The Lily and the Totem; or, The Huguenots in FloridaSimms, William Gilmore
History
The Lily and the Totem; or, The Huguenots in Florida
Simms, William Gilmore
Florida -- History -- Huguenot colony, 1562-1565 -- Fiction
But Ottigny, whose real purpose is to obtain the gold of the people of
Thimogoa, does not indulge his warlike guides in their desires. They
encounter some of the people whom they seek, and make inquiries after
the treasure. This is promised them hereafter. With the report of a king
named Mayrra, who lives farther up the river, and abounds in gold and
silver, Ottigny returns to La Caroline. Other adventurers follow, other
kings and chiefs are brought to the knowledge of our Frenchmen. Plates
of gold and silver are procured; large bars of the latter metal; and the
lures are quite sufficient to keep the colonists employed in the one
pursuit to the complete neglect of every other. Instead of planting,
they rely for their provisions wholly upon the Indians; and, for
eighteen months, the lieutenants of Laudonniere penetrated the forests
in every possible direction. They appear not only to have explored the
interior of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, but to have prosecuted
their insane search even to the Apalachian mountains. It is not
improbable that our antiquarians frequently stumble upon the proofs of
their progress, which they fondly ascribe to a much earlier period. We
preserve, as subjects of proper comparison with aboriginal words still
in use, and by which localities may yet be identified, the names of many
of the chiefs with whom our Frenchmen maintained communion. From the
Indians of King Mollova, Captain Vasseur obtains five or six pounds of
silver. Mollova is the subject of a greater prince, named Olata Ovae
Utina. The tributaries of this great chief are numerous;--Cadecha,
Chilili, Eclavou, Enacappe, Calany, Anacharaqua, Omittaqua, Acquera,
Moquoso, and many others. Satouriova is the chief sovereign along the
waters of the May. He too hath numerous tributaries. He is the great
rival monarch of Olata Utina. Potanou is one of his chiefs, "a manne
cruel in warre, but pitiful in the execution of his furie." He usually
took his prisoners to mercy, branding them upon the arm, and setting
them free. Onatheaqua and Hostaqua are great chiefs, abounding in
riches, that dwell near the mountains. According to the tales of the
Indians of May River, the warriors of Olata Utina "armed their breasts,
armes, thighes, legs and foreheads with large plates of gold and
silver." Molona is a chief of the river of May, near the Frenchmen, and
hostile also to the Thimogoans. Malicá is another of these chiefs of
Satouriova, eager, like all the rest, to shed the blood of the hostile
people whom the Frenchmen have unwisely promised to destroy. In order to
win the favor of Molona, while that Paracoussi is entertaining them
at his dwelling, Capt. Vasseur, returning from an expedition to the
territories of Thimogoa, reports that nothing but their flight prevented
him from utterly destroying that people. Improving upon his superior,
one Francis La Caille, a sergeant, insisted that, with his sword, he has
run two of the Thimogoans through the body.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account