USA > Maine > A history of the discovery of Maine > Part 36
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I will first briefly review the events which occurred be- tween the expeditions of De Soto at the south (1540-1543), and of his contemporaries Cartier and Roberval at the north (1534-1543), and the French expeditions under Ribault and others in 1562. During these twenty years, we do not know that any official expeditions were made to the east coast. We do not hear of the arrival there of a single vessel. The Spaniards may have been deterred by the sad fate of De Soto and his companions ; though one would suppose that the ac- counts of pearls and other riches of "Cotifachique," the re- gion along the Savannah described in the reports on De Soto, would have attracted adventurers to the place. Some Span- ish movements for a further exploration of the Gulf of Mexi- co and the Mississippi were agitated; but Ayllon and De Soto had no successors on the east coast for many years. Nor do we know of any English expeditions having been undertaken to our east coast, or the West Indies, during that time.
But in 1562, all this was changed; and the French then commenced their expeditions to our east coast. This action aroused the Spaniards, as well as the English, to renewed adventures in these regions.
The sovereigns of France, however, were too much occu- pied by foreign wars and domestic troubles, to give atten- tion to these remote undertakings. But private individuals, during the middle portion of the sixteenth century, stimulated by Catholic persecutions at home, became very active in pros-
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ecuting voyages to the new world, to establish Protestant col- onies on American soil. Some of the French sea-ports became strong-holds of the Huguenots. Their most prominent sup- porter, Coligny, was high admiral of France. These Hu- guenots looked toward the new countries as the proper field in which to secure a retreat from persecution, and to found a new religious commonwealth. Probably many of the French " corsarios " following the track of the Portuguese and Span- iards to the West Indies and the coasts of Brazil, were Huguenots, and in cruising against the Catholic kings of Spain and Portugal, the French Huguenots would be less scrupulous than the Catholic subjects of France.
The first scheme for a Protestant colony in the new world was suggested by Admiral Coligny in 155-1, and intended for the coast of Brazil, to which an expedition, under Durand de Villegagnon, was sent with ships and colonists. This expe- dition arrived at the Bay of Rio Janeiro in 1555, and found- ed there the first European settlement. It was followed the next year by another expedition. But the whole enterprise came to an end by divisions among the colonists, occasioned by the treacherous, despotic, and cruel proceedings of its commander, a reputed Catholic. The colony was finally subverted by the Portuguese, who, in 1560, sent out an arm- ament against it, and took possession of the Bay of Rio de Janeiro.
This Brazilian scheme of the French Huguenots is made particularly interesting to us by the fact, that Andre Thevet, a celebrated French traveler and cosmographer, who was one of that. company, was thereby induced to visit and describe our east coast, and particularly the coast of Maine.
After having entered the order of the Franciscans, and completed his studies, he commenced his career as a traveler by visiting Asia and the Holy Land; on his return from
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THEVET'S EXPEDITION, 1556.
which, in 1554, desiring to see the new world, he embarked in 1555 with Villegagnon. In 1556 * he returned to France, and the vessel in which he took passage appears to have sailed along the entire east coast both of South and North Amer- ica, as far north as the "Baccallaos." This appears from several passages in his two well-known works : "Les singu- laritéz de la France antarctique, autrement nommé Améri- que " (the singularities of antarctic France, otherwise called America), and "La cosmographie universelle," which he wrote after his return, and after having become " Aumon- ier" of Catharine de Medici, and historiographer and cos- mographer of the king of France.
Thevet says in these works, that in 1556 he sailed along the entire coast of Florida, then comprising the whole east coast of North America, and in the course of this voyage visited also the coast of Norumbega. In his "Cosmogra- phy," he gives the following highly interesting description of his visit to this region :
" Having left La Florida on the left hand, with all its isl- ands, gulfs, and capes, a river presents itself, which is one of the finest rivers in the whole world (une des belles rivières qui soit en toute la terre), which we call ' Norumbegue,' and the aborigines ' Agoncy,' and which is marked on some ma- rine charts as the Grand River (meaning Penobscot Bay). Several other beautiful rivers enter into it; and upon its banks the French formerly erected a little fort about ten or twelve leagues from its mouth, which was surrounded by fresh-water, and this place was named the Fort of Norum- begue.
"Some pilots would make me believe, that this country (Norumbegue) is the proper country of Canada. But I told them that this was far from the truth, since this country
* See upon this, Jocher, Gelehrten-Lexicon, vol. 4, p. 1130. Leipzig, 1751.
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lies in 43º N., and that of Canada in 50 or 52°. Before you enter the said river appears an island (Fox Island) surround- ed by eight very small islets, which are near the country of the green mountains (Camden Hills?), and to the Cape of the islets (Cabo de muchas islas ?). From there you sail all along unto the mouth of the river, which is danger- ous from the great number of thick and high rocks; and its entrance is wonderfully large. About three leagues into the river, an island presents itself to you, that may have four leagues in circumference (Long Island, now Islesboro'), inhabited only by some fishermen and birds of different sorts, which island they call ' Aiayascon,' because it has the form of a man's arm, which they call so. Its greatest length is from north to south. It would be very easy to plant on this island, and build a fortress on it to keep in check the whole surrounding country. Having landed and put our feet on the adjacent country, we perceived a great mass of people coming down upon us from all sides in such numbers, that you might have supposed them to have been a flight of star- lings. Those which marched first, were the men which they call ' Aquehuns.' After them came the women, which they call ' Peragruastas,' then the ' Adegestas,' being the children, and the last were the girls, called ' Aniusgestas.' And all this people was clothed in skins of wild animals, which they call ' Rabatatz.' Now considering their aspect and manner of proceeding, we mistrusted them, and went on board our ves- sel. But they, perceiving our fear, lifted their hands into the air, making signs that we should not mistrust them ; and for making us still more sure, they sent to our vessel some of their principal men, which brought us provisions. In recom- pense of this, we gave them a few trinkets of a low price, by which they were highly pleased. The next morning I, with some others, was commissioned to meet them, and to know
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THEVET'S EXPEDITION, 1556.
whether they would be inclined to assist us with more victuals, of which we were very much in need. But having entered into the house, which they call ' Canoque,' of a certain little king of theirs, which called himself ' Peramich,' we saw several killed animals hanging on the beams of the said house, which he had prepared (as he assured us) to send to us. This chief gave us a very hearty welcome, and to show us his affection, he ordered to kindle a fire, which they call ' Azista,' on which the meat was to be put and fish, to be roast- ed. Upon this some rogues came in to bring to the king the heads of six men, which they had taken in war and massa- cred, which terrified us, fearing that they might treat us in the same way. But toward evening we secretly retired to our ship without bidding good-by to our host. At this he was very much irritated, and came to us the next morning accompanied by three of his children, showing a mournful countenance, because he thought that we had been dissatis- fied with him ; and he said in his language : ' Cazigno, Cazigno Casnouy danga addagriu' (that is, let us go, let us go on land, my friend and brother) ; 'Coaquoca Ame Couascon Kazaconny' (come to drink and to eat, what we have) ; 'Ar- ca somioppach Quenchia dangua ysmay assomaka ' (we assure you upon oath by heaven, earth, moon, and stars, that you shall fare not worse than our own persons).
" Seeing the good affection and will of this old man, some twenty of us went again on land, every one of us with his arms ; and then we went to his lodgings, where we were treated, and presented with what he possessed. And mean- while great numbers of people arrived, caressing us and offering themselves to give us pleasure, saying that they were our friends. Late in the evening, when we were willing to retire and to take leave of the company with actions of gratitude, they would not give us leave. Men, women.
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. children, all entreated us zealously to stay with them, crying out these words : ' Cazigno agnyda hoa' (my friends, do not start from here ; you shall sleep this night with us). But they could not harangue so well as to persuade us to sleep with them. And so we retired to our vessel ; and having remained in this place five full days, we weighed anchor, parting from them with a marvellous contentment of both sides, and went out to the open sea."
Though Thevet is not esteemed as a very reliable author, still I think this description of Penobscot Bay is the best we have had, except that given by Gomez on his chart of 1525, and copied on the map of Ribero in 1529. His descrip- tion is very accurate, indicating a longer stay, and is alto- gether, with the Indian words contained in it, so remarkable, that I have given it in full.
If Thevet is right in his statement, that his countrymen had, before his visit to Penobscot Bay in 1556, erected there a fort, this must have been the first settlement of Europeans ever made on the coast of Maine. It may have been a little French station for fishing, and for the fur trade.
Penobscot is the only portion of the whole east coast of America which Thevet has described in such detail. The other rivers, the capes, and islands of Maine and Nova Scotia. which he incidentally mentions, are not easily identified, and his observations on them are not of any value. He says that he sailed from Norumbega to Newfoundland, and even to Labrador ; and thence he appears to have returned to France by way of the Azores.
* See André Thevet, "La cosmographie universelle," tom. 2, fol. 1008, 1009, Paris, 1575; also, " Les Singularitéz de la France antarctique," fols. 143, 145, 158, 161, Anvers, 1538. The description of the " River of Norum- bega," as given by Thevet, has been copied in many geographical works; for instance, in Wytfliet, "Descriptionis Ptolemaica augmentum," p. 97, Lovanii, 1597.
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THEVET'S EXPEDITION, 1556.
Thevet, several times in his works, mentions the French pilot Guillaume le Testa as a mariner " with whom he often sailed," and it is not improbable that he commanded the ship which took Thevet, in 1556, along the coast of Florida to Norumbega, and that the whole credit of this voyage should be given to him. He is also known as the composer of a Portulano, preserved in the collections of the Depot de la marine in Paris .*
Thevet's description of Penobscot Bay, and his remarks on the coast of Maine are the last, so far as I know, con- tained in any work before the year 1578, the beginning of a new period.
For a long time after Thevet, the authors who have de- scribed the northern parts of the east coast of the United States, mention nothing except the "Rio de las Gamas," or "the great river of Norumbega." The celebrated Span- ish historian Herrera, in his description of the West Indies, first published in Madrid in 1601, after having described the coast of Florida as high north as St. Helena Sound in 32º has the following : " Beyond St. Helena, there are as yet no other settlements ; though the coast has been discovered . and sailed along by several nations at different times. There are many rivers and harbors on the coast ; but because they are not very well known, I will not mention them, except the Rio de las Gamas, otherwise called the great river of Sta. Maria, which is very great and winding, and stands about in the middle of the coast, toward the Bacallaos, from whence the great river of Ochelaga (St. Lawrence), enters the coun- try, which has been repeatedly explored by foreigners."t
* See Major, "Early Voyages to Terra Australis," p. 30. London, 1859.
t See Herrera, "Descripcion de la India Occidentalis," p. 20. Madrid, 1601.
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RIBAULT'S FIRST VOYAGE, 1562.
2. FIRST EXPLORING EXPEDITION OF CAPTAIN JEAN RIBAULT FROM HAVRE DE GRACE TO THE EAST COAST OF FLOR- IDA, GEORGIA, AND SOUTH CAROLINA, IN 1562.
After the unfortunate end of the French enterprise to South America, Admiral Coligny, who may be styled the Raleigh of France,* turned his attention to the eastern shores of North America ; the whole of which had become known in France from the voyage of Verrazano, and the French expeditions to Canada and the Banks of Newfound- land. It is very probable, that Coligny had studied the ex- pedition of Verrazano made under Francis I. in 1524, and that his North American undertaking may, in some respects, be considered as a continuation of that voyage. Coligny must also be supposed to have been acquainted with the Spanish expeditions to the east coast under Ayllon; for the expedi- tions both of Verrazano and Ayllon are several times alluded to in Ribault's reports, which also contain Spanish names introduced by Ayllon.
None of the reports of the officers commanding this expedi- tion, or the subsequent French expeditions, make any allusion to the establishment of an asylum for French Protestants, which was the principal object of Coligny in these undertak- ings. They only say, that Coligny was " desirous of discor- ering and exploring new countries, and advancing the power and glory of France."
The project could be successful only under some pretext like this ; for Charles IX. would, undoubtedly, have refused his assent and his ships for an expedition, expressly under- taken to relieve the Protestants, and lay the foundation of a
* The first account, printed in French, of the expeditions set forth by Coligny was, after his death, dedicated to Sir Walter Raleigh. [See Jones's Introduction to Hakluyt, Divers Voyages, p. xix. London, 1850 .-- ED.]
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RIBAULT'S FIRST VOYAGE, 1562.
Protestant colony or empire. The supposition, that the king would readily have given his consent, because he would have been glad to be rid of them, seems not to be admissible. The Catholic party desired to destroy the Huguenots, and to leave no escape for them. The Brazilian adventure received the approbation of Henry II, only because Coligny demonstrated to him, that it would be advantageous to France " to divide the riches of Brazil with the king of Portugal."
However this may be, there is no doubt that the first ex- pedition sent to our shores by Coligny, under the command of Captain Jean Ribault, was intended to be a mere explor- ing expedition, preliminary to a subsequent settlement. The whole outfit of the expedition proves this ; consisting, as it did, only of two small vessels (deux roberges du Roi), " of . such make and burden," says Ribault, "as those which Ver- razano had."* We hear nothing of the embarking of women, or of implements necessary for a colony.
The particular instructions which Coligny framed for this expedition are not preserved. Ribault probably alludes to them in the beginning of his account, where he says, that he was " chosen and appointed by Coligny to discover and survey a certain long coast of the West India from the head of the lande, called Laflorida, drawing toward the northe part unto the head of Britons (Cape Breton), distant from the saide head of Laflorida 900 leagues or there about: to the ende wee might certifie to the Admiral, and make true report of the temperature, fertilitie, Portes, Havens, Rivers and generally of all the commodities, that bee seene and found in that lande," .... so " That Fraunce might one day through newe discoveries have knowledge of strange Coun-
* See Ribault's report in Hakluyt's Divers Voyages, p. 92. London, 1850.
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RIBAULT'S FIRST VOYAGE, 1562.
tries, and also thereof to receive, by means of continuall trafficke, riche and inestimable commodities," etc .*
From this it is quite evident that the plan was, to make an exploration of the entire extent of our east coast, and that the account of Verrazano's voyage was present to the minds of those who designed this expedition.
What further outfit and apparatus for exploration, what instruments, what charts or books were provided for the expe- dition, we are not informed ; but we learn, that among the crew were some pilots and sailors " who had been on the coast before."" We are left to conjecture, whether these persons were perhaps boys in Verrazano's expedition, now become old sailors ; or Spanish pilots, engaged for this un- dertaking; or some of the crew of Cartier or Roberval, or of some unknown French adventurers. The latter supposition is the most probable.
What claim Jean Ribault had, from any past services in this direction or elsewhere, to be appointed to command this expedition, we do not know. His principal companion was René de Laudonnière, who Is called by some his second in command, of whose merits and claims for the position we are also ignorant.
Ribault sailed from Havre de Grace on the 18th of Febru- ary, 1562. Like Verrazano, he was, at the outset, assailed by a furious tempest, and obliged to seek shelter to refit his vessels in another harbor of France ; and " thought it good to fall into the road of Brest," when, "after two days' tar- rying, he returned from there again to seawarde, to follow his navigation."
He was determined to pursue an altogether " new route or course which had not been yet attempted." Previous to that
* Ribault, 1. c. p. 91.
t Ribault, 1. c. p. 114.
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time mariners, sailing to any part of the coast south of Canada, had thought it necessary to follow a southern course as far as the Canary Islands, or Madeira, when they would fall in with the trade-winds ; then to touch at the Antilles and Lucayos, to obtain fresh supplies ; exactly as had been done by the Spaniards ever since the time of Columbus .*
This route, which might be called the Spanish route, had been followed by Verrazano, at least as far as Madeira.
Without going so far south, Ribault struck out from France at once into the broad Western Ocean " on a more directly western course;" which is, as he says, " the true and short course that hereafter must be kept to the honor of the French nation, rejecting the old conserved opinion which a long time has been holden as true." ¡
He intended to introduce "a national French high road" in a more northern latitude ; and, as we learn from his book, places a high value on this "new invention," speaking in high terms of it, no doubt with much truth ; for it is very probable, that he passed through some regions of the ocean which had not been navigated before from east to west. We cannot designate his track exactly, as he gives us no particu- lars about the courses and bearings which he followed. Prob- ably he went north of the Azores and Bermudas ; and then by degrees turned further south, and struck our coast not far north of Lucayos (the Bahamas).
His track most resembles that of Verrazano; but at first, he sailed in a more northern, and at last in a more southern latitude than Verrazano, whose track he crossed in about the latitude of the Bermudas. Verrazano's land-fall was in 34° N .; Ribault's in about 30° N.
The similarity between the tracks of Ribault and Verra-
* Ribault, 1. c. p. 95.
t Ibid.
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zano proves, that the voyage of the former was planned after the model of the latter. Like Verrazano, he crossed the ocean north of the trade-winds ; and, like him, made his land- fall on our coast a little north of the peninsula of Florida ; and thence, like him, he sailed along our coast to the north- east.
I have been somewhat particular about Ribault's "new route," because he was afterwards followed on this course by an English navigator. In the year 1602, Capt. Bartholomew Gosnold, sailing from England to Norumbega, intended, like Ribault, "to make a short cut; " and, carrying out this intention, he made the coast of Maine by a more direct and much shorter route than had before been practised, as will be seen hereafter. Ribault's course has this particular interest for us, that it prepared the way for Gosnold and other adven- turers to the " north part of Virginia."
Ribault arrived on our coast at a head-land in the neighbor- hood of the present harbor of St. Augustine, which he named "Cape Francois" (French Cape). From this point he sailed north, looking for a harbor. He discovered the mouth of a fine-looking river, to which he gave the name " La riviere de May," because he saw it on the first of the month of May (now St. Mary's River). He lay there at anchor from the 1st to the 3d of May, making meanwhile frequent excur- sions in his boats on the river, which he found closed by a bar of sand, and inaccessible to large vessels.
The aspect of the country appeared to him enchanting, its climate and temperature delightful, the river "boiling with swarming fishes," the inhabitants extremely peaceful and of the most friendly disposition ; and, in short, he expresses him- self with great joy and satisfaction at everything he saw. His account reminds us of the first enthusiastic report of Co- lumbus on his landing in the Antilles ; nor were his delusions less than those of Columbus.
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RIBAULT'S FIRST VOYAGE, 1562.
He thought that he found in the forests and shrubs on the banks of the river the Indian pepperplant, roots like rhubarb, different sorts of small spices, and silk-worms " bigger than those in Europe." Among the Indians, he found signs of copper, gold, silver, and pearls " as faire as in any country in the world." He saw an Indian " who had a pearle hanging at a collar of golde and silver about his necke, as great as an acorne, at the least." And upon the whole, the country was so enchanting " as no pen could describe it." *
These exaggerated descriptions of Ribault, so similar to those of former discoverers, were not without influence upon the subsequent history of our coast. Having been translated into English, and published in England, with a dedication to Sir Walter Raleigh, and generally read there, and having been followed in the same style by several English writers, they exerted an important influence in preparing the way for subsequent English undertakings to the same or neighboring regions.
One of the first inquiries which Ribault made of the In- dians, was for "the country of Cibola," or "the Seven Cities," which the first Spanish expeditions from Mexico to the North, under Marco de Nica and Coronado, had again made to be objects of interest. Ribault thought that this Eldorado might be reached from the Atlantic, as well as the Pacific .¡ He understood from the Indians of his May River, that there was only a boat's voyage of twenty days to this south-sea land. The Indians probably spoke of the Mexi- can Gulf, which Ribault understood to be the South Sea. He was disappointed in not being able to undertake this expedi- tion at once ; but he had not found a safe harbor where he could moor his vessels, and therefore resolved to look for one north of May River.
* See Ribault's description, l. c. p. 100-107.
t Ribault, I. c. pp. 102, 103.
د ج جيد تيار دعوته.
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RIBAULT'S FIRST VOYAGE, 1562.
Before sailing, he erected on a pleasant hill south of May River, a stone pillar, with the arms of the king of France engraved thereon, as a sign that there "the limits of his majesty were to commence, and that there should be the end of the Spanish dominion in America."
On the 3d of May he sailed to the north ; his fear of encroaching upon the Spanish claim prevented him from advancing further south ; and besides, Verrazano, from his land-fall, had proceeded north ; and in the north, were also the countries discovered by the French under Cartier and Roberval.
Coasting along, he saw the numerous inlets and sounds of our present States of Georgia and South Carolina, and gave to them French names, which I need not stop to identify. The soundings of none of them were deep enough for his vessels. At last, in about 32° 30' N. he found an excel- lent broad and deep harbor, which he named " Port Royal," which probably is the present Broad River, or Port Royal entrance. Ribault thought it to be the old " Rio Jordan," discovered and named by the Spaniard Ayllon. He found this port and the surrounding country so advantageous and of such . " singular beauty," that he resolved to leave here a part of his men in a small fort. Though he had been commissioned for exploring only, yet he thought that Ad- miral Coligny would not insist on this instruction. A pillar with the arms of France was therefore erected, and a fort constructed, furnished with cannon, ammunition, and provis- ions, and named " Charlesfort." Thirty volunteers were placed in it, and it became the second European settlement ever attempted upon the east coast of the United States. Its position was probably not far from the site of the present town of Beaufort, on Port Royal River.
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