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Show 320 THE LILY AND TUE TOTE)f. K ings Ilomoloa, Soravahi, Alimnca.ni, l\hlica, and ('ar.;ti, ll'rrc nmong tlw (r;t to recall the ti ·II of their former fricml:;lzip, nnd to brighten the ancient chain of union, by fresh ph lg:(·ii!. Th y brought to Ribault, among other gifts, large pieces of gold , wlzich, in their language, is calh:d "sicroa. pira," literally 11 red metal,'' -which, upon being assn.ycd by the refiner, proved to be" perfect goldc." 'l' hcy rcuc,vcd thciz· offllrs to co•Hlur.t him to the l\Jountninsof Apalachia, where this precious metal wa~ to be hild for t ]1c gathering. Ribault was not more inaccl'ssiblc to this attractive i:ihowing than J~audonnicrc had been; hut before he could proj •ct the desired enterprise, in search of the mountaius wl1ich held ~11<'11 glorious possessions, new events were in Jl"O~rcS.'!, invoh ing such dangers ns superseded the hopes of gain amoug tLc atlvcnturers, by necessities which mndc them doubtful of their safety 'l'ho Spaniards, of whom they had long been nppreheusi,·c, wcro at length discovered upon the coast. XXII. Tilll FA'l'B 0 11 LA CAllOLL.'lE. CII A PTEU I. Tm: fleet of Hibault consisted of seven vessels. The three smallest of these bad nscctJdcd tho river to the fortress. The f our larger, which were men of war, remained in tl1c open roadstead. Ticre they were joined on the fourth of September by six Spanish vessels of large size and armament. 'fhesc came to anchor, and, at their first coming, grwe assurance of amity to the l?rcnchmen. But Ribault had been warned, pl'ior to his departure from France, that the SJJaniards were to be suspected. Tho crowns of France and Spain, it is true, were at peace, but the Spaniards thcmsch·cs contemplated settlements in Florida, to which they laid claim, by right of previous disco,•ery, including, under this gcncrnl title, territories of the most indefinite extcut. Philip the Second, that cold, malignant nod jealous despot, freed by the nmnesty with France from the cares of war in that quarter, now addressed his strength and employed his leisure in extending equally his sway, with that of the Catholic faith, among the red-men of America. P l'ior to tho 8Cf.tlements of Coli~ny, he bad begun his preparations for this object. The charge of the expedition was confided to Don Pedro Melendez de A\•ilez, nn officer particularly famous 14* |