A.D. 

 1564. 



Laudonnieres 



consultation 

 zuith his com- 

 pany where it 

 might be best 

 for them to 

 plant. 



Gold and sil- 

 ver found at 

 the river of 

 May. 



THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



pearce that which all the force of their bowes could not 

 hurt, he seemed to be sorie, musing with himselfe how 

 this thing might bee done. Neverthelesse going about 

 to dissemble in his minde that which his countenance 

 could not doe by any meanes, hee began to fall into 

 another matter, and prayed us very earnestly to stay 

 with him that night in his house or lodging, affirming 

 that no greater happinesse could come unto him then 

 our long abode, which he desired to recompence with a 

 thousand presents. 



Neverthelesse wee could not grant him this poynt, 

 but tooke our leave of him to returne to our shippes : 

 where soone after I caused all my companie to bee 

 assembled, with the Masters and Pilots of my shippes, 

 to consult together of the place whereof wee should 

 make choise to plant our habitation. First I let them 

 understand, howe none of them were ignorant, that the 

 part which was towarde the Cape of Florida, was alto- 

 gether a marish Countrey, and therefore unprofitable for 

 our inhabitation : A thing which could yeelde neither 

 profite to the King, nor any contentment or pleasure to 

 us, if peradventure we would inhabite there. On the 

 other side if wee passed further toward the North to 

 seeke out Port Royall, it would be neither very profitable 

 nor convenient : at the least if wee should give credit to 

 the report of them which remained there a long time, 

 although the Haven were one of the fairest of the 

 West Indies : but that in this case the question was 

 not so much of the beautie of the place, as of things 

 necessary to sustaine life. And that for our inhabiting 

 it was much more needefull for us to plant in places 

 plentifull of victuall, then in goodly Havens, faire, deepe 

 and pleasaunt to the view. In consideration whereof 

 that I was of opinion, if it seemed good unto them, to 

 seate our selves about the River of May : seeing also that 

 in our first voyage wee found the same onely among 

 all the rest to abounde in Maiz and corne, besides the 

 Golde and Silver that was found there : a thing that 



14 



