ut
ten of the clocke in the morning: after wee were ready to depart Captaine
Ribault commanded to shoote off our Ordinance to giue a farewel vnto our
Frenchmen, which failed not to doe the like on their part. This being done
wee sayled toward the North: and then we named this Riuer Porte Royal,
because of the largenes and excellent fairenes of the same. (M401) After
that wee had sailed about 15 leagues from thence, we espied a riuer,
whereupon wee sent our pinnesse thither to discouer it. At their returne
they brought vs word that they found not past halfe a fathom water in the
mouth thereof. Which when we vnderstood, without doing any thing els, we
continued our way, and called it the Base or Shallow riuer. As we stil
went on sounding we found not past fiue or sixe fathome water, although we
were sixe good leagues from the shoare: at length we found not past three
fathomes, which gaue vs occasion greatly to muse. And without making any
further way we strook our sayles, partly because we wanted water, and
partly because the night approched: during which time Captaine Iohn
Ribault bethought with himselfe whether it were best for him to passe any
farther, because of the eminent dangers which euery houre we sawe before
our eyes: or whither he should content himselfe with that which he had
certainely discouered, and also left men to inhabite the countrey. Being
not able for that time to resolue with himselfe, he referred it vntill the
next day. The morning being come he proposed to all the company what was
best to be done, to the end that with good aduisement euery man might
deliuer his opinion. Some made answere that according to their iudgement
he had occasion fully to content himselfe, considering that he could doe
no more: laying before his eyes, that he had discouered more in sixe
weekes, then the Spaniards had done in two yeres in the conquest of their
New Spaine: and that he should do the king very great seruice, if he did
bring him newes in so short a time of his happy discouerie. Other shewed
vnto him the losse and spoile of his victuals, and on the other side the
inconuenience that might happen by the shallow water that they found
continually along the coast. Which things being well and at large debated
we resolued to leaue the coast forsaking the North, to take our way toward
the East, which is the right way and course to our France, where we
happily arriued the twentieth day of Iuly the yere 1562.

The state