and Captain General of this land for the king of +France, and that he had sent him to say, that they had been +wrecked with their fleet in a great storm, and that he had +with him three hundred and fifty French; that they wished +to go to a fort which they held, twenty leagues from there; +that they wished the favor of boats, to pass this river, and +the other, four leagues further on, and that he desired to +know if they were Spaniards, and under what leader they +served.</p> + +<p>"The Adelantado answered him, that they were Spaniards, +and that the captain under whom they served was the +person now addressing him, and was called Pedro Menendez. +That he should tell his General that the fort which +he held twenty leagues from there had been taken by him, +and he had destroyed all the French, and the rest who had +come with the fleet, because they were badly governed; and +then, passing thence to where the dead bodies of the Frenchmen +whom he had killed still lay unburied, pointed them +out to him and said, therefore he could not permit them to +pass the river to their fort.</p> + +<p>"The sergeant, with an unmoved countenance, and without +any appearance of uneasiness on account of what the +Adelantado had said, replied, that if he would have the goodness +to send a gentleman of his party, to say to the French +general, that they might negotiate with safety, the people +were much exhausted, and the general would come over in +a boat which was there. The Adelantado replied, 'Farewell, +comrade, and bear the answer which they shall give +you; and if your general desires to come and treat with me, +I give my word that he shall come and return securely, with +four or six of his people whom he may select for his advisors, +that he may do whatever he may conclude to be +best.'</p> + +<p>"The French gentleman then departed with this message. +Within half an hour he returned to accept the assurance the<a name="page_048" id="page_048"></a> +Adelantado had given, and to obtain the boat; which the +Adelantado was unwilling to let him have, but said he could +use the canoe, which was safe, and the strait was narrow; +and he again went back with this message.</p> + +<p>"Immediately Jean Ribault came over, whom the Adelantado +received very well, with other eight gentleman, who +had come with him. They were all gentlemen of rank and +position. He gave them a collation, and would have given +them food if they had desired. Jean Ribault with much humility, +thanked him for his kind reception, and said that to +raise their spirits, much depressed by the sad news of the death +of their comrades, they would partake only of the wine and +condiments, and did not wish anything else to eat. Then +after eating, Jean Ribault said, 'that he saw that those his +companions were dead, and that he could not be mistaken if +he desired to be.' Then the Adelantado directed the soldiers +to bring each one whatever he had taken from the +fort; and he saw so many things that he knew for certain +that it was taken: although he knew this before, yet he +could not wholly believe it, because among his men there +was a Frenchman by name of Barbero, of those whom the +Adelantado had ordered to be destroyed with the rest, and +was left for dead with the others, having with the first thrust +he received fallen down and made as though he were dead, +and when they left there he had passed over by swimming, +to Ribault; and this Barbero held it for certain that the Adelantado +had deceived them in saying that the fort was taken, +it not being so; and thus until now he had supposed. The +Adelantado said that in order with more certainty to believe +this and satisfy himself, he might converse apart with the +two Frenchmen who were present, to satisfy him better; +which he did.</p> + +<p>"Immediately Jean Ribault came towards the Adelantado +and said, 'it was certain that all which he had told him was +true; but that what had happened to him, might have happened +to the Adelantado; and since their kings were brothers, +and such great friends, the Adelantado should act towards +him as a friend, and give him ships and provisions, +that he might return to France.'</p> + +<p>"The Adelantado replied in the same manner that he had +done to the other Frenchmen, as to what he would do; and +that taking it or leaving it, Jean Ribault could obtain nothing +further from the Adelantado. Jean Ribault then said +that he would go and give an account of matters to his people,<a name="page_049" id="page_049"></a> +for he had among them many of noble blood; and +would return or send an answer as to what he would do.</p> + +<p>"Three hours afterwards, Jean Ribault returned in the +canoe, and said, 'that there were different opinions among +his people; that while some were willing to yield themselves +to his clemency, others were not.' The Adelantado +replied 'that it mattered but little to him whether they all +came, or a part, or none at all; that they should do as it +pleased them, and he would act with the same liberty.' Jean +Ribault said to him, 'that the half of the people who were +willing to yield themselves to his clemency, would pay him +a ransom of more than 100,000 ducats; and the other half +were able to pay more, for there were among them persons +of wealth and large incomes, who had desired to establish +estates in this country.' The Adelantado answered him, +'It would grieve me much to lose so great and rich a ransom, +under the necessity I am under for such aid, to carry +forward the conquest and settlement of this land, in the +name of my king, as is my duty, and to plant here the Holy +Evangel.' Jean Ribault considered from this, that with the +amount they could all give, he might be induced to spare +his own life and that of all the others who were with him, and +that they might be able to pay more than 200,000 ducats; +and he said to the Adelantado, 'that he would return with +his answer to his people; that as it was late, he would take +it as a favor if he would be willing to wait until the following +day, when, he would bring their reply as to what they would +conclude to do.' The Adelantado said, 'Yes, that he would +wait.' Jean Ribault then went back to his people, it being +already sunset. In the morning, he returned with the canoe, +and surrendered to the Adelantado two royal standards—the +one that of the king of France, the other that of the +Admiral (Coligny),—and the standards of the company, and +a sword, dagger, and helmet, gilded very beautifully; and +also a shield, a pistol, and a commission given him under +the high admiral of France, to assure to him his title and +possessions.</p> + +<p>"He then said to him, 'that but one hundred and fifty of +the three hundred and fifty whom he had with him were +willing to yield to his clemency, and that the others had +withdrawn during the night; and that they might take the +boat and bring those who were willing to come over, and +their arms.' The Adelantado immediately directed the captain, +Diego Flores Valdes, Admiral of the fleet, that he +should bring them over as he had done the others, ten by<a name="page_050" id="page_050"></a> +ten; and the Adelantado, taking Jean Ribault behind the +sand hills, among the bushes where the others had their +hands tied behind them, he said to these and all the others +as he had done before, that they had four leagues to go after +night, and that he could not permit them to go unbound; +and after they were all tied, he asked if they were Catholics +or Lutherans, or if any of them desired to make confession.</p> + +<p>"Jean Ribault replied, 'that all who were there were of +the new religion,' and he then began to repeat the psalm, +'<i>Domine! Memento! Mei</i>;' and having finished, he said, 'that +from dust they came and to dust they must return, and that +in twenty years, more or less, he must render his final account; +that the Adelantado might do with them as he +chose.' The Adelantado then ordered all to be killed, in +the same order and at the same mark, as had been done to +the others. He spared only the fifers, drummers, and trumpeters, +and four others who said that they were Catholics, in +all, sixteen persons." "<i>Todos los demas fueron degallados</i>,"—"all +the rest were slaughtered," is the sententious summary +lay which Padre de Solis announced the close of the sad +career of the gray-haired veteran, the brave soldier, the Admiral +Jean Ribault, and his companions.<a name="FNanchor_12_12" id="FNanchor_12_12"></a><a href="#Footnote_12_12" class="fnanchor">[12]</a></p> + +<p>At some point on the thickly-wooded shores of the Island +of Anastasio, or beneath the shifting mounds of sand which +mark its shores, may still lie the bones of some of the three +hundred and fifty who, spared from destruction by the tempest, +and escaping the perils of the sea and of the savage, +fell victims to the vindictive rancor and blind rage of one +than whom history recalls none more cruel, or less humane. +But while their bones, scattered on earth and sea, unhonored +and unburied, were lost to human sight, the tale of their +destruction and sad fate, scattered in like manner over the +whole world, has raised to their memory through sympathy +with their fate, a memorial which will endure as long as the +pages of history.</p> + +<p>The Adelantado returned that night to St. Augustine, +where, says his apologist, some persons censured him for +his cruelty. Others commended what he had done, as the +act of a good general, and said that even if they had been +Catholics, he could not have done more justly than he had +done for them; for with the few provisions that the Adelantado +had, either the one or the other people would have had +to perish with hunger, and the French would have destroyed +our people: they were the most numerous.<a name="FNanchor_13_13" id="FNanchor_13_13"></a><a href="#Footnote_13_13" class="fnanchor">[13]</a><a name="page_051" id="page_051"></a></p> + +<p>We have still to trace the fate of the body of two hundred, +who retired from Ribault after his final determination to +surrender to the tender mercies of Menendez. As we are +already aware, it comprised the elite of his force, men of +standing and rank, and whose spirits had retained energy +to combat against the natural discouragements of their position; +and they adopted the nobler resolve of selling their +lives, at least with their swords in their hands.</p> + +<p>De Solis proceeds to give the following further account of +them:—</p> + +<p>"Twenty days subsequently to the destruction of these, +some Indians came to the Adelantado, and informed him by +signs, that eight days' journey from here to the southward, +near the Bahama Channel, at Canaveral, a large number of +people, brethren of those whom the General had caused to +be killed, were building a fort and a vessel. The Adelantado +at once came to the conclusion, that the French had +retired to the place where their vessels were wrecked, and +where their artillery and munitions, and provisions were, in +order to build a vessel and return to France to procure succor. +The General thereupon dispatched from St. Augustine +to St. Matteo, ten of his soldiers, conveying intelligence +of what had taken place, and directing that they should +send to him one hundred and fifty of the soldiers there, +with the thirty-five others who remained when he returned +to St. Augustine, after taking the fort. The master of the +camp immediately dispatched them, under command of Captains +Juan Velez de Medrano and Andrez Lopez Patrio; +and they arrived at St. Augustine on October 23d. On the +25th, after having heard mass, the Adelantado departed for +the coast, with three hundred men, and three small vessels +to go by sea with the arms and provisions; and the vessels +were to go along and progress equally with the troops; and +each night when the troops halted, the vessels also anchored +by them, for it was a clear and sandy coast.</p> + +<p>"The Adelantado carried in the three vessels provisions +for forty days for three hundred men, and one day's ration +was to last for two days; and he promised to do everything +for the general good of all, although they might have to +undergo many dangers and privations; that he had great +hope that he would have the goodness and mercy of God to +aid him in carrying through safely this so holy and pious an +undertaking. He then took leave of them, leaving most of +them in tears, for he was much loved, feared, and respected +by all.<a name="FNanchor_14_14" id="FNanchor_14_14"></a><a href="#Footnote_14_14" class="fnanchor">[14]</a><a name="page_052" id="page_052"></a></p> + +<p>"The Adelantado, after a wearisome journey, marching +on foot himself the whole distance, arrived in the neighborhood +of the French camp on All Saints Day, at daylight, +guided by the Indians by land, and the three vessels under +the command of Captain Diego de Maya. As soon as the +French descried the Spaniards, they fled to their fort, without +any remaining. The Adelantado sent them a trumpeter, +offering them their lives, that they should return and +should receive the same treatment as the Spaniards. One +hundred and fifty came to the Adelantado; and their leader, +with twenty others, sent to say that they would sooner be +devoured by the Indians, than surrender themselves to the +Spaniards. The Adelantado received those who surrendered, +very well, and having set fire to the fort, which was +of wood, burned the vessel which they were building, and +buried the artillery, for the vessels could not carry them."</p> + +<p>De Solis here closes his account of the matter; but from +other accounts we learn that the Adelantado kept his faith +on this occasion with them, and that some entered his service, +some were converted to his faith, and others returned +to France; and thus ended the Huguenot attempt to colonize +the shores of Florida.</p> + +<p>There are several other accounts of the fate of Ribault +and his followers, drawn from the narratives of survivors +of the expedition, which, without varying the general order +of events, fill in sundry details of the massacres. The main +point of difference is, as to the pledges or assurances given +by Menendez. The French accounts say that he pledged +his faith to them that their lives should be spared.<a name="FNanchor_15_15" id="FNanchor_15_15"></a><a href="#Footnote_15_15" class="fnanchor">[15]</a> It will +be seen that the Spanish account denies that he did so, but +makes him use language subject to misconstruction, and +calculated to deceive them into the hope and expectation of +safety. I do not see that in a Christian or even moral view +there is much difference between an open breach of faith +and the breach of an implied faith, particularly when it was +only by this deception that the surrender could have been +accomplished. Nor could Menendez have had a very delicate +sense of the value of the word of a soldier, a Christian, +and a gentleman, when, as his apologist admits, he did directly +use the language of falsehood, to induce them to submit +to the degradation of having their hands tied.</p> + +<p>Nor, considered in its broader aspects is it a matter of any<a name="page_053" id="page_053"></a> +consequence whether he gave his word or no; nor does it +lessen the enormity of his conduct, had they submitted +themselves in the most unreserved manner to his discretion. +France and Spain were at peace; no act of hostility had +been committed by the French toward the Spaniards; and +Ribault asked only to be allowed to pass on. In violation +alike of the laws of war and the law of humanity, he first +induced them to surrender, to abide what God, whose holy +name he invoked, should put into his heart to do, and then +cajoling them into allowing their hands to be tied, he ordered +them to be killed, in their bonds as they stood, defenseless, +helpless, wrecked, and famished men. It would +have been a base blot upon human nature, had he thus +served the most savage tribe of nations, standing on that far +shore, brought into the common sympathy of want and suffering. +The act seems one of monstrous atrocity, when committed +against the people of a sister nation.<a name="page_054" id="page_054"></a></p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX.<br /> +FORTIFYING OF ST. AUGUSTINE—DISAFFECTIONS AND MUTINIES—APPROVAL<br /> +OF MENENDEZ' ACTS BY THE KING<br /> +OF SPAIN. 1565-1568.</h3> + +<p>During the time of the several expeditions of the Adelantado +against the French Huguenots, the fortification +and strengthening of the defenses of the settlement at St. +Augustine had not been neglected. The fort, or Indian +council-house, which had been first fortified, seems to have +been consumed in the conflagration spoken of; and thereupon +a plan of a regular fortification or fort was marked +out by Menendez; and, as there existed same danger of the +return of the French, the Spaniards labored unceasingly +with their whole force, to put it in a respectable state of defense. +From an engraving contained in De Bry, illustrating +the attack of Sir Francis Drake, twenty years afterwards, +this fort appears to have been an octagonal structure of logs, +and located near the site of the present fort, while the settlement +itself was probably made in the first instance, at +the lower end of the peninsula, near the building now called +"the powder-house."</p> + +<p>He also established a government for the place, with civil +and military officials, a hall of justice, etc.</p> + +<p>All of these matters were arranged by Menendez before +his expedition against the French at Canaveral, of whom +one hundred and fifty returned with him, and were received +upon an equal footing with his own men, the more distinguished +being received at his own table upon the most +friendly terms; a clemency which, with a knowledge of his +character, can only be ascribed to motives of policy. The +position of the French at Canaveral was probably inaccessible, +as they had their arms, besides artillery brought from +the vessels; and the duplicity which had characterized his +success with their comrades, was out of the question here; +the French could therefore exact their own terms, and unshackled +could forcibly resist any attempt at treachery.</p> + +<p>The addition of this number to his force lessened the +already diminished supply of provisions which Menendez +had brought with him; and want soon began to threaten his +camp. He sent as many of his soldiers as he could into<a name="page_055" id="page_055"></a> +camp at San Matteo, and endeavored to draw supplies from +the Indians; but unfortunately for him, the country between +the St. Johns and St. Augustine was under the rule of the +Indian Chief, Satouriara, the friend (and ally of the French), +whose hostility the Spaniards were never able to overcome. +Satouriara and his followers withdrew from all peaceable +intercourse with the Spaniards, and hung about their path +to destroy, harrass, and cut them off upon every possible +occasion.</p> + +<p>The winter succeeding the settlement of the Spaniards at +St. Augustine, was most distressing and discouraging to +them. The lack of provisions in their camp drove them to +seek, in the surrounding country, subsistence from the roots +and esculent plants it might afford, or to obtain in the neighboring +creeks, fish and oysters; but no sooner did a Spaniard +venture out alone beyond, the gates of the fort, than he was +grasped, by some unseen foe, from the low underbrush and +put to death, or a shower of arrows from some tree-top was +his first intimation of danger; if he discharged his arquebuse +towards his invisible assailants, others would spring +upon him before he could reload his piece; or, if he attempted +to find fish and oysters in some quiet creek, the +noiseless canoe of an Indian would dart in upon him, and +the heavy war-club of the savage descending upon his unprotected +head, end his existence. Against such a foe, no defense +could avail; and it is related that more than one hundred +and twenty of the Spaniards were thus killed, including +Captain Martin de Ochoa, Captain Diego de Hevia, Fernando +de Gamboa, and Juan Menendez, a nephew of the +Adelantado, and many others of the bravest and most distinguished +of the garrison.</p> + +<p>In this crisis of affairs, the Governor concluded to go to +Cuba himself, to obtain relief for his colony. He in the +meantime established a fort at St. Lucia, near Canaveral. +A considerable jealousy seems to have existed on the part +of the governor of Cuba; and he received Menendez with +great coolness, and in reply to his appeals for aid, only offered +an empty vessel. In this emergency, Menendez contemplated, +as his only means of obtaining what he wished, +to go upon a filibustering expedition against some Portuguese +and English vessels which were in those waters. While +making preparations to do this, four vessels of the fleet with +which he had left Spain, and which had been supposed lost, +arrived; and after dispatching a vessel to Campeachy for +provisions, he commenced his return voyage to his colony,<a name="page_056" id="page_056"></a> +delaying however for a time in South Florida, to seek intelligence +among the Indians of his lost son.</p> + +<p>In the meantime his garrisons at St. Augustine and San +Matteo had mutinied, and were in open revolt; provisions +had become so scarce that twenty-five reals had been given for +a pound of biscuit, and but for the fish they would have +starved. They plundered the public stores, imprisoned their +officers, and seized upon a vessel laden with provisions +which had been sent to the garrison. The Master of the +Camp succeeded in escaping from confinement and releasing +his fellow prisoners, by a bold movement cut off the intercourse +between the mutineers on board the vessel and those +on shore, and hung the Sergeant Major, who was at the head +of the movement. The Commandant then attempted to +attack those in the vessel, and was nearly lost with his companions, +by being wrecked on the bar. The vessel made +sail to the West India Islands. The garrison at San Matteo +took a vessel there and come around to St. Augustine, but +arrived after their accomplices had left.</p> + +<p>Disease had already begun to make its ravages, and added +to the general wish to leave the country; which all would +then have done had they had the vessels in which to embark. +They used for their recovery from sickness, the roots of a +native shrub, which produced marvelous cures.</p> + +<p>At this period Menendez returned to the famished garrison, +but was forced to permit Juan Vicente, with one hundred +of the disaffected, to go to St. Domingo by a vessel +which he dispatched there for supplies; and it is said that +the governors of the islands where they went, harbored +them, and that of some five hundred who on different occasions +deserted from the Adelantado, and all of whom had +been brought out at his cost, but two or three were ever returned +to him; while the deserters putting their own construction +upon their acts, sent home to the king of Spain +criminations of the Adelantado, and represented the conquest +of Florida, as a hopeless and worthless acquisition; +that it was barren and swampy, and produced nothing.</p> + +<p>After this defection, Menendez proceeded along the coast +to San Matteo, and thence to Guale, Amelia, and adjoining +islands, Orista and St. Helena; made peaceful proposals to +the Indian tribes, lectured them upon theology, and planted +a cross at their council-houses. The cacique of Guale asked +Menendez how it was "that he had waged war upon the +other white men, who had come from the same country as +himself?" He replied, "that the other white people were<a name="page_057" id="page_057"></a> +bad Christians, and believers in lies; and that those whom +he had killed, deserved the most cruel death, because they +had fled their own country, and came to mislead and deceive +the caciques and other Indians, as they had already before +misled and deceived many other good Christians, in order +that the devil may take possession of them." While at St. +Helena he succeeded in obtaining permission of the Indians +to erect a fort there, and he left a detachment. On his return +he also erected fort San Felipe, at Orista; and after +setting up a cross at Guale, the cacique demanded of him, +that as now they had become good Christians, he should +cause rain to come upon their fields; for a drought had continued +eight months. The same night a severe rain-storm +happened, which confirmed the faith of the Indians, and +gained the Adelantado great credit with them. While here, +he learned that there was a fugitive Lutheran among the +Indians, and he took some pains to cause to be given to the +fugitive hopes of good treatment if he would come into the +Spanish post at St. Helena, while he gave private directions +that he should be killed, directing his lieutenant to make +very strange of his disappearance; an incident very illustrative +of the vindictiveness and duplicity of Menendez.<a name="FNanchor_16_16" id="FNanchor_16_16"></a><a href="#Footnote_16_16" class="fnanchor">[16]</a></p> + +<p>He returned to St. Augustine, and was received with great +joy, and devoted himself to the completion of the fort, which +was to frighten the savages, and enforce respect from strangers. +It was built, it is said, where it now stands, <i>donde este +ahora</i>, (1722.)</p> + +<p>The colony left at St. Helena mutinied almost immediately, +and seizing a vessel sent with supplies, sailed for Cuba, +and were wrecked on the Florida Keys, where they met at +an Indian town the mutineers who had deserted from the +fort at St. Matteo: these had been also wrecked there.</p> + +<p>The garrison again becoming much straitened for provisions, +the Adelantado, in June, was obliged to go to Cuba +for succor. He was received with indifference, and his +wishes unheeded. He applied to the governor of Mexico, +and others who happened to be there, and who had the +power of assisting him; from all he received no encouragement, +but the advice to abandon his enterprise. He at last +pawned his jewels, the badge of his order, and his valuables, +thus obtaining five hundred ducats; with which he purchased +provisions, and set sail on his return, with only sixty-five +men.</p> + +<p>But just at this period succor came to the famished<a name="page_058" id="page_058"></a> +troops; a fleet of seventeen vessels arrived with fifteen hundred +men from Spain, under Juan de Avila, as admiral. +By this means all the posts were succored and reinforced, +and the enterprise saved from destruction; for the small +supplies brought by Menendez would have been soon exhausted, +and further efforts being out of his power, they +would have been forced to withdraw from the country.</p> + +<p>The admiral of the fleet also had entrusted to him for the +Adelantado a letter from the king, written on the 12th of +May, 1566, which, among other matters, contained the following +royal commendation of the acts of Menendez. "Of +the great success which has attended your enterprise, we +have the most entire satisfaction, and we bear in memory +the loyalty, the love, and the diligence, with which you +have borne us service, as well as the dangers and perils in +which you have been placed; and as to the <i>retribution</i> you +have visited upon the Lutheran pirates who sought to occupy +that country, and to fortify themselves there, in order +to disseminate in it their wicked creed, and to prosecute +there their wrongs and robberies, which they have done +and were doing against God's service and my own, we believe +that you did it with every justification and propriety, +and we consider ourself to have been well served in so +doing."<a name="FNanchor_17_17" id="FNanchor_17_17"></a><a href="#Footnote_17_17" class="fnanchor">[17]</a></p> + +<p>To this commendation of Philip II., it is unnecessary to +add any comment, save that no other action could have +been expected of him. And of Charles the Ninth, of +France, the Spanish historian says that he treated the memorial +of the widows and orphans of the slain with contempt, +"considering their punishment to have been just, in +that they were equally enemies of Spain, of France, of the +Church, and of the peace of the world."</p> + +<p>During the absence of Menendez to inspect his posts, +disaffection again broke out; and finding his force too numerous, +he with sixteen vessels went upon a freebooting +expedition to attack pirates. He failed to meet with any; +but having learned that a large French fleet was on its way, +he visited and fortified the forts on the islands of Cuba, +Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico, and again returned to Florida; +the expected French fleet never having arrived. About +this time, a small vessel brought from Spain three learned +and exemplary priests; one of whom, Padre Martinez, +landed upon the coast with some of the crew, and being +unable to regain the vessel, coasted along to St. George<a name="page_059" id="page_059"></a> +Island, where he was attacked and murdered by the Indians, +with a number of his companions.</p> + +<p>The following year was principally occupied by Menendez, +in strengthening his fortifications at his three forts, in visiting +the Indian chiefs at their towns, and exploring the +country. One of his expeditions went as far north as the +thirty-seventh degree of latitude by sea, and another went +to the foot of the Apalachian Mountains, about one hundred +and fifty leagues, and established a fort. The former +was about the mouth of the Chesapeake, called the Santa +Maria,<a name="FNanchor_18_18" id="FNanchor_18_18"></a><a href="#Footnote_18_18" class="fnanchor">[18]</a> and the land expedition, probably to the up-country +of Georgia, in the neighborhood of Rome.</p> + +<p>All attempts at pacifying their warlike neighbor were as +fruitless as their attempts to subjugate him; whether in +artifice and duplicity, in open warfare, or secret ambush, +he was more than equal to the Adelantado, and was a +worthy ancestor of the modern Seminole,—never present +when looked for, and never absent when an opportunity of +striking a blow occurred.</p> + +<p>The Adelantado having had built an extremely slight +vessel of less than twenty tons, called a frigate, concluded to +visit Spain, and ran in seventeen days to the Azores, sailing +seventy leagues per day, an exploit not often equaled in +modern times. He was received with great joy in Spain, +and the king treated him with much consideration. The +Adelantado felt great anxiety to return to his colony, +and deprecated the delays of the court, fearing the result of +the indignation at his cruelty to the Huguenots, which, says +his chronicler, increased day by day.<a name="FNanchor_19_19" id="FNanchor_19_19"></a><a href="#Footnote_19_19" class="fnanchor">[19]</a><a name="page_060" id="page_060"></a></p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X.<br /> +THE NOTABLE REVENGE OF DOMINIC DE GOURGUES—RETURN +OF MENENDEZ—INDIAN MISSION—1568.</h3> + +<p>While Menendez thus remained at the Spanish court +urging the completion of his business, seeking compensation +for the great expenditures which he had made in the +king's service, and vindicating himself from the accusations +which had been preferred against him,—the revenge, the +distant murmurs of which had already reached his ears, fell +upon the Spaniards on the St. Johns.</p> + +<p>Dominic de Gourgues, one of those soldiers of fortune +who then abounded throughout Europe, took upon himself +the expression of the indignation with which the French +nation viewed the slaughter of their countrymen. From +motives of policy, or from feelings still less creditable, the +French court ignored the event; but it rankled nevertheless +in the national heart, and many a secret vow of revenge +was breathed, the low whispers of which reached even the +confines of the Spanish court. Conscience, and the knowledge +that the sentiment of the age was against him, made +Menendez from the moment of his success exceedingly +anxious lest well-merited retribution should fall upon his +own colony. He guarded against it in every way in his +power; he strengthened all his posts; he erected for the +protection of San Matteo, formerly Fort Caroline, two small +forts on either side of the entrance of the river, at the points +now known as Batten Island and Mayport Mills. He placed +large garrisons at each post, and had made such arrangements +against surprise or open attack upon his forts, that +Father Mendoza boasted that, "half of all France could not +take them."</p> + +<p>De Gourgues, with three vessels and about two hundred +and fifty chosen men, animated with like feelings with himself, +appeared in April, 1568, off the mouth of the St. Johns. +The Spanish fort received his vessels with a salute, supposing +them to be under the flag of Spain. De Gourgues +returned the salute, thus confirming their error. He then +entered the St. Marys, called the Somme, and was met by +a large concourse of Indians, friendly to the French and bitterly<a name="page_061" id="page_061"></a> +hostile to the Spaniards, at the head of whom was the +stern and uncompromising Satouriara. Their plans were +quickly formed, and immediately carried into execution. +Their place of rendezvous was the Fort George Inlet, called +by them the Sarabay; and they traversed that island at low +tide, fell suddenly upon the fort at Batten Island on the +north side of the river, completely surprising it. The force +occupying the Spanish forts amounted to four hundred men, +one hundred and twenty of whom occupied the two forts at +the mouth of the river, and the remainder Fort Caroline. +The French with their Indian allies approached the fort on +the north side of the river at day-break. Having waded the +intervening marsh and creek, to the great damage of their +feet and legs by reason of the oyster banks, they arrived +within two hundred yards of the post, when they were discovered +by the sentinel upon the platform of the fort; who +immediately cried, "to arms," and discharged twice at the +French a culverin which had been taken at Fort Caroline. +Before he could load it a third time the brave Olatocara +leaped upon him, and killed him with a pike. Gourgues +then charging in, the garrison, by this time alarmed, rushed +out, armed hastily and seeking escape; another part of +Gourgues' force coming up, inclosed the Spaniards between +them, and all but fifteen of the garrison perished on the +spot; the others were taken prisoners, only to be reserved +for the summary vengeance which the French leader meditated.</p> + +<p>The Spanish garrison in the other fort kept up in the +mean time a brisk cannonade, which incommoded the assailants, +who however soon managed to point the pieces of +the fort they had taken; and under the cover of this fire the +French crossed to the other fort, their Indian allies in great +numbers swimming with them. The garrison of sixty men, +panic-struck, made no attempt at resistance, but fled, endeavoring +to reach the main fort; being intercepted by the +Indians in one direction, and by the French in another, but +few made good their escape. These, arriving at Fort Caroline, +carried an exaggerated account of the number of their +assailants.</p> + +<p>De Gourgues at once pushed forward to attack Fort Caroline, +while its defenders were terrified at the suddenness of +his attack, and the supposed strength of his force. Upon +his arrival near the fort, the Spanish commander sent out a +detachment of sixty men, to make a reconnoisance. De +Gourgues skillfully interposed a body of his own men with<a name="page_062" id="page_062"></a> +a large number of the Indians between the reconnoitering +party and the fort, and then with his main force charged +upon them in front: when the Spaniards, turning to seek the +shelter of the fort, were met by the force in their rear, and +were all either killed or taken prisoners. Seeing this misfortune, +the Spanish commander despaired of being able to +hold the fortress, and determined to make a timely retreat +to St. Augustine. In attempting this, most of his followers +fell into the hands of the Indians, and were slain upon the +spot; the commandant with a few others alone escaped.</p> + +<p>De Gourgues, now completely successful in making retaliation +for the fate of his countrymen on the same spot +where they suffered, on the same tree which had borne the +bodies of the Huguenots caused his prisoners to be suspended; +and as Menendez had on the former occasion erected +a tablet that they had been punished "not as Frenchmen +but as Lutherans," so De Gourgues in like manner erected +an inscription that he had done this to them "<i>not as to +Spaniards, nor as to outcasts, but as to traitors, thieves and murderers</i>."<a name="FNanchor_20_20" id="FNanchor_20_20"></a><a href="#Footnote_20_20" class="fnanchor">[20]</a></p> + +<p>After inducing the Indians to destroy the forts, and to +raze them to the ground, he set sail for France, arriving +safely without further adventure.</p> + +<p>His conduct was at the time disavowed and censured by +the French court; and the Spanish ambassador had the assurance, +in the name of that master who had publicly declared +his approval of the conduct of Menendez, to demand +the surrender of De Gourgues to his vengeance. The brave +captain, however the crown might seem to disapprove, was +secretly sustained and protected by many distinguished persons +official and private, and by the mass of the people; to +whom his boldness, spirit, and signal success were grateful. +Some years afterwards he was restored to the favor of his +sovereign, and appointed admiral of the fleet.</p> + +<p>That De Gourgues deserves censure, cannot be denied; +but there will always exist an admiration for his courage +and intrepid valor, with a sympathy for the bitter provocations +under which he acted, both personal and national; a +sympathy not shared with Menendez, who visited his wrath +upon the religious opinions of men, while De Gourgues was +the unauthorized avenger of undoubted crime and inhumanity. +Both acted in violation of the pure spirit of that<a name="page_063" id="page_063"></a> +Christianity which they alike professed to revere, under the +same form.</p> + +<p>While these scenes were enacting on the St. Johns, +Menendez was on his way to his colonies, where he first +heard of the descent of De Gourgues, then on his way back +to France. The Adelantado upon his arrival found his +troops hungry and naked, and their relations with the Indians +worse than ever. Having made such arrangements +as were in his power, he returned to Havana, to further his +plans for introducing Christianity among the Indians; to +which, to his credit be it said, he devoted the greater share +of his time and attention. Father Rogel applied himself to +learning their language, with great success; and an institution +was established in Havana especially for their instruction. +In the Ensayo Cronologica, there is set forth in full, a +rescript addressed by Pope Pius V., to Menendez, conveying +to him the acknowledgements of his Holiness for the zeal +and loyalty he had exhibited, and his labors in carrying the +faith to the Indians, and urging him strongly to see to it +that his Indian converts should not be scandalized by the +vicious lives of their white brethren who claimed to be +Christians.</p> + +<p>A small party of Spaniards, as has already been mentioned, +accompanied by a priest, De Quiros, had been left +upon the Chesapeake, and under the auspices of a young +converted chief, who had been some time with the Spaniards +in Havana and Florida, anticipated a more easy access to +the Indian tribes in that region. Another priest, with ten +associates, went the following year; when, after they had +sent away their vessel, they discovered that their predecessor +had been murdered, through the treachery of the renegade +apostate; and they themselves shortly fell victims to +his perfidy. Menendez dispatched a third vessel there; +when the fate of the two former parties was ascertained, and +he went in person to chastise the murderers; he succeeded in +capturing six or seven, who, it is said, (rather improbably I +think), confessed themselves to have been implicated in the +massacre. Menendez, in his summary and sailor-like way, +ordered their execution at the yard-arm of his vessel. The +Cronicle says that they were first converted and baptized, +by the zeal of Father Rogel, before the sentence was carried +into execution. A long period elapsed before any +further efforts were made in this quarter to establish a colony; +and it was then accomplished by the English. In consequence +of these temporary establishments, however, the<a name="page_064" id="page_064"></a> +Spanish crown, for a long period, claimed the whole of the +intervening country, as lying within its Province of Florida.</p> + +<p>The annals of the city during the remainder of the life of +Menendez, present only the usual vicissitudes of new settlements,—the +alternations of supply and want, occasional +disaffections, and petty annoyances.</p> + +<p>Menendez was the recipient from his court of new honors +from time to time, and had been appointed the grand +admiral of the Spanish Armada; when, in September, 1574, +he was suddenly carried off by a fever, at the age of fifty-five. +It is a singular coincidence that De Gourgues, five years +afterwards, was carried off in a similar manner, just after +his appointment as admiral of the French fleet. A splendid +monument in the church of San Nicolas, at Aviles, was +erected to the memory of Menendez, with the following inscription:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"<span class="smcap">Here lies buried the illustrious Cavalier, Pedro +Menendez de Aviles, a native of this city, Adelantado +of the Provinces of Florida, Knight Commander of Santa +Cruz of the order of Santiago, and Captain General of +the Oceanic Seas and of the Armada which his Royal +Highness collected at Santander in the year 1574, where +he died on the 17th of September of that year, in the +55th year of his age.</span>"</p></div> + +<p><a name="page_065" id="page_065"></a></p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a>CHAPTER XI.<br /> +SIR FRANCIS DRAKE'S ATTACK UPON ST. AUGUSTINE—ESTABLISHMENT +OF MISSIONS—MASSACRE OF MISSIONARIES +AT ST. AUGUSTINE—1586-1638.</h3> + +<p>Nine years had elapsed from the death of Menendez, and +the colony at St. Augustine had slowly progressed into the +settlement of a small town; but the eclat and importance +which the presence of Menendez had given it, were much +lessened; when, in 1586, Sir Francis Drake, with a fleet returning +from South America, discovered the Spanish look-out +upon Anastasia Island, and sent boats ashore to ascertain +something in reference to it. Marching up the shore, +they discovered across the bay, a fort, and further up a +town built of wood.</p> + +<p>Proceeding towards the fort, which bore the name of San +Juan de Pinas, some guns were fired upon them from it, +and they retired towards their vessel; the same evening a +fifer made his appearance, and informed them that he was +a Frenchman, detained a prisoner there, and that the +Spaniards had abandoned their fort; and he offered to +conduct them over. Upon this information they crossed +the river and found the fort abandoned as they had been +informed, and took possession of it without opposition. It +was built entirely of wood, and only surrounded by a wall +or pale formed of the bodies or trunks of large trees, set upright +in the earth; for, says the narrative, it was not at that +time inclosed by a ditch, as it had been but lately begun by the +Spaniards. The platforms were made of the bodies of +large pine trees (of which there are plenty here), laid horizontally +across each other, with earth rammed in to fill up +the vacancies. Fourteen brass cannon were found in the +fort, and there was left behind the treasure chest, containing +£2,000 sterling, designed for the payment of the +garrison, which consisted of one hundred and fifty men. +Whether the massive, iron-bound mahogany chest,<a name="FNanchor_21_21" id="FNanchor_21_21"></a><a href="#Footnote_21_21" class="fnanchor">[21]</a> still +preserved in the old fort is the same which fell into the<a name="page_066" id="page_066"></a> +hands of Drake, is a question for antiquaries to decide; its +ancient appearance might well justify the supposition.</p> + +<p>On the following day, Drake's forces marched towards the +town, but owing, it is said, to heavy rains, were obliged to +return and go in the boats. On their approach, the Spaniards +fled into the country. It is said, in Barcia, that a +Spaniard concealed in the bushes, fired at the sergeant major +and wounded him, and then ran up and dispatched him, +and that in revenge for this act, Drake burnt their buildings +and destroyed their gardens. The garrison and inhabitants +retired to fort San Matteo, on the St. Johns river. Barcia +says that the population of the place was then increasing +considerably, and that it possessed a hall of justice, parochial +church, and other buildings, together with gardens in the +rear of the town.</p> + +<p>An engraved plan or view of Drake's descent upon St. +Augustine, published after his return to England, represents +an octagonal fort between two streams; at the distance of +half a mile another stream; beyond that the town, with a +look-out and two religious houses, one of which is a church, +and the other probably the house of the Franciscans, who +had shortly before established a house of their order there. +The town contains three squares lengthwise, and four in +width, with gardens on the west side.</p> + +<p>Some doubt has been thrown on the actual site of the +first settlement, by this account; but I think it probably +stood considerably to the south of the present public square, +between the barracks and the powder-house. Perhaps the +Maria Sanchez creek may have then communicated with the +bay near its present head, in wet weather and at high tides +isolating the fort from the town. The present north ditch +may have been the bed of a tide creek, and thus would correspond +to the appearance presented by the sketch. It is +well known that the north end of the city was built at a +much later period than the southern, and that the now vacant +space below the barracks, was once occupied with +buildings. Buildings and fields are shown upon Anastasia +Island, opposite the town. The relative position of the +town with reference to the entrance of the harbor is correctly +shown on the plan; and there seems no sufficient +ground to doubt the identity of the present town with the +ancient locality.</p> + +<p>The garrison and country were then under the command +of Don Pedro Menendez, a nephew of the Adelantado, who, +after the English squadron sailed, having received assistance<a name="page_067" id="page_067"></a> +from Havana began, it is said, to rebuild the city, and +made great efforts to increase its population, and to induce +the Indians to settle in its neighborhood.</p> + +<p>In 1592, twelve Franciscan missionaries arrived at St. Augustine, +with their Superior, Fray Jean de Silva, and placed +themselves under the charge of Father Francis Manon, +Warden of the convent of St. Helena. One of them, a Mexican, +Father Francis Panja, drew up in the language of the +Yemasees his "Abridgment of Christian Doctrine," said to +be the first work compiled in any of our Indian languages.</p> + +<p>The Franciscan Father Corpa established a Mission +house for the Indians at Talomato, in the northwest portion +of the city of St, Augustine, where there was then an Indian +village. Father Blas de Rodriguez, also called Montes, had +an Indian Church at a village of the Indians called Tapoqui, +situated on the creek called Cano de la Leche, north of the +fort; and the church bearing the name of "Our Lady of the +Milk" was situated on the elevated ground a quarter of a +mile north of the fort, near the creek. A stone church +existed at this locality as late as 1795, and the crucifix belonging +to it is preserved in the Roman Catholic Church at +St. Augustine.</p> + +<p>These missions proceeded with considerable apparent success, +large numbers of the Indians being received and instructed +both at this and other missions.</p> + +<p>Among the converts at the mission of Talomato, was the +son of the cacique of the province of Guale, a proud and +high-spirited young leader, who by no means submitted to +the requirements of his spiritual fathers, but indulged in +excesses which scandalized his profession. Father Corpa, +after trying private remonstrances and warnings in vain, +thought it necessary to administer to him a public rebuke. +This aroused the pride of the young chief, and he suddenly +left the mission, determined upon revenge. He gathered +from the interior a band of warriors, whom he inspired with +his own hatred against the missionaries. Returning to +Talomato with his followers under the cover of night, he +crept up to the mission house, burst open the chapel doors, +and slew the devoted Father Corpa while at prayer; then +severed his head from his body, set it upon a pikestaff, and +threw his body out into the forest where it could never afterwards +be found. The scene of this tragedy was in the +neighborhood of the present Roman Catholic cemetery of +St. Augustine.</p> + +<p>As soon as this occurrence became known in the Indian<a name="page_068" id="page_068"></a> +village, all was excitement; some of the most devoted bewailing +the death of their spiritual father, while others +dreaded the consequences of so rash an act, and shrunk with +terror from the vengeance of the Spaniards, which they foresaw +would soon follow. The young chief of Guale gathered +them around him, and in earnest tones addressed them. +"Yes," said he, "the friar is dead. It would not have been +done, if he would have allowed us to live as we did before +we became Christians. We desire to return to our ancient +customs; and we must provide for our defense against the +punishment which will be hurled upon us by the Governor +of Florida, which, if it be allowed to reach us, will be as +rigorous for this single friar as if we had killed them all.—For +the same power which we possess to destroy this one +priest, we have to destroy them all."</p> + +<p>His followers approved of what had been done, and said +there was no doubt but what the same vengeance would fall +upon them for the death of the one, as for all.</p> + +<p>He then resumed. "Since we shall receive equal punishment +for the death of this one, as though we had killed +them all, let us regain the liberty of which these friars have +robbed us, with their promises of good things which we +have not yet seen, but which they seek to keep us in hope +of, while they accumulate upon us who are called Christians, +injuries and disgusts, making us quit our wives, restricting +us to one only, and prohibiting us from changing her.—They +prevent us from having our balls, banquets, feasts, +celebrations, games and contests, so that being deprived of +them, we lose our ancient valor and skill which we inherited +from our ancestors. Although they oppress us with +labor, refusing to grant even the respite of a few days, and +although we are disposed to do all they require from us, +they are not satisfied; but for everything they reprimand as, +injuriously treat us, oppress us, lecture us, call us bad +Christians, and deprive us of all the pleasures which our +fathers enjoyed, in the hope that they would give us heaven; +by these frauds subjecting us and holding us under their absolute +control. And what have we to hope except to be +made slaves? If we now put them all to death, we shall +destroy these excrescenses, and force the governor to treat +us well."</p> + +<p>The majority were carried away by his address, and rung +out the war-cry of death and defiance. While still eager +for blood, their chief led them to the Indian town of Tapoqui, +the mission of Father Montes, on the Cano de la Leche;<a name="page_069" id="page_069"></a> +tumultuously rushing in, they informed the missionary of +the fate of Father Corpa, and that they sought his own life +and those of all his order; and then with uplifted weapons +bade him prepare to die. He reasoned and remonstrated +with them, portraying the folly and wickedness of their intentions, +that the vengeance of the Spaniards would surely +overtake them, and implored them with tears, that for their +own sakes rather than his, they would pause in their mad +designs. But all in vain; they were alike insensible to his +eloquence, and his tears, and pressed forward to surround +him. Finding all else vain, he begged as a last favor that +he should be permitted to celebrate mass before he died. +In this he was probably actuated in part by the hope that +their fierce hatred might be assuaged by the sight of the +ceremonies of their faith, or that the delay might afford +time for succor from the adjoining garrison.</p> + +<p>The permission was given; and there for the last time the +worthy Father put on his robes, which might well be termed +his robes of sacrifice. The wild and savage crowd, +thirsting for his blood, reclined upon the floor and looked +on in sullen silence, awaiting the conclusion of the rites. +The priest alone, standing before the altar, proceeded with +this most sad and solemn mass, then cast his eyes to heaven +and knelt in private supplication; where the next moment +he fell under the blows of his cruel foes, bespattering the +altar at which he ministered, with his own life's blood. His +crushed remains were thrown into the fields, that they might +serve for the fowls of the air or the beasts of the forest; +but not one would approach it, except a dog, which, rushing +forward to lay hold upon the body, fell dead upon the spot, +says the ancient chronicle; and an old Christian Indian, +recognizing it, gave it sepulture in the forest.</p> + +<p>From thence the ferocious young chief of Guale led his +followers against several missions, in other parts of the +country, which he attacked and destroyed, together with +their attendant clergy. Thus upon the soil of the ancient +city was shed the blood of Christian martyrs, who were +laboring with a zeal well worthy of emulation, to carry the +truths of religion to the native tribes of Florida. Two hundred +and sixty years have passed away since these sad scenes +were enacted; but we can not even now repress a tear of +sympathy and a feeling of admiration for those self-denying +missionaries of the cross, who sealed their faith with their +blood, and fell victims to their energy and devotion. The +spectacle of the dying priest struck down at the altar, attired<a name="page_070" id="page_070"></a> +in his sacred vestments, and perhaps imploring pardon +upon his murderers, cannot fail to call up in the heart of the +most insensible, something more than a passing emotion.</p> + +<p>The zeal of the Franciscans was only increased by this +disaster, and each succeeding year brought additions to their +number. They pushed their missions into the interior of +the country so rapidly that in less than two years they had +established through the principal towns of the Indiana no +less than twenty mission houses. The presumed remains +of these establishments are still occasionally to be found +throughout the interior of the country.<a name="page_071" id="page_071"></a></p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a>CHAPTER XII.<br /> +SUBJECTION OF THE APALACHIAN INDIANS—CONSTRUCTION +OF THE FORT, SEA WALL, &c.—1638-1700.</h3> + +<p>In the year 1638, hostilities were entered into between the +Spanish settlements on the coast, and the Apalachian Indians, +who occupied the country in the neighborhood of the +river Suwanee. The Spaniards soon succeeded in subduing +their Indian foes; and in 1640, large numbers of the Apalachian +Indians were brought to St. Augustine, and in alleged +punishment for their outbreak, and with a sagacious eye to +the convenience of the arrangement, were forced to labor +upon the public works and fortifications of the city. At +this period the English settlements along the coast to the +northward, had begun to be formed, much to the uneasiness +and displeasure of the Spanish crown, which for a long +period claimed, by virtue of exploration and occupation, as +well as by the ancient papal grant of Alexander, all the +eastern coast of the United States. Their missionaries had +penetrated Virginia before the settlement at Jamestown; +and they had built a fort in South Carolina, and kept up a +garrison for some years in it. But the Spanish government +had become too feeble to compete with either the English +or the French on the seas; and with the loss of their celebrated +Armada, perished forever their pretensions as a +naval power. They were therefore forced to look to the +safety of their already established settlements in Florida; +and the easy capture of the fort at St. Augustine by the +passing squadron of Drake, evinced the necessity of works +of a much more formidable character.</p> + +<p>It is evident that the fort, or castle as it was usually +designated, had been then commenced, although its form +was afterwards changed; and for sixty years subsequently, +these unfortunate Apalachian Indians were compelled to +labor upon the works, until in 1680, upon the recommendation +of their mission Fathers, they were relieved from further +compulsory labor, with the understanding that in case +of necessity they would resume their labors.</p> + +<p>In 1648, St. Augustine is described to have contained<a name="page_072" id="page_072"></a> +more than three hundred householders (<i>vecinos</i>), a flourishing +monastry of the order of St. Francis with fifty Franciscans, +men very zealous for the conversion of the Indians, +and regarded by their countrymen with the highest veneration. +Besides these there were in the city alone, a vicar, a +parochial curate, a superior sacristan, and a chaplain attached +to the castle. The parish church was built of wood, +the Bishop of Cuba, it is said, not being able to afford anything +better, his whole income being but four hundred pezos +per annum, which he shared with Florida; and sometimes +he expended much more than his receipts.</p> + +<p>In 1665, Captain Davis, one of the English buccaneers +and freebooters (then very numerous in the West Indies), +with a fleet of seven or eight vessels came on the coast +from Jamaica, to intercept the Spanish plate fleet on its return +from New Spain to Europe; but being disappointed in this +scheme, he proceeded along the coast of Florida, and came off +St. Augustine, where he landed and marched directly upon +the town, which he sacked and plundered, without meeting +the least opposition or resistance from the Spaniards, +although they had then a garrison of two hundred men +in the fort, which at that time was an octagon, fortified and +defended by round towers.</p> + +<p>The fortifications, if this account be true, were probably +then very incomplete; and with a vastly inferior force it is +not surprising that they did not undertake what could only +have been an ineffectual resistance. It does not appear that +the fort was taken; and the inhabitants retired probably +within its enclosure with their valuables.<a name="FNanchor_22_22" id="FNanchor_22_22"></a><a href="#Footnote_22_22" class="fnanchor">[22]</a></p> + +<p>In the Spanish account of the various occurrences in this +country, it is mentioned that in 1681, "the English having +examined a province of Florida, distant twelve leagues from +another called New Castle, where the air is pleasant, the +climate mild, and the lands very fertile, called it Salvania; +and that knowing these advantages, a Quaker, or Shaker (a +sect barbarous impudent, and abominable), called William +Penn, obtained a grant of it from Charles II., King of England, +and made great efforts to colonize it." Such was the +extent then claimed for the province of Florida, and such +the opinion entertained of the Quakers.</p> + +<p>In 1681, Don Juan Marquez Cabrera, applied himself at +once, upon his appointment to the governorship of Florida, +to finishing the castle; and collected large quantities of<a name="page_073" id="page_073"></a> +stone, lime, timber, and iron, more than sufficient subsequently +to complete it. About this period, a new impulse +was given to the extension of the missions for converting +the Indians; and large reinforcements of the clerical force +were received from Mexico, Havana, and Spain; and many +of them received salaries from the crown. A considerable +Indian town is spoken of at this period, as existing six hundred +varas north of St. Augustine, and called Macarasi, +which would correspond to the place formerly occupied by +Judge Douglas, deceased, and which has long been called +Macariz. Other parts of the country were known by various +names. Amelia Island was the province of Guale. +The southern part of the country was known as the +province of Carlos. Indian river was the province of Ys. +Westwardly was the province of Apalachie; while smaller +divisions were designated by the names of the chiefs.</p> + +<p>It is hardly to be doubted, that the same spirit of oppression +towards the Indians, exercised in the other colonies +under Spanish domination, existed in Florida. It has +been already mentioned that the Apalachians were kept at +labor upon the fortifications of St. Augustine; and in 1680, +the Yemasees, who had always been particularly peaceful +and manageable, and whose principal town was Macarisqui, +near St. Augustine, revolted at the rule exercised over them +by the Spanish authorities at St. Augustine, in consequence +of the execution of one of their chiefs by the order of the +governor; and six years afterwards they made a general +attack upon the Spaniards, drove them within the walls of +the castle, and became such mortal enemies to them, that +they never gave a Spaniard quarter, waylaying, and invariably +massacring, any stragglers they could intercept outside +of the fort.</p> + +<p>In 1670, an English settlement was established near Port +Royal, South Carolina, one hundred and five years subsequent +to the settlement of St. Augustine. The Spaniards +regarded it as an infringement upon their rights; and although +a treaty, after this settlement, had been made between +Spain and England, confirming to the latter all her +settlements and islands, yet as no boundaries or limits were +mentioned, their respective rights and boundaries remained +a subject of dispute for seventy years.</p> + +<p>About 1675, the Spanish authorities at St. Augustine, +having intelligence from <i>white servants</i> who fled to them, of +the discontented and miserable situation of the colony in +Carolina, advanced with a party under arms as far as the<a name="page_074" id="page_074"></a> +Island of St. Helena, to dislodge or destroy the settlers. A +treacherous colonist of the name of Fitzpatrick, deserted +to the Spaniards; but the governor, Sir John Yeamans, +having received a reinforcement, held his ground; and a +detachment of fifty volunteers under Colonel Godfrey, +marched against the enemy, forcing them to retire from the +Island of St. Helena, and retreat to St. Augustine.<a name="FNanchor_23_23" id="FNanchor_23_23"></a><a href="#Footnote_23_23" class="fnanchor">[23]</a></p> + +<p>Ten years afterwards, three galleys sailed from St. Augustine, +and attacked a Scotch and English settlement at Port +Royal, which had been founded by Lord Cardross, in 1681. +The settlement was weak and unprotected, and the Spaniards +fell upon them, killed several, whipped many, plundered +all, and broke up the colony. Flushed with success, they +continued their depredations on Edisto River, burning the +houses, wasting the plantations, and robbing the settlers; +and finished their marauding expedition by capturing the +brother of Governor Morton, and burning him alive in one +of the galleys which a hurricane had driven so high upon +land as to make it impossible to have it re-launched. Such +at least is the English account of the matter; and they say +that intestine troubles alone prevented immediate and signal +retaliation by the South Carolinians.<a name="FNanchor_24_24" id="FNanchor_24_24"></a><a href="#Footnote_24_24" class="fnanchor">[24]</a></p> + +<p>One Captain Don Juan de Aila went to Spain in the +year 1687, in his own vessel, to procure additional forces +and ammunition for the garrison at St. Augustine. He received +the men and munitions desired; and as a reward for +his diligence and patriotism, he also received the privilege +of carrying merchandise, duty free; being also allowed to +take twelve Spanish negroes for the cultivation of the fields +of Florida, of whom it is said there was a great want in +that province. By a mischance, he was only able to carry +one negro there, with the troops and other cargo, and was +received in the city with universal joy. This was the first +occasion of the reception of African slaves; although as +has been heretofore mentioned, it was made a part of the +royal stipulation with Menendez, that he should bring over +five hundred negro slaves.</p> + +<p>Don Diego de Quiroga y Losada, the governor of Florida +in 1690, finding that the sea was making dangerous encroachments +upon the shores of the town, and had reached +even the houses, threatening to swallow them up, and render<a name="page_075" id="page_075"></a> +useless the fort which had cost so much to put in the +state of completion in which it then was, called a public +meeting of the chief men and citizens of the place, and proposed +to them that in order to escape the danger which +menaced them, and to restrain the force of the sea, they +should construct a wall, which should run from the castle +and cover and protect the city from all danger of the sea. +The inhabitants not only approved of his proposal, but +began the work with so much zeal, that the soldiers gave +more than seventeen hundred dollars of their wages, although +they were very much behind, not having been paid +in six years; with which the governor began to make the +necessary preparations, and sent forward a dispatch to the +home government upon the subject.</p> + +<p>The council of war of the Indies approved, in the following +year, of the work of the sea wall, and directed the +viceroy of New Spain to furnish ten thousand dollars for it, +and directed that a plan and estimate of the work should +be forwarded. Quiroga was succeeded in the governorship of +Florida, by Don Laureano de Torres, who went forward with +the work of the sea wall, and received for this purpose the +means furnished by the soldiers, and one thousand dollars +more, which they offered besides the two thousand dollars, +and likewise six thousand dollars which had come from +New Spain, remitted by the viceroy, Count de Galleo, for +the purpose of building a tower, as a look-out to observe the +surrounding Indian settlements. Whether this tower was +erected, or where, we have no certain knowledge. The +towers erected on the governor's palace and at the northeast +angle of the fort, were intended as look-outs both sea and +landward.</p> + +<p>The statements made in reference to the building of this +wall, from the castle as far as the city, confirm the opinion +previously expressed, that the ancient and early settlement +of the place was south of the public square, as the remains +of the ancient sea wall extend to the basin at the Plaza. +The top of this old sea wall is still visible along the centre +of Bay street, where it occasionally appears above the level +of the street; and its general plan and arrangement are +shown on several old maps and plans of the city. Upon a +plan of the city made in 1665, it is represented as terminating +in a species of break-water at the public square. It is +unnecessary to add that the present sea wall is a much superior +structure to the old, and extends above twice the<a name="page_076" id="page_076"></a> +distance. Its cost is said to have been one hundred thousand +dollars, and it was building from 1837 to 1843.</p> + +<p>In the year 1700, the work on the sea wall had progressed +but slowly, although the governor had employed thirty +stone-cutters at a time, and had eight yoke of oxen drawing +stone to the landing, and two lime-kilns all the while at +work. But the money previously provided, and considerable +additional funds was requisite, resembling in this respect +its successor. The new governor, De Curriga, took the +matter in hand, as he had much experience in fortifications. +The defenses of the fort are spoken of as being at the time +too weak to resist artillery, and the sea wall as being but a +slight work.<a name="page_077" id="page_077"></a></p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII"></a>CHAPTER XIII.<br /> +ATTACK ON ST. AUGUSTINE BY GOVERNOR MOORE OF SOUTH +CAROLINA—DIFFICULTIES WITH THE GEORGIANS. +1702-1732.</h3> + +<p>Hostilities had broken out between England and Spain +in 1702. The English settlements in Carolina only numbered +six or seven thousand inhabitants, when Governor +Moore, who was an ambitious and energetic man, but with +serious defects of character, led an invading force from Carolina +against St. Augustine. The pretense was to retaliate +for old injuries, and, by taking the initiative, to prevent an +attack upon themselves. The real motive was said by Gov. +Moore's opponents at home, to have been the acquisition of +military reputation and private gain.</p> + +<p>The plan of the expedition embraced a combined land +and naval attack: and for this purpose six hundred provincial +militia were embodied, with an equal number of Indian +allies; a portion of the militia, with the Indians, were to go +inland by boats and by land, under the command of Col. +Daniel, who is spoken of as a good officer, while the main +body proceeded with the governor by sea in several merchant +schooners and ships which had been impressed for the service.</p> + +<p>The Spaniards, who had received intimations of the contemplated +attack, placed themselves in the best posture of defense +in their power, and laid up provisions in the castle to +withstand a long siege.</p> + +<p>The forces under Col. Daniel arrived in advance of the +naval fleet of the expedition, and immediately marched upon +the town. The inhabitants, upon his approach, retired with +their most valuable effects within the spacious walls of the +castle, and Col. Daniel entered and took possession of the +town, the larger part of which, it must be recollected, was +at some distance from the castle.</p> + +<p>The quaint description of these events, given by Oldmixon, +is as follows:—</p> + +<p>"Col. Rob. Daniel, a very brave man, commanded a party +who were to go up the river in periagas, and come upon<a name="page_078" id="page_078"></a> +Augustino on the land side, while the Governour sailed +thither, and attacked it by sea. They both set out in August, +1702. Col. Daniel, in his way, took St. Johns, a small +Spanish settlement; as also St. Mary's, another little village +belonging to the Spaniards; after which he proceeded to +Augustino, came before the town, entered and took it, Col. +Moor not being yet arrived with the fleet.</p> + +<p>"The inhabitants having notice of the approach of the +English, had packed up their best effects and retired with +them into the castle, which was surrounded by a very deep +and broad moat.</p> + +<p>"They had laid up provisions there for four months, and +resolved to defend themselves to the last extremity. However, +Col. Daniel found a considerable booty in the town. +The next day the Governour came ashore, and his troops +following him, they entrenched, posted their guards in the +church, and blocked up the castle. The English held possession +of the town a whole month; but finding they could +do nothing for want of mortars and bombs, they despatched +away a sloop for Jamaica; but the commander of the sloop, +instead of going thither, came to Carolina out of fear of +treachery. Finding others offered to go in his stead, he +proceeded in the voyage himself, after he had lain some time +at Charlestown.</p> + +<p>"The Governour all this while lay before the castle of +Augustino, in expectation of the return of the sloop, which +hearing nothing of, he sent Col. Daniel, who was the life of +the action, to Jamaica on the same errand.</p> + +<p>"This gentleman, being hearty in the design, procured a +supply of bombs, and returned towards Augustino. But in +the mean time two ships appeared in the offing, which being +taken to be two very large men of war, the Governour tho't +fit to raise the siege and abandon his ships, with a great +quantity of stores, ammunition, and provisions, to the enemy. +Upon which the two men of war entered the port of +Augustino, and took the Governour's ships. Some say he +burnt them himself. Certain it is they were lost to the English, +and that he returned to Charles-Town over land 300 +miles from Augustino. The two men of war that were +thought to be so large, proved to be two small frigates, one +of 82, and the other of 16 guns.<a name="FNanchor_25_25" id="FNanchor_25_25"></a><a href="#Footnote_25_25" class="fnanchor">[25]</a><a name="page_079" id="page_079"></a></p> + +<p>"When Col. Daniel came back to St. Augustine, he was +chased, but got away; and Col. Moor retreated with no +great honor homewards. The periagas lay at St. Johns, +whither the Governour retired and so to Charles-Town, having +lost but two men in the whole expedition."</p> + +<p>Arratomakaw, king of the Yamioseans, who commanded +the Indians, retreated to the periagas with the rest, and there +slept upon his oars with a great deal of bravery and unconcern. +The governor's soldiers, taking a false alarm, and +thinking the Spaniards were coming, did not like this slow +pace of the Indian king in his flight, and to quicken him into +it, bade him make more haste. But he replied, "No; +though your governor leaves you, I will not stir till I have +seen all my men before me."</p> + +<p>The Spanish accounts say that he burned the town, and +this statement is confirmed by the report made on the +18th July, 1740, by a committee of the House of Commons +of the province of South Carolina, in which it is +said, referring to these transactions, that Moore was obliged +to retreat, <i>but not without</i> first burning the town.<a name="FNanchor_26_26" id="FNanchor_26_26"></a><a href="#Footnote_26_26" class="fnanchor">[26]</a></p> + +<p>It seems that the plunder carried off by Moore's troops +was considerable; as his enemies charged at the time that +he sent off a sloop-load to Jamaica, and in an old colonial +document of South Carolina it is represented "that the late +unfortunate, ill-contrived, and worst managed expedition +against St. Augustine, was principally set on foot by the +said late governor and his adherents; and that if any person +in the said late assembly undertook to speak against it, +and to show how unfit and unable we were at that time for +such an attempt, he was presently looked upon by them as +an enemy and traitor to his country, and reviled and affronted +in the said assembly; although the true design of +the said expedition was no other than catching and making +slaves of Indians for private advantage, and impoverishing +the country. * * * And that the expedition was to enrich +themselves will appear particularly, because whatsoever +booty, as rich silks, great quantity of church plate, with a +great many other costly church ornaments and utensils taken +by our soldiers at St. Augustine, are now detained in the +possession of the said late governor and his officers, contrary +to an act of assembly made for an equal division of the same +amongst the soldiers."<a name="FNanchor_27_27" id="FNanchor_27_27"></a><a href="#Footnote_27_27" class="fnanchor">[27]</a><a name="page_080" id="page_080"></a></p> + +<p>The Spanish accounts of this expedition of Moore's are +very meager. They designate him as the governor of St. +George, by which name they called the harbor of Charleston; +and they also speak of the plunder of the town, and +the burning of the greater part of the houses. Don Joseph +de Curriga was the then governor of the city, and had received +just previous to the English attack, reinforcements +from Havana, and had repaired and strengthened the fortifications.</p> + +<p>The retreat of the English was celebrated with great rejoicing +by the Spaniards, who had been for three months +shut up within the limited space of the walls of the castle; +and they gladly repaired their ruined homes, and made good +the ravages of the English invasion. An English account +says that the two vessels which appeared off the bar and +caused Moore's precipitate retreat, contained but two hundred +men, and that had he awaited Colonel Daniel's return +with the siege guns and ammunition, the castle would have +fallen into their hands.</p> + +<p>In the same year, the king of Spain, alarmed at the dangers +which menaced his possessions in Florida, gave greater +attention to the strengthening the defenses of St. Augustine, +and forwarded considerable reinforcements to the garrison, +as well as additional supplies of munitions.</p> + +<p>The works were directed to be strengthened, which Governor +Curriga thought not as strong as had been represented, +and that the sea wall in the process of erection was insufficient +for the purpose for which it was designed.</p> + +<p>Sixty years had elapsed since the Apalachian Indians had +been conquered and compelled to labor upon the fortifications +of St. Augustine; their chiefs now asked that they +might be relieved from further compulsory labor; and after +the usual number of references and reports and informations, +through the Spanish circumlocution offices, this was +graciously granted in a suspensory form, until their services +should be again required.</p> + +<p>During the year 1712, a great scarcity of provisions, caused +by the failure of the usual supply vessels, reduced the inhabitants +of St. Augustine to the verge of starvation; and, for +two or three months, they were obliged to live upon horses, +cats, dogs, and other disgusting animals. It seems strange, +that after a settlement of nearly one hundred and fifty years, +the Spaniards in Florida should still be dependant upon the +importation of provisions for their support; and that anything +like the distress indicated should prevail, with the<a name="page_081" id="page_081"></a> +abundant resources they had, from the fish, oysters, turtle, +and clams of the sea, and the arrow-root and cabbage-tree +palm of the land.</p> + +<p>The English settlements were now extending into the +interior portions of South Carolina; and the French had +renewed their efforts at settlement and colonization upon +the rivers discharging into the Gulf of Mexico. All three +nations were competitors for the trade with the Indians, and +kept up an intriguing rivalship for this trade for more than +a hundred years.</p> + +<p>There seems to have been at this period a policy pursued +by the Spanish authorities in Florida, of the most reprehensible +character. The strongest efforts were made to +attach all the Indian tribes to the Spanish interest; and +they were encouraged to carry on a system of plunder and +annoyance upon the English settlements of Carolina. They +particularly seized upon all the negroes they could obtain, +and carried them to the governor at St. Augustine, who +invariably refused to surrender them, alleging that he was +acting under the instructions of his government in so doing.</p> + +<p>In 1704, Governor Moore had made a sweeping and vigorous +excursion against the Indian towns in Middle Florida, +all of whom were in the Spanish interest; and had broken +up and destroyed the towns and missions attached to them. +In 1725, Col. Palmer determined, since no satisfaction could +be obtained for the incursions of the Spanish Indians, and +the loss of their slaves, to make a descent upon them; and +with a party of three hundred men entered Florida, with an +intention of visiting upon the province all the desolation of +retributive warfare.</p> + +<p>He went up to the very gates of St. Augustine, and compelled +the inhabitants to seek protection within the castle. +In his course he swept every thing before him, destroying +every house, field and improvement within his reach; carrying +off the live stock, and every thing else of value. The +Spanish Indians who fell within his power, were slain in +large numbers, and many were taken prisoners. Outside of +the walls of St. Augustine, nothing was left undestroyed; +and the Spanish authorities received a memorable lesson in +the law of retribution.<a name="page_082" id="page_082"></a></p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV"></a>CHAPTER XIV.<br /> +SIEGE OF ST. AUGUSTINE, BY OGLETHORPE—1732-1740</h3> + +<p>Difficulties existed for many years subsequently between +the Spanish and English settlements. In 1732, Oglethorpe +planted his colony in Georgia, and extended his settlements +along the coast towards Florida, claiming and occupying the +country up to the margin of the St. Johns, and established +a post at St. George Island. This was deemed an invasion +of the territory of Spain; and the post was attacked unfairly, +as the English say, and some of their men murdered. +Oglethorpe, upon this, acting under the instructions of the +home government, commenced hostilities by arranging a +joint attack of the forces of South Carolina and Georgia, +with a view to the entire conquest of Florida.</p> + +<p>The instructions of the king of England to Oglethorpe, +were, that he should make a naval and land attack upon St. +Augustine; "and if it shall please God to give you success, +you are either to demolish the fort and bastions, or put a +garrison in it, in case you shall have men enough for that +purpose; which last, it is thought, will be the best way to +prevent the Spaniards from endeavoring to retake and settle +the said place again, at any time hereafter."<a name="FNanchor_28_28" id="FNanchor_28_28"></a><a href="#Footnote_28_28" class="fnanchor">[28]</a></p> + +<p>Don Manuel Monteano was then governor of Florida, and +in command of the garrison. The city and castle were +previously in a poor condition to withstand an attack from +a well-prepared foe; and on the 11th November, 1737, Governor +Monteano writes to the governor-general of Cuba, +that "the fort of this place is its only defense; it has no +casemates for the shelter of the men, nor the necessary elevation +to the counter-scarp, nor covert ways, nor ravelins to +the curtains, nor other exterior works that could give time +for a long defense; but it is thus naked outside, as it is +without soul within, for there are no cannon that could be +fired twenty-four hours, and though there were, artillery-men +to manage them are wanting."</p> + +<p>Under the superintendence of an able officer of engineers,<a name="page_083" id="page_083"></a> +Don Antonio de Arredondo, the works were put in order; +the ramparts were heightened and casemated; a covered +way was made, by planting and embanking four thousand +stakes; bomb-proof vaults were constructed, and entrenchments +thrown up around the town, protected by ten salient +angles, many of which are still visible. The garrison of the +town was about seven hundred and forty soldiers, according +to Governor Monteano's return of troops. On the 25th +March, 1740, the total population of St. Augustine, of all +classes, was two thousand one hundred and forty-three.</p> + +<p>Previous to his attack upon the place, General Oglethorpe +obtained the following information from prisoners whom he +took at the outposts. He says: "They agree that there are +fifty pieces of cannon in the castle at St. Augustine, several +of which are of brass, from twelve to forty-eight pounds. +It has four bastions. The walls are of stone, and casemated. +The internal square is sixty yards. The ditch is forty feet +wide, and twelve feet deep, six of which is sometimes filled +with water. The counterscarp is faced with stone. They +have lately made a covered way. The town is fortified with +an entrenchment, salient angles and redoubts, which inclose +about half a mile in length, and a quarter of a mile in width. +The inhabitants and garrison, men, women and children, +amount to above two thousand five hundred. For the garrison, +the king pays eight companies, sent from Spain two +years since for the invasion of Georgia; upon establishment +fifty-three men each, three companies of foot and one of artillery, +of the old garrison, and one troop of horse one hundred +each upon establishment; of these, one hundred are at +St. Marks, ten days' march from St. Augustine; upon the +Gulf of Mexico, one hundred are disposed in several small +forts."</p> + +<p>Of these out-posts, there were two, one on each side of +the river St. Johns—at Picolata and immediately opposite—and +at Diego. The purpose of the forts at Picolata was to +guard the passage of the river, and to keep open the communication +with St. Marks and Pensacola; and when threatened +with the invasion of Oglethorpe, messengers were dispatched +to the governor of Pensacola for aid, and also to +Mexico by the same route. The fort at Diego was but a +small work, erected by Don Diego de Spinosa, upon his own +estate; and the remains of it, with one or two cannon, are +still visible. Fort Moosa, was an out-post at the place now +known by that name, on the North River, about two miles +north of St. Augustine. A fortified line, a considerable portion<a name="page_084" id="page_084"></a> +of which may now be traced, extended across from the +stockades on the St. Sebastian to Fort Moosa. Communication +by a tide-creek existed through the marshes, between +the castle at St. Augustine and Fort Moosa.</p> + +<p>Oglethorpe first attacked the two forts at Picolata, one of +which, called Fort Poppa, or St. Francis de Poppa, was a +place of some strength. Its remains still exist, about one-fourth +of a mile north of the termination of the Bellamy +Road, its earthworks being still strongly marked.</p> + +<p>After a slight resistance, both forts fell into his hands, +much to the annoyance of Governor Monteano. Oglethorpe +speaks of Fort Francis as being of much importance, "as +commanding the passes from St. Augustine to Mexico, and +into the country of the Creek Indians, and also being upon +the ferry, where the troops which come from St. Augustine +must pass." He found in it, one mortar piece, two carriages, +three small guns, ammunition, one hundred and fifty +shells, and fifty glass bottles full of gunpowder, with fuses—a +somewhat novel missile of war.</p> + +<p>The English general's plan of operation was, that the +crews and troops upon the vessels should land, and throw +up batteries upon Anastasia Island, from thence bombarding +the town; while he himself designed to lead the attack +on the land side. Having arrived in position, he gave the +signal of attack to the fleet, by sending up a rocket; but no +response came from the vessels, and he had the mortification +of being obliged to withdraw his troops. The troops were +unable to effect a landing from the vessels, in consequence +of a number of armed Spanish galleys having been drawn +up inside the bar; so that no landing could be made except +under a severe fire, while the galleys were protected from an +attack by the ships, in consequence of the shoal water.</p> + +<p>He then prepared to reduce the town by a regular siege, +with a strict blockade by sea. He hoped, by driving the +inhabitants into the castle, so to encumber the governor with +useless mouths, as to reduce him to the necessity of a surrender, +to avoid starvation. The town was placed under the +range of his heavy artillery and mortars, and soon became +untenable, forcing the citizens generally to seek the shelter +of the fort.</p> + +<p>Col. Vanderduysen was posted at Point Quartel; and others +of the troops upon Anastasia Island, and the north +beach. Three batteries were erected: one on Anastasia Island, +called the Poza, which consisted of four eighteen-pounders +and one nine-pounder; one on the point of the<a name="page_085" id="page_085"></a> +wood of the island, mounting two eighteen-pounders. The +remains of the Peza battery are still to be seen, almost as +distinctly marked as on the day of its creation. Four mortars +and forty cohorns were employed in the siege.</p> + +<p>The siege began on the 12th June; and on the 25th June +a night sortie was made from the castle against a portion of +the troops under command of Col. Palmer, who were encamped +at Fort Moosa, including a company of Scotch Highlanders, +numbering eighty-five men, under their chief, Capt. +McIntosh, all equipped in Highland dress. This attack was +entirely successful, and the English sustained a severe loss, +their colonel being killed, with twenty Highlanders, twenty-seven +soldiers, and a number of Indians.</p> + +<p>This affair at Fort Moosa has generally been considered +as a surprise, and its disastrous results as the consequence +of carelessness and disobedience of the orders of Oglethorpe. +Captain McIntosh, the leader of the Highlanders, was taken +prisoner, and finally transferred to Spain. From his prison +at St. Sebastian, under date of 20th June, 1741, he gives the +following account of the matter:—</p> + +<p>"I listed seventy men, all in Highland dress, and marched +to the siege, and was ordered to scout nigh St. Augustine +and molest the enemy, while the general and the rest of his +little army went to an island where we could have no succor +of them. I punctually obeyed my orders, until seven hundred +Spaniards sallied out from the garrison, an hour before +daylight. <i>They did not surprise us</i>, for we were all under +arms, ready to receive them, which we did briskly, keeping +a constant firing for a quarter of an hour, when they prest +on with numbers; was obliged to take our swords until the +most of us were shot and cut to pieces. You are to observe +we had but eighty men; and the engagement was in view +of the rest of our army, but they could not come to our assistance, +by being in the foresaid island, under the enemy's +guns. They had twenty prisoners, a few got off, the rest +killed; as we were well informed by some of themselves, +they had three hundred killed on the spot,<a name="FNanchor_29_29" id="FNanchor_29_29"></a><a href="#Footnote_29_29" class="fnanchor">[29]</a> besides several +wounded. We were all stripped naked of clothes, brought +to St. Augustine, where we remained three months in close +confinement."<a name="FNanchor_30_30" id="FNanchor_30_30"></a><a href="#Footnote_30_30" class="fnanchor">[30]</a><a name="page_086" id="page_086"></a></p> + +<p>This officer was Capt. John McIntosh; and his son, Brig. +Gen. McIntosh, then a youth of fourteen, was present in +the engagement, and escaped without injury. The family +of the McIntoshes have always been conspicuous in the history +of Georgia.</p> + +<p>The large number of persons collected within the walls of +the castle, and under the protection of its battlements, soon +gave rise to serious apprehensions on the part of the +besieged, of being reduced by starvation to the necessity of +a speedy surrender. The batteries of Oglethorpe were +planted at so great a distance that he could produce but +little effect by his shot or shells upon the castle, although +he rendered the city itself untenable. The heat of the season +and the exposure, to which the Provincial militia were +unaccustomed, soon produced considerable sickness and discouragement +in the invading force, and affected Oglethorpe himself.</p> + +<p>The Spanish governor sent most urgent messages to the +governor of the island of Cuba, which were transmitted by +runners along the coast, and thence by small vessels across +to Havana. In one of these letters he says, "My greatest +anxiety is for provisions; and if they do not come, there is +no doubt of our dying by the hands of hunger." In another, +he says, "I assure your Lordship, that it is impossible to +express the confusion of the place; for we have no protection +except the fort, and all the rest is open field. The +families have abandoned their houses, and come to put +themselves under the guns, which is pitiable; though +nothing gives me anxiety but the want of provisions; and if +your Lordship for want of competent force cannot send relief, +we all must perish."<a name="FNanchor_31_31" id="FNanchor_31_31"></a><a href="#Footnote_31_31" class="fnanchor">[31]</a></p> + +<p>With the exception of the Fort Moosa affair, the hostilities +were confined to the exchange of shots between the +castle and the batteries. Considerable discrepancy exists +between the Spanish and English accounts, as to the period +when the garrison was relieved: it was the communication +of the fact of relief having been received, which formed the +ostensible ground of abandoning the siege by Oglethorpe; +but the Spanish governor asserts that these provision vessels +did not arrive until the siege was raised. The real fact, +I am inclined to think, is that the provision vessels arrived +at Mosquito, a harbor sixty miles below, where they were to +await orders from Gov. Monteano, as to the mode of getting<a name="page_087" id="page_087"></a> +discharged,<a name="FNanchor_32_32" id="FNanchor_32_32"></a><a href="#Footnote_32_32" class="fnanchor">[32]</a> and that the information of their arrival, being +known at St. Augustine, was communicated to the English, +and thus induced their raising the siege; in fact, the hope +of starving out the garrison was the only hope left to Oglethorpe; +his strength was insufficient for an assault, and his +means inadequate to reduce the castle, which was well +manned and well provided with means of defense.</p> + +<p>It was in truth a hopeless task, under the circumstances, +for Oglethorpe to persevere; and it is no impeachment of +his courage or his generalship, that he was unable to take a +fortress of really very respectable strength.</p> + +<p>The siege continued from the 13th June to the 20th July, a +period of thirty-eight days. The bombardment was kept +up twenty days, but owing to the lightness of the guns and +the long range, but little effect was produced on the strong +walls of the castle. Its spongy, infrangible walls received +the balls from the batteries like a cotton bale, or sand battery, +almost without making an impression; this may be +seen on examination, since the marks remain to this day, as +they were left at the end of the siege, one hundred and +seventeen years ago.</p> + +<p>The prosecution of the siege having become impracticable, +preparations were made for retiring; and Oglethorpe, as a +pardonable and characteristic protest against the assumption +of his acting from any coercion, with drums beating and +banners displayed, crossed over to the main land, and +marched in full view of the castle, to his encampment three +miles distant, situated probably at the point now known as +Pass Navarro.</p> + +<p>Great credit and respect have been deservedly awarded to +Governor Monteano, for the courage, skill, and perseverance +with which he sustained the siege.</p> + +<p>It is well known that the English general had, in a few +months, an ample opportunity of showing to his opponent +that his skill in defending his own territory under the most +disadvantageous circumstances, was equal to that of the accomplished +Monteano himself. The defense of Frederica, +and signal defeat of the Spanish forces at Fort Simons, will +ever challenge for Oglethorpe the highest credit for the +most sterling qualities of a good general and a great man.</p> + +<p>Two years subsequently, Oglethorpe again advanced into +Florida, appeared before the gates of St. Augustine, and +endeavored to induce the garrison to march out to meet +him; but they kept within their walls, and Oglethorpe in<a name="page_088" id="page_088"></a> +one of his despatches says, in the irritation caused by their +prudence, "that they were so meek there was no provoking +them." As in this incursion he had no object in view but a +devastation of the country, and harrassing the enemy, he +shortly withdrew his forces.</p> + +<p>A committee of the South Carolina House of Commons, +in a report upon the Oglethorpe expedition, thus speaks of +St. Augustine, evidently smarting under the disappointment +of their recent defeat.</p> + +<p> +<br /> +</p> + +<p class="r">"<span class="smcap">July 1st</span>, 1741."</p> + +<p>"St. Augustine, in the possession of the crown of Spain, +is well known to be situated but little distance from hence, +in latitude thirty degrees, in Florida, the next territory to +us. It is maintained by his Catholic Majesty, partly to preserve +his claim to Florida, and partly that it may be of service +to the plate-fleets when coming through the gulf, by +showing lights to them along the coast, and by being ready +to give assistance when any of them are cast away there-about. +The castle, by the largest account, doth not cover +more than one acre of ground, but is allowed on all hands +to be a place of great strength, and hath been usually +garrisoned with about three or four hundred men of the +King's regular troops. The town is not very large, and but +indifferently fortified. The inhabitants, many of which are +mulattoes of savage dispositions, are all in the king's pay; +also being registered from their birth, and a severe penalty +laid on any master of a vessel that shall attempt to carry any +of them off. These are formed into a militia, and have been +generally computed to be near about the same number as +the regular troops. Thus relying wholly on the king's pay for +their subsistence, their thoughts never turned to trade or even +agriculture, but depending on foreign supplies for the most +common necessaries of life, they spent their time in universal, +perpetual idleness. From such a state, mischievous +inclinations naturally spring up in such a people; and +having leisure and opportunity, ever since they had a neighbor +the fruits of whose industry excited their desires and +envy, they have not failed to carry those inclinations into +action as often as they could, without the least regard to +peace or war subsisting between the two crowns of Great +Britain and Spain, or to stipulations agreed upon between +the two governments."<a name="FNanchor_33_33" id="FNanchor_33_33"></a><a href="#Footnote_33_33" class="fnanchor">[33]</a><a name="page_089" id="page_089"></a></p> + +<p>Among the principal grievances set forth in this report, +was the carrying off and enticing and harboring their slaves, +of which a number of instances are enumerated; and they +attributed the negro insurrection which occurred in South +Carolina, in 1739, to the connivance and agency of the +Spanish authorities at St. Augustine; and they proceed in a +climax of indignation to hurl their denunciation at the supposed +authors of their misfortunes, in the following terms: +"With indignation we looked at St. Augustine (like another +Sallee!) That den of thieves and ruffians! receptacle of +debtors, servants and slaves! bane of industry and society! +and revolved in our minds all the injuries this province had +received from thence, ever since its first settlement. That +they had from first to last, in times of profoundest peace, +both publickly and privately, by themselves, Indians, and +Negroes, in every shape molested us, not without some instances +of uncommon cruelty."<a name="FNanchor_34_34" id="FNanchor_34_34"></a><a href="#Footnote_34_34" class="fnanchor">[34]</a></p> + +<p>It is very certain there was on each side, enough supposed +causes of provocation to induce a far from amiable state of +feeling between these neighboring colonies.<a name="page_090" id="page_090"></a></p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV"></a>CHAPTER XV.<br /> +COMPLETION OF THE CASTLE—DESCRIPTIONS OF ST. AUGUSTINE +A CENTURY AGO—ENGLISH OCCUPATION +OF FLORIDA. 1755—1763—1788.</h3> + +<p>Don Alonzo Fernandez de Herrera was appointed governor +of Florida in 1755, and completed the exterior works +and finish of the fort. It is this governor who erected the +tablet over its main entrance, with the Spanish coat of arms +sculptured in <i>alto relievo</i>, with the following inscription beneath:—</p> + +<p class="c"> +REYNANDO EN ESPANA EL SEN<sup>R</sup><br /> +DON FERNANDO SEXTO Y SIENDO<br /> +GOV<sup>OR</sup> Y CAP<sup>N</sup> DE ES<sup>A</sup> C<sup>D</sup> S<sup>AN</sup> AUG<sup>N</sup> DE<br /> +LA FLORIDA Y SUS PROV<sup>A</sup>. EL MARISCAL<br /> +DE CAMPO D<sup>N</sup> ALONZO FERN<sup>DO</sup> HEREDA<br /> +ASI CONCLUIO ESTE CASTILLO EL AN<br /> +OD 1756 DIRI<sup>G</sup>ENDO LAS OBRAS EL<br /> +CAP. INGN<sup>RO</sup> D<sup>N</sup> PEDRO DE BROZAS<br /> +Y GARAY.<br /> +</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Don Ferdinand the Sixth, being king of Spain, and the +Field Marshal, Don Alonzo Fernando Hereda, being Governor +and Captain General of this place, St. Augustine, +of Florida, and its province. This fort was finished in +the year 1756. The works were directed by the Captain +Engineer, Don Pedro de Brazos y Garay.</span></p> + +<p> +<br /> +</p> + +<p>I am not sure but that the boastful governor might with +equal propriety and truth have put a similar inscription at +the city gate, claiming the town also as a finished city.</p> + +<p>The first fort erected was called San Juan de Pinos, and +probably the same name attached to the present fort at the<a name="page_091" id="page_091"></a> +commencement of its erection; when it acquired the name +of St. Mark, I have not discovered. The Apalachian Indians +were employed upon it for more than sixty years, and +to their efforts are probably due the evidences of immense +labor in the construction of the ditch, the ramparts and +glacis, and the approaches; while the huge mass of stone +contained in its solid walls, must have required the labor +of hundreds of persons for many long years, in procuring +and cutting the stone in the quarries on the island, +transporting it to the water, and across the bay, and fashioning +and raising them to their places. Besides the Indians +employed, some labor was constantly bestowed by the +garrison; and, for a considerable period, convicts were +brought hither from Mexico to carry on the public works. +During the works of extension and repair effected by Monteano, +previous to the siege by Oglethorpe, he employed +upon it one hundred and forty of these Mexican convicts. +The southwestern bastion is said to have been completed by +Monteano. The bastions bore the names respectively of St. +Paul, St. Peter, St. James, &c.</p> + +<p>The whole work remains now as it was in 1756, with the +exception of the water battery, which was reconstructed by +the government of the United States in 1842-3. The complement +of its guns is one hundred, and its full garrison establishment +requires one thousand men. It is built upon +the plan of Vauban, and is considered by military men as a +very creditable work; its strength and efficiency have been +well tested in the old times; for it has never been taken, although +twice besieged, and several times attacked. Its +frowning battlements and sepulchral vaults will long stand +after we and those of our day shall be numbered with that +long past, of which it is itself a memorial; of its legends +connected with the dark chambers and prison vaults, the +chains, the instruments of torture, the skeletons walled in, +its closed and hidden recesses—of Coacouchee's escape, and +many another tale, there is much to say; but it is better said +within its grim walls, where the eye and the imagination +can go together, in weaving a web of mystery and awe over +its sad associations, to the music of the grating bolt, the +echoing tread, and the clanking chain.</p> + +<p>Of the city itself, we have the following description in +1754:—</p> + +<p>"It is built on a little bay, at the foot of a hill shaded by +trees, and forms an oblong square, divided into four streets, +and has two full streets, which cut each other at right angles.<a name="page_092" id="page_092"></a> +The houses are well built, and regular. They have +only one church, which is called after the city. St. John's +Fort, standing about a mile north of it, is a strong, irregular +fortification, well mounted with cannon, and capable of +making a long defense."</p> + +<p>I am inclined to think that the <i>mile</i> between the fort and +the city, and the <i>hill</i> at the foot of which, he says, the city +was built, existed only in the focus of the writer's spectacles.</p> + +<p>The Provinces of Florida were ceded by treaty to England +in the year 1763, and the Spanish inhabitants very generally +left the country, which had then been under Spanish +rule for near two hundred years; and certainly in no portion +of this country had less progress been made. Beyond +the walls occupied by its garrison, little had been attempted +or accomplished in these two hundred years. This was in +part, perhaps, attributable to the circumstances of the country—the +frequent hostility of the Indians, and the want of +that mutual support given by neighborhoods, which in Florida +are less practicable than elsewhere; but it was still more +owing to the character of the Spanish inhabitants, who were +more soldiers than civilians, and more townsmen than agriculturists; +at all events, at the cession of Florida to Great +Britain, the number of inhabitants was not over five thousand.</p> + +<p>Of the period of the English occupation of Florida, we +have very full accounts. It was a primary object with the +British government, to colonize and settle it; and inducements +to emigrants were strongly put forth, in various publications. +The work of Roberts was the first of these, and +was followed in a few years by those of Bartram, Stork, +and Romans. The works of both Roberts and Stork, contain +plans and minute descriptions of St. Augustine. The +plan of the town in Stork, represents every building, lot, +garden, and flower-bed in the place, and gives a very accurate +view of its general appearance.</p> + +<p>The descriptions vary somewhat. Roberts, who published +his work the year of the cession, 1763, shows in connection +with his plan of the town, an Indian village on the point +south of the city, at the powder-house, and another just +north of the city. The one to the north has a church. A +negro fort is shown about a mile to the northward. Oglethorpe's +landing place is shown on Anastasia Island, and a +small fort on the main land south of the city. The depth +of water on the bar is marked as being at low water, eight +feet.<a name="page_093" id="page_093"></a></p> + +<p>Roberts describes the city as "running along the shore at +the foot of a pleasant hill, adorned with trees; its form is +oblong, divided by four regular streets, crossing each other +at right angles; down by the sea side, about three-fourths +of a mile south of the town, standeth the church, and a +monastery of St. Augustine. The best built part of the +town is on the north side, leading to the castle, which is +called St. John's Fort. It is a square building of soft stone, +fortified with whole bastions, having a rampart of twenty +feet high, with a parapet nine feet high, and it is casemated. +The town is fortified with bastions, and with cannon. On +the north and south, without the walls of the city, are the +Indian towns."</p> + +<p>The next plan we have, is in the work by Dr. Stork, the +third edition of which was published in 1769. He gives a +beautiful plan of the place. Shows the fort as it now exists, +with its various outworks; three churches are designated, +one on the public square at its southwest corner; another +on St. George street, on the lot on the west side, south of +Green lane, and a Dutch church near where the Roman +Catholic cemetery now exists. From the size of the plan, +it does not embrace the Indian village. The present United +States Court-house was the governor's official residence, and +is represented as having attached to it a beautiful garden. +The Franciscan house or convent is shown where the barracks +are now, but different in the form of the buildings. +With the exception of the disappearance of a part of one +street then existing, there appears very little change from +the present plan of the town and buildings.</p> + +<p>He describes the fort as being finished "according to the +modern taste of military architecture," and as making a +very handsome appearance, and "that it might justly be +deemed the prettiest fort in the king's dominion." He +omits the pleasant hill from his description, and says "the +town is situated near the glacis of the fort; the streets are +regularly laid out, and built narrow for the purposes of shade. +It is above half a mile in length, regularly fortified with bastions, +half-bastions, and a ditch; that it had also several rows +of the Spanish bayonet along the ditch, which formed so close +a chevaux de frize, with their pointed leaves, as to be impenetrable; +the southern bastions were built of stone. In +the middle of the town is a spacious square, called the +parade, open towards the harbor; at the bottom of the +square is the governor's house, the apartments of which are +spacious and suitable; suited to the climate, with high<a name="page_094" id="page_094"></a> +windows, a balcony in front, and galleries on both sides; to +the back of the house is joined a tower, called in America +a look-out, from which there is an extensive prospect towards +the sea, as well as inland. There are two churches +within the walls of the town, the parish church, a plain +building, and another belonging to the convent of Franciscan +Friars, which is converted into barracks for the garrison. +The houses are built of free-stone, commonly two +stories high, two rooms upon a floor, with large windows +and balconies; before the entry of most of the houses, runs +a portico of stone arches. The roofs are commonly flat. +The Spaniards consulted convenience more than taste in +their buildings. The number of houses within the town +and lines, when the Spaniards left it, was about nine hundred; +many of them, especially in the suburbs, being built +of wood, are now gone to decay. The inhabitants were of +all colors, whites, negroes, mulattoes, Indians, &c. At the +evacuation of St. Augustine, the population was five thousand +seven hundred, including the garrison of two thousand +five hundred men. Half a mile from the town to the west, +is a line with a broad ditch and bastions, running from the +St. Sebastian creek to St. Marks river. A mile further is +another fortified line with some redoubts, forming a second +communication between a stoccata fort upon St. Sebastian +river, and Fort Moosa, upon St. Marks river.</p> + +<p>"Within the first line near the town, was a small settlement +of Germans, who had a church of their own. Upon +the St. Marks river, within the second line, was also an +Indian town, with a church built of freestone; what is very +remarkable, it is in good taste, though built by the Indians."</p> + +<p>The two lines of defense here spoken of, may still be +traced. The nearest one is less than one-fourth of a mile +from the city gate, and the other at the well-known place +called the stockades, the stakes driven to form which, still +distinctly mark the place; and the ditch and embankment +can be traced for a considerable distance through the grounds +attached to my residence.</p> + +<p>A letter-writer, who dates at St. Augustine, May, 1774, +says, "This town is now truly become a heap of ruins, a fit +receptacle for the wretches of inhabitants." (Rather a +dyspeptic description, in all probability.)</p> + +<p>A bridge was built across the Sebastian river by the +English, "but the great depth of the water, joined to the +instability of the bottom, did not suffer it to remain long, +and a ferry is now established in its room; the keeper of<a name="page_095" id="page_095"></a> +the ferry has fifty pounds per annum allowed him, and the +inhabitants pay nothing for crossing, except after dark."</p> + +<p>The English constructed large buildings for barracks, +characterised by Romans "as such stupendous piles of +buildings, which were large enough to contain five regiments, +when it is a matter of great doubt whether there +will ever be a necessity to keep one whole regiment here. +The material for this great barracks was brought from New +York, and far inferior to those found on the spot; yet the +freight alone amounted to more than their value when +landed. It makes us almost believe," says the elaborate +Romans, "that all this show is in vain, or at most, that the +English were so much in dread of musquitoes, that they +thought a large army requisite to drive off these formidable +foes. To be serious," says he, "this fort and barracks add +not a little to the beauty of the prospect; but most men +would think that the money spent on this useless parade, +would have been better laid out on roads and fences through +the province; or, if it must be in forts, why not at Pensacola?"</p> + +<p>There is a manuscript work of John Gerard Williams de +Brahm, existing in the library of Harvard University, which +contains some particulars of interest, relative to Florida at +the period of the English occupation.</p> + +<p>He states the number of inhabitants of East Florida, +which in those days meant mostly St. Augustine, from 1663 +to 1771, as follows: householders, besides women, &c., two +hundred and eighty-eight; imported by Mr. Turnbull from +Minorca, &c., one thousand four hundred; negroes, upwards +of nine hundred. Of these, white heads of families, one +hundred and forty-four were married, which is just one-half; +thirty-one are storekeepers and traders; three haberdashers, +fifteen innkeepers, forty-five artificers and mechanics, +one hundred and ten planters, four hunters, six cow-keepers, +eleven overseers, twelve draftsmen in employ of +government, besides mathematicians; fifty-eight had left +the province; twenty-eight dead, of whom four were killed +acting as constables, two hanged for pirating. Among the +names of those then residing in East Florida are mentioned +Sir Charles Burdett, William Drayton, Esq., planter, Chief +Justice; Rev. John Forbes, parson, Judge of Admiralty +and Councillor; Rev. N. Fraser, parson at Musquito; Governor +James Grant, Hon. John Moultrie, planter and lieutenant +Governor; William Stork, Esq., historian; Andrew +Turnbull, Esq., H. M. Counselor; Bernard Romans, draftsman, +&c.; William Bartram, planter; James Moultrie, Esq.<a name="page_096" id="page_096"></a></p> + +<p>He says, The light house on Anastasia Island had been +constructed and built of mason-work by the Spaniards; and, +in 1769, by order of General Haldimand, it was raised sixty +feet higher in carpenter's work, had a cannon planted on +the top, which is fired the very moment the flag is hoisted, +for a signal to the town and pilots that a vessel is off. The +light house has two flag-staffs, one to the south and one to +the north; on either of which the flag is hoisted, viz., to the +south if the vessel comes from thence, and the north if the +vessel comes that way.</p> + +<p>"The town is situated in a healthy zone, is surrounded +with salt water marshes, not at all prejudicial to health; +their evaporations are swept away in the day time by the +easterly winds, and in the night season by the westerly +winds trading back to the eastward. At the time when the +Spaniards left the town, all the gardens were well stocked +with fruit trees, viz., figs, guavas, plantain, pomegranates, +lemons, limes, citrons, shadock, bergamot, China and +Seville oranges, the latter full of fruit throughout the whole +winter season; and the pot-herbs, though suspended in +their vegetation, were seldom destroyed by cold. The +town is three-quarters of a mile in length, but not quite a +quarter wide; had four churches ornamently built with +stone in the Spanish taste, of which one within and one +without the town still exist. One is pulled down; that is +the German church, but the steeple is preserved as an ornament +to the town; and the other, viz., the convent church +and convent in town is taken in the body of the barracks. +All houses are built of masonry; their entrances are shaded +by piazzas, supported by Tuscan pillars or pilasters, against +the south sun. The houses have to the east windows projecting +sixteen or eighteen inches into the street, very wide, +and proportionally high. On the west side, their windows +are commonly very small, and no opening of any kind to +the north, on which side they have double walls six or eight +feet asunder, forming a kind of gallery, which answers for +cellars and pantries. Before most of the entrances were +arbors of vines, producing plenty and very good grapes. +No house has any chimney for a fire place; the Spaniards +made use of stone urns, filled them with coals left in their +kitchens in the afternoon, and set them at sunset in their +bed-rooms, to defend themselves against those winter seasons, +which required such care. The governor's residence +has both sides piazzas, viz., a double one to the south, and +a single one to the north; also a Belvidere and a grand portico<a name="page_097" id="page_097"></a> +decorated with Doric pillars and entablatures. On the +north end of the town is a casemated fort, with four bastions, +a ravelin, counterscarp, and a glacis built with quarried +shell-stones, and constructed according to the rudiments +of Marechal de Vauban. This fort commands the +road of the bay, the town, its environs, and both Tolomako +stream and Mantanzas creek. The soil in the gardens and +environs of the town is chiefly sandy and marshy. The +Spaniards seem to have had a notion of manuring their land +with shells one foot deep.</p> + +<p>"Among the three thousand who evacuated St. Augustine, +the author is credibly informed, were many Spaniards +near and above the age of one hundred years, (observe;) +this nation, especially natives of St. Augustine, bore the +reputation of great sobriety."<a name="FNanchor_35_35" id="FNanchor_35_35"></a><a href="#Footnote_35_35" class="fnanchor">[35]</a></p> + +<p>On the 3d of January, 1766, the thermometer sunk to 26° +with the wind from N. W. "The ground was frozen an +inch thick on the banks; this was the fatal night that destroyed +the lime, citron, and banana trees in St. Augustine, +and many curious evergreens up the river that were twenty +years old in a flourishing state."<a name="FNanchor_36_36" id="FNanchor_36_36"></a><a href="#Footnote_36_36" class="fnanchor">[36]</a> In 1774 there was a snow +storm, which extended over most of the province. The ancient +inhabitants still (1836) speak of it as an extraordinary +white rain. It was said to have done little damage.<a name="FNanchor_37_37" id="FNanchor_37_37"></a><a href="#Footnote_37_37" class="fnanchor">[37]</a></p> + +<p>In this connection, and as it is sometimes supposed that +the climate is now colder than formerly, it may be stated +that the thermometer went very low in 1799. East Florida +suffered from a violent frost on the 6th April, 1828. In +February, 1835, the thermometer sunk to 7° above zero, +wind from N. W.; and the St. Johns river was frozen +several rods from the shore; all kinds of fruit trees were +killed to the ground, and the wild orange trees suffered as +well as the cultivated.</p> + +<p>Dr. Nicholas Turnbull, in the year 1767, associated with +Sir William Duncan and other Englishmen of note, projected +a colony of European emigrants, to be settled at New +Smyrna. He brought from the islands of Greece, Corsica, +and Minorca, some fourteen hundred persons, agreeing to +convey them free of expense, find them in clothing and provisions, +and, at the end of three years, to give fifty acres of +land to each head of a family, and twenty-five to each child.<a name="page_098" id="page_098"></a> +After a long passage they arrived out, and formed the settlement. +The principal article of cultivation produced by +them was indigo, which commanded a high price, and was +assisted by a bounty from the English government. After +a few years, Turnbull, as is alleged, either from avarice or +natural cruelty, assumed a control the most absolute over +these colonists, and practiced cruelties the most painful upon +them.</p> + +<p>An insurrection took place in 1769 among them, in consequence +of severe punishments, which was speedily repressed, +and the leaders of it brought to trial before the +English court at St. Augustine; five of the number were +convicted and sentenced to death. Gov. Grant pardoned +two of the five, and a third was released upon the condition +of his becoming the executioner of the other two. Nine +years after the commencement of their settlement, their +number had become reduced from 1,400 to 600. In 1776, +proceedings were instituted on their behalf by Mr. Yonge, +the attorney-general of the province, which resulted in their +being exonerated from their contract with Turnbull; lands +were thereupon assigned them in the northern part of the +city, which was principally built up by them; and their descendants, +at the present day, form the larger portion of the +population of that place.</p> + +<p>Governor Grant was the first English governor, and was +a gentleman of much energy; and during his term of office +he projected many great and permanent improvements in +the province. The public roads, known as the king's roads, +from St. Augustine to New Smyrna, and from St. Augustine +to Jacksonville, and thence to Coleraine, were then +constructed, and remain a lasting monument of his wisdom +and desire of improvement.</p> + +<p>Gov. Tonyn succeeded Gov. Grant; and a legislative +council was authorized to assemble, and the pretense and +forms of a constitutional government were gone through +with.</p> + +<p>In August, 1775, a British vessel called the Betsey, Capt. +Lofthouse, from London, with 111 barrels of powder, was +captured off the bar of St. Augustine, by an American privateer +from Charleston, very much to the disgust and annoyance +of the British authorities.</p> + +<p>At this period, St. Augustine assumed much importance +as a depot and <i>point d'appui</i> for the British forces in their +operations against the Southern States; and very considerable +forces were at times assembled.<a name="page_099" id="page_099"></a></p> + +<p>In the excess of the zeal and loyalty of the garrison and +inhabitants of St. Augustine, upon the receipt of the news +of the American Declaration of Independence, the effigies +of John Hancock and Samuel Adams were burned upon +the public square, where the monument now stands.</p> + +<p>The expedition of Gen. Prevost against Savannah was organized +and embarked from St. Augustine, in 1779.</p> + +<p>Sixty of the most distinguished citizens of Carolina were +seized by the British in 1780, and transported to St. Augustine +as prisoners of war and hostages, among whom were +Arthur Middleton, Edward Rutledge, Gen. Gadsden, and +Mr. Calhoun; all were put upon parole except Gen. Gadsden +and Mr. Calhoun, who refused the indulgence, and were +committed to the fort, where they remained many months +close prisoners. Gen. Rutherford and Col. Isaacs, of North +Carolina, were also transported hither, and committed to +the fort.</p> + +<p>An expedition was fitted out from St. Augustine in 1783, +to act against New Providence, under Col. Devereux; and, +with very slender means that able officer succeeded in capturing +and reducing the Bahamas, which have ever since +remained under English domination.</p> + +<p>The expense of supporting the government of East +Florida during the English occupation, was very considerable, +amounting to the sum of £122,000. The exports of +Florida, in 1778, amounted to £48,000; and in 1772, the +province exported 40,000 lbs. indigo; and in 1782, 20,000 +barrels of turpentine.<a name="page_100" id="page_100"></a></p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI"></a>CHAPTER XVI.<br /> +RE-CESSION OF FLORIDA TO SPAIN—ERECTION OF THE +PARISH CHURCH—CHANGE OF FLAGS. 1783—1821.</h3> + +<p>In June, 1784, in fulfillment of the treaty between +England and Spain, Florida, after twenty years of British +occupation, was re-ceded to the Spanish Crown, and taken +possession of by Governor Zespedez.</p> + +<p>The English residents, in general, left<a name="FNanchor_38_38" id="FNanchor_38_38"></a><a href="#Footnote_38_38" class="fnanchor">[38]</a> the country, and +went either to the Bahamas, Jamaica, or the United States. +Those who went to the British islands were almost ruined; +but those who settled in the States were more successful.</p> + +<p>In April, 1793, the present Roman Catholic church was +commenced, the previous Church having been in another +portion of the city.<a name="FNanchor_39_39" id="FNanchor_39_39"></a><a href="#Footnote_39_39" class="fnanchor">[39]</a> It was constructed under the direction +of Don Mariana de la Rocque and Don P. Berrio, government +engineer-officers. The cost of the church was $16,650, +of which about $6,000 was received from the proceeds of +the materials and ornaments of the old churches, about +$1,000 from the contributions of the inhabitants, and the +remaining $10,000 furnished by the government. One of +its four bells has the following inscription, showing it to be +probably the oldest bell in this country, being now 185 +years old.</p> + +<p class="c"><big><big><big><big>✞</big></big></big></big><br /> +<span style="font-family: sans-serif;"> +Sancte Joseph.<br /> +Ora Pro Nobis.<br /> +D 1682. +</span></p> + +<p>Don Enrique White was for many years governor of Florida, +and died in the city of St. Augustine. He is spoken +of by those who knew him, in high terms, for his integrity<a name="page_101" id="page_101"></a> +and openness of character; and many amusing anecdotes +are related connected with his eccentricities.</p> + +<p>In 1812, the American government, being apprehensive +that Great Britain designed obtaining possession of Florida, +sent its troops into the province, overrunning and destroying +the whole country. The manner and the pretenses +under which this was done, reflect but little credit on the +United States government; and the transparent sham of +taking possession of the country by the patriots, supported +by United States troops, was as undignified as it was futile. +It is for the damages occasioned by this invasion, that the +"Florida claims" for "losses" of its citizens have been +presented to the government of the United States. The +<i>principal</i> of the damages sustained, that is to say, the actual +value of the property then destroyed, has been allowed and +paid; but the interest, or damages for the detention, has +been withheld upon the ground that the government does +not pay interest. The treaty between the United States +and Spain in reference to the cession of Florida to the +United States, requires the United States to make <i>satisfaction</i> +for such claims; and the payment of the bare amount +of actual loss, after a detention of thirty years, is considered +by the claimants an inadequate <i>satisfaction</i> of a just claim.</p> + +<p>In the spring of 1818, General Jackson made his +celebrated incursion into Florida, and by a series of energetic +movements followed the Seminoles and Creeks to their fastnesses, +and forever crushed the power of those formidable +tribes for offensive operations.</p> + +<p>In the latter part of 1817, a revolutionary party took possession +of Amelia Island, and raised a <i>soi disant patriot</i> flag +at Fernandina, supported mainly in the enterprise by adventurers +from the United States; M'Gregor was assisted by +officers of the United States army. An expedition was +sent from St. Augustine by the Spanish governor to eject +the invaders, which failed. One Aury, an English adventurer, +for a time held command there; and also a Mr. Hubbard, +formerly sheriff of New York, who was the civil governor, +and died there. The United States troops eventually +interfered; but negotiations for the cession put a stop to +further hostilities.</p> + +<p>The king of Spain, finding his possessions in Florida +utterly worthless to his crown, and only an expense to sustain +the garrisons, while the repeated attempts to disturb +its political relations prevented any beneficial progress +towards its settlement, gladly agreed, in 1819, to a transfer +of Florida to the United States for five millions of dollars.<a name="page_102" id="page_102"></a></p> + +<p>An English gentleman who visited St. Augustine in 1817, +gives his impressions of the place as follows: "Emerging +from the solitudes and shades of the pine forests, we espied +the distant yet distinct lights of the watch towers of the +fortress of St. Augustine, delightful beacons to my weary +pilgrimage. The clock was striking ten as I reached the +foot of the drawbridge; the sentinels were passing the <i>alerto</i>, +as I demanded entrance; having answered the preliminary +questions, the draw-bridge was slowly lowered. The officer +of the guard, having received my name and wishes, sent a +communication to the governor, who issued orders for my +immediate admission. On opening the gate, the guard was +ready to receive me; and a file of men, with their officer, +escorted me to his Excellency, who expressed his satisfaction +at my revisit to Florida. I soon retired to the luxury +of repose, and the following morning was greeted as an old +acquaintance by the members of this little community.</p> + +<p>"I had arrived at a season of general relaxation, on the +eve of the carnival, which is celebrated with much gayety +in all Catholic countries. Masks, dominoes, harlequins, +punchinellos, and a great variety of grotesque disguises, on +horseback, in cars, gigs, and on foot, paraded the streets +with guitars, violins, and other instruments; and in the +evenings, the houses were open to receive masks, and balls +were given in every direction. I was told that in their +better days, when their pay was regularly remitted from the +Havana, these amusements were admirably conducted, and +the rich dresses exhibited on these occasions, were not +eclipsed by their more fashionable friends in Cuba; but +poverty had lessoned their spirit for enjoyment, as well as +the means for procuring it; enough, however, remained to +amuse an idle spectator, and I entered with alacrity into +their diversions.</p> + +<p>"About thirty of the hunting warriors of the Seminoles, +with their squaws, had arrived, for the purpose of selling +the produce of the chase, consisting of bear, deer, tiger, and +other skins, bears' grease, and other trifling articles. This +savage race, once the lords of the ascendant, are the most +formidable border enemies of the United States. This +party had arrived, after a range of six months, for the purpose +of sale and barter. After trafficking for their commodities, +they were seen at various parts of the town, +assembled in small groups, seated upon their haunches, like +monkeys, passing round their bottles of <i>aque dente</i> (the rum +of Cuba), their repeated draughts upon which soon exhausted<a name="page_103" id="page_103"></a> +their contents; they then slept off the effects of +intoxication, under the walls, exposed to the influence of the +sun. Their appearance was extremely wretched; their +skins of a dark, dirty, chocolate color, with long, straight, +black hair, over which they had spread a quantity of bears' +grease. In their ears, and the cartilages of the nose, were +inserted rings of silver and brass, with pendants of various +shapes; their features prominent and harsh, and their eyes +had a wild and ferocious expression.</p> + +<p>"A torn blanket, or an ill-fashioned dirty linen jacket, is +the general costume of these Indians; a triangular piece of +cloth passes around the loins; the women vary in their +apparel by merely wearing short petticoats, the original +colors of which were not distinguishable from the various +incrustations of dirt. Some of the young squaws were tolerably +agreeable, and if well washed and dressed would not +have been uninteresting; but the elder squaws wore the air +of misery and debasement.</p> + +<p>"The garrison is composed of a detachment from the +Royal regiment of Cuba, with some <i>black</i> troops; who +together form a respectable force. The fort and bastions +are built of the same material as the houses of the town, +<i>coquina</i>. This marine substance is superior to stone, not +being liable to splinter from the effects of bombardment; +it receives and imbeds the shot, which adds rather than detracts +from its strength and security.</p> + +<p>"The houses and the rear of the town are intersected and +covered with orange groves; their golden fruit and deep +green foliage, not only render the air agreeable, but +beautify the appearance of this interesting little town, in +the centre of which (the square) rises a large structure dedicated +to the Catholic religion. At the upper end are the +remains of a very considerable house, the former residence +of the governor of this settlement; but now (1817), in a +state of dilapidation and decay, from age and inattention.</p> + +<p>"At the southern extremity of the town, stands a large +building, formerly a monastery of Carthusian Friars, but +now occupied as a barrack for the troops of the garrison. +At a little distance are four stacks of chimnies, the sole +remains of a beautiful range of barracks, built during the occupancy +of the British, from 1763 to 1783; for three years +the 29th regiment was stationed there, and in that time they +did not lose a single man. The proverbial salubrity of the +climate, has obtained for St. Augustine the designation of +the Montpelier of Forth America; indeed, such is the +general character of the Province of East Florida.<a name="page_104" id="page_104"></a></p> + +<p>"The governor (Copinger), is about forty-five years of +age, of active and vigorous mind, anxious to promote by +every means in his power the prosperity of the province +confided to his command; his urbanity and other amiable +qualities render him accessible to the meanest individual, +and justice is sure to follow an appeal to his decision. His +military talents are well known, and appreciated by his +sovereign; and he now holds, in addition to the government +of East Florida, the rank of Colonel in the Royal +Regiment of Cuba.</p> + +<p>"The clergy consist of the <i>padre</i> (priest of the parish), +Father Cosby, a native of Wexford, in Ireland; a Franciscan +friar, the chaplain to the garrison, and an inferior or +curè. The social qualities of the <i>padre</i>, and the general +tolerance of his feelings, render him an acceptable visitor +to all his flock. The judge, treasurer, collector, and +notary, are the principal officers of the establishment, besides +a number of those devoted solely to the military occupations +of the garrison. The whole of this society is +extremely courteous to strangers; they form one family, +and those little jealousies and animosities, so disgraceful to +our small English communities, do not sully their meetings +of friendly chit-chat, called as in Spain, <i>turtulias</i>. The +women are deservedly celebrated for their charms; their +lovely black eyes have a vast deal of expression; their complexions +a clear brunette; much attention is paid to the arrangement +of their hair; at mass they are always well +dressed in black silk <i>basquinas</i> (petticoats), with the little +<i>mantilla</i> (black lace veil) over their heads; the men in their +military costumes; good order and temperance are their +characteristic virtues; but the vice of gambling too often +profanes their social haunts, from which even the fair sex +are not excluded. Two days following our arrival, a ball +was given by some of the inhabitants, to which I was +invited. The elder couples opened it with minuets, succeeded +by the younger couples displaying their handsome +light figures in Spanish dances."<a name="FNanchor_40_40" id="FNanchor_40_40"></a><a href="#Footnote_40_40" class="fnanchor">[40]</a></p> + +<p>The old inhabitants still speak in terms of fond regret of +the place when embowered in its orange groves, and the +pleasantness of its old customs and usages. Dancing +formed one of their most common amusements, as it does +now. The posey dance, now become obsolete, was then of +almost daily occurrence, and was introduced in the following +manner: The females of the family erect in a room of<a name="page_105" id="page_105"></a> +their house a neat little arbor, dressed with pots and garlands +of flowers, and lit up brightly with candles. This is +understood by the gentleman as an invitation to drop in and +admire the beauty of their decorations. In the mean time, +the lady who has prepared it, selects a partner from among +her visitors, and in token of her preference, honors him +with a bouquet of flowers. The gentleman who receives +the bouquet becomes then, for the nonce, king of the ball, +and leads out the fair donor as queen of the dance; the +others take partners, and the hall is thus inaugurated, and +may continue several successive evenings. Should the +lady's choice fall upon an unwilling swain, which seldom +happened, he could be excused by assuming the expenses +of the entertainment. These assemblies were always informal, +and frequented by all classes, all meeting on a level; +but were conducted with the utmost politeness and decorum, +for which the Spanish character is so distinguished.</p> + +<p>The carnival amusements are still kept up to some extent, +but with little of the taste and wit which formerly characterised +them, and without which they degenerate into mere +buffoonery.</p> + +<p>The graceful Spanish dance, so well suited in its slow and +regular movements to the inhabitants of a warm climate, +has always retained the preference with the natives of the +place, who dance it with that native grace and elegance of +movement which seems easy and natural for every one, but +is seldom equaled by the Anglo-Saxon.<a name="page_106" id="page_106"></a></p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII"></a>CHAPTER XVII.<br /> +TRANSFER OF FLORIDA TO THE UNITED STATES—AMERICAN +OCCUPATION—ANCIENT BUILDINGS, <span class="smcap">Etc</span>.</h3> + +<p>On the 10th day of July, in the year 1821, the standard +of Spain, which had been raised two hundred and fifty-six +years before over St. Augustine, was finally lowered forever +from the walls over which it had so long fluttered, and the +stars and stripes of the youngest of nations rose where, +sooner or later, the hand of destiny would assuredly have +placed them.</p> + +<p>It was intended that the change of flags should have +taken place on the 4th of July; owing to a detention, +this was frustrated; but the inhabitants celebrated the 4th +with a handsome public ball at the governor's house.</p> + +<p>The Spanish garrison, and officers connected with it, returned +to Cuba, and some of the Spanish families; but the +larger portion of the inhabitants remained. A considerable +influx of inhabitants from the adjoining States took +place, and the town speedily assumed a somewhat American +character. The proportion of American population since +the change of flags, has been about one-third. Most of the +native inhabitants converse with equal fluency in either +language.</p> + +<p>In the year 1823 the legislative council of Florida held +its second session in the government house at St. Augustine. +Governor W.P. Duval was the first governor after +the organization of the territory. The Ralph Ringwood +Sketches of Irving have given a wide celebrity to the character +of our worthy and original first governor, now recently +deceased.</p> + +<p>During the month of February, 1835, East Florida +was visited by a frost much more severe than any before +experienced. A severe northwest wind blew ten days in +succession, but more violently for about three days. During +this period, the mercury sunk to seven degrees above zero. +The St. Johns river was frozen several rods from the shore. +All kinds of fruit trees were killed to the ground; many of +them never started again, even from the roots. The wild<a name="page_107" id="page_107"></a> +groves suffered equally with those cultivated. The orange +had become the staple of Florida commerce; several millions +were exported from the St. Johns and St. Augustine +during the two previous years. Numerous groves had just +been planted out, and extensive nurseries could hardly supply +the demand for young trees. Some of the groves had, +during the previous autumn, brought to their owners, one, +two, and three thousand dollars; and the increasing demand +for this fruit, opened in prospect mines of wealth to +the inhabitants.</p> + +<p class="c">"Then came a frost, a withering frost."</p> + +<p>Some of the orange groves in East Florida were estimated +at from five to ten thousand dollars, and even more. They +were at once rendered valueless. The larger part of the +population at St. Augustine had been accustomed to depend +on the produce of their little groves of eight or ten +trees, to purchase their coffee, sugar, and other necessaries +from the stores; they were left without resource.</p> + +<p>"The town of St. Augustine, that heretofore appeared +like a rustic village, their white houses peeping from among +the clustered boughs and golden fruit of their favorite tree, +beneath whose shade the foreign invalid cooled his fevered +limbs, and imbibed health from the fragrant air,—how was +she fallen! Dry, unsightly poles, with ragged bark, stick +up around her dwellings; and where the mocking-bird once +delighted to build her nest, and tune her lovely songs, owls +hoot at night, and sterile winds whistle through the leafless +branches. Never was a place rendered more desolate."<a name="FNanchor_41_41" id="FNanchor_41_41"></a><a href="#Footnote_41_41" class="fnanchor">[41]</a></p> + +<p>The groves were at once replanted, and soon bid fair to +yield most abundantly; when, in 1842, an insect was introduced +into the country, called the <i>orange coccus</i>, which +spread over the whole country with wonderful rapidity, and +almost totally destroyed every tree it fastened upon. Of +late, the ravages of this insect seem less destructive, and +the groves have begun to resume their bearing; these add +to the beauty of the residences at St. Augustine with their +glossy, deep-green leaves, and golden fruit; and hopes of +an entire restoration are now confidently entertained.</p> + +<p>In December, 1835, the war with the Seminole Indians +broke out; and for some years St. Augustine was full of +the pomp and circumstance of war. It was dangerous to +venture beyond the gates; and many sad scenes of Indian +massacre took place in the neighborhood of the city. During<a name="page_108" id="page_108"></a> +this period, great apparent prosperity prevailed; property +was valuable, rents were high; speculators projected +one city on the north of the town, and another on the west; +a canal to the St. Johns, and also a railroad to Picolata; +and great hopes of future prosperity were entertained. +With the cessation of the war, the importance of St. Augustine +diminished; younger communities took the lead of +it, aided by superior advantages of location, and greater +enterprise, and St. Augustine has subsided into the pleasant, +quiet, <i>dolce far niente</i> of to-day, living upon, its old memories, +contented, peaceful, and agreeable, and likely to remain +without much change for the future.</p> + +<p>Of the public buildings, it may be remarked that the +extensive British barracks were destroyed by fire in 1792; +and that the Franciscan Convent was occupied as it had +been before, as barracks for the troops not in garrison in +the fort. The appearance of these buildings has been much +changed by the extensive repairs and alterations made by +the United States government. It had formerly a large +circular look-out upon the top, from which a beautiful view +of the surrounding country was obtained. Its walls are +probably the oldest foundations in the city.</p> + +<p>The present United States Court-house, now occupied by +many public offices, was the residence of the Spanish governors. +It has been rebuilt by the United States; and its +former quaint and interesting appearance has been lost, in +removing its look-out tower, and balconies, and the handsome +gateway, mentioned by De Brahm, which is said to +have been a fine specimen of Doric architecture.<a name="FNanchor_42_42" id="FNanchor_42_42"></a><a href="#Footnote_42_42" class="fnanchor">[42]</a></p> + +<p>Trinity Episcopal Church was commenced in 1827, and +consecrated in 1833, by Bishop Bowen, of South Carolina. +The Presbyterian Church was built about 1830, and the +Methodist chapel about 1846.</p> + +<p>The venerable-looking building on the bay, at the corner +of Green lane and Bay street, is considered the oldest building +in the place, and has evidently been a fine building in +its day. It was the residence of the attorney-general, in +English times.</p> + +<p>The monument on the public square was erected in 1812-13, +upon the information of the adoption of the Spanish +constitution, as a memorial of that event, in pursuance of +a royal order to that effect, directed to the public authorities +of all the provincial towns. Geronimo Alvarez was<a name="page_109" id="page_109"></a> +the Alcalde under whose direction it was erected. The +plan of it was made by Sr. Hernandez, the father of the +late General Hernandez. A short time after it was put up, +the Spanish constitution having had a downfall, orders +were issued by the government that all the monuments +erected to the constitution throughout its dominions, should +be demolished. The citizens of St. Augustine were unwilling +to see their monument torn down; and with the +passive acquiescence of the governor, the marble tablets +inscribed <span class="smcap">Plaza de la Constitucion</span> being removed, the +monument itself was allowed to stand; and thus it remains +to this day, the only monument in existence to commemorate +the farce of the constitution of 1812. In 1818, the +tablets were restored without objection.</p> + +<p>The bridge and causeway are the work of the government +of the United States. The present sea-wall was built +between 1835 and 1842, by the United States, at an expense +of one hundred thousand dollars.<a name="page_110" id="page_110"></a></p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII"></a>CHAPTER XVIII.<br /> +PRESENT APPEARANCE OF ST. AUGUSTINE, AS GIVEN BY +THE AUTHOR OF THANATOPSIS—ITS CLIMATE AND +SALUBRITY.</h3> + +<p>St. Augustine has now attained, for this side of the Atlantic, +a period of most respectable antiquity. In a country like +America, where States are ushered into existence in the full +development of maturity, where large cities rise like magic +from the rude forest, where the "oldest inhabitant" recollects +the cutting down of the lofty elms which shadowed the +wigwam of the red man, perchance on some spot now in the +heart of a great city; an antiquity of three centuries would +be esteemed as almost reaching back (compared with modern +growth) to the days of the Pharaohs.</p> + +<p>The larger number of early settlements were unsuitably +located, and were forced to be abandoned on account of +their unhealthiness; but the Spanish settlement at St. Augustine +has remained for near three hundred years where it +was originally planted; and the health of its inhabitants +has, for this long period, given it a deserved reputation for +salubrity and exemption from disease, attributable to locality +or extraneous influences or causes.</p> + +<p>The great age attained by its inhabitants was remarked +by De Brahm; the number and healthfulness of the children +that throng its streets, attract now, as they did then, +the attention of strangers. This salubrity is easily accounted +for, by the almost insular position of the city, upon a narrow +neck of land nearly surrounded by salt water; the main +shore, a high and healthy pine forest and sandy plains, so +near the ocean as to be fanned by its constant breezes, and +within the sound of its echoing waves; a situation combining +more local advantages for salubrity could hardly be imagined. +While it will never probably increase to any great +extent in population, it will hardly be likely to decrease. Its +health, easy means of support, unambitious class of inhabitants, +with their strong attachments and family and local +ties, will contribute to maintain St. Augustine as the time-honored +ancient city, with its permanent population, and +its visitors for health, for centuries perhaps yet to come.<a name="page_111" id="page_111"></a></p> + +<p>I cannot perhaps better conclude these historic notices +than by giving the impressions of the author of Thanatopsis,<a name="FNanchor_43_43" id="FNanchor_43_43"></a><a href="#Footnote_43_43" class="fnanchor">[43]</a> +one whose poetic fame will endure as long as American +literature exists. Writing from St. Augustine in April, +1843, he says:</p> + +<p>"At length we emerged upon a shrubby plain, and finally +came in sight of this oldest city of the United States, seated +among its trees on a sandy swell of land, where it has stood +for three hundred years. I was struck with its ancient and +homely aspect, even at a distance, and could not help likening +it to pictures which I had seen of Dutch towns, though +it wanted a wind-mill or two to make the resemblance perfect. +We drove into a green square, in the midst of which +was a monument erected to commemorate the Spanish +constitution of 1812, and thence through the narrow streets +of the city to our hotel.</p> + +<p>"I have called the streets narrow. In few places are they +wide enough to allow two carriages to pass abreast. I was +told that they were not originally intended for carriages; and +that in the time when the town belonged to Spain, many of +them were floored with an artificial stone, composed of +shells and mortar, which in this climate takes and keeps the +hardness of rock; and that no other vehicle than a hand-barrow +was allowed to pass over them. In some places you +see remnants of this ancient pavement; but for the most +part it has been ground into dust under the wheels of the +carts and carriages introduced by the new inhabitants. The +old houses, built of a kind of stone which is seemingly a +pure concretion of small shells, overhang the streets with +their wooden balconies; and the gardens between the +houses are fenced on the side of the street with high walls +of stone. Peeping over these walls you see branches of the +pomegranate, and of the orange-tree now fragrant with +flowers, and rising yet higher, the leaning boughs of the fig +with its broad luxuriant leaves. Occasionally you pass the +ruins of houses—walls of stone with arches and stair-cases +of the same material, which once belonged to stately dwellings. +You meet in the streets with men of swarthy complexions +and foreign physiognomy, and you hear them +speaking to each other in a strange language. You are told +that these are the remains of those who inhabited the +country under the Spanish dominion, and that the dialect +you have heard is that of the island of Minorca.<a name="page_112" id="page_112"></a></p> + +<p>"'Twelve years ago,' said an acquaintance of mine, +'when I first visited St. Augustine, it was a fine old Spanish +town. A large proportion of the houses which you now +see roofed like barns, were then flat-roofed; they were all +of shell rock, and these modern wooden buildings were +then not erected. That old fort which they are now repairing, +to fit it for receiving a garrison, was a sort of ruin, for +the outworks had partly fallen, and it stood unoccupied by +the military, a venerable monument of the Spanish dominion. +But the orange-groves were the wealth and ornament +of St. Augustine, and their produce maintained the inhabitants +in comfort. Orange-trees of the size and height of +the pear-tree, often rising higher than the roofs of the +houses, embowered the town in perpetual verdure. They +stood so close in the groves that they excluded the sun; and +the atmosphere was at all times aromatic with their leaves +and fruit, and in spring the fragrance of the flowers was almost +oppressive.'</p> + +<p>"The old fort of St. Mark, now called Fort Marion—a +foolish change of name—is a noble work, frowning over the +Mantanzas, which flows between St. Augustine and the +island of Anastasia; and it is worth making a long journey +to see. No record remains of its original construction; but +it is supposed to have been erected about a hundred and +fifty years since,<a name="FNanchor_44_44" id="FNanchor_44_44"></a><a href="#Footnote_44_44" class="fnanchor">[44]</a> and the shell rock of which it is built is +dark with time. We saw where it had been struck with +cannon balls, which, instead of splitting the rock, became +imbedded and clogged among the loosened fragments of +shell. This rock is therefore one of the best materials for +fortification in the world. We were taken into the ancient +prisons of the fort-dungeons, one of which was dimly +lighted by a grated window, and another entirely without +light; and by the flame of a torch we were shown the half +obliterated inscriptions scrawled on the walls long ago by +prisoners. But in another corner of the fort, we were taken +to look at the secret cells, which were discovered a few +years since in consequence of the sinking of the earth over +a narrow apartment between them. These cells are deep +under ground, vaulted over-head, and without windows. +In one of them a wooden machine was found, which some +supposed might have been a rack, and in the other a quantity +of human bones. The doors of these cells had been +walled up and concealed with stucco, before the fort passed +into the hands of the Americans.<a name="page_113" id="page_113"></a></p> + +<p>"You cannot be in St. Augustine a day without hearing +some of its inhabitants speak of its agreeable climate. +During the sixteen days of my residence here, the weather +has certainly been as delightful as I could imagine. We +have the temperature of early June as June is known in +New York. The mornings are sometimes a little sultry; +but after two or three hours a fresh breeze comes in from +the sea sweeping through the broad piazzas, and breathing +in at the windows. At this season it comes laden with the +fragrance of the flowers of the Pride of India, and sometimes of +the orange tree, and sometimes brings the scent of roses, now +in bloom. The nights are gratefully cool; and I have been told +by a person who has lived here many years, that there are very +few nights in summer when you can sleep without a blanket.</p> + +<p>"An acquaintance of mine, an invalid, who has tried +various climates, and has kept up a kind of running fight +with death for many years, retreating from country to +country as he pursued, declares to me that the winter climate +of St. Augustine is to be preferred to that of any part +of Europe, even that of Sicily, and that it is better than +the climate of the West Indies. He finds it genial and +equable, at the same time that it is not enfeebling. The +summer heats are prevented from being intense by the sea-breeze, +of which I have spoken. I have looked over the +work of Dr. Forry on the climate of the United States, and +have been surprised to see the uniformity of climate which +he ascribes to Key West. As appears by the observations +he has collected, the seasons at that place glide into each +other by the softest gradations; and the heat never, even in +midsummer, reaches that extreme which is felt in the +higher latitudes of the American continent. The climate of +Florida is, in fact, an insular climate: the Atlantic on the +east, and the Gulf of Mexico on the west, temper the airs +that blow over it, making them cooler in summer and +warmer in winter. I do not wonder, therefore, that it is so +much the resort of invalids; it would be more so if the +softness of its atmosphere, and the beauty and serenity of +its seasons were generally known. Nor should it be supposed +that accommodations for persons in delicate health are +wanting; they are, in fact, becoming better with every year, +as the demand for them increases. Among the acquaintances +whom I have made here, I remember many who +having come hither for the benefit of their health, are +detained for life by the amenity of the climate. 'It seems +to me,' said an intelligent gentleman of this class, the other<a name="page_114" id="page_114"></a> +day, 'as if I could not exist out of Florida. When I go to +the north, I feel most sensibly the severe extremes of the +weather; the climate of Charleston itself appears harsh to +me.'</p> + +<p>"The negroes of St. Augustine are a good-looking specimen +of the race, and have the appearance of being very +well treated. You rarely see a negro in ragged clothing; +and the colored children, though slaves, are often dressed +with great neatness. In the colored people whom I saw in +the Catholic church, I remarked a more agreeable, open, +and gentle physiognomy than I have been accustomed to see +in that class.</p> + +<p>"Some old customs which the Minorcans brought with +them from their native country, are still kept up. On the +evening before Easter Sunday, about eleven o'clock, I heard +the sound of a serenade in the streets. Going out, I found +a party of young men with instruments of music, grouped +about the window of one of the dwellings, singing a hymn +in honor of the Virgin,<a name="FNanchor_45_45" id="FNanchor_45_45"></a><a href="#Footnote_45_45" class="fnanchor">[45]</a> in the Mahonese dialect. They began, +as I was told, with tapping on the shutter. An answering +knock within had told them that their visit was +welcome, and they immediately began the serenade. If no +reply had been heard, they would have passed on to another +dwelling. I give the hymn as it was kindly taken down +for me in writing, by a native of St. Augustine. I presume +this is the first time that it has been put in print; but I fear +the copy has several corruptions, occasioned by the unskillfulness +of the copyist. The letter <i>e</i>, which I have put +in italics, represents the guttural French <i>e</i>, or, perhaps, +more nearly the sound of the <i>u</i> in the word but. The <i>sh</i> +of our language is represented by <i>sc</i> followed by an <i>i</i> or an +<i>e</i>; the <i>g</i>, both hard and soft, has the same sound as in our +language.</p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> +<tr><td align="left">"'Disciar<i>e</i>m lu dol</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Cantar<i>e</i>m aub' alagria</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Y n'arem a da</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Las pascuas a Maria</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 5em;">O Maria!</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">"'Sant Grabiel,</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Qui portaba la ambasciado</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Des nostro rey del cel,</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Estaran vos prenada</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Ya omitiada</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Tu o vais aqui surventa</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Fia del Dieu contenta</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Para fe lo que el vol</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 5em;">Disciar<i>e</i>m lu dol, &c.<a name="page_115" id="page_115"></a></span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">"'Y a milla nit</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Pariguero vos regina</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">A un Dieu infinit,</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Dintra una establina.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Y a milla dia,</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Que los angles von cantant</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Pau y abondant</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">De la gloria de Dieu sol</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 5em;">Disciar<i>e</i>m lu dol, &c.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">"'Y a Libalam,</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Alla la terra santa</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Nus nat Jesus</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Aub' alagria tanta</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Infant petit</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Que tot lu mon salvaria</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Y ningu y bastaria</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Nu mes un Dieu tot sul</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 5em;">Disciar<i>e</i>m lu dol, &c.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">"'Cuant de Orion lus</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Tres reys la stralla veran</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Dieu omnipotent</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Adora lo vingaran</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Un present inferan</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">De mil <i>e</i>ncens y or</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">A lu beneit seno</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Que conesce cual se vol</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 5em;">Disciar<i>e</i>m lu dol, &c.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">"'Tot fu gayant</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Para cumple la prumas</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Y lu Esperit sant</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">De un angel fau gramas</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Gran foc ences,</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Que crama lu curagia</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Dieu nos da lenguagia</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Para fe lo que Dieu vol</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 5em;">Disciar<i>e</i>m lu dol, &c.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">"'Cuant trespasa</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">De quest mon nostra Senora</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Al cel s' empugia</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Sun fil la matescia ora</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">O! Emperadora</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Que del cel san eligida</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Lu rosa florida</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Me resplenden que un sol</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 5em;">Disciar<i>e</i>m lu dol, &c.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">"'Y el tercer giorn</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Que Jesus resunta</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Dieu y Aboroma</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Que la mort triumfa</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">De alli se balla</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Para perldra Lucife</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">An tot a sen penda</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Que de nostro ser el sol</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 5em;">Disciar<i>e</i>m lu dol, &c.</span></td></tr> +</table> + +<p><a name="page_116" id="page_116"></a></p> + +<p>"After this hymn, the following stanzas, soliciting the +customary gift of cakes or eggs, are sung:—</p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> +<tr><td align="left">"'Ce set que vam cantant,</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Regina celestial!</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Damos pan y alagria</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Y bonas festas tingan</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Y vos da sus bonas festas</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Danos dines de sus nous</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Sempre tar<i>e</i>m lus neans Uestas</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Para recibi un grapat de nes,</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Y el giorn de pascua florida</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Alagramos y giuntament</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">As qui <i>e</i>s mort par dar nos vida</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Y via glorosiamente,</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">A questa casa esta empedrada</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Bien halla que la empedro;</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">San amo de aquesta casa</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Baldria duna un do</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Formagiado o empanada</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Cucutta a flao;</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Cual se val casa rue grada,</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Sol que no rue digas que no.'</td></tr> +</table> + +<p>"The shutters are then opened by the people within, and +a supply of cheese, cakes or other pastry, or eggs, is +dropped into a bag carried by one of the party; who acknowledge +the gift in the following lines, and then depart:—</p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> +<tr><td align="left">"'Aquesta casa reta empedrada</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Empedrada de cuatro vens;</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Sun amo de aquesta casa</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Es omo de compliment.'</td></tr> +</table> +<p>"If nothing is given, the last line reads thus:—</p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> +<tr><td align="left">"'No es homo de compliment.'"</td></tr> +</table> + +<p><a name="page_117" id="page_117"></a></p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XIX" id="CHAPTER_XIX"></a>CHAPTER XIX.<br /> +ST. AUGUSTINE IN ITS OLD AGE.—1565-1868.</h3> + +<p>Three hundred and three years have now passed over +the walls of this venerable city. Ten generations of men +and women have passed away since this ancient city had an +existence and a name. One can look back to 1565 and picture +to the mind the galleons of Spain anchored off its +harbor; see the gallant Adelantado Menendez, clad in mail, +preceded by the standards of Spain, and followed by his men +at arms, his bowmen and his cavaliers, taking possession of +the country in the name of his sovereign. The waves roll +in upon the same shores now as they did then; the green, +grassy marshes and oyster-clad banks present to our eyes +the same appearance as they did to theirs; the white sandy +beach which received the impress of the iron-clad heel of +the cavalier, now yields to the pressure of your foot; the +rustling pines along the shore cast their pleasant shadows +over you as they did over them, and perchance the same +eager thoughts of gain pervade your breast as you pass beneath +them, as filled the hearts and souls of those who long +ago came seeking gold and wealth unmeasured upon those +shores.</p> + +<p>Three hundred years ago, and St. Augustine stood the +solitary settlement of the white race north of the Gulf of +Mexico in all that great expanse which now boasts of its +thirty-four States, its three hundred cities, and its thirty +millions of people.</p> + +<p>Then the Province of Florida extended northward to the +pole, and westward to the Pacific. At a later period, after +the voyages of the French and English, its boundaries were +limited to the shores of the Chesapeake and the Mississippi +river, and were subsequently gradually contracted to their +present limits, so that Florida once represented upon the +maps all of the United States.</p> + +<p>The life of St. Augustine runs parallel with that of Spain. +For a long period Spain was at the head of European monarchies; +its rulers held sway over more vast possessions +than had ever belonged to any single crown since the days<a name="page_118" id="page_118"></a> +of the Cæsars; wealth flowed into its coffers from the New +World in boundless profusion, and corruption, venality and +effeminacy followed in its train. The whole continent of +America was claimed as its dominion. Its fleets anchored +upon every shore for conquest or exploration, and its banners +were unfurled by its generals, and the cross was planted +by its priests, upon every headland. From all this grandeur +and eminence the Spanish monarchy has been cast down. +Driven from land to land, it has receded from the main land +of America, and has exchanged its dominion over a continent +to the islands of the sea, which it holds with a precarious +grasp, and it now remains in a dry old age a fourth-rate +power where once it stood foremost. The first planted +of all the cities of the United States, St. Augustine, now +ranks among the least.</p> + +<p>Ten years have been added to the longevity of the ancient +city since the first publication of this work. Ten years do +not make their mark upon the aged man as they do upon +the youth launching forth into manhood, or as they do upon +him who in the full measure of his matured strength is +battling with life. On the nation at large, these ten years +have left almost ineffaceable scars and bruises; ten years, +the most important, the weightiest and the gravest of any +since the throes of the great revolution which gave birth to +the nation. This long sad period has left no mark upon its +walls—grey and mouldy with the weight of years, and have +scarcely added a tinge the more of age and sorrow—and +yet the inner life of the old city has sustained a great +shock. The system of servitude, which has now been +swept away, was the sole dependence of many aged persons, +of many poor widows and orphan children.</p> + +<p>Servants in St. Augustine were treated with paternal kindness; +they had grown up in the family of the indulgent +master, had been his play-mate in infancy, and rendered +willing service. They had their holidays and their balls, +and were ever found in the background at all festive gatherings, +enjoying, upon a privileged footing, the pleasures +of the hour, looking on and commenting with pride upon +the graceful movements in the dance of their young mistresses, +and anon whirling each other around to the music, +in the corridors, with the unrestrained exuberance of their +simple and unalloyed happiness. All this has passed away, +their homes are broken up, the poor widow and the orphan +children have been brought to want, the sound of music +and dancing no longer resound in the old streets, the privileged<a name="page_119" id="page_119"></a> +house-maid and man-servant no longer do their easy +tasks with cheerful song and merry laugh.</p> + +<p>The naval forces of the United States took possession of +St. Augustine in 1862. Batteries had been mounted at the +fort, and a small garrison of Confederate troops were in +military occupation of the place, but too few in numbers to +offer any resistance, and the city was surrendered by the +civil authorities upon the demand of Captain Dupont. The +4th New Hampshire regiment first garrisoned the city. +The old fort was brushed up and repaired, the earth-works +strengthened, and barracks built on the platform. Occasionally +reconnoitering parties of Confederates approached +the town, and on one occasion a festive party of officers, +who had gone out to Mr. Solanas, near Picolata, to attend +a dance, were captured, with their music and ambulance, +by Captain Dickinson, celebrated for many daring exploits. +It was even believed that this daring partisan had ridden +through the city at night in the guise of a Federal cavalry +officer. On another occasion, the commanding officer of +the garrison at St. Augustine was captured on the road +from Jacksonville by a Confederate picket.</p> + +<p>The inhabitants, isolated from all means of obtaining +supplies from without the lines, were reduced to great +straits. The only condition upon which they were allowed +to purchase, was the acceptance of an oath of loyalty. +Sympathizing strongly with the South, they were placed in +an unfortunate position, and many doubtless suffered +greatly. At one period, those of the citizens who had relatives +in the Confederate service were ordered to leave the +city. Then ensued a scene which beggars description. +Men, women and children were huddled on board a vessel, +and, homeless and helpless, were carried along the coast +and disembarked, shelterless, on the banks of the Nassau +river, to make their way to food and shelter as best they +could—hardships which hardly seemed called for by any +military necessity. Many of the young men of the city +went into the Confederate service and served through the +war with distinction, but many fell victims on the battlefield, +in the hospitals, or from exposure to the rigorous climate +of Virginia and Tennessee, to which they were unaccustomed.</p> + +<p>To these misfortunes succeeded to all, sales and forcible +deprivation of property, under the most rigorous construction +of most rigorous laws—the unsettling of titles and the +loss of mean have combined to lessen the ability of the<a name="page_120" id="page_120"></a> +people to do more than try to live, without much effort to +improve their homes and the appearance of the city.</p> + +<p>Some changes have taken place in the suburbs of the city. +Macariz, the site of the old Indian town, belonging to the +late Judge Douglas, with its beautiful groves of forest +trees, has been utterly destroyed; and a once pleasant cottage +home, near the stockades, dear to the writer, cared for +and embellished with many things pleasant to the eye, fragrant +with the ever blooming roses and honeysuckles, has, +under the rude hand of war, been utterly destroyed, with +its library, its furniture, and all its pleasant surroundings.</p> + +<p>But while man's work has been to destroy, Nature has +done much within these few years to restore one of its former +sources of prosperity, the cultivation of the orange, +which, having been at one period almost utterly destroyed +by the cold, and then by the coccus insect, is now fast regaining +its pristine vigor and productiveness, and promises +in a few years to furnish to the city more permanent and +abundant sources of prosperity than it has ever had.</p> + +<p>With the infusion of Northern energy and capital, much +could be done to further the prosperity of the old city, by +building up first-class hotels and boarding-houses for visitors +during the winter, by rebuilding the Picolata railway, thus +facilitating access to the city, and thus a means of support +could be given to its inhabitants.</p> + +<p>I am sure that no one will feel otherwise than that its +old age shall be tranquil and serene, and that its name may +ever be associated with pleasant memories.</p> + +<p class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/deco.png" width="152" height="198" alt="decoration" title="" /> +</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><p class="cb">FOOTNOTES:</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> The fountain of youth is a very ancient fable; and the reader will be +reminded of the amusing story of the accomplishment of this miracle, told +in Hawthorne's Twice-Told Tales, and of the marvelous effects produced +by imbibing this celebrated spring water.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> Barcia Ensayo, Cron. 66.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_3_3" id="Footnote_3_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_3_3"><span class="label">[3]</span></a> The galleon spoken of was Menendez's own flag ship, the El Pelayo, +the largest vessel in his fleet, fitted out at his own expense, and which had +brought four hundred men. He had put on board of her a lieutenant and +some soldiers, besides fifteen Lutherans as prisoners, whom he was sending +home to the Inquisition at Seville. The orders to his officers were to go as +speedily as possible to the island of Hispaniola, to bring provisions and +additional forces. Upon the passage, the Lutheran prisoners, with some +Levantine sailors, rose upon the Spaniards, killed the commander, and carried +the vessel into Denmark. Menendez was much chagrined when he +ascertained the fate of his favorite galleon, a long period afterwards.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_4_4" id="Footnote_4_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_4_4"><span class="label">[4]</span></a> A low palm, bearing an oily berry.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_5_5" id="Footnote_5_5"></a><a href="#FNanchor_5_5"><span class="label">[5]</span></a> Ternaux Compans.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_6_6" id="Footnote_6_6"></a><a href="#FNanchor_6_6"><span class="label">[6]</span></a> Hakluyt.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_7_7" id="Footnote_7_7"></a><a href="#FNanchor_7_7"><span class="label">[7]</span></a> Brevis Narratio.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_8_8" id="Footnote_8_8"></a><a href="#FNanchor_8_8"><span class="label">[8]</span></a> W. Gilmore Simms, Esq.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_9_9" id="Footnote_9_9"></a><a href="#FNanchor_9_9"><span class="label">[9]</span></a> Laudonnière says, "<i>joignant la montagne</i>."</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_10_10" id="Footnote_10_10"></a><a href="#FNanchor_10_10"><span class="label">[10]</span></a> Canaveral, where Ribault was wrecked, must have been some point +north of Mosquito Inlet, and not the cape now bearing that name, as he +could not have crossed Mosquito Inlet in his march to Matanzas.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_11_11" id="Footnote_11_11"></a><a href="#FNanchor_11_11"><span class="label">[11]</span></a> Barcia, p. 87.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_12_12" id="Footnote_12_12"></a><a href="#FNanchor_12_12"><span class="label">[12]</span></a> Barcia, p. 89.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_13_13" id="Footnote_13_13"></a><a href="#FNanchor_13_13"><span class="label">[13]</span></a> Barcia, p. 89.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_14_14" id="Footnote_14_14"></a><a href="#FNanchor_14_14"><span class="label">[14]</span></a> Barcia, p. 89.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_15_15" id="Footnote_15_15"></a><a href="#FNanchor_15_15"><span class="label">[15]</span></a> Such was the understanding of those who then wrote in reference to +the transaction, as Barcia admits.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_16_16" id="Footnote_16_16"></a><a href="#FNanchor_16_16"><span class="label">[16]</span></a> Ensay. Cron. 110.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_17_17" id="Footnote_17_17"></a><a href="#FNanchor_17_17"><span class="label">[17]</span></a> Ensayo: Cron. 115.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_18_18" id="Footnote_18_18"></a><a href="#FNanchor_18_18"><span class="label">[18]</span></a> Pensacola Bay was also so called.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_19_19" id="Footnote_19_19"></a><a href="#FNanchor_19_19"><span class="label">[19]</span></a> Ensayo: Cron. 133.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_20_20" id="Footnote_20_20"></a><a href="#FNanchor_20_20"><span class="label">[20]</span></a> Ternaux Compans, p. 357.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_21_21" id="Footnote_21_21"></a><a href="#FNanchor_21_21"><span class="label">[21]</span></a> This old chest, which remained in one of the western vaults of the +fort, up to the late war, was broken up for relics, and is no longer there.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_22_22" id="Footnote_22_22"></a><a href="#FNanchor_22_22"><span class="label">[22]</span></a> I do not find any account of this expedition and capture of St. Augustine +in the Ensayo Cronologica.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_23_23" id="Footnote_23_23"></a><a href="#FNanchor_23_23"><span class="label">[23]</span></a> Carroll's S. C., Vol. 1, p. 62.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_24_24" id="Footnote_24_24"></a><a href="#FNanchor_24_24"><span class="label">[24]</span></a> Rivers' S. C. Hist. Coll. p. 143. Do. Appendix, 426. Carroll's Coll., +2d vol., 350.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_25_25" id="Footnote_25_25"></a><a href="#FNanchor_25_25"><span class="label">[25]</span></a> There must be an error, of course, in this statement of an 82-gun ship +entering St. Augustine, as the depth of water would never admit a vessel +of over 300 tons: probably 82 should read 12 tons. G. R. F.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_26_26" id="Footnote_26_26"></a><a href="#FNanchor_26_26"><span class="label">[26]</span></a> Carroll's Hist. Coll., vol. 2, p. 352.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_27_27" id="Footnote_27_27"></a><a href="#FNanchor_27_27"><span class="label">[27]</span></a> Rivers' Hist. Sketches, S. C., app. 458.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_28_28" id="Footnote_28_28"></a><a href="#FNanchor_28_28"><span class="label">[28]</span></a> State Papers of Georgia. Ga. Hist. Soc.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_29_29" id="Footnote_29_29"></a><a href="#FNanchor_29_29"><span class="label">[29]</span></a> This statement is unsupported by either Spanish or English authority. +The writer of the letter, through want of familiarity with their language, +misunderstood his informants, in all probability, as to the extent of their +loss.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_30_30" id="Footnote_30_30"></a><a href="#FNanchor_30_30"><span class="label">[30]</span></a> MSS, in Geo. Hist. Soc. Library.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_31_31" id="Footnote_31_31"></a><a href="#FNanchor_31_31"><span class="label">[31]</span></a> Monteano, MSS., Archives St. Augustine.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_32_32" id="Footnote_32_32"></a><a href="#FNanchor_32_32"><span class="label">[32]</span></a> Monteano, MS. Letter of, 28th July, 1740.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_33_33" id="Footnote_33_33"></a><a href="#FNanchor_33_33"><span class="label">[33]</span></a> Report upon Expedition to St. Augustine. Carroll's Coll. 2d vol., p. +354.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_34_34" id="Footnote_34_34"></a><a href="#FNanchor_34_34"><span class="label">[34]</span></a> Carroll's Hist. Coll. S. C. p. 359.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_35_35" id="Footnote_35_35"></a><a href="#FNanchor_35_35"><span class="label">[35]</span></a> De Brahm MS., p. 192.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_36_36" id="Footnote_36_36"></a><a href="#FNanchor_36_36"><span class="label">[36]</span></a> Stork, p. 11.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_37_37" id="Footnote_37_37"></a><a href="#FNanchor_37_37"><span class="label">[37]</span></a> Williams' Florida, p. 17.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_38_38" id="Footnote_38_38"></a><a href="#FNanchor_38_38"><span class="label">[38]</span></a> Among the families remaining were the Fatios, Flemings, and a few +others.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_39_39" id="Footnote_39_39"></a><a href="#FNanchor_39_39"><span class="label">[39]</span></a> The old parish church was on St. George street, on west side of the street.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_40_40" id="Footnote_40_40"></a><a href="#FNanchor_40_40"><span class="label">[40]</span></a> Voyage to Spanish Main. London, 1819. Page 116, <i>et seq.</i></p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_41_41" id="Footnote_41_41"></a><a href="#FNanchor_41_41"><span class="label">[41]</span></a> Williams' Florida, pp. 18, <i>et seq.</i></p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_42_42" id="Footnote_42_42"></a><a href="#FNanchor_42_42"><span class="label">[42]</span></a> It is said to have been taken down by the contractor, to form the +foundation of his kitchen.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_43_43" id="Footnote_43_43"></a><a href="#FNanchor_43_43"><span class="label">[43]</span></a> Bryant.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_44_44" id="Footnote_44_44"></a><a href="#FNanchor_44_44"><span class="label">[44]</span></a> It is much more ancient.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_45_45" id="Footnote_45_45"></a><a href="#FNanchor_45_45"><span class="label">[45]</span></a> This song is usually called the <i>Fromajardis</i>.</p></div> + +</div> +<hr class="full" /> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Spaniards in Florida, by George R. 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