RENE LAUDONNIERE 



ing his age. Then the olde man called a company of 

 Indians, and striking twise upon his thigh, and laying 

 his hand upon two of them, he shewed him by signes, 

 that these two were his sonnes : againe smiting upon 

 their thighes, he shewed him others not so olde, which 

 were the children of the two first, which he continued in 

 the same maner untill the fift generation. But though 

 this olde man had his father alive more olde then him- 

 selfe, and that both of them did weare their haire very 

 long, and as white as was possible, yet it was tolde them, 

 that they might yet live thirtie or fortie yeeres more by 

 the course of nature : although the younger of them 

 both was not lesse then two hundred and fiftie yeeres 

 olde. After he had ended his communication, hee com- 

 maunded two young Egles to be given to our men, 

 which he had bred up for his pleasure in his house. 

 Hee caused also little Paniers made of Palme leaves full 

 of Gourds red and blew to bee delivered unto them. 

 For recompence of which presents he was satisfied with 

 French toyes. 



These two olde men caused our men to bee guided 

 backe againe to the place from whence they came, by 

 the young Paracoussy which hath brought them thither. 

 And having taken leave of the Paracoussy, they came 

 and sought me out in the place where I stayed, and 

 rehearsed unto mee all that they had scene, praying mee 

 also that 1 would rewarde their guide, which so frankely 

 and heartily had received them into his house, which I 

 would not faile to doe by any meanes. 



Nowe was I determined to search out the qualities of 

 the hill. Therefore I went right to the toppe thereof, 

 where we found nothing else but Cedars, Palme, and 

 Baytrees of so sovereigne odour, that Baulme smelleth 

 nothing like in comparison. The trees were environed 

 rounde about with Vines bearing grapes in such quantitie, 

 that the number would suffice to make the place habit- 

 able. Besides this fertilitie of the soyle for Vines, a 

 man may see Esquine wreathed about the shrubs in 



II 



A.D. 



1564. 



[III. 323.] 



Savages in 

 Florida of 

 250. yeres 

 olde. 

 Egles in 

 Florida. 



Cedars, 

 Palmes, 

 Bayes exceed- 

 ing sweete. 

 Abundance 

 of grapes. 

 Esquine a 

 drugge excel- 

 lent against 

 the pockes. 



