AD. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1564. 



The place where we went on shore was hard by a 

 very high Rocke, out of which there ran a litle river 

 of sweet and excellent good water : by which river we 

 stayed certaine dayes to discover the things which were 

 worthy to be seene, and traffiqued dayly with the 

 Indians : which above all things besought us that none 

 of our men should come neere their lodgings nor 

 their gardens, otherwise that we should give them 

 great cause of jelousie, and that in so doing, wee should 

 not want of their fruite which they call Ananas, 

 whereof they offered us very liberally, receiving in 

 recompence certaine things of small value. This not- 

 withstanding, it happened on a day that certaine of 

 our men desirous to see some new things in these 

 strange countries, walked through the woods : and 

 following still the litle rivers side, they spied two 

 serpents of exceeding bignes, which went side by side 

 overthwart the way. My souldiers went before them 

 thinking to let them from going into the woods : but 

 the serpents nothing at all astonied at these gestures 

 glanced into the bushes with fearful hyssings : yet for 

 all that, my men drew their swords and killed them, 

 and found them afterward 9 great foote long, and as 

 big as a mans leg. During this combate, certaine 

 others more undiscreete went and gathered their Ananas 

 in the Indians gardens, trampling through them with- 

 out any discretion : and not therev/ithall contented 

 they went toward their dwellings ; whereat the Indians 

 were so much offended, that without regarding any 

 thing they rushed upon them and discharged their 

 shot, so that they hit one of my men named Martine 

 Chaveau, which remained behind. We could not know 

 whether hee were killed on the place, or whether he 

 were taken prisoner : for those of his company had 

 inough to doe to save themselves without thinking of 

 their companion. Whereof Monsieur de Ottigni my 

 Lieuetenant being advertised, sent unto me to know 

 whether I thought good that he should lay an ambush 



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