[Sidenote] Extirpated by Spaniard.

Mean while, a peace being patched up between the Papists and Protestants
in France, Admiral Coligni, who was seemingly received into favour by
that political court, fitted out three ships, loaded them with provisions
and arms, and sent them to Carolina. Rene Laudoner to whom he had given
the command, embarked with a number of adventurers. On his arrival he
found the spot Ribaud had relinquished; but despaired of being able to
keep possession of it without regular supplies. When he found his
provisions beginning to fail, he had formed resolutions of returning to
Europe. While he was making preparations to embark, Ribaud fortunately
arrived with seven ships, a large supply of necessaries, and a
considerable body of settlers. This animated them to enter with greater
vigour on clearing and cultivating lands, and making provision for their
future subsistence. The Indians rejoiced at Ribaud's return, and waited
on him with their assurances of friendship. But while this French colony
were beginning to flatter themselves with some faint hopes of success,
Peter Melandez, who pretended a right to the whole territory, came
against them with an armed force, killed Ribaud and seven hundred of his
men, and compelled the remainder to return to France. M. de Gorgues, a
Gascoon, afterwards, to avenge the disaster of his countrymen, dislodged
Melandez, but made no attempt toward planting a colony in that quarter.
This extensive country remained a wilderness until the reign of Charles
the second of England. To keep possession, the Spaniards supported a
small garrison at Augustine, on the most barren spot of the whole
territory, upon which, together with the discovery of Ponce de Leon, they
ever after founded their claim to all the southern parts of North
America.

[Sidenote] A traffic in negroes.