seen long before Ribault's voyage, and its and two galleons very well manned; they utter extirpation decided upon before Me- were fitted out by gentlemen of that land: lendez thought of Florida. We thus have they said that they were bound for the coast new light on that tragic history: and the of Brazil, and they even named the Rio de facility with which the Florida French la Plata, and that they would sail before turned buccaneers, justified the fears of Easter. Spain, and explains the policy which, when actually put in practice, they cunningly cloaked with the convenient mantle of religious fervor. The struggle in Florida, viewed in this light, was necessarily one of life and death, and neither party expected, as doubtless neither would have given, quarter. That in Anaflor and Conaflor, four very good and well-manned galleons were fitting out: it was said for certain that they would join the thirteen other ships of St. Malo. That in Dieppe he learned that from that port there had sailed fourteen or fifteen ships and galleons for Malagueta and Brazil, and that they also expected to go to the Rio de la Plata; and that, at the said From the documents in the volume we town of Dieppe, he saw them fitting out five select the following: He says, that in Crucique two ships are fitting out, one of one hundred and thirty tons burden, the other of one hundred and twenty, well equipped with artillery and munitions, with one hundred and eighty men. He could not learn where they were going; said to be on an adventure. That in St. Malo de l'Isle, on the coast of Bretagne, there were fitting out, by order of the king of France, thirteen vessels, very well equipped with much artillery and all kinds of munitions and supplies for over two years; of this fleet Jacques Cartier had command, with whom, and with a father-in-law of his who supplied the fleet, he conversed, and learned from them that they were going to settle a land which is called Canada, and that to settle it and build a fort they were carrying workmen and all kinds of tools; he was making great haste. In the fleet it was said that they would sail at the middle of April, this year, or at the end of it, and that more than two thousand five hundred men would go on it. This Jacques Cartier said that this fleet had first certain ships that were ready to go to the cod-fishery. That in the port of Morlaix, and in Brest, and in Quimper Corentin, were two ships ships of as much as one hundred and thirty tons, some said to go with the fleet, others to go to Brazil and the Rio de la Plata, others that they were going to discover certain lands and islands; he could not learn the certainty. That it was said that the ships which had sailed from Dieppe, and the five that were then fitting out, were sent out by a very rich man of that kingdom trading by sea in all its kingdoms, whom they call the "Viscount de Dieppe." On seeing this relation this spy was ordered to return to France and learn at the ports what these ships had done; and whether they had sailed, and with what force, munitions, and supplies; and whither they were going or what intentions they had, and whether they had armed; whether other ships were fitting out,-and to bring an entire account of all. II. What is determined in the Council of State and of the Indies on what is presented touching the object of the French fleet, in reply to his Majesty. On seeing the heads of the letter addressed by his Majesty to the Most Reverend Cardinal of Toledo and the relation from France, and what had been gathered there by the spy sent by way of Christobal de Haro, a copy whereof is sent to his Majesty, it appears to be apparently true what is said therein : that the first land to which they are going is 760 leagues distant from St. Malo, in Brittany, where the fleet is equipping; that it can be no land but that which enters by the coast of the Vacallaos, being the same land which it is pretended the Bretons discovered many days since,* because thereto is just the said seven hundred and sixty leagues, and there is no other land laid down on the map, where the said seven hundred and sixty leagues could be made out, and there and further on the coast that runs towards Florida, which is the discovery made by the Licentiate Ayllon and Estevan Gomez, and is now granted to the Adelantado Soto. And this is believed to be the real state of the case, because adding the other seven hundred leagues which they say they must pass further, they place themselves near the Bahama Channel, which is in the best spot that they can take, in preparation for the time when war breaks out with France, to do damage to the ships of the Indies: for the most of them come by the said Bahama Channel, and not one can pass without their taking it. And this seems to be their principal intention, to go and settle that coast, because even though the land should prove useless, this voyage is a very great step towards their design; this being so, it is clear that they are going to settle within your Majesty's limits. And because there is no more certainty of their voyage than as stated, it seems best in order to acquire it, as your Majesty orders one caravel to be sent after the fleet, to send two, so that if one should be lost the other may return with the news; and also to send another caravel to go to the Cape Verde islands, to learn whether the fleet has passed there (for some maintain that it may be that they will go to the Rio de la Plata and towards the coast of Marañon), in case they have gone that way, so as to know the truth to the root; this caravel may go and return sooner, and knowing that they have not gone that way, it will * On old maps some say, "Land of the Bretons;" on others, "Land of Portugal;" on another they say the French discovered it. There is another, which says in Latin: "Terra ista dicitur de los Macallaos quam prefectus quidam sive archigubernius Britanniæ regis invenit ingens in (? ibi) capistium copia, quos Vacallaos dicunt." be certain that they have gone to the coast of Bacallaos; and until one of the said caravels returns, or we know otherwise of the French fleet, that no fleet sail at all, but when August sets in, the supplies be made that will be needed till April, and five hundred soldiers for a year, raised as a base for what should be necessary in case a fleet has to be fitted out. If not necessary, the loss will not be great; and also that the artillery, munitions, and other equipments be put in order. It also seems, that if his Majesty is pleased that this fleet be put in order, that on knowing certainly the spot where the French settle (that it may be done with dissimulation, and the French not be able to say that war was declared and treaties broken on our side, as we may believe they will say, when they know a fleet is fitting out), some person of authority should be procured who combines the qualities necessary for captaingeneral of this fleet, who shall solicit the conquest and discovery of that coast, and a contract be made with him and it be granted him, in the manner that other agreements are usually made; so that, although the fleet is really fitted out at his Majesty's expense, it should be publicly in the name of this discoverer and colonizer,—and this may be done with due secrecy and dissimulation. As to what your Majesty asks, with what money this can be done, it seems that at present that there is no other wherewith to fit it out than the gold and silver that is in Panama, come from Peru; and if your Majesty is pleased that it may be therewith provided, it should be ordered to be brought at once, because it is ordained by your Majesty's decree to the officers of that province that it should not be sent till a fleet of your Majesty's goes for it; and if it is not brought, it would cost much to take it up by drafts in the way of exchange. The other things that your Majesty orders to be provided in the Indies, both in the fortresses and elsewhere be done as your Majesty directs. This was sent to the Cardinal of Seville, and he replied what your Majesty will see by the copy of his letter here given. I received your letter of the 13th inst., and with it the Relation of the captain of a caravel which his Majesty had ordered to go towards Bacallaos, to learn what a French captain, called Jacques Quartier, had done there, which I showed immediately to the king and also to the Infante Don Luis. The answer previously made me by the king as to arming against these French, I wrote one of my servants, whom I sent with the Venetian, and with a Persian Moor who came with him from the Sophi, who are going on their travels; but as this will arrive first, I inclose a duplicate of that letter. Letter of the Cardinal of Seville to Samano. Extracts from the Letter of the Spanish AmI have read two or three times the opin-bassador at Lisbon to the Comendador Mayor. ion adopted in the Council of the State and the Indies on what concerns the fleet said to have sailed from France for the Indies, and after considering well the deliberations held by these gentlemen, my mind sees nothing at present to add or take away, except that proper sailing papers be given to the caravel or caravels to be sent to bring back information, so that entering the French fleet they be not taken for spies and treated as ene- to his Majesty on the 15th of this month by mies, for in that case one of two things, they will be lost or we shall get no tidings of what passes, unless by great good luck; but this may be considered when the caravels are dispatched, and we need not occupy ourselves at present with it. It may be well to write to his Majesty, that it will be well looked to at the proper time. Reason moreover convinces: 1st, that the French have no thought of Rio de la Plata, nor of landing on that coast, which is our demarcation down to the strait. The second, that the voyage which they say they will make, 600 leagues beyond the Vacallaos, they will not make with the intention of settling and posting themselves in a place whence they can easily fall upon our ships; because this can be of no profit to them without breaking the peace between France and Spain, and as this is admitted to be a thing to be dreaded, all men must rationally hope that the peace or truce will last a few years, and not incur great expenses in hopes of gaining in a war which they dread. It seems to me madness; their motive is, that those provinces from some accounts are believed to be rich in silver and gold, and they hope to do what we have done; but in my judgment they are mistaken, because, except for fishery, all that coast down to Florida is utterly unfruitful, where they will be lost, or if they escape will return, losing some men and most of what they take from France. I beg you, sir, to communicate this my opinion, that the courier who is to bear the reply to his Majesty may not be detained on my account. TALAVERA, June 10, 1541. JUST. MAG. VOL. VI. 8 When I returned to tell the king this, he told me that this Relation and the context of a letter written him by his ambassador in France (of which a copy goes herewith), were almost identical, and that as to this he had already made me a reply that I might write to his Majesty the reasons why it seemed to him to little purpose for his Majesty or him to fit out fleets to prevent the French from going to discover, the sea being so vast: I replied saying, that hitherto it had seemed doubtful whether we could stop them, but now we knew where the French had taken foot, and could not fail to find them there; and inasmuch as his Highness averred this to be in his demarcation, as he said, and concerned him especially, his Majesty for his great affection for him, would aid him with his fleet, that the two armadas should go and attack the French, and dislodge them wherever they should find them; and that if this was once done, the French would not for a long time, if ever, attempt it again. The king answered me that Bacallaos, whither the French had gone, is so very cold, they say, as it is in the latitude of Flanders, and the sea is here so constantly stormy, that he lost two fleets there; and his father, Don Manuel, two others that he sent there; and that the French could go to no part where they would do less prejudice to his Majesty or to himself, but that he would think it over and give me an answer, and he asked me for the Relation, which I gave him. of little moment. I will advise his Majesty and you of what the king shall answer me; and as this servant of the Most Christian king offers, I thought better to write this in cipher by him. He is a Fleming, and, as Francisco de Guzman and his wife tell me, most devoted to the service of his Imperial Majesty. VOCABULARY OF THE EUDEVE. The same conversation took place with the Infante Don Luis, and he answered me as the king did; and moreover, that the king his brother had so many necessary charges, and so many things to attend to, in India and elsewhere, that he could not remedy them, and that there were many things which it was better to dissemble than to interfere, as they could not prevent them— such as the French fitting out ships and exploring; and that unless by that river A DIALECT OF THE PIMA LANGUAGE, SPOKEN IN which the French had discovered they could reach the South Sea, all they could do there THE following words are taken from an seemed of small moment, and on the con- original work still in manuscript, consisting trary he believed that they would perish. of a dictionary, grammar, and catechism, in I told him that it seemed to me just the re- the Spanish and Indian languages. It was verse: that once settled there, they could obtained for Mr. Buckingham Smith, in proceed to discover both, and that it was Spain, and is a precious relic of the early expedient to prevent the French taking missionary labors in America. The orthogroot there or anywhere else, but to expel raphy is, of course, Spanish. them at once. According to what they now SONORA. Woman, hoquis, pl. ho- Infant, vratz. say in reply, I believe that the answer the Man, dor, pl. dodor. Brother, elder, vátzgua. gua. Sister, elder, cótzgua. Light, vasúca. Great, huéi. Morning, beat. Evening, tabac. Spring, tasur. Summer, cuuesragua. Hail, tehet. Small, chúpi. Strong, huguaraguen, Handsome, bavi, bavi téri. Warm, sucáen, urúen. amet. Near, mótu, simápine, To-day, oqui, tauitze. To-morrow, queco. Seven, seniovusáni. guam. be Twelve, macoita goc be The Memorial of which the Lords Commissioners have transmitted a copy, appears, as far as any information can be had in these parts, to be just and well grounded. It is well known, that ever since the expedition of the Sieur la Salle, the French have claimed all the lands to the northward and westward of the British colonies, from Canada along the lakes and Mechasipi river; in which they further strengthen themselves, by alleging that the article in the treaty of Ryswick, between the British and French crowns, by which all lands on rivers in America, of the mouths of which each nation were then possessed, are conceded to that nation as high as the first sources of those rivers, is a full cession of all that tract to the French, though it cannot be probable that it was ever so intended; because it is not only inconsistent with the more ancient grant from the crown to the proprietors of Carolina, but with the security of all the British colonies upon the continent of America. The French, from the time of their first discoveries of the Mechasipi, have with great care settled a communication between Canada and the southern countries on that river, for which they have different routes, all of which are the same as far as Lake Erie. |