Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-01-05

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provoked the Indians to acts Of hos
tility. Laudonniere lowered himself
by his conduct to these benighted peo-
pie. Soon the colonists commenced
quarreling among themselves. They
had breathed the air Of civil war
from their youths, and although they
had left France and crossed the At
lantic and taken up their abode on
the shores Of the New World, they re-
tained the same spirit Of contention
which they had before leaving their
native land. A plan was concocted for
degrading Laudonniere. Two soldiers
one by the name Of La Roquette and
the other by the name Of La Genre
attempted first to poison Laudonniere.
Failing in this, they attempted to kill
him by exploding the powder in the
pot. In this they failed also. In a
short time, these desperadoes were
Joined by several others, evil disposed
and insurbordinate like themselves.
Laudonniere was taken sick. These
outlaws entered his chamber and by
violence forced him to grant them per-
mission to scour the seas.
Two ships belonging to the colony
were taken possession of, and the pilot
was forced to join them. They pro-
ceeded to attack the Spanish colonies
planted in the West Indian islands.
They even captured the governor of
jamaica. But the governor managed
to communicate with his friends, who
came to his relief. One Of the vessels
escaped the Spanish, and by the guild
ance Of the pilot was taken back to
La Caroline, where the chiefs OF the
outrage were chastised. Ribault was
sent out to relieve Laudonniere; but
La Caroline was destined to be de-
stroyed. 1t is more than probable that
although Charles the Ninth granted
the Huguenots permission to plant a
colony, he planned, If not directly, In
directly, its destruction.
A bold, but exceedingly fanatical
and desperately cruel inan. Melendez'
was sent out by Philip the Second of
Spain, to watch the movements OF
Ribault. All the plans Of the latter
seen to have been we'll known to the
former. Melendez plainly and boldly
declared that the purpose for which
he was sent out was to exterminate
the Huguenot colony. Ribault deter
mined to defend the colony as best he
could. He pushed out to sea, taking
on board his fleet all the able-bodied
men, leaving Landowners less than
one hundred men, and the women and
children and the sick and infirm. The
two fleets came into sight. but before
an engagement took place, an equi-
noctial storm scattered the fleet OF
Ribault, and drove 1t far from the COL
ony. Melendez,, when the storm ceas-
ed took advantage Of Ribault's mis-
fortune, and hastened to the fort.
This he captured and brutally put to
death men, women and children. Only
a few escaped by taking shelter In
the woods. Afterward, Ribault and
those with him. preserved from the
storm, returned to the fort. They
were shown the dead bodies OF their
companions hanging from the limbs OF
the trees, and then at a signal given
by Melendez, they were made to share
the same fate. It Is said that Melen-
dez skinned Ribault while still living,
and having stuffed his skin, sent 1t to
his sovereign, Philip the Second, and
the Pope of Rome. Charles made no
attempt to avenge the blood of his Cit
izens. No doubt he was we'll pleased.
One De Gorgues did, however, visit
merited punishment upon the Span
iards for this inhuman massacre. Hav-
ing equipped a small fleet for the os-
tensible purpose 8. engaging in the
slave trade, he set out in 1867 for Fort
Caroline. He made known his real
purpose to his men as soon as he was
fairly out to sea. They readily enter
ed into his plans. The garrison or
Spaniards who were left in Fort Caro-
line were taken and put to death.
When Melendez hanged the garrison he
had placed above them this inscription:
"I do this not to Frenchmen; but to
heretics." De Gorgues took this down
and inscribed upon 1t these words, Il
do this not to Spaniards or Catholics;
but to traitors, robbers and murder
ers." Fort La Caroline perished to the
Huguenots in 1855. This earth has no
more tragicai spot st. Bartholomews
day was Fort Caroline re-enacted.
Roth are blots on the name Of Charles
and Melendez, which time never can
erase. ....
TO BE ooNTINunp.