This Country of Ours

ed redress. But the King of Spain declared that the Frenchmen had been justly served. The land upon which they had settled was his, he said, and they had n

o quarrel with the King of Spain. So finding that no persuasions would move him, and th

ted the Spaniards with a deadly hatred. And when he heard of the Florida massacre he vowed to avenge the death of his countrymen.

making believe that he was going to Africa for slaves. But after encountering storms and contrary winds he turned

s he recounted to them

uelty go unpunished?"

t! To this end I have

ou to help me.

we will go with you to

houghts of vengeance they sa

rnoon the men in these forts saw three ships go sailing by. These were the French ships bringing Gourges and his companions. But the men in the forts thought that they were

at the whole beach was crowded with savages armed with bows and arrows and ready for war. For the Indians, too, had taken the strang

nt him on shore to talk with the Indians. And as soon as they recognised him they greeted him with shouts of

He told them how the Spaniards stole their corn, drove them from their huts and their hunting grounds, and gene

"If you have been ill-treated by the Spania

ouriona, le

, "will you figh

ges, "but you must

you," cried Satour

w soon can you be ready? For if w

e can be ready,"

at you are secret in the matter so

Satouriona; "we wish the

. Then some by water, some by land, the French and Indians set forth, and after many hardships and much toil they reached one o

hieves who have stolen this land from our King.

n eager whispers they begged to be led on. So the wo

y meal when a cry was heard from the rampart

nch and Indians pursued them and hemmed them in so that not one man escaped. In

ges spent it resting, and making

self as an Indian and crept within the French lines. But almost at once he was seen by a young Indian chief. And his disguise being thus discovered he was seized and questioned. He owned that there were sc

, mad with the desire of blood and vengeance, met them. Many fell before the tomahawks; others turned back choosing rather to die at the ha

three forts together. He led them to the trees where Menendez had

enge it. There is no name shameful enough with which to brand your deeds, no punishment severe enough to repay them. But though you cannot be made to suffer as you deserve you sha

same trees upon which Menendez had hanged the Frenchmen. And over their heads he nailed tablets of wood

safe in Europe, and beyond the reach of any private man's vengeance. The Spaniards, too, were strongly entrenched at St. Augustine, so strongly indeed

plished all that he had come to do, Gourges made ready to depart. Whereupon the Indians set up a wail of grief. With tears they begged the Frenc

ore the Frenchmen sailed away, and little

n was furiously angry. He demanded that Gourges should be punished, and offered a large sum of money for his head. King Charles,

th heard of him and his deeds. And as she, too, hated the Spaniards she was pleased at what he had done, and she asked him to ente

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