Lily and the Totem, or, The Hugenots in Florida, A Series of Sketches, picturesque and Historical, of the Colonies of Coligni, in North America. 1562-1570. By the author of "The Yemassee"

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:170 THE LILY AND TilE TOTE:\f. "Assist us to Ierwe it, sef'ior: that is in truth what we dc­m: md." "Demand nothing of me. Yield yourseh·es to my mercy-at dir;eretion-deliver up your arms and ensigns, and I will do with you as God shall inspire me. Consent to this-these nrc my only terms-or do wl1at pleases you. But you must hope nothing at my hands-neither truce nor friendship." With tllis cruel ultimatum, he quitted them, giving them oppor­tunity to return and report to their comrades. In two hours they reappeared, and made him an offer from the two hundred men gathered on tlJC opposite banks, of twenty thousand ducats, only to be assured of their lives. The answer was as: prompt as it was clmractcristic. "Though but a poor soldier, senor, I am not capable of gov­erning myrrelf, in the performance of my duties, by any regard to sellish interests. If I am moved to do an act of grace, it will be done from pure generosity. nut do not let these words decci>e you. I tell you as a gentleman, and an officer holding a high com­mission from the king of Spain, that, though the heaven~;~ and the earth may mingle before my eyes, the resolution "hich I once make, I never chango!" It will scarcely be thought possible that any body of men, ha>ing arms in their hands, and still in possession of physical powers sufficient for their usc, would, under such circumstances, Jislcn to such a demand. But the forces of Ribault lw.d bc~n terribly demoralized by diSill!tcr and disappointment. Priyation had humbled their soultJ, and the utter exhaustion of their spirits made them give credence to vain hopes of mercy at the hands of their enemy, which nt nnother period they could never have en­tertained. The report of their envoy found them ready to mako TilE FORTUNES OF RIBAULT. 371 any .-:onccssions. It required but half an hour to determine their l'ubmission. The returning battcnu brought over with four officers all their ensigns, sixty-six arquebuses, twenty pistols, a large number of swords and bucklers, casques and cuirasses, their whole complement of munitions, aml a surrender of the entire body at di.<~crction. )lclcndcz gladly seized upon these spoils. lie em­barked twenty of his soldiers in his batteau, with orders to bring over tlHJ .Frr:nchmcn, in small di,•isions, and to offer them no insult; but,a.'i they se\·crally ani\•ed on the eastern side of tl1c bay, they were conducted out of sight, ami under the guns of his arquc­busiers. They were tlJCn gi\·en to cat, and when the repast was ended, they were asked if any among them were Catholics. There were but eight of the whole number who replied in the affirmative. These were set npart, to be conducted to St. Augustine. The rest fmnkly avoiVcd themsch·cs to 00 g<~od Christians of the Re­fo: ·mod Church. 1'heso were immediately seized, their arms tied behind thci1· IX.cks, and in little squads of six, were conducted to a spot in the background, where Mclcndt:z had traced, with his cane, a line upon the sand. Here they were butchered to n man, t>ach sucect>ding body sharing the same fate, without knowing, till too late, that of their comrades. There was no pause, no mercy, no rclentings in behalf of any. All perished, to the number of two hundred; nnd Pedro Melendez returned to his camp at St. Augustine, ngnin to be welcomed with Te Deum, nnd the accla­mation for good Chrietiau service) from a Christian people.