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Updated: June 15, 2025
Fifty years had passed since Columbus had made his great discovery, and as yet no foothold had been gained by France anywhere, nor indeed by any European power on the Atlantic seaboard of the continent. The Expedition of Captain Jean Ribaut. Landing on the St. John's River. Friendly Natives. The "Seven Cities of Cibola" again! The Coast of Georgia. Port Royal reached and named.
Indeed so many were anxious to remain that Ribaut had enough to do to persuade a sufficient number to man the ships to return with him. In the end thirty men were chosen to remain. At once they set about building a fort which they called Charlesfort in honour of the boy King, Charles IX, who was then upon the throne.
At length after inspecting several places the adventurers reached a spot not far from what is now Beaufort in South Carolina. Here they landed, and knowing that many of the men were already eager to remain in this beautiful country, Jean Ribaut, their leader, resolved to found a colony. So he called them all together, and speaking wise and brave words to them asked who among them would remain.
"Nor did that act of yours bring cannon fire," rejoined Captain Ribaut. "Then what did?" "It must have been that it just happened," replied the Frenchman. Private Berger stood leaning with his right hand on top of the sand-bag parapet. "Shall I get back on the fire step for another look?" Dick inquired. "Why not?" inquired Captain Ribaut, shrugging his shoulders.
One of them fired at the advancing boats, and still there was no response. Laudonniere was almost defenceless. He had given his heavier cannon to Hawkins, and only two field-pieces were left. They were levelled at the foremost boats, and the word to fire was about to be given, when a voice from among the strangers called out that they were French, commanded by Jean Ribaut.
The streets are filled with the mad unrest of the seething population. By the side of the young officer of the Garde Mobile, Francois Ribaut ministers and speeds the recovery of the chafing warrior. Thunder of guns and rattle of musketry nearer, daily, bring fresh alarms. Armand Valois has thrown away the palette and is at last on the ramparts with his brother artists, fighting for France.
This exploration besides, was to prepare the way for those of Jacques Cartier and of Champlain in Canada, as well as for the unlucky experiments in colonization of Jean Ribaut, and of Laudonnière, the sanguinary voyage of reprisals of Gourgues, and Villegagnon's attempt at a settlement in Brazil. We possess no biographical details with regard to Verrazzano.
By two or three weeks of exploration they seem to have gained a clear idea of this rich semi-aquatic region. Ribaut describes it as "a countrie full of hauens riuers and Ilands of such fruitfulnes, as cannot with tongue be expressed." Slowly moving northward, they named each river, or inlet supposed to be a river, after the streams of France, the Loire, the Charente, the Garonne, the Gironde.
"I have informed Captain Ribaut," Colonel Cleaves continued, "that you will be ready to leave the ship in an hour." By the time that Dick and his brother officers left the ship in the wake of Captain Ribaut, the infantrymen massed along the nearby street had been gladdened by the sight of a few score of French women and children who came to the water front to look on.
"If that young man were in the American Army I would feel obliged to try to have him stopped," said Major Wells good-humoredly. "That was not the real American form of salutation to officers, but I know the youngster felt genuinely glad to see us so close to the front." "They are a happy lot, perhaps sometimes a trifle too merry," said Captain Ribaut half-apologetically.
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