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Show 374 TJIE LJI,Y AND THE TOTEll . of returning to his forCC'S at Lis leisure. nut the ndcl::mts.do J>Ositivcly refused to let the Frenchmen hrwc his shallop or bateau. Tho pirogue, alon~, w:1s at their scn•icc. " 1ith this, the l~rcnch gcn~ral could pai!.'J the strait without risk; and he was comJ> Ciicd to content himself with this. The policy of i\lclcndcz wa~ not willing to place any larger ycsscl in his pow<'r. Hibnult crossed to the conference, accompanied by eight of his officers. They were well rccci\·cd by the adclantatlo, and a collation spread for them. lie showed them afterwards the bodies of their slain companions. 11c hrnve them the full l1istory of the taking of L:l Cnr·olinc1 and the treatment of the garrison, and bro11ght forward the two Frenchmen, claiming to be Catholic!!, whose lives had been spared when the rest were mnssncrctl. There was something absolutely satanic in the conduct of the Spaniard, by which H ibault wns confounded. H e was not willing to believe the facts that he could not question. ";\lonsieur," said he to Laudonniere, "1 will not believe that you design us evil. Our kings are friends and brothers, and in tho name of this alliance between them, I conjure you to furnish us with a vessel for returning to our country. 1V e have suffered enough in this : we will leave it in your lmnds entirely. Help us to the means nccessnry for our departure." To this Melendez replied in the very S.'lme language which be l1ad used to the prcccciing detachment: "Our kings nrc Catholics both; they hold terms with one another, but not with heretics. I will make no terms with you. I will hold no bonds with heretics anywhere. You have heard what I have done with your comrades. You hear what has b(l()n the fat-e of La Caroline. You behold the corses of those who but a few days ago followed your banner; and now I say to you that you must yield to my discretion, leaving it. to me to do with you as God shall determine me!" Aglwst :md confounded, Hibnult declared his pl!rposc to r('tn n and consult ·,1•ith hi.s people. In a case so extreme, partieul:1 l.r n.s he lutd with him mnny gentlemen of family, he cout.l n .. 1 undC'rtnkc to decide without their pnrticipation. )ll•lcnU z npproved this determination, and the general of the :French rc-Cl'Osscd the ri\'cr. For three hours was the consultation canicd on in tl1e cnmp of our Utwucnots. Ribault fully revealed the terrible history of what lm~ passed, of what he had l1card and seen in the camp of tllC Spaniards. The cold and cruel decision of Melendez in their case, as in that of the previous tl·oops, was unfolded without rcscn·c. There were no concealments, and, for a time, a dull, de('p aTld dreary silr'nce overspread tile nsscmbly. But all had not bccu cn1shcd by 1nisfortune into imbecility. 'J'hcrc were some noble nnd fierce spirits whose hearts rose in all their strength of resolution, as they listened to the horrible narrative and the insolent exaction. "Better perish a thousand deaths, in the actual conflict with a thousand enemies, than thus submit to perish in cold blood from the stroke of the cowzlrdly assassin!" Such was the manly resolution of mnny. Others, agnin, like Ribault, were disposed to hope against nil experience. The fact th11t l\ldendez had trented them so civilly, that be bad plnced food and drink before them, and that his manners were respectful and his tones were mild, were nssumed by them to be conclusive they were not to suffer as their predecessors had done. "They were beguiled with tho sumo arguments," sa.id young Alphonse D'Erlach; "arguments which nppcalcd to tbcir hunger, |