USA > South Carolina > A sketch of the history of South Carolina to the close of the proprietary government by the revolution of 1719. With an appendix containing many valuable records hitherto unpublished > Part 2
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* The discrepancies regarding the second expedition of Vasquez will appear from consulting the statement of Galvano in Hakl .; Barcia's Ens. Chron. in Sparks' Ribault ; De Laet's Novus Orbis ; the Relation of an Eye-Witness in Hakl. ; and Force's Coll., vol. 4; and the Letter of Biedma to King and Council, in Hist. Coll. Louisiana.
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In his interesting narrative of his voyage he disclosed . the object of the expedition, which was still the find- ing of a passage through America to the East Indies .*
On account of this discovery and those made in Canada, the French claimed the greater part of North America, under the title of New France. But their attention was withdrawn from their interests in these distant regions by the civil and religious wars which destroyed their peace and security at home. At length Coligny, Admiral of France, and a leader of the Huguenot party, obtained permission from Charles IX. to establish a colony of Protestants in America ; a permission willingly granted by that monarch, the annals of whose reign were destined soon to be stained by the horrid massacre of St. Bartholomew's day. Coligny had before endeavored to form a Protestant colony in Brazil, but his benevolent design was frus- trated by the division and defection of its leaders.+
The voyage now undertaken was to be chiefly directed to the discovery of a suitable place for the colony, and men of bravery and endurance were required for the perils and difficulties to be encoun- tered. Consequently, on the 18th February, 1562, Jean Ribault was sent out in command of two of the king's ships and a company of veterans, together with many gentlemen, who joined the expedition from the uncommon interest which its object awakened ; so that they had the means, says Laudonniere, "to
* There is but one authentic document relating to Verrazzano, namely, his Letter to Francis I., first published by Ramusio. See for additions subsequently discovered, N. Amer. Rev., Oct. 1837.
t Charlevoix Hist. Nov. Fr .- Memoires sur l'Hist. de France, vol. 32, p. 414.
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achieve some notable thing, and worthy of eternal memory."
The course of navigation from Europe to America, had usually been by way of the Spanish islands in the West Indies. Ribault boldly ventured directly across the Atlantic ; and on the 30th April reached the continent in 30° N. Lat. He landed at a river which he called the May, because he discovered it on the first day of that month. This is the St. John's River in Florida. The natives, both men and women, came to the shore to receive the French with presents of fruit, baskets of corn, and dressed skins. Where- ever Ribault met the Indians on the coast, the same friendly reception rewarded his peaceful offering of trinkets and his gentle efforts to conciliate their good- will. Near the mouth of this river, on a hillock of sand, he caused a pillar of stone to be erected, on which were engraved the arms of France, and by which he signified that he took possession of the country for his king. The simple natives having beheld the religious worship connected with this cere- mony, crowned the pillar with garlands of laurel after the departure of their visitors, and long esteemed it an object of superstitious reverence.
The reports of the Spaniards who forty years before had visited this part of the continent, induced the French to search for the river Jordan. For about four weeks, therefore, Ribault sailed along the land toward the north ; the two ships continuing in the open sea, because they were on an unknown coast, while the pinnaces or small boats moved nearer the land. The names of various rivers of France were
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fancifully given to the streams which were found emptying into the sea, or to inlets which were mis- taken for the mouths of rivers. At length stormy weather came on and dense fogs, which caused the ships, for their safety, to put out to sea, and Ribault lost sight of the pinnaces for a day and night. The next morning the weather was clear and the sea calm. He soon discovered his boats, and was informed that they had found shelter in a fine harbor at the mouth of a large river.
To this harbor he now gladly repaired to obtain fuel and fresh water, and to refit his vessels after his long voyage. Here, on the 27th May, he cast anchor in a depth of ten fathoms, at the opening of a spa- cious bay, which from cape to cape was three leagues wide, and formed the entrance to a noble river. The name of Port Royal was given to this river, on account of its size and the beautiful scenery around it. The harbor he esteemed one of the best and fairest in the world ; and it was said that the largest ships of France, "yea, the argosies of Venice," could enter in there.
Having moored his vessels, Ribault with his soldiers went on shore, and was equally delighted with the stately cedars, the wide-spreading oaks, and fragrant shrubs. While they walked through the forest, flocks of wild turkeys flew above their heads, and around they beheld partridges and stags, and imagined that they heard the voices of bears and leopards, and of " divers other sorts of beasts unknown.". On return- ing to the ships, they cast their nets in the bay, and caught fishes in numbers so wonderful, that two
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draughts of the net supplied enough for a day's food for the crews of both ships.
Ribault explored with his pinnaces the adjacent country ; and noticed one branch of the river leading to the west, and which was subsequently found not to penetrate far into the interior; and another leading to the north, and by which he supposed he might reach the river Jordan. The former branch was doubtless the Broad River, and the latter, the Port Royal River. He noticed also that between these was an island, (which is now called Paris Island,) pointing toward the entrance of the river where his ships were anchored. These branches were reckoned to be two leagues wide. When he had proceeded up Broad River about twelve leagues, he found a smaller branch leading toward the cast, which was probably Whale Branch, uniting with the Coosaw above Beaufort.
While going up Broad river, he noticed a number of Indians on a neck of land, roasting an animal, which was thought to resemble the "lucerne,"(and which was no doubt a wild cat,) and he therefore named this place Cape Lucerne." The Indians fled at the approach of the French, leaving the animal at
* The lucerne of Laudonniere (Hakl.) is called in De Bry, lupi cer- tarii catulus, which my friend Dr. Bachman tells me is the common wild cat, (lynx rufus,) which the Indians eat. "The negroes," continues Dr. B., " think it a delicacy ; and from what I have seen of it when cooked, I judge that it is rather a delicacy when the animal is fat." Lawson says, " By the way, our guide killed more turkeys, and two pol- cats, which he eat, esteeming them before fat turkeys ;" " the Indians love to cat their flesh, which has no ill smell when the bladder is out." (Hist. of Carolina, Lond. 1718 ; pp. 27 and 119.)
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the fire. Others also whom he afterward met, hid themselves in the woods. Their timidity, however, was soon overcome by the sight of various articles of merchandise, and by the friendly gestures of the French ; and they, in their turn, brought presents of deer skins and baskets made of palm leaves, and a small number of pearls. They also prepared to build an arbor of boughs to shelter their visitors from the heat of the sun, and sought with manifest good- will to induce Ribault and his party to remain with them. After a few days he returned to these Indians with a band of soldiers, for the purpose of taking two of them to carry to France, in accordance with the command of the queen. Verrazzano had carried off an Indian on his return from America, as did Vasquez, Columbus, and other voyagers ; perhaps not so much to gratify the curiosity of people at home, as to instruct the captives in their language, and thus obtain some information of the interior of the country and its mines of gold and silver.
The Indian chief permitted two of his men to accompany Ribault; and they, thinking themselves more favored than the rest, gladly entered his pinnace. But when they perceived that they were to be carried to his ships, they attempted to escape, and would have jumped into the river. Neither kindness nor handsome presents could reconcile them to a separa- tion from their friends. After being detained some time on board the ship, they escaped by night in a small boat ; leaving, however, all the gifts they had received. Ribault did not regret their escape, for he thought that they could only increase the good-will
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of their tribe toward the French by an account of his liberality and kind treatment.
Ribault now proceeded to take possession of these regions in the name of his king and country. Another stone pillar, engraved with the French armorials, was brought from his ship in the pinnace, and he sailed ' up Broad River about three leagues, until he reached an island separated from the main land by a small stream, through which he sailed till he found on the island (which is believed to be Lemon Island) a hillock commanding a beautiful view ; here he erected the pillar near a small lake of fresh water. In the immediate neighborhood of this spot was another island, which he named the Isle of Cedars.
Having thus explored to some extent the sur- rounding country, and performed the ceremony of taking possession of it, Ribault determined to leave a garrison to keep this beautiful situation ; while he returned to France to report to Admiral Coligny what he had accomplished, and to procure further aid in establishing a permanent settlement.
After the delivery of an animating address, twenty- six of his followers volunteered to remain, over whom Capt. Albert de la Pierria was appointed com- mander. Ribault next proceeded to select a spot for a fort. He ascended the Port Royal River along Paris Island, until he met a stream on the left, deep enough to harbor vessels of small size; and after advancing some distance, he found an open situation on the bank of this stream, where he marked out the dimensions of a. fort, suitable for the small garrison which he was about to leave. The stream he named
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the Chenonceau, and the fort Charles Fort, in honor of his king. There are many reasons for believing that Charles Fort was built on the eastern side of Paris Island, where there are still the traces of its intrenchments, on a commodious creek called Pilot's Creek .*
After the crews of the ships had actively assisted in digging the trenches and constructing a part of the fort, Ribault supplied it with tools, provisions, and warlike stores. At ten o'clock next morning, which was the 11th June, 1562, he and his compan- ions took leave of the garrison, and fired a salute to Charles Fort, whose battlements were the first in North America from which waved the flag of France. The salute was answered from the artillery of the fort; and Ribault sailing from the harbor of Port Royal, turned his ships northward, still in the vain search of the river Jordan. After sailing about fifteen leagues, the mouth of a river was dis- covered, (perhaps the Edisto,) but the pinnace found the depth of the entrance only half a fathom, from
* In a letter from Capt. George P. Elliott, than whom there is no higher authority on the local history of Beaufort, I am informed that these intrenchments correspond with the length and breadth given by Laudonniere -- that the fort was built of earth, with a fosse around it, in which the tide was admitted-that it had flanks for cannon-that the trees upon it are of the growth of centuries-that grapeshot and pieces of very old crockery have been found about it. " There is no mention of it," he continues, " in any history of South Carolina. The ' Old Fort' (Spanish) as claimed by tradition, is situated fonr miles below Beaufort." Fort Marion is two miles nearer to Beaufort. Both of these forts are on Port Royal Island. "Fort Charles" is situated on the south-eastern point of Paris Island, is open to the ocean, situated upon a small creek which can be reached by " pinnaces on the flowing of the tide," &c. 3
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which circumstance Ribault named it Shallow River, and sailed on. The coast continued to vary from six to three fathoms at six leagues from land, and the weather began to be threatening. Ribault therefore called a council of his men ; and in consideration of their immediate dangers and the condition of their provisions, (much of which had become spoiled,) and especially on account of what they had already suc- cessfully performed, they determined to sail directly for France; and there they arrived on 20th July, after an absence of five months.
The natives on the sea-coast and in the neighbor- hood of Port Royal had shown so amicable a disposi- tion, that Ribault entertained no fear of danger to the small garrison left at Charles Fort. They had the means of maintaining the friendship of the sur- rounding tribes, by presents of knives, hatchets, clothing, toys, trinkets, and iron utensils, and the still more efficacious means of fire-arms and superior deadly weapons. But the time of Ribault's return from France was indefinite; while, on the other hand, it was certain that they would soon consume the provisions in the fort, and perhaps exhaust their means of purchase. The Indians were very impro- vident, not planting more corn than would serve for one season, being accustomed to spend the winter months in the forest where they lived on bread made of acorns, and on turkeys, venison, and other pro- duce of the chase. The safety of the garrison, there- fore, depended on their tilling the fertile lands adjacent to the fort, and raising a supply of food, which they had ample time to do; but which, being
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used to the unthrifty habits of soldiers, they entirely neglected, and brought, in the end, many miseries upon themselves.
Their attention was first devoted to the completion of the fort. Its dimensions had been marked out by Laudonniere and Capt. Salles, and were ninety- six feet in length, and seventy-eight feet in width, with flanks in proportion. Their next object was to explore the interior of the country, and secure the friendship of the inhabitants, A party sailed up Port Royal River and were entertained by Audusta, who told them of other chiefs in the neighborhood named Mayou, Touppa, and Stalame; the last living a day's journey north of Charles Fort. Their friend, Audusta, invited them at this time to a peculiar re- ligious festival, in which the priests and principal Indians performed many strange ceremonies, singing their mysterious name, He-To-Ya. The celebration concluded on the third day; and as they had fasted during the interval, they came to the feast which was then prepared with ravenous appetites.
The French on their return to the fort were com- pelled to devise means for procuring provisions, as they had nearly consumed all that Ribault had fur- nished them with. Unfortunately at this period the Indians had sown the surplus corn which they had kept, and the crops were not yet ripe. The tribe of Audusta, however, supplied them to their own incon- venience, and sought for themselves such food as the streams and forests afforded. The French were ad- vised to apply for succor to Ovade and his brother, Conexis, a powerful chief who lived in the direction
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of the Savannah River. With an Indian guide they put to sea in their pinnace, and found Ovade on the river they had named the Belle, about twenty-five leagues from Charles Fort. They returned with their boat laden with millet and beans. The garri- son being in the midst of plenty, were again careless and at their ease. But while they slept, the house* within the fort in which they had stored their sup- plies was accidentally burned, and but little of the provisions was saved from the flames. With the friendly assistance of the Indians their house was soon rebuilt; but they were again forced to seek for food from Ovade, who could only supply them by borrowing from his brother, Conexis. They were liberal in making presents in return, and Ovade showed them his fields of growing corn, and assured them that while he could aid them they should not want. But what delighted them most was the gift of some pearls and silver ore, and the news that . silver could be found among the mountains toward the north, at a distance of ten days' travel. "Now," said they, "we have come to the knowledge of what we most desire."
But, indeed, their greatest troubles were at hand. Capt. Albert was a man of imperious temper, and
* " Mais peu apres, par la negligence de quelques-uns, la plus grande de leurs maisons fut bruslée, sans qu'ils peussent sauver qu'un bien peu de leur provision, et encore à grand peine."-De Laet, 1640. Laudon. says, the fire broke out " in their room that was built for them before their departure." Two of our recent writers strangely represent the fort as being consnmed, and rebuilt by the aid of the Indians in twelve hours. Their mistake, perhaps, was derived from Charlevoix : "Le feu prit au fort qui fut consume en peu d'heures avec les magasins."
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rigid in enforcing discipline in the garrison; while, at the same time, the privations of the soldiers dimin- ished their alacrity and quiet subordination. Par- tialities and dissensions arose on account of the exe- cution of a drummer named Guernache, for a fault that was not thought by his fellow-soldiers to deserve so severe a punishment. But as their disaffection increased, Albert grew more stern and harsh. La- chere, another of the garrison, was banished to an island three leagues from the fort, where he was to be furnished with food every eight days; but this, it is said, was cruelly withheld from him. The garri- son now broke out into open mutiny, murdered Capt. Albert, and bestowed the command on Nicholas Barré.
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They had been expecting, day after day, the arri- val of Ribault from France. With the continued disappointment of their hopes, they began to seek the means of returning by constructing a small vessel. They had carpenters among them; and a forge and iron and tools had been prudently left in the fort by Ribault. What they needed most were sails and cordage. Resin they procured from the pine, and moss from the oak, with which they calked their vessel. Finally, they turned their sheets and shirts into sails; and Audusta and Maccou, promising to furnish them with ropes, retired to the wood with their subjects, and in the space of two days made cordage enough for the rigging; no doubt, from the inner bark of the trees. In their gratitude, the French, at their departure, left to these chiefs all the merchandise that remained in the fort. But while
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they embarked in their weak vessel the artillery, forge, and munitions of war, they took, with strange inconsideration, but a small supply of food, though they had then an unusual abundance at hand.
The wind being favorable they set sail, and had gone only about one-third of the distance across the Atlantic when they were delayed by calms, and in three weeks advanced only twenty-five leagues. Their provisions were already so diminished that the daily allowance to each man was but twelve grains of millet. They were next compelled to eat their shoes and leathern jackets, and to drink the water of the sea. Some died of hunger. The boat leaked on all sides, and required constant bailing. To aug- ment their misfortune, a storm arose and injured their frail vessel so much that in despair they ceased their exertions, and laid themselves down to die. One more courageous than the rest inspired them with hopes of safety if they could survive for three days longer. This time elapsed, and still nothing but the sea and sky surrounded them. Then lots were cast; for they agreed that one should die that the rest might live. It chanced that the lot fell to Lachere, whose life they had saved by rescuing him from the island, and he now willingly gave back the boon to his starving friends.
Shortly after this they were met by an English vessel and carried to England. Ribault had not been sent to succor them at Port Royal on account of the war which prevailed in France. As soon as peace was restored, Coligny revived his project of coloniza- tion ; and Laudonniere was dispatched in command
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of these ships, and reached America in June, 1654, on the coast where he had first arrived in company with Ribault. He must have received information before he set sail of the abandonment of Charles Fort, for he did not visit it again. He says, in his narrative, that the haven and situation there were indeed most beautiful, yet more abundant supplies of food could be obtained at the river May; "besides, the gold and silver that was found there, a thing that put me in hope of some happy discovery in time to come." He therefore built on that river a fort of a triangular shape, which he named Fort Caroline, and lived there two summers and a winter. In February, 1565, he sent one of his ships, under Capt. Vasseur, to visit Port Royal, and to look for a soldier named Rouffi, who had been left there. It was found that he had been taken off by a Spanish vessel and carried to Havana. Capt. Vasseur was the bearer of presents from the French, such as knives, hatchets, and clothing, to their old friend Audusta, who offered them land if they would come and settle in his neighborhood.
The fortunes and fate of the garrison at Fort Car- oline are among the most romantic occurrences of that period. Laudonniere became the ally of the Indians in his neighborhood, who were at war with the tribes that lived higher up on the St. John's River, and were said to possess a country containing mines of gold and silver. "Being unsuccessful in these maurauding expeditions, dissatisfaction and disaffec- tion arose in his garrison, and finally some of his soldiers deserted with two of the ships, and sailed to
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the West Indies as pirates. Ribault was now sent from France to supercede Laudonniere, and arrived when the latter, surrounded with difficulties, was on the point of abandoning the settlement. But Ri- bault's fleet had been followed [1565] by another from Spain, under command of Melendez, whose object was to destroy the French Protestants, or drive them from the lands which the Spaniards claimed as their own .. Both fleets suffered many disasters from storms and shipwrecks on the coast; but, in the end, Me- lendez surprised the feeble garrison of Fort Caroline, and massacred, with revolting cruelty, all who fell into his hands.
The King of France viewed with indifference the slaughter of the Protestant colonists. The barbarous act of Melendez, however, inspired their countrymen with such horror, that the Chevalier de Gourges ex- pended his private fortune, and secretly collected a company, with whom he sailed for America. Having united to his forces many of the Indians, he, in turn, surprised the Spaniards and recaptured Fort Caro- line. After inflicting on the garrison the retaliation they fully deserved, he demolished the fort and returned to France. It is said that beneath the trees, on whose branches Melendez hung his French prisoners, was placed an inscription-" I do not this as to Frenchmen, but as to heretics." De Gourges hung the Spaniards to the same branches and altered the inscription-"I did not do this as to Spaniards nor as to infidels, but as to traitors, thieves, and murderers." [May, 1568.]
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CHAPTER II.
The Indians who inhabited South Carolina-Their Numbers and Situa- tion-Remnants of Tribes-Migrations-Towns-Government -- Re- ligion-Domestic condition-Intercourse and Alliances-Trade with the Whites-Traders-Indian Warfare.
WITH the exception of the Esquimaux, the In- dians in America, whatever may have been their origin, appear to have belonged to the same race .* In the course of thousands of years they were separ- ated into distinct nations and tribes, that differed from each other more in language than in habits or physical characteristics.
In Europe we still find remnants of ancient Cau- casian nations on the extreme shores of Spain and France, and in Wales, Scotland, Ireland, and the ad- jacent islands. In North America the course of migration, on the contrary, was from west to east. Tribes of Indians who had battled in vain against advancing tribes were dispersed, according to their traditions, "to the salt water"-to the promontories and isles of refuge along the Atlantic coast.
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