f the second
garrison, which was founded on the St. John's, the visit of John Hawkins
in 1565 with timely relief, the return of Ribault from France and his
sad fate, the ferocity of Melendez against all heretic Frenchmen, and
the avenging chivalry of Dominic de Gourges. The student is baffled in
attempts to fix localities for the deeds and explorations of this
period, even with the help of the several accounts and the drawings of
Le Moyne; and, besides, these later vicissitudes did not involve any
permanent occupation as far north as Port Royal, that region having been
abandoned by the French, and being then visited by the Spanish only for
trade or adventure.

Some merchants of Barbados, in 1663, sent William Hilton and other
commissioners to Florida, then including Port Royal, to explore the
country with reference to an emigration thither. Hilton's Narration,
published in London the year after, mentions St. Ellens as one of the
points visited, meaning St. Helena, but probably including the Sea
Islands under that name. The natives were found to speak many Spanish
words, and to be familiar enough with the report of guns not to be
alarmed by it. The commissioners, whose explorations were evidently
prompted by motives of gain, close a somewhat glowing description of the
country by saying, "And we could wish that all they that want a happy
settlement of our English nation were well transported thither."

Hitherto England had borne no part in exploring this region. But,
relieved of her civil wars by the Restoration, she began to seek
colonial empire on the southern coast of North America. In 1663, Charles
II. granted a charter to Clarendon, Monk, Shaftsbury,--each famous in
the conflicts of those times,--and to their associates, as proprietors
of Carolina. The genius of John Locke, more fitted for philosophy than
affairs, devised a constitution for the colony,--an idle work, as it
proved. In 1670, the first emigrants, under Governor William Sayle,
arrived at Port Royal, with the purpose to remain there; but, disturbed
probably with apprehensions of Spanish incursions from Florida, they
removed to the banks of the Ashley, and, after another change of site,
founded Charleston.

In 1682, a colony from Scotland under Lord Cardross was founded at Port
Royal, but was driven away four years later by the Spanish. No permanent
settlement of the Beaufort district appears to have succeeded until
1700. This district is divided into f