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Show 318 'rlJ],; LII.Y AND TI!F. TOTF.M. known nothing; and when we recollect that the colony was made up of J T ugucnot8 only, :t people of whose fidcliLy tho former might reasonably doubt, the suspicions of the Catholic monarch may not be supposed entirely unrcasonnLlc. At all events, Hibault was sent to supersede the usurping commander, and bore imperative orders for hig recall. The armament confided to Ribault consisted of seven vessels, and a military force corresponding with such a fleet. ·w c nrc nlso made aware t!Jat, on this occasion, the force which be command cd wtLS no longer made up of IIugucnoll! exclusively, as in the previous armament. A large sprinkling of Catholic soldiers accompanied the expedition, and the temporary peace throughout the realm enabled a great number of gentlemen and officers to employ themselves in the search after adventure in the New World. They accordingly swelled the forces of Uibault, and showed conclusively that the colonial establishment in Florida. had grown into some import.ance at home. 'l'hat Laudonnicrc should become a prince there, was calculated lQ exaggerate the greatness of the pt·incipality; and the jealousy of the :French monarch, in all probability, for the first time, awakened his sympatlty for the settlement. The same accounts which had borne the tidin"'S of L:mdonniere's ambition, may have exaggerated the resource: and discoveries of the country; and possibly some specimens of gold -the mass of two pounds described by IIawkins-had dazzled fho eyes and excited the avarice of court and people. Bnough that Laudonnicrc was to be sent home for trial, and that Ribault wn.s to succeed him in the government. The approach of Riba.ult with his fleet was exceed ingly slow. IT cad-winds and stQrms ba.filed his progress, and as he reached tho coast of Flodda he loitered along its bays nnd rivers, seeking to obtain from the Indians all pos~ible tiding~~ of the colony, bcforo 319 venturing upon an encounter with the supposed usurper of the soYcreignty of the country. When, at length, he drew nigh to I~a Caroline, so suspiciously did he approaclJ, that he Urcw upon him the fire of Laudonnicre's men, and, but for the dist:mce, and the seasonable outcry which was made by his followers, announcing who they were, a conflict might han~ cn:;ucd between the parties. 'l'o the great relief of ltibault, J,audonnicre received. him with submis:;ion. 'l'hc former apprised Lim frankly of the reports in :France to his discredit, and delivered him the letters of Coligny to the same effect. Laudonnicrc soon succeeded in convincing hi» successor that he had been greatly slandered-that he was ('ntircly innocent of roy•tlty, and almost of state, of any kindthat, however unfortunate he may have been-however incompetent to the Uutics he had undertaken, he v;:~.s certainly not guilty of the extreme follies, the presumption, or tho cruelty, which constituted the several points in the indictment urged ngainst him. Ribault strove to persuade him to remain in the colony, and to lctl\'C his justification to himself. But tllis J,audonnicrc declined to do, rcsoh,ing to return to }'ranee ;-a resolution whicl1 7 as we shall sec hereafter, was only delayed too I n~,-to the further inerca)lc of the misfortunes of our captnin. Meanwhile he fell sick of a foYer, and the authority passed into the hands of J can Ribault, wlwso return was welcomed by crowds of Indian clJicfs, who came to the fortress to inquire after the newly·arrh'cd strangers. '!'hey soon recognised the chjcf by whose hands the stone pillar had been reared, which stood conspicuous at the entrance of the river. ITo was easily distinguished, by many of them, by rc:~son of the massy beard which he wore. They embraced him with signs of a greater cordiality tb:~.n they were disposed to show to his immediate predecessor. The |