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Show 372 THE LILY A~D TilE TOTEM. CHAPTER IT. THE congratulations of l1is people were yet resounding in l1is cnrs, when tlJC savages brought him further intelligence of Frenchmen gatlJCrcd upon the borders of that bay wl1ich had arrested the progress of tlJC prcviO\;s detachment. They were represented tn Lc more numerous tl1nn tho first, and l\lclcndcz did not doubt that !.hey constituted the bulk of llibault's force under the immediate command of that leader. lie proceeded to encounter him as he l1ad done tl1c other party, but on this occasion he in creased l1is own detachment to one hundred and fifty men. These he ranged in good order during the night, along the banks of the river, which the Ungucnots had begun their preparations to pass. '1'hcy had been at work upon the radcau or raft which had b<len begun by tho preceding party, but their progress had bceil uns~tisfactory, and the prospect of the passage, iu such n. ves:>cl, over such nn arm of the sea, was quite ns discourat,ring as to their predcc<l.<:oors. With th~ dawn, and when they discovered the force of Melendez on the opposite shore, the drums sounded the alarm, the royal standard of France was advanced, and the troops were rnnged in order of battle. Poor Ribnult still observed the externals of tl1c veteran, if only to conceal the real infirmities which impnir~d the moral of his command. Seeing this display of dcterminntion, Melendez, with proper policy, commanded his people to proceed to breakfast without :~.ny sho\v of excitement or emotion. He llimsclf premen:~.dcd the banks of the river, nccompnnied only by his ndmiral nnd two other officers, as indilfcrcntly ns if tlJcre had been no person on tho opposite side. With this, tho cl:~.mors or· the French tambour!! 373 ceased-the fifes were allowed to take breath-and in place of the warlike standard of their country, the commander of tllC Huguenol'l displayed a wl1it.c flag as sign of peace, and his trumpets sounded for a parley. A response from the Spanish side of the river, in similar spirit, caused one of the l•'rcnclunen to alh·anec witl1in speaking disl.'mcc, upon the raft, who requested that somebody migl1t be sent them, as their radcau could not contend against tho current. A pirogue was finally sent by the Spaniard, which brought over the sergeant-major of Ribault. This man related briefly the necessities and desires of his commander. H e was totally ignorant. of all tlmt had taken place. He lmd been wrecked, and had lost all his vessels; that he had with l1im three hundred and fifty soldiers; that he was desirous of rencl1ing his fortress, twenty leagues distant; and prayed the assistance of the Spaniards, to enable him to do so. At tlJC close, he desired to know with whom he was conferring. Melendez answered as directly as he had done in the prrvious instance, when dealing with the first detachment. IT e did not scruple to add to the nanative of the capture of La Caroliue, and the cruel murder of its garrison, the farther history of the party whom he had encountered in the same place with themselves. "I have punished all these with death;" he continued; and, still further to assure the ofiiecr of Ribault of the truth of wlmt he said, ho took him to the spot where lay in a he:tp the exposed, the bleached and decaying bodies of his slaughtered companions. 'fh~ Frenchman looked steadily at the miserable spectacle, and so far commanded hi:~ nerves as to betray no emotion. Ue continued his commission witbout faltering; and obtained from Melandez a surety in behalf of 1libault1 with four or six of his m~n, to cross the river for the purpose of conference, with the privilege |
