DISASTEOUS ATTEMPTS IN FLOKIDA 107 



my men, which were escaped, of which number there 

 were three or lour which were sore hurt. . . . 



Being able to go no farther, by reason of my sickness 

 which I had, I sent two of my men, which were with me, 

 which could swim well, unto the ships, to advertise them 

 of that which had happened, and to send them word to 

 come and help me. . . . The 25th of September, we Escape to 

 set sail to return into France. The indifferent and uu- 

 passiouate readers may easily weigh the truth of my 

 doings, and be upright judges of the endeavour which I 

 there used. For mine own part, I will not accuse, nor 

 excuse any ; it sufficeth me to have followed the truth 

 of the history, whereof many are able to bear witness, 

 which were there present. I will plainly say one thing — 

 that the long delay that Capt. John Eibault used in his 

 embarking, and the fifteen days that he spent in roving 

 along the coast of Florida before he came to our fort, 

 were the cause of the loss we sustained ; for he discovered 

 the coast on the 14th of August, and spent the time in 

 going from river to river, which had been sufficient for 

 him to have discharged his ships in, and for me to have 

 embarked myself to have returned into France. I note 

 well that all that he did was upon a good intent ; yet, in 

 mine opinion, he should have had more regard unto his 

 charge than to the devices of his own brain, which, some- 

 times, he printed in his head so deeply, that it was very 

 hard to put them out, which also turned to his utter 

 undoing ; for he was no sooner departed from us but a 

 tempest took him, which, in fine, wrecked him upon the 

 coast, where all his ships were cast away ; and he, with 

 much ado, escaped drowTiing, to fall into their hands, 

 which cruelly massacred him and all his company. 



Ill 



To this graphic story something may be added from 

 other sources. Once more the French proved that, while French not 

 they make a most admirable element in a colony estab- 



