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The French Arrive in Florida

On their first voyage to Florida the French touched at a flat, heavily wooded headland which their commander named Cape Francois [Promontorium Gallicum] in honor of France. The cape lies about thirty degrees from the equator.

From there the French sailed northwards along the low, level coast and came to the mouth of a broad and beautiful river, where they cast anchor, since they desired to explore the stream more carefully the next day. (When Laudonniere came upon it on his second voyage, he called it the River of Dolphins,* because of the many dolphins swimming in it.)

The French landed on the shore of this river and were met by a number of Indians, who received them with kindness and in the friendliest spirit. The natives were anxious to prove with deeds how well they meant; some of them gave their own garments, made of skins, to the French commander, and they offered to take him to their chief.

When they came before him, the chief was sitting upon boughs of palm and laurel and did not rise; but he presented our commander with a large skin decorated with pictures of wild animals.

*This is a mistake of Le Moyne. Laudonniere landed, not at the River of Dolphins, but at the River of May (the St. John's).

Monday, 15-May-95 14:17:42 PDT