city of refuge for many of those who had embraced the reformed faith; and these were known by the name of Huguenots. Their principles were those of Calvin-stern, and to a certain extent, intolerant; and, when the storm burst, it became manifest that, unlike the primitive Christians who patiently suffered the fires and the rack of persecution, they too, like the Romanists, could be carnally aggressive. Their acknowledged leader was GASPAR DE COLIGNY, Admiral of France: a man of calm and resolute disposition, honest in purpose, firm in his religious convictions, and, by education, prepared to maintain the same at the point of the sword.

The Huguenots claimed such supporters as the prince of Condé the dukes of Montmorency and Navarre; yet with these latter, the attainment of their selfish interests probably weighed as much as did their attachment to the reformed faith. The friendship of nobles, who are apt to rely on their own power and influence, rather than on the Almighty arm, has ever proved a weakness to the advancement of Christian Truth. "It is better," says the Psalmist, "to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes."

While Coligny was in a state of perplexity, concerned for the safety and well-being of his co-religionists, there came to him Nicholas de Ville-gagnon, already mentioned. He was one who would be styled a "versatile genius:" an able scholar and linguist, apt at controversy with tongue and pen, by profession a seaman and soldier, vice-admiral of Brittany and a commander of the knights of Malta. Restless in spirit, as in body, unstable as well as ambitious, he was now become a contender for the Protestant faith. At his interview with Coligny, he broached the project of establishing a tropical empire in the New World, to be an asylum for the persecuted, free from mischievous plots of monks and cardinals, and especially of that Lorraine, of the house of Guise, who then. wore the red cassock and hat. The admiral gave a ready ear to the scheme of Ville-gagnon, though the latter had already

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plied King Henry with very different arguments, chief of which was the desirability of appropriating some of the South American possessions of the too-grasping Spaniards and Portuguese.

The king and his admiral, though biassed by different motives, had both assented to the undertaking. Although most of the emigrants were Huguenots, there was unfortunately a counter-element composed of piratical sailors from Breton and Normandy, and of turbulent young nobles, idle and indigent. Upon arriving in the harbor of RIO JANEIRO (1555) the men were landed upon an island, where huts and earthworks were constructed. The fort they called Coligny; the continent received the name of Antarctic France. That the ill-assorted colonists did not lead a pleasant life of concord, may be readily inferred. Their commander, with a stern determination to reduce the refractory to implicit obedience and discipline, resorted to the whip and pillory, and other severe measures. The men conspired to poison or murder him, but the plot being revealed, their purposes were foiled.

In the meantime the two vessels had returned to France, carrying despatches from Ville-gagnon of so inviting a nature, that in the following year a second company, chiefly of Huguenots, embarked for the Brazilian settlement. After the expedition had arrived at its destination, all for a time went well. The men busied themselves about the construction of the fort, and there were daily sermons and prayers-Villegagnon being always present, kneeling on a velvet cushion. brought after him by a page. But it was not long before his aptitude for polemics drew him into a sharp controversy upon points of faith, with the newly-arrived ministers; and this resulted in filling the fort with wranglings and feuds. The conduct of Ville-gagnon soon became exceedingly intolerant ; he professed to have been deceived in Calvin, whom he now

pronounced "a frightful heretic;" three zealous adherents of the Calvinist doctrines he caused to be dragged to the edge of a rock, and cast into the sea; while the ministers were glad to escape to a vessel, which, loading with Brazil wood, was about to sail for France.

Pitiful was the experience which awaited them. The vessel being overtaken by storms was delayed in its passage, the water in the casks failed and their provisions gave out, and, tossed upon a tempestuous sea, they seemed doomed to a miserable death. "In their famine they chewed the Brazil wood with which the vessel was laden, devoured every scrap of leather, singed and ate the horn of lanterns, hunted rats through the hold and sold them to each other at enormous prices." At length when overcome with sickness, and scarcely able to move a limb, to their joy they descried the coast of Brittany. Ville-gagnon, himself, soon returned to France, leaving the wretched colony to its fate. The fort was captured by the Portuguese, and the garrison either slain or dispersed among the Indians on the mainland.

More than half a century previous to the coming of the Huguenots, the mariners of Portugal had discovered and claimed this country for their king; and although it is true that this, their claim, was grounded on no substantial foundation of purchase from the native Brazilians, yet Coligny and his coadjutors erred when they established a settlement-and a menacing one as well—without any consultation as to the wishes of the Portuguese. The shadowy "right of discovery" was at least partially recognized among maritime nations; so that, in legal parlance, the Huguenots should have first "extinguished the prior lien” (if the Portuguese were willing to sell), and then have treated with the aboriginal inhabitants for a clear title to the land.

RIBAULT AND LAUDONNIERE.

More fortunate was Coligny in his second choice of a commander, when, in 1562, he directed JEAN RIBAULT, of Dieppe,

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to sail with two vessels to America; there to use all diligence in the search for a wilderness-home for the Huguenots. But it must be confessed that Ribault's company of soldiers and sailors and a few young nobles, was but little better constituted to secure stability, than was that of Ville-gagnon. He sailed for the northern continent of America, which was reached below the thirtieth parallel of latitude, the coast of Florida. The following day they landed at the mouth of a large river-the St. John's-but called by them the River of May, for it was on May-day that they discovered it.

They had naught to fear from the Indians; the squaws and children approaching, strewed the earth with laurel boughs, and seated themselves amongst the strangers, whom they supposed, when they saw them kneeling on the shore, to be children of the sun. The old chronicle of the voyage dwells with rapturous language upon the delightful aspect of naturethe verdurous meadows and leafy woods-the aromatic odors of pine and magnolia-the grazing deer-the strange birds and water-fowl-while it quaintly adds, that "to be short, it is a thing unspeakable to consider the thinges that bee seen there, and shall be found more and more in this incomperable lande." Then they planted a stone pillar, graven with the lily-flower of France, and, embarking, continued northward, naming the streams which they passed, the Seine, the Loire, the Charente, etc., from the rivers of their own land.

It was late in the month when they came to that territory called Chicora by the Spaniard, De Ayllon, when, forty years before, he sailed among its inlets in search of slaves for the mines of San Domingo. Seeing a fine, commodious haven, they named it Port Royal. Passing Hilton Head at its entrance, they sailed into the Broad river. All being well pleased with the aspect of the country, Ribault decided to erect a fort, leave part of the company in charge, and to go back to France for reinforcements. Charles-Fort was forth

with built, supplied with ammunition and stores, and thirty men chosen to remain.

The injunction of Ribault that they should use all gentleness and kindness towards the children of the forest was for awhile pretty well observed. They had everything their own. way, visiting in turn the villages of the neighboring chiefs, feasting on their hominy, beans and game, and not refusing the gifts with which their dusky entertainers loaded them. When, near the time of the Indian harvest, their supplies became exhausted, the generous natives still brought them food as long as their own lasted.

But presently discord arose in the camp. The colonists, maddened by the domineering behavior of the commander in charge, who had hung one of their number and banished another to a lonely island, finally attacked the chief and murdered him. The bloody deed done, and themselves threatened with famine; the land of their choice no longer the beautiful place it had seemed when they came; weary of the life they led, and dreaming day by day of home, they at last determined to build a vessel and make the attempt to return to France.

What a strange sight, to behold these indolent and quarrelsome beings, so suddenly changed to active artisans-erecting a forge, making tools, hewing down trees, chipping and hammering at beams and blocks, caulking the seams, and covering them with the smoking pitch! It is said of them, that, "had they put forth, to maintain themselves at Port Royal, the energy and resource which they exerted to escape from it, they might have laid the corner-stone of a solid colony." Embarking in their frail craft, and spreading the patch-work sails, they made good progress for several days; then there was a long calm, and the food and water failed, their shoes and leather jerkins were devoured, and in their dire need, one of their own number was sacrificed for food. This dreadful